Recipe: Shrimp And Snow Pea Stir-Fry

 A lovely summer recipe full of fresh, light flavors. Quick and easy to prepare, and delicious with fresh spring peas from your garden!

Shrimp And Snow Pea Stir-Fry
(Serves 2.)

Ingredients:

 (Photo credit: jeffreyw)

2 tablespoons corn oil, divided
1 onion, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
2 cups snow peas
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown rice, cooked

Directions:

• In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot, then add the onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Stir while cooking for several seconds. 
• Now add the shrimp and cook without stirring for 1 minute. Add the remainder of the oil and cook for another minute.
• Next, add the snow peas, bell pepper, water chestnuts and sesame seeds. 
• Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the salt, making sure to sprinkle it evenly over the vegetables. 
• Cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp is no longer pink. 
• Serve over cooked brown rice.

Wake Your Brain Up With Breakfast

We have all heard the phrase, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  There are many reasons why it's important to start the morning with a proper breakfast.  Simply stated:  Breakfast gives your body and brain the fuel they need to function.

It is especially important for children to eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning.  Young, growing brains need lots of energy to help focus and keep learning.  A child who skips breakfast is going to feel tired, restless, and irritable, possibly for the entire day.  Studies have proven time and time again that children who do not eat a healthy breakfast in the morning suffer both academically and socially.  They also suffer physically, often with obesity being the result.

You know how you, as an adult, feel if you skip breakfast.  Now just imagine if your brain was developing and growing at the rate of a child.  That empty tummy you experience if you skip breakfast is nothing compared to what a child will feel.

French Toast Souffle' Casserole (Photo credit: Bunches and Bits {Karina})

With that said, we know that eating a healthy breakfast every morning is important, especially for a child.  An easy way to ensure your child gets a healthy, well-rounded meal in the morning is with breakfast casseroles. 

I can hear you saying right now; “But I can't make a breakfast casserole in the morning!”  You don't have to.  Avoid a lot of preparation in the morning by planning ahead and you won't skip a beat during the morning rush.  Design a few breakfast casserole recipes to suit your family member's tastes and make several smaller casseroles on the weekend and put them in the refrigerator.  Now, before you wake your children up for school, pop their casseroles in the oven.  Before they walk out of the door, they'll have a delightfully delicious and nutritious breakfast to wake them (and their brains!) up. 

There is so much you can add to a casserole to meet everyone's nutritional needs.  To wake up your brain you want to eat foods that are high in protein, good carbs, fiber, calcium, iron, other minerals, and lots of vitamins. 

Make a breakfast casserole that contains whole-wheat or multi-grain bread, eggs, milk, maybe some cheese, meat, poultry or seafood, and vegetables, too, for a savory nutrition-packed dish.  If your child prefers a sweet breakfast, make a breakfast casserole that contains the same hearty bread, eggs, and milk, then add fruit and even nuts to the mix. You still get the protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but this time in a sweeter version.

With a nutritious breakfast, you can boost body and brain function, helping your child feel better and think better so he or she can perform better in school and throughout the day.  All of this in one simple to make breakfast casserole!

There are many great ways to get the nutrition needed in the morning, but breakfast casseroles are definitely a great option.  They are versatile, easy to mix up and serve, and ready when you are.  How will you start your day out tomorrow?  Give your brain, and your child's brain, a chance to wake up with a hearty and healthy breakfast casserole.

One-Pot Meals for Kids

If you have ever tried to cook with kids, you know the prep work can get frustrating. Kids aren't known for their patience, especially when food is involved. Any patience your kids have will fly out the window if dinner isn't on the table fast!

As your child watches you get out cutting boards, knives, colanders, beaters, cookbooks, peelers, whisks, measuring cups and spoons, pots, pans, baking sheets, etc. etc. etc., their eyes will most likely glaze over. Of course, we want our kids to learn to cook, but there has got to be an easier way, for both you and your kids.
The one pot meal is a cooking method made for kids. Having too many procedures can intimidate kids and make them want to skip the process altogether. Cooking should be fun, not frustrating.

Having a few simple one pot meals that a child can help put together is the easiest way to encourage a child to spend time in the kitchen cooking. Here is a list a couple of the easiest meals that kids can put together in one pot with ingredients that are simple to use.

Gourmet Mac-N-Cheese Pot

"Macaroni" and cheese. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay, it's really not gourmet, but your child doesn't need to know that. Start with a basic macaroni and cheese recipe. Get out a pot and prepare the mac and cheese according to the recipe. This is definitely a recipe every kid likes to make, so you're on your way already to a kid-friendly recipe.

After the mac and cheese is done, mix a frozen or canned vegetable into the mac and cheese. Frozen sweet peas work well, as does frozen broccoli. Your child may even like to try mixing in salsa and pinto beans or black beans for a Mexican macaroni and cheese dish. Just be sure your child chooses the ingredients so the dish is his or her own creation. You can stop there and serve, or you can create a cheesier version by adding more shredded cheese, or a creamier creation by adding cream cheese. And you can always stir in some shredded chicken if you want to add more protein and texture.

Ramen PB Crunch Thai Pot

It doesn't get much easier than this. Ramen noodles are turned into a delightfully delicious, and nutritious, meal with the addition of peanut butter (for protein) and veggies. Start simply by making the ramen noodles in a big pot according to package directions. You can use the flavor packets or leave them out. I recommend, however, that if you do use them, use only one.

Once the ramen noodles are done, take a tablespoon or more of good peanut butter and stir it into the hot ramen noodles. Now, here's where your child can choose other ingredients to add. If you keep cans of chop suey vegetables handy, that may be a good one to choose. Bean sprouts and water chestnuts alone would also be nice. Frozen french cut green beans or broccoli or sweet peas are all good choices. The more you let your child choose, the more likely it is that the meal will be eaten, and enjoyed.

Quinoa with Bacon and Vegetables (Photo credit: fritish)

Fluffy Veggie Pot

Instead of serving your child a vegetable or salad, which may very likely be pushed around the plate and not eaten, have your child cook up a full meal deal with veggies buried in fluffy stuff. For this dish you can choose either rice or quinoa for the 'fluff' portion of the meal. Start by cooking a pot of rice or quinoa according to directions on the box.

While the rice or quinoa is cooking, have your child choose the veggies for the pot.  Any assortment works just as long as your child gets to choose. When the quinoa or rice is done cooking, fluff it up with a fork, then toss in the veggies. It's that simple. Add seasoning to taste. If your child likes Mexican food, they might want to sprinkle in some taco seasoning and perhaps add pinto beans, corn, and some chopped tomatoes. The idea is to let your child have fun fluffing up the ingredients in the pot and then sitting down to a scrumptious bowl of healthy goodness.

We know that when we get kids involved in preparing and cooking their own meals they eat better. Try these simple one pot meals with your kids and they could start branching out on their own, looking for even more ways to create delicious meals for themselves, or maybe the whole family!

The Trick to Successful One Pot Meals: Preparation

When you're looking for ways to save time in the kitchen, making a whole meal in one pot has to top the list.  You just have to grab a big pot, grab your ingredients, and go, right? But wait. This is where the idea and the implementation collide.

You've got your pot sitting on the stove, alright, but then you're looking at a pile of ingredients that seem to have taken over the kitchen. Suddenly, you realize that your one pot meal is going to be a lot more work than you planned.

There's the chicken that needs to be cut up and the vegetables that need to be cleaned, peeled, and chopped. The recipe calls for cooked rice and there sits the box of rice, uncooked. You think about searching for another one pot recipe, but by the time you interrupt what you're doing to dig through recipes, you are going to find yourself frustrated as the clock ticks away, resulting in yet another call to the pizza delivery place.

How do we stop this madness? It's really not with magic at all; it's all about planning and preparation. Here are a few simple ways to plan ahead so your easy one pot meals actually end up being as easy as they should be.

Protein

Cooked chicken torn into strips in preparation for a dish. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No matter what protein you're using in your one pot meal, get the basic preparation done well before hauling out the pot. If the recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken, get the bones and skin pulled off the chicken as soon as you bring it home from the grocery store. If the recipe calls for cubed chicken or beef, cut it up ahead of time. Another tip to remember is slightly frozen meat cuts up easier than fresh meat. Put the chicken or meat in the freezer for a half hour and then cube it if you wish. You may want to freeze it after you cut it up to keep it fresher longer. Another bonus is that frozen cubed meat thaws faster than frozen whole meat.
If you really want to speed up your protein prep work, check the recipe to see if it calls for browning the chicken, beef, or ground meat. You may wish to do this step beforehand and store the cooled meat in the refrigerator or freezer to be used when you're ready to put the meal together. In this case, remember, the pan drippings (the brown bits on the bottom of the pot) may be a part of the flavor element for the recipe, so keep this in mind. But, if speed is most important, this step may be the best choice.

Beans are another protein we use a lot in one pot meals. As simple as it sounds, if you use canned beans, open the cans you're going to use that week, drain and rinse them, and store the beans in containers in the refrigerator. Now when you're mixing your one pot meal together, you just open and dump out the beans, removing the need to even grab the colander during your mealtime preparations.

Produce

One of the most time consuming parts of preparation for any meal, whether it's a one pot meal or not, is getting the vegetables cleaned and cut up. In restaurants, the chefs can concentrate on getting the dish cooked to perfection because all the ingredients are sitting there nicely prepared and waiting. Most of us don't have the luxury of having a sous chef busy in our kitchen working to make our life easier! So, we have to plan ahead.

The best way to make sure we can put our meals together quickly is to have all the produce prepared ahead of time. And, the best way to do that is to do the prep work when we bring home the produce - or pick it from the garden! If you wait until dinnertime, chances are time will get short and you'll find yourself chopping celery when you should already have it in the pot.

Take a look at the recipes you plan to make this week. Do the dishes call for things like onions, celery, green pepper, spinach, carrots, parsley, lemon juice and zest, or other produce? Get ahead of the game by washing, peeling, slicing, dicing, squeezing, or otherwise preparing these fresh ingredients. Then, when a recipe calls for a diced onion, you can reach for a Tupperware container of diced onion and throw it in. No cutting boards, no knives, and no clean up to worry about. Planning ahead is the key.

Pasta, Etc.

Many one pot recipes call for some sort of grain or seed ingredient, whether it's pasta, rice, quinoa, bread, or another fiber. Even these food items can be included in your preparation planning. If the recipe calls for cooked rice or quinoa, for instance, you can stock your refrigerator or freezer with plenty so you are ready to grab it and go.

Cover of One-Pot Meals (Great Taste, Low Fat)

If the recipe calls for raw pasta to be added in the pot with the other ingredients, this makes it easy. But if it needs to be cooked first, you can make the pasta ahead of time according to package directions, but be sure to leave it slightly under-cooked so your don't end up with mushy pasta after it cooks in the dish. Put the drained, cooled cooked pasta in a food storage container and drizzle olive oil over it to prevent it from sticking to itself, then keep it in the refrigerator. You can even use cooked pasta in a recipe that calls for uncooked pasta - just reduce the liquid in the recipe and throw the cooked pasta in during the last minutes of cooking time, just enough to heat it up.

Some favorite one pot meals call for dumplings or biscuits dropped on top. It is easy to whip together a simple dumpling or biscuit dough, but do it in advance. Divide the dough into pieces the size you need for your recipe and wrap them up in plastic and put them in the freezer. They will keep for quite some time and be ready to grab to plop on top of your delicious soup or stew when you need them.

Putting meals together quick and easy calls for more than a simple recipe; you need to know how to work smarter in the kitchen. Planning and preparation go a long way to getting meals on the table in a hurry. Use your time wisely to make cooking from scratch more simple, efficient, and delicious!

Tips for Cooking One-Pot Meals - Dutch Oven vs. Crock Pot

Since man first set fire to a piece of wood, cooking has been evolving in all directions. We sear, fry, grill, smoke, bake, braise, boil, steam, and simmer. Preferred cooking methods have changed often through time. Not surprisingly, we have developed some favorite cooking methods to get the most flavor out of certain foods, as well as to save time and money.

The crock pot, which was very popular in the 1970s, has enjoyed a rediscovery of sorts. The convenience, energy savings, and time savings of the crock pot has attracted a whole new fan.  The 'set it and forget it' group is back! And, with the new and improved crock pot designs, efficiency and ease of use is a big seller.

Dutch ovens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the same time, the Dutch oven has had a rebirth, as well. Beautifully designed enameled models are becoming more and more popular in today's kitchen. We also have the dedicated cast iron fan who has loved their favorite Dutch oven for decades. With both styles - the traditional 'campfire' style cast iron Dutch oven and the colorful enamel Dutch oven - we have plenty of options to enjoy.

So, how do we decide which method is best for making one pot meals? Let's take a look at a few reasons you might choose one or the other, or both.

Heat

Browning meat before adding it to a dish is usually a good idea. This method adds not only color and flavor, but sears the meat to seal the juices. It also provides those nice 'browned bits' on the bottom of the pot that recipes often call for deglazing with a liquid. This flavor cannot be ignored.

A crock pot is not designed to get hot enough on the bottom to sear protein. You won't get 'browned bits' and you won't be able to create a roux with flour and butter effectively in a crock pot.

You will also not be able to saute onion, celery, or garlic before adding the remaining ingredients in a crock pot. Again, the temperature on the bottom of the crock pot simply will not work well. You can try to turn the crock pot to high and add the ingredients, but the results will not be the same as cooking on a stovetop.

To solve this, you can brown the meat and saute the vegetables in a separate skillet over high heat, then add the ingredients to the crock pot. You could then deglaze the skillet to get up the 'browned bits' and add them to the crock pot. This works, but it does require more steps and more clean up.

The Dutch oven wins this argument. Browning and sauteing, when desired, is best done in the same Dutch oven you are using for your meal preparation, both for flavor and for clean up.

Ease

You can't argue the fact that putting ingredients in the crock pot, setting it and forgetting it, has its advantages. If your home life is chaotic after school and after work, walking into the house and having a crock pot meal all ready to eat is a plus.

Recipes for crock pot meals that take eight, nine, or ten hours are never difficult to find, meaning even if you are away from home for that long, you can still come home to a delicious meal in the crock pot.

Meals can even be prepared the night before, with veggies, meat, and liquid all layered in the crock pot insert and put in the refrigerator. Then, in the morning, just put the insert in, plug it in, and turn the heat to low.

Some crock pots have more sophisticated timers that you can set to turn on when you want and even lower the temperature to keep it warm until you get home.

The crock pot wins this argument. Nothing beats the ease of having everything together and just setting a timer to start when you leave, and be ready when you get home. If you don't do any browning in a separate pan, clean up is easy, too.

Simmering

When you put a Dutch oven on top of a burner on low, you have one disadvantage over a crock pot; the heat source is direct. You will have to check and stir the contents often. If the burner is set low enough to keep the contents from sticking or burning on the bottom, you may not get enough heat to keep the rest of the contents simmering.

The major parts of a crock-pot, namely the heating component, the ceramic pot and a glass lid. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It's true that the crock pot is surrounded by heat, allowing the contents to simmer more evenly.  But, not all crock pots have a lot of temperature control, which could mean the contents are simmering too fast even on the low setting.  If your crock pot has only a high and low setting, there isn't much you can do to slow the simmer down if it's already set on low.

Of course, many of the newer, heavier Dutch ovens are made so well that the heat is distributed evenly around the entire bottom and up the sides. And, many crock pots now come with a wide range of temperature settings to help maintain a slow simmer.

There is a lot to consider here. Basically, neither the Dutch oven nor the crock pot is the clear winner in this argument.  The Dutch oven must be watched and adjusted, while the crock pot has a more even simmer, but it could be too fast with no adjustment available. This is strictly a personal preference, and depends on the equipment you have and the meals you are making.

Conclusion

The simple fact is, there are pros and cons to both the Dutch oven and the crock pot. Searing and browning is important for many dishes, so you may want to cook in a Dutch oven to keep everything in one pot. Or, your lifestyle may require meals ready the moment you walk in the door, which would best be served with a crock pot for easiest preparation and clean up.

In my opinion, you need both. If the cost and storage space works, invest in a good Dutch oven and a good crock pot that will meet your family's needs.  Having both pieces of equipment in your kitchen will open up a whole world of perfectly prepared delicious one-pot meals!

And be sure to check back here throughout this month for some simple and tasty one-pot recipes!

   

Easy Christmas Cooking Through Planning Ahead

Christmas is a hectic time of year. Many families find that they barely have time to breathe much less cook dishes to bring for this or that function. For this reason there are a number of tasty "cheat" dishes that can be  prepared for these occasions and very few people will be the wiser. Though Christmas may be about being with friends and family, it is not about broadcasting a possible lack of talent in the kitchen, time on hand, or a shortage of attention span that is required in order to prepare a stellar dish for your Christmas needs.

Macaroni casserole (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of course, you could begin preparing and freezing large casserole favorites as early as August for the Christmas season. In this instance you could freeze all your family favorites and have great dishes not only for family functions that require a pitch-in dish, but also for those nights when you are far too busy to be bothered with something as demanding on your limited attention span as actually preparing a home cooked meal. If you prepare casseroles and similar dishes that work well with a holiday theme throughout the year be sure to double your efforts next time and freeze half for busier months such as November and December.

But if you didn't think to do that this year, not to worry! Foods that you cook this week and freeze for next week will be fresh and ready to pop in the oven come Christmas day. Pies and casserole-type dishes work best for this, but even some soups and appetizers can be made ahead and frozen. If you're making a Christmas ham, these are usually pre-cooked, so you just need to heat them in the oven for a bit, and then you're ready to eat. If you do this right, when you get to the big day, you may only need to make the salad and mashed potatoes!

Christmas dinner. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Besides cooking some items ahead, you can also help prepare for your Christmas meal by making a list and shopping early. Not only will you avoid the crowd of last-minute shoppers, but with a list of everything you need, you can keep from making those impulse purchases that sometimes happen if you make multiple shopping trips or are just shopping willy-nilly. Sit down ahead of time and plan out your menu, gather the recipes you plan to use. This will make it easy to assess what you already have on hand, and then make a list of everything else you will need to purchase for the meal. Make this a day or two ahead of your shopping trip, so you can add on any items that pop into your head that you may have forgotten on the first pass. Then go buy everything in advance and start your preparations. That way when the guests start to arrive, you can enjoy their company rather than having to make a last-minute trip to the store for something you forgot!

You do not have to have super powers or even a great deal of cooking talent in order to make a Christmas dinner that is delicious and easy to make when time is short. Careful planning well ahead of time is often the key to a successful Christmas season. Most of us begin our shopping early, and there is no harm in also beginning our cooking and meal planning a little early too.

Cooking Tip: How To Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Time

Do you struggle with under-cooking your pasta so it is still crunchy, or over-cooking it so it becomes mush when you try to stir in the sauce?

Perfectly cooked pasta is easy to achieve and it doesn't require any special or unique gadgets from a high-end cooking store or “as seen on TV” products.  All you need is a good sized pot, fresh water, and a big strainer or colander.  Chances are you have everything already.  Aside from those few items, it all boils down to technique when it comes to cooking perfect pasta. Let's review the basics.

Preparation

 (Photo credit: Guy Renard 25)

If you are working with boxed pasta, an important thing to remember is to make sure to salt your water before cooking your pasta. This is the only time you have a chance to flavor prepackaged pasta while you cook it. If you want even more flavor to infuse your pasta, add herbs along with the salt, or cook the pasta in chicken or vegetable stock instead of water. You can also throw in vegetables if you like to add more color and nutrition. The point is, you can something with store bought pasta other than just throw it in some water if you want to get the most flavor impact with the pasta.

When cooking homemade pasta, be sure that it is fairly dry. The reason it needs to be dry is to keep it from falling apart in the water. It also helps the pasta cook evenly. When you made your pasta you probably added salt, so adding salt to the water is optional for homemade pasta.  However, you certainly may add salt if you desire, as well as other seasonings.

Cooking

Choose the largest pot you can for the amount of pasta you're cooking. The reason is you want your pasta to cook in as much water as possible. Pasta needs room to move around. Fill your pot with cold, fresh water and set it on the stove on high heat and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down a bit until it calms down slightly. Pasta consists of a lot of starch, which gets extremely sticky when it is put into rapidly boiling water quickly. Make sure the water has calmed down from a rapid boil, then slowly and carefully add your pasta. Adding the pasta slowly allows the pasta to soften and begin to move around so the starch doesn't keep the pasta pieces stuck together, as they will if the pasta is added all at once.

Some cooks like to add a little oil to the water to keep the pasta separated. Other cooks don't like to do this because they say sauce doesn't stick to the pasta as well. Just experiment and see what you prefer.

This pasta is boiling too hard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Don't let your water come to a rapid boil again after the pasta is added. If the water starts splashing over the sides or you see foam rise up, the water is too hot. Pasta, even though it feels hard and brittle, is actually quite fragile. If it boils, it will start to break down and all those wonderful strands will become a big ball of starch. Let the water gently bubble away, caressing each piece of pasta until they are all relaxed. That's the image you want to keep in mind so your pasta comes out the best.

When you are cooking the pasta, be sure to stir gently several times and test for doneness often. Follow the instructions on the box if you're using packaged pasta and start testing before the recommended time is up. Just remove a piece from the pot while it's still cooking, cool it off, and bite it.  You'll know the pasta's ready when you feel a bit of resistance when you bite down with your teeth. You don't want it to go 'crunch' but you do want a nice feel to it.  And remember, it will still cook slightly after you drain it, so less cooked is better.

Draining

Here's where there is some debate. Some cooks swear by rinsing their cooked pasta under hot tap water after it drains in order to remove any starchy residue left. Other cooks say if you cook your pasta correctly there won't be any starchy residue left. 

If you added oil to the water, rinsing it will remove most of the oil which defeats the purpose of the oil.  Rinsing also will remove all that salt and other flavorings you added.  However, if your pasta seems to be sticking together in the colander, you may want to rinse it.  And, if you are using your pasta in a cold salad, there are some cooks who recommend running the pasta under cold water to stop it from cooking, keeping it more al dente, and to cool it down for the recipe.

You'll have to experiment on this one.  If you follow the first tips about having a lot of water in your pot for the pasta to move around in, salting the water, and keeping the water at a slow roll instead of a rapid boil, your pasta should come out perfectly.  Try draining it without rinsing and see what happens.  Your pasta could be perfect at that.  Or, rinse it if you like and give it a taste and see if that works for you. Perfecting the pasta really takes place in the pot, and not in the strainer or colander.

Cooking pasta perfectly is simple if you know the basics. The fun part after you've mastered this skill is playing around with different flavors and all the varieties of pasta available.  Now you'll have perfect pasta, perfectly delicious, every time!

And be sure to check back later this week for some healthy and tasty pasta recipes!

3 Easy Tricks to Grilling Restaurant Worthy Steaks Like A Pro

This week we're celebrating the quintessential grilling holiday - that being, of course, the 4th of July! All across the country, in cities, small towns, and farmsteads alike, we'll be firing up those barbecue grills. And of course, one of the tastiest and most popular grilling items is the good old steak!

Over the past month, you have mastered the basics of your grill and now you are ready to start showing off your skills a bit more - just in time to serve perfect steak at your 4th of July barbecue this week! What better vehicle to grill with bravado than the classic – grilled steak.  There are three simple things to do to acquire restaurant quality perfection when it comes to grilling a nice beef steak. Let's get started.  My mouth is watering already!

1. Learn to Turn for Perfect Grill Marks

Have you ever envied those amazing sear marks you see on steak in restaurants? Be honest. You wish you could duplicate that at home. Well, it is a lot easier than you think. All you need is a hot grill, a pair of tongs, and at least a little knowledge of geometry. Yes, geometry.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First things first; make sure your steak is at room temperature.  Then, make sure your grill is nice and hot. The searing comes when the meat touches the extremely hot surface and begins to char the outer layer of meat. Once you have your first set of grill marks, and here's where your geometry comes in handy, turn your food at a 45 degree angle onto a new hot area of the grill.

You can also imagine making the letter 'V' with where it was laying and where it is going to lay. Also, be sure that the grates are hot where you are moving it too – if they are not hot, your grill marks will not be as prominent. Now your steak will look like it came from a five star restaurant.

Once you have the grill marks set on the top of the steak, you can flip your steak and you can continue cooking the steak until it's done to your liking. That's the bottom side and no one will see it, so it's not necessary to score it... unless you're absolutely hooked on this bit of fun.

2. Pick Up Steaks and Move

Now your presentation side is done and you just have to finish cooking the rest of the meal. This is where a giant grilling myth is busted. Many people think once you set your food on the grill, you are not supposed to pick it up, move it or even look at it until the suggested time is up.

Moving your steak, or other food, around on the grill helps ensure you get even cooking and can even help regulate internal temperature and doneness.

For instance, say you have a steak that you want to prepare to medium well. You have created your grill marks and flipped it over. The bottom is starting to look done, but it is still only medium in the middle. Instead of keeping the steak where it is, chancing that the bottom will get burnt so the middle is medium, why not move it to a cooler part of the grill and close the lid. This slows down the cooking of the outside of the steak while acting like an oven to cook the rest to its desired doneness.

3. A Good Steak is Pretty in Pink

While the USDA and other organizations still warn against undercooked meat, there are plenty of meat-loving grilling maestros who really don't see the reasoning.  A good cut of meat that has been grilled until it resembles charcoal is an abomination to the whole experience.  Steak will get tough as it gets closer to well-done simply because it's drying out. 

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That's not to say that you have to eat meat that is rare to have a delicious steak.  But, if you cook the smithereens out of your steak, making sure it loses all its pink color on the inside, you will be left with a less than enjoyable result on your plate.

You have to take into account that the steak continues to cook after you remove it from the grill.  It's not a lot, but it is enough to go from done to well-done if you're not careful.  For this reason, always take your steak off when you are thinking “Just one more minute.” 

Remove your steak with tongs not a fork. Poking holes in the steak will let the juices run out.  And please do not slice into the meat to see if it's done!  This is a major no-no. Instead, use the hand test.   With your hand open, feel the flesh under your thumb.  That's how a rare steak feels.  Close your hand;  that's how a steak cooked medium feels.  Clench your hand tight;  that's how a well-done steak feels. 

Remove your steak before it has the 'clenched hand flesh' feeling.  Set your steak on a warm plate or cutting board and allow it to rest for 3 to 5 minutes while you dish up the rest of the meal.  Then and only then cut into the meat.

Another reason for leaving your steak a bit pink inside is for leftovers.  If you're like me, you are thrilled to see that little piece of steak in foil the next day in the fridge.  Now you can pull it out, slice it thin, and use it in a fajita or an omelet or other great dish.  But, if the steak is overcooked already, it will just get tough as you cook it more.  In tomorrow's breakfast or lunch, your medium-rare to medium steak will lose its pink, but not its flavor if you're careful and don't over-heat it. Remember this simple rule, you can always cook food more, but you can never cook it any less.  So keep that steak at least a little pink inside.

By keeping these three tips in mind, you will create a perfectly grilled steak that will amaze your family and friends.  You'll wonder why you ever wasted your money ordering steak at a restaurant. And maybe you never will again!

Be sure to check back in the next couple of days for some tasty steak recipes for your 4th of July barbecue, as well as the rest of the grilling days of summer.

Keeping the Office Holiday Party Fun & Frugal

'Tis the season...for the office holiday party - a time of fun and food with your co-workers, as well as gift-exchanges, and potluck lunches. Anyone who has a limited budget knows how difficult work parties can be on the wallet. Work parties can include many expenditures; a dish to pass, a gift, a collection for the boss, and maybe a charity.  Now, these things each by itself is not going to destroy your budget, but when they start piling on, it can get steep.  And what if you have more than one party to attend?  You want to be positive and share in the holiday spirit, but you also want to pay the bills and feed the family.  How can you enjoy your holiday office parties and not come off being the company Scrooge?  Here are a few tips.

Sign-up Fast

Pot luck lunch (Photo credit: Bruce A Stockwell)

This is definitely a time when you want to be first in line. Signing up fast for the potluck meal is an advantage when you're on a budget.  Why?  Because you can choose your food item to bring from a wider range of goodies.  You can shop early for the ingredients and maybe snag a few sale prices.  If you wait until the last minute to sign up, you are bound to find yourself in the deli the day of the party paying premium prices for a prepared dish that you could have easily made at home for half the price.

If that happens, your dish not only cost way more than you budgeted, but the presentation looks cheap. It looks like you don't care enough about your fellow workers to give your dish any thought at all. There sits your plastic deli containers right next to those beautifully decorated homemade sugar cookies.  And, the fact is, those sugar cookies cost a fraction of what you brought, but look and taste so much better.  So, get your name on that sign-up sheet the moment it comes out to save yourself the embarrassment and the expense.

Stick with Traditional Food

Holiday potluck parties at work are not the time to try out a new recipe.  Nor is it time to bring your most complicated dish. Stick with traditions that are tried-and-true.  If your coworkers see a 'mystery dish' on the table, something they're not familiar with, they will pass it by.  No one's going to embarrass themselves or others by asking; “What's that?”  If you're serving something with a bunch of complicated sauces, it just gets clumsy figuring out what to put with what. Keep your dish simple, easy to serve, and delicious and everyone will appreciate the effort you made. (Check this blog later this week for some great recipes for holiday potlucks.)

Office holiday party white elephant gift exchange. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Keep the Gift Exchange Simple

As far as a gift exchange goes, keep it simple and inexpensive.  Having complicated gift exchanges where everything is topsy turvy and no one understands the rules is a recipe for disappointment.  Do simple 'take away' games for small gifts that are suitable for everyone.  Put small wrapped gifts together and draw names for each gift.  Don't make the exchange too unusual.  Play games that are familiar to everyone so the party keeps moving smoothly and no one feels left out.  Plan your gift exchange early so you can agree on a dollar limit and everyone will have time to shop.  And remember, it's about the fun, not the gift.  So, keep the dollar limit very low so everyone can enjoy the festivities without worrying about the expense.

Out On the Town

Some work parties are planned out of the office.  These parties can be more entertaining than a simple potluck office party, but they can also be very expensive.  If you are on a limited budget, you may find it difficult to justify splurging on such a party.  This is where being a part of the planning committee will come in handy. 

You will need a strong voice in your workplace, an advocate for you and your fellow coworkers who want to keep the expense down.  If the decision is made to have the party at a restaurant, then be sure to do your research.  These establishments are going to want your party, so they will be willing to deal with you.  Review menu and drink choices, then begin the negotiating.  When it comes to a party outside the office, it's all about getting the right prices.  Stay away from ordering off the menu and having an open bar.  Choose two or three dinner options, negotiate a price with the restaurant, then have a cash bar.  Each person can then enjoy the party within their own budget.

The workplace is no place to throw caution to the wind when it comes to your holiday budget.  You need to watch your wallet just like you do while planning your family holiday celebrations.  When the holidays roll around, jump right in and be a part of the planning so you can ensure your frugal voice is heard.

Video - How to Make Mozzarella Cheese

As a funny note on the synchronicity of life, I happened upon this video by accident this afternoon, after just this morning talking with a friend about making mozzarella!  (As we say at New Holistic Living - everything is connected....)  I got a book on cheesemaking last summer, but honestly haven't done much with it so far. Making your own cheese can be challenging, and, for some kinds, requires equipment and space I just don't have right now. I make a lot of yogurt, which I use mostly in my morning breakfast smoothies, but otherwise the only things I've made from the book are a Greek soft cheese, which was just okay, and ricotta, which was amazing, and I've made that one a couple of times since then as well.

I hadn't thought to try mozzarella - I thought it sounded complicated when I had looked at the recipe previously, but my friend this morning mentioned it was supposed to be an easy cheese to make, and judging from this video, it's really pretty simple. I actually have all of the ingredients already, so I will try this one soon for sure. Summer is a great time to make mozzarella, with all the fresh tomatoes and basil soon coming on.... Yum!  (If you need a few recipes for your fresh mozzarella, be sure to check back later this week for some tasty suggestions.)

Check out the video, and see how easy it can be to make your own fresh mozzarella from scratch. And see below the video for some other helpful resources on cheese-making, including the kit shown in the video.

 

Home Cheese-Making Resources:
   

Healthy Cooking At Home

When it comes to cooking healthy meals for our families, there is always some degree of dissention among the ranks. The good news is that there are lots of recipes that are very healthy, and still taste delicious, and are not that difficult to make.

Healthy cooking may sound difficult as most of us do not want to spend time planning and preparing meals that our families refuse to eat. At the same time, we want our families to be healthy so we feel compelled to learn new and improved ways of cooking healthy foods for our family to enjoy.

Cover via Amazon

With weight and nutrition being known as the culprit in so many health conditions it is impossible to ignore the importance of not only eating healthy ourselves but also of teaching our children the importance of eating healthy. One way to insure that your loved ones are in fact eating healthy is to make sure that you are cooking healthy and nutritious foods for them at home. This does not mean that you cannot enjoy the occasional calorie splurge or even that you shouldn't. The key to cooking healthy is learning to control portions and understanding the importance of moderation.

For those that are hoping to incorporate healthy cooking habits into their daily routines, there are more resources available than ever before in order to assist you in those endeavors. You can seek the services of a professional nutritionist, your doctor can offer advice, you can find all kinds of books on healthy eating, cooking, and living at your local library, and the Internet is an outstanding source of all kinds of information when it comes to leading a healthier lifestyle all around.

There are many books and magazines that are filled with recipes that encourage healthy cooking and eating habits. Whether you truly love to cook, or are just beginning to learn, there is no shortage of recipes that you can try out along the way. The really good news is that you can incorporate healthy cooking into your routine whether you are cooking for one or a household of ten.

Healthy Eating Pie Chart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many that will argue that cooking healthy food costs more than cooking the prepackaged foods that pack on the calories and additives. The truth of the matter is that when you compare the costs with the medical bills of the future for failing to do so, they seem rather slight by comparison. Not to mention that processed foods, if you count by weight and nutritional value, are often actually MORE expensive than fresh, healthy foods. Yes, organic food can cost more money. In many cases, that is a simple fact of life. However, by learning portion control and eating the proper portions, as well as taking advantage of local fresh markets and farm stands to purchase your ingredients, you just may discover that you are actually spending less as you adjust to the proper amounts of food you should be consuming in order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Cooking healthy isn't an overnight change; it is a lifestyle change that should be implemented one step at a time. You do not have to go into your kitchen and throw out every little thing that you deem 'unhealthy' - just try to not buy more of these items once they've been used. Make wiser decisions when purchasing fresh ingredients for food preparation and you will discover that you've made a vitally important step in the process of incorporating healthy cooking and eating habits in your home.

It's those small steps you take towards your goal of cooking healthy foods for your family that will matter far more than any giant leap. Before you know it you will find that you all have more energy and a better sense of overall health than you would have imagined before changing your cooking habits. If that isn't enough to encourage you however, you can always use the excuse to go shopping for new clothes after you drop a size or two!

Thinking About Trying A Cooking Class?

Whether you are a seasoned pro when it comes to the fine art of cooking or an utter novice there should be some cooking classes or resources in your area that can help you learn and improve your existing skills. Surprisingly few people manage to utilize the many wonderful opportunities that are available to them when it comes to cooking classes.

Large and small skillets (Photo credit: Wikipedia)If you are considering a cooking class you should be glad to know that many communities offer them for a nominal fee at night and sometimes on the weekend. These classes are rather basic and often designed to help women learn the basics of a few economical and healthy meals to prepare for their beginning families. If you fit the bill for this, then you should check out your local library for possible leads for these sorts of classes in your area. Even if they do not have the information available it is quite likely that they can point you in the right direction.

If you are looking for cooking classes that you can take with your children, check out your library once again for the first resource. There are also many gourmet food shops that offer cooking classes for parents to take with their children. This is a great opportunity to bond with your child while you both learn to prepare a new dish or two together. It is quite likely that you will be quite surprised by the things you can learn from your child as well as the things you can learn by simply taking the class.

For those among us who are seeking culinary experience with very specific cuisines you will have to search a little more for the perfect cooking classes in which you can achieve your goal. They do exist however, though your chances of learning Thai cooking are much greater in a larger city than in smaller towns throughout the country. If you are really interested in learning some exotic cooking techniques perhaps you should consider a vacation in which you can try out a few new cooking classes while you are there. If you prefer other things on your vacation to cooking A cook sautees onions and peppers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)you could make a point of attempting one basic class in the cuisine of your choice for each vacation you take. This will give you a little more than the same old souvenir to bring back from your trip and an experience that in many cases is quite memorable.

Finally, if you are looking for a romantic idea, how about signing up to take a couples cooking class? Believe it or not, these classes are often offered in both big and smaller cities. They seem to be all the rage around Valentine's day, perhaps the hint is that the other partner in a relationship can share some of the cooking responsibility or perhaps the idea is that there is more than one way to steam up the kitchen.

Regardless of the reason for taking cooking classes they can bring not only a great deal of enjoyment to your dining room, but also increase your ease in your kitchen. If you've never taken a cooking class, there is no time like the present to do so. No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen there is always something that can be learned.

Healthy Kitchen Tips: Prevent Food-Borne Illnesses

Eating healthy foods will help you to boost your immune system, but what if it’s the foods themselves making you sick? Food-borne illness can cause food poisoning and a variety of other more dangerous diseases, so they are a real threat to our bodies. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to prevent food-borne illnesses. Following safety tips when handling, preparing, and storing food is very important.

Image via WikipediaFirst and foremost, you should be concerned with the temperature of your foods. When cooking meat, make sure to use a thermometer in order to make sure that your meat is reaching proper temperatures inside. Some meats, like beef steaks or roasts, can be served rare safely, but proper temperatures for cooking are crucial. This kills any bacteria that may be growing on the meat. In the case of burgers and other loaf meats that have been ground and formed into patties, you should not eat rare meats. The bacteria can then be found inside the meat as well as on the outside, and you are at risk if you do not cook these meats for a long enough period of time to kill any bacteria.

After your food is cooked, you should continue to monitor temperature. Simply put, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods should be kept at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The range between that is where bacteria can grow. When letting food cool for refrigeration, stir frequently to help cool more quickly, and place in the refrigerator after no more than two hours. When thawing meals - especially meats, do so in a bowl or pan in the refrigerator, rather than at room temperature.

Image via WikipediaCross contamination is a huge culprit when you are concerned with preventing illness and your food. Cross contamination is basically the moving of bacteria from one dish to another. This happens when you use dirty cutting boards, don’t wish your dishes properly, and use the same utensil for all of your foods. If you use, for example, a knife to cut raw chicken and then use that same knife to cut your food after it has been cooked, some of the bacteria from the raw chicken has probably remained on the knife, which can make you very ill. Make sure that you are using a clean work space and clean tools whenever you cook.

Along with using a clean environment, you should make sure that you are washing your hands regularly. Every time you touch raw foods, you should use disinfecting hand soap and hot water before and afterwards to make sure that no bacteria remains on your hands. Making sure that your food is safe is one of the most important parts of healthy eating, so don’t overlook this step the next time you prepare a meal. Following the simple tips above can help ensure that your food stays clean and healthy, and so do you.

Why I Love Cast Iron Cookware - Part 2

On Monday I shared how my love for my cast iron skillets began, but I didn't tell you yet, what is so great about them.

Here are some of my favorite things about my cast iron cookware:

Image via WikipediaCornbread: Nothing - and I mean nothing - cooks cornbread like a cast iron skillet. Crusty, golden brown, with the perfect rise in the center, it's how I am used to eating cornbread since I was a kid, and bearing almost no resemblance to the pale soggy stuff I once tried making in a regular baking pan (pre-cast iron skillet days).

Eggs: While the first few times I cooked scrambled eggs in my new skillets, I ended up with an egg-lining which had to be scrubbed off, now that they're well seasoned, they make absolutely perfect eggs in mere seconds. The trick is to make sure the pans is well-coated with butter (a very thin coating is fine - I probably use just over a teaspoon in the large pan), and that it is nice and hot before you add the eggs. Then wait a few seconds before stirring, until the bottom layer is cooked, and don't stir too much.

Pancakes: Pancakes are a bit heavy for me (I don't do well with a lot of grain, I've discovered), but I do make them once in a while. They always were just okay - sometimes they turned out doughy in the middle and other times they seemed to burn easily (or sometimes both).... Until I made them for the first time in my cast iron skillet - Wow! Perfectly risen, done all the way through, and lovely golden brown on both sides - not even a hint of sticking either, even when I added bananas (see pictures below for an example from my most recent batch). I may start making pancakes more often now, especially since I get awesome local maple syrup in my CSA share every month.

Pancake cooking in my cast iron skillet.

Yum! Banana pancakes with butter & local maple syrup.

Bacon: If you want to successfully cook the above items in your cast iron skillet, I would recommend cooking bacon in it from time to time. Other fatty meat (ham, etc.) would probably work too, but I've found bacon seems to be the best for seasoning the pan. Plus, for some reason it seems to spatter less than in a steel pan, and it doesn't leave any stuck on residue like it used to in my stainless steel skillets. (You've got to watch it though, as the cast iron gets so hot that it will burn pretty quickly.)

If you want to try out cast iron cookware for yourself, I've listed a couple of handy pieces below (you can find more at http://www.newholisticliving.com/cookingfromscratch.html), but you'll also want to check back next week when I'll share some tips for maintaining your cast iron cookware in good condition, and making sure you get the most out of it, so it will give you a lifetime of good service!

A Few Popular Pieces of Cast Iron Cookware:

Lodge 8" Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge 12" Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge L5MS3 5-Inch Miniature Skillet

Lodge 7 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven

   

Video - Fresh Fish Sauted with Lemon & Butter

Here is another great, simple, easy and delicious recipe for fish - he uses haddock in the video, but you can substitute any other white fish, tilapia, salmon, or pretty much any other kind. This one only takes a few minutes, and includes just a few simple ingredients, so it's great for a quick throw-together type of dinner when you're short on time or just don't feel like cooking something fancy.

Enjoy!

Fish lemon butter recipe
My recipes: www.youtube.com


More Great Fish Recipes:
   

The Best Way To Cook Your Freshly Caught Fish

A freshly caught fish can be cooked in a thousand and one ways. Any fisherman worth his salt has his own unique way of cooking a freshly caught trout, salmon or whatever fish he caught. But even if you're not a fisherman, you can reap the healthy benefits of a meal of tasty fresh fish. Most markets nowadays offer a wide selection of fish to choose from. Here are some tips to get the best out of your fish, no matter which cooking method you choose.

Image via Wikipedia1. Frying

Breading and frying a freshly caught fish is as good as it gets. The smell of butter emanating from the frying pan and the flair a fisherman puts in flipping his catch is worth its weight in gold, almost. For the novice cook, make sure that the butter is hot but not burning. Also, make sure that the fish is well coated in batter. Season your batter to your heart's content, salt and pepper never goes wrong. You may want to try other herbs and spices with the batter for a more delicious fish.

2. Grilling

At first glance, grilling would seem to be the easiest way to handle your fish. A newbie might assume that grilling fish is the same as grilling steaks or burgers. However, unlike fowl or cattle, fish tends to secrete most of its juices when cooked. On a grill the delicious juice drips into the coals.

Image via WikipediaTo prevent losing the moisture, first coat the fish with oil. The oil will seal a part of the moisture inside. Second, keep an eye on the fillets and turn them as soon as a cut would reveal that the fresh fish is cooked halfway through. After being flipped, watch the fish carefully. Remove the fish as soon as it is cooked through.

An option to basting the fish with oil is to wrap it in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will keep the moisture and marinate the fish in its own moisture. Placing herbs and spices inside the foil with the fish enhances the grilling process and the fish itself. Plus this provides for easy cleanup which is great if you are grilling outside or at a campfire.

3. Baking

Baking is the best option for the cook who does not want to watch over the fish continually during cooking. You can prepare the marinade and pre-heat the oven, then pop the fish into the oven for a predetermined amount of time. You may want to check on the fish from the time to time, ensuring that you don't overcook it.

Whatever fish you caught or found, a good recipe and proper cooking will for sure enhance your find. But always remember the first rule of cooking - don't overcook your fish.

And be sure to check back later this week for some tasty fish recipes!