Friday, August 29, 2008

Just-Like-Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies




Ingredients:
  1. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  3. 1 teaspoon salt
  4. 1 cup butter or margarine
  5. 1/2 cup SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking
  6. 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  7. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  8. 2 large eggs
  9. 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Beat butter, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels.
  4. Spoon rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
  5. Bake cookies 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 36 servings

Recipe Provided By: SPLENDA® BRAND




Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Garlic and Parsley Frittata



Preparation - 10 minutes, Cooking time - 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of dried chili flakes
1 slice white bread, torn into small pieces
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
watercress salad, to serve

Method:

Beat together the milk, eggs, parsley, garlic, and chili flakes, add the torn bread and some salt and pepper; set aside for 4 minutes that the bread completely softens into the mixture.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and pour in the egg mixture. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden and almost set.

Slide the frittata on to a plate, then turn the pan over on top of the plate and carefully flip over so you can cook the other side. Scatter over the parmesan.

Cook for a further couple of minutes until the underside is golden, the cheese has melted and the frittata is cooked through.

Serve with a fresh, crisp watercress salad and a glass of your favorite Chianti.

Recipe by: Gourmet Recipes

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Blueberry Cobbler



Prep: 10 min, Cook: 40 min.
  • 4 cups blueberries
  • 2 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbs. instant tapioca
  • 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 egg, beaten lightly
  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/2 cup sugar in a 9 inch baking dish. Set aside 5 minutes. Combine remaining sugar, flour and baking powder in a food processor or bowl and mix thoroughly. Add beaten egg and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle flour mixture over blueberries. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.

This recipe serves 8 people. Due to the nature of this recipe, it adjusts the number of servings in multiples of 8 only.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

MAKING INCREDIBLE SAUCES AT HOME



Why is it so difficult to make great sauces at home?

As Chef Alton Brown says in his cookbook, I’m Just Here For The Food, “By and large, most home cooks don’t do sauce…and that’s too bad. Traditional sauces are indeed scary.”

The process just to prepare the key ingredients that go into a sauce takes a lot of time. It starts by making a stock with roasted beef and/or veal bones, reducing them for at least 12 hours, continuously skimming the pot,straining the liquid to remove the bones, reducing some more, adding a roux (a mixture of flour and butter used as a thickening agent) and you now have a nice brown sauce or sauce espagnole.

A professional chef will then reduce this brown sauce further to make a demi glace, the mother of all sauces. These guys spend a lot of time in cooking school learning how to do this and take great pride in the sauces they can make with it. These stock reductions are the foundation to hundreds of classic sauces being served in fine restaurants.

Why can’t I just use a bouillon cube?

Unless you want to ruin an expensive cut of meat by covering it with a salty, corn syrup reduction, I would stay away from bouillon cubes or any of those cheap packets of instant sauces you see in your local supermarket. Just look at the ingredients to see if what’s inside is real or simply processed. You can’t build a sound house without a strong foundation. The same is true when making sauces.

What’s a home cook to do?

Since making a great sauce at home depends of finding a good stock reduction or demi glace, I would like to offer you the following resources.

  • Make it yourself. A great experience but one most of us will not take on.
  • Make friends with the chef at your favorite upper end restaurant and see if he or she will share some of their brown gold with you. Be prepared to beg or pay through the nose to get them to part with this stuff. Not likely, but worth a try.
  • Hire a personal chef to make it for you. You may end up having to subscribe to years worth of dinners, which isn’t all that bad, but you will have your demi.
  • Buy it a high-end gourmet store. If you really search hard, you may be able to find stock reductions in the refrigerator section of some really high end stores. You won’t get much, but you don’t need a lot and it won’t be cheap.
  • Williams-Sonoma is now selling their own stock reductions. I have not had that much experience with them but they usually sell high quality items.
  • Find demi glace and stock reductions that are used in high-end restaurants and are available to home cooks. More Than Gourmet makes the best products I know of that fit that description. You can learn all about these products and buy them on-line at http://www.gatewaygourmet.com

My Quick & Easy 5 Step Method Quick Look

  1. Sauté a shallot in butter
  2. Deglaze pan with wine
  3. Add demi glace
  4. Reduce
  5. Season with salt & pepper

More Details

  1. Sauté a chopped shallot or small onion in one ounce of butter (1/4 stick) for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
  2. Deglaze with 1/2-cup red wine and reduce to an essence (approximately one tablespoon of remaining liquid). Be sure to remove the pan from the heat before deglazing.
  3. Add 8 ounces of demi-glace.
  4. Reduce the sauce until it is thick enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.

One last item that is optional but often used by professional chefs is a pat of butter. It adds a bit more flavor and shine to the finished sauce.

Alternatives

At this point you have a delicious sauce that you can serve or use as a base and layer in more flavors by adding additional ingredients including fresh herbs and spices, fruits, chutneys, relish, or cream.

If you are adding mushrooms or other ingredients that need to cook a bit, add them to the pan right after you add the wine and let them cook while the wine is reducing.

Article by: Reluctant Gourmet

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Apple Pie


A very basic apple pie--but very good!

Ingredients:

6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on how tart your apples are)
1 Tbs lemon juice (optional, if your apples are sweet rather than tart)
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
2 Tbs butter

2 pie crusts

Methods:

Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Sprinkle the lemon juice on the apple slices if they are sweet apples. Mix the apples and the sugar mixture together. Put one pie crust on the bottom of the pie pan. Put the apples on top and spread out. Cut the butter into a few pieces and put on top of the apples. Top with the other pie crust and cut a few vents for steam to escape. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes.

Recipe By : Cheap Cooking


Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Rise and Shine Breakfast Hash



Ingredients:

* 1/4 C (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
* 5 medium boiling potatoes, cooked, peeled and cut into 1 in cubes
* 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 (4 oz.) pkgs sliced smoked ham, cut into 1/2 in wide strips
* 4 eggs beaten with 1 TBSP milk
* 2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1. Place eggs in a large bowl.
2. Add milk and beat slightly.
3. Place butter in a large skillet over medium heat and melt.
4. Put the potatoes in the skillet and sprinkle with season salt and salt and pepper.
5. Cook potatoes 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
6. Reduce heat to low.
7. Add in the ham strips.
8. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Pour egg mixture over the top.
10. Cook turning with a spatula until the eggs are completely cooked to your liking 4 to 5 minutes.
11. Top with parsley and serve.

Recipe by: FreeQuickRecipes.com

Monday, June 2, 2008

Fun Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes



The emotional trigger that a smell can stir up is one of the most powerful triggers that there is. If you live anywhere in the United States, chances are that the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking conjures up some kind of emotional memory for you. Smells are part of how we remember, part of how we define our memories, our stories, our lives.

For me, the smells of baking were part of my childhood, part of the fabric of how I define my childhood and part of the fabric of how I define my life to this day. The smell of a favorite baked treat can still bring a smile of remembrance to my face. What kitchen smells define your childhood memories? What smells do you want your children to define as their childhood memories? Here a couple of great variations on that old favorite, chocolate chip cookies. I hope you use these baking recipes to make wonderful memories with your children.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Mix together until creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are soft. After removing the cookies from the oven, leave them on the baking sheets for 4 minutes before removing them.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter and regular sugar. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture. Add the oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies and 12 to 13 for crispy ones.

Jill Borash loves to share her passion for baking and story telling at her website, YourBakingStory.com. If you're looking for a tasty baking recipe or just a good story, stop by and browse awhile. Happy Baking!

By Jill Borash

Friday, May 30, 2008

Sweet Moist Banana Bread



Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Heat oven to 325F degrees. Spray smooth, dark coated bundt pan with high heat nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mash bananas and water together until semi-smooth, no big chunks.

In a Kitchen Aid mixer or large bowl, mix sugars and butter with an electric mixer. Add eggs until blended. Add mashed bananas mix; beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened; stir in nuts.

Pour into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake 50 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan, invert pan onto a cake plate and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Recipe by: Jill

.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

watermelonade



Ingredients:


1 (12-lb) watermelon (preferably seedless)
1/4 cup sugar, divided
4 tsp fresh lemon juice, divided
16 cups ice cubes, divided

Garnish: lemon slices; mint

Method:

Cut watermelon flesh into 2-inch chunks and discard rind. Purée one fourth of watermelon in a blender with 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 4 cups ice, and a pinch of salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Make 3 more batches. Add sugar to taste if desired and serve over ice.

Cooks' note: Watermelonade can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Drink will separate; re-blend before serving.

Recipe by: Ruth Cousineau
Photo by: Roland Bello

Friday, May 23, 2008

Perfect Peachy Freeze



Prep time: 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1 c. sliced peaches (they can be either fresh or canned)
  • 1 tsp. sugar

Utensils:

  • ice cube tray
  • blender (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
  • serving dishes

Directions:

  1. Pour the milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid.
  2. Pop the "milk cubes" out of the tray and put them into the blender. Then put the peaches and sugar into the blender.
  3. Put the lid on the blender and blend on high speed until everything is all mixed together and very smooth.
  4. Pour your Perfect Peachy Freeze into serving dishes and serve right away.

Serves: 3

Serving size: 4 oz. (1/2 cup)

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

65 calories

2 g protein

0 g fat

15 g carbohydrate

0 g fiber

1 mg cholesterol

25 mg sodium

53 mg calcium
0.3 mg iron

Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

Recipe by : Kids Health

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Appetizers to make per person for a dinner or cocktail party?



Cocktail Party: 12 appetizers per person

Dinner Party: 6 appetizers per person

A fairly standard formula is used among caterers to figure out how many appetizers are needed from each recipe.

12 pieces per person times the number of people divided by the number of different appetizers. (When they are being served before a full dinner, halve the totals.)

If the guest list has fewer than 45 people, plan on using roughly 6 different appetizers; for more than 45 guests, 8 types. The rule of thumb for smaller gatherings is that 3 types are suitable for 8 to 10 guests; 4 or 5 for 14 to 16 people.

Having an equal number of hot and cold foods is also helpful so that while one appetizer is heating in the oven, a cold one can be circulating, keeping everyone nibbling happily.

Tips by Linda


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Denver Omelet



Recipe by: Real Restaurant Recipes

Preparation Time: 8 minutes. Servings: 2


Ingredients:


  • 1 1/2 teaspoon of butter and oil (vegetable or peanut)
  • 3 – 4 beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup diced cooked ham (diced means cut into small pieces – about 1/4 inch)
  • 2 tablespoons diced green or red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sliced red onion
  • 1-2 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

    Instructions:

  • Heat a 7 – 8 inch or 10 inch skillet (depending on how thick you want your omelet to be) over moderate heat
  • While the pan is heating, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until well blended but not frothy
  • When the pan is hot enough to sizzle a drop or water, add the butter and oil combination
  • When butter stops foaming, add ham, peppers and onions, and sauté two minutes or until very hot
  • Whip the eggs a couple of times and pour eggs into pan and let sit on heat until eggs begin to cook around the edges
  • Lift edges of eggs with a rubber spatula and tip pan to allow liquid to run underneath
  • Repeat until top is thickening and very little liquid egg remains
  • Add cheese and cover until cheese is melted
  • Fold omelet and divide before sliding onto plates
  • Sunday, May 18, 2008

    10 healthy vegetarian snacks



    If you are considering a vegetarian lifestyle or simply want to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet, these healthy vegetarian snacks can give you a tasty transition.

    Joshua Rosenthal, author of Integrative Nutrition: Feeding your hunger for health and happiness, says that food prepared at home by a loving person has a different nutritional effect than the exact same food prepared elsewhere.

    “When we eat our mother’s or grandmother’s cooking, there is love in the food and care in its preparation, which creates a higher quality of love and energy,” explains Rosenthal. You may already feel that way about your substantial sit-down family meals, but every meal, including snacks, can be made with love.

    Rosenthal recommends these quick-to-fix, yet satisfying, vegetarian snacks for you and your family, whether they come in handy for road trips or active afternoon treks to the park.

    Healthy Vegetarian Snacks

    Print out this list and keep it on your refrigerator. Make snacks the day before so they are ready to go when you hit the road or need healthy homemade food - fast!

    1. Baked yam chips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thinly slice sweet potatoes or yams and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through and crisp.

    2. Carrot sticks with hummus. Rosenthal recommends making your own hummus, rather than store-bought varieties full of preservatives. In a food processor, puree a can of rinsed garbanzo beans with fresh lemon juice, fresh herbs, minced garlic (to taste) and other spices you enjoy. Add a little water or extra virgin olive oil to thin the hummus to your desired consistency.

    3. Edamame. You can find edamame or soybeans in the frozen food section - in the pod or shelled. Simply thaw or quick boil and serve with a light sprinkling of sea salt.

    4. Granola. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss rolled oats, nuts, and dried fruit with honey and a little vegetable oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until ingredients are crunchy. Pair granola with cottage cheese and yogurt.

    5. Mochi. Unless you are familiar with Japanese cuisine, you may have never heard of mochi. It is a traditional Japanese treat like puff pastry but made with cooked, pureed rice and contains no wheat or flour. Mochi is found in the refrigerator section of whole foods stores and comes in both sweet and savory flavors.

    6. Rice cakes with nut butter. Add a little crunch to your afternoon by munching on crispy rice cakes spread with almond butter or good old peanut butter. The protein in the nut butter will give you a nice energy boost.

    7. Organic fresh fruit. This is a given and, with so many wonderful fruits in season during spring and summer, you can make an afternoon of going to the local farm stand, farmer’s market, or natural food store to stock up on ripe, juicy fruits.

    8. Ball of nuts. In a blender, add equal amounts of dates (soak dates in hot water to soften), rolled oats, almonds, sesame seeds, apple juice, brown rice syrup, and poppy seeds and blend until mixture is made up of small chunks. Use your fingers to form little balls and refrigerate until ready to eat.

    9. Guacamole with jicama sticks. Puree avocado, red onion, tomato, seeded jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt until chunky. Peel a jicama and cut into batons.

    10. Ants on a log. A fun snack for your kids, fill celery sticks with almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter and dot with dried blueberries or raisins.

    With these snacks, you or your kids will never have to go hungry or grab junk food!


    Article by: Michele Thompson


    Friday, May 16, 2008

    Orange Chicken Bake

    Ingredients:

    3 pounds chicken pieces
    6 potatoes
    2 oranges, sliced
    1/3 cup orange juice
    3 California leeks
    1/2 cup chicken stock
    3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
    olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste

    Method:

    Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Chop off end of leeks and cut in half lengthwise. Place potatoes and leeks in the bottom of a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper to taste. Next place orange slices on top of vegetables, then place chicken pieces on top. Drizzle with olive oil and season chicken with salt and pepper. Place fresh rosemary on top (or crush 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary over chicken). Pour orange juice and chicken stock over chicken.

    Bake at 360F degrees (180C) for 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve in baking dish with French bread or wild rice and a salad.

    Recipe by: Easy Kids Recipes



    Wednesday, May 14, 2008

    Cooking



    Some favorite memories are built around food, wine and cooking. Nothing says home or family like a treasured recipe or a favorite meal prepared by hand. Even if you’re not Rachel Ray or Emeril, you can still create fun meals and tempting desserts for your family to enjoy.

    Of course, to get cooking you need supplies on hand, right? ForTheHouse.org brings home and cooking together with helpful tips and easy online shopping for all of your favorite cooking needs. From pots and pans and wine to fresh Maine lobster and knives, we have the tips and the online stores to make your cooking sizzle!

    Here are some tips for getting started in the kitchen:

    • Sharp knives are saver than dull ones! Keep knives sharp with a sharpening stone or steel once a week.
    • Wait to salt water for pasta until after the water comes to a boil, as salted water has a higher boiling point.
    • Wine corks contain tannin that helps to tenderize stew meat. Simply drop a cork into a bubbling pot of stew and you’ll have meat you can cut with a fork.
    • Shrimp are done cooking when they turn pink and begin to curl. If you wait until they’re tightly curled, they’ll be over-done!
    • Fresh herbs should be added right before serving, for best flavor. Dry herbs can be added sooner in the cooking process.
    Tips by: For The House

    Tuesday, May 13, 2008

    California Chicken Salad



    Ingredients:


    1 cup shredded lettuce
    1/4 pound cooked, skinned, and boned chicken, chilled and thinly sliced
    1/2 small cantaloupe(1 pound), pared, seeded and thinly sliced
    1/4 medium avocado (2 ounces), pared and thinly sliced
    2 tbsp each plain lowfat yogurt and mild chunky-style salsa
    1 tsp each minced cilantro and lime juice (no sugar added)
    dash of pepper

    Method:

    Onto each of 2 individual plates arrange half of the lettuce; decoratively arrange half of the chicken, cantaloupe, and avocado over lettuce.

    In small bowl combine remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Spoon over salad.



    Note: Serves 2


    Recipe by: Gourmet Recipes

    Monday, May 12, 2008

    Healthy Grilling

    No longer relegated to the summer months, grilling has become a year-round affair—in fact, Chicagoans, who are known for their grilling prowess, often battle wind and snow to get to the barbecue. And whether you're fixing meats or veggies, fruits, or even cakes, grilling is a surefire way to impart bold flavor without a lot of added fat and calories. So, push aside the hot dogs and make room for some of our favorite lighter grilled sides, mains, and sweets.

    • How to Boost Flavor

    Since the intense heat of the grill brings out food's natural flavors, there's no need to cook with a lot of calorie- and fat-laden oil or butter. Instead, use lower-calorie spice- or citrus-based marinades, sauces, and rubs to add flavor. If some fat is necessary to prevent things from sticking, keep your marinades heart-healthy by choosing monounsaturated oils such as olive.

    • Caution About High Heat

    Using high-heat methods, such as grilling and broiling, to cook meat to a char has been found to increase the risks for certain cancers. One culprit is the smoke and flare-ups formed by dripping fat, which deposit carcinogenic substances on the food.

    Never fear, though—there are easy ways to avoid these risks when cooking out. Trim as much fat as possible from your meats and ban "well-done" from your grilling vocabulary. Studies have shown, too, that marinades help reduce carcinogen formation on grilled meats.

    • Utilize Heat Zones

    Remember, the grill doesn't just have one temperature—scorching. By arranging and banking the coals (or turning on one gas flame area and not another), you can create different heat zones: cooler for cooking tender veggies and hotter for searing steaks. See our Grilling and Barbecue section for more about how to cook on the barbie.

    • Reviving Old Standards

    Craving a classic? Many cookout favorites are inherently healthy: Think marinated boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sturdy fish steaks or fillets that have been brushed with olive oil and seared; lean beef, bison, and turkey burgers; and simple grilled corn with a squeeze of lime.

    Article by: Epicurious

    Sunday, May 11, 2008

    Ways to Eat Fruit on the Run




    According to the food pyramid, we should all be eating three or more servings of fruit per day. Most people barely get one and that is one serving is more times in the form of juice and not the actual fruit itself. Here are some ways to get your servings of fruit each day without having to work too hard to do it.

    Let’s face it, we’re all busy and if we have to remember one more thing, even if it is beneficial to our health, the chances of actually remembering it are slim to none.
    The best way to eat fruit is in it’s natural form. It is sweet and contains nutrients needed by the body.

    You can take an apple, peach, plum, pear, banana, and various other fruits along in the car, in the elevator, at your desk, and around the store if you are sneaky. No, this is not a recommendation to be fruit stealers at the store. ;) At most, you’ll only be left with a peel or seeds to toss in a trashcan when you carry a piece of fresh fruit with you.


    For younger kids, the skin of fruits can be tough or make it less appealing. With one or two teeth, it is hard for them to even break through the outer covering of some fruits such as apples. Prepare for a day of shopping or a car trip by peeling some fruits and putting them in a container or Ziploc bag. Sprinkling with a few drops of lemon juice will keep fleshy fruits like apples and pears from turning brown, which is another reason some kids don’t like to eat fresh fruit.

    The sugars in fruits keep your blood sugar more stable than chocolate bars. Not only that, but they make the fruit yummy. Drop a few raisins in a cup of yogurt or add some blueberries or other fresh berries, for a quick and sweet treat.


    The newest way that fruit is enjoyed is dried. Fruits have been dried for years but now it’s becoming popular to eat it. You know how fads go. Fad or not, this is a good one. Dried fruits concentrate the sugar for an even sweeter taste. Eat these dried fruits alone or as a garnish. In the car, a bag of dried apricots or pineapple will fix that sweet tooth in a hurry not to mention it’s good for you too.


    You don’t have to waste your time and money purchasing a food dehydrator in order to dry your own fruit. Fresh fruit can be dehydrated at home with an oven, microwave, and a rack. Dehydrated fruit with no preservatives will keep for around two weeks so only do an much as you will eat in that time.

    Citrus fruits, such as oranges, do not dehydrate well but their skins do. Candied orange and lemon peels make a tasty ice cream garnish or they can be eaten alone.


    How else can you eat fruit on the run? Use your blender. Fruit smoothies allow you to get all of your daily fruit requirements in one drink. Instead of using ice cream, use soy or fat free milk and ice cubes to make it smooth and give it texture. Sugar substitutes can be used to add more sweet flavor if desired.

    Mix and match your favorite fruits to keep things from getting boring and make a smoothie for breakfast every day.
    Fruit is one food that can be eaten on the go rather easily. There are many varieties of fruits on this planet to try all with their own unique taste. Now you have no more excuses for not getting the recommended amount of fruit servings in your diet.

    Article by: Basic Recipes

    Thursday, May 8, 2008

    Healthy Muffins recipe



    Ingredients list:


    ¾ cup of low-fat milk.
    1 cup of low-fat yoghurt.
    3 x egg whites.
    ¾ cup of apple sauce.
    2 cups of wholemeal flour.
    ½ cup of folled oats.
    ½ cup of oat bran.
    3 teaspoons of baking powder.
    2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
    ½ cup of raisins.
    ½ cup of chopped apricots.

    Instructions:

    1. Beat the egg whites lightly then add the milk, yoghurt & apple sauce.
    2. Combine the flour, oats, bran, baking powder, cinnamon, raisins & apricots in a seperate bowl.
    3. Add the dry mix to the wet mix until combined.
    4. Spoon into muffin tins & bake at 350 F for about 20 mins or until cooked.

    Recipe by: Muffin Recipes

    7 Up Dessert Recipe











    Ingredients
    • 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
    • 1 Small Can, crushed pineapple, save juice
    • Water (use saved pineapple juice to make 1 cup)
    • 1 tsp. Sugar
    • 1 tsp. Vanilla
    • 1/2 C. Pecans, chopped
    • 1 reg. Box Lemon or Lime Jello
    • 10 oz of 7 Up
    • Green food coloring

    Directions
    1. Add enough water to pineapple juice to make 1 cup of liquid.
    2. Boil.
    3. Add Jello & stir to dissolve.
    4. Add cream cheese and blend well.
    5. Add crushed pineapple, nuts, sugar, and vanilla.
    6. Mix well.
    7. Add 7 Up.
    8. Add food color to make light green.
    9. Chill until set.
    Recipe by: tnacndn

    Wednesday, May 7, 2008

    Best Steakhouse in New York can be the Ideal Place for Celebrations



    The tasty food and the inviting aroma of the delicacies are a sure shot that can be found in the best steakhouse in New York. Every person visits a steakhouse to enjoy the food court and the ambience. It is best place for enjoying parties and celebrations. There are some or the other moments in your life that calls for celebrations. The occasion can be your birthdays, kiddy parties or even anniversaries. The best steakhouse in New York offers varieties of facilities with the excellent quality steak food. You can also enjoy music, while dinning at the best steakhouse.

    Are you worried about selecting the special venue for your party? The best steakhouse in New York is the ideal place to go about it. You should take special care in selecting the top class steakhouse among the best available ones. The appropriate venue is the prestige issue in the matter of party celebrations. If you are not able to organize a proper venue, your guests might get the chance to criticize you. A party is a special occasion when you meet your relatives and close ones. It is the best time to throw a pompous party for them and venue matters a lot.

    Best steakhouse in New York has lip-smacking food. Though, the taste might differ in every type of steakhouse. The taste difference occurs because of the method of preparation. There are numerous steakhouses that lay emphasis on dry and medium cooked steak food, while many other prepare fully cooked steak in a steakhouse. A variety of people prefers medium cooked steak. They have the notion that medium cooked steak is juicier than the fully cooked steak. If you also have a special liking for the juicy steak, then you can visit the steakhouse that prepares medium cooked steak and order exactly that.

    There is a variety of steakhouse that offers fully cooked steak food. Now, it all depends on your liking and preference. Generally, the steak is made of beef. You can also enjoy the sea food at the steakhouse. After all, it is necessary for the best steakhouse in New York to keep every type of non-vegetarian food. They are catering to a large number of people, who are crazy for steak food and sea food. The love for steak food compels the people to visit such places frequently.

    If you are planning to organize a party on weekends, then go for the best steakhouse in New York. There are various steakhouses that reserve the weekends for special parties. You can also enjoy the loud music during the parties. Such type of music cannot be enjoyed on the usual dinning days. Another important aspect of having lunch or dinner at the best steakhouse in New York is that the food is affordable. You can enjoy the best food court at reasonable rates. These features about the best steakhouse are highly beneficial for their business. It is because they act as the crowd pullers. The combination of best ambience, best food court and best prices will enable the customers to pay frequent visit to the best steakhouse. Isn’t it?

    Article by: Neil Folley



    Tuesday, May 6, 2008

    fettuccine meatball lasagne



    Ingredients:

    For tomato sauce
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
    2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice, and finely chopped
    1 tablespoon tomato paste
    1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
    1 teaspoon salt

    For meatballs
    1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from an Italian or French loaf)
    1/3 cup whole milk
    1 lb meatloaf mix (1/3 lb each of ground pork, ground chuck, and ground veal)
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano (1/2 cup)
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    1 cup vegetable oil

    For filling
    1 lb ricotta (preferably fresh)
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    1 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano (1/2 cup)
    1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    1/4 teaspoon salt

    For pasta and assembly
    3/4 lb dried egg fettuccine
    1/2 lb chilled fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated

    Preparation

    Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, tomato paste, bay leaf, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

    Form and fry meatballs:
    Stir together bread crumbs and milk in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Add meat, garlic, cheese, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper and blend with your hands until just combined well (do not overmix). Form level 1/2-teaspoon portions into meatballs (you should have about 135).

    Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then fry meatballs in 5 batches (do not crowd), turning occasionally, until browned well and cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer as browned to paper towels using a slotted spoon.

    Make filling:
    Stir together all filling ingredients until combined well.

    Boil and bake Pasta:
    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

    Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until al dente. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water and drain again.

    Spread 2 cups sauce in a 13- by 9-inch or other 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish and arrange one third of fettuccine over sauce, then top with all of meatballs. Make another layer each of 2 cups sauce and one third of fettuccine, then spread with all of filling. Top with remaining fettuccine, then remaining sauce. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella.

    Bake, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is golden, about 20 minutes more. Transfer to a rack and cool, about 20 minutes.

    Cooks' note:Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

    Recipe by: Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

    Lasagna

    Few meals are as comforting as a hearty homemade lasagna. Master some basic techniques, and this impressive casserole will become an especially versatile favorite for family-style dining and entertaining. While the traditional baked pasta dish is made up of alternating layers of Bolognese sauce, thin sheets of pasta, and béchamel, the layers, fillings, and variations are infinite. Take inspiration from these recipes, and use the tips below to make the dishes your own.

    Perfectly Cooked Pasta

    The term "lasagna" actually refers to the wide flat sheets of pasta. Precook your lasagna by boiling just until it's almost al dente. Run it under cold water quickly to stop it from cooking further, and then lay it out flat in single layers on paper towels to cool and dry. If you do not wish to precook the pasta, use no-boil lasagna sheets.

    Putting Everything Together

    Lay out all of the ingredients, and cook the various sauces and fillings while precooking the pasta. Before assembling, spray the casserole dish with nonstick spray to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom. The first layer should be sauce, then pasta, then cheese, and so on, repeating in that order until you have run out or filled the dish.

    Baking It All Up

    Cover the dish tightly with foil so that heat is trapped and everything cooks through. Remove the foil only for the last 10 to 15 minutes so that the cheese can bubble and brown.

    Thinking Ahead

    Lasagna is a great make-ahead dish and only gets better as the layers and flavors have a chance to blend together. Make it on the weekend, wrap securely, and freeze in anticipation of a day when you will want a warm, hearty meal but won't have time to cook.


    By Heather Tyree

    Monday, May 5, 2008

    Dice an Onion like a Professional


    Have you ever wondered how chefs manage to chop their onions into neat little dice without accidentally adding julienned finger to the menu? It's actually quite simple once you know the trick.

    Before you get started, here are a few helpful hints that will make the whole process easier. Firstly, it's very important to use a sharp knife when dicing fruit and vegetables, as a dull knife can slip off the surface of the food and you may cut yourself. Use a chopping knife or cook's knife rather than a serrated knife for cleaner cuts. To ensure your chopping board doesn't slide across the bench while you chop, place a damp tea towel underneath.

    Now you're ready to go. Just follow these three easy steps for a perfectly diced onion every time.

    1. First, cut the onion in half from top to bottom. Peel and discard the skin. Take one half and lay it flat-side down. Make three horizontal cuts (holding the knife parallel to the chopping board), being careful not to slice all the way through. This will prevent the onion falling apart while you chop.

    2. Turn the onion towards you and make six vertical cuts down through the onion. Again, take care not to cut all the way through the end of the onion. The closer the vertical cuts, the finer your dice will be. While chopping, make sure you tuck your fingertips away from the knife blade.

    3. Hold the onion together with your fingers, tucking them away from the blade. Begin with the tip of the knife on the chopping board and slice straight down to form your dice. Continue across the rest of the onion. This technique will produce an even dice.

    To get the best from your knives and ensure you can keep dicing onions like a pro, try to keep them in pristine condition. It is important to keep them sharp by running them through your knife sharpener before you begin preparing your food. You should avoid putting your knives in the dishwasher, as the harsh chemicals in the dishwashing detergent can blunt the blade or even pit the edge. Instead, wash your knives in hot soapy water and dry immediately with a soft cloth.

    Finally, you should store knives in their protective sleeve, in a knife block, or on a magnetic rack - your knives will thank you for your care, and so will your grandchildren.

    Article By: Felicity McDougall

    Sunday, May 4, 2008

    Japanese cuisine -- tempura




    Tempura is, in many ways, an archetypal Japanese food. All the essential qualities of
    Japanese cuisine are reflected in its preparation: the use of absolutely fresh ingredients,
    the artful presentation, and the perfection of technique by a skilled chef. The result is
    one of the triumphs of Japanese cooking -- a fried food that is light and fresh-tasting
    rather than heavy and greasy. It's a cooking style in which the essence of the ingredient
    itself completely defines the taste.

    It comes as a surprise to most foreigners to learn that tempura was not originally a
    Japanese dish; it actually owes its origins to the visiting Portuguese missionaries of the
    sixteenth century. But tempura, like many imported ideas, gradually adapted itself to
    Japanese needs and tastes. By the late nineteenth century tempura was a popular fast
    food in Tokyo, sold from sidewalk stalls and roaming pushcarts, and today's modern
    tempura (made by deep-frying vegetables, fish and shellfish) is no longer a foreign food
    at all, but a completely Japanese cuisine.

    Preparation

    Seafood and vegetables are the raw materials of tempura, and only the freshest
    specimens are used. It's not unusual to see live shrimps jumping around on the
    preparation counter, or buckets of slithering eels being carted through the kitchen. In
    addition to using the freshest ingredients, the next most important factor in good
    tempura is the quality of the batter, which is made from eggs, flour, and ice water. The
    batter shouldn't be mixed too thoroughly, but should be lumpy and full of air bubbles.
    To achieve this consistency the batter is made up in small batches immediately before
    it's used, and each batch is thrown away when it starts to settle.

    The vegetables and seafood are cut, washed, dried, and dipped in the batter to give
    them a thin, almost transparent coating. After this they're dropped one at a time into
    the oil (a combination of vegetable and sesame oil), which must be constantly kept at
    exactly the right temperature. Finally, the tempura must be cooked for just the right
    amount of time, pulled out of the oil the precise moment it's done. If all goes well, the
    final product is perfect tempura -- crisp, golden brown, hot, and delicious.

    A few tempura restaurants offer variations on the basic recipe, adding extra
    ingredients to the batter to change the texture or flavor. One variation is to add chopped
    noodles to the batter for a rougher and crisper coating.

    As you can see, making tempura is a delicate process, and lots of things can go wrong.
    It's possible to find many different levels of quality in restaurant tempura, ranging from
    fairly bad (too greasy) to absolutely perfect (heavenly). As a general rule, tempura tends
    to be better at specialty restaurants rather than at all-purpose Japanese restaurants.

    Ordering and Eating

    Tempura can usually be ordered by the piece, but many people prefer the more
    economical set meal (teishoku). The teishoku includes several varieties of tempura,
    plus rice, pickles, and soup. Various sizes of teishoku are available, differing in the
    number of pieces of tempura. The most popular seafood items include prawns, squid,
    shrimp, scallops, kisu (a type of smelt), and other kinds of fish. Many varieties of
    vegetable are also available, including eggplant, lotus root, green pepper, sweet potato,
    squash, shiitake mushroom, onion, shiso (perilla) leaf, and carrot. Usually some
    seasonal fishes are offered as well, depending on the time of year.

    The first rule of eating tempura is to get it while it's hot. If you're sitting at the
    counter, the chef will transfer each piece directly from the vat of hot oil to the counter in
    front of you, placing it on a sheet of white paper to drain off the excess oil. Even if you're
    sitting at a table, every effort will be made to get your tempura to you as hot as possible.
    You can show your appreciation by eating it as soon as you can (although you might
    want to wait a minute or two to avoid burning your mouth).

    When you use the dipping sauce, it's a good idea to dip the tempura quickly and
    avoid lengthy soaking. The sauce may come with a small mound of grated radish,
    which can be mixed in. Some tempura fans forgo the dipping sauce entirely, using just a
    bit of salt or lemon for seasoning.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    TEMPURA SAMPLE MENU
    Note: Uppercase letters represent long vowel sounds.

    Set Meals

    tenpura teishoku
    assorted pieces of tempura with rice, soup and pickles

    tenpura kOsu
    a larger assortment of tempura pieces, usually with rice, soup, pickles and dessert

    tenpura moriawase
    chef's selection of tempura pieces

    (kisetsu) yasai moriawase
    assortment of (seasonal) vegetable tempura

    kakiage teishoku
    diced shrimp fried tempura-style, with rice, soup and pickles

    tendon
    tempura-fried prawns over rice

    A la Carte Seafood
    Note: Seafood and vegetables vary according to the season.

    * anago -- conger eel
    * ayu -- sweetfish
    * ebi -- shrimp
    * kuruma-ebi -- prawn
    * shiba-ebi -- prawn
    * hamaguri -- clam
    * haze -- goby
    * hotategai -- scallops
    * ika -- squid
    * kaki -- oyster (winter)
    * (ebi) kakiage -- diced shrimp and leek fried tempura-style
    * ika kakiage -- diced squid fried tempura-style
    * kaibashira kakiage -- scallop valve muscles
    * kani -- crab
    * kisu -- sillago (fish)
    * megochi -- flathead (fish)
    * shako -- mantis shrimp
    * shirauo -- whitebait (fish)
    * wakasagi -- freshwater smelt
    * yamame -- brown river trout
    * -isobemaki -- wrapped in dried seaweed and fried
    * -norimaki -- same as -isobemaki

    A la Carte Vegetables

    * (kisetsu) yasai -- (seasonal) vegetables
    * asupara -- asparagus
    * -ebizume -- stuffed with shrimp
    * fuki no tO -- coltsfoot buds (spring)
    * gobO -- burdock root
    * kabocha -- squash
    * nasu -- eggplant
    * nattO -- sticky, fermented soybean paste
    * ninjin -- carrot
    * nori -- dried black seaweed
    * pIman -- green pepper
    * satsuma imo -- sweet potato
    * shiitake -- Japanese mushroom
    * shishitO -- small Japanese green pepper
    * shiso -- perilla leaves
    * shungiku (no ha) -- chrysanthemum leaves (autumn)
    * takenoko -- bamboo shoots (spring)
    * tamanegi -- onion
    * tara no me -- angelica tree buds (spring)




    Article by: Masterstech-Home.com

    Friday, May 2, 2008

    Preventing Common Kitchen Accidents



    It is not surprising that more household fires and accidental burns start in the kitchen than every other room of the house combined. More accidental burns can be prevented with just a bit more awareness of the surroundings. By following a few simple tips, one can ensure the safety of their family from burn injury.

    When cooking a meal, try to plan in advance what will be prepared. The chaos of the evening, combined with several burners on the stove being in use can very quickly result in a kitchen fire or burned child. If the meal is planned in advance, at least before the cooking begins, a pot is less likely to be forgotten on a hot stove.

    Also, always be sure to turn pot handles in, away from the front and sides of the stove. Stray pot handles hanging over the edge of the stove could prove too much temptation for a little one who cannot quite reach, but can't wait for dinner. Pot handles extending outwards could also be accidentally hit by adults and spill, resulting not only in a mess, but potential burns to the chef's body or any children in the area.

    Make sure that all messes are cleaned up as they happen in order to prevent any stray fires. If even a little oil splatters on the stove top and it is not properly wiped up, lighting that burner can immediately ignite and become out of control. If oil ever catches on fire, never use water to extinguish the fire, as it will only make the fire spread. Try to smother the fire using a pot cover or to extinguish it using your fire extinguisher. Make sure that all pot holders and kitchen dish cloths are at least a few inches away from the stove top, as they are quite flammable.

    Lock away all cleaning materials no higher than your head. Locking the chemicals prevents children from obtaining access to potential skin burns. Storing the cleaning products above your head could prove just as dangerous to you as leaving them out may prove to your child. When trying to reach the products, they could spill on your face or in your eyes and cause burn injuries or even blindness.

    Tie back long hair and roll up long sleeves while cooking. Despite the amount of caution exercised while cooking, stray cloth or hair could ignite and cause very serious injuries.

    Joseph Devine

    Please visit http://www.burnvictiminjurylawyers.com for more information on burn injuries.

    For All Thyme: Oregano, Rosemary and Basil



    In New York City, Philadelphia, Tokyo, London and thousands of small, unknown towns and villages world-wide, there's a bistro, bar, café or restaurant named after a savory herb or spice.

    This is no coincidence, as culinary schools devote large parcels of curriculum to teaching about herbal seasoning. Herbs get more than a passing daily thought by your favorite chef. They are the heart of the kitchen and without them, well…many sauces would dwell in despair. A poorly seasoned dish is the bane of commercial kitchens everywhere.

    Four indispensable herbs and a short, passionate discourse on each:

    · Basil -- The very reason Pesto exists. Anything with tomatoes, sausages, fish, potato soup, a good Brie, garlic and olive oil- they're best with Basil. Sweet Basil or Common Basil is the classic and most versatile Basil. Strains offer flavors of lemon and lime. Intensity varies from milder to the spicy Thai Basil - but don't let "milder" fool you - Basil shares no kinship with bashful and reticent herbs. Colors range from pure green to black-green, and to deep reds and purples, making Basil visually one the most interesting and versatile herbs to grace a kitchen.

    · Rosemary -- Grows to be a beautiful 4' shrub in temperate climates. It is often associated with French cuisine and is considered a necessity to the most humble kitchen. Add it to any marinade, pair it with potatoes prepared in every way for the best you've ever had, steep it in your tea (and serve it warm or cold) and let it change your chicken recipe into a masterpiece.

    · Thyme -- This precious herb is not as high profile as Basil or Rosemary but it is essential in any serious kitchen. Thyme works wonders when combined with Parsley and Bay Leaves. It brings life to a pot of stew, is perfect with pork, and is one of the key ingredients in the little bottle of dried Herbs de Provence or in a homegrown bouquet garni.

    · Oregano - The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of an Italian kitchen is that gutsy little herb, Oregano (okay, maybe red quaffing wine is your first thought). There's Greek and Mexican Oregano varietals - the Greek being the one we know best. For centuries, botanists have opined that Marjoram and Oregano are almost one-and-the-same. Any cook, with a nose for aroma and a palate for flavor, will concede they may be kissing cousins, but twins - no way. Tomatoes, cheeses, eggs, ground beef and, of course, pizza, are much better for it. A little bit goes a long way and it doesn't lose its flavor with long cooking times.

    Seasoning is an art - a skill unto itself…Praise to the chef or home cook who delights in getting it just right.

    By: Aariana Adams









    Fifteen Fascinating Facts About Wine



    1. Cream of tartar is a residue left on the sides of wooden wine casks, after fermented grape juice is removed from the cask. Grapes are the only significant source of cream of tartar and there is no substitute for cream of tartar. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar.

    2. A red wine grape can make white wine, but a white wine grape cannot make red wine. The juice of red, white and pink wine grapes is clear in color. Red wine is red because the juice is left in contact with the red or black grape skin until it achieves the degree of color that pleases the winemaker.

    3. The shape of the shallow and wide-mouthed Champagne or sparkling wine glass (similar to a sherbet glass) is claimed by the French to be a tribute to the "breast" of Marie Antoinette, but the Greeks claim the glass is a tribute to the "breast" of Helen of Troy.

    4. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, producing 12% of the world's wine. The USA and France tie for second place at 11%. Spain is third, producing 9% of the world's production. China and Turkey tie for fourth place -- producing more wine than then the individual productions of Argentina, Chile and Australia.

    5. A new French oak wine barrel costs $800.00 to $1,200.00. A new American oak wine barrel costs $300.00 to $500.00. An oak wine barrel is capable of imparting oak flavor for only about three fills. The third fill will naturally have less oak flavor than the first fill.

    6. Wine corks are harvested from the bark of the Cork Oak tree. The average life span of a Cork Oak tree is 150 to 200 years. The first harvest of a Cork Oak tree occurs when the tree is about twenty-five years old. Each Cork Oak tree yields about sixteen bark strippings. The harvest date is painted on the bark of each tree, after each harvest. Laws protect these treasured trees, allowing them to be harvested only once every nine years. The Cork Oak trees of the Western Mediterranean area are considered to yield the best quality wine corks with Portugal being the largest producer.

    7. The world's largest Cork Oak tree is The Whistler Tree, located in the Alentejo region of Portugal. This tree is over 212 years old and has been producing the world's best wine corks since 1820. The Whistler Tree is harvested every nine years and is currently producing enough cork for 100,000 wine bottles. The tree received its name from the many songbirds that live in its massive canopy.

    8. The average life span of a grapevine is 25 years, but grapevines are capable of producing grapes for 100 years or more.

    9. Fermenting grape juice has approximately 6,000 yeast cells per ounce. Grapes will ferment, naturally, if left untouched.

    10. America's first wine district was located in Missouri. About 1830 German immigrants, from the Rhine River Valley, settled an area overlooking the Missouri River and produced the first commercially sold wine. Wine is still produced there.

    11. Red wine is best served at about 62? to 65?. Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes to reach correct room temperature.

    12. White wine, rose´ and blush wine, is best served at about 58 to 62?. The less expensive, or the more inferior, the white or blush wine, the more it benefits from even colder temperatures (50? to 55?).

    13. It takes about 600 grapes to produce a bottle of wine.

    14. The first corkscrew was invented in the mid-1800s.

    15. Grape harvest, in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, California, usually begins in early August of each year and is completed by early November. Harvest is a great time to visit wine country but also a busy time. Make advance reservations.


    By: Aariana Adams