BEST COOKING RECIPES

Cooking and eating fish that you caught that day is a real treat! As long as it’s cooked properly
the smell is sweet
the flavors are rich
and the meat is succulent. Here are a few salmon recipes for your next fishing trip. They are simple to fix but very tasty. Of course you can use these at home on fish from the market too. But it won’t taste as good as when you cook your fish fresh out of the water right next to the river.

This recipe is perfect for Sockeye (Red) Salmon.

Ingredients:
Sockeye Salmon fillets (as many as you want)
Marinade (you may use one of the recipes below or use a pre-made marinade sauce such as Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce; you need enough marinade to coat fillets.)

Also Needed:
1 large (2-gallon) zip lock bag (or more
depending on how many fillets you’re cooking)
Cooler with plenty of ice
Good quality charcoal briquettes (do NOT use lighter fluid)
Small wire grill
Heavy duty aluminum foil

Lemon-Dill Marinade:

Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
พ cup of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of dill
ฝ teaspoon of chives
1 teaspoon of parsley
ผ teaspoon of lemon pepper

Make the marinade just before you leave to go fishing. If going for longer than a day
mix just prior to marinating fish. Place all ingredients in a zip lock bag
seal
and mix until evenly distributed. Store in cooler.

Honey and Basil Marinade

Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
ฝ cup of fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of honey
ฝ teaspoon of pepper and salt

Use the same directions used for Lemon-Dill Marinade.

3 Sauce Marinade

Ingredients (makes enough for 4 fillets)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon dry tarragon

Mix as with other marinades.

Prep and Cooking

* Place fillets in marinade in plastic bag
seal
and store in cooler for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Do not marinate too long or fillets may start to deteriorate. Always marinate in a cold container.)

* Make a small fire with charcoal.

* Once coals are hot-- ashen white-- place fillets skin side down on grill
brush or drizzle with marinade
and cover with a tent of aluminum foil. (The foil acts like a lid
allowing fish to cook on both sides at once)

* With the grill about 3 inches over the coals
cook the fillets for about 15-20 minutes. When the meat flakes
the fish is done. Overcooking will dry out the fish and compromise its flavor.

* Serve at once.

* Store any cooked
uneaten fillets in the cooler for the next day.

Each of these marinades is simple to make and will keep in an iced cooler for a few days. Never reuse marinade; once you’ve put raw fish in it
only use in cooking and NOT as a dipping sauce. Leaving fish too long in a marinade can turn it mushy. To be safe
marinate fillets for 30 to 60 minutes.

Enjoy your fishing and good eating!

Feeding your family on a tight schedule doesn't mean you can't eat well. Take advantage of your favorite fruits and vegetables available year-round in cans.

Canned foods can be a great way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Because they provide convenient nutrition
canned foods can help you meet the new 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Canned foods are pre-cooked and pre-cut
saving time in the kitchen. They can also remain on the shelf for up to two years without losing nutrients.

Studies from the University of Massachusetts and the University of Illinois confirm that canned foods are nutritionally comparable to cooked fresh and frozen varieties.

Sweet potatoes aren't just for the holidays. Rich in vitamin A
canned sweet potatoes are especially delicious in this recipe for Gingered Sweet Potato-Apple Salad
which was developed by the Canned Food Alliance and meets Produce for Better Health Foundation nutritional standards that maintain fruits and vegetables as healthy foods. Try this nutrient-dense twist on an American favorite.

Gingered Sweet

Potato-Apple Salad

1 can (15 ounces) sweet potatoes or yams
in light syrup
drained and cubed

1 can (8 ounces) pineapple tidbits
drained

1 apple
cored and diced

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews

1/4 cup honey mustard dressing

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

6 cups mixed salad greens

Combine sweet potatoes
pineapple
apple
celery and cashews in a large bowl. In a small bowl
combine salad dressing and ginger; pour over sweet potato mixture; toss lightly. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve over salad greens.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: calories: 222
total fat: 7.6g
saturated fat: 1.4g
% calories from fat: 29%
% calories from saturated fat: 5%
protein: 4g
carbohydrates: 38g
cholesterol: 0mg
dietary fiber: 5g
sodium: 148mg.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease
stroke and certain types of cancer. Include dark green
leafy vegetables
yellow
orange and red fruits and veggies
cooked tomatoes and citrus fruits. If you consume 2
0
calories a day
aim for at least nine servings or 41/2 cups of fruits and vegetables.

Try mangos and sweet potatoes. Mangos are high in fiber
have no cholesterol or saturated fat and are high in potassium and beta-carotene. They help replenish energy. Sweet potatoes are the most nutritious and heart-healthy vegetable
according to the National Center for Science in the Public Interest. They're fat-free
cholesterol-free
low in sodium and high in fiber. Besides the great taste
the sweet potato is a wonderful source of vitamins A
C and E. Cumin is a good source of iron and cumin seeds promote a healthy digestive system.

Spring Salad with Chutney Dressing and Sweet Potato-Cumin Crisps

1 (9-ounce) bottle mango chutney (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or mint

8 to 10 cups mixed spring greens

1 apple
thinly sliced

1 cucumber
sliced

Golden raisins and toasted cashews

Sweet Potato-Cumin Crisps

1 cup Bruce's Sweet Potato Pancake Mix

2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon Bruce's Ma Cayenne Red Pepper

1 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Prepare Sweet Potato Cumin Crisps; set aside. For dressing
combine chutney
sour cream
yogurt and cilantro; mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. At serving time
toss greens with dressing and arrange on salad plates with apple and cucumber slices. Sprinkle raisins and cashews over each serving and serve sweet potato crisps on the side. Makes 6 servings.

Note: For a main dish salad
toss 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken with some dressing and arrange on plates with greens.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Spray an 8-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. When pan is hot
add 2 tablespoons batter and tilt quickly to spread evenly. Cook until golden brown
about 2 minutes
then turn and cook on other side until golden brown and crisp around edges. Repeat with remaining batter
spraying pan as needed to prevent sticking. Place rounds in a single layer on paper towels after removing from skillet
then place in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325ฐ oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp and dry. Cool before serving. Makes about 1 dozen.

There's a simple and tasty way to round up healthy meals and corral great taste. Delicious ranch dressing adds a touch of the Old West to almost any meal.

Now you can get great ranch naturally. Litehouse Ranch Dressing has no preservatives
no MSG and
because it's made with heart-healthy canola oil
no trans fats
which have been linked with a greater risk of heart disease.

That means you can make healthy recipes that can still get your little dogies to come stampeding to the dinner table. Grilled steak panini with ranch dressing can be a hit with kids and adults. Serve it as a hearty lunch meal
cut up as appetizers or with a tossed salad and a side of corn for dinner.

Grilled Steak Panini

4 slices sourdough or artisan bread

1/2 pound steak

4 roasted red peppers

1/4 cup Litehouse Homestyle Ranch
Rustic Ranch or Jalapeno Ranch Dressing


Grill
broil or panfry steak until the degree of doneness is reached. Allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes. Slice against the grain or diagonally and set aside. Preheat panini press
George Foreman Grill or skillet. Spread Litehouse Ranch Dressing on bread
using more as needed. Layer 1/2 the sliced steak and top with 2 roasted red peppers. Grill approximately 2 to 3 minutes. If using a skillet
turn and grill on other side. Makes 2 servings.

Breakfast made with vibrant flavors of Mexico is a lively way to start any day. Saut้ed onion and bell pepper
Jack cheese
cilantro and a hint of hot pepper sauce transform eggs into a feast
while avocado cubes supply the crowning touch.

Alternatively
substitute fresh or frozen corn kernels for the bell pepper
and fold diced avocado into scrambled eggs just before serving. Another great breakfast or brunch idea: Mix chopped avocado into your favorite salsa
and serve over a cheese omelet.

Hass avocados from Mexico
in plentiful supply all year long
are ideal for these morning specialties. Mash a ripe avocado with chopped onion
lemon juice
salt and pepper
spread over toasted bagels and
if you like
top with smoked salmon. This spread is not only tastier and more colorful than cream cheese
but more healthful-because two-thirds of the fat in Hass avocados consists of monounsaturated fat
the same cholesterol-lowering "good fat" as olive oil.

Mexican Avocado

And Egg Scramble

1 fully ripened Mexican Hass avocado

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup diced red pepper

6 eggs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup broken tortilla chips

1/2 cup shredded Jack cheese

Cut avocado lengthwise around the middle; twist to separate halves and scoop out flesh. Dice avocado and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir until onion begins to brown
about 4 minutes. Whisk together eggs
cilantro
hot sauce and salt. Add to skillet along with tortilla chip pieces. Cook and stir gently until eggs are set but still soft. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover; remove from heat; let stand until cheese melts
1
minute. Divide mixture among four plates; top with reserved avocado.

YIELD: 4 servings

Rich and creamy avocado over eggs is a tasty way to jump-start the day.

A Look at Rice

When cooking rice the size of the grain is the most important thing. Due to the thousands of varieties of rice found all over the world which have differing flavors and aromas
it can be problematic to find the exact right one for your dish.

Long-grain rice usually runs four to five times long as it does wide. It is typically dry and fluffy after it is cooked. The grains do not clump. Some examples of long grain rice are Basmati (aromatic
having a rich nutty flavor; used a lot in Indian cooking)
brown long-grain rice (husk removed with a nutritious bran layer
slightly chewy
mild nutty flavor)
finishing off with white or polished long-grain rice (most widely used; has mild flavor). Uses for long-grain rice mainly are steamed
baked
pilaf
and a rice salad.

Short-grain rice has an almost round shape
is very starchy and tends to stick together after it has been cooked. It’s sometimes known as “sticky-rice”. Examples of short-grain rice are Arborio rice (creamy texture to dishes) and glutinous rice or sweet rice (very sticky after cooked; used in lot of Asian desserts and snacks). Short-grain rice is great for puddings
risotto
croquettes
sushi
stir-fried rice
and molded rice dishes.

Medium-grain rice has a size smaller than long-grain yet bigger than short-grain thus the name medium-grain rice. It is more tender than long grain rice and yet less moist than short grain rice. It is typically fluffy and separate when served hot and then starts to clump as it cools.

Cooking Rice

To Steam Rice: measure the water and salt amounts suggested for the type of rice you are cooking. This is usually found on the box or bag. Mix the salt and water together and pour it into a saucepan and then bring the combination to a boil. Add the rice to the boiling salted water and stir.

Bring the water to a boil again then cover the saucepan
steaming the rice
on a very low heat until the rice has engrossed all the salted water and is tender. This normally takes 15 to 18 minutes for white rice and 35 to 40 minutes for brown rice. Remove the pan from the heat and let set for about 5 minutes. Prior to rationing the rice to your troops fluff it with a fork. Troops love fluffy rice.
To Saut้ and Steam Rice (pilaf): Measure some salt and water for your rice and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil heat oil or butter in a saucepan at medium heat. You can also use a mixture of the two. Add the rice to the molten butter or what have you and rouse till the rice is fully coated.

“Saut้” for 2 to 3 minutes
rousing in a consistent fashion. Now add the salted water you have been boiling to the saut้ed rice and bring the mixture to a boil. Again we steam the rice by putting a lid on the pan
turn the heat down to low or lower and then wait till the rice and soaked in all the water and has become a tender spectacle.

To Bake Rice: Preheat your sweet oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get that salted water boiling
while waiting for boiling point add your measured amount of rice to a baking dish. When ready add the boiling water to the rice in the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly
for cleanliness
baking efficiency
and safety when removing the dish from the oven.

Use tin foil or an oven safe lid and bake at the preheated temperature until the rice has absorbed the water and is a tender delicacy. White rice takes about 20 to 30 minutes
while brown rice takes any where from 35 to 45 minutes. Baking times differ depending on you oven
altitude from the moon or sun
and how tightly sealed your dish is.


Almond Rice Recipe

4 cups rice (Long Grain)
8 cups chicken broth
4 Tbl parsley (substitute rosemary
sage
tarragon
or thyme
to taste of course)
1 ฝ cup celery. chopped fine
1 ฝ cup onion
chopped fine OR พ cup minced dried onion
1 cup slivered almonds

Saut้ onion and celery in just enough broth to cover. Add 8 cups chicken broth. Add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let steam about 20 minutes. If there is too much liquid left when rice is cooked
take off lid and cook and stir until liquid is gone. Just before serving
add parsley and 1 cup slivered almonds. If you used dried parsley
add it while there is still a little water in the pan.

This has been one of the most fun recipe books I have used. The Author
Ron Douglas
gives very detailed information on how to cook the recipes that are in his book. These recipes are from some of the most popular restaurants in America. You can click the link at the top of my blog to see a list of the restaurants.

I have tried many of the recipes and my family is asking me to make more of them as they choose from their favorite choices. Using this book has saved me time and money from taking my family out to eat and gives you more variety to offer them at home.

Many times it was the same old thing from the kids “not this again tonight for dinner” Now adding some of these recipes offered in Ron’s book I hear “oh wow were having that for dinner” I get much more joy and smiles at the dinner table.

I have also used some of the restaurant recipes to impress my guests at dinner parties. My favorite thing to do is when I have to go to a party that requests me to bring a dish to pass
I will use one of the restaurant recipes and everyone wants to know how I made it. I have fun making conversation with friends and showing off.

I recommend this cookbook to anyone who enjoys cooking and likes to get compliments. For more info please visit my website at Restaurant Recipes

Restaurant recipes are offered to you. That means that you can make your favorite dishes from your favorite location in your home. This helps to cut the cost down tremendously which can help you to trim your budget. Yet
you will not feel deprived because you still get to have your favorite foods. You can find these recipes offered right on the web through many of the recipe databases. Simply locate one
type in the restaurant name and the recipe name
and soon you will be in your kitchen cooking up these dishes.

If you are looking for American recipes
you will find plenty of the best restaurants offering their versions. If you love a great burger and a plateful of fries
why settle for anything less? Is there anything better than good old American apple pie? Maybe
if you make it al a mode! If you would like to find any of these American recipes the good news is that there are many databases on the web to offer them. Choose from meats
seafood
pasta dishes
and vegetables. Even desserts are available. You can locate restaurant recipes that are in this tradition as well.

The same thing goes for Mexican recipes. One of the best things to do when it comes to this type of food is to find an excellent spice blend that screams Mexican! There are many out there that you can easily pick up
bring home and use in your dishes to recreate a restaurant recipe or to help you to come up with that recipe that you remember your grandmother making when you were growing up. You can find recipes to help you make these blends as well.

Today
it is very costly to go to a restaurant for a meal. The more in your family
the more outrageous the prices are. Yet
for many
there is almost a craving for that special plate or that perfect dessert. If you are one of the many that has this problem
fear not. There are plenty of online recipe communities where you can go to get the best restaurant recipes out there to tempt your taste buds at home.

For more info please visit my website at Restaurant Recipes

Is it possible to extend the fresh flavors of summer just a little longer? In days past
the solution was pickling and canning vegetables
like corn and cucumbers
that peak during the warm weather months.

While today's busy schedules don't leave much time for old-fashioned pickling
refrigerator pickling is an easy way to capture summer in a jar. Preparation time is just 20 minutes and the taste is so authentic
people will swear you spent all day in the kitchen. Anyone can do it and no special equipment is needed.

Simply place uncooked
fresh vegetables into sterile jars. Prepare a mixture of vinegar
sugar
salt and spices and bring to a boil. Then pour the boiling pickling liquid over the produce
close the jar lids tightly
and place in the refrigerator. Your pickled produce will last two months.

The flavor experts at McCormick offer these tips to ensure refrigerator pickling success:

* Sterilize jars by covering with water in a large saucepot and boiling for 10 minutes.

* Always start with just-ripened produce that is free from bruises or bad spots.

* Dill
mustard seed
turmeric
red pepper
allspice
celery seed and mixed pickling spice are perfect flavors for pickling.

* Use non-iodized salt. Iodized salt may leave white sediment on pickles or cause clouding of pickling liquid.

* Vinegar and salt amounts should never be reduced or diluted because they are essential for the pickling process.

* Allow filled jars to cool before placing in refrigerator.

SWEET AND EASY

PICKLE CHIPS

(Makes 8 half-pint jars)


2 pounds pickling cucumbers

(4 to 5 inches long)

2 1/2 cups distilled white

vinegar (5 percent acidity)

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup McCormick Minced

Onions

2 tablespoons non-iodized salt

1 tablespoon McCormick

Celery Seed

1 tablespoon McCormick

Mustard Seed

1 teaspoon McCormick

Ground Turmeric


Wash cucumbers with cold water. Cut off ends and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices. Place slices into 8 hot sterilized half-pint canning jars with lids or 4 pint jars with lids.

Mix remaining ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat
stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle over cucumbers
leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Stir each jar well. Cool. Place lids on jars. Refrigerate pickles. Shake jars once a day for 3 to 5 days to redistribute seasonings and blend flavors.

The weather is getting warmer
which means the party scene is about to heat up. Welcome the season by building up your bartending repertoire with light
fruity cocktails.

Whether planning a luau
cocktail party or a little get-together with friends
a well-stocked bar is particularly important. For parties
make sure you have plenty of ice
about a pound for each guest
as most spring and summer drinks are served on the rocks or with crushed ice.

Having a few essentials on hand is key: A basic bar includes vodka
whiskey
wines and beer. If you're feeling more adventurous or creative
you can also add gin
tequila
rum
bourbon
vermouth
sherry and brandy.

Mixers add a dash of flavor
or in some cases spice
to a summery cocktail. Orange juice
seltzer
tonic water
cola
ginger ale
tomato juice
Tabasco sauce
horseradish and Worcestershire will wake up your drink recipes.

Another great addition to your bar is Hair of the Dog
which has a light raspberry taste that can jazz up any drink. Using Hair of the Dog as a mixer will make a tasty drink that includes detoxifying ingredients to help the liver better process toxins. Thus it helps to counteract the negative effects of alcohol on the body. The sugar-free version also has no carbs.

Finish off your drinks with sliced lemons
limes
oranges or maraschino cherries. A curl of lemon peel can make an attractive finishing touch.

Try these recipes using sugar-free Hair of the Dog for a diet-friendly twist on familiar drinks:


Caribbean Dog

1 shot Malibu Rum

1 can Hair of the Dog


Blend ingredients with ice
then serve in a tall glass. Float a 1/2 shot of Chambord in the glass and garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.


Tex Mex Dog

(Hair of the Dog's version of the margarita has fewer carbs -; approximately 40 grams less than traditional margarita mixes.)


1 1/4 shot tequila

3/4 shot triple sec

3/4 shot Grand Marnier

1/2 can Hair of the Dog


Combine ingredients and serve over ice in a glass with a salted rim. Garnish with a slice of lime.

It's a great time to enjoy one of America's favorite fruits. Whether on their own
baked in a pie
mixed in yogurt parfaits or made into ice cream
cherries are popular with people young and old.

Tart cherries
the kind most famous in pies
are seldom sold fresh because they are highly perishable.

However
canned
frozen and dried tart cherries are available all year long at supermarkets and specialty food stores. Here are some quick and delicious ways to enjoy tart cherries:

• For an energy-packed treat on summer outings
combine dried tart cherries
chopped dates
semisweet chocolate chips and honey-roasted peanuts.

• Quench your summer thirst by combining 100 percent tart cherry juice
red grapefruit juice and lemon-lime carbonated beverage. Serve over ice.

• Add color and flavor to summer fruit salads with canned or frozen tart cherries. Peaches
kiwi fruit
watermelon
cantaloupe and cherries are a great combination. Lemonade concentrate makes a good dressing for this salad.

This easy frozen treat is sure to be a hit with family or friends.

Cherry Spumoni

2 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

1/2 cup slivered almonds
chopped

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Combine heavy cream
sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl; mix well. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and beat with electric mixer or wire whisk just until soft peaks form; do not overbeat. Fold in cherry pie filling
almonds and chocolate chips. Spoon into an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan. Cover and freeze 4 hours
or until firm. Scoop into serving dishes. Makes about 1 quart.

The next time you're planning a picnic
don't forget the pickle's place at the table when preparing your menu. Consider this potato salad recipe for your next gathering.

Red
White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10


6 large red potatoes
unpeeled

4 hard-boiled eggs
peeled

4 small green onions
thinly sliced (white and light green part only)

6 slices maple-smoked bacon

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or one 4-ounce package)


Dressing

11/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup minced Del Monteฎ Organic Sweet Bread & Butter Chips

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (ground or whole)

1/4 teaspoon Tabascoฎ sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot of salted
boiling water
cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside. Cook and crumble bacon
reserving two tablespoons of drippings. In a medium bowl
stir together all dressing ingredients. If thinner dressing is desired
add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm
cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl
layer 1/3 potatoes
eggs and onions. Top each layer with 1/3 portion of dressing. Repeat two more times
ending with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

And now there is an organic choice of pickles. Del Monteฎ offers the first line of USDA-certified organic pickles
available in supermarkets and retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.

A favorite among many
pickles tempt the taste buds
pack a zesty punch and
perhaps best of all
kids love them. With no fat and few carbohydrates or calories
pickles make a great snack or addition to any meal.

"Pickles are a great treat throughout the year
but it doesn't get much better than adding fresh pickle slices to a burger
or better yet
just eat whole pickles straight from the jar
said Jeff Tuttle, chief marketing officer for M.A. Gedney Company, producer and marketer of the Del Monteฎ line of pickles.
And
our online cookbook provides plenty of choices for great pickle recipes that are sure to be a hit at any picnic."

Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs – its clean
spiky scent pervading my kitchen takes me to the South of France on a warm summer’s day. It is the hardiest plant in my herb garden
surviving our driest summers and putting out new growth as soon as the winter rains begin. You can pick from it all year round and it has useful medicinal properties too.

I love Roast Lamb with generous amounts of rosemary and garlic tucked underneath as it cooks or else I take Nigella Lawson’s advice and mince the garlic and rosemary to a paste with some olive oil and tuck it into small incisions in the meat before cooking. After that the meat just cooks itself (as long as you remember to switch on the oven for it!) and you have a marvellous Sunday lunch for very little effort. A dash of red wine added to the juices from the roasting dish and warmed through gives you a ‘jus’ that any five star restaurant would be proud to own – do spoon off the excess fat first though. For a totally low effort lunch serve the roast lamb with a generous green salad and boiled new potatoes
or expend the effort you’ve saved with the meat on producing loads of crispy roast potatoes
baked butternut squash and tender green peas.

The following pasta sauce recipe came from experimenting with a recipe from Marcella Hazan’s Marcella’s Kitchen. To her tomato and rosemary pasta sauce I added some tuna to create a nutritious and delicious meal for my kids – the balsamic vinegar gives a mellow
rounded note to the sauce and is not in the least overpowering as I thought it might be.

Penne with Tuna
Tomato
Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar

For 450g/1lb pasta
8 tablespoons olive oil
3 or 4 cloves garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
450g/1lb tinned tomatoes
drained and chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tin of tuna drained

Put the olive oil
thinly sliced garlic and rosemary sprigs in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the garlic starts sizzling add the tomatoes
with salt and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes.

When the pasta is just cooked – really al dente – drain and put back in the pan and toss with the sauce over the heat for 1 minute. Add the tuna
stir
then off the heat stir in the balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.
There is a wonderful recipe for a Rosemary Cake in Nigella Lawson’s book ‘Feast’. She allocates it to her Funeral Feast section. as rosemary has always been the herb of rememberance
but this cake is great for any occasion when a light
not too sweet
plain sponge is required. It has apple in it too and the combination of that and the rosemary
gives a moist but aromatic cake. A long sprig of rosemary adorns the top of the cake and as it cooks releases more aromatic oils into the cake. Try it.

To make use of rosemary’s health boosting properties try a cup of rosemary herbal tea. One sprig with a cup of boiling water poured over it and left to stand for five to ten minutes
makes a revitalising and stress-relieving tea. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and aids circulation
helps with stress
anxiety and depression and improves memory and concentration. It also is a useful source of easily absorbed calcium
far more effective than taking pills.

So plant a rosemary bush in your garden or in a pot on a balcony for your own free
energy-boosting calcium supplement!

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

According to Ron Douglas
author of 'America's Most Wanted Recipes
' the average American family dines out at an average of three times each week. Depending on the number of people in a family
the choice of food ordered and the selected restaurant
this casual dining experience can quickly become a very expensive indulgence.

In an effort to solve the cost factor associated with dining out
some families are searching for a way to recreate their favorite famous restaurant recipes in the comfort of their own home. The problem is
however
that these top secret restaurant recipes were never easily found and may have taken years to perfect using the trial-and-error method. There is a new recipe website that is now attempting to convince customers that their famous restaurant recipes no longer have to be a secret. In fact
perhaps secret restaurant recipes
aren't so secretive anymore.

Ron Douglas claims to have taken secret restaurant recipes and compiled them into a new book called 'America's Most Wanted Recipes.' Among the restaurant secret recipes that he provides include select entrees and desserts from Applebee's
popular Burger King menu items
Chili's spicy creations and even the cool taste of the Dairy Queen blizzard. In addition
top secret restaurant recipes from the Hard Rock Caf้
IHOP
Kentucky Fried Chicken
The Olive Garden
Planet Hollywood
Outback Steakhouse
Shoney's
Taco Bell and Wendy's are all found in the new compilation by Douglas. The website also offers a partial listing of specific famous restaurant recipes included in the downloadable and/or print version of 'America's Most Wanted Recipes.'

Depending on the dish
it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact ingredients required to recreate it's taste. While a large part of the dining craze is so popular due to convenience
another important factor is the unmistakable taste associated with certain restaurants and specific meals. Because the theme is to provide chefs and readers with the ability to produce such dishes in a reasonable time while saving money
'America's Most Wanted Recipes' is available in either a print or downloadable format.

According to the website
customers who purchase a copy of 'America's Most Wanted Recipes' will also receive four free bonus gifts
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Recipe for Brandy Pudding

The recipe I am going to share with you today is about 350 years old! A great favourite from the Cape where the first brandy from Cape grapes were distilled in 1672! We have come a very long way since then when it comes to the quality of our brandy
but still
Cape Brandy Pudding remains an old time favourite :) Growing up in South Africa is great fun with all the recipes your mother makes and teaches you during your younger years!

Ingredients:
250 g of dates (remove the pits)
cut up
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
ฝ cup butter/margarine
ฝ cup sugar
2 eggs
whisked
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
ฝ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
1. Cut the dates
add the boiling water and bicarbonate of soda to halve of the dates
stir and let it cool down.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar and add the beaten eggs. Mix very well.
3. Sieve the dry ingredients together and add.
4. Add the rest of the dates and walnuts. Then add the dates in water and mix very well.
5. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and bake in a pre-heated oven of 180ฐC for 30 - 40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and pour the warm syrup over the warm pudding.

Syrup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
ฝ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
ฝ cup brandy

1. Boil together the sugar
butter and water for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla and brandy. Mix well.
3. Pour warm over the warm pudding and serve with cream or ice cream.

There is nothing nicer to warm you up on a cold day! Enjoy your dessert and make sure to try out some more traditional South African recipes!

The summer sun swelters outside. Inside it is warm
the fruit bowl sits lusciously on the window sill
bursting with seasonal plenty – peaches
mangoes
grapes as well as the year round banana. All of the fruit is at point of perfect ripeness
begging to be eaten right now before it descends into a pool of pulp. It could have stayed in the fridge and been brought out in economical relays to ripen for a day
but there is something about a full fruit bowl
a promise of health and succulence
that time and again makes me arrange it as a still life
as I unpack the shopping
only to be wrong-footed when it all ripens at the same time. Typically the children are only bothering to eat apples
which last forever in the fridge. Desperate measures are called for.

It is time to make smoothies. Even children
who wouldn’t give a second glance to raw fruit
can usually be beguiled by a smoothy. It is also a special treat for adults
an easy thing to do for visitors who drop by
when it’s too hot for tea. Any ripe fruit can be used
even if it is slightly overripe
as long as it still smells good and not fermenting. You get a mega-dose of vitamins
plus calcium from the yoghurt and milk
almost a meal in itself. Healthy eating in a glass!

Giving a recipe for a smoothy is hardly necessary. It depends on what you have in the house already. Use this example as a template and adapt and change it as you like. As long as you use fruit that is truly ripe
it’ll be delicious. The one essential piece of equipment is a liquidiser or food processor
without that I’d just have to force feed the children the fruit as is
it is far too laborious to puree fruit by hand on a hot summer’s day. The joy making smoothies is the effortlessness.

No set quantities
but as a guide I’d use one mango with one or two bananas. Just peel and stone the fruit
fling it into the liquidiser with a large dollop of plain yoghurt and a cup of milk and blitz. If it is too thick for your liking add more milk. Chuck in some ice cubes for instant chill factor.

A tip for dealing with mangoes: without peeling
slice off both the long sides as close to the stone as you can.
cut the flesh in a criss-cross fashion to make 1cm cubes
without going right through the skin
then push the skin up to invert the cubes into a mango hedgehog! The children eat them like this and a very messy business it is
needing a bath afterwards.

Suggestions for fruit combinations:

Mango and banana
Pear
berry and banana
Peach and berry
Strawberry and banana
Peach
apricot and banana

Any fruit in the whole wide world can be added to this list
experiment with whatever is in season and make up your own combinations.

Bananas make a good background for most other fruits and give a good velvety texture
besides being the most likely fruit to have around overripe. If you want to move away from the healthy fruit scenario
you can use bananas with a few teaspoons of hot chocolate to make a scrummy
decadent milkshake. Or go the whole way and put a blob of vanilla ice-cream in too. I remember as a child
my mother adding a raw egg to ours to build us up. It made it wonderfully frothy
but then nobody worried about salmonella in those days – I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a guaranteed source of salmonella-free eggs.

If you have berries of any sort stashed in the freezer
you can throw in a handful still frozen and watch the colour transform as you blitz. Mulberries
blackberries
youngberries
blueberries all add deep colour and plenty of useful nutrients
loads of anti-oxidants – instant immune boosters in winter
if you can keep them until then. I usually freeze strawberries as puree
when the strawberry harvest overwhelms us
so can bring it out for a change later on in the year. The other berries I freeze whole
stalks and leaves picked off
so they are ready to use. You can also buy frozen berries in mixed packs
which would work fine.

Whatever fruit you’re using
let the children press the buttons on the liquidiser and then dole out the smoothie
in glasses with straws
easy in the knowledge that the vitamin quota for the day is being filled.

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

Traditional nursery food has made a come back in our family recently. I haven’t bothered making shepherd’s pie (or cottage pie
as it is also known) for ages
as the children just used to eat the potato from the top and leave the mince. Mince in general has been rejected too. If I use the same minced beef to make meatballs or burgers the kids devour it
but they hate picking out all the little bits of vegetables that I hopefully put into it
when I make the shepherd’s pie
in the hope of smuggling a few vegetables into their diet. Anyway my son actually requested shepherd’s pie the other day
so yesterday I made it and they gobbled it up
vegetables and all
several servings each
so I’ve gained one more dish for the regular list.

Recipe for Shepherd’s Pie - to feed four:

500g/1lb good quality minced beef or lamb (hamburger beef)
1 onion
2 carrots
1 stick of celery
1 clove garlic
2 large fresh tomatoes or half a tin of tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
a dash of wine
a few drops Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
water or stock
potatoes
small piece of butter - about 20g/1oz and milk to mash with

Finely chop the onion and saute over a low heat in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the carrot
celery and garlic also finely chopped. Saute all together for five minutes. Turn up the heat and add the meat
breaking up the lumps and cooking until it has just lost the raw redness. Don’t overdo it at this point. Add the splosh of wine
(white or red
whatever you have open. If you don’t have any it’s not essential) and stir till it has evaporated the alcohol. Add the tomatoes skinned and chopped. Now put in the rest of the seasonings and pour in enough water or stock to only just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer
put on a lid and leave to cook at a simmer for 1-2 hours.

The quantity of potatoes depends on how many you have to feed
you can have a thin layer of potato topping or if you need to stretch the meat to feed lots of people
a really thick layer of potato
which is what the children prefer anyway. Peel the potatoes and boil them till soft. Then drain and mash them with the butter
milk and salt and pepper until they are soft
but not too runny
mashed potatoes. In a roasting dish or any ovenproof but not too shallow dish
put the cooked meat in a thick layer
then top with the mashed potatoes. Smooth them out with a fork
so there are lines and swirls and peaks of potato that will brown nicely and put the dish into a preheated oven 200C/400F for twenty minutes or until the top has browned to golden. If the meat and potatoes have only just finished cooking and still hot you can just brown the top under the grill. This can all be assembled and kept in the fridge until needed too
then it would need at least thirty minutes to cook through again.

Traditionally shepherd’s pie was made with minced lamb and cottage pie with minced beef but my family has always called both shepherd’s pie. It also used to be a dish to use up leftover cooked meat from a roast
rather than starting fresh with raw mince
but we like it like this - comfort food for winter.

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

Lavender
its bushy hedges wafting a delicate scent in the winter sunshine
is one of my favourite herbs. It is hardy
smells wonderful
cleanses the air of viruses and repels insects. All these virtues and you can bake with it too! I was going through my recipe books yesterday
looking for something new to try in the biscuit baking line and saw a recipe for Lavender Heart Cookies. Every time I’d glanced through the book it had always intrigued me
but I'd never tried it before
as the idea of using lavender in baking seemed a little bizarre...interesting but probably getting results of 'yuk Mum
what are these bits?'

Anyway
in the spirit of culinary adventure
I thought I'd have a go. The ingredients were minimal - butter
sugar
flour and flowers! Lavender florets. So off I went to pick the lavender. Not much was required
just two tablespoons of fresh florets (the little purple flower bits off the main stalk)
so I had a nice therapeutic moment selecting the best stalks from my lavender hedge
which is still producing new flowers despite it being the middle of winter here. Then came the mixing all the ingredients together into a crumbly dough
which is more crumb than dough
but eventually did all work together. After its rest in the fridge
I tentatively rolled out the dough
still crumbling madly
but it was eventually persuaded to stay together by an insistent rolling pin. I churlishly refused my youngest daughter’s offers of help in cutting out the hearts...mean of me
I know
but this was my journey of exploration not hers
this time!

They came out of the oven
fragrant and golden. The moment of reckoning drew near. Children
scenting new baking
gathered around. The girls uncritically tucked in
my son
the conservative connoisseur
turned away
but changed his mind at the appreciative noises around him. A cautious nibble and he was convinced – I was not trying to poison them...!

Here's the recipe in case you'd like a culinary adventure too!

Lavender Heart Cookies
115g/4oz butter
90ml/6 tablespoons caster sugar
175g/6oz plain flour
2 tablespoons fresh lavender florets

Cream together the butter and 60ml/4 tablespoons of the sugar till light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and lavender and work it in
kneading with your hands till it comes together into a soft ball of dough. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out the cookies with a heart shaped cutter (alternatively a fluted-edged round cutter). Makes about 18 with a 5cm/2inch cutter. Put carefully onto a lightly greased baking tray and sprinkle the remaining sugar onto the top of each shape. Bake at 200C/400F for about 10 minutes till golden. Leave the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes
before putting on to a cooling rack.

So my experiment was deemed a success. The adults
later that evening
also liked them. ''Elizabethan'' suggested my sister-in-law
and "packaged in a pretty box they'd make a great gift". I have to admit here that
given the choice of a chocolate biscuit or a lavender one
the children would unanimously vote for chocolate
but the fact that they considered them edible at all
when they knew they had flowers in
is pretty high praise for this recipe. I was the one who surreptitiously finished them off the next morning with my tea. That fragrant flavour on the palate
clean yet sweet
was irresistible!

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

We are a pudding family. There is something satisfying about the word pudding. It brings connotations of comfort
of tastebud-tantalising things
rich and luscious. Dessert suggests something elegant
delicate
restrained - a sweet mouthful to finish off a meal. Dessert just doesn’t do it for me.

Our family goes in for puddings for special occasions and Sunday lunches. We don’t have them every day
so when we do
we want it all: comforting over-indulgence at its best – no refined twiddles of patisserie here
though we don’t do the steamed
stodgy stuff either. We have a number of recipes that are firm family favourites and have to be considered and a waiting list of recipes from cookbooks to try - so puddings oust the main course as the focus of debate and decision-making.

The occasion dictates the main course – roast lamb for Easter
turkey and gammon for Christmas
no dilemmas there. Selecting just a few puddings from the family repertoire
though
is an agonising process. Christmas and New Year close together eases the dilemma…what we don’t have for Christmas
we can do for New Year’s Eve
but on other occasions leaving out a particular favourite recipe is too hard. We often end up with a selection of four puddings (though
before you are too horrified
we are usually feeding twelve or more people) and as a result feel stuffed to the gills afterwards
as greed inevitably overcomes caution and all four have to be sampled.

Two of our family staple recipes come from my mother-in-law
who as a mother of six on a limited budget had to use a lot of invention to feed her family. Guava fool (pureed guava mixed with condensed milk and cream) is one of her recipes that rates high on the must-have list through winter when guavas are in season. Choccie pudding is a year round imperative
a chocolate custard poured over boudoir biscuits which soak it up and soften delectably into a velvety gloop.

I have proudly managed to add one of my family pudding recipes to the indispensable list – Summer Pudding. My mother still makes it
often with blackberries culled from the hedgerows
as well as the more traditional redcurrants and raspberries. Here in South Africa we have a different palette of berries to work with and most often use youngberries
mulberries with a few strawberries (strawberries on their own don’t work
you need the tartness of some of the darker berries). Here is the recipe:

Summer Pudding

1 loaf of slightly stale white bread
About 1kg of mixed berries: blackberries
raspberries
youngberries
mulberries
redcurrants the choice is yours. Apple can be added if you are short of berries.
Sugar

Put the fruit with a liberal sprinkling of sugar into a pan and gradually bring to boiling point. (You can cook them straight from frozen over a low heat). Softer fruits are done at this point
so check
apples would need longer to soften. The amount of sugar depends on how sweet the fruit is – you are after a slightly tart fruit with sweet juice but not too sickly. Cut the bread into thick slices
take off the crusts and line a pudding basin with it. It needs to fit tightly but don’t squash it. You can do a patchwork of funny shaped bits
the important thing is that no holes are left. Keep three slices for the lid. When the fruit has stewed
use a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit into the bread-lined bowl. Most of the juice gets left behind but keep it to pour over the pudding later. Fill the bowl with the fruit and top with a tight layer of bread. Place a plate or saucer on top and weight it
so the fruit compresses and the juice soaks into the bread. Leave in the fridge for at least a few hours
better overnight. Turn it onto a plate to serve
with the extra juice poured over any white bits of bread still showing. Eat with plenty of cream.

Now our main preoccupation on our smallholding is establishing enough fruit trees and berry plants to ensure a year round supply of pudding potential in our freezers
but maybe that would make them less special. The seasonal aspect of guavas and berries mean excitement when they come back into season
gluttony for a few weeks until common sense sets in. Then we put a supply away in the freezer for a few special treats later in the year
the season ends and is followed by the next thing. A pudding for each season
a season for each pudding.

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

Every end of term at my daughters’ kindergarten
finds us baking cheese biscuits for their festival. These are delicious
easy to make
light flaky mouthfuls of crunch
just like cheese straws only more fun
as you can use any shaped cookie cutter you like. We have pigs
bunnies
stars
moons
hearts
fish. They are the perfect answer to the dilemma of providing a treat snack for school feasts and festivals
that doesn’t break the school guidelines of minimising sugar but is still fun for the kids. They are also an essential item at birthday parties for my children. The last birthday had me frantically rolling and cutting out these cheese biscuits
in between trying to get a roast lunch on the table before the afternoon party. The original plan had been for the kids to do all the work
to keep them entertained and gainfully employed in the lull before the party
but the birthday girl was too busy playing with her new toys and the others too busy bemoaning the fact it was so long before their birthdays
so that I got left with the job at the last minute!

Today though I had the five year olds in charge of the cheese biscuits
kneading then rolling out and cutting out with animal shaped cookie cutters. This still required a fair amount of timely intervention
to get the dough to hold together before frustration set in and make sure my youngest got a chance to cut out some shapes without destroying her older sister's carefully ordered scheme of things. I also had to get a batch of bread done while they were cooking
as we had finished up the last slice at lunch
but that used up the rest of my energy reserves so I settled on baked potatoes as a minimal effort supper. The oven was on anyway for the biscuits and bread so it was all in aid of energy conservation...mine and the world's in equal measure.

Here is the recipe for the cheese biscuits:

100g/4oz finely grated cheese
50g/2oz self-raising flour
25g/1oz soft butter
pinch of cayenne pepper

For the cheese you can use a mature cheddar or 80g mild cheddar with 20g parmesan cheese. Put everything into a bowl and rub in
squidge and knead for about 5 minutes until it comes together into a soft dough. It will do
just as you are about to give up hope of it doing so unaided. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 2.5mm/ 1/8" thick and cut into whatever fancy shapes you have cutters for. Bake at 200C/400F for 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool on a rack. This amount disappears very quickly
even before you've turned your back on them sometimes
they're very light and moreish
so I usually make double or triple quantities for the festivals.

The cheese biscuits go down very well with adults too. At the last birthday party one father polished off a whole plateful
rather than sample the birthday cake. They would make a great accompaniment to drinks before dinner. You could cut them into long strips and give one twist to make them into cheese straws
then sprinkle them with extra parmesan or find a more sophisticated shape as a cookie cutter – the star shapes would still be good. Mind you most laid-back adults would be just as happy as the kids to be eating pigs and bunnies!

Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock

Leave it to star female race-car drivers to come up with desserts that are not only fast
but incredibly tempting. Using the most iconic ingredients-Twinkies
Ding Dongs and Hostess Cup Cakes-IRL's Danica Patrick
NASCAR's Leilani Mnter and the National Hot Rod Association's Melanie Troxel easily made the cut for the Hostess Race Divas team.

Danica Patrick's Speedway Shortcake Twinkie-Style

10 Hostess Twinkies

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
softened

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces frozen whipped topping
thawed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 to 6 cups thinly sliced fresh strawberries

Slice Twinkies in half horizontally and place
cut-side up
in a decorative or glass 9 x 13-inch dish. Twinkies will cover the entire bottom surface of the pan.

Beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until well blended. Fold in whipped topping and vanilla.

Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over Twinkies; top with half of the sliced strawberries. Repeat layers. Refrigerate several hours.

Leilani Mnter's Fast Track German Chocolate Tarts

1 box Hostess Ding Dongs

11/2 cups chopped pecans

21/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

11/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) butter

4 egg yolks
slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

Using a serrated knife
slice Ding Dongs in half horizontally. Place on platter and set aside.

Spread the pecans and coconut on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.

Place evaporated milk
sugar
butter
egg yolks and vanilla in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat
stirring constantly
until thick and golden brown
10
to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Allow mixture to cool for 30 to 45 minutes. Dollop a heaping spoonful on top of each sliced Ding Dong. Serve tarts at room temperature.

Tip: You can speed cooling by placing saucepan in ice water.

Melanie Troxel's

Motoring Mud Pie

1 jar (11.75 ounces) hot fudge sauce

1 package (6 ounces) chocolate cookie pie crust

5 Hostess Cup Cakes

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

11/2 cups milk

1/4 cup chocolate shell topping

Remove lid and microwave hot fudge sauce on High (100%) power 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon half of sauce into bottom of pie shell.

Cut Cup Cakes in half
vertically. Arrange in pie crust
with filling facing edge of crust and continue in circles to cover entire crust.

Beat cream until soft peaks form; add confectioners' sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk pudding mix and milk until thickened. Fold 3/4 cup whipped cream into the pudding. Spoon remaining whipped cream over top of pie. Refrigerate until set.

Spoon chocolate shell topping into center of the pie to resemble a mud puddle. Keep pie refrigerated until serving.

Warm weather is the time for outdoor fun and good food to satisfy appetites sharpened by open-air activities. Whether you're planning a barbecue
patio party or picnic
potato salad is a classic comfort food that can take the edge off hunger pangs brought on by fresh air and exercise.

For toting to away-from-home locales -- perhaps a neighborhood park or an outlying band-shell or forest preserve -- a cold potato salad is best. Prepare the ingredients several hours or the night before
combine or layer them in a covered container and let the finished salad chill in the fridge until you're ready to roll. Transport the salad in your cooler with plenty of ice or commercial coolant. For backyard
deck or patio get-togethers
though
you can add a unique twist by serving your salad hot. Potato salad takes on a whole new personality when it's heated in the oven just before serving.

Hot or Cold Layered Potato Salad is just as hearty when served hot or cold and is simple to compose. Just layer a rainbow of fresh veggies with sunny hard-cooked eggs and pour on your choice of bottled salad dressing
even a reduced-fat variety
if you like. What could be more convenient?

Hot or Cold Layered Potato Salad

4 servings


4 hard-cooked eggs*
sliced

4 medium red potatoes
cooked
peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups shredded carrots (about 8 oz.)

1 cup chopped zucchini (about 3 small)

1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 large)

1/3 cup bottled creamy salad dressing (any variety)

Parsley sprigs
optional


Reserve a few center egg slices for garnish. In 10 x 6 x 1 1/2-inch baking dish or casserole (ovenproof for heated version)
evenly layer 1/3 of the potatoes
the carrots
another 1/3 of the potatoes
the zucchini
the remaining 1/3 of the potatoes
the unreserved egg slices and the tomatoes. Evenly drizzle with dressing.

To serve cold: cover and chill to blend flavors
several hours or overnight.

To serve hot: bake
covered
in preheated 350 degree F oven until heated through
about 20 minutes.

Garnish with reserved egg slices and parsley
if desired. For each serving
serve a portion of all layers.

*To hard-cook
place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough tap water to come at least 1 inch above eggs. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off the heat. If necessary
remove pan from the burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand
covered
in the hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs. (12 minutes for Medium
18
for Extra Large.) Immediately run cold water over eggs or put them in ice water until completely cooled.

To remove shell
crackle it by tapping gently all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Peel
starting at large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in bowl of water to help ease off shell.


Nutrition information per serving of 1/4 recipe using bottled creamy garlic salad dressing: 288 calories
12
gm total fat
226
mg cholesterol
318
mg sodium
836
mg potassium
36
gm carbohydrate
10
gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A and C
niacin
riboflavin
thiamin
iron
phosphorus.

Now here is a recipe that can be used during the Thanksgiving season as well as the Christmas season although when it comes to food and of course I know how to prepare all the recipes that I share with everyone everyday can be a holiday for me depending on what my taste is for a particular day.
Every persons taste is different and that is what makes the world go around
but there isn’t much that I don’t like when it comes to the sweet things.
Remember your ingredients should be at room temperature.


1-2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 ฝ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
ฝ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs slightly beaten
1 ฝ cups sugar 1 ฝ cups canned solid pack pumpkin
ฝ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup each walnuts and raisins


Preheat your oven to 350 degrease. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
In a 5 quart mixing bowl combine the first 5 ingredients then add eggs
sugar
pumpkin
oil and mix until well combined then add your nuts and raisins and mix until smooth.
Pour your mix into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes or until a pick placed into the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes then remove from pan and continue to cool on same rack.
Well now it’s time to eat it
get out the butter and coffee and “enjoy”.

Think of the word pumpkin and images of jack-o-lanterns and whipped cream covered Thanksgiving pies will probably pop into your mind. Pumpkin is traditionally considered a holiday food and is a staple in our kitchen pantries and freezers during that festive time of the year. However
did you know that pumpkin now heralded as one of the ‘Super Foods?’

According to Dr. Steven Pratt
author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life
“Well
pumpkin is one of the most nutritionally valuable foods known to man. Moreover
it’s inexpensive
available year round in canned form
incredibly easy to incorporate into recipes
high in fiber
low in calories
and packs an abundance of disease fighting nutrients.”

What exactly makes pumpkin so super? The powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids give this food its super status. Carotenoids have the ability to ward off the risk of various types of cancer and heart disease
along with
cataracts and macular degeneration. Dr. Pratt mentions many other disease fighting super foods in his book as well
but we are most interested in pumpkin because of the year-round availability and ease of use in canned form.

How can we add this wonder food to our diets through out the year? Take advantage of the benefits and great taste of pumpkin with the following delicious Pumpkin Recipes.

Any day Pumpkin Pancakes

2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup of buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
2-1/4 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup of pumpkin

Measure flour into bowl and add dry ingredients. Stir in buttermilk and add pumpkin. Mix Well. Cook on hot griddle or skillet until golden brown.

Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

1/3 cup butter or margarine
softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl cream butter with brown sugar. Beat in eggs
then
pumpkin and milk. In a small bowl combine flour
baking powder
spices
salt and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Any time of year can be a great time to dig into a bowl of ice cream. As the weather outside warms up
the luscious taste of ice cream can be a tantalizingly terrific way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Two people who really know the scoop when it comes to ice cream are Ray Karam
the official Tastemaster
and Nola Krieg
Operations Manager of Product Development (aka Tastemaster Apprentice) of Cold Stone Creamery. With more than 25 years in the dairy industry
Karam is responsible for researching and developing the company's indulgent combinations and flavors of ice cream
mix-ins and cakes. Krieg is fondly known as the Tastemaster's right-hand woman
lending support and providing valuable feedback to development and operational tasks surrounding new products.

With Karam's extensive background in food science and Krieg's expertise in culinary arts
they have created this fun
anytime recipe for s'mores with a twist-taking advantage of one of Cold Stone's new "to go" options
the 48-oz. Everybody's.

Ice Cream Creation S'mores

Serves 4

1 Everybody's (48-oz. size) Cold Stone Ice Cream Creation (suggested creations: Coffee Lovers Only
Peanut Butter Cup Perfection or Founder's Favorite)

4 graham crackers (8 small squares)

4 teaspoons fudge syrup

4 teaspoons marshmallow fluff

1. Break a graham wafer in half
forming 2 squares.

2. Coat one square with a teaspoon of fluff and the other with a teaspoon of fudge.

3. Place a rounded scoop of the ice cream creation in the center of the fluff-coated wafer.

4. Place the fudge-coated wafer on top of the ice cream scoop.

5. Gently press down to spread out the ice cream.

6. Place on a tray and freeze for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.

A variation on the old campground favorite
Ice Cream Creation S'mores can be a cool way to tickle your taste buds.

High-powered snacks
like USA-grown peanuts and peanut butter
can help give you the extra energy needed for your daily activities.

Peanuts and peanut butter are terrific
great tasting snacking options because they are convenient
portable and contribute more than 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients. Plus
their combination of fiber and protein satisfies for hours. In addition
scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts
including peanuts
as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol
may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Peanuts and peanut butter also combine well with apples
celery
bananas and other fresh produce for a quick snack or to entertain. Or they can be baked into wholesome desserts like Peanut-Chip Cookie Bars
with just a touch of chocolate for gooey sweetness.

Peanut-Chip Cookie Bars

Makes 12 servings

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour or peanut flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt

1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ฐF. In a medium bowl
combine flours
oats
baking powder
baking soda and salt. Stir with a fork to blend. Set aside.

Place butter and sugars in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined and fluffy
about 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and beat until blended. Add egg and egg white; beat until combined. Fold in peanuts and chocolate chips. Spread mixture evenly on a 13x9x2-inch baking pan lightly rubbed with butter or sprayed with canola-based cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan
and cut into 12 approximately 4-inch long by 2-inch wide bars; let cool completely.

Peanut butter has been a pantry and sandwich staple in households for generations. However this beloved American icon is more than a spread destined to partner with jelly. Peanut butter is also a nutrient dense food that is sometimes overlooked as part of a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating peanut butter into a variety of dishes and snacks can help add important nutrients to one's diet.

One serving of peanut butter -; just two tablespoons -; provides eight grams of protein
two grams of fiber
10
percent of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) of vitamin E and 12 percent of the RDI of magnesium. Additionally
the USDA's new MyPyramid recognizes the importance of varying dietary protein sources and suggests that peanut butter
along with nuts and other nut butters
may be substituted for meat or poultry in meals. Additionally
peanut butter is cholesterol free and contains zero grams of trans-fats per serving.

A walk down the grocery store aisle reveals a wide selection of peanut butters to meet different tastes and dietary needs. Creamy
crunchy or with a touch of honey
Smucker'sฎ Natural Peanut Butter and Jifฎ Peanut Butter brands offer an assortment of choices
including lower salt and reduced fat varieties.

Think outside the sandwich and spread peanut butter on apple slices for a delicious snack
put a dollop in yogurt or even stir into hot oatmeal. Peanut butter can also be the basis of sauces that can turn plain noodles or chicken into a delightfully exotic dish as in this recipe for Asian Noodles with Chili-Nut Sauce.


ASIAN NOODLES WITH CHILI-NUT SAUCE


3 tablespoons Smucker'sฎ

Natural Chunky Peanut

Butter
Jifฎ Extra Crunchy

or Simply Jifฎ Peanut Butter

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1-2 tablespoons Chinese chili oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 (10 ounce) package Chinese

wheat noodles or 1/2 pound

package whole wheat spaghetti


cooked according to package

directions

4 green onions
sliced diagonally

into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish


Combine peanut butter
soy sauce
chili oil
rice vinegar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir to blend well. Toss drained noodles with chili-nut sauce
onions and peppers. Cool noodles to room temperature. To serve
place noodles on serving platter
garnish with sesame seeds. For a variation
add 2 cups chopped cooked chicken.

OK. There are many sensational cheescake recipes from around the world. Connoisseurs will
no doubt have enjoyed baked versus cold
French versus New York cheesecakes and many more as well. Perhaps you are looking for a refreshing change. Why not try this traditional
sensational Aussie cheesecake!

Ingredients

Filling
250 grams of reduced fat cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup of reduced fat condensed milk (room temperature)
juice of two lemons
lemon zest from one lemon
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Base
2 cups of finely crushed plain sweet biscuit crumbs
2 rounded teaspoons of cocoa powder
2-3 oz of melted butter

Topping
1 cup passionfruit pulp
2 rounded teaspoons of gelatin
2 oz of hot water

Directions

Base

1. Thoroughly mix biscuit crumbs
sifted cocoa powder and melted butter.

2. Press firmly into the base of greased cheesecake pan.

3. Place in the refrigerator to set whilst preparing the filling.

Plain biscuits can vary in butter content. If you find the base does not form a ball when squeezed in your fist
add a little more melted butter to ensure the base will hold together when cold.

Filling

1. In an electric mixer
beat cream cheese until softened and fluffy.

2. Add condensed milk
lemon zest and vanilla essence until well combined.

3. In a separate container
with very clean beaters
whisk the cream until firm peaks form. Set aside.

4. Add the lemon juice to the cream cheese and condensed milk mixture. Beat well. The lemon juice will start to react and cause the mixture to thicken.

5. On a very slow speed beat in the whipped cream until just combined.

6. Pour mixture onto chilled biscuit base.

7. Place cheesecake into the refrigerator for 3 hours to firm up.

Topping

1. Dissolve the gelatin powder in the hot water according to manufacturer's directions.

2. Mix dissolved gelatin into passionfruit pulp and place in the refrigerator in a small bowl.

3. When nearly set
but still pourable
pour passionfruit and gelatin mixture over the chilled cheesecase.

4. Return to the refrigerator and chill several hours before serving.

If you are an oyster lover then this recipe is for you to enjoy.

There many different varieties of oysters Eastern oysters
named for their place of origin Bluepoints
Lynnhavens
and Chincoteagues
account for most of the American oyster supply. Western waters produce Pacific oysters which were originally eastern transplants
Olympia oysters
are a tiny native western species harvested commercially in Washington state. Most Pacific oysters are graded and marketed by size rather than by name.


24 oysters on the half shell

12 slices of bacon

ฝ cup butter

1/3 cup chopped green peppers

2 tablespoons chopped chives

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

juice of a lemon


Cook bacon slowly until transparent
then remove bacon and add green peppers
cook the green peppers until just tender and then add the remainder of the ingredients
minus the bacon.
Top each oyster with mixture plus ฝ slice bacon and a few drops of lemon juice.

Bake at 450 degrease until bacon is crisp.

When the oysters are cooked
plate them so they will appear to be so good that you just can't wait to begin a wonderful experience
open a fine bottle of wine and now it’s time to enjoy them.

Oh by the way don't eat them alone food is always enjoyed more if you are enjoying it with someone else.

Save time and improve your health by going a little nuts-with almonds. Enjoy them for:

• Breakfast. Sprinkle chopped almonds on granola or oatmeal. Stir them into yogurt. Use almond milk in a breakfast smoothie-it can be found in an unrefrigerated box at the supermarket
near soy milk.

• Lunch. Include crunchy al-monds in a green salad or creamy soup. Make an almond butter and jelly sandwich.

• Dinner. Add slivered almonds to rice
pasta
couscous or steamed vegetables. Grind roasted almonds and use them as a nutritious "breading" for fish or poultry.

• Snacks. Choose a handful of almonds and a piece of fruit.

• Dessert. Make fruit
caramel and chocolate desserts special with almonds.

Almonds can also be used in a range of cuisines. Try them in this authentic Mexican soup.

CREAMY ALMOND

AND HERB SOUP

3/4 cup slivered almonds
roasted*
plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
divided

3 cups packed fresh cilantro
divided
plus a few sprigs for garnish

2 cups packed fresh parsley
divided

6 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves

8 ounces cooked and deveined (51-60 count) shrimp

Grind 3/4 cup almonds finely in a food processor or blender. Add 2 cups broth
11
cups cilantro
1
cup parsley and cream cheese; blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium pot
and gradually stir in remaining 4 cups broth. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup soup
remaining cilantro and parsley
and oregano and marjoram to blender; puree until smooth. Whisk puree into soup in pan. Add shrimp and simmer just until warm throughout
about 3 minutes. Divide among bowls and serve
garnishing each bowl with a few slivered almonds and a cilantro sprig. Serves 8.

*To roast whole
slivered
chopped or sliced almonds: Spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in a 350บF oven and bake 10 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant; stir once or twice to ensure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to roast slightly after removing from oven.

Olives and their oil are some of the oldest foods around today. Cultivation of the olive has been traced back as far as 5000 BC. It really is quite surprising
considering it has been around for so long
that many people are still only just discovering it. Not only is it delicious but being loaded with essential fatty acids and high in antioxidants
it is also incredibly healthy. Below is an explanation of some of the common types of olive oil and terms used to describe them.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Is the oil obtained from the first pressing of the olives. It is usually greener than other olive oils
and has very low acidity (it may not exceed .8%). It is ideal for use in dressings
dips and marinades.

Virgin Olive Oil: Is also obtained from the first pressing of the olives
although is slightly higher in acidity (it may not exceed 2.0%). It is very good oil but just not good enough to be designated extra virgin.

Olive Oil: Often consists of a blend of refined oil and virgin oil. The virgin oil gives it the flavour that the heat treated and refined oil lacks. A good all around oil
better suited to cooking as it has a slightly higher burning point than the virgins.

Light Olive Oil: Is refined oil obtained from the latter pressings. Each subsequent press of the olives
results in lighter and less flavourful oil. The term 'light' refers only to the colour and flavour and not the caloric content. It is again suitable for frying or saut'ing.

Pomace Olive Oil: Is oil obtained from the left over flesh and pits after being pressed. To release the remaining oil out of this (pomace) it is often treated with solvents and heat. The resulting oils are then refined to be fit for human consumption; because of this refining it can lack flavour. It is suitable for frying as it has quite a high burning point
but personally I hesitate to use it.

Early Harvest: Simply refers to the fact that the fruit was picked slightly under ripe. The under ripeness of the olive results in a sought after oil that is slightly bitter
peppery and very green. The smaller olives yield less oil and as such Early Harvest oils often sell for more.

Late Harvest: Is oil obtained from fully mature olives and results in a smooth oil that may be described as sweetish and fruity.

Cold Pressed: Refers to the fact that the olives were pressed without the use of heat. Olives that are pressed when heated yield more oil but the heat can destroy some of the delicate flavours that are retained when cold pressed.

As a child this was and still is my favorite cake
it is a really moist and tasty cake as well
ok lets get started
I assume that everyone knows that all ingredients should be at room temperature.

ฝ pound butter
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
ฝ cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour

Cream your butter and sugar together then add your bananas and mix until smooth add your eggs one at a time now add your sour cream
baking soda
baking powder
vanilla
and flour
mix on low speed for 1 minute and then on 2nd speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
Place your cake mix in a well greased and floured 10 inch x 3 inch tube pan and let bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 to 35 minutes
test cake by inserting a pick in the center and if it comes out clean then it is done.

Icing on the cake:
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
add the flour to the cold milk and stir with a wire whisk and then cook it on the stove until it is thick
remove from stove without burning it and let it cool.

In a mixing bowl add ฝ cup butter
ฝ cup shortening
1
cup granulated sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla
mix all for 1 minute then add the mixture that you cooked and whip for 2 or 3 minutes or until it is as fluffy as you desire using a paddle on your mixer and not the whip.

This is a bread for bread lovers
it’s a bread similar to what people had made in the old fashion brick oven that was found in most peoples back yard many years ago.
It is a firm bread but with great taste and texture
it is especially good when served hot right from the oven with butter and jam. This recipe makes six loaves but you can break it down to two loaves just by dividing by three.


4 ฝ pounds all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil
ฝ pound sugar
1 ounce dry yeast
6 cups warm water



In a stainless steel bowl place your yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 cup warm water and let the yeast work
when the yeast starts to rise you know that it is ok to use and that your bread is going to rise properly.
In a 10 quart mixing bowl place your flour
salt
sugar
oil
yeast you had started and 5 cups warm water.
Mix on low speed using a dough hook on your mixer until well blended
then mix on second speed for about four minutes
at this time you should have a nice well textured dough
if the dough seems too dry to you just add a little more water and mix for about one more minute.

Remove dough from mixer and divide into 24 ounce balls well rounded and tight
let them stand for 5 minutes on table covered with a towel
at this time grease your bread pans
take a ball of dough and flatten it removing any air in the dough (don’t get too rough with it) flap the bottom part of the dough up to the middle and the top of the dough in to the middle and press it down then fold it in half again and with the heal of your hand seal the seam of the dough
(it should look like a six inch hoagie bun) now place it in a well greased bread pan with the seam on the bottom and let it rise under a towel until it is double in size.
In a preheated 350 degree oven place all your loaves of bread and let it bake for 20 minutes then rotate it and let it bake for another 20 minutes
remove from oven and remove from pan
let it cool on a wire rack
even a refrigerator rack is good.
When it is cool enough to cut “enjoy it”.

Since the earliest of time and even before agriculture was used by the Greeks to have better food resources
`Nuts' were a stable food and nutritional source in the diet of manhood in the dark ages. During those times
nuts were plentiful
as there were much more forests as today
and well liked for their easy storage
which enabled people to keep them for times in which food was hard to find. (Winter
rainy season
etc).

There is evidence that as far back as the second century B.C.
the Romans distributed sugar almonds on special occasions such as marriages and births.

Nuts have their place in all cultures and through almost all cuisine around the world. Nuts are liked by people of all ages for their subtle taste and high fat and carbohydrate content. It is this subtle taste that Chefs like when creating new dishes and variations.

DESCRIPTION & SPECIES

Under the category nuts
we understand anything from a seed to a legume or tuber. The peanut
as an example
is a legume
the Brazil nut and macadamia nut are seeds and almonds are the seed of a fruit similar to a peach.

Botanically nuts are single seeded fruits with a hard or leathery shell that contain a edible kernel
which is enclosed in a soft inner skin.

Generally
all nut trees grow slowly but live long. Trees of walnut
chestnut or pecan continue to produce nuts
often more than hundred years after planting.

Nut trees of any species are found all over the world. Almonds for example are found in California
Spain
Morocco
Italy and even Australia
where as the walnut can be found anywhere from North America to the Andes and Persia to Australia. Asia also has a great variety of nuts. Ginkgo nuts in China
candle nuts in Indonesia and Malaysia
coconut in throughout southern Asia
cashew nuts in India and Malaysia and the Philippines
chestnuts in China and Japan
and the water chestnut which is found in China
Japan
Korea and the East Indies.

SOME OF THE BETTER KNOWN NUTS :

ALMOND

Scientist consider the almond as a stone fruit
much like cherries
peaches and prunes.

Because most people only know the seed (stone) of this fruit
it is generally accepted as a nut.

Almond on the tree
look like small green peaches. When ripe the shell will open and reveal the nut in its shell.

There are various varieties of almonds.

The bitter almond is in fact the kernel of the apricot
which was found growing wild in China as far back as the late Tang Dynasty (AD 619-907).

This same apricot was taken to Europe and became the apricot fruit
which is now enjoyed all over the world. The bitter almond kernel is toxic in its raw state and must be boiled quickly and poached in a oven before being further used. It is primarily used in Chinese desserts like the almond bean curd.

The sweet almond is generally confined for fresh consumption. In 1986
California alone produced 70
0
tons of almonds
which is half of the world's production. The almond has been cultivated around the Mediterranean since ancient times and can still be found wild in Algeria and around the black sea. Sweet almonds can be bought whole
shelled
cut in 1/2 with skin
without skin
flaked
blanched
slivered ground roasted or salted. they are used for snacks
marzipan
confectionery
and desserts as well as for the production of liqueur essence
oil and cosmetic products.

BUNYA BUNYA PINE NUT

The bunya bunya tree is a member of the pine family and grows almost everywhere in Australia. Originally the trees originated in the area of Brisbane and Rockhampton in Queensland Australia. Only the female trees are producing a 2cm x 2.5cm nut in the pinecone.

In the old days
the bunya bunya pine nuts were stable food for the aborigines and also used in ceremonials. These days
the nuts gain in popularity through the trend of native food in Australia (bush food) in recent years.

The nut is rich is carbohydrate
similar to the chestnut
and therefore used more like a potato than a nut. the bunya bunya nuts can be eaten raw but are usually boiled for easy removing of the skin. Shelled nuts are then butter fried and flavored with pepper or sugar
or added to stews and soups.

RED BOPPLE NUT

The red bopple nuts are a relative of the macadamia nut
and native to the tropical rain forest of the East Coast of Australia.

The nut is about the same size as a hazelnut and has a thick (0.5cm 0 1cm)
woody husk with a bright red outer skin
which only appears if the nut is fully ripe.

In contrary to most other nuts
the red bopple nut is very low on fat
but very high in calcium and potassium. the low fat content make this nut very easy digestible. The nuts are eaten raw or toasted.

COCONUT

"He who plants a coconut tree"
the saying goes
plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a habitation for himself and a heritage for his children
. Indeed every part of the coconut is used
but only the coconut milk and the coconut meat are foods. The shell is used as charcoal
the husk is used to make ropes
clothing and brushes
and the trunk of the tree and leaves are used for roofs of houses and building material respectively.

The fruit of the palm `cocos nucifera' has an edible kernel and therefore qualifies as a nut. The palm tree is native to the Philippines
Malaysia
Brazil and Indonesia
and can produce 50 - 100 nuts a year
over a life span of 70 years. Coconut palms grow best close to the seaside but have been proven to withstand high altitude
although the production rate is diminishing as further away from the sea the tree grows.

The large thick green pod encloses a brown fibrous husk around a brown shell
which contains a layer of soft white flesh and the clear water in the center. Sub-species found only on one island of the Seychelles
in the Indian Ocean
produces a nut often weighing more than 20 kg
which needs 10 years to ripen.

Coconuts are the worlds most commercially used nuts. Especially the meat
or copra
as it is called after sun drying
is vital for the export industries
in coconut growing countries. The coconut is a important food source especially in South East Asia
India
Brazil and the South Pacific Islands.

The copra can be brought shredded or desiccated and is used in confectioneries
ice creams and to coat chicken or fish for frying. However much of it is pressed for its oil also called coconut butter as it is white and fatty at room temperature. Not only is it used for cooking and to make margarine
but it also goes into soaps
detergents
shampoos
face cream
perfumes and candles.

It is also a major ingredient in glycerin
synthetic rubber
safety glass and hydraulic brake fluid. Coconut juice or milk is the natural juice of the nut
but not the water inside the coconut. It is won by shredding the raw coconut meat
then adding water and straining the mixture through a cotton cloth. The coconut milk has then the consistency and color of skim milk and is available canned or frozen.

CANDLE NUT

The candle nut gets her name
from when threaded tightly on the midrib of a palm leaf it has been used a primitive candle. More recently
the nuts were grounded to a paste
mixed with copra (grated coconut meat) and ten formed into a candle.

Candlenuts are the seed of the candle berry tree native to Indonesia and Malaysia but widely spread throughout south East Asia
the South Pacific and Sri Lanka.

The nut has a very high content on fat and is valued for the extracted oil for lighting as well as cooking. The nut is colored gray to black
about 5cm in diameter
with a thin
papery husk containing one or two nuts.

Candlenut oil for lighting purposes is extracted by roasting the nuts when they are only half ripe as oil for cooking is extracted by roasting the nuts when they are fully ripe. For human consumption
the nuts have to be roasted as raw once have been causing sicknesses.

Ripe candle nuts are roasted
then pounded into a meal and mixed with salt
chilies or shrimp paste for usage in curries or as a spicy condiment to curries. Traditionally
the Javanese have roasted the nuts for eating in the whole.

PALM NUT

The palmyra palm native to most South East Asian Countries produces a hard
shiny nut
from which a sweetish sap or gel is extracted. While this sap is used in the Indonesian cuisine for soups and desserts
it is on other well known product that is begin produced out of the palmyra palm - The Palm Sugar (gula melacca).

There are not reliable data available on the nutritional value of the palm nut
but it is widely known that the fat is saturated.

MACADAMIA NUT

Native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia
the macadamia nut takes its name from Dr John McAdam
a scientist and early promoter of the cultivation Australia.

The macadamia trees are evergreen and reach a height of up to 20 meters. The edible seed of the silk oat tree has a very hard
light brown shell
2
- 3cm in diameter.

In 1888
macadamia trees have been planted in Hawaii where through careful cloning and hybridization
it became an important commercial product.

Today
macadamia nuts are also cultivated in South Africa
Zimbabwe
California and parts of South and Central America.

It is very difficult to crack the macadamia nut as it's shell is very hard and so tight to the kernel that when cracked the nut is smashed. In Hawaii
American scientist developed a way of separating the kernel from the shell by shrinking them in drying bins. They then developed the first commercial cracker. It was through these two developments that the macadamia nut could be formed to the commercial importance it has today.

This is also the reason why macadamia nuts are only available already de-shelled. Macadamia nuts also are valued for their oil and the macadamia nut butter.

They are available roasted and salted. When buying macadamia nuts
give care that they are packed in a air tight or vacuum bags
as they become easily rancid once opened.

Macadamia nuts are used for confectioneries or as snacks
but also gain in popularity in the kitchen as they have a very mild and subtle taste and add texture to salads
and hot dishes. It's oil makes excellent vinaigrette and cold sauces.

WATER CHESTNUTS

The name refers to a nut like tuber of a aquatic plant called Trapa. The plants are common to several parts of the world
but are mainly used in Japan
China and Thailand where it is also a sought after ingredient in it's cuisines.

The trapa plant roots in ponds and lakes and sends
its' leaves to the surface
similar to a water lily. The water chestnut grows on the roots underneath the water surface. Water chestnuts are flat and round with a diameter of 5 - 7cm. They have a soft black skin and white flesh similar to the flesh of a coconut. Once peeled
they can be eaten raw
or dried and are a well liked ingredient because its crunchy texture
and sweet subtle taste. Water chestnuts are also boiled and made into flour
which is used for thickening of sauces and dishes
much like cornstarch.

CHESTNUT

Chestnuts are thought to have originated in Southern Europe and Persia even though they are also found in China
Japan and Northern America.

The nuts of the chestnut tree have a brown shiny color and leathery shell. they can be eaten raw
but mostly are consume boiled
baked or roasted or as a chestnut puree sweetened or unsweetened. They are also sold in syrup as marron glaces.

Chestnuts are the only nuts
which are treated like a vegetable because they contain more starch (30%) and less fat 3%.

Chestnuts are also made into a flour high on fiber and starch.

CASHEW NUT

Originating in the West Indies and native to the north of Brazil
Portuguese explorers introduced the nut to India and Malaysia as well as parts of Africa.

The hard-shelled nut grows inside the cashew apple. When mature the cashew nut appears at the end of the red or yellow apple. The cashew tree is a member of the poison ivy family and farmers must take great precautions when extracting the nuts. The hard shell contains an oil
which irritates the skin
so the nuts are heated to extract the kernel. The smoke and steam
which occurs however may still be harmful to skin and eyes. When heated the cashew nuts are harmless and may be extracted.

GINKGO NUT

The ginkgo is the prehistoric maidenhair tree
which survives as a wild tree only in China.

The fruit looks like a tiny plum but has a foul and bitter shell. the Chinese wait for the smelly hull to full off
then paint the nuts and use them for festive decorations
before they crack them open to eat the nut. In Japan and Korea
ginkgo nuts are skewered and then grilled
which turns the nuts color from yellow to green. In China
the ginkgo nut is a popular ingredient to vegetarian dishes. The nuts can be obtained fresh or canned.

HAZELNUT/FILBERTS

The nut of the hazel bush is native to Europe and North America and was mentioned in writings as far back as 2838 B.C.
and was credited of currying many human ills as well as being considered excellent for Boldness and use as a hair tonic. Some say that the name filbert comes from Saint Philibert
a French abbot whose feast day on 22 August coincides with the ripening of the first nuts in the Northern hemisphere.

Hazelnuts have a very hard shell
which has to be cracked by a nutcracker before getting to the kernel. Hazelnuts are available
raw
blanched
or toasted
chopped
ground
cooking as well as hazelnut liquor.

PEANUT

The peanut is not a true nut. It is the seed of a leguminous plant with a soft
brownish colored brittle shell and belong to the Botanical family of beans and peas. But they are usually considered along with the nuts because of they're physical characteristics and nutritional value. The nuts grow on the long roots of the plant and below the ground. The peanut is native to Brazil and has been found there ever since the first recording in 950 B.C..

Today
peanuts are cultivated throughout the tropics all over the world (India
China
West Africa
Australia and the USA are the largest peanut growing countries). Peanuts produce excellent oil
which is used for salads and cold dishes as well as for frying. Peanuts also produce peanut butter
margarine
and also used in canning of sardines. Peanuts are available whole
de-shelled and de-skinned and raw or toasted. Peanuts are used in all different varieties in everything from salads to main courses and desserts.

PINENUT

These are the edible seed of the pine tree and grow in the cone. Pine trees are found in the Southern USA
Mexico and around the Mediterranean sea. It is very difficult to establish a pinenut industry as the trees are growing very slow and don't carry a lot of fruits until they're 75 years old.

Pine nuts are mostly obtained raw and then toasted
fried or grilled. Pine nut oil is used for the cosmetic industry. Pine nut flour is used in confectionery.

PISTACHIO NUT

The pistachio nut is a small green kernel
which grows on the pistachio tree originating in Syria
Palestine and Persia.

The natural color of the shell is grayish white
but some times the nuts are dyed red to cover up some of the staining.

The pistachio nut is now cultivated in India
Europe
North Africa
Mexico
the USA and the Far East. Pistachios are usually sold in their shell or shelled and blanched.

The greenish seed is used as flavoring in cooking
candies and ice cream.

WALNUT

The walnut is related to the hickory and pecan tree and grows anywhere from North America to the Andes and Europe to China. English walnuts
butternuts and hickory nuts are all walnuts
botanical speaking. All those walnuts have different shells and kernels but the English walnut with it's rough
rippled shell and yellow brown kernel is the most popular and popularly referred to as `The Walnut'.

Walnuts are bought in the shell or de-shelled and are sought after for their oil
which is used for cooking as well as for salads and dressing.

OTHER COMMONLY USED NUTS INCLUDE :

Macadamia Nuts )
Bunya Bunya Pine Nuts ) Australia
Red Bobble Nut )

Candle Nut ) Malaysia
Palm Nut ) Philippines
Brazil

Coconut ) Indonesia
China
Water Chestnut )

Brazil Nuts ) South America

Beech Nuts ) USA
Pecan Nuts ) North America

NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND INFORMATION

Nuts are rich in fat (40-60%) and dietary fiber (5-15%) with moderate amount of protein (2-25%) and small amounts of starch (up to 10%). As mentioned above chestnuts are an exemption to this general rule.

The fats in nuts are mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated and contain no cholesterol as nuts are harvested from plants. Only the coconut and palm nut contain saturated fats.

Significant amounts of minerals can be found in nuts
including zinc
calcium
iron
phosphorus and magnesium.

They also contain some provitamins and vitamins like thiamin
riboflavin
niacin and vitamin E & C.

Nuts contain very little natural sodium and have a high amount of potassium
which in this constellation is recommended for the control of blood pressure.

Unfortunately nuts are often sold salted as snacks
which upsets this natural balance
and by a over consummation of salted nuts people take in a lot of fat and salt.

Nuts are also a great source of energy and often used in diets for athletes.

Used in moderate amounts
nuts in unsalted forms are nutritionally valuable food.

USAGE OF NUTS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL CHEF

One does not know where to start where to compile information about the usage of nuts and nut related product in today's hospitality. In the kitchens
there is no limit on the amount of dishes and creations a Chef can use nuts or nut products for. From appetizers to salads
soups and desserts
with cheese
fish
pasta
meats and vegetables
nuts are very versatile and do not have a over powering flavor
and its subtle taste and crunchy texture adopt early to almost all given products as a supplement.

Nut oils are also widely used for dressings
frying and flavoring of hot and cold dishes. Nut liqueurs can be a welcome supplement to savory sauces as well as pastry sauces and creams
marzipan and other nut pastes are often used to produced chocolates and confectionery items. In the Indian cuisine
a cashew nut paste is often used for the thickening of curries and sauces. Through the wide spread of different nuts around the world
nuts are used in almost all cuisines known and its nutritional value make it an asset to so many diets since the ancient days.

In the beverage outlets
nuts are used in form of lacquers (Hazelnut
Almond) and liquid (coconut Milk)
and as snacks served with drinks (Salted Nuts)