convection oven recipes: July 2013

The Best of Halal Meat in UK (Jasmine Grayson)

The methodology of planning Hala Meat and nourishments might be said to be multidisciplinary. The sustenance ought be from great sources as well as taste exceptional. For instance, the correct taste of chicken biryani cannot be traded off. The flavors must be in the right extents and ready at the right temperature. Presentation is additionally imperative particularly for gourmet nourishment and distinguishing offering sustenance.

Contemplations must be made if to have completely cooked or precooked dinners. This is vital as to solidify or frozen sustenance that must be warmed. For evident explanations, they are pressed independently yet they ought to be served in one dish. A portion of the Halal Food like battered chicken bites could be taken as snacks. Others are the mixed bag of gourmet sustenance along these lines are served as inviting dishes.

Solidified nourishment is favorable for people and additionally for gatherings. You do not have to be concerned that visitors will reject the sustenance at the occasion you are hosting. The halal nourishment is reveled in both by veggie lovers and meat eaters. The logistics of getting ready nourishment as once huge multitude is pummeled hands by the accessibility of solidified sustenance. Call it current comfort; you can now have without having a representation on culinary matters. The producers of solidified sustenance have investigated the intricacies of global cooking. They have the skill of handling the family dish that can carry a feeling of sentimentality to numerous individuals.

Separated from the gastronomic experience, halal nourishment is a healthy in addition to and a worthy representative for the decrease of green house gases. This happens because of the way that halal sustenance begins from homesteads that run on economical dynamism. Taking the whole subject of preservation and social authority to a different level, bio-digesters and other reasonable power sources are utilized. The source homesteads are a safe house for clean force. The creatures themselves could be recognized clean because they are never given anti-infection agents. The creatures are of a regular size since they do not have development enhancers, for example hormones. The objective is to the general public nourishment sources that are less stuffing or pegged with danger markers to diseases and other health issues. For the same explanation for why, the sauces have no additives as they originate from crisp prepare which is not prepared.

It is worth specifying Halal Lamb is not from living things that were misused, nor did they confront creature insensitivity. It subsequently gives purchasers a clean cognizant when picking halal nourishment from the solidified sustenance segment. The domesticated animals, for example sheep, dairy animals and chicken are decently treated.

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Slimming World Diet Plan

Gone are the days when dieting meant starving yourself or eating tasteless, boring food monotonously. These days many health and fitness companies are coming up with balanced diet plans that are healthy, and a person is provided with lots of options in tasty foods that he can consume. Slimming world diet plan is known be one of such diet plans that has been popular with many health conscious people. To know more about it, read further.

Slimming World Diet

Slimming World is a British company which is essentially, a fitness organization. It is one of the most advanced and popular weight loss plan organization in United Kingdom. This company came up with a weight loss diet plan in 1969 and since then it has won many accolades for making their clients slim and fit. Slimming World plan is also known as food optimizing where participants are made to lose weight without starvation or without having to count calories. But to get access to this diet a person has to be a member of Slimming World. One can also be an online member of Slimming World.

General Diet Plan

One of the important Slimming World diet rules is that you must consume less calories than you use. This low fat diet plan encourages dieters to consume more foods that are high in nutrition and low in calories, such as, fish, pasta, lean meat, brown rice, fruits and vegetables that forms the core of low calorie diet. Such foods are termed as free foods and they can be eaten in any quantity by a dieter. It advises dieters to cut down on high calorie foods which are low in nutrients, such as, cookies, alcohol, fried food, chips etc. As this plan stresses more on eating healthy foods, in any amount, it is not required to count calories like other diet plans. But it does give a clear idea to the participants about portion sizes.

First, this diet plan provides you with a list of free foods that you can eat as much as you want. In free foods you have choices like:

Green choice aka green day: Green foods include vegetables, grains, legumes, rice, tofu, and eggs etc.
Original choice aka red day: Fruits, vegetables, white fish, and lean meats etc. can be consumed on red days.
Healthy extras: On green days healthy extras include cheese, nuts, milk and dried foods whereas on red days healthy extras are potatoes, milk, bread, and grains etc.

You also have the liberty to mix and match these foods to break the monotony and bring some variety. Slimming World provides you with various recipes that allow you to cook these free foods with less oil and butter. You are also allowed to choose synergy foods, which are nothing but treats, and you can indulge in fat free and nutritious desserts such as flavored yogurt and fruit salads etc. All these things result in healthy weight loss. Apart from this, this diet plan also provides you with a group support, where members can attend weekly meetings and share, their experience, different low fat recipes, and ideas with other members. Such meetings provide members with inspiration, insight, encouragement, and positivity.

Slimming World Diet Reviews

Slimming World has more than 2,500 trained consultants who conduct more than 5,000 weight loss classes, weekly, across UK. According to Slimming World, their members lose 2,551 tons everyday, which is quite commendable and shows that this diet works. According to the successful and satisfied members, Slimming World gives you more food choices you can relish on without feeling deprived while losing weight. It also promises that you can eat selected foods in any quantity at any time of the day or night, and no food is completely banned in this diet. It also provides you with free trial menu before you join. The diet plan does not include exercises, but it recommends half an hour physical activity or exercise five times a week for quick weight loss. Members are also advised to have an active life. But, the biggest drawback of this diet plan is that it is available only in the UK and has no plans to expand it in other countries.

With this brief review, you can decide if you would go for it or not. If you are in the UK and planning to lose weight, then this healthy diet plan may be worth a try. You can visit Slimming World website for more information.

How to Make Sauerkraut

A traditional German food, sauerkraut is prepared from shredded cabbage which is fermented by lactic acid bacteria. Its sour flavor and long shelf life are a result of the lactic acid that is formed when bacteria ferment sugars inside the cabbage. Sauerkraut in German means 'sour cabbage'. It is a popular dish in Germany, Austria, Croatia, Poland and all the countries around Germany. It has slowly gained popularity in China, Chile, Canada and US as well.

Basic Sauerkraut Recipe

Ingredients

A glass jar with a plastic lid
1 medium-sized cabbage (1 kg)
4 tbsp kefir whey
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp caraway seeds or fresh chopped dill

Instructions

Grate the cabbage with the help of a hand grater or process it in a food processor.
Mix the grated cabbage with salt and kefir whey in a large food grade plastic bucket.
Pound the mixture with the help of a meat mallet or a wooden pounder until the juices cause suction when you pull the pounder out of the mixture.
Put the mixture in a clean glass jar and press until the juice rises to the top and the mixture is below it.
Leave behind at least one inch of space for expansion.
It is time to store the kraut now. Cover the jar fully and store it in a cupboard for 3 - 4 days and then put it in the refrigerator.
Let it ferment for a couple of weeks and then the sauerkraut is ready for consumption.

Variations

Everybody has their own way of making sauerkraut. People generally don't make plain sauerkraut, and they add many other vegetables which may be prepared separately. The style differs in different countries. Many people mix juniper berries whereas some mix pickling spice, peppercorns, ginger root, lemons, etc. Here are a few vegetables that you can add, depending upon your choice and flavor preference.

Pumpkin
Root vegetables
Carrots
Celery
Onions
Radish
Horseradish

All other vegetables should be used raw, except green or yellow wax beans, cooking them for at least 5 minutes before being pickled.

Sauerkraut Reuben Casserole

Ingredients

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cans (16 oz) rinsed and drained sauerkraut
1 cups milk
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 package (8 oz) uncooked medium noodles
1 lb. polish sausage
2 cups (8 oz) swiss cheese
cup whole bread crumbs
2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease the baking dish.
Mix soup, milk, onion and mustard in a bowl and blend well.
Top the prepared dish with sauerkraut and top this with uncooked noodles.
Over it spoon soup mixture and cover with sausage. Top it with shredded Swiss cheese.
Add bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl and spread it over the casserole. Cover the dish properly with foil and bake for about an hour until noodles turn soft.

Health Benefits

Full of vitamin C, minerals and phytochemicals that are the result of fermentation, it boosts the immune system of the body
Helps fight cancer
Maintains a balance of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, hence, aiding in digestion
Helps fight avian or bird flu

Fermented cabbage provides many health benefits which should not be underestimated. Sauerkraut is rich in vitamin C and hence very useful in preventing diseases like scurvy - Captain James Cook prevented the death of many of his sailors from scurvy by serving them sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is also a popular serving along with beer in the famous German festival Oktoberfest. Try the above-mentioned recipes and enjoy this German delicacy at home.

Easy Appetizer Recipes for Kids

Appetizers are the most fun, easy, and exciting way to enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon. You don't need to wait for lunch or dinner time in order to have eat or make appetizers. I know that many of you like to prepare appetizers for a party, but you can make them during the afternoon, while lazing outside near the pool. Kids actually love to eat, well, any given time of the day, especially in summers. And to keep their tummies full and satisfied, we have put together an article on quick and simple appetizers for kids. Just go through the article and find some appetizers to make for kids of all ages.

Hot Appetizers

Whether it's a party or wish to make quick appetizers for kids, it's a good thing to know what they like. You can make delicious recipes for them that they'll enjoy. So think beyond feeding your kids than plain cheese and bread, and follow these appetizer recipes mentioned below.

Cheese and Beans Quesadillas

Ingredients

Soft flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Jack cheese

Directions

Place flour tortillas in front of you and spread at least 1 tablespoon of refried beans over them. Take both the cheese and sprinkle over the tortillas and fold them in half. Turn the broiler on and place the tortillas in. Let the cheese melt and tortillas turn brown. Bring the quesadillas out and cut them into wedges. Serve quesadillas with sour cream and salsa.

Hot Wings

Ingredients

4 lb bag party chicken wings
4 packs Italian dressing
1 bottles hot sauce
cup lemon juice
stick butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Get a big bowl, add the chicken wings in, and mix butter, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and hot sauce as well. Combine everything properly and place the wings in a baking dish. Bake the wings for about 1 hour or till the meat begins to fall off the bones. Take the wings out and serve with blue cheese dip.

Cold Appetizers

Here, we will give you make ahead appetizer recipes; hence called cold appetizers. Now you may think that kids won't be too keen on eating simple easy cold appetizers. Wrong; if you got the right recipes and followed it perfectly, you can definitely please them with some yummy appetizers.

Old-fashioned Guacamole

Ingredients

2 tablespoons lime juice
2 ripe avocados
1 clove garlic
cup whipping cream

Directions

To make this easy appetizer, mash avocados and finely chop garlic. In a bowl, place the mashed avocados and add the rest of the ingredients as well. Mix everything properly and do a taste test. If you want, you can also add salt and black pepper in the guacamole as well. Serve with crispy chips.

Salsa Rolls

Ingredients

4 flour tortillas
4 oz soft cheese
3 tablespoons chunky salsa
shredded Cheddar cheese
teaspoon chili powder

Directions

To make this easy party appetizer, place the tortillas in front of you and spread the soft cheese and salsa over them. Now add the rest of the ingredients and roll them properly. Cut the tortillas into 3-5 pieces and serve with sour cream.

These were some of the hot and cold, easy appetizers for kids. There are more best finger foods for parties; read through the article and get more creative appetizing recipes to make.

Get Great Cake Design Ideas By Chickie Maxwell

Many individuals enjoy baking all types of tasty treats such as cakes, cookies, pies, and a variety of other pastries that appeal to all palettes. There are a considerable number of these individuals who have gone to great lengths to create the quality and perfection that professional do, especially when they bake and decorate cakes. Naturally, it helps to be somewhat artistic and talented. But what if you aren?t or if you have never tried to equal the endeavors of the professional baker?

What most individuals don?t realize is that they don?t have to go out and spend a fortune on the different "tools of the trade" that are needed to decorate cakes like a professional. Believe or not, many of these "tools" can be found in your home and include such items cutlery, paper, paper towels, paint brushes, and even some of the toys your children play with. These tools can help you create a cake that is worthy of the most discerning tastes.

So as you can see, you do not have to attend expensive culinary classes in order to learn how to decorate cakes just like a professional. Granted, having the appropriate tools is extremely helpful, but as we mentioned above, you already have some of them in your home. Here are a few cake decorating tips to consider:

Naturally, you want to start with a smooth layer of icing - apply a thin layer and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes and then apply the final layer. Using a cake spatula and continually dipping it in cool water is the best way to create the smoothest icing possible. You can also top the cake with powdered sugar instead of icing if you choose. Applying a stencil is a great way to decorate cakes when using a dusting of powdered sugar.

Edible decorations are cheap and make it easy to decorate cakes quickly ? candy, coconut, nuts, and sprinkles can all be placed on the icing in order to make your cake stand out in a crowd. Just be aware that these have are high in sugar and add to the calories.

Purchase a cardboard comb ? you can find these in any baking store and they are ideal for creating a more textured looking icing when you decorate cakes.

Use a pastry bag to create piping ? most individuals have seen how pastry bags can be an integral part of cake decorating. You can adjust the size of the piping using different metal dispensing tips that can be easily attached to the pastry bag. This is one of the primary tools that everyone should have to decorate cakes with. You can create flowers, spell out words, and create a number of other designs using a pastry bag and different tips that are included.

On a closing note, you might want to experiment a little in order to perfect the best cake decorating techniques. If you are really intent about learning how to decorate like a pro, then you should consider investing the money in a cake decorating class.

Labneh Cones Recipe

Photo: Labneh Cones Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Labneh Cones Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make Labneh Cones.

For : 10 - 12 Persons
Duration : 20 Min

Ingredients:

1     Packet     Puff Pastry Dough
1/4     Cup     Milk
1     cup     Labneh
1/2     Teaspoon     Salt
1/4     Teaspoon     Garlic Powder
Presentation     Chopped Parsley, Paprika, Roasted Sesame

Preparation:

1. Fit the middle rack in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Roll the puff pastry dough into ¼ inch thick. Cut into 5 x 3 ¼ inch strips. Brush the strips with milk. Take a standard sized metal baking cone and wrap one strip, milk side out, around the cone starting with the top of the cone down to the base. Repeat with other strips. Place cones about 1 inche apart on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake the cones for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
4. Remove from oven. Let the baked cones cool for 2 minutes then remove metal cones.
5. The Filling: Mix the Labneh, Salt, and Garlic Powder until smooth.
6. Fill cones with Labneh mixture.
7. Garnish with the Parsley, Paprika, and Sesame Seeds as desired. Serve immediately.

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen:

Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses
Baba Ghanouj – Roasted Eggplants With Garlic and Tahini
Baba Ganoush Recipe
Baba Ghanoush
Baba ganoush on pita
Baba Ganoush and Pita Crisps

Save and share Labneh Cones Recipe

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Easy Diet Recipes

Our stone age ancestors had a lot of time in their hands, they used to hunt food, bring it back to their camps and cook it. That was their routine until evolution happened and man progress from his animal age to the modern age of technology. When you talk about 21st century almost everyone has a job and almost all of us are short on time. Some of us are students, some of us have work and some of us have other stuff to do. So knowing some easy healthy recipes can be quite handy at such times.

America's waist line is increasing like never before, and fast-food industry, that has a turnover of more than a billion is increasing its followers minute-by-minute. People are getting addicted to junk food and completely ignoring its after-effects. For people who are concerned about their health and are searching for some healthy recipes for a toned stomach, here are some options.

Quick and Easy Diet Recipes

When you talk about such recipes, you obviously make sure that it doesn't become a heavy meal and has foods which are high in nutrition. So let's start with some healthy recipes which can be made fast.

Packed Potato Soup
Ingredients

Olive oil, 2 tsp
All-purpose flour, 3 tbsp
Red potatoes, 4
Chicken broth, 1 cup (Fat free, low sodium)
Chopped onion, cup
Low fat milk, 2 cups
Low fat sour cream, 1 cup
Bacon slices, 3 halved
Shredded cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup
Green onions sliced, 4 tsp
Salt, tsp
Fresh ground black pepper, tsp

Preparation
Pierce the potatoes with fork and cook for 15 minutes in a microwave on high temperature, until tender. While you cook your potatoes, take a saucepan and heat olive oil on medium flame. Now add onion and saut it for 3 to 4 minutes, now add the chicken broth. Now mix the flour and milk in a separate bowl and add to the sauce pan. Bring this mixture to a boil and mix well. Now close the flame and add the sour cream, salt and pepper; mix well. Place the bacon slices on a paper towel on an oven proof dish and cook it in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove the potato skins, mash them well and add in the soup. Garnish the soup with cheese, bacon and green onions, your delicious soup is ready.

Pesto Sauce
Ingredients

Pine nuts, 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves peeled, 3
Fresh basil leaves, 2 cups
Grated Parmesan cheese, cup
Low-sodium vegetable broth, 1 cup
Salt, tsp

Preparation
Place all the pine nuts in a small skillet in a pan. Heat the pan on a medium flame. Make sure you cook the nuts until they are golden, remember to shake the pan often otherwise the nuts will burn. In a blender add nuts, broth, basil, cheese, garlic, salt and oil; blend until you get a smooth and thick paste. Serve this sauce with rolls, French fries or even tortilla chips.

Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into inch strips
broccoli florets, 4 cups
Fat free chicken broth, cup
Minced garlic cloves, 4
Water, cup
Canola oil, divided, 1 tbsp
Rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp
Chopped salted peanuts, 2 tbsp
Soy sauce, 2 tbsp
Hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp
Cornstarch, 1 tsp
Grounded fresh ginger, 1 tbsp
Crushed red pepper, 1 tsp

Preparation
Take a large non stick skillet over medium heat and heat 1 tsp oil in it. Now add the broccoli, 1 tsp ginger in the skillet and saut for 3 minutes. Pour water, cover the skillet and cook for more 3 minutes until the broccoli gets tender and crispy. Remove the broccoli from the pan and keep warm. Now add the remaining oil and ginger in the pan. Now add crushed red pepper, chicken in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned. Take a separate bowl and add chicken broth, hoisin sauce, vinegar soy sauce cornstarch and garlic cloves. Stir well with a whisk. Add the broth mixture to the pan and cook well. Now add the broccoli to the pan and serve this amazing chicken recipe hot.

Fast and Easy Diet Recipes

Now if you are satisfied with the easy recipes mentioned above here are some more examples of easy dinner recipes for people who are new to cooking.

Prawns with Salt and Pepper
Ingredients

Peeled and deveined raw shrimp, 1 pound
Cabbage thinly sliced, 6 cups
Lime juice, cup
Very thinly sliced red bell peppers, 2
Rice flour cup
Soy sauce, 4 tsp
Sugar, 1 tsp
Kosher salt, tsp
Five-spice powder, 1 tsp
Freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp
Canola oil, 2 tbsp
Seeded and minced jalapeno peppers, 2

Preparation
Shrimp recipes have always been a personal favorite. In a large bowl, add lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Mix well until the sugar is well dissolved. Also add cabbage and bell peppers. In a separate bowl mix in rice flour, salt, pepper, five spice and coat the shrimp with this mixture. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium flame. Now add the coated shrimp and cook, make sure you stir regularly. Add in jalapeno and cook the shrimp more for a minute.

Lemon Bars
Ingredients

Splenda granular, 2 tbsp
Cold butter, 6 tbsp
All-purpose flour, 1 cup
Salt, 2 tsp

Ingredients for the Filling

Half-and-Half, cup
All-purpose flour, 1/3 cup
Fresh lemon juice, cup
Fresh grated lemon peel, 1 tbsp
Splenda granular, 1 cup
Eggs, 5

Preparation
For the crust preheat the oven to 350F, take a lightly sprayed 8x8 baking pan. Take a food processor and combine flour, salt and Splenda granular and grind it well. Add butter and blend until you get a fine mixture, now pour this mixture in the baking pan and bake until the crust is lightly browned. Take a separate bowl and add eggs and half-and-half, mix well. Slowly add the flour, Splenda, lemon juice and peel. Pour this mixture over the baking pan and bake until the crust is set and the edges have become brown. Now let it cool and serve in square pieces. So these were some simple easy diet recipes. These easy low-fat recipes are the ideal choice for people who are looking for food which is nutritious and can be made in few minutes. Enjoy!!!

Seafood Marinara

Ingredients:

2 lbs. linguini

6 fresh basil leaves

2 cans whole tomatoes

chopped

2 cans tomatoes sauce

2 cloves garlic

½ cup chopped onions

¼ cup wine

½ stick butter

2 tablespoons – olive oil

2 tablespoons sugar - salt and pepper

1lb clean calamari sliced

1lb cleaned shrimp

1lb scallops

1lb mussels cleaned

Directions:

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.

In a separate pot, sauté garlic, basil, and onion in olive oil.

Add tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and wine and cook on a low boil for 25 minutes.

Add all of the ﬁsh to the sauce, and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Add ½ stick of butter then cook linguini in boiling water until al dente, strain and place in large serving bowl.

Pour sauce, with sea food, over linguini and top with grated Romano cheese.

Also serve with crusty bread, it usually serves 6

Beach Theme Wedding Cakes

A beach is one of the most exotic and scenic location for having a wedding. Being nature's most beautiful gift, it creates a refreshing and romantic scenario for two souls to exchange vows and celebrate their love in presence of the whole world. And so nowadays more and more couples are opting for having beach weddings instead of the same old traditional weddings. But one thing that remains common in all weddings is the wedding cake. And since it is a beach wedding the cake has to complement the beach wedding theme.

Ideas for a Beach Theme Wedding Cake

Size and Shape: Start by deciding the size and shape of the wedding cake. The size mainly depends on the number of guests coming and your budget. While deciding the shape of the cake do not limit your thinking to a two or three tier cake. Try something different and go for round, square, sheet, tower or sculpted shaped cakes.

Designs: For the wedding cake design, the motifs and decorations are endless. However, some of the best designs are given below:

Seashells: One of my personal favorite and commonly used motif for beach brides is seashell, which can be incorporated in the beach wedding cake either as an essential part of the design or as a subtle accent. From icing, marzipan or molded chocolate (dark, milk or white chocolate), it can be used in numerous ways. If you are using it as an accent, use its naturally colored varieties so that it won't overshadow the other components of the cake.
Tropical Flowers: Colorful and bright tropical flowers can give a dazing look to any original beach wedding cake. You can decorate the cake in bouquets, cascades or beautiful edgings, either by using fresh flowers or flowers created from icing or other edibles.
Sea Life Creatures: Some of the sea life creatures like sea horses, mermaids, sea stars, etc. can be used to decorate and to give that authentic look to your beach wedding cake. For instance, a pearl-finished cake topped with an open shell confection, holding a miniature bride and groom, rings or other wedding icons, can suit best for the occasion.
Sandcastle Theme Cake: A cake in shape of a sandcastle can be the best wedding cake for a beach wedding. A delicious, natural colored sandcastle cake, decorated all over with seashells and brown sugar as sand, will not only complement the beach wedding theme but can also serve as a perfect beach wedding centerpiece.

Colors: Instead of going for the traditional white wedding cakes, look out for colors that fit best to your beach wedding theme. Colors like blue, green, beige, etc. can be used for preparing the beach wedding cake to reflect the marine life and colors of sea. To give it a refreshing look, go for bright colors like fuchsia, orange and bright yellow for your cake.

Toppers: After deciding the design and color for your beach wedding cake, it's time to select a unique beach wedding topper to give that ultimate beach wedding look. Marine creature like seahorse or starfish, dolphins, seashells, seaside jewels and beach wedding couple figurines in romantic styles can all work great as beach wedding cake toppers.

If the wedding is to held outdoors and its summer time, avoid having butter cream decorations which can melt easily and rather go for cakes with fondant decorations. Also if you want the wedding to be a simple and casual affair, you can opt for portable types of wedding cakes like cupcakes decorated with any of the above beach themes. Be as creative as you can be for your beach theme wedding cake, don't be scared to try different flavors and designs, and enjoy every moment of that auspicious day of your life.

The Healthiest Foods to Add to Your Grocery List By Wadner Tranchant

"Super-foods" are staples that research shows are richer in nutrients without the high calorie content. As a consequence they have so many health benefits, and they are not even expensive at all. The healthiest food that we have is full of essential vitamins and minerals. There are so many health foods already available out there. And they are already in grocery stalls but we just don?t buy enough of them. Once your grocery list is full of vibrant and healthy ingredients then you are on your way to a healthier lifestyle. And you can rest assured that you are doing what you need to do in order to lower your risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and even certain forms of cancer. Green and Leafy Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables are super healthy foods and amongst the best of them is spinach which is very rich in iron. Here?s one important tip about spinach?it is most nutritious when eaten cooked and not raw as popularly believed. Spinach is a dark leafy green vegetable and they are the healthiest types containing not just vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients, but a lot of fiber as well. Eating a lot of dark green leafy vegetables Oatmeal, Cereals, and Whole-grain Bread

Oatmeal has so much fiber that if you take five to ten grams a day, you lower the bad cholesterol in your system. Other fiber rich foods such as cereals and whole grain bread are also ideal diet staples because they have a lot of iron and Vitamin B as well. In addition, slow release carbs such as oatmeal increases fat burning when eaten a few hours before exercising. Whole-grain bread has a similar effect, and that is why they are ultimately the better choice over regular white bread.

Citrusy Fruits Antioxidants are widely known for their anti-carcinogenic effect. They contain free radicals that help lower the risk of developing certain cancers. Citrus fruits have a lot of antioxidants aside from the vitamins that they have become popular for. One lemon for example has all the Vitamin C that you need for one day. And that?s not the only benefit of having one lemon a day. It also causes an increase in high density cholesterol. One way to take your lemon is to squeeze some into your cup of green tea. And in addition to that, the lemon in your tea would facilitate the body?s absorption of the antioxidants that the green tea contains. Soy Products One of the most popular Vegan Foods is soy. Soy products are popular in many circles for their many nutritional benefits. It is a primary protein alternative to traditional source such as meat, fish, and poultry. The amino acids that they contain are similar to that of meat and thus the health benefits are similar. Soy is thus a complete protein source. There are many ways to prepare and eat soy products. One of its most popular preparations is steaming. Its most popular form is tofu. And there?s also soy milk that has become quite the craze these days.

Sweet cheese and cream rolls recipe

Photo: Sweet cheese and cream rolls recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Sweet cheese and cream rolls Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make Sweet cheese and cream rolls.

Category: Desserts
Serving: 6 Persons
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 kg ready made cheese dough

Ingredients of stuff:

8 kiri squares
2 cups of water
400g sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of corn flour
2tbsp blossom water

For decoration:

Pistachio
Desert to be served with syrup

Directions

Stuff preparation: Mix all stuff ingredients while cold
boil mixture until it becomes coherent
Let it cool

Preparation Method: Cut dough into pieces of 10X12 cm size
Put the stuffing on one end of each dough piece and roll over
Decorate pieces with pistachio
Serve with syrup

Source: Kiri Recipe Book

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen:

znood al sit
Maamoul
Mamool, Mamoul, Maamoul, Mamool Cookies
Pistachio Maamoul
Maamool with Dates
Maamool with Walnuts

Save and share sweet cheese and cream rolls recipe

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znood al sit Recipe

Photo: znood al sit Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try znood al sit Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make znood al sit.

Category: Desserts
Preparation Time: 6 Persons
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

10 Kiri squares
3 spring roll pastry sheets
3 tbsp rose water
½ tbsp icing sugar
1½ tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp white sugar
½ tbsp chopped pistachio
3 chopped red glazed cherries
Oil for frying

Ingredients for sugar syrup

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup water

Directions:

Take the pastry sheet and apply melted butter with a brush and sprinkle with white sugar.

Separately mix the Kiri squares, rose water and icing sugar. Pipe the mixture onto the pastry sheet, then roll the pastry sheet and keep in a fridge or chiller for one hour.

In the meantime prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the water and white sugar for ten minutes.

Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the pastry rolls until golden in colour and then dip in the sugar syrup for two minutes.

Remove the fried pastry rolls from the sugar syrup, decorate with pistachio and chopped cherries and serve.

Source: Kiri Recipe Book

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen:

Maamoul
Mamool, Mamoul, Maamoul, Mamool Cookies
Pistachio Maamoul
Maamool with Dates
Maamool with Walnuts
Kahk

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How to Make Beef Jerky

Jerky, or jerked meat is a dried long thin strips of meat, commonly beef but can also be prepared from elk, buffalo, moose, caribou, fish, or deer (venison). The traditional method of drying is under sun, which is probably one of the oldest methods of preserving food. In earlier days, the meat used to be dried over a small fire or under sun after being soaked in brine, a mixture of salt and water. However, nowadays there are different sophisticated ways of drying meat like an oven, a smoker, or a dehydrator.

Oven Style
To prepare beef jerky in an oven you will require: 2 lbs lean beef (chuck or round), your favorite seasonings like olive oil, Worcestershire sauces, vinegar sea salt, etc.

Procedure: First remove the meat fat as it may spoil the jerky fast and slice the meat in to very thin strips. To make the cutting easier, you can freeze the meat 4 - 5 hours before slicing. Marinade the meat strips with your favorite seasonings and refrigerate for 10 - 24 hours so that the meat absorbs the flavor. Preheat the oven at 150F or 65C. The intention behind heating is not to cook the meat but to dehydrate it. Now keep the prepared meat on a wire rack and heat it in the oven for about 4 - 6 hours or until it is not raw, from inside.

In a Smoker
To prepare beef jerky in a smoker you will require: 2 lbs lean beef (chuck or round) and your favorite seasonings like olive oil, Worcestershire sauces, vinegar sea salt, etc.

Procedure: Start by removing the meat fat as it may spoil the jerky fast and slice the meat in to very thin or inch slices. To make cutting easier, you can freeze the meat 4 - 5 hours before slicing. Marinade the meat slices with different spices or marinades, that appeal your taste or simply sprinkle salt and pepper all over it. For smoking jerky, you will need low temperature and a little smoke. Ideally, the temperature should be below 150 F and if you are using an electric smoker, you'll require very less smoke. But if you are smoking over a charcoal or hardwood fire, you will require plenty of smoke. To dry the jerky completely, it may take 12 - 72 hours, depending upon the climate as well. However, the meat can absorb the smoke flavor in about 3 - 4 hours and hence if time is a consideration, you can take the jerky out of the smoker and complete the rest of the process in a food dehydrator or an oven.

Beef Jerky with Ground Beef
To prepare beef jerky with ground beef you will require:1 pound extra lean ground beef, tsp onion powder, tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup and 1 tsp kosher salt.

Procedure: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, and salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours or until well-chilled. Keep the ground beef mixture using a tbsp in between pieces of plastic wrap. With the help of a rolling pin, flatten the mixture into rounds less than 1/8 inch thick. Now place meat rounds on the cookie sheet and cook in an oven at 150 F for 3 - 4 hours or until it is cooked from inside.

These were some simple instructions without a dehydrator rather using an oven or a smoker. So, what are you waiting for? Try making beef jerky at home, store in plastic bags and refrigerate until you are ready to eat.

Tea the Real Story By Chris Rawstern

Everyone knows what tea is, right? Tea, technically, comes from the leaves of one plant, camellia sinensis. Anything other than the leaves from this plant is not actually tea, although tea is often used as a catchall word to include all the different herbal beverages used these days.

Legend has it that tea was discovered long ago in China quite by accident. Some leaves from a nearby plant blew into a cup of hot water; a nice brown colored beverage resulted, was found to have a refreshing taste, and tea was born. However it was discovered, tea is very refreshing, whether it is black, green, oolong or white. Tea has been proven in more recent times to have wonderful health benefits. We have all heard of antioxidants in tea, helping to fight free radicals that can cause harm to the body. Tea is far lower in caffeine than coffee. It is refreshing, whether used hot or cold.

There are various types of tea, all beginning with the same leaves. Black tea is created by bruising or crushing the green leaves to expose them to oxidation and allowing them to ferment, then rolling the leaves and drying. This produces a beautifully colored beverage and has the strongest flavor of all the varieties of tea. Oolong tea (pronounced OH-long) is oxidized and fermented the same as black tea, but only for about half the amount of time and the resulting product is a lighter, more reddish beverage with a flavor all its own, somewhere in strength between black tea and green tea. For green tea, the leaves are heated immediately, stopping the fermentation process entirely, then dried and rolled. It produces a lovely light colored beverage, and is said to have the most health benefits. The processing of white tea is similar to that of green tea, but only the unopened buds of the leaves are used. It has the same health properties as green tea, but the flavor is the lightest and most delicate.

Good quality tea is a wonderful beverage. Whole rolled or twisted leaves are the best quality; the smaller the leaf, the higher the quality of the tea. The top grades are called Flowery, Golden Flowery or Tippy. Seconds, termed Choppy, are the leaves that have broken into smaller pieces. They brew a great tea, and are usually less expensive. The smallest particles leftover from the tea process, called Fannings, are what is used in tea bags. It brews tea of course, but once tasting a tea brewed from a wonderful full leaf Darjeeling Black Tea, for example, it is hard to return to a tea bag for optimal flavor.

Orange Pekoe (rhymes with gecko) is a western terminology applied to a grade of black tea; the word orange in the name has nothing to do with flavor, but could be a reference to the Dutch House of Orange using the name Orange as an implied sea" of some sort. Pekoe may be a westernized interpretation for a Chinese word meaning white hairs, referring to the fine white down on the tea leaves.

So, what are herbal beverages called? Herbal beverages are called tisanes, and may be prepared by different methods, usually infusion or decoction. It is incorrect to apply the term tea to anything infused or decocted, although tea is actually infused. Infusion is the preparation method of choice for leaves, flowers or buds; plant matter that will release its properties easily into a drinkable beverage. Placed into heated or boiled water and allowed to steep, the herbs release their goodness into the water, and then are strained out. Decoction is the method used for harder or denser plant materials, such as roots or barks that take longer to release their flavors or health benefits. With a decoction, the plant materials are brought to a boil, simmered gently for 15 minutes or more allowing the liquid to reduce, and then straining.

No matter which you prefer, tea or tisane, for pure enjoyment or for health benefits, look for the best quality. Discover your favorites among the different types of loose teas. Taste the different herbal tisanes and discover new flavors. Above all, enjoy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

How to Become a Head Chef

Oh the Hors d'oeuvres! The sausages! The steaks, and the cheeses! There are two reasons to become a chef - either you're a foodie, or you're on a mission to turn the entire world into foodies. Doesn't matter which category you fall into; what matters is the fact that cooking can turn into one of the most interesting careers in the world for you, if you have the knack of playing with spices and flavors. Think beyond, and you could manage a team of skilled chefs who know the nitty-gritty that the culinary world enfolds within. That said, the career of head chefs revolves around creating innovative recipes, establishing a name for themselves, managing a team of chefs and kitchen workers, and earning handsomely. If you're a bon vivant and see yourself mixing the best of spices in a reputable eatery a few years down the lane, a career as a head chef awaits you with arms wide open. In the following segment, we bounce off the various steps to become a successful head chef - steps composed of the education requirements, specialization, and personal skills, all of which define the absolute process of becoming a head chef in a hotel. So, here goes.

Becoming a Head Chef - Steps

Just so you know, to become a head chef, one must be through the basics of becoming a chef, gain relevant experience in the field of cooking, and then plan on pursuing a career as a head chef in a large-scale eatery. Following are the steps involved in pursuing a career a head chef:

Seek Education: While the knack of cooking is a requisite for every culinary aspirant who plans on becoming a chef later in life, one needs to enroll in a culinary school post high school. The United States of America boasts of a number of world-class culinary institutions such as Institute of Culinary Education (NYC), California Culinary Academy (San Francisco), and Texas Culinary Academy (Austin) which can be considered if one wants to kick-start their career as a chef. From basic cooking to baking art, these schools groom their students in the best way possible, and prepare them to cook some of the best dishes in the world. Lastly, they will help you discover your own unique style of cooking, and tell you how to maximize it.

Find Your Niche: A chef may work in a number of settings, and acquire more than one position to demonstrate their culinary art. For example, many aspirants are fond of baking, and hence, they aspire to become a pastry chef. Many, on the other hand, look forward to become a vegetable chef or a pantry chef. Following, there are sous chefs, personal chefs, and garde managers who have their own sets of duties and responsibilities. However, for every type of chef, the entry-level position is that of commises, where cooks work as apprentices under head chefs in large kitchens. Therefore, in order to head your team of kitchen workers, you need to find your niche, and start working in direction of the same. You need to enroll in the right culinary school, and take up courses dedicated to your liking.

Get As Much Experience as You Can: Framing a career as a head chef requires nothing but experience. You work as a chef in a reputed hotel for a while, learn the basics and the advanced skills, start managing a small team ab initio, and soon, your experience will help you acquire a position higher than other chefs of similar league. Demonstrate rich quality working, develop a unique style of cooking that no other chef of your league has, and so, either you can expect a promotion as a head chef in your own hotel, or you could start applying for the position of a head chef in other eateries and hotels. A switch in the job will present you with a greater remuneration, and better opportunities. All in all, there are no such education requirements in particular for becoming a head chef; a head chef is required to have the leadership skills and an ability to work as a team with the chefs he or she is assigned.

The process of becoming a head chef starts with becoming a lover of food and cooking food. You need to be attentive of the vacancies in organizations that require new chefs everyday, and apply accordingly. A career as a head chef is extremely lucrative for the reason that the annual salary of a chef heading a team of chefs and kitchen workers in the United States of America is no less than $50,000 annually. Hospitality is a field where one can earn handsomely, depending upon the settings they choose to serve in. The duties and responsibilities of head chef focus more on leadership, and therefore, this is one trait that every aspirant needs to develop in themselves before thinking of becoming the master of spices and grubs!

Propane to Natural Gas - Is it Worth Converting Your BBQ Grill? By Les Fenton

If you set out to buy a BBQ grill today, one of the options facing you is whether to fuel it with propane or natural gas. But what if you already have a propane gas BBQ. Is it worthwhile converting it?

In this article we'll help you weigh up the pros and the cons.

The Relative Costs of Natural gas and Propane

Technical tests on both gases indicate that although natural gas is much less expensive than propane (by up to three or four times for one cubic foot) you?ll need twice as much to cook the same meal. But this is more than compensated for by the much lower cost of natural gas. However, that?s not the complete story.

Grill Conversion Costs

To change your grill from propane to natural gas you?ll also have to carry out a technical conversion. This conversion involves taking out your existing gas regulator and feed pipes and replacing these with similar items designed specifically for natural gas. The conversion process increases the flow of gas to your barbecue grill to compensate for the fact that natural gas produces less cooking heat than propane.

It's possible to carry out this conversion yourself, but this is not recommended because the work involved demands a certain level of technical skill. It?s much more sensible to employ the services of a natural gas technician who will also be able to install a patio gas supply point at the same time.

However, the conversion cost is likely to be quite high ? probably in the region of $100 -$200. Therefor, you may well decide that it?s more sensible to put this money towards the purchase cost of a new natural gas grill.

Other Factors to Consider

As well as weighing up the cost savings against the conversion costs you should also consider the following factors:

Factors against Conversion:

Grill Mobility - You?ll not be able to use your grill anywhere. You?re going to be restricted by the position of the natural gas supply point.

Taste - Natural gas contains a smelly substance called mercaptan. Its deliberately mixed with the gas so that you can tell if you've got a leak. Some people reckon that this substance imparts an unpleasant taste to the food. However, don?t get too hung up about this. It?s not a frequently voiced complaint.

Environmental Protection - Natural gas is not environmentally friendly. If it escapes into the atmosphere,it gets converted into other substances which are detrimental to it.

Factors for Conversion:

Convenience - Your fuel supply will be on tap and you won?t have to carry bottles of propane around anymore or change a bottle half-way through a BBQ.

Make a Choice. Propane or Natural Gas?

Hopefully my article will help you make a choice about whether to convert your grill or not. If you?re already using natural gas in the home this could be an opportunity to save money on the costs of operating your BBQ grill, but don?t forget those conversion costs. It may make more sense to wait until you need to purchase a new grill

Grilled Fish Recipe

Photo: Grilled Fish Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Grilled Fish Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make Grilled Fish.

Serves : 4 Persons
Duration : 20 Min

Ingredients:

4 Large Fish
10 Cloves Garlic
3-4 Pieces Green chilies
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Teaspoons Cumin
2 Teaspoons Coriander
2 Teaspoons Sumac
2/1 Teaspoon Black pepper
2 Medium Chopped Tomatoes
1 Cup Chopped cilantro
4/1 Cup Vinegar
4/1 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
2 Tablespoons Oil
2 Cups Wheat bran

Preparation:

1. Brush the fish with oil.
2. In food processer put the garlic, chilies, pepper flakes, salt, cumin, coriander, sumac and black pepper. Process until smooth sauce forms. Put the sauce in a bowl. Mix in the tomatoes, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest and oil.
3. Fill the fish with 1/3 of the sauce. Spread the rest of the sauce in a shallow serving platter. Set aside for serving.
4. Sprinkle the wheat barn in a wide pan.
5. Heat an electric grill until very hot.
6. Hold a fish and put it on the wheat barn and press gently. Turn the fish slowly on the other side and press gently until well coated with the barn.
7. Put the fish on the grill. Cook for 10 minutes. With a wide slotted spatula turn the fish on the other side. Cook for 10 more minutes.

Video:

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen:

Fish Couscous with Onion T'faya
Spicy Fish Lebanese Style
Samaki Harra (Lebanese Chilli Fish)
Mediterranean fish stew
Fish Kibbeh
Siyadiyeh (Siyadiya)

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Many People Do Not Comprehend The Necessity Of Proper Nutrition By Sheree Sonne

As you continue to read you'll be pleased to realize that we will be speaking about the importance of nutrition whether individuals are dieting or not.

Carbohydrates are generally one of the first things which dieter's will wind up eliminating from their daily routine. These men and women don't recognize that carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for an individual's body. Many men and women end up becoming very tired and lethargic by not consuming carbohydrates, but these carbohydrates can reverse this. Obviously this is something which will have to be limited, mainly because if you eat way too much carbohydrates it'll be stored inside your body as fat. Obviously in relation to eating carbohydrate you want to try and do this in the healthiest way possible, through fruits and vegetables.

Protein is yet another one of those items that you are going to have to consume each day in order to maintain a healthy body. Something about protein is that it can be quite important to be able to help you maintain your muscle mass, and it can also help in repairing tissues. Protein is additionally used to be able to help individuals create hormones that are going to end up being vital to your state of health. As many of you are aware there a lot of various kinds of meats that a particular person can consume and the majority of these are packed with protein. There are a number of vegetables that contain a good deal of protein but you are going to also see that nuts and peanut butter will be a good choice as well.

One more thing a lot of individuals try and eliminate from their diet are fats, but fats are an essential part of a healthy and nutritious diet. In relation to these different fats you are going to find that they are split into two categories, unsaturated fats and saturated fats. The fats which are not good for your body and can actually lead to different types of health problems are the fats generally known as saturated fats. The unsaturated fats that you can find in foods are actually a healthy option.

Getting enough vitamins and minerals is another thing that you're going to need, and this is primarily because all of the organs inside your body need these to function properly. Veggies and fruits will be able to offer you almost all the minerals and vitamins your body requires every single day. You are going to see that just about every vitamin and mineral you are going to require for your body is going to be found in various fruits and vegetables. With regards to the actual amount of fruits and veggies you should be eating every day, you need to understand that it's no longer three servings a day but five.

By making certain you're eating the correct kinds of foods you are going to see that you'll be able to have a much healthier body.

Here's Why you couldn't forget your grandmother's recipes? Secrets Revealed (shivi roy)

Yes, your grandmother’s recipes were finger licking and why not be? She had oceans of how-to-make-tasty-food knowledge. It was a perfect blend of ingredients. The smell of the dish was intimidating. Water in your mouth!! One simply cannot forget the taste. The dishes were delicious, spicy and mouth-watering. No matter how many guests came to your house, she would achieve the same taste in no time.

Ever wondered, how she cast the magic? Sterling Groceries Pvt Limited spills the beans. Get to know the secret behind the spellbound recipes. Sterling Groceries Pvt Limited is a company that deals in spices and is located in New Delhi. The quality of spices they produce have got them a place with WAL-MART, Carrefour, METRO, SPAR, and Reliance, in branded as well as tailor made segments.

“The secret behind these recipes lies in traditional spices. You use them everyday yet you are unaware of how-to-use thing,” shares a grandmother of three. Indian traditional spices and herbs have been used for ages yet their taste remains unaltered. It has been passed from generations to generations and still they rule the kitchen.

Some of the commonly used spices are:

Asafoetida (Hing): Popularly known as devils dung or stinking gum, it smells unpleasant. The smell disappears when added to oil. Used in snacks, it is a remedy for stomachaches and cough.

Cloves (Laung): Cloves are unopened, fully-grown and green flower buds dried in the sun. They can be used for culinary and medical purposes. A regular spice in Indian cooking, cloves impart strong and warm flavor. If you have a toothache, cloves come handy. Cloves help in curing chest pains, fever, digestive problems, and cough and cold.

Coriander Seeds (Dhania): How to spot coriander seeds? It is simple. They are hollow, crunchy, nutty flavored and light brown or golden in color. Do you want to get the exact flavor of coriander seeds? Forget buying packed coriander powder, instead opt to grate or crush coriander seeds into powder. The flavor and the essence of the spice remain intact. Medically, they are known to cure sore throat, allergies, digestion problems, fever etc.

Cumin (Jeera): A commonly used spice in India, it has a warm earthy aroma. It releases an aroma, when cooked in hot oil. You can roast them and grate or crush to make cumin powder.

Now that you now some of the secret ingredients, why not use them? Stay tuned and follow us for more secrets that could make your food delicious, spicy and Indian.

PRS spices is a leading spice & herbs supplier that offers range of good quality spices seasonings, cumin powder, chat masala etc. We offer valued spices to meet all cookery needs globally. We are the chain of spices manufacturers and spices exporters of Indian seasonings.

Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses Recipe

Photo: Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses.

Serves : 6-8 Persons
Duration : 60 Min

Ingredients:

1/2 1 Cups Short Grain Rice
2 Medium Finely Chopped Onions
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Cup Chopped Mint
3 Cups Chopped Parsley
3 Large Chopped Tomatoes
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper
1 Teaspoon Mixed spices
1/2 Cup Pomegranate Molasses
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 1 Cups Olive Oil
1 Jar Grape leaves

Preparation:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and put in a bowl. Stir in the onion, garlic, mint, parsley, tomatoes, salt, black pepper and mixed spices.
2. Drain the grape leaves and wash thoroughly under warm water. Drain the leaves well.
3. Flatten a grape leaf, vines facing upward, on a work surface. Place one tablespoon of the rice mixture on the wide side of the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf on the rice mixture and roll the leaf to reach to form a finger size roll. Put in a deep pot. Continue filling the leaves in the same way until all rice mixture is used. Place in the pot. Place a plate on top of the stuffed leaves. This step will prevent the leaves from unroll will cooking.
4. Mix pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and olive oil. Pour on the stuffed grape leaves.
5. Cook the grape leaves on high heat for 30 minutes then reduce the heat and cover the pot. Cook for 30 minutes more.
6. Serve grape leaves warm or cold.

More from the Lebanese Recipes Kitchen:

Baba Ghanouj – Roasted Eggplants With Garlic and Tahini
Baba Ganoush Recipe
Baba Ghanoush
Baba ganoush on pita
Baba Ganoush and Pita Crisps
Grilled Middle Eastern Baba Ghanoush

Save and Share Grape Leaves with Pomegranate Molasses Recipe

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A Chicken Lasagna Recipe For Those Movie Nights (rajiv tiwari)

Ingredients:

* Olive Oil
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
* 100 grams of salami, finely chopped
* 600 grams of chicken mince
* 2 tablespoons tomato pur?e
* 3 teaspoons dried oregano
* 800 g can of plum tomatoes, chopped
* ? cup chicken stock
* 60 grams butter
* 70 grams all-purpose flour
* 600 ml milk
* freshly grated nutmeg
* 250 g no-cook lasagne sheets
* 1 block parmesan
* 100 g mozzarella, grated

Directions:

1. To start making the sauce for the lasagna recipe, fry the onion and garlic in a wide saucepan in olive oil. Keep stirring and frying till it's soft but not translucent.

2. Add in the salami along with the minced chicken and stir thoroughly to make sure the chicken cooks well for the lasagna sauce.

3. Let the meat cook, stirring it frequently until it's faintly browned all over. Season the lasagna sauce recipe and add the tomato pur?e, oregano, chopped tomatoes and stock.

4. Bring to a boil, and allow it to cook constantly for about 20 minutes. It should be thick, red sauce that isn't watery.

5. Make the white sauce for the lasagna by melting the butter in a saucepan. Quickly stir in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly.

6. Keep stirring over a low flame until it thickens and bubbles, making sure it doesn't burn.

7. Grate in the nutmeg to add a perfect flavour for the lasagna and then add some salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly and remove it from the flame.

8. Assemble the lasagna by spreading a part of the chicken sauce on the base of the lasagna baking dish. Add another layer of lasagne noodles on top and cover.

9. Spread a thin layer of white sauce on top and grate over some parmesan cheese. Add another layer of the lasagna noodles and repeat the previous step.

10. Now pour in and spread a little more of the chicken sauce on top. Keep repeating the layers again and again till you've used up all the remaining ingredients of the lasagna. Your top layer should consist of the noodles followed by the cheese.

11. Bake the lasagna in a preheated oven for around 30-40 minutes till the dish is cooked through.

12. Your lasagna recipe is ready to be enjoyed for that much anticipated movie night!

Rajiv Tiwari is an out and out gourmet whose love of food has made him travel to all top food destinations. In this bouquet of articles Rajiv discusses some quick tips on food recipes, and shows us how you can make people enchanted with lipsmacking food recipes. Lasagna Recipe, the lasagna recipe

Understanding the concept of Foccacia as a part of Italian cuisine (Jim Doyle)

I thought I had seen it all until I encountered their cuisine. Before my visit to Italy I had been relegated to simply reading about how good Italian cuisine was and seeing it in the movies. On my visit to Italy I was therefore keen to try and understand what the fuss was about anyway. One of the people I was with in Italy introduced me to Foccacia and I have to admit, ever since then I have never really been able to find anything better tasting. I therefore embarked on a mission to find out how this wonderful bread was made and how it became a part of the Italian culture from the start.

The word Foccacia actually has its origins from the Latin word 'focus' which simply means "hearth, place for baking". In the Roman days, Panis Focacius was a kind of flat bread that was baked on the hearth. It is thought that the recipe for this bread was actually thought out by the Greeks. However, many people associate the recipe with the Ligurian cuisine. Over time, it became apparent that the knowledge of the recipe spread and many people began to take to making this bread. A variation in the ingredients meant that as people moved from one place to another they would probably come across different recipes but all leading to a similar outcome.

Since there were many little towns on the coast of Liguria, it emerged that each town had a different manner of making the Foccacia based on the ingredients that were available to them. In some places, the bread was even considered to be some kind of cake. In some places it had with more softness owing to the oil and in other places it had biscuit-like hardness because of the Camogli. There were actually some places where the ingredients were totally different from the original recipe and the similarities with the original bread were very minimal.

I actually realized that in places like Genoa and Recco, the recipe for this bread is so different but the name is almost the same. The Foccacia that is made in these towns has a filling of cheese usually sandwiched between two layers of the dough that is almost paper-thin. There are parts of North Western Italy where the recipe for the preparation of this bread entails sprinkling of sugar onto the base of the bread. Also, there is usually an addition of honey, raisins and a shot of other ingredients that are sweet.

I learnt that across the whole of Italy, there are various formats in which the Foccacia exists and some of the various types include Barese which is found in places like Taranto, Brindisi, Bari and Lecce. There is also Alla Genovese which is very popular in Genoa and then there is Alla Barese which is mostly from the area of Bari.

If you want to find more interesting recipes such as the one for focaccia, then you can consider a visit to this website.

What is Round Table Pizza?

Round Table Pizza is just one of the few popular pizza restaurants today that have served customers for many years at an outstanding level. Famous for its scrumptious oven-fresh pies, this restaurant manages to stay successful in the business despite the trend of shifting to more economical methods of production. No wonder customers love this place for its high regard to quality and authenticity.

Labor of Love

Inspired by the company's slogan, Round Table Pizza commits itself to the highest standards in pizzeria business. Unlike the other restaurants with the same specialty, Round Table makes its pizzas from the scratch-rolling the dough, chopping the veggies and preparing fresh meat toppings. The dough itself comes from the exclusively-grown wheat which is only used for this purpose. If you are wondering what makes the cheeses so delicious, then you should know that they are made from a combination of aged cheddar, whole milk mozzarella and provolone cheeses.

Such dedication to quality is the key to Round Table's success. Other pizzerias might think that the daily manual labor is hampering the productivity of the restaurant, but not this company. Actually, it is through this time-consuming and physically taxing method that Round Table is preferred by many customers.

The Birth of an Honest Pizzeria

It was 51 years ago when William Larson founded the first Round Table in Menlo Park, California. What started out as a small pizza parlor is now a thriving chain of more than 500 restaurants all over the US. The brand is similarly successful in the international market.

The Legend Has It

Interestingly, Round Table Pizza has a curious story of the origin of its name. It was in 1961 when a friend of Larson made some sketches of the knights eating pizza at King Arthur's fabled Round Table. Soon after, the owner adopted the Arthurian legend in its restaurant theme. By 1970s, the famous three shields have started to appear in its official logo.

But the medieval theme is not restricted to the atmosphere of the Round Table restaurants. In fact, the menu includes varieties of pizza named after the characters of the Arthurian legend. There's the King Arthur's Supreme pizza that combines all three meats, cheeses and other premium garnishes. As it turns out, it is the pizzeria's ultimate bestseller. There is also the Guinevere's Garden Delight named after the English queen. It has several vegetables for toppings.

Aside from the hero and heroine of the Middle Ages, there are also some pizza themes inspired by other literary influences such as the famous Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet. The Montague's All Meat Marvel represents an all-Italian meat pizza. Another variety of round pie is the Maui Zaui which has a similar taste as a regular Hawaiian pizza, although a little more generous in toppings.

Be Your Own Pizza Maker

Round Table gives you an option to create your very own pizza. If you want to try something new on your next visit, you may skip the specialty pizzas and choose your favorite combinations of crust, meat, cheese and veggies. It is up to you to combine the ingredients as you wish. At Round Table Pizza, the toppings are generously spread over the hand-made crusts. While deciding on the type of pizza you want, be sure to test out Round Table coupons to save on your big purchase, because saving a little can go a long way!

An Authentic Italian Lasagna Recipe (rajiv tiwari)

An authentic lasagna recipe is hard to come by. Try out this recipe in your own kitchen and see how simple it is!

Ingredients:

* 800 g of canned tomato puree
* 400 g chicken mince
* 3 chicken sausages
* ? carrot, chopped finely
* ? celery stalk, chopped finely
* ? onion, chopped finely
* 400 ml of water
* 2 tablespoon of oil
* A glass of red wine
* 1 litre milk
* 30gr of butter
* 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* Salt to taste
* Pepper to taste
* 300 g of mozzarella
* 150 g of grated parmesan
* 9 lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add in the veggies for the lasagna. Allow it to cook for a few minutes.

2. Add in the minced chicken and sausages, constantly stirring until brown.

3. Stir in a glass of red wine and let it reduce to give the lasagna flavour.

4. Pour in the tomato puree and the water and mix well. Season with the salt and pepper and let it cook for around 2 hours on a low flame. Make sure the sauce doesn't burn and add water if required for the lasagna sauce.

5. Make a roux by melting the butter in a pan with the flour.

6. Transfer the roux to a separate bowl. Pour boiling hot milk on the roux while stirring to make the mixture melt.

7. Pour the milk back into the, add salt and bring it again to a boil again while stirring. Boil for the lasagna recipe till it's a thick creamy sauce.

8. Remove from the stove and cover tightly so that it doesn't dry out.

9. Start making the layers for the lasagna before you out it in to bake. Make the first layer by spreading a spoonful of tomato and white sauce right at the bottom.

10. Add a layer of the lasagna noodles on top to cover the sauces. Add another thin layer of the tomato sauce and white sauce, and then sprinkle some of the parmesan on top. Add a little mozzarella cheese as well. Keep layering all the components and repeating the steps for the lasagna. End with a layer of the noodles right on top with some cheese.

11. Cook the lasagna in the oven at 200?C for just under an hour till the cheese is nice and bubbly on top and slightly brown.

12. Your lasagna recipe is ready for everyone to enjoy!

Rajiv Tiwari is an out and out gourmet whose love of food has made him travel to all top food destinations. In this bouquet of articles Rajiv discusses some quick tips on food recipes, and shows us how you can make people enchanted with lipsmacking food recipes. authentic lasagna recipe, the lasagna flavour

Colored Pudding Recipe

Photo: Colored Pudding Recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Colored Pudding Recipe. Enjoy the Lebanese Cuisine and learn how to make Colored Pudding.

Serves : 4 Persons
Duration : 20 Min

Ingredients:

1 Cup Berries juice
3 Tablespoons Corn starch
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Strained orange juice
2 Tablespoons Crushed pistachio
2 Tablespoons Fine coconut

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 pudding cups.
2. In a small saucepan put the berry juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Whisk until cornstarch dissolves completely. Put the saucepan on medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until juice boils and pudding forms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Divide the pudding in the cups. Chill pudding until sets.
3. In a small saucepan put the milk, 1tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk until cornstarch dissolves completely. Put the saucepan on medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until juice boils and pudding forms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Divide the pudding over red pudding. Chill until sets.
4. In a small saucepan put the orange juice, 1tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk until cornstarch dissolves completely. Put the saucepan on medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until juice boils and pudding forms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Divide the pudding over orange budding. Chill colored pudding for 2-3 hours or over night.
5. To serve: decorate the pudding with pistachio and coconut and serve.

More from the Lebanese recipes kitchen:

Ginger Cookies
Broiled Filo Round
Fried Kunafa Fingers
Date Bake
Delicious Date Cake
Walnut, date & honey cake

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Better Nutrition With Homemade Soup By Gretchen Scalpi, Rd, Cde

Many of my clients tell me how much they like having soup for lunch in the colder months, but most of the time, they name off various brands of soups bought at the store. Don't get me wrong: many commercial soups are great options for the calorie conscious. The problem with canned soups, of course, is the sodium content. Some products have an excess of 1,000 mg of sodium per serving. To my way of thinking, this is far too much salt for one simple food item. So while it's easy to turn to grocery store shelves for your lunchtime soup, consider making your own soup.

The beauty of homemade soup is that you can literally take any basic soup recipe and modify it based on ingredients you have on hand. You can make adjustments and get the sodium content reduced without foregoing good taste. Most soups start with a stock, broth, or a vegetable base. You can make your own stock if you have the time, but starting with a ready made broth can cut down on preparation time. If you buy ready made soup broth, I recommend that you read the labels carefully. Regular broth will make your homemade version of soup just as high in sodium as canned soup. The low sodium versions of broth have sodium too! I found that most of the "low sodium" brands of broth had close to 500 mg. sodium per serving. This is still too much if you are sodium conscious. I found several organic low sodium stocks with just 140 mg. per serving, so it pays to look around.

If you want to try making homemade soup for your lunches, here's an idea: make one batch pot of a different soup every week. Keep enough of the soup on hand for one or two meals, and then freeze the rest in smaller containers, preferably 1-2 portion containers. If you make a different kind of soup each week, you will soon have a "selection"of different soups in your freezer that you can choose from for a quick lunch or dinner meal. Take a single serving of frozen soup to work and you'll have a nice healthful meal ready to heat up.

Here is my favorite vegetable soup recipe:

Vegetable Barley Soup

2 Tb. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup diced carrots

12 oz. fresh mushrooms chopped

1/2 cup barley (use pearl or hulless barley)

6 cups low sodium beef, chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2-3 cups chopped spinach, kale or Swiss chard

Heat oil in large pot and saut? onions and carrots until tender. Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes. Add barley, low sodium broth and salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer until barley is done. (Pearl barley takes about 40 minutes; hulless barley takes about 60 minutes to cook). Add chopped greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serves 6.

? 2013 Gretchen Scalpi. All rights reserved. You are free to reprint/republish this article as long as the article and byline are kept intact and all links are made live.

Vegetarial Lasagna With Pesto Sauce (rajiv tiwari)

Ingredients:

* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* 2 sprigs of thyme
* 3 medium zucchini, sliced evenly
* 1 ? plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
* 9 no cook lasagna noodles
* ? cup basil pesto sauce
* ? pound ricotta cheese
* ? cup grated Parmesan cheese
* Zest of ? lemon
* 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
* 4 ounces shredded mozzarella
* ? cup fresh breadcrumbs
* ? tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 ? tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Start off your lasagna recipe by adding a little of the olive oil and butter to a saucepan and heating it on a low flame until butter has melted.

2. Stir in the onions and thyme leave and continue to saut? over a low flame till the onions are nicely caramelized for the lasagna recipe.

3. Preheat oven to 150? C.

4. In a separate bowl, toss zucchini slices with a little more olive oil and season with salt to taste.

5. Arrange the zucchini slices on the baking sheets and cook in the oven for around 35-40 minutes till they're tender.

6. Increase temperature slightly and bake a little longer till they're slightly brown for the lasagna.

7. In another bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, shredded parmesan cheese, lemon zest, parsley, and add salt and black pepper to taste.

8. In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat until it's a little bubble.

9. Add in the remaining thyme leaves, Dijon mustard and the chopped parsley.

10. Remove from heat and mix thoroughly. Now sprinkle in all the breadcrumbs and toss to combine. Keep it aside for the lasagna assembly.

11. Take a lasagna baking dish and add a layer right at the bottom of a part of the onions, zucchini and tomato slices. Then add a layer of 3 of the no-cook lasagna noodles. Add a thin, even layer of the pesto sauce on top. Put a part of the cheese mixture and spread it evenly and then add a layer of a part of the mozzarella. Keep repeating till all the ingredients are used up and your last layer is the lasagna noodles with a topping of the cheese.

12. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top and cover lasagna in aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight so it can soak up all the flavours well.

13. Preheat oven to 180? C.

14. Take lasagna recipe out of the fridge and place it in the oven immediately.

15. Bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 40 minutes more till the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.

16. Your lasagna is ready for all!

Rajiv Tiwari is an out and out gourmet whose love of food has made him travel to all top food destinations. In this bouquet of articles Rajiv discusses some quick tips on food recipes, and shows us how you can make people enchanted with lipsmacking food recipes. cook lasagna, lasagna recipe