Archive for the "Cooking" Category

A Tip for Smoking Your BBQ Meat

November 9th, 2011

If you want to smoke meat in your barbeque, especially if it’s a gas grill, you will need a bbq smoker box.

This thing is a small metal box, something like 8 inches long by 4 inches wide, by an inch and a half deep – well this is how big mine is anyway. It will also have a series of holes in it to help let the smoke out.

So, you take a couple of hands full of your chosen wood chips – there’s something of an art to matching wood with meat as well – soak them in water for 20 minutes or whatever, although some say this isn’t really necessary.

While this is going on get your charcoal lit or wait and light up the gas a few minutes prior to cooking. Once the coals (or gas) is up to temperature and you’re ready to cook put the smoker box above the heat. The wood chips will heat up and belch smoke copiously which will fill the cooking chamber and flavour the meat.

Without the smoker box, the wood chips will simply burn too quickly and not have as great an impact on flavouring.

 

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Going for a Kitchen Knife Set

August 4th, 2011

A lot of people nowadays seem to buy kitchen knives individually without realizing that doing so will bring more financial burden to them. Yes, to translate it, buying knives individually will cost you more than to buy them as a set. Yes, buying a kitchen knife set is much better and is much more cheaper and practical than actually having to buy them individually. Why?

Well, for one thing, knife sets are already priced as a set and its price is not the accumulated price of all the knives combined. Rather, it is the set price set by the brand name or the company or even the store itself. What’s also nice is the fact that most knife sets are also with packaged deals and promos, leading to even more discounts and more freebies, making them the more practical choice. So, when buying knives, always remember to buy them as a set instead of buying them individually.

 

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Health Benefits of Organic Black Tea

July 6th, 2011

The benefits of Organic Black Teaincludes, preventing cancers, decreasing the risk of heart problems, and reducing the chance of getting a stroke. Black tea has less than half amount of caffeine that exists in coffee but is high compared to other regular teas. It also has the ability to give relief from cold and flu by opening the chest congestion. It is very effective in allowing digestion to take place thus reducing the chances of stomach aches and pains. This tea contains antioxidants that kill the free radicals, bacteria and viruses that can cause damage to your immune system. Therefore, eliminating free radicals can lengthen your lifespan. Caffeine is a major component of this tea which aids the blood circulation in your body. Black tea also has fluorides in it whose function is similar to those of toothpaste. It keeps your teeth and gums strong by killing the bacteria present in the mouth. Fluoride is in toothpaste because of how good it is for your teeth and gums.

 

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Easy Risotto Rice Meal

June 21st, 2011

Make this easy rice cooker recipe in a snap and surprise your family with a unique dinner. This delicious one pot meal is not really a typical risotto, but it is really hearty and very easy to make.

What you need:

  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 cup creamy soup (i.e. Mushroom or corn)
  • 1/4 cup green peas
  • 1/4 cup carrots (sliced in small cubes)
  • 1/4 cup corn
  • 1/4 cup mushroom pieces and stems
  • 1/4 cup celery stalks (diced)
  • 2 cups water

Cook the white rice with the usual amount of water, and add the creamy soup of your chosen flavor. Throw in the vegetables (green peas, carrots, corn, mushrooms, and celery stalks). Stir it all up, and turn the rice cooker on to begin cooking. Stir slowly and occasionally while the rice cooks. When the rice is done cooking, fluff up the rice with afork and serve hot and fresh. Enjoy!

 

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Traditional and Modern Method of Carbonating Fruits

May 24th, 2011

Putting some carbonated fruits to simple desserts and salads definitely adds an extra zing to the party. It makes the desserts and salads more interesting and inviting to eat. Carbonated fruits have a lot more flavour and are more tangy and bubbly. So, what is the simplest way to make this carbonated fruits possible?

Traditionally, fruits are carbonated through the use of dry ice. The fruits are sliced into pieces, placed inside a container, and then dry ice is added until it gradually sublimes into carbon dioxide and is absorbed by the fruits.

Meanwhile, the modern method makes use of some handy devices called the soda siphon. However, soda siphons don’t have enough space on it to hold some pieces of fruits. Thus, many people prefer using cream whipper. Cream whippers have wider spaces so it is more likely possible to use soda chargers with them. You decide on which of these methods works best for you!

 

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Starting a Catering Business from the Comfort of Your Kitchen

May 8th, 2011

Starting a catering business can be hard work, but once you get the business going and get through the initial couple of months you will realize what a pleasure it is being your own boss. If you do come from the catering field then you are half way there because you have experience and if you don’t then you will have to have an interest and a deep passion for this type of business otherwise you will not enjoy it. Pat of having your own business is really enjoying it so that is what you must aim for.

There are lots of things you can choose from in this line of business. Examples include being a private chef, having a barbeque business or a having a finger catering business. The more specialized you are the better because then you will find there is less competition and you won’t have to spend as much on advertising.

 

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Add a Keurig Mini Brewer to Your Kitchen

April 29th, 2011

If you are interested in adding a Keurig Mini brewer to your list of kitchen appliances that you have then there are a few things that you should probably know. First off, the Keurig Mini Brewer is not cheap if you do not know where to look. There are multiple stores out there that sell these mini brewers at an outrageous price. That said, if you do know where to look you can get a heck of a deal. When I was in the market for a Keurig Mini brewer the first place that I checked was online. I found that by shopping online I was able to get the Keurig Mini brewer that I wanted for about half off. I was fortunate enough to stumble across a website that was an authority in the industry. Furthermore, I made the purchase during the holiday season which meant that the Keurig Mini brewer was on sale.

 

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Looking for an Advanced Propane Gas Grill – Get a Weber Spirit E 210

April 10th, 2011

The best thing that I like about the Weber 210 propane gas grill is that it is far superior to anything that the competition can offer whether you are looking at Forge, Charbroils or Chinese competitors. The reason that I think you should definitely check this grill out at your local Costco is because you will be able to get a good idea of how superior this grill actually is not only in terms of build quality but also with the user experience that it provides you with. While many people would suggest that you get a grill from Home Depot since you can get bigger grates the pattern to disagree based on the fact that I’ve gone ahead and check it out and this was part of an offer that they were holding in the end of 2009. This offer is not valid any more therefore buying Weber 4411001 Spirit E 210 propane grill sets from Amazon.com makes a lot more sense since you will be saving about hundred dollars on the price of the grill straight away.

 

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Worth the Money

March 22nd, 2011

Are those Vita Mix coupon codes real? I have been reading a great deal about them but unfortunately, I purchased mine without one. Thankfully, Vitamix blenders are worth the money. I mean, I’d pay double the price for this blender if I had to. It’s great and it has very powerful blades. In fact at home, I no longer use the food processor. I rely on Vitamix solely for all my kitchen preps and so far, it delivers really well.

Vitamix allows me to make all those tropical freeze pops my mom used to make for us when decades ago. I feel like a kid whenever I get taste of choco-banana pops and frutti berry freeze popsicles. I am truly in love with my blender. I like it a lot. Go get one. I’m sure you’ll love it too. Just remember to look for those codes. Tell me if you find one. LOL.

 

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Did You Heard About the Latest Model of Weber Gas Grill

March 17th, 2011

If you are looking for the best prices on Weber gas grills then I would suggest that you take your search into directions – online as well as off-line. Weber gas grills are extremely popular and it goes without saying that a lot of people will be looking for good deals on them. However, if you want to make sure that you’re getting the right grill for the right price then all you have to do is head over to Amazon which has pretty much all of the well-known grills on discounted prices there. I have just checked out the prices of Weber gas grills and it isn’t surprising to see that all of them are now available with free shipping. Add this to the fact that you’re getting close to $300 discount on your gas grill and it makes purchasing your Weber grill from Amazon pretty much a no-brainer.

 

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The History of the Barbecue

March 14th, 2011

The barbecue is a pretty straightforward apparatus, or so most people think. However, an exploration into the history of the barbecue reveals that it is actually a very interesting and mysterious piece of equipment. Most cultures employ some sort of barbecue-style cooking, although their methods and techniques vary. A look at the history of the barbecue reveals how widely used it is.

The barbecue first originated in primitive times. Bonfires in caves and in the wild could be considered the first barbecues. When slabs of wildebeest or elephant were put on large sticks and thrown over the fire, these primitive beings were doing the equivalent of us kicking back in patio furniture and cooking steaks and pork chops. Early cultures also employed barbecue techniques. The Ancient Greeks loved to cook lamb over an open fire pit. They would use herbs and homemade sauces and put them on the lamb, much like how modern day people marinade their meat before putting it over the barbecue grill. Early Asian cultures also used barbecue techniques. When cooking duck or pork, charcoal grills were used to smoke the meat. Remnants of those techniques remain even today, as barbecued duck and pork still prove to be extremely popular.

In the twentieth century, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, more advanced technology came about. Propane was being used more and more, and it was eventually applied to the barbecue apparatus to create the gas grill. Many people preferred this form of barbecue as it was now possible to control the exact temperature of the grill itself. However, many purists complained that the flavour was lost with gas grills. But the type of barbecue grill was still up to personal opinion, and while gas grills increased in popularity, the charcoal grill never completely died out and is still used today.

 

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The Bonuses of the Nuwave Oven

February 24th, 2011

What would an “AS SEEN ON TV” product would be without some bonuses, and….boy….does the Nuwave Oven have a lot of bonuses. To begin with you get their free professional blender. This alone is worth more than $200. It’s got a very powerful motor that can cut, puree, and liquify. I’ve heard of people who just buy the nuwave oven simply to get this blender. That’s how powerful this blender is. But that’s not all the bonuses that you get. You also get a Free pizza kit. The kit includes a flipper, as well as a cutting board and slicer. This way when you get done preparing a pizza, you can stick it in the nuwave oven for cooking. You even get a custom carrying case to pack all of this stuff, in case you’ve got to travel somewhere. Basicaly you are covered no matter what. What more can you ask for?

 

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Using the Best Food Processor While Watching TV

January 15th, 2011

While using the best food processor, I was also watching TV so that I would get updated on the current news of the country. It is the best time for me because I just have to put all the vegetables that need to be sliced inside the processor then I can watch TV or do something. I have always been fond of machines that allow me to do other things while using it. It makes me feel like I am utilizing my time at a maximum level. I am a very busy person because my work takes up most of my time and if I don’t do things together I won’t be able to finish everything that needs to be done. Sometimes while I am cooking, I also do the laundry; I load up the washing machine with my dirty clothes while I am waiting for my food to get cooked. By the time that I finished eating, my clothes are already washed and good as new. What would I do without these new gadgets? They make my life a lot easier.

 

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