Cooking Recipes – Know Where to Look for Success

Have you ever had the craving for a particular dish or meal, but cannot seem to find a recipe for it? If this sounds like you, there is no need to fret. The fact of the matter is that recipes are available all over the place. Just because you are not a master chef does not mean that you cannot find cooking recipes. If you know where to look for recipes you should never have any problem getting started with your next delicious meal.

Here are three places that you can find cooking recipes without having to spend hours looking for them.

1. The most obvious place to find cooking recipes is in a cookbook. Paper recipes are what the majority of people turn to when they are trying to make a dish that they are not familiar with. After all, paper recipes allow you to keep the instructions handy as you move through the process. The good thing about cookbooks is that there are hundreds of them for sale, with each on touching on a unique topic. You can find a cookbook that covers everything from bread making to desserts.

2. When searching for cooking recipes never overlook a good friend. Chances are that if you like to cook, you probably know somebody else that shares the passion. Why not swap recipes so that everybody can enjoy? Trading paper recipes with a friend is one of the most overlooked ways of finding new dishes to make.

3. Of course, you can search for recipes online. If there is something that you need information on in a hurry, the internet is the place to look. Computer recipes allow you to find what you need without having to buy a single thing. In addition, many people have decided to go the internet route because they can print out the computer recipes and take them to the kitchen. It does not get much easier than that.

Regardless of what type of recipe you are in need of, the fact of the matter is that they can be found in a number of different places. If you do not have luck with one of the options listed above, you can always try the next. And if none of them work for you, why not find your own way of compiling recipes?

The bottom line is that you do not have to be a cooking professional to find quality recipes.

Cooking Advices For Vegetables

People have the opportunity to enjoy a large assortment of vegetables, which come in delightful colors and pleasing shapes. Some people like vegetables so much that they decorate their homes with their images on all sorts of home decorating modes. The foremost cooking advices for vegetables are that they should be eaten as often as possible because vegetables do a body good as far a nutritional value.

Some of the more popular vegetable choices are tomatoes, carrots, shallots, eggplant and cauliflower, and also include an abundant assortment of beans and squashes that people enjoy immensely because they are easy to prepare. Some vegetables come ready to cook straight from the garden where they are grown. Corn on the cob is a favorite vegetable that everyone in the family can enjoy.

People that live in the country, on farms, estates, and home far off the beaten travel path of the busy cities that surround them, routinely maintain gardens in their back yards and window sills to keep them in stock of precious vegetables they might not have otherwise. Some cooking advices for vegetables have said that distance plays a big factor on how much people want vegetables in their diet, and with this type of pre-planning and planting, they are assured of a wide variety of vegetables throughout the year.

When listening to the cooking advices for vegetables, people enjoy hearing about the history of a particular type of vegetable before they try to prepare it. Some of these advices are long winded, because the preparation process can be very complicated. Some tales are folk stories about country people who started the tradition of home-canning vegetables to preserve their flavor and afford them the opportunity to eat them in the Winter season when snow was on the ground.

Today, home canning is a big sales market where many devices have been manufactured to accommodate the large quantities that are prepared in large industrial complexes that make jellies and preserves, and a variety of canned vegetables that are too numerous to mention. The home canning cooking advices for vegetables canned in the home say homes keep it simple and only need water, mason jars and lids and jar rings and tongs to perform the home canning process.

Tomatoes are a very popular vegetable that people might buy several days a week if they are dieting. People that live in apartments love growing tomatoes in small pots, and in locations where land space is available, tomatoes are typically one of the first items to be planted. They require only water and good earth to grow, and plant food can be purchased to increase the size and quantity of what is planted.

Children love eating watermelons during the Summer months, and these vegetables can vary in size and flavor from year to year. To grow good watermelons, cooking advices for vegetables such as the watermelon say that they need direct sunlight and lots of water to grow on the vine throughout the day and night.

Cooking Advices For Meat Preparation

There are people that have gained great notoriety in the preparation technique that they have patented to prepare many different grades of meat. These meat preparation specialists have listened carefully in the past to cooking advices for meat preparation and in one form or another, have modified their learning and created a specials cooking style, or taste that is trademarked.

Some of these trademarked cooking advices for meat preparation might come in the form of barbeque that they have created, and generally it is the sauce that has been changed, rather than the meat itself. There are various levels for cooking meats for barbeque, and some of them require boiling for long periods of time to simply cut the cooking time when meat items such as ribs are placed on a grill outside, or in the close confines of the kitchen stove.

Other cooking advices for meat preparation that have been trademarked are centered on the grill on which the meat is cooked. The trademarked grill line is known by name only, and is said to remove the greatest amount of fat from food. This is a factor that health conscious individuals value highly, and they are afforded the opportunity to purchase porch models, yard models and various fuel sources to cook their meat on.

The cooking advices for meat preparation in this manner is that all meats will be juicy and flavorful, but with less calories than afforded with other grills on the market. The fuel sources in these reduced calorie grill models can be charcoal, and propane gas types in various sizes to fit this amazing assortment of models offered in this trademarked cooking grill. There are countertop models that homeowners find very convenient to prepare their meats, and are very surprised to see the amount of fat that can be removed form their diet by one cooking tool.

The cooking advices for meat preparation are broken down to meat type. The types of meats available on the market are pork, beef, chicken, veal, and blends of meat that can be used in chili preparation, sausages and processed sandwich meats that have a wrapping on them that the local deli section slices to please.

The cooking methods are the most widely talked about of all cooking advices of meat preparation methods. Some meats can be roasted and broiled, which is primarily reserved for large roasts that can be derived from pork, beef, or mutton. Other favorites for meat preparation are derived from the different meat cuts off of a specific body area of a cow. People enjoy choice sirloin and rib eye steaks, that are grilled to perfection, and will be eaten quickly any time they are prepared for dinner.

Pork requires longer cooking times than any other meat, because of bacterial growth concerns. Pork meat should not contain any form of redness in the meat, and should be returned to the kitchen for further cooking if you receive it such a state in a restaurant. Chicken has long been a favored meat in kitchens and some restaurants have chosen it as their only menu item. This is because chicken is very affordable, and from cooking advices for meat preparation, can be fried, or boiled or stewed to meet the menu requirements of any night. Microwaving chicken will give it a dark brown covering enriched with seasonings of your choice, and moist and delicious meat that can certainly save a budget.

Cooking A Cholesterol-Free Feast

When it comes to lowering one’s cholesterol levels, it is a must that one changes his or her eating lifestyle. Cholesterol buildup in the body is actually caused by eating way too much of the sinful types of food like processed meat, fried food, sugar rich foods and beverages like chocolates (although dark chocolate, the bitter kind is actually proven to help lower one’s cholesterol levels) and soft drinks.

1. Eliminate Catalyst Factors

It is also important to note that people who have bad lifestyle habits are the usual targets of having incredibly high cholesterol levels. Smoking and drinking are the common vices that people, not only those who are suffering from high cholesterol levels, should eliminate once and for all from their systems.

2. Cooking With No Cholesterol In Mind

- When buying cereals or microwavable pre-packed foods like t.v. dinners look at the labels on the side of the box to ensure that you are not going to take in excess calories and fat
- Being aware of what you take in is the first step in lowering high cholesterol
- Avoid restauraunts and fast food places that offer all you can eat meals or incredibly enormous meals
- The serving size listed on the packaging is sometimes misleading – a serving size is not always the total size of the package, it is often one-half or even less

3. Know How To Read Food Labels

Food labels are divided into two parts – the top half deals with aspects of food you should limit, such as total fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates and protein. The bottom is a summary of those you need, such as vitamins, iron, etc.

It is actually quite hard to understand what most food labels mean, in a way they are quite deceiving. You may think that you are eating healthy when in reality you are unknowingly taking in cholesterol, fat and calories in reduced levels. Here are a list of some of the claims that we can often find on our food’s packaging according to the Food and Drugs Authority –

- Calorie-free –

This product has fewer calories per serving (around 5 calories less) than the leading brand. It does not mean the product contains no calories.

- Low-sodium –

This product contains less than 140mg of salt per food serving.

- Low-calorie –

The food is actually less than 40 calories per serving.

- Low-cholesterol –

Less than 20mg of cholesterol as well as only 2 grams of fat per food serving

- Reduced –

25 percent less of what health professionals specify for the nutrients as well as the calories of a usual food product of the same type.

Cookbook Recipes

I used to love to just throw food together. Part of it was laziness, but another part of it was just the joy in experimenting. I would never use cooking recipes at all – not if I could help it. I had dozens of cookbooks, but I never consulted the cookbook recipes. Most of them I inherited from friends who were moving in and out of town, which made it easy to amass quite a collection. I didn’t want to get rid of them, but I saw very little need for them. After all, my cooking was pretty good.

Then one day, one of my friends – a serious gourmet – came over. He made the most delicious dish. It was an Italian dish – calzones I think – and it was one of the best things I had ever had. I asked how he came up with it, and to his my surprise he told me he had just follow the cookbook recipe.

At first, I was a little bit surprised. I knew that he was someone who love to experiment on his own, and it wasn’t like him to use cookbook recipes. I asked him about it, and he told me about how much he had grown as a cook. Since he started using a recipe cookbook, he had gotten more compliments on his meals than ever before. He had been eating healthier, and his meals had been much more delicious than they used to be. Hearing all this, I couldn’t help but admit that cookbook recipes made some sense.

I am not very good at following directions, so I started my recipe cooking pretty simple. I did a lot of rice dishes, crockpot dishes, and simple baking. Just learning to set the temperature like they say, add just enough salt, the right proportion of water, and the right spices was novel for me. When I was ready, however, I got into some more advanced, difficult cookbook recipes. I had always wanted to try cooking Thai food, so I figured it was my chance to begin. It didn’t turn out so well the first time I tried it, but I persevered.

Soon, I had a recipe book of my own. It was compiled of some of my favorite cook book recipes, many of them altered with slight variations to fit my tastes. I can’t say that I am quite as creative at cooking as I used to be, but I certainly cook much better food. Some of it is completely to die for.

Christmas Cookie Recipe: Chocolatey Church Windows

When it comes to the holiday season, there are just certain things we can’t live without. Or at least, there are certain things we think we can’t live without. One of those items for me is a family Christmas cookie recipe that has been handed down for at least three generations. It’s called Church Windows.

Now, this nifty little cookie gets its name because it resembles a stained glass “church” window. The chocolate will form the frame and the marshmallows are the colored “glass” inside. Take my word for it, because if you see a plate of these cookies go by, grab one. I’ve never seen anyone sit and study the design, only devour the cookie.

Even though this cookie doesn’t have any decoration on it that resembles Christmas, like a tree or Santa Claus, it is only made near the holidays. Why? I’ll never know, nor will I ever make it during a “non-holiday” time of year! Family tradition says so!

So, what makes this little cookie so great, you ask. First, it is simple to make. The kids can play a large role in making them, however they need supervision since it involves use of the stove. Second, they are very colorful and brighten up any holiday dessert table. Last, they have chocolate in them! What else needs to be said? Without further ado, here is the recipe for Church Windows.

Church Windows

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate won’t work, I’ve tried)
1 stick margarine (NOT butter)
½ c walnuts, optional

1 10 oz bag of colored marshmallows
2 c coconut
Wax paper

In a large saucepan, melt the margarine and the chocolate chips over medium heat. Stir often and watch closely so the chocolate does not scorch. When the mixture is completely smooth, set aside to cool slightly, for about five to ten minutes.

While you are waiting, prepare the wax paper. Tear off two sheets that are both approximately 18” in length. Lay on a flat surface. Cover each sheet evenly with 1 cup of the coconut.

When the chocolate mixture is slightly cooled, stir in the walnuts and the marshmallows just until coated. Stirring too long will make the marshmallows melt (and that’s bad!)

Pour half of the mixture on the prepared wax paper lengthwise, in order to form a log. Pour the second half on the second sheet of wax paper. Using the extra coconut on the wax paper, cover the top of the chocolate mixture. The coconut will prevent the wax paper from sticking in the future. Take one side and roll over the mix, and keep rolling to form a log. Shape it so it makes a nice circle. Twist the edges so they are secure and to keep coconut from escaping! Immediately place in the fridge or freezer until they harden, at least 6 hours. When hardened, slice off ½ to 1” thick slices.

Church Windows can be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer one month. Keep in an air-tight container or bag to keep it from drying out.

Choose Vegetarian Recipes

Whether you are a seasoned chef or someone who has never put together an edible meal, consider expanding your knowledge of cooking by adding vegetarian recipes. Chefs of great restaurants and moms of hungry families will enjoy having more meals to cook, and the customers and children who eat the food will be happy as well.

Exploring vegetarian recipes is great simply to spice up the kitchen with something new. No cook likes to get bored by preparing the same meals over and over. It is always fun to try new ingredients or methods of making the foods you love and it can be just as fun to experiment with vegetarian recipes you have never tried before.

Great vegetarian recipes can be found in many locations. Search online, in cookbooks, or at local health food stores for ideas. If you have friends that have been cooking great dishes try swapping vegetarian recipes with them. Sometimes restaurants will even share vegetarian recipes with their customers for little or no charge.

Stopping into a local health food store is a great way to obtain all of the ingredients and spices you will need to begin cooking vegetarian recipes to perfection. Workers at these stores are often knowledgable resources that you can utilize and learn from.

Incorporating vegetarian recipes into any diet will bring variety and give healthy eating options. Many studies suggest that switching at least some of your weekly diet to vegetarian recipes can be benefical to your health. Let your tastebuds enjoy new things that are good for your body. Vegetarian recipes will often include many of the vitamins, minerals, and sources of nutrition that every body needs. Instead of meat, vegetarian recipes are filled with healthy protein substitutes so that you do not miss out on things you need.

Take a look at your health and at the foods you’ve been eating. Including a few vegetarian recipes into your diet can quickly improve how you feel and can be part of an overall health plan that will improve your life. Since few things are as important as leading a healthy life, take your time in researching new ways to eat better. Vegetarian recipes are just one of many things that you can consider. And contrary to popular belief, vegetarian recipes are full of the taste and enjoyment of many other foods you eat. The biggest difference is that they are much better for you.

Butter Cookies Recipe

With the fast-paced world we live in, things like cooking at home each night and baking are often not part of our schedules. We often turn to take-out and pre-packaged cookies and cakes instead of taking the time to make those things ourselves. Although cooking and baking, in particular, can seem daunting and time consuming there are many things you can make yourself that are easy and taste delicious too. One baked treat that everyone loves are homemade cookies and with a good butter cookies recipe you can bake a few dozen with just a handful of ingredients.

Many of us remember having these delectable treats around the holidays. For some of us we were even lucky enough to help our mothers or grandmothers bake them. If that was the case you may still have her butter cookies recipe tucked away in a drawer or box. If you don’t, don’t fret as there are many wonderful recipes for butter cookies online and in cookbooks.

The standard recipe regardless of the version you create is the same. You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to get started including butter, sugar and flour. Most of us already have these things in our kitchens. Along with those standards a butter cookies recipe also calls for baking powder, salt and vanilla extract.

Although a plain cookie is always delicious, there are many variations of this particular sweet treat and you are apt to want to try almost every one once you discover how simple they are to make. A popular type of butter cookie that only requires the addition of a fragrant spice and nuts are walnut cinnamon butter cookies. When dipped in a mug of warm tea or coffee, these satisfy every sweet tooth. They also make a wonderful hostess gift when you are invited to a dinner party. Just wrap them up in a nice wicker basket with some pretty tissue and a ribbon.

Chocolate lovers also have their own version of this standard recipe. Why not experiment with a chocolate butter cookies recipe or perhaps stick with the original recipe and add a decadent chocolate frosting to the cookies? Either way, you are going to get your cocoa fix with these cookies.

A really good idea is to make a big batch of the type you most like. They freeze so well and if you devote one afternoon every couple of months to baking butter cookies, you’ll have a supply at hand in case company stops by or for your child’s lunch box. The biggest problem you’ll face is how not to eat them all up yourself – they are that delicious!

Barbequed Ribs Kansas City Style

Kansas City ribs are serious business when it comes to BBQ. True to tradition, barbeque in Kansas City is dry rub-spiced, smoked with hickory and coated with a KC style sauce. For Kansas City sauce means a thick, rich and tangy tomato based sauce with molasses and sometimes a hint of vinegar. The meat is seared, slow cooked and mop basted with sauce until the meat is tender and a nice crust has formed on the outside. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for sauce that you enjoy getting under your fingernails.

Kansas City’s first recorded barbequer was Henry Perry back in 1908. Perry become very well known for his succulent ribs and would serve them to customer who would come from miles away. Perry converted an old trolley barn into a restaurant and would serve is ribs on newspaper for 25 cents a slab. “Old Man Perry’s” restaurant was located at 19th & Highland and was later sold to George Gates and Charlie Bryant. It become known as Arthur Bryant’s and is still today regarded as one of America’s greatest rib joints. Today Kansas City boast over 90 rib restaurants.

As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can prove to be difficult with wet finger. Dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. The paper towel will allow you to get a better grip on the membrane. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.

Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar

Barbecuing: A Quintessential American Tradition

Next to baseball, nothing says summer like the sizzling sounds, enticing aromas, and mouth-watering flavors of barbecuing. In fact, according to a recent survey commissioned by Hormel Foods and conducted by Harris Interactive®, 90 percent of respondents2 agree that barbecues make them think of summer.

Where does America barbecue? According to the survey, 89 percent prefer to hold family barbecues in their backyards, compared with 3 percent who prefer a public park or picnic area. Barbecues are a great way to bring the family together, entertain friends and family and enjoy the summer nights-right in the backyard!

A few simple tips, courtesy of Hormel Foods, can make your next grill-out even easier:

• Marinating musts: Marinating meat adds flavor and tenderization before cooking. Every marinade should contain an acidic ingredient, such as vinegar or wine; an oil, such as olive or canola; and seasonings, such as herbs and spices. For a no-mess solution, try a pre-marinated variety of Hormel® Always Tender® pork.

• Barbecue in bulk: Got leftovers? No problem. Barbecue meals freeze well, and often become more flavorful when the sauce and spices are reheated at a later date. Once you have fired up the grill, cook as much as your pit can handle since your food will maintain its flavor for future meals. Then thaw, reheat and just add sauce for a delicious leftover treat.

• Fire up a fast-cooking feast: To spend more time with guests instead of the grill, choose a pre-cooked variety of barbecue meat, like Lloyd’s® barbeque fully cooked ribs, which cuts cooking time to less than five minutes. Just heat and eat!

• Deck out your deck: Minimal meal preparation time gives you a chance to focus on the details. To make your barbecue spectacular, set the mood by hanging lanterns around the yard, blending a signature summertime cocktail and presenting the meal on brightly colored plates.

Now that the days are long and school is out, it’s easy to step outside and cook dinner on the grill. A relaxing backyard barbecue dinner will melt the stress of the workday away. Your family will love the meal, and you’ll love the convenience.

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