Cooking With Wine 101 By Caroline Silverstone

Many people are intimidated by the idea of cooking with wine. It sounds a little too fancy or even gourmet (that’s Greek for complicated). Maybe they are feeding a family and don’t like the idea of serving the little ones something with wine in it. However, often it is just a case of people not knowing how to cook with wine. It really is very simple and can be incorporated into anyone’s recipes.

Some of the advantages of cooking with wine include:

- very little makes a huge difference to the flavor and aroma of your dishes
- it instantly produces a richer, more complex taste to recipes
- you can easily experiment with it for different results
- if you choose to replace it in a recipe, it can be easily done with chicken, beef or vegetable broth

The first step for beginners wishing to cook with wine is to try adding it to spaghetti sauces. Red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Bordeaux and Merlot are wonderful in spaghetti sauces that are vegetarian or beef based. If the sauce is being served over chicken or is made with ground poultry, white wine works better. Even as little as 1/3 of a cup of wine adds a rich flavor to the entire batch of sauce that will cause people to come back for it time and again.

Another great and easy way to incorporate wine into your cooking is to create a sauce from the little bits of food left in the frying pan after frying meats. You simply pour in wine and gently scrape the pan as it cooks on the stove. This is actually a real cooking technique called deglazing. It makes a fantastic rich sauce to pour over vegetables or meat. An added bonus is your pan will also be easier to clean afterwards.

If you are cooking in the slow cooker or baking in the oven, you always need to add liquid. Wine is the perfect cooking liquid. It adds flavor and richness. White wine adds an irresistible intensity to fish baked in it. Red wine is wonderful to add to the slow cooker with a roast or in beef stew.

As you get bolder with your use of wine in cooking, explore some different recipes using it. They are very easy to find. Just a simple online search will provide you with numerous recipes. There are soups, desserts, main dishes, pastas, appetizers and more that feature any of a variety of wines in their ingredient list.

So remember to keep at least one red and one white wine on hand to give a little extra flavor to the dishes you prepare. Even inexpensive wines will add a little extra je-ne-sais-quoi in your food. (That’s French for yummy)

An important point to remember for anyone who brings it up, is that the alcohol in the wine burns off in the cooking process, leaving you with flavor and no intoxicating effects. It also doesn’t add any extra fat to the meals you are preparing. You will astound your friends with how sophisticated your cooking has become because of the great results wine produces in even every day dishes.

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How to Choose Beverages For Your Party By Caroline Silverstone

When you are having a party, there are a variety of factors to take into consideration when you are trying to select beverages. What you offer to drink will be very different at Christmastime than in the summer, or if your party is late morning versus early evening. Where your party is located will also help you determine what to serve, as will the type of tone you want to set.

Something for Everyone

It is important when having a party to include everyone’s drink taste and to have something available for all likes and dislikes. This does not mean that you need to offer every beverage known to man or that you need to have a full bar available. However, you might want to have on hand a white wine, a red wine, beer and a couple of hard liquor options, or a mixed drink like pitchers of margaritas or martinis. Be sure to keep a variety of mixes on hand, as well as non-alcoholic options for those who don’t want to drink alcohol.

A Formal Affair

If you are striving for a more formal tone, and are perhaps having a sit-down meal, then pre-dinner cocktails are in order. On the table you may have just a bottle or red wine and a bottle of white wine per each 4 guests. This gives your guests the choice. If you have help with serving, they may want to keep an eye on empty bottles and replace them as needed. Another great touch is an after dinner wine or a dessert wine. These wines can be enjoyed on their own or with a dessert, just be careful in matching the dessert wine to the dessert.

Something Celebratory

If you are celebrating a new job, an engagement, a wedding, a new baby, retirement or anything else, then your only choice is champagne or a sparkling wine. Many people find champagne too dry, therefore the sweeter sparkling wines make a great replacement and you still get the fun of the exploding cork. So lift your glass high and make a toast with some bubbly. It’s the perfect way to celebrate.

Fun in the Sun

If your party is an outdoor one, like 4th of July or Cinco de Mayo, or even just an old-fashioned cookout, there are so many options for beverages. Having something for everyone is essential. Offering a pre-mixed fruity light drink will be a hit definitely. Mix up a batch of sangria with some red wine and fruit or a wine punch to dip into and you’ll have happy partygoers! Make sure you keep your summer party drinks cool for your guests and have lots on hand, especially if you are outside. Another consideration in hot weather is to make sure your guests avoid heat stroke, so keep lots of water on hand also to hand out, maybe alternating it with the alcoholic beverages.

Get yourself ready for your next party by stocking up on a variety of drinks, wines, ingredients and mixes. With a little know-how you can have the best party ever.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=291976&ca=Food

How to Choose a Chocolate Pecan Pie By Michelle Parks

While enjoying a delicious chocolate pecan pie is easy, choosing the right one can be a bit of a challenge. You don’t want to sacrifice anything when you pick a chocolate pecan pie to serve to your family, your guests, or to that special someone. Below are some strategies that will help you master the technique.

Buy from a Trusted Name in Chocolate Pecan Pie

Most people choose to purchase their chocolate pecan pie because it is simply more convenient and results in a better tasting product. However, you don’t want to just run to the local supermarket and buy one off the shelves. For one, you might be disappointed: most local stores don’t make chocolate pecan pie.

An even better reason is that you want to ensure that your chocolate pecan pie is being made by people who know what they are doing. That means they should have a long history in pies and, especially, in pecans. For example, the Tanners Pecans & Candies has been selling pecans since 1940.

High Quality Pecans Only

Part of the excellent flavor in a chocolate pecan pie comes from the nuts. If they don’t taste good, the rest of the pie isn’t going to taste good. That’s just common sense.

To ensure good taste, you want to purchase only a chocolate pecan pie that is made with the highest quality nuts available. It’s also a good idea to look for companies which know a little bit about the nuts they purchase. One of the best examples is the Tanners Pecans & Candies which only uses top grade pecans in all of their products, including their chocolate pecan pie.

Additionally, the company only purchases pecans grown in the South where the company is based and where chocolate pecan pie got its start.

Home Grown Goodness

Chocolate pecan pie was never meant to be mass manufactured. It’s a southern comfort food and that means it should be created for you by people who know what that means. Most of the local bakeries that do manufacture these pies don’t. They use cheap products and end up with a cheap tasting pie that lacks the goodness and charm of the real thing.

Tanners Pecans & Candies is based in Alabama. It’s a small, family run business where people understand the importance of using the best ingredients to produce the best in southern comfort foods. Of course, that might mean you have to wait a little longer but the waiting will be well worth the tasty reward.

Buying Your Chocolate Pecan Pie

When you decide you want a chocolate pecan pie, you don’t want to buy one from your supermarket. Instead, buy one from a company like Tanner’s which understands not only pecans but also the magic of southern food at its finest. And if you’ve never tasted this treat before there’s no time like the present to realize why they are some of the finest pies in the world.

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The Health Benefit of Pecans By Danny Fox

All nuts have their own health benefits. So do pecans. The pecan nut is not only rich and tasty but the package of health benefits offered by these nuts is pretty good too. It is recommended that you eat pecan nuts to make sure that your diet is in line with the recommendations made by various departments for healthy eating. The great part about pecans is that they are easily available and you don’t have to search high and low for them.

Lowering Blood Pressure

No nuts can help cure blood pressure. However, most nuts including pecans form an integral component of the ‘Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension’ eating plan that has been developed by the National Institutes of Health. It can lower your blood pressure and it will definitely suffuse your dietary plan with the nutrients that are essential requirements for controlling hypertension. What’s more you really don’t have to make any effort to eat pecans as they are delicious.

Breast Cancer Prevention

Before we tell you about why pecans help in breast cancer prevention we must tell you that this area of study is in its early stages but it cannot be denied that the pecan nut has essential elements that will help in preventing breast cancer. Pecans are a rich source of oleic acids and laboratory tests that have been conducted suggest that the oleic acid can suppress the activities of those gene cells that might trigger incidences of breast cancer.

A Healthy Heart

It is no secret that a bad heart is a result of excessive amounts of cholesterol in the world. Pecans sort this problem out for you as they contain a compound that has the ability to lower cholesterol levels and beta-sitosterol. The pecan nut can be included in your daily health diet and it would contribute heavily to the lowering of your cholesterol levels, hence if you need a healthy heart, eat pecans.

Treating Your Prostate

Researchers at Purdue University have come up with a great pecan health advantage. The pecan nut has gamma-tocopherol, which is a type of Vitamin E and it is this vitamin that helps kill the cancerous prostate cells and does not affect the health cells. However, the laboratory studies are continuing and the laboratory result would now be confirmed only after test of this Vitamin E element on animals. However, it is proven that the natural compounds found in pecans that lower cholesterol levels also treat symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia which is a condition in which the prostate gland in men becomes enlarged. This is a non-cancerous condition.

At the end of the day, many dieticians and health practitioners advise people to at pecans as they are a great substitute for meat products. They have high levels of proteins and also contain fats that are cholesterol free. It is generally considered that one ounce of meat is equal to 10 pecan halves. So, the next time that you think you want to eat meat; and you have health problems, try to go for a mouthful of pecans.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=291621&ca=Food

Legendary Whiskey Cocktails By Sarah Martin

Sazerac

To make a Sazerac you will need two bottom heavy, 3 ½ ounce bar glasses. Fill one with cracked ice and water and allow it to chill. In the other glass place a lump of sugar along with just enough water to dampen it. The saturated lump of sugar can then be flattened and crushed with a spoon. Add a couple of drops of bitters, a dash of Angostura, a hearty shot of whiskey, for while bourbon may suffice for a julep it is not appropriate for a genuine Sazerac. In the glass containing sugar, bitters, and whiskey add quite a few lumps of ice and stir. A shaker is not necessary to make this drink.

Next empty the first glass of ice, add in several drops of absinthe, swirl the glass around a few times, and shake out the absinthe. The perfect amount will cling to the glass to give the cocktail the necessary zest. Strain into this glass the whiskey concoction, twist a rind of lemon peel over it for some extra flavor, but do not drop the rind into the drink-the lemon peel will overpower the cocktail otherwise. Some bartenders add a cherry, which makes for a nice garnish but is not absolutely necessary.

Kentucky Whiskey Cocktail

The ingredients needed for this libation are the following: 1 generous shot of bourbon whiskey, 1 shot of unsweetened pineapple juice, and 1 lump of sugar.

Begin by dissolving the sugar in the pineapple juice. Add in the bourbon, then followed by some ice cubes. Stir, then strain into a serving glass.

This cocktail can be made with whiskey, but then it would not be a true Kentucky Whiskey Cocktail, although the name might suggest something different. Some make this cocktail with orange juice instead of pineapple while some use sweetened pineapple juice. In the case of sweetened pineapple juice, the lump of sugar may not be needed.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

1 lump of sugar
2 dashes of bitters
1 large shot of whiskey
1 lemon peel
1 chunk of pineapple
1 orange peel
1 maraschino cherry

Add the sugar lump and bitters into a bottom heavy glass and muddle. Pour in the shot of whiskey and stir with several ice cubes. Do not use a shaker-allow the mixture to remain in the glass it was first mixed in. Garnish with the orange peel, chunk of pineapple, and the cherry with a dash of the maraschino juice. Twist the slice of lemon peel over everything and serve with a spoon.

Although this cocktail is indeed old fashioned it is as appealing to good taste now as it was on Derby Day a half century ago when the originator first stirred it into being at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Old Fashioned has been a New Orleans tradition for countless years and when other whiskey drinks with fancy names have come and gone, the Old Fashioned will continue to entertain experienced palates. Do not try and use gin, rum, or brandy to take the place of whiskey in an Old Fashioned. An authentic Old Fashioned demands whiskey and a sturdy bar coaster.

Blue Blazer

1 lump of sugar
1 large shot of Scotch whiskey
1 shot of hot water

Have two mugs on hand and in one, dissolve the lump of sugar in the hot water. Next add the whiskey; be sure it's a quality brand with a high alcohol percentage, for it has to burn. Then carefully ignite the mixture. Hold the burning mug in one hand, then empty the fluid rapidly from one container to the other so that a streak of blue flame connects the two. Serve in a glass that is appropriate for hot liquid after twisting a bit of lemon peel over the mixture and topping with a grating of nutmeg. It is recommended to place the hot drink on a stone coaster of some kind to avoid damaging the surface it is resting on.

If you have cold feet, chattering teeth, the shivers, or frozen fingers, and want to warm up, you can thaw out no better than with a Blue Blazer.

This drink was a popular alcoholic drink aboard the lavish paddle-wheeled steamboats that churned the waters of the Mississippi during the time the Natchez and Robert E. Lee made history in upstream races to Saint Louis. The bartenders were expert in transferring the blue-flamed liquid from one mug to another, accomplishing the task with an agility that kept the flames from singeing their beards and moustaches before deftly placing the burning drink down on the patron's drink coaster!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=290807&ca=Food

Use Restaurant Statistics to Your Benefit By Patricia Farnham

There may be quite a few restaurant statistics that surprise you out there. Most of the time you will find restaurants have quite a bit of business. While there are peak times, they still have steady traffic during the day. Therefore finding out that many of them don’t make it to the first anniversary can be disheartening. This is often due to the fact that they didn’t take the time to learn all about the business before they started though.

The average family dines out at least once per week. Therefore you have a good chance of getting a hold of your share of the market. The problem though is that if you can’t consistently deliver quality food, fast and friendly service, and a great price to top it all off they won’t be coming through your doors. People don’t like to pay for food they aren’t happy with. They also expect the entire dining experience to be great for them.

Restaurant statistics indicate that when a customer isn’t happy with any of the above they aren’t likely to be returning any time soon. That is why you must work hard to keep them happy. A one time customer can turn into a weekly customer or at least one that comes in several times each month if they are happy with what they get.

You will also find it interesting that restaurant statistics indicate someone unhappy with their dining experience will tell more people than someone who is. While that seems really unfair to the restaurant it is true. A person often takes for granted that they did have a wonderful dining experience as that is what they expect when they pay for it. Let them have a dinner that is less than that though and they will have a hard time forgetting about it.

As a result of that mentality though you need to be careful how people are leaving your restaurant. If you have the attitude that it is only one customer out of many then you are looking at it the right way. You have no idea how many friends and family they will be able to influence to eat somewhere else because of the incident. Don’t underestimate the power that such negativity has to reduce your overall level of customers and profits.

If you are open minded to the ideas of customers you can continue to make it a great place for them. Restaurant statistics show that when customers feel appreciated and valued it means a great deal to them. They are comfortable and they feel like they are more than just a way for you to make money.

Do all you can to be sure that every single customer that walks into your restaurant walks out with a wonderful impression. If things aren’t going well then it needs to be addressed. Many customers are forgiving if they do get a satisfactory result to their complaint. You at least have a high chance that they will give you another chance if you accept responsibility for the issues.

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Pecan Pralines as Wonderful Gift Ideas By Danny Fox

Most people selfishly think only about savoring the delicious taste of pecan pralines for themselves. It’s easy to see why since they are such a tempting combination of salty pecans and rich sugar, brown sugar, cream, and butter. However, these wonderful pecan pralines don’t just have to be enjoyed by us alone. They also make great gifts for our friends and loved ones. Here are a few ideas.

Christmas Giving

Tasty treats are synonymous with Christmas. After all, Santa Claus doesn’t just come to the house expecting a salad and a glass of diet soda. He wants cookies and milk. Grandmothers and mothers and even fathers spend weeks preparing tantalizing treats for their families for the holidays so it’s obvious that sweets are a big deal during the holidays.

That explains why pecan pralines can be such a good choice for a holiday gift. For a family member, you could purchase an entire tin of the treats and wrap them up under the tree. Another idea is to purchase the individually wrapped pecan pralines available at Tanner’s Pecans & Pralines. You can wrap each of these in individual boxes to pass out at the office, to your child’s teachers, to your neighbors, or to members of your church congregation.

Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Surprise

Most of us associate Valentine’s Day with hearts full of chocolate but you don’t have to be so traditional. If your sweetheart has a fondness for pecan pralines (or if you thin he or she might) buy some as a gift for him or her. If you want a more romantic presentation, you can always place them inside a fancy gift bag with tissue paper and ribbon. Another idea is to purchase your own heart-shaped storage box (you can find these at many stores around this holiday) to hold the pecan pralines. Then the box can become a separate present on its own.

Birthday Wishes

While children are usually fairly easy to purchase birthday gifts for, the older we get the bigger the challenge becomes. We end up buying what we want for ourselves and if we don’t it’s usually because it’s just too darn expensive to expect as a gift.

One solution for gift buyers is candy, such as pecan pralines. They are one of the most beloved confections, especially in the South, and are loved throughout the world. Plus, if you purchase online at a site such as Tanner’s Pecans & Candies you may be able to have your order of pecan pralines shipped directly to the recipient. That makes it even more convenient.

Feeling Generous?

Of course, you don’t have to limit your generosity just to other people. If you’ve been having a hard week or you need to celebrate a personal accomplishment, you can always treat yourself with pecan pralines. They can be a wonderful pick-me-up and a nice reward for a job well done. Just don’t forget to buy some pecan pralines to share with others, too.

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Wine Gift Set Shopping Made Easy By Randy Letter

When searching for the best gifts for any special occasion, wine gift sets are always a great idea. These are always a great idea because they great a classy yet useful impression. There are many different kinds of these gift sets to meet any taste or needs, and you can find a wide variety both at your local winery, wine store, or online. There are tons of great online shops that sell stylish or even whimsical gifts that can be perfect for every occasion.

Wine gift sets can include all sorts of interesting novelty accessories sure to amuse, delight, and impress even the most discerning gift recipient. It is usually in good taste to include a good, solid, bottle of wine to accompany a gift set, because the recipient needs a reason to use those fancy glasses, wine opener gift sets, and dainty wine glass tassels. Wine gift sets can include those types of things, as well as pretty decorations for wine bottles themselves. Putting a dainty beaded number on a wine bottle consumed during a celebratory event is a great way to decorate while commemorating an important time in a person’s life. No matter what comes in the gift set you choose, a bottle of wine is always a tasteful compliment.

Where to find Wine Gift Sets

Stoney Creek Wine Press and Signature Wine are great online shops for your wine gift, and other gift giving needs. They both offer a good selection of interesting wine gift sets, as well as so many other decorative and useful trinkets and accessories. These are the places to shop for people who truly have “everything.” They both offer fantastic customer service, and deliver on it every time. Their customer service teams are dedicated to helping you find the perfect gift.

Shopping online is a very convenient way of finding the right gift for all sorts of occasions, and can be fun, and simple. It’s also a very quick way to examine a number of different items in a few minutes that would take hours upon hours visiting shops. Ordering online at proven shops can also guarantee that your special gift will arrive to your loved one on time. Even if you can’t make a special event yourself, you can reset assured that your hand-picked gift will arrive safe and sound.

These sites offer all kinds of way to show your heartfelt messages, including all sorts of high quality products. If you want to just keep it simple, and stick to wine gift sets, then they have many of these to offer. You’ll be able to find the best sets that perfectly match the personality of your gift recipient. They can also be themed towards events such a weddings or graduation.

Sometimes, however, you might be more impressed by another gift such as key chains, desk accessories, jewelry, or lighters. These great sites have these things available as well to meet your every gift-giving need. With such convenient and such a wide array of great choices, you won’t have to spend much time finding the perfect gift for every occasion, whether you’re giving a wine gift set, or something else.

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How To Spot Products That Contain Gluten By Sean_Ambrose

Cutting foods that contain gluten out of your diet sounds simple enough; you just check the ingredients list of everything you buy and don’t eat anything that says gluten, right? Unfortunately not, as anyone who has ever read a list of ingredients looking for that elusive word can tell you.

Gluten comes in many forms, and there are almost endless ways it can be described on an ingredients list. Sometimes the only real way to know if a product contains gluten is to look for the ‘gluten-free’ sign, or call up the manufacturer. To help you out, here are a few of the ways gluten can be described on a list of ingredients.

Wheat is the most common form of gluten

Looking out for foods that contain wheat is a good way to start eliminating gluten from your diet as this is the primary source. There are many words that mean wheat, and these include durum, bulgur, dinkel, kamut and spelt, although there are many more. Common wheat containing substances that you might find on a list of ingredients include semolina and couscous.

There are some substances that may or may not be derived from wheat, and sadly many manufacturers do not specify whether this is the case on their packaging. If you see substances such as starch, bran, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or dextrimaltose in a food product, avoid it unless you know for sure these are derived from a gluten-free source.

The word flour can mean many things

When you see the word flour on its own in a list of ingredients, it probably means wheat flour, or literally ‘ground wheat’ as this is the most common type of flour. If a different type of flour is used, this will usually be stated on the packaging. Safe forms of flour that don’t include gluten are rice flour, potato flour, buckwheat flour, chestnut flour and corn flour.

There are many ways that wheat flour can be described, but don’t be fooled, they all contain gluten. Some descriptions of wheat flour include plain flour, self-raising flour, stoneground flour, wheatgerm flour, malted wheatgrain flour and wholemeal four.

Other gluten containing substances

The two most common gluten containing substances besides wheat are barley and rye, so look out for these when you are checking out ingredients. There are a number of derivatives of barley that you might not realise contain gluten and these include caramel coloring and malt, which can be in the form of a flavoring or vinegar.

As you can see, there are countless words used to describe foods that contain gluten, and derivatives of these substances; we have only touched the surface here. Getting hold of an up to date list of all the terms that may mean gluten, or wheat, and keeping a copy to hand when you go shopping, and another pinned up on your kitchen wall, should help you to avoid foods with hidden gluten.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=288623&ca=Food

How to Choose Good Holiday Gift Baskets By Danny Fox

The key to choosing good holiday gift baskets is gearing your basket towards the recipient and the holiday. Unlike some other gifts, like flowers, holiday gift baskets allow you the opportunity to personalize the gift towards the occasion. Items can be shared versus flowers which can be admired but offer little value otherwise. If you are looking for a way to make someone happy and not sure of what would make the perfect gift, holiday gift baskets are the solution.

Here are some occasions where giving a gift basket is a perfect idea:

Birthdays

A person’s birthday always seems to be the hardest time to locate a great gift. Why settle for one gift when you can purchase a gift basket filled with many different things all suited to the recipient’s personality? For instance, does your friend have a sweet tooth? Then give them one of the Sweet Treat holiday gift baskets. This would hit the spot with everything from fudge to candied pecans.

Christmas

Christmas is the be-all-end-all of gift giving. What better time to give holiday gift baskets than during the ultimate holiday? Instead of opening just one gift, your friend, client or family member can open up one gift with many other gifts inside. With up to 12 different gifts in a reusable wicker basket, the Christmas joy just keeps coming and coming!

Christmas is also a time when you typically give a gift to your best corporate clients. The best way to do this is buy your holiday gift baskets in bulk and then send them out to each of your top clients as a way of saying “thank you” for their business throughout the year.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is also a great time to give holiday gift baskets. With one of the Southern Creations holiday gift baskets, you can give a nice arrangement of side items to go with Thanksgiving dessert or for entertaining before dinner. What dinner isn’t complete without pecan pies, fudge and brownies?

You could even use the wicker basket as a centerpiece or as a decoration on a sideboard, filling it with Thanksgiving themed items such as small pumpkins, acorns, and maybe even pilgrim salt and pepper shakers.

Anniversaries

Not sure what to buy for your parent’s or in-laws anniversary? A gift basket can be just the thing. With sweets for her and nuts for him, a gift basket can offer just the right blend of food items that will make them both happy and show how thoughtful you are. Make sure to pick one that includes both their favorites so they know you were shopping just for them.

Gift baskets are a perfect idea for almost any occasion. They show thoughtfulness and consideration on your part. The recipient gets a gift with many items that they can enjoy over a period of time on their part. Whether you are giving a gift basket for Christmas or just for an everyday gift, it is definitely something that will bring a smile to their face and make you feel great about your gift selection.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=291623&ca=Food

Halloween Recipes

Halloween Foods


Haunted Forest Platter



Ingredients:

3 stalks broccoli
3 medium beets
wood toothpicks
3 hard-boiled eggs
assorted fresh vegetables (such as cherry tomato, pea pods, kohlrabies, radishes, sweet red peppers, sweet
yellow peppers
1 ounce spaghetti, cooked and drained
liquid green food coloring

Directions:

1. To make a haunted forest, first create trees.
2. Cut bottoms from stalks of broccoli to make 6-inch broccoli trees.
3. Slice beets about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to make a base for broccoli trees.
4. Break wood toothpicks in half.
5. Insert three to four toothpick pieces into bottom of each broccoli stalk and then insert into a beet slice.
6. Stand broccoli upright.
7. Cover to keep moist.
8. To make egg ghosts, use a small knife or 1/2-inch aspic cutters to hollow out eyes and mouths to form a face.
9. Cut small pieces of ripe olive to press into hollowed-out areas for eyes or mouth, if desired.
10. Cover to keep moist.
11. Using your imagination, create creepy creatures with tomatoes, sweet peppers, pickles, olives, and radishes.
12. Place broccoli trees on serving platter. Cover surface of platter with shredded carrot.
13. Hide egg ghosts in forest along with creepy creatures.
14. Scatter piles of vegetables such as pea pods, beet slices, kohlrabi slices, olives, pickles, and/or any other
desired vegetables.
15. Add strips of red pepper to the broccoli branches.
16. To make moss, add a few drops of green food coloring to a small amount of water in a medium bowl.
17. Add cooked spaghetti and let stand about 5 minutes.
18. Drain and place over broccoli trees.
19. Keep platter covered until serving time.
20. If necessary, spritz platter with water to keep it moist.

Googly Eyes - R You Looking at Me?



Ingredients:

10 canned lychees
10 maraschino cherries, stems removed (or Drunken Cherries Aka Cherry Bomb)
10 chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Drain lychee`s on a paper towel.
2. Place cherries in with stem side out.
3. Place chips into where the stem would have been.
4. Garnish:.
5. Drizzle some of the cherry juice over the lychee`s to make it look blood shoot.
6. You can pre make these and cover these in vodka or rum for an adult drink drop one of these in each drink or
into a punch!

Halloween Sandwich Treats



Ingredients:

8 slices pumpernickel bread
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olive
4 pimento stuffed olives

Directions:

1. Slice each of the 4 olives in half. Set aside.
2. Spread 1 oz cream cheese on 4 of the slices of pumpernickel.
3. Chop remaining olives and divide evenly, spreading over top of the 4 cream cheese-topped slices.
4. Top 4 sandwiches with remaining slices. Using a knife or large cookie cutter, cut each into a pumpkin shape.
5. Use small dots of cream cheese to attach eyes of reserved sliced olives.
6. VARIATION: Following directions above, make pumpkin-shaped peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Use dots of peanut butter to attach raisins for eyes and mouth.
7. Serve with slices of pumpkin bread cut into spooky shapes with cookie cutters, if desired.

Ghoul-Camole



Ingredients:

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (use more or less according to taste)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Directions:

1. Process all ingredients together until the mixture has a lumpy consistency.

Pizza Mummies



Ingredients:

2 English muffins
1/4 cup pizza sauce
2-4 stuffed green olives or pitted black olives, sliced (need 8 slices)
2-3 pieces mozzarella string cheese

Directions:

1. Toast English muffins.
2. Preheat oven to 350*.
3. Lay 4 muffin halves on baking sheet.
4. Spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each muffin half.
5. Set 2 olive slices in place for eyes on each muffin half.
6. Pull string cheese into pieces and lay on muffins above and under “eyes”, layering them to look like mummy
wrappings.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Eyeball Platter



Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise, plus
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon paprika
12 pimento stuffed olives

Directions:

1.Cut through hard cooked egg in half.
2. Scoop out yolk.
3. Place cooked yolk in a bowl and mash with a fork.
4. Stir in mayonnaise, paprika and salt to taste.
5. Mix thoroughly and fill egg white eye socket with mixture.
6. Smooth yolk mixture.
7. Press olive into yolk mixture so pimento is facing out.

Chinese Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings With Oyster Sauce Serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings (about 15)
Marinade:
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.

Place the chicken in a shallow glass baking dish and brush with part of the marinade. Bake the wings for approximately 1 hour, turning over at least once, and brushing with the marinade 2 or 3 times during cooking. Serve hot or cold as an appetizer.

These chicken wings can also be deep-fried: toss the wings in a flour/cornstarch batter (use as much cornstarch/flour as needed, keeping a 1:1 ratio between the two) so they are well coated, and deep-fry until crispy and well cooked. Drain on paper towels. Baked Hoisin Sauce Chicken Wings Although found in a Vietnamese cookbook, this chicken wings recipe is actually a Chinese dish. Author Diana My-tran states: When I was a secretary, I had a Chinese boss (and best friend) who introduced this wonderful appetizer to me. It was always a great hit at the office lunches.)
Ingredients:
•15 chicken wings
•1 tablespoon honey or syrup
•4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
•3 tablespoons warm water
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•2 garlic cloves, finely minced
•1 scallion (green onion, spring onion), finely minced
•1 slice fresh ginger, minced
Preparation:
Marinate chicken wings for 15 minutes in a mixture of honey, hoisin sauce, water, salt, pepper, garlic, scallion, and ginger.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken wings on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, brushing occasionally with marinade.

Turn oven to broil and broil chicken wings five more minutes. Turn wings every two minutes to avoid burning.

To serve: Transfer chicken wings to a serving platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

High-value Nutrition From A Reasonable Match

Rational arrangement of food can bring more unexpected effects, in this article, let’s

learn together.
Sesame with Seaweed: Being boiled together can play a function of beauty and anti-aging.
Honey with soft-shelled turtle: Turtle soup with honey, sweet and delicious, incomparable

flavor, not only rich in protein, fat, also containing a variety of nutrients, is indeed

a rare nourishing physical agents.
Lamb with Ginger: Lamb can be used for tonifying yang and staying warm, ginger can be

used for driving cold, mutual matching can also drive exogenous evils, and can cure cold

abdominal pain.
Chicken with chestnuts: Chicken can reinforce the spleen and create hematopoiesis,

chestnuts can invigorate the spleen, healthy of spleen and blood is more conducive to the

absorption of the nutrient of chicken? hematopoietic function will increase as well.
Duck with yam: Elder duck can not only supply the body with water , but also can

reolenish vital essence to tonify the kidney, at the same time, it can eliminate heat

and cough. The yam has a good function of reinforce yin, once being mixed with duck meat,

will have a better effect of eliminating greasy and tonifying the lung.
Carp with vinegar: Carp itself has a power of lavation, the edema of the body, as a

matter of fact, are mostly damp-edema. Vinegar has a beneficial function of clearing away

heat evil and promoting dieresis. Once being matched with carp, it will have a stronger

power of promoting dieresis.
Tofu with radish: Tofu belongs to vegetable protein meat, eating too much will cause

indigestion, called "tofu overstock". Radish has a strong digestive function, if it is

mixed with tofu, the nutrients of which will be absorbed more by the body.
Liver with spinach: Both of liver and spinach have the function of enriching the blood,

clitocybine matching, complement each other and common absorption, is curative to the

treatment of anemia.
Medlar with kidney: Medlat plays a very important role in tonifying the kidney improving

eyesight; pork kidney is very helpful to essence replenishment and tonify the kidneycan

be filled. Both are stewed, will is beneficial to those who are renal deficiency and

lumbago.

Helpful Hints For Cooking Venison

If you’ve ever had venison before you probably are very familiar with the distinctly wonderful taste and how many different great ways it can be prepared. If you’ve got any kind of experience in the kitchen, you’ll have no problem picking up on some of the different ways to prepare venison for yourself and your family.

One of the easiest and most widely used techniques of preparing venison is by stove top in a frying pan. This requires the least amount of time and perhaps the most amount of flexibility because you can add just about anything you want to the pan to spice it up or fill it out a little. My personal favorite is to cook the venison, which has been cut into small strips or chunks, in the pan with a little cream of mushroom soup and fresh mushrooms over low heat until the venison is just past being pink in the middle.

There are other ways to prepare venison which include slow cooking, grilling, baking, and more. Each of these cooking techniques will provide their own unique and wonderful taste. Slow cooking is another easy way to prepare venison because of the time saving factor that it provides you. You can prepare the venison with vegetables or anything you like and slow cook it throughout the day so it is ready when you get home. Grilling venison, or any meat for that matter, is also a mouth watering, flavor savoring cooking technique especially if you marinate or add a little extra flavor before you grill it. One thing to keep in mind is that you want to grill the meat of low heat so it does not get overcooked or dry out. Baking is probably one of the healthiest ways to prepare venison and can be just a tasteful as pan frying, slow cooking or grilling. Again, you can prepare the venison with vegetables or other side items and grill until done.

If you’ve had the opportunity of eating venison, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll love to have it more than once. Hopefully having these few venison cooking tips will give you some ideas for your next meal.

Cream Cheese Cooking Tips

To get the best from your cooking using cream cheese, here are a few tips that will see you using cream cheese in your recipes a whole lot easier. The following tips

How to Soften Cream Cheese:

Place a completely unwrapped package of block cream cheese, either regular or light cream cheese, in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or just until softened. Add 15 seconds for each additional block of cream cheese. Alternately, leave your cream cheese, wrapped, out at room temperature for about an hour before using.

How to Safely Store Cream Cheese-Frosted Cakes:

Cakes filled and/or frosted with cream cheese icing should be stored in the refrigerator. But you knew that already ;) Freezing is not recommended.

How to store a block of Cream Cheese:

Cream cheese in a block can easily go to waste if not stored correctly. It is easy to store your block cream cheese by simply keeping it in your refrigerator. For blocks that have been opened, rewrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freezing is not recommended.

Lower Fat Options:

To make your cheesecake that little bit lower in fat, replace your regular cream cheese with a block of light cream cheese, try margarine suitable for cooking instead of butter, swap full fat biscuits for low fat ones, and serve decorated with fresh fruit. Delicious on the lips AND lighter on the hips!

To get the same great cheesecake result using a lower fat option remember these tips:

For a non bake or chilled cheesecake add an extra 1 teaspoon of gelatine dissolved in an extra 1 tablespoon of water to the recipe.

For a baked cheesecake add an extra 1 teaspoon of flour, cornflour or custard powder to the recipe.

Cream Cheese Sauces:

When there’s cream cheese in the fridge, making an ordinary meal extraordinary with a delicious creamy sauce is easy. Make pasta, chicken, fish – whatever’s on the menu – even yummier in a flash (or, more likely, a saucepan).

• Creamy Pasta Sauce
Who said creamy sauces have to be taboo? Heat equal amounts of a spreadable light cream cheese and milk, stirring until melted and smooth. If you like, add some Parmesan cheese and/or dried (or fresh) herbs such as basil or oregano. Delicious!

• Creamy Cucumber Sauce for Salmon
Heat 3/4 cup skim milk with 1/2 cup spreadable light cream cheese (plain or Garlic & Herb, your call), stirring until melted and smooth. Add about 1/2 cup diced cucumber and 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill. Divine…

There's hardly a thing in your pantry or fridge that can't be transformed with simple cream cheese recipes, so why not experiment?

How to Obtain a Liquor License in a Stress Free Way By Erik Willis

Some business owners go into the application process assuming that they know how to obtain a liquor license. However, once the process begins, they quickly realize there is actually a lot more to it than meets the eye. There are city permits that need approval plus providing the state with detailed personal and financial information before one can get the permit needed to sell alcohol. A lot of time and effort is required to complete the application correctly. For someone who does not understand the process, it can literally many extra months to complete the process.

So knowing how to obtain a liquor license –involves much more than just filling out all of the necessary paperwork. The information required by the state is incredibly extensive and one mistake could cause significant delays. Many applicants never even finish the process due to the amount of work involved. This process is incredibly frustrating to business owners who just want to get the permit they need so they can start generating revenue.

All things considered, the best source to ask about how to obtain a liquor license, is an experienced liquor license consultant. If A business owner just doesn’t have the time to deal with all of the details involved in getting a license application filed, then hiring the right consultant can be a life saver.

With the right consultant helping out, a business owner is able to relax and wait for the permit to come in, instead of worrying about every detail of the application. The key is choosing company knowledgeable in the process and who has a great reputation for customer service and reliability.

The right consultant knows how to obtain a liquor license and fill out the necessary city and state paperwork. In addition, a good agent knows where to get a liquor license at a fair market price

And while price is always a major consideration, another important point to consider is the quality of customer service. This can generally be determined by doing a background check with the Better Business Bureau.

If you need help in getting a license to sell alcohol, give us a call. Amlex can help you with any aspect of getting a liquor license for your business.

We have an extensive database of available licenses and we’ve been helping our clients get licensed since 1984. We offer excellent customer service and highly competitive prices anywhere in the county.

Those who attempt the process on their own often times make costly mistakes. When an application is not accepted the first time, a business is out both time and money. The application process is incredibly confusing, so business owners should take advantage of our twenty-four years of experience instead of attempting to complete the application on their own.

There are also other companies out there that offer a service similar to ours. However, a less experienced company cannot be trusted when it comes to this delicate process. With us, you can have the confidence in knowing that the process will be done correctly, the first time. We do not make the mistakes that other companies make because we know every facet of the industry. Your business will receive the correct license at the best available price. We have worked out the kinks in this process over the past 24 years we feel along with many others that our system is the best.

For more information visit us online at http://www.amlex.com or call us toll free at 1-800-711-2114 ext. 350.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=291254&ca=Food

Under Counter Ice Machines and Their Uses By Maxx Johnson

Today's hottest appliances have broken out of the box and are redefining the way Americans outfit their kitchens and homes. Imagine a never-ending supply of restaurant-quality ice. The under counter ice machine unobtrusively adds accessibility and convenience to your kitchen. The way an under counter ice maker will work is that it creates its gourmet-like ice cubes by water being continually circulated by a pump that gently sprays water into inverted ice cube molds. Only the water is frozen, with the minerals and impurities flushed down the drain. With innovative technology, under counter ice machines create odorless, tasteless, crystal-clear cubes.

When purchasing an under counter ice machine, look for these specifications to guarantee you are getting the most for your dollar.

Energy and Water Efficiency

Use of a significantly less amount of water and energy than other cube ice machines.

Simple Maintenance

Look for a product with clear access to all internal components with easy-to-remove door and top panels that will take the hassle out of cleaning.

Sleek, Compact Design

Space-saving, durable designs are out there so don't settle for bulky and unattractive units. Their sleek designs are a must have for the host-with-the-most.

Overall Efficiency

Depending on your needs you will want an ice maker that produces the sufficient amount of ice within a certain period of time. Dual drainage systems are also recommended to allow you to use the unit with a drain or without. Automatic ice production and automatic shut-off can also take away the concern of having enough ice or too much ice. Under counter ice machines featuring automatic overfill prevention will also guarantee it's overall performance.

These units can are made with restaurant quality making commercial use a possibility. An increased daily production of ice would be needed for the unit you are in the market for as well as convenient easy access bin doors that slide up and under the ice machine top cover.

Under counter ice machines are perfect for commercial purposes. They are ideal for mixed drinks, carbonate beverages, ice dispensing, ice displays, ice retailing, banquets service and more. They produce ice much faster than normal refrigerators and are best for those in the food and beverage serving industry. If an under counter ice machine is used for commercial and beverage serving purposes make sure the unit you choose is endorsed by UL and NSF standards. These standards offer electrical safety testing and certification for food-service equipment to ensure a healthy environment to consumers.

With under counter ice machines, prepare to enjoy the true taste of every beverage with ice that adds nothing to your drink of choice but a cold, crisp, taste. Under counter ice machines offer convenience for homeowners and commercial businesses alike. With this appliance you can expect a plentiful supply of ice at all times, even when entertaining large groups of friends and during extended family gatherings. Not to mention it is a perfect addition to any business in need of great tasting, cold, gourmet-like ice.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=330341&ca=Food

Under Counter Ice Machines and Their Uses By Maxx Johnson

Today's hottest appliances have broken out of the box and are redefining the way Americans outfit their kitchens and homes. Imagine a never-ending supply of restaurant-quality ice. The under counter ice machine unobtrusively adds accessibility and convenience to your kitchen. The way an under counter ice maker will work is that it creates its gourmet-like ice cubes by water being continually circulated by a pump that gently sprays water into inverted ice cube molds. Only the water is frozen, with the minerals and impurities flushed down the drain. With innovative technology, under counter ice machines create odorless, tasteless, crystal-clear cubes.

When purchasing an under counter ice machine, look for these specifications to guarantee you are getting the most for your dollar.

Energy and Water Efficiency

Use of a significantly less amount of water and energy than other cube ice machines.

Simple Maintenance

Look for a product with clear access to all internal components with easy-to-remove door and top panels that will take the hassle out of cleaning.

Sleek, Compact Design

Space-saving, durable designs are out there so don't settle for bulky and unattractive units. Their sleek designs are a must have for the host-with-the-most.

Overall Efficiency

Depending on your needs you will want an ice maker that produces the sufficient amount of ice within a certain period of time. Dual drainage systems are also recommended to allow you to use the unit with a drain or without. Automatic ice production and automatic shut-off can also take away the concern of having enough ice or too much ice. Under counter ice machines featuring automatic overfill prevention will also guarantee it's overall performance.

These units can are made with restaurant quality making commercial use a possibility. An increased daily production of ice would be needed for the unit you are in the market for as well as convenient easy access bin doors that slide up and under the ice machine top cover.

Under counter ice machines are perfect for commercial purposes. They are ideal for mixed drinks, carbonate beverages, ice dispensing, ice displays, ice retailing, banquets service and more. They produce ice much faster than normal refrigerators and are best for those in the food and beverage serving industry. If an under counter ice machine is used for commercial and beverage serving purposes make sure the unit you choose is endorsed by UL and NSF standards. These standards offer electrical safety testing and certification for food-service equipment to ensure a healthy environment to consumers.

With under counter ice machines, prepare to enjoy the true taste of every beverage with ice that adds nothing to your drink of choice but a cold, crisp, taste. Under counter ice machines offer convenience for homeowners and commercial businesses alike. With this appliance you can expect a plentiful supply of ice at all times, even when entertaining large groups of friends and during extended family gatherings. Not to mention it is a perfect addition to any business in need of great tasting, cold, gourmet-like ice.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=330341&ca=Food