Chicken and Broccoli stir-fry

Stir Fry is quick and easy once you have prepared all the ingredients. This is a good recipe to get started but once you learn the technique, you can make a hundred different types of stir fry with your favorite ingredients. Check out my Cooking Primer for some pointers on basic Stir Fry.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY
Serves 4
Cooking Technique = Stir Fry


INGREDIENTS

Marinade Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup chicken stock
* 1/4 cup dry sherry or rice wine
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
* 3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
*

Aromatics:

* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Other Ingredients:

* 3 tablespoons of oil
* 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
* 1 red pepper, julienne
* 1 large onion, cut into chunks
* 1/4 cup halved cashew nuts


PREP WORK

Start the prep for this recipe combining the marinade ingredients, cutting the chicken breasts into strips and letting that marinate for a while.

Next, cut up your broccoli and onion and julienne the red pepper.

HOW TO MAKE AT HOME

1. Preheat wok or frying pan over high heat.
2. Add 2 tablespoons oil and add chicken, reserving marinade. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Cook in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside.
3. Add remaining tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the aromatics for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables and stir-fry 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the reserved marinade and reserved chicken and cook until sauce thickens, stirring frequently.
6. Toss with cashews and serve over white rice.



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This dish is so good. You should try it at home. Very easy to cook and very delicious.

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How to Stir Fry in Your Own Kitchen

Every week or so I get a craving for Chinese food. There’s something about those crunchy vegetables, tender meats, and incredible flavors that forces me to dig out a menu buried in a kitchen drawer and order from a local restaurant.

The Chinese have a way of manipulating food that I wanted to learn about so I dug out the wok that I inherited when I got married and started reading up and experimenting. What I learned about the ancient technique of Stir-Fry is you have to be prepared before you start. Often I talk about prepping ingredients before you start cooking, but this is a must when doing stir-fry. In fact prepping the ingredients will take longer than the actual cooking. Once you get your pan hot…..you can’t stop.

Stir-frying will also give you some practice with your cutting skills since each ingredient will be bite size (Have you ever seen a knife in a Chinese restaurant?) and have different cuts. Once prepped, I like to put the ingredients in individual bowls separated by cooking times. The technique is to quickly fry the ingredients in a large pan over high heat while constantly stirring to preserve flavor, color and texture of the food and keep the vegetables crisp. Easy enough.

Typically one uses a wok; a large deep bowl made of thin metal with gentle curved sides. The heat concentrates at the bottom of the pan and the curved sides allow you to push the ingredients to cooler areas. You can use a typical frying pan, but it won’t cook as fast thus keeping your vegetables as crisp as you would want. Other than a few specialty ingredients, you can use whatever you have on hand to make a stir-fry. It’s a great way to clean out the vegetable drawer. Because you’ll be cooking at very high heat, you want to use a high smoking point oil like peanut, safflower, corn, or canola. Some of the specialty ingredients that you should be able to find at your local supermarket are soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce. Short or medium grained rice is best for accompanying your stir-fry.

You start by prepping the meat or chicken. Cut the meat into thin bite-size slices and marinate to protect it from overcooking. The marinade can be made with a variety of liquids depending on the flavor you are trying to obtain. Typical marinade ingredients include chicken or beef stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, corn starch, brown sugar, rice wine or dry sherry. Marinate for a least one hour, longer is better.

Prepare an aromatic mixture consisting of finely chopped herbs and spices that will add flavor and aroma to the stir-fry. Typical aromatics include garlic, scallions, red pepper flakes, shallots, and chili peppers to name a few. Next prepare your vegetables by cutting them into small pieces and separating according to their cooking times. Slower cooking vegetables like asparagus and green beans will be added before faster cooking vegetables like pea pods and tomatoes. Now you’re ready to stir-fry.


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Stir frying is well-known is Chinese cuisine and most of us love Chinese food. You can do it also in your kitchen. It's not that hard I know beginners can do it. A secret also in stir frying is a good wok, it cooks your food very well.

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How to Make a Great Stew Recipe

All About Stews

Nothing hits the spot on a cold, snowy day than a rich and steaming bowl of stew. But what is, stew, exactly? Stew is not only the name of a dish, but it is also a cooking method. Stew, the dish, is loosely defined as meat or fish and vegetables cooked by stewing. Stew, the cooking method, is a moist heat cooking process by which meat and vegetables are slowly simmered in a flavorful liquid.

Stews v. Braises

I don’t know about you, but that pretty much sounds like braising. And it’s true; there is really very little difference between braising and stewing. In a stew, the meat is generally cut into chunks while meat is often left whole in a braise. In a stew, the liquid usually covers the meat, and in a braise, the liquid might only come halfway up the sides of the meat. Those are differences of degree, though. For my money, these two cooking methods - and the dishes created using them - are almost identical.

A little Stew History

Cooking by boiling has occurred for literally tens of thousands of years. This technique has been refined over the years, of course, and references to more modern stews can be found throughout recorded history, from the lentil stew in the Biblical story of Cain and Abel to Hungarian Goulash with paprika in the 1700’s to Byron’s reference to Irish Stew in 1814.

Stews exist all over the world, although they might not be called “stew.” Other names you might have heard include Kentucky’s burgoo, French Cassoulet, Ratatouille, Beef Bourguignon and Bouillabaisse, India’s infinite number of curries, Louisiana’s gumbo, Hungary’s famed goulash, and Mexican/Tex-Mex Chili con Carne. Furthermore, people all over the world stew every day without a recipe and without calling it a specific name.

What to Stew

The best cuts of meat for stewing are the toughest cuts - the ones found nearest the “hoof and the horn.” Prime stewing candidates include shank, brisket, chuck, oxtail and round. Don’t limit your stews to beef, though. Irish stew shines because of lamb or mutton, and carnitas is a fantastic crispy pork stew. And don’t forget the chicken. After all, dark meat chicken is the star of Coq au Vin.

The best fish to stew are thick, meaty steaks. Since all seafood is relatively lean, you certainly don’t want to cook a fish stew for as long as you would a beef or pork stew. Consider cod, halibut, snapper, grouper, shark and sea bass as appropriate candidates for stew. Stewing time may be as short as ten minutes, so be prepared, and make sure you read your recipe carefully.

You can also stew vegetables. French Ratatouille is just stewed vegetables, and good individual candidates for stewing include eggplant, tomatoes, celery, celery root, leeks, cabbage, fennel and almost any tough greens, such as collard greens, chard, kale or mustard greens.

How to Stew

The general method of preparing a stew is:

1. Dredge chunks of meat in seasoned flour (this will help thicken the stew later)

2. Sear meat on all sides in a little oil in a Dutch Oven (or whatever pan you’ll be stewing in) until deep brown. Set the meat aside.

3. In the same pan, cook chopped mire poix (onions, carrots and celery) or trinity (onions, celery and green pepper) until golden brown. Add any dried herbs and spices at this point.

4. Deglaze with liquid - stock, water, wine, beer - whatever the recipe, or your taste, calls for.

5. Add the meat back to the pan. Pour in enough liquid to just cover the meat, and bring it to a simmer.

6. Cover tightly, and finish stewing in the oven at a low temperature - around 300 degrees, F, is a good target. This could take anywhere from just 10 minutes for some vegetables and fish to upwards of two hours for tougher cuts of beef or mutton. Again, check your recipe.

7. Remove the pot from the oven, and skim off any unwanted fat. If the liquid is thinner than you want it to be, you may thicken it with some cornstarch dissolved in cold liquid or some buerre mani - this is just a fancy French term for equal parts of butter and flour kneaded together to make a dough. Whichever method you use, make sure you bring the cooking liquid up to a boil so the starch can thicken the cooking liquid.

Important:

The vegetables in a long-cooking stew are pretty much useless at the end of the process. You can either discard them and add “new” vegetables during the last 30 minutes or so of the stewing process, or you can leave some of the spent vegetables in the stew, and use your stick blender to blend them into the sauce to help thicken it.

You can stew in a Dutch Oven or in a crock pot. Don’t knock the crock pot - these long, slow, moist cooking methods were what they were made for, and they are very good at it.

beef stew recipe

You will note that I said you want to brown your meat and your vegetables in the same pot you’ll be stewing in. When using a crock pot, this isn’t an option. In this case, do all of the browing in a sauté pan, deglaze with the liquid specified in the recipe, making sure to scrape up all the fond (browned bits). This is where all the flavor is. Now, you can pour the vegetables and the deglazing liquid into the crock pot.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you will be fine, but make sure that your Dutch oven is completely oven-safe. If it has plastic or other composite handles, err on the side of caution and stew on the stovetop on a very low setting, but it is worth your time to seek out a sturdy, all metal Dutch oven which is suitable for use in the oven.

One of the best ways to develop deep and wonderful flavors in a stew is to sear the meat and the vegetables before stewing. Since a stew is a moist heat cooking method and never rises above the boiling temperature of water, the meat will never get hot enough to brown. The boiling point of water is 212 degrees, F, at sea level, and the browning reactions don’t start at temperatures below 330 degrees, F, so it’s essential to use a dry heat cooking method to encourage the browning that will result in a deeply flavorful and satisfying dish.

There are some “blond” stews - fricassee, for one - that do not call for browning. If you want to remain faithful to the recipe, don’t brown the meat or the vegetables for these types of dishes. Just know that the final product will have a more delicate and less complex flavor than stews that start with browning the meat and vegetables.


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Stew is a delicious dish. I hope this topic will help you to make a delicious stew.

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Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

Here's the ultimate in quick and easy recipes for beginner cooks and anyone in a hurry: tuna noodle casserole.

Are you a college student,newlywed, or just someone who needs some easy cooking tips and kitchen basics? Here's a quick and easy recipe for tuna casserole made from grocery list basics from your pantry, freezer, and fridge.


EASY TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE RECIPE

* 1 box of macaroni and cheese mix (about 5.5 ounces)
* 4 Tablespoons of butter or margarine
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 can (about 6 ounces) tuna, drained
* 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
* 1 small bag mixed vegetables (about 10 ounces), thawed in refrigerator and drained
* 1 single serving bag potato chips, plain or barbecue
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* a few shakes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare macaroni and cheese mix according to package directions, which includes the butter and milk. Add the drained tuna, cream of mushroom soup, drained vegetables, and spices, and mix well. Pour mixture into a 9 X 9 square baking pan or similarly sized casserole dish. With your hands, squeeze the bag of potato chips until the chips are completely crushed. Open the bag and sprinkle chips onto the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Some tips. You can use whatever frozen veggies you like. Try spinach or peas. Leave the bag overnight in the refrigerator to thaw. if you don't have a thawed bag, put the frozen vegetables on a microwave safe plate and thaw them-- or just use a can of peas or spinach instead. You can make this recipe a little fancier by substituting French fried onions for the potato chips.


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That's very easy and healthy as well. Those ingredients are easy to find and no hassles in doing it.

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Cooking tips for Beginners

Cooking for some is a day to day activity while for some it is passion. As food for some is basically satisfying huger for some it is satiating the appetite. Some take up cooking when they are young as most women handle the kitchen in India. While some learn to cook at a later stage.

Cooking gets interesting when one loves to smell the good fragrance of food and love to chew tasty food. While some like oily food, other have an inclination towards fried, baked, vegetables etc. For an amateur, it is the passion one has towards learning to cook.

Cooking tips for beginners start with learning basic ingredients that are a must for most of the recipes. Knowing names and the importance of the ingredients. How they add fragrance, taste or style to the food?

This study can get quite comprehensive depending on the intensity of the learning curve. It could be simple as you are a beginner and are out to learn basic dishes or it could be complex if you want to have in-depth understanding and take it up as a profession.

For beginners taking up cooking classes is better as they will see and get hands on approach of cooking. As reading a recipe from a magazine or a book will not be easily comprehended. In cooking classes you are shown the ingredients, the quantity of the ingredients, the style of cutting the vegetables and the method.

So that you can register what you see, you are even allowed to take notes.

Practice is what will get you there. So get back home and try to reciprocate the recipe. If you are not able to bring in the same taste and consistency then get back with questions for your teacher. You will know your shortcomings and where you flawed.

Keep practicing, if you achieve the right effect in taste, flavour and smell. Dish out recipes to your family who will always appreciate a hand in the kitchen and if the outcome is tasty then you will be given a sure go ahead to create more.

Basic recipes should be shouldered responsibly before you get on to complex recipes. If you get a pat on your back for a basic recipe do not rush in to create something complex you have not tried before. Patience is a virtue and you will get to the complex recipes slowly.

The best way to climb up the ladder is to increase the number of ingredients you are cooking slowly. That means you do not cook a 4 ingredient dish now and a 15 ingredient dish tomorrow.

Graduate from one series of recipes and then take on the next. For instance when you are completely comfortable with pulses like dals etc. take on the next task of cereals, vegetables etc. You will get the hang of each of them and once you are comfortable with cooking and the ingredients, you can go out and experiment.



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Cooking is so much fun! As long as you love what you are doing you'll excel on it, like cooking. Just continue practicing and learning.

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General Shelf Lives For Common Items

Flour unopened: up to 12 months. Opened: 6-8 months.

Sugar unopened: 2 years. Sugars do not spoil but eventually
may change flavor.

Brown sugar unopened: 4 months.

Confectioners sugar unopened: 18 months.

Solid shortening unopened: 8 months. Opened: 3 months.

Cocoa unopened: indefinitely. opened: 1 year.

Whole spices: 2-4 years. Whether or not opened.

Ground spices: 2-3 years. Whether or not opened.
Paprika, red pepper and chili powder: 2 years

Baking soda unopened: 18 months. Opened: 6 months.

Baking powder unopened: 6 months. Opened: 3 months.

Cornstarch: 18 months. Whether or not opened.

Dry pasta made without eggs unopened: 2 years.
Opened: 1 year.

Dry egg noodles unopened: 2 years.
Opened: 1-2 months.

Salad dressing unopened: 10-12 months.
Opened: 3 months if refrigerated.

Honey: 1 year. Whether or not opened.
Ground, canned coffee unopened: 2 years.
Opened: 2 weeks, if refrigerated.

Jams, jellies and preserves unopened: 1 year.
Opened: 6 months if refrigerated.

Peanut butter unopened: 6-9 months.
Opened: 2-3 months.


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Now you know how long does your ingredients lives in your shelves for unused and opened.
They definitely live long, so make sure you monitor when it will expire.

Source of Cooking Techniques and Tricks for Beginners

Low Fat Cooking

* Get into the habit of measuring the oil you use while you cook,
rather than just pouring it out of the bottle. It will be much
easier to moderate the amount you use.

* Use non-stick cookware so that you don't have to use as much,
if any, fat. When sauteing, use a small amount of chicken broth
or wine instead of butter or oil.

* To make fat-free broth, chill your meat or chicken broth. The
fat will rise to the top, and you can remove it before using
the broth.

* Many vegetables and fruits, including potatoes and apples,
retain many of their nutrients in their skin. So when possible,
leave the skin on your fruits and vegetables and cook them whole.

* Romaine lettuce is loaded with vitamins compared to iceberg.
It has three times as much Vitamin C and six times as much
Vitamin A.

* Vitamin C is destroyed quickly in cooking - so cook your
vegetables with Vitamin C in the smallest amount of water
possible and for a short amount of time.

* Stock up on spices. One of the keys to cooking low-fat and not
getting bored is to spice your food well. When you have finished
your recipe, always taste it and adjust the spices to meet your taste.

* Purchase the best (i.e. heaviest) set of non-stick cookware you
can afford.

* When cooking a dish with both vegetables and meat (i.e. in stir frys
and stews), reduce the amount of meat by 1/3 and increase the amount
of vegetables by 1/3. You will hardly notice!

* Thicken gravies with milk or broth blended in the blender with
flour. Be sure to cook long enough to remove the raw flour taste.
You'll never notice the lack of fat.

* Use olive oil for cooking when appropriate. It adds to the taste
of the dish and is better for you.


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Now you can cook low fat foods for those who are on a diet. Low fat foods are also delicious. You just have to learn how to cook low fat foods.

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Herbs and Spices

Storage Tips:

Store spices in a cool, dark place. Humidity, light and heat will cause
herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly. Although the most
convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving
your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer.

As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors
for a year. Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years. Proper storage should
result in longer freshness times.

When possible, grind whole spices in a grinder or mortar & pestle just
prior to using. Toasting whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat
before grinding will bring out even more flavor. Be careful not to burn.

Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs
and spices there is not recommended. To keep larger quantities of spices
fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers.

Usage Tips:
Use a light hand when seasoning with spices and herbs. Your goal is to
compliment your dish without crowding out the flavor of the food.
Remember, it's usually impossible to "un-spice" a dish!

For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before
serving. Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors.

Finely crush dried herbs before adding to your dish after measuring.

Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh. In most cases,
use 1/3 the amount in dried as is called for fresh.

Keep it simple. Unless the recipe specifically calls for it, don't use
more than 3 herbs and spices in any one dish. The exception to this rule
is Indian cooking, which often calls for 10 or more different spices in
one curry dish!

Black pepper, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper are excellent
"after cooking" seasonings. Allow guests to season dishes with these
spices at the table.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice have a special affinity for
sweet dishes.

If you're feeling adventuresome, try replacing herbs and spices called
for in recipes with something different! Marjoram instead of oregano,
savory instead of thyme, cilantro instead of parsley,
anise seed instead of fennel, etc.


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Thanks for the herbs and spices! It makes our food more delicious and aromatic. Now you can store herbs and spices in your kitchen without worrying for it to be rotten.

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How Long Do You Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts

By Nate Scot


Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast are the most expensive cuts of the chicken, but are worth it for many people because of the relative ease of prepping, cooking, and eating. Skinless chicken breast are also low in fat and high in protein. Care must be taken when cooking or the meat can become very dry in a short time.

Directions:

1. Make sure that the chicken has been rinsed completely before cooking, unless the chicken is soaking in a marinade. Pounding the chicken breast will make it uniform in thickness and easier to cook.

2. Pre-heat the grill on med-high to high and lay the chicken breast on the grill. A hotter temperature will cook faster and sear in the juice if grilled correctly.

3. Grill for approx. 4-5 minutes checking frequently to insure the chicken is not burning. The chicken is ready to turn when the bottom side has clear sear marks and the top still is pink.

4. Grill the chicken for another 4-5 minutes or until done cooking. Firmly touch the chicken at the thickest point to see if done. If overcooked the chicken will feel hard without any give. If undercooked it will feel a little squishy. If cooked right it should have a little spring back.

5. If you are unsure if the chicken is cooked enough you can make a small cut into the thickest part of the chicken. If the center is still translucent then it needs more cook time. The chicken will continue cooking after it is taken off the grill. This is when most people overcook, because they remove the chicken too late from the grill. Once it has cooked completely through it will start drying very fast. Most cooks will remove the chicken just before the center is cooked. Be careful with this in that you do not leave the center raw.

6. Remove from grill and serve. Now is a great time to add your favorite sauce. You can apply the sauce during cooking to make a tasty glaze if you want.

Safe Internal Temperature: 165 degrees

Tips:

* Chicken sticks very easy to a hot clean grill. To minimize sticking, lay the side of the chicken that had skin on the grill first. This will also insure much better sear marks. You can also lightly coat the outside of the chicken with oil or spray oil. Some people even use oil on the grill bars before placing on the chicken.

* Grilling the chicken too long on one side before turning will dry the chicken. Signs of grilling too long on one side are the raw topside turns white and the edges curl up.


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Chicken is easily cook, it takes only 2 minutes each side if you have a thin slice of chicken meat. So, if you are on a hurry and you need to cook something delicious, chicken will be best because it's easily cooked and very healthy. There are lots of easy chicken dishes you can make and your family can enjoy. I already posted Roasted Chicken Tenders with Peppers and Onions recipe, try it and I assure you, you'll love it!

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How to Cook Baked Potatoes - 3 Techniques, 5 Steps

By Ahmad Ranson Platinum Quality Author

Today, the potato is one of the most important of all foods. So it's surprising to think that this vegetable wasn't widely used until the last half of the eighteenth century. The potato is a tuber, which is an enlarged underground stem with buds (or eyes) that become new shoots. Potatoes are classified as either starchy, low-moisture varieties or as waxy, high moisture varieties.

How To Cook Baked Potatoes In A Conventional Oven (Regular Oven)

1. When you are baking potatoes, try to use russets (these are the best kind for baking) or other regularly shaped starchy potatoes.
2. Scrub well and pierce the ends with a fork or skewer so steam can escape.
3. For crisp skins, rub lightly with oil. For more tender skins, leave dry.
4. Place on sheet pans or on sheet pan racks in a preheated 400 degrees F oven and bake until done. This should be about a hour. To test doneness, squeeze gently. Done potatoes will give in to gentle pressure. (using sheet pan racks eliminates the hard spot that forms where the potato is in contact with the sheet pan)
5. Remove from oven.

To hold for service, keep warm and uncovered so the potatoes will not be made soggy by trapped steam. Hold no more than 1 hour, if possible.

It is important to note there was nothing said about wrapping potatoes in foil. Foil wrapped potatoes do not bake, they steam in their own moisture. The texture of a steamed potato is entirely different from a baked potato. So save yourself the trouble, work, and expense of wrapping the potatoes in foil paper and make better baked potatoes.

How To Cook Baked Potatoes In A Microwave

1. Wash the potatoes, and pierce with a knife once or twice all the way through.
2. Place in the microwave on a paper towel or plate. Plates do not stick to the potato.
3. Try to cook about 4 at a time.
4. 4 small potatoes = 7 minutes, 4 large potatoes = 10 to 11 minutes (microwave oven times vary)
5. If only one potato is being put in the microwave, when using a 1200 watt microwave, set the timer to 3:00 for a very small potato, set it to 4:30 for a medium-sized potato, and set it to 6:00 for a large potato. Huge potatoes will require 7 to 8 minutes.

Let the potato stand for five minutes. This will allow the inside of the potato to finish cooking with hot steam that is trapped inside.After waiting, cut open the potato and garnish with your choice of toppings.

Some microwaves have a baked potato button.

How To Cook Baked Potatoes On A Grill

1. Wash and scrub the potatoes well.
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork or skewer so steam can escape.
3. Baste the potatoes with oil or butter.
4. Place the potatoes on a hot grill and sear them on all sides.
5. When the potatoes give in to pressure easily when touched, there ready to eat.

Baking the potato on a grill is probably the fastest way to achieve baked potatoes (next to baking them in or on an open fire. Another way to grill a potato is to par-coook the potatoes first. This method cuts down on the coooking time on the grill.


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I really love potatoes! Whether it's fried, baked or a part/ingredient in a dish. It's very delicious and will definitely satisfy everyone's stomach. Aside from being a healthy and delicious veggie it is also easy to cook. Who doesn't love potatoes? Well, for me it's one of my favorite veggie.

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Tips on Grilling For Delicious Steaks

By Francis Murphy Platinum Quality Author

An excellent meal is naturally a successful combination of flavorful food, wonderful ambiance and great company. More often than not, the preparation of delicious food requires effort and a sense of creativity. In the case of steak grill, there is no question that it takes effort and practice to prepare a perfectly grilled steak. Before the grilling takes place, the steps involved in preparation include choosing the right type of steak, having the right cut to it and also applying appropriate seasoning to marinade it. The following are just some of the many tips on grilling steaks.

Firstly, you should know that steaks come in various cuts. There are some terms you should familiarize yourself with. They include fillet, rib-eye, strip, T-bone or sirloin. The best cut for your steak is a matter of personal preference. However, thickness of the steak matters. Great steaks usually are an inch or thicker.

The next step after purchase is preparation. Preparing the steak for grilling is an important process because this affects the steak's quality and grilling outcome. You are strongly advised to purchase your steak on the day you intend to grill them. This maintains freshness and retains quality. Before you begin your steak grill, make sure that that it is at room temperature.

You will need to preheat the grill for about 20 minutes for a gas grill. As for charcoal grill, it is ready when it is covered in white ash. You will need to sear the steaks and cook for 3 minutes on a side on the highest setting with the lid closed. Then, reduce the heat to medium high and continue cooking until the steak is ready. Some may prefer their steaks to be rare, medium rare, medium or well done. This corresponds to the thickness of the stick as well.

To better understand steak grilling, you can always explore tips on grilling steaks available through various sources.


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There are techniques and tricks in choosing the right cut of meat for steaks and on how to grill it. I have a tip for you, if you're going to have steaks, you should choose the meat with many white part (I don't know what it's called but it's like fats on meat) because it will make you're steak more delicious and more tasty. Happy grilling!

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Need to Know Salmon and Fish Tips

By Tom Connelly Platinum Quality Author


Salmon is very easy to obtain and not difficult to prepare. Fresh salmon is usually available at your local supermarket, but you can also likely find frozen fillets and/or steaks, packages of smoked salmon, or canned salmon. They are all healthy as long as they are from wild salmon and not farmed fish. Canned is usually from wild fish. Smoked salmon has been showing up as farmed, and thankfully it is usually listed on the package as farmed fish, so it's easy to spot. Another way that you can tell them apart is color. The wild caught is a pale pinkish color while the farmed is colored through color added to the feed, so it looks more orange.

Salmon is usually prepared by baking or broiling, and served with vegetables and rice. This is a very healthy choice, especially when you take into account that it is loaded with heart healthy Omega 3 oils. Compare that to steak or pork, which is usually grain fed and full of saturated fat. The typical way that the salmon is cooked is much better than the breaded and deep fried way that other types of fish are usually prepared.

Most of the salmon sold in North America is from Alaska. Pacific salmon varieties are represented by Chinook (King), Coho (Silver), and Sockeye (Red) salmon. Atlantic salmon are obviously from the Atlantic ocean. Most of this type is farm raised rather than wild. I have had supermarket fish mongers insist that Atlantic salmon is wild caught because of the name, and they (should) know better. Now you do. Again, remember that pale pink is most likely wild and bright orange is farm raised due to the feed coloring. There is some recent data that farm raised salmon is not as bad as previously thought, but wild is still better. They are just healthier fish.

When buying fish, make sure that that fish counter area seems clean and that there is not a smell of bad fish. All of the fish should be under a cover if possible but definitely on ice. If the heads are on, the eyes should be clear and not cloudy, and the gills red. There should be no milky fluids on the fish or on the filet meat. The skin should be shiny and the flesh should be firm and not soft or squishy. Let your nose guide you. Learn to distinguish fresh fish smell to a fishy foul odor. Fresh salmon will only last for approximately 48 hours in the refrigerator. If you need to keep it longer, place it in a freezer bag and freeze it. Once frozen, they should ideally be eaten within 3 months.

Salmon can be cooked on the grill, poached, broiled, pan seared, or baked. It is very versatile. If you know how, raw salmon can be smoked and consumed that way. Salmon will cook rapidly in about 10 minutes for each inch of flesh. Baked fillets can cook nicely at 350F in twenty minutes time.

Canned salmon, one of my all time easy favorites, is as easy as opening the can. Some people who are not used to it might find the fact that most canned salmon contains skin and bones to be a bit off putting, but it is all edible. The bones are brittle and you can just mush it up with a fork until it is the consistency of mushed tuna fish. You can even mix it with some mayonnaise and light seasonings like black pepper and onion powder, as many people do. Some people opt for the skinless and boneless canned pink salmon, but I am telling you here that the red salmon which is canned with the skin and bones is much more flavorful as well as containing more of the healthy Omega 3 fish oils EPA and DHA. The taste is richer. Pink salmon is okay, but I consider it too bland. To each their own. One way to enjoy canned red salmon is to get yourself some thin sliced Italian bread or Portuguese bread slices. White bread (or any sliced bread) works, but the type of bread I suggest is worlds above plain old supermarket white bread. I am referring to the bread that is in a round loaf style before it is sliced into thin slices, with the center slices being the largest. Take two pieces of this and toast it. If the slices you choose are too long for the toaster just toast half then flip and dot he other half. Take some soft butter and spread a thin layer across the inside of the toasted bread slices. This forms a barrier to prevent the fish juice from making the toast soft. This is optional if you plan to eat the sandwich immediately (although tasty), but a necessity of you plan on packing the sandwich for lunch. Take the salmon and either mush it into a pliable paste with a fork, or use a bit of mayonnaise. The mayo acts like a "glue" and keeps it all together, and if you like mayo it really enhances the taste. Simply put the salmon paste onto the toasted bread evenly, gently press the other slice on top, slice in half so that it's easier to handle, and you have one of the simplest and tastiest sandwiches you will ever have.

Smoked salmon slices are likewise not only great on bagels and crackers, but you can make a similar tasty sandwich using Irish style whole grain wheaten bread and buttering two slices and putting the smoked salmon inside. Black pepper and a squirt of fresh lemon juice is highly recommended. Irish style wheaten bread mix can be bought online and it is exceedingly simple to make. The Odlums brand only requires you to add water, mix, and put it into a greased bread baking tin and bake it. It's THAT simple.

I sincerely hope that this article will open up or further expand your healthy food repertoire to include healthy salmon, as well as providing you with some simple ideas to add it into your diet. Bon appetit!


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Fish dishes are very delicious especially salmon, I love it in sandwiches and it's very easy to cook and prepare! Most people who are in diet used to eat fish rather than red meat. But we should learn some tips in buying and cooking fish. I hope these article will help you.

Resources of Cooking Techniques and Tricks for Beginners

10 Cool Cooking Tips And Tricks

By Simonne Matthew

Have you ever heard the saying that great chefs have their secrets? Well, it is true: take two people, give them the same ingredients, and make them cook the same recipe, and you'll see that they obtain different results. Sometimes, a few degrees more in the oven, or 5 more minutes of cooking may lead to a completely different taste of the food.

What you need to know to make good food:

1. Don't overcook vegetables: try them with the fork or with a skewer, and take them off the fire in the moment you can penetrate them, but you still feel some resistance. If you cook them too much, their texture will become soft and very unpleasant.

2. Don't overcook meat: this is more tricky, as in the beginning, the best way to see if it is done is to cut it in the middle. If the knife goes in easily, and you don't see any reddish color from the blood, then you know it's done. If you continue cooking after that moment, the meat will resemble more and more to the shoe leather, it will become dry and very hard to chew.

3. Cook separately veggies and meat. If you cook a recipe which includes veggies and meat, first you have to cook the meat until it is done (try it with the fork), then take another pan and cook the veggies, but make sure they remain hard, then mix everything together and cook for some more 10 minutes. In this way, meat will preserve its flavor, and so will the veggies.

4. Tomatoes should be the last addition to a meal. It has been proven that tomatoes added to a meal in the beginning of the cooking process result in hardening all other ingredients, so you'll never be able to have a properly cooked food. Save tomatoes for the last 10 minutes of cooking, when all other ingredients are already almost done.

5. Add the salt from the beginning. Cooking without salt and adding it only before the moment of eating, will result in uneven distribution of the salt, and in a strange taste. If you have guests who have medical interdiction to eat salt, then you can cook with no salt, put away a part of the food for those guests, then add salt and cook for 10 more minutes the rest of the food.

6. Don't overcook pasta: there is nothing more unpleasant than overcooked pasta. An otherwise very nice meal will turn into a sticky mass with flour taste. Hint: add a little bit of oil in the cooking water, and don't let the pasta boil more than 6-7 minutes.

7. Mayonnaise is tricky: if you want to prepare the mayonnaise at home, use boiled eggs yellow, as this will prevent the mayonnaise from "cutting" (separating the oil molecules from the water). Stir always in the same sense, and use a lot of lemon juice. For a special savor, you can add a teaspoonfull of mustard.

8. Steam cooking is healthier. Over the past few years, steam cookers became widely available. They have the advantage of preserving food's vitamins, and not mixing the aromas. You could consider investing in your health and get yourself a steam cooker.

9. Use spices. The spices offer in groceries is huge. I bet you don't know how many types of spices exist and what you can use them for. Why not trying them? Buy a small quantity of each, and try them in various combinations. You may discover new tastes and a revolutionary way of cooking and playing with flavors.

10. Match the wine with the food. Get yourself a wine catalogue and try to transform your meals in a perfect assortment for your senses. Your guests will be amazed by your cooking talents.


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Here's more cooking techniques and tricks for you. This tips are very helpful because everyday we used to cook vergetables, meats or pastas and We usually fry, steam and saute. It will be easy for the beginners to cook if they know the basic tips in making delicious foods. Happy cooking!

Resources of Cooking Techniques and Tricks for Beginners

Looking For Information About Beginners Cooking Tips?

Preparing The Food

Sometimes, the tiny and seemingly insignificant tips that you can get for cooking can turn you from being a good cook into a great one. Preparing dishes and avoiding obstacles in cooking is easily done with cooking suggestions. While it has been said that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few practical suggestions can fortunately make many good cooks look like master chefs. In order to improve your skills, try a few of the following cooking suggestions.

Cooking

Food Preparation Safety Tips

Having food that tastes its best is most easily accomplished when you make sure that the products you buy are fresh. As you shop in the supermarket (or produce market, or farmer’s market) you should closely examine each of the items you purchase to make sure it is the highest quality freshness or ripeness. Take the time to look at the fruits and vegetables so you can look them over for signs of freshness, but for the packaged items, simply go by the expiration date. You should also make yourself familiar with the general produce and the ability to spot quality produce in your local market. When picking your meat selections of poultry, beef, or fish, you want to make sure it is as fresh as your other items. Additionally, when preparing meat for a meal keep all meats refrigerated until using, any utensils you use with the meat or that come into contact with the meat should be cleaned with soap and water.

Before you serve your meat, make sure that they have been cooked to the recommended temperature. Always use a cooking thermometer to make sure your meats reach a temperature of 140 degrees F. Likewise, if you are preparing a chilled food, you should do so at a temperature that is less than 40 degrees F.

It All Gets Easier With the Correct Tools

Proper mechanics will use proper tools to fix the exact type of car they are working on. Thus, a cooking suggestion is to make sure your kitchen is stocked with items that will help you prepare your dishes easily and properly. What exactly you need depends on what kinds of dishes you want to prepare, but knives, pots, pans, and measuring cups are standard, and most dishes require the use of a blender or a food processor as well.

Cooking Healthily

Many people believe that low fat food is automatically tasteless. This is absolutely false - in fact, low fat cooking can be colorful, vibrant and extremely tasty. Fresh herbs, fresh spices, a decent amount of olive oil, and plenty of thought are the tricks to making a tasty low fat dish. Any dish can be made low fat simply through careful selection of lean beef or pork, and by using common sense on the amount of oil you use. Changing your meats to chicken, turkey or fish will save you both fat content and calorie content.

Choosing The Beverage

As a final cooking suggestion, always remember that a meal includes a beverage as a well as food. Using the right beverage, you can pretty much improve just about any meal. You might choose wine, mineral water, or even a cocktail, you can make your meal turn outstanding.


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Cooking is really fun. I hope you'll gain more knowledge in reading my blog about Cooking Techniques and Tricks for Beginners. Just follow the cooking tips and surely you'll enjoy cooking and you'll be able to cook a very delicious meal.

Resources of Cooking Techniques and Tricks For Beginners

Salmon and Sweet Potatoes

Clean up is a breeze with this meal--just wrap seasoned sweet potatoes, onion and salmon in foil then bake until tender.

Ingredients

* 4 5 ounce fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets
* 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/8 inch slices
* 1 small yellow onion, diced
* 2 teaspoons cooking oil
* Cooking spray
* 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 medium orange, peeled and coarsely chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels then set aside. In a medium bowl, toss sweet potato slices and diced onion with oil. In a small bowl, combine oregano, chili pepper, cumin, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oregano mixture evenly on salmon. Add remaining oregano mixture to sweet potatoes and onion then toss to coat. Lightly coat one side each of four 18 inch squares of foil with cooking spray. On each square, arrange 1/4 of sweet potato slices, diced onion, and place on top of filet. Add orange pieces. Fold ends of foil squares to completely enclose, leaving space for steam to build. Place seam sides up on a large baking sheet. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until fish flakes easily, and potatoes are soft.

Number of Servings: 4


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Why not try a more healthier recipe? Try this one and I'm sure you'll love it even your kids will enjoy this dish. It's easy to prepare and very healthy.

Resources of Cooking Techniques and Tricks for Beginners