Posts Tagged ‘cooking’
Cinco de Mayo Food and Traditions
Lots of people in the United States have heard of Cinco de Mayo. Some even look forward to celebrating it every year. Many, however, do not understand the history behind this Mexican holiday. If you ask the average American why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated, they will tell you it is Mexican Independence Day. They are wrong. That actually falls on September 16.
In the 1950s, the United States’ Good Neighbor Policy encouraged its people to reach out to neighboring lands. This is when Americans were introduced to Cinco de Mayo. In the ’60s, the holiday was pushed further into the public eye by Chicano activists as a way to spark cultural pride amongst Mexican-Americans.
By the time the 1980s rolled around, the holiday had been slowly growing in notoriety. Throughout this decade’s commercialism, Cinco de Mayo had been advertised as an excellent holiday to devote to drinking alcoholic beverages from American companies. It is because of these companies that Cinco do Mayo had become mainstream in American culture, although the true meaning of it, to celebrate Mexico’s victory against the French in 1862, was diluted.
Becoming more of a mainstream holiday has exposed more Americans to the traditions of our Mexican neighbors. Their wonderful music, foods, and traditions have made their way into our lives. A large part of our society anticipates the Cinco de Mayo holiday each year.
Cinco de Mayo has become a wonderful reason to indulge ourselves with margaritas, nachos and all things Latino. You can get all dressed up in bright traditional clothing, grab some sombreros, throw a Mexican flag up on the wall, hang dried chilies around the house and just have fun. The schools teach about this holiday, so have your children share what they have learned and incorporate it all into your celebration.
People all over the country design huge parties for Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican population is not the only ones celebrating. All of our ethic groups have connected together with this fun holiday. Major cities all over the map celebrate Cinco de Mayo. There is Port Huron in Michigan, New York, Los Angeles and many more.
For those who prefer to celebrate closer to home, it is easy to make their own preparations for the celebration. They may cook Cinco de Mayo food, put up decorations, and listen to traditional mariachi music. Private parties are almost as popular now as the public parties held in restaurants, bars, and communities around the country.
Cinco de Mayo is a great reason to explore those Mexican recipes you have been curious about. Make some great food for your family to enjoy and share some Mexican culture. Invite your friends to come over and have them bring some snacks.
If you find that the margaritas are better at the Mexican cantinas or you just love eating out, go for it. Your neighborhood Mexican bistro will have a great celebration planned. Just sit back, enjoy the music, and dance to your heart’s content. There is nothing that says you have to make it a huge celebration, either. You can pick up or cook your own simple meal, drop in a DVD of your favorite Zorro movie and sit back and enjoy.
Learn the truth about Mexican food history and find out more about the wonderful recipes that make MexicanFoodRecipes.org a favorite with the whole family.
Tags: cooking, diet, eating, family, Food, food and drink, home, home and garden, lifestyles, mexican food, mexican recipes, mexico, recipes, Recipies
Need A Nutritional Boost? Coconut Delivers
Coconuts are a bountiful gift to this planet. In Sanskrit (the mother language of India), the coconut palm is known as ‘kalpa vriksha’, meaning ‘ the tree that supplies all that is needed to live.’ An ancient plant that is distantly related to grasses, the coconut has been used as a food and medicine since the dawn of history. Ayurveda (the art of science and medicine that has its roots in India) has long advocated the therapeutic, medicinal and cosmetic properties of coconuts.
The coconut’s liquid filtration system is one of the reasons why this beloved plant is so nourishing. Every liter of water in its shell takes almost nine months to be drawn up and through the plant, where it is deposited in the nut. More electrolytes are found in coconut water than in most other plants, making it an ideal hydrating liquid. Drinking a mixture of 55% coconut and 45% green juice gives the body an immediate burst of natural energy.
In the long discussion on healthy versus unhealthy fats, coconut oil tips the scales in terms of its health-giving qualities. While it is a saturated fat, not all saturated fats are bad for us. Coconut oil is cholesterol-free and does not transform into a trans-fat, which means it can be used at high heat. It has also been shown that coconut oil is more effective than olive oil at controlling cholesterol. Also, because it is a medium-chain fatty acid, it is easier for the body to digest, meaning the fat can be used more quickly as fuel.
Coconut oil is one of nature’s most versatile and health-enhancing fats. Studies show that coconut oil supports the health of the thyroid gland, which regulates thenecessary anti-aging steroids progesterone, DHEA and pregnenolone. These steroids are required to help prevent heart disease, senility, obesity, cancer and other degenerative diseases associated with aging. Coconut oil also contains capryllic acid as well as lauric acid, both of which are anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-microbial. It has long been known that caprilyc acid is the most potent yeast-fighting substance, making it an excellent choice for those working with releasing candida and other inner ecology imbalances. Transitioning to coconut oil as one’s fat source also helps to normalize blood sugar levels while increasing energy, building a healthy immune and nervous system and reducing the overall stress on one’s body. It is necessary to note that a ‘therapeutic dose’ of coconut oil consists of daily doses of two to three (or more) tablespoons for an adult.
Cooking with coconut oil is a delightful way to introduce this supplement into your life. Try using it instead of margarine, butter or other vegetable oils. Also, consider using fresh coconuts that are not too old (i.e., forgo the coconut shavings and buy a whole coconut instead).The flesh is primarily fat, and it can be chopped and eaten with fruit for a delectable treat. Coconut oil is also great as an oil for veggies, tossed into your morning smoothie or slathered on bread with spices or preserves. If you’re looking for a way to enhance oats or rice, coconut oil adds a special note to a normally humble dish.
Coconut’s reputation as a skin nutrient is well-documented, and people with many skin types can benefit from its moisture-giving qualities. In aromatherapy, both virgin and fractionated coconut oils are used. A way to see the difference is to remember that virgin coconut oil looks more like coconut flesh. It is a solid fat that is used in both cooking and body care, and it can be mixed with aromatic oils. While it is certainly a dense oil, virgin coconut oil doesn’t leave the skin feeling too oily, as it is absorbed rapidly. Fractionated coconut has similar qualities, but it is made by physically reducing the size of the fat molecule, removing the section of the molecule that makes it a solid. This creates a liquid oil that has no odor, lasts a long time (its molecular structure makes it “fully saturated,” meaning it has no atomic space for oxygen to attach, thereby deteriorating the oil) and is quickly consumed by the skin. Sometimes coconut is mixed with other oils, like jojoba, resulting in a nutrient-rich cream. With so many coconut oils to choose from, mixing coconut with aromatic oils is a simple way to add to your health and beauty regimen.
A final thought on coconuts: in addition to being a medicine, a food and a skin moisturizer, coconut oil is also an excellent erotic oil. The smell and taste of this oil can enhance sexual intercourse. Try making a yummy natural body lotion including coconut oil blended with essential oils of cacao and vanilla. Lather this on the skin of your beloved and enjoy the results.
If you’re searching for a multi-use, healthy oil, search no further than the coconut. Whether you use it in skin blends, salads or massage creams, the coconut is an all-around excellent choice as both a carrier and edible oil. It takes essential oils beautifully and will not leave your skin feeling heavy or greasy. Use it in its many forms and see how this unique plant continues to benefit us in our day to day lives.
The author utilizes pure essential oils for aromatherapy. More information is available through The Ananda Apothecary at www.anandaapothecary.com.
Tags: alternative health, alternative medicine, aromatherapy, cooking, Food, Health, home, natural, Women
Simple Ways to Prepare Banana Snacks
Despite the greatest of intentions to eat make in the timely approach, occasionally fruit will become overripe just before it’s eaten. Nobody really wants to waste materials very good food, but a blackened banana is less than palatable to most. So what to complete? For generations, the remedy to overripe bananas would be to mix up a batch of banana bread, turning possible waste materials right into a delicious, wholesome snack. How you can make banana bread? Follow the recipe under for a rapid, simple, delectable snack.
1 cup butter Two cups sugar 3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6) 4 eggs, well beaten Two cups cake flour 2tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350F. Cream softened butter with sugar right up until light and fluffy. Keep on to beat on medium speed whilst adding bananas and eggs, scraping bowl occasionally until nicely mixed. In a very separate bowl, mix collectively flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add dry elements to banana mixture and stir having a wooden spoon right up until just moist. Pour into lightly greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, or till inserted toothpick or dried up spaghetti noodle arrives out cleanly. Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.
This is often a forgiving, versatile recipe that may be played with to suit person wants. Either white or brown sugar can be utilized, or a mixture of the two with equally successful outcomes. If short on eggs, a generous spoonful of mayonnaise could be substituted for up to 50 % the eggs. For more healthy banana bread, substitute applesauce for half the butter and whole-wheat flour for fifty percent or all of the white flour. For a a lot more decadent banana bread, nuts and chocolate chips is usually meticulously folded to the batter right after mixing. Nutmeg can easily be replaced by cinnamon, cocoa, or even ginger.
Banana bread is excellent for school lunches or hurried weekday breakfasts, and is really a great method to raises blood sugar throughout the dreaded afternoon doldrums. Regardless of whether the objective is a healthy breakfast foods or perhaps a decadent dessert, banana bread can be a universal comfort meals that could constantly fit the bill.
Know a lot more dealing with food by learning about the mandoline slicer review. Stop by Flynn Gentile’s site where you will learn all about bron mandoline slicer and what they can do for you.
Tags: baking, banana bread, cooking, entertainment, family, Food, hobbies, home, homemade, how to, kitchen, lifestyle, recipe, Recipies
Facts about Aluminum And Aluminum By Product Bakeware Pans
Heavy gauge aluminum is a good conductor of heat. This allows better distribution of heat resulting perfectly brown baked products. It does not rust making it a good candidate for bakeware pans. Flimsy aluminum pans can easily be deformed causing you to buy more every time it is required. However it cannot be used to cook tomato based food. It can cause undesirable reaction spoiling the food. It is widely used for big occasions. This is probably the reason why other manufacturer came up with other forms of aluminum bake wares.
Aluminum foils are also known as disposable pans. It is popular among entrepreneurs who sell baked products. It is handy and light and best used for presentation in parties and reunions. No other bakeware pans is more versatile than this.
However exposure to high temperature can cause to warp deforming the pan and getting uneven baked goods. It is best to make sure that the oven temperature is maintained in 350 degrees.
Anodized aluminum on the other hand is the same as an ordinary aluminum pan with a thick coating making it non-stick. There are two types of anodized aluminum- silver and hard. It is both resistant to scratch. Traditional aluminum pan are easily damaged when used a metal scraper but not anodized aluminum. As long as you do not put it in the dish washer or use a knife to remove the baked goodies it would be able to retain its condition for a long time.
The qualities of aluminum to distribute evenly makes it possible to create edible treasures without consuming much time. It would be best to check the oven every two thirds of the required time to see if the product is already done. This practice should be maintained to avoid burned sides and bottoms.
The comparison of these three types of aluminum product allowed more variation in bake wares. It is all intended for baking goodies with the less chance of mistakes. Even cooking is possible but leaving it can cause the food to burn. It would be to research on the item before use to gain desired baking results.
All products are easy to clean. Use hot soapy water to clean it up. Use of nylon pad may be required from time to time but not necessarily. It can be dish washer safe but with aluminum foil pans it would be best to clean them on a stack to avoid deforming it. But this procedure does not apply for both types of anodized aluminum. Putting it in the dish washer can ruin the coating.
Always keep that proper preparation of food requires systematic procedures. Missing out on information for both its use and care might cause an undesirable result that is equivalent to waste food. So might as well maintain the habit of finding more about the product before using it. In this way you are able to avert disaster especially when preparing for a large group. Also it prevents you from spending more in replacing the product each time.
Heavy gauge aluminum is a good conductor of heat. This allows better distribution of heat resulting perfectly brown baked products. It does not rust making it a good candidate for bakeware pans. More info on this as well as kitchenaid professional 600 series 6 quart stand mixers .
Tags: cooking
Party Food 101
You can have a party at any time of the year. To make your party memorable, you need good food. One of the biggest obstacles when party planning is knowing how much food is necessary. There are some rules of thumb to follow so you do not run out of food too early.
Are you wanting to have a formal supper or finger food? This can change the amount of food you need. For a large meal, the general consensus is to plan for a pound and a half of edibles per person. If you want finger food, you can reduce that to around a pound per person. You may need to adjust this if your friends are big eaters or small eaters. You know them best!
When you serve appetizers, guests tend to eat about 5 pieces per hour for the first two hours they are at a party. They tend to consume a bit less, about three per hour for every hour after that. So, for a three-hour party for ten people, you should plan for around 130 individual appetizers. Of course, if you are planning on feeding them a meal, you do not need to provide so many snacks.
If you like fondue, this is a great party appetizer. You should plan on a single guest eating about 20 bread cubes that are 1 inch each in size. This is about half of a French bread loaf. If you are serving other foods for fondue, consider that one person can eat 6 ounces of seafood, 4 to 6 ounces of cheese, 4 cookies, or 6 to 8 ounces of meat, fruit, or veggies. Be sure to prepare generously… it is better to have leftovers than not enough.
You can figure that one gallon of punch will give ten people three 4-ounce servings. If you know your guests will drink more than this, prepare more. If you are planning on serving alcoholic beverages, consider that most guests will drink two per hour for the first couple of hours and then one per hour after that. Stock up accordingly, including mixers, wine, or beer, depending on what you plan to serve.
You will want to stock about 1 pound of ice per person if the drinks will be served “on the rocks.” If you are having a party in the heat of the summer, you will need much more than that per person. Do not forget to have enough napkins to allow for snacking or small plates if you prefer.
So plan on at least a few quick easy appetizers to start things off. Your guests will love having a little nibble when they first get there. Most appetizers can be made a day or two ahead of time. Planning and preparation should begin early for your party to run as smoothly as possible.
If your party is more spur of the moment, you can always keep a few easy appetizer recipes on hand with some basic ingredients. You will be able to whip some up quickly as everyone arrives.
Making effortless Superbowl party recipes means that you can prepare all your munchies well in advance and relax with your guests when the game starts. There are lots of Superbowl recipes to choose from and meat munchies, like chicken wings, ribs and hot dogs, are always incredibly popular. You will find hundreds of quick effortless appetizers at our website to give you some more ideas.
Tags: appetizer recipes, appetizers, cooking, diet, eating, family, Food, food and drink, home, home and garden, lifestyles, party
Basil, The Undisputed Kings of The Kitchen
Basil herbs is actually derived from a Greek word which means “King” (or basileus). Some origins of the word suggest that ancient Greeks and Romans associated the word and thus the herb as something malicious. Some myths concluded that one must yell and curse before any herb plants would grow from the seeds. While that was proven to be untrue, it’s hard to deny that basil herbs are still a rather pungent spice, if not particularly angry.
In later times, basil came to represent love, and men in Italy would give women a sprig of basil as a romantic gesture. When it comes to cuisine, basil is usually identified with Mediterranean food, along with Italian and Thai specialties. However, did you know that this herb actually came from India? Yes, it was Vishnu and Krishna’s own personal choice.
Getting Your Basil to Grow
Basil herb plants grow as perennials in some tropical regions and are often used as annuals in temperate zones. The first and most important thing to understand about basil herbs is that the plant is very sensitive to temperature. It is best grown in warm and sunny weather. In fact, it’s more preferable to keep pots or gardens indoors rather than expose it to outdoor weather.
As far as soil goes, they prefer well drained soil along with good quality compost or well rotted manure. Basil requires a steady water supply to grow as well as adequate drainage. A lack of light as well as any sort of drought will quickly wilt the plant. In addition, gardeners will have to mulch just the right amount so as to maintain the soil, but not do so prematurely. When the plant starts to flourish it’s time to cut the stems back and cut off the flowers.
Removing the flowers is something that has to happen, that’s what gives basil to the world. If yiou get the opportunity, try the flavor of basil leaves just before the plant flowers.
The Many Uses of Basil
Although basil herbs do posses antviral & antibacterial benefits they’re not generally used as a homeopathic extract, they are best known for their benefits to cooking. Part of the mint family they do actually aid digestive processes as well as brewing a pot of tea.
With more then 60 varieties of basil, they say that there are many more yet to be unearthed. The most common of the variety used in the kitchen is sweet basil although lemon basil is a common ingredient for some soups & sweets. The basil family includes many varieties including, cinnamon, African blue & Opal.
Some of the basil available at retail outlets has been out for the ground for a long period and has lost its oomph. The benefit of having your own herb garden is your basil will be super fresh & full of flavor.
With fresh basil in your kitchen, your cooking will take on a new dimension!
Herb loving maniac & all round good guy Peter Williams, lives for herbs alone… so for more great information about the secrets of basil herbs check out What Are The Healthiest Herbs?
Tags: basil, cooking, culinary, eating, Food, gardening, Growing Herbs, Health & Fitness, Healthy Food, herb gardening, Herbs, indoor gardening, recipe
The Pantry Is A Great Place For Your Canned Goods
What do you have in the pantry? I have a lot of things. I keep my broom and dust pan in there as well as a few cleaning supplies on the bottom shelf, this way if they leak they will not ruin my food.
When I first moved into my home someone had left some tape and even a plunger in my pantry. Since my pantry is in my kitchen I prefer to have kitchen items in it. I would put dishes in mine if I needed to and I would put pickled things in mine. Right now I have my canned goods and boxed dinners.
A lot of people just throw things in their pantry and it is a mess but I like to keep mine as decent as I can so that I can easily get to everything and not have to search for it. Some people have a pantry that comes in front of their stairs that go to their basement and I think this is convenient.
There are also things that companies make for pantries that will allow more storage room. They make can holders and little shelves that roll in and out for easier access. The pantry can be used for so many things it is amazing. The only reason why people put food in their pantry is because it is in the kitchen.
I really enjoy my pantry because it provides extra room for my food items that I do not have to put in the refrigerator and it does not take up extra space that I need to put other things such as dishes.
You can put a number of things in the pantry and since mine is so close to my living room, if I did not need it to put food in then I would use it for storing things such as spare blankets and cleaning supplies. You can even use your pantry to store extra towels or even extra medicine if you do not have enough room in your bathroom.
When you enter The Pantry for ingredients when creating your favorite dessert, you want everything to be organized. A Food Pantry that is well stocked and organized will make your cooking faster and easier!
