Friday, January 07, 2011

replacement sofa cushions

My brothers' new site, he just put it up a couple days ago. He replaces old mushy foam cushion cores with new foam and dacron wrapping. Hope you do well with this one little brother! Head on over to replacement sofa cushions and see the new site!

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Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Chicken Salad Recipe

By Trisha Singh

Chicken Salad



If you were to think about food at present what you would
prefer to eat, you'd most likely think any dish made of
chicken. Above 80% of you surely considered chicken when
reading this. This is on account of the truth that chicken
is extraordinarily nourishing as well as delicious meat. And
I expect that you are fully agreed with me.

One thing you didn't know is that solely by itself chicken
is not as healthy as it should be. But if you will grab a
chicken salad dish you will entirely revolutionize the
thought. Chicken salad preparations are every time healthy
and plentiful.

In chicken salad recipes there are three chief foodstuffs:
the delicious meat, the nourishing vegetables and the
flavorings. The add-ons are usually condiments, cooking oil
or salad oil and Add-ons are commonly consist of salad oil,
vinegar and seasonings.

A range of choices are available for creating astounding
chicken salad recipes. Certain preparations offer the curry
as a great ingredient to use with chicken. Others go with
the time-tested salt and pepper. The oil could possibly be
olive oil but even something less pretentious can be
included. The vinegar must not be included in huge amounts
for chicken salad preparations. You may also exchange
vinegar with lemon juice that is to a large extent better.

The vegetables you will utilize in the salad could vary a
lot too. There are scores of variations using stuff like
tomatoes, cucumbers, onion or corn. It doesn't matter what
sort of vegetables you are including in your salad recipe as
long as they are supplying enough nourishment. And if
vegetables are not of your choice then also you may well
relish them with chicken essence. If you have a youngster
who doesn't want to eat perfectly no matter what just go
ahead and get a chicken salad recipe.

As far as healthy importance of chicken salad preparations
is concerned, there is no disbelief in it. Chicken is a well
known supply of protein and all veggies used in it are able
to offer a real grouping of vitamins and minerals.

There is no uncertainty in the fact that no such type of
recipe is there that can offer a nutritional and palatable
grouping of ingredients.

About the Author:
For additional details on Chicken Salad recipes
please look at Chicken Salad Recipe.
You may also take a peek at some great chicken
pasta recipes by clicking Chicken pasta recipes.

So there you go, chicken salad the easy way!

Til the next post,
Chef Brian
Cooking Tips

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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Everything You Ever Wanted To Learn About Making Soup

By Christine Szalay-Kudra

Homemade soup is delicious, yet some people are intimidated when it comes to making their own. It may take a little practice to master, but the art of making it can be rewarding. Learn some basic tips and yours will turn out great. These tips can help you overcome any obstacles to making wining creations at home.

The very best ones are made with homemade stock. Any ingredients you use should be as fresh as possible. While this does add to the total cooking time, you cannot beat the flavor. If time is short, you can use canned broth or soups like tomato or creamed verities that come in cans to make your base. Frozen vegetables can also be used if needed.

To lower the amount of fat that you eat, you have two methods to choose from. You can use paper towels without any printing on them to soak up fat from the top, or you can chill your creation overnight. This lets the fat solidify on the top. All you need to do is skim it off and reheat the mixture. Savory verities always taste better the next day anyway.

When you taste your soup, you may feel it is too salty. This happens from time to time to everyone. Add a peeled potato to your soup. After fifteen minutes, remove it. The potato will soak up any excess salt. It tastes pretty good later, too, as it has soaked up some of the flavor of the mixture. When adding herbs, remember that herbs added towards the end of cooking will have a stronger impact than herbs added early. If you are using wine to add flavor, do not use as much salt. Wine will intensify the flavor of the salt.

Everyone loves noodle soups. For the best results, cook your pasta separately. This keeps the pasta from adding starch to your soup. Pasta will be the last ingredient you add. Other ingredients to add near the end of your cooking time include fast cooking vegetables like corn, leafy vegetables, and frozen peas.

Make your soup from ingredients you have on hand. If you have a chicken and some veggies, you have the makings for a delicious soup. Add in other ingredients like rice, potatoes, lentils and more. If you have pumpkins in your garden, make a delicious creamy pumpkin soup. You can make this one either savory or sweet... both versions taste great.

If you like creamed soups but need to watch your calories, you can substitute your heavy cream with a combination of a quart of cold water, two cups of powdered milk and a half can of evaporated milk. Do not boil creamed soups. They are much easier to make if you have a double boiler.

Leftovers can be refrigerated, frozen in jars, freezer bags or in plastic containers. You can preserve it in serving size quantities so it is easy to heat up one or two servings as needed for a quick lunch. Now that you know some soup making basics, it will be much easier to prepare some soup the next time you feel the urge.

About the Author:
Many recipes for creamy pumpkin soups are extremely simple to make. You can easily use fresh roasted pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree - both are excellent choices for this soup. Try making some tonight. You will see how easy it really is.

That's how you make soup!

Chef Brian's Cooking Tips

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

How To Choose A Kitchen Knife Block

By David Adams

Once we find ourselves in the specific situation where we have an entirely new or redesigned kitchen to use we merely can't wait to fill it with many nice things. Decorative products are not the only factor we are evaluating though. We also want new things like utensils as well as other cooking utensils. To achieve this and save your counter-top space simultaneously it is possible to choose a good knife block to utilize. Not only does it lessen clutter but also it tends to make your knives much simpler to grab when you really need them.

When it comes to choosing a knife-block you will have many things to consider. The way it looks is probably one thing you will take a look at though. With so many different kinds and designs on offer, finding one that will appear perfect in your kitchen area should be a fairly easy task.

For more conventionally decorated kitchens you are able to go with a traditional wooden block. For any more modern style you might select a plastic option to complement. The plastic variations an additional bonus because they are more hygienic and simple to clean as well.

If you need to conserve as much room as possible you may also find certain versions that can be installed to the cupboard. Metal varieties that will attach directly to an area on the walls are offered as well.

The price you'll pay for your knife-block depends mostly on the budget you are looking at. Higher end knife-blocks with more elements of design will naturally cost more but a basic design can be purchased for a few dollars.

Think about the place you will get your current block also. Just about any retailer that sells home decorating items will have several special ones to pick from.

About the Author:
A knife block will help hold all of your kitchen knives. The knife block is a wonderful way to organize those sharp utensils in your kitchen.

Once again a good read from David Adams

Chef Brian
cooking tips

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Sunday, October 10, 2010

So Many Soups, So Little Time

By Christine Szalay-Kudra

Every culture makes soup. This comforting food comes in many varieties that are renowned the world over. While you may think that chicken noodle is the best soup ever, someone else may be dreaming of Japanese ramen or Cock-a-leekie from Scotland. The point is soup is served all over the world as a comforting source of nutrition.

Chilled verities come from all over the world. Russia makes not only a hot and a cold borscht using different recipes, they also make a cold kind called Okroshka, which is a vegetable and ham combination is made with kefir. Vichyssoise is a French cold verity made of potatoes and leeks. Tarator is a Bulgarian cold verity made from cucumbers and yogurt.

If you want to try a new flavor, why not try some Lagman... it is a traditional soup made of vegetables, pasta, ground lamb, and spices from Uzbekistan. Another unusual kind is Zurek. This is a soup from Poland that is made from wheat and sausages. It is frequently served in a bread bowl. Islensk Kjotsupa is a traditional verity from Iceland made of vegetables and lamb.

If you enjoy a good broth, there are many you can choose from. Avgolemono is a Greek one that is made from rice, lemon juice and the yolk of an egg. Scotch broth is obviously from Scotland. The ingredients in this traditional verity include vegetables, barley, and mutton. Panada is a bread soup. It is made with eggs, leftover bread, beef broth, and Parmesan cheese. Consomm is the ultimate broth.

If you are looking for a soup that is different from what you are used to, how about Zurek, a wheat soup from Poland? It is served with sausages. Sundubu jjigae is from Korea. It is a soup or stew made of spices and mild tofu. Caldo verde is from Portugal made of minced cabbage. These soups are very delicious and worth a try.

You can always try a kind with a name that will amuse your friends. Snert is a pea verity from the Netherlands that is served with sliced sausage. It sounds perfect for winter. Cock-a-leekie is a Scottish verity made of chicken broth, potatoes, and leeks. Fufu and Egusi soup is from Nigeria. It is made of fish, meat, vegetable and balls made of ground melon seed.

If you like vegetables, an onion soup recipe may fill the bill. You can make it completely vegetarian and use vegetable broth or you can make it with beef broth. Lentil soup is popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Lentils are high in protein and very filling. Shchav is a soup made from the sorrel plant that is popular in Yiddish, Polish, and Russian cultures.

If you like chowders, you will know how good they are. They are usually thick and creamy and feature seafood of one kind or another. Clam chowder is probably the best known. Corn chowder is also very popular with some people. The sweet corn gives it a wonderful flavor.

About the Author:
Onion soup is a delicious peasant food from France that has been enjoyed for centuries. This simple fare is just as satisfying today as it was way back when. Imagine bowls of steaming soup topped with bread and cheese set out on the large farm table while the family gathers around.

How basic is soup? It was probably the first meal after the invention of the pot! The most varied of all our staples and a great opportunity for being creative!

Chef Brian
Cooking Tips

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Friday, October 08, 2010

Tartufata Is A Delicious Addition To Your Meal

By Consuelo Dalton

To English speaking folks, the word tartufata may sound funny, but ask a person who speaks Italian what this strange word means, and they will tell you it is a delicious savory condiment that is made with onions and truffles. Not the sweet candy truffles, of course, that you will find in confection stores, but the earthy, brown mushrooms that are so prized for gourmet meals.

This mushroom based sauce utilizes coarsely chopped or ground truffles that are sauteed in olive oil with onions and several cloves of garlic. A good wine is splashed in the pan and the mixture is simmered until it reduces down and gets thick. Once finished it is stored in a jar and can be used in a variety of ways.

No matter how you plan to serve it, this delectable condiment will be an elegant addition to your menu. Thinned with a bit of truffle oil and warmed for a sauce, you have a wonderful topping for pork chops or veal. Use it at room temperature for bruschetta, or stir it into warm egg noodles for a great dish. For special breakfast, top scrambled eggs with it, or even use it in an omelet.

Although this lovely relish can be easily made at home, you can buy it ready made, too. Find it on the internet, at fancy food supply shops or possibly a local Italian food store. Give it as a gift to mushroom lovers or those who like to try new flavors.

Don't worry if you don't normally stock truffles in your pantry. Today they are easy to order over the web, and specialty shops are carrying them in the dried form. You may even be able to find them locally. Simply immerse them in water to bring them back. Instructions will be given to you for doing this.

If mushrooms are a food that you enjoy, take a step up to this decadent accompaniment. You will be amazed at how the wine and garlic accent the brown flavor of the truffles. Any meal will be enhanced by it, whether you serve it at a relaxing dinner alone with a loved one, or treat a group of friends to this wonderful eating experience.

Tartufata used to be a treat that you could only enjoy if you went to Italy, but things have changed. Today we have the luxury of ordering gourmet ingredients anytime we want them. How fortunate for us that now we can include it in our menus on a regular basis.

Tartufata

About the Author:
Looking to find the most comprehensive information on Tartufata?

Hope this cleared up what tartufata is!
Chef Brian
Cooking Tips

Monday, October 04, 2010

An Expert's Cooking Advice

By Mazie Buchaman

Whether you are an amateur or an expert, you will find this article about cooking helpful. I can't seem to take two steps before someone confronts me with questions about chef gear. It's kind of funny, you'd never think that being a cook was that popular, but ever since I won the Rising Star award at the Chef Central National Conference, my mailbox has been absolutely slammed with people wanting to learn more. Some folks consider me somewhat of a legend in this area but I don't let my ego get the best of me.

One of the most common questions I get is how I got started. I usually point them to an issue of Cooking with Chef Tony and tell them to start reading. Until you have have read every single page of Cooking with Chef Tony you are not ready to crack open those pots and pans. However, starting these days has become as a much simpler process than it was for me. Back in my day you had to crack and egg and butter the skillet before you could even take a crack at it. These days, everything you ever wanted to know about being a chef is just a click away. To be honest, I think the new generation of gourmet chefs aren't as good as we were because of this. You new guys have too much information, and you're always looking for the golden egg. Here are some questions I hear every single week:

"-Where should I shop for chef clothes? -what is the best book about chef gear?

-how can i prevent making mistakes while I'm trying to cook with both hands?

and the list goes on and on."

any egg splitter worth his salt will tell you that mastering being top chef is all about being first to the finish line but it is not about being first out of the gate. you must know how to crawl before you walk, and you have to know how to walk before you can run. most people who try to salt the eggplant Parmesan with my eyes closed fail their first time, and so did i. my friends who got me into it in the first place wished they never had because i was constantly asking for advice.

i was absolutely amazed as i watched my excessive steamed shrimp cooking time reduced to nothing. my self-awareness peaked and i really saw the light. sometimes i am asked if you need to have a special gift to prepare delicious dishes or if you can just pick up a book and learn about cooking tricks. i always say that knowledge is only 22% of the uphill battle. the other 78 is just hard work on the part of the client. they really have to give it their all. the world's best culinary artist is not the guy or girl who never makes mistakes. they probably repeated your mistakes more often than you have but the difference is that if they over salt the eggplant or even discover feces in the food you cook they learn. That's what separates the virtuoso from the amateur culinary artist.

About the Author:
Attracted to sew and have your own chef aprons? Start off that small business today simply by reading kitchen aprons.

Another good read!
Chef Brian
Cooking Tips

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Convenient Cooking With Modern Kitchen Tools

By Brent Archer

Cooking has always been one of the house chores taking most of a woman's time and efforts. For some this daily task gets boring. However, others make it more fun and convenient by using different kitchen tools.

These cooking-lovers keep searching for new technologies and utensils to equip their kitchen with every modern product. This is not only a fashion but also more of a convenience. You can follow a few tips and improve your collection and make it more compatible to your requirements.

The size of the cooking or mixing utensil is very important. If you start mixing with a small spoon or cutting with a knife that's size and shape is not compatible with the food product, you won't get the results of your expectations. Hence the size and shape of spoons, spatula and knives has to be carefully chosen.

Second consideration is that of the material of which your utensil is made. There are utensils available in plastic, metals, wood and ceramics. However, you should choose according to the use of utensils. For example, for microwave you should not use plastic utensils.

Similarly, one can make a choice from the wide array of modern tools available. For example, salad cutters can be bought in place of knives and electronic beaters can be bought instead of manual beaters.

For example, salad cutters are available on the market, which can cut different vegetables in very less time. In the same way, we have lemon juice squeezers, garlic-crushers, can-openers and many other products.

However, before buying anything, off course price remains the most important factor. There are a number of brands and other non-branded products available in the market with varying prices.

Take care to choose a product, which has a reasonable guarantee. This is very important so make sure to always keep it in mind.

About the Author:
Cooking in the kitchen can be done quick and easy if you have the right cooking tools. Using the stainless steel colanders will help you get things done quickly and effectively. You can also use the colanders and strainers

Brent is an awesome writer isn't he?
Please go to cooking tips for more articles!
Chef Brian

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Sunday, September 26, 2010

What A Healthy Meal Consists Of

By Mike Winters

Most of us love to binge on junk food. This is true with children as well as adults. We never give a thought to where we could be going wrong. Body needs balanced nutrition to function properly. Absence of nutrition is likely to weaken the immunity and make body susceptible to infections. Greens and fruits contain all essential nutrients that the body needs on daily basis.

Our daily food gives us sufficient nutrition for the body. However in case of individuals who are working out daily to build muscles, additional protein supplements are required to support the extra need of nutrition in the body. In case one does not take the additional external supplements, the body will end up using available nutrition to build the muscle mass and you could end up feeling fatigued and tired with low immunity.

A healthy nutritious meal should consist of:

Body requires energy that is derived from carbohydrates present in foods like cereals, pulses, rice, bread and pasta etc. Any excess carbohydrate in the body gets converted and stored as fat. Sweets and foods like candies, aerated soft drinks and sweet meat contain unhealthy carbohydrates.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a must every day, for they provide the body with necessary vitamins and minerals that help build strength in the body and improve body immunity.

Body uses proteins to build muscles, improve immunity and aid in memory improvement. Daily diet should include foods that provide proteins in sufficient quantities.

Iron and calcium are two essentials that the body requires for strengthening bones and building healthy blood count. Calcium is available in plenty in milk, cheese and other dairy products while iron is available in green leafy vegetables and light meat like fish etc.

Fiber is another important ingredient that should form a part of our daily diet. Fiber rich vegetables and fruits and other bran cereals, oats, wheat germ, husk etc are good sources of fiber and help the body improve digestive system and excretion of waste substances.

It is important for those who are involved in any kind of regular workouts and body building training to ensure daily intake of nutrition with healthy food. Any lack of required vitamins or proteins will cause adverse reactions in the form of malnutrition and related problems including fatigue and depression.

About the Author:
See additional tips written by this same writer covering areas such as the food probe thermometer and metal shelf.

For awesome cooking tips go here: cooking tips

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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Hanukkah Cooking Traditions

By Owen Jones

Whether you are sincerely looking for chances to explore new cultures or you are Jewish seeking appetizing recipes and cooking tips, you have come to the right place to get some of the basics. For as long as there have been family traditions, eating good food at special events and during holy times has been a part of the merriment.

Unfortunately, that appetizing food cannot be enjoyed unless someone goes to the trouble of actually preparing it. If you are looking for some tasty treats to do with the Hanukkah celebrations or just want to get a taste of what other cultures do during their religious or cultural celebrations there are lots of great foodstuffs you could be cooking for this particular holiday.

Oil is imperative in the celebration of Hanukkah and, as a result, many of the foodstuffs that are part of Hanukkah celebrations are prepared in oil. One popular favorite is Latkes, which are a kind of potato pancake that is deep-fried. Another popular favorite is fried lamb chops. The lamb is breaded and then fried much like many Americans fry chicken. Once again oil is used in the cooking of the meal.

If you are looking for something more like finger food or a snack, you might consider deep-fried ricotta balls, fried zucchini, fried onion rings and fried mozzarella are appetizing savory fried tid-bits for the season of light. Of course, fried food is not the only thing that is eaten during this 8-day celebration, but it does play a vital part in the menu and in the celebrations.

Even the sweet treats for this celebration include a few fried goodies. There are apple fritters and raspberry dough nuts and lots of other luscious fried foods for you to snack on. If you like something a little sinful to eat during this delightful celebration you might like to try blintzes in your favorite flavor. There are many to pick from and their recipes can be found easily online.

If you would like to include something a little healthier in your cuisine, then you might like to include an Israeli salad, stewed white beans, and baked aubergines and peppers. These meals provide the opportunity to have something that is not either fried or sweet to assist weight watchers, who always have a problem during festive seasons no matter which religion they observe.

Other Hanukkah favorites include scrumptious dishes such as cheese gelt coins, loukoumades, vegetable kugel, and brisket. Once again the recipes for these dishes are very extensively accessible online and in books on Jewish cooking and traditions.

To make things go a little more efficiently cook as much food as possible well in advance and store items away quickly in order to stop them going stale. Enlist the assistance of children and other family members when needed to move things along by taking turns preparing food.

You should also make an effort to keep the preparations as straightforward as possible to avoid delays and stress. This is a time of the year that is meant to be committed to celebration not to trying to cook tons of food. The good news is that with all that deep fried food, it is unlikely that you will find these dishes too difficult to prepare. Good luck and have fun exploring the world of cooking for Hanukkah.

About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with the 2 quart crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Always interesting to learn other cooking traditions,
Chef Brian

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