Joojeh kebabs (Nice foods from TURKEY)

Joojeh kebabs are a Persian type of kebab that has a unique marinade. It is perfect grilled with chicken breasts or whole pieces of chicken, grilled or baked. This recipe calls for a whole chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 lb. chicken, cut into pieces (thighs, legs, breasts)
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1 large yellow onion, grated
• saffron (about 10 strands)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Rinse chicken with cold water and dry. Cut up whole chicken into pieces (legs, thighs, wings, and breasts). Mix together remaining ingredients to make a marinade. Soak chicken pieces in marinade for 24 hours prior to cooking in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to medium high or oven to 350 degrees (F). Place chicken on skewers and cook until chicken reaches at least 165(F), about 20-30 minutes on the grill or 30 minutes in the oven.

Homemade Ice Cream Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe (one of the top 10 recipes ice creams)

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks (beaten)
1/2 pint (250ml) milk
1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream
4 oz (100g) sugar
2 cups of strawberries
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Take the strawberries and mash them in with half the sugar (ie. 2oz or 50g) in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator whilst making the rest of the recipe.

In a separate saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the milk, salt and the remaining sugar. Place over a medium heat just to boiling point (stirring all the time). DO NOT LET IT BOIL.

Transfer the mixture into a chilled bowl to cool. When cool place in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours, remembering to stir the mixture from time to time. When cool, stir into the mixture the cream and vanilla essence and then blend in the strawberry/sugar mixture.

Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Try making your own strawberry ice cream sundae

Ever tasted a srasberry ? If you're lucky enough to be able to get hold of some strasberries, I even have a recipe for homemade strasberry ice cream

related link: http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/

Angel Hair Pasta With Chicken and Vegetables Makes a Great Busy Week Night Dinner

For busy working parents, single moms, sports families, etc. this recipe will help you have dinner ready in 30 minutes. No need for fast food when you can make this healthy, nutritious meal for your family in no more time than it would take to go through the fast food drive-through window, get home and set the food out. Make a promise to yourself to feed your family more healthy food this year and add this recipe for Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables to your meal planning file. This meal is not only healthy and delicious, it is inexpensive, too. Add garlic bread and a salad, if you want. You will have a great meal that your family will no doubt request again.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

2 tbsps olive oil, divided

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves, cut into cubes

1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz angel hair pasta

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Yield: 4 servings.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to the hot skillet. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet. Put the water on to heat to cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the carrot to the skillet and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic to the carrot skillet and cook, while continuing to stir, for a couple more minutes.

Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil and Parmesan cheese to the skillet mixture. Stir to combine all ingredients. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.

Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Top with the chicken and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately while still hot.

Enjoy!

By: Linda Wilson | 16/01/2009 | Pasta Dishes

Barbecue (BBQ) Techniques

When was the last time you had a good barbecue? Here are some things to remember to help you come up with the perfect barbecue.The choice of wood that you use can have some bearing on how your barbecue comes out as these impart different flavours to the meat. (Yes, unfortunately, your neighbors' complaint that their food has a taste of wood in it actually does have some basis.) In addition, some types of wood burn faster than others. Many suggest that the best way to barbecue is to use a combination of wood and charcoal to optimize smoke flavour and consistent burning. (Let's see what your neighbors can say about that one.)

As far as charcoal is concerned, buying a commercial bag of processed charcoal briquettes is fine, although lump charcoal may be better. The main difference between lump charcoal and brisquette charcoal is that the first has not been ground and shaped. Lump charcoal is considered a purer form of charcoal and is obviously preferred by purists over processed charcoal.

Ideally, you should use a chimney starter because this ensures a consistent heat level for the coal. Or, you could also use an electric iron to heat the coals. Others simply soak the charcoal in lighter fluid and light them, a technique which is quick and easy, although this can impart unnatural chemical flavours to the meat. Better to use denatured alcohol to avoid the aftertaste problem.

After 15-25 minutes, the coals are covered in ash. For indirect cooking, spread the coals around the grill's perimeter and place the meat in the grill's center. For direct cooking, pile the coals together in the center right underneath the meat.

Gas grills are ideal because they are easy to light and the heat they generate is easy to control, using those gas valves on the burners (the one with the knobs). However, purists still prefer cooking with charcoal because they claim gas grills lack the flavour that comes from cooking with wood and charcoal. Gas grills are also more expensive, but they are also cleaner since they do not produce ashes or air pollution.

Why Lasagna is an All Time Favorite Dish

For a multitude of hungry eaters or a small family of two or three, busy cooks may wish to try lasagna to suit the tastes of everyone. With lasagna you have a dish that is enjoyed by young and old alike and it is a very simple item to make if you are really pushed for time. The advantage to lasagna is that you can construct it hours or days ahead of the meal itself and cook it when needed. You can also cook multiple lasagna dishes at one time and package extras for your freezer. When you need a dish that can be used in a hurry, simply bring frozen lasagna to the kitchen and pop it in the oven.

Few Italian based dishes bring such a full and rich body and aroma to the table as does lasagna. You can individualize this recipe and make it your own by the careful selection of particular spices and ingredients. Even vegetarians can enjoy hearty portions of lasagna with tofu or eggplant, instead of the usual meats, added. Lasagna recipes all willingly lend themselves to experimentation by even novice cooks.

For the true homemade lasagnas you would need to include things like homemade pasta, but today cooks can use ready made pastas and still create some fabulous tastes that rival homemade. Some of the best lasagna recipes have been passed down throughout generations and family members will guard these zealously. One or two spices can make or break a lasagna dish and many of the best cooks are aware of this. Perhaps your family recipe has already been experimented with and there are some notes about which are the best spices to use to bring out the robust and aromatic qualities of homemade lasagna.

Lasagna enjoys a sterling reputation as one of the best foods to bring to a potluck supper or gathering. You can quickly concoct the dish from scratch in about 30 minutes or less, especially if you use prepared pasta and tomato sauce.

The cooking time is fast and the dish can be used to feed a number of hungry people in a hurry. One of the best things about lasagna is the fact that it is a very rich and filling dish.

Some cooks enjoy lasagna as a dish with which they can experiment with many different meats and vegetables. You can always try some new meats and bits of vegetables in an effort to improve your own recipe. Be sure to adjust all of the spices if you are adding new ingredients, however. Some spices will need to be increased if you are adding things like eggplants or zucchini. You will also need to be sure that you are not adding anything that will overwhelm the entire flavor of the dish.

For beginner cooks lasagna will be one of the first meals that they cook. All they need to do is to put the lasagna dish together and add a salad, bread and dessert and they will have an entire meal ready to be placed on the table.

Lasagna lovers also agree that a lasagna dish will taste as good or better when it is reheated.

By: Lina Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/kitchens-articles/why-lasagna-is-an-all-time-favorite-dish-579899.html

Spaggheti

Nutritionally enhanced spaghetti was prepared from durum semolina fortified with 0–30% desi chickpea ‘besan’ flour. This study examined the dough rheology, processing ease and quality attributes of the fortified spaghetti including protein, starch, texture (firmness, resilience and stickiness), colour, cooking loss, and organoleptic acceptability. Chickpea-fortified spaghetti was acceptable to consumers, had reasonable pasta quality, including lower cooking loss and less stickiness than the control spaghetti and retained firmness better than durum after refrigeration. This study suggests that chickpea-fortified spaghetti may be suited to uses such as fresh pasta, in soups, canning, and microwave re-heating. In addition, this study has added to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pasta quality. The main findings were: (1) gluten content/composition appears to be more important than protein content for pasta firmness; (2) the protein–polysaccharide matrix appears to be more important than the starch composition for cooking loss; (3) increased protein and amylose contents were associated with decreased pasta stickiness; (4) cooking loss and stickiness were not necessarily as strongly related as commonly believed. Further research into these theories is necessary to fully understand the underlying mechanisms of pasta quality.

By = Gerald Bilardo
http://learndoing.blogspot.com/

Pizza types and pizza styles

The first step to a great homemade pizza is determining what type of pizza you wish to make. After all, different types of pizza have different attributes and thus call for different types of pizza base, pizza toppings and cooking techniques. Would you like to make an authentic Italian pizza, a New York style pizza, a California style pizza, or a Chicago style pizza?

Italian pizza is generally lean, although when you add cheese, its fat level generally rises in proportion. There are various kinds of Italian pizza, too. There are Neapolitan pizzas, of which there are two general types: the marinara and the Margherita. There are various combinations of these as well. Authentic Italian pizza, moreover, is supposedly baked on wood-fired or even coal-fired, stone ovens.

New York pizza, as abovementioned, is generally plain. The mainstay of New York pizza is mozzarella cheese - fresh mozzarella cheese to be precise. One can add garlic, different types of cheeses, anchovies, shrimp, etc but these are usually optional. The pizza dough recipe for traditional New York pizza, on the other hand, calls for high-gluten flour. The result is firm, usually thin, chewy pizza.

The California style pizza is generally known for gourmet flavors. You can say the California pizza has countless variations. The pizza crust, in this case, is light, crisp and generally well risen. The toppings can be out of this world - generally California pizza makers experiment a lot with all kinds of meat, sea food, breakfast dishes, and vegetable for the toppings.

The Chicago style pizza, on the other hand, is generally crusty and very filling. They are characterized by their raised edges; imagine a pre-baked apple pie crust where you can place the fillings on top. Chicago pizza is usually meaty (some variants come stuffed with cheeses and meat layers) and it is eaten with a knife and fork.

You can also start by deciding on the flavor you want. Do you want to make a cheese pizza, a vegetarian pizza or a fruit pizza? Perhaps you want to make a low fat pizza, a low carb pizza, a healthy pizza? Sourdough pizza is also another variant.

Take your pick among your many options. Once you have decided, choosing the recipe would be much easier. If you have decided on an Italian pizza, for instance, then find your Italian pizza crust recipe, your Italian pizza sauce recipe and the overall Italian pizza recipe that will give you a list of toppings and pizza preparation procedures for making an authentic Italian pizza. For an easier time of it, you can opt to use Italian-style frozen pizza dough then just follow the Italian pizza recipe that you've found.

Reference:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_1883.shtml
By: Sean Lannin

4 Cups Black Beans (canned & drained is ok, but organic cooked & drained is better)

1 1/2 cups Brown Rice cooked
1 large mashed Sweet Potato
1 cup Pine Nuts (chopped fine)
1 Cup Rolled Oats
1 1/4 cups Carrot Juice
1 cup finely grated carrots (use the pulp from the juiced carrots)
1/2 a large Onion (chopped fine)
6-8 cloves of finely chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Parsley (dried)
2 Tablespoons Thyme (dried)
2 Tablespoons Dill Weed (dried)
2 Tablespoons Celery Seed (dried)
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Orange Peel (dried)
Sea Salt to taste (maybe 3/4 teaspoon)
2 Avocado’s peeled and mashed (optional garnish for on top of patties in place of catsup)
A nice Goat’s Milk Cheese is terrific on these too!

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients together. Make patties. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and bake patties for 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness & diameter of patties), flip after 15 minutes.

Serve with dollops of Avacodo or melted Goat’s Cheese, or let cool and freeze (without the toppings) for a fast dinner. Double recipe for larger families and freeze the extra’s.

Note: the patties can fall apart easily so handle with care during and after baking. I also suggest organic raw Goat’s milk products because they are the closest to human milk and taste a whole lot better than dairy.

Makes about 14 - 3 inch diameter, 1/2 inch thick patties.

If you’re looking for a Veggie Burger that has NO MSG, no Soy, and is a ‘true’ veggie burger, this is for you. This is a fantastic recipe and contains only wholesome ingredients. Feel free to change the herbs (try using a drop of essential oil in pace of the different herbs) cooking and experiment as this recipe is very flexible and makes a great starting point for new variations!

URL: http://aromatherapy4u.wordpress.com/2006/10/18/a-real-veggie-burger-recipe/

Samsung U900 Soul: Spirit of Ultra Soul

The 3G technological mobile comes in two different colours which are, sophisticated silver and vibrant pink. This handset comes in 112 gram of weight, which measures 105 mm deep by 49.5 mm wide and 12.9 mm high in dimensions. The smooth finishing handset has the 2.2 inches TFT colour screen, which comes with the navigation panel. The high resolution screen comes in 16 millions of colours, which is empowered with 240 x 320 pixels resolutions. This phone comes with the 2G and 3G network facility. The 2G network provides the 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM frequencies and 3G network has the 2100 HSDPA. This stunning handset gives an elegant and classy look, which appeals the users. Its amazing organiser features are phone-book, calendar, to do list, clock, stopwatch, timer, alarm, converter, calculator, hands-free Speaker and magic touch navigation by DaCPTM. These organiser features allow you to be updated with day, date and time.

The magic touch navigation feature by DaCPTM allows you to display icons on the screen to enjoy quick and easy menu selections for using the pad. This phone has the 128 megabytes of internal memory, which has enough space for the users to save the data. This memory can also be expanded with the MicroSDTM and TransFlash memory card option. The full rechargeable phone gives the 3.6 hours talk time to the users with 420 hours of standby. Its best music features are music player, FM radio RDS, bang and olufsen enhanced audio, music library, polyphonic ringtones, MP3 ringtones, voice memo and vibration alert. All these built- in music features are embedded in one device, which gives a high quality music. Samsung U900 Soul music player supports the MP3/AAC/eACC+/WMA formats, which gives an amazing listening experience. Whereas, FM radio option allows you to listen the favourite station of your choice with the latest songs and news.

Reference:
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Samsung-U900-Soul--Spirit-Of-Ultra-soul/601647
by : Issac Brandon