Thursday, April 7, 2011

Easy Recipes - What Are the Advantages of Easy Recipes?


I would like to write an article about easy recipes for meals for everybody. I would like to talk about advantages of it. As you know there are many easy recipes for a lot of meals. I want to give you some information about it. Read this article to the end and you will probably find some interesting information in it. Remember that this article is presenting only my opinion and you can have your own mind of course.

The first big advantage is that easy recipes are very cheap. There aren't so many ingredients that you need to obtain and these ingredients are very cheap. Of course the taste of easy meals is great. You only have to find a good easy recipe (for example recipe for a tasty soup etc). In my opinion you should try one of these great recipes.

The next advantage of using easy recipes for meals is that the dishes made from this recipes are easy to prepare. A low amount of ingredients and an uncomplicated way of preparing it are the biggest advantages of using easy recipes. I hope you are going to try them. It's really worth it.

Another great advantage of using easy recipes is that the meals can be prepared by everybody. These great recipes are good for people who don't have any experience in the kitchen. Using these recipes can be good even for children. They can learn how to work in the kitchen thank to these fantastic recipes. As you can see they can teach you a lot of things that can be important for you in the kitchen.

Of course there are many easy recipes in the whole world, so they will not be boring for you. You can find some examples of easy meals. There are for example chips with salad, chicken breasts or pasta with cheese, mushrooms, ham and ketchup (it's a very easy meal and it takes only 10 minutes to prepare it).

As you can see these recipes have got a lot of advantages. They are easy, cheap and varied. It's a perfect way to eat a cheap and quick dinner with your family. Easy recipes are also a perfect solution for unexpected visits of your friends.

That's all I wanted to write in this article. I hope this information can be really helpful for you now or in the future. I believe that this text was really interesting for you. I'm going to write more of them in the future and I hope that you are waiting for them with patience.








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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Cooking for a Crowd? Need Large Quantity Recipes? Why Not Create Your Own?


It is often hard to find just the right large quantity recipe for the theme of your party or for the "culinary experience" you are aspiring to offer your guests. Here are a few tips and suggestions on how to modify your favorite 4-6 serving recipes when you find yourself cooking for a crowd of 20 or more.

What constitutes a crowd? Of course it's all relative (your relatives, not mine). Seriously, if you are accustomed to cooking for one to three, cooking for 20-50 people may seem overwhelming. When cooking for a crowd, there are three important considerations; adequate cookware, sufficient refrigerator space and recipe selection.

Obviously you should seek out recipes geared towards feeding a crowd. It is often easy to find large quantity recipes for basic dishes such as lasagna and mashed potatoes. But what do you do if you have your heart set on using your favorite 4-serving recipe for Corn and Black Bean Polenta for a party of 25?

Even for expert cooks, modifying a recipe for large quantity cooking is not just a matter of endless multiplications. If you expand a recipe too much--you are bound to run into trouble and end up with an off tasting or a poorly flavored dish.

For a basic dish like mashed potatoes, it would be acceptable to multiply all of the ingredients in a 4-serving recipe by two, thus doubling the recipe to serve 8. However, recipes are not indefinitely expandable (or shrinkable for that matter) and enlarging a recipe any more then 2-4 times is not

recommended.

You may also use recipe converters which are easily found online. The converters however, simply "do the math", multiplying each ingredient amount by the increased number of servings you enter into the converter. It does not take into account, for example, the pungency or texture of the ingredients. If a 4-serving recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary and you want to triple the recipe to serve 12; 3 tablespoons of rosemary will probably overwhelm all the other flavors and seasonings in the dish.

It is a good idea to be cautious when multiplying ingredients like salt, flour, cornstarch, eggs, seafood, meats, robust herbs, oils, onions, garlic, celery and peppers. Some ingredients will impart enough flavor, texture or body when only increased a fraction. In addition some of these ingredients can be added a little at a time as you continually check for taste.

What if you want to serve 25 people with a not-so-simple, 4-serving recipe with numerous ingredients? Doubling or tripling more complex recipes could get complicated. One trick is to batch cook. Batch cooking requires planning ahead and cooking in advance. It may also mean freezing prepared dishes. It is also a matter of "doing the math".

To serve 25 with a 4-serving recipe, you can cook 5-6 individual batches of that recipe or, you can expand the recipe (no more then 2-4 times) and cook in batches accordingly. For example, to serve 25 from a 4-serving recipe, double the recipe to 8 and cook three batches or, triple it and cook two batches. To serve 18 with a 6-serving recipe, cook it three times or cook one 6-serving batch and one batch that has been doubled to serve 12. You get the idea.

It is almost impossible to double or triple recipe ingredients for cakes, cookies, pie dough, or breads, without meeting with utter disaster. It's a chemistry thing. Instead, prepare a single batch repeatedly until you have enough food to feed your guests. Again, cooking in advance is the key.

Chances are you can successfully double or triple the ingredients of recipes for individual appetizers, such as stuffed mushrooms or crostini; and for snack mixes, dips, salsas, punches, one serving-size pieces of meat, poultry or fish, tossed salads, pasta salads and vegetables dishes.

If you are cooking for a crowd of 25 or more you will most likely serve buffet style. It is the best way to serve larger crowds. On a buffet of numerous dishes, people will take smaller portions of each in order to sample everything. Also, not everyone will sample every dish. This means that every dish

you prepare need not serve 25. You need only prepare a few large quantity dishes. Look for recipes that serve 8-12 and double them (or not).

With a calculator and a little ingredient know-how you can comfortably convert most of your party food recipes and present a tantalizing menu to your

guests.

Have fun!

Debra Haydel








Debra Haydel is the publisher of http://www.chef-menus.com. This site is packed with information and tips on party menu planning. Not just recipes but coordinated, seasonal menus for all special occasions. Learn more about cooking for a crowd and creating party food with flavor and flare.


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Great Sandwich Recipes


Tea Sandwich Recipes

(Yes, even the cucumber sandwiches.) Tea sandwich recipes are savory fare, not sweet, often prepared with scallions, garlic, spicy mustard, pepper or hot sauce. For fun, serve a variety of tea sandwich recipes or a combination of sandwiches and appetizers. Here you will find a large assortment of sandwich recipes including tea sandwiches and chicken salad sandwich recipes. His Now the meditator should take mistress by such as chains, whereas betraying my and inclined the tea sandwich recipes dining-room too.

100 great homemade sandwich recipes to share at your next picnic, backyard party or tailgate party. 100 different sandwich recipes ebook! Here you will find a large assortment of sandwich recipes including tea sandwiches and chicken salad sandwich recipes. The recipe has a twist with the usual chicken salad sandwich recipes using pimentoes, sour cream and fresh ginger. You can add any of the sandwich recipes you like to your recipe box by clicking on the link in the upper right corner. Find a sandwich your family will enjoy with recipes that include a baked puffy cheese sandwich and saucy sloppy joes.

Beeton's hors d'oeuvre and savouries, including cheese and egg dishes, sandwiches, salads and dressings: 350 recipes Mrs. 1,101 great homemade sandwich recipes to share at you next picnic, backyard party or tailgate party. This book contains recipes for a bounty of utensil-free foods including...Did you mean: finger sandwichResults 1 - 10 of 28 for finger sandwiches. In addition to these sandwich solutions, many other delicious recipes can be added to enhance your family gatherings and summer festivities. All online sandwich recipes will be judged on the same contest criteria: creativity, taste, nutritional balance, ease of preparation and appearance.

Creativity in filling and assembling sandwiches continued to flourish and in 1936, one cookbook included 1,000 sandwich recipes. (Yes, even the cucumber sandwiches.) Tea sandwich recipes are savory fare, not sweet, often prepared with scallions, garlic, spicy mustard, pepper or hot sauce. Though sandwiches are usually thought of as lunchtime fare, these recipes proved delicious and satisfying as the main entrée at dinnertime, as well. Hundreds of peanut butter sandwich recipes from across the U.S. If you are tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, then Great Sandwiches is the sandwich recipes Ebook for you! His Now the meditator should take mistress by such as chains, whereas betraying my and inclined the tea sandwich recipes dining-room too.

You're bound to find your favourite sandwich recipes and new sandwich recipes that you didnt know about inside this fabolous ebook! This page lists sandwich recipes (vegetarian-meatless) with nutrition facts included. salmon sandwich recipes blood. My aim is to learn everything I can about sandwich recipes and related topics. Cut each knuckle sandwich into 4 pieces on the diagonal and crunch away.Yield: 4More recipes using pears... For fun, serve a variety of tea sandwich recipes or a combination of sandwiches and appetizers. Includes healthy sandwich recipes, hamburger recipes, tofu burger recipes, and other easy lunch ... Cuban Sandwich This is my personal favorite of all the sandwich recipes at my site. Quite frankly, I simply can't envisage anybody not taking to these wholesomely savoury sandwich recipes like a duck to water. In honor of this special month, I'm sharing four of my tasty sandwich recipes with you.








Author:Td Gunnerson http://www.delicioussandwichrecipes.com


Monday, April 4, 2011

Top 10 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes for Holiday Cooking


The holidays always mean family and FOOD! The turkey recipe is key to a good meal. Here are 10 of the top turkey recipes for your holiday meal. These recipes range from traditional to unique and there is even a beginner turkey recipe!

Recipe #1

Traditional Oven Turkey

Kraft Foods© Recipe

1 frozen turkey (12 lb.), thawed

3 Tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. fresh or 2 tsp. dried herbs, such as thyme, sage or rosemary

3 cups water

Thaw turkey completely before grilling. To thaw, place turkey on tray in refrigerator. Refrigerate until thawed, allowing 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 pounds of turkey.

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse outside of turkey as well as inside the cavity; pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings under the back. Place turkey, breast side up, on roasting rack in large disposable aluminum foil pan.

RUB outside of turkey with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs. Place pan on grate of grill. Add water to pan, then close the lid of the grill.

GRILL turkey 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh and 170°F when inserted in the thickest part of the breast, adding additional water to the pan as needed to prevent the drippings from burning and to have enough liquid remaining in the pan after turkey is cooked for use in making gravy. Remove turkey from grill; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, use pan drippings to make gravy, if desired.

For extra flavor, stuff the turkey cavity with a peeled onion, celery stalks, lemon slices and/or fresh herb bundles before grilling.

Recipe #2

Turducken

Foster Farms© Recipe

This is a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken layered with dressing.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds Foster Farms Whole Young Chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Creole seasoning to taste

1 (4 pound) duck, boned

16 pounds Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, boned

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Sausage and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.

3. Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing.

4. With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Use the kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the turducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.

5. Roast covered for 4 hours or until the turducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the turducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy. Carve and serve.

Recipe #3

Holiday Champagne Turkey

Foster Farms© Recipe

Summary

A bottle of champagne is the secret to this moist turkey stuffed with apples and baked in an oven bag.

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed

1/2 cup butter, cubed

2 apples, cored and halved

1 tablespoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.

3. Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Recipe #4

Perfect Turkey

Summary

This is a perfect recipe for a moist, flavorful holiday bird! Plan the time to brine the bird overnight - it's worth the extra effort!

INGREDIENTS

1 (18 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed

2 cups kosher salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Recipe #5

Latino Lime Glazed Turkey with Chipotle Gravy

Recipe by: Chef/GM Chris Ottens of Novell, a Bon Appetit Management Co.

Citrus Glaze

3/4 Cup unsalted butter

1/2 Cup honey

4 Tablespoons orange zest

4 Tablespoons lime zest

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

4 Teaspoons canned chipotle chilies, chopped

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Teaspoon salt

Over medium heat, melt butter in heavy saucepan. Remove pan from heat and stir in honey, orange and lime zests, thyme, chilies, cumin and salt.

Measure 1/2 cup glaze and reserve for gravy. Cover and chill remaining liquid in freezer for about 30 minutes or until liquid begins to turn firm but is still spreadable.

Vegetables

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

4-1/2 Cups chopped sweet onions

1 Packet giblets (turkey neck, gizzard and heart)

2 Cups coarsely chopped peeled carrots

2 Cups coarsely chopped celery (with leaves)

1-1/2 Cups chopped plum tomatoes

Over medium-high heat, melt butter in large nonstick pan. Add onions and reserved turkey parts.

Sauté until onions are deep brown. Add carrots, celery and tomatoes to skillet and toss to blend.

Glazed Turkey

22 to 24-pound WHOLE TURKEY, fresh or frozen (thawed)

9 Cups TURKEY STOCK

Set a small rack in a large shallow roasting pan and place cooked vegetables with turkey parts around rack.

Blot turkey dry with paper towels. At the neck end, gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching the skin. Rub 1/2-cup citrus glaze under skin. Replace the skin.

Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with skewers. Fold the wings under the back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.

Place turkey, breast side up, on the rack. Brush an additional 1/3-cup citrus glaze over top and sides of turkey. Reserve any remaining glaze. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper.

Loosely tent the turkey and roast turkey in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Secure foil snugly around turkey and continue to roast for 1-1/4 hours. The foil will prevent the honey-coated turkey from excessive browning.

Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan every 30 minutes until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F in the thigh. Remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes to brown the turkey.

Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Chipotle Gravy

1/2 Cup flour

1 Cup TURKEY STOCK

Strain pan drippings, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Discard solids in strainer.

Spoon fat from top of juices and discard fat. Add enough broth to pan juices to equal 6 cups.

Stir reserved 1/2-cup citrus glaze in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until melted.

Gradually add flour and whisk 1 minute, allowing flour to slightly brown. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to gentle boil, whisking until smooth.

Reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Recipe #6

Holiday Turkey with Sage and Sherried Cider Gravy

Recipe provided by Volk Enterprises, Inc.

Ingredients 2 12-Pound WHOLE TURKEYS, fresh or frozen (thawed)

As needed salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Large lemon, cut in quarters

14 Large fresh sage leaves

4 Slices multi-grain bread

1 Large Granny Smith apple, wedged

1 Large sweet onion, wedged

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened

1 Pint water

1 Pint dry sherry

1 Pint sparkling apple cider

2/3 Cup flour

1++ Quart TURKEY BROTH As needed assorted fresh sage leaves Roasted Turkeys

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse and pat turkeys dry, inside and out. Season turkeys inside and out with salt and pepper.

3. Place 1 lemon wedge, 1 sage leaf and 1 bread slice into each neck cavity. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a skewer.

4. Fill each body cavity with apples and onions, 3 sage leaves and remaining lemon wedge and bread slice. Truss turkeys.

5. Rub turkeys with remaining sage. Spread turkeys with butter and arrange on rack in roasting pans.

6. Roast turkeys in middle of preheated 425 degree F oven 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and baste turkeys with pan juices. Add water to roasting pan and continue roasting, basting every 20 minutes. Continue to roast 2-1/2 to 3 hours more, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh.

7. Transfer turkeys to carving board, reserving juices in roasting pan; discard string. Keep turkeys warm, covered loosely with foil.

Sherried Cider Gravy

1. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving 1/2 cup fat.

2. On range top, deglaze pan with sherry over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Stir in cider.

3. Bring sherry mixture to a boil and remove pan from heat.

4. In a heavy saucepan, whisk together reserved fat and flour and cook roux over moderately low heat. Whisk together for about 3 minutes.

5. Add sherry mixture and stock in a stream, whisking to prevent lumping. Simmer, whisking occasionally for about 10 minutes.

6. Whisk in additional stock to thin gravy if desired.

7. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

8. Discard the cavity ingredients before serving. Garnish turkey with sage.

9. NOTE: Provides 32-34 servings at 6 ounces per portion.

Recipe #7

CAJUN DEEP-FRIED WILD TURKEY

Recipe from John Maynard (Courtesy of NWTF)

1 (10-15 lb.) unstuffed turkey

5 gallons peanut oil

2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Pour peanut oil into a 10 gallon pot. Put pot on propane cooker and heat oil to 375 degrees. Have turkey completely thawed and dry turkey thoroughly. Tie two cotton strings around the carcass so bird can be easily lifted out of oil. Carefully submerge turkey in oil. Deep fry for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes per pound and cook until turkey floats to the top. Remove bird from oil, and immediately dust heavily with cajun seasoning. Melt butter or margarine, and add to it garlic powder and cayenne, if desired. Brush turkey with butter mixture. Allow to cool 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Yield 12 to 16 servings.

Recipe #8

Honey Smoked Turkey

Sweet and light, this is the easiest way to cook a big bird! It will be the best turkey you have ever had. The breast is moist and juicy, and the honey makes a great thin sauce. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and family do when I make it. I never have any leftovers! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 pound) Fresh Whole Turkey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

2 tablespoons celery salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (12 ounce) jar honey

1/2 pound mesquite wood chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill for high heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, use about twice the normal amount of charcoal. Soak wood chips in a pan of water, and set next to the grill.

2. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse the bird and pat dry. Place in a large disposable roasting pan.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together sage, ground black pepper, celery salt, basil, and vegetable oil. Pour mixture evenly over the turkey. Turn the turkey breast side down in the pan, and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

4. Place the roasting pan on the preheated grill. Throw a handful of the wood chips onto the coals. Close the lid, and cook for 1 hour.

5. Throw about 2 more handfuls of soaked wood chips on the fire. Drizzle 1/2 the honey over the bird, and replace the foil. Close the lid of the grill, and continue cooking 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) in the thickest part of the thigh.

6. Uncover turkey, and carefully turn it breast side up in the roasting pan. Baste with remaining honey. Leave the turkey uncovered, and cook 15 minutes. The cooked honey will be very dark.

Recipe # 9

Maple Roast Turkey and Gravy

A New England style turkey with maple syrup. It makes for a mellow Thanksgiving dinner. Try stuffing it with Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing. If fresh marjoram is unavailable, 2 teaspoons of dried marjoram may be substituted.

INGREDIENTS

Turkey

14 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets reserved

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

Maple Butter Mixutre

2 cups apple cider

1/3 cup real maple syrup

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3/4 cup butter

alt and ground black pepper to taste

Gravy

2 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest. Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven.

3. Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now. Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.

4. Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.

5. Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

6. To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe #10

Easy Beginner's Turkey with Stuffing

This easy to make turkey is great for beginners, but experts will find it equally delicious. Adjust the cooking time for different sized birds.

INGREDIENTS

12 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stuffing Mix

1 (6 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix

1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 slices toasted white bread, torn into small pieces

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.

2. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.

4. Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.

5. Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.








Nicole Anderson offer Free information and FREE RECIPES at Food-recipes.com [http://www.diabetic-food-recipes.com/Thanksgivingrecipes.html]. Download free recipes and get great cooking tips!


Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ideas For Doing Scrapbooking - Heritage Recipe Albums


Heritage recipe albums are a priceless treasure. Food often has strong ties to our emotions and memories. Certain foods may remind us of Thanksgiving at Grandma's, or goody baskets received at Christmas time. Most of us associate certain foods with particular events, people or traditions. Foods that remind us of home or family are often a comfort.

Many of us have family recipes that have been passed down for generations. Memories and stories are often lost from one generation to the next. Recipe scrapbooks not only preserve the recipe itself, but also the tips and heart-felt stories that accompany them.

Gathering Recipes

Gathering the recipes and memories from family members is the biggest task in creating a heritage recipe album. Send out a letter or email asking them for several of their favorite family recipes. Have them include thoughts and memories about each recipe.

Include a list of questions to get the information you would like for each recipe. You may want to note that the person shouldn't feel obligated to answer every question for each recipe. Hopefully some will spark some great memories. Ask them to include a photo of an occasion where that recipe was served. Here are some possible questions:


Whose recipe is this?
Who in your family makes this most often, or is most strongly associated with this recipe?
Where did the recipe come from?
Whose favorite recipe is this and why?
Are there any memorable stories associated with this recipe?
Are there any special tips or suggestions in preparing this recipe?
Is there a special secret ingredient for this recipe?
Is there a certain time of year your family enjoys this recipe?
Was this recipe served at a memorable occasion or event?

Scrapbook Layout Suggestions

Now that you have gathered all your recipes and information, it's time to start the album. Here are a few things to consider before you start laying out pages.


Choose your album size and type
Make a list of recipe categories you want to include
Divide the recipes into the proper categories
Choose a color, pattern or some way to distinguish each category

You are ready to begin your recipe album. Some suggested pages may include:



Title page - This may include the name of the family the recipes are from.

Dedication page - This is a great place to describe the person or family and why the album was created.

Table of contents - List each category of food included in the book, ei:Entrees, side dishes, salads and desserts.

Subtitle page - List each recipe included in that category.

Recipe page - For larger albums (12 X 12) a single page per recipe may work. For smaller albums (8 X 8) a two page spread may work better.

Use photo corners to attach recipe card
Include a photo of people or event where recipe was served
Include information from questions sent out

Scrapbooking recipes is a fun creative way to preserve many treasured family traditions. A digital album is a great option that would allow those traditions to be shared with everyone in the family.








About the Author

Melanie Hansen simply-stunning-scrapbooks.com http://www.simply-stunning-scrapbooks.com/

Melanie Hansen is an avid scrapbooker. She loves to share the ideas, tips and techniques she has learned. Visit http://www.simply-stunning-scrapbooks.com/How-to-Make-a-Scrapbook-blog.html to stay up-to-date with ideas, tips and tutorials on traditional and digital scrapbooking.


Saturday, April 2, 2011

Veg, Vegan, Or Non-veg - Try New Recipes From Different Countries


Fast food like pizzas, burgers, and soft drinks may satisfy the stomach, but these are not healthy if consumed on a regular and daily basis, instead of wholesome home cooked food. Eating home cooked food is not only healthy, but cooking at home can also be fun as well, and anyone can prepare a variety of dishes with the hundreds of Recipes available for free on thousands of websites. There is no need to buy expensive cookbooks and recipe books. The multi-cuisine, multi cultural, multi-country, multi-ethnic, Veg recipes and meat-based recipes are easy and fun to cook and many people readily try them out. Many of these vegetarian recipes, especially from India and countries in the East, are easy to cook, but there are also hundreds of recipes available for meat and egg dishes, soups, appetizers, main course dishes, desserts, and chocolates.

In fact there are Home Cooking Recipes available for special days and holidays too, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and for Diwali in India. With these Easy Recipes, you can prepare desserts, snacks, main dishes, drinks, soups, and chocolates, and surprise your family and friends with your cooking skills. Even if you are not an expert cook, you can still prepare mouth-watering dishes by following the step-by-step guidance provided in the recipes. These Free Recipes also provide a full list of ingredients along with spices and herbs that you will require to cook up a delicious meal.

Although meat and eggs are a mainstay of western cooking, vegetarianism and veganism is quickly catching on and many people have now totally turned to veg and vegan dishes. Although western home cooking does not have many recipes for cooking with vegetables or cooking exclusive veg dishes, the east has hundreds of veg recipes and vegan recipes for cooking delectable veg and vegan dishes at home. A vegetarian or vegan in western countries like the USA, UK, and even Europe can find Free and Easy Recipes for many veg and vegan dishes on hundreds of websites. You can prepare a variety of vegetable soups, appetizers, salads, main course dishes, desserts, chocolates, cakes and pastries, and enjoy a healthier life.

Many people are turning to vegetarianism and veganism by choice, but millions of others swear by meat and eggs, and prefer vegetables and veg dishes as a side item, instead of the main course. For people who prefer meat and egg dishes, there are hundreds of Free Recipes available for different meat cooked in different styles and with a hundred different herbs. Some of the eastern recipes for meat dishes are more difficult to cook and time consuming as the meat has to be marinated for hours with herbs and spices, before being cooked. But many others are Easy Recipes and can be cooked quickly. Whether you prefer vegetarian, vegan, or meat and eggs in your meals, home cooking recipes are easy to find and cook.








Please do visit our site for hundreds of Free Recipes and Vegetarian Recipes - Veg Recipes, Vegan Recipes, appetizers, salads, soups, main course dishes, chili recipes, desserts, Cookie Recipes, Chocolate recipes and an extensive cooking guide.


Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bread Maker Recipes That Are Easy to Make


Bread is a universal diet and it is eaten almost in all countries. Even the countries where bread was not so much popular have now become popular, but, of course, with a different name and variety. Now the arrival of the breadmaker and special bread recipes have proliferated bread so much so that it is understood that bread have so many recipes even more than bread maker recipes are in the market. The reason is that several bread maker recipes have not reached the market and are still used at homes.

Now several chefs are engaged in discovering new recipes for their bread maker recipes lists. Even bread maker recipes are available in the market in the shape of a booklet and on internet with a wide list of bread maker recipes. However, human bread makers have discovered several recipes for making, preparing and baking breads. In fact, it depends, first of all, on the society and then on the environment.

For example, in the eastern society, bread making, and breadmaker recipes are fields solely reserved for females of the family and males know nothing about cooking or bread except eating. However, in case of hotels, it is somewhat different, for chefs and machine bread makers, and bread maker recipes have special hold in hotels. But, the case of western society is entirely different. With the proliferation of specialization in every field, bread making and bread maker recipes have become fields to be reckoned with. Several bread makers have discovered several different recipes and have become popular solely on account of their recipes. Same is the case with bread making and also with bread maker recipes. You are to take the ingredients of your favorite recipe, put it in your bread maker and your favorite bread is ready in a minute or so.

Moreover, the recipes of the bread making process depend on the taste and diet advice. They also depend on the types of the bread. Several breads are prepared through different machines and bread maker recipes are handy in this regard. Several other recipes are prepared manually and break maker recipes are also available at that time.

Furthermore, bread recipes and their popularity also depend on the name and namesake taste. For example, French bread and Italian bread immediately reminds us the best bread recipes, for the names are attached with culinary tastes and no experience of the bread is required. Likewise, garlic bread, pumpkin break, carrot bread and such other breads immediately tell us about the ingredients that have been mixed, and they have also become specialty of bread makers. Such bread recipes are not naturally shifted from one generation to another generation. Their recipes have been specially discovered along with the ratio of their ingredients and then they have spread among the people. Same has happened with rye break, dark rye bread, west bend classic rye bread, dark pumpernickel rye bread, sourdough bread and several others.

Moreover, some very simple recipes that are quite common are available for you and you can have it among your bread maker recipes to use it when required.

Grain

& Honey Bread

2 TBSP honey (liquid or melted)

3/4 cup warm water

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 tsps granulated yeast

1/2 cup rolled oats

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 TBSP olive oil

These are the ingredients and you are required to mix salts with the yeast, oats and flour in the breakmaker. Make a hole in the top for the yeast to put there and bake as usual. Your bread is ready.








You can have more information, reviews and recipes on http://breadmakerrecipes.org


Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Electronic Recipe Organizer - All Of Your Recipes At Your Fingertips


The electronic recipe organizer is a godsend to the millions of people that love to cook. The average person does a horrible job keeping track of and organizing their recipes. Most people either have one (or many) recipe books that they had write those recipes that they like to save, or they jot down the recipes on 3.5" by 5" index cards and keep them in recipe boxes. As far as a long-term solution, these two methods are very inefficient. Organization is very difficult to maintain and there's always the possibility of losing the recipes. An electronic recipe organizer is by far the best way to effectively manage and safeguard all of your favorite recipes.

The cliche "having it at your fingertips" is very common in the digital age. Manufacturers of all types of products claim to provide this kind of convenience. But with an electronic recipe organizer, this cliche is a fact. About the size of a paperback novel, the typical version of this recipe organizer can provide you with ability to store thousands of your recipes. They are made to sit on your countertop, and have a clear plastic covering to make the occasional cleaning easy. Since it usually sits right next to the stove, it will get food spilled on it. But this is fine because the plastic cover protects it. Just wipe it down with warm damp cloth if this happens.

From the main screen, you can easily browse through the electronic recipe organizer and quickly find your desired recipe. The navigational buttons are incredibly easy to understand and even the most "non-technical" person should have no problem operating it. The designers of this type of product did this for a reason: most people using an electronic recipe organizer are not IT people. They are just mothers, grandmothers, and other people who love to cook and who may not have much experience operating electronic products. Ease of use is key.

How are the recipes loaded onto the electronic recipe organizer?

This is a common question among people thinking about purchasing these amazing tools. The reality is that adding recipes is also easy. All a person needs to do is go to a specific website, fill out a simple form with the recipe details, and hit the submit button. In an instant, the recipe is transferred to the electronic recipe organizer. But not only that, a copy of the recipe is also saved online. So if anything should ever happen to the organizer itself (whether it is lost, stolen, or destroyed), all of the recipes will be saved because a backup copy of all of them will still be online.

If you needed to find your favorite recipe, would you find it faster by going through your collection of recipe books, or by scrolling through your electronic recipe organizer? The latter, of course. It takes literally seconds to locate any of your recipes using an electronic recipe organizer. And this is among potentially thousands of recipes. If you are looking for the ideal way to store and manage the many recipes that you have, you can't go wrong with one of these convenient solutions.








For an in depth look at the top digital recipe reader, including feedback from real customers, please visit DigitalRecipeReader.com today. Find out why users are raving about being able to have all of their recipes organized and readily available.


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Famous Copycat Recipe


Famous copycat recipe are the recipes from your favorite restaurants that you can duplicate and prepare in your own home. That is what famous copycat recipe is all about? Usually the chefs get a dish into a restaurant and find out what ingredients makes the dish tastes so good. The spices used, the exact measurement and even how long it takes to cook. These was translated into a new variety and compiled in a form of recipe book.

It is fun to go to dinner with your family, friends, and love one,and enjoy a great meal and have nothing to clean up after eating. But is this really worth it when you see the bill on your table and pay an expensive amount for a single serving of food? People realize if they eat at home they will be more satisfied, but the quality of the meal will not be as good, if they don't know how to cook their favorite restaurant meal. Well famous copycat recipes are the answer to that question. These copycat recipe books are already out in the market as well as you can even browse it on the internet and copy/paste it. There are available eBooks, blogs and websites available on the internet which you can browse anytime you want.

Eating out in an expensive restaurant can hit your wallet pretty hard, it can even complicate your budget. Especially those who have large families or even small families with big eaters. However, if you really love to cook and eat out at famous restaurants but you wish to save money because of your fixed income, well you definitely use a famous copycat recipe book that comes handy and is very affordable. It can even give you tons of recipes of your favorite restaurant to choose. You will be surprised to find out how accurate the recipes are and how it got the real taste and savor of your favorite expensive restaurant dish. You can even use it in any occasion and gatherings. For sure everyone will love it and some will ask you on how you know the recipe and where you acquired the recipe.

With the help of famous copycat recipe you can now bring the kitchen of your preferred restaurant to your own home and be the chef to cook hundreds of your much loved favorite gourmet recipes. Say goodbye to long hours of waiting in a restaurant just to get seated and most of all bid farewell in paying too much in an expensive restaurant in your every visit. Maybe cooking at home will consume much of your time, and can create a mess you'll need to clean up, but once you finish one particular dish and have tasted it, you will be amazed and feel proud of yourself in that you prepared a very famous, mouth-watering dish and became a professional chef. Feel free to amaze everyday because with famous copycat recipe everything is all in your hands

Famous copycat recipe are the recipes from your favorite restaurants that you can duplicate and prepare in your own home. That is what famous copycat recipe is all about? Usually the chefs get a dish into a restaurant and find out what ingredients makes the dish tastes so good. The spices used, the exact measurement and even how long it takes to cook. These was translated into a new variety and compiled in a form of recipe book.

It is fun to go to dinner with your family, friends, and love one,and enjoy a great meal and have nothing to clean up after eating. But is this really worth it when you see the bill on your table and pay an expensive amount for a single serving of food? People realize if they eat at home they will be more satisfied, but the quality of the meal will not be as good, if they don't know how to cook their favorite restaurant meal. Well famous copycat recipes are the answer to that question. These copycat recipe books are already out in the market as well as you can even browse it on the internet and copy/paste it. There are available eBooks, blogs and websites available on the internet which you can browse anytime you want.

Eating out in an expensive restaurant can hit your wallet pretty hard, it can even complicate your budget. Especially those who have large families or even small families with big eaters. However, if you really love to cook and eat out at famous restaurants but you wish to save money because of your fixed income, well you definitely use a famous copycat recipe book that comes handy and is very affordable. It can even give you tons of recipes of your favorite restaurant to choose. You will be surprised to find out how accurate the recipes are and how it got the real taste and savor of your favorite expensive restaurant dish. You can even use it in any occasion and gatherings. For sure everyone will love it and some will ask you on how you know the recipe and where you acquired the recipe.

With the help of famous copycat recipe you can now bring the kitchen of your preferred restaurant to your own home and be the chef to cook hundreds of your much loved favorite gourmet recipes. Say goodbye to long hours of waiting in a restaurant just to get seated and most of all bid farewell in paying too much in an expensive restaurant in your every visit. Maybe cooking at home will consume much of your time, and can create a mess you'll need to clean up, but once you finish one particular dish and have tasted it, you will be amazed and feel proud of yourself in that you prepared a very famous, mouth-watering dish and became a professional chef. Feel free to amaze everyday because with famous copycat recipe everything is all in your hands








These famous copycat recipes are collected in one big recipe book at http://recipes-fromrestaurants.com


Sunday, March 27, 2011

Family Recipe Scrapbook Tips


It's family reunion time again here in the United States and Canada. I can just taste my mom's peach pie already. I can't tell you how many times I've called my mom and said "mom I just have to have your recipe for your pie and home made ice-cream". It's been a slow accumulation of recipes over the years, but she relents each time I call for yet another recipe from her.

Many of the recipe's are actually from my grandmother who passed them on before she passed away many years ago. You know, I can still remember baking oatmeal raisin cookies with my grandmother even though it's been almost 35 years now since I last had that chance.

Now that I have an adult son and daughter of my own my wife and I, who both love to cook, really wanted to pass the recipes on to both of them also. Many of these recipes they grew up on and now that they have kids of their own, are just beginning to request. My wife also has a recipe book from her grandmother on her dad's side. It's too old and tattered now to use regularly, so it's time it was restored and updated.

So many wonderful memories from the kitchen... so many more that I've lost in time.

I wish that the idea of a recipe scrapbook had been around when I was just a kid.

Recipe scrapbooks can be given to brothers, daughters, cousins, children or just about anyone. An 8.5x11 scrapbook works perfectly here in the US and Canada and can be printed on any standard printer. They are large enough to hold a 3x5 index card, a couple of photos and the journaled memories you create. You can also use an 8x8 scrapbook and have the recipes bound in a square format.

I think it's a great mix to combine your photos and recipes. Digital scrapbook templates are perfect for this. For example, combine a group family photo from your reunion at the beginning of the album with a signature page from everyone in the photograph. This is a great way to start off the album prior to the index page. If you've asked for recipes from all the family members in attendance, put a photo of the recipe submitter on that recipe page with the recipe on the opposite page. I like to put a photo and a lined journaling page for memories on the left with the recipe, instructions and photo of the finished item or of the cooking fun on the right.

Here's another great tip I picked up from my wife's sister... help your reader out by having a shopping list at the bottom of each recipe or on the back of the recipe cards that you use. You might also want to consider putting the actual recipe on one scrapbook recipe book page and placing the shopping lists separately in the back or at the end of each section.

Note: While using recipe cards is great so that you can remove them and take them right along to the market... my personal experience has shown that cards get lost from time to time. They also add bulk to what is already a bulky cookbook scrapbook. I've found that having the list printed at the bottom of each page makes it easy to copy down when needed and much easier to combine common ingredients for multiple dishes.

Another family recipe scrapbook tip is to create a bit of history with your recipes. If adding recipe's handed down for generations or from a family member that is no longer living, you may want to have the photo's on the left, the recipe on the right page, and a bit more of history information on the author on a 3rd page with even more photographs. Most scrapbooks are very expandable, especially the digital scrapbooks, so there is room for many pages in one album.

If needed, break the family recipe scrapbook into volumes by food type or sides of the family tree.

Almost all cookbooks have a measurement chart and conversion table in them, so when making a recipe scrapbook album, it's a good idea to add this information to either the back or the front index.

Besides family reunions, recipe scrapbook albums are the perfect gift for a new bride, especially if the recipe's comes from her husband's side of the family with his favorite dishes he grew up with.

Whether the family recipe scrapbook is for you, for your family or for a new bride strugling to cook for her new husband. The one ingredient that will make it worth it's weight in gold are the memories you safely record inside.








Wes and Kathy Waddell own and operate multiple digital scrapbook membership sites, including: The Most Incredible Digital Scrapbook Gift... Ever.

Visit PrincessCrafts.com for details on all our Scrapbook membership sites.


Saturday, March 26, 2011

Delicious Barbecued Roast Pork - A Super Food Recipe


Now although I have been a collector of worldwide foods recipes for many years I was presented with the pleasant task of having to host a dinner party for a group of prospective clients. Although the group consisted of several nationalities I decided to prepare a Western type dish "Oven Barbecued Pork Roast". I was quite sure that pork was not likely to offend any of my prospective guests!!

Although I already have thousands of recipes and popular foods recipes ebooks mainly in PDF format, that are these days available for instant download worldwide, I wanted something different.

After various free searches I came across an ebook containing 490 Blue Ribbon Recipes that had the exact recipe I wanted.

Having acquired my recipe I was curious as to how a recipe can get a "Blue Ribbon".

Again I did loads of searches on various combinations of words including "Blue and Ribbon" and was surprised to find that was not an actual definition, maybe I just didn't look in the right places, but my search was pretty thorough.

What I did however discover is that in America the competition for the blue ribbon is extremely competitive.

Basically I learnt that every year there about 80 fairs in the USA with representation from 50 States. Each fair has its own blue ribbon recipe competition. The field of acceptable categories is quite diverse which means there is something available for every taste. I found references to these fairs starting in the 1800's

You will find Blue Ribbon Recipes in categories for appetizers, soups, sandwiches, main dishes, bread, rolls, biscuits, dips, dressings and every dessert you can think of. In fact there is recipe to satisfy every passion and for every occasion in the world of Blue Ribbon Recipes.

Astonishingly the contestants range from hardcore old hands and competitors who tour the whole country entering recipes for big cash rewards, to beginner home cooks enthusiastic to take a chance with Grannies ancient recipes for, say, the good old "Apple pie".

As one hopeful contestant said "I just love entering County and State Fairs and I have been collecting competition recipes and cook books for many,many years".

Inevitably, I suppose, commercialism has crept in to these events. During recent years apparently, sponsorship of recipe contests by national food companies has become popular at fairs across America. The various companies award generous prizes for original recipes featuring their products.

Again notably, some famous food products have originated as a result of state fairs. Way back in 1852 at the first State Fair of Texas, a notable contestant named Gail Borden Jr. submitted a dried "meat biscuit" recipe. His recognition and success came some time later after turning his processed and condensed milk into a "National Brand Name".

If you are looking for a delicious dish to be proud of, let's face it, you can't go wrong with a recipe that has won a state fair competition and even better got that "Blue Ribbon" award!! They obviously do not just give them away lightly!!

Well there we are, just a little information on the significance of "Blue Ribbon Recipes".

Just in case you are interested in the great recipe I discovered, here it is:


Delicious Barbecued Pork Roast

Serves 10-12 persons

3 lb / 1.5 kg boneless rolled top loin pork roast joint

3 large garlic cloves sliced

1 teaspoon black coarsely ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

vegetable oil, approx. 2 tablespoons

1 large onion, sliced (approx 8 oz)

1/4pint (approx 150 ml) chicken stock

8 oz tomato sauce (just over ¼ pint - approx 200ml)

50ml (approx. 4 tablespoons) chili sauce

50ml spicy tomato ketchup

50ml apple cider vinegar

50ml lemon juice

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon red pepper


If there is a large amount of fat on joint, trim it off along with strings if the joint has come tied. Using butcher's (or kitchen string), tie at 2" intervals.

Cut deep slits in roast & insert garlic slices If desired, lay fat skin side up, sprinkle with salt and roast in a separate tin for those who like crackling.

Combine pepper, sage & thyme; rub over surface of roast. Coat a non
stick deep frying pan with oil, place over medium high heat until hot.

Add pork roast and roll around until brown all over, about 10 - 15 minutes. Take out meat, put on one side. Add onion & sauté until tender.

Add chicken stock bring to the boil. Transfer to a dish, then roast the meat uncovered at 350°f / 180°c for 30 minutes.

Combine tomato sauce & remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat; pour over pork.

Roast for an additional 35-45 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center
of roast registers 160°c. 325°f.

Slice pork, serve with hot sauce, ideal with tender new potatoes, in season vegetables and home made apple chutney/sauce.

Please note, I have amended the measurements from the ebook recipe so that they equate internationally.

For the record this recipe took 3rd place at the Illinois State Fair but I can't tell you which year. What I can tell you is that the outcome of my dinner party was a complete success for me and my guests to the point that many of them even asked for the recipe!!

If you are interested in collecting good foods recipes, do yourself a favour and try and get hold of "490 Blue Ribbon Recipes"








The author Christopher Phillips is a retired restaurateur with a passion for collecting recipes from all over the world. You are free and welcome to copy and distribute this article without alteration and with the usual acknowledgment to the author.

Click here For More Blue Ribbon Recipes

More Great Recipes

http://www.cothivalebooks.com/


Friday, March 25, 2011

How an Online Recipe Book Saved My Kitchen


For awhile now, my wife has been asking me to learn how to cook. I've been hesitant to do so because my wife is a wonderful cook and I know as much about cooking as Christopher Lowell does about the NFL. So in my mind I'd never had the need or desire to become the next Bobby Flay.

But after some loving nagginng, errr encouragement from my wife, and almost burning down my kitchen trying to boil a pot of water, I decided it was time to learn how to do this cooking thing.

But if I was going to do this, I wanted to find MY kind of recipe book online. The online recipe book I was after had to meet the following 3 important criteria:

1. The recipe book had to be easy to follow. A must, since I've proven I have the culinary I.Q. equivalent to sweet Corky on that bad '90's sitcom.

2. The recipe book had to be affordable. I wanted to invest in a good recipe book, because it would make me more committed. If I just relied on free online recipes, I would have no skin in the game. Having said that, I didn't want to pay too much either. Plus, a lot of the free recipes online were either garbage or didn't have a collection of easy-to-make meals that I liked.

3. The recipe book had to have a variety of dishes. I knew if I got an online recipe book with just one type of cuisine, I would get bored and, or frustrated.

After about of week of researching different recipe books online, I found the crown jewel, the mother of all online recipe books. It's called "America's Most Wanted Recipes". It was a weird feeling, because the only time I get excited about food is when there's a hot plate of something I love sitting in front of me. But as I read about this online recipe book, I was genuinely excited about the cool dishes I could start making.

It hit on all MY criteria for a good recipe book. Best of all, and what really caught my attention was that it full of spectacular recipes from my favorite restaurants like PF Chang's, Chili's, Red Lobster, The Cheese Cake Factory and many more.

America's Most Wanted Recipes would be the recipe book that would finally take me from a culinary dud to a gourmet stud :). I was a little cautious at first, because I saw a lot of other recipe books both free and for sale that claimed to have copy cat restaurant recipes. But after looking at all the options, America's Most Wanted Recipes by Chef Ron Davis was the real deal. It's the #1 selling online recipe book on ClickBank, it's sold on Amazon with magnifient reviews, and Ron and his staff have spent literally thousands of hours perfecting the recipes and made them easy to understand.

As I read all the different recipes and dishes from my favorite restaurants, I realized that for less than the cost of taking my little family to a night out at Chili's, I would literally have an encyclopedia of recipes of my favorite dishes!

I can take my culinary plunge by cooking such things as PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps, Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls, and Panda Express' Orange Chicken.

Best of all this online recipe book is an E-book, so that means I can quickly download it and start cooking the delicious recipes right away.

Only time will tell, but this online recipe book is so easy to follow, and so fun use that it could take this pot bellied food lover from a culinary disaster into a lean mean cooking master.








This article is written by John Sanders. Cook-in-training who blogs about his culinary adventures at http://www.squidoo.com/recipebookonline

The site is dedicated to inspiring all those who are culinary challenged to learn how to cook their favorite restaurant foods.


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Top 5 Healthy Simple Chicken Recipes That You've Never Heard of Before


Chicken recipes are easy and perfect for any occasion. Sometimes though, chicken can be bland. Mix up your simple chicken recipes with these easy chicken recipes that you've never heard of before. Chicken dishes don't have to be blah.

The phrase "tastes like chicken" will take on a whole new meaning with these simple chicken recipes. Instead of making the same old chicken recipes, mix it up with these unusual, funky recipes. Chances are, you've never had the flavor combinations in these recipes. From sweet and spicy to tangy and crunchy, these easy chicken recipes up the flavor ante. Chicken does not have to be bland and boring. Best of all, these five recipes are good for you too. These simple recipes are the best ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breast.

Best Ways To Cook Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast:

Guatemalan Chicken Mole - Everybody loves chocolate, but how many of those chocoholics eat it with chicken? Mole is a traditional savory sauce made out of chocolate. Dark chocolate is a great source of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Between the chicken and the pumpkin seeds, this recipe for boneless chicken has plenty of protein. With red pepper flakes and two different types of chilies, this chicken dish packs a spicy punch. Try something new for dinner tonight and combine chicken with chocolate with this recipe.

Lemon Yogurt Chicken - This recipe for boneless chicken is originally from Afghanistan, a country not typically known for its cuisine. The bright lemon citrus flavor and the creamy yogurt make this chicken dish a lot lighter than traditional American chicken recipes. Plus, the recipe requires whole garlic cloves mashed to a pulp, an instruction not found in the typical chicken recipe. This Middle Eastern recipe is one of the best ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breast.

Healthy Chicken Jerky - Walk into any grocery store or gas station and you're bound to see a bag of beef jerky somewhere. The concept of jerky, smoked meat, is common with beef but not with chicken. expand your jerky horizons with this recipe for boneless chicken. Make chicken a snacking favorite with this recipe. Lean and tasty, healthy chicken jerky is a snack all can get behind.

Avocado Chicken - The avocado is relatively common, seen in almost any supermarket. However, the only dish the avocado ever gets used for is guacamole. The avocado never gets used in cooking, which makes this recipe one of the more unique simple chicken recipes. Easy chicken recipes that combine a multitude of textures are great. Combine crunchy almonds with smooth avocado to get a recipe for boneless chicken full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Crispy Baked Chicken - This recipe for boneless chicken is so unique because it replicates the flavor of fried chicken using an oven, a healthier version of fried chicken. Classic chicken recipes like fried chicken are delicious but full of calories. This unique chicken dish replicates the fried flavor in the oven for a healthier version.








For more great recipe ideas, go to http://www.favediets.com/Editors-Picks
http://www.favediets.com/Editors-Picks/Top-5-Healthy-Simple-Chicken-Recipes-That-Youve-Never-Heard-Of-Before


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Enhance Recipe Resources Using Software


Cooking and Nutrition have been incredibly hot topics over the past couple of years. Other hot topics such as anti aging and fitness exercise are discussed in correlation with cooking and nutrition on a regular basis. At the same time the rise in Cooking Television Shows has been exponential. This craze has resulted in a cooking channel! A channel devoted to a plethora of cooking shows! These television shows often have associated websites where their recipes are cataloged and made available.

Technology has allowed us access to these websites and recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep your favorites on hand it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have researched and will offer a review of a few software products that I recommend. These products will allow you to import, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats.

1. MasterCook Deluxe 9.0 by ValuSoft

Product Features


Meal-planning software with 8,000+ recipes and 100s of international recipes



Thorough search capabilities; expert nutritional analysis



Professional tips, cooking for a crowd, and essential cooking techniques



Enjoy 400 savory baking recipes with step-by-step instructions



Print shopping lists for single recipes or entire menus, or download to PDA

2. Cook'n for Every Holiday by DVO Enterprises

This instructional computer software [http://www.thesoftwarespot.com/default.asp?SID=xSUDBN7CQH9W2UP3PGZYM6&S=500&A=F&SearchText=&CategoryID=1695949&NID=6372614] includes 582 recipes, recipe manager, menu planner, and more!

Product Features:


Search thousands of recipes in seconds--just tell it what you have on hand



Adjust recipe serving sizes automatically



Demonstrate preparation techniques with video clips



Display hundreds of full-color food photos



Organize your own recipes



Print your recipes on decorative 3x5 cards



Create weekly menus



Make grocery shopping lists



Analyze the nutritional value of your recipes

Recipe Manager:


Organizing your family recipe collection in the computer is easy with Cook'n. You already know how to put in your recipes, that's because Cook'n's recipe window looks just like a recipe card. And, "Quick-Fill" editing does much of the typing for you.



Cook'n has simple cookbook-like chapters and categories that make it easy to find your recipes fast.



Cook'n's Recipe Manager makes entertaining a snap. Simply select the number of guests you will be serving and enter it into your favorite recipe. Cook'n calculates the new ingredient amounts for you.

Menu Planner:


Build your own weekly and monthly menus



Drag and drop meals to make your menus



Combine recipes and food items to make complete meals. Then, drag and drop meals to make your own weekly or monthly menus.

Grocery Shopping Assistant


Compiles your family's shopping list automatically



Organizes shopping list items by aisle



Converts to package sizes (e.g., tablespoon tomato paste to 8 oz. cans)



Calculates your grocery cost

Personal Home Nutritionist


Analyze the nutritional elements of recipes and menus (even the ones you add!)



Choose between brands to satisfy dietary needs



Cook'n will analyze the nutritional value of any recipe or menu (even the ones you add!). Easy to read...Cook'n nutrition facts window looks just like the label on a can.



Cook'n has nutrition facts from the labels of 10,000 food products. You can choose between different brands to see what the nutritional effect is.



Now you can plan menus based on dietary needs and tastes. Prepare one delicious meal for the entire family.



Home Cookin: Recipe Software by Mountain Software

Product Features:

· Easy to Use Interface - Home Cooking uses a simple tabbed interface that is easy to operate while providing all the features you use most. You can create as many chapters as you wish. Home Cookin will keep everything sorted alphabetically so you can quickly browse through your collection, and find your favorites easily.

· Easy Recipe Entry

· Import and Export Capabilities - Thousands of free recipes can be found on web pages, newsgroups, and various mailing lists. You can easily add these to your collection by importing them into Home Cookin. Most standard formats are supported.

· Meal Planning - The meal calendar makes it easy to plan your upcoming meals. Locate your desired recipes, then add them to the calendar. Add personal notes if you plan on eating out, want to indicate a holiday, or to reference recipes in other cookbooks. When you are ready to prepare the meal, you can access the recipe quickly from the meal calendar.

· Grocery Management - The Home Cooking grocery manager will make quick work of preparing your grocery shopping lists. Start a new list, select the items you need, and print. A cost estimate is calculated as you select each item, so you'll know ahead of time how much you'll be spending on your groceries. The printed list is compact and sorted by store and location to make your shopping trip as easy as possible.

Websites provide us with recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep them handy and get the most use of them it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have provided a review of a few software products that I found to be of good quality. These products will allow you to import, analyze, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats including a grocery list!








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Monday, March 21, 2011

Free Online Recipes


One reason people love the internet is due to the incredibly quick and pain-free way you can access information. Within seconds, you can access a wealth of information regarding almost any topic imaginable. While the majority of us don't utilize the internet for heavy duty research, one way almost anyone can enjoy the convenience and power of the internet is by locating free online recipes.

Just 15 years ago it didn't seem possible that in the near future, millions of recipes covering almost every kind of food would be readily available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection. The future has arrived so here are several ways to take advantage of free online recipes.

Without a doubt the free online recipes are extremely handy because you can pull up a recipe in a matter of seconds. While many use a search engine like Google, most people often have their preferred recipe websites that include vast databases of recipes. Simply input a key word or keyword phrase like "chili" or "chicken soup" and you will generally find several to dozens of flavorful recipes.

In addition to being easy to access, a lot of recipe websites are full of people that enjoy cooking, have their own favorite recipes and enjoy adding recipes to the database for others to use. These community recipe websites are an excellent way to share knowledge. In addition, the majority of recipe websites offer those that use recipes on the board to add comments. So whether you like a recipe or you didn't like it, you can easily share your comments with others. This is a great way to try out a recipe (especially if many people liked it) or avoid it the recipe if it received bad reviews.

In addition to being able to read recipes on your computer screen, many cooks take it one step further- they print out their favorite recipes. It is extremely easy to print out recipes and many free online recipe sites offer the option of special recipe formatted files which make it a snap to print out your favorite recipes. This way you no longer have to worry about ruining the recipe card while you cook or misplacing it. If you spill something on it, you can effortlessly print it out again.

top of all these advantages, a lot of free online recipe sites have gone one step further in providing quality information on how to make specific meals. Many free online recipe sites now provide images and some even include videos showing you step by step how to prepare a moderate to difficult dish.

Free online recipe web sites are perhaps the quickest way to locate new recipes, read reviews, and chat about the latest or best techniques on cooking and sharing with the world your favorite or time honored family recipe. Free online recipe websites are definitely the ultimate home recipe box.








For a large collection of family friendly free online recipes visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/archives.htm


Saturday, March 19, 2011

Online Recipes - Better Than Cookbook Recipes? - Useful Information From a Google Search


Online recipes have overtaken the internet and information technology world by storm. On a recent Google search (Oct. 1, 2009), I received 68,000,000 hits on the phrase, "online recipes". I clicked on dozens of these sites and came up with the following results and conclusions.

I found mostly recipe websites where members can find and exchange recipes, post blogs and enter contests and sweepstakes. Some even offer photo contests sponsored by name brand food companies. Some sites contain chef biographies. Many sites house only certain types of recipes. I found international, holiday, soul food, heart healthy, youth club and family recipe sites. Some sites post recipes only for web surfers with specific dietary restrictions.

There are computer software recipe sites that supply webmasters (who post recipe files on their own sites), with tools, in exchange for credit back to them on their sites. Cookbook software companies sell recipe and cooking related software to the internet world.

To answer the question on whether or not I think online recipes are better than cookbook recipes, I would have to say yes they are! Recipes found online and more specifically in ebooks (geared toward a specific cuisine or special grouping of recipes) are usually updated periodically or replaced in data bases. For example, if a recipe has been around for many years and an ingredient in that recipe becomes outdated, it would be discontinued and rewritten with the updated ingredient.

An example of this would be the use of the word "drippings" in decades old recipes. Recipes written today would call for olive oil or margarine in place of drippings (or no form of fat flavoring, due to many fat restricted diets today). The other huge advantage of online recipes is being able to access them (in the kitchen) instantaneously. There are no bulky cookbooks to get in the way!








Do you love the convenience of online recipes? Do you want your own large grouping of trusted, popular recipes? Recipes that you already know are good, because you've taste tested many of them while dining with your friends!

Just go to http://www.squidoo.com/cooking-techniques-from-copycat-restaurant-recipes to access my long list of restaurant recipes (plus bonus recipes) that are easily available to you. These recipes are updated monthly; appetizers, salads, entrees, soups, desserts, dressings, sauces, cocktails...

Author: Pam Myers


Friday, March 18, 2011

Got Healthy Dog Food? The Best Dog Food Uses a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - 3 Reasons to Make Your Own


A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #1 - Peace of Mind

You've watched the news or you've read the newspaper stories. Pet owners across our nation are up in arms because of the tainted food they are feeding to their pets. This poisonous and sickening dog food has killed hundreds of dogs and caused countless others to become sick. When I feed my pet his food, I want to have the peace of mind that what I am feeding him will not cause him to become sick or worse!

Whether this recent outbreak in tainted dog food is because of the sick and twisted who dwell among us or because of a lack of testing standards among producers, still has not been determined. Could this all be caused by a single individual? Probably not. If these deaths have been caused by unscrupulous people, because it has been so wide spread, it most likely has been perpetrated by at least a small group.

Additionally, the food that most people are giving to their dogs day in and day out are filled with so many preservatives that it's only a matter of time before it sickens your dog. Think about the Hostess Twinkie for a moment. Tastes great, right? Of course it does, but did you know that that Twinkie has a very long shelf life? Why? Because of the preservatives within it. Of course, you wouldn't ever solely go on a Twinkie diet. Why then would you ever put your dog on such a preservative laden diet?

Whatever the case may be, whether caused by a band of renegades or because of a lack of production standards, I want to know that what I am feeding my dog is only the best of what I can offer. Peace of mind, therefore is a huge reason to use a homemade dog food recipe in your search for a healthy dog food recipe.

A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #2 - Increases Their Life Span

As you search for a healthy dog food recipe, you will end up using a homemade dog food recipe because it is by far the healthiest option. Why? Because you will know exactly what it is that your dog is eating, you will use only the best ingredients. When you choose the best ingredients, you will also be choosing the healthiest ingredients. Studies have shown that dogs that are fed using a healthy dog food recipe, as in a homemade dog food recipe, live longer than those who are fed a mass produced dry or canned food.

Isn't that the whole reason you are even looking into a healthy dog food recipe in the first place? As you realize that a homemade dog food recipe will give you more time with your dog here on earth, the choice to make your own pet food really becomes a non-question...of course we would! But there's one more important reason to use your own homemade dog food recipe.

A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #3 - It's Cheaper

This may be hard to believe, but it's true. When you choose a healthy dog food recipe, one that is also a homemade dog food recipe, your lifetime costs to maintain your dog will be lower. Using the right recipes, your per serving cost for dog food can actually be lower than if you had used a commercial dog food AND you will have fewer vet bills because your dog will be happier and healthier. The bottom line? You can save a lot of money by giving your dog a healthy dog food recipe, one that is a homemade dog food recipe.

You need to see that using a healthy dog food recipe, one that is also a homemade dog food recipe will save you much in the future. You'll never suffer from a broken heart, as you have a complete peace of mind, knowing you have given your dog the best and healthiest food that you can. As an added bonus, it will save you money too! Show your dog how much you love him...use a homemade dog food recipe!








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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Have You Tried Scrapbooking Recipes?


Have you seen the new scrapbooking supplies for recipe albums? Local craft stores are responding to the new trend of scrapbooking recipes. You can find albums with a recipe theme, as well as stickers, paper and embellishments to complement the scrapbook. The main thought behind scrapbooking recipes is the same as using photos and memories. We want to preserve the recipes for future generations. However, recipe albums are very popular as gift items as well. Some scrapbookers are even using them in their kitchens as cookbooks.

To begin designing a recipe scrapbook you need to think about your purpose for creating it. Will this be an album documenting family recipes handed down from generation to generation? Or are you creating an album to give as a gift? If this is a recipe album meant to be used in the kitchen, you also may approach the design differently and choose a scrapbook that will be more durable. Albums come in a variety of sizes including, 4x6, 5x7 and 12x12 inches. Choose the one that will best fit your goal for scrapbooking recipes.

Decide whether or not this will be a gift album. You may not want to use the original recipe card written by your great-grandmother in a gift recipe scrapbook. You still could make the recipes personal by writing the ingredients and instructions in your own handwriting instead of a computer font. Recipe albums make welcome gifts for weddings, graduations, Christmas or housewarming gifts.

Which recipes to choose will depend on your goal for the album. You may want to use quick and easy recipes for a graduation gift. Holiday favorites would be ideal for a Christmas gift. You could also narrow down the recipe choices to just desserts, soups, main dishes or family favorites.

When you begin to design your recipe album decide if you want to keep the same layout format for each page and if you will coordinate the embellishments on each page. You may want to keep the album with an overall uniform look, or have each individual page have a unique look.

You can use recipe cards or journaling blocks for the ingredients and instructions. You may also want to include a photo of the dish or a picture of the person who gave you the recipe. Consider adding comments about why you love the dish or opinions from your family on why it is one of their favorites. Try journaling about the history of the recipe or any special memories you have about it. Making the album personal is what scrapbooking is all about.

Scrapbooking recipes doesn't have to be limited to a recipe album. Think about including recipes in other scrapbooks. Highlight the recipe for witch's brew on a Halloween page layout. Recipes on Thanksgiving pages are an obvious choice. Include your secret recipe for perfect gravy. How about including the recipes for the dinner you made for your husband on your first Valentine's Day? You can also include your grandmother's apple pie recipe on a page all about your memories of her. Food is a big part of our lives, and recipes are a natural page element for scrapbooks. Think about creating a recipe album as craft project or add a recipe to your next page layout. Be a part of latest scrapbooking trend and pull out your recipe cards.








Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking tips and scrapbooking recipes ideas.


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Get Your Recipes Together!


Here a few methods I have found to organize recipes:

PHOTO ALBUMS

Your can place clipped recipes and recipe cards in a any type of photo album (hint: go to the thrift stores and pick up inexpensive albums) although the type of albums that you can add pages to would be best because this will help you organize the album better. You can place tabs on pages to divide the album into categories then simply place your clipped recipes into the appropriate category. This method is a great way to keep all loose recipes together. The plastic protection will help keep your recipes clean.

A RECIPE FILE

Get an accordion-type file to organize clipped recipes and recipe cards. Label each section with a different recipe category then simply file your recipes. This method will at least keep them all together and is quick, but you will have to sort through all the recipes in a certain category when trying to find a particular recipe.

A RECIPE BOX

With a recipe box, you can put different categories onto tabbed dividers and you can buy more dividers if necessary. You can file clipped recipes but it is neater if you write them onto recipe cards which is time consuming. As with the accordion file, you'll have to sort through recipes in a category to find one.

A COMPUTER RECIPE PROGRAM

If you have a little spare time this is a great way to compile all of your favorite recipes--including ones in your recipe books. These programs are pre-formatted so you just fill in the blanks. It can get time consuming entering in all your recipes, but if you stick to entering in 1 or 2 recipes a day, you'll make some progress.

There's a number of benefits using this method, one being that you can easily find recipes and print them out. You can print out recipes and make homemade cookbooks to give to your friends and relatives. The program will figure the nutrition information for your recipes. Some programs offer a menu maker and a shopping list. It's also easy to locate certain recipes with certain ingredients. For example, if I have ground beef on hand, I can do a search for 'ground beef' and the program will bring up all recipes with ground beef in it. Also, these programs come with recipes--so if you don't want to enter your own, you'll still have a great cookbook to use all these features on.

A THREE-RING BINDER

I use the three-ring binder in conjunction with my recipe programs. I have put tabbed page dividers into it and labeled each divider with its own recipe category. Whenever I print out a recipe to use from my recipe programs, I punch holes in it and place it into the appropriate category in the three-ring binder. This eliminates the need for me to re-print the recipe later.

I hope this article gives you some ideas for organizing your recipes. Recipe collecting can be a fun hobby especially if it is organized!

BENEFITS OF RECIPE E-BOOKS:

~ Rather than lugging out a cookbook and turning pages for hours

searching for the perfect recipe, simply click open a recipe e-book

on your computer, do a quick search for an ingredient or key word,

then print your recipe!

~ Get your cookbook dirty & it's ruined; get your printed recipe from

a recipe e-book dirty, simply print a new one!

~ Make your own customized cookbook by filing your

favorite printed recipes in a 3-ring binder with dividers!

~ Print favorite recipes for your friends & family, or even

make them a homemade cookbook!

~ Save all that valuable space those cookbooks are taking

and use recipe e-books instead!








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Monday, March 14, 2011

Recipe Scrapbook Albums Are Fun


What is your family's favorite recipe? Where did you get it? Was it something Grandmother learned when she was a young bride? Was it a sushi recipe that won a prize for Uncle Lyle at the state fair?

A recipe scrapbook album would be a wonderful gift for family members. Imagine giving each one a collection of family recipes, each with its own bit of history, in a recipe scrapbook album.

You can make those recipe scrapbook albums following these steps.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Materials

Prepare to make your recipe scrapbook album by assembling the following minimal materials. You may want other things as well, but these 7 are recommended for a complete recipe scrapbook album.

* Family recipes, as many as possible - neatly written or typed

* Photographs of how the recipe looks when ready to serve

* Photographs of the person credited with creation of the recipe

* Notes of things people always say or remember about the recipe

* Scrapbooking paper (acid-free) reminiscent of cooking

* Food preparation stickers and charms

* Recipe "instruction" tags

Themes for Recipe Scrapbook Albums

Your overall theme is for a recipe scrapbook album will, of course, be recipes. In keeping with that theme, each page or section will have a specific theme in the category of recipes.

Browsing through your recipes and photos, look for natural groupings. If there are several recipes from Grandmother, theme a section of your recipe scrapbook album for those. If Uncle Lyle has more recipes than his singular prize-winning sushi, set aside a section for him in your recipe scrapbook album.

Perhaps you will find it easier to divide your recipe scrapbook album into themes such as appetizers, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and beverages. Each of those could be a page or section theme.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Page Layouts

Once you have your themes, you are ready to lay out the pages of your recipe scrapbook albums. There are many approaches to page layout, and you may have one you have used often. Here is one way of doing it.

1. Select the photo(s) to be used on a 2-page spread or single page. If they are colored photos, select scrapbooking paper to complement them. Be sure you use acid-free paper to protect your memories.

2. Lay out your scrapbooking paper to fit the page. Be creative with your paper. Nostalgic kitchen wallpaper is a good choice for old recipes. Italian recipes might find a home on red and white checkered paper reminiscent of a tablecloth. If your recipe scrapbook album includes a recipe for Fish and Chips, you might want scrapbooking paper on that page to look like an old newspaper.

3. Once you have placed your scrapbooking paper, begin to arrange the recipe and accompanying photos. Typed recipe cards are fine, but if your recipes are hand-written by the person who created them, it will give your recipe scrapbook albums a more personal touch.

4. Frame your photos and recipes after they are placed. You can find a wonderful array of frames in scrapbooking supplies stores. Or use your own creativity. If Grandmother always wore an apron when preparing that delicious chocolate cake, create an apron "pocket" of cloth or cardstock. Tuck into it one or more recipes. Another idea is to make fold-open frames for the recipes in your recipe scrapbook album. Simply cut an appropriate size piece of cardstock and fold it in thirds. Adhere the center third to your scrapbook, top it with the recipe, and fold the other two sides shut over it. You might even make the folded card look like cupboard doors.

5. Once your photos and recipes are framed on the page, add a few lines of journaling that capture the family memories associated with the recipe. In my own files, I have a recipe for cookies served by the host the evening my husband and I first knew we would become more than friends. Personal notes about such memories add immensely to recipe scrapbook albums. My mother's fresh, home-baked bread is remembered as Dad's favorite base for yellow mustard!

6. When each page layout is completed, each element glued firmly in place, you are ready to add stickers and charms - embellishments. You may use commercially made embellishments for your recipe scrapbook albums, and you may add more intimate touches as well. If Grandmother loved lace, and even crocheted her own, adding a touch of lace to her page will help family members remember that. Since Uncle Lyle always used that bright green "sushi grass" (baran) to separate his sushi, be sure you include a piece of it on the sushi recipe page.

Finally, you may want to leave a few blank pages at the end of your recipe scrapbook albums so that future recipes can be added later.

Recipe scrapbook albums can be made during a prolonged family reunion, giving everyone something to do with their hands while catching up on family news.








?2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com Anna is posting new articles every week on that site. You won?t want to miss her recent article on how to make exciting scrapbooking page layouts.