Friday, February 29, 2008

Tart Apple Cranberry Crumble

The prep time is very minimal for this fruit crumble, and there will not be much effort spent on cleanup after you get it into the oven. And it is a very tasty dessert for almost any occasion.

Ingredients you will need:

4 Cups of Apples, I prefer Granny Smith, but use what you like

2 Cups of fresh cranberries

2 Cups of sugar

1/4 Cup of brown sugar

2-3 Ounces of a good Brandy, if you will drink it then it is okay to eat it. I prefer not to use any wine that I would not serve at my table.

1 1/2 Cup of rolled oats

3/4 Cup of butter

1/2 Cup of flour

1/2 cup of almonds

1/2 cup of walnuts

You will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you are using a gas oven you may need to play with the temperature if you are prone to burn, or over cook things. At this time you will need to get your baking pan, and grease it well. The baking pan you will need to use should be a shallow one that will hold 2-3 quarts. At this time you will need to combine all of your apples, cranberries, and sugar, and brown sugar, into the greased pan. You will then drizzle the Brandy over the mixture. The alcohol will burn off, it is just to add extra flavor.

You will need to have a separate mixing bowl handy, so you can mix the other ingredients to incorporate a good coating of sugar. So, in this separate mixing bowl you will add your rolled oats, sugar, flour, almonds, and walnuts. You will give this a quick toss to get them evenly mixed together. You will sprinkle this mixture over the fruit and sugar mixture in the greased baking pan. While you are doing this make sure you are coating the fruit mixture evenly. This will help for a few reasons, it will keep it from burning, and it will help it cook evenly through the fruit crumble.

Once you get all of your fruit crumble mixture into the baking pan, there is one last step, you will add the butter. You will need to cut pats of butter, and place on top of your rolled oat crust. This will give it flavor, and help with the browning process. After 15 minutes in the oven you will need to turn 180 degrees. This will help during the cooking process, to make sure it cooks evenly, and to ensure even browning on the crust. You will cook approximately 30-45 minutes or until done. Enjoy.

The yield for this dish is 8 servings.

Author: Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

KFC's Cole Slaw

Back in 1991, Kentucky Fried chicken announced that it was officially changing its name to "KFC". I had always heard that this was to eliminate the word "fried" from the name in a reaction to the "low fat" craze sweeping the country. Being from Kentucky, I was disappointed that they chose to do this.

I recently went looking for the reason for my blog and found almost as many answers as KFC has drum sticks. This one seems to be the most likely. The version here is from Snopes.com.

The public relations reason given for the name change was that health-conscious consumers associated the word "fried" with "unhealthy" and "high cholesterol," causing some of them to completely shun the wide variety of "healthy" menu items being introduced at Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. The new title and image were designed to lure back customers to a restaurant now offering foods branded as "better for you," we were told.

It sounded good, but the real reason behind the shift to KFC had nothing to do with healthy food or finicky consumers: it was about money - money that Kentucky Fried Chicken would have had to pay to continue using their original name. In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, mired in debt, took the unusual step of trademarking their name. Henceforth, anyone using the word "Kentucky" for business reasons - inside or outside of the state - would have to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was an unusual and brilliant scheme to alleviate government debt, but it was also one that alienated one of the most famous companies ever associated with Kentucky. The venerable Kentucky Fried Chicken chain, a mainstay of American culture since its first franchise opened in Salt Lake City in 1952, refused as a matter of principle to pay royalties on a name they had been using for four decades. After a year of fruitless negotiations with the Kentucky state government, Kentucky Fried Chicken - unwilling to submit to "such a terrible injustice" - threw in the towel and changed their name instead, timing the announcement to coincide with the introduction of new packaging and products to obscure the real reasons behind the altering of their corporate name.

Kentucky Fried Chicken were not the only ones who bravely refused to knuckle under. The name of the most famous horse race in North America, held every year at Churchill Downs, was changed from the "Kentucky Derby" to "The Run for the Roses" for similar reasons; many seed and nursery outfits that had previously offered Kentucky Bluegrass switched to a product known as "Shenendoah Bluegrass" instead; and Neil Diamond's song "Kentucky Woman" was dropped from radio playlists at his request, as the licensing fees he was obligated to pay the Commonwealth of Kentucky exceeded the performance royalties he was receiving for the airplay.

Update: In November 2006, KFC and the State of Kentucky finally reached an undisclosed settlement over the former's use of the trademarked word "Kentucky," and the restaurant chain announced it would be resuming its former name of "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

I hope that update is true. I like traveling around the world and seeing the name of my home everywhere.

Here is a make-at-home version of KFC -- KENTUCKY Fried Chicken's -- heavenly Cole Slaw.

KFC Cole Slaw

* 8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 head)
* 1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)
* 2 tablespoons minced onion
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup buttermilk
* 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
* 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice).

2. Combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl and beat until smooth.

3. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion, and mix well.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.


Serves 10-12.

Author: Mark Hester http://bestcopycatrestaurantrecipes.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Hester

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Start making your own favorite cocktails

Everybody loves good cocktails and the great thing about them is that they are not that hard to make at home if you have the right recipes. In this article we are going to give you some of the most popular mixed drink recipes, starting with the Classic Martini for you to have as reference. All these cocktails are special and they have different ingredients that make them special and exotic. Make sure that you use exactly the same ingredients mentioned in these mixed drink recipes so that you obtain the exact taste you are looking for.

The Classic Gin Martini – in order to make a great Martini you need some dry vermouth and 2 ounces of your favorite gin. Begin by pouring a small amount of dry vermouth into a chilled martini glass and then swirl it so that you coat the inside of the glass. Then, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and gently stir in the gin. When you’re done, pour the mixture into a glass. If you are looking for an exotic look for your cocktails you may want to garnish the glasses with lemon twist or shave, olive or cocktail onion and add ice if required. Please note that there are quite many variations on this recipe and that is why it is up to your personal preference to add more or less amounts of the ingredients.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail - is one of the most popular mixed drink recipes and in order to have a perfect Cosmopolitan you need 1/2 ounce or Triple Sec or Cointreau, 3/4 ounce of vodka, 1 ounce of cranberry juice, some lime (squeeze a dash) and optional some lemon (squeeze a dash). In order to serve the

Cosmopolitan cocktails you need to stir the ingredients in a mixer with some ice and then pour the mixture in a previously chilled martini glass. At the end you should garnish the glasses with slices of lemon.

Sex on the Beach Cocktail – is another popular mixed drink that is made of the following ingredients: 1 ounce vodka, 1/2 ounce peach schnapps, 1/2 ounce creme de cassis, 2 ounce cranberry juice, 2 ounces orange juice, orange slice as garnish, and cherry to garnish. For serving this drink you need to consult some mixed drink recipes, however the main idea is to pour all the ingredients into a shaker after adding ice and shake well. When you’re done pour the mixture into a glass and garnish it with the orange slice and cherry.

Bloody Mary Cocktail – one of the most popular cocktails and it is quite simple to make using the following ingredients: 3 ounces tomato juice, 1 1/2 ounces vodka, 1/4 ounce lemon juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, celery stalk as garnish, and lemon also for garnish. All you need to do in order to make a great Bloody Mary cocktail is to mix all the liquid ingredients into a tall glass in which you put some ice and stir well, then add the condiments to reach the desired taste. You can choose to make it spicier by adding more pepper and hot pepper sauce or you can make it just a little bit spicy so that to pinch your tongue just a little when serving it.

Manhattan – is one of the most loved mixed drink recipes that requires the following ingredients: 2 ounces vodka, 2 ounces fresh lime juice, 2 ounces fresh lemon juice, 2 ounces pure grape juice. In order to make the cocktail you need to mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker / stirrer and pour everything into a weird looking glass. Also, you need to add some crushed ice and some decorations to create a special drink.

Author: David Yuri

Potatoes Hot and Cold

Among the many thousands of favorite potato recipes handed down from generation to generation, the ultimate favorite has to be the simple, thick, white and delicious potato soup recipe everybody’s grandma used to make. But even though it’s comfort food, it’s not as easy to make as you might think. Below are a few basic potato soup recipes that really work.

TRIED AND TRUE GRANDMA’S POTATO SOUP RECIPE
(The trick is to take your time!)

3 teaspoons butter or margarine
3 cups chopped leeks (or onions)
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts water
Salt & pepper to taste
4 cups chopped potato
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a five-quart pan, melt the butter and add the leeks (or onions). Cook over medium heat until for five minutes.

Carefully and slowly, add the water as you stir the mixture to avoid lumps, the bane of the potato soup. Your grandma would never make lumpy potato soup, and there’s no reason for you to, either.

Add the chopped potatoes and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Just before you serve this soup, stir in the cream and parsley, plus three more tablespoons of butter.

While there’s no better potato soup recipe for the bleak mid-winter months than the basic potato recipe above, during the sweltering summer months, nothing rivals the cold and classy Vichysoise.

This classic French potato soup recipe is famous the world over for a refreshing one-dish cold meal when the heat is fierce.


COLD POTATO SOUP RECIPE
(Vichysoise)

Make one liter (one quart) of vegetable stock using bouillon cubes. Pre-bake a half kilo (1 pound, 2 ounces) of potatoes. After they cool, peel them and crumble them loosely right into the vegetable stock. Using a hand-blender, mix until creamy and thick, then stir in about 2 ounces of sherry and sour cream, salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup get cold in the refrigerator, or use ice cubes in the mix.

You can boil the potatoes in the stock rather than bake them, and you can substitute wine for the sherry. Try using chicken stock or chicken bouillon instead of vegetable bouillon too, or even leftover mashed potatoes and leftover veggie soup! You can even use sweet potatoes or red potatoes instead of regular potatoes. It’s all good provender, and -- as my grandpa used to say – you put the hay down where the goats can get at it.

Author: John Smith

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Grilling Tuna Steak For A Simple Gourmet Meal

Looking for a delicious and simple way to grill up that fresh tuna steak that you just caught or bought from the local seafood market? Grilled tuna steak is a delightful and exciting entree for any special meal. There are various methods to spice up and flavor your catch, but today we want to talk about a popular method using wasabi powder. This unique spice is being used by many top chefs to add a special flare and flavoring to the tuna.

Assemble the following recipe ingredients:

• tuna steaks, cut to a thickness of 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch each ( your preference )
• 4 to 6 ounces of butter
• 1 cup of teriyaki marinade
• 1 tablespoon of wasabi powder
• 2 chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Get started by marinating the tuna in the teriyaki marinade. Place the tuna into the marinade and completely coat both sides of the meat. Cover, place into the refrigerator and let the tuna sit and marnate for an hour or more, overnight is good too.

When ready, start up your grill and get it good and hot, but not too hot. Ideally bring it to the same temperature as if you were grilling a regular beef steak on the grill. Then mix the wasabi powder, butter and the green onions together and place it aside for the time being. Once the grill is to the ideal temperature and you are ready, then brush the oil onto the tuna steaks and season the meat with salt and pepper to taste. While grilling, periodically baste the tuna with the left over teriyaki marinade. This will help to keep the tuna moist and add additional flavor. Cook until they are done to your desired temperature, then serve with the butter. You can also let some butter melt on the tuna fillets as they are cooking as well.

Alternative set of recipe ingredients and marinade flavoring:

• tuna steaks, 1-inch thick
• Sesame oil
• 1 rounded tsp. cornstarch
• 1/3 c. rice vinegar
• 1/3 c. mirin
• 1/3 c. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. minced crystallized ginger

Popular tuna species:

Tuna is a popular, delicious and rich tasting seafood that is prepared in many ways. It is perfect for grilling, sautee, and broiling. The flesh of tuna is pink because the tuna's muscle tissue has a higher oxygen capacity than other fish species.

• Bluefin: An important source of seafood, providing much of the tuna used in sushi. It is a particular delicacy in Japan where it has been reported that the price of a single giant tuna can exceed $100,000 on the Tokyo fish market.

• Yellowfin: found in open waters of tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, though not in the Mediterranean Sea. It has been reported to be up to 94 inches in length and 440 lb in weight. The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and they are very long, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly.

• Albacore: found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a prized food, and a significant fishery. Methods of fishing include rod and reel, long-line fishing and purse seining and are highly sought after by sport fishers and recreational fisherman.

• Bigeye
• Blackfin

Author: James Smith

Friday, February 15, 2008

Harby's Barbeque Sauce

1 c Water 1 T Soy sauce
1/3 c Vinegar, white 2 t Onion powder
3 T Cornstarch 1 1/2 t Paprika
6 T Sugar 1/2 t Garlic salt
1/2 c Ketchup 1/2 t White pepper

Mix very well. Heat in 2 quart saucepan, stirring constantly until
thickened and clear.

Author:recipe-directory.net