So, you don’t think you can find easy gourmet recipes? Yes, you can! While most people think that gourmet recipes are hard to make, time consuming, or too expensive, you can find things that are gourmet and easy to make. You just need to look in the right places and know what you are looking for! First of all, finding information on gourmet recipes on the Internet is easy to do. Just search your favorite recipe websites or just use a search engine like Google or Yahoo. If you do not have web access, going to the library for the information will also work. The library contains many types of books or even CD ROMs on cooking. Most importantly, both of these options result in free recipes!

The next question to ask yourself is what type of gourmet cooking are you looking to do. Are you looking to spice up a crockpot recipe you already have? Are you looking for special cookie recipes or Christmas recipe? Maybe even a gourmet chicken recipe? Are you planning on dining on a special day or for a special reason? All these questions will give you an idea of what you are looking to make or do. Make sure to know the tastes of those you are cooking for as well. Many people like to go to restaurant solely because they love the way a certain chef prepares their food and wish they could do the same thing at home. You can! You just need to knowledge of how to do this! Sometimes, gourmet meals are made from specialty store bought foods. But, in the day and age we live in, gourmet foods can be found in most large supermarkets across the country.

Spices that were hard to find even 10 years ago are available regularly. Many times you can also find gourmet meals already prepared at these same supermarkets. You can perhaps purchase a nicely made New York Style Cheesecake or Chocolate Mouse from your local bakery. But, if you are wanting to purchase your own produce and meats, do so knowing what cuts are correct for the recipe you have chosen. For instance, a chicken recipe may call for boneless thigh pieces or only white meat. Picking produce that is fresh, ripe, and the tastiest will contribute to the overall flavor of the finished food.

In order to know what to use and what to buy, make sure to choose recipes that give enough details. If they don’t, research on the Internet or your local library for more information. You can make good, but easy gourmet recipes if you know what you are looking for and have the knowledge of what you need and want. Researching information you do not have is the most important first step.

About The Author

Mike Yeager Publisher

http://www.a1-recipes-4u.com/; mjy610@hotmail.com

Posted by admin as Eating Fun at 9:38 PM CDT

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As a child, butter sauce running down my chin was endearing — not so much anymore. And although I may eat my lobster now with a bit more decorum, I continue to eat lobster with the same relish and delight as when I was a ten year old, feasting on my first. I can vividly recall how the platter was set in front of me and I was given the ‘tools’ to go about the business of eating this amazing looking food. I can remember feeling the cool, smooth cracker in my hand and figuring out how to maneuver it; fitting the shell between the cracker legs at just the right angle to get that distinct satisfying, crunching sound that exposed the juicy white meat. It was like being on a treasure hunt; feeling the thrill when I’d find a big piece of lobster meat in an unexpected place. And, just when I thought that I had exhausted the search and ate all there was to be found, I’d find another little piece to crack. By the time I finished that first lobster I felt like an explorer in a culinary adventure. It was clear to me way back then, this was not merely dinner; eating a lobster was an experience — a very fun experience! Think for a minute, when else is wearing a bib a thing of honor?

Now, all grown up, I find that my dinner companions are always quite entertained as they enjoy witnessing my enthusiastic lobster cracking. They appear delighted by the zest with which I approach the task at hand. That’s the thing about eating a lobster, you have to work for it. I wonder if that’s what adds to the pleasure of eating it. Is it true, even with a lobster dinner, that if you toil and expend effort, that the fruits of your labor make it taste even better? Now, lobster tails, served by themselves are wonderful, but definitely a different experience. Aren’t they the prize without the good fight? With lobster tails, there’s no need to master the cracker, no spurting juices, no hunt for the last tidbit of meat; all the things that define eating a lobster as an activity rather than as simply a delicious meal. But don’t get me wrong, I would never turn away from a lobster tail and order the chicken.

As is true with most of the ‘firsts’ in our lives, my first lobster will always be memorable. And as is also true of most of those life ‘firsts’, the lobsters I’ve had since have only been better.

Posted by admin as Eating Fun at 12:28 AM CDT

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Different cultures have their own way of taking some water and mixing it with an all-purpose flour, a rice flour, a wheat flour and adding either barley, buckwheat,soybeans,seaweed or tapioca.
After combining whatever ingredients are used with the type of a chosen flour, they work the dough on a floured surface, roll the dough out and let it dry. Until, it is ready to be hand cut or hand pulled into whatever shape of a noodle that is desired. The finished noodle product is dropped into a hot chicken,a hot beef or a hot vegetable both from three to five minutes depending upon the noodle’s thickness. After the noodles are finished cooking, they are left in the broth for a few more
minutes. The results are something of a phenomenon.

In five thousand B.C., the first forms of noodles were discovered in the Middle East. In three hundred A.D., the Chinese
were using buckwheat as the main ingredient for their noodles and
sharing the art of making them with the Japanese. In the seventeen hundreds, noodles were introduced in Naples, Italy.
As a rival to rice, noodles have been a staple food in millions
of households with the exeception of the cuisines of England and
France. Noodles are inexpensive to make and enjoyed as a complete
meal with vegetables, meat seafood or poultry added and as an
ingredient in soup to begin a simple meal or a feast.

The noodle feast begins with a Chicken Noodle Soup With Dried
Bamboo Shoots

1-cup dried bamboo shoots(found in Asian markets)
1/2-lb rice stick noodles
2-1/2-quarts chicken stock or two cans chicken broth
1/1/2-quarts water or 1-1/2-cans water
2-chicken legs with thighs, or boneless chicken breasts
1/2-cup sliced canned bamboo shoots
1-Tlb plus one teaspoon fish sauce
1-Tlb mixed fresh coriander and scallion greens

Directions:Cover the dried bamboo shoots with water in a saucepan
and bring it to a boil for thirty minutes. Drain the bamboo shoots and boil them again in one quart of water for two hours.
Drain and shred the bamboo shoots coarsely. Set aside.Note: For
cooking the rice noodles, drop one half of the package in boiling
water and cook for five minutes. Drain and rinse them in cold water to keep them from sticking. In a large pot:add the chicken
stock, the water and the chicken legs,or chicken breasts. Bring
to a boil and cook for thirty minutes. After the chicken is finshed cooking remove it from the broth and set aside. Add the
precooked bamboo shoots, the canned bamboo shoots,the fish sauce and the salt. Simmer for thirty minutes. To serve: shred the
chicken and arrange some of it with the cooked noodles and the
bamboo shoots into a soup bowl. Pour the hot chicken broth over the ingredients and top with the minced parsley and scallions.

Nancy an American woman with a Vietnamese daughter-in-law was
given a recipe for a spicy vinegar and lime sauce. The recipe
below is from Sat Thi’s mother.

Spicy Vinegar And Lime Sauce

3-cups hot water
1-1/2-cups sugar
1-cup fish sauce
1-cup vinegar
1-lime
Chili peppers to taste

Directions: Mix the ingredients in parts. The first two, then the
last four and combine them together. Pour over any type of cooked
orentail noodles.

Mary an American woman has always made her own egg noodles and
dropped them into a meat broth such as; a pot roast, or beef roast or chicken broth that she served for her family’s supper.

Homemade Egg Noodles
(Serves 6)

3-large eggs
1-cup flour
1/2-tsp. salt
3-tsp. baking powder
1/2-cup flour(to use for rolling out the noodle dough)

Directions: Beat the eggs until they are foamy. Measure the dry
ingredients into the beaten eggs and mix them together until they
are of dough consistency. Measure the one-half cup flour and sprinkle it on a surface used to work the dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes and then roll it out in a thin sheet. Put the thin dough sheet on a piece of wax paper letting it dry. Cut the
noodle dough into thin or medium sized strips. Drop the cut noodles into a hot chicken or beef broth cooking them for five minutes. Let them sit in the broth for at least four more minutes before serving them.

Soba noodles are a flavorsome wheat noodle product that can be boiled and then made into a cold noodle salad. The vinaigrette
dressing is made with a combination of rice wine vinegar and lime
juice for a lower calorie dressing.

Soba Noodle Salad
2-packages soba noodles
1-package commerical packaged shredded carrots
4-green onions, sliced
2-Tlbs.coriander (Chinese parsley)chopped
4-Tlb rice wine vinegar
2-Tlb.lime juice
3 or 4 drops hot sauce
Directions: Boil the noodles according to package directions and then let them cool.Mix the shredded carrots, the chopped green
onions and the coriander into the cooled noodles. In a separate
bowl, whisk the rice wine vinegar,the lime juice, and the hot sauce. Mix the dressing with the cooled noodles and serve.

Rounding out the noodle feast is a dessert called an apple raisin
noodle pudding.

Apple Raisin Walnut Noodle Pudding
(Serves 4-6)
8-oz. broad egg noodles, broken into pieces
1/2-cup walnuts, chopped
1-cup raisins,
1/2-tsp. cinnamon
1/4-tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs, separated
1/4-cup butter
3-Tlbs. sugar
1/2-tsp. salt
Directions: Cook the noodles as directed then drain and rinse them in cold water. Combine the nuts, apples, raisins and spices
together. Beat the egg yolks with the butter, sugar and the salt
until well blended. Fold in the egg yolks into the cooked noodles
and then the apple spice mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the noodle mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for forty-five minutes.

1. The Classic Cookbook of Vietnam-Chicken Noodle Soup With Dried

Bamboo Shoots
2.http://www.recipezaar.com Apple Raisin Walnut Noodle Pudding

Cooking since the age of fiftee, the author has always
loved learning the history of food.

Posted by admin as Eating Fun at 3:59 PM CDT

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You won’t believe how light and savoury this creamy pasta sauce is. Tasty and nutritious, this dish contains, protein, omega 3’s and calcium. It is ready in less than 15 minutes and serves 3.

Ingredients

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet, bring to boil chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook 2 minutes, just until wilted.
• In large bowl, combine ricotta cheese and salmon. Add spinach mixture and drained pasta. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Hint:
Use any bite-size pasta as desired; fusili, rotini, etc, or to make it more appealing to kids, try macaroni, scoobi-doo pasta,, etc.

Posted by admin as Better Nutrition, Eating Fun, Health Tips at 10:39 AM CDT

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Who said weight loss food is boring?! Our Carrot and Zucchini Muffins provide the perfect mid-afternoon energy pick and are still packed with health enhancing nutrients.

One cup of zucchini has about 35 calories. It contains about 340 milligrams of potassium, 530 International Units of vitamin A and 70 milligrams of phosphorus.

The daily recommendation for women over age 20 for vitamin A is 4,000 International Units, and 800 milligrams of phosphorus. There are no recommendations for potassium. However, one cup of tomato juice has 535 milligrams of potassium, a cup of strawberries has about 250, a banana has 450 and a slice of honeydew has 350.

Zucchini is a good source of fiber with 4 grams per cup. Be sure to include the peel to get all the fiber. Adults should get 20-30 grams of dietary fiber from their daily diet.

Carrots are nutritional heroes, they store a goldmine of nutrients. No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup skim milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups self raising flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat milk, egg and oil in a large bowl until smooth.
Stir in self raising flour and sugar just until moistened (should be lumpy).
Fold in carrot and zucchini.
Fill cups about 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 servings
Serving Size: 1 muffin

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories: 114
Total fat: 4 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: trace
Sodium: 269 mg
Carbohydrate: 18 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Dietary fiber: 1 gram

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A., B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is a writer for the online weight loss, health & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For free resources, tips and healthy recipes to help you lose weight and gain energy, visit http://weight-loss-health.com.au

Posted by admin as Eating Fun at 8:04 PM CDT

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Dinner parties are a hot trend and a great way to get together
with all of your friends. But do you and your friends have a
serious sweet tooth? Do you get more enjoyment out of the
desserts than dinner? Why not host an evening dessert party? A
dessert party can actually be hosted any time of the day, but a
late evening party is typically best.

With desserts, the tiny touches really do completely the big
pictures. For instance, doilies on dessert plates when serving a
fine piece of cake is a beautiful touch. A nice espresso goes
well with pastries.

If have a tasty pound cake and want to make it look beautiful
when serving? Use wine or champagne glasses and a flavor or two
of ice cream to serve desserts a la mode. Serve flavored coffees
and teas with some fresh fruit. All by itself, it can serve as a
dessert. Just don’t forget the decaf! Frozen desserts are a
great idea for an unexpected get-together. Most of the fancier
desserts can be frozen and thawed in warm weather for only about
an hour.

Need a quick cake decoration? Keep some butterscotch, chocolate,
and caramel sauce on hand. Nice thin swirls of a flavored sauce
across the dessert plate works especially well with a nice torte
or cheesecake. Mini chocolate chips are fabulous when coupled
with fresh raspberries and a rich chocolate cake.

Any particular season coming up? A seasonal dessert leaves a
great impression on your guests.

Chocolate-coated strawberries are an ideal dessert party treat.
You can begin with a carton of large ripe strawberries with
stems. Melt two to three large dark or milk chocolate bars per
carton in the microwave, in a pyrex measuring cup. Be very
careful not to burn the chocolate. Hold strawberries by the
stem, dipping them one by one into the cup. On a large plate
coated with wax paper, rest the strawberries (which should only
be dipped just over halfway) and chill for about forty-five
minutes. Serve with Columbian coffee or a designer coffee drink.
If you’re crafty with drinks, you could concoct a drink
specifically for your event!

Always pre-slice cakes, but serve to guests one at a time. Do
not have the cake already on a dessert plate, unless the event
is directly after a dinner.

Dessert parties are becoming more popular and a little more
sophisticated, so soft lighting, candles, and appropriate music
are a must. Remember not to serve pies, as they are informal and
casual and interfere with the class and mystique of a dessert
party.

Posted by admin as Eating Fun at 12:15 AM CDT

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