Archive for June, 2009



Author : Gregg Hall

If already didn’t know already, grocery stores are where you get your best deals on food The easiest way to save money at a local grocery store is to use coupons or a store member card This can be done at any local grocery store Don’t let the Sunday paper just be your coupon day you can print coupons out or have then sent to your house There are several websites that will allow you to print out coupons for use at local stores Maybe you want to sign up for a store member card You can use this to get discounts every time you shop at your local grocery store This will help reduce the cost of your groceries every time you visit the store

Some of these grocery stores even offer store credit, credit cards You can gain points by buying groceries with them then rack up the points and get free groceries Also check out the discount or marked down rack Most of the time you can find marked down brand name foods and other things as well in the discount area Go around and talk to the people in the meat department and see when they are marking down meats A lot of the time these meats will expire in a few days so the butcher will mark these down to get them gone faster This often happens in the early hours of the store to get it gone faster I have a friend at a local store that gives me huge deals on steaks

Speak with the produce person to see when the best fruit is going to be on sale This too is done in the mornings to eliminate the rest of the fruit they wish gone This is so people can get what they want and the grocery store can make sales

Look for all the sales, many sales will often occur in the morning so go to our local grocery store and find all the sales tomorrow morning These sales will most likely be on a lot of meats and veggies

You do not have to have a membership to get good deals You can be any customer just know when the right time to go and get your groceries is so you can get a good deal Just remember the best time to go is in the morning and you will most likely get a bunch of good sales The meats are the main things being marked down but there are other things as well that are on sale such as maybe chips, cookies, and delicious sweets in the bakery section maybe the deli section as well So just go to your local grocery store today and look then maybe you will find what you are looking for

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about groceries as well as gourmet food at http://www.gourmetfoodsboutique.com

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How to Buy Beer Brewing Kits Online



Author : Drew Brown

With so many people brewing their own beer at home these days you would think that beer brewing kits could be bought in your local convenience store, at this time it is still not the case, in some areas there will be some home brew shops but more often then not the only way to buy good fresh beer brewing kit, would be online And to be honest that is probably the most convenient way to buy this product

There are many advantages in buying beer brewing kits online, one of the first that comes in mind is that you do not have to leave your house to order it and it will be delivered at your doorstep And the person who says online shopping is not as much fun as going to the mall, really does not now what they are talking about Online brewing shops are often much more convenient then the real life ones You can see exactly what you buy, look at how to videos and download and read the instructions before you buy the product These online shops often also are a great source for recipes and other information to create the best results with your beer brewing kits

Most first time home brewers buy beer brewing kits because these kits contain everything they need to create that wonderful first batch of beer But also, the more experienced home brewers can still use that beer brewing kit, they might buy other ingredients in separate packages or use individual yeast and additional accessories, but the main equipment will still be that first beer brewing kit they have bought

When you consider that brewing is just following the principal of making alcohol by using sugar through controlled fermentation you can figure it is not that hard at all Especially when you choose proper beer brewing kits with good instructions right from the beginning There are several suppliers who sell beer brewing kits online, but there is only one that sells a system where you can make 6 gallons of your home brew at once With other beer brewing kits you can only make 2 or 3 gallons in one batch And when it is your goal not only to find a great new hobby, but you would also like to save some money from making your own beer then the beer brewing kit from Coopers is what I would recommend

This family business is still an actual brewery and now they also sell beer brewing kits at a good price and with excellent quality They also sell online because they noticed that it is nearly impossible to reach all parts of the country, but they do also sell some of there products in normal stores

Buying beer brewing kits online is the best opportunity you have, all the ingredients and equipment you need for a very reasonable price delivered at your door step what more do you want? And if you get your first batch ready and taste that first glass of beer you will be going back to the online store to try some of the other recipes

Drew Brown has one hobby and he loves to share it with the world. He just loves to brew his own beverages. http://www.brewingyourown.com

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Cooking Tips You Need To Know



Author : Craig Chambers

No cook or chef, whether professional or just beginning, would be complete without a collection of great cooking tips I have always loved finding an easy solution to a problem that makes the meals I cook better or saves me money Over the years, I have collected these gems of knowledge from many people including my grandma, gourmet chefs of five star restaurants and the locals from the countries I have visited

I have not only used these great ideas but have also awed friends and family with solutions to little problems everyone encounters in the kitchen You will find that there are cooking tips for everything from preparing a meal to using substitutes in recipes These tips will save you time, money and a lot of hassle You may also find that once you think about it you have many of your own ideas that you can add to your collection simply by writing down

There are many places to find great cooking tips and only requires a little investigating Many people have great ideas that you will find very useful and a good way to start your collection is by asking your friends and family Many people have come up with their own ways to prepare a meal faster, better or cheaper and you will benefit greatly from the experience of others I have found that some of my most valued tips have come from the unique ways others do things

The internet is also a great place to find helpful information and you will find great tips such as adding a little sugar to your pancakes to make them brown faster or putting your unripe fruit in a paper bag in a dark cupboard to ripen By doing a little research and asking others for their ideas, you will soon acquire a collection of helpful kitchen hints and will have a wealth of knowledge available at your fingertips

You will find many cooking tips that save you time in preparing a meal I save a lot of time by chopping vegetables ahead of time or buying them precut Buying prepared foods such as mashed potatoes, rice, or bagged salad instead of trying to make everything from scratch also reduces the time spent in preparation I also like to use disposable paper or plastic plates, cups and utensils when appropriate

This makes cleaning up after a meal or party very easy and allows you more time with your guests when entertaining Another great tip my mom once gave me and one that has saved me many trips to the store, is to keep a running grocery list in the kitchen and write down the items I need throughout the week to avoid running to the store over and over again

The more you look, the more simple solutions to every day kitchen problems you will find For example, you can easily salvage an overly sweetened dish by simply stirring in a half teaspoon of vinegar to balance the flavors I have used this tip for a number of dishes that I thought were ruined and managed to create a great meal Another one of my favorite cooking tips is coating the inside of the pot lid when cooking pastas, custards and milk to keep the pot from boiling over

This saves you the hassle of having to clean up a mess and possibly ruining the meal or dessert you are making Cooking timers can also help prevent a pot from boiling over or a meal from burning and allow you to turn your attention to the task at hand and prepare other items Because you will come across so many great tips, it is a good idea to write them all down or include the appropriate tip along with the recipe in your recipe box Before long you will have a valuable collection of ideas and many great cooking tips

Craig Chambers is a cooking enthusiast who enjoys sharing cooking tips and offers extensive free cooking guides, tips and resources on his website www.cookingyourbest.com

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A Brief History About Pillsbury



Author : Angela Abbette

It is unlikely that in 1872, when Charles Pillsbury founded the baking products company that bears his name, he foresaw that someday his moniker would be largely associated with a small animated character with an annoying giggle

Charles and his father, George, had joined with his uncle John Pillsbury to operate a milling plant in 1869, and Charles had used his share of the profits to start C A Pillsbury and Company, which sold cereal and baking products with increasing success from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, including pancake mixes, cereal, and bakery items But it was in 1965 that Pillsbury graduated from a grocery store staple brand to a pop culture sensation with the introduction in company commercials of Poppin’ Fresh, aka the Pillsbury Doughboy

Dispatched to push Pillsbury’s line of refrigerated cookie and biscuit doughs, Poppin’ Fresh, a diminutive humanoid blob of dough sporting a cheery smile and a chef’s hat, was within three years recognized by an astounding 87 percent of all consumers and is today consistently rated as the number one food character, beating out such luminaries as Starkist’s Charlie the Tuna and the Green Giant Poppin’ Fresh’s signature giggling falsetto was created for the initial series of commercials by the legendary voice actor Paul Frees, previously known as the gravelly Russian voice of Boris Badenov on TV’s The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

Since then, other actors have played the voice of Poppin’ Fresh, such as Jeff Bergman, the voice of Charlie the Tuna, and today, JoBe Cerny

One measure of Poppin’ Fresh’s success is that few consumers probably remember that until his appearance, doughboy was heard only as an antiquated slang term for a soldier or infantryman There is controversy about the origin of doughboy in the military sense, but one certainty is that the term is much older than most people would suspect Although it gained currency in popular use during World War I, doughboy first showed up in print in 1847, and General George Armstrong Custer’s widow mentioned the term in her memoirs, written in 1887, explaining that “doughboys” were small doughnuts often served to sailors aboard ship According to Mrs Custer, the term was subsequently applied to infantrymen because the large brass buttons on their uniforms reminded someone of these naval doughboys Lending support to at least the culinary aspect of Mrs Custer’s theory is the fact that doughboy has meant “a boiled flour dumpling” to sailors since about 1685

Today, the doughboy receives more than 200 letters a week, and Pillsbury, over 1500 requests for autographed pictures of the cute moniker

Angela Abbette writes on a variety of subjects, including about articles food and drink articles similar to the ones found at her favorite free article publishing directory.

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Sanity and Time Saving Child Feeding Tips



Author : Teresa Tuchek

1 Remember that you as a parent or caregiver decide what your child will eat Your child will decide if he or she will eat it and how much Once this is realized, a significant amount of pressure will be reduced

2 Scheduled meal and snack times are necessary Routine is extremely important Do not let your child graze, as it will diminish his or her appetite at mealtime

3 Do not be a short order cook! Always preparing something separate for your child will become expected Remember that you are in charge of what your child eats

4 Food jags are common in young children Children will go through times where they want a specific food item on a daily basis for a week or two and then begin to refuse it Be patient and in a few days or a couple of weeks, they will come back to it The key is to remember that food jags are normal and making a big deal out of it will cause more problems Instead, work with your child on trying new foods

5 Repetition is the key Children generally need to be offered a new food item 10 to 20 times before they will even try it Tastes for specific food items develop over time

6 Reward children with praise, activities, stickers, small toys, outings etc rather than with food

7 Eat together as a family as much as possible Enjoy your time together

8 Do not make eating a battle Try not to nag, argue, bribe or coax Generally speaking, it will cause more feeding issues in the end Eating is to be pleasurable and seen as a positive experience and not as a negative experience Positive mealtimes encourage eating as well as conversation and learning

9 Do not pressure your child to clean his or her plate Research indicates that children are born with good control of their eating Children will eat when they are hungry and will stop when they are full Children who are forced to eat more than what they want can lose their natural ability to control their food intake and hunger is no longer what makes them eat This can also lead to eating issues and eating disorders in the future

10 Average time to allow for snacks is 10-15 minutes and for meals 20-30 minutes Your child should have been able to eat or drink what he or she wanted in this period Remove any remaining food and your child from the table and wait until the next scheduled meal or snack time before offering food or drink again

11 Avoid eliminating certain foods An environment where certain food items are denied often backfires Instead, encourage balance, moderation and variety

12 Be a good role model You cannot expect your child to want to drink milk if you are drinking a soft drink

13 Watch portion sizes Remember that when eating out, most child portions are much larger than they should be and really could be 2 to 3 servings for your child depending on their age and needs Split meals between children or take home part of it for another meal or two

14 Approximate serving size for children 1-3 years of age as a rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon per year of age Additional amounts to be provided according to appetite

15 Try foods in different ways such as cooked, raw, canned, fresh, frozen, sliced, chunked etc You will never know which way your child prefers it and it could mean the difference of your child eating it or not

Teresa A. Tuchek is a consulting Registered Pediatric Dietitian. Teresa has a website discussing kids eating habits, nutrition requirements, typical growth patterns as well as answers to common kid nutrition questions. The website can be found at http://www.kids-nutrition-simplified.com.

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Author : Corbin Newlyn

Unlike dark chocolate, milk chocolate is exceedingly sensitive to heat since it has a high sugar content Milk chocolate is mostly a mix of chocolate, sugars, and milk, and so it is much more ordinarily found in candies

For this reason it might be hard to use milk chocolate in recipes that require you to melt chocolate for sauces, or in desserts that will be baking and cooking for an extended length of time Milk chocolate is mostly suited for desserts that can be baked relatively rapidly

Cookies

Milk chocolate is an excellent addition to many different kinds of cookies, which ordinarily only need to bake for around ten minutes or so You can add chunks of chocolate by cutting up candy bars, or use milk chocolate chips for a fast and simple addition

You can add chocolate to your favorite oatmeal, peanut butter, as well as sugar cookie recipes The next time you are baking brownies, try sprinkling some milk chocolate chips as well as marshmallows on top half way through baking and you will have a new rendition of an older favorite

Muffins & Breads

Milk Chocolate is capable of being an excellent additive to muffins as well Add a little decadence to your conventional breakfast muffins, or make a fun dessert version that can go along with coffee Another option is to add chocolate chunks or chips to muffin batter, or melt it in the microwave and sprinkle over the top

Milk chocolate can also be a welcome additive to numerous dessert breads, such as banana bread You also have the option to even mix some chocolate chips into peanut butter and have a genuinely nice spread for both breads and muffins

Candies

Milk chocolate is likely most well known for it being used in a variety of different candies, and is enjoyable to experiment with at home For a truly simple treat, melt some milk chocolate and dunk it in bite size pieces of your favorite fruit, nuts, cakes and even cookies Let the chocolate harden on wax paper and then enjoy Milk chocolate can also be used in fudges and truffles

Other Ideas

Shave this type of chocolate candy bar over some vanilla ice cream for a speedy after-dinner dessert, or on top of some hot chocolate covered in whipped cream or coffee Create an easy snack and mix the chocolate chips into a trail mix with pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits Or even better yet, simply savor milk chocolate plain by the handful as you are awaiting the completion of a fresh batch of cookies in the oven!

Listen to Corbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of fine foods. If you would like to learn more go to Chocolate Candy advice and at Chocolate Chip Cookie tips.

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Author : Shane Bryan

Perhaps, like millions of other people, you are watching your diet, and you wonder, is Alaskan smoked salmon a good dietary choice for you? Rejoice, because dieticians and doctors alike have declared that the health benefits of this delectable treat are abundant Even if you aren’t watching what you eat and simply love the flavor of smoked salmon you can appreciate the health benefits brought on by eating it We’ll help you by breaking down the benefits further

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Everywhere you turn these days; it seems someone is talking about Omega 3 fatty acids Now it’s my turn to add my two cents worth This magical unsaturated fatty acid in your Alaskan smoked salmon provides a plethora of health benefits, and are the major reason why eating smoked salmon is so beneficial We’ll go into detail later about what Omega 3 fatty acids can do for you Suffice it to say that they are an essential part of your diet, and one of the best places to find them is in oily fishes such as salmon!

Heart Health

One of the major health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids is the boost they give to your heart If eaten regularly they can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and also the chances of having a primary or secondary heart attack If taken in amounts of one gram per day, a study found that Omega 3 can reduce the risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest by 45 That’s a huge benefit! Omega 3 can even help calm irregular heartbeats The American Heart Association recommends that people eat at least two servings of oily fish per week, such as Alaskan smoked salmon For people with heart problems, there really is no more beneficial snack

Brain Health

Omega 3 fatty acids are some of the most important nutrients for our brain They have been shown to alleviate the affects of disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in Alaskan smoked salmon, help build grey matter in our brains and coat the myelin sheaths that protect our nervous systems In developing children these nutrients are especially crucial for proper development Omega 3 fatty acids can even help stabilize you mood So the next time you’re feeling blue, grab yourself some Alaskan smoked salmon

Cholesterol

These days everyone is watching out for their cholesterol Don’t you wish there was a food that could fight back against those evil VLDL’s? Well, you may have your answer in Alaskan smoked salmon An American study completed in March of 2007 has found that patients who ingest at least four grams of Omega 3 fatty acids per day lowered their triglycerides by 45 and their VLDL levels by 50 on average Imagine, cutting your cholesterol in half while eating a food you enjoy, like Alaskan smoked salmon This sounds like a dream come true!

Joint Health

Maybe you play sports or are a runner; both activities that can have a high impact on your joints Or say you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, which can render your hands almost unusable If you eat Omega 3 fatty acids on a regular basis however, you may escape much of the pain of swollen and painful joints Studies done have shown that people who ingest sufficient quantities of Omega 3 fatty acids suffer from less inflammation and swelling in the joints, and arthritis sufferers feel some alleviation as well Eating Alaskan smoked salmon on a regular basis ia a great way to add Omega 3 fatty acids to your diet

But I’m on a Diet!

That’s just fine! Alaskan smoked salmon has the good kind of (unsaturated) fats, and contains no carbs It’s also full of healthy proteins, which help you feel full longer and also provide essential fuel for your body Alaskan smoked salmon can be found on many menus and at many gatherings, so you always have a healthy option to choose from

Now that you know the truth about how wonderful Alaskan smoked salmon is for your body, you have no excuse not to have some for a snack right this second We won’t keep you waiting

Shane Bryan, a long-time resident of Alaska, shares his love of Alaska with you at http://AlaskaSpirit.com . Also don’t forget to check out his store where you can get Alaskan smoked salmon and other Alaskan gifts shipped directly from Alaska. http://AlaskaSpirit.com/store/

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Bacon Wrapped Breasts With Sun Dried Tomato Mayo



Author : Mick Reade

This is one of my favourite meals I used to eat when working at the Imperial Hotel on Bourke St in Melbourne, so I wanted to share it with you because it’s quite simple to make, and I know how much people love bacon!

Basically, you take a breast of chicken, and wrap a nice big rasher of bacon around it, seal it in a frying pan and finish it off in a hot oven

How To Cook Your Bacon-Wrapped Breast

The best way to cook your chicken is to pan-fry it, sealing both sides, and then finishing it off in the oven This will help cook it quickly, plus by pan-frying it first the flavours of the bacon will begin to absorb into the chicken breast, adding that delicious smoky flavour

Now, I use a frypan with a metal handle so it can be put straight into the oven If you don’t have a frypan that can cope with the heat of the oven, then transfer your chicken breast to a tray (preferably one that has at least a couple of centimetres of depth)

Finishing Your Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast In The Oven

Make sure you’ve got the oven pre-heated to about 180C (375F) Once you’ve sealed both sides (about 2-3 minutes each side should do it), transfer your chicken breast to the oven for about 6-8 minutes to finish it off

SUGGESTION: Before oven-roasting the chicken, I add a touch of white wine, it adds a bit of flavour to the chicken plus keeps it juicy and tender If you don’t want to use white wine, a little bit of chicken stock, or even water, will also do the trick!

To make it a complete meal, I like to combine it with some mashed potato and fresh veggies, plus my favourite part of the meal, sun-dried tomato mayo

How To Make Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo

This can be quite simple, if you’re pressed for time and happy to use store-bought mayonnaise, then in a food processor add your sun-dried tomatoes (depending on how much you want to make, you might only need to add a few)

Blend to a pulp, then add some mayo to mix it all together nicely If you’re like me and you prefer to make your own mayo, in your food processor you’ll need to begin with about 6 egg yolks, white vinegar (enough to make up for the missing egg white), a table spoon of Dijon (French) Mustard, 1/3 table spoon of Hot English Mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper

Blitz it all together, then slowly add 1L of good vegetable oil Just start with a very slow drizzle to begin with, and once it begins to emulsify (stick together), you can start to add the oil a little more quickly If the mayo looks like it’s beginning to split, add a touch of warm water and slow right down when you begin to add oil again

Mick Reade has been working as a chef in Australia for over 10 years, in a variety of different types of kitchens all across the country, and now helps teach others how easy it can be to cook healthy delicious food. For a free cookbook, check out http://www.alleasyfoodrecipes.com

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