Banana Strudel - A Great Banana Recipes

Here is a Banana Strudel recipes taken from the 'Going Bananas Cookbook' now available on Kindle for only $0.99!! The 'Going Bananas Cookbook' has over 100 great banana recipes, with everything from great banana desserts to savory banana dishes and banana cocktails. Why not try Banana Honey Nut Cake, Banana Beef Soup, or a Banana Melon Cooler? If you love that sweeet banana flavor, or just unusual unique cookbooks, then the 'Going Bananas Cookbook' is a cookbook you won't want to miss.

(And don't forget that bananas are good for you, providing your body with the potassium it needs!)

Banana Strudel

2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg,slightly beaten
2 TBSP. cooking oil
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup butter,melted
1 1/2 cup white bread crumbs,browned in 1/2 cup butter
6-7 bananas mashed
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg and cooking oil. Stir while adding the water gradually to make a soft, sticky dough. Work the dough in the bowl until it comes away from the sides. Turn out of bowl and knead for about 15 minutes. Frequently slap the dough down and work it until it is elastic and silky smooth. It must not stick to the hands or board. Add a little flour if necessary. Form into a ball, set on a clean towel. Let rest for 1 hour in a warm spot, covered with a bowl which has been warmed in hot water.

Warm your rolling pin. While the dough is resting, cover the work surface with a cloth and rub in about 1-2 TBSP flour, brushing off any excess. Then place the ball of dough in the center of the cloth and roll with the warm rolling pin into a sheet 1/8" thick. Lift and turn to prevent sticking to the cloth. Stretch the dough, using floured hands, palm side down under the dough. Work carefully, stretching from the center toward the outside. Don't raise your knuckles too high, make a fist and lift from the wrists only. Work gently and do not puncture the dough. Stretch as thin as possible, moving around the table. It should cover the table & hang slightly over the sides of an oval or rectangle about 36" to 40" long and 30" wide. Trim off the edges, which may be a little thick. Patch any holes by moistening the area around it with a little water and patching it with a thin piece of dough from the trimmings. Let the dough rest and dry to 15 minutes.

Pureé bananas, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla together in blender.

Brush entire surface with melted butter, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. About 3" from on edge of the pastry and running the long way, spread banana mixture and sprinkle walnuts over top, leaving 2" margins each side. Fold 3" end piece of dough over bananas then fold the 2" margins in too. Now lift the corners of the cloth & let the pastry roll up. Stop after each turn, patting filled pastry to keep rolled shape even. Roll until stretched dough is used up. Brush with melted butter & side strudel onto lightly buttered baking sheet, curving it into a U shape.


Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar & serv warm. Pan size 10x15 Serves 10-12

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Bananas

Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit, but did you know that bananas do not actually grow on trees? They are actually the world’s largest herb? Bananas are a fruit that everyone enjoys but they don’t seem to be one that people know a whole lot about.

Bananas grow on a banana plant in clusters that are commonly called a bunch. The true name of a bunch of bananas is called a “hand”, and each of the individual bananas on the hand are called “fingers”. The weight of an average banana is 1approximately 25 grams, which consists of approximately 75% water and 25% of dry matter content. The fleshy inner portion is sweet and delicious and widely enjoyed, but generally the peel or banana skin in not eaten.. The stringy parts of the banana flesh are called ‘phloem bundles’. Bananas contain valuable sources of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and potassium that are healthy and that our bodies require. Many athletes commonly use bananas for energy in their physical health routines.

Bananas are grown in at least 107 countries worldwide, although they were originally native to Southeast Asia and Australia. Bananas, eaten raw in their yellow form and cooked green or red bananas, are the main staple of many African populations. Boiled or baked green bananas or plantains (a starchier version of the banana) can also be found in many Caribbean Island recipes. Bananas can be very versatile. When they are dried, bananas can be eaten as a snack food or they can be ground up and made into flour.

Bananas come in various sizes and colors, including the yellow, purple and red banana. Green bananas that are cooked and enjoyed in Caribbean and African cultures are really the unripe version of the yellow banana. The red banana is generally sweeter than the yellow banana and has a slight raspberry-type flavor. The skin of the red banana is red to purple in color, and has a slightly pinkish flesh. These sweet bananas can be eaten raw, or they can be used to add a wonderful color to various cooked banana dishes.

Bananas are picked green and shipped in an unripe condition due to the fact that ripe bananas are easily damaged when being transported to market. Bananas need careful handling and are easily bruised.

The flower of the banana plant (or the banana blossom or heart) is also often used in the Southeast Asian, Bengali and Indian cuisines, where they serve it raw with dips or cooked in soups and curries. Some cultures also use the tender core of the banana plant’s trunk in several dishes. Bananas can be fried, boiled or steamed and the juice extracted from the core of the plant is often used to treat kidney stones. In various cultures, banana leaves are useful for cooking as a wrapping, for carrying things in, and even as umbrellas (because of their waterproof properties).

With all of the uses of the banana plant and the general good taste, it is no wonder that bananas have become one of the world’s most popular fruits. Where else can one get so much delicious taste and healthy benefits from one source?

One Bowl Fudge Cupcakes

Here is a cupcake recipe you can delight in making. This recipe is included in my cupcake recipe book, 25 Yummy Cupcake Recipes. Read the interesting article on cupcakes below, then try these delicious cupcakes tonight. You family will love you for it!

1 ¾ cups flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir flour, salt, baking power, baking soda and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add room temperature shortening, eggs and ½ cup of the milk. Mix of low speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add (cooled) melted chocolate, vanilla and remaining milk. Beat for 2 more minutes. Scoop batter into cupcake cups filling 2/3 full. Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes (until done when tested with a toothpick). Makes 1 ½ dozen medium sized cupcakes. Frost with chocolate frosting or as desired.

The Newest Sweet Trend - Cupcakes!

Have you been to an event recently and been surprised that instead of a regular cake, you were treated to an elaborate cupcake display? Cupcakes seem to be all the rage nowadays. Cupcakes seem to be the trendy thing to serve at any gathering, from baby showers to weddings, or birthday galas to Super Bowl parties. Cupcakes are easy to eat, full of delicious flavor and exciting eye-catching delights. It seems everyone loves those sweet little concoctions. But, are they really just cute little miniature cakes, or are they a wonderfully flavorful dessert deserving their own title?

The origins of cupcakes are controversial. Some believe that cupcakes were invented by people baking cakes in little teacups, so that the little cakes would not take so long to bake and would cool faster. Others believe that cupcakes were named by the way the ingredients were measured (1 cup of flour, 2 cups of sugar, etc.) Whatever the origin, the cupcake has come down through history as a delightful treat that everyone can enjoy.

Cupcakes are making a surprising reappearance in today’s society and are becoming extremely popular and trendy. They are sweet little treats that are easy to make, satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth and can be made in various eye-catching ways.

Cupcakes can be served as a dessert for an everyday supper, at birthday or special occasion parties, or today can even replace the traditional wedding cake. They are great at baby showers, as Halloween treat give-aways, for Christmas buffet tables, or as a sure money-maker at bake sales and church bazaars. Cupcakes can even be served at masculine events, or at a sports party—like the Superbowl! And, what can be sweeter than a cupcake as an individual Valentine’s Day love offering?

The variety of flavors you can use to create a cupcake are varied and many. You can have delicate white cake cupcakes, velvety chocolate cupcakes, light lemony cupcakes, marble-cake cupcakes or many other combinations of flavors. Cupcakes can even have good-for-you ingredients like applesauce, shredded carrots or zucchini in them to help them stay moist.

Cupcakes are generally frosted as are most cakes, with vanilla, chocolate, orange-flavored, or any other flavor that compliments the small cake underneath. Cupcakes can also sport various toppings, like rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, coconut, miniature chocolate chips, candies, pieces of gumdrops or even can be glazed. You can decorate the tops with faces, create tiny animals or flowers, make them into butterflies or simply place a nut in the centre.

Cupcakes can be used on stands to create a unique display. In today’s world it is not uncommon to see a cupcake display in lieu of a wedding cake. Cupcakes can take a significant role on a dessert table placed on a tiered cake plate at Christmastime. If you line cupcakes up, circling round on a covered board, you can create a ‘caterpillar’ effect for a child’s birthday party. There are many ways cupcakes can be used for special occasions.

You can even have filled cupcakes. Doesn’t a chocolate cupcake filled with sweet vanilla crème sound fantastic? How about a cupcake with a chocolate ‘kiss’ treat or a caramel in the centre?

Cupcakes are easy to eat. They are small enough to eat with your hands, without needing the use of a fork or a spoon. Often they come in their own little ridged paper cup, which helps make them beautiful as well as tasty. The paper cups are often white, but can come in any color—and even sometimes in gold or silver papers for those extra special occasions.

Why not try your hand at making these sweet little cakes tonight? Join the trend and become a cupcake fanatic!

Want to try one of my own cookbooks? 25 Yummy Cupcake Recipes available on Kindle at: 25 Yummy Cupcake Recipes

'Tis the Season for BBQ!

It is no secret that everyone enjoys the warm balmy days of the summer season, and along with that comes the enjoyment of cooking and eating barbeque food. Whether you love vegetarian, chicken, beef, lamb, seafood or pork, all taste great with the added flavour of grilling the food over a slow flame. Whichever your preference, it all tastes even better when you can eat it outdoors!

How did barbeque get its start anyways? Of course, everyone can agree that basic prehistoric self-preservation, derived from hunter-gatherer times, were the first primitive barbeques because they satisfied a basic need for food. But the origin of the word barbeque (no matter how you spell it) is often disputed. The most plausible story suggests that the word "barbecue" is a derivative of the West Indian term "barbacoa," which refers to a method of slow-cooking meat over hot coals. The Oxford English Dictionary tracks the word back to Haiti, while others claim that the word "barbeque" actually comes from the French phrase "barbe a queue", meaning "from head to tail." Another theory suggests that the word "barbecue" comes from a nineteenth century advertisement for a combination whiskey bar, beer hall, pool establishment and purveyor of roast pig, known as the BAR-BEER-CUE-PIG. The foremost theory, though, is that the method of roasting meat over hot coals was picked up from indigenous peoples in the colonial period, and that "barbacoa" became "barbecue" in the period of the early settlers.

It is known that at first the pig was an important food staple in the South. They were low-maintenance and a convenient food source for Southerners. Pigs could be put out to root in the forest and caught and eaten when needed. Although the semi-wild pigs were tough and stringy, barbequing the meat would tenderize it. The traditional Southern barbeque grew out of the celebration of slaughtering time where the neighborhood would be invited to share in the event.

In the nineteenth century, barbecue was firmly established as a highlight at private parties, church picnics and political rallies, where a barbeque was a popular and relatively inexpensive way to lobby for votes. These gatherings also offered an easy way for the classes to mix as barbeque was not a class- specific food. Church barbecues, where a roasted pig supplemented the traditional dishes prepared by the ladies of the congregation, were the evolution of the traditional church picnic in many Southern communities. As the twentieth century progressed, barbecue pits (roadside stands where travelers could buy a cheap barbeque meal) grew and prospered.

The history of barbeque reflects the varied history of the South and can be seen as an emblem of Southern history. For the past seventy-five years, barbecue joints have flourished. Barbeque offers a succulent taste, delicious sauces and that great smoky flavour that become a Southern icon, a symbol that is cherished by Southerners.

Today many believe that barbeque is not just roasting meat quickly over hot coals. That would be considered merely grilling the food. Barbeque should be done in a specific way, slowly cooking the meat over low heat, with the key word being “slowly”. Although barbeque sauce is considered important for flavour in some instances, it is not a necessary requirement to enhance the flavour of the meat.

There are different methods of cooking on the barbeque, namely wood, charcoal or propane. The choice and combination of the type of wood that is burned results in different flavours passed onto the meat being cooked. Favourite common woods include mesquite, hickory, maple, pecan, apple and oak. Coniferous woods should be avoided when barbequing as they contain tar which convey undesirable resins and chemical flavours. It is also important to note that different woods burn at different rates so one should regulate the heat through careful venting.

The method of charcoal barbequing usually consists of setting afire a commercial bag of charcoal briquettes, or alternatively lump charcoal. Many people prefer charcoal over the gas method (or propane method) of barbequing for a more authentic smokey flavour, although this point is disputed in some barbeque communities.

It is believed that gas grills are easier to light, the heat is easier to control and the outcome is more predictable than using the wood or charcoal method of barbequing. The wood smoke flavor can be added to the food cooked on gas grills by soaking wood chips placed in a "smoker box" (a perforated metal box), or a simple perforated foil pouch, under the grilling grate and over the heat. As mentioned, using gas over wood/charcoal as the better way to barbeque is a point of much dispute in the barbeque connoisseur’s world.

Whatever method you use, whichever way you spell the word, barbeque has always been one of the joys in life. Meat seems more succulent, vegetables have more flavour and potatoes are fluffier. It often seems that everything tastes better just by barbequing it. So light up your barbeque today, sit back in your backyard haven, sip on a cool refreshing drink while the barbeque does the cooking, and enjoy!

Mexican Food Recipe - Tamales

If you love Mexican food, here is a Mexican food recipe that you have to try! Mexican food offers a great food taste, with loads of hot chili flavor - and if you like it hotter, just add more chili! Try this Mexican Tamales recipe on your family today!

If you want to learn more about Mexican food, read the article below.



1 1/2 cups Bisquick mix
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup milk

Mix the above ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Corn Husks - Carefully remove the whole fresh green husks from approximately 6 ears of corn. Place in a bowl covered in cold water until ready to use.

2 pork sausages, skins removed and separated
1/2 lb. ground chicken
1 small onion, diced
2 ears of corn, boiled and corn cut from cob
1/2 cup drained kidney beans
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne powder (more if you like it really spicy)
1 tsp. chilli powder
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine sausage meat, ground chicken, onion, corn, beans and spices in a skillet and let cook together until meat is cooked through.

Assemble the tamales:
Spread 2-3 corn husks on a board. Take a small bit of biscuit mixture and shape into a ball (an amount a bit bigger than a golf ball). Flatten mixture with your fingers and place on top of corn husks. Spoon about 2 TBSP. of meat mixture on top of dough. Wrap corn husks around meat and dough and tie with a piece of string. (Alternately instead of tying with a string you may wrap each entire corn husk packet in a piece of tin foil.) You should have enough ingredients to make 8-9 tamale packets.

Bake tamales in the oven at 350 F for approximately 40 minutes.

If you love spicy food, here is a cookbook you might want to try. This one is all about spicy food from Jamaica. 20 Best Jamaican Recipes Try these spicy Island tastes today!

Hot Tamale – Mexican Food!

Mexico is a country of vast history and traditions and this is reflected in the intense and varied flavours of their cuisine. The influence of the Spaniards who arrived in Mexico in 1521 is reflected in Mexican cuisine in varying degrees. When the Spanish landed in Mexico they found the people’s diet consisted mainly of corn-based dishes, a staple for over 4,000 years, mixed with chilies and herbs, and served with beans and squash. The Spaniards added domestic animals, such as beef, chicken and pork, as well as rice, sugar, cheese, wine, garlic and onions to expand on what they found already in Mexican cuisine.

The Aztec, Mayan, Zapotec and other natives inhabiting the Mexican land mass before the Spaniards arrived has also influenced the Mexican style of cooking. Pre-Columbian Mexican food included chocolate, maize, tomatoes, vanilla, avocado, papaya, pineapple, coconut, prickly pear cactus, chili peppers, beans, squash, sweet potatoes, peanuts and turkey. Spices in Mexican cooking can include cinnamon, cloves, anise, and cumin, as well as in the herb category, cilantro, thyme, marjoram, and the pungent epazote.

As with many countries, each region in Mexico offers its own unique regional cuisine, due to local climate and geography, and ethnic differences. The north of Mexico is best known for its meat dishes, while in southeastern Mexico spicy vegetables and chicken-based dishes are common. Virtually all southwestern dishes use four main ingredients, namely the tortilla (a round wafer-thin bread made from coarsely ground dough), pinto beans, cheese and chilies.

In the state of Puebla (two hours south of Mexico City) the first mole sauce was prepared. It is said that a group of nuns were asked to prepare a special dish for a visiting dignitary. The nuns, not knowing exactly what to prepare, combined the contents of their pantry into a pot with herbs, spices and chocolate—over 30 ingredients altogether, and left it to simmer over several days. The resulting mole sauce, which was served over turkey, was a definite success. Today the thick, sweet mole sauce is most commonly served over chicken. The area of Puebla is also known for its coffee and many unique desserts, especially camotes, a sweet potato confection.

On the Yucatan peninsula, known now as the Mayan Riviera, sauces are fruit-based, a popular one being achiote, a sauce made from annatto seeds, Seville oranges, pepper, garlic and cumin which is spread over chicken or pork. The meat is then baked in a banana leaf for a truly delicious meal.

In the seaside area of Veracruz, fish is the dish of choice. Fish served a la Veracruzana is topped with a sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers and chilies. Here tacos, tamales, and enchiladas are sure to be filled with fish. Coffee and exotic fruits like guanabana, mamey and cherimoya are also popular in this region.

Oaxaco is popular as being a more “fluid” region, offering coffee a la olla, which is coffee with sugar (or hunks of sugar cane candy) and cinnamon simmered in a pot for hours. Mescal, a very sober cousin of tequila, is also popular. Oaxaco’s mole sauce tends to be sweeter that Puebla’s version due to the addition of bananas.

Did you know that watermelons are indigenous to Mexico? The story goes that watermelons are responsible for the colours in the Mexican flag. It is said that in the 1820’s during a particular hot and bloody battle in Chilpancingo (the capital of Guerrero state), the troops took a break to cool off with some watermelon. When they saw the green, white and bright red colours of the watermelon the decision was made that those would be the colours for the new flag.

Mexican food consists of a variety of foodstuffs, including sauces, soups, and stews and are cooked in styles ranging from quick-fry to slow roasting. The most common items in a Mexican diet include:

• Corn – which is most commonly used for tortillas, tacos or tamales
• Chilies – the most popular varieties being jalapeno, poblano, Serrano, guajillo, chipotle, pasilla, habanero, ancho, mulato and cascabel, all of which are used in both fresh and dried forms.
• Beans – with varieties ranging from lentils, kidney beans and fava beans. Refried beans are popular and referred to as refrito (refried in lard)
• Tomatoes – used as a popular ingredient in salsas and sauces. Tomatillos, small green tomatoes with a stiff husk and a tart flavour) are also popular.
• Fruit – with a wide variety including mango, papaya, coconut and pineapple, which are eaten fresh or in sauces and desserts. The prickly pear cactus, or Nopales, can be sautéed and eaten as a vegetable, or can be used to sweeten desserts.

More exotic dishes from the Aztec or Mayan style can include iguana, rattlesnake, deer, spider, monkey and even some kinds of insects. These are relatively well-known dishes known as comida prehispanica, or prehispanic food.

There is a difference between traditional Mexican food and what is known as Tex-Mex cooking. Tex-Mex cuisine, according to historians, originated hundreds of years ago when Spanish/Mexican recipes combined with typical Texan cooking, and the term Tex-Mex first occurred in print in the 1940’s. It is difficult to be precise in determining exactly what constitutes Tex-Mex cuisine as it is more of a combination of a variety of Mexican cooking from different regions with typical Texan cuisine consisting of the ample use of beef. Enchiladas, tacos, chimichangas, tortillas, fajitas and nachos are all part of what is known as Tex-Mex cuisine today, which is now geared to appeal to the American palate.

All in all, Mexican cuisine is both varied, and tasty. All of Mexican cooking is laced with spicy flavours which echo the hot Mexican climate. Mexican cuisine is well-known throughout the world and can be enjoyed be all.

Italian Food Recipes - Italian Wedding Soup

Italian food is known the world over for its great tastes. From pizza to lasagne, Italian food is always a treat to eat. But Italian food is more than that. They also have other great tasting traditional Italian recipes. One of them is their Italian Wedding Soup, served traditionally at weddings. The soup is a light flavorfull broth with meatballs in it. Here is a recipe for Italian Wedding Soup that you might like to try at home:

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:
1 onion, diced
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. ground turkey

Combine all above ingredients and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Soup:
10 cups chicken broth
1 lb. fresh spinach, chopped
2 eggs
2 TBSP. grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

In a large pot over med-high heat, bring broth to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium. Add meatballs and spinach. Simmer approximately 8-10 minutes. In a small bowl beat eggs and Parmesan cheese together. While stirring soup gently, slowly drizzle egg mixture into soup. Stir gently with a fork. Thin strands of egg will form in soup after about a minute. Spoon soup into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

If you would like to learn more about Italian cooking or Italian cuisine, please read the article below. It gives you great insights into the way Italian cuisine is traditionally served.

Want to try one of my own cookbooks? The Family Traditions Cookbook available on Kindle at: The Family Traditions Cookbook

Learn About Italian Cuisine

Italian cuisine is as varied as the regions of Italy. Although Italy was officially unified in 1861, the food reflects the cultural variety of the country’s regions with culinary influences from Greece, Roman, Gallic, Germany, Turkish, Hebrew, Slavic, Arab, Chinese and other civilizations. In this sense, there really is no one Italian cuisine because each area boasts of its own specialties. Not only is the food of Italy highly regionalized, but a high priority is also placed on the use of fresh available produce.

Although traditional Italian dishes vary by region, they also do not follow strictly to a North/South pattern either. The north tends to use more butter, creams, polenta, mascarpone, grana padano and Parmigiano cheeses, risotto, lasagna and fresh egg pasta, while the south is more tomato and olive oil based cooking, along with mozzarella, caciocavallo and peconrino cheeses, and dried pasta. Coastal and central regions often use tortellini, ravioli and prosciutto in their cooking. Even pizza varies across the country. In Rome the crusts are thin and cracker-like, while Neapolitan and Sicilian pizzas have a thicker crust.

For most Italians, pasta is the first course in a meal with the exception of the far north where risotto or polenta is the norm. Vegetables, grains and legumes play a regular part of many Italian diets with meat often not being a regular part of everyday meals, Olive oil is usually seen in its dark green state (from its first pressing) in the south, where in the north a more refined, golden oil is seen.

Basically, Italian cuisine consists of a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, cheeses and a some meats, with fowl and game usually seasoned or cooked with olive oil (with the exception of the far north). La cucina povera, the food of the poorer Italian people of the southern coastal area, has shaped a diet popular for centuries but now there is a resurgence of this "poor people's food", the Mediterranean diet, which is now being touted as the model around which we should restructure our eating habits.

Breakfast is considered a minor meal in Italy, often consisting of nothing more than a bread roll and milky coffee (café latte). Traditional lunches tend to be larger, have several courses and are eaten slowly. Italian children don't go to school in the afternoon, and because of the heat, many small businesses close from midday until about 4pm which makes lunch the social meal of the day.

The traditional menu structure in Italy consists of basically eight courses, but the long traditional Italian menu is typically kept for special occasions such as weddings, with everyday fare including only the first and second courses, with the side dish being served with the second course. As an exception to this order, a unique course, Piatto unico, can replace the first or second course with, for example, pizza.
The traditional menu consists of:

1. ANTIPASTO – which are hot or cold appetizers, literally it means “before the pasta”; consists of a varied combination of colorful foods. The most popular ingredients are melon or tomatoes served with prosciutto cut into very thin slices. Lettuce, such as the slightly bitter endives or rocket, or other green leaves, such as the aniseed-tasting fennel, are typically used as a garnish, placed around the edges of the serving dish. Salami, mortadella, coppa and zampone, manufactured meat products, are common in antipasti. The artistry of the food is as important to Italians as the taste. For example the reddish colour of salami provides a good contrast to the green lettuce. Fish and other seafood may also be used in the antipasti course and, of course, olives and artichokes are also common servings, as are mushrooms (fungi) seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

2. PRIMO (first course) – which usually consists of a hot dish such as pasta, risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup, with many vegetarian options. There are many types of pasta, each type usually named after its shape with common types including spirali (spirals), farfalle (butterflies; sometimes described as 'bow-tie-shaped'). Penne (hollow tubes) and conchiglie (shells). Different shapes are supposed to be better with the different types of sauces. Spirals are two strips of pasta twirled around each other and are used with the heavier sauces, such as those containing minced meat and vegetables. Rigatoni is cylinders or tubes, with a wide diameter and grooves (or lines) on the outside. The grooves are supposed to hold the sauce onto the pasta, meaning that this pasta is good with runnier sauces. Then there is the group of pasta made up of long thin strands, which includes the most common type of pasta, spaghetti. Typically you eat this type of pasta by coiling its long thin strands around a fork. Other long thin pastas are tagliatelle, fettuccine and linguini, which are all varieties of flattened spaghetti. Extremely thin strands of pasta are called vermicelli (meaning 'little worms'). Yet another group of pasta is made of flat sheets (lasagna) or tubes cannelloni), which are either layered or stuffed with meat and cheese fillings. Some pastas have 'pockets' to hold the sauce inside them instead of outside like ravioli or tortellini, which are soft sheets of pasta rolled around meat or cheese. Italians cook pasta of all kinds, whether fresh or dried, in boiling water until al dente ('to the teeth', meaning still a tiny bit hard in the centre. It is then served immediately in a bowl with sauce or cheese.

3. SECONDO (second course) – this is usually the main dish of fish or meat. Veal, pork and chicken are traditionally the most common and are often pan-fried or casseroled. Beef is used as steaks (bistecca), while lamb (agnello) is roasted on special occasions, such as Easter and Christmas. Fish and other seafood are often used as main courses.

4. CONTORNO (side dish) – this may be a salad or cooked vegetable. Salad is traditionally served with the main course. Common vegetables are beans (greens and pulses), potatoes (often sautéed), and carrots as well as salads.

5. FORMAGIIO AND FRUTTA (cheese and fruit) – this is the first dessert course and the fruit and cheese are usually served together. Grapes, peaches, apricots and citrus fruits are a major product of Italy's agricultural industry and are common.

6. DOLCE (dessert) – the cakes and cookies course Italians produce many sweet desserts and 'sweet treats', including Amaretti, almond-flavoured meringues, which Australians call macaroons, Panforte, a sweet semi-hard 'strong bread' based on nuts and containing dried fruit (a classic Christmas treat from Siena), and. Pannettone, a very rich bread-cake (another Christmas treat).

7. CAFFÉ (coffee) – which is usually espresso coffee

8. DIGESTIVE (liqueurs) – which may be grappa, amaro, or Limon cello. The wine industry has been important to Italy for centuries and the most common drink associated with Italy is wine. Until recently, and even now in the countryside, most Italians would make their own red or white house wine after the grape harvest. This would be drunk at every lunch and dinner. Even children are given wine to drink, but it is usually watered down with mineral water. Before dinner many Italians drink an amaro (bitter) to stimulate the digestive system, while after dinner they may drink sweet wines, such as marsala (from Sicily). Children are also sometimes given Marsala, beaten with a raw egg and sugar into zabaglione, to strengthen them.

PIZZA
Modern pizza has evolved from pizzas made by peasants in Naples, Italy, but more than a few Mediterranean peoples can claim to have 'invented' the pizza. In ancient times many civilizations created dishes of flat bread with various herbs and toppings. As a staple for the poor, it was a matter of necessity that food could be eaten without utensils, and that the 'plate' it was served on could be eaten as well. They made a bread crust from flour, water and yeast, topped it with olive oil, herbs, cheeses, sometimes even leftovers, and baked the whole thing in a stone oven.

Given that most pizza connoisseurs today consider the tomato sauce to be the key ingredient, it may be surprising that pizza pre-dates the introduction of tomatoes to Europe. Tomatoes reached Italy by way of Spain in the early 1500s but were thought to be poisonous. It was several decades later that tomatoes topped a flatbread in the form of a pizza.

Just a Few Cooking Tips

COOKING TIPS

EATING HEALTHY – Fat Reduction:

1. Eating healthy doesn’t have to taste bland or bad. Using the right equipment can make a world of difference in the healthy dishes you prepare. For example, using a simple grill pan provides you with a lot of flexibility in your meals. You can grill everything from fruits and vegetables to meats, while the fat just drips away.

2. To cut fat from a brownie recipe, you may cut the butter back from 8 TBSP. to 3 TBSP. and add 5 TBSP. of fat-free sour cream to the batter to make up the difference.

3. When making up a cake from a cake mix, do not add the ½ cup of oil the recipe calls for. Instead add ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce to the batter for a moist healthier cake.

4. Substitute Egg Beaters for half of the eggs in mostly egg dishes (use 1/4 cup of Egg Beaters substitute per egg).

5. Use less oil or butter for frying than the recipe calls for. Using about a tsp. of olive or canola oil can usually suffice. Using olive or canola oil instead of fat, butter or shortening for most recipes is a healthier choice.

USE RUBS OR MARINADES TO GRILLED FOODS TO ADD FLAVOUR.

1. Rubs are dry spice blends and usually include both salt and sugar. They are rubbed directly on and into the meat before cooking. They add a mild flavour, but if you add the rub a day or so in advance the flavour of the spices will penetrate more into the meat.

2. Marinades are liquid and can be made from a variety of ingredients, but most importantly include something acidic (like lemon or lime juice, vinegar, yoghurt or fruit like papayas, pineapple or kiwis). This adds enzymes to the meat which tenderize it. Use caution in the amount of time you marinade meat to avoid the meat becoming “mushy”. A general rule is, for seafood as little as 15 minutes, 4-6 hours for thin cuts of meat and up to 12 hours for larger cuts.

3. Use a re-sealable plastic bag to marinate meats. Add the marinade and meat into the bag, seal, and shake or mush together to combine. Then let sit in the fridge for the required amount of time.

4. Never re-use marinades. If you wish to make a sauce or gravy from the marinade the meat has been in, boil the marinade for at least two minutes.

5. Brush the extra marinade onto the meat before grilling for extra flavour. Use it like a barbeque sauce, but be sure to let it cook through

PLANTAINS: Plantains are a bland starchier variety of banana, and are most often cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Plantains are often used in many African and West Indian dishes and can be boiled, baked, fried, broiled, microwaved or mashed. They are rarely eaten raw, unless they have ripened to a point where the skins are completely black.

PINEAPPLE: Pineapple can be purchased in many forms – fresh, canned, dried or crystallized. When selecting a fresh pineapple, choose one that feels heavy for its size with a rind that is dark green, yellow or reddish yellow, but that does not contain any bruises or brown spots. The leaves should appear fresh and green – avoid pineapples that appear withered and have leaves that are turning brown. The pineapple should have a fragrant scent.

CLEANING MUSSELS: Most mussels that have been purchased from a supermarket have been purged of sand, but if you have dug the mussels yourself here is how to clean them: The best way is to soak them in a bucket of sea water. (Do not use fresh water as this will kill the mussels.) If you do not have access to sea water, use 1 cup of salt per 3 quarts of water, with a handful of cornmeal added to the water. The cornmeal will clean the mussels stomach, purging them of sand. Let the mussels soak in the refrigerator overnight or for at least several hours, changing the water at least once. Clean the shells with a stiff kitchen brush under cool running water and remove the beard before using. If you are cooking mussels and the shells do not open, discard immediately and DO NOT USE.

PREPARING SHRIMP: If you are using frozen shrimp, refresh the shrimp by soaking them in salted water (1-2 TBSP. of salt to 1 quart of water). Keep shrimp in ice water to keep them fresh while preparing them. Pat the shrimp with a paper towel to dry before cooking. Leaving the shell on while boiling or steaming shrimp helps to preserve the juices and natural flavours. You can either remove or leave the digestive tract on the shrimp as a matter of personal preference. There is seldom a flavour difference unless the vein is large and contains a high volume or grit and digested material.

Chicken Paprikash Recipe - With Onions!

Onions are full of flavor and can be the basis of many tasty recipes. The recipe below, Chicken Paprikash, would be nothing without the great onion flavor included. The amount of onions really adds to the flavor of the chicken, as does the paprika. Try it!

If you want to know more about onions, read the article below.



Chicken Paprikash

6-7 chicken thighs
2 TBSP. cooking oil
1 tsp. salt
4 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 tsp. pepper
3 heaping TBSP. paprika
4 medium potatoes, cut in medium chunks
1 tsp. garlic, minced
6 large onions, sliced
1 chicken bouillon packet dissolved in 1 cup of water
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 TBSP. of water

In a large stock pot, sauté onions in hot oil for approximately 3 minutes (until onions are translucent). Add chicken and brown on both sides. Add salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and chicken bouillon dissolved in water. Bring liquid to a boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes. Simmer 35-40 minutes longer, until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Add dissolved cornstarch mixture. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve hot over egg noodles or rice, and fresh Italian bread.

Want to try one of my own cookbooks? The Family Traditions Cookbook available on Kindle at: The Family Traditions Cookbook This cookbook includes the Chicken Paprikash recipes (full of great onion flavor) above. It also includes many other great family friendly recipes!

Crying for Onions

Onions! – To Cry For

What would a recipe be like if we did not have onions? The distinctively pungent smell and taste of onions rounds out the flavours of almost any type of cuisine. For centuries, onions have added value to our cuisine and have also been thought of as having therapeutic properties.

The word onion comes from the Latin word unio for “single” or “one” because the onion produces a single bulb. The name also suggests the union of the many separate concentrically arranged layers of the onion. Onions are native to Asia and the Middle East and have thought to be cultivated for over five thousand years—they were highly regarded by the ancient Egyptians. Often the ancient Egyptians used them as currency to pay the workers who built the pyramids, and also placed them in the tombs of kings (Tutankhamen) so that the kings could carry them as gifts in the afterlife. In India in the 6th century onions were used as a medicine. The ancient Greeks and Romans often dressed up onions with extra seasonings in their cooking because they did not find them spicy enough. Many European countries during the Middle Ages served onions as a classic healthy breakfast food. It should be noted that Christopher Columbus brought onions with him to the West Indies and spread their cultivation from there throughout the Western Hemisphere. Today the leading producers of onions are China, the United States, Russia and Spain, among others.

Onions are available in fresh, frozen, canned and dehydrated forms. They can be used in almost any type of food, cooked, in fresh salads or as a garnish, and are usually chopped or sliced. Onions are mainly used as an accompaniment to a main course and are rarely eaten on their own. There are many different types of onions ranging from sharp and pungent to mild and sweet.
Depending on the variety, onions range in size, colour and taste. There are generally two types of large, globe-shaped onions, classified as spring/summer or storage onions. The spring/summer class includes onions that are grown in warm weather climates and have characteristic mild or sweet tastes. This group includes the Maui Sweet Onion (in season April through June), Vidalia (in season May through June) and Walla Walla (in season July and August). Storage onions are grown in colder weather climates and, after harvesting, can be dried out for a period of several months. They generally have a more pungent flavour and are named by their color: white, yellow or red. Spanish onions are classified as storage onions. There are also smaller varieties of onions, such as the green onion (also called scallions) and the pearl onion.
Onions are members of the Allium family and are rich in powerful sulphur-containing compounds which are responsible for their pungent odours and for their many health-promoting effects. When an onion is sliced the cells are broken, which allows enzymes called alliinases to break down sulphides and generate sulphenic acids (amino acid sulfoxides). The Sulphenic acids are unstable and decompose to produce a gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. Then this gas reaches the eye it reacts with the water in the eye to form a diluted solution of sulphuric acid which irritated the nerve endings in the eye. Your eye then produces tears to dilute and flush out the irritating substance. This is what makes your eyes sting and water when slicing onions.

Eye irritation can be reduced by supplying an ample amount of water to the reaction, which prevents the gas from reaching your eye. This is why it is thought to be helpful to cut onions under running water or submerged in a bowl of water. Rinsing the onion and leaving it wet while slicing may also be helpful. Other tips to help reduce eye irritation are by freezing onions, which prevents the enzymes from activating, limiting the amount of gas generated. Also, using a very sharp knife while chopping will limit the cell damage thereby reducing the amount of enzymes released. Lemon will help to remove the characteristic odour of the onion.

As mentioned, onions are thought to produce many health benefits. Onions are a good source of chromium, the mineral component in glucose tolerance factor, a molecule that helps cells respond to insulin. Diabetic clinical studies have shown that the chromium produced by onions can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as increase good HDL-cholesterol levels.

One cup of raw onion contains over 20% of the daily value for chromium. Since chromium levels are depleted by the consumption of refined sugars, white flour products and the lack of exercise, marginal chromium deficiency is common in the United States.

A case-control study from Southern European populations suggests that making onions and garlic a staple in your diet may greatly lower your risk of several common cancers. Eating onions two or more times per week is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing colon cancer. As well, the regular consumption of onions has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, both of which help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Onions may also help maintain healthy bones. A newly identified compound in onions, gamma-L-glutamyl-trans-S-1-propenyl—cysteine sulphoxide (GPCS) inhibits the activity of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bones). This may be especially beneficial for women who are at increased risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause.

Other potential health benefits of onions include several anti-inflammatory agents that reduce the severity of symptoms associated with the pain and swelling of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, the allergic inflammatory response of asthma, and the respiratory congestion associated with the common cold. Also, quercitin and other flavonoids found in onions work with vitamin C to help kill harmful bacteria and are helpful when added to soups and stews during cold and flu season.

In many parts of the undeveloped world, onions are also helpful in healing blisters and boils. Onion extract (Mederma) is used in the United States in the treatment of topical scars.


When choosing onions, choose onions that are clean, have no opening at the neck and have crisp, dry outer skins. Avoid onions that have sprouted, have signs of mold, or once that have soft spots, moisture at the neck, and dark patches which may indicate signs of decay. When choosing scallions, choose those that have green, fresh-looking tops which are crisp and tender. They should be white in colour for 2-3” along the base. Avoid scallions that look wilted or have yellowed tops.

Store onions are room temperature, away from bright light and in a well-ventilated area. Hanging them in a wire basket or perforated bowl for ventilation is ideal. Onions that are more pungent in flavour, such as yellow onions, can be stored for longer periods that the sweeter variety of onions, such as white onions. Scallions should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and will keep well for about a week. Store all onions away from potatoes as the onions will absorb the moisture from the potatoes and cause them to spoil more easily. Cut onions should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or sealed in a container, and should be used within a couple of days since they tend to oxidize and lose their nutrient value quickly. To maintain the best taste of cooked onions, they should be stored in an airtight container and used within a few days. Never place cooked onions in a metal container since this will cause discoloration. Peeled and chopped onions may be frozen raw, but this can cause them to lose some of their flavour.

Onions can be eaten raw or cooked in almost any way imaginable—broiled, boiled, baked, creamed, fried, deep-fried, or pickled. They are great in soups, stews and combined with meats and vegetables. They add a versatility to your dishes that is hard to beat.

Fiddleheads - Cream of Fiddlehead Soup Recipe

Fiddlehead (The) Cookbook

Fiddleheads to Lobster Tails: 25th Anniversary Cookbook

Fiddleheads are one of the first spring vegetables to appear. They come out just about the time asparagus starts, but fiddleheads do not last long on the market. The season for enjoying fiddleheads is very short.

Fiddleheads are an unusual spring vegetable that are light in taste, almost buttery. They can be lightly boiled and served with just salt and butter, or made into other dishes.

If you want to know more about fiddleheads, read the article below.

Here is a great tasting recipe for fiddlehead soup, light tasting and extremely delicious! Try it...

Cream of Fiddlehead Soup

2 cups of Fiddleheads
6 stalks of Asparagus
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1” chunks
2 large potatoes, cut into small chunks
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp. basil
6 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups light cream
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Chopped Chives

Clean fiddleheads thoroughly, rinsing two or three times in fresh water. Trim stem end. Rinse asparagus.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add fiddleheads and asparagus and boil gently for about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pot and drain out cooking liquid. Put aside a few fiddleheads to serve whole in the soup.

Add chicken stock to large pot, add remaining fiddleheads, asparagus, potatoes, celery, onion and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about ½ hour. Remove from heat.

Using a hand-blender (or food processor) puree soup until smooth. Add reserved fiddleheads to soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Add cream and stir in until hot.

Spoon soup into bowls and sprinkle a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives on top.

Want to try one of my own cookbooks? The Family Traditions Cookbook available on Kindle at: The Family Traditions Cookbook

Fiddleheads - Music to My Tastebuds

The Fiddlehead Cookbook: Recipes from Alaska's Most Celebrated Restaurant and Bakery

When the cool breezes turn warm and the spring sunshine cheers our spirits, that is the right time for fiddlehead season. Depending on the weather, the fiddlehead fronds begin to appear around late April or early May. They can often be found growing on moist fertile ground along river and stream banks, in open woodlands or at the edges of swamps and marshes. Attempts at cultivating fiddleheads have failed, so they are picked from the wild. Fiddleheads have become more popular in recent years, showing up in produce departments of larger grocery stores across the country, and can sometimes be found frozen. Wild Canadian fiddleheads are also exported to Europe as a specialty item.

What exactly are fiddleheads anyway? Fiddleheads are one of Mother Nature’s first and finest treats of the spring season. Fiddleheads are the uncurled deep green fronds of the ostrich fern, so called because the fern resembles the finely crafted head of a fiddle. They grow throughout North America and are plentiful in Ontario woodlands. The native people introduced fiddleheads to the settlers and since then they have been a popular delicacy especially in the Maritimes. The fiddleheads are at their best for eating while young, firm and tightly curled. They tend to lose their table appeal as the fern stalk reaches about 6-8 inches and the frond begins to uncurl. Fiddleheads are delicate in flavour and tastes like a cross between asparagus, green beans and okra.

Fiddleheads are rich in iron, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous and vitamins A and C. Fiddleheads were highly prized by the native people as a medicinal plant and were said to act as a natural cleansing agent, ridding the body of accumulated impurities and toxins. It was also said that fiddleheads were regarded as an old-time treatment for high pressure and used to ward off scurvy.

There are many varieties of fiddleheads including: Bracken (found worldwide), Ostrich Fern (the one found in Canada and northern regions worldwide), Cinnamon Fern or Buckhorn Fern (found in the Eastern parts of North America), Royal Fern (found worldwide), Zenmai or Flowering Fern (found in East Asia), or Vegetable Fern (found throughout Asia and Oceania). Of course, here in North America the one we eat most is the Ostrich Fern variety. Although other ferns produce fiddlehead-like shoots, some can be toxic and inedible so it is important to identify the correct variety if you are picking fiddleheads in the wild. Also, Health Canada advises that fresh fiddleheads must be properly cooked before being eaten. In 1994 several instances of food poisoning were associated with raw or lightly cooked fiddleheads. No definite source of the food poison was identified, but authorities recommended the thorough cooking of fiddleheads to counteract any possible unidentified toxins in the plant.

If you do choose to go fiddlehead hunting, here are a few tips to aid your search. Fiddleheads grow in clumps and should be picked in a “thinning-out” fashion. By taking only a few fronds from each clump, this allows the plant to grow for the following season. Maintaining sustainable harvesting methods is important especially in this particular food species that is not farmed. You can use a small knife to cut the heads at the base, but it is also quite possible to break off the heads easily by hand. A good tip is the always try to harvest the fiddleheads away from roadsides or other areas where they may have been contaminated by pollution.

Just to Begin...

I love cooking and baking and am always searching for new recipes and cookbooks. If you love cooking and baking too, The Best Recipes Cookbook Site will be one you will want to visit often. The site will include new cookbooks reviews, cookbooks for you to purchase ... and RECIPES, RECIPES, RECIPES!

I want to share some of the great recipes that I find (and that I come up with on my own) with you.

There will be articles on cooking and baking, on food in general, recipes and ingredients, international cuisine and much more. There might even be some comments on some of the great chefs around!

So, just to begin... WELCOME to my new blog "The Best Recipes Cookbook Site" Hope you enjoy it!

(Next post will be a new recipe...come back soon and find out what it is!)

Want to try one of my own cookbooks? The Family Traditions Cookbook available on Kindle at: The Family Traditions Cookbook