Food Recipes: 5-Minute Strawberry Jam

Nothing tastes better than fresh picked strawberries. For many people, making homemade jams and jellies conjures up memories of grandmother in the kitchen preparing bushels of fruit, stirring and straining, and sterilizing jars. Actually, nothing could be simpler.

The key to making jam is small batches. Do not double the recipe. The jam will not set up. This strawberry jam keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. But, we've never been able to keep it around that long! It's also great as an ice cream topping.

Food Recipes: Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup.

Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock 

and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end 

during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention 

preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it 

would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a 

piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful, 

ice-cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully colorful, packed with 

goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and ... most 

important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia - that 

large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such 

extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and 

garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your 

electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it 

with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing 

tang - just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small 

bowls of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber, 

onion ... even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to 

it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families 

having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays, 

you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do 

with tomatoes - white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based 

gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is 

the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde 

De Un Ataque De Nervios", various characters help themselves to 

the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the 

recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes 

- 1 onion 

- ½ red pepper 

- ½ green pepper 

- ½ cucumber 

- 3 cloves garlic 

- 50 g bread 

- 3 dessertspoons vinegar 

- 8 dessertspoons olive oil 

- Water 

- Salt/pepper 

- ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs 

- ½ finely chopped onion 

- ½ finely chopped red pepper 

- ½ finely chopped green pepper 

- ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, looking out onto 

an azure sea, blue sky and golden sun and sands!

Linda Plummer is webmistress of the site: http://www.top-tour-of-spain.com which provides a wide range of information regarding Spain and the Spanish language.

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Food Recipes: The Secret To Making Perfect Chili Fit For A King

Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. The garden is about done. The freezer is full of veggies. All the canning is done, and winter is coming. Just before winter hits, the price of beef drops as cattlemen sell off any remaining stock that they don't want to "winter over". It is the perfect time to stock the freezer with homemade chili.

There is nothing better than to come home at the end of a cold winter day, chilled to the bone, and sit down to a bowl of piping hot chili and steaming black coffee. It is more than food for the body. It is truly a comfort worth remembering.

By itself, chili is absolutely delicious. As a side dish to grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, or toasted BLTs, it is out of this world. But there is a fabulous meal I call "perfect chili fit for a king" that is even better. It is a masterpiece of cookery.

There are two great secrets to making "perfect chili fit for a king". One is in the making, and the other is in the serving. The first secret involves understanding the word "perfect". More people disagree on what makes good chili than any other dish. Some think that hotter is better. Others say milder. Some like it soupy. Others like it thick. And that is the secret to this recipe. When you finish making it, you will have 3-4 gallons of chili that is perfect FOR YOU...not for me. Yes, I said 3-4 gallons. When frozen in quart containers, you will have 12-16 wonderful meals that can be served in a matter of minutes. Just remove it from the container, add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (depending on how you like it), turn on the burner, put on the coffee, and start the grilled cheese and garlic sandwiches. Your family will be eating in about 20 minutes.

To begin with, you will need at least a 16 quart pot. I use the same 20 quart pot normally used for canning just to be sure I have a pot that's big enough. And you will need the following ingredients.

5 lbs. of ground chuck

5 Family size (40 1/2 oz.) cans of dark red kidney beans (drained)

1 Institutional size can (6 lb. 9 oz.) of whole peeled tomatoes

3 large bell peppers (washed, cored, and seeded) mixed colors preferred

3 medium to large oninions (about the size of an orange...peeled and washed)

2 to 4 TBS (tablespoons) Ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) to 1 TBS of crushed red pepper

1 to 2 TBS of salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chili powder

grated sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

chopped chives (fresh or dried)

Open the tomatoes and carefully pour the entire contents into the cooking pot. Making sure you keep your hand submerged below the liquid line, find the whole tomatoes one by one. Poke a hole in them with your thumb, then squeeze the tomato until the pieces squish out between your fingers. WARNING. If you do not poke a hole in the tomato before you squish it, I promise you that both you and your kitchen will be wearing tomato juice. The same is true if you squish them with your hands above the liquid. Continue squishing the pieces of tomato until they are the size you prefer.

Chop all the bell peppers into dime-sized chunks and divide into two equal portions. Put one half into a bowl and the other in the pot with the tomatoes. Do the same with the onions, placing half in the pot and the other half in the same bowl as the bell peppers.

Add the drained kidney beans to the pot.

Add 2 TBS (tablespoons) of Ground black pepper.

Add 1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) of crushed red pepper.

Add 1 TBS of salt.

Add 1/4 cup of chili powder.

Take a strong spoon and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pot on the stove, and set the burner on the LOWEST possible setting that will boil water. At this point, you may feel that the chili is too thick. If you are not sure, the best way to tell is if the chili is too hard to stir. If it is, add water to the pot until it is the consistency you prefer. Stir again. Cover the pot. (Note: if you are adding more than two glasses of water, you may want to substitute tomato juice for part of it.)

From now own, two things are very important. Always keep the chili at the consistency you want by adding water when necessary. So that when the chili is done, the consistency will be perfect for you. It is equally important to stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. When you are cooking this much chili at one time, it is possible to burn it on the bottom while the chili on the top is still cold. Stirring keeps the chili evenly heated from top to bottom.

Take a large frying pan and press enough ground chuck into the pan to cover the bottom with a layer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Salt and pepper the meat and then top with a handful of the chopped onions and peppers from the bowl. Cover and cook with the burner set about one notch higher than the pot is set on. Your goal is to partially cook the gound chuck, onions and peppers. Check the meat about every 5 minutes until it starts to firm. When the meat firms and starts changing colors on the bottom, take a strong spatula (the kind used for flipping hamburgers) and use the edge to start cutting the meat into pie shaped pieces. Flip the pieces to the opposite side, cover, and continue cooking. When the other side starts to firm, using the edge of the spatula, cut the hamburger into the size pieces you prefer (Again, I prefer mine about the size of a dime). Keep flipping the smaller pieces until they have completely turned on the outside and are firm. Remove the pan from the burner, and transfer the meat to the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow all the grease to drain from the spoon before you put the meat in the pot. Pour off the grease in the frying pan, and repeat until you have used all the ground chuck. When you are finished, pour any remaining chopped peppers and onions into the pot. Again, each time you add meat to the pot, adjust the consistency with water if necessary.

Now, everything is in the pot, and it is the perfect consistency. Now, it's time to adjust the spices. If you haven't been doing so, you should begin tasting the chili. If you want a stronger chili flavor, add more chili powder 1 or 2 TBS at a time. To make it more spicy, add black pepper 1 TBS at a time. If you want it to have more bite, add crushed red pepper 1 tsp at a time. If it needs salt, add salt 1/2 TBS at a time. Stir thoroughly each time you alter the flavor, and continue cooking for at least 5-15 minutes before tasting again. ALWAYS sir the pot thoroughly before you taste. Continue altering the flavor until it's perfect for you.

Remember the half of the raw onions and peppers that were added directly to the pot? They will tell you when the chili is done. When the raw onions in the pot start to turn clear, turn the burner off. Do not overcook the peppers and onions as they add a wonderful sweet crisp texture to the chili. If you can stand it, allow the chili to sit covered for about an hour to allow the flavors to mature and mingle. Stir and serve. If you prefer, reheat a portion of the chili in a smaller pot and serve bubbling hot. Allow the remaining chili to stand in the original pot until it cools enough to place in containers and freeze.

There you have it. Perfect chili. Just the way YOU like it.

The second secret that makes perfect chili fit for a king is in the serving. While perfect chili is in a category all by itself, it can be wonderfully enhanced by making it into a meal that rewards all your tastes and senses. Hot, cold, sweet, spicy, sharp, flat ... something for every aspect of your culinary pallet.

With that in mind, let's plan the meal. To begin with dispense with the ordinary salad and add something with more zest and contrast. To accomplish this, there is nothing finer than an ice-cold fruit plate served with bubbling hot chili. For the fruit plate, you will need the following ingredients.

1 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks.

1 29 oz. can of peach halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 29 oz. can of pear halves (heavy syrup preferred)

1 6 oz. jar of red maraschino cherries

1 6 oz. jar of green maraschino cherries

1 samll jar of spiced crabapple rings

crisp cold lettuce

jalapeno pepper-jack cheese

Put all of the ingredients in the bottom of the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (48 hours would be better).

Just before serving time, remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and drain all the fruit. Divide the pear and peach halves equally on six salad plates covered with a bed of cold crisp lettuce. Fill in around the fruit halves with pineapple chunks and crabapple slices. Spread the cold red and green maraschino cherries equally over all the fruit plates, and line the outer edge of each plate with bite-size nuggets of jalapeno pepper-jack cheese.

Fill the bowls of chili straight from the bubbling pot. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Finish with a light dusting of chives. Serve the fruit plate and chili with hunks of hot buttered garlic bread and sweet iced tea. For dessert, follow up with pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, or hot blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream ... served with steaming cups of strong black coffee. Oh! My!

Perfect chili can be more than just stick-to-your ribs "down home" cooking. It can be a culinary masterpiece that produces such delicious complementing and contrasting flavors and sensations that it is quite literally "Fit for a King".

Bon appetit!

Copyright 2004 by John Foutz All Rights Reserved

John Foutz has been marketing quality internet products since 1999. His latest offering "Cat Head Biscuits and Garlic Fried Chicken" represents Southern cooking at it's finest. 180 mouth-watering dishes that are family tried and tested. Authentic heirloom recipes from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeGourmet.com

Food Recipes: Healthy Cooking Tips for a Healthier You

People nowadays choose fast-food chains more than home-cooked meals. Why? Because fast food tastes so good, convenient, and you don't have to wait for that long. But don't you know that you are compromising your family's health with the habit of eating in these food chains?

Has it ever crossed your mind that home-cooked meals are way much cheaper and healthier option? And you know it's safe because you prepared it yourself. Preparing your own food together with family members even help creates a greater bond, and it's so much fun to do.

So better minimize your fast food consumption and start cooking healthy and delicious food right in your own kitchen. And if you're one of those who have the passion for cooking for your family, these simple healthy cooking tips will help you, and your family, avoid the habit of eating outside, and start saving your money plus living a healthy lifestyle.

Choose your cooking oil wisely

Cooking oil plays a very important part in cooking and to your health too. By choosing oils that contain unsaturated fats such as olive, sesame, safflower and canola can help lower cholesterol level, which is good for your heart. But using these oils in a large quantity can also pack plenty of calories, so better cut your consumption by half or quarter if you can.

Steam instead of boiling

Steaming has plenty of benefits. First in line is cooking without using oil, which can reduce your fat consumption. Steaming locks in nutrients needed by our active bodies. It also retains the food's color and flavor, a factor that usually activates anybody to eat. Also, try steaming with bamboo steamer. The organic steamer doesn't affect the food's flavor, and it cuts cooking time, thus saving you money.

Avoid skin and fat

Whenever you prepare poultry meats such as chicken and pork, you may want to take away the skin and fat that contain unwanted cholesterol, which is not good for our bodies, not to mention that by doing so it will leave you with the tastier and healthier part of the meat.

Reduce your salt by half

Instead of making your food tasty by adding salt, why don't you try some fresh spices as an alternative? It will give you a better tasting food with a lesser amount of sodium. You must also avoid using packed seasoning mixes, which are loaded with MSG and unhealthy amount of salt.

Prepare your vegetables with salt

What would you choose; a cabbage without blemishes or the one that has it? Of course, you'll choose the one without blemishes. But your choice is cured with insecticides, and it's harmful to your health. So, better soak your veggies in a basin with water and at least 2 tbsp of salt before you cook them. This will help reduce the chemical compounds of insecticides, leaving you with only organic and safer veggies.

Last minute veggies

Green leafy vegetables need only shorter cooking time. So instead of cooking it together with meat and other ingredients, wait until all the ingredients are almost done. Then add your veggies on the last minute. This is enough to cook the vegetables, but it will retain the color, flavor and the nutrients.

These simple yet healthy cooking tips will pave your way into a much healthier diet, but the most important thing you should know is to enjoy while cooking, as negative emotions can also affect the way you cook thus affecting the taste of food. And don't forget that dining in a restaurant serving freehand-cooked foods is not a bad idea, especially when your mood doesn't agree with cooking for yourself or for your family.

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Food Recipes: Cooking Healthy in the Indian Kitchen

In India, people love their food. Most even love the making part of it. It is not uncommon to find Indian women slaving in the kitchen for the whole day just so that their families can enjoy a great dinner. Indian mothers are famous for the food they cook and most people swear by their ''mother's cooking''. Indian girls are taught from a young age how to cook. Nowadays men too are not shy of the kitchen and you will find lots of husbands toiling away making something nice for their wives and kids. A lot of men are what you can call ''weekend chefs'' when they are found rustling up great food! Yes, food is a huge deal in the country. If you are an Indian or want to make Indian food, here are some tips you could follow to cook healthy.

1. Indians are known to love their butter and ''ghee'', but that does not mean that you have to use them in every meal. Indian restaurant food too contains a lot of oil but when cooking at home, health is important. So it is always a good idea to use less oil while cooking. It is really not that difficult. Unless you are making something deep-fried, like ''puris'' or ''mattris'', use little oil and let the pan get really heated up before putting on the vegetables or meats. Also, you can sprinkle a little water in the pan to prevent the curry from sticking to it. This reduces the amount of oil needed and gets you a better taste.

2. Use the pressure cooker liberally. In Indian cooking, a lot of lentils are used. Boiling them normally takes a lot of time and the nutrients too are prone to disappear. So it is a good idea to use the pressure cooker to cook lentils and even vegetables and meat. In fact, red meat is almost always cooked in the pressure cooker. Not only are the flavors absorbed in the food, but the nutrients too are optimal.

3. The use of masalas in India is extremely common. In fact you cannot cook food without the required masalas. Spices like turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic, coriander, cloves, cardamoms, etc. promote good health and using them regularly is a very good idea. But don't go overboard as too much masalas in dishes may result in constipation or even ulcer. Use masalas but don't let it overpower the vegetables or meat it is being put into.

4. Indians love their tea and everyone has a favorite tea shop in their neighborhood. Drinking tea promotes good health as it contains antioxidants. Make tea with ginger, basil leaves or any spice you fancy for a perfect Indian cuppa! Make ''Indian Chai'' your favorite beverage!

As you can see, cooking healthy in the Indian kitchen is definitely not that hard if you know what to do. Obviously as you keep on cooking and experimenting, you may find more exciting ways of making healthy food everyday. If yes, do spread the word!

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Food Recipes: Cheese and Pregnancy

Reports in the news constantly tell us of foods we can and can't eat; foods that make us ill or overweight or increase the risk of such-and-such. There are so many differing views on cheese and what you should or should not eat during pregnancy that it becomes confusing, adding to the long lists of do's and dont's pregnant women have to adhere to.

The best foods to eat during pregnancy are those that supply essential vitamins, minerals, lean protein, and energy, in short - fresh food! Avoid as much processed food or ready meals as possible. You and your baby don't need all those E numbers, salts, sugars and additives!

Dairy foods such as cheese and yogurt are important in pregnancy because they are great sources of calcium and protein. Calcium helps your unborn baby's developing bones to form properly and protein is needed for growth and repair.

There are cheeses that are advisable to avoid during pregnancy due to the risk (albeit a very small risk) of contracting listeriosis. Listeria is a bacteria found in the soil where the cows, sheep and goats graze. If cheese is unpasteurised there is a risk of listeria being present in the cheese which can cause serious, if not fatal damage to an unborn or newborn baby. However, if the milk is pasteurised, heated or cooked, the bacteria, in most cases are killed. Blue-veined cheeses and soft-cheeses are unadvisable during pregnancy, even if they are pasteurised. These blue and soft cheeses provide the perfect acidic, moist environment for listeria to grow. But it's not all bad news! If you cook these cheeses thoroughly until piping hot all the way through they are generally safe to eat. And it gets even better - all hard cheeses are generally considered safe to eat, even if they are unpasteurised.

If you want to be zealous about what you do and don't eat it's totally up to you, or you can live as the French do. A lot of French women eat whatever they want, including soft cheese. With an infant mortality rate of 3.2 per 1000 babies (4.6 in UK) and a life expectancy of 81.5 years old (79.9 in UK) - they must be doing something right. According to the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) the cases of listeriosis in unborn or newborn babies has not increased in recent years and is in fact more common in people above the age of 60.

*Please note, it's always best to talk to your doctor or health advisor if you have any serious queries or concerns.*

The Cheeseworks have for many years supplied the residents and restaurants of Cheltenham and the Cotswolds with a variety of cheese gifts, cheese hampers and a host of other goodies. The Cheeseworks also have their own online cheese shop, from which their cheese are made available to a wider market.

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