6 Tips for Perfect Homemade Hard Candy

There's nothing better than the juicy, flavorful hard candy from your local gourmet candy shop . . . unless you make it yourself, that is! Making perfect hard candy at home is easier than you think. You just need the right tools, a few simple ingredients, and your imagination.Try these... Read More

Peppercorns & Ways To Use Them

New and exciting varieties of peppercorns are becoming available to chefs everywhere. Pre-ground pepper out of the tin no longer provides the complex flavors and versatility that great cooks everywhere are looking for. A small collection of different types of peppercorns provides fine cooks with just the right pepper flavors... Read More

Kitchenaid Stand Mixers ? A Kitchen Work Horse

Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and it is easy to see why. These stand mixers have stood the test of time and have shown themselves to be kitchen work horses.Before electric mixers, cooks had to rely on muscle to get the job done or small hand... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to help a customer whose bread did not rise enough. It seemed that he did everything right. Come to find out, he had an older model and a brand that we were not familiar with. (Bread machines are becoming more standardized... Read More

Barbecue Success With The Rule Of Thirds

Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed as much food as he could possibly fit onto the barbecue grill, every so often stabbing the food with a fork and juggling it around so that it cooks evenly? Ever noticed how, within a few minutes, the flames start... Read More

Bread in the Woods

We really like fresh bread while we're camping. There is something about bread products that just seems especially good in the woods. Maybe it's the fresh air; maybe it's the appetites that we work up in the woods.When we talk about bread in the woods, two thoughts seem to flash... Read More

Rice Cookers - Perfect Rice Every Time

Love fluffy cooked rice but dislike the preparation time and clean up? Then rice cookers maybe just what you need. Today's rice cooker is a thrifty time saving device for anyone's kitchen. Also eating rice weekly has many health benefits. With so many rice cookers to choose from how does... Read More

What You Need in a Gourmet Kitchen

The best way to decide what you need in your kitchen is to first decide what it is you are going to be cooking in there. The best suggestion I ever heard on this matter is to find five dishes you really love. The dishes you like to find on... Read More

How to Cook Rice Right

The easiest way to make rice well every time is to use a rice cooker. If you don't have one, or don't want one, though, here's a no-fail recipe for rice that one of my grandmothers taught my mother, who taught me. This one, I use mainly for seasoned rice... Read More

Grill Your Corn for Maximum Flavor

There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer wrapping the corn in aluminum foil or its own husk, maybe with a little butter and seasonings, then cooking it on the grill until done. This is essentially roasting the corn, and while its an option it's not really grilling... Read More

Digital Kitchen Timers ? Never Burn Another Dish

Digital kitchen timers come in many shapes and sizes. Timers are an indispensable tool in the kitchen. If you do any cooking or baking a timer can avert kitchen catastrophes. No one wants to work hard on a recipe only to have it be under cooked or worse burned because... Read More

Barbequing, a Fun and Convenient Way to Make Dinner

"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with summertime. Whether you're in your backyard or at you're favorite camping site, barbecuing is... Read More

10 Easy Ways To Protect Your Family From Food Poisoning

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate the food YOUR FAMILY eats? Do you know how to tell if your food is THOROUGHLY cooked to keep YOUR family safe from Food Poisoning? Do you know what to do if you or SOMEONE YOU LOVE gets Food Poisoning?When... Read More

Grilling Vs. Barbecue

Grilling and Barbecuing, two of the most popular cooking methods in the U.S., especially in warmer weather. There are some who know the difference between grilling and barbecuing, and some who don't. Do you?To put it simply, Grilling is fast cooking over high heat, while barbecuing involves a slower cooking... Read More

Cooking With Kids--Safely!

School's out! And summer is a good time to introduce your child to chores in the kitchen!To help you along, here are some things to remember when cooking, especially with kids. Plus a couple of kid-friendly recipes!1. Keep temperature of hot water below 120 degrees F.2. Turn handles of pots... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Ham

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night. There are a six articles in this series, today we are going to look... Read More

Herbs and Spices - the Essence of Flavor

In any number of cookbooks and recipes you will find advice on which herbs go with what. I'm not going to take that route.While there certainly are marriages that are tried and tested, such as tomatoes and basil or lamb and rosemary, the reality is that the use of herbs... Read More

10 Smart Shopping Tips To Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the supermarket. Here's how to start off safely.1. Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Buy cans and jars that look perfect. Don't buy canned goods that are dented, cracked or bulging. These are the warning signs that dangerous bacteria... Read More

How To Eat Fresh Vegetables ? Ideas for Working More Veggies Into Your Diet

Fresh, uncooked veggies are so healthy and it's important to work them into your meal plan somewhere. The majority of American's don't eat enough vegetables and most vegetables consumed in the American diet are cooked potatoes in the form of french fries. American's need more vegetables in their... Read More

How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes)

Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were made by my grandmothers in their cast iron skillets. Tender, flaky catfish; finger-lickin' chicken; and mouth watering cornbread were the traditional scrumptious fare. Today, we have a new generation of cooks, and they are conjuring up all sorts of new and... Read More

How to Make a Cajun Roux

The process of preparing Cajun food is in no way hurried and involves a layering of flavors which allows each ingredient to maintain its own identity.The foundation of preparing authentic Cajun dishes like gumbo, sauce piquant and etouffee is the Cajun roux (pronounced 'rue'). Good roux is neither undercooked nor... Read More

What Are Scoville Units?

To understand what a Scoville Unit is, one must understand what they measure. All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even induce perspiration. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that... Read More

10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our environment. Not all bacteria cause disease in humans (for example, some bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and yogurt). However, the prime causes of food-borne illness include parasites, viruses, and bacteria such as:1. E. coli O157:H72. Campylobacter jejuni3. Salmonella4.... Read More

Working with Eggs

Bad eggs are rare but they do occur. Crack eggs into a separate bowl before mixing with other ingredients. If the egg is bad it will have an unmistakeable odor.If you find an egg stuck to the carton, fill the indentation with cool water and let sit for five minutes.... Read More

7 Things to Consider when Buying a BBQ

BBQ as we all know is an abbreviated form of barbecue or barbeque. The BBQ has assumed so much importance today that you could call it the crown. You could ideally locate the BBQ near the main cooking area to derive maximum utility. Here are 7 things which you could... Read More

Cara Buono shares cooking tips but no 'Mad Men' secrets
USA Today
By Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY By Donna Freydkin, USA TODAY At the stove, that is, as she tastes perfectly al dente pasta that has just finished cooking. ...

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A healthy self-image for my girl - and a clean kitchen?
Dallas Morning News
So I've started gathering tips and suggestions. A common theme among experts is the link between responsibility and self-worth. William and Martha Sears ...

Christian Science Monitor
Hurricane Earl cooking secrets: what to eat if you're without power
Christian Science Monitor
For the whole hurricane-cooking enchilada, you can download the cookbook here. And if you don't live in hurricane country? The tips can readily be applied ...

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The Jackson County Times-Journal to debut “Relish” Magazine September 7
Jackson Times Journal
Features will include irresistible recipes, useful cooking tips and techniques, healthy cooking ideas, and the latest in kitchen and household gadgets. ...

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Eco-friendly Tips That Will Save You Money in the Kitchen
Reader's Digest
See more cooking tips below. Cut down on the amount of time you actively use your stove or cook top. Remember that a covered pot will boil faster than an ...

msnbc.com
Gazette food columnists share which cooking competition shows they think are ...
Gaston Gazette
15, isn't the only new food-centric program combining competitive drama with creative cooking tips. Chef Gordon Ramsay's “MasterChef” on Fox and the Food ...
TV's 'Top Chefs' cook up ultimate astronaut takeoutmsnbc.com

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What to do with your summer harvest
Chicago Tribune
Now is the time to get the most from your garden -- plan on harvesting daily and cooking quite a bit. To get the most from your garden, plan on harvesting ...

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Hot Lunch At An Aetna Parking Lot: Bobby Flay Judges Healthy Cooking [The ...
Insurance News Net (press release)
"And, there's no better way to deliver that message than to offer a little friendly competition among amateur chefs and in-person cooking tips from some of ...

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Tomato Week: Easy Tomato Recipes & Tomato Plant Harvesting Tips
Huffington Post (blog)
So, go get picking, washing, slicing, canning, and cooking! We'll have delicious advice about garden tomatoes all throughout the week. ...

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4 tips for caring for mom and dad
CNNMoney
A personal-care aide can provide help with cooking, light housekeeping, and bathing; a home health aide or visiting nurse may be more appropriate in ...

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How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes)