When you’re cooking for a family, consider cooking meal around meatballs. It is relatively easy to cook. They are usually cooked in large batches as once the beef is ground and mixed. Then the oven is heated and it is then very easy to cook several batches. The meatballs consist of beef, onion, garlic, oregano, and pepper.

Cooking with chicken breasts to is a healthy option that can be used to cook a hearty casserole and a light chicken salad sitting on a bed of freshly cooked spinach and noodles.

Cooking a vegetable lasagnas is a great family treat. Cook with a single layer of noodles, and add layers of delicious spinach, ricotta, pesto, and mushrooms. You can use this same technique for cooking enchiladas. This can be achieve by filling the tortillas with a mixture of tofu, cheese, onions, and spices. Then begin cooking in the baking pans.

Some cooking tips:

- Have confidence to grill and roast vegetables. Just don’t heat them and burn them as the blackened parts are carcinogenic.

- When cooking steamed vegetables, remove them from the heat while they are still crunchy. This will preserve some of the goodness that the vegetable have.

- Do not over cook pasta as it takes your body longer to digest firm pasta, your blood sugar levels will be lower than if you eat softer pasta.

- Try not to cook with white flour as it has been stripped of its fiber and nutrients.

You will find many people who are crazy for food in town. They are so famished for food that they will forget their aloofness and keep on trying different dishes which could fill up their taste of mouth. There are many cuisines which you will love to try especially Pakistani food which is well known for its masalas and meat items.

Pakistani foods are worldwide popular and people are crazy about its taste, it has taste of its nation. It is not only about just making it there is a lot behind this, this Biryani is made in every kitchen of Pakistan by mothers who don’t only put masalas into their dishes but their love and care is additionally added which set the charisma. There are number of Pakistani dishes for which even foreigners are crazy about and a non-Pakistani can also make a great Pakistani dish if he keeps one thing in his mind that he has to pour his love into it.

Biryani is an eastern dish. People from east love to have it, people enjoy biryani more than any other dishes countries like Pakistan, India, U.A.E, Bangladesh and etc. are popular and familiar with biryani the most. Pakistan has four provinces and every province has its own style of making biryani, every biryani is famous and delicious as other.

There is many kind of Biryani available to cook like Bombay Biryani, Hyderabad Biryani, Pilao Biryani, Sindhi Biryani Afghani Biryani and many more. Out of all of them Sindhi biryani has its own strings of attracting people into its taste, it is a famous dish of Sindh, Pakistan and most of the Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian Restaurants in UAE offer this tasty dish. Making of Sindhi biryani is unique than any other biryani, let’s have a look at its recipe;

Ingredients

• Rice 1 Kg
• Oil 1 ½ Cup
• Chicken 1 Kg
• Ginger, garlic 4 teaspoons
• Onion 3 ½ average size
• Turmeric 1 teaspoon
• Red Chili 5 teaspoons
• Garam Masala 1 cup normal size
• Dry Coriander Powder 2 ½ cups
• Salt
• Cardamom 2-4
• Cinnamon 2-5 pieces
• Anardana 1-2 teaspoons
• Bay leaves 3
• Orange and Yellow food color 1/5 tsp.
• Dried plums 13-14
• Tomatoes 1 Kg
• Green Chili 5 small
• Yoghurt 200 grams
• Potatoes 1/5 Kg
• Lemon 5
• Mints 1 bunch
• Nutmeg and mace power 1 teaspoon
• Coriander 1 1 bunch
• Fennel Seeds 1 teaspoons
• Salt 2 tsp.
• Dry Coriander 1 tsps.

Method:

1. Put oil in a pan.
2. Put Onions and keep frying it until it takes light brown color.
3. Now add chicken into the pan and start frying it unless entire water is vanished.
4. Now you can put garlic and ginger along with other specifications, cardamoms and cinnamon.
5. Keep burning the chicken until ittenderize.
6. Now start putting potatoes, Tomatoes, Green Chilies, Yoghurt, mint, dried plum, lemon, coriander, Anardana, Crumpled Onions.
7. Rumble on very low heat (Take care of curry that it must have 2 cups of gravy)
8. Then pick another pan and add water to boil it for rice.
9. Tie both the seeds to gather fennel and coriander, put it in boiling water along with 2 teaspoon salt.
10. When you feel that rice has been enough tenderize, filter in a big pan, and start spreading initial layer of rice first then put curry and another layer.
11. Ending would be with adding color in the rice using big spoon (Kewra).
12. Cover the pan and keep in on very low fuel for 5-9 mins.
13. Biryani is ready to be served with raita and salad

Author Bio:

Christy is famous professional content writer from UAE and likes to write on UAE’s Food topics, recipes, restaurants reviews especially Indian Restaurants in UAE and many more.

Photo credit: Taekwonweirdo

Well, I can imagine your condition as for now, post reading this statement. Before rushing to any nearby sea food restaurant or giving a buzz to place the order, I have one more thing to tell you. If you never had Kerala fish curry, then you never had the best fish dish in the world.

Kerala fish curry, though prepared in slightly different ways in different part of the state, share its similarity in one thing – your taste buds will give a standing ovation to it, be it the spicy fish curry of North Kerala or the southern fish masala. The recent golden feather earned by the famous dish is its mention by British premier David Cameron during his recent visit to India. Though Kerala was not a part of his itinerary, when he was asked which Indian dishes he wants to have, he quickly replied that it would be a Kerala fish curry. He further added that his wife is a very good cook and she makes fantastic Kerala fish curry.

Not only the sea fish like prawn or shrimp but also the freshwater fish forms a major part of the cuisine.

The recipes of two authentic fish dishes are shared here. The simple spicy fish with delicious gravy prepared as a curry is very easy to make and uses ingredients which is available in all seasons.

Check out the following:

Recipe no: 1

Ingredients:
Sardine sized fish with soft flesh – 0.5 kg
Large onion – 1
Green chillies – 6
Curry leaves – 4 sprigs
Fresh ginger – 1 piece
Medium tomatoes – 2 nos – cut into eighths
Kudamppuli ( garcinia cambogia)* – 2 pieces –
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 0.5 tsp
Salt – 0.75 tsp
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Steps
Heat the oil on high flame.
Add the onion, chilly and ginger pieces, and curry leaves to it. Then lower the flame and stir till the onion become soft.
Add chilly and turmeric powder and stir for another minute.
Add the tomato pieces.
After 3 minutes, add the kudamppuli soaked in water.
Add salt to taste and also add an additional cup of water.
Turn up the flame and cook till the mixture boils.
Add the fish, lower the flame and cook till half the water has evaporated.
*Kudamppuli should be soaked in 1 cup of warm water for two hours. Tamarind paste available in market can be used instead of this.

Recipe no: 2

Try out this if you like the flavor of coconut.
Ingredients
King fish ( nemeen ) – 1 kg
Onion – 3 (thinly sliced )
Small onion – 6-7
Ground ginger & garlic – 50gm
Tomato – 4
Green Chilly – 5
kudamppuli – 2 pieces
Coconut Milk – medium & thick
Coconut oil
Curry leaves
Fenugreek – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Use the following ingredients to prepare the masala
Chilly powder – 3 tablespoon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 4 tablespoon
Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
Steps:
Heat the oil on high flame.
Splutter fenugreek.
Add ground ginger and garlic and leave it to saute.
Add big and small onion and stir the mix.
Add the masala powders to the mix when it becomes brown.
Cook this on low fire.
Add kuddamppuli, salt,green chilly, tomato and curry leaves along with the fish pieces.
Then cook the fish in medium thick coconut milk.
Once the gravy is dried completely add thick coconut milk and curry leaves
Cook for another 10 – 15 minutes.

The taste of the curry will be more if it is used next day of the preparation. This goes as the best combo with Kerala Rice, pokkali rice or even chappatis.

Happy slurping!

This article is authored by Janu Narayan who is one of the authors of the blog Kerala Ayurveda.

Photo credit: Kalakki @ commons.wikimedia.org

Once considered a rare, luxurious treat, the banana has become a much-loved staple that enhances many dishes.

If you thought the forbidden fruit of the Old Testament was the apple, the Koran will set you straight – it was the banana. The early Hindu Christians were of the same opinion and reckoned that Adam and Eve covered themselves with banana leaves rather than fig leaves – a sensible notion when you consider that the former are about four meters long and nearly a meter wide, while the latter, as “doctored” classical statuary shows, are somewhat small.

The banana may well have been culti­vated originally for its leaves rather than its fruit; they provide thatching for houses, are used as envelopes in which to wrap and cook food, are plaited into mats and bags and, in the case of one variety, are a source of Manila hemp.

The banana took its time to become commonplace the world over, despite having been eaten by man for several mil­lennia. It was quick to perish and difficult to transport, but the advent of refrigera­ted shipping in the late 19th century changed all that.

The banana is now cultivated world­wide in frost-free climates. Revealing a strong streak of perversity, the people of Iceland like to grow them commercially, too, on soil heated by geysers. For Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the banana is an important staple, each country devising a rich array of recipes to make the best of it. In all these countries, they use both the sweet dessert fruits with which we are most familiar, and the starchier, vegetable-like “bananas” known as plantains.

In Australia, the banana has come a long way since Joseph Banks, travelling with Captain Cook, described the native banana he encountered in Queensland as “a kind of Wild Plantain whose fruit was so full of stones that it was barely edible”. Thanks to hybridisation and the introduction of the Cavendish banana via Samoa, we have delicious, sweet bananas to enjoy all year round.

In Queensland, the banana industry is divided into two distinct locations: the far north and the south-east corner. There are around 400 varieties world­wide, but the two main Australian var­ieties are the Cavendish and the smaller, sweeter Lady’s Finger.

The banana is at its peak when the skin is yellow and dotted with brown speckles. The flesh is creamy but still firm to slice. If you buy fruit once a week, purchase yellow bananas with green tips and no speckles. They are not fully ripe but will ripen at room temperature ill two or three days.

Several recipes from India and the Caribbean require the use of ·green (i.e. unripe) bananas. They are very starchy and lend themselves well to highly spiced dishes that require fairly lengthy cooking. In the Caribbean, a delicious appetiser consists of partly fried green bananas that have been squashed down and refried until crisp.

Don’t store bananas in the refrigerator – keep them in a cool, airy place. The exception is during the very hot summer months when bananas ripen quickly. Once fully ripe, wrap them in newspaper and store in the refrigerator for four or five days. The skins will go. black but the fruit will still be in good, flavoursome condition. Very ripe bananas are excel­lent in pudding, bread and cake recipes, so don’t discard them even though they may look as if they are past their prime.

“Hands” of a dozen or more bananas form part of larger bunches which grow around a central stem. It is a good idea to buy small hands of bananas rather than loose ones, as they are less likely to be bruised or split.

The banana has an unusually high carbo­hydrate content which, before ripening, is almost entirely starch. After ripening (in the dessert varieties) it is converted almost entirely to sugar. Bananas are a useful source of vitamins C and B6, and minerals such as phosphorous and potas­sium, essential to good health.

Seventy grams of fully ripened banana provides 364 kilojoules (85 calories) and 3.8 grams of dietary fibre – equal to one and a half slices of whole grain bread or one large apple.

The slogan “Unzip a banana” that was used by one distributor, graphically describes how to get at the fruit; it really couldn’t be easier. In the case of green bananas, be sure to wear rubber gloves as you pull away the skin or your hands will be stained.

Banana flesh darkens quickly. If the recipe you choose to make relies strongly on appearance (such as a fruit salad) don’t prepare the fruit until you need it. Dip­ping the banana in citrus juice will slow down the darkening process.

To freeze, peel and puree one kilogram of bananas, add juice of one lemon, and pack into a plastic container leaving one centimetre headspace. Cover, freeze.

Chicken, fish and bacon all team well with this fruit, and the grilled banana on the barbecue has long been a succulent accompaniment to steaks and sausages.

Coconut and yoghurt are also good companions, as the raitas of Indian cook­ing prove, setting off well-spiced dishes to perfection. In fruit salads, oranges and raspberries are an excellent foil for the banana’s creamy sweetness.

As for alcohol, gin, rum and kirsch are the banana’s soulmates. Napoleon (who was probably the first European to eat one) enjoyed a dish of banana fritters moistened with rum while he was on St Helena – perhaps it wasn’t such a bad place on which to be exiled, after all. Those of us with more freedom to eat what we please should explore the fol­lowing recipes.

RUM BANANAS

The combination of bananas, rum, brown sugar and cream must be one of the most delicious desserts. A good dark Jamaican rum will take it even closer to heaven.

4-6 firm, ripe bananas 60g butter
o cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum 300ml thickened cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Peel, and halve the bananas lengthwise if large; keep whole if they are medium to small.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the brown sugar and rum. Cook over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and add the bananas. Cook over a moderate heat for halved bananas, a low heat if whole bananas. Cook for about 5 minutes, depending on their size. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes. Whip cream with caster sugar. Serve the bananas hot with a dollop of whipped cream and the rum sauce poured over. Serves 4.

BEEF AND BANANA CURRY

2·3 tablespoons oil
3cm piece fresh green ginger, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
A few cardamom pods, bruised lkg gravy beef, cut into pieces 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 ripe bananas, chopped
Black mustard seeds, to garnish

About the author: Jake Bunter is a chef based in Melbourne – You can find his restaurant and a complete list of restaurants in Melbourne here in The City Web Guide Australia

Easter is a fun time and what better way to spend it than to get the kids in their aprons with their chef hats on and start cooking. The things kids associates Easter with are eggs, chocolate, bunnies, chicks, and fun! Why not incorporate these things into kitchen activities for the kids to enjoy? You can get a little fun out of it too of course!

Listed below are just 3 easy and fun recipes that the kids will love.

Shredded Wheat Nests

Ingredients Needed: 200g milk Chocolate broken into pieces, 85g Shredded Wheat crushed, 2x 100g bags of Mini Chocolate eggs. You will also need cupcake cases.

1) Melt the chocolate in a small bowl placed over a pan of simmering hot water.

2) Place the broken shredded wheat in a bowl and pour the chocolate over them. Stir well to combine both of the ingredients.

3) Spoon the chocolate wheat into the cupcake cases. Place the back of the spoon in the centre to make a nest shape. Place 2 chocolate eggs on top of all the nests. Chill the nests in the fridge for 2 hours until they are set and then enjoy!

Easter Bunny Biscuits

Ingredients Needed: 225g Plain Flour, 175g Margarine, 115g Caster Sugar, 1 Medium Egg Yolk, 24 Silver Balls. You will also need different colours of icing (depending how creative… and messy you want to get!), greased baking sheets.

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/160C/ Gas 4

2) Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Then stir in the sugar, add the beaten egg yolk and then knead this mixture into smooth dough.

3) Roll out the mixture; get the kids to help out by cutting the mixture into bunny shapes with a cutter.

4) When the shapes are cut out, place them all on greased baking sheets. Bake them for 25 minutes until they are pale golden brown. Leave them to cool.

5) This is where the fun bit starts. With the different coloured icing, get the kids to decorate the biscuits as Easter Bunnies; don’t forget to use the silver balls as their eyes!

Easter Egg Cupcakes

Ingredients Needed: 275g Plain Flour, 100g Caster Sugar, 50g Cocoa Powder, 2tsp Baking Powder, 100g Butter, melted, 300g milk, 2 Large Eggs beaten, 1tsp Vanilla Essence. You will also need muffin cases, 12-hole muffin tin and mini chocolate eggs.

For the Icing: 225g Icing Sugar, sifted. 100g Butter, softened, 2tbsp Cocoa Powder, 2tbsp hot water.

1) Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.

2) To make the muffins, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla together and stir into the flour mixture. Beat until the mixture is just smooth.

3) Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 25 minutes or until risen and firm to touch. Cool the muffins off before decorating.

4) For the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together. Then, blend the coca and hot water together to a smooth paste and beat into the butter mix. Now for what the kids have been waiting for, spread the icing over the muffins and decorate them with the mini chocolate eggs.

These recipes are useful and are great fun to do! By the end,, you will see that your modern worktop would have turned into a flour, chocolate covered Easter bonanza, which (the kids don’t know it yet) will have to help clear up! Share some of your favourite child-friendly Easter recipes in the comments below!

Natasha Russell is small, humorous and fun. She loves laughing, cooking and all things interesting and quirky. She writes for Loveglass.

Image by safetypinheart

CELLULITE BE GONE SOLUTION (home remedy)

1. Warm 1/2 cup caffeinated coffee grounds with 2 tablespoons olive oil in the microwave for 10 seconds.
2. Standing over a newspaper (this is messy), smear the mixture over cellulite spots, then wrap in plastic wrap. Remove plastic after 20 minutes. Repeat this 2-3 times a week for 6 weeks for best results!

REDUCE FINE LINES & CROWS FEET (natural remedy)

1. Mash a handful of green grapes to obtain the juice.
2. Use a cotton ball to apply the grape juice to fine lines around eyes, mouth & forehead. Rinse after 5 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times a week for best results.

REDUCE PUFFY EYES (natural remedy)

1. Beat the whites from an egg until stiff.
2. Use a brush to apply the egg whites to puffy eyes. Let dry for 15 minutes, then rinse.

THE WRINKLE REMEDY (natural solution)

1. Soak 5 raw almonds in a cup of milk overnight.
2. Grind the almonds into a paste and slowly add a bit of the milk they soaked in until a paste is formed. Stir 2 tablespoons of honey into the paste.
3. Apply the paste to your face and let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse. Repeat 2-3 times a week.

BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE (natural solution)

1. Mash one ripe strawberry with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
2. Apply mixture to teeth. Let sit for 5 minutes, rinse, then brush as usual.

BANISH DARK EYE CIRCLES (natural remedy)

1. Chop and crush a sprig of mint leaves.
2. Apply the mashed leaves to dark under eye circles. Leave for 20 minutes then rinse, goodbye darkness!

HEAL ACNE AND REDUCE SCARS (natural remedy)

1. Mix 1/3 cup of hot white tea with 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. Let cool.
2. Use a cotton ball to apply the mixture to acne flareups & scars. Rinse off after 30 minutes. This mixture will help restore PH balance, remove impurities & clear pores!

SKIN CLARIFYING EXFOLIANT (natural remedy)

1. Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, and 2 mashed strawberries in a bowl.
2. Apply exfoliant to face and gently polish away dead skin and impurities. Repeat 1-2 times a week as needed.

TREAT DRY SKIN (natural remedy)

1. Mash 1/2 of a ripe avocado and combine with 1/4 cup of honey.
2. Apply mask mixture to clean face and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with gentle face soap and wash cloth. Say hello to smooth, moist skin!

SHRINK LARGE PORES (natural remedy)

1. Combine the whites of one egg with 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Whip with fork until frothy.
2. Apply mask mixture to face and let sit for 20 minutes until completely dry. Rinse with warm water. Repeat 1-2 times a week.

REDUCE AGE SPOTS (natural remedy)

1. Finely chop an onion. Use a cheese cloth or strainer to extract the juice.
2. Mix one part onion juice with one part apple cider vinegar.
3. Use a cotton ball to apply the mixture to age spots. Wash off after 30 minutes. Repeat once a day for 6 weeks and watch age spots fade away!

CLARIFY HAIR & RESTORE SHINE (natural solution)

1. Shampoo hair as usual, then add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
2. Let vinegar sit for 5 minutes, rinse, then condition as usual. Enjoy silkier, smoother hair!

Infographic source: picklee

In the high-performance blender world, there is one name that rises above the rest and that name is Vitamix. Serious home and professional chefs will ask for it by name and for good reason.

The power and versatility of a Vitamix will change the way you prepare food and their quality is unmatched in the blender industry.Mix this with their outstanding warranties, it’s easy to see why they are often the most coveted appliance in anyone’s kitchen.

There’s no question that the Vitamix is expensive, but as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for”, and the Vitamix is no exception. The prices for a new Vitamix range from $450 to $700, but you don’t need to pay this much, all it takes is a little research.

Recently, Vitamix started offering factory refurbished blenders through their website that can help save you some substantial money. A refurbished Vitamix blender can save you between $120-$270 over the cost of a brand new blender and you won’t be giving up a whole lot to get these savings.

Refurbished Vitamix blenders go through an extensive testing and inspection process at the Vitamix factory in Cleveland, Ohio. Blenders that have been returned during the 30 day trial period or lightly used demonstration models are fixed, cleaned, and have the containers and accessories replaced with new, before they are resold at a 25% discount.

The refurbished packages are offered with a standard coverage, 5 year warranty, compared to the normal 7 year warranty on new packages, but you are able to upgrade and add an additional 3 years of coverage at the time of purchase for only an additional $75, still saving you around $50 with an additional year of warranty coverage.

In addition to the savings on buying a reconditioned model, you can also save an additional $25 off the cost of shipping by using a Vitamix promotion code when placing your order through their website or by phone. Altogether, you could be saving $145-$295 by purchasing a factory reconditioned model and using the free shipping code.

Pair all of this with the fact that all Vitamix blenders come with a 30 day, risk-free trial and now is the right time to give Vitamix a try and see what you’ve been missing with your old blender.

Eggs are a magnificent source not only of vitamin B12, but also many nutrients that promote optimal health. This makes them one of the most nutritious foods you can eat and feed your child.

Here are some other reasons why eggs are beneficial:

• Protein – Eggs are a rich source of high-quality protein, which is especially important for groups like children, dieters, vegetarians, and the elderly.  Protein is essential to the building, maintenance, and repair of your child’s body tissues, such as skin, muscles, and internal organs. It is also the major components of his immune system and hormones.

• Carotenoids – These are mostly linked to vegetables. But eggs are actually a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are yellow or orange carotenoids.

Carotenoids accumulate in the eye lens and macular region of the retina, which have the highest concentrations. Some studies have suggested that they have a protective effect on your eyes, likely due to the capacity of these substances to protect the eye from damage caused by ultraviolet light.

You can also supply your child with lutein and zeaxanthin by feeding him green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.

• Choline – Eggs are an excellent dietary source of this dietary component important for normal function of all cells, according to Dr. Steven H. Zeisel, MD, PhD.

According to Dr. Zeisel, choline is (1) responsible for the structural integrity and signaling of cell membranes; (2) the major source of methyl-groups in the diet; and (3) directly affects nerve and cell signaling and lipid transport or metabolism. He adds that pregnancy is a critical time to pay attention to getting adequate dietary intake of various nutrients, such as choline.

Eggs and Cholesterol

But should you severely limit your child’s egg consumption? The demonization of eggs can be traced back to a scare beginning in the 1960s, when there was increasing mainstream news linking eggs, blood cholesterol, and heart disease. This news fed a popular misconception that was unsupported by evidence.

In her presentation “The Changing Face of Functional Foods,” Dr. Clare M. Hasler, PhD, of the University of Illinois defines functional foods as those that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, and include whole, fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods with potentially beneficial health effects. She notes that “eggs have not traditionally been regarded as a functional food, primarily due to concerns about their adverse effects on serum cholesterol levels.”

However, Dr. Hasler clarifies that there is little, if any, connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels. According to her, “eggs are an excellent dietary source of essential (e.g. protein, choline) and non-essential (e.g. lutein/ zeaxanthin) components which may promote optimal health.”

Dr. Donald J. McNamara, PhD, of the Egg Nutrition Center in Washington says, too, that studies demonstrate how dietary cholesterol raises both LDL (“bad”) and HDL (“good”) cholesterol without any change in LDL/HDL ratio, which is a more important marker of heart disease risk.

For instance, adding 100 milligrams of cholesterol per day to your diet increases LDL by 1.9 mg/dL, but that is accompanied by a 0.4 mg/dL increase in HDL. This means that the LDL/HDL ratio change per 100 milligrams/day change in dietary cholesterol is from 2.60 to 2.61 – likely not statistically significant and probably has NO influence on heart disease risk.

Eggs actually provide crucial nutritional contributions to your diet. In a study of the data from a National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, eggs were found to contribute 10 percent of the daily intake of total energy and vitamin B6, 10 to 20 percent of folate and total fat, and 20 to 30 percent of vitamins A, E, and B12.

A Few Reminders

It is important that you select organic eggs – “cage-free” or “free-range” eggs are not necessarily organic. An egg is considered organic if the chicken was given only organic food and does not have bioaccumulated high pesticide levels from the grains fed to it.

You should also beware of feeding your child eggs every day, as they have high potential for causing an allergy.

Eating eggs as raw as possible is also preferable. Less exposure to oxygen and heat means better quality and maximum nutritional value. If your child is not used to eating fresh raw eggs, start by giving him a tiny amount daily, gradually increasing the portions. Be sure to only feed him organic eggs raw though.

If you are pregnant, there is a potential concern in using the entire raw egg, as doing so can worsen biotin deficiency – a common concern in pregnancy. You have two options: (1) get tested for a biotin deficiency, or (2) take a biotin supplement, or cook the whites and consume only the yolk raw. Soft-boiling is the next best option whether you’re pregnant or planning to feed your child eggs.

Katrina Pascual writes for Mercola.com. She reports on pressing natural health issues, including less-than-optimal nutrient levels in children and adults today – including vitamin B12 deficiency – due to poor dietary choices.

Eggs photo by pietroizzo

Common Cooking Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

For some people, stepping into the kitchen can be a daunting experience. For others, it can be a thrill. But no matter how comfortable or experienced you are in the kitchen, it is likely that you fall prey to some common cooking mistakes. Let’s take a look at a few common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Adding Too Much Salt

The easiest and most common way to ruin a dish is to add too much salt while cooking. Whether you are following a recipe or just ad-libbing, it can be easy to over-salt a dish. Remember, every individual has a different idea of how much is enough. To avoid this, salt lightly while you cook. Have a salt shaker on the table for guests to add more if they feel it is needed. Remember that salt adds to the flavor, it is not the flavor.

Overcooking

Another common mistake in the kitchen is turning the heat up as high as it can go. This burns food and leads to uneven cooking. Most recipes call for medium-high heat when using the stovetop. This applies to the oven as well. Any item placed in the oven above 425? should be watched closely to ensure it does not burn or dry out.

Speaking of burning, nothing is worse than having a lovely piece of meat stick to a frying pan and burn. “But I put oil in the pan!” you say. Well, the only reliable way to keep food from sticking while in a frying pan is to add cold oil to a hot pan. This works every time.

Drying Out Meat

Finally, (the mistake that plagues everyone at some point in their lives) dry meat. Avoid dry meat while grilling and pan frying by flipping the meat only once. Over turning and over handling the meat causes juices to spill out that would otherwise moisten the meat. Once you are done cooking, don’t forget to let the meat rest before cutting or serving. A perfectly cooked piece of meat will spill all of it juices if cut too early. If you are worried about the meat getting cold, simply cover with a tea towel or aluminum foil.

Being aware of these common mistakes is the first step to avoiding them. Remember that cooking is trial and error. Avoiding these mistakes can lead to less error and more enjoyment in the kitchen.

This is a guest post by Mark Lynch. Mark recommends finding more great information on cooking trends at Chefs.edu.

This is a central component in a variety of confections, including cakes, petit fours, chocolate-covered cherries, and butter cream candies.  It can also be used to wonderful effect on cookies when you need an extra-special touch. If you have never used fondant before, it can seem intimidating.

How can you get that sheet of sugar to do what you want?  Here are some tips for making your own fondant-covered cookie masterpieces.

Choosing Your Fondant

You can purchase pre-made fondant at stores with cake decorating sections (including box stores).  Wilton is a highly respected name, and their website offers scores of tips and tricks to help you work with the sugar paste. These come in white, which you can tint yourself with food coloring, or pre-mixed colors.  You can also make your own.  If you are new to fondant, you may want to purchase it to experiment with so you don’t have to stock your cupboards with things like glycerin.

Gathering Your Supplies

You will need:

• Your fondant, of course. If you want to use different colors, either purchase or mix them.
• Rolling pin. (Some people recommend using cookie slats, which are wooden pieces you put on the ends of your rolling pin so it rolls the dough uniformly. You can also use a special fondant roller – or you can eyeball it!)
• Cookies and cookie cutters.
• Pastry brush.
• Light corn syrup.

Coloring Your Fondant

You can add color with gel paste (concentrated so you need less) or liquid drops.  Work a small amount of fondant in your hands so it is pliable, and add a few drops of color.  Knead it until the color is blended evenly.

Working

Fondant, like royal icing, dries out quickly when exposed to the air.  When you are not working with your fondant, keep it wrapped in a plastic bag. When you are working with cake, you want it to be completely cool before applying fondant, but with cookies, the warmth helps the fondant adhere to the surface better.  Make sure to brush off any loose crumbs before you start.

Decorating Your Cookies

You can either cover your entire cookie with fondant or use it to make decorations.  If you want to cover your cookie, roll out your fondant until it is smooth.  Use the same cookie cutter that you used to make the cookie and punch out the shape.  Use your pastry brush to apply a light coat of corn syrup; this will be your glue.  Put the fondant shape on top of the cookie and gently smooth it out with your fingers. Voila, you have made your first fondant-covered cookie!

From there, it is just a matter of experimenting and practice. There is no end to the decorative possibilities. You can use small cookie cutters or special fondant cutters to create great shapes and then simply affix them to the main fondant base.  To do this, lightly brush the fondant shape with water and gently press.  Another idea is to ice the cookies with royal icing, and then use that to “glue” the fondant shapes onto the surface.

You can make these elegant cookies even more spectacular by using luster dust, marbling the fondant, using scoring tools or a paring knife to “carve” designs, or using butter cream or royal icing to add dots, stripes, or writing.

You can customize your fondant-covered cookies for any occasion, from baby showers and weddings to holidays and even give them as decorated birthday cookies.  You are only limited by your imagination!

If you have extra, you can keep it for up to a year at room temperature. Don’t freeze or refrigerate.  If it does get too cool, microwave it for a few seconds to make it more pliable.

Betty Ann Sherman is a writer and a baker. She has contributed many articles to the Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog, hosted by www.gourmet-cookie-bouquets.com.