Ordering Maine Lobster Online Is Hassle-Free

Well, now it's summer time and you are making plans for outings. Throughout the day you must be busy exploring sites and hunting for top class touring spots. So, you can look for such a destination that can provide you the best food along with plenty of sightseeing venues. Now, if you are addicted to seafood, there cannot be any better option than heading to Maine. You must have come across lobsters but never had the best ones. Yes, it's Maine, the lobster capital of the world, where you can have not only the world's best lobsters but quality seafood as well. Be it the Maine lobster or the live one, these scrumptious seafood are considered the tastiest and preferred by the majority of top chefs.

Once you put your steps among the seafood outlets nearby the Maine coast, the flair of the recipes will take seconds to mesmerize your senses. Well, you can certainly enjoy the best seafood at the Rockland summer event in Maine. This very event is popular since people come here from various corners to taste the best seafood. In fact, people of diverse age groups take pleasure to participate in this famous lobster festival. You can even make plans for the Winter Harbour lobster festival that arranges a grand seafood dinner party with some exotic Maine lobsters.

In the recent years, the global demand of lobsters has increased so much that the Maine coast is running with shortages. As a result, necessary steps have been taken to protect the Maine lobsters from getting extinct. Well, the present scenario has bettered and various ways are being adopted to create awareness about their continued existence. All these have been initiated since the Maine lobsters play a crucial role in upholding the earth's ecological balance.

Now, if you are one of them willing to open a lobster outlet, you have to do enough researches. Nowadays, the live lobster dealers are doing good business. So, if you are planning to order live lobster from an online store, you need to keep a few things in mind. First, you need to check reviews of the site you are willing to deal with. Having a look at the reviews will certainly help you have an idea whether the customer service provided by the site is good or not. It's also important to check whether the website you are visiting excels in providing quality shipping services. Don't commit the blunder to get in touch with an inexperienced company.

While ordering Maine lobster, don't forget to check the shipping information. You must be aware of the delivery time as to when the order will be delivered to you the following day. Therefore, it's always wiser to make deals with professional and reputed dealers who can get you the delivery in right time.

Once you get the Maine lobster, put it instantly under refrigeration so that they don't get rotten and can give you the perfect flair when cooked. Since they come in packages, you can be assured of their freshness. Make sure that they don't have black spots, and if they do, it's better to throw them. A Maine lobster should always be submerged in water so that the seawater trapped in their gills can be washed out.

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Adobo Sa Gata - Filipino Recipe

We Filipinos love the sweet and sour taste of Adobo, right? And we just can't help it when it's served with hot and steamy rice. This dish is certainly a trademark of us Filipinos. But do you know that we Filipinos inherit this dish from the Spaniards? Well basically, it started when the Spaniards conquer us during the late 16th and early 17th century, they encountered an indigenous cooking process that uses stewing with vinegar. They called this process as adobo, which is the Spanish term for marinade or seasoning. Since then, we Filipinos called the dish Adobo. The original name of the dish was lost in history. But even though the term or the name Adobo came from the Spaniards, we have our own, indigenous, way of cooking adobo, apart from its Spanish counterpart. And today I learned something that I want to share with you, adobo with a twist. How? Have you ever tasted Adobo with gata or coconut milk? Now that's different! So, let's do our Filipino recipe Adobo sa gata!

This adobo sa gata or adobo in coconut milk is not that hard to do. If you know how to cook the usual adobo, you won't get lost in cooking this dish as well. So, what are the ingredients of this adobo sa gata? We should first prepare our 1 lb chicken, cut into serving pieces, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 2 to 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tbsp crushed garlic, salt to taste, 1/4 tsp pepper (or 1 tsp peppercorn), water, 3/4 cup coconut milk, chili pepper, 1 tbsp oil. After you've prepared the ingredients, we can now start cooking, in a deep skillet, put oil and sear chicken until brown. Then, when the chicken is already brown (the edible "brown" color, ok?), in a separate pan, combine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper, add depending on your taste preference. Stir the mixture until they blend; now you can add the brown chicken. Bring this to a boil, and let it simmer uncovered, if the sauce is reduced add about ? cup of water. This time cover it and still let it simmer until the chicken is tender enough. Now, our special addition to our adobo - gata! Together with the chili pepper, pour in the gata. Cook it for another few more minutes to thicken the sauce. And that's how you do your own Adobo sa gata! That's easy, isn't it?

You know adobo is not just another delicious dish for your family to share, but also, it has a lot of nutritional benefit. Aside from the fact that chicken (that's used in this dish) is rich from protein, adobo is also rich with carbohydrates, and healthy fat content. You see from this recipe, that you could invent new, tasty, and healthy dish from our traditional and ever-loved Philippine foods. It's always on us, how we like our dishes to taste like? Just remember that our love for cooking and eating will bring us new ideas. Enjoy eating!

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American Sushi Roll Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Roll With Spicy Crab on Top

I hope you enjoy my recipe for Spicy Shrimp Sushi Roll with Spicy Crab on top. Start off with a 1/2 sheet of Nori (seaweed) and a palm full of sushi prepared rice. With wet hands, press the rice to the edge of the nori (seaweed). You can add as much rice as you like, for my tastes I use a thin layer. Press the rice out to each of the edges, then flip over the seaweed.

Now for the spicy shrimp mixture, I use frozen salad shrimp that I get at my local supermarket. Run them under some cold water for 3 or 4 min. to thaw, they are already cooked. Next move the salad shrimp to the cutting board and give them a rough chop. I still like to nice chunks in their so you know you're eating shrimp, if you like it a bit finer, spend extra time chopping. Then you add one of my favorites, Srirachi hot sauce to taste. I make most of my rolls to medium, guest can always "get crazy" on their own. Make some fresh powdered wasabi to take it to the next level once it's served. Then add a little teaspoon of mayonnaise to bring it together. The last ingredient is going to be the masago or the little fish eggs. They add a really nice depth of flavor to the spicy shrimp mixture. Next cover the spicy crab mixture with a plastic wrap and making sure to press it down to the top of the food and refrigerate for 15 to 30 min. to set up.

Once the spicy shrimp mixture has set up we are ready to add it to the sushi roll. Be careful not to over fill your roll! Next add two beautiful slices of Haas avocados, Haas avocados gives it a rich creamy taste! Now we are ready to roll. Lift up the sushi mat closet to you rolling the filling over with the mat and press it down to compact filling. Roll the sushi over to complete the roll, press down to seal the roll closed. Next is to add the spicy crab to the top of the sushi roll.

Spicy crab recipe adds another layer of taste to the American sushi roll. This step takes a little bit of time but worth it at the end. Not only does the presentation look great but what about the taste! You're looking for a thin layer of spicy crab on top of the sushi roll, I use a small fork and my fingers to get this messy job done. If you don't have spicy crab you could also use avocado, you could use fish eggs, or even thin slices of fish. That's the beautiful thing about these American-style sushi rolls you can be very creative with them. When you done putting the thin layer of spicy crab on top of the role next were going to put a piece of plastic wrap over the roll and press it down with your sushi mat to have the spicy crab adhered to the rice.

Then I take my wet serrated knife and cut the roll into each eight equal pieces. You start off by cutting the roll in half, then cutting each piece in half and then having those pieces again and the result is eight slices of the sushi roll. I like to plate this on a small square black plate, aligning the sushi pieces on a diagonal with the two end pieces on either side. I hope you enjoy the sushi roll.

What if you could make your own sushi?

I know how hard it can be to try something new, but if you want to really impress family and friends you'll need to learn my simple method that works amazingly well.

This method is simple to pick up and will take some practice, you can read or watch a video on how to do it here: Sushi Recipes Recipes.

Don't give up hope, it's NOT impossible. Learn more ways to Make American Sushi Roll Recipes by clicking the link.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Baker

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Highly Recommended Cookbooks - James Peterson

A good cookbook should be reliable, easy to understand and of course, be able to guide you through the process of making delicious food. There are millions of cookbooks and zillions of online recipes. Many of you might have experience in finding recipes online and struggles on which one to follow.

One of the main problems with online recipes is the reliability of information. Recipes posted online can be written by anyone and could be very authentic, sometimes contains highly useful secret ingredients that makes the dish taste really fabulous or even taste like your grandma's cooking. However, at the same time, there are also risks in getting a not-so-exact recipe, which leads to cooking disasters and disappointed stomachs due to wrong measure standard, or simply unclearness in the recipe.

The saver way to find a reliable recipe is to look for those written by known chefs, like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsey or Nigella Lawson, etc. They do tend to provide reliable recipes (at least for their own good will). If you do not want to pay for a seasonal cookbook, most of the time you can get recipes from their own official websites for free.

However, the editing of online material is in general more loosen compared with print materials. Using a solid printed cookbook is still one of the most popular ways of using recipes. Besides the above famed chefs, one of the most useful cookbook series out there is the books from James Peterson.

James Peterson

James Peterson might not be the most famous 'celebrity chef', but his cookbooks are renowned as respectful tool books helping people to understand the basis of cooking. His series includes books classified by ingredients and dishes, like books specialized in making sauces, soups, baking and books specialized in basic cooking techniques that helps you to apply in all sort of cooking.

Detailed explanation on his Rationale

One of the selling points of James Peterson's books is his detailed explanation on the rationale behind the cooking processes. For instance, James shows how and why ingredients in a sauce can be mixed and what could possible got your sauce wrong. Sometimes it just makes it so much easier to make thing right when you understand more.

Clear Photo Illustration

Take the book 'Baking' as an example. James, also a photographer himself, uses a huge amount of photos to illustrate the step-by-step process along side with detail descriptions. James also applies a very systematic approach in explaining the very basic recipe as first step, and then introduces variations on top of that. With the clear photo illustrations and cross references of methodologies introduced in the book, you can easily recreate your own version of delicious baking.

Browse in James Peterson's official website to understand more. His useful series of cookbooks include the awarded book "Baking," "Fish and Shellfish," "Essentials of Cooking," "Glorious French Food," "The Duck Book," "Simply Shrimp" and many more.

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Fajita Recipe - Healthy Eating

Fajita recipe is healthy eating and the fact that you can experiment and improvise with this form of cooking makes the fajita even more popular today. Fajita is typically a Tex-Mex cuisine that owes its origin to the state of Texas Mexican workers. The first stall selling fajitas came about in 1969 and since then there has been no looking back for this popular recipe.

Fajita specialists hold that there happens to be only one original fajita recipe, although today you will come across fajita recipe in many variations and combination's. The original recipe comprises a beef slice called skirt steak which used to be cooked with vegetables and served with condiments. The word "fajita" literally means a girdle or belt, but today it stands for grilled meat that is served with corn or flour tortilla and an assortment of vegetables and condiments.

The choices with which you can prepare fajitas are the reason why the fajita recipe is so popular. You could make your fajita recipe light, nutritious, and healthy by using your creativity and culinary instincts. By introducing your own ingredients to it, you could even make the fajita recipe more palatable and mouthwatering. You could start by getting a good wrap bought from reputed supermarkets instead of buying those being sold on the street by vendors.

You could also start by using extra virgin oil which can make a world of difference to an ordinary recipe. Using sunflower oil is not recommended because it is fattening and does not help better the taste. Next, you should experiment with meat types. Instead of the traditional beef, choose chicken, pork, or shrimp for a difference in taste. Spice up this dish with tasty sauces and condiments to make it more appetizing.

Eating healthy typically means eating food that is low on fat content, salt, and simple carbohydrates. In a fajita recipe you can conveniently take care of all these factors by experimenting with the varieties of meat, vegetables, and flour. The vegetables that we normally tend to leave out of our everyday meals, and which are extremely important for ensuring a balance healthy diet, can be included in your fajita recipe. Most of us stay away from these nutritious vegetables simply because they are not prepared in a tasty manner. But with fajitas, you can dress your vegetables in a different costume and make them delightfully tasty for your family.

You can use your imagination to prepare the fajita mix by substituting beef with chicken, pork, or shrimp, preparing the tortilla with soy or wheat flour and not refined flour, and grilling the meat with a drop of olive oil. That way you get fajitas which are low in fat, more fibrous, and highly nutritious.

So eat healthy by experimenting intelligently with fajita recipe and enjoy this very popular dish in an unconventional way. You can consume healthy food without having to compromise on the taste. And above all, you can make this food with almost anything you can get your hands on, instead of having to prepare dishes with exotic items that are frightfully expensive. So think out of the box and use your creativity to make the fajita recipe healthier and tastier!

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Lamb Shanks Recipes With Herb Dumplings

Use lamb or beef in this particular stew that includes dumplings. An Irish stew lamb recipes with plant is made of dumplings.

The ingredients stew lamb shanks recipes are 2 pounds lamb stew meat, or beef, 1/2 cup flour, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, 2 carrots, chopped in large pieces, 4 potatoes, diced, 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 bunch fresh mixed herbs, tied having a string (thyme, rosemary, chives, parsley), 2 1/2 cups beef broth, Herb Dumplings, 2 cups biscuit baking mix, 2/3 cup milk, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs or parsley.

The preparation of stew lamb recipes are coat meat in flour, then brown in oil inside a skillet. Add onions and saut?. Place browned meat, onions and vegetables in large cooking pot. Add garlic powder. Put the bundle of herbs in middle of mixture. Cover with broth and cook 120 minutes over low heat. While stew is cooking, make dumplings. Salt and Pepper to taste. Make dumplings and add twenty minutes before stew is completed.

This consists of dumplings:

Mix dry ingredients with milk and herbs just until moistened. Drop onto boiling stew (don't drip in to the liquid - drop onto vegetables or meat) and gently simmer for ten mins. Cover and simmer ten mins longer.

Another flavorful stew lamb shanks recipes.

Ingredients: (stew lamb recipes)

* 3 to 4 lbs leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2" cube

* 2 tablespoons butter

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* 2 cups water

* 1 cup chicken broth

* 1 to 2 tsp salt, or even taste

* 1/4 teaspoon thyme, crushed

* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* 2 cloves garlic, mashed & minced

* 4 medium potatoes, quartered

* 8 small white onions, peeled

* 1 package frozen peas, (16 oz)

* 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

* 1 cup milk

* 1/3 cup flour

Preparation:

Over medium heat, brown lamb in butter and oil inside a large stock pot or Saucepan. Add water, broth, and seasonings; cover and simmer for one hour. Remove surface fat. Add potatoes and onion; simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add peas and simmer for five minutes. Combine milk and flour; stir until smooth. Increase simmering stew and simmer approximately 1 minute, or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings for the stew lamb recipes.

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How to Preserve Strawberries, Pears, and Zucchini for Year-Round Breakfast Enjoyment

Once the fruits and vegetables come on in our gardens, yards, or orchards, we love enjoying the fresh produce. But fruits and vegetables don't last long and it is a long wait until next year. Here are recipes for preserving that garden or orchard bounty so you and your family can enjoy it year-round. The Strawberry Jam is easy with no cooking necessary but it tastes so good. The Pear Honey is a favorite of mine as it is a very old family recipe. Zucchini Marmalade turns this little squash into a great breakfast treat! I'm sure it is because I am a senior citizen now, I love things that remind me of my childhood growing up in rural Southern Indiana. Although I never plan to live there again, it was a great place to grow up and I have many happy memories of that time in my life.

QUICK AND EASY STRAWBERRY JAM
2 cups fully ripe, completely crushed fresh strawberries
1 box Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water
4 cups sugar

Mix the sugar into the crushed strawberries; let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Mix the Sure-Jell and water together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir the Sure-Jell into the strawberry mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle the mixture into freezer containers, cover with lids and let set at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in freezer. This is good as a jam and also as a topping for ice cream.

PEAR HONEY
I found this recipe in one of my late mother's boxes of recipe clippings. This one is from my Great-Aunt Truly. I'm sure this recipe is as old as I am, maybe older, and I am a senior citizen!

1 cup fresh pears
1 cup apples
1 cup crushed pineapple
pineapple juice
1/2 cup oranges slices, cut up
1 cup sugar

Peel, and core, both pears and apples and then measure, put through food chopper and measure amount needed for 1 cup of each. Dice the orange slices in small pieces. This is not candy orange slices but slices of real oranges. Mix all ingredients together, using juice from the pineapple, and boil for 20 minutes. Seal in hot jelly jars.

(I love the instructions. That is why I don't change these old recipe instructions. They are too funny the way they are.)

ZUCCHINI MARMALADE
This is another old recipe from Lawrence County Indiana where I was born and raised, oh so long ago!

6 cups grated zucchini, peeled
5 cups sugar
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1 box Sure-Jell
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 box (6-oz) apricot-flavored gelatin

Cook the zucchini and sugar for 6 minutes; Remove from the heat. Add the pineapple, Sure-Jell, and lemon juice. Return to the heat and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Seal in jelly jars or place in freezer containers and freeze.

Enjoy!

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2 Great Easy Ground Beef Casserole Recipes

I have a huge collection of easy ground beef casserole recipes, which are perfect for easy weeknight dinners. Here are two of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Simple Taco Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

With just 5 ingredients this is another one of those winning quick easy dinner recipes that is sure to be a hit with your family. I love recipes that bake in the oven While your taco bakes, you can whip up a simple salad or vegetable to complete your easy dinner menu.

Ingredients

1 package (8.5 ounces) cornbread muffin mix

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 package (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix

1 jar (8 ounces) salsa

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a 10-inch pie dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, prepare the cornbread muffin mix according to the package directions.

3. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared pie dish and set it aside.

4. In a skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up, until browned all over and cooked through. Drain and stir in the taco seasoning.

5. Spoon the ground beef mixture over the cornbread batter. Top with salsa and then the cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered until the cornbread is set and the cheese melts, about about 25 minutes.

Impossible Easy Cheeseburger Pie Recipe

Here's another of those classic quick easy dinner recipes that never goes out of style and for good reason. Serve with ketchup and a simple green salad on the side.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 Cup Bisquick baking mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Spray a 9-inch glass pie dish with cooking spray.

2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring to break up the beef, until is is brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the salt.

3. Spread the beef mixture into the prepared pie dish. Sprinkle with the cheese.

4. In a small bowl, stir the Bisquick baking mix, milk and eggs with a fork or wire whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into the pie dish.

5. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

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How to Make Super Slim Sandwiches for Perfect Picnics

By Andrea Spiridon Andrea Spiridon
Level: Basic PLUS

I am Andrea Spiridon. With my degree in Nutrition and Diploma in Dietetics, I have worked as a hospital and community dietician. I am currently ...

I'm writing in May and picnics come to mind, and the words to the song, 'The Teddy Bear's Picnic.' I'm going to talk about how to bypass empty calorie fat-forming picnic food and still have delicious, fun, picnics. Did you have picnics as a child? If not, can you imagine it? Off you go to the countryside, park or a piece of grass. It could be a garden. Off you go, accompanied by your best friends and family; and this is what you should take with you:

List of What to Take with you on a Good Picnic
Food - Picnic means an outdoor meal and so can refer to the event/occasion and the food eaten. Good picnic food should be delicious, healthy, fun to eat and varied.Hamper - Depending on how far you have to walk and carry the picnic; a picnic hamper, food coolers, other carriers.Plenty to drink - Alcoholic drinks can be fun for non-drivers on picnics but, lower calorie are non-alcoholic drinks with no added sugar. Adding soda to fresh fruit juice gives a refreshing lower calorie drink. Add slices of citrus fruits to your drinks for style.Rugs and waterproofs to sit onLinen - paper cloths and napkins are handyPaper plates and plastic cutlery cuts down on weight and plastic cutlery is washable and reusable.Large umbrellas for sun or showersChange of clothes for childrenBats, balls, frisbees etc.

Food
If all the parents or picnic organisers share the desire to cater healthily and consider the special needs of children and adults who are fighting obesity and overweight, everyone can have a tasty, healthy, happy fun time.
Barbecues - make sure that there is a separate barbecue for cooking vegetarian food all can eat, such as burgers: vege, bean, soya, Quorn and delicious barbecued vegetables. Barbecued corn-on-the-cob minus lashings of butter can be eaten if your diet is not totally low carbohydrate which is not healthy long term.
Sandwiches - this popular picnic food can be enjoyed with the correct advice (see below)
Savoury snacks - lower fat potato and vegetable crisps can be prepared using the oven instead of a deep fat fryer. Why not crunch on raw carrots, celery,cucumber, radishes, spring onion for low calorie/eat plenty food
For a lower carbohydrate meal, combine good protein sources such as beans, meat, Quorn, soya products, fish, cheese and eggs with salad and fruit
Good desserts are fresh fruit and yoghurt. Calorie counted individual desserts can be a nice treat and prevent you from having seconds

Super Slim Sandwiches

Your sandwiches need the crunchiness of bread for the outside and a host of delicious fillings. Let's look at the bread first:

Bread? Allow yourself 2 oz or 56g bread per person ? Wholemeal bread is higher fibre, so good for a healthy digestive tract; and slightly lower calorie and carbohydrate ? Toasting the bread gives a nice tasty firm base ? If you love baguettes or crusty rolls, you can have a bigger sandwich if you maintain the crusty part and scoop out the soft bread to turn into breadcrumbs or feed to the ducks

Delicious fillingsYou can include as many low calorie salad, fruit and vegetable ingredients as you wish. You can include high protein ingredients such as Quorn, lean meat, eggs, fish and pulses, even a few nuts and seeds! Below is my favourite sandwich. I'll give you a nutritional breakdown of the ingredients.

Rashers, egg, avocado and tomatoes slim sandwich

Ingredients
2 slices of bread toasted or 2 oz (56g) crusty part of a baguette 121 kcalories, 5g protein, 23g carbohydrate, 1.5g fat2 meat free bacon style rashers (e.g. Morning Star) grilled till crispy 59 kcalories, 1.9g protein, 2.2g carbohydrate, 4.6g fat1 hard-boiled egg sliced 70 kcalories, 6g protein, 0g carbohydrate, 5g fat1 oz (28g) avocado pear sliced 62 kcalories, 1g protein, 0.5 g carbohydrate, 6g fat? tomato sliced 8 kcalories, 1.5g carbohydrate, 0.5g protein, 0g fatBlack pepper

Total: 312 kcalories and 14g protein

Method
Layer your sandwich starting and finishing with bread.Tomato is the wettest food and so place it in the middle.If desired you may add lots of lettuce, grated carrot or any other low calorie salad or vegetable ingredients to the centre.If your eating plan allows healthy olive oil, make an oil and vinegar dressing (I love Balsamic vinegar and a spoonful of French mustard). If your diet is low-fat, sprinkle your sandwich with a little balsamic vinegar.This article has been viewed 27 time(s).
Article Submitted On: April 25, 2011

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Choosing Blueberries

Blueberries are quite perishable. To have firm ripe fresh berries that keep for about a week, select with care. If possible, go to the farms where blueberries are grown and pick or purchase your berries directly from the grower. Consider purchasing in large quantities and then freezing the berries for use in a variety of recipes all year round.

Blueberries should be plump and firm with a dark blue color and a powdery gray-blue "bloom". This is a natural wax on the surface of the blueberry skin which helps reduce moisture loss after harvest. Blueberries should be fully ripe but not overripe or green. Blueberries will not ripen further after harvest so what you pick or purchase is the best you will get.

When purchasing berries at the grocery store avoid buying berries with a dull appearance or those that are overly soft, moldy, or wet. Berries sold in closed pint containers may not be easy to assess. Look to avoid containers that seem to be wet on the bottom or those that show signs of blue discoloration.

Handling Blueberries

Try to handle blueberries as gently as possible to minimize or avoid bruising. Bruising can shorten the life of the berries and reduce quality.

For the highest quality berries you might want to sort the berries before storage to remove overly soft or unripe fruit. Berries purchased directly from a farmer's market or the field may also need to have unwanted leaves or stems removed.

Carefully spread the berries on a baking sheet or paper towels. This makes it easier to see what needs to be removed. Then return the berries to the original container or store loosely in another shallow covered container. Berries are best kept in a cool moist area of the refrigerator, such as the hydrator or crisper. Do not choose tall containers for refrigerator storage to avoid having the weight of the top berries crush those below.

Blueberries will keep best if NOT washed before REFRIGERATING. Added moisture will hasten the growth of mold on berries stored in the refrigerator.

The choice for handling berries to be frozen is a little more difficult. You might see recommendations to not wash the berries before freezing. The concern is that berries washed and then frozen while still wet will develop a tougher skin. Although that might be true, I have learned there are advantages to having the berries ready to cook or bake right from the freezer. Thus, I recommend washing and air-drying the berries before freezing.

For more info about blueberries visit this site Blueberry Muffin Recipe.

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How to Make Goan Seared Tuna Steaks With a Tamarind Crust and Yoghurt Dressing

Did you know that approximately 25% of the world's tuna is caught in the Indian ocean? Tuna is primarily eaten in southern India where fresh fish is caught daily and sold in the markets. Unfortunately you won't find tuna on the menu at many Indian restaurants. Don't let that stop you from experiencing the amazing flavour and texture of this very popular fish served Indian style.

I was taught this recipe by a friend at university. I was living in California at the time where tuna is a must have item at any good Italian and Japanese restaurant. So it was nice to see how it was done in India. The Indian herbs and spices together with the tangy tamarind make this tuna recipe one of my all time favourites.
Tuna must be served rare in the middle. If you over do it, you ruin it.

Follow these instructions closely and you are in for a memorable dining experience with tuna cooked to perfection!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 x 150g tuna steaks cut 1 inch thick

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 fresh curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 Tablespoon cracked coriander seeds
3 Tablespoons tamarind paste
1 Tablespoon water
75g sugar
salt and pepper to taste

for the yoghurt sauce

250ml plain yogurt
2 inch cucumber peeled, seeded and grated
2 cloves garlic - smashed and finely chopped
1 inch ginger - grated
2 green chilli peppers finely chopped
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 Tablespoons chopped coriander
a pinch of salt

Put the tamarind paste, water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar melts into the tamarind. The tamarind will become quite watery at first but will then boil down to a thick sauce-like syrup.

When it does, take it off the heat and set aside to cool.

Now make the yoghurt sauce.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Check your seasoning and set aside.

Now for the seared tuna.

Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is quite hot, add the mustard seeds. They will begin to pop and when the do, throw in your fresh curry leaves.

Coat your tuna steaks all over with the tamarind syrup.

Place the steaks in the hot oil and cook for no more than on minute per side. This should leave the outside with a crispy blackened glaze while leaving the inside rare and deliciously tender.

Serve immediately with the yoghurt dressing.

Be sure to let me know how you like this recipe. I love it and I hope you will too. By the way, the tamarind covered tuna steaks taste just as good cooked on a flaming hot barbecue grill.

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Cheeseburger Salad Recipe

If you are looking for and easy salad dish with ground beef or are wondering what can I make with ground beef that would be easy, tasty and healthy, you may want to give this delicious cheeseburger salad a try.

My mom thought it tasted "just like a cheeseburger." Many said they liked it better than the typical taco salad. Several people who tried it went back for a second helping. And most everyone asked for the recipe. (Always the sign of a winning deliciously easy recipe.)

I think it's a great easy recipe that will satisfy the whole family, young and old alike. And it's a tasty way for cheeseburger fans to get more vegetables. When you eat this salad instead of a cheeseburger you won't even miss the french fries!

Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

The original recipe uses 4 sesame seed hamburger bun tops, which I thought was kinda wasteful, so I used 2 whole buns (tops and bottoms) instead. It also calls for a small red onion, which can be hard to find, so if your onion is larger, be sure to use less.

Ingredients

2 sesame seed hamburger buns

1 small red onion, divided

2 plum tomatoes

3/4 pound (350 g) 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced dill pickles

3/4 cup (175 mL) ketchup

1 tablespoon (15 mL) yellow mustard

8 cups (2 L) thinly sliced romaine lettuce

1 cup (250 mL) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425?F (220?C). Slice bun tops and bottoms into 1/4-in. (6-mm) strips. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove to a cooling rack; cool completely.

Cut onion in half crosswise. Slice half of the onion crosswise into thin rings using a sharp knife or mandolin. Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters and slice crosswise. Set onion and tomatoes aside.

Put beef in saute pan over medium-high heat and cook 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles. Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining half onion. Finely dice pickles. In a large bowl, combine chopped onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Add cooked beef and mix well.

To serve, arrange lettuce on large serving platter. Spoon beef mixture over lettuce. Top with cheese, tomatoes and sliced onion. Arrange hamburger bun croutons around edge of platter. Serve immediately.

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Three Great Greek Vegetarian 'Mezes' (Little Dishes)

When I first met my American Greek husband, he had his American food lover head on: (excuse my punctuation - I'm used to writing recipes).
Sandwiches with thick slices of meat between thick slices of crusty white breadLots of crab, other shellfish and fishSaladsBarbecuesItalian foodOf course Greek food - his Mom's cooking and his Yia Yia's cookingBeer - usually BudIce cream - usually vanilla and chocolate chip

Now I was about to describe my husband and what goes well with his Greek vegetarian food lover's head: (I really didn't encourage him to become vegetarian you know. It was his own choice and it came from his wanting me to taste what his Mom and Yia Yia (both excellent cooks) lovingly prepared for him. However, that woud mean telling you how we created the most delicious vegetarian pastitou; so good that all our meat-eating friends want us to make it for them. I'll do that for your main course in the next article, but first you can have your starter; my recipes for these three delicious Greek vegetarian mezes (little dishes).

Feta with Mint and Garlic Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh mint - finely chopped3 cloves of garlic - peeled and crushed1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1/2 pound feta cheese - drained2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method
Mix the mint, garlic, pepper and olive oil to form a paste in a food processor.Crumble the feta and add to the processor. Mix well until creamy. If necessary alter the consistency with a little more olive oil, lemon juice or feta.Refrigerate before serving

Hummus

Ingredients
14 oz (400g) cooked chickpeas - from a can or dried, soaked overnight and boiled until soft1 clove of garlic - peeled1 tablespoon tahini1/4 cup fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oilsalt approximately 1/2 teaspoon, and black pepper to taste - it is better to start with too little salt, e.g.none and add more to taste after blending

Method
Put the chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.Add salt and pepper to taste.Add more of the other ingredients as necessary to improve the taste and consistency to your liking.Refrigerate before serving.

Eggplant (aubergine) dip Ingredients
1 medium eggplant1/3 cup pitted green olives - chopped1/4 cup mayonnaise3 tablespoons lemon juice1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and extra oil for coating the eggplant1 clove garlic peeled2 tablespoons grated onionsalt and pepper to taste

Method
Pierce the eggplant in several places.Coat the eggplant with olive oil and place on a baking tray.Bake the eggplant at 350F (180C) for 45 minutes or until soft.Cut in half and allow to cool.Scoop out the pulp and place in a blender or food processor.Add the other ingredients and blend until creamy.Season to taste.Refrigerate.

Serve the mezes with hot or toasted pitta bread. If you know a Greek shop you can serve with different Greek breads and cheeses or your favourite international bread and cheese. They go well with black and green olives, roasted almonds and walnuts, salad containing lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and peppers with olive oil and vinegar dressing. All this will make a delicious meal in itself. However it can be served as a starter if you can save some room for a main course. For a heartiest lunch serve with the best soup ie Greek bean soup. For the heartiest dinner serve mezes before the pastitou.

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Lemon Infusion

The clean scent of lemon is refreshing, relaxing and can enhance your mood. A bowl of bright, yellow lemons is a beautiful and long-lasting centerpiece that can really brighten up a room! This beautiful, tangy, great-smelling fruit is thought to have come from northern India. It was cultivated in Egypt around 700 AD and in Italy in 200 AD, then, Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds with him on his travels and they were, thereafter, cultivated extensively in California from. Sailing ships of the eighteenth century often carried the fruit with them to prevent scurvy.

Lemon juice is a great, non-toxic fabric brightener and bleach, and mixed with salt it cleans copper and other metals. I grew up having it with honey as a remedy for sore throats and the common cold. The juice of one lemon will have about 46 mg. of ascorbic acid, 141 mg. of potassium, 10 mg. of phosphorus and 7 mg. of calcium. This is a power-packed juice. Lemonade dates back to ancient Egypt, where the lemon was considered sacred.

Lemon herbs have a subtler flavor and make versatile garnishes. I like to combine lemon herbs with the juice and add it to different dishes to create a graceful looking presentation and subtly enhance the flavor. Lemon basil, lemon geranium, lemon balm, and lemon thyme are a few of my favorite varieties. I like to add these to my salad dressings, soups, and vegetable dishes and use them for garnishing. A popular thirst-quencher in colonial America (when tea was being boycotted) was to mix lemon balm with lemon juice, rosemary and lavender, thus creating a patriotic drink not taxed by the British. Today you can infuse lemon balm with green or black tea for a special flavor.

One way to enjoy lemons and lemon herbs is with fish. The lemon juice neutralizes the odor and tenderizes the meats. Here is an easy and nutritious recipe for salmon using lemon and herbs.

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

Ingredients:

4 6 ounce Salmon steaks

4 Carrots, sliced

2 Yellow Squash

1 Shallot, minced

? cup Lemon Juice

? cup Butter, melted

1 1/2-teaspoon Dill

1 teaspoon Lemon Thyme

1 T. Coconut oil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a medium baking dish with coconut oil. Layer bottom of dish with carrots and squash. Place the salmon on top. In a medium bowl combine lemon, butter, dill, thyme and shallot, salt and pepper. Gently pour the mixture over the salmon. Tightly cover the baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until salmon just flakes with a fork. Serves 4. You can garnish with sprigs of fresh lemon herbs or parsley. This goes nicely with whole grain rice. Lemon pepper is a nice addition, as well.

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Enjoy a Couple of Old Fashion Recipes: 1960's Tomato, Onion, and Cheese Casserole - Soda Cracker Pie

Enjoy a blast from the past in your own kitchen. I have pulled two recipes from my large collection of old recipes I have collected from friends, former coworkers, former neighbors, and very old cookbooks over the years. I also inherited recipe files and recipe books from my mother, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, etc. I worry that some of these wonderful old recipes will become extinct so I enjoy sharing them in hopes that others will make them for their families, too. In sharing these old recipes, I have discovered there are many more of you out there who collect them, too. I often visit your blogs and I know many of you visit mine. Let's keep these old recipes alive! For a yummy side dish with your next meat dish, try the Tomato, Onion, and Cheese Casserole. Surprise your family and friends with Soda Cracker Pie for dessert. It really is very good.

1960's TOMATO ONION & CHEESE CASSEROLE

This is an old recipe I have had since early in my marriage. With onions and tomatoes becoming more plentiful as we head into "garden season" I thought this would be a good time to share this recipe.

1 lb (4 cups) thinly sliced onion
2 lb (4 med) ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
5 slices processed American cheese, cut in half
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring about 1-inch of water to a boil, add onion and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes; drain.

In the prepared casserole dish, layer half the tomatoes then half the onions. Combine the salt, pepper, and basil; sprinkle half over the onions. Top with half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, onions, spices, and cheese.

Toss the bread crumbs in the melted butter; sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings

SODA CRACKER PIE

3 egg whites
1 cup nutmeats (pecan or hickory*)
7 soda crackers
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar

Beat egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Roll soda crackers into a very fine meal; add baking powder. Fold this mixture into the egg whites, add nutmeats. Pour into an 8 in pie pan that has been well greased. Bake 35 minutes at 350. Top with whipped cream or ice cream to serve.

*This is an old Southern Indiana recipe. In Southern Indiana we have hickory nuts from our hickory trees in the Fall. We usually used them as substitutions for pecans since we had to buy pecans there.

Note: In the "old days" as my kids and grandkids say, our soda crackers came in wide sheets with 4 of today's crackers together and we broke them off. So 7 crackers when this recipe was written would be 28 of our crackers today.

Enjoy!

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An Exclusive Compilation of Seafood Recipes for Sea Foodies

Today, seafood has become so popular that if you start exploring the online world, you will come across innumerable seafood recipes. Once you access the online archives compiled by popular chefs and cooking schools, you are sure to come across an extensive range of unique seafood stuffs. Well, if your taste buds have almost been exhausted with lobsters, you can try something light like a Walnut salad punched with a Greek flare. Ranging from the scrumptious Western cuisines to the mouthwatering Continental, you are assured to come across diverse culinary preparations.

Another stunning option can be the Alaska seafood recipes. In fact, these not only assure taste but gear up your health standards as well. One of the advantages of having these awesome delicacies is that you can consume a lot of protein as well amino acids and minerals thereby bettering your daily diet. Most of the Alaska seafood recipes are blended with ingredients that contain low calories and fat and still they can be luscious to your tongue.

Have you ever had Baked salmon? If you haven't, it's surely going to be a big surprise. It's one of those Alaska seafood recipes that stand out from others in the list. In fact, if you are crazy for seafood, you should try for the Parmesan baked salmon. Now, if you are dying to prepare on your own, you simply need some onion powder, corn and flour meal, butter, pepper, salt, Parmesan cheese and a handful of fresh salmon fillets.

Just blend the seasonings, the flour and the corn meal together in a bowl. Once you have blended thoroughly, dip the filets in the resulted mixture and cover both sides. In the meantime, melt a little bit of butter in a baking dish and turn the oven to 450 degrees F. Well, it will just take about 8 to 10 minutes to get your baked Salmon and you can then dish them out alongside some other seafood appetizers.

Now let's take a look at some delicious and inexpensive seafood recipes:

Salmon patties - First, take a bowl and mix the salmon meat with an egg along with some breadcrumbs till the mixture gets softened and molds into patties. Make sure that you don't add excessive breadcrumbs or otherwise the entire thing will be dried out. Well, if this ultimately happens, you can easily compensate by adding some more salmon. Try to cook the salmon patties in oven or you can grill them. Once done, serve this seafood with some mushrooms to make them taste yummier.

Salmon salad rolls - Start by chopping the celery into small pieces and add a bit of mayonnaise along with the drained salmon meat. Pour a bit of lemon juice to bring out the flavor. If you have tasted lobster salad earlier, you will surely find a similarity with the Salmon one. If served with toasted hot dog buns, these seafood recipes can be cherished for lifetime. If you are health conscious, you can also have potato chips as side dish.

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Paprika Chicken

Without fail this recipe produces the most tender and tastiest chicken breasts we've ever had, this is one for the kids and students as it's so easy to make.

Ingredients: For each person 1 skinless chicken breast, oven chips / French fries, salad, paprika powder from the spice section, olive oil, 1 x garlic clove.

Put the chicken breasts in a bowl, cover with cold water, and put about 10 teaspoons of salt in (that's right, loads of salt), make sure the salt is all dissolved, then put in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This is key to making the chicken tender whilst it's cooking, it's called brining.

After the hour take out the chicken, and rinse REALLY well with cold water to get rid of the excess salt. Empty the water out of the bowl. Pat dry the chicken breasts with kitchen roll to get rid of the excess water, and put back in the bowl.

Chop up a couple of garlic cloves finely.

Pour a small amount of olive oil over the chicken breasts, and add the garlic, rub in well. Sprinkle over the red paprika powder so both sides are coated, some ground black pepper if you have it, and rub it all in well ( messy hands!). Wash your hands well then put the bowl back in the fridge for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes heat up the oven to 180c, with a baking tray in the top.

Get the chicken out of the fridge, and stir it around in the bowl, making sure they are all coated with the oil, paprika and garlic on both sides.

When the oven reaches 180 put your chips / fries onto the tray, and if there's room put the chicken breasts on as well, otherwise put the chicken breasts onto a separate tray. If you put them all together, then at the end you can stir the chips around in the tray and they pick up the paprika and garlic oil as well.

Cook on 180 for around 25 minutes, until the chips are done. Half way through the cooking turn the chicken breasts upside down, and stir it all around so the chips get coated in the oil and paprika as well.

Serve with a side salad & some French or honey mustard dressing on the salad, and a bit on the chips if you like. You could also have some garlic bread as well - if you do just put in the oven with 10- 15 minutes to go.

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How to Make Authentic Indian Lime Pickle That Is Much Better Than Store Bought Versions

I am so happy to have been taught this lime pickle recipe. I love lime pickle and have since I was first introduced to Indian food. It goes fantastically well with homemade naan bread, pappadams, samosas and as an accompaniment to many curries. Lime pickle is served at almost every Indian restaurant and would be greatly missed if it weren't!

There was a time when I always had a supermarket brand name jar in the fridge. These days I make my own and believe me the taste is so much better. This recipe was taught to me by the chef of our local tandoori. He too used to serve those name brand pickles but now swears by this recipe.

This recipe makes quite a lot but it lasts indefinitely in a sterilised jar in a cool dark place such as a cupboard to the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

1kg (2 lbs) limes - stab holes in each lime and then cut into eight pieces
125g (1/3 cup) salt
40 cloves of garlic
50g 1/2 cup red chili powder
for the tempering
150ml (3/4 cup vegetable oil
30 grams (1/3 cup) white cumin seeds
3 Tablespoons black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

method

Place the limes in a bowl and add the salt, whole garlic cloves and red chili powder. Mix well coating the limes and pressing down on them as you do.

Pour the limes into a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes until they are quite soft.

Transfer to a glass bowl and cover with a towel. Leave in the sun or a warm place for two days. Mix every eight hours to keep the limes coated with all the other ingredients.

At the end of day two, warm the vegetable oil over high heat. When the oil is smoking slightly, throw in the black mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the asafoetida. The mustard seeds will begin to pop. When they do, pour the oil mixtures of the limes and stir well.

Cover again with the towel and allow to sit in the sun or a warm place for another two days.

At the end of two days scoop the lime pickle into a sterilised air tight container and let sit in a cool place for at least two weeks before serving.

Some people really like large chunks of lime. I prefer the chunks to be small. If, like me, you prefer small pieces of lime, place the mixture in a food processor and process until the lime chunks are to your liking. Only do this after the two week pickling process.

Be sure to stop back by and let me know if you like this lime pickle. I promise you this recipe is far better than anything you can purchase in a jar.

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Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

Just because you are a Vegan does not mean you should not be able to enjoy a nice plate of mac and cheese at your next family function. This dish has been around forever and is always a favorite. Regardless of how old everyone is, this timeless classic seems to put a smile on everyone's face the moment it hits the table. Instead of sitting around and watching everyone else eat this delicious meal, show up with this Vegan recipe for mac and cheese and enjoy!

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds macaroni
1.5c non-dairy milk
1.5 c yeast
1c oil (vegetable or canola is fine)
1c water
1T garlic powder
1T salt
1T paprika
1/3c soy sauce
12 oz. tofu
1t mustard

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is warming, fill soup pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and follow directions on box for cooking time (different brands will often have different cooking times).

-While pasta is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in blender. Mix ingredients until they are blended smoothly together. Hold ingredients until pasta is done cooking.

-When pasta is cooked, remove from flame and drain into colander. Allow excess water to drain off pasta. Place drained pasta in large baking dish.

-Add blended ingredients to pasta and stir lightly. (You may actually want to save a small portion of the sauce to top off the macaroni after you have blended the rest of the mixture in with the pasta. This will enable you to have a decent amount of the cheese mixture on the top to create a nice crispy layer upon completion of baking.)

-Place baking dish in over and bake until top layer of "cheese" is browned. This will usually take about 15-20 minutes.

-Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. This will allow the sauce to bind and hold each portion together.

Now all you have to do is serve it up to friends and family and watch them gobble it up. This is the perfect dish to serve as an entree or a side dish. We are pretty sure that if you do not tell anyone you used dairy free products, they will have no idea they are eating a dairy free Vegan dish. Wait until the end of the night to tell everyone and they will be begging you to make it again at the next family function.

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How to Make Homemade Saag Paneer - A Popular Indian Vegetarian Cheese and Spinach Curry

I have ordered saag paneer at countless restaurants. Sometimes I have been quite impressed but usually it's a bit of a mess. To get saag paneer right, you must use the freshest ingredients and be sure not to overcook the spinach!

Saag paneer originated in north India in the Punjab region. My version is quite close to what you would find there but I have added a pureed fresh green chilli paste that is used more often in south Indian cooking. I love the spicy, sweet flavour that the green chillies add to this recipe and really notice when they are left out!

For best results you will want to make your own paneer cheese but you can purchase good quality paneer in Indian markets and some good supermarkets.

In this recipe, I fry the cheese squares in hot oil to brown them. This makes the paneer melt in your mouth crispy on the outside and nice and warm in the centre. If you are watching your calorie intake - as I should be - simply fold the paneer cubes raw into the spinach and toss until the cheese is cooked through.

Serves 4 as a side dish

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 Tablespoon ghee or clarified butter
300g fresh spinach leaves
100g fresh paneer cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 large red onion
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon fenugreek seeds
1 Teaspoon red chilli powder
3 green chilled chopped and then pureed
1 Inch ginger finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - smashed and finely chopped
2 large tomatoes skinned and finely chopped

Method

In a large frying pan, dry fry the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and coriander seed over medium heat. Be sure to move the seeds around in the pan so that they roast evenly.

Place the roasted seeds in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

Place the green chillies in the spice grinder with a little water and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.

In a large pot, blanch the spinach for about ten seconds and then empty into a colander and transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice cold water. This will help retain the bright green fresh colour of the spinach.

Squeeze the water out of the spinach and chop it into shreds and set aside.

If you like the idea of frying the cheese, pour some oil into a heavy bottomed pan deep enough to cover the paneer cubes. The oil has to be very hot or the cheese will melt and stick to the bottom.

Throw in a few paneer cubes at a time and brown the exterior nicely before removing them to a paper towel with a slotted spoon.

Now, add the ghee to the frying pan. When the ghee melts, add the onions and fry gently until the are slightly browned and translucent.

Add the spice powder, ginger, garlic, chopped tomatoes and green chilli paste and stir.

Just before you are ready to serve, add the chopped spinach and stir around to mix. Fold the paneer in and serve with rice or naan.

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How to Make a Traditional Goan Chicken Curry With a Spicy Sauce

One thing that I like about studying and writing about food is getting to know a country's history and people through what they eat. Goan chicken curry has become a real favourite of mine. It is so different to the food found in other parts of India because Goa was heavily influenced by the Portuguese during their long - nearly 500 year rule - in the area.

The portuguese are very fond of meats cooked in vinegar. When they first arrived in Goa, vinegar was not available but they soon found a substitute in the paste that is made out of tamarind. This Goan chicken curry makes use of this much loved ingredient used in many Indian food recipes.

Over time the Portuguese started distilling their own vinegars and using other acidic ingredients such a citrus fruits. That is the reason for the sizeable amount of lemon juice used in this Goan chicken curry recipe.

Unlike Portuguese food which is often thickened with flour, this recipe calls for fresh coconut which is roasted and ground with other spices into a paste which is quite common in southern India.

My children really love small chicken pieces - in India referred to as chicken Tikka. This recipes will go down equally well with whole chickens cut into about six pieces. You really cannot go wrong with this dish if you use fresh ingredients. Even the chicken can sit in the curry for a couple of hours if you are not ready to serve it when the meat is cooked through.

Simply take the curry off the heat and warm up when you are ready to serve it.

INGREDIENTS

125ml vegetable oil or ghee - plus a little more
1 large red onion finely sliced
7 cloves garlic pounded into a paste with a little water
2 inch piece ginger pounded into a paste with a little water
6 skinless and boneless chicken breasts cut into one inch pieces
125ml lemon juice
1 Tablespoon tamarind paste
1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
for the spice blend
5 Tablespoons red chilli flakes
2 Tablespoon coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons fenugreek seeds
10 black peppercorns
1 cup grated fresh coconut
1 Tablespoon black cardamom seeds
1 Tablespoon cloves
1 cinnamon stick

Dry fry the spice blend ingredients except for the coconut over medium heat. When the spices begin to smoke, pour into a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind into a powder.

Now do the same with the coconut until it toasts to a light brown.

Mix all of the spice ingredients with a little water and grind into a smooth paste and set aside.

In a large heavy-based pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and stir-fry until the onions are translucent and brown - about 7 minutes.

Add the spice paste, garlic paste and ginger paste and fry for about two minutes.
Next, throw the chicken pieces to the pan and brown the meat with the other ingredients. Pour in about 400ml water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and cook covered for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir in the lemon juice and tamarind paste and serve sprinkled with salt to taste.

I hope you enjoy this delightful curry as much as my family and I do. Kids seem to love this Goan curry so be sure to make enough for hungry guests of all ages!

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How to Make Soup and Sandwiches Like Grandma Made

Busy days call for quick yet healthy meals. Down through the generations we have often turned to soup and/or sandwiches for quick hearty meals. One of my favorite sandwiches is a fake "ham salad." This salad is made with bologna rather than ham but it tastes so good. Or if you prefer, you can use this recipe substituting ham for the bologna. Having a large family get-together or other occasion requiring lots of food? Try these baked hamburgers for a crowd. Stick them in the oven and go on about your other tasks or just visiting with family and friends. Broccoli-Potato Soup is easy and delicious.

FOOLED YOU HAM SALAD SANDWICHES
This recipe is a favorite from my Hoosier childhood.

1 lb bologna
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 cup mayonnaise-style salad dressing
1/2 dozen boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Grind or finely chop the bologna. In a large bowl, combine the bologna, pickle relish, and onions. Add the salad dressing and eggs. Stir to combine well. This makes a great sandwich served on bread or split rolls with lettuce leaves. You can also enjoy a scoop of this salad on a lettuce leaf and some tasty crackers on the side.

BAKED HAMBURGERS FOR A CROWD
This is another old recipe from my Southern Indiana heritage.

4 cups catsup
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp pepper
1/4 cup vinegar
2 cups tomato juice
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 lb lean hamburger

Make the hamburger into about 40 quarter pound patties. Brown in skillet but do not cook thoroughly.

In a large saucepan combine the catsup, onion, pepper, vinegar, tomato juice, garlic powder, prepared mustard, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the mixture gets too thick.

In a large baking dish or pan put a layer of the meat patties over the bottom. Pour some of the sauce over each of the patties. Make another layer of patties, pour sauce over them. Repeat until you have all the patties in the pan and covered with the sauce. Pour any remaining sauce over all. Place in a 325 degree oven and bake about an hour.

Serve on your favorite buns with everyone's favorite condiments.

BROCCOLI-POTATO SOUP

1 box frozen chopped broccoli
1 medium potato, diced
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup milk + more as needed
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook the broccoli and potato in enough water to cover, until tender. In a large saucepan, combine the cornstarch and milk until smooth. Add the butter, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth. Add the broccoli and potatoes and about 1 more cup of milk. (Add milk until soup is of the desired consistency.) Cook gently until additional milk is heated through.

Enjoy!

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