Cinnamon Basil Sorbet

Cinnamon Basil Sorbet

3 Cups Apple Juice
2 Cups Sugar
4 Large Sprigs Cinnamon Basil
Juice of 1 Lemon
Grated Rind of 1 Lemon

Combine apple juice and sugar in a sauce pan and heat until sugar is just dissolved. Add cinnamon basil and cover. Let steep 30 minutes. Strain out basil. Add lemon juice and rind. Chill thoroughly. Prepare in ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions or pour in a shallow dish and place in freezer, stirring about every 30 minutes, until frozen. Recipe makes 4-6 servings.


Recipe courtesy io.com and image courtesy: google. Image may or may not reflect actual recipe.

Lemon Basil Muffins

Lemon Basil Muffins

1 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
3 Tablespoons Plum Flavored Baby Food
1/4 Cup Chopped Lemon Basil Leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin pans or line with cupcake papers. Make a dry mixture by combining fours, baking power and sugar. Make a wet mixture by combining remaining ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir only until all flour is moistened. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into a muffin. Recipe makes 12 muffins.

Recipe courtesy io.com and image courtesy: Google

Now, That's Gouda - A Classic Pun: New Ideas for Classic Dishes

Now, That's Gouda - A Classic Pun: New Ideas for Classic Dishes

By Charles Bloom

Sometimes it can be scary trying out new recipes and experimenting with flavors. But people can forget this is what can also be the fun in cooking. For the past few years, my family has been trying to experiment with new cheese flavors in classic, and sometimes not so classic, dishes. We've also been trying a lot more cheese dishes that we had never had before in the past.

Some traditional cheese meals which were new to us were both fondue and Raclette. Both are excellent ideas when hosting a small dinner party as they involve member participation. Fondue is a pot of melted cheese, in which people can dip breads, vegetable, meats such as chicken, sausage, and ham, and even apple slices. Raclette is a type of cheese grill in which you grill cheese over vegetable and eat up. Both are fun ways to lounge around and eat while conversing around the dinner table.

But what about new twists to classic dishes? I enjoy trying to find new flavors to use when making grilled cheese sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and the like. Some turn out very tasty, while others can come up shy. Let's first talk about the grilled cheese sandwich though. I enjoy using firm cheeses when preparing this dish for the simple fact that they melt the best, and end up with a great consistency. So far my favorite has been a smoky, garlic seasoned, goat's milk cheddar. I used small slices of a fresh French bread to create a multitude of small sandwiches. I ate these on the side of venison summer sausage.

When it comes to pizzas, my family experiments a lot. We work off different recipes for dough, different sauces, and different topping combinations. It seems my father has really become fond of crumbling cheeses for these recipes. His typical choice for this dish is pesto, spinach, artichokes, and goat cheese. The goat cheese is soft and creamy, but doesn't melt and coat everything. This makes the cheese more of an individual topping which enhances the other flavors, allowing for the consumer to taste the different flavors individually rather than the cheese coating and combining with all the other different tastes.

But there is a new technique I just learned about, using one of my favorite of all cheeses, Parmesan. What you do is grate up Parmesan, mix it with a little bit of all purpose flour, put it into small piles (about two inch diameters) on a non-stick cookie sheet, and then put it in the oven or broiler just long enough to have the piles start melting. Once this happens, pull the sheet out and let the cheese begin to cool. Now you have flat Parmesan circles that you can eat as is; or, what I like to do is grab a muffin pan and start putting the cheese into the holes and form it into little bowls. Then let the cheese cool all the way. At this point you can begin to put different items such as fruit or vegetables inside. I suggest diced tomatoes, croutons, a little olive oil, basil and garlic. And now, you have a whole new take on the classic bruschetta.

It can be a lot of fun experimenting with new themes for classic meals using artisan cheese. Don't be afraid of failure; it is a part of the learning experience. And, with the risk you might discover a whole new way of eating your favorite meal, which could start becoming your own tradition.

Charles bloom

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


http://EzineArticles.com/?Now,-Thats-Gouda---A-Classic-Pun:-New-Ideas-for-Classic-Dishes&id=6273306

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Basic Dining Etiquette

Basic Dining Etiquette

By Catherine Gray

When it comes to business or social functions over dinner, no one wants to appear to have poor dining etiquette and risk losing a potential client or offending those around you. Unfortunately, many people's everyday table etiquette is not enough to make a good impression at formal dinners.

These are some basic dining etiquette rules that many of us know, but fewer of us employ. These tricks can help you make a better impression the next time you are asked to a formal dinner.

• Take small bites - Often when attending a formal dinner, you will be asked to converse with those around you, especially during business functions. Smaller bites allow you to chew through your food faster, allowing you to respond quicker.





• Chew with your mouth closed - This goes in conjunction with taking smaller bites. Many individuals take bites of food that are too big, and result in their making chewing and smacking noises. This is a rather unpleasant sound to be heard, so make sure you chew with your mouth closed. In addition, the visage of seeing someone chew with their mouth open is rather unpleasant as well, and should be avoided at all cost.





• Don't eat with your hands - For some reason people still pick at items on their plate with their hands, even though mothers across the world have told their children while growing up not to eat with their hands. While I admit there are certain foods that require the use of hands while eating, generally speaking they are unlikely to be served at a formal dinner or a nice business meeting. Even Japanese food should be eaten with chop sticks, and dipped into soy sauce fish side first, not rice side first.





• Don't put your elbows on the table - Another dining etiquette rule touted by mothers across the world, the act of resting your elbows on the table is generally a sign that you are tired and/or bored. This is generally not the impression you want to give others while you are attending a formal dinner.





• Watch your drink - Unless at a celebratory function like a wedding, drinking in excess is generally not the best social form, especially when conducting business over a meal. At most you should have two drinks during a business function as you still have to be accountable for your words and actions.

Remember dining etiquette consists of rules that are made to ensure that everyone, including you, has a good time. Therefore, remember to relax and have a good time while you're out.

Catherine E.P. Gray is the President & Founder of Inside-Out Beauty, LLC a full service image consulting company based in New York City that enables clients to achieve their personal and/or professional image goals by addressing all the interrelated aspects of one's image.

For more information on Inside-Out Beauty and how they can help you achieve your goals, please visit http://www.insideout-beauty.com/

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


http://EzineArticles.com/?Basic-Dining-Etiquette&id=6277655

Image courtesy google

Summer Penne

Summer Penne

Preparation: 30- 40 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1lb. of Pasta (Penne)

2 cloves of garlic

1 small onion

4 tbsp. of olive oil

2 medium ripe tomatoes

2 small zucchini

5/6 basil leaves

Salt

Pepper

-Heat up a large skillet and add olive oil, lower heat( med/ low) then add 2 cloves of thinly chopped garlic and chopped onions then saute' till onions are tender. Meanwhile dice tomatoes and zucchini into small cubes, when onions are tender add the tomatoes and zucchini into the skillet. Then add salt and pepper. Saute' for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, till zucchini are fork tender.

Let sauce rest and cool down. ( This sauce can be served warm , though I recommend it to be room temperature, which is ideal for summer)

- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt to water prior to water boiling. Add 1lb of pasta (penne) and cook for about 8-10 minutes till pasta is "AL Dente".

Drain Pasta ( set aside about 1/2 cup of pasta water....you will need it to add to the summer sauce you've previously prepared).

Place pasta in a large serving bowl, meanwhile add the 1/2 cup of pasta water to the summer sauce and then stir. Top the pasta with summer sauce and chopped basil leaves. Mix all together.Garnish with s few basil leaves. Serve at room temperature.

You can make this recipe hours in advance though I don't recommend to place the pasta in refrigerator, room temperature is just fine. If you wish to make this recipe a day in advance...go ahead.... just remember,once it cools down at room temp. to put it in the refrigerator. If you are planning on serving it the next day, remember to remove from refrigerator a few hours before serving.I

hope you all enjoy my refreshing and Delicious summer penne recipe.

Buon Appetit!

Images courtesy Google

Orzo and Peas Side Dish

This is a recipe I whipped up last night for dinner as a side dish to pork roast. Its simple, easy and delicious.



Preparation: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-5


Ingredients:

• 8 oz. of orzo pasta ( little bow ties will do just fine)



• 1 small box of frozen garden peas ( 8 oz.)



• 2 tablespoons of olive oil



• 1/2 sliced and diced onion



• parmesan cheese



• salt and pepper
  
  

Bring a small pot of water to boil for the pasta ( add salt the pasta water before water boils). While you are waiting for the water to boil, heat up a medium size skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of Olive oil and diced onion, then add frozen peas, salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of water , cover the pot and let cook for about 15 minutes in low- medium heat. Add the orzo to the boiling water and let orzo cook for about 10- 12 minutes. Once orzo is cooked, drain the pasta and stir into to the cooked peas in the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat, add lots of Parmesan cheese, then stir and serve.

Buon Appetit!

Skillet Sausage and Garden Peas

Skillet Sausage and Garden Peas

(easy)

Preparation 30 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients:

• 1 pack of italian sausage ( 6 links)
• 1 bag of frozen garden peas (1lb)
• 1 onion
• 1 small can of diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper

Place sausages in a pot , fill the pot with water, bring all to a boil. Let sausages boil for about 1-2 minutes then remove from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Let sausages cool down for a few minutes.

Meanwhile place 3 tablespoons of Olive oil in a large skillet, slice and dice the onions and place in the skillet.

Place skillet on medium heat, while onions are sauteing, slice the sausages into rounds about 1 - 1 1/2 inch apart and place them into the skillet with the onions, add 1 can of diced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper stir in the frozen peas and continue cooking on low heat for about 15 minutes or till sausages are cooked and peas are slightly tender.

Place sausages and peas on a platter and serve along with your favorite bread.

~ Makes a great pasta topping as well ~

Buon Appetito!