FoodDrink Recipes

A cheese ball is a great appetizer to serve at your next party. You can easily make one in a variety of flavors in less time than you might think.

One common ingredient you will find with all of these recipes is cream cheese. You should always let your cream cheese soften at room temperature for 20 minutes before beginning your recipe. Once your recipe is prepared, it needs to be stored in your refrigerator.

You can find several inexpensive appetizer containers and servers at your local department store or kitchen shop, for less than $20.00.

I like to serve mine with a variety of crackers, raw vegetables, and party breads.

The following recipes are great for the beginner cook as well as the most experienced cook.

The Classic

1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese 3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 tbsp. ground green pepper 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. mustard 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c. fresh parsley

Mix all ingredients together (except for parsley) in a large bowl. Roll into a ball. Place parsley in a pie pan and roll your cheese ball in the parsley until its completely covered. Chill your ball for 1 hour before serving.

Chipped Beef

2 pkgs. (8 ounce) cream cheese 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 3 Tbsp. Accent 3 Tbsp. finely chopped onion 1 pkg. chipped beef

Mix cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Accent and onion together until blended. Add 1/3 of the package of chipped beef. Shape into a ball. Place the remaining chipped beef into a pie pan and roll your ball into the beef until its covered. Place in refrigerator to chill for 2 hours before serving.

Pineapple Nut

2 pkgs. (8 ounce) cream cheese 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped 1 (8.5 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained pinch of garlic 2 Tbsp. minced onion 2 Tbsp. seasoned salt chopped nuts

Drain juice from pineapple. Chop green pepper. Mix cream cheese, pepper, pineapple, onions, garlic and seasoned salt together in a large bowl. Shape into 1 large or 2 small balls. Place chopped nuts in a pie pan and roll your balls into the nuts until they are coated. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours before serving.

Salmon and Pecan

1 sm. can red salmon 1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese 2 Tbsp. horseradish 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp. finely chopped onion 1/2 c. chopped pecans

In a large bowl combine the salmon, cream cheese, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Shape into a ball. Place chopped pecans in a pie pan and roll the ball into the pecans until its covered. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Note: If you have nut allergies you can try rolling your balls in these toppings: sandwich cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs or pretzel crumbs.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989. Shelly is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: http://www.classybusinesswomen.com
Recipe Blog: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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Nature's abundance springs forth in April, as we shake off the lethargy of burrowing inward from winter's cold. It's time to cleanse, take brisk walks in the fresh air, and enjoy the green sprouts and herbs of spring. As Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods, notes, "This is a time for contacting your true nature and giving attention to self-awareness and self-expression."

Traditional Chinese medicine recognizes that human beings are part of nature, and eating according to the seasons is one way we align with the natural world. A time for growth and renewal, in spring we tend to eat less and may wish to fast to cleanse the body of the fats and heavy foods of winter. We no longer desire the heavy stews, fatty meats, salty food or warm winter squashes that were so comforting in the cold weather.

Now is a time for tender young plants, sprouts, fresh greens and immature wheat or other cereal grasses. Fresh asparagus is one of the first vegetables of spring and is delicious simply roasted with olive oil, black pepper, sea salt and a dash of lemon added before serving. Other spring vegetables you may want to try include pea shoots and chives.

Leafy green vegetables like swiss chard, kale, spinach, or bok choy have been a traditional part of the spring diet in most cultures. These greens have long been associated with freshening, cleansing and building the body. Cooking greens is fairly simple. They key is not to overcook them. Slice your greens on the diagonal into strips and add to the pan after sauteing some garlic and onions in a little olive oil. They are ready when they have turned a bright green color. You can add sea salt or ginger and you have a tasty vegetable dish. Steaming the greens works as well.

Most leafy greens contain high amounts of vitamin A, as well as vitamins B, C and E, which are all considered antioxidant nutrients in the body, thought to neutralize unstable, cancer-promoting oxygen molecules known as free radicals. Greens are also a great source of fiber and essential minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium and folic acid.

The active part of these plants is chlorophyll, which gives them their intense green color. "This may be the one of the strongest, true healing agents known to man," according to Elson M. Haas, MD, in Staying Healthy with the Seasons. In the 1950s, scientists discovered that chlorophyll resembles hematin, the substance that combines with protein to form hemoglobin. A large molecule that carries oxygen in our blood, hemoglobin has an iron molecule at its center; whereas, chlorophyll has magnesium. Surgeons at the time found that chlorophyll had a positive healing effect on wounds, peptic or gastric ulcers and inflamed or ulcerated colons.

The best seasonings this time of year, according to Chinese medicine, would be herbs like rosemary, dill, fennel, marjoram, caraway, bay leaf and basil. They are known as pungent herbs that create an expansive personal spring within. Vision becomes clearer and things are seen in new ways as the body cleanses itself and renews in the spring.

Raw and sprouted foods are often recommended in spring. In Ayurvedic thought (an East Indian practice), these foods are known as "vatic" or wind-like. They are believed to encourage quickness, rapid movement and more outward activity, as well as providing cleansing and cooling properties to the body. Raw foods are thought to bring about renewal by reminding the body of the earlier, more youthful stages of human development, going back in our evolution to more primal biological states. Eating some raw food daily as the weather gets warmer is thought to bring balance to the body.

You can top off your spring menus with light teas, such as green, rosebud or chrysanthemum. In Chinese medicine, such refreshments are filled with the energy of spring and when you are in harmony with the seasons, you are in harmony with qi (chee) or life's energy.

Sauteed Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 bunch mustard greens, chopped
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
1/2 bunch dandelion greens, chopped
½ teaspoons sea salt
1/3 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Toast pine nuts on a cookie sheet in a 325-degree oven for 5 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil.

3. Add greens, sea salt and raisins. Stir and cook 5 minutes.

4. Turn off heat, add in pine nuts and transfer to serving dish.

Notes: Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.

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

Sheryl Turgeon - EzineArticles Expert Author

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The Pizzerias specialize in the art of making delicious pizza. There are literally thousands of Pizzeria shops all over the world that have one priority, and that is to make the most mouth-watering, delicious pizza creations that will keep you the customer always coming back for more. From the rich blends of cheeses to the special sauces, to the golden crisp crusts that are chewy inside, to all your favorite toppings just as you like them - these are the general ingredients of a great Pizzeria pizza. Each pizza shop has its own pizza making methods that it employs to attract customers. The pizza recipe ingredients are slightly different and the techniques of making the pizzas vary.

The truth is that most of these Pizzeria shops closely guard their pizza recipes and techniques from the general public, because this is the way they make a living! Every now and then though someone, maybe a former pizzeria insider or cook, comes forward with some of the pizza making secrets that he or she has learned over many years in the Pizzeria business. Using these secrets, it is possible to replicate and even make a better tasting delicious pizza at home than you can get in the best Pizzerias in town. You see, the Pizza shops have repeatedly tested what works and what doesn't work. They have formulated pizza recipes that taste so good that you and I get that craving for their delicious creations over and over again.

In order to find the pizzeria shops' secret recipes and techniques that make their pizzas taste so good you can try a few things:

First you can befriend the owner or cook of a Pizzeria shop and see if he will give you some inside secrets as to how they make their pizzas. Pizzerias you often frequent may share some of their secrets with you along with your glowing compliments of their food.

Secondly, you can try to figure out the ingredients yourself if you're good at interpreting what you're eating. Some people are able just by taste and experience, to determine the ingredients and make the recipe for themselves.

Thirdly, you can try to search for some pizza recipes on the internet. You may be able to find some good pizza recipes, but you'll have to determine if they are actual pizzeria quality or not. You'll want to be sure these free recipes are genuine pizzeria quality recipes if that's what you're looking for, since anyone can post any recipe on the internet they want. You can determine if they are Pizzeria quality by trying out the recipes and then eating!

Fourthly, and the method that guarantees the best results, you can find someone who has years of experience working in pizzerias and is willing to share his/her knowledge to the public. This person would know all of the secret pizza recipes and techniques that you could simply copy and use for yourself. There are a few people like this you can find by searching online who have chosen to share their years of Pizzeria pizza making experience with the rest of us.

Without a doubt this last way is the best method to learn how to turn your kitchen into a Pizzeria shop making the most delicious pizza in your neighborhood.

You can begin tonight making Pizza that tastes even better than the Pizzeria shops. Click here for more information: http://www.FoodRecipeResources.com

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ngredients:
150g raw shrimp, unshelled
1 medium size onion
150g of beef
½ cup of peas
Spring onions
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of salt
Pepper (shred)
Groundnut oil
Seasoning (1 knorr chicken cube, curry and thyme)
2 teaspoons of water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Method:

Remove the shell and rinse the shrimp properly, cut into small pieces, season with half a cube of knorr chicken, salt, onion, curry and thyme and set aside for 20 minutes. Wash the beef, season and cook until it becomes soft and dice it. Dice the onion as well as the spring onion. Pour some oil into the frying pan, when it becomes hot stir fry the diced beef and peas for a while then, pour into a plate and set it aside. Shred the pepper, stir fry the pepper, shrimp and the onion as well and set aside. Break the eggs into a plate add some salt and beat with a fork and set aside. Heat the frying pan and add very little groundnut oil, when it becomes hot pour about half of the egg and cook for a while, when it is thoroughly cooked, turn it over so that both sides are cooked. Cook the other half of the egg the same way too and cut the egg into thin strips and set aside. Pour all the fried ingredients ( pepper, shrimp, onion, beef, peas, cornstarch, spring onions) together with the exception of the fried egg and mixed them together properly, then pour into a plate and garnish it with the fried egg.

Titilayo Ajumobi is a system administrator who loves to cook and likes to experiment with different dishes to get the best out of them. For more information on different African dishes visit http://african-dishes.blogspot.com/.

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I'm always trying to think of healthy dinners that can be made in less than 20 minutes so that I'm not stuck in the kitchen for hours every night when I get home from work. Here are my latest picks.

1. Homemade healthy pizza

Yes it IS possible to make a healthy, nutritious pizza. All you need is a whole wheat flour tortilla, tomato paste, a selection of healthy toppings and a handful of grated mozzarella per pizza.

Spread the tomato paste on the tortilla, cover with toppings (e.g. onion, garlic, mushroom, broccoli, tomatoes, chicken breast, pesto etc), and sprinkle a small handful of grated mozzarella on top. Put in the oven at 400 degrees (F) for about 8 minutes and voila - healthy pizza.

2. Vegetable stir fry with quinoa

This is such an easy and tasty way to up your intake of vegetables. All you will need is an onion, plenty of garlic, a selection of vegetables, soy sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, chili flakes, and quinoa.

Chop up the vegetables. Heat your wok or large skillet with a touch of peanut or olive oil. Throw in the onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Then add the vegetables and cook for a further two to three minutes. Then add a good glug of soy sauce, honey and balsamic vinegar, some chili flakes and about 2 tbsp of water. Once you've mixed it all, taste it and see if you need to add more of any of the ingredients. Meanwhile cook the quinoa according to the instructions (it usually takes about 15 minutes unsupervised). Then enjoy!

3. Shrimp and broccoli

This recipe comes from the New York Times (with slight variations) and is absolutely delicious.

You will need 2 pounds of broccoli, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp whole coriander seeds, 1 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp hot chili powder, 1 pound large shrimp, shelled, 1 1/4 tsp lemon zest (from 1 large lemon) and lemon wedges, for serving. If you only have ground coriander and cumin, that works too.

Mix the broccoli with 2 tbsp oil, coriander, cumin, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, mix the shrimp with the remaining 2 tbsp oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and remaining 1/2 tsp pepper. Spread the broccoli on a large baking sheet and cook at 425 degrees (F) for 10 minutes. Then mix the shrimp with the broccoli on the baking sheet and cook for a further 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges or squeeze lemon juice on it before serving.

4. Vegetable risotto

I have to confess that when I make real risotto I don't use brown rice, I use Arborio rice. It makes for a far more authentic risotto but it isn't as healthy. That said, if you add plenty of nutritious vegetables you'll still be eating a healthy meal.

So what do you need? Arborio rice, chicken or vegetable broth, and vegetables (I like to use mushrooms, sugar snap peas, broccoli and red onion, but you can use any vegetables you like).

Heat a little olive oil in a big pan. Fry some onion and garlic until soft, then add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until it is translucent. Then add enough stock to cover the rice, reduce the heat and simmer. Once all the water has been absorbed, add a little more stock, again so the rice is just covered. Keep doing that until the rice is plumped and tastes cooked (usually about 16 minutes - check the rice packaging). Meanwhile fry the vegetables in a skillet with a touch of olive oil. Once the rice and vegetables are both cooked, combine, season with salt and pepper as needed, serve and enjoy.

5. Chicken and vegetable fajitas

Although I never tell my guests, I always cheat when making fajitas and use a packet mix of fajita seasoning. Apart from that, everything else is homemade.

For 4 people you will need 12 whole wheat flour tortillas, 4 chicken breasts, red, yellow and green bell peppers (2 of each), 3 red onions, 1 packet fajita mix (ssh), 2 avocados, 2 cloves garlic, fresh cilantro, 1 lime, tomatoes, chili flakes, balsamic vinegar and low fat sour cream or yogurt.

Chop up the chicken, peppers and two onions. Stir fry the onion and chicken for a few minutes, then add the peppers and cook for a further couple of minutes. Add the fajita mix and a few tbsps water and continue cooking until the peppers are cooked al dente. Meanwhile, peel and de-stone the avocados. Mush them up with a fork, crush two cloves of garlic into them, add a handful of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime and, voila, a ghetto guacamole. Then finely chop the tomatoes and remaining onion, mix them together with a tbsp of balsamic vinegar, a handful of chopped cilantro and some chili flakes, and there you have a make-shift salsa.

Finally, heat the tortillas and place everything on the table where people can roll their own fajitas. A fun, messy, delicious dinner!

Esther Schultz is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She writes regularly about nutrition and weight loss at eat2bslim.com where you can find out how to eat your way to the perfect figure.

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A well cooked roast potato is a culinary delight - badly cooked roast potatoes are a disaster!

The choice of potato is as important as the cooking method when roasting potatoes and it is important to understand that. Potatoes fall into two general categories, those with a waxy texture when cooked and those with a floury texture. While it is not for me to dictate your choices, it is generally recognized that those with a floury texture are best for roast potatoes while the waxy type are delicious as straight boiled potatoes or for use in a potato salad.

Select The Potatoes

Try to chose potatoes of roughly the same size. If this is not possible, at least be able to cut them into pieces of a similar size once they are peeled. Each potato should be about an inch and a half in general size. Anything smaller than that can cook too quickly and become dried out. Anything larger might take too long to roast and cook.

Par Boil The Potatoes

Having peeled the potatoes and cut them to the required size, wash them in cold water to remove the excess starch and then place them in a saucepan of cold water, add salt, and bring them quickly to the boil. Allow them to boil for about five minutes or to the point when you gently score the surface of a potato with a knife it is starting to crumble. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain out the water, but leave the potatoes in the saucepan. Now having the potatoes in the saucepan with no water, place the lid on the saucepan, and holding the lid in place with one hand, pick up the saucepan and shake the pan deliberately and vigorously for about ten seconds. When you remove the lid, the potatoes should now all have surfaces which have been roughed up, and this will create the delicious crispy exterior when roasted.

Preparing the Roasting Pan

While the potatoes are being par-boiled, place a roasting tray into a hot oven (200 degrees C / 400 degrees F), with a little dripping or oil. This will ensure that when the potatoes are ready to be added to it everything will be piping hot. The roasting pan must be big enough to allow individual potatoes to sit in it without touching one another. This is very important. If you have a lot of potatoes to roast, then consider using more than one pan if necessary.

Roasting The Potatoes

Take the roasting pan out of the oven and pour the shaken potatoes from the saucepan into the roasting pan. They should sizzle nicely as they make contact with the hot fat. The pan should only have a film covering of fat, it should not be swimming in it. Spread the potatoes out so that there is space between them and with a couple of spoons turn each one over and over so that it takes up a thin lair of the oil or fat (goose fat makes delicious roast potatoes, but olive oil is good as well).

Place the potatoes back into the oven at the same temperature and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove them and turn them over with a spoon and repeat this every 20 minutes or so. The potato should take about an hour to cook and when they are done they will be crispy on the outside and floury in the middle and utterly delicious! If you feel they are cooking too fast reduce the oven temperature a little. There will always be slight variations as individual ovens vary as do potato crops.

Warnings!

Unless you like soggy roast potatoes, and I fully accept that some people may, never place roasted potatoes into a warming oven to wait for everything else to complete. In that environment they will absorb moisture and all your good work will be undone. Instead, make sure that the roast potatoes are the very last thing to come out of the oven and take them to the table in all their glory.

All you ever wanted to know about how to cook roast potatoes or anything else can be found here

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Most people who visit Foothills, CA can't leave without trying a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich at Arnie's Italian Restaurant. Here are some tips so you can make your own at home.

Using much less oil, but not substituting any flavor, you can make a delicious version of the famous Philly Cheese steak sandwich at home. See how it's done.

At first you have to ensure that all the ingredients are available in front of you; It is very important so check out the list below:-

• 2 fresh Italian sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns, split in half crosswise

• 1 white onion, thinly sliced

• 1/2 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 pound rib-eye steak, very thinly shaved or sliced

• 1/3 pound thinly sliced white American cheese , or Provolone cheese OR 4 ounces melted cheese whiz

• Ketchup, optional topping

• Italian pickled peppers, accompaniment

Now we are ready to make a delicious dish of Philly Cheese steak sandwich.

At first, heat the oven to almost 95 degree C. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. When hot add the oil, onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Push off to 1 side of the griddle. Add the meat to the hot pan and cook, stirring and breaking up with the back of 2 metal spatulas, until almost no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Mix in the Sauteed vegetables. Top with cheese slices and melt. Spoon the cheesy meat mixture into the warm buns and serve immediately with condiments of choice or Put the meat in the bun and dip the spatula in the cheese whiz and then wipe the spatula down the inside of the bread.

Now a little garnishing on the food makes it looks pretty and more tempting.

A delicious dish is ready to serve.

Are you in the mood of great Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ?.. then do drop a visit at the best restaurant in town at Arnie's Italian Restaurant.

So don't forget to cook this delicious Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich at your home and please post your valuable comments

to me.And I promise to you all that I will post some more tasty food's recipes for you and your family.So good bye for this time.I will return soon with more delicious recipes.

Kevin Scott is a avid blogger & specializes on Web marketing & SEO.

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