Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Kid Friendly Pizza Party Recipe

I am a big believer in "the more involved the kids are in the cooking process, the better they eat!" Hope these will help.Pizza Party Night:My kids (3 & 5) love to make their own pizzas. You can either make or buy the dough. I tend to buy it. You can find it next to the canned biscuits and cookies in your grocery store.Recipe:Pizza DoughPremade Spaghetti Sauce (see note below)Toppings of choice. . .

Au Gratin Potatoes Crockpot Recipe

This is an absolutely delicious recipe and a great crockpot recipe to try as the fall season starts. Just like most crockpot recipes, this is a simple recipe to cook by adding the ingredients below, and letting the crockpot do the rest of the work. 1/4 lb diced cooked bacon 2 medium thinly sliced onions 4 medium thinly sliced potatoes 1/2 lb shredded cheddar cheese salt and pepper butter . . .

Olive Oil – Real or Fake – Who Decides?

Olive Oil – Real or Fake – Who Decides?The evidence is overwhelming – Real extra virgin olive oil not only enhances the taste of food but is good for you, consider the following headlines:Olive oil 'acts like painkiller' - BBCMediterranean Diet Adds Years to Your Life (high intake of ... olive oil) - MedicalNewsToday.comOleic Acid Key to Olive Oil's Anti-Cancer Effect - Reuters.comHowever, ther. . .

Guide To Buying Wine Glasses

Wine Glasses Article From www.wine-blog.netYou’ve heard somewhere or read somewhere that wine must be served in the best crystal to get its full advantage, well not necessarily but there are a few basic principles to remember when choosing glasses that will help you get the best from your favorite bottle.It is true however that the appearance, smell and even the taste can be enhanced by using t. . .

Make Your Own Halloween Decorations

Fall, with all its spectacular colors, is finally here.Halloween is just around the corner, followed by Thanksgiving and before we know it; Christmas.Don’t you just love decorating your house and yard for all these seasons? I do too.Let’s face the facts; it gets very expensive doing this year after year. So how do you limit your spending? Do it yourself!If you have not done anything like this b. . .

Summer Basil Pasta Salad

With the long hot days of summer, you will find that you will need something lighter than a T-bone steak.If you are seeking a fresh and light pasta salad, then you will need to serve this at your next gathering.Summer Basil Pasta SaladRecipe:16 oz. box Whole Wheat pasta, find a fun shape.10 oz. frozen chopped spinach (2 cups fresh could be substituted)1 cup fresh diced tomatoes1/4 cup finely sl. . .

Hire a Personal Chef for A Dinner Party?

Think only the rich and famous have the privilege of having a personal chef wait on their every craving or gourmet pleasure? Think again.Personal chefs are now helping couples and families to present fabulous home cooked dinners to their guests. And it's not as expensive as you think!Why hire a personal chef?A personal chef will bring the food, create a nutritious and balanced meal, figure out . . .

Fire Cracker Italian Sausage Pasta

You will find that this recipe is very easy to make. And you can prep all of your ingredients in advance. Perfect for the busy mom on the go. Once you have all your troops ready for dinner, you can toss it all together in a matter of minutes.This is a recipe that is a huge hit with my entire family. Even my picky toddlers!Fire Cracker Italian Sausage PastaRecipe 1 pound uncooked wheat pasta (be. . .

The Maligned Potato: Respect At Last?

Ah, the poor, maligned potato! Beaten up by dieters (especially the low-carb variety), nutritionists and other experts as being "ok in moderation", the potato may at long last be gaining some respect in the scientific community.From an article in Science Daily ("Transgenic Potato Confers Immunity: Vegetables Or Fruit Could Replace Vaccine And Needles"), we find that the potato could be used to . . .

Chicken with White Wine & Pasta

Here is a great recipe that is so simple to make. You will find that most of the ingredients are relatively inexpensive as well. Happy Eating!Recipe:3 Tbsp. Olive Oil1/2 C. Chopped Onions4 Tbsp. Chopped GarlicSautee all of the above until onions start to turn a bit brown.Add all of the following...1/2 C. White WineLet simmer on medium heat for about 5 mins.Add all of the following...White Wine . . .

Planning for those Holiday Meals

It is that time of year again when everyone begins to think and prepare for the large family dinner parties.If this is the year that you have been chosen to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for the entire family you may be feeling overwhelmed. But, as long as you prepare and have everything ready beforehand, your dinner could be that special wonderful meal and will turn out to be a joyous time to . . .

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.9 of 12 - Duck with Ca...

Christmas recipe serves: 6calories per serving: 400preparation time: 15 minutescooking time: 2hours 30 minutessuitable for freezing after step 3.Christmas recipe ingredients:duck legs, 6, about 2 kg (4.5 lb)onions, 350 g (12 oz)root ginger, fresh, 5 cm piece, (2 inch)butter, 125 g (4 oz)caster sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)green cardomom pods, 8 wholechicken stock, 1.7 litres (3 pints)ginger wine, 300 m. . .

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.8 of 12 - Christmas Ph...

Christmas recipe serves: 6calories per serving: 490preparation time: 30 minutescooking time: 2 hours 15 minutessuitable for freezing (after step 4)Christmas recipe ingredients:shallots or small onions, 225 g (8oz)streaky bacon, rindless 225 g (8 oz)pheasants, oven ready, bracesalt and pepperoil, 30 ml (2 tbsp)butter, 50 g (2 oz)garlic cloves, 2Madeira, 300 ml (10 fl oz)beef stock, 600 ml (1 pin. . .

Streetwise Beer Making Secrets!

Beer making is a complicated process that involves several steps that should be carefully thought out. Here are some basic ideas that will help you to get started on your beer making adventure.The first step in brewing is called malting. Malting involves steeping grain in water for several days until the grain begins to germinate or sprout. During germination, enzymes within the grain are conv. . .

Gourmet: A Defining Moment

Do you remember the first time you had a “gourmet” delicacy? I do. I was having dinner in a restaurant of supreme quality and reputation, and I ordered the escargot. It was the most wonderful entrée I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. The food there was delicious and prepared with individuality. Therein is the chief ingredient for gourmet. The definition of gourmet is a person devoted to. . .

Regional Cuisines Of China

It’s easily one of the world’s favorite foods. No matter where you are, someone you know is bound to suggest, “Hey, let’s do Chinese.” For decades, Chinese food meant one thing – Cantonese cuisine. It was the style of Chinese cooking with which most of the world was familiar – the appetizers and roasted meats and delicate sauces that blend vegetables and spices in a perfect marriage of flavors.. . .

Boxty (Irish Griddle Cakes)

Being of the Irish persuasion, I offer this great recipe for Boxty. Boxty is a traditional Irish dish, and has been around for many a year. I especially like this dish with butter and a dollop of maple syrup for my breakfast. I do not have the usual "required" nutritional evaluation, but in my way of thinking, I can live without it to just have the pleasure of enjoying this fine old traditio. . .

Boiling - The Test of a Good Cook

Let's take a look at one of the most basic forms of cooking - immersing food in hot water.Yes, I know. That includes simmering as well. But I want to look at boiling, some of the different foods involved and the ways in which they are treated.Boiling is really divided into two separate methods. One is to place the food in cold water and gradually heat it to boiling point, the other is to bring . . .

What Wine Really Is (Just In Case You Thought You Knew)

Although millions of people across the globe enjoy wine, very few of them know exactly what it is about a particular wine that they enjoy. By understanding each of the different components of wine, you can quickly establish the parts you prefer, and therefore choose your next bottle with more confidence.SugarSweeter wines have more sugar than dry wines. During the fermentation process a lot of . . .

Wine Tasting -- The Traditional way

Wine tasting is properly known as 'Wine Degustation'. It is the art of being able to note the various differences between difference types of wine, and even the various differences between the vintages of the same type of wine. There are basically two parts to Wine Tasting, first is 'What are we looking for' the second is 'How are we looking'. We'll start with the How, and move on to the What. . . .

Habaneros Peppers -- Spice it up!

A friend of mine once told me there is more to the culinary life than chile peppers. He might be right, but he keeps telling me this over my diner table, so go figure. The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense Jacquin) is the most intensely spicy chile pepper of the Capsicum genus. Unripe habaneros are green, but the color at maturity varies. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and . . .

What You Need In a Gourmet Kitchen

The best way to decide what you need in your kitchen is to first decide what it is you are going to be cooking in there. The best suggestion I ever heard on this matter is to find five dishes you really love. The dishes you like to find on menus at restaurants. The next thing you want to do is learn to prepare those dishes to your standards. This is going to take some time, and some research, b. . .

The Right Grill for your Barbecue

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice of meat (or in some cases vegetables), the creation and choice of sauce, and of course the flame. Once the components are gathered together, then the real talent starts with the maintenance of the flame, smoke, turnings and sauce applications. We are going to focus on the flame, and the types of flame sources for our barbecue. There are basicall. . .

Data Loggers: The Way To Monitor A Freezer Or Cooler’s Te...

Data loggers are devices that sample temperature and/or humidity at regular intervals and then store it. The older models used paper and pencil as a storage method, but modern data loggers send the information they gathered directly to a computer.Data loggers were originally created as weather forecasting tools, but they were quickly adopted as a perfect way to monitor freezers or coolers.Keepi. . .

Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief

I recommend drinking a morning smoothie if you have constipation or if you have skin problems like acne. Drinking a high fiber smoothie relieves and prevents constipation. It will also provide the nutrients that are necessary for having or keeping a nice clean and smooth skin.So, here are the six smoothie recipes you can blend. Apple Smoothie Apple-Barley Smoothie Apricot Smoothie Peach-Rice Dr. . .

Culinary Traditions Of Cuba

The East Caribbean island of Cuba has a rich cultural heritage from which has arisen culinary traditions that are as vibrant and varied as the variety of cultures that have contributed to the development of this distinct and delicious cuisine. In addition to the ancient influence of the native peoples of Cuba, the Spaniards brought their own culinary styles, tinged by those of the Moors who hel. . .

Vegetarian Cuisine

Rabbit food. That’s what my dad calls vegetarian cooking and cuisine. Salads and vegetables – can’t be anything more to it, can there? Oh, but there is. Vegetarian cooking is at least as varied as ‘regular’ cooking – and in some cases, far more imaginative. Nearly thirty years ago, Diet for a Small Planet, and the follow-up cookbook, Recipes for a Small Planet hit the bookstore shelves with a . . .

The Types of Gourmet Coffee

Since it’s first induction as the world’s most popular beverage, coffee has gone through many changes and improvements. These improvements allow coffee drinkers the chance to choose between many different grades and flavors of the coffee. Whether you are a coffee connoisseur or just need your morning pick me up, there’s nothing to tempt the palate quite like a hot mug of smooth gourmet coffee!. . .

Burger King: Eat Like a Pig

Sometimes I just have to shake my head... I was driving down the street when a spied a Burger King about a block away. It had one of those signs where they can promote a particular item or special, and this is what it had written on it:"Ultimate Double Whopper: Eat Like a King!"Right, I thought... more likely it should have read "Eat Like a Pig!".I came home and decided to look up the nutrition. . .

The Greatness Of Gumbo

Perhaps nothing is better known as a staple of Cajun cuisine than gumbo, a spicy, hearty stew or soup whose name literally means “okra”. Called one of the greatest contributions of Louisiana Cajun kitchens to American cuisine, it came to that state with the first French settlers, who loved bouillabaisse, a highly seasoned French stew. Unable to find their usual ingredients to make bouillabaisse. . .

Vegetarian Cuisine

Rabbit food. That’s what my dad calls vegetarian cooking and cuisine. Salads and vegetables – can’t be anything more to it, can there? Oh, but there is. Vegetarian cooking is at least as varied as ‘regular’ cooking – and in some cases, far more imaginative.Nearly thirty years ago, Diet for a Small Planet, and the follow-up cookbook, Recipes for a Small Planet hit the bookstore shelves with a re. . .

Some Stuff About Cheese

Setting out to find a new cheese to add to your life is a great way to spend a weekend afternoon. There are some great spots in just about every city to explore new tastes. Once you find your new cheese, having it loose its flavor or dry out before you can share it with others is a sad moment. So let's talk about caring for the cheese. As a rule, you shouldn't slice up your hunk of cheese befor. . .

The True History of Chocolate

For a food that seems so familiar, most of us know surprisingly little about the real origins and history of chocolate. I counted myself in this group until very recently when I picked up a copy of a book titled ‘The True History of Chocolate”, by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe. Published in 1996, it’s 268 pages of meticulously researched, fascinating facts and “speculation” about the origin . . .

Is Acai The World's Most Powerful Superfood?

The acai berry consists usually of a pit, and only 10 per cent of the berry is edible. It is small, round, and dark purple in color. It resembles a grape, but it is usually smaller and darker. It consists of an enormous seed and very little percentage of pulp (or skin). It is usually mixed with energy drinks, ice cream, and even energy bars. Healthy acai requires quick processing right after it. . .

Garlic: A Quick Guide

Garlic, there's nothing like the smell of garlic. It's great in soups and sauces, roasted with meats or on it's own, and it's wonderful mixed with butter and slathered on bread and then baked.The scientific name for garlic is Allium Sativum. It is related to the lily and the onion. Although related to the onion, and having a flavor that very slightly resembles that of an onion, garlic does not . . .

The Art of the Marinade

It's a sad fact that these days it has become almost essential to marinade most cuts of meat, unless you intend to casserole them.I'll go into why that is the case a bit later on, but for the time being let's just examine why we use marinades at all.Principally there are two reasons. One is to add flavor, and the other is to tenderize. Usually, we are trying to do both.It's worth bearing in m. . .

Atkins Diet Plan - What’s The Catch

The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs strips of bacon and coffee. A snack might include coffee with cream, and chunks of cheese. A huge steak fried in butter could be dinner. Doesn't this sound really good? It seems very tempting but there is a catch. In the beginning you will have to give up most carbs, such as breads, potatoes, pasta, rice and other things like chocol. . .

Great Appetizers for Baby Showers and Other Parties

One of the biggest challenges for planning a baby shower or any other party is picking the right food. Appetizers and snacks are great for all types of parties, big and small. Here are some delicious appetizer ideas that you can make yourself or buy for your party:1) Stuffed Mushrooms - Stuffed mushrooms are a tasty treat for any party. Larger mushroom caps of course are better and you can be c. . .

What Should You Serve If Some Of Your Dinner Party Guests...

You are planning an elegant dinner party, with delicious food and drinks. But you know that two or three of the guests you really want around your table are trying to shed a few pounds.Can you invite them with a clear conscience – without feeling you are “sabotaging” their dieting efforts? At the same time, can you mix them with guests who are not concerned about their weight?The answer is a re. . .

Party Appetizer Recipes – So Easy And So Affordable!

These are two of my favorite party appetizer recipes that I used to prepare in parties! They are quick, easy and the ingredients are available in any store.Cocktail KebabsIngredients: 8 large Shrimp, cooked 1 Garlic clove, crushed 2 Green onions, trimmed 2 tbsp Lemon juice 1/2 Red bell pepper, seeded, cut in thin strips 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Coarsely ground mustard 8 small. . .

Finally, A Breath Mint That Does What It's Supposed To

One weekend you get together with friends for dinner at a delectable restaurant that serves cheese fondue, and you have a martini to cap it off. You want to make sure you have fresh breath, so after dinner you pop in an Altoids or other similar breath mint. Although you may now have a cinnamon-like taste in your mouth, what you've really done is made your bad breath problem much worse. Let me e. . .

Foods To Avoid That Cause Bad Breath

Did you know that there are specific foods that may lead to bad breath? This is because of volatile sulfur compounds - the culprit in causing bad breath!For example, if food sits out too long it will spoil. That spoiling action is due to anaerobic bacteria breaking down proteins in that particular food. In milk, the odor of sour milk is caused by relatives of the bugs that create bad breath whe. . .

Coffee, A Brief Overview

The coffee plant has two main species. There is the Coffea Arabica, which is the more traditional coffee and considered to be superior in flavor, and the Coffea Canephora known more commonly as Robusta. Robusta tends to be higher in caffeine and can be grown in climates and environments were Arabica would not be profitable. Robusta is also typically more bitter and acidic in flavor. Because of . . .

How To Clean A Coffee Maker

Ever wonder how to clean a coffee maker the right way? Drip coffee makers need to be cleaned at least once a month to keep your coffee tasting good.Cleaning your coffee maker takes away hard water deposits, old oils from previously brewed pots and other impurities that can make your coffee taste bad.A mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water is the best way to clean a drip coffee maker. Mix a. . .

Back to Basics - Preparing Vegetables

BroccoliWith broccoli the trick is to have the stems and the florets cook at the same rate. You can do this by removing the tough outer skin of the stalks. Simply peel the skin up from the base of the broccoli stalk.Asparagus The tender tips will cook more quickly than the stems. Avoid this by peeling the thickest part of the stems with a sharp knife.Cauliflower The stem and leaves of the cauli. . .

Thicken That Sauce!

With most sauces and nearly all types of gravy you will need to use a thickening agent at some stage. This may be one of any number of things.The most commonly used are starches of some kind, because they all have the quality of swelling up in any liquid to which they are introduced. But it’s important to note that they also tend to behave differently.Arrowroot, for example, has an interestin. . .

Senseo Coffee Maker Magic

The Senseo coffee maker combines a unique brewing method from Philips with convenient Senseo coffee pods from Douwe Egberts. Senseo was one of the first to introduce pod coffee makers a few years ago.Today, Senseo coffee makers have become one of the most popular pod coffee makers sold. One of the reasons is each individual cup is freshly brewed, so you're always sure of a pure and smooth taste. . .

Does The Sloppy Joe Have An Origin?

In most of the United States, the sloppy Joe sandwich is a lunchroom staple, consisting of skillet-cooked ground meat, usually beef, spicy tomato sauce or tomato paste, and bread or a bun. Sometimes greasy and oversweet, the sloppy Joe has been served in school cafeterias for years. Certainly, when one considers the commercially available versions of the sandwich, this is what comes to mind; th. . .

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.3 of 12 - Smoked Haddo...

Christmas Recipe Serves: 8Preparation time: 30 minutesCooking time: 45 minutesCalories per serving: 605Suitable for freezing (after step 4)Christmas Recipe Ingredients: Breadcrumbs, fresh 75 g (3 oz)Semi-skimmed milk, 150 ml (5 fl oz)Haddock, smoked or fresh 250 g (9 oz)Potatoes, 250 g (9 oz)salt and pepperSpinach, washed 225 g (8 oz)Egg, 1 beatenLemon wedgesCream, fresh half-fat 400 ml (12 fl . . .

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.4 of 12 - Seafood Paella

Christmas recipe serves: 12Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 40 minutesCalories per serving: 605Not suitable for freezingChristmas recipe ingredientsOnions or shallot: 225 g (8 oz)Celery, 125 g (4 oz)Garlic cloves, 3Fish stock, 1.1 litres (2 pints)White wine, 300 ml (10 fl oz)Saffron, 1.25 ml (quarter tsp)Bay leaf, 1Fish fillets, skinless, cod, salmon, haddock 450 g (1 lb)Rice, wild 125. . .