Shopping for Ingredients for a Well Stocked Kitchen

Monday, February 13th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

You've read your recipe. Now it's time to go shopping for all the ingredients to create your culinary masterpiece. Make a list of what you need. Do you have any ingredients in stock? Do you have enough for your recipe? Are the ingredients still fresh or have they spoiled? List what you're missing and how much you need. If you're just cooking for one or two, don't get the family packages of perishables unless you can freeze the extra and use it up before it gets freezer burn. Most dry ...
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Preparing Meals for your Family

Sunday, February 12th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

Another day, another dinner to prepare. Are you having a difficult time finding easy to prepare meals that can satisfy your growing family? You want to give your family the best, but time is in short supply and preparing a healthy meal has become a chore. Too often take out or frozen dinners have to do. Is there a way to combine healthy eating with convenience? Yes! New methods of cooking and easy to prepare staples can change your eating habits and lead to a better eating style for your ...
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More Joys of Soy

Saturday, February 11th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

My husband has MS, and I have Diabetes. Researching health issues has become a "hobby" of mine. I am always interested in health issues. I am especially interested in soy because I am constantly looking for protein to balance my diabetic meals. I am not a meat eater, although I am not a vegetarian either. I believe that knowledge is my best defense. Soy milk (also called soymilk, soya milk, soybean milk, soy bean milk, or soy drink) is a beverage produced from soybeans. Although its English ...
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The Columbia Restaurant & Cigar Factory

Friday, February 10th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

The Columbia Restaurant is the nation's largest Spanish restaurant and Florida's oldest at 100 years old. Started in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez in the burgeoning cigar capitol of Ybor City Tampa, they now have 7 locations in Florida as well as their own cigar factory and store, where they make the "Gonzalez y Martinez" brand of cigars. I was on the West coast of Florida recently and decided to visit two of The Columbia's locations. On my way driving up the coast, I stopped in at ...
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Taco Salad

Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

Taco Salad 1 pound lean ground beef 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped or shredded 1 bunch romaine lettuce, chopped 3 large tomatoes, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 (4 oz.) can jalapeno peppers or 3 to 4 fresh ones, finely chopped 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained 1 (12 oz.) bag shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 2 (14.5 oz.) bags corn tortilla chips, crushed 2 cups ...
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Lobster Was Not Always The King Of Seafood

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

Lobster wasn't always a top dish.... The succulent shellfish started out branded as a scavenger, bottom feeder and food for the impoverished. However, thanks to the progress of modern transportation, lobster could be shipped from Canada to the upper northern states to become the luxury food we now appreciate. These days the finest restaurants take pride in their lobster recipes and Surf and Turf presentations. Besides being a versatile and delicious meal, shellfish such as lobster, shrimp and ...
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How To Make Sausage and Cornbread Cabbage Rolls

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

Here is a simple method to make fantastic Sausages and cabbage rolls! Try it when you have time... Ingredient: 4 ea Large Cabbage Leaves 1/2 lb Bulk Pork Sausage 1 ea Large Beaten Egg 1/4 c Water 1 c Apple Chopped (1 Med) 1/3 c Apple Juice Or Cider 1/3 c Cornbread Stuffing Mix 1 ts Cornstarch 2 tb Apple Juice Or Cider 1/2 ts Instant Beef Bouillon Method: Remove center vein of cabbage leaves, keeping each leaf in one piece. Place leaves in a shallow baking dish. Cover with vented clear ...
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Venison - Ideas for Cooking, A Venison Recipe, A Venison Recipe

Monday, February 6th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

"Tis the season for venison! Hunting season opened the week before thanksgiving in Virginia. Since we are in North Carolina, why does it matter when hunting season opened in Virginia? I was born and raised in Virginia. My parents still live there and my dad hunts ALMOST every day of the season. He killed 2 deer already and having visited over the holiday weekend, we brought some home to freeze. I feel very fortunate to have a resource (Dad). It's better than store bought and cheaper too. I grew ...
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Pho - Viet Nam's National Soup

Sunday, February 5th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

If you can imagine beef noodle soup for breakfast, then you decidedly want to try Pho, a Vietnamese dish that has been around for nearly 100 years. I find my site is more and more leaning towards ethnic dishes that are loaded with big, bold tastes, and that make eating what it should be - an experience! Pho (pronounced "phir" in English) is influenced by the Chinese and French cuisines, and was believed to have originally derived from a French soup, "pot au feu",(pot on fire)which ...
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Meat and Potatoes meet the Modern Day Cook

Saturday, February 4th, 2012 | Food and Beverage

There has been a big push toward healthy eating in the last couple of decades. This trend may be bringing longevity and healthy lives but something has been lost, the traditional meat and potatoes meal. Here is a newer version of a time honored tradition that is tasty and satisfying. The lemon addition to the mashed potatoes is a surprisingly delicious twist. Marinated Beef Tenderloin with Lemon Herb Mashed Potatoes Marinated Beef Tenderloin 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil ¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar ¼ ...
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