Simple Tips For A New Cook

Cooking can either be simply a means of feeding yourself or it can be a fantastic and fun creative process that will provide you with fabulous meals! Read on to discover some great ideas on how to make cooking an easier and more pleasurable experience for you before your next meal!

Selecting a good potato for baking is easy once you know the right tips! Be sure to select a potato like a russet or Idaho since they have a higher starch content and will give you a fluffier potato when baked. Choose smooth-skinned potatoes without wrinkles or soft spots. When you bring your potatoes home, don't put them in the refrigerator. Instead, place them in a bin in a cool, dark spot in your home. They taste best when used within 2-3 weeks after purchase.

 If you find yourself with part of a loaf of stale bread, don't throw it away or feed it to the birds. Instead, turn it into croutons for a soup or salad by tossing cubes of bread with oil and seasonings and baking them until crispy. You can also turn stale bread into breadcrumbs for many recipes.

 Try reducing the amount of dairy products you eat if you want to make your diet healthier. Many people may be lactose intolerant without realizing it, which means they won't be able to properly digest dairy products. Lots of great alternatives to dairy products, like soy milk and almond milk, are now widely available.

 A good tip to do when it comes cooking and preparing food is to prepare all the necessary ingredients that you need at night, that way when morning comes you are not stressing about them. This will help you concentrate at the task at hand which is preparing food in the best way possible. We all need to eat so we might as well make the process of preparing food something we love.

 Hopefully you have found some fresh ideas in this article on improving your life in the kitchen! It can be a great way to enjoy a major part of our lives so take what you have learned here and apply it to your next meal and bon appetit!

Easy Summer Chicken Recipe

Yum! Summer is just around the corner and that means picnics at the lake, family BBQ's and fresh juicy fruits.

Last summer I was introduced to a new family favorite recipe. We might have even made this once a week all summer. Not only did it taste amazing and have a quick and easy prep time, the compliments I received each and every time we made this dish made me want to make it for every occasion. Picnics, birthdays, bbq's, church potlucks, simple finger foods only parties, you name it I made it.

It's a simple recipe with ingredients that won't break the bank. Corn tortillas, chicken, cilantro and of course topped with a fresh kiwi and pineapple salsa that everyone will enjoy. Sounds good doesn't it?
Looks good too!

If you want to give this simple fun and OH SO YUMMY recipe a quick try head over to Planet Gift Baskets where there are some step by step instructions. for this entire recipe. See you there!

The Benefits of Juicing

Nutrition experts have long spoken of the benefits that juicing can have on your diet. Drinking freshly made fruit and vegetable juices are beneficial to the cardiovascular system, as well as providing a great boost in energy. By using the advice in this article, you will be able to use juicing as an added health benefit.

Drinking juices rich in fiber can ward off constipation. The juice of vegetables and fruits will also help cleanse your digestive system. It's hard to feel your best if you battle chronic constipation, which is just one more reason why juicing is amazing.

Do not delay in serving your juice, after it has been prepared. It has a much better taste the quicker it is served after making it.

When it comes to juicing, one thing that you want to keep in mind is the fact that despite the time and money that you are losing by making your own juice, you will find that it most likely tastes better than store bought juice. This is important to give you a good reason to keep on juicing and influence others to do the same.

If you have specific nutritional requirements, it is in your best interest to explore different varieties of fruit that you may not ordinarily eat. This will provide your body with nutrients that you might have been missing out on otherwise. You can cover up flavors that you may not really like with apple or lemon juices.

Let color guide you. As well as giving brilliant colors, the many varied vegetables, as well as fruits, are stocked with tons of vitamins and nutrients. Using a wide variety of colors will give you a full range of nutrients and many exciting tastes.

Juicing your fruits and vegetables will provide your body with enzymes that make digestion easier, meaning you're far less likely to face indigestion. If you get heartburn, or have stomach upset when you eat certain vegetables like broccoli, try juicing and you may find you no longer have any issues!

If you're juicing for reasons related to your health, try using dark green vegetables as the main ingredient for your juice. Try blending around 50-75% dark leafy greens like mustard greens or chard with something a little brighter in flavor. Fill the rest with your choice of fruits to give it a great taste.

You most likely know that juicing any fruits and veggies can help your health. Keep the tips you just read handy, and make it easy for you to explore the world of juicing. With this knowledge, you can discover how great this healthy way to prepare your juices really is. There's no better time than now to start juicing.

Pumpkin Dip with Ginger Crisps

A new family favorite has emerged this year. Pumpkin dip with ginger crisps. Yum!

It's really a simple recipe and it makes a lot so you can share. You can make your own homemade crisps or purchase them at the supermarket. They are thin cracker like cookies, perfect for this recipe.

4 cups powered sugar
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese
1 can (29 oz) of pumpkin
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
pumpkin pie spice to taste

Cream together powder sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin and seasonings and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Serve with those yummy ginger crisps and you will fall in love.

Gluten Free Apple Pie Alternative

Thanksgiving begins the holidays of food. For many of us the thought of enjoying all of Grandma's famous recipes makes our mouths water. However, many families have those who can not partake in the feast due to gluten allergies.
Thankfully these allergies are becoming understood more and more and fabulous recipes are developed all the time to replace gluten containing foods with delicious safe foods.

Over at Planet Gift Baskets, we understand gluten intolerance first hand. That is why many of our gifts and recipes have been taste tested and approved by all ages. Gluten intolerant and not try out these alternatives and we share with you the best of the best.

Sometimes we even fool a lot of people with our gluten free foods.

Check out our Apple Pie Alternative Dessert. It's quite simply amazing.

Explore our gluten free recipe site for more inspiration.

Using up Thanksgiving Leftovers

Just because it's a leftover doesn't mean it can't become something just as gourmet as the Thanksgiving meal itself.

Our family favorite for using up leftover turkey and veggies is Turkey Corn Chowder. Yum, just the thought of it on this chilly day makes my mouth water. Start it in the morning and go do your Black Friday shopping. Come home to the smell of a hot warm and heart chowder that didn't take long to make.

Turkey Corn Chowder

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
*(replace 2 cups water and bouillon for 2 cups of leftover turkey broth)
4-5 potatoes
*(can use a cup of mash potatoes in place of 2 of the chunkier potatoes)
1 cup celery
*(if you made stuffing, I'm sure you have some leftovers in the fridge)
3 cups of turkey meat
*(self explanatory)
Salt and Pepper
2 cups of corn or cream corn
*(if you don't have these left over, you can open up fresh cans)
4 cups of milk
some parsley, paprika and sage

Saute onions and butter in the bottom of a large pot. Add broth or water and bouillon. Add chopped potatoes, celery and turkey. Cook about 10-15 minutes then add corn and milk and season with salt and pepper. Keep on minimum heat, or better yet, throw this mixture into the crock pot on high for 4 hours. It will be ready when you are.

A perfect soothing meal after the feasts of Thanksgiving Day.

Don't forget to enjoy some leftover pumpkin pie for dessert!

Neighbors Matter-Christmas Gifts That Will Mend Fences

Every year I want to do something for my neighbors. We say hello and smile as we pass in the car, but not more then that. When I hear my parents talk about the relationships that they had with their neighbors years ago, I wish we could  bring some of that back.

Most of us jump in the car and run to the store and to the soccer game and then to the pick up the kids from swimming lessons. And the list goes on and on.

This year I am going to get some type of gift for my neighbors and let them  know that even though we are all running in different directions, we do have a  certain bond and though times have changed, neighbors are still important and we all need each other.

The biggest problem is what to get them. I need a cheap Christmas gift. I  tried looking on the computer for cheap Christmas gifts and nothing really  jumped out at me. Most Cheap Christmas gifts ideas seemed to be just that . I  wanted something that was special and said that they were important people to  us.

Now I am really not that crafty. I mean I can’t just knit up gloves for  everyone, or sew dish towels with their names on them, but I can cook so I came  up with the idea of making my favorite bread and then wrap in up with a cute bow  and add a recipe card and a note. Hear is the recipe I used,. It is easy and you  can make it ahead and freeze it so you won’t get in to a last minute crunch. 

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup butter

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

6 bananas, mashed

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf  pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon  cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas,  sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in  nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour