Everyone loves a delicious homemade cake. Many people tend not to make cakes because they think it is a difficult and time consuming task. Fortunately, there are easy cake recipes that are perfect for the novice baker and one who has a busy life.

The following are a few easy cakes to make at home:

1.) Sponge Cake: This cake is very easy to make and is light, tasty, and perfect for the family or when entertaining guests.

Ingredients: 4 oz (110g) self raising flour, sifted, 1 tsp baking powder, 4 oz.(110g) soft margarine, 4 oz (110g) sugar, 2 large eggs, 2-3 drops vanilla

The entire baking time from start to finish takes less than an hour.

2.) Ice Cream Cake: A delicious treat children will love.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes. Freezing time: 8 hours or overnight.
For one 8 inch ice cream cake you will need: 3 c. chocolate ice cream, slightly softened 5 Heath bars or 5 oz. English toffee, coarsely chopped 4 tbsp. chocolate syrup 3 tbsp. coffee liqueur 3 c. vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

3.) Chocolate Cake: Preparation time takes only a few minutes. The result is moist and delicious chocolate cake.

Ingredients: 4 oz (110g)self raising flour, sifted, 1 tsp baking powder, 4 oz (110g)soft margarine, 4oz (110g)sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tbs. cocoa powder. Filling ingredients:
2 oz (55g) butter or quality margarine, 4 oz (110g) icing/confectioners’ sugar, 1 rounded tbs cocoa powder, 2 tsp of milk.

Preheat the oven to 170 deg C, 325 deg F.
Sift the baking powder and flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients to the bowl and beat until everything is mixed together. Put half the mixture in each of the prepared pans and place on the centre shelf of the preheated oven for about thirty minutes.

4.) “Fruity” Cake: A delicious and fruity treat for the whole family

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 1 c. salad oil, 2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 2 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon, ground, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional), 1 can pie filling (apple, cherry, peach, etc.)

When mixed, stir in can of fruit with its syrup. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Cool.

5.) White Birthday Cake: This is an easy and delicious cake for anyone’s birthday.

Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), 1 cup whole milk, 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), 2 teaspoons almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces), 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon table salt, 12 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for about 25 minutes.

Easy cake recipes are great for parents on the go. You will not only enjoy eating this delicious treat, but have fun making it. Try making an easy cake today and make sure you share it with friends and family.

A wholesome ingredient to include in your breakfasts for high nutritional value is eggs. These healthy components are very common in easy recipes for any meal of the deal.

[tags]food, cakes, dessert[/tags]

A healthy diet is always beneficial for everyone. Whether you have an existing health issue or you want to maintain a good weight, or you want to do well in an athletic event or sports, all of us need a good healthy diet to stay in shape.

If you want to eat healthy and live healthy, here are some ideas that may help you start with it.

- Eat a variety of foods. One basic idea about a good healthy diet is not sticking to one kind of food you like eating. Good nutrition is derived from various fruits and vegetables and the only way to get the nutrition your body needs is to get it from various sources. Fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals and foods rich in protein as well as dairy products should constitute your daily meals.

- Vegetables and fruits are among the best natural sources of nutrients that your body needs. They are also great sources of fiber which aids in proper digestion. Increase fruits and vegetables in your diet. You can go for fruit juices, dried or frozen fruits but the better way to get a good healthy diet is to opt for the fresh ones.

- Beware of saturated fat and trans fat. Although fat is essential in our diet to help nourish proper functioning of the brain and other body functions, it is very important that you are getting the good type of fat. Saturated fat and trans fat for example are the ones that you should be avoiding as these types of fats increase the bad cholesterol levels in the body that may lead to heart disease and other health problems. The common sources of these types of fats are animal products, skinless poultry, low-fat or whole-milk dairy products such as cheese and butter, and oils like palm and coconut oil, cocoa butter and other products made with these. You may not be alarmed about them because you don’t actually buy them as they are but you can actually find them in many commercial products.

- Have a diet with lesser salt or sodium. Although salt is helpful in the functioning of the body, too much salt or sodium in our diets can be a culprit in high blood pressure and heart diseases. We may not be realizing it but a large percentage of salt or sodium in our diets come from processed and prepared foods. So if you are trying to lower your risk of high blood pressure, do not just focus on cutting down the salt you add to your cooking but in the processed food you buy. Fast food is also known to have high salt content so you might want to cut down on that too.

Having a good healthy diet is indeed one very important thing you need to live a healthy lifestyle. Aside from watching what you eat, there are also many things that you can do to live a healthy life. Regular exercise and dealing with stress are also important in keeping your body healthy.

Carolyn Anderson maintains a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy. To learn about cooking your own healthy recipe, check out Gourmet Cookbook. Also check out Look Like A Fitness Model, where you can find effective ways to have a toned physique.

[tags]good healthy diet,how to maintain a healthy diet,maintaining a healthy diet[/tags]

If you are considering going to buy absinthe then it is important to understand the ritual that is associated with this mysterious drink. There is debate with most absinthe historians as to when the ritual with preparing absinthe originated. It has never been thought to have been consumed neat without water, and it is known that during the 1850’s it was drunk with both water and sugar. Other drinks at this point were also commonly served with sugar and mixed with a cordial spoon or swizzle stick to dissolve the sugar. Here in this article we will look at the ritual that is involved with absinthe.

When you buy absinthe, you will find that true absinthe is unsweetened and this is why it is can be served with sugar. The sugar adds to the middle palette and also improves the herb flavour of the drink. The classic French ritual of serving absinthe typically involves placing a sugar cube on a perforated spoon, which is placed on top of the rim of the glass which contains the drink. Iced water is then slowly dripped onto the sugar cube which gradually dissolves and drips with the water into the absinthe.

Once you have added the water and sugar the green liquor turns into an opaque opalescent white as the essential oils precipitate out of the alcohol solution. Historically water was always carefully added to the mixture as the individual drips create milky swathes through the green. Part of the ritual was watching the drink change colour gradually. The ritual is an important part of absinthe as no other drink is consumed with such a calibrated type of ceremony, which is what has lent the drink its allure.

From historical evidence it seems that absinthe was always drunk the ritual way, even poor working men would buy absinthe and serve it this way, taking much care to slowly add the water and sugar. It really was seldom that the green drink was ever drunk neat (except perhaps by alcoholics who would have also drunk ether or cologne). Sugar is not always necessary for the drink and usually is down to taste, however when you buy absinthe I would recommend fully drinking it the traditional way. The slowness and care that is required will help put you in the right frame of mind to appreciate the subtleties of the drink and obviously make it taste much better than neat absinthe.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in food and drink.
Find out more about where toBuy Absinthe and how the services available can help with finding quality French Absinthe.

[tags]Buy Absinthe, Absinthe online, Authentic absinthe[/tags]

Sushi is one of the most popular Japanese foods. It is a complete dish with raw fish and rice as the primary ingredients. The distinctive quality of Japanese rice sticky when it is cooked makes it appropriate for sushi. Japanese sushi is said to bevinegar rice in most Japanese cuisine because the rice used in sushi are seasoned with sugar and vinegar.

This traditional Japanese dish often topped with other ingredients including fish, various meats, and vegetables is usually dipped in condiments like soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger before eating and it is eaten with chopsticks or by hand.

Health Benefits
Eating Japanese sushi could give health benefits. The two main ingredients namely raw fish and rice are great source of high protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals and importantly has low fat content. Such fat found in Japanese sushi is mostly unsaturated fat. An example is Omega-3, good for the heart.

There is no fat introduced in sushis preparation for it is served raw. The high levels of protein in Sushi are found in fillings. These are fish, tofu, seafood, egg, and many others. The vegetables used for sushi are rich source of minerals and vitamins. And the rice and the vegetables used are sources of carbohydrates.

Health hazards
Since one chief ingredient of Japanese sushi is fish, it does not mean it is free of health hazards. Fish like tuna especially blue fin contains high levels of mercury. It poses some danger when these are consumed in significant amounts. For this reason, since January of 2008, only a number of New York City dining establishments serve tuna sushi with sufficiently high mercury content that a weekly reference dose is limited to 2 to 6 pieces. This will depend on the quantity of tuna in the sushi and the weight of the person.

Undercooked seafood and salty condiments
The Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterium that grows in undercooked seafood. This can cause intestinal problem like diarrhea. Sushi also can be a mode of transmission of parasites and pathogens. So, it is important that sushi is properly prepared to avoid any problem.

Salty condiments like soy sauce are usually combined with sushi by the diner in whatever amount is desired. Such salty condiment can be dangerous to people with hypertension or renal disorders if overly taken.

Conveyor belt sushi restaurants
A well-known and inexpensive way of eating sushi is in restaurants with a conveyor belt sushi and sushi train. These unique restaurants are widely found in Japan and are becoming large in number abroad. The sushi in this restaurant is served on color coded plates. Each color denotes the cost of the sushi serving.

The sushi plates are placed on a moving strip or platform. Customers choose their desired plates as the belt or boat passes. They let the food pass if they do not like it, and the other customer could take it as it passes them. The customers bill is tallied by counting the number of plates of each color they have taken.

This unique way of serving food is also now being adapted in Japanese restaurants in other countries. It saves a lot of space and customers are able to get their orders fast.

Minimalist Japanese style
The traditional serving of sushi is inspired by simplistic and minimalist styles. The food is usually laid in basic symmetry, in wooden and monotone plates. However, small sushi restaurants do not use plates because the food is eaten directly off from the wooden counter.

For more information on Japanese Sushi and Miso Soup & Rice Bowlsplease visit our website.

[tags]Japanese sushi, Health Benefits, Health hazards, Undercooked seafood, Salty condiments, Conveyor bel[/tags]

If you want to eat healthy but still enjoy ice cream-like desserts there is a great, easy, raw pineapple ice cream dessert you can make. Raw fooders have been making this ice cream for a long time and it’s a great standby raw recipe. It isn’t really made with cream but the texture is that of ice cream, sorbet or sherbet. It’s a real surprise when you make it for the first time.

It’s simple and one of the easiest recipes to make if you want to eat healthy and want your family, friends and guests to eat healthy too. The kids love it. I have served it many times and no one even guessed that it wasn’t really ice cream in fact people ask for it over and over again when they come to visit or when I serve it at events.

Of course it’s a little hard to take to potlucks unless you’re having it at home because it needs to be kept frozen. It’s best served right after you make it. I often make it after my family or guests have arrived, but you don’t have to. You can make it ahead of time and just keep it in the freezer.

Pineapple is one of most nutritious foods on the planet. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulphur and manganese. It has high amounts of vitamin C and has vitamin A, B1 and B2 among others. The proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme bromolain (sometimes spelled bromolin) is responsible for healing and curing many diseases and conditions and new discoveries are made for it all the time.

Pineapple can stop or lessen inflammation in the body. It’s been used for arthritis - both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and to help repair tissues after injuries. Many people with hand and joint pain claim it has stopped arthritic pain in their fingers etc. It has been used for diabetic ulcers and to speed healing after surgery.

Pineapple can help digestion and is often used in some countries following the evening meal. It breaks down protein easily easing the demand on the body for its reserve supply of enzymes. It reduces blood clotting and can helps reduce or remove plaque from the artery walls.

It can actually help improve circulation and has helped many people who suffer from angina. It has helped bronchitis by clearing mucous waste and throat infections by digesting dead or diseased cells and microbes in the throat. It has helped all sorts of digestive problems and works like a laxative and a diuretic. It’s great for the brain too, helping with memory, sadness and that melancholy feeling. Other claims are that it helps cure eczema, gout, hiccups with one bite and lowers blood pressure.

So here’s the easy raw recipe.

Hard to believe but there is only one ingredient. It’s best made in a Champion juicer or Green Life, Green Power or Green Star Juicer or any juice extractor that has a homogenizing blank, however, it can be made in a food processor too. Centrifugal type juicers usually won’t work though - the mass market kind. You can try it if you have a juicer.

If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area you can easily find frozen pineapple tidbits they have in the frozen food case. Or you can use frozen pineapple from any other store it doesn’t matter. If you can’t buy frozen pineapple you can buy fresh chunks and freeze them or cut up fresh pineapple and freeze them.

I’ve found fresh pineapple from Costco seems to be the cheapest running around $3 per pineapple. Produce people have told me they grow like weeds in Hawaii and it’s doubtful they’re sprayed with chemicals. Cooked or canned pineapple won’t work and don’t contain bromolain, which is destroyed when it’s heated.

So take any amount of frozen pineapple and put it in the Champion juicer with the homogenizing blank or Green Life, Green Power or Green Star with the homogenizing blank or just use a food processor. In the juice extractors just run it through. In the food processor process it fast until creamy and quickly remove and refreeze.

You can also run frozen raspberries through after the ice cream and swirl some through or on the top of the pineapple ice cream for a nice effect.

You’ll magically have made the healthiest pineapple ice cream, sherbet or sorbet raw recipe on the planet and nobody will know they’re eating healthy, unless you tell them of course. This raw pineapple recipe is so easy and so good for us!

For my raw food diet cure and secrets - how I used it to help cure my breast cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, digestive & sleep issues, headaches, pain, weight loss, etc. see a nurse/raw food expert’s http://www.RawFoodDietCure.com and my easy raw food recipes http://www.RecipesRaw.com

[tags]raw food,raw food diet,raw food recipe,pineapple,easy,free raw food recipe,raw recipe,ice cream[/tags]

We all love to hear somebody tell us how better we look, it simply makes us feel better. You see our feeling better is connected to our loosing weight project. There is this inner success meter that would move whenever we approach our perfect weight, in short become slim and thin.

Oh, those beautiful cloths that would fit; that healthy feeling ; that strong feeling of being able to walk, run, participate in sport activities, planning for the next marathon and being able to finish it; man that belief of being sexy and strong which becomes a reality shared by others who notice.

But, here comes a question: How to reach that dream?

Well, as they say, welcome to the club! We all have been there in a way or another. We all wanted to lose a couple of pounds to fit that dress, to be able to participate in that sport event, or whatever dream we had in mind. We all have our own personal reasons to lose a couple of pounds.

And, we all feel the same happy feeling if we imagine this happening, even when someone close to us starts really losing them unwanted, unhealthy and unwelcome extra fat. It is a positive thing to do.

There are many obstacles in the way to our perfect weight. You see, we go through many experiences where we think that we have to go and eat unhealthy food, and not take good care of ourselves.

That’s what we agree on calling the fast food- maybe because we believe that time is money and we have to save some time- which we will regret its price later.

Healthy, organic, and balanced food doesn’t make us feel bad about ourselves, and what’s more important is that it doesn’t donate mass amounts of bad fat to us to suffer with.

Fat, is honestly of no value but harm to us. When fat arrives, perfect shape, weight, and superior feeling for our bodies simply disappears. It’s as if they don’t get along together.

One thing for sure, we have to pick which one to become friends with. If health, beautiful healthy body, and nice sexy feeling. Then you should start terminating fat and unwanted extra weight. It’s a decision one has got to make.

The less fat and unwanted weight you own, the more health and better looking you gain. And, Vice Versa. Remember: It is not impossible to do, many giants, and walking meat bags decided to become slim and good-looking. It’s a decision!

One’s imagination of her or his perfect version must be painted in mind. Steps of some sport activity, food awareness will follow. And, results will be awesome. A truly new version of you; the desired one.

I strongly advice you to take this decision, and decide to take action, now! You will be glad you did. Your health will thank you. You fitness, and activities will thank you. Your new cloths will hug you, and you will be dazzled and amazed of how strong you were to achieve whatever you had in mind. You are worth it, and nobody can stand up in your way. Not anymore. Allow me congratulate you!

Ehab Ribhi lost a lot of weight and regrets not taking action long time ago. To have a better-looking body and start feeling better, please visit:

http://www.YourHealthIsPriority.com

[tags]diet, weight loss, how to lose weight, fat loss, fat burn, women over 30, women over 40, meal, shape[/tags]

If you know about or have heard about raw foods you may have come across articles that talk about raw crackers - or more commonly - raw flax seed crackers. Raw crackers are generally standbys for raw foodists of which I am one. I’ve been making raw vegan or raw flax seed crackers for many years. I’ve tried dozens of recipes and come up with many of my own and many variations of those. The basic flax seed cracker recipe that most raw fooders start out on is easily prepared by vegans who are not raw fooders and anyone else who has access to a dehydrator.

It’s hard to make raw flaxseed crackers without a dehydrator. People have tried to make them in low heat ovens but generally the heat is too hot for them and it doesn’t really work.

Here is my basic recipe for Raw Vegan Flax Seed Crackers.

You’ll need flax seeds either brown or golden but most raw fooders use brown flax seeds. They’re cheaper and just as nutritious as golden although some dispute that and pure unfiltered water to start.

Here are two basic ways to start. Either with flax seeds ground up in a food processor or by soaking the flax seeds overnight. If you’re going to soak the whole flax seeds you want to soak them for 5-8 hours or overnight.

Add the flax seeds to a mixing bowl and add about two teaspoons of sun-dried sea salt and slowly add about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of pure filtered water. You can add less or add more if it’s too dry. You want to be able to spread the mixture easily. Now this is the basic way. Now you can add whatever spices you like. You can add 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, or 2-3 tablespoons of caraway seeds, 1-2 tablespoons of dried basil or coriander seeds.

You can just estimate on the seasonings but add enough. Now you can experiment and create your own cracker recipe. You can add a tomato or two or 3-4 dates or celery juice or carrot juice. If you add juices make sure to adjust the water so you don’t have too much liquid. Or you can add about 4-5 stalks celery or so to the food processor when you’re processing the flax seeds and water.

Spread your mixture out on teflex sheets or dehydrator trays with no holes. Cut into squares. Dehydrate them at about 95-100 degrees for about 12 hours and then turn over. Just place another tray on top and flip over. Then dehydrate for another 12 hours or so. Take a bite and you can tell if they’re ready. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight jar. It’s hard to ever over-dehydrate them. For a softer cracker check more often and shorten the dehydrating time.

Making flax seed crackers is really fun and easy. You can create so many versions. You’ll find some that you love. Make sure to write down what you’re adding so you can repeat it. You can serve flax seed crackers to non raw fooders too. Vegan and non-vegans alike love flax seed crackers.

For my raw food diet cure and secrets - how I used it to help cure my breast cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, digestive & sleep issues, headaches, pain, weight loss, etc. see a nurse/raw food expert’s http://www.RawFoodDietCure.com and my easy raw food recipes http://www.RecipesRaw.com

[tags]raw foods,raw food,raw food recipes,flax seed crackers,easy,free raw food recipe,raw recipe[/tags]

The well known saying ‘we become what we eat’ is generally true, as it has been established over and over again, that healthy people consume healthy foods. When we make the correction from eating meat to a vegetarian diet, our cholesterol levels drop, our body fat reading decreases, we are less likely to contract many types of cancers, the chances of having diabetes reduces, our blood pressure falls into a normal range and generally, our overall health and fitness improves. Moving towards a meat-free way of life has been shown statistically to decrease the occurrence of so many of the diseases of industrialized countries.

A great benefit of a meat-free lifestyle is the plentiful supply of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts that assist in the prevention of certain cancers and also create a healthy digestive system. The majority of vegetarians who are genuine about changing the way they eat have also eliminated poultry from their daily diet. They feel repulsive about the way chickens are contained in such crammed and inhumane conditions and filled with growth promoting substances and antibiotics making them taste nothing like chicken should taste with reduced nutritional value.

The best result is to eliminate red meat from your eating habits altogether. At least you are stopping and controlling the worst villain of all when it comes to diseases of the digestive tract and a number of other body functions. Apart from reducing your cholesterol or blood pressure, you may reduce your risk of diseases including colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. All of these cancers have been connected in studies to western style meat-based eating habits. Vegetarians don’t eat animal fat known to link to these cancers.

Deciding to make healthy food choices that are known to be good for your heart can really lower the chances of heart disease. Thousands of American people die each year from obesity related illnesses the most common being diabetes and heart disease. Finding out the advantages of vegetarian style eating can change your prospects for the better, of a prolonged and vigorous life. Not taking action about your well being is like waiting for a miracle ‘health fairy’ to fly down from the heavens and wave her magic powers to make you feel better.

Immediately after the decision has taken place to shift to a more healthy way of living, you will have the opportunity to appreciate a variety of wonderful, nourishing and hardy meals that all of the family will acknowledge and appreciate. With some creativity on your part, you will be surprised the amount of variety you are able to create with your vegetarian meals. By learning about the number of meat-free dishes available you will quickly become the expert and will be able to pass this knowledge on to the people you care for the most.

Bill Hansen is a writer and researcher on tasty and nutritious vegetarian food and recipes. If you want to know more about how to follow a healthy vegetarian diet please visit:- http://www.aboutvegetarianrecipes.com

[tags]Vegetarian diet,vegetarian,vegetarian food,vegetarian dishes,vegetarian recipes,vegetarians[/tags]

The beauty of preparing pasta is that all you need is boiling water.

Even if you only have one pan you can still make a plethora of incredible pasta dishes just by boiling or cooking pasta properly.

The proper way is of course Al Dente: firm, just slightly crunchy. Yes, slightly crunchy. Pastas incredible nutty flavor can only be achieved if it is cooked extra firm. I know, I know, this might be foreign to most people, but once you have tasted pasta which is truly Al Dente you will understand why Italians adore pasta.

So, the essential thing is boiling water. Specifically, well salted boiling water. How much water depends on how much pasta you are cooking. Plenty of water is best, but, even if you are limited to a small pan, do not fret, all your pasta needs is salted boiling water.

In a perfect world a large, oversized pot would be best. But, if you are cooking, lets say, a pound of pasta for a group to enjoy, even an eight cup/two quart pan will do just fine. Yes, eight cups or two quarts of water will do the trick for a pound of pasta.

Bring the water to the highest boil you can and leave it at that temperature. Add enough salt (I recommend sea salt for both flavor and mineral content) so that you can just taste it in the water. Too much salt is as bad as too little salt.

Once the water is boiling fiercely add the pasta and stir it briskly in the pan until it comes to a boil once again.

Here is an old professional pasta cooking trick for when you are cooking any type of spaghetti or long pasta. Break the pasta in half before dropping it into the pan. Not only will it fit perfectly but it will cook evenly. You are not waiting for the pasta to cook and bend itself into the pan, which can take over a minute. Your pasta will have the same perfect Al Dente (firm, slightly hard, slightly crunchy) texture all the way through. In addition, it is Much Easier to eat. It also takes on sauces much better than foot long plus pasta.

Most pasta packages recommend that you cook the pasta for a certain number of minutes. In almost every case, if it is written in English, you will be told to cook the pasta way beyond its Al Dente phase. Why? Because most Americans are used to pre-cooked pasta at restaurants, prepared hours in advance (gag!) and placed in a refrigerator to be reheated with your chosen sauce when you order. Or, they are accustomed to (Oh my God, no) canned pasta products. So, while you can use the cooking time as a guide, the key to perfect pasta is to drain it the minute it begins to fold easily and still has a bit of crunchiness to it. The only way you can achieve this is to keep an eye on it. Stir it regularly as it boils and test it with a fork or spoon. Remember, once you drain it the pasta will keep cooking on its own. By the time you add it to your sauce or accompaniment, over a moderate heat in a pan, it continues to cook as well. This technique is called In Patella or In The Pan, in Italian.

Thick macaroni products (ziti, farfalle, rotini) will take slightly longer to cook than spaghetti varieties. The thinner the spaghetti variety, the Less time it will take to cook al dente. Angel hair pasta can take less than two minutes to cook if your going to finish it properly In Patella where it will continue to cook or soften.

And Never, Ever, Ever rinse pasta. You will destroy its flavor, make it soft, and destroy the ultimate pasta experience. So remember, Never, Ever, Ever rinse pasta.

Another excellent professional pasta cooking tip is to save a cup or so of the cooking water before draining, in the event that your pasta needs more moisture when you add it to your sauce or accompaniment. Adding fresh water will destroy the pastas flavor as if you have rinsed it. So, just in case, keep a cup of the cooking water handy.

If this sounds like a more complicated process than you are used to, relax, I assure you it is easy once you have tried the technique just once.

The Pasta Channel - EVERYTHING about Pasta and what goes WITH Pasta! Visit us for Authentic Pasta How-to Preparation Videos, Fast and Easy Recipes, Pasta Making Products, Cookbooks, Guest Chefs, Newsletters, Best Of Pasta Dining and Travel Recommendations, and more - at http://ThePastaChannel.com

[tags]pasta, italian food, tomato sauce, italian cooking, pasta sauce, cooking guide, pasta recipes[/tags]

Now that we’re well and truly into Winter down here in the Southern Hemisphere, I decided today would be a great day to share some tips on making a great custard. Custard is fantastic in the colder weather, and is very versatile, being able to use it with many different types of dessert (or even eat it on its own!).

The other great time to enjoy the perfect custard is at Christmas, it’s a very traditional dessert in my family at that time of the year.

Made from a basic mixture of milk, eggs and sugar, and sometimes flavoured with ingredients such as vanilla beans, custard can be served warm or cold.

There are two types of custard. Stirred custards are cooked in a saucepan until thick but still liquid in consistency, while baked custards are usually cooked in ovenproof dishes in a water bath or bain-marie until set.

Easy Custard Recipe Preparation
Stirred Custard

The standard test is to cook until the mixture will coat the back of a metal spoon, which is not as easy to determine as it sounds because uncooked custard will also leave a bit of a film on a spoon.

The difference is that cooked custard should leave a thick, translucent, almost jellylike coat about the consistency of gravy. If you suspect that custard is on the verge of curdling, then just plunge the pan into some ice water to stop it cooking further.

Baked Custard

Insert a table knife into custard midway between rim and center (not in the middle as cookbooks once instructed). If the knife comes out clean, then the custard is done. Remove at once from water bath and cool.

To chill quickly, set custard in ice water-but only if baking dish is one that can take abrupt changes of temperature without breaking.

What to Do About Curdled Custard

If it’s baked custard, the best idea is to turn it into a Trifle by mixing with small hunks of cake. If it is stirred custard, strain out the lumps and serve as a sauce over cake, fruit, or gelatin dessert.

Caution: Keep custards refrigerated; they spoil easily, often without giving a clue.

Check out this excellent recipe for baked custard below…

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

3 slightly beaten eggs
2 cups milk, scalded
1/4 cup white or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation
Step 1

Combine eggs, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly stir in slightly cooled milk and vanilla. Fill six 5-ounce custard cups; set in shallow pan on oven rack. Pour hot water into pan, 1 inch deep.

Step 2

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until knife inserted off-centre comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled. To unmold chilled custard, first loosen the edge; then slip the point of the knife down the side to let some air in. Invert.

Step 3

For one large custard, bake in 1 quart casserole about 60 minutes.

Mick Reade has been working as a chef in Australia for over 10 years, in a variety of different types of kitchens all across the country, and now helps teach others how easy it can be to cook healthy delicious food. For a free cookbook, check out http://www.alleasyfoodrecipes.com

[tags]easy recipes, easy custard, custard tips, custard recipe, custard, custard recipes, baked custard[/tags]