Watch How To Cook http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:52:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en Healthy Eating Shopping List http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/healthy-eating-shopping-list/29/ http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/healthy-eating-shopping-list/29/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:52:36 +0000 Admin http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/?p=29
by: Kathryn Whittaker
Healthy eating starts with careful planning and organization. Since fresh produce has a very limited shelf life, regular grocery shopping is a must. Creating a menu for the week and writing out a shopping list will save you time and money; while helping you stick to healthy recipes. Local health food stores and farmer markets are very money-wise solutions. Plus, frequent visits will allow you expand your culinary horizons as well as mingle with other health-concerned people.

Healthy eating means using fresh ingredients and gentle cooking methods without adding any artificial ingredients and fats. Healthy eating requires a lot of cooking, since take-out food often contains too many refined fats and artificial seasonings. However, with modern appliances you will discover that cooking is no longer an annoying chore reserved for special occasions, but an exciting part of everyday life.

So which products should we buy when we actually decide to begin eating healthy food? Here’s what your weekly shopping list should include.

Vegetables. All vegetables should be eaten young, when they are tender and not coarse. Vegetables are best bought from fresh food markets or seasonal, when they are sold in boxes or baskets. Supermarket vegetables are often genetically modified or have been picked green and ripened in boxes when traveling long distances. Sprouts and brightly colored vegetables contain the most vitamins and antioxidants.

Fruits. Again, the trick is to buy seasonal fruit, since exotic fruits have often traveled long distances and ripened in their boxes, not on trees. Local, naturally ripened or, better yet, organic fruit are the best choice for the health-conscious cook.

Herbs. Aromatic herbs and spices can be used fresh or dried. The best idea is to plant the aromatic herbs in pots on your window and use them fresh whenever you need them. To preserve flavor, you can buy spices whole and use them freshly ground.

Cheese. Although cheese is quite rich in fats, cheese is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Buy only fresh cheeses in small quantities and try to eat them at once, since gourmet cheeses don’t have a lengthy shelf life.

Eggs. Buy only organic or free-range eggs, and shake them before buying to ensure freshness.

Fish and shellfish. The best way to buy fish is fresh and unfrozen. Again, most of the fish in supermarkets comes from fish farms where it is fed with artificial substances, and this fish cannot be used in healthy recipes. Pink salmon and other popular kinds of fish will most likely come from a fish farm. Shellfish is a more healthy choice, since shrimp, for example, does not live in chemically polluted water. When you boil mussels, discard those that do not open.

Meat. For truly healthy eating purposes it’s better to skip meat entirely, since it’s almost impossible to find meat that comes from an environmentally and health conscious farmer. Most of the meat in supermarkets has enormous quantities of growth hormones and antibiotics. The best meat for use in healthy recipes comes from small farming communities or organic farms.

Grains. Whole wheat and whole grains should become a staple of your healthy eating routine, because many healthy ingredients are contained in the grain shell. Rice is the only exclusion from the rule, because, even though the rice grain shell is removed, many nutritional elements still remain in the rice grain.

What we eat become a part of us. So make your kitchen a starting point for your new healthy eating habits, and enjoy preparing healthy meals.

About the author:
Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on living a Healthy Lifestyle please visit http://www.healthy-lifestyle-guide.com/and for additional Healthy Lifestyle articles please visit the following article page http://www.healthy-lifestyle-guide.com/healthylifestyle-articles/.

]]> http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/healthy-eating-shopping-list/29/feed/ Converting a Stovetop Recipe to a Crockpot Recipe http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/converting-a-stovetop-recipe-to-a-crockpot-recipe/28/ http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/converting-a-stovetop-recipe-to-a-crockpot-recipe/28/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:18:40 +0000 Admin http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/?p=28
Crockpots vary but the low setting is typically around 100 degrees and its high setting is around 300 degrees.

Knowing this, it is fairly easy to convert most recipes for use in your slow cooker. Some adjusments to cooking times will be a judgement call on your part, but some simple guidelines should help. Just follow a few simple rules and you’re on your way.

You should decrease the liquid since it does not boil away in a crockpot.

Add cheeses and other milk product towards the end of your cooking since they tend to break down if they are cooked for too long.

Brown any ground beef before adding to the crockpot. It will taste better and have better texture this way.

Add rice and noodles at the end of your cooking as well. They will turn mushy if they are cooked too long. You can cook these separately and then combine them when it’s time to serve.

Add your spices at the end.

If a stovetop recipe calls for 15-30 minutes, the crockpot should cook it for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hrs at a high temperature and 4 - 8 hours at its low temperature setting.

If a stovetop recipe calls for 35-45 minutes, the crockpot should cook it for 3-4 hrs at a high temperature setting and 6 - 10 hours at its low temperature setting.

If a stovetop recipe calls for 50 min to 3 hours, the crockpot should cook it for 4 - 6 hrs at a high temperature setting and 8 - 16 hours at its low temperature setting.

Following these guidelines will allow you to be able to convert a stovetop recipe to its delicious slow cooking counterpart!

About the author:

Tony’s website www.my-crockpot-recipesprovides hundreds of delicious and easy to make crockpot recipes.

]]> http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/converting-a-stovetop-recipe-to-a-crockpot-recipe/28/feed/ Safety In The Kitchen http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/safety-in-the-kitchen/15/ http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/safety-in-the-kitchen/15/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:22:37 +0000 Admin http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/safety-in-the-kitchen/15/ Statistics show that a majority of fires in the home are started in the kitchen. Because the kitchen is where most appliances are used there are the greatest number of electrical outlets and cords in the kitchen.   As a homeowner and the chef of the family, it is important that you are aware of any electrical wiring problems that may be present in the kitchen and take care of them immediately to prevent any shortages from occuring.

Here is a list of common sense reminders for kitchen safety:

1. Make sure all electrical cords are safely tucked away and not dangling from the counter or trailing across the floor. An electrical cord should be straight and never bent or kinked. Check your cords regularly for any damage.

2. Don’t hang towels or wet clothes near cookers or other heat sources in the kitchen.

3. Keep your ovens and grill clean.  Build of dried and burnt food spills could lead to a fire while cooking your next meal.

4. Never put anything with metal or metallic accents in the microwave. Verify that anything you put into your mocrowave is microwave friendly. Cover your food witha paper towel or lid to avoid food splatter and reduce clean time.

5. Absolutely, never dry your clothes or other fabric items in your mocrowave. The purpose of a microwave is to heat your food not serve as a clothes dryer.

6.  Keep electric cord away from the sink and other areas where water my pool. Also, keep plants or anything else that’s wet near your electric appliances.

7. If you have curtains hanging in your kitchen, don’t place your toaster near them.

8. Don’t overload your outlets with extension cords and outlet extenders. The general rule is one plug per socket. If you need additional outlets, hire an electrician to check your wiring and install the additional outlets.

9. It is essential to have a properly working smoke alarm installed in your kitchen. Get one that has a silence button so if ever it goes off by accident, you can turn it off quickly.

10. Keep a fire blanket and first aid kit handy in your kitchen so you can handle any accidents quickly and efficiently.

Above all, don’t ever leave your cooking unattended. You have to attend to it fully; especially items cooking on the stove top. If the phone rings or someone shows up at your door,  let some one else get it. Fire begins where attention ends.

]]> http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/safety-in-the-kitchen/15/feed/ Using Correct Cooking Measurements Spells Success http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/using-correct-cooking-measurements-spells-success/14/ http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/using-correct-cooking-measurements-spells-success/14/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:59:11 +0000 Admin http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/using-correct-cooking-measurements-spells-success/14/ You don’t need to be a stickler about precise cooking measurements in every recipe but there is a reason why some recipes call for specific ingredients, measurement amounts and cooking temperatures . . . they are essential to the success of the recipe.  A little deviation won’t hurt too much though.  Here are a few tips on following cooking measurements:

1. Keep in mind that accurately measuring your ingredients is a good thing to do but every good cook knows that slight deviations may actually improve the taste of your recipes.  However, there are some recipes that will require you to follow the exact measurements for it to turn out successfully. Using the exact measurements will ensure a pleasant experience in the cooking process.

2. One of the most accurate ways to measure dry cooking ingredients is to level off the measuring cup or spoon with the flat end of a knife. Store the carefully measured ingredients in individual plastic baggies to speed up the cooking process later.

3. It is important to know the conversions of cooking measurements. In a situation where you don’t have some of the proper measuring utensils, it will be easier to make the necessary adjustments if you know the correct conversions. You can find this information in a good cookbook or on the internet. This information will also be helpful when you have to multiply the measurements to increase the number of servings. For example, use cups instead of teaspoons by converting the measurements.

4. Liquid is measured in volume as well as some solids like sugar, flour, salt and spices. Meats are measured in mass or counts.

5. Accurate temperature control is required for some recipes.  Cookware items like electric skillets, burners and table top grills come with thermostats so you can easily regulate the temperature.

6. When cooking any kind of meat it is important to ensure that the cooking temperature and internal temperature of the meat are accurate.  Using the correct temperature yields a better tasting meat and ensures that microorganisms are killed.  You can measure the internal heat temperature with a meat thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the meat cut. Avoid getting too close to or touch a bone as this will result in an inaccurate temperature reading.

7. When cooking recipes such as sauces and gravies, it’s important to maintain a steady temperature to avoid scorching the sauce.  Nothing tastes worse than the burnt flavor scorching causes.

As you can see, using the proper cooking measurements and cooking temperature can be very important to the success of your recipe. If you are serious about the art of cooking, a little knowledge about correct conversions and measurements will ensure a tasty recipe and a safe meal.

]]> http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/using-correct-cooking-measurements-spells-success/14/feed/ Choose Healthy Cooking Ingredients To Improve Your Recipes . . . And Your Health! http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/choose-healthy-cooking-ingredients-to-improve-your-recipes-and-your-health/13/ http://watchhowtocook.com/cooking-blog/choose-healthy-cooking-ingredients-to-improve-your-recipes-and-you