Cooking & Baking

Want to know how to get more fruits and vegetables into your meals to meet the recommended amount. Here are a few simple steps to get them into your daily diet.

Vegetables can be dried whole or sliced, using the sun, air or heat. Some vegetables dry best when strung; others have their tops braided together. Still others must be sliced thin and placed on...

Stew is a filling and hearty meal made of cut up vegetables, herbs, spices, potatoes, pasta or rice and cut up meat. Because stew cooks on a low simmer, it is possible to use a less expensive cut...

Dehydrating food is a method of preserving food by removing its water content. A raisin--once a grape--is an easy example of a dehydrated food. And although plenty of foods are commercially...

Metal steamers are a common kitchen tool that many people don't know how to use. These adjustable stainless steel flower-like devices are lurking in a drawer in a lot of kitchens without ever...

Americans are on the go twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. To help meet this challenge we exchange healthy home cooked meals for fast food. From our early beginning Americans, unlike our...

Commercially sold vegetables are picked before they ripen to guarantee a certain shelf life in the grocery store. So, unless you buy vegetables at a local farmers' market, it's sometimes...

Being able to preserve foods you've picked in the summer gives you the opportunity to enjoy local garden or farm produce all year long. You can also preserve foods that you find on special at the...

You recently purchased a FoodSaver, a vacuum packaging system, and have been using it to seal meat and vegetables for storage in your refrigerator's freezer. Now you are wondering if you can use...

You can preserve many types of food in solutions of vinegar, a process commonly called pickling. Among the most popular are cucumbers, peppers, beans and other vegetables. Pickled foods last...

We have a family of six and I have a hard time getting food to stretch all month. Whether you are on a fixed income or get food stamps....food is hard to come by sometimes. I want to give you some...

Most people put very little thought into food storage when putting groceries away. Tossing all vegetables and fruits into the crisper drawer, also known as the humidity drawer or the vegetable...

Beef stew meat is one of the least expensive cuts of beef and can be used in many different recipes calling for beef. Stew meat usually comes from tougher parts of the cow and needs to be...

Restaurant fried rice is a wonderful accompaniment to many dishes or can be a meal in itself. This recipe is the closest I have found to the fried rice in Chinese restaurants.

The common freezing process when freezing fresh vegetables such as summer squash is to slice the vegetables and blanch them before freezing. Blanching is important before freezing vegetables...

Over-boiled vegetables and meat that has been cooked dry and flavorless make for an unpleasant meal, and they have also lost many of the vitamins that give them their nutritional value. Cooking to...

Oftentimes we cannot avoid buying more meat and vegetables than will be needed for a specific recipe leaving these ingredients to go to waste. Knowing how to create new dishes by using leftover...

Cauliflower and broccoli are cruciferous vegetables that are full of fiber and crunch. Fresh broccoli is at its best when the buds are tight and green; cauliflower looks and tastes freshest when...

In a primitive survival situation, you rely on nature to supply your needs. That's why dehydration is the oldest way to preserve food. Sun drying prevents bacterial growth by removing the moisture...

Because of the many measuring cups and spoons available, determining the correct amount of a necessary ingredient for a recipe can be tricky. Fortunately, measuring vegetables is fairly...

Thai eggplant is considerably different than other varieties of the vegetable. Most eggplants are long with purple skin, while Thai eggplant is round with green and white coloring. It's also...

Beef tongue is an overlooked and underused part of the cow. The tongue is a tough, fiberous muscle that is naturally low in fat due to its constant movement. When prepared correctly, cow tongue...

Canned vegetables give you a source of greens any time of the year, but this convenience comes at the price of taste. To preserve the vegetables in the cans, manufacturers cook the contents and...

Steam your vegetables to delicious, tender perfection without boiling out the nutritive properties using your stock pot steamer. Prepare your fresh vegetables in just a few minutes with steam to...

Cooking a healthy, vegetable-based meal using waterless cookware can be done by even the most inexperienced cooks. In addition to eating a vegetarian diet, which contains no meat, fish, or...

During growth, harvest and shipment, fruits and vegetables come into contact with many kinds of bacteria. Clean produce properly before eating it to remove harmful bacteria that can cause...

If you've ever wanted to make thin, even slices of fruits or vegetables but weren't sure how, a mandoline is the key to your success. Unfortunately, they have a reputation for being difficult to...

Steaming vegetables can be a chore with bulky stove-top steamers. Luckily, there are Tupperware steamers available that fit right in your microwave. They can steam fresh vegetables in as little as...

Canning fresh vegetables at home ensures a healthy alternative to the high-sodium version found in stores. Whether you can in a pressure canner or water-bath canner depends mostly on the acidity...

Although food processors and blenders share some of the same functions, they each have their own individual highlights and usages. Both range in price from moderate to high, and both are extremely...

This recipe is one of the few reverse-engineerings I've ever done. I had a dish like this in a Thai restaurant in Hong Kong and have forgotten its name (let me know if you know it). It seemed like...

Steam cooking is a healthy alternative in preparing foods. The benefits are not just of the food retaining its natural smell and color, but it also conserves its natural microelements and...

Beef rump roast is a delicious cut of beef that is taken from the bottom round. The meat is inexpensive and is available at grocery stores and meat markets across the country. One serving of rump...

For years we have been told that raw vegetables are healthier than those that are cooked. However, according to the results of an Italian study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food...

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes foodborne illness, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Salmonellosis is the infection caused by salmonella. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal...

Many people love the taste and textures of dried fruits, vegetables and meats. Dehydration is a great way to extend the shelf life to enjoy a seasonal food year-round.

The George Foreman Baby Rotisserie is a product that offers a method of cooking meat and vegetables in a relatively healthy way. It rotates foods as they cook and allows excess fat to drip off the...

Peelers are an invaluable tool in the kitchen in the preparation of fruits and vegetables. There is an extensive range of peelers available with different properties and made from various...

A grilling basket is a metal basket used when cooking smaller food items, such as vegetables, on the barbecue grill. The selected items stay securely between the wire panels, which prevent them...

Steaming is a healthy way to cook vegetables. Often, when vegetables are boiled or microwaved a good portion of their vitamins and minerals escape. Steaming helps retain the essential nutrients...

Food steamers provide a healthy cooking method that allows fruits, vegetables and meats to retain their natural nutrients and minerals without being saturated or diminished by cooking oils, sauces...

The Saladmaster, introduced in 1947, is a stove-top cooking system made of stainless steel. The all-purpose, combination utensil roasts, bakes, steams and fries. It features a system that contains...

After a long day of work I come home, open the fridge and think... What do I have that I can make quick? Frozen dinners are great when your in a hurry but sometimes you want a good home cooked...

Blanching and refreshing vegetables is a simple culinary technique to be able to retain nutrients, bright colors and texture.

Reducing fat and cholesterol in your cooking can be a challenge. Many easily cooked or prepackaged meals are loaded with excess fat. Think of developing a low-fat diet that will lower your...

Once you learn a few basic canning techniques you can quickly and easily preserve months worth of your summer fruits and vegetables. Just gather your canning equipment, fill and seal your jars and...

Not only do vegetables taste better when steamed, they even look better! They still have a fresh, crisp look that canned or boiled vegetables lose. By steaming your vegetables, you will also keep...

If you want to increase your intake of healthy, fresh vegetables, a steamer basket is an indispensable tool. Cooking vegetables in steamer a basket ensures that the vitamins and minerals won't be...

One of the most popular traditional Dutch meals is Hutspot. Hutspot legend says the recipe comes from cooked potato bits left by the Spanish in their hasty retreat following their siege of Leiden...

If you are looking to save money by growing and freezing your own vegetables, here are a few tips.