How To Use Your Slow Cooker For Convenient And Healthy Meals

By Peter Smith

When you get stuck in that rut of grabbing whatever you have on hand as you rush out the door or are spending tons of money in the fast food drive thru, it is time to do something different. The health and convenience benefits that can be gained simply by owning a slow cooker are enormous.

Instead of filling your fat cells and reaping the unhealthy rewards that often come with a busy life, every active adult should own a crock pot. This is especially true if you have a family to feed as well.

Purchasing a crockpot will put an end to the unhealthy meals on days when you just don't have time to stop and cook a complete meal. You can throw in whatever foods you have readily on hand and let it cook while you sleep or while you are off working, going to school, or playing car pool with the kids. Consider just a couple basic ways to use one of these cookers.

If you have chicken broth on hand and some frozen or fresh vegetables you could create your own soups. You can even add raw chicken to water and let it cook to create your own broth. Add in whatever other ingredients you happen to have on hand and you have a great starter for your soup.

Get creative because a great assortment of soups can be created depending on the ingredients you have in your kitchen at any given moment. For items like pasta and potatoes that don't need a lot of time to cook, add them into your soup base a few hours or so before you want to eat.

Dry beans are one of those ultra healthy foods that most people bypass because they take so much time to cook properly. The slow gradual cook time of a crockpot is just perfect for this type of thing. Just toss them in with some water for a healthier option to canned beans.

If you want beans and rice for a complete healthy meal, you can let the beans cook overnight and add in whole grain brown rice in the morning before leaving for work. You can even add different seasoning or sauces to create Mexican rice or a spicy dirty rice. Throw in some browned ground turkey for even more variety.

You can create a slow cooker version of literally any recipe you enjoy, so use some creative forethought!

About the Author:

Peter Smith is an operator of family own restaurant and write blog about slow cooker review. He find it interesting to recommend and write some of the best slow cooker reviews in his blog.

Cake Decorating Tips

By Zion Ponce

A tastefully decorated cake can attract more attention than a plain one. So if you want your cakes to look delicious, you may have to read a lot of cake decorating tips to perfect your skill.

It takes time to study complex cake decoration. So, for simple, everyday cakes, I'll show you four tips for making delicious looking cakes.

To become a cake decorator and make complex cake decorations can take a lot of time. But, for everyday, basic, but great looking cakes, I've listed four tips that will accomplish this for you.

Cooling your cake is number one. If your cake is warm, your icing will melt, and this is not good. When the cake comes out of the oven, the first step is to cool it on a wire rack for about 15-30 minutes. You must take the cake out of the pan immediately because if you don't it might stick to the pan itself and ruin your cake.

Frosting and icing take time as well. If you run out of time, you can just buy frosting and icing. There are lots of ready to use frosting on the market. Just simply purchase what you need for your delicious cake.

Choosing the right piping bag is also important. If you are just starting to be a cake decorator, choose a rigid bag so you can control it easily. To apply the right amount of icing or frosting on your cake, you need to control the pressure of your grip. For background and full icing cover, bigger piping tips are necessary. For Fine details and for complex designs, small piping tips or fine holes work best.

Candy bits and shaved chocolate make great finishing touches. Your cake will look, and hopefully taste delicious! I mean, what cake doesn't taste good with chocolate or sugared candy bits.

For everyday cakes, these tips are best. Keep looking though, because there are certainly many more tips and styles that you can use in making every day cakes look delicious!

About the Author:

Want to learn how decorate awesome cakes? My new ebook reveals secret tips for cake decorating that the pros don't want you to know. When you learn how to decorate cake you won't ever be at the mercy of the bakery again. Grab your copy quick before supplies run out.

Enjoy the Pleasures of a Home Cooked Meal

By Ashley King

There are many advantages when it comes to home cooking. While some prefer to go out to dinner eat, others prefer to stay at home and prepare a fresh meal with all natural ingredients. Many have a passion for cooking and knowing that by making a meal at home, the family is provided with something healthy and fulfilling.

Though everyone is not a trained chef, anyone who is able to turn on the stove and boil water is able to experience the advantages of home cooking.

Steps to Get You Started

The first thing that you should do is get a high quality, in-depth cookbook. If you have young children, you might want to look into a cookbook for baby foods. You can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars by cooking at home. Start while your children are young.

This is the first benefit of home cooking: you are able to save money.

If you find that you sometimes have a hard time keeping rein on your wallet because of high gas costs to visit a local restaurant, buying a "how to cook food at home" cookbook is a must for you. You can save hundreds of dollars a week by staying at home and cooking instead of eating out.

Though it may seem to be laborious to make a home-cooked meal, once you are able to get a grip on the basics, you can make meals easily while even learning to have fun while cooking. The hardest part is learning how to get started.

Another benefit of home cooking is that you have full control over all of the ingredients that are put into the food as well as the size of the portions. The biggest problem with people who are out of shape is that they continue to eat out. By cooking food at home, portion sizes can be reduced and fattening foods can be replaced with healthy, fresh ingredients.

If you have ever been able to see what goes into restaurant food, you would be shocked at how much processed and high fat foods are used in the typical meals. Though it tastes, smells, and looks delicious, this food is generally very unhealthy. If you take the time to make your own meals in your kitchen, you will see your health improve before your eyes.

A final benefit of cooking at home is that you are able to obtain a skill that you can use throughout your entire life. At home, at a friend's house, or on the road, you will know how to prepare a quality meal that is healthy for everyone in the family.

If you are a beginner at cooking, or you aren't the best chef, pick up a cookbook and start making small, simple meals for yourself and your family. In time, you will be able to prepare some of the most difficult meals confidently.

About the Author:

Looking for tips on healthy cooking, home cooking, or gourmet cooking? Visit the Cooking Site for articles and advice to improve your culinary skills.

It's The History Of Chocolate The Condensed Edition!

By Mike Davis

The history of chocolate starts with the cocoa tree which is native to the forests of South and Central America and grows to approximately 20 foot high.

This quite delicate tree starts to produce fruit in its 4th to 5th year. Large yellow or red pods encase a white pulp that hides its treasure of between 20 to 50 cocoa beans.

The cocoa bean was cultivated for centuries by the Maya Indians, the Mexican Aztecs and the Incas of Peru where they had ceremonial significance and were associated with the festivities of births and marriages. At these events they were regularly used as a tribute or money. In some areas only those of the highest ranking could enjoy the wonderful drink boiling these beans could produce.

When the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1519 they were so taken with this chocolaty drink (although they did add sugar to sweeten the taste) they introduced these trees to Trinidad where they closely guarded their secret s of cultivation and preparation. It wasn't long however before the trees spread to the West India Islands and The Philippines'. The Dutch are believed to have introduced them into Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Gull fog Guinea, South America however remained the chief exporter and producer until 1891.

In the Seventeenth century the drink was introduced to the noblemen and women of the courts of Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England. Chocolate was still an expensive luxury even though the secret to its preparation was out in the open. When the first chocolate house was opened in London in 1657, the cost of a pound of chocolate was more than 6 months wages putting it way out of the price range of your average 17th century Londoner and therefore making it only available to the very wealthy. This was due to the heavy import duty imposed on cocoa beans.

Both drinking and eating chocolate are relatively new inventions that were developed during the 19th century. The chocolate of today was not produced until a Dutchman discovered how to press the cocoa butter out of the beans.

The pressed beans could then produce a much less fatty drinking chocolate that was much more palatable than the rich buttery drink the Aztecs had made centuries earlier. The cocoa butter could then be used to make eating chocolate. These techniques were perfected in 1847 by J.S. Fry and the delicious bit of dreamworld that we know today as chocolate was on sale for the 1st time.

Now while the history of chocolate is all very interesting, does it really matter to those of us who just want to gorge ourselves on the sweet creamy taste, how it got here. Or just that it did. The weird thing about history is that it changes all the time and while most things get better and progress naturally forward, Why is there always someone that wants' to screw with a good thing. Something weird is happening to chocolate, it's progressing and getting politically correct, it's getting better for us while losing its delicious taste.

Chocolate doesn't have a hard job to do, it doesn't have to fund the cure for cancer or date James Blunt (Whom I've kissed but that's a whole nother story!) it just has to tantalize our taste buds and make us smile as we swallow.

Chocolate Video

Chocolate lovers all over the world it's time to pick up your chocolate molds get out of your chocolate fountain and put down your chocolate cake (only for a minute you can pick it up again as soon as we've made our point,) and tell the chocolate makers NO! We don't want inferior chocolate any more; we don't want the no-name, no frills, low calorie, low fat, sugar-free, carob chocolate.

We want our Cadbury's, Lindts, Hershey's, Mars and all those other fine quality chocolates tasting as creamy, rich, and delectable as they should. After all History teaches us to learn by our mistakes and you can't improve on perfection!

About the Author:

Please visit my official chocolate recipe chocolate lovers web site where there is loads of info about my beloved chocolate!

Where To Buy The Best Cookware

By Susan Miller

If you have had your cookware since the 70's, then it might really be time to change all of that and get a brand new cookware set. Because of the technology that we have at our fingertips today, we truly can get the best pots and pans that are out there for an incredible deal. Take a look at the various types before you actually decide to buy and then work from there!

You need to figure out what you are going to be using your new cookware set for. For the most part, people use it to cook dinner, stews, in accordance with baking. If you can figure this out ahead of time, you will know what type you are going to need to purchase. You will also nee dot figure out how much you should be spending as well, and remember that sometimes it is not best to buy the more expensive set.

Those how like to cook on a daily basis, need to look for something a little more heavy duty as well as professional. There are professional stainless steel cookware sets that you can find online that are absolutely to die for! Not only are they great to cook with, the cleaning aspect of these pots and pans will be great as well.

Cleaning is going to play a big role in your decision due to the fact that you would really rather not like to clean for an hour or so after the meal is done. For those who want an easier time cleaning as well as cooking a nonstick pots and pan set is really going to come in handy. They come at a great price and will not run up that water bill too much, because you literally just wipe everything away.

After you know what you want, you need to figure out how much to spend and where to actually buy. There are cookware sites all over the Internet that will give you great deals and tips on which cookware you should be purchasing. Take a look around and browse within your price range.

Getting some new cookware is not going to be a very hard decision, you just need to know where to look and what to buy. The Internet is full of online specials, so take advantage of the net and see what you can find.

About the Author:

Susan Miller runs a family own restaurant. She enjoys writing about cookware review and cooking. She hopes that you will find her review of cookware helpful to pick the best cookware set.

Qualities To Consider When Looking For The Best Gas Grills On Sale

By Denny Boyle

There are some key options to keep in mind when you're in the market to buy gas grills on sale. Every year, during late Spring, people start feeling the itch to get their grills on and start cooking or to buy a new gas grill and accessories to continue or start their grilling carreers. In shopping for a GAS GRILL, you've surely come across names like Weber, Ducane, Brinkman, Coleman, etc.. All these gas grills have several basic features that make for a great grill and will help you choose from all the grills on sale.

The first thing that should come to mind when thinking about grilling is heat distribution. Successful grilling and BBQ is dictated by even heating. Different techniques that manufacturers use to control heat distribution through the grate surface are ceramic briquettes, vented metal plates, and porcelain-coated cast-iron bars or stainless steel grates. orcelain-coated cast-iron bars or stainless steel grates is the preferable and recommended choice for effective heat distribution. This method has been gas grill users' opinion as the best way to distributing heat evenly.

Temperature control, like heat distribution, is another important detail in grilling on a gas grill. The option to control variable temperature settings is another way to increase positive grilling results when barbecuing. All grills should be able to to GRILL, but great gas grills will also let you slow roast and sear food to perfection. The higher-end gas grill models will usually come equipped with this great feature. Some will even let you control temperatures of different burners on separate sides on the same grill.

In terms of BTU, users have had many discussions as to the value of this spec in evaluating a grill. BTU in gas grills isn't the most important feature to look at in grill comparision. You'd be better served to concentrate on heat distribution, size, etc... That doesn't mean that BTU should be discounted, however. When comparing gas grills on sale in the same "class", huge variations in BTU ratings (lower ratings) should definitely be a sign or warning. There may be a heat intensity or timing issue with the particular unit.

Now for a more obvious, but often overlooked detail - Grate spacing. If you've ever grilled, you've had the odd piece of meat or vegetable fall into the fire - a martyr for "the cause". You can stop this before it happens by choosing a grill with closely spaced grates and possibly bigger rods.

Other features are grill shelving and warming racks to make the grilling experience even better. Gas grills that have shelves give you the option of slicing vegetables, preparing marinades or meat before hitting the grill. Warming racks are great for re-heating hamburger patty meat or hotdogs that have already been cooked; as well as heating buns!

To make your gas grill a one stop shop, get a gas grill with a side burner. Anything that you can't cook on the grill can be cooked to your liking on the burner just like in a conventional kitchen. A side burner is perfect for side dishes. You'll probably pay a bit more for a side burner, so evaluate your needs for one. you may be able to use this extra money for other things you may need after buying your gas grill.

Besides the gas grill, you'll most likely need some other essential, grilling devices and accessories. A liquid propane tank will probably have to be bought due to them usually being sold separately. A gas grill cover is a good idea if storing the grill outside. Lastly, a good wire brush, tongs, and other tools will complete your grill set.

Finding the best gas grills on sale doesn't have to be hard. Use what you've learned here and really look at your needs, in terms of options and features. Write down these options and start shopping! Compare grills for heat distribution, temperature control, grate spacing, grate heating technique, and BTU. With the options you need written down and budget in mind, you're quest for a new gas grill on sale will be short and successful!

About the Author:

To find the best prices on grills on sale, check out more recommendations by Denny Boyle on gas grills on sale.

The Best Chocolate Covered Strawberries - The Fruits Of Your Labor

By Roy Washington

Making chocolate covered strawberries can be a great way to use your creative intentions in the kitchen. It's also a great way for family members to join together in a fun activity.

Nearly everyone loves strawberries. By selecting good sources - whether cultivating them yourself or buying from nearby producers or organic co-ops and markets - you can offer the best to your own health and those whom with you share. Plus you'll have the best stuff for making hand dipped chocolate berries.

No one said that a candy bar was that bad for you once in a while. But for a consistently healthful treat, something like chocolate covered strawberries are the way to go. A fresh fruit, especially if you've grown it yourself or have it organically, is always the smart choice. Mixed with a little chocolate and allowed to dry, you have a great offering for kids and adults alike.

Buying a strawberry plant is a pretty easy task if you're anywhere near a gardening center or home store. Many have lots to choose from. From there, you need to have a raised bed of dirt, which is easy to assemble, or a large pot.

Being able to grow strawberries that you can eventually turn into chocolate delicacies can take a bit of patience. Perhaps you may be lucky and start right off the bat with a very healthy and growing plant. Water, light, soil, and plant condition all are factors that may need to be adjusted. Subsequent plantings can take these into account.

Taking the time to sit back and relax away from all the fancy technologies and distractions of today is important. You might think that growing your own strawberries is not that important. But it's a link to times past when life was slower. Using them to concoct a great dessert by dipping them in chocolate is one way to enjoy. In a crisp salad with fruity dressing, or even plain, there are a lot of opportunities to use this as a springboard for more control over your food choices and confidence in your preparations.

About the Author:

Roy Washington has always liked to know how to grow your own fruits and vegetables whenever possible. He enjoys sharing some of his gourmet chocolate strawberries ideas and dark chocolate strawberries recipes.

Going to Buy Coffee Beans? Read This First!

By Christine Pinkston

People who are not familiar with whole coffee beans and coffee often ask what so special about coffee beans in the first place when jar of regular coffee can be easily purchased and is much more convenient. That would be absolutely true if you're all about convenience. But good taste is a whole other matter.

The fact of the matter is that there are actually over twenty varieties of coffee beans. With that being said, they are mostly divided into two broad types of beans. Someone who drinks coffee and buys coffee beans on a regular basis might already be familiar with different types of beans that are available and their various flavors.

60%-70% of the world's consumption of coffee comes from the Coffea Arabica coffee bean. It is also the type of coffee bean that most people enjoy drinking the most. The Caffea Arabica coffee bean is also a very expensive bean due to the strict growing conditions that are required when growing this coffee variety.

Coffee Arabica plants need a certain altitude in which they can thrive which should be at least a few thousand feet above sea level. These plants should also be grown in a temperature between 65- 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The less popular type of coffee beans make up around thirty-forty percent of the world's coffee consumption. Scientists call this type of coffee 'Coffea Canephora' and is commonly called Robusta. This type of coffee bean is considered inferior quality as compared to the much loved coffea Arabica and is hardly sold separately. This type of coffee bean can be grown at temperatures of around 85 degrees Fahrenheit and almost anywhere. However this type of coffee bean is a bit bitter and most people don't like the bitter taste associated with this type of bean.

Coffea canephora are often used as fillers for coffea Arabica beans, which because Arabica is expensive, are often mixed with these lesser quality coffee beans. So most of the time when you buy coffee beans it's coffea Arabica mixed with Robusta in order to bring it within the reach of common people.

Keep in mind that a cup of coffee is only as good as the coffee bean. Coffee made from freshly ground coffee beans of medium quality will outshine even premium ground coffee that has been sitting on the shelf too long. After you buy coffee beans make sure to store them in air tight container.

The best alternative is to purchase only small batches of whole coffee beans and grind them at home as you need them. Coffee grinders are widely available and fairly inexpensive, so it's worth the money to buy coffee beans and grind them yourself.

About the Author:

You will be very pleased at the difference in quality when you buy coffee beans. Just be sure you buy coffee beans in small quantities to make the freshest coffee you can.

Food Safety in the Kitchen

By Craig Stone

Here is a quick reference guide to refreshing your awareness of safe food preparation. Pointers and information to always keep in mind when preparing food or storing it away for future use.

Most conscientious cooks use common sense when preparing or storing food. But common sense in food preparation doesn't just happen, it is learned. This learning happens and when we forget where we learned it, we call it common sense.

Here are just a few pointers to refresh and reinforce your common sense as you are preparing your current meal or storing it for future use.

Food safety actually starts with your excursion to the shops. Examine the packaged or canned foods. Do the cans have dents? Don't buy them. Is the jar cracked? Leave it. Does the lid seem loose or bulging? Pick up another. Look for any expiration dates on the labels, they are there for a reason. Never buy outdated food, even if it is on special. Check the "use by" or "sell by" date on dairy products and pick the ones that will keep the longest. Sometimes they may be at the back of the shelves.

After grocery shopping, put food into the refrigerator or freezer right away. Better yet, put your refrigerator foods straight into one of those insulated freezer bags in the shopping cart and in your car.

Make sure to set the refrigerator temperature is set to 40 deg F and the freezer is set to 0 F. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be placed in containers to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. Raw juices could possibly harbor harmful germs. Eggs always go in the refrigerator.

Always cook food thoroughly until it is done. Red meat should turn brown inside. Chicken, when poked with a fork, should have clear juices. Fish, on the other hand, when poked with a fork, should flake. Cooked egg whites and yolks should be firm and not runny. Be sure to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperatures of your poultry, meat, and other foods. Leave it in long enough to ensure an accurate reading.

Wash your hands and cooking surfaces frequently. Germs can be spread quickly so this will ensure that it will not take hold and grow onto your food. A solution of one teaspoon of bleach in one litre of water is all that is needed to sanitise washed surfaces and utensils.

Cooked foods should definitely not be left standing in the kitchen counter or table for more than two hours. And if you must leave them out of the fridge, cover the food so flys can't rest on it. Bacteria tends to grow in temperatures between 40 and 140 deg F.

Foods that have been cooked ahead and cooled should be reheated to at least 165 deg F. (This just so happens to be one of the most overlooked areas in food prep).

Chill Leftover Food Promptly. Place food in the refrigerator and don't overfill. The cold air needs to circulate freely to keep food safe. Divide the food and place in shallow containers. Think about date labeling some of these containers so you don't lose track of how long they've been refrigerating.

These are just a few pointers that you already know, but need to keep remembering. If you follow these basics you will avoid most food spoilage problems.

About the Author:

Food safety training is available through Southbank Institute of Technology. Search for food safety online on the SBIT web site.

General Tips for Cooking

By Wodumbu Man

Cooking for some people is an enjoyable hobby while for others it is a tedious task that they do not want to do but have to do. It is advisable for one to arm themselves with cooking tips to make the process easier. Prior to starting the cooking process one should prepare everything they need as it will help to make things simpler. For people who want to cook the best mashed potatoes, the potato ricer is a very handy tool they should always have in their kitchen.

It is advisable for one to use a salad spinner if they do not want their salad to get soggy. Varity can be introduced to the salad by the use of green or red leaves. Ovens should be heated way before the cooking starts so that they are hot enough to sear the meats surface and keep the juice within. Spatulas and tongs are the best tools to use as one turns the steaks. Forks should not be used at all.

Steamed veggies are best handled by steamer platforms with ability to sit in pot works and ones that fold. The cook should note that over cooked broccoli is not the best; it should be tender and crisp. Wine that the cook would never touch should not be included among the ingredients. A table spoon of fresh Rosemary leaves can be replaced by a teaspoon of dried Rosemary leaves.

The bulb of the garlic should be sprinkled with pepper, salt, olives and white wine and it should then be wrapped using tin foil and roasted for one hour. The oven used for roasting should three hundred and fifty degrees hot. As they puree the soup one should use a blender (hand) as it is simpler than taking it to the processor. Brine- cured black olives can substitute Kalmata.

Mushrooms should under no circumstances be washed under running water as they tend to take in water. A wiping them using cloth will suffice in cleaning them. Pan juices should only be kept for the gravy when one is roasting. The pan should sit in the middle of the rack and it should have the correct size. Instead of using sugar to sweeten the food one can use carrots.

About the Author:

If you liked the above article, and cooking interests you, then consider visiting my blog How to Cook to check out latest recipes.

The Pros and Cons of the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

By Christine Pinkston

The Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter is the newest rage in home vegetable gardening. It promises to grow plentiful tomatoes in an upside down planter. It makes it very easy to pick the tomatoes, offers less bug problems, and almost no chance of the plant collapsing under the heavy strain of producing tomatoes but does it really live up to the promises that it makes?

The pros and cons of the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter:

Pros-- It hangs upside down so the weight of your growing tomatoes will not topple over your plant.

Cons-- The branches might still get all tangled up even though the tomato plant is hanging upside down.

Pros- - It hangs off the ground so it frees up a lot of space in your yard.

Cons -- The Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter gets very heavy with all of the dirt and water so you need to make sure you have somewhere to hang it that has very good support.

Watering your tomato plant is another thing. Because the dirt isn't buried in the ground it will dry out fairly quickly and you will have to water it around two times a day.

Pros-- You are very easily able to walk around the plant to pick your tomatoes so that means that you wont have to bend down or crawl around on your knees to enjoy your crop.

Cons-- Because the tomato plants are not grown the traditional way, the dirt can get very hot. To avoid cooking the roots put aluminum foil around the planter to reflect some of the sunlight.

Pros-- Watering the tomato plants could not get any easier. To avoid mold growing on the roots make sure that every week or so you run the water through the dirt until it's clear to flush out any old water in the sponges.

About the Author:

To get the best deals on the Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter Click http://www.best-online-deals.net.

Cake Decorating Videos Are The Perfect Tool To Learn Cake Decorating

By Rob Bryan

A picture is worth a thousand words, and that saying can truly be applied to the concept of cake decorating videos. You could actually read a dozen books and not get the clear understanding of this complicated and beautiful art that you would get from watching and participating in one cake decorating video.

If you are unfamiliar with cake decorating terms, you will be sure to learn them quickly when you can both see someone demonstrating a technique and hear the name of that technique simultaneously. Of course, watching someone decorate a cake will make the method and the desired result a lot more clear in your mind than just trying to imagine it from the written word.

Of course, you can't expect yourself to be able to decorate a cake exactly the same way as the professional in the video right off the bat. It will take time and effort to perfect your skills. But once you have practiced a little bit, you are sure to see some improvement in your cake decorating skills. All cake decorators start out just the same - even the very best ones. Watching and following along with a cake decorating video is a terrific, affordable way to take a lesson from a professional.

If you are having problems with a specific technique, a cake decorating video is the perfect learning tool for you. You can watch and practice that technique as many times as you need to until you have it down pat. Some cake decorating techniques are very difficult. You will need repetition to be able to get it just right. A cake decorating video gives you just that option. It can dispel confusion and help you to make a beautiful cake using the most complex of techniques.

Because cake decorating is a hobby as well as a profession, it has triggered the creation of lots of books and how-to videos. Many of these videos are available online, so you can access them without leaving your home or spending a penny. So all you will need to begin creating truly stunning decorated cakes is a little time online and some time and study in your kitchen.

Decorate with flair! Look especially for videos that tell you how to decorate with special techniques to achieve a stylish look. These are the videos by the true artists in the business. When you watch these, you will be getting the top tips to help you truly become a pro.

Practice, practice, practice, and you will soon be creating perfect cakes. With the advantage of online learning with cake decorating videos, you will learn quickly and well. With the equivalent of private lessons from the professionals, you will be creating stunning cakes that will "Wow! them all in nothing flat!

About the Author:

If you are trying to improve your skills you can find lots of cake decorating videos at http://www.homecakedecorating.com Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

Have You Considered An Undersink Water Filter For Your Home?

By Peter Abertoning

There's nasties in your water and you don't want to be drinking them. Stuff like pharmaceutical drugs, lead, chlorine and more. Some there occasionally, some all the time. And so you may be thinking about your options for removing them using a water filter.

Why not consider an undersink water filter?

There's a few things you ought to know about choosing an underskink water filter.

There's a range of benefits to water filters houses under your sink. Firstly of course they eliminate a range of toxins and other nasties that can be in your water. And in particular chlorine. Chlorine tastes bad, smell bad and isn't good for you.

And I'll bet getting rid of chlorine is a priority for you if you're getting seriously interested in water filtration.

In addition to removing chlorine taste & odor from drinking water, undersink water filters also are known to be effective at removing sediment and rust from the water. If this is a problem that you have not yet been able to get rid of, under the sink water filters are a great choice for you.

Since this can cause the sink to have an orange or coppery appearance, this is likely to be a problem that you will want to take care of. Under sink water filters are one of the best ways to do so.

One of the main disadvantages of under sink water filters is that they do take up a lot of space. Its also likely that your countertop will need to be changed in order to install an undersink drinking water filter. Water filters that are placed under the sink can also be fairly expensive, though prices do widely vary.

Before making the decision to get this type of water purification system, its a good idea to make sure that it is the right choice for you! Other types of water filters tend to be easier to install.

Under sink water filters can be the right choice for many people. Its important to give a lot of thought and consideration to this type of water filtration system before making the decision to purchase one.

But there's no doubt that although not the cheapest water filters they work very well once installed, and are hidden away making more space for you as well as clean tasty water. So if you can they are a good choice.

About the Author:

Peter has a website all about the best water filters and water purification and also helps people to produce their own personal websites, an example being http://bryanphil.com/

Economical Cooking

By Pri Vag

We have all seen food and lifestyle price surge from month to month with ever increasing special offers, BOGOF bargains and voucher codes in our inbox to compete in the current economic situation. Despite this, one thing we cannot ignore is the growing price at the total checkout.

The average price of consumer goods has recently shot up and this means people simply need to spend more compared with a few years ago. People now need to be very careful what they buy, in order to ensure they are getting the best value for money and the highest quality ingredients for their meals.

Food prices have been growing at an alarming rate but this still doesnt mean we have to eat unhealthy and cheap food. A good diet at a good price can still be found at the supermarket.

Help is at hand as there are workshops which focus on 2 key elements, high nutrition and a low budget. You can find out how to use nutritious ingredients to produce wholesome foods suitable for both mid week when time maybe short to weekend and more relaxed situations.

It is certain that just by purchasing ingredients with a lower value does not mean inferior, low end supermarket budget ranges, reduced in any form of nutrition or just plain boring. If anything it opens doors to more creative cuisine and often reapplying ingredients that one already be familiar with albeit in a very different way or introducing new foods into daily lifestyle.

I feel that it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat well, do exercise as obesity and health problems are rife in todays society. This attitude needs to change and people need to be extremely health conscious or we will pay the price further down the line. Keep looking for the best deals but also foods with the best nutritional value.

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Before choosing what food to eat, please see the variety of cooking classes and cookery schools on the internet.

How to Save Money on Food

By Jayne Leigh Hull

When I first started looking at ways to save money it became obvious very quickly that the easiest way to save money was by cutting back on my food budget. You probably already know that and you probably also know that the the next step is eating at home. What you may not know is how to change that and this article can change that.

You have to figure out where the cheapest and best places are to shop. You might have to try a few different places and places you might normally overlook to find the best deals on food. Don't go to the same store just because you've shopped there for years. You might be missing some great deals and spending more than you need to.

Check the fliers. This is important preparation for making a menu. Planning a menu based on sales just makes good sense. You will understand the beauty of this the more you do it. Saving a couple of bucks per pound on meats doesn't sound like a lot the first time, but this one habit will save you hundreds of dollars over the year.

Okay, so I said you should check the fliers. Well that is for this step. You need to make a menu. You're probably rolling your eyes right now, "Thank you captain obvious!" But what most articles including this tip won't tell you is how to do that. I have a very helpful tip. Keep a master list of recipes. That is so simple and you can always have your favorites on hand.

By making a master list of recipes, you will enable yourself to have an easy way to check fliers and plan a menu on the sales. Making different sections on your list under each type of food will give you a super easy reference point. If chicken is on sale, you look under your chicken recipes and then work that into your menu. Easy.

I think it is important to have a determined attitude about saving money especially when it comes to saving money on food. It will take effort, but that effort is so worth it and you will only continue to reap benefits the longer you put forth that effort. Nothing worth having comes free.

One of the easiest ways to save is simply to eat less. The less you eat the less you have to spend on groceries. I'm not suggesting you starve yourself, to the contrary, but if you are overeating you are overspending. Plus, its not healthy to overeat and if you have children you are instilling life long bad habits.

Don't be afraid of simple filling meals. The less ingredients you have to buy will the less money you will spend. And even if you like to cook it will be less stressful. And if you don't like to cook, then this will make it easier to cook at home and avoid the temptation of eating out.

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Does saving money on food feel punishing? Visit Easy Cheap Recipes for recipes and tips guaranteed to give you fresh ideas. Also, get the thrifty and yummy Chicken Teriyaki Recipe you can cook tonight!

What is the cost of the Jenny Craig diet?

By Jessica A. Andersen

The cost of the Jenny Craig diet depends on the type of plan you select. There are short-term plans and long-term plans. Jenny Craig advertises an interesting statistic, they say that their participants spend only one dollar more per day than the average American does on food.

On September 28, 2008, I spoke to a Jenny Craig representative named Barbara. Barbara informed me about the options available to Jenny Craig program and she described the costs. First time we talk about is known as a 20 pounds for $20 program. This is a 10 week program and $20 includes meeting expenses for the weight loss professional but does not include meal costs.

Meals cost between $12 and $18 per day. This includes three meals, dessert, snacks and vitamin bars. Meals consist of frozen entrees that are developed by Jenny Craig through years of research. Most people find them tasty, filling and quite serviceable. At the end of 10 weeks if you haven't reached your weight loss goals you can sign up for additional meal plans but you may incur an additional cost.

The other diet option that was described to me by the Jenny Craig representative is known as the Jenny Craig rewards plan. This is a one-year program that costs $359 per year plus your food costs. This plan includes weekly meetings with the consultant. The rewards aspect of this plan is as follows: during the first 10 weeks you will receive a 10% discount on meals, during the next 10 weeks you will receive a 20% discount on food, and during the remaining 32 weeks you will receive a 35% discount on all meals.

According to Jenny Craig representative that I spoke with, the savings you'll realize through these discounts more than make up for the $359 sign up costs. As you can see you will be spending some money, but the program is comparable to your everyday food costs and the statistic quoted by Jenny Craig that you'll only be spending one dollar more per day on food seems reasonable. For more information about Jenny Craig and other prepackaged diet programs visit my site now! When you visit now and you'll receive your choice of a free diet diary or BMI calculator. Click on the links below now!

About the Author:

How Does The Jenny Craig Diet Work? Wouldn't You Like To Know? Visit Us Now And Find Out! When You Check Us Out Today You'll Receive Your Choice of Free BMI Calculator or Free Diet Diary! Visit Now and You'll Also Learn What Is The Cost Of The Jenny Craig Diet! VisitNow!

The Traditional Use Of Dairy Produce: Part 3 - Eggs

By Owen Jones

Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Produce.

EGGS: Part 1

Eggs can be fresh or dried, the latter being only hens' eggs without the shell and water. Dried egg should be stored in a cool, dry place - not in the fridge! Store eggs for a few days or a week in a cool place away from strong-smelling foods. An egg stand is ideal for this. If the eggs are dirty, wipe them clean - washing will remove the natural oils which help preserve the eggs.

Pickled Eggs: eggs laid in the Spring keep better than those laid in the other seasons. Eggs that will not clean-up, must be rejected. Waterglass or the special preparations should be used. If an egg floats to the surface, use it immediately. Try to maintain the ambient temperature between 2 and 8 C and they should keep for 6 to 9 months.

Preparing Eggs for Cooking: break each egg into a cup on its own, before adding it to the other ingredients to ensure that it is still fresh. If you wish to separate the white from the yolk, tip the contents of the egg back and forth between the two egg shell halves and the albumen (white) will separate from the yolk. Beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork in an appropriate bowl. Egg whites should be whipped with a knife on a plate - a tiny amount of of salt will help.

Raw eggs used to be prescribed for invalids as they are easily digestible, however, this not advisable these days due to the ubiquity of salmonella. One method, presented here for the curious was to strain a beaten egg into a mug and slowly add a cup of hot milk (or tea, coffee or lemon water; add sugar to taste. Sherry was often added too.

Cooking Eggs: eggs must be cooked slowly because the albumen solidifies at a temperature lower than that of boiling water and becomes 'tough' at higher temperatures. Similarly, if raw egg is used to thicken a sauce and the liquid is subsequently allowed to boil, the sauce will 'curdle', i.e. the egg will solidify into small specks, ruining its texture.

Coddling: produces easily digested egg-whites, making it an ideal meal for invalids and children. Lower the eggs into 75mmof boiling water; replace the lid and remove from heat. Let it stand for: 7 mins for medium-, 5 mins for soft- and 20 mins for hard-boiled eggs .

Boiling: lower fresh eggs gently into 75mm 3" boiling water with a spoon. Cover and boil gently for 3-3" mins for soft-, 4-5 mins the medium- and 10 mins for hard-boiled eggs.

Place in egg eggcups and tap the shell to crack it. Allow the steam to escape, which will prevent the egg further cooking. For sandwiches, salads etc,. boil the egg for 12 mins and plunge into cold water. This allows the shell to be easily removed and prevents a black ring around the yolk.

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For deliciousgourmet Traditional Welsh Recipes, please visit our website at http://welsh-recipes.the-real-way.com/ Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Cooking Video Games

By Patrick Shay

Can a video game really teach you how to cook? You've probably never considered picking up a video game to learn how to cook or try new recipes. However, Nintendo has created several video games with cooking as the main focus. Their goal is to get more families off the couch and in the kitchen with several titles available for their portable game system--the Nintendo DS.

One game that focuses on cooking competition is What's Cooking? with Jamie Oliver. This interactive game features the famous chef and allows you to test your skills in the kitchen, virtually or in real life. The thought of cooking on a video game may seem odd but once you get started you'll quickly get the hang of it. Even if you don't like the competition you can use any of the 100 included recipes which were created by Jamie Oliver himself.

If you'd like to learn and master the art of fine French cooking you might be interested in Gourmet Chef: Cook Your Way to Fame. Adults would probably enjoy this game more than children. Although if you have a child that is serious about cooking they might also appreciate this game more than a kid who just wants to have fun playing a video game. In Gourmet Chef you'll learn many tasks with the stylus which you can later apply to real recipes.

A very popular cooking game with adults and children is Cooking Mama. There are many different titles to choose from in the Cooking Mama series. In this action-packed game you compete against other chefs to win the gold medal. This game is very interactive and makes use of the advanced features of the Nintendo DS console. One example is being able to cool down your dishes by blowing in the microphone. You really have to be careful with this game though because once you start playing it can be hard to stop.

Instead of a race against the clock, Personal Trainer: Cooking is intended to work more like a virtual cookbook. You can look up different recipes and make them at your own pace. Unlike other cooking games, you make the recipes in your own kitchen using real ingredients instead of pretending to cook on the Nintendo DS. There are over 200 recipes to choose from all over the world.

Believe it or not but there are many other cooking games available for the Nintendo DS than those listed in this article. Even though you might not have considered owning a Nintendo DS before, these cooking games have attracted a whole new audience to the world of hand-held video game consoles. If you'd like to learn how to cook and don't have time to sort through all kinds of books, magazines, or websites you might want to give some of these games a try.

About the Author:

Patrick enjoys writing articles that help other gamers find the best deal on Nintendo DS consoles and Nintendo DS units online.

Simply Pleasing Gourmet Cooking

By KeschawBoydWilliams

The term "gourmet" is typically defined as "purporting to involve high-quality or exotic ingredients and skilled preparation". The briefer, common-sense synonyms for the word include "fancy" and "specialty". All things considered, basically this is a term that, to the aspiring cook, suggests the preparation of something extraordinary, such as a spectacular pasta entree, zesty and unusual snack foods, or singularly jubilant cookies or tortes.

Gourmet cooking can be done in the home as well as at a restaurant. What is the center of gourmet cooking is the motivation of the gourmet and not necessarily where it is prepared. The motivation comes from wanting to impress others with a visual appeal and a cooking style that will make the dish its own entity and entice the pallet. It will be something that you would want to purchase or give to someone else clearly because of the perfection and the mastery of the final dish.

If you are gourmet cooking in your home, you will be happy to know that you have access to a panoply of special ingredients to elevate the taste, aromas, and textures of your time-tested recipes. These may include products such as: prepared gourmet sauces (for instance, pasta sauces suffused with sun-dried tomatoes and Italian sausage) to blanket a spinach pasta of your own making; pre-prepared pastas such as pumpkin fettucini or artichoke linguini to be slathered with your personal recipe marinara sauce; or other culinary riches like gourmet salsas (with exotic ingredients such as habanero peppers, peach or mango preserves, and tequila) for dipping your chips into, and unique twists on the common guacamole recipe.

A natural extension of the gourmet food line is gourmet snacks. In the recent years, gourmet snacks and gourmet gift baskets full of snacks have made a hit in the consumer market. Full of gourmet chips, cheese sticks and candies, the basket market is soaring upwards for these specialty treats and most people appreciate the added extra effort of the gourmet touch.

Of course, there have been some favorites over the years too, especially the many irresistible gourmet desserts. With a simple online search, you will find recipes for gourmet cheesecakes that include cool lime, caramel apple, and honey peanut butter just to name a few. There are also thousands of gourmet cookie recipes like French butter, fruity sugar, chocolate mint creams, and chocolate and peanut butter specialties.

In addition to making use of the gourmet goods referred to above in your home cooking, getting ready-made gourmet quality dishes to ease the work of preparing a dinner party, and providing snacks for guests watching the big game on TV, most of these items are appropriate for giving as generous gifts. Gourmet food products are quite popular for a variety of occasions, whether sent separately or as a component of a collection of offerings chosen for a specific event, an ethnic theme, or to represent a certain part of the country. A new retiree may appreciate distinctive wines served with gourmet cheeses and crackers, even as a graduating college student might enjoy gourmet pastries and biscuits which she can partake of with her sorority sisters.

If you prefer something that can be grabbed off the shelf without the use of technology, there are many gourmet cookbooks available at your local grocery stores and bookstores. You can also elect to get monthly magazines with terrific recipes and thought provoking presentations for future holiday parties. Of course with the use of technology, second-hand gourmet books are available online (some with free shipping) at excellent prices and from beginner to advanced gourmet cooking. You can also offer the suggestion to family members that those a gourmet baskets are sure a gift you would love to buy yourself!

So next time you?re searching for items to make your gourmet cooking taste like that of a famous five-star chef, for satisfying your own sweet (but particular) tooth, or providing a tasty and memorable gift for someone else, be sure to consider the many options pertaining to gourmet goods. With a little thought, it?s simple to enjoy the unique specialties each has to offer. You may even find there?s a connoisseur waiting inside of you that?s ready to come out.

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Looking for awesome Christmas gifts? Consider a nice, tasty, gourmet cooked meal for your recipients. TheBasketSpot.com offers a variety of gourmet cooked gift baskets, including cookie gift baskets, that are awesome.

The Story Behind the Ever Popular Root Beer

By David Marcheschi

The root beer that we know now happens to be the very first soda drink ever introduced in America. It was during the 1800s or what we know as the Colonial times that the first root beer was born, at that time the root beer was more popularly known as small beer. Small beer was aptly named because this beverage contained only a very small amount of alcohol or maybe even none, it's mainly made of roots, barks and herbs.

The First Commercially Manufactured Root Beer

Unfortunately, the details of how this all-American drink came to be got lost in history. However some people were able to pass on a few stories about how a Philadelphia pharmacist named Charles Hires created the first commercially produced root beer. One of the stories mentioned that this new brew of more than two dozens of roots, berries and herbs was born on Charles' honeymoon night, probably being inspired from all the excitement of a new love.

It was also said that the dry form of this new brew became available in his Pharmaceutical Shop when he and his new wife returned to his hometown in Philadelphia. Not long after, he started to work on using flavored carbonated soda water to come up with the liquid version of the tea.

The people that Mr. Hires gave his drink to loved the taste so much that he decided to introduce it commercially at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, where it was very well received. Finally in 1893 the Hires Family sold and distributed the first bottled root beer.

What Makes Root Beer Taste So Unique

There is no hard-fast rule in brewing root beer, in fact most of the modern manufacturers don't use any of the original roots and herbs used in the 1800s brew. Most of the root beer available these days use artificial flavors instead of natural ingredients, they also substituted molasses, honey or sugar with the cheaper and easier to find syrups. However, some of the basic ingredients like wintergreen, sarsaparilla, pipsissewa, ginger root,dandelion root, allspice, burdock root, spikenard, wild cherry bark, spice wood, and birch bark have been retained to give the root beer its basic flavor. The manufacturer then introduces their own special ingredient to give the root beer the taste that's specific to their brand.

Today, depending on the Root Beer you choose, you may find that these herbs arent used much and that the root beer taste of your beverage comes from artificial flavors and syrups. However, thanks to the micro-brewery movement, small batch Root Beers are coming back into style, and many areas of the country have their own locally made root beers once more. These often do rely on the unique flavors imparted by these herbs and roots and either honey or sugar, as opposed to artificial flavorings and sweeteners.

The root beer's historical imprint in our country cannot be forgotten and its popularity has continued for centuries. Its not unusual to see people enjoying a cool glass of root beer on a hot day, the best part of being able to enjoy its great taste is there are now more varieties to choose from.

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For unique and hard to find beverages please visit http://www.beveragesdirect.com. Beverages Direct offers a wide selection of gourmet root beers, sodas, functional drinks, energy drinks and other specialty beverages.

Need Cash Fast? 5 Quick Ways to Save Money on Food

By Armeda Jones

How does saving hundreds of dollars a month on groceries sound to you? It is not difficult to do, in fact saving this kind of money only requires learning 5 easy strategies:

1. Always shop the sales. Sale prices can be a little shady at times, although products "on sale" most often are a good deal. When products are sale priced, you can expect discounts around 40% or more. Shop the sales and only the sales and you will save well over 40% off your food bills.

2. Forget about brand loyalty. Always compare prices with unit pricing and then choose whatever is the least expensive. You can easy save an additional 10% if you 86 the brand loyalty.

3. Coupons are for smart shoppers. Everybody knows that selective and smart coupon use can save you a bundle, but sometimes we don't bother because of the hassle. The food marketers are trying to save you a lot of money for offering the incentive to use their products, why not take them up on it?

4. Combine coupons with products on sale to maximize savings. This is where the action is for savings. Very often you can get free items or products for pennies on the dollar when using this strategy.

5. Don't forget the rain checks on sale out of stocks. When the prices are low you can almost be assured that the store will run out of stock at some point. If there are no limits on quantity and the sale is not limited to available stock then be sure to get a rain check. The store will still give you the sale price when the stock comes back in.

The strategies may be simple, although the savings is enormous in the course of several months for very little time or effort. Stay organized, focus on the fundamentals and watch your savings grow.

About the Author:

Spend less and save more on your food bills. Learn how to use grocery coupons to save your family 80% off their food bills. See our list of where to find printable internet grocery coupons to help you start saving.

A recipe over the ages and tradition

By Michael Koste Salvatori

Spain is known in the world for bull fights and flamenco, for wines and passionate women but also for paella.

Paellas history began as a cooked food for workers being a carbohydrates rich dish and offered a very good energy intake. The name originates from Latin and means pan. It is said that it has originated in Valencia area under the Moorish influence which is responsible for he usage of saffron and pepper.

This rice dish was originally cooked with snails since they were cheaper. Occasionally the rabbit and chicken meat was used for the recipe but this was very rare. The Valencian paella is the brand of region. It is cooked with pride and in very large quantities since making paella is not an easy thing to do. In spite of the fact that fresh made food is something a tourist should always look for while visiting foreign countries the paella draws up fully its flavors 12 hours after it was made and then it is considered to have the best taste.

Nowadays, Valencia takes great pride in paella and considers it an identity symbol. Today Valencian paella is made with white rice, green vegetable-peas, green beans, peppers, chicken meat, snails and seasoning.

In Valencia region the food is so popular that there are even restaurants who proud themselves with the name of the dish. The seafood paella is the more recent variation of the dish, was later developed but is the most popular in the international food choices. The seafood variation omits beans and green vegetable and replaces the meat with sea food. The very unique flavor of the seafood paella is the result of the combination from shrimp and oysters cooked rapidly in olive oil and combined with roasted rice, boiled together in the end.

The saffron is also present in this version although the spice is more of a decorative purpose and doesnt offer a special taste. Of course in Spain and the entire world the most common paella recipe is the mixed one. This variation is made from a very nice combination of meat, mainly chicken, and seafood cooked longer cooked in order for the rice to get a crust on the bottom of the paella pan.

About the Author:

Bon Appetit magazine , as the name suggests, is a culinary magazine offering a large number of recipes and interesting cooking ideas

Hints and tips For a Prosperous Barbeque

By Ravi

There's nothing like a sound weekend Barbecue with family & friends in your own backyard to wash out the stresses of a tough workweek at work & regenerate you for the coming calendar week ahead. It would be wonderful to have a Barbecue each weekend, wouldn't it? Just as I projected just recently, there are thus many several matters to consider if you wish to aspire for the Barbeque. It's not as simple as putting meat on the grill & getting it roast, as I wont to think.

First, you have to consider your choice of wood because various forms of wood give the meat a different form of flavor. The selection of wood is likewise essential considering that some kinds of wood burn faster than most. You may wish to consider combining charcoal and wood for finer smoke check and a consistent fire.

Gas barbecues are more some costly to buy Just are very easy to light and accompanied a range of features to get making easy and fun. They may have manifold burners that are easy to check & side burners for other dishes, such as pasta or rice dishes that need to be boiled rather than grilled. They are likewise bulkier than charcoal barbecues and less convenient to stack up.

When solid food is making on the grill, juices drip onto the hot charcoal and the smoking released gives the solid food the characteristic smoky, Barbecue flavor. In order to heighten the flavor marinades are usually utilized to diffuse savor into the solid food and likewise to coat the solid food thus that the marinade caramelizes in the heat and adds to the relish. marinates were conventionally used to tenderize the meat and marinates which carry acidic juices such as lime juice, wine or yogurt break the meat proteins. Oils are likewise used in a marinate to keep the food damp during grilling. marinades for fish and vegetables do not need tenderiser.

And for the supreme appliance, gas grills are the means to go because they're simple to light and simple to check. But purists have a pearl to pick with this technique likewise, insisting that cooking with gas smokers subsides the savor of the meat equated to preparing with wood and charcoal.

About the Author:

By going through most honored web site on Barbecue, you'll be able to find out to a greater extent regarding barbeque smokers and Weber charcoal grills.The writer is producing a bbq smokers website for those desiring to produce an atmosphere of BBQ products and cooking in their lives.

Looking For The Best Water Filter You Can Find?

By Peter Abertoning

Does the safety of your drinking water worry you? If it does maybe you've spent some time thinking about getting a water filter. There's so many filters to choose from it's difficult deciding which is the best water filter.

There's a few things to take into account when you're trying to work out which water filter to buy.

One of the most popular water filters is a carbon water filter, or what is also called an AC filter, or activated carbon filter.

And you also need to consider what type of system you need for your house. You can get faucet water filters or even water filters for the entire house. A whole house water filter can be ideal for anyone who wants to have clean water to wash in and shower in and to use for the clothes as well as drink. Whole house filters can come in different types, including carbon.

If it's a simple filter you want just for your drinking water you have some options. These include pitcher filters, where you pour water in and it falls into a bowl at the bottom. Or you could get a water filter that goes right onto the faucet and you just turn it on and you've got clean water.

A pitcher filter is known to be an effective method of water filtration, it does have one major problem. It tends to be a very slow process so you will need to pour the water into the pitcher hours before you plan to drink it. This water home purifier tends to be very inexpensive, however.

Those are some of the options available to you. There's plenty more, you need to do some research. Different needs require different water filters, and budget is always a consideration too. But eventually you'll end up with healthy clean water to drink.

Be sure to consider what impurities are affecting your home drinking water, and figure out which water filter system will be the most capable of ensuring that it will be safe for you to drink in the future!

About the Author:

Peter has a website all about the best water filter and water purification and also helps people to produce their own personal websites, an example being http://djmischiff.com

Water Filters. How Do They Work?

By Peter Abertoning

In our times there are so many people so concerned about their health. And some of these people are concerned about the health effects of drinking our water. If this describes you then you need to learn more about modern water filtration systems.

How do water filters work? Here are some of the things that you should know about the water purification process if you have thought about getting a filter for your home.

The first thing that you will want to take into consideration is why a water filtration system may be necessary. Keep in mind that there are many different toxins and chemicals that can affect our drinking water.

They can make drinking water taste awful and can even cause the skin to dry out. Even worse, many of these chemicals in drinking water are known to cause cancer. Due to all of these reasons, water filtration is a pretty much a must for any home.

One method of filtration is to phyically filter out solid contaminants bigger than a certain size through a filter or membrane that allows water to pass through but removes anything bigger than the size of the filter holes.

And then there is chemical filtration that removes various contaminants by chemical methods.

Activated carbon filters are known to be one of the most effective types of water filtration. They are also known to be one of the most popular types of water filters to have in the house.

How do water filters work when they are carbon activated? These filters are based on charcoal, which absorbs the impurities of the water.

There's in fact a wide range of different types of water filters available. For example reverse osmosis filters, ion filters and even water distillation. And all can remove certain types of impurities.

The type of impurities that are found in the water that you have in your home dictate the type of water filter that you need.

AC filters are very good and are by far the most popular water filters found in homes in our country. But they do have some drawbacks. For example they do not filter out flouride, sodium and nitrates. But they do filter chlorine, a major contaminant.

It is now possible to buy 2 stage water filters to overcome this problem with AC filters. Whilst an AC filter is very good on it's own a 2 stage filter will have a second stage of filtration that removes those contaminants that do not get removed by the carbon. These are now by far the best water filters that you can get.

The science behind water filters can be confusing. But the bottom line is that no water filter will remove every single contaminant. The one that comes closest if the activated carbon 2 stage water filter and it's this that you want if you need the best water filter. And you do need the best water filter as there is no doubt that our water is seriously contaminated.

For water that has a good taste, a 2 stage AC home water filtration system is the right choice for you.

About the Author:

Peter has a website all about Water Filtration and also helps people to produce their own personal websites, an example being http://fxkelly.com/

You Too Can Become a Gourmet Cook

By John Baker

Gourmet cooking may seem like something that is beyond the sphere of the everyday cook, but this is far from the case. There are several gourmet cooking techniques that you can implement to improve your overall cooking skill.

One path to developing these skills is to sign on for a gourmet cooking class. The downside is that many of these courses can be quite costly, and you might not have the time in your schedule to make it to all the classes.

With gourmet cooking classes not an alternative for many, what are some other means of studying gourmet cooking techniques that you can integrate into day-to-day meal preparation?

Well, there are a few things you can do and if you read on hopefully you can pick up a few tricks to implement gourmet cooking into your everyday routine.

First off, you have to think of gourmet cooking in a realistic light. It doesn't mean expensive, nor does it mean rare or exotic. Gourmet cooking entails utilizing only the freshest ingredients that are of the highest quality.

An easy way to go about gourmet cooking is to examine the basic spices you use. For instance, a gourmet chef would never cook with garlic powder, bottled garlic, or any other type of garlic that wasn't freshly chopped. As well, a gourmet chef would never use dehydrated or bottled herbs. Only fresh herbs from the produce department of the supermarket would be considered.

In the case of some ingredients, they will be more expensive. But you will come to realize that the price difference is not excessive, and it is still much cheaper than going out to eat. Once you become familiar with gourmet cooking, you will lose the desire to want to eat out. You'll be able to make perfectly delicious dinners in your own kitchen. This way, you'll have even more opportunity to make meals for you and everyone else.

The easiest way to bring gourmet cooking into your everyday routine is to improve the quality of the ingredients you are working with. After that, you need to learn how to cook those ingredients in the right way.

The easiest way to do this is to browse through cookbooks, where you'll be able to study the basic principles and learn at your own rate. Your library will have numerous cookbooks that you can explore.

These books should cover all the basics of what knives to use, how to make chicken stock and how to clarify butter. All of these are simple and basic cooking techniques, even though they may seem unapproachable because they are described as being gourmet.

You will soon be able to see that gourmet cooking is something that anyone can do. You can easily bring it into your own kitchen. All it takes is a little time and effort.

About the Author:

Looking for tips on healthy cooking, home cooking, or gourmet cooking? Visit the Cooking Site for articles and advice to improve your culinary skills.

Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend

By Kristen Thorpe

The year is simply flying by and believe it or not, this weekend is already Memorial Day weekend. Weve celebrated Mothers Day and Fathers Day will be here before you know it. In between these parental holidays is a three day holiday weekend (for most people anyway) where we start to say goodbye to spring and start the summer season off with a road trip or a backyard barbecue.

If the weather is cooperative, many of us will be doing our best to spend the weekend doing things outside as much as possible. Some lucky people will spend the day out on a boat fishing or water skiing. Others will spend the days hiking or picnicking in a park with family. Or maybe take a drive to the beach and have fun playing in the sand and surf. A perfect way to enjoy a sunny day.

There are many people that have decided to stay around home for the long weekend so they can just hang out at home and relax. Sometimes after running around all of the time during the week its nice to have nowhere to go - to just kickback and relax. And the best part of staying local is the money thats saved on hotels and gas " plus there arent any traffic headaches to deal with either.

For simple fun at home its a great time to break out the classic backyard family games like badminton, volleyball, horseshoes, and water pistols. If youre lucky enough to have a swimming pool, thats even better. Or you can just pump up those great new inflatable pools, hop in and enjoy as much fresh air as you can. Seriously, after running around all week its really nice to keep it as simple as possible.

Of course you cant have Memorial Day without firing up the barbecue. It can be anything from the classic grilled cheeseburgers and chili hotdogs with some fresh ears of corn-on-the-cob on the side. Or you can cook up some teriyaki tuna steaks or some grilled juicy steaks. Dont forget the fresh mouth-watering watermelon. The great part of cooking out on the grill is that theres so much less mess to clean up in the kitchen.

So keep your weekend as relaxing and enjoyable as possible by buying your food and toys before the weekend arrives. Dont forget to check the fuel on your grill too. If you get the errands out of the way then you wont have to deal with spending your entire Saturday in the stores. Instead, you can be resting in a lounge chair in your yard.

About the Author:

Making a big meal? Maybe it's time to treat yourself to a new cookware set. You'll find an excellent selection of professional cookware online at TheSmartCook.com.

Could You Use Some Extra Money Now? 5 Fast Ways to Save on Groceries

By Armeda Jones

Would you like to spend less on groceries every week and have some extra money? There are just five basic strategies you need to know to save hundreds of dollars a month:

1. Always buy on sale. While sale prices are occasionally misleading, most sales are a good value. Discounts on food run from 30-50% off or more when products go on special. Buy everything on sale and reduce your grocery bills by half.

2. Throw brand loyalty out the window. Check the cost per unit and go with whatever is the cheapest. Forgetting the brand loyalty will save you another 10%.

3. Coupons are for smart shoppers. Everybody knows that selective and smart coupon use can save you a bundle, but sometimes we don't bother because of the hassle. The food marketers are trying to save you a lot of money for offering the incentive to use their products, why not take them up on it?

4. Combine coupons with products on sale to maximize savings. This is where the action is for savings. Very often you can get free items or products for pennies on the dollar when using this strategy.

5. Get those rain checks when prices are low. You will notice that products that end up being on sale with current coupons are very often out of stock. If the sale is not limited to stock on hand, then get a rain check to lock your savings in. You can use your rain checks at any time in the next few weeks to still capture your savings.

As you can see, the strategies are simple, but the savings can be many hundreds of dollars with only a little effort on your part. As long as you successfully integrate only these 5 strategies into your shopping your savings will add up rapidly.

About the Author:

Spend less and save more on your food bills. We'll teach you how to save money on groceries with coupons to save your family 80% off their food bills. Get our list of where to find free printable grocery coupons to help you start saving.

The Ins And Outs Of Portable Water Filters

By Peter Abertoning

More and more people are getting concerned about the purity of the water they drink as they hear more about the prevalance of such contaminants as pharmaceuticals and chlorine in our water. That's why there is an increasing interest world wide in water filters and water filtration in general. And if you're considering looking for a water filter you should consider a portable water filter.

There's a number of different water purification systems available, but there's good reasons to consider a portable water filter.

The major benefit of portable water filters is ease of installation. Of course a portable filter can be taken from one place to another so it needs to be quick and easy to install. And usually they are, often all that is needed is to attach the filter to the faucet and you're done. Clean filtered water is now available to you to drink.

And usually a portable filter will filter without use of chemicals. Some filters do use chemicals to filter water and if this concerns you then a portable water filter might do the job, without chemicals.

So the good news is that for anyone interested in using a chemical free filtration method a portable filter is a good option.

For anyone who has a holiday house or travels a lot a portable filter offers a good option. You can take them away with you when you go and have clean water to drink when you go away. Be it a hotel, or resort, or some other form of holiday accomodation you've always got the option of drinking clean water. And you can even move them from room to room if you need to.

There's obviously good reasons to consider a portable filter for anyone who needs a water filter in multiple places over the year.

But when you start looking for portable filters consider exactly what your needs and budget are as there are a wide range of different brands and prices for portable filters.

You can learn much more about water filters at my website where I talk about anything to do with water filtration, including choosing the best water filter.

About the Author:

Peter has a website all about Portable Water Filters and water purification and also helps people to produce their own personal websites, an example being http://pinoyotaku.com/

Cooking Games: Digital Cooking at Your Fingertips

By Vlad Stivenson

Some people like cooking, and if youre reading this article, you probably do too. However, its not so easy to have the time it takes to prepare a good meal. Throw in the time you need to get the ingredients and its something hard to do. Fortunately, theres a new game from Nintendo that will let you prepare your meals anywhere. Its called Cooking Mama.

Cooking Mama is one of the most fun games for Nintendos latest portable video game console, the DS. You take the role of a chef and try to prepare several dishes, according to Mamas recipes. The game is unique in the sense that you dont press any buttons at all. Instead, you use the DSs touch screen and the stylus to imitate cooking movements. For example, if you want to chop something, you tap on the screen each time to cut a slice or a piece off. If you want to stir something, you make circles with the stylus. You can even cool something with your breath by blowing on the microphone.

There are 15 basic recipes you start with, but completing them unlocks over 70. Dishes come from all the world, so theres something for everyone. Dont be surprised if you get hungry after a bit of playing.

Casual Players and Hardcore Players. One of the great things about this game is that it appeals to both casual and hardcore players. People who dont normally play videogames arent much keen to play games that require pressing one of 6 buttons to throw a punch. It isnt natural to them. But since the stylus reflects the actual movement (for example, chopping from the top to the bottom) it feels much more normal to them. Also, there isnt a game over screen. If your performance isnt that great, Mama fixes it so you move on. This way anyone can go through the end of each recipe.

For the hardcore games, the game evaluates your performance and gives you a medal based on your performance. While anyone can finish a recipe, it takes great skill to get a medal gold.

Other Cooking Games If you dont have a DS, you can still play cooking games on your PC. There are many games related to cooking on hundreds of sites. One of such games is called Better Barbecue Challenge. In this game, there is some meat on a grill and you need to cook it from both sides. If you turn it over too early, itll be too raw. If you turn it over too late, itll burn. Its not as simple as it seems, which allows for a fun challenge. One of such games is called Better Barbecue Challenge. In this game, there is some meat on a grill and you need to cook it from both sides. If you turn it over too early, itll be too raw. If you turn it over too late, itll burn. Its not as simple as it seems, which allows for a fun challenge.

So, as you can see, there are many options on both consoles and Internet for you to practice your culinary skills. Some of them are simple, and some are complex enough that theyll make you want to try them out in your real life kitchen.

About the Author:

Vlad Stivenson, creator of numerous cooking games

Safety Concerns For Grilling This Summer

By Chris Channing

Barbeque parties are the only way to kick off your summer right. Each year new young men and women start their grilling hobbies, but not always necessarily in a way that is safe to them or those who consume the food they grill. In order to grill, you need to be aware of safety procedures in preparation.

The preparation of the meat before grilling is where most mistakes are made. Preparing meat can involve many different variables. If you don't plan to marinade the meat, you should grill it as soon as possible. Most types of meat will only be able to be cooked for several days until they go bad- unless you take measures to preserve the meat with extremely cold temperatures.

It is important to clean the cutting board after using it with raw meat. Raw meat may contain certain germs or bacteria that can affect other foods you may be slicing up. If you were to pass the bacteria onto something that isn't cooked, such as fruit or grains, you would be passing on a high risk of infection. Clean the board extremely well after each use.

The way you eat now will have a large effect on your body years from now. It is best to eat lean and get plenty of exercise, as doctors will undoubtedly tell you. Red meat has a bad reputation for being loaded with fatty content, but you can cut down on this fact by slicing out any visible fat regions. This prevents fat from grilling into the meat or being consumed directly.

While on the fire, try not to have the steaks sit directly over a high flame. This could char the meat and create blackened portions that are not healthy to eat. If you do notice an abnormally black section of your meat that looks like it has been charred, cut this portion out before serving. Char is associated with several health defects, and can be a carcinogen in some case.

The biggest mistake that grilling trainees make is not grilling the meat long enough. Even though meat may look like it is done on the outside, the inside could still be raw. You will have to learn the average grilling times for specific meat, and how it correlates with your grilling style. Serving raw meat can be a dangerous deed that will cause illness, so it's best to overcook the meal if you have concerns.

In Conclusion

A cookbook may have more tips for your grilling endeavors. If not, consult a parent or a close friend to show you the ropes in grilling meat to perfection. Learning things on your own is plausible, but you are more apt to make mistakes and risk certain dangers.

About the Author:

Learn more on barbeque grill and bbq smoker grills.

The Story Behind the Ever Popular Root Beer

By David Marcheschi

Root Beer has been around a long time, and is one of the first sodas in America, even pre-dating colas. The first root beers were made during Colonial times and were actually known as Small Beers. These small beers were simply local brews made from herbs, roots and barks, with very low or no alcohol content; hence the name. Some of these small beers included birch beer, sarsaparilla beer, ginger beer, and of course, root beer.

Root Beer's Debut Into Commercial Production

Charles Hires, a Philadelphia, PA pharmacist, is credited with making the first root beer to be sold commercially in America. Unfortunately, the way it all came to be is largely lost to history. One of the most popular stories though is that one day, on his honeymoon; Mr. Hires developed a tea using over twenty-five different herbs, berries and roots.

When he and his new bride returned to Philadelphia, Mr. Hires began selling his new discovery in its dry form in his pharmaceutical shop. He then began working on a liquid form of the tea that he ended up using to flavor carbonated soda water.

Mr. Hires started to go around to get people to taste his new brew, the very favorable response he received encouraged him to include the root beer in the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. After several more years, seventeen to be exact, of perfecting its taste, Charles and his family finally decided to bottle the brew and sell the first ever commercially manufactured root beer.

What's Goes Into the Root Beer Brew

If you think that there's a secret formula somewhere on how to make root beer, you are wrong. Each brewer of the now modernized root beer has their own special brew but most rely on the same basic ingredients that have been passed on over the years. They have their own measurement for the each of the following; sarsaparilla, wintergreen, ginger root, birch bark, burdock root, allspice, pipsissewa, dandelion root, spikenard, wild cherry bark, and spice wood. They also use different sweeteners the most common ones are molasses, honey and of course sugar.

Today, depending on the Root Beer you choose, you may find that these herbs arent used much and that the root beer taste of your beverage comes from artificial flavors and syrups. However, thanks to the micro-brewery movement, small batch Root Beers are coming back into style, and many areas of the country have their own locally made root beers once more. These often do rely on the unique flavors imparted by these herbs and roots and either honey or sugar, as opposed to artificial flavorings and sweeteners.

Root beer has become so popular that you see them almost everywhere being enjoyed by people of all ages. More and more brands of this popular drink are now available in virtually any grocery store. Its quite a pleasant surprise to know it has a rich historical background that can be a source of pride for all Americans.

About the Author:

For unique and hard to find beverages please visit http://www.beveragesdirect.com. Beverages Direct offers a large selection of gourmet root beers, sodas, energy drinks, iced teas and other specialty beverages.