How to Get Started With Fish Recipes

Nature has provided us with a wonderful bounty, readily available from our oceans and rivers. Many people today are looking for interesting fish recipes to liven up their daily diets. Today, more and more people are discovering the pleasures of eating at home and cooking is once more becoming an enjoyable hobby and an admired skill. There are those who avoid cooking fish because of its delicate nature and flavor but experts agree that fish is an excellent source of nutrients for the body, is often a much cheaper alternative to meat and is actually quick and easy to prepare. Many types of fish contain Omega 3 which is known to be good for the heart and, depending on the cooking method used, fish is generally low in calories.

When you're looking for fish recipes, avoid anything that looks too complicated or requires a lot of ingredients. Because fish is naturally low in calories, it's also wise to avoid recipes that add too many other ingredients. The old British favorite for example - fish and chips - features fish dipped in a starchy batter and then deep-fried in oil or animal fat. This negates the many healthy qualities to be found in other fish dishes. Fish is at its best when it's cooked simply. There are many ways of cooking fish and baking is probably one of the easiest methods.

Most varieties of fish are suitable for baking but most white fish fillets, such as cod, will bake in about fifteen minutes in an oven pre-heated to 400 degrees. The fish will need a little liquid and some flavoring to enhance it just a little; suitable liquids are vegetable stock or white wine diluted with water plus a little lemon juice. Although it's best to avoid adding too much extra fat, a touch of melted butter is an addition that will give the fish more flavor. Cover the fish with foil or a lid before placing it in the oven.

Basic fish baked in such a fashion is delicious but watch for fish recipes that suggest additional flavorings to enhance the taste. Many recipes suggest the addition of a couple of bay leaves which add a subtle flavor. Try adding a few black peppercorns too, remembering that these, like the bay leaves, are there to add flavor and are not served with the dish. You'll also find recipes that show that fish can be baked in other liquids. For example, try using a can of chopped tomatoes, complete with the juices. Add Italian herbs such as oregano, some freshly ground black pepper and a touch of garlic and you have a completely different fish dish that is low in calories, high in nutrients and yet has a delicious Mediterranean flavor.

Baking fish is just one example of an easy fish dish. As you search for more fish recipes you'll come across many varied fish dishes that are perfect for everyday family meals and for sophisticated dinner parties. And these can mostly be made simply, easily and quickly. When it's time to serve your fish recipes, choose simple, fresh accompaniments. It's usually a good idea to garnish your fish meals with lemon wedges and a couple of sprigs of parsley. A fish dish can be served with a leafy green salad and a loaf of French bread to mop up the juices. For lunch, dinner or entertaining, fish dishes provide a healthy option at a low cost.

Sweetening Up Fruit Recipes

Everyone has heard the five a day slogan in terms of fruits and vegetables, however not very many people really do a good job at actually meeting it. For whatever reason fruits just are not a big part of people's lives, and that's unfortunate. Fruits are actually very important for the body as they are quite beneficial to one's health. Unlike some other health foods, many fruits do actually taste great as well. In fact there are a number of simple fruit recipes out there that are both easy to make and taste great.

Instead of just having a boring apple in the morning before work, why not enjoy something with lunch with one of these great fruit recipes?

Apricots aren't necessary something people will have commonly, but they taste great and make a delicious snack. For those who have a bit of a sweet tooth, mixing a bit of honey, sugar and a cinnamon stick in with apricots can create a tasty sauce. Pour it over some yogurt for a snack or over frozen yogurt for dessert. If you are already a fan of chicken for dinner, try adding a little extra flavor by spicing it up with pomegranates and blackberries. After grilling the chicken, add a sauce consisting of pomegranate juice, brown sugar, molasses, blackberries and if you prefer garlic, ginger and red pepper. It's sure to how a fresh fruit recipe take on the old classic of chicken for dinner.

For a quick breakfast in the morning, skip the buttered toast and instead make your own spread out of strawberries. All you need to make it is sugar, water, lemon zest and juice as well as the strawberries. It can be saved in a container in the refrigerator allowing for multiple uses throughout the week. Not only does it taste great, but it is also a healthy way to start off in the morning. One of the easiest ways to up your fruit intake is by whipping up a fruit salad. Mixing together blueberries, raspberries and apples can make for great fruit recipes.

If you are not quite in the mood to really prepare something, the best way to eat more fruit is usually just to find something that you like and actually want to eat. There are so many different kinds of fruit out there that it's not hard to find something. In the summer, the abundance of watermelon is a beacon of good times and importantly also counts towards your total fruit count for the day.

When in doubt, look online for some fresh fruit recipes and try your hand at something new. Even if it does not come out quite as you had expected at least it is a new experience in the kitchen. It is never a bad thing to at least give it a try and skip the boring routine of quickly chomping down on a single piece of boring fruit a few times a day. Even if you've found a single piece that you love, it can still be found to see what else is out there.

Unusual Ingredients in Recipes

The world of cooking has a lot of oddities. People do the strangest things and it seems to catch a lot of buzz. Herb recipes have paves the way for recipes with some of the strangest ingredients.

Gold

Who knows where this idea came from, but apparently it's a big thing. It's doubtful that these goodies are worth the extra cost, but people are drawn to the luxury on this one.

Gold Slick Vodka is fairly popular. This vodka has flakes of gold at the bottom. Another liqueur with the gold flakes is known as Gold Water. This particular product comes from Europe. It looks pretty in the bottle, that's for sure.

Gold is also often used in decorating cakes and other sweets. The flakes make a special finish to the product.

Beaver Castoreum

What is beaver castoreum anyways? It is certainly not for the squeamish that's for sure. This is one of those things similar to hot dogs, it's better to live in mystery. Beaver castoreum is apparently used to enhance raspberry flavoring. It is found in gum, candies and other foods. So what is this beaver castoreum? It is also known as beaver anal juice. Not kidding.

Nutella

This product just recently became popular, but it was fairly unheard of for a long time. It is the same consistency as peanut butter, but made of hazelnuts. Nutella is very sweet and is made with cocoa, so it tastes very much like a chocolate spread. For those who love chocolate, Nutella is something to covet. The product is very rich, can be used on just about anything and is excellent for baking. It should be used sensibly though as it fairly high in calories and fat.

Parsnips

The parsnip is a vegetable that doesn't get a lot of attention and not often seen on the menu. It is used in herb recipes. Parsnips are very nutritious and low in calories. It is rich in fiber and vitamin C. Parsnips are excellent roasted. Another good use for them is in mashed potatoes. Using half the amount of potatoes and substituting in parsnips for the other half is a great way to lighten up herb recipes or mashed potatoes without taking away any of the flavor. They mash well too.

Douchi

This is an Asian ingredient also known as fermented black beans. It is not actually black beans though, it is soybeans that have turned black from the fermenting process. Douchi is generally used for making sauces and pastes for stir fries. Douchi also makes a good marinade for roasted meats. Sometimes these soy beans are added to meals whole, but that is not very common.

Bee Pollen

Bee pollen consists of both honey and the bee's pollen. It is used to make bread and used in herb recipes.

Prahok

This is a Cambodian ingredient that smells like Camembert cheese. The people preserve fish that is gray. It is a similar ingredient to anchovies. Not a lot of this ingredient needs to be used; a little bit goes a long ways. It is the most distinctive food of the culture, used in herb recipes. It goes to show that smelly ingredients aren't to be avoided.

Finding a Pizza Place That You Can Have As a Go-To

It is great when you can find a pizza place that you will want to stick with. Most people probably like some type, but everyone has a little different preference. Some like a lot of sauce, and some like barely any.

Some like just cheese, while others like everything on them. There are pizzas with just meat and cheese, and there are those with just veggies and cheese. Some like thin crust, some like it thick, and some like it cheese-stuffed. It might be difficult to find someplace that can please the entire family, but it definitely does not hurt to try.

Finding a pizza place that pleases the entire family might be difficult. If you have tried and failed several times, then you may want to go to the extreme. Make up little quizzes asking what each one likes on his or her pizzas. In the end, you can collect them all and see what they all have in common. Take the commonalities, and try to find a place that offers them.

Sometimes it really is impossible to please everyone. Rather than waste too much time trying, you might want to find a good place that offers small personal-sized pizzas. By doing this, everyone can have a choice.

Something else to consider as you choose a go-to pizza shop is the cost. Some might be over-the-top expensive because of the area you are in. You might actually find your best pizzas at the corner store near you. It is probably a privately run convenience store, but most likely their pizzas are some of the best.

The pizza itself is not always what makes you keep coming back to a particular shop. The people who run it and the bonuses they offer might make every trip worth-while. Being treated well is something that can make your day just like a good slice from pizzas at the best shop in town. A balance of good pizzas and good customer service is essential to finding your go-to shop.

Finding the right pizza shop might not sound like a big deal right now, but when no one feels like cooking, it might be the best option. Already having a go-to shop for pizzas will help with last-minute arguments. Having a place that pleases as much of the whole family as possible and also offers excellent customer service is great. Start searching now for the place that might please the whole family.

Facts on Chocolate Fountains

The chocolate fountain has changed the way one hosts a party. It has also greatly impacted the catering business and has been around for more than 15 years or so. Those who are planning to host or organize a small or large event should consider buying or renting a fountain. If you are curious about the basics of the fountain, this article aims to provide 5 basic facts on chocolate fountains.

Delicious Facts

What is a chocolate fountain? This is a pot that is usually made of stainless steel that is self-stirring. Depending on the type of fountain, it usually stands about 12-52 inches tall. A basin catches the chocolate at the bottom as it flows down different sizes of tiers. The chocolate is melted in the bottom of the basin and when it is perfect in texture, it is brought to the top by an auger. From the top it topples down. Guests can enjoy placing their fruits or snacks underneath the cascading chocolate.

What is it used for? It is used for entertainment as well as providing guests with a sweet tooth pleasure. It can also be used as a decoration.

What are the types of fountains? An organizer must look at the kind of event that is being planned in order to decide which the best type of chocolate fountain to use is. There are small ones that can be used in the home. It can be for dinners for the family. Homeowners can buy their own fountains which can be found between $30-$300. Many can be put in the dishwasher but there might be some parts that can easily break.

There are also large commercial chocolate fountains that are used for larger events and used by caterers. These are most often found in weddings, proms, and other large gatherings. The amount of chocolate that this kind of fountain can hold can be up to 100 pounds. It can cost up to thousands of dollars. Many choose to rent and companies that provide this also offer help with installation at the event.

What do I need to consider when renting a fountain? The market is competitive in terms of providing this kind of service. It is advisable to go through different packages in order to find the best deal. Some packages not only include the fountain but also offer installation, skewers, and other decoration. Consider how many people will be attending the event and the feedback of other customers since there is a risk in renting a fountain that might not be made of good quality.

What can be served with small or large commercial chocolate fountains? Those that have this in an event should be creative in terms of serving ideas. Not only can chocolate come from the fountain, but you can add white chocolate and even peanut butter for example. Some of the popular food that is dipped includes strawberries, kiwi, marshmallow, sugar cookies, granola bars, and pretzels.

What You Need To Know About Food Borne Illness And Psoriasis!

I just finished reading an article on how prevalent food borne illness has become. According to the Center For Disease Control, contaminated food causes 48 million cases of sickness annually. This staggering number represents approximately 15% of the population of the United States! The CDC goes on to say that while the overwhelming majority of cases are mild and self-limiting, there is still a good amount of severe cases which results in over 100,000 hospital admissions and 3000 deaths per year.

Any ingestion of contaminated food can result in food borne illness. The tainted food can host a wide variety of organisms from bacteria to viruses to parasites. Fortunately, more often than not, the result of eating tainted food is limited to symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Such symptoms are very often self-limiting and only last a day or two with more sever ailments resolving within a week.

So exactly how can a person protect themselves against food borne illness and what does this have to do with psoriasis? The first question is pretty straightforward. All aspects of food handling from grocery shopping to cleaning, to cooking, to storage and finally to disposal, all have certain rules that govern how to properly do all these tasks. While most people seem to take these things for granted, the prudent person will take the time to learn the exact steps necessary to perform each task without incurring any unnecessary risk. You need to know all about the proper cooking temperatures to kill off bacteria in different foods.

You need to know all about the proper refrigeration techniques and how soon cooked food needs to be refrigerated instead of being left out to spoil. You need to know all about the proper cleaning of your cooking utensils and cutting boards and the use of dirty dish rags instead of paper towels which are discarded right away. Even after all of this learning is taken care of, you might still not be protected because according to the CDC, in 2008, 52% of all single source incidents were the result of eating outside the home while only 15% were the result of eating in your own home. In other words, while you may take all the necessary precautions, others, read: restaurant workers, may not!

The second question regarding the relationship to psoriasis is as follows. Certain risk groups are more susceptible to contracting a food borne illness more so than other groups. These higher risk individuals include the elderly population, families with small children, and any group of people with an immune system disorder. All three of these groups have an immune system which is functioning in a capacity that is less than ideal. Their ability to fight off an impending food borne illness attack is less than that of a healthy middle age individual.

Since psoriasis patients have a compromised immune system, they are inherently at risk for contracting a food borne illness versus a normal person when either one is faced with such a challenge. The normal person might just feel uncomfortable while the psoriasis patient might get completely sick. So do not ever let your guard down!

How to Clean Water

60% of the human body consists of water. A person can typically live without air for 3 minutes, water for 3 days, and food for 3 weeks. Needless to say water is a great necessity for survival. Without some source of clean drinking water you may find yourself in dire straits. Pure clean water should be used to drink, cook, and wash with, (hygiene and washing dishes/other cooking supplies).

If you are in your home when an emergency situation arises you will want to check to see if you have water pressure. If you still have pressure you will want to fill up any container you can get your hands on with clean water. If you do not have pressure anymore, don't fret there's still ways you can access clean water.

Grand Pappy Info- has some great tips on how to get access to clean water using three sources:

1. Ice cubes in the freezer, and

2. Inside your water pipes, and

3. Inside the hot water heater.

Even if the water pressure is off, there is still some water inside the water pipes in your home or apartment. It can be drained from the water pipes (using gravity) by opening the LOWEST cold water faucet in your home, which will usually be on the first floor, or the basement, or outside. However, you will also need to open the highest cold water faucet in your home to allow air to enter the cold water pipes so the water can flow out the lowest water faucet into your collection container. This will drain all the water out of your cold water pipes but NOT your hot water pipes.

Most hot water heaters contain 40 gallons of clean water. However, BEFORE you you can access it you MUST turn off the power or turn off the gas to your hot water heater, or you could start a fire. Then open the faucet at the bottom of the water heater to gain immediate access to 40 gallons of reserve clean drinking water. This is enough emergency water to last a family of four for 20 days if they ONLY drink the water and don't wash with it. This is the BEST source of reserve drinking water for the average family because it is constantly being used and replaced inside the hot water heater prior to the emergency. Therefore it will be fresh and clean at the beginning of an emergency. (Note: Some hot water heaters do NOT have an easy access water value at their base. Prior to an emergency you should take a look at your hot water heater and determine if you can get to the water inside your heater. If you can't, then you might consider having a plumber install a standard water faucet value in the water line at the bottom of the hot water heater.)".

There are many emergency drinking water storage containers such as the Water BOB that you can purchase and use in case of emergency. It holds up to 100 gallons of water and keeps it fresh up to 4 weeks. The idea is to fill it before the disaster strikes.

How to make sure that your water is safe to drink:

If the water is not coming from your kitchen faucet you will want to consider it unsafe to drink. Most water that is not coming from your kitchen faucet is contaminated with disease causing organisms; even if it looks clean.

Boiling Water:

The best way to make sure that all the contaminants are killed is to boil the water.

Water does not have to reach the boiling point to be safe to drink; just needs to reach 185 F (85 C). At this temp nearly all disease causing organisms have been destroyed. Boil water to be positive the water has reached the right temp and is hot enough to make it safe to drink.

Liquid Chlorine Bleach (5.25 % -6% strength).

When trying to purify clear water use 8 drops of bleach to 1 gallon of water. If water appears to be cloudy use 16 drops of bleach per gallon. Water needs to be room temperature for best results. Once you have added the bleach you will want to wait one hour for the bleach to kill all the tiny organisms. If you cannot detect a faint smell of bleach then you will want to repeat the process by adding in the drops of bleach and waiting another hour. After 2nd hour if you still do not smell faint bleach smell you will want to discard, because it contains to many contaminants. (If you are stock piling bleach for this purpose remember not to buy too much at a time; bleach only has around 6-9 month shelf life).

Calcium Hypochlorite Granules 68% (Chemical used to clean swimming pools):

These granules do not clean as efficiently as boiling water or chlorine bleach. The granules can kill bacteria and viruses, but not effective in neutralizing harmful chemicals or radioactive particles. Use pinch of granules into one gallon of water. After adding in the granules you will need to wait 1 hour. Once again if you can smell a faint chlorine smell then it is safe to drink. If you can't detect a faint smell of chlorine you will want to discard; it is unsafe to drink. Calcium Hpochlorite Granules has a longer shelf life then liquid bleach.

Water Purification systems:

There are many purification systems that do a pretty effective job at purifying/eliminating contaminants. Typically the problem with purification systems is that they are expensive. One of my favorite water purification systems is the Berkey light. The system is designed for use during travel, outdoor activities, and in unexpected emergencies. The system can purify both treated and untreated raw water from sources such as streams and lakes.

Any disaster, whether large or small, may force us to go days, weeks or even possibly months without Your basic necessities. If you could not have access to them, would you be able to survive? Be prepared!

Any disaster, whether large or small, may force us to go days, weeks or even possibly months without food, water and or electricity. If you could not have access to treated water, would you be able to survive? Be prepared!