Chicken Soup (Canja de Galinha)

There is nothing as comforting as chicken soup. Canja, with countless versions and variations, is served all over Brazil and is regarded as one of the national dishes. Brazilians fell in love with this soup almost 500 years ago, when the Portuguese fi rst introduced them to rice. This recipe involves some extra steps, which are not part of most soup recipes. Making your own chicken soup is worth all the effort that goes into it, though, and it’s a great way to make new friends. Everyone will want a bowlful.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
• 1 3 ½-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces,
• preferably organic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 medium-size onion
• 1 whole clove
• 1 large carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 cups water
• ½ cup long-grain rice
• 5 sprigs fresh mint

On your mark . . .
• Wash the chicken pieces, pat them dry with a paper towel, and lay them in a large bowl.

• Wash your hands with lots of hot soapy water.

• Lay the garlic cloves on a cutting board and slightly crush them with the flat side of a knife. Cut off the stem end and discard it. Roughly chop the garlic.

• Sprinkle the salt over the chopped garlic and mash it with a fork. Continue to mash until the garlic and salt combine into a paste.

• Add the garlic-and-salt combination to the chicken pieces.

• Toss well with a spoon to coat the chicken with the paste, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 hours to marinate.

Get set . . .
• Just before the chicken has finished marinating, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

• Press the clove into the skin of the onion. You will cook the onion whole in the soup.

• Wash and peel the carrot and set aside.

Cook!
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.

• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan large enough to hold all the ingredients. A Dutch oven or soup pot will work best.

• Once the oil is hot but not smoking, brown the chicken pieces on both sides. You will have to do this in two batches, as there won’t be enough room in the pan to cook all the pieces at once.

• Remove the browned pieces to a clean platter, and ask your adult assistant to drain the fat from the pot. Leave the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. They will add additional flavor to the soup.

• Return the chicken to the pot along with the onion, carrot, bay leaf, black pepper, and the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. This will take 15 to 20 minutes.

• Once it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 1 ½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

• Several times during cooking carefully skim the foam or fat that rises to the top.

• When the chicken is done, turn off the heat. Ask your adult assistant to remove the chicken pieces and the carrot from the broth with a slotted spoon and lay them on a clean tray or platter to cool. Discard the onion.

• Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or pan, then pour it back into the pot it was just cooked in.

• Return the broth to a boil over high heat, then add the rice, and 1 teaspoon salt.

• As soon as the broth boils again, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

• In the meantime, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Pull the meat off the bones and tear it into medium-size pieces. Discard the chicken bones.

• Slice the carrot into small cubes, then add the chicken and carrots to the pan. Heat the soup through for 5 minutes.

• In the meantime, wash the mint, remove the leaves from the stems, and tear the leaves in half.

• Serve the soup hot and garnish each bowl with a few of the mint leaves.

This Soup Recipe was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p23 To p24'

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The Regions of Brazil and How They Taste

The cooking of Brazil stands apart from all other South American cuisines because of its unique ingredients and fl avors. Brazil’s fascinating mixture of cultures, which blends native Indian, Portuguese, and African influences, has informed and shaped its national cuisine.

The cooking of Brazil began to differ drastically from all other South American cuisines more than 500 years ago when Portuguese colonists brought the fi rst slaves to Brazil from Africa. Many of the transplanted African women who ran the kitchens of the colonists were experts at cooking over open fi res, baking, and using spices. They invented new recipes by combining familiar elements from their homelands with the wide assortment of local ingredients that native residents used in their everyday dishes. In addition, the Portuguese brought to this vast unknown country the ingredients that most reminded them of home— items such as salt, sugar, spices, eggs, and vinegar. Through the years, Amerindian dishes absorbed the infl uence of African and Portuguese cuisine. In later centuries, as a result of immigration from other parts of Europe, German, Italian, and eastern European infl uences had their impact as well. What resulted was a diverse medley of ingredients and techniques which, like any good recipe, came together in new and exciting ways. Despite this widespread diversity and cultural variety, from a culinary perspective, the nation can be divided into two distinct regions, the north and the south. Each region bursts with its own fl avors and long culinary traditions just waiting to be shared.

The South
The southern states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo are home to more than 90 percent of the nation’s population. The southeast is also the most industrialized part of the country. Nearly 7 million people live in the city of Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of


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Brazil until 1960. Rio, as it is often called, is densely inhabited and a city of opposites, where poverty and luxury live side by side.

Rio has one of the most dazzling settings of any city in the world with the Atlantic on the east and dramatic highlands to the west. It is especially famous for the festival of Carnival, a national holiday, when the city throws a sprawling fi ve-day party before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Huge, eye-popping fl oats tower over the streets rolling past revelers in glittering costumes dancing to the samba and lambada beats. With such a festive atmosphere is it any wonder that Brazilians call their hometown Cidade Maravilhosa, or “marvelous city”?

Rio is also known for one of its Saturday traditions. In years past, the resourceful African slaves began making a dish with leftover cuts of meat that were considered undesirable and didn’t appeal to the colonists they were cooking for. Rather than waste this meat, they cooked it with black beans, onions, garlic, and assorted spices. The fragrance of the simmering dish filled the plantation houses. Once the landowners began to smell and eventually taste this delicious creation, they wanted to share it as well. Thus the national dish, feijoada completa, was born. The meal begins with a delicious black bean soup. Then sautéed collard greens or kale, delicate cheese rolls, Brazilian rice, and platters of fresh sliced oranges are served along with the smoked and fresh pork, beef, sausages, and richly fl avored black beans that make up the feijoada completa. A complete feast! Diners return several times to select from the


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artfully displayed platters of ingredients, choosing their favorites and enjoying them at a leisurely pace.

Despite its massive population, Rio is not Brazil’s largest city. That distinction belongs to São Paulo—a name that lends itself not only to a city, but also to the state that contains it. São Paulo is 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Rio and is home to over 18 million people. It is South America’s richest state. The cosmopolitan city of São Paulo contains some of the most innovative architecture in the world. There is even a hotel built in the shape of a giant slice of watermelon.

São Paulo was first settled 450 years ago by Jesuit missionaries. Today the city is composed of ultramodern skyscrapers, brick factories, tenements, and gleaming residential apartments. It is the center of Brazilian art and music. The ethnic diversity the city is known for makes it home to every kind of cuisine imaginable. As a result, Paulistos, as the city residents are called, are experts at selecting good food. One local favorite is a salad made with dried cod, a Brazilian specialty with Portuguese origins.

To escape the fast pace and heat of the cities, Cariocas, the residents of Rio, and Paulistos head north to the state of Espírito Santo and the beaches at Vila Velha, fi rst colonized in the sixteenth century. The seafood there is outstanding. A local fi sh stew, moqueca capixaba, made from the day’s catch and simmered with fresh tomatoes, green onions, fish stock, cilantro, and lime juice is reason enough to visit. To the west of Espírito Santo lies the expansive state of Minas Gerais. About the size of France, it was where three-quarters of the world’s gold deposits were discovered around 1675 along the rivers that thread their way out of Brazil’s oldest and tallest mountains, the Serra da Mantiqueira.

This state is also known for another kind of gold—cheese. Minas Gerais is the country’s leading producer of milk, butter, and cheese. Many believe the best cooks in Brazil are found in Minas Gerais, and, judging by the raw materials they have to work with, it just might be true. Fruits such as pineapple, cherries, grapes, fi gs, passion fruit, guava, and papaya grow abundantly. Tomatoes thrive in the mineral-rich soil along with onions, peppers, peas, beets, corn, okra, pumpkins, collard greens, kale, carrots, sugarcane, and of course the ever-present coffee bean. Brazil is the leading grower of coffee in the world.

Farmers in Minas Gerais developed a recipe many years ago that is now enjoyed all over Brazil. A loin of pork is marinated in lime, garlic, peppers, orange juice, and parsley then slow roasted to perfection. Another dish beloved throughout Brazil is a type of chicken soup, the ultimate comfort food. It is a recipe that many believe originated in Minas Gerais. Brazilians call their chicken soup canja, and once you taste it you’ll know why Brazilians love it.

As you travel across the southern tip of the country into the prosperous state of Paraná, you might forget you are in Brazil. The cooking and architecture found there refl ect a distinct European infl uence. Italian and German immigrants settled there in the mid-nineteenth century. The rolling plains, or pampas, that make up Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, spread far beyond the border with Argentina. This is cattle country. Cowboys, called gauchos, have led cattle drives acrossthese grasslands since the early eighteenth century. Large numbers of Italian, German, Swiss, and eastern Europeans settled there in the late nineteenth century, and the local cuisine still refl ects the infl uence.

The necessity of having to travel long distances on cattle drives led the gauchos to create a method of preserving meats that allowed them to carry beef with them in their saddlebags while they moved cattle from place to place. The beef was salted then dried in the sun to keep the meat from spoiling. Carne do sol is still popular today and is an essential ingredient in such distinctive Brazilian dishes as feijoada. Another dish that used dried beef was mule driver’s rice, a blend of dried beef, rice, tomatoes, green pepper, and the incredibly hot malagueta chile peppers.

The gauchos also used a style of cooking that is familiar in North America. When it was time to feed the large numbers of men traveling on the cattle drives, meats were cooked over open fires. They were rubbed with coarse salt or basted with simple sauces of salted water and peppers to seal in the juices and keep the beef tender. Linguica, a Brazilian sausage, slid onto long skewers, was roasted over the fi re as well. The result was a style of cooking called churrasco, named after the long sword-like skewers. Restaurants called churrascarias are a meat lover’s dream and are popular today throughout Brazil and the world.

Though beef remains the meat of choice in the south, chicken and pork are not overlooked. A favorite dish in Rio Grande do Sul, and evidence of the state’s Italian culinary infl uence, is a chicken-and-rice combination cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and onion, then topped with a golden crust of Parmesan cheese.

For a taste of the south try: Smoked Meat and Black Bean Stew; Cheese Rolls; Sautéed Greens; Creamed Corn; Fresh Shrimp and Black- Eyed Pea Salad; Fish and Shrimp Stew; Roasted Pork Tenderloin; Brazilian Rice; Mule Driver’s Rice; and Colonial Chicken.

The North
In the north lies the Amazon River and Basin, which covers more than 50 percent of the landmass of Brazil. At 1,962 miles (3,157 km), the Amazon is one of the world’s mighty waterways. The diversity of the ecosystem there is unequaled anywhere else on Earth. It is home to approximately 20 percent of all the plants, animals, and birds found on the planet. Rain forest plants that thrive there provide the world with about 25 percent of its medicine.

The rain forests of the Amazon Basin have been called “the earth’s lungs,” as they contribute to the health of the planet. Concerned people and organizations in Brazil and throughout the world work to protect the ecological health of this diverse and irreplaceable region.


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Rivers are not Brazil’s only aquatic resource. The country’s coastal waters provide a wealth of seafood that finds its way into many local delicacies. Freshly caught fish are cooked with tropical fruits and are a specialty of the state of Pará and its capital, Belém. Fresh crabs are boiled and cracked open, and the meat is dipped in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, vinegar, onions, and chile peppers. Luscious local tropical fruits with unfamiliar names, such as guaraná, bacuri, and sapote, are also eaten fresh or enjoyed as refreshing juices.

A tropical marvel that is native to this region is the Brazil nut tree, an evergreen that can reach 150 feet (46 meters) tall and 6 feet (1.8 m) in circumference. Have you ever seen a pinecone? Imagine one that is ten times bigger and instead of seeds on the inside there are nuts. Brazil nuts are packed with protein and are a delicious snack. They are also used in countless dishes in the region, even in cookies that combine white cornmeal, butter, and flour to create a crunchy delight.

It is the state of Bahia, however, that many Brazilians associate with outstanding cooking. The food there is quite different from that of the rest of Brazil. The African culinary infl uence, evident in so much of Brazilian cooking, is most noticeable in Bahia. Nuts, coconut milk, and a dark orange palm oil called dendê are just a few examples. This flavorful oil is used extensively in much of the local cooking, and the color and flavor it lends to dishes is distinctly Bahian. North Americans might find its highly saturated fat content reason to pass it up, but in Bahia it is an essential ingredient. Dendê oil is usually added at the end of cooking in order to ensure that its color and flavor are at their peak.

Palm oil is not the only local ingredient that finds its way into the dishes of Bahia. Manioc, or cassava, grows abundantly in the state and throughout Brazil. Manioc remains as much a part of the cooking of Brazil today as it was when the Amerindians fi rst used it thousands of years ago. Cooked, dried, then ground into fl our or a coarse meal, it is one of the key ingredients, along with beans, fi sh, and rice, used in the cooking of Brazil.

Another unique vegetable featured in the cooking of Bahia is the delicate center, or heart, of young palm trees. Hearts of palm are cooked until tender and combined with fresh oranges, cashews, and mint into a refreshing local salad. Delicate miniature pies, called pastel decarne, filled with a spicy, simmered, ground-meat fi lling, are another favorite.

A hard cheese similar to Parmesan is blended into rolls made from manioc flour. Manioc is also an essential ingredient in farofa, a Brazilian condiment served alongside or on top of savory dishes and similar to our salt or ground pepper. In fact a farofa has its own shaker called a farinheira, and is found on every table in Brazil. Farofas can be simple or elaborate. A popular one in Bahia is made with bananas and onions. For a taste of the north try: Chicken Soup; Hearts of Palm Salad; Miniature Meat Pies; and Brazil Nut Cookies. Now that you know something about the cooking of Brazil, your journey really begins. Put on some samba music, and start to discover what makes Brazilian food so tantalizing. Once your guests sample your dishes they are bound to say, “Muito obrigado. A comida estava delicisa!” (“Thank you very much. The food was delicious!”)


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This Information was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p12 To p20'

Brazilian cooking fuses the culinary (Cooking Terms)

Identities of cultures spanning three continents. By combining Brazil’s basic native Indian culinary roots with African food artistry and Portuguese spices and ingredients, a national cuisine was born. One of the most appealing things about the cooking of Brazil is that the recipes are not overly complicated. Some involve extra steps that can be time consuming, but any extra effort spent preparing a dish will be greatly rewarded with the surprisingly delicious results. Here are a few simple techniques for you to follow as you discover the cooking of Brazil.

Grate:

All rights reserved © Marshall Cavendish BenchmarkTo grate means to finely shred foods. A four-sided metal grater with a handle at the top will give you a place to hold on to as you work. Always use extreme caution when using a grater and don’t allow your fi ngers to come too close to the grating surface.

Sauté:

All rights reserved © Marshall Cavendish BenchmarkTo lightly fry ingredients in a small amount of fat, butter, or oil, while stirring with a spoon or spatula.

Simmer:

All rights reserved © Marshall Cavendish BenchmarkTo cook food in a liquid kept just below the boiling point. Gentle bubbles will roll lazily to the top of a liquid that is simmering. Simmering is an important part of Brazilian cooking and is used in the long, slow cooking of beans, soups, stews, and braised meats.

Skim:

All rights reserved © Marshall Cavendish BenchmarkFats or impurities will rise to the surface of simmering or boiling soups or sauces. Skimming removes these unwanted residues as well as reduces fat and enriches fl avor. Use a large metal spoon or small ladle to remove and discard them.

This Tip was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p10 and p11'

Be Sharp about Knives (A Word about Safety)

• A simple rule about knife safety is that your hands work as a team. One hand grips the handle and operates the knife while the other guides the food you are cutting. The hand holding the food should never come close to the blade of the knife. Keep the fi ngertips that hold the food slightly curved and out of the path of the blade, and use your thumb to keep the food steady. Go slowly. There is no reason to rush.


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• Always hold the knife handle with dry hands. If your hands are wet, the knife might slip.

• Work on a cutting board, never a tabletop or countertop.

• Never place sharp knives in a sink full of soapy water, where they could be hidden from view. Someone reaching into the water might get hurt.

• Take good care of your knives. Good chef knives should be washed by hand, never in a dishwasher. no reason to rush.

This Tip was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p9'

Cooking Terms

Beat: To stir rapidly in a circular motion

Boil: To heat a liquid over high heat until bubbles form and rise rapidly to the surface

Brown: To cook food quickly over high heat so that the surface turns an even brown

Dice: To chop food into small, square pieces

Fold: To blend an ingredient with other ingredients by using a gentle, overturning circular motion instead of by stirring or beating

Garnish: To decorate with small pieces of food, such as chopped parsley

Grate: To cut into tiny pieces by rubbing the food against a grater

Hard-Boil: To cook an egg in its shell until both the yolk and the white are firm

Marinate: To soak a food in a seasoned liquid

Pinch: A very small amount, usually what you can pick up between your thumb and forefinger

Preheat: To allow an oven to warm up to a certain temperature before putting food into it

Sauté: To fry in a small amount of oil or other fat, stirring or turning the food to prevent burning

Sift: To put an ingredient, such as flour or sugar, through a sifter to break up any lumps

Simmer:To cook over low heat in liquid kept just below its boiling point. Bubbles may occasionally rise to the surface.

Steam: To cook food with the steam from boiling water

Whip: To beat an ingredient, such as cream or egg whites, until light and fluffy

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The Austrian Way, revised and expanded to include new low-fat and vegetarian recipes by "Helga Hughes" - p19 To p20'

Cooking Utensils

Bread Pan: A baking pan in the shape of a loaf of bread

Colander: A bowl with holes in the bottom and sides. It is used for draining liquid from solid food.

Double Boiler: Two saucepans that fit together so the contents in the upper pan can be heated by boiling water in the lower pan

Grater: A utensil with sharp-edged holes, used to grate food into small pieces

Potato Ricer: A utensil in which foods are pressed through small holes to produce pieces in the shape of rice grains

Rolling Pin: A cylindrical tool used for rolling out dough

Sieve: A bowl-shaped utensil made of wire or plastic mesh, used to wash or drain small, fine foods

Slotted Spoon: A spoon with small openings in the bowl. It is used to remove solid food from liquid.

Springform Pan: A pan with a detachable rim

Steaming Basket: A metal basket that fits inside a saucepan and allows food to be cooked with steam

Whisk: A wire utenstil used for beating food by hand

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The Austrian Way, revised and expanded to include new low-fat and vegetarian recipes by "Helga Hughes" - p19'

Couscous

A thirteenth-century cookery book contains one of the first written references to the tiny flour pellets called couscous. At the time, the anonymous author described it as “known all over the world,” according to Mediterranean food expert Clifford A. Wright. Today, couscous remains a staple across North Africa. It is neither a grain nor a pasta, but it is included here as it is commonly eaten like a grain and served in countless preparations—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Traditionally couscous is made in a labor-intensive process from coarsely ground durum wheat. Women sprinkle salted water onto a bowl of flour while at the same time raking through it, causing tiny pellets of dough to form. Arab cookery expert Charles Perry notes that couscous has customarily been made from freshly ground whole grain. He describes the minuscule granules as “in effect a grain turned inside out” because the perishable bran and germ particles are coated with an envelope of starch, thus protecting them from the air, which allows couscous to last for months or years. Couscous is often steamed at least twice to achieve its characteristic ethereal fluffiness. The cookware used for steaming resembles a double boiler and is known by its French name, couscoussière.

Couscous is both simple and elegant. Infinitely adaptable to the flavors and sauces that infuse it, it is a most versatile side dish. Whole wheat couscous is more nutritious and richer in fiber than refined couscous. It is made from whole wheat durum flour and is precooked, like any modern-day factory-produced couscous, which makes for a fast everyday staple. In West Africa, couscous is also made from millet, and in parts of Morocco and Algeria aromatic barley couscous is common.

This Tips was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Corn, Grits, and Polenta

Corn, more accurately called maize or mahiz for its indigenous roots, is a kind of grass native to the Americas. According to recent DNA profiles, the “cradle of maize evolution” has been located in a river valley in southern Mexico. In this region, archaeologists also found milling tools with maize residue that date back almost nine thousand years. Corn grows in many colors, from white and yellow to bluish gray, purple, and red.

Columbus brought maize to the Old World from which it spread rapidly around the globe. While delicious as a staple, its protein is of lesser quality because it lacks two essential amino acids. Serving corn together with beans, dairy, or meat compensates for this shortfall.

The Aztec, Maya, and North American Indians treated corn with an alkali, a process called nixtamalization, which makes an important amino acid available to the human body. However, this traditional knowledge never made it across the Atlantic. As a result, impoverished southern Europeans who relied on a diet of cheap corn became sick with pellagra (from Italian pelle agra, literally, “sour skin”), a deficiency of vitamin B, or niacin. The disease, still common in Africa and China, also reached epidemic proportions in parts of the American South in the late nineteenth century.

Today corn is eaten around the globe, in countless variations from freshly grilled sweet corn on the cob to cornbreads and porridge—be it as southern grits, Italian polenta, Romanian mamaliga, or Greek katsamaki.

Cornmeal For Baking:
I always choose stone-ground whole grain cornmeal, which comes in different grinds. Look for the term “whole grain” on the package. Stone milling grinds grains more slowly and at a lower temperature than large-scale commercial steel milling, and produces delicious, more textured flours. Supermarket products are typically degerminated. This means that the nutritious germ and the fiber-rich bran have been removed for longer shelf life. Not all companies put the grind—fine, medium, or coarse—on the package. Sometimes you have to play a guessing game, looking closely at the meal or running it through your fingers.

When You Shop:
Polenta, grits, and cornmeal cause a lot of confusion. First, on a light note, when a recipe in this book calls for polenta, don’t go out and buy the plastic-wrapped tubes filled with a firm yellow mush. This is a ready-made product for last-minute preparations. Once you have tried real polenta, you will leave these tubes on the supermarket shelf. Italian polenta, now a trendy food, is essentially coarsely ground cornmeal, each little granule about the size of couscous. For the recipes in this book, look for packages labeled “polenta” or “corn grits” (but not the instant or quickcooking kind). They will provide you with a pleasant introduction to the grain and will deliver consistent results. However, polenta and grits sold in the United States are often refined, which makes them not a whole grain. As a nutritious alternative, my recipes also give instructions for coarse stone-ground whole grain cornmeal from widely available Bob’s Red Mill. This and other brands of more perishable whole grain cornmeal (with varying cooking times) are worth seeking out for their rich natural sweetness and toothsome texture.

This Tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Bulgur

Bulgur (also bulgar, or burghul) is a godsend for busy cooks. You could call it the perfect ancient fast food—it transforms slowcooking whole wheat into a quick everyday staple. In a traditional technique used for centuries, bulgur is made by first boiling wheat, and then drying, cracking, and sorting it by size. The outer layers of the bran are removed—still, bulgur retains a considerable amount of fiber, more than quinoa, oats, or corn.

This traditional convenience food is vital to many cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, including those of Armenia, Turkey, Greece, Syria, and Iraq. For its versatility and countless preparations, some refer to it as Middle Eastern pasta. Bulgur has an appealing mild wheat flavor and pleasing texture. One of its best-known uses is in tabouli, the famous Middle Eastern salad, made with lots of parsley, mint, and tomatoes. It is also added to soups and meatballs, and cooked into nutritious pilafs.

Bulgur is most often made from durum wheat, but other kinds of wheat can be used as well. Bulgur is often confused with cracked wheat, which is exactly what the name says: cracked but uncooked wheat.

When You Shop:
Bulgur comes in fine, medium, and coarse varieties. All kinds are great for a speedy dinner, as precooked bulgur can be on the table in 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the grain. Some cooks just reconstitute bulgur by soaking it in cold or hot water for as little as 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour. I prefer the chew of coarse or medium-coarse bulgur, but fine varieties are an interesting starting point. Middle Eastern stores often sell bulgur in packages that label the different grinds with numbers from 1 to 4, fine to coarse. Now, here is the puzzling part: You might have a batch of bulgur that a company identifies as “fine to medium,” but whose kernels resemble a “coarse” grain to a T. In addition, those two kernels, which look absolutely alike, might cook up differently, in anything between 10 to 25 minutes. What is a cook to do? It’s easy. Just check your grain after 10 minutes or so. If it is still slightly chewy, add a little more water to your pot if needed, and cook it a bit longer. Done!

This Tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, despite its name, is not related to wheat. Technically, it is not a grain, but yet another pseudocereal from a herbaceous plant belonging to the rhubarb and sorrel family. First documented in China and Japan, where it is believed to have originated, the staple was brought to the United States by early European settlers. Its name is derived from the Dutch bockweit, literally, “beechwheat,” and refers to beechnuts, which are larger but have a similar triangular shape.

Buckwheat grows in poor soil conditions, which makes it ideally suited to cold climates. Thus, in eastern Europe and Russia, the cereal has been a staple for centuries. In English, the term kasha often refers to buckwheat, while in Slavic languages the term includes any porridge also made from wheat, barley, or rye. Japan also has a long history of eating buckwheat as porridge or dumplings. Highly esteemed soba noodles, made from buckwheat flour, date back to the seventeenth century and are a fairly recent addition to the Japanese diet.

Gluten-free buckwheat kernels (or groats) stand out for their high levels of rutin, an antioxidant that can improve blood circulation. When shopping for buckwheat, you have two options: already roasted kasha, which is brownish red in color and has an assertive earthy flavor; or grayish green raw buckwheat groats, which are milder and therefore a more appealing introduction. Whiteblooming buckwheat is attractive to bees and makes for an intensely aromatic dark-colored honey.

This Tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Barley

Barley was likely the most important grain of ancient civilizations, from the Chinese to the Egyptians, from the Greeks to the Romans. Celebrated in Homer’s Iliad, it was cultivated as early as 8000 BC. Pliny (AD 23–79) called barley “the oldest of food” and describes a common barley mush. Hippocrates praised the grain’s healthful properties—in times of illness, he prescribed a diet of cereals and breads made solely from barley.

Highly adaptable, barley can grow from the hot, dry plains of northern India to the Arctic Circle, from Ethiopia to South America. So it comes as no surprise that it is baked into flat breads around the world. Barley is also at the heart of the English measurement system. In 1324, King Edward II of England standardized the inch as equal to “three grains of barley, dry and round, placed end to end lengthwise.” While Columbus brought barley to the New World, it was cultivated only later by settlers from England and Scandinavia — to make beer. Bars and pubs would suffer without it: germinated into malt, barley is a crucial ingredient in beer (and whiskey).

Barley has a faint earthy aroma, slightly sweet, and stands out among grains for its low glycemic index. Of all the whole grains, barley has the highest fiber content. It contains high levels of the soluble fiber beta-glucan, which can reduce cholesterol and help control blood sugar.

Barley Flour
Barley flour adds delicious character to baked goods. It has a mild sweetness; some detect a hint of maltiness. I always use whole grain barley flour, which should be noted on the package. You can use barley flour in many recipes. However, since barley is low in gluten, it cannot stand in for wheat flour on a oneto- one basis. It is best not to replace more than about a third of your flour with nutty-sweet barley flour, otherwise your baked goods will not rise well.

When You Shop
Pearl (or pearled) barley is the processed version of whole grain (hulled) barley, as the germ and much of the bran have been removed. I have used it in a few recipes in this book despite the fact that is not a whole grain. For one, it is a great introduction to the distinct flavor and character of barley. In addition, unlike most grains, barley’s fiber is not concentrated in the outer bran but distributed throughout the kernel, so refined barley still adds nutritional benefits to your plate. According to the National Barley Foods Council, even heavily pearled barley typically retains at least 8 percent fiber. Look for pearl barley in the Latino sections of supermarkets, where it is often sold in a less refined form. Here is how you can tell: The more the grain kernels are coated with darker skin patches from the bran, the better. The reverse is also true: the whiter the grain looks, the more polished it probably is.

This Tip was published in 'Ancient Grains for Moden Meals "Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries, & More" by MARIA SPECK'

Slow-Cooker Tips

• Spray the crock with non-stick vegetable spray before filling. Clean-up will be a snap!

• For best results, fill the slow cooker about 1/2 to 3/4 full of ingredients.

• Little or no added liquid is needed...just add what the recipe calls for. There’s no evaporation, so all of the tasty juices stay right in the crock.

• Don’t peek! Cooking time can increase by 15 to 20 minutes every time the lid is lifted.

• Toward the end of cooking time, taste and adjust seasonings. The flavor of herbs tends to grow milder with long cooking, so you may want to add a little more.

• At high altitude, slow cooking will take a little longer. Add an extra 30 minutes of cooking time to each hour in a recipe.

This Tip was published in '101 Slow-Cooker Recipes by "Vickie and JoAnn" '

Black-Eyed Pea Pâté

Yield: 20 servings

This is especially good with one of the pita chips recipes, but it is also great with vegetable dippers or tortilla chips.

Ingredients:
• 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• 16 ounces (455 g) black-eyed peas, drained
• ½ cup (80 g) onion, quartered
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ cup (130 g) salsa
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 2 packets unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Preparation:
Put cream cheese, peas, onion, garlic, salsa, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce in food processor with knife blade. Process until smooth. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring until dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to pea mixture. Spin again until well blended. Spoon into glass casserole dish. Cover and chill until firm. Unmold and sprinkle with parsley.

Each with: 34 g water; 107 calories (34% from fat, 13% from protein, 53% from carb); 4 g protein; 4 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 15 g carb; 2 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 58 mg phosphorus; 18 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 113 mg sodium; 147 mg potassium; 258 IU vitamin A; 41 mg vitamin E; 6 mg vitamin C; 12 mg cholesterol

This Recipe was published in '500 HIGH-FIBER RECIPES by "DICK LOGUE" - p43 and p44'

Hummus

Yield: 16 servings

A traditional Middle Eastern dip made with chickpeas, this is a simple version that doesn't include the usual tahini sesame butter. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that it is short on flavor because it’s not. Toasted pita triangles are the perfect dippers for this.

Ingredients:
• 2 cups (328 g) cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/3 cup (78 ml) olive oil

Preparation:
Thoroughly process all ingredients in a blender. Add additional cumin and cayenne pepper to taste. Sprinkle with paprika; drizzle olive oil on top.

Each with: 15 g water; 75 calories (59% from fat, 10% from protein, 31% from carb); 2 g protein; 5 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 6 g carb; 2 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 36 mg phosphorus; 12 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 2 mg sodium; 70 mg potassium; 95 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin E; 2 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

This Recipe was published in '500 HIGH-FIBER RECIPES by "DICK LOGUE" - p42'

White Bean Dip

Yield: 8 servings

This is tasty appetizer that is good either warm or cold.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup (208 g) dry navy beans
• ½ cup (80 g) chopped onion
• ¾ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup (25 g) chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) lime juice
• 1 teaspoon tarragon

Preparation:
Bring beans to a boil for 1 minute and remove from heat to soak for 1 hour. Rinse well. Add onion and cook beans until tender, about 1 hour. Drain beans and rinse well. In a food processor place mustard, scallions, lime juice, and tarragon. Pulse to combine. Add beans and blend until smooth.

Each with: 40 g water; 45 calories (5% from fat, 24% from protein, 72% from carb); 3 g protein; 0 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 8 g carb; 2 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 51 mg phosphorus; 23 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 169 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium; 38 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin E; 3 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

TIP:-
This is a nice dip with tortilla chips.

This Recipe was published in '500 HIGH-FIBER RECIPES by "DICK LOGUE" - p40 and p41'

'Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms' An Hot Appetizer Recipe

YIELDS 2 DOZEN

Ingredients:
• 24 fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• ½ cup finely chopped green onion with tops
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wipe mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel. Thaw spinach in colander; squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Fill mushroom caps with mixture and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

This Appetizer Recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'

'Sausage Balls' An Hot Appetizer Recipe

YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 3 DOZEN

Ingredients:
• 3 cups Bisquick
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 pound fresh ground sausage (hot or mild)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. If not moist enough, add a little water. Form mixture into 1-inch balls. Bake for 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. This freezes well before or after baking.

This Appetizer Recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'

'Mini Onion Quiches' An Hot Appetizer Recipe

YIELDS 2 DOZEN

Ingredients:
• ¾ cup crushed saltine crackers
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped green onion with tops
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Divide crumbs among mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Sauté onion for 10 minutes in 2 tablespoons butter. Cool, then divide evenly on top of cracker crumbs. Beat eggs; add milk, salt, pepper, and Swiss cheese. Pour by spoonfuls on top of onion in tins. Do not fill to top, as hey will run over. Bake until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overbake. May be stored in refrigerator or freezer. Warm in oven before serving.

This Appetizer Recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'

'Hot Crab Canapé' An Hot Appetizer Recipe

SERVES 6 TO 8

Ingredients:
• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon milk
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1½ teaspoons horseradish
• 8 ounces crabmeat, picked free of shell
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, mix all ingredients in a bowl. Place mixture in a shallow ovenproof casserole dish. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or microwave until warm (2 to 3 minutes). Serve with crackers. This may be frozen for future use.

This Appetizer Recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'

'Hot Asparagus Dip' An Hot Appetizer Recipe

YIELDS 3 TO 4 CUPS

Ingredients:
• Two 12-ounce cans asparagus spears
• 1½ cups mayonnaise
• 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for sprinkling
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and chop asparagus. Add to remaining ingredients and mix; pour into baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with lightly toasted French bread rounds.

This Appetizer Recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'

Homer's Applesauce Doughnuts

Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 cup scalded milk (stirring constantly, bring milk just to a boil over medium heat and remove • from heat)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 8 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• ½ cup butter or margarine (room temperature)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mace
• 1 cup applesauce
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Ingredients For Glaze:
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• Approximately ¼ cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon maple flavoring or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation:
In a small bowl combine yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, and warm water. In a large bowl combine scalded milk and ¾cup sugar and set aside to cool. When milk mixture is cooled add yeast mixture to it. Using a mixer, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add half the flour (4 cups). Add butter or margarine, salt, mace, and applesauce and mix well. Mix in remaining flour (4 cups).

Knead the dough until it is elastic and smooth. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Flip the dough over in the bowl so its top surface is also greased. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place until it is doubled in size.

Line baking sheets with lightly floured paper towels. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a ¾4-inch thickness and cut out doughnuts with a doughnut cutter (doughnut holes can also be fried). Place the doughnuts on the baking sheets, at least one inch apart. Heat oil in a deep-fryer (between 275° and 300°). Use enough oil so the doughnuts will float. Line shallow baking pans with 3 layers of paper towels and place cooling racks over them.

Turn the doughnuts upside down, so that the flat side is upward when frying begins. Transfer the doughnuts to the hot oil. Fry the doughnuts until they are light brown on each side, turning them once. Place fried doughnuts on the cooling racks, allowing drippings to drain onto paper towels. While still warm, drizzle the doughnuts generously with glaze. To prepare glaze, whisk ingredients together until glaze attains desired smooth consistency.

Alternatively, roll hot doughnuts in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating several times, or roll warm doughnuts in powdered sugar, coating several times.

Makes approximately 3 dozen large doughnuts. These freeze well and can be wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven.

This Doughnuts Recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Fill'Er Up Buckwheat Pancakes

MAKES 8 LARGE PANCAKES

Ingredients:
• 1 cup buckwheat flour (not packed)
• ½ cup oat flour (not packed)
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons molasses stirred into 1⅔ cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites, whipped until stiff but not dry
• Margarine
• Blueberries
• Maple syrup

Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients in order listed, up to the egg whites, and mix well. Fold in the egg whites. Spoon batter onto a greased griddle heated to about 375° (medium-high heat), making pancakes a manageable size. Flip pancake when batter is bubbled and edges are slightly dry (should take about 2 to 3 minutes). Cook bottom until browned, about 1 minute. Serve topped with margarine, fresh blueberries, and maple syrup.

This Pancake Recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Mammy's Yams

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Ingredients:
4 large yams, peeled and cooked
1 13-ounce can pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits with juice
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup orange juice (or ¼ cup orange juice plus ¼ cup lemon juice)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine Cinnamon Nutmeg

Preparation:
Cut yams in thick diagonal slices; arrange them in a shallow greased baking dish. Drain pineapple; reserve juice in a small saucepan. Pour pineapple chunks over yams. In a small bowl, combine the sugars, salt, and cornstarch. Add orange juice to the pineapple juice and bring the fruit juices to a boil; gradually add sugar mixture. Stir over medium-high heat until thickened. Stir butter or margarine into this thickened sauce until it is melted. Pour the hot sauce over the yams and pineapple, then sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and nutmeg. Leave the baking dish uncovered while it bakes in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

This Yams Recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Mrs. Dalby's Buttermilk Scones

MAKES 2 DOZEN SCONES

Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup unsalted butter or margarine
• • 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for brushing
• Powdered sugar

Optional Fillings:
orange marmalade, raisins, dried cranberries soaked in orange juice to soften, strawberry preserves, dried apricots, grated cheddar cheese, chopped golden Delicious apple mixed with melted butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans

Preparation:
Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with your fingertips or press butter into flour with a fork until crumbly. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined.

Transfer the dough to a floured board or counter. Tear of 2-inchdiameter portions from the dough and roll the dough out into circles that are about 4 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Place filling of choice in the center. Fold the circle in half and seal edge. Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush the top of scone with cream, and bake at 400° for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm, and serve.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Orange-Poppy Seed Tea Cakes

MAKES ABOUT 24 MUFFINS

Ingredients:
• 2 eggs plus 1 egg white
• 2½ cups sugar
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• 1½ teaspoons almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 1½ teaspoons salt and
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ cups milk
• 1½ teaspoons poppy seeds
• ¼ teaspoon grated orange zest

Ingredients For Glaze:
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Preparation:
Beat the eggs in a large bowl; add the sugar, oil, applesauce, and extracts. Mix well. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk. Mix. Add the remaining ingredients. Blend for about 2 minutes until batter is smooth. Spoon the batter into muffin tins lined with paper muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°. Cool.

After muffins are cooled, prepare glaze. In a saucepan, stir all ingredients continually over medium heat at a slow boil until thickened. Do not overcook. Immediately drizzle over muffins. Allow glaze to cool and harden.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Consolation Bran Muffins

MAKES 24 MUFFINS

Ingredients:
• 2 cups bran cereal (Bran Buds, All Bran, Bob's Best Oat Bran Hot Cereal, Bran Flakes, or Oat Bran)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Mix the cereal and buttermilk in a large bowl; let stand for 10 to 15 minutes until buttermilk is absorbed. Mix in the eggs, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Grease and flour a muffin pan, or line it with paper muffin cups. Fill the cups two-thirds full with batter. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes until the muffins are light brown. Remove the muffins from the pan and set them on a cooling rack.

Variations:
• Add a mashed banana.
• Substitute ½ cup applesauce for vegetable oil to reduce fat content.
• Add 1 cup raisins or any dried fruit, diced.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

New Basics Of Kitchen Tools

With the right tools, any job is easier. When stocking your kitchen, buy the best-quality tools you can afford because you’ll be using them almost every day.

Must Have

BOX GRATER
A BOX GRATER has a sturdy handle on top and four sides to fi nely or coarsely grate or shred vegetables, cheeses, and citrus zest.

CAN OPENERS
A must-have tool for opening canned foods, the best-designed CAN OPENERS have a cushioned knob and handles for easy operation. Buy one with a stainless steel cutting blade.

CITRUS REAMER
Ideal for small amounts of juice, a CITRUS REAMER is a small cone-shaped tool with a pointed end and deep furrows. As a stand-in for a reamer, insert a fork into a lemon half and twist it to extract the juice.

COLANDER
A COLANDER lets you separate liquids from solids. Use it for draining cooked pasta and vegetables, draining washed greens, or rinsing fresh berries.

COOLING RACKS
COOLING RACKS allow air to circulate while baked goods cool. Round wire racks are good for cooling round cake layers. Large rectangular racks are perfect for cooling large quantities of cookies or large cakes.

CUTTING BOARD
Choose a CUTTING BOARD made of wood or plastic. Avoid ceramic, as it does not absorb the impact of the knife blade.

INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER
An INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER gives a temperature reading in a matter of seconds. The thermometer is inserted into the center of meat or poultry (without touching bone) to ensure that the food is cooked to the proper temperature (see page 9 for a chart of the minimum safe cooking temperatures).

This Tip was published in 'Weight Watchers - New Complete Cookbook (Over 500 Delicious Recipes For The Health Cook's Kitchen) - p4'

A Word about Safety (Before You Begin)

Safety and common sense are the two most important ingredients in any recipe. Before you begin to make the recipes in this book, take a few minutes to master some simple kitchen safety rules.

• Ask an adult to be your assistant chef.
To ensure your safety, some steps in a recipe are best done with the help of an adult, like handling pots of boiling water or hot cooking oils. Good cooking is about teamwork. With an adult assistant to help, you’ve got the makings of a perfect team.

• Read the entire recipe before you start to prepare it, and have a clear understanding of how the recipe works.
If something is not clear, ask your teammate to explain it.

• Dress the part of a chef.
Wear an apron. Tie back long hair so that it’s out of your food and away from open flames. Why not do what a chef does and wear a clean hat to cover your hair!

• Always start with clean hands and a clean kitchen before you begin any recipe.
Always wash your hands again after handling raw meat, poultry, or fish. Leave the kitchen clean when you’re done.

• Pot holders and hot pads are your friends.
The hands they save may be your own. Use them only if they are dry. Using wet holders on a hot pot can cause a serious burn!

• Keep the handles of the pots and pans turned toward the middle of the stove.
That way you won’t accidentally hit them and knock over pots of hot food. Always use pot holders to open or move a pan on the stove or in the oven.

• Remember to turn off the stove and oven when you are finished cooking.
Sounds like a simple idea, but it’s easy to forget.

This Safety Tip was published in 'The Cooking Of Brazil (Seconds Edition) by "Matthew Locricchio" - p8 and p9'

First - Picking Blueberry Muffins

MUFFIN BATTER
MAKES 12 TO 16 MUFFINS

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons baking powder, mixed together
• 2 cups all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup apple juice
• 2½ cups blueberries
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup quick-cooking oats
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar

Preparation:
Mix the butter or margarine and sugar together. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and baking powder mixture and beat well. Add the flour with baking powder, salt, and juice; mix well. Fold in the blueberries. Set aside. Prepare topping by combining all the dry ingredients, except powdered sugar, in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the dry mixture with a fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles crumbs. Finish making crumbly texture by pinching the mixture between fingers.

Spoon the batter into paper-lined or prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake at 375° for about 25 minutes, or until done. Remove muffins from pan and set on a cooling rack. Sprinkle the muffins with powdered sugar while they are still warm. Cool before serving.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Pippi's Orange-Cranberry Muffin Cakes

MAKES 12 TO 16 MUFFINS

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• ¾ teaspoon orange extract
• 3 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 teaspoons baking powder, mixed together
• Zest of one orange, grated
• Pulp of one orange, slightly chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice 2 cups dried cranberries Preheat oven to 375°.

Preparation:
Mix the butter or margarine and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the applesauce, vanilla, orange extract, and baking powder mixture and beat well. Add the zest and orange pulp to the batter. Add the flour with baking powder, salt, and orange juice; mix well. Fold in the cranberries.

Spoon the batter into paper-lined or prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the top of the batter with sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until done. Remove the muffins from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Cool before serving.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

"More, Please!" Chocolate Zucchini Bread

MAKES 2 LOAVES

Ingredients:
• 6 egg whites
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup applesauce or 2 mashed bananas
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Priceless Zucchini Bread

MAKES 2 LOAVES

Ingredients:
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups finely grated zucchini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:
Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine the dry ingredients and add them to the zucchini batter and mix well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour the batter into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour at 325°.

This Breakfast recipe was published in 'The Book Lover's Cookbook by 'Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet kay Jensen' - Ballantine Books'

Corn - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Even though corn that is knee high by the Fourth of July has often been genetically modified, the best time for sweet corn is still summer. Field corn is grown for animal feed. You may find ornamental (Indian) corn and even popcorn ears: whole dried ears that respond to a deep freeze, a quick shucking, and then, pop!

➤ What to Look For: White, yellow, or bicolor varieties abound, as do individual tastes. The husk should be closed around the ear. The tip should be filled out with niblets. The colored tassel should be dark and intact. Ears with smaller uniform kernels are desirable. If you find a dark fungus (now a gourmet item on some Mexican menus called huitlacoche), put it back—save the gourmet item for the restaurant.

➤ Why: The most important RealAge-smart nutrient in corn is potassium.

➤ How to Use: Sweet corn can be eaten without cooking, with a quick steam or brief boil. You can soak whole ears in water and then grill them, husk and all. Niblets shaved off ears can be tossed into cold salads or hot soups and stews, or combined with beans and squash for succotash.

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p180'

Chiles (peppers) - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Chiles are in season in summer: jalapeños and serranos in June, July, and August, and habaneros and poblanos in August, September, and October. Look for manzanos—they’re apple shaped, easy to grow in filtered light, and sweeter than most chiles. And hot when roasted! Experiment with all of them.

➤ What to Look For: Almost always, fresh chiles are green, red, or orange: The red and orange chiles have stayed on the plant several weeks longer, becoming sweeter and more mature. A chile is fresh if the skin is unbroken, the flesh is unmarked (although a darkening of the flesh does not indicate a problem), and it’s bright and crisp at both ends. The skin of a chile should be shiny, and its fragrance faint and a little floral.

➤ Why: Most of us would eat chiles just for their taste, but their potassium, flavonoids, and fiber also make them an anti-aging delight.

➤ How to Use: Poblano chiles are an interesting, flavorful substitute for green bell peppers, and an easy way to get started with chiles. The flavor of chiles is more important to many chile-lovers than their heat. Most of the heat is in the seeds and ribs, not in the flesh. Chiles are often seeded and chopped fresh for salsas. Roasting brings out their sweetness for soups, sauces, salsas, and stews. Drying preserves them for use in the fall and winter.

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p179'

Cherries - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Sweet cherries are available starting in late May. Sour (tart) cherries ripen later and appear for just a few weeks in July. They’re only a little less sweet than Bing or Rainier cherries and have a delightful, subtle tang. Rainier and Royal Anne cherries are suncolored and blushed with flavor—buy them wherever you find them; they’re special.

➤ What to Look For: Cherries should be firm and have a shiny surface. A green stem indicates they were just picked. In general, the darker the color, the longer the cherry’s been on the tree, and the more flavorful it is.

➤ Why: Cherries are a rich source of antioxidants, which help fight cancer and heart disease.

➤ How to Use: Cherries can be pitted, dried, and eaten as a snack or used in breads and muffins. They are frequently used in desserts, such as cherry cobbler, or as a topping or sauce.

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p178 and p179'

Berries (blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries)

➤ When: Berries are at their best from June to August; strawberries may appear a little earlier. In some climates, a second crop of raspberries appears in the fall.

➤ What to Look For: Berries should have a rich color and shiny surface. The sacs of the berry should be firm and plump. Inspect the bottom of the container to see if juice has soaked through. If so, the berries have been crushed. Blueberries are a little different from other berries. They don’t have much of an aroma and should have a solid, dark blue color, a powdery skin, and a firm texture.

➤ Why: Berries are chock-full of antioxidants, which slow aging of the arteries and immune system.

➤ How to Use: Berries are delicious on their own. The variety of colors makes berries a vibrant addition to dishes—in a fruit salad; added with nuts to a green salad; or as a topping for pancakes, French toast, and waffles. They’re used mostly in sweet dishes: pies, jams, sauces, breads, muffins, and cakes. Wonderful salsas, relishes, and chutneys can be made with berries as well. Berries taste great in many ways, including our Double Strawberry Blender Blast (page 192).

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p178'

Beets - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Beets are available year-round, but in colder climates they are best in May or June. Look for golden beets (the color of saffron) and Chioggia beets (concentric, candy-striped purple circles appear when the beet is cut). Because the sugar in beets quickly turns to starch, they’re best eaten soon after they’ve been plucked from the earth.

➤ What to Look For: Inspect the greens for freshness. The tops should be a bright color with no yellowing or wilting. Also, the roots should have a firm, fine texture and a regular shape. The small, hairy roots can be easily brushed away.

➤ Why: Beets are rich in RealAge-smart magnesium and potassium.

➤ How to Use: The intense color of beets makes them a beautiful addition to salads. Beets are surprisingly sweet and work well with tangy or salty foods. For example, a tangy vinaigrette offsets the sweetness of beets; so does a crumble of feta or blue cheese. Beets are also used in rice dishes and soup. Try cutting them into cubes and tossing with olive oil, salt, and pepper; then roasting them at 400 degrees until crisp and tender (about 30 minutes).

This Tip was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p177 and p178'

Ice Cream Sundae with Fruit and Sago Cream

Copyright © Berryland Books Ltd 2008
Serves 4

Ingredients for The Sago Cream:
• 1½oz (50g) pearl sago
• 13fl oz (400ml) coconut milk (canned, sweetened)
• 13fl oz (400ml) water
• 3tbsp (45ml) sugar
• 1tsp (5ml) Bourbon vanilla

Ingredients for The Mango Ice Cream:
• 2 rip mangoes, about 20oz (600g)
• 3¼oz (100g) sugar
• 2tbsp (30ml) lime juice
• 2tbsp (30ml) orange liqueur
• 9½oz (300g)

Ingredients in Addition:
Exotic fruit of your choice (pineapple, papaya, oranges, mangoes, lychees...), sliced into wedges or diced.

Preparation:
1. Put the sago into a bowl, cover with hot water and leave to soak for about 10 minutes, Pour into a sieve and leave to drain.

2. Put the coconut milk into a pan with 13fl oz (400ml) water, the vanilla and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, add the sago and simmer over the very low heat, stirring, until the sago is transparent.

3. Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh away from the stones.

4. Put the mango flesh, sugar, lime juice and oranges liqueur into a tall beaker and puree with a hand blender, Push the blended fruit through a sieve and whisk in the yoghurt using an electric hand mixer until you have a light, foamy cream.

5. Transfer the mixture to a shallow metal dish, cover and put in the freezer for 3 hours.

6. When the mixture begins to freeze stir with a fork, Repeat three or four times (alternatively finish off in an ice cream maker).

7. Half fill dessert glasses with sago cream and add fruit mango ice cream. Serve garnished with whipped cream and a cocktail cherry.

This Desserts recipe was published in 'Chinese Cuisine - p42'