Use Bulk Spices For Cooking

Picture this: you have just come in from your vegetable garden or your nearby farmers' market with a bevy of wonderful seasonal produce. Glorious eggplant, shiny sweet peppers and onions are in your clutches. You are inspired to turn it into something wonderful for dinner. You get out a cutting board, a knife, and put a pan on the stove with a little oil to begin heating. You decide that you are going to create an Asian-style dish, and so you reach into your spice rack for some ginger and garlic powder. And that is when you realize that you are out of your bulk spices needed to flavor your newly inspired dish.

Do not let that happen to you. Every home cook as well as professional chef is at a loss to prepare savory and sweet dishes without the proper bulk spice assortment readily available. By purchasing bulk spice, you will always have what you need on hand. Those who work in a professional culinary environment will want to purchase bulk spices wholesale for the same reason. Bulk spices and organic bulk spices make the difference in a dish that is just so-so and a dish that excites the palate.

Every kitchen should have at least a basic assortment of bulk spices on hand. These are the flavors that you turn to most often for the dishes you prepare on a regular basis. They also include bulk spices that are commonly used in recipes, so you are ready to try something new for dinner without having to run out to the grocery for an important ingredient.

There are several spices that you will use often. You can start with the bulk spice of garlic powder. This ingredient goes into not only Asian but also Italian and Greek recipes, as well as Mexican, so it is a very versatile spice. The bulk spice of garlic powder is also useful when you are preparing dips, because the flavor spreads throughout the smooth puree evenly. Another one of the infinitely useful organic bulk spices is oregano. This goes into all manner of Mediterranean dishes, to name but one cuisine that relies on this fragrant flavor. Try a bit sprinkled into your scrambled eggs for breakfast, and a touch on your garlic bread with dinner for an added boost of taste.

Restaurant kitchens rely on wholesale spices such as ground black pepper as well as salt for use with patrons as well 00004000as in the kitchen. Bakeries utilize vast quantities of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice, and these are more economical when purchased as bulk spices wholesale.

Whether as wholesale spices for the commercial kitchen or spices for your spice rack at home, purchasing in bulk ensures that you have a ready supply of your favorite flavors on hand and at prices that are more affordable.

In this article Anne Harvester writes about bulk spices. and wholesale spices.

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Make an Emergency Kit

You should always keep an emergency kit at the ready. There are so many possible situations that would require you to be prepared to take care of your family's needs without access to outside supplies. Many of these situations, like earthquakes and floods, give you no notice. Even in situations like hurricanes where you do get some notice, the stores are packed with people trying to prepare. So get your earthquake kit ready now and you'll be prepared for anything.

Here are the items you should include in your first aid kit:

Water. You need at least one gallon of water per person per day for three days. Bottled water is ideal, since it can be stored at room temperature indefinitely. Make sure it's properly sealed and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Food. You need at least three days' worth of nonperishable food for each person and pet. Food should be ready to eat, like dry cereal, peanut butter and canned goods. You may be without a way to cook or keep foods cold. Don't forget the manual can opener!

First-aid Kit. Your first aid kit should include bandages, antiseptic wipes, hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, burn ointment, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, cold packs, eye wash solution, gauze, gloves, scissors, tape, tweezers and a first aid manual.

Medicines. Include any prescription and over the counter medications that your family might need. Don't forget antihistamines, like Benadryl, pain reliever, Pepto Bismol and antacids.

Every year you should check on your emergency kit. Foods and medicines expire and will need to be rotated out. Set a date that you'll remember each year. A lot of people change the batteries in the smoke alarms and review their emergency kits twice a year when daylight savings changes.

Coleen Bennett is a pet owner in Southern California. She has a000008A7 dog and two tortoises. She also maintains a website for pet insurance comparison and VIP Pet Insurance

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Great Comfort Food Recipes!

Creamy Pudding
This recipe can be used to make pudding, pies, or dips. For a crust, either use a conventional crust or try crushing shortbread and pushing into the bottom of a pie pan to make your own delicious crust.

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
4 cups milk
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp Orange Vanilla Sugar

Cooking on stove top: Bake pie shell. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks; gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; blend in butter and Orange Vanilla Sugar. Immediately pour into baked pie shell; press plastic wrap onto filling. Chill pie thoroughly,at least 2 hours. If desired, serve pie with sweetened whipped cream. Microwave: Bake pie shell. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in microwave glass mixing bowl. Blend milk and egg yolks; whip with whisk well. Cook on high for 2 minutes at a time, take out and use wire whip to blend well and return to microwave for 2 more minutes. Continue this until mixture is of pudding consistency. Blend in butter and Orange Vanilla Sugar. Immediately pour into baked pie shell; press plastic wrap onto filling. Chill pie thoroughly, at least 2 hours. If desired, serve pie with sweetened whipped cream. Variations: Chocolate Cream Pie: Follow recipe for 9-inch pie except-increase sugar to 1 1/2 cups and cornstarch to 1/3 cup. Omit butter and stir in 2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate with the Orange Vanilla Sugar. Coconut Cream Pie: Follow recipe and stir in 1/4 cup flaked coconut. Sprinkle flaked coconut over whipped cream on pie. Banana Pudding: Make Vanilla Cream. Cool for 15-20 minutes. While cooling, line bottom of pan with vanilla wafers and top with sliced bananas.Cover with cooled pudding. Top with heavy cream (for every 8 oz of heavy cream add 4 t of sugar) - whip cream until stiff. Crush a few wafers and sprinkle on top.

Clam Chowder
This is the perfect recipe to help stay warm during the cold winter months! Perfect to enjoy by yourself or for a large party. Recipe can be cut in half if desired.

3-4 slices bacon,cooked crisp and broken
2 large 0000072Ayellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Shellfish Spice Kit
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cups 2% low-fat milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
4 (10 oz) cans baby clams, undrained
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

1. Fry bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp, remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add onion to pot, saute until softened, then add potatoes and chicken stock.
3. Season with salt and Shellfish Spice Kit, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
4. In a second large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour, whisking to make a roux.
5. Cook for 1 minute, then add cream and milk while whisking.
6. Cook over low heat until thickened.
7. Pour into onion and potato mixture, add clams only, reserving the juice in the cans.
8. Add worcestershire sauce and bacon.
9. Add the other 2 cans of reserved juice a bit at a time to reach desired consistency, only if you want the soup less thick.
10. Stir and gently cook over moderate heat until heated through.
11. Transfer to soup tureen and garnish with parsley or Shellfish Spice Kit.

Here at Life's Necessities we are a group of people who love to travel, shop, cook and give. Due to our own h00004000ectic schedules, we feel a need to ease tension and save time, thus our product line is dedicated to convenience and the simple pleasures of life.

As always the key to these and any of our products is to SMILE, RELAX AND ENJOY!

Visit us online at http://www.lifesnecessities.com to see these and our other products.

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Microwave Safety Tips For Kids

As most parents know, kids often take it upon themselves to try new things that they have seen their parents or older siblings do. While this is often a great way to learn, it can be dangerous if a child tries to operate equipment like a microwave just based on what he or she has seen, instead of knowing how to properly use the machine. Teaching your children a few simple microwave safety tips can prevent injuries and damages in your home.

Basic Guidelines to Follow

• Don't use plastic. Explain to your children that plastic is unsafe in the microwave. Show them the plates and bowls that they can use in the microwave and put them where your child can reach.
• Don't use metal. Any metal utensils or metal products like aluminum foil are dangerous in the microwave. They can spark and damage the microwave or start a fire. If your child wants to cover their plate or bowl, tell them to use a paper towel.
• Watch out for steam. After cooking something in the microwave and opening the door, hot steam may initially escape. Tell your child to stand back when he or she first opens the microwave door and let the steam escape before taking the food out. If they are going to cook popcorn, let your kids know that the ends where the steam escapes can get extremely hot.
• Use pot holders. Show your kids how to properly remove hot food from the microwave using pot holders to avoid burns.

Recommendations to Encourage Safe Use

To help ensure that your child uses the microwave safely, you can reinforce the safety guidelines listed above with a few simple actions:

• Leave instructions next to the microwave or on the refrigerator that tell your child step by step how to cook a specific food. You can make a list based on the foods that they most commonly eat.
• Give your kid his or her own "microwave kit". This could include a microwave safe plate and/or bowl, small pot holders, and paper towels that they can use to cook their food. Put all of the items together in an easy to reach place.
• Keep unsafe items, such a00003F29s plastics and metals, out of reach. This can help to prevent any microwaving injuries or damages in case your child forgets which items he or she can use.

Enjoy!

Microwaves are a great way for kids to heat up leftovers or after school snacks and may be a safer method for them to use than an oven or hard-to-reach stove top. Once they know the safety rules of microwaving, they can safely cook a variety of foods. Additionally, teaching them how to cook something for themselves can give a child a sense of confidence and self-reliance.

For more safety tips and fun recipes that you and your kids can enjoy, visit CD Kitchen here.

Joseph Devine

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Your Holiday Fit Survival Kit!

The holiday season has arrived! Family, friends, festivities and of course food surround us in abundance. During this time of year it is not uncommon to pack on a good 5-10 pounds... or MORE... of fat weight, vowing to yourself that once the New Year rolls around you will start working out and go on a dreaded "diet". But why put yourself through that torture? Why don't you make this year different than the rest? Delve into this holiday season with the resolve to enjoy every moment and still maintain your fitness goals! By identifying your potential obstacles now, you can devise a plan of attack and keep your eye on the prize... a fit and healthy you!

Don't put off your goals until tomorrow when you can start today. Think you can't enjoy the holidays and stick with your fitness goals? Think again! Identify your holiday dilemmas and follow the tips in this Holiday Fit Survival Kit and you are sure to keep the scale from climbing.

Dilemma 1. Lack of Time - With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it is easy to get caught up in the action and allow your health and fitness to lose priority. With all the shopping, cooking, holiday parties and shows, maybe you don't have time to make it to the gym for your regular workouts. First and foremost remember that leading a fit and healthy lifestyle requires consistency, and that rule applies just as much through the holidays as during other times of year. If you can't get in an hour of exercise, get in short bouts of 10-15 minutes of exercise or add extra physical activities into your schedule which will burn off some extra calories throughout the day! You could jog in place, do jumping jacks, stationary lunges or squats, push ups, run up and down a set of stairs, park farther away from the grocery store or pick up the pace as you walk around the shopping mall! Kick up the intensity level of your cardio and strength training workouts and you can cut your workout time in half while burning just as many calories. Plyometric movements and interval workouts are great options for picking up the pace and saving on time. Remember that every extra bit of activity that you can get in counts and will aid you in sticking with your fitness plan.

Dilemma 2. Lack of Preparation - You are out shopping all day, searching for the perfect gift for your loved one. Before you know it the time has flown by and you haven't had anything to eat. You are exhausted and head for the closest food court to chow down on the fastest food choice you can find. You know that these days are bound to come so don't get caught unprepared! Pack healthy snacks such as Kashi granola bars, fruit or raw almonds and take them with you when you know you'll be on the go all day. Don't wait until you are starving to eat, give your body a chance! When you are faced with having to make a fast food choice, go for a salad loaded with veggies and fish or chicken, steer clear of creamy dressings and additional fattening toppings! A fresh sandwich or sub is a good choice as well when loaded with vegetables and some lean meat. Choose whole wheat bread and mustard instead of mayo.

Dilemma 3. Lack of Planning - The day just slipped by so quickly! You had no time to get your work out in because it simply wasn't a part of your plan for the day. Take the initiative ahead of time to intentionally schedule in your work out times. Perhaps they will be abbreviated but they should not be eliminated. Commit to a set date and time where your health and fitness take top priority.

Dilemma 4. Plentiful Parties - How do you deal with all of the holiday parties and the mountains of tempting foods and alcohol that they provide? First of all if you know you have a party coming up, continue to eat small meals throughout the day, don't starve yourself until the party and then binge out on all the treats and goodies. You will be far less likely to overdo it at the party if you aren't hungry to begin with. Be picky at the parties, scope out all of your choices for treats and partake only in those that you know you will really enjoy and remember to practice moderation!

Dilemma 5. Cooking and Baking- For some, one of the greatest joys of the holidays is the opportunity to cook treats, meals and goodies for their loved ones. Unfortunately many holiday recipes are filled with highly unhealthy ingredients. If you love to cook why not do a favor for your loved ones and yourself, altering your recipes and providing a healthier option! Make a couple quick switches in your recipes and save on calories big time! Switch from whole milk to 1% or skim milk, instead of using butter use applesauce, and substitute Splenda for sugar.

Dilemma 6. Overindulgence at meal time. With so many plentiful choices at holiday meal times it is very easy to overindulge. Keep in mind that your body can't use all of those excess calories as energy so they will store as fat. Portion control is a key factor that must come into play! If there are a number of items that you want to try then take small bits of each one, there is no need to overdo it. If you try something and don't like it, don't continue to eat it! Why bother wasting calories on a food that you aren't going to thoroughly enjoy?

Dilemma 7. Friendly Saboteurs - You know who I'm talking about. These are the people who seem to be on a mission to sabotage your fitness goals. They taunt you with food and say things like, "Oh come on, just have one." Usually these people are friends or family who probably are not intentionally trying to hurt you, they may simply feel threatened by the fact that you are trying to make healthy choices. You have to realize that when people, even those that you love, try to sabotage your fitness goals it is usually due their own insecurity issues and has nothing to do with you. It is solely up to you to make healthy choices for your body!

Dilemma 8. Tantalizing Treats - They are everywhere during the holidays, stocking grocery store shelves, sitting out in brightly colored bowls in your home, lining the tables at holiday bazaars. Avoiding temptations whenever possible will be very important to your success. You will have the opportunity to indulge in sweets and treats at holiday parties so keep them out of your home where they can tempt you on a daily basis. Choose to decorate with items that are not edible in order to avoid mindless snacking!

Dilemma 9. Lost motivation - Many people lose sight of their fitness goals completely during the holiday season! Totally forgetting the reasons why they wanted to lead a more fit and healthy lifestyle. The flurry of activity seems to erase from memory the importance of powerful motivators such as health improvement, weight loss, disease prevention and being a role model for spouse or children. Before your mind gets muddled in the midst of holiday bliss take a moment to review your goals and motivators, write them down and keep them in a visible location so you won't forget how important they are!

Dilemma 10. Following the Pack - Everyone else is overindulging so why shouldn't you? That is a good question which only you can answer. You know why you want to achieve your fitness goals, so it is up to you to make the right choices for your body and for your goals. Why not be a leader instead of a follower, make a choice to practice moderation and enjoy your holidays without sabotaging your fitness goals. Perhaps you will serve as an inspiration for someone else who is struggling with taking power and responsibility for their own choices when it comes to health and fitness!

When you heed the advice in this Holiday Fit Survival Kit you will be armed with the tools and motivation that you need to make the best choices possible for yourself regardless of the time of year. In the midst of giving presents to others remember that you deserve the gift of a fit and healthy body. With the right state of mind, a plan of action and the resolve to make healthy eating and exercise choices this can be your most enjoyable and most fitfully rewarding holiday season yet!

Diana Chaloux is an ACE/AFAA/FPI Certified Personal Trainer. She is also the WBFF Figure World Champion, FAME Fitness Model World Champion, WBFF Figure and Fitness Model Pro and owner of Destined 2 Be Fit. Diana provides 12 or 16 Week Online Training and Nutrition programs which you can register for at http://www.wellnessengine.com/dianachaloux

She also provides one on one personal training in Kansas City. For more information on Diana visit http://www.dianachaloux.com or write to diana@dianachaloux.com

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What is a Chimenea and How Do You Cook With One?

Chimeneas are becoming increasing popular because, aside from making an attractive garden feature, they will also function as a garden heater and a barbeque.

The original chimenea has its origins in Mexico where it has been used for hundreds of years as an outdoor bread oven, but its visually pleasing terra cotta appearance has now made it one of the "must have" items of patio furniture.

So how do they work?

Chimeneas are made from two sections. The first is a spherically shaped oven with a large open side entrance and the second is a flue or chimney. The chimney section is connected to the open top of the oven section to create what appears to be a single unit. They can be anything from 3 feet to 12 feet in height.

You use the chimenea by placing it on a special stand or cradle (which may be of fired clay or iron) and which suspends the oven above the ground. Dry wood (or BBQ coals) are then ignited in the oven chamber and the action of the flue, which sucks air through the open oven and out through the chimney, does the rest.

You cook the food by placing any meats or vegetables on an open metal grill that sits within the stove section at an appropriate height above the burning fuel000006E0. This cooking platform should be supplied with the other items of the kit and may be height adjustable.

The unusual cooking action of this kind of outdoor stove is versatile and multi fold and it allows food to be prepared in a special way that produces a unique flavour.

Firstly, the heat from the burning fuel cooks the food in a char grilling style, whilst the radiated heat from the oven's side walls ensure that the heat is evenly spread within the cooking chamber enabling "all round" cooking to take place, i.e. it is not usually necessary to turn food that is being cooked in this kind of stove.

The final cooking action of chimeneas is the smoking of the food and this is produced by the powerful action of the flue which sucks the air and smoke from the burning fuel up, through, and around the food.

For this reason the selection of fuels to burn is particularly important because the smoke, flavours and intrinsic qualities of the fuel will add to the taste of the food.

Most people who cook with terra cotta stoves tend to burn wood rather than coal and the wood used can play an important role in the ultimate taste of the food. Woods sourced from fruit trees are the most popular and those with experience in using a chimenea will often add herbs or nuts to the fuel for extra taste infusions.

The types of food that you can cook with these versatile ovens range from every kind of meat and vegetable, to fruits, pies, breads and pastries. They also have the advant00004000age of remaining hot for a long time which makes them excellent for slow cooking, or for the secondary use of providing heat in a patio area.

You can find out more about the different kinds of chimenea that are available (including those made from cast iron) at http://www.gardenheaters.net/chimeneas.html You will also see information about fire pits and fire bowls which make ideal outdoor cooking stoves.

Always ensure that children are supervised when an outdoor stove, burner or heater is in use, or is still cooling down.

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Cooking Healthy With Waterless Cookware

My wife Silvia and I try to cook in a healthy style always. Most of what we eat is Latin style cooking. The trick is to use lean meats and trim the fat. She lets the natural liquid from the vegetables and meat be the liquid for cooking on the stove. The multi-element steam control cookware lends itself naturally to this.

We use many of the recipes of South Beach diet and several years ago we were strictly on that diet until we reached our target weights. Now we blend the Latin cooking with at times using recipes from the South Beach books. The use of the Waterless steam control cookware is perfect for these recipes as well. Of course this would be true of any of the great successful diet regimens out there. Whether Weight Watchers, South Beach or whatever, as long as there are lots of healthy vegetables, reasonably amounts of fruits, lean reasonable portions of meat of your liking, and moderate starches.

They all work and the premium Waterless Steam control stainless steel cookware makes it all that easier. With any recipe with meat, and vegetables including potatoes, just braise the meat (no oil or water necessary) 30-60 seconds on each side, top with the vegetables cover and when starting to steam a little close the steam control valve. This allows the heat to distribute quickly and evenly to the point that you can eve00001124n stack the pans and cook other goodies on top of the first pan and have the same heat distribution. If you do go this way, you'll find cooking fast, easy and in a style that preserves virtually all of the vitamins and nutrients.

Have fun,

Jay Mawhinney

See our great web store for fabulous Waterless Stainless Steel cookware, quality cutlery as well as great flatware, barbecue sets and other kitchen things.
http://www.cookwarenthings.com/

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