Cooking Magic

Simple Salad Dressing

2010-08-28T14:15:00.004-06:00

Here's a simple salad dressing that tastes really delicious! I had something similar many years ago at a benefit dinner in Vegas and loved it so much that I came up with my own version of it. It's so versatile I use this simple salad dressing on almost all the salads I make at home.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of cold pressed olive oil
2 TBS lemon juice
2 teaspoons of organic cane sugar
1TBS of tap water

Method:

Simply whisk all ingredients together and chill before serving.

Note: A little tap water is the secret to getting all the ingredients to mix well in the dressing.

Tasty Turkey Tip

2009-12-03T12:31:00.003-07:00

Here's a tip to make roasted turkey taste rich and flavorful. Simply stuff it with fresh stems of oregano until the cavity is filled. The wonderful flavor of the herb goes through the meat while cooking and makes it taste extra delicious.

Berry Ice-cream Topping

2009-08-22T08:57:00.005-06:00

Here's a great homemade ice-cream topping recipe that you can make with any of those wonderful berries that are in season over the summer.

Ingredients:

6oz berries
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
1 TBS Grappa

Place berries, sugar and water in a pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Take off heat to cool and add the Grappa. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least an hour before spooning over your favorite vanilla ice-cream .

Marinated Stawberries

2009-03-22T08:11:00.003-06:00

I found an easy way to make the most delicious strawberries you have ever tasted!

Core, rinse and slice a pound of strawberries. Mix one quarter of a cup of superfine sugar and one tablespoon of Grappa in a bowl then stir in strawberries to coat well. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

Cooking Tips-5 Ways to Create Magic in the Kitchen

2008-03-13T09:57:00.003-06:00

Anyone can create magic in the kitchen if they know the secret tips and tricks to doing so. The following five secrets are as easy to follow as waving a magic wand. Producing results that are magical.

Cooking Secret No.1 - Buy Top Quality Ingredients

Leading chef's only use the freshest and best tasting food they can find. Even the best chefs in the world would have difficulty making food taste good from inferior products. However, this does not mean everything has to be made from scratch.

When buying pre-prepared goods always go for quality and freshness. If cost is an issue try smaller portions. It is better for your waistline and your health to have small servings of good quality food rather than a large serving of an inferior product.

A helpful tip when using frozen or canned goods is to use them up as soon as possible. Don't wait until they are near the end of their shelf life, as there is already deterioration in quality by then.

Cooking Secret No.2 - Keep it Simple

Some of the best tasting meals in the world are the simplest. I find that they have fewer ingredients but just compliment each other superbly.

Adding too many ingredients to a dish can create a canceling of flavors. Like when making pasta sauce, where the onion in the dish overrides the garlic flavor. I prefer not to add onion to my pasta sauces so the full flavor of the garlic can be brought out.

The opposite is the case when making French Onion Soup. For a fuller bodied onion flavor, don't add garlic.

Cooking Secret No.3 - Use Complimentary Foods

A secret to cooking well lies in combining complimentary foods, where one ingredient actually enhances the flavor of the other. One of my favorite combinations is tomato and basil. Whether you're making a pasta sauce or just putting tomato on a pizza nothing compliments it better than the herb basil.

Another great mix is oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Whether I've used this complimentary combination for an apple crumble topping or just for hot oatmeal it creates an unbeatable flavor

You can come up with more of your own complimentary food groups simply by taking note of what foods taste great together!

Cooking Secret No.4 - Use only the Best Equipment

Good equipment makes your work in the kitchen a breeze. Ask any craftsman and he will tell you the value of good tools. Go for quality, ease of use and buy the best that you can afford. If there were only one thing I would recommend investing in, it would be to get a good knife set and keeping them sharp.

Good tools not only make your life easier in the kitchen but can also improve the final result, like in the case of my stainless steel cooking pots. Everything I cook in them comes out better than average simply because the cooking utensils are better than average.

Cooking Secret No.5 - Collect Good Recipes

Good recipes can come from many sources other than a cookbook or finding them online. Most of my favorite ones have actually come from family and friends. The benefit of obtaining recipes this way is that I have usually been able to taste them for myself beforehand. Live cooking demonstrations sometimes offer free samples so that you can test to see if the recipe suits your taste.

Televised cooking shows and magazines are another way to collect good recipes. I keep organized by putting any loose-leaf recipes I collect in a plastic leaflet file folder.

I'm glad to have been able to share my easy to follow secrets for creating cooking magic. Remember that being selective and keeping it simple are the two main ingredients to creating magic in the kitchen.

Happy Cooking!

Low Fat - Cream of Celery Soup

2007-09-21T07:04:00.000-06:00

If you want to lower the fat in your diet, but don't want to give up cream of celery soup you are going to love this recipe. It's a great tasting soup that not only helps reduce cholesterol by omitting the dairy fat, but the celery helps lower blood pressure as well. It's also a delicious alternative for those who can't tolerate dairy foods.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

Ingredients:

1 lb celery hearts

1 small red onion

1 small potato

4 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil

2 bay leafs

Method:

Peel and chop onion and potato. Sautee with olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan until tender. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Chop celery and add to saucepan along with bay leafs. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leafs from soup. With a soup ladle put about half of the mixture in the blender. Hold the lid on securely while pureeing for one minute. Repeat with the other half of the mixture. Stir all the soup together well.

Makes 4-6 servings

The main ingredient in this recipe, celery is truly a Super food because of all its health benefits. According to Hippocrates celery is known to calm the nerves. Celery also aids the kidneys by helping reduce it of wastes. Another health benefit of celery is that it is an anti-rheumatic. It reduces inflammation by clearing uric acid from painful joints.

The secret ingredient that magically gives this soup a creamy texture without using cream is the humble potato. Heart healthy olive oil is the magic ingredient that is used in the place of butter.

It's one of the healthiest and best tasting soups I've ever had. With this recipe I can have my cream of celery soup and keep healthy too and now so can you!

Best Cucumber Salad

2007-06-12T13:28:00.000-06:00

Cucumbers have a cooling effect and are the perfect summer salad ingredient. This is my favorite cucumber salad, which I have simplified from a more complicated recipe.

Ingredients:

1 English Cucumber
¼ cup of olive oil
4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon water
Dried dill
Cracked salt

Method:

Peel and thinly slice cucumber. Overlap cucumber on serving plate in a circular design. Whisk olive oil, vinegar and water in a glass-measuring cup and pour evenly over cucumber. Sprinkle a little shaved dill over all the cucumber. Finish with lightly cracked salt.

Serving suggestion: This cucumber salad can be an impressive addition on a home salad bar or is wonderful with fresh bread and butter for a light lunch on a hot summers day.

Low Fat Spinach Salad

2007-04-07T14:30:00.000-06:00

This recipe for a low-fat spinach salad is not only easy to make, but tastes terrific and is healthy for you all in one magic wave of the recipe wand. It's a magical answer for those watching their cholesterol, but don't want to give up eating spinach salad. You can make a delicious spinach salad without all that artery clogging bacon fat. Just follow the recipe below for a healthier, happier spinach eating you!

LOW FAT SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients:

6oz bag of pre-washed baby spinach
¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Empty the spinach into a large salad bowl. Put the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and water together in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk the ingredients together then pour over spinach. Toss thoroughly so the spinach is well coated with the dressing. Add sesame seeds and toss again so the seeds are distributed through the salad.

Serves 4-6

Additional Notes:

Buying the pre-washed spinach is a real time saver with this recipe. Usually, spinach needs to be washed several times to eliminate all the sand in it.

Water is the magical ingredient in the salad dressing that allows the vinegar and oil to blend with each other.

The toasted sesame seeds add extra goodness and flavor to the salad as well as making it visually appealing.

My Favorite Recipes

2007-03-03T05:45:00.002-07:00

Chicken Cacciatore - As well as being my number one asked for recipe it is still a personal favorite after twenty years of home cooking. It's a perfect dinner party or special occasion meal.

Ingredients

1½ lb chicken pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium chopped onions
2 cloves of crushed garlic
2 14.5 oz can peeled and chopped tomatoes
6oz can tomato paste
1-teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1-teaspoon sugar
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leafs
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup of hot water
1 chicken stock cube

Method

Mix salt, pepper and flour together in a plastic bag. Coat each chicken piece and dust off excess flour inside the bag. In a large fry pan heat one tablespoon of the oil and sauté the chicken pieces until golden brown all over. Set aside

Add an extra tablespoon of oil to the pan. Drop the onions and garlic into the pan and sauté gently until softened.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Gently stir until it comes to a boil. Pop the chicken in, cover the pan and simmer for an hour.

Accompany your Chicken Cacciatore with piping hot spaghetti, which you've tossed in butter and Parmesan cheese and serve with a green salad, garlic bread and the rest of the bottle of wine that was used in the meal

Serves up to 6 hungry people very satisfyingly.

Gourmet Green Salad - This is my all time favorite Green Salad recipe that can't be beat when the Sensational Salad Dressing is added to it.

Ingredients

1 9oz bag of mixed leaf lettuce
1 sliced English cucumber
4 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chives

Method

Place mixed leaf lettuce in a large bowl. Peel and thinly slice cucumber. Finely chop parsley. Cut chives into small pieces with kitchen scissors. Toss all the ingredients together in the salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Sensational Salad Dressing - A dressing that tastes so good it could make the most ordinary salad taste sensational!

Ingredients

1 small clove of crushed garlic
Salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon mustard
½ cup olive oil

Method

Place all salad dressing ingredients in a sealed jar and shake well. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to marry well.

Great Garlic Bread - Here's an easy recipe for great garlic bread that lives up to the standard of any good meal.

Ingredients

1 French stick
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
4oz-softened butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Method

Mix butter garlic and parsley together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to develop overnight. Slice French bread into thick slices. Spread each side with the prepared garlic butter. Wrap in foil. Heat in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.

Easy Vegetarian Pasta Sauce

2007-02-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Even in today's time pressed world you can still experience the joy of making your own fresh pasta sauce at home with this easy recipe. So simple and good tasting it's likely to become one of your favorite pasta sauce recipes.

This vegetarian homemade pasta sauce recipe is based on top quality ingredients. It not only helps the dish to taste as well as it does, but also provides the greatest health benefits.

EASY VEGETARIAN PASTA SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil
2 crushed cloves organic garlic
2 14.5oz cans fire roasted crushed organic tomatoes
¼ cup white wine (Riesling)
1 tsp honey
½ tsp dried organic sweet basil
Cracked salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a medium saucepan, gently sauté garlic in the olive oil until softened. Add crushed tomatoes and stir. Then add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well, cover and bring to a boil on med-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cook the accompanying pasta of choice. Ladle the sauce over the pasta and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Gourmet Prince's Fish Recipe

2006-12-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a great tasting fish recipe you'll love this Prince's Fish Recipe. As the name implies this gourmet recipe is good enough to be served up to royalty.

GOURMET PRINCE'S FISH RECIPE

Ingredients;

4 medium sized fresh cod fillets
2 green onions sliced finely
4 chopped egg tomatoes, skin and seeds removed
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil
! Tbs balsamic vinegar
4 Tbs cold pressed olive oil
1 Tbs butter
Cracked ground pepper

Method:

In a small skillet sauté green onion in butter over medium heat until tender. Add the balsamic vinegar while shaking the pan. Then add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir. Stir in tomatoes, basil and cracked pepper and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low to keep sauce warm. Put one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on medium heat. When pan is hot add fish and cook until lightly browned on each side. Place cooked fish on a bed of rice and cover with sauce.

Serves 4 people royally

Cooking tip: To make it easy to remove skins from tomatoes leave them in a bowl of boiling hot water for a couple of minutes beforehand.

Tomato Recipe Idea

2006-09-10T07:46:00.000-06:00

A great way to use up some of those tomatoes from your Summer garden is to make grilled tomatoes! This simple recipe provides a delicious accompaniment to any meat meal or cooked breakfast.

Simply, cut tomatoes into thick slices and place on broiler tray. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little dried basil. Then lightly crack salt and pepper over tomatoes before putting under the broiler. Broil until golden brown on top and then presto! your home grown tomatoes will have taken on a delicious new form and will be ready to enjoy.

Quick and Tasty Coleslaw

2006-07-13T13:02:00.001-06:00

A simple and delicious way to make coleslaw is to buy a packet of pre-shredded cabbage just your favorite ranch dressing to it. This is a great way to have a tasty, fresh coleslaw without spending a lot of time making it.

Crunchy Toasts

2006-03-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

I discovered this terrific accompaniment to soup while I was living down in Australia. It comes from Kate Lamont a popular West Australian restaurateur who started out in the food business at her parent's winery.

Ingredients:

1 bread stick

Cracked salt and pepper

Olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice bread thinly and place slices in a single layer on a baking tray, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool and store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Perfect Boiled Eggs Recipe

2006-03-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how to boil eggs so they come out right every time? So you don't have runny eggs when you want them soft-boiled or have rubbery eggs when you want them hard-boiled. Well, wonder no more because I am going to let you in on the secret method of cooking the perfect boiled egg.

Method:

1. Purchase good quality eggs. Cage free, organic eggs are the best.

2. Place the eggs in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by an inch.

3. Without the lid on the pot bring the water gradually to a boil over medium heat.

4. Once the water comes to a boil remove pot from heat and cover with lid.

5. Set the timer, 3 minutes for soft-boiled or 5 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

6. Remove eggs promptly from saucepan and cool in a bowl of cold water.

It is important to purchase the best quality eggs you can find to begin with. Top chefs pay a good amount of attention to product quality because they know how much it counts in the final result of whatever they prepare.

The trick to not turning boiled eggs into golf balls and losing flavor is to cook them gradually. You will be delighted to find with this recipe for perfect boiled eggs how good the texture and taste of them is.

My favorite way of enjoying boiled eggs is to serve them in an eggcup. This way you can crack the top off with a teaspoon and eat right out of the shell. No shell peeling and it's a lot of fun to boot!

I'm glad to have shared with you this secret recipe to cooking perfect boiled eggs. Now you can have perfectly boiled eggs to enjoy at home or take along to a picnic. Also, you have a top quality ingredient to use for the basis of an excellent egg salad or for deviled eggs if you wish.