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Casseroles
Setting the Table for Romance
Men and women have used food to aid in romance since the beginning of time; of course a caveman set his rock a little differently than a modern man would set the table!
This is something that women seem to know instinctively, while for men it can be a major problem.
A romantic meal can be any type of meal, from a picnic on the beach, (watch out for the sand) to a candle light dinner at home, choose wisely, it can set the tone for the entire relationship!
Perhaps your partner likes to be out doors? If so the picnic can be a wonderful idea, if it is at the beach, plan a bonfire (make sure this is legal) in the evening when there are less people around, the beach can be very romantic on a moon lit night.
A picnic at a favorite spot in the country can also be very romantic, just be prepared for any contingency, remember the saying the best laid plans of mice and men.
The weather can be the biggest problem when it comes to picnics, have a backup plan in case of rain. Assuming the relationship has gone from dinner and a movie, to dinner at your house, how do I get ready for that?
Being able to cook is a really good beginning, even though there are many places that you can buy food, and take it home.
Whatever direction you take, make sure it is food that your partner would like to eat.
While hamburgers or fried chicken are great, they arent necessarily the most romantic of foods! However, atmosphere, including candlelight, music and real dishes (instead of paper plates) can make any meal romantic.
Use your imagination, be aware of your partners likes and dislikes, make a plan, and be prepared to change that plan if necessary.
Your romantic dinner for two can be a great way to take the relationship to the next level.
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Efficiency will save you lots of time in the kitchen, to accomplish this, learn to do more than one thing at a time. Increased preparation time before cooking is another way to become a faster cook.
Read your recipe before starting, this will save you many headaches, like getting a dish ready and finding out you need bat wings and you dont have any! Just kidding, I dont stock bat wings in my kitchen either, but you get the idea.
Get everything you will need together, follow the order they are used in the recipe, this allows you to be sure that you have everything you will need. Once you are sure you have everything, measure out the ingredients according to the recipe.
Organize all of your ingredients on one side of the work area, as you use something, move it to the other side, lessens confusion as to whether you used it or not.
Use the cutting board for all of your non-meat items first, this avoids cross contamination. If you have to prepare the meat first, wash the cutting board thoroughly before using it for any other food items.
Keeping a sink of hot soapy water will help cleanup later on, just drop used utensils in the water and allow them to soak.
Sometimes it is better to use your hands to mix something than it is to use a utensil; it also saves time washing up later. I for one loved making mud pies when I was a child, the only difference is the mud is now hamburger and the crushed leaves are now herbs.
Salads are always mixed more evenly if they are tossed with your hands. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly, inexpensive plastic gloves will help if you didnt like playing in the mud!
Coat measuring cups, spoons and molds with non-stick spray before putting anything sticky in them, the ingredients will slide right out. To prevent having to clean a burned on, sticky mess from your boiler pan, line the pan with foil and spray the rack with non-stick spray.
Re-sealable plastic is great for marinating and coating foods with flour or cornmeal.
Planning in advance can save you a lot of time in the kitchen opening up your evenings to spend more time with your family. |
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Quick Healthy Snacks
Vegetables and fruits are some of the better know quick healthy snacks available today. Keep fresh vegetables, cut up and cleaned in the refrigerator with dip for the kids to snack on after school, they wont miss the candies and cookies if they never get used to them.
It doesnt hurt to have those once in a while as long as they do not constitute your main form of snacking.
Keeping fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter is another good way to provide healthy snacks for your family.
Whatever is in season at the time will work; fresh apples and peanut butter are a great snack with a lot of protein in them.
Fresh fruit and cottage cheese are also high in protein and allows family members to deal with their sweet tooth in a more healthy way. However there are other snacks available that are equally enjoyable.
Whole grain snack crackers (there are an unlimited variety of snack crackers) with an assortment of cheeses are one form or snacking.
There are many kinds of cheese out there for you to keep on hand; you can even buy them already cubed if you dont have time to cut them up yourself!
Celery and cheese spread are tasty and easy to put together after school, at during lunch at work or school or as an evening snack while watching your favorite movie.
Dehydrated fruits are available including raisins, dates or many other kinds of fruits, trail mixes are very popular.
Trail mix is another snack food that has a wide range of tastes, from tropical to nut blends, something for every finicky eater in your family.
They are also easy to customize for your particular tastes. Just buy your favorite fruits and nuts, cereals, and even candies and mix your own.
Be creative with snacks and you will notice a difference in what your family eats.
Related Topics: Vegetarian Lifestyle,
The Cost of Coffee, Canning From the Ground Up
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