Why Cooking Lessons for Children is such a Good Idea

Children love doing what adults do. Cook a lot at home? Then your kids will want to cook too. Or at least do their version of cooking. It's the ideal situation for setting up some cooking lessons at home. And your kids won't even know they're learning. For them, it will be more like a game.

Young children love getting their hands into sticky mixtures. Making muffins? Let your children pour in the ingredients. Let them do the stirring - with their hands, if you can stand it. You'll be giving them valuable cooking lessons in how different textures feel, how different smells relate to the food we eat. You'll be stimulating their senses and arousing their curiosity. And you'll even be helping them develop their fine motor skills. That amounts to quite a lot more than a cooking lesson!

When your children are a bit older, let them measure out the different ingredients. Their cooking lessons could include counting out the number of teaspoonsful of sugar you add to the cake mixture. They can learn about units of weight and volume by actually weighing flour and pouring milk into a measuring jug. They'll see how the number relate to the quantities they can see. And they'll be able to taste the effect of different quantities of the ingredients they add. This might prove to be a valuable cooking lesson when they're older.

Finally, when your children are learning to read and write, they can read through simple recipes themselves. Again, this is more than just a cooking lesson. They'll be able to see how the nouns relate to objects, and actions to the processes of cooking food.

Along the way, they'll be learning how to manage their workspace and their time. Cooking can be quite managment intensive. Many cooking lessons focus on managing a kitchen - how to manage your time by doing everything in the most logical order; your space by cleaning up as you go along. And they'll also be learning the basics of food storage and kitchen hygiene.

Children learn all these cooking lessons at home while they're having fun. Not a lecture to be heard. All hands on. all with tangible results that everyone can enjoy. And who knows, maybe they'll soon be making delicious food for you and the rest of the family. Now that has to be worth a few cooking lessons.

The 3 steps to cook quinoa in a microwave oven

How to cook quinoa in a microwave

The standard way to cook quinoa is to cook in in boiling water.The microwave is used for cooking almost anything these days and quinoa is no exception. I have prepared these instructions using a 700 watt oven. Your microwave may be different and you will have to adjust the times to suit.

Step one

Measure out one cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. The size of cup doesn’t matter as long as the proprtions are 2 to 1.

Step two

Rinse the quinoa under cold water for half a minute to remove any impurities.

Step three

Put the water and the quinoa into a microwaveable dish and cover. The next step is to place it in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes approximately. Take out of the oven and let it stand for 1 minute. Gently mix the mixture up a bit and then return it to the micro oven for a second cooking period of 3 minutes. The quinoa needs to stand on the kitchen counter for 2 or 3 minutes to finish cooking.

Depending on the type of quinoa the water may not fully be absorbed by the quinoa in which case you will need to drain it of the excess before carrying on with your preparation.

you can now tuck into the freshly cooked quinoa. The only difference I have observed in cooking quinoa in a microwave as opposed to cooking it the standard way is that is expands very slightly more and is a bit softer to the touch. The superb taste of quinoa is still there and it is easily used in all your best recipes.

You will find that quinoa is a great substitute for potatoes and rice and can be served up as a side dish to almost any main meal. Just serve it on the plate instead. The quinoa really works best however in salads and many stir fry dishes. This is where it really comes into its own and proves to be a versatile addition to your kithcen.

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How to cook quinoa the easy way

cook quinoa

Many quinoa recipes use quinoa that has already been been cooked and prepared before including in a recipe. There is a saying that you have to cook quinoa twice and this is true in most quinoa recipes. When you have prepared the quinoa in this way it is ready to be put into all sorts of dishes replacing rice and cous cous as a base for meals. You can also cool the quinoa for half an hour and put it in salads. You just take some of your favourite salad veg and chop it in with the cooked quinoa.

Step 1

Rinse the quinoa in a fine seive with cold water. Sometimes you must do this twice to ensure the saponin coating is totally removed. If the quinoa you have is fresh from the farm you must follow the rinsing and soaking method.

Step 2

Measure out one cup of quinoa to two cups of water into a saucepan.

Step 3

Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring gently to ensure it does not stick to the pan. When it has come to the boil you turn the gas down and let it simmer for between ten and fifteen minutes. If yuou want it crunchy then ten minutes will be enough – if you want it soft and fluffy then leave it to cook for longer. All the water should beabsorbed while the quinoa is simmering. When the water is absorbed the quinoa increases in size by double. Take the saucepan of the hob.

Step 4

Your quinoa is now ready to serve as a substitute for rice with curry and other dishes. This special grain is very versatile and be incorporated into many recipes and meals. Qunioa is very forgiving in flavour and fits in with all types of different foods and recipes. You will no go hungry with this grain as it is substantial and filling.

It is also ready to include in the recipes that are in the quinoa recipes book.

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How To Select A Wine Gift Basket

A wine gift basket can provide the ideal gift or a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion that requires a gift. They are beautiful gifts for any occasion and can include a wide selection of gourmet delights besides wine. They could also include treats like chocolates, fruit, cheeses and nuts or wine accessories like corkscrews and bottle openers, foil cutters, drip stoppers, or whatever else you decide to add to the basket. They are available already assembled or you can create your own to add that special touch. All you need to know is the style of wine the receiver enjoys, or you can create a surprise basket.

Buying Prepared Baskets

If you'd rather buy a wine gift basket pre packaged, stop into your local liquor store to see if they have a selection available. At holiday times especially, good liquor outlets will often well gift baskets. You should be able to select the wine you'd like to add to the basket and then select accompanying products.

Shop Online

The internet is a great place to order customizable gift baskets. Begin by choosing a bottle or two of wine, then start adding additional products from the range of food and accessories. Products that you could include would be caviar and smoked salmon, cheese or other savory crackers, artisan cheeses, cheese knives, nuts, exclusive mustards or honeys ... there's no limit to what you can add.

The online company will then deliver the packaged gift basket to you or directly to the gift recipient. This is a very easy option for a corporate gift or as a thank-you to a member of your staff.

Make Your Own Gift Baskets

Making your own wine gift basket gives allows you to add that extra personal touch. Start with an attractive basket. You don't need an expensive basket because you can decorate it yourself with fabric, paper or flowers. Buy your wine of choice or choose champagne for a special celebration, add some extra items depending on the preferences of the gift recipient. You don't need to limit your basket to wine or wine-themed gifts for example. You could include handicrafts for someone interested in arts and crafts, or a book about wine for a wine lover who is also interested in the history or the making of wine. Select some gourmet delights to accompany the wine, pack everything into the decorated basket and wrap it all up in clear cellophane.

If possible, personally deliver the gift basket to the recipient so you can see the joy when they receive it. If you're very lucky they may share the bottle of wine with you.

For those who don't drink wine you can still assemble some stunning gift baskets. For a coffee lover you could try a themed gift basket that might include coffee mugs, single origin coffee beans from different coffee-growing areas, gourmet cookies, toffees and nuts. A tea drinker may like to receive a selection of teas from different regions, a teapot and strainer and a fine china teacup. A coffee or tea gift basket could actually be packed onto a decorated tray rather that a basket. And again, you can wrap the whole package in clear cellophane and add a bow.

There is no limit to what you can create in the way of a gift basket.

Find more on wine gifts go to Gourmet Wine Gift Baskets

An Essential Kitchen Utensil - A Good Knife

All kinds of kitchen utensils are available. Just look in any kitchen store or in the aisles of kitchenware at other retail stores and you’ll see an amazing array of items used for cooking. If a utensil has only one use, sometimes it doesn't get used very often. However, there are other utensils that are more versatile, and needed and used daily.

Knives Are The Workhorse Of The Kitchen

If you do much cooking at all, you’ll use not one, but several kinds of knives. Each of these kitchen utensils has a specific function, like chopping, slicing, or filleting food.

All knives have the same major parts.

The Main Part Of The Knife - The Blade

The blade is pretty self-explanatory, being the metal part of the knife used for cutting, from the handle to the tip. It’s the most important part of the knife, and the quality of the blade determines how well the knife cuts. Good quality blades make it much easy to do food preparation for cooking.

A Better Bolster

The bolster is the small part between the blade and the handle, connecting the two together. The bolster needs to hold the two securely together so the knife stays in one piece.

It's advantageous, however, to have a bolster that does NOT go the full width of the blade. That might seem sturdier, but it gets in the way of sharpening the blade. For that reason, it works better if the bolster doesn't completely reach the edge of the blade.

The Whole Tang

The tang is an extension of the blade. Running through the middle of the handle, the tang not only provides a way to attach the handle, but helps give the knife good balance. The tang also strengthens the knife, thus making it more durable.

Sometimes the tang only goes partway into the handle. They are of varying lengths. A higher quality knife will have a tang that goes the full length of the handle. This makes the knife stronger and provides better balance.

Getting A Handle

You need a way to safely hold a knife, and that’s the handle. The handle wraps around the tang and holds it securely. A knife handle can be made of many different materials such as wood, metal or various types of plastic.

A knife handle should not only be sturdy, it should be easily held. Having an easy to hold handle is important since you'll be using a knife a lot in the kitchen.

Types of Kitchen Knives

Checking the different parts of the knife for quality gives you an idea what to look for when buying a good knife. When buying a knife, however, you'll discover there's a wide variety of types available. Some of these include:

· Boning Knife

· Butter Knife

· Cheese Knife

· Chef’s Knife

· Cleaver

· Deli Knife

· Filet Knife

· Frozen Food Knife

· Mincing Knife

· Paring Knife

· Sandwich Knife

· Serrated Knife

· Slicing-Carving Knife

· Steak

· Utility

There are also specialty knives for chestnuts, clams, grapefruits, deveining, lettuce and oysters, plus specialty knives for different types of cuisines such as Japanese and Asian.

It's fortunate you don't need to buy every type of knife out there. That would be a major expense for sure.

The Bare Essentials of Knives For The Kitchen

While every knife has a use, most people don’t need so many of the more specialized knives. Everyone should have a certain few kinds of knives in their kitchen, however. Able to do a number of different types of food preparation, these are the more versatile knives.

The Paring Knife

If you don’t have any other knife, you need a paring knife. It's a smaller type of knife, possessing a straight blade with a sharp edge. Paring knives run from about three to five inches long with a thin blade that tapers to a point at the tip.

Easy to handle, the paring knife is also easy to use. The name tells the function. A paring knife is mainly used for paring foods. It’s also good for cutting up small items, coring apples and such, and mincing garlic and other foods. Each and every kitchen should have at least one good paring knife.

A Knife For A Chef

The Chef’s or Cook’s knife is another versatile knife. The chef's knife come in several different lengths, from 6 inches to 12 inches long. Chef knives in the smaller sizes are called mini chef's knives. A smaller handed person will find the mini chef knives work better for them that the larger size. The bigger chef knive are well suited to people with larger hands. The knife will balance better in a bigger hand.

The chef knife picks up where the paring knife leaves off, and can cut bigger vegetables, fruits and meats. Slicing, chopping and mincing foods are handled well with a chef's knife. The bigger size makes it better suited for the heavy duty work, and making thicker slices than a paring knife.

The Serrated Knife

Instead of a straight edge like the paring and chef knives have, the serrated knife has notches in the blade. It can be anywhere from 5 to 10 inches long. A serrated knife is best used for foods that are hard on the outside, while being soft on the inside. A loaf of homemade bread is a perfect example. The serrated knife is also good for slicing tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.

Put A Cleaver To Good Use

You could make do with a paring knife, chef’s knife and serrated knife, but there’s one other blade that is highly useful in the kitchen. This knife had a very wide blade which is usually about 6 inches in length.

One of the best uses of a cleaver is for pounding and crushing foods. However, it can also be used like other knives to chop and shred foods, too. Cutting through chicken bones and other hard materials is another good use for cleavers.

Not only can a cleaver pulverize meat, but the flat of the blade can be used to crush garlic and other herbs. A cleaver takes up a lot of space in a kitchen drawer, but most come with a hole near the end of the blade so it can be hung up somewhere out of the way.

Choose Good Quality Knives For The Kitchen

Whatever knives you chose, get the best quality you can. The better the quality, the easier it is to use, and kitchen knives will see a lot of use over the years.

The more you cook, the more you will appreciate using good quality knives, and may wish to expand your selection to include more types. The paring knife, chef's knife, serrated knife are good for a starter kitchen, however, with the cleaver making a nice addition.

Every kitchen can use a few good knives.

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How to Get Started As A Cake Decorator, Part 1

The art of decorating cakes takes place when a man or woman has turned the kitchen into an art studio. Whenever any cake is finely decorated with artistic elements it is pleasing to both the creator and the recipient.Creating a cake doesn't have to be stressful - you just need to get creative. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas and techniques.

For some people cake decorating is a hobby, while for others, it is a career. The amateurs are those who find it fun and gratifying to bake the cakes and then decorate them for their family and friends, thus saving money by doing it themselves. With expert training along with good decorating tips and ideas, anyone can master this art.

With this art form you will also be able to stretch your imagination. If you continue building your skills, you will experience the joy of making others happy with your expertise.For the amateur decorator, the simplest cake decorating tips are the best ways to help you get started. Decorating can be as simple as using a stencil and dusting confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder on the top of a cake.

Cakes can be iced using royal fondant, butter cream or cooked icing. Adding to the icing cakes can be topped with flowers, spun sugar, or candy. Cakes can be created to look like a hot dog, pizza, or just about anything you have the imagination to create.

If you want to be an amateur cake decorator, you will need to learn the basics and pick up as many of the tips you can. There are many tips and ideas widely available. You may decide to continue making and decorating cakes as a pastime or you may decide to look into making a career out of decorating and baking cakes.

Read on for more tips on becoming a cake decorator in "How to Get Started As A Cake Decorator, Part 2". For more free recipes, cooking tips and general help in the kitchen, please check out: thebestrecipesonline.com.

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Tips for Cooking Healthy and Light

Many restaurants these days are serving up super sized portions, so it's no wonder that people have become used to ingesting large amounts of food every day. This is no problem if they are eating meals that are low in calories and generally nutritious. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work this way. Therefore it's highly important that you choose healthful and low calorie foods when you eat at home, so you can minimize the damage from your restaurant splurges. This begins with cooking light.

Light, healthy cooking relies on more than the ingredients you use; the oil you cook them with is also important. In fact, the oil can have a big impact on the nutritional value of the meal. Even though all your ingredients may be healthful, for example, veggies, lean meats and whole grains, if you add oil containing unhealthy fats, you'll wind up having a meal that's not so good for you.

Try these easy ways to make your meals healthy and light.

1. Pick Vegetable Oils

This is the most critical of the guidelines. Pick a vegetable based oil to ensure that the food you're cooking won't impact your health negatively. These oils are beneficial for elevating your good cholesterol. They help to improve the performance of your cardiovascular system and compensate for the unhealthy cholesterol found in meat and animal fats.

2. Stay Away from Additives

As much as you can, stay away from seasonings and ingredients that aren't natural. It can turn a healthy meal into a questionable one. Artificial flavoring might heighten the flavor of the dish that you're cooking but it can also result in kidney and liver ailments due to its elevated sodium content. As well, stay away from batter mixes for deep fried foods; they just increase the calories without any nutritional benefits.

3. Cut the Meat

Make it a habit to use seafood and veggies in your home cooking. Restrict meat consumption to a serving or less per day. So you'll be getting the protein your body needs but avoiding the saturated fats contained in meat. On the occasions when you do indulge in a piece of meat, look for ones that are lower in saturated fats. White meats such as chicken and turkey are regarded as better for you than red meats such as beef and pork. And of these two, pork is the better choice as the fat can be trimmed more readily.

4. Cook Less

Another approach to healthy cooking is to make light meals, not just in terms of calories and fat, but also in quantity. This is particularly relevant when you're cooking the main meal of the day. But take your time making this change. If you vary your diet too much it can cause health problems.

It's also not recommended if you have young children. It's important that you give children all the nutrition they need to become strong and healthy. This doesn't imply overeating, but neither should you limit their calories unless advised by your doctor.

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