The Kitchen Index

Coral Calcium: Properties and Health Benefits of the Calcium Dietary Supplement

2009-04-22T09:38:00.005-05:00

Coral calcium is a dietary supplement harvested from coral in Okinawa, Japan, and is said to be extremely rich in calcium and other trace minerals.

Can Coral Calcium Really Help to Prevent a Large Assortment of Diseases?

Health food stores and pharmacies all stock a bevy of calcium supplements, each one offering varying degrees of effectiveness. As calcium is an important nutrient for your overall health, it is vital that you receive the daily recommended value of this mineral, either through food or through a supplement. One calcium supplement in particular that has been garnering much attention in the health community for some time is coral calcium.

Coral calcium is a dietary supplement harvested from coral in Okinawa, Japan, and is said to be extremely rich in calcium and other trace minerals, and is much more effective than other calcium dietary supplements on the market today. Read more about the health benefits of coral calcium...

Which is Better for You: Tea of Coffee?

2009-04-22T09:35:00.001-05:00

America has primarily been a coffee drinking nation. In the beginning, it was just plain coffee, black or with milk and sugar. But now, we've graduated from the traditional coffee flavor to a multitude of gourmet blends and fanciful sweeteners. We've made coffee a major industry, partly because of our desire for a rich, satisfying cup of steaming coffee, but also because our bodies rely on that caffeine-laden pick-me-up in the morning and often throughout the day.

But it has been argued that too much coffee can ultimately be bad for you. Much of this assumption is based in part on myth and conjecture. Recent studies have revealed that coffee actually possesses a surprising amount of health benefits.

However, many consumers have already made the switch to drinking tea in favor of coffee, as we've grown more conscious of our health and the healthful qualities inherent in tea, particularly green tea and black tea, as well as many herbal teas.

So which is actually better for you, tea or coffee? Read more...

Common Natural Sweeteners and Their Health Benefits

2009-04-21T15:00:00.001-05:00

Using Natural Sweeteners Found Int He Home in Place of Refined Sugar

Our craving for sweets is usually appeased by delving into an assortment of chocolates, a slice of cake, a generous scoop of ice cream, or other such decadent fare. The key ingredient in all of these items and essentially most of the sweets available on the market is sugar. Aside from the added sugars already inherent in candy, juice, soda, and more, we often add sugar to other items we consume, such as tea and coffee or on top of cereal.

Too much sugar is of course a major contribution to our caloric intake and weight gain, but it seems hard to avoid or resist. Artificial sweeteners abound in the marketplace, but there is a lot of speculation as to the long-term negative health aspects of such products. Natural sweeteners like stevia are available in health food stores, but there is a host of natural sweeteners that have been quite common in supermarkets for a very long time, and are likely sitting on your shelf in your pantry at this very moment. Read more...

The Best Gluten-Free Cookbooks: Hundreds of Gluten-Free Recipes at Your Fingertips

2009-04-21T14:51:00.003-05:00

Try These Gluten-free Cookbooks for Classic and Unique Gluten-free Recipes

Celiac disease is a malady that disrupts the digestive process and impedes the absorption of healthy nutrients into the body. Similarly, some individuals are simply sensitive to wheat or gluten, also unable to healthily digest foods that contain gluten. As gluten is often found in wheat, flour, oats and barley, among other products, many desserts and baked goods often need to be avoided in a gluten-free diet. A basic search of the internet will yield a large assortment of gluten-free recipes, but a gluten-free cookbook will place a vast amount of gluten-free recipes at your fingertips for easy perusal at any time.

There are plenty of gluten-free cookbooks available in bookstores, and these are some of the best.

Aptly named, The Best Gluten-Free Family Cookbook by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt is full of delicious recipes as well as useful cooking tips and techniques. From basic gluten-free bread recipes to unique and tasty desserts, The Best Gluten-Free Family Cookbook is sure to provide an ample supply of gluten-free recipes for you or your family. Read more about the cookbooks...

Vegetarian Stuffing Recipes and Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipes for the Thanksgiving Holiday

2007-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

One thing that is always certain at Thanksgiving dinner is that there never seems to be enough stuffing to go around. People love stuffing on Thanksgiving, helping themselves to extra portions and fighting over the last remaining spoonful. Who can blame them? Stuffing is always delicious and a rare treat, and if its a family recipe, then it is even more prized than traditional store-bought stuffings.

But if you're a vegetarian or you possess a gluten intolerance, and you're going to be enjoying the holiday dinner at family or friends who do not share the same food restrictions, then you may have be unable to partake and enjoy of the wonderful stuffing that the other guests all consume greedily. They may express false sympathy for you, but inside, they are secretly happy, because it means more for them.

But there just happens to be a number of vegetarian stuffing recipes and gluten-free stuffingrecipes available on the internet, making this holiday treat accessible to everyone. If you are preparing the Thanksgiving feast yourself, you can easily prepare one of these alternative stuffing recipes for your family and guests to enjoy, or you can bring it to the home of the hosting party as an additional side dish.

For the list of great websites where you can find a large assortment of vegetarian and gluten-free stuffing recipes for Thanksgiving, please click this link

3 Easy Apple Cider Recipes

2007-11-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

Apple cider is a popular beverage once fall arrives, and it is enjoyed through much of the harvest calendar months. But there is much more you can do to enjoy the refreshing tartness of fresh apple cider. Recipes for mulled cider, apple cider stews, apple butter and more can be found all over the internet. I myself have tried several recipes using apple cider as one of the main ingredients, and with a few modifications and some experimentation, I've found some that I and my family have greatly enjoyed and now insist upon making every fall.

Mulled Cider Recipe
To start off simply, mulled cider is quick and easy to make, and is especially heartwarming and deliciously refreshing on chilly fall days and nights. Mulled cider is essentially apple cider simmered with various spices, usually, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, but there are many variations that also use orange zest, cardamom, allspice, and others.

The mulled cider I have come to rely on starts with a 1/2 gallon of apple cider. Simply pour the apple cider into a large saucepan and allow it to heat up. While the cider is being heated, prepare 3-5 sticks of cinnamon (or 2-3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon), 2 tablespoons of whole cloves (or 2 teaspoons of ground cloves), and a teaspoon of nutmeg. Add the spices to the apple cider in the saucepan and cover until simmering. Then remove the cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes more.

For some variations, I sometimes will add a small handful of blackberries, crushing them against the sides of the saucepan once they have been simmering for about 15 minutes. You can also add orange zest, cardamom, or brown sugar if you desire. Adults can add a cup of rum or a 1/2 cup of brandy to the pot as well if they so desire.

After simmering, drain the mulled cider through a fine mesh sieve and serve with a cinnamon stick for garnish, or a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg.

Continue to the other two recipes...

The Rules of Office Kitchen Etiquette

2007-08-31T10:36:00.000-05:00

Common Sense & Courtesy Goes a Long Way in the Office Kitchen

If you've ever worked in an office, you've probably seen quite a lack of office kitchen etiquette. You know what I mean: Dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs or other leftover food particles all over the kitchen counter or the table, about two spoonfuls of coffee left in the coffee pot, filling the office kitchen with the heavenly scent of rapidly burning coffee.

Many office workers simply forget or choose to ignore the rules of office kitchen etiquette, and depending upon the size of your office kitchen, they can be many indeed. However, most of the rules are simply common sense and an ounce of courtesy, so there really is no excuse.

Follow this link to see the list of rules pertaining to office kitchen etiquette that should cover most office kitchens quite nicely.

Sumac Spice - Uses in Middle Eastern Cuisine and Health Benefits

2007-08-31T10:32:00.000-05:00

The Spice of the Sumac Berries Can Be Used in Many Different Dishes

Not to be confused with the poison sumac plant that flourishes in North America (although it is a close relation), sumac spice comes from berries harvested from a bush that can be found in the wild all across the Mediterranean. Sumac spice figures heavily in Arabic cuisine, as well as many other Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon. It is often substituted for lemon or vinegar in many dishes due to a more favorable tart and tangy flavor.

If you have no experience with Arabic or Lebanese food, than you probably have not heard of sumac spice, but it worth seeking out in ethnic markets as it can be employed for many culinary uses, and contains a few health benefits as well.

To make sumac spice, the small berries are first harvested, dried and then crushed, but can also be used fresh, mashing them to use the resulting sumac juice to flavor various dishes and sauces.

Often utilized in Arabic, Indian, and Lebanese cuisine as a rub on meats and kebabs, it can also be added to marinades, soups and stews, rice dishes, casseroles, salad dressings, dips, and many other dishes for additional elements of flavor. It can also simply be used on the table as a condiment to replace salt and pepper.

Read more about the Health Benefits of Sumac Spice

Health Benefits of the Apricot, an Excellent Fruit for Your Diet

2007-07-20T10:23:00.001-05:00

Apricots Are Very Healthy and Are an Excellent Choice for Dieters

The apricot is often overlooked in favor of other common fruits such as the apple, pear, orange or banana. But the apricot is just as healthy as those other fruits, in some cases even healthier. Aside from the many health benefits of the apricot, it is also a wonderful diet food, providing a large amount of healthful nutrition to the body as well as keeping down caloric intake, as they are very low in calories as compared to other fruits (only about 50 calories for three apricots)!

Like apples or oranges, there are several different varieties of apricot, but you will typically find only one or two types to choose from in your local supermarket or fruit stand, depending upon your location. Appearing as small, golden-orange fruits, they all share the same particular health benefits, so its really just a matter of taste as to which type of apricot you would favor. Read more...

What is Saffron and Why is it the Most Expensive Spice in the World?

2007-07-17T07:21:00.000-05:00

So what exactly makes saffron the world's most expensive spice? It's not necessarily its flavor or any health benefits associated with the reddish-yellow spice, although it does lend a distinct, wonderful flavor to all manner of dishes. Rather, its the cultivation process.

It has been estimated that approximately one acre of purple crocuses, the flower from which saffron threads are harvested, will yield only one pound of saffron. This is because each crocus flower only produces 3 threads of saffron. About 14,000 threads (actually the dried stigmas of the crocus flower) equals one ounce of saffron, so that should give you an idea of the labor intensive process that goes into harvesting saffron threads. Saffron is harvested in Spain, Greece, India, Turkey, and a few other countries. It can be sold as saffron threads, or as a ground saffron powder, but culinary experts prefer the threads, as the flavor is typically stronger. Read more about Saffron...

Broccoli Hybrids & Variations: Broccoli Rabe, Broccolini, and Broccoflower

2007-07-17T07:19:00.000-05:00

The produce section of the supermarket is an ever-growing entity, as demand for new and unique fruits and vegetables continues to increase. Many supermarkets have seen an influx of exotic or previously unheard fruits and vegetables as the popularity of such items rises with the changing mood of the food market, and the advent of entertaining cookingshows that have introduced consumers to many new ingredients and foods.

One such vegetable that now appears in several incarnations is broccoli. No longer content with the simple green stalks and tiny budding florets of this versatile vegetable, consumers are now eagerly snatching up broccoli hybrids and other vegetables that bear the broccoli name but actually have little to do with broccoli itself, such as broccoli rabe.

Read more about Broccoli Rabe, Broccoflower, and Broccolini

Naked Juice: All Natural Fruit Juices and Smoothies

2007-06-22T07:06:00.000-05:00

Bursting with Flavor and Healthful Benefits, These All Natural Juice Blends Are Perfect for a Healthy Lifestyle

Extremely refreshing. A wide assortment of delicious flavors. Healthy and packed full of the good stuff your body needs and craves on a daily basis. I'm talking about Naked Juice, a product line of all natural fruit juices and smoothie blends, consisting of remarkably creative mixtures and pairings of various fruits and vegetables, loaded with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

You may have seen a small variety of Naked Juice already claiming space on your supermarket shelves in the produce section, and the attention-grabbing bottles likely exist in greater quantity in health food stores. Thanks to a wide variety of flavors, each with its own nutritional benefits, Naked Juice is quickly becoming the popular choice for health advocates, vegetarians, and regular consumers who simply enjoy the refreshing blends which consist purely of fruit, fruit juices, and/or vegetables, with an extra-dose of healthy vitamins and minerals on the side. Read more about Naked Juice...

Another great variety of juices and smoothies is Bolthouse Farms, also frequently found in the supermarket.

The Big Green Egg Barbecue and Smoker

2007-06-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

Product Review: The Big Green Egg Barbecue and Smoker:
Despite the popularity of industry standard Weber barbecues and Brinkmann barbecues, its a barbecue-smoker combination that has everybody talking and seeing what all the fuss is about. It's called the Big Green Egg, and in the eyes of many who have tried it, it's quickly earning its reputation as "The World's Best Smoker and Grill".

The Big Green Egg Smoker and Barbecue is thusly named because it appears as a rather large green egg, supported by a sturdy frame. The Big Green Egg is actually designed after a 3,000 year old oriental design called the Kamado cooker. The Kamado cooker was originally utilized by the ancient Chinese, and was then adapted by the Japanese, who gave it the name "Kamado", which translates into oven, or stove. Like the Kamado cookers of ancient China and Japan, the Big Green Egg is a ceramic cooker, but has been updated with far superior heavy duty ceramics that comes with a lifetime guarantee, and provides better heat insulation. Read More

The Aero Grow Aero Garden

2007-06-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

Product Review: The Aero Grow Aero Garden
Grow Your Own Fresh Herbs, Vegetables, Salad Greens, Flowers and More with Your Indoor Aero Garden

I've always enjoyed growing fresh herbs, but because of the layout of my apartment, I only have a balcony that receives a limited amount of sunlight in which to grow them. So it was with great joy that I received the Aero Grow Aero Garden as a birthday present and recently began using it to grow an assortment of herbs.

The Aero Grow Aero Garden is a small unit about the size of a standard microwave oven that allows you to grow a variety of herbs within your own home, regardless of available sunlight.

Aside from herbs, the Aero Grow Aero Garden also lets you grow items such as cherry tomatoes, chili peppers, strawberries, salad greens, flowers, and more. A recently released Master Gardener Kit enables you to grow a variety of vegetables including eggplant, green beans and spinach. Read More...

You can also read about the Aero Grow Aero Garden and see all the products and seed kits available here...

The Healthy Hazelnut: An Ideal Snack for Nutrition and Diets

2007-06-04T08:24:00.000-05:00

The problem inherent with dieting is the sudden cravings for snacks that sneak up on us throughout the course of the day and whittle away at our resolve. Those of us with a healthy dose of willpower can resist such temptations, but others eventually succumb to the dark desire for unscheduled snacks.

But there is a way to have both a tasty snack and a healthy addition to your diet. Compact, filling, satisfying and healthy, a small quantity of hazelnuts can help ease that sudden craving and provide your body with ample nutrients. Ideal for a healthy lifestyle, fruits and nuts have often been promoted in diets and by doctors. Read more...

Essential Kitchen Accessories for the Garlic Lover

2007-05-31T08:11:00.000-05:00

I love garlic. It usually makes an appearance at dinnertime, whether part of a marinade or herb rub, or sautéed with some vegetables, or roasted and garnishing any number of dishes.

You can purchase garlic in many forms; fresh, powdered, minced, chopped, roasted, frozen, and more. My fridge and pantry used to contain garlic in all its forms, but I have since limited my purchases to an ample container of whole, peeled cloves. From there, I can reduce the garlic to any form I desire, thanks to a nice sit of kitchen tools and accessories specifically made for garlic.

While some of these garlic-related kitchen accessories may be a bit eccentric, and probably only of value if you intend to use garlic quite frequently, others are highly practical, and still others are just fun to use. Read More...

Health Benefits of Miso Soup

2007-05-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

It might be argued that the best cure for the common cold is no mere medicine picked off the shelf at your local pharmacy, but chicken soup. Indeed, one cannot easily deny the subtle effects a healthy bowl of chicken soup has on our virus-laden bodies, and though it does not always manage to dispel the cold from our system, it certainly puts up a reasonable fight, at least for a short while.

But the fighting prowess and health benefits of chicken soup pale by comparison when placed side by side with a real contender, hailing from faraway Japan. Its name is Miso Soup, and its blend of simple ingredients contain a veritable shopping list of nutrients and health benefits that help to prevent one of the most deadly diseases waging war upon our bodies. Read more...

Cooking with Dashi: The Japanese Soup Stock

2007-05-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Want to make your own miso soup?
The requisite chef's of Japanese cuisine are masters of flavor, often producing genuinely authentic, highly flavorful dishes from the simplest of ingredients. Usually working with all natural ingredients, a Japanese dish is often loaded with vitamins and nutrients, contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Miso soup is familiar to many, a mainstay in most Japanese restaurants, addictively delicious and surprisingly healthy. But a lesser known, yet highly fundamental soup stock used primarily in Japanese culture is known as dashi, which often serves as the base for miso soup. Read more...

The Best Kitchen Scales for Under $30.00

2007-05-21T13:30:00.000-05:00

If you like to follow recipe instructions to the very letter, or if you consume food only in strictly regulated proportions, or if you simply need to determine the weight of an object or ingredient, then you need a scale in your kitchen. Even if not used regularly, a kitchen scale is handy to have around. After all, with certain ingredients, such as hot chili peppers or pungent spices, the just the difference of an ounce or two can greatly affect a recipe.

Usually small and compact, many kitchen scales can fit easily in your pantry or cabinets, or you can leave them on your countertop if the style compliments your kitchen decor.

Unless you desire a high-end kitchen scale with multiple functions, you can find a kitchen scale perfectly suited for the purpose of weighing objects accurately for just $30.00 or less. Read more...

What you may need before cooking Thai Food recipes

2007-05-18T07:57:00.000-05:00

So you've decided you want to prepare your own authentic Thai meal. Recipes are numerous and easily found, either on the internet or in that new Thai cookbook you've recently purchased. But in perusing the various recipes, you've discovered that many of the ingredients sound unfamiliar.

Don't feel intimidated. Many supermarkets now carry an extensive supply of ethnic ingredients, as the popularity of such cuisines is steadily growing. But there are still quite a few obscure items that can only be found at Asian supermarkets or specialty shops. I have attempted to provide a comprehensive list of the most common and some uncommon ingredients and items used in Thai cooking. Once you are familiar with some of them, hopefully the task of preparing a Thai meal will seem less daunting and more enjoyable. After all, prepared correctly, a Thai meal is a glorious adventure of satisfying flavor! Read More...

Turmeric: Applications of the Indian Spice

2007-05-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

One cannot fully appreciate the multitude of spices in the world until you begin to cook with them, learning about their many applications and healthy properties. As I begin to delve into the challenges and excitement of Indian cuisine, I have found another spice of significance that until now remained in a small, sealed spice jar in the pantry.

A staple of Indian cooking, Turmeric is a major factor in Indian curries, and a welcome guest in many other foods. Related to ginger, the roots of the turmeric plant are boiled and dried, and then ground into a fine yellow powder, used to enhance both flavor and color of foods. Read More...

Recipe of the Day: Grilled Meat Skewers With Bay Leaves

2007-05-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Grilled Meat Skewers With Bay Leaves

2 lbs pork or beef tenderloin, cut into 2 inch chunks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
15-20 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1. Prepare the grill for a moderately hot fire and place rack about 4 inches from heat.
2. If using wood skewers, soak in water while you prepare the meat.
3. Toss meat with oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
4. Skewer meat alternately with bay leaves.
5. If leaves break, secure by pressing between meat chunks.
6. Grill meat 2- 5 minutes per side, depending on heat and how well done you like your meat.
7. Remove and serve.

Bay Leaves: Culinary Uses and as an Herbal Remedy

2007-05-16T08:31:00.000-05:00

Unless you've a decent amount of cooking experience, specifically in soups and stews, then you might have overlooked an important herb. The bay leaf, also known as bay laurel and sweet bay, is a flavorful herb used extensively to flavor soups and stews. A necessary staple of any well-stocked pantry or spice rack, bay leaves are often used in Mediterranean cuisine and are now commonly found everywhere, especially in North America. Bay Leaves are great for adding distinct flavors to many dishes, and bay leaves also possess a few important health and nutrition properties. Read More...

Recipe of the Day: Garam Masala-Crusted Chicken

2007-05-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

Garam Masala-Crusted Chicken

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon garam masala
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Two 3 1/2-pound chickens
Salt

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a small bowl, mix the garam masala with the oil. In a roasting pan, rub the chickens all over with the garam masala oil and season with salt. Roast the chickens for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and continue roasting for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting twice. Return the oven temperature to 450° and roast for about 15 minutes longer, or until the chickens are browned and crisp. Transfer the chickens to a carving board and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving

Using Garam Masala & Making Your Own

2007-05-15T08:22:00.000-05:00

The literal translation of garam masala is "hot spices", in Indian, and "warm spice mixture" in Hindi. The actual spices used in this flavorful blend can vary depending on the region and brand. Traditionally, the most common spices contained therein are cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Other worthy additions to the mixture include garlic, mustard seed, coriander, cumin, ginger, and many more. Garam Masala has also been referred to as Curry Powder, though you will find many wildly different variations of curry powder as well. Read More

Recipe of the Day

2007-05-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

I'm also going to attempt to begin a daily recipe posting, at least on Monday-Friday. Since todays original post was on salt and pepper, I've picked a recipe that somewhat reflects that.

PEPPERCORN CHICKEN SZECHUAN
1 whole chicken
2 tbsp Szechwan pepper blend
2 tbsp coarse (kosher) salt
1 cup chicken broth

SAUCE
1 tbsp oil
¼ cup green onion; chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger (1 teaspoon ground)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp Vodka (optional)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare chicken for baking. Combine salt and pepper and rub on outside of entire chicken. Roast on rack of baking pan, breast side up. Add 1/2 cup broth to pan. Ro ast uncovered for 1 hour.

Remove chicken to a platter. Skim fat from drippings and reserve drippings.

Heat oil in small skillet. Add green onion, ginger, and garlic, cooking over medium heat until green onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in vodka, if using, vinegar, soy sauce and reserved drippings. Carve chicken into serving pieces. Serve with sauce.

Yields 6 servings.

Salt, Pepper, and other Seasonings

2007-05-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be focusing on various seasonings this week, starting with the basic seasoning loved by almost everyone except slugs, Salt, and its kitchen table counterpart Pepper.

While many of you are content to simply season your meal with a little salt & pepper during or after the cooking process, you might be surprised to know that salt has many uses and properties, as well as many varieties that can impart different flavors to your meal. To read more about the interesting uses of salt, click HERE. To find out about the many varieties of salt, such as Fleur de Sel and Grey Salt, click HERE.

Of course, many of us watch our salt intake for health reasons, but not all salt is created equal. Regular table salt is in fact the least healthiest of all available salts on the market, of which there are quite a lot. You may not find a large selection in your normal grocery store, but gourmet and specialty food shops will often stock a large variety of various salts that have undergone little to no processing, thus making them somewhat healthier than table salt, with the healthiest of all salts being Celtic Sea Salt. A large list of trace minerals and nutrients makes this salt the healthiest in the world. To read more about the health benefits of Celtic Sea Salt, click HERE.

And lets not forget about pepper. Pepper is also available in several varieties, and you may want to experiment with different peppers to truly see how the subtle differences can enhance certain dishes. Find out more about pepper HERE.

Memorial Day Recipes

2007-05-11T18:32:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day unofficially begins barbecue season, as many families often celebrate the holiday by hosting a barbecue either simply for themselves or with a gathering of friends. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks and even fish all make a worthwhile appearance, but if you truly want to prepare something dazzling to commemorate the holiday, then check out these sites for a variety of delicious Memorial Day recipes that go beyond the basic simplicity of a bit of meat on a grill.

Read More

Lobster and Crab

2007-05-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

We start off the tips with two useful reference articles.

In "How to Boil or Steam a Lobster", you'll find out that preparing a fresh lobster isn't as hard as you might think.

In the second article "Cleaning a Hardshell Crab to Get at the Meat", learn the best way to eat these tasty creatures with minimum mess and fuss.

Recipe Software for the Macintosh

2007-05-11T12:56:00.000-05:00

As with most software for Windows-based computers, there is a large assortment of recipe software available to choose from, some of it good, some of it bad. Those of you with Apple Macintosh computers may have to search a little harder for adequate recipe software, but you should be happy to know that there is indeed a fine assortment of it available at a minimal cost, and some of it even for free.

Read More

You'll find links to the recipe software located on the sidebar.

Welcome to the Kitchen Index

2007-05-11T09:22:00.000-05:00

Fresh from the oven and ready to serve!
The Kitchen Index was created to help gather together all the best tips, tricks, and tutorials regarding food prep and cooking, both in the kitchen and outdoor on the barbecue. A large focus of the Kitchen Index will be to focus on different ingredients, from spices and herbs to ethnic sauces and exotic fruits and vegetables.

I'll feature weekly tips and articles culled from my own stockpile, as well as user-submitted information. As this blog is fairly new (only 2 minutes old as of this posting), information at the moment will be rather sparse, but will be added continuously over the coming days, so be sure to check back often.

If you have your own tips or tricks regarding anything in the kitchen, feel free to submit it. I'll pick the best and feature them weekly. If you have a website or a blog that focuses on like-minded information, feel free to inquire about cross-linking.