Easy Parchment Cooking Methods for Making Tasty Meals

En papillote, or cooking in parchment packets, is a French technique that is quick and easy. The food is steamed inside the pouch during baking, keeping its moisture intact. The natural sweetness of the foods comes out in this cooking method. If you have never tried it before, you will find it is fun, too. In the oven, the packets fill up like a balloon. Your family and friends will not know what is for dinner until they open their packets, engulfing them in the delicious scents of herbs, sauce, and food.

While parchment paper is the traditional paper used for this method of cooking, you can also try brown lunch bags in a pinch. To make a pouch, fold a large sheet of parchment in half. Cut along the fold, making a large Valentine heart. Make enough so there is one pouch per person. Open the heart. Position your food in the center of one half of the heart. Add your salt and pepper, vegetables and any sauce or marinade the recipe calls for.

Top it off with lemon slices or herbs. Seal up your packets by folding the empty half of the paper over the food. Beginning at the top of the heart, make small folds towards the food. Continue making the folds along the entire edge, folding the last one over a few times to make sure it stays. Put the finished packets on a baking sheet and bake according to your recipe.

Cooking in Packets and its Benefits

Besides the obvious benefits of easy clean up and the fun of opening up your meal like a present, cooking in parchment packets is also healthy for you. The steaming of the food in the packets is a low fat way to cook. You do not need to add a lot of oil or butter to cook your food. It is also a wonderful way to deal with delicate foods like sole and flounder.


If you are not sure where to look for parchment, check the aisle with the waxed paper and aluminum foil. If your store does not stock any, foil will work the same way in a pinch.


So What are Some of the Things I Can Make?

Parchment packets are so versatile you can cook just about anything in them. Fish works well, and chicken and pork also does well. Almost an entire meal can be prepared in a packet. Just use layers for your meat, sauce, and vegetables to get a wonderful entre. Pasta can even be cooked to perfection!

Make side dishes of vegetables and herbs, an entre of tilapia and lemon, or try some quick easy chicken recipes. Make delicious ethnic recipes like ramen, pasta, or TexMex.

Preparation is the key to baking in parchment. Make sure your aromatic vegetables are sliced thinly. Some vegetables that work well include carrots, celery, shallots, mushrooms, and zucchini. Add some herbs.

Place your packets on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven for 6 to 10 minutes. Once the timer dings, dinner is ready!
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Should I Buy Stainless Steel Cookware?

There are many different choices for individuals looking for the perfect cookware for their kitchen. One of the most popular choices for the average consumer is stainless steel cookware. It is easily one of the most widely recognized and well known types of cookware, and is a favorite of many individual cooks. But is it the best choice for you? What makes this cookware so great? It is worth the price? These are questions that this article will help to answer so you can make an informed decision.

First off, what exactly is stainless steel cookware? Stainless steel is an alloy, or a combination of metals, that mixes basic iron with chromium, nickel, and some other minor metals. The chromium is what provides rust protection and an extra degree of durability. Nickel also provides extra rust protection, and adds the "highly polished" look that is often attributed to this cookware. The bottom of pans often have copper or aluminum added to increase the pan's ability to conduct heat, since one of the disadvantages of the pans are that they are poor heat conductors. Another important factor to consider is that there are high grade levels of cookware, and then there are lower quality levels of cookware. My advice is if you decide to buy this type of cookware, don't skimp: the high quality is a huge difference over the lesser varieties.

There are several advantages to using this type of cookware. For one, it is extremely durable and can last years and years. It is also extremely hard, its non porous meaning you won't have to worry about cracks, leaks, or spatters. It also has a smooth surface that is dent and scratch resistant, is usually easy to clean, and it is actually easy to keep that brand new look.

There are some disadvantages to it as well. For one, it is a poor heat conductor, which is why the pans have to be coated with copper and aluminum to help cooking. This means that if speedy cooking is a big deal with you, then you should look at other cookware. Good stainless steel cookware also has a relatively high cost, which is always an issue in shopping for anything. While it is extremely easy to clean, the outside tends to discolor with very high heat, and extensive exposure to salt water can also damage the pans by causing pitting. While the heat discoloration can be cleaned off to an extent, if appearance is always an issue, then this cookware may or may not be worth the purchase depending on the amount of work you're willing to put into upkeep.

For many people, it is a great addition to the kitchen. For others, cast iron may be a better choice. Always look at the pros versus the cons, and decide which on each side are more important. Since there is a trace amount of nickel in the cookware, those with a rare allergy to nickel should NOT eat from it. Otherwise stainless steel cookware can be a great addition to any person's kitchen.

Cooking Games: Making Cooking Fun for Kids

One veteran type of online games we will talk about now is cooking games. To help them learn more and faster, why not accompany your child during these online cooking games? If your kid is keen in cooking games, you can easily play cooking games without any problem.
Online games nowadays generate mixed reactions among those in society who are in the know. Sure they are fun, but some say not as much in the final analysis, as compared to real games. Some people are happy since online games are a new spin to put into rewarding oneself after a long day. Others are keeping a wary eye on what the content of these games may ultimately lead to. Millions of adults and teens are currently keeping tab on online games. Some log on the web from their desktops or their laptops, and speeding along Internet lines, surf on action games, puzzle games, and many other games. One veteran type of online games we will talk about now is cooking games.

For starters, kids in general seem to be drawn to food games as a fun activity; girls rule here, most of the time patiently concentrating on something while the boys are already nowhere to be found. But there's a new zing now to learning how to cook with the online cooking games available to kids. The web today contains hundreds of websites specially set up to show only cooking games, and with hundreds of recipes, at that. If you want to check out any of these sites, try googling grill games and chances are all 20 results are purely about cooking. At the heart of these games are tips and advice how to understand the preparation of different types of foods. As they play, they will also pick up facts about the many ingredients that go into food, how important these ingredients are and how that food helps us. Who knows, they may start having second thoughts about a certain food they have been avoiding eating for so long.

To help them learn more and faster, why not accompany your child during these online cooking games? You can achieve quality time plus learning in just one go. And your child is said to work on his or her eye-hand coordination skills too. Watch out how any of your fussy eaters may start wanting to learn about the different meats, fruits and especially vegetables.

The Internet, once the elite abode of military experts and computer scientists, is now a vast highway that helps millions worldwide to earn their living and swap important information. The Internet is also a fun place that nevertheless is way more fun when your loved ones surf it together with a supervising adult like you. If your kid is keen in cooking games, you can easily play cooking games without any problem. As easy as a pie with no set up fees, registration charges or fields to fill up, simply find a site which offers cooking games. Learn first yourself how it can be played and you may want to play it onwards together with your child. Launch into the world of online games and introduce the same to your child and see them enjoying the same. Online games are not only for fun purpose, but they help a great deal in educating them as well.

Some games need a bit more hardware upgrading to be maximized; for example, to cool off the food, you need to blow into a mike. Other games have medals for contest winners, with optional judging to set some records straight. Or try the multi-player option where you and your friends try to beat each other to cook-offs!

Cooking Tips When Out Camping

While we were kids, my brother and I, had the opportunity of traveling around the countryside with our father and explore everything our home country had to offer to the three musketeers, which was our code name. Unfortunately, in most of these trips our mother was left behind as she had to work and we were given the chance to spend time with our father who as a nature lover took as almost anywhere our car and feet could lead us. These trips were our time together with our beloved father, who while we were young did everything in his power to spend as much time with us as possible. If time was not the issue back then, we tried to keep the budget under logical limits, so all these trips were made with our car that was carrying on its roof our specially designed and hand-made (by my father) tend.

During those camping times and since our mother was not near by to feed us, our father was apart from the designated driver and the leader of our group, also the cook that served us some of the best meals we have ever tasted; probably because we were really hungry by the time we eat. The truth is that I still remember the taste of his pasta and if I could go back in time, I would love to experience again the thrill of singing with my brother while our dad was smiling cooking his amazing pasta on our carry on kitchen supplies.

Other campers tend to agree with my remark as they support that camping cooking can be some of the best cooking there is. Close to the environment and while being able to smell all that wonderful tasty food coming out of the fire, many agree that there is nothing better. If you are a beginner in camping, you should know that there are several different methods that can be used when cooking while camping, like wood fires, camp charcoal, stoves, foil cooking and more. The type of cooking method is directly related to the food you will decide to make and how you like it cooked sometimes decides what method you should be using. But then again there are several camping cooking tips to consider before cooking and camping out.

Consider freezing the meat for instance. Freezing it ahead of time can keep the meat fresh and other foods cool as well. My father used to be proactive like that and plan ahead of time. He also used plastic bags or containers to keep measured portions of the food that was about to consumed, safely contained. I think it is also best if you want to avoid food from sticking to the pans to apply oil on the grill. Finally, put matches somewhere safe to keep them dry as many camping cookbook recipes require the use of natural fire and there is no better way to start a fire than with matches. You can also keep your drinks in a separate cooler from food as it can helps keep foods colder longer avoiding any kind of spoilage. Finally, a great tip is to keep water bottles when they are empty because they can become great camping cooking containers to put the salad dressing, oils, or any other liquid substance...

Outdoor Cooking For Everyone

Outdoor cooking is something to be enjoyed in the warmer months. When we dine and cook outdoors it allows us the opportunity to enjoy the weather and have fun cooking and using cooking gear that we don't usually enjoy when it is cold outside. Cooking on an open campfire and grilling outdoors are two pleasures that define the warmer months. There are two basic kinds of outdoor cooking-cooking while camping and grilling.

Both of them require a special set of skills to be learned and cooking equipment that you will need to invest in. Camping is one of those pleasures that people who love the outdoors do regularly. However, there are different kinds of camping. Some prefer to backpack and walk all day, then settle down in the evening and relax and prepare good food. Or, you may choose to hike to a campsite and stay in the same spot for several days. The type of camping that you choose will depend on your personality. No matter which type of camping you choose, there are several different cooking options for you.

The option you choose will depend on what you would like to get out of your camping experience. If you choose to camp with a recreational vehicle, those usually come with basic cooking equipment like a stove and possibly even a conventional oven or a microwave oven. This option is for people who want all the comforts of home in an outdoor setting. Cooking on the campfire is also a very popular option but can be a challenge because it takes a while to learn how to regulate the heat. There are several different levels of campfire cooking ranging from the extremely easy to the very difficult. Cooking on a campfire is an art and one that takes some practice. If you are interested in learning how to cook on a campfire, there are some things you can do. Learning how to do simple things such as roast marshmallows and hot dogs, sausages, and vegetables are things that do not require a lot of skill. Basically, all you need to do is find a stick and pierce the item with the stick.

Hold it over the flame and rotate it until the item is cooked. You may also find it helpful to buy a cookbook with recipes designed to be cooked on a campfire. These will introduce some intermediate and advanced techniques that will help you gain an understanding for how to cook on a fire. Grilling is another type of cooking that you can do outdoors and it is a more popular option than cooking on a campfire. It is easier to regulate the temperature on a grill, especially if you have a gas grill. There are two basic types of grills, gas grills and charcoal grills and several different styles of grills within the two types. So, the first step is to decide which kind of grill you want and find the model that seems best for your needs. If you really love grilling, you may want to get one gas grill and one charcoal grill.

Both of them are good for different purposes. However, if you only grill once in a while and it is usually the same standard foods, one grill will suffice. They also sell portable grills and cooking gear specially designed for grilling that you can take on picnics and while camping. Most people only think of grilling meat. However, you can also grill things like vegetables and fruits such as Portobello mushrooms, pineapple slices, bananas, and zucchini slices. Whatever your style of cooking, whether on the campfire or on the grill, you will soon gain the necessary cooking skills and come to appreciate the experience of outdoor cooking.
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6 Different Types of Healthy Cooking Methods?

Cooking looks to be a natural skill to others it's fraught with danger and disaster. Cooking need not be scary, let us analyze few of the primary cooking techniques and show you how simple it really is.

Once, you professional one or two of these cookery techniques, you'll then be prompted and self confident to try few of the others. Skills you pick up in one method could easily be applied for other.

Simply relax and enjoy it.

Baking:

This is a cooking process that cooks food in the oven by dry heat. Like a cooked potato. Baking is as well used to describe the cooking method of cookies, bread, and cakes

Roasting:

Just like baking this cooking process uses the oven, but it's generally used for vegetables and meat. Roasting usually asks some fat added up to protect the food and keep it wet while it's cooked at a relatively high temperature. It's better to use tender cuts of meat for roasting and cook it in a shallow tin to admit the air to spread. This will also help in the meat surface turning an appetizing brown. Make sure to turn the cooking juices into gravy to accompany the meat. Along with the meat you can join many vegetable including: carrots, potato, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, fennel, peppers, parsnips, aubergines, garlic and turnips.

Basting:

This is the easy process of keeping fish, meat or poultry moist whilst roasting in the oven. All you need to do is spoon the fats and cooking juices over the meat various times while cooking. This will help keep it moist add flavor and better the visual aspect of the cooked meat. If you run out of cooking juices in the roasting tin then you can add up a bit stock or wine.

Grilling:

Grilling is an incredibly speedy and easy process of cooking, which is as well healthy. The food is cooked applying radiant heat. This makes sure that the outside of the food is also well cooked and browned whilst the inside stays moist. The grill needs to be preheated and the food napped with oil to apply some protection from the severe heat. Barbecuing is the out of door equivalent of grilling and is appropriate for all the foods listed below though it produces a smokier flavor.

Use good quality tender foods like - chicken, steak, sausages, chops and whole fish like trout and fish cutlets and fillets like salmon and cod. Vegetables such as aubergines, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions are also suitable for grilling.

Griddling:

A griddle used to refer to a flat metal plate, which was used to cook cakes and drop scones on top of the stove. Today the tem to griddle pertains to a ridged griddle pan alike to a frying pan it's a ridged surface, which patterns the food with appetizing brown stripes. It's newly become popular due to its use by many TV chefs. It's a healthy way of cooking due to only a light brushing of oil being required. Griddling is suitable for salmon fillets, squid, chicken, steaks and shellfish, and for vegetables such as courgettes, aubergines, onions and peppers.

Deep Fat frying:

This is the frying method where the food is completely immersed in hot fat. It needs to be really hot and commonly cooks the food speedily. Better oils for this are Soya bean oil and corn oil but groundnut oil is the best. In order to deep fry foods with success they need a protective coating to avoid drying out. The two most popular coatings are breadcrumbs and batter and these are most generally applied on chicken, fish, chips and seafood with a new fad being the mars bar. You've credibly seen this process of cooking performed several times before at your local store. A deep big pan is utilized to heat the oil and a wire basket used to lift the food out. More care is need because the oil is exceedingly hot and it could be quite harmful.