Nerdistan

Disappointment reigns heavily when it comes to out of season tomatoes. Yes, summer is over as the harsh freezing cold temperatures blanket the entire North American continent and we are missing, craving more than likely, the incredible taste of vine ripe tomatoes straight from the garden. Perfectly picked at their peek of freshness and aromatic fragrance.

Sure you try the produce market at you local grocery looking for bright red tomatoes that give a little to the touch but don’t feel mushy. Your journey is unsuccessful instead you settle for the less than perfect specimen, pale and still a little green in color. Your hope is it will ripen at room temperature on the kitchen counter and be ready to use in a couple of days. Disappointment follows it has no taste whatsoever.

Cravings are persistent and lead to more intense desires for the fresh taste of summer time tomatoes.

Ouch, did you hear the weather report? Several more days of below freezing temperatures are ahead with no end in sight.

Capt’n Salsa has a simple and acceptable solution for you. Considering the snow covered garden out the back window and your cravings are growing more intense each day it is time to reach for the “canned tomatoes”.

Hey hear me out just a minute, okay?

Canned tomatoes, yes whole canned tomatoes are the closest tasting to fresh tomatoes you can find. Look for whole tomatoes packed in juice not the sauce or the puree for the best taste. The whole canned tomatoes can easily be chopped or even added whole during cooking to most of your favorite recipes. Actually, go ahead and use the diced canned tomatoes again grabbing the ones packed in juice.

Diced tomatoes are coarsely chopped during the canning process saving you a lot of time and of course the messy cleanup of chopping canned whole tomatoes. Add them right out of the can to your favorite sauces, soups and pasta dishes, using them just as you would your fresh garden tomatoes.

Homemade tomato salsa?

Sure, just remember to drain the juice first reserving it for a special “Bloody Mary” later.

Steve Melton, aka, Capt’n Salsa has a vast collection of homemade salsa and Mexican Food recipes at his web site, www.great-salsa.com discover the Magical Secrets to Mouth-Watering Mexican Food, too. Visit today for a delicious winter time treat.

Ingredients A
1 sachet unflavoured Halal gelatine powder
1 liter water
200g fresh corn
250ml evaporated filled milk
100g Sugar
1 tablespoon corn puree

Ingredients B
125ml custard flour
1 liter water

Instructions

•Mix custard flour with water, stir well

•Add Halal Gelatine to hot water, cook and stir briskly until completely dissolved, Set aside to cool.

•Add sugar to it and stir till melt together.

•Take 50ml the mixture of the halal gelatin and sugar, to put food green colouring and pour it into the mould JUST for the leaf part. Set aside left to frozen.

•Take another 100ml the mixture and mix with 50g of fresh corn.

•Pour it into the mould JUST for the corn part. Set aside left to frozen.

•Now, mix together the ingredients B, evaporated filled milk, fresh corn and corn puree, put in different container before putting into the mould where the rest of the part left.

•First, Stir well. Lift up, divide it into two parts.

•One part, colour it red and another part let it yellow.

•Finally, pour the yellow mixture first. Followed by red mixture.

•Refrigerate until firm

•Serve and decorate as at your pleased.

Happy Trying! As I love this very much!

Be Alert and please choose halal gelatine. Come visit us at http://www.halalgelatine.com

It’s the weekend, and you’re basking in the sun on your patio. In one hand, you’re holding a cool drink; in the other a spatula. A couple of juicy steaks are sizzling on the grill, and you’re savoring the smell of the flavorful smoke as it drifts past your nose.

The last thing on your mind is safety, right?

It shouldn’t be. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, warm-weather activities such as hosting a barbeque led to product-related injuries for more than 3.7 million people in 2002.

But here’s the good news. With just a few simple, precautionary steps, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring a safe cookout, every time. After all, what’s more important than having the peace of mind to enjoy the real fun at any barbeque: the food, family, and friends?

Safety for Gas Grills

Since the Clean Air Act of 1990, propane has been a popular fuel source for many householdsespecially for gas-powered barbeque grills. Propane tanks burn more cleanly, are less expensive, and cook faster than other fuel sources.

As with any fuel source, though, it’s important to take precautions when operating your propane tanks and gas grills. Follow these eight tips and keep safety first during your next cookout.

• Inspect the cylinder of your propane tank for bulges, dents, gouges, corrosion, leaks, or evidence of extreme rusting. Also, examine the hoses on your grill for brittleness, leaks, holes, cracks, or sharp bends. If you find any of these problems, it’s time to replace the equipment.
• Be sure to keep propane tanks upright, and move gas hoses away from dripping grease and hot surfaces.
• Never use cigarettes, lighters, or matches near your gas grill, whether it’s in use or not. You can’t be sure that there’s not a slight gas leak somewhere in the unit, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
• Propane tanks require sophisticated valve equipment to keep them safe for use with grills. Never try to remove the valve from your propane tank, because you’ll risk an explosion. In addition, always close the tank valve when you’re finished using it.
• Never bring your propane tank indoors, and never store spare gas containers under or near your grill.
• Don’t store other flammable liquids, such as gasoline, near propane tanks. Keep your barbeque covered when it’s not in use to prevent hazardous situations.
• If you must transport your propane tank for any purpose, be sure you choose a relatively cool day. Keeping containers–or any other grill parts that are under pressure–in a hot car will cause an increase in the pressure of the gas, which could cause an explosion.
• Never dispose of your propane tank by throwing it in the trash. Check to see if there are municipal programs for collection in your area. If your grill uses a disposable tank, take care to use up all the residual gas before discarding it.

Safety for Charcoal Grills

Even though you don’t have to be concerned about propane gas leaks with charcoal grills, you do need take precautions against another kind of gas–carbon monoxide. Because charcoal produces carbon monoxide, which is highly toxic, you should never burn your charcoal grill inside your home, a tent, a vehicle, or any other enclosed area.

Keep the following four safety tips in mind when using your charcoal grills:

• Operate charcoal grills only outdoors, never inside an enclosed area. Even if you’ve finished grilling, and you assume all the coals are extinguished, they’re still producing carbon monoxide, so keep your charcoal grills outside at all times.
• Don’t wear loose clothing, especially long sleeves, while grilling.
• Charcoal grills tend to flare up, so keep a fire extinguisher handy.
• Use charcoal lighter fluid to light new coals only; don’t use it on coals that are already lit.

Safe Cooking: How to Reduce Cancer Risks When You Grill

Did you know that grilling meat increases the production of compounds that are linked to a greater risk of certain cancers? According to an article published by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), researchers have found evidence of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in meats that are cooked on outdoor grills.

The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to reduce that risk. Follow these five tips to cook great barbeque safely–and deliciously.

• Marinate meats for at least 12 hours. Evidence suggests that this simple step can reduce the amount of HCAs that are formed when grilling by as much as 99 percent.
• Try kabobs instead of large pieces of meat, such as steaks. The less time the meat spends on the grill, the better. Kabobs have short cooking times because meat is cut into small, bite-size pieces. If you must cook large portions, pre-cook the meat by baking it, and then grill for a few minutes at the end of the cooking process for added flavor.
• Grill meat at low temperatures, and flip frequently to avoid charring.
• Remove burnt or blackened parts of meat before eating.
• Trim the fat from your meat before grilling to avoid drips, which cause flare-ups and charring.

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About the Author

Vanessa Kirkland is a freelance writer and outdoor cooking enthusiast whose articles offer consumer tips and advice for online purchasers of grills, barbeque smokers, and rotisserie systems.

The outdoor kitchen is getting to be very popular these last few years, it is not very surprising due to the fact that so many people like to purchase houses with bigger gardens and swimming pools, and naturally they through parties and hold barbecues, which are all in need of a nice outdoor kitchen to service the guests and allow the home owners to enjoy a nice meal in the outdoors.

There are many people who love to cook, and that is no reason to stay inside while the fun and partying are going on outside, and the feature of outdoor kitchen today are better than ever, so you might as well join in on the fun, and get yourself a nice outdoor kitchen that you will use on a daily basis, when the weather allows it, and it will probably be a knockout feature for your garden parties in the future.

With the advancements of kitchen making outdoor kitchen designs are only limited by your imagination. That is right, you can have everything in an outdoor kitchen that you have in your household kitchen. Complete with a stovetop, areas for your utensils, ingredients, and even a refrigerator, you will also want to think about getting some cabinets for your outdoor kitchen, since it is going to hold all the things that a regular indoor kitchen would.

Cedar plank grilled fish- add it to your list of backyard barbecueing recipres to try, for incredible flavor and texture.

Grilling on a wooden plank is fantastic because it allows a good stable surface to hold delicate foods like fish on at the same time giving you that backyard smoked flavor you love.

You’ll need a fresh piece of wood about an inch thick, one that hasn’t been treated chemically. The fish you’re going to grill on it should fit totally on the plank- make sure the plank is long and wide enough. Cedar is the most best wood, being packed of smoky flavors, but there are other good ones to try- maple, and alder are used too. You can purchase grill-ready wood planks online or your localgourmet food shop.

Since this is an untreated wood plank, you MUST soak it well before using it, othrwise it will catch on fire and ruin your fish, if not your whole meal. Soak the plank in water for at least an hour and you will get it saturated to the point of safe usage. If the board does actually catch fire while you are grilling, which happens, spray it with enough water to put out the fire. Try to keep a water spray bottle nearby. Soaking the plank prior to use will also help keep your fish moist and tender.

You will no doubt see the plank smoking and smoldering. Don’t panic. That just means the wood is imparting it’s hint of flavor to the fish.

If you lightly brush the top of the plank with a little cooking oil, it will keep the fish from sticking to it. It’s not necessary to flip the fish over in order to cook the other side since it’s an indirect heat. Grilling fish on a plank will take about 50% more time than normal because of that indirect cooking, so plan ahead. Baste the fish during the cooking time with a little lemon juice or butter.

Once the fish is done, use oven mitts and remove the plank from the grill. Sset it down somewhere safe. A cookie sheet or fireproof serving platter is a good place to let it cool. Serve the fish off the planks onto plates with a spatula and watch the smiles on everybody’s faces.

Grilling fish on a plank is the perfect way to get flavorful fish. Once you try it, you’ll want it again and again.

Antoinette Boulay writes for SizzlersRanch.com, where you can find tips on buying beef online

Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a lecture that I gave, I asked for a show of hands regarding how many people had problems with clutter and disorganization. I was surprised to find that at least half the people raised their hands.

One of my clients told me that she was trying to help her sister get back on her feet after her sister had been laid up with an illness and lost her job. Her sister’s house had always been a mess, and had become so filled with clutter that there was no place to walk or sit. My client, Rebecca, offered to buy her sister a car if she would clean up her house. Rebecca even offered to help her sister clean up the house. Rebecca was shocked when her sister refused the offer, even though she desperately needed the car. He sister was unwilling to get rid of the clutter.

Why? Why was the “stuff” so important to her?

Underneath all addictions lies fear - of emptiness, helplessness, loneliness and aloneness. Addictions are a way to feel safe from feeling these difficult and painful feelings, and an addiction to clutter is no exception. It’s all about having a sense of control over feeling safe. Clutter, like all addictions, provides a momentary feeling of comfort. However, as with any addiction, the clutterer needs more and more clutter to maintain the illusion of safety and comfort.

When my mother died and my son was cleaning out her house, he discovered huge amounts of clutter. While my mother’s house always looked neat and clean, the cupboards and drawers were filled with clutter. My son told me he found 6 broken hair dryers in one cabinet. Why would my mother want to keep six broken hair dryers?

My mother grew up during the depression and always had a fear of not having enough. No matter how much she accumulated materially, she never felt that she had enough. The six hair dryers made her feel safe from her fear, even if they didn’t work.

Carrie has trouble throwing things away, especially magazines with “important’ information in them. She subscribes to many magazines but, being the mother of three small children, doesn’t often have the time to read them. So the magazines pile up and pile up. Carrie hopes at some point to have the time to read them, but that time never seems to come. When asked why she won’t throw them out, her answer is, “Because there might be something important in them and I don’t want to miss it.” Carrie fears missing out on some important piece of information - information that may give her the peace she is seeking. It makes her feel safer and in control to have all the magazines around her with their important information, even if she never gets to read them.

When we don’t feel safe on the inner level, then we try to make ourselves feel safe on the outer level, and clutter is one way of doing that. Whether it’s things, such as hair dryers, or information, such as in magazines and newspapers, clutterers do not trust that they will have what they need. In addition, clutterers may be resistant people who see messiness and clutter as a way of not being controlled by someone who wants them to be neat.

HEALING THE ADDICTION TO CLUTTER

Clutter is created and maintained by a wounded, frightened part of oneself, the wounded self - the part that operates from the illusion of having control over people, events, and outcomes. As long as this wounded self is in charge of the decisions, the clutterer will continue to accumulate clutter as a way to provide comfort and the illusion of control over feeling safe, or continue to be messy as a way to resist being controlled.

Healing occurs when the individual does the inner work necessary to develop a strong, loving adult self. A loving adult is the aspect of us that opens to and connects with a spiritual source of wisdom, strength, and love. A loving adult is capable of taking loving action in our own behalf. The loving adult operates from truth rather than from the false beliefs of the wounded self, and knows that the comfort and safety that clutter seems to provide is an illusion - that no matter how much clutter accumulates, the clutterer still feels afraid. The loving Adult knows that safety and integrity do not lie in resistance. Only a loving adult who is tuned in to the guidance provided by a spiritual source and capable of taking loving action in one’s own behalf can create a sense of inner safety.

Practicing the six steps of Inner Bonding that we teach develops this powerful loving adult.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including “Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?” She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.