The Gourmet Cupboard

Aside from steaming, another healthier way to cook is through grilling. The superfluous fats drips down to the flaming charcoals that creates more smoke. This smoke gives a distinctive flavor to the meat or whatever it is that you are grilling.

Most of us are used to smoke pork, beef, and fish, but turkey? Yes you can smoke a turkey right at your own backyard.

Here’s a simple tip on how to smoke a turkey

Preparation…

• Choose a fresh turkey rather than those frozen ones.

• Opt for the smaller ones, not more than 12 lbs. Smoking a smaller turkey will cook faster.

• Make sure to clean the turkey inside and out. Remove all the inner parts, neck, and giblet. See to it that there are no feathers left on the skin. Scrub it with rock salt to remove other dirt and fats then rinse with cold running water.

• Using a sauce pan, put water about one quart then add equal parts of salt and honey. Bring to medium heat and stir until the salt has totally dissolved. Put the mixture to a deep container, preferably big pots, and add cold water about six quarts. Also add thyme, vegetable stock, and whole peppercorns then stir. Add the cleaned turkey into the pot. Make sure it is completely submerged.

• Place the pot inside your refrigerator and let the turkey brine for about 10 – 15 hours.

• After 15 hours, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. If you want a crispier skin, then let it dry inside the refrigerator overnight.

Smoking

• Brush it with oil and let it stand until it reaches room temperature

• If you want, you can stuff it with vegetable or anything that you want but do not over stuff it.

• Make sure to use quality charcoal. You will need about ten pounds to smoke a turkey.

• Place the turkey inside the smoker breast side first then turn after an hour.

• Maintain 300 degrees heat and refrain from opening the cover of your griller/smoker.

• Since we are smoking a small one, cooking will be a lot faster. When the skin turns golden brown, most likely it is already done. You can also use a thermometer (probe) to monitor the turkey’s temperature.

This is the simplest way to smoke a turkey. Now, you and your family can enjoy your very own home made smoked turkey. You can eat it with vegetables, bread, or rice or you can make your own deli smoked turkey sandwich. Healthy and delicious!

I have prepared and cooked turkeys in the past and from my experience this is the best way to smoke turkey if you have the time and patience. When you try it this way for a Thanksgiving dinner your family and guests will be amazed.

By Mandy Kernmore

I would like to introduce you to one of my favorite new foods – quinoa. It’s filling, healthy and full of protein that will keep your muscles strong and your stomach full. It’s also one of these foods that you can add to almost anything. You can use quinoa as a side dish (instead of rice or pasta for example), mix it into salads to give them some crunch and nutty flavor or even add it to soups or enjoy it as a hot breakfast cereal.

Many recipes call for cooked quinoa, so let’s briefly discuss how to cook quinoa. It’s not very complicated and very much like cooking rice. For four servings, you need 1 cup of dry quinoa and 1 ¾ cup of water.

Start by rinsing your quinoa (unless the packaging states that it has been pre-rinsed). Since the kernels are very small, I use a mesh strainer to do this. Just give them a quick rinse under cool water and then let the remaining water drip off.

Pour 1 ¾ cup of water into a medium sized pot and bring the water to a boil. Add the cup of quinoa and stir.

Variations: Before you add the quinoa to the boiling water, you can add some flavoring agents. For example, if I’m making quinoa for a salad or as a side dish, I like to add a little chicken or vegetable bullion powder to the water. You could also use your favorite broth or stock instead of water as the cooking liquid.

Turn the heat down and allow the quinoa to simmer, uncovered for 12 minutes. At this point all the liquid should be absorbed and the quinoa seeds should be nice and tender. If there’s liquid remaining in the pot, allow it to simmer for a few more minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and then use a fork to fluff the quinoa. It’s now ready to server or use in recipes called for cooked quinoa. You can also allow it to cool, put it in a container with a lid and store it in your fridge for several days.

But what do you do with the cooked quinoa? You can serve it as is as a filling side dish, pretty much the way you would serve rice or couscous. You can also flavor the quinoa by cooking it in broth as mentioned above or by melting cheese into the hot mixture at the end.

I also like to use cooked and chilled quiona in a variety of salads. A quick and filling dish is to chop cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and black olives. Add them to a bowl along with some quiona and drizzle everything with Italian dressing. Mix and serve.

Ready to learn more? I blog about all things Quinoa at HowToMakeQuinoa.com.
One of the recipes I shared recently is this Quinoa Breakfast Cereal recipe
It’s quick, easy, healthy and most importantly very yummy!

By Wrath Warbone

Low cost and powerful, odorless and friendly to the envirorment, baking soda makes tough kitchen cleaning jobs easy. Apply it as follows.

For Microwave Oven

Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 quart warm water to wipe clean inside of microwave oven.Or boil a few teaspoons of baking soda in a microwave-safe cup of water for three or five minutes then wipe clean the insides with a cloth, sponge or paper towel. Eliminate odors in microwave oven by keeping an open or ventilated box of baking soda inside it. Always remove it before cooking.

For Stove Top Cleaning

Clean Corning and other glass stove tops with a water solution of water and baking soda or form a paste with the same. A toothbrush is good for cleaning tight corners. Unclog gas stove burners by boiling them in mixture of ¼ box of baking soda to 2 quarts water Clean cooking oil from any stove top with combo of baking soda and vinegar. Remove burned food splatters from stove tops by sprinkling moistened spots with baking soda. There must be enough water applied for combo to penetrate splatter. Let it sit twenty minutes or longer and wipe clean. Just a little baking soda kept in stove drip pans will prevent the grease fires.

Clean Burnt Pans

If the inside of your pan has burnt caked on food bring 2 inches of water to a boil in it. Then turn off the heat and add ½ cup of baking soda and let it stand overnight. In the morning it will be easily wiped clean. Cooked-on grease spots can be cleaned by sprinkling with ½ cup of baking soda and an equal amount of vinegar. Let it soak over night. Use baking soda like a scouring cleanser on deep oil fryers.

Clean Oven With Baking Soda

Put one cup of ammonia in a cold stove and leave over night. In the morning wipe off the ammonia lightly then sprinkle baking soda on the surfaces. Wipe off with paper towels and water. Baking soda, vinegar and a scouring pad is also effective for cleaning ovens. If glass oven or toaster oven doors are grimy cover them with baking soda and rub them with paper towels until the grease is gone. If they are very grimy sprinkle them with baking soda and cover with wet paper towels and let them soak for a while. Then wipe the glass off with a wet cloth.

Appliances

Clean outsides of appliances with mixture of:

¼ cup of baking soda
½ cup clear vinegar
1 cup ammonia
1 gallon of hot water

All the above plans should work well for you.

Wrath Warbone is a casual writer who posts at Triond He would like you to visit Our 4 Corners to request a list of medicinal and culinary herbs and their uses. Ask for it through the ‘contact us’ button at the bottom of the page. At Our 4 Corners there is a herb for every problem.

In every home kitchen holds an important place; however if proper care is not taken, then in over a period of time kitchen remodeling could be required. Apart from the above reason, kitchen remodeling can also be done for various reasons such as the kitchen getting old, frequent repairs coming up in the kitchen area etc and the list goes on.

Kitchen is an essential part of home; that means nobody can deny its importance. In the kitchen area you may find appliances like grinder, refrigerator, sink and cooker etc and all the stated items are very fragile in nature; hence they require a proper care; especially while doing the kitchen remodeling.

Kitchen remodeling is a process that requires thorough experience. And if you do not know about the points to be considered while accomplishing the task, then this article will certainly help you out. Read on to more about the important points.

While doing kitchen remodeling keep in mind, that adequate space for completing the work is mandatory. There must be sufficient place to do cuttings, stuffing, frying and for the storage of the utensils, as this ensures free movement in the kitchen and gives you a healthy environment.

You should create more space if necessary. This point will make the above point clearer i.e. if you do not have enough space in the kitchen area, then knock down an internal wall and create the space while completing kitchen remodeling. No having any idea about it, then get in touch with an expert, since he can be well aware of the process and may complete it for you with the utmost proficiency. While creating a spacious kitchen, make sure you do not neglect the ventilation; otherwise it might turn into a suffocating experience.

Ok you had enough of the old kitchen and now you want to do kitchen remodeling. But, before you actually start the process, consider the fact the kind people that would be present in your kitchen. Like for an instance if your house has lot of kids, then it is advisable for you to fix child proof lockers, plus out of reach electric sockets are a must for the safety for the kids.

While doing the process of kitchen remodeling; ask yourself are you a party person? If the answer comes yes, then be ready to remodel the kitchen according to the party needs. A party person generally needs to have a larger kitchen area, plus an oven is compulsory to bake and grill the food items. Do consider this point as very important, it can spoil the entire attempt of kitchen remodeling.

There are many people who are use to have their meals in their kitchen, if you are among those, then again, a more spacious kitchen would be required. Therefore, a kitchen remodeling should be done according to your requirements, as this can be a sigh of relief for you and your guests.

By now you have read the important points to be consider while doing the kitchen remodeling; however if you do not pay attention to them, then it can be a troublesome experience. You may not encounter problems while the kitchen remodeling is still under process, but once it is done, then new issues may pop up and this time you may not have any solution for those problems.

By Dimi Nikilov

Nowadays, a lot of people are considering ways of keeping fit and living healthy. A common way in which persons try to keep fit is by use of taking fresh juice. Artificial refreshments have been largely discouraged because of their high contents in additives. Such additives include sugar and calories. To make matters worse, they have no nutritional value. Due to this fact, many people are blending their drinks at home rather than buying the already blended one. In order to have the best drink, you are supposed to have the best juice extractor.

One needs to consider many factors before purchasing it. One of these considerations is that, you must first identify what purpose you want it to cater for. One should know if the appliance for extracting juice from both vegetables and fruits. In addition, if one is using fruit does it blend peeled or unpeeled or both.

The size of the appliance that you require will also matter. With a larger one, you can produce a lot of juice at the same time. For instance if you have a larger family or you are using it for commercial purpose, you will blend once this will be less tedious and you will save on electricity.

The supplier or the company that you buy it from should have a reputable name thus; it is of the essence to purchase one that is a well known. This will assure you that you will be granted a warranty. More so one can ask for referral from friends in what appliance they are using. However, one should remember that what works for you friend might not work for you.

Pricing is another factor that one ought to think about. This fact greatly depends on what kind of material has been utilized to make the appliance and if it has versatile functions. One can browse through online to see the different prices advertised by firms producing these appliances to opt for one that is cost friendly and efficient.

The appliance should be easy to clean; more ever the firm should provide you with a manual that will guide you when cleaning and using it. One should also check if it has the correct wiring connections to prevent any accidents.

It should also be portable this will reduce any inconveniences when one is shifting or relocating. Selecting the best juice extractor is an easy task if one follows the points illustrated above. More so one will have a great experience using it and maintain a health lifestyle at the same time.

If you’re still looking for more information on what is the Best Juice Extractor for you, then it would be a wise decision to visit Best Juice Extractors website.

By Dimi Nikilov

Nowadays the model range of wine coolers annually manufactured is widely diverse. Every type and size of home and special requirements have been taken into consideration by manufacturers. Counter-top or stand alone large units are equipped with thermostats to control the chilling and ensure that wine is maintained at the right level. Wines that are properly cared for will release their own unique aromas and flavors when opened.

If people are connoisseurs and collect in large quantities they would store the bulk of their wines in either a cellar or an appropriate wine rack. A cooler would hold only those bottles they plan to enjoy over a month or so depending on the size of their refrigerator. Different wines require differing cooling levels and this should be taken into consideration when setting the chilling level and packing a cooler.

If a person is a novice and not sure of what temperature to set their cooler there is fortunately a wealth of information available on the internet that explains everything in detail. Radical varying temperatures can spoil good wines. Even full bodied reds should be chilled if a person lives in a hot climate. These wines can be taken out of the cooler a short while before serving to allow them to warm slightly to release flavors.

White and rose wines need to be chilled between 43 to 57 degrees and served directly from the fridge. Sparkling wines and champagnes must be very cold to be at their best so they need to be chilled between 43 and 47 degrees. Some people prefer to purchase two smaller coolers to accommodate these various wines instead of one large fridge.

These coolers range from six bottle counter-top models to large free standing units holding up to 120 bottles. As with any electrical and gas domestic appliance these are available in varying levels of quality and prices. The coolers classed as best buys also have numerous additional features. However many of the cheaper models are more than adequate.

Coolers are manufactured from various materials including glass, stainless steel, Formica and wood. The units are compact, low maintenance, easy to clean and come in many stylish designs with crisp lines to suit most interior decor styles.

Whether one is chilling wine or the popular wine cooler drinks made from a mixture of wine and fruit juice, wine coolers are often considered essential kitchen appliances. These chilling units are guaranteed and often offer a 30 day period money back warranty if the client is not satisfied.

If you are looking for Wine Cooler Reviews just visit Wine Coolers Reviews website. We have detailed reviews of the top 10 wine coolers on the market today.

New home, new kitchen, old appliances. That just will not do. Even if you have owned your home for a while, it is time to say goodbye to old faithful, the fridge that just throws tantrums now, and start looking for a cooperative replacement.

The top appliances you are going to need are refrigerators, ovens, and stove tops. You can worry about that super cool coffee maker and the blender once you get the necessities. You never put the cool gadgets before the major kitchen appliances.

When hunting for the fridge, think about both cubic feet and style. These details will end up saving you a lot of trouble. How much space does your current model take up? Does the cabinetry leave room for the same size, more space, or less space? Refrigerators can stick out from cabinets and look awkward. If you take measurements before you purchase then you will find an ideal match.

Next is the style. Do you want French doors, top mount refrigerators, or side-by-side swinging doors? These should all be considered based on the dimensions of the kitchen as well as the rest of the décor. Also, keep in mind the consistency. Wood panels and stainless steel appliances look very different. Take a look at different series. You will notice brand traits with Wolf, Viking, and Sub Zero appliances.

When buying the oven and stove top, make some of the same considerations. Obviously space and design are important. With ovens you can get single, double, and convection constructed models. Single ovens are good for cramped spaces, whereas double ovens are more versatile for those who like more cooking options. Convection ovens circulate air for a consistent temperature throughout. You also want to decide between gas or electric. This has a lot to do with precision cooking and personal preference.

Stove tops are also gas and electric. You can choose the amount of ranges and mix-n-match the styles based on your cooking habits. Gas ranges are easier to control because you can see the flame. They don’t retain heat as much once you shut it, so there’s the immediate cooling down. However, they are not always as efficient as the electric. Electric ranges are now more precision-based then they once were, many with easy control panels. They are also easy to clean. However, they will not be as immediate with bringing the heat.

These concerns are standard, from luxury to discount kitchen appliances. You can find traits in each price range that suit your home.

Looking for discount kitchen appliances? www.Drimmers.com offers deals on Wolf and Viking gas ranges, Sub Zero appliances , and other top brands.

Stainless steel is comparatively very easy to clean. Using mild detergent or soap usually solves the problem. However, when it comes to tackling years of neglect and the accumulation of a long times worth of dirt and gunk, here are a few simple and complex methods which can be applied to solve the issue, depending on the problem.

Routine cleaning of light soiling – use soap, detergent or dilute ammonia in mild warm clean water. Apply with a clean sponge directly onto the surface. You can also use a clean soft cloth or a fire-brush. Let the wet clean surface dry after once again cleaning it with cold water.

Fingerprints – use detergent and warm water. You can also use hydrocarbon solvent. After the cleaning process is completed rinse with clean cold water and let it dry.

Oil and grease marks – use methyl spirit, isopropyl alcohol or acetone. In simpler terms use hydrocarbon solvent. Rinse with clean cold water and let it dry over time.

Stubborn marks, stains, discoloration, light rust staining – use mild non-scratching creams and polishes that are readily available in the market. Apply this with a clean soft cloth. Rinse off residue after the process is complete.

Localised rust stains – use proprietary gels or 10% phosphoric acid solution. Follow this up with ammonia and water. Clean the surface with cold water and let it dry gradually.

Burnt surface stains or carbon deposits – pre-soak the surface in hot water and ammonia solution. Remove the residue with a nylon cloth and if required use mild and fine scouring powder. Repeat if necessary and clean the surface with cold water and let it dry.

Tea stains – soak the surface in a hot solution of washing soda. Washing soda is sodium carbonate. Use water to form a mixture and let it stand on the surface. Wash after a while and clean the surface with a clean soft cloth.

Mortar or cement stains – use phosphoric acid. Soak the surface in ammonia solution and water. Rinse with clean water and clean afterwards with a clean soft cloth. Alternatively you can use 25% vinegar solution and water. If you use the alternative process, be sure to use a nylon brush to remove the residues. Rinse with cold water and wipe with soft cloth.

Heavy discoloration – use ‘Solvol Auto Chrome Metal Polish’ or a non-scratching cram or gel onto the surface. You may also use a nylon scrub pad like ‘Scotchbrite’.

Grime deposits – you will have to use abrasive paste as is used for polishing car bodies.

Paint or graffiti – use proprietary alkaline or solvent paint strippers. The material to be used to clean the surface depends on the paint type. Use soft nylon brush or bristle brush on patterned surface.

Although a simple wash and clean method usually works but for some of the issues regarding cleaning stainless steel but some surfaces demand a more complicated approach while trying to clean them.

The author invites you to visit http://www.howtocleanstainlesssteel.net and get more tips about how to clean stainless steel effectively.

College parties are always sure to have those huge garbage cans filled with red wine that has chunks and pieces of citrusy fruits floating in it, with just a little hint of brandy in every mouthful taken. That, my dear friends, is sangria. The normal and most common sangria recipe with red wine is so easy to prepare that even a young child could do it. All that is needed is some cheap variety of red wine, a cheaper variety of brandy and some fruits. Mix up everything, chill it as much as possible and your sangria is ready. Well, after all, the main motive behind the invention of sangria was getting drunk and being high at the least possible expenditure.

Sangria originated in Spain sometime around the 300 BC. The earliest sangria recipe with red wine mentioned the usage of any quality of red wine. There existed no rigid rules to the fruits that could be used and it generally depended on the type of fruits available in the region concerned. Moreover in some regions, spices were also used in the place of fruits to add a distinctive taste to the sangria. Somewhere down the line, brandy got added to the concoction and further down, soda also became a popular ingredient of sangria.

The most important component of a sangria recipe with red wine is of course the wine itself. Personally I feel that cheap quality wine should be used for making sangria. This is because the wine anyway is going to be mixed with a lot of stuff. And there is no point in ruining an excellent wine. So it is prudent to be economical when choosing the wine base. The fruits to be added can be whatever the chef prefers or anything that is seasonal. However the citrus ones are known to give sangria a special tangy taste. Throwing in some herbs and spices like dried orange peel, ginger, cinnamon, etc can give it a sweet yet spicy flavor.

There is no definite answer as to which wine is the best option for a sangria recipe with red wine. Fruits are generally put in to tackle the bitterness and it is dry red wine that is normally bitter. So using a dry red wine is a good idea. It is the maker’s personal preferences and tastes that decide on the wine that is best for the recipe. After all, what matters most is the appreciation of people who are going to drink it. Another practical tip to make a sangria recipe with red wine more authentic is to go as cheap as possible as far as the red wine is concerned. Studies have revealed that it is the cheaper varieties of wine that produce a more tasty result and is favored by most people.

Since the name of sangria is influenced by its blood red color, it is traditionally prepared with red wine. However, the recent times have witnessed the use of white alternatives on an experimental basis on many occasions.

The author invites you to create a sangria recipe with red wine at http://www.sangriarecipewithredwine.com where you get a detailed help for creating this recipe.

A house is only a home after you have loaded it with stuff. In many ways the shell of your life is your home filling it with a wide variety of new kitchen appliances and the furniture of your choice is what makes it truly your own. That is why so many people spend so long considering the décor of their homes. It is a cultural need for humans to fill the places they live with things that they feel truly represent them. Collecting all of that stuff can take years for some folks and obviously in a lifetime we will have a large amount of turn over as discount home furniture is changed over and new items are brought in to replace worn and torn older pieces.

Things are important. People use possessions to establish status and to fill the time between work and sleep with something other than internal angst. In the last few decades much has been made of the consumer culture and how it has torn apart our country and quite possibly our planet. If you ask me though, consumer culture is our salvation in many ways. Buying a new couch from a discount home furniture website is not the thing that should define your life but is nice for underlining the specifics of the human relationships and personal feelings that accompany it. Also, we all have to sit on something.

That last sentence is honestly no joke. We all have to be somewhere and our “things”, a dirty word to some, are one of the elements makes “being” into “living.” Self help quote marks aside there is no reason that we as a people should ever repent for feeling we want or, yes in some cases, need new kitchen appliances. Can openers break, am I to quit soup in favor of some sort of monk-like existence with hardly a possession in sight?

No, I like buying discount home furniture. A lot of it. It does not make me a bad person. I am not flippantly wasting money or the items themselves. I am simply building a life for myself. Part of that life is stuff. People happen to like stuff and there is nothing we have to apologize in that. Be your interests in books, vintage t-shirts, or discount Cuisinart blenders, toasters, and fondue sets. If there is something wrong with buying goods I do not want to be right. For the economy’s sake you don’t either.

Whether you need discount home furniture , a shopvac vacuum, or discount kitchen appliances , visit Unbeatablesale.com for the best prices.