Campfire Cooking Recipes - Soup

Ah, the great outdoors. There is nothing better than enjoying nature at a campsite. Besides the traditional s'mores and hot dogs, there are several delicious and healthy campfire cooking recipes that can be made with a few simple ingredients and equipment.

One of the easiest things to make on a campfire is corn on the cob. The only type of cookware needed for this is tin foil. Simply wrap the corn completely in tin foil and place on hot coals. Of course, there are common precautions one must take in fire cooking as to avoid injury, so having a pair of tongs or other grabbing device will be useful. The corn should cook in just a few minutes, depending on how hot the coals are. After removing from the fire and cooling, sprinkle on some salt and pepper if desired.

There are other campfire cooking recipes that can be made by using cast iron cooking equipment, such as a Dutch oven. A flexible and easy recipe that can be made over a campfire is soup. Especially during the colder months, soup is a perfect food for camping.

There are several different soup recipes that can be made in a Dutch oven. An easy vegetable soup uses potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots. There are endless ingredients that can be added to this simple recipe in order to make it perfect for your tastes.

First fill the Dutch oven about halfway with vegetable or chicken broth. A broth can be made using bullion cubes and water. Take the chopped vegetables and put them into the soup. You may add herbs, such as parsley, to the soup, or sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Put the Dutch oven over the fire, and let it sit for at least a half hour.

Once the soup is done, carefully remove the oven from the fire. Be sure to keep the oven, which will still be very hot, away from any flammable objects while it is cooling.

Italian Cooking Classes

If you want to learn to cook authentic Italian food and are willing to take a little vacation at the same time, there are a number of great cooking schools in Italy that are designed for the culinary traveler. Think about it, what an experience it would be working learning Italian cuisine in Italy. And don't forget the style of cooking you're interested, since the regions of Italy have different cuisines.

The Awaiting Table in Leece Italy has week long classes that go for 1895 EURO, which includes lodging at a bed and breakfast. Talk about getting immersed in a cuisine. Or, they have one day classes for 350 EURO. The day class covers lunch and dinner and trips to multiple markets, coffee, all wines and handmade liqueurs. Dinner is served in the old wine cellar!

Teens Drink of Choice

Apparently, it doesn't take a biochemist to formulate an energy drink. No, according to Starbucks, any guy off the street is qualified. At least that's whose opinion mattered most when the coffee giant recently created the ingredient list for its own concoction.

"There are many energy ingredients on the market, and B vitamins, guarana, and ginseng are the ones our customers are most familiar with," says Ruby Amegah, product development manager for the team behind the Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee. Which perhaps in large part explains why the company chose them; It's smart marketing.

Trouble is, by letting consumer research influence ingredient lists, energy-drink companies are helping popularize exotic-sounding compounds that even scientists don't yet fully understand. The approach has worked: Last year, Americans spent $4.2 billion on these supposedly high octane elixirs. And that's probably why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago.

Crock Pot Meals Made Easy

One of the fastest ways to warm up winter is to fill the crock pot with goodies in the morning and let it simmer all day. The crock pot is an awesome way to have a delicious home cooked dinner after working or playing all day long.

Beef Fajitas Crock Pot Recipe

1-1/2 lbs boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
6-8 flour tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream
lettuce
tomato

Brown the steak in oil. Place the steak and drippings into the crockpot. Add lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt and chili powder; mix well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add green pepper and onion; cover and cook for 1 hour more. Warm the tortillas. Spoon beef and veggies down the center of the tortillas. Top each with cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes if desired.

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

1 1/2 lb Ground beef
1 can (14 oz) pizza sauce
1 pkg (12 oz) noodles
4 oz Cheese, mozzarella
1 small can Mushrooms
1 Onion, diced
1 can (14 oz) Spaghetti sauce
4 oz Cheese, cheddar
1 pkg Pepperoni
1 green pepper, diced

Brown meat & onion. Drain grease & add sauces. Cook noodles.
Put layer of noodles, meat mixture, cheeses & pepperoni In Crock Pot. Repeat layer. Cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat & cook for 1 hour until cheese melts. Serves 6

Crock Pot Meat Loaf Recipe

2 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion (diced)
1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into a meatloaf shape that will fit into your crock pot. Cut a strip of foil and place under the meatloaf in crock pot. Cut it long enough to cover the bottom and sides of meatloaf. Place meat loaf in crock pot and top with additional 2 tablespoons ketchup. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours. Serve with fresh, hot rolls.

All Day Slow Cooker Delight Recipe

2-3 lb Boneless chuck; cut in 1"cubes
1/2 c Flour
1/4 c Butter
1 Onion; sliced
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 Clove garlic; minced
2 c Beer (I usually use Guinness Stout)
1/4 c Flour

Coat beef cubes with the 1/2 cup flour. Brown in melted butter. Drain off excess fat.
In slow cooker, combine browned meat with onion, salt, pepper, garlic and beer. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours (all day) until meat is tender. Turn control to high. Dissolve remaining 1/4 cup flour in small amount of water. Stir into meat mixture, cook on high 30-40 minutes. Serve with rice and salad.

Chicken and Dumplings

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in small chunks
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups water
2 10 oz packages refrigerated biscuits
1 chicken bouillon cube

Combine all ingredients, except biscuits, in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, tear biscuit dough into 1-inch pieces. Add to your slow cooker; stirring gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until biscuits are fluffed up and cooked through.

A Healthy Ocean is Good For Everyone

Oceans cover 70% of our Earth, however, today our ocean's are in serious trouble. Industrial fishing within the past 15 years has actually depleted around 90% of large predatory ocean fish. Fisheries are on the verge of causing entire ecosystem collapses. They are destroying natural habitats that are vital for the survival of countless forms of life. Irresponsible harvesting has led to more fish being take out of the sea than those being produced; often fisheries will recklessly cull thousands upon thousands of fish, meaning they don't have time to reproduce.

However, sustainable seafood options do exist. It's up to all of us to ensure that the fisheries the supply us with our fish engage in sustainable practices. If we are more aware of what's going on, we can all enjoy natural sustainable seafood.

Alaska is leading the way. The Alaskan fishing industry is highly controlled and regulated. Fisheries have established marine protected areas to protect fragile ecosystems. Fishing boats do not engage in reckless bottom trawling. They use hooks and lines rather than open water net pens. Alaskan fishers seek to reduce the amount of bycatch fish. Protecting future fish stocks is more important than commercial gains. The government of Alaska works hand in hand with fishers to make sure that Alaska's underwater habitats remain intact and unharmed from development.

Alaska's fisheries carefully manage their catch. They stick to limits and quotas. They obey restrictions on boat size and fishing gear. There are also license limitations, which allow only so many fisheries to catch fish. Alaska, moreover performs numerous scientific studies to assess fish stock numbers and to predict future quotas.

Alaska's diligence in providing natural sustainable seafood can be followed. We as consumers can aid in the effort by paying closer attention to our own choices. We can for example, choose to eat locally caught, fresh seafood that has been greenlisted. We can choose to avoid restaurants that don't serve natural sustainable seafood. We as consumers can also get involved with nonprofits, through donations or by offering volunteer services.

Helping our oceans survive something we can all take part in. By making wiser, more informed choices, natural sustainable seafood will be a ubiquitous fact.

Alaska is home to an abundant variety of seafood, and offers some of the purest marine, freshwater, and upland habitats on the planet.

From the clear crystal waters comes seafood that is delicious and healthy. Alaskan seafood is low in fat but big on flavor and Omega-3 oils. You can study thousands of pages of nutritional research. Or, simply observe the amazing health and longevity of people in countries where seafood is the most important part of their diet. Either way, Alaska seafood is as healthy as it is delicious.

How to Prepare Buffet Catering For Your Event

Nowadays, buffet catering is a more popular choice among event organizers as it allows guests to choose how much food they want to consume and allows them more freedom for networking. Therefore, a lot of event organizers choose to prepare a buffet catering to entertain their guests during business events, seminars or corporate parties.

But before you engage a caterer to set up a buffet catering for your event, there are some things that you need to prepare. In this article, let me share with you some tips so that you can prepare for a buffet catering and hire a professional caterer to do all the legwork for you.

1. Estimate the total number of guests for your event. I know it is impossible to determine the exact number of guests before your event but you need to work out an estimate. Always do a count at least 1 week before the actual date. Do take note that there will always be 5% to 10% of people who will not turn up for your event even though they have registered with you. In this way, the number will be more accurate and you will not order too much food.

2. Decide on the menu. Decide on the type of menu that you want to prepare for your guests. There are different menu types such as Western food, Japanese food, Chinese Food, etc. A professional caterer will be able to take care of your request for any type of menu required.

3. BBQ buffet? Decide on whether you want to have a BBQ buffet. If the event that you are going to organize is informal, you can consider getting a BBQ buffet to create a relaxing atmosphere.

4. Allocate a big space for the caterer to work on. A buffet catering needs a huge space to set up and therefore you should allocate a bigger space in the venue for the caterers to work on. If the space is too small, your guests will have trouble taking food and this will give your guests an unpleasant experience.

5. Prepare all the details and let the caterer know. In order to get things started, you need to have all the necessary details ready. Without the details, the caterer cannot give you a quotation. You need to let the caterer know how many people are attending your event, the actual date of the event, the time the event finishes and most importantly your expectation. If the caterer does not understand your expectations, then the both of you will not be able to work well together.

Delicious Indian Dishes

For those who are not familiar with Indian food and cooking, Indian cuisine today is of the leading and most popular cuisines in the world. Today you won't be surprised to find that every city and every state has a wide array of restaurants to choose from, all specializing in serving the best of Indian cuisine. Even every home is starting to have its own special Indian recipes. Indian food is world famous because of its delicious, distinct, and diverse taste. They offer so much variety that there are literally plenty of options to choose from.

The distinct and special taste of Indian dishes stems from how cooking is valued in the country where the recipes came from. In India, people consider cooking and Indian recipes as an art and as a form of heritage - something that can be handed down from generations to generations. The home grown secrets in Indian food recipes are being taught from grandmothers to mothers and from mothers to daughters. In fact, food in India is considered as serious business. Today, some household members in India make it a point to cook. If a person is not busy preparing food, he is busy planning out what the next recipe to prepare!

Aside from the rich culture to back up Indian cuisine, another thing that makes Indian cuisine and cooking so popular is the lack of difficulty in preparation. If you think that cooking Indian food is hard and difficult, then you most certainly have to think again. Following Indian cooking recipes is easy. They are easy to prepare, and there are even a lot of choices for you to choose from. Unlike what most people believe, there is more to Indian cuisine that oil, chilly, and curry! But of course, Indian dishes are known for being spicy. For example, Andhra food recipes are popular for having a rich, spicy flavor. Some of the best or the top ten delicious Indian dishes you must learn to cook include: Ugadi Pachadi, Vadiyalu, Mamidikaya Pulihora, Vankaya Pachadi, Gongura Mutton, Charupodi, Verusenaga Podi, Kottimeera Pachadi, Aratikaaya Masala Pulusu and Mamidikaya Pulihora.

The above mentioned ten delicious Indian dishes you must learn to cook belong to the Andhra food recipes. Aside from the ten Indian food recipes listed, some of the other noted recipes belonging to the Andhra cuisine include chutneys, desserts, pickles and biryani. The Indian dishes above are served with rice. Rice in Indian cuisine comes in a wide, rich variety. Rice is cooked with meat, vegetables, and spices.

Indeed, there is so much to know about Indian food and how to cook Indian recipes. You can even come up with your very own list of the top ten delicious Indian Dishes you must learn to cook! If you enjoy eating Indian food, then it is high time that you also enjoy cooking and preparing Indian recipes.

Tips For Making Homemade Soup

This time of year a nice hearty soup or stew hits the spot after a long day; soups by nature are soothing and comforting. At the heart of a good soup is the stock and believe it or not stocks are fairly simple to make. They will, however, take a little more time than opening pre-made or store bought stocks. A good stock or broth requires quality ingredients, seasonings and a little bit of time.

You will need a few hours of cooking time and some undivided attention from time to time during the process for the stock to be at its best, but it is not hard. A stock should be made from the parts left over or Thrown out to be such as bones, shells, lettuce, vegetable scraps and even cut off the fat of meat if you are not concerned with the fat intake. Essentially you will be cooking out the flavor in all of these ingredients slowly for a few hours. The amount of ingredients will determine how much water to use and if you are just following a recipe using the instructions provided the first time you use the recipe and then change it to your liking.

Let's say we are making a chicken / turkey stock which is fairly common as far as stocks go. A good idea would be to save the scraps of chicken and turkey, or any fowl for that matter, for a matter of weeks, use the freezer if necessary. When you are ready thaw out the bones and scraps and the gathering as well as vegetable scraps and any seasonings you will want to include. Place the above mentioned ingredients into a stock pot and fill with water until the water is about ½ inch above the top of the food. Put every piece of animal bone and scrap into the pot to cook, the more the merrier in this case.

For added flavor consider Slicing onions, celery and mincing a small amount of garlic to the mix. For best results wait until about half way through to add the garlic, this will make the garlic flavor stand out more. Start by bringing the mixture to a boil and then back off on the heat and allow it to simmer. You will need to remove the foam from the top of the pot as it starts to boil and just do you know this is completely normal. If you so desire partially roast some chicken breasts or wings and add them into the mixture. This will add loads of flavor and a little more substance to your stock.

As the mixture cooks down you will want to add the seasonings to your tastes, perhaps just a bit of salt and pepper or some oregano and basil. Remember, adding the spices and seasonings will diminished their flavor early in the stock as the heat and cooking process will remove the natural flavors over time. Season over should you add too much salt or add a whole peeled potato and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, the potato will absorb the excess salt. To reduce the fat content to prepare the stock a day or two ahead of time and chill over night. This will allow the fats to rise to the top where it can be spooned off.

Following these tips and simple steps anyone can create a homemade stock for soup. After the stock is completed you can use it for any number of recipes, even those that are not soups or stews. Stocks can be used for adding moisture to left-overs, recipes calling for the addition of water or chicken meal to another all together.