Quick ways to get homemade taste

Almost HomemadeNo time to cook? Get homemade flavor without hours at the stove or a culinary arts degree by following these quick tips.

Hot sandwiches

Hot roast beef or sliced turkey in gravy served over thick slices of homemade bread is real comfort food. With some deli meat and a good stock, you can recreate that cooked-all-afternoon flavor in about 10 minutes.

Open-Faced Sandwiches

Serves 4

Ingredients:1 pound deli sliced roast beef or turkey4 slices Texas toast or other thickly sliced bread1 tub Knorr® Homestyle Stock (beef or chicken, depending on the meat used)2-1/2 cups water1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions:

Mix the stock, water and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth.Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes just to a boil.Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes or until the gravy thickens.Add the meat and warm through.Spoon the meat and gravy over the bread and serve immediately.

Skillet dinners

Those just-add-meat skillet dinners are quick and easy but often lack homemade flavor. Next time, use stock instead of the water called for in the instructions when you make the dish.

Condensed soups

Rather than reconstituting those condensed soups with water, use chicken or beef broth to add a homemade flavor. Even canned cream soups benefit from the addition of stock. Try using beef broth instead of water in canned tomato or mushroom soup. Chicken stock adds a more delicate flavor to canned soups such as split pea, cream of asparagus and cream of broccoli.

More ideas for quick, homemade flavorSimmer frozen meatballs in beef stock to add a deeper flavor and homemade taste.Make a quick gravy to serve with rotisserie or fried chicken from the deli with 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup milk and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix the ingredients and microwave for a few minutes until the gravy thickens.Use equal amounts of spaghetti sauce and beef broth to make a base for minestrone soup. Add canned or frozen green beans, carrots, kidney beans, onions, green peppers and fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Simmer until heated through, about five minutes.Love French dip sandwiches? Make them at home in minutes with thinly sliced roast beef from the deli, crusty rolls and hot beef broth. Heat the meat up in the broth, lay it on the heated rolls and serve with the hot broth for dipping.You may also like...

Ingredients for homemade taste
How to have dinner on the table in 10 minutes
Hearty meals in 10 minutes or less

Coffees of Latin America and the Caribbean

Discover new
to you coffee roasters!

With so many new coffee roasters in the market and more starting up each day, we take a look at some Latin American and Caribbean-sourced coffee beans that are waking us up each morning in the best of ways.

Coffee, to most of us, is a daily ritual that we've personalized, tweaked and made into exactly what we want the moment to be like. Some of us grab a cup at the local coffee shop on our way to work, drinking out of a disposable cup while in the car/bus/train. Others make the time to brew at home — whether they're sipping their cup during the chaos that is the morning or they've fine-tuned their ritual so well, they've actually found 5 minutes to enjoy their cup without disturbance.

Whatever way you enjoy your brewed cup, here you'll find some new companies and roasters, as well as beans sourced from small farmers south of the equator, that will hopefully make your cup even more enjoyable. Be sure to purchase whole roasted beans and invest in a coffee grinder. Whether a blade coffee grinder or a burr grinder, the fresher your beans are ground, the better tasting your coffee will be.

1Chilmark Coffee Company, Martha's Vineyard, MassachusettsCoffee and Origin: Antigua Los Volcanes, GuatemalaRoast: mediumAroma: sweet, citrusPrice: $15/12 ounces

These coffee beans are grown in mineral dense soil with nutrients and sediments that nurture the plants and create gorgeous characteristics in the final cup. Laced with flavors of citrus such as orange as well as nutty almond and smooth milk chocolate, this is a fantastic bean if you're interested in delicate sweetness in your cup.

2The West Bean, San Diego, CaliforniaCoffee and Origin: San Antonio Lorenzo Mosquera, ColombiaRoast: lightAroma: honeyPrice: $17/8 ounces

It seems coffees on the sweeter side are up and coming, meaning we don't even need to be adding sugar to our daily brew. This coffee, originally from Colombia, is microbatched and roasted in San Diego; the aroma of honey, sweet peaches, and crisp apple/pear will catch your senses immediately. This slightly sweet coffee lends itself well to baking and pastry applications.

3Paradise Coffee Roasters, MinnesotaCoffee and Origin: Single Origin Espresso Brazil Pocos De CaldasRoast: mediumAroma: nutty, caramelPrice: $13/12 ounces

Harvested by three local farms in Brazil, this bean was chosen as the main bean in this year's blends by Paradise Roasters, and the fact that they're also selling it as a single origin espresso speaks to its greatness. Bright in the cup, with a thicker body than usual, it'll put a pep in your step by the second sip.

Trend alert

What other trends should you look out for in 2013? Single-origin espresso, Kenyan coffee beans and the ever so trendy but kind of weird animal dung coffee!

More on coffee

5 Best coffee shops in the U.S.
Coffee maker roundup
Coffee gadgets for the caffeine fiend

Summer treats - Fun fruit shakes

Shake It Up!Milk shakes for breakfast? Treats do not have to be expensive or unhealthy to be good! These fruit shakes can be eaten for breakfast, snack or a refreshing dessert. They can be tailored to any dietary needs and take just minutes to make. Sound too good to be true? You be the judge!

Fruiy shake recipes

Serves one adult or two kids

Ingredients:1 frozen banana1 cup milk1 cup low fat vanilla yogurtAdditional fruit of your choiceDirections:

To make, break frozen banana into pieces and put in blender. Add yogurt, cover with milk and blend on high. Add any additional fruits. Blend until consistency of a milkshake (usually 30 seconds).

TIP

Be sure to serve these shakes immediately or the banana will start to brown.

Extra shake ingredients

This recipe is extremely versatile. You can vary the ingredients to comply with your diet or special needs. These shakes are great alternatives for those with diabetes, food allergies and intolerances and vegetarians. Experiment and have fun!

Frozen bananas -- I buy them when they are in season, then peel and deep-freeze in zipper bags. They will keep for 3 months. Frozen bananas give these shakes their creamy consistency, and you generally can't taste them. If you don't like bananas and don't want them in your drink, substitute crushed ice instead.

Milk -- You can substitute soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk or even juice. All work just fine. Milk will give you a creamier shake. Juice is a great way to sweeten these drinks.

Sweeteners -- Any fruit of your choice, extracts, drink mixes, syrups, jams or spices will work. You'll see lots of examples below. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination! If your shake turns out on the tart side, you can sweeten it naturally with honey, pitted or chopped dates, raisins, grapes or juice. You could also use the traditional method -- add sugar. If serving for breakfast, try to keep it as healthy as possible.

Or try one of these fun additions:

1 teaspoon. vanilla extractA few squirts of chocolate syrup1 handful of strawberries, washed and sliced1-2 pitted dates A handful of blueberries1/2 cup grape juice2 teaspoons of peanut butter, creamy or crunchy1 to 2 teaspoons shredded coconut1/4 cup chopped or crushed pineapple1/2 peeled, chopped apple1 cup apple juice1/2 teaspoon cinnamonPinch of nutmegJuice of one lime1 cup orange juice1 to 2 cups chunks of frozen, seeded watermelonBoozy milkshake recipes3 Boozy milkshake recipes
Boozy pumpkin pie milkshake
Coffee liqueur grown-up milkshake 相关的主题文章:

• 容疑者「警察官見た」＝凶器残し、慌てて逃走か―愛知親子3人殺傷
• クリスマスにはゾンビだろ！　ニコ生で16日間ゾンビ映画を無料配信
• 尿管結石のさかなクンが退院　きょうから仕事復帰

Chocolate dipped fruit pops!

A Healthy Alternative
To Cake PopsLooking for a healthy alternative to the ever trendy cake pop? Try a fruit pop! Just as chocolate dipped, but much more healthy!

Cake pops are all the rage. What's not to love? A couple bits of cake, dipped in chocolate and put on a stick? It would be perfection if it wasn't for the guilt. Guilt-free snacking does not include cake on a stick, but with a little know-how you can create an equally tasty and cute fruit pop that is both healthy and adorable! Just think of it now — chocolate dipped strawberry pops!

One thing to keep in mind before you start is that as fruit juices start to mix with the chocolate, they can cause the chocolate to become unusable. Be prepared to replace your chocolate every so often in order to keep having the smooth coating you desire. Simply reheating the chocolate will not do the trick in this case. New chocolate will be vital. To keep from wasting chocolate, use containers that are thin and tall so as to keep down the amount of chocolate necessary to cover a strawberry.

Ingredients:strawberriescantaloupebananaswhite chocolate candy meltsdark chocolate candy meltscandy pop sticks Directions:1

Begin by preparing the fruit. The sky is the limit here. If you use a melon baller for your cantalope, you can create a fruit pop that is a dead ringer for a cake pop! You can also cut the cantalope into thick slices and use small cookie cutters to created fun shapes and designs, such as was done with the bananas. A small, fluted, round cookie cutter was used to create a ridged outline!

2

To prepare strawberries, simply cut the tops off. It will be much easier to plate them if they have a flat surface they can sit on.

3

Next, fill a cup with candy melts. Microwave until fully melted, stopping at 30-second intervals to stir.

4

Once melted, dip a piece of fruit into the chocolate. Gently remove with a fork and tap gently to drip off excess chocolate.

5

Set aside onto a sheet of waxed paper. If you would like the cake pops to set more quickly, put a piece of waxed paper on a plate that you can put into your freezer. Immediately decorate with sprinkles and insert a pop stick. Allow to set.

6

Once chocolate is set, the fruit pops are ready to serve!

More recipes

Homemade healthy granola bars recipe
Movie-time spicy air-popped popcorn
Healthy nibbles: Quinoa pizza bites

相关的主题文章:

• 北朝鮮ミサイル　韓国国防長官「2段目まで分離確認」
• チェルシー、成田にファン３００人／クラブＷ杯
• Cheesy lobster spaghetti recipe

Tonight's Dinner Lamb and potato keema recipe

Lamb Makes Great Indian FoodWhen people hear Indian food, they think curries and spiciness. But Indian food doesn't have to be especially spicy. Make your own and you can add as much or as little heat as you'd like.

Indian food has long been one of my favorite delicacies. Since it's usually especially spicy though, I tend to stay away from it. But recently I discovered I could still have the delicious food and enjoy it without a glass of ice water nearby. All I had to do was get one specific spice and I could make the dishes myself. What is this spice you ask? It's called garam masala and not only is it just one ingredient in most Indian entreés, it can also be found in most spice stores. Who knew all you needed was that one spice to create delicious meals like Chicken tikka masala, vindaloo or this savory lamb keema.

Lamb and potato keema

Serves 4

Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, mincedSalt and pepper to taste1 teaspoon cumin1 teaspoon coriander2 teaspoons garam masala1/4 cup tomato paste1 pound ground lamb6 baby potatoes, peeled and chopped1/2 cup plain yogurt3/4 cup whole milk1 cup frozen peas2 cups basmati rice, cookedDirections:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about three or four minutes. Add the spices and tomato paste and cook for one more minute.Add the lamb and cook, breaking up the large chunks with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about five minutes. Add the potatoes, yogurt and milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.Stir in the peas and cook, uncovered, for another five minutes. Add more salt if needed and serve over rice.

More Tonight's Dinner recipes >>Other Indian recipes

Curried chicken turnovers

Indian curry salad

Tandoori rub

High blood pressure rising

One-Third In U.S. Have Hypertension, CDC SaysThe amount of Americans with hypertension is on the rise, the CDC reports.

World Health Day is on Sunday, and the focus of this year’s event is being aware of your blood pressure. With a new report out that says hypertension is on the rise in America, it’s an opportune time to make nice with a blood pressure cuff. With so many free screening events and machines in pharmacies, waiting until your next physical exam is no excuse not to know your systolic and diastolic levels.

The number of people in the U.S. reporting they have high blood pressure rose nearly 10 percent between 2005 and 2009, according to a report published today in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a known risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It affects nearly one-third of Americans, says Fleetwood Loustalot, a researcher at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which is part of the CDC.

About 62 percent of study participants in 2009 that said they had high blood pressure were using medication to control the condition.

According to Loustalot, awareness of the issue is leading to more reports of the condition. But that’s no reason not to know your numbers—once you determine if you have high blood pressure, there are many ways to treat it.

Related topicsDASH diet nabs top spot on best diet listSigns of high blood pressure and treatment options

Pepperoni cheese stick roll-ups

Perfect Snack!Looking for a quick after-school treat? This simple dish can be rolled up, baked and ready to eat in less than 15 minutes! Plus it's a treat that the kids will love to put together!

These simple pizza roll-ups are perfect for the gang after school. Hungry little ones will gobble up these roll-ups right off the pan! They are perfect served plain or even with a side of warm marinara sauce. This quick after-school snack will become a house favorite!

Pepperoni cheese stick roll-up recipe

Yields 8 roll-ups

Ingredients:8 crescent rolls4 cheese sticks (cut in half)1 package sliced pepperoni1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoningMarinara sauce (optional)Directions:

Unroll all crescent rolls.At the large end of the crescent roll add 6 slices of pepperoni and 1/2 of the cheese stick. Roll up and place onto a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet.Bake for about 15 minutes until the crescents are fully cooked and toasty brown.While crescents are baking, make up the olive oil mixture by mixing together the olive oil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.After you have pulled your roll-ups from the oven, baste with the olive oil mixture.Serve with warmed marinara sauce if desired.

More pizza-inspired recipes

Unique pizza recipes
Pizza grilled cheese recipe
Stuffed portobello mushroom pizza recipe