The holiday nut bars recipe is a clever and tasty new way of serving mixed nuts around the holidays. This recipe could not be easier, and your guests will surely be begging for more!

Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

1 can (12 ounce) salted mixed nuts.*

Hardware

Large bowl

13×9x1-inch baking pan

Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and egg yolk with an electric mixer set on medium speed.

Step 3: Stir in flour and salt until combined.

Step 4: Press dough into ungreased 13×9x1-inch baking pan.

Step 5: Bake for 25 minutes or until light brown.

Step 6: Remove pan from oven and immediately sprinkle white chocolate chips over top of hot bars. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until softened; spread evenly with butter knife or spatula.

Step 7: Sprinkle with mixed nuts to cover top of white chocolate layer. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into bars, or try diamonds or triangles for a more festive look.

Makes about 32 bars.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

*Note: A single variety of salted nuts can be used if preferred. Also, honey roasted nuts provide a unique taste as well.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

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I am back again with another reason which I believe to buy steaks online…

In this discussion I want to touch more on the how important it is to have a good butcher who knows exactly how to cut the beef so that you will get the steak you have always loved.

To begin I had touched in previous articles that the USDA grades all their steaks according to the tenderness and marbling of the steaks. For those who do not know what marbling is, this is the part of the steak in which you see flecks of white throughout. I would say that most steaks on the market today fall into one of these three categories: Prime, Sirloin, and Choice Cut. There are other grades below this but mainly reserved for commercial and processed foods for various applications.

Prime cut is by far the best quality and the tenderest but usually offered in expensive restaurants with cuts such as the Filet Mignon, the Porterhouse, etc. Next is the Sirloin, which is very good in it’s own regard and found in most chain grocery stores and hotels and restaurants. These cuts at your local grocery store are usually not the best depending on how long they have been sitting out on the shelf or when they were cut. So in order to by pass this issue, try a good butcher who can explain the differences in which you will benefit from and not have to worry about quality. Then comes the Choice Cut, which is responsible for almost the bulk of the entire beef industry in terms of consumers. These are the cuts that most people will buy and see at the grocery, still not too bad just a little tougher but some say better tasting because of the more marbling within.

As I mentioned before I want to explain more how important it is to have butcher who knows how to cut the beef shank properly. The steak should be cut perpendicular to the striations on the muscle so that the steak will become tender and easy to chew. This is where quality of cut comes in to play as depending where and how the cut is made on the beef will greatly vary on how tender the meat will turn out to be. For example the mid portions of the hindquarters are apparently the tenderest and these are usually the Prime cut or the best quality beef.

I should state that just because the steak is Prime cut does not necessarily mean that is the best overall. Now don’t get me wrong, Filet Mignon is the tenderest and found in all steak houses but at the same time has the mildest flavor. Some of the other cuts like Rib steaks and Blade / Chunk steaks are lot more chewier but have more of a beefy flavor which some people seem to fancy. A good rule of thumb when buying great steaks is to buy steaks that have been aged for a small period of time and you will know on the first bite as these steaks have an enhanced flavor.

To be continued…

Blake Smith gives expert free advice if you buy steaks online and even great tips to help you get through your first mail order steaks experience.

For more information about me please visit my blog, buysteaksonlinereview.com buysteaksonlinereview.com Are you finding the talk to buy steaks online helpful?

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Japanese cuisine is known around the world for its distinctive taste and appearance. Aesthetically pleasing displays of the varied dishes are considered just as important as the food itself. The mood of the season can often be felt in the dishes and they should give a sense of visual satisfaction. Each Japanese dish is artfully arranged in individual bowls, plates and dishes for each person. Often, all courses are presented at one time and eaten in no particular order.

Japan is surrounded by the sea and consists principally of four main islands. Her total size, location and population, all combine to demand that much of the people’s food come from the ocean and her world roving fishing fleets supply that need admirably. It is estimated that the average Japanese consumes 70lbs of seafood per year. Among the various methods of fish preparation, the most popular are to fry, or present them raw, as in sashimi or sushi. Perhaps sushi, bite sized pieces of fresh fish pressed onto a ball of vinegared rice and tempura, shrimp and vegetable coated with an egg batter and deep fried, are best known to westerners. Meat dishes were introduced in the last century as a new ‘western cuisine’.

Japanese culinary tradition has been much influenced by that of Korea and China. Buddhism arrived via Korea in the 6th century and the eating of meat was discouraged. Chopsticks and soy sauce came from China in the 8th century. The introduction to Japan of Zen Buddhism in the 13th century held as one of its tenets strict adherence to vegetarianism and the consumption of meat was banned until about a hundred years ago. During the course of her long history, nearly every part of Japan developed its own delightful regional food specialties and the people became skilled in preparing a number of beef dishes. Sukiyaki is one of the most widely enjoyed of such distinctive Japanese dished.

Today, Japanese restaurants are spreading throughout the USA and the rest of the world. In spite of the fact that many people enjoy Japanese foods, they may be reluctant to try making them at home. Perhaps it is because of they lack the knowledge and skills necessary, or feel hindered by the limited availability of ingredients. Japanese cooking doesn’t have to be a complicated task. There are many one-pot dishes, cooked at the table somewhat like fondue and these tend to create an intimate and cosy setting. Preparation orderly beforehand at the table of utensils and ingredients leaves you time to enjoy your company, rather than being stuck in the kitchen.

There are many cookery books in the shops dedicated to helping the uninitiated prepare, cook and serve the most delicious of Japanese dishes (also suggesting alternative ingredients if you cannot find the original in your local grocery store) and therefore amazing guests and family alike. My favorite books are the ones that give serving suggestions and appropriate table etiquette. Follow the directions and you can be assured of consistently good results and bring a little of Japan into your home.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to

One of the easiest ways to bake salmon is to pan fry it briefly before putting it in the oven. Baked salmon receipes cooked this way are quick and easy. An easy baked salmon recipe just right for a mid week supper after work or as part of a dinner with friends. Try this baked salmon fillet recipe served with an unusual red wine sauce.

Ingredients - serves 6

6 x 150g/5oz Salmon Fillets, skin on
2 finely diced shallots
450ml/14floz full bodied red wine such as a Bordeaux
250g/8oz unsalted butter, diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Method

Prepare the Red Wine sauce first.

Pour the wine into a pan with the diced shallots. Bring to the boil and reduce until you have about 3 tablespoons.
Turn the heat down to low and whisk in the diced butter until it becomes emulsified with the red wine reduction, don’ let it boil. Season with salt to taste and take off the heat.

The sauce can be reheated gently when needed.

The Salmon

Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan with an ovenproof handle over a high heat.

Cut 3 diagonal slashes into the skin of each salmon fillet, brush with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the salmon skin side down in the frying pan and sear for 3 or 4 minutes. When golden brown, turn over and quickly cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for about 6 minutes or until done to your liking. Try not to overcook the baked salmon or it will be dry and tasteless.

Serve the salmon skin side up with the warm red wine sauce poured around it and a simple salad or steamed French beans on the side.

And there you have it, a healthy, quick, easy baked salmon dish with very little washing up - my kind of cooking.

Cherie is a freelance cook, cookery writer and webmaster. For more great salmon recipes including how to smoke, grill, bake and poach Salmon and for quick and easy recipes using canned salmon, click here - great-salmon-recipes.com great-salmon-recipes.com. Read more about her - great-salmon-recipes.com/Website.html great-salmon-recipes.com/Website.html

This organic chickpea and black-eyed pea salad is great for those summer days that are just too hot to cook. You know, those days that are so hot you say, “Don’t even look at the stove!”

Served cold, this salad is refreshing. It’s terrific with grilled summer foods, such as organic portobello burgers or vegetarian bratwurst.

Although this salad is delicious as a side dish, it’s so hearty that it can be the centerpiece of the meal. This organic salad is high-protein, so you get plenty of mileage with this meal; you will not be hungry in just two hours!

It’s terrific served with hearty whole grain bread on the side, preferably organic and baked by a local baker, to sop up the vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 15 oz. cans organic black-eyed peas
2 15 oz. cans organic artichoke hearts
4 large organic tomatoes
½ large organic onion
6 large fresh organic garlic cloves
¼ cup organic olive oil
½ cup organic balsamic vinegar
A few pinches of dried organic parsley
Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

Drain chickpeas and black-eyed peas, and dump them into a large bowl. Chop artichoke hearts (into eighths if they’re whole, or into quarters if they’re already halved). Chop tomatoes and dice onion; dump artichokes, tomatoes and onion into bowl. Crush garlic gloves with garlic press and add to the luscious pile of goodies.

Whip olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a smaller bowl, then pour over the pile. Your mouth should be watering now. Add a few generous pinches of parsley, then salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients thoroughly with a large spoon to distribute them evenly and coat them with vinaigrette.

You can increase the ratio of balsamic vinegar to olive oil if you like the vinaigrette to taste more tangy! And you can increase the overall amount of oil and vinegar if you want the salad to be more juicy.

You can also experiment with which type of vinegar flavor you like best. Red wine or raspberry balsamic vinegar taste great in this dish.

As for the fresh ground salt and pepper, you can either add them to the oil and vinegar mixture, just sprinkle them onto the ingredients before stirring, or both.

Adding fresh chopped basil–or any fresh organic herb you think would harmonize well with this dish–is also an option. You can also substitute organic escallions (green onions) for the diced onions, which also adds more color.

The trick to delicious recipes is to cook by your own taste, not necessarily by following the recipe verbatim. Besides, how fun would cooking be if you couldn’t sample the dishes while you’re creating them?

This dish, which serves 6 or more, also works great for summer pitch-ins, especially if you’re vegan. You can’t always count on non-dairy, high-protein dishes at such gatherings, but you can definitely depend on this hearty summer salad!

Virginia Louise runs an organic food site that offers free information to visitors interested in discovering the organicfoodinfo.net advantages of organic food.

Visit the web site to get another seven free recipes as mouthwatering as this one.

The recipe is fairly simple to follow and easy to make and always receives great praise.
You could buy Alfredo Sauce in a bottle in a store but it’s much more fun to try yourself and
perfect you own version.

The basic Alfredo Sauce Recipe is a heated mix of butter, cream and Parmesan cheese. From this basic
recipe, many variations have arisen and optional seasonings added according to the taste of the cook.
Alfredo Sauce is also quite versatile and is especially good when used in Shrimp Alfredo Recipes as
well as over vegetables or left over chicken with sauted mushrooms.

As with most things in life, better quality ingredients will give a better result. Try to use the real cheese,
authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is ideal but ordinary Parmesan will do fine. The Fettuccini should ideally
be fresh (this cooks in about 2 minutes) but if you buy dry Fettuccine then try to get the thinnest available.

My authentic recipe below includes chicken and it goes so wonderfully with the Alfredo Sauce. It’s one of my
favourite ways to serve chicken with pasta. I have tried to keep this recipe simple with as few variations
as possible. I love garlic so I just couldn’t leave it out but you can if you prefer. There are some cooking
tips below the basic recipe that are worth considering before you start cooking.

3 skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp crushed garlic (optional for sauteing chicken)
4 Tbs butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
8 oz Fettucine Pasta (or enough to feed 4 people)
salt to your taste
a little ground black pepper to bring out the taste
a little sugar to taste
dash of nutmeg (the secret to good Alfredo Sauce)

Cooking Instructions

The Fettucine

You first need to cook your pasta and I’m assuming that you know how to do so, so just follow the instructions on the fettuccini packet. When the fettuccine is cooked, drain it and set it aside.

The Alfredo Sauce

Melt the butter over a low heat in a pot that will be large enough to hold the pasta at the end of the cooking. Do not let it boil, just melted and warm is fine.

Slowly add the cream and stir with a spoon until it is hot but not boiling and has reduced slightly.

Now add the Parmesan cheese a little at a time and stir until it is all melted. The sauce may take quite a while to thicken, keep stirring and don’t let it boil. Add the seasonings (including the sugar) according to your taste. If the parmesan is grated too course it will not melt in well. Grate the cheese as fine as possible for best results. The sauce can take a long time to reduce. Don’t be tempted to add flour or cornstarch for thickening as it does alter the flavour.

The Chicken

While the Fettucine is cooking you can prepare the chicken breasts. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and saute the chicken and garlic until the chicken juice runs clear and the chicken is done.

Once the Alfredo sauce is done, stir in the cooked chicken and then add the cooked pasta to the Alfredo and chicken.

Other Alfredo Sauce Ideas and Tips

The basic Alfredo Sauce is very nice over vegetables like broccoli
cauliflower and beans.
Some cooks like to thicken the sauce by adding a 1/2 package of cream cheese.
Try to avoid thickening with flour or cornstarch, it does spoil the flavour. You can
also try adding more parmesan and cooking it for a little bit longer. Here I’ve discovered that patience is
the key to success. If you hurry the sauce, you won’t get the same results.
Unsalted buttermakes a huge difference to the flavour. Using salted butter with the strong flavour of the parmesan can result in over-salty sauce and be unpleasant to eat.
Now Nutmeg might seem like a strange addition but it does make a huge difference in the wow factor and in my opinion it’s the secret ingredient.
For something different saute bacon and mushrooms with crushed garlic and serve it with the Chicken and Alfredo sauce.

Do you often need inspiration for meal ideas? For more excellent Chicken Recipes and dinner ideas vist

Planning a Party with Wine.

Entertaining can be a stressful event, but one way to ensure a good for everyone including yourself is to plan ahead. By taking care of as many details in advance, you will have time to enjoy your company and take care of the few unexpected things that arise. One area that is especially easy to plan in advance is buying and serving wine.

What to buy.

What types and varieties of wine you purchase and offer will depend on what type of event you are hosting. If you are having a stand-up party with mostly appetizers and finger foods then you will want to offer both red and white wines. For white wine consider having two options, first a good Chardonnay with ample oak tones that stand up to the many different foods that will be offered. A second good white wine choice is a lighter and drier Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. For red wines, avoid anything too big and bold. Instead a lighter Zinfandel, Merlot, or Pinot Noir are all great choices.

If you are serving a formal sit down dinner, you may wish consider having both a red and white wines on hand. But you should also consider the food you are serving and match your wine selections accordingly. If you are serving a multi-course dinner event, don’t be afraid to offer different wines with each course. Encourage guests to pour just a half glass of each wine if you will be serving different wines in order to avoid over indulgence.

Many times if your focus is solely on which white and red wines to purchase and another great option is overlooked, Champagne. Sparkling wines accompany many dishes well, and are especially good to sip alone over good conversation. Be sure to keep it well chilled, and don’t open too many bottles in advance or else they will go flat before getting to the glass.

How much to buy.

If you will be serving primarily wine, or you know your guests will be drinking mostly wine by choice, you will want to plan on one bottle for every 3 or 4 guests. If there will be beer and spirits, reduce your wine cache to about one bottle for every 4 or 5 guests. For dinner parties, you will want to make sure every guest can have a glass of each wine served with each course. A bottle pours about 5 glasses of wine, so plan on a bottle for 5 guests. An extra bottle of the main course and desert wine is always a good idea.

How to serve.

First, get the wine to the winery-mall.com/reference/serving-temperature.html correct temperature well in advance of the party. Set out all of the glasses where guests can easily access them, in close proximity to the wine. Don’t open it all right away, and don’t set the chilled white and sparkling wine out at once. Just before guests are to arrive, open enough wine to fill glasses of the initial arrivals. After everyone has poured their first glass, you can then open more to replenish based on the rate it is being consumed. Keep sparkling wine chilled in an ice water bath, but white and reds will be fine sitting out at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Michael Briggs is a wine enthusiast and a frequent contributor to

Parties are fun but they can be expensive. You have many options to keep the costs down, but the easiest thing you can do is watch how much you are spending on food. If you have hosted parties in the past you know that food can be one of the most expensive aspects of the event. You don’t have to hire an expensive caterer to have a good time. A little imagination and effort can make a low budget party a memorable occasion.

Finger food such as small sandwiches, potato chips, dips, fruit and vegetable trays are fairly inexpensive. This is a great option for informal parties.

A great alternative to a professional caterer is to have each of your guests do the catering for you. A potluck allows your guests to become amateur caterers. It also makes sure that each guest has something they like because it is unlikely that someone would bring something they don’t like. To help your guest and to avoid redundancy, include a suggestion as to what kind of food you would like your guests to bring such as a salad, dessert, and soft drinks.

Pizza is an all time party food. Young and old love pizza, and there is a wide selection of toppings that should satisfy all your guests.

Don’t serve alcohol if you want to save money. Alcohol free parties are safer, and less out of control. You won’t have to worry about designated drivers, or taking peoples’ keys once they had one too many drinks. In addition, you don’t have to worry about people staying over night.

You can have memorable party without spending a bunch of money. When you shop for food use coupons and look for sales. Always give yourself plenty of time to shop, so you can bargain hunt.

About The Author
George Meszaros with partyfantastic.com” target=”_new partyfantastic.com.

Arugula is one of the many “new” greens making their way onto supermarket shelves in the United States, although in this case this marvelous herb has long been known and loved in Europe, especially Italy.

Yes, one of the surprising facts about arugula is that is classed as an herb. It is not just a variety of lettuce, as many people often surmise upon first seeing it.

It also goes by many names in addition to “arugula.” Some of these are “garden rocket,” “rucola,” “rocket salad,” “roquette,” and,. simply, “rocket.”

Arugula is a great source of vitamin C, also iron. It has been grown around the Mediterranean for centuries. The Romans considered it to be an aphrodisiac.

You can use arugula in salads as you would lettuce or spinach; just wash it thoroughly, spin it dry in a salad spinner (or drain it in a colander) and shred it into bite-sized pieces before adding.

The tastiest way to use arugula use it in a cooked recipe, such as a pasta or meat dish. Arugula has a natural peppery taste that goes well in Italian recipes particularly.

Here’s an arugula recipe my family really loves. Actually, the star of the recipe is the spaghetti-plus-ham, but in my opinion it’s the arugula and olives that really make it special.

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti

1/4 pound ham, thinly sliced

5 cups arugula

1 small chopped onion

1 cup parmesan cheese

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lb chopped pitted olives

4 tomatoes, quartered

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti in a large pot. Drain and set aside.

2. Cut the ham into small pieces. Place in a skillet. Add onion and olives. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

3. Add ingredients from skillet (ham, onion, olives) to spaghetti.

4. Add arugula, cheese and lemon juice to spaghetti. Mix well.

5. Divide the spaghetti onto 4 serving plates. Place tomato quarters (4 each) on top of the plates of spaghetti. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes.

Serve and enjoy!

There are many refreshing iced coffee recipes available, and we have selected some of the most interesting for you. However, my favorite of all it the traditional Italian iced coffee recipe which uses freshly made espresso, a cocktail shaker and ice cubes. In fact, if you ask for an iced coffee in Italy this is the only recipe they will serve. Poured into a cocktail glass, the chilled Italian espresso is second to none.

When the heat is on try this traditional Italian iced coffee recipe …

So, how is the Italian iced coffee recipe actually made? Simple, like all good things. Use your espresso machine, if you have one, to make a normal shot for one, two or more servings. Pour the freshly made espresso coffee into the cocktail shaker, add ice cubes (the ice doesn’t get poured into the glasses with the coffee, so the flavor isn’t diluted), close the shaker and shake like crazy! Pour into cocktail glasses and enjoy. Surprisingly, the iced coffee will not be a dark espresso brown color, but a creamy beige .

Here are a few more iced coffee recipes for you to try
Bermuda Iced Coffee

For this recipe, you’ll need coffee, cream, sugar and coffee flavor ice-cream. Pour the coffee, cream, sugar and 1 or 2 scoops of ice-cream into a blender. Blend, and serve cold in glasses or mugs. Tastes great, but if you’re on a diet beware.

Fresh Lemon Cafe

Here you’ll need 1/4 cup of coffee to which you add 2 oz of lemon sherbet, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of grated lemon rind and 1 tsp of sugar. Place the contents to your blender and blend until smooth. Serve in chilled glasses.

Cinnamon Caramel

This recipe has an interesting taste. You’ll need about 6 tsp of ground coffee, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup caramel syrup. Prepare a pot of coffee in the usual way, but add the cinnamon to the ground coffee. Add the syrup to the hot coffee and stir until dissolved. Chill the coffee and serve over ice with milk, cream or sugar. For an interesting variation, you could also use this coffee, but chill it in the way of the traditional Italian iced coffee recipe above.

Thai Iced Coffee

Here’s another interesting variation. You’ll need strong ground coffee for brewing 4 cups, 4 tsp sugar, 4 tsp heavy cream, 2 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp almond flavoring, crushed ice. Add the cardamom to the ground coffee and brew, when ready add the sugar and almond flavoring, mix well and leave to cool or chill in fridge. Fill four glasses half way with the crushed ice, then add the coffee leaving about an inch or a little more from the rim of the glass. Hold a spoon over the coffee and gently pour the cream over the spoon so that the cream floats on the top of your iced coffee.

Well, that’s it. These are just a few of the many iced coffee recipes that are available today. Part of the fun is also experimenting. Enjoy.

This article was prepared by Nicholas Webb who writes for Allabout-Coffee-Beans.com Allabout-Coffee-Beans.com Coffee is more than just a passion. For many articles from coffee beans to coffee making machines, click over to this site.