Tag: <span>freezer</span>

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Homemade Pizza Dough is not just for Pizza

Singles, families, busy professionals all want to get the most out of the time and energy that they spend in the kitchen. They also want to save money. Here’s how an easy, basic recipe can feed you and save you time and money.

Start with a basic pizza dough recipe:

1 c. lukewarm water

1 t. yeast (or 1 pkg. 1/4 oz yeast)

2 1/2 c. flour

1 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let stand for 10 minutes. Put the flour, olive oil, and salt into a mixing bowl Mix in the yeast/water. Mix until the dough leaves the side of the bowl. If the mixture is too dry, add water another tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and move it to a warm place dough and let rise for 15 minutes.

At this point, the dough can be lightly floured and placed in a freezer safe plastic storage bag. The dough can be refrigerated if it is going to be used within 3 days, or it can be frozen for up to a month. If storing in the freezer, be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible.

Pizza

Roll out the dough on a floured board or clean countertop into the shape and size of the cookie sheet or pizza pan. Pat & stretch the crust into the pan and top with your favorite toppings. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 500 oven for 12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remember, thin crust bakes & browns faster.

But here’s what else you can do with that dough.

Stromboli

Once you make this, you can customize this recipe to your own personal preferences.

Roll out the pizza dough on a flour-dusted into a rectangular shape about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Carefully, place this rectangle on a cookie sheet or sheet pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray or covered in parchment paper. On the long sides, take a sharp knife and make 1 1/2 inch cuts down each side of the dough, about 1 inch apart.

Carefully spread 1/4 c. to 1/2 c. tomato sauce (or your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce) followed by 1/4 c. chopped green pepper, 1/4 c. chopped onion, 1/4 c. diced ham (Use leftover diced ham or ham lunchmeat torn into 1/2 inch pieces) Sprinkle with 1/2 t. garlic powder and 1/2 t. oregano. Fold the strips over the center mixture. Overlap the strips and pinch them together. If desired, you can brush the top of the Stromboli with olive oil.

Bake in a preheated 500 oven for 12 minutes or until browned. Slice into 1 inch strips to serve. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Breads

This method makes a tasty pocket sandwich that can be eaten right away or frozen for later.

Once you get the method down, you can stuff these beauties with anything. I like ham, cheese, and green pepper. Try leftover chopped chicken, chopped potato & cheese. If desired, these breads can be stuffed with chopped vegetables. The key is to not overload the dough.

Roll out the pizza dough into 6 -7 inch circles to 1/4 inch thickness. Since the circles are small, all of the ingredients should be chopped into medium to small pieces. Sprinkle the chopped ingredients with garlic powder, and salt & pepper to taste. Vary the spices to fit the ingredients. Ex. Sprinkle cooked chicken and leftover chopped asparagus with curry powder.

Spread the ingredients one at a time in a strip from top to bottom about 1 inch from the left edge of the dough. At this point, you may want to lightly sprinkle the ingredients with the cheese of your choice.

Be careful not to overfill. Roll the dough by stretching the dough over the filling, tucking in the top and bottom in as you go.

Place stuffed breads seam side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the breads lightly with olive oil. Bake in a 500 oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy. The stuffed breads can be frozen at this point. To heat: take the frozen bread out of the freezer and let thaw. Wrap the frozen bread in a piece of foil and heat in a 350 oven for 15 minutes.

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Source by Regina Freeland

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When people see a recipe using chicken stock, more likely than not, they open a can or box of chicken stock from the supermarket. What they might not realize is that making homemade chicken stock is really no more difficult than boiling water. The only difference is that you add some vegetables and spices to the water to flavor it. Once you make your own chicken stock, you will not want to go back to canned or boxed broth (except when you’ve run out of homemade stock from your freezer).

The basic ingredients in a good homemade chicken stock are chicken bones (and skin sometimes), onion, celery, carrots, peppercorns and bay leaves. You can also add parsley, ginger, and thyme. If you make roast chicken, save the bones and skin. While you’re washing the dishes after a roast chicken dinner, simply put the chicken bones and skin in a stock pot, along with some onion, celery, carrots, peppercorns and bay leaves, and let it simmer for a few hours. If you don’t have a roast chicken carcass, you can use chicken backs, chicken wings, or other chicken parts. After the chicken stock is done cooking, let it cool to room temperature, then strain the broth and divide it into containers that are can be stored in the freezer.

Once you have a batch of homemade chicken broth, you can either refrigerate the broth if you’re planning on making some chicken-based soups over the next few days, or freeze it for later. Either way, it is best to skim off the fat that floats to the surface. It’s easier to remove the fat layer when the soup is cold since it will solidify.

Some of my favorite chicken-based soups are Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Rice Soup with Vegetables, Lentil Soup and Minestrone Soup. The nice thing about making your own soup is that you can choose your favorite beans, grains and vegetables to add, and the sodium level is a lot lower than store bought soup.

Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients:

1 roast chicken carcass or 2 pounds of chicken parts

2 carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 3″ pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 3″ pieces

1 large onion, cut up

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 one-inch chunk of ginger, crushed, optional

a few sprigs fresh thyme, optional

1/2 a bunch of fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook, covered, for 2 hours. Strain soup and store in freezer containers (4 cup containers work well for most soup recipes).

Note: If you use chicken parts such as chicken legs and thighs, cook the chicken parts for 35-40 minutes until cooked through. Then, take the chicken out of the pot and remove the meat for a different use. Return the bones and skin to the pot and continue cooking the broth. Chicken meat would be delicious added back to the soup if you make Chicken Noodle Soup, for example.

Copyright 2011 by Jeanette Chen

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Source by Jeanette Chen

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Refrigerators help civilized men in different ways. It helps to preserve the food for longer period, keeps the food, vegetables, and drinks fresh and hygienic, and provides lots of ice and the list of benefits will go on. However, one must also keep in mind that there are some common problems of refrigerators. In addition, these problems can be solved by following the proper guidelines.

One of the most common problems is that the freezer cannot able to chill the foodstuff region. Refrigerator repair will help to solve this problem very nicely and quickly. The user must check that the foods are arranged in proper place of the refrigerator. Each area has different temperature. So arrange the food in proper order. Do not forget to check the interior temperature of the refrigerator. The ideal temperature must be in between 36 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the users can adjust the temperature if it is near 35 by turning it properly.

Some refrigerators make some kind of strange noises and it is a common refrigerator problem. Proper refrigerator repair can mend this problem permanently. One can hear water sound from the back of the fridge and one must check the pan and if required then change the pan. One can also get the sound from the compressor but it is a normal matter. However, if the sound is fixed and if there is lack of coldness then one has to think it seriously. In that case, one has to change the compressor and it is quite expensive.

There are different reasons for which the refrigerator may not work. One must check the electric outlets, fuse and sockets if the refrigerator is not working properly. If the problem still exist then check out the internal parts of the refrigerators like compressor, thermostat, wiring and others. Call an expert mechanic to fix this refrigerator repair problem.

Hence, the refrigerator repair can solve the common problems very quickly and efficiently.

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Source by Myat Soe Oo

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One of the biggest challenges starting up a restaurant is getting everything ready. It gets very stressful, there’s so many things to take care of! Licenses, furniture, an epic restaurant design, an awesome menu, but let’s not forget what you need the most! You need commercial refrigeration! Without refrigeration, where will you store all your inventory? Truth be told, your commercial refrigeration should be on your high priority list, if it isn’t right now you should definitely move it up to the top.

If you are looking to start up a restaurant, are you educated to make a positive decision about your commercial refrigeration? Through this guide, I want to educate you on commercial refrigeration. After reading through this, you should be confident and know exactly what refrigeration equipment is best for you, how you can save lots of money and energy, and the benefits of scheduling preventative maintenance.

Choosing a Refrigeration Model

Not every restaurant sells the same food, nor does each use the same restaurant refrigeration equipment. Building up your restaurant depends hugely on your refrigeration and how you organize your inventory. It seems silly to have a walk-in freezer and use half of it shelving soft-serve ice-cream, or store sodas in a blast chiller, yet stuff like this still happens. Not using your refrigeration equipment correctly or for the right merchandise can damage and/or decrease its efficiency. To make sure you are using the right refrigeration equipment in your restaurant, take a look at the different types of refrigerators.

Reach In Refrigerators –

These are the most common refrigerators found in almost every single kitchen. This is where you should put your food you frequently prepare. Typically, each reach-in refrigerator is divvied into 3 sections by shelves or panels, and are designed to store mostly anything – from sodas to fresh produce.

Glass Door Merchandisers –

Typically, glass door merchandisers are used to show off your goods openly to your customers. They have self-closing, swinging, or sliding doors, and most have bottom-mounted refrigeration systems, making them simple to access for cleanup and maintenance.

Under-counter Refrigerators –

An under-counter refrigerator provides space-saving storage for cold items you’d like to keep handy. This is great if you have a bar, where you can store beer underneath the counter, or at a frying station, where you can have your ingredients on-hand and cool.

Deli Cases –

Show off your recently sliced meats and cheeses in a deli case. These are great to show off your produce in a sandwich shop. There are many options – straight glass, curved glass, and countertop units – that you can choose from that best matches the style and layout of your entire restaurant.

Blast Chillers –

The cook/chill process is a revolutionary refrigeration product. If you are starting up a fast food restaurant, or one that you need only to heat up your food prior to serving your customers, you need to get one of these. Food safety regulations state you have to have cooked food brought from 160° to 40° Fahrenheit within 4 hours. A blast chiller is able to accomplish this in a simple manner, and are designed to store food until re-thermed for consummation.

Walk-In Freezers –

This is the epitome of commercial refrigeration. Walk-in freezers are essential to most restaurants, as they allow you to store much of your inventory in bulk and keep it cold. You can walk into many different sized freezers, from 6′ sq. to others that are custom built and have no size limitations. Since you are able to walk into your freezer, you can be very organized with your stock, and not have to dig behind other items to get what you need.

Picking a Model that Matches Your Needs

Now that you know what type of refrigeration models there are, it’s time to decide which ones are best for you! Here are some really great tips you should take into consideration when shopping around for your refrigeration equipment.

Trust the Best Brands –

As you would with any other product you’re shopping for, you want to compare brand names to one another and see which ones is best for you. There are many refrigeration manufacturers, so it is very important that you find and zero in on one company you can rely on.

Every company has its strengths and weaknesses. Some companies’ main goal is to produce high quality units; others are going to cut their quality short in order to be the cheapest on the market. Your best bet is to check out True, Turbo Air, and Delfield. These three companies are well-known and highly respected in the commercial refrigeration industry, and are definitely worth getting your equipment from.

Take a Look at the Warranty –

Whatever goes up, must come down. That applies to everything in life, including your refrigeration. Eventually, you will have to get commercial refrigeration maintenance.

Most refrigeration brands offer 3 year warranties on their products that covers labor and replacement fees. Oftentimes, you’ll be insured by a large network of certified technicians that are on hand and are ready to get your restaurant refrigeration back up and running as soon as possible.

Should your commercial refrigeration ever break down, you want someone on top of it to fix it immediately. You don’t want to wait long, else you could be looking at some seriously spoiled food and large replacement costs. If you ever require emergency repair, there is always an option available for you.

Choose a Size –

Commercial refrigerators and freezers come in all sizes and shapes. Depending on what type of commercial refrigeration model you need, you will need to measure out the space you have for your refrigeration and work from there. Don’t forget to measure out and make sure there’s enough room in your restaurant for your refrigeration equipment to open and close.

Now that you made sure you have room for your commercial refrigeration, you need to take a look at the interior dimensions. How much food are you looking to store? Do you know how much storage space you require? Some refrigeration units may have the same exterior dimensions, but will widely vary inside due to different designs. Consider what food you will regularly store inside it, and choose the best unit that will accommodate your restaurant’s needs.

Remember About the Condenser Unit –

Don’t overlook the importance of a condenser unit in your refrigerator unit. The condenser unit is the part of your refrigeration that works nonstop to keep your stored food cold. You can get a refrigerator with either a top-mount or bottom-mount condenser unit.

There are advantages and differences between the two positions. Bottom-mount condensers are often easier to clean, maintain and cause less strain on the refrigerator during the summer days. On the other hand, top-mount condensers are preferred by most restaurant owners because they don’t get caught up with much dust and debris, and don’t cause hot air to circulate inside the refrigerator when it’s open. While the two locations have their own pros and cons, you should take into consideration which one is best for your restaurant needs, and make a good judgement call from there.

There are several options you have to look at when you are shopping for your commercial refrigeration, so by applying these tips above, you’ll make a great buying decision.

Saving Energy

Once you have your refrigeration units, what then? You just spent a lot of money on getting awesome refrigeration equipment that’ll last a long time through proper usage and maintenance, so how can you save money to make your refrigeration equipment worth it? The easiest way is to save on energy!

Here are some awesome tips you can practice that will save a lot of money annually on your refrigeration costs. By benefiting off of these savings, you can totally put that money towards promoting your restaurant and getting more customers!

Turn off Door Heaters –

Most walk-in freezers have a door heater so it’s easier for you to open and close and not have super cold hands afterwards. However, unless there is a lot of frost on the door, or a bunch of condensation building up along the sides or the front of the unit, you don’t really need to have the door heater on. By turning off door heaters, you can save yourself over $75 annually.

Give your Refrigeration Room –

When you are taking measurements to see what sized refrigerator you can place, you want to give it some wiggle room. Make sure that you aren’t installing your refrigerators or freezers in tight spots. Doing so will allow better air circulation and waste less energy. You are preventing heat from building up in tight spots, which would cause your commercial refrigeration to work harder, use more energy, and consequently, unnecessarily raise your energy bill.

Monitor Your Refrigerant Charge –

If you have a walk-in freezer, you want to make sure you don’t run low on refrigerant. Having too little will cause extra strain on the compressor. Each walk-in freezer is built with a sight glass, which is used for this very reason. If there are visible bubbles building up on the glass while the unit is running, you should schedule a maintenance check with a HVAC company as soon as possible. Not taking action can cause your walk-in freezer to cease up and not work, which is way worse and more costly than getting the help you need.

Add Night Covers to Display Cases –

While open-case refrigerators are a great way to show off your food, they can become a huge energy expense, especially during closed hours. By investing in night covers, you can trap the cold air inside the case so your unit doesn’t have to work as hard at night.

Install Electronically Commutated Motors (ECMs) on evaporator fans –

ECMs are more efficient evaporator fan motors than existing standard efficiency shaded-pole motors, and once ECMs are installed, rebates between $35 and $50 may be available to businesses that apply with PG&E. This simple add-on to walk-in refrigerators and freezers can reduce restaurant costs substantially over the long term, with lower monthly utility bills and less need for maintenance

ECMS are evaporator fan motors that are more efficient that standard shaded-pole motors. On average, you can be getting back $35 to $50 in rebates from PG&E if you have your ECMs registered. This is an easy upgrade for walk-in freezers that can lower your restaurant costs by a lot in the long run, with lower monthly costs and a lesser need for commercial refrigeration maintenance.

The Benefits of Scheduled Preventative Maintenance

So far I’ve gone over refrigeration models and choosing the ones that work best with your restaurant. I’ve gone over how to save money and energy with some simple, easy to do tips. The only thing left to talk to you about is how to protect your commercial refrigeration and keep it running for a long time.

Your best option to protect your commercial refrigeration is to schedule preventative maintenance for it. You wouldn’t want your car’s engine to cease up halfway down the freeway, so why would you not treat your commercial refrigeration the same? Both a car and your commercial refrigeration are important assets, and you wouldn’t want either one of them to suddenly stop working. That’s why you should be taking your car in for regular maintenance, and have a certified HVAC technician come by and thoroughly inspect your commercial refrigeration system.

What’s so great about commercial refrigeration maintenance?

First off, you’ll know about any refrigeration problems before they become a real problem. One nightmare you don’t want to live through as a restaurant owner is to come in and find your entire stock spoiled and smelling profuse.

Second, you won’t have to worry about making repairs yourself. If refrigeration repair is not your thing, you don’t need to spend hours watching how-tos online, stressing about whether you’ll mess up and ruin your entire unit. There’s a reason there are certified, highly-skilled technicians available to help you!

Lastly, getting help will save you money over the long run. Having regular maintenance almost guarantees an extended lifetime for your commercial refrigeration system, and you don’t have to worry for a very long time the need to replace your refrigeration units.

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Source by Darren Lowrey

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A small fridge can certainly come in handy sometimes. When you work at a job where you need to pack a lunch or maybe you just like to travel and want to bring food and drinks along, a mini fridge can help keep your food cold and keep it from perishing. Of course there are also certain disadvantages of a small fridge. The most obvious one is that it is so small in size.

Compared to the average refrigerator the basic mini fridge is about 1/10th the size. This means you are not able to hold even remotely the same amount of food and drink in this little fridge. Most of the time you do not need to worry about packing so much in a mini fridge so this should not always be a big problem.

The storage space is limited but if you take a look around at the different models on the market today you should find one that is spacious enough. You can find some models so small they barely hold a gallon of milk while others can contain an entire 24 pack of beer no problem. It depends entirely on what you plan to use the fridge for.

Temperature features are another issue with most mini fridges. On a standard refrigerator there are typically options for turning the freezer and refrigerator sections up and down with a temperature thermostat located inside. With the mini fridges however, this is usually not an option. If you take a look in any portable fridge you will see that there are no fancy features. You open the tiny door, a light comes on, and your food and drinks are kept inside cold. That is pretty much it. Of course you cannot expect too much from a fridge of this size.

Most small fridges do not come with a freezer section which is a third disadvantage. If there is meat or cold slushie drinks you want to keep frozen, this may not be an option. Available are some slightly larger and more expensive versions that come with a tiny freezer area but you will need to look specifically for this.

For some people a small fridge works and for others it does not. Portable fridges are definitely handy in the right situations.

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Source by Chris D Smith

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Home made soups are not only comforting, but are also a good source of nutrients. Virtually every country or territory have their own types of soups. Another advantage of homemade soup is that they taste better too. Especially when they are cooked with fresh natural ingredients. They can be eaten with either bread, starch or on their own, especially during winter. They are among the easiest foods to make,and packet and cube soups have nothing like the flavour and texture of their home made counterpart. Virtually any ingredients ranging from vegetables to even fruits to meat and poultry or as mixture of these can be used.

A very important ingredient in soup is the stock and making your own at home is worth the time and effort. For many people, the idea of making beef stock or any kind of stock at sounds daunting, but it need not be. It is a good way to use the fresh vegetables from your garden.Stock cubes save time and are convenient to use but should be avoided as much as possible because they tend to contain a lot of salt. Here is a simple recipe for beef stock which you can make ahead of time and store in the freezer for up to forty five days. Do note that it can only be stored in the freezer as it deteriorates quickly.

Utensils: large saucepan, slotted spoon, colander.

Ingredients: one kilogram marrow and shin bones, one large onion, two large carrots, one bouquet garni, five black peppercorns.

Procedure: ask your butcher to chop the bones into small pieces that you can handle.

Wash the bones thoroughly and place them in a large saucepan.

Add about two quarts of water to cover the bones

Add half a tablespoon of salt.

Bring to the boil and skim off any scum with the slotted spoon.

Simmer the Stock gently for two hours keeping the saucepan half covered. Be sure to skim occasionally during this time.

Peel and quarter the onion, peel and chop the carrots.

Add the onion, carrots, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Then continue simmering for another two hours adding more water if the level drops below the level of the bones.

Remove the stock from heat and strain with a colander.

Allow it to cool them skim off fat with absorbent kitchen paper. Use immediately or store it in the freezer.

This beef stock can be used when preparing vegetable soups, meats, casseroles, stews and broths.

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Source by Amaka N

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Over the years I have mentioned to various people a recipe I use to make a very healthy, homemade vegetable soup. I’m big on preparing food in advance so that it is always available.

Recently, I was asked some specific questions so I thought I would write down everything regarding ingredients and preparation.

A 6 quart crockpot is needed.

The ingredients are mainly obtained at my local Trader Joe’s and are all organic.

Ingredients:

• Kale- 1 10 ounce bag- chopped

• Power Greens- 2 5 ounce bags- chopped

• Broccoli- 1 20 ounce bag- cut

• Carrots- 4-cut into pieces

• Mushrooms- 6 large mushrooms- cut into pieces

• Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes – 1 can

• Molasses- 1 tablespoon

• Honey- 1 tablespoon

• Sea salt- a pinch

• Olive oil- 1 tablespoon

• Flaxseed (ground meal) – one third of a cup

• Onion- 1 small

• Garlic-several gloves

Start by lightly sautéing the onion and garlic.

Put all the ingredients into the crockpot. Fill the crockpot to within a half inch of the top with filtered water. Cover the crockpot and seal the lid. Slow cook for nine or 10 hours.

When the cooking process is finishes and the ingredients have cooled stir all the contents evenly.

Usually the contents will provide enough to fill four or five Tupperware containers. Put the containers in the freezer for storage.

I keep a defrosted container in my refrigerator so that I can dish out the ingredients every day. I will ladle some into a cooking pot, add some Trader Joe’s Vegetable Broth, turmeric, pepper and Peruvian Sea Salt (which I get from Steel City Salt Co. in Millvale, Pennsylvania).

In the winter I like to come home at lunch and have a bowl with some chicken breast added. It really warms and energizes me on those cold, dark days. During the warmer months I’ll have a bowl in the morning with a separate batch of fried eggs.

Kale, greens and broccoli are all in the cruciferous vegetable family. Cruciferous vegetables are very important in detoxifying ourselves. It’s important to eat vegetables in this family every day.

Organic molasses is produced from sugar cane. Sugarcane roots extend deep into the ground and absorb a lot of minerals. Since organic molasses is not processed it is definitely okay to consume. It’s the white processed sugar that we want to avoid.

It’s good to combine pepper and turmeric. Pepper activates the powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients of turmeric and allows for better digestive absorption.

Preparation of foods is very helpful in maintaining a good diet. We can prepare many foods ahead. Some examples would be preparing a salad for the next day. Also defrosting chicken breasts, steaks, fish or any other kind of entrée for the following day. Having a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer, readily available, for stir-fry is convenient.

By having foods prepped we are much less likely to grab just anything convenient at home or, even worse, stopping for fast food.

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Source by James Schofield

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Not all people know of the climate classification of refrigerators. Today, there are tropical, sub tropical and normal refrigerators. Let’s you and I find what exactly is the difference.

The climate classification of this appliance has been initiated by a European Union. This is in hopes of reducing energy consumption for refrigerators. This has been passed September 3rd of 1999. In this mandate, they have banned the production of refrigerators that use more than 280 kilowatt hours per year.

The T-Rated(Tropical) refrigerators are purported to run a bit colder than the normal ones. That means the sub tropical ones come close when it comes to coldness. It has been said that these fridges are commonly manufactured in countries like Germany, Australia, Sweden, the UK, France, Finland, Italy and Holland. There is a lot of confusion as to whether or not a refrigerator is T-rated. However, have it known that this is probably widely available in the market.

You can take a look at your refrigerator’s compliance plate. If it has a label there that says it is a climate class and then there is T sign on it, then this is automatically a tropical rated machine. This is a type of refrigerator that will work better in tropical areas since the climate is hotter.

Normal refrigerators can be used by those people living in colder countries which are why most of these do not come in a climate classification rating. The Sub normal rate fridges have been deemed the best type of fridge for those living in European countries.

The classification will depend on which country they will sell it. Naturally, you will not sell SN fridge to Australia because they have a different climate there. But the confusing part is, there are SN fridges sold to warmer countries.

To put it simply, when you buy a refrigerator, make sure you know which climate classification you are buying. This will help the machine adjust better to the climate you have in your country.

People living in tropical countries should purchase those T-rated ones. This will also help prolong the life of your refrigerator.

Unfortunately, not all are labelled with a climate classification so you cannot really tell which ones are better. Also, it is difficult to find some decent information as to which brands have followed classifications when it comes to climate. Truly, finding a good refrigerator can get be a bit more complicated.

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Source by Alan Cassidy

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If you learned to cook from your mother, do you wonder why she never told you the one all-purpose way to tell when fruit is ripe and ready to eat? That’s because there isn’t one. There are more than 50 different species of fruit, and they all mature in different ways.

• Bananas and avocados are picked green and ripen off the tree.
• Most varieties of pears can be picked when full-sized but still green and very firm. Place them in a warm place and they ripen in a few days.
• Nectarines and plums can be picked when colorful but still very firm. They will ripen to your desired amount of firmness or softness after a few days at room temperature.
• Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit won’t ripen after being picked from the tree.
• Most pineapples in the United States and Canada are from Hawaii. These pineapples have a golden yellow tan or reddish orange color when ripe. The golden color starts at the bottom. The upper part of the pineapple may be green but the further the golden color rises up the pineapple, the sweeter it will be. The true test for ripeness in all pineapples is to look at the bottom of the fruit. A yellow color breaking through the bottom indicates that sugar has developed in the pineapple and is ready to eat. If no yellow color exists, the sugar has not developed and the pineapple will not be sweet.
• Most peaches taste best from late June through August. At farm stands, aroma is an indicator. Fruit should smell as good as it tastes. Ripe cantaloupe should give a sweet aroma when sniffed where the stem was attached. But scent doesn’t always work in supermarkets, since refrigeration stunts the bouquet.
• Apples are crisp and flavorful when full-sized and when they display the identifying color of their variety. Most apples mature during the Autumn months of September and October. There are also a few Summer varieties.
• Color is also a tip-off with certain fruits. Ripe peaches have a rich, yellowish undertone, as do cantaloupes, while watermelons should have a whitish yellow color on the underbelly side. They should also resonate when slapped, like a musical instrument.
• Strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are ripe and should be picked when the berry shows a rich, even color with no white spots.
• Grapes are harvested when fully ripe yet firm. Use color as a guide to the sweetness of the fruit. Green grapes should have a yellow cast or straw color with a touch of amber, when fully ripe. Red grapes should be a deep crimson, not a milky or pale red. Blue grapes should be darkly hued, almost black, not pale or tinged with green. Grapes should be plump. You can always judge the freshness of grapes by the stem. The greener the stem, the fresher the grapes.

Fresh fruit provides Vitamin A (apha-carotene, beta-carotene and retinol), Vitamin C, most of the B Vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate and folic acid), and fiber.

Frozen grapes are a great, nutritious snack for kids. Put Red Flame or other seedless grapes on a tray in the freezer. When frozen, put them in a resealable plastic bag and return then to the freezer. Then kids can have sweet, frozen snacks anytime.

Prepare a fresh fruit salad by mixing your choice of fruit cut into cubes or balls. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator as the juices blend. No dressing is required. My favorite fruit salad combination is grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, and strawberries.

For a simple but delicious dip for fruit mix equal amounts of whipped topping, marshmallow fluff, and fruit-flavored yogurt. Lime, lemon, orange, and strawberry yogurt taste great with fresh fruit.

Stuffed Pineapple Boats

This is a fun tropical recipe for special guests or a backyard luau.

2 small to medium pineapples

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1/3 teaspoon Watkins Ground Ginger

12 to 16 ounces roasted chicken breast meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Watkins Orange Extract

1 tablespoon almond or walnut oil

1 cup diced celery

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

1 teaspoon minced jalapeño pepper

1. First hollow each pineapple. Cut pineapples in half lengthwise through crown and leaves. Remove the inner core by making a V cut underneath it, then lifting it out. With a short, sharp knife, cut all around the inside of the fruit leaving a 1/2 inch thick rim all around. Lift out the fruit inside the cavity and cut into 1/2-inch cubes or ball shapes. The attached leaves add to the decoration. To keep the boat from rocking, it may be necessary to cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half.
2. You should have about 6 cups of cut up pineapple. Save any juice for the dressing as you work. Squeeze out juice from any bits of extra pineapple to extract more juice. You should have about 1/4 cup juice.
3. If serving immediately combine pineapple with chicken, celery, almonds, and jalapeño in a mixing bowl. Combine ginger, vinegar, orange extract, oil, salt, and reserved pineapple juice in a separate bowl. Pour over salad mixture and mix well.
4. Put boats on large plates. Stuff each with 1/4 of the salad mixture and sprinkle with coconut. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

If you are entertaining a group of guests choose a large pineapple for a serving dish, add salad mixture to pineapple halves, and let guests serve themselves.

Cooking Tip

To prepare this dish in advance, mix all ingredients except chicken. Stir in the chicken just before serving. The acids and enzymes in the pineapple turn the meat to mush after a few hours. Turkey or pork tenderloin may be used in place of chicken in this recipe.

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Source by Eleisia Whitney

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Looking for sex tips to spice things up? There are many ways to do so, but one that many couples are unfamiliar with is incorporating hot and cold play in the bedroom. Altering the temperature can awaken the nerve endings and circulatory system in ways that deliver mind-blowing pleasure to both partners. The following examples, along with safety tips for maintaining vaginal and penis health, can help couples get their bearings in this exciting new world of sensation play.

Cup of Water

Keeping a cup of warm (not hot!) water near the bed can boost his oral sex enjoyment. A partner can take a sip, swallow, then take another sip and hold the warm water in his/her mouth, then take the man’s penis inside. Swashing the water around his penis for a few moments then swallowing it will give him a tantalizing experience.

Breath Play

Warm, moist breath is one of the body’s most pleasurable heat sources, and making use of this natural heat during foreplay and sex can bring both partners thrilling waves of enjoyment. Gently exhale on a lover’s sensitive spots, including the stomach, neck and ears. Gently breathing on the clitoris and testicles is also encouraged.

Candle Wax

Most people have heard of dripping hot candle wax on the skin as part of sex play, and many find this frightening. For good reason – most people don’t want to actually burn their skin. The trick to safely participating in wax play is to use candles made of soy, which don’t require as much heat to melt as those made of beeswax or regular wax, so they are less likely to deliver too much heat. Also, of course, if one has very sensitive skin concerning heat, this method should be avoided.

Chilled Spoon

Chill a metal spoon for a bit in a bowl of ice or cold water, then apply the back of the spoon to a lover’s neck, nipples, stomach, etc.

Plain Old Ice

An ice cube in the hand can go a long way. Trace a line extending from one side of a lover’s neck all the way down the side of the leg, them up the inside of the leg, down the inside of the other and back up the other side of his or her body. It’s best to avoid the penis and testicles.

Ice Dildo/Hot Towel

This is one of the more hardcore forms of temperature play, which should be pursued with caution. The idea is for the man to masturbate with a warm, wet towel around his member while a woman masturbates with a chilled dildo. Then, he enters her, and the sensation change for both is out of this world.

There are several options for a chilled dildo. Some glass and metal dildos are made to be chilled, but caution should be taken. Glass that gets very cold and then undergoes a sudden temperature change, such as inside the body, can break – yikes! And cold metal may stick to a lady’s warm, wet inside – also no good. Use proper precautions. Let the glass or metal warm just a little; use lube; use condoms; always, always follow packaging instructions.

Blindfold

Any of the above techniques can be combined with one another, and all of them may be more enjoyable with a blindfold in place. This will leave a lover anticipating, eager and unaware of what sensation is to come. Sight deprivation may be most exciting when lovers are combining a form of heat play like candle wax with a form of cold play, like ice cubes or a cold spoon.

Keeping it Safe

Always check in to be sure that the skin is not being burned or losing sensation due to excessive cold or heat. Don’t freeze or heat toys that were not designed to withstand such temperatures. Ease into temperature play to get to know what one’s skin can tolerate.

Maintaining skin health on the sexual organs can’t be overrated; one’s ability to sense pleasure depends on it. Men can take an extra step in the penis care department by using a quality penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) daily. Shea butter and vitamin E keep the skin moisturized, protecting it from the frictions of a vigorous sex life. Show one’s sex life some excitement with temperature play, and one’s manhood some love with a penis health crème.

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Source by John Dugan