Cooking and Kitchen Tips

Author: Madhavi Porori

A small and easy steps can save from lots of huss and fuss in the kitchen. Knowledge on low-fat basic cooking tips is a great way to help make the foods that your family loves without sacrificing the quality of the recipe. I have always loved to made banana bread for my family. Though it is an excellent recipe but the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil. I detested the adding of all that fat to the recipe and worried about the health of my family. Therefore I quit making the bread. Though my family complained but I'm more worried about their health than I did their complaints. Recently I found out that it is possible to replace with 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the oil in my banana bread recipe. Miraculously, the banana bread is moist, flavorful and no one in my family could taste the dissimilarity. Great and easy way. Isn't it?

Waterbath

Using a waterbath in baking, cooking or warming recipes consists of placing a container for example, a pan, bowl, ramekins or soufflé dish of a recipe or food in a large, shallow pan of warm water either in an oven or on a stovetop. The water surrounds and protects delicate foods from direct heat, allowing it to be prepared "low and slow". The French call this cooking technique au bain marie (bahn mah-ree). The name originated in the 14th century, when it denoted a utensil first used in alchemy.

Stovetop Waterbath

An oven or on a stovetop waterbath is typically used with delicate foods and egg-based desserts, such as custards or cheesecakes and egg-based sauces, that would curdle, break, crack or scorch under too much heat. The lower temperature prevents the egg proteins in the recipe from toughening when exposed to high temperatures. It also helps to prevent overcooking them which causes the egg proteins to overcoagulate and shrink when cooled, the classic cause of cracking in recipes! A waterbath also prevents crust formation on a custard or other egg-based dessert. With it, you also get a cheesecake recipe that is creamy almost custard-like, moist and rich.

A stovetop waterbath is used when melting or tempering chocolate because it can burn easily from direct heat. Stirred custards are cooked in a waterbath on a stovetop, as well as delicate and egg based sauces or when heating egg whites or yolks.

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Cooking is an art. I love to cook. http://www.planyourdinner.com

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Basic Slow Cooker Tips and Delectable Roast Beef Recipes

Author: David H. Urmann

There are things to consider when using a slow cooker or crock pot. There are also various roast beef recipes you can make with your slow cooker.



Slow cookers or crock pots are countertop electrical cooking appliances that maintain a low temperature for several hours. This enables cooking stew or pot roast without the need to check on it from time to time.

Amateur cooks will find it very easy to handle and maintain. All you need to do is to fill it up, and then turn it on. After several hours, dinner can be served. However, when using the slow cooker, there are some things you need to consider. It is best to get one that has a removable liner, making it very easy to clean. If you already have one with a non-removable liner, you can just use a cooking bag; then, use cooking spray on the inner liner.



Make sure you only fill your slow cooker ½ up to 2/3 full. The food will not be cooked properly if filled to the brim. However, if the liquid and food level is a bit lower, it will cook quickly.



You will find that the food along the bottom part of the slow cooker are moister and become cooked faster. This is because they are continuously immersed inside the simmering liquid. Since fats have a tendency to melt and cook easily when heated for a long time, resulting to an unpleasant texture, it is best to trim the excess fat formed and remove the skin from poultry.



During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, you can remove the lid and cook it on high to thicken the juices and add more flavors. It is best to cook on High during the 1st hour of cooking so that the temperature would easily reach 140 degrees, ensuring food safety. When you are almost done with your cooking, you can turn the dial to Low.



Do not place frozen foods inside your slow cooker. It should be defrosted first before cooking it. This way the temperature would easily reach 140 degrees. It also protects the appliance from being damaged.



Use cheaper cuts of meat because this requires about 8 hours of low cooking. Aside from being able to save money, they have less fat, moist and they result to more tender meats.



Ground meat should be cooked inside a skillet prior to cooking it in the slow cooker. If you will be cooking seafood in a slow cooker, this should be added in the last hour of cooking; otherwise, it will become overcooked and it will showcase a rubbery texture. Take note, 1 hour on high setting is actually equal to 2 hours on low setting.



Only use small amounts of Tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper because they become bitter when they are cooked for a long time. It is best to add them during the end of your cooking time.



Make sure you only add tender vegetables such as mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchini on the last 45 mins. of cooking time. This way, you will not overcook them.



Dairy products, on the other hand, must be added only during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.



Prior to storage, take out cooked food from the slow cooker or liner. Since the slow cooker's liner is composed of thick material, cooked food will not be able to cool down quickly so as to prevent the growth of bacteria.



Only stir in spices during the last hour of cooking time. If you cook this for a long time, it will lose its flavor.



Carefully follow the layering instructions. Since vegetables are not cooked as easily as meat, you need to place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.



If you are using low temperature, do not lift the lid when you stir. This is because the heat will escape and extend the cooking time to 30 minutes more. You can check the cooking progress by spinning the cover so that the condensation would fall off, giving you a chance to look inside your slow cooker.



Here are some of the best Roast Beef Recipes you can cook with your slow cooker:



Roast Beef a la Mushroom Soup



Ingredients are 1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup, small to medium shoulder or chuck of beef roast, 1 can of French Onion Soup, a dash of pepper and ½ can of water (for cleaning the soup can).



Procedure:



Place the first 3 ingredients inside your slow cooker. Mix the ingredients until thoroughly blended. Sprinkle a dash of pepper. Put the settings on Low and allow cooking for the entire night. The next day, remove the meat and prepare your gravy. If your gravy seems too thin, add about 1 to 2 tsp. of cornstarch with ¼ cups of cold water. Set the cooker on high. Stir in the mixture to thicken and serve.



Roast Beef with Gravy



Ingredients are olive oil, 3 to 3 ½ pounds Boneless Rump Roast, 8 garlic slivers, salt and pepper. You will also need a meat thermometer. For the gravy, you will need some beef stock or red wine and corn starch.



Procedure:



One hour prior to cooking remove the roast from the refrigerator at put it in room temperature.



Using a sharp knife, you need to cut about eight small incisions around your roast. You will place one sliver of garlic on each incision. Place one tablespoon of olive oil around your roast and then sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Put your roast on the oven rack with the fatty side up and a drip pan over a rack under the roasting rack. This way, you will not be required to turn the roast.



Brown your roast at 375oF for 30 minutes. Then, put it on 225oF. It would still 2 to 3 hours to cook but if it starts to drip and is already brown externally, use your meat thermometer to check its temperature. After this, pull your roast from the oven once the temperature reaches 135 to 140oF. Place it on an aluminum foil for about 15 minutes and carve to serve.



For the gravy:



Take out the dripping pan from the oven. Place it on the stove top while it is on medium heat. Collect the drippings, add water, beef stock or red wine. This will loosen the drippings off the pan. Then, dissolve one tablespon of cornstarch with water and add this on the drip pan. Stir it quickly as the gravy thickens. You can also add some butter, salt and pepper. Aside from this, you can also add some fresh thyme.

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For more information on Slower Cooker Chilli Recipe and Slow Cookers & Crock Pots. Please visit our website.

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Southern-Style Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe

Author: Shelly Hill

Several years ago my husband and I took a trip down to Alabama and met a woman who ran a little diner-style restaurant on one of those back roads in the country. My husband ordered the Shrimp Jambalaya and enjoyed it. We asked her for the recipe and she said she would be back in a few minutes. About 10 minutes later, she hands us a slip of paper with her recipe handwritten on it.

We live in the Mid-Atlantic states so eating Southern-Style food every day is something we don't get to enjoy too often. Now when we make Darla's recipe, it brings back fond memories of our trip down to Alabama.

The only changes we make from her original recipe is that we like to use large sized shrimp and we use only a 1/2 of an onion. You can make the recipe with our changes or with her original version.

Shrimp Jambalaya

1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb. of raw medium sized shrimp
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes
1/2 lb. sausage (cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces)

In a stock pot, combine the chopped onion, green pepper, garlic and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Saute these ingredients over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes or until they are no longer pink. You will need to stir it frequently to prevent sticking. Remove shrimp mixture and set aside in a bowl.

Cook the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and the rice in the stock pot over medium heat, stirring often, until the rice has browned. This will take 8-10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, crushed red pepper and can of whole tomatoes. Heat this mixture to a boiling and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until rice is tender (about 12-15 minutes).

Stir in the shrimp mixture and the chopped sausage. Cover and continue to cook until shrimp and sausage are hot. Serve immediately.

This recipe will make 4-5 hearty servings.

Article Source: http://shellyhill.articlesbase.com/main-course-articles/southernstyle-shrimp-jambalaya-recipe-1199012.html

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Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 in Direct Sales and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can visit Shelly online at: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her recipe blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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Soul Food Recipes - What You Don't Know That Can Help You

Author: Roy Primm

Soul food recipes had a reputation for tasting good and leaving you with that satisfied feeling, but it also a reputation of being unhealthy. Much of the taste came from heavy calories and fattening ingredients.

These ingredients had many medical risks attached to them based on current medical research. That negative continues to change as more creative cooks learn to cook healthier dishes and past that information on to the next person. As more people continue to have a keen interest in cooking healthy and saving money healthy soul food will continue to grow in popularity.

When it comes to eating healthy southern cuisine it's easier than you think if you can keep a few basic principles in mind. Contrary to popular belief most people still think eating healthy automatically means higher cost. But that' s not true, especially if you know how to shop for the right items and in the right manner. Here's some valuable tips that can help you eat healthier.

1. Shop For Fresh Produce - The first step to eating healthier is eating fresher. This means you should spend most of your time in the produce section of your supermarket and less or no time in the canned section. Greens, onions, carrots and other root vegetables can go with almost any dish. You can mix them into a stir fry, a casserole or stem them. These are all healthy cooking methods. In addition, they're low in cost, especially when you compare them with canned or frozen vegetables. Another hint: when shopping in the produce section always look for the produce that's in season, not only is it fresher, it also cost less.

2, Recipe Substitutes - Many traditional soul food recipes call for ingredients high in calories, fat or salt. You can substitute many of these ingredients for healthier choices. For example, if a recipe calls for salt you can substitute that for lemon, lime juice, garlic, powder, onion powder, apple cider vinegar or turmeric for example. If a recipe calls for ham hocks, you can substitute that with smoked turkey ham, bacon or necks for that smoky down south flavor, without the fat or calories.

3. Use Quicker Cooking Methods - Traditional soul called for cooking in large amounts of water when it comes to vegetables such as collard greens or black eye peas. Or deep-frying when it came to meats, poultry or fish. Quicker cooking methods, such as stir frying or sautéing has taken the place of the more traditional methods of southern cooking such as deep frying. These quick cooking methods have healthier benefits. For example, they help the food retain important vitamins and minerals when it comes to vegetables. In addition, the quick frying methods avoid normal frying dangers such as artery clogging oils, fats and grease.

These are a few example of how you can help to make your soul food recipes healthier. I'll continue to give you more valuable tips to cook, eat and stay healthy in the near future.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/soul-food-recipes-what-you-dont-know-that-can-help-you-1209088.html

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Roy Primm has written dozens of articles and soul food recipes online. For more food for the soul cooking tips, recipes and thousands of Brand Name Coupons go to Soul Food Recipes

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Delicious Sauce Recipe Ideas for the Holidays

Author: Arianna Peace

Sauces are known as the cornerstone of successful cooking, serving as a base for many culinary creations. Spice up your holiday fest with delicious sauce recipe ideas.

There’s nothing like a homemade sauce to give a tasty kick to your holiday dinner. Whether you are planning to serve salad, seafood, veggies, meat or fish, jazz up your meals and wake up your taste buds with these wonderful sauce recipes.

Celebrate your holidays with these delicious sauce recipe ideas and your guests will be delighted.

MEDALLIONS OF PORK W/RED WINE SAUCE

Ingredients

8 Slices boneless loin of Pork, 3 oz. each, trimmed of Fat

1 Whole clove

1/2 c. Red wine

1 Tsp. Balsamic vinegar

2 Tsp. Honey

1 Tbs. Olive oil

2 Tbs. Finely chopped shallots

2 Tbs. Butter

1 Tbs. Freshly grated ginger

1/2 Tsp. Dried thyme OR 2 Springs of fresh thyme

1 Bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Contributed to the echo by: Janice Norman

Originally from: 60 minute Gourmet, NY Times.

Directions for red wine sauce recipe served with medallions of pork: Place pork slices on a flat surface. Pound lightly with a mallet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine ginger, thyme, vinegar, bay leaf, clove, wine, and honey in a bowl and blend well. Place sliced pork in a dish and pour mixture over it. Marinate for 10 minutes. Drain the pork medallions and pat dry. Reserve marinate. Place meat in a single layer in skillet in the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes, turn and cook for 5 minutes more over medium high heat. Reduce heat and cook meat for 2 minutes more. Transfer meat to a dish and keep warm. In skillet add the shallots and cook stirring until wilted. Add the reserved marinate and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom. Cook until marinate is reduced to 3/4 its original amount. Swirl in the butter and pour the sauce over the medallions. Remove bay leaf and sprigs of thyme before serving.

FRUITED CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients

2 c. Cooked Diced Chicken OR Turkey

2 Tbs. Soy Sauce

1 c. Diced Apples

1 c. Orange Sections

1/2 c. Halved Green Grapes

2 c. Chopped Celery

Lettuce Leaves

Directions for chicken salad recipe: Toss Chicken With Soy Sauce. Let Stand 15 Min. Mix Fruit With Celery, Add Chicken. Mix Again. Chill. Blend Dressing: 6 T. Low Fat Yogurt, 5 T. Low Cal. Mayonnaise, 4 T. Skim Milk, 2 Packets Equal, 1/4 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice. Arrange Fruited Chicken Salad On Lettuce (About 1 Cup Each) On Lettuce Leaves. Spoon Dressing Over Salad

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/delicious-sauce-recipe-ideas-for-the-holidays-1220100.html

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Articles courtesy of the cooking site Recipes Cookbook

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Chicken recipes are the most sought after recipe

Author: Madhavi Porori

You know cooking at home can be a great funds saver and a fun activity to do either by yourself or with other people.

Even if you've done tiny cooking it's not hard to get started cooking and making great tasting food like fried chicken recipes. Six times you learn how to make great tasting food, you will feel so proud of yourself and your relatives and friends will be so impressed.

Of work it's easy to run out and receive a bucket of chicken. But have you ever wanted to make great tasting fried chicken at home, for yourself, your friends, or your relatives? You can--it's not hard and it doesn't take much time.

Crispy, tasty fried chicken! Is there anything better? Jogging to receive a giant bucket of chicken for your friends and relatives to enjoy around the dinner table is a great thing. like in the commercials, it's a lovely meal to enjoy together.

But where do you get the info and the knowledge to make a great tasting meal. Finding the right recipe to cook from is the giant challenge. The web is full of recipes, search on KFC Fried Chicken Recipe and you get 118,000 results. There might be a lovely three in there, but how would you know? Some recipe sights have reviews of recipes, but how long will it take to find three with lovely reviews of a recipe--possibly forever..

Trustworthy cookbooks is the answer. If you can find cookbooks with great chicken recipes for food you like and that have wonderful testimonials for happy customers, that's a lovely sign. It shows you can trust the cookbook and that these recipes have been tried and that people are happy with them.

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Cooking is an art. I like to cook. http://www.planyourdinner.com

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Tasty Steak Recipes

Steaks are the simplest to make amongst all the meats. Tender steaks like the sirloin plus the T-bone are likely to be grilled. Most recipes differ in marinade which is to be applied to steak. Marinades utilize wine, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato juice, etc; and even fruits such as papaya and pineapple.

It is very suggested that you marinade the steaks to the minimum of 6 hours to the maximum of one day before placing over the grill. The time limit of marinating the steals completely depends upon the steak recipes. A charcoal grill is the most effective bet to obtain restaurant-comparable flavor. Based on the gentleness of the steak, they are turned twice or thrice to have the specified level of doneness. Steaks really should not be disturbed if they are grilling, as this doesn't permit the coating to form on their sides. Also they really should not be poked with forks as this might allow the juices to run out of the steak.

Among the most effective known recipes of steak preparation is the Buf au Poivre, literally meaning 'Beef with Peppercorn', a standard French recipe. This is definitely an unique dish, which uses just the prime cuts of a filet mignon.

First and foremost, you need to sprinkle some kosher salt over the 1" thickness steaks of beef. Then peppercorns are crushed and patted onto both sides of the steak. Steaks readied in such a manner are then put on a 12" skillet pan over a medium fire. The fillet steaks are likely to be required to make for at least 8 to 10 minutes on both sides. Although, a meat thermometer is generally utilized to test the doneness of the steaks, practiced people can just touch the meat and check its doneness. Then mustard and cognac is included with the skillet and further cooked for roughly thirty seconds.

Usually, every culture has their own authentic and traditional steak recipes. The Asian generally make this enormously scrumptious rotisserie style steak recipe that is cooked by utilizing soy sauce and peppers. Asians are well-known for their several delectable kababs recipes. The Irish merge steak and bacon together with raisins to prepare a spicy-sweet recipe called the Steak and Guinness Pie.

Further, Swiss people usually serves their salsa steak recipes with a few hot mushroom soup. Though, the most popular and delectable steak recipe is the one which originates from La France. The French have tested and mastered several epicure recipes. Despite there being numerous hundreds of steak recipes all across the world, Americans focus on the humble grilled steak, which is just as tasty as any of another high-brow names going around.

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How to Make Campfire Cooking Grilling

Author: Manish Kum Bansal

Cooking is one of my specialties. While in the US Army Reserves I learned about Cooking. Indoor, outdoor and campfire cooking was fun and easy with cast iron cookware. I remember the outdoors and the smell of campfire cooking, accompanied by the chorus of the squirrels, crickets and birds, during bivouacs.

The most ordinary form of outdoor cooking is campfire cooking. For families it is particularly well fitting, it is an activity which presents an opportunity for pleasant evenings and outings. It has its own taste and fancy. Skill and knowledge is required, but both are easily acquired. Campfire cooking is a tradition in itself and some cooks have years of experience both on safaris and at home. For more details www.cooking-groundbeef.com .It is one of my favorite things in life. It is great; however, most campfire cooking is done in campgrounds. Credit to improvements in camping cooking gear and a horde of easy-prep and in-store ingredients, it need not be limited to burgers, dogs and smokes. Another unique way of campfire cooking is to cook some food items inside of other foods. Another unusual campfire cooking method is cooking in paper. An unfussy and simple way of campfire cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals. The days of utilitarian campfire cooking of yesteryear are gone. Try out a few odd techniques the next time you\'re out camping.

For the tools and tips, place in your favorite search engines: campfire cooking grill, campfire ring, propane in the ground campfire with a cast iron pot, campfire grill, campfire tripod, campfire in a can , California campfire fireplace, little red campfire , cooking steamer, induction cooking, cooking tripod, cooking strainer, cooking smoker, cooking station, cooking table, cooking pot, cooking twine, cooking thermometer, cooking rings, bistro cooking, plank cooking. Search for some prime cooking on the web or books on tips and tricks for Dutch oven campfire cooking. Buy books which are specifically written for the camper who wants to make campfire cooking easier, safer, revealing how to make campfire cooking grilling and RVing easy and fun in camping. I learned years ago from a relative that most pans will do well for campfire cooking.

If you\'ve never done any campfire cooking or camp cooking before, one of the things to be aware of is that you\'ll need to monitor food closely from start to finish because it can burn quickly. Placing a marshmallow or hotdog on the end of a good stick and holding the food at just the right distance from the heat. For more details www.cat-head-biscuit.com .One of the disadvantages to campfire cooking is that cookware gets much dirtier than it does when cooking with a stove. So most likely campfire cooking will require more clean-up. Although campfire cooking can take a little more time than simply firing up the stove, it is more rewarding. If on the other hand you\'re in the mood to take your time and enjoy the experience, campfire cooking can be relaxing in a way that a stove can\'t begin to match.

Here are some items that you will need to have to be prepared for campfire cooking: Camping Cookbooks containing all the unique and fun camping recipes to make campfire cooking enjoyable. A large barbeque grill or rack will let you enjoy the full flavor and aroma of campfire cooking, using either wood or charcoal briquettes. On a Campfire a simple and easy way of campfire cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals.

Campfire cooking is the most common form of outdoor cooking. There is definitely more to campfire cooking than just scorching marshmallows and making smokes. Have an outdoor party. Guest or spectators may soon become participants as the host or hosts divide their guests into teams and turn them loose for an afternoon of supervised campfire cooking Spurred on, in part, as they are getting hungry. Campfire cooking is gaining in popularity and or bringing friends and family together at the same time.

Attend a campfire cooking class. There are conducted nationwide tours of campfire cooking clinics held every year at different campgrounds across the country.

While some view campfire cooking as a survival skill, most people do it for other reasons. Campfire cooking is a way to bring groups together. It is a method in which to lure kids away from their video games or as a way for divorced dads to entertain kids on weekends, campfire cooking is an ideal way for families to reconnect. Everything tastes better roasted over an open fire maybe that is why kids campfire cooking is so popular. When you are done with your kid\'s campfire cooking, make sure the fire is totally out.

How about Breakfast Muffins, fried or poached eggs, Chopped Ham, Shredded cheese, Diced potatoes, for example. Try cooking in a black skillet or even a 12 hole muffin pan. Salt and pepper half of muffin tin placing 6 eggs in 6 holes with 6 muffin mix muffins in the remaining 6 holes. Campfire popcorn can be popped in foil: Popcorn Kernels and oil or butter with salt for seasoning. Tear off an 18 inch square of tin foil. The first lesson to be learned about campfire cooking is that you do not cook over an open flame. Try to have all the latest and greatest campfire cooking gear on hand. Purchase only cast iron products. Browse products of campfire cooking gear to find those goods that will work the best for you. Dutch oven Campfire Cooking is almost an ancient form of making food and very prevalent today.

Select the relaxed comfort of your living room fireplace; staring into the embers as your banquet cooks, or watching the flickering flames dance and play while toasting your choice dessert; campfire cooking is a great way to generate memories with your family.

Whether camping with the family, hunting with friends or merely achieving that wood-grilled flavor at home, campfire cooking is delicious and easier than you might think. Dutch oven campfire cooking is one of the best ways to make meals on camping trips. The secret of any campfire cooking is to try and maintain steadily glowing coals, but once you have your fire in this state, you can gauge its approximate temperature by using your hand. The single most indispensable piece of gear for campfire cooking is the cast iron skillet. Cooking Campfire cooking is something of a science, much like cooking on the stove at home. In the days of automatic coffee makers and microwave ovens, campfire cooking is somewhat of a step back.
http://www.150-venison-recipes.com, http://www.classic-dessert-collection.com

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