Monday, March 7, 2011

Which Oil is Best For Deep Fried Recipes?

Deep-frying means cooking food in hot oil. Unlike with sauteing or pan-frying, the food is totally submerged in the oil when you deep-fry. This cooking method can be traced back to exotic European and Asian roots, when the fat was rendered from meat and used to cook foods faster than with roasting or stewing. There is a lot of cholesterol in animal fats, so a lot of people prefer to cook with vegetable fats like canola oil.

Oil Smoke Points

Pan Fried Chicken

When deep-frying, the oil you choose affects the quality and flavor of the finished dish, so it is important to know about the best oil for deep-frying. Peanut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and safflower oil are good examples of oils for deep-frying because they have high smoke points. This means they will not break down at high temperatures. The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the oil starts to decompose and give off smoky fumes.

Each time you fry, you lower the smoke point of the oil. If the smoke point of your oil is about 375 degrees F (the normal deep frying temperature), the smoke point will drop a few degrees after the first use.

This makes it useless, so you should choose an oil with a smoke point of 400 degrees F or more, like safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, canola, peanut or sesame oil.

There are a few things that will decrease the smoke point of your oil, including the temperature you heat it to, the presence of salt, if the products you are frying contain vegetable oils, the amount of time the oil is heated for, how many times it is used, and the storage conditions of the oil.

Remember that when most oils reach 600 degrees F, that is the flash point, or when it is in danger of catching fire. If this should happen, smother the flames with a sheet of aluminum foil or a tight lid. Never use water on an oil fire because it will make the oil spatter.

Recipe for Deep Fried Battered Shrimp

This recipe is very simple and makes enough battered shrimp to serve six people. There are lots of different foods you can deep fry. One of the most popular is chicken and there are literally hundreds of deep fried chicken recipes you can choose from.

What you will need:

1 1/2 lbs raw, de-veined, and peeled shrimp 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cooking oil 3/4 teaspoons seasoned salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 beaten egg Oil for deep frying How to make them:

If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw them. Combine the egg and cooking oil, beating the mixture well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed together.

Preheat the deep frying oil to 350 degrees F. Dip each shrimp in the batter, then drop them in the deep frying oil and fry for thirty to sixty seconds, or until the batter is golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels. Serve hot with a dip.

Which Oil is Best For Deep Fried Recipes?

If you enjoy deep frying you might like to make some fried chicken or something different like chicken fried steak for your family. There is nothing difficult about deep fried food as long as you know which oil to use and what temperature to heat it to.

SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com When it has to be Real Fried Chicken

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Perfect Crowd-Size Meal (and It's Perfect For Diabetics, Too)

If you have a crowd to feed, here is an easy way to do it. For your entree, go with Spiced-Up Oven Fried Chicken for a Crowd. Whipped Sweet Potatoes is an excellent side dish, make your favorite deviled eggs or set out a relish tray of fresh vegetables and serve Boston Cream Cupcakes for dessert. This is a simple menu that will please your crowd and leave you with time to enjoy the occasion with them.

SPICED -UP OVEN FRIED CHICKEN FOR A CROWD

Pan Fried Chicken

8 cups plain cornflakes cereal, crushed
1 to 1 1/2 tbsps smoked paprika, to taste
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 chickens, cut-up into 8 pieces each
2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with sides with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, one at a time. Shake off excess mixture then dip into the crumb mixture coating well. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Do not crowd the pieces together. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and juices run clear. To serve, arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with the parsley.

Note: This is a great make ahead entree as it is good served hot, cold, or at room temperature.

WHIPPED SWEET POTATOES

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 tbsp reduced-fat margarine
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/2 tbsp Splenda brown sugar blend
2 tbsp orange juice
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Place the sweet potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; drain. Return vegetables to the pan. Add milk, margarine, salt, Splenda, orange juice, and nutmeg. Mash the potato mixture over low heat, then whip to desired consistency. Serve immediately while hot.

Yield: 6 servings but this is an easy recipe to double or triple for a crowd.

BOSTON CREAM CUPCAKES

1 pkg 1/2 the sugar yellow cake mix
3 cups low-fat milk
3 egg whites
1 egg
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 pkg (1 oz) sugar-free, fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 containers (4 oz each) sugar-free chocolate pudding snacks
1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate syrup
Chocolate Decorating Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Prepare cake mix according to the package directions, using 1 1/2 cups milk, egg whites, egg, and yogurt. Divide batter among liners. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using remaining milk. Refrigerate until firm; about 1 hour. Transfer vanilla pudding to pastry bag with star tip. Press tip into top of each cupcake and pipe in about 2 teaspoons of pudding. Combine chocolate pudding and syrup. Spread on cupcakes; top with sprinkles.

NOTE: For a fancy presentation, tie small colorful ribbon around the center of the paper cup. Display on a footed or fancy cake plate.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Crowd-Size Meal (and It's Perfect For Diabetics, Too)

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her vintage recipe collection go to http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Hungarian Recipes

Hungarian cuisine is known for its use of paprika (which was originally brought to the country by the Ottoman Turks when they invaded the country in 1526), eggs, and sour cream.

Some popular Hungarian dishes include:

Pan Fried Chicken

* Fish Soup - A soup prepared using finally chopped onions, paprikam, and mixed river fish (such as carp, catfish, perch, or pike). Black pepper, tomatoes or tomato juice, and white wine are used in some variations of dished

* Fozelék - A mashed vegetable dish made from, cabbage, lentils, peas, potatoes, spinach, squash, or tomatoes. The dish is eaten as a main course, and may be topped with a hard-boiled egg, meatballs or pörkölt.

* Gulyás (also known as "Gulyásleves") - A beef and vegetable soup. Meat (usually shank, shin or shoulder) is cut into chunks, seasoned, paprika added, and then browned in a pot with oil. Sliced onions, peppers, garlic, herbs, and sometimes finally chopped potatoes are added. The soup achieves a thick texture because of the gelatin from the bones in the meat, as well as the starch for any potatoes used.

* Pan-fried Goose Liver

* Pörkölt - A meat stew with meat, onion and paprika. Bell peppers, caraway seeds and tomatoes are used in some variation of the recipe, although some chefs prefer to avoid these items. Typically beef, lamb, pork or chicken is used as the meat, but offal such tripe or liver can be used, and some people have even been known to prepare the dish using seafood.

Hungarian Recipes

By S. Tanna. "Hungarian Recipes" first published at http://www.downloadfocus.com/cat_recipes_hungarian.php

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Friday, March 4, 2011

The Griddle Pan

When it comes to human beings and their long history of cooking, the griddle is one of the oldest items of cookware that we have ever had. In the old days, it was little more than a flat rock suspended on two other rocks over an open fire. Once it heated up sufficiently, food was cooked on it.

These days, the equivalent of the griddle isn't made of stone - they are typically fashioned from cast iron or another metal. The griddle plan is defined by most cooks and kitchen experts as a shallow pan that is used on a stove top to either bake or fry food, be it fish or potatoes or steak or kale.

Pan Fried Chicken

What separates the griddle from the griddle pan? The latter has slightly higher side, allowing for a degree of stirring not present in straightforward griddles.

But fancy definitions aside, if you are serious about cooking and kitchens, then you can't afford not to have both a griddle and griddle pan somewhere in the pantry! Without it, you are going to find that plenty of recipes - home fries, scrambled eggs, chicken fried steak - just aren't going to come off as well as you want them to.

Griddle pans come in many different sizes and shapes. There are those that are perfectly round and others that are rectangular or square. You can even find them in the shape of an oval! There are griddle pans large enough to fit two different stove top burners, while others simply sit on one.

Griddle pan surfaces also own some slight variation. Some have smooth surfaces - ideal for frying eggs, for example. Others have grooved exteriors that can lend your chicken breast those all-important grill lines. Or the grooves can catch the grease and fat dripping from cooked meats.

You are not limited to griddles and griddle pans that have to be used on a stove - you can buy variations that are designed to be plugged into an outlet and used that way.

Why are they so important to your kitchen? Simply because of the incredible variety that they offer you. You can cook just about anything on a few griddles - pan cakes, griddle cakes, home fries, eggs of all stripes, crepes, poultry breasts, French toast and so forth.

What good cook would deny themselves that kind of range?

Perhaps the most popular benefit to the griddle is that you can cook more food in a quicker time. In other words, where a traditional pan might only yield three or four slices of French toast, you might be able to cook as many as ten on a good griddle. This is ideal if you are a family chef and have lots of hungry mouths to feed at one time.

Think about it. Getting yourself a good griddle and accompanying griddle pan will only expand your ability to turn your kitchen into a haven of delicious food - why not go for it?

You'll bring loads of flexibility to your kitchen and cooking when you add a good griddle and griddle pan. All the hungry mouths that you feed will thank you.

The Griddle Pan

Want to pick up a few good griddle pan recipes? Check out Jasper Bailey's Griddlepan.net for lots of recipes, tips and ideas for stove top cooking.

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