Culinary, cooking, food and restaurant

Christmas is a time when we think of family get-togethers and abundance. It is memory lane for most of us, enjoying friends, memorable times and good comfort, traditional foods. But the weeks after the holidays are usually weight gains, health problems from too many sweets and food.

Today white sugar, white flour, dairy products, trans and saturated fats, refined cars and excess calories are on the “no-no” list … and with the holiday times it feels as if the cakes, cookies and candies will become obsolete. And we begin to feel deprived and panic stricken. After all, it is a long-time tradition.

One answer is to make some raw food desserts and take them to get-togethers and family meals. Use nuts, dried fruits, and avocadoes instead of white flour and white sugar. They have a lot of flavor, looks and are good for you. Oh yes … and they are easy to put together.  Jenny Cornbleet has a book out called “Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People”. In it there are desserts – cakes, cookies, fruit crisps, pies, tarts, puddings, mousses, shakes, and ice cream recipes all raw – for holidays and all meals.  Guess what?  They taste better than their sugar laden counterparts.

One recipe is for a “Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce” which calls for 1 ½ cups raw walnuts, dash of salt, 8 pitted medjool dates, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and 2 tsp water.  For the raspberry sauce you use 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (thaw and drain if frozen) with ¼ cup pitted medjooy dates, soaked for 30 minutes and drained.  Place the walnuts and salt in a food processor with the S blade and process until finely ground. Add dates, cocoa powder, and vanilla … process until mixture becomes sticky. Add water and process briefly.  Transfer to a serving plate and form a 5 inch round cake. Place the raspberries and dates in a blender and mix until smooth, pouring over the cake just before serving.

You do not have to give up all your comfort foods, just find a healthier recipe for it.  You will find the dessert to be much tastier.  But should you choose to nibble on a few old foods, do so in moderation, do not go overboard, and remember to wait and let your stomach digest properly before the next meal.

Chinese cooking calls for the highest of creative culinary preparations and forms of presenting dishes besides asking for a basic set of Chinese cooking supplies. If you are one of the many people who crave the taste of authentic Chinese meals and want to whip up delicious dishes with a distinct Oriental taste, you?d be better off hoping for the perfect recipe achievement if you know how to draw the best out of this rich and varied culture of Chinese cooking, almost an art-form!
The lovers of Chinese food abound everywhere in the world, irrespective of geographical boundaries and ethnic orientations because the generous dose of spices and cultural limitations for the help www.july4-recipes.com. The highly spiced and true Chinese dishes are cooked with the intention of serving all kinds of palates! Thus, the whole culture of using Chinese cooking supplies along with knowledge of the appropriate dining etiquette and suitable dishes for festival time besides specific uses of Chinese herbs and flavors according to their individual properties is what has popularized this cuisine globally.
When we speak about authentic Chinese cooking supplies being essential to bringing out the right flavors and nutrients in a dish, we are actually referring to the purchase and use of the appropriate utensils and other paraphernalia that professional chefs in China are accustomed to using for preparation of top-class Chinese meals. Thus, some basic Chinese cooking supplies that will add authenticity to the whole picture of preparing and presenting a Chinese meal include a wok, tang chi, iron Palette, rolling pin and the obvious – chopsticks! There are many more, but these few items form the basic list of necessary cooking gear used in Chinese meal preparation and eating with chopsticks an art that replaces using cutlery like forks and knives, which the Chinese despise as they associate it with hostility and their chopsticks are symbols of compassion and generosity. At times, foreigners find it difficult to use chopsticks during a meal but the Chinese love it as it is believed they add flavor and fun to eating noodles.
Among the most useful of Chinese cooking utensils is the Wok; it has many uses and is generally used for an array of services such as stir frying, steam-cooking, making stews and giving food a smoked flavor! Broad, sharp knives are favored by Chinese chefs for multipurpose chopping, dicing and carving meat, veggies and fruit dishes besides to julienne special stir-fried foods for the help www.book-of-cookies.com. A favored way of cooking buns, chicken and meat is steaming while noodles are boiled in sieves made of wire.
The conventional form of cooking Chinese meals using Chinese cooking supplies provides for health, happiness and balance in all aspects of enjoying a meal and therefore the stress laid on acquiring and using utensils that help cook the food right, fast and in flavorful manner – be it commercially or in a home-kitchen.

Considered the pioneer of Baby Back Ribs – Tony Roma’s can now be found worldwide.

With nearly 200 restaurants in 32 countries, the culinary sensation that Tony started has become an international success story.

They have won countless awards over the years for their delicious ribs and signature sauces.

As they say, “Tony Roma’s is committed to providing you the best ribs anywhere. Using new rib styles and sauce flavors, our chefs are working hard to make Tony Roma’s your only choice for ribs.”

But the Tony Roma’s story doesn’t end with ribs. Crispy fresh salads, mouth watering char-grilled steaks, their original BBQ chicken, and delicious seafood make up a menu that has pleased thousands of hungry guests for years.

>>> And now here is their most popular meal of all, ready for you to cook at home to wow family, friends or significant others…

–Tony Roma’s Baby Backs–

1 cup ketchup

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

Combine and heat over high heat until boiling.

Reduce heat, simmer 30-40 minutes until thick.

Coat 4 pounds of baby back pork ribs, front and back, with BBQ sauce.

Wrap ribs in aluminum foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.

Remove ribs from foil and smother with more sauce. Grill on hot barbecue for 2-4 minutes per side.

Or try…

–Tony Roma’s Corn Fritter Casserole–

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread Mix 1 (15 ounce can) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup onions, finely diced

1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons butter

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/3 cups warm water

3 tablespoons melted butter

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix together the Jiffy mix, corn, eggs and milk.

Coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil. Heat skillet to medium-high.

Drop a spoonful of corn fritter mix into skillet. Cook on each side until lightly golden.

Place on a paper towel to drain. Add more oil as needed to complete frying all the corn fritters.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Sauté onions and bell pepper until onions are transparent. Remove skillet from heat.

Place chicken bouillon cubes in 1 1/3 cups water and dissolve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble corn fritters into a large bowl. Add sautéed onions and bell peppers. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter.

Pour dissolved chicken bouillon and water mixture over corn and sautéed vegetables and mix well. Place mixture in well greased 8-inch square baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove foil and return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

–Tony Roma’s Baked Potato Soup–

2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup diced white onion

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1 cup half and half

> Garnish:

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon

2 green onions, chopped (green part only)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes or 1 hour or until done. When potatoes have cooked remove them from the oven to cool. As potatoes cool prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and sauté onion until light brown.

Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux. Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon.

Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size. Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.

Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a half tablespoon of crumbled bacon and a teaspoon or so of chopped green onion. Repeat for remaining servings.

Serves 6 to 8

Dig In and Enjoy!

A Graduate of the Holland College Culinary Course, Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years. He is a member of the Canadian Culinary Federation. Brian’s articles reflect his interests in food service, dreamstudy, imaginative literature and our best friends — our dogs.

His Home Page is A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR – A Literary Chef. His articles have been reprinted on numerous culinary websites and various Blogs, including the popular WUVING.com.

Other Popular items on Tony Roma’s Menu:

- BBQ Half Chicken – Basted in Original sauce and charbroiled. Served with French fries and cole slaw.

- Grilled Chicken Spinach Stack – Two stacked chicken breasts straight from the open grill. Covered with a rich blend of four cheeses, artichoke hearts and creamy spinach. Served with rice and fresh vegetables.

- Grilled Gulf Shrimp Skewers – Two grilled skewers of shrimp, bell peppers and red onions, basted with scampi butter and Tony’s special seasoning. Served with rice and toasted garlic seared green beans.

- Tony Roma’s Fish Grill – Choose your fish: Mahi Mahi or Norwegian Salmon prepared one of three great ways: Grilled, Blackened or Pan-seared with a Sesame Crust. Served with your choice of topping: Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, Kickin’ Sauce, Garlic Scampi Butter or Tomato Pesto Salad Served with rice and toasted garlic seared green beans.

- Roma’s Colossal Cheesecake – A delicious piece of New York style cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries. Big enough for two.

But most of all, Tony Roma is “Famoso por Costillas,” “Fameux pour cõtes levés” or Famous for Ribs!