Homemade Tomato Sauce

Homemade Tomato Sauce

There are all kinds of tomato sauces out there. There are store bought like Hunts, Bertolli, and Ragu. And a quick search will lead you down a myriad of homemade recipes, full of basil and garlic, tomatoes and simmering. You will find that there are lots of recipes out there that use a pretty decent amount of ingredients, using a complexity of flavor to deliver the final taste.

There is a recipe for tomato sauce out there however that is simple in both it’s ingredients and it’s preparation. There aren’t a lot of frills here, it’s so basic that I swear it was invented by a kitchen full of toddlers. The taste though. That indescribable taste of a freshly made tomato sauce that will make you never want to walk down a store aisle full of commercial sauces again.

In regards to the tomatoes used in this sauce, try to use the freshest tomatoes possible. If you have a garden, well you’re set. Some use canned tomatoes (try to get a good quality here), however if you don’t mind some extra work I recommend buying a large quantity of plump, ripe, tomatoes. And it is going to take quite a few tomatoes to make your own tomato sauce, depending on how much sauce you plan on making. Feel free to adjust the amount accordingly, the recipe below will make a 3-4 dishes worth of sauce.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

• 2 pds tomatoes, skins removed (boil them and remove the skins, or you can even freeze them and then thaw, and the skins will slip right off)
• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• Salt to taste

Did I mention how simple the ingredients list was? That really is it, and I’m sure you’re viewing that list with as much apprehension as I did the first time I saw it. There is no way something that simple can be that good. We all know however that sometimes the best things in life are the simplest.

Cut the tomatoes into large chunks, you don’t need to dice. Place in a saucepan along with the butter and onion halves. Salt to taste. Bring to a slow but steady simmer, and simmer for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Break up any large chunks of tomatoes as they break down.

If after an hour it still seems runny, you can turn the heat up a bit to evaporate some of the extra moisture. Just don’t do too much because you don’t want to scorch the sauce. By the end you should have a nice, somewhat thick sauce. You can simmer for longer as well to make a thicker sauce although it loses some of the tomato flavor. Remove the onion before serving.

Place over some pasta and revel in one of life’s treasures. And if in the end it’s not complex enough for you, there now lies a great tomato sauce base to start from!

Chris
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Foods for a Good Nights Sleep

Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep Dinners: The Best Foods to Ensure a Good Night’s Sleep

There are some foods that are better than others at encouraging a good night’s sleep. If you are not sleeping well, take a look at your diet. By eating the right kind of foods in the evening you can help your body fall asleep quicker and even improve the length and quality of sleep you get during the night. It is important to remember to stop eating about three hours before bedtime to allow your body time to properly digest your food intake.

Whilst eating the right food before bedtime can help you get to sleep, it must not be forgotten that a comfy bed is essential also. Whether you sleep on memory-foam based mattresses, pocket sprung mattresses or  adjustable beds  for the ultimate in ease and comfort, the importance of a good bed and peaceful bedroom must not be overlooked.

Avoid sugary, sweet snacks before bedtime as these simple carbohydrates can cause your blood sugar levels to peak and then drop during sleep, causing you to wake. For more sustained blood sugar levels, choose a protein rich snack instead, such as an egg, nuts or cheese. This will not only help you fall asleep, but you will also stay asleep. Almonds contain magnesium, which promotes both muscle relaxation and sleep. The protein in them will help to maintain your blood sugar levels whilst sleeping.

Drinks

Whilst avoiding caffeine in the evening is essential to a good night’s sleep, certain types of decaffeinated teas can help to get you into sleep mode. Green tea contains theanine, which helps to promote sleep and chamomile tea is a useful and safe sleeping aid. Cherry juice can aid sleep by boosting the body’s production of melatonin, which helps people with insomnia. Miso soup contains amino acids, which also boost the production of the hormone, melatonin, which in turn boosts sleep.

Bananas

Bananas are a fantastic source of potassium and magnesium, which help to relax muscles that are overstressed. Bananas also contain the important element, tryptophan, which converts into melatonin and serotonin, the brain’s principle calming hormones. Try blending with a cup of cow’s milk or soymilk for a delicious night-soothing smoothie.

Dairy

Dairy products such as yoghurt, cheese and milk contain tryptophan. They also contain the sleep-inducing nutrient, calcium. Calcium can be effective in reducing stress and in stabilizing nerve fibres, including those found in the brain. So, a banana smoothie or delicious yoghurt can not only help you sleep, but also help you unwind after what may have been a stressful day at work.

Oatmeal and Cereal

Oatmeal doesn’t have to be only for breakfast. A warm, soothing, inexpensive and nourishing bowl of oatmeal in the evening is packed full of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium and silicon, all of which are known to support sleep. However, be careful not to laden it with sugar, which can keep you awake. Instead, choose to sweeten naturally with fruit such as bananas.
Generation Tea

How To Hard Boil Eggs

Eggs are a delicious source of healthy protein and nutritious vitamins and they are very versatile to cook with. You can eat them in many ways, such as scrambled, fried, or cooked in an omelette. One of the most popular ways of eating eggs is hard boiling them. However, many people find this process somewhat difficult and frustrating and end up with broken egg shells, undercooked eggs, and a big mess.

Tips which will make cooking hardboiled eggs easier

• Place the   eggs in the pan first with the shell on. Run cold water over top of them until the water is one inch above the egg. Don’t try to make too many eggs at once, as this will work better if you do them in small batches.

• Try to use eggs that you have had for a few days, as they often work better than very fresh eggs. If you store your eggs in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before boiling to help avoid the yolks changing to an unappetizing green colour.

• The next step is to put the pan on the stove and cook it over a medium heat but only until the point when the water begins to boil. You want to keep the eggs on a medium heat because if they are boiling they can jump around and possibly crack.

• Adding a pinch of salt to the water will make it easier to peel the eggs once they are finished. The proteins will coagulate and firm up which will help you separate the white from the shell.

• As soon as it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low. Allow the eggs to simmer for two or three minutes if you would like them to be somewhat soft, or 10-15 minutes if you want hard-boiled eggs.

• When the time is up, remove the egg with a spoon or a ladle and let it cool. You can run cold water over the shell if you need it to cool down quicker.

• Be careful not to overcook the eggs. You can tell if they are overcooked if a green ring starts to appear around the egg yolk. This is due to the sulphur and iron inside the egg. It will not make the egg taste terrible, but it will affect the nutritional quality of the protein.

• How can you test if an egg is done without cracking the shell? The trick is to spin it around on the table like a top. If it turns fast and evenly it is hard boiled, but if it turns slowly and unevenly or wobbles to one side it is still soft boiled.

• The next step is to peel your egg. Start peeling from the thick end of the egg where you will find a slight indentation underneath the shell which will help you with the peeling process. Don’t forget to peel away the membrane under the shell as well.

Now that you have cooked some delicious hard boiled eggs, you can eat them on their own, use them in sandwiches, or make tasty deviled eggs for a plate of snacks for a party. They are a popular, tasty and healthy treat and now that you know how easy it is to make them you can enjoy hard boiled eggs any day of the week!

These tips will help you make a perfect hardboiled egg. If you want to develop your techniques even further you might want to look into attending cooking schools and learning from expert instructors.

Pancake Day

Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday as it’s otherwise known, falls on Tuesday 21st February in 2012.

Pancake Day is brilliantly fun and is a great excuse to get all your friends around for a party of indulgence. It was always a very special occasion for my family, as it marks the beginning of Lent, where you must sacrifice something indulgent. For me and my friends, we always chose chocolate, as it meant you could still be cheeky and have sweets sometimes!

So get the essential ingredients bought in advance and you’ll be well prepared. Make sure you’ve got plenty to make lots of batches as they get eaten extremely quickly.

The essentials for making pancakes are:

1. Plain Flour
2. Salt
3. Large Eggs
4. Milk
5. Butter

These ingredients will give you a fantastic basic pancake batter. There’s no real need for anything else in the batter, but you’ll still find plenty of fancy pancake recipes with extra things in them.

However I think if you deviate too much, it won’t be much of a pancake party as you’ll be too busy trying to get it absolutely perfect, and not being a particularly involved host. So keep it simple! Here’s my favourite pancake recipe involving just the basic ingredients.

To make this into a super awesome pancake party, get all of these following things at the ready. All of your guests can decide what they want, or mix and match. Having lots of these different choices laid out on a dining table would look incredible, with extra decorations and candles dotted about.

Pancake Day - Shrove Tuesday

1. Caster Sugar
2. Lemons – these could be fresh, or you can buy lemon juice in bottles
3. Maple Syrup
4. Ice cream (any and all flavours are allowed!)
5. Jam – get a few different types of jam
6. Melted Chocolate
7. Cooked/stewed fruit such as apples
8. Fresh fruit like strawberries
9. An alcohol based sauce, perhaps rum
10. Ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger

Aside from puddles of maple syrup all over the pancakes, one of my favourite toppings is blackcurrent jam spread over the pancake with a dollop of vanilla ice cream in the middle. The tartness of the blackcurrent with the sweet of the ice cream is a wonderful combination.  Fresh fruit is also a great option for the health conscious, as is warm cooked fruit like pears or apples.

So get your pancake party started with these lists of essential ingredients and toppings. Have fun!

The Mirror Shop is one of the UK’s top retailers of mirrors, including large mirrors.

Chocolate Pudding

When I think of puddings, velvety, rich chocolate pudding comes to my mind.  Some of you will immediately think of a rich, decadent vanilla or a refreshing strawberry maybe.  And we would be right, these are puddings.  However, pudding did not start out to be sweet treats.  This is going to totally gross you out.

Originally they did not mix milk, sugar, rice tapioca or chocolate.  Are you ready for this?  Pudding was originally a pig’s intestine filled with minced meat and oatmeal.  Ewwwww.  They boiled it until is was cooked good enough for them.  And they called it pudding.  Actually, it’s like our sausages are today.

It wasn’t until the 16^th century that the word pudding materialized into a sweet desert.  Milk, sugar and flavorings were poured into a cloth back and boiled until the contents congealed.

Repair or Replace Refrigerator

Should You Repair Your Old Refrigerator, Or Buy New?

Debating whether you should fix your old refrigerator, or shell out some cash to buy a new one?  There have been some major changes and improvements to refrigerators in the last 20 years, and it can be difficult to decide if it’s worth fixing the one that you have.  Still have a harvest gold, or avocado green refrigerator?  Well it might be time to replace it.  Here are some things to consider before you decided whether to repair or replace.

Assess The Problem
The first thing that you should do is assess what is wrong with the one that you have.  Is it not cooling, getting too cold, making funny noises, or just falling apart?  If it is something simple, or you are a DIYer that likes to fix things, then a good site to go to is partsdr.com a site that offers repair help and sells appliance parts.  If you are not sure what is wrong with your refrigerator, or you don’t feel comfortable working on things, then you should call a professional to take a look at it.  Most appliance repair companies charge $50-$100 to come out to your house and diagnose what is wrong with your refrigerator.

Price Out New Ones
In order to know how much money is worth sticking into your old refrigerator, you will need to know how much it will cost to replace it.  Take measurements from your old refrigerator and the opening where the refrigerator goes into (height, width, and depth).  Go shopping at your local appliance stores and price out how much a comparable model will cost to replace the one that you have.  Make sure to include the price of delivery and taking away the old one, unless you have the ability to do that yourself.

Energy Usage
If you have an older refrigerator and you are wondering whether it might be worth while to upgrade to a new one for the energy savings, then head over to engergystar.gov and check out their refrigerator energy savings calculator.  This handy calculator lets you enter in your refrigerator style, age, and how much you pay for electricity to estimate the savings of a new refrigerator.  You might be surprised how much you can save if you have an older model refrigerator.

 You know your refrigerator better than anyone else.  Has it been a lemon from the get go with constant repairs?  Well, then it might be time to replace it.  But if it has held up well, and you have never had any other issues with it, then it is probably a good idea to fix it.  I am sure you have heard the saying, “they don’t make them like they used to” before.  That saying definitely applies to appliances.  Most new appliances are made with thinner metal and thinner plastic, and they don’t seem to hold up long term as well as the older appliances.
Article written by  Ryan Anderson,  CEO and Co-Founder of PartsDr.com an appliance parts retailer.

Typically a Chateau (which is a word from the French language) is either a modern luxurious manor house or can be an almost archaic historic house. Getting married in a French chateau is possibly the closest cultural equivalent in France to what it would be to get married in an English castle. Quite often Chateau’s which are described as grand manor houses have belonged or still belong to nobility and are passed down the bloodline. They are often then rented out for the day to be used for a wedding in a grand location.

There are many wedding packages available online varying in price greatly to cater for small to big budgets. Simply Chateau is a link to one of the leading chateau rental websites on the internet. Clicking the Simply Chateau link will take those interested to information on getting married in a luxurious French chateau and staying for the night with friends and family. The facilities across many of the chateau’s vary with most Internet access being very basic. The majority have recreational activities such as swimming and tennis available. Also being France wine tasting is a popular cultural experience that is available at many of the chateaus and most bedrooms tend to be en suite.

There is a big market for wedding packages at French chateau’s especially due to the large number of grand chateau’s that have been made available in the modern day for special events such as weddings. For those wanting to have the day as stress free as possible there are many chateau’s which have a specific wedding planning service. These can be a bit like an expensive pick and mix where you can choose for example to have a DJ or a four string quartet. Rather than planning the majority of the organising, an experienced team can manage planning including aspects such as flowers, wedding favours, food, entertainment, etc. These organizers have planned weddings at their grand venue numerous times.

The Chateau la Durantie is a good example of a grand chateau which offers a wedding planning service. Their personal website says they have over a decade organised more than 200 weddings and this is just one of the grand French chateau’s offering this service.

Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricohplio/3950325038/

One of the popular places in France for chateaus is the Loire Valley which contains more than 300 chateaus to choose from. Chateaus have been built there between the 10^th- 20^th centuries. The more vintage the chateau is then the more likely it is that the chateau was built by nobility. An important aspect to remember when it comes to getting married in France are the legal aspects of marriage. In addition it needs to be remembered that under French law the religious marriage ceremony cannot take place until there has been an official civil marriage. Also one of the two getting married needs to have resided in the town where the marriage takes place for at least 40 days prior to the day of the wedding. A marriage under French law is still very much recognized as legally binding in the UK.

Lunch Ideas

Take to Work Lunch Ideas

It can always be a trial to figure out what to do about lunch at the office. It is also a rather important concern for many, especially as so many contemporary office workers skip breakfast (not a particularly healthy practice, I hasten to add). The crux of the matter for many is whether to buy food or to bring it from home in some shape or form (and this choice is generally decided by what leftovers are available, laziness or a combination of the two). However, with these five handy and, for the most part, healthy lunch ideas, you needn’t waste precious minutes agonising over what you want to do.

• Leftovers

A popular lunchtime staple for many, leftovers can, of course, be pretty much anything. Leftover pasta is a particularly popular option as it can reheated at the office (provided your office is equipped with a microwave of course). Additionally many a tasty wrap or salad has been made with leftover meat and other morsels from the previous night’s main meal.

•  Sandwiches

The classic lunch, and one still favoured by office workers across the globe. There’s an almost infinite variety of different sandwiches you can make, and it’s not only the fillings that you can switch up. Indeed, many health conscious sandwich eaters believe that white bread is not your best option, instead preferring the likes of brown bread or even rye. If you’re lucky, a selection of sandwiches – and even other delicious baked goods – might be delivered to your London office space on a daily basis.

•  Pizza

Again this depends on your work’s cooking facilities (unless you’re a fan of it cold), but pizza every once in a while can make a nice change at lunchtime. Alternatively, you can go and get some pizza from a takeaway yourself on your lunch break, or even order to to be delivered straight to the office if you’re feeling extra cheeky. Tasty as it is, try not to make a habit of it; pizza is definitely one of the less healthy options on this list (although if you make it yourself.

•  Bento

Coming from the Japanese word for lunch box, bento have become an increasingly popular lunchtime phenomenon the world over. Although traditionally filled with Japanese food (and please note that sushi is something you should definitely not attempt to make at home without proper training), compartmentalised bento boxes can be filled with anything from fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, meat or even miniature sandwiches and cakes.

Mark Johnson is a big bento fan, but can’t resist the odd sneaky lunchtime takeaway.

How To Make Bouillabaisse

How to make Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a traditional French dish that sounds elegant, but is simple to create. There are multitudes of different Bouillabaisse recipes. The traditional recipes used bony fish. The scorpion fish was used frequently by the fishermen in France because they did not earn a high income. For this reason, they kept the scorpion fish for themselves. This also applied to the smaller crustaceans that were caught. They would all go into the pot to make the fish stew.

It has been said that this fish stew stems from a soup that originated in Greece. It is believed that the soup was brought to France by the founders of Marseille. This South of France Bouillabaisse is a wonderful self catering meal to share with your dinner guests.

The classic bouillabaisse has seven various kinds of seafood and is topped with a Rouille sauce just prior to serving.

• Approximate preparation time: 15 minutes
• Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes

Tools for the Rouille Sauce

• A food processor
• Measuring spoons and cups
• A manual citrus juicer (optional)
• An egg separator (optional)

Ingredients for the Rouille Sauce

• A red bell pepper (roasted and peeled)
• 1 pc. of white bread (torn into tiny pieces)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbs. of Dijon mustard
• 2 egg yolks
• A pinch of saffron
• 1 lemon (only the juice)
• 1 c. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare the Rouille Sauce

1. Put the garlic, egg yolks, bell pepper, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and saffron in the food processor. Puree ingredients until smooth.
2. Slowly add all of your olive oil to the running food processor.
3. Salt and pepper to taste
4. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to serve the stew.

Bouillabaisse tools

• A cutting board
• A wooden spoon
• A knife
• Large saucepan or Dutch oven
• A toaster oven/toaster
• A ladle
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 4 to 6 bowls for serving

Bouillabaisse Ingredients

• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 lbs. of firm whitefish (assorted)
• 4 finely chopped shallots
• ¾ c. olive oil
• 2 c. crushed tomatoes (canned)
• A red bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 tsp. of fennel seed
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2 tsp. of salt
• ¼ tsp. of saffron
• ½ tsp. of dried thyme
• 1 ½ tsp. of black pepper
• 2 c. fish broth
• 4 c. water
• 2 lbs. of mussels
• 5 whole crabs (cut into quarters)
• A loaf of sliced and toasted French bread
• 2 c. of shrimp (uncooked)

To Prepare the Bouillabaisse Stew

1. Put the entire 2 pounds of the whitefish on your cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut them into 2” pieces and then set the fish aside.
2. In the large saucepan/Dutch oven, heat ¾ c. of olive oil on medium to high heat.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the bell pepper, shallots and chopped onions to it.
4. For 2 or 3 minutes, sauté the peppers, shallots and onions in the pan.
5. Now add the tomatoes, chopped garlic, fennel seed, saffron, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
6. Using the wooden spoon, stir the vegetables together to cover them with the olive oil.
7. Add the 4 c. of water to the pan; bring it to a rolling boil.
8. Now add the crab quarters, whitefish pieces and 2 c. of fish broth to the pan and boil the stew for another 7 to 9 minutes.
9. Place the clams, shrimp and mussels into the pan.
10. Boil for an additional 6 minutes.
11. Upon completion, the clams and mussels begin to open and the shrimp will be pink and firm
12. Put one slice of the already toasted bread in the bottom of the serving bowls.
13. Use a ladle to pour the bouillabaisse on the bread.
14. Put a dollop of the chilled Rouille sauce on top and serve.

Although there have been variations of this recipe seen worldwide, this classic version is still a popular recipe made in French cottages and homes throughout the nation.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

In the world of ice cream, strawberry is considered one of the major along with vanilla and chocolate. It’s one of the big guns you can find in traditional Neapolitan, and there are plenty of great versions that focus on strawberry specifically.

It also happens to be one of the easiest flavors you can make at home. You don’t need a culinary degree to make a wonderful of variation that combines fresh strawberries and natural ingredients.

All you need is a standard ice cream maker, a blender, and the patience to follow this simple recipe:

 
Ingredients

3 cups of fresh strawberries

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Medium-size fresh strawberries are the key to this delicious recipe. It might be tempting to go with frozen strawberries that are already trimmed, but take the time to buy fresh ones and cut off the tips yourself (you’ll thank yourself for taking this extra step). Medium strawberries also tend to be sweeter so avoid the big ones that are a bit too large to be natural.

A strawberry puree is the secret to this recipe, and you can make it as smooth or chunky as you like. One variation is to make a complete puree, then set aside some chopped strawberries to add during the mixing process.

To make the puree:

Combine your strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice into a blender and mix until smooth.

Now it’s time to make your custard, and it’s incredibly easy as long as you don’t overheat it:

Combine your salt and cream into a heavy sauce pan and heat it until it’s just simmering.

In a separate bowl, combine the remainder of your sugar and eggs while whisking thoroughly. You can use just the yolks if you like for a slightly heavier final result (in this case use 3 egg yolks). Add your heated cream to your egg mixture and continue to whisk.

 
Return all of these ingredients back to your sauce pan and heat over medium until it thickens naturally.

Let your custard cool at least two hours in your fridge.

If you’re using a standard ice cream maker that requires a pre-frozen bowl, this will be the perfect opportunity to freeze your bowl as well. While these two elements chill, you can use the time to prepare dinner or simply relax.

Once your custard and bowl are at the right temperature, it’s time to finish off the process.

Take your puree mixture and pour it into your custard while mixing the whole time.

When everything is blended evenly, add it to your ice cream maker and turn the machine on.

In about 20 to 25 minutes, you’ll have the perfect version of soft serve strawberry ice cream.

If you want to harden it up, return it to your freezer to get it to a perfect chilled consistency.

And remember, you can also add extra goodies like bananas, nuts, or chocolate into the mix while everything is churning.

This strawberry ice cream recipe comes to us from icecreamakers.com where you can find more information on dessert ideas or reviews for the best ice cream maker for your own kitchen.