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Why We Love Famous Italian Dessert Recipes

October 19, 2011 By 3 Comments

Famous Italian dessert recipes always stand out in the history of desserts. They can be anywhere between slightly bitter and moderately sweet and most these dessert recipes go very well with a glass of wine or liqueur. The Italians are actually just as likely to enjoy a piece of fruit for dessert as a rich, creamy tiramisu or gelato.

You might have paid a visit to an Italian bakery and, if so, you will have seen a large range of biscotti and cookies. The Italians enjoy dipping their biscotti in red wine. Many Italian cookies are sweet but not extremely sweet and a lot of the flavoring comes from the light glaze on top, as well as the nuts or candied fruit in the cookies. Biscotti are well known in the United States but the Italians eat harder, slightly sweet twice baked cookies than biscotti. The cookies are baked twice to remove moisture and make them hard, dry, and crumbly.

The Most Famous Italian Dessert Recipes

Tiramisu is a wonderful combination of eggs, mascarpone cheese, cocoa, liquor, espresso and lady finger cookies. It originated in Siena and was the preferred dessert of Duke Cosimo de Medici. The recipe spread all over the world with Italian immigrants.

Panettone is the most famous Italian cake. This cake is from Milan and you will find it in Italian bakeries and cafes all over the world around Christmas time. Candied fruit and raisins are used to flavor the fluffy dough and panettone is distinctively dome-shaped. The Italians like to eat their pannetone with mascarpone cheese or zabaglione custard and some dessert wine or a liqueur on the side.

Perhaps you have tried Italian gelato. This is ice cream made with milk, sugar and flavoring. Sometimes it contains eggs and cream. Gelato is churned less than regular ice cream, making it less airy and denser. These desserts are best eaten in moderation because a lot of them are very rich. If you find a lot of Italian treats heavenly but a bit too rich, why not make your own and change the ingredients to tone them down a bit?

Using Jello in Italian Dessert Recipes

A good example of this would be gelato. Italian ice cream is almost air free, making it super rich. If you combine gelato, jello powder, and boiling water, the result is a wonderfully light dessert with a great flavor and interesting texture. If you use sugar free jello, you can halve the calories in the dessert because sugar free jello makes up half the dessert and contains no calories.

You can mix ice cream, kool aid, and jello in your ice cream machine if you have one, to make a light and refreshing dessert, which is particularly great on warm summer evenings. Jello goes well with a lot of different ingredients and fruit trifle is a good example.

Jello also goes nicely with fruit pieces, with custard or zabaglione or with chocolate. In fact, it is one of the most versatile dessert ingredients you can get and it is great for making dessert recipes lighter. Dessert making is a creative process and you might feel like making a rich, luxurious tiramisu one day and healthier layer jello recipes the next.

Jello will never go out of favor because it is highly versatile, very tasty and appeals to every generation. You can make such delicious recipes with jello. Mango and lemon cloud jello desserts, strawberry vanilla jello pie in a nut crust and almond jello are just the tip of the iceberg for jello recipes.

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The Secret of Tomatillos

December 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Did you ever wonder what the secret is that creates that delicious salsa verde sauce? It is the shy tomatillo. This ingredient is often used in Mexican foods of all kinds. It is yellow when ripe, but most people prefer to use them when they are green. It grows in a papery husk that looks a lot like the Chinese Lantern flowers you see in gardens. They are, in fact, related, though the fruit from the Chinese Lantern is not used for anything.

They are a bit acidic with a touch of lemon flavor. It is a common ingredient in salsa and other dishes that need to brighten their taste. Tomatillos and tomatoes are related. The Aztecs grew them to eat as early as 800 BC. They have been a popular food in Latin America ever since. They grow wild in Mexico. Domesticated varieties have very little differences.

Tomatillos contain a pectin-like substance that can be used to thicken sauces when it is chilled. They are also called husk tomatoes or jamberries. They are rich in potassium, folic acid, calcium and vitamins C and A. They are also low in calories.

They play an integral part in Mexican food history. Be a part of history and use them in your recipes. Add them to salads, salsa, or any other raw dish to add a new, tangy taste.

Chop them up and you can add them to all sorts of recipes. Stir fries are delicious when made with onions, bell peppers, tomatillos, and garlic. It is a really fast side dish when you are in a rush. All you need to do to prepare them is peel the husk off, wash them, and chop them. The outer skin may feel sticky; this is normal.

As mentioned earlier, salsa verde would not be what it is without them. This green sauce is most frequently served over enchiladas, burritos and other dishes. To make the sauce, combine your tomatillos with garlic, onions, cilantro, salt, pepper, and chilies. Let them cook for a few minutes over low heat to blend flavors.

Sprinkling cinnamon or cloves on them is a great way to add depth to the tomatillos. Do this when you make jam. This jam can be served as a savory condiment with many dishes. You can also paint it on a roast and let it glaze the meat. Whole tomatillos can be frozen for use out of season.

They are getting easier to find in many supermarkets. If yours does not stock them, try specialty markets or the farmer’s market. Pick out firm fruit with snug-fitting wrappers. The husks should be green or light brown. Keep them for up to a month in the fridge in a paper bag if you do not peel off the husks.

California and Texas grow most of the tomatillos that are found in the United States. This does not mean you cannot grow some yourself. They grow very well in many regions with cooler climates. Grow it like a tomato in a pot or in the garden. Put it in full sun and keep it moist. You may need to stake the plant.

Not having authentic Mexican pots, pans and cooking utensils is no excuse not to make Mexican food! If you need some recipe inspiration, there is plenty to choose from at MexicanFoodRecipes.org and you will also find more articles on Mexican cookery and the fascinating history of Mexican food culture.

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Quick and Easy Baked Chicken Recipes

December 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Boneless chicken is a great ingredient to have in the kitchen because there are hundreds of different kinds of recipes you can make. Baking is an excellent cooking method.

It can be plain, spiced, or cooked in some kind of sauce or liquid. You can also poach it in the oven, which is a nice way to add flavor as well as keeping the meat moist.

Easy Baked Chicken Recipes

A tasty and trouble free method to make a great tasting boneless chicken dish is to mix your boneless pieces with some soup, then simply bake it for one hour at 350 degrees F. Use any type of soup for this recipe. Mushroom, cheese, onion, or celery soup are all good. Make sure the meat is covered with a lid or some aluminum foil, to prevent it from drying out.

Alternatively, you can combine the chicken with orange juice, some drained, canned mandarin segments, and a splash of sherry. Bake it until it is cooked through and serve it with fluffy white rice. Recipes like these are easy to follow and you might have most of the necessary ingredients to hand already.

If you like your poultry quite plain, rub some olive oil over it and then add salt and pepper. Bake the meat until the juices run clear. This is a useful and easy recipe to know and you can add some herbs or spices to the bird if you like, before cooking it.

To make gravy for your baked chicken, put the roasting pan with the drippings on the stove and use a metal spatula to scrape up the stuck on bits. Add some broth or white wine to help deglaze it, transfer this mixture to a small pan, and cook it over a medium high heat until it is nice and thick. Keep the meat warm while the gravy is cooking.

If you are in the mood for something Mexican, what about making a chicken cheese enchilada recipe? Enchiladas are really simple to make and you just need to roll some meat up in tortillas, pour over enchilada sauce and sprinkle some grated cheese over the top. Bake them until they are golden brown and hot and your dinner is ready. This is a really good recipe and you can use readymade enchilada sauce and ready grated cheese to save time.

Making the Juiciest Chicken Dishes

Careful it can dry out quickly so try never to overcook it. You can test to see whether your meat is cooked by sticking a knife into the thickest part. If the juices run clear, the meat is done. The cooking time for baked chicken depends on the size of the pieces and the other ingredients you are using, as well as your oven.

When baking chicken pieces, use a shallow pan, which is large enough for the pieces not to be touching. If some of the meat is cooked before, the rest is done, remove it, and keep it warm under aluminum foil until the rest is done too.

Need some easy chicken recipes why not try one of our baked chicken recipes.

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