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When it comes to making the best food for our family, we choose the best in ingredients that will promote healthy living while provide exceptional flavor. Thankfully, today it is easier than ever to find the recipes we want via the internet. For my own family, I love adding this wonderfully delicious salsa to our Mexican food menu plan.

Why choose this salsa?

The answer is simple! It is super easy to make and everyone loves it! There is never any left over, and when it comes to leftovers, you can bet my family has a lot. This is great to add to a meal or even eat as a snack. Filled with deliciously fresh fruits and vegetables, this is one salsa your family will ask for again and again.

Favorite Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:

4 medium fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped onion (up to 1 cup)

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh green pepper (bell pepper)

1/4 cup oil

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh green chilies

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp mustard seed

1 tsp cilantro (coriander) seed, crushed (or fresh cilantro leaves)

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill, stirring occasionally. Serve with was corn chips or tortilla chips.

Variations:

Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can use a high quality whole, canned tomato. Be sure to drain first!

Instead of a fresh green pepper, I like to add a variety of colors! Try adding a touch of the red bell peppers as well as the yellow bell peppers. This will make a colorful sensation that is delicious and well received.

If you are wanting to remove the red wine vinegar, you will be making the salsa all that more healthy without negating any of the taste!

Instead of regular table salt, try adding a healthier sea salt.

Try using different types of onions. Each onion has its own taste and flavor. My favorite is the sweet onion. Mm, mm, super!

Some of my family members are not a huge cilantro fan. Generally, I will split the batch or make a double batch adding cilantro to only one batch. This will insure everyone has his or her preferred taste!

When it comes to healthy living, this is a must have for my Mexican food menu plan. Salsa can be used with just about anything, and this also stores extremely well which means you can place in a non-metal container for later use if refrigerated. However, you should only store for a week to insure freshness.

Making a Mexican menu plan is a great way to add culture to the family dinner table. The combination of taste and appearance makes this cuisine one of the most popular in the world. When you can have salsa has a main condiment, you will be in control of the goodness your family eats. Even children love this cuisine, and for good reason.

If you have trouble getting the kids to eat their fruits and vegetables, try making a wonderful salsa that will appeal to him or her!

More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.

You’ve spent a lot of money for that shiny new barbecue grill. I’ll bet you’re looking forward to using it this summer. Your grill is a large part of outdoor entertaining. You can ensure that it lasts for many years with proper maintainance and care.

Cleaning your grill is a big part of maintaining it. The longer it goes without cleaning, the harder it will be to clean when you finally get around to it, and not cleaning your grill can lead to rust, which will decrease the lifespan of your grill. Food sticks to a dirty grill, ruining your food. The food will pick up burnt chunks of whatever you grilled previously. So, a properly cleaned grill will help your food to turn out better, and will make your grill last longer.

There are a few items you will need to clean your grill:

Wire grill brush

Steel wool pads

Mild dish soap

Sponge

Cooking oil spray

Baking Soda

Aluminum foil

You’ll need to make it a habit to brush the grill surfaces off with a good quality grill brush. This will remove any food that has stuck, and prevent buildup. If left for too long, this buildup will become more difficult to clean, and may cause the grill to rust. The best time to brush the grill is while it is still hot, after you’re done cooking. Just run the brush over the grill racks before you turn the heat off. It wouldn’t hurt to run the brush over the grill racks the next time you turn the grill on.

If the racks have not been cleaned for a while, and have food built up on them, you may need to wash them in the sink. Use the wire brush to remove as much of the buildup as possible, then take them to the sink, and wash them with a mild dish soap. It may be necessary to use the steel wool pads to scrub the gunk off of the racks. Rinse all of the soap and residue off of the racks before returning them to the grill.

Use baking soda and aluminum foil to remove grime and buildup from the grill. After the grill cools, sprinkle on some baking soda, and then scrub gently with a piece of aluminum foil

Once the grill has been cleaned and completely cooled, spray the racks lightly with cooking oil. A light coating of oil will prevent the racks from rusting. Just make sure the grill has cooled down completely. If you spray cooking oil on a hot grill, it could ignite and cause severe burns. If you don’t have cooking oil spray, then simply wipe down the racks with a little bit of cooking oil and a paper towel. You will also want to put some oil on the grill before you start cooking. Let the grill heat up. Then, using barbecue tongs, grab a wad of paper towels, or a rolled up kitchen towel. Dip the paper towels or kitchen towel in some cooking oil, and rub it lightly on the grill. This will prevent the food from sticking to the grill, and make it easier to clean up afterwards.

By cleaning your grill properly before and after each use, you’ll ensure that your food will turn out well, and your grill will last you for many years.

Visit Patio Grilling for more grilling resources and grilling recipes.

I have a slight problem with diets – no, I have several problems with diets. Firstly, lack of will power. Secondly – Either everyone has to go on the diet or no one. I refuse to get into the trap of cooking separate meals for each member of the family. With the South Beach Diet both these objections are easily overcome. The food used is easily available and fits so well into a normal, healthy lifestyle that no one need even know. Whether you enjoy fast food or gourmet dining – and lets face facts most of us do both at some time – there is something to enjoy.

Roast Beef Wrap serves 4 as a light lunch or picnic meal

1

Brisket is basically the chest of the cow, and as such includes the ribs. So not the easy to sort out steaks, but a joint with loads of flavour that responds to the right sort of cooking. At one time any beef would only be eaten by the rich , which is why in English the word beef comes from the Norman French ‘Beouf’ . the Normans ate the meat. The Saxons looked after the animals - so it is their word Cow that is used for the animal. Cattle comes from Latin and meant movable property – as in chattels.

In those times of course cattle were only killed at certain times of year – the autumn to save providing for winter fodder. This meant that meat had to be preserved – usually by salting it. It also meant that it wasn’t always as fresh as it might be – hence the use of spices in medieval times to cover any bad tastes.

Brisket is an economic joint that works best in recipes that specify long slow cooking – 5 or 6 hours as opposed to minute steak. I find a slow cooker is great if you have one. It is usually purchased ready boned and rolled. Because the animal uses its chest muscles all the time the muscle is firm and would be tough unless cooked slowly.

Oh So Tender

I cook this in a slow cooker, but a roasting bag in a slow oven will work just as well. If using a slow cooker have it on full power for an hour and then place the meat inside and turn it down.

3 lbs, just under 1

If you’re not familiar with a kamado it’s a derivation of an ancient Chinese clay cooking pot that was later adapted by the Japanese (who named it Mushikamado) and it finally made it to the western world in the middle of the last century. Nowadays the clay has been replaced by high performance ceramic, it still typically is fuelled by charcoal but the versatility of the ceramic barbecue grill is pretty amazing. There’s a variety of brands on the market such as the Primo kamado and the Big Green Egg but it has to be said that trying to find a kamado ceramic barbecue in Europe is still a thankless task.

The kamado is so versatile in that you can use it as a grill, smoker or even as an oven. The temperatures you can reach make it possible to cook pizza and I also like to use mine to mimic the tandoor and it’s great for chicken tikka and naan bread. For today however I’m going to concentrate on the whole chicken and use my kamado as a smoker and a traditional oven.

Roast Chicken

A roast chicken dinner has to be one of my favorites and cooking the chicken in the kamado makes for a fantastically moist bird and what’s more it couldn’t be more simple. It’s just a matter of heating the kamado up to the normal roasting temperature of 180

Chicken is my nations most popular meat however when it comes to the barbecue it’s probably less popular because people are more concerned to ensure that the meat is properly cooked. I’ve known some even to pre-cook chicken in the microwave first but this really isn’t necessary if you follow the basic rules that I’ve set out before.

Just to re-iterate one point when using a charcoal barbecue grill, always give the coals time to settle before starting to cook (about 45 minutes) because despite chicken being described as a lean meat, the fat that is under the skin mobilises very quickly and makes for serious flames. You don’t get beautiful barbecue chicken with a crispy skin but raw chicken with what looks like an dirty oily coating, best described as a health hazard.

So when it comes to how to barbecue chicken there are essentially four different styles, rotisserie, spatchcock, smoker or roast, the fist two are the ones I’m going to concentrate on being specifically for the grill. Hopefully smoked chicken is self explanatory and roast chicken is great in a kamado ceramic BBQ but maybe that’s for another day.

Rotisserie

Rotisserie is when you barbecue chicken on a spit roaster and rotate it over the heat so effectively grilling and continually turning to ensure that the chicken is cooked evenly all over. Rotisserie is probably the most difficult way to barbecue chicken because it’s not so easy to tell when the chicken is done and it’s important to ensure that the inner cavity is cooked. This means that it needs to be cooked well and for longer than if you were roasting the bird but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be dry. The secret is to ensure that your barbecue chicken is basted every 15 minutes with the juices in the drip tray. Check for good cooking either by using a BBQ thermometer or simply stabbing the thigh with a skewer and when the juices run clear (no blood) then it’s done. If using a barbecue thermometer then you’re looking for a breast temp of 165

Just like convection cooking a dutch oven is nothing more or less then a cooking pot. It is an iron, most of the times cast iron, thick walled cooking pot that has a lid that is tight fitted. In the past, dutch oven cooking over coals would mean that the whole pot, even the lid, was covered with coals just to make sure that the heat would be all around the pot. When you buy a dutch oven these days it will have legs to hold it above the coals. You will even see that a flange is added to keep the coals out of the food. This type of cooking is a slow and intense process.

Roasting

A very popular way of cooking with a dutch oven is using it to prepare a roast. The oven will make sure that the meat is evenly cooked because of the thick walls which makes it very insulated. It is a delicious way of cooking and all the juices will absorbed by the meat, because it is a closed system they are steamed up and fall down on the roast again. All the flavors of the vegetables and all the spices that are there in the pot together with the meat will circulate together and are going to be present in every bite you take.

So you see that dutch oven cooking over coals can really be ideal for the next time you think about getting a roast done for the family. It will be hard to overcook and get a dry piece of meat.

A stew

Using a dutch oven for your stew is, of course, perfect just for the fact that a stew needs to simmer slowly. The combination of liquid and solid food, using meat or seafood, vegetables and spices all together slowly cooking in this oven is just perfect. All the flavors of all these ingredients will melt together and the lid on the oven will make sure that it doesn’t cook dry.

A Casserole

You will find that a casserole is not that different from a stew, the only difference being that the the meat and vegetables are cut in smaller pieces. A casserole often is served in the dish in which it was cooked. A dutch oven is a perfect piece to put on the table and even more perfect to cook your casserole in.

When your an outdoor person and go camping a lot it will be nice to know that dutch oven cooking over coals can also be done on the camping site. The newer ovens are designed to be more convenient in this way but still have the same basic functions.

Just give it a try, if you have never done this type of cooking try and find people who have experience with it and ask them for advice. Ones you see, and most of all, taste what you can create with a dutch oven you will never do it any other way. Your table guests will love you for it.

Kenny Vanderburen loves to write about his one passion, cooking. If you want to know where there are cooking measurements take a look at his website. When Kenny is not in the kitchen or writing articles he is probably behind his computer to look for a website that have information about campfire cooking sets.

Man has always liked sweet things. In times past they braved bee stings before they learnt to control the bees. Later came sugar from cane – so precious that in earlier times it was used more as a condiment is today, merely being sprinkled over food. In more recent times, beets, parsnips, carrots and other foods that are naturally sweet have all been used to provide that sugary flavour. Then, with modern dietetics we began to realise that eating lots of very sweet, fat heavy foods wasn’t the best for the human body.

But we still like that little treat. Hence the popularity of low fat desserts.

Biscotti

1-1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

9 tablespoons low fat spread

3/4 cup sultanas

2 eggs, beaten

grated zest of 1 lemon or orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

How many cookies you get will depend on how big you make them, but it averages at about 3 dozen. They keep well in an airtight container, but only if you don’t let anyone know they are there.

Pre-heat oven to 325 F, 170 C, Gas 3. Mix together the cornmeal and flour and then rub in the spread until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. You could do this in a food processor, but you will have to transfer to a bowl before adding the fruit and zest. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and water. Divide the dough into three parts and make these into long log shapes, about 8 inches long and 2-3 inches across. Place these on a non-stick baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes and then slice diagonally into

Millions of us enjoy outdoor cooking. It’s part of the rhythm of our lives, as natural as the changing of the seasons. Guys whose only time spent in the kitchen involves searching for beer in the refrigerator jump at the chance to cook dinner on the outdoor grill. Why? It’s just plain fun, and a great social activity, gathering in the backyard with friends or family for a relaxed cookout. Becoming a competent backyard chef doesn’t require any prior cooking skill or experience. You can start with the basics, such as grilling burgers or steaks, and as you gain confidence, expand your repertoire to more complex dishes. You can experiment with spice rubs and sauces, until you create your own signature recipes.

If you pay attention to what your doing, grilling or smoking meats is difficult to goof up. It doesn’t require exact measurement of ingredients, such as baking does. In fact many a backyard grillmeister has discovered his or her best dishes after uttering the phrase: “What if we try this…” The major challenge is “doneness,” recognizing when to take the foods off the grill so you don’t end up with dry, grey overdone meats, scorched fish or undercooked chicken. But that just comes with experience. You reach the point where you don’t have to cut into the steak to see if it is medium-rare. You just know.

These days, the sky’s the limit in terms of the types of dishes you can prepare outdoors, and the flavors you can produce: even desserts can be prepared on the grill. Grocery store shelves are crammed with exotic marinades from every type of cuisine.

Let’s not forget the most important part: grilled or barbecued food just tastes better than food cooked in the oven or on the stove. Searing meat over a high flame adds that delicious crust or “char” flavor. And what’s better than the rich flavor of meats slow cooked over wood smoke?

Smoking or Grilling

Generally speaking, grilling refers to cooking foods quickly in an open cooker, over high heat. Smoking is a process of cooking more slowly, over a low heat, often with the cooker closed. But these processes are not mutually exclusive. You might sear a pork tenderloin over high heat, and then move it off the fire and let it finish cooking more slowly, adding wood chips to the fire to give it additional flavor, and closing the lid on the grill unit. Many outdoor chefs have two distinct cooking units: a gas or charcoal grill and a meat smoker. But many grills can serve double duty as smokers.

Enjoy yourself but keep safety in mind

Take precautions when you’re grilling. Keep food icy cold until you’re ready to grill. Salads and side dishes should be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Don’t cross contaminate utensils, plates, or the grill surface.

A fire extinguisher in easy reach is a must. It’s also a good idea to have a pitcher of water nearby and a bowl of ice cubes. If you do burn your hand plunge it into the ice cubes for fast relief. And of course keep the grill out of busy pathways.

Brian Hill loves to grill, whether it’s chicken, fish, veggies, or his favorite, steaks. He’s the author of the novel Over Time, His dogs blog at http://www.roseandkate.blogspot.com

Summer is nearly here and so is an increase in the in temperature. No one wants to be stuck in the kitchen on a hot day with the oven going. No, you can’t hand them a pop tart or a box of cereal and tell them to get out of your hair, even when that is really what you would rather do. I invested in a George Foreman Grill, so in the summer, I spend a lot of time preparing food on that or using the gas grill outside. So take a look at these tips and see if you can’t manage to get out of the kitchen sooner and still give the kids a cheap and fast supper while you beat the heat.

1. Eggbeater Omelet - Pour you some southwestern eggbeaters into a pan, once it is done add some cream cheese and fold it over. Serve with some fresh fruit for a fantastic quick and easy meal that can be enjoyed anytime of the day.

2. Salads are not only a great way to beat the summer heat but they are cheap and fast to make. You can do a basic lettuce and tomato if you want. Or you can dress it put some cheese, boiled eggs and a pack of sandwich meat. Serve with half an avocado stuffed with sour cream or cream cheese. Chill some fresh fruit and mix it for a nice cool fruit salad for desert.

3. Chicken salad. Great for left over chicken, or I buy a precooked chicken at the store to save time, de-bone it, toss in some grapes and pecans, mix with low-fat-mayonnaise and a little honey mustard. You can serve this on a bed of lettuce, as a sandwich, a wrap and it makes a great panini as well.

4. BLT with a Twist. I keep cooked bacon on hand at all times. Mix together tomatoes, cucumbers and mayonnaise and spread onto a whole-wheat wrap then layer some lettuce and bacon evenly over the wrap and roll up. Cut diagonally and serve with some fresh raw broccoli that you have sprinkled with lemon juice…yummy!

5. Pea salad. There is nothing better than a good pea salad. I take a can of early peas (English peas), drain them and add 2 boiled eggs, a small Vidalia onion finely chopped and