The Professional Chef |

If you want to make a name for yourself as the local neighborhood grill master, you need to have the right tools and accessories. These grilling tools are a must have for backyard chefs everywhere:

You’ll need a nice set of utensils that are well suited for grilling. That means they shouldn’t be made of material that will get hot in your hands. They should be big enough that you can reach the back of the grill with them safely, but no bigger. Many bbq tools are made so big that they become difficult to handle. Many a time I’ve seen a newbie griller use extra long tongs to grab something off the grill only to lose control and drop it on the ground. What a waste!

Another note about barbeque utensil sets: they usually come with a giant fork. Take the fork and throw it right in the garbage. No self-respecting grill master uses a fork to poke his meat. It lets all the delicious juices pour out!

Now what other grilling tools do we need? Well, you need to keep your grill clean so that means you’ll need a wire brush. You can get these for as little as $5.99 but I recommend going with the $14.99 models. The cheaper ones fall apart and leave little pieces of their wire all over your grill (and in your food if you’re not careful). Better to spend the extra couple bucks and avoid the aggravation.

Now let’s think about safety. You’re going to be working over an open fire so you want to be as careful as possible. The grill will be piping hot and so will dishes, utensils, etc. At the least you should have some sturdy oven mitts handy. But what I recommend is getting a pair of “Ove Gloves”. You can get them for around $12 to $15 and they’re so worth it. They’re comfortable to wear and can resist temperatures up to 480 degrees! Grab yourself a pair and you’ll be glad you did.

There’s just one more grilling tool you need to add to your arsenal: a small spray bottle. No matter how careful you are you’re bound to have a flame up from time to time. You’ll need to act fast or your whole meal will go up in smoke. If you keep a small spray bottle filled with water handy you can quickly spray down flames before they get out of control.

Did you know that some of the most successful Companies, were built by people just like you, who went on to earn millions and millions of dollars? And now I will give you the secret. Companies like Avon, Noni, and TupperWare, at one time, were unheard of, until they were introduced to the World through Network Marketing.

Network Marketing is here to stay and is becoming a MAJOR FORCE of economic growth around the World.

- World Famous Business Tycoon Warren Buffet’s largest acquisition a few years ago was Pampered Chef, a Network Marketing Company.

- Warren Buffet, of Omaha and famed billionaire stock market expert, turned heads on Wall Street in 2002 when he bought a network marketing company. Today, he no longer owns one… he owns three.(2005) (And has been quoted as saying, It’s the best investment I’ve ever made.) (Oh, and lets not forget. Warren Buffet bought almost a dozen or so Network Marketing companies last year alone 2006)

- The World’s 2 largest cosmetic companies, Avon and Mary Kay, are both network marketing companies:

- 1 out of every 6 people in Japan participate in Network Marketing and the number of active distributors in the US alone has doubled, just within the past 7 years!

So what does Warren Buffet know that most do not?

First of all, at $125,000+ per share of stock in his company, he knows that the average person just cannot afford this. However, just about anyone can afford to start their own business in Network Marketing. I mean, it’s not much more than the cost of a dinner and a movie for two and a night on the town. Perhaps this is why one of Warren Buffet’s largest acquisitions of the last few years was a Billion Dollar Network Marketing Company.

I would challenge anyone on Wall Street to take $3,000 and do what Doris Christopher has done: build a business from scratch into a world-class organization. As quoted by Warren Buffet from the foreword to The Pampered Chef. Warren also knows that conventional advertising is losing its punch and amongst other things, Network Marketing is the perfect way to reach more people.

- People are inundated by over 4,000 messages every single day – Tivo and other DVR’s allow consumers to eliminate commercials entirely – People are becoming numb to the marketing of major companies and would rather deal with people they know or know of.

IN THIS NEW AGE A NEW WAY IS NEEDED TO BREAKTHROUGH ALL THE CLUTTER1

Ask yourself, who do you trust more, your friend or a billboard?

So, now you can see why financial luminaries including Warren Buffet, Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trump, Paul Zane Pilzer and even Richard Branson embrace network marketing.

Remember what Robert Kiyosaki, and Donald Trump said: “If I had to do it all over again, rather than build an old style type of business,I would have started building a network marketing business.” Paul Pilzer projects that over those same 10 years, the US economy will create ten million new millionaires and that many of them will be created in network marketing.

FACT: Right now, as you read these words, there are about 70,000 people around the world who are not network marketers and by this same time tomorrow, will be! Sir Richard Branson gave my favorite quote, on the risk of entrepreneurship. If you dot take risks you wont achieve anything. The quote was why he started his own business. He wanted to do things he could be proud of.

These business men know where the smart money is going, and now that you know, you can position yourself to profit. Right now people from all walks of life are enjoying success with network marketing by unleashing the power of Knowledge.

How about you? Are you ready to make your move? If so, don’t wait any longer.

If Warren Buffet, Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, Paul Zane Pilzer and Richard Branson are into network marketing and they are Billionaires why aren’t you? I know when Warren Buffet started to buy Silver everyone jumped in that market. Why have you stayed out of Network Marketing?

Well stay tuned for the next article – How to find the right Network Marketing company. To my faithful readers, as long as you keep reading, I will reveal the secrets to you of this industry. Just what the heavy hitters of the industry do not want you to know about.

Looking for a new set of dining room furniture? Maybe you have guests arriving regularly, and want to put the old set out to grass, and entertain in style with a formal dining room suite. What a pleasure to invite friends and neighbors over, especially at holiday times, and have them sit around a table capable of accommodating 14 diners. That’s possible of course, but for some of us, a more moderate suite is sufficient for our needs. Let’s look at some of the things we have to consider when shopping for our dining table and chairs:

Capacity

As mentioned above, we could be looking for something that can sit up to 14 or 16 people, but on the other hand, if our culinary soirées don’t run to that many, then maybe a modest 4 – 6 seater is all we’re looking for. No point in over-extending ourselves when the smaller version is sufficient.

Size

By size, I mean how does it fit into the dining room area. When considering dining tables and chairs seating for 14 is okay, as long as there’s space left in the room to walk around the furniture. The size of the table therefore, needs to be compatible with the dining space available.

Style

This category can say a lot about you and your home. Traditional dining tables and chairs based on something Chippendale might have designed may suit your particular style. But if you have a more conventional taste for furniture, you will be looking for something without all the curves and swirls.

Finish

Most fine dining tables and chairs will be made of a hard wood like mahogany or oak, and finished with a lovely rich varnish and wax. It is well to consider this part of your purchase as one of the most important. A well-finished item of furniture will give years of good service, especially if it is maintained regularly. But a cheaper variety, no matter how well it is looked after, will begin to deteriorate over time. The best value for the money therefore, is to invest at the time of purchase, in dining room tables and chairs that have a rich, solid finish.

Maintenance of these articles only requires waxing and polishing, but must be done regularly to prevent drying, cracking and flaking. It is also well to consider how you intend to protect this furniture from minor, if not major, bumps and scrapes. A suitable heavy-duty cover would be the answer, and would provide peace of mind when the grandchildren come to visit.

The alternative to a fine finish could be glass of course, and there are many fine dining tables and chairs sets that are glass-topped. They look elegant, and very useable, even for that candlelit dinner with special friends.

Quality

One of the most important ingredients in determining which item to buy is always the quality. As mentioned above, if we’re really looking for fine dining tables and chairs sets, then we need to consider how much we are prepared to invest. Quality rarely comes cheap, but it does offer a lifetime of service and enjoyment in our purchase. If you’re more interested in quality over quantity, seek out a fine set of table and chairs from your local specialist furniture supplier. Ask for their advice, and if they are merchants of repute, they’ll be able to help.

Creating an ambiance and enjoying a special dish with your family is easier nowadays, thanks to the many fancy restaurants and quaint dining places. However, a meal becomes extra special if prepared and done with care, as everyone enjoys the simplicity of home-cooked meals. Grilling the perfect Filet Mignon is likewise a treat. Enjoying this great dish also gives you a wonderful eating experience with family. So before you go out this evening, why not try cooking and grilling the perfect Filet Mignon and have it on your very plate.

Filet Mignon is a great example of high-quality meat. It is tender, moist and absolutely perfect for grilling. While many people go for Rib Eye and T Bone steaks, Filet Mignon is also a prime choice among meat lovers. The flavor may be mild and not as intense compared to other meat parts but grilling the perfect Filet Mignon also mean retaining and sealing in the juices and flavor of said meat cut. Many believe that grilling the perfect Filet Mignon requires lesser and quicker grilling time. It should be cooked quickly to not lose the flavor and avoid it from being dry.

Medium-rare is said to be the best way of having and grilling the perfect Filet Mignon. For the meat will be flavorless if overcooked. One of the most adapted methods in grilling is the touch method, where you have to press the meat slightly and compare with it your muscle down your thumb. This actually takes time to perfect and the only way to master it would be to constantly grill, cook and dine.

In grilling the perfect Filet Mignon, it also helps to wrap a slice of bacon over the whole meat cut. In this way, you will be adding additional flavor to a once mild and non-intense Filet Mignon taste. It is also best to pair it with sauces for a more flavorful effect. You can go for either barbecue sauces or prepared marinades. Garnishing and herbs can also be used in grilling the perfect Filet Mignon. For these seasonings add spice, sweetness and zest both to your marinades and basting sauces.

Wines, cheeses and grapes go well together but you can actually enhance the mild taste of your steak with premium wines and drinks. While this tip seems to be secondary, grilling the perfect Filet Mignon also requires additional tips and reminders. Besides, if you really want to create that sumptuous meal, you have to prepare and be ready from start to finish.

If you haven’t tried garage sales for finding merchandise to sell on eBay, maybe you should explore this option. There is a strategy for getting the most out of your garage sale shopping efforts. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your efforts, and minimize your time investment.

1) Plan ahead. Go to craigslist to look for garage sale ads in your area. More and more people are relying on craigslist for free advertising. Garage sales usually start on Fridays, and the posts on craiglist start appearing on Tuesdays. Check daily for new posts, and keep a list of sales in your area. You can also look at your local newspaper’s website for garage sale ads. The big neighborhoods will usually advertise there. You can find a lot of items quickly if you go to the neighborhood sales, versus sales scattered around town.

2) Go to sales in the affluent parts of town. First, they will have better items. Second, you have no idea of a person’s financial situation and they may be having a garage sale to pay bills.

3) Go early. Most garage sales will start at 8 AM. Arrive early to get the best selection. The earlier in the day you start the better chance you have of finding “good” stuff.

4) Take plenty of cash. You don’t want to have to take valuable time convincing the seller to take your check. Most people have a garage sale for one reason – to make money. They don’t want checks – they want cold, hard, cash.

5) Be prepared. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Take bottled water. Keep snacks in the car. Bring your cell phone in case you find something you are unsure about, you can call your spouse or a friend for their opinion.

6) Don’t be afraid to bargain or make offers. People have garage sales to get rid of stuff. They don’t want to have to haul it all back in the house at the end of the day. Make reasonable offers and be fair.

7) Use the “cash in hand” technique. I do this all the time. Say for example I find something for $20, and think it is overpriced. I inconspicuously take a $10 bill out of my pocket and walk up to the seller. Then, with the bill in plain view, I say, “Hi, I am interested in that item over there. I only have $10 left, would you take that?” Seeing the cash, the seller usually takes it. The idea is to be reasonable. The later in the day that you use this technique, the better it works.

I have some interesting stories about garage sales. I went to a huge neighborhood sale in my community last fall. The woman had all kinds of men’s items – really nice clothing, shoes, golf equipment, sporting goods, and “guy stuff.” I found a really nice pair of Justin lizard skin boots, barely worn, for $5. (These boots retail for about $300.) That was an amazing find. So, I went to pay for the item, and the woman started telling me how she and her husband had a fight and he left town on a hunting trip for a week. She was having a garage sale and getting rid of all his stuff that she didn’t like. I asked, “He isn’t going to track me down and get me, is he?” She just laughed, and said, “Probably not. I might sell his car, too.” Those boots ended up selling for $98 and were shipped to Germany. You might be wondering what to look for at garage sales.

Here are some examples of what I have found, and how much the items sold for on eBay.

1) George Forman grill new in box , $5, sold for $30

2) Hooked on Phonics set, excellent used condition, $5, sold for $68

3) Mary Kay cosmetics, various items new in boxes, paid $1 each, sold for about $10 each (the lady was a Mary Kay rep getting rid of inventory)

4) Oscar de la Renta wool blazer new with tag, $5, sold for $52

5) Wagner wallpaper remover steamer new in box, $5, sold for $25

6) Dr. Martens shoes, gently worn, $3, sold for $47

7) Pampered Chef apple corer/peeler, used with box, $5, sold for $20

Men’s Nike Shox shoes, gently worn, $3, sold for $46

9) Yankee 20 oz jar candle, barely used (was lit once and the person didn’t like the scent), $1, sold for $12

10) Lexmark printer ink cartridge, new in box, $1, sold for $16 Look for items new in the package or new in the box. Look for gently used designer apparel and shoes.

So, you can see that garage sales are a great venue for finding items to sell. If you plan ahead, you can get a lot accomplished in one day. Learn more about selling on eBay Visit my blog for more eBay selling information

Grilled Shrimp is probably the most popular category of Shrimp Cuisine. You can purchase wonderful grilled shrimp entrée’s at Food Establishments around the world. But, when it comes to grilling shrimp at home, many people want to know how to grill shrimp for the best results.

Many expert chefs will tell you the #1 rule for grilling shrimp is to not over cook it.
Shrimp cooks very rapidly. Depending on the size shrimp you are grilling, 2 to 3 minutes per side is a normal cooking time. That’s it!

If you want to make the best Grilled Shrimp Recipes at home, just follow these easy grilling tips.

1. Purchase Raw Shrimp. You can purchase fresh or frozen shrimp, just make sure it is raw. You are going to be cooking it again on the grill so you do not want shrimp that is already cooked. It will become tough and chewy.

2. Purchase Large or Extra Large Shrimp. Shrimp that is any smaller can fall through the grill or doesn’t hold well on skewers if making grilled shrimp kabobs.

3. Rinse frozen or thawed shrimp under cold running water. If shrimp is not deveined, go ahead and devein shrimp now by making a shallow slice along the backside and pulling out the vein gently. Rinse shrimp under water. Check your shrimp recipe (if you are using one) to see if it calls for shelled shrimp or not. If you are not using a recipe or it doesn’t specify, you might consider leaving the shell on. Many people grill their shrimp this way. It retains the moisture better while grilling the shrimp. I personally prefer to remove the shell before grilling. I would rather have the grilled flavor on the shrimp itself and not the skin, plus I feel it soaks up the marinade very well if you are marinating your shrimp. You just need to watch your cooking time very carefully.

4. Pat Shrimp Dry

5. If you are going to prepare a marinated grilled shrimp, you can use shrimp that is frozen or thawed. If you followed step 2 above, your shrimp may have thawed slightly during the rinsing, cleaning process. Even if it is not completely thawed you can place it in your marinade. Place shrimp in a shallow bowl, cover with marinade, seal bowl tightly. Allow to marinade for ½ hour or longer. If using acidic marinades, anything with lemon or other citrus, you will use a shorter marinating time because the acid will start to cook the shrimp. Non-acidic marinades you can do for several hours.

6. If not marinating shrimp, prepare ingredients according to your favorite shrimp recipe.

7. Spray your grill grate with Pam Grilling Spray to prevent shrimp from sticking (or spray a grill basket if using one of those)

8. Preheat the grill to a medium to medium high heat.

9. Place shrimp, shrimp in grill basket or shrimp kabobs on grill.

10. Flip shrimp after approx. 3 minutes and continue cooking another 3 -5 minutes until all of the shrimps original color is gone.

11. Remove a shrimp from the grill and cool slightly then test (by eating one!) to see if it is done.

12. If it’s done remove all the shrimp to a platter and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Now you know the best grilling tips for making your favorite grilled shrimp recipes right at home!

If you are an accomplished scrapbooker, you’ve put in many hours experimenting with layouts, colors, placements, and accessories. You’ve discovered some great ideas and thrown out some that didn’t work so well. You might even have reached the point where every time you go through a pile of photos, you arrange them in your mind in to pleasing displays.

These are skills that others could benefit from, especially beginners who aren’t sure how to bring together all their choices in materials with all the photographs and other memorabilia they have. These beginners often look with envy at the things you do and wonder if they will ever be able to do anything that nice. From your point of view, you know that all it would take for them to focus their creativity is someone to show them a few basics. 

That someone could be you. If your community has a scrapbooking shop, you could show the owner some of your material and offer to teach classes a day or two a week. In small towns, the owners themselves usually teach such classes, but small business owners have so many other things to do, they may be grateful for the extra help-especially since you would be paid by the students, not by the store.

If your town doesn’t have such a store, you could offer classes in your own home for a few friends at a time. In the same way that some people have Tupperware or Pampered Chef parties, you could hold classes. You yourself would supply the materials and your class could sit around your kitchen or dining room table…perhaps your church or school would even allow you to use their space on a Saturday morning or weeknight to gather your students. 

If you’ve been at this for a long time, you know things that others would really like to know. It could benefit both you and those beginners for you to offer your skills in whatever way you can.

New York style cheesecake recipes are made with a combination of cream cheese and Italian cheese cakes made with ricotta cheese. In the early 1920’s, this particular silky style of cream cheese was developed in the New York area.

New York style cheesecake recipes were introduced by Jewish delicatessens in New York City. Arnold Reuben Jr., owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City and a descendant of immigrants from Germany, claimed his family developed the first cream cheese cake recipe. Reuben’s cheesecake was so good, it won a Gold Metal at the 1929 World’s Fair.

The superior qualities that make Reuben’s classic New York style cheesecake are a graham cracker crust, a creamy texture, and distinct lemon flavor that is firm but light in density. Below you will find his Classic New York Style Cheesecake recipe.

Classic New York Cheesecake

Crust:

Heavily coat 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray

1 1/2 cups commercial graham cracker crumbs

5 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. honey

1/4 cup sugar

Mix ingredients together with hands until well blended and crumbs appear moist. Pour into pan. With hands, spread evenly across the bottom and pat down firmly.

Filling:

5 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature

2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

11/2 cups sugar

grated rind of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. orange liqueur

3/4 tsp. vanilla

2 egg yolks at room temperature

5 eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place first five ingredients in large mixing bowl and beat on high until they are completely blended. Add vanilla and 2 yolks, and beat again. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Pour into prepared pan. Batter will fill pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Top will be golden. Lower oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until top browns, cake feels bouncy to the touch, and a toothpick tests clean. Cool to room temperature. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Yield: 16-20 slices

The history of cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. The first recorded mention of cheesecake was when it was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 BC. Centuries later, cheesecake appeared in America. The recipes were brought over by the immigrants.

If you ask a New Yorker, the only true cheesecake makers and connoisseurs are in New York. Every New York restaurant has their own version and thus the cheesecake from New York has been re-named New York cheesecake.

I hope you enjoy this New York style cheesecake recipe.

Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved.

We all have special occasions that need a fast easy dessert. Whether it is for a birthday, the holidays or to celebrate something special like your child learning to ride a bike, sometimes you just need to be able to throw together a special dessert on short notice. Serving a dessert for various accomplishments makes your family feel special and makes the day memorable, especially if dessert is not a daily event at your house.

Easy desserts should consist of ingredients you have readily at hand. By having a few mixes and fresh ingredients on hand, it will be easy to pull together a nice dessert for any special occasion. Cake mixes, jello, instant pudding and other ingredients that keep well are a good place to start. By keeping a few in your pantry, you will be ready for any occasion.

Easy Parfaits

There is nothing more elegant or simple than a parfait. Served in a wine glass, everyone will ooh and ahh when you set them out on the table. You can make a simple parfait out of Jello cubes. Choose your favorite flavor, and let your Jello chill in a shallow pan. Once it has set, slice it into small cubes. Mix up a box of vanilla or banana pudding. Alternate layers of Jello cubes and pudding and top it off with whipped cream. Add a cherry, a couple berries, or some sprinkles on top for a finishing touch. You could also substitute fresh fruit for the Jello cubes for layers in the parfait.

If you prefer creamy desserts, you can make a wonderful parfait with chocolate pudding and whipped topping by alternating layers of each ingredient in a wine glass. Top it with more whipped topping and add a few shaves of chocolate. The shavings will make your parfait look like it came from an expensive restaurant. Everyone will be amazed at how much time you spent (but you didn’t!) preparing such an elegant dessert.

Easy Baked Desserts

If you prefer something baked, a simple gingerbread can easily be put together using a mix. It can even be baking during dinner, as hot gingerbread makes a lovely, easy dessert. Hot gingerbread is a wonderful easy dessert served plain, with sprinkle powdered sugar on top, or served with hot lemon pudding poured over it. If the gingerbread has time to cool first, you can serve it with whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon for an elegant touch. Cold gingerbread is also very good with hot lemon pudding poured over it.

If your family prefers chocolate, you can easily bake a chocolate cake and serve it simply with either whipped topping and chocolate curls on top or with powdered sugar sprinkled over the top. To make it appear even more elegant, add a couple fresh strawberry slices beside the cake, set into a small dollop of whipped topping.

These easy desserts can make any meal special, and they take very little time to make. Your family will be astounded at the care you have shown by making their accomplishment even more special by celebrating with dessert.

Holidays and special occasions often call for an easy dessert. Find one that fits your menu at JelloRecipes.net that will be suitable for any occasion. Whether you are looking for that traditional recipe, you remember from your childhood or a contemporary recipe to fit special dietary needs, this site will serve up something special.

Despite all the options out there, many of us find that we fall back on the same old desserts week after week. While they taste great at first, you can quickly get sick of pies, ice cream, or cake. If you are looking for the next great dessert, but find yourself intimidated by some of the recipes out there, you are not alone. Sometimes it seems like food journals and magazines fall on either side of two extremes – difficult and time consuming or the same things we always make.

The good news is that there are a lot of interesting and tasty desserts out there, and they do not need to be hard to make. Some may require a few unusual ingredients or techniques, but once you make them once or twice; you will get the hang of it. Here are a few ideas for great desserts to mix things up a little at your house.

Dessert Pizza

We see them at restaurants, but it rarely occurs to us to make these pizza-shaped desserts at home. However, they can be quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive. Try making sugar cookie dough or brownie batter from scratch, or buy prepackaged versions for a quicker crust. Top sugar cookie crusts with fresh fruit in season (apples and brown sugar are a real winner), chocolate, nuts, and lots of other tasty choices. Just remember to cook crusts entirely or partially before topping to avoid sogginess.

Ethnic Desserts

American cuisine has gone on to include a lot more dishes from other cultures in recent years. Many households regularly include Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and even Indian, Thai, and Japanese food for dinner. If you serve a meal based in another culture, never forget to include the desserts. Cultures throughout Asia have variations on Sweet Mango Sticky rice, for instance. Indian fruit lassis are a delight, and gelato makes a nice change from ordinary ice cream. 

If you or your family is a little concerned about strange foods, start by including some exotic ingredients in more ordinary dessert dishes. Lychee fruits, while strange looking, are a pleasant addition to the standard fruit salad, as are pineapple, mango, kiwi, and passionfruit.

Forgotten Favorites

Of course, you do not have to search far for new desserts. Some of them are old favorites that we just have not made in a while. Check out your older cookbooks for easy desserts your mother or grandmother used to make, and remember not to be afraid to experiment a little. Just be sure to do it when you have plenty of time – a deadline is never a good match for creativity in the kitchen. However, even desserts as humble as Jello, bread pudding, and cobbler can be a real treat without being difficult.