Fresh Tomatoes

Don’t refrigerate tomatoes that are less than ripe. The cold temperatures will stop the ripening process and prevent the flavor from fully developing. Store tomatoes on the counter until they ripen, then they can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.

We appreciate your return visit to the Three Angels Gourmet Co. There is always something new. Please look around. Thanks again and come often.

Celebrate July 4th with a Cool, Delicious Ice Cream Cake!

July 4th picnics are sure to include plenty of hot dogs, hamburgers, and even barbequed chicken, baked beans, chips, salads, and cold drinks.

And there’s no better way to cool off on July 4th than with a delicious ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. The cakes are reasonably priced and are sure to delight everyone from grandkids to great grandparents.

Find a store near you right now and place an order for YOUR July 4th cake!

Cleaning a Cheese Grater

Hate to grate cheese because so much of it gets stuck in the holes of the grater? Then try this: after grating all the cheese you need, grate a piece of raw potato and see how it “cleans” out the holes of the grater.

Here’s a grater if you need one:Oxo Good Grips Box Grater

Grilling Steaks

Having a picnic or barbeque this holiday weekend? Then try this tip when grilling steaks.

Let raw steaks sit for 30 to 35 minutes before you put them on the grill so they reach room temperature. The cooked steaks will have a better texture and better taste. When grilling the steaks, test for doneness by touching them. The softer the steak, the less cooked it is.

Use Divine Dill Dip Mix As a Dry Rub for Chicken

Divine Dill Dip Mix from the Three Angels Gourmet Co. makes a great dry rub for chicken breasts.

Flatten boneless chicken breasts with a meat mallet. Sprinkle dry dill dip mix over both sides of each chicken breast and rub the dip mix into the meat. Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.

Remove chicken breasts from the refrigerator. Cook the chicken in a skillet with a little olive oil.

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Updating Your Spice Rack

TODAY’S FOOD TIP

Ring in the New Year by cleaning out something old – your spice rack.

This is the perfect time to replace those old jars of spices that have been on your spice rack so long you don’t even remember when you bought them.

Ground herbs and spices retain their best flavor for only a year. So pitch out those jars from years gone by. Whole spices will remain flavorful for up to 2 years, so you can keep those a little longer.

To determine whether a spice is so old it needs to be replaced, check to see if the color has faded, or if the spice has caked up. An unpleasant odor is another sign that spices have passed their prime.

Light, heat, and moisture will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly. Move your spice rack away from the stove if that’s where you have it now. It’s also best to choose ground herbs and spices in metal tins with tight fitting lids (instead of clear glass jars) to lessen their exposure to light.

Keep your spices in a cool, dry cabinet or pantry and they will retain their flavor longer.

Get this Spice Rack here.

Pantry Staples for Quick Cooking

TODAY’S FOOD TIP

10 Pantry Staples to Make Quick Cooking Taste Like All Day Cooking
By Tracy Alt

Stocking up on often used pantry items when they are on sale is the perfect way to not only save money on item you know will not go to waste but also to ensure that you will have enough ingredients on hand at all times to throw a meal together in a matter of minutes. Here is a list of my top ten pantry items that will help you add that all-day cooked flavor to quick cooking meals.

1. Pasta: Pasta is so versatile that you could make dinner with it every night for a month and never have the same meal twice. Dried pasta is the perfect pantry staple to stock up on every time it goes on sale at your grocery store. Keep different size and shaped noodles on hand to make meals more interesting. Dried pasta can be added to soups, stews or casseroles, it can be used as a bed for your favorite stir-fry, to add some bulk to your meal or it can be the star of the show – a quick go-to meal by simply adding your favorite jarred sauce.

A couple of things to keep in mind when cooking with dried pasta are: Always put your pot of pasta water on the stove before you do anything else to begin preparing your meal. You don’t want to have the rest of your meal prepared and getting cold while you are still waiting for the pasta water to boil so give it a head start. Also, if you are serving pasta as the star of the show, topped with your favorite sauce, you should always use a noodle with lines or ridges in it because it will give the sauce a place to go and do not rinse the noodles when you drain them because it will help the sauce stick.

2. Spaghetti Sauce: Of course you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce to pour over spaghetti for a quick meal any night of the week, but think outside the box a little when it comes to this pantry staple. You would be surprised how many different ways spaghetti sauce can be used. The great thing about spaghetti sauce is that all of the cooking has been done and that all-day flavor is already sealed in. There are so many varieties on the store shelves that you can get a sauce with whatever flavor combination you prefer, or you can get a simple marinara sauce and spice it up your own way by adding fresh herbs and vegetables to suit your pallette and your menu.

3. Prepared Broths: Boxes or cans of prepared beef, chicken and vegetable broth are a must have pantry staple. When it comes to quick cooking you should not pass up any opportunity to add flavor. You can do this by substituting broth in place of water to add extra flavor to any recipe. You can even cook your rice in broth instead of water. If you cook often the larger boxes of broth can be stored in the refrigerator after opening so you can use as much or as little as you need and they can sometimes be a better bargain than the cans. If you do wind up with leftover broth in an opened container and are afraid that you will not be able to use it quickly, pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it. You can pop out as many cubes as you need and melt them right into your recipe. You can even get fancy by adding some dried herbs to your broth cubes before freezing for extra flavor.

4. Quick Cooking Rice: Rice is a great way to add bulk to a meal. Serving a stir fry of meat and vegetables over rice makes a delicious and satisfying meal. Rice is also a great way to add some whole grains to your diet by using brown rice or wild rice instead of white rice. Experiment with different flavors and find one that your family enjoys. Rice also makes a great side dish either by itself, with vegetables mixed in or simply topped with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

5. Condensed Soups: Condensed soups are a fabulous way to add both moisture and flavor to quick cooking meals. You will find recipe ideas right on the soup can labels and there have been entire cookbooks written around the theme of cooking with condensed soups. Cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of celery and condensed cheese soup are probably the most popular. Take a close look at the soup selection the next time you are in the grocery store. Read the recipes on the labels and stock up on any that you can incorporate into your weekly menu planning. If nothing else, you can make soup for lunch or dinner on a cold rainy day. Don’t forget the chicken noodle in case somebody doesn’t feel well.

6. Dried Herbs and Spices: Having a stock of herbs and spices on hand will really help “spice” up your quick meals. Kosher salt, whole black peppercorns (to grind in a pepper grinder), parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cumin, chili powder, mustard powder and paprika would be a great starting point. Unless you cook a lot, buy these items in the smallest quantity possible. Dried herbs and spices can lose their flavor and it is recommended that you should replace them after 6 months. You will wind up wasting money if you buy the jumbo size container of paprika, only use it once or twice and wind up throwing it away.

7. Liquid Condiments: Worcestershire, soy sauce, hot pepper sauce, and an assortment of vinegars are some liquid condiments that can pack a punch when it comes to adding flavor to your quick fix meals.

8. Canned Tomatoes: Having a variety of canned tomato products in your pantry is a great way to add all-day cooked flavor to your meals. You can add variety by mixing up the size of the tomatoes, from whole to finely diced. You can even purchase the cans with herbs and spices already added.

9. Canned Beans: Beans are a great source of fiber and an excellent way to add bulk to your meals, but cooking with dried beans can take a very long time because you typically have to soak them overnight and then cook them for hours until they soften. Canned beans give you the same benefits in a fraction of the time and if you stock up when they are bargain-priced they can be beneficial to your wallet as well.

10. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is an absolute cooking staple. Even though oil is a fat, extra virgin olive oil is considered a healthy fat because it contains antioxidants like Vitamin E, it can lower you bad cholesterol while raising your good cholesterol and studies have shown that extra virgin olive oil can actually help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer. You should keep in mind, though, that even with all of these health benefits, extra virgin olive oil is still a fat and it should be consumed in moderation. Two tablespoons per day should be your limit. There are many varieties of extra virgin olive oil on the market and some can be very expensive. Do a little taste testing to find a moderately priced brand that suits your pallette and watch for it to go on sale.

Tips to Organize Life is the website that provides shortcuts, tips and tricks to help you get things done faster and better.

Tips to Organize Life focuses on all aspects of life, including organzing your home, cooking, entertaining, money management, children, communication, gardening, planning for emergencies and more.

Article Source: ezinearticles.com

Want a Cozy Home? Bake Some Bread!

TODAY’S FOOD TIP:

I love fall. As the weather gets cooler, a nice way to warm up the house is by baking bread. As the inviting aroma of fresh bread wafts through the air, the house is suddenly warm and cozy.

Here’s the easiest and most delicious bread you’ll ever bake – Angel Ale Bread from the Three Angels Gourmet Co..

The package comes with a parmesan/seasoning packet that you mix with melted butter and spoon onto the top of the loaf before baking.

The result is a rich, flavorful loaf of bread with a delicious, tasty top crust.

Serve it with a bowl of piping hot soup, some tasty stew, or a plate of spaghetti for a nourishing and cozy meal your family will love.

Choose the Correct Apple for the Job!

TODAY’S FOOD TIP

Did you know that over 7,000 varieties of apples are grown in the world – with about 2,500 varieties in the United States?

Many delicious fall recipes call for apples. But some apples are better for snacking (raw) than for baking.

Here’s a handy list to help you choose apples for baking and for using in salads, snacks, pies, and even applesauce:

APPLES FOR BAKING

Albermarie Pippin
Granny Smith
Rome Beauty (Red Rome)
Golden Delicious
McIntosh
Jonathan
Fuji

APPLES FOR SALADS

Granny Smith
Grimes Golden
Red Delicious
Winesap
York Imperial
Rome Beauty (Red Rome)
Golden Delicious
McIntosh

APPLES FOR SNACKING

Red Delicious
Golden Delicious
McIntosh
Jonathan
Fuji

APPLES FOR PIES

Granny Smith
Grimes Golden
Rome Beauty (Red Rome)
Stayman
Winesap

APPLES FOR APPLESAUCE

York Imperial
Winesap
Stayman
Summer Rambo
Grimes Golden
Early Harvest
Golden Delicious
McIntosh

Learn more about apples here. Look here to get recipes for appealing apple dishes for every meal of the day.

Try some Heavenly Apple Crumble made with Heavenly Jam Bar Mix from the Three Angels Gourmet Co.

HEAVENLY APPLE CRUMBLE

3 medium apples (any kind for baking)

1/2 tsp. powdered cinnamon

1/3 c. water

1 stick butter

1 pkg. Heavenly Jam Bar Mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and core apples. Chop them into bite-sized pieces and set them aside. Spray an 8″x8″ baking pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom of the pan with the apple pieces. Pour the water into the pan with the apples, then sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon. Put 1 stick of butter in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, then pour the jam bar mix into the melted butter and mix together well (this will make a crumbly mixture). Pour the crumbly mixture over the apples in the baking pan and pat down. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (or until crumbly mixture is brown around the edges and apples are soft).
Serve the crumble topped with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, if desired.

Back to School the Whole Foods Way

TODAY’S FOOD TIP – Foods for Kids

Join the University Of Masters and learn tips for Back to School the Whole Foods Way with Master teacher Dr. Bethany Klug. On September 15th, Dr. Klug interviewed Lisa Everett, RPh and clinicial nutritionist, mother of three and 30 year veteran nutritionist. This recorded interview is available at Dr. Klug’s classroom at the University Of Masters. Members can click on Dr. Klug’s class information in the course catalog and link directly to the class recordings.

For additional recipes and whole food tips visit the Doctor Cooks Weblog.

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For special offers on gourmet coffees, teas, and much more, visit Heavenly Java.

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