Cooking with a Wood Fired Barbecue

By Andrew Bicknell
Long before the advent of charcoal briquettes and propane people were cooking their meals over wood fueled fires. From the days of cave-men to less than one hundred years ago wood was the fuel of choice when it came to cooking. In this modern age we are constantly looking for a faster, cleaner and easier way to do everything, including preparing our meals. This has led to the development of bigger accessory laden gas fueled grills lining the isles of home improvement stores and showing up in our backyards.

But for the barbeque purists out there nothing tastes quite the same as preparing their favorite barbeque dish over a wood fired grill.

Why is this? What could possibly work better then the latest and greatest in barbecue technology?

Depending on the type of wood used the “Grill-Master” (that guy who hovers over the grill creating barbecue master pieces) can create flavors in the meat, poultry or fish that just cannot be had over a more modern gas fueled grill. This flavor can further be adjusted just by the amount of wood used, how hot the fire is, and how much smoke the meat is allowed to marinate in.

There are several types of wood fired barbeques on the market today. They are sometimes referred to as smoker grills.

The offset firebox is the one most of us are used to seeing. These come in all sizes, from small family sized units to large trailer born monsters capable of feeding several hundred people. The distinguishing characteristic of the offset firebox is, well the offset firebox. Set off to the side and slightly below the main cooking chamber is the firebox. This separates the food from direct heat and allows for a nice slow cooking temperature.

The bullet style smoker is not actually a smoker but more of what is called a cold smoker or water smoker. They use a pan of water between the heat source and the meat, thereby blocking any direct heat that would cause any overcooking. In a sense they are not really considered a barbecue because of the way they work.

The main chamber cooker is the third type of wood fired barbeque. These are barrel shaped and allow the fire to be built off to one side with the meat offset from the wood allowing for an indirect cooking method. You do need to be careful with how large of a fire gets built because there is no physical separation between the heat source and the meat. The fire need to be kept small and tended in a timely manner throughout the cooking process.

Of course all this is a moot point if you do not select the right type of wood. For a wood fired barbecue nothing works better than a fruit bearing hardwood such as oak, hickory, pecan, maple apple and of course from Texas mesquite. Do not use softwoods or the wood from evergreens or conifers. Aside from burning at a lower temperature they are loaded with sap which will leave a bad taste on anything you cook.

Cooking meat over a wood fire has been something humans have been doing for thousands of years. With the newer and more modern wood barbecue smokers on the market today it is possible for just about anyone to enjoy real wood fired barbecue.
Andrew Bicknell is a barbeque aficionado with a website about barbequing. For more tips and trick about wood fired barbecues visit his web site Backyard Barbeque.

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BBQ Ideas For Indirect Grilling- How To Get Tender Servings Every Time

By Steve Johansson

There are a lot of BBQ ideas regarding the definition of barbecue. Some regard barbecue as just roasting a hamburger and chicken over a high-heat gas grill. However, authentic barbecue is roasting meat that is high in connective tissue over a slow heat source (ideally wood) over several hours.

This article will give you BBQ ideas for performing indirect grilling via a gas or charcoal grill. Both of these are ideal to maintain the desired range of temperature needed to grill excellent BBQ. There are different BBQ ideas on this subject, but temperature ranges for indirect grilling range between 225 all the way up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most grills have a thermometer that are either mounted through the cover or located in the middle of the grill. This setup is ideal if you have three or more burners, but having two burners isn’t one of the best BBQ ideas since the food will be placed on one side. Therefore, you need a thermometer mounted on that side.

There are several BBQ ideas on where to mount the thermometer. But my recommendation is to insert the thermometer three to seven inches from the end and about four to 5 inches from the grate. Of course these measurements depend on grill size.

On more thing about the grill thermometer: if you are using a kettle grill, it is a good BBQ idea to place the thermometer about 3-4 inches to one side of the vent. You see, having the thermometer within close proximity to the vent is a good BBQ idea because the lid vent will be placed over the food indirectly.

Now that you have your thermometer ready to go, it’s time to start grilling!

If you’re using a gas grill, it is a good idea to have at least two burners that have separate controls. Just turn one on and place the food over the unlit burner.

One of the best BBQ ideas is placing the burner on high and preheating the grill with the cover closed. Make sure you watch the temperature and place the food in the grill. You may have to adjust the gas to maintain the desired temperature.

Here are some good BBQ ideas if you’re using a charcoal grill: You have to put your coals on one side of the grill. If you have a larger grill, you can divide them in half and bank the coals on opposite sides. You need to make sure the coals aren’t directly under the food.

It is a good idea to create a “charcoal chimney” to start the burning process. Obviously, you’ll want to use about 20 to 40 in a smaller charcoal grill and 45-60 in a larger one. Use more briquettes for a higher temperature.

Indirect grilling is one of the best BBQ ideas that will enable you to create mouthwatering slow-cooked meats. Your guests will love it when you invite them over for the next BBQ outing!

Steve Johansson is a BBQ enthusiast who is always coming up with fresh BBQ ideas. To discover unique BBQ ideas that will please your friends, go to http://greatbbqideas.blogspot.com before your next BBQ outing.

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Ceramic Bracelets: Unleash The Woman Within

Submitted By: Ivan Liu

Women, since birth, embrace the potential to knit relationships with one thread and this is a universally accepted attribute. This aspect of her personality is reflected best through the bracelet on her slim wrist formed by the combination of beads of varying denominations. The finely selected beads of ceramic might be inexpensive in the eyes of the world but to her it means a lot. In fact they look awesome and precious the way she carries it. The ceramic bracelets glowing on the wrist of the woman breaks the myth that existed regarding the use of the material. Ceramic is now an essential component in jewelry making where ceramic beads are having the maximum demand. These beads of various shapes and sizes are organized and put into the wires or threads to form ceramic bracelets. These bracelets can be a wonderful gift for the person you love and care for. Building relationships with the ceramic bracelets can be a wonderful idea. May it be the valentines’ Day or birthday you can make your loving ones feel your presence through these priceless ceramic bracelets. Finely designed and meticulously structured ceramic bracelets can be a well-chosen gift that she can carry with her wherever she heads for.

The workingwomen of today prefer designer bracelets that are mostly unisex. Bold and beautiful things just like the ceramic bracelets have always enchanted the flock of men surrounding you. At office, party or while hanging out, you can wear some of the best collections of ceramic bracelets brought from the renowned jewelry shops. Designer bracelets in sizzling colors look beautiful on the wrists. Your beauty can better be magnified if the bracelets are matched with the apparels that you wear. Ceramic bracelets can be obtained in various colors and this availability of the various colors can give a glorious appeal to the bracelets. Blue is an effective color that plays vital role in removing the tiredness and keep you healthy. Some of the ceramic bracelets brought by the famous companies can help to keep your muscular problems at bay thus increasing your immunity against all sorts of diseases.

The tender wrists of women deserves something soft yet trendy. To satisfy their demands some companies indeed have come up with the soft and floral ceramic bracelets that beautify her by developing her look with greater effectiveness. The floral fantasy is thus reflected through most of the jewelry including the ceramic bracelets. The usefulness of the ceramic designer bracelets cannot be denied as many are using them for therapeutic purposes. Ceramic designer bracelets are easily available and can also be put on whenever you go anywhere. Like precious objects you do not need to be bothered about them of getting stolen. Designer bracelets of light colors and the less glossy ones can also accompany you at your work place. You can change them with the dresses that you wear everyday. Children can put them on with fancy dresses. The colorful ceramic bracelets with cartoons faces curved on them or with the fine works of flowers can attract them. On your part you can hunt for the exclusively designed ones that will be unique in it self.

The Italian and Indian craftsmen are perpetually experimenting with the ceramic bracelets to present something exclusive for the women. The designers of almost all the jewelry companies including the vivace jewelry are burning midnight’s oil to make the designer bracelets more expressive so that they can gel with the gestures of women. Charm when used in any form of designer jewelry reflects a sense of faith and trust. Therefore, when it is used as the charm ceramic bracelet, the hands look radiant and undiscovered depth in the character of the woman gets highlighted. Ceramic can also be given a geometric shape which goes well with the western wears. Geometric ceramic bracelets can be classy and gel well with light clothes. Round braded sting and hand glazed ceramic necklace can best tell the story of the natural color and look of ceramic. There are numerous types of ceramic bracelets that can also speak about the woman’s beauty in volumes. Most of these designer bracelets are casual and can be suitable for just any type of occasion. They can go with the casual wear. The designers belonging to the various jewelry companies are leaving no stone unturned to bring out some of the best designs that are incomparable and elegant. Right from the multi-colored chain ceramic bracelets to the plant black and white ones, they are trying to keep in store every type of jewelry along with them. Blue and white colored combination on the designer bracelets can look formal and so they are better at their work places. While the multi-colored ones reveals happiness will look better at informal get-togethers.

Every one of us has the feeling to sense beauty and every object of beauty deserves its due appreciation. Ceramic bracelets are just one such objects of beauty, in order to praise which you will not find enough words. Bone china, porcelain and ceramic are considered to commonly used materials for making decorative items but ceramic has left behind the former two to enter into the world of jewelry. Ceramic bracelet is just a small example of the great innovatory of ceramic jewelry. Candy red ceramic bracelets look better on the teenage girls who can wear them while partying. Ceramic shards are also used artistically to mold them into some extraordinary creations, which women would love to put them on the wrists. The online shops have everything in store; you can select them according to the occasion you are moving on to. Handcrafted ceramic bead jewelry can make use of the expensive stones and pearls to make them presentable for any occasion or party. If you have not yet found your colleagues putting on these ceramic bracelets then immediately go for one and become the trendsetter. The appreciation that the ceramic bracelet is going to usher on you will definitely make your counterparts jealous.

About the Author

Ivan is online retailer of (http://www.vivace-jewelry.com/bracelets.html) Jewelry Bracelets and other exclusively designed women accessories. You can read more about (http://www.vivace-jewelry.blogspot.com) Vivace Jewelry at Ivan’s Blog. You can get in touch with him at ivan@vivace-jewelry.com

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Barbecue Techniques

By Kadence Buchanan

When was the last time you had a good barbecue? Here are some things to remember to help you come up with the perfect barbecue.

The choice of wood that you use can have some bearing on how your barbecue comes out as these impart different flavours to the meat. (Yes, unfortunately, your neighbors' complaint that their food has a taste of wood in it actually does have some basis.) In addition, some types of wood burn faster than others. Many suggest that the best way to barbecue is to use a combination of wood and charcoal to optimize smoke flavour and consistent burning. (Let's see what your neighbors can say about that one.)

As far as charcoal is concerned, buying a commercial bag of processed charcoal briquettes is fine, although lump charcoal may be better. The main difference between lump charcoal and brisquette charcoal is that the first has not been ground and shaped. Lump charcoal is considered a purer form of charcoal and is obviously preferred by purists over processed charcoal.

Ideally, you should use a chimney starter because this ensures a consistent heat level for the coal. Or, you could also use an electric iron to heat the coals. Others simply soak the charcoal in lighter fluid and light them, a technique which is quick and easy, although this can impart unnatural chemical flavours to the meat. Better to use denatured alcohol to avoid the aftertaste problem.

After 15-25 minutes, the coals are covered in ash. For indirect cooking, spread the coals around the grill's perimeter and place the meat in the grill's center. For direct cooking, pile the coals together in the center right underneath the meat.

Gas grills are ideal because they are easy to light and the heat they generate is easy to control, using those gas valves on the burners (the one with the knobs). However, purists still prefer cooking with charcoal because they claim gas grills lack the flavour that comes from cooking with wood and charcoal. Gas grills are also more expensive, but they are also cleaner since they do not produce ashes or air pollution.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Cooking, Outdoors, and Food

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Barbecue Smokers

By Bill Anderson

As the author of a BBQ book, I get asked all the time... what’s the best BBQ smoker to buy? My answer usually leads them in the right direction and gives them a few places to start looking.

I usually tell people about one of the following bbq smokers...

Big Green Egg - this is an insulated vertical smoker. They start around $600 to $700 for the large model.

Traeger Pellet Smokers - This is a nice bbq smoker that burns wood pellets. The Lil’ tex starts around $695. The digital controls and oversize hopper are a little extra though.

Char-Broil Silver Smoker - This is a more affordable, smaller offset type smoker but it is well constructed and produces some great Q. They are $159 down at Home Depot.

Stumps Smoker - this is also an insulated vertical smoker with a gravity fed charcoal system. They start around $1600.

Lang Smoker - This is a traditional offset type smoker. It is made of good thick metal but it is not insulated. This offset BBQ smoker is unique in that it has a metal plate that runs the full length of the smoker just below the meat grate. The smoke travels all the way to the other end of the smoker, over the meat, and out the smoke stack on the same side as the firebox. The Lang Model 60 starts at $2195.

Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack - This is a very nice pellet BBQ smoker with a vertical style. Used by many of the top BBQ competition teams. It is around $3295.

Southern Yankee - these are rotisserie bbq smokers and they have many models to choose from. They range from small pull behind rotisseries to large concession trailers. They start at $3750 and go up from there.

And... their final decision usually has to do with the following factors...

Price - the amount of money you have to spend on a BBQ smoker has a lot to do with your decision. I think the most bang for your buck is the Traeger Lil’ Tex BBQ smoker - especially for the back yard BBQer. Although, many BBQ teams use these too. Whatever you do, don’t go down to WalMart or Home Depot and buy one of those small offset smokers for $300 or less. They are made out of very thin metal and the fireboxes do not ventilate well. You’ll have trouble producing good BBQ on those things.

Work needed - A traditional offset BBQ smoker requires a lot of work tending the fire. Some people prefer a traditional offset smoker over something that burns charcoal, pellets, or propane. But let me warn you... you’ll be chopping a lot of wood to feed that hungry beast. You’ll need to check your fire in most offset smokers every 15-30 minutes. The Southern Yankee are wood or charcoal burning too. That can get very tiresome on a long overnight smoke. The Big Green Egg and Stumps Smokers will run a very long time on just one bag of charcoal. Of course, the Traeger and Fast Eddy’s burn pellets that are fed automatically.

Insulated - The insulated BBQ smoker allows for long burns so you can get a little shut eye on those long overnight brisket smokes. The Big Green Egg and Stumps are insulated and burn charcoal.

Size - Look at how many square inches of cooking space you get for your money. Traeger Lil’ Tex’s are nice BBQ smokers, but you’ll need two or three of them if you intend to compete with them. Of course Traeger has many larger models to choose from including some commercial BBQ smokers.

Wood, pellets, or charcoal - What kind of smoke flavor do you like? Do you like charcoal or real wood? Or maybe a combination of both... usually, if you use charcoal for heat and throw some wood chunks on top for flavor, you’ll get a good result. Lump charcoal and Duraflame’s hardwood briquettes are other options that produce a cleaner and hotter burn. Of course, wood pellets are real wood and the results are similar to using real wood logs.

Type - You got your vertical smokers, vertical insulated smokers, traditional offset smokers (with the smoke stack opposite from the firebox), Lang offset smokers, pellet smokers, rotisserie smokers, gas smokers, and all kinds of combinations of all of these. What BBQ smoker is best suited to your needs or wants?

Once you decide on what BBQ smoker to get, you’ll need to learn how to use it right. A good place to start is to get a copy of “Competition BBQ Secrets” and learn how the pro’s do it on the competition BBQ circuit.

For more information on slow smoking competition quality ribs, butts, chicken, and brisket, please visit Bill Anderson's web site at http://www.bbq-book.com

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How to Buy An Outdoor Grill

By Dana Mccauley
All across this great nation spring is, if not in full bloom, at least in the air at last. That means that many of us will be turning our thoughts to grilling once again. The first flush of grilling euphoria is usually happily satisfied with a juicy burger or a competently cooked steak. To ensure that our first efforts this year are as enjoyable as the practiced ones were at the end of the season last year, I thought we should revisit the basics this week. This week I promise to share my grilling wisdom, such as it is. Whether you use this info this week or wait one or two or a few more, I hope this series of posts will put you in to a warm weather state of mind.

But, before we get cooking, let's kick off the grilling season with some tips about buying a grill:

I find shopping (except for food and throw cushions - don't ask, I know it's weird) generally daunting but buying a barbecue can be a truly overwhelming experience for anyone. How do you choose between the copious number of models available within the staggering price range out there? It's not easy my friends, so take a moment and read these few points. They might help you when you get to the store:

• BTU's (British thermal units) measure a grill's maximum heat output. More doesn't mean better, just hotter. Plus, the more BTU's, the more gas the grill burns and the more expensive it is to operate.

• Assess your needs. For most families a 400 square inch grill is sufficient and will allow you to grill more than one recipe at a time. Remember that you only need a space about the size of one hand to cook enough food for one person.

• Buy a grill with a rotisserie spit attachment if you like to cook whole chickens or large cuts of meat. Rotisserie cooking bastes foods continuously with natural juices and prevents food from scorching. It's one of the summertime pleasures I look forward to all winter long.

• Manufacturers say modern stainless steel grates are better than cast iron or porcelain grates found on less expensive grills since the convex shape of today's stainless steel grates traps heat, making up for the fact stainless steel is a poor conductor. Stainless steel and porcelain also won't rust and don't need to be seasoned the way cast iron does. That said, professional chefs stand by their cast iron grills for durability, even heat distribution and great grill marks. Whatever the material, grates should be thick enough to sear meat nicely.

• Natural gas grills cost significantly less to operate than propane grills and you never have to worry about running out of fuel. That said, the cost of having an outdoor natural gas hook-up installed is at least $125 and it cuts down on the flexibility of moving your grill. This is a consideration since more of us are barbecuing year round and most people like to move the barbecue to a more sheltered spot once fall arrives.

• Check for wobbling. If the stand wobbles on the showroom floor just imagine what cooking will be like when it's sitting on interlocking brick.

• What's under the grill? Good gas grills have ceramic briquettes or heat deflector plates that disperse heat evenly, create smoke when juices dribble down, and act as a buffer between the heat source and the food to prevent flare-ups.

• Ignition switches help to light the grill safely and quickly without using lighter fluid or matches.

• Domed lids reduce cooking time, conserve fuel and trap in the smoke that makes food tasty. High domes mean larger foods like turkeys and roasts can be cooked. Best quality grill lids are coated in porcelain to create a thermal convection style-cooking chamber.

• Consider how difficult the unit will be to assemble and transport home. Average assembly times for gas grills is 2 1/2 hours so you may want to buy from a store that offers assembly and local delivery (usually about $50 extra).

• Charcoal grills have the advantage of being portable but require patience and finesse to create a good fire. They are less expensive at the outset but over time cost more to fuel than gas grills. Good charcoal grills have a steady base, a firebox that is easy to empty, good flow through ventilation, an easily raised or lowered heavy-duty grate and a domed lid with adjustable vent holes in the top.

And that is what I have to say about buying a grill. May the force be with you as you shop!
By Dana McCauley
http://www.danamccauley.wordpress.com
http://www.danamccauley.com

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The Ongoing Debate of Charcoal Versus Gas

By David Altman
There has always been an ongoing debate of charcoal versus gas when cooking outdoors, whether it be with a smoker or grill. I like the ease of adjustment gas offers. I find it much easier to get and keep the ideal temperature whether I'm using a gas smoker or any of the gas grills.
There are a lot of people who say they enjoy the taste that comes from cooking over charcoal briquettes much better. I personally believe this is due to the meat drippings falling onto the charcoal. I have accomplished the same results by adding a second grate above the gas burners on my grill and placing charcoal flavored ceramic briquettes on that grate. During cooking, the meat drippings fall onto the hot ceramic briquettes and smoke up and back into the meat. I also drop wood chips in to add a hickory smoked flavor. I can smell that flank steak now.
If you are a charcoal aficionado, how do you get the charcoal lit safely and easily? NEVER buy the easy to light briquettes or anything soaked in lighter fluid. It has a recurring taste of petroleum. Some lighter fluids say that they have no taste, but they do.
The quickest way I found to light the charcoal was with an electric starter. It looked like a portable hot plate with an 18 inch handle. Sadly, it does not appear to be available any longer.
I then found the chimney. This is a good way to start the fire. This device looks like a large coffee can with no top or bottom, just a handle. Place the chimney in the smoker. Place some crumbled up paper moistened with cooking oil in the bottom and fill with briquettes. Light it with a match. Very quickly the fire will spread upward and the briquettes will be lit. Some chimneys have a handle to release the charcoal and some do not. Pick up the chimney (make sure you wear gloves) and spread the briquettes around. Then add some more briquettes. Make sure it is hot and you are ready to cook.
With gas, turn the valve on and push the starter button. Wait until the appliance is hot and start cooking.
To clean up the charcoal, wait until the charcoal burns out or spray with the hose. Then, clean up the mess. Be careful the coals are not still smothering and then get rid of the ashes.
With gas, turn the burner off, close the door.For a great barbecue rub recipe we use on flank steaks and pork, go to http://www.single-family-home-remodeling.com/barbecue-rub.html
For information about DIY projects, please visit our website at http://www.single-family-home-remodeling.com - My wife and I have been remodeling homes for over 40 years. Our website is an informational one in which we share what we have learned over the years. It is for the first-time homeowner and anyone else who needs some help with a home project.
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How to Have a Better BBQ with Briquettes

By Jonathan Goodman
Ever since briquettes came on the fuel scene, all charcoal grill enthusiasts have welcomed them as a great alternative to lump charcoal. The main advantage is the non messy use. Moreover, charcoal briquettes are safe and more convenient. In terms of storage also, briquettes are much more convenient than lump charcoal.
Briquettes can be defined as a block of flammable material that fuels a fire and keeps it going. Charcoal briquettes and biomass briquettes are the most popular fuel used by bbq fans. Charcoal briquettes are a good idea because it can give you an almost smokeless fire that is long lasting. This makes it very desirable for outdoor cooking.
They contain binders to pack them tightly, which is what makes them less messy than lump charcoal. The additives that are added to make them ignite quickly burns off in high heat, so that it is not a problem.
Generally, though, charcoal briquettes contain two ingredients. One is the traditional charcoal or char, which makes the briquette light up easily and put that smoke flavor into your favorite recipe. Here hardwoods like beech, birch, hickory, oak or hard maple are used. Pine and other organic material are also used. The other ingredient is coal, which brings about the high temperature and long lasting fire. There are different kinds of coals from the sub bituminous lignite to anthracite, which are used in making charcoal briquettes. Other ingredients used in small percentage are the binding agent made out of corn or wheat. There is an accelerant and a whitening agent like lime for the ash. Seasoned barbecuing specialists can tell when the briquettes are perfectly ready to be used.
There are also wood briquettes, which are essentially made of sawdust. This is considered more environmentally friendly. These are made under high pressure without the necessity for binding material. Wood briquettes can be used for burners that use solid fuel burners other heating systems. Some briquettes are made out of carbonized wood and use vegetable paste as a natural binder.
Briquettes that are injected with fuel for lighting instantly are more expensive than the standard charcoal or wood briquettes. But it is not mandatory to get these, as you can also get your bbq or grill started instantly with chimney starters. Chimney starters work on the simple principle of putting crumpled newspaper at the bottom of a metal flue. The main chamber takes the briquettes. When you light the newspaper, the fire reaches the briquettes, and when they are ready, you can roll out the briquettes on to your grill.
Briquettes from established brand names are packed densely, enabling them burn slowly unlike the cheaper stuff that burns out quickly because it is loosely packed.
Another type of briquettes is the peat briquette made out of natural Irish peat. These are quite easy to light and produce a good flame. Peat briquettes do not contain any additional binders and are all natural. Also, there is no black soot. These are environmentally friendly since their sulphur emission is low. Peat briquettes burn drier than other fuels without any deposit.
Then there are ceramic briquettes that are available in different wood flavors and replace the lava rock. Ceramic briquettes reduce flare ups, as they do not absorb grease. They produce better heat distribution and last longer. Best of all, they are self cleaning.
Briquettes are flexible fuel and can make your electric or gas grill much more efficient. Since they react faster than coal they are easy to light and very handy for domestic fires. Where solid fuel is used, briquettes are suitable.About The Author: Jonathan Goodman is the owner of Market Merchants an online retailer specializing in home and garden products. My passion for bbq grilling and fireplaces is the core focus of Market Merchants. I am a member of the Hearth Patio Barbeque Association (HPBA), the National BBQ group (NBBQ), and the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). We sell these products because we love them and are passionate about consumer living needs. So whether its furniture and decor, home improvement, kitchen and dining, or outdoor living Market Merchants brings a dedicated commitment to the customer and a passion for high quality products. Visit the Market Merchants website: http://marketmerchants.com
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A Dutch Oven World

Dutch oven cooking is very popular because of the flavor it gives to your food. Read this article to learn more tasty and unique dutch oven recipes.
Cooking with a Dutch oven while camping is a great way to enjoy meals that are delicious and easy. Some of my favorite camping memories involve Dutch oven dinners! Because food is such an important part to a good camping experience, take along your Dutch oven and try out some of the recipes that are included below.

But first, a little bit about Dutch ovens. Cast iron is a popular material for Dutch ovens. It's a great material for cooking while camping or even in your own kitchen at home. Cast iron cookware is very popular because food doesn't get stuck to it like it does other types of metal cookware, and it also cooks food quickly and evenly. Best of all, cast iron is easy to clean, which is one of my requirements when buying cookware, especially camping cookware like a Dutch oven. All you have to do is use soap and water to clean your cast iron Dutch oven. Also, make sure that you dry it out soon after washing to prevent rusting. Another great thing about a cast iron Dutch oven is that there's really nothing you can do to damage or ruin it. They last forever so you'll be able to use it for as long as you like, and once you try some of these great recipes, you'll be glad that your Dutch oven is a permanent fixture in your camping cookware collection.

Along with this information a few recipes would be valuable so you know what to make in those Dutch ovens of yours.

Enchiladas (I can almost taste it now)

2 lbs. hamburger
1 large green pepper
1 large onion
1 large red pepper
1 package tortillas
1 bottle enchilada sauce
1 pound of cheese
1 pound of mozzarella cheese
Non stick vegetable spray

Spray with non-stick spray (doing this will make cooking and cleaning your Dutch oven much easier). Make a hole in the middle of the tortillas. Line the bottom and sides with the tortillas. Use the small lid to the Dutch oven and brown the hamburger, adding the onion and peppers. Pour half of the hamburger, cheese, and enchilada sauce over the first layer of tortillas. Repeat this twice and top with cheese. Cook over medium heat on a camp stove or use 30 briquettes for 375 degrees. Place 20 of the briquettes on top and 10 underneath. Heat until hot and the cheese is melted.

Another great meal to make with your Dutch oven is chili. Chili is just one of those foods that no camping trip should be without!

Easy Chili

1 small bag of chili beans
1/4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 can tomato soup
1/2 bottle catsup
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 onion
3 tsp. pepper

Soak beans with 1/4 tsp. soda by covering them with water for about 6-8 hours (soaking the beans overnight is a good idea). Drain beans and pour into the Dutch oven. Add fresh water about 1 inch above the beans. Add 1 tsp. salt and cook over medium heat on your stove or use 10-11 briquettes. Boil for about 2 hours. Add tomato soup, catsup, sugar, and chili powder. Cook over medium heat on camp stove or use 10-11 briquettes. Let this mixture boil.

Take the small lid and brown hamburger and onion. Take off grease and add to liquid mixture. Add pepper and cook over low heat on camp stove or use 8 or 9 briquettes for about 20 minutes. Continue stirring.

Now, the real reason Dutch ovens were invented, to make dessert!

Fantastic Cake

1 box of cake mix
4 Tbsp. flour (divided)
Non stick vegetable spray

Follow the directions on the cake mix box. Add 1 Tbsp. of flour to mix. Remove all racks and spray with non stick spray. Coat with 3 Tbsp. of flour. Discard extra flour and pour cake batter in. Put lid on and cook over low to medium low heat on a camp stove or use 8 to 9 briquettes. Cook 15-20 minutes. Test with a toothpick: Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Now you will take a knife and cut around the cake. Put the grill upside down and place it on top of the dutch oven. Using hot pads, keep the grill in place and turn the Dutch oven upside down so the cake falls out onto the grill. Cover with icing when cake is completely cooled.

Make sure to take several Dutch ovens to be able to cook a couple menu items at a time. Don't forget these recipes and your Dutch ovens next time you go camping with friends and family. Enjoy!

Kelsey Norwood is a freelance writer for ioVentures, Inc. Find the perfect dutch oven from a large selection at Dutchovenpro.com. Find out why you need a new cast iron dutch oven and order one today! Your next camping trip will be very memorable with your new dutch ovens.
By Jason Luke
Published: 6/6/2007

Tags: cooking

A Traipse Through the Tulips

By Terry Kaufman
Flowering bulbs can change your garden from being merely a plot of dirt and rocks adorned with a few scraggly plants to being an absolute showplace, with splashes of brilliant color. Bulbs provide a good investment in terms of their longevity and hardiness. Your garden will benefit from the vast variety of bloom colors, length of flowering time, and the heights and shapes of flowering bulbs. Autumn is the ideal time to plant robust spring-flowering bulbs; most bulbs can be planted until the ground is frozen.

Most bulbs are perennials, going through a period of growth and flowering, dying back to the ground before going dormant at the end of each growing season. Late spring or early summer herald the end of the growing season for spring-flowering bulbs. However, these bulbs will begin to grow again in the fall and flower the next growing season.

Tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths require a stretch of cold weather during the winter in order to give their growth cycles a running start. This cooling process enables the bulbs to flower in early spring. They can be planted until the first frost.

Make careful plans on paper before planting your bulbs. If you sketch your plan on graph paper, it will help you to calculate the correct number of bulbs to purchase. Keeping a “roadmap” of your garden will help jar your memory in case, in the future, you want to mix in annuals or perennials where your bulbs have gone dormant. Tulips bloom anywhere, especially in full sun, from very early spring to late spring/early summer.

Your tulips may bloom in an explosion of color or you may choose to limit the color palette to just one or two. Colors give the viewer the perception of warmth or coolness; hues of blue and violet give the impression of coolness, while warm hues are tones of red, yellow, and orange. The human eye perceives warm colors as advancing while cool shades recede into the background. To create the illusion your yard is larger than it actually is, make a planting of cool-colored flowers in the rear of the yard, but if you want the illusion of a smaller and more intimate garden, plant warm-colored flowers in rear of the back plot. Remember, warm colors will create a dramatic effect, no matter where planted. Whatever color scheme you decide to use, plant each type of flower in groupings of at least three to twelve plants. A particular color, placed one here and another there and yet a third elsewhere, will diminish the effect you wish to create. Keep the color groups massed together for best effect.

When planting tulips or daffodils, use at least twelve bulbs of one variety in a grouping. The more bulbs of one variety, and color, the stronger the visual impact will be. However, when planting smaller spring bulbs, such as snow crocus, it will take a minimum of fifty bulbs or more to make a statement. Small bulbs need to be seen at close range to make the planting more effective, Mixing in early flowers such as pansies give visual contrast to a planting packed with just tulips.

If you prefer a more casual look to your garden, think about naturalizing your tulip bulbs. Naturalizing may take the guise of devil-may-care planting or, of a planting very carefully calculated to give the illusion that Mother Nature has decided to put down a bulb, or other flowering plant, in a random action, much like broadcasting wildflower seeds in a meadow. I guess this style of planting might be considered a variation of the Chaos Theory.

The process of naturalizing is that of man imitating nature with bulb plantings. Bulbs, when found in a natural state, do not grow in neat, meticulous rows; rather, they present themselves in irregular clumps dispersed throughout the landscape.

One advantage of naturalizing is that bulbs so planted need very little care. At the end of the tulip blooming cycle, either allow the foliage to die away on its on, allowing the plants sufficient time to revitalize their bulbs in anticipation of flowering during the next season or you can remove the dead foliage by hand. An important point to remember is that if you have naturalized bulbs in your lawn, the foliage must not be mowed over until it dies naturally or the bulbs themselves will sooner or later die out.

Autumn is the perfect time to plant hardy tulips. Tulips need plentiful water plus good drainage. The hard subsoil in the planting area needs to be broken up so that there is no standing water interfering with the healthiness of the tulips. After breaking up the subsoil, you will need to put in a layer of drainage material such as loose gravel, broken stone, or sifted cinders (some gardeners use barbecue briquettes smashed by a hammer) below the soil surface.

When planting spring bulbs, a general rule of thumb is to plant the bulb two to three times as deep as the bulb itself is tall; most large bulbs such as tulips should be planted approximately six inches deep while smaller surrounding bulbs will be three to four inches deep. Measure the depth of planting from the surface level of the soil to the shoulder of the bulb. To measure the distance between plants, mark off from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next.

There exist two basic methods of planting bulbs. One way is to dig individual holes for each bulb with a garden trowel or a specialized hole-cutting tool known as a bulb planter (or dibble). Dig a hole several inches deeper than the called-for planting depth; fill the hole to base level with plant food specifically designed for bulbs. After placing your bulb in the hole, cover it with loose soil. Using your hands, delicately form the soil around each plant to eliminate air pockets.

Now for the question that has plagued mankind...Which end of the tulip bulb is UP? Tulips have pointed ends that should be positioned upward. Some of the smaller bulbs, such as Poppy Anemones, can be planted in any direction. These small bulbs send out shoots which find their own way through the soil to the sun.

Once planted, tulip bulbs need serious watering. Not only does the water settle the soil in the planting bed, but also acts as a water well needed to provide moisture for rooting activity. It is vital for bulbs planted in the fall to root before cold weather sets in but avoid over-watering, the perfect setting for bulb rot.

Your tulips should get adequate hydration from average spring conditions. But, if you get a stretch of unusually hot and dry weather, a weekly deep soaking will make bigger and longer-lasting flowers. Water with a soaker hose so the blooms will not get overly wet.

Aesthetically, tulip foliage remains long after the bloom is dead. As unattractive as it is, do not mow off the foliage until it becomes yellow and dies back naturally, a process that can take several weeks. The plant needs the green leaves for photosynthesis, or the manufacture of food which is stored in the bulb for the next growing cycle. If the foliage is removed too soon, the plant will no longer be able to create the nutrient reserves necessary for future growth.

The botanical name for the tulip is believed to have been derived from the Persian (Iranian) word toliban or turban; the inverted flower was said to resemble such head wear. Tulips are members of the Lily Family and grow wild in the vast region from Asia Minor through Siberia to China. Tulips are a good bulb for the beginning gardener, as they are extremely easy to grow. Tulips are happiest in the full sun and should be planted around 6” deep. Within a few short months, tulips will bejewel your garden in a dazzling array of color.

A Tip About Cut Tulips:

To insure long-lasting tulip arrangements, cut the stems diagonally. Tightly wrap newspaper around the entire flower (head and stem) and then place the stem in water overnight. The next step is to remove the newspaper and recut the stems. The tulips are now ready to transfer to a vase filled with water and plant food. Keep the arrangement out of the direct sun and drafts, adding water as needed. The blooms should last from 7 to 10 days.
Terry Kaufman is Chief Editorial Writer for Niftykitchen.com and Niftygarden.com. For more on tulips and other types of flower bulbs, see Niftygarden.com Bulbs

©2007 Terry Kaufman.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Kaufman

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Tattoo in Samoa - The Tools and Methods of the Traditional Samoan

By Sarah Jayne Gasu
The Samoan word for tattoo is tatau (tu-tow-u) and as you might assume is where the English word 'tattoo' derives from, and translates as to hit or strike (ta) with the au (tattoo tool).

Should you ever see one of these beautiful tribal tattoo's, know in Samoa as Pe'a (peh-ah) you will understand completely how such a mistake could be made. Much of the traditional monochrome tattoo design covers large solid ares of skin, representing the ocean making it difficult to believe at first that a person could even endure such physical trauma.

The tufuga (tuh-foong-ah), or tattoo artist uses special tools to create the traditional tatau and they are much the same today as they have always been.

The first is the Au (ow) which is quite befitting considering the sound one might make when struck by it. It is made from a short piece of bamboo or light wood and a small piece of turtle shell bound at right angles at one end. Attached to this is the comb, usually made from sharpened bone, boar's teeth or even sharks teeth, which are dipped in ink to colour the skin. The tattoo artist will usually have quite a variety of Au to suit the different designs that make up the completed tatau.

The second tool is another stick which acts as a small mallet and is used to endlessly tap tap tap the ink soaked Au causing it to pierce the surface of the skin.

The ink that covers the sharp teeth of the Au is made from the soot of burnt candlenut shells. The candlenut is a very versatile nut and even in our modern world is often used to create charcoal briquettes. Once the nut is burned down to soot it is then mixed into a smooth paste using coconut oil. This ancient form of ink is still used today in traditionally applied tattoo.

Due to the intricate designs, a traditionally applied tatau can take many hours to complete. The pe'a however can take many days and weeks, the process often beginning at dawn and continuing till dusk, though 4 or 5 hour sessions are more common. Each evening this is followed by long bathes in saltwater to assist the healing process. Overall, the entire pe'a, which amazingly covers 65% of the male body, can take up to 3 months to finish and up to a year to completely heal.
Sarah Jayne Gasu is an Australian author who regularly visits the Pacific and loves everthing to do with its people and culture. For extensive information on Traditional Samoan Tattoo Design and the islands of Samoa you can visit her site at http://www.dreamholidaysamoa.com and discover this beautiful and somewhat hidden destination in the South Pacific.

Being married to a Samoan High Chief gives Sarah real insight on the culture from the perspectives of both locals and tourists so you are guaranteed to discover everything you need to know to plan your dream vacation.

Sign up for her newsletter while visiting her site and recieve a FREE article to teach you the basics of the Samoan language so you can be talking like a local before you even arrive!

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Tags: ceramic briquettes, ceramic, briquettes, Grill

The Ideal Barbecue in Three Easy Steps

By Ashley King
There are three easy to follow steps which will help you achieve a fantastic barbecue.
Barbecue, to a traditionalist, signifies slow cooking. This usually includes employing a smoker, or possibly a grill with a tight fitting lid and large surfaces so it's possible to distance the food from the heat. You might push around briquettes to achieve this or light a fire on just one side. This produces a section of low heat (the one without any fire or briquettes) that lets you implement the first step: infusing.
With infusing, your objective is to get all of the flavorful ingredients into the meat before the surface layer is cooked sufficiently to seal the inside. Sauces, rubs, fat and the meat's juices intermingle with the heat and smoke to create a symphony of effects within the meat. Surface fat melts away and the particles become part of the external layer. The marbled fat in the interior also liquefies and does much the same thing.
Once everything is melting and getting hot, the conditions are right for the spread of flavor compounds throughout the meat. If you're preparing a fine steak, everything except the very center of the meat will be a recipient of what was once on the surface. If you're cooking chicken, anything on the outside of the meat just beneath the skin makes its way inwards. A thin layer of fat on a pork chop will spread into the middle.
The second step is a time consuming one during which the actual cooking occurs. As the interior temperature of the meat climbs towards 200F (93C), proteins break down and become amino acids. Sugars convert into particles that add a sweet taste. Salt is ionized and enzymes increase their activity. The final effect of this fired up chemical process is to transform raw meat into a delectable entree.
Throughout this stage, smoke from any wood which has been added lends flavor to the finished product. The meat seals itself and internal juices are preserved, heated up and altered. This is the phase where the meat needs to pass most of its cooking time and is accomplished by using a lower temperature than you'd cook with indoors.
After the interior temperature of the meat gets to 200F (93C), which it's possible to discover with a quality meat thermometer, it's set to be taken off the smoker or grill. Next comes the third step.
Your meat is not yet entirely finished cooking. While it cools down, there is still sufficient internal heat to keep altering the structure of the meat slightly. Throughout this stage, meat can become even more tender, creating a most satisfying meal.
Once the temperature has decreased to less than 165F (74C), it's time to dish it up. Cut off a small piece and check the color. Beef should be a dark red, and chicken should have become white and any juices should now be clear. Pork should be a grayish white. The flavor should be delicate and the texture easy to chew.
And there you have it. The ideal barbecue.For more great tips and advice on the art and science of BBQ, you can read more of Ashley King's articles at Best BBQ Tips at http://bestbbqtipsnow.com/
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Five Tips to Improve Your Grill Cooking

By Josh Dusick
Just about everyone loves great grilled food. Cooking in the outdoors and the smokey, rich flavors of food cooked over a hot fire make for both great food and great times. However, most people know very little about how to really get the most out of their grill. Sure, we can all fire it up and cook up a mean hot dog or burger, but grilling is capable of so much more! To really make the most of your barbecue, you need to be comfortable both with the operation of your grill as well as basic grill cooking principles which help to ensure the best results.
The purpose of this article is not to teach you everything there is to know about grilling. Instead, I have chosen five things that seem to be missing from many grillers' repertoire. There are also misconceptions and misinformation that gets perpetuated about grilling which I want to help correct. With these tips, you can hopefully start to take your grilling to a new level.
Get Your Grill Hot Enough
A basic mistake I see grillers make is not knowing how to manage their grill heat. I've seen so many people struggle to get their food to cook right and all they needed was more heat in the first place. Whether you use a charcoal chimney, charcoal iron or even lighter fluid to get your fuel going, make sure you start out with enough briquettes. How much do you need? That all depends on the size of your grill. However, people seem to often underestimate the amount of charcoal they need. Once your coals are glowing red and covered with ash, spread them out on the charcoal grate.
After putting the grilling grate on, your coals should be giving off enough heat that it is very uncomfortable to hold your hand about four inches over the grill for more than a few seconds. If it is not hot enough, simply add more briquettes and wait a bit for them to get started. It is much easier to adjust your heat at this early stage before adding any food to the grill. Later on, you will be struggling with food that simply will not cook or is not developing that nice caramelized surface you are looking for. If you are using a gas grill, many take a while to warm up, particularly those that have lava rocks or ceramic briquettes in them to hold heat. Start your fire early and let it warm up a while with the lid closed before throwing on your food. You should hear a nice sizzle when your food is added. If not, your grill was probably not hot enough yet.
Use Good Fuel
People with nice cars are willing to spend a bit extra for higher octane gasoline. If you are serious about your grilled food, and you have bought some nice meat and other ingredients to cook, you should take the same viewpoint! Don't skimp on your fuel, it is what is cooking your food and is almost as important to good cooking as is the raw ingredients! Most charcoal grillers use the basic briquette charcoal you can find in huge bags in any grocery store. Sure, they supply heat and light easily, but do you really want that cooking your food? Most of them are not made from real hardwoods so there is no natural wood aroma and flavor imparted to your food.
Also, most of them use chemical binders and kerosene-like petroleum products. All those chemicals can have weird aromas and who knows what they do to your health! Instead, use real, natural, lump hardwood charcoals. The pieces look like real chunks of wood which have been charcoalized. They have no additives and are made only from real hardwoods like mesquite, hickory and oak. They give off good, intense heat. They tend to be more expensive than the cheap briquette charcoal, but it is worth it! Also, for added smoke flavor, consider adding smoking wood chips or chunks to your grill. In either a charcoal grill or a gas grill, smoking woods add aromatic smoke that helps to flavor your meat. Many types such as mesquite, hickory, pecan and apple wood are available in most grilling supply stores.
Use Your Grill Lid
Many grill owners treat their grill lid as if it is just a cover to protect the grill between uses. Rather, the lid is one of the most important parts to the functioning of your grill! For high-heat searing of meats, your grill lid does not need to be on. But for cooking foods thoroughly, leaving your grill open causes several problems. With the grill open, the only significant heat your food is exposed to is the direct radiant heat coming up from the heat source. While this high, direct heat is good for searing the surface of the meat, it is not good for cooking the center.
By the time the middle of your food is done, the undersurface will be charred into oblivion! By closing the lid on your grill, you retain ambient heat and smoke, which swirls around inside your grill, surrounding your cooking food, much like convection heat does in your oven. This allows for more even roasting of larger cuts of meat that you want to cook through. So for everything but the thinnest cuts that you just want to sear briefly, close that lid! Check your food and move it minimally, allowing all that great ambient heat to roast your food to its succulent best!
Indirect Heat Cooking
A similar concept to the using of your grill lid to roast foods is the use of indirect heat. Direct heat is the high heat that foods are subjected to from the direct radiant heat from the heat source just below. But as I've said already, this high heat can burn food quickly. Foods that need time to cook through completely, like chicken, turkey or pork roasts, can take quite some time to cook. By the time the middle is cooked, the outside is charcoal! Rather than using direct heat, create a spot on your grill that does not have charcoal (or a burner) directly beneath it. Some people push the charcoal into two piles on either side of the grill, others simply push it all to one side. Your food is then placed in the area that does not have heat directly below it.
Rather than the direct radiant heat cooking your food, the ambient heat which builds up in your barbecue slowly roasts the food without exposing the surface to high direct heat that could burn it. Again, remember to close your lid! You wouldn't roast a chicken in your oven with the door open would you? With this method, you can cook larger roasts for extended periods of time without burning them. Not only do you avoid burning the surface, you also get more succulent, tender and juicy roasts that don't dry out as easily! I strongly recommend this method for any larger roasts that you want to cook through to the middle at least somewhat. This includes whole poultry, ribs, pork roasts, leg of lamb and others.
Let Your Meat Rest (Before and After)
This tip is really two in one! Before cooking most meats, particularly beef steaks, it is best to take the meat out of the refrigerator a while before you are going to start cooking. The goal is for the meat to come up to about room temperature before throwing it on the grill. Why? These types of cuts are usually served only slightly done in the middle, as for a rare, medium-rare or medium done steak. If you throw a cold steak on the grill, the middle will take quite a long time to warm up. In the meantime you may burn the surface. A good thick steak only needs a few minutes per side to get a nice sear with grill marks. But you don't want the center of your meat to still be cold! By making sure that the meat is up to room temperature first, you can more quickly hit the desired interior temperature (and thus doneness) so that the outside and inside of your steak are perfectly done at the same time. That brings us to the second part of this tip.
After your meat is cooked to your liking, don't just drop it on a plate and serve! Most cuts of meat will benefit from a rest period, sitting on a serving tray, covered by foil in a warm spot, after taking it off the grill. The larger the piece of meat, the longer the rest it needs. The reason for this is that when you take meat off the grill, the surface is the most hot with the center a bit cooler. For this reason, moisture in the meat is moving toward the surface. Serving right away leads to an inhomogeneous piece of meat, with the texture and temperature varying from surface to middle.
After resting, the moisture and temperature equilibrate so that you have a uniform, succulent piece of meat that is ready to serve and enjoy. The interior will even continue to cook a bit while resting as the heat equilibrates throughout the meat. While small steaks may only need 5 to 10 minutes of rest, a large roast, like a leg of lamb, can benefit from a half hour or more!
I hope these tips help to improve your grill cooking. Try them out next time you fire up your barbecue! Enjoy!Josh Dusick is the editor of the Fire Pit and Grilling Guru website at http://www.firepit-and-grilling-guru.com where you can get information about grills, barbecues, fire pits, indoor grills, firewood, charcoal, grill and fire pit cooking, cooking in your fireplace, grill food and wine pairing and even how to build an outdoor fire pit. Take your cooking with fire to the next level!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Dusick

Bbq Grills

Barbecue grills have a certain romance associated with them. They conjure visions of cooking outdoors on a summer evening. Even when used indoors, these grills give your food a distinctive flavor. There are currently three kinds of grills on the market today. They are:
1. Charcoal Grills. These grills use wood or charcoal briquettes (or some combination thereof) that gives food an enhanced smoked flavor. You need, however, to take precautions that you do not burn your food over charcoal, as it is difficult to control the fire. This grill is popular as it is portable and can easily be used at gatherings of family or friends. It is especially favored by those who relish outdoor cooking, and who like to experiment with different styles of cooking. A downside to this is the rigorous cleaning that the charcoal grill needs. Cooking on one leaves a substantial greasy mess. Also, you must wait until the coals cool down before you can actually do any cleaning.
2. Gas Grills. These grills are powered by natural gas (also known as liquid propane). Unlike the charcoal grill, this grill requires only ten minutes to preheat before you start cooking, as there is a simple switch-on button that starts the heating process. Moreover, the temperature can be controlled more easily. It is also possible to cook two different foods at different temperatures. This grill is also easier to keep clean. There is, however, no gas grill that can equal a charcoal one when it comes to the taste of the food. Also, these grills are heavier, and they have to be transported more carefully in order to avoid accidents.
3. Electric Grills. These are the most convenient of all of the grills to use. They can be fired-up easily and don't require an external source of fuel, like charcoal or propane. They are also more environmentally friendly that the other grills. However, for the true connoisseur, the thrill of cooking, as well as the true taste of barbecue are lost when using this grill.
No matter what you need a grill for, or what you are planning to cook, there is a type of grill that is right for you.
By: Barbara Williams -
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Barbara Williams enjoys writing for several web sites, on home and family topics.

Crock Pot Cooking For Men

By Fran Sloan
Men are notorious for not cooking. First, they have mom doing all the cooking. Then, if they dare live alone for a while, they cook for themselves, usually a small repertoire of meals that consists of ravioli in a can, Spaghettios, rice and/or ramen noodles.
Eventually, they meet that "special someone" and might do some cooking to impress said "special someone", at which point what they are actually doing is finding their favorite restaurant that isn't "John's Pizza". From this special restaurant, they order their favorite meal and serve it on their own plates. Finally, they marry that special someone and they no longer have to cook again, unless it involves charcoal briquettes and lots of starter fluid, and then they'll cook all day, every day, so long as there's fire.
Men are hunter/gatherers, not cooks or chefs. They bring the meat, the women in their lives cook the meat. This is their primary thought process and they cling tenaciously to the idea when the truth of the matter is this: if men really wish to impress those around them with their culinary skill, discover the crock-pot. Crock-pots are the single greatest innovation to hit the world in the 20th Century and their versatility and ease of use is what makes them so brilliant.
With a crock-pot, men can cook a great variety of meals, all designed to fill, be flavorful and please. Having a yen for barbecue chicken wings but don't have time at the end of a long, tiring day? Before leaving the house in the morning, toss the wings in the crock-pot, cover them with your favorite barbecue sauce, set the crock-pot on low and head out the door. Hoping for something more substantial? Cut some beef into cubes, open a can of potatoes, a can of carrots, maybe some peas, toss in some beef bouillon cubes, a couple cups of water, turn the crock-pot on low, and go. Really married to the idea of ramen or ravioli from a can? A crock-pot can do that too, only it requires much less interaction with the cooking process than previously.
Coming home of an evening is when you realize the benefit of this magnificent device, the crock-pot. As you open the door, the aromas of a wonderful meal greet you, beckoning you like a siren's song, with the result being not crashing on the rocks but a delicious dinner. You will congratulate yourself in having the forethought to create a magnificent meal!
Another plus to using a crock-pot is the ease in cleaning. Once the meal is done and the leftovers are put away, there's one piece to clean, the interior (usually ceramic) liner. You can leave the crock-pot turned on high and let water, with dish soap, sit inside for a couple hours, then wipe. Another quick clean is to rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher; no muss, no fuss. Cleaning the crock-pot after use is one of the greatest features, reducing cooking implements down to one "pan", a large spoon and perhaps a knife.
For men, a crock-pot is truly a change for the better, permitting them to create meals that will impress. Crock-pots, also called slow cookers, require no recipes; simply ingenuity and a desire for more than food from a can. Surprise your mom, girlfriend, wife or friends with a well-balanced, seemingly thought out meal that will look as though you spent hours or days planning and preparing.Fran just loves to cook and loves to share her cooking finds and ideas with everyone. Her number one source of delicious crock pot recipes is at http://www.A-Crock-Cook.com
And she suggests you try one of the pork crock pot recipes.
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