Recipe: Sausage Lasagna Skillet

This Sausage Lasagna Skillet is quick and easy to make.. and
very adaptable to your personal tastes.

I don't know about you.. but my weeknights are busy... I'm always
tight for time.. so cooking a good meal can be tough....  we make an effort not to eat out just for the
sake of grabbing a meal.... oh, believe me we do... but staying healthy and
watching a budget are important... so our

How to Properly Freeze Meat

If there was a big sale at the supermarket and you have a lot of meat on hand you may need to freeze a lot of it. There are a few things you can do prepare your meats for freezing. The first thing you will want to do is remove the meat from the store's packaging. You will want to wrap up the meat up in freezer paper or otherwise use a good quality freezer bag.

Meats such as hamburgers, pork chops, and steaks should be wrapped individually. Wrapping each meat individually will ensure that it will stay fresher. You will want to follow these steps for any meats you plan on freezing for longer than two weeks.

For more information on freezing meats visit >> Freeze Your Smaller Cuts of Meat

||The Grading of Beef||

Why Do We Have Ham at Easter?

Why is ham so popular at Easter? I'm sure if you are like most people, you probably have ham for your Easter dinner. It is a really common main course for most Easter dinners, but have you ever wondered why that is?

Well, the custom of eating ham at Easter is one that even predates Christianity. You see, fresh meat wasn't always that easy to come by especially in the early spring months. So, people in these times would take their fresh pork and bury it in the sand near the ocean. They would do this in the early winter.

What happened is the pork would get cured by the salt water that would soak it through the sand. This fresh pork just basically marinated in the salt water for months. After several months passed they would dig up this pork and would have a salt cured hunk of ham which would then be cooked over fire.

Are you going to buy any pork in the near future? Well, you are going to want to know what to look for. Visit >> What to Look for when Buying Pork

||How to Grill Fish on the Skin||

Recipe: Mini BLT Bites

These adorable Mini BLTs will surely disappear in no time...
they're perfect for an hors'dourves tray... who can resist bacon??

They're also great stacked on a skewer... along side a warm
bowl of soup... a perfect light supper.

TIPS

I cut the crusts off.... it makes it easier to handle and looks
the best.

Roma (aka Plum) tomatoes work best.

Leaf lettuce or butter lettuces are best..

Oscar Night Party Ideas

Tonight's the night!  Oscar 2013... a fun evening to have some friends over to watch the awards.

Didn't plan haead for a party for Oscar Night?  It's not too late to put together a great little party.

How about a nice little gathering with bite sized appetizers… depending on where you live will affect what you might want to serve…. for those on the east coast in the US… Oscars come late in

Recipe: Blueberry Cornbread

This quick and easy recipe for Blueberry Cornbread is the best you will ever eat..... honest!

Did you know most "blueberry" mixes don't contain actual blueberries??  Now why would you make them when you can make this recipe and know that you have wonderful lucious real blueberries in it.

This looks great and tastes great... perfect for breakfast... I make it on the weekend or at the

What to Look for when Buying Pork

When buying pork there are several things you need to look for to make sure you a getting a good cut of pork. The best indicators of quality when it comes to pork is the color of the meat and also the firmness. You want pork that has light to reddish pink meat. If is looks like it is gray or pale pass it up. The fat on pork should be white and smooth also.

If you are able to touch the pork, it should feel firm. If it feels soft and watery you do not want that cut of pork. If it is prepackaged pork look at the packaging and make sure it isn't damaged. Also check the package and make sure there is no moisture in it. If there is any juices in the packaging make sure that it is clear and not cloudy.

These simple tips will have you buying better cuts of pork. If you like pork, you will probably like country ham. Find out what country ham is by visiting >> Country Ham - Salt Cured Ham

||What are St. Louis Style Ribs?||

Recipe: Mini Bacon and Cheese BBQ Meatloaves

Mini Meatloaves are an ingenious way of making meatloaf in
half the time.... a time-saver that's perfect for weeknight meals... and a
terrific way to try out new flavors to add into meatloaf... gone are the days
of boring meatloaf... make it interesting and you'll see plates empty quickly!

Mini loaves are perfect for serving a crowd... perfect
individual servings and easy to make and serve!

Country Ham - Salt Cured Ham

If you go to your local meat market and see a ham on the shelf rather than the refrigerator case it is more than likely a country ham. This type of ham does not need to be refrigerated because they are salt cured. There are many different methods of curing ham, and salt cured is just one of the ways.

A country ham often times will have a layer of mold on the skin, do not worry this is normal. This mold can be scraped off the skin. If you do end up getting a salt cured ham know that you will need to soak it in water for several hours. After you soak the country ham it also will need to be simmered for several more hours prior to baking it.

Country hams are typically more salty than your brine cured hams. Their taste is also different than a brine cured ham, many people will need to acquire the taste for a salt cured ham. But once you do, you will fall in love with them.

||Smoking with a Gas Grill||

Recipe: Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This crock pot soup is chock full of flavor... healthy
protein and fiber.... and very low fat... now how often can you find an easy
recipe... oh?... did I mention how easy it is to make?... I didn't?... well,
let me tell you... it takes minutes to prepare... in fact.. you
don't even need to defrost the meat... that's right... it's best
not to defrost the meat... it makes it all the more

Letting Your Roast Rest

When you are finished cooking a roast it is important to let it rest. The same it true for any meat you cook. Letting it rest just means to let it sit after cooking for around 15 minutes or so before you start cutting into it. What this does is lets the juices of your roast redistribute through out the meat.

When you cook a roast or any meat for that matter the juices end up going to the center of the roast. Any juices toward the surface of the meat are for the most part evaporated because of the heat. What resting the roast does is lets the juices from the center spread out throughout your meat. Thus you will have a juicer roast.

Want to know how to make lean ground beef juicy? Visit >> How to Make Your Lean Ground Beef Juicier

||How to Carve a Turkey||

Recipe: Arrabbiata Sauce

Arrabbiata Sauce is a spicy tomato sauce is not only quick
to make.. it's easy!   What is especially
nice about making this instead of eating it out.. is that you control the
heat... some people like it hot.. some people not so much.. make it how you
like it.

This wonderful sauce is low fat... only a little olive oil
in it... now how can you beat that?

TIPS

This recipe is not all that

Adding Soup Bones to Stock

When using soup bones, timing is everything. I see lots people make the mistake of waiting to add a soup bone to their stock after it has started to boil. This is the wrong way to go about it especially if you want to impart a lot of flavor to your stock.

When you add a soup bone to boiling stock the boiling water will seal the bone. Thus all the delicious flavors will not get released into the stock. The best time to add a soup bone to your stock is right away. You should add the bone to the water when it is still cold and first placed on the stove.

What this will do is allow all the flavors, and nutrients to be released from you soup bone. Plus all the gelatinous portions of the soup bone will be release, and this helps to thicken up and add body to your stock.

||The Grading of Beef||

Preparing Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake is a must try if you've never had it before. It is actually pretty good eating. Preparing rattlesnake isn't too difficult once you get used to the process. Just remember when dealing with a rattlesnake you must be cautious at all times. Rattlesnakes are quick and because of their reflexes you still can get bite even after it is dead.

To prepare a rattlesnake you will want to first cut off its head. After the head is off cut a slit in the skin  near where the head was and peel it back about an inch. Now take so heavy duty string or twine and tie the string around the peeled back area. Hang the rattlesnake from a tree.

What this does is frees up both hands to peel back the skin. You will need a sharp knife for peeling the skin back. Once all the skin is removed, slice open the belly of the rattlesnake and remove the guts. You can then start to cut the meat away from the bone. Once you have the meat, rinse it under some cold water that has a bit of salt in it. Cut the rattlesnake up into bite sized chunks, put a bit of flour and seasoning on it, then fry it up.

It is really simple once you do it a couple times. Like everything, it tastes a bit like chicken. If you don't have live rattlesnakes around your area, you can also purchase them from specialty shops.

||How to Smoke a Turkey||

What is the Best Meat for Hamburgers?

Are you wanting to know what the best meat is for hamburgers? In the news today we all here about the health concerns with fat, so they say to pick lean meats. However if you go that route, your burgers will not be as flavorful and juicy.

The meat of choice when making hamburgers is ground chuck. Ground chuck is so much better than ground beef from round, as it is from a fattier part of the cow. Do not worry about the fattiness of the burger because as you grill it most of the fat will be released and drip through the grates. A fattier ground beef will make for a juicier burger that you and your family will love. So, if at all possible for the best tasting burgers go with ground chuck.

Are you uncertain whether to go with a leaner or fattier steak? Visit >> Should You Pick a Marbled Steak?

||Top 10 Grilling Foods||

Should You Pick a Marbled Steak?

A well marbled steak is something I love. A marbled steak is a steak that has streaks of white fat running through it. You will see it a lot on rib-eye steaks. This fat provides moisture and flavor to your steak. The fat will also help to tenderize your steak.

With a steak that has a lot of marbling it means that the cow did not get much exercise. A cow that if fed a diet rich in corn and other grains, and doesn't get much exercise means a cow that will have a lot of fat. It will thus have meat that is more tender.

So, if you like your cuts of steak tender and juicy, a well marbled steak is the obvious choice.

Want to know how to properly thaw your meat? Visit >> What is the Best Way to Thaw Meat?

||Is it Grilling or Barbecuing?||

What is the Best Way to Thaw Meat?

Want to know the best way to thaw meat? If you have frozen meat and you thaw it there is always the potential for bacteria to form and also to damage the cut of meat. Therefor how you thaw your meat is important to stop the possibility of bacteria formation, and also wreaking a good cut of meat.

So, what is the proper way to thaw your meat? The best way to thaw meat is always in the refrigerator. Yes, it will take time, but it reduces you chances of bacterial contamination and loss of flavor in your meat. So, do not leave it on your counter to thaw, or use a microwave to thaw your meat. With a microwave there is a very good chance of partially cooking the meat, which will dry it out.

Yes, thawing in the refrigerator takes time, but isn't a good cut of meat worth the extra time?

Having problems with flare-ups? Visit >> How to Deal with Flare-ups with Grilling

||How to Thaw a Turkey||

How to Deal with Flare-ups when Grilling

When grilling flare-ups are a common occurrence, especially when you are grilling fattier cuts of meat or chicken. There are a few things you can do if flare-ups are happening during your grilling.

The first thing you should do if you have a flare-up is reduce the amount of air. So, if you have the lid off of your grill put it back on. If you are using a charcoal grill once you have the lid back on close the top vent about halfway. This should cut down the flare-ups.

If you need to grill your foods with the lid off or the flare-ups are still happening even though you have the lid on, there is something else you can do. If it is still a problem, move the foods away from the heat source. If you foods are right over the heat flare-ups will happen more often, if you set the foods to cook indirect the flare ups will stop. You can try moving you food back over the heat source once the flare-ups stop.

||How to Grill||

Easy Family Friendly Valentine's Breakfast Ideas

Valentine's Day falls during the week this year so if you can't make a special breakfast during the week... celebrate next weekend with a fabulous breakfast... who says you can't stretch the holiday.

These recipes are easy… most can be prepped ahead… and oh so good…. peruse the list and see what fits in your time and budget… for a list of even more ideas… check out the Breakfast and Brunch

Testing a Steak for Doneness

Testing a steak for doneness is a skill learned over time. You gotta cook a few steaks in order to get the feel for it. Normally a person could use a thermometer to tell precicely that their steak is done, but after you learn how to feel for doneness you will never be sticking your steak with a thermometer again.

I don't use a thermometer much as more when I grill meats, because I've learned how meat feels as it cooks. As your steak cooks it loses moisture and becomes firmer, so the longer you cook it the firmer the steak will feel. So it you are testing your steak for doneness and it feels pretty spongy, it is more than likely still rare. Now if it is really firm when pressed you probably have a medium-well or a well done steak.

With practice you will be able to easily tell if your steak is rare, medium rare, medium, medium-well, or well done. So, the next time you grill up a steak, test for doneness using your finger. For information on grilling a really good steak visit >> How to Grill the Perfect Steak

Do you like your steaks rare? Do you think a rare steak is really bloody? Find out here if a rare steak is really bloody. >> Is a Rare Steak Really Bloody?

||Electric Salt and Pepper Mills||

Is a Rare Steak Really Bloody?

You probably think that when you have a rare steak it is a bloody steak. I used to think that as well. A nice rare steak that when you slice into it the red juices cover your place and the meat is still all red or pink. However, a rare steak is not a bloody steak.

So, if a rare steak is not bloody, why is it red? When a cow is butchered all of the blood is drained out, so there is hardly much left in the meat. What the reddish color you are seeing in the meat is myoglobin. Myoglobin is a pigment in the meat that makes it red, while blood gets its color from hemoglobin. So for the most part the nice red juices you see flowing when you slice into your steak is myoglobin.

Also you may notice that your beef is redder than your pork, that is because beef contains a lot more myoglobin than pork. For more information on the color of meat visit >> Color of Meat - The Sign of Freshness

||How to Grill the Perfect Steak||

Valentine's Breakfast Ideas for that Special Man

Making breakfast for your sweetie this Valentine's Day? What better way to say I Love You than with a hearty manly man breakfast.

Unfortunately, this year Valentine's Day falls during the week... so you may have limited time...

Here are some terrific ideas for a great breakfast on-the-go..




Breakfast Burrito Prepare the filling ahead and just reheat it in the microwave in the morning!

a match made in heaven

When I dreamed up the perfect Valentine's day dessert for Matt and I a few years back, it of course had to have something creamy in it. I took one of my favorites, pumpkin and combined it with one of Matt's favorites, bourbon. Then I took one of his favorite desserts, bread pudding and made it brioche (lord knows I love me some buttery, rich egg bread). Throw on some bourbon salted caramel sauce and bourbon vanilla creme anglaise and you've got one crazy good dessert. It might sound like a bit of overkill to have two different bourbon sauces but I'm telling you, it works. One is subtle and the other is a bit more punchy - the two combined makes layers of bourbon goodness without feeling like you just took a shot. If making two sauces AND bread pudding scares you, don't worry. There's improv suggestions below on how to simplify the recipe. Seriously, just trust me, you need some of this in your life and it's a lot easier to make than it sounds. 

80% of the time I will pick chocolate over non-chocolate but this dish makes that 20% decision even harder. This dessert is comforting, creamy and filled with warm spices. Pumpkin and bourbon are the perfect valentines for each other. If you're not into super literal lovey-dovey heart shaped, red food for valentines day, I highly recommend you try this recipe for your boo. If chocolate pulls your heart strings, you can't go wrong with quick molten chocolate cakes or flourless chocolate cake. If you're without a valentine this year, that's cool too… who says you can't celebrate your love for yourself with a tasty dessert?! It just means more for you! Sharing is totally overrated. 

pumpkin brioche bread pudding

w/bourbon salted caramel sauce + bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise 

yields 6 generous servings

for the bread pudding:

ingredients:

1 - 11oz brioche loaf (about 8 c. cubed)

2 c. half and half

2 c. whole milk

3 eggs

1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1 tsp nutmeg

1 TBSP cinnamon

¾ c. packed brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 TBSP butter (to grease the pan)

recipes for the sauces:

bourbon vanilla bean salted caramel sauce

bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise sauce

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Cut your brioche into about 1 inch cubes and set aside. You can do this a day in advance so that your bread stales up. If you don't have that kind of time, just place them in the oven for about 5 minutes until they dry out but don't start to brown.

Combine the spices, eggs, cream, milk, salt, vanilla, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine. Add the brioche cubes and stir to combine. Lightly grease a 7x11 or 3 quart pan and pour your mixture into the dish. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, 60 minutes if you have the time - until the mixture is absorbed by the bread. Bake at 350º F for about 60 minutes. The bread pudding will have puffed slightly and have a light, golden brown top. 

To serve, cut a large square and top with caramel and creme anglaise. 

improv style:

what goes better with pumpkin and bourbon than pecans?! don't know why i didn't think to add some nuts in before i started writing this out. definitely trying that next time! if you don't have whole milk, you can use whatever milk you have on hand. no half and half? use heavy cream instead. big into warm spices? add more cinnamon, all spice, star anise or even ground cloves. don't have brown sugar? you can use white sugar instead. you can also use your favorite type of bread… challah would be an equivalent substitute but you can use french, italian or even country loaf. i've never tried it with regular sandwich bread but i would be interested to know if you try that how it turns out! 

do you HAVE to make the two sauces? no, but i HIGHLY recommend. if two is asking too much, make the one that sounds the best to you. not down with either? maybe consider a little drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of maple whipped cream? ice cream is always good in a pinch.

Recipe: Hearty Sausage Breakfast Skillet

Breakfast is my favorite meal.. I can enjoy it
anytime of day... I can think of hundreds of wonderful dishes to make for
breakfast... this recipe for a Hearty Sausage Breakfast Skillet is a
favorite... especially for my manly man.

This skillet breakfast is made in one pan... a heavy cast
iron skillet works best... and is perfect for camping too.

TIPS

You can significantly cut the fat and

Reducing Saltiness in Ham Slices

Have you ever had really salty slices of ham? If you are really sensitive to your ham being salty, there is a simple thing you can do. Before you cook up your ham slices, place the slices in a dish of milk for approximately 20 minutes. I know it sounds pretty crazy, but it works.

You are probably thinking that your ham will taste like milk, but it won't. The ham slices will not pick up the milk flavors. After you soak the slices of ham for around twenty minutes, rinse them off with cold water and dry them with a paper towel. It is a simple and effective way to cut the saltiness of your ham slices.

For more ham tips visit >> Buying a Canned Ham

||Types of Turkeys||

Buying a Canned Ham

Here is a simple tip when you are buying a canned ham. If you are thinking about purchasing a canned ham, buy the biggest one you can afford. You may be asking why you need to purchase the biggest canned ham you can afford? Well, it is because the majority of smaller canned hams are made from bits and pieces of ham stuck together with gelatin.

Bits and pieces stuck together with gelatin, doesn't sound too appetizing to me when I'm eating a canned ham. So, if you are not into stuck together ham pieces, buy the biggest canned ham you can afford.

For more tips on ham visit >> How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

||How to Grill a Turkey||

Great Recipes for Mardi Gras

It’s Mardi Gras time again!… and that means lots of great food… and with Fat Tuesday coming up.. time to indulge that sweet tooth!

Here are some terrific recipes perfect for any Mardi Gras celebration!






Breakfast Ideas to Start the Day



Quick Mardi Gras King Cake - a quick and easy recipe for this traditional Mardi Gras Cake... perfect for breakfast or a dessert.. after all.. why not?

Does Searing a Steak Really Seal in the Juices?

You have probably heard before that searing a steak supposedly seals in the juices. I know I've heard that from lots of sources. It seems like it would make for a juicier steak, however it really is not true.

Many people will probably argue with you if you tell them that searing your steak does not keep in the juices. Just because searing a steak doesn't really lock in the juices, doesn't mean you shouldn't do it any longer. On the contrary you should sear you steaks.

Searing a steak will cause it to brown up and will create an exceptionally good steak. I always sear my steaks because of the great flavor it produces. If you are disappointed that searing a steak doesn't really lock in the juice, I have a solution for making a juicier steak. The solution is to cook low and slow. Grilling your steak slowly at a lower temperature will help it to turn out more tender and will also help it retain more of the good juices.

If you would like more tips on grilling steak visit >> How to Grill the Perfect Steak

||Electric Salt and Pepper Mills||

bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise

It's a saucy week here on IMPROV kitchen. The other day I shared my absolute favorite bourbon vanilla bean salted caramel. It's a mouthful to say but man is it a killer sauce! This sauce is it's milder counterpart. It's a bourbon vanilla bean creme anglaise (vanilla sauce). On the creamy vs. non creamy team, I'm a die hard fan of creamy. 100% of the time I will pick a cream sauce, creamy dessert, creamy ANYTHING over another option. Since Matt loves bourbon, I try to incorporate it in places where it's not overpowering. I'm not the biggest fan of any type of whiskey but this sauce is a perfect balance of creamy, rich vanilla with a subtle kick of sharp bourbon. 

It's great used on lots of desserts which is why I decided to give it it's own post. I've put it on pecan pie, bread pudding, chocolate soufflés and in moments of weakness I've eaten it by the spoonful. This is a judge free zone!

bourbon vanilla bean crème anglaise

adapted from godiva

ingredients:

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

½ c. sugar

5 egg yolks

4 TBSP bourbon 

pinch of sea salt

In a medium saucepan, bring cream, milk and vanilla bean to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Cook for 5 - 6 minutes and then pull off the heat and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until they turn slightly pale yellow and the sugar starts to dissolve. Discard the vanilla pod and slowly add in a splash of the cream mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Slowly add more and more of the cream mixture into the egg mixture. You want to gradually increase the temperature of the eggs so that they cook without scrambling. 

Return the cream/egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. You'll know it's done when you slide your finger down the back of the spoon and the line holds. Pour in the bourbon and remove the mixture from the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve. This will make sure if you didn't properly temper the eggs that you keep any scrambled bits out. Pour into a container and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The sauce can be made 2 - 3 days in advance. 

When you're ready to serve it, you can heat it up on the stove or in a microwave. It's good cold too. Depending on the type of dessert you're making. 

improv style:

you can use whatever type of milk you have on hand. if the sauce is too thick for your taste, you can thin it out with a bit more cream. not a fan of bourbon? substitute for your favorite liquor. You can leave the booze out too. If you don't have vanilla beans, you can substitute for vanilla extract. you can easily switch up the flavor profile by adding in almond, raspberry, or even lemon extract.

Celebrate Chinese New Year with these Easy Recipes!

Chinese New Year is just around the corner... this year it's February 10th.... and what better way to celebrate the Year of the Snake than with food.

Don't do take out!

Why not try one of these recipes? They aren't difficult to make and are a delicious way to celebrate the New Year.

I hope you try one of these tasty recipes!









Baked Crab Rangoons










Chicken Fried Rice

bourbon caramel sauce

I LOVE this sauce. Over the years I've tried a few different versions and I keep coming back to this recipe, Martha really nailed it. The only thing I've done is add some salt - come on, who doesn't love salted caramel sauce?! Since I frequently make desserts & sometimes even brunch with caramel sauce, I thought doing a post of just the sauce would be much easier than typing the recipe over and over again. 

It's the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, boozy and deliciously caramelized sugar. When the caramel is warm, it flows like thick lava. Refrigerated, it's thick and chewy. Speckled with black vanilla beans it really catches your eye and feels like something special. This is heart warming food here. It's filled with tons of love. 

bourbon caramel sauce

slightly adapted from martha stewart

ingredients:

2 c. sugar

½ c. water

1 c. heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon bourbon

2 TSP sea salt (more to taste)

You can make this a day in advance or a week in advance. I wish I could somehow tweak this recipe to make it better but martha NAILED it. This sauce is good by itself and great on everything, mmmmmmm...

Start by combining the sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan on medium heat. Without stirring (don't even think about giving it a little help, let it do it's thing). Let the sugar and water bubble until it turns a dark amber color. This will take about 20 minutes, no joke - just have patience.

When the mixture is a deep amber color, reduce the heat to low. Slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Don't get scared if it turns into a hard ball. Give it a minute and keep stirring. It will slowly melt into a rich caramel. Next, scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the bean too. Add lemon juice, butter, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Your heavenly sauce is now ready to be devoured. You can let it cool and put it in a jar or tupperware container and into the fridge. To reheat, place in the microwave for about 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds.

improv style:

this caramel is legit, but if you don't have vanilla beans on hand, you can substitute for vanilla extract (1 TBSP). vanilla beans are incredible and i highly recommend getting some to stock your kitchen with. you can buy them in bulk for way cheaper than the grocery store. i get mine here or here depending on how many i need.

not down with the hootch? that's ok… you can leave it out. booze fan but not a bourbon fan? rum would be a fantastic alt. you could even play around with some liquors like kaluah or frangelicos - but really, bourbon or rum will be your best bet. don't even mess with tequila or vodka - bleb!

only have salted butter? no problem, just use that - i do. no sea salt?! you gotta get on that! but it's cool… you can use whatever kind of salt you have on hand. also, if you're not down with salt, you can just leave it out. no big deal. 

the lemon is key to balancing out the flavor. your caramel won't be ruined if you leave it out, but it will be 100x's better if you put it in. the only MUSTS are cream, sugar, and butter. 

want a little thinner sauce? add a bit more heavy cream… same goes for thicker, less cream is needed. if your sugar starts to turn into a weird crystal powder, turn the heat up a little bit. it should melt down in a few minutes if you crank the heat up. i don't know why it does this sometimes. it's always a little scary but the good news is if you totally mess it up, you can start over and you've only wasted a little bit of sugar. 

Why You Should Not Refreeze Meat

You probably have heard before that once you thaw meat that has been frozen, you cannot freeze it again. Of course, we all have. But, did you ever wonder why you couldn't refreeze previously frozen meats? I know I wondered for the longest time. There are many reasons why, but I'm going to tell you the main reasons.

If a meat that contains fat is refrozen the fat within the meat may potentially cause the meat to go bad. More the most part all of your meats will have some fat in them. If it was already frozen once and you go to refreeze it again it may make your meats rancid. I don't know about you, but I don't want to eat rancid meat. And I definitely do not want a good cut of meat to go to waste.

Another reason is refreezing previously frozen meat will impact the texture of the meat. You don't want to ruin the texture of a good cut of steak. So, do not freeze previously frozen meats.

||Stainless Steel Tea Kettle||

How to Make Your Lean Ground Beef Juicier

A lot of people do not like the extra fat in their ground beef, so they pick the leaner, or lower fat hamburger from the supermarket. With the extra leanness of the ground beef, comes the extra dryness. With lean ground beef, hamburgers and meatloaf tends to turn out dry and less flavorful. However there is something you can do to moisten up your burgers and meatloaf with out purchasing the fattier ground beef.

Whether you are making hamburgers or a meatloaf, mix in one well beaten egg white for every pound of ground beef. You can also add a pack of dry onion soup mix to your burger, that will also moisten it up a bit. For meatloaf you could also add some cottage cheese or instant potatoes to the center of the loaf, this will moisten it up as well.

Any of these few tips will help to add more juiciness to your burgers and meatloaf made with lean ground beef.

||How to Grill the Perfect Steak||

Simple Tip for Desalting Ham

Some people do not like ham because it is salty, or they really like it, but hate that it can be so salty. Ham is naturally salty, plus you have the majority of hams you buy at your local supermarket that are injected with a salt brine solution. So, ham can be pretty salty. However there is something you can do to desalt your ham a bit.

Now, this might sound a bit strange and some of it might sound like it is defeating the purpose, but bare with me, it works. To desalt your ham pour a can of ginger ale over it. After you pour the ginger ale on your ham rub salt all over the meaty side of your ham. You are going to want to do this at least 1 hour prior to cooking your ham.

Pouring the ginger ale on the ham and rubbing salt on it will cause the salt water to come to the surface of the ham, thus making your ham less salty. I know, it sounds weird, but it works.

Want more ham tips? Check out >> How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

||Top 10 Grilling Foods||

Recipe: Easy Pineapple Angel Food Cake

When I say Pineapple Angel Food Cake is easy... I mean
easy.. amazingly easy... with only THREE ingredients and it's amazingly good! 
... And best of all..... drum roll please.... GUILT-FREE !!

This recipe has been floating around the net ... actually it
may even qualify for going viral if it were a video... it apparently came from
Weight Watchers originally.

This a fat free cake... I know

How to Easily Remove a Ham Bone

I don't know about you, but I like to use my ham bone to make navy bean and ham soup, or split pea and ham soup. But sometimes cutting all that ham off the bone is a big pain. Having a bone in the ham makes it a lot tougher to carve as well. It would be a lot better if you could easily remove the bone. Well it can be really simple to remove the ham bone if you do it the right way. I'm going to give you a simple tip to making removing the ham bone a snap.

If you want to make removing a ham bone easy, follow my next set of instructions. Before placing the ham in the cooking pan, cut a slit in the ham lengthwise down the bone. Do not take the bone out at this point, you want it in the ham for cooking. While the ham cooks, the meat will start to pull away from the bone. So, once the ham it fully cooked the ham bone will be easy to pull out.

It is that simple to remove the ham bone. Now you can easily carve your ham and also use the bone for soups.

Want to learn more about ham? Visit >> Brine Injected Ham  Here you will learn all about your brine injected hams.

||How to Brine a Turkey||

How to Keep Sausage from Splitting While Cooking

It really bothers me when I'm cooking sausage and it splits open. It happens quite often when I'm not watching and it is cooking too long or hot. I have a simple solution to keep your sausages from splitting open when frying, or grilling them. I'll also let you in on a little known secret to keep your sausages from shrinking when cooking too.

We've all experienced that big, nasty split when cooking or grilling up sausages. It can easily be stopped by just piercing the sausage casing one or two times while cooking. Doing so will keep the sausages from splitting.

Oh, and you want to know how to keep those sausages from shrinking while cooking?  Simply roll them in a bit of flour before cooking them. That little bit of flour will help reduce shrinkage.

||How to Grill Peppers||

How to Keep Your Meatloaf Moist

I hate it when my meatloaf drys out, or starts cracking. It can happen when cooking, even with the coating of ketchup or tomato sauce. Nobody wants a dried hunk of meatloaf. A moist meatloaf is so much more delicious and flavorful. Well, if you have ever had your meatloaf dry out or start cracking, there is a simple solution.

To keep your meatloaf moist, instead of rubbing on the ketchup or tomato sauce, rub a bit of water on the sides and top instead. Basically when I used to prepare my meatloaf I'd coat the top and sides with ketchup, but it would still get dry and cracked. Now I just take a small amount of water and rub it on both the sides and top.

What this does is it keeps the meatloaf from cracking and drying out. Don't worry you still can add your tomato sauce or ketchup topping, just rub that on during the last 15 minutes of cooking. See, it is a simple solution to keep your meatloaf moist.

Do you have the same problem with meatballs? Here is your solution >> A Simple Tip for Moister Meatballs

||Glass Cookware for Stovetop||

Recipe: Southwestern Breakfast Quesadilla

Breakfast Quesadillas are always a family favorite.. and
what you use as filling can be just about anything... so why not make it
Southwestern.. instead of the usual omelet ... make a quesadilla instead.

This restaurant quality breakfast is not only easy to make..
it's also much more economical to make it at home.  Best of all, you control the ingredients and
the fat.  Making it healthier is

Brine Injected Ham - Know What You are Purchasing

Knowing what your buying when it comes to ham is important, just as with buying any food product. So, knowing what the label means is a must when going out to purchase a ham. How hams are cured and injected will have a big impact on the final product. Make sure you understand how they are injected and what you are buying.

There are many ways of curing hams, but for the most part they are all injected with a solution. This solution consists of brine salts, sugar, and nitrates. With these injections will come a weight gain to the ham. Differing amounts of injections will of course increase the weight of your ham by differing amounts.

If you've gone to your local super market and seen a ham labeled "ham with natural juices", this is a ham that has gone up in weight by 8% from the injections. Now on the other hand if you find a label on your ham that reads "water added" this means that the ham's weight has increased by more than 10% from the injected brine solution.

||How to Grill||

What to Do When You Burn Your Roast

A roast is great, a burnt roast is not. Sometimes it is going to happen; you're going to burn your roast. It can be pretty embarrassing to serve a burnt roast to your friends and family. It has happened to me, and it is not fun. Well, if you noticed that you have burnt your roast, there is a simple solution for saving that roast. You don't want to serve your friends and family a black roast.

When checking on your roast and you noticed that it looks scorched or burnt, the first thing you want to do is remove it from the pan. Next moisten a towel with hot water and cover your roast with it. You will want to let it sit with the hot, damp towel on it for approximately 5 minutes. Doing this will stop the cooking process.

After the 5 minutes are up, remove the towel and scrape off any burnt sections with a knife. Once it looks like you've scrapped off all the burnt areas, place the roast back in the oven to heat back up.

It is a simple way to save face and save your burnt roast. Keep this in mind the next time you cook a roast.

||Roasting Pan with Rack||

Reheating Meat - How to Keep it from Drying Out

I really hate it when I reheat meat and it drys out. I'm sure you can relate. You make an absolutely fantastic roast, you and your family can't finish it all in one sitting, so of course you have leftovers. So, the next day you go to have it, warm it up, and it is as dry as shoe leather. Not good.

It stinks to have a good cut of meat worthless the next day when you reheat it. However there is a really simple solution to keep your sliced meat and roasts from drying out.

When you store your leftover roast, be sure to place it back in its own juices. I know not everyone retains the juices after cooking a roast, but going forward do it, as it will keep your roast moister for when you reheat it.

Now, when you go to reheat your sliced meats place them in a dish with lettuce leaves between the slices. The lettuce will provide just enough moisture to keep your slices of meat from drying out. It is a really simple trick that works wonders.

||Serving Dishes with Lids||

salty + sweet

I work in advertising and as much as I'd like to say I'm the coolest girl ever who totally knows what's going on during the big game, I have to confess that I'm really just not that into it. Don't get me wrong, if my hometown is throwin it down in the Super Bowl, I get pretty into it. More out of a sense of pride for Seattle than a love of the game. So for me, this year, Super Bowl is all about the commercials and food. 

Looking for a quick, last minute snack for your Super Bowl Sunday spread? I've got the perfect idea for you. Full disclosure, this stuff is like CRACK! The combo of salty + sweet sings to all people. Dark chocolate coated potato chips - yes it may sound strange but it is 100% awesome. The salty, crunchy potato chip with the creamy, sweet dark chocolate make for an incredible bite. But it doesn't stop there. I've added in chocolate covered pretzels AND caramel corn. Yep, salty meets sweet meets salty meets crunchy sweet. It's totally craveable and has a little something for everyone. And hey, if you're not having a party, there no judging if you make a whole bowl for yourself. 

salty + sweet snack mix

yields 14 c. a.k.a 1 big ass bowl

ingredients:

2 c. chocolate chips

2 c. pretzels (sticks, rods, braids, twists, classic - whatever you feel like)

4 c. ridged potato chips

6 c. caramel corn

In a double boiler, place your chocolate chips and stir until it's almost all the way melted. Take off the heat and continue stirring until the lumps are fully melted. Line a few baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. Dip your chips half way into the chocolate and give them a good shimmy to drip off any excess chocolate. You want a thin coating. Continue until all of your chips are dipped. Continue with your pretzels. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to fully set the chocolate.

In a large bowl, gently combine the pretzels, chips and caramel corn. Done - easy peasy!

improv style:

you don't have to make your own chocolate dipped pretzels, you can buy them from the store. if your'e feeling even lazier, you can leave the potato chips plain and just do chocolate pretzels, ruffled chips and caramel corn. 

i totally recommend making your own caramel corn. i experimented with a few recipes and haven't found my favorite yet. use your own or take the easy way out and buy some of your favorite. 

adding in some other fixins would be delish. some cashews or really any of your favorite nuts would be tasty. granola clusters would be an interesting thought if you're into that sort of thing. 

if your chocolate starts to get chalky, it probably means you singed your chocolate. you'll want to start over. if it's just a little on the thick side, you can try thinning it down with a touch of butter.