Hi

Just thought I would give you a head’s up as to what is new on the main www.CookingNook.com website.


We have lots of new recipes, plus information on how to boost your metabolism and lose weight.


Here are a few of our new “go to” pages:


Gazpacho

Peach Cake

Blueberry Muffins

Foods That Speed Metabolism


Enjoy. Come back and visit us often for new and exciting recipes and tips.


Karen

Warm weather signals one thing to me - it’s grilling time! Time to fire up that grill and get cooking.

Of course hamburgers and steaks taste great on the grill just as they are. But when you want to serve up something that is just a bit different we have some suggestions.

First of all Grilled Texas Beef Steak, grilled steak with a bit of pizzazz. A mix of cumin, chili powder, cayenne and garlic pack a punch.

Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin is an original recipe that combines flavorful Asian seasonings with the fruitiness of orange juice. A nice mix.

Barbecued Peach Pork Chops combines pork with fruit, always a good combination, and tops it off with a delicious savory sauce.

Any of these delicious meat recipes is sure to get your next barbecue of to a good start!

Grilled Texas Beef Steaks

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 slices eye of round, about 1 inch thick

Preheat barbecue and grease grill.

Blend seasonings in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of meat with seasonings, then gently press into meat. Place meat on barbecue and grill for 4 minutes per side for medium-rare meat.

Steaks are great with baked potatoes, which can be done on the grill as well. Simply follow these easy directions:

Wrap the potatoes in foil and put them on a cooler part of the grill so they won’t burn. Check them after about 30 minutes. Total cooking time depends on the size and can be as much as 45 minutes to 1 hour. They are done when they are soft right through to the inside.

Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins

Marinade:
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1″ piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Place the pork tenderloins in a large plastic zip lock bag. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the pork tenderloins. Marinate for 2 to 6 hours.

Grill for about 20 minutes or bake in the oven at 375ºF. Baste often with the marinade.

Slice and serve.

Serves 4-5.

Barbecued Peach Pork Chops

1/4 cup fresh basil or mint, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper jelly, melted
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch pepper
2 firm ripe peaches, unpeeled and sliced
4 thick bone in pork chops

Mix basil, red pepper jelly, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss peaches with 2 tablespoons of the jelly mixture. Add the pork chops to the remaining mixture. Turn to coat and let stand for 20 minutes to marinate.

Place the pork chops and peaches on a greased grill over medium high heat. Close the lid and grill, turning halfway through, until peaches are browned, about 6 minutes. Remove the peaches and keep them warm. Cook chops until there is just a hint of pink inside, about 4 minutes longer.

4 servings

I hope these amazing recipes will tempt your taste buds and encourage you to get grilling now!

Decorating your home, especially kitchen decorating, can be a challenge even with a large budget. There are so many choices to make. With a limited budget, it can seem like more of a task than a joy.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and our goal is to have a kitchen be both beautiful and functional. For most of us it is important that our kitchen radiates warmth and home to all who enter.

There are many kitchen decorating ideas that will create an impact without making any expensive structural changes. A fresh color on the walls creates a tremendous impact for very little cost.
When you are selecting a paint color, just make sure the wall color goes with the floors and cabinets. Remember too that dark colors make rooms appear smaller and light colors make them appear larger.

Do you have old kitchen cupboards that you can’t afford to replace right now? Consider painting them. I know, some people are horrified at the idea of covering wooden cabinets with paint. The truth is though that styles and tastes changes through the years and the pickled wood or yellowy oak that was popular several years ago, may just not suit your taste now.

Painting the cupboards is an inexpensive alternative to replacing them and easier than restaining them. A fresh coat of paint on the cupboards will greatly change the appearance of the entire kitchen with little cost. It is an excellent budget decorating idea.

Changing kitchen cupboard door hardware is another very inexpensive way to give your kitchen a boost. The simple act of changing the door handles and drawer pulls on your kitchen cabinet can result in an almost instant facelift. Combine this with a fresh coat of paint on the cupboards and a complimentary color on the walls and the impact can be nothing short of stunning

Remember - It is often the little changes that can have the greatest impact. And compared with the cost and time involved in replacing all of the kitchen cupboards, paint is a small change.

Flooring is often thought to be a renovation that isn’t in the realm of budget decorating. Many of the new laminate floors, however, are fairly inexpensive and easy to install. There are also many new styles of peel and stick tile that can bring about impressive results for very little effort and without professional skills. Any floors that you can install yourself will save a lot of money and can make a huge difference in the appearance and your enjoyment of your kitchen.

Kitchen decorating with accent pieces can immediately change the look of your room for very little cost. For example, create a Tuscan kitchen with wrought iron accents and canisters in rich Tuscan colors. Add a few sunflowers and oil and vinegar cruets and you have immediately created a look that takes you to another place.

Like the retro look? Look for chrome accents, an old fashioned chrome dinette suite, retro toasters in red or turquoise and fun prints for your walls with ads from the 50’s.

As you can see there are many ways in which you can improve and enhance the look and feel of your kitchen without shattering the piggy bank in the process. An added bonus is that that taking on one project at a time, and staying on budget, allows you to redecorate more of your home than if you had blown everything on one room.

Get more home decorating and renovating ideas at www.TodaysHouse.com

How many of us remember the family picnic?

I have many fond memories of packing up a cold supper and going with my family, including aunts, uncles and cousins, for a family picnic by the lake. Sometimes we would barbecue hot dogs and hamburgers to go with the salads and cool desserts my mother had packed. Other times it was a cold supper, with cold meats and fried chicken pieces to eat alongside those wonderful salads.

Before supper we would play in the water, play games and get our appetites ready for delicious picnic food. After supper, we would relax, maybe play some cards and watch as the beautiful sunset amazed us yet again.

Times have changed and it seems we don’t always take the time to create those memories with our families. It’s an easy thing to do though.

Here are three easy recipes that will help to create a memorable picnic experience for your family. They are all easy to pack up in plastic containers with lockable lids. Just pop them into a cooler with some ice, take along some cold drinks and maybe a watermelon, the perennial hot weather refresher, and you have a fun day that family and friends will remember for a long time to come.

Peanut Crunch Slaw

2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup finely cut celery
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Toss the cabbage and celery together and chill. Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, onion, green pepper and cucumber. Chill that mixture too.  Just before serving, toss chilled vegetables with the dressing.  Sprinkle the chopped nuts on top.

Makes 4 servings.

Sweet Potato Salad

4 orange sweet potatoes
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced
1 - 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Wrap each sweet potato in foil and bake for 1 hour at 400ºF until tender, or poke with a knife, wrap each potato in a paper towel and cook in the microwave for 5-6 minutes until soft.

Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut them into 3/4 inch chunks. Combine the mayonnaise and mustard in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the sweet potatoes, celery, red pepper, pineapple and green onions. Toss gently. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Chill, covered, for 1 to 10 hours.

Just before serving fold in the pecans. The salad can be sprinkled with chopped chives for presentation if desired.

Serves 6

Three Fruit Fluff

1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup canned mandarin oranges, undrained
8 ounces strawberry yogurt
8 ounces whipped topping
1 small package white chocolate instant pudding mix
maraschino cherries or fresh strawberries (optional)

Combine the undrained pineapple and mandarin oranges, yogurt, whipped topping and dry pudding mix in a large bowl. Mix well. Chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Top each serving with a few maraschino cherries or a fresh strawberry.

Serves 6 to 8

Of course all of these recipes can be enjoyed anywhere and any time.

I hope though that they pique your interest in packing up and finding a great spot for a family picnic.

Don’t forget the frisbee!!

More great summer food ideas and recipes can be found at our main site, www.CookingNook.com

Summer is the season our thoughts go to cooking outdoors - grilling.

We are all familiar with cooking meat on the grill - juicy steaks, hamburgers and tangy ribs. But how about some lighter fare?

Here are three lighter recipes for summer grilling - a salmon with citrus flavored sauce, grilled vegetables and a light grilled halibut (or any solid white fish) with a herb and lemon flavored crust.

So any time you are in the mood for something a bit different and a little on the lighter side, try these out.

Grilled Citrus Salmon

1/4 cup honey garlic barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped chives
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
hot pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds salmon fillet, one large fillet or individual portions (works best with one large fillet)

Preheat the grill to medium high and grease well. Pierce a piece of nonstick foil several times and place on a baking sheet. Stir the barbecue sauce with the other ingredients (except the salmon). Put the salmon on the foil, skin side down.

Brush half the sauce mixture over the salmon. Slide the foil on to the grate. Cook, covered, without turning for 15 to 17 minutes or until salmon is cooked but still slightly cook in the center. Brush with the remaining sauce mixture during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

To serve, slice salmon into portions and use a thick metal spatula to remove from the portions from the foil. Leave the skin behind. Garnish with added chives if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Cedar Plank Version:
Soak an untreated cedar plank in clean water for 2 hours. Place the plank on the grill and preheat for 5 or 10 minutes or until wood begins smoking. Place the salmon on the cedar and proceed as directed above. Use skinless salmon for best results.

Grilled Vegetable Platter

1/2 cup garlic and herb flavor barbecue sauce (or your favorite marinade)
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of dry)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon of dry)
3/4 pound each of small red and white potatoes
4 cobs corn, cut in half or thirds if larger
1 pound assorted summer squash such as green or yellow zucchini or patty pan squash

Whisk the marinade or barbecue sauce with the butter, parsley and thyme until well combined. Reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, blanch the potatoes for about 10 minutes. Blanch the corn for 2 minutes. As the vegetables are finished, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a large bowl of water to chill. Drain well and pat dry. Toss all the vegetables with the marinade mixture until evenly coated.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill the potatoes corn and squash, turning as needed and basting with any remaining marinade. As vegetables become tender, remove from the grill to a warm platter or bowl. Tent the cooked vegetable platter with foil until all vegetables are cooked.

Makes 6 servings.

Grilled Halibut with Lemon-Herb Crust

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 pound halibut fillets, about 1/2″ thick, skin left on
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add butter and toss with a fork to form a crumbly mixture. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise and tarragon.

Arrange the fish, skin side down, on a platter. Spread each fillet with the mayonnaise mixture. Press crumbs mixture onto each fillet.

Preheat barbecue on high for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Arrange fillets on barbecue skin side down. Lower lid and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork and topping is browned, about 10-12 minutes. Drizzle lemon juice over each fillet and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

You will find more wonderful summer recipes on the main site www.CookingNook.com.

It’s summer and in many areas, that means it’s berry time!

Berries are available all year round now in most areas, but there is nothing quite like easy dessert recipes made from summer fresh berries.

You can certainly make any of these recipes any time of the year, but they will be especially appreciated as cool summer treats.

Summer Fruit Bowl

Feel free to mix the berries you use in this recipe to suit your taste. Raspberries would be wonderful too.

16 lady finger halves
1 tablespoon sherry or orange juice
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 cup flaked coconut
1 - 14 ounce can pineapple chunks, well drained
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sprinkle the lady fingers with sherry or orange juice and line 1½ quart severing bowl with the cookies.  Combine strawberries, blueberries and grapes.  Mix coconut, pineapple, sour cream and extract.  Stir this mixture lightly into the fruit.  Spoon it all into the lined bowl.  Chill before serving.

Makes 8 - 10 servings

Strawberry Peach Sherbet

The perfect summer dessert when these fruits are at their freshest.

4 large peaches
1 pound fresh strawberries, chopped
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup superfine sugar

Add the peaches to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the peaches from the pot and immerse in cold water. When the peaches are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and stones.

Mash the peaches into a pulp in a large mixing bowl. Pureé the peach pulp, strawberries and lemon juice in a food processor. Stir the sugar into the fruit mixture and pureé for another 10-15 seconds. Pour the mixture into a large, shallow dish and freeze until hard.

To serve:
Remove the dish from the freezer 1 hour before serving and let the sherbet soften in the refrigerator.

Mixed Berry Brown Betty

The surprise addition of a bit of white wine definitely makes this one ready for company. Use any mix of berries you prefer.

2 1/2 cups blueberries
1 cup strawberries, quartered
2 1/2 cups raspberries
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup white wine (or substitute apple juice)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Toss the berries with 3/4 cup brown sugar, the wine and the lemon juice. Set aside.

Melt the butter with the cinnamon, salt and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a pot. In a separate bowl, blend bread crumbs and graham cracker crumbs. Pour the butter mixture over the crumbs and blend them together well.

Spoon 1/3 of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of 6 or 8 ramekins or the bottom of a square baking dish. Add half the berry mixture, then spoon over another 1/3 of the crumbs. Add the remaining berry mixture and finish with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until fruit is bubbly and crumbs are browned.

This berry treasure tastes great eaten while it is still warm topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Enjoy your summer and all the delicious bounty that fresh summer fruits have to offer. And for more delicious berry recipes look here.

You will find a large collection of wonderful easy dessert recipes on the main CookingNook.com site.

New Junior Cookbook Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen

All new recipes are age-appropriate, kid-tested and kid-tasted.

Recipes use short ingredient lists and easy step-by-step instructions.

Written and designed to appeal to 8- to 12-year-old children who are just beginning to cook on their own, as well as those who have some cooking experience.

Cooking Basics chapter covers all the things children need to know such as kitchen safety, menu-planning, basic nutrition information, and how to read food labels.

New illustrations and new features make this a must-have reference cookbook for kids and their parents to use together.

Simply delicious recipes kids will have fun preparing and the whole family will enjoy eating.

Yummy recipes include: Farmhouse Breakfast Pizza, Sun-Up Sandwiches, Fast Fixin’ Fajitas, Mighty Melts, Ooey Gooey Fudge Sauce, Raining Berries Turnovers.

Includes recipes for special celebrations and diabetic exchanges.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Kids Love It
The kids see me cooking all the time and they wanted their own cookbook . So we bought them one as a together present so inspire their love of cooking and to teach them cooperation.

5 Stars the perfect cookbook for pre-teens,teens,and beginner cooks of all ages!
my 12 year old daughter picked this out and i couldn’t be more pleasantly surprised.we have other “kiddie” cookbooks but this is far and away the best.the beginning of the book is wonderful tips and basic food safety (like not buying dirty eggs).the book is divided into breakfast,lunch,snacks,dinner,and dessert.my daughter has cooked many recipes out of the cookbook entirely by herself because the directions are very clear and concise.and the recipes taste great too!all the ingredients are easy to find in any grocery store and they’re quick cooking.i really think this is a must have for any preteen or teenage girl.couldn’t love it more!!!

5 Stars Great Book for the beginners
I bought this cookbook along with a couple others for my 3 boys. I was hoping to get each of them involved with some of the cooking in the house. I wanted them to learn some basic things that they will be able to take with them as they get older. So far, they have each enjoyed their evenings picking out the meal they want to make and preparing it. Their ages are 10, 7 & 5. My oldest can pretty much make the recipes by himself with a few questions about the recipe. The other two need a little more help. Overall this is a great cookbook for the beginner offering a decent selection of meals, snacks and desserts. Pictures are great and the instructions fairly easy to follow for the older ones.

Buy/More Info

Technorati Profile

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is the essential Ina Garten cookbook, focusing on the techniques behind her elegant food and easy entertaining style, and offering nearly a hundred brand-new recipes that will become trusted favorites.

Ina Garten’s bestselling cookbooks have con-sistently provided accessible, subtly sophisticated recipes ranging from French classics made easy to delicious, simple home cooking. In Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, Ina truly breaks down her ideas on flavor, examining the ingredients and techniques that are the foundation of her easy, refined style.

Here Ina covers the essentials, from ten ways to boost the flavors of your ingredients to ten things not to serve at a party, as well as professional tips that make successful baking, cooking, and entertaining a breeze. The recipes—crowd-pleasers like Lobster Corn Chowder, Tuscan Lemon Chicken, and Easy Sticky Buns—demonstrate Ina’s talent for transforming fresh, easy-to-find ingredients into elegant meals you can make without stress.

For longtime fans, Ina delivers new insights into her simple techniques; for newcomers she provides a thorough master class on the basics of Barefoot Contessa cooking plus a Q&A section with answers to the questions people ask her all the time. With full-color photographs and invaluable cooking tips, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is an essential addition to the cherished library of Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Ina never disappoints.
It’s another wonderful book from the Barefoot Contessa filled with dishes that won’t test your patience and yet will satisfy your taste buds. Ina never fails to make you want to try these deliciously simple and tasty recipes. Text, recipes, photos and layout are first class and attractive to every level of cooking expertise.

5 Stars “barefoot” is the best
This is the best series of cookbooks I have EVER found. Ideas are simple, elegant, and fun.

5 Stars Really excellent
This is such a complete book-great recipes, method details and entertaining tips. Good for pros and beginners alike.

5 Stars Ina is better than ever!
I have all of Ina Garten’s books and while they are all great, this is one of the best. It’s loaded with recipes that are classics and you’ll make again and again.

5 Stars Very practical
Once again, Ina has produced very complete and simple receipes to offer your family and friends. Nice variety and popular with most people. Mary S.

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Veganomicon The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Who knew vegetables could taste so good? Moskowitz and Romero’s newest delicious collection makes it easier than ever to live vegan. You’ll find more than 250 recipes–plus menus and stunning color photos–for dishes that will please every palate. All the recipes in Veganomicon have been thoroughly kitchen-tested to ensure user-friendliness and amazing results. And by popular demand, the Veganomicon includes meals for all occasions and soy-free, gluten-free, and low-fat options, plus quick recipes that make dinner a snap. Recipes include:
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Nigella Express 130 Recipes for Good Food Fast

The Domestic Goddess is back, and this time it’s instant. Nigella and her style of cooking have earned a special place in our lives, symbolizing all that is best, most pleasurable, most hands-on, and least fussy about good food. But that doesn’t mean she wants us to spend hours in the kitchen, slaving over a hot stove.

Featuring fabulous fast foods, ingenious shortcuts, terrific time-saving ideas, effortless entertaining tips, and simple, scrumptious meals, Nigella Express is her solution to eating well when time is short. Here are mouthwatering meals, quick to prepare and easy to follow, that you can conjure up after a day in the office or on a busy weekend, for family or unexpected guests. This is food you can make as you hit the kitchen running, with vital advice on how to keep your pantry stocked, and your freezer and fridge stacked. When time is precious, you can