Famous Sicilian Food Recipes

If you like good food, Sicilian cuisine is well worth knowing about. Sicily is famed for its seafood. Finnochio con sarde, or fennel with sardines, is popular. Grilled swordfish is typical and small fish like red snappers are often cooked in a sweet vinegar sauce. Cuttlefish is served in its own black sauce, with pasta on the side.

An eggplant, olive, celery and caper salad called caponata is very popular as an appetizer in Sicily and there is also a version of this dish using artichoke instead of eggplant. Panella is a fried paste made from powdered or crushed garbanzo beans. You can also make maccu, a Sicilian soup recipe, with garbanzo beans. Arancine are meat or cheese stuffed rice balls, which are then fried.

Meat is very popular in Sicily, especially goat and lamb. Veal marsala is a famous Sicilian recipe and you can use chicken instead of veal for a similar result. Veal spleen sandwiches are also typically Sicilian, but these do not sound quite so tempting!

Delicious Sicilian Pizza

Sicilian pizza is a type of pizza from Palermo in Sicily. With Sicilian pizza, or sfinciuni as it is called in the Sicilian language, the cheese goes under the toppings, rather than on top. An authentic Sicilian pizza recipe will feature chopped anchovies and pecorino cheese. Focaccia alla messinese is a variety of pizza from Messina in Sicily and this is topped with anchovies and endive.

A Sicilian pizza in the United States is normally square and has a deep dough. This kind of pizza is also known as tomato pie. It is popular in Italian-American parts of New Jersey and New York, especially Utica, New York, where most of the large Italian-American population is Sicilian. Tomato pie is often served in an aluminum baking sheet.

Sicilian Gelato and Other Desserts

Cassata is a sugary cake with a sweetened ricotta filling. Cannoli are tubular crusts with the same filling. Ricotta in Sicily is made from sheep's milk so it has a different taste from the ricotta available in the United States.

Sicilian style gelato is an intense flavored ice cream recipe which is made simply with milk, sugar, cornstarch and flavoring. The following recipe for Sicilian chocolate gelato serves six people and you will need an ice cream maker to make it.

Chocolate Gelato Sicilian Style

You will need:

4 oz roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk

How to make it:
Warm 2 cups of the milk over a medium heat and remove it from the heat when it starts to simmer. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts. Mix together the cornstarch, sugar and the rest of the milk, and then pour this mixture into the hot milk and chocolate mixture.

Bring the pan to a slow simmer and cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture is thick. This will take about 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then put it into a bowl, cover it and refrigerate it overnight. Process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Easiest To Prepare Healthy Baby Food Recipes

Baby food recipes are great when it comes to feeding your baby. Aside from the fact that it is a healthy option, they are far easier to make than buying jarred baby food. Make it one at a time and store it on the refrigerator to save money.


Your baby can start on solids after 6 months and the foods that are usually introduced first includes fruits (bananas, apples, pears, avocado), vegetables (green beans, potatoes, squash), and cereals. Avoid giving dairy products and protein-rich foods as their metabolism can't tolerate it yet. The preparation is simple. Incorporate the healthy foods just like how you prepared your pregnancy diet plan.

Here are some tips about homemade baby food recipes:

Fruits
Bananas for baby food are very easy to prepare ever. This fruit can be prepared as easy as getting enough of what you intend to serve and mash it with fork. Make sure that you mash it very well for babies are still not used to chewing. The principle is, the older your baby is the less you need to mash his/her food.

Other fruits (peaches, mangoes, and the like)

You can prepare these fruits for baby food as easy as counting one, two, and three. Simple remove the pit, remove the skins, cut the fruit in chunks, place them in a food processor and blend. You can add a little water or apple juice to get your desired consistency.

You can also combine the fruits so that your baby will not get used to one flavour. Great fruit combinations include banana and strawberry, mango and banana, peach and banana, blueberry and apple, pear and raspberry, and cantaloupe and banana.

Vegetables
The most common baby food is mashed potato and most babies love it. There are also some other ways to make your mashed vegetable more interesting to your baby. You can try yams and sweet potatoes. These are high in beta carotene, potassium and Vitamin A. Calcium, Vitamin E and folate are also present in them which serve as a great supplement for your baby's body and brain development.

Try this healthy combo Squash-Apple Rice. You will need 1 baked squash, ½ up of applesauce and 1 to 2 cups of cooked brown rice. All you need to do is mix all ingredients.

Problem:

When you are introducing solids to your baby, there are times that you forget the liquids which can cause dehydration. This may also possible if your baby does not drink enough milk, fluid loss from diarrhoea, and vomiting which is common during feeding because your baby is not accustomed to solids. The sign and symptoms of dehydration include weakness, less amount of urine, dry lips and mouth, and sleepy.

The change in salt concentration makes dehydration worse and may predispose your baby to seizure or brain damage. This problem can be treated with fluids and electrolytes replacement, such as sodium and chloride given orally. For severe cases, intravenous fluids are necessary. So please don't forget the liquids while making yourself busy in preparing baby food recipes.

Easy Party Finger Food Recipes

Finger foods have many advantages when it comes to organizing a party and coming up with the best menu. They look great and are relatively easy to make. In addition, you can have a multitude of finger foods available.

Guests will also enjoy finger foods. While making their selection, people will interact with each other and have fun.

Making finger foods is far from time-consuming and expensive. You can get very creative with the decorations and you can turn your buffet into a work of art. If you are looking for simple and effective finger food recipes, keep on reading.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs look very decorative and pretty. The good news is that anyone can make them and the recipe could readily be modified to suit individual needs and the preferences of guests who are expected to attend the party.

For a single platter, you will need six hard-boiled eggs, half a cup of mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Decorations can be made from paprika, parsley, mint or even cherry tomatoes.

To make deviled eggs, cut each one in half and take out the egg yolk. Use a fork to get it crushed. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Turn these ingredients into a homogenous mixture.

Take a small amount of the egg yolk and mayonnaise mixture and return it into the egg white half. Decorate as appropriate and arrange the platter.

Chicken Fingers

Everybody loves chicken fingers. They are nutritional and exceptionally tasty. Here is the recipe that you can follow to make tasty and eye-catching chicken fingers.

Ten servings demand eight chicken breast halves or the respective quantity of chicken fillets, a small sour cream carton, a tablespoon of soy sauce, two tablespoons of lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and stuffing mix.

You will first need to cut the chicken meat into very thin stripes. In a separate bowl you will have to mix the sour cream with the lemon juice, soy sauce and spices. Dip each chicken stripe into it and then roll into the stuffing mix.

Get a pan heated and pour some oil in it. Fry until the chicken finger turns gold in color. An alternative is to get the chicken fingers baked into the over - this alternative is much healthier than frying.

Mini Pizza

The easiest way to make mini pizza is to use pre-made dough or to make the dough yourself in a bread machine, in case you have one. You can also purchase pizza bases, which are already made in the perfect mini pizza forms.

The best aspect of making mini pizzas is that you can select any kind of topping. You can make vegetarian pizzas with tomato sauce and cheese or you can go for more exotic opportunities - marine foods, pineapple or traditional Italian pizza toppings.

The tomato sauce goes on the mini pizza first and then you add all other ingredients - ham, mushrooms, bacon, cheese, tuna, chicken or anything else you fancy. Oregano is the best herb to use for Italian-style mini pizzas.

Get the oven pre-heated to at least 200 degrees Celsius. The cooking time is 20 to 30 minutes.

Singapore Famous Food Recipes

Singapore is a melting pot bubbling over with tourists, inhabitants and expatriates from all parts of the world, and these people naturally have diverse eating habits. Through the ages, the Chinese, Malay, Indians and the foreigners (westerners) have cast their influence on Singapore's food recipes and there is no doubt that Singapore is a food lovers' paradise.

Singaporeans love to eat out and there is a feast of multicultural cuisine waiting for them in restaurants and especially in hawker centers and food courts. Here is a list of the major types of foods you can feast on in Singapore:

1. Malaysian Food: Malaysian food, also known as Malay food, is a popular in Singapore simply because Malaysia is Singapore's neighbor and there are a whole lot of Malaysians living there; Spicy Malaysian gravies are laced with belachan, which is made from baby shrimps and the Malaysian desserts are usually based on coconut milk, palm sugar and freshly grated coconut. Then, of course, there are the rice and noodles too, which any Malaysian cannot live without. All these go to make an exotic eating experience. Some Malaysian food you must try out in Singapore: Laksa (coconut-based gravies) and Satay (grilled and skewered meat).

2. Chinese Food: The Chinese have been in Singapore since the last seven centuries and their influence on Singapore's food recipes is authoritative. Chinese food can be subtle and neutral (Cantonese), or it can be fiery (Szechuan). Rice is a staple food in any Chinese dish and you can try out the following dishes to get a flavor of the Chinese influence: Shark fin soup, spring rolls (Cantonese - subtle taste); Fried Hokkien Mee (vermicelli, noodles, chili gravy, garlic, prawns, pork and everything else); and, Teochew food such as steamed fish and braised duck.

3. Indian Food: South Indians (mostly Tamilians) migrated to Singapore in the 1940s and their influence on Singaporean cuisine is undeniable. In fact there is an area in Singapore (around Serangoon Road), which is know as Little India. You must try out the south Indian Dosas, Idlis, Vadas that are served with spicy gravy and chutneys as well as the north Indian Tandoori Chicken (chicken smothered with a spicy paste and cooked in a clay oven).

4. Nyonya Food: Nyonyas are half-Malay, half-Chinese people who cook very hot and spicy food loaded with ginger and turmeric. Their recipes are creative and the cooking methods are elaborate. Some of the famous Nyonya dishes you must savor are: Enche kabin (small chicken pieces marinated in soy and oyster sauce) and Chicken Kapitan (chicken curry made using tamarind juice, candlenut, fresh turmeric root and belachan (shrimp paste)).

These apart, Singapore also offers western cuisine comprising of American, British, and Italian dishes. There are fast food centers, food courts, hawker centers, restaurants and you-name-it. As we said earlier, Singapore's food recipes cater to all kinds of food lovers. Bon Appetit.

Hungarian Food Recipes

The Republic of Hungary is a central European country. The country lies in the Carpathian Basin, the river Danube ("Duna") running through its capital, Budapest. The territory that is today Hungary, has been inhabited since ancient times, including a Celtic period (from approximately 450 BCE) and Roman period (9 BCE to the 4th century CE). The modern nation state of Hungary traces its roots to the late 9th century, when Magyar chiefs founded what would eventually become the Kingdom of Hungary. After World War II, the country become a communist republic, but since 1989, Hungary has been a democratic parliamentary republic. Today Hungary is a popular destination and is known internationally for the beauty of its capital city, Budapest, the country's unique language, and for its interesting cuisine.

Many Hungarian dishes use sour cream and eggs, and to be fair, so dishes do share some common characteristics with recipes from Hungary's central European neighbours. One thing that does however make Hungarian food stand out, is the widespread use of paprika to flavour many dishes.

Perhaps the most famous of Hungarian dishes is goulash (known in Hungary as "gulyás" or "gulyásleves"), however it is quite different from what many foreigners believe the dish to be like. If you have ever eaten American goulash made using hamburger, you will certainly find the Hungarian version an interesting change! Hungarian goulash is actually prepared as a soup, traditionally in a cauldron. Cuts of beef (usually shoulder, shin or shank), seasoned and flavoured with paprika, are browned in a pot, and then chopped onions added. Stock or water is then added to make the soup, which is slowly simmered for a long time. The simmering turns collagen in the meat into gelatin which makes the soup very thick. Some chefs also may add a small amount of tomatoes, hot peppers, perhaps chopped potatoes, and herbs or vinegar as well.

As you can imagine, there are many other interesting Hungarian dishes, including soups, main courses and desserts. Of course, I could not hope to introduce them all to you in a short article, so my suggestion is why not try some Hungarian dishes - otherwise, you'll never know how much you might enjoy them!

Raw Food Recipes

Even though raw and live food is highly conducive to health, it is human nature to become bored with the same kind of food item taken over and over again. Food recipes remove the monotony of same food taken day and night. They lend variety and change and make the food more acceptable, interesting and tasty. Making and testing recipes with raw foods can be a good and creative pastime. Moreover in a combination of a variety of fruits and vegetables in a food recipe, the items complement each other by providing the required nutrients which a single food item may not provide in sufficient measure. Creative raw food recipes satisfy the palate, increase the appetite and provide ample nutrition.

Vegetable Salad

A vegetable salad consisting of as many items as you like can be made out of all varieties of leafy greens such as romaine, endive, spinach
cabbage, shredded mushrooms, sliced carrots, grated or sliced bell peppers, all colors zucchini, grated green beans, finely sliced tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, sliced sprouts, all kinds beets, grated celery and so on.

Non-starchy Vegetable Salad

A non-starchy vegetable salad can be prepared from beets, turnips, carrots, parsnips, summer squash, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green corn, green peas, string beans, asparagus, onions, egg plant, okra, kohlrabi, endive, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, chard, spinach, dandelion, and all plants used as greens, etc.

Here is a raw food recipe example:

FRUIT SALAD WITH SAUCE

2 Apples diced

2 Bananas sliced

1/4 cup Raisins soaked 30 minutes or overnight, drained

1 cup Raw Cashews soaked overnight and drained

SAUCE

1 cup mixture Apples, Bananas, Raisins

1/4 cup Nut or seedMilk or PureWater

2 Tbls Raw Agave Nectar

In a bowl mix Apples, Bananas, and Raisins. Scoop out 1 cup of the Fruit mixture and blend with liquid and Agave Nectar.

Pour on sauce. Ummmm!
Serves 1

Homemade Dog Food Recipes Free

If you owned a pet during the 2007 pet food recall, you understand all too well why so many people are making their own dog food these days. And it is not hard to do or as expensive as you may think.

Why preparing your dog's food at home could be a better choice:

Most of us strive to provide the very best for our dogs. We make sure they get plenty of exercise, training, love and attention, tend to their medical needs, keep them safe, and believe to be feeding them pet food that is nutritious and wholesome. But are we? Commercial dog foods use preservatives, dyes, chemicals, fillers, animal by-products, corn, soy, additives, artificial flavors, and so on. And it is these ingredients, as well as some others, which are making our pets sick and slowly killing them. Pet food companies might have great ad campaigns depicting a yummy wholesome meal for our dogs, but have you read the ingredients?

This is why so many people have decided to take matters in their own hands. It's the best way to know what goes into your dog's food. By preparing homemade dog food recipes right in our own kitchens, we know we are feeding our dogs fresh foods and ingredients, without the use of preservatives, artificial ingredients, or any other contaminates that can harm our dogs.

Preparing homemade meals for your dog is easy and fast:

If you don't think you have time to cook for your pet, think again. It's super easy to do and you can make a big batch of food, separate daily food portions into freezer bags, and then thaw out as needed. Just be sure you use fresh vegetables or frozen - never canned vegetables.

Chicken Dinner Recipe for Dogs
2 pounds of boiled chicken meat finely chopped (no skin or bones)
1 cup cooked carrots finely chopped
6 potatoes boiled, peeled, and mashed
1 cup of cooked lentils
2 cups of fresh green beans steamed and chopped (or use frozen)
Finely chop and mash together cooked vegetables or simply mix them all together in a food processor. Then stir in the chopped chicken and separate portions into freezer bags until ready to use.

More homemade dog food recipes: You can come up with lots of recipes by using some other ingredients like turkey, brown rice, oats, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, and peas.

Avoid using the following grains as they have been linked to food allergies: wheat, corn, and soy.

Final tips: Always consult your veterinarian about the nutritional requirements for your dog. Be sure to provide a variety of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Familiarize yourself with the foods that are not safe for dogs to eat (chocolate, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, onions, citrus fruits, cold cuts, mushrooms, fatty foods, and cooked bones). Also, when changing your dog's diet, go slow. Too quick of a change can upset their digestive tract causing diarrhea.

Our dogs depend on us to care for their health and safety. Be a responsible dog owner. Get all the facts about feeding your dog and then make an informed decision. Don't take for granted that the commercial dog food you are feeding your treasured friend is healthy because of their fancy ad campaigns.

Always consult your veterinarian before making drastic changes to your dog's diet. Any current health issues, breed, and life stages will play a part in determining the nutritional needs of your dog.