Natural Homemade Pumpkin Puree

What You Need:

1 large pumpkin

How to Make It:

Using a very sharp knife remove the stem from the pumpkin.

Cut the pumpkin into 8 wedges.

Remove the seeds and pulp making sure that the pumpkin is completely clean.

Place the pumpkin wedges into a large roasting pan.

Bring the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Place the pumpkin wedges in the oven, uncovered and roast 60 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking 2 hours.

The pumpkin meat should be fork tender and no liquid should be visible under the skin that has formed.

Turn off the oven but leave the pumpkin wedges in the oven with the oven door slightly cracked to ventilate for 2 more hours.

Remove the wedges from the oven and cut away any skin or exceptionally dry pieces of meat.

Place the wedges into the blender or food processor.

Puree until you achieve the smooth texture you are looking for.

Use the puree in your favorite pumpkin dish or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Serving amount depends on the size of the pumpkin.

When removing the dry parts of the meat after roasting remember that even though it is dry it is still tender enough to use.  The parts that may be too dry and not usable will be around the area of where the stem was cut away.  Also when you puree the meat you will have to scrape and stir the pieces for a few minutes.  They are too heavy to move on their own until they begin to liquefy and loose the heaviness.

Organic Pumpkin Puree

Even though relatively easy to cook, many people still have a hard time cooking pasta to perfection. In some cases, the pasta may be overdone or not done enough, either way it makes it difficult to eat. However, we are here to the rescue, we have the perfect recommendations for cooking your pasta to perfection each and every time, no matter what type of noodles you are using, macaroni, egg noodles, spaghetti noodles, you name it.

The best way to measure your water is by the noodle pound. Sounds funny does it not? However, what we really mean is for every pound of pasta you are cooking, you want to have at least four to six quarters of water boiling. In other words, if you are cooking two pounds of pasta, you want eight to twelve quarts of boiled water and so on.

Do not add the pasta before the water has boiled. Many people think that this saves time, the reality is it does not save you any time and can lead to sticky, gooey noodles. Therefore, make sure you wait until the water has come to a complete boil before you start adding your noodles. When adding the noodles be sure you do so while stirring, then allow the water to return to its boiling state.

It is necessary to occasionally stir the noodles while you are cooking them, this keeps them from sticking to the bottom of the pan or sticking together. Whatever type of noodle you are using, it is likely that you took them out of a package. Each manufacturer provides you with specific directions on cooking their pasta, it is important to follow these directions as specified for the amount of time the noodles should be cooked.

If you are precooking noodles that are going to be included in a recipe that needs more baking or cooking, you should make sure to reduce the traditional cooking time by at least a third, so that the pasta does not become overcooked during the second process.

How can you tell if the noodles are done? It requires a taste test. You need to take one of the noodles and taste it. You want the noodle to be cooked through, but firm when you bite into it. Another important tip about noodles is to be sure that you do not allow the noodles to sit in the water after being cooked. They need to be immediately drained and the recipe followed from there. Many people believe that you need to rinse your noodles after cooking and draining, however, this is only true if you intend to make a cold dish or if you are not immediately serving the noodles.

In the previous article, we took a look at how Italy and pasta just fits hand in hand. We also got started on learning how to make fresh, homemade pasta on your own. We went through mixing the dough what ingredients and techniques are used, and then went on to forming the balls and letting them rest. Now it is time to finish up how to make fresh homemade pasta and start rolling the pasta getting it ready to go.

If you really want to go the easy route, invest in what is called a pasta machine. They are used to roll pasta in far less time than using a rolling pin, and makes it so much easier to make your fresh pasta. However, if a pasta machine is not something you have or want, pick up your trusty rolling pin and let’s get started.

Using your hands, flatting the first ball of dough in the palm. You want the finished thickness to be roughly half an inch. If you are using a slot machine, you want to be sure that the width is the same size or smaller than the width of the pasta machine slot. When feeding the pasta machine, make sure you keep hold of your pasta, but avoid pulling it as it goes through the machine. You usually want the setting of the machine to be at a one.

Now that you have gone through the first process, you now feed the pasta through the machine again, but on the next smaller setting. Keep this process going until you have fed the pasta through the machine right through to its last setting.

Through the process of rolling your dough, the pasta sheet will continue to grow, be careful so that you do not tear the pasta as you are rolling. The finished product, after rolling, will result in pasta dough that is roughly one sixteenth of an inch in thickness.

Now the fun really begins, making the actual noodles. It is highly likely that your pasta machine has some sort of cutting adapter.  Place the adapter on the machine and start feeding your dough into your blades. It is generally a good idea to make sure you have one hand near the center to catch the dough as it is cut. Of course, if you are not using a machine, you can always use a pizza cutter or kitchen knives to do the job for you.

Now that you have done the hard work, you need to immediately place all cut dough on some sort of rack or dowel for drying. If this is not feasible, use a towel and lay the pasta flat on the towel. After drying, your pasta is ready to go.

First, you want to make sure when choosing onions that you choose firm onions that are free from soft spots. When you get them home, be sure that you find a dry, cool place for storage. Never put new onions in the refrigerator, unless you have already cut into the onion. If you have already cut the onion, store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Did you know that there are many recipes based purely around the onion? For example, you can bake a stuffed onion. All you need are two, large onions that have been halved and peeled, two ounces of bread crumbs, a tablespoon of parmesan cheese, a tablespoon of chopped parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

For braised leeks, all you need are salt and pepper, one and a ½ tbsp of chopped parsley, one ounce of butter, one pint of chicken stock, and four leeks. With this method you will simmer them in a pan until ready to go.

For fried shallots, you need a shallots bunch, slice them and peel them. Then you dip your shallots in some milk, then dip in the flour,  and deep fry them until they are golden brown and ready to eat. These can also be broiled as well as a great addition to your steak or meats.

Of course, if you are looking for a new dressing to decorate your salads or use as a dip, you might want to consider green onion dressing. To get started with this dressing, get yourself a batch of scallions, one tsp of Dijon mustard, four tsp. of champagne or regular vinegar, a small clove of garlic, some olive oil, and kosher salt. This needs no real cooking and is ready to eat once mixed.

Bread makers are a big hit for busy moms who want to give their families fresh, nutritious bread with less work. It allows you to easily bake freshly made bread without much hassle and mess. The great thing about a bread maker is that all you need to do is throw everything together and forget about it until time is up. How easy is that? It would never be that easy using your traditional oven.

Choosing the right bread maker is relatively easy. All you need to do is visit your local store that sells kitchen appliances and choose the one that best suits your needs. Of course, the internet can play an important role here as well. You can do your homework right on the internet and then travel to the store to purchase the bread maker of your choice or purchase it right online and have it delivered to your door.

How do you choose the right bread maker? Well, first you need to make sure that you have enough room for your bread maker. Though not overly big, it will require some space in your kitchen, so you want to make sure that you have plenty of space to place the bread maker when not in use.

Next, you need to find out how big of a bread maker you want. Do you need one that will make a one pound loaf? One and a half pound loaves? Or two pound loaves? It is important to consider the number of people in your family and how much bread they will eat when choosing.

If you want a machine that starts when it’s convenient for you, then find a machine that includes a delay timer. This will allow the bread maker to start when you want it to and have the bread ready at a time that is convenient for you and your family.

Some machines will mix the dough for you separately if you’d like and not cook it, so you can take the dough out and shape it yourself.

Another fabulous option is a machine that tells you when it is time to add your ingredients. These types of bread makers do this with some form of signal or light. If you make nutty or fruity breads, this is a good option to look for with your bread machine.

Of course, you have many options and you should choose the options that work best for you and your needs. For example, if you are making bread, but intend to be gone when the machine has done its job, you will want a machine that has a option to keep it warm.

Read this: Sunbeam 2 pound programmable bread maker review 

There are many different “types” of chicken, this includes a whole chicken or different pieces of chicken, such as legs, thighs, breasts, wings, or a mixture of all of them. Buying a chicken whole costs less than buying it in pieces, so if you’re trying to save money in the kitchen, cook a whole chicken.

First, it’s always a good idea to leave the skin of the chicken intact. Taking the skin off could lead to a dry chicken, if you want the chicken to be moist, make sure the skin stays on.

Before you start cooking your chicken, first make sure that you have everything you need. You will need to have your chicken, spices, and anything your recipes calls for which might include marinade, dried or fresh herbs, black pepper, salt, and so on. You will also need to make sure that you have a sharp knife, a chefs knife is a good knife to have handy. It is also good to have a roasting pan or a pan large enough to hold the whole chicken, and a meat thermometer.

To get started, turn your oven onto 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the oven is preheating, start to clean out the cavity of the chicken, which is likely only the giblet bag. Now, using cold water, rinse your chicken. Make sure to dry it using paper towels and then put your seasonings on and in the chicken. You can use your imagination here – rosemary is delicious, as is lemon peel or orange peel (squeeze out the citrus juice on the chicken first). Sea salt and pepper are always good, as is butter.

Now you can put your chicken into the pan, make sure you are leaving the side with the skin face up. Now, either rub your chicken thoroughly with marinade or butter or olive oil. You can put the chicken in the oven now, it is usually a good idea to leave the chicken uncovered while baking. Typically, a two to three pound chicken will take around one to one and a half hours to cook. Keep an eye on the chicken, when the skin turns a golden brown, the chicken is done.

Using your meat thermometer, insert it into the chicken. The temperature, depending on the area of insertion should read 180 degrees in the thighs and 170 degrees within the breasts. If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can cut a portion of the thigh, usually the deepest part, and see that the skin is white and has clear juices. If so, the chicken is done. Before you carve the chicken, be sure to let it stand for about ten full minutes.

Remember to make sure that your chicken is completely  done, partially cooked chicken is not safe. Furthermore, be sure to sanitize everything area  in which the chicken has touched to keep you and your family or friends safe from any type of contamination.

Now, you will be able to cook a whole chicken to perfection! Serve it for dinner one night, then use the leftovers for casseroles, chicken salad, sandwiches, soups, etc. Then be sure to boil the bones and skin to make delicious homemade chicken stock – all for free!

Organic and Free Range Chicken

Ingredients:

2 cups masa harina (you can also use blue corn masa harina)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. butter

Instructions:

Stir salt and masa harina in a medium sized bowl. Add butter and mix. Add 1 cup water a few tablespoons at a time and continue mixing with a fork.

Knead dough until elastic. Add small amounts of water if necessary.

Form dough into 12 small balls. Roll out each inbetween two sheets of unbleached wax paper until quite thin.

Peel off paper and cook on a cast iron skillet that has been preheated. Flip and cook other side until brownish in color.