It is fun to make recipes that have been in the family for ages and vintage cookbooks are also a great source of hearty recipes. However, this can also mean needing an ingredient you haven’t stocked in your kitchen spice cabinet for ages! Knowing an ingredients “equivalent” or substitution can save the day.  Mom demystifies zest, horseradish, mustard and paprika and provides emergency substitutions for these ingredients.

Horseradish:  Horseradish gives recipes a kick.  It is the secret ingredient in my grandmother’s crab dip.  The taste is strong, sometimes described as tangy and hot, sort of like very strong radishes.  Fresh horseradish root is twice as strong as bottled. Prepared, or bottled horseradish is mixed with vinegar and other flavors.  1 tablespoon fresh horseradish equals 2 tablespoons of bottled.  Horseradish is also served alongside Prime Rib and other meats.  You can also substitute 1 teaspoon of wasabe, or Japanese horseradish or a few drops of hot sauce.  Keep in mind these substitutions are much hotter than horseradish so start with small amounts and adjust to taste.

Mustard:  Mustard is another ingredient used in casseroles and dips to give recipes a kick. 1 teaspoon of dry mustard equals 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard.  You can also start with 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and add more, adjusting to taste.  Before chilies and peppers arrived from the New World, Europeans used mustard and horseradish to spice up dishes.  Try adding a few drops of hot sauce or a dash of chili pepper if you don’t have any mustard.

Paprika:  Paprika is made from sweet, mild red peppers and has a light, delicate taste.  Its bright red color is also makes it a popular garnish.  If your recipe calls for a dash of paprika on top, it is probably there more for coloring than for flavor.  My grandmother’s hot dip calls for a sprinkle of paprika after baking.  You can substitute a dash of chili powder for color instead.  Chili powder has a smokier taste and is stronger so use sparingly.  Cayenne pepper is also red, but it is even hotter, so beware.  Another option is to decorate the top of your creation with something else, like minced parsley.

Lemon Zest or Citrus Juice:  Lemons add zip or tartness to sauces and holiday dips.  If your cottage garden is out of lemons at the moment, all is not lost.  1 teaspoon shredded lemon peel (zest) equals 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 2 tablespoons lemon juice.  The juice of one lemon equals about 2-3 tablespoons.  You can also substitute 3/4 cup lime juice for one cup of lemon juice.  Or  Substitute 1?2 cup vinegar for every cup of lemon juice.

Because these ingredients are mainly used as flavoring, feel free to experiment with different spicy ingredients.  For more of Mom’s cooking tips and apron humor visit her on the web at http://www.MomsRetro.com. Happy cooking!

For a new twist on a chicken salad, try this Tex-Mex Chicken Salad.  With a refreshing combination of salad greens, veggies, and grilled chicken tossed with your own home-made lime vinaigrette, it is perfect for hot summer days.  But it is also a good choice for any time of the year.  For a little south-of-the-border feel, hang a pinata, lay some mariachis on the table, bring out your colorful place mats and salad plates. Serve the salad with baked tortilla chips rather than bread or crackers.  Put salsa and guacamole in colorful dishes to add to the scheme.  A little salsa music in the background would help to set the mood.  There you have it, a quick and simple patio meal.

BLACK BEAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH LIME VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

SALAD:

6 cups mixed salad greens

1 1/2 cups cubed grilled or sauteed chicken breast

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinse well and drain

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced, halved red onion

1/2 cup low-fat Mexican-blend shredded cheese

DRESSING:

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped tomato

1 tbsp vinegar (I prefer cider vinegar)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 garlic clove, minced

dash of salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

In a large salad bowl, combine the salad ingredients.  In a food processor or blender, combine the dressing ingredients.  Place lid on container and process until you have a smooth dressing.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Makes 4 servings.  Each serving:  298 calories, 26 g carbs, 28 g protein

Note:  I adapted this recipe from one I saw in a Light & Tasty magazine a few years ago.

Enjoy!

Warm weather brings thoughts of cool food and recipes that don’t require a lot of indoor cooking. Who wants to tend a long, slow cooked meal when the sun is out and the warm weather beckons?Here are three warm weather salads that have become some of my favorite summer salad recipes.None of them require you to be any where near an oven or hot stove except to boil some water, and all are perfect for even the hottest summer days. Serve them as side vegetable dishes or as a light lunch with a green salad and crusty bread. Shrimp and Avocado SaladThis is a lovely salad recipe that is great as a side salad or as a light luncheon recipe. Serve it in lettuce cups for lunch along with some fresh crusty bread and a great dessert. Just perfect!1 pound frozen cooked shrimp, thawed1 cup celery, thinly sliced2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing4 tablespoons mayonnaisesalt and pepper to taste1 avocado2 teaspoons lemon juiceCombine the shrimp, celery, Italian dressing and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill, covered until ready to serve.When ready to serve, peel and dice the avocado. Mix immediately with the lemon juice to prevent the avocado from going dark. Add to the shrimp mixture and mix gently.Serves 6Cucumber SaladThis recipe is delicious, but oh so easy. It’s a great recipe to serve company at a barbecue because it gets made ahead and sits in the fridge for a few hours until you are ready for it. The best summer entertaining recipes are ones that don’t require the host and hostess to be in the kitchen cooking while guests lounge outside. 3 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar1/2 teaspoon celery salt1/2 head of lettuce, shredded1 tablespoon honeygood pinch black pepper1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped4 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon Dijon mustardToss all the ingredients thoroughly in a large salad bowl. Chill for 2 hours before serving.That’s it!Lime Jello Cottage Cheese SaladThis is a lovely light salad recipe that is perfect for a summer barbecue but also works well all year on a buffet table. The addition of cottage cheese may sound odd, but it is a great flavor mix with the Jello. The crunch of the celery and green pepper add another layer of flavor and fresh taste.1 – 3 ounce package lime jelly powder1 cup boiling water1/2 cup cold water 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice1/2 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper3/4 cup chopped celery1/2 onion, chopped1/2 green pepper, choppedBlend with beater and chill until firm 1″ from edge of dish. Turn it into a bowl and beat it until it becomes light and fluffy. Fold in 1 cup cottage cheese, celery, onion and green pepper. Chill fully before serving.Don’t forget that most of your favorite summer salad recipes are great all year round too.

Online Shopping In The 21st Century

Online Shopping is the fastest growing multi billion-dollar business in the world. Online shopping is popular mainly because of its speed and ease of use. Online shopping is when a consumer purchases products or services through the Internet. Online shopping is really remarkably easy whether you’re looking for the latest fashions in women’s clothing or trying to keep up with the latest electrical gadgets and wizardry.Online Shopping

Online Shopping is all about comparing prices and finding the best deal possible. This can easily be done by visiting a large number of online shopping stores quickly and easily, without having to leave the comfort of your house. Shopping for an intimate item such as lingerie can be intimidating for many people. Online Shopping provides a high level of anonymity as there is no face to face interaction with humans. Online Shopping has become a fun and safe experience due to the increase in online security technology. Online Shopping is already the fourth most-popular Web activity, surpassed only by e-mail, search and news.Purchases

There are many that would rather go to the local shopping mall to make their purchases. When they decide what they want, they can go home and make their purchase online. Without even leaving your home you can compare products, make purchases, and have gifts sent to your home or directly to your recipients anywhere in the world, fully wrapped and professionally packaged. There is no mistaking the convenience factor of online shopping and the ability it has to save you money on your purchases. The wonders of the internet let us properly research a major purchase before we make it, or buy small goods on a whim.Products

You have access to thousands of products through hundreds of high street and non high street stores nearly all of which offer a considerable online saving. Online shopping offers a broad range of products from electronics and technology, bedding, furniture, health, beauty, to fashion and accessories. There are also dedicated review sites that host user reviews for different products. There are ratings and prices comparison for various products. Leading Online Shopping sites only publish respected and professional online shopping stores. These sites are a virtual Online Shopping Centre showcasing online shopping stores that offer nearly every product available online.

Online Shopping is on a steep trajectory today in terms of both traffic and sales volume. Shopping on the Web is also likely to expand as online services deliver better solutions, including better data and tools for comparison, more comprehensive product category selections, broader merchant listings (both online and offline), better “electronic wallet” technologies and so forth. Online shopping is safe, secure, fun and easy to use. Online shopping is a vital part of online commerce and will continue to expand as the worlds population continues to get more access to computers and broadband.

 

India is renowned for its brutally hot summers and with the sun coming out in full force this time every year, people turn to drinks to refresh themselves and seek some respite from the heat. While the market remains perennially flooded with drinks that promise to cool you down, nothing comes even close to the small-round, very cheap lemon juice which not only refreshes you but also provides amazing health benefits!

How is the lemon healthy?

Small. Round. Cheap. Healthy. Garnisher…. are just some of the adjectives that are applied to the Lemon. But still many remain unawares of the health benefits that this little citrus fruit can grant! This innocuous looking fruit comes packed to the brims with Vitamin C, an important vitamin needed by the body to function normally. But other than Vitamin C it also contains other vitamins in high amounts such as Riboflavin, Vitamin B, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous and many proteins and carbohydrates. To put it simply, the little yellow lemon that we know is actually a pocket dynamo when it comes to granting health benefits.

Following is a list of 6 health benefits that are provided by the tangy tasting lemon juice,

Helps with High blood pressure: Lemon belonging to the citrus fruits family, comes loaded with Vitamin C and Potassium, both of which are found lacking in a High Blood Pressure patient and both of which help control blood pressure. The high Potassium content also helps those suffering from heart problems immensely as potassium helps in maintaining a normal heart function.

Helps with mental stress: Lemon juice with its high levels of Vitamin C helps to reduce stress and depression. Individuals with a weak immune system are prone to lose Vitamin C from their bodies whenever they are faced with stress. Plus lemon juice has a very calming effect on our nerves, making it the ideal drink whenever faced with high levels of stress.

Helps to maintain healthy teeth: Fresh lime juice when applied on the gums helps in reducing tooth ache not only this but topical application of the same also stops the gums from bleeding. Lime juice also works wonders when it comes to alleviating bad breath and removing stains that form on the teeth due to plaque accumulation.

However, one is advised to exercise precaution when using lime juice for oral hygiene as it contain a high level of citric acid which can weaken or erode the enamel – protective covering found on the teeth.

Helps in reducing Cholesterol levels: Lemon Juice is an excellent natural choice when it comes to maintaining one’s cholesterol levels! It helps raise the HDL cholesterol levels – good cholesterol levels and also stops the LDL cholesterol from being oxidized. The vitamin C found in abundance in lemon juice along with limonin, a liminoid found in citrus fruits help reduce the total cholesterol levels in those who have high cholesterol levels.

Helps to cure Throat Infections: Lemon juice has amazing anti-bacterial properties and gargling with lemon juice has proven to help with the curing of throat related infections such as sore throat, oral ulcers and tonsillitis. Drinking Lime juice daily has also proven to be quite beneficial for those suffering from peptic ulcers.  To read more about Health benefits of drinking Lemon Juice this summer by Medimanage.com

Are you tired of struggling through the over crowded streets and narrow aisles of your local shops? With people pushing and shoving, whilst trying to grab the last discounted item on the shelf. You need to start shopping with style, class and no hassles. You can save yourself loads of time and help the environment by not using your vehicle. Online shopping is the way of the future it is there to make your life safe, convenient and stress free.

Parking

Everyone seems to have a car now days and they all want to park close to the shops so they don’t have to carry their purchases too far. That doesn’t help when you are one of those people fighting for a car parking space and getting stressed before you start your days shopping. Shopping online alleviates this problem and you can visit all of the stores from the comfort of your own home. The goods you purchase are then delivered by the postman, a courier or the online store that you have purchased the items from. Travelling time from store to store is reduced to a matter of seconds as you open a new browser window. By shopping online you can also be in a number of shops at one time to compare prices. This is something you cannot do in the brick and mortar stores.

Prices

The price of items online, are much cheaper than their physical store counter parts. This is largely due to the lower over head costs of running a website compared to running a traditional bricks and mortar store. As websites do not need as much physical space and many of the functions like the cashier are automated the business has less operating costs. Online shopping websites can operate out of a large warehouse and do not need to be concerned with presenting an expensive and showy store front for their customers. With this reduction in overhead costs, online shopping websites can afford to sell the same item for a lower price. You may need to pay for postage and packaging but this can sometimes be only a few pounds and the overall cost of the item is still a lot cheaper.

Convenience

Online shopping is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you want to shop, there are online shopping websites ready to sell you nearly any item you can think of. What could be better for a busy brit than organising the stores operating times around your busy schedule. If you want to have a lie in, you don’t need to worry that the shopping centres or high streets will be packed with tired and angry shoppers. With online shopping you are in control of the shopping expedition and so you can choose when and where to shop with a simple click of the mouse.

Traipsing around the shops, wearing out your shoe leather and killing your calf muscles is a thing of the past. Staggering down the street carrying heavy bags full of shopping is no longer necessary. Whether you want to shop for designer clothes and handbags or your weekly groceries, online shopping is the way to go. Online shopping is safe and secure and offers online payment systems which utilise your credit card for transaction purposes.

Potato Salad is personal again. If you love potato salad you know how much you miss that in the picnics which seem no fun without that. If you always carve for new potato salad recipes this is the right place for you. Salad-recipes.net provides you with a wide variety of fresh salads recipes which are as good when homemade. The salad recipes are simple yet mouthwatering with all the essential nutrients if you are calorie conscious.

Lets start with a few interesting Potato salad recipes.

German-Style Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds red-skin potatoes, cooked, peeled & diced large

2 ribs sliced celery

1 large red onion, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 slices bacon

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp mayonnaise

salt

pepper

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until tender yet firm. Keep them warm after they have been cooked.

In a skillet or frying pan, fry the bacon. Crumble the bacon and set it aside.

Use the rendered bacon-fat to cook the garlic and onion in a deep skillet.

When they are soft, remove them to a large bowl and add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Toss in the potatoes and celery. Stir well.

Garnish the salad with the crumbled bacon.

Indian Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound red or new potatoes, scrubbed & cut into 1/2″ dice

1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds

1 tbsp garam masala ( see following recipe* )

2/3 cup nonfat yogurt

3 to 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tomato, seeded & cut into 1/2″ dice

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint ( optional )

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover them with cold water.

Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and let them simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are tender yet firm.

Drain the potatoes in a colander then place them in a large bowl.

Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Stir the garam masala, lemon juice, yogurt and potatoes together. Let the mixture cool completely.

Shortly before serving mix in the tomato, onion, salt, pepper and half the cilantro.

If you are using the mint, add that now as well.

Season to taste with the lemon juice, masala, and salt.

Place the salad on its platter or serving bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the center.

Sprinkle it with the remaining cilantro and cumin seeds and serve.

*Quick Garam Masla

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cardamom pod

Directions:

Roast the ingredients in a dry skillet for about two minutes or until lightly browned and very fragrant.

Grind the mixture in a spice-mill or coffee grinder or pulverize it with a mortar and pestle.

This recipe should yield about one tablespoon.

With this potato salad recipe you would enjoy every moment of your next picnic or weekend party.

Juice Detox Recipe

The lemon juice cleanse (a detox with lemon juice and maple syrup diet) can vary quite a lot depending which fasting diet juice cleansing detox recipe is used. One thing that does have to be strictly adhered to, is to take great care and to get the proper ingredients.

When you feel the need to cleanse your body of toxins, the lemon cleanse is simple and easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.

Lemons have been used for many years because of their medicinal quality. Due to the acidity which is found in lemon juice, it has an alkalizing effect on ones body with the lemon juice cleanse.

This detox with lemon juice and maple syrup helps to break down the mucus and body fats. This juice also contains a substantial amount of vitamin c and antioxidants, which in today’s normal diet is found to be lacking. It is always best to try to buy good quality fresh lemons as these are the most important ingredient in this fasting diet juice cleansing detox. Juice Detox Recipe

With the lemon juice cleanse cayenne pepper is added to the lemon juice, the reason being is Cayenne pepper is a metabolizing agent that assists the juice from the lemon to create a cleansing effect within the body. Another added bonus with the detox with lemon juice and maple syrup diet is it also helps dissolve the build up of mucus.

One major effect on the body using the lemon and Cayenne pepper together is that it raises the body temperature and therefore stimulates the circulation, which helps increase the blood flow to the remote areas of the body. This is an important part of the lemon cleansing process.

Water is an important ingredient of this cleansing process as it helps rid the body of all the toxins and at the same time helps to keep the body hydrated.

The last ingredient is maple syrup which needs to be of good quality; a medium class syrup is probably the best. While doing your lemon juice cleanse, it is the syrup that helps provide the body with energy. Juice Detox Recipe

Why not to look for a good quality salad cutlery while preparing your desired salad. Your choice of a quality salad knife will for sure enrich your experience of preparing a scrumptious salad for your family. Choosing a quality salad knife depends on your needs (basically a lettuce knife will boast to cut both vegetable and lettuce but instead opting for a stainless steel knife would prove to be a better choice).
Choice of this cutlery item also depends on your expertise level. Wise is to choose one which comes with a broad handle for good grip.
No! It’s not a bad idea to stuff your kitchen with a variety of kitchen and salad knives, it will only help you to choose a right one for a particular requirement and thus will help you to rightly maneuver through the cutting, slicing and chopping. But there are some important aspects of choosing a salad knife from the available wide range (to avoid the cluttering in your kitchen).
It is very important to compare on weight, handle grip or design, durability and price. Basically a light-weight and perfectly balanced salad knife would be a great way to start with. The handle is no problem if it is having a good soft grip which won’t slip away from your hand.
This is a typical problem with some of the salad knives especially when they are wet. Well if you are right hander you wont face any problem in choosing a firm grip but if you are a left hander take extra care while choosing knives with good grip (don’t worry many of them can be ordered for this kind of grip).
The next big thing in a salad knife (read in any knife) is the blade. Ensure that the blade is made up of good quality stainless steel (carbon or molybdenum/vanadium). This retains the sharpness of the blade for a time to come and avoids chipping of the blade on high use.
The small groves (or dimples) on the knife blade is helpful in two ways. One it gives a sharp cutting edge to the knife and secondly it creates an air pocket between the blade and the food for real effortless slicing or chopping. And now these features should be compared with the price in which it’s being offered to you.
Now when you are a proud owner of a good quality salad knife, to use it in the optimum level (it extends knives life as well) is in your hands. Do not put the salad knives in the dishwasher, instead wash them in the sink and wipe them clean (it is more convenient that way).
While chopping the food or vegetable do it on the cutting board instead of any other surface, it will protect the sharpness of the cutting edge. Store the salad knives in the knives holder than storing them in the drawer (putting your hand abruptly in the drawer to grab a knife can hurt).
Believe me a good cutting knife can add fun to the entire process of salad preparation. Ensure to have one.

Some people think that duty free shopping doesn’t let you save after all. Though merchandise sold at duty free shops are exempted from customs tax, and shop owner’s savings out of this is presumably should be passed on to you, the travelling shopper, no one exactly knows if this is really the case. Still some other noticed that most shops are not duty-free after all, but just duty-reduced.

But duty free shopping can mean a considerable amount of savings on your purchases if you know how to do it right. This article will give you tips on how to shop smart and get the most value out of your every dollar. Hopefully these tips will help you enjoy a successful and hassle-free duty free shopping experience no matter where in the world you are traveling to.

When duty free shopping, it is a good idea to know how much an item normally costs in retail stores. This will get you on top of the situation which can help you see how much of a bargain you are getting. It always pays to know how much the item is selling for back home. Don’t make the mistake of buying an item at duty free shops only to know that it is available for a lot lesser locally.

Shop around and compare prices. Of course this is the most practical thing to do if you have so much idle time in between or before your flights. If you won’t take the time to take a look around and compare prices, you will never know which shop is giving you the best deal.

Avoid impulse buying. Know what you want to buy ahead of time. This is quite challenging if you are on an airline offering in-flight duty free service which allows you to shop from the comfort of your aisle or window seat. Arm yourself with determination not to give in for unplanned purchases and you’ll be fine.

To get the most total dollar savings, buy big-ticket luxury items like fine jewellery and technology gadgets. Tobacco and liquor are also a few of the best items to purchase because they are tagged with high duty rate so, in a sense, you get a bigger saving.

Know each country’s duty free shopping rules so you won’t be charged with taxes on items purchased above the allowable limits. Each country may have different rules and it is smart to educate yourself about those restrictions. You need to know the policies of the country you’re traveling to or from before you shop. In Australia, an adult traveler is permitted to enter the country with A$900 worth of goods. The goods include gifts, souvenirs, electronics, fragrances, jewelry, and sporting goods, but exclude alcohol and cigarettes obtained overseas or purchased in Australia on a duty free basis. Travelers under 18 years of age and aircrew are allowed of up to A$450 worth of goods.

You can’t go wrong with your duty free shopping if you will keep these tips in mind. You can get as much as 50% discount on some luxury items so the next time you travel, why not take a look at those duty free shops?