USE SPICES TO COOK LIKE A CONNOISSEUR ON A PAUPERS BUDGET!

By Beth Scott


Don’t have the money to make delectable dishes?

Or just don’t know the secrets of flavoring with spices and herbs, and making food stretch?

The former is never right no matter what your income is.

If you have the money to buy enough food to at least feed your family then you have enough money to make whatever you feed them enjoyable, even if it’s a vegetable dish.

Yes, with the right spices or herbs, and recipes, the children in your family will come to love vegetables. My family has several favorite veggie dishes, that our kids like so much they want seconds. And the main secret to them are the different spices we use.

These dishes range from ratatouille, eggplant parmigiani, to stewed tomatoes and stuffed zucchini (for info on these or other recipes feel free to email me at sweetstuff245@hotmail.com).

Just as they do with vegetables; spices, herbs, and sweeteners are the secrets to making all foods delicious.

These three food miracle workers can be relatively inexpensive if you know where to look.

In most health food stores (and in select supermarkets in growing numbers) there is a wondrous invention called a BULK section.

I’m sure everyone knows what this is, but in case you don’t I’ll explain:

It’s a section of a store that has all types of different flours, beans, cereals, spices, herbs, and much more.

Each of which are in separate containers or large plastic buckets with a scoop, that allows you to buy as much or as little as you want of what ever spices or other food they carry.

The store provides you with bags and twist ties, for your convenience.

Spices are an excellent example of how cheap it can be to shop in bulk. Most small jars of spices or herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc... cost any where from two dollars a bottle to four ninety nine (which is technically five dollars a bottle).
In a bulk section you can buy these same spices, getting twice as much (or more) for less than a dollar or a little over.

Talk about savings! Herbs and all kinds of spices are much cheaper bought this way than paying the extravagant prices you are charged for a pre packaged bottle of the same spices.

Flour and other cooking and baking necessities are also much cheaper if bought in a bulk section

Note: buying in a bulk section does not mean you have to buy a lot of everything! You could buy only one cup of flour in a bulk section if you wanted to or one tablespoon of any spices or herbs.

Ideally you should shop around at whatever different stores in your area have bulk sections, and compare prices to make sure you’re getting the cheapest price.

Bring a calculator to the store and be prepared to do a little brain work to figure it out.

Another money saving trick is to substitute ground turkey for ground beef in recipes. Here you might prefer the taste of beef but in terms of the money you save it will certainly taste heavenly to your budget.

You can spice up bland omelets, scrambled eggs, soups, meat patties and more with the correct spices, and herbs.

Here is a recipe for deliciously spicy eggs, that won’t dent your wallet:

For scrambled eggs try using 1/4 teaspoon thyme and pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and oregano, and 3 eggs. Mix the eggs, spices, and herbs together in a bowl.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat until very hot, then add your oil (preferably olive oil or coconut oil) to the pan. Wait a few seconds until the oil starts to smoke, then pour the eggs from your bowl into the pan.

Have a fork in your hand ready to scramble the eggs with, because they’ll start cooking instantly. Scramble the eggs for 30 seconds to a minute. Then use a spatula to scoop them out onto a plate.

Do yourself a favor and follow these tips to start saving money today.


About the author:
For more of Beth’s insightful cooking expertise visit: http://breadmaking.apt-products.com
For more amazing recipes go to
http://snipurl.com/90j8


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Top 10 Mistakes When Buying Seafood

By Anita Frogel



The best way to break down the mistakes that are done when buying seafood is to look at each type of seafood and the characteristics it should have when you purchase it. You should buy high quality seafood whether it is fresh or frozen and these tips on what to look for to keep you from making the top 10 mistakes when buying seafood.

When you go to buy fresh whole fish do not buy it if the appearance of the fish is not bright and shiny, scales are not intact and adhere to the skin. If the eyes have turned pink, cloudy and sunken, except with small eyes fish like salmon. Gills should not have any type of slime coating or be green or brown in color. Fish should not have a fishy odor.

When you buy fresh whole fish it should be bright, shiny, and most of the scales should be intact and adhere tightly to the skin. Every fish has markings and colors that will fade and be less pronounced as the fish loses its freshness. The eyes should be bright, clear, and full and sometimes protrude according to the species. The color of the gills fade over time, turning from bright red to pink, grey and then to a green or brown color so the brighter red the more fresh. Fish that is fresh will have practically no odor at all, the fishy smell happens over time.

When buying fresh fish filets and steaks do not purchasing if the fishy odor is strong, there are signs of browning or drying around the edges of the filets, if plastic wrapping is not tight, it if there is plenty of space between the fish and the wrapping, and if there is any liquid in the packaging.

Fresh fish filets and steaks odor should be fresh and mild. The flesh should be moist, firm, elastic and have a fresh cut appearance.

When you buy frozen seafood do not buy if it is not frozen solid, if there is any discoloration or any type of drying which can mean freezer burn, if there is an odor. Do not buy any frozen seafood product that has ice crystals or water stains.

Frozen seafood should only be purchased if it is frozen solid and if there is no discoloration and if there is an odor it should be fresh and mild. The wrapping should be moist and vapor proof and should fit around your seafood closely and not damaged in any form. If you notice water stains or ice crystals, the seafood has thawed and been re-frozen. Always look for an expiration date.

When you are purchasing any seafood product fresher is always better. When you buy frozen talk with the person that is in charge of the seafood and learn how the seafood was frozen. If it was “flash frozen” it may in fact be better than fresh. The time it takes to get quality fresh seafood to your store will give the seafood time to age. Flash frozen is when the seafood is frozen within just a few hours of harvesting to ensure the quality that you can buy.











About the author:

Anita is author of
Seafood
Recipes at Steaks-Guide.com
We feature a ltl of top ten mistakes. Download our free e-book


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Gift of the month clubs: The lazy man's guide to gift giving

By Allen Shaw

If you are like me and are a very lousy shopper and always end up getting everyone the wrong gift at Christmas time, think about a Gift-of-the-Month Club. G.O.M Clubs have all the things the lazy gift giver requires: Ease of purchase, no shopping at the dreaded mall and an almost guaranteed positive response accompanied by a monthly "At-A-Boy" from the recipient. And there are plenty of clubs to choose from for everyone on your gift-giving list.

First, you have to know your giftee. For instance, my dad is an avid coffee drinker. For him a coffee of the month club would be perfect…and there are plenty of choices. At www.coffeecoffee.com there are 12 different coffee clubs. You can choose anything from flavored coffees to dark roasts to a monthly sampler. Prices range from $60 to $100.

However, coffee clubs aren't the only types of gift of the month clubs. You can get Fruit-of-the-Month clubs for the vegetarian in your life. Flower-of-the-Month clubs are popular with husbands and boyfriends who are constantly screwing up. Sign up your significant other for any of the many Flower-of-the-Month clubs and you have a ready set apology landing at her doorstep every 30 days.

There are a number of other clubs for everyone in your life: Gag-of-the-Month clubs for the prankster in your life; Wine-of-the-Month clubs for the wannabe wine connoisseur; Beer-of-the-Month clubs for the sports fan; Chocolate-of-the-Month clubs for the addicted; Pizza-of-the-Month clubs for the teen or college student; and Cigar-of-the-Month clubs for Granddad.

But how do you decide the best club? The Internet is always a good place to start your research. Go to any search engine and type in Gift of the Month clubs. You will find nearly 1,000 sites trying to sell you everything from DVDs to practical jokes…all shipped monthly to the recipient of your choice.

However, you need to read the payment and delivery plans carefully. Many DVD and CD plans require that you put in a lot of work, sending back a card every month telling them if you want their monthly selection. If you forget, you are stuck with whatever they send. But worse than that, the recipient of your "gift" is stuck with the bill. Is that really a gift?



About the author:
You may use this article on your site as long as the 2 URL's are hyperlinked.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on gift of the month clubs and wine clubs.


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