How to Sear Meat

MMMMM, MMMMM, MMMMM 

To get a rich brown crust on your roasts, steaks, and chops, you need to brown them in a hot pan. This is called Searing.  Searing meat caramelizes the sugars and browns the proteins present in meat, resulting in more appealing color and flavor. 

Making and Storing a Roux

Roux (pronounced "roo") is a thickening agent for soups and sauces with roots dating back more than 300 years in French cuisine. Made by cooking a flour and oil paste until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out and the roux has achieved the desired color, a properly cooked roux imparts silky-smooth body and a nutty flavor while thickening soups and sauces. This is a great recipe to have on hand because you can store it and always have some for later on for your next gravy or soup! 

The Art of Braising

So you want to know what in the world braising is right?  The Art of Braising is a simple cooking technique in which the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot and it has HUGE results!! 

The best equipment to use would be a crock pot, pressure cooker or Dutch oven. Whether you choose to use the oven or the top of the stove, you will be pleased with the results.

When it comes to braising meats, you want to stick with the tougher, less tender cuts that come from  animals more exercised muscles. These cuts tend to have more connective tissue that breaks down making the meat tender and flavorful. A lean cut from the loin area is a waste to braise. The meat is already tender and has little fat or connective tissue. Click on Read more for TONS more info on Braising!! 

Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, and Passion Tea Lemonade Popsicles!

ok, so who doesn't want to impress their friends????  Ummmmm NO ONE! Well, with these 3 flavored homemade popsicles, you will be sure to WOW even the pickiest one of your friends! These fab frozen delights have Regular lemonade, Pink lemonade and best of all.....(drum roll please)....Passion Tea Lemonade! Keep reading for the recipe!! 

Mediterranean Cucumber Cups

So, I was cruising the completely addicting site Pinterest and came across these mouthwatering Mediterranean Cucumber Cups and I could NOT resist putting these on my blog to share with you! These would be a fantastic appetizer for your casual summer BBQ's or your fancy schmancy parties!! While these are filled with a Mediterranean mix, the combinations are endless.  You could try some Hummus, Crab Salad, Potato Salad, Chicken Salad, a Roasted Red Pepper of some Spinach Dip!! yummmmm Now I want to go and make them right now! 

The 20 Best Snacks for Kids

When it comes to kids, I think they are precious but I don't have any at this time in my life (because I like to give them back to their parents lol ) but that's okay because I'm sure a lot of my readers do and I want to make sure that their little cherubs, devils, or heathens are taken care of health wise too!! So with that being said, I found this little article in Parents Magazine and thought it could be helpful to some of you who are struggling with picky eaters or for those of you who just need some inspiration or creativity in some snack foods for your kids.

Fruity Salsa

Your kids will love this fruity combination of tomatoes, cantaloupe, apples, and a hint of lime. If you want to tone down the heat, use just one seeded jalapeno or none at all. Packed with lycopene from the tomato, vitamins A and C from the melon, and fiber from the apple, this healthy and delicious snack is a big winner.