Christian InTech Articles - Cooking TIps

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Emu Adds Flair to Down Home Favorites Cookbook offers easy to use recipes Previously found only on menus featuring exotic dishes, emu is strolling into the American kitchen, peeking in the oven, lifting a few pot lids and encouraging cooks to try something new in their old recipes.... Helen's Homemade Sheperds Pie Helen's Homemade Sheperds Pie - Serves 4 Shepherd's pie (or 'cottage pie' it should more properly be called - real 'shepherds pie' is made with lamb!) is one of the all-time favorite 'comfort' foods. On a cold winter's night, nothing is as welcome... One Bird the President Didn’t Pardon Talking turkey The talk around town in November was mostly politics, but after the election, people started talking turkey. The thought of using a self basting or kosher turkey did not appeal to me, I’ve never liked taking too many short cuts, I... Red Pepper Lamb Kofta in a Rogan Josh Sauce (NC)—Kofta is similar to kebab, except for the fact that ground meat is used, shaped into golf ball-sized servings. Like many classic Indian dishes, it comes in various forms, some of them requiring elaborate and lengthy preparation. Here is a... 'Tis the Season for the Perfect Bowl of Texas Chili There is nothing like it on a cool Fall day, or especially on Superbowl Sunday...a steaming, hot bowl of fresh Texas chili . It warms you from your tongue all the way to your belly. Having moved to Ottawa, the coldest capital in the world, from...         3 Methods For Perfectly Melted Chocolate Melting chocolate for baking is an exacting task, if not done perfectly you can end up with a burned or grainy mess and ruin whatever you are baking. Below are 3 methods for melting chocolate, each can be successful in it’s own way and you need only pick a method that works for you and get cooking! In The Oven Chocolate can be melted in the oven quite easily but you will need to be very diligent about watching it. It’s easy to get caught up in your other baking chores and not realize that you have overheated it until it is too late. To melt chocolate in the oven, heat the oven to 110 degrees. Chop the chocolate and place in a dish inside the oven. Keep the door open and check regularly. It will take about an hour to melt thoroughly. Double Boiler Method This tried and true method uses two pots or a special double boiler pot. The bottom pot has about an inch of water in it and the top pot is a bit smaller and rests on the bottom pot. The water should be heated to just below a simmer. Chop the chocolate and put it in the top pot. The chocolate should be stirred until melted and you must be very careful not to get any water mixed in with the chocolate as this will make it grainey. Microwave Using the microwave to melt chocolate can be the fastest but also the most disastrous method as a couple of seconds of overheating can ruin the chocolate. Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% for 1 to 4 minutes - the amount of time needed will depend on the amount of chocolate you are melting so you will have to watch the chocolate the whole time. When you see that it is turning shiny and before it is fully melted, remove it from the oven and stir until it melts fully. About the Author Lee Dobbins is editor of www.online-gourmet-foods.com where you can learn more about gourmet food and find out more about gourmet chocolate.