grain bucket

Finding good long term storage for dry pantry goods can be quite a quest. I have spent a lot of time trying to find the best way with the least amount of steps, parts and chemicals to store our bulk dry pantry goods. As usual, many options arise when looking at what works best for our family. We have whittled the search down to a simple one step 6.5 gallon grain bucket that holds about 45 lbs of wheat.

This grain bucket works well for both long term as well as bulk short term storage. The lids are easily removed for frequent use of any bulk item in the pantry. For example, we use it daily as our family uses a lot hard white wheat on a weekly basis. They also have many other features that are very valuable for long term storage.

Each bucket with lid is FDA approved food grade plastic. The lids have a neoprene seal to seal out air, moisture and water. The plastic is thick and pest resistant. The lids are senior friendly yet child resistant. They are stackable (they nest inside each other’s lid) for great storage out of the way along a wall.

Rather than searching for specialty lids to fit buckets that are not food grade, or worse, may have had toxic chemicals in the bucket before using, this bucket comes all in one set with the lid included. The gamma seal lids require a large hand and good forearm strength to turn. Also unlike the gamma seal, these lids are one piece thus ensuring more freshness and ease for storage. There is no need to twist-tie in plastic bags, or vacuum seal bags or add in the anti-oxidation chemical packs or nitrates for storage.

In comparison to trying to piece together other storage pails and lids, we have found this grain bucket to be the best simple solution for our long term and bulk storage. With the all inclusive lid, size, food-grade, sturdy plastic and nesting capabilities, this one stop order gives us peace of mind for our dry good storage.

Below are the most common cake decorating mistakes and easy ways to rectify them.

Anyone who has ever frosted a cake knows there are times when the icing will pull apart the top of the cake and cake crumbs get will into the frosting. To stop this from occurring, you should start with a crumb coat. This is the same icing that you are using to frost the cake, but it has been thinned down a bit. That way it’ll give you a base over which you can put a normal coat of icing and you’ll cover parts of the cake that might crumb with a thin icing layer. Take care that you do not make the icing too thin. It should be thinned down just enough to cover the cake without tearing it and picking up crumbs.

Before you apply the rest of the icing, let the cake set for 2 hours or more after the crumb coating has been applied. In fact it should rest in the refrigerator, and can be kept there overnight before you need to add more icing. It is okay if you see crumbs in the crumb coat, they will be stuck in this first layer of icing and will not effect the next layer of icing. The cold will set the icing and it will be a cinch to ice after that.

There can be a problem with fillings spilling out the sides of the cake. There are ways to stop this from happening when your cake decorating involves a filled middle.

1. Bake your cake the day before you are planning to fill it. This will make the cake firmer and will give it time to settle. A freshly baked cake will be unstable and will not hold fillings as well as when they are settled.

2. You could also stop the filling from spilling out by using icing to make a dam. You can then frost the whole cake with a crumb coating once the dam has been made. The cake should be put in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 2 or 3 hours in order to firm up the icing and keep the filling from oozing out. The dams made of icing will firm up and keep the filling in.

If you’re busy and don’t have time to bake and decorate the cake at the same time, then simply pop the cake in the freezer once you’ve baked it. A cake can be kept in the freezer a couple of weeks before it needs to be used. You must prepare the cake for freezing by wrapping three layers of strong cling wrap around the cake, followed by one layer of aluminum foil just prior to freezing. If you do not follow this procedure, your cake will dry out and crumble. You will also need to make sure the cake is completely thawed before attempting to ice it.

You will need to allow the cake to defrost slowly, at room temperature, for one or two days until it has defrosted. Icing a cake before it has thawed will make the icing sweat and become mushy, this will ruin your cake decorating, and all your hard work will be for nothing.

Cooking

Cooking is not magic. It is either art or science depending on what suits you best. For the creative and artistic, then cookery is probably an art. If you like rules and order, then you probably treat cookery as a science. Whatever approach you adopt, you can achieve it by using some simple rules. If you are artistic then these rules are probably even more important

How to start cooking successfully.

Firstly understand that cooking has it’s own language to be learned. (As with most things in life). Get a good old fashioned cook book and you will find a list of meanings in the front - what a teaspoon or tablespoon means in terms of weight, likewise fluid ounces  etc. It may also sometimes tell you how to boil, simmer, braise, roast or bake. There may also be conversions from Gas to electricity scales. The more modern cookbooks by T.V. chefs will not have this information. The older classic books are often better in this regard

Starting to cook.

You will make better progress if you start with something simple. Once you have mastered this you can start to separate eggs and make meringues etc.
Always completely read through the the recipe before proceeding. Don’t start until you understand it. If you have any doubts about what a term means, look it up. Never take chances - it will probably be incorrect - and critical.  Next assemble your ingredients. At this point you should measure the quantities you need and place them on plates or cups. Never guess or estimate, weigh or measure everything. If it turns out well, you can duplicate it . If it isn’t exactly right, make a note to increase or decrease the ingredient which makes the difference. (Usually salt or sugar, but maybe other ingredients such as flour).
The key to success is to start with basic home cooking recipes

Once you have mastered the basic recipes such as scrambled eggs on toast, you can move on, try omelettes or soufflés. Using similar ingredients - but different (and more difficult) cooking methods. Don’t be fooled, nobody makes a dificult dish the first time they try it, practice makes perfect and although often the dish does not turn out the way it should it will generally be edible.

When you have mastered with a few meals, try changing them slightly, so they become your own. change seasonings and see how you like it. Sometimes it will be magnificent, sometimes it will flop. If you have kept good notes and measurements then you can repeat a recipe if it works.

Completing your Dish.

It has become more important to present your dish to please the eye and nose as well as the taste buds. It is proven that people who have no sense of smell do not enjoy food as much as those who have this sense. Therefore if a dish looks good you are more inclined to expect to enjoy it and are more likely to try it. This is where creative people find it easier to produce an enticing dish than those not so artistically inclined.

And Finally, cooking is meant to be enjoyable. If you like what you are doing, it will show.

Dinnerware is something that no home can do without,

You may be looking for dinnerware for your own home or alternatively buying some as a gift for friends or family.

As you probably already know, there are so many dinnerware options to choose from it can be quite bewildering, so what features should you look for?

Dinnerware Materials

The choice of materials for dinnerware is quite varied. However, there are a number of excellent types out there for you to choose from.

The more expensive materials include porcelain, china and EAPG. There are other, cheaper materials however and these include earthenware, stoneware, pottery and glass.

The type of material you eventually choose will depend on the application and look that you want to achieve. If you entertain a lot then you will find that bone china is normally the accepted quality standard.

Popular choices for everyday use include glass and earthenware.

Other dinnerware considerations

Choosing dinnerware for use in family homes brings with it its own dangers, particularly if young children are involved. Obviously you will want to choose the less expensive options for anything other than adult mealtimes.

You need to take into account the color scheme of your interior too. Usually dinnerware is on display and of course you want it to fit in with the color scheme you have chosen for its surroundings.

Colors as well as the patterns and overall quality of the dinnerware will play a part in achieving the right look if you are looking to create colorful designer kitchens.

Consideration needs to be given as to whether your new dinnerware is microwave and dishwasher safe. It could be a wiser move just to wash the most valuable items by hand.

However, you will want to ensure that your everyday dinnerware is safe to use in these labor saving devices.

Lastly, take into account the price and size of your set, you will want to add matching accessories and these can add a lot to the cost.

These items of dinnerware help to add a more expensive look to your set in addition you can always find a range of free kitchen ideas on the internet for further research.

The Cuisinart food processor is the top of the line when it comes to food processors.  Many people associate all food processors generically as “cuisinarts” because Cuisinart has consistently been the benchmark for food processors. Today, you have more styles and options than ever when buying a Cuisinart food processor. And millions of people are discovering that it offers a healthier way to cook and eat.

One of the most basic things that you can do with a Cuisinart food processor is to cut up vegetables.  However, many Cuisinart owners soon realize that these machines come in many different sizes.  If you want to prepare your meals with fresh chopped vegetables every day, you can get a model with a smaller sized food cup.   If you are a person who is on the go and finds it a challenge fitting cooking into an active lifestyle, then you should think about investing in a more capacious Cuisinart food processor.  The bigger food processor will help you to prepare your vegetables in bigger amounts and then store them in the freezer for later use. These versatile machines can do quite a few different jobs in addition to chopping, slicing, mincing and shredding vegetables. 

When you are not busy preparing your vegetables, you may want to use Cuisinart 11-cup food processors to grate cheese.  You can save money by doing this because the grated cheese that you buy in supermarkets costs more money than “chunk cheese” and is filled with preservatives. If you buy your own cheese, you can grate it yourself with your the Cuisinart food processor. 

Crushing ice is seldom fun and can be time consuming to do in a blender.  As a matter of fact, unless you own a industrial blender, crushing ice can actually ruin the appliance. However, the Cuisinart food processor works like a dream. The Cuisinart can enable you to mix a tasty drink that is healthy and low calorie. 

If you intend to prepare a cake, use the Cuisinart food processor.  Put the cake mix into the Cuisinart and switch it on. Your cuisinart will blend the batter smoothly and cleanly. You will no longer be required to stand beside it and work with the hand-held beater while you are making the cake.  In contrast to other mixers that often are unable to beat the batter smooth, this will blend you a smooth batter in a matter of minutes.  There are a range of different speeds offered with the different types of the Cusinart food processor.  You can pick one that is intended for the food you are making. 

There are many different sizes and models to choose from when shopping for your Cuisinart 7-cup food processor.  You could choose the larger 14 cup models or maybe the more commercial grade models.  You may even purchase a personal sized food processor for personal sized portions. Regardless of the size, the Cuisinart food processor will make your life simpler.  This food processor will save you money, allow you to prepare healthier meals and, when you are ready to clean up, the parts come off easily for sanitizing in the dishwasher.  You will not have a big mess in your kitchen.  If you wish to prepare healthier meals in less time than ever, come see what Cuisinart will offer and consider buying the Cuisinart food processor. 

Drinking pure water is the second most important function to healthy living, just behind breathing oxygen.

The human body is able to survive for 30 days without food, but can only survive up to three days without drinking water. The human body consists of around 80% water and if we did not drink plenty to replenish this, our system would poison itself.

Drinking pure water helps the body to digest food and keeps our temperature consistent. It also distributes life giving oxygen to the body and removes waste and buidl up of toxins. You can begin to see what may happen when we lack drinking water in the amounts we need to function - the body can begin to suffer from the debilitating effects of dehydration. Some of the effects of this are:

• Stomach Pain
• Lack of Energy
• Dry “Cotton” Mouth
• Dizziness and Headaches

Long term, the effects of dehydration can cause issues such as weight gain, high stress levels, kidney stones and other urinary problems and even asthma.

On the health benefits of drinking water side, drinking the right amount of pure water can increase your concentration, help your skin and protect you from sickness.

It is well known that 8 glasses of water per day is about the right amount of water to drink to stay healthy, vital and active. This amount is simply a guide to how much pure water you should drink. Obviously if you are exercising or are experiencing higher than normal temperatures, the health benefits may be lost if you do not increase your intake.

8 glasses of water per day is enough to cover the body’s natural loss of around 2.4 litres of water per day. This is lost through perspiration, urine, sweat and faeces on a daily basis, and an increase in the loss from any of these areas will require an increase in the intake of drinking water to make up for this loss.

Make sure you are getting enough healthy drinking water in your diet.

Creative Cooking School Video

If you are seeking to impress your guests at your next dinner party or special event enrolling in a creative cooking school will teach the necessary skills to properly prepare gourmet food. Most of the larger retail grocery stores have a gourmet foods isle. If you cannot find what you are hungry for there try a quick online search.

Online gourmet stores offer many of the hard to find gourmet meats shipped direct to your doorstep. They may come frozen and packaged in specialized storage containers to retain their freshness and quality. This is especially convenient if you do not live close to large shopping areas.

You can usually find gourmet meats in local butcher shops and supermarkets, although they will usually tend to be of lesser quality if you go to a supermarket. Delis and farms will be your best bet here because you know that you will be getting the best and freshest gourmet meats possible. There should be a great selection of farms in your area to choose from, even if you live in the city there should be some options nearby.

Finding that perfect cup of gourmet coffee amongst the myriad of brands available can be a tedious task. The flavor is contingent upon many factors. They type of bean and where it is grown, the way it is shipped and packaged, how fine the grind and finally brewing method.

Starting or finishing a meal of finer gourmet foods with a cup of gourmet coffee is adamant. If you have spent the time and extra money on the main course you will also want to serve the most flavorful cup of java. Starting with a flavored coffee and ending with a cappuccino or espresso is recommended.

Ahh, the grand finale to your meal of finer gourmet foods is gourmet chocolate. Homemade ice cream made of gourmet chocolate, a chocolate cheesecake or brownies, all made better with gourmet chocolate.

Gifts of gourmet chocolate truffles, fudge, dipped fruits etc., are all highly prized by the recipient. They can be found online and shipped directly to your friend or loved one.

Searching for finer gourmet foods can be done easily online. They can be shipped conveniently to your front door and added to your next gourmet meal or dinner party menu. Whether you are looking for gourmet meats, coffee or chocolates it is always worth it to take gourmet cooking classes. The the extra time and effort will definitely pay off with the compliments you will receive.

To get more information on cooking visit Cooking For Crowds also go to Healthy Cooking For One

Any good cook worth his or her salt, knows that cast iron cookware is superior to most other cookware in so many ways.

If you’re using any other type of pots and pans in your kitchen, try just one good cast iron skillet. This should be enough to convince you of the many benefits to using cast iron in your kitchen!

3 Reasons to Love Cast Iron Cookware

If you’ve thought about trying cast iron, or if you have some cast iron cookware that you are not currently using, consider the following.

1. Cast iron disperses heat evenly. When you cook with cast iron you eliminate most of the “hot” and “cold” spots you’ll find on thin aluminum or stainless steel pots.
2. Cast iron stays hot. You’ll soon come to love the way your cast iron retains the heat, even after removing it from the heat source. Great to serve from because your food stays hot longer!
3. Cast iron will last far longer than other cookware. Quality cast iron cookware will outlast you! In fact it’s quite likely your grandchildren will pass it on to their kids. If your cast iron is well cared for, it will last for generations.

Caring for your cast iron cookware

Whether you inherit cast iron cookware or buy it new, a few simple pointers will ensure your cookware serves you well now and can be passed on to the next generation.

Season it!

Well seasoned cast iron is the best “no-stick” cookware you could ever wish for! And it’s really easy. If you have new cast iron that is not preseasoned (much of it now comes seasonsed) or you have old cast iron that needs some “help”, here are the steps to take to create a long-lasting, non-stick cooking surface:

1. Start with ” clean” cookware. In this case, clean means free of any coasting that may have been applied by the manufacturer. If you’re lucky enough to have some old cast iron, ensure it is free of rust. A palm sander with a medium grit disk is an ideal tool for cleaning the surface.
2. Use lard to season your cast iron. Using enough to generously cover the surface, place the pan in the oven at 275°F to 300°F and bake for a couple of hours. Then pour off the excess lard. Let the pan cool, then wipe with a paper towel. For best results, repeat this process one or two times. It’s best initially to use the pan for some oil or fat dishes after seasoning.
3. After each use, let the pan cool then simply wipe it with a paper towel, or, if some food is stuck to the pan, soak it just long enough to loosen the food, then wipe the pan. Avoid the use of detergents or scouring pads as these will remove the seasoned surface.

If you don’t anticipate using your cast iron for a long period of time, wipe it with a thin coat of a stable oil such as olive oil to help keep moisture, and therefore rust, at bay.

One word of caution: the handles on your cast iron cookware will get extremely hot. Keep some good potholders handy and be sure to use them!

How many parents have witnessed their children gleefully making lots of curious treasures for mum and dad. Actually a lot of children make these things at school and bring them home. Something that each of these youngsters share in common is that the majority of them will have on a kitchen apron simultaneously! A cooking apron is incredibly useful for children’s activities, particularly as most of these types of pursuits are very messy!

An apron that is the best for children, is one that will pull over the head and then tie it to their back. There are some types covering more of the child that go over the head and have a solid front and back with side fasteners.

Children’s aprons come in many different designs and styles. Making your own is one of the cheapest ways. You can conjure up quite a unique project and personalize it to your own child because an apron is one of the easiest sewing tasks to undertake.

For child aprons, you have the choice of your child’s actual hand prints, their name, favorite nursery rhyme or Disney Character. Anything they could possibly want! You don’t have to be artistic since craft stores usually sell iron-ons or decals that you can embellish the completed apron with for that individual touch.

Your little darling will have those days where he or she wants to help you in the kitchen. This is If you really need an Apron! It appears as if the entire kitchen may require an apron!

Sometimes it is a lot of fun to imitate Mum and wear a kitchen apron to do the cooking. A great area for boys or girls these days seeing as most good chefs on the TV are men! For boys, choose a character he likes such as a picture of ‘Shrek’ on his apron, but for girls, anything that is ‘girly’ is just perfect.

Make sure you have a child apron handy the next time your little one decides to make a mess.

Maybe it’s just me, but Thanksgiving meal preparations had me at my wits end by the time the family sat down to dinner. It took us all-day, starting off with prepping the turkey at the crack of dawn and ending with a flurry of last-ditch activity.

Tasting each dish for just the exact amount of zest, it seemed like I had been sampling and eating the whole day. Finally, after so many years of this routine, I happened upon a do-ahead recipe book, which put a whole load of thanksgiving dinner recipe ideas in my head! Now, the most stressful thing I have to do on the big day is putting the turkey in the oven and making some coffee afterwards. Below are some strategies for simple and scrumptious Thanksgiving feast ideas.

Instead of shifting mountains and all the food in your frig to free up some space for a huge bird, try this tip from a knowledgeable Naval cook. Pick up your frozen bird at the store the afternoon before the big day. (Be sure to order well ahead of time!) Fill a big picnic style ice box with enough ice-cold water to cover the bird. Replace the lid and right before you head for bed, turn over the turkey. The turkey should be ready to cook by morning. This technique has been made use of for quite some time now and requires very little effort.

I always wondered why the bird don’t cook in the time allotted on the packaging instructions. It’s because of having to continually open the oven to baste the turkey. This thanksgiving feast idea is a gem. Melt a stick of butter and add your seasonings. Slip your hand between the breast and leg skin, softly separating the skin away from the meat. Put the bird on end and tip the melted butter in between the meat and skin, using your (clean!) fingers to spread the melted butter. Place the bird breast side up on the oven rack, wrap with thin-foil and set it in the oven. The bird should baste itself. Foolproof.

A large amount traditional Thanks Giving pies, such as mince pies and pumpkin, make for ideal do-aheads. Just freeze, remove and defrost a day ahead of time and bake the night before Thanksgiving Day. The same applies for rolls and biscuits.

As your pies bake, chop any vegetables you’ll use in your stuffing. Garnish and bag up in the frig until the a.m.. Clean and bake potatoes, then bag them for mashing tomorrow. Cranberry sauce? Can be put cooking while you’re chopping.

Excellent Thanks giving dinner ideas share one thing in common - less work and more Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day! Do-ahead entrées are normally the most involved and scrumptious. Look for recipes on the Internet that work with your dishes and liking. Purchase these items a couple of weeks ahead of time and spend a Sunday prepare these treats. Put them on ice and leave until the big day. As you prep the turkey, cook your snacks.

These Thanks giving dinner ideas affords for lots of free time for meet & greet and entertaining, with a scrumptious spread everyone adores!