How long to boil chicken depends on the type of meat and the amount of chicken boiled. Whole chicken takes the longest to cook and about 2-3 hours. Boneless chicken breast or thigh pieces takes less and about 45 minutes. Boiled chicken can be shredded and used. Overcooking the chicken makes it more chewy, and tough.

To boil chicken, clean chicken first. Remove the skin, if you want to remove the fat. Wash thoroughly with cold water. Boil a big pot of water and add salt. Add the chicken in the boiling water. Makes sure, the water covers the chicken. If you intend to use the boiled chicken for other stir fried dishes, leave it a little underdone and complete the cooking later.

Be careful not to leave the chicken raw. It harbours harmful bacteria and can cause serious infections. Chicken is white when cooked and pink when raw. If unsure if the chicken is done, cut a piece from the middle and check the colour. After boiling, leave the chicken to rest for a few minutes.

Add a little lemon juice and crushed garlic and ginger to flavour the chicken while boiling. Chicken can be boiled to make chicken stock and soup. The shredded chicken can be used to make salads and sandwiches. To make chicken salad, add a little mayonnaise, mustard, chopped celery, carrots, spring onions, salt and freshly ground pepper to the chicken salad.

Boiled chicken can be used to make sandwiches also. Spread a little mayo and mustard on the bread. Then add chicken, sliced green peppers, tomatoes, and cheese slices on top. Grill the sandwich till the cheese melts. Serve with soup.

Chicken breast contains less fat than chicken thighs. To cook chicken you can boil grill or bake it. Various spices can be added to chicken to flavour it. It is a very versatile meat and eaten with grilled vegetables, pastas, rice dishes, can be stuffed with vegetables and cheese, and baked.

1. Select a medium or large variety of shrimp with the shells on. Usually shrimps are frozen immediately after being caught at sea. This keeps the shrimp fresh and preserves the flavour.

2. First thaw the shrimp properly. Cooking shrimp while it is frozen causes it to lose flavour.

3. Thaw shrimp by putting it in a plastic bag and place it in cold water till completely thawed. Shrimp does not take long to thaw.

4. Cooking shrimp with shell locks in the juices and flavour. Some people remove the shells before cooking. In case you want to do so, keep the tails on as it is easy to eat.

5. To cook shrimp, boil a big pot of water and add salt and a little lemon juice in water. Turn the heat off and add the thawed shrimp in water. Let it cook till done.

6. Shrimp can also be pan fired, grilled, or coated with seasoned bread crumbs or flour and deep fried.

7. To sauté raw shrimp, add a few slivers of garlic and salt to a hot skillet, add shrimp in the garlic pieces. Cook till done.

8. To grill shrimp, add marinade on top and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. You can also prepare a glaze to spread over shrimp while cooking. Preheat the grill and add shrimps on skewers. Grill for a total of 2-3 minutes till done. Add glaze on the both sides of the shrimps. Remove and serve hot.

9. To deep fry clean shrimp, heat oil. Season bread crumbs with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, garlic and onion powder. Dip shrimps in egg and then in prepared bread crumbs. Once coated, remove the excess bread crumbs and put the shrimps in oil. Fry for a few minutes, till the coated shrimps turn golden brown. Remove and serve with hot sauce.

10. When done shrimp turns pink, and curls up. This takes about three to five minutes. Do not overcook the shrimp.

11. Serve with a cocktail sauce.

12. Shrimps can be used to make stock and are popular in barbeques. It is easy to cook shrimp and can be added in pastas, rice dishes, and curries.

Tilapia is an easy fish to grill but you have to be careful not to break the fish while grilling. The fillets of tilapia are thin and light and take on the flavour of any marinade you apply on it. Avoid flipping the fish more than once as it tends to break. To prevent the fish from sticking to the grill, make sure you wipe the grill clean with a

To grill tilapia, first thaw the fish well, if you bought it frozen. Prepare a marinade for the fish. You can select flavours of your choice to prepare the marinade. Asian flavours like soya sauce, ginger, sesame oil, a little chilli sauce make an excellent marinade. Similarly Thai flavours or Indian curry powder can also be used to flavour the fish. Alternately, simple lemon juice, olive oil, chilli flakes and salt also work well with this fish. Do not keep tilapia in the marinade for too long as it starts breaking down the fish.

If you do not want to add oil, take a piece of foil and place the fish in it. Add marinade without oil along with sliced green and red peppers, and onions to the pouch. Close the foil, and place on the grill. The vegetables grill along with the fish and absorb the flavours as well.

Tilapia takes only 3-4 minutes to cook. Take it off the grill when it turns opaque. An easy way to test the doneness of the fish is to test with a fork. When done, the fish turns flaky and easily breaks with a fork.

Grilled fish can be served with vegetables and a little left over marinade drizzled on top. You can dress up this fish by serving with a spicy salsa. It is low in calories and good for people watching their weight. It can also be added to tacos and other dishes. Tilapia is a very versatile fish that can be substituted for other fish like sea bass. Tilapia can also be baked or pan fried. Fried tilapias with a coating of bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes yield crispy and tasty fish that is equally relished.

How long to grill a steak varies with the thickness of the meat and the temperature you cook it at. As a rule, thin steaks are cooked at high temperature and thick steaks at medium so that the both the outside and inside get cook evenly. An inch-thick steak cooked on high heat takes 12-14 minutes to cook to medium. Meat cooked to rare takes a little less time and well done meat takes a little more. A two-inch steak is generally cooked on medium and takes 18-22 minutes to cook to medium.

Grilling a juicy steak takes experience but there are several tips that you can follow to cook a perfect steak. Start by searing the steak on high heat. This provides grill marks on the outside of the steak and locks the juices inside. After searing shift the meat to medium heat, and cook through. Avoid flipping the meat more than once during cooking. Let it rest after cooking to let the juices rest.

Preheat the grill to medium or high. This can take up to 12-15 minutes. Do not place the meat on a cold grill. It makes the meat dry and delays the cooking process. Though rubbing salt and pepper is enough to season the steak, rubbing a mix of dry spices of your choice on the steak adds more flavour. Make sure that the meat is evenly spread, leave the marinade for some time before grilling. A little marbling on the steak adds even more succulent flavour to the meat.

Usually steak is enjoyed cooked to rare or medium rare. Over cooking a steak makes it dry. Slice cooked steak after letting it rest for a few minutes. Medium rare steak is pinkish from inside. If you enjoy steaks, always start with a good cut of meat. Sirloin, porterhouse and filet mignon are very good cuts to choose from.

Serve steak with grilled vegetables, salads and french fries. To grill vegetables, wash and season well with salt and pepper and rub a little olive oil. Place on medium high grill. Do not over cook the vegetables otherwise it becomes limp. Take off heat when it is still crisp. You can prepare creamy mushroom gravy or store-bought gravy mixes to serve with meat.

People opt to build charcoal grills as buying one from a store can be very expensive. Charcoal grills are excellent for barbequing and add a lot of flavour to the food cooked on it. It is fairly easy to build your own charcoal grill, and once build can be used for all your barbequing.. You need a few basic things and you are ready to grill away.

Put together a discarded tire rim, a shovel, charcoal, hose, water, gravel or stones, and a grill rack. The first step is to fit the tire into the ground. Choose a clear location for your charcoal grill. Remove any stones or dirt in that area. Measure the circumference of the tire and dig that area with a shovel. Dig for six inches or so and fit the tire in the dug spot. Wet the soil around the tire so that it is securely fixed in the ground. Now arrange some stones or landscaping rocks around the tire rim.

The final step is to add charcoal in the spot, and place a grill grate on top. Select an appropriate size for the grate so that it fits on top. Also make sure you choose a good quality grill that can withstand the heat and is not made of any toxic material.

A metal charcoal grill can also be made by using a big metal drum or a beer keg. Choose a drum that has not been used to fill any toxic substance. Fill it with charcoal, and put a metal grate on top. Just make sure to make holes at the bottom to let in air.

Since there is no way to control the heat on outdoor grills like this, you have to be careful not to burn your food. Light your charcoal and wait till the flames start to die down but are still very hot. Keep an eye on your food, and do not over cook it. For cooking on indirect heat, move the coals on one side, and use the other side to grill. For searing the meat, use direct heat, and then move to the other side to complete the cooking.

Charcoal grills are versatile in that you can also use wood to light a fire and grill your meat and vegetables on it. Flavoured woods like hickory or mesquite works well for barbeques, but do not hesitate to experiment with any kind you can lay your hands on.

Cooking time for meatloaf can vary according to how many pounds of meatloaf you plan to make, and the temperature you plan to bake it at. On an average it takes about an hour to cook meatloaf in the oven.

There are some basic ingredients to make meatloaf, and some seasonings and flavours that you can add according to your taste. Meatloaf can be made in a cookie sheet or a bread pan. It is easier to bake meatloaf in a bread pan as the shape remains intact. Making meatloaf in a cookie sheet can be tricky to shape and prevent it from falling apart.

To prepare meat loaf, first sauté and soften all the chopped vegetables like onions, celery, garlic, carrots, green peppers and any other of your choice on a skillet. You can add flavours like Worcestershire sauce and ketchup or tomato sauce to the vegetables. Mix beef, egg, bread crumbs, and fresh herbs like parsley into the meat mixture.

Shape and add into a loaf pan or baking dish. Cover the loaf with ketchup or the remaining tomato sauce. You can some vegetables like onions, carrots and potatoes in the baking dish so that it cooks along with the meatloaf, and absorbs the rich flavour.

Preheat the oven the 350°F. Add the meatloaf pan into the oven for an hour or so. The time can vary with the thickness and shape of the meat loaf and the choice of meat. After it is done, let the meat rest for five minutes or so. Slice and serve with vegetables.

There are a lot of variations to this recipe. You can add chicken or beef broth, wine, cheese and other spices and seasonings that you like. Do not hesitate to add different flavours each time. There are also recipes of meatloaf to make in the microwave, crock pot and electric cooker.

Lobster tails can be cooked in various ways. The best way to cook lobster tails is to cook it for the optimum time and temperature and not overcook it. You can buy lobster tails fresh or frozen can boil, bake, broil, steam or grill it. Sea food is always takes less time to cook than other meats, and require less preparation. When done, lobster shells turn red, and the meat turns white.

Fresh lobster tails taste better than frozen. Make sure you buy fresh lobster from a trusted vendor. To enhance the taste of frozen lobster tails, thaw it well before cooking. Place it in a plastic bag and place it in cold water in a refrigerator for eight to ten hours till completely thawed.

To boil lobster tails, boil a large pot of water with salt. Add lobster tails in the pot once the water is boiling. Do not over crowd the pot. Each ounce of lobster meat takes about one minutes to cook. Boiling lobster tails causes it to curl, to avoid this straighten it with a skewer before adding it to the pot. Once done, run it under cold water to stop the cooking. Serve with lemon and melted butter.

Broiling lobster tails cut the top of the lobster tail lengthwise. Turn the broiler on before preparing the lobster tail. Separate the meat from the shell slightly to be able to season it well. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dry herbs, and drizzle a little melted butter on top. Place it on a baking sheet and under a broiler and cook for five to ten minutes, till the meat become white and opaque. Remove immediately and serve with lemon wedges.

To bake lobster tails, preheat the oven to 400°F. Open the lobster tails from the both the sides with shearing scissors. Season well and bake for eight to ten minutes. Wrap the lobster tails in tin foil while baking to avoid drying it out. Drizzle melted butter on top before serving.

To grill lobster tails, preheat the grill to medium high and grill lobster tails for eight to ten minutes. Prepare the lobster tails by adding melted butter, lemon juice and salt to the lobster. Remove when the meat is opaque. Prepare a dipping sauce by melting butter, adding garlic salt and serve with lobster tails. Serve with red potatoes and other green vegetables.

Cooking roast beef depends on the size and whether you want to cook it to rare, which is pinkish red inside, medium rare which is pink from inside, medium or well done, which is brown inside. For more juicy and sumptuous flavoured roast beef, it is advisable to cook it to rare. Over cooking the beef makes it dry.

The best cut of meat to make roast beef is tenderloin, though rump is also a good choice. Cook a five to eight pound roast takes approximately 17-19 minutes to cook rare, 20 to 23 minutes to medium rare, 23 to 26 minutes medium and 26 to 30 for well done. That being said, the time taken to roast beef also depends on how long it’s been aged, and the amount of fat in the meat.

Select a good cut to meat for your roast depending on your budget. Season it well with salt and pepper. Although light seasoning works well with roast beef, you can season it with a good rub of your choice. This includes onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and any dry herbs of your choice.

If you want to flavour further, make small incisions on the meat and insert slivers of garlic. Also make sure the fat side of the meat faces up so that when fat melts it bastes the entire meat.

You can either roast beef at a constant temperature of 300-325°F till done, or cook at very high temperature of 500°F for fifteen minutes and then lower temperature to 375°F later. According to some cooks, the former method yields juicier meat.

Bake till done and measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to confirm. The meat thermometer reads 130-140°F for medium rare, a few degrees lower for rare and a few degrees higher for medium and well done. Roast according to your preference. Let meat rest after you take it out of the oven. This makes it easier to carve the meat and evenly distributes the juices. Slice and serve with steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy.

To make the gravy, use the drippings in the roasting pan, water, red wine, and corn starch. Add a little butter to make the sauce creamy. Add thyme sprigs for flavour. Heat the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and black pepper and stir continuously to avoid forming lumps. Serve on slices of meat and mashed potatoes.

Salmon is easily grilled, baked or broiled in the oven. It does not take very long to bake salmon, but it varies slightly with the thickness of the fish and the mode of cooking. Cut a fillet so that the fish slices are of equal thickness. This way the fish cooks evenly. If you like the flavour of the grill, then cooks the salmon the grill, but if you want to cook it indoor, bake or broil it in the oven. Add flavour of your choice, Asian, Cajun spices, Indian curry powder.

Grilling salmon takes about eight to ten minutes. To grill salmon, marinate it for twenty to thirty minutes. A simple marinade includes olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro. Another flavourful marinade is made with soya sauce, ginger garlic, soya sauce and sesame oil. Shake off marinade and pat dry before grilling so that it does not burn. Wait till the fish is opaque and then turn and grill on the other side. Serve with salsa or spicy chutney.

Baking salmon takes ten minutes or so. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread a dry rub over the salmon before putting it in the oven. A good rub consists of sea salt, dry herbs and chilli powder. You can bake salmon with the skin on, and can easily take it off once the salmon is done. The fish continues to cook even after taking it out of the oven, so be careful not to over cook it.

To broil fish, use the same rub or the marinades mentioned in the previous paragraphs. It is difficult to control the temperature while broiling, so be careful not to burn it. Broiling caramelises the top of the fish and enhances the flavour. Serve with bread and a salad.

Salmon can also be cooked by hot smoking or cold smoking it. Most salmon is cold smoked. To do this first place it a brine solution for twenty minutes, dry it and then smoke it at 98.4°F. This method preserves more moisture than hot smoked salmon. The time it takes to smoke salmon depends on the thickness of the fish and might take up to five days. Sprinkle a rub or marinade over it before smoking it. Sprinkle a lemon juice on it before serving. Smoked salmon can be served warm, hot or chilled.

Hamburgers can be made in various ways, grilled on the barbeque in the summer months, or cooked in the oven or on the stove. One important thing to remember about cooking hamburgers is not to make it more than three quarter of an inch to an inch thick. Doing so ensures that when cooked for an optimum time and temperature it does not dry out and remains juicy and delicious.

You can cook hamburgers with ground beef, pork, veal chicken or a combination of meats. The meat can be totally lean or with 10-15% fat. Fat adds moisture and flavour to the meat. You can rid of the excess fat by adding water to the pan while cooking, which helps to remove some of the fat. Also if you are using a non-stick pan, eliminate the oil completely. The patties will cook in its fat.

If you decide to use totally lean meat, compensate with added flavours. Add chopped onions, green peppers, chilli flakes, parsley or cilantro along with ground black pepper, minced garlic, and cheese (optional). Season the patties generously with salt just before adding it to the pan.

Heat the skillet to medium high. Add a little oil (optional, only if you are using 100% lean meat) to light grease the pan. Make round patties with the ground meat mixture. To prevent a round bump on top, press the meat in the centre. Do not add to many patties in one pan, otherwise they take longer to cook. Keep them a few centimetres apart.

Brown the patties on one side and then flip and cook the other side. Cover the pan to avoid any oil from spattering on you. It takes four to five minutes for an inch patty to cook on each side. Let the patties rest of a few minutes to let the meat rest and juices flow. To check of the hamburgers are cooked, cut one in the middle and make sure it’s fully cooked. This is especially important if you are using chicken to make your burgers. Otherwise use a digital meat thermometer.

Serve with buns and your favourite toppings. Popular toppings include slices of onion and tomato, lettuce leaves, olives, pickled peppers, cheddar and swiss cheese slices. The cheese slices can be added on top of the hamburger just before taking it off the stove. This gives the cheese heat to melt and spread before serving.

Cooking time for beef tenderloin varies between thirty five to fifty five minutes. For a two to three pound piece of tenderloin, cook for thirty to thirty five minutes and for a four to five pound meat, cook for forty five to fifty minutes.

Select a cut of meat with a little fat. This adds flavour and keeps the meat moist. Beef tenderloin is an expensive cut of meat and made on special occasions like Christmas. It is moist and juicy and rarely requires a sauce to go with it.

Follow these steps to cook beef tenderloin:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Spread a little olive oil and sprinkle and pepper on the beef tenderloin or some store bought spices.
3. Rub it well on the meat, so that it is well spread on the meat.
4. Adding salt before baking, takes out the moisture from the meat, so wait till the end to season the beef with salt.
5. Place the beef in a shallow baking pan.
6. Bake it uncovered for fifty to fifty five minutes till done.
7. Alternately, beef tenderloin can be seared first in a skillet, and then cooked in the oven till done.
8. Heat a skillet, and brown the seasoned meat till brown on both sides.
9. After searing, place in a baking dish and cook till done.
10. Check if the meat is completely done by using a digital meat thermometer.
11. Medium rare meat reads a temperature of 145°F and well done meat 165°F.
12. After cooking, tent the meat with tin foil and let the meat rest for ten to fifteen minutes to let the meat and juices rest. Slice and serve with vegetables.

To add some variation to this recipe, use a rub with mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme to the meat. After searing in the skillet, add some shallots and slices of mushroom to the pan. Sauté a little, and add a little red wine to deglaze the pan. Add a little butter to make the sauce. Pour sauce over the sliced meat and enjoy

Other sauces that can be served with beef tenderloin are Bearnaise and Bordelaise sauce. Add dry tarragon, red wine, eggs, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, butter and boiling water. First reduce tarragon and red wine on heat. Cook the egg yolks over a pan of boiling water till thick and yellow. Mix in the other ingredients and add butter slowly. Now add this to the tarragon mixture, and you are ready to go,

Bordelaise sauce is made by cooking shopped shallots, red wine, crushed peppercorns, thyme bay leaf first till reduced. Then add demi-glaze and simmer for fifteen minutes. Slowly mix in butter and use immediately.

How long to bake salmon depends on the thickness of the fish, it takes about ten minutes for every inch of fish. Cut the fish to get fillets of equal thickness before baking. Bake the fish till opaque and test for doneness with a fork. The fish becomes flaky and breaks easily when done.

Preheat the oven between 350°F to 450°F. Baking the fish without preheating the oven tends to make the fish dry. Do not overcook the fish, as it become rubbery and tough. Place the fish on a baking dish lined with a greased piece of foil. Before baking prepare the fish by rubbing spices and herbs or soaking it in a marinade.

Dry rubs include a mixture of sea salt, dry herbs and chilli powder. Prepare a marinade by mixing lemon juice, olive oil, soya sauce, a little white wine, and brown sugar. Fish absorbs the marinade fast, so keep the fish in the marinade only for fifteen minutes to one hour in the refrigerator and bake immediately after. Other marinades include, Asian-flavoured, marinades with Indian or Cajun spices.

You can avoid adding oil in the fish. Wrap the fish in foil, add lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper, wrap tightly and bake in the oven. Steaming the fish in foil cooks the fish faster, so reduce the time a little bit. Check for doneness before ten minutes (for an inch-thick fish).

For a thick salmon fillet, slice horizontally, and stuff it with sautéed onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and cheese, and bake. This will take less time than unstuffed fish so adjust your time accordingly.

You can also bake the fish with a sprinkle of light seasoning consisting of salt and pepper, and glaze it after. Choose a flavour of your choice. Ginger or pineapple glaze works well with salmon. To make ginger glaze, mix sugar, ginger and mustard in a bowl. Brush on salmon twice or thrice during the cooking process. When caramelized, sprinkle green onions on top and serve.

Salmon is a tasty, versatile and healthy fish. Include it in your diet as it provides rich Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for you. Do not hesitate to experiment with your favourite spics and herbs and cook this fish a few times a week. Serve with mando or another hearty salad to make a complete meal.

Asparagus does not take very long to cook on the grill. For a little crunch, grill asparagus for about four to five minutes and for a softer texture grill a little longer. Prepare the asparagus first. Wash and dry asparagus well. Trim the ends of the spear to remove the harder whitish portions. Select medium to large pieces of asparagus for grilling. Small pieces tend to slip in between the grill and tend to get limp after a few minutes of cooking.

Select fresh bright green stalks of asparagus for cooking. Break the asparagus to check for freshness, it should “snap” when broken from the end and not be limp. When you trim the end, check the ends to make sure that the stem is juicy. Wrap asparagus in a wet towel to store in the fridge or store in a pitcher with a little water.

Wipe the grill and wipe with oil. Brush olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper on the asparagus and add to the grill. Flip over when you see grill marks on one side and do the same for the other side. You can also use a marinade to add more flavour. Sprinkle a little olive oil or butter along with garlic and dry herbs like thyme and oregano or any of your choice on the asparagus before grilling. Rub lightly and keep on a piece of foil.

Place the asparagus horizontally on the grates and cook over medium heat till done. Do not cook over direct heat for long otherwise the spears tend to burn on the outside and remain uncooked inside.

You can also steam asparagus on the grill. Add butter and seasoning and wrap the asparagus in foil. Keep it on the grill to steam. Cook on indirect heat for four to six minutes for firmer asparagus and seven to nine minutes for softer asparagus. Do not over cook the asparagus otherwise it becomes mushy. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Cut into it and test for doneness. Keep it a little underdone if you want a crisper texture.

Grilled asparagus works well as a side dish with meat and chicken. Sprinkle a little cheese over hot asparagus for more flavour. If you want to make a fancier dish, wrap each spear of asparagus in a slice of bacon and grill it. The flavour of the grill and fat from the bacon adds a special something to this vegetable.

Potatoes can be baked for as long as one hour or more if baking it in the oven or as little as twenty minutes if boiling in the microwave or on the stove. The method of cooking also depends on the dish you are going to make. Stab with a fork a few time to help the steam escape while cooking.

Potatoes are a versatile vegetable and can be used to make several dishes. Baking and boiling potatoes vary in starch content. Baking potatoes contain more starch than boiling potatoes which are waxier. Choose a potato that suits your dish.

Bake potatoes in the oven if you enjoy a crispy skin and a soft centre. Break open the potatoes after baking and add a dollop of butter or sour cream to enjoy the creamy flavour. Whole baked potatoes are enjoyed with barbeque meats and salads.

You can cook potatoes in the microwave from three up to eight minutes, depending on the size, and number. Scour the potatoes with a fork to allow to steam to escape while cooking. After taking it out of the microwave, wrap it in foil and let it sit for a few minutes. Garnish with herbs and cheese, flavoured butter or sour cream.

Baked potatoes can be eaten as is with chillies and salad. Just add a little sour cream or cheese on top for extra creaminess. Another way is to dice the potatoes into bite size pieces, season the potato pieces with salt, pepper, dried herbs and bake till done. This can serve as a side with any meat along with green vegetables.

Twice baked potatoes are also relished with meat dishes. To make twice baked potatoes, bake potatoes and cut it lengthwise into two halves. Then scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Add a little sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper and green onions and cheddar cheese to the scooped potato. Spoon it on top of the potato flesh. Sprinkle fried bacon, a little cheese and green onions on top and serve.

Potato casserole is also made with potatoes. Add dices onions to cooked potatoes along with bacon bits, fresh herbs, mayonnaise, a little cheese and other blanched vegetables like carrots, peas, and any other vegetables you wish to add. Spray a baking dish with cooking oil. Add into a baking dish and cover with bacon, olives and cheese. Bake at 325°F for an hour.

To grill shrimp, heat the grill and add the shrimp for one minute or so on each side. Overcooking shrimp makes it chewy and rubbery. Shrimp is translucent when raw and opaque after cooking. Another indication of doneness for shrimp is that is curls up after cooking, and turns a shade of pink.

Buy fresh shrimp from your seafood store, if possible. Frozen shrimp can also be grilled, but make sure you thaw it completely before grilling. Some people prefer to buy shrimp with the heads on. The heads can be cut before grilling and used to make shrimp stock. You can choose to buy shrimp with or without the shell. Keeping the shell on locks in the juices and makes it tastier. If you prefer to remove the shell at least keep the tails on, as it makes it easy to eat.

Shrimp should be marinated only for a few minutes. Keeping shrimp in an acidic marinade for long cooks the shrimp. It is easier to thread shrimp on to skewers before grilling. Soak the skewers in water beforehand to prevent it from burning on the grill.

Once soaked for thirty to forty minutes, skewer the shrimps from the tail end and from the top. This makes it easier to handle when turning. Also skewer only three to four large shrimps on each skewer. Leave the bottom of the skewers free so that it is easier to turn and lift off the grill.

Prepare shrimp before grilling. Take a sharp knife and slit the back of the shrimp to remove the vein. Then marinate the shrimp for a few minutes while the grill is heating. You can do this after threading the shrimp on the skewers. To prepare the marinade, mix well oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar salt and pepper. Pour over shrimp, and leave for a few minutes. You can also use your favourite barbeque sauce to brush on the shrimp while grilling.

Preheat the grill to medium high. If grilling a large number of shrimps, turn the middle grill off and the side grills on. Place a folded piece of foil on the middle grill. Now place the skewers on the heated side of the gill, so that the handle of the skewers face the middle of the grill. Arrange the shrimps over the hot side of the grill. This ensures that the skewers do not burn and only the shrimps are placed on the hot grill.

Meatloaf can be cooked at 375-400°F in an oven till it reaches an internal temperature of 160°. A large pack of ground meat, about two pounds, takes about one hour fifteen minutes or so. The temperature and time can vary depending on the taste and method of cooking.

To prepare meat loaf, mix ground meat (beef), egg, crushed crackers, bread crumbs or oatmeal, salt, black pepper, and mix it well. You can add ketchup or a little Worcestershire sauce for more flavour. Fresh herbs of your choice can also be added in this mix. Use lean meat if you are watching your diet. If adding crackers, make sure you crush it well before adding. Adding crackers or oatmeal holds the shape of the meat loaf while cooking. Shape the meat into a loaf, and put into a baking dish.

Preheat the oven before preparing the meat. Add a can of tomato juice and water on top of the meat loaf to surround the meat loaf completely with the liquid before putting it in the oven. Add diced potatoes, onions and carrots in the same dish so that it cooks along with the meat and can be served with the meat. Cut the vegetables so that they are all the same size, to ensure they cook at the same time.

Let it cook in the oven for one and half to two hours. Modify the cooking time depending on the size of the meat loaf. After cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving. Cut a slice of meat loaf and serve along with the cooked vegetables. The meat loaf should hold its shape and have a juicy texture when you cut into it.

Keep the following tips in mind while cooking meat loaf. Add limited bread crumbs and prevent over-kneading the loaf. For extra flavour add wine, chicken or beef broth along with tomato juice. Experiment with flavour to add herbs of your choice to the broth. Adding a few sprigs to the broth adds aroma, and is easy to remove after cooking.

Meat loaf can also be made with pork, veal or a combination of meats. Just use an equal proportion of the meats you are adding. Add your favourite cheese to make it more creamy, or use your choice of sauce to vary the flavour a little bit.

You can fix cube steak in a skillet, oven or in a slow cooker. Cube steak is an expensive and a tough cut of meat to cook. The meat can be tenderized with a mallet or an electric tenderizer. To cook moist and tender cube steak, it is commonly braised in a liquid. Cube steak can be cooked along with a sauce or first fried and then served with gravy.

To fry cube steak in an oven, sprinkle the meat with flour and season well with salt and pepper. Add a little oil in a skillet or butter for more flavour and fry the steak on both sides till done. To prepare the sauce, add a little flour to the pan, stir a little and add milk and boil. This will form a thick sauce that can be served with the meat.

Alternatively, brown the cube steak on both sides in a large pot first. Do not completely cook the meat at this stage. Add a can of mushroom sauce or store bought gravy or even chicken stock to the pot and let it simmer for an hour or so till the meat is tender. This makes the meat more moist and imbibes more flavourful. Serve with mashed potatoes and bread. Save a little gravy or sauce to serve pour over mashed potatoes.

Another method to prepare cube steak is to cook it in the oven. Add oil in pan, sauté onions, minced garlic, peas, diced green peppers and other vegetables of your choice till soft and set aside. Brown the cube steak on both sides. Now deglaze the pan and add everything into a baking dish and cook in the oven at 325°F for an hour till done.

Cube steak can also be made in a slow cooker on low heat. Add the browned meat with or without vegetables into the slow cooker along with cream of mushroom soup or chicken stock, a can of water, onion soup mix, and cook for four hours till done. The cube steak will be done when the meat falls off the bone. To thicken the sauce add a little corn starch before serving.

Do not be afraid to experiment. Use flavour and sauces of your choice to vary the recipe a bit. Cube steak is most commonly served with steamed vegetables or roasted potatoes.

How long you cook pork chops depends on the thickness of the pork chops and the method of cooking. Pork chops can be cooked in the oven or a skillet or on the grill. Medium sized pork chops take about six to ten minutes, and thick pork chops about fifteen to twenty minutes. Adjust the time accordingly.

When cooking pork chops on the skillet, take a cast iron pan and heat to medium high or high. First sear the chops till brown on both sides for a few more minutes. This will take about two minutes on each side. Turn off the heat, cover the skillet and let the meat cook for a few more minutes. The meat continues to cook even when the heat is off. Lift the lid after a few minutes and check for doneness. Do not crowd the pan and make sure there is space between the pork chops. Arrange the chops so that the thickest part of the chops is towards the centre.

If cooking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F for 45 minutes. Spread a dry rub on the pork chops first. Season the pork chops well before adding it in the oven. Add in the oven and bake till done. Bake sure the meat is not pink in the middle. The pork chops turn white when fully cooked and is a good indication of doneness. To make the dry rub, mix freshly ground cumin seed, black pepper, coriander seeds, sugar and salt. A simpler mix made with a little paprika, salt and pepper can also be used instead.

To grill pork chops, select a good cut, of medium thickness. Soaking pork chops in salt water first helps make it tender, and moist. Preheat the grill first. Grill the pork chops for three minutes on each side till done. Measure with a digital meat thermometer. The temperature in the thickest part of the meat should read above 145°F.

Slow cooking pork chops gives the best results. In the slow cooker, pork chops take two and a half to three hours to cook. Add onions, potatoes, and a little cheese or mushroom soup to the slow cooker so that it cooks with the pork chops. Serve pork chops with apple sauce, and vegetables like sautéed spinach, potatoes, or beans. Other sauces like mushroom and onion gravy or sour cream also work well with pork chops.

Grill the hamburgers on high heat for five minutes on each side. Check the doneness of the burgers by using a digital meat thermometer. When cooked to medium, the thermometer reads 160 °F. Overcooking the burger dries it out and makes it very chewy. Undercooking the burger may leave it somewhat raw and harbour harmful bacteria. If cooking for the first time, check one burger from inside and make sure it not pinkish.

To grill hamburgers, start by buying a good quality of meat. Though beef is most commonly used to make hamburgers, other meats such as pork, chicken, turkey or a mixture of two meats is often used. If you prefer lean meat this is a good way to cook meat. Since fat adds flavour to meat, you may need to add more spices and herbs to lean meat to make your burger moist and flavourful.

Mix the meat with chopped onions, minced garlic, egg and bread crumbs for binding, and chopped herbs like parsley or cilantro for fresh flavour. Do not forget to season the meat. If you like spicy burgers, you can add chilli flakes.

The burger mix can be made into patties beforehand and kept in the fridge. This also firms up the patties so that it does not break on the grill. Avoid adding salt at this time; wait till the patties are ready to go on the grill and then season the patties well with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill to medium high. You can use charcoal or gas grill to make the burger. Scrub the grill clean first and wipe with a cloth dipped with oil. This will ensure that your patties do not stick to the grill. The burgers shrink a little while cooking so take that into account when you select your buns. Toast your buns and brush with butter before adding the burger.

To prevent cross contamination, keep the raw meat separate from the cooked burger. Keep a separate plate for cooked burgers. Top burgers with a slice of cheese before serving. When cheese is added to the grilled hamburgers, wait till the cheese melts to take it off the heat. Serve with your favourite toppings.

To cook hamburgers on the stove you will need the following ingredients:

Minced beef/or chicken, pork or turkey
Chopped scallions
Chopped mushrooms
Garlic, minced
Herbs – parsley or cilantro, chopped finely
Salt
Black pepper
Oil
Red wine vinegar (optional)
Cheddar or Goat Cheese (optional)

Mix everything in a bowl well with your hands. Make round patties, about a half inch thick. Don’t make the patties too thick, as the meat takes longer to cook. Very thin patties dry out faster. Select meat with a little fat if you want moist burgers. Three pounds of minced beef yields about six burgers. Heat a heavy skillet on the stove to medium high.

Place the burgers in the heated pan and cook for four to five minutes on each side. Add slice of cheddar cheese on top if desired and cover the pan for the final few minutes till the cheese melts. Alternately, when making the patties, a little goat cheese can also be folded inside the burger. The cheese will melt while cooking the burger, and ooze out while eating.

Avoid the temptation to flip the burgers more than once. Also make sure that you cover the burgers in the final few minutes of cooking, and also after you take it off the heat. This keeps the moisture inside the meat and results in a juicy burger.

Serve the hamburger on buns, and garnish with condiments and toppings. Favourite toppings include sliced tomatoes, onions, pickles, bacon, avocado and lettuce leaves. Condiments like cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard work well with hamburgers. Some also prefer toppings like fried egg, blue cheese, feta cheese, salsa, jalapeno, slices of ham or bologna, cole slaw, onion rings or potato chips.

Hamburgers are usually made of beef but other meats like pork, chicken and turkey or a combination of meats can also be used to make burgers. When cooking burgers, be careful not to leave it raw. Raw meat may contain harmful bacteria like that can cause serious illnesses. This is the reason why hamburgers are served well done at fast food restaurants. The most popular restaurants that serve burgers include McDonald’s, Burger King, A&E, Wendy’s Harveys and more.

How long you cook ham depends upon whether it is precooked, or not. Raw ham must be cooked for twenty minutes per pound till it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F whereas precooked ham takes about fifteen to eighteen minutes per pound. The time to cook ham also depends on the size of the ham. When reheating cooked ham, the meat thermometer should read 140°F.

To safely thaw ham keep it on a platter and put it in the refrigerator for a few hours (four to five hours per pound). Alternatively, wrap the frozen ham in plastic, fill the sink with cold water, and keep ham in it till thawed. Make sure the ham does not come in contact with water as it results in loss of flavour. Do not leave the ham outside or in warm water as it encourages bacterial growth.Thawed ham can be kept in the refrigerator for three to five days.

Frozen ham can also be cooked without thawing. Increase the cooking time by one and half times, when cooking frozen ham. Ham cooked slowly is more tender, and juicy.

Like all meats, make sure you do not overcook the ham. If you do not have a meat thermometer, use these tips to determine the doneness of the meat. When cooked, the meat starts shrinking away from the bone. Also press the meat with your finger. Cooked ham will show more resistance than uncooked ham.

Wrap the ham in foil first. Roast the ham in a preheated oven at 325°F to avoid drying out the ham. Do not add water to the roaster. To add more flavour, it is advisable to glaze the ham towards the last thirty minutes of cooking. When done, remove the meat from heat and let it rest for fifteen minutes or so. Remember, the meat continues to cook for a while even when removed from the oven.

To prepare the glaze, add equal amount of mustard powder brown sugar and sprinkle on the ham towards the end. Alternatively, add apricot jelly or another flavour of your choice and corn syrup, and glaze the ham.

Leftover ham can be used for other dishes like casseroles, beans, soups or stews, fritattas, omelets or in sandwiches. You can also use it in appetizers like tortilla rolls, or pastas. Ham can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to six months. Some of the popular side dishes served with ham are fried apples, baked asparagus, potatoes, and salads.

Turkey breast can be cooked in an oven, a slow cooker, deep fried, smoked or grilled. The cooking time depends on the size and mode of cooking. In an oven, turkey breast takes about forty minutes to an hour to cook, till an internal temperature of 160°F is reached. Deep frying turkey breast should take three to five minutes for each pound.

Another method to cook turkey breast is to grill it on the barbeque. Grilling takes about twenty to twenty five minutes. Before grilling flatten the turkey breast by splitting the breast bone. Cooking it in a slow cooker might take a few hours, but the resulting meat is moist and flavourful, and falls off the bone. Cooking turkey in a smoker also takes up to five or more hours, depending on the size of the turkey breast.

Turkey breast is dry and lacks flavour so make sure you season well before you cook. Mix butter or margarine and herbs of your choice to make the marinade. Spread this mixture under the skin and all over the other side of the breast. Wrap the turkey breast in foil and put on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes as required.

Another method of cooking turkey breast is by stuffing it and baking it in the oven. The stuffing includes sautéed onion, celery, mushrooms, and herbs of your choice. You can also add a soft cheese to the stuffing mix. As the meat cooks, the cheese will melt and make it more moist. Season the turkey breast on both sides with salt, black pepper, onion and garlic powder and place it in the oven.

Heat the oven to 325°F, and place the turkey breast for one and a half hours till cooked. If required use a meat thermometer to measure the doneness of the meat. The temperature should read 170°F in the thickest part of the meat.

Serve turkey breast with gravy. To make the gravy, add onions and minced garlic in a pan and brown. Now, add chicken broth, bay leaf and any brown bits of turkey left in the baking pan, and boil. To thicken the gravy add a mix of flour and water, and boil some more. Add salt, pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary to flavour the gravy. Serve with turkey breast.

The ingredients required to cook baby back ribs in the oven, include:

Baby back ribs

Marinade including brown sugar and vinegar in a ratio of one is to three

Barbeque sauce to glaze the meat

Method:

Prepare the meat first. First trim the meat to remove any excess fat or meat. Also slice the thin membrane on the meat with a paring knife. Cut it from one end, and pull it along the meat to completely remove it. If left on the meat, the ribs may become tough and chewy.

Prepare marinade by mixing brown sugar and vinegar. Add to meat and marinade for at least two to three hours. Marinating the meat with sugar and vinegar makes it softer and more tender. You can also use a dry rub to marinade the meat. In any case, marinating the meat overnight is always preferred.

Turn broil setting in the oven on. Remove the marinade and place the meat under the broiler for about fifteen minutes till the meat browns. To ensure even browning on all sides, you might have to turn the pan once during cooking.

After browning the meat, set the temperature to 375°F. Cook the meat for another twenty to thirty minutes or so. when there are fifteen minutes left, coat the meat with the barbeque sauce on both side and cook some more. The barbeque sauce should completely caramalize and coat the meat at the end.

You can also cook the ribs at 200-275°F slowly for two hours s o. slow coking the ribs results in more tender met that falls off the bone. Baste the meat with barbeque sauce in the end and cook for another fifteen minutes. Ribs can also be made in a slow cooker or deep fried.

When done, the meat should shrink away from the bone, and should be completely coated with the glaze. For beginners it is advisable to check with a meat thermometer. The temperature should read 180°F. Keep the meat on a cutting board and separate the ribs. Serve with your favourite side dish.

To cook pork spareribs, select a high quality meat and rub. There are many ready rubs available in the market that can be used to make spareribs. You will also need a barbeque sauce for glazing. The best way to cook spareribs is on the barbeque or in the oven. If you like smoked spareribs use wood chips – hickory or mesquite work well on the barbeque.

Trim the excess fat and meat to make sure the meat cooks evenly. Also remove the thin silver membrane coating the meat with a paring knife. If it is not removed, it makes the meat very chewy and tough to eat. Use a paper towel to hold the membrane if it is slippery, and pull it off the meat.

To cook on the barbeque cover the meat generously with the rub and coat evenly. Wrap the ribs with a piece of aluminium foil well, and leave it in the fridge to marinate for ten to twelve hours. This is a crucial step as it ensures that the meat cooks well and is flavourful after cooking.

Soak the wood chips in water beforehand. You can cook spareribs on a charcoal or gas barbeque. Indirect heat is usually used to cook spareribs to make sure it is tender. There is also a rack that is used to place the ribs on the grill, but if you do not have one, turn off the middle burners and cook the meat in the middle with indirect heat from the side burners.

For smoky flavour put the wood chips, wrapped in foil, on the grill and let it smoke. Punch holes in the foil pouch first. Once done, place the meat on the middle grill and smoke for two to two and a half hours. Turn the ribs two or three times while cooking. Baste the meat with barbeque sauce for the last 15 minutes of cooking. Coat both sides repeatedly till the sauce gets over. This caramelises the sugar in the barbeque sauce that sticks to the meat and adds flavour.

To cook in the oven, heat it to a temperature of 375°F. Marinate the ribs in the brown, sugar and vinegar or a rub of your choice. Cook for thirty to thirty five minutes, then brush with a barbeque sauce and keep for another fifteen minutes or so. To measure doneness, measure the temperature. Cooked ribs read 180°F on a meat thermometer.

To barbeque corn, start by soaking the corn in the husk for a few hours. Add a little salt to the water before soaking. Choose your corn carefully. The kernels should be plump and juicy without any spots or wilting. The husk outside should be green and fresh. Aged corn is not very flavorful or juicy. Corn can be had with butter or spiced up with spices and lemon.

Heat your barbeque to medium or high. Close the lid while barbequing corn but also keep a close eye on the corn. Take the corn out of the water and drain well. You can either leave the corn in the husk and soak or remove it to obtain grill marks. Prepare the corn accordingly. If cooking corn with the husk, barbeque for ten to fifteen minutes. This results in sweet corn similar to boiled or steamed corn.

If you want more char marks, cook corn without the husk. This might take longer. Make sure you keep turning the corn at repeated intervals to keep it from burning. The corn tastes nutty and sweet ad best enjoyed with a drizzle of lemon juice and salt. Corn can also be grilled with the silk. This prevents the corn from direct contact with the heat but also has the smoky flavor of the barbecue

Take the corn out when done, and wait for a few minutes. Peel the husk done and spread butter or margarine on it. If you prefer spicy corn, ad a little fresh lemon juice, sprinkle salt and a little chili pepper. Corn can be enjoyed with meat, chicken or fish dishes.

Grilled corn can be removed from the cob and added into several dishes. You can make dished like salad, corn chowders, salads, or served as is with lemon juice. Corn has several health benefits also. It has low-fat complex carbohydrate and high in fiber.

It is a source of vitamins like niacin, folic acid and vitamin C and also small amounts of phosphorous, calcium and thiamine. It maybe helpful for people suffering from heart problems, gout and constipation.

Baking a potato can take form one to one and a half hours depending on the size of the potato. A potato can be baked in a conventional oven or a microwave, the former yielding more crispy and tasty potatoes and latter takes less time.

Choose russet potatoes for baking. Choose the same size so that they cook evenly. Scrub the potato well with a brush or cloth to remove dirt. Remove any discoloration or bruises on the potato. Scour with a fork a few time around the potato. This helps the steam to escape while baking.

Dry the potato with a cloth before baking. Brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Oiling the potato before baking makes the skin crispy. Place potato in a baking sheet and bake at 350°F. A potato take about one hour or so depending on the size of  the potato.

Turn the potato half way though cooking. Check for doneness after one hour with a fork, the inside should be very soft and crumbly. You can also wrap the potato in foil while baking, which actually steam the potato and yields a soft skin.

A potato baked in the oven ca be served with a dollop of butter, sour cream, or blue cheese dressing and is usually a side dish served along with barbeque dishes. You can also flavor it with herbs like chives before serving. Although a baked potato is tasty as it is, it can be used to make several dishes

Potato salad is a popular dish served with any kind of meat, chicken or fish. Dice the boiled potatoes, and add mayonnaise, herbs, diced carrots, salt, pepper and mustard, and serve chilled. They can also be used in casseroles and soups and also used to make crispy pancakes.

Let the potato rest after baking. Be careful while peeling it as it might be very hot when it comes out of the oven. A potato can be cooked in the microwave or on the stove and takes less time. This can take from 10-20 minutes depending on the size and number of potatoes. This method is more time efficient if you want to make mashed potatoes.

Ribs are usually grilled slowly and longer at 200-225°F to yield a more juicy and flavourful taste. For grilling, you can use a wide variety of ribs, beef ribs and short ribs, pork spareribs and baby back ribs. Depending on the thickness of the meat and the mode of grilling, ribs can take anywhere form three to five hours to make.

Start by cleaning the ribs well. This includes removing the silvery membrane that prevents the marinade from penetrating the ribs. Marinate the ribs with a dry rub or sauce of your choice.

Dry rub includes a mix of spices and herbs like salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika and garlic powder. Marinades include sauces that help to tenderize the meat.

Wipe the grill clean and with a cloth dipped in oil to make sure the meat does not stick to the grill. Ensure the right temperature is reached before keeping the ribs on the grill. Ribs can be grilled on charcoal or a gas grill. To obtain a smoky flavour, place wood chips wrapped in a piece of foil with slits to the grill. Replace it in between when needed.

When cooking on a charcoal grill, wait till the coals are white and then place the wood chips and the meat. Another technique to make juicy ribs is to place an aluminium tray with water on one side of the grill. Check on the level of the water at regular intervals.

Avoid the temptation to keep checking on the ribs frequently. This opening the lid of the barbeque reduces the temperature and delays the cooking process. After three hours, check for doneness. For beginners, it is best to use a meat thermometer. The temperature of the meat should read 180°F.

Ribs can also be made in slow cooker or boiled. When making it in the slow cooker, roast at 200°F for eight to ten hours. Boiling may be the easiest method for cooking ribs but the one with least flavour. Simmer with onions, bay leaf, garlic, seasonings and water in a large pot for three to four hours. The time taken to boil ribs depends on the cut of meat. Check with a fork after four hours. The meat is done when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Spread barbeque sauce over the ribs and serve.

The best way to grill chicken depends on whether you are grilling whole chicken, chicken breast or chicken thighs. Though it is not necessary to marinate chicken, if you do, it adds flavour to the meat and takes less time to cook. Keeping the skin intact while grilling, results in a crispy outside and tender meat inside.

Whatever your choice of meat may be, make sure you cook the chicken on medium heat to avoid burning the meat. Always have a spray bottle of water handy in case of flare ups.

Chicken can be grilled using direct or indirect heat. When using indirect heat turn the side burners on and turn the middle burner off and place the chicken on it. Though the chicken takes longer to cook on indirect heat, it is more succulent and flavourful. Baste the chicken with the marinade or barbeque sauce while cooking.

Grilling chicken in the rotisserie is another excellent to make good chicken. Place a piece of foil beneath the chicken to collect the dripping fat. This method might take the longest but the taste makes it well worth the wait.

If you want to grill spicy chicken, marinade the meat (preferably boneless) in yogurt, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, cumin powder, pepper and a little lemon juice. Marinade for at least three to four hours. Season with salt just before placing it on the hot grill. Makes sure the grill is clean and wiped with oil before placing the chicken on it.

To grill whole chicken, grill the chicken on each side for thirty minutes till done. Make sure the chicken is cooked by checking the thickest part of the meat. If you are using chicken pieces, grill for a total of thirty minutes, making sure to turn after regular intervals. To check for doneness, check with a digital meat thermometer. Cooked chicken has an internal temperature of 170°F.

Chicken has to be cooked well before eating. Raw chicken may contain harmful bacteria that are unsafe for you. Also make sure that you do not cross contaminate other foods when cooking chicken.

How long to boil crab legs depends on the size of the crab legs. Cooking time varies from five to ten minutes for precooked crab legs, or 15-20 minutes for uncooked raw crab legs.

To prepare crab legs first leave it in the refrigerator for eight to ten hours. Fresh meat always tastes better than frozen. The process of freezing and defrosting result in loss of flavour and should be kept to a minimum.

Wash the crab legs well to remove the salty taste. You might have to soak them for a while and clean a few times before the entire salt and fishy flavour is washed off.

Inquire about the condition of the crab legs before buying. Crab legs can be bought precooked or completely raw. If using precooked crab legs (pinkish or red in colour), adjust the cooking time accordingly. Precooked crab legs will require boiling for lesser time than uncooked ones.

Take a large pot and add water and seasonings. Make sure the water is boiling when you add the crab legs. You can add garlic, lemon and salt to the water to add flavour. Drain the water off well before serving. Crab legs are enjoyed with a little drizzle of butter and dipping sauce of your choice. Serve along with salad or boiled corn on the cob.

The best meat is found in Spider crabs, more common in Europe, and Alaskan King crab, popular in North America. The meat in the crab legs is white and the sweet and succulent flavour is cherished by all. A portion of 225-450g is usually enough for one person.

Either buy crab legs frozen or fresh. If you buy fresh or thawed crab legs, you have to cook them within two days. Usually crab legs are cooked at the time of catching on the fishing boats and flash frozen to keep the flavour intact. Therefore it is important not to overcook them or freeze and thaw repeatedly.

Crab legs can be steamed, baked or cooked in the microwave. To bake crab legs, preheat the oven at 350°F, and bake for eight to nine minutes. To steam, place the crab legs in a steaming basket over a boiling pan of water. Add seasoning and lemon wedges to the boiling water. In order to cook the crab leg in the microwave, wrap them in a damp towel to prevent drying and cook on high for two to three minutes.

The time required to bake pork chops depends on the size of pork chops. Usually it takes about thirty minutes to thirty five minutes to bake pork chops at 400 to 425°F.

For baking pork chops you need the following:

Baking or cookie sheet
Pork chops (2 per person)
Cooking spray to lightly coat the pan
Seasonings, salt and pepper and herbs of your choice
A pair of tongs to flip the meat

You can either buy boneless or pork chops with bones. Ask the butcher to trim the excess fat if desired. A little amount of fat is good for flavour; meat devoid of fat tends to make the meat dry.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Marinate the pork chops with a dry mix or herbs of your choice. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray lightly. Place the pork chops in the baking sheet. Shake off the excess marinade first.

Bake pork chops for 30-35 minutes till golden brown on both sides. When done, take the meat out of the oven and let it rest for five minutes or so, to let the juices rest.

To make pork chops with onions place water in pan, add chopped onions, and add pork chops on top of the onions. Season the pork chops on both sides first. Add more water and cover the pork chops. Bake at 450°F for one hour. This method yields succulent pork chops. Take out the pork chops and add barbeque sauce over the meat. If you want to brown the meat further, place it under the broiler for three to five minutes.

Pork chops can also be cooked in a skillet. Add oil in the skillet and cook the pork chops on medium to high heat. Make sure you season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. For thin chops, cooking for six to eight minutes should be sufficient. Serve with a sauce of your choice.

When handling meat, be careful not to cross contaminate other foods. If possible, handle the meat with gloves, while seasoning. Otherwise, wash your hands and cutting board well. It is always advisable to thaw your meat in the refrigerator and not leave it outside for too long.

Ground beef is loaded with flavour and can be used to make a large variety of dishes. This includes hamburgers, meat loaf, casseroles, patties, pastas, and cabbage rolls to name a few. Add your favourite spices and flavours to prepare a dish that appeals to you. There are endless recipes and flavours that can be added to ground beef, only a few will be discussed here.

Buy ground beef that has a little amount of fat. As with all other cuts of meat, fat adds flavour. If you prefer totally lean meat then makes sure that you add lots of flavour while cooking, and avoid overcooking the meat. Ground beef takes less time compared to other meats. Thaw the ground beef well before cooking. Either defrost it for a while in the freezer, or leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

The important thing to remember while cooking ground beef is to ensure that you add spices and flavourings at the beginning, and use a spatula to break the larger pieces to ensure even cooking. Drain any excess fat after browning, and do not overcook it. Avoid adding water, and let the beef cook in its own fat. If making a curry, you can always add more liquid later.

To make ground beef and rice casserole, add chopped onions in a hot skillet along with ground beef. Add salt and pepper and other spices to your skillet and brown the meat. Once the meat is browned add tomato sauce, converted rice and a little boiling water. Stir and add to a baking dish. Cover with grated cheese. Bake this casserole dish at 350°F for twenty minutes or so till the liquid is absorbed and the cheese melts.

Another popular dish made with ground beef is hamburger. The ingredients added to the beef before grilling include egg, bread crumbs, onion, and garlic, chopped fresh herbs like parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well and make into round flat patties. Keep in the fridge for a few minutes to help the patties firm up. The hamburger can then be grilled on a barbeque or baked in the oven till done. Serve on buns with a slice of cheese, onions, and tomato.

To add ground beef to pastas, brown ground beef with onion and garlic and add to sautéed vegetables, sauce and boiled pasta. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.

Rice is best when fluffy and light. Nobody likes to eat gummy and overcooked rice. The best way to cook recipe is to add a measured amount of water and cook at low to medium heat for the right amount of time.

It is best to rinse the rice a few times first before cooking. Rinsing gets rid of any added salts or powders, and also makes the rice less sticky. Then soak the grains for 15-20 minutes. The rice grains imbibe water and cook faster. It also makes the grains less brittle. Soaking is advisable especially for aged long-grained basmati rice.

Short grain rice takes less water and cooks faster whereas brown rice requires more water and takes longer to cook. Short grain rice is also high in starch content and usually eaten with stir fries. Basmati rice goes well with all curries, and as a side dish. As a rule, the volume of water required is double the amount of rice. Adding more water makes the rice starchier.

Boil water first before adding the rice. Add the measured amount of rice, and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. This step is important, as keeping the pot open leads to evaporation of the water and the rice maybe left a little uncooked. Reduce the heat once the water comes to a boil. Let it cook for 12-13 minutes before turning the gas off completely.

Check if it is done by removing the lid, and then let the rice rest for a few minutes before serving. An alternate way is to boil the rice in a large pot with excess water. Check the rice with a spoon after twelve to thirteen minutes. Once the rice is cooked, the water can be drained, and rice left in the strainer to dry.

Make sure you use a fork to fluff up the rice, and not break the grains by turning it again and again. Rice is made well in microwaves and in rice cookers also. You can fry vegetables like diced carrots, onions, peas, and cauliflower and add it to the rice. Usually the vegetables are sautéed a little before adding the water and rice. The veggies cook along with the rice. Add spices like cumin, saffron, and cinnamon sticks make the rice more aromatic.

The most common way of cooking corn on the cob is by boiling it. Corn can be boiled with or without the husk. Some people prefer only warming the husk and others like it well done when the corn becomes very soft. Boil accordingly to your preference from three to seven minutes. The silk can be removed before boiling by running it under cold water or is easily removed after boiling the corn.

Corn can also be cooked in the microwave. Warp the corn in warm towels, and cook them on high in the microwave for six to nine minutes for two to three pieces. Adjust the time accordingly when cooking six or more pieces. Turn it once halfway through, and check for doneness at the end of the cooking time. Season the corn with salt pepper, and dress with butter or lemon according to taste.

Other methods for making corn include boiling it in a pressure cooker or steaming it. If you prefer baking corn, wrap it in foil and put it in the oven it till done.

Some people prefer grilling corn on the barbeque. Char marks on the corn from the grill add more flavour. Adding a little lemon, salt, black and chilli pepper adds extra zing to it. Another favoured recipe is honey roasted sweet corn which is made by brushing corn with honey and roasting it.

Corn is a component of important food items like cereals, snacks and soft drinks. It is a good source of Vitamin B1, B5, folate, vitamin C, fibre, manganese and phosphorous. Studies have also shown that corn is also rich in phenolic antioxidants.

Boiled corn is a popular item served with barbeque chicken, fish or other meats. It can also be served as a side dish with green chillies and onions. Corn is also added in soups, chilli and chowder.

It is best to eat corn when it is freshly picked; once it ages it loses it flavour and becomes dry. When choosing corn peel the husk back and make sure the kernels are plump and not shrivelled up. The kernels should be even and tightly arranged in rows. The husk and the stem should be green and not yellow. Also inspect the corn for any worms. Always tightly wrap the corn along with the husk in plastic when storing in the refrigerator.

The best way to grill a steak starts with choosing a good cut of meat, seasoning it well, and cooking it for the right amount of time.

Choose a steak between three quarters of an inch to one and a half inches thick. If the steak is too thin, it dries out quickly, and if it is too thick, it is tough to cook it through. Also, keep in mind that selecting a steak with fat content keeps it moist. Steaks with little or no fat lack in flavour and dry out easily.

The best cuts of meat for steaks are the rib-eye, strip, tenderloin and the porterhouse. Some prefer tender cuts of meat with little fat, while others prefer steaks with a healthy amount of marbling or fat content. Choose a cut of meat that meets your preference. Another factor that affects the quality of steaks is the age of the meat. Steaks that have been aged are more tender and mellow in flavour.

The ingredients required for grilling a steak include meat, kosher salt, black pepper, other herbs, spices or seasonings like dried thyme, oregano, mustard powder, onion powder, paprika and olive oil.

Pre heat the grill for 10-15 minutes. Rub the salt and spices on the meat and let it stand for ten to fifteen minutes or so. Oil the grill and wipe it down to prevent the meat from sticking to the grill. Place it on the grill and cook it on each side for three to five minutes for medium rare. The amount of time depends on the thickness of the steak. Cooking the steak to medium or well done may take a few minutes longer.

To create cross-hatched grill marks, turn the steaks 90 degrees halfway through cooking for both sides. To check the steak for doneness, use a digital meat thermometer. For medium rare cook to 145°F and to 160°F for medium. Medium rare cooked steak is seared with grill marks from outside and a fully red centre. Steaks cooked to medium have a gray brown outside and a red to pink outside, and steaks cooked to medium well done is brown outside with a light pink centre. Meats cooked beyond this stage tend to become dry and lack in flavour.

Finally, to ensure the grilled steak maintains its flavour, let the meat rest for a few minutes before slicing. Meat constricts when heated and allowing it to rest allows the meat to relax and restores the juices and flavour.

Shrimp is easy to cook. When boiling shrimp, check for change in color of the shrimp. A pinkish color indicates that the shrimps are cooked. The time taken to boil shrimp depends on the size of the shrimp. As with all other fish and meat, shrimps also should not be overcooked as they become tough and rubbery.

Medium size shrimps take from five to seven minutes to cook, larger shrimps take a little longer and smaller sized ones take less. Make sure you add the shrimps only when the water is boiling. After the shrimps are added into the water, you can take it off the heat, and let the shrimps cook in the hot water. Take the shrimps out as soon as they change color.

To add extra flavour to the shrimps, add a few slices of lemon, and bay leaf to the boiling water. The shrimps absorb the flavour while boiling. If you are making shrimp stock, you can boil the heads of shrimps along with carrots, celery, peppercorns, parsley, thyme, lemongrass, ginger and garlic. Simmer till liquid is reduced and then use the stock for other dishes like rice, soup, and other sauces.

You can buy shrimps fresh or frozen. Buy shrimps deveined with the shell intact. Thaw the shrimps well before cooking by running under cold water for 15-20 minutes. Once thawed and at room temperature proceed to boiling. Boiled shrimps can be served as appetizers with a cocktail sauce, or can be added into salads. Cocktail sauce is made with ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper and hot sauce (optional).

Shrimps can be cooked in various ways. You can brush shrimp with a little marinade or butter and broil it for a few minutes, or sauté with garlic and butter in a saucepan. To make sauce, add a little white wine, fresh herbs, fish stock and squeeze a little lemon juice before serving. Instead of boiling, shrimps can also be deep fried after tossing it in seasoned flour or spiced bread crumbs.

Shrimps are also known as prawns and come in many sizes and varieties like salt water, cold water, warm water, white, tiger, brown, pink, gulf and rock shrimp. Shrimps are a popular seafood added into pasta dishes, stir fries, curry dishes, salads, snacks and rice dishes like paella.

Broiling steak is an alternate method to cook steak if you do not have access to a grill, or want to cook indoors in the winters. How long you broil steak depends on the thickness of the meat, and whether you want to cook the meat rare, medium rare or well done.

Choose a good cut of meat to start with. Make sure the meat is completely thawed and at room temperature before you start cooking it. Also pat the meat dry and season well. There are a lot of steak seasonings available in the market. Season the steak well on both sides. Use salt to season the steak just before placing it in the broiler pan. Salt draws out moisture from the meat and should not be added to marinades beforehand.

Preheat the broiler and broiler pan for five to ten minutes on high before adding the meat. It is important to sear the meat first. Add a little butter and olive oil into a skillet and sear the meat on both sides. A one-inch thick steak takes about one to two minutes to sear on each side.

After searing, place the meat in the preheated broiler pan in the centre of the pan. To prepare rare steaks, cook for three to four minutes on each side and for medium rare steaks cook for five to six minutes on each side. Overcooking the meeting might dry out the meat and make it less flavourful. Calculate the time of cooking depending upon the thickness of the steak; you can check the doneness of your steak with a meat thermometer. Experiment with the seasoning to select one that is palatable to your taste.

After cooking the meat let it rest for five minutes or so before cutting into the meat. Cook your steaks so that they have a crispy outside and chewy tender inside. Steaks can also be grilled or pan fried.

A typical meal with steak is served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Another combination served with steaks called “surf and turf” consists of a shrimp or other sea food dishes like lobster tail. Steaks are also served with sauces made of tomatoes, spices, vinegar, raisins and anchovies (optional). Steak sandwiches are also popular and served with slices of meat topped with cheese, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and sometimes accompanied with cole slaw, eggs and French fries.

Steaks are made from different cuts of meat, and named accordingly. These include, chuck, cube, flank, rib eye, sirloin, strip, T-bone steaks. Other cuts of meat, similar to beef steaks can also be cooked in the same way.

Sweet potatoes are baked in a 350-400°F oven, the time depending on their size and whether these are cooked whole or cut into small pieces.

Make sure you keep the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet when you keep it in the oven. They can drip while cooking, and it is better not to keep the sweet potato directly on the grill. You can leave the sweet potatoes unpeeled while baking and to enjoy the crispy skin outside. Prick it with a fork in a few places first. Upon completion add butter or sour cream to the cooked sweet potatoes to add more flavour. Whole potatoes take about 30-45 minutes to bake. Squeeze and check for doneness.

Wrapping whole, unpeeled sweet potatoes in foil steams them, and does not yield a crispy outside. This method works well if you want to prepare mashed potatoes.

Alternately, peel and chop sweet potatoes into pieces, drizzle with olive oil, garlic and salt and bake till tender. This method takes only 5-10 minutes, and results in baked, caramelized sweet potatoes that can be mashed, served as a side dish or added into another dish like a casserole.

Sweet potatoes can also be cut into long fries or wedges and baked in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or so till cooked and golden brown. Sprinkle fries with salt and serve.

Sweet potatoes can also be wrapped in plastic and cooked in the microwave for 20-25 minutes till soft. This can be served with toppings like butter, brown sugar, marshmallows, or cinnamon.

Sweet potatoes pies are also favoured for dessert. Bake potatoes as mentioned above, peel and mash them well. Add eggs, brown sugar, cream, and flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla essence and whisk well to prepare the pie filling. Prepare the pie crust by mixing graham crackers, brown sugar and butter. Press firmly along the bottom and sites of a pie plate, and bake for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven. Cool and add the pie filling to the crust. Sprinkle some brown sugar on top and bake again for about 40 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature with whipped cream (optional).

Rich in carbohydrates, sweet potatoes are good for health and provide protein, Vitamin A, C, iron and calcium. Sweet potatoes blend well with spices such as rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg etc, and served as casseroles, main dishes, salads, dessert sand even as baby food.

Filet mignon, French for “dainty fillet” or “cute fillet” is a cut of meat taken from the tenderloin of the steer or heifer. It is a very tender and the most expensive cut of meat. Filet Mignon is very easy to grill provided you keep a few pointers in mind.

Thaw the cut of meat well a few hours before grilling. Use barbeque spices to marinate the meat while it is thawing. Although not required, a strip of bacon can also be wrapped around the filet mignon while grilling to make it flavourful. Rub the spices on the meat and leave it on for thirty to forty minutes before grilling. Never salt your meat beforehand. It draws out moisture from the meat and leaves it dry. It is always advisable to season any meat with salt just before grilling it.

Wait till the meat reaches room temperature before grilling it. Heat the grill to medium high and wipe it well with oil to clean it. Filet Mignon is grilled in two steps. First sear the meat on direct heat for three minutes on each side to get grill marks on the meat. Then cook it on indirect heat for one to six minutes on each side. To do this, make sure the side burners on your barbeque are on and the middle burner is off.

Never use a fork to move or remove your meat from the grill. Poking or tearing your meat while cooking releases juices from the meat that make it dry. Always use tongs to flip your meat. Most people enjoy Filet Mignon when cooked to medium rare, but if preferred it can always be cooked to medium.

To check whether the meat is cooked to perfection, use a digital meat thermometer. At medium rare the temperature of the meat is 125-128°F. Keep in mind that overcooking this cut of meat makes it chewy and less flavourful.

Place the meat in a warm plate and allow it to rest for five minutes or so before cutting it. This allows the juices and flavours in the meat to settle. The meat can then be sliced and served.

Filet mignon can also be cooked in an oven or seared in a skillet and served. A sauce made with shallots, red wine, butter and a little flour or with rosemary and cream can be served with this preparation.

Hamburgers are best cooked on a grill but if required can be broiled in an oven. The trick is to use beef with a little fat in it so that the burgers remain moist and do not dry out after cooking. One pound of ground beef makes generally eight patties. Season the meat well and flavour it with spices and herbs of your choice. The ingredients for a basic hamburger are as follows:

Ground beef
Salt
Pepper
Egg
Garlic or onion powder
Bread crumbs or flour
Tomato Ketchup
Fresh or dried herbs of your choice (like parsley, thyme).

Mix all the ingredients together, and make round, flat patties which is less than an inch thick. Use a wooden spoon or a Pattie Press to make perfectly shaped patties. Keep the patties on a sheet and put it in the fridge for sometime to ensure that the patties do not break while cooking.

Turn the oven on to the broiler position, or heat it to 350°F. It takes about 35-40 minutes to cook hamburgers in the oven. When the oven is heated, place the patties in the oven. Cook on each side till brown. Adding a gravy or sauce on top while cooking keeps the hamburger moist and prevents from drying out.

A tip to making extra sumptuous burgers is to fold some soft cheese like goat cheese or mozzarella in the middle of the burgers. When it cooks in the oven, the cheese melts and the combination of a crispy outside and cheesy centre adds extra flavour to the burger. Sauces like barbeque sauce can also be used to baste the burgers while cooking.

Burgers are usually served on buns, with several garnishes and sauces. Hamburgers can be served with a salad and soup or with healthy greens. The condiments can include mayonnaise, cole slaw, tomato and cheese slices, lettuce, mustard hot peppers, and plain old ketchup.

Burgers can also be made with other lean meats of your choice like ground chicken or turkey or even with salmon. Leaner meats and fish are bland compared to red meat and thus it is important to add more flavour to the burgers while cooking. Marinating the meat before cooking helps it absorb more flavour and also helps tenderize it.

1. Salmon is very good for grilling and a very healthy choice for you. There are a few tips to remember when grilling fish.

2. Choose a steak or fillet of salmon that is about an inch or so thick.

3. You can choose to have the skin on or off. It is easier to season and flavour the fish with the skin off, but for beginners it can be challenging to take the skin off. After grilling, the skin comes off easily and can be flavoured with sauces of your choice.

4. Salmon has its own flavour but even then it is important to flavour the fish. Seasoning the fish with salt and pepper on both sides is important before grilling. Marinades with garlic and herbs can also be used.

5. Make sure to marinade the fish only for 10-15 minutes. The acidic marinades start cooking the flesh of the fish immediately upon addition, and keeping it too long in the marinade makes the flesh too soft.

6. Popular marinades include mayonnaise-based and lemon marinades made with white wine. The flavour can be adjusted according to one’s taste. The same marinade can also be used to glaze the fish while cooking.

7. Heat the grill, spray oil on it and wipe it well to ensure the fish does not stick to the grill.

8. Before placing the fish n the grill make sure you dap it dry with a paper towel to prevent the marinade from burning.

9. Grill the fish till it turns opaque and then turn it on the other side to do the same. Salmon takes about 8-10 minutes to cook on both sides. Keep the temperature between medium to high, and do not let fire directly touch the fish to prevent it from burning.

10. For weight watchers, a healthy way to grill fish is by wrapping the fish in foil along with salt pepper and a little lemon and grilling it for 7-10 minutes. You do not have to use oil for this recipe.

11. Salmon can also be served with pineapple salsa made with chunks of pineapple, jalapeno peppers, a little chopped red onion, sugar, mint, lemon juice and salt to taste. A great sauce that also goes with salmon is made white wine, garlic and cream cheese. This is heated and stirred till a sauce-consistency is reached. Pour it over the fish when it is ready.

Hamburger steak, also known as Salisbury steak is made with ground beef made in the oval shape of a steak and served in gravy with noodles or mashed potatoes. You can use lean meat or a mixture of lean and meat with a little fat to make juicy steaks. To cook a hamburger steak add chopped onions, dry parsley, crushed garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper along with a little flour or bread crumbs to the ground meat. Egg can also be added which acts as a binding agent. Mix it well, and make round thick patties.

It is best to cook steaks on a hot well-oiled grill. Alternatively, these steaks can also be cooked on a hot skillet. Brown the patties on both sides for about two or three minutes till the steak browns and reaches a temperature of 140-160°F. Make sure the patties are cooked through and not pink from inside. Patties that are three fourth of an inch to one inch thick cook well inside without burning on the outside. Make sure you don’t pat the burger too much to prevent the juices from coming out.

Extra flavour can be added to the hamburger steak by marinating it with a little Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock for a few hours before cooking. Other spices that can be added include chilli powder, garlic or onion powder, fresh herbs like parsley or thyme, green chillies and other Asian spices.

Gravy served with hamburger steaks is made from butter, mushrooms, flour, and water or beef stock for added flavour. Fry the mushrooms in a pan till soft or browned, then add flour and cook it a little before adding some water and beef stock. Stir while cooking till the gravy is smooth. A little cream can also be added to make the gravy rich. The juices from the steak can also be used to flavour the gravy.

Pour the gravy on top of the steaks, and simmer for a while to make the burgers moist. Serve along with fries, mashed potatoes rice and veggies of your own choice.

Though the hamburger steak originated in North America, it is a popular meal all over the world. In Japan, these are made with various spices and also vacuum packed for lunch along with sauce. Similarly, in Hawaii, hamburger steaks are served with macaroni salad and rice.

Hot water cornbread is an excellent way to make cornbread without using the oven, and is usually made on a skillet. It is a popular southern recipe and requires a few basic ingredients like self-rising cornmeal (two cups), egg (one), sugar (one tablespoon), all purpose flour (two tablespoons) and hot water (one and a half cups). This recipe is enough to make 10-20 cakes and serves around 8-10 people.

It is important to use hot water to start the cooking process of the cornmeal. This batter is thicker than pancakes so adjust the amount of hot water to ensure the right consistency of the batter. The amount of sugar in the cornbread can also be adjusted or completely avoided to suit one’s taste. Egg may not be used in some recipes. Variations in this recipe also include the addition of minced onion and garlic.

To prepare cornbread, mix all the ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture and the batter is smooth. Heat a skillet and add some vegetable oil on it. The oil should be heated before adding the batter to it. This prevents the cornbread from sticking to the pan.

Add one tablespoon of the batter on the skillet and smooth it out with the spoon so that it forms a flat circle. Flip it when it is light brown to the other side and cook it through. It generally takes a piece three to five minutes to cook.

Place the cooked bread on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Serve when cooled. It is important to cook the cakes on medium to high heat to ensure that the cornbread cooks right through. Cook the cakes till the desired crispiness is reached.

Keep the skillet hot and oiled, to prevent the pan from burning. Make sure that the consistency of the left over batter is adjusted with hot water before frying the cornbreads. Olive oil can be used instead of butter for frying the cornbread.
Cornbread can be eaten for breakfast with syrup or honey or as a snack in the afternoon. It can be eaten with jam or with fresh fruit, or with Southern dishes like catfish, chicken, and green vegetables. Hot water cornbread is also popularly eaten with soups, chillies and stews and is an important component of Southern cuisine.

Salmon is a very popular fish and very healthy choice due to its high protein and Omega-3 fatty acid content. The time required to broil a piece of salmon depends on its thickness. Generally, an inch of fish is broiled for 10 minutes or so. It is not advisable to overcook salmon, as it becomes dry and rubbery. Keep in mind that the fish continues to cook for several minutes after it is removed from the oven, so it is important not to keep it in the oven longer than required.

In order to add flavor and moisture into the fish, olive oil and lemon is sprinkled on the fish. Salmon is very easy to cook. Make sure the fish is thawed completely before putting in the oven. Also, select a steak or fillet of equal thickness so that it cooks through evenly.

In order to broil salmon, place the piece of salmon on a piece of foil. Spray it lightly with cooking oil to prevent it from sticking. Sprinkle salt, pepper, olive oil, some herbs of your choice and 1-2 slices of lemon on it.

Turn the broiler part of the oven on beforehand to preheat the oven and place the salmon in the oven till done. There is no requirement to flip the fish. Salmon is done when the fish becomes flaky and changes color from pink to a darkish opaque color.

Salmon can be placed in a broiler pan or placed on a rack and cookie sheet and broiled in the oven. Cooking salmon with the skin on keeps the fish from falling apart. The skin comes off easily after taking it out from the oven.

Salmon can also be baked or grilled. Grilling the fish gives it good grill marks. Both grilling and broiling, helps to caramelize the fish and imparts more flavor. Salmon can be served alone, but is also served with baked potatoes and simple lemon or butter sauce, made with white wine. Some of the common flavors and herbs that go well with salmon include basil, parsley, dill, lemon, garlic, pesto and coconut milk in Thai recipes.

Various studies have shown that foods such as salmon that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids are good for health and provide protection against heart diseases, lower triglyceride levels, controls high blood pressure, provides protection against stroke, prevents obesity, improves insulin response and may even decrease the risk of cancer.

Sweet potato casserole is made with mashed sweet potatoes and topped with a crunchy topping made with pecans. The ingredients for six servings include:

Sweet potato – 2 cups, cubed
Sugar- ¼ cup
Eggs- 1, beaten
Salt – 1 tsp
Margarine or Butter – 2 tablespoons at room temperature
Milk- ¼ cup
Vanilla extract – ¼ tsp

Ingredients for the topping include:
Brown sugar – ¼ cup
Pecans – ¼ cup, chopped
All purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
Margarine or butter 1 ⅓ cup, softened
Coconut flakes (which is optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Celsius. Boil water in a saucepan. Put sweet potatoes in water, and cook on medium heart till tender. Drain water, peel and mash sweet potatoes.
Mix sweet potatoes, sugar, egg, salt, butter or margarine, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl with the sweet potatoes. Continue till smooth.

Add the sweet potatoes in a buttered casserole dish. To make the topping, mix the flour, sugar and optional ingredient coconut. Add butter in chunks together with pecans and layer this mixture on top of the sweet potato mixture. Bake this in the oven for 30 minutes or so till light brown. When done, take it out of the oven, and let it cool a little before serving.

This dish can be served with a marshmallow topping, or with other nuts added instead of pecans. For added flavor, use cinnamon and you can also replace milk with orange juice. This recipe can be modified to make it suitable for people watching their calorie intake. For this replace butter with low fat margarine and use skim milk, instead of regular milk. Beat egg whites till the formation of “hard peaks”, and mix it gently into the sweet potato mixture along with pecans, instead of adding the topping mixture.

This recipe is very popular in holiday dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas, and is one of the traditonal American dishes. Other popular recipes that can be made with sweet potatoes include mashed sweet potatoes with honey and marshmallows, sweet potatoes with apple butter, sweet potato pie, stuffed sweet potatoes, sweet potato chips, sweet potato butter and even simply boiled and consumed.

Sweet potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, fiber, Vitamin A, C and B6. It is also considered a healthy food for diabetics as some studies have suggested that it lowers the insulin resistance and helps stabilize the blood glucose levels.

Fleas are small insects, adults being 1.5-3.5 mm long and seen by the naked eye. These wingless insects are found all over the world, and have large hind legs that help it move around fur and hair by jumping or leaping. Fleas are dark brownish to blackish in color, and have small compressed bodies that help it maneuver around small crevices. In order to attach their bodies to surfaces it has spines that project backwards from their bodies.

Due to the small size, it might be hard to detect. Flea eggs are oval shaped and white in color and can be seen on carpets and other furniture around the house. Fleas are parasites that feed on warm blooded animals like cats and dogs and are frequently found inhabiting their fur and bedding. These pests thrive in warm and humid places.

The life cycle of a flea includes the larval and the papal stage. Eggs hatch in a week and larvae are also white in color. Full grown larva spin a cocoon to pupate after two to three weeks and the pupal stage lasts for six to seven weeks. The pupa emerges only when the condition are favorable and can remain in the cocoon throughout the winter season.

As all parasites fleas are also carriers of certain diseases of parasitic worms. Flea bites result in itchy redness on the skin that disappears after a few days. This is a reaction to flea saliva which is injected into the skin while feeding. Though, people gradually become immune to flea bites, some people might be allergic to flea bites and might require treatment in case they are bitten by one.

Though it is not hard to detect fleas, it might be a challenging to remove it from your house, and pets. Check your dog or cat for fleas regularly. The common areas to check are behind the ears and the area around the nose. If your pet is irritable and itchy all the time, this might be an indication of flea infestation. There are insecticides available in the market that can rid your pet and house of fleas. Clean and vacuum your house on a routinely basis and take extra care to suck out dirt from corners and crevices. Clean your pets bedding with hot water. Fleas infestation can cause great discomfort to your pet, so make sure you consult a veterinarian for proper advise.

Start with a list of requirements for your vacation. Besides the important documents such as your ID card and tickets, there is useful stuff that is required during a vacation. Preparation for a vacation depends on the destination and the number of days for which our visit is planned.

Copy of documents: it is advisable to have a copy of your documents saved elsewhere before planning a trip, in case of a mishap.

Electronics: pack electronics like camera to take pictures to make your trip memorable. Also include your cell phone, iPod/MP3 players and extra batteries, charger, and adapters, if you are travelling to another continent.

Extra clothes: always keep a few extra pieces of clothes in your suitcase for emergency. Also, depending on your destination, have something warm to wear even if going to a summer destination.

Cash: keep extra cash in your wallet and avoid relying solely on credit cards. Your trip might be totally prepaid but it is advisable to keep a little cash just in case you need it.

Maps: in case you are driving to your destination, buy a map which gives detailed instructions to the destination of buy a GPS to aid you. When travelling to a destination far from home keeping a travel guide might be a good idea too.

First aid kit: keep a small first aid kit including band aids, antiseptic cream, pain reliever and your important medications.

Carry on luggage: instead of packing and checking in all your clothing, keep an extra set of clothes with you in your carry on luggage to help you in the event that your luggage is misplaced.

Emergency numbers: although an emergency contact should be listed on your passport, have an extended list of emergency numbers with you.

While packing for a vacation, there are so many factors to consider. Travelling with small children can be challenging, the list becomes extended to include some of their toys and activities to keep them busy. Make sure you check the requirements of the airline well in advance and pack within the weight allowance.

Vacation is a time to have fun and enjoy with your family and friends. The focus should be on enjoying and making the most of your trip. Do not get burdened by planning a perfect trip and trying to pack every possible item you might need. Vacations should also be an adventure for you and your family.

The heaviest breed of dog is the English Mastiff. It weighs 110 to 343 lbs and its height is normally 25 inches at the shoulder to 36 inches. It is a big strong dog who has the strength to pull 7300lbs.

Its original inhabitant is not known. According to one hypothesis this creature was first found in Central Asia (possible larger area of Iran) and in South Africa. It was only through ancient relics, drawings and sculptures discovered later that it existed in the African area well before Christ. The mastiff was used for hunting and in war between tribes or for dog fights.

Down the ages the mastiff caught the fancy of the powerful Romans who were on a conquering spree and the mastiff was extensively used in the war. The Romans on their invasion of British found this breed useful, therefore, brought it along with them.

The mastiff was not the original inhabitant of Britain. Some traders of African Descendents brought this breed when they migrated to Britain. The rich bought this breed due to its fearful size to hunt first for food and then later on when hunting was banned were kept as pets.

The extensive use of this breed in human fights, took a toll on the numbers on this breed and its number began to decrease. Some Traders began to look elsewhere to increase its numbers as it was a very useful dog. Eventually they found a breed which would mate with mastiff bitch in America. Though they succeeded genetically but found that the litter thus born were not that ferocious or as strong as its ancestors. Such puppies were lethargic and slow and lacked the killer instinct.

In the Twentieth Century this breed was basically kept as pets as there were no wars or hunting allowed by law. Thus being lethargic and slow they were kept in the confines of the house and they growled at strangers but became active when provoked. They love to be cuddled and are loved by children despite their size.

The bloodhound and the English Bull dog are the descendants of the original Old Molossus breed of Africa. But the English Mastiff is the original Mastiff.

There are other heavy breeds of dog include St. Bernard which weighs 150 to 260 lbs, Irish Wolf hound which weighs 120 lbs, and Great Dane which weighs 200lbs.

Physical fitness is a term associated with the body in general. There are various aspects of how to stay fit. Primarily it is an act to remain fit to function effectively in daily routine and remain healthy.

Metabolic Fitness: This basically describes the percentage of fat bone and muscles in humans. It varies from person to person considering the height and weight which determine leanness. Fat is determined by considering the thickness of mass below the dermis of the skin. The correct amount of fat in a body is the job of a specialist, who can advise one how to maintain the correct fat in the body. Adequate nutrition and exercise are the main solutions to reduce fat. Ideally, an adult should have 8 to 17 percent of fat in the body.

Cardio Respiratory Fitness: This is the most effective effort to maintain a healthy life style. It is important to take steps to keep the circulation of blood oxygen to the heart. This helps blood to reach the remote parts of the body through body tissues. Regular exercise is an effective way to strengthen the heart muscles so that blood is distributed through the arteries to the whole body. Yoga is an effective way to improve the respiratory system by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body so that oxygenated blood is evenly distributed throughout the body through tissues and arteries

Bone Integrity: Though not so prevalent in the West yet, Yoga Asana is the best say to keep the inelastic joints and muscles to supple and lubricate them. It keeps the body healthy-be it joints, arthritis or allied disease.

Muscular Endurance: Aerobic exercises are the most popular way to exercise all body muscles. Certain yogic exercises, done under supervision, are very helpful to muscular endurance to defeat fatigue throughout the day.

Strength Training: These are basically meant for athletes. Running, jogging, swimming and stretching are the easiest functions to keep bone density, ligament, joints and cardiac functions in shape. Besides athletes, these exercises can also be undertaken by any one to keep the above functions in shape.

In essence physical fitness is an important aspect of keeping healthy and should be incorporated into one’s daily routine. It is a dedicated mindset that drives a human being to keep and extend his life span. Junk foods are best confined to the dustbin. A balanced diet and dedicated exercise mentioned above gives a vibrate life style and an active brain.

There are thousands of poisons in cigarettes. They include:

Tar: a sticky substance which infects the lungs and deposits itself in the arteries. Normally tar is derived from coal and is the residual remnant after crude oil is purified. It is used for laying roads

Carbon monoxide: deadly fumes of car exhausts. It is a fossil burnt gas and responsible for depleting the ozone layer

DDT: banned insecticide and a deadly carcinogenic

Acetone: is commonly found in nail polish remover

Ammonia: it is a component of many cleaning products

Butane: commonly found in lighter fluid

Hydrogen Cyanide: used as a poison

Polonium (radioactive): radioactive compound which causes serious tissue damage.

Nicotine: this is also used in bug sprays. This compound is responsible for causing addiction to cigarette smoking. Nicotine makes the smokers feel alert and increases the blood pressure.

Heavy metals like nickel and cadmium which act as neurotoxins.

Other than these there many other carcinogens which are found in the cigarette and cigarette smoke.

All cigarettes are poisonous, even the “lite” or medium or low tar types. Health damage caused by cigarettes include cancer of the lung, throats, mouth, and organs like kidneys, stomach , pancreas, etc. Toxic smoke released into the lungs damage cilia, which is responsible for removing dust and germs from the lungs. Tar sticks to and gets deposited in the lungs like soot, and causes damage over time. Smoke also irritates lungs and decreases lung capacity over time.
Chemicals also stick to the walls of the blood vessels and can result in deposit of fat and cholesterol which can lead to increased likelihood of heart diseases.

Chemicals and gases listed above may enter your blood stream and cause damage to other tissues and organs. With each cigarette you smoke more toxins are released into your system. With time, smoking affects all organs like your heart and lungs. Smoking is a factor in causing high blood pressure, stroke impotence and other heart disease. It also slows down your blood flow by narrowing your arteries.

Cessation of smoking causes withdrawal symptoms. There are many products available in the market to help quit smoking. These include nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, and inhalers that replace some of the nicotine in cigarettes and help you lower your level of addiction with time. There are several support groups available to help people get rid of this habit. Ask your doctor for all the available options.

Waterboarding is considered to be a professional interrogation technique by some and a torture by human rights organizations. In this, the victim is immobilized on a board, the face is covered with a wet cloth and water is slowly poured over the face for 30 to 40 seconds. The victim is then allowed to take three to four long breaths before it is repeated. This causes feeling similar to suffocation as the victim is unable to breathe while water is poured on the face.

This mock drowning experience can cause a permanent psychological and physiological damage. Waterboarding results in choking in victims accompanied by stress responses like tachycardia and damage to muscle and bones due to struggling against restraints. Prolonged effects of this technique might result in lung and brain damage due to oxygen deprivation in victims. Psychological damage includes depression and a phobia in which the victim is afraid of taking showers or starts gasping when its raining.

Waterboarding is an old technique of torture used for many centuries. The first report of waterboarding comes from as far back as 1500s and also commonly known to be used in Cambodian prisons. Waterboarding was also used a frequent form of torture during World War II, Algerian war, and the Vietnam War.

Even today, many prisons use this form of torture during interrogation. There have been many controversies and demonstrations in the United States of America regarding waterboarding. Reports have revealed waterboarding as a technique used by interrogators to extract information from high level prisoners. This technique is also a part of many Military survival training routines.

Many human rights groups oppose this technique for interrogation because it violates the United Nations Convention against Torture. This states that any interrogation which causes mental or physical pain is a definition of torture, and no circumstance including war, political instability, or public emergency justifies the use of this technique on prisoners.

The effectiveness of this technique for interrogation is also debatable. Due to the agony caused by waterboarding, victims cannot withstand this treatment for more than in a few seconds and beg to be released. It is believed that victims often lie and divulge false information to escape from this form of torture. In other instances, this technique has been claimed to be very effective in extracting important information in a short amount of time from terrorists or other high level prisoners.

Eye twitching is medically termed blepharospasm and is the involuntary contraction of the muscles of the eyelids or those under the eye. This maybe caused due to malfunction of nerves that control muscle movement in that region. The reasons for this condition maybe unknown and may last temporarily or accompanied by other symptoms such as dryness in the eyes etc.

Other possible reasons for eye twitching include:

Disorders of the nervous system

Lack of sleep

Fatigue

Anxiety

Irritation in the eye

Stress

Caffeine overdose

Eye twitching can be confused with anther condition called ptosis which is caused due to paralysis or weakness of the muscles of the upper eyelid. However, eye twitching is not is not a life threatening disease and does not get worse over time.

People may experience eye twitching in one or both eyes and this may stop after a good night’s sleep. This disorder may also be due to prolonged exposure to light or sue to glare from television or computer screens. Usually, eye twitching does not warrant a trip to the doctor’s office, it maybe embarrassing and uncomfortable but nothing to worry about. Sometimes eye twitching is also accompanied by other symptoms and should be examined by a doctor. Other symptoms include:

Redness and swelling of the eye
Discharge from the eye
Painful twitches
Prolonged dryness of the eye
Twitching accompanied by blurred vision
Fever
Twitching in other parts of the face as well
Increase in intensity, causing the eyes to close

Try flushing your eyes with water, cold or hot compresses, or a warm bath to relax yourself. Doctors may also recommend some eye drops if the problem persists for some days. In serious cases, medications or surgical procedure may be necessary to cure this condition. Anti-epileptic drugs maybe prescribed or botox may be injected into the eyelid to get rid of eye twitches. In extreme conditions, surgical procedures may be recommended by the physician after thorough examination.

Stress can be harmful and can affect your body in many differ ways. Set aside some time each day to relax yourself. It is also important to give your body and mind some relief from the everyday busy routine.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the insulin level in the body. Insulin is released by the pancreas and helps to regulate the blood glucose level. Any decrease in this hormone raises the level of glucose and causes diabetes. This condition occurs over time, and can be checked by a number of ways. This includes taking medication for diabetes, exercising to burn calories as well as dietary restrictions to ensure that the glucose level remains in check.

Carbohydrates and sugar in your diet determine the blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose by enzymes in the body and absorbed by the intestines. This glucose can either be utilized as energy or as stored for later use. In people suffering from diabetes, enough insulin is not produced to remove the excess glucose from the blood. Thus in order to control this spike in glucose levels, it is important to avoid foods that are rich in carbohydrates and sugar.

Foods to be eaten during diabetes include:

High fiber foods like whole wheat bread, oats, and barley provide energy that lasts longer. Other foods that contain fiber include beans, peas etc.

Vegetables are rich in minerals and vitamins are important requirements for the body. Three to five servings of vegetables like spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage and cucumbers, not only keep the sugar in check but also provide healthy nutrients.

Fruits also contain essential nutrients but can be relatively high in natural sugar. Fruits in moderation are good for health. Some fruits like grapefruit are good for people with diabetes.

Proteins such as meat, tofu, cheese and eggs, taken in moderation are good for health. Other beneficial proteins include fish, beans, chicken and nuts.

Low fat milk, unsweetened yogurt can be taken daily.

Foods that should be avoided are white bread, cereals high in sugar content, canned fruits, pasta and others. Different carbohydrates are absorbed at different rates, and thus can differ in terms of raising the glucose level. Foods high in fiber take longer, whereas others are rapidly digested. This property is defined as the Glycaemic Index (GI). Foods with a low GI should be preferred over foods with high GI.

Most people who suffer from diabetes may also high cholesterol level and foods that contain saturated fats like cream, cheese, butter should also be avoided. Limiting the portion size is also important in people with diabetes.

Target heart rate is calculated using information such as your resting heart rate, age and activity level. Heart rate is defined as the number of heart beats per minute. This can change with exercise or in strenuous conditions. Heart rate is determined by measuring the pulse in the body. The pulse can be measured on the wrist, the neck, inside the elbow, heart and other areas.

In order to receive maximum benefit from cardiovascular exercises, it is essential to calculate the target heart rate. The range varies according to age, gender and your physical condition. There are two scientific methods to calculate the target heart rate – Karvonen and the Zoladz method. Both methods use the Maximum Heart Rates (HRmax) and the Resting Heart Rate (HRrest) values for accurate measurement of Target Heart Rate. HRmax is calculated during a cardiac stress test and requires special equipment, and HRrest is calculated by measuring your heart rate at normal resting condition.

To measure your own target heart rate, start with measuring your HRrest, which can be measured by taking your pulse first thing in the morning. The next step depends on your level of activity. Active people have higher target heart rates than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The categories of physical activity include non-active people who do less than 30 minutes of exercise less than or up to 2 times week. Moderately active people are those who do 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 to 5 times a week. Highly active people do more than 30 minutes of activity at least 5 times a week.

While exercising, you can use a heart rate monitor to keep track of your heart rate per minute, and see how it changes during exercise. You can aim at maintaining a target heart rate during a workout, and increase it over time. Some cardio machines can help set a level of resistance for you after calculating your target heart rate, depending on the information you provide and depending on your speed of exercise.

Target heart rate is only a rough estimate and you should pay attention on your body while exercising. Excessive fatigue, pain, dizziness or any discomfort is a sign for you to slow down your pace. If you suffer from a heart condition or taking medications for a serious disease, you should consult your doctor before starting any rigorous exercise routine.

Some people suffer from conditions that cause abnormality in their heart rate. These include Tachycardia, where the resting heart rate is more than 10 beats per minute, brachycardia where the heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute, and arrhythmia that is defined as abnormal heart rate and rhythm felt as palpitations.

Cigarette residue constitutes what is left behind after you finish smoking a cigarette. Smoking not only affects one individual but passive smoking impacts other people also.

Some of the stuff found in cigarette residue include:

Arsenic: This is a poisonous substance and found as arsenide and in several arsenate compounds. It is used as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and also used in rat poison.

Lead: this is a heavy metal responsible and can cause poisoning in humans. Like other heavy metals, lead, it can accumulate in soft tissues and bone, and act as a neurotoxin, especially in children. Long term exposure to lead and its compounds can cause weakness in joints, adversely affect the nervous system, cause anemia and damage the brain.

Carbon Monoxide: CO is a poisonous gas, harmful to live forms. Since it is odorless and colorless and hence cannot be detected easily, it can be fatal if inhaled in significant amount. Inhaling carbon monoxide causes light headedness, headache, nausea, and weakness. This is because carbon monoxide interferes with the availability of oxygen in the blood and thus hampers respiration.

Hydrogen Cyanide: This gas has a faint bitter odor which is hard to detect, and inhaling this gas in large amount can lead to poisoning in animals and humans. Some fruits are known to releases small amounts of HCN, and it is also found in exhaust gases released from cars, in wood smoke, and smoke from burning plastics. The toxicity is actually caused by the cyanide ion which acts by inhibiting an important respiratory enzyme and thus affects respiration.

Toluene: this is an aromatic compound commonly used as a solvent and associated with paint thinners. Inhalation of this compound is intoxicating and if taken in large amounts can be extremely harmful. Low amounts of toluene can cause tiredness, weakness, nausea, confusion and adversely affect kidney function. When present in high amounts, this compound also causes unconsciousness and death.

Polonium: this chemical compound is found both in cigarettes smoke and residue. Polonium is a radioactive compound and its isotopes are used as a neutron source for nuclear weapons, and source of energy for thermoelectric generators. When inhaled, polonium is more harmful than hydrogen cyanide and causes serious tissue damage and even cancer.

Carcinogens: these are cancer-causing substances that bind to DNA and result in mutations and may even cause cell death. There are several types of carcinogens associated with cigarette residue.

Cigarette smoking is injurious to health and causes several lung and heart diseases including stroke, and cancer.

The basic factors that a plant needs to survive include, soil, mineral nutrients from the soil, water, air and sunlight. An excess or dearth of any of these can hamper the growth of the plant.

Water is very essential for the growth of plants. Some plants require more watering than others. It is important to know how much water plant needs before buying one. Too little or too much water can damage plants.

Soil is an important for all plants. The roots of the plant grow downwards into the soil and help the plants to grow. Roots branch out in the soil and stabilize the plant and also help the plant absorb water and other essential nutrients from the soil.

When a plant is uprooted from the soil, it cannot survive for long. Thus when you transfer a plant from a pot to another area, it is essential to leave some of the soil trapped around the roots, and give the plant time to grow into the new area again.

Soil also provides essential nutrients and minerals to the plant. The composition of the soil varies according to the plant species. There are primary nutrients required for plant growth. Primary nutrients include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous whereas secondary nutrients include sulfur, calcium and magnesium. There are some micronutrients like zinc, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, boron, chloride, silicon and molybdenum that are also absorbed by the plants.

Sunlight is important for the process of photosynthesis during which process plants convert carbon dioxide and light into food source and energy. Light can be provided using artificial or natural sources. Excessive sunlight can also be harmful and some plants need to be kept in the shade for most of the day.

An optimum temperature is required for growth of plants. The stages of plant growth include germination of seeds, respiration, during which oxygen is used and carbon dioxide released, photosynthesis during which carbon dioxide is utilized and oxygen is released, and flowering. The favorable range of temperature lies between 65-85 degrees.

It is advisable to ask about specific requirements for survival of plants before buying them. Plants also survive well when they are given regular care. Besides watering, plants need to be tended to avoid growth of weeds or to remove dead leaves. People who love gardening, often talk to their plants and treat them gently. In some tribes it is believed that talking harshly to plants and trees is a sure shot way of killing them.

Tornadoes are extremely violent thunderstorms that develop during certain conditions on the atmosphere. These conditions are met when warm humid air rises to meet colder air. This causes condensation of the moisture and forms a massive thundercloud. This formation is accompanied by strong winds (100 miles per hour) that feed the tornado and carry it to large distances and height. The factors that effect tornado formation include latitude, distance from water body, winds, ocean currents and proximity to mountain ranges.

The strength of a tornado depends upon the extent of instability in the atmosphere and wind shear which refers to the changing wind speed and direction with increasing altitude.

Instability develops when unusually warm moist conditions lower in the atmosphere is contrasted with unusually cold conditions in the upper part of the atmosphere. This place where the two winds meet is called a dry line. While the warm wind continues to rise, it is trapped by the colder air. When the warm air is able to push its way through, and the colder air descends, it causes a spiraling effect. Strong wind conditions cause produce thunderclouds up to 70,000 feet high.

A typical tornado consists of a dark funnel cloud that consists of spiraling moist winds rotating in the anti-clockwise direction. The diameter can range from a few feet of a few kilometers. The probability of having a tornado is high in spring and early summer, compared to other seasons. Also there are areas which are more prone to having tornadoes and known as tornado belts.

Due to the high wind movement, a lot of debris and dust is accumulated by the tornadoes, changing the color of the funnel. Alhough most tornadoes last for only ten minutes or so, the duration can be shorter or even last up to one hour. Tornadoes lose strength and speed with time. The size of funnel decreases gradually and eventually dissipates.

Though tornadoes are known to occur all over the world, its frequency is very high in the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. Other countries experiencing violent tornadoes are India, Bangladesh, and Argentina. Tornadoes can cause damage depending on their intensity. Most tornadoes are categorized as moderate ones. The ones accompanied with high winds of up to 112 miles per hour can cause intense damage to house, trees and cars. When the speed exceeds 260 miles per hour, tornadoes are capable of lifting and hurling houses and other property across considerable distances.

Bed bugs are small insects that belong to the family Cimicidae. These are small oval creatures, reddish brown in color, with microscopic hair and grow to about 5-7 mm in length. At the time of hatching, bed bugs look like poppy seeds and passes through five molts at the nymph stage to reach the adult size. These insects have six legs and medium-long antennae on top of its head. Bed bugs have vestigial wings and cannot fly.

Its color changes from the nymph stage, to the adult stage. Nymphs are clear in color and both nymphs and adults appear more reddish after feeding. Bed bugs are often confused with ticks and cockroaches. These insects hide in dark places and are hard to find, but once spotted it is easy to identify one. The appearance of bedbugs has often been compared to lentils or seeds of an apple.

The mouth parts of bed bugs are developed for piercing and sucking. This is used to pierce human skin during feeding to suck out blood. At this time, bed bugs inject its saliva into the skin which may cause itching, redness or even allergies after the bite.

The possible hideouts of bed bugs include seams, creases, cracks and folds of mattresses and other furniture, rugs and carpets, drawers, baseboards, cracks in plaster, curtains, in paintings and posters, an also in telephones, radios and clocks.

These nocturnal insects have an aversion to sunlight and only come out of hiding for feeding. A bed bug bite lasts for about five minutes and usually cannot be felt. Bed bugs can last up to six month without feeding. Bed bug bites resemble mosquito bites, and commonly occur in exposed parts of the body.

In most people these bites are harmless itches rashes or lesions on the skin that can cause irritation and inflammation of the skin. In rare cases, if the person is allergic to bedbug saliva, these lesions can get worse and develop into infected lumps filled with pus. Bed bug bites do not require treatment in normal cases, and can be treated with antibiotics if infested.

To prevent or reduce bed bug infestation in homes, it is necessary to keep it clean and clutter-free and important to vacuum your furniture and bedding regularly. Washing your clothes and bedding in hot water also gets rid of bedbugs. Though it is hard to detect bed bugs, it is said that bedding or furniture infested with these bugs smell like rotten raspberries or almonds. If in doubt it is always a good idea to get professional help.

Phlebitis or thrombophlebitis is a condition where the blood vessels becomes reddish and swollen and can develop clots. This is more likely to occur in superficial veins close to the surface than the deep seated ones. In certain situations like childbirth and surgery deep veins can develop in the legs or pelvis. Due to this condition, the veins become hard and the area is often painful. With time, this condition can spread to other areas like the lung and can get complicated.

The cause for developing phlebitis includes poor circulation, use of certain drugs or use of intravenous catheter, due to vein damage, or even due to long periods of inactivity in cramped spaces. Other causes include obesity, smoking or varicose veins. Inflammation of blood vessels can also occur without the development of clots, with the use of intravenous drugs and is known as chemical phlebitis. If it develops due to the use of a catheter it is known as mechanical phlebitis.

Phlebitis can be detected by examining the veins and doing an ultrasound. Sometimes the patient may develop a fever .Usually it takes a few days for the inflammation to subside, but if it gets complicated, it needs medical attention. It can be treated by using warm packs, or also by certain medications or blood thinners.
Serious symptoms like shortness of breath, increased and sharp pain or lumps and swelling in the legs is a sign that you should seek medical attention immediately.

There are preventive measures that you can take to prevent phlebitis. Avoid sitting for long hours. Regular exercise is good for blood circulation and avoids clot formation. Especially while flying long distances, make sure you walk and stretch your legs at regular intervals. Compression stocking can also help regulate blood flow. Sometimes taking medications is the only way out to prevent this condition and you should consult your physician for medical advise.

People may not realize the full potential of their iPhone. Its use is not limited to phone calling, but this smartphone offers a full communication and entertainment system which is at your your disposal even when you are on the move. Its amazing uses is due to the vast number of “Apps” that are available for download. The potential uses include the following:

Telephone calling: The iPhone has a lot of features including audio conferencing and call merging.

Data Storage: this stores a huge amount of data in the electronic format. Data includes documents, images, and other data.

Internet access: The iPhone can also be used for internet access, including sending and receiving emails. This is possible by using the 3G network or wireless network at home. It is a handy gadget for people who like to access their mails and data while on the move.

Networks like Facebook, Twitter have also been integrated with the iPhone. Applications like Wordpress can be installed in your iPhone to enable you network and update your account while on vacation.

Camera: the iPhone allows you to take pictures and store them. It comes with software for uploading and sending pictures.

Music: iPhones have an inbuilt MP3 player and along with a movie clip player. It supports sorting and management of audio and video files. iTunes is a popular software which is compatible with this product and iPods. Among the popular Apps is an internet radio, Pandora, which gives you access to a huge stock of songs.

Games and movies can also be downloaded on the iPhone. There are many games developed for the iPhone. Some games are free and some are available for a small price. The great number of games available for the iPhone is far beyond what its competitors offers.

Another brilliant feature that comes with this product is the ability to accept payments, after charging a standard fee. This feature is a boon for small businesses. iPhone has something to offer to all – something to keep children occupied, news for people who like to keep themselves informed, and for business people who can travel without compromising on their daily tasks.

This device offers a complete entertainment package, which is at your disposal while on the move.
Apart from these incredible features iPhones also contain calendar, GPS, clock and calculator.

Mites are microscopic arthropods, like ticks, that are microscopic cannot be seen with the naked eye. The male adult mite is smaller than a female. A typical dust mite measures 420 micrometers in length. Mites are oval in shape, semi transparent, and the color of mites depends on what they eat, and can be blue red or green-coloured. Mites are covered with tiny hair, and maybe covered with a striated cuticle. Mite larvae have six legs and nymphs and adults have eight. There are different types of mites, some are agricultural pests and others are parasitic on humans.

Types of mites include chiggers that are also called red bugs, human scabies mites, and birds and rodent mites. They survive in terrestrial and aquatic habitat, and are carried and spread by air, insects, birds and mammals. There are commonly three types of house dust mites, the American dust mite, European dust mite and the Euroglyphus maynei, of which the American dust mite is commonly found all over the world. Dust mites adapt to all types of environment and thrive in a lot of different places, including homes.

The average life span of a mite is 10-19 days in males and up to 60-70 in females. The females lay about 60 to 100 eggs in a lifetime, and each egg takes about one month to grow into an adult. Mites go through different stages in its life cycle, staring from an egg stage to the larval stage to nymph and then finally grows into an adult.

Dust mites live in mattresses, couches, carpet and other furniture found in the house. They require warm and humid conditions to thrive in. It is not easy to get rid of dust mites in the house, but measures can be taken to minimize contact with these pests. Humans shed moisture and dead skin every single day. The accumulation of dead skin and moisture in mattresses and couches, increases growth of these pests. It is important to vacuum your bed and furniture regularly and keep it free of food.

Mites can be beneficial or destructive. these feed on weeds or other herbivorous mites, and thus helpful but some species can also destroy crops, and grains and cause allergies. Mites can also cause itching, and if the bite gets infected, can cause discomfort. People allergic to dust mites often wake up with a stuffy nose in the morning.

Bananas are a rich source of nutrients. The most abundant minerals and vitamins found in bananas are Vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium. Other nutrients include vitamin A, Vitamin B including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. In addition, it also contains proteins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and trace amount of iron and zinc.

In summary, one medium banana contains 105 calories including 1.29 grams of protein, and 3.1 grams of dietary fiber. Specifically, a medium banana contains 23% of the daily requirement of potassium, 41% of Vitamin B6, 33% of the vitamin C requirement, and 23% of required fiber intake. Due to high sugar content in bananas, people with diabetes should avoid this fruit.

Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors like yellow, purple and even red. They are mostly eaten raw and green ones are generally cooked first. Bananas are also fried and served as desserts with ice cream.The distinct taste of banana is due to the presence of isoamyl acetate.

In addition to the fruit, the flower from the banana plant is used for cooking soups and curries in South India. Some families also cook the core of the plant’s trunk. Incidentally the juice from the core of the trunk is sued to treat kidney stones and high blood pressure, in some countries in the East.

Bananas contain a bundle of energy, and have a lot of health benefits, which are listed below.

It is helpful for digestion, and helpful in diarrhea and constipation.

The presence of Vitamin B in banaas helps ward off pre menstrual symptoms in women.

Bananas are useful also in the treatment of arthritis and gout.

For people deficient in iron, bananas should be an important part of their diet as they stimulate the production of hemoglobin.

Bananas are also a good choice of fruit for people suffering from ulcer, as it helps neutralize the acidity of gastric juices.

Since it is high in potassium, it is good for people suffering with hypertension.

Most of us do not know that bananas also contain tryptophan which is required for serotonin synthesis in the body. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter which regulates moods and sleep patterns.

All fruits are loaded with nutrients. The list includes watermelon and papaya, both, high in Vitamin C, carotenoids and fiber, oranges and grapefruit also loaded with vitamin C, folate and fiber, apples and apricots, rich in vitamin C and iron, and many more.

Potassium is a soft whitish metal that was first isolated from potash by Sir Humphry Davy in 1807. It is the seventh most abundant element found in the Earth’s crust, and chemically similar to sodium. It is very reactive in its native form and usually found as an ionic compound in nature. Potassium compounds are valuable in industrial and biological applications. Potash is still the main source of potassium and is found in the Dead Sea, and also mined in Utah, California, New Mexico, Germany and Saskatchewan. Some of its uses are discussed below.

Uses of potassium in industry:

Salts like potassium bromide, potassium chloride, potassium iodide are water soluble salts and commonly used in photography. Potassium hydroxide is a strong alkali used in pH meters and for the manufacture of potassium salts. This compound is also used in industrial cleaners. Potassium nitrate is used as an agricultural fertilizer. Gold mining processes use potassium cyanide to dissolve precious metals by forming complexes. Potash or potassium carbonate is used to make glass and soap. Potassium nitrate may also be used in the glass-making process.

Potassium vapor is used in magnetometers, which is an instrument to measure the direction of magnetic fields. An alloy of potassium and sodium is used as desiccants, or a as heat-transfer medium. Other industries that use potassium include inks and dye industry, which utilizes potassium chromate. This is also used to make explosives and fireworks. Potassium fluorosilicate is used to make ceramics and enamel.

Uses of potassium in the food industry and in the human body:

In nature, potassium is found commonly in seawater. It is important for many functions in the human body and a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables is necessary to maintain a healthy level of potassium. It is also used as a salt substitute by patients suffering from hypertension. Potassium in the body is used for protein synthesis, for conversion of glucose to glycogen, in the activation of enzymes, important for muscle contraction and relaxation, and generally maintaining the electrolyte balance and water balance in the body.

Potassium sodium tartrate is a constituent of baking powder, and potassium bromate is found in flour. Potassium bisulfate is used as a food preservative.

Other uses of potassium:

Potassium ions are also found in the soil and important for the agricultural and horticulture industry as a fertilizer. Potassium chloride is often used at the time of surgeries and ironically also in lethal injections during executions.

Lava or molten rock is made by an active volcano at the time of eruption. Lava is made up of volcanic glass and gases, and crystals. At the time of eruption, this molten rock is liquid at a temperature of 700-1200 °C, but as it approaches the surface, it cools and crystallizes minerals to form crystals and gases. Some of the elements that are found in lava and igneous rocks are silicon, oxygen, aluminium, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, titanium and others in small amounts.

The word lava is derived from a Latin word “labes” which means to slide. Lava flows during a non-explosive eruption and when cool, forms igneous rocks. Rocks are made up of combinations of different elements and their oxides in different compositions. If the eruptions from the volcano are explosive, it produces volcanish ash.

The flow of lava is largely determined by its composition. Igneous rocks falls into three categories, felsic, intermediate and mafic. The chemical make up, temperature and viscosity of these rocks are slightly different.

Felsic lava is viscous and form lava spines and domes. This type is high in silica, aluminium , potassium, sodium and calcium. Examples of this type of lava include rhyolite and dacite. Intermediate lava is less viscous and found in steep volcanoes. This type is rich in magnesium and iron and poor in aluminium and silica. Andesitic is intermediate lava. Mafic lava is high in iron and magnesium and darker in color and less viscous. It is also called basaltic lava.

If the lava contains less percentage of silica, it is known as ultramafic lava, which is a rare type of lava. Due to the least viscosity, this type of lava is more fluid than the mafic lava.

The composition and viscosity of lava determines its behavior. Lava with high viscosity flows slowly, forms blocks. This type tends to trap gases within the rock. Low viscosity lava flows easily, and forms rivers of molten lava. It does not trap gases as the former type.

Lava forms distinct landforms and features depending on its viscosity and flow. They form cones around a small vent or volcanic edifice, domes, when very viscous lava is released, tubes, lava fountains, and lakes. Lava flow is destructive to property and releases poisonous gases harmful to man and animals. Before a volcano becomes active, the area around it is usually evacuated.

Recession is defined as a decline in economic activity which lasting for two or more consecutive quarters. Recession affects everyone, directly or indirectly. The impact is in multiple areas like businesses and retail sales, stock markets, real estate and personal finances. It is a difficult time to cope with especially for the average person. Drastic measures have to be taken for survival in these tough times.

Recession and consumers
The gross domestic product growth is negative during a recession. Many firms resort to cost cutting and have to layoff a large number of staff. This leads to increase in rates of unemployment in turn. With less spending power, people have a tendency to save more and spend less. As a result, businesses are forced to reduce prices in order to attract more customers. This eventually leads to increase in spending capacity of consumers and stabilizes the economy.

Recession affects real estate and stock market
A decrease in real estate market is seen during recession. Inability to pay their mortgages might force some home into foreclosure. During recession it is difficult to sell houses, the prices drop considerably and it becomes a buyer’s market. The stock market also gets majorly affected during recession. In order to increase their source of income, people might resort to selling their shares and this in turn triggers a sharp decline in the market.

Government role in recession
During a recession, governments have to adopt policies to increase supply of money and take steps to crease taxation. The bank interest rates are also reduced to attract business and help people borrow money. Decrease in the value of currency attracts foreign businesses which could also help create more opportunities. Companies are able to expand and slowly increase profits. Thus this cyclical process helps to slowly bring the country out of a recession.

Recession impacts individuals
Cost cutting is common during a recession which leads to loss of jobs. As the unemployment rate rises, it becomes difficult to get a job. Even with savings, it is difficult for one-income families to survive. The confidence and spending power of individuals is greatly reduced. In these tough economic times, families might have to take drastic measures such as downsizing or selling their house, and decreasing their expenditure every month, while continually trying to find a new job. Even after the recession is over, it might take a while for individuals to overcome their debts and start afresh.

The main organs on the let side of the body are left brain, heart, left lobe of lung, stomach, spleen, left kidney, some parts of the small intestine, left side of large intestine, left ovary, left part of uterus, and left testicle.

Brain
The left hemisphere of the bran is responsible for rational thinking, solving problems, and controls functions like writing, talking and also responsible for processing feelings.

Lung
This is organ responsible for respiration. The left lung is divided into two lobes, and it shares this space with the heart.

Heart
The heart pumps oxygenated blood to the whole body and receives deoxygenated blood from the body which it sends to the lungs for oxygenation. It is slightly placed towards the left part of the body.

Esophagus
This extends from the pharynx to the abdomen and is largely placed towards the left side of the body. This organ has a role in digestion.

Stomach
This is the organ responsible for digestion. This sac like structure mainly lies in the left part of the body.

Pancreas
This located behind the stomach and in the abdominal cavity. The tails of the pancreas extends towards the left side of the body. This organ is known to secrete important hormones.

Spleen
This is located in the upper and left side of the body. This organ is responsible for removing old blood cells from circulation.

Kidney
This bean shaped organ is placed on both the left and right side of the body. This is the main organ responsible for excretion of waste products from the body.

Large intestine
This is found between and small intestine and the anus. Parts of it lie in the left side of the body.

Ovaries and Testes.
These reproductive organs are two in number, ovaries produces ova or eggs in females and testes produces sperms in males.

Any pain or discomfort in the left side of the body could be related to any of these organs. The common problems that can cause discomfort in the left side of the body are heartburns, ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, stomach tumor, constipation, ectopic pregnancy, irritable bowel syndrome and so on. Severe pain or pressure in the heart and surrounding areas could be indicative of a heart disease. Never ignore pain symptoms, it is a way your body can focus your attention on a health problem that needs medical attention.

Strawberry birthmarks or hemangioma are bright red spots that appear on the surface of the skin due to dilated blood vessels. They are visible at birth or within the first two months and occur commonly in the face, head, back or chest. Usually a strawberry birthmark disappears within the first 5 years without any complications but in rare cases may also lead to medical complications.

Strawberry birthmarks are more common in premature babies due to overgrowth of blood vessels. Other possible causes include oxygen deletion in the placenta. There are no known genetic factors or known food or medication reactions that can cause strawberry birthmarks.

Symptoms of a strawberry hemangioma include a reddish lesion on the skin, with or without a tumor. The location and size of hemangioma might interfere the functioning of an organ. Treatment of strawberry birthmarks may not be necessary in most case. In rare cases, when the birthmark is near the eye or an organ however, physicians use laser therapy and steroids to remove the blood vessels associated with it.

Other birthmarks include stork bites, Mongolian blue spots, port wine stains, congenital melanocytic nevi and café au lait spots. Stork bites are flat irregularly shaped marks that can occur in the forehead neck, knee or the lip. These marks usually disappear in the first year and not associated with any other condition.

Mongolian blue spots are a benign irregular marks caused by melanocytes that lie deep in the skin. This is mainly found in the lower back, buttocks, flank or area around the shoulder. Though the color of this birthmark resembles a bruise, it is not associated with any pain or discomfort.

Port wine stains are deep red or pinkish in color and caused to dilation of blood vessels in that region. The reason for this birthmark is the absence of nerve supply to blood vessel in that region and this condition maybe associated with seizures and glaucoma.

Congenital melanocytic nevi or moles are found in infants at the time of birth. This can occur in any part of the body and varies and size and shape. Usually it is a benign structure which does not change over time. If, however, the mole starts growing or changing in shape, it is a cause for concern and should be shown to a dermatologist.

Café au lait spots are oval in shape and light in color and can occur anywhere in the body. A larger number of these birthmarks might be due to a condition called neurofibromatosis.

I have always wondered what certain dreams mean, specially the ones that occur repeatedly. Are they just a figment of our sleeping imagination or is there another hidden meaning waiting to be unraveled. Dreams can be pleasant and inspiring, scary and nightmarish, so real that you cannot separate it from your daily life. There are so many explanations of dreams to choose from. Are there hidden messages attached to our dreams, is there a reason why we remember some dreams and forget some so easily? Everyone has to answer these questions for themselves.

Dreams are experienced in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep. Scientists have always been fascinated by it and a lot of theories out there try to explain the meaning of dreams. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology proposed that dreams were a reflection of a person’s desires and largely affected by the person’s environment and physiological state. Modern psychologists explain dreams as a reflection of daily activities that are not dealt with while awake. Other theories suggest that dreams are a way to practice and prepare for the real world.

Spiritual teachers offer additional meanings to dreams. According to them when you are sleeping you connect with a universal energy, and dreams may be an indication of something more than just a reflection of your fears and aspirations. In the early ages, dreams were indicative of a message from a higher source, a sign for something.

What do recurrent dreams mean? Some recurring dreams can be interpreted. For example, if a person dreams of falling or failing in a test, it indicates a lack of confidence and insecurity; a dream about funerals could indicate repression of feelings or desires in your current life and so on.

Some people claim to dream of unique events from their past lives. Sometimes these dreams occur repeatedly and they can remember minute details about the dream. Though these occurrences are oftentimes not scientifically tested, but they can hugely impact a person’s life.

Whatever the meaning, dreams offer an insight into another plane, a dimension that is virtually unexplored. Maybe dreams are a way for us to stop and think about our achievements, desires and fears and assess them over time. Maybe changing our state of consciousness and connection with our spiritual self can give new meaning to dreams, and help us find a deeper connection with our inner self.

Traditionally Japanese people eat rice and miso soup for breakfast. Miso soup consists of a stock mixed into miso paste. The paste can vary in flavor depending on personal preference. Vegetables and meat can also be added in this soup. The common ingredients used for flavor are mushrooms and fish. Other ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and shrimp can also be added.

The Japanese are particular about the preparation of this soup. The vegetables and meat are first cooked in the stock. The stock is made from either dried sardines, tuna or shitake mushrooms. In some versions, chicken stock or vegetable stock and tofu is also used. Once all the ingredients are cooked, this is taken off the heat and then the miso paste is dissolved in it, and served. These days, instant miso soup is also available in the market and can be reconstituting in hot water or green tea before consumption.

Other items consumed at breakfast time by Japanese people include egg, fish, salad, bread and sausages. Sometimes pickled vegetables and tea is also a part of breakfast. Due to the influence of western eating habits, some Japanese families enjoy toast, egg, and cereal for breakfast. Although sushi is a popularly known Japanese food item, it is not eaten at breakfast time.

Rice is part of the staple diet in Japanese culture. Besides rice, fish and other seafood is very common. Other ingredients and seasonings for all Japanese meals include noodles, beans, ginger, mushrooms, soya sauce, rice wine vinegar horseradish, Saki and wasabi.

The Japanese are known for their particular customs during meals. It is traditional to sit on tatami mats while eating. Use of chopsticks is customary. It is considered polite to offer pouring a drink to your companion before filing your glass and considered rude if you waste the food in your plate. It is also considered rude to eat while walking on the streets and should be avoided.

Japanese people have healthy eating habits. They stress on eating a diet that is low in fat, high in protein with lots of vegetables. Though they enjoy eating meats like pork, beef and chicken, their portion sizes are small. Traditionally Japanese avoid fast canned and frozen foods, though the younger generation enjoys westernized dishes like spaghetti, hamburgers and pizzas as well. Their secret to a long life is exercise along with healthy foods and green tea, which is a part of nearly every meal.

Bedbugs are insects that belong to the family Cimicidae. They survive by drawing blood from warm blooded hosts, like humans, and that results in a bedbug bite. They survive in warm places like beds, mattresses, couches and other pieces of furniture. This insect is reddish-brown in color, oval and flat and about 5 mm in length. These pests are active during the night when they feed on their hosts. Bedbugs can find their way into beddings anywhere but generally hotels and hostels are more commonly infested with bedbugs.

Bedbug bites look different in people. Some bites are larger than others. Sometimes it has a red dot in the centre, or scab like appearance or may look like a mosquito bite. The bites depend on the number of bugs feeding at that time. It is not unusual to have more than two or three bedbugs feeding at the same time. Humans cannot feel a bedbug bite though it does sting afterwards.

The reaction to bedbug bites is due to their saliva which is injected into skin while feeding. The skin thus gets irritated and swells up in response. In some people with highly sensitive skin, this reaction can be severe and can develop into a lump filled with blood or fluid.

Though bedbug bites are itchy and make the person uncomfortable, they are not known to cause diseases. There is generally no need to treat bedbug bites. If the itching is too uncomfortable, you can always wash the bite with soap and water and use an anti-itch cream to provide relief. If the bites are scratched and get infected, then that increases the likelihood of infections. Any bite which gets tender and starts bleeding or oozing stuff should be shown to a doctor.

To remove bedbugs at home, make sure all your bedding, mattress and furniture is vacuumed very often to rid the material of food. Clean your bedding, drapery, rugs in hot water. In extreme cases of bedbug infestation you might have to get them removed professionally. Exterminators use hot, dry steam or some chemicals to kill the bedbugs.
When travelling, make sure you do not keep your bags on the floor, as bedbugs like to “travel” with you. Inspect the bedding for any odd smell. If detected, opt for another room. Other than that you just have to carry an anti-itch cream, and make sure you wash your clothes in hot water when you get back home.

What is the difference between a cake and a torte – is a good question because the word “torte” is German for cake. In fact the French word “torta” also translates to cake or round bread. Though both are baked, there are some differences between a cake and a torte. To put it simply, all tortes are types of cakes, but not all cakes classify as tortes.

The main differences between a cake and a torte are:

Tortes are a heavier version of cakes. The difference lies in the ingredients. A cake are generally made with cake flour or all purpose flour, whereas a torte is made with other heavier ingredients such as breadcrumbs or almond meal or other nut meal, that is added along with flour. Apart from making the torte denser, this ingredient also imparts additional flavor to the torte. For cakes generally oil, buttermilk, coffee, sour cream and such ingredients are used to add richness and flavor.

A torte is often soaked with a syrup or liqueur to make it dense and moist. The layers are often thin and each layer is built up by adding a coating of cream or jam. For example, when making the Sacher torte, which is the national dessert of Vienna, the layers are coated with apricot jam, and the torte is covered with a chocolate glaze and this is served with whipped cream.

A cake is not always layered or dipped in syrup. Bundt or angel food cakes are examples of cakes that are not layered and served without icing.

The way the number of layers in a cake and a torte are arranged is different. Both can have multiple layers, but in a torte the cake layers are generally thinner, with more layers of icing. Cakes are thus lighter than most tortes.

Due to its rich ingredients, a torte is generally more expensive than a cake. A cake takes less time to prepare than a torte. So it you want a simple recipe that does not require too much decorating, bake a cake. But if you want an elaborate elegant dessert, then you should try a torte.

Tortes are very popular in Europe, where most recipes originate. Cakes are more popular in America. Some of the more popular recipes of tortes include Empire torte, which is a flourless cake make with ground nuts, Blitz torte made by topping yellow cake with meringue and cinnamon sugar and others. Some European recipes are modified and substituted with ingredients popular in America, to make an Americanized version of the cake.