Photo from stockphotoindustry.com

A Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe To Satisfy Your Hunger

by Jane Simmers


Looking into trying out a vegetarian diet and worried that there might not be any tasty recipes to satisfy your palate? Well, you may be surprised to find out that anything that you can cook with meat can be cooked with vegetables. This even includes your Italian favorites like pizza and pasta. So before you give up on trying to be a vegetarian, look into this vegetarian lasagna recipe first and see if it works for you.



Step 1



This step is all about the ingredients. This vegetarian lasagna recipe requires these following things: one fresh eggplant, frozen spinach, lasagna noodles, low-fat cottage cheese, meatless sauce, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and parsley flakes. The healthier cheeses you use in this dish, the better. All the ingredients in this list can be found at your local grocery store.



Step 2



Now you need to defrost the spinach. When doing this, chances are that it will be wet and messy but you have to get rid of all the moisture so drain as much water as you can. You can use some kitchen utensils or even dry cloth to help you get rid of the water in the spinach which is needed in the vegetarian lasagna recipe.



Step 3



The eggplant needs to be prepared and cut in to thin pieces. Make sure that you make them into slices that will not slow down the cooking process. Lay these slices on a cloth and add a little salt. Place another cloth on top of the first salted layer and then repeat what you did with the remaining slices.



Step 4



Paying attention to cooking this vegetarian lasagna recipe is important. You will need to heat a cookie sheet and on top of that, place a heavy pan to evenly distribute the heat. This is what you will use to cook the lasagna noodles until they are soft enough. To make things easier, you can start mixing the cheese, spinach, pepper and salt in a bowl while the noodles are cooking.



Step 5



This is probably the most difficult part in cooking your vegetarian lasagna recipe. You will need a casserole pan that has sauce spread out evenly inside it. Then add a layer of the lasagna noodles that you just cooked with another layer of eggplant, some sauce, cottage cheese, the mix of spinach that you made, and then top it off with one more layer of lasagna noodles. Do this again until you are satisfied with the thickness of your lasagna.



Step 6



Now for the best part because it's the easiest. To finalize your pasta, add mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and some tomato slices. Then add parsley flakes for more flavor and color.



This vegetarian lasagna recipe needs to be baked and you will need to prepare your oven at about 350 degrees. Place the dish inside the oven for about an hour or until you notice that the eggplant is brown and soft because this will mean that you can now eat it. You can't go wrong with this simple vegetarian lasagna recipe dish.



On the hunt for tasty vegetarian recipes for your vegetarian diet? Find only the best ones at Vegetarianrant.com!





Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com

Photo by Hoover Image Envision

Rice Cooking Basics with Almond Rice Recipe

by Recipe Man

A Look at Rice



When cooking rice the size of the grain is the most important thing. Due to the thousands of varieties of rice found all over the world which have differing flavors and aromas, it can be problematic to find the exact right one for your dish.



Long-grain rice usually runs four to five times long as it does wide. It is typically dry and fluffy after it is cooked. The grains do not clump. Some examples of long grain rice are Basmati (aromatic, having a rich nutty flavor; used a lot in Indian cooking), brown long-grain rice (husk removed with a nutritious bran layer, slightly chewy, mild nutty flavor), finishing off with white or polished long-grain rice (most widely used; has mild flavor). Uses for long-grain rice mainly are steamed, baked, pilaf, and a rice salad.



Short-grain rice has an almost round shape, is very starchy and tends to stick together after it has been cooked. It’s sometimes known as “sticky-rice”. Examples of short-grain rice are Arborio rice (creamy texture to dishes) and glutinous rice or sweet rice (very sticky after cooked; used in lot of Asian desserts and snacks). Short-grain rice is great for puddings, risotto, croquettes, sushi, stir-fried rice, and molded rice dishes.



Medium-grain rice has a size smaller than long-grain yet bigger than short-grain thus the name medium-grain rice. It is more tender than long grain rice and yet less moist than short grain rice. It is typically fluffy and separate when served hot and then starts to clump as it cools.



Cooking Rice



To Steam Rice: measure the water and salt amounts suggested for the type of rice you are cooking. This is usually found on the box or bag. Mix the salt and water together and pour it into a saucepan and then bring the combination to a boil. Add the rice to the boiling salted water and stir.



Bring the water to a boil again then cover the saucepan, steaming the rice, on a very low heat until the rice has engrossed all the salted water and is tender. This normally takes 15 to 18 minutes for white rice and 35 to 40 minutes for brown rice. Remove the pan from the heat and let set for about 5 minutes. Prior to rationing the rice to your troops fluff it with a fork. Troops love fluffy rice.

To Sauté and Steam Rice (pilaf): Measure some salt and water for your rice and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil heat oil or butter in a saucepan at medium heat. You can also use a mixture of the two. Add the rice to the molten butter or what have you and rouse till the rice is fully coated.



“Sauté” for 2 to 3 minutes, rousing in a consistent fashion. Now add the salted water you have been boiling to the sautéed rice and bring the mixture to a boil. Again we steam the rice by putting a lid on the pan, turn the heat down to low or lower and then wait till the rice and soaked in all the water and has become a tender spectacle.



To Bake Rice: Preheat your sweet oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get that salted water boiling, while waiting for boiling point add your measured amount of rice to a baking dish. When ready add the boiling water to the rice in the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly, for cleanliness, baking efficiency, and safety when removing the dish from the oven.



Use tin foil or an oven safe lid and bake at the preheated temperature until the rice has absorbed the water and is a tender delicacy. White rice takes about 20 to 30 minutes, while brown rice takes any where from 35 to 45 minutes. Baking times differ depending on you oven, altitude from the moon or sun, and how tightly sealed your dish is.





Almond Rice Recipe



4 cups rice (Long Grain)

8 cups chicken broth

4 Tbl parsley (substitute rosemary, sage, tarragon, or thyme, to taste of course)

1 ½ cup celery. chopped fine

1 ½ cup onion, chopped fine OR ¾ cup minced dried onion

1 cup slivered almonds



Sauté onion and celery in just enough broth to cover. Add 8 cups chicken broth. Add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let steam about 20 minutes. If there is too much liquid left when rice is cooked, take off lid and cook and stir until liquid is gone. Just before serving, add parsley and 1 cup slivered almonds. If you used dried parsley, add it while there is still a little water in the pan.




John Bateman advocates recipes and appliances.

Suggested recipe link: shepards pie

Suggested kitchen appliance link: crock pots




Article Source: ArticleCube.com - Free Articles Directory

Leftovers - Use Them or Toss Them?

Submitted by: Jude

You can save money on your grocy bill if you use up those bits of vegetables, meats and sauces for a meal later in the week. In fact, you can plan to cook a roast or a whole chicken for the purpose of using the leftovers for another lunch or dinner. It's a great time saver as well as a money saver. Here are a few guidelines for using leftovers:

1. Cut leftover meat or poultry into bite-sized pieces so that they will be uniformly heated.

2. When you have a cooked meat or poultry to add to a main dish, add it after the other ingredients are mostly cooked through.

3. Prepare a sauce to serve the meat with. Add the meat for the last few minutes of cooking time.

4. Make a hash of left over meats and potatoes. Hash was a popular leftover dish that my grandma used to make. Here's her recipe:

Chop 1 to 2 cups of leftover meat. Then, cube an equal portion of cold, cooked potatoes. Add 1 teaspoon of minced onion and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

Melt butter or margarine in a frying pan (1 tablespoon for each cup of hash mixture). Spread the meat and potatoes evenly over the bottom of the pan and moisten with a small amount of milk or leftover gravy.

Cook slowly over medium-low heat about 20 minutes or until the mixture has browned on the bottom. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.

Slide out of the frying pan and into a serving dish.

You can also bake the hash in the oven. Spray cooking spray onto the sides and bottom of a casserole dish. Add hash mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Beef, chicken or turkey all make tasty hash dishes.

5. Use leftover rice to make a delicious pudding dessert:

Mix 1 cup of cold white or brown rice with 1/4 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in one chilled can (10 oz) of crushed pineapple, drained. Fold in 1 cup of whipped cream. Stir just long enough to blend ingredients.

Serve in sherbet glasses for a more fancy meal.

6. Another good way to use up leftovers is to make soup. Here's a good recipe for that leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey:

Remove any fat and skin from your turkey carcass. Put the bones and leftover turkey meat into a large cooking pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim off foam from top of water.

Add 3 chopped carrots, 3 ribs sliced celery, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 2 cloves garlic (minced), and 2 chopped onions.

Simmer soup for 2 to 4 hours.

Add 2 potatoes, quartered. Cook for 1/2 hour longer or until potatoes are cooked through.

Serve immediately or freeze for future use.

Impress your family and guests with creative uses of leftovers. They may never guess that they are leftovers!

About Author: Jude Wright is the webmistress of 40 websites. Visit her popular cooking and recipe site at http://homestylerecipesonline.com

Article Source: Free articles

New Year Recipes Ideas From Around The World

You don't know what to serve for New Year? Below are some links that will help you get inspired.

Daily New Year Recipe Ideas

Holiday Central

Recipe Zaar

The Cooking Inn

New Year's Eve Recipes

Epicurious

Food Network

Razzle Dazzle

New Year's Day Recipes

Epicurious

Razzle Dazzle

New Year's Day Brunch

Food Network

Martha Stewart

Chinese New Year Recipes

BBC

Razzle Dazzle

Taste.com.au

Happy Cooking!

Ask The Food Expert

Leave a post with your question and you will see the answer posted within 24 hours. Looking for suggestions for a special occasion? Need a recipe? Don't know how to cook it? The Food Expert is here to help you. Just ask!