Soul food recipes can help make your life easier in the kitchen. They help you avoid the trial and error frustrations our great-grandmother's had to go through. She often test dishes for months or years to get a it right. Because of today's recipes we can take advantage of others work and effort and enjoy the tasty results and time-saving benefits.

But regardless of the obvious benefits, cooking mistakes can still happen when trying to follow a recipe you can not wait to try. I receive many letters from readers confused as to why a certain recipe did not turn out right. On closer examination it's normally one of the 3mistakes I list in this article. In fact, if you make sure to avoid making these 3 mistakes your recipe will have a 75% chance of turning out right.

However, if you make one of these mistakes your dish will have a 75% chance of turning out wrong. Either, bland, tasteless, dry, or generally inedible.

1. Missing the Action Words. Many times people go over the ingredients they'll need for the recipe with a fine tooth comb. But they're often miss one or more of the action words or verbs in the menu. For example, chop, dice, mince, fold, simmer, etc. They'll quickly boil instead of simmer or they'll dice instead of mince. They're often miss a little detail that could change the integrity, taste and overall result of they dish.

2. Not Fully Understanding Cooking Terms. You can trace many mistakes back to this one basic mistake. Not knowing what a specific action term means. If a recipe requires you to broil and you thought it said boil. Or you stir when the recipe said to whip, especially if your making a topping, your result will be less than satisfactory. A good tip is to simply keep a dictionary close by, if in doubt about a term look it up. Better to take 2 minutes to look up a term you're not sure about waste time making a bad recipe mistake.

3. Not Checking Your Temperature This is a biggie although it may see obvious at first glance. A large percentage of recipe mistakes occurred because of temperature problems. One point to keep in mind is realizing many ovens heat differently because of calibration, altitude and other factors. So, after you've made sure you've set the temperature correctly, make sure you check the food often.

As you follow these simple but important solutions you'll start to get more soul food recipe confidence – and experience more mistake-free recipe success.

Source by Roy Primm

She watched with fascination as the people roamed by. They were all wearing colorful and bright dresses, adorned with the precious jewels like she had never seen in her six of years. It was a kaleidoscope of colors that were so striking that it hurt her eyes. She clutched tighter to her mother's hand while her eyes were wide with wonder, innocence and something skin to fear. She, the little girl in black coat, had always thought that the world was only filled with gray, black and white, because that's what she had always seen. She never in her wildest dreams thought of so many colors. It was scaring seeing the real world for the first time. As a man in long blue robes passed by, she turned to her mother.

'Mama, where are we going?', She asked. Her mother was still staring at the cluster of people in front of them.

She said, 'I am going to work. You should sit outside and play as I work. Okay? '

'Mama, why do you work all the time? And you no longer play with me at all either 'the chubby girl asked her mother.

'For bread, sweetie. For bread. ' her mother whispered and her eyes were strangely wet.

Her mother hurried her through the dark shadowed alleys that were dusted in white by the snow to the mansion. For the girl shadows posed no threat she knew that night was a friend of their heads, a time when they all gathered and saw the sky filled with stars. The six year old child stand there gasping as she once again was done in awe with the beauty of the place.

'You go in backyard and play but do not take anything and do not come inside,' her mother instructed her adjusting her scarf. The little girl loved that scarf her mother felt all the time. It was white with lots of red roses on it, so many red flowers that it looked red.

Following her mother's words she went in the backyard and there blooming in countless shrubs and plants was a lone tree with red flowers. She picked a flower from the ground and smelled it. '' Ah! Such a sweet smell they brave '', she exclaimed. She sat under the tree and waited for her mother to come. And then it became a routine. With time, she had come to love that tree more and more. But one day it ended, when her mother was shouted at the lady with painted face. Her leisure time came to an end they stopped visiting the mansion. But the tree. Oh! She could not forget and it saddened her a lot. She asked her mother for thousand times when they will go back.

'We are not going there sweetheart', her mother replied.

'But I just want to see the blossoms. For just one more time Mama. Please ', she pleaded her mother.

'Alright, only once okay.' Her mother finally wave up. 'Okay', she grinned.

And that night they went back to the mansion through the same alleles as before but for some reason they scared the little girl that night. She told herself it was just her excitement that made her so wary.
The gate of mansion creaked open under her mother's hand and they stepped inside.

As she reached the backyard, a huge smile appeared on her face. He mother found herself smiling to see her sadness flying away. She ran toward the tree watching the red blossoms fall along with the snow. And even as she reached the tree she knew something was wrong. There was a lot of noise and there followed a sound of gunshot.

'Mama', she fought for once, afraid of this dark white world. She found her soon soon enough lying on snow that was red as blood, as red as her mother's scarf, as red as the blossom that fell from the tree as though tears lamenting the cruelty of the world. She sobbed for her mother but soon the pain in her heart ebbed away as the darkest cold settled. The dawn came, so did the pitiful looks of the mother and child frozen under a blanket of red blossoms, no longer free to walk on the land as they took the train of death. But they never knew their story.

As Edwin Hubbell Chapin said, '' No language can express the power and the beauty and heroism and majesty of a mother's love ''.

Source by Sania S

The tools are almost as important to the recipe as the ingredients and the words in the recipe. Picking the right tools can sometimes be a daunting task ..

Its always best to start with the basics such as vegetable peelers, knives, cutting board, and utensils and plates to put the food on. Starting with a basic understanding of how basic tools work is the first step to being able to understand and know how to buy different gourmet tools.

Even these simple tools need to be understood, and making sure to spend money on quality tools is the first step to becoming a gourmet chef. A chef who does not know how to properly use a carving knife, or how to operate a vegetable peeler is not really a chef until they can master those tools. These are some of the most basic tools a gourmet chef needs to know about.

One a chef has mastered these particular tools its time to move onto more complicated tools. For example many gourmet chefs use mandolines as a means of chopping up vegetables.

These are much like shredders, except instead of having little pieces of metal jutting from the metal base, there is one long blade in the center of the device and the vegetable is scraped over the blade giving thinner and more precise cuts. Its much like a meat slicer, except for vegetables and even cheeses. It's tools like these that separate simple tools such as graters from the more complex ones.

Mixers can also be a great gourmet cooking tool . Professional mixers come with a variety of different attachments for pastry, vegetable fillings, and even bread making attachments.

Different ingredients need to be handled differently and different attachments on certain professional mixers will allow for things such as egg whites to be handled more delicately than other items. Many professional mixers can be pricey, but many gourmet chefs emphasize the need for costly tools in order to properly propel the craft of cooking forward.

Buying the necessary attachments and spending the money it does not hinder a cook and allows them to be as open minded and creative as possible because they have the needed implements to do so.

Measuring and timing tools are another crucial tool that must be bought and handled correctly. It's best not to buy cheap measuring cups and spoons because sometimes these plastics will not hold up to the dishwasher.

Its best to buy metal or another kind of material because plastic is usually never sturdy enough. Also make sure that your tools are as accurate as they can be. The more accurate the better measurement, and the better the recipe will be!

Its important to pay attention and shop at quality cooking tool stores, stores that mainly focus in selling these cooking tools only, rather than chain stores that do not specialize in cooking tools.
In truth its best to pay attention to what you buy.

The more you pay attention to this, the better your dishes will be and the more knowledge you will gain about the craft. Also you will be able to teach other people and explain to them how to
use a seemingly confusing contraption.

Source by Jack Harmon

One cup coffee makers are no longer an oddity, no longer the domain of coffee addicts alone. They are actually a very convenient and efficient way for anyone and everyone to make coffee on a daily basis.

As the name suggests, a one cup coffee maker will brew a single cup of coffee with each use. To do so, the machine requires a coffee pod (others use what have become popularly known as "k-cups"), which is a self-contained unit that includes sufficient ground coffee for a single serving and a small filter.

The one cup coffee maker pushes just the right amount of hot water through the pod for a perfect brew.

So, why would you want one of these coffee makers? Some of the reasons may be obvious from the above description, others less so.

The first big reason to get a one cup coffee maker is to save money. Most people who use a traditional drip coffee maker consistently make more coffee than they can or should drink. It is not uncommon to see people make a pot of coffee, drink half, and leave the rest to go cold and later be dumped down the sink drain.

The next reason is freshness. The longer coffee sits in a pot on the warm pad, the more bitter it becomes. This problem is completely eliminated by using coffee pods and making only one cup at a time. And do not worry – these machines produce a cup of coffee pretty quickly, so even if you need to make for yourself and several companions, the time required to do so will still be less than it takes a drip machine to make a full pot .

The resulting brew is also something to pay attention to. When measuring your own coffee in a drip machine, it can be easy to make coffee too strong or too weak. A one cup coffee maker produces exactly the same level of brew every time, and it's adjustable.

Lastly, at least for this non-exhaustive list, is that it's much easier to try out different types and flavors of gourmet coffee when using coffee pods. There are hundreds of types and flavors available, and you only need to buy a small number of pods to try each one. By comparison, trying a new flavor or type of coffee for a drip maker usually requires buying a whole bag of ground or whole beans.

In these days of living more efficiently and frugally, it just makes sense to get a one cup coffee maker.

Source by Craig Dexter

Nothing is better than a homemade breakfast on a lazy Saturday morning. Why not allow the children watch cartoons and sit in their pajamas while you cook them up some French Toast to start their day? There are many recipes for French Toast in cookbooks and on the internet, however; some recipes are better than others. To make French Toast, you need to gather a few ingredients. They are:

• 12 large eggs

• 12 pieces of thick bread, such as Texas Toast

• ¼-1/2 cup milk

• Dash of cinnamon

• 2 TBSP butter or margarine

The first step is to break all of the eggs into a large bowl. Add the milk and cinnamon, and whisk until the ingredients are combined. Let this mixture sit for a few moments while you heat an electric skillet or fry pan. Add the butter to the pan and let melt.

Put as many pieces of bread into the bowl with the egg mixture. Let the bread soak up the milk mixture, making sure both sides of the bread are soaked. Take the bread with the egg mixture and put in the fry pan or skillet. Only put as many pieces of bread in the pan that will fit in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, turning after about two minutes. Your French Toast is ready when both sides are a golden brown. Continue with the remaining pieces of bread. If needed, add additional butter or margarine so the Toast does not stick to the pan, serve with additional butter and syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.

French Toast is an easy and economical recipe that the entire family can enjoy. You can customize this recipe by adding additional flavorings to the egg mixture, such as orange or pineapple juice. However you chose to make this recipe, you will love the results.

Source by Peter Atwood

Eggs and other healthy breakfasts can be prepared very easily as often as you like, regardless of your busy schedule. The fact is, we all know how important this particular meal is, regardless of how old you are, how active you are, or what have you. Skipping it is a crime as you cheat your body out of the nutrients and energy requires to function normally through the day.

Having said that, it's important to take the time to plan menus for the morning meal. Of course, on the weekend, it can be anything but a specialized or that takes more time. However, during the week when people are pressed for time and running to work or to school, it's a different story. That's why it is imperative that you have a plan and a menu set up.

It's important for each of your meals to include dairy, bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables, and meats or protein. Without each of these, you do not have a square and balanced meal. Additionally, you will have to understand what foods fall into what category. For example, dairy can also be considered protein.

So, here are some delicious and quick healthy breakfast that you can serve your family and to ensure that they remain healthy and highly functional throughout their day and for the rest of their lives. For instance, you can make grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven on one pan which will require you to turn them only once. So, the grilled cheese sandwich contains your bread, hopefully whole-grain or whole wheat. A touch of butter on each side of the bread, and the low-fat cheese.

Then, it's a matter of adding fruits or vegetables to the meal to make it complete. All this would take less than 15 minutes to prepare and will keep your kids and other family members full until lunch time or until they have a snack in between.

Another good idea is to serve oatmeal. This hot cereal is ideal for lowering cholesterol, providing fiber and filling up tummies. Of course, they have instant hot cereals which are quite good. But, you have to look out for those that have a high content sugar level.

Instead of preparing those, buy plain oats and prepare them yourself. It only takes a few minutes, but you can add cinnamon and apple, or other fruit like blueberries or even strawberries. If you prepare it with milk, then you've already added dairy. Basically, you have a square meal in a bowl.

There are lots of solutions when it comes to breakfasts that are quick and healthy to prepare. Just make sure that you plan ahead, have everything that is required in terms of ingredients on hand, and it's a matter of waking up a few minutes before your usual schedule. With some recipes or menu items, you might even have some things prepared from the night before. This way, you can save some time and enjoy your family not only in the evenings at dinner time anymore, but also in the mornings.

Source by Adriana Noton

Russia is a vast multi-ethnic country with a rich farming tradition, and has a tremendous amount to offer in the culinary arts. Many Russian dishes are derived from traditional peasant food eaten in the country’s huge rural expanses.

Crops of rye, wheat, millet and barley provide the ingredients for breads, cereals, pancakes, kvass (a bread drink), and of course beer and vodka. Other common ingredients include a variety of vegetables as well as fish, poultry and game, as well as mushrooms, berries, and honey. Additionally, the influence of Russia’s historic neighbours such as Persia and the Ottoman Empire can still be seen in some Russian dishes.

From the time of Catherine the Great (who reigned from 1762 to 1796), Russian nobility imported products and household staff from Austria, Germany and most especially France. The result was a plethora of new dishes, infact a whole new Franco-Russian cuisine, that includes some of the most famous “Russian” dishes: beef stroganoff, sharlotka (charlotte russe) and veal Prince Orloff.

Some highlights of Russian cuisine include:

– Okroshka – A traditional cold soup made from Kvas (bread drink). Okroshka can be prepared in meat, fish or vegetable varieties. A combination of neutral tasting vegetables (such as potatoes, turnips, rutabagas (yellow turnips), carrots or cucumbers) and spicy vegetables (mainly green onion, plus celery,chervil, dill, parsley or tarragon) are used in making the soup. Spices such as black pepper, mustard or pickled cucumber may also be added.

– Teur – A variation of okroshka, but using bread instead of vegetables.

– Soljanka – A thick spicy and sour soup. There are three main varieties: meat, fish or mushroom. All variants also contain pickled cucumbers, and usually cabbage, cream, dill and salty mushrooms.

– Borshch – The Russian variant of Borscht. A vegetable soup made with beets, but meat, cabbage and potatoes may be added.

– Shchi – A traditional cabbage soup. There are many varieties, for example the poor typically made the soup just from cabbage or onions, but richer variants might add meat, carrots, parsley, spice herbs and sour ingredients (the latter might include smetana (sour cream), apples or pickle water).

– Studen (Kholodets) – Jellied pork or veal, with spices and a small amount of vegetables. The food is prepared by boiling the meat for an extended period of time, and then chilling the dish. The dish may be eaten cold, in which case it is served with grinded garlic with smetana (sour cream), horse radish or mustard, or may be used as a garnish for other dishes.

– Shashlyk – The Russian form of shish kebab. Shashlyk features alternating slices of meat and onions.

– Katlyeti – Small pan-fried meatloaves made from pork or beef.

– Pelmeni – A thin dough (made with flour add eggs) filled with minced meat (beef, lamb, pork, or a mixture of all three, may be used). Spices such as garlic, onions and pepper are mixed into the filling. Pelmeni are cooked by boiling (although sometimes they are fried after boiling), and then served with butter or sour cream.

– Pirozhki – A stuff bun or pie that is filled with a cooked filling. Traditional fillings include fish sautéed with onions and mixed with chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped boiled meat with onions and eggs, or mashed potatoes with eggs and sour cream.

– Blini – Thin pancakes made from wheat or buckwheat, and usually topped with either sour cream or caviar.

– Beef Stoganoff – Another dish which probably has Franco-Russian roots, however the exact details of its exact origins have been lost – it may perhaps have been named after the Stroganov family. The dish consists of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream.

– Veal Prince Orloff – A Franco-Russian dish created by Urbain Dubois, to Prince Orloff, the Russian ambassador to France. Veal Orloff is a braised loin of veal, cut thinly into slices, with layers of pureed mushrooms and onions between each slice, then topped with bechamel sauce (white sauce) and cheese, and browned in the oven.

– Charlotte Russe – A cold dessert created by French chef Marie Antoine Carême who was employed by Czar Alexander I. It is a mould, lined with lady fingers (small sweet light sponge cakes) and filled with Bavarian creme (a custard made with flour, thickened with gelatin and flavored with liquer).

Source by Sunil Tanna

The remix maker has become a huge help to the music studio producer , when it comes to organizing his projects. Gone are the days, when you needed a lot of physical hardware and cables all over the place to create your music. These days the same effects can be generated on your computer screen with just a few mouse clicks or keystrokes.

By crafting pitch, volume and speed individually for each recorded sound sample, and then saving it to a database, anyone can create music mixes like a DJ. You can place each sound exactly where it is most needed to structure the beat or melody according to your musical ideas. When the almost unlimited reach of software is used, the art of composition becomes both fluid and flexible. Even standard sound effects like reverb, delay, compression and expansion can be brought to a whole new level. In the digital formats of today, the ranges of possibilities are so much wider. If you want to explore first hand what a remixer can do for your sound, a good start would have to browse some of the online varieties.

The website jamstudio

Utilizing controls that remind vaguely of spreadsheet programs, the screen is divided between four decks. You choose the chords in the top left deck, anything from A to G #. There is enough space to set five pages of music, each page featuring 16 bars of music. The time signature is changeable between three or four beats per bar. Move on to the right hand deck to choose your chords and add up to eight different tracks of instrumentation from the bottom right hand deck. You can even swap the playing sequence of your compositions around. Some of the samples are exclusive to the pay version of this website, but even the free version still puts some creative control in your hands. The tempo goes from 62 to 151 beats per minute.

The website looplabs

You can access five types of online remixing studios, each with their own identity and upload your creations directly to your MySpace account. However, the application takes fairly long to come online and you need to register to be able to use it. On the plus side, there are a few instructional videos to demonstrate the various uses of the programs.

In the early days of analog recordings, bands and songwriters had to plan their studio time and the nature of their recordings to be as near perfect as possible. Today, almost anything can be fixed or enhanced through the capabilities of a remix maker.

Source by Peter Copeland