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Have you ever wondered if there was a healthful alternative to the sugar and preservative filled vanilla ice cream you buy in the supermarkets?

If you have or if you would truly like to try homemade vanilla ice cream then this is for you. I have a recipe for homemade vanilla ice cream, that will knock your socks off when you taste it.

The first thing you need to know is how to make your own 100% healthy and natural vanilla extract for your homemade vanilla ice cream. Vanilla extract is a basic ingredient in almost any homemade ice cream, but is essential in homemade vanilla ice cream.

You might buy the vanilla extract from a good quality store if you can find an unadulterated brand. But to make your own you’ll need about a quart of milk, a vanilla bean (available at most health food stores), and a teaspoon of honey.

You pour the milk in a saucepan and heat on high while you slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and in half.

Then put the halves of the vanilla bean into the milk. Boil for around 15 to 20 minutes, then cook on medium heat for a half hour or until the milk has a thin sheet of film on top.

Stir the mixture constantly as it cooks to prevent burning. Cool the extract and freeze in several small plastic bottles or containers.

This extract will last you for quite awhile since recipes call for only a few teaspoons each. You should-if you plan to make the homemade vanilla ice cream anytime soon- save a half cup of the extract in a container in your refrigerator.

Whenever you want to make more homemade vanilla ice cream (or any other kind of homemade ice cream) just get the vanilla extract out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator until a few tablespoons or so are thawed, then refreeze the rest of the vanilla extract before it completely thaws out.

Now I’ll give you my homemade vanilla ice cream recipe, follow the instructions carefully and you’ll get wonderful results.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

You’ll need: 3 eggs, with the egg whites and yolks separated, 1/2 cup honey, 4 cups light cream, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

1. In a medium size bowl beat the yolks until smooth. Gradually add honey, beating until well-blended and thick. In a different small bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, stir beaten whites in with the yolk and honey.
2. Then add the cream and egg mixture together in a saucepan, cook on medium heat, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in vanilla extract, and either process in an ice cream maker or just freeze in a bucket container overnight, stirring the vanilla ice cream every few hours at first and then allowing the vanilla ice cream to freeze on its own.

Serve with an ice cream scoop.

This homemade vanilla ice cream is rich, creamy, natural, and very healthy I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

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• 2 tb Cooking oil
• 2 ts Brown sugar
• 1/4 c Onion, chopped fine
• 1 ts Dry mustard
• 1 ea Garlic, clove, minced
• 1/2 ts Salt
• 3/4 c Ketchup
• 1/4 ts Black pepper
• 1/3 c Vinegar
• 1/4 ts Tabasco sauce
• 1 tb Worcestershire sauce
• 3 lb Chicken, quartered

Heat cooking oil in saucepan and cook onion and garlic until tender, but do not brown. Add ketchup, stir, and add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT CHICKEN). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 10  minutes, stirring occasionally. Set sauce aside.

Season chicken pieces with additional salt, if desired. Place chicken pieces bone side down over medium to hot coals. Grill 25 minutes (until bone side is well browned). Turn pieces over and grill 25 minutes more, until chicken is tender. Brush chicken frequently with sauce during last 10 minutes of grilling, using all the sauce.

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• 1 15-20 pound turkey
• 1 Orange & apple quartered
• Salt and pepper 1 Quart water
• Vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 Sticks butter
• Onions cut into cubes
• 1 Lemon thinly sliced
• 2 Stalks celery cut in two
• 2 Mesquite or hickory chips
• Inch cubes
• 1 Aluminum foil disposable pan
• 2 Limes quartered
• 1 Lemon quartered
• And roll of aluminum foil

Preheat charcoal grill to medium heat with most of coals on end opposite where turkey will be sitting directly over. Wash and rinse turkey,removing giblets. Dry with absorbant towels, and season inside of turkey with salt and pepper. Rub outside of bird with oil. Stuff with onions, celery, orange, apple, 2 limes and the 1 lemon quartered. Completely fill cavities to keep turkey moist. Melt butter in roasting pan, add water andsliced lemon (add more lemon juice if desired).

Cover turkey tightly (crimp edges) with aluminum foil, and cook over grill for 4 to 6 hours, removing foil and adding smoker chips for last hour or so. Alternatively, stuff the bird and then cover with aluminum foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 6-7 hours.

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(ARA) - As the holidays approach, it’s natural for us to feel both festive and frantic and increasingly stressed as our list of errands gets longer than Santa’s. To make sure that this season is about true holiday spirit and joyous time with family and friends, heed the sage advice of an entertaining expert who shares her simple secret . . . serve soup!

“Most soups are not complicated to make but they can have magical powers to help restore the soul, nurture and inspire the spirit and make a holiday party great fun for the host and guests” says Jana Kolpen, author and illustrator of the enchanting fable and cookbook, “The Secrets of Pistoulet,” and designer of the Pistoulet Dinnerware Collection for The Pfaltzgraff Co.

Kolpen is a passionate cook who loves to entertain at home. Her successful motto is, “keep it fresh, seasonal, colorful and simple.” Depending on the soup recipe, it can be served as first course, entrée or even a delicious snack. Regardless of its place at meal time, a simmering pot of soup warms guests’ hearts and keeps the cook out of the kitchen and part of the celebration.

“I’ve always loved to entertain friends and family, and I discovered the magic of soups while on a journey in France where the ritual and the spirit of making soup for others became a life transforming experience,” says Kolpen. She left New York City for a small farmhouse in southern France to give herself a fresh start after some devastating life experiences. Kolpen’s adventures led her to write and illustrate “The Secrets of Pistoulet” in which she includes several soup recipes that chronicle her inspirational journey such as the Potage of Spirit and the Potage of Passion.

According to Kolpen, holiday entertaining should be a multi-sensory experience that satisfies more than just your guests’ hunger. Kolpen collaborated with The Pfaltzgraff Co. to design a full collection of dinnerware and home accessories to complement her soup recipes and entertaining philosophy. Each piece in the Pistoulet Collection is hand painted with brightly colored flowers, vines and vegetables inspired by Kolpen’s illustrations in her book.

“I encourage mixing and matching dinnerware pieces to create whimsical and fun table settings. Place large soup crocks and tureens right on the dinner table and let guests serve themselves and participate in the full ritual of the holiday feast.” The Pistoulet Collection includes large, colorful soup tureens with ladles and a variety of soup bowls named after Kolpen’s favorite soup recipes such as the “Potage of Compassion” soup crocks and the “Potage of Spirit” soup bowls.

Kolpen recommends the “Potage of Spirit” soup as a good party starter. Using the freshest ingredients in the recipe she creates a hearty and healthful meal to nourish guests. The simple soup combines aromatic garlic, earthy potatoes and bright orange carrots (recipe included). But she does warn that “the spirit can express itself in many odd and wonderful ways. Be prepared for shocking behavior!”

The Potage of Spirit (makes 6 servings)
* 2 medium garlic bulbs (about 16 cloves)
* 4 14 ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces.
* 3 carrots, peeled and chopped (1 ½ cups)
* 1/3 cup whipping cream
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Snipped fresh chives to garnish (optional)

Directions:
Combine broth, peeled garlic cloves, potatoes and carrots in saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly, puree in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan to heat through adding whipping cream, salt and pepper and chives for garnish.

The chip-resistant, highly durable Pistoulet Collection is a great dinnerware choice for holiday entertaining. It is safe in the dishwasher, oven, freezer and microwave and features a broad range of dinnerware, serveware and accessories. The collection is available at major department and specialty stores nationwide, including J.C. Penny, Amazon.com and more than 70 Pfaltzgraff stores at outlet malls across the country.

For more recipes from “The Secrets of Pistoulet” log on to The Pfaltzgraff Co. Web site at www.pfz.com.

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The Internet has become a very popular place to purchase high quality steaks, meats and other food products. The question for most online buyers of these products is “Am I getting the best product for the best price?”. A number of factors should be taken into account before you purchase any food product online. In this editorial, we are going to focus primarily on steaks, but will touch on other related food products. Our top Pick for this article is http://www.choicefilets.com

1) How is meat graded and why? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Beef grades are most commonly known as USDA Prime, USDA Choice and USDA Select. (The following percentages represent only the produced beef within these 3 grade levels) USDA Prime grade beef accounts for the top 2%* of all
produced beef in the US. Ranked for it high degree of marbling and tenderness, This highly sought after cut is usually only found in high-end restaurants and online suppliers. USDA Choice grade beef accounts for 53%* of all produced beef in the US. Ranked as number two in grading, there is a wide variation of
quality within this grade. Within Choice grade are 3 categories of marbling, which contributes to the overall flavor, tenderness and juiciness of the meat.

a.) The first level of Choice grading is moderate marbling and accounts for 5% of USDA graded meats.
b.) The second level of Choice grading is modest marbling and accounts for 14% of USDA graded meats.
c.) The third level of Choice grading is small marbling and accounts for 34% of USDA graded meats.
USDA Select grade beef accounts for the remaining 45%*. Low in marbling, tenderness and price, this grade is most often found on supermarket shelves. This grade can very often be dry and tough. Marinating is often needed to keep these steaks moist. As with any product, the higher grade or quality almost always demands a higher price.

2) What do I look for when buying steaks online?

a.) Be sure to look for the words “Prime, Choice or Select” when an online supplier describes the product they are selling. If the description is void of any of these key words, you most likely will be purchasing the lowest grade of meat and usually at an elevated price. Note: Avoid steaks or meats only labeled “premium”, “Gourmet”, “aged” or other generic sounding term, if they are not labeled Prime or Choice, you are most likely getting a select grade.
b.) Be sure the meat is labeled USDA either within the meat category or in the product description when purchasing from an online supplier.
c.) It is not reasonable to expect online suppliers to advertise what level of Choice grade meat you are buying because of the constant change of meat
supplies. This knowledge usually comes from purchasing experience with the company or by emailing the online retailer and asking if their Choice grade
marbling is moderate, modest or small. Most reputable commercial cutters try to maintain a high level of consistency to maintain their reputation as a high-end supplier.

3) What is a fair price for Prime and Choice meats?

With any online product, prices vary greatly. Many online merchants charge exaggerated prices for what you are getting, however there are many merchants who sell an excellent product for a very fair price. Remember, when shopping for steaks online you are wanting and paying for a high-end, quality culinary experience. Anything less, you might as well go to the super market. Look for online merchants that have USDA Officials onsite at their own facility or their suppliers’ facility. Beyond that, it is best to scan many online steak retailers and compare product prices. Also take into account shipping costs. Be wary of free shipping combined with low priced steaks. Usually this means you are going to get an inferior grade of meat. Most reputable merchants will charge a fair price for the steaks and a reasonable shipping charge based on weight, (not purchase level). It is expensive for any online merchant to ship meat. Dry Ice is usually added, packed in a cooler with the steaks. We have added a list with our top 6 picks of online steak merchants and ranked them according to grade, price and shipping. We have only included merchants who clearly label their products as Prime and Choice cuts. (internet research pricing as of 07/14/2008)

Highly recommended:
Online Store……………………….Prime Filet Mignon……………..Shipping**
Kansascitysteaks.com……………………$42.49 lb……………$14.95 - 4 lb order
ChoiceFilets.com………………………….$39.95 lb……………$18.07 - 4 lb order
Newbrunswicksteakco.com……………..$44.50 lb……………$23.78 - 4 lb order
Mybutcher.com……………………………$56.65 lb……………$27.95 - 4 lb order
Allenbrothers.com………………………..$59.98 lb……………$16.95 - 4 lb order
Lobels.com………………………………..$70.98 lb……………$32.95 - 4 lb order

Online Store……………………….Choice Filet Mignon……………..Shipping**
ChoiceFilets.com………………………….$25.95 lb……………$18.07 - 4 lb order
Omahasteaks.com………………………..$29.99 lb……………$18.99 - 4 lb order
Heartlandsteaks.com…………………….$29.95 lb……………$19.99 - 4 lb order
Allenbrothers.com………………………..$44.98 lb……………$16.95 - 4 lb order
Eprimecuts.com…………………………..$37.25 lb……………$30.00 - 4 lb order
Dinewise.com……………………………..$39.99 lb……………$33.95 - 4 lb order

4) How do I know if an online steak store is a local or family owned meat house or just a reseller from a commercial supplier and does it really make a difference?

Internet online steak merchants are made up of both. It should not be a focus of the purchaser whether your online purchases come from a butcher shop or a commercial cutter. Both types must maintain their facility according to USDA standards and must provide you product as it is represented. Many online stores do indeed provide online steaks and other products provided by a commercial facility. More often that not these facilities provide better grade meats at a more consistent level than the smaller producers. Like many industries, the buying power of larger facilities can demand this level of quality and consistency. For the consumer, concentrate on the grade of cut, the clarity of the description, the variety of products offered and most importantly, price.

*Source USDA and 2000 National Beef Quality Audit
**Based on 100 mile distance from shipping origin.

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Heather Barry. Visit http://www.pocketmore.com.
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This Potato dish is a nice change from traditional mayonaise and mustard based potato salads, with a lot less calories. Instead of the fat of mayonaisse for flavor, dilly potato salad uses herbs and dijon mustard for a flavorful effect. You can use any type of potato that you have on hand for this dish. A potato that boils well and tastes good is the Yukon Gold.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup frozen peas,
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper,
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery,
* 3/4 cup dijon mustard,
* 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil,
* 1/2 cup black olives chopped or presliced canned,
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 2 tablespoons dried,
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tablespoons dried,
* 8 medium to large sized potatoes,
* salt and pepper to taste

Recipe Directions:
Wash potatoes well, making sure the dirt is scrubbed off. Cut potatoes into 1 to 2 inch cubes. Add cubed potatoes to a pot of water. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until they are firm, yet done. Test potatoes by piercing with a fork. They should not be too mushy, for this will affect how the potato salad holds together. If they are too mushy you will have dilly mashed potato salad. When potatos are done, rinse with cold water in a colander. This will keep the potatoes from cooking further. When the potatos feel luke warm, add to a large mixing bowl.

Take the frozen peas and put into a small bowl with some warm water. They don’t need to cook, just thaw a little. Let peas thaw for about 15 minutes. You can also put them in the microwave and heat 1 to 2 mintutes to quickly defrost them. Drain the peas once they are thawed. Add the dijon mustard to a small bowl. Then add the olive oil to the dijon mustard. Blend ingredients with a whisk or a fork until well blended. You can add more olive oil to the mixture to make it more fluid if you feel the mixture is too stiff for a dressing. All Indian Chinese foods are available in Indomunch NYC. This Hotel has announced a new gift certificate. Please visit and Get Gift Certificate.

Add the green pepper, celery, drained peas, and black olives to the potatos in the bowl. Mix the ingredients until blended.Add the dijon mustard olive oil dressing to the potato mixture. Stir until blended. Finally, add the dill and parsley to the potato mixture and stir until blended and everything seems well coated. For more details see http://www.indomunch.com

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Representing Very Tasty Potato Curry in the website http://www.indomunch.com
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Dosa is one of the most admired South Indian dish. Dosa is a kind of fried pancake made from split Urad Dal and rice batter. Rice and dal are soaked into water and blended into fine pastes. These pastes are mixed and salt is added into into the mix before leaving it for fermentation. Ferment overnight or for a day. For making crispy dosas take a laddle of batter and spread it on hot greased skillet into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee until golden brown. The dosa may then be folded in half and served. Dosa can be eaten plain or with some stuffing inside. For making stuffed dosa or masala dosa prepare the stuffing separately and fill in the centre and close the dosa.

Dosas from South India are a staple food in their home region. In the rest of the country too, they are hugely popular and Udipi restaurants serving them and other South Indian foods can be found in almost every suburb! Learn how to make them with my easy recipe.

Idli is another culinary delight from South India which is savored by all food lovers of the country. Idli, the steamed rice cake is more like steamed dumplings. It is made by steaming batter, traditionally made from pulses and rice. Rice and pulses are soaked into water and ground to a paste which is fermented overnight or until doubled in volume. The fermented batter is put into greased idli mold and steamed until done. Idli molds are perforated which allows the idlis to be cooked evenly. Idlis can be steamed into cooker or idli maker. All Indian Chinese foods are available in Indomunch NYC. This Hotel has announced a new gift certificate. Please visit and Get Gift Certificate.

Vada is originally a dish from South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka but now it is popular all over the country. It is a kind of snack which is cooked with many different recipes and ingredients. The regular vada is made from smooth urad dal batter. To add the flavor to batter ginger, chillies, curry leaves and spices are added. The batter is pressed to the shape of vada and deep fried in oil till golden brown. It can be served with coconut chutney and/or sambhar. For more details see http://www.indomunch.com

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Representing Tasty South Indian Food in New York in the website http://www.indomunch.com
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