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Butter cookies are delicious, soft, yummy, confectionaries that everybody loves. The advantage of butter cookies is, they can be made anytime and also they are very easy to make.  They can also be baked in flavors such as vanilla, chocolate and so on.

How to Make Plain Butter Cookies:

1)1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted, softened butter
2)2 cups all-purpose flour
3)1/2 tsp baking powder
4)1 large egg
5)1 cup sugar
6)1/2 tsp vanilla
7)1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl and mix it thoroughly.
In another (slightly larger bowl) use a mixer to mix together the butter and sugar. The resulting mixture should be fluffy and pale. It needs to be whisked for some time (6 minutes)
Next, the vanilla and the egg extract must be added. Slowly, add flour to the equation and keep stirring gently
Now the dough to prepare the cookies is ready. Shape the dough with the dimensions of 12 inches long and 2 inch thick. Cover the mixture in a polythene and keep it refrigerated for 4 hours.
Before putting the frozen dough, heat the microwave oven upto 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
From the whole mesh of dough, a heavy knife needs to be used to cut them into cookie shape. The ideal width for cookies can be 1/4 inch thick. Next, they need to be placed on ungreased baking paper and one may garnish them as per need.
The cookies need to be baked till they are or look golden, for approximately 15 minutes. They need to be cooled for approximately 3 minutes
The left over cookie dough can be used to make more cookies or can be wrapped in a polythene cover and can be chilled till 5 days
The cookies can be garnished by chocolates by melting some chocolate pieces and then added after cooling the cookies, as garnishing.

How to Make German Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1)6 cups flour
2)1/4 tsp. Salt
3)1 1/2 tbsp. Ground cinnamon
4)2 1/4 cup sugar
5)1 lb. Butter, softened
6)1/2 cup fruity white wine, such as riesling
7)3 eggs, 1 slightly beaten

Mix the flour, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl
Whisk the butter thoroughly with an electric mixer, then 2 cups of sugar should be added and beat, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Both the eggs need to be beaten, one at a time, followed by the dry ingredients and wine.
The dough needs to be divided into 5 equal parts which have to be flattened, wrapped in plastic and put in the refrigerator for a night
The oven needs to be preheated till 350 degrees. Next, the dough needs to be rolled out, on about 1/4″ width floured surface. The dough needs to be cut with cookie cutters and transferred to greased cookie sheets
The remaining dough can be brushed with remaining eggs, sprinkled with a little sugar, and baked in batches, until turn golden. The cookies then need to be transferred to a wire rack and cooled completely. The best time for sampling cookies is one week after baking them.

It is fairly easy to make butter cookies if one has an inclination towards culinaries and has enough time to learn something new.

Read here for more information on: No Bake Cookies

Chicken is the primary meat in the diet of most meat eaters since it is cheaper than other types of meats and as it can be cooked in so many different techniques. Frying is possibly the most recognized method of them all for cooking chicken but there are many others including roasting, jerking, barbequing and baking.

Especially for an individual mindful of the fat and cholesterol that fried chicken might contain, these other methods are very good choices however, the one we will discuss mainly is baking.

How To Bake Chicken

Required Tools

Paper towel

Sharp knife (optional)

Baking dish/roasting pan

Oven

Meat thermometer

Required Materials

Whole chicken cut into smaller parts/chicken breasts

Salt

Pepper

Fresh or dried herbs (oregano, thyme, tarragon or rosemary)

Olive oil

Marinade (optional)

Seasoning of your choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; if you are using a whole chicken, remove the giblets within the inner cavity and then wash the chicken properly with water. If you choose to slice the chicken into smaller pieces, go ahead and do that now with a sharp knife; next pat the chicken dry with the paper towel and season the chicken properly with the salt, pepper, herbs and any other seasoning you desire.

Put the chicken inside the baking dish/roasting pan and rub it with the olive oil and marinade (if you opt to use it). You may additionally add herbs of your preference to the top of the chicken for added flavor and aesthetics.

Place the baking dish/roasting pan into the oven with the chicken in it and leave it uncovered; bake the chicken at 350 degrees for 1-1½ hours or until it is golden brown and properly cooked in its entirety.

To be certain the meat is cooked push the meat thermometer into the widest section of the chicken; if the temperature shows 170 degrees or higher then the chicken may be removed from the oven. Another technique to check if the chicken is cooked is to use a sharp knife and cut the widest section of the chicken; if it is cooked the meat will not be pink and the juices running out of the chicken will be clear.

You can now serve the chicken by itself or with whatever you wish; if you used a whole chicken leave it to rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting it up. For a total meal serve it with rice or mashed potatoes and peas or corn.

Tips and Warnings

It is critically imperative that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before you consume, partly cooked chicken may result in food poisoning and dangerous parasites.

Be sure to clean all surface which the raw chicken touches including your hands to avoid contaminating other foods and utensils with any bacteria that might be on the chicken; soap and water will often be adequate however, you can use a solution of bleach or some other cleaning agent with water to ensure a proper clean.

To cut the rawness of the chicken cut a lemon in half and wipe it all over the chicken before you cook it; you may also rub the chicken with vinegar, inside and out if it is a whole chicken. If you don’t mind the additional sourness you can leave it as is, if you do mind, just cleanse the chicken again.

There are a few variations of baked chicken available such as baked sweet and sour chicken, baked chicken in mango sauce, or curry flavored baked chicken. If you desire to try any of these types you may check out a couple of the recipes available online.

Find more information here on how to bake chicken.

At some point or another you must have eaten or even tasted chicken soup. In fact, many persons trust chicken soup to helps in treating illnesses like the flu. If ever a time you need to prepare it yourself, here’s how to do so:

HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP

Ingredients:

½ chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 pound pumpkin

2 large carrots, chopped

1 medium turnip, diced

1 small piece thyme

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium sweet pepper, chopped

1 small hot pepper

2 stalks escallion, crushed

1 clove garlic, minced

2 quarts water

1/2 pound sliced carrots

2 medium Irish potatoes, diced

1 cup pigeon peas

1 sachet chicken noodles

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into chunks and place in a large pot with water and pigeon peas to boil.

2. When the water starts boiling vigorously, add 2 chopped celery and the 2 chopped carrots.

3. Cover and simmer until the chicken and peas are semi-cooked.

4. Next, add pumpkin, Irish potatoes and turnip to the pot.

5. When the chicken is well tender add your packet of chicken noodle soup together with thyme, escallion, garlic, sweet pepper and hot pepper.

6. About for approximately 10 minutes and your soup is ready to serve.

Tips:

There is no need to use salt because the noodles will add that flavour to the soup.

You may add dumplings if you desire.

Do not allow the hot pepper to burst in the soup.

Now that you know how to make chicken soup, learn how to grill chicken, and take a look at some homemade guides.

Macaroni and cheese is a quite simple dish that is easily cooked. It is a great selection when you need to prepare a hot meal instantly. Kids specifically love ‘mac and cheese’ as it is called for short. There are different methods to cook macaroni and cheese. Here’s how to make your very own macaroni and cheese.

Homemade Macaroni And Cheese

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups dry elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

2 heaped cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Pepper to taste

Tomato slices

Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Boil water and add salt to taste.

2. Add the macaroni and allow to cook.

3. In a separate saucepan, liquefy the butter over low heat.

4. Add a little salt, pepper, dry mustard, and flour. Mix together and allow to cook for 1 minute.

5. Add the milk and stir constantly until it gets thick.

6. Add the shredded cheese and keep mixing until smooth on very low heat.

7. When the macaronis is cooked, remove and drain.

8. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish and pour in macaroni.

9. Pour cheese sauce uniformly over macaroni continuously stirring for even spreading.

10. Spread the top with slices of tomato.

11. Dust with Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

12. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, uncovered.

Tip:

You may add other things to your recipe like sausage for a different flavour.

For more useful tips, take a look at homemade guides.

What is Cholesterol HDL?

HDL Cholesterol also known as HDL cholesterol are Lipoproteins which are made up of lipids (fats) and proteins. They are the state that lipids are transported in the blood. The high – density lipoproteins transport cholesterol from the tissues of the body to the liver so it can be gotten rid of (in the bile). It is therefore said HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol. The higher the HDL cholesterol level the less likely for you to contract coronary artery disease.

No matter how small an increase of HDL cholesterol hinder heart attacks. For each 1 mg |dl increase in HDL cholesterol there is a 2 to 4% lowering in the risk of coronary heart disease. Even though there are no proper instructions of treatment, there are proposed treatment goals for patients with low HDL cholesterol who are then encouraged to increase their HDL cholesterol to above 35mg | dl in men and 45mg | dl in women with a family history of coronary heart disease. For persons with known coronary heart disease it is encouraged increase HDL cholesterol to approach 45 mg | dl in men and 55mg in women.

How can you increase our HDL levels?

1)Lose Weight – Individuals who is obese develop a lower amount of LDL cholesterol as well as HDL cholesterol. A reduction of weight should increase your HDL levels. This is essential if you excess weight is stored in your abdominal area.

2)Restrain from Smoking – For smokers, avoiding tobacco will result in an increase HDL levels.

3)Drinking Alcohol – Believe it or not drinking one or two drinks per day may drastically increase your HDL levels. On the other hand more than two may cause to substantial health problems including but not limited to heart failure. In some cases even the casual number of drinks may lead in problems.

4)Aerobic Exercise – To many people this may be the hardest method of them all. Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging and bike riding that enhances your heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes at a time may be the best way to increase HDL levels. Recent findings suggests that the duration of the exercise, rather than the intensity, is the more important factor in raising Cholesterol HDL.

5)Cut out Trans fatty acids – Trans fatty acids are currently present in many of our favorite cooked foods; that is anything that states “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” on the nutrition label; so taking out them from your diet is not a hard task. Trans fatty acids not only expand LDL cholesterol levels but also shorten your HDL cholesterol levels. Therefore removing these foods from your diet will cause a measurable increase in HDL levels.

6)Add soluble fiber to your diet – Disintegrable fibers are found in oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and result in both a lowering in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL cholesterol. It is advised to take at least two servings a day.

If you are planning a special event for yourself or for someone like a wedding, birthday party, an anniversary, a cake is usually the pastry of choice to celebrate the event. Cakes have been a part of numerous civilizations for for many years from as far back as the Vikings and the Roman Empire. Certainly you can go out and order a cake from a bakery, which takes away from the joy of making it by yourself. A cake can be baked with many different types of consistency, from bread-like textures to some rich fluffy cakes. Nowadays most of the appliances used for baking can be easily found in almost every home so even the most amateur cook can make a great cake. This piece will provide you with the step by step instructions on how to go about making a plain cake.

How To Make A Cake

Things you will need:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of butter

3 cups of flour

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of salt

Container

Stove

Salt

Strainer

Instructions are as follows:

1. Utilize the strainer to filter the flour into a container and then calculate the quantity you need for creating the cake.

2. Then add the salt and baking powder and sieve the mixture again.

3. Put in the softened butter and mix it using either a spoon or a food processer it out until it turns out creamy. Then when this is done calculate the amount of sugar and steadily begin to add to the batter.

4. Break all the eggs into a container to make sure that none of them are rotten. Once all of them are in and ready, begin to add in the eggs one by one and beat them well after each addition.

5. Add the milk with vanilla until the mixture comes together. While you are mixing, the mixture may seem to curdle but after constant beating, when putting in the dry products, it will come together.

6. Now turn the oven to 350 degrees F and give it time to heat up and apply butter to oil the base of the cake tins.

7. When the mixture finally becomes consistent, then fold in the flour mixture and pour into the baking tins. Create a dip in the center of the mixture so that it does not rise when baking.

8. Bake the cakes in the oven for 30 minutes but refrain from pulling the oven during the first 15 minutes.

Tips and Warnings

* You can use a diversity of baking containers to achieve various shape of cakes. Some people prefer to make round cakes, square cakes, heart shapes and others.

* If you are planning a wedding, birthday or anniversary you can create your own icing and apply it to decorate your cake, with drawings and even display messages to the person that the cake is dedicated to.

Here are more useful tips on how to make a cake.

A well baked, tender potato is the perfect complement to many a meal. Yet baking a potato though apparently simple will not necessarily produce the best results if done improperly. There are a few pointers that can help you to make the most wonderful baked potatoes unfailingly. If you are keen on following these guidelines then you should cook potatoes that are absolutely appetizing.

Select the best potatoes. This is the most critical step because potatoes that are poor in quality will bake as such. It is best that you obtain potatoes that are of the bigger variety, you can also yield a near enough result using some that are just a bit smaller. However, any potato that you select should consist of a thick skin like russet potatoes. Also buying potatoes that are similar sized will not only enhance presentation but will make baking less challenging because they will bake at the same speed. If you are using noticeably different sized potatoes ensure that you check on them periodically throughout the process as they will cook at separate times; some will cook swiftly while others will cook slowly.

Do not over-bake your potatoes. This is probably the greatest cause of dry unappetizing baked potatoes.

Preparing the potato is straightforward as said before. You will not be strapped to the kitchen for the overall process, so you can therefore leave them to bake while you do other actives. However, don’t forget your potatoes in the oven because as mentioned before they are going to over-bake.

Steps

How To Bake A Potato

To begin preheat your oven. It should be set to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than 15 minutes prior to baking.

Ensure that your potatoes are all similar in size as said previously to prevent having to contend with different baking times throughout the process.

Take them out of the bag and run them under the pipe washing away any particles of dirt completely. If they are especially dirty rub in between the dents where any dirt may accumulate. Do not peel the potatoes they should stay in their skins to keep them moist during the process.

Take out your aluminium foil and wrap each potato in a single bit of foil.

Once you have wrapped all of them, put each directly on the top shelf of the oven.

Time the potatoes. They should be baked in 45 minutes to an hour. Set a timer to 45 minutes to alert you when they are done.

To ensure that they are indeed baked use a knife with a fine pointy tip or a tooth pick and stick the largest potato. If it is soft then all the potatoes should be ready to be removed. If the potato is a bit hard to the touch let them remain and allow them to bake completely for another 10- 15 minutes. The Potatoes should not take longer than an hour to be completed, be sure not to over-do the potatoes.

When your potatoes are done you may remove them from the oven and serve them at once. This allows any toppings like cheese to melt on top of the newly baked potato. Cut each potato in half and serve in or without the foil.

Visit True Bake for useful baking tips.

The green bean casserole was created in 1955 by Campbell Soup Company and has become a holiday special; the side dish is particularly well-liked for Thanksgiving festivities. The casseroles usually consist of green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup or homemade cream soup, and French fried onions. Ground black pepper and/or soy sauce are on occasion included in the recipe.

Ingredients

For the topping:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

2.Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and consistenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.

3.Stir the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, take from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

4.While the onions are cooking, organize the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a simmer in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and lighten for 5 minutes. Empty in a colander and immediately immerse the beans into a large bowl of ice water to discontinue the cooking. Drain and set aside.

5.Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet placed over medium-high heat. Put in the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring intermittently, until the mushrooms begin to relinquish some of their liquid, roughly 4 to 5 minutes.

6.Combine the garlic and nutmeg and maintain cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Shake the flour over the mixture and mix to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and boil for 1 minute.

7.Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

8.Separate from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the left over onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes.

9.Remove and serve right away

No matter what method is used in preparing fish, it is usually ready within minutes. Cooking fish is typically quick and easy, making it a healthy, flavourful option for those who want a quick but nutritious meal. Grilling fish is a natural and simple way to prepare fish, however, there are still a few tips that can help you to grill fish so it is perfect every time.

Keeping your fish from sticking

The first task you should be wary of when grilling fish, is how to keep it from sticking to the grill. Because fish is so delicate, it gets stuck to the grill, it may ruin your entire dinner.

First regardless what type of grill you use, always ensure to pre heat your frill. A general rule of thumb is, the grill is ready when you are not able to hold your hand over it for over five seconds.

Unless you are using a non stick surface, you will need to brush the grill with a little oil. alternatively you can brush the fish with a little melted butter or oil prior to placing it on the grill.

You have the option of using a fish grilling basket. These will enclose the fish which makes grilling even easier. Don’t forget to brush the basket with a little oil so the fish does not stick when you remove it.

Only turn the fish once. When grilling fish or anything at all, you want to turn the items only once. Cook one side; turn it over, cook the other side, then turn off the grill.

Knowing When the Fish is done

A general time frame for preparing fish is about 8-10 minutes for every inch of thickness or roughly 4 to 5 per half inch.

Use a fork to keep into the thickest part of the fish to test for doneness. Poke the fork in a little way and peel back a little, and the fish should be opaque and its juices milky white. Underdone fish will be translucent with the juices being clear and watery. Over done fish will be dry and easily parted.

Use an instant read thermometer to check the doneness of the fish. Just stick it in the thickest part of the fish to check for doneness. Fish is done at 145 ºF.

Salmon is a fish that is rich in omega-3 and protein. It cooks in no time and is easy to tell when it is finished. When cooked carefully, it can be a very delicious meal. But the background on how to manipulate salmon are critical to making the ideal fish. The key note is to keep the fish chilled until its ready to be cooked.

There are a a wide variation of methods to prepare and cook salmon— it can grill be grilled, baked, broiled or poached. Covered with sauces, marinades, and other preparations salmon can deliver a very versatile meal. Another key note is to not overcook, as this may cause the fish to become tough and dry.

If you are going to cook the salmon some days after you have purchased it, rinse the fish in cold water and fraction the salmon into the appropriate sizes for eating, then place in a freezer bag to avoid freezer burns. The best way to thaw salmon is to unload it from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator 24 hours before preparing it so that it thaws on its own. Try to not place the fish beneath warm or cold water.

Keep the skin on even as you cook salmon. It helps keep the fish as one and makes it much better to move and also restricts the meat from curling. An indication of when the fish is done is when the meat becomes “flaky” and changes color; you can test by only embedding a fork into the thickest part of the fillet and twisting it. If the fish flakes easily, it is done.

Broiling is a common method that is easy and simple. The oven rack should be positioned six inches from the heat. By placing parchment paper on the broiling pan (and subsequently the fish on the parchment paper) the pan will be a lot eaiser to clean once the meal is done.

If you are cooking your salmon whole, give eight minutes for each half pound of fish. Fillets and steaks are to be cooked six minutes for each half inch of thickness. If you are cooking fillets ensure sure you place the skin down when you cook it.

To grill the salmon, general cooking time for a whole fish is 20 minutes for every half pound. Turn the fish once half way through the cooking process. Grilling salmon steaks or fillets follows the same timing method to broiling the fish. Cook 5 or 6 minutes for each half inch of thickness at a medium temperature. Try turning the steak or fillets just once.

To poach salmon, pour water into a shallow skillet until it is half full. Bring the water to a boil and combine sliced lemon, onion and fresh herbs for flavor. Lower the heat to a gentle boil and incorporate the salmon, simmering until it is done. Simmer for 5 minutes for each half inch of thickness.

Ensure leftovers are refrigerated immediately.