May 13 2009

“Home-Made” Pizza Is Super Easy!

Published by thelemonplum under Pizza, Vegetarian

I know some of you are scared already. But don’t be! This will be the easiest and tastiest pizza you will ever make. And remember, you don’t have to use the ingredients I tell you to - use whatever your hearts desire! Sometimes I like using roasted red peppers, or an assortment of mushrooms, or olives. Maybe you like ham and pineapple or meat lovers - well go for it! Its your pizza! First and foremost the home-made was in quotes. About a year ago I started using Pillsbury Pizza Crust. The crust on its own tastes like those dinner rolls they have. But add some sauce and a touch of flavor and its a nice little treat for you.

1 “can” of Pillsbury Pizza Crust (I use thin)
1/2 - 1 jar of Delallo Pizza Sauce
1 whole Mozzarella ball
1/2 cup Shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup Vidalia Onions
4 Pieces Turkey Bacon
Grape Seed Oil
4 medium pieces of Sun Dried Tomato’s
S&P
1 Tab of butter

This is also a good recipe if you want to take it easy on the greasy foods for once. I used grape seed oil because its a terrific oil to cook with but I also used a tab of butter (smart balance) because I like the flavor mixed with the onions and mushrooms. Again, you can do whatever you want.

Before you cut everything up go ahead and get your crust and your oven ready. Set your oven to preheat at 350 degrees. I suggest oiling the baking sheet before you put down the crust - it just makes it easier later on after everything is baked! Unroll the crust onto your baking sheet (you might need to kneed/stretch the dough a wee bit) and add a few spoonfuls of your pizza sauce. You don’t really want to cook the pizza through all the way. Just enough so its not soggy. Put it in the oven along with your timer.

You will want to cut up your onions, mushrooms, bacon and tomatoes up in small-ish pieces. Next I put the butter and oil in a frying pan and heat it up a little bit - once it gets a little warm add in your aforementioned ingredients along with about a teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper. You will want to cook ALL of this together so all the flavors will mix nicely. As for if its done enough or not? Check your onions. Since they are the densest/hardest thing in this mix — if they are breakable with a spoon then the whole thing is done!

You are also going to want to take your mozzarella or whatever cheese you want to use and prepare that as well. For the mozzarella if you don’t want it to keep sticking to the knife and you want nice thin pieces I would suggest keeping your knife wet. Mozzarella is a really dense and somewhat “dry” cheese. So if you keep a knife near by and just wet it every so often before slicing the cheese then you should get through it quite easily.

Once your pizza is done baking for those 5-8 minutes you can take it out and place your sauteed ingredients on the pizza spreading it out evenly - this is also the perfect time to add your cheese as well. Put it back in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. If you are using a fresh cheese like mozzarella AND mushrooms you will probably find that a lot of the water from these two items will come pouring out. Don’t worry! Bake it for a few minutes more if this happens. Also, once you get it out of the oven - let it sit for a few minutes and all that liquid will start to evaporate away!

Slice and serve. Yummy!

2 responses so far

May 09 2009

Acai Berry Smoothies!

Published by thelemonplum under Uncategorized

Okay apparently no one knows how to make these as yummy as I do lol. Hey, I’m just being honest! I know I haven’t updated for awhile because I have been super busy with my company (I’m the CEO and Founder) and my other blog Consumer-Outlet.com but I am really trying my best you guys! Also, my hosting company *ahem* sort of screwed my background up. If you are a visitor from before you would know my b-ground USED to be eggplant purple. But now its some god awful grey color and that just upset me :o(

Anyway, after having a ton of comments today in my email and twitter I decided to set up an easy recipe for Acai Berry Smoothies. Now you can either use milk or orange juice or whatever other “liquid” you want. Personally I like the fruit taste of the OJ mixed with all the other stuff but once in a blue moon if I want an “ice cream” consistency Ill use the milk. One thing I also would suggest is that if you DO use milk - you can use ANY kind of milk. For example, my mom uses Soy Milk. Remember - cooking is not about rules. Its about having fun, tastefully delicious food and cooking it the way YOU like it. So if you don’t like something listed below - don’t put it in!

Acai Berry Smoothie:
7 Strawberries cut up
1 Whole frozen banana
3 spoon fulls of frozen Blueberries
1/4c Orange Juice
Acai Powder (I get the capsules because its cheaper!)
1 Scoop “Secure” Vanilla powder (protein)
1 capsule of Energy and Fat Metabolism Factors (by ProCaps)
1 capsule Vitamin B12
1 Heaping tablespoon Greek Yogurt
5 Ice Cubes

Obviously for the capsules - I take the power OUT of the capsule and for the ice cubes - you can add or subtract cubes in order to make it more luquidy or more thick. I usually put ALL the fruit in first and then add the liquid and blend it. Then Ill add the yogurt and the powders and blend it again. And lastly I put in the cubes. I like mine medium - sort of liquid-y and sort of thick (but not so thick you need a straw!)

And that’s about it. You can get the Acai powder but I prefer the Capsules because its already measured out and its MUCH cheaper. I buy mine from the website below. Its only $4.95 for an entire bottle. So that’s pretty cool in itself!

Buy Acai!

That site is super easy to sign up with as well. So give it a go and see whats what. I like the Acai because it gives me energy and its super good for you. In fact, this is considered as being one of THE SuperFoods because of the effect it can have on your body. Its good for weight loss, immune systems, colds, metabolic processing, etc!

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Dec 27 2008

What Are The Types Of Acai Berry And What Are The Benefits?

Published by thelemonplum under Article

What Are The Types Of Acai Berry And What Are The Benefits?

by KristiAmbrose

Acai berry juice is a dietary supplement that contains pure Acai berry juice derived exclusively from palm trees located in Brazil’s Western Amazon rain forest. These berries are processed through a unique maceration process that has been used for thousands of years by the indigenous people of the Brazilian rain forest. This process uses the entire berry which includes; the Epicarp, Mesocarp and the hard Endocarp. These berries contain some of these beneficial nutrients; essential fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and also supports; healthy energy levels, healthy immune system, healthy cholesterol levels, healthy cardiovascular system, free radical scavenging, gastrointestinal health and much more!

There are also other forms of the Acai berry which include:
Acai Berry Extract -
The Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is loaded with vitamins and minerals, such as many of the B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Acai berries also contain omega-6 and omega-9 EFAs. Acai berries are also an excellent source of a component called anthocyanins. These are flavonoids found in darker fruits that possess antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help defend the body from damage caused by unstable free radical molecules.

Organic Acai Berry Juice -
106,000 ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) units per bottle, or 3500 per serving. ORAC is the measurement for antioxidant capacity of different foods and the USDA recommends that the average person consume at least 3000 ORAC per day. Studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Acai (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. Acai contains a remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging. A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats and dietary fiber which helps promote cardiovascular and digestive health.

Capsules -
Acai is the only super berry on the market that has everything that you need, naturally from only the berry itself. It packs Vitamin B1, B2, B3, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Fiber, Proteins, good fatty acids such as Omega 6, Omega 9 to helps you fight your cholesterol problems and many, many more; there is just too many to list. Also as an added benefit is give you the highest level of anti-oxidant on the market, with studies showing up to 33 times the anti-oxidant as red wine grapes. With Acai it gives you the energy from your youth and opens up the vitality and increased stamina you had in your 20’s. So try the new “Fountain of Youth” from this forbidden Amazon Berry and you too will feel the power of the Amazon.

Any and all of these forms can be healthful to your body and besides the many benefits listed in this article, some other benefits you may be interested in include things such as Enhances visual acuity, minimizes inflammation, improves circulation, prevents arthrosclerosis and even helps you lose weight. This type of product is 100% all natural and shouldn’t contain any foreboding chemicals that could otherwise be harmful to your health and to your body. People that are really big on healthy eating and healthy living absolutely swear by this stuff and say it is the best thing they have ever had in their entire lives. Well, with the so called “Fountain Of Youth” being tagged tailed on this product, I sure as heck would hope that it would have an immense impact on people!

About the Author

This author is a HUGE fan of Article Source: Content for Reprint

6 responses so far

Dec 27 2008

Are You Looking For a Valuable Catering Service?

Published by thelemonplum under Article

Are You Looking For a Valuable Catering Service?

By Kristi Ambrose

As an experienced Chef that has been in the field for over 11 years I understand the importance of having the right food and the right menu at an important event such as a Birthday, Wedding, or Anniversary. The best way to get a good deal plus get a good menu is to hire a caterer. These caterers offer all sorts of special occasion menus, for whatever you special event is for, and in most all cases the Head Caterer is a Chef of some sort. Back in the day when I was a Chef, I had a Head Catering job, and let me tell ya you can’t just be some Joe Shmo to dish out all the responsibilities that come at hand with something like this! A few weeks ago I had a client ask me to search around for them for a quality cater in the Atlanta area and I found about 5 or 6 okay ones, but there was one in particular that was absolutely fantastic. Not only was the menu delicious sounding, but the website was also very professional; which to me is an important aspect of any site!

Some of the menu items on the special occasions menu included things such as Stuffed Mushrooms, Spinach Dip, Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, an assortment of Fondues, Chocolate Covered Strawberries and so on and so forth. This was one of the few sophisticated menus I have seen for caterers in the Atlanta area so it definitely was my top choice for the client. This site is really useful as well because they don’t just offer a special occasions menu but a corporate menu as well with dishes such as Breakfast, Brunch, Sandwiches, Soup, Sides, and Salads and again, all the items sounded really yummy! I am definitely a Chef when it comes to the quality and taste of food and I guess I can be somewhat of a foodie snob; so if I say its yummy looking, it must be!

If you are looking for a site like this for a birthday party, wedding/reception, business meeting, or any other affair for that matter, check this site out, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed! Hiring a caterer takes a huge worry off of your mind. Not only do you not have to worry about setting up or making the food, but you also don’t need to worry about cleaning up afterwards, which is always hard especially if you’re having a party or get together of some sort and just want to chill out and not have to worry about those responsibilities! Take a gander at some of the photos they have on their website and you will truly see that this company in particular means business! Websites like this really are one in a million! You can also tell a lot about a company from photos on their website regarding workmanship and professionalism, this site takes true pride in the food that they cook and serve, and really, isn’t that the most important thing when it comes to any celebration or get together?!?

About the Author: This author is a HUGE fan of Atlanta Catering

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=322219&ca=Food+and+Drinks

No responses yet

Nov 27 2008

Damn The Spam~!

Published by thelemonplum under Uncategorized

And no I’m not talking SPAM the food (and I really wouldn’t call that food anyway). I’m speaking about all the spam comments I get. Hey, I’m an IM (Internet Marketer) I completely understand what those folks are trying to do. Recently I was on a forum and someone was asking about backlinks and how to get them. Well these ways are VERY legit so check them out. They aren’t free, like that of spamming someones BLOG but here’s the thing about spamming blogs; yes its free. BUT there is a very higher percentage of whoever you spammed, deleting your comment. Like me. I go through every comment and delete the ones that are just posted for reasons of backlinks. Hey like I said, I understand how hard it is being a marketer and selling things, but I mean, do it right. Don’t spam people. First off its wrong. Second off, you will get SUCH low conversions it will be like time wasted instead of time well spent.

“What the hell, isn’t this a food blog?” Ya, it is. But I found it important to point stuff like this out and since this is my “property” and your spamming it, I feel like the NEED to talk about it.

I have an article writing and submission business, I write articles, submit them to article sites, directories, blogs, people.. and… its all legit. You guys MIGHT want to try something like that out. THAT will stick. THAT is stuff people will read. This? Spamming? Isn’t.

Check my linkage out (this isn’t me spamming).

Like the website says, I can get YOUR link on 5700 sites. I’m a good writer. I do everything legit. So try it out, and stop spamming me before I use my Chef knife to fillet your RIBEYE. Do human have rib eyes? No. But you get my drift. 255 comments and only one was legit. That’s sad.

No responses yet

Nov 27 2008

German Beer In A Nutshell

Published by thelemonplum under Wine, beer

Throughout Germany, beer is very popular with the culture. Germany contains well over 1,000 breweries, which is more than any other location in the universe. All beer that is mass-produced in Germany must follow the purity law, which allows manufacturers know what ingredients can and can’t be used. Essentially, the only ingredients allowed to produce beer in Germany are H2O, hops, and barleycorn malt.

Due to the strict purity requirements, you can easily notice German beers by their overall level of quality. They have a defined taste, with little to no aftertaste. Some trends of German ale include Koelsch, Weizen, and Altbier. Some kinds of German lager beers include Bock, Pilsener, Dunkel, Helles, and Maerzen. Keep in mind that the taste, fragrance, and semblance can vary, although all can be noted as being legitimate German beers.

The German beer Altbier is a very standard dark ale, that is top fermented in the lower realms of Germany. The beer projects a yellow color, with a taste sensation that is rich in hops. Another ale, Rauchbier, is noted to have a robust flavor with a smoked coloring. These beers taste great, and happen to be very popular throughout the areas of Germany.

German lagers are also very popular, and happen to be popular in other areas of the world as well. Pilsener is one of the most popular and most familiar of all German beers, supplying you with more hops and less malt. Pilsener can be seen for sale all over the world, and happens to be very popular throughout North America as well. Some bars serve it as well, as it happens to be one of the most popular dark lagers out there.

Throughout Germany, there are several different companies, produce over 4,000 different brands of beers. Some of the more well known and larger companies of north Germany are Beck, St. Pauli, Warsteiner, and Krombach. In the southern region of Germany, there are more breweries, although most of them are smaller, as they are locally owned and operated. Southern Germany also contains the Benedictine Abbey, which is one of the oldest breweries in the world. This brewery started producing beer in 1040 - very impressive indeed!

Germany is also home to Oktoberfest, which is held every year in Munich. Oktoberfest starts in late September and carries on for two weeks, ending in early October. During Oktoberfest, beer drinkers from all over the world will travel to Germany and celebrate German beers. Each and every year, over 5 million people attend the event, making it one of the biggest beer celebrations in the world.

During Oktoberfest, local breweries in Munich are the only breweries allowed to serve beer in the bigger tents. There are six breweries in total, producing a variety of different beers. By attending this yearly event, you can learn more about German beer, sample the different varieties, and enjoy the rich bold flavors that make German beer so very popular.

Due to the success Oktoberfest gets each and every year, other cities around the world try and mimic this event. Even though they have success, their level of success isn’t near as much as the original Oktoberfest - Germany. German beers are very popular around the world, with Oktoberfest helping to prove that very claim. If you drink beer but have never experienced what beers from Germany have to offer, you really should give them a try. Once you do, you’ll quickly realize why German beers are so very popular - and why the taste simply can’t be duplicated with any other beer.

One response so far

Jun 25 2008

Chicken Napolean

Published by thelemonplum under Chicken

Chicken Napoleon is a really nice recipe to make if your looking for something with a different flavor than your used to when using chicken. This recipe is very similar to that of rainbow trout with pecan butter sauce. It has a slight sweetness to it, but its not too sweet to over power the dish. This is yet another SUPER easy recipe, that doesn’t take much time to make at all. But the results are fantastic!

Serves 5

6 6oz boneless chicken breasts
1C flour
3 eggs, beaten
1C bread crumbs
1lb butter
1/2lb pecan pieces, chopped
1/2C light brown sugar

Cut chicken breasts in half and flatten with pounder. Season with S&P and lightly dredge in flour, dip in egg, then bread crumbs. In a bowl mix pecans, 1/2 the butter and brown sugar. Melt the other 1/2c of butter and saute chicken until brown on both sides. Set chicken aside and discard butter. In that pan melt the pecan, butter, and brown sugar mixture. Pour over chicken and serve!

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Jun 25 2008

Chicken Amarillo

Published by thelemonplum under Chicken

As of late Ive been trying to eat more white meat chicken and less beef and lamb and all that good stuff i love! I used to never like white meat, but if you can change someones mind, like mine, about a recipe with white meat in it, then you have a winner for sure. This recipe is a really simple but delicious addition to any table. You can leave the skins off if thats what you prefer, but I recommend leaving them on just because it really moistens up the breast of the chicken and gives it that extra flavor. If you do leave the skin on, then your in for a treat because this skin is going to be super crispy and incredibly flavorful! This dish also has a sort of Mexican flair to it, besides the name, it also has cilantro in it which has a wonderfully fresh flavor!

Serves 4

2 bone less chicken breasts, skin on
3 green or red bell peppers diced
1 bunch cilantro, no stems
1T garlic
2C olive oil
1/4C onions, diced
1/2t cumin (optional)
1t lemon juice

In a pan place 1T olive oil on a stove top and place peppers, garlic, onions, and lemon juice. Saute just until the onions become tender. Add the cilantro last, since this will cook pretty quickly. Season chicken breast with S&P, and cumin and grill skin side down. Lightly burn the skin then turn over and grill for a few minutes more, turning occasionally until fully cooked. Place the onion mixture over the chicken and serve!

One response so far

Jun 14 2008

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Ive personally never tried this recipe but have tried something like it. But it sounds delicious, especially if you enjoy pineapple. Pineapples are available at peak season in the following months March-July. Super easy, Super quick recipe. And I dont know what it is about something sweet like papayas, pineapples, mango, peaches or anything else, but they always taste good with red onions in a salsa like this. The flavors just get along incredibly well. This goes well on grilled chicken or of course chips.

1T oil
1 Pineapple, sliced 1/4inch thick
1/2 red onion, diced
2T brown sugar
1 red bell pepper
2T cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2T red wine vinegar
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped

Grill pineapple slices and then cut into small dice. In a pan sweat onions in olive oil until tender and add brown sugar, and red bell pepper. Mix in the reamining ingredients. Chill about 1 hour before serving.

One response so far

Jun 14 2008

Gift Baskets & Wine Baskets

Published by thelemonplum under Wine

I was searching online for a few of these gift basket companies and I have to be honest there’s quite a few out there. But there’s one in particular that caught my eye and I really enjoyed looking through all their different products and product options its called Gift Tree. Plus on top of that the prices are really good. As a Chef I take notice in presentation, besides flavor, presentation is THE most important part of a meal or a product or anything like that. If you want to even just visit the site you can see they really care about their products.

Just as an example of a few products they carry that I really liked:

Kendall Jackson Collection - I absolutely love Kendall Jackson wines, so I think this would be the perfect gift for any of you wine lovers out there and for any of you that knows someone that loves wine and might be having a special occasion coming up. It comes with 3 bottles of wine, two red one white (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot), truffles, a couple food “items” like cheese, crackers, cookies etc. And then on top of all that it comes in a really nice basket and two cheese spreaders that you know you can use over and over again. This is definitely a product you should check out!

The Crowd Pleaser - Among many of the other baskets on this site, this is a good one to buy if your not looking for wine, and just want a really great gift for yourself or someone else. This ones really neat because it actually comes WITH a leather tote and inside the tote are the items. The Crowd Pleaser comes with Almond popcorn, cookies, caramels, pretzels, chocolate and a LOAD of other things!

Grand Indulgence - Is for those of us that are looking for a gift that’s really classy and chic. Between the Caviar, the Camembert cheese, and the Raspberry Tea Cookies this basket is a taste of heaven for me. This one comes with so many items, your really going to have to go to the site and see it all for yourself. And if that weren’t enough it also comes in this really cute picnic basket that you can use.

And in case you were wondering this site doesn’t JUST sell gift baskets, they also sell bottles of wine, champagne, personalized gifts, gifts for specific occasions and a lot more. Over all I think its a really great site and I can see myself ordering one of those Grand Indulgences.. for.. myself!

3 responses so far

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