As a child I often ate what my family called potato pancakes; it was always one of my favorite meals. These are pancakes filled with crispy shredded potatoes intended for dinner, not your usual breakfast type of pancake. They are similar to Jewish Latkes or Swedish Rosti. This is my healthier version which uses whole grain flour and sweet potatoes. They get a spicy kick from chipotle peppers and are heavenly when pan-fried until crispy.Ingredients For 4 Crispy Sweet Potato Pancakes4 medium chicken eggs

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of dried chipotle peppers

1 tablespoon of smoked or roasted paprika

2 medium sweet potatoes

1/2 cup of whole grain wheat flour

1/4 cup of chopped chives, plus extra for topping (if desired)

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oilDirectionsCombine the eggs, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle pepper, and paprika in the work bowl of your favorite food processor fitted with the multipurpose blade. Process for two minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.Use the shredding blade on your food processor to shred the sweet potatoes. It is not necessary to peel them first; the skins are actually a great source of fiber. Add to the egg mixture and stir. Add the whole grain wheat flour and chopped chives. Gently stir until everything is combined.Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Divide the batter into four even amounts. Form each into a flat round cake, about 1/2 inch thick. Put into the skillet, being careful not to crowd the pan (do two batches if needed.) Cook on the first side for five minutes, then flip over. Cook the other side for an additional five minutes.These are best served topped with sour cream and chives.The Best Food Processor For Making Crispy Sweet Potato PancakesThis is a relatively easy task for any food processor, so you don’t need a high quality machine. Having a food processor with a shredding disc will save you a lot of time and effort when shredding the sweet potatoes. If you are using a mini food processor, you may need to do more than one batch.For more information of finding the best food processor, visit FOOD PROCESSOR REVIEWS. You’ll find helpful customer reviews as well as a useful buying guide.

Heather Krasovec, creator of http://food-processor-reviews.net/, uses her extensive experience in food based industries to help consumers make the best choices when stocking their kitchens.

Oysters have been a foundation of Southern cooking ever since early settlers discovered coastal waters were filled with them. Even though these ocean delights are a staple among most Southern cuisine, oysters are not strictly a Southern tradition. These are a favorite among every region since they can be consumed cooked or raw.How To Select And Store OystersThe type of oysters that you can select from depends upon where you live and what time of the year it is. The types of oysters available in the United States are Pacific, Atlantic, and Olympia. Even though variety might be aplenty, freshness and quality are often more important. When picking out oysters, the shell should have a pleasant, sea breeze odor. The shell should also be tightly closed and appear free from cracks. If an oyster you look at happens to be slightly opened, tap it. If the oyster does not close back up, do not pick that oyster.Once you pick out your oysters and take them home, rinse them under cool water and scrub the shells with a brush. Immediately refrigerate in a bowl if you are not going to use the oysters right away. Place the oysters in the bowl curve side down and place a damp cloth over the bowl when storing in the refrigerator.How To Shuck OystersShucking oysters can be very dangerous if you do not use the proper technique. With a little practice, you will be the perfect one to shuck oysters in no time. To begin shucking, hold an oyster firmly in your palm with the curve of the shell facing down. It is recommended to wear gloves or cover your hands with a towel. With an oyster knife or any blunt, small knife, slide the end into the groove between the top and bottom of oyster to the back hinge. Slide the knife around to the other side while holding the oyster over a bowl. Twist the shell open and allow the liquid to drain into the bowl. You can free the oyster from the shell by running the knife under the oyster to cut the muscle that connects it to the bottom of the shell. Leave the oyster on the shell and place it on a tray of ice until you have completed shucking all oysters.Oysters With Tomato-Fennel RelishThis recipe serves 8 with 2 oysters each. The relish can be made up to 24 hours in advance.What You Need:½ cup plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded

½ cup fennel bulb, finely chopped

½ teaspoon orange peel, finely shredded

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 ½ teaspoon fresh chives

1/8 teaspoon salt

16 fresh oysters in shells

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butterHow To Make It:In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, orange juice, orange peel, fennel, olive oil, salt, and chives. Cover bowl and let chill until you are ready to serve.Wash oysters and shuck while discarding the flat top shells and washing the bottom shells.Stir relish before serving and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture into the bottom of each shell.Arrange your shells on a serving platter.Cook garlic and oysters in hot butter in a large skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the edge of the oysters curl and their surfaces begin to brown.Place each cooked oyster on top of relish mixture in each oyster shell. Serve straight away.

Oysters are primarily used as quick easy appetizers. If you are having a party and are looking for other dishes to serve aside your oysters, try making some easy party appetizers.EasyAppetizerRecipes.net – You Make the Appetizers, We Help You Make Them Delicious

Dried shrimp chips are sold in bags at Vietnamese or any Asian grocery markets. The hard chips are then deep fried in oil, puffing and expanding to about twice the original size. They are very fast to fry, neither messy nor oily. They are used to scoop up salads, break and mix into salad to create a crispy flavor or they can be used by itself as a snack food or an accompaniment to cocktails. One bag of fried chips would make a lot of chips, you don’t have to use at once, just enough for serving then seal it up to keep it freshness for the next use.Instructions on How to Make Dried Shrimp ChipsIngredients:

1/2 bag of dried shrimp chips

Corn or canola oil for deep fryingLine a large plate with paper towels and place next to the stove. Pour oil to a depth of 3/4 to 1 inch into a wok or 5 quart Dutch oven and heat over medium high heat to 350F on a deep frying thermometer. (If you don’t have a thermometer, stand a dry bamboo chopstick in the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather on the surface around the chopstick, the oil is ready.)Drop in 3 to 5 chips in each batch, keeping in mind they will be double in size. If you fry too many at a time, they will cook unevenly. Each will sink to the bottom, start to bubble, maybe curl, and then expand before rising to the top, where it will be done. All of this happens in 4 to 5 seconds, so don’t turn away and be fast on taking them out. Once the chips float to the top, let them fry for only a few seconds longer. Don’t let them brown or their delicate flavor will vanish. Using a skimmer, transfer the chips to the towel lined plate to drain. This is fast paced frying, so regulate the heat and adjust the size of your batches so that you are working at a comfortable speed. When the oil gets so hot, and the chips float to the top for you to handle, you can lower the heat to decrease the temperature of the oil.Enjoy!To learn more about Vietnamese recipes and cooking skills, please visit http://www.vietfoodrecipes.com. This site is updated regularly, so come back often and remember to sign up for the ‘VietChef Corner’ Newsletter to have our recipes and useful articles delivered directly to your mailbox.

To meet the author, please visit http://www.vietfoodrecipes.com and select ‘About Me’ page on the top.

Anyone who has ever attempted to make a mole sauce probably gave it up as a bad idea. An authentic mole has around 17 ingredients, and is a long, drawn our process. That explains why it is rarely offered on restaurant menus.A trip to the store will reveal some magical philtres such as Abuelita Chocolate and Doña Maria Mole Paste.Mole is traditionally made with chocolate and cinnamon, in a savory blend of ground seeds and spices and oil. Doña Maria takes much of the work out, and makes a fairly good product, but for some reason, they have left out the chocolate.A good fix is the addition of some Abuelita Chocolate. Mexican chocolate comes in a pressed block divided into 8 sections. It is infused with cinnamon, and is not overly sweet.To dress up jarred Mole sauce, first, measure out the amount you need into a saucepan, then to that add chicken broth, four parts broth to one part paste according to the package directions. Add the broth slowly so it does not lump up. Once you have the base of the mole ready, grab a wedge (one section of the disk) of the Abuelita. There may be other brands on the market, but this is the most common. You can recognize it by the octagonal shaped package with a picture of someone’s sweet smiling grandmother on the front. Grate the chocolate into the mole sauce. About a third of a wedge should be enough for two servings of mole.Heat the sauce over low heat, stirring almost constantly. Once it is on a simmer, give a taste. If you want a more pronounced flavor, you can add another grating of chocolate. A pinch of extra cinnamon or even cardamom may be to your taste. Keep the sauce on a very low heat for at least 15 minutes.Mole sauce was served for years over sliced turkey, the way Americans use gravy. It also goes very well on grilled chicken breast.You can also make up the entire jar of sauce (one small jar of Doña Maria’s makes 8 servings) and keep it in the fridge. It will keep a week once it is prepared. In the jar, opened, it can last for up to six months.One good use for mole sauce is with stuffed chicken breasts. These are easy to prepare on a countertop grill like a George Foreman, or they can be cooked in the oven or on the stove.Stuffed Chicken BreastsWhat You Need:Two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

four ounces fresh goat cheese, softened to room temperature

8 slices of thinly sliced cooked bacon, or 4 pieces of prosciutto

lemon pepper seasoning

grill spray, like PamHow to Make It: Cut the chicken breasts in half. Place one piece between two sheets of plastic wrap or inside a large plastic bag. Pound out with a mallet or the bottom of a pan until they are of uniform thinness, large and flat. Open the plastic. Sprinkle the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning. Put down two pieces of bacon or one of the prosciutto. You may need to trim the pork so it only takes up half of the surface of the chicken. Place one ounce of goat cheese in the center. Fold the pounded chicken in burrito fashion, folding the ends up, and then folding the sides over. Do not fold tightly, but do not leave any gaps if you can help it. Escaping cheese is not pretty.Heat the grill, and cook the chicken bundles until done. You can check them with an instant read thermometer. 163° F is considered done for chicken. However, if you bring it to that temperature on the grill at one time, it will come out dry and tough. Instead, bring it up to between 145° and 150° F, and then allow it to rest for 15 minutes.Serve with mole sauce and rice.

To make authentic Mexican recipes it is not always necessary to spend hours in the kitchen, once you figure out how to make easily available items work and how to adapt other Mexican recipes to your liking you will find this an easy way of making a quality dinner for your family.MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

Do you love Mexican food but do not have the time to prepare a traditional Mexican recipe? You are among many people who feel that this type of food can only be prepared in great lengths of time. Thankfully, there are some great shortcuts you can take to cook the delicious Mexican recipes that you have come to love in a shorter amount of time.Mexican recipes are known for their use of fresh produce paired with aromatic spices that give each dish a rich flavor that is sure to drive your taste buds wild. Such dishes are the favorites among many people. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, these dishes do not see a lot of dinner tables throughout the workweek.Everyone’s Favorite: EnchiladasEnchiladas are by far the most versatile dish known to the Mexican culture. This dish features a filling rolled up in a corn or flour tortilla and covered in sauce. The filling can be made of just about anything, including beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shrimp, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or a combination of fillings. Just about whatever you have on hand can quickly be added together to make a delicious enchilada that can quickly become your signature dish.Quick And Easy Cheesy Chicken EnchiladasThis recipe can quickly be prepared with beef or turkey instead of chicken. If you are in the mood for seafood, you can quickly substitute fish or shrimp for chicken. This recipe makes eight enchiladas with two enchiladas per serving.If you are looking to make your enchiladas more filling, try adding rice to the mixture. If you want to slim down the recipe, use reduced fat cheese and sour cream. You can use whatever salsa you prefer. Whole-wheat tortillas can also be substituted to make the meal even healthier.When serving this dish, feel free to garnish your enchiladas with sour cream, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and onions. This recipe also goes great with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans.What You Need:

8 corn or flour tortillas

1 pound chopped boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders

1 finely chopped medium onion

1 minced garlic clove

2 1/2 cups salsa

2 cups shredded Colby-Jack or Monterey-Jack cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

How To Make It:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.Sauté the chicken, onion and garlic in a pan until the chicken is completely done and the onions appear translucent in color.Add 1 ½ cups of salsa and 1 ½ cups of cheese to the chicken mixture. Mix well and heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Place tortillas on a paper towel and place in microwave for 30 seconds. Spread ½ cup of salsa in the bottom of a baking dish.Remove pan from heat and take out the tortillas from the microwave. Add 1/3 t0 1/2 cup of mixture to the center of each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla and place in baking dish seam side down on top of the salsa. Top with remaining salsa, all of the sour cream and remaining cheese.Place in oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through and the cheese starts to melt on top.Serve with fresh cilantro sprinkled on top.

Believe it or not, most Mexican recipes can be converted to quick and easy meals. If you love cooking authentic meals that originate from South of the border that can be completed in a pinch, there are amazing salsa recipe that also can be made in less time. Never be too quick to toss out Mexican food as a timesaving meal idea.MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

Don’t let the name scare you, these are actually harmless and delicious. Great on any Gluten Free Pasta, or just eat them as they are. Living Gluten free doesn’t mean you have to give up on food, you just take an extra 15 minutes out of your day to prepare your favorites.With many hidden dangers in names like “dextrin” or “maltodextrin” it gets hard to find something that’s actually Gluten Free. 15 Minutes is all it takes to prepare these meat balls, and there’s nothing to be afraid of, except the name.Ingredients:1 ½ pounds ground pork or beef1 cup short grain Arborio rice1 green onion, finely chopped½ tsp fresh ginger root, chopped4 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed & chopped1 tsp water chestnuts, chopped1 tsp salt1 tsp.cornstarch1 tsp dry sherry1 ½ Tbs. wheat-free Tamari soy sauce½ tsp sugar1 egg¼ tsp peppersesame oil to coat steamerDirections:Soak rice in water for 1 hour.Place meat in a bowl and add onions, ginger root, mushrooms, and water chestnuts.Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl then add to the meat mixture; mix well. Form meat into 1- inch balls.Sprinkle rice evenly over a baking sheet. Roll meatballs over the rice to coat.Oil bamboo steamer and place meatballs on it, making sure they do not touch each other. Cover and steam until the rice is soft and meat is no longer pink (about 20-30 minutes).If you do not own a bamboo steamer: place 2 inches of water into the bottom of a large pan with a tight fitting lid. Cut the top and bottom off a clean tuna can, and set into the water. Place the Porcupine Balls on a Pyrex or other heat resistant plate.Now your almost ready for the final step in preparing these amazing Meat balls…

For the final step in preparing Porcupine Meat Balls follow this link today!

If you have ever tried kale, you know that it usually tastes better cooked than raw, unless it’s hidden in a fruit smoothie. Dinosaur kale, which is also known as Lacinto kale, is an exception. It isn’t as tough as curly kale so it it works well in raw salads, like this one.This kale salad is crunchy, colorful and delicious. The whole family enjoyed it when I made it recently and I think your’s will to.The dressing adds a flavorful punch that really perks up the vegetables and fruit.It’s a great healthy alternative to coleslaw.This easy healthy recipe is inspired by one for rainbow kale slaw I picked up at Whole Foods beside a colorful display of organic local greens that included several kinds of kale, chard and collards.If you are trying to eat more nutritious foods, kale is really hard to beat. It’s rich in antioxidant nutrients, anti-cancer nutrients and anti-inflammatory nutrients.Did you know that green vegetables are the foods most missing in the modern American diet?Learning to cook and eat greens, such as kale, is important for healthy living. By nourishing yourself with a variety of leafy greens, you can naturally crowd out less healthy foods that can make you sick, which is something I’ve been trying to do more of lately.By eating so many fruits and vegetables you automatically have less room for them, without feeling deprived! And it’s fun to try new foods and experiment with new recipes.I’m loving this approach to healthy balanced eating and hope you you’ll consider giving it a try!Dinosaur Kale Salad RecipeServes 4 to 61 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinto kale), thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced4 cups shredded red cabbage2 naval oranges or clementines, peeled and segmented1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced1 large red bell pepper, cored seeded and thinly sliced1/3 cup sunflower seeds1/3 cup dried cranberries1/4 cup Dijon mustard1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperIn a large bowl, combine the kale, cabbage, orange, onion, pepper, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, orange juice, vinegar and black pepper. Pour dressing over the kale mixture and toss well to coat everything. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

Martha is a Healthy Weight Loss Coach and Independent Pampered Chef Consultant who loves helping women over 40 discover easy healthy recipes for living healthy, happy, balanced lives. Her websites include http://www.simple-nourished-living.com and http://www.best-ever-cookie-collection.com. Visit today to Get your FREE copy of her Homemade Granola Bars e-cookbooklet.

An easy recipe for the perfect poached egg…Some time ago I went to a lovely B&B with my girlfriend, part of the second “B” was the perfect poached egg.When I decided I would make my own, Google provided a few answers. Several techniques were tried and failed.I tried swirling the water clockwise (and anti-clockwise), then cracking an egg into the vortex. At that point the white is supposed to engulf the yolk and produce the “perfect poached egg”. In reality (or at least for me), the white spread across the pain, separated from the yolk and made a complete mess.The next tip recommended adding vinegar to the bubbling water and (for me) resulted in the same mess; no success this time. All I was left with was a messy fried egg that had a slight taste of vinegar to it.I tried different temperatures, different additives and different age eggs but still couldn’t get it right. I even watched the youtube videos on it, watching how professional chefs par cooked the eggs and then chilled them in iced water so they could cook several at a time. After several videos I still couldn’t produce a good egg.I was even bought “poach pods” which did produce poached eggs but they resembled the microwave version and I have no desire to cook eggs that look more at home between two sides of bread and a “McSausage”.Back to Google it was; and here is where I came across the fool proof recipe for the perfect poached egg.You will need:Pan of boiling water

Cup

CLING FILM (or shrinkwrap)

Oil

EggsFor this easy technique, cover the cup with a sheet of cling film and create a well in the cup, pour a drop of oil in the well (or use a 1 cal spray if you have one),Crack the egg into the well and wrap the cling film around the egg.Repeat for the rest of the eggs.Cook normally or for 3 or 4 minutes. Take it out using a slotted spoon and peel the cling film off. And there you have the perfect poached egg.

If you like this “recipe” please check out my blog: http://www.ezrecipe.co.uk

Pupusas are not too different from corn tortillas but they are thicker and often stuffed with ingredients like beans, meat, or cheese. This dish originated in El Salvador but it is also popular in Honduras. A tortilla press is an easy way for beginners to make pupusas, although the traditional method involves slapping the dough between greased hands.These hand-made corn tortillas can be filled with squash, refried beans, cooked pork meat which is ground to a paste, soft cheese, vine flower cheese or a combination of these ingredients. Curtido is often served with this dish and that is a cabbage slaw which is made with vinegar and red chilies and lightly fermented. A watery tomato salsa is another popular accompaniment.If you know about traditional Mexican foods, you might think that gorditas sound similar. Mexican gorditas usually have more filling than pupusas though and they usually have an opening in the middle.November 13 is “National Pupusa Day” in El Salvador and this is one of the country’s national dishes. It is well worth making your own. They will be much nicer than the frozen ones you might have bought before in Hispanic supermarkets.Simple Recipe For PupusasYou will need a cup of filling to make these. Choose from refried beans, fried chopped pork with tomato sauce, soft cheese, cooked potatoes, or minced jalapenos. You can also combine several different fillings. You will need masa harina to make this recipe. This is a special dried cornmeal flour. Use fresh masa instead if you can get it, substituting it for the water and dried masa. One pound of dough will make about five pupusas.Combine two cups of masa harina and a cup of warm water in a bowl and knead it well. Gradually knead in more water until you have a moist, firm dough, then cover it and let it rest for five or ten minutes.Roll the dough into a log and cut it into eight equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Make an indentation with your thumb in each one and put a tablespoon of filling inside. Fold the dough over to seal in the filling and flatten the balls slightly.Use plastic to line a tortilla press and press each ball into a five or six inch wide disk. The disks should be about quarter of an inch thick. You can use a rolling pin and two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap if you do not have a tortilla press. Simply put the dough between the paper or plastic and roll over it with the rolling pin.Grease a skillet and heat it over a moderate flame. Cook the pupusas for a couple of minutes per side or until they are golden brown. Transfer them to a plate and keep them warm until you have cooked all of them. Serve them with salsa and curtido.

If you like these snacks from El Salvador, you should also enjoy Mexican food. This is because a lot of the ingredients used in our easy Mexican recipes are typical in many South American dishes.MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

We might as well face it, we all love to eat. We really do enjoy all those wonderful tastes, flavors, textures, and aromas we can create while adding different types of ingredients together. This is especially true when we start to thinking about the types of homemade breads we can make to serve with all our homemade meals. Here are two quick and easy biscuit recipes you can make and serve with any meal.You can learn how to make easy butter biscuits that make you think of the biscuits mom use to make. Then again, maybe you would like to learn to make old fashioned pan biscuits. However, when you make them like we do, you can save time by using dry biscuit baking mix when you do make this type of bread.Recipe for Easy Butter BiscuitsWhat You Need

1/3 cup cold butter

2 ½ cups biscuit baking mix

2/3 cup milk

Melted butter for brushingHow to Make ItPreheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.Cut the cold butter into 4 equal pieces and then place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the biscuit baking mix and then cut with a fork while creating a crumbly texture of dough. Add the milk and stir to combine, but do not over stir. Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured surface and then dust the dough with some biscuit baking mix or flour. Fold and then knead 5 or 6 times and then lightly pat into a thickness of about ½ inch.Cut the biscuits with the open end of a glass or a biscuit cutter. Arrange them on an un-greased baking sheet with the sides of the biscuits touching. Place in the preheated oven to bake for about 9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter while hot from the oven. You can make about 8 biscuits with this recipe.Recipe for Quick Pan BiscuitsWhat You Need

2 cups biscuit baking mix

½ cup milk

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup sifted flourHow to Make ItPreheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.Prepare a square or round cake pan by lightly coating it with cooking spray. Set aside until needed.Add the biscuit baking mix, milk, egg, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl and combine well while forming soft dough. Prepare a clean dry surface by sprinkling it with flour Add just enough of the sifted flour to make the dough easier to handle. Flour your hands and then turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Gradually add the remaining flour and knead until the dough becomes smooth in texture.Pinch off just enough dough to form a bun or biscuit and then press the biscuits into the prepared cake pan with side touching. Allow the bread to set for about 3 minutes. Place in the preheated oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. This recipe yields 8 or 9 biscuits.

Biscuits are great when you are making a delicious beef stew recipe. You might like to make an easy beef stew to serve with your homemade biscuits. Visit our website today to find even more tempting and scrumptious recipes you can make.Make Something Ordinary Into Something Extraordinary – EasyStewRecipes.com