Using Fruits For Making Party Appetizers And Side Dishes

Most of us think of raw sliced and diced vegetables along with dip for serving as simple party quick appetizers but did you realize that fresh fruit can be used in the very same way as well as in many other creative dishes? From apples to strawberries, there are so many fruity concoctions to make as side dishes and appetizers.
Although apples are perfect for dipping into sauces made with delicious ingredients like chocolate or caramel they are also ideal for using in side dishes. Combine apples with cheddar cheese and a variety of nuts for an interesting starter. You can also use apples along with all types of melons, mangos, oranges, peaches, pears, and strawberries to create a cool and refreshing fruit salad to serve either before or after dinner.

Avocados are a rather versatile fruit that you can use to create a number of crowd pleasing appetizers. Use avocados to make salsa as mild or as hot as you like and the fruit is also perfect for salads and of course, guacamole dip. Cut avocados in half and use them as "cups" for holding a number of delicious fillings that can be served before, during, or after the main course.

Dates and figs are both great for finger foods especially for parties. Stuff dates with cheese and grill ripe figs and serve them along with goat cheese and a drizzling of honey. Alternatively, for an even sweeter side dish for dessert, cover grapes with dark or milk chocolate for a sweet truffle that is a great alternative to the usual chocolate covered strawberries.


The cranberry is another delightful fruit to use in recipes for appetizers and side dishes and this small but tasty treat is full of antioxidants. In addition to cranberry sauce that is often served for holidays along side of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and gravy, use cranberries for making fruit salads and sweet, chunky salsas.

Cream Cheese and Cranberry Salsa Recipe
What You Need

• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup green onions, minced
• 2 small jalapeno chili peppers, cored, seeded, minced
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
• Cranberries and cilantro sprigs for garnish

How to Make It
Thoroughly rinse and drain the cranberries discarding any that are soft or bruised.
Use a food processor to process the cranberries on the pulse setting until they are crushed and chopped but not too soft and mushy.
Transfer the crushed cranberries to a bowl and add the minced green onions, the jalapeno peppers, sugar, grated ginger, cilantro leaves, and fresh lemon juice and mix all of the ingredients together.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
After the salsa has chilled, put the cream cheese on a serving platter and cover with the cool salsa.

Antique Oak Bookcase

Are you the kind of person who appreciates antique pieces of furniture? You need to look around your local stores for such pieces so that you can decorate your home with only the best and most exotic furniture. Having antique furniture in your home has become a common fashion statement. An antique oak bookcase will surely make the statement improving the decor of your home. Furniture stores stock antique oak bookcases in various styles, designs and colors. Purchasing a good product will see you pass the bookcase to many generations that will come after you. See more of bookcase walls.

An antique oak bookcase does not come cheap and if you wish to buy it, you must be very prepared to part with a significant amount. It has many advantages including durability where it can last for a very long time. The timber used to make these product is usually imported and it is the best kind there is. Also, artisans behind the antique oak bookcases are very skillful. They are trained to produce some of the best intricate and unique designs there are in the market. You will certainly find the products amazingly crafted to inspire great creativity and beauty. The best antique bookcase in the market today is the Victorian oak library bookcase shelf which comes complete with the Victorian era finishing taking you back in time to enjoy great splendor.

Antique oak bookcases are made of original material and are available in four stack bookshelves. Their height and width is 58.5" and 34" consecutively. According to category, you can keep the books in their four shelves.

The best thing about the four shelves of this category is that they are adjustable according to size of books, quantity and also requirement. At the bottom of many antique oak bookcases is a cupboard which is normally features. You are sure not to run out of storage space for your books and other valuables.

There are 3 kinds of bookcases that you can select from and they are light oak, Jacobean oak, medium oak and others. It is very easy to have an exotic oak bookcase matching your furniture. This can be done by a designing artisans who will match the bookcase to your already existing furniture at home. This will transform the decor of your home making it more attractive.

Why Vegetables Are Perfect For Appetizers

Even people who do not often eat vegetables tend to gobble them up when they are used in appetizers alongside a variety of cheeses, dips, and sauces. In addition, if you have kids who are not exactly fond of eating their vegetables, creating different appetizers to serve before meals is an excellent way to give them the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients growing children need with vegetarian quick appetizers.

Vegetables are also loaded with fiber and are ideal for creating a filling spread for dinner guests to choose from. Moreover, if you want to create a visually appealing display there are an incredible number of ways to prepare and garnish vegetables for a stunning food presentation.

Cucumber balls and cucumber cut-outs are perhaps one of the easiest garnishes to make from vegetables. To make cucumber balls, slice the vegetable in half and use a small melon baller to remove balls of flesh from the cucumber.

You can cut and slice cucumbers in many ways either with or without the skin and you can also use small cookie cutters to make interesting garnishes for all of your salads and side dishes. Cool cucumbers are also great for making dips to eat with bread, crackers, and vegetables.

 

If you need a simple way to spruce up your salads or appetizers, you can quickly julienne a handful of carrots. To begin, clean and peel the carrots then slice four sides of each carrot to create a rectangular shape. Then cut the rectangular pieces lengthwise into slices approximately one eighth of an inch thick. Next, stack the slices of carrots and slice again lengthwise also in one eighth inch strips.

Also, choose from all types of peppers including the green, red, and yellow bell varieties as well as hot peppers to chop, cut, and slice into different shapes and sizes to use in appetizer recipes.

Cheesy Bacon Asparagus Tarts Recipe

What You Need

• 1 package flaky pastry dough sheets
• 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 tomato, diced
• 3 asparagus spears, cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roll out the sheets of dough and cut it into 12 squares of equal size.
Line a miniature muffin tin with small baking cup and place a square of dough inside. Shape the edges of the dough up the sides of the baking cups to keep the ingredients from spilling over.
Distribute the cooked bacon, the diced tomatoes, the pieces of asparagus and the shredded cheddar cheese evenly among the baking cups. Pat the ingredients down into each cup with the back of a spoon.

Having A Good Experience With Chinese Delivery

Having food delivered to your home or office can be very convenient. One of the options for delivery is Chinese food. Chinese delivery can be found in most mid size cities. Before placing a first order there are some recommendations that should be considered.

 

Naturally the initial step is to choose the restaurant from which to order. Of course it is better to have more choices but some areas will only have one place. Good places to get ideas from are neighbors, friends and coworkers. It is not hard to get people to share their opinion of a food delivery place.

Information can also be found online. There are several review sites on the internet. These types of sites are popular places to get input on a place. The more reviews there are the more helpful the information. Some larger cities have sites created by professional reviewers. These people make a living out of reviewing local eating establishments. They have to have a good reputation of stay credible.

Once a place is chosen the ordering process can begin. A first time costumer may not have a menu to which to refer. Some places that have full online menus. Some of these may even offer the ability to order online. These online menus can really be a help to a first time customer. If there is no menu to use, the customer has to call the restaurant and ask questions about what is offered.

It is beneficial to have an idea of what a person wants to eat before contacting the restaurant. Chinese food menus usually divide menus by the main ingredient in the dish. There are often categories for chicken, beef, pork, seafood and vegetable dishes. The entree descriptions will list the type of vegetables included in the dish. There are also different sauces that will be described. There are also places that will inform the patron if the item is MSG free.

Often there is an indication on the menu as to how spicy a dish is seasoned. These symbols are often a special symbol or color of type on the menu. Asking about the hotness of a dish is not an uncommon occurrence when people call for Chinese food. Many dishes that are extremely hot but there are many that are fairly bland. A variety of palettes can be satisfied.

It is important to know when ordering what extra items might accompany the main course. The main course might be accompanies by soup. Most come with a serving of rice. Appetizers might be included or offered at an extra charge. Egg rolls are a popular appetizer. Normally soy sauce and fortune cookies are included but that should not be assumed.

Often deals are made for at meals of at least two people. These are complete meals that include a soup and appetizer. There is usually a choice of several entrees. Often the deals are only included in the dinner menu. The cheapest time of day to order Chinese delivery is on a lunch hour. There is often a range of time when the lunch prices and portions are offered. More of quick appetizers.

Melting Method Cakes

 

Cake making by the melting method really is a piece of cake because it requires the minimum of effort. This method is specially designed to cope with the extra sweeteners needed to make soft and sticky traditional cakes such as gingerbread. Select your best quick appetizers.

Melting-method cakes have a characteristic tacky, sticky texture throughout the cake, and it is this that has made cake like gingerbread so very popular and has given them such a high place in traditional baking. This stickiness is achieved by increasing the proportion of sweetening agents to ether ingredients in the cake.

To handle the extra volume of sweetener, a special method is used. With this method the fat is melted with the sweetener before the flour is added. Before cooking the cake mixture has a good texture and a consistency similar to a thick batter, rather than the soft topping consistency of cake mixtures made by the all-in-one or creaming methods.

Like all cakes, the amount and the choice of ingredients depend on the method you are using, the flavor and the texture you wish to achieve and/or the recipe you have chosen. Average proportions for cakes made by the melting method are one-third fat to the total amount of flour; one-third sugar to the total amount of flour; and one to two-thirds of sweetener to the total amount of flour. However, these proportions can vary considerably with individual recipes.

One extremely important factor when making cakes by this method is the exact weighing of the ingredients for the individual recipes. As long as there is a correct balance of ingredients to start with, perfect results will follow.

There are no hard and fast rules about the type of flour to use. As a basic guide, plain flour is best used, because then you can control the amount of raising agent which is important to the mixture. Self-raising flour may be used for certain recipes, but as you have no control over the raising agent you can never be sure whether it is too much or too little for the purpose of making cakes by this method. Certain brown flours can be used depending on your taste. Never use a strong plain flour (the type recommended for bread making), because this will produce a tough and heavy-textured cake. You should never substitute one flour for another in a given recipe, because this could upset the overall balance.

Bicarbonate of soda is the raising agent most often used in this method of cake making as it combines successfully with plain flour. When this chemical raising agent is heated, it gives off a carbon dioxide which produces the rise. Baking powder, another chemical raising agent, is used where self-raising flour is included. The quantities are usually small because of the amounts already in a self-raising flour. Baking powder is added, nevertheless to boost the rising. If you are using a brown flour, you must use baking powder in larger quantities than with self-raising flour. Brown flour is so much heavier than white flour and needs the extra rise that a larger quantity of baking powder will give.

Temptingly Sweet Appetizer Recipe

Will you be entertaining a large group of children? Maybe you want to make a mouthwatering dessert type of quick appetizers to a special social event or gathering. if you are considering all your options and you want to make something that will tempt anyone around, you might like to learn how to make these delicious sticky chocolate butter bars. They are great to take along for any type of party where chocolate lovers may be. They also make a nice treat to serve to family while watching your favorite movies at home.

This is an easy to make recipe that lets you take advantage of using a chocolate cake mix. Of course, you could always use other flavors or cake mixes to make this recipe. Choose to use chocolate or one of your family favorite cake flavors. Although, you will bake these sweet appetizer bars in a preheated oven, the batter may not seem as if it is completely done. The center of the chocolate butter bars may not seem quite firm in the center. This is alright, since this is what will cause the bars to be sticky with chocolaty goodness.

Baking them a bit longer is fine if you prefer; however, doing so may produce more of a brownie effect rather than a sticky, gooey type of bar. You can add chopped walnuts or pecans or you can leave them out if you do not want to include them.

If you feel like experimenting with a double chocolate flavor consider tossing in some chocolate chips or maybe some butterscotch or peanut butter chips. This recipe only uses just a few ingredients; you may even have most of them in the pantry right now. If you do, you can make them now and have them ready this evening. no matter your reasons for making them you will find that kids of all ages will love them and come back to ask for more.

Recipe for Sticky Chocolate Butter Bars

What You Need

• 1 package chocolate cake mix
• 1 egg
• ½ cup butter
• 1 package softened cream cheese 8 ounce
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using a large mixing bowl you will add the chocolate cake mix, egg and butter and then mix well to combine. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Set aside until needed.

In a separate mixing bowl you will cream together the softened cream cheese, eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla flavoring. Spread this mixture onto of the cake mixture in the baking pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until done.

After baking remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar and then allow the dessert to completely cool to the touch. Cut into individual bite size bars for serving.

Can A Buffet Be Profitable For Your Restaurant?

Are buffets profitable for restaurants? They certainly can be but you do have to go about it in the right way. Many customers love being able to get their food quickly when they come in. They may not have very much time or they may have small children that aren't good at waiting. They also like to have a huge selection of foods instead of having to decide on a certain plate off the menu.


It is important to offer the very best foods to your customers for a buffet and quick appetizers. They will be looking for homemade mashed potatoes and fresh baked bread. If you take short cuts to save time and money on such items chances are they won't be coming back. Why should they pay money for food that isn't exceptional? You also need to make sure the food on display is fresh and that there is plenty to choose from.

 

Prices are a number one complaint of customers though when it comes to a buffet style restaurant. They want to price to be parallel to the types of foods that will be offered. Keep this in mind when you are planning your menu as well as setting the prices you are going to charge. A buffet can be a good choice for families but they still need to be able to afford the asking price to enjoy it.


Consider offering a variety of prices on the buffet depending on what time of day it is. Weekdays may be cheaper than weekends if you offer something extra on the weekend such as steak or prime rib. You should charge less for children and for the elderly than you do for adults that come in to eat. This is a great way for the entire family to get a meal they can afford at your restaurant.


You definitely need to make sure you have reliable staff with a buffet too though. They need to keep their eyes open for spills and for empty containers of food on the buffet line. They also need to keep plenty of plates and silverware stacked up. They can clear away plates from the tables and even help families get everything to the table.

It does cost plenty of money to set up and operate a successful buffet restaurant, that is for sure. Yet if you go about it correctly you will be able to make much more money than you spend. Don't be afraid that your guests are going to eat more than they pay for it as that rarely happens. It is somewhat of a trick I guess you would say though as many of them think they definitely ate more than what they paid for.


Do your best to keep the cost of your food items low, but at the same time don't sacrifice the quality of what you offer. You can compare prices from different providers to see who can offer you the best prices. You can also buy in large quantities to get discounts. You may get more of a discount if you pay by check when your supplies are delivered instead of waiting for an invoice to be sent to you.


Do all you can to keep your other sources of overhead income low as well. They include wages, utilities, paying for the building, dishes, and decor. You will need to have a good estimate of how much you can afford in each of these areas. Make necessary adjustments accordingly in order to get the most benefit from it. You definitely want as much of the money that you bring in to stay available to you as possible.