Monday, July 9, 2007

Meatloaf Recipe for Clay Pot Cooking

One of the best main dishes to cook in a clay pot is meatloaf. You can use the same ingredients that you would if you were making the meatloaf in a casserole dish, but you may have to bake the loaf a little longer to solidify all the ingredients.

First soak your clay pot in water for at least 15 minutes.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup iced water
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp red wine vinegar

Mix all ingredients except for ketchup, brown sugar, and cider vinegar in a large bowl. Mix salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste. Pat the ingredients into the clay pot, then mix remaining ingredients and spread on top of the meatloaf. Bake for about an hour and a half at 400F.


Romertopf


Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here: BigBargainMatrix.com

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Use and Care of Romertopf Clay Pot Cookware

If you have just purchased or received a new clay pot and have no idea what to do with it, you are not alone. To get started, you may need suggestions for preparing savory and nutritious meals with your new clay cookware, as well as where to purchase your Romertopf clay pot.


Most clay pots are unglazed, and before you use your pot for the first time, you should soak it for at least half an hour, so that the moisture will be retained in the foods you cook. For subsequent uses, soaking the pot for about fifteen minutes should be fine. The majority of clay pots that you can purchase are for oven use.

Always place your Romertopf in a COLD oven. Never place it on an open flame, or a hot cooktop.

For cleaning, clay pots usually only need to be hand-washed, in hot water, do not use soap, to cut grease use a small amount of baking soda.

Cooking meats is one of the main uses of the clay pot, but you should avoid cooking fish or meats with strong seasonings like pepper or curry for the first use of your pot. It will take a while to get the taste out of the pot. Over time, clay pots will become seasoned and darken each time you cook with them. Because of the pot's ability to keep food moist and savory while cooking, it is not necessary to add excessive seasonings, butter or salt to your food. Because you do not have to add water to boil your food, your dish will retain all its nutritious qualities.

Recommended clay pot recipes include tuna steak, beef stew, chicken and rice, or even a dessert, like apple crisps. Vegetarian, baked pasta, or casserole dishes can be prepared in a clay pot as well; the crispness and color of vegetables will be retained throughout cooking, and casseroles are less likely to become dry when baked in a clay pot.


Purchase your Romertopf Clay Cookware and Recipe Book here:
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Friday, July 6, 2007

Panini Recipe - Panini Caprese

A classic southern Italian salad called caprese combines fresh white mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil. Here, the same ingredients bring the feeling of summer in Italy to a panino. An added touch is sprinkling of aromatic dried oregano, an herb at home in the sun-baked Italian south. I like to grill the inside of the bread lightly, which keeps the panini crisp.

Ingredients
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, about 1/2 pound
2 large rolls, round or baguette-shaped
extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm, cored and sliced
salt and freshly-gound black pepper to taste
dried Mediterranean oregano, such as Greek oregano
8 basil leaves

Directions
Cut the mozzarella in slices and place on folded clean tea towels.

Meanwhile, slice the rolls in half horizontally, Place bread cut-side down on a grill, until lightly toasted. Drizzle both sides of the bread with olive oil.

Arrange tomatoes on bottom halves of rolls. Season with salt and pepper, a sprinkling of oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes. Season again with salt, pepper, oregano, and olive oil. Top with the whole basil leaves. Cover with the top halves of the rolls. Grill to perfection.

Serves 2

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Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Paternayan Persian Needlepoint Yarn

Paternayan Persian Needlepoint Yarn


American immigrants, Harry and Karnick Paternayan began producing 3 strand, 2-ply persian, 100% virgin wool in England over 75 years ago. The yarn is now produced by JCA using the same New Zealand wool and maintaining the exact same spinning process in England. Because of its long-fibered wool and spinning process, the yarn exhibits great strength and resilience which prevents the yarn from breaking and fraying during stitching. The yarns are available in 418 colors.

Paternayan persian yarn is well known the world over for it's superiority for needlework such as embroidery, needlepoint and cross stitch. This yarn exhibits great strength and resilience which prevents it from breaking and fraying during stitching - a common weakness is lesser yarns. The yarn was once used for the repair of Persian rugs.

Purchase your Paternayan yarn here PowerBargainMatrix.com

Basil Pesto Panini Sandwich Grilled

Basil Pesto Panini Sandwich Grilled

Ingredients
1 slice focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons basil pesto
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and basil pesto; spread onto one half of bred. Spread other half with sun-dried tomato pesto. Arrange roasted red peppers on bottom piece. Sover with feta cheese, then fresh basil. Top with remaining slice of bread, grill.


Serves: 1

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Clay Pot Recipes - Baked Halibut

Baked Halibut

Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 halibut steaks
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups cold water
4 lemon slices

Soak clay pot and its cover in water at least 15 minutes. Coat bottom of pot with oil and add fish. Combine remaining ingredients, except lemon, in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot and put in cold oven. Bake at 450F for 20-30 minutes until fish flakes easily. Serve garnished with lemon slices.

Serves: 4


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