Four Reasons to Eat Mexican Food

It is cheap. Most meals start off with an endless basket of chips and salsa. Entrees are very inexpensive. At most restaurants, you can easily get a full meal for fewer than ten dollars. Some meals are big enough to share. Just ask for an extra plate, because there is no additional plate charge. If you fill up on chips, ask for a to go box for your entree leftovers. Take the chips, too.

It is fast. If time or hunger is an issue, Mexican food is prepared quite quickly. Therefore, if you are super hungry or in a major rush, you can eat immediately. By the time your return from washing your hands, your entree will be waiting for your enjoyment. Dig in! It is hot. Be careful not to burn your mouth or hands, because Mexican food is served very hot! The plates are even hotter. Especially on a cold, winter day, what better way to warm up? Escape to the Mexican Baja in moments!
It is tasty. The aroma of the combination of the flavors used in Mexican foods is absolutely delicious…a mixture of fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, frijoles and cheese. No matter what the combination of ingredients, just add a touch of sauce and side of rice and beans. Now you have the perfect meal!
Bonus: Since most Mexican restaurants are usually staffed with authentic natives, you can practice your Spanish! Enjoy the festive Latin music and only speak Spanish during your dining adventure. Viva Mexico!
Stevee Ashlock resides in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She has been in the entertainment business for over twenty-five years and is the owner of Stoneybrook Productions, an entertainment production and multi-media marketing company. http://www.stoneybrookproductions.net
Ms. Ashlock is dedicated to her international charity involvement, focusing on women and children issues.
You may contact Ms. Ashlock at stoneybrookprods@prodigy.net
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Four-Reasons-to-Eat-Mexican-Food&id=662545

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Easy Tips for Healthy Cooking

We all know we should be eating healthier. But it's not just changing our eating habits in restaurants that needs to be done. We can also change how we cook our food at home. Healthy cooking at home doesn't need to be bland or boring! In fact, you may find some of these tips will add more flavor to your dishes!
The first thing to do is choose leaner cuts of meat. The obvious choices for low fat cooking are chicken and fish, but other meats can be lower in fat as well. When shopping for red meat, the words 'sirloin' and 'round' are cuts which are naturally lower in fat. Check the meat and choose the one with the least amount of marbling and trim off any excess fat before cooking. Look for ground beef that is 95% lean. Pork is also another great lean meat. The problem most people have with lean meats is that they will dry out easily when cooking. To avoid this, try a marinade. Marinades aren't just for flavor (although that is a great benefit!). Using acidic liquids will actually help break down the tougher connective tissue in the meat. Try one of the many low fat marinades available in your grocery store, or make up your own with ingredients such as balsamic or red wine vinegar, herbs and spices. Depending on the size of the meat portion, you can marinade from 20 minutes to several hours. A great marinade for chicken is yogurt. Mix fat free yogurt with some lemon juice, salt, pepper and any other spices you like and coat your chicken breasts. Yogurt marinades are best after 8 hours or overnight.
Tired of bland vegetables? Try sautéing your vegetables in a little chicken broth (or vegetable broth) instead of oil. Then sprinkle on herbs. Even just a sprinkling of chopped chives can add a zesty new taste to your vegetables. Another great option is roasting vegetables. This works wonderfully with root vegetables or other very firm ones such as cauliflower and squashes. Simply cut the vegetables into large chunks, spray with cooking spray and toss on seasoning. Curry powders, cajun blends or Italian seasonings are great. Roast in a 450 degree oven until the vegetables are tender. You can also place the vegetable pieces on a skewer and roast on your grill!
You don't have to give up dessert when eating healthily, either! Fruit makes a wonderful dessert, or even a side dish with your regular meal. Try a bowl of mixed berries topped with a low fat or fat free vanilla yogurt. Or sauté bananas in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle on cinnamon and a touch of vanilla extract. Serve with frozen yogurt. Even kids will think they are getting an indulgent treat!
Have a favorite recipe that isn't so healthy? You can try modifying it. Remove any skin from meats, use half the amount of oil asked for in cooking. For baked goods, substitute applesauce for oil - your cakes will still be moist and flavorful! In recipes asking for cream, try using evaporated skim milk. With these substitutions, many times you won't even notice the difference.
Healthy living is important and it is easy. Just a few quick changes and your home cooking will be better and healthier for your family!
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Cooking
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Easy-Tips-for-Healthy-Cooking&id=239685

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Tomato Recipes for Fresh Tomatoes

Tomato Recipes for Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh Tomatoes are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, especially lycopene. If you do not have a Salsa Garden, you need to consider planting one this summer, or find a good roadside stand that sells fresh tomatoes. These are original recipes for Italian Style tomatoes, a Summer Salad recipe that is so great and simple to make, this salad makes it's own salad dressing with such a fresh flavor, you will make this salad again and again. Also a great Salsa Recipe and a positively delicious Stewed Tomato dish.


Italian Style Tomatoes Recipe 4 large tomatoes cut in wedges
1/4 cup olive oil, drizzle over tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Sprinkle with oregano to suit
Sprinkle lightly with sea salt
1 loaf Italian Bread
Mix all ingredients together, except bread. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Tear bread into small bites for dipping in sauce.
Summer Salad Recipe
This salad makes it's own salad dressing with such a fresh flavor, you will make this salad again and again.
1/2 head lettuce shredded with a knife, use a plastic lettuce knife if you can
1 small yellow onion diced
1 large ripe tomato chopped
1 or 2 heaping tablespoons of Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of water
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, add a little more mayo or water to your liking.
Salsa Recipe
4 ripe large chopped tomatoes
1 small onion diced
1 Jalapeno pepper diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
Stewed Tomato Recipe 3 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 slices bread
In large pan, saute green peppers and onion in butter on medium heat, stirring frequently until tender. Add Tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender. Remove the crust from the bread, tear bread into small strips and add to the stewed tomatoes, stir and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Janie Hotchkiss is the owner and webmaster for Up2Tempo Magazineestore, a Magazine Subscription Service that offers the lowest publisher authorized prices available. Janie has written and syndicated many articles on recipes, search engine marketing and email spam. Please visit http://www.magazineestore.com to purchase your magazine subscriptions for fantastic savings and the best customer service.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Original-Salad-Recipe-and-More-Original-Recipes-For-Fresh-Tomatoes-&id=474680

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Shrimp Scampi Recipes

Many people have different ideas on how to prepare great shrimp scampi recipes as you will see below. Some of the ingredients are the same and usually it is served with pasta. The type of pasta that you serve with your dish is up to your own taste.

Here are two shrimp scampi recipes that do vary in style. For the first one you will need:

2 pounds of shrimp,
¾ pound of melted butter or margarine, 
3 chopped green onions, 
4 tablespoons of crushed garlic cloves, 
¼ cup of lemon juice, 
½ cup of dry bread crumbs, 
1 egg, 
1 teaspoon of seasoning salt, 
2 teaspoons of hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. 

Be sure to clean and de-vein your shrimp. Preheat your broiler. Cut them into a butterfly style. Place them in a large pan. Now, combine the butter, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, bread crumbs, and egg, seasoning salt, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Now place this mixture by spoonfuls over the shrimp. Broil for around 5 minutes until done.
Other shrimp scampi vary also in the ingredients but are just as tasty as the one above. For this recipe you will need:

1 pound of thin spaghetti noodles, 
1/3 cup of olive oil or vegetable oil, 
2 pounds of shrimp, 
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic, 
¼ teaspoon of crushed peppers, 
¼ cup of chopped green onions, 
1 cup of diced mushrooms, 
¼ cup of white wine, 
¼ cup of butter, 
salt and pepper to taste. 

To prepare you need to cook the pasta until it is al dente, usually around 3 to 5 minutes, drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, (sprinkles of water will dance around the pan) sauté the shrimp for a few seconds. Now add the garlic, peppers, green onions and mushrooms. Cook for about one minute. Now add the wine and bring to a boil, cook until slightly thick. Remove from the heat and add the butter, stir until dissolved. Now, you can add the pasta and gently stir. This is a very wonderful and unique dish that everyone will love.
Finding the best shrimp scampi recipes are a matter of taste. You can try all different types of spices and other ingredients that you want to try to create your own recipes. Usually shrimp scampi is kind of spicy, so you can try other items such as salsa, for a new and unique flavor that no one else has thought of to add to the basic recipe.
Hans is author of Seafood Recipes at http://www.steaks-guide.com
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Shrimp-Scampi-Recipes&id=36047

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