You are feeling awful with vomiting, cramps and have been visiting the toilet every 10 minutes for the last two hours. Does this sound familiar? The chances are that all of us have experienced some form of food poisoning at some time.

There are different types of food poisoning, with symptoms ranging from simple nausea to potential death. It all depends upon what food is involved, and how that food was handled before you ate it. The effect of food poisoning is also dependent upon the individual – the aged, young or those that are immune depressed are all more likely to suffer badly.

If you think that you have food poisoning, see your Doctor, as it may need to be reported to the appropriate government authority. It is really important that food poisonings are reported as it is the only way available to track outbreaks and numbers of occurrences.
You will never always be able to avoid food poisoning, however by following a few simple techniques you can minimise the likelihood of you becoming ill;

- Always keep food outside the temperature range of 5˚C and 60˚C – this is the favored temperature range for food poisoning bacteria. For hot food make sure it is heated / cooked to more than 60˚C and for cold food store at less than 4˚C at all times.

- Thaw food, particularly meats, in the fridge not on the bench or sink.

- Always wash your hands properly prior to handling food, and especially after; patting the dog, blowing your nose, visiting the toilet, smoking or eating, changing the baby.

- Store raw meat in a covered container at the bottom of your fridge to keep it from dripping onto other food.

- Always thoroughly wash utensils and containers that have been used on raw food prior to using them on cooked product.

Rachelle Williams is committed to helping food businesses be better businesses. She is a food technologist, fellow of the Australian Organization for Quality and member of both the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Food Safety Information Council. Rachelle has appeared on “What’s Good for You” and “Brisbane Extra” and has written many food safety and business eBooks. Contact her on anyi@howsafeisyourfood.com.au to request your free eBook “How safe is food in Australia”, and to subscribe to her free eNewsletter, ”Food Safety for Small Businesses”.

Caviar as been a gourmet food and delicacy for ages and continues to be so even to this day…and for good reason. As we know it however caviar is not the cheapest of gourmet delights, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a great price on any type of caviar, whether black beluga or red salmon caviar. If you look to the internet for buying caviar you’ll notice that not only can you get the most amazing deals, but you can actually find the freshest caviar’s around.

So what should you look for in an online caviar source or store?

- Caviar is not by any means a very perishable food, and when sealed properly can last up to several years if not opened. But lasting doesn’t exactly mean that it’s going to be fresh, so you have to make sure that you’re buying as close to the source as possible and as close to the bottled of canning date as possible to ensure freshness.

- Busy almost always means fresh! The perfect source for you’re caviar will be a busy online store with many different kinds of gourmet products. If they are constantly selling their stock, they’re stock doesn’t have time to just sit around collecting does. This is really very important cause only a few online gourmet stores are busy enough to ensure extremely fresh caviar stocks.

- The perfect source will ALWAYS provide outstanding service to all their customers…all the time. It took me a while to find an online gourmet store where I could not only buy caviar and all my other gourmet food needs, but get treated like I was a valued customer….thankfully I found my little gem!

- This one’s important, not so much for in regards to caviar but simply regarding quality. The perfect source will not just sell caviar, but will provide just about every gourmet delicacy and foods that your heart could possibly desire. Why spend time and extra money buying everything you need from 5 different places? I can tell you from first hand experience that that process is a huge pain in the rear end.

So now that you know the 4 basic rules of what the perfect online caviar source will posses, you have to start looking for that perfect caviar source. My suggestion is to listen to others who have already tried just about every source out there, they will usually know and understand which ones are the best. It took me a while to find my little gem, but once I did I was ecstatic…since I’m a food lover myself. So the next you find yourself struggling with the idea of overpaying for not so fresh caviar at your local shops or stores, try buying caviar online…it’s a wonderful experience that you’ll want to repeat!

So you want to buy caviar online but don’t know exactly what to look for and where to find that perfect source? That’s ok and there are plenty of resources to help you! I was in the same position until I found my little gem. Give caviar a try online, just make sure you know exactly what and how to purchase it online to ensure an enjoyable experience! http://www.squidoo.com/buycaviar/

How to choose a juicer? There are many kinds of juicer on the market today, from the simple lemon squeezer to state-of-the-art juice extractors. So which one should you choose , you want to consider your budget, the size of your family or if you are a vegetarian. In my opinion you should get the best and strongest that you can afford so you are not tempted to put it away in the cupboard and forget about it. You want to keep this kitchen appliance on the counter where you see it. Mixers and blenders can also be used.

How long can you keep the juice for? If you squeeze fresh orange juice you want to drink it right away. The reason for this is because it will start to separate in a matter of moments. Oxidization starts to happen within minutes, depending on the kind of juice. Another way to look at it - think of an apple and how quickly it turns brown. The apple is still edible, but it’s better for you, not to mention tastier if you juice it and drink it right away. The antioxidants in the juice will absorb any excess free radicals within your body to help prevent cell damage by these free radicals.

How many ingredients do I need? The fewer the better. If you start to add too many flavors, your drink will taste very fruity and be very thick like a milkshake. Some juices, like beetroot and spinach are good for you in small quantities, but not so good for you in large quantities. Beets are famous as a blood tonic and are full of vitamins - A, B group, C, potassium, calcium and iron. They are good for blood pressure, protect against anemia, and promote overall good health. Spinach contains oxalic acid which stops other vitamins from being used by the body. You want to mix small amount of your favorite juices like apples and oranges which both contain vitamin C.

Sweet and Salt? Fruits today often do not get a chance to ripen on the tree, so they are sour in taste. You can add sugar or honey (which is sugar) to sweetener up your drink or you can use one of natures natural sweetener - apple juice. Some vegetable juices could use a pinch of salt to spice up their flavor. But if you do not approve of salt like me, try squeezing a little bit of lemon juice.

Tonics from herbs and spices: Herbs and spices are age-old ways to flavor food and influence the body and mind. Rosemary tea will wake you up and lavender tea will help you sleep. Ordinary tea will perk you up. Cardamom and ginger will calm an upset stomach. Star anise and lemon are just simply comforting.

Thanks to inexpensive juicers, blenders and mixers we can all make our own drinks from fresh fruits and vegetables in no time at all. It’s an easy way to good health.

Michelle Nagy
For http://www.classicchoicekitchen.com/

Corn on the cob can be a quick and easy dinner vegetable using your microwave. Microwaving, like steaming, yields a healthy, low fat vegetable with excellent flavor and corn on the cob can be cooked this way quite successfully.

If you are using fresh corn on the cob, cook the corn directly in the husk. Peel back the husks, but do not remove. Remove the silks from the corn, spread with butter, salt and pepper as desired, then pull the husks back into place. Secure with rubber bands if needed. Microwave for 2 - 3 minutes per ear, depending on the size of the ears. For 4 ears, 8 to 10 minutes should be sufficient. For more than 4 ears, microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per ear.

Half way through the cooking time you should rotate the ears for even cooking. After microwaving, wrap the corn, still in its husks, in a towel to keep it warm and let it stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Corn will keep warm for up to 15 minutes if kept wrapped.

For fresh or frozen corn that has been husked already, either place the ears in a plastic bag, or wrap each ear separately with wax paper or plastic wrap. If desired, you can butter and salt each ear individually before cooking. Rub each ear with softened butter and sprinkle with salt before wrapping. Microwave as directed above and wrap again in a towel for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Frozen ears may require more cooking time, check the label on your package.

Variations: Make a herb butter with a mixture of any of the following herbs, along with the juice of a lime mixed into 1 stick of softened butter. Use any mixture of chives, parsley, basil, sage, tarragon, and minced garlic. Spread a pat onto each ear before wrapping.

Are you interested in more recipes and information on cooking vegetables? Sign up for our newsletter at Southern Style Vegetables and get quick and healthy recipes and tips delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

When considering barbeque safety, there are several things to consider.

1. The Location Of The Grill

Be careful to choose a spot that is away from trees, brush and other overhanging structures. Imagine a flare up. Will your roof catch fire? Locate the grill well away from all flammables.

Choose a spot that is away from the main traffic flow patterns. You do not want the football game to accidently back up into your grill. Ruining your dinner and possibly burning someone or something. It would also be a good idea to be located near a garden hose.

2. Using Proper Utensils

Grill safety includes using the proper utensils to avoid burning. The barbeque utensils that you see in stores are longer than kitchen tools for a reason. You want to be able to reach into the fire, if needed, without getting burned. You will be safe if you use the proper utensils.

3. Dress Properly For The Grill

This seems a bit crazy, but it is important. You need to be sure that you are not wearing anything that is too loose or that might somehow find its way into the fire. Also, I recommend closed toe shoes. I know you wouldn’t drop any of that precious barbeque, but just to be safe. . .

4. Follow Proper Lighting Procedures

Follow your manufacturers instructions for lighting your grill. Never pour lighter fluid or other flammables onto a lit grill, even if it appears not to have caught. I know you’ve heard this before, but confess — I bet you’ve tried it. It is definitely not safe, so don’t do it again!

I hope that these tips will be helpful to you. Enjoy a safe and tasty barbequing season.

Are you interested in more information on cooking meat and seafood? Sign up for our newsletter at Southern Meats and Seafoods and get quick and healthy recipes and tips delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

You can increase the tenderness and juiciness of your steak or other meat by marinating it. Place the steak in a ziplock bag, pour in enough marinade to just cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Marinating a steak like this will add flavor and tenderness.

If you store steak or other meats in the freezer before cooking, try pouring the marinade over the steak before freezing. The steak will marinate when thawing and be tender and ready to cook.

Try a marinade made of ½ cup each good wine and olive oil mixed with 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice or a herb vinegar. Add any aromatic seasonings that you like such as garlic, freshly ground pepper, onion, or herbs. The acid from the juice or vinegar will tenderize the meat. The oil and wine add flavor and preserve juiciness.

Here is an example to get you started.

Red Wine and Tarragon Vinegar Marinade

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

1 bay leaf

1 onion, minced

1 carrot, sliced fine

1 whole clove

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

20 peppercorns, crushed

4 sprigs parsley

Mix all together and pour over meat. Marinate for up to 24 hours.

Meat Tenderizers

There are meat tenderizers available to sprinkle onto your steak, and they certainly do tenderize the meat; however, meat tenderizers can sometimes over tenderize the meat, changing the texture of the meat into mush. If you should choose to go this route, do it carefully.

Cooking Your Steak

When ready to cook, slash through the outside fat layer on the steak in a few places to prevent curling, but do not cut into the meat. The more tender steak cuts can be broiled, grilled, or pan fried. Less tender cuts should be pan fried or slow braised. Steak should never be cooked in liquid. When pan broiling, use a very heavy skillet such as an iron skillet or griddle and heat the pan before adding the meat. The heavy metal will hold the heat for proper heat distribution and not cool down when the steak is added. A hot pan will quickly sear the outside, trapping the moisture inside.

When cooking, try to turn the steak only once. Cook the meat until browned on one side and half done, then turn and finish the other side. Turning too often will stew the meat rather than searing it and produce a less juicy steak. When the steak is done, remove from the pan and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Are you interested in more information on cooking meat and seafood? Sign up for our newsletter at Southern Meats and Seafoods and get quick and healthy recipes and tips delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

Grilled cheese sandwiches are the simplest meal to make. Children can even learn to make it themselves. The ones I used to make contained regular cheese and white bread with margarine to grill it. Here are a few ways to make that grilled cheese sandwich more nutritious for your children.

First of all you need to slim the cheese. Full fat cheeses are a thing of the past. A slice of fat free cheese melts just the same with fewer calories and fat. If American cheese is too bland, try a slice of Swiss or pepperjack cheese. Mozzarella is tasty on a sandwich, also. One slice of cheese will do, but if you are using the fat free variety, you can usually get by with two slices for a creamier sandwich.

What about the bread? The bread is a key element. White bread contains a lot of that are not healthy for you. Try whole wheat or multigrain bread. Sourdough bread would make a good substitution. What you want is bread with fewer calories and carbohydrates per serving.

What about some meat? When they added bologna to a grilled cheese sandwich when I was a kid, they called it a “flying saucer”. Adding a slice of meat makes the sandwich more of a complete meal. Depending on what their favorite is, you can add roast beef, sliced ham, sliced turkey, bacon, sausage, or sliced chicken breast.

What about some flavor? Add more taste to their grilled cheese sandwich with a few choice condiments. Adding mustard gives the sandwich a tangy taste. For an even better taste add brown or Dijon mustard. Go south of the border with a bit of salsa added to the sandwich. The salsa will make the grilled cheese sandwich zesty. Roast beef goes well with a dollop of barbeque sauce added for more flavor. If your child is into the simpler flavors, add a bit of fat-free or reduced fat mayo or ketchup to the sandwich. Adding some dressing such as Thousand Island is another great alternative for adding variety.

Add some crunch to your sandwich. Slice up an apple and place it on top of the cheese. People eat a slice of cheese with apple pie and many cheese trays are served with apples, so why not on a grilled cheese sandwich? Use a Granny Smith apple maximum crunch. They will maintain their shape better than a red apple.

Our grilled cheese sandwich is really coming along. We have added meat, changed the cheese, changed the bread, and added sauces for an extra kick. What’s left to do? Let’s see if we can add some vegetables. Pickles work well on a cheese sandwich with bologna. A juicy slice of tomato would add color and flavor to any meat and cheese combination. Get a slice of green with a leaf of romaine lettuce or some spinach.

Ditch the margarine. I used to spread a thick layer of margarine on both sides of the bread before I put the sandwich in the pan. Here are a few alternatives to that. Use spray butter or non-stick cooking spray in the pan. Your kids will still have the butter flavor without all the butter calories. Another choice would be to brown the sandwich in the oven. Using a cookie sheet, spray both sides of the bread with butter spray. Bake the cheese sandwiches in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about six minutes per side.

Grilled cheese sandwiches are getting a new look. By adding meat, seasoning, and veggies, your sandwiches are now a meal all by themselves. Get your little ones involved in the preparation. Let them make their own sandwiches.

For more suggestion on Simple Ways To Get Your Children To Eat Vegetables, Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/article-broccoli.htm

There are many ways to cook outdoors. And if you ask anyone that loves to prepare their meals this way, you will find many differing opinions as to what is the best way to perform this task. There are probably two main ways to cook outside and that is with the barbecue grill or with a smoker.

Many will explain that using the barbecue grill is the best way. This way of cooking is a great way to prepare a meal in a relatively short time and is normally the first method that is learned by many. Anyone that uses this method will have different opinions as to which is better the wood grill, the propane grill or the charcoal grill.

Those in the other camp will rave about how smoker cooking is the best route. This is a longer method but delivers a very delicious, moist flavorful meal. And, again, those that support this method will be divided as to the best smoker be it gas, wood, or electric.

Both methods have their pros and cons but the one that I prefer is smoker cooking.

What Is A Smoker?

Most cookers do not provide the heat directly to the meat. They are constructed so that the fire is normally in an offset fire chamber. This is so that the heat and smoke will move around and thru the meat indirectly. The food will never come in direct contact with the flame and as such will not get burned. Also, because the meat is not directly over the flame, any juices or oils that may drop will not cause the flame to flare up.

Probably the biggest difference between barbecue cooking and smoker cooking is that the wood is used to generate a flavorful smoke and not just the heat. There are many types of wood that can be used in a smoker. The different types will provide a very different flavor.

One of the most popular wood to use is that of the hickory tree. This creates a heavy, smoky flavor. The smoke created by wood from fruit trees like apple and pecan will generate a lighter, sweeter flavor. Another wood that is used in the southwest is that of the mesquite tree.

If You Are An Impatient Person, Do Not Use A Smoker

If you want a meal that will be ready in a short period of time, smoker cooking is not for you. It is a process that takes more time than it would using the barbecue grill. This is due to the fact that the meat is not placed directly over the heat source. Obviously, the length of time will vary with the type of meat and the temperature in the smoker.

When you are smoking a piece of meat that weighs about 4 pounds this should take more than two hours. On the other hand, cooking the same piece of meat on a barbecue grill may take less than an hour.

What Can You Smoke?

The only limitation as to what you can cook on a smoker is your imagination. Any meat that you can cook on a kitchen stove or a barbecue grill, you can cook on a smoker. You will find many recipes for cooking all kinds of different meats. Some of the more popular dishes include pork ribs, fish, chicken, turkey, and the famous beef brisket.

Along with the different flavors you will get from the different woods, you can change the taste by the use of the meal by the way you season the dish. Another way to enhance the flavor is to place fruit juices in a bowl over the heat source. I have used pineapple and apple juices with some garlic in a bowl to create a very different taste.

There are many ways to cook outdoors. And you will find most cooks will have their favorite way and will argue that their way is best. But, one way that I have found to create fantastic meals is thru the use of smoker cooking.

For more information about how to cook outdoors visit Outdoor Cooking Guide. To find Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Cooking! visit Cooking Guide.

Cooking is one of those things which you either love or hate, there are very few people which have no opinions on the preparation of food. However love or hate making food, there are very few who would say that they do not enjoy eating! Here are a few tips which could make preparation and the making of food a little less painless.

1. Always allow lots of time.

There is not a lot worse than having to rush recipes, it is one way of making sure that you will not enjoy cooking. You should always make sure that you have enough time to make your meal, this way you can be sure that you will not have to be too hasty with your cooking.

2. Make sure that you have all of the ingredients

This may sound obvious, but it is very annoying when you are all ready to go and then you realise that you have left something off from your shopping list. One way of making sure that you don’t forget anything important is to get the recipe items a few days before the meal and then check the ingredients the day before so if you have forgotten something, you will have enough time to get down the supermarket and get it.

3. Listen to music while you are cooking

If you really don’t like cooking then you can always have something on in the background to take your mind off of it. One of the best things to do this is music, so put on your favourite CD or radio station and you will find you can make the recipe on auto-pilot.

4. Make sure you have clean cooking utensils

It can be very annoying if you are all ready to create your masterpiece and then you find you have dirty pots and pans. Give yourself an extra hour or so to make sure that you have everything clean and ready for the task ahead.

5. Get help, if you can

Preparing the vegetables, chopping the meat and mixing the ingredients can be done by most people so try and offload this on to one of the end recipients of the meal, they should have to work to earn it after all! A bit of teamwork can always help making the stress of cooking a lot more enjoyable.

Gary Kingston writes for Utterly Recipes, an online cooking guide for those who want simple & quick recipes. The site offers recipes for, amongst others, beef, lamb, vegetarian and chicken recipes. We also have a really nice lasagne recipe you may want to have a look at!

For more information please visit Utterly Recipes

Beautiful, clear jelly can be easily made with fresh fruit and sugar. Commercial pectin such as Sure-Jel can be used to speed the cooking, but often is not necessary if you are willing to cook for a longer period and watch for the jelling point. Recipes using commercial pectin use more sugar and cannot be doubled.

To make jelly without pectin you need fruit that has a high natural pectin content. Do not use overripe fruit as the pectin content is lower in very ripe fruit and the jelly will not jell. Use some under ripe fruit to increase the pectin content. Berries and other fruits low in pectin content will require the addition of fruit high in pectin or the use of commercial pectin products.

Prepare fresh fruit by washing and trimming out any defects. Do not use frozen or canned fruit unless you are using a packaged pectin product, their pectin content is too low for jelling. Do not peel or core the fruit. The peel will add color to the jelly. Cook the fruit to a soft pulp, but do not overcook. Pour the fruit into a jelly bag and allow to drain naturally, do not squeeze. Squeezing the bag may hasten the process, but will produce a cloudy juice and ultimately a cloudy jelly.

The acid content is important in order to enable the pectin to jell. Some fruits require the addition of acid, usually in the form of lemon juice. Do not leave out or substitute for the lemon juice in the recipe.

The sugar is necessary to preserve the jelly and aid in jelling. Do not reduce or substitute the sugar content in the recipe. If less sugar is desired, use a recipe specifically designed for less sugar. Add the sugar and any other ingredients called for ingredients to the juice in a large pot or kettle and boil rapidly until the jelling point is reached. A large kettle is necessary as jelly tends to boil up and foam. If foaming is a problem, a ¼ teaspoon of butter or margarine may be added. Skim the foam off the jelly at the end of boiling, just before pouring into jars.

Follow these tips for beautiful clear jelly every time.

Are you interested in more information on jams and jellies as well as some old southern recipes? Sign up for our newsletter at Southern Jams and Jellies and get traditional southern recipes delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favoritestoday. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking