5 Ways to Make Your BBQ a Memorable Family Event

  Since Americans in the South began roasting pigs publicly, Barbecues have been a staple of North American living. For many, grilling becomes a routine mealtime activity, while for the most devoted grillers, summer is ruled by massive barbecue parties. But grillers do not have to choose between boring repetition and outrageous get-togethers: every barbecue can and should be an exciting family event. Here are 5 ways to make your routine evening barbecue a more unique experience:

1) Who said you have to stick to meat? Much can be done with bread and fruits over an open flame. To make this into a fun activity with your kids, use cookie cutters to make the bread and fruit into shapes. You can decide on themes like “animals” and “letters” or ask that each shape be different from the others! Then, let your kids decide which toppings they would like to put on. Add cheese, onion and various spices to bread and cinnamon and honey to fruit.

2) Try foil-wrapped surprise meals. Place different combinations of chicken, fish and vegetables with sauces and spices in foil packets. These cook in less than 20 minutes and lead to no-mess, lip-smacking results. Children will love the surprise element and can easily switch packets. You can even ask your family for combo suggestions before the barbecue, or draw ingredient names out of a hat to create new meal ideas. 

3) A little variety goes a long way. If you tend to stick to the same old beef burgers and pork wieners, why not try grilled pizza or salmon steaks? Similarly, try to mix it up with condiments and seasoning. Sick of ketchup? Try salsa instead. Look online where you’ll find hundreds of easy recipes for barbecue rubs. These give your food that extra pizzazz and prevent the mess and drip that comes with barbecue sauces.

4) Barbecues don’t have to be rushed. In fact, barbecue devotees will tell you that today’s quick broiling is an insult to the term, which should represent a process of slow cooking on low heat. You can find many slow cooker recipes online, and the wait is a great opportunity to pass some quality time with your family and friends. Entertaining backyard activities include creating an outdoor canvas to paint on or playing backyard bowling with household items. 

5) Mom said not to play with your food, but there’s always an exception! Barbecue games are great fun and tasty at the same time. In the game Glutton, each player gets a certain amount of mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese or any other side dish. Various kitchen utensils are put in a box and the players blindly pick a few. On the go, they begin to eat their dish with the items that they took out. The first to finish his or her food wins the prize!

Finally, don’t fret! Far too many people get lost in the details of planning the perfect barbecue party and forget to enjoy the social atmosphere and delicious food. So kick back, bask in the relaxing sun and prepare for a summer of unforgettable barbecues!

3 Ways To Cook The Perfect Rice

    Rice may be cooked by 3 methods, each of which requires a different proportion of water. These methods are boiling, which requires 12 times as much water as rice;  the Japanese method, which requires 5 times as much; and steaming, which requires 2-1/2 times as much. Whichever of these methods is used, however, it should be remembered that the rice grains, when properly cooked, must be whole and distinct. To give them this form and prevent the rice from having a pasty appearance, this cereal should not be stirred too much in cooking nor should it be cooked too long.

BOILED RICE  - Boiling is about the simplest way.  Properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. The water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains much nutritive material. This water may be utilized in the preparation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of yeast bread.

BOILED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1 c. rice ; 3 tsp. Salt;  3 qt. boiling water

Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. Drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour cold water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. Reheat the rice by shaking it over the fire, and serve hot with butter, gravy, or cream or milk and sugar.

JAPANESE METHOD - Rice prepared by the Japanese method may be used in the same ways as boiled rice. However, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the Japanese method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal.

JAPANESE METHOD  (Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1 c. rice ; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt; 5 c. boiling water

Wash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for 15 minutes. Then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for 15 minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.

STEAMED RICE - To steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. Then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming, it will have a better appearance than rice cooked by the other methods. As in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal.


STEAMED RICE (Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 c. rice; 1-1/2 tsp. Salt 2-1/2 c. water

Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Cook it for 5 minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. Keep the cooking utensil covered and do not stir the rice. About 1 hour will be required to cook rice in this way. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.


Good luck.

3 Non-Traditional Ways to Prepare Your Holiday Turkey

Deep-Fryed Turkey

3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
1 white onion


In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F. Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill
over.

***** Side Note *****

How to determine the amount of oil you need:

The easiest way I've found to determine the amount of oil you need is to place the turkey into the fryer and fill with water until the turkey is just covered. Remove turkey and allow to drain, pat dry with paper towels as well. Make note of the level of water in the fryer. Discard water and dry throughly. Fill frying vessel with oil to the level as noted above. This should help in preventing hot oil spill overs.

***** End Side Note *****

Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F.

Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Grilled Whole Turkey

12 pounds whole turkey
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Place turkey breast side down on the prepared grill. Sear turkey on both sides until skin is golden to dark brown. In a large roasting pan, mix together the water, bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and paprika. Place turkey breast side down in the roasting pan. Scoop the pan mixture over the turkey. Cover tightly with foil and place on grill. Grill 3 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Smoked Turkey

1 turkey 8 to 22 lbs., fresh or completely thawed
Sweet Pickle Brine (recipe to follow)
Maple syrup

Sweet Pickle Brine:

1 gal. water
2 1/2 cups salt, rock, pickling or canning salts are recommened
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lquid garlic
1 oz. pickling spices

Mix well. You may need to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your bird. This recipe should suit you fine for an 8 to 12 lb. turkey.

Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water, drain and pat dry. Prepare sweet pickle brine. Brine turkey according to the following schedule, 8 to 12 lb. bird 3 days, 13 to 16 lb. bird 4 days, 17 to 22 lb. bird 5 days. Remove from brine; rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Allow to dry in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lock wings behind back and tie legs and tail together. Baste turkey with maple syrup before putting in smoker and every 2 hours while smoking. Position turkey on cooking grill. Smoke cook until done.

The best way to determine doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast) the internal temperature should read 180 degrees F.

Smoking food is more an art than a science; this recipe is not intended for the novice. Allot of factors go into determining the cooking time for a particular food when smoking.

Cool turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving to enhance the smoked flavor. You may serve the turkey right away if you wish.

Italian Restaurants in Addison IL

Gary Sinagra has been cooking pizzas in the same Addison, IL location since 1975. He learned about the business from his mentor "Uncle Pete" and has used that experience to make a great Addison pizza with the best customer service. Gary is always improving and changing the menu to keep Uncle Pete's Pizza fresh and vibrant. Gary strives to serve the best pizza in Addison! A family tradition of quality products and commitment to our community has remained the key ingredients to the success of Uncle Petes Pizza in Addison.

Come experience the freshest pizza and Italian food in Addison! Uncle Pete's menu contains everything from appetizers and salads to mouth watering pastas, calzones and sandwiches.

Catering by Sinagra has been providing Addison and the Chicagoland area with the finest Italian cuisine and catering since 1975 and would be honeored to cater your next party or event. Make your next get together a most memorable one...and allow Catering by Sinagra to be the answer to planning your next event.

Understanding the difference between Chicago Style Thin Crust Pizza and Deep Dish Pizza

A traditional Chicago style, thin crust pizza is thin and firm enough to have a noticeable crunch, unlike a New York-style pizza. A Chicago style thin crust pizza is usually cut into squares, also known as party cut or tavern cut, as opposed to a pie cut into wedges.

The noticeable difference between deep-dish pizza and thin crust pizza is that, as the name pretty much suggests, the crust is a lot deeper, creating a very thick pizza that resembles a pie more than a thin crust. Although the entire pizza is very thick, in traditional Chicago-style deep-dish pizzas, the crust itself is thin to medium in thickness.

Deep-dish pizza is baked in a round, steel pan that is more similar to a cake or a pie pan than a to a regular pizza pan. This pan is oiled in order to allow for easy removal of the pizza as well as to create a slightly fried effect on the outside of the crust. The dough is pressed up onto the sides of the pan, forming a bowl for a very thick layer of toppings.

The thick layer of toppings used in deep-dish pizza requires a longer baking time, which could burn cheese or other toppings if they were used as the top layer of the pizza. because of this, the toppings are assembled 'upside-down' from their usual order on a pizza. The crust is covered with cheese, generally sliced mozzarella, followed by various toppings such as pepperoni or sausage. Other toppings such as onions, mushrooms and bell peppers are then also used. An uncooked sauce, typically made from a base of crushed, canned tomatoes, is added as the finishing layer. When ordering for pick up or delivery, the customer can request the pizza be left uncut, as this prevents the oils from soaking into the crust, causing the pie to become soggy.

Best Burger In South Florida

You like eating out every now and then. If you do, you would expect the experience to be a really good one. With the many available establishments for you to eat out in, finding the right fastfood place to offer you the best burger in south florida is going to be something that you have to really make sure of.

Be sure to locate the right places that can get you great burgers that you can gobble up and enjoy with your loved ones. You would want to find out where you can enjoy a great dining experience. This way, you are sure that coming to a specific establishment is really going to meet all the expectations that you are likely going to have.

When it comes to finding a fastfood chain that will serve these steps of menu, it should be easier these days. The number of available establishments that are offering this in the area has significantly increased over the years. What you need now is to consider some factors to ensure that you get to successfully identify the right places to be eating out in.

Find out what you like and what you would expect to be able to gobble up when you come to these places. You need to get an idea of the things that you can get of you were to refer to these kinds of places every time. This is often going to help make it easier for you to decide what you would be having even prior to coming to these establishments.

You have to find out the things they are offering in their menu too. You need to get an idea of what you can expect the providers to serve to you if you will decide to rely on them. This is very necessary so you are at least sure that you will be able to get something that would allow you to know ahead of time what to order since you know what they are offering.

Consider the reviews that these providers have been getting. You definitely need to get an idea of how good or bad are the feedback that these providers have been getting. These are coming from people that did refer to these providers before. Thus, you can trust that relying on these providers would really get you the kind of experience that you would expect to get.

Try to see the place where these menus are being sold at too. It is important that you are able to find out what how good is the setting and the ambiance that these people are offering their menu at. The best providers do not only mean those that can serve you with the right items at the right taste. They need to be able to create a place that is suitable and ideal for the customers who are expected to be coming in.

They need to offer the best burger in south florida at a good price too. You want to enjoy something that would let you enjoy a good meal and one at a very good price too. Find out which ones in the area can get you the most value of what you will be spending. So dining out in these places will really be worth it.

Calgary Restaurant

Have you ever been to Calgary? If you have ever been to this place then you must have noticed the subsistence of ever increasing congregation of restaurants as well as dining facilities. Calgary is literally bubbling with scores restaurants. Paying a visit to any of these restaurants would be like offering a sumptuous treat to you. A Calgary Restaurant is one of the finest places on earth to offer you the best dining experience ever.

What wealth of delicacies that you can expect from Calgary

Calgary is replete with delicacies as well as food items that can create an insurgence as well as a vehement commotion deep inside your heart. When you talk about the wealth of beverages as well as food items in Calgary you would find them to be rigorously deserving, discerning as well as delectable. The best restaurant in Calgary would guarantee a few things which are most important in hospitality sector. As soon as you step inside a restaurant in Calgary you get entitled with high octane hospitality services, superior quality of food stuffs, great taste, unflinching originality, assurance of enjoyment as well as soul stirring decor.

Wine Bar Calgary

Wine Bar Calgary is a specific attraction in the heart of Calgary. Coming to Calgary you are not supposed to miss out on the Wine Bars. If you come across a wine bar in the vicinity of Calgary you should give it a try. No matter which part of Calgary you happen to be you are never going to run out of mouth watering options. These bars are famous for their pristine ambiance. Apart from best quality wine you are also going to get your hands on spick and span hospitality services. Apart from beverages you might have deserts, starters, grilled delicacies, pudding etc. The dining experience is not only going to please your tongue. It is actually going to please all your senses.

Calgary Restaurants do speak in favor of pristine and high octane hospitality services. When you come to visit a place like Calgary you are supposed to take specific note of the unspoiled and high octane hospitality services. Be it the aspect of comfort or be it the financial parts you are definitely going to find these deals to be gratifying. The standard as well as performance of Calgary Restaurants happens to be beyond all discussion as well as debates. These restaurants are now indeed the most essential part of the overall entertainment factors related to Calgary.