The Reasons Why Italian Food Is So Delicious

Rich, aromatic spiced filled kitchens come to mind when
thinking of Italian foods, which gained great popularity
during World War II. People are starting to realize that
there is more to Italian foods than just pizza, ravioli and
spaghetti!
The real trick behind this tantalizing taste is that
Italian food is low on the ingredient list, but don't
believe that! Many different types of Italian food exist,
and each one has its own special taste that people love.
Pizza, pasta, sausage and fish are what Italy is most famous
for. There are even vast variations in these dishes just in
the different regions within the country and this is proven
in the many diverse cultures and peoples living in Italy.
Northern Italy's traditional foods are lasagna, parmesan
cheese, mortadella, polenta, dry-cured hams, stuffed pastas
and Bolognese sauces. The Naples region is famous for pizzas
and mozzarella cheeses. The Tuscan region is famous for
various meats, white beans and unsalted beans, while the
Caldaria region is known for its spicy Italian salami.
Lamb in various forms is very popular across the country
and Sicilian cuisine is well known for its excellent
seafood dishes, which interestingly have an Arab influence
due to the use of pistachio and lemon in these seafood
meals. Sicily is also famous for gelato also known as ice
cream in the rest of the world with a slightly different
twist because of the use of sugar and other flavorings.
The Veneto region is well known for risotto, which is a
dish full of fish and other various seafoods along with
beans and other legumes frequently added to this dish. The
Tretino-Alto Adige regions are famous for their goulash
gnocchi dish, with are prepared with lard, olive oil,
tomatoes and crauti. Other delicacies from Italy include
Valtellina pumpkin, Brescia, bergamo, smoked bacon,
truffles, prosciutto, bebbiolo, rye breads, pork fillet,
panissa, pesto, trenette and many delicious deserts. The
interesting thing about Italian cuisine is that even within
a single region, there may be several different ways of
preparing pasta, sausages and vegetables - some even use
herbal liquors to get the perfect taste for their foods.
Each of these unique types of Italian foods are served with
unique style. Special meal structures and courses are
adhered to strictly so that each course builds on the taste
of the previous course. Meals typically start with
appetizers that can include campari, cinzano, Suze, Byrrh
and Vermouth. These are served both hot and cold depending
on the second course. The second course can include fish
and other seafoods, meats and pork. Then of course, let's
not forget dessert! Italian desserts usually consist of a
variety of cakes, ice creams, cookies and coffees.

Delicious Desserts

A "Dessert" is a meal course that usually comes after dinner. Most often Dessert foods are of sweet food but can also be of a strongly flavored food, such as cheese, like cheese cake. The world dessert comes from the Old French word "desservir", which means 'to clear the table'. Often times in the English language dessert is confused with the word desert(note only one "s"), which is a baren peice of land normally with sand as soil.

It wasn't until after the 19th-century where the rise of the middle class, and the mechanization of the sugar industry, brought the privilege of sweets into the general public and unreserved it exclusively for the aristocracy, or as rare holiday treat. This was because sugar became cheaper and more readily available to the general public. As sugar was widely spread, so was the development and popularity of desserts.

In today's culture dessert recipes [http://www.dessert-1.com] have become a popular item for discussion, as they are a winning way to win people over at the end of any meal. This is partly because if you serve a mediocre meal, with an excellent dessert, people will remember you for the dessert and forget about the meal.

Most cultures, have a seperate final distinction between the main course, and the sweet course. This is not true however in some cultures such as Chinese, who will mix in sweet and savoury dishes throughout the entire meal. Dessert is, often times seen as a separate meal or snack, rather than a course, and can be eaten some time after the meal by many individuals. Because of it's wide spread popularity there are even some restaurants that specialize in desserts.

Some of the most common desserts are:

- Biscuits or cookies

- Ice creams

- Meringues

- Fruit

- Cakes

- Crumbles

- Custards

- Gelatin desserts

- Puddings

- Pastries

- Pies or tarts

Two Delicious Lemon Cake Desserts

Sunday dinners and holidays were always a special treat at my mother-in-law's house. She was famous throughout the county for her wonderful desserts. Here are two lemon cake recipes she enjoyed making. Sadly, we lost her in April 2008, but these and other recipes bring us sweet memories of her joy in serving her family nutritious meals and delicious desserts. Happy mealtimes bring a family together through memories shared. Build some memories for your family and try these wonderful lemony desserts today.

Lemon Meringue Cake
(makes 12-16 servings)

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Deluxe Cake Mix
1 regular-size package lemon pudding and pie filling
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Using 8 inch round cake pans, make and cool cake as directed on the label. Cook lemon pudding and pie filling as directed for pie filling. Cool 30 minutes according to the box instructions; stir several times. Beat egg whites until frothy; gradually add sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Split each cake layer into 2 thin layers. Stack on cookie sheet or oven-proof plate, spread lemon pudding between layers and on top of cake. Spread meringue around sides of cake. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 5 minutes, until light brown. Cool to room temperature before serving. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Lemon Pound Cake

1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Deluxe Cake Mix
1 Package lemon instant pudding mix (4 serving)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup Crisco oil
1 cup water
4 eggs
10 lemon drop candies

Blend all ingredients in large bowl, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake in a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan at 350 degrees F for about 45-55 minutes, until center springs back when touched lightly. Cool right side up for about 25 minutes, then remove from pan.

Glaze: Blend 1 cup confectioner's sugar with either 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Drizzle over cake. Press lemon drops into the glaze at equal distances.

Raw Vegan Gelato Makin' with Bishop's Best: Healthy and Delicious Ice Cream Magic (Ep. 29)

LP tours the Bishop's Best Gelato Gallery to see how Heather Bishop creates the healthiest gelato on the planet!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm4789uLRBM&hl=en

Oreo Truffles - A Delicious and Easy to Make Treat!

Sometimes you want a treat that is just a step above the traditional cookies. Maybe a friend is having a party and you are supposed to bring something, but you want something a little special. But who has the time or the know how to make a gourmet dessert? No need to slave in the kitchen all day to make something great - just whip up a batch of Oreo Truffles. You will be the hit of the party.

What are Oreo truffles you ask? Just one of the most delicious treats that you can make! If you like Oreo's you will love truffles made from these fun cookies. They are easy to make and I have yet to find anyone who doesn't love them.

All you need to make this fun treat is:

1 package of Oreo Cookies. Get the regular kind, not double stuff.
1 - 8 oz package of softened cream cheese. You can use regular or the reduced fat kind
Dipping chocolate. You can also melt milk chocolate or white chocolate chips for dipping, but the consistency of dipping chocolate is better.

To make the truffles, crush the Oreo's completely until there are no chunks. I have found the easiest way to do this is to put a few at a time in the blender and turn it on high. I put the crushed cookies into a bowl and then crush a few more. This method may take a little longer, but the cookies are completely crushed when I am done.

Now mix the crushed Oreo's with the softened cream cheese. I like to put the whole mixture into my KitchenAid and then let it mix for a few minutes. Now, make small balls out of your cookie/cream cheese mixture. I like to use a cookie scoop or a melon ball scoop. This will give you an idea of how big to make the truffles. Set them on a cookie sheet and get ready to dip in the chocolate.

Now it is time to melt your chocolate. You can melt the chocolate using a double boiler on the stove or in the microwave. To melt in the microwave, use a glass bowl, microwave at half power in 30 second increments. Stir and do it again if the chocolate isn't completely melted. When you take it out of the microwave to stir, this will melt a lot of the un-melted chunks. You don't want to cook it too long or it will become grainy and unfit for dipping.

Dip the truffle balls into the melted chocolate and set on a try lined with waxed paper to dry. Once they have set, drizzle white chocolate over them for a delicious and decorative addition. Store the finished truffles in the refrigerator.

I guarantee you the truffles will be the hit of any event! Make sure you print out some recipes and have them close by because people will ask how you made them.

The Most Popular Cookies - A Delicious Recipe For Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are made with eggs, vanilla, sugar, butter, flour and either baking soda or baking powder. They can be cut into any shape you like with a cookie cutter or stretched into shape by hand. The dough is sometimes very sticky so you might find that spraying it with water before shaping the cookies helps.

These cookies can be decorated with sprinkles, frosting or both. Decorated sugar cookies are popular all year but even more so at Halloween, Christmas and other holidays. Their delicious flavor and colorful appearance makes them attractive to children and adults alike.

There are various kinds of sugar cookies and some contain ingredients like orange juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, or aniseed. Another name for Mexican sugar cookies is "polvorones" and they are popular at Mexican weddings, fiestas, and holidays. They can also be enjoyed at home with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

These crumbly, rich cookies are found throughout Spain and Mexico during the holidays. They are simple to make and they keep for several days in an airtight container.

The History of Sugar Cookies

German protestants who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-eighteenth century are credited with the invention of the "Nazareth Sugar Cookie," named after Nazareth, the part of Pennsylvania where they lived. This cookie has been Pennsylvania's official cookie since 2001.

It is thought that sugar cookies are derived from jumbles, which are a similar type of unleavened cookie. Jumbles can be traced back to medieval Arab cuisine, which contained a lot of sugar. These little cookies also contained spices and nuts and the Moors introduced the recipe to Spain.

Jumbles were baked thickly and would keep for up to a year, making them ideal for travelers. They were often baked in knot shapes. The nuts and spices were dropped from the jumbles recipe and sugar cookies were born.

Recipe for Mexican Sugar Cookies with Vanilla

This recipe makes delicious vanilla flavored cookies. You can frost them and add sprinkles when they are cool. Not every recipe for sugar cookies contains vanilla extract but it does give the cookies a really nice smell and flavor. The combination of shortening and butter gives these cookies plenty of rich flavor and also keeps them light and crumbly.

What you will need:

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt

How to make them:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the shortening with the butter, and then add the salt, baking powder, and sugar. Keep beating this mixture until it is well mixed. Add the vanilla and egg, then the flour. Divide the cookie dough in half, then cover it in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Roll half the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured board and cut it using a cookie cutter. Arrange the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Bake the cookies for about seven minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and the edges are firm. Let them cool on wire racks.

Incredibly Delicious Italian Dessert Recipes For Dessert Lovers

In the history of desserts, famous Italian dessert recipes definitely stand out. Italian desserts range in flavor from bitter to sweet and they go nicely with a glass of wine. In Italy, the locals are just as likely to eat a piece of fruit for dessert as an indulgent, creamy confection.

If you have visited an Italian bakery, you will have seen many different varieties of cookies and biscotti. The Italians like to dunk their biscotti in red wine. A lot of Italian cookies are sweet but not excessively so and light glazes often provide most of the flavoring. Nuts or candied fruit are often added too. Biscotti might be very popular in the United States but in Italy hard, slightly sweet twice baked cookies are more popular. They are baked twice to remove as much moisture as possible, which makes the cookies dry, crumbly, and hard.

Which is the Most Famous Italian Dessert?

Tiramisu is thought to have originated in Siena. Duke Cosimo de Medici enjoyed it so much that it spread around the world with Italian immigrants. Tiramisu is a delicious combination of lady finger cookies, liquor, espresso, cocoa, mascarpone cheese, and eggs.

The best known Italian cake has to be panettone, which is from Milan. Boxes of this cake can be found in cafes and Italian bakeries during the holiday season all over the world. The fluffy panettone dough is flavored with raisins and candied fruit pieces and the cake is shaped like a dome. Italians enjoy panettone with zabaglione custard or mascarpone cheese and a glass of liqueur or dessert wine.

Perhaps you have tried Italian gelato. This is ice cream made with milk, sugar and flavoring. Sometimes it contains eggs and cream. Gelato is churned less than regular ice cream, making it less airy and more dense. Italian desserts are best eaten in moderation because a lot of them are very rich. If you find a lot of Italian desserts heavenly but a bit too rich, why not make your own and change the ingredients to tone them down a bit?

Using Jello in Italian Dessert Recipes

Gelato is a great candidate for experimentation with jello. Italian ice cream is nearly free of air, which makes it dense and super heavy. By combining gelato, boiling water, and jello powder, you can create a deliciously light dessert with a nice texture and any jello flavor you like. You can use sugar free jello to halve the calories because half the dessert is jello and the sugar free kind is also calorie free.

If you happen to own an ice cream machine, you can make gelato with kool aid and jello, which tastes great and makes a refreshing dessert on balmy summer evenings. Jello goes with a lot of ingredients, with fruit trifle being a great example.

Jello also goes nicely with fruit pieces, with custard or zabaglione or with chocolate. In fact, it is one of the most versatile dessert ingredients you can get and it is great for making Italian dessert recipes lighter. Dessert making is a creative process and you might feel like making a rich, luxurious tiramisu one day and healthier layer jello recipes the next.

Invite some friends for coffee and this delicious chocolate cake southern Pie

If you try to cut the costs of representation this year instead of going out to invite some friends to play, a film, a work-puzzles are etc. and a selection of coffees, hot chocolate, hot tea and this wonderful Southern Sweet Chocolate Pie . It is not necessary to serve a full meal. Make sure the invitation is clear that this game issue or anything else, and dessert. With your choice of hot drinks, a dish of mixed nuts, and this cake, andYour friends will have a pleasant evening without much effort. Budgets leak in this economy.

SOUTHERN Sweet Chocolate Pie

1 package (4 ounces) sweet cooking chocolate
04:01 cup butter
1 2 / 3 cup evaporated milk
1 1 / 2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1.8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 uncooked pie shell 10 inch
1 1 / 3 cups flaked coconut
Cup chopped pecans 02:01

In a saucepan over low heat, stir chocolate and butter, stirringconstantly until blended. Take from heat and gradually stir the condensed milk. In a medium bowl mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Beat eggs and mix in the vanilla, then slowly the chocolate mass. Pour into uncooked pie shell. Combine coconut and pecans, sprinkle the chocolate mass pull. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to cook in the last 15 minutes when toppingappears to be getting too brown. Allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving; this will allow the filling to set. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream to serve.

Enjoy!

Invite Some Friends Over For Coffee and This Delicious Southern Sweet Chocolate Pie

If you are trying to cut back on entertainment expenses this year, instead of going out invite some friends over for games, watching a movie, working a puzzle, etc and serve a selection of coffees, hot chocolate, hot teas and this wonderful Southern Sweet Chocolate Pie. It is not necessary to serve a complete meal. Make sure when you issue the invitation you are clear that this is games or whatever and dessert. With your selection of hot drinks, a bowl of mixed nuts, and this pie, you and your friends will have an enjoyable evening without a lot of expense. Perfect in this economy of tight budgets.

SOUTHERN SWEET CHOCOLATE PIE

1 pkg (4-oz) sweet cooking chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 unbaked 10-inch pie shell
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan over low heat mix the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until blended. Remove from the heat then gradually blend in the evaporated milk. In a medium mixing bowl mix the sugar cornstarch and salt together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla then slowly blend in the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Combine the coconut and pecans; sprinkle over the chocolate mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and browned. Cover loosely with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes of baking if topping appears to be getting too brown. Allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving; this will allow the filling to set. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream to serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe For a Delicious Apple Dessert - Baked Apples & Cranberries With Crunchy Streusel Topping

Apple Pie may be an American tradition but mixing apples and cranberries has become a fall and a holiday tradition for many of us. The combination of the tart cranberries and the sweetness of the apples is irresistable. Here we offer a recipe for Baked Apples and Cranberries with a Crunchy Streusel Topping. The crunchy topping adds the sweet, spicy, and crunchiness of brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Yummy, for sure!

BAKED APPLES & CRANBERRIES WITH CRUNCHY STREUSEL TOPPING
Fruit mixture:
5 medium Granny Smith apples
1 can (16-oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Topping mixture:
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the filling: Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place the slices on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, sugar, and flour; mix until well blended. Pour the cranberry mixture over the apples. Be sure all apples are covered with the cranberry mixture.

For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir to blend together well. Using your fingers, sprinkle the topping mixture over the fruit mixture in the pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown.

Note: This is delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream!

Enjoy!

Invite Some Friends Over For Coffee and This Delicious Southern Sweet Chocolate Pie

If you are trying to cut back on entertainment expenses this year, instead of going out invite some friends over for games, watching a movie, working a puzzle, etc and serve a selection of coffees, hot chocolate, hot teas and this wonderful Southern Sweet Chocolate Pie. It is not necessary to serve a complete meal. Make sure when you issue the invitation you are clear that this is games or whatever and dessert. With your selection of hot drinks, a bowl of mixed nuts, and this pie, you and your friends will have an enjoyable evening without a lot of expense. Perfect in this economy of tight budgets.

SOUTHERN SWEET CHOCOLATE PIE

1 pkg (4-oz) sweet cooking chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 unbaked 10-inch pie shell
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan over low heat mix the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until blended. Remove from the heat then gradually blend in the evaporated milk. In a medium mixing bowl mix the sugar cornstarch and salt together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla then slowly blend in the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Combine the coconut and pecans; sprinkle over the chocolate mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and browned. Cover loosely with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes of baking if topping appears to be getting too brown. Allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving; this will allow the filling to set. Garnish with dollops of whipped cream to serve.

Enjoy!

Delicious Fruit Parfait

A wide range of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients of our body are offered to us by fruits. The storehouse of all minerals is fruits. If you become bore of having raw fruit in your diet then try to make tasty varieties of recopies from fruits. Fruit parfait is very tasty recipe and good for health also. Diced varieties of fruits those are available at your kitchen. Take another small bowl of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and pomegranate. Now take a glass and place a spoon of plain curd at the bottom of the glass. Top it with a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. Then place a layer of diced fruit and then few berries. Repeat layers, starting with yogurt until the glass is filled and serve immediately. But one thing you should remember while making fruit recipes is that do not mix watermelon with other fruits for making recopies because watermelons have their own different taste. Try to make fruit recipes of watermelon only by using the fruit alone, just for example watermelon gazpacho. Cut a watermelon into large pieces blend it smoothly into your blender and prepare a fine puree of watermelon. In a large bowl, take few slices of cucumber, bell peppers, jalapeno, celery, onion, lime juice, vinegar and herbs. Pour the watermelon puree over this mixture and cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it until it is chilled. Serve it very cold with a spoonful of vanilla yogurt and a pinch of black pepper and salt.

You can even add fruit toppings with several dishes to make them more elegant and tasty. We all love to have baked Alaska on dessert, try to add some fruit toppings while serving your baked Alaska and make your taste different. For preparing a baked Alaska all you have to do is to make a classic pound cake, then scoop half inch slice of each cake and place a scoop of vanilla ice cream above every piece of cake. Then freeze it for four hours until it becomes hard. Now you have to prepare the meringue. Whip two egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy. Place this mixture in a plastic bag with a star shaped tip and pour the entire mixture on this bag. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and pipe the mixture of meringue evenly over the ice cream quickly. Place it in a broiler and broil until tops are browned for about two minutes. Serve it immediately with some apple sauce and blueberries or strawberries. Instead of making a classic pound cake, you can alter it with a pineapple cake