Food For Thought	Last Updated   July 5, 2009
Welcome to Food For Thought cooking and recipes - online since 1991! There are 5 new recipes, plus new cooking hints & tips, posted to this page each week.
Onion Rings	Beverage or Appetizer   July 5, 2009
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Onion Rings Categories: Appetizers Yield: 6 Servings 2 lg White Onions 1 c Beer 1/4 ts Salt 1 ts Baking Powder 1 1/4 c Flour 1 tb Vegetable Oil 1 Beaten Egg Oil For Frying Slice onions into 1/4 inch slices. Separate into rings. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, egg, beer and oil. Blend until smooth. Dip onion rings into batter to coat well, fry in hot oil at 375F degrees until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. -----
Tip 1	Cooking Tip   July 5, 2009
Allspice flavor and aroma is a pleasant blend of cinnamon and clove. It is generally described as possessing a woody, cinnamon-like flavor which is slightly numbing. Allspice is used in seasonings, sauces, sausages, ketchup, jams, pumpkin, gravies, roasts, hams, baked goods, and teas.
Fresh Fruit Compote	Soup or Salad   July 5, 2009
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Fresh Fruit Compote Categories: Fruits, Salads Yield: 6 Servings 2 Apples 2 Pears 1 Persimmon 1 pt Raspberries 1/4 c Orange Juice 1/4 c Orange Liqueur Cut up apples, pears and persimmon, and place in a bowl. Add raspberries. Stir gently to mix. Pour orange juice and liqueur over all. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold. -----
Tip 2	Cooking Tip   July 5, 2009
Thyme, a low-growing evergreen with small bunches of leaves, is native to the Mediterranean where it grows wild between the cracks in rocks. This highly aromatic herb has a spicy taste with hints of cloves and mint. There are hundreds of varieties of thyme with flavors ranging from lemon to lavender.
General Tso's Chicken	Main Dish   July 5, 2009
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: General Tso's Chicken Categories: Main Dish, Poultry Yield: 4 Servings 1 Egg 1 tb Cornstarch 1 lb Boned, Skinned Chicken -Breast in 2" cubes 4 Green Onions, 1" pieces Vegetable Oil 16 sm Dried Chiles 1 Garlic Clove, minced 1/4 ts Grated Fresh Ginger 4 ts Cornstarch 4 ts Sugar 4 ts Rice Vinegar 6 tb Soy Sauce 1/4 c Chicken Broth 1/4 c Water 1/4 c Dry Sherry Wine Whisk together thoroughly the egg and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add pieces of chicken, turning to coat evenly. In wok or deep-fat fryer, heat 2 inches of oil to 350F degrees. Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time until lightly browned and just cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Combine 4 teaspoons cornstarch, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chicken broth, water, and sherry, mixing well. Set aside. In frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until hot. Add chili peppers and cook until blackened. Add onions and stir-fry about one minute. Add garlic and ginger, cooking briefly, but do not brown. Remove from heat. Reheat deep oil to 400F degrees. Return chicken to fat,in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Re-stir sauce and add to frying pan with onions and peppers. Cook, stirring until thickened and bubbly. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until well coated and heated through. -----
Tip 3	Cooking Tip   July 5, 2009
Epazote is a pungent herb used in Mexican and South American cooking. Widely used in bean dishes, it is supposed to reduce the after effects of eating beans.
Fried Rice	Side Dish   July 5, 2009
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Fried Rice Categories: Side Dish, Rice Yield: 8 Servings 8 sl Bacon 1/2 md Onion, chopped 2 md Carrot, large cubes 6 c Cooked White Rice 1/4 c Chopped Green Onions 1/4 c Soy Sauce 1 Egg Garlic Powder Fry bacon till crisp. Remove from pan and cool on paper towel. Crumble when cool. Drain off 1/2 of the bacon grease. In remaining grease, slowly saute onion and carrot until onion is clear. Add prepared rice, green onion, soy sauce, egg and 3/4 of the cooked bacon. Add a pinch of garlic powder and stir fry till well mixed and egg is cooked, about 3 minutes. Top with remaining crumbled bacon. -----
Tip 4	Cooking Tip   July 5, 2009
Sage is a shrubby plant with long oval-shaped velvety leaves in colors ranging from a pale gray-green to dark purple-green. Blue, purple or white flower spikes appear in mid to late summer. The taste is sharp and spicy-bitter with a scent that combines thyme, lemon, pine and moss.
Mocha Mousse	Dessert   July 5, 2009
---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Mocha Mousse Categories: Desserts Yield: 8 Servings 14 oz Semisweet Chocolate 4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate 1/2 c Water 1/4 c Instant Coffee Granules 2 tb Cocoa 2 Egg Whites 2 tb Sugar 3/4 c Whipping Cream, whipped Coarsely chop both chocolates. Place chocolates, water, coffee, and cocoa in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts. Remove chocolate mixture from heat, and set aside. Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture; fold in whipped cream and remaining egg whites. Chill one hour before serving. -----
Tip 5	Cooking Tip   July 5, 2009
The flavor of Ginger is characterized by its unique combination of lemon/citrus, soapy and musty/earthy flavor notes. It is warming to taste.
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