Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do
Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a dish of pasta to your table in about four minutes when you know it takes ten minutes just to cook the pasta? Does the water on their stoves boil at a higher temperature than the water on yours? Do they know a trick that you don't? As a matter of fact, they do. They parboil, or partially pre-cook their pasta; so when an order comes in to the kitchen, a cook can turn out a dish of perfectly 'al dente' pasta in a minute or two. Pre-cooking is a worthwhile technique for home cooks, because it enables them to pull together a great sit-down meal in practically no time, no matter how busy their day may have been. It's also a great method to use when you plan to serve pasta for a crowd. I once catered a party for fifty, where I had a "pasta bar." With the assistance of one helper, and two propane burners, I served fifty portions of freshly cooked pasta (al dente) without holding anyone up in the buffet line.To parboil pasta at home, bring a large pot of salted water (at least six quarts) to the boil.
Add one pound of pasta and stir until the pasta wilts (in the case of spaghetti or linguine) and becomes submerged. When the water returns to a full, rolling boil, cook the pasta for exactly two minutes, then drain, shock in ice water, and drain again. Note: Strand pasta like spaghetti or linguine will be brittle, so handle them with care.Place the pasta in a container large enough to hold it, then add enough olive oil to just coat each strand. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Parboiled pasta will keep, refrigerated, for four to six hours.Note: Coating pasta with olive oil flies in the face of conventional wisdom that says, "Never coat pasta with olive oil.
The sauce won't adhere to the pasta." Well, conventional wisdom aside, sauce sticks to parboiled pasta like glue. What else can I say?When it's time to cook dinner, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta (You'll note that the pasta has softened over the time you've had it refrigerated. This is perfectly fine.), cook for one or two minutes, then drain in a colander. Be sure to taste after a minute or so. The pasta cooks quickly.
Serve as you would any pasta that you had cooked for eight to ten minutes.Again, this is a great, worthwhile technique to use at home, because you can parboil the pasta at a time of day when you're not juggling three or four other tasks, like preparing a sauce, or a salad. And when it's time to prepare the rest of dinner, you'll feel more confident in the outcome, because you can focus more of your attention on the other parts of the meal.Try this technique once, and you could be hooked. You may not be serving fifty or sixty people per night, but you'll be cooking just like a chef in a neighborhood Italian restaurant..
Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: "La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents," and "Almost Italian: Recipes from America's Little Italys." He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks. http://www.skiplombardi.com or mailto:info@skiplombardi.com.Beauty Consultant on Skin Care Basics
If you're like many women you are confused about how to choose the proper skin care. Or maybe you have some knowledge of what is available but you are not sure what is a good choice for you. Cosmetics come in many forms and deciding which is good for you is often a matter of personal taste. However, in order to make a good decision here is some basic information that you should know.Cleansers: Are used to cleanse the skin of impurities and restore it to its natural oil balance.Types of Cleansers
- Soap: Almost everyone uses it. If you have dry or oily skin be sure your soap is helping correct the problem.
Medicated soaps are meant for acne and problem skin, hypoallergenic soaps are meant for sensitive skin and there are drying soaps for oily skin and oily soaps for dry skin. If you have problem skin it is best to see a dermatologist.
- Liquid Cleansers: Are made for all types of skin. A good cleanser goes deep into the pores to loosen and lift excess oil and makeup.
- Creams:...
Oil prices > Beauty Consultant on Skin Care Basics
Gas Scooters
Focus: fuel efficiency
They may be called ?gas scooters' but the great thing about them is they don't use very much of the stuff at all. If you've been used to gassing-up a car or other four wheeled vehicle, then gassing-up a scooter will give you a big, big shock. How far would one gallon take your gas-guzzler? Probably a few miles, whilst the scooter would possibly last all week on that same gallon. When's the last time you heard "one gallon please" for a car?
Gas Scooters nowadays are built with the technology of the age and mpg's of 100 are by no means rare in this new age of the scooter. If you are just running around town or are using your car for getting to work, probably by yourself, you may wonder at all these things popping past you in traffic jams and cutting out the queues on the way to work every day.
The people on these machines seem happy with their and they are always ahead of you when you get...
Gas Scooters
Oil prices > Gas Scooters
Cheap Tickets, Discount Airfare, Cheap Cruises, Hawaiian Vacations, Las Vegas Vacations or Cancun Vacations.
Finding the best deals for cheap tickets has just become easier. In the past, if you wanted to find cheap tickets and discount airfares you had to contact a travel agent and explain where and when you wanted to go. They would do some research and eventually get back to you with a deal. Well, not anymore!Today you can seek out and find cheap tickets and discount airfares offering the best deal, just by entering a few words into a computer right from your own home. Are you looking for cheap cruises, Hawaiian vacations or an exciting Las Vegas vacation? Well, in a few minutes you can find a plane ticket that will take you anywhere you want to go.
You can search out the Cheapest, most Discounted airfare originating from anywhere and going to anywhere...literally in the world.You choose your destination, you choose your schedule, you choose which ticket price suits YOU best and when you're finished, you complete the transaction, right from the comfort of your own home. Cheap tickets...
Cheap Tickets, Discount Airfare, Cheap Cruises, Hawaiian Vacations, Las Vegas Vacations or Cancun Vacations.
Oil prices > Cheap Tickets, Discount Airfare, Cheap Cruises, Hawaiian Vacations, Las Vegas Vacations or Cancun Vacations.
Checking Fluids
Keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape requires constant monitoring of vital fluids. Read you owners manual and look for a diagram of the engine. Most times there will be a diagram showing where to check all the major fluids. This should be your starting point. If your manual is lost in the glove box or you never had one, then ask your mechanic or a friend who knows cars to show you all the places to check.
There are 4 major levels to check on most cars.
- Engine oil - Usually towards the front of the engine and marked "OIL" Always check your oil level with the engine OFF. Remove the dipstick and wipe the oil off with the rag or towel then put the dipstick back into the hole. Now pull out and get a reading. You might have to hold the dipstick to the light to get a good reading as fresh oil can sometimes be hard to see.
On the dipstick there will be two marks indicating a maximum and minimum level for the oil. Make it a habit of checking your oil every two...
Oil prices > Checking Fluids
Home Buyer Beware ? Know the Signs of Real Estate Market Trouble
Lots of articles have appeared recently about the booming real estate market in the United States. Home prices, especially on the East and West coasts, are not only at record levels, but are increasing at record rates. In some areas around Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, home prices have tripled in the last five years. While many homeowners have been enjoying huge increases in their equity, realized when they either sell their home or borrow against it, the market has become increasingly difficult for those trying to buy homes.
It may get worse, as there are now some strong signs that the market may be near its peak:
Oil prices > Home Buyer Beware ? Know the Signs of Real Estate Market Trouble
Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do
Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a dish of pasta to your table in about four minutes when you know it takes ten minutes just to cook the pasta? Does the water on their stoves boil at a higher temperature than the water on yours? Do they know a trick that you don't? As a matter of fact, they do. They parboil, or partially pre-cook their pasta; so when an order comes in to the kitchen, a cook can turn out a dish of perfectly 'al dente' pasta in a minute or two. Pre-cooking is a worthwhile technique for home cooks, because it enables them to pull together a great sit-down meal in practically no time, no matter how busy their day may have been. It's also a great method to use when you plan to serve pasta for a crowd. I once catered a party for fifty, where I had a "pasta bar." With the assistance of one helper, and two propane burners, I served fifty portions of freshly cooked pasta (al dente) without holding anyone up in the buffet line.To parboil pasta at home, bring a large...
Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do
Oil prices > Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do
Oil prices Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do
African American Themed Cruise Events Has Became A Billion Dollar Growing Niche For Travel Planners And Cruise Lines
St. Louis, Mo (ContentDesk) January 27, 2006 -- In the past, many traditional cruise lines lacked events that catered toward the lifestyles and interest of the African American cruise traveler.A few years ago, the idea of the very first major nationwide cruise event for African Americans was born, launched and the final outcome became a huge resounding success.As the success from one cruise grew, it produced a demand for black cruise organizers to provide themed cruises toward the many different...
African American Themed Cruise Events Has Became A Billion Dollar Growing Niche For Travel Planners And Cruise Lines Oil prices
Oil prices > African American Themed Cruise Events Has Became A Billion Dollar Growing Niche For Travel Planners And Cruise Lines
Fixing A Credit Report - Quickly
Fixing a credit report starts with seeing what's on it. You may get access for free online. Try a search for "free credit report." Alternately, when you are denied credit based on a report issued by a local credit reporting agency, you can request a free credit report from that agency within 30 days. A quick look and you'll have an idea why you were denied credit. Now how do you fix what you see? What if you find incorrect information on the report? What if you want to change information that...
credit report Oil prices
Oil prices > Fixing A Credit Report - Quickly
VoIP Industry Expert Launches New Blog Site
(ContentDesk) March 22, 2006 -- VoIP Blog Founder, David Cowgill, has built and launched a new Voice Over IP web site, dedicated to educating new telephony buyers with product reviews and information.Over the last few years, VoIP has taken off as a viable communication solution compared to traditional phone calling due to the fact that it is a lot cheaper. VOIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP allows users to make telephone calls using a computer network, over a data network like...
voip Oil prices Save Time in the Kitchen. Cook Pasta the way Restaurant Chefs Do VoIP Industry Expert Launches New Blog Site
Oil prices > VoIP Industry Expert Launches New Blog Site
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