You know how it is when you go to your favorite five star restaurant and you sit down knowing that all their recipes will be fabulous, so no matter what you order off the menu you will love the flavor or your dinner. Do you ever take a bite of the fabulous steak or seafood, or the world renowned appetizer and wonder what the secret behind the delightful flavor is? Are you a person who loves to cook and sometimes feel that if you had five star restaurant recipes you could create the same wonderful meals for half the price of what you wind up paying when you go out? If this sounds like you, then you need to know that there is a way for you to get your hands on some of the best recipes available.

You can cook five star restaurant recipes in your own home, and you don’t have to steal them to get the fabulous flavors that you crave so much. There are actually famous chefs who are beginning to share some of their most coveted secrets with the public, so that they too can create wonderful meals without having to spend a ton of money to get them. You might be surprised at how simple many of these famous recipes really are, and your family will love feeling as if they are eating out every night of the week. Read more…

CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Barns are a cornerstone of the American farm and a symbol of the country’s essential agriculture industry. This spring, celebrating the company’s Help Grow Your Soupâ„¢ program, Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB), the National FFA Organization (formerly Future Farmers of America) and the National FFA Alumni Association will preserve and renovate five notable barns, selected by the public through an online vote. The program spotlights Campbell’s dedication to the farmers that grow good food, like the wholesome ingredients that go into each can of Campbell’s ® condensed soup, and its commitment to the future of the American agriculture industry. Read more…

By Food Editor Laurin Stamm

With busy school schedules and after-school activities, family life these days can become an even bigger balancing act than ordinary. Parents now face less time to get dinner on the table and the same old meals easily become routine. And before you know it, you’re stuck in a cooking rut.

To get out of this rut, why not try perking up your meals with a picante sauce — an easy twist to add veggies, texture, flavor and kick and get your dinners ready in no time.
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My love for buckwheat first blossomed in the Soba-ya shops of Japan. Years later, that love was rekindled on the sidewalks of Paris eating Galletes de Sarrasin, or Breton-style savory buckwheat crepes, washed down with hard apple cider in stoneware cups. I found the deep, pleasantly bitter, and earthy flavor of buckwheat satisfying and nourishing. The soba noodles were delicate and wholesome; the crepes were lacy yet substantial.

Buckwheat is a curious and misunderstood food. It’s not a grain, but is treated like one. It’s actually a shrub, related to rhubarb, and its seeds or kernels are what get ground into flour. Buckwheat has been a traditional food around the world, particularly in regions with short growing seasons and poor soil. Eastern Europeans eat a porridge of toasted buckwheat kernels, or groats, known as kasha. In the mountainous region of Lombardy, Italy, a buckwheat pasta, known as pizzoccheri, is a traditional winter fare. They toss it with butter, cabbage, cheese, garlic, and sage.
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This festive cheese log was inspired by a goat cheese wrapped in cranberry sauce sold by Trader Joe’s. We tried it on a whim and found the combination of rich, creamy cheese and tart, sweet cranberries addictive.

But we thought we could do better. We wanted a higher cranberry-to-cheese ratio. We also thought making the cranberry sauce from fresh berries would improve the appearance of the final product (it did). Read more…

HARBIN, China (AP) - A cold snap in northern China has thrown daily life into confusion, but is ideal for fairy tale palaces, towering pagodas, and even a sphinx - all carved from ice - that make up the sights at this year’s Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.

The annual event in northern China, now in its 26th year, pulls crowds from across China and even a few visitors from overseas, drawn to the unique visions of an international roster of sculptors who illuminate their creations with multicolored electric lights encased in the translucent ice.
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Increasing transportation costs, the shrinking dollar, diversion of grains to bio-fuel, is a perfect storm causing a food crisis, especially in Africa. A sack of wheat that cost $8 in 2006 now costs $25 in Egypt.
The recent skyrocketing cost of food staples around the world is making national and international headlines. The crisis is prompting economists, agronomists, finance ministers and heads of state to come up with immediate and long-term solutions so that more widespread price increases are averted and increasing discontent is mitigated. Read more…

You never know when the craving for a really good cookie will strike someone in your family. There’s no need to spend a small fortune on store-bought gourmet cookies when you can just as easily fill the cookie jar with fantastic homemade cookies. If your idea of homemade cookies involves breaking apart some Tollhouse cookie dough squares or slicing through a cookie dough log, then you have a lot to learn about the homemade cookie universe that your taste buds are missing out on! I’ve put a few great cookie recipes in this article that even the most inexperienced cookie maker can whip up. Enjoy! Read more…

Many of us are fond of eating sweets. Actually, it’s the delicious way of enjoying traditional treats. Obviously, when talking about sweets, desserts are usual things that come up in our mind. Generally, deserts contain high amount of sugar and fats. No matter how healthy your lifestyle is, time will come that you will look for something sweet to eat. On the other hand, there are low calorie dessert recipes that you can try. Read more…

I just love baking cakes in a Bundt pan. They are so easy to make and they always come out moist and perfect every time. If you like them too but have run out of ideas, below are 3 simple and delicious Bundt cake recipes.
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