Nesco American Harvest FD-61 Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator and Jerky Maker

This convenient dehydrator makes great tasting, healthy snacks & jerky! Introducing the Snackmaster?? Encore???. It's Grey top and marbled design features 500 watts of drying power, and generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, beef jerky, and venison jerky. Helps dry food in hours, not days like ordinary food dehydrators. The top mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the the heating chamber!You can make delicious beef jerky, turkey jerky, fish jerky, trail mix, homemade yogurt, apple snacks, banana chips, dried soup mixes, dried tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes, papaya and other dried fruits at a fraction of the cost. Make dried herbs and spices; also make potpourri and dried flowers for any occasion.

A short peek at a favorite appliance store is enough to turn any techie gaga over the new technological advancements that are continuously coming up in the market. And as easily as these technological gadgets come up to replace old, obsolete ones, the more tempted we are to acquire them as fast as they come.

Unfortunately, new technologies and new appliances in our home does not run on nothing. They run on electricity, which furthermore, runs on money! Needless to say, the more technologies we have in our homes, the higher our electric bills. This is not to say that an average homeowner should simply give up on the joys and the perks of a bountiful entertainment room or of dining on hot, home-cooked meals prepared with state-of-the-art kitchen appliances. However, one must realize that it is all a matter of knowing when and how to use these home technologies and appliances.

Since its impossible for one person to be in two rooms at the same time, watching two different television shows at the same time, turn off all unused or unnecessary devices. Unless you are living with your kids who each have their own televisions, computers and other devices in their rooms, this energy-saving tip is quite simple to follow. This tip goes the same for water heaters, heaters or air conditioning systems. If you want bath-ready water or warm, cozy place to come home to after a tiring day at work, heaters and water heaters can easily be programmed to turn on automatically an hour or a few minutes before you arrive home. This way, you can avoid keeping heaters and water heaters on all day when there is no immediate need for you to do so.

Creativity can also come in handy when conserving on electricity. On warmer days, it doesnt hurt to open windows and let fresh air in. And if you have not heard of candles, learn the word. Dinners for two can also be made extra special on coal-grilled barbecues in the backyard and two sticks of good ol candles.

The possibilities of saving on home energy are simply endless with a little help from everyone in your home and with a little touch of creative conservation. And the best part? You dont have to sacrifice luxury and convenience to save on home energy after all!

JB Anthony is the webmaster of http://www.homeenergy.hottestniches.com. To find out more about articles, information, resources, links, tips and guides on home energy saving, home energy saving tips, energy saving tips, please visit http://www.homeenergy.hottestniches.com

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Nesco All-in-One Food Dehydrator Kit, Model# FD50-WHC

Everything needed to dry fruit, vegetables, jerky and more. 500 Watts power plus patented coverage flow for even drying. No more rotating trays. U.S.A.

Cooking really is an art, it can take some time to get it right. I would like to share a few basic tips with you that have helped me to become a better cook.

1) If you are using a wok/pan and it becomes too dry, add a little stock instead of more oil. Too much oil can really overdo things and take away from the taste.

2) Add some salt to water and it will boil faster. Don't worry, just adding a pinch really shouldn't effect the taste of the food that is cooked.

3) Always cook over low, well-distributed heat. If you are concerned that your stove is uneven, get it checked out. You definitely want your dishes to be cooked the right way!

4) Beware cooking something in super hot oil. Cooking when the oil is extremely hot only cooks your food on the surface and not deep in.

5) Be careful! Cooking areas should be blocked off - effectively - if either might be present without responsible supervision. Especially if you have children, make sure your pot handles are turned inward so they cannot be knocked off. You can never be too careful.

6) Like all electrical appliances, failures (in the electrical wiring or the control mechanisms) can cause problems, including fires. Keep a close watch on this.

7) Don't ever be afraid to experiment. If you don't take chances, you will never know what you could have discovered. Cooking is not meant to always be done by the rules. Even something as small as a pinch of spice can vastly change the taste of your food. Have fun!

Have you ever wanted to cook like the pros at home? Now you can learn all of the best-kept secrets of cooking, such as the KFC cole slaw recipe.

Wouldn't you love to be able to cook your very own restaurant secret recipes at home?

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Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home: Creat

Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home - Klaus Kaufman Features & Specifications Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home - Klaus KaufmanThis book provides creative recipes for lactic-fermented food to improve your health.With this book, discover the simple remedies and healing agents found in lactic acid-fermented foods. Step-by-step recipes will guide you through centuries-old methods.Great addition to our crock pots!

For years my family and I have been making jerky, what started out as a fun family pastime is now more of a competition. Before dehydrators were common we had to do it the old fashion way in the oven with long drying times, these days with the new and improved dehydrators the drying time has been cut way down what took two days now can be done in a few hours.

When shopping for your first or a new dehydrator there are a few things to keep in mind. First is weather to go with a top down unit or a bottom based unit, I prefer the newer top down versions, mainly because I like my jerky a bit on the moister side which requires you leave more marinade on the meat which tends to drip down through the trays and gets on the drying coil on the bottom, while this will not effect the drying time or the unit that much it is allot harder to clean up.

The second consideration is the wattage of the dehydrator, the higher the wattage the faster the meat will dry but the catch comes in at the price of the unit, the higher the wattage the more you are going to shell out.

Supplies are pretty ease to get, I'm finding seasonings in local stores as well as buying online, after you get a few batches under your belt you can start to get creative with the seasonings and drying times, I'm not a real fan of super hard jerky so I cut the recommended drying time back about an hour. I recommend the Nesco line of dehydrators that is the brand I'm using now with a top down drying method.

If you are new to jerky making or just thinking about it I highly recommend it and don't forget get the whole family involved, that's where the real fun come in.

For more information and recipes

Jerky is a way of life! start the fun

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Excalibur 5 - Tray Dehydrator

Excalibur 5-Tray Dehydrator for great tasting and long lasting fruits, veggies and jerky! Save the flavor, save the nutrition, SAVE BIG BUCKS! Eating healthy can get expensive... especially fresh produce that seems to go bad the moment you get it home. The Excalibur is a compact Food Dehydrator with plenty of room to make jerky or dry your favorite fruits and vegetables so you can keep them edible longer while still maintaining almost all the taste and nutritional value! Excalibur! Holds 5 to 6 lbs. of meat; 5 trays with 8 square feet of drying area... means BIG CAPACITY; Easy to clean with removable doors and trays; Trays roll out easy so you can check on drying process; 8 1/2"h. x 17"w. x 19"d. with 5" fan. Order Now! Excalibur 5-Tray Dehydrator

Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic oils derived from plants, widely used in aromatherapy for their medicinal and mood-enhancing effects. Some essential oils also have culinary uses, however, and these powerful plant essences can be used to rejuvenate, or in place of, dried herbs and spices, which can lose aroma and flavor over time.

A number of essential oils have been designated as Generally Regarded As Safe [GRAS] to use as food additives by the US Food and Drug Administration. These include those listed below.

• Basil ......Ocimum basilicum L.
• Bergamot (bergamot orange) .......... Citrus aurantium L. subsp. Bergamia Wright et Arn.
• Bitter almond (free from prussic acid) .........Prunus amygdalus Batsch, Prunus armeniaca L. or Prunus persica (L.)
• Cinnamon bark, ............Ceylon Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees.
• Coriander ...........Coriandrum sativum L.
• Cumin .............Cuminum cyminum L.
• Ginger ............Zingiber officinale Rosc.
• Grapefruit ..........Citrus paradisi Macf.
• Laurel leaves (Bay) ..........Laurus spp.
• Lavender ...........Lavandula officinalis Chaix.
• Lemon Citrus ..........limon (L.) Burm. f.
• Lime Citrus ...............aurantifolia Swingle.
• Mandarin Citrus ...........reticulata Blanco.
• Marjoram, sweet.............. Majorana hortensis Moench.
• Nutmeg ...........Myristica fragrans Houtt. Origanum Origanum spp.
• Parsley ............Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Mansf.
• Pepper, ...........black Piper nigrum L.
• Sage ............Salvia officinalis L.
• Rosemary .............Rosmarinus officinalis L.
• Thyme ................Thymus vulgaris L. and Thymus zygis var. gracilis

Boiss.

When using essential oils in your cooking, it is important that they are 100% pure and of therapeutic grade. Essential oils are highly concentrated and, consequently, very potent, and so should also be used sparingly. The recipes below give suggested amounts, but probably the best way to establish what suits your taste is through trial and error.

Here are just a few simple ideas that you could try. Like herbs and spices, different essential oils provide good accompaniments to different ingredients. Generally, essential oils that go well with poultry include basil, dill, fennel, lemon, marjoram, mellisa, orange, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme. For red meat, try basil, clove, dill, fennel, marjoram, mellisa, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and/or thyme. Essential oils that go well with fish or seafood include black pepper, fennel, lavender, lemon, lime, orange, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.

Meat

When cooking joints of red meat, simply add 1 drop of essential oil to a vegetable oil and brush over the meat before cooking. Essential oils can also be added to the cooking oil when browning mince meat (lamb or beef) - use 1 drop per half-kilo of meat.

For chicken, add 2 drops each of lemon and orange essential oils to 4 tablespoons of honey and 1 dessert spoon of mustard. Make a paste and brush over the chicken before grilling or baking.

Fish

Add 1 drop of essential oil to 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Brush over white fish steaks and grill.

Vegetables

Try stir-frying your vegetables in an essential oil (diluted 1 drop to 1 tablespoon of olive oil). Cardamon, cumin, nutmeg and ginger are good choices.

Steaming your vegetables over water containing an essential oil can also be interesting - try nutmeg and lemon for greens.

Dishes that don't require cooking

Of course, some recipes don't need 'cooking', and essential oils are ideal for this kind of thing.

Marinades

Essential oils are ideal for making marinades - simply add a few drops of your selected essential oil(s) to honey or olive oil and brush on the meat. Place oiled red meat in a bowl containing red wine, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 chopped onion and 1 drop of orange essential oil. Season and leave for up to 8 hours.

Salad dressings

Essential oils also make great salad dressings. Add 1 drop of your chosen essential oil to 10 ml of vegetable oil and/or vinegar. Basil, clove, lavender, lemon, lime, rosemary, sage and thyme are good choices for salad dressings.

Herb butter

Add 1 drop of the essential oil of your choice to 1 cube of softened butter. Mix gently and add to potatoes, other vegetables, toast...

Drinks

Citrussy oils (e.g. grapefruit, lime, lemon, mandarin, orange and tangerine) and minty oils (e.g. peppermint, spearmint and mint) can add zest to drinks of all kinds. Try adding one or two drops of a selection of essential oils to water for a simple thirst quencher.

Herbal teas: add a few drops of essential oils to boiling water: some to try are lavender, roman chamomile, peppermint, orange, tangerine and lemon.

Mulled wine: add 2 drops each of mandarin and orange essential oils and 1 drop each of clove and cinnamon to 2 tablespoons of honey. Heat 1 litre of red wine slowly, add the flavoured honey and stir. Take off the heat just before the wine starts to bubble. Serve with slices of orange and lemon.

This short article gives just a flavour (sorry!) of the uses that essential oils can be put to in the kitchen. Many more recipes are available in books and on the internet, so why not start searching now and explore the taste explosion that essential oils can provide.

Sources:

electricscotland.com/food/donna/recipe12.html

aroma-essence.com/cooking.html

zhealthinfo.com/recipes1.htm http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fcf182.html

Worwood VA. The Fragrant Pharmacy. A complete guide to aromatherapy & essential oils. Bantam Books, 1996

Alix Williams is a regular contributor to the holistic website Aroma4u.co.uk a home based UK business providing Eco-friendly hand made Aromatherapy Stress Relieving Gifts.

Alix Williams also writes about using unique Essential Oil Gift Ideas for Stress Relief.

For more information regarding Stress related matters (stress in the Workplace), Stress Busting Gift ideas with pure Essential oils, please visit: http://www.aroma4u.co.uk

copyright 2008 Alix Williams (CUS Busting Ltd)

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Nesco American Harvest 5-Tray FD-35 425-Watt Snackmaster Dehydrator

This unit features Nesco/American Harvest's innovative Top Mounted Powerhead that dries food quickly and evenly with superior results. Detaches to make dehydrator dishwasher safe for easy clean up. Fan-Flow Technology means faster, more even drying with no tray rotation necessary. Perfect for the beginner.

Most people have a preference of whether or not they like their steaks rare, medium, well done, or anywhere in between. Yet, somehow, it seems that cooking a steak to fit these preferences is oftentimes difficult. But with some simple training and a bit of skill, it most certainly can be done. Cooking a steak does not have to be difficult, especially if you follow these few rules:

Take into consideration the thickness of a steak. You must realize that cooking a steak is not an issue of just time. Whereas cooking one steak for 4 minutes might make it medium, cooking a steak that is slightly thicker may turn out rare or medium rare when cooked for the same amount of time.

Also consider the pan temperature.

The cook time is also very important.

You must find a good balance between the three abovementioned things to get the results you desire.

Other things to consider when cooking a steak is the tenderness and size of the cut. The presence of a bone can also change the cooking time as can the method of cooking (barbecuing, sauting, etc.).

If you have a sirloin or rump steak of 1.5 cm thick, then here are a few guidelines to follow when cooking it:

1. Well done, cook it for up to 6 minutes

2. Medium, cook it for about 4 minutes

3. Rare, cook it for just a couple of minutes.

Hold up for a minute are you still confused as to what exactly rare is versus well done? Here is a guide on cooking a steak based off of what the steak should look like (of course, never cut open a steak to see if it is done! It looks tacky, and it causes the steak to dry out).

Well done the steak will be hot, and it will have very little moisture. The color will be a dark grayish. The steak will be firm when touched. There will be no hint of pink left.

Medium well the steak will also be hot, gray, and it will have a juicy center.

Medium a medium steak is light gray, warm, and it will have a juicy center. When touched the steak will offer some resistance. Pink juices will bead up on the surface of the seared side when the steak is turned.

Medium rare the steak will be light pink in color, warm, with a juicy center.

Rare the color will be pink, the temperature will be warm, and the center will be bloody and red! The steak will still feel soft when touched.

Know about the two different types of heat used when cooking a steak:

Dry heat this type of heat does not use liquid and it is used to cook some of the most tender cuts. Examples of cooking with dry heat are broiling, roasting, sauting, pan-broiling, and rotisserie cooking.

Moist heat moist heat, on the other hand, uses steam or liquid. Moist heat cooking methods are soup-making, stewing, braising, and pressure cooking.

You must determine whether or not your steak is cooked based on touch, sight, and the clock. The firmer the meat, the more cooked it is. The lighter the color (from dark purple-red to pink), the more cooked the steak is.

Cooking a steak does not have to be hard, but it can take practice. If you do not get it right the first time, try it again! Be sure to have fun when cooking a steak!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on steaks and cooking, please visit Filet Mignon.

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