Most of the more commercial dressings like Italian have certain acids like lemon juice and vinegar which are known to soften meat. These dressings are especially good for those cuts of beef that are rather inexpensive and tough. Meats like pork, chicken, game, and some fish marry well with marinades but tender cuts of meat like porterhouse steaks, lamb chops, and certain tenderloins do not require the use of a marinade but if you so choose it should not sit in the mixture long. In addition to the acid present in dressings like Italian salad dressings, there are also herbs, spices, and oils that provide robust flavor and tenderizing properties that seep into the meat fibers and slows down the loss of moisture in the meat.

Beginning with grandmother frying chicken, many people’s exposure to this classic cookware is at an early age. Cast iron becomes many cook’s favorite cookware, especially for those foods requiring high temperatures such as frying, or that need to cook long and slow, like stews.

Some new cooks shy away from cast iron in favor of new non-stick surfaces, but a properly seasoned cast iron pan is stick-free due to the thin layer of fats and oils that are cooked into it. This seasoning also prevents the pan from rusting.

Cast iron cookware is passed down from generation to generation, not thrown out like the cheap aluminum cookware on the market today. It is not unusual to find a cast iron skillet in someone’s kitchen that has been in the family for a hundred years or more.

Anyone looking for a durable, dependable, and useful piece of cookware need not look any further than cast iron.

Begin by mixing the sugar, yeast and flour in a clean glass container or a crock. This is what is going to hold your starter. It should hold no more than 2 quarts. Stir in the water gradually and mix. A thick paste will form and most likely will have a few lumps, but they will disappear. Cover the mixture with a dish cloth or thin towel and let it rest in a 70 to 90 degrees without any drafts. As the mixture ferments it will bubble and foam a lot. Put something under it to protect the counter. Just leave it sit out for 2 to 5 days. You will need to stir it once a day. It will eventually smell unpleasant and sour. You can now refrigerate. To feed add 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water. Let it stand 8 more hours on counter. You can now use it in recipes or share some with friends to feed and do their own baking.

What you need:

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (condensed)

2 cans cream of chicken soup (condensed)

2 cans coconut milk (14-ounce size)

2 packets dry onion soup mix

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup curry powder, or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

6 large boneless chicken breast halves cut into bite size pieces

2 cups frozen green peas

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Saut onions in butter until browned. In a medium bowl, mix the soups (condensed and dry), the coconut milk and the seasonings until well blended. Brush the oil on the bottom of the slow cooker, and then add the chicken.

Pour the soup mixture over the chicken, and then add the onions and mushrooms. Cook on low for about 4 hours or until chicken is cooked. One half hour before serving, stir in the peas.

Easy, economical and elegant, this will become one of your go to meals.

Avoid the hassle of standing over the stove and cleaning up an extensive post-meal mess by making bacon in the oven. The instructions are simple to perform and very easy to remember. Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees and place strips of bacon on either a flat cookie sheet covered in foil or on a rack inside a roasting pan to allow the heat to cook the bacon on all sides and for grease to drain from the meat.

After that, all you have to do is wait 17 to 20 minutes for the bacon to finish cooking, and try to resist the delicious smells coming from your oven. Check the bacon after the time is up, and allow it to cook for three to four extra minutes at a time if you desire a crispier bacon.