Using Marinades to Season and Tenderize Meat

A marinade is a combination of oil, acid and seasonings that will tenderize and flavor any cut of meat. The acid, usually wine, vinegar or a citrus juice breaks down the tough fibers in the meat, making it more tender. The oil absorbs flavor from the seasonings, melds them, and carries the flavoring into the meat. It also helps to keep the meat moist and juicy.
A good marinade will help you create that truly special dish, but marinades do not have to be complex. One of my first marinades was a bottle of Italian dressing. (Add one part Worcestershire sauce to 4 parts Italian dressing for an incredible spicy chicken marinade.)
Secrets of marinating-
The larger the surface area of the meat, the more effective the marinade will be. If your meat is compact without a large surface area you can inject marinade into the meat, or simply poke holes or slits in the meat with a knife and massage marinade into the holes.
Larger pieces of meat need longer marinating times. Small pieces such as kabobs can be marinated for 30 minutes to an hour; a roast may need overnight marinating.
When browning the meat is desirable, remove the meat from the marinade; dry it, and then brown.
Marinate your meat in a non-reactive container. A glass bowl or baking dish works well, but I prefer to use a Ziploc bag for easier cleanup.
Marinate the meat in the refrigerator. Turn the meat at least once and preferably several times during the marinating.
Never reuse the marinade. If you desire to use some as a dipping sauce, reserve a portion before marinating the meat.
Try these marinade recipes to get you started. They are good with chicken or meat.
Balsamic Vinegar Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar1 teaspoon fresh rosemary1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Asian Marinade
1/4 cup light soy sauce1 Tablespoon sesame oil1 garlic clove, minced1 teaspoon ginger, minced1/2 Tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
Use these recipes to get you started, then experiment with your own flavor combinations.
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Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking
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Dessert Recipes for Crockpots

Crockpots aren't just for meals! There's all kinds of desserts you can make with your crockpot. Two are listed below. Be sure to see our website for other crockpot recipes.
APPLE BROWN BETTY* 3 lbs. cooking apples* 10 slices of bread, cubed (about 4 cups)* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon* 1/4 tsp. nutmeg* 1/8 tsp. salt* 3/4 c. brown sugar* 1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
Wash apples, peel, core, cut into eighths; place in bottom on crock. Combine bread cubes, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, butter; toss together. Place on top of apples in crock. Cover. Place crock into outer shell. Cook on low setting 2 to 4 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
APRICOT NUT BREAD* 3/4 cup dried apricots* 1 cup flour* 2 tsp baking powder* 1/4 tsp baking soda* 1/2 tsp salt* 1/2 cup sugar* 3/4 cup milk* 1 egg, slightly beaten* 1 Tbsp grated orange peel* 1 Tbsp vegetable oil* 1/2 cup whole wheat flour* 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Dip a knife into flour and chop the apricots finely. Flour the knife often to keep the cut up fruit from sticking together. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Combine the milk, egg, orange peel, and oil. Stir the flour mixture and the whole wheat flour. Fold in the cut up apricots, any flour left on the cutting block and the walnuts. Pour into a well greased, floured baking unit. Cover and place on a rack in the slow cooker, but prop the lid open a fraction with a toothpick or a twist of foil to let excess steam escape. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
About the Author: Kara Kelso is the mother of two, and owner of several websites online. For more crockpot recipes, see our ebook at: http://www.idea-queen.com/ebooks/crockpot-cooking-recipes.html
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Crockpot Recipes and Crock Pots - Learning the Ropes

If you really want to make the best crock pot dishes then first you need to get the very best crock pot and that's no crock of bull either. You need the ultimate in slow cookery products and there is a world of difference between them says Consumer Reports. Luckily if you search on the Internet you will find great websites which rate crock pots like; Wize.com
You will be pleasantly surprised to find that you can get a serious crock pot for under $40.00 that will make some of the best crock pot dishes you have been dreaming of. All crock pots are not created equally and there are many things you need to know. If you are in a hurry to make a dish for dinner then crock potting is not what you will need. Slow cookers take time and that means you have to allow them time to do their job.
Now for the recipes and do not despair there is that perfect crock pot recipe for any dish waiting online for you. Here are a few of the sites that we found;
TastyCrockPotRecipes.net
SouthernFood.about.com/library/crock/blcpidx.htm
CrockPot.cdkitchen.com/recipes/Once you have the right crock pot and you find a recipe that you like, you will see why so many people and so many families are sold on Crock Pot Cooking. Go ahead and print this page to save it for later.
Enjoy your meal and your health crock potting into the future. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
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