2nd Annual Cooking for Dads Valentine's Day Dinner Contest, sponsored by Anolon pans

!±8± 2nd Annual Cooking for Dads Valentine's Day Dinner Contest, sponsored by Anolon pans

We're excited to announce the 2nd Annual Cooking for Dads Valentine's Day Dinner Contest sponsored by Anolon pans. Just make your favorite Cooking for Dads recipe for Valentine's Day dinner, take a picture and send it to me. Our judges will decide who made the best and most romantic meal. Contest is open to all, moms, dads, kids, single people, anyone who wants to cook a meal for their special someone. Videos are also accepted. 1st prize is a 10 piece set of Anolon Advanced pans - the very ones I use on the show. (0 dollar value) There will also be 2nd and 3rd prizes. All entries must be received by midnight February 15th. Winners will be announced on February 16th. Cook well, Rob Barrett www.cookingfordads.net

2nd Annual Cooking for Dads Valentine's Day Dinner Contest, sponsored by Anolon pans

Lowest Price Bissell Part

10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

!±8± 10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

If you're new to cooking, then you'll probably be watching all the cookery programmes you can, asking others for advice and trying to learn more about how you can get better. If you're more experienced, then perhaps you're stuck in a rut, cooking the same things all the time. Here's how you can progress and be a better cook.

Here are some tips.

1. It's important that you use good quality fresh ingredients. Whatever you cook, will taste better if you use nice fresh ingredients. Why not get your fruit form a greengrocers, and your meat from a butcher? It might be a bit more expensive, but it'll definitely be worth it and you'll learn which vegetables, and which cuts of meat will be best for the dish you're cooking.

2. Good cookware is a worthwhile investment. You'll soon notice that your food cooks more evenly, cooks quicker and tastes better too. It will last for many years and be easy to clean. Remember, that if it's good enough to be used by a world famous chef in their kitchen, it's probably good enough for your kitchen!

3. Try not to get too ambitious too quickly. You'll want to be able to cook the basics first, before you try and create delicate masterpieces, or 5 course meals for a dinner party

4. Constantly be on the look out for recipes that you might like. As well as recipe books, why not see if there are any in your daily newspaper, monthly magazines or on the websites you visit. You're also likely to find dedicated recipe sites which can give you some ideas if you're stuck.

5. It's a good idea to get to know your cooker well. Some recipes will make allowances for fan assisted ovens, or for gas ovens. You'll need to learn whether your cooker is actually at the temperature it says it's at.

6. It's not the end of the world if your dishes don't turn out quite as you'd hoped. At least you tried. You might be able to salvage the meal, or maybe you'll make something else instead.

7. If things don't go according to plan, you'll want to be able to learn from your mistakes. Perhaps your oven wasn't at the right temperature. Perhaps one part was ready too soon, or maybe you forgot to put the oven on. Whatever went wrong, as long as you can learn from it, it's not wasted.

8. You might want to learn from others. Perhaps you'll ask friends and relatives about their favourite recipes, or what size pans they use. You'll be able to use their experience to help you become a better cook.

9. If you're stuck for ideas, why not as other people to help you? Ask your family what they'd like to eat, or what they'd like you to be able to cook, and see if you can do it.

10. Above all, cooking should be fun. If you're not enjoying it, then why not take a break, and see if you can get some inspiration from somewhere else, or ask someone else to do the cooking for a change?

Now you know how you can be a better cook, what's stopping you from putting on your apron?

10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

Promotion Epic Elliptical Trainer Comparison Gas Grill Chicken Breast

Why You Need the Right Cookware

!±8± Why You Need the Right Cookware

Whether you're a novice who enjoys cooking, a whizz in the kitchen, or only cook because you have to, you'll want to have the right cookware to make cooking easier and quicker.

Here's why you need the right cookware

1. It's important to have enough saucepans, and the saucepans you need. There's no point in having saucepans you know you'll never use again. Perhaps you've been given pans, or have accumulated them, and are not sure if you really need them.

2. Having the right size of pans is worthwhile too. There's no point in using a huge pan for cooking beans on toast for yourself, and there's no point in using several pans to cook pasta or rice for a family meal. The right pans for the right dishes will make a difference.

3. If some of your other cookware such as your baking trays, lasagna dish and other dishes and pans that go in the oven are past their best, then it might be a good idea to replace them. Perhaps you'll cook more exciting or more complex or healthier meals if you have better baking trays, or a larger ovenproof dish.

4. If you're struggling with a temperamental mixer or blender, or have lost some weights for your scales, then why not see whether you can find something more appropriate? Maybe you'll get a food processor so that you don't need your blender or liquidiser any more. Having digital kitchen scales will mean that you don't have to find a home for weights, or need imperial and metric weights.

5. Having a pressure cooker will mean that your food will cook more quickly and also retain its flavour and the all important nutrients. Perhaps you'll be able to save time when cooking so that you can spend more time with your family. If you don't enjoy cooking, then any way of speeding up cooking has got to be worth it.

6. A roaster will enable you to cook meat evenly, and allow the meat to keep its flavour whilst it cooks. As they are non stick, they're easy to clean too. You don't need to save your roast dinner for a Sunday lunch, you can have a roast during the week too.

7. A good quality knife set is important, so that you can cut your bread, fruit and vegetables and meat precisely. No matter whether you're cutting carrots, cake or chicken, you'll find that you'll get a lot of use out of your knives. If you're keen on cooking, it's worth getting a knife set that will last.

8. If your cookware has seen better days, and you have pans with a missing or cracked lid, wobbly handles or are badly burnt or worn out, then you'll want to get replacements. There's no point in using dangerous cookware as you won't want to spill boiling liquids on yourself, or risk a dish cracking and breaking on you.

9. Perhaps you'll establish that you need new pans and that it would make sense to get a cookware set to save money. You'll find common sized pans from the leading kitchenware brands, and you know that they will last and be up to the job. In addition, new pan technology means that you'll get better results from a new cookware set too.

10. Value for money from your pans, and no matter whether you cook for fun, and host dinner parties, or just cook because you want to eat food that's healthier than takeaways or ready meals, you'll want the right cookware. Professional cookware might seem expensive, but it will be worth it if you cook a lot, and want fantastic results. You know that your pans are reliable and won't let you down. If you're still learning how to cook, and just want the essential pots and pans, then perhaps a more basic cookware set will be more appropriate.

Now you know why having the right cookware is important, you'll want to make sure that your pots and pans are up to the job, and that you can make your cooking tastier and quicker.

Why You Need the Right Cookware

Black And Decker Toasters Discount Korg Ax3000 On Sale