Author Archives: Better Baking Bible

4 Great Christmas Gifts for Foodies

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Do you have friends that love food? Here are some delicious Christmas gift ideas for foodie friends!

We all one or two foodies in our lives. They can be family or friends, but there is always someone who takes their time taking pictures of their and everyone’s meals before it is eaten. They always know the trendiest foods to eat and where the hottest restaurants and off the wall food joints are located. If you are still thinking of what to gift the special foodie in your life, here are some great food ideas that will add some sparkle this Christmas to your gifts! 

Homemade Dessert

Who does not like some great dessert? They are the perfect treat for a less than stellar day or just something to end your meal with. Show your love for your foodie friend by making them a dessert yourself. It would be great if you can temper your own chocolate to create some delectable treats. Start with some good quality chocolate like Santa Barbara Chocolate, a wholesale gourmet chocolate supplier. And because you bought in bulk, you will have enough chocolate to make gifts not just for your foodie friends but everyone else! And you may even have enough to have a secret stash of Christmas biscuits that you can get from any time you need a pick-me-up snack.

Food Trails by Lonely Planet 

Got a foodie friend who wants to try more than just the trendiest restaurants in your town, get them this book. There’s no better source than the Lonely Planet. And with Food Trails, you’ll get a guide to some of the best places in the world to get the best food. You get not just a map and a simple guide to the place, but you’ll see gorgeous photographs and some of the best writing that will definitely pique your interest and get your foodie friend already packing their bags in their head and planning their food adventure.

Snackoo Box

Here’s a good unique idea for a foodie. You might think that subscription boxes are already overrated, but this one is a great choice. If you have a foodie friend who seems to like snacks that have an Asian flavor to it, choose a Snackoo Box. You’ll find flavors from countries in East Asia like Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China and more. While you’ll get the usual and popular brands like Pocky, Meiji and Calbee, expect to also see some unique snack items that their team has personally handpicked. Or you can opt in for something delicious and unique like a flower bouquet made from beef jerky from the Awesome Gifts Company.

Ceramic Knife Set

While not all foodies are proclaimed chefs in the kitchen, you might know someone who has translated their love for eating to also creating their own meals for their friends and families. And any good chef will tell you that a well-made knife is essential for any person who loves to cook. For those who like to cook even when going on a road trip or a vacation, a ceramic knife would be a great gift so that they no longer need to use dull knives when going camping or the like.

7 Tips to Make Your Kitchen Better

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 Give your kitchen a makeover with our simple, easy, and budget-friendly kitchen decorating ideas!


Designed By: Craig Veenker

Once in a while, your kitchen needs some improvement. As time goes on, you might discover you need more functionality, a better way to stay organized or some features of your kitchen just need updating. This article will show you 7 tips to make your kitchen better, whether your kitchen is for family or commercial use.

Freshen Up Your Cabinets

However, here are a few simple, affordable ideas to do to your cabinets. One idea is to paint your doors or the entire cabinets a totally different color. Another idea is to replace the pulls and knobs on the doors. One last option is to simply take the doors off and have and open shelf look.

Get Organized – Or Reorganized

A kitchen can easily become a haven for clutter. Some storage areas become catch-all’s for unnecessary stuff. You can start by first thinking about what you actually need. Then try to gain some space back by getting rid of clutter. If that is not enough, find some storage choices that will help you get organized.

“Light” Your Way to a Better Kitchen

It may be time to say goodbye to the old lighting scheme. More and more people are switching to LED lighting. It costs more upfront, but in the long run, it will pay for itself. If you can’t afford to modify your wiring, consider an LED fixture. The cord is already installed. All you need to do is hang it with the included chains, and plug it in.

Shut the Valve On Your Old Faucet

Replacing your kitchen faucet can make a huge improvement. It will give your kitchen a new look, and the water bill savings are sure to manifest themselves in due time. Many people okay with the DIY option for replacing the faucet. However, if you’re not comfortable, it’s also okay to get help.

Unique Countertop Improvements

If your countertops are worn, you could replace them – if your budget allows it. But some have found a way to conceal the small, but obvious damaged spots. For laminate tops, you can get a touch up kit from a countertop manufacturer. Or you could just hide it. Microwave ovens could work well here if your top has the room.

Use An Area Rug For Accent

You could take a long, narrow runner and place it by an opening to another room, on the kitchen floor. If you have your dining table in the kitchen, place the table, chairs and all, over an area rug that will accommodate the arrangement.Be careful when choosing. You’ll want to avoid these mistakes when choosing a rug.

Install a Backsplash

Consider subway tile as a replacement. It’s inexpensive and looks great.This is a very common DIY project. Those who have attempted it have been pleased with the improvement to the kitchen, sand gratified by the experience.

Summary

We hope you found this article helpful and were able to find a good idea to make your kitchen better.

Turn Your Love for Baking into a Business

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Are you passionate about baking? Why wouldn’t you want to turn your passion into a profitable business then!

This may sound complicated at first, but with a good plan, everything is possible. Let’s take a look at a few interesting ideas, and some useful advice which we’ve singled out for you.

What are the pros and cons?

First things first, you should weigh all the pros and cons of turning your baking hobby into a business before you make your final decision. For example, one of the obvious advantages of doing this is that you’ll be able to do something that you really enjoy. On top of that, you already have a lot of experience which will make the job a piece of cake. However, don’t forget that all food-related businesses require numerous licenses. Additionally, keep in mind that, unlike at home, you’ll have to deal with tough competitors and give your maximum to outshine them.

What baked goods will you sell?

Once you’ve decided to embark on this business journey, you must make sure to set clear goals and decide on what kind of baked goods you want to sell. It’s highly advisable to start small and choose a few products that will become your trademark. Once you’ve attracted customers and expanded your business, it will be much easier to experiment further with new ideas and come up with more innovative recipes. Lastly, don’t forget to pay attention to decoration as well since this detail can turn an ordinary-looking pastry into a true work of art.

Invest in quality equipment

Another crucial step in this process is investing in quality equipment. With them, you’ll be able to produce bigger quantities of your baking goods and thus stay ahead of your competition. For example, combination weighers from Yamato will help you pack your products efficiently and thus further improve your business. Additionally, don’t hesitate to invest in other essential gadgets, such as cooling racks, mixers, food processors, and pastry brushes that will make your job much easier.

Come up with a solid marketing plan

You may be a master chef, but if you don’t advertise your business properly, don’t be surprised if things don’t end up the way you imagined. So, instead of waiting for potential customers to discover you on their own, you can start by printing flyers and distributing them in your neighborhood.

Additionally, don’t forget the power of social media, like Facebook and Instagram, where you can set up your business profile. Of course, just doing this is not enough if you don’t make sure that your page is transparent and that it contains all the necessary information about your baking goods. Finally, in case you feel that you could use some help, feel free to contact experienced marketing agents that can do an amazing job for your new business.

Determine the right prices

Finally, determining the right prices for your goods may be tricky especially if you don’t have any experience in sales. However, there are a few tricks that can help you out. For example, checking out your competition is a great start and can help you realize what the reasonable prices for this kind of products are. On top of that, lowering your prices in comparison to theirs or making two-for-one deals is a great way to divert customers from other businesses towards yours.

As you can see, turning your passion into a business can be a fun experience. You just need to come up with a good plan and a marketing strategy, as well as be open to accept professional help. Finally, make sure to be innovative and unique since that’s the true key to success.

Choosing the Right Mixer or Food Processor for Baking

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Here’s how to choose the right mixer for food processing for your next baking project!

Baking is great fun, but if you are planning to bake a lot of items all at once you need to make sure if you have access to the right equipment. Mixing up the cake batter for several cakes and kneading dough for a loaf can soon take it out of you. I sometimes wonder how my granny managed, once a week she would bake for most of the day. My arm aches like crazy after beating enough egg whites for just one meringue or making icing for just one cake.

Let Modern Kitchen Equipment Take the Strain

That is why most keen bakers invest in a countertop mixer, blender or food processor. These really are invaluable pieces of equipment. As you can see when you click here, they come in a range of sizes and formats. However, you do need to do a bit of research before buying one. You need a device that is capable of doing everything you want.

Will it Be Up to the Task?

The first thing you need to do is to sit down and make a list of the chopping and mixing tasks you do most. You can use this list to make sure that the countertop device you buy can manage all of those jobs. Taking this approach will narrow down your options.

For example, if you want to make bread you will see that you need to buy a stand mixer rather than another device. This is because blenders and food processors do not have dough hooks. However, if you want to make my oatmeal flour you will need a food processor or blender.

Is it Big Enough?

You also need to think about how much you usually make in one baking session. If you generally only cook a small loaf for you and your partner, a compact stand mixer may be all you need. But, if you are cooking for a big family, you will want to buy a full-size one.

Storage

If you are short on storage space, make sure you buy the kind of food processor, blender or mixer that allows you to stow the accessories inside the bowl. You do not want to have to leave your mixer out on the counter because it is too big to fit it in the cupboard.

Ease of Cleaning

You need to look for a device that is easy to clean. Not all mixer bowls are dishwasher-proof, which is something to bear in mind when shopping.

Noisiness

If you like to bake early in the morning or late at night, when everyone else is in bed, you will want to look for a device that has a reasonably quiet motor. This is especially important if your kitchen is located directly under the bedrooms.

If you are still not 100% sure what type of blender you should be buying, you may find this article useful. It is written by Which?. They are a UK-based consumer group, so you know that the advice you will find on that page will be impartial.

5 Tips to Using Feta Cheese in Recipes

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Have you ever used feta cheese in your recipes? Here are some ingenious tips on how you can use it!

Feta is almost as imperative as olive oil when it comes to making and preparing greek food.  Today, it has made its way to various cuisines around the globe and is rapidly becoming a favorite among different households. Its versatile nature makes this Greek staple a great addition to any food mix, as it is as good a main ingredient itself. Feta is made from sheep’s milk or a combination of sheep and goat’s milk formed into blocks that are aged in brine. It has a sharp, salty pinch with a tasty creaminess that makes it a great pair to a wide variety of dishes and ingredients. You can buy blocks and then freezing feta cheese to be used in different food recipes at home.

There are several ways to include feta cheese in your recipes, many of which are now being served not only in Greek restaurants but also in other dining places. Here are some of the most excellent ways to include feta cheese in recipes.

Grilled Feta Cheese

Due to its salty taste, feta cheese is a great ingredient to throw in to your grilled favorites and makes the perfect party food. Kebabs and skewers will achieve a greater taste variety that is sumptuous to the palette with the addition of grilled feta cheese. In fact, feta cheese as a main grilled dish is great when paired with other dishes.

Salad Ingredient

One of the most popular uses of feta cheese is as salad ingredient as it offers a great flavor to your meat or vegetable combination. Aside from being an attractive color addition to your colorful salad, it offers an alternative taste that drizzles a salty twist to your favorite greens.

Feta Stuffing

Perfectly combined with other ingredients like hot peppers, avocado, taco, or even with pie; feta cheese is a great stuffing ingredient. Lots of recipes can be made using feta stuffing mixed with spices and other ingredients, be it as a main course, side dish, or even dessert.

Use it With Pasta

Aside from known cheese like mozzarella, feta is also a good ingredient for your pasta recipes or even for your super bowl snacks! Its creamy and salty taste appeals greatly to the palette and allows for a flavorful outcome. As well, feta cheese in pasta is perfectly mixed with other ingredients as sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, and olives.

Feta Sprinkles and Toppings on Just About Anything

Have your grilled meat Greek style by topping it with feta cheese or sprinkle grated feta cheese on any fried and dry dishes. It can also work magic in some stews for a Greek style dining. Top your favorite beans with a slice of feta cheese for that awesome taste or fruit topped and stringed with feta cheese. You can even sprinkle it on top of your sweet muffin or your favorite dip.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to using feta cheese as a recipe ingredient. Explore other recipes and enjoy it with your family and friends.

5 Cake Decorating Tips and Tricks that Turn an Ordinary Cake into a Work of Art

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Want to take your cake to the next level for that upcoming party or holiday get together? Here are some simple cake decorating tips that will make your cake look like it’s come straight out of a bakery box with a professional finish!

There is a plethora of great decorations you can do with little experience right from your own home. There are certain tools such as an angled icing spatula or wire cake cutter that will aid in creating perfect layers and smooth frosting. 

First, you will need a store-bought cake that is as simple and versatile as possible. You will not want to invest much in it, since the real pièce de résistance will be the decoration. All you have to do at this point is decide on the flavour and the number of servings you need. For an in-depth list of cakes prices and providers, make sure to visit CakesPrices.com.

Flawless Frosting

When it comes to getting a perfectly smooth layer of icing, a dough scraper is your best friend. Apply your icing as normal with a spatula or knife and be sure to apply enough icing for full coverage. A crumb coat can help to ensure your final coat looks beautifully smooth. Simply add a thin layer of icing to your cake and place in freezer for a just a few minutes. Next, apply your final layer of icing. Finish by using your dough cutter to lightly apply smoothing pressure to the sides and top of your cake, leaving you with flawless, full coverage.Your cake will look like one of those masterpieces that come from some of the most famous bakeries in town.

Homemade Pastry Bags

Cake decorating requires some supplies but for those just starting out making their own pastry bag is just as effective as buying one. A homemade bag is disposable and is great for simple piping and borders. It can be a great help if you are using multiple colors for decorating and do not want to continuously clean your bag. A quart or gallon storage bag works perfectly fine depending on how much icing you are using to decorate. For a homemade bag, you will cut off one of the bottom corners and squeeze the icing to that corner. A homemade bag is also compatible with metal cake decorating tips. Check out this tutorial for a DIY pastry bag.

Easy Decorations

The easiest decoration is simple piping. Cutting more or less off the corner of your bag changes the width of your piping line. Piping can be used for straight border, a swirl border, or a zigzag border. A piping tip is great for writing, creating vines, shape outlines, and perfect dots. 

The basket weave is a simple design that can make the sides and top of your cake look unique and professional. Just about any tip including the ordinary piping tip will work, however, Wilton tip #47 will give your design a more rustic, basket look. Create a vertical line and add short horizontal lines over top. Keep your vertical lines spaced evenly apart, and keep your horizontal lines alternating over and under each vertical line.

Adding Color

Fondant makes a tasty, smooth cover for your entire cake. It can take your cake from decorated to boutique and can be colored to brighten your cake. Laying fondant perfectly is not always an easy task and fondant cut outs can be another great way to take your cake to the next level. You can buy fondant premade or make very delicious fondant from marshmallows and powdered sugar. Marshmallow fondant can even be made in the microwave by melting a bag of marshmallows and adding powdered sugar and water until you have a dough formed.

Gel food coloring is your best bet for coloring icing. It can be added to your icing by dipping a toothpick in the gel and then mixing it into your frosting. Continue to do this to darken the color of your icing or mix colors together for the desired color. Create streaks of color on your cake with an angled icing spatula or create an ombré design by layering a color in various hues. 

The Shell and Rope Border

For making shell and rope borders it does require a Wilton 21 tip. The shell is the simplest type of border. To start a shell line, hold your bag at a 45-degree angle slightly above your surface. Apply pressure as the icing fans out and draw it slightly to you while decreasing pressure as you press the tip downward towards the surface. Continue to do this creating touching vertical shells. 

For the rope border use a 21 tip and hold your bag at a 45-degree angle slightly touching your surface. For a rope border you will want to apply steady pressure to your bag in the shape of a “S”. Start in the bottom curve of your first “S” and apply steady pressure to your bag again in the shape of an “S.” Continue this process to create a lovely rope border.

After reading these tips carefully you will realise that turning an ordinary cake into a work of art might not be just as hard as you thought. Take into account one of the possibilities you think it suits you better and will soon have the best cake you would ever think of.

Creative Tortilla and Wrap Recipes

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Looking for a quick lunch fix? These tortilla wrap recipes make it easy to have a healthy and easy lunch!

Tortillas are some of the most versatile types of wraps ever to have been invented by humankind, and that’s because they can be filled with most anything and they put up with quite a bit of abuse. Depending on their size and the way they are cooked, they can hold heaps of ingredients without breaking.

But many people tend to think of tortillas as a not particularly convenient type of food. In actuality, you can make anything you like with them. Best of all, you can even make the wraps at home and therefore use any healthy ingredients. In this way, you can also know for sure that what goes in your mouth is free of preservatives or artificial colors.

You can make tortillas either using a regular pan or one of the many electric tortilla presses available out there. It’s your choice.

Below you’ll find a list of some of the most creative tortilla recipes available today. Maybe they’ll give you a sense as to what this type of food can truly offer. Some of these suggestions are easy to make and take little to nothing in the way of the minutes you’ll spend in the kitchen. Moreover, you’ll even be able to take your food to work and enjoy a healthy meal instead of gobbling a fast-food meal when you’re in a hurry and on your lunch break.

Breakfast Roll-ups

You’ll only need peanut butter or Nutella and one or two bananas for this recipe. Slather some nut butter on the tortilla, place the banana in the center, and then roll everything up. Slice it into bite-size pieces, and you’re all ready to go.

Tortilla Hot Dog Wraps

There are two main ways of making this meal. You can either use an unfried tortilla to wrap a hot dog and a piece of meltable cheese, place everything in a pan and pop it in the oven for several minutes, or you can fry the tortilla and then roll everything else up in it. If you have an excess of tortillas (or hot dogs), this treat can be great once in a while with ketchup or mustard.

Chicken Fajitas

Everyone loves a fajita now and then. You can use chicken or seitan if you’re a vegetarian or vegan. You just have to grill the meat (or faux meat, depending on what you want to use), add steamed or grilled veggies, a little cilantro and a bit of guacamole, and you’ve got yourself a hearty and satisfying dish.

Fancy Brie and Pear Quesadillas

French cheese and tortillas don’t seem to get along, at least not at first sight, right? Actually, a tortilla is just like any other kind of wrap, so it works with any kind of ingredient you personally prefer. Slice some pears thinly and add generous chunks of brie to the tortillas. Place everything in the oven until the cheese starts to melt and you’re all set. If you like your pears cooked, you can saute them in a pan before putting everything in the oven.