Local berries are in season now, and raspberries and blueberries are at their peak now. Our video features many recipes for raspberries and blueberries including a berry salad, a delicious chicken and blueberry salad. There’s also the berry infused liquers and a dessert to finish off the berry meal.
Find more recipes for raspberries and blueberries on Recipebridge.
July 14th is Bastille Day, and Le Fou Frog shares Ribeye Bordelaise recipe to celebrate Bastille Day. This is a quintessential French recipe, with rib eye steak with Bordelaise Sauce.
Find more French recipes for Bastille Day on Recipebridge.
Shelly Hayslett from Lambrusco’z whips up a Tex Mex casserole recipe. A delectable combination of Mexican flavors and regional American flavors, this casserole is easy to put together.
Find more Tex Mex recipes on Recipebridge.
Homemade ice pops are a delicious summer time treat sure to please everyone, and as the temperatures outside get warmer and warmer, frosty pops are the obvious choice to cool you down in these warm summer months!
Ice pops make the perfect summer treat not only because of their ability to cool you down, but also due to the range of flavours available. Although ice pops are considered as sugary and unhealthy, colourful pops can be made with natural fruits juices as well to add colour and flavour.
So that you can be sure what has gone into your ice pops, you can even make them at home by layering juices, frozen fruit, jello etc plus many varieties to suit your own tastes. Ice pops were first created in 1905 by an 11 year old Frank Epperson who accidentally left a drink outside one day with a mixing stick in it. Over night the temperature dropped to freezing and by the next morning he was able to eat it in the same way that we can eat popsicles nowadays.
Although ice pops go back an amazing 107 years, they are still just as popular as ever. When making your own ice pops at home, you can of course use different juices. However, if you want to focus on presentation, then layering a variety of yogurts or juices can create a beautifully colourful treat.
1) Make Layers – In order to stop different layers bleeding into one another, you will need to ensure that each layer is frozen properly before the next layer is poured on top.
2) Mush up Your Fruit – Straining or mashing your fruit to create a smooth texture is much tastier than leaving large pieces of fruit to freeze. A smooth texture is not only easier to pour into a mould, but is also much nicer and smoother to eat.
3) Make the Pops Break Away Easily – By dipping the frozen pops into warm water for up to 30 seconds, they can easily be slipped out of their mould without pieces breaking off.
For a sophisticated, boozy and colourful summer treat, then why not try a Tequila Sunrise Ice Pop? If you’re serving this for kids – just leave out the tequila and top up with more juice!
You will need:
Fun for all the family, ice pops are great whatever your age! Find more recipes for making homemade ice pops on Recipebridge.
There is always a bit of a dispute about the ‘best’ way to cook steak or the ‘best’ length of time to fry, grill or barbeque your steak for. In actual fact, it is up to your own personal taste. Some people like the reassurance of knowing that their steak is well cooked through, and some like the moisture and juiciness provided by the barely cooked rare meat.
Temperatures
To get your perfect steak, you need to cook it at specific temperatures and for specific times.
Rare – Cook at a very hot temperature for 2 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 50 and 55C.
Medium Rare – Cook at a hot temperature for 3 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 55 and 57C.
Medium – Cook at a mid-high temperature for 5 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 60 and 65C.
Medium Well – Cook at a high temperature for 1 minute on each side then lower the temperature to a medium heat and then cook for a further 5 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 68 and 74C.
Well Done – Cook at a medium low temperature for between 10 and 12 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be over 77C.
Resting Time
Resting time after your steak is cooked is vital in helping it retain its juices and its flavours. If a steak isn’t allowed to rest after cooking, when it is cut on your plate, all the juices come spilling out onto your plate and you end up missing out on all its delicious tasting juices. However, if steaks are allowed to rest for up to 10 minutes, the edges have cooled meaning that the meat keeps the juices locked in, and they will be evenly spread out across the cut so that it tastes delicious everywhere.
Some people worry that not cooking meat the whole way through can give you food poisoning. However, it is really only poultry which needs to be cooked properly all the way through. Steaks and meats such as beef and lamb can be cooked at different levels from blue (barely cooked) to well done. Having your steak cooked ‘blue’ means that is simply seared on each side and this ensures the bacteria on the meat’s surface is killed but the meat inside is left juicy.
To ensure you are staying safe with your steak, you should measure the internal temperature with a food thermometer before completing the cooking process.
Find steak recipes on Recipebridge.
The owner of Golden Fig, Laurie Crowell shares a crock pot recipe, perfect for summer. She cooks bbq chicken in the crock pot, and tops bread rolls with cooked shredded chicken, and fresh mango salsa.
Find more easy to cook crock pot recipes on Recipebridge.
Katie Workman, author of The Mom 100 Cookbook, serves up a chicken dish sure to please any kid. She makes a chicken piccata dish which can be varied according to taste, and sure to please picky eaters.
Find more recipes for chicken piccata on Recipebridge.
Berries are abundant during the summer months, and as a refreshing and delicious juicy snack, these little beauties can be eaten at any time of day and at any meal. During the summer, the berry varieties that are available and are most popular are; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc plus many other varieties too. If you’re not already a berry fan, then perhaps we can change your mind.
Not only can berries make the delicious addition to a boring breakfast cereal, they are also great for making a fruit salad more interesting. As well as tasting great by themselves and with other dishes, berries also have a range of health benefits too.
Blueberries – These little berries are only small but are well known for their amazing health benefits and high levels of antioxidants. These antioxidants have not only been proven to improve the nervous system, but can also help memory with its ideal ‘brain food’ nutrients. With cognitive benefits, cardiovascular support and the ability to regulate blood sugar levels, it is not wonder the blueberry is considered as a “super food”!
Strawberries – Packed full of anti inflammatory agents and antioxidants, these deliciously strange textured berries are known to help the prevention of cancer, give you great cardiovascular support, and help regulate blood sugar levels therefore preventing type 2 diabetes. Rich in Vitamin C too, strawberries can also help with immune defence, reducing cholesterol and healing wounds.
Raspberries – Due to their vibrant red colour, raspberries are full of flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants found in a variety of fruit and plants. The flavonoids found in raspberries are closely linked with building the immune system, reducing the risk of cancer, infections or heart disease. Raspberries have 50% more antioxidants than strawberries, making these the ultimate detoxification fruit.
Grapes – Technically classified as berries, grapes are used in many cuisines and are ideal for complimenting recipe flavours as well. With an extremely high nutrient content, it is no wonder that grapes are considered one of the healthiest foods out there today. Grapes have been shown to help improve the immune system, respiration, help prevent inflammation and a variety of cancers plus help regulate blood sugars.
Cranberries – Famed for their detoxification purposes, cranberries have been thought of for a long time as the ideal fruit to eat (or drink) to cleanse your system of infection. And this has been proven – due to their high acidity, cranberries can help protect against Urinary Tract Infection. With so many antioxidants as well, these lovely berries have been proven to have anti inflammatory benefits, and help with cardiovascular and immune support.
Try some of these breakfast recipes with addition of berries, making it a perfect way to introduce berries in daily diets.
If you want to improve your diet and believe that you are not reaping the benefits of the variety of berries out there, you just need to slip them into your daily routine a bit more. Instead of having a bland cereal every morning, why not make it more exciting with a sprinkling of a few different berries? It’ll taste great and you will know that you are doing your body some good as well! Find more recipes with berries on Recipebridge.
Body builder Jacquelyn Rickson shares a healthy French toast recipe. She uses whole grain bread and olive oil to cut on calories, yet creates a delicious tasting twist to the traditional French toast recipe.
Find this and more French toast recipes on Recipebridge.
Novelist Nicole Kelby shares Belgium pickled recipe in this video. Having beer during the day is a Belgium tradition, beer often served with cheese and a pickled vegetable. She shares here the recipe for Moroccan pickled carrots.
Find more recipes for pickled vegetables on Recipebridge.