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  • It’s National Apple Pie Day

    Apple pie

    A slice of apple pie for mom!

    Celebrating Mother’s Day today? Well, this year it’s also the National Apple Pie Day, so don’t forget to add a slice of this quintessential American dessert to your menu today. Invented in Europe in the 14th century, this delectable fruit pie is no doubt America’s favorite comfort food and so apt to be falling on Mother’s Day this year.

    Essentially a fruit pie with apples as the main ingredient, the first recipe of apple pie was printed by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381. It consisted of apples, spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron and cofyn. Since then numerous recipes have evolved for this dessert.

    A traditional Apple Pie is so simple to make, and is a great way to celebrate your love of apple pie.

    You will need:

    • 3 pounds of apples (about 9 medium apples) sliced
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/8 cup flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

    Directions:

    1. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a saucepan
    2. Add apples to mixture and stir well
    3. Let sit approx 25-40 minutes until you see liquid forming.
    4. Add lemon juice
    5. Heat over medium until sauce thickens
    6. Pour into already prepared pie crust.
    7. Bake 45-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling.
    8. Let cool and enjoy with ice cream!

    Variations to the traditional apple pie

    From apple crostata to layered apple pies, various twists and ingredients can be added to the traditional apple pie version. Use a simple pie crust recipe, or add nuts to the dough or make a double pie crust. Variations can be made to the top with apple layers or pie lattice and so on. Celebrate everything apple pie today and bake your favorite apple pie today.

    Find more recipes for apple pie on Recipebridge.

     

  • Pamper With These Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes

    Mother's day

    Celebrate Mother’s day with a lovely brunch

    Mother’s Day celebrate the most important woman in your life. Creating a Mother’s Day meal to remember is possible without spending hours slaving away over a hot stove. Make an effort with your decoration and create the right ambience for a spring time meal – flowers and chic accessories is a great way to show your love and care to your mom- it’s all about attention to detail.

    Brunch is a meal that gets family and friends together in the most casual way, there’s room for all ages, and a perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day. So whip up some of these dishes in honor of Mother’s Day this weekend:

    Share your favorite Mother’s Day recipes with us!

    As always, we love to hear from you. Find more Mother’s Day recipes on Recipebridge and post your favorite ones on our Facebook page or Tweet us!

  • Elegant Spring Time Teas for Mother’s Day

    Mother's Day Tea

    Afternoon tea to woo mom

    Afternoon tea is the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day and is a great social occasion and special time for people to come together and chat. A popular beverage all over the world, it is associated with sophistication and comfort.

    There are over 3000 different types of tea in the world and the trick to brewing the perfect tea is to let the tea bag sit in the cup for up to 6 minutes. Allowing the tea to brew for this length of time means that the tea is properly infused and mixed in with the water. It also allows it to cool to a more comfortable drinking temperature (the ideal drinking temperature is about 60C) so that you don’t burn your tongue!

    As tea is associated with being comforting and cosy, it is usually the accompanying beverage to a range of afternoon snacks such as sandwiches, cakes and pastries. A perfect mid afternoon snack, tea time sandwiches can have simple fillings or can be made up of more intricate ingredients. The key to a successful tea time sandwich is to have something tasty yet simple.

    A very popular yet simple recipe is the Cucumber Tea Time Finger Sandwiches. All you need is a loaf of sliced bread (wholemeal or white is up to you!), whipped cream cheese spread and one cucumber. First, spread the cream cheese over the bread and then cover in slices of cucumber, cover with another slice of bread to make a sandwich and then cut the crusts off your slices of bread. Cut the slices diagonally to make triangles and arrange on a plate. Find more finger sandwich recipes on Recipebridge.

    Hosting a tea party for Mother’s Day

    The idea of hosting a perfect tea party for Mother’s Day is to get the right amount of bite size snacks. Petit fours (a variety of sweet confectionery treats) are perfect afternoon tea time snacks made up of an assortment of biscuits, pastries and other desserts.

    In addition to tea, sandwiches, and petit fours, bite size cookies and tarts are also a popular choice for tea time. Cookies such as an assortment of shortbreads, sandwiched cookies or other small treats go perfectly with a well brewed cup of tea. Fruit tarts are particularly decadent at tea time due to their mixture of textures and flavours. These are custard filled cups of pastry and often topped with glazed fresh fruit and maybe a dollop of jam.

    Find recipes for petit fours on Recipebridge.

    If you want to have a different kind of Mother’s Day treat then set out a table in your garden in the shade. Set out your plates and cups in a pretty way – don’t forget little touches such as a tablecloth or seat cushions maybe even balloons can add extra charm to the occasion! If the weather is poor outside, a cosy tea party to celebrate Mother’s Day will go down just as well and any guests will love the combination of lovely tea and the mixture of bite size snacks.

    Find more tea recipes on Recipebridge.

  • Shrimp Al Mojo De Ajo Recipe

    Chef and Cooking Instructor Toni Haynes, with BergHOFF in Odessa, joined ABC Action News to share her recipe for a delicious shrimp dish, Shrimp Al Mojo De Ajo for Cinco De Mayo.

    Search for Shrimp Recipes

  • Ultimate Steak Sandwich Recipe

    Ultimate Steak Sandwich Recipe

    Components of a steak sandwich

    The Steak sandwich is a perfect lunch, dinner or mid afternoon snack with a mixture of flavours and textures to get your taste buds tingling. The perfect steak sandwich can vary according to personal preference, but ideally it should have the right amount of crunch, chewiness and moisture.

    There are four main parts that make up the ultimate steak sandwich which are:

    • Bread
    • Steak
    • Condiments
    • Dressing

    The bread needs to be soft yet sturdy enough so that the sandwich doesn’t fall apart, the steak should be done to your liking (baring in mind that ‘well done’ meet is very difficult to chew along with the rest of the ingredients) and then condiments and dressings should complement both the meat and the bread perfectly without overpowering the beautiful taste of the steak.

    How to make the Best Steak Sandwich ever!

    For the sandwich ingredients gather together:

    • 700g rump steak, cut into four 2cm thick steaks
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 large onion (cut into 1cm thick sliced rings)
    • 8 tbsp mustard mayonnaise
    • Half a head of iceberg lettuce
    • 4 tbsp chili and coriander jam
    • 2 sliced tomatoes
    • Salt and black pepper
    1. Select four soft yet firm bread rolls – crusty bread rolls or ciabatta are ideal for steak sandwiches.
    2. Either heat up your barbeque or turn your griddle onto a high heat. Put one tbsp of oil over your steak and then rub in salt and pepper on both sides.
    3. Place steak(s) on griddle and cook for 3 minutes on each side (this will cook it to medium – still juicy but not too chewy!). When cooked to your liking, remove from the pan and allow them to rest.
    4. Pour a little olive oil in the pan and throw in onion slices. Turn the heat down to mid-heat.
    5. Cook for two minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from pan and keep them heated on a plate.
    6. Slice the rolls and place them side down on the pan to toast for just a few seconds.
    7. Spread both halves with mayonnaise, then place lettuce on the bottom half of each roll.
    8. Spread a little chilli and coriander jam over the lettuce then put a couple of onion rings on top. Slice your steak and place it on the onion.
    9. Add seasoning (salt and pepper) and top with tomato. Place the other half of the roll on top.
    10. Enjoy!

    You can make the mustard mayonnaise or chilli and coriander jam yourself or you can buy them – either way, they are a great addition to the ultimate steak sandwiches. If you like your sandwiches simple, you can alternatively try a steak and cheese sandwich for a quick lunch, but spending time on your steak sandwiches is the best way of getting the delicious results that you want.

    Find more steak sandwich recipes on Recipebridge.

    Steak Sandwich

  • Celebrate The National Have a Coke Day

    Coke Introduction

    Everyone’s favorite – Coke

    Following some interesting national food observances, on the heels of National Orange Juice Day and the National Beverage Day, today is the National Have a Coke Day. Our infograph from visual.ly shows some interesting facts about this favorite drink. As the infograph shows Coca Cola or Coke was invented by pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton, back in the 19th century, though it was popularized by Asa Chandler, who founded the Coca Cola company after Dr. Pemberton died. Nevertheless, it emerged as the most popular carbonated drink over the centuries and consumed worldwide.

    Coke recipes

    Believe it or not, besides being a popular beverage, Coke is often used in many cocktails, desserts and what not! So why not indulge in some of these fun Coke recipes today in honor of the National Have a Coke Day:

    So enjoy this popular drink many ways and cheers on the National Have a Coke Day!

     

     

  • Food Publishers on Pinterest

    Pinterest

    Find Recipebridge on Pinterest

    Pinterest is a social network in the form of a virtual pin board which lets you collect and organise all your favourite online things. From recipes, to decoration ideas to wedding inspiration, all member of Pinterest can gather and share their interests with others by putting a “pin” in their items of choice. A “pin” could be a video, an image or other content which can be selected and added to your personal board.

    With more and more food bloggers, food enthusiasts and experimental cooks out there joining Pinterest, we thought we’d share with you a few of the food publishers which are already on the site. These publishers are well known and lesser known brands and by browsing each of the publisher’s pin boards and pins, you may discover new recipes, healthy options, nutrition tips, or dinner party menu ideas, thus making Pinterest ideal for food lovers everywhere.

    Here are a few of the food publishers on the site which may interest you:

    Epicurious – A publisher dedicated to restaurants, recipes, cooking, drinks and entertainment, Epicurious explores food-based occasions such as Passover and Easter, and everything else in between. Find Epicurious on Pinterest.

    Real Simple – A publisher whose primary focus is making the reader’s life simple, Real Simple’s pin board is ideal for anyone who needs dinner time, decoration or wedding inspiration. With categories covering all aspects of the home, you are sure to find many pins you like. See Real Simple on Pinterest.

    Saveur – Originally a magazine which celebrated the culture of food, Saveur’s pin board is a great place for food lovers to enter contests, pick up new recipes and learn new cooking techniques too. See Saveur on Pinterest.

    Donna Hay Home – An Australian celebrity chef, Donna Hay has published cookbooks and her pins illustrate personal interests including ideas for the home and things she loves – a great way of connecting with someone you admire! See Donna Hay Home on Pinterest.

    Gourmet Live – With recipes for every meal and practically every occasion, pins found on Gourmet Live is a great way to connect with food experts. See Gourmet Live’s Pinterest page.

    Food Network – Possibly one of the most well renowned publishers in the world, Food Network take a positive, teaching style approach to its pins. With recipe ideas and cooking techniques to suit everyone, you are sure to want to save a few of the network’s pins!

    Cooking Channel – Re-watch videos from your favourite food shows, or get recipes for all kinds of occasions using a variety of ingredients. Ideal for vegetarians, meat eaters, cocktail lovers and everyone else! Find Cooking Channel on Pinterest.

    Food Dot Com – Designed for home cooks, Food.com is a huge online cooking community and Pinterest has expanded this even further with food lovers everywhere being able to connect over common cooking interests. See Food Dot Com on Pinterest.

    Cooking Light – Whether you want fast, easy, creative or seasonal meals, Cooking Light offers recipes, ingredients and party ideas for you to celebrate you love of food.

    Food 52 – From simple recipes, to One Pot Wonders, to Kid’s Meal Ideas, Food 52 is a great place for those who love spending time in the kitchen to share tips and connect with others. Find Food 52 on Pinterest.

    Pin Recipebridge on Pinterest

    If you love Recipebridge and Pinterest sounds like your kind of thing, then show the love by pinning Recipebridge on Pinterest, you’ll find plenty of recipes from food publishers – ideal for food lovers!

     

  • Orange Juice To Health

    orange juice

    The Vitamin C rich Orange Juice

    May also celebrates National Orange Juice Day on the 4th and it is the perfect day to celebrate this Vitamin C rich citrus juice and raise awareness of its many health benefits.

    Its health benefits are huge and due to its high concentration of vitamin C, it is packed full of antioxidants, it protects against cardiovascular disease, it can lower cholesterol and is great for improving respiratory health.

    The antioxidants in orange juice can help prevent inflammatory conditions and other illnesses and also help boost immune system health. Citrus fruits such as oranges are also great for promoting cardiovascular health due to its high antioxidant content. With many nutrients which help the liver, orange juice is also great for regulating cholesterol levels, preventing kidney stones and stomach ulcers.

    There are many types of orange juice types such as pulp, some pulp, no pulp etc and some orange juice manufacturers such as Tropicana have started to bring out juices with specific healthy values such as Antioxidant Advantage or Healthy Heart with Omega 3. Overall however, orange juice is healthy and the use of pulp is down to personal preference.

    More recipes with orange juice

    Rather than just drinking orange juice on its own as part of a healthy breakfast, you might prefer cocktail and ‘mocktail’ recipes to make the juice a little more interesting.

    Rum Runner – The Rum Runner cocktail is a very sweet and tangy creation which you can easily make at home. All you need is 4 oz orange juice, 1 ½ oz Golden Rum, ½ oz Blackberry liqueur, ½ oz banana liqueur and ¼ oz grenadine. Best served in a hurricane glass, shake in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice then serve. Find rum runner recipes on Recipebridge.

    Mimosa – A classic cocktail to go with brunch on special occasions, the Mimosa is bubbly and delicious. All you need is champagne, orange juice and an orange liqueur such as Triple Sec. First you need to get a champagne flute and fill a quarter with orange juice and then top the flute with champagne. Find mimosa recipes on Recipebridge.

    Gold Cosmopolitan – For a different and fruity twist on the classic Cosmopolitan try the Gold Cosmopolitan. You will need 2 oz blackberry juice, 1 oz orange juice, 1 ½ oz tequila, and ½ oz orange liqueur. Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake well. Chill a cocktail glass and strain the mixture in. Skewer a few blackberries onto a cocktail stick and garnish. Find cosmopolitan recipes on Recipebridge.

    Northern Lights – A warming winter cocktail, all you need to make the Northern Lights creation is 2 oz whiskey, dash of peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice. Pour the whiskey and schnapps into a glass then add equal amounts of orange and cranberry juice then stir well.

    Cinderella – For a beautifully tasty non alcoholic cocktail, you will need: 2 oz ginger ale, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz pineapple juice, and a dash of grenadine. Using a cocktail shaker, shake the mixture with ice and strain into a glass then add slices of orange and lemon (maybe even a cocktail umbrella?) for decoration!

    Find more recipes with orange juice on Recipebridge.

  • Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

    Guacamole for Cinco de Mayo

    Mexican Fare for Cinco de Mayo

    May 5th is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. This means it is the perfect time of year to drink and eat Mexican foods and beverages and commemorate all things Mexican such as tacos and desserts.

    Get in the spirit, and enjoy some of these Mexican dishes:

    Mexican Chicken Empanadas – A bit like a Cornish pasty, a chicken empanada is a traditional Mexican dish wrapped in  pastry and stuffed with chicken, seasoning, olives, chillies, eggs and lots of spice.

    Find empanada recipes on Recipebridge.

    Tacos – Another fantastically traditional and tasty Mexican dish, tacos are crispy tortillas with a range of fillings – usually ground beef or chicken and then topped with garnishes and various condiments such as guacamole or salsa.

    Recipebridge has has many taco recipes.

    Grilled Corn – Corn on the cob is a delicious barbeque treat which can be done really well on the grill too. With slight pieces that are charred and with plenty of seasoning, the corn can taste exciting and have a unique taste.

    Try some new twists on corn on the cob with these corn recipes.

    Guacamole – Blending avacados with lime juice and lots of chopped cilantro, guacamole recipes are a must to go with any Cinoc de Mayo meal.

    Find guacamole recipes on Recipebridge.

    Treats for Cinco de Mayo

    Mexican Desserts – Flans, churros and other Mexican desserts are a great treat for Cinco de Mayo. A flan is a beautifully sweet treat with a soft and jelly-like texture and the caramel gives it a great spicy flavour.

    Find flan recipes on Recipebridge.

    Churros, similar to doughnuts in terms of texture, they are usually long and thin and go really well dipped in hot chocolate.

    Find churros recipes on Recipebridge.

    Alternatively, you might like to make sweet (as opposed to savoury) enchiladas such as an Apple Enchiladas – served in tortilla wraps, you can make a sweet and fruity filling out of apples, cinnamon, butter, white and brown sugar and a little water. A margarita cake is another popular dish which is slightly less traditional but beautifully Mexican and ideal for lovers of boozy desserts.

    Find more recipes for Mexican desserts on Recipebridge.

    Enjoy these and celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style!

     

     

     

  • Kentucky Derby – Inspired Recipes

    Mint Julep Derby Day

    The Kentucky Derby Day Celebrations

    Over it’s 137 year history, the Kentucky Derby is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May. More than just a horse race, it leads up to  the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.”

    Here’s our pick of traditional favorites to celebrate with this Derby Day.

    Mint Julep: This is the signature drink for the Derby Day celebrations, historically popularized in Kentucky. There are many recipes and many proportions for this mix of Kentucky Bourbon and fresh mint leaves. Find your perfect proportions for mint julep recipes on Recipebridge.

    Thoroughbred Pie: Another classic Derby recipe, you can find many variations of this chocolate chip pie. Don’t forget to add the famous Kentucky Bourbon to it though. Find more chocolate chip thoroughbred pie recipes on Recipebridge.

    Cheese Straws: Cheese straws are any Southern party favorites. Make sure you make enough as they go by fast. Find recipes for cheese straws on Recipebridge.

    Benedictine dip: Cream cheese and sour cream add a delicious touch to this dip, perfect for dipping potato chips and cheese straws. Another one of the Derby favorites, find benedictine recipes on Recipebridge.

    Bourbon infused Ribs: Kentucky Bourbon is a traditional classic to the Derby Day. So what better way to enjoy other than barbecued bourbon ribs. Find bbq ribs recipes on Recipebridge.

    Chocolate Pecan Pie: A luscious bourbon filled pecan pie is a must for any Derby party. Find more pecan pie recipes on Recipebridge.

    Pimento Cheese dip and crackers: Another Southern favorite, and Derby day classic, sure to please a crowd.

    More Derby Day Recipes

    Enjoy these recipes and more this weekend whether you celebrate with a Derby Day party or just sit back and enjoy this famous American sports event.

    Find related Derby day recipes on Recipebridge.