The Secret to Preparing the Perfect Paella

According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, paella is a saffron-flavored dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood. The Dictionary also explains that in the Old French and Catalan languages, paella means frying pan or pot. The traditional paella pan is flat and of large diameter, it can also have handles on each side.

In fact, paella is one of the most versatile dishes to make. Paella also has the advantage of being great to clean out the fridge and use up leftover meats and vegetables. Any combination will eventually be great the secret is in the chemistry. Paella is a dish that is generally made to feed several people. Moreover, paella is quite flavorful the next day as the tastes have had time to mix together and become stronger.

This article is not a recipe but rather an outline that describes the three basic steps to follow to make a wonderful paella while leaving the reader (the chef!) the latitude to be creative and to make the dish their own by customizing it to their taste.

First the rice.

Select a type of rice that you are comfortable using. Feel free to experiment but know that paella contains a lot of ingredients and if you are unhappy with the end result with a particular type of rice, you might end up with a lot of waste. Basmati, brown or a mix with wild rice can add great taste and texture. Follow the instructions on the package with regards to washing and cooking the rice. Finely chop some onion, garlic and tomato. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil once the saucepan is hot (make sure that the oil does not start smoking. Burnt olive oil is carcinogenic and quite unhealthy). Once the oil is hot, throw in the uncooked rice. Frying uncooked rice gives it a nutty taste. Let the rice fry in the saucepan for a minute or so. Add the chopped onion, garlic and tomato until they soften, mixing constantly. Spice with saffron, salt and pepper. Feel free to experiment. Cumin, Cayenne various fine herbs or even a bit cinnamon or cloves can easily be added for a flavoring of your own. This mixture should not be on the stove for more that three to five minutes. At high heat with constant mixing, none of the ingredients should stick but they should mix well together and soften. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove the saucepan from the burner and mix in some frozen peas. Add enough peas to make a well balanced mixture.

Second the meat.

In a frying pan at high heat, brown some pieces of chicken. Upper thighs, drumsticks, breasts…it’s all good. Do not cook the meat completely but brown the outside. Once browned, set the meat aside. Lamb can also add great flavor to your paella.

Third combining it all.

Cover the bottom of the paella pan with the uncooked rice mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces on top. Add uncooked Merguez (spicy lamb sausages) and small fish filets rolled up and fastened with a toothpick or string. Use any type of fish but make sure that its flesh will hold well together. Pour some chicken broth on top (if the broth is warm the cooking time will reduce). Note that you can also add wine for more flavor. Cover the paella dish and cook for about 45 minutes at 350F or until the rice is cooked. At this point you can add raw shrimp or muscles and cook uncovered for another five minutes.

In short, the secret to preparing the perfect paella is to make it your own!

Cocktail Tales: How to Plan a Cocktail Party

If you want to throw a fashionable party, then you might as well be talking about a cocktail party. Okay, beer and other alcoholic drinks are recognized as party staples but nothing beats the elegance of mixed drinks. Nothing does.

The good thing about a cocktail party is it is a hodgepodge of varied guests from the busy entrepreneurs to your friends next door. Lasting for about two hours, the guests will find themselves really socializing in such a setting.

So do you have any plans of holding your own cocktail party? Remember that a great deal of planning is needed. Here are some tips:

1. Select guests carefully.

Here’s a tip: invite a variety of people. Don’t just stick to the preppies, throw in some of the jocks or professionals as well. Such diversity will attract greater and more interesting conversations.

2. Plan the menu and shop right away.

Shop also for the decors and other paper items that you will need for the party. Stuff like flowers should only be bought on the day of the party itself.

3. Determine if you will need a caterer.

If the cocktail party is going to be huge, then a caterer comes in handy, so you can spend the time with your guests. Be sure you choose the finest and most affordable caterers around.

4. Ask yourself if you also need a bartender.

A large cocktail party might necessitate the presence of one.

5. Decorate a day before the party.

Decorating will take a lot of time and effort so devote a day for it. Make sure the pieces of furniture are out of the way.

6. Never forget the following details:

a. Setting the centerpiece and floral arrangements

b. Preparing the salad

c. Choosing the party soundtrack

d. Loading the player

e. Preparing the beverages.

7. Prepare and open the wine an hour before the party.

Other than that, be sure the hors d’oeuvres are all taken out.

8. Look out for things you might have overlooked.

Out of getting too preoccupied, you might have forgotten some things.

9. Look great.

As the host, you must look fab. Thirty minutes to an hour before the guests start coming in, get dressed and get gorgeous.

10. Have fun!

This is the most important part of the cocktail party planning process.

Cocktail party planning takes a lot of planning and fun attitude. So if you are up for it, hold your own!
 

Great ideas and tips on planning an anniversery party.

If you are into party planning and would like to get the most out of such events there are ways and means on how you could make it meaningful without spending so much money on it.

This article provides you with information, ideas and tips on organizing stuff related to party planning and activities and themes which adds up to the excitement of the event.

Planning this party could prove to be a hassle to everybody, but with enough preparation, support from family members and the right means, you will be able to turn out a party which you and your relatives will never forget.

Must-Do Activities

Coming up with unique activities should not be a problem in organizing your anniversary party. If you are a busy type, you may want to hire the service of a professional organizing institution.

But today, due to the rising cost of consultancy and event coordinating agencies, individuals themselves together with a number of relatives organize most party events.

However, this option should still be reserved for people whose budget is tight and if they prefer to make things as personal as possible.

Among a host of activities and preparations that you will need to do in party planning are the following:

Party Invitations – You should leave this one to the expert for this contains all-important information about the party, things that guests may expect in the occasion.

It is important that invitations are carefully crafted in order to put up a good impression among those who are invited in the occasion.

Speech Writers – If you are into public speaking and would like to give a personal touch to the special occasion, you may organize and create your own speech program and start gathering ideas.

Videography – A party is such a short event and your purpose is not to live by the moment but to revive and capture all the essentials and happy memories of the occasion.

This can be done through video presentation taken during the party. Transfer it to a DVD tape and distribute it to your relatives.

Slide Show production – Slide shows are particularly interesting if you are to transform photos into retrospective video album type.

If you are celebrating anniversaries among couples, ask for one or two old pictures from your relatives of their parents and have them compiled for video purposes. You can ask the help of a videographer on how they can put them into music.

Anniversary Gifts/Party Favors – Party is not complete without give-aways. The most popular party favors today are music CDs with songs used in the entire occasion.
 

 
Kitchen Survival Recipe Guide

You open the cookbook and see a recipe title or a photo that tempts your tastebuds. Then you start to read the recipe, realize the preparation is more difficult than you first thought, and put the book back on the shelf.

Sound Familiar? Well here’s a simple guide to help get you started:

1. Abbreviations for Measuring

Tsp. = teaspoon
Tbsp. = tablespoon, which equals 3 teaspoons
C = cup.

Tip: Get a set of measuring spoons. The set will usually have 1/4 tsp., 1/3 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.

Dry measure cups look like little saucepans and can be leveled off with a knife or other straight-edged tool. They come in sets like the measuring spoons. Liquid measuring cups have ounce marking lines so you can measure however many ounces you need.

Tip: Some recipes require exact measurements to turn out right so learn to measure correctly.

2. Common Ingredients

Make sure you know what you need.

Tips:

- Baking powder and baking soda are not the same.

- Ask the produce manager at the market about fruits and vegetables, the meat manager about cuts of meat.

- When trying something new, buy ONE. You can always go back for more if it turns out well.

3. Common Terminology

- Bake: Dry heat in the oven. Set oven control to the desired temperature while you’re preparing the dish to be baked. Once the light that says it’s heating turns off, the oven is at the proper temperature. Then put in the food–for best results, center it in the oven.

- Boil: Heat a liquid until it bubbles. The faster the bubbles rise and the more bubbles you get, the hotter the liquid. Some recipes call for a gentle boil–barely bubbling–or a rolling boil–just short of boiling over. Watch so it doesn’t boil over.

- Braise: A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely bubbles on the top of the stove or in the oven. This is a good way to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The pan should be heavy and shallow with a tight-fitting lid to keep the liquid from boiling away. There’s a lot that can be done for flavoring in your choice of liquid and of vegetables to cook with the meat.

- Broil: Turn the oven to its highest setting. Put the food on broiler pan–a 2 piece pan that allows the grease to drain away from the food. In an electric oven on the broil setting only the upper element heats, and you can regulate how fast the food cooks by how close to the element you place it. Watch your cooking time–it’s easy to overcook food in the broiler.
- Brown: Cook until the food gets light brown. Usually used for frying or baking. Ground beef should usually be browned (use a frying pan) and have the grease drained before adding it to a casserole or meat sauce.

- Fold: A gentle mixing method that moves the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl and then sweeps up, folding what was on the bottom up over the top. This is used to mix delicate ingredients such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites. These ingredients just had air whipped into them, so you don’t want to reverse that process by mixing too vigorously.

- Simmer: Heat to just the start of a boil and keep it at that point for as long as the recipe requires. The recipe will usually call for either constant stirring or stirring at certain intervals.

Now you are ready to do the shopping and prepare that recipe that you’ve always wanted to try!

Happy cooking…

12 Ways to Fight Bad Breath

Are you embarrassed of your bad breath? Is it annoying you and making you very self-conscious? I bet you can’t wait to get rid of it.

However, you are not alone when it comes to bad breath. 35 to 45 percent of the entire world’s population has chronic bad breath. So, what can you do to be rid of it? Here are 12 ways to fight bad breath:

1. More often than not, bad breath is a sign of gum disease. Get into the habit of practicing good dental hygiene. Brush your teeth well and don’t forget to floss. Also, visit your dentist to get rid of plaque buildup.

2. Don’t forget to clean your tongue as well. Get rid of that whitish coating. Pay more attention to the back of the tongue because that’s where the bacteria that cause bad breath usually reside. Some people have suggested using an inverted spoon to scrape the tongue. However, it is more effective to use a tongue scrapper.

3. Choose your breath mints or chewing gum wisely. Make sure they are sugar-free. Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause bad breath. So your breath may smell nice temporarily but the bad breath will return later and may smell even worse. Choose instead products that have xylitol. It’s a natural sweetener that helps to buffer acidity and reduce the build-up of plaque-causing bacteria.

4. Prevent a dry mouth. Saliva is a great help in washing away food particles and bacteria. To keep your mouth moist, make sure you drink plenty of water. Minimize your intake of coffee, soft drinks and alcohol. Japanese scientists recommend green tea. They say it promotes healing of damaged gums as well as contains antioxidant polyphenols. Dry mouth is also a result of breathing through the mouth. This usually happens when you sleep.

5. Be careful of which mouthwash you use. Those with alcohol content will contribute to a dry mouth. Look instead for mouthwashes with chlorine dioxide. It will directly attack the volatile sulfur compounds responsible for bad breath.

6. It is no secret that garlic, onions and curry spices give you bad breath. However, the effect is only temporary, as eventually, your body will get rid of those foods. However, if you need a quick fix and brushing your teeth doesn’t get rid of the smell, you can try drinking lemonade or suck a lemon wedge sprinkled with salt.

7. Chlorophyll has been recognized as a powerful breath freshener. Get a healthy dose of chlorophyll by chewing on fresh parsley. You can also chew on spirulina tablets or drink chlorophyll rich drinks such as wheat-grass.

8. Herbal remedies include chewing on fennel or anise seeds. You can also make a tea from cloves and use it as a mouthwash. Cloves are said to have antiseptic properties.

9. Do you have milk intolerance? Eliminate dairy products from your diet and see if your bad breath goes away.

10. Restore and maintain your intestinal flora with probiotics. Also, improve the function of your large intestine by eating lots of fiber rich foods.

11. Tea tree oil also does well to vanquish bad breath. In the market you can find tea tree oil floss, mouthwash, toothpastes and mouth spray. What works too is putting one or two drops of tea tree oil straight from the bottle onto your toothbrush before you brush.

12. Check for an underlying medical condition such as tonsillitis, diabetes, intestinal disease, lung disease, liver disorder or chronic sinusitis.

Cakes To Suit Your PartyY Needs!

Parties, of any type, will never be complete unless cake has been baked or purchased. It has always been a part of any celebration whether birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and more.
Therefore, it is important to seek the best cake that would suit your event, style and theme.

Cakes come in different shapes and sizes, colors and flavors. It is best to personalize the cake so that it will have a touch of you or the person to whom you will give it to. There are new kinds of cakes that have become popular in parties like:

• Chocolate cakes
• Fruit cakes
• Sponge cake
• Cupcakes and miniature cakes
• Fairy cakes
• Photo cake
• Company corporate cakes
• Egg-less cakes
• Gluten free cakes
• Cakes for diabetics
• And other cakes for special allergies

Photo cakes have gained popularity over the years because of its personalized features. You just have to submit the photo which you want to use on your cake and they turn it into an edible photo cake-top decoration. Not only photos can be used but also clip art or company logos. These cakes are a very unique, fun, novelty and personalized way of showing appreciation to someone, wishing him the best.

You do not have to worry a bit, if you are rushing to buy your cake. You can even order online, just tell them your motif and theme for the party; they will let you see the graphic of their designed cake, get your approval and bake it. It would cost a little more than the usual cake but it’s worth it. But if you really want to do it on your own, you do not need to be an expert. Just get some helpful tips on the right websites and you are ready to whip.

As for wedding cakes, another very important event in one’s life, like birthday or company cakes, the key is to again personalize it. But this time it will be the couple’s personal style which would stand out.

Cakes not only introduce the couple into married life during the reception but also the cake must show the most vital qualities of the relationship of the married couple before the marriage.

More than personalizing it and decorations, is the taste. Be sure that the tastes are not overpowering each other, if the cake is both sweet and minty. If it is chocolate, it is necessary to check on the cake, if the taste is intense or subtle.

Cake is the best way to top all your party planning activities. Remember, a party is never complete without cake.

Kitchen Window Makeovers You Can Do in an Hour

If you’re like me, the window over the kitchen sink is one of the least decorated areas of the kitchen. Maybe you have some plants there, or pottery. But, have you ever really looked at the space and thought of doing a kitchen window makeover?

To help you makeover that neglected kitchen window, here are some easy ideas that will take you less than an hour.

There are usually three parts to the window area that you can makeover. Those are the walls and counters, the window itself, and the cabinets and headers surrounding the window.

The walls around the window and the sink counter area are perfect places to add small details that will enhance your overall decor.

If you have some extra wall space, add small pictures that complement the other artwork in your kitchen area. You can also add small tiles, or wallpaper cut outs and borders. The trick here is to make them small enough that they don’t overwhelm the space.

For the counter area, baskets, pottery, and plants work well. If you use this area to store sink stoppers and other small items, placing them in baskets will hide the clutter. Add other coordinating baskets to the rest of the kitchen area, and your decor will all blend perfectly. If you use pottery or plants, match your existing decor. This will carry the look through your entire space, rather than leaving the sink and window area out.

Now let’s move on to the actual window. Today, there are many new products available to change and enhance your window. You can buy plastic cling for your windows, which can change the color, or make it look like stained or frosted glass. These are also available as cutouts. This type of product is easy to install, and can change your window to better match your decor.

If you like sun catchers, buy sets of coordinating sun catches and hang them on the window with plastic hooks. There are also sun catchers that you mount to the window frame, which can add a nice touch.

The last part of your window to look at is the cabinets and window headers. If your cabinets are close to the window, you can add decorative hooks, tiles, wallpaper, even pictures to the sides of the cabinets. Just be sure to use the right size nail or screw so you can’t see the end inside the cabinet.

Window headers can either be wood, and connect the cabinets, or be in the form of curtains or valnces. If your window is enclosed with cabinets and a wooden header, you can add fabric to the header to simulate a curtain valance. This wooden header is also a good place to add hooks and hang wind chimes or sun catchers.

If you already have curtains, changing the curtains is one of the easiest ways to update your kitchen decor. For a quick update, add a beaded trim to the bottom of the curtains, iron on some fun appliqués, or add a sheer panel.

No matter what type of kitchen window you have, adding new decorative elements is a great way to update your kitchen.

The modern kitchen is full of plastic. What would we do without plastic containers, plastic cling wrap, plastic utensils for our parties, plastic dishes, plastic cups, plastic spatulas, and more?

The problem with all this plastic is that it is made with chemicals. Chemicals that can leach into our beverages and our food. Chemicals that end up in our bodies, where it accumulates and causes health problems. Chemicals that end up in our unborn children.

Some of the reported health hazards include reproductive defects, premature delivery (up 23% since 1980), lowered sperm counts (down 40% since 1945), and early onset puberty.

Two of the most common “bad boys” of the plastic industry are PVC (polyvinyl chloride - a hard plastic) and phthalates, a group of substances added to PVC to make it softer and more pliable. In fact, phthalates are among the most common contaminants found in the human body. Another common chemical found in the kitchen is bisphenol-A, which is the main ingredient in hard plastic used in baby bottles, drinking water bottles, and plastic storage containers. Bisphenol-A is in the list of the top 50 chemicals, measured by production volume.

Here are some steps that you can take to decrease your family’s exposure to these chemicals.

- never heat foods or beverages in plastic containers; it is so easy to put a “microwaveable” plastic container into the microwave; don’t do it

- avoid plastic cling wrap products; most have phthalates in them

- avoid containers with PVC in them; if there is a “3″ in the recycling triangle, get rid of it

- use glass or stainless steel drinking containers

- use ceramic or enamel plates

- use metal feeding utensils and metal kitchen tools

- do not store food or beverages in plastic containers, especially if the food item is acidic

- if you must use plastic, do not wash it in a dishwasher or use harsh detergents on it

It is interesting to note that in 2005 the European Union banned some commonly used chemicals of the phthalate family from use in toys. One commissioner was quoted as saying, “Toxic chemicals have no place in children’s toys”. Yet we continue to allow them in our food and beverage containers.

In North America, San Francisco instituted a ban in December 2006, although implementation has been delayed by a law suit. The ban covers biphenol-A and certain phthalates. This is commendable, but society needs more than city wide bans.

While we wait for our governments to realize the dangers, consider a personal ban. Can you make your kitchen plastic free?

7 Simple Tips to Mouth-Watering Organic Vegetables

You’re in the produce department of your grocery store. It’s almost as if you’re looking at everything through a sheer curtain or veil. None of the vegetables are bright colored or healthy looking. They appear wilted and drab.

Remember when you were a kid and all the vegetables looked like they were just ready to burst out of their bins? The tomatoes were bright red and plump, the lettuce crisp and perky. When you bit into a tomato, you could practically hear it pop just before the juice ran down your chin or onto your plate. And the taste – when was the last time you had a tomato that tasted like a tomato? It’s probably been a very long time.

There is a way to recapture those sights, sounds, and flavors from your past. And you can get it right from your own back yard.

But it requires time, work, and some research. If you’re up for the challenge, there is nothing more rewarding than eating food right out or your own garden. Food you know is grown with care and love, and is free of chemicals. Organic gardening.

Right up front, you should realize that organic gardening takes a level of commitment in time and labor many people are not prepared to invest. If you like the idea of putting safe, wholesome, homegrown food on the table for you and your family, then read on. You’ll find some facts, suggestions, and tips for creating your own organic vegetable garden.

What makes a garden organic?

Most gardeners describe organic gardening as simply rejecting the use of anything chemical or artificial to control insects or to fertilize plants. Instead, they apply natural materials and methods in order to retain the health of the soil, the food, and themselves.

Why is organic gardening such a good thing?

Organic gardeners will tell you that the quality of the vegetable is nutritionally superior to anything you can get in the supermarket because the soils are kept nutrient-rich with natural materials. Not depleted and artificially fertilized. And the flavor is amazing.

Additionally, organic gardening can create a great sense of safety and relief in knowing your food is free of potentially unhealthy chemical toxins. Along with that comes the satisfaction of digging your own dirt and producing your own food. Not to mention the physical benefits of fresh air and exercise.

So, you have a yard with plenty of room for a garden. You’re committed to the investment of time and labor. Where do you begin?

1. Pick your location and make a plan

Every good project starts with a good plan. Gardening is no different. James Stephens from the University of Florida suggests you first figure out the amount of produce you want. Do you want just enough for you to eat through the summer? Do you plan to can it, freeze it or sell it?

Then find a sunny location in your yard with well-drained soil, close to a water supply.

2. Get your soil ready

Add organic fertilizer and soil conditioning material at least three weeks before you plant seeds or seedlings. It takes that long for organic material to start working in the soil. Get it worked in and mixed well to prevent interference with seed growth and development.

3. Organic materials are the foundation of organic gardening
Professor Stephens at the University of Florida suggests the following list of organic materials: animal or plant manures, compost, cover crops, or mixed organic fertilizers.

They benefit the soil in many ways, including adding major and minor nutrients, making the soil more water retentive, and improving the structure and condition of the soil — allowing plants to grow more easily.

4. How and when to use natural and organic fertilizers

Animal manures such as cow, horse, hog, poultry, sheep, rabbit, and goat are considered to be the best forms of organic matter and fertilizer for an organic garden, says Professor Stephens. It’s best if they are worked into the topsoil two to three weeks before planting.

Natural deposits such as phosphorus, potash, micro-nutrients, and lime are also recommended and applied in the same way as animal manures. Natural deposits are found in rocks, shells, and sands. They add valuable nutrients as well as aid in soil conditioning.

5. Less is more when it comes to watering

Your little plants are starting to sprout, so you proudly go out everyday to water and look over your crop. Watering every day is good, right? Wrong.

Seasoned organic gardeners recommend a good and thorough early morning soak once a week only, preferably on a windless day. This allows water to reach and encourage deep root growth. Shallow daily watering only reaches the surface inhibiting strong development.

6. Controlling damaging insects and diseases the natural way

This is no easy task once a problem takes hold. But there are non-chemical ways to control diseases and insects. Here are just a few suggestions:

*Make sure plants and seeds are disease and pest free before you ever put them in the ground.

*Inspect your plants regularly, checking for pests and diseases before they get a chance to take over.

*Keep your garden clean and refuse-free.

*Remove weeds (because they attract pesky insects).

*Handpick insects off your plants.

*Remove diseased plants before they infect others.

There are plenty of additional control methods such as insecticide soaps, insect traps, and other preparations containing naturally occurring materials you can try.

7. Don’t let weeds steal your plant’s thunder (or their nutrients)

Keeping your garden’s soil cultivated will keep weeds small, making them easier to control. If left to take over, weeds will steal the nutrients from your vegetable plants, leaving them more prone to diseases. Their ability to produce vegetables will be reduced too.

Mulching is also a good way to keep weeds down while holding in moisture.

These 7 points are just a small sampling of the amount of information, suggestions, and tips available to starting and maintaining your organic vegetable garden. If you’re up to the work, challenge, and occasional setbacks, it is definitely a worthwhile and rewarding endeavor.

Keep the joy of the end result in sight – those succulent, flavorful, and nutrient-rich vegetables of days gone by.

Grilling Vegetables - Tips And Techniques

If you have never grilled vegetables on your barbecue before, now is the time to start. It is easy to do and you will experience tastes only obtainable by grilling.

Here are some tips and techniques for preparing and grilling vegetables.

What vegetables are best for grilling?

Almost any vegetable can be grilled, obviously some grill better than others. Here is a list of vegetables that do especially well on the grill:

Corn on the cob, all types of peppers, Zucchini and summer squash, eggplant, asparagus, whole tomatoes, Portabello mushrooms, potatoes, artichokes, fennel, and whole onions.

How to prepare your vegetables for grilling.

For corn on the cob, peel the husks back a little over half way. Do not pull them off completely. Try to get most of the corn silk off, then pull the husks back up and tie them to the cob, then soak the whole ear in water for about an hour before setting over a hot fire on the grill.

You can also do this. When you take the cobs out of the water, untie them and brush them with a mixture of melted butter and chili pepper sauce, salt and pepper, then tie them back up and then put them on the grill. They are really good!

Zucchini should be washed thoroughly, ends trimmed off, then slice the Zucchini lengthwise in one-quarter inch thick slices. Brush with olive oil and place over a hot grill. They will not take long so keep and eye on them. Do not over-cook.

Asparagus can be rolled in olive oil, salt and pepper and placed across the grill and turned occasionally. They are great and again, do not over cook.

Eggplant should be sliced about half an inch thick, salted and placed in a strainer to drain. After about half of an hour, dry the slices with a clean paper towel and brush with olive oil and grill.

Artichokes should be halved lengthwise and placed in boiling salted water for about 15-20 minutes, then drained thoroughly. Brush the cut sides liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper and place cut side down over hot fire.

Whole bell peppers can be grilled till the skins blister and turn black. Then scrape or pull the blackened skin off, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and enjoy. You can also do this with Anaheim chiles and Chiles Poblanos, also known as Ancho or Pasilla chiles.

Russet potatoes should have their skins cleaned thoroughly and dried. Then cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until only half cooked. Let them cool and cut into triangles lengthwise and spray with olive oil, place on hot grill, turning occasionally until brown and crispy.

You will notice that we have used olive oil in all the examples above but you can use peanut oil, walnut oil, or hazelnut oil if you wish. Canola or sunflower oils are just too bland for grilling.

Also, we have been grilling our vegetables directly on the grill but you can also use foil to construct a package for your vegetables. For example, slice a bell pepper and an onion, place in the middle of a large piece of foil, enclose the vegetables after dousing with olive oil and salt and pepper. Seal the package and place on the hot grill. It should be done in about 15 minutes.

You can also prepare a whole onion this way. Skin the onion, cut a cross from the top down three-quarters of the way through the onion, pour on some olive oil and wrap with foil, salt and pepper and put on the grill. Wallah!

There you have a few examples of the wonderful world of vegetable grilling. Now here are some more tips on grilling in general.

If you are going to buy a gas grill, be sure to get one with at least 40,000 to 50,000 BTU’s (British Thermal Units) as this will give you enough heat to make those attractive grill marks on your steaks, hamburgers and vegetables.

Vegetables generally are grilled over high heat, so when grilling with charcoal, build a 3-zone fire with the coals piled in a double layer on one side of the grill, then in a single layer in the center of the grill and then with no coals on the other side.

This lets you sear over the high heat of the double layer, cook over the moderate heat of the single layer, and keep your vegetables warm over the coal free zone.

You may want to invest in a vegetable tray. That is a tray with small holes that you can place onto the grill which will hold smaller vegetables like cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves or various sliced vegetables.

Another valuable accessory would be a fish basket. This eliminates the fish from sticking to the grill and flaking-up and falling through the grills.

Stock up with some bamboo skewers for small kebabs and chicken sate (Thai style chicken). To keep the skewers from burning just soak them in water for about an hour before using.

So there you are. This information should give you the confidence to begin grilling those vegetables for your next barbecue party.