3 Recipes For Cantaloupe

Posted by Owen Jones on April 1, 2011

The variety of melons known as muskmelons consists of a juicy, edible fruit that is characterized by its round shape and a ribbed exterior. Cantaloupes are a type of muskmelons..

Considerable variation occurs in this fruit. Some cantaloupes are large but others are small; some have pink or yellow flesh yet others have white or light-green flesh. The flesh of these fruits contains a large amount of water; therefore, their food value is not high, being only a little over half as much as that of apples.

If melons suitable for the table are required, they ought to be selected with care. To be just at the right stage, the flower end of the melon ought to be a trifle soft while pressed with the fingers. If it is very soft, the melon is maybe too ripe; yet if it does not give with pressure, the melon is too unripe.

Various ways of serving cantaloupes exist. If they are to be served plain as a breakfast food or a lunch dessert, cut them crosswise into halves, or, if they are big, divide them into sections lengthwise.

With the melons cut in the desired way, remove all the seeds but keep the melons on ice until they are to be served. The pulp of the melon may also be cut from the rind yet then diced and used in the making of fruit salads.

Again, the pulp may be partly scraped out of the melon and the rinds then packed with fruit mixtures and served with a salad dressing for a salad or with fruit juices for a cocktail. The pulp that is scraped out may be diced and used in the fruit mixture.

Recipe 1

FRUIT IN CANTALOUPE SHELLS

During cantaloupe season, a wonderful fruit salad can be knocked up by combining several different types of fruit with the flesh of cantaloupe and serving the mixture in the cantaloupe shells. Such a salad is a fantastic one to serve when light refreshments are needed or when something unusual is required for a pleasant lunch.

Cut cantaloupes in half crosswise, yet, using the French cutter, cut some of the meat into round balls. Dice the rest and mix with any combination of fruit desired. Position this in the cantaloupe shells after cutting points in the top edge. Garnish with the balls cut from the cantaloupe but serve with any desired dressing. You can also sprinkle nuts on top to add a variation of textures.

Recipe 2

FRESH FRUIT COMPOTE

1 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved 1 cup sliced fresh peaches, peeled 1 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries 1 cup watermelon balls 1 cup cantaloupe balls 1 cup seedless grapes 1/2 cup sparkling wine (or sweet) wine, chilled 2 tbs thawed orange juice, frozen, concentrated, undiluted

Mix together all of the fruit in a large glass or ceramic bowl and gently toss to mix. Add the orange juice and wine and gently toss again. Chill with a cover on it for at least 20 minutes. Toss again lightly before serving.

Recipe 3

ERDBEER BOWLE (Strawberry Wine Punch)

1/2 pt strawberries, stemmed, rinsed, cut in half 1 tbs granulated sugar 1/2 bottle German Riesling, well chilled 1 tbs brandy (preferably Alsbach Uralt) 1/2 bottle German Sekt well chilled

Bowle is a classic German party wine punch. During the month of May, throughout Germany, bowle is served flavoured with fresh woodruff (Waldmeister), a sweet scented herb with white flowers, which grows particularly well in wooded and shady areas away from hot sun. Later, during strawberry season, bowle is prepared with strawberries which grow abundantly everywhere. As German summer season progresses, bowle is willing with other fruits like peaches, chunks of juicy watermelon, pieces of bright orange cantaloupe, or plump raspberries.

Place the strawberries in a large covered glass jar (a sun tea jar will be fine), sprinkle them with sugar and drizzle them with the brandy. Set them aside to marinate for two hours to permit the sugar to draw out the juice from the berries.

Add white wine, stir, and set aside for two further hours. When finished to serve, pour into a punch bowl. Add Sekt then serve chilled in wide champagne type glasses, making sure to distribute strawberries with the wine.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on several subjects, but is now involved with vegetarian sandwich recipes. If you would like to know more, just visit our site at http://vegetariancasserolerecipes.com

Chicken Can Be The Key To Healthy Cooking

Posted by Christine Szalay-Kudra on October 4, 2010

Lots of us are looking for new recipe options that will give us something new in our lives, taste great, and still be healthier than restaurant fare or processed foods. Much of the time, this involves focusing on high protein foods that are low in fat, particularly saturated fat. That is why so many people are cooking with chicken. It is a great choice for anyone trying to eat more healthily, since chicken is mostly made up of lean protein.

Choosing a healthy chicken recipe over red meat can help you cut down your cholesterol levels, reduce hypertension, and even lose weight without giving up on great taste. Chicken is a fabulously versatile food that can be used in nearly all cuisines and with almost every cooking style.

Many people are deciding to spice up their salads a little with marinated grilled chicken, to make delicious chicken wraps and Latin American or Asian inspired dishes. There are lots of easy chicken recipes out there. Remember that the chicken you use is going to affect how healthy the dish is and how good it tastes, with cage reared chickens often producing lower quality meat, even if it is less expensive than the alternatives.

One alternative that will still allow you to enjoy great, low fat foods that are high in protein is organic or free range chicken. Be sure to know what each label means. However, these chickens have generally been raised according to certain standards, which improve the health and well being of the animal and the quality of the meat they produce. While it is more expensive, chicken recipes made with organic or other specialty chicken meat are worth the extra cost in terms of flavor and healthiness.

You may find that this meat contains less fat and more muscle. If you are still concerned about an excess of fat, it is easy to trim off. You can even remove the skin to further reduce fat, resulting in a truly low fat meal that does not sacrifice much in the way of taste.

Remember, no matter what you are using, to treat your chicken carefully. For safety, do not let raw chicken sit at room temperature, and refrigerate cooked chicken within two hours. Frozen chicken is safe to store for up to a year in the freezer, however.

Chicken should always be washed in cold water, and a clean cutting board and knife should be used in all cases. Once the chicken has been prepared, anything that touched the raw meat needs to be cleaned immediately. If you handle your meat correctly, the danger of contamination is significantly less.

Thankfully, safe preparation of chicken is not a hard thing to do, and cooking it in a healthy way is not difficult, either. Just spend a little time working on creative ways to cook this versatile food, or look online to find lots of great recipes. You will enjoy some quality meals and you will feel a lot better.

Chicken is a great choice for cooking in parchment. Slice it up and it will cook quickly. For more ideas for boneless chicken, check out BonelessChickenRecipe.com. There are lots of recipes and articles to learn more about this tasty, convenient ingredient.