Oven Baked Whole Chicken

Whether you are entertaining or just feeding your family a nice meal you may end up agonizing for hours over what to serve as an entrée. Chicken is always a good choice.

Oven baked whole chicken is an elegant dish that's easy to make. Most people like it.

\"chicken Recipes\"

It can be stuffed with many variations of filling or packed with vegetables for the weight conscious. If you are in the mood for a bit spicier flavor you can use any of the barbecued chicken recipes to prepare your bird.

Oven Baked Whole Chicken

Inexpensive Yet Elegant Entree

Chicken can be prepared in a number of convenient ways so it fits your busy lifestyle. It can even be purchased already cooked at supermarkets or take-out restaurants.

But why would you want to pay extra for someone else to cook your bird when it is so easy to do yourself?

A whole bird will only cost a few dollars and can be ready for the table in less than two hours. When you serve an oven baked whole chicken your entire house will be swathed in its succulent aroma.

Let's look at a few ways to prepare an oven baked whole chicken.

Baked Chicken Temperature

Baked chicken temperature when finished should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside the bird. Since chicken is a potential source of salmonella poisoning as well as other complicating problems you may want to assure it gets to 170 degrees. Allowing the bird to "rest" for 10 minutes before serving should allow the internal temperature to rise to 180 degrees because it continues cooking during this rest period.

If you don't have a meat thermometer you can visually check your bird by giving the leg a shake. It should move easily at the joint where it joins the body. Just because the bird is a nice golden brown does not mean it is cooked through.

This is especially true with larger roasters. You may want to cut the skin and meat at the leg joint where it meets the body. You'll see clear juice if it is done. If you see flowing, deep red blood in the meat roast it longer.

Most oven baked whole chickens are cooked in a 350-375 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Because of the wide variation of roaster sizes no specific cooking time can be given. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bird's inner thigh making sure it is not in contact with the bone or visually check it as described above.

Oven Baked Whole Chicken

This recipe is for a bird without stuffing.

Such a recipe is necessary when cooking for a person with a wheat allergy or dieting to lose weight. Stuffing the bird with vegetables as described below is another alternative if faced with this situation.

*Rinse the chicken with cool water inside and out then pat dry with paper towels.
*Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
*Smear the chicken with butter and place a cover on the roasting pan.
*Bake in a 350-375 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours as described above.
*Remove the cover during the last 20 minutes of cooking time to allow the skin to brown.

Barbequed Chicken Recipes

Barbequed chicken recipes use this same basic format (but leave the cover off the entire time). Baste the bird with your favorite barbeque sauce every 15 minutes until done.

Stuffed Oven Baked Whole Chicken

You can use any filling you like to stuff your bird. Or you can try this recipe.

*Place 3 eggs into a blender with a medium onion (skin removed), a medium apple (cored with seeds removed), and 3 sticks of celery.
*Add pepper to taste.
*Blend until liquefied.
*Pour over cubed whole grain bread that has dried overnight or in a 200-degree oven for one hour.
*Gently fold egg mixture into bread cubes.
*Gently stuff the cavity of the chicken with the filling.
*DO NOT compress the bread cubes!

Cook as described above allowing additional cooking time for the stuffing to cook thoroughly.

You can also stuff your bird with a variety of vegetables such as peeled and cubed potatoes, onion, carrots, turnips, or rutabaga seasoned with melted butter, pepper, seasoned salt, oregano, or thyme to taste. Cook as described above.

You now have a few oven baked whole chicken recipes to get you started. Once you have prepared a bird or two you will begin to form your own ideas about what you prefer in your own recipes.

Good cheap food can be transformed into good health foods with the help of a fine recipe.

Oven Baked Whole Chicken

Dale Heil, D.C.

[http://Eat-Healthy-Diet-Plan.com]

Chinese Fried Rice - How to Make Fried Rice

Chinese fried rice is one of the most popular dishes ordered from Chinese takeout restaurants and a lot of people wonder how to get the great flavor and texture of this amazing dish. If you enjoy making fried recipes like a southern fried chicken recipe or chicken fried steak, you will enjoy making this tasty Chinese dish. Fried rice is so simple to make and it is the perfect accompaniment to any Chinese meat, fish, or chicken dish.

This recipe is a great way to combine leftovers. Using leftovers means there are infinite possibilities if you want to make something really flavorful and different countries have their own versions of this dish. Indonesian fried rice is different from the Thai style dish, for example.

\"chicken Recipe\"

Cooking Tips for This Delicious Dish

Chinese Fried Rice - How to Make Fried Rice

Use steamed or boiled white rice to make this dish. The key to a good dish is to use chilled rice. If you use it freshly cooked, it will not taste authentic or have a good texture. Chilling it overnight gets rid of excess moisture and makes the grains firm and therefore easier to separate. Cooking with fresh grains means you will get mushy results. If you do not have a whole day, make sure it can cool for a few hours somewhere cool before you use it.

The wok has to be very hot so the soy sauce gives flavor to the dish, rather than making it soggy. Also, a layer of oil in a hot wok will dance around and create a nonstick coating. If the wok is not sufficiently hot, the contents will stick to it.

You can use any leftovers you want in this recipe. What about some leftover bacon or ham from breakfast, some chopped chicken from yesterday's dinner or some leftover carrots? Do not use anything too wet or in a sauce, else the dish will go mushy. Garlic, ginger, and salt are good seasonings and you can also add some chili powder to spice the dish up.

The Recipe - Step by Step

This basic fried rice recipe can be modified, as you like. If you are going to add more ingredients to it, you should use three eggs instead of two. This recipe serves four to six people as a side dish. Feel free to add chili powder, ginger, garlic or anything else you fancy.

What you will need:

• 4 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 finely chopped green onion
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce or soy sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs

How to make it:

Beat the eggs with some salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a wok, and then add the eggs. Cook them, stirring all the time, until they are scrambled but still wet. Take out the eggs and wipe out the pan with paper towels.

Add the rest of the oil and stir fry the rice for a few minutes. Use a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks to stir the grains and separate them. Stir in the oyster sauce or soy sauce, and then add the eggs back in the pan. Mix well and stir in the green onion. Adjust the seasonings and serve hot.

Chinese Fried Rice - How to Make Fried Rice

Fried chicken is another example of something you can make in your wok. A pan fried chicken recipe makes a change from deep fried chicken and the whole family will enjoy this mouthwatering treat.

SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com When it has to be Real Fried Chicken

How Long Does a Perfectly Roasted Chicken Need to Cook?

Although cooking chicken can be a simple task, there are many determining factors that lead to a perfectly juicy and tender well cooked bird. Chicken is probably one of the most popular meats around for it offers a range of versatility and possibilities! You can boil it, grill it, broil it, bake it, roast it, fry it, sauté it, rotisserie it and stir fry it and always end up with a delicious meal. However, one of the big challenges with chicken is that it must always be well cooked to prevent food borne illnesses. You can never eat chicken rare or medium rare. If the meat is pink cook it longer. Raw chicken can make you very sick. OK, so why is this such a big deal? It's a big deal because chicken, specially the white meat breast area, tends to be overcooked and dry. It does not have to be! I would like to concentrate on roasted whole chickens in this article as these seem to be the ones that are hardest to perfect. Because of the way a chicken is shaped, it is very easy to end up with overcooked, stringy breast meat; undercooked leg and thigh meat; and inedible, chewy skin.

A well roasted chicken should have juicy tender breast meat, fully cooked dark meat and perfectly crisp and well seasoned skin. So how do we end up with such a wonderful production? The very first thing you need to do is preheat your oven with the roasting pan inside. Keep the rack out of the oven to use later. Since everyone's oven is different I would say a good rule of thumb is to heat it for a good 20 minutes before you start roasting. I have roasted many a chicken in my life and I can tell you that 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) is where my chicken has come out with the best results. Higher heat cooks the bird faster but tends to scorch the skin and dry up the meat; lower heat - slow and low in the beginning and high in the end - ends up in dry meat as well. So, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and let's get the chicken ready! Remove the giblets and the neck from the cavity. Unless you are planning on using them (let's say to make gravy for instance) throw them away. Wash the chicken inside and out and pat dry it well. You want nicely dried chicken skin. Next, trim off the excess fat. Throw that away. Starting at the neck, insert your fingers under the skin and gently push away the skin from the breast meat. Generously season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.

\"chicken Recipe\"

Melt some butter in a pan or microwave and brush melted butter directly on the breast and on the skin. Place the chicken sideways on the roasting rack. Open the oven and place the rack into the roasting pan. Cook it like this for 20 minutes. Flip the chicken on to its other side and cook for an extra 20 minutes. Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, breast meat up and cook for an additional 20 minutes. You need to make sure the internal temperature is 165 to 170 degrees. Another way to check it is by pulling the thigh away from the body. If the juices run clear and not pink or red, the chicken is probably done. The average roasting chicken is between 3 and 3 ½ pounds. This will render approximately 3 to 3 ½ cups of cooked meat. I am assuming that you will be roasting a whole chicken and not a butterflied one- a chicken who has had the backbone removed. Butterflied chicken will cook faster. At any rate, if you are roasting a larger bird make sure to adjust the cooking time. 20 to 25 minutes per pound is a great rule of thumb! Good luck!

How Long Does a Perfectly Roasted Chicken Need to Cook?

Click Here, for a great Herbed Roasted Chicken Recipe

How Long Does a Perfectly Roasted Chicken Need to Cook?

Mary Ann Allen, The Frugal Chef, is dedicated to show people how to eat well without spending a fortune. Her website http:///www.TheFrugalChef.com is loaded with free recipes, cooking videos and tips on how to save money without sacrificing nutrition and flavor!

How to Make the Best Chicken Salad Recipe

Are you looking for the best chicken salad recipe? Are you wondering how to make chicken salad? It is really very simple!

There are many varieties of chicken salad that you can make. First, you need to decide what type you want to make. Next, you can look for a recipe and gather your ingredients. Once you learn the basic recipe you can go on from there to create your own variations.

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Here is a very simple recipe for chicken salad for sandwiches:

How to Make the Best Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cans white meat chicken (drained)
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
3 slices green onion, diced (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Empty chicken into a large bowl. Flake apart with a fork. Next, combine with celery and onion. Add the Miracle Whip a little at a time until well combined. Add in Salt and Pepper to taste.

It doesn't get much easier than this! Now, for added variety to this basic recipe you can substitute canned chicken for real cooked chicken (shredded), about 2 cups. You can also add other items of your choice. Some ideas are: chopped apple, sliced red or green grapes, water chestnuts, use 1 can chicken and 1 can tuna vs 2 cans chicken, etc... The ideas are limited to your imagination and palette.

Now you can really change things up a bit and create very different versions of chicken salad. Take for example this:

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodle soup mix
1/2 package coleslaw blend (or 1/2 of a cabbage)
1 Rotisserie chicken -shredded
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup Light Asian Toasted Sesame dressing
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
handful of peanuts

Directions:

Break the noodles into small pieces in a large bowl. Add the coleslaw (or cabbage) and chicken and onions. Mix ingredients together lightly.

Whisk the dressing and the peanut butter until combined. Add to salad and toss to coat. Top with peanuts.

Another style is Waldorf Chicken Salad which combines fruits and nuts into the chicken salad:

Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups Cooked & Cubed Chicken
1/2 cup Chopped Apple - I prefer gala or granny smith
1/2 cup Chopped Celery
2 Tbsp Raisins
1/4 cup Walnuts
1/2 cup Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Shredded Carrot, if desired for garnish

Mix all ingredients until combined. Garnish with shredded carrots, if desired. Chill before serving.

Yet another type is Pasta Chicken Salad which includes some form of cooked pasta, chicken and generally vegetables and a dressing.

Basic Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts
2 cups Rotini or Shell Pasta (cooked, rinsed and cooled)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
8-10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/4 cup Feta cheese (crumbled)
1/4 Caesar Salad Dressing (more or less to taste and to coat salad)

Directions:

Cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees or more. You can boil it, grill it, etc.. When chicken is done, allow to cool in refrigerator. Then, chop into small pieces.

Chop peppers and add to tomatoes in large bowl. Add chicken, pasta and feta to large bowl. Add Caesar salad dressing and mix well.

Refrigerate until needed.

So there you have it! Several simple version and instructions on How To Make Chicken Salad. You can also visit http://www.chicken-recipes-galore.com for more ideas and recipes.

How to Make the Best Chicken Salad Recipe

This article is brought to you by Beth Brawn, creator of http://www.chicken-recipes-galore.com You can visit her website for many more delicious Chicken Salad Recipes along with many other chicken cooking tips, cooking videos and more great recipes. Copyright- You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain in place.

Is Pasta Healthy Or Fattening?

Many people who are trying to lose weight wonder is pasta healthy or fattening? Pasta, like many foods high in carbohydrates, often gets a bad reputation for being fattening; however, this does not have to be true.

Carbohydrates, though recently made out to be villains, are actually necessary to keep your body and mind running smoothly. When carbohydrates are broken down they provide a major source of glucose. Glucose is the primary source of energy for your body and the only source of energy for your brain. Many people who have tried to stick to very low-carb diets have suffered from low energy and bad moods. I know I would be in a bad mood if I never got to eat my favorite pastas!

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Consuming too many carbohydrates can be fattening, but pasta itself is not fattening; cooked pasta has only about 200 calories per cup. Where you really get into trouble is with your pasta sauce. Pasta sauces that contain high calorie fatty meats, creams, cheese and other fattening ingredients can really make a pasta dish fattening. Tomato pasta sauces are usually not very fattening at all! Americans also have a tendency to eat too much pasta - portion control is important when controlling calories. Italians traditionally serve pasta as a side dish or as one course of a multi-course meal; not in the large mounds that are so common in the United States.

Is Pasta Healthy Or Fattening?

Along with being fattening, pasta has been criticized for being a simple carbohydrates and lumped into the same category as cake, pastries and white bread. The problem with all of these simple carbohydrates is that they spike your blood sugar resulting in excess insulin being secreted which encourages weight gain and a subsequent energy crash. Simple carbohydrates have a high Glycemic Index (GI) which is a number used to measure how quickly the body's blood sugar level rises after the ingestion of a food. The good news is that Pasta has a GI of 41, which is similar to pears and lower than many types of bread. And one easy way to lower the GI of pasta is to cook it like the Italians - "al dente".

Most pasta today is made from semolina flour obtained from durum wheat. This creates a firm dough which in turn also lowers the GI, while also providing a good source of nutrition. Homemade and dried pasta contain plenty of B vitamins, folic acid and iron. It's low in sodium and, despite a prevalent myth, pasta is not high in cholesterol even though it is usually made with eggs. It was once thought that egg consumption needed to be drastically reduced due to their high cholesterol content, but subsequent research has shown eggs are quite healthy in moderation and greatly contribute to the health benefits of pasta. For those on a strict diet, however, pasta can be made without eggs, while the flour and olive oil content still make this pasta healthy.

Another option is to use dried pasta. This pasta usually does not contain eggs or oil but is made from 100% semolina flour and is quite firm when cooked.  The firmness of this pasta helps lower the GI index to less than bread, potatoes and white rice while still providing vitamin B, fiber and iron. Dried pasta can be stored up to 3 years, but be sure not to store your pasta in glass containers as the sunlight depletes the vitamin B.

Is Pasta healthy in other ways too?

Yes, homemade pasta can be quite healthy. It is not difficult to learn how to make pasta and homemade Pasta can be made even more nutritious with the inclusion of whole wheat flour, spinach, garlic and herbs that add to the vitamin, mineral and fiber content of the pasta. Fiber is another nutrient often lost in modern diets, but fiber is necessary for digestive health, hormonal balance and the prevention of certain types of cancers.

There are many easy pasta recipes which make this nutritious food very convenient for modern busy cooks as well. When trying to eat healthier, you don't have to wonder "is pasta healthy" since there are many ways to prepare pasta that are. So go ahead and enjoy your pasta without guilt, just remember to go easy on the fattening meats and sauces and enjoy your pasta in moderation!

Is Pasta Healthy Or Fattening?

Joy Harrison is an experienced home cook and cooking instructor. She loves to find easy ways to prepare great home cooked meals in today's busy world. To learn about homemade pasta and easy, delicious ways to prepare it visit her site at http://www.italian-cooking-made-easy.com

Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe

A hearty meal of shepherds pie will give you that warm glow during the colder months. This recipe features ground beef, potatoes, cheese and mushroom soup.

5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

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1 pound ground beef

Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe

6 slices American cheese

1 (10.75oz.) can condensed golden mushroom soup

3 teaspoons butter (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the potatoes into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash.

While the potatoes are cooking, crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Drain off the grease. Stir in the mushroom soup.

Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. Layer the slices of cheese over the meat. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Dot with butter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

=> Shepards Pie Recipe: Down Home Shepherds Pie

Another homemade version of shepards pie featuring ground beef, potatoes, corn, beans, cheese and gravy.

1 (7.6 oz.) package potato flakes

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 onion, finely diced

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained

4 (10.5 oz.) cans brown gravy

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 pound American cheese slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare potatoes according to directions on box. Set aside.

In a large skillet, sauté ground beef over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion to skillet and continue to cook until beef is no longer pink and onion is beginning to brown. Drain off some of the grease.

Add corn, green beans and gravy to the skillet. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread potatoes over the top. Layer cheese slices over potatoes.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese turns golden brown.

=> Sheppards Pie Recipe: Chicken Sheppards Pie

This sheppards pie recipe features chicken, potatoes, garlic, cheese and spices.

8 potatoes

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup milk

1 medium head roasted garlic

1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1 cup corn

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the head of garlic in half and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap garlic in aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until tender; drain. Mash potatoes. Add butter, milk and the roasted garlic; mix well. Set aside.

In the bottom of a casserole dish, arrange the chicken evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Layer on the peppers, corn and all but 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spread mashed potatoes on top.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until brown around the edges.

=> Shepherds Pie Recipe: Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe

If you like shepherds pie, but don't have time to fuss over a longer recipe, you can whip up this version in a short time. It's still homemade and will hit the spot perfectly.

1 pound roast beef, cooked and cubed

2 onions, sliced thinly

1/2 cup homemade beef gravy

4 cups mashed potatoes, cooked

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Layer the roast beef in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer the sliced onions on top and pour on the gravy. Spread the mashed potatoes on top.

Bake for 1 hour, or until potatoes are browned.

=> Shepherds Pie Recipe: Turkey Shepherds Pie

This version of shepherds pie will take a little bit more effort, but you'll be rewarded with a savory pie featuring turkey, red potatoes, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, cheese, spices and a whole wheat crust.

5 large red potatoes, peeled

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup milk

2 (9-inch) whole wheat pie crusts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound ground turkey

1 large carrot, julienned

1 zucchini, thickly sliced

1/4 cup canned green beans, halved

6 large fresh mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, diced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil potatoes until tender. Mash with 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute onion and carrots in olive oil until soft. Stir in the ground turkey, parsley, thyme and garlic. Once turkey is almost browned and broken up, add zucchini and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste; drain. Stir in the flour.

Divide meat mixture into two whole wheat pie crusts. Sprinkle cheese over meat, if desired. Spread green beans over the cheese. Spread mashed potatoes evenly
over mixture. Dot with butter.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are slightly browned.

=> Sheperds Pie Recipe: Savory Sausage Sheperds Pie

A real hearty sheperds pie meal for sausage lovers.

1 pound sausage, uncooked

1 (12 oz.) jar beef gravy

1 (10 oz.) package frozen mixed vegetables

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 (24 oz.) package prepared mashed potatoes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet, crumble and cook the sausage over medium high heat until brown. Drain on paper towels.

In a bowl, combine the sausage, gravy, vegetables and Worcestershire sauce.

Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes evenly on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe

Mmmm . . . where can you find that yummy recipe?

Milkshakes, Smoothies, Brownies, Chili, Casseroles and more!

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Tomato Cages - Buy Or Make Tomato Cages?

Many folks like to build their own tomato cages. There are a few advantages to making your own cages. If you buy materials like a roll of chicken wire or reinforcing wire, the cost for several cages is much lower than buying individual cages, unless you buy them in bulk.

The most common way to build tomato cages is to use either a chicken wire fence or concrete reinforcing wire. You can find either of these with a mesh that's large enough to put your hand through, which will allow easy harvesting of the tomatoes when the time comes. The fencing is looped back on itself in a way that forms a large tube, which is set over the tomato plant and it grows up inside the cage. With this approach there is not as much need to tie up and prune the plant, the plants will just climb through the holes and naturally support themselves.

\"Chicken Wire Fence\"

Another way to build cages is to use PVC pipes. These can be very durable and sturdy, as you can glue up a permanent structure. Alternatively, if you just snug the parts together it will often be sturdy enough, but will easily disassemble for storage, which is one of the biggest problems with tomato cages. And many people will make cages from wood, although those tend to not last as long.

Tomato Cages - Buy Or Make Tomato Cages?

There are other similar techniques like the Japanese tomato ring (which is actually an American invention) that combine a large home made ring with some intensive gardening techniques to boost the yields of your tomato garden. This is not something you will find you can do with a commercially produced tomato cage.

Another common way to support tomatoes is to build a trellis with a pipe that runs along the row of tomatoes and then strings are tied to it and the other end of the string is anchored in the ground near the tomato plant. Then the tomatoes are tied to the string and they can grow as high as they like and just climb the string.

But one advantage to buying tomato cages or supports is the wide difference in how the problem of supporting a tomato plant is approached. You can find some that are simple cages, with 3 or 4 rings in an expanding radius as you move to the top. There are some spirals that are simply stuck in the ground, and the tomato plant is tied to it as they grow. SImple plastic or bamboo stakes are often used.

There are square tomato cages, that are actually four sections of mesh that form a small square, but have the advantage of unhooking and folding flat for storage. The are 3 sided versions of this same basic idea as well.

Of course, if you are using a hanging tomato planter, then the whole problem of which cage to use is not an issue, as there is no need for tomato cages for plants that are hanging from a container. There are other advantages to hanging planters as well...

Tomato Cages - Buy Or Make Tomato Cages?

Learn more about the different types of tomato cages, along with some tips on making tomato cages, hanging tomato planters and all sorts of articles on gardening at howtogardenguide.com

Authentic Mexican Recipes for Green Chili - Green Chili Casserole

A spicy casserole featuring ground beef, corn tortillas, cheese and chilies.

1 pound ground beef

\"recipe Chicken\"

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Authentic Mexican Recipes for Green Chili - Green Chili Casserole

1 small onion, diced

1 pound processed cheese food, shredded

1 (4 oz.) can green chili peppers, chopped

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a medium sized casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until evenly browned; drain fat.

Place half of the tortillas on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Layer on half of the onion, cheese, ground beef and chilies.

Layer with the remaining tortillas, onion, cheese, ground beef and chilies.

In a medium bowl, dilute the soup with the milk; pour over the top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Green Chili Burritos

A classic burritos recipe featuring green chilies, refried beans and spices.

1 pound boneless pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup water

1 cup fresh tomato, diced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

5 teaspoons cold water

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans

10 (6-inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

In a skillet, brown pork in oil over medium high heat; drain.

Add the next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 1 hour or until the pork is tender.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the cold water until smooth; add to pork mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the refried beans; spread beans evenly on the tortillas. Spoon the pork mixture down the center of tortillas; fold in the sides.

Best Green Chili Stew

This is a hearty green chili stew that is great served over rice.

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz.) can roma tomatoes, with juice

2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chili peppers, drained

1 (12 oz.) can or bottle beer

1 cup beef broth

2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and brown in batches, transferring the meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl as they are done.

In the fat remaining in the pot, cook the onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Return the meat to the pot with any juices in the bowl and add the tomatoes with juice, chilies, beer, beef broth, oregano, cumin and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 2-1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Authentic Mexican Recipes for Green Chili - Green Chili Casserole

Cha...cha...cha...it's chili time!

[http://www.best-chili-recipes.com]