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2 1/2 cups/625ml water 1 cup/192g sugar, granulated 1 /2 cup/56g unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup/45g bittersweet chocolate grated In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, the sugar and cocoa powder - whisk until dissolved over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in bittersweet chocolate until dissolved. Add the remaining water and remove from heat. Let cool. Pour into ice cream maker and process according to the machine’s instructions. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232) www.yadachef.com

What exactly is caffeine? How does it work in the body and are there any side effects of this magical beverage? SEANA A worldwide known scenario: Early morning, the alarm clock rings. You sleepily rub the sand from your eyes and start mentally preparing yourself for a Freeletics workout. But before you do anything, first…a cup of coffee. From housewives to professional athletes, top-level managers and workmen, most people can’t function without a cup of coffee to start their day. The question is, why? What is this magical beverage and how does it make us feel so alive? Before you knock back the extra large americano sitting in front of you, read this and find out. What is caffeine? Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in cacao plants, guarana plants and the mate bush. However, you probably know caffeine as the ingredient in your green tea, mate tea and of course, coffee. But how does caffeine find it’s way from the plant to your cup? The process in sh

Make individual meatloaves by using large muffin tins, freeze and reheat for a quick meal or snack. Great for picnics or sea side lunches. Fresh salsa makes this even better. 1 pound/450g ground beef ¾ cup/177ml corn tortilla chips, crushed 1 egg (optional) 1 ¾ cups/400ml fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 ¼ cups/310ml salsa, divided (you choose mild, medium or hot) ¼ teaspoon/1ml ground black pepper Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, reserving ¼/60ml cup of salsa. Using a tablespoon/30ml measuring spoon scoop out mixture. Form into a ball and place on a sheet of waxed paper. Press down to flatten into a patty. With your thumb make an indentation in the middle of the patty (this will help to keep the burger flat). Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the burgers in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Top with remaining salsa and grated cheese on mini buns. This recipe is free of: Milk Peanu

Although this post has nothing to do with food, we found it on Facebook and felt it was worth resharing. Help save the bees and do you part for a healthy environment.  If you are on Facebook, be sure and like Janis Ian's page:  https://www.facebook.com/janisianpage/ Annoy Monsanto and save some bees. Use this instead of Roundup and Neonicotinoids.  Weed-Be-Gone 1 gallon vinegar 2 cups Epson Salt 1/4 cup Dawn dish detergent Mix and spray on weeds in the morning, after dew has evaporated. Works better, is cheaper, okay for the environment. https://www.facebook.com/janisianpage/photos/a.357587427661315.87486.357191544367570/843148699105183/?type=3&theater personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232) www.yadachef.com

DECREASE KITCHEN CHAOS AND HELP IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S NUTRITION AND SELF-ESTEEM by:  Sarah Remmer, RD Believe it or not, meal preparation CAN be a positive experience that both you and your kids can greatly benefit from. Younger kids. Older kids. Even your crazy toddler. Trying to prepare a meal with a toddler around is not an easy task. In fact, it can be absolutely chaotic. Having a two-year-old pushing his way in between you and the counter one minute, pulling random ingredients like hot sauce, olives and milk out of the fridge the next minute and then finally pulling your shirt down and screaming "up, up, UPPPP" does not make for an enjoyable culinary experience. No...no it makes for a frustrating, verging-on-infuriating experience. It wasn't until I started including my little guy, in little ways, with the meal prep experience that the kitchen chaos started to subside. I pulled up a stool and started getting him to help me with small t

It seems culinary terms are thrown about by every Tom, Dick and Harry now.  Aioli is seen on almost every menu. The problem, is as with everything, even cooking terms have been “dumbed down” and abused.  Any true chef worth their salt knows that there are distinct differences between Aioli and Mayonnaise. Aioli is not just a fancy name for garlic flavoured or infused Mayo. Aioli is an emulsion of garlic and the very best Olive Oil.  The very name translates to garlic oil. Sometimes day old white bread and lemon juice are added. An egg yolk can be used to help stabilization. Mayonnaise is an emulsion of egg and a neutral oil along with mustard and lemon juice. A neutral oil is essential in a good mayonnaise whereas good Olive oil is essential for aioli. Unfortunately Escoffier added an egg, and well he is the “grandfather of modern sauces and cuisine”.  The original Provencal recipe did not use it. Aioli is best used on fish dishes, seafood soups/stews an

Anita Schecter BY SAAD FAYED  Here in the United States, we use what is known as an English measurement system. You will find it just about everywhere – from the odometer in your car to the measuring cups in your kitchen. Yes, those teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups all are a part of this system. While we find the English measurement system familiar as part of our culinary culture, it is not a common system to the rest of the world. In fact, only three countries continue to use this system of measurement: the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. So what is the rest of the world using? The Metric System The rest of the world uses what is known as the metric system, which is a decimal-based system that uses units that are related by factors of ten. While many Americans are unfamiliar with the metric system outside of high school chemistry class, it is a much simpler system to use in terms of the math required for basic calculations and it avoids superfluous un