<p>A Thanksgiving menu generally consists of the traditional turkey, stuffi ng, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and corn. Although this is a fi ne menu to serve to your guests, you may want to add a few additional Latin inspired items or change up your recipes like adding mango salsa to your cranberry sauce to spice up your menu.</p>

Herbs can make any dish taste amazing, but you really have to know how to use them. Chef LaLa will show you how to compliment and enhance flavors without all the calories and fat.

<p>Cooking with wine is a great way to concentrate intricate flavors and tenderize meat without adding extra fat. Depending on how you prepare your food, some or all of the alcohol in the wine will evaporate, leaving behind a sophisticated blend of flavors.</p>

<p>Whether you are looking forward to a juicy grilled chicken breast, a burger or filet mignon, you should always play it safe by following a few simple rules for purchasing, storing and preparing meat.</p>

1 pinch less than 1/8 teaspoon (dry) 1 dash 3 drops to ¼ teaspoon (liquid) | ¼ teaspoon or less 3 teaspoons 1 tablespoon | ½ ounce (liquid and dry) 2 tablespoons 1 ounce (liquid and dry) 4 tablespoons 2 ounces (liquid and dry) | ¼ cup 5 1/3 tablespoons 1/3 cup 8 tablespoons 4 ounces | ½ cup | 1 stick butter or ¼ pound 1 cup 8 ounces (liquid) | ½ pint 4 cups 32 ounces (liquid) | 2 pints | 1 quart 16 cups 128 ounces (liquid) | 4 quarts | 1 gallon 1 quart 2 pints (dry) juice of

<p>Bring on the heat and make your dishes go from mild to wild by adding fire and flavor to your food with chile peppers. While bell peppers are sweet and mild, Habanero, the hottest, can be fiery. The heat or fire is caused by the natural chemical in peppers called capsaicin, which stimulates nerve endings in the skin.</p>

Kosher salt is called so primarily because its large crystals are used for making meats kosher. The process is done in part by sprinkling coarse salt on the surface of the meat to absorb the fluids. Kosher salt is typically free from additives commonly found in table salt, making it a favorite for cooking because it has a gentler flavor. Kosher salt is usually sold in large boxes and can be found in the spice and baking section of your market. Don’t let the large box scare yo

<p>Fresh, colorful berries at your local supermarket or farmer’s market are a sure sign that summer is here.&nbsp; Some sweet, others tart, berries are a delicious and nutritious treat and can be eaten whole, served fresh, frozen or in baked goods. Berries are available all year from a variety of sources, though most are considered summer fruits.</p>

<p>Smoked salmon is typically a fillet that has been cured and then hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy.&nbsp;Since salmon is a large and fatty fish, it’s an excellent fish for smoking, which gives it a very distinct, smoky flavor and light texture.</p>

<p>Mushrooms are a great low-calorie, sodium-free, fat-free source of potassium and other nutrients and lend a fun flavor and texture to stir-fries, casseroles, pastas, rice dishes, pizza, meat dishes, burgers, salads and more.</p>

<p>Whether served raw or cooked, vegetables are excellent sources of vital nutrients for our bodies to function properly. Each vegetable provides something different so, as with any food, its a good idea to have variety to gain the maximum nutritional benefits as well as experience the many flavors and textures out there.</p>

<p>Fresh herbs are an easy, aromatic way to add flavor to your meals without adding fat and calories. The amount of chopping required depends on the dish you are cooking. Some dishes require flavor without diminishing the overall appearance of the dish, such as when cooking fish, chicken or meat, so finely chopped herbs work best.</p>

<p>Ever wonder why some of your fruits and vegetables don’t seem fresh or taste right so quickly after you purchase them in perfect condition? Though fruits like berries don’t have a long shelf life many last longer just by having proper storage.</p>

<p>Cheese is a great addition to your diet for flavor, protein and calcium. Not all cheeses are alike so check the nutritional content for the serving size you will use and for the fullest flavor, get out your grater because freshly grated cheese tastes best and makes a great topping to many dishes.</p>

<p><span>Any way you slice it, dice it or shred it, eat well to live well! Having the right tools to help you prepare meals and snacks will make cooking fun, easy, nutritious and delicious. You only need a few basic food preparation items to get started on your path to eating well, feeling great and even saving money by preparing food at home. As you become more comfortable cooking, you can add other items, depending on your needs but here are the 15 basics…</span></p>

<p>One of the finest cuts of meat if filet mignon. It’s preferred by many, but a lot of people are intimidated to cook it at home. It has very little marbling, making it easy to dry it out – so you have to be careful about how you cook it…</p>

<div src="v5"><span class="full-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><img class="noStyle" src="http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/749887/9123315/lifestyle/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/cilantro2-240x300.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1304174082311" alt="" /></span></span>Cilantro (Sih-LAHN-troh), also known as coriander, Mexican Parsley or Chinese parsley, is a wonderful, delicate year-round herb, thought to be an aphrodisiac and have healing properties, and adds great

<p>Food is fuel for our bodies to survive, so just like your car needs fuel to go, you need to eat. It’s what you eat, however, that makes a difference. Eating well means eating fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc, which are often more expensive than packaged foods with tons of preservatives, salt, sugar, and things we can’t easily pronounce. They aren’t good for us but seem too good to pass up when we’re in a hurry to get food on the table for our families.</p><p>His

<div src="v5"><span class="full-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><img src="http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/749887/9123315/lifestyle/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/artichokes.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1304174126536" alt="" /></span></span>Whether you&rsquo;ve never had an artichoke, don&rsquo;t know how to prepare or eat one, or are already an expert, now is the time to enjoy since they are in peak season from March to May.</div>

<div src="v5"><span class="full-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><img class="noStyle" src="http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/749887/9123315/lifestyle/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/cooking-oil-primer-200x300.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1304174151179" alt="Cooking Oil Primer" /></span></span>Every wonder which oil is best to use for the food you are about to prepare? There are many factors to consider so we have condensed most of the things you need to know about