There's something wonderfully comforting about the aroma of a simmering pot of stew on the stove. Beyond the soothing psychological benefits of stewing, simmered dishes can be a lifesaver for busy people since they require very little last minute preparation, often use pantry staples and can be reheated when you need them most.

Almost every culture has a repertoire of stews and, no matter what these recipes contain, almost all of them follow the same blueprint for success. Visit www.toptentable for a basic stew recipe that epitomizes the classic stewing method as well as for a few of my other recipes you can try this weekend and freeze for later.)

People are often disappointed with the results they get when using their bread machine and eventually stop using it. This is a real shame as there's nothing better than wholesome, home baked bread, and a bread maker should make home baking fun and easy. So, if you're having some teething troubles with your machine, don't give up. Here are some tips that will, hopefully, help you along.

The best tip on using a bread machine is before you ever use it. Always take a few moments to carefully read the instruction manual that accompanies the machine. Pay special attention to the care and maintenance section. Invariably, there is a 'breaking in' cycle that gets the machine ready for use. This is usually done by running a cycle without any dough. Never avoid this step.

I love to cook over real fire! Whether on a gas grill, charcoal grill, smoker grill, fire pit or even in my fireplace, cooking with fire is fun and creates unique and delicious aromas and flavors that enhance many foods greatly. But by far my very favorite way to cook is over a real hardwood firewood fire. While good charcoal and smoker cooking can certainly give you some nice char-broiled wood flavors, there is nothing quite like a real wood fire. There is something very primitive and romantic about it, harking back to pre-modern times when food was all cooked over an open wood fire.

Most people do not take advantage of real wood to cook anymore because technology has made things easier for us. Between gas stoves and grills and easy to light charcoal, cooking with fire is quick, easy and pretty much hassle free nowadays. However, there is something to be said for a leisurely afternoon, building a real fire and then using that fire to perfectly cook your grilled meal. Sometimes I don't want "quick", "easy" or the bare minimum.

Here’s a great way to use up that leftover turkey.

2 (9-inch) unbaked pie shells
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 cup turkey, cooked and chopped
1 (10 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained
1/3 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place one pie crust in an ungreased pie dish.

This recipe makes a great chicken pot pie without preservatives (no need for them because this won’t stick around for long in your refrigerator).

2 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts, thawed
1 (15 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk

If I could only keep one pot in my whole kitchen, without a doubt, I would keep my pressure cooker. I can’t imagine what it would be like to prepare a whole meal without it. It’s hard for me to believe that I was over 40 before I ever even heard of pressure cookers. We owned our own large produce market and the kindest old gentlemen in the world introduced me to the wonders of pressure cooking. Mr. Pierce had purchased some green peanuts from us, and had returned with a sample of his recently “boiled peanuts”. Whether you are a fan of boiled peanuts or not, suffice it to say that they were the best boiled peanuts I have ever eaten. At my delightful ravings, Mr. Pierce cheerfully shared his secret – the pressure cooker. Not only did he educate me about pressure cookers, but he returned once again with one of his pressure cookers for me to try. I have been hooked ever since. There are lots of reasons why I like my pressure cooker. Pressure cookers cook food incredibly fast, they do not heat up my Florida kitchen, they produce tastier dishes, they seal in the vitamins and minerals normally lost during prolonged cooking and they leave my stovetop neater and cleaner than normal cooking pots do.

Making beef jerky at home is something pretty easy to do. It's a process that you can get really creative with too, as the possibilities for marinating and seasoning, and even what you can turn into jerky, are endless!

Before you begin to make jerky, there are a few things you need to know. First of all, you may want to read our page on beef jerky risks to learn about any health risks you may encounter while preparing. Using a curing salt is a very good way to make sure the meat stays safe.

Summer time is a great time for entertaining, and a very fun way to entertain is to invite your friends and family over for a clambake. Lobster and clams cooked over a fire, some exotic drinks, brightly colored decorations and appropriate music make for a great time for all.

However, when the weather is not cooperating, or even when winter hits, why not hold a lobster clambake indoors? What a great way to bring the illusion of summer to a cold winter day! And it's a fun, easy and healthy way to entertain.

Beef roasts are an awesome way to serve beef for dinner. There are numerous excellent varieties of beef which are awesome for beef roasts. It should be noted that although large, tender cuts of beef such as the sirloin or rib taste great roasted, other varieties of beef that tend to be a lower grade make fantastic roast candidates. These varieties of beef include rump, eye of round and sirloin tip.

Cooking a Roast Cooking a roast is quite simple. You can place it in a pan in your oven or for those that truly want an flavorful roast, lay your roast on wire rack with the fat of the roast (if there is any) resting on the top, and a shallow pan an inch or so below to catch any juices that run off.

There are a lot of people who would love some easy dutch oven cooking tips. These old, reliable methods of cooking are becoming more and more popular, but not many people know how to use them properly. The following are some of the more basic dutch oven cooking tips that you can use first time out.

You should never be afraid to peek under the lid while cooking. Take a quick look at your food to see if it is burning or not but keep in mind that every lift of the lid means you are releasing the heat inside. Look if you need to, but otherwise leave it alone.