Everybody loves Chinese take-out. From the delicious dumplings, to the stupendous spring rolls, to the spicy and flavorful meat dishes, Chinese food is a favorite of Americans everywhere. Despite the popularity of Chinese take-out, few people attempt Chinese cooking in their own homes. Perhaps they are under the impression that it is too difficult, or maybe they are concerned about the quality of the results. However, the truth is that Chinese cooking at home is not only simple, it?s healthy too!Taste For Less

One of the main advantages of cooking Chinese food at home is that you can get the same taste without paying such a high price for your health. Most meals that can be ordered from a Chinese restaurant contain anywhere from 500 to over 1,000 calories. Not only that, but these meals are also known for their high sodium content. Preparing your own Chinese food at home means that you can have control over the amount of sauces and food that you prepare, resulting in healthier meals.

Doesn?t This Look Familiar?

The methods for cooking Chinese food are actually quite similar to methods used in American cooking. Though there are some cooking methods unique to Chinese cooking, other methods are fairly universal. The main methods used in Chinese cooking are boiling, roasting, and shallow frying.

Reminiscent Of Restaurant Cuisine

When preparing Chinese food at home, the result usually turns out to be similar to what you would taste in a Chinese restaurant. You can find Chinese recipes in many cookbooks, or on the Internet. One popular Chinese dish that can easily be prepared at home is Sweet and Sour Chicken.

To prepare Sweet and Sour Chicken, you will need: 1 clove minced garlic, ? teaspoon dry ginger, 1 diced onion, 1 sliced bell pepper, 1-2 shredded carrots, 1 cup Chinese cabbage, 4 tablespoons divided Peanut oil, 1 cup sliced celery, and 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast. To prepare the sauce, you will need 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, ? cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 cup chicken stock, ? teaspoon dry ginger, ? cup ketchup, and a pinch of garlic powder.

Begin by heating two tablespoons of oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add all the vegetables, and cook until the onion is translucent. Place aside in a bowl. Add another two tablespoons of oil to the wok and add the chicken until fully cooked. Mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, and add the sauce and vegetables to the wok along with the chicken. Cook for about seven minutes, until the sauce has become thick. Serve over white rice.

Turning Away From Takeout

Before you know it, you will be cooking Chinese food like a pro and will no longer have any need for that takeout joint down the street. Not only will your health benefit from this change, but your self-esteem will as well.

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In any family when one person gets excited about something new, everybody gets in on the act. And that is certainly true of children. They love to be active in whatever hobbies mom and dad love to be part of. So if you bowl, the kids want to go and play the video games. If you love Shakespeare in the park, the kids will go and play on the ground nearby. So if you can find a way to give the kids a part of what you are doing, that keeps the family together.

That may seem tough with a hobby like home brewing. After all, the process of brewing is pretty involved and there is boiling water and sterile instruments to think of. That kind of thing really isn’t fun for the kids. So if you can find a way to make a “beer” just for them, then they too can enjoy the excitement and feel part of what the adults are doing.

A way to fill this need is to brew up a delicious batch of ginger beer from for the kids. And the nonalcoholic beverage drinkers in the family will love it too! Of course, ginger beer is not real “beer” in the sense of an alcoholic brew although it can be mixed with beer for delightful and very British toddy. But it’s so easy to make that the kids can get involved and they will love the beverage that results almost as much as mom and dad love their home brewed beer.

It’s a good thing to have the procedures, tools and ingredients for your ginger beer all ready to go on brew day because it’s a great surprise to the kids to let them know that they are going to get to make their own beer too! Because the steps for making ginger beer are fast, easy and harmless, the kiddos can have a ball doing it using a very simple recipe and even if they drink it all gone, it’s easy enough to whip up another batch.

The ingredients for ginger beer are not exotic and they can be found at any grocery store. They include…

. Be ready with 8 plastic bottles that will hold a pint and 4 bottles that will hold a quart and some bowls to mix the ginger beer up with.
. Ginger - you can get it fresh at larger grocery stores. Two ouches is enough.
. Cream of tartar - about one teaspoon will do.
. Two lemons sliced.
. A pound of sugar
. An ounce of yeast
. Boil one gallon of water.

Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together. Cut the lemons in big sized rings and combine them in a big bowl with the other ingredients. The only other preparation you need to do besides boiling the water is to crush the ginger so it mixes with the water and other parts of the beer.

Now just chill the mixture to room temperature and add the yeast. Put it in the larger bottles to let it ferment for a couple of days. Once that is done, skim off the residue on top and your ginger tea is ready to enjoy.