Cooking Tips 102

Moist chicken
If you want your chicken to stay nice and moist while grilling, marinate it in yogurt. This technique is often used in the Middle East and India, and adding spices like garlic, cumin and black pepper to the marinade will emulate the flavors of these areas.

Adding eggs
If any recipe requires that raw eggs be added to a hot mixture, wait until the mixture cools unless the recipe says otherwise. Raw eggs + hot mixture will actually end up cooking the eggs and the whole recipe could be ruined.

Chopping peppers
If you are preparing peppers for crudite or some other form of cooking, be sure to remove the seeds before serving or adding them. If any of your guests are not particularly fond of spicy food, this will take away much of the heat of the peppers.

Greetings From Mexico

For as long as I can remember, food has been a significant part of my life. When I was growing up, home-cooked meals were a mainstay in my house at least four times a week (although the takeout we sometimes ordered wasn't half bad either). My mother has always been infamous for hosting large dinner parties and family gatherings for holidays and special occasions, and in the last bunch of years I have become her "sous chef" in preparation for these big gatherings (so much to do, so little time).

More recently, I have been fine-tuning my own culinary skills and hosting parties of my own. I like to cook whenever I can and enjoy experimenting with new recipes, techniques and ingredients. I have absorbed many helpful hints working alongside my mother over the years, and the Food Network and the newly created Cooking Channel are common staples of our evening entertainment. In addition, I'm always excited to discover a new restaurant and sample its many delicacies. Whether a simple sandwich shop or the fanciest of French bistros, New York City certainly has no shortage of these palate-pleasing wonderlands. Overall, I think I can safely say I am comfortable with calling myself a "foodie".

The following recipe not only comes from the Food Network website (always a great source for gastronomic inspiration), but was perhaps the most difficult recipe I have tried to date. I have never been a fan of the "Tex-Mex" style of food, and this culinary concoction has turned me onto the authentic flavors of Mexico. Although very delicious, a word of advice: if you want to attempt to make this recipe, CLEAR YOUR DAY!!!

Yucatan Marinated Chicken Skewers with Peanut-Red Chile Mole Sauce