Prepared crab cakes have to keep their shape during cooking to heat through evenly. If you brown the outside of the crab cakes properly, you know the interior has heated through because the inside steams during searing.

When it comes to grilling country-style boneless pork ribs, there are two general ways to cook these these hearty slabs of meat, cut from the rib end of the sirloin muscle.

Though not exactly good for the waistline, croissants are a delectable French pastry treat. The key to including flaky, rich buttery treats, such as croissants, into your meal plan is to eat them in moderation, making them a once-in-a-while indulgence rather than something you would consume every day.

Italian sausage is a versatile meat that can be used in a variety of dishes for any meal of the day. Store fresh Italian sausage in the refrigerator before and after cooking, and eat it within four days after cooking. You can freeze Italian sausage if you're not using it by its expiration date.

Cod is a low-fat, low-calorie white fish with a mild taste that you can easily complement with any number of seasonings. In fact, cod is such a versatile fish that you can experiment with different combinations of herbs and spices, both dried and fresh, to create new and exciting flavors.

It may be the last thing you would consider using to cook an egg, but toaster ovens are more versatile than they seem. Useful for more than toasting bread, toasters can be used to make simple, innovative breakfasts.

Grilling with charcoal is a popular pastime for many Americans in warm weather months. Cooking with charcoal is popular because charcoal grills are less expensive than gas grills. Some individuals prefer the flavor of charcoal cook foods over foods cooked with gas.

Meats have traditionally been roasted at relatively high temperatures, ranging from a moderate 350 degrees Fahrenheit, to well over 400 F for especially small or tender cuts such as pork tenderloins. Tougher and fattier cuts, such as the shoulder, benefit from long and slower cooking at relatively low temperatures.

Thin-sliced bottom round steaks can be cooked in a skillet, but it's easy to over-cook the meat and make the steaks tough. Bottom round steaks come from the beef rump, a tough cut of meat with connective tissue that is best broken down with moist cooking methods such as braising.

Fajitas are a classic dish in Tex-Mex cuisine, having originated in the Rio Grande Valley. They consist of sliced, grilled meat and vegetables wrapped in a warm flour tortilla and topped with salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce and guacamole.

A rib-eye steak is the best cut of beef to cook in a pressure cooker, according to Victoria Wise, author of "The Pressure Cooker Gourmet."

Slow cooking in an oven as opposed to a slow cooker involves roasting at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. It offers the advantage of tenderizing leaner and tougher cuts of meat by minimizing the water loss that comes from cooking at higher temperatures. Use a Dutch oven or a roasting pan.