Cooking Grains

Use these guidelines to prepare grain varieties for a simple side dish or in place of pasta or white rice in your favorite recipes.

Quinoa

* Has more protein per serving than any other grain

* Is considered "complete" because it contains all eight essential amino acids

* Can be easily added to soups, salads, and baked goods

* To cook: Rinse in cold water before cooking. Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups broth or water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Yields 3 cups.



Barley

* Has a chewy, mild taste

* Is protein-rich and contains a type of fiber called beta-glucan, which helps lower cholesterol

* To cook: Bring 1 3/4 cups broth or water to a boil. Add 1 cup barley; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Yields 2 cups.



Polenta

* Is made from ground yellow or white cornmeal and is traditionally a slow-cooked grain

* Its high starch content makes it smooth and creamy when cooked

* To cook: Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir while adding 1 1/3 cups instant polenta in a steady stream, continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Add water as needed. Cook for 5 minutes or more. Yields 4 cups.



Brown Rice

* Rice that is stripped of its inedible outer husk but retains its vitamin-rich bran layer

* Has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture

* Takes longer to cook than white rice but is available parboiled or precooked

* To cook: Bring 2 cups water or broth to a boil and add 1 cup of rice. Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Yields 3 cups.



Bulgur

* Is made from wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried, and crushed

* Has a tender, chewy texture, is versatile and cooks quickly

* To cook: Add 2 1/2 cups boiling water to 1 cup bulgur. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Yields 2 1/2 cups.



Whole Wheat Couscous

* Made of granular semolina flour

* Staple of North African cuisine; cooks in 5 minutes

* Can be made to be sweet or savory as it has a mild flavor

* To cook: Bring 1 1/2 cups broth or water to boiling; stir in 1 cup couscous. Cover and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Yields 3 cups.

Originally published in the October 17, 2008, issue of Family Circle magazine.

Jamie's Loaded Potato Soup

Or as my kids call it... Love in a bowl!  This soup is really easy and souper delicous. (sorry couldn't help myself on that one!) ;) It definitely is comfort food, perfect easy meal for football Sunday.

5lb bag of Potatoes
4oz reduced fat sour cream (Kroger brand with chives in it good too)
1/2 stick of butter (I use salted)
8 oz low-fat buttermilk
bacon bits (hormel work fine)
Salt & Black Pepper to taste (I also add a healthy dash of white pepper)
2c Cheddar or Colby Cheese (shredded) reserve a bit for topping
1/2 tsp Tarragon (optional)
1/2 tsp Onion powder (optional)
Fresh chives (for garnish)

Scrub potatoes well. Then Halve potatoes, and cut in half again so that they are in chunky quarters.  Add all the potatoes in the pot, fill with water till covered.  Boil till soft, and potatoes can be poked with a fork.  Pour potatoes in to colander and drain all the water.  Put all the potatoes into Kitchen Aid mixer, mix in butter, buttermilk, sour cream mix most of the chunks out.  Pour back into stock pot that you cooked them in, and add the rest of the ingredients.  Let simmer on the stove.  Sometimes I add corn to this recipe to and its more like a chowder. If you like your soup more soupy add a bit more milk. Top with a little more cheddar cheese & a few fresh chives.

Enjoy!

SHRIMP BEINGETS

Ok You guys know by now, I'm always recreating recipes that I enjoy out to eat.  This is my spin on the Chart House's Shrimp Beingets. They are really easy, and quite tasty.  I like dipping them into my Lemon Basil Aioli sauce, but its traditionally served with a Remoulade Sauce, and sometimes its even spiced up. 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil


1/2 cup chopped onions

salt

cayenne

1/8 c red peppers

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 c chopped green onions

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and rough chopped

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c milk

2 tsp baking powder

3 1/4 c flour

dash  Worcestershire Sauce

dash Hot Sauce

Solid vegetable shortening for deep-frying

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Season with salt and cayenne. Saute for about 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add the pepper and 1 tbsp garlic & continue to saute for 1 minute.

Season the shrimp with Creole Seasoning. Add the shrimp to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the green onions. Remove and set aside to cool.

Make a batter by:

Combining the beaten eggs, milk and baking powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating and incorporating until all is used and the batter is smooth.  (Wondra works nice for this)

Add the seafood mixture to the batter and fold to mix. Season with salt and cayenne.

Heat the shortening. Season with a dash of Worcestershire & hot sauce. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. When the beignets pop to the surface, roll them around with a slotted spoon in the oil to brown them evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Season the beignets with cajun or creole powder, Serve the beignets with traditional Remoulade Sauce, or my lemon basil aioli. YUM, these make great appetizers, or even what appears to be a nice fancy dinner, serve with rice or baked potato & aspargus.

Yields: approx. 2 dozen.

Fried Ham & Cheese Crepes

When I was a little girl, and visiting my Dad in Richmond Va., there was a restaurant we used to go to called the Magic Pan.  Oh how I loved it. It was a Crepe restaurant, and it was so delicious.  Any fans out there?

My favorite dish was the Crispy Ham Palancitas (Aka - Fried Ham & Cheese Crepes)

They were scrumptious! I have always wanted to figure out how to make these and once again taste a little bit of this heaven.  Here is a recipe that comes close as I can remember.

Crepes3 eggs
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup flour
2 Tbs. butter

Ham Stuffing
1/2 pound Ham — cooked, ground (honeybaked style)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 cup swiss or cheddar

Breadcrumb Coating
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 Tbs. milk

Mustard Cream Sauce
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. white pepper

Directions:

1. Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in electric blender.
2. Cover and run on low speed for a few seconds.
3. Add milk slowly while still running on same speed.
4. Add flour in same manner at same speed.
5. Melt butter and add slowly to mixture at same speed.
6. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
7. Using a small Teflon crepe pan, tip pan slowly pour in batter, just to coat bottom of pan. Tilt the pan so the batter will spread completely over the entire bottom; brown one side, flip, brown other.
8. Carefully stack crepes on plate with second brown side up. (Brush pan with oil occasionally.)
9. Stir ham stuffing ingredients well into a consistent texture.
10. Spread 1 tsp., rounded, of ham filling on top of one crepe. Keep at least 1 inch from the edge.

1. Roll up and tuck in corners so it will not leak when frying. Do likewise with all.
2. Prepare breadcrumb coating: blend milk and eggs together, then place flour, egg mixture, and crumbs in separate containers in that order in a row.
3. Take each pancake and cover well with flour, then egg, then roll in crumbs.
4. Fry in cooking oil until puffy and golden brown on all sides. Fry slowly.

1. Serve with mustard cream sauce.

For mustard sauce:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add flour and stir until smooth.
2. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add broth and half-and- half gradually.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and beginning to bubble.
5. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, lemon juice, and pepper.
6. Keep warm.
7. Arrange palascintas on a serving dish and top with sauce.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do! If anyone out there has a better recipe that pays homage to this wonderful dish, by all means contact me! :)

Frozen Chocolate Truffle Pie

If you don’t like chocolate, stop reading right now. If you like “a little chocolate now and then,” go away. This recipe is for serious chocolate fiends only.

Now, imagine the darkest, richest truffle you’ve ever had. Imagine taking more than a pound of the centers and pouring it into a pie shell. ‘Cause that’s about what this recipe is. Trust me that this will be the most ridiculously rich chocolate pie you’ve ever tasted.

12 ounces bitter sweet or semi sweet chocolate

1-1/2 sticks butter

6 large egg whites

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup sugar

pinch of salt

pinch cream of tartar

pre-baked pie crust


Make a double boiler by bringing a half pan of water to a boil, turning the heat to low, and setting a large stainless bowl over it.

Even if you already have a double boiler, do it this way. You’ll be able to mix everything in this one bowl and save on clean-up.

Put the butter in the bowl, and once it’s melted add the chocolate, cocoa, sugar and salt.
Ingredient notes: I used half bittersweet and half semi-sweet chips, both Ghirardelli. You can find them in the baking section at some grocery stores. They’re the best domestic chocolate I’ve tried. (And I’m not saying that just because I’m a chocolate snob. Try them for yourself.)

And for the sugar, I decided to use raw instead of white. Just because I saw it in the cupboard and decided to give it a shot. More on this below.

While the chocolate melts, separate the eggs (see here for tips). Start mixing the chocolate and butter together as soon as you see the chips start to melt.

If you’ve never melted chocolate before, you might want to separate the eggs first so you aren’t distracted. When the chocolate is completely melted, and the sugar and cocoa are incorporated, remove it from the heat and mix the yolks in one at a time.

Set the chocolate mixture aside and let it cool to room temperature. While it’s cooling, add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat until it forms stiff peaks.

For the first minute the egg whites will just foam up a little. Then all at once they’ll turn pure white and look like a whole different food.

Congratulations, you just made meringue. Add about a third of the meringue to the chocolate and mix it in. Then add the rest and fold it in gently.

Try not to deflate the eggs while folding. Once the meringue is completely incorporated, pour the mixture into a pre-baked pie crust.

Spread the chocolate evenly. If you’re fussy about this stuff (like I am), make sure the top looks nice.

Remember when I mentioned the raw sugar? You can see a little bit of a speckled texture on the surface. Because raw sugar isn’t ground as fine as refined white, it didn’t completely dissolve in the melted chocolate. Once it’s frozen, you’ll barely notice the difference. As it thaws you’ll notice a slight crispy granularity. Personally, I liked it, but if you’re expecting silky-smoothness you’d be better off using powdered sugar.

Freeze for at least two hours, four would be better. Cut with a very sharp knife, not a pie spatula. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

And that’s it - Enjoy!

Delicious Meat-loaf Muffins

I loved this recipe because I typically don't like making meat loaf.  This takes the regular dish, & makes delicious meat loafs muffins.  It also allows you to sit down to a meat loaf in a half hour. I served with Peas & roasted potato wedges for an at-home version of a blue-plate special. The leftover muffins make great sandwich for the next day, perfect portion size.  Try it, I think you will find it a keeper!

Yield: 12 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)

1 cup crumbled Town House Crackers (about 20)

3/4 cup ketchup

6 TBSP Brown Sugar

3 Tsp prepared mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

Cooking spray


Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Make Ketchup glaze - Mix Ketchup, mustard & brown sugar.  Mix 1/4c glaze into raw meat, use 1/4c for glaze for topping, reserve a 1/4c for topping at the table.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 C cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup mixture, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. 

Use an Ice Cream Scoop to spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with a dollop of  ketchup mixture, &  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  When you take them out of the over, use a knife to gently go around the muffin edges, & then add another dollop of ketchup glaze to the top.  Bake for another 5minutes.  Take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Serve & enjoy.

Rid Your Dog of Skunk Spray Smell

Caution: DO NOT seal or store this concotion in a container or spray bottle as it can explode.

Mix in an open, plastic pail and use immediately. Wear latex gloves when applying.

1 quart of fresh (not old or out-dated) 3% hydrogen peroxide (from a pharmacy)
 store bought is only 1.5%

1/4 cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) – to act as a buffer

1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid soap – to alkalize the peroxide
(use Soft Soap or Ivory Liquid, don’t use shampoo)

NOTE: For a LARGE DOG, add 1 quart of lukewarm water.

Be careful to keep this formula out of your pet’s ears, eyes and mouth. Lather thoroughly and deeply into pet fur. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse well with water.

Do this cleaning procedure outside, and if you have plastic goggles–wear them. Dogs especially are notorious for shaking their fur out when wet, you don’t want this stuff spraying in your eyes.

This recipe can be used on people, pets, clothing, or outdoors where needed.
Be careful when applying and don’t let it get into eyes, ears or mouths.

NOTE: Skunks can carry rabies, so probably a good idea to take to vet immediately if you find any bleeding or open wounds while washing your pet.

Garlic Trick

It's frustrating to wrest a garlic clove from its skin only to have half of it stick to the knife when you chop it. Try this: sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt and a drop of olive oil over the cloves before chopping; the salt acts as an abrasive, helping to pulverize the garlic, and the oil lets it slide off the blade. To make a paste, lay the side of the knife on the garlic and, applying even pressure, drag it across the garlic several times.

Semi-Homemade Pop-Tarts

Here's my short cut recipe for semi-homemade batch of pop-tarts real quick. You can even do all the prep the night before and pop them into the oven in the morning. 
These are quick & delicious!

1) Store bought pie crust

2) flling of your choice, I used jam

3) egg

4) sugar for sprinkling on top

Rll out your dough real thin, and cut out rectangle shapes.

 

Use your favorite Jam, preserve or Pie filling.

Spread filling on one half

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fold over to make the Pop Tart shape.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Seal edges with fork, and cut of extra edge.  Make a few vent holes on top for baking.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar on top. 

Place in a 400 degree F oven on cookie sheet with parchment paper for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

The sky's the limit with these babies--you could fill them with jam and top them with a thin icing with sprinkles for the traditional look and feel of the pop tart. 

This is the same Icing recipe that I use to make homemade Cinnabuns.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

1.In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, margarine, vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat until creamy.

Spoon mixture into a ziploc baggie, twist one end to force icing into one corner, snip off the end of the baggie & pipe icing over the Pop-tart. You can also just put a spoonful on the poptart & spread with a knife. Add sprinkles.

Another yummy way to make is to go straight for the fatty jugular as my kids like filling them with decadent dark chocolate & topping them with peanut butter icing (photo to come). You're welcome.  Use your imagination, possibilities are endless!

 

Peanut Butter & Choc. Chip Sammies with Fresh Banana

Here's a super easy summer snack to treat the kids with.  While I'm normally not big on store bought/pre made cakes or cookies, these work fine, because once you add all the other stuff you can't tell the difference, & using the prepackaged cookie dough makes them fast & easy for a last minute I love you treat to put a big smile on your kids face before they go to bed! :)

Here you go....


1 roll of  peanut butter cookie dough (or your fav. peanut butter cookie recipe)

1/4 cup sugar for rolling

3 bananas, ripe but firm

1 quart of good quality chocolate chip ice cream (In Cincinnati that is Graeter's)

Directions

Slice enough dough to make into 1-1/2 inch balls and roll all in 1/4 cup sugar to coat evenly & place on baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Gently press the cookies with the back of a fork to create a crisscross pattern (if tines stick, dip fork in cup of warm water in between each cookie). Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until just golden. Transfer to cooking racks and let cool completely before making sandwiches.

Slice bananas into 1/8-inch thick slices & fan slices on bottom sides of 12 cookies. Place 1 small scoop of chocolate chip ice cream on top of the banana slices and top with remaining cookie. Serve immediately or wrap cookies individually in plastic and freeze.

These are so EASY & so yummy, plus the kids like helping.  You can roll the cookie once assembled in crushed cookie crumbs such as Oreo, Graham cracker, or nuts, chopped marschino cherries, sprinkles, I even like to top ours with Reese Choc. Peanut butter shell I put on the bananas before closing up.  Obviously this recipe is good with many different variations, but this is the one we like best!

Defeat Poison Ivy With Tea Tree Oil

How to cope with the itchy, bubbling rash that you do have? Wash the oil off your hands and clothes after you come in contact.


There are many topical creams like Calamine lotion that can keep the itchiness at bay, but when it comes to poison ivy, the quicker it heals, the better.  My son was given steroids after I took him to the doctor, but as they grew it seemed my kids used to get this when the wind would blow... Tea Tree Oil is the answer!!


                  THIS                                         +                              THIS                               

= RELIEF/HEALING

You can find Tea Tree Oil these days at many places, health food stores, Like Susan World, or Whole Foods.

Wash the area thoroughly with mild soap and water first. Let the area dry completely and then sprinkle a few drops of the tea tree oil directly on the infected areas. Use a Q-tip to spread it around. Apply twice a day, and you should see the blisters disappearing and the rash clearing up.

Tea tree oil has drying properties, that's why it's also used to treat acne. It also has antifungal properties, so it's also used to heal minor cuts and scrapes

FYI:  You can get a little paranoid when you get this, because you don't want it anywhere else!
Just Remember, the liquid that oozes out of the blisters isn't contagious.

Pistachio Cake with Blueberry Lemon Compote

This is a green tube cake made by altering a cake mix with pistachio pudding and green food coloring.

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 7 drops green food coloring


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.

2. In a large bowl mix together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, water, oil, almond extract and green food coloring. Blend ingredients, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.

3. Pour into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Lemon Blueberry Compote

• 2 c of flash frozen blueberries, 1/2 lemon, 2 tsp of brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, a pinch of ground clove.

Pour your frozen blueberries into a nice, small pot with a good lid. Start cooking over medium heat. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and also the zest of 1/2 lemon. Add your brown sugar, cinnamon, and clove. Heat until bubbly, warm, and a little sticky.

This is also good added into a little sweetened Mascarpone cheese.

Pour the blueberries over the warm, Pistachio Cake and enjoy!!!!

Lemon Poppy-Seed Cake (RECIPE IN A JAR)

This makes a great gift for friends and family for every occasion from Christmas to birthdays, to mothers day's and even just a pick me up for someone who is feeling down.

For this recipe you will need a jar that holds around 1 quart. If your jar is airtight add the ingredients directly otherwise place them into an airtight or ziplock bag and attach the recipe card instructions.

Tie the whole jar up with some cellophane or add some curling ribbons and a bow to finish off this gift

Recipe in a Jar

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a wire whisk. Store the mix in an airtight container.

Tag Instructions:

Lemon Poppy-Seed Cake

3/4 cup butter
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract (not lemon juice)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 pkg. Lemon Poppy-Seed Cake Mix

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8- to 9-cup Bundt pan.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after
each addition. Add the milk, extracts, and lemon zest. The mixture will look
curdled. Add the Cake Mix, and continue to beat on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes
until mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into greased pan and bake for 45 to 55
minutes. Glaze: Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat,
and bring to boil for 3 minutes. When cake is removed from oven, poke cake all over
with a wooden skewer and brush glaze over cake. Let the cake stand for 1 hour and
remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap.

Lemon Body Scrub

I love the idea of the this Lemon Body Scrub. 
It's just perfect for the summer season we going into.

Lemon and Honey Body Scrub

• 6 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 drops of lemon juice
• honey 

1. First mix sugar and salt well.
2. Add lemon juice and honey to get a thick paste




You're ready to go you can use this scrub all over your body it makes your body soft and sweet smelling! Great for feet & heels too.

BATH JELLY

Bath jelly is a fun alternative to bath gel and can be found in all the popular bath shops such as Lush.  This soap recipe is perfect for kids and although it is not an actual Lush recipe it is a great bath jelly recipe.  Kids love the process of making it.  Great for gift ideas to do with them too.

1 packet of Unflavored gelatin 15g (1tbs)
1 tsp of Salt
1/2 cup of Liquid soap
3/4 cup of Water
Food Coloring
Fragrant oils or essential oils
Plastic storage jar with lid



Empty the packet of gelatin into a bowl and set aside. Boil 3/4 cup of water using a saucepan or kettle.
Carefully pour the hot water into a mixing bowl and mix it with the gelatin powder. Let the gelatin dissolve completely.

Next pour the liquid soap into the gelatin mix.
Add 2 drops of food coloring into the mix and also add your fragrance oil. Add about 5 drops and stir it very gently so the bubbles do not become too agitated.

Add any remaining ingredients.
Pour the mix into a clean storage container and allow to set for several hours in the refrigerator.
Add a small toy into the Jelly before it sets to give the kids an incentive to get to the bottom of the Jelly soap.

Dispose of the jelly after several weeks or if mold is present. Avoid mold by keeping it in an airtight container in a cool place at all times.  Add a plastic spoon to the jar to make use easier.

HOW TO USE :  Place a small amount of jelly under warm running water to use.
For firmer Jelly that you can slice. Add 3 tsp of gelatin to the above ingredients.

KABAYAKI SAUCE (Also called BBQ sauce for Unagi/Freshwater EEL)

I LOVE Sushi, especially BBQ Unagi.  The BBQ sauce is really called Kabayaki sauce, and  is traditionally served over eel.  It is also very good with rice, or other types of fish such as Salmon, Talapia, shrimp, crab etc. 

Kabayaki sauce: 

1. 1/4 cup of soy sauce
2. 1/4 cup of mirin
3. 1/4 cup of sugar

Mix the all of the ingredients well in a small pan, then turn the heat on low and let it simmer for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so if the sugar shows any sign of settling at the bottom. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.  

I like to put leftover Kabayaki Sauce in a squirt bottle & store the refrigerator. It keeps well for quite awhile.

Did you know that you can also find Unagi, prepackaged and frozen for a fraction of the cost that you would pay in a Sushi Restaurant?  Its very easy to prepare, just follow the directions, typically its cooked in the oven on 400 Degrees for about 5-7minutes.  I personally like to still go out for Sushi. Its one of my few guilty pleasures that I look forward to whenever the opportunity pops up.  This is great to keep on hand tho for cravings and the sauce is really delicious on many different seafood dishes, and even Pork, Chicken, or Veggies & Rice.

Hiccups

If you get the hiccups, go get a spoonful of peanutbutter and eat it slowly.  This has never failed, it works every time trust me.

Brown Sugar Pudding & Dumplings

 

This recipe was handed down from my great grandma's mom who was born in the 1800's. It's really delicious and comforting on a cool spring or autumn night.  My boys love this easy old-fashioned dessert warm, topped with cream, ice cream or whipped cream.  

1. 1 cup water 
2. 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, reserve 1/4cup
3. 1 tablespoon butter
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
7. Pinch each nutmeg and salt
8. 1/4 cup evaporated milk
9. 1/2 cup raisins
10. Ice cream 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and 1/2 cup brown sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted. Pour into a greased 1-qt. baking dish; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and milk just until blended. Stir in the remaining brown sugar. Fold in raisins. Drop by spoonfuls over sauce.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Spoon into dishes. Serve with ice cream. For a nice change, this is also good with fruit... I like to use apple pie filling, or sliced bananas, its very versatile dessert, many fruits go well use what you like best.

Honey & Hot Water.... does it make you better?

I wasn't feeling today, and my sweet honey brought me a cup of hot water with a tsp of honey in it, swearing that it would make me feel better.  He said his Grandma always gave this to him when he was a boy and it worked. Not being a big honey fan, but very grateful that he cared enough to take the time to think of me. I drank it, kind of slowly but I did drink it.  I'm not sure if it really helped me but I did like the hot part, it seemed to soothe me from the inside. 

I did a little checking on it and it does appear that honey has amazing bacteria-killing properties, which supposedly increase two fold when mixed with water. 

So what do you think.... has this ever worked for you? Weigh in, how has HONEY helped you when you aren't feeling well?

I also learned that...

To make one pound of honey, a swarm of honeybees flies about 24,000 miles

 and visits 3 to 9 million flowers. Yes another reason to bee thankful! :)

Lemony Sage Chicken

This is a really good dish, flavored by sage, which many people just don't cook with often. Its a really good dish to make for get togethers as its delicious and always gets lot of compliments.  I like to serve it with mashed potatoes and asparagus.  

PICCATTA BATTER

1. 6 eggs, whole 
2. 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated 
3. 1/4 cup fresh Romano cheese, grated 
4. 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) 
5. 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) 

CHICKEN 

1. 4 ea 6oz. chicken breasts, boneless skinless, split
2. 2 cups flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper 
3. 1/2 cup olive oil (or as needed) 

LEMON SAGE SAUCE

1. 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped 
2. 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped 
3. 2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped 
4. 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry)
5. 1/4 cup lemon juice 
6. 1 Tbsp lemon zest 
7. 1/2 cup white wine 
8. 1 cup heavy cream 
9. 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold 
10. Salt and pepper to taste 

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

PICCATTA BATTER

1.COMBINE eggs, cheeses, parsley and basil together in a large mixing bowl.

CHICKEN

1.POUND chicken breasts until ¼” thick. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and dip it in the Piccata batter; coat evenly on both sides.

2.HEAT olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet and fry until edges are golden brown on each side. Transfer chicken from skillet into a baking pan.

3.BAKE in a 350ºF oven for 5-6 minutes, until juices run clear.

SAUCE

1.DRAIN 3/4 of the oil from skillet and add the shallots, garlic and herbs. Saute over medium heat until shallots are transparent. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine and reduce liquid by 1/2. Add heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.

2.REMOVE pan from heat and whip in the cold butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:  Ladle ¼ cup of sauce on plate and place chicken on top. Serve immediately.

THE BLT DIP

My family and friends love this simple dip. I cannot go to a gathering, event or party without someone asking me if I brought THE BLT dip...a crowd pleaser! Have your guests dip the toast triangles in the dip and wait for the ooh's and ahh's. The toast is what makes this recipe a genuine BLT impersonator!

1. 1 pound bacon 
2. 1 tomato, chopped 
3. 1 cup arugula
4. 1 (32 ounce) jar mayonnaise 
5. 32 ounces sour cream 
6. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
7. salt and pepper to taste
8. 1 (1 pound) loaf sliced white sandwich bread 

1. Bake an entire pound of bacon until crisp (see recipe for Baking Bacon on blog).

2.For best results, finely chop bacon in a food processor or with a hand blender, but finely chopping by hand will also work.

3.In a large mixing bowl, blend bacon, tomato and jar of mayonnaise. Add half the container of sour cream, blend well. Add more sour cream by spoonfuls, until the mixture isn't overwhelmed by the taste of mayonnaise (you'll be left with about a cup or so of sour cream, typically). LIGHTLY coat the top of the mix with garlic powder, and blend. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Toast the bread, then cut into fours.

NOTE:  This is also good spread over top of a pre-baked pizza shell.   A bit easier to serve & just a little twist on a classic.

Removing Red Wine From Carpet

This is a life saver product, Mr. Clean's MAGIC ERASER removes Red Wine off creamy carpet, like a charm! It's amazing!

It also removed Red Wine from my Cream Silk comforter.

On other occasions I have also used it to remove permanent magic marker from wood tables, floors, & walls.

This is an item to buy stock in! :)

Another unusual item that removes permanent sharpie marker from furniture is Bianca Breath spray. Spray a little and wipe, and keep doing it until its all gone.

Zuchinni Fritters

Getting ready to plant my garden. Can't wait, as soon I will begin making these a lot. 

1. 1 pound zucchini, stems removed 
2. 1 egg lightly beaten 
3. 1/4 cup parsley, chopped or Green Onion (either optional - if using both reduce to 1/8 cup each) 
4. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago (for lighter version try reduced-fat)
5. 1/2 cup flour 
6. 1/2 tsp baking powder 
7. 1/4 cup tarragon, chopped (optional) 
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to taste 

Combine all of the ingredients except for the zucchini in a large bowl. Whisk to form a batter, removing large lumps, about 1-2 minutes. Grate the zucchini and add it to the bowl. The moisture from the zucchini will produce a thick batter as you stir. Use the batter immediately.

Heat olive or canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour out 3-4 cakes. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towel.

Build your own shopping search engine in 10 minutes

If you don't have your own website, you can save your search engine to you personal Google homepage!

Ok so I'm the kind of girl that still lovessssssssssss the thrill of a deal!  Somehow that never gets old.  Growing up my Mom always looked for them.  Now, It's almost like a game, & I don't like to ever pay full price unless I have to.  Here's a really easy way to customize a new search engine to search only the top bargain sites - these are the ones I like & trust the most.

Have you ever been frustrated with Google when you're trying to find the latest deals and coupons? Or did you even know you could do this? Trust me, a lot of times the search results are cluttered with spam and advertising. I hate that!

Sure, you can just go to Fatwallet directly, but then I always get that nagging feeling that I'm missing out on something. What if Slickdeals has a slightly better coupon? Who wants to pay  $15 for a 6 GB flashdrive when you just know that if you searched hard enough there's gonna be one for $12!  Hey $3 bucks is $3 bucks & that could buy my drink today! ;)

Using Google Co-op, I was able to customize Google to search only the following top websites for deals, coupons, and freebies:

• anandtech 
• bargainist 
• bensbargains 
• clipfire
• couponcabin  
• couponcraze  
• couponmountain
• currentcodes 
• dealcatcher
• dealmac 
• dealnews
• dealofday
• deals2buy
• dealsea 
• dealslist 
• dealsofamerica 
• dealspl.us 
• dealtaker
• edealinfo
• fatwallet
• flamingoworld 
• gotapex 
• gottadeal
• judysbook 
• quicktoclick 
• resellerratings
• savvies  
• slickdeals  
• smarter 
• spoofee
• techbargains
• trezr 
• wisebread
• xpbargains 

Building Your Own Search Engine

1. Modifying the search engine only took me 10 minutes or less.
2. After creating a Google account (you already have one if you have Gmail):  
3. Go to Google Co-Op and read the short introduction. 
4. Create your custom engine by entering a list of sites you want to search. 
5. Enter some keywords to help refine the search. For example, if your search engine is for DVDs, then you should put in words like DVD, coupons, movies, blu-ray, etc.  

Bonus tip:
If you have a Google Adsense account, make sure you put your ID in there so you can earn money from your search engine.

Hot Fudge & Butterscotch Sauce

Shhhhhhhhh Secret Recipes are getting out today ;)

I started making these sauce when my kids were small.  One Christmas long ago... I remember having a ton of Murphy Law issues compounding the holidays. I still wanted to be able to give gifts, so just had to get a little creative.  I came up with making gift baskets with these toppings. I put a jar of each sauce, along with baggies of my favorite Hot Cocoa recipe, Chocolate covered spoons, & Homemade Cinnabuns. I delivered each basket on Christmas morning. Turned out they were a hit, what's better on Christmas morning than opening up your door to a bunch of homemade goodies and checking one of the breakfast to do's right off your list!

Needless to say they also became fast family favorites in our house. These toppings take a simple bowl of ice cream to unearthly heights...Be prepared...once you make these sauces your family will ask for them again & again! Try them hot over ice cream... alone or together...topped with homemade whipped cream for a sundae. How about a sundae bar where everyone can make their own customized desserts.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1.  1/2 cup butter 
2. 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 
3. 1/2 cup cocoa 
4. 1/2 cup sugar 
5. 1 cup light cream 
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla 

1. In a heavy sauce pan melt the butter and chocolate together.

2. Mix the cocoa with the 1/4 cup sugar and stir in. Add the cream, the the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

3. Remove from heat immediately and add vanilla. Cool, then Refrigerate. 

* Heat before serving by placing container in pan of hot water until sauce reaches pouring consistency 

Butterscotch Sauce

1. 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 
2. 3/4 cup corn syrup (this is my one exception to the no corn syrup rule) 
3. 3/4 cup heavy cream 
4. 1/4 cup butter 
5. 1/8 teaspoon salt 
6. 2 teaspoons vanilla 

1. In a heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Insert a candy thermometer and continue cooking until temperature reaches 238 degrees F.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 

NOTE: Both sauces should be stored in the fridge, but keep quite well for a long time...not that we've ever been able to make them last "a long time"!

We've also enjoyed these sauces warm over Ebilskivers, Pancake popovers (for dessert, of course) and crepes.  

ECHO ... LIVE

Had THE best weekend with my family! They all surprised me, really got me good!

Here's an idea that I did a long time ago, & please make time to do it, you will always be glad you took the time.

• Recording device is all that is needed.

Get each of your family members laugh on tape.  Someday when they are gone, you will have this to listen to, and believe me it takes you back to every moment in between!

This is great to for family that has distance between them. Start saving up the moments now. You never know when it could be the last time. Life is a precious gift - I am so thankful to all my family. This weekend was a much needed FAMILY FILL UP!

This is certainly an Idea 2 Do!

THE POWER OF DESICIONS

USING THE POWER OF DECISION GIVES YOU THE CAPACITY TO GET PAST ANY EXCUSE TO CHANGE ANY & EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE IN AN INSTANT!!!

AUTOBEEF

I was helping a friend try to determine what is a good used car.
In the process came across this interesting website -  Seems pretty packed with info.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/ 

http://www.motorpits.com/

http://www.sitejabber.com/

If you have any other suggestions on the "How to's of buying a used car", please comment.

Always a daunting task figuring out what's best to put your money down on???

CLEVER LIGHTWEIGHT WALL ART

Whatever your decorating style, from formal to fanciful, wall art made with STYROFOAM® brand foam will enhance your home. Here are a few ideas:

Papers: Cover it with scrapbook paper, textured paper, handmade paper, wallpaper, maps, travel brochures, newspapers, gift wrap, even household foil. USE MODGE PODGE directly on the foam & over top of whatever paper/material you choose! KINDERGARTEN EASY!!

This makes amazing cheap wall art! Endless possibilities!

Photos: Create a personal photo gallery by ordering large prints of favorite digital snapshots from an online developer. Cut sheets of STYROFOAM brand foam to match print sizes.

 Adhere photos to foam sheets, cover edges with ribbon and hang.

It's that easy! If you make this, please share. I LOVE this craft, and would love to see your creations.

Aha! How fun would this be for a birthday party favor/activity! Cute stuff, just sayin.... =)

Chewy Peanut Butter Popcorn

I have the best memories of making Popcorn Ball's with my Great Great Aunt Mabel when I was just a young girl.  It is probably one of the most vivid memories I have of both her and my Uncle Stan.  I have since taken that recipe and tweaked it, and thru time this is what I have ended up with.  Since we like everything  with PeanutButter & Chocolate, its a natural hit in our house.

Think of it as a twist to regular popcorn balls & caramel popcorn .

1. 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn, or 2 bags microwave popcorn 
2. 1 cup sugar 
3. 1/2 cup honey 
4. 1/2 cup light corn syrup 
5. 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy is best!) 
6. 1 teas. Vanilla 

 * NOTE: Have your peanut butter and vanilla measured out before you start the mixture boiling!

1. Use 1 very large bowl disposable type works well, or 2 large bowls.  
2. Pop the popcorn, and place in a large bowl. Remove kernels.  
3. Butter sides of a large 1 1/2 qt saucepan.
4. Combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup in pan.
5. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly!
6. Boil hard for 2 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat. 

* Stir in Peanut Butter and vanilla until melted.

Immediately pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat well. Cool; break into bite size pieces.

***Chocolate drizzled over the top of the popcorn is awesome. Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and spoon over the peanut butter popcorn.

Croque Moniseur AKA Jamie's version of A Monte Cristo Sandwich

This is my version of a Monte Cristo Sandwich. Who doesn't love a grilled cheese? This is basically a twist on that but using grown up ingredients. Gruyere cheese, Ham, and then deep frying it.

1. 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed 
2. 2/3 cup water 
3. 1 egg 
4. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 
5. 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt 
7. 8 slices white bread 
8. 4 slices Gruyere cheese
9. 4 oz shaved ham (roughly the same as 4 slices)
10. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
11. 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)
12. Many add Turkey also, I prefer to leave off. If you choose to add, just add less ham, and the same amount of Turkey in its place. I like both shaved, as it melds better with the cheese, when its fried.

1.Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2.Assemble sandwiches by placing shaved ham on bread, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.

3.Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

While the traditional jelly to serve this with is Currant Jelly.  I like mine with Hot Pepper Jelly mixed with a dollop of cream cheese (that has been pre-softened in the microwave for about 10seconds). It sounds odd, but trust me it adds a nice zip to this old favorite!

Also some people like to serve with a Bechamel sauce (fancy name for classic white sauce), I like to sometimes serve with a Mornay sauce, which is basically a Bechamel sauce that adds swiss cheese to the mix.  I will posts these sauces in a seperate post.

This is a great dish for a brunch family get together.