Home Blog Page 18

Healthy Artichokes Veggie Meal

If you’re looking for something to liven up your meal (Healthy Artichokes Veggie Meal), artichokes offer a terrific, tasty solution. This culinary favorite is fun to eat, can be quick to prepare and completes a “green serving” of the 5 a Day the Color Way regimen.

Besides being delicious, artichokes are naturally low in sodium and have no fat or cholesterol. They’re a rich source of vitamin C, folate and dietary fiber.

There are several ways to enjoy artichokes; they can be steamed, boiled, grilled, sautיed or roasted. But for anyone who is short on time, artichokes have a speedy cooking time in the microwave, making them a wonderful quick-meal solution.

To Microwave: Place one rinsed and trimmed artichoke upside down in a glass bowl with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon each of lemon juice and oil. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high 7 to 10 minutes. Time can vary depending on size of artichoke.

When shopping for artichokes, select ones that squeak with a squeeze of the leaves for freshness and pick artichokes with thorned petals, as those varieties have a bigger, meatier heart. Just trim the thorns with scissors when ready to prepare. The “jumbo”-sized artichoke is a culinary favorite and can be found in your local market throughout the year.

Artichokes will keep for about a week in a plastic bag stored in your refrigerator. Their peak seasons are spring and fall, but new varieties developed by Ocean Mist are available year-round.

To eat, pull the base of each petal through your front teeth to strip off the “meat,” then discard the rest. The artichoke’s center “heart” is often considered the tastiest part and the prize of your work. The stem is an extension of the heart and also completely edible and delicious.

Artichokes’ sweet, mild flavor make them a marvelous partner for dips and sauces, such as this quick-to-make Balsamic Mint Dressing.

Artichokes with Balsamic Mint Dressing

Recipe courtesy of Ocean Mist

4 extra large or jumbo artichokes

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

s out easily, about 45 minutes, depending on size. Drain artichokes upside down on paper towels. Using a large spoon, scoop out and discard the soft inner leaves and fuzzy choke. Arrange artichokes in serving bowl, cup side up. In a blender or food processor, blend remaining ingredients. Pour balsamic honey mixture into the centers of the artichokes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 8 shared appetizer servings.

Nutrition Information per Serving:

calories: 106,
total fat: 3.5g,
saturated fat: 0.5g,
% of calories from fat: 26%,
% of calories from saturated fat: 4%,
protein: 4g,
carbohydrates: 19g,
cholesterol: 0mg,
dietary fiber: 5g,
sodium: 276mg

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is our families secret chocolate chip recipe. We have a large family so this one makes over 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. You can experiment with most cookie recipes to adjust to your own taste. Rememmber the more brown sugar you use the more chewy type cookie you create. I don’t think this one needs much adjusting. First we will start with ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups yellow cake mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together.
3. Sift cake mix, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Stir the chocolate mixture into the eggs.
6. Stir in the sifted ingredients with sour cream.
7. Mix in chocolate chips.
8. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls cookie sheets.
9. Bake for until edges are starting to turn dark brown.

Enjoy these wonderful cookies at any occasion. They disappear very quickly at family events. You might notice my secret ingredient. It is the boxed yellow cake mix. Cake flour gives the cookie a little more body than the regular unbleached flour.You may use any of your favorite brands. If you are making smaller cookies don’t forget that the baking time goes down. Many ovens produce heat from the bottom of the oven, so as not burn the bottom of the cookies many times I will double pan the cookies before I bake them. Baking is similar to a gigantic chemistry experiment. The best way to get the experiment right is to keep experimenting. Once you have found the best combinations of ingredients and procedures, stick with it.

Enjoy!

How To Make ‘Rye Bread’

The more I make bread, the more I am convinced of the importance of the kitchen being in the best position in the house. When we designed and built our house, I was determined that the kitchen should have a view and be on the front of the house. Now that it’s six-fifteen of a summer morning and I’m up early, kneading bread, because we’ve run out again, I’m especially happy to be looking out over a sun-soaked landscape to the distant mountains. Every time you make bread you’re guaranteed a good ten minutes of contemplation as you knead it, the mechanical rhythmic activity frees the mind to wander or switch off…very therapeutic. Having a view thrown in as well is just an added bonus.

I haven’t always made bread. It is a comparatively recent development. Making jam was the first breakthrough into self-sufficiency, then came the day when our local supplier of rye bread, who made a loaf that (miracle of miracles), all the children would eat, decided to switch recipes and use caraway in it…instant rejection by the whole family.

We’d stopped the wheat bread to try and help my son’s allergies and found it helped most of us, so apart from the occasional indulgence of fluffy white bread, I wanted to stay off it. There was no alternative; I would have to take the leap into bread making. The main reason that I’d resisted was that it seemed to take so long. First the mixing and kneading, then the rising, then knocking down and forming loaves, a second rising and finally the baking. Who could keep track of all that in the chaotic life of a three-child family?

So eventually I take the plunge, turn to my friend Nigel (Slater, not namedropping but he and Nigella (Lawson) are ever-present in my kitchen, in book format of course) and find a foolproof recipe for a white loaf, simpler to start off with white I think. Well the first try produced a reasonable, if huge, loaf, though my son still remembers that it was a bit doughy in the middle. Second try, I got two pretty perfect loaves and I was on a roll.

Now to find a recipe for rye bread. It seems that 100% rye is usually made by the sour dough method and I couldn’t see my family going for that, so settle for a half and half rye/whole-wheat recipe… triumph. Ok, my son the food connoisseur complained it was a bit too sweet, so next time round I reduced the amount of honey, but this recipe has been our staple diet ever since, and I am now truly ensconced in my kitchen, looking at the view, every other day, while I endeavour to keep the supply level with the ever increasing demand.

Any way, finally to the recipe:

500g rye flour
450g whole-wheat flour plus more for kneading
50g plain flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 10g sachet of instant yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons oil
670 ml milk
125 ml water

Warm the milk to lukewarm. Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and put in the yeast, then honey, then oil, pour on the warmed milk and water and mix. When it gets doughy turn out on to a well floured surface (it will be extremely sticky) and knead for 10 minutes. You will need to keep adding flour as you knead. It is better for it to be too sticky than too dry – you can always add more flour, but too dry will make a dry, hard loaf. After 10 minutes, put it back into the bowl with a plastic bag over it and leave in a warmish place for two hours or so. Then knock down, firmly pressing out the air, but not over kneading, then form into two or three loaves on a baking sheet, cover again and leave to rise for another hour. Then bake for 30 minutes at 190C until they sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf. Cool on a wire rack

So how do I keep track of the bread making, in between school runs, mealtimes and the rest? Well I don’t always. There are times when I optimistically start the bread off, leave it to rise and four hours later remember about it, knock it down, forget to switch on the oven so it has had an extra day or so in rising time by the time it gets cooked. It does seem to be very forgiving though – whatever you do to it, you do generally get bread out at the end, it may not always be the perfect loaf, but then variety is the spice of life after all. There was one time it hadn’t quite finished cooking by the time I had to do the school run, so I asked my husband to take it out in ten minutes….. By the time I got back we had a very useful weapon against intruders. We didn’t eat that one…I think it was ryvita for lunch…!

Good luck with yours.

 

Coconut & Shrimp

Coconut Beer Batter Fried Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

2 eggs
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beer
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
coconut oil
3 cups grated coconut

Seasoning mix:

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Thoroughly combine the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix 1-1/4 cups of the flour, 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, baking powder, eggs, and beer together in a bowl, breaking up all lumps until it is smooth.

Combine the remaining flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and set aside. Place the coconut in a separate bowl.

Sprinkle both sides of the shrimps with the remaining seasoning mix. Then hold each shrimp by the tail, dredge in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip in batter and allow excess to drip off. Coat each shrimp with the coconut and place on a baking sheet.

Heat deep fryer to 350°F. Drop each shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 1/2 to 1 minute on each side. Do not crowd the fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Lay shrimp on large lettuce leaves and serve with Pineapple Salsa dip. Garnish with lemon, orange, or lime wedges.

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (or apricot-pineapple preserves)
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeno chili
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and gently toss.

Coconut Shrimp Kabobs with Island Coconut Salsa

1 lb. shell-on shrimp, uncooked
1/3 cup coconut milk, canned and sweetened
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon red chili peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 to 18 fresh pineapple chunks

 

Island Coconut Salsa

1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil or macadamia nut oil

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails; set aside. Combine coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, red peppers, cumin, coriander and pepper; pour over shrimp. Marinate no more than 1 hour. Thread shrimp and pineapple chunks on skewers. Broil or grill, 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are done. Arrange coconut shrimp on large lettuce leaves. Serve with Island Coconut Salsa on the side.

 

Caribbean Shrimp Run Down

1 lb shell-on shrimp, uncooked
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
3 cups coconut milk
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
Finely chopped hot pepper to taste
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 t. fresh chopped thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails. Pour the lime juice over the shrimp and set aside. Cook the coconut milk in a heavy frying pan until it is oily. Add the onion, garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add the hot pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper, thyme and vinegar. Stir and cook very gently for 10 minutes.

Drain the shrimp, add the other ingredients and cook until the shrimp is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over rice. Preparation time: 30 minutes.

3 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken Recipes

We all love spicy chicken, except if you are allergic or you just can’t love spicy food. Being a chicken lover myself, I have collected 3 hot n’ spicy recipes for you to try out in your chicken today or anytime you would like to treat yourself for a deelicious meal, they make good family specials as well! Although they have similar names, they are very different. Perhaps their origins differ.

Hot N’ Spicy Chicken Recipe

Spicy Chicken Wings

1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. oregano
4 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 stick margarine
4-5 lbs. chicken wings

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.

Hot Chicken Wings

Chicken wings
1/2 stick margarine
1 bottle Durkee hot sauce
2 tbsp. honey
10 shakes Tabasco
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Deep fry wings for 20 minutes. Drain and dip and let set in sauce. Take out to dry and then serve.

Hot-N-Spicy Chicken Wings

5 lbs. bag chicken wings (drumettes)
12 fl. oz. Louisiana Pre Crystal Hot Sauce
1-2 sticks butter

Fry chicken wings until golden brown and drain on paper towel. Mix hot sauce and melted butter and pour into deep pan or crock pot. Add chicken wings to sauce and heat thoroughly.

Italian Spinach and Mushroom Salad

Forty years ago, a first-class stamp cost a nickel, a new science fiction television show called “Star Trek” made its debut and a tasty topping began its crunchy history of enhancing salads, baked potatoes and Americans’ cupboards.

General Mills first tested Bac-Os as a better-for-you alternative to bacon in select markets in 1965. Bit by bit, the product’s popularity took off, and it was dubbed a “food of the future” in early television advertisements. Consumers enjoyed the convenient product’s multipurpose use-a savory ingredient used to jazz up casseroles, salads, soups and other favorite dishes. This handy condiment helped home cooks streamline their kitchen prep and promised the smoke-cured, sizzling flavor of bacon without a splattering mess.

“A jar of Bac-Os brought the flavor and texture of crisp bacon right to the family dinner table in a fraction of the time,” says Maggie Gilbert, manager of the Betty Crocker Kitchens test kitchen. “Because they were considered superconvenient and required no refrigeration, they soon became a familiar ingredient in popular recipes of the day, such as holiday party dips, sweet-sour beans and twice-baked potatoes.”

The brand debuted in its first print advertising campaign in 1970. The product was featured in several new recipes from the Betty Crocker Kitchens in national magazines, such as Better Homes and Gardens and Family Circle. Shortly thereafter, General Mills extended the line to include Saus-Os and Pepr-Os, two new soy proteins with distinct flavor possibilities.

Today, Bac-Os continues to appeal to consumers, particularly by offering added health benefits: They’re made with the goodness of soy, are kosher and contain no MSG. They can also help consumers keep healthy eating in check, without tipping the scale on calories, fat, saturated fat or cholesterol.

Happy Birthday, Bac-Os!

Italian Spinach and Mushroom Salad

This seasonal salad for special gatherings has extra crunch and a burst of added flavor.

1 package (10 oz.) fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry

1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms

1 can (19 oz.) Progresso chick peas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup Betty Crocker Bac-Os bacon flavor bits or chips

1/2 cup seasoned croutons

1/2 cup Italian dressing

In large salad bowl, toss all ingredients except dressing. Just before serving, drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Makes 4 servings.

Jars of a revolutionary new “food of the future” product appeared on grocers’ shelves 40 years ago, offering busy consumers the bacon flavor they loved with a simple shake of the wrist.

A Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes

 

5 Simple Steps To Clone A Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes

It’s amazing how so many people love chocolate cakes. One of my favorite is the “Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes”. It’s sooooo delicious!

If you are like me, I urge you to try this recipe when you have time. You’ll fall in love with it. Trust me… 🙂

So here it is:

Red Lobster Chocolate Lava Cakes

Number of servings: 6 persons

Ingredients:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 6 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries thawed, purיed in blender
  • Fresh raspberries, optional
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, softly beaten
  • Fresh mint sprigs, optional
  • Confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional

Instructions

1. Spray inside 6 individual custard cups or souffl’ dishes with nonstick cooking spray; then set aside. In small heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add butter and sugar; stir until melted.

2. Pour chocolate mixture into large bowl. In small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, and baking powder.

3. With electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat chocolate mixture; add eggs and flour mixture; beat about 6 minutes until thickened. Divide mixture evenly among prepared dishes; cover with plastic wrap. Freeze at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

5. Remove and discard plastic from frozen cakes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until edges are set and center is moist. Cool cakes slightly before inverting onto serving platters.

Miam miam! 🙂

Enjoy!