With a Dash

Leek and Mushroom soup

2008-12-04T19:19:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite soups. It's quick, it's easy to make, and it's utterly delicious.

Leek and Mushroom Soup

* 1/2 cup cream
* 3 tsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried Thyme
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
* 2 pounds mushrooms, chopped
* 3 large leeks, chopped
* 6 tablespoons flour
* 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 3/4 tsp black pepper

Mix cream and 1/2 thyme and put in refrigerator and let flavors meld. You may leave the thyme out of the cream if you prefer, but it's better with it.

Heat butter in saucepan. Stir in leeks, cover, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with flour, and stir until flour is evenly distributed. Stir in stock, then salt, pepper, and remaining thyme. Bring to boil, stirring often, then reduce heat to low, set lid ajar, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

Top each portion with generous serving of thyme cream.

Apple grape Pepper Tilapia

2008-09-16T07:19:00.002-05:00

This sweet-hot Cajun dish hits the taste buds just right. The sweet of the apple juice and grapes mixes perfectly with the heat of the pepper and it's perfect over rice. It's low fat and low calorie, and completely delicious.

Apple Grape Pepper Tilapia

1 medium onion
1/2 c grapes
12 oz Tilapia fillets
1/2 c mushrooms
2/3 c apple juice
1 tsp butter
1/4 c water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions

1. Marinate fish in apple juice for 30 minutes.

2. Brown onions in butter.

3. Add fish and brown on one side. Flip over, then add grapes, mushrooms, and apple juice.

4. Cook for approximately 20 minutes at just a low simmer.

5. Add salt and pepper. Mix cornstarch with water, then stir into fish dish until it thickens. Serve hot.

Carrot Soup

2008-07-01T16:02:00.002-05:00

I love to eat soup in the summertime; it makes a great light supper when a salad is added, and a lovely lunch. This carrot soup hits the spot, and it's even better the next day after the flavors meld all together. It's the perfect dinner when you're on a diet
, because it's low in calories, high in fiber, and very filling.

Carrot Soup

2 pounds carrots, scrubbed and chopped in a 1 inch dice
4 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium potato, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1-2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup chopped cashews
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil

Place carrots, vegetable broth, salt, and potato into a soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer it for 12-15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Saute the onion, garlic and nuts in butter until the onions are translucent. Add to carrot mixture and add basil and thyme.

Puree everything together in a blender until smooth. Add milk and reheat until warm, but do not let boil or the milk will separate.

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Low Calorie Avocado Roasted Corn and Tomato Salsa Recipe

2008-06-25T08:20:00.002-05:00

Summer is a great time to add spicy, different salsas as a side dish. There's an abundance of fresh vegetables to use in totally different ways and this salsa is one of my favorites. This recipe is low calorie and refreshing, and the avocado is full of good fats. Serve it beside grilled chicken or even to top a salad and shrink your waistline while still eating delicious food.

2 ears of corn, shucked
2 green onions, chopped fine, both green and white parts
1 ripe avocado, chopped in approximately 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium tomatoes chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
Juice and zest of 1 fresh lime (about 1 Tbsp each)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1 small jalapeno, chopped fine, ribs and seeds discarded if you don't want it too hot
Salt and pepper to taste

Grill corn on preheated medium grill until tender and lightly browned 5-8
min, or wrap in foil and bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut corn from cob. Combine corn, onions, avocado, jalapeno, and tomato in medium bowl; toss to
combine. Whisk lime juice and zest, olive oil, and cilantro in small
bowl. Pour over vegeatable mixture; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature or in refrigerator for at least one hour to let flavors mingle.

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Mango Salsa Recipe

2008-06-24T19:44:00.002-05:00

It's mango season here in Florida, and that means it's time for mango salsa. It's low calorie and delicious, and it's great with chicken, fish, or just as a great side dish for any meal.

Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and chopped fine *see note*
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1 tablespoon jalapeno, chopped fine
1/2 small red onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in refrigerator for at least two hours before eating, so that all the tastes meld together. It's better if you leave it overnight.

*you may need to wear gloves when peeling the mango and chopping the jalapeno. Many people have an allergic reaction the oils in the mango's skin, and it can give you a nasty burn. The jalapeno can be transferred easily to tender areas such as eyes if it gets on your skin, so be careful with both of them. Wash hands thoroughly after chopping, even if you do use gloves.*

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Low Calorie Strawberry and Lemon Cream Dessert

2008-06-23T07:41:00.004-05:00

This is a gorgeous, easy summer dessert that is very light. It has approximately 150 calories per serving, and it tastes so good. You can substitute any kind of fruit for the strawberries. I've used it with blueberries, blackberries, and peaches. Not so good with melon; the tastes just don't mesh. It's a lovely, elegant dessert that will satisfy your craving for sweets without ruining your waistline.

4 ounces (1/2 package) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese, which tastes exactly the same)
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 cups fresh strawberries

Soften cream cheese, or put it on a plate in the microwave for 8 seconds, then flip it over and microwave it 5 seconds more. Scrape it off the plate using a spatula into a bowl. Add yogurt to the bowl along with honey. Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until light and creamy. Stir in lemon zest.

Layer the lemon cream and strawberries in dessert dishes or wineglasses. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

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Low fat low calorie delicious Broccoli Soup recipe

2008-05-24T14:04:00.003-05:00

This is a wonderful light summer soup that is low calorie and low fat, but it sacrifices none of the taste. Use fresh broccoli; the taste is much more delicious. You can make it with fat free chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, but I have a vegetarian in the house and I always use vegetable broth. Try for low-sodium if you use canned, since a lot of times store bought broth is made with tons of salt. It's a light, lovely meal when eaten with a salad and a fruit dessert. Tasty, but you don't ruin your waistline.

Broccoli soup

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups skim milk, warmed to room temperature *see note*
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Saute onion, garlic, and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, then add broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. If you prefer a smoother soup, process the slightly cooled soup in batches in your blender or food processor. I usually take out about half of it and blend it up, then add it back to the soup.

*if you add cold milk to hot liquid, you get milk that curdles in big lumps. If you don't have time to bring the milk to room temperature, add in the broth to the soup, withholding milk. Then when it comes up to a boil, add a ladle of broth to the milk. Then add it to the soup.*

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Apple Brown Betty

2008-05-23T04:28:00.001-05:00

Another simple apple recipe that the quality of the dish depends completely on the taste of the apple you pick. Tart apples cook up better; Winesap, Pink Ladies, Granny Smiths, etc. Find one you like. This is quick and easy, and it serves beautifully. Dish it up with a topping of whipped cream or a Scoop of ice cream.

APPLE BROWN BETTY

3 med. apples, cored and sliced
2 tbsp. raisins
1 tsp. cornstarch
Dash lemon juice
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. brown sugar

Topping:
4 tsp. coconut
4 tsp. butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. brown sugar
Dash nutmeg
2 tablespoons walnuts or pecans

Put apple and ingredients in a lightly oiled 8" X 8" Pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix topping ingredients together. Then put on top of baked apple mixture and bake another 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees.

Pears Poached in Wine

2008-05-21T14:59:00.003-05:00

This is a beautiful and easy dessert that will always be a hit. I always feel so decadent eating pears this way; it seems so classy. The beautiful taste of the ripe pears shines through, and it's ultra simple to make.

Pears Poached in Wine

4 firm, ripe pears with stems
2 cups sweet white wine
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
Candied Orange peel or Orange Peel

Using a melon baller or paring knife, cut cores out through the bottom of the pears, leaving the tops intact and leaving a stem on. Peel the pears. In a Dutch oven or a heavy saucepan, stand pears upright with space between them.

Pour the wine and orange juice over pears. Bring to boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pan and gently simmer the pears, basting occasionally with the wine liquid, until tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer them to stand in center of 4 dessert plates.

Add cinnamon stick and orange peel or candied orange peel to wine liquid in pot. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat; lower heat and simmer until the sauce is reduced, about 10 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the pears; garnish each with a piece of the cooked orange peel.

Tahini paste or sauce

2008-05-20T14:19:00.003-05:00

Tahini is used in many Middle Eastern dishes, and it's hard to find in the store. If you're making hummus, you're going to want some of this. I've got a secret for you. Tahini is nothing but a sesame seed paste made with olive oil. It takes about 3 minutes to make.

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup tepid water

Whirl the sesame seeds up in the food processor, and drizzle in the olive oil while it is still running. Add salt. Add water in a steady stream until it makes a paste.

That's it.

Easy Hummus Recipe

2008-05-20T14:04:00.002-05:00

Hummus is a dip made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Hummus actually means chickpea in Arabic. It's traditionally a Middle Eastern dish, but it's made in Greece, too. It's called hommos there. This recipe is not quite the traditional, but it's been altered to suit my tastes. And don't worry about not being able to find tahini; tahini is nothing but sesame seed paste, and I've got a recipe for that, too. If you don't want to bother making tahini, even though it's dead easy, you can buy some very inexpensively. Organic Tahini

2 cups Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
1 tomato, chopped, including juice
1 roasted pepper, red or green
2 tablespoons of tahini
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients together until they form a creamy paste. Put in a large serving bowl and serve with warm pitas, pita chips, or tortilla chips.

Applesauce Muffins

2008-05-13T06:02:00.004-05:00

I eat a lot of apples. A lot. And since I hate to throw anything away, I keep the cores and peelings in the freezer until I have enough, then cook them in water along with some cinnamon, pick out the seeds, and whirl it all up in the blender until it makes a nice applesauce to cook with. (I know, I know, it's ridiculously frugal. I can't help it.) Even if you don't feel a compulsion to use every single part of the apple, this a great applesauce muffin recipe. They're moist and firm-textured, and I usually make a batch and freeze half to use for a quick microwave breakfast later.

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg *see note below*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons oats (I prefer Rolled Oats for this, but you can use quick oats)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar, for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg, applesauce, vanilla. Stir all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add wet ingredients just until moistened. Add nuts, if using. Fill ungreased silicone muffin tin or greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes our clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool.

*Freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon tastes better than regular ground, and only takes a minute. This great Nutmeg Grater costs less than $3 and I use it often.*

Quick and Easy Drop Biscuits

2008-05-10T07:27:00.003-05:00

I love biscuits, but I don't love rolling out the dough and cutting them out before putting them in the pan, then re-rolling the leftover dough and doing it again. I've got a really great drop biscuit recipe, and as long as you don't mind if your biscuits are funny shapes, these are perfect. It's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3. Stir it up, put it in the oven, and about 15 minutes later, you're done. I use bread flour to make biscuits, but the other kind is find. I just find that the bread flour makes them come out lighter.

Drop Biscuits

2 c. sifted flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter or Crisco or (my favorite)Fleishcmann's Premium Blend Made with Olive Oil
Melted butter or substitute for tops of biscuits
3/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425.
In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter or substitute until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; stir until well blended. Drop from spoon on oiled baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter, lightly. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Quick and Easy Poached Salmon

2008-05-09T06:25:00.003-05:00

This is the simplest and quickest salmon recipe ever. I made this dinner when I got home from work, served it with a nice apple salsa on the side, with mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus. And it was on the table in 10 minutes. Got to love those ten minute meals.

Easy Poached Salmon

1 pound Salmon fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 or 4 slices of onion, thinly sliced
Several sprigs of fresh dill or1 teaspoon dried dill
Sprig of fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Black pepper, to taste

Saute onion lightly in olive oil in large skillet. Add wine, water and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Put in salmon, skin side down, and sprinkle with herbs. Cover pan tightly and cook for 5 minutes, until it's cooked the way you like it. Don't overcook, or it will be dry. Serve dusted with black pepper.

Easy, quick and delicious.

Apple Salsa

2008-05-08T05:48:00.004-05:00

This is a fresh, different salsa that makes a beautiful side dish at barbecues, or just as a side dish when you're bored of the same old salsa. It's sweet, tart, and spicy all at the same time, and I absolutely love it. Easy to make, and even better after it sits in the refrigerator overnight. A Granny Smith apple is great for this, or try Winesap or Pink Lady apples.

2 tart apples, cored and cubed
1 tomato, chopped
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or1 tablespoon dried
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon Candied Ginger, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, stir together apples and lime juice. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

If you just don't feel up to making salsa, this very nice Raspberry~Cilantro Salsais perfect to keep in the refrigerator ... just for those nights when you don't feel like cooking. It's sweet and spicy, and the perfect accent. It's one of my very favorites.

Navy (white) Bean Soup

2008-05-07T06:34:00.003-05:00

You can make this soup with any kind of bean, but I usually use Navy beans for it. If you want to cook this in the Crockpot, that's easy enough to do; just dump all the ingredients in the pot and cook on low for about 8 hours. Drop it in when you go to work, and when you come home, it will be done. You can add ham to this, but I usually don't. Add some cornbread, and it's a fine meal all on it's own.

Bean Soup
8 ounces (1/2 of 1 pound bag) Great Northern beans or Navy Beans
4 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach leaves or 1/2 cup frozen spinach
3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 can diced tomatoes
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped fine
1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a kettle, cover beans with water; bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 30 minutes. Drain beans. Combine beans, more water, and remaining ingredients in kettle. Cook on medium low until beans are tender and have made a 'gravy', approximately 2 to 3 hours. If it doesn't seem thick enough, take out about 1 cup cooked beans and mash them and return to the pot. This will make the soup thicker and creamier. I add the salt in at the beginning of cooking time, but some people do not add it until beans are already cooked, saying that it makes them tough. I have never seen this, but you may leave the salt until the end if you prefer.

White Bean Dip

2008-05-03T18:28:00.003-05:00

Beans are very nearly the perfect food. Pound for pound, they're the best protein buy for your dollar. They contain minerals and B vitamins, and they have no cholesterol, and no sodium. They're full of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

The American Dietetic Association recommends 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, but most Americans take in about 11 grams. That's a significant deficit. With nine grams of fiber per cup, beans can significantly improve the fiber content of your diet.

And they taste great, too.

I usually cook beans up ahead of time and keep some in the frig, but I've included the canned amount in case you want to save time.

This dip great is to serve at parties or just to keep around as a snack. Highly nutritious and very delicious, it takes about a minute to make. Serve it with pita chips (Parmesan & Herb are my favorite kind) or cut up vegetables. You can use fresh parsley in place of the spinach, but I prefer the spinach.

White Bean Dip

1 15 ounce white beans, drained and rinsed
or 1 3/4 cup white beans
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup fresh spinach, loosely packed
Salt
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon organic dried oregano

Place the beans, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, oregano, and spinach leaves in food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a bowl. Serve with pita chips or chopped vegetables.

Easy Basic Bread Recipe

2008-05-01T05:48:00.005-05:00

I never used to make bread. I love the taste, the texture, and the smell of new bread, but I always thought it too hard to do. I let other people do it, ate their offerings, and wished I could do the same. Then my grandmother wrote this recipe down for me, and I realized it's not as hard as it seems. It takes a while, but there's not as much work involved as you think. Your actual work time is only about 25 minutes; the rest of the time you are letting the dough rest or rise. I know that you think that you can't do this, but anybody who can cook a dinner can make a loaf of bread. And there is nothing more delicious than a slice of homemade bread, still warm from the oven. Try this out; you'll be surprised how easy it actually is.

I cup warm water (think baby bottle warm)
2 tablespoons Yeast (or two packages)
About 7 cups of Flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons olive oil
Melted Butter for brushing on top of bread

Put 1 cup of warm water plus one tablespoon sugar in a mixing bowl. Add two tablespoons of yeast, sprinkling it on top. Let sit for about five minutes, until the mixture is foamy and has increased in size.

Add three cups of flour, 1 cup of milk, dash of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of oil. I like to use olive oil. Stir 50 times clockwise, and then 50 times counter-clockwise.

Add another 3 to 4 cups of flour and mix until the dough forms a good ball. Turn dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and let it sit for ten minutes. Then knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes. (press down with your hands, folding dough over and over)

Let rise in a greased bowl for about an hour. It should double in size. Punch down the dough. Literally, punch your fist down in the very middle of the dough and deflate it. Divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place in Nonstick Loaf Pans . Let it rise again for 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. When you tap the top of the loaf, it should sound hollow. If it doesn't, cook it a little more.

Cool on a wire rack, or balance it on the edge of the two pans. Brush the top with melted butter. Don't cut it for at least 20 minutes, or the inside of the loaf will be doughy.

And that's it. Easy-peasy.

Fresh Fruit with Faux Marscarpone cheese

2008-04-30T07:11:00.005-05:00

I love marscarpone cheese, but I can't afford it. It's very expensive, and it's very hard to find where I live. I've come up with a reasonable substitute, and this fresh fruit recipe is great for breakfast or for dessert.

Fresh Fruit with Faux Mascarpone Cheese

8 oz package of cream cheese or neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup whipping cream
Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, etc. doesn't work
with apples, melon, or pears, in my opinion)
Honey, for drizzling

When the cream cheese is softened, beat with the whipping cream. Slice fruit and place in bowl, placing an Ice Cream Scoop (psst. Buy this one and help fight breast cancer) of the cheese on top. Drizzle with honey, to taste.

This is a great way to start your day, or a wonderful, light dessert.

Easy Quick Way to Peel Tomatoes

2008-04-30T06:40:00.002-05:00

I used to see those recipes that called for you to peel the tomato, and I'd wonder how I was supposed to do that. Ever tried to peel a tomato with a knife? Please. I fished out the skins as it was cooking.

Then I got smart.

This is so easy, and it takes a milli-second.

How to Peel a Tomato

Fill a 2 Quart Saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil.

Using tongs, drop a tomato in and leave for about 15 seconds.

Using tongs, transfer tomato to a bowl of ice water and leave for about 20 seconds.

Use a Paring Knife to make a small tear in the skin, and then peel it off. It will come off very easily. If it doesn't, drop in boiling water for another 5 seconds and repeat the process.

That's it. As easy as that.

Best Baked Beans Recipe

2008-04-30T05:46:00.003-05:00

I love baked beans. Love them. I've experimented with several different recipes, and I've finally come to find one that I like the best, and this is it. If you want to make them vegetarian, leave out the bacon. By the way, 10 cups of cooked beans is a 2 lb package cooked. This recipe is easy to cut in half if you don't want to eat baked beans until they are coming out of your ears, but I've given you the large recipe because it's good for picnics, BBQ's and celebrations.

Baked Beans

10 cups cooked navy beans or other white beans
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup black coffee
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bourbon
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tomato, peeled and chopped fine
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated or chopped fine
1/2 half green or red pepper, chopped fine
2 tablespoons Molasses
2 tablespoons dry mustard

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour it into a baking dish. Bake, uncovered, about 1 1/2 hours until they have thickened and cooked down, with a skin just beginning to form on the top of the beans.

Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

2008-04-26T08:55:00.004-05:00

This is a great recipe for a barbecue or for someone who is watching their weight, because it is made with small red skin potatoes. I used to use large potatoes for this and I used a lot more cheese, but I scaled it down and changed some of the ingredients around. It cuts the cooking time in half, which is perfect for me. (Who has an hour to cook potatoes?) I found that it tastes even better this way. The mashed carrots and roasted red pepper in this recipe add a complexity that it lacked before, and it is still a rich, satisfying comfort food. Try it for yourself at your next BBQ and see.

Twice Baked Red Skin Potatoes

12 small red skin potatoes
About 8 peeled baby carrots, cut in half *see note*
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped fine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 green onions, chopped fine

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut potatoes in half and toss with olive oil. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet and cook in oven for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam or cook carrots in saucepan in water on high heat until very soft. If boiling, this will take about 10 minutes.

When potatoes are done, put to the side for about 10 minutes to cool. Then scoop out flesh with melon baller, leaving a small amount of flesh clinging to the potato skin.

Mash together potato flesh, carrots, and red pepper. Stir in remaining ingredients. If it seems too thick, put more milk in, a tablespoon at a time. Put mixture back into potato skins, heaping it up in mounds.

Cook in oven for 15 more minutes.

Enjoy.

*You can use regular carrots for this--it's the equivalent of half of a carrot. Just peel it and cut it up into small chunks for quick cooking*

Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

2008-04-25T05:15:00.003-05:00

Do you love Sloppy Joes? Don't buy those expensive mixes and cans of pre-made sauce --- they're full of salt and preservatives and other things that aren't so good for you. This recipe for Sloppy Joes is fast, easy, and delicious. I made them last night for dinner, and fifteen minutes after I started, I was sitting at the table, eating my sandwich. Serve them on a whole grain bun with a salad, and you've even got a healthy meal. You can make this a vegetarian meal by substituting soy crumbles for the ground beef. If you do so, just dump the soy crumbles in at the end and heat them up, no extra cooking time required.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 red or green pepper, chopped fine or one roasted red pepper, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Brown ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain in the sink in a 3 qt Colander and run hot water over it for a minute to get rid of the grease, if you desire. Put onions in the pan over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until almost soft. Add pepper and garlic and cook two minutes more. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat all the way through. Add ground beef or soy crumbles and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Slicebuns in half and top with meat and sauce. Enjoy.

And here's a funny Adam Sandler lunch lady video for you about--you guessed it--Sloppy Joes.

Quick and Easy Fruit Pizza Recipe

2008-04-24T05:41:00.003-05:00

This is a great dessert recipe, quick and easy and delicious. You can use any fruit that you like, using seasonal fruits (which I like to do) or using canned fruit, like mandarin oranges. It's light yet satisfying. One thing I recommend; if you don't want your fruit pizza to be soggy, drain your fruit well in a colander in the sink. Of course, it tastes just as good soggy as it does crispy, and sometimes I like the juice all sopped into the crust. Great take-along dessert for parties, but it is a little hard to cut through the fruit. If I'm taking it somewhere, I usually cut the crust before I put on the fruit, then I decorate it. Much easier to serve this way.

Fruit Pizza

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened *see note on softening it quickly below*
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and mix until blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate large bowl, then stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Press dough down onto an ungreased pizza pan.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Spread on cooled crust.

Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill.

*Cream cheese can take a while to soften, and if you don't want to wait, remove it from the package and put it on a microwave-safe plate. Place in microwave and microwave on High for about 8 seconds. Turn over. Microwave 8 seconds more. You'll have to scrape it off the plate, but it will be soft.*

This is the best thing I have ever found to spread cream cheese with. I love this thing, and I don't know how I ever did without it. I used it to spread the cream cheese filling on this fruit pizza, by the way. You can't stain it if you try, and I've had everything from strawberries to tomato sauce all over it, and the blade is made from high carbon steel, so it's indestructible (says the woman who accidentally dropped it in the garbage disposal and then turned it on). You can click on the picture to find out more about it.

Honey Lime Glazed Salmon

2008-04-23T05:50:00.005-05:00

This is the easiest recipe in the world. Salmon cooks quickly, and you just pour this glaze in at the last, let it cook for a minute, and serve it up. The honey and the lime and the dijon mustard all combine together in a lip-smacking good recipe. If you're short on time, this is a great salmon recipe for you.

Honey Lime Glazed Salmon

1 lb. fresh salmon fillets
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 c. honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lime

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the salmon and saute until nearly done. Whisk together all remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When salmon is nearly done, pour honey mixture over it and cook for a couple more minutes, until the sauce thickens and forms a glaze. Serve at once, spooning a little glaze over the salmon. Serve with a slice of lime of lime on the side.

Quick and Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe

2008-04-22T10:22:00.004-05:00

This quick alternative to Chinese take-out takes about 10 minutes to cook, start to finish. It's a great meal for when you get home late from work, or just when you're pressed for time. You can use frozen vegetables for this, but it's not going to be nearly as good, and if you do use them, thaw in the microwave before using.

Beef and Broccoli

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
3/4 pound La Cense Beef, sliced against the grain 1/8 inch thick
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 - 3 cups broccoli florets
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
4 or 5 green onions, chopped, green as well as white parts
3 tablespoons Ohsawa Soy Sauce
1/3 cup water

Toss together cornstarch, salt, both types of pepper, and beef in a bowl until meat is coated. Alternatively, you can toss this in a sealed plastic bag.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok or heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir-fry beef until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate or bowl.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to wok along with broccoli, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry until broccoli is just tender, about 2 minutes. Add green onions, stir fry for about 1/2 minute more.

Add soy sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return meat to skillet and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. If sauce seems too thin, mix 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to the pan, stirring until it thickens.

Enjoy!

Tunisian Harissa Sauce

2008-04-21T05:56:00.003-05:00

Harissa is a North African condiment and is used a lot in cooking, especially in Tunisia. It is used as a table condiment, as an ingredient in tagines or stews, and to add flavor to couscous or salads.

If you want to use this as a dipping sauce for flatbread or pita, mix 2 tablespoons prepared harissa with 1/8 cup of lemon juice and 1/8 cup olive oil and stir. Alternatively, you could replace the lemon juice with 1/8 cup coconut milk, which makes a sweet counterpoint to the heat of the chilies. Delicious and spicy, it's a perfect sauce for fish.

1 cup hot dried red chile peppers
1 roasted red pepper
2 teaspoons Salt
10 cloves Garlic
2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or 1/4 cup
Olive Oil

Cover the dried chilies with boiling water in a small bowl and let sit for about an hour. Drain and place in blender or food processor with the salt, garlic, and roasted red pepper. Puree the mixture and add the lemon juice, a little at a time. Add additional lemon juice if necessary. Pack the sauce into a small jar and add a thin layer of olive oil to top, just enough to cover. Refrigerate. This will keep about two to three weeks in the refrigerator, and the taste improves after it sits a couple of days.

Chili Pepper Tile Coaster

Easy Linguine with Clams

2008-04-20T14:23:00.010-05:00

While on a recent trip to San Francisco, I had the best linguine with clams that I have ever eaten. It was so good that I begged for a recipe and was very surprised that it was such a quick, easy food to fix. Excellent taste, and if you serve it with a good Italian bread and Olive Oil, add a tossed spinach salad and a Cheesecake Assortmentfor dessert, you have a world class menu.

Linguine with Clams

1 pound linguine
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon crushed red chilies
1 pound fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed
2 cups dry white wine
4 Tablespoons butter
1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped

Bring six quarts of water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a large pan, sauté onion and garlic in two tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until onion is very soft, about 10 minutes. Add more olive oil if you need it. Add hot chilies, clams, white wine, and butter and bring to a boil. Cook until all clams have opened, and then set aside.

Boil linguine according to package instructions. Drain in colander over sink; toss with clams and stir gently to mix. It will be very juicy, but that's okay. Add chopped parsley, pour into warm serving bowl and serve.

Gingerbread with wheat germ.

2008-04-14T08:32:00.003-05:00

I love a warm piece of gingerbread with applesauce on top. I also love cooking with wheat germ; it adds a crunch and a nutty taste that's just perfect. This recipe combines both of those things, and it's a perfect breakfast food or a healthy afternoon snack. You don't have to serve it warm with applesauce, but I think it's better that way.

Gingerbread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 9' baking pan.

In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients; mix well. In medium bowl, combine milk, molasses, applesauce, oil and egg; mix well. Add to flour mixture, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into baking pan.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Serve warm with additional applesauce.

Quick Chicken Cacciatore

2008-04-10T06:38:00.002-05:00

This is a great, quick dinner that you can make in 20 minutes. Use pre-cooked, cubed chicken or you can saute your own. If you use your own, cut up the chicken while still a little frozen; it's easier that way. Cook it for about 10 minutes, until it's not pink. You can substitute any vegetable that you like in this recipe; be flexible.

Chicken Cacciatore

1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 pound chicken meat, cooked and cubed
1 can peeled tomatoes
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (I use broccoli stir fry)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Grated Parmesan to taste

In a large skillet, saute onion, garlic and bell pepper until soft. Add chicken, then stir in tomatoes, vegetables, and oregano.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve hot. Top with grated Parmesan and serve over noodles or rice if you prefer.

Easy Banana Bread

2008-04-01T05:11:00.003-05:00

This is an easy banana bread recipe with a moist, delicious banana taste. If you don't like the walnuts, you can leave them out. It's full of uncompromising banana taste, and a great way to get rid of those over-ripe bananas.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas. Add walnuts. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture just until moistened. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Quick Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

2008-03-29T07:14:00.002-05:00

This is a great meal when you're too tired to cook for long and you don't want to order take-out. Substitute tofu, pork, beef, or fish for the chicken if you wish. It's great either way.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Black pepper to taste
2 cups white or brown rice, cooked

Stir-fry onions with broccoli in olive oil. Add chicken along with the minced garlic and ginger. When almost done, add half cup of water, two tablespoons soy sauce and plenty of black pepper. Heat through and serve over the rice.

Fettucini with Sweet Pea Pesto

2008-03-28T04:57:00.003-05:00

Every year when it's time for the early peas to be ready, I make this sweet pea pesto. I serve it with fettucini, and sometimes I put a piece of grilled fish on top. It's lovely this way. A wonderful flavor. Even if you don't really like peas, you'll like this pesto.

Fettucini with Sweet Pea Pesto
7 ounces fettucini
About 2 cups fresh peas (you can use frozen, but it won't be nearly as good)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small chili pepper (I usually use a jalapeno for this, a small one)
Basil leaves from 1 small bunch
1/2 Lime
Salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
4 green onions

Place the peas in a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Drain in colander and refresh under cold running water. Cut the chili in half, remove the seeds with a teaspoon and finely chop. Put in a food processor with the oil. Add the basil leaves. Squeeze the 1/2 lime and put juice in the blender also. Blend until smooth. Add the peas to the blender along with all spices. Put the pea mixture into a bowl.

Finely chop the green onions and sun-dried tomatoes and fold into pesto. Season to taste and set aside.

Cook the fettucini in boiling salted water until al dente.

Serve the fettucini with the sweet pea pesto.

Give Peas a Chance

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Party Appetizer

2008-03-27T07:14:00.003-05:00

I love mushrooms, but nobody else at my house likes them, so I have to either make a small batch of these, or cook them for a party appetizer. If you have a food processor, you can put all the ingredients in and pulse for a minute to chop everything finely instead of manually.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound (about 24) large white mushrooms
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp dried
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 1 tsp dried
1/2 pound sausage
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and remove the stems. Place the mushroom caps on a shallow baking dish.

Cook the sausage, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. Drain oil from sausage (I usually just put it on a paper towel).

Mince the stems. Combine all the ingredients with the sausage in a small bowl and mix well.

Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Easy Caramel Sauce

2008-03-25T06:18:00.003-05:00

This is a quick, easy, and delicious caramel sauce. You always thought it was hard to make caramel, didn't you? It's not, but you have to be organized. Lay out all your ingredients by the stove where you're working, because if you delay with anything, the caramel will burn. Use a pan with high sides, because the sauce will bubble up when you add the butter and cream. And since melted sugar is twice as hot as boiling water, you don't want to get this stuff on you. I usually wear oven gloves while making it, so as not to get any splashes on my skin, but you can keep a dish of ice water close by to put your hands in if you get any splashes as an alternative. Make sure no pets or small children are underfoot. Delicious on ice cream.

Easy Caramel Sauce

1 cup of sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat sugar on medium high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2 or 3-quart saucepan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir slowly with a whisk.

As soon as all of the sugar has melted and the liquid sugar is amber in color, immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.

Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Whisk in the cream until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then pour into a glass jar and cool to room temperature. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Ice cream tile coaster or spoon holder

Apple Fritters with Espresso Caramel Whipped Cream

2008-03-24T08:10:00.009-05:00

Beautiful Apple Framed Tile
Apple fritters are easy to make, yet taste like you spent hours slaving away. Buy a firm, juicy, tart apple, and these will turn out well. They're deep-fried in hot oil, so they're not exactly calorie-free, but a treat now and then never hurt anyone. They're like a donot, only better. Your mix should look like a slightly thick pancake batter before you add the apples, so if it looks too thin, add more flour. You can serve them with or without the Espresso Caramel Cream. (Recipe directly beneath the one for apple fritters) Enjoy.

Apple Fritters

1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
2 apples, cored but not peeled, finely chopped

Preheat deep fryer or heat at least two inches of oil in a wide pan on stove on Medium High.

Mix all dry ingredients (except apples), then add beaten egg and enough milk to make a batter slightly thicker than a pancake batter. Adjust flour or add more milk as needed. Add chopped apples and drop by tablespoon into hot oil, turning over with long spatula or fork as it browns. It will be dark brown and an odd shape as it cooks, and it will puff up a lot. Drain on paper towels and top with espresso caramel cream.

Espresso Caramel Cream

1 cup whipped cream (you can use cool whip if you want, but whipped cream is better)
1/2 tsp espresso powder or 1 tsp instant coffee
1 tablespoon caramel

Fold together all ingredients. Cover and store in refrigerator until needed.

Honey Lime Glazed Ham

2008-03-22T06:58:00.004-05:00

This is a wonderful glaze that I adapted from a recipe my mother had (she used orange juice, but it was too sweet for me) and it's very simple and easy. I've got the recipe with a fully cooked boneless ham, but if you're cooking your own, just baste for the last 45 minutes of cooking time. It's great for Easter dinner; I cook this every year. Big favorite around my house, and it's stunningly simple, yet tastes great.

1 (8 pound) fully-cooked boneless ham
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a small bowl combine lime juice, honey, cinnamon and cloves; mix well.

Place ham on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast in a 325 degrees F. oven for 2 hours (15 minutes per pound), basting with the honey glaze during the last 45 minutes.
Quick, easy, and delicious.

Enjoy your holiday dinner!

Funny Chocolate Easter bunny t shirt

Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

2008-03-20T04:52:00.011-05:00

This maple soy glazed salmon has just the right amount of salty and sweet to complement the salmon. I usually do it on the grill outside, but this can just as easily be cooked under the broiler. If you're going to cook it inside, place the broiler pan in the second position down from the heat source and make sure it doesn't burn.

This salmon needs to stay in the marinade at least two hours ... but 4 is better, and if you make this up right before bed and stick it into the refrigerator, it makes a quick, easy dinner the next day. 15 minutes, tops, to fresh, delicious salmon. What could be better?

Maple Soy Glazed Salmon

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Season salmon fillets with garlic powder, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, water, and vegetable oil until syrup is mixed in. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours .
Preheat grill for medium heat.
Lightly oil grill. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

*********

If you need a green way to carry your groceries home, or just something to carry things around in, this three salmon tote by Ghost Dog Productions is perfect. Three salmon represent the circle of life. Plenty stylish.

Circle of Life Salmon Tote Bag

Moroccan Couscous

2008-03-19T05:16:00.004-05:00

Couscous is a wonderful, quick side dish that takes just minutes to prepare and adds a little Eastern flair to your cuisine. You can use the instant, which is totally easy. This particular variation is a Moroccan recipe, and it's a wonderful side dish for chicken or spicy sausage.

Moroccan couscous

1 cup orange or other juice
1 cup instant couscous
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup pitted dates, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter

Boil the juice and pour on top of couscous. Mix, cover, and set aside. Meanwhile, soak the dates and raisins in the hot water for 2 minutes. Saute the slivered almonds in the butter. Add raisins and dates to couscous (water and all), then add in almonds. Let sit a couple more minutes, covered. Fluff lightly with fork and serve.

Ten Minute Meals - Quesadillas

2008-03-18T04:54:00.002-05:00

When I want a no-fuss, nutritious meal with a little kick, I make quesadillas. You can put anything on a quesadilla (and I have). Chicken cubes, pork shreds, onions, peppers, mushrooms, squash, avocado, any kind of vegetable or meat at all. I usually keep tomatilla sauce and salsa around all the time and serve it with some on the side, along with sour cream or guacamole.

Flour tortillas
shredded cheese, either Monterey Jack or cheddar
chopped vegetables
chopped meat
olive oil for skillet

Preheat skillet to med - med high. Put about a teaspoon of oil in it and swirl around until the skillet is coated. Place a tortilla in, flip a couple of times, add a handful of grated cheese and the toppings of your choice. Top with a second tortilla, mash slightly together, and flip. Keep flipping until tortilla is browned to your satisfaction, and the cheese is melted.

Alternatively, you can assemble them and put them in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve with salsa or tomatilla sauce, sour cream or guacamole. Add a salad, and you have an entire meal.

Enjoy

Ten Minute Meals - Honeyed Chicken Salad

2008-03-17T04:40:00.005-05:00

I've come home from work many a night, exhausted, not wanting to cook, so I've come up with the ten minute meal. I can't abide terrible food, so it must taste good, and be quick. This Honeyed Chicken Salad is terrific on a whole grain roll, or to top a spinach salad. It's got a little zip to it -- the balsamic vinegar is a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetness of the honey.

Use leftover chicken breast for this, or buy and keep on hand cubed chicken. I add pecans, and grapes to this, but have been known to substitute chopped apples on occasion. Experiment. It's your recipe, do it the way you want to.

Try to use local honey if you can; if you have allergies, it's a good way to desensitize yourself to the local pollens. And by the way, babies under one year of age should never eat honey. Although honey is a natural, healthy food that cannot support bacterial life, it's important to note that it can carry C. botulinum spores which may be harmful to the undeveloped immune systems of infants.

Honeyed Chicken Salad

2 chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 rib celery, chopped very fine
2 tbsp. onion, chopped very fine
2 tbsp. chopped pecans
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 cup sliced seedless grapes
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Mix it well. It's even better the next day.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili

2008-03-09T20:52:00.003-05:00

This great meatless chili is wonderful for those cold winter days. Vary the vegetables, add different kinds of beans, make it without the soy crumbles. You can vary it many ways, and it still turns out great. Top it with some cheese and sour cream, or a tablespoon of salsa. Hearty, healthy meal that is done quickly. I've used canned beans in this recipe, but you can, of course, cook yours from scratch. Even better the second day.

Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green or red pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cans crushed tomatoes
salt to taste
1/2 cup salsa
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can refried beans
1 cup soy crumbles

Heat oil in large pot. Add onions, green pepper and garlic. Saute until onions are soft. Add the zucchini, squash, oregano, red pepper and chili powder and saute for another couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, salsa, and salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, lightly covered. Add all the beans and cook on low to medium for about 20 minutes to let all the flavors meld. Add soy crumbles and cook until heated all the way through. Serve with chopped onions, cilantro, cheddar cheese, or sour cream.

Roasted red pepper sauce

2008-02-28T06:36:00.004-06:00

This is absolutely the easiest sauce to make, and it tastes great on everything. I've served it on fish, chicken, pasta ... and even potatoes. I swirl it on the tops of soups along with a dollop of sour cream ... the uses are nearly endless. I use a lot of cayenne in this recipe; I like the juxtaposition of the sweetness of the peppers mixed with the burn of the cayenne. You use the amount that you want. If it doesn't seem like enough, add a little more until you get it just right.

If you want to roast your own peppers, just coat them with oil (if you use olive oil, it will smoke and burn, as olive oil has a lower smoke point than other oils), place them in a pan under the broiler and watch them until they get dark spots. Then turn them over with tongs and let them cook on the other side. Remove them from oven, put them in a bowl covered in a bag or plastic wrap (to loosen the skins), let cool (about 20 minutes), then pull the stem out. Then skin them; it should pull off fairly easily. You can use a knife to scrape out any seeds that didn't come out when you pulled the stem. Voila!

Of course, if you don't feel like going to the trouble, you can always used roasted red peppers in a jar. It's just as good and a lot faster.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 large red peppers, roasted and chopped, or 2 jars roasted red peppers, drained
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
Cayenne, to taste

In a blender blend together the bell pepper, the oil, the lemon juice, the vinegar, the cayenne, 1 tablespoon water, and salt and black pepper, to taste.

Enjoy! Fast, easy, and delicious.

Pecan Pralines

2008-01-29T06:55:00.000-06:00

This is the easiest pecan praline recipe ever. It's rich, creamy, and wonderful, and it's very simple to make. The recipe is very easy to halve, and if you don't want a whole house full of candy to tempt you, that's a good thing.

* 1 1/4 cups of sugar
* 3/4 cups of brown sugar
* 1/2 cup of milk
* 4 tablespoons frozen butter
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups pecans

Put sugars and milk in cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan, and cook to soft ball stage.*see note below* Take off burner and add frozen butter, vanilla and pecans. Beat with wooden spoon until shine leaves mixture. Drop by spoonfuls onto buttered dish or waxed paper.

*soft ball stage is when mixture is dropped into cold water, it can be formed into a soft ball and sticks together.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

2008-01-15T07:22:00.000-06:00

This is a hearty vegetable soup that can serve as a whole meal. Serve it with lots of crusty bread and a small salad. It's great for cool nights, and it's even better the next day with a sandwich. Kids will love it because of the cheese; adults will know it's good for you because of all the vegetables. You can experiment with the vegetables a bit if you want. I often use asparagus instead of broccoli, or cauliflower instead of potatoes.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup

* 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 1 cup potatoes, chopped (about two large)
* 1 cup diced carrots
* 1 cup fresh chopped broccoli
* 3 cups vegetable stock
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoon dried
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute the pepper and onions in butter until tender.
Add remaining vegetables, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer covered for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are
tender.
Combine flour and milk until smooth; stir into pan. Bring soup to a boil; cook
and stir for 2 minutes, or until soup thickens slightly. Mix in the parsley. Just
before serving, stir in the cheese until melted.

Apple Pie

2008-01-14T05:25:00.000-06:00

With good, fresh apples, an apple pie is simple. You don't want it too sweet or too spiced. I know a lot of people make it this way, but I want the taste of the apples to come through. The apples themselves will make a juice that thickens with the sugar in the recipe, so you don't have to do a thing but add the ingredients directly into the unbaked pie crust.

A good apple is crucial to a good pie. I've been hooked on Pink Lady apples lately. I'd never eaten them before, and found some in my local grocery. They're delicious to eat raw or cooked. Slightly tart and very crisp, the taste and texture is amazing. Use your favorite apple and make this recipe uniquely your own.

Apple Pie

6 cups thinly sliced apples
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Pastry for a double crust pie, either store bought or home-made

Combine sugar and cinnamon. You can lessen or raise the amount of sugar in this recipe based on the tartness of the apples you are using. Use an amount to your taste. Arrange apples in layers in pie shell. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and cinnamon. Dot top layer with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust.
Place on lowest rack in oven preheated to 450 degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

2008-01-10T07:13:00.000-06:00

It's strawberry season here in Florida again. And nothing beats fresh strawberries. Don't you just love 'em? I could eat them every day.

In addition to tasting delicious, strawberries are great for you: low in fat and calories, strawberries are naturally high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium and antioxidants. They're the perfect fruit.

The recipe below makes two pies, but you can easily cut it in half to make one. I use a graham cracker crust, but you can substitute a regular pie crust if you wish.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/2 cup water with one tablespoon lemon juice added
* 1/2 cup apple juice
* 4 pints strawberries, hulled
* 2 9-inch graham cracker crust pie shells

Cook sugar, cornstarch, apple juice, and water with lemon until thick; cool. If the sauce gets too thick upon standing, you can thin it with a little apple juice. Place whole berries in the pie shells. Pour sauce over berries and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping.

That's it. Eat and enjoy.

Low Calorie 'EggNog'

2007-12-03T04:32:00.000-06:00

It's not really eggnog, but it tastes like it, and it's a very low-cal version. Only 98 calories per serving, and that's a whole lot better than the whopping 400 that the regular kind has.

Enjoy.

Low Calorie Eggnog

5 cups light vanilla soy milk
1 sm package (4 serving) package instant sugarfree fat free vanilla pudding mix
6 no calorie sweetener packets
1 tsp imitation rum extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until mixed thoroughly. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow nog to thicken. Makes 5 servings.
Per serving: 98 calories and 1 gram fat

Corn and Red Pepper Soup

2007-11-19T05:22:00.000-06:00

This is a favorite soup of mine. The vegetables taste great together, and it's a thick soup that I serve with sour cream, chopped avocado, and finely chopped red pepper on top. Hearty yet elegant, it's a great soup, and it's easy to make. You don't have to puree it if you don't want to, but I like the creamy texture it gives the soup. As always, I have made it vegetarian, but you can use chicken broth if you prefer. I've also made it fairly thick, but you can thin it down with more milk if you like it thinner.

Corn and Red Pepper Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh or frozen corn kernels or 2 cans of corn, drained
1 large tomato, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups vegetable broth, canned or homemade
2 cups cream or milk (fat-free, if preferred)
Red pepper, to taste
Salt to taste
Sour cream, chopped avocado, and finely chopped red pepper, for topping.

Melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add corn, tomatoes, pepper, onion and garlic. Stir vegetables over medium-high heat until lightly caramelized. Add flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add broth, and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree in batches until smooth. Add milk to pan and reheat gently, never boiling. Season with red pepper and salt.

Serve soup topped with diced avocado, diced red pepper, and sour cream.

Welsh Tomato Rarebit

2007-11-18T14:03:00.001-06:00

This tasty cheese dish is perfect for a snack, or makes a great light dinner or lunch. Just add a green salad on the side, and maybe put some ham or bacon as a topper to the toast you serve it on. It's great for the chilly days and nights of fall, and it's a snap to make. This is a bit of a variation because I've added the tomato, but I like it better that way. You can leave it out if you want.

Welsh Rarebit

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tsp red pepper
2 eggs
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy Saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, then continue to cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Gradually stir in milk and simmer until thick, stirring the whole time. Remove from heat.

Stir the tomatoes into the sauce. Whisk together the mustard, pepper, worcestershire sauce, and eggs; stir into tomato mixture. Set the saucepan over very low heat or a double boiler.

Stir in the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese has melted.

Serve over whole grain toast.

Black Bean Soup

2007-11-15T07:21:00.000-06:00

This is a great, quick bean soup. You cut time by using canned black beans and refried beans, but don't add any extra salt. There's plenty in the canned beans. You can cut down on the salt content by using your own beans, or by rinsing the canned black beans.

This soup is wonderful on a cool night. I love soup, and this is one of my favorites. It's very filling and satisfying. I make a lot of my soups vegetarian, since I live with one, but you can always substitute chicken broth for the vegetable stock that I use, and you can add cubed ham if you want. It's good either way.

Black Bean Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups salsa
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a saucepan or large pot over medium heat. Add all but 1/4 cup of the salsa and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the refried beans, black beans, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with some of the remaining salsa and the sour cream and cilantro.

Butternut Squash Soup

2007-11-15T06:42:00.000-06:00

This is one of my most favorite soups. It's great in the fall, when butternut squash are in season. Mildly sweet, it's perfect for those cool nights (or even when it's still warm). I like it with lots of black pepper, as a counterpoint to the sweetness of the squash. It's a simple yet elegant recipe; you can't mess this one up, it's just too easy.

Butternut Squash Soup
4 leeks, rinsed and chopped *see note on how to clean and rinse a leek below*
1 butternut squash (2-3 pounds), cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup shelled raw pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
Black pepper, to taste

Place the leeks, squash, bay leaf, salt, and broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Puree the soup in batches and rewarm over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile,roughly chop pumpkin seeds and rosemary on a cutting board. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds and rosemary, stirring occasionally until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the seeds and rosemary. Sprinkle with black pepper, to taste.

*How to Clean and Rinse a Leek
Leeks are often very dirty in between the layers, especially if you buy them from a farmer's market. To clean them without making a huge mess, this is an easy way:
Cut off the dark green part of the leek, and peel one layer off the outside. Then slice the leek lengthwise, almost all the way to the root, but do not cut through it. Rinse the leek under cold running water to remove the dirt between layers. It won't fall apart because you haven't cut it all the way down, but you can separate the layers with your fingers as your rinse.

Roast Chicken or Turkey

2007-11-11T08:56:00.000-06:00

Perfect Roast Chicken or Turkey
One chicken or turkey, any size (if you have brined your fowl, no salt is required in the seasoning of your bird. If you salt it after brining, it will be too much)
Olive oil
Onion, quartered
Carrot, unpeeled, chopped roughly
2 or 3 garlic cloves, whole
Dried parsley or fresh, chopped roughly
Dried thyme or fresh, chopped roughly
Butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add thyme and parsley to room temperature butter and stir together.

Rub fowl with olive oil all over and place herbed butter under the skin, especially on breast area.

Season the cavity with herbed butter or just herbs, and stuff with onion, garlic and carrots.

Place breast side down in a large roasting pan. I know most people will tell you breast up, but this will result in a much juicier breast. The last twenty minutes of roasting you can turn it over to crisp up the breast skin. Alternatively, you can use one of those roasting bags, and there will be no turning required.

Roast for 20 minutes per pound, or until fowl is golden brown and tender and juices run clear.

That's it. It's that simple, and it's good.

Brining Chicken or Turkey Before Roasting for more flavorful, juicier meat

2007-11-11T08:37:00.000-06:00

Brining will provide juicier and more flavorful meat. Chickens or turkeys you buy in the store don't have the flavor those old barnyard chickens used to have, so brining is a perfect way to add in the flavor.

The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. The additional moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water, and will make the meat more moist and tender. Any spices, herbs, or other flavorings you add to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat along with the water.

The brining mixture and the chicken are placed in a large pot and stored in the refrigerator during the brining process, or alternatively, you can put it in a cooler and close the lid. Leave the chicken or turkey to soak for approximately one hour per pound. If your chicken or turkey is large and needs to soak a while and you're using the cooler, you can add ice periodically or use those blue ice thingies in the water. But I recommend using the pan in the refrigerator. Keep the fowl down in the water by weighting it with a brick or a plate or anything heavy in a freezer bag (or just turn it over once in a while).

Be sure to rinse well before cooking.

Perfect Brining Recipe

1 gallon water

3/4 cup kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar (only if grilling, frying, or broiling the chicken or turkey, not if you're roasting. See note below.)

3/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon each of dried tarragon, thyme, black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Start by boiling the water and then adding the salt and sugar, so that it will dissolve easier. Then add the spices to the hot liquid so that the flavors are extracted. Cool the brine solution.

**If you're going to broil, grill, or fry the turkey or chicken, you can add sugar in amounts equal to the salt. Sugar, in the brining solution, will add flavor to the chicken and will improve the natural caramelized flavor that occurs when the meat is grilled or fried. Don't use it if you're roasting, if the pan drippings are going to be used for making gravy, or if you're cooking any vegetables in with the fowl, adding sugar to the brining solution may result in gravy and vegetables that are too sweet.

Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2007-10-25T07:01:00.000-05:00

These are great served with the pot roast. If you don't love garlic, cut down on the amount you use. Never use an electric mixer to mash potatoes, it breaks down the gluten and makes them gluey. Mash with a fork, or use a hand masher. Lumps are good.

Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 medium head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon romano or parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Drizzle garlic with olive oil, then wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop. Stir in butter, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper.
Remove the garlic from the oven, and cut in half. Squeeze the softened cloves into the potatoes. Mash to desired consistency.

Pot Roast

2007-10-25T06:07:00.000-05:00

Pot roast is one of my favorite dinners. It takes longer to cook, because you have to melt that tough connective tissue, but you don't actually have to do much to it. Turn it to a low simmer, and let it cook away. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid, or your pot roast may turn out dry. If using a slow cooker, just brown the meat, then put it in the cooker. Serve with a spinach salad and garlic mashed potatoes, or add carrots and potatoes to the pot.

Pot Roast

3 to 4 lb of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup of red wine

Use a thick-bottomed covered pot, such as a dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast and vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat). Sprinkle and rub salt and pepper all over the meat. Brown roast in pot, all over, several minutes on each side. Don't move the roast while a side is browning, or it won't brown well.

When roast is browned, add garlic and chopped onion to the bottom of the pan. Let the roast sit on top of the onions. Add 1/2 cup of red wine. Cover. Bring to simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a low simmer when covered.

Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until meat is tender.

Cucumber Salad

2007-10-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

This is a simple cucumber salad, and it's great for when you have a surplus of cucumbers. Tasty.

Cucumber Salad
2 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1. In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix vinegar, salt, sugar, and oil until blended.
2. Add cucumber and toss to coat.

Corned Beef Hash

2007-10-09T06:24:00.000-05:00

Don't wrinkle your nose like that. This stuff is actually good. I like to shred the corned beef, not chop it, but you can chop it if you want. Use leftover baked potatoes from last night's dinner; if you don't have leftovers, nuke one in the microwave, poking it full of holes with a knife and turning it over halfway through the cooking time.

Corned Beef Hash

* 2 to 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
* 2 cups cooked corned beef
* 3 cups cooked, chopped potatoes
* 1/2 cup chopped onion

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add corned beef, potatoes, and minced onion; spread evenly in the skillet. Brown on one side; turn with a spatula and brown the other side. Continue turning until most of the meat and potatoes are well-browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with fried egg on top.

Jamaican Jerk Shrimp

2007-10-01T05:23:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite meals; it's quick, easy, and delicious. I love shrimp, and it's quick cooking and economical. If you don't want to fire up the grill for the five minutes, tops, that it takes to cook this, broil them in the oven. Careful, though; shrimp doesn't take long to get tough, and this requires only about a minute for each side.

1 dozen large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 large clove garlic, minced

Mix all spices together. Toss the shrimp in the bowl to coat well.

Then grill, 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, about 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other. You can thread them on skewers first if you want; it makes them easier to turn. Make sure you soak wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes before you do it, though, or you'll set your skewers on fire.

If you absolutely don't have the five minutes it takes to make this seasoning, you can buy a reasonable alternative. I've used this kind before, and it's pretty good.
Jamaica Jerk Salt Free Seasoning Blend 1 lb: C

Here's my apron for when I'm cooking shrimp:

Who ordered the Jumbo Shrimp?

Black Beans and Rice

2007-10-01T04:59:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite dishes. I serve it with chopped raw onions on the top, and lime wedges and avocado slices on the side. It's also great without the rice, and potatoes as a side dish. I roast them in the oven with olive oil and garlic. Great economical dish with wonderful taste.

Black Beans and Rice

Makes 7 Cups

* 1 lb. Dried Black Beans (3 cups)
* 8 cups Water
* 6 Cloves Garlic; Crushed
* 2 Tbs. Dried Oregano
* 1 Bay Leaf
* 2 tsp. Olive Oil
* 1 Large Onion; Chopped
* 1 Red Bell Pepper; Chopped
* 1 Tbs. Ground Cumin
* 1 Jalapeno Pepper; Seeded and Chopped
* 2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
* 1 tsp. Salt
* Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
* 2 cups Long-Grain White Rice

Soak beans in cold water overnight making sure all beans are covered by 2-inches of water.
Drain and rinse beans.
Place in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
Add 4 cups of water, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. cover and simmer until beans are tender, approximately 2-hours.
Remove bay leaf and discard.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally until softened for about 5-minutes.
Add cumin and jalapeno, cook, stirring until softened for approximately 1-minute more.
Stir onion mixture and vinegar into beans.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring remaining 4 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil.
Add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, approximately 15 to 20-minutes.
Serve the beans over the rice with lime wedges on the side of the serving dish.

Easy cupcake recipe

2007-09-27T04:44:00.000-05:00

Lots of cool Halloween t shirts right here

This is the easiest cupcake recipe ever, and it makes perfect cupcakes every time. After they're done, unleash your creativity and decorate at will. At Halloween, orange icing and I make spiders out of a piece of hard candy and licorice for legs. At Christmas, red icing with a piped Santa Claus hat . . . you get the picture.

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.

Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl again. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Decorate, eat, and enjoy.

French Toast

2007-09-26T07:56:00.000-05:00

This is an excellent, quick breakfast. I used day old or stale bread to make this, because this is exactly why this recipe was invented. French Toast

2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 slices of bread

In a shallow dish, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until well blended.

Heat an oiled skillet over medium heat until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water.

One slice at a time, dip bread in egg mixture on each side.

Place bread in hot pan, cook on both sides about 4 minutes or until golden brown, and no visible liquid egg remains.

Serve immediately. Syrup, fresh fruit slices, and powdered sugar sprinkled on top are especially good. I love this with strawberries.

Eggplant parmesan

2007-09-24T08:21:00.000-05:00

This is a great eggplant parmesan recipe for when you're in a hurry. You cook the eggplant in the microwave, and it doesn't take nearly as long, plus, you don't fry them, so you cut out a lot of calories. It's still good, and it takes a lot less time to prepare. Quick, easy, and delicious.
Ingredients:
1 lg. eggplant (1 1/2-1 3/4 lb.)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
2 c. spaghetti sauce
1 1/2-2 c. (6-8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Pierce skin of eggplant several times. Place on paper towel in microwave at high 6-7 minutes. Roll over 2 times. Let cool. Cut into 1/2 inch slices. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. In 8 inch square dish, alternate layers of spaghetti sauce, eggplant, breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese, with the last topping being the sauce and cheese. Cook in 350 oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Breakfast Sandwich

2007-09-21T07:04:00.000-05:00

This wonderful grilled cheese and bacon sandwich has a lovely twist, and it's perfect for breakfast. You can leave out the walnuts if you like; often I add thin tomato slices or spinach leaves. Quick and easy, it tastes like you slaved over the stove.

Breakfast Grilled Cheese

3 large eggs,beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
8 thick slices egg bread
12 slices cheddar cheese
1/2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
4 slices of cooked bacon

1. In a shallow dish, combine the eggs and milk; mix well.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet or griddle over low heat.
3. Dip 1 side of bread in the egg mixture, making sure it does not soak through to the other side. Place the bread slices coated side down in the skillet. Top each with 3 slices of cheese, walnuts and a sprinkle of bacon.
4. Place remaining 4 slices of bread coated side up over the cheese and bacon bits. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden and the cheese is melted.

Pulled Pork with Mustard BBQ sauce

2007-09-03T09:16:00.000-05:00

Cook a pork shoulder or pork roast in slow cooker on Low or smoker until internal temperature reaches 190 (or it falls off the bone). Let rest and cool for approx 1/2 hour, then pull apart and cook with mustard sauce to taste on low for another 30 minutes.

Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw, either on the side or on the bun. Excellent.
Mustard Sauce

* 1 cup prepared yellow or any other type mustard
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon cayenne

Mix all ingredients together and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. Cool and store in refrigerator until pork is done.

Chocolate chip cookies

2007-08-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

I was in the mood for cookies today, and there is absolutely nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. Add nuts if you desire; coconut is great, too. Be creative; make 'em with chocolate caramel chips, or butterscotch, or add dried fruit. You can't ruin these cookies, and you can't find a better chocolate chip cookie recipe. If you need a chocolate fix, there is no comparison.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated [white] sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-ounce package) Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Garlic Lentils (Lehsuni Daal )

2007-08-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

Lentils are very nutritious, filling, cook quickly, and are arguably the most flavorful of all the legumes. We've been eating them since prehistoric times, and as they're high in protein, they're often a staple of vegetarian meals.

And they're cheap.

This is an Indian dish, and it's very spicy. It makes a great dinner on a cold night, but I can eat it anytime, even in the summer. I love lentils. If you can't do without the meat, add some cubed ham or italian sausage.

Quick, easy, delicious, and economical. You can't get a better recipe than that.

Garlic Lentils (Lehsuni Daal)

* 1 cup lentils
* 3 cups water
* 2 tbsps olive oil
* Salt to taste
* 1 onion,finely chopped
* 1 tomato, finely chopped
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 1/2 tsp red pepper
* 3 tbsps butter
* 3 dried chilies, chopped
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 8-10 cloves of garlic

* Mix the lentils, water, olive oil, turmeric powder, red pepper, salt to taste, onion and tomato in a deep pan and boil till the lentils are very soft. Depending on if you're using fresh or dried lentils, it can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.
* In another small pan, heat the butter and add the cumin seeds; they'll pop and sizzle.
* When they stop sizzling add the garlic and chilies and sautee until the garlic is lightly browned.
* Add spice mixture to the lentils and stir well.
* Serve with rice.

Baked eggs with roasted vegetables

2007-08-19T07:02:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite brunch or breakfast recipes. It only takes about 20 minutes to cook, and it tastes great and seems as if you've spent a long time slaving over the stove. You can substitute skim milk for whole; there's not a huge taste difference. I usually use the skim, actually. I sometimes roast a tomato and some green pepper along with the mushrooms and potato, so feel free to add any kind of vegetable you want. Just remember, cut them small (1/4 inch pieces). You can also throw some bacon or ham pieces in there with the veggies when you serve it if you want. Get everything prepared in pans before you start cooking. Everything goes into the oven at the same time, and you only need to stir the vegetables once or twice, midway through cooking time. Eat with a nice whole grain toast, and it makes a perfect breakfast.

Baked eggs with roasted vegetables

Butter for greasing dish
10 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 and 1/2 cups any type cheese, coarsely grated
10 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped (1/4-inch pieces)
1 large potato peeled and coarsely chopped (1/4-inch pieces)
2 - 3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish (about 2 inches deep).

Whisk together eggs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth, then whisk in cheese. Pour into baking dish. Bake in upper third of oven until puffed, golden, and set, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together mushrooms, potato, green onion, olive oil, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow baking pan. Spread vegetables in an even layer, then roast in lower third of oven while eggs are baking, stirring twice after 10 minutes, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve eggs with roasted vegetables spooned on top.

Lemon Pepper Salmon

2007-08-18T06:45:00.001-05:00

This is a quick and easy salmon recipe to make for dinner. The spinach in this recipe is really just for flavor (and iron), but you can add more to make it a regular serving size for everyone. If you want to, throw in some sauteed onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. Tasty and delicious.
Lemon Pepper Salmon

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 salmon steaks
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 cup chopped fresh tomato
* 1 cup spinach leaves
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 cup uncooked couscous

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Put salmon in the skillet and sprinkle lemon pepper and salt. Add garlic and sautee about half a minute. Pour 1/4 cup water around salmon. Place tomato and spinach in the skillet. Cover and cook 15 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.
2. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a pot. Remove from heat, and mix in couscous. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Serve the cooked salmon over couscous, and cover with tomato spinach sauce.

***********

If you need a green way to carry your groceries home, or just something to carry things around in, this three salmon tote by Ghost Dog Productions is perfect. Three salmon represent the circle of life. Plenty stylish.

Breakfast Burrito

2007-08-14T06:47:00.000-05:00

This is the quickest, easiest breakfast ever. Takes about 10 minutes, tops, and it tastes great. Substitute ham or sausage for bacon; add avocado or beans. Make them vegetarian by leaving off the meat. It's all good. Nutritious and delicious.

Breakfast Burrito

6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
chopped onion, green pepper, tomato (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices cooked bacon
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
salsa

Beat eggs with milk. Heat oil in skillet. Cook eggs over low heat until set, stirring occasionally. When eggs are still wet, remove skillet from heat, 'cause they're done now, and you don't want them to be too dry.
Spoon about 1/4 cup eggs down the center of each tortilla. Add bacon slice and optional toppings. Spoon a little salsa on top. Roll up tightly and eat.

White Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

2007-08-13T13:09:00.000-05:00

This is a great salad to make for lunch, and it's particularly good this time of year because of the abundance of cherry tomatoes. They're sweet and tasty, and go perfectly with the light rosemary and parsley dressing. If you don't have cherry tomatoes, use very ripe tomatoes cut into small pieces, making sure to add the tomato juice to the mixture. It makes it better.

White Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

Fruit pancakes

2007-08-13T07:41:00.000-05:00

I often make these pancakes with whatever fresh fruit is available. Peaches, strawberries, blueberries . . . I've even made them with blackberries. It's a great recipe, not too sweet, just sweet enough. We had pancakes at least once a week growing up, and I don't eat them that often now, but it's nice when I do. Quick, easy breakfast. Enjoy.

Fruit Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cup any type fruit, chopped
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg,beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix. Add fruit and mix lightly. The batter will have lumps in it; don't worry about them.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.Pancakes are ready to flip over when bubbles form all over top of pancake and then burst.
Top with fresh sliced fruit and enjoy.

Habanero Lime Shrimp

2007-08-12T12:56:00.000-05:00

I found this design, and I have it on an apron. Love that bright orange habanero pepper. You can look if you want, right here

This is one of my favorite recipes for dinner. It's quick, easy, and delicious. If you prefer to use a different chili, feel free. I love the ultra hot habanero, but this is easily adaptable to jalapeno, the Scotch bonnet, or even a plain old garden variety red or green pepper.

The habanero chili is one of the most intensely spicy chili peppers. Unripe habaneros are green, but the color at maturity varies. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Hot and tasty.

Habanero Lime Shrimp

4 Cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 habanero chile, fresh or dried, stem and seeds removed
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped
1 Pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 - 2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste

Directions:

If using dried chilies, soak in hot water for 25 minutes or until they become soft. Saute the garlic and chile in olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute or so more. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink. Add the lime juice, simmer for two minutes and serve over rice.

Habanero pepper design that says I like it hot, click here

Ham and Gruyere Panini

2007-08-12T12:07:00.003-05:00

A panini is a sandwich made on a grill. I have a regular panini grill, but it can be any kind of grill. Panini is also a brand of grill made specifically for grilling these sandwiches.

This sandwich can be made with any kind of cheese. Gruyere is a rich and smooth type of Swiss cheese that is delicious with ham. I make these on the panini grill listed below, and they're great. Be creative; you can mix and match ingredients for these sandwiches, but I love the ham and cheese. I prefer prosciutto, but deli ham works just as well.

Ham and Gruyere Panini

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices Ciabatta bread, sourdough bread, or any whole grain bread
4 (1/4" thick) slices deli smoked ham
4 slices Gruyere or any other type of cheese
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips, drained
1/2 cup spinach leaves
fresh tomato slices
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
Sprinkle of dried or fresh basil

In small bowl combine mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Spread on one side of each piece of bread. Assemble sandwiches with the coated bread, Gruyere cheese, ham, the red pepper strips, tomato, and spinach.

Butter the outside of the sandwiches, or brush with olive oil. I like it with the olive oil, and then I like to sprinkle it with a little dried or fresh chopped basil right before I grill it. Mmm.

Grill sandwiches on indoor grill or panini grill or griddle until toasted and crisp. Serves 4

Banana Walnut Steel Cut Oatmeal

2007-08-12T11:25:00.002-05:00

Steel Cut Oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces. They are golden in color and resemble rice pieces.

Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats, Scotch oats, or Irish oats.

In comparison, the other main variety, rolled oats, are flake oats that have been steamed, rolled, re-steamed and toasted.

Because the steel-cut oats have less processing, they may be more nutritious than the more popular rolled oats.Steel-cut oats are also nuttier and retain a chewier texture than rolled oats.Like most whole grains, steel-cut oats take much longer to cook than pre-processed oats. You can use rolled oats to make this recipe, just adjust the cooking time and the amount of water. Cook rolled oats according to the package directions, then put the mashed banana, walnuts, vanilla, and salt in at the end. I prefer the steel cut oats, liking the nuttier taste and texture, but it's a matter of opinion, of course. I also like to use Caramelized Walnuts (Nueces Acarameladas)
in this recipe, because they are crisp, honey-sweet, and very flavorful, but you can use the regular ones if you prefer.

This doesn't take as long as it seems; you don't have to stand over the oats for the first 30 minutes. Put it on, drink your coffee; really, the only cooking time is the last 5 minutes. It's rich and nutritious and one of my favorite breakfasts.

Banana Walnut Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
4 ¼ cups water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Handful of walnuts
1/2 cup mashed overripe bananas
Butter and brown sugar, for serving

Combine oats and water in medium saucepan and bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Cook 30 minutes. Add the salt, vanilla, walnuts, and mashed banana, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat when the oatmeal has reached the consistency that you like (thinner or thicker); 5 minutes should yield an oatmeal of medium thickness. If you like yours very thick, continue cooking for an extra five minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Top with butter and brown sugar. Enjoy. Serves 4.