Chicken Creole

Hi.  This recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and has tons of flavor!  I personally use dried spices, but have been slowly buying some fresh or packaged fresh that is packaged in state.  

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray as needed

• 4 medium chicken breast halves, skinned, boned, and cut into 1" strips*

• 1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, cut up**

• 1 cup low-sodium chili sauce

• 1-1/2 cups green peppers, chopped (1 large)

• 1/2 cup celery, chopped

• 1/4 cup onion, chopped

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.Spray a deep skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat. 

2.Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce heat. 

3.Add tomatoes and their juice, low-sodium chili sauce, green pepper, celery, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 

4.Serve over hot cooked rice.

Hamburger Hash

First, I want to say I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY NEW SALAD SPINNER!!  I am just trying to think of things to cut up with my spinner!  Let me know if you have any!  Tonight, I made a very simple Hamburger Hash.

Hamburger Hash

1 lb ground beef 93% lean
4 potatoes, made into hash browns with salad spinner
3 Tbsp. finely sliced onions
3 Tbsp. tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef, with sliced onions.  Brown hash browns.  Mix these together when ground beef is cooked through.  Add tomato sauce and season to taste.

So simple, but so much flavor!

Grilled Cheese and Bacon Mini Meat Loaves

1	lb extra-lean (at least 90%) ground beef
1/4	cup bread crumbs
3	tablespoons ketchup
1	teaspoon onion salt
1/2	teaspoon pepper
1	egg
1/2	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
4	slices center-cut bacon (about 3 1/2 oz), cut crosswise in half 1. Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking. 2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix all ingredients except bacon. On work surface, pat mixture into 7-inch square. Cut into 4 (3 1/2-inch) squares. Top each square with 2 half-slices bacon; attach with toothpicks. 3. Carefully spray grill rack with cooking spray. Place patties on unheated side of two-burner gas grill or over drip pan on charcoal grill (medium heat). (If using one-burner gas grill, cook over low heat.) Cover grill; cook 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly pink in center. 4. Using spatula, turn patties over. Cover grill; cook 5 to 8 minutes longer or until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160°F and bacon is crisp. Remove toothpicks before serving.

Here is a great recipe for the kids from www.bettycrocker.com with just a few of my own revisions.

Rabbit-Out-of-the-Hat Salad

8	lettuce leaves
8	peeled pear halves
16	raisins
8	red berries
16	sliced almonds
1	cup cottage cheese

1.	Place 1 lettuce leaf on each salad plate. Place 1 pear half, cut side down, on each lettuce leaf.
2.	Arrange 2 raisins for eyes, 1 berry for nose and 2 almonds for ears on narrow end of each pear half to make rabbit face.
3.	Place 2 tablespoons cottage cheese at opposite end of each pear half for tail.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 100 (Calories from Fat 20 ); Total Fat 2 g (Saturated Fat 1 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium110 mg; Total Carbohydrate 17 g (Dietary Fiber 1 g); Protein 4 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2 %;Vitamin C 2 %; Calcium 2 %; Iron 2 % Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat 

Watermelon Salsa

Here is a great salsa (salad) to go with fish or chicken.  You would be surprised how good this is.  

Watermelon Salsa

(Serves 16 – ¼ cup each)

• 2 cups chopped watermelon
• 2 kiwifruits, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 cup diced strawberries
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• Juice of one lime
• Salt, to taste

(I also suggest grapes)

Combine all ingredients and serve as a side for fish or chicken, etc, or a side salad.  

Nutrition Facts per serving: 20 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 0 g protein, 30% vitamin C.

BBQ Sauce

This recipe is what my grandma used to use to glaze her ham balls.  I absolutely loved the flavor, so I have taken the BBQ sauce on to other things, like grilling.  So try this as a glaze for your grilling.  It is super easy and fast.  And most of all~delicious!

Mix the following ingredients:
2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

Stir until smooth.  Cover your meat with the mixture before cooking/grilling.

Mashed Potato Salad

Here is a great salad for 4th of July!!


1-1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 5 small potatoes), scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
1-1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 5 small potatoes), peeled, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup finely-diced red onion
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
Salt and pepper to taste


Place red and gold potato chunks in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.


Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Add mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream, red onion, pickle relish, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir with a large spoon, lightly smashing potatoes, but leaving large chunks.


Serve mashed potato salad hot or at room temperature.

Homemade Salami

You ever get tired of spending so much money on lunchmeat and you aren't even sure what is in it?  I worry about this a lot lately, so found this recipe below:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 2 tablespoons curing salt
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard seed, curing salt, black pepper and liquid smoke. Mix in the red pepper flakes if desired. Roll the mixture into a 2 inch diameter log, and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 325* F. Make a few slits in the bottom of the roll to allow the fat to drain when cooking. Place roll onto a broiler pan, and fill the bottom part of the pan with about 1 inch of water to keep the salami moist.
3. Bake for 90 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from pan and cool completely before unwrapping the salami. Slice and eat as lunchmeat, or serve on a tray with crackers and cheese.

Strawberries with Vanilla Syrup

1 lb strawberries (cut in half for large ones)
1 cup water
1 cup Splenda
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 strips lemon zest (or 2 Tbsp lemon juice)
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed

Place strawberries in a heatproof bowl.  Combine water, Splenda, vanilla, lemon and peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute.  Pour syrup over strawberries.  Let stand until cool, about 15 minutes.

From Martha Stewart

My new salad spinner!

Making my life easier and funner!!

Waldorf Salad

Here is my recipe for this weekend

Waldorf Salad ~ modernized ~

Waldorf salad actually dates back to 1896 when made at the New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  There are a gazillion variations.  I remember having this at parties and stuff as a kid.  Then it resurfaced as a dish I could make for Barry to get his fruits and walnuts (omega-3) in.  So here is my latest version.

• 2-3 apples, chopped in small pieces
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup grapes, sliced in half
• 3 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 cup yogurt (plain or your choice flavored)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Chop the apples in a bowl.  Pour the lemon juice over and toss.  Add the celery.  Cover these with your yogurt and cinnamon.  Add your sliced grapes and stir.  Put your walnuts in a ziploc bag and smash into small pieces.  Add to the salad and stir.  Refrigerate.

This is one of those picnic salads or church salads.  And some people add chopped chicken or tuna in for the whole meal!!

Waldorf Salad

Scary Subway News!

I just read this article, which is quite the blow for me because this is my go-to fast food!  Here is a copy with the link to the article. 

Subway Sandwich: Lettuce, Tomato, High-Fructose Corn Syrup?

When it comes to fast food, Subway is supposed to be the healthy choice – we all feel a little bit angelic when we skip high-fat burgers and fries in favor of a six-inch sub loaded with veggies and lean meats. And while the sandwiches are a better bet when it comes to calories and fat, Subway has a hidden dark side: The "healthy" 9-grain bread is a nutritional wasteland packed with high-fructose corn syrup.


David Zinczenko, author of the "Eat This, Not That" series, exposes the truth in his series The Truth About Your Food. While the bread does technically have nine grains, he says that you might as well choose white. Eight of those nine grains are basically trace amounts, listed at the bottom of the ingredient list under "contains 2% or less." The number one ingredient is regular white flour.
"Essentially this is a white-wheat hybrid with trace amounts of other whole grains like oats, barley, and rye," says Zinczenko.
As for that high-fructose corn syrup, well, there's more of it than any of the grains. With the requisite soda on the side, you're talking about a major corn-syrup overload.
But what about the brown color of the bread? It's not from grains: Zinczenko reveals that it actually comes courtesy of a compound called ammonium sulfate. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it's a commonly used plant fertilizer. It helps the bread achieve that golden hue by nourishing the yeast. Whether it's good for the human body is up for debate.
So what's a sandwich lover to do? Zinczenko says there isn't a better bread choice at the chain, so consumers should consider an alternative that's worked for generations: Make your sandwiches at home.

As for that high-fructose corn syrup, well, there's more of it than any of the grains. With the requisite soda on the side, you're talking about a major corn-syrup overload.
But what about the brown color of the bread? It's not from grains: Zinczenko reveals that it actually comes courtesy of a compound called ammonium sulfate. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it's a commonly used plant fertilizer. It helps the bread achieve that golden hue by nourishing the yeast. Whether it's good for the human body is up for debate.
So what's a sandwich lover to do? Zinczenko says there isn't a better bread choice at the chain, so consumers should consider an alternative that's worked for generations: Make your sandwiches at home.




http://www.slashfood.com/2010/06/22/subway-sandwich-lettuce-tomato-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

Old Family Recipe Refreshed ~~Nanny Salad~~

Tonight, to add to our supper of hamburgers and fried potatoes, I made an old recipe that my grandmother used to make~~Nanny Salad.

I couldn't remember exactly how to make it, so decided to make it a little modern with my own twists.  It turned out absolutely delicious!  I know everyone would think this is the weirdest salad, but don't knock it until you try it!!  I ate almost the whole bowl myself!

Nanny Salad (Banana Salad)

Cut up iceberg lettuce (I did use half small pack of precut lettuce salad, which had shredded carrots, etc)

1 Banana

1 container Strawberry Banana low fat yogurt

1 small box yogurt covered raisins

Then mix to cover the ingredients with the yogurt.  

Seriously, so yummy!  I was really impressed with my creation!

Farmer's Market

Today I went to the Farmer's Market for the first time.  There wasn't much to it, about 8-10 vendors, mostly carrying vegetables, a few with jams, breads and desserts, some eggs, and that kind of thing.  I got some onions, sweet onions, and cauliflower.  I also got a couple bundles of what is a cross between turnips and radishes.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them, but I wanted to try something new.  My favorite purchase was a bottle of wine from Stone Cliff Winery in Dubuque Iowa.  It was a good, sweet wine that I can save for a special occasion.  I would really like to go visit the winery at some point.  And find a better farmer's market in the meantime.

Response From Green Giant

Hi.  Here is my reply from General Mills, which has the label Green Giant:

Dear Mrs. Dalgliesh:
Thank you for contacting General Mills regarding Green Giant fresh aspapagus.
General Mills does source some ingredients and packaging from outside the U.S. General Mills has strong internal requirements and programs to ensure that all of its imported ingredients and products are obtained from safe and reliable sources.
In addition, where country-of-origin labeling requirement exists, General Mills fully complies with all applicable laws by placing the required label on the back of the package, along with other pertinent consumer information.
The health and well-being of our consumers is our highest priority. General Mills’ own internal sourcing programs and safeguards, in combination with existing laws and requirements, ensure the safety of our products. Please be assured that your comments have been shared with the appropriate individuals.
We appreciate your interest and hope you will continue to choose our products.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Garrett
 
Boy, they have a cookie cutter response, don't they!  Well I believe we can produce enough food in our own country that I don't need to buy foods from other countries to survive.  So that is my decision, whether they think it is justified or not to do it.

Failed Raspberry Sauce

Hi.  Well I tried a new thing tonight.  I have always heard of the great health benefits from raspberries, blueberries, etc, like the Ellagic acid and other antioxidants that help prevent damage to cells by slowing down free radicals.  There has been a lot of talk about this in my circle of some people I talk to, since Barry's cancer.  Raspberries themselves are said to help inhibit cancerous cell proliferation in animals diagnosed with cancer after just three weeks of the respberry rich diet. 

So I had bought a pack of fresh raspberries.  I tried to make a sauce to go over our pork chops.  To make this, I blended the pack of raspberries (about 2 cups), 2 Tbsp. splenda, and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice.  It didn't get me past the fact that I don't really care for them.  The seeds were too big in it also.  I don't have a strainer to sieve the raspberries, so this is on my list to buy for this venture.  Barry likes raspberries and thought it tasted fine, but the seeds did need to be taken out.  So maybe another day for raspberries for me. 

The pork chops were delicious.  I also made carmelized onions and peppers.  The grocery store sells the already cut up onions and peppers for grilling.  It was too hot to grill, so I just put them in the pan with some water over medium low heat and let them simmer until the onions carmelized.  That's it, super easy! 

Then we had mini corn on the cob from Schwan's.  The package does state it is a product of USA.  The only ingredient is corn.  Their website states "Products designated as LiveSmart have less fat, lower amounts of sodium, fewer calories and no trans fat.  Our ingredients are picked at the height of freshness and then flash frozen locking in nutrients, taste and quality.  Each product is manufactured to exceed the highest food safety standards."  I do have a message into them to see where exactly they produce their fruits and vegetables and how they ensure the production free of pesticides and dangerous fertilizers.  I would like to know for use of their products during the winter months when I can't find fresh fruits and vegetables and I don't have them available any other way.  I'm anxious to see if I hear back. If I do, I will post the response.

Pickled Asparagus

Hi.  My plan was to buy some asparagus and pickle it, like everyone has been talking about.  But everyone said theirs is gone and done.  So I wanted to find a roadside truck.  Nothing.  Finally resolved to at least buy some at the grocery store to at least try this out.  I get to the store for that and some Grapefruit.  The asparagus is bunched together real pretty and looks all fresh.  Then it is banded with a tag from Green Giant.  There are some cooking directions and then, there, bigger than life the statement, "PRODUCT OF MEXICO".  I have to say I'm EXTREMELY disappointed that to get FRESH vegetables in the fresh produce section, I have to buy something from Mexico!  Isn't there plenty of Asparagus in our own area that they can grow and harvest???  It grows in ditches for God's sake!!  Is it cheaper~~~better~~~I can't see how it can be fresher???  Well this is why I am on this venture~to find healthy foods and fast ways to cook that healthier food.  And there will be snags along the way that I will find a way to get around.  In the meantime, I pulled up www.greengiantfresh.com (ironic to me) to see what they posted about this.  Their asparagus has four areas it comes from:  California, Peru, Chili or Mexico!!  Wow!!  So as soon as I get done with this post, I will be shooting off an email to them to tell them how disappointed I am.

So I will continue my quest later this week, hopefully Wednesday at the farmer's market.  Or another grocery store.  Who knows.

Here is the recipe I found and plan to try anyway (for reasons of simplicity and the list of ingredients being more natural than other recipes~I have no idea if it will be any better than any others):

Pickled Asparagus
adapted from Putting Up by Stephen Palmer Dowdney

4 pounds asparagus, trimmed to fit your pint jars and blanched in boiling water for approximately 10 seconds

3 cups vinegar (half apple cider vinegar, half white vinegar)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons Penzeys pickling spice
1 tablespoon red hot chili flakes
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 slices of lemon

3 pint jars (if you use the taller, 12 ounce jelly jars, you don’t have to cut your asparagus quite as short and you’ll probably fill four jars. I didn’t have any, so I didn’t use them).

Sterilize your jars. Put the lemon slice in the bottom and pack the trimmed and blanched asparagus into the jars (it’s up to you to determine whether you want to go tips up or down). Tuck a garlic clove down into the asparagus spears.

Bring the vinegar, water and spices to a boil. Pour into jars on top of asparagus, leaving at least 1/2 inch of head space.

Put lids and rings on the jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (you can skip this step if you plan on just putting your pickles in the fridge).

Wait at least 24 hours before eating, to give the asparagus spears a chance to get sufficiently pickly.

Too Hot to Cook!!

Hi.  Tonight, it was too hot to cook!  I didn't plan well enough for us to be able to grill out.  So I made this great, very fast meal, in less than 1/2 hour.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. 93% ground beef
1/2 pint homemade canned salsa
2 tsp. Splenda
4 Tbsp. Ketchup (would have used canned tomato sauce if I had some, but had to substitute)

Brown the ground beef in the microwave, cooking 4 minutes at a time and crumbling as you go.  Cook by the minute towards it getting cooked through so you don't overcook.  When done, add the other ingredients while it is still hot and stir.

Then we also had my microwave potatoes that I posted earlier.

For our fruit and dessert, all in one:

Baked Apples

2 apples, peeled and cut into slices
sprinkle with splenda and cinnamon

Warm in microwave for 1 minute

My family told me over and over how good supper was!!
No heat in the kitchen and it was all ready in 1/2 hour!

Natural (Almost Free) Stain Remover

Hi. Sadly, this comes to mind as I am cleaning up lunch from the carpet.  We no longer buy carpet spot cleaner.  We mix our own, and it is so simple, and cheap, and it works wonders!!

In a quart size spray bottle

Add:

1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup Dawn dish soap

Fill the rest with water, and shake to mix together.

Wala!!!