Cooking Matters

Quick Marmalade Curried Chicken

2012-01-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

I found this delicious, go-back-for-seconds recipe for a quick chicken entree on the back of a box of Pioneer Brand Buttermilk Biscuit and Baking Mix. My modifications are in italics. It is unbelievably good!

1 cup Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup ground flax seed
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange marmalade (50/50 mix of apricot and pineapple preserves)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix Baking Mix and pepper (and flax seed). Dip chicken in buttermilk, then in dry mixture. Heat oil in skillet. Brown chicken. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cover. Simmer 20 min. until tender. Uncover, simmer 5 more min.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 min.

sorry there's no photo yet. It gets eaten too quickly!

Blue Key

2011-09-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

I just found out about this wonderful organization that helps ostracized people, refugees in the world. Perhaps you felt that way once. Were homeless, isolated, treated unfairly, treated violently. I've had minor episodes with threats of violence but was never seriously hurt and never displaced. I can only imagine the psychological and emotional upheaval...

Right now, more than 43 million refugees are displaced by war, violence or persecution. That’s nearly the combined populations of New York and Texas. At UNHCR, more than 6,000 staffers around the world help open doors for refugees worldwide and have been doing so since 1951.

Won't you join me by getting your own Blue Key? It's only $5. You’ll tell them you support their life-saving work, and stand in solidarity with the other citizens, celebrities and world leaders who do so. http://thebluekey.org/

Soaked

2011-07-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

I tried a new healthy PC recipe last night. The name is boring but the dish delighted us enough that it was on both my husband's and my minds first thing when we woke up. I'd call that a winner...

Harvest Pasta Skillet. It's a one pot dish where the multi-grain pasta cooks in a pumpkin (canned) & wine laced broth. Quick and easy, just the way I like 'em. Send me your email and I'll send you the recipe!

It calls for white mushrooms but all I had in the house was dried shitake which I soaked in boiling water for 3 minutes, saving its broth to add to the skillet later. It always amazes me how quickly something hard and dried can become soft and supple again, just as the Spirit softens us in every way when we take a few moments to soak our souls in God's purifying graces.

Next time someone tells you to go soak yourself, don't take offense. Remember the mushroom and give yourself a few moments with the Master Chef. We're so much better softer. May I remember this next time I get irritated!

So, What's for Dinner? Four generations of Italians speak with their recipes

2011-05-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

I'm not Italian but I love how they cook, I love to eat in Italy, (what's not to like about pasta and gravy?),and I've got a wonderful Italian son-in-law.

My friend Cathy Russo goes a little further and has just published her cookbook of Italian recipes from her family for over 75 years.

"Have you ever wondered 'So, What Do I Keep in my Pantry?' If so, you’ll find the answer in my cookbook along with helpful Tips and Hints. Did you know that when baking pasta, if you reduce the time you boil the pasta by half, it will finish cooking in the oven and you won’t be stuck with mushy pasta?

"One night you may choose Steak Pizzaiola served with Rice Balls and Broccolini with Ginger. Another night you may want Fried Pork Cutlets served with Grandma’s Veggies and Orzo with Garlic & Spinach. If you prefer chicken try Grandma’s Chicken with Peas & Rice served with Ciambotta."

Check out more of the recipes you can find in her book at her website, www.cathylrusso.com
Get ready to smack your lips and catch your drool!

Pizza on the Grill, pa-leeze!

2011-05-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have a new love: grilled pizza! I had my doubts... decades of knowledge of how pizza crisps on stones in the oven was hard to overcome. After procrastinating through one box of grape tomatoes, I finally dove in with a small package of Martha White pizza dough mix (I'll make my own from now on, it was nothing special), halved grape tomatoes and kalamata olives, a little olive oil, pressed garlic, red wine vinegar, and ground black pepper tossed lightly in a bowl.

The crust slid on the grill with ease of a little cornmeal and a fun new metal paddle from TPC. Grill covered for 5 minutes or so, flip and top with tomato/olive mixture, cover with fresh Parm and Mozz and 5 minutes later, you're biting into a crusty pizza you've sprinkled with fresh basil from the garden.

It doesn't get much better than that on a warm May night with the mullets jumping and a glass of wine on a moonless night and soft jazz playing in the background. Ahh...

Vegetable Panini

2011-01-10T16:54:00.000-08:00

Just made great veggie panini sandwiches at a Ft. Walton Beach show with a great group of TGI Friday's servers. You can get the recipe from PC's website, or request it from me. So yummy and good for you!

Cooking Lessons for Life

2011-01-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

Good decisions in the kitchen can lead to good decisions in life. Let's examine the basics one you'd encounter in a Cooking 101 class.

1. Plan ahead.
What are you going to eat? What do you want to eat?
What are you going to do? What do you want to earn?
Know your recipes. Know your numbers.

2. Shop.
Find the ingredients you need.
Look for opportunities, future business relationships to foster, store (as in your business pantry for staples).

3. Stock the pantry.
Buy and have on hand staples to build future meals/life.
Freeze (shelve) what you don't need immediately.
Save leftovers to build sauces/stock/future business.

4. Prepare
Prep several recipe steps when you have moments of time (e.g. veggies, meat marinade, pre-bake crusts, pre-measure ingredients - store in prep bowls)
Thaw that which is frozen (meat, mind.
Check ahead of time that you have all ingredients.
Bake ahead (e.g. pies day before holiday.
Pray ahead.

5. Delegate
Teamwork is important. Jesus had disciples! Do the part you love or need to do, delegate rest (sweeping floor, setting table, buying groceries, unloading dishwasher, chopping salad, mail, bills, customer communication newsletters).
A harried cook is not a happy cook.

6. Cook
Home cooking is one foundation of a strong family and healthy body.
Sometimes love and faith are a successful kitchen's most important ingredients.
Get your timing right. Know when to cook low and slow (caramelized onions, long-term investments, responses to anger); when to cook hot and fast (seared tuna, blanched vegetables, business opportunities, new leads); when to leave things alone (souffle, retirement monies); and when to stir constantly (risotto, customers, acquiring knowledge and skills).

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate-Earl Grey Pound Cake

2010-12-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

The first time I made this, Liz said she dreamed about it! Guess it's a repeater. I recommend you double the sauce, or increase by half again. It went quickly!

Source: page torn from magazine that does not note its name on each page. Note to self: put your name on everything!

Chocolate-Earl Grey Pound Cake

4 Earl Grey tea bags
1/3 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Sauce
Garnish: Big cherries

Place tea bags in a glass measuring cup; pour 1/3 cup boiling water over tea bags. Let steep about 8 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags; cool tea completely. (I had 1/4 cup tea left at this point after pressing tea bags.)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa, and set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Set aside.

Stir together milk and tea. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool cake completely on a wire rack. Dust cake with powdered sugar, and serve with Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

Makes 1 9-inch cake.

Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Sauce

3/4 cup whipping cream
3 Earl Grey tea bags
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Cook whipping cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat just until hot (not boiling), stirring often. Remove from heat. Add tea bags, cover, and steep 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Add chocolate and corn syrup, stirring until chocolate melts. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

2010-11-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2010-11-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

After years of cooling Thanksgiving dinners, I can't tell you how great it is watching my daughter bake up a storm!

Impressive Pan Fried Feta with Red Pepper Salsa

2010-11-06T15:50:00.001-07:00

I made this impressive appetizer recipe for a crowd last night and if I hadn't grabbed the first bite to make sure it was seasoned properly, I wouldn't never have gotten any! This recipe always goes like hotcakes,it's that good. I'll email it to you if you request a copy...

It's healthy, easy, delicious and fast. A jar of roasted red peppers is chopped and cooked down with some olive oil, garlic, a secret Greek rub, and parsley. The feta cheese is sliced horizontally, dredged in flour, tapped off, and pan fried 3 minutes in a little olive oil. Garnish with pine nuts and sliced kalamatta olives. very yummy!

Now, I'm off to make the Sweet Potato Cake (see Dec. 09 post for recipe) substituting pumpkin for sweet potato. Gonna be another yummy night!

Happy cooking!

The Business of Making Bread

2010-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

There are very few things as delicious as fresh baked bread from the oven.

I'm reading Tom Barrett's Dare to Dream and Work to Win (www.daretodream.net) which is about making a different kind of bread, but the parallels are worth commentary.

From Chapter 2 SUCCESS: IT'S NO ACCIDENT

Dr. Barrett is amazed that we can remember our checklist when leaving the house, but forget our dreams, the one big thing that puts our day in perspective.

Ever wonder why some people do well in network marketing and for others, it just doesn't pan out? The answers for Barrett lie in attitudes, beliefs, insights, skills of each individual and FOUR INGREDIENTS for success he suggests you MEMORIZE.

The Four Ingredients for Success

WARNING: these don't look very exciting. Don't be fooled by looks.

1. Determine what you want.
2. Decide what you are willing to reschedule or give up in order to get what you want.
3. Associate with people who will help you get what you want.
4. Have a plan that works; work your plan.

Sound eerily like some of Jack Canfield's chapters from The Success Principles? It's because these are the foundation for all success.
Hello!

Ingredients for bread aren't very exciting either... flour, water, yeast, sugar. BORING! But I go a long way for good bread... Boring ingredients don't mean the end result isn't worth waiting for!

I love how he says that there are always times when we experience being tired, frustrated and filled with doubt. Those are the times we are acutely aware of how hard the work seems and how much easier it would be to just quit. We ask ourselves "Why am I doing this?" in such moments. It's best to have our why written down and nearby to read, remember and keep our focus in such moments. Perhaps that's why there's an entire TEAM in the birthing room. When it gets too hard for the mother and she says she's quitting, someone helps her stay focused and gets us all born!

The first difficult lesson Barrett reveals is full of truth and wisdom. Pay attention because it's hard to swallow but good for you. Many people have literally spent their lives being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it and are disoriented and overwhelmed at the thought of living by internal motivation. Some realize they need more self-discipline and goal setting; others never face it when they get into direct sales or network marketing.

Most of us share our business out of genuine enthusiasm and love. We want this to work for others, too. And here is the first difficult lesson to learn: You cannot want this business for people more than they want it for themselves. You have honored them with your invitation, but until they envision it themselves, Dr. Barrett says "you are wasting your time." Tough words, but true. Ouch. That's why it's a tough lesson. Surely we can change them somehow, we think, get them to see what we see. That's how we linger with them, dragging them along like dead weight, hoping they'll start creating their own momentum. "Move on," Dr. Barrett coaches. Wait for them to be motivated to take responsibility for their own dreams, and then you can support and teach them...

One has to wait for yeast to rise and do its leavening work. You cannot rush it along. Warm the water too much and you kill it instantly. It must do its own work or you're left with unleavened bread, flat, sometimes dense, but still usable for some things. Mix the bread ingredients, then cover and let rise. Each has to do its part.

Countless people will express interest in our business. Every wonder why they never sign up? It's not the price of the kit, Barrett says, so much as the price of the effort. They love the idea of having extra income and gag on the effort required. They'll have some regrets when they see you successfully moving forward in your life and they're still in the same ol' spot. But they'll just conclude that you got lucky. Barrett says it will never occur to them that you actually worked your business. Duh!

A clear dream does two things for us, says Dr. Barrett: it gives us perspective and perseverance! A fresh-baked loaf of bread gives us two things: sustenance and hope for more at the next meal!

Dreams, like the first rising of yeast bread, can be full of holes. That's why we punch down the dough and make it rise again. Each rising produces a finer grain bread. Let us not begrudge those who try to punch holes in our dreams. Rise again, and the effort will produce an even finer dream.

"If you don't have a dream, and if you have no real desire to see your life circumstances change,
then don't bother getting involved with network marketing.
This is a business only for those fortunate people who still have a dream."
Dr. Tom Barrett

Yummy Broccoli Salad

2010-08-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

Broccoli Salad

In a 2 quart bowl, whisk together
1 cup mayo, (I use Miracle Whip Fat Free)
2 Tablespoons (up to 1/4 cup) sugar
2 T vinegar (red wine or fig-infused are my preferences)

Peel and chop up 1 bunch (usually 3 stalks) broccoli into small bite-size pieces, cutting peeled stems into water chestnut-like disks. Add to dressing and toss.
Also add:
2/3 -1 cup raisins, cranberries or dried cherries (or combo)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
10 strips of crisp bacon, crumbled (optional)

Toss ingredients with 1 cup sunflower seeds or 1/4 cup slivered, toasted almonds.

Tea vs. Coffee

2010-07-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

Tea's good for you,
but coffee's easier.

I rarely get as much tea to drink as coffee drinkers...
I usually have to ask for a new bag and more hot water.

Drinking tea can bruise a delicate ego. While waitresses circle endlessly with coffee pots, I have to flag one down to ask for more tea.

Tea brews at the table, not near wait staff's stations like coffee. It requires the tea drinker's attention so as not to overbrew it.

I get coffee poured into my tea-with-milk. Color isn't the best indicator of what someone or something is.

There is a gentleness among many teas that cannot be said of coffee in general.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning is hard to beat for sensory awareness and delight.

There is refinement and elegance in drinking tea, not that you cannot have a refined cup of coffee served elegantly in fine restaurants. There is no such thing as High Coffee in the afternoon, however, and tea with the Queen is a singular event.

Coffee has its sounds of grinding and percolating. On the other hand, there's something heart-racing about a whistle. My father whistled for us children to come to dinner. It's a clear invitation for attention, action and waiting. The whistle of a tea kettle demands your attention here and now. It teaches you to be in the present moment.

Neither tea nor coffee seem to escape the spills and drips when poured, although I've met way too many steel restaurant tea pots whose lid doesn't sit properly and whose lip drools, drips or gushes hot brewed tea witlessly over the table.

Coffee brews and waits for you - also a lovely attribute - but it grows bitter the longer you make it wait until you carafe it. Tea grows bitter, too, if brewed too long. The only risk of ignoring its whistle, however, is an empty tea kettle.

There is an art to everything. The art of refined serving and enjoying tea, especially in America, shall seep and grow. Tea drinkers unite!

Black Pepper Beef with Green Beans recipe

2010-07-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

I just made this and it was DELISH! A Cantonese favorite, not so much hot and spicy as deeply flavorful, tender and easy. I have used peas, sugar snap and snow peas as substitutes for the green beans.
Source: Helen Chen's Easy Chinese Stir-fries.

3/4-1 lb. flank steak, trimmed
1 lb. green beans, ends snapped off and strings removed
2 T dark soy sauce or soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1 T Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp sugar
2 tsps coarsely ground black pepper
3 T canola oil
1/4 cup water
2 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
1 medium onion, sliced

1. Snap green beans into halves or thirds
2. Slice steak with the grain into 2-inch-wide strips. Then slice the strips across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3. Whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, wine, sugar and black pepper in medium bowl. Add beef and mix well.
4. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in stir-fry pan over high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Test by dipping a spatula in beef mixture and then into the oil; it should sizzle. Add green beans and stir 1 minute. Add water and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender-crisp, 6-9 min. Transfer beans and liquid to shallow dish. (when using peas, I skipped this step and simply microwaved them)
5. Add remaining oil to pan and increase heat to high. Add ginger and stir until oil is hot and ginger sizzles. Add onion and stir constantly 1 minute. Stir beef mixture and add to pan. Cook, stirring until beef is not longer pink, about 2 minutes.
6. Return beans and liquid to pan and stir until mixed well and heated thoroughly, about 30 seconds. Discard ginger. Serves 4.

Add a splash of a certain sauce from a certain company that contains Ginger and Wasabi, or Thai peanut sauce for some extra kick.

per serving: 300 calories, 17 g fat, 35 mg chol., 23 g protein, 14g carbs, 5g fiber, 500 mg sodium

Enjoy!

Dining For Women

2010-07-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't discovered this organization yet, it's stimulating giving circles with a vision for eradicating world poverty by donating small amounts of funds internationally to women's and children's groups striving for self sufficiency. I love learning about each new group each month.

Check out the article in their NEWS section titled Two New Marketing Companies Who Support DFW to find me there. Help your cooking and third world women simultaneously!

Cooking on High

2010-06-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

I wonder if there's a corollary between Type A personalities and cooking food on high to med-high? I know most recipes tell me to cook on medium heat, but it always seems so sloooooow. I do make exceptions for such wonderful delights as a basic white sauce or caramelized onions, but I seem wired to get 'er done sooner rather than later.

Does this happen to you?

Perhaps I just need to start with a glass of wine, like Julia Child. Which reminds me, there's a lovely new Malbec I just opened...

spaghetti

2010-04-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

Quick tip for covering whipped cream pies, cakes, desserts without making a mess with the Saran wrap: use several pieces of spaghetti or linguiini to stand up in the whipped cream. They'll keep the Saran Wrap at a safe distance and won't sink like toothpicks in the cream!

Snap

2010-04-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Dropped 14 lbs. so far on a Nutrisystem see-if-it-works-trial. Needed a crunch today and dug into fresh sugar snap peas.

Whisk what?

2010-02-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

I'm making chocolate chip cookies today - the best from Cook's Illustrated. Anyway, just wanted to make sure you all knew to jab your whisk into your flour bin or bag and stir it around to aerate your flour before lightly spooning it into your measuring cup(s) for things you're baking... Think of how packed down that flour is from trucks bumping/packing it down on their drive to the store, the store staff dumping them hard on the shelf, you thumking it down into your shopping cart and car trunk, etc.

Be kind to your flour and let it breathe a little. It's jammed in the way we jam ourselves into tight jeans. It'll feel soooo good getting a little release from your whisk! Your baking will improve in quality too!

Garlic Smashed Potatoes in the Microwave

2010-01-21T16:35:00.000-08:00

You can make delicious garlic smashed potatoes like the restaurants serve in a 2 quart glass mixing bowl (contact me to order one if you don't have one. They're a workhorse in the kitchen.). Slice washed potatoes (peeled or not, doesn't matter) up to the 4 cup line. Add 1/2 stick of butter or margarine, 1/4 cup milk or soy milk, and 2 garlic cloves. Put the lid on tight and microwave 12-14 minutes, then mash.

Delish!

Molasses Horseradish

2010-01-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you find the most amazing things at the grocery store by trying something different. I was curious about all the sauces standing so prettily on the shelf one day and picked a Molasses Horseradish on an impulse buy. It's wonderful on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise, or half and half!

Today after a good 90 minute workout of doubles and singles tennis, and a good hot shower, I sliced open a sesame seed covered loaf of french bread and made a satisfying turkey & swiss sandwich with lettuce and sweet pickle. I forgot to toss in the flax meal so I'll have to sprinkle it in the veggie soup my friend Ginnie made for me, or on the sushi I've got waiting for my Friday appetizer.

Gonna be a good weekend. Rain on Saturday means a long, luxurious snuggle in bed tomorrow with an amazing book I'm reading: Richard Rohr's The Naked Now.

Handling Fresh Herbs

2010-01-09T19:49:00.001-08:00

Quick Tips:

1. Rinse herbs and dry them well before choppong. This helps prevent them from together, so they can be dispersed throughout the recipe.

2. To snip fresh herbs, snip with kitchen shears.

3. Handle fresh cilantro or parsley like a bouquet of flowers. Cut off the ends and stand up in a container of fresh water. Store in refrigerator covered loosely. Change water every other day and they'll last up to two weeks.

4. Basil is handled differently. Cut off stems and soak basil in water for a few minutes. Wrap in a damp towel. Place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

Fish Minestrone with Herb Sauce

2010-01-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

My daughter and son-in-law made this for Christmas Eve. It's a fresh, clean taste and easy! It was served without the herb sauce as the first of seven courses.

Prep: 25 Serves 4-6

2 T olive oil
2 leeks (white only) thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 zucchini,trimmed and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup turnip greens or escarole
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 to 6 (6 oz.) fish fillets (e.g. snapper, cod, perch)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Warm olive oil in large pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks, carrots, zucchini, escarole. Stir to combine and cook til tender, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer about 5 minutes. Season fish fillets with Salt and pepper; add to simmering soup. Simmer until fish is cooked, about 7 minutes depending on thickness of fish.

Herb Sauce:

2 cups fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

While fish cooks, combine herbs, garlic and vinegar. Add olive oil in steady stream while whisking (or add herbs to food processor and add oil in steady stream while machine is running. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of the herb sauce. Serve immediately.

Cooks Tip:
Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs: General rule: substitute three times the amount fo fresh herbs for a dried herb. For example: one tablespoon of snipped fresh parsley = 1 teaspoon of dried

If using dried, after measuring, crush dry herbs between your palms to rejuvenate them and bring out their flavor.

It's Freezing! Time for Soup!

2010-01-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

I played a tennis match today with a wind chill of 20 degrees! I have given myself the Polar Bear award for the month! :-)

Did you know January is SOUP month?! (Who decides these things?) I had a delicious bowl of tomato soup for lunch and will be making soup all weekend. Here's a few of my favs.

What could be better than a steaming hot bowl of goodness right from your kitchen?

Enchilada Soup

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 pound 95% lean ground beef
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup masa harina (instant corn masa mix) or all-purpose flour
2 cans (10 ounces each) enchilada sauce
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Grated Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions:
Using Easy Read Measuring Cups, measure broth and water; set aside. In (4-qt.) Dutch oven, cook beef over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles. Add bell pepper and garlic to Dutch oven; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add masa harina, enchilada sauce, beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer.
Add zucchini to soup; simmer, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
Yield: 8 servings (about 10 cups)

Nutrients per serving: (about 11/4 cups): Calories 130, Total Fat 3.5 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 10 g, Sodium 680 mg, Fiber 3 g

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
Soup
4 large onions
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Croutons
8 1-inch-thick French bread slices
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. For soup, slice onions using Ultimate Slice & Grate fitted with v-shaped thick slicing blade. Melt butter over medium heat in Dutch (6-qt.) Oven; add onions and sugar. Cook and stir 15-18 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are tender and golden brown. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually add beef broth; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
For croutons, place bread slices on Classic Round Stone; bake 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Grate cheese using Ultimate Slice & Grate fitted with grating blade. Turn bread slices over; sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking 5-8 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and melted.
Ladle soup into bowls; top with croutons.
Yield: 8 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 230, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 11 g, Sodium 550 mg, Fiber 2 g

Hearty Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 can (11.5 ounces) condensed bean with bacon soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
Salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
Heat oil in Generation II Small Covered Saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot. Cook and stir until onion is transparent, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in zucchini, soup, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls using Nylon Ladle.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 170, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol less than 5 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 7 g, Sodium 750 mg, Fiber 7 g

Serving Soup -- Safely!

What could be simpler than supping on a big, steaming bowl of soup. A hearty soup -- made with veggies and meat, poultry, fish or dried beans -- can be the main dish for your meal. Add some crackers or breadsticks on the side and perhaps fruit for dessert and you're ready to eat!

Make a large batch of soup and enjoy some for another meal. Many soups, with the possible exception of seafood soups, may taste better the next day! For best safety and quality, plan to eat refrigerated soup within TWO days. And avoid letting soup set at room temperature for more than TWO hours.

Don't put a large pot of hot soup directly into your refrigerator. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it would take an 8-inch stock pot of steaming chicken soup 24 HOURS to cool to a safe temperature in your refrigerator. To be safe:

• To speed cooling, transfer soup to shallow containers, making sure soup is no more than TWO inches deep. Refrigerate promptly. You can place loosely covered foods in the refrigerator while still warm; cover when food is completely cooled.

• When serving soup a second time, reheat it until it's steaming hot throughout, at least 165 F.

Sweet Potato Cake and Notes

2009-12-07T17:57:00.001-08:00

Sweet Potato Cake

½ cup pecans, lightly chopped
½ cup brown sugar
1 box French vanilla cake mix
3 large eggs (beaten)
1- 29oz. can Sweet Potato Pie Filling

Preheat oven 350.
Grease 13 x 9 or Bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans and brown sugar in pan and set aside. (for bundt pan, use ¼ cup pecans, ¼ cup brown sugar)

In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and Sweet Potato Pie Filling
Spoon over pecans and sugar. Bake for 65 minutes.

-----------------
If you don't have a can of Sweet Potato Pie Filling, microwave 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, add 3-4 Tablespoons butter to the warm potatoes, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg and a pinch of allspice (optional). Blend in one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 tsp salt.

Microwave Sweet Potatoes: For best results, choose uniform size sweet potatoes. Pierce washed sweet potatoes with a fork. Place on paper towel on shelf of microwave oven 1 inch apart. Turn sweet potatoes over and rearrange after half of cooking time. Cook on HIGH power level. Cooking time will vary, depending on the number of sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes / Minutes
1 / 4 to 6
2 / 6 to 8
3 / 8 to 12
4 / 12 to 16
5 / 16 to 20

Sweet potatoes may still feel firm when done. Let stand 5 minutes to soften.

NOTE: Sweet potatoes should be kept in dry storage. DO NOT REFRIGERATE, because temperatures below 55 degrees F. will chill this tropical vegetable giving it a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked.

Strawberry Pizza

2009-12-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

Here's one of my favorite desserts I was telling a few of you about... I dare you to eat just one slice!

Strawberry Pizza

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Blend and spread dough on baking stone or baking sheet to 1/4 inch thickness. Bake at 325 15 min. til golden browned.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla

Beat together. Spread on cooled crust.

1 cup mashed strawberries
4 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
½ tsp red food coloring

Combine this "pizza sauce", cook over medium heat til thick. Cool. Spread over cheese mixture.

Slice fresh strawberries. Arrange on top. Cover and refrigerate until time to serve.

Gratitude Principles

2009-12-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

12-4-09

My father taught me how to make crepes, only he called them "French pancakes." I was in my twenties before I realized what I had been making every Saturday morning.

My father's birthday was 2 days ago. I sang him Happy Birthday this year on August 28th, his day of birth into eternal life. Grief work continues. Love never ends. Cor. 13 I am grateful for his unconditional love, his unbiased teaching in all things, his goofy sense of humor, his strength as an unapologetic maverick and visionary, his frugality and practicality, his deep love of family and making memories.

With both my parents now living their eternal lives with My Father in heaven, my heart feels both softer and stronger. The glow from the fire of their love will warm me all the days of my life. All relationships have taken on a new meaning.

Cooking still matters a great deal to me, now more than ever, filled with wonderful memories from two parents who loved to cook and my pampered buddies as well. Last night was a mid-week feast for no reason other than I was dying to try a potato-leek gratin recipe I cut out from Better Homes & Gardens (love that magazine!) They graced a maple-glazed spiral-cut ham, with side dishes of green beans with caramelized onions and mushrooms, cinnamon applesauce and Sister Schubert rolls, followed by warm just-out-of-the-oven chocolate cake. Frosted the latter while it was still warm (not hot) and we all agreed it's now the only way we'll eat chocolate cake! :-)

We lit the Advent Wreath before eating and said many prayers of thanksgiving. I'm worried about the first candle on my Advent wreath. It's almost half gone and we haven't even finished the first week of Advent yet! I may have to swap it for week 4 candle which we'll only burn twice before flying to Michigan for Christmas with our children.

I'll be following the Gratitude Principles below for the rest of this month as much as I can publicly.

Gratitude Principles

1. Take time each day to appreciate that you are alive. Start with just a minute and extend it until you can do fifteen.
2. What I am grateful about and why...
3. How to express my gratitude...
4. First action to take...
5. Each day, appreciate that you are only a short-term visitor on the planet. Be the best possible guest while you are here.
6. Each day, appreciate one opportunity that you have to make progress. Take advantage of it immediately.
7. Appreciate one teacher in your life and learn a new lesson. Today's teacher to appreciate...
8. Each day appreciate something that is a central value for your entire life. Today's central value:
9. Appreciate one thing that represents who you want to become. I want to become:
10. Appreciate and acknowledge in someone else one specific quality that you yourself want to be appreciate for. Who:
Specific quality they have that I want to be appreciated for:

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-08-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

My Mom used to make something just like these with Kellogg's K flakes. We snarfed them as kids, and I still woof them down like there's no tomorrow!

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
prep time: 6 minutes Baking time: 0

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups ready-to-eat corn flakes, toasted oats, or crisp rise cereal
1 cup peanut butter

In medium saucepan, combine sugar and syrup; bring to a full boil. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and peanut butter. Shape into balls or drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. 3 dozen cookies

Or… in Microwave: in medium glass bowl, combine sugar and syrup. Microwave 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on HIGH until mixture comes to a full boil. Stir in cereal and peanut butter. Shape into balls or drop by spoonfuls onto cutting board or parchment paper/wax paper.

Cooking in the microwave causes food to lose nutrients, right?

2009-07-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

WRONGO.

Microwaved food may retain vitamins BETTER than stovetop-cooked food according to Consumer Reports on Health. That's because the microwave zaps it quickly and without much water.

One study found that spinach retained only 77% of the B-vitamin folate when cooked on a stove - but retained ALL of its folate when cooked in a microwave. (B vitamins can deliver astounding health benefits. They can help to prevent stroke, heart disease, certain cancers, maintain your mental skills, and keep depression at bay.)

Your baking stones can be used in the microwave, you know that, right? At least the ones I recommend. Contact me for a few of my favorite microwave RECIPES and taste the freedom of fast, healthy cooking.

Why not throw water on a grease fire?

2009-07-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

passed along from my team

"... at Fire Fighting Training school we would demonstrate this with a deep fat fryer set on the fire field. An instructor would don a fire suit and using an 8 oz cup at the end of a 10 foot pole toss water onto the grease fire. The results got the attention of the students. The water, being heavier than the oil, sinks to the bottom where it instantly becomes superheated. The explosive force of the steam blows the burning oil up and out. On the open field, it became a thirty foot high fireball that resembles a nuclear blast. Inside the confines of a kitchen, the fire ball hits the ceiling and fills the entire room.

"Also do not throw sugar or flour on a grease fire. One cup creates the explosive force of two sticks of dynamite."

Time Required: You only have a few moments to either put out a grease fire or escape the house.

Here's WHAT TO DO:

1. DO NOT USE WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! (see Tips) Start evacuating everyone from the building. Fires spread extremely fast and can overwhelm victims in minutes. Treat burns only after evacuating the building.

2. Call 911. There's no reason to wait, and the fire department can always go back to the station if you are able to get the fire out without help.

3. The easiest way to smother a grease fire is to cover it with a pan lid. Be careful with glass lids; they can break from the extreme heat of open flame.

4. Grease fires can also be smothered with baking soda, but it takes a lot of baking soda to do the trick. Unless the baking soda is easily accessible, it's usually easier to quickly find a lid.

5. A dry chemical fire extinguisher will also work, but it will contaminate your kitchen and food. Class K fire extinguishers are available to put out grease and other kitchen fires, but they are usually only found in commercial kitchens.

Tips:

1. DO NOT PUT WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! This can not be stressed enough. Pouring water on burning grease or oil will not extinguish the fire. It will only cause the burning oil to splash, spreading the grease fire around.

2. DO NOT TRY TO CARRY THE FIRE OUTSIDE! Trying to carry a pot or pan full of burning oil will just slosh and splash the grease fire.

3. Treat burns only after the fire is contained or the building is completely evacuated. Read How to Treat a Burn for advice on burn treatment.

4. If clothes are caught on fire; STOP, DROP, and ROLL to extinguish them.

5. Reference: Hall, John R. Jr. "Home cooking fire patterns and trends." July 2006. NFPA Online. 20 Nov 2006

How to Store Potatoes so they Don't Rot

2009-06-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

Many people toss potatoes and onions in bins or baskets close to one another, or above one another on pantry shelves. The wrong positioning could lead to rotting potatoes!

Onions emit a gas that can have a deleterious effect on potatoes if they happen to be sitting above them choking on that gas. Save your Potatoes! Always place onions ABOVE potatoes! Or refrigerate if you don't think you'll use them quickly.

Herbal Life in the Fridge?

2009-06-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

Most herbs can be held in the refrigerator, however more delicate herbs such as basil and cilantro will hold better at room temperature with lid removed like a bouquet of flowers.

Cinnamon Lifts

2009-06-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

A whiff of cinnamon can enhance motivation and alertness, researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia have found. Its aroma boosts blood flow, which may stimulate the brain. And once you eat it, cinnamon improves sugar metabolism and helps keep blood fats in check, according to research by the US Dept. of Agriculture. One half teaspoon daily can reduce your risk of developing diabetes, says Richard Anderson, Ph.D. of the USDA. Try a cinnamon stick in your tea or coffee!

When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

2009-06-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Ganache

Made with Whipped Topping

Microwave 8 ounces of frozen whipped topping, thawed with 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels until melted. Whisk until smooth.

Made with Whipping Cream

Bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a boil; remove from heat. Add one 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet or milk chocolate morsels. Let stand a few minutes. Whisk until smooth.

Uses
While warm, pour ganache over fluted cakes, ice cream or use for fondue. Cool to room temp and use to frost brownies

Who inspires me

2009-06-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

On down days, hormonal days, low bio rhythm days, days of doubt, I like to think about Helen Keller. I am perpetually amazed at her rise from inner darkness and sense of abandonment and isolation... to a renowned international public speaker. A public speaker! When she couldn't see a thing, she learned to read. Despite deafness, she learned to make sounds that eventually became words that others could understand. She would travel to places she would never "see" and speak to huge audiences completely unknown to her, unseen before her, speaking words she could not hear and trusting they'd understand. She would feel their applause with her feet from the vibrations.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you will not see the shadows. -Helen Keller.
(How did she even know about shadows?)

My mother's birth into eternal life occurred 6 years ago and I am forever grateful for the influence she continues to have on me from the little inspirational quotes she'd hang on plaques throughout our homes growing up. One of my favorites that I still have to this day...

If you cry because of losing the sun, your tears will not allow you to see the stars. -Tagore

French Fries without Frying

2009-06-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

If french fries are your favorite food but you hate the fat from frying, try oven frying 'em! Cut potatoes into matchsticks or crinkle cut (leave skin on for more fiber). Toss in bowl with a few tablespoons of canola or safflower oil and fresh pressed garlic. Bake at 45o until crisp and golden. (A baking stone is great for this, but not absolutely necessary.)

Salt of the Earth

2009-06-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

If something you're cooking is too salty, throw in a diced potato. It'll absorb the salt and restore the balance of your dish!

If you're feeling a little salty on a given day, throw in a little prayer (my fav = Oh Lord, come to my aid. Hasten to my assistance.). It'll restore the balance of your soul!

Isabella's Biscoti

2009-05-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Isabella’s Biscotti

2 ¾ cups flour (less flour when humidity level is high)
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon whole anise seed
7 ounces whole almonds (approx. 1 ½ cup)
pinch of salt
¾ cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Heat oven to 300.
Using the paddle attachment of a Kitchen Aid, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, zest of two oranges and anise seed.

In separate bowl, mix eggs and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Beat until just mixed. DO NOT OVER MIX. Add almonds and chocolate.

Finish mixing. Dough should pull away from sides of bowl. Add flour if stuck to bowl.
Divide into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into a 3 inch diameter, 8-inch long log. Put logs on baking sheet or stone lined with parchment paper. Bake until lightly golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Using a serrated knife, cut on angle into ½ inch pieces. (Dip knife in hot water if sticky.) Put back on parchment paper separated by 1-2 inches.
Bake at 275 about 35-40 minutes until dry. .
--------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compliments of Chris Manion

How to Brown Meat Perfectly

2009-05-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my host Kristy, for reminding me of this resource...

Many of my customers complain about food sticking in their cookware. It's usually not the cookware, especially if they're using PC's cookware...

Knowing how to brown meat well (the scientific term is the Maillard reaction where proteins become more complex under extended heat exposure) is often what they're missing. No one ever taught me this, so don't feel bad if you didn't know it either.

The following is from an Oct. 2007 Bonappetit.com article:

Knowing how to brown well can add big, deep flavors and a restaurant-quality presentation to your repertoire.

1. GO HOT. Set a heavy skillet over medium-high heat (do not use a nonstick pan) for longer than you'd be inclined - say, a full three minutes. the meat needs some stable heat. Then add a bit of oil to start the sear off right.

2. STAY DRY. Moisture means steam, so blot the meat dry with paper towels before seasoning and searing.

3. SPACE OUT. Don't crowd the pan. You've heard this before. Heed this warning, or pay with gray meat, which will be the result if you put too much food in the pan. Not only does crowding keep heat from circulating, too much food brings the temperature way down.

4. KEEP IN CONTACT. Once you've placed the meat in the pan, don't move it until the bottom is well-browned. if it moves easily when you try to pick it up with tongs, it wants to. If it doesn't move, don't force it; it will release when ready. Then flip it over Brown the edges, even if it means holding the meat with tongs while it cooks. The technique will pay off immeasurably.

The spirituality of cooking

2009-05-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Union. Oneness.

I ended my prayers this morning with a sincere, heart-centered "I love you" to God. As I inwardly spoke these words to Him/Her, I experienced them simultaneously spoken to me.

This union forms much the same way as a good Italian gravy (sauce) is formed.

The outer tough onion skins are peeled away. The hard onions and garlic are crushed and cut into smaller pieces. Heat is applied that sizzles and eventually softens the root vegetables in soothing oils (oil of chrism/annointing oils). Delicate delicious tomatoes are crushed , cut and added to the heat(broken heart/painful experiences). A pinch of sugar is wisely added to make the process more bearable (consolations), increasing the tomatoes' flavor. Cool, refreshing water (grace) is added to bring all the elements together. Seasonings like oregano and basil, rubbed between fingers and palm to activate flavors, are sprinkled lightly into the sauce, the way friends and life experiences touch our lives with their various flavors (and sometimes hard-earned wisdom).

Then the lid is placed on top of the pot. The heat is turned to a soft simmer, and the Cook walks away, but not too far, always checking and stirring with loving, patient attention. The Cook knows in time all that has been cut into smaller pieces, crushed, pressed and stressed from the heat will finally release its sweet, tightly-held essence and flow until all flavors accept one another and release all they have of their essences, becoming one thick, rich sauce that improves everything onto which it is poured.

The cook knows all this and one thing more. The sauce improves when rested overnight and reheated the next day.

Cookware is the best defroster

2009-05-05T18:21:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to use your Pamp. Chef cookware to defrost your foods. The black surface draws heat to itself and defrosts in incredibly quick time!

Black Bean Corn Dip

2009-04-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Black Bean Corn Dip

a recipe I scooped up at our Emerald Coast Paddlers club Christmas party

1 can black beans, drained 2/3 cup chopped cilantro

2/3 cup thinly sliced 1 avocado, sliced

green onions 1 medium diced tomato

1 can shoepeg corn, drained

Dressing

¼ cup olive oil 1/8 tsp. pepper

¾ tsp. salt 2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp. Cumin

Combine first 6 ingredients in bowl and toss. Mix remaining ingredients for dressing. Mix and toss with salad. Chill overnight. Serve with corn chip scoopers. Makes about 5 cups.

08-WOWTrainingLeaderNotes

2009-04-29T12:42:00.001-07:00

WOW
Training Leader Notes

TO DO: Have your team call in to listen to the WOW training, or do
an extra meeting or phone training of your own for team to reinforce
everything.

REMEMBER:
All of these ideas are suggestions, so tweak and change as needed.

FIRST:
Determine what your team goal is for cluster sales (Team Goal
Worksheet Handout)

NEXT, WORK WITH YOUR TEAM:

What will they do with their profit
Share team goal; show how much you will be doing, and balance remaining
for team.
Explain how to run past host report and importance of tapping into higher
show hosts (they know how to have a great show)
Let team know other benefits that will result from a big month: BIG
commission check, Sell-A-Thon (if doing), jump on Excellence Awards, incentive trip points; more leads for recruiting and shows (June shows =
extra July paycheck); recognition
Teach them where to find fundraisers:
- Who to call (schools have tons of groups and organizations – find
  chairman/leader names)
- Get packets into people’s hands – copies of order forms
  inside each catalog (2 per page if possible) – 6 order forms
  per packet
- Ideas on how to do:
  - Catalogs are costly, so put a note on catalog that if they return it, they get an entry into a drawing for grand prize.
  - Team Challenge – Highest team/class gets pizza/ice cream party.
  - Work with chairman on this: If teams/classes, then have % of proceeds collected by each team broken down into that percentage of profit that that team gets.
  - If your goal is 10 fundraisers, then you may want to offer something extra for closing in May; i.e., Tell organization the normal % they get with our fundraiser, but that you are working on a special sales goal for May, so if you get it in by May 31,
    then your organization gets ____%

POSTCARDS
(Handouts):

Send ideas in emails and phone calls
Choose 8 of your favorites.
You can send to all consultants or only those participating

COUPONS
(Handout):

Tell Team “my plan is to help you keep on track each week and
I’ll be giving you coupons and sending reminder emails which
help you to break things into bite-sized pieces."

Coupons - you can send them ahead of time and they can bring to
your celebration meeting. You can cut and paste each coupon into a
weekly email and send them as reminders, and they can email them
back. If you do Monday Motivation, this could be added to that.

OTHER
IDEAS:

Followup every two weeks with a phone call.

Give additional bonus for individual/team sales. Here are some
ideas:

Team Party
Target card/store of choice
Gift card for family – movie, bowling night, etc.
Pizza party for family
Restaurant gift card
Cooking class at Nugget
Wine and Cheese tasting party
Mimosa – Pool Party
Day of Shopping
Free Lunch
Business Supplies
Balloon Box sent to home
Special Breakfast
Massage

At sales meeting do Queen for the Day – she has dinger and
requests water, etc.

Special meeting recognize family members with medals around neck.

You can do a Celebration Event (Invitation Handout):

Set date for sometime in July
Gifts are presented that night

Do a drawing for every June host

Booking Blitz Day: Prize for highest # of bookings (names given to me)

QUOTE:

They don’t care how much you know

until you show how much you care.