Grilled Cheese and Baked Fries
March 3, 2015 at 5:56 PM | Posted in cheese, Ore - Ida | Leave a commentTags: Cooking, Dinner, Food, Grilled Cheese, Grilling, Klosterman Wheat Bread, Kraft Cheese, Ore Ida Steak Fries, recipes
Today’s Menu: Grilled Cheese and Baked Fries
We got lucky the early morning freezing rain went way North of us. Got to love this Ohio Weather though. It goes from; 18 degrees, to in the 50’s, rain, dropping back to 25, snow, and forecast of 1 degree. All in a span of 36 hours. Went to Kroger for Mom and picked up a few items and a Prescription for Dad and back home. Did some laundry and a few things around the house. For dinner tonight an easy prepared comfort food dinner! I prepared Grilled Cheese and Baked Fries.
A light comfort food sounded good, real easy to prepare and delicious too! I used 2 slices of 
Kraft Deli Deluxe Sharp Cheddar. I normally use Sargento Ultra Thin Sharp Cheddar but I wanted a little thicker Cheese for my Sandwich. Then for my Bread I used Klosterman Wheat Bread, 70 calories and 13 net carbs for 2 slices. Then to prepare it I got out the Flat Griddle Pan, heated it up on medium heat and coated it with a pat of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. When the Butter was melted I added my sandwich. Grilled it on both sides until it was golden brown and the Cheese melted. Nothing like a good and toasty Grilled Cheese!
Then for a side for my Grilled Cheese I baked some Ore Ida Steak Fries, served these with a side of Hunt’s Ketchup for dipping. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.
Ore Ida Steak Fries
Big meals, meet your match.
Thick and flavorful, but still crispy and fluffy. With their home-style russet potato
SERVING SIZE 84 g
CALORIES 110
FAT 3 g
SODIUM 290 mg
CARBS 19 g
The Basics Of Braising Meats
March 3, 2015 at 5:53 PM | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
For satisfying meals and fare for entertaining, learning how to braise food is a worthwhile endeavor. Large batches are as easy as smaller ones, and both fill a kitchen with rich and enticing smells. With the right equipment and a few techniques on hand, delicious braised foods are a breeze.
Pans and Pots for Braising
The best place to begin is with braising basics, and that means locating optimal equipment. Look for a heavy pot with a lid that fits tightly. You will need a pot that is large enough to contain all of the ingredients, and there must still be a couple of inches of room on top of the food. This extra space creates condensation that bastes the food as it cooks. A cast iron Dutch oven is a common choice.
Long Braise Vs. Short Braise
Next, it is important to understand whether short or long braising will…
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March 3 is National Cold Cuts Day
March 3, 2015 at 6:37 AM | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
perfectomiami.com
Here are today’s five thing to know about Cold Cuts:
- Cold cuts are sliced, precooked or cured meat, often sausages or meat loaves.
- Usually they are served on sandwiches or a platter with cheese and crackers.
- They are most commonly for sale vacuum-packed at the grocery store or sliced-to-order at the deli.
- Most pre-sliced cold cuts are higher in fat, nitrates, and sodium than those that are sliced to order.
- The CDC advises that those over 50 reheat cold cuts to “steaming hot” 165 °F (73.9 °C) and use them within four days.
Today’s Pinterest Board : Foodimentary
Today’s Food History
- 1709 Andreas Sigismund Marggraf was born. A German chemist, in 1747 he extracted sugar from the sugar beet and determined it was identical to cane sugar. It wasn’t until 1802 that the first beet sugar refinery would be built.
- 1797 The first patent for a washing machine was issued…
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Low-Calorie Hearty Soup Recipes
March 3, 2015 at 6:28 AM | Posted in Eating Well | Leave a commentTags: Beef, Chicken, Cooking, EatingWell, Food, Herbs, Low-Calorie Hearty Soup Recipes, recipes, Soups, Spices, Stews, Vegetables, Whole Grains
Winter, Cold Weather, and Homemade Soup! A great cure for the Winter Blues, Low-Calorie Hearty Soup Recipes. All from the EatingWell website., Enjoy! http://www.eatingwell.com/
Satisfying soups to help you slim down.
Soup is a great food that helps fill you up on fewer calories when you’re trying to lose weight. Using ingredients like lentils, chicken, quinoa and spinach, you can enjoy soup as your main meal and be satisfied. Try our recipes for Creamy Green Chile Chicken Soup, Mushroom-Beef Noodle Soup and Vegetarian Tortilla Soup for your next meal.
Chickpea, Chorizo & Spinach Soup
Chorizo lends this Mediterranean-inspired spinach soup recipe a smoky paprika flavor, and since the chorizo is sautéed first, much of the fat is drained away. Be sure to buy dry-cured, salami-style Spanish chorizo, not soft, Mexican-style sausage by the same name…..
Quinoa Mushroom Soup
A bit reminiscent of old-fashioned mushroom-barley soup, this vegetarian quinoa mushroom soup recipe gets a modern update with nutrient-packed quinoa. A mix of fresh mushrooms and dried porcini boosts the savory flavor. Serve with whole-wheat dinner rolls…..
Creamy Green Chile Chicken Soup
Here’s a favorite Southwestern chicken soup recipe featuring the exquisite New Mexican green chile (but poblano peppers work well too). Traditional versions of this creamy green chile chicken soup recipe are made with heavy cream or half-and-half, but our recipe for this healthy chicken soup is made creamy with thickened low-fat milk…….
* Click the link below to get all the Low-Calorie Hearty Soup Recipes
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/low_calorie_hearty_soup_recipes
Diabetic Dish of the Week – Tango Mango Smoothies
March 3, 2015 at 6:27 AM | Posted in diabetes, diabetes friendly, Diabetic Dish of the Week | Leave a commentTags: Bananas, Cooking, Diabetes, Diabetic Dish of the Week, Food, Fruit, recipes, Smoothies, Tango Mango Smoothies
For this week’s Diabetic Dish of the Week it’s Tango Mango Smoothies.
Tango Mango Smoothies
makes – 6 (6 – once) servings
Ingredients
2 banana, chilled
2/3 cup peeled, sliced mango
1 12 – once can mango, peach, or other fruit nectar, chilled
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey, optional
Assorted cut-up fresh fruit (such as bananas, peeled kiwifruit, and/or mango), optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1 – Cut bananas into chunks. In a blender combine bananas, sliced mango, fruit nectar, yogurt, and if desired honey.
2 – Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into 6 chilled glasses. If desired, garnish with fruit.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrition; 33 mg Sodium, 24 g Carbohydrates, 108 g Calories, 1 g Fiber, 0 g Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Protein 3 g, Cholesterol 1 mg
Kitchen Hint of the Day!
March 3, 2015 at 6:26 AM | Posted in Kitchen Hints | Leave a commentTags: Cheese, Cooking, Food, Graters, Kitchen Hints, recipes
You can use your grater for many uses. Not only reserved for cheese, you can grate all types of ingredients, like zucchini, pumpkin and butter, making them cook faster.
Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans Fajitas
March 2, 2015 at 5:57 PM | Posted in beans, chicken, Fajitas | 1 CommentTags: Beans, Chicken, Chipotle Honey - Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans, Cooking, Dinner, Dutch Gouda Cheese, Fajitas, Food, Leftovers, recipes
Today’s Menu: Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans Fajitas
I had a Ham and Scrambled Egg Sandwich for Breakfast this morning. Using Boar’s Head Sm
oked Honey Ham, 1 medium Egg (Scrambled), A shake or two of frank’s Hot Sauce in the Egg, and a Kroger Wheat Hamburger Bun (Toasted). Along with my morning brew of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea, I was ready for the day! Not too bad out today, sunny and in the low 30’s. They say in the 50’s tomorrow but rain all day. Got out and cleared the driveway of the remaining snow and ice. Then got out and ran an errand for Mom and stopped by the bank and back home. For dinner tonight, last night’s leftovers makes my dinner tonight. I prepared a Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans Fajitas.
Yesterday’s meal of Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans was so good that I was going to make sure that the leftovers did not go to waste! So tonight I made the leftovers into Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans Fajitas. I used Mission Flour Fajitas. I started by shredding one of the Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chickens, using the Bear Paw. I had purchased the Bear Paw Meat Shredder on Amazon last week, come in handy for shredding meat and removing meat from the roasting pan onto a platter. So I shredded the Chicken and then put it into a small sauce pan and reheated it. As the Chicken was heating, in another small sauce pan I reheated the Stewed Pinto Beans. Once both were reheated I took a Fajita and first spread Chicken on it and then the Stewed Pinto Beans. I topped it with a few shakes of the Frank’s Hot Sauce and sprinkled some fresh grated Dutch Gouda Cheese. Not only did this make a great dinner last night, it made another delicious meal for me tonight. Makes one hearty Fajita! The Hot Sauce and Gouda Cheese just added that extra flavor. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt. I’ve left the original post with full recipe for the Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans below.
Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans
A couple of new recipes for dinner. These come from an issue of Clean Eating Magazine, Chi
potle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans. Another one of those recipes that looked and sounded too good to pass up. The recipe calls for; Pam with Olive Oil Cooking Spray, 1 tbsp Raw Honey, 2 1/2 tsp Safflower Oil, divided ( I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil), 1 tsp Lime Zest plus 2 tsp fresh Lime Juice (divided), 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder(divided), 1/2 tsp Sea Salt (divided), Pinch fresh Ground Black Pepper, 4 Bone – In Chicken Breasts (I used only two Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts), 1 small Red Onion (finely chopped), 1 tbsp Minced Garlic, 1 tbsp finely chopped seeded Jalapeno Chile Pepper, 1 tbsp unsalted Tomato Paste, 1 15 – oz BPA – free can unsalted Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed, 1 cup Low – Sodium Chicken Broth, and 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh Cilantro leaves (divided.)
To prepare it, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. In a small bowl , combine Honey, 2 tsp Oil, Lime Juice, 1/4 tsp Chile Powder, 1/4 tsp Sea Salt, and Black Pepper. Using Paper Towels, pat Chicken dry and place on prepared sheet. Brush Chicken evenly with Honey 
Mixture. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes, turning over halfway, until golden brown and Chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer in thickest part. Remove from oven, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn Chicken to dip both sides in caramelized juices on sheet. (Alternatively, use a brush to brush it on.) Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium, heat remaining 1/2 tsp Oil. Add Onion, Garlic, Jalapeno, remaining 1/4 tsp Sea Salt.Saute until Onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add Tomato Paste and saute for 1 minute. Add Beans and Broth, and bring to a simmer on medium high. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes more. Stir in Lime Zest and 2 tbsp Cilantro. To serve divide Beans on to bowls or plates and top each serving with 1 piece Chicken. Drizzle any remaining Juices from baking pan over Chicken and sprinkle with remaining tbsp Cilantro.
Fairly easy to prepare and worth anytime it takes. The Chicken is just flat out delicious! The Spices, Lime and Jalapeno all combine to make one flavorful Chicken Breast. Also the recipe turns out a good Bean dish also, that makes the perfect side dish for the Chicken. Another Keeper Recipe. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Dark Fudge Swirl Frozen Greek Yogurt.
Chipotle Honey – Roasted Chicken w/ Stewed Pinto Beans
Ingredients
Pam with Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1 tbsp Raw Honey
2 1/2 tsp Safflower Oil, divided
1 tsp Lime Zest plus 2 tsp fresh Lime Juice, divided
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder, divided
1/2 tsp Sea Salt, divided
Pinch fresh Ground Black Pepper
4 Bone – In Chicken Breasts
1 small Red Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped seeded Jalapeno Chile Pepper
1 tbsp unsalted Tomato Paste
1 15 – oz BPA – free can unsalted Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup Low – Sodium Chicken Broth
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh Cilantro leaves, divided
Instructions
1 – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.
2 – In a small bowl , combine Honey, 2 tsp Oil, Lime Juice, 1/4 tsp Chile Powder, 1/4 tsp Sea Salt, and Black Pepper
3 – Using Paper Towels, pat Chicken dry and place on prepared sheet. Brush Chicken evenly with Honey Mixture. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes, turning over halfway, until golden brown and Chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer in thickest part. Remove from oven, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn Chicken to dip both sides in caramelized juices on sheet. (Alternatively, use a brush to brush it on.)
4 – Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium, heat remaining 1/2 tsp Oil. Add Onion, Garlic, Jalapeno, remaining 1/4 tsp Sea Salt.Saute until Onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add Tomato Paste and saute for 1 minute. Add Beans and Broth, and bring to a simmer on medium high. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes more. Stir in Lime Zest and 2 tbsp Cilantro.
5 – Divide Beans among shallow bowls and top each serving with 1 piece Chicken. Drizzle any remaining Juices from baking pan over Chicken and sprinkle with remaining tbsp Cilantro.
Nutrients Per Serving (1 Chicken Breast and 1/2 cup Beans)
Calories – 422, Total Fat – 9 g, Sat. Fat – 2 g, Carbs – 23 g, Fiber 6 g, Sugar – 6 g, Protein – 58 g, Sodium – 387 mg, Cholesterol – 166 mg
One of America’s Favorites – Stew
March 2, 2015 at 6:38 AM | Posted in One of America's Favorites | Leave a commentTags: Beek, Broth, Brunswick Stew, Chicken, Cooking, Food, Irish stew, One of America's Favorites, Pork, recipes, Stew, Vegetables
A beef stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, beans, peppers and tomatoes, etc.), meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, wine, stock, and beer are also common. Seasoning and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled), allowing flavors to mingle.
Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method. This makes it popular in low-cost cooking. Cuts having a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry.
Stews may be thickened by reduction or with flour, either by coating pieces of meat with flour before searing, or by using a roux or beurre manié, a dough consisting of equal parts of butter and flour. Thickeners like cornstarch or arrowroot may also be used.
Stews are similar to soups, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two. Generally, stews have less liquid than soups, are much thicker and require longer cooking over low heat. While soups are almost always served in a bowl, stews may be thick enough to be served on a plate with the gravy as a sauce over the solid ingredients.
Irish stew
Stews have been made since ancient times. Herodotus says that the Scythians (8th to 4th centuries BC) “put the flesh into an animal’s paunch, mix water with it, and boil it like that over the bone fire. The bones burn very well, and the paunch easily contains all the meat once it has been stripped off. In this way an ox, or any other sacrificial beast, is ingeniously made to boil itself.”
Amazonian tribes used the shells of turtles as vessels, boiling the entrails of the turtle and various other ingredients in them. Other cultures used the shells of large mollusks (clams etc.) to boil foods in. There is archaeological evidence of these practices going back 8,000 years or more.
There are recipes for lamb stews and fish stews in the Roman cookery book Apicius, believed to date from the 4th century AD. Le Viandier, one of the oldest cookbooks in French, written by the French chef known as Taillevent, has ragouts or stews of various types in it.
Hungarian Goulash dates back to the 9th century Magyar shepherds of the area, before the existence of Hungary. Paprika was added in the 18th century.
The first written reference to ‘Irish stew’ is in Byron’s “The Devil’s Drive” (1814): “The Devil … dined on … a rebel or so in an Irish stew.”
In meat-based stews, white stews, also known as blanquettes or fricassées, are made with lamb or veal that is blanched, or lightly seared without browning, and cooked in stock. Brown stews are made with pieces of red meat that are first seared or browned, before a browned mirepoix, and sometimes browned flour, stock and wine are added.
* Partial list of Tyes of Stews:
Brunswick stew made with chicken
* Beef Stroganoff, a stew with beef from Russia
* Bigos, a traditional stew in Polish cuisine;
* Birria, a goat stew from Mexico;
*Booyah, an American meat stew
* Brunswick stew, from Virginia and the Carolinas
*Burgoo, a Kentuckian stew
* Chicken stew, whole chicken and seasonings
* Chicken paprikash, chicken stew with paprika
* Chili con carne, Mexican-American meat and chili pepper stew
Cincinnati chili, chili developed by Greek immigrants in the Cincinnati area
* Crow stew, a sour cream-based stew made with crow meat, popular in the United States during the Great Depression
* Goulash, a Hungarian meat stew with paprika
* Gumbo, a Louisiana creole dish
* Irish stew, made with lamb or mutton, potato, onion and parsley
“Meatless Monday” Recipe of the Week – Banana Walnut and Coconut Muffins
March 2, 2015 at 6:37 AM | Posted in Meatless Monday, PBS | Leave a commentTags: Baking, Banana Walnut and Coconut Muffins, dessert, Food, Meatless Monday, Muffins, PBS, recipes, Vegetarians, Walnuts
Again this week’s Meatless Monday Recipe comes from the PBS website, Banana Walnut and Coconut Muffins. Fantastic site check it out sometime! http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/
Banana Walnut and Coconut Muffins
This banana walnut and coconut muffins recipe is actually paleo-friendly for a healthier breakfast.
Ingredients
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (will equal to about 2 1/2 cups)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup almond butter or sunflower seed butter
4 tablespoons firm coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup shredded coconut
Directions
1 – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place muffin liners in each cavity of the muffin tin.
2 – To the jar of a blender or food processor add the mashed banana and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Crack in the eggs, add the almond butter and melted coconut oil and blend once more until very smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure everything is incorporated.
3 – Pour the mixture into a bowl (I used the same bowl I mashed the bananas in – no need to wash it out!) and mix in the coconut flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt. Next, fold in the chopped walnuts and shredded coconut.
4 – Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 of the way. Transfer to the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from muffin tin and allow to cool before eating. Muffins will last up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container.
http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/banana-walnut-coconut-muffins/
Kitchen Hint of the Day!
March 2, 2015 at 6:35 AM | Posted in Kitchen Hints | Leave a commentTags: Beef, Blanching, Cooking, Food, Kitchen Hints, Pork, Poultry, recipes, Saute
Sauté Hints…..
* Whether its meat or vegetables, time in the pan is brief, so it’s important that the food be naturally tender. Cuts such as beef tenderloin, fish fillets, and chicken breasts are good candidates; tougher cuts like brisket or pork shoulder are better for long cooking over low heat. The same principle holds for produce. Asparagus tips will be more successfully sautéed than beets. Many other tender vegetables, including baby artichokes, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, and bell peppers, lend themselves to this technique. That’s not to say that denser, tougher vegetables can’t be sautéed―they just may need to be blanched (briefly cooked in boiling water) first to get a head start on cooking.
* Be sure to warm the pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes. It needs to be quite hot in order to cook the food properly. If the heat is too low, the food will end up releasing liquid and steaming rather than sautéing.
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