I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I know I did! I got a patio grill and an indoor George Foreman grill and a grilling basket for the outdoor grill which is going to let me try even more recipes. So, I was checking my e-mail and came across and interesting article. It is entitled, "The Truth About Your Weight Gain." It made me really think about the things I put in my mouth.
As we approach the new year I am sure we are all thinking about ways to be more healthy and lose that holiday weight! One fundamental way we can be more healthy is to eat at home. I will be the first one to admit I love eating out because I enjoy trying new foods, but when it comes to the everyday dealings of life, eating at home is the healthiest way to go. If you do go out, try and stick to the sit down, have to pay a tip restaurants because they tend to use better, more fresh ingredients than the fast food joints.
After reading this article, I may never eat another hamburger from a chain fast-food restaurant.
The coming weeks will be bringing new recipes! And if I get my grill put together, even some grilling recipes because who says you can only grill in the spring and summer? Bring it!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
My Love Affair With Paul Newman
I love Paul Newman! And not for the reason you think. While I enjoy watching him in movies (like "Butch and Sundance" - fantastic movie; highly recommended), I enjoy his food better!
Paul Newman's company, "Newman's Own" makes quality, all organic products. They make everything from Salad Dressing to Salsa to cookies! Probably the line of products I buy the most are the salad dressings and pasta sauces. But I have also tried the salsa and few other things. I have yet to have one of their products that I hate. I love everything! The best part is that all of their products are organic and all natural which means there are no fillers, no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients. And the products are no more expensive than the non-organic counterparts.
What I love about Newman's Own is that the food products are very versatile and can be used for other things than the original intended purpose. For example, tonight when I got home from spinning class I wanted a delicious dinner, but I didn't want to put much effort into it! This is where Paul Newman comes in! He gives inspiration! His salad dressings make great marinades! I thawed out a boneless pork chop and marinated it (actually, I put the pork chop in the pan and dumped the dressing on top) in Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing! It's like eating Chinese food and I didn't have to go out! I paired the pork chop with some peas and some pasta (you know the Pasta Roni kind).
I could go on about my love affair with Paul Newman. I like this love affair because it is healthy (literally).
I have decided to add yet another "section" to my blog. It will be a question about something food related. It will be something open for discussion and I would love ideas and comments. So to start off, I have been thinking a lot about healthy eating. I know a lot of us get discouraged and kind of groan when someone mentions healthy eating, but really we all need to do it to live a long life. And it makes us feel better overall. So, my question is, how do you find ways to eat healthy, while still enjoying the foods you love? Newman's Own is one way I eat healthy!
Paul Newman's company, "Newman's Own" makes quality, all organic products. They make everything from Salad Dressing to Salsa to cookies! Probably the line of products I buy the most are the salad dressings and pasta sauces. But I have also tried the salsa and few other things. I have yet to have one of their products that I hate. I love everything! The best part is that all of their products are organic and all natural which means there are no fillers, no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients. And the products are no more expensive than the non-organic counterparts.
What I love about Newman's Own is that the food products are very versatile and can be used for other things than the original intended purpose. For example, tonight when I got home from spinning class I wanted a delicious dinner, but I didn't want to put much effort into it! This is where Paul Newman comes in! He gives inspiration! His salad dressings make great marinades! I thawed out a boneless pork chop and marinated it (actually, I put the pork chop in the pan and dumped the dressing on top) in Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing! It's like eating Chinese food and I didn't have to go out! I paired the pork chop with some peas and some pasta (you know the Pasta Roni kind).
I could go on about my love affair with Paul Newman. I like this love affair because it is healthy (literally).
I have decided to add yet another "section" to my blog. It will be a question about something food related. It will be something open for discussion and I would love ideas and comments. So to start off, I have been thinking a lot about healthy eating. I know a lot of us get discouraged and kind of groan when someone mentions healthy eating, but really we all need to do it to live a long life. And it makes us feel better overall. So, my question is, how do you find ways to eat healthy, while still enjoying the foods you love? Newman's Own is one way I eat healthy!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Easy Peasy Chili!
This time of year I tend to turn to foods like chili, soup, and really anything that is designed to warm you up! Chili is one of my favorite things to eat and it is a very easy thing to make. This post is more like a recipe post, but I have had people ask me how I make my chili.
I do know how to make chili from "scratch" but why when there are many more easier alternatives out there? There are brands of chili you can buy at the store that are really good and taste almost as good as homemade, but I have discovered a trick from my mother. With a few extra ingredients, you can disguise the store bought chili and make everyone think it is homemade.
So, this is what I do. I buy Stagg brand chili. Stagg brand is, in my humble opinion, one of the best brands of canned chili out there. It has chunks of meat and different kinds of beans and just the right amount of flavoring. I also recommend Nalley chili as well, but I prefer Stagg.
Depending on how many people you plan to serve depends on how many cans you need. I used two cans of Stagg chili for a group of about 12 or so. I put the chili in a crock-pot and then I added a can of diced tomatoes and I did not drain the tomatoes when I put them in so there was a little bit more moisture. I then added a can of drained red kidney beans. I mixed it all together and added some salt, pepper, and some chili powder. I like my chili a little on the spicy side, so I added quite of chili powder. Add the chili powder to your taste. I put the crock pot on low and the let all of the flavors combine and marry! When I served it, everyone thought it was homemade. Nope! It was dressed up, but not homemade.
To make this chili even more tasty, I would serve this along side some corn bread, and have some grated cheddar cheese and onions for mixing into the chili. I didn't add these things when I made it because it was being served along side other good things to eat. You could even do this chili for Navajo tacos, chili-dogs, or really anything that has chili in it. I have posted the "recipe" below.
Easy Peasy Chili:
2 Cans of any brand chili (recommended is Stagg or Nalley brand)
1 Can of red kidney beans, drained
1 Can of diced tomatoes, undrained
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Chili Powder, to taste
In a crock pot mix all ingredients together. Put on a low for a few hours. Check flavor after about an hour. Add more salt, pepper, and chili powder if needed. Serve immediately.
I do know how to make chili from "scratch" but why when there are many more easier alternatives out there? There are brands of chili you can buy at the store that are really good and taste almost as good as homemade, but I have discovered a trick from my mother. With a few extra ingredients, you can disguise the store bought chili and make everyone think it is homemade.
So, this is what I do. I buy Stagg brand chili. Stagg brand is, in my humble opinion, one of the best brands of canned chili out there. It has chunks of meat and different kinds of beans and just the right amount of flavoring. I also recommend Nalley chili as well, but I prefer Stagg.
Depending on how many people you plan to serve depends on how many cans you need. I used two cans of Stagg chili for a group of about 12 or so. I put the chili in a crock-pot and then I added a can of diced tomatoes and I did not drain the tomatoes when I put them in so there was a little bit more moisture. I then added a can of drained red kidney beans. I mixed it all together and added some salt, pepper, and some chili powder. I like my chili a little on the spicy side, so I added quite of chili powder. Add the chili powder to your taste. I put the crock pot on low and the let all of the flavors combine and marry! When I served it, everyone thought it was homemade. Nope! It was dressed up, but not homemade.
To make this chili even more tasty, I would serve this along side some corn bread, and have some grated cheddar cheese and onions for mixing into the chili. I didn't add these things when I made it because it was being served along side other good things to eat. You could even do this chili for Navajo tacos, chili-dogs, or really anything that has chili in it. I have posted the "recipe" below.
Easy Peasy Chili:
2 Cans of any brand chili (recommended is Stagg or Nalley brand)
1 Can of red kidney beans, drained
1 Can of diced tomatoes, undrained
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Chili Powder, to taste
In a crock pot mix all ingredients together. Put on a low for a few hours. Check flavor after about an hour. Add more salt, pepper, and chili powder if needed. Serve immediately.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Merry Berry Christmas!
I have lived in my condo for a year and last year I didn't do anything for the neighbors at Christmas, because I didn't know anybody. Well, that has changed. I know quite a few neighbors now and you would be surprised what a freak carport accident will do to help you get to know your neighbors. They first wonder how the carport could fall down and smash your car, and then they come and admire the hot new sexy car later! Want to know the rest of the story? E-mail me.
I have always enjoyed treats at Christmas and so I wanted to make treats for my neighbors this year. I didn't want to do the typical cookies and brownies, though. I wanted to do something different. In the December\January 2010 edition of "Everyday With Rachael Ray" there was a recipe for granola -- a nut and fruit granola! So, I decided to make this. They officially call it Berry Christmas Granola. This recipe is very easy to make and tasty to!
My favorite part of this granola is the pistachio nuts! I love pistachios! I could eat a whole bag to myself without even thinking about it! There is also dried blueberries, dried cherries, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, rolled oats, butter and honey in this recipe. The oats, sesame seeds, and almonds are coated with the honey and butter and then gets baked for about a half hour. After it is baked and cooled you mix the oat mixture with the fruit and pistachios! Delicious! If you do buy pistachios still in their shells, do keep in mind you will be shelling for awhile and the salt on the nuts can dry out your hands, so I had to take a couple of breaks while shelling the nuts. Some stores sell shelled pistachios but they are typically more expensive than those in the shell.
I wanted to have a cute presentation for my granola and I wasn't sure what I would do initially. The magazine suggested using cellophane bags and tying them with some ribbon. I was going to do that as I was not getting any inspiration, but then I was perusing around the Dollar Spot at Target and saw them! Target had these cute Chinese take-out boxes with Christmas decor on them, so I bought some those! I put the granola in a sandwich bag and then put that inside the take-out boxes! I am now going to make a cute little tag to go with them and then I will be delivering them.
Neighbor Christmas gifts work well if you need to get to know your neighbors a little better. While I know my neighbors, I don't know know them. This will be the opportunity to formally introduce myself. This recipe also does have multiple people in mind, so it makes quite a bit! Happy munching!
Finished Granola in bag:
Granola in Chinese Take-Out Container:
Finished Gifts:
I have always enjoyed treats at Christmas and so I wanted to make treats for my neighbors this year. I didn't want to do the typical cookies and brownies, though. I wanted to do something different. In the December\January 2010 edition of "Everyday With Rachael Ray" there was a recipe for granola -- a nut and fruit granola! So, I decided to make this. They officially call it Berry Christmas Granola. This recipe is very easy to make and tasty to!
My favorite part of this granola is the pistachio nuts! I love pistachios! I could eat a whole bag to myself without even thinking about it! There is also dried blueberries, dried cherries, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, rolled oats, butter and honey in this recipe. The oats, sesame seeds, and almonds are coated with the honey and butter and then gets baked for about a half hour. After it is baked and cooled you mix the oat mixture with the fruit and pistachios! Delicious! If you do buy pistachios still in their shells, do keep in mind you will be shelling for awhile and the salt on the nuts can dry out your hands, so I had to take a couple of breaks while shelling the nuts. Some stores sell shelled pistachios but they are typically more expensive than those in the shell.
I wanted to have a cute presentation for my granola and I wasn't sure what I would do initially. The magazine suggested using cellophane bags and tying them with some ribbon. I was going to do that as I was not getting any inspiration, but then I was perusing around the Dollar Spot at Target and saw them! Target had these cute Chinese take-out boxes with Christmas decor on them, so I bought some those! I put the granola in a sandwich bag and then put that inside the take-out boxes! I am now going to make a cute little tag to go with them and then I will be delivering them.
Neighbor Christmas gifts work well if you need to get to know your neighbors a little better. While I know my neighbors, I don't know know them. This will be the opportunity to formally introduce myself. This recipe also does have multiple people in mind, so it makes quite a bit! Happy munching!
Finished Granola in bag:
Granola in Chinese Take-Out Container:
Finished Gifts:
Thursday, December 2, 2010
P.F. Chang's Orange Chicken
So, I did indeed get to the grocery store, so I will be trying a few new recipes this coming week. Because it is Christmastime, I won't be blogging as often, but I will try to stay on top of it. However, I went shopping late tonight and while I was at the grocery store I saw some frozen Chinese entrees. I decided to buy one and try it for dinner. While I didn't make the recipe, I still want to critique it as this is the point of this blog.
I tried one of the new frozen entrees from P.F. Chang's. I tried their Orange Chicken. Very spicy to me but tasty! It has chicken (obviously), edamame (soy beans), carrots, and water chestnuts. It also has a nice spicy orange glaze! What I liked about this was that the glaze was in the bag with the rest and frozen in chunks, so as it cooked they melted and mixed in. It was very easy to make. It was done in about 12 minutes. These entrees serve two, but you could buy a couple and serve a family of four. And overall this was cheaper than going out to eat at P.F. Chang's or really any other Chinese restaurant.
I will definitely be trying their other selections in the future.
I tried one of the new frozen entrees from P.F. Chang's. I tried their Orange Chicken. Very spicy to me but tasty! It has chicken (obviously), edamame (soy beans), carrots, and water chestnuts. It also has a nice spicy orange glaze! What I liked about this was that the glaze was in the bag with the rest and frozen in chunks, so as it cooked they melted and mixed in. It was very easy to make. It was done in about 12 minutes. These entrees serve two, but you could buy a couple and serve a family of four. And overall this was cheaper than going out to eat at P.F. Chang's or really any other Chinese restaurant.
I will definitely be trying their other selections in the future.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I Like Cake! Potato Cake That Is!
So sorry it has been almost a week since my last blog post. I have been battling (yet again) the sinus infection from the unmentionable place. Hopefully I am on the mend this time!
For tonight's dinner I made Potato Cake With Bacon, Sour Cream, Apples, and Kale. This was probably a recipe I was hesitant to try, but I persevered and made it anyway.
The potato cake did not look so cakeish to me, but that could be because I cooked the potatoes in my cast iron casserole dish and not a skillet. I don't have a skillet deep enough for this recipe, so I had to improvise. The potatoes did get cooked all the way through and they had a very nice bacon, salty flavor to them.
I have never really had cooked apples outside of apple pie. These were quite interesting. As they cooked in the pan, the apples released their sugars and so they got all sorts of caramelized. It was pretty good! I would have saved the extras, but I left the bowl with the apples in them on the stove while I had the broiler going and they got all mushy. If you do have left over apples, make sure you take care of the extras right away so you don't end up with mushy apples.
I am not a huge fan of dark leafy greens because I tend to get sick when I eat a lot of them in large quantities, but I still tried the kale. Surprisingly, the kale had a flavor similar to celery or romaine lettuce. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The sour cream was to be served with both the potatoes and kale. I felt like the sour cream took away from the flavors of both, so I preferred to eat the rest of this dish without the sour cream. Of course if you like sour cream, then you will like it in this dish.
Well, that is tonight's critique. Tomorrow I will be hitting the grocery store for ingredients for a new set of recipes. So watch this space for more exciting recipes!
Potato Cake in pan:
Potato cake out of pan:
Potatoes, Apples, and Kale:
For tonight's dinner I made Potato Cake With Bacon, Sour Cream, Apples, and Kale. This was probably a recipe I was hesitant to try, but I persevered and made it anyway.
The potato cake did not look so cakeish to me, but that could be because I cooked the potatoes in my cast iron casserole dish and not a skillet. I don't have a skillet deep enough for this recipe, so I had to improvise. The potatoes did get cooked all the way through and they had a very nice bacon, salty flavor to them.
I have never really had cooked apples outside of apple pie. These were quite interesting. As they cooked in the pan, the apples released their sugars and so they got all sorts of caramelized. It was pretty good! I would have saved the extras, but I left the bowl with the apples in them on the stove while I had the broiler going and they got all mushy. If you do have left over apples, make sure you take care of the extras right away so you don't end up with mushy apples.
I am not a huge fan of dark leafy greens because I tend to get sick when I eat a lot of them in large quantities, but I still tried the kale. Surprisingly, the kale had a flavor similar to celery or romaine lettuce. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The sour cream was to be served with both the potatoes and kale. I felt like the sour cream took away from the flavors of both, so I preferred to eat the rest of this dish without the sour cream. Of course if you like sour cream, then you will like it in this dish.
Well, that is tonight's critique. Tomorrow I will be hitting the grocery store for ingredients for a new set of recipes. So watch this space for more exciting recipes!
Potato Cake in pan:
Potato cake out of pan:
Potatoes, Apples, and Kale:
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