Monday, September 20, 2010

8 layer Mexican Dip

Recipe for: 8 Layer Mexican Dip
From: Karen Miner

1 (17 oz.) can spicy refried beans
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
1/2 pkg. dry taco seasoning (mix together with sour cream)
2 avocados – make guacamole:
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. seasoned pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) can chopped black olives
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 small tomatoes, diced
3 green onions, chopped


Layer on round platter in order given. Serve with tortilla chips.

Gaucamole

Gauc recipe-

Mix together the mashed pulp of two ripe avocados,
3 TBSP finely diced white onion, and 4 TBSP diced roma tomatoes.

Next stir in 4 TBSP of chopped cilantro,
2 TSBPs Finely chopped jalapeno peppers
and the juice of one lime.

Add salt to taste and it’s ready to serve.

Quick Cold Treats

Fill tiny plastic shot glasses with these combos: peaches and coconut, popcorn and caramel, or pears and crystallized ginger. Then, add miniature scoops of vanilla peach or mango ice cream and dig in. (See recipe for tasting trios)

For a quick cool down combo, top cream soda with cookie dough ice cream for a vanilla dream float. Cream soda comes in amber and clear varieties; both have the same old-fashioned flavor and give the float is smooth vanilla taste.

A great way to have a meltdown: chocolate cupcake ice cream sandwiches. Top off purchased cupcakes with a nutty maraschino cherry sauce.

Sherbet fruit pops combine frozen kiwi and fruit sherbets for frosty refreshment.
Sandwich sherbet striped with watermelon, orange, cherry, pineapple, and banana flavors between sugar cookies for these tropical treat sandwiches. The cookies bake in seven minutes. Pucker up with a lemon drop shake- just blend vanilla ice cream with lemonade. For an extra dash of sparkle, rim the glass with crushed lemon drop candies and sugar.
Top the double melon bowl ( cantaloupe shell) – with a blend of pureed cantaloupe and softened vanilla frozen yogurt served tight in the melon shell with frozen watermelon chunks.

CITRUS SALSA SALMON

CITRUS SALSA SALMON

4 4-5 oz skinless salmon fillets (3/4 inch thick)
1/3 cup red jalapeno jelly
3 medium oranges, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat broiler, lightly spring salmon with alt and pepper. In small saucepan over low heart melt jelly. Brush 2 TBSP of jelly on the salmon; reserve remaining jelly. Place salmon on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until salmon flakes with tested with a fork.Meanwhile, for fresh citrus salsa, in medium bowl combine chopped oranges, grapefruit, halve tomatoes, and remaining jelly.

Serves 4.

cooking tips

How to store Berries- Refrigerate berries in a single layer, loosely covered up to 2 days. Rinse just before using. Use within 2 to 3 days and allow berries to come to room temp for the best flavor.

Cutting phylo dough requires a sharp knife- press down firmly to cut. Don't saw, which tears the dough.

Small baby vegetables- cut iceberg in half and top with chicken or tuna salad. See melissas.com or boggiatto.com for more.

For deep rich color when dyeing Easter eggs, use past or gel food coloring. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to ¾ cup of hot water and stir in color until water is a deep hue.

Two bite burgers-“sliders” shape pound of ground beef into eight patties; broil, grill or fry to 160 degrees and serve in round dinner rolls or miniature buns


To save money by stocking up during sales use within these guidelines:
Cooked chicken breasts- 4 months
Cooked meat dished: 3 months
Uncooked poultry: 1 year
Uncooked beef roast/steaks: 1 year
Uncooked pork roasts/chop: 6 months
Uncooked ground beef: 4 months
Frozen veg and fruits:1 year
Bread and tortillas: 3 to 6 months
Butter: 6 months

COLD FACTS
Freeze fast: quick and even freezing help preserve the taste and texture of foods. Divide large amounts of food into 1 to 2 serving proportions; let cool at room temp for 30 minutes. (of cooling longer –refrigerate)
Once cool, seal container and freeze
If freezing several items at once, allow enough space around them so cold air can circulate and freeze the food more evenly

Smart Storage- make freezer bags easy to stack and thaw by laying the sealed bags in a wide metal pan to freeze flat. Once frozen, remove from pan and stack. Place items to be stored the longest in the coldest part of the freezer at the back. Use the door for items to be used the soonest.
UES IT- attach an index card to the fridge to keep track of what’s in the freezer and that date it went in. before grocery shopping check the list to see what you have on hand in the freezer.

TYPES OF OILS:
Toasted sesame oil- contains antioxidants. Best for- adding rich nutty flavor to Asian dishes
Canola oil. High in cholesterol-reducing polyunsat. Fats. Best for-sautéing, especially foods from central and south Am. and baking.
Soybean oil- A higher proportion of polyunsat. Fast mean “for lower cholesterol use this instead of olive oil. BEST FOR- Everyday cooling, including sautéing.
Olive oil- high in hear healthy monounsat. Fats. Helps reduce bad choel. Best for- use extra virgin in salad dressings and sauces. Use regular olive oil for sautéing
Peanut Oil- contains vitamin E and heart healthy plan steroll good ration of saturated, mon. and poloyunsat. Fats. Best for stir fries, cheese dishes.

Recipes from Quick and Heathly Vol II

Recipe from Quick and Healthy Vol II by Brenda J Ponichtera
(I copied these from the cookbook, while I was Nannying in Ann Arbor).

Cheese Sauce

1 cup cold skim milk, divided
2 TB unbleached flour
¼ tsp salt (opt)
1/8 tsp pepper
2 oz. reduced fat sharp cheese, cut in small pieces

Combine ½ milk with flour in covered container and shake well to prevent lumps. Pour into a 4 cup glass measuing cup alone with the rest of the milk and seasonings. Cook in microwave on high for 3 to 4 mins, stirring with a wire wisk every 30 seconds until thickened. Add chesse and stir until melted.
2 Tbsp = 40 cal 1 gram of fat

Spanish Bean dip
I can (16 oz) Refried beans
½ cup light cream cheese
¼ cup salsa, thick and chuncky
Mix all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl. Cover and cook on high unitl hot (about 1 min), stir several times while cooking.

Herbed Cream Cheese
8 oz tub light cream cheese , at room temp
2 TB light mayo
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp chopped garlic
½ tsp pnion powder
½ tsp Italian seasoning
Mix all together. Serve on bagel, crackers, toast, cucumbers, zucchini, celery or other crisp foods.

BBQ corn on the cob
Cook unshucked corn for 15 minutes turning corn several times shile cooking. Remove corn and cool enogh to handle.

Oven Fried Parmesean Potatoes
4 Med potatoes (about 5 oz each)
1 TB canola oil
TB Grated Parmeaean
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Scrub potatoes, but don’t peel. Cut in wedges or strips. Place potato slices in platic bag with oil and shake well to coast evenly. In a plastic bag, mix seasonings. Add potatoes and shake to coat. Arrange potatotes on single layer, pon baking sheet wthat had been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 30 -35 mins or until golden brown

Turkey rotinit salad
Can serve on a bed of lettuce. Use left over chicken or turkey

4oz rotinit noodles- corkscrew shape (about 1 ½ cups dry)
¾ cup broccili
¾ sliced carrots
1 ½ cups cooked cubed turkey breast
3 TBSP nonfat Italian or ranch style dressing

Cook past, omitting salt and oil. Drain and cool. Add veggies and turkey. Toss with dressing.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Citrus Marinated Chops

So I really wasn't a fan of this recipe but will post it to meet my goal of one new recipe a week! I found this recipe on the sticker on the package the chops came in.

4 pork chops boneless or bone in, about 1 1/4 thick- The recipe came on a bone in package with 6 chops so I used it on that, perhaps it would be better with boneless?

1/2 cup Orange Juice
2 TBSP olive oil
2 crushed garlic clovers
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Place chops in a large self sealing bag, combine remaining ingredients and pour over chops. Seal bag and refrigerate for 4 -24 hours. Remove chops from marinate (discard) and grill over medium hot coals, or broil on a pre - heated broiler pan 3-5 inches from heat source for 12-15 minutes, turning to brown evenly while cooking. Serve chops immediately. Serves 4.

I broiled a little longer (I had put them in for 12 minutes and forgot to rotate. They were a little tough and fatty.