Sodium Content in Foods

Sodium Content in Foods – based on ½ cup servings

Corn, Fresh - trace

Corn, breakfast flakes - 126 mg.

Corn, canned - 302 mg.

Mushrooms, fresh - 6 mg.

Mushrooms, canned - 484 mg

Mushrooms, cream soup - 477 mg

Peas, fresh - 2 mg

Peas, frozen - 92 mg

Peas, canned - 200 mg

Peas, soup - 450 mg

Potatoes, fresh baked (1) - 6 mg

Potatoes, boxed instant - 246 mg

Potatoes, frozen hash browns - 223 mg

Rice, fresh - 3 mg

Rice, quick processed - 383 mg

Rice, breakfast cereal - 142 mg

Wheat, roll berries- 1 mg

Wheat, saltines (4) - 123 mg

Wheat, store bread (1) - 142 mg

 

Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1 tsp. Dijon style mustard

2/3 cup olive oil

Black pepper

In a mixing bowl, blend the garlic and mustard with the vinegar.  With a wire whisk, beat mixture while slowly adding the oil in a steady stream (this can also be made in a food processor).  You can also add your favorite fresh or dried herbs for variations.  Makes 1 cup

 

Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing

I had the pleasure of being sent 4 salad dressings to try and review.  My first one to try was the Apple Poppyseed which turned out to be simply wonderful.  It's sweet, apple flavor fits perfectly with my salad of romaine lettuce sprinkle with pecans and all of my other favorite salad fixings... noodles, apples, raisins, oranges.  One other use for the Apple Poppyseed Dressing - coconut shrimp.  It's simply wonderful!

Nectarines - One of my Favorite Fruit.

SELECTION - Ripe fruit are fragrant and give, slightly, to the touch. If they are a under-ripe, leave them at room temperature for 2–3 days to ripen. Look for fruit with smooth unblemished skin. Avoid extremely hard or dull colored fruits and soft fruit with soft, wrinkled, punctured skin.

STORAGE - Nectarines keep for 5 days if stored in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

PREPARATION - Nectarines can be used and prepared in the same ways as peaches, with no need to peel because they have no fuzz. Leave the skins on when making pies, cobblers and fresh fruit salads, etc.

AVAILABILITY - California nectarines are available from late April and to late August. Almost all of the nectarines available are in California. Chiliean Nectarines are available from late December through early March.

• Bake peeled, halved, pitted fruit, cut-side up in a baking pan sprinkled with honey and cinnamon and cooked until tender.

• Grilled nectarines are a wonderful tasty treat! Be sure to brush the fruit with fruit juices and cook until it is heated through.

• Poached nectarines in fruit juice or wine and cook until tender…a simple, elegant way to end a meal.

• Nectarines make a good substitute in any recipe that calls for peaches or apricots.

• Puree ripe nectarines with skim milk, non-fat yogurt, or orange juice for a tasty breakfast treat

• Serve pancakes, waffles, or French toast with sliced or chopped nectarines.

• Add cut up nectarines to your favorite fruit salad.

• Serve baked nectarines with baked chicken or ham as delicious side dish.
   

Mushroom Rice

1 pkg (5.9 oz.) Rice-a-Roni (any flavor)
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice according to package directions. Fold in mushrooms and sour cream. Place in a 3 qt. casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 25 - 30 minutes.

You can also add my favorite, a little shredded cheese during the last 5 minutes. You can also add sliced water chestnuts along with the mushrooms.

Personal Pizzas

These little pizzas are perfect for kids to make but don't tell them that they are actually a little healthier than most pizzas due to their crust.  These are made with Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins. 

For the crust I used 1/2 of a Sandwich Thin, topped it with about a Tablespoon full of pizza sauce (you can use spaghetti sauce if you want), I topped that with cheese and then my favorite toppings - bell pepper, onion, black olives and pepperoni.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  I did cover my cookie sheet with a piece of foil, to which I poured about 1 Tablespoon of oil then took a paper towel and evenly spread it around.  This gives you a little crispness to the crust.

These are so good and the kids can create their own with their favorite toppings.  They are quick to make when unexpected company drops in too.  You can also use Alfredo sauce to make a chicken and/or spinach pizza. 

Poaching?

Poaching is a wonderful option for a healthy approach to cooking fish, poultry and meat.  Poaching is the gentle simmering in liquid.  The most common poaching broth is combining vegetables and aromatics in liquid, such as onions, garlic, fresh ginger, carrots or celery in water, stock, wine or vermouth. 

Veggie Dip

2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped

2-3 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. honey

½ onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Assorted raw veggies for dipping

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (except veggies).  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Makes 3 cups.

Apricots and Walnuts

I found these 2 walnut ideas in a magazine and thought I would share.

Place 20 dried apricot halves on a plate, cut side up.  Spread each with ½ tsp. softened cream cheese or goat cheese.  Press a walnut half into cheese.  Sandwich apricot halves together.  Great Appetizer!

Toss 1 cup walnuts with 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. ground cumin.  Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sounds delicious!

 

Macaroni Caesar Salad

1 pkg (16 oz.) tri-colored macaroni, cooked and drained
1 red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup Caesar salad dressing

Combine macaroni, bell pepper and broccoli. Toss with dressing. Chill.

Changes - use your favorite pasta.. shells, spirals, etc. Add shredded carrots for color and taste. Maybe a little purple onion or spring onions with tops. Sprinkle with cheese.

Why Sift Dry Ingredients

Sifting breaks up clumps and to allow air to circulate throughout your ingredients. But what do you do if you don't have a sifter? You can use a fork or egg whisk. Just place your dry ingredients into a bowl and stir them with a fork or egg whisk. Stir thoroughly until the ingredients are smooth and light. This will fluff up flour, powdered sugar and any added dry ingredients.

Angel Pudding Cake

1 loaf angel food cake, cut into cubes
1 pkg (4 oz.) pudding mix (your favorite flavor)
1 pkg (8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan or glass dish with non-stick spray. Evenly arrange cake cubes in pan. Mix pudding according to package directions and spread evenly over cake cubes. Spread whipped topping evenly over pudding. Refrigerate 6 hrs. Cut into squares to serve.

This is so simple and delicious. You can make it any flavor you like just by changing the pudding flavor.... chocolate, banana, coconut, lemon, etc. Plus you can decorate it according to the pudding flavor... chocolate - shaved chocolate; banana - sliced bananas; coconut - shredded coconut; lemon - lemon zest.

Black Forest Cake

1 box (19 oz.) brownie mix
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1/4 cup almond slivers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package. Divide dough in half and spread over the bottom of 2 8" round cake pans sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely. Place 1 brownie layer on a cake plate. Spoon half of the pie filing evenly over the top. Place the second layer over the filling and top with the remaining cherry pie filling. Sprinkle with almonds.

This is so simple and so tasty. And if you want to make it really pretty, when serving top each slice with a little whipped topping, drizzle with chocolate and top it all off with a cherry.

Georgia Cavier

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can (4 oz.) chopped black olives
3 green onions, chopped very fine

Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Fold in olives and onions.
Chill and spread on slices of party rye bread

I make this for most parties and it's always a big hit.

Interesting!

Who knew? 

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effectscaused by traditional pain relievers?  

Did you know that Colgate Toothpastemakes an excellent salve for burns?  

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure... Cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief... it's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Colored Sugar

Cookie & Cake Decoration: Keep a small amount of sugar in small glass jars, add a few drops of food coloring and shake jar. Keep several colors on hand. This is great to use when decorating cookies and cakes this Easter.

Whipped Cream

Tasty flavored whipped cream: First whip cream then add 2 tablespoons of flavored Jell-O and continue beating on slow until the whipped cream is right consistency. This makes really pretty topping for the upcoming Easter holiday.

Creamy Garlic Italian Dressing

This is so simple and so delicious you may never buy bottled dressing again.

1 cup Mayonnaise
3 Tbl. Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbl. Olive Oil
1 Tbl. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Dried Oregano Leaves
1 tsp. Dried Basil Leaves
1 tsp. Minced Garlic

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour into a covered container and refrigerate. Shake before using.

You can also use 2 tsp. of Italian seasonings in place of the Oregano and Basil.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

These cookies would be great for different holidays.  You can use seasonal colored M&Ms for your chips giving the cookies a holiday color.  And of course, you can always add coconut.  This is a very simple recipe.  One that kids would even enjoy making and being creative with. You can find the full recipe by clicking on Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Sausage Casserole (serves 10)

1 lb. sausage
1 dozen eggs, slightly scrambled
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage and drain. Evenly spread sausage on a 9 x 13" casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Whisk soup into eggs. Pour over sausage. Evenly sprinkle cheese over eggs. Bake 30 minutes. Serves 10

A simple inexpensive dish that will serve about 10. Great for Sunday morning Brunch. Want a different taste? Use bacon or ham. Add a can of drained mushrooms. Sprinkle with a few chopped green onion tops or maybe serve topped with sour cream.

Easy Sandwich Cookies

This is a fun cookie to make with the kids and with the holidays just around the corner they can have a great time decorating them. View the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Jello - Another forgotten food.

Jello is one of the most inexpensive ingredients you can buy. A few years ago, it, like the Fondue Pot, was very popular. Then and now it still makes some of the best desserts around at very little cost. Tonight I decided to bring it back, at least to my home, and make a jello dessert. This is what I used.

1/2 cup coconut
1 small can pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 pkg jello (strawberry is what I used)
1 cup of hot water
1/2 cup nuts

In a bowl mix the jello and hot water until it dissolves. All all of the other ingredients, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until set.

This turned out so good and only took about 15 minutes to make. So the next time you want to make something for the kids to have as a snack after school or even with dinner, try jello. And if you want to make it even healthier use the sugar free. They will never know the difference.

Visit to Carrabba's Part 6 - Dessert Rosa The Perfect Ending for the Perfect Meal

Now for the perfect ending.  Dessert Rosa is served in "shot" type glasses.  In the bottom of each glass is a square of butter cake.  That's topped with a layer of pineapple, a couple of strawberry slices and a banana circle.  On top of that Chef Michael added vanilla pudding, topped that with cool whip, a drizzle of chocolate and garnished it with a strawberry slice.  This is just one flavor of yet another deliciously simple desserts made and served at Carrabba's.  And as I said, the size is perfect and makes the perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful meal.

Visit to Carrabba's Part 5 - Penne Franco

Penne Franco consists of sauted mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes in oil, artichoke hearts, black olives and ricotta salata.  I had no idea as to what ricotta salata was but Chef Michael explained that it's ricotta that has been salted, making it firm.  When I bit into this dish, my mouth filled with many flavors.  I could taste the individual ingredients but a wonderful blend of flavors at the same time.  This is a truly wonderful dish.

Visit to Carrabba's Pat 4 - Linguine Pescatore

The Linguine Pescatore is made with Carrabba's "mother" Marinara Sauce. I call it the "mother" sauce because it's used in many of their dishes.   Like most dishes served at Carrabba's, it's made of simple ingredients such as onions, garlic, anchovies, red wine, lots of tomatoes and a few herbs.  To this, Chef Michael adds shrimp, sea scallops and mussels and serves it over linguine.  This has to be one of the best marinara sauces I've ever eaten.  It has the bite at the back of your mouth from the pepper.  The flavor is strong but not overpowering.  As you take a bite of the seafood, you taste both the sauce as well as the seafood you are eating.  The scallops still have their delicate sweetness on the inside with the taste of the sauce on the outside.  When this is served as a dish, it's pure heaven!

Visit to Carrabba's Part 3 -Tag Pic Pac

This had to be one of the simplest dishes made by Carrabba's.  The sauce is made by cooking slices of garlic in extra virgin olive oil until soft.  Chef Michael then adds basil, crushed and chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper.  This is then served over Tagliarini, which looks like a narrow linguine.  OH so good!

Visit to Carrabba's Part 2 - Pesto

Pesto is so versatile.  It can be added to anything from pasta to pizza.  It's great added as a topping for bruschette or just as a dip for fresh veggies and cheese.

I have to admit that I've never made my own pesto.  I've always bought it in a jar or in a package that required adding a little oil and water.  BUT, after watching Chef Michael make fresh Pesto for Carrabba's and after tasting this wonderful dish, I will be making my own fresh from now on.  Pesto can be refrigerated for 4-5 days or frozen for several weeks.

One ingredient that Chef Michael stressed, not only in his Pesto but in all dishes, was the pepper.  He uses fresh ground White Pepper only which can be easily made at home by using a small coffee grinder.  Just remember that pepper will loose it's flavor quickly, so grind only what you need for each meal.

My Trip to Carrabba's Italian Grill - Part 1

This past Saturday I had the pleasure to visit Carrabba's Italian Grill in Huntersville, NC.  This was made possible through the invitation of Foodbuzz Tastemaker and the Carrabba's Proprietor Marci Lambert, with the event featuring Carrabba's Chef Michael Brannock.

Chef Michael choose several of Carrabba's "Signature Dishes" for his demonstration.  Fortunately for me, his choices were dishes new to me.  But the real joy came when I was able to actually watch Chef Michael prepare and cook each dish individually.  Between the Pesto and the Penne Franco, plus all of the other dishes in between, my mouth and stomach took a trip to heaven.

Turtle Bars

There have been times that I've found a recipe, made it following the recipe to the letter and it just not work out.  This was one of those.  The Turtle Bars are delicious but I did change them just a bit when I made the the 2nd time.  Using the original recipe I had trouble getting the bars out of the pan.  They were simply too moist and sticky.  I fixed that problem by cutting the amount of chocolate chips and caramel topping.  So, here is the original recipe with my changes.

1 pkg. (18 oz.) chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (I cut this down to 1/2 cup)
1 cup chopped pecans, divided (you can use pecans but I used walnuts simply because I wanted to)
1 jar (12 oz.) caramel ice cream topping (I cut this down to 1/2 the jar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine cake mix, butter and milk in a large bowl.  Stir until well blended.  Spread 1/2 of the mixture into your pan. (This is easily pressed into place with your fingers.  The butter keeps the batter from sticking to your fingers)  Bake for 7-8 minutes or until it starts to make a crust.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and half of the pecans.  Drizzle the caramel over the top of the pecans.  Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the pecans.  Sprinkle with remaining pecans.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.  Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

Of course you can change this by using chocolate topping instead of the caramel giving this a really triple chocolate taste.  And I would add a little coconut along with the nuts for more taste. 

After making my changes, these came out perfect so make your own and enjoy.

Chocolate Fondue

Since I brought up the subject of bringing back the Fondue Pot, I thought I would post this really delicious dip.

8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
Fresh Fruit or Cookies

Beat cream cheese with an electric beater until soft and creamy. Put in Fondue Pot. Add chocolate, cream and butter. Stir over low heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm with fresh fruit on skewers or cookies.
If you aren't a chocolate lover, like me, you can use white chocolate in place of the semisweet.

Now doesn't this sound good and a lot of fun to serve? Let's bring the Fondue Pot back.

Sausage and Egg - a KISS Recipe

This is a true KISS recipe (keep it simple silly).  I wanted something different for breakfast one morning and came up with this.  It's nothing but a toasted tortilla, a sausage patty, and a soft fried egg topped with cheese while it's still hot.  Oh how good!

You can do this with country ham, Canadian bacon, ham, bacon, etc. 

Remember the Fondues?

Fondues were really popular in the 70s but seemed to fade away after a while. During the 70s you never went to a party that didn't have some type of Fondue. I can remember everyone standing around the Fondue pot talking, laughing and enjoying themselves between mouthfuls of warm cheese and bread and warm chocolate and fruit. Well, we still have parties and family gatherings throughout the year so why not bring them back.

Fondues are ideal for any gathering that includes food. They are simple to make, easy to serve and come in all flavors. In their days, most pots were heated with either a candle or Sterno. A little later came the electric pots. But did you know that you don't have to have a real "Fondue Pot?" A small crock pot and even small electric simmer pots work well too. The main thing to remember no matter what type of pot you use is to keep the fondue well stirred to prevent burning.

Most Fondue Pots will include 6 and sometimes 8 forks. What do you do if you need more? Most wooden skewers will work just as well in place of the forks. The skewers also make clean-up easier... you can just throw them away.

Now for one of my favorites. This is a cheese fondue that is so simple, easy and delicious that there is no way to mess it up.

1 loaf of French bread cut into cubes
1 can Ro-Tel
1 lb. Velveeta cheese cut into chunks

Place cheese and Ro-Tel in your pot, heat until melted and smooth. Serve with cheese cubes. This is a delicious fondue that you can adjust the taste heat by your choice of Ro-Tel.

Mini-Egg Rolls with Cream Cheese & Fruit

I tried my hand today at making egg rolls for the 1st time. I believe they turned out pretty good but haven't heard back from my food testers so the results aren't in yet.

I did end up with extra egg roll wraps and didn't know what to do with them. I really didn't think they would freeze very well and as usual I don't like to throw food away. This is what I ended up doing.

I cut each wrapper into 1/4s. In the center of each I added about 1/2 tsp of cream cheese and either a small slice of pineapple or a cherry, rolled them up to create mini egg rolls and fried in small batches for about 1 min on each side. Now these I do know turned out great! They make perfect appetizers or just nice snacks. For the fruit, add just about any kind. Just remember it has to be kept small so it will fit the mini-rolls. Use blueberries, strawberry slices, peach slices, use your imagination.

Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Another article that I found informative and wanted to share.

1. Plan, plan, plan. “If a family or head of household can take an hour to plan a week’s worth of meals and make a grocery shopping list and another hour to grocery shop, then the family can be good for a week,” says Shelley A. Rael, RD, a registered dietitian and health education consultant at the University of New Mexico’s Employee Health Promotion Program in Albuquerque. This is a win-win situation as food prepared at home is generally healthy and less expensive.
2. Buy in bulk. Whether it’s choosing a “family size” pack of skinless chicken breasts and freezing what you don’t use right away or one large container of nonfat yogurt instead of individual servings, buying big can equal big savings.
3. Cut those coupons. “Clipping coupons and shopping sales will never go out of style, especially when there are many mouths to feed,” says Amy Berns, RD, a registered dietitian with Medical Network One’s Michigan Institute for Health Enhancement in Trenton. Coupons are everywhere these days, from local flyers to the Internet. Check individual food companies’ Web sites for discounts, rebates, and coupons you can print yourself.
4. Shop the perimeter of the store. Most stores are organized with packaged foods in the middle. As much as possible, stick to the outer areas where you can find the healthier fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy. Also, while these foods may seem expensive, be sure to consider actual serving sizes and how many meals you can get from one purchase. “Produce may appear expensive at the outset,” says Rael, “but it can be part of a meal or a snack. Many people see ‘$3.99 per pound,’ but don’t think about how that pound could potentially be spread across several meals or people.”
5. Try some substitutions. Instead of expensive and less healthy beef, buy more chicken and pork. Beans are another good source of protein and are usually much cheaper than meat. Fish can be bought frozen or canned to cut down on cost as well.
6. Try the “IKEA” style of eating. That means “some assembly required,” says Ashley Koff, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in Los Angeles. “Rather than buying the salad already made, buy the pieces and assemble it yourself. Instead of the ready-to-eat pasta dish, buy the sauce, the cheese, the meatballs, and some organic frozen vegetables.” Not only is it less expensive to purchase items individually, but you will also be avoiding the preservatives used to increase a packaged food’s shelf life.
7. Skip the snack foods. Products like chips, cookies, and soda are unhealthy and represent an unnecessary expense for shoppers looking to save money. Popcorn, dried fruits, and nuts are good, nutritious substitutions for chips.
8. Go local and buy in-season. “Look for fresh local and in-season produce as this is usually more affordable than choosing imported produce,” says Erin Palinski, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in northern New Jersey. “If fresh produce seems too expensive, try choosing frozen or canned. It is more affordable and has a longer shelf life. To cut down on the sodium content of canned vegetables, try rinsing them before cooking and serving.”
9. Be creative. Whether it’s trying a new recipe with ingredients bought using coupons or putting a new twist on an old favorite, shopping and preparing different foods can be fun.

Popcycles

Here's an easy way to make pop cycles that they will love but control the sugar at the same time.

You will need plastic spoons, sugar-free cool aide and small (3 oz.) plastic cups. Make the cool aide according to the instructions on the package, pour into the cups and place in the freezer. When the mixture gets mushy, insert a plastic spoon in the center. Continue to freeze until frozen solid.

A lot of the drink packages now come in individual size so you can mix up several packs using different flavors instead of using the 2 qt. size and give the kids a choice of flavor.

Leftover Chicken

A couple of nights ago I made baked chicken breasts. I've never bought chicken breasts with so much meat, ever! The end results left me with a bit of left over meat. I don't like to waste so I chopped it up and decided to make something quick and simple with the leftover meat. This is one of the easiest recipes you will ever find for chicken. I boiled 1 cup of rice, mixed in the leftover chicken (about 1 a cup), added a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, mixed well and poured into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. I thickly topped the dish with shredded cheese and topped that with French fried onion rings. Then into a preheated 350 degree oven it went for about 15 minutes or until the dish was hot and the cheese was melted. This dish was Wonderful! I had drop-in company for dinner and from the raves I got you would have thought I served steak. I told no one how easy it was to make nor that it was made with leftovers. Try this the next time you have left over chicken. You won't regret it.

Left Over Cheese

After having a gathering of friends I found myself with leftover sliced cheese. All kinds of cheese.. Swiss, Cheddar, etc. With the economy as it is there was no way I would just throw it away and there was also no way I could eat it all before it went bad. So what do you do with leftover cheese? I did 2 things. First I cut it up into small pieces. I measured out 1 1/2 cups and made pimiento cheese. I did this by mixing 1/2 of an 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 2 heaping tablespoons of chopped pimiento and pepper. The different cheeses gave it a great taste. This made a delicious spread. Second, I took what was left over, put it into a freezer bag and put it into the freezer to use with dishes I make that call for cheese. Frozen cheese, after thawing, won't work very well for sandwiches but it works great in cooking. So the next time you're stuck with leftover sliced cheese, give either or both of these suggestions a try.

Taco Pizza - A KISS Recipe (Keep it Simple Silly)

1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1.25 oz.) dry taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1/2 cup water
Corn Tortillas (10-12 6" size)
cheddar cheese, shredded
mozzarella cheese, shredded
Peppers, chopped
Tomatoes, copped
Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown ground beef and drain very well.  Add taco seasoning, beans and water.  Cook on medium high heat until water has been absorbed and mixture is thick.  On a cookie sheet lined with foil lay out your tortillas.  Cover each to within about 1/4" from the edges with meat/bean mixture.  Top with both cheeses.  Add peppers and tomatoes.  Place in oven and cook 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and just starting to turn brown.  Serve with a scoop of sour cream. 

You can add chopped onions, I added chopped black olives.  Chopped lettuce can be added with the sour cream as well as salsa.  I like mine following my recipe above.  As long as you don't load it down too much, this can be eaten just like a pizza.  Otherwise, you better get a fork and knife.  These are very simple and fun for the kids to make.  Great for lunch!

Carrabba's Tastemaker Event

Doesn't this sound like fun?!!  There goes my diet but I can't wait to try out some of their newest recipes and have a look at how the kitchen works.  I'll take pictures and will, of course, give you my opinion on each of the dishes I have the pleasure of trying.

To learn more about how Carrabba's makes a mouthwatering meal, we're inviting you and a guest to a fun Tastemaker event where you'll get to watch the kitchen come to life and try some of Carrabba's best menu items.

The details:
Carrabba's Italian Grill Tastemaker Event
Saturday, August 7th from 12-2PM
16408 North Cross Drive
Huntersville, NC 28078

Bring a friend and enjoy cooking demos of a variety of delicious Carrabba's dishes. Both you and your guest will get to take home a tasty goody bag of a Carrabba's entrée to enjoy at home!

Irish Cream Shortbread

This recipe is so simple it should be one of my KISS recipes.  It consists of just 4 ingredients and is easy to change.  As you can see with my shortbread I added walnuts to some.  You can also make a finger indention and add a little preserves before baking, lightly press in a piece of chocolate, or change the nuts to pecans.  You can also use different non-dairy creamers for different flavors.  Just make sure they are the powdered type.
View the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Tofu - What is it?

Tofu is a low calorie, high protein, cholesterol free food made from curdled soy milk. Its creamy white with a firmness that can be sliced. Tofu should be kept refrigerated and the water its packed in should be changed daily.

Caffeine Myth #9 - Caffein comes with calories galore - True or False?

Myth #9: Caffeine comes with calories galore.
False: On their own, coffee and tea have no calories or fat.

It’s the flavored syrups, whole milk and cream that turn innocent caffeinated drinks into calorie bombs. Those tasty blended drinks can contain 200-600 calories.

And the creamers found in many offices? Two tablespoons can add 80 calories and four grams of fat - equal to a pat of butter.

To cut calories, choose the smallest serving, either 8 or 12 ounces. Order your beverage with fat-free or skim milk and skip the syrup, whipped cream and sprinkles!

Caffeine Myth #8 - Caffeine is unhealthy for pregnant women - True or False?

Myth #8: Caffeine is unhealthy for pregnant women.True: 
But if you’re pregnant, you’ll have to watch how much you drink.

Once a woman is carrying, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises no more than one or two cups of coffee a day.

The National Institutes of Health recommends consuming no more than 300 mg a day during pregnancy, about three to four cups of regular coffee.

“The bottom line is, if the intake for a pregnant woman is less than 300 mg of caffeine a day, there should be no harm inflicted upon the baby,” says Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D., Lifescript Pregnancy Expert and a board-certified ob/gyn with the Florida Department of Health.

But too much caffeine may cause an irregular fetal heartbeat, which sometimes occurs in “women who eat excessive amounts of chocolate,” Burke-Galloway says.

But don’t worry if you’re trying to conceive; you won’t have to give up the lattes. Research suggests that caffeine has little, if any, effect on the time it takes to conceive, and it’s not a risk factor for infertility.

Dijon - What is it?

Dijon is originally from Dijon, France. It's a pale variety of mustard and is know for its sharp, clean flavor that ranges from mild to hot. It is made from brown mustard seeds, white wine, un-fermented grape juice and a variety of seasonings.

Shrimp-a-Roni & Cheese

The idea for this came from a tuna casserole that I found while thumbing through a cookbook.  The original recipe called for a box of macaroni & cheese.  I changed that to use elbow macaroni and shredded cheese.  I eliminated the 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice, which you can add back if you want.  In it's place I added the evaporated milk.  And of course there was the change form tuna to shrimp.  (The original recipe called for 1 small can of tuna.)  You can change this dish by using tuna, crab or even imitation crab.  If using either of these I think 1 cup would be sufficient. View the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Caffeine Myth #7 - Caffeine is linked to fibrocystic breast disease - True or False?

Myth #7: Caffeine is linked to fibrocystic breast disease.False: 
Caffeine intake isn’t related to the benign condition of lumpy breasts, reports the American Medical Association.

“There's no evidence to support the idea that caffeine causes fibrocystic changes,” says Katherine B. Lee, M.D., a staff physician in Cleveland Clinic’s Breast Center.

“It seems to contribute to breast pain, but doesn't cause breast cancer," Lee says.

That's because breast pain is hormonal and caffeine causes blood vessels to dilate, adding to normal monthly breast tenderness.

"If a woman experiences breast pain, I inquire about caffeine and usually advise that she cut down on her intake,” she says.