Category: TOPICS & CATEGORIES

TIPS: Everyday Eating

Foods and Nutrients to Increase

  • Whole Grains
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Low-fat or fat free milk
  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Vegetable Oils
  • Seafood
  • Monounsaturated Fats – Canola, olive, corn, peanut and soybean
  • Polyunsaturated Fats – Nuts, seeds, olives, avocados

More than one third of all calories consumed in America are solid fats and added sugars.

MyPlateFoods and Food Components to Reduce

  • Added sugars
  • Solid fats – Fatty animal-based foods, well marbled meat, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, butter, whole milk
  • Trans fats – Vegetable oils that are partially hydrogenated such as cookies, donuts, pastries and crackers
  • Refined grains
  • Sodium

Eat right with MyPlate Guidelines

 

This information gleaned from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Summary presented here with permission.

TIPS: Cut down on Salt

We should have less than 2,300 milligrams per day.  That’s about 1 tsp of salt per day.  If you have high Blood Pressure, this amount should be closer to 1,500 milligrams per day.

Focus on Fresh Foods

Highly processed and ready-to-eat foods are usually high in sodium.  Eat these foods occasionally, not on a regular basis.  Cheese and cured meats (such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, luncheon meat) are also high in sodium.  Use fresh, lean meats, poultry, fish, dry and fresh beans and peas when possible.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium

Cook more often at Home

When you cook, you can control the amount of salt.  Use little to no salt where possible.  When using canned vegetables, absolutely don’t add any more salt.

Try using herbs, spice rubs and fruit juices in cooking, rather than salt.

Taste your food before salting it.  Light only as you need it, not as a habit.

Try new flavors

Skip the salt and try Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder.  Use salt-free seasonings such as herbs, spices, garlic, vinegar, pepper or lemon juice.

Read food labels

Compare the amount of sodium listed to other products.  Look for foods that say low sodium or no salt added.

Use caution with condiments

Soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings, etc are usually high sodium.  Use only a little bit when you do choose to use it.

Allow your taste buds time to adjust

It takes time for your taste buds to desensitize themselves to salt.  Food may taste differently at first, but it is possible to acquire a taste for foods with less salt.

Try any of these three salt-free seasoning blends

Mix Herb Blend
– 1/4 C dried parsley flakes
– 2 TBL dried tarragon
– 1 TBL dried oregano
– 1 TBL dill weed
– 1 TBL celery flakes

Italian Blend
– 2TBL dried basil
– 2 TBL dried marjoram
– 1 TBL garlic powder
– 1 TBL dried oregano
– 2 tsp thyme
– 2 tsp crushed dried rosemary
– 2 tsp crushed red pepper

Mexican Blend
– 1/4 C ground cayenne pepper
– 1 TBL ground cumin
– 1 TBL ground onion powder
– 1 tsp dried oregano
– 1 tsp ground garlic
– 1 tsp ground red chili pepper
– 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

This information gleaned from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Summary presented here with permission.

 

Pita Bread

  • pita2 TBL sugar
  • 1 TBL yeast
  • 2.5 C lukewarm water
  • 6 C AP white flour (or half AP and half wheat flour)
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 2 TBL sugar
  1. Create a sponge
  2. Mix 1 C flour and 1 C water and your sugar and yeast
  3. Mix well and set
  4. Set in warm place to proof (about 10 minutes)
  5. Stir yeast mixture, oil, and enough warm water into half of the flour mix to make a soft sponge
  6. Add flour, sugar and salt until the dough is just slightly sticky
  7. Knead dough in bowl, adding flour as necessary until it is smooth and resilient (about 10 minutes)
  8. Lightly oil top of dough and cover
  9. Set in warm place to rise until double (60-90 minutes)
  10. Punch dough down, knead briefly on floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces
  11. Form each into a smooth ball, cover and let stand at least 10 minutes
  12. Roll into 8 inch rounds about 1/8 inch thick
    Must be thin enough that the heat penetrates to allow it to expand with steam and split internally before the dough cooks
  13. Place on cornmeal dusted baking sheet and let rise for 10-15 minutes
  14. Bake at 500º oven for 2 minutes on bottom rack
  15. Flip and bake another 2 minutes
  16. These will puff up and center should be hollow

If too pale place under the broiler briefly.  Cool on a board covered with a towel to minimize the sweat below the pita.  When cooled store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or freezer.

Alternately:
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat
Brush lightly with oil
Lay pita into hot skillet and cook until bread begins to puff up and bottom has blisters (about 3 minutes)
Flip, and cook 2 more minutes
Flip again and cook 30 more seconds

 

Broccoli and Cauliflower

1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 TBL milk
4 TBL cheddar

4 TBL cheddar
4 TBL melted butter
herbed bread crumbs or stuffing

Steam broccoli and cauliflower for 20 minutes
Drain well
Mix milk into soup and mix with vegetables
Add cheddar cheese in small pieces
Season all to taste
Place in greased two quart casserole
Toss crumbs with melted butter, cheddar cheese and put on top
Bake at 350º for 45 minutes

Another good tip is to create a crusty topping

  1. Heat 1 T EVOO and 1 T butter in a skillet
  2. Toss with 3 T bread crumbs
  3. Add a pinch of red pepper
  4. When they start to brown, turn off the heat
  5. Add 2 T shredded Parmesan cheese
  6. Toss together and sprinkle over cooked vegetables

Super Sub Sandwich

… with Dijon Dressing

Mix your own bread dough and make a LONG tube and bake it on two or three trays lined end to end.
Bake it as you would any sub roll or bread
Cut it lengthwise and fill it with mortadella cheese, relish, ham, etc.
Lay down Dijon Dressing (or Miracle Whip if you prefer)
Be careless, don’t have a sandwich made with surgical precision
Add lettuce, bell pepper, ham, whatever…
… just have fun.
Stick the sandwich with skewers about every nich
Cut into 1 inch servings and serve in the middle of your dining room table.

Extra special: Make two, and cut the tip off each loaf. Put them together and make one extra long submarine.

Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds

Dijon Dressing

  1. In mixing bowl add 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
  2. Whisk in 1 TBL red wine vinegar
  3. Add 1/2 tsp salt
  4. Several grinds of black pepper
  5. Whisk continually and drizzle in 3 TBL EVOO

Stuffed Hamburger

Tired of the cheese sliding out of your hamburger?  Here is a great recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 80/20 hamburger
  • Shredded cheese blend of 3-5 different cheeses
  • OPT: mushrooms – sauteed
  • OPT: onions – slivered and sauteed
  • OPT: bacon – fairly crispy

STEP BY STEP

  1. Flatten your patties extra flat
  2. Put cheese in the center – not too close to the edges
  3. Top the cheese with another patty
  4. Press the edges together.
  5. Grill as you would any other burger.

Serve with sauteed mushrooms, bacon and/or caramelized onions

 

 

 

Stuffed Chicken Breast

  • Brine your  skin-on chicken breast :: 2 C warm water with 1 TBL salt :: Place in baggie in fridge for 4 hours
  • Dry the breasts and then brush with melted butter
  • Butterfly two CHILLED skin-on chicken breasts
  • Use a piping bag to put in a mixture of ricotta, blue cheese, or goat cheese mixed with parsley
  • Sprinkle with Grandpa’s Thunder Powder – lightly or liberally, depending on your personal preference.
  • Sear in hot skillet to get some color – skin down
  • Top with rosemary, thyme and shaved garlic
  • Bake at 375º for 10-12 minutes
  • Slice to serve and top with the garlic butter

Alternately stuff with ham and Swiss cheese

You can also dredge in flour salt and pepper, then egg mustard and paprika, then in Panko bread crumbs

 

Pizza Bread

This is essentially a monkey bread.

Prepare your pizza dough as you would normally for pizza.
Tear off golfball sized pieces
Dip them in pizza sauce and put them into a casserole baking pan
Sprinkle each layer with mozzarella cheese
Repeat until your pan is filled
Top with more mozzarella
Put in the occasional pepperoni or sausage or bell pepper
Bake at 350º for 35 minutes
Serve with hot pizza sauce

 

 

Somalian Whole Fish

Pescado Frito

So, before I started cooking, I was a webmaster.  After I retired, I did free web sites for marginal businesses.  One of my customers was from Somalia, and he was so appreciative that he and his wife brought us a fish cooked in the traditional way from his village.  Here is the best I was able to recreate his recipe.

One whole fish, such as Cod, Shad, Trout, Bass, Snapper or Breem

TIPS FOR BUYING A WHOLE FISH

Several stalks of lemongrass
One lemon
1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves and roots
2 TBL sweet chilli sauce
1 TBL AP flour
2 TBL lime juice
1/4 cup red curry paste

  1. Gut the fish
  2. Rinse the fish and cavity, pat dry with paper towel.
  3. Score the fish deeply 5-6 times through the thickest part of the flesh on both sides – but just barely – don’t go too deeply.
  4. Line baking tray with parchment paper
  5. Place a layer of lemongrass on the bottom of your baking dish
  6. Place the fish on next
  7. Stuff the fish with lemongrass
  8. Place lemon slices, rosemary and thyme on the fish
  9. Pour everything else into your food processor and puree.
  10. Pour over fish and massage in well.
  11. Let marinate overnight
  12. Preheat oven to 350º
  13. Place fish onto tray and cook for 20-25 min or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
  14. Remove, cover with foil, rest for 5 min.
  15. Alternately, grill for a total of 12 minutes (6 minutes per side)
  16. Garnish with sliced spring/green onions and chilli slices.
  17. Serve with steamed rice or salad.

Here is a recipe for Huachinago.

 

Tips: Freezing Things

  • Citrus can be frozen whole and intact. Defrost overnight and you are good to go.
  • Avocado can be depitted, then scooped from its skin.  You can (but it is not necessary) toss it in lime juice, and then freeze.  Store frozen pieces in a freezer bag.
  • Buttermilk can be frozen.  Since you usually don’t need too much of it at any one time, freeze it in ice cube trays so that you have a small portion ready for use.
  • If you need browned ground hamburger, pork, etc… buy a larger portion and cook it all.  The ground meat will freeze well.  A vacuum seal storage bag works best.
  • Coffee and tea can be frozen for making iced coffee or for cooling down a hot cup of coffee without watering it down.
  • Shredded cheese freezes well.  A seal a meal bag is best, but it can be used for anything where the cheese is melted, such as pizza, etc.
  • Extra smoothie can be frozen in ice cube trays for using for future smoothies.
  • You can freeze herbs from your garden when they are packed in oil.
  • Juiced lemon or lime can be frozen in an ice cube tray for cooking or for drinks
  • Ginger freezes well whole.  If you want though, you can shred it and freeze it in cubes of water.
  • Broth can be frozen easily.  Leave about 1/2 inch at the top.  After it is frozen, add 1/4 inch water and refreeze it.  The water will act as freezer burn protection.  When ready to use, melt the freezer burn off with water, dump it, then you are ready to go.
  • For making jam out of season, juice a Seville orange and keep the guts and seeds because they are as high in pectin as many of the commercial products.
  • Spaghetti sauce with meat is difficult to can.  Instead, you can freeze it, and it will last for about a year.
  •  

Quik Kung Pao Chicken

kung paoMake your Kung Pao sauce ahead of time
1/2 C veggie broth
2 TBL black rice vinegar or a dark balsamic vinegar
1 TBL white sugar
1 TBL soy sauce
1 TBL Hoisin sauce
1 TBL corn starch
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Sriracha
Heat in sauce pan till simmering
Remove from heat and add chunks of red bell pepper and green bell pepper

Boneless and skinless breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces.
Mix in a paper bag
– 1 TBL cornstarch
– 1 TBL AP flour
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp white pepper
Put in chicken pieces and shake to cover all pieces

Heat wok or other heavy pan to a very high heat
Put in 1 TBL sesame oil
Add 2-8 red whole Sichuan or Thai chilies
Add chicken and toss until browned
Add 1 TBL rice wine vinegar to deglaze
Add your Kung Pao sauce and stir until thickened
Plate and top with scallions and cashews

Norwegian Meatballs

meatballs1 LB ground beef
1 LB ground pork
1 LB ground veal
2 medium eggs – well beaten
1/3 C milk
2 medium potatoes – peeled and coarsely grated
1 onion – grated
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground clove
salt and pepper to taste

Gently mix meat with other ingredients – DO NOT OVER MIX

Shape into 1 inch balls
Fry in skillet with EVOO until browned on all sides
In cast iron skillet mix 1 can broth
1 C sour cream
1/4 tsp dill
Add meatballs and simmer until liquid is absorbed
Serve with mashed potatoes on the side

 

Next Week’s Spaghetti Sauce

1 16 OZ can tomato pieces
1 6 OZ can tomato paste
1 LB ground beef
1/2 LB ground pork
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
1 TBL oregano
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Dice onion and saute
Mince garlic and put into pan when onion has become transluscent
In large pot heat tomato paste
Add diced tomatoes
Add onions and garlic
In separate skillet brown the ground meats and drain grease
Mix everything so far into the larger skillet
Add oregano, sugar, salt and pepper
Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours stirring occasionally

Add sliced mushrooms, olives or green bell peppers for variety.

Keep in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for up to six months.

Hot Seafood Canape

Use a fresh loaf of French bread for these appetizers.
Cut into 1/4 inch medallions, and lightly toast.

2/3 C crabmeat or clams
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 C cream cheese – softened
2 tsp white wine
1 TBL minced onion
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and spread onto your bread medallions.
For plating, top each with a leaf of cilantro.

Kolaches for Four

Photo by Elizabeth Graham
Egg, chorizo and cheese, and smoked turkey and provolone kolaches baked by Autumn Stanford of Bed-Stuy.[/caption]A traditional treat from the Czech Republic. Originally these were filled with cheese and/or fruit. As the recipe came to the United States we started to fill them with shredded meat, or ground meat with cheese, or something else to create some of the original fast food. The Kolache at this point became more of a wrap or a roll.

kolacheThis recipe is a dessert, and goes back to the roots.

1/4 C warmed whole milk
3 TBL melted butter
1 small egg
– whisk together above ingredients
– mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl
1 C AP flour
1 TBL sugar
1 tsp yeast
pinch of salt
Mix everything in a food processor and mix just until the dough comes together
Add a bit of flour or milk until you get a well formed dough ball
Turn up the speed and mix for 8 minutes
Place into lightly oiled GLASS bowl and put in warm place to rise for about an hour

While this rises, make your filling
2 OZ of cream cheese
1 TBL sugar
2 tsp AP flour
zest and juice from one lemon
Mix until it all comes together
Add 2 OZ ricotta cheese
Mix again until incorporated
Set aside

Kolaches4For a nice finish, make some streusel for the edges
1 TBL AP flour
1 TBL sugar
1 tsp butter
Set aside

After an hour, dump the dough onto a floured surface
Flatten it just a bit, then cut into 4 pieces
Create four rounds
Spray very lightly with cooking spray to keep them from drying out
Set them on a baking sheet and let them rise for another 90 minutes
Flatten the center of each ball with the greased bottom of a coffee cup or large glass
Brush the top of each kolache with egg white and a TBL of water
Put filling into the center
Sprinkle with streusel
Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes
Rotate pan, and bake another 10-15 minutes or until browned
Serve warm if possible

Kolache photos from www.slovakcooking.com and Brooklyn Paper.

Liver Paté

1/2 LB Braunschweiger liver sausage
3 OZ Cream Cheese
1/4 C butter
1 TBL EVOO
– Cream above together until smooth

Then add

1 small finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp Tabasco
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C white wine

Mix well and chill at least 4 hours.  Serve with cracker.

 

Cranberry Crunch Bars

cranberry-crunchINGREDIENTS – FIBER

  • 3 C uncooked rolled oats
  • 1/2 C shredded coconut
  • 1/2 C blanched almonds – sliced
  • 1/4 C pistachios
  • 1/4 C hazelnuts
  • 1/4 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

1.  Toss above together, put on baking tray, and bake at 350º for 12-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS – BINDER

  • 6 TBL butter
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 TBL honey
  • 1/4 TBL Karo syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla

2.  Combine binder in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Completely dissolve sugar and remove from heat.

INGREDIENTS – FLAVOR FILLING

  • 1 TBL cocoa powder
  • 1/2 C wheat germ
  • 1/2 C dried cranberries – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried cherries – chopped
  • 1/2 C dates – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried apricots – chopped
  • 1/2 C dried blueberries – chopped
  • 1/4 C golden raisins – chopped
  1. Mix flavor filling in with the oat mixture and the syrup
  2. Lay parchment paper in a large glass baking casserole
  3. Spray lightly with cooking spray
  4. Press mixture onto the casserole
  5. Put into oven at 350º for 35 minutes
  6. Set on counter to cool.
  7. While it is cooling (don’t do this while it is cooking)  mix below topping ingredients
  8. Start with hot butter.  Add a bit of butter at a time until the mixture is like peanut butter
  9. Spread on top of crunch bar mixture
  10. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and salt mixture
  11. Put back into the oven for 10 more minutes to caramelize the top coating
  12. Set out to cool for 30 minutes
  13. Leaving in the tray, cut bars into half, half, half and half making 16 bars
    Be careful not to damage your casserole.
  14. Refrigerate overnight
  15. The next morning, remove from pan and re-cut the bars if necessary
  16. Wrap each bar in parchment or waxed paper, then in plastic wrap.
    Add a label under the plastic wrap if you wish.

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING

  • 2 tsp melted butter
  • 2 TBL sugar
  • 3 TBL cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp non-fat dry milk
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
    –
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp Turbinado sugar

 

 

Christmas Cake

raisin cake1-1/2 C water
1-1/2 C sugar
1-1/2 C raisins
1/2 C butter
1/4 C chocolate chips or cocoa
1 TBL Grandpa’s CinnaSugar®
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Bring above to a boil, then cook 5 more minutes
Set aside to cool so that it is warm to the touch, but not hot.
Add 1 tsp vanilla

Sift together 2 C flour and 1 tsp soda
Mix all above and pour into greased bread loaf pan
Bake at 350° for one hour

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