Friday, August 31, 2012

Meat and Potatoes!


Today's Menu: Meat and Potatoes w/ 7 Grain Bread




Dinner was basic but flat -out delicious! Meat, Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Bread pretty basic. I normally have Bison when I have Steak but I couldn't pass these Top Sirloin slab of meat up when at Jungle Jim's Market the other day. They age and cut all their own meats there and it's some of the finest around. This was one huge Top Sirloin. I cut in half and could have cut it into thirds and still had plenty. After slicing it into 2 pieces I rubbed Extra Virgin Olive Oil on to both pieces and seasoned them with McCormick Grinder Sea salt and Black Peppercorn. I pan fried the steaks in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium. I had to fry the steaks way longer than normal because of how thick they were. I fried them about 5 1/2 minutes per side and flipped them on to their sides for about 1 minute each. They came out incredible! A beautiful crust on the outside and a pink moist center on the inside. I only had half of the steak so I'll be having the other half in the morning with some of the leftover Roasted Red Potatoes and a Sunny Side Up Egg for breakfast! Plus I still have the second steak left and I'll be making some sandwiches or hogies with that. This steak has paid for itself!

For sides I prepared Sauteed Mushrooms, Roasted Red Potatoes, and 7 Grain Loaf Bread. I left the recipe for the Roasted Red Potatoes at the end of the post. If your looking for a good recipe for potatoes give this one a try! For dessert/snack later a 100 Calorie Mini Bag of Jolly Time Pop Corn. Pop Corn's perfect for tonight while laid back in the easy chair watching my beloved Cincinnati Reds and then watching one of my all - time favorite Westerns "Silverado" Good Night All!




Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

Small Gourmet Red Potatoes, quartered
Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn, Parsley and Dried Dill, to taste

Directions:

*HEAT oven to 400ºF. Cook Turkey Bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels.

*ADD quartered potatoes to reserved drippings; cook 5 min., season while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Add to potatoes; mix lightly. Spoon into 13×9-inch baking dish.

*BAKE 20-30 min. or until potatoes are tender and done. Top with cheese and parsley,

Healthy Tips for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers


Another great article from the Diabetic Living On Line web site! You can read the entire article by clicking the link at the bottom of the post. Enjoy and have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Healthy Tips for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers

By Hope S. Warshaw, R.D., CDE; Photos by Scott Little
Yes, you can eat hot dogs and hamburgers on your diabetic diet. Just follow a few tips and tricks, and start enjoying these barbecue favorites guilt-free.

Social Staples

During the warmer months, your social calendar is likely to be sprinkled with cookouts, visits to street fairs, or pool parties where the grill is a-sizzle. And the main course, of course, is hot dogs, sausages, or hamburgers.

"Nothing tastes better than a hot dog downed during an inning of baseball or a brat at the Polish polka festival," says Patti Urbanski, M.Ed., R.D., CDE, a dietitian and diabetes educator at the Duluth Family Practice Center in Minnesota who also has type 1 diabetes. Fortunately, you can relish these rituals without ruining your diabetes meal plan.

Where's the Beef?

Hamburger meat, by government standards, is fresh or frozen ground beef without anything else added and can contain no more than 30 percent fat by weight. At the supermarket, hamburger meat is labeled with its percentage of lean meat and percentage of fat, such as 80/20 or 93/7. Not so at a friend's barbecue or a ballpark grill. Here are some good rules of thumb:

-- A 3-ounce serving of cooked meat is just right -- there's no need to pile on extra patties or order a large burger unless you share.

-- Get your hamburgers cooked how you like them (as long as the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F for safety) because the fat content doesn't differ much based on doneness.

-- Spread condiments gingerly, but feel free to use a generous amount of this low-calorie flavor enhancer: mustard......

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/best-hot-dogs-hamburgers-for-diabetes/?page=1

I’m all out, What can I use?


Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.



I’m all out of  Capers, What can I use?

Try: Chopped Green Olives

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Fried Walleye w/ Green Beans, Sliced Carrots, and...


Today's Menu: Fried Walleye w/ Green Beans, Sliced Carrots, and Whole Grain Sliced Bread




Another one provided from my Meijer visit, Walleye.  I had Fried Walleye w/ Green Beans, Sliced Carrots, and Whole Grain Sliced Bread. I washed the fillet off with water and patted dry with a paper towel. I seasoned it with Sea salt and Ground White Pepper. I then rolled the fillet in Italian Style Bread Crumbs. Fried on medium heat in Extra Virgin Olive Oil about 4 minutes per side. I love Walleye! It fries up or bakes beautifully and has a fresh and wild taste to it.

For sides I heated up an individual serving of Del Monte Cut Green Beans, lightly salted with a teaspoon of extra Virgin Olive Oil added to it. I also had boiled sliced Carrots along with a slice of Healthy Life Whole Grain Sliced Bread topped with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. It's funny looking back when I growing up I would eat potatoes and apples but that was about it for vegetables and fruits. Now I can be happy making a meal of nothing but vegetables and try every fruit I can. For dessert later a special treat tonight, my Mom baked an Apple Pie! No one can do it any better than Mom. It melts in your mouth and she makes it with Splenda, too good!

Kitchen Hint of the Day

When you cook cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, never use an aluminum or iron pot. The sulfur compounds in the vegetables will react with the metal. For instance, cauliflower will turn yellow if cooked in aluminum, brown if cooked in iron.

Featuring Cincinnati Bell WEBN Fireworks September 2, 2012 at Cincinnati's beautiful Riverfront. Sawyer Point & Yeatman's Cove at Bicentennial Commons.

 P&G Riverfest at Sawyer Point opens at noon and runs until approximately 11 p.m. on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

This year it's September 2nd, 2012.   Fireworks begin at 9:05 PM.


P&G Riverfest is Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky's big boom, the end of summer blowout that concludes with one of the largest fireworks displays in the Midwest - the Cincinnati Bell/WEBN Fireworks.

This signature Cincinnati event began more than 30 years ago when WEBN treated the tri-state to a fireworks show in honor of the radio station's 10th anniversary. The party at Sawyer Point, held annually on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, has grown into an all-day affair with music, food and family fun and entertainment all day (Cincinnati's Sawyer Point is a no-alcohol zone for Riverfest).

Nearly a half-million people attend on both sides of the river. Highlights: the Ohio/Kentucky shout-off just before the fireworks, and WEBN's soundtrack, choreographed with Rozzi's Famous Fireworks.

http://www.cincinnatiusa.com/Attractions/detail.asp?AttractionID=354


WEBN Fireworks Train - 2012

Take a train ride from the Norwood Eagles Lodge to the riverfront and back to view the Cincinnati Bell WEBN Fireworks! Avoid all of the traffic and arrive in style with the LM&M Railroad for a night of fun!

Seating with the LM&M Railroad will be in one of our high capacity commuter coaches. Tickets are also availble for the Luxury or Dining Cars through the Cincinnati Dinner Train. These tickets will be for a second train leaving from a nearby location, and will follow the same route to the riverfront. Please view the Cincinnati Dinner Train website for additional information and to purchase tickets.

http://www.lebanonrr.com/fireworks.html

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin w/ Sliced Carrots, Portabella Marsala Pasta,...


Today’s Menu: Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin w/ Sliced Carrots, Portabella Marsala Pasta, and Multi Grain Demi- Baguette.




Early morning shopping at Meijer. They had pork Roasts on special so I'm going with Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin. I preheated the oven to 475 degrees F. I placed the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. I then combined Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Thyme, Rosemary, and Basil in a small bowl. Then with my fingers, massaged the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. I roasted the pork for 30 minutes, make sure you have your stove overhead fan running as it start to smaoke somewhat after about 20 minutes. I then reduced the heat to 425 degrees F and roasted it for an additional 30 minutes, normaly you continue roasting up to an hour but this was smaller roast. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests. Then be ready to slice one delicious and juicy Pork Tenderloin! The Herb Mix makes a perfect crust for the roast.

For sides I prepared Sliced Carrots and Portabella Marsala Pasta, Meijer Bakery Multi Grain Demi- Baguette. I just boiled the Carrot Chips and it was the first time I tried The Healthy Choice 100% Natural Portabella Marsala Pasta. Esay to fix; microwave for 5 1/2 minutes and you have a great side dish. It's  a Nine-grain mafalda pasta topped with slices of rich crimini mushrooms tossed with a savory marsala wine sauce and topped with rich fontina cheese, and totaling 250 calories. i had a 1/2 serving of this which was plenty. I'll be using this again it was delicious. I left product info and web link at the end of the post. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Cherry Jello, 10 calories!



Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

Ingredients
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary




Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.

Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.



Healthy Choice 100% Natural Portabella Marsala Pasta

Portabella Marsala Pasta
Nine-grain mafalda pasta topped with slices of rich crimini mushrooms tossed with a savory marsala wine sauce and topped with rich fontina cheese, and totaling a mere 250 calories.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 meal (255g)
Servings Per Container 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 250Calories from Fat 60
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 9%
  Saturated Fat 2.5g 13%
  Trans Fat 0g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
  Monounsaturated Fat 2.5g
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 500mg 21%
Potassium 340mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 13%
  Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
  Sugars 4g
Protein 11g

http://www.healthychoice.com/healthy-lunches-naturals/Portabella-Marsala-Pasta

August 29-Sept 1, 2012  The Sweet Corn Festival - Millersport, Ohio

Come enjoy hot butter flavored sweet corn served fresh on the cob and piping hot. Bring the whole family to experience a wide variety of delicious foods, large midway, tractor pulls, square dancing, contests galore, farm animals, historical exhibits and top-name country music entertainers while strolling the shady Historic Lions Park.

August 29th - September 1st
The Wed. thru Sat. before Labor Day!


  Welcome...
    Come enjoy hot buttered sweet corn served fresh on the cob and piping hot. Bring the whole family to experience a wide variety of delicious foods, large midway, tractor pulls, square dancing, contests galore, farm animals, historical exhibits and top-name country music entertainers while strolling the shady Historic Lions Park. The proceeds from this four-day community event is a major source of income for over 75 non-profit charitable organizations operating all of the food and game concessions. We're only 25 miles east of Columbus on State Route 204 overlooking the south shore of Buckeye Lake. Always held the Wednesday through Saturday before Labor Day. It's ear-resistible!

http://www.sweetcornfest.com/index.html

Cheese of the Week - Mozzarella

Mozzarella is an Italian Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) food product. The term is used for several kinds of Italian cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting (hence the name, as the Italian verb mozzare means "to cut"):

   * Mozzarella di Bufala (buffalo mozzarella), made from domesticated water buffalo milk
    *mozzarella fior di latte, made from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk
    *low-moisture mozzarella, which is made from whole or part skimmed milk, and widely used in the food-service industry
    *mozarella affumicata (smoked mozzarella)

Fresh mozzarella is generally white, but may vary seasonally to slightly yellow depending on the animal's diet. It is a semi-soft cheese. Due to its high moisture content, it is traditionally served the day after it is made, but can be kept in brine for up to a week, or longer when sold in vacuum-sealed packages. Low-moisture mozzarella can be kept refrigerated for up to a month, though some shredded low-moisture mozzarella is sold with a shelf life of up to six months. Mozzarella of several kinds is also used for most types of pizza and several pasta dishes, such as lasagna, or served with sliced tomatoes and basil in insalata caprese.

Mozzarella di bufala campana is a type of mozzarella made from the milk of water buffalo raised in designated areas of Lazio and Campania, Italy. Unlike other mozzarellas—50% of whose production derives from non-Italian and often semi-coagulated milk[8]—it holds the status of a protected designation of origin (PDO 1996) under the European Union.

Fior di latte (written also as one word) designates mozzarella made from cow (and not water buffalo) milk, which greatly lowers its cost. Outside Italy "mozzarella" not clearly labeled as deriving from water buffalo can be presumed to derive from cow milk.

Mozzarella is available fresh or partly dried. Fresh it is usually rolled into a ball of 80 to 100 grams (2.8 to 3.5 oz), or about 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in diameter, sometimes up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), or about 12 centimetres (4.7 in) diameter, and soaked in salt water (brine) or whey, sometimes with citric acid added. Partly dried (desiccated) its structure is more compact, and in this form it is often used to prepare dishes cooked in the oven, such as lasagna and pizza.

When twisted to form a plait mozzarella is called treccia. Mozzarella is also available in smoked (affumicata) and reduced-moisture packaged varieties. "Stuffed mozzarella", a new trend as of 2006, may feature olives or cooked or raw ham, or small tomatoes (pomodorini)

Mozzarella di bufala is traditionally produced solely from the milk of the domestic water buffalo. A whey starter is added from the previous batch that contains thermophilic bacteria, and the milk is left to ripen so the bacteria can multiply. Then, rennet is added to coagulate the milk. After coagulation, the curd is cut into large, 1"–2" pieces, and left to sit so the curds firm up in a process known as healing.

After the curd heals, it is further cut into 3/8"–1/2" large pieces. The curds are stirred and heated to separate the curds from the whey. The whey is then drained from the curds and the curds are placed in a hoop to form a solid mass. The curd mass is left until the pH is at around 5.2–5.5, which is the point when the cheese can be stretched.

The cheese is then stretched and kneaded to produce a delicate consistency—this process is generally known as pasta filata. According to the Mozzarella di Bufala trade association, "The cheese-maker kneads it with his hands, like a baker making bread, until he obtains a smooth, shiny paste, a strand of which he pulls out and lops off, forming the individual mozzarella." It is then typically formed into ball shapes or in plait. In Italy, a "rubbery" consistency is generally considered not satisfactory; the cheese is expected to be softer.

Mozzarella—which is derived from the Neapolitan dialect spoken in Campania—is the diminutive form of mozza ('"cut"), or mozzare ("to cut off") derived from the method of working. Scamorza cheese is a close relative, which probably derives from scamozzata ("without a shirt"), with allusion to the fact that these cheeses have no hard surface covering typical of a dry cured cheese. In Italian, and in the English use of the word mozzarella, the vowel at the end of mozzarella is pronounced, despite some people incorrectly dropping the vowel, erroneously rendering the word "mozzarell".

The term mozzarella is first found definitively mentioned in 1570, cited in a cookbook by Bartolomeo Scappi, reading "milk cream, fresh butter, ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella and milk".

Bocconcini (Italian pronunciation: [ˌbokɔnˈtʃiːni]) (singular Bocconcino, [ˌbokɔnˈtʃiːno]) are small mozzarella cheeses the size of an egg. Like other mozzarellas, they are semi-soft, white and rindless unripened mild cheeses which originated in Napoli and were once made only from milk of water buffaloes. Nowadays they are usually made from a combination of water buffalo and cow's milk. Bocconcini are packaged in whey or water, have a spongy texture and absorb flavours. This cheese is described by its Italian name which means small mouthfuls. It is made in the pasta filata manner by dipping curds into hot whey, and kneading, pulling and stretching. Each cheese is about the size, shape and colour of a hardboiled egg: indeed an alternative name used is Uova di bufala, or “Buffalo eggs”. Baby ("bambini") bocconcini can also be purchased; these are a smaller version about the size of large grapes. Bocconcini of water buffalo’s milk are still produced in the provinces of Naples, Caserta and Salerno, as bocconcini alla panna di bufala, in a process which involves mixing freshly made Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP with fresh cream. A Bocconcino di Bufala Campana DOP is also made, which is simply Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, produced in the egg-sized format. Bocconcini of whole cow’s milk are also manufactured, where the higher liquid content, in comparison to standard mozzarella, lends them the soft consistency of fior di latte. Bocconcini can be bought at most Italian supermarkets and is often used in tomato, red onion and basil salads to accompany pasta.

Mozzarella

Country of origin Italy
Region, town traditionally Campania, Abruzzo, Molise and Puglia
Source of milk water buffalo in Campania or cow's milk in Puglia
Pasteurised Sometimes
Texture Semi-soft
Aging time None
Certification Mozzarella di Bufala Campana
STG and DOP 1996

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

A new (red) potato has more moisture than other potatoes. Use new potatoes in dishes such as potato salad; they absorb less water when boiled and less mayonnaise when prepared, allowing your salad to have better flavor and less fat. They'll also break apart less easily when you mix the salad. Russet and Yukon gold potatoes are better for baking and making french fries. They are drier, meatier, and starchier, so they have a lighter texture when baked. Their lower water content means the oil will spatter less when you fry them. When baking a potato make sure you pierce it so steam can escape; otherwise it become soggy.

Fried Catfish Nuggets w/ Green Beans and Velveeta Shells and Cheese


Today's Menu: Fried Catfish Nuggets w/ Green Beans and Velveeta Shells and Cheese




Picked up some Catfish Nuggets at Jungle Jim's yesterday. I used 2 bowls to prep the nuggets filling one with EggBeater's seasoned with Paprika and in the other Italian Style Bread Crumbs. I seasoned the Catfish with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn and then dipped each one in the Egg Beater's, making sure each was well coated. Shaking off the excess Egg Beater I then rolled them in the Bread Crumbs. I fried them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium heat about 4 - 5 minutes, turning once. They came up golden brown and delicious! Catfish fries up so good. Baking Fish is a lot healthier but Catfish is a Fish that tastes better fried.

For sides I warmed up the remaining Green Beans. I just can't get enough of Green Beans, I could eat them with every meal! I also prepared an individual serving of Velveeta 2% Shells and Cheese. Easy to prepare, microwave 3 1/2 minutes, and just as good as fixing it from a box. For dessert later a Blue Bunny Frozen Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl Bar.

One of America's Favorites - Pop Corn


Popcorn, also known as popping corn, is a type of corn (maize, Zea mays var. everta) that expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like amaranth grain, sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive "pop" results. Some strains of corn are now cultivated specifically as popping corns. The kernels are sometimes different than others.
There are many techniques for popping corn. Commercial large-scale popcorn machines were invented by Charles Cretors in the late 19th century. Many types of small-scale home methods for popping corn also exist, with the most popular in the United States being prepackaged.
Depending on how it is prepared and cooked, some consider it to be a health food while others caution against it for a variety of reasons. Popcorn can also have non-food applications, ranging from holiday decorations to packaging materials.


Unpopped popcorn
Popcorn was first discovered thousands of years ago by Native Americans. It is one of the oldest forms of corn: evidence of popcorn from 3600 B.C. was found in New Mexico and even earlier evidence dating to perhaps as early as 4700 BC was found in Peru. Some Popcorn has been found in early 1900s to be a purple color.
The English who came to America in the 16th and 17th centuries learned about popcorn from the Native Americans.
During the Great Depression, popcorn was comparatively cheap at 5–10 cents a bag and became popular. Thus, while other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived and became a source of income for many struggling farmers. During World War II, sugar rations diminished candy production, causing Americans to eat three times as much popcorn than they had before.
At least six localities (all in the Midwestern United States) claim to be the "Popcorn Capital of the World": Ridgway, Illinois; Valparaiso, Indiana; Van Buren, Indiana; Schaller, Iowa; Marion, Ohio; and North Loup, Nebraska. According to the USDA, most of the corn used for popcorn production is specifically planted for this purpose; most is grown in Nebraska and Indiana, with increasing area in Texas.
As the result of an elementary school project, popcorn became the official state snack food of Illinois.

Each kernel of popcorn contains a certain amount of moisture and oil. Unlike most other grains, the outer hull of the popcorn kernel is both strong and impervious to moisture, and the starch inside consists almost entirely of a hard, dense type.
As the oil and the water around the kernel are heated, they turn the moisture in the kernel, which has a moisture-proof hull, into a superheated pressurized steam. Under these conditions, the starch inside the kernel gelatinizes, softens and becomes pliable. The pressure continues to increase until the breaking point of the hull is reached: a pressure of about 135 psi (930 kPa) and a temperature of 180 °C (356 °F). The hull ruptures rapidly, causing a sudden drop in pressure inside the kernel and a corresponding rapid expansion of the steam, which expands the starch and proteins of the endosperm into airy foam. As the foam rapidly cools, the starch and protein polymers set into the familiar crispy puff. Special varieties are grown to give improved popping yield. Some wild types will pop, but the cultivated strain is "Zea mays averta," which is a special kind of "flint corn."

Although small quantities can be popped in a stove-top kettle, or pot in a home kitchen, commercial sale of freshly popped popcorn employs specially designed popcorn machines, which were invented in Chicago, Illinois, by Charles Cretors in 1885. Cretors successfully introduced his invention at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. At this same world's fair, F.W. Rueckheim introduced a molasses-flavored "Candied Popcorn", the first caramel corn; his brother, Louis, slightly altered the recipe and introduced it as Cracker Jack popcorn in 1896.

An early popcorn machine. 1880s by Charles Cretors in Chicago
Cretors's invention introduced the first patented steam-driven popcorn machine that popped corn in oil. Previously, vendors popped corn by holding a wire basket over an open flame. At best, the result was a hot, dry, unevenly cooked snack. Cretors's machine popped corn in a mixture of one-third clarified butter, two-thirds lard, and salt. This mixture could withstand the 450 °F (232 °C) temperature needed to pop corn and it did without producing much smoke. A fire under a boiler created steam that drove a small engine; that engine drove the gears, shaft, and agitator that stirred the corn and powered a small automated clown puppet-like figure, "the Toasty Roasty Man", an attention attracting amusement intended to drum up business. A wire connected to the top of the cooking pan allowed the operator to disengage the drive mechanism, lift the cover, and dump popped corn into the storage bin beneath. Exhaust from the steam engine was piped to a hollow pan below the corn storage bin and kept freshly popped corn uniformly warm for the first time ever.

A very different method of popcorn-making can still be seen on the streets of some Chinese cities today. The un-popped corn kernels are poured into a large cast-iron canister — sometimes called a 'popcorn hammer' — that is then sealed with a heavy lid and slowly turned over a curbside fire in rotisserie fashion. When a pressure gauge on the canister reaches a certain level, the canister is removed from the fire, a large canvas sack is put over the lid, and the seal is released. With a huge boom, all of the popcorn explodes at once and is poured into the sack. This method is believed to have been developed during the Song dynasty originally for puffing rice.
Individual consumers can also buy and use specialized popping appliances that typically generate no more than a gallon of popped corn per batch. Some of these appliances also accept a small volume of oil or melted butter to assist thermal transfer from a stationary heating element, but others are "air poppers" which rapidly circulate heated air up through the interior, keeping the un-popped kernels in motion to avoid burning and then blowing the popped kernels out through the chute. The majority of popcorn sold for home consumption is now packaged in a microwave popcorn bag for use in a microwave oven.

Popping results are sensitive to the rate at which the kernels are heated. If heated too quickly, the steam in the outer layers of the kernel can reach high pressures and rupture the hull before the starch in the center of the kernel can fully gelatinize, leading to partially popped kernels with hard centers. Heating too slowly leads to entirely unpopped kernels: the tip of the kernel, where it attached to the cob, is not entirely moisture-proof, and when heated slowly, the steam can leak out of the tip fast enough to keep the pressure from rising sufficiently to break the hull and cause the pop.
Producers and sellers of popcorn consider two major factors in evaluating the quality of popcorn: what percentage of the kernels will pop, and how much each popped kernel expands. Expansion is an important factor to both the consumer and vendor. For the consumer, larger pieces of popcorn tend to be more tender and are associated with higher quality. For the grower, distributor, and vendor, expansion is closely correlated with profit: vendors such as theaters buy popcorn by weight and sell it by volume. For both these reasons, higher-expansion popcorn fetches a higher profit per unit weight.
Popcorn will pop when freshly harvested, but not well: its high moisture content leads to poor expansion and chewy pieces of popcorn. Kernels with a high moisture content are also susceptible to mold when stored. For these reasons, popcorn growers and distributors dry the kernels until they reach the moisture level at which they expand the most. This differs by variety and conditions, but is generally in the range of 14–15% moisture by weight. If the kernels are over-dried, the expansion rate will suffer and the percentage of kernels that pop at all will decline.
Two explanations exist for kernels which do not pop at proper temperatures, known in the popcorn industry as "old maids". The first is that unpopped kernels do not have enough moisture to create enough steam for an explosion. The second explanation, according to research led by Dr. Bruce Hamaker of Purdue University, is that the unpopped kernel may have a leaky hull.
Popcorn varieties are broadly categorized by the shape of the kernels, the color of the kernels, or the shape of the popped corn. While the kernels may come in a variety of colors, the popped corn is always off-yellow or white as it is only the hull (or pericarp) that is colored. "Rice" type popcorns have a long kernel pointed at both ends; "pearl" type kernels are rounded at the top. Commercial popcorn production has moved mostly to pearl types. Historically, pearl popcorns were usually yellow and rice popcorns usually white. Today both shapes are available in both colors, as well as others including black, red, and variegated. Commercial production is dominated by white and yellow.

In popcorn jargon, a popped kernel of corn is known as a "flake". Two shapes of flakes are commercially important. "Butterfly" flakes are irregular in shape and have a number of protruding "wings". "Mushroom" flakes are largely ball-shaped, with few wings. Butterfly flakes are regarded as having better mouthfeel, with greater tenderness and less noticeable hulls. Mushroom flakes are less fragile than butterfly flakes and are therefore often used for packaged popcorn or confectionery, such as caramel corn. The kernels from a single cob of popcorn may form both butterfly and mushroom flakes; hybrids that produce 100% butterfly flakes or 100% mushroom flakes exist, the latter developed only as recently as 1998. Growing conditions and popping environment can also affect the butterfly-to-mushroom ratio.

Popcorn is commonly eaten in movie theaters. This snack is usually served salted or sweetened. In North America, it is traditionally served salted, often with butter or a butterlike topping. However, sweetened versions, such as caramel corn and kettle corn, are also commonly available. In the United Kingdom, ready-made popcorn is available either salted or simply sweetened with sugar. Toffee (i.e. caramel) popcorn is also available, but tends to be more expensive. In Peru popcorn is sometimes sweetened with small candy pellets and sweetened condensed milk, but its more often eaten with salt and the only buttered version known to any considerable degree is the microwave popcorn. Popcorn is a popular snack food at sporting events and in cinemas, where it has been served since 1912. The Boy Scouts of America sell popcorn door-to-door as a primary fundraiser, similar to Girl Scout cookies.


An in-home hot-air popcorn maker
Air-popped popcorn is naturally high in dietary fiber, low in calories and fat, and free of sugar and sodium. This can make it an attractive snack to people with dietary restrictions on the intake of calories, fat, and/or sodium. For the sake of flavor, however, large amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium are often added to prepared popcorn, which can quickly convert it to a very poor choice for those on restricted diets.
One particularly notorious example of this first came to public attention in the mid-1990s, when the Center for Science in the Public Interest produced a report about "Movie Popcorn", which became the subject of a widespread publicity campaign. The movie theaters surveyed used coconut oil to pop the corn, and then topped it with butter or margarine. "A medium-size buttered popcorn", the report said, "contains more fat than a breakfast of bacon and eggs, a Big Mac and fries, and a steak dinner combined." The practice continues today. For example, according to DietFacts.com, a small popcorn from Regal Cinema Group (the largest theater chain in the United States still contains 29 g of saturated fat, as much as three Big Macs and the equivalent of a full day-and-a-half's reference daily intake.

Popcorn is included on the list of foods that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not serving to children under four, because of the risk of choking. Special "hull-less" popcorn has been developed that offers an alternative for small children and for people with braces or other dental problems who may otherwise need to avoid popcorn.
Microwaveable popcorn represents a special case, since it is designed to be cooked along with its various flavoring agents. One of these common artificial-butter flavorants, diacetyl, has been implicated in causing respiratory ailments.

Popcorn, threaded onto a string, is used as a wall or Christmas tree decoration in some parts of North America, as well as on the Balkan peninsula.
Some shipping companies have experimented with using popcorn as a biodegradable replacement for expanded polystyrene packing material. However, popcorn has numerous undesirable properties as a packing material, including attractiveness to pests, flammability, and a higher cost and greater density than expanded polystyrene. A more processed form of expanded corn foam has been developed to overcome some of these limitations.
The world's largest popcorn ball was unveiled in October 2006 in Lake Forest, Illinois. It weighed 3,415 pounds, measured 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter, and had a circumference of 24.6 ft.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Panko Crusted Veal Cutlet w/ Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes


Today's Menu: Panko Crusted Veal Cutlet w/ Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes




While at Jungle Jim's Market earlier I came across some of the biggest Veal Cutlets I had ever seen, and of course I had to purchase a couple of packages of it! I froze 1 package and prepared the other for dinner. I got the big three out to bread these beautiful Veal Cutlets; Flour, Egg Beaters, and Panko Bread Crumbs. I seasoned the flour with about 3 shakes of Paprika and seasoned the cutlets with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. These were very thick cutlets so I had to fry them a little bit longer than you would normally fry Veal. I fried them in Canola Oil about 5 minutes per side. And as you can tell by the picture it turned out incredible! The coatings gave it a fantastic golden brown coating and the cutlet was tender and moist, you could cut by using a fork!

For sides I warmed up some leftover Green Beans that my Mom had made the night before, from Green Beans she had purchased from a local Farmer's Vegetable Stand. Along with the Beans I made an individual cup of Idahoans Mashed Potatoes. Just add water and microwave for a 1 and 1/2. easy to fix and a great substitute for homemade mashed potatoes. For dessert later a Jello Sugarless Dark Cherry Jello, 910 calories!




Veal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Veal is the meat of young cattle (calves), as opposed to meat from older cattle. Though veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, most veal comes from male calves (bull calves) of dairy cattle breeds.

I’m all out, What can I use?


Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.



I’m all out of Buttermilk, What can I use?

Try: 1 Cup of rmilk and 1 3/4 tablespoons of tarter. or 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus milk to make 1 cup (let stand for 5 minutes) or Sour Cream.

Lunch Time Salad


After an early breakfast I headed to Grocery Shopper's Heaven, Jungle Jim's Market. As I've said before to see everything at the Jungle it would take a full day. I loaded up on fresh Olives, Marinated Mozzarella Balls, Fresh Produce, and Seafood. They had the samples of different Hot Sauces out already this morning. They carry so many different Hot Sauces they put them in alphabetical order, 3 rows! Anyway I came awy with some crisp and beautiful Lettuce, Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, and a new dressing Litehouse Light Thousand Island. It's hard to beat Litehouse brand Dressing. Fantastic tasting Dressing with plenty of variety. I left the product info and web link at the end of the post. For lunch I made a fresh salad; Lettuce sliced Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, Olives, and topped with the Litehouse Light Thousand Island Dressing. Time to enjoy this!




Litehouse

Lite 1000 Island
An improved 1000 Island dressing for those interested in Lite products! This will exceed your expectations of any lite and low fat dressing! No msg and no preservatives.
Gluten Free Keep Refrigerated

Nutrition Facts
70 calories
4 carbs

http://www.litehousefoods.com/

Kitchen Hint of the Day

The easy way to peel a potato is to boil it first then drop it into a bowl of ice water for a few seconds to loosen the skin.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Chili and Cheese Nachos


Today's Menu: Chili and Cheese Nachos



It was laid back day today. The biggest effort of the day was changing the batteries in the remote! So needless to say there wasn't going to be any huge dinner prepared tonight. I wanted something light and easy to prepare so I went with Chili and Cheese Nachos. I used Tostito’s Whole Grain Scoops for the chips, 2 can Campbells Firehouse Chili w/ Beans, 1 small can of Sliced Black Olives, sliced Jalapenos, and Kraft 2% Pizza Cheese. Just layer in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees until the chips are warmed and cheese is melted. I think the Campbell's Firehouse Chili makes the Nachos. It's a seasoned just right, thick and just enough heat to make it perfect! For dessert later a bowl of Blue Bunny Vanilla/Chocolate Swirl Frozen Yogurt.

Kitchen Hint of the Day



If you only have a few carrots to peel a standard vegetable peeler will get the skins off. But what if have a whole bunch? To slip the skin off the carrots in one giant batch drop them in boiling water and let them blanch for 5 minutes, then place them in cold water for a few seconds. The skins will slide off easily.

Lunchtime!

A beautiful morning is slowly turning to a humid afternoon outside. Prepared a light lunch, Ham & Turkey on Whole Wheat Sandwich. I used a 1/2 serving of Oscar Mayer Carverboard Sliced Turkey along with a 1/2 serving of Kroger Brand Private Selection Sliced Ham. Topped with Lettuce, a slice of Private Selection Buffalo Monterey/Jack Cheese, and French's Yellow Mustard. Served it all on Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. Big sandwich, few calories and carbs. About 220 calories and 18 carbs.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sweet Asian Chili Flavored Chicken Wings w/ Julienne Fries


Today's Menu: Sweet Asian Chili Flavored Chicken Wings w/ Julienne Fries



Tried a new Tyson Wing for dinner tonight, Sweet Asian Chili Flavored Chicken Wings. Like the others easy to prepare; just bake at 450 degrees for 38 minutes and you have Wings! These Wings were fantastic! The Sweet Asian Chili seasoning was perfect and made a nice glaze on the Wings. I had a side of Litehouse Gorgonzola Dressing and Dip to dip the Wings in. For a side I had Alexia Julienne Fries again. Really like these low calorie and carbs and baked in 25 minutes. For dessert later a Jello Sugarless Chocolate Pudding.



Sweet Asian Chili Flavored Chicken Wings (3 lb. bag)
Tyson® Individually Frozen Sweet Asian Chili 1st and 2nd joint Wings are perfect for game time or a fun family meal. These oven-bake wings pair perfectly with easy-to-prepare dip recipes on the back of the bag! Contains up to 22% seasoning solution.

CONVENTIONAL OVEN
1 Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
3. Place frozen chicken wing sections on pan in a single layer.
4. Cook on upper rack for 35 - 38 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of the chicken is pierced and temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180°F. For crisper wings: Cook wing sections on a non-stick sprayed baking rack over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 4 OZ. (112g)
Servings Per Container: About 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 110 Calories 190
% Daily Value*
18%Total Fat 12g
18%Saturated Fat 3.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
23%Cholesterol 70mg
21%Sodium 500mg
2%Total Carbohydrate 5g
0%Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 2g
32%Protein 16g

http://www.tyson.com/Products/Sweet-Asian-Chili-and-Flavored-Chicken-Wings-3-lb-bag.aspx

The Griddle means Pancakes!


It's about 6:45 am and not a creature is stirring, but ME! I go out and get the Saturday papers, and it's a beautiful morning! A beautiful morning deserves a great Breakfast start. So I heated up the flat griddle and mixed up some Pancake Batter. I always use New Hope Mills Pancake Mix. It makes some nice and fluffy Pancakes while they are only 200 calories and 6 carbs per serving (4 Pancakes). I only had 2 of them and saved the other 2 for Mom. So my calorie count was only 100 and carbs 3! You can't beat that and throw in how good they are. I used Joesph's Sugarless Maple Flavored Syrup, 35 calories and 9 carbs. Another great one when your watching the calories and carbs, I only used a 1/2 a serving of this also. I then topped it with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

For the Bacon I used one I had never tried until earlier this week, Jennie - O Turkey Bacon. I really prefer this over what I had been using. The taste is better, fries up crisper, and is 15 less calories for 3 slices! 3 slices are 90 calories and 0 carbs.

I've got the dishes done, another advantage of using the griddle 1 pan to clean, the paper read, and the hot Bigelow Decaf Green Tea drank. I'm ready to get out and enjoy this beautiful day!


 

Friday, August 24, 2012


Today's Menu: Cincinnati Style Cheese Coney w/ Julienne Fries



Coney's and Fries on the menu tonight! I used Ball Park Turkey Franks, my usual Dog of choice. Easy to fix, great tasting and only 45 calories and 5 carbs per Frank. I boiled the Franks in water for 5 minutes, I like grilling them but the humidity outside today is very high. I served them on Healthy Life Whole Grain Buns and topped them with a splash of French's Yellow Mustard, Chili, and Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese. For the Chili I used a can of Skyline Chili, only 40 calories and 1 carb per serving and I used a 1/2 serving on each Frank.

I also baked a new Fry that just came out. Alexia Julienne Fries (Seasoned w/ Sea Salt). They baked up fantastic! Flavorful and crisp and only 120 calories and 16 carbs per serving (15 fries). For dessert/snack later a 100 Calorie Mini Bag of Jolly Time Pop Corn.



Alexia House Cut Julienne Fries
It takes only five simple whole ingredients—starting with farm-fresh potatoes cut with the skin on—to create our all-natural, full-of-flavor House Cut Fries.

120 calories  16 carbs

http://www.alexiafoods.com/About-Us


Ball Park Smoked White Turkey Franks


Pack your bun with a 100% fat-free frank made with white turkey meat.


Nutrition Facts Amount/Serving % Daily Value *
Serving Size 1 frank (50g)
Servings Per Container 8
Calories 45
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10g 3%
Sodium 490mg 20%
Potassium 380mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%

http://ballparkbrand.com/#!/products/turkey

47th Annual German-American Festival - Oregon, Ohio


August 24-26, 2012  47th Annual German-American Festival - Oregon, Ohio
The Toledo Area’s Oldest, Largest and Greatest Ethnic Festival With Authentic German Food, Beer, and Entertainment. Attendance: 30,000.

47th Annual German-American Festival 2012
Taking Place at Oak Shade Grove in Oregon, Ohio - August 24, 25 & 26, 2012

WHAT:
The 47th German-American Festival, the Toledo area’s Oldest, Largest and Greatest Ethnic Festival with authentic German Food, Beer, and Entertainment. Festival organizers expect upward from 30,000 paid attendees.

The Festival is operated by the G.A.F. Society, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a §501(c)(3) charitable organization.  It is sponsored by the seven German- and Swiss-American Societies in Toledo.

WHY:
The purpose of the German-American Festival is to promote and enhance the German and Swiss cultures as well as generates revenue to support the German and Swiss cultural center in Oregon and a wide variety of scholarship, athletic and other philanthropic programs in the Toledo area.

WHERE:
Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Road, Oregon, Ohio, just ½ mile east of Coy Road.

WHEN:
              Friday, August 24, 2012: 6:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. (Parade and Opening Ceremonies begin at 8:00 p.m.)
              Saturday, August 25, 2012: 2:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
              Sunday, August 26, 2012: 12:00 Noon – 11:00 p.m. with a German Language worship service at 10:30 a.m.
                (Alcohol sales cease at 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.  Wine and Liquor available on Sunday)
ADMISSION: General admission: $7.00 per person. Children 12 years of age and under admitted at no charge all weekend when accompanied by a parent or guardian.

http://www.gafsociety.org/Festival_Information.htm

I’m all out, What can I use?


Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.



I’m all out of Bay Leaf, What can I use?

Try: Thyme

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Chunky Baked Potato Soup w/ Ham & Chicken Breast Sandwich on Whole Grain Bread


Today's Menu:  Chunky Baked Potato Soup w/ Ham & Chicken Breast Sandwich on Whole Grain Bread



A light dinner tonight, I had Chunky Baked Potato Soup along with a  Ham & Chicken Breast  Sandwich. I used Campbell's Chunky Baked Potato with Cheddar and Bacon Bits Soup. Thick and hearty Soup with chunks of Baked Potato along with Bacon Bits and Cheddar Cheese. It's one of best canned soups out there.

Along with the Soup I made a Ham & Chicken Sandwich. I used Kroger Brand Private Selection Hickory Ham and Slow Roasted Chicken Breast. The Ham is only 60 calories and 2 carbs while the sliced Chicken Breast is 50 calories and 1 carb per serving. I topped it with a slice of one of my new favorite sliced Cheese Private Selection Buffalo Monterey/Jack Cheese, Lettuce, and Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo w/ Olive Oil. Served it on a Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. The meal was light but filling and delicious! For dessert a Jello Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding. I have to be at the Hospital at 7:00 am for some blood work, I have an over protective family doctor. He is very thorough though.




Green tea can reduce skin cancer


Green tea can reduce skin cancer


Aug 23, 2012 | © The Daily Telegraph

Powerful new anti-cancer drugs based on green tea could be developed after scientists found an extract from the beverage could make almost half of skin tumours vanish.

The team of researchers from the University of Strathclyde made 40% of human skin cancer tumours disappear using the compound in a laboratory study.

Green tea has long been suspected of having anti-cancer properties and the extract, epigallocatechin gallate, has been investigated. However, this is the first time researchers have managed to make it effective at shrinking tumours.

Previous attempts to capitalise on its cancer-fighting properties have failed because scientists had used intravenous drips, which failed to deliver enough of the extract to the tumours themselves.

The Strathclyde team devised an alternative "targeted delivery system", piggybacking the extract on proteins that carry iron molecules, which tumours readily absorb. The laboratory test on one type of human skin cancer showed 40% of tumours disappeared after a month of treatment, while an additional 30% shrank.

Dr Christine Dufes, who led the research, said: "When we used our method, the green tea extract reduced the size of many of the tumours every day, in some cases removing them altogether.

"By contrast, the extract had no effect when it was delivered by other means as every one of these tumours continued to grow. This research could open doors to new treatments."

Dufes said population studies had previously shown green tea had anti-cancer properties, and scientists had identified the active compound as epigallocatechin gallate. The Strathclyde researchers were the first to deliver it in high enough doses to tumours to have an effect.

She said: "The problem with this extract is when it is administered intravenously, it goes everywhere in the body, so when it gets to the tumours it is too diluted. With the targeted delivery system, it is taken straight to the tumours without any effect on normal tissue."

Scientists are increasingly using targeted delivery to improve results, relying on the many "receptors" that tumours have for different biological substances.

In this instance, scientists used the fact that tumours have receptors for transferrin, a plasma protein which transports iron through the blood.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2012/08/23/green-tea-can-reduce-skin-cancer

Kitchen Hint of the Day

When washing vegetables place a small amount of salt in a sink full of cold water to draw out any sand and insects.

I’m all out, What can I use?

Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.



I’m all out of Basil, What can I use?

Try: Tarragon or Summer Savory or Thyme or Oregano

New specialty grocer offers 4,000 unique products

New specialty grocer offers 4,000 unique products

 By Hannah Poturalski

Staff Writer

WEST CHESTER TWP. —

It’s all about customer service — and maybe a little about the inviting aroma of bacon — at Ohio’s newest location of The Fresh Market.

The specialty grocer celebrated the grand opening Wednesday of its sixth Ohio store, located at 7720 Voice of America Centre Drive in West Chester Twp. Store manager Jermarcus Parker — whose worked at the Oakley location in Cincinnati as well as one in Florida — said there’s nothing in the store a customer can’t sample before buying.

Inside the West Chester Twp. store — of more than 23,600-square-feet — customers can peruse more than 400 produce items, including locally grown bell peppers and corn; 30 freshly baked breads and 14 different pie varieties daily; a full service meat counter with freshly ground beef; fresh and seasonal seafood; and more than 200 imported and domestic cheeses.

“Every morning we grill bacon for the aroma,” Parker said. “Our focus is on customer delight and engagement overall. We get customers who spend hours here.”

Meat and seafood offerings include Copper River and King salmon, coconut shrimp, chicken and vegetable kebabs, and chicken breast stuffed with mushroom and Asiago cheese. Parker described it as “an old-style butcher shop,” which will cut down any meat to size. There are also 10 daily varieties of freshly packaged sushi.

“This area has a huge lunch traffic,” Parker said, and The Fresh Market offers a wide selection of ready-to-serve entrées, a soup and salad bar and an antipasto and olive bar.

There are about 4,000 unique products. Parker said there are daily deals around the store, including buy one, get one free loaves of nut breads. He said the bakery makes up to 200 loaves of nut breads each day. There is also a bulk candy and nut section.

Paula Shover of Mason explored the aisles Wednesday morning and said she’s been anxiously awaiting the opening.

“I’m going to be here a lot,” Shover said. “It’s beautiful in there. The displays are nice and the bakery looked awesome which could be dangerous.”

During the grand opening — which included the cracking of Parmesan round versus traditional ribbon cutting — Brian Wittman, vice president of the company’s north zone, said The Fresh Market will be regularly donating food to the Freestore Foodbank, First Antioch Baptist Church and Allen Temple Human Services Commission.

“We’re looking forward to being an important member of the West Chester community,” Wittman said.

Representatives from the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance and West Chester Twp., including the township trustees, attended the grand opening to welcome the new business.

“I am pleased (Fresh Market) decided to locate here,” Trustee Catherine Stoker said.

http://www.journal-news.com/news/news/new-specialty-grocer-offers-4000-unique-products/nRHbF/

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Beer Battered Fish and Fries

Today's Menu: Beer Battered Fish and Fries



I was at Kroger early this morning trying to find something that sounded good for dinner when I spotted some beautiful looking Haddock Fillets, I found dinner! Beer Battered Fish and Fries. It just sounded right! The recipe for the Beer Batter was based on recipe I found on The Food Network that I tweaked a little. If you like Fish your going to love this recipe! The Beer Batter makes one killer golden crust! I used 2 fillets that I cut up into several small pieces, it made plenty for three people. The Batter makes a delicious tasting crust that fries up golden brown. I used Yuengling Light Lager Beer, 99 calories 8 1/2 carbs, for the Batter. The Fish has a fantastic taste and the Batter encrusts the fillets to keep it moist. If you love Fish as much as I do give this one a try. I left the recipe at the end of the post.

Along with the Fish I baked some Ore Ida Crinkle Fries. For dessert later a bowl of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream topped with some fresh sliced Peaches.




Beer Battered Fish and Chips

Ingredients
Beer Batter:
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer. I used Yuengling Light Lager 99 calories 8 1/2 carbs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Seasoning, recipe follows

1 1/2 pounds Haddock fillets, skinned with bones removed, and fish cut diagonally into 1-inch-wide strips (5 to 6-inches long)


Directions

Spray skillet with Pam Cooking Spray. Preheat Pan on Medium while adding up to 1/2 inch of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Make sure Oil is hot before adding Fish.

Batter:

In a large bowl, pour in 1 bottle of beer. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into the bowl, whisking in gently until just combined, stir in House Seasoning. Pat fish dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper and coat the fish in the beer batter. Dredge the pieces of fish in 1/2 cup of remaining flour and slide into oil as coated. Fry fish, turning over frequently, until deep golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Fry remaining fish in batches, making sure oil remains hot between batches.

Serve fish with French fries.

Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Lunch Time with a Panini Sandwich!

An easy made and healthy lunch. Heated up my Panini Grill and made a Ham & Turkey and Swiss Panini. I used a half serving Oscar Mayer Carver Board Sliced Turkey Breast, a full serving of thin sliced Ham, a slice of Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese, and a Flatout Whole Wheat Flatbread. I also added French's Mustard to top it. All for under 250 calories and made in about 15 minutes!

Cheese of the Week - Mini Baby Bells

Babybel is a brand of cheese sold internationally. The Bel Group introduced Babybel in 1952 and in 1977 Mini Babybel was launched in France. In 1979, Mini Babybel was launched in the U.S. under the Laughing Cow umbrella brand. As of 2011, Mini Babybel is eaten in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. As of March 2011, 75% of all Mini Babybel cheese is eaten outside of France.

The brand is marketed as a natural, convenient snack. Flavors distributed in the U.S. are created in Leitchfield, Kentucky, and at times in France.

Mini Babybel is known for its unique packaging which consists of a netted bag in which each piece is encased in wax. Numerous flavors of Mini Babybel are offered across the world. The original Mini Babybel and US distributed Mini Babybel light, an Edam variety, is encased in red wax. Other varieties offered in Europe are available such as Mini Babybel Light (diet version of the Edam variety) in white wax with a light blue label, Emmental in yellow wax, Gouda in yellow wax with an orange wrapper, Goat in green wax and Cheddar in purple wax. The original is also available in Kosher and Halal variety in the UK, which come in nets of 5 with each cheese wheel weighing 22 grams - slightly more than the original varieties. Tesco and Sainsbury's are the first major UK supermarkets to sell Kosher/Halal Mini Babybel ranges.Others have shown interest.

There are currently nine flavors offered in the US: Original, Sharp Original, Light, Bonbel, Cheddar, White Cheddar, Emmental Art, Swiss, and Gouda.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Pan Fried Pork Chop w/ Shellie Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and 9 Grain Baked Bread


Today's Menu: Pan Fried Pork Chop w/ Shellie Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and 9 Grain Baked Bread





For dinner this evening I pan fried a Center Cut Pork Loin Chop that I lightly rolled in flour and seasoned with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. I fried it on medium heat in Canola Oil about 4 1/2 minutes per side. The Chop came out perfect! Nice brown crust, moist and delicious. I topped it with Bronco Bob's Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce, what a great combination of flavors! I still love my JB's Fat Boy Sauces but Bronco Bob's are giving them a run for their money. This sauce is perfect for Pork. You get the fresh and cool taste of the Apricot and then a hint of heat from the Chipotle. Perfect combo! If you get a chance try Bronco Bob's Sauces. I'll leave the product info at the end of the post.

For sides I heated up a can of Libby's Shellie Beans, Bob Evan's Mashed Potatoes, and I baked the other half of the loaf of Walmart Bakery 9 Grain Bread. I really like this bread! For dessert later a bowl of the mixed No Sugar Added Sliced Fruits; Peaches, Pears, and Pineapples.

Bronco Bob’s Tangy Apricot Chipotle Sauce
Bronco Bob’s Award-Winning Gourmet Chipotle Sauces.

The authentic Southwest flavor of chipotle (smoked jalapenos) weaves its magic through each of these seven delicious sauces: Roasted Raspberry, Tangy Apricot, Roasted Mango, Smoked Bacon, Orange Bourbon Peppercorn,Orange Ginger, and Chipotle Steak and Grilling Sauce. Each sauce is deliciously versatile in the kitchen for grilling, dipping, or for use in easy-to-make hors d’oeuvres. Plus, they are the perfect “secret ingredient” for your own recipes.

Bronco Bob’s Chipotle Sauces have won awards in virtually every competition they’ve entered, including the “Scovie” Awards. Judge them for yourself. They are available individually, in a special 3-bottle gift kit, or rounded up in the Bronco Bob Gift Collection ­with great Southwestern-themed goodies, perfect for giving.

Be sure to see Bronco Bob’s Gift Collection for year-round ensembles for giving and enjoying!

http://www.lwcbrandsinc.com/broncobobs.html

Cornmeal Waffles with Blueberry Compote


Wow talk about starting your day off right, take a look at this breakfast recipe! Another great one from one of my favorite sites http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com   Delicious, healthy, low carb way to start your day.



Cornmeal Waffles with Blueberry Compote
MAKES: 8 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1/2 of a 6-inch square waffle and 3 tablespoons compote
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 31

Cornmeal Waffles

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites
1 recipe Blueberry Compote (below)
1. In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl combine buttermilk, milk, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Whisk mixture into flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix).
3. In a large bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into batter.
Tip
Test Kitchen Tip: If using a 6-inch round waffle iron, use 1/2 cup batter per waffle and serve three quarters of a round waffle per serving.
Tip
*Sugar Substitutes: Choose from Sweet'N Low Brown or Sugar Twin Granulated Brown. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Per Serving with Substitute: Same as above, except 191 cal., 28 g carb., 175 mg sodium.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Calories: 204
Protein(gm): 5
Carbohydrate(gm): 31
Fat, total(gm): 7
Cholesterol(mg): 54
Saturated fat(gm): 1
Monosaturated fat(gm): 4
Polyunsaturated fat(gm): 2
Dietary Fiber, total(gm): 2
Sugar, total(gm): 13


Blueberry Compote

YIELD: 1-2/3 cups
1 cup apple jucie
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. In a medium saucepan bring apple juice and lemon juice to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in fresh blueberries, lemon peel, and cinnamon. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes more. Makes 1-2/3 cups.

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/cornmeal-waffles-with-blueberry-compote/

I’m all out, What can I use?


Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.



I’m all out of Anise Seed, What can I use?

Try: Fennel seed

Monday, August 20, 2012

I’m all out, What can I use?


Preparing a recipe and realize your out of one of the essential ingredients. Try this as a substitution.

I’m all out of Apples , What can I use?

Try:
1 Cup firm chopped Pears.
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Chicken ‘n’ Noodles w/ Boiled Mini Carrots and Baked 9 Grain Bread


Today’s Menu: Chicken ‘n’ Noodles w/  Boiled Mini Carrots and Baked 9 Grain Bread




Busy running errands most of the day. It was another perfect day out, about 81 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze. Anyway for dinner tonight I went with the Margaret Holmes Simple Suppers Chicken ‘n’Noodles Fixins’. It comes in a 5 serving can and contains the Noodles and Seasoning, I added the Chicken. I cut up 2 Chicken Breasts seasoning them with Sea Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Smoked Cumin, and Parsley. I then fried them in a large skillet until done and added the can of Fixins’. Cooked until it the Sauce was bubbling and heated throughout. The broth that’s with Noodles is incredible! Rich and thick and seasoned just right. I left the info and web site link to Margaret Holmes at the end of the post. I had sides of sliced Carrots and Baked 9 Grain Bread.  First time I tried the 9 Grain Loaf. It's from the Walgreen Bakery and it's a keeper! It's a real moist and delicious tasting bread. The combination of all the different grains come together to give it a unique and delicious fresh taste. Just baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes and it's done. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Cherry Jello, only 10 calories!


Margaret Holmes Simple Suppers Chicken n Noodles Fixins’

Chicken n’ Noodles will become a comfort-food favorite in any household. Add boneless, skinless chicken breast to a can of Simple Suppers Chicken n’ Noodles, which is filled with plump noodle dumplings and special seasonings.



Nutrition Facts
Serving Size Serving size 2/3 cup as packaged (174g)

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 45
Calories 230

% Daily Values*
Total Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 860mg 36%
Potassium 0mg
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 0g
Protein 8g

http://www.margaretholmes.com/

One of America's Favorites - Chili Con Carne

A pot of chili con carne with beans and tomatoes.

Chili con carne (chili with meat) or more commonly known as simply "chili" is a spicy stew containing chili peppers, meat, tomatoes, and often beans. Traditional versions are made using chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Variations, both geographic and personal, may involve different types of meat as well as a variety of other ingredients. The variant recipes provoke disputes among aficionados, which makes chili a frequent dish for cook-offs. Chili is also used as an ingredient in a number of other foods.

In Spanish, the "chile" refers to a chile pepper and "carne" means meat. The first documented recipe for "chile con carne" is dated September 2, 1519. The ingredients were boiled tomatoes, salt, chiles and meat. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, one of Hernan Cortez's Captains and the source of the recipe, states in his book, that the Cholulan Indians, allied with the Aztecs, were so confident of victory in a battle against the Conquistadors the following day that they had "already prepared cauldrons of tomatoes, salt and chiles" in anticipation of a victory feast. The one missing ingredient, the meat, was to be furnished by the Conquistadors themselves: their own flesh. (The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico--Bernal Diaz del Castillo)


Ingredients for chili con carne.

The recipe used by American frontier settlers consisted of dried beef, suet, dried chili peppers and salt, which were pounded together, formed into bricks and left to dry, which could then be boiled in pots on the trail.[citation needed]
The San Antonio Chili Stand, in operation at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, helped people from other parts of the country taste and appreciate chili. San Antonio was a significant tourist destination and helped Texas-style chili con carne spread throughout the South and West. Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas as designated by the House Concurrent Resolution Number 18 of the 65th Texas Legislature during its regular session in 1977.

During the 1880s, brightly dressed Mexican women known as "chili queens" began to operate around Military Plaza and other public gathering places in downtown San Antonio. They appeared at dusk, when they built charcoal or wood fires to reheat cauldrons of pre-cooked chili. They sold it by the bowl to passersby. The aroma was a potent sales pitch; mariachi street musicians joined in to serenade the eaters. Some chili queens later built semi-permanent stalls in the mercado (local Hispanic market).

In September 1937, the San Antonio Health Department implemented new sanitary regulations that required the chili queens to adhere to the same standards as indoor restaurants. Unable to provide lavatory facilities, the queens and their "street chili" culture disappeared overnight. Although Mayor Maury Maverick reinstated the queens' privileges in 1939, the city reapplied the more stringent regulations permanently in 1943.
San Antonio's mercado was renovated in the 1970s, at which time it was the largest Mexican marketplace in the U.S. Local merchants began staging historic re-enactments of the chili queens' heyday. The Unofficial re-enactment is, "Return of the Chili Queens Festival".
Since 2006, the historic Bonham Exchange Building, located behind the Alamo, has hosted the official Chili Queens event, which is held in April as the first Sunday of every Fiesta.

Before World War II, hundreds of small, family-run chili parlors (also known as "chili joints") could be found throughout Texas and other states, particularly those in which émigré Texans had made new homes. Each establishment usually had a claim to some kind of "secret recipe."

As early as 1904, chili parlors were opening outside of Texas. After working at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Charles Taylor opened a chili parlor in Carlinville, Illinois, serving "Mexican Chili". In the 1920s and 1930s chains of diner-style "chili parlors" grew up in the Midwest. As of 2005, one of these old-fashioned chili parlors still exists on Pine Street in downtown St. Louis. It features a chili-topped dish called a "slinger": two cheeseburger patties, hash browns, and two eggs, and smothered in chili.
One of the best-known Texas chili parlors, in part because of its downtown location and socially connected clientele, was Bob Pool's "joint" in Dallas, just across the street from the headquarters of the elite department store Neiman Marcus. Stanley Marcus, president of the store, frequently ate there. He also bought Pool's chili to send by air express to friends and customers across the country. Several members of General Dwight Eisenhower's SHAPE staff during the early 1950s were reported to have arranged regular shipments of chili from Pool's to their Paris quarters.
Beans
Beans, a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine, have been associated with chili as far back as the early 20th century. The question of whether beans "belong" in chili has been a matter of contention among chili cooks for a long time. It is likely that in many poorer areas of San Antonio and other places associated with the origins of chili, beans were used rather than meat, or in addition to meat.


A bowl of Texas-style chili with no beans.
Texas-style chili contains no beans and may even be made with no other vegetables whatsoever besides chili peppers. President Lyndon B. Johnson's favorite chili recipe became known as "Pedernales River chili" after the location of his Texas Hill Country ranch. It calls for eliminating the traditional beef suet (on Johnson's doctor's orders, after Johnson suffered a heart attack while he was Senate Majority Leader) and adds tomatoes and onions. Johnson preferred venison, when available, to beef, as Hill Country deer are leaner than most beef. Lady Bird Johnson, the First Lady, had the recipe printed on cards to be mailed out because of the many thousands of requests the White House received for it.
In some areas, versions with beans are referred to as "chili beans" while the term "chili" is reserved for the all-meat dish. Small red beans are commonly used for chili, as are black-eyed peas, kidney beans, great northern beans, or navy beans. Chili bean can refer to a small red variety of common bean also known as the pink bean. The name may have arisen from that bean's resemblance to small chili peppers, or it may be a reference to that bean's inclusion in chili recipes.
Most commercially prepared canned chili includes beans. Commercial chili prepared without beans is usually called "chili no beans" in the United States. Some U.S. manufacturers, notably Bush Brothers and Company and Eden Organic, also sell canned precooked beans (with no meat) that are labeled "chili beans"; these beans are intended for consumers to add to a chili recipe and are often sold with spices added. Evidence suggests that there is nothing inauthentic about the inclusion of beans. The Chili Appreciation Society International specified in 1999 that, among other things, cooks are forbidden to include beans, marinate any meats, or discharge firearms in the preparation of chili for official competition.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another ingredient on which opinions differ. Wick Fowler, north Texas newspaperman and inventor of "Two-Alarm Chili" (which he later marketed as a "kit" of spices), insisted on adding tomato sauce to his chili — one 15-oz. can per three pounds of meat. He also believed that chili should never be eaten freshly cooked but refrigerated overnight to seal in the flavor. Matt Weinstock, a Los Angeles newspaper columnist, once remarked that Fowler's chili "was reputed to open eighteen sinus cavities unknown to the medical profession."

Vegetarian chili
Vegetarian chili (also known as chili sin carne, chili without meat, chili non carne, and chili sans carne) acquired wide popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s with the rise of vegetarianism. It is also popular with those on a diet restricting the use of red meat. To make the chili vegetarian, the cook leaves out the meat or replaces it with a meat analogue, such as textured vegetable protein or tofu, or a starchy vegetable, such as potatoes. These chilis nearly always include beans. Variants may contain corn, squash, mushrooms, or beets.
Chili verde
Chili verde (green chili) is a moderately to extremely spicy Mexican and Mexican-American stew or sauce usually made from chunks of pork that have been slow-cooked in chicken broth, garlic, tomatillos, and roasted green chilis. Tomatoes are rarely used. The spiciness of the chili is adjusted with poblano, jalapeño, serrano, and occasionally habanero peppers. Chili verde is a common filling for the San Francisco burrito.

White chili
White chili is made using white beans and turkey meat or chicken breast instead of a tomato-based sauce and red meat (beef). The resulting dish appears white when cooked.

The dish may be served with toppings or accompaniments; grated cheese, diced onions, and sour cream are common toppings, as are broken saltine crackers, corn chips, cornbread, rolled-up corn or flour tortillas, and pork tamales. Chili can also be served over rice or pasta such as ditalini or spaghetti.

Pre-made chili:

Canned chili
Willie Gebhardt, originally of New Braunfels, Texas, and later of San Antonio, produced the first canned chili in 1908. Rancher Lyman Davis near Corsicana, Texas, developed Wolf Brand Chili in 1885. He owned a meat market and was a particular fan of Texas-style chili. In the 1880s, in partnership with an experienced range cook, he began producing heavily spiced chili based on chunks of lean beef and rendered beef suet, which he sold by the pot to local cafés. In 1921, Davis began canning his product, naming it for his pet wolf "Kaiser Bill." Wolf Brand canned chili was a favorite of Will Rogers, who always took along a case when traveling and performing in other regions of the world. Ernest Tubb, the country singer, was such a fan that one Texas hotel maintained a supply of Wolf Brand for his visits. Both the Gebhardt and Wolf brands are now owned by ConAgra Foods, Inc. In the UK, the most popular brand of canned chili is sold by Stagg, a division of Hormel foods.
Brick chili
Another method of marketing commercial chili in the days before widespread home refrigerators was "brick chili." It was produced by pressing out nearly all of the moisture, leaving a solid substance roughly the size and shape of a half-brick. Wolf Brand was originally sold in this form. Commonly available in small towns and rural areas of the American Southwest in the first three-quarters of the 20th century, brick chili has mostly outlived its usefulness and is now difficult to find. In southern California, the Dolores Canning Co. still makes a traditional brick chili called the "Dolores Chili Brick."
Seasoning mix
Home cooks may also purchase seasoning mixes for chili, including packets of dry ingredients such as chili powder, masa flour, salt, and cayenne pepper, to flavor meat and other ingredients.


Chili cheese fries


*A chili dog is a hot dog served with a topping of chili (usually without beans).
Chili is also added to fries and cheese to make chili cheese fries, or Coney Island fries.

*In southeast Texas, some people eat chili served over white rice. Chili over rice (frequently with beans) is also common in Hawaii (where it is known as chili rice) and is eaten this way in the UK and, to some extent, Australia.

*Chili mac is a dish made with canned chili, or roughly the same ingredients as chili (meat, spices, onion, tomato sauce, beans, and sometimes other vegetables), with the addition of macaroni or some other pasta. Chili mac is a standard dish in the U.S. military and is one of the varieties of Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE).

*Cincinnati chili is a variety of chili frequently served over spaghetti and on fries and cheese coneys.

*A "Frito pie" typically consists of a small, single-serving bag of Fritos corn chips with a cup of chili poured over the top, usually finished up with grated cheese or onions and jalapeños and sour cream. Frito pies are popular in the southwestern United States.

*A chili stuffed baked potato is a large baked potato stuffed with chili and possibly with other ingredients, such as butter, Cheddar cheese, or chopped onions.

*Chili Poutine substitutes chili con carne for the usual gravy.