Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinner Shrimp Scampi w....

Dinner Tonight: Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinner Shrimp Scampi w/ Aunt Millie's Hawaiian Style Rolls

Well everyone is feeling back to normal. The stomach virus ran it's course and my parents are a lot better. I had been wanting some Shrimp and what better way to prepare them than by using them in Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinner Mix. The easy and delicious way to prepare Shrimp Scampi. So for dinner I prepared Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinner Shrimp Scampi w/ Aunt Millie's Hawaiian Style Rolls.


You can add Chicken, Pork, or Shrimp, but I always go with the Shrimp but I think some Blackened Chicken would be great with this also! I used the Jumbo size Shelled and Tailless Shrimp. I boiled the Shrimp for about 4 minutes and seasoned it with Old Bay Seasoning. I then cooked the Pasta by the box directions and added in the Shrimp as the Pasta was finishing up. I left the info and details at the bottom of the post on the Zatarain’s. The Scampi came out fantastic! Great flavor, seasoned just right with a bit of heat! Real easy to make and the Zatarains Scampi Pasta is only 110 calories and 21 carbs. The added Shrimp was 120 calories and 0 carbs. I also had a couple of Aunt Millie's Hawaiian Style Rolls left in the freezer that I baked to go with my Scampi. For a dessert/snack later some Tostito's Whole Grain Scoops along with Newman's own black Bean and Corn Salsa, which is my new Salsa of choice.




Zatarain's New Orleans Style Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix

Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix
Introducing Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinners – the fun of pasta with the flavor of New Orleans! Just add chicken, sausage or shrimp to complete this easy-to-prepare dinner your whole family will love. And you know it has to be good because it’s from Zatarain’s…a New Orleans tradition since 1889.

Product Details

Add meat to make a complete meal. Serves 5. This easy-to-prepare dinner mix has just the right blend of ingredients for a great tasting, authentic New Orleans style meal. Zatarain’s has been the leader in authentic New Orleans style food since 1889. So when you want great flavor, Jazz It Up with Zatarain’s! With Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Pasta Dinners you can enjoy the fun of pasta and the authentic flavor of New Orleans! Just add chicken, hamburger or shrimp to complete this easy-to-prepare dinner your whole family will love.

Directions

All You Need Is: 2 cups water; 3 tbsp margarine, 1 pound of chicken, sausage or shrimp. Range Top: 1. Brown 1 lb precut (diced) chicken, sausage or shrimp (When shrimp is used, reduce water by 1/4 cup and add the shrimp after the first 5 minutes of cooking. Zatarain’s Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix tastes great even when prepared without meat or seafood.) in a two-quart saucepan. 2. Stir in 2 cups cold water, 3 tbsp butter or margarine, and Zatarain’s Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix. Blend Thoroughly. Bring to a boil. 3. Stir, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 4. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it stands. Stir before serving. Microwave: 1. In a two-quart microwave-safe bowl, cook 1 lb precut (diced) chicken, sausage or shrimp (When shrimp is used, reduce water by 1/4 cup and add the shrimp after the first 5 minutes of cooking. Zatarain’s Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix tastes great even when prepared without meat or seafood.) 3-5 minutes on High or until cooked. 2. Stir in 2 cups water, 3 tbsp butter or margarine and Zatarain’s Scampi Pasta Dinner Mix. Blend thoroughly. 3. Microwave uncovered on High for 15 to 17 minutes. Stir occasionally. 4. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it stands. Stir before serving. Caution: Cook time may vary depending on the power of the microwave oven.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1 cup
Servings per container: 5
Nutrient    Qty    %DV
Calories     110
Calories from Fat     10
Total Fat     1 g     1%
Sodium     400 mg     17%
Total Carbohydrate     21 g     7%
Sugars     1 g
Protein     4 g
Vitamin A         4%
Iron         6%
Is or Contains Flavor
Niacin         8%
Riboflavin         40%
Thiamine         35%

http://www.zatarains.com/Products/Pasta-Dinner-Mixes/Scampi-Pasta-Dinner-Mix.aspx

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Frozen shrimp can make for a quick and easy meal, but try to avoid shrimp that have been peeled and deveined before freezing, which usually causes a loss of texture and flavor.

What to Eat with Diabetes: Best Chips

The pass along article of the week from Diabetic Living On Line web site fits in for those Super Bowl Parties this weekend. It's info about those Chips and Pretzels Snacks. I've left the beginning of the article along with the web link for all the healthy info.

What to Eat with Diabetes: Best Chips

By Jessie Shafer & Jane Burnett, RD, LD
Looking for a better snack chip? Try one of our 18 winners or finalists that are dietitian-approved and taste-tested. We conducted blind taste panels with more than 100 people, including people with diabetes, and awarded the top-rated pretzels, flavored chips, cheesy chips, plain potato chips, BBQ chips, and corn chips our Diabetic Living What to Eat seal of approval.

Taste-Tested and Diabetes-Friendly
It's not easy to find diabetes-friendly snack options -- especially foods that are notoriously unhealthful, such as greasy chips and salty pretzels. But we knew there had to be some delicious products out there. So we went on a mission to track down all the options that met our nutrition guidelines. Then we sent those products through a series of taste tests.

Some were too crunchy; others weren't crunchy enough. But after being tasted by more than 100 people, including people with diabetes, the best-tasting chips and pretzels rose to the top. The winner in each category received the Diabetic Living What to Eat™ award. Pop open a bag and taste how yummy healthful snacks can be!

Nutritional Guidelines

-- 200 calories or less
-- 5 grams total fat or less
-- 2 grams saturated fat or less
-- 0 grams trans fat
-- 25 grams carbohydrate or less
-- 250 milligrams sodium or less
-- At least 1 gram fiber per 15 grams carbohydrate

Click the link below to read the entire article:

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/what-to-eat/best-chips-to-eat-with-diabetes/?sssdmh=dm17.648841&esrc=nwdlo012913

Turkey Pepperoni, Turkey Sausage, Mushrooms, Black Olive,Pizza

Today’s Menu: Turkey Pepperoni, Turkey Sausage, Mushrooms, Black Olive, Classic Crust Pizza

Everyone wanted Pizza tonight, so Pizza it is! I had used the Pillsbury Artisan Crust a few times so I gave the Classic Crust a try this time. It contains 30 less calories than the Artisan. I really love using the Pillsbury Crusts. Easy to use and bakes up a beautiful golden brown.



To prepare it just preheat your oven on 400 degrees. Use a medium to large cookie sheet pan and spray it lightly with Pam. Then just open the can and spread the crust. The good thing about this is you make your crust as thin or as thick you want. Prebake it for 8 minutes and then add your toppings and put it back in the oven 8 – 10 more minutes until the crust is golden brown. Just a note; precook any of the toppings that need to be cooked, like any Sausage, before adding it as a topping.


My toppings were Hormel Turkey Pepperoni, Jennie O Lean Breakfast Sausage, Black Olives, Mushrooms (Sliced baby Bella), Sargento Shredded Mozzarella and Provolone Cheese, and Ragu Homestyle Pizza Sauce. As I said earlier the crust is fantastic! It bakes up to a golden brown with the outer crust nice and crunchy. I left the Pillsbury product description and web site link at the end of the post. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Frozen Greek Yogurt Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl Cup.

Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust

Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust: A Whole New Fresh!

Classic Pizza Crust
Feelin' classic? It's a delicious and supportive friend to all your favorite pizza toppings. Easily a family favorite!


Calories in Pillsbury Pizza Crust Classic pizza dough, 1 package 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 160.0
Total Fat 2.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 470.0 mg
Potassium 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.0 g
Dietary Fiber 1.0 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Protein 5.0 g
Vitamin A


http://www.pillsbury.com/Products/Pizza-Crust/Artisan-Pizza-Crust

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Shrimp are low in fat, delicious, and one of the most inexpensive kinds of shellfish you can buy. For the most tender shrimp, cool them down before cooking by either place them in the freezer for 10 - 15 minutes, or setting them in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. If your boiling them, drop them into boiling broth or court bouillon for one minute, and then turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Sauteed shrimp are done when they are firm and pink, in just 3 - 5 minutes. Grilled shrimp cook in about 7 minutes. No matter how you're cooking them, shrimp cook fast! So make sure to keep a close eye on them. As soon as they turn pink, they're done. (If they are already pink when you purchase them, they been cooked, and all you have to do is heat them up.) To make sure you don't overheat shrimp, plunge them in cold water once they've turned pink to immediately stop the cooking process

Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets w/ Fried Sliced Fingerling Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas...

Dinner Tonight: Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets Fried Sliced Fingerling Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, and Whole Grain Bread

Warm day today, near record high in the 60's! But a long day inside, both parents sick today with the stomach flu that's going around. So between getting some prescriptions filled, cleaning and doing the male nurse thing my day was pretty full. All Mom and Dad wanted Soup for their dinner and for mine another new recipe, Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets. I prepared Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets Fried Sliced Fingerling Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, and Whole Grain Bread.


The  Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets recipe I came across while browsing the Cooking Light/ My Recipes web site. When I first saw it I passed it up because I was thinking Chips would create a lot carbs and calories but it just sounded good and I went back to look at the carb and calorie count and it wasn't too bad, 14.5 carbs and 291 calories. To prepare it I needed; 4 (6-ounce) cod fillets (or other firm white fish), 2 teaspoons canola mayonnaise, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 (2-ounce) package salt and vinegar kettle-style potato chips, crushed, and 1/2 cup light ranch dressing. I used Cod as my Fish, Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo w/ Olive Oil for the Mayo, Kraft Fat Free Ranch Dressing, and Lay's Kettle Style Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips. I cut those Calories and Carbs where I can. To prepared I first preheated the oven to 400°. Then I arranged fillets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. I brushed 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise over top of each fillet; sprinkled evenly with sea salt. Gently pressed about 2 tablespoons of the crushed chips evenly on top of each fillet. Baked the fish at 400° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Served it with ranch dressing. An excellent baked Fish Recipe! The Cod came out moist and the Chip topping was a different spin. It gave it a great crunch and flavor.


For my side dishes I  had Fried Sliced Fingerling Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, and Whole Grain Bread. For the Potatoes I sliced the Fingerling Potatoes length wise and seasoned them with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. I then fried them on medium heat in Canola Oil until done and browned on both sides. The Sugar Snap Peas were leftover from the other night so all I had to do was warm them up and used Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. For dessert/snack later slices of Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese, Old Wisconsin Turkey Sausage Bites, and Ritz Whole Grain Crackers.





Chip-Crusted Fish Fillets

The tang in the salt and vinegar chips mellows as the fish bakes in the oven, creating a crunchy spin on fish and chips. Look to hook-and-line-caught Atlantic or Pacific cod for the most sustainable choice.

Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) cod fillets (or other firm white fish)
2 teaspoons canola mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (2-ounce) package salt and vinegar kettle-style potato chips, crushed
1/2 cup light ranch dressing


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Arrange fillets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise over top of each fillet; sprinkle evenly with salt. Gently press about 2 tablespoons crushed chips evenly on top of each fillet. Cook fish at 400° for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with ranch dressing.


Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 291
Fat: 11.3g
Saturated fat: 1.2g
Monounsaturated fat: 5.7g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g
Protein: 31.7g
Carbohydrate: 14.5g
Fiber: 0.8g
Cholesterol: 79mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 549mg
Calcium: 49mg

Laraine Perri, Cooking Light
DECEMBER 2011

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chip-crusted-fish-fillets-50400000117838/

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

You can reduce the saltiness of anchovies by soaking them in ice water for about 15 minutes. Because of their high salt content, anchovies will keep about two months under refrigeration after the jar is opened, and up to a year without refrigeration in a sealed can. Once opened, they should be kept covered with olive oil in the fridge.

Crock Pot Yankee Pot Roast w/ Cornbread

Dinner Tonight: Crock Pot Yankee Pot Roast w/ Cornbread

The roller coaster weather continues. Lately it's been single digit temperature or in the teens along with a wind chill and snow. Today about 50 degrees and rain. Ohio Valley weather, you gotta love it! For dinner it was another new recipe for dinner, Crock Pot Yankee Pot Roast and Cornbread. I've been wanting to try a Yankee Pot Roast for awhile now so today was the day.


I purchased a beautiful roast from Kroger yesterday, an Angus Pot Roast Cut (2.78 lbs.). I love the Kroger Meat Dept. over where I shop. They all know me, from going there so long, And always take care of me. Very simple and easy recipe. I especially like using the Crock Pot for meals, the meat is always tender and no mess and easy clean up! There's nothing but good things you'll need to prepare this including; 2 1/2 lbs Angus Pot Roast, Sea Salt and Pepper, Small Red Potatoes, quartered ( about 1 pound), 1 Small Bag Mini Carrots, Sliced Mushrooms (optional), 1 large Parsnips, cut into 3/4-inch slices, 2 Bay Leaves, 1 tablespoon Parsley, 1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves, 1 cup Red Cooking Wine, 1/2 cup Swanson Low Sodium Beef Broth. I added the sliced Mushrooms about 1 hour before the Pot Roast was done.  As I said I love using a Crock Pot. I got everything ready this morning and in the Crock Pot and just let it simmer all day, and the aroma was just too good.

Everything turned out delicious! Quoting my Mom " I believe that's the most tender and best tasting Pot Roast I ever had". When I get a Mom approval like that I know I've done good! The Pot Roast was tender and full of flavor and the Vegetables were the same way, a comfort food classic for sure. I know a lot of the Pot Roasts contain Onion and Celery but I'm just not a huge fan of either. There was plenty leftover which will make some delicious pot Roast Sandwiches for lunch or dinner tomorrow! Nothing better than piling the Pot Roast and the Veggies on Whole Grain Bun and using the Juices that were leftover, heating it up and add flour to thicken it up. Then top the Sandwich off with Drippings Sauce, Yeah Buddy!!

To go with the Pot Roast I baked a small skillet of Martha White Cornbread. Cornbread is something I think I could eat every meal. I like a nice fresh and hot slice with a Butter right through the middle of slice! When I make this i just make it by the instructions on the package but I only use half the ingredients because I use a small cast iron skillet to make it. I use Egg Beaters and Extra Virgin Oil instead of Eggs and Vegetable Oil the recipe calls for. Bake at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes and you have some golden brown piping hot Cornbread! If you use a small cast iron skillet just cut the recipe in half and it comes out just right for the skillet size.  For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.



Crock Pot Yankee Pot roast


Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs Angus Pot Roast
Sea Salt
Pepper
Small Red Potatoes, quartered ( about 1 pound)
1 Small Bag Mini Carrots
1 large Parsnips, cut into 3/4-inch slices
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
1 cup Red Cooking Wine
1/2 cup Swanson Low Sodium Beef Broth


Directions:

* Season roast with salt and pepper.
* Combine vegetables and seasonings in crock pot.
* Place beef over vegetables, and pour broth and cooking wine over beef.
* Cover; cook on LOW until meat is fork-tender (8 1/2-9 hours).
* Remove beef to serving platter, and arrange vegetables around beef.
* Remove and discard bay leaves.



*Optional
To make gravy, ladle the juices into a 2 cup measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.
Skim off and discard fat.
Measure remaining juices and heat to a boil in small saucepan.
For each cup of juice, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth.
Stir mixture into boiling juices, stirring constantly until thickened (about 1 minute).

*Serve with Cornbread or Dinner Rolls


Martha White Cornbread

The Martha White Corn Meal

White Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix. Self Rising White Enriched with Hot Rize®

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3 Tbsp (31g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 110
Calories from Fat 5
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g1%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Sodium 440mg18%
Total Carbohydrate 22g7%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Protein 2g
Calcium2%Iron6%Thiamin10%Riboflavin6%Niacin6%Folic Acid15%

Bitterroot Valley ranch sees resurgence in consumers craving bison meat

Thought I would pass this fantastic article along about a Bison Ranch. Came across this it from the Billings Gazette. Love this article!



Bitterroot Valley ranch sees resurgence in consumers craving bison meat


 By MARTIN KIDSTON Missoulian

LOLO — Moving in on foot isn’t a good idea, so Troy Westre fires up a John Deere four-wheeler, loads the grass pellets and heads across the snow, cutting the herd of bison as if it were easy.
Along the way, he keeps a watch on the bulls who are watching him and that sack of tasty pellets. These aren’t cattle roaming around, Westre notes. Rather, they’re 2,000-pound animals, fast in spurts and often unpredictable.
“There’ve been times they’ve come at me on a full run,” said Westre, co-owner of Bitterroot Bison Co. near Lolo. “I’ve made it to the gate just in time. I’ve had my close calls for sure.”
So goes the life of a bison rancher, and Westre should know. He’s been ranching bison for 13 years, rolling out hay on cold winter mornings, separating the bulls and running irrigation lines for summer grass.
After back surgery in 2009, Westre merged operations with his surgeon, Christopher Mack, on land Mack owns on the Bitterroot River. They’ve been growing their outfit ever since, keeping an eye on the market and the public’s growing demand for lean, local bison meat.
“We’re seeing the supply-and-demand thing right now,” Westre said. “There’s not enough bison for the demand of the people. They’re getting more health conscious. They want to eat local and they want to know where the animals are grown.”
Westre and the nation’s bison ranchers received unexpected but welcome publicity last Monday. Before a national audience, President Barack Obama dined on hickory-grilled bison with red potato horseradish cake and wild huckleberry reduction sauce as part of his second-term inauguration festivities.
Not a bad deal, Westre said, then laughed while driving to the far side of the frozen pasture, where he ripped open the sack of pellets. One bison turned at the sound, then another. Within minutes, the herd lumbered toward him, the animals tossing their giant heads and kicking up snow.
He urged caution, saying the animals love the pellets and can, as a result, get a little unruly at feeding time. The calves froliced close to their mothers. The bulls postured and defended their space, especially Diesel, a 2,000-pound giant with a black head and hooked horns.
“That’s Dozer over there,” Westre said, pointing out the kinder of the two bulls. “I’ve been around them long enough. I can tell most of these animals without ear tags. They’ve all got a little something that makes them stand out.”
While it’s easy to get attached to the likes of Dozer and Lakota, a cow that ambles at a run next to the John Deere as if she were a trusty ranch dog – never mind she’s all muscle and wiry fur – Westre tries to keep his distance.
He admits a love for animals and recounts the day a windstorm toppled a nearby cottonwood tree with an eagle’s nest fixed in its branches. The tree pinned two eaglets under its weight. Westre spent the day freeing the injured birds before turning them over to a raptor specialist who attempted to mend their broken bones.
But despite Westre’s affinity for his bison, he says he and Mack are running a ranching operation, and ranching is a business based on risks and changing market conditions.
Eight years ago, that market crashed. A bison once valued at $4,000 fell to $800. Now, Westre said, the ranch is harvesting bulls for $3,300 and prices are rising.
“We’re just getting ready to split all these calves off,” Westre said, looking across the herd. “We’ll sell our heifer calves and we’ll take all the bull calves out to Lee Metcalf on the old highway. That’s where all our bulls are. We grow them till they’re 30 months old, and then I go out and harvest them.”
While ranching is ranching, Westre said, running bison is a different business than running cattle. He called bison easier to raise and manage. Cattle are hands-on and require care, he said, while bison fend for themselves, more or less.
Bison calve alone and they do it in May, he said, unlike cattle that calve in February. Westre called it nature’s way and said that aside from a few scuffles between bulls resulting in mild veterinary care, ranching bison is a hands-off operation.
“We don’t vaccinate them; we just deworm them,” he said. “We harvest bulls at 30 months. But if we have a cow that doesn’t have a calf for a couple of years, we’ll take her, too. You’ve got to have a calf within two years or you’re out of here.”
Each animal yields several hundred pounds of meat at harvest. The operation tans the hides and sells them to buyers. They sell bison mittens, hats and coats. They sell bleached skulls, bison pillows and tallow soap.
Some Native Americans ask for the stomachs for tripe and the hearts to make traditional sacks, he said. When the hunting season ends and men return home without an elk, he added, his phone rings off the hook with calls for meat.

“We’re members of the National Bison Association and the Montana Bison Association, so we market our meat through there,” Westre said. “Last year, we did the farmers market in Missoula and that was a good thing. I think we’ll try to do it again, unless we sell too many animals.”

For more information about Bitterroot Bison Co. and where to buy meat, call (406) 531-6047.


http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/bitterroot-valley-ranch-sees-resurgence-in-consumers-craving-bison-meat/article_a82a2632-1011-5faf-9ea8-cba50f03b88b.html

One of America's Favorites - Crêpe

A stack of crêpes

A crêpe or crepe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour (crêpes de Froment) or buckwheat flour (galettes). The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France and Quebec. In Brittany, crêpes are traditionally served with cider. Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to flambéed crêpes Suzette or elaborate savoury fillings.


Crêpes are made by pouring a thin liquid batter onto a hot frying pan or flat circular hot plate, often with a trace of butter on the pan's surface. The batter is spread evenly over the cooking surface of the pan or plate either by tilting the pan or by distributing the batter with an offset spatula. There are also specially designed crêpe makers with a heatable circular surface that can be dipped in the batter and quickly pulled out to produce an ideal thickness and evenness of cooking.
Common savoury fillings for crêpes served for lunch or dinner are cheese, ham, and eggs, ratatouille, mushrooms, artichoke (in certain regions), and various meat products.
When sweet, they can be eaten as part of breakfast or as a dessert. They can be filled and topped with various sweet toppings, often including Nutella spread, preserves, sugar (granulated or powdered), maple syrup, lemon juice, whipped cream, fruit spreads, custard, and sliced soft fruits or confiture.


Crêpes are especially popular throughout France. The common ingredients include flour, eggs, milk, butter, and a pinch of salt. Crêpes are usually of two types: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) made with wheat flour and slightly sweetened; and savoury galettes (crêpes salées) made with buckwheat flour and unsweetened. The name "galette" came from the French word galet ("pebble"), since the first gallettes were made on a large pebble heated in a fire. Batter made from buckwheat flour is gluten-free, which makes it possible for people who have a gluten allergy or intolerance to eat this type of crêpe.
Mille crêpe is a French cake made of many crêpe layers. The word mille means "a thousand", implying the many layers of crêpe.


Chocolate-Coconut Crêpe served in crêperie near the Patheon in Paris, France
Another standard French and Belgian crêpe is the crêpe Suzette, a crêpe with lightly grated orange peel and liqueur (usually Grand Marnier) which is subsequently lit upon presentation.
Cherry Kijafa Crêpes are also often common and are made with a traditional crêpe base, but filled with cherries simmered in a Kijafa wine sauce.
Crêpe dentelle is a crispy biscuit made with a very thin layer of crêpe folded in a cigar shape and then baked. It is usually enjoyed with a hot drink during the Goûter, or Afternoon Tea, in France.


A crêperie may be a takeaway restaurant or stall, serving crêpes as a form of fast food or street food, or may be a more formal sit-down restaurant or café.
Crêperies are typical of Brittany in France; however, crêperies can be found throughout France and in many other countries.
Because a crêpe may be served as both a main meal or a dessert, crêperies may be quite diverse in their selection and may offer other baked goods such as baguettes. They may also serve coffee, tea, buttermilk and cider (a popular drink to accompany crêpes).

A sweet crêpe served with strawberries and whipped cream

In Swedish, a crêpe is called pannkaka, and in Danish, pandekage ("pancake"); in Dutch it is a pannenkoek or flensje, and in Afrikaans a pannekoek, which is usually served with cinnamon sugar. In Italy, crêpes are called crespella. In the Spanish regions of Galicia and Asturias they are traditionally served at carnivals. In Galicia they're called filloas, and may also be made with pork blood instead of milk. In Asturias they are called fayueles or frixuelos, and in Turkey, "Akıtma".
In areas of Eastern Europe formerly belonging to the Austro-Hungarian empire, there is a thin pancake comparable[clarification needed] to a crêpe that in Austro-Bavarian is called Palatschinken or Omletten; in Hungarian: palacsinta; and in Bosnian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Czech, Croatian and Slovene: palačinka; in Slovak: palacinka. In the Balkan region such as the countries of Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, palačinka or palaçinka may be eaten with fruit jam, quark cheese, sugar, honey, or the hazelnut-chocolate cream Nutella. In Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, there is a similar dish known as the blintz. The Oxford English Dictionary derives the German and Slavic words from the Hungarians palacsinta, which it derives from the Romanian plăcintă ("pie, pancake"), which comes in turn from classical Latin placenta ("small flat cake"). In Chile and Argentina they are called panqueques and are often eaten with dulce de leche (known in English as "milk caramel").
Crêpes have also become popular in Japan, with sweet and savoury varieties being sold at many small stands, usually called crêperies. They have also become popular in North America with several crêpe franchises opening. Typically, these franchises stick to the traditional French method of making crêpes but they have also put their own spin on the crêpe with new types such as the hamburger and pizza crêpe.
In addition to crêperies and crêpe franchises, there are crêpe manufacturers that use modern equipment to produce crêpes in bulk. Crepini, a crêpe producer based in Brooklyn, New York, makes a variety of Naked and filled crêpes that are sold by local retailers, major supermarket chains, and food service providers throughout North America and Canada.


In France, crêpes are traditionally served on Candlemas (La Chandeleur), February 2. This day was originally Virgin Mary's Blessing Day, but became known in France as "Le Jour des Crêpes" (literally translated "The Day of [the] Crêpes", but sometimes given colloquially as "Avec Crêpe Day" or "National Crêpe Day"), referring to the tradition of offering crêpes. The belief was that if you could catch the crêpe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air with your right hand and holding a gold coin in your left hand, you would become rich that year.


Basic Crepes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

*Makes 4 servings

Bison Top Sirloin Steak and Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato, Sugar Snap Peas,...

Dinner Tonight: Bison Top Sirloin Steak and Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato, Sugar Snap Peas, Whole Grain Bread

A couple of weeks ago I ordered some Bison Steaks, Burger Patties, and Ground Bison from Wild Idea Buffalo. I received it shortly afterward so I've been anxious to have one of the Steaks. So for dinner tonight I broke out the Buffalo, I prepared  Bison Top Sirloin Steak and Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato, Sugar Snap Peas, and Whole Grain Bread! I've tried a few brands of Buffalo Meat and my favorite is Wild Idea Buffalo. http://wildideabuffalo.com/



I've got some Petite Top Sirloin Steaks and also the bigger cut of Top Sirloin, I went with the larger cut for dinner. To season these all you need is McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. I pan fried it in Canola Oil about 4 minutes per side to medium rare. And what a fantastic taste these have, none other can come close! If I had a Bucket List and best Bison To Sirloin Steak ever was on it, I could scratch that one off my list! The steak came out perfect and the taste was just the best. Wild Idea's Buffalo has almost a sweet taste to it and just cooks up perfect. The steak sliced up very easily and was so tender. Whenever I order Bison it will be Wild Idea Buffalo! I served it topped with Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms.


For side dishes I had a Baked Potato topped with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. I also had Walmart Market Side Sugar Snap Peas and Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. For dessert later a Healthy Choice Frozen Greek Yogurt 100 Calorie Cup/Vanilla and Chocolate Swirl.

Wild Idea Buffalo

The Original Wild Idea
Preserving land for wild things has been the focus of Dan O'Brien's life. Bringing buffalo back to their native homeland on the Great Plains has been at the center of his preservation efforts. In 1997, to help keep his small ranch going and to offer an alternative to the industrialized food system, he started a meat company called Wild Idea Buffalo. The idea was simple: supply delicious, healthy, 100% grass-fed meat to consumers interested in sustainability. The wild idea continues today because of Americans like you who care about the food you eat and the world we share.


Not Just Any Ranch
Grassland restoration is at the core of the Wild Idea Buffalo Ranch. Our land and animal management practices are as close to nature's intentions as possible. By caring for the land and giving the buffalo room to roam, the prairie is nurtured back to health. Grasses, forbs, and flowers flourish, providing a sustainable eco-system for all creatures great and small. Dan's vision of large sweeping landscapes with roaming buffalo herds continues to grow and Wild Idea Buffalo Company is now affiliated with other like mind ranchers, including Native American ranchers and Nature Conservancy herds, positively impacting over 150,000 acres of grasslands.


The Middle of Nowhere
The Wild Idea ranch is located on the Cheyenne River in South Dakota between the Black Hills and the Badlands National Park. Our 28,000 acre ranch winds along the river and borders the Pine Ridge Reservation and the Buffalo Gap National Grassland. We invite you to the ranch, to see the revitalized bison herds, and to join us at our table.


Wild Idea Buffalo meat is:

Lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than chicken or fish.
40% more protein than beef.
Nutrient-dense, flavor rich, outrageously lean, and high in antioxidant Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
100% native grass fed – delivering 3.5x more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed bison.
Red Meat That’s Good for You!


http://wildideabuffalo.com/

The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts

Well I seen these on the Food Network yesterday with Nigella Lawson, The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts. During the show she mentioned where these are at you'll go and sit at the bar and they give you a bowl of these and once they do you can't stop eating them, she's right! I made some earlier today and word of warning don't prepare these before you dinner! They have a hint of heat with the  Cayenne Pepper and then a hint of sweet with the Dark Brown Sugar, along with the melted Butter and chopped Rosemary just for good measure. Really a great snack. The recipe along with the web link is below.
 




The Union Square Cafe's Bar Nuts

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) assorted unsalted nuts, including peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Maldon or other sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.

Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm. And once you eat these, you will never want to stop.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/the-union-square-cafes-bar-nuts-recipe/index.html

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

To steam fish fillets in the microwave, place them in a shallow microwavable dish (a glass pie plate is ideal) with the thinner parts overlapping at the center of the dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice or herbs if you like, season with salt and pepper, then cover the dish with plastic wrap (making sure it doesn't touch the fish) and cook for 3 minutes per pound. If your microwave doesn't have a turntable, rotate the dish about halfway through the cooking time.

Progresso Kitchen Favorites Classic Lasagna w/ Toasted Whole Grain Bread

Dinner Tonight: Progresso Kitchen Favorites Classic Lasagna w/ Toasted Whole Grain Bread

This has become one of our favorite dinners and our favorite Lasagna recipes, Progresso Kitchen Favorites Classic Lasagna! It’s very easy to make as the dinner kit contains the Lasagna Pasta, Tomato Herb sauce, Ricotta Sauce Mix, and Grated Parmesan Cheese. I added 1 lb. Jennie – O Lean Ground Turkey, 1 Cup water, 2/3 Cup 2% Milk, 1 (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (2 Cups), 1 cup Shredded dutch Gouda, and I also added a bit more seasoning (McCormick Grinder Italian Herb). I combined the Mozzarella and Gouda Cheese. Gouda is such a great tasting Cheese and is a perfect melting Cheese. Basically you just layer your ingredients in a 8″ square baking dish and cover and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered. The product description along with full instructions are at the bottom of the post.



Prepared by the instructions it was 390 calories but I cut that and the carb count down by using Honeysuckle White Extra Lean Ground Turkey instead of Beef and Sargento Reduced Fat 2% Mozzarella Cheese. The Lasagna came out delicious every time! Everyone really loves this. The flavor as always is excellent. The Sauce was thick and well seasoned and the same for the pasta, perfect, plus plenty leftovers to freeze for later. I had a side of Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread that I buttered with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and then sprinkled Shredded Parmesan Cheese and Sargento Shredded Provolone/Mozzarella on it. Then I baked for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until the bread was toasted. For dessert/snack later a 100 Calorie Mini Bag of Jolly Time Popcorn.

Progresso Kitchen Favorites Classic Lasagna

Directions
Ready to bake in about 20 minutes. You Will Need: 1 lb lean ground beef; 1 cup water; 2/3 cup milk; 1 bag (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups); nonstick cooking spray and foil. Sauce: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brown beef in 10-inch skillet, breaking up beef into small pieces; drain. Stir Tomato Herb Sauce and water into beef; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mix Ricotta Sauce Mix and milk in liquid measuring cup or small bowl, using whisk or fork. Layer: Spray 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Layer lasagna: Spread about 2/3 cup beef sauce in dish. Layer with 2 uncooked Pasta sheets (side by side), 2/3 cup beef sauce (cover Pasta with sauce), 1/4 cup ricotta sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers twice, starting with Pasta. Add remaining Pasta, beef sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Kitchen Tip: Substitute 1/4 cup dry red wine for 1/4 cup of the water.

Progresso Kitchen Favorites Classic Lasagna

Product Details
Add beef & cheese! Quality Foods. Quality ingredients included. Lasagna pasta; tomato herb sauce; ricotta sauce mix; grated Parmesan cheese. Exchanges: 2 starch, 3-1/2 medium fat meat. Carbohydrate Choices: 2. Made with quality ingredients. Progresso Kitchen Favorites dinners combine high quality ingredients to create delicious meals that become family favorites!

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 0.167 pkg
Servings per container: 6
Before Preparation

Nutrient Qty %DV

Calories 390 – Prepared
Calories from Fat 10
Total Fat 1 g 2%
Cholesterol -5 mg 1%
Sodium 510 mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 23 g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8%
Sugars 6 g
Protein 4 g
Vitamin A 6%
Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 6%
Iron 4%


http://progresso.com/

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Fish tends to cool very quickly, so it's best served on warm plates or a warmed platter. Garnish your fish with a wedge of lemon or other citrus.

Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and...

Dinner Tonight: Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread

They nailed the weather again! Cold and windy and got about an 1" of snow. Possible 40 degrees coming up though so it won't last long. Tried a new halibut recipe for dinner tonight, it's a Baked Halibut one. For dinner tonight I prepared Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread.


To prepare the Haddock I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. For my seasoning I combined 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp melted Butter (Blue Bonett Light Stick Butter), 1 teaspoons Parsley or Parsley Flakes, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt. Placed the  fillets in 11x7 in. baking pan and sprinkled the combined ingredients over the fish. Baked for  25 minutes, until the fish was fork flaky. I like this recipe! The Haddock comes out moist and well seasoned. Haddock is good any way you prepare it, it always taste fresh.


Then for sides I prepared a single serving of Del Monte Cut Green Beans and I also microwaved a single serving of Velveeta/Kraft Shells & Cheese (made with 2% milk). For Bread I used Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. Later tonight for dessert a 4 Slice Package of Dole Banana Dippers (Covered in Dark Chocolate).


Baked Halibut

Ingredients
2 Haddock Fillets
1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp melted Butter
1 teaspoons Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt


Directions
Place fillets in 11x7 in.
baking pan.
Combine all other ingredients and sprinkle over fish.
Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Velveeta Shells and Cheese – 2% Milk Cheese

Shells and Cheese – 2% Milk Cheese. Microwaveable shell pasta and cheese sauce. Made with 2% milk cheese; 1/2 the fat of regular microwaveable shell and cheese. Ready in 3-1/2 minutes. Fat per serving: Regular Microwaveable Shells and Cheese: 8 g.
Nutrition Facts
Calories in Velveeta Shells and Cheese

Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360.0
Total Fat 12.0 g
Saturated Fat 4.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 20.0 mg
Sodium 940.0 mg
Potassium 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 49.0 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Protein 13.0 g

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Pining for fresh fish but stuck with frozen? Try this: Cover the frozen fish in milk until it thaws, then cook. It will taste fresher, and your family will never know it was frozen.

Diabetes Helped by Green Tea, New Studies

Diabetes Helped by Green Tea, New Studies

By Deborah Mitchell on January 25, 2013

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions and can be a challenge to treat. Several new studies show how green tea may help patients better manage this disease and diabetic complications.

Green tea has compounds that help diabetes
Green tea is widely studied for a variety of health issues, and for good reason. Among its many helpful components are potent antioxidants called polyphenols, and a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is of special interest.

In fact, scientists are so interested in EGCG, there is currently a clinical trial underway that is exploring how the green tea component affects the body’s response to insulin. While that study is underway, others have been completed, and here are some of the findings.

In a new study from Brazil, researchers explored the ability of green tea to protect the retina in diabetic rats. This information is critical because diabetics are prone to developing diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can result in blindness.

The researchers administered green tea to rats with diabetes and hypertension for 12 weeks. They discovered how treatment with green tea protected the retina against damage associated with glutamate (an amino acid) toxicity. Based on this finding, they noted they had found “a novel mechanism by which GT [green tea] protects the retina against neurodegeneration in disorders such as diabetic retinopathy.”

In a new study released in the February 2013 issue of Current Opinion in Lipidology, the multinational team of investigators reported on results from studies on plant components called flavonoids and the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Based on their analysis, they noted that “the strongest evidence exists for a beneficial effect of green tea” on bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) levels and that “flavan-3-ols from green tea and cocoa may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.” They did stress, however, that more trials need to be conducted to confirm these findings.

Finally, in a new study from China, a research team looked at the effect of green tea polyphenols on fat deposits in rats fed a high-fat diet. Since overweight, obesity, and diet are critical factors in type 2 diabetes, patients and experts alike are always interested in ways to better manage these risk factors.

In the study, the rats were fed a high-fat diet and given three different dosages of green tea polyphenols in their drinking water. Over time, the scientists observed that the green tea polyphenols reduced fat deposit and levels of adiponectin (a protein that has an important role in glucose and lipid metabolism), as well as other benefits important for diabetes.

Can drinking green tea and/or taking green tea supplements improve your ability to prevent or manage diabetes and its complications? So far there is a considerable body of evidence suggesting green tea and its potent polyphenols have the potential to help individuals who have diabetes and diabetes risk factors, and these new studies add to the growing literature.

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/diabetes-helped-green-tea-new-studies

Baked Ham & Swiss Rolls w/ Baked Fingerling Parm Wedges and Aspragus

Dinner Tonight: Baked Ham & Swiss Rolls w/ Baked Fingerling Parm Wedges and Asparagus

Went to the store early to pick up some items for tonight's dinner. It's still frigid out but a beautiful sunny day, but snow on the way Friday! Prepared a new recipe for dinner tonight that I came across on Face book, on the Aunt Millie's Face book page, Baked Ham & Swiss Rolls . It looked and sounded too good not to try, and it was delicious! So for dinner tonight I prepared Baked Ham & Swiss Rolls w/ Baked Fingerling Parm Wedges and Asparagus.




This is one tasty sandwich! This is another one of those keeper recipes, but I'll have to put a star next to it because it's so delicious. T o prepare it preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then  I used A package of package of Aunt Millie's Hawaiian dinner rolls. (12 ct), 1 - 12 oz. Package of Hillshire Farm Smoked Ham/Ultra Thin, and 1 package of Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese. I lightened the calorie and carb count by using the thin cuts of Ham and Cheese.Cut the rolls in half and Place the bottom in a deep baking pan large enough to hold 12 sandwiches, about 11" x 14" pan. Then I topped the rolls in the pan with ham slices, and top with the Swiss cheese slices. and placed the top of the rolls on the sandwiches.


I then poured a topping mixture evenly over the sandwiches. To make the mixture I combined the following ingredients: 8 Tbsp. butter (one stick) melted, 2 tsp. dried onion, 1 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tsp. Poppyseed dressing, and 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard. Mix well with a whisk or fork till its well combined. Pour mixture evenly over the sandwiches. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes to allow the rolls to crisp. Remove from oven to cool and serve. And as I said earlier they are delicious. The topping mixture is what gives it it's fantastic flavor. I can't wait to try this on some Grilled Cheese or Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches! The recipe is for 12 sandwiches, I only made 8 sandwiches so I cut back on the amount of Butter I used. I used Blue Bonnet Light Stick Butter, another calorie and carb saver! Just by doing the little things like going to a Ultra Thin cut of Meat or Cheese or by going with low fat, reduced fat, low carb you can end up reducing the fat, calorie and carb count on any recipe. It all adds up.


To accompany the Baked Ham and Swiss Sandwiches I prepared some Baked Fingerling Potato Wedges. I just quartered the Potatoes and then mixed them with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Peppercorn, and Parsley. Put them on a cookie sheet pan and baked them at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. I also prepared a bag of Pict Sweet Asparagus Spears. It comes in a Steam Microwavable Bag, just heat for 5 minutes and it's ready! For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.




Aunt Millie's Baked Ham & Swiss Rolls


Ingredients:
1 package Aunt Millie's Hawaiian dinner rolls. 12 ct.
1 - 12 oz. Package of ham slices
1 - 8 oz. package of Swiss cheese, slices
8 Tbsp. butter (one stick) melted
2 tsp. dried onion
1 1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Poppyseed dressing
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
Yield: 12 servings

Fresh and Hot from the oven!

Directions:
Cut rolls in half.
Place the bottom in a deep baking pan large enough to hold 12 sandwiches, about 11" x 14" pan.
Top the rolls in the pan with ham slices, and top with the Swiss cheese slices.
Place the top of the rolls on the sandwiches.
Mix together butter, onion, Worchestershire, dressing, and mustard.
Pour mixture evenly over the sandwiches.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes to allow the rolls to crisp.
Remove from oven to cool and serve.


Nutrition Information:

Serving Size 1 Roll (112g)
Number of Servings 12
Calories 15
Calories from Fat 130
Total Fat 15g 23% DV
Saturated Fat 8g 41% DV
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.5g
Cholesterol 50mg 17% DV
Sodium 750mg 31% DV
Potassium 160mg 4% DV
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10% DV
Dietary Fiber 1g 5% DV
Sugar 7g
Protein 16g
*Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.


http://www.auntmillies.com/Recipes/Sandwiches-Hot/Baked-Ham-and-Cheese-Rolls.aspx

Kitchen Hint(s) of the Day!

Hint #1

When frying fish, be sure the surface of the fish is dry before putting it in the oil. Moisture can cool the oil down and make the fish cook unevenly.



Hint #2

One favorite way to prepare fish is also super quick and tasty. Wrap your fillets individually in foil, adding a bit of chopped onion, salt, and pepper, a sprig of dill, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then unwrap for a tender, flavorful dinner.

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

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

Another cold around here again with some snow on the way they say. For dinner tonight It was one of my favorite comfort foods, 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 Mini Carrots and Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. For dessert later a bowl of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Del Monte No Sugar Added Peach Slices.

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/

Mardi Gras at the Market Sunday February 10th

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 10th, as we again celebrate Mardi Gras at the Market on the south side of the market house along Essen Strasse. Plan to spend the day at this FREE family-friendly event, enjoying four of the best bands in town and sampling a traditional lowland seafood boil.  The OTR Biergarten will be open, selling Christian Moerlein beers, and Market Wines will host a special winetasting.
Merchants will decorate their stands for Mardi Gras and compete for prizes in the annual Merchant Spirit contest!
The Friends of Findlay Market will hand out lots of colorful beads to make you feel like you're in New Orleans and the Mardi Gras King and Queen, Steve Hampton and Joy Pierson, will be crowned before leading a parade around the Market to the music of Lagniappe.

The schedule of Mardi Gras Activities on Essen Strasse include:

10:30 – 11: am      Lagnaippe

11:15am                 Announce winner of Merchant Spirit Contest

11:30am                Crown King and Queen of Mardi Gras

11:45am                 Mardi Gras Parade through Findlay Market

12:30  – 1:30pm   Robin Lacy & DeZydeco

1:45  – 2:45pm      Ricky Nye Inc.

3:00 – 4:00pm      The Medicine Men

Market grillers who will be set up with plenty of sandwiches and other tasty specialites.

10:00am  Celebrate Mardi Gras with S &J Bakery and Cafe and enjoy some of their fresh brewed chicory coffee, fresh fried beignets or a steaming cup of gumbo.  Looking for a King Cake?  S&Jwill have them as well!
 
12:30 til it’s gone!   Free Lowland Seafood Boil Sampling, prepared by Chef /Owners Josh Campbell of Mayberrys and Matt Bueschle of Virgil's Cafe!

We also thank our Sponsors - Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, Arts Wave, and CityBeat!

http://www.findlaymarket.org/blog/index.php?newsId=249



Mardi Gras King and Queen Announced


On Sunday, February 10th Findlay Market presents its 9th annual Mardi Gras at the Market.  We are please to announce the 2013 Mardi Gras King and Queen.
They are Steven Hampton and Joy Pierson.  They will be crowned just before the Parade, which they will then lead around the Market square, accompanied by the music of Lagniappe, and shoppers who want to join the fun.
Steven Hampton  is the Executive Director of the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. This neighborhood group focuses on preserving and promoting Over-the-Rhine's unique brewing history and historic architecture, as well as working to sustainably redevelop it.  Mr. Hampton has been instrumental in bringing tens of thousands of people to the Brewery District for events such as Bockfest, brewery tours, and many other unique events showcasing the neighborhood.  He is a trustee for the Over-the-Rhine Community Council among much other community involvement.  Mr. Hampton is a LEED Accredited architect with his own practice in Over-the-Rhine, where he works with clients to sustainably renovate the historic architecture in Cincinnati.

Joy Pierson is an avid fan of Findlay Market and published a cookbook with a Findlay Market focus.  Cincinnati’s Cookin! includes 135 recipes from family, friends and Market vendors, as well as tips on shopping at the Market.
Joy grew up on the west side of Cincinnati in a large Catholic family of 14 children.  She left Cincinnati for 16 years and explored local farmers’ markets throughout the country - but Findlay Market is by far her favorite! Joy shops at the Market at least once weekly and often brings newcomers to experience the Market.
Joy works for the City of Cincinnati, but people frequently assume she works at the Market.  Her daughters Grace and Emma Cunningham actually do work at Findlay Market at Bouchard’s.
Cincinnati’s Cookin! has a great variety of recipes including breads and coffee cakes, main dishes, starters, soups, salads, sides, sweets, and miscellaneous recipes, too.  You’ll find local favorites like Goetta, Cincinnati Style Chili and Hanky Pankies, as well as a twist on old favorites like Skyline Chili Lasagna, Oktoberfest Goetta “Rueben” Dip and Vegan Cincinnati Chili.
Over 600 copies of Cincinnati’s Cookin! have been sold.  It is sold at Bouchard’s inside the Market House and at Joseph Beth Booksellers.
We can't wait to see them in the purple robes and golden crowns of our Mardi Gras King and Queen.

http://www.findlaymarket.org/blog/index.php?newsId=365

Kitchen Hint(s) of the Day!

Hint #1

If your grilling or broiling thick fish steaks, marinate them for 15 minutes in lemon or lime juice before cooking. The acid from the juice "cooks" the flesh a bit, cutting down on time it needs to stay on the heat - so you fish is less likely to dry out.


Hint #2

For added crunch with fewer calories, use cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs to coat fish fillets. Not only do cornflakes contain fewer calories than breadcrumbs, they are less absorbent and give a lighter covering, so the fish will absorb less oil.

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad,...

Dinner Tonight: Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad, and Baked Fingerling Parm Potato Wedges

Wow they said it was going to be frigid and they got that one right! I went out to get the morning papers this morning a bit before 7:00 AM and the outside thermometer read -1, below zero!! The wind chill they said was making it -9. A good day to stay in and cook and try some new recipes like, Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise w/ Three Bean Salad, and Baked Fingerling Potato Wedges.


Both the Blackened Tilapia and 3 Bean Salad were based on recipes from Paula Deen Shows once again, that I adjusted to make them lighter and easier to prepare. To make the Blackened Rub for the Tilapia I mixed a 1/4 cup paprika, 2 tablespoons ground thyme, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the 6 ingredients. Wash the fillets off with water and pat dry with a paper towel and coat with seasoning mixture. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with arugula, and cover with top half of bun (I used Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Buns) . This makes one fine fish sandwich! The Blackened Seasoning gives the heat and the Cilantro Mayo gives a cool and creamy taste. I've left the recipe for both the Blackened Tilapia and Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise at the end of the post. If you make the Blackened Tilapia you have to make the Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, their a perfect pair!


For side dishes I prepared a 3 Bean Salad and Baked Pa rm Fingerling Potato Wedges. Both were very easy to prepare, which I love, and both delicious! First time I had fixed the 3 Bean Salad and it was another one that was inspired from a Paula Deen. I was prepared to make it exactly from her recipe but while at Walmart picking up a few items I came across a can of Read 3 Bean Salad. It came seasoned and ready to serve, I did add 1 Tbsp of Dijon Mustard. I love this 3 Bean Salad, what a great side dish is for any meal or just having it for a lunch! Then I also had Baked Fingerling Parm Potato Wedges. I quartered 5 Fingerling Potatoes, put them in a large bowl and added Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Parsley, and Kraft Parmesan Shredded Cheese. Mixed them until the Potatoes were well coated and baked them at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until fork tender. Needless to say there was nothing left to save or throw away! Everyone loved the meal. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.



 


Read Salads - 3 Bean Salad

READ products are delicious, nutritious, ready-to-eat side dishes or versatile ingredients in salads, sandwiches and other favorites. A great way to get the "five-a-day" vegetable/fruit servings recommended in the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid.

At Seneca, we combine premium vegetables with a blend of spicy seasonings to create delicious 3-bean and 4-bean salads. READ Southwestern Bean Salad is packed with nutrition and is a great-tasting product that saves time and creates all kinds of delicious dishes. For something different try our German Potato Salad - a tasty, time-saving version of one of America's most popular salad varieties.
Not only do READ Salads taste fresher than other prepared salads, but they also come hassle free. No refrigeration is needed until opened, product has a longer shelf life than other prepared salads, and are less expensive than other prepared salads.

http://www.senecafoods.com/OurBrands/READSalads.shtml

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise

Ingredients
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets
4 Whole Grain Buns
Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows


Directions

In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.

Rinse fish off and pat dry with a paper towel and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with arugula, and cover with top half of bun.

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:

1 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

Kitchen Hint(s) of the Day!

Hint #1

Before handling fish, rub your hands with lemon juice, and you won't smell of fish for the rest of the day! After frying fish, put a little white vinegar into the pan to help get rid of the odor on the surface.


Hint #2

To test fish for doneness, insert a thin - bladed knife into the thickest part of the flesh. If it's done, it will be barely translucent in the center. Even though it might not look quite ready, the fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat.

Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread

Dinner Tonight: Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread

What a wild day outside today! We have a wind chill in the single digits along with snow squalls. There's been two different major car pile - ups due to white out conditions. One pile up had about 50 cars and another between 70-80 cars! Great day to stay in and stay warm! For dinner I prepared Seafood Gumbo and Cornbread. I used my last frozen Gumbo I had so I'll have to make a fresh batch soon! This Gumbo freezes up and reheats so good.


To make it I used Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit. It contains a packet that contains the Rice, Vegetables, Seasoning, and Roux Mix. I added Shrimp, Crawfish, Scallops, and Langostino Lobster Tail Meat Pieces. The Crawfish Tail was leftover from a previous order I had purchased from The Cajun Grocer and I purchase my bags of Lobster from Jungle Jim’s Market. The Seafood goes perfect with the Luzianne Roux! This is the second time I've added the Langostino Lobster Tail Meat Pieces. It fits in perfect, the sweetness of the Lobster Meat and the heat of the Red Pepper and Hot Sauce was a perfect match! Plus as always I have a lot leftover to freeze and have later. I left the recipe and Gumbo description at the end of the post. For a side I baked a small skillet of Martha White Cornbread of to go along with the Gumbo and soak up some of that wonderful Roux. For dessert later a slice of Pillsbury Nut Quick Bread topped with a scoop of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla ice Cream.



Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:


Scallops, Shrimp, Lobster, Crawfish Tail
1 Pound of Shrimp, Crawfish, Lobster, and Sea Scallops

6 Cups of Water

2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pepper, Sea Salt for seasoning

1 Box of Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit
Directions:

*In a 4-5 Quart pot,bring water and Olive Oil to a boil

*Add Luzianne Gumbo while stirring

*Empty half of the Red Pepper Packet into the Gumbo. Put remainder aside.

*Reduce Heat , Cover and simmer for 18 minutes. Meanwhile cut the Sea Scallops in half if their Jumbo size, peel the raw Shrimp, if needed.

*Taste, and if desired, add remaining Red Pepper from packet and Sea Salt. Add the Shrimp, Scallops, Crawfish, and Lobsterand. Cover and continue to simmer for 7 – 9 more minutes. Serve.


Luzianne Gumbo Dinner Kit

Description:
Gumbo is a thick Cajun “soup,” containing any combination of vegetables, meats, poultry or seafood and served over rice. Just add chicken, seafood or meat to complete a full meal for your entire family in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
Rice, Red and Green Bell Peppers, Modified Food Starch, Flour, Onion, Natural Flavors, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Paprika, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Celery, Garlic Spices, Red Pepper, Sugar, Carmel Color, Sodium Sulfite As A Preservative.

Directions:
You can turn ordinary chicken, meat or seafood into exciting meals easily with Luzianne Cajun and Creole Dinners. Each Dinner is a blend of rice, authentic Cajun or Creole seasonings and chipped vegetables. All you do is add your own chicken, meat, or seafood, simmer for 25 minutes and serve. There’s a separate red pepper packet to add Cajun spice to suit your taste.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/5 box (45.4 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 160Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.0g2%
Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
Sodium 760mg32%
Total Carbohydrates 33.0g11%
Dietary Fiber 1.0g4%
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 4.0g

One of America's Favorites - Hush Puppies

Hushpuppy

A hushpuppy (or cornbread ball) is a savory, starch-based food made from cornmeal batter that is deep fried or baked in small ball or sphere shapes, or occasionally oblong shapes. Hushpuppies are frequently served as a side dish, usually at fish restaurants.


Native Americans were using ground corn for cooking long before European explorers arrived in the New World. Southern Native American culture (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek) is the "cornerstone" of Southern cuisine. From their culture came one of the main staples of the Southern diet: corn (maize), either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy, also called masa, in a Native American technology known as nixtamalization. Corn was used to make all kinds of dishes from the familiar cornbread and grits to liquors such as whiskey and moonshine, which were important trade items. Cornbread was popular during the American Civil War because it was very cheap and could be made in many different sizes and forms. It could be fashioned into high-rising, fluffy loaves or simply fried for a fast meal.
To a far greater degree than anyone realizes, several of the most important food dishes that the Southeastern Indians live on today is the "soul food" eaten by both black and white Southerners. Hominy, for example, is still eaten ... Sofkee live on as grits ... cornbread [is] used by Southern cooks ... Indian fritters ... variously known as "hoe cake", ... or "Johnny cake." ... Indian boiled cornbread is present in Southern cuisine as "corn meal dumplings", ... and as "hush puppies", ... Southerners cook their beans and field peas by boiling them, as did the Indians ... like the Indians they cure their meat and smoke it over hickory coals.


The first recorded reference to the word "hush-puppy" dates to 1899.
Hushpuppies are a food with strong ties to the Southern United States, although they are available in many areas of the United States on the menus of deep fried fish restaurants. The name "hushpuppies" is often attributed to hunters, fishermen or other cooks who would fry some basic cornmeal mixture (possibly that they had been bread-coating or battering their own food with) and feed it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish-fries.
Other hush puppy legends purport to date the etymology of the term "hushpuppies" to the Civil War, in which soldiers are claimed to have tossed fried cornbread to quell the barks of Confederate dogs.

A basket of hushpuppies at a restaurant

Typical hushpuppy ingredients include cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk or buttermilk, and water, and may include onion, spring onion (scallion), garlic, whole kernel corn, and peppers. Sometimes pancake batter is used. The batter is mixed well, adjusting ingredients until thick, and dropped a spoonful at a time into hot oil. The small breads are fried until crispy golden brown, and cooled. Hushpuppies are served with seafood or barbecued foods. They are commonly made at home or served in restaurants advertising home-style food.


In Jamaica such fried breads are known as "festivals", and are prepared with cornmeal, salt, and sugar then fried in the form of a hot dog roll. They are sweeter than the hushpuppies that often contain onion or garlic instead of sugar. They are served with jerked meats such as pork or chicken. Mostly, it is served with fried or escoveitch (see also escabeche and ceviche) fish.
In Puerto Rico, hushpuppies take the form of a short sausage and are called "sorullos" or "sorullitos." Their sweetness makes them popular among children and adults alike.

Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich w/ Baked Crinkle Fries

Dinner Tonight: Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich w/ Baked Crinkle Fries

I've been getting some great recipe ideas lately from the various cooking shows on TV. The one I prepared tonight is based on a recipe that I just seen yesterday on one of Paula Deen's shows, Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak Sandwich and also a side of  Baked Crinkle Fries.


I used a Flat Iron Steak that I had purchased from Kroger. I marinated my Steak overnight. The marinade consisted of; 3/4 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce,  1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice, 3 cloves Garlic, minced, 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper. I then mixed everything in a small bowl and got a gallon size Hefty Zip Lock Plastic Bag and placed my Steak in it and added the marinade. I let it marinate from about midnight last night till I prepared for dinner tonight. To prepare the Steak I drained the steak, discarding the marinade. Placed the steak  in a large skillet that I had sprayed with Pam and Canola Oil. I pan fried it on medium heat about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, medium rare to rare in the very center. Letting it stand for 10 minutes before slicing. the Steak came out perfect with a fantastic flavor from the marinade. I sliced thin and against the grain. I served it on a Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Bun. I topped it with Arugula and a Bacon Horseradish Sauce that I also prepared.


To prepare Bacon Horseradish Sauce I mixed the following ingredients; 2 teaspoons minced Green Onion, 1 cup Hellman's Reduced Fat Mayonnaise, 6 slices Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled, 2 teaspoons Prepared Horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice, cover and chill until needed. I also had a side of Ore Ida Crinkle Fries that I baked. For dessert later I baked some fresh Mini Loaves of Pillsbury Nut Quick Bread. I had a slice of the Nut Bread topped with a scoop of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream.  




Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Sandwiches

Ingredients:

Marinade:

    3/4 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
    1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
    2 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
    3 cloves Garlic, minced
    2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
    1 (4 1/2-pound) Flat Iron Steak, trimmed

Bacon Horseradish Sauce:

    2 teaspoons minced Green Onion
    1 cup Hellman's reduced Fat mayonnaise
    6 slices Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled
    2 teaspoons Prepared Horseradish
    1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest
    1/2 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice
    Aunt Millie's Light Whole Grain Buns
    Arugula, for serving

Directions:


For the marinade: In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Add the flank steak, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Drain the steak, discarding the marinade. Place the steak on the grill. Grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired temperature. (You may also bake at 425 degrees F until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reads 145 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes.) Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the bacon horseradish sauce: In a small bowl, combine the green onions, mayonnaise, bacon, horseradish, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover and chill.

To assemble: Spread desired amount of Bacon Horseradish Sauce over the bottom of the rolls. Top with desired amount of arugula. Top with sliced flank steak. Cover with roll tops. Serve immediately.