Happy Thanksgiving!

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It’s Chili, Chowder, or Stew Saturday – Cannellini Bean Soup

This week’s It’s Chili, Chowder, or Stew Saturday is a recipe for Cannellini Bean Soup. This week's recipe uses Cannellini Beans along with Onion, Zucchini, Ham, Diced Tomato, Spices, and more! The recipe is from the Diabetes Self Management website. At the Diabetes Self site you'll find a huge selection of Diabetic Friendly Recipes, Diabetes News, Diabetes Management Tips, and much more so check it out today! Enjoy and and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/

Cannellini Bean Soup
Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes.

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Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 six-inch zucchini
1 ounce lean ham, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced tomato
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine olive oil and margarine over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until slightly softened. Cut ends off zucchini and cut into slices, about 1/4 inch thick, then cut each slice into quarters and add to onions in pan, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer 15 minutes over low heat.

Yield: 4 servings.

Serving size: 1 cup.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 147 calories, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 437 mg, Fiber: 4 g
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/soups-stews/cannellini-bean-soup/

Ham and Swiss Sandwich w/ Mashed Potatoes and Deviled Egg

Dinner Tonight: Ham and Swiss Sandwich w/ Mashed Potatoes and Deviled Egg






I toasted a Thomas Light 100% Multi Grain English Muffin and topped it with Smucker's Sugarless Blackberry Jam. Also had a cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Mostly Cloudy and 76 degrees out today. After Lunch I got the rake, leaf blower, and the cart out. Did yard work today. Later on I took a ride around the neighborhood. Then went down by the lake. Not too bad out. For Dinner it's Easter Dinner Leftovers. I made a Ham and Swiss Sandwich w/ Mashed Potatoes and Deviled Egg.




Plenty of leftovers from the Easter Dinner Feast! Good thing we like Ham, there's a ton leftover. We almost always use Cook’s Ham when we bake a Ham. So with the Ham I baked yesterday, we made some into Ham Sandwiches. Just took a few slices and serving it on Aunt Millie’s Light Whole Grain Bread. The Ham is so delicious and moist. And as always with Cook’s Ham, perfect seasoning! We’ll have quite a few Breakfasts and Lunches out of this. To make the Sandwich I used Aunt Millie’s Light Whole Grain Bread. Topped it with a bit Kraft Light Mayo with Olive Oil, French's Yellow Mustard, and a slice of Boar's Head Swiss Cheese. Love this Sandwich!


For a side I heated up the leftover Bob Evan's Mashed Potatoes and I had a leftover Deviled Egg. Just love these leftovers! It's sometimes better the second time around! For Dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.











Cook’s Hams

Semi-Boneless Hams

Classic Reduced Sodium Half (Serves: 15-20)
Half (Serves: 15-20)
Whole (Serves: 30-40)
Semi-Boneless Hams
Cook’s Semi-Boneless Hams are now fully cooked! This means they may be eaten cold or heated. The ham only needs to be heated through if serving warm.
With fewer bones and less fat, Cook’s Semi-Boneless Hams are a great value. With two of the three bones removed, carving and serving are much easier. With only the center bone remaining, your family can still can enjoy the great taste and flavor that only a Cook’s bone-in ham can offer, plus the added value of more lean meat and the convenience of less bone.

Ingredients
CURED WITH: Water, Dextrose, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Nitrite.
http://www.mycooksham.com/product/bone-in-premium-semi-boneless 

One of America's Favorites - Panini (sandwich)

A typical panini with salami, mortadella, tomatoes and lettuce

A panini (from the Italian panini [paˈniːni], meaning "small bread, bread rolls" ) or panino (meaning "bread roll" ) is a sandwich made with Italian bread (such as ciabatta, and michetta), usually served warmed by grilling or toasting.

However, in many English-speaking countries, a panini is a grilled sandwich made from many types of bread. Examples of bread types used for modern panini are baguette, ciabatta, and michetta. The bread is cut horizontally and filled with deli ingredients such as cheese, ham, mortadella, salami, or other food, and often served warm after having been pressed by a warming grill.

Panini is a word of Italian origin. In Italian the noun panino (Italian: [pa'niːno]; plural panini) is a diminutive of pane ("bread") and refers to a bread roll. Panino imbottito ("stuffed panino") refers to a sandwich, but the word panino is also often used alone to indicate a sandwich in general. Similar to panino is tramezzino, a triangular or square sandwich made up of two slices of soft white bread with the crusts removed.[citation needed]

In English-speaking countries, panini is widely used as the singular form, with the plural form panini or paninis, though some speakers use singular panino and plural panini as in Italian.


Although the first U.S. reference to panini dates to 1956, and a precursor appeared in a 16th-century Italian cookbook, the sandwiches became trendy in Milanese bars, called paninoteche, in the 1970s and 1980s. Trendy U.S. restaurants began selling panini, with distinctive variations appearing in various cities.

During the 1980s, the term paninaro arose in Italy to denote a member of a youth culture represented by patrons of sandwich bars such as Milan's Al Panino and Italy's first US-style fast food restaurants. Paninari were depicted as right-leaning, fashion-fixated individuals, delighting in showcasing early 1980s consumer goods as status symbols.

A tri-tip panini with salad

A panini press or grill is a contact grill for heating sandwiches, meat products, vegetables, and specialty menu items, nearly always with electric elements, comprising a heated bottom plate that is fixed, and a heated top plate that closes towards the bottom plate and comes in contact with the food. The function of the panini grill is to heat food to an appropriate internal temperature with desirable external characteristics (i.e. melted cheese, crisp finish, grill marks).

One of America's Favorites - Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A grilled cheese sandwich is a sandwich generally made with one or more varieties of cheese (a cheese sandwich) on any sort of grilled or toasted bread, such as flat bread or wheat bread, that may include spreads such as butter or mayonnaise. Additional ingredients such as pepperoni and ham are also common.

Cheese sandwiches commonly referred to as a grilled cheese sandwich or a cheese toastie, are sandwiches that can be grilled so that the bread toasts and the cheese melts. A grilled cheese is often heated by placing the buttered slices of bread, with the cheese between the slices, on a frying pan or griddle. Grilled cheese is not typically made on a grill.

Another form of cooked cheese sandwich is the cheese toastie or toastie, a dish particularly popular in the United Kingdom that is prepared by either baking or grilling a cheese sandwich in an oven, or toasting bag in an electric toaster, or using a pie iron in order to toast the bread and melt the cheese. Cheddar is the most common cheese used in a toastie. It is usually served as a snack, or as a (usually lunchtime) meal, in most cases with a side of salad.

Cooked bread and cheese is an ancient food according to food historians, popular across the world in many cultures. Evidence indicates that, in the U.S., the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich originated in the 1920s when inexpensive sliced bread and American cheese became readily available. The cheese dream, an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich, became popular in the U.S. during the Great Depression.

U.S. government cookbooks describe Navy cooks broiling "American cheese filling sandwiches" during World War II. Many versions of the grilled cheese sandwich can now be found on restaurant menus across the U.S. and internationally.

In the United States, grilled cheese sandwiches are often served with soup (usually tomato soup), and may be served as a whole meal.

A grilled cheese sandwich is assembled by creating a cheese filling between two slices of bread,

A grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup

which is then heated until the bread crisps and the cheese melts. It is sometimes combined with an additional ingredient such as peppers, tomatoes, or onions, though many other ingredients may be used. Several different methods of heating the sandwich are used, depending on the region and personal preference. Common methods include being cooked on a griddle, grilled, fried in a pan or made in a panini grill or sandwich toaster. This last method is more common in the United Kingdom, where the sandwiches are normally called "toasted sandwiches" or "toasties", and in Australia, where they are called "jaffles".

Some restaurants, food carts and food trucks in the United States specialize in the grilled cheese sandwich. The Grilled Cheese Grill restaurants are a combination of reclaimed vehicle and food cart restaurants that focus on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches in Portland, Oregon. The Grilled Cheese Truck is an American food truck company serving gourmet "chef driven" grilled cheese sandwiches. The company started in Los Angeles, California in 2009, and has since expanded throughout Southern California, Phoenix, San Antonio and Austin. The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is a restaurant in San Francisco, California that specializes in the sandwich.

Healthy Panini Recipes

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Healthy Panini Recipes. Easy to Make and Delicious Healthy Panini Recipes. I love these Panini Sandwiches, I have them for Lunch a couple of times a week. Some of the Healthy Panini Recipes that you'll find are; Mediterranean Chicken Panini, Turkey and Tomato Panini, and Southwestern Cheese Panini. Find these recipes and more all at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  http://www.eatingwell.com/

Healthy Panini Recipes

Find healthy, delicious panini recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.


Mediterranean Chicken Panini
Another time, use the subtly seasoned Dried Tomato-Pepper Spread to spiff up a cold turkey sandwich.......


Turkey and Tomato Panini
A creamy spread full of Parmesan and fresh basil cozies up to turkey and summer-ripe tomato slices for a savory hot sandwich that will quickly become a go-to mealtime solution.........


Southwestern Cheese Panini
Lots of colorful vegetables and salsa make this cheesy panini prettier than any grilled cheese you've ever seen. The small amount of Cheddar cheese in this sandwich goes a long way because it is shredded and sharp. Serve with a mixed salad and you've got a delightful lunch or light supper. If you happen to have a panini maker, go ahead and skip Step 3 and grill the panini according to the manufacturer's directions........



* Click the link below to get all the Healthy Panini Recipes
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/20524/main-dishes/sandwiches/hot/paninis/

One of America's Favorites - Ham and Eggs

Ham and eggs

Ham and Eggs is a dish combining various preparations of its main ingredients, ham and eggs. It has been described as a staple of "an old-fashioned American breakfast" and of the traditional English breakfast. It is also served as a lunch and dinner dish. Some notable people have professed an affinity with the dish, such as Duncan Hines and Henry Puyi. Similar dishes include bacon and eggs, Spanish eggs, the Denver omelette and Eggs Benedict.

The term "ham and eggs" and some variations of it have been used in various cultural contexts. It has been used as a slang term in the United States, and has also been used to refer to various entities and events in the United States.


Ham and eggs is a popular dish often served as a breakfast meal in the United States. It is also consumed as a dinner or supper dish, for example in parts of the Southern United States, and is sometimes served as a lunch dish. Eggs served with the dish can be fried, scrambled or poached.

Ham served with scrambled eggs

Additional ingredients such as tomatoes and seasonings, such as Herbes de Provence, are sometimes used. The dish can be prepared on a stovetop in a skillet or frying pan, and also baked or broiled in an oven.

The pan juices or gravy from the ham is sometimes drizzled atop the eggs to add flavor. The dish's quality can be enhanced by using high-quality ham and cooking the ingredients over low heat, which prevents overcooking. A recipe for country-style ham and eggs includes reducing cream in the pan after the ham and eggs have been cooked, and then dolloping it atop the dish. Ham and eggs can be accompanied with side dishes such as toast and hash browns, among others.

Bacon and eggs is a similar dish, as is Eggs Benedict, which is prepared using bacon, Canadian bacon or ham and poached eggs as main ingredients. Spanish eggs consists of ham and eggs served atop heavily seasoned boiled rice. Ham and eggs are two of the main ingredients in the Denver omelette.

Breakfast Recipes with Potato

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Breakfast Recipes with Potato. Start your day off with Delicious and Healthy Breakfast Recipes with Potato! With recipes like; Herbed Potato Bread and Egg-Stuffed Breakfast Potatoes. Find these recipes and more all at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  http://www.eatingwell.com/


Breakfast Recipes with Potato

Find healthy, delicious breakfast potato recipes including hash browns, home fries and potato pancakes. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.


Herbed Potato Bread
This distinctive loaf boasts a beautiful bouquet of herbs baked into the crust. Flavored with more herbs, it's a fine accompaniment to savory dishes, but is also delicious toasted, with honey........


Egg-Stuffed Breakfast Potatoes
A make-ahead breakfast perfect for camping or a busy morning—just reheat over campfire coals or in the microwave. Filled with red bell pepper, eggs and cheese, these russet potato boats are bursting with flavor for a breakfast you'll be excited to wake up for.......



* Click the link below to get all the Breakfast Recipes with Potato
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/18649/mealtimes/breakfast-brunch/potatoes/

Diabetic Egg Breakfast Recipes

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Diabetic Egg Breakfast Recipes. Delicious and Healthy Diabetic Egg Breakfast Recipes. Start your morning off right with recipes like; Triple-Grain Flapjacks, Egg and Potato Breakfast, and Herbed Turkey Strata. Find these recipes and more all at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  http://www.eatingwell.com/


Diabetic Egg Breakfast Recipes

Find healthy, delicious diabetic egg breakfast recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.



Triple-Grain Flapjacks
Cornmeal, rolled oats, and wheat flour are the trio of grains in these pancakes. Chopped dried cherries or cranberries are also good choices in place of the optional blueberries or currants.....


Egg and Potato Breakfast
Make this a balanced breakfast of champions by sprinkling your potatoes with a little thyme or minced fresh dill and seasoning the egg substitute with ground black pepper and a pinch of sea salt.......


Herbed Turkey Strata
This breakfast strata is the perfect dish for your next breakfast gathering. Full of vegetables, turkey and fragrant herbs—each serving has 26 grams of protein to leave everyone feeling full and satisfied..........


* Click the link below to get all the Diabetic Egg Breakfast Recipes
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/23103/health-condition/diabetic/breakfast/egg/

One of America's Favorites - California-Style Pizza

Pizza topped with egg from the Chez Panisse cafe

California-style pizza (also known as California pizza or Gourmet pizza) is a style of single-serving pizza that combines New York and Italian thin crust with toppings from the California cuisine cooking style. Its invention is generally attributed to chef Ed LaDou, and Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California. Wolfgang Puck, after meeting LaDou, popularized the style of pizza in the rest of the country. It is served in a number of California Cuisine restaurants. Such restaurant chains as California Pizza Kitchen, Extreme Pizza, and Sammy's Woodfired Pizza are three major pizza franchises associated with California-style pizza.


California-style pizza was invented more or less simultaneously in 1980 by Ed LaDou (the "Prince of Pizza"), then working as pizza chef for Spectrum Foods' Prego Restaurant in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood, and by pizza chefs working for Alice Waters at the Chez Panisse cafe in Berkeley, California.

LaDou had learned pizza-making in the 1970s as a teenager at Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too, a traditional New York-style pizzeria in Mountain View, California. He made pizzas briefly at Ecco, an upscale restaurant at the Hyatt Hotel in Palo Alto, California, before starting at Prego. Although Prego specialized in classic, Italian-style thin crust pizzas, its chefs encouraged LaDou to experiment with prosciutto, goat cheese, and truffles in their wood-burning oven, and send his results to guests. At one table, to whom he served an off-menu invention involving mustard, ricotta, pâté and red pepper turned out to be chef Wolfgang Puck.

By 1980, Alice Waters' Chez Panisse and its head chef, Jeremiah Tower, had already invented

California-style pizza with greens, egg, bacon, and garden vegetables

California cuisine, a combination of French and Italian techniques and presentation with fresh local ingredient-focused flavors. Waters was a long-time fan of Tommasso's Italian restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach, which had installed the West Coast's first wood-fired pizza oven when it opened in 1935. After traveling to Italy, Waters decided to make an open kitchen featuring a Tomasso's-style pizza oven the focus of the new cafe she was opening above her main dining room. Although prepared in classic fashion, her chefs added exotic fine ingredients to their single-serving pizzas and calzones, such as goat cheese and duck sausage. Her cafe, and its pizzas in particular, were an instant success, attracting wide attention among food critics.

Wolfgang Puck, in 1980 and 1981, was preparing to open the restaurant that would make him famous, Spago, in West Hollywood, California. Initially conceived as a pizzeria, Spago's was modeled after the upstairs cafe at Chez Panisse. He was so impressed with the pizza LaDou had made for him at Prego, he hired LaDou as head pizza chef. Under Puck's guidance, LaDou developed more than 250 pizza concepts using ingredients such as scallops, roe, and baby zucchini flowers. Among their most famous invention was "Jewish pizza", a pizza dough first cooked then topped with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, capers, and dill. Another innovation was using infused olive oil, baby vegetables, chili oil, and flavored dough.

In 1985 LaDou helped two inexperienced lawyer-restaurateurs, Richard L. Rosenfeld and Larry S. Flax, start a new restaurant concept, California Pizza Kitchen (also known as "CPK"). He brought them many of Spago's recipes, which he had carefully saved. The new restaurant borrowed the concept of open kitchens centered around wood-burning pizza ovens from Spago, but instead of exotic gourmet ingredients it used innovative but simpler comfort food toppings. When the new restaurant's chef quit less than a month before opening, LaDou quickly designed and cooked an entire menu, inventing the now-ubiquitous barbecue chicken pizza on the spot. LaDou also helped develop pizza menus for Sammy's Woodfired Pizza and the Hard Rock Cafe.


Both Wolfgang Puck and California Pizza Kitchen were instrumental in turning California-style pizza from a gourmet food trend to a mass consumer food product. Based on the success of his pizzas and his status as a celebrity chef, Puck opened a series of restaurants, ranging from high end clones of Spago, to convenience chains for airports and mall food courts. California Pizza Kitchen grew to 200 outlets. Both introduced frozen pizzas, but after an early success Puck's supermarket lines were overtaken by CPK's, which are backed by Kraft foods.

Soup Special of the Day.....Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

This week's Soup Special of the Day is a recipe for Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup. One easy Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup, so get the slow cooker out! You'll be using 15-bean soup mix, diced ham, ham bone plus all the other ingredients. A big thank you to Shirley B. for sharing this recipe! Well Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package 15-bean soup mix
1 ham bone
3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
2 cups water
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 (15.5 ounce) can great Northern beans (low sodium), drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 bay leaf

Directions
1 - Place 15-bean soup mix in a large bowl and cover with several inches of cool water; soak in refrigerator 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse.
2 - Place 15-bean soup mix, ham bone, cooked ham, chicken broth, water, onion, carrots, great Northern beans, garlic, black pepper, salt, and bay leaf in a slow cooker; stir to combine. Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours.

Healthy Mexican Breakfast Recipes

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Healthy Mexican Breakfast Recipes. Delicious and Healthy Mexican Breakfast Recipes like; Mexican Potato Omelet, Huevos Rancheros Verdes, and Scrambled Egg Burritos with Black Bean Salsa. Find these recipe and many more all at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  http://www.eatingwell.com/

Healthy Mexican Breakfast Recipes

Find healthy, delicious Mexican breakfast recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.


Mexican Potato Omelet
Whip up this simple, tasty omelet on those nights when it seems the refrigerator is bare. Frozen hash browns are perfect for such occasions—just look for a brand with little or no fat. And while the cheese adds some fat, it also provides almost a third of your daily calcium needs..........


Huevos Rancheros Verdes
Huevos rancheros or “ranch eggs” is a classic Mexican dish that is great for a quick dinner. Traditionally, it's made with a red tomato-based sauce. Here we use tart and tangy green salsa instead. Serve with: brown rice and slices of avocado...............


Scrambled Egg Burritos with Black Bean Salsa
This protein-packed Southwestern egg burrito recipe is always a hit, whether you're serving it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a casual dinner. The homemade black bean salsa recipe adds a special touch and takes just 10 minutes, but you can also use your favorite prepared salsa to make this faster...........



* Click the link below to get all the Healthy Mexican Breakfast Recipes
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/19758/cuisines-regions/latin-american/mexican/breakfast/

Healthy Omelet Recipes

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Healthy Omelet Recipes. Delicious and Healthy Omelet Recipes like; Easy Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins, Fast Omelet-Topped Rosemary Veggies, and Bacon Cheddar and Chive Omelet. Find these recipes and more all at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  http://www.eatingwell.com/

Healthy Omelet Recipes

Find healthy, delicious omelet recipes, from EatingWell, including cheese, egg white and spinach omelets.


Easy Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins
Protein-packed omelet muffins, or baked mini omelets, are a perfect breakfast for busy mornings. Make a batch ahead and freeze for the days when you don't have time for your typical bowl of oatmeal. You can also serve these fresh with fruit salad for a simple weekend brunch.........


Fast Omelet-Topped Rosemary Veggies
This quick and easy omelet is the perfect solution to breakfast or brunch. This low-calorie omelet packs a protein punch and offers a unique flavor combination guaranteed to help jump start the day..........


Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Omelet
In this satisfying healthy breakfast recipe, bacon and cheese are tucked into the omelet. The key to this omelet is cooking the eggs over low heat so the curds set up nice and soft. A splash of milk in the eggs is added insurance to keep the omelet from turning rubbery........



* Click the link below to get all the Healthy Omelet Recipes
  http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/21525/mealtimes/breakfast-brunch/eggs/omelets/

Easy Cozy Soups Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Easy Cozy Soups Ready in 30 Minutes or Less. Delicious and Easy Cozy Soups Ready in 30 Minutes or Less with recipes like; Black Bean Soup, Classic White Bean and Ham Soup, and Alphabet Soup. Find these recipes and more all  at the EatingWell website. Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018!  http://www.eatingwell.com/

Easy Cozy Soups Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

Picture this: You arrive home tired and frazzled, and the family’s already clamoring for dinner—now! You’ve got to make it quick and easy. Minimal cleanup would also be nice. With the right pantry staples at the ready, you can have any of these speedy, cozy soups ready for dinner tonight. So pull out the soup pot and get cooking.



Black Bean Soup
This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup. We make it with canned beans so it comes together in minutes. If you have leftovers, pack them up in individual serving containers for lunch the next day.............


Classic White Bean and Ham Soup
This healthy ham and white bean soup recipe is ready in 30 minutes and makes enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. Just a little bit of ham adds savory flavor and protein without adding too much sodium..........

Alphabet Soup
Recite your ABC's while you enjoy this kid-friendly soup that you can feel good about serving--it's packed with healthy vegetables. If you can't find alphabet noodles, any small pasta (like orzo) will work...............



* Click the link below to get all the Easy Cozy Soups Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/22946/cooking-methods-styles/quick-easy/soup/30-minute/slideshow/easy-cozy-soups-ready-in-30-minutes-or-less/

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Wrap that Ham........


Wrapping your ham in aluminum foil or an oven bag before you put it in the oven will prevent it from losing any moisture. If you cook your ham without any coverage, you’re putting it at risk of drying out and losing most of its flavor. So make sure you’re covering your ham to keep it tender and moist. Enjoy that Ham!

Hickory Smoked Ham and Swiss Sandwich

Dinner Tonight: Hickory Smoked Ham and Swiss Sandwich





For Breakfast this morning I made some Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns, heated up some Meijer Diced Ham,and made a cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. I made a bed of the Hashbrowns in

a bowl and sprinkled some Sargento Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Next I put the Diced Ham over top the Hash Browns and served.And had my morning cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Showers and then Cloudy for the day, high of 39 degrees. I ran a couple of errands for Mom and then by Meijer to pick up a couple of gifts for Christmas. I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping! Just need to pick up a few Gift Cards and I'll be through. For Dinner tonight I prepared a Hickory Smoked Ham and Swiss Cheese





The other day at Meijer I bought a Kentucky Legend Hickory Smoked Ham, along with our Turkey for Thanksgiving. It was a small 3 lb. Ham, and it looked delicious as always! I’ve baked a couple of these now and really enjoy them. Having it for Dinner tonight










To prepare it; Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the Kentucky Legend ham from the packaging and place it in a baking dish that’s at least 2 inches deep. Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Crimp the edges of the foil tightly over the pan edges to prevent steam from escaping. Place the baking dish into the oven and heat the ham until a meat thermometer shows an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of time this takes depends on the size and shape of the ham. Mine took 80 minutes. When the Ham is heated through, remove the baking pan from the oven. Leave the foil on the pan for 15 minutes to rest the meat before removing it and carving.


I then began slicing it, I sliced it somewhat thin. I’m using Aunt Millie’s Light Whole Grain Bread and I’ll need Boar’s Head Imported Switzerland Swiss Cheese. I assembled my Sandwich, Ham, Woeber's Horseradish Mustard, served on Aunt Millie’s Light Whole Grain Bread. What a Sandwich! The Ham is delicious and moist. Excellent Ham Sandwich! Mom thought it was one of the best tasting Hams she ever had, and I agree! We had plenty of leftovers. Kept some out for Breakfast and froze another bag. I didn't make any side dishes to go with the Sandwich, still not much of an appetite of late. For Dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding.







Kentucky Legend Brown Sugar Hickory Smoked Quarter Ham

Get the legendary taste of Kentucky Legend Ham in a convenient sliced quarter size. Seasoned and cured to perfection, our double-smoked ham is perfect for sandwiches, appetizers or main courses. Make your everyday meals and snacks easy and delicious!

* Quarter Sliced Brown Sugar Ham

* Double Smoked – Legendary Taste
* No water added
* Fully cooked
* Sliced
* Inspected and passed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Ingredients:
Ingredients: Cured With Water, Brown Sugar, Contains 2% Of Salt, Sodium Lactate, Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 84 G (3 oz)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120 Calories
Calories From Fat 25 Calories
% Daily Value
Total Fat 3 g 5
Total Carbohydrate 8 g 3




Boar’s Head Imported Switzerland Swiss Cheese

Made in Switzerland with Alpine milk under the watchful eye of Käse Meisters, this cheese has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor with earthy notes. Boar’s Head Imported Switzerland Swiss Cheese is aged more than 120 days to produce a bold taste, rich color and smooth texture.

https://boarshead.com/

One of America's Favorites - Club Sandwich

Club sandwich

A club sandwich, also called a clubhouse sandwich, is a sandwich of bread (occasionally toasted), sliced cooked poultry, or fried bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. It is often cut into quarters or halves and held together by cocktail sticks. Modern versions frequently have two layers which are separated by an additional slice of bread.





The club sandwich may have originated at the Union Club of New York City. The earliest known reference to the sandwich, an article that appeared in The Evening World on November 18, 1889, is also an early recipe; "Have you tried a Union Club sandwich yet? Two toasted pieces of Graham bread, with a layer of turkey or chicken and ham between them, served warm."Several other early references also credit the chef of the Union Club with creating the sandwich.

Other sources, however, find the origin of the club sandwich to be up for debate. Another theory is that the club sandwich was invented in an exclusive Saratoga Springs, New York, gambling club in the late 19th century.

The sandwich is known to have appeared on U.S. restaurant menus as far back as 1899. The earliest reference to the sandwich in published fiction is from Conversations of a Chorus Girl, a 1903 book by Ray Cardell. Historically, club sandwiches featured slices of chicken, but with time, turkey has become increasingly common.


As with a BLT, toasted white bread is standard, along with iceberg lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes. The sandwich is traditionally dressed with mayonnaise. Variations, however, on the traditional club sandwich abound. Some vary the protein, for example, a "breakfast club" that includes eggs or a

Club sandwich with tater tots

"roast beef club." Others include ham (instead of, or in addition to bacon) and/or cheese slices. Vegetarian club sandwiches often include hummus, avocado or spinach, as well as substitute the real bacon with a vegetarian alternative. Mustard and sometimes honey mustard are common condiments. Upscale variations include, for example, the oyster club, the salmon club, and Dungeness crab melt.

The sandwich is commonly served with an accompaniment of either coleslaw, or potato salad, and often garnished with a pickle. The coleslaw or potato salad is often reduced to a "garnish" portion, when the primary accompaniment is an order of french fries or potato chips. Due to high fat and carb content from the bread, bacon and dressing, club sandwiches have sometimes been criticized as unhealthy. In 2000, Burger King came under fire for its chicken club, which contained 700 calories, 44 grams of fat (nine of them saturated), and 1,300 milligrams of sodium, as well as the trans fat from the fryer shortening.

One of America's Favorites - New England Boiled Dinner

New England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip, and onion. With a beef roast, this meal is often known simply as corned beef and cabbage. A similar Newfoundland dish is called a Jiggs dinner.

New England boiled dinner

New England boiled dinner is a traditional meal on St. Patrick's Day. Ireland produced a significant amount of the corned beef in the Atlantic trade from local cattle and salt imported from the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France. Coastal cities, such as Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, created vast beef curing and packing industries, with Cork producing half of Ireland's annual beef exports in 1668. Most of the people of Ireland during this period consumed little of the meat produced, in either fresh or salted form, due to its prohibitive cost. In the colonies the product was looked upon with disdain due to its association with poverty and slavery.

Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish-American immigrants in the late 19th century. Corned beef and cabbage is the Irish-American variant of the original Irish dish of bacon and cabbage.

A "picnic ham" shoulder consists of the cured and smoked primal pork shoulder, which is cut from the lower portion of a hog's foreleg still containing the arm and shank bones. The meat is then boiled with root vegetables for several hours or until it is tender. The resulting meat does not taste similar to a traditional ham.

Corned beef is prepared before the actual cooking of the meal by seasoning a cut of beef with salt (large grains of salt were known as corns) and spices and the natural meat juices. This meat is then placed whole, like a rump or pot roast into a crock pot, which in olden times was a ceramic pot over a fire, filled with cabbage and carrots, and, when available, red potatoes. However, after Luther Burbank's alteration of potatoes, the potatoes were chopped when placed in the pot. Rutabaga or turnips are also common ingredients. This meal can be left in a crock pot all day but must be kept in the naturally humid environment of cooking meat. Corned beef and cabbage is often served as a whole meal.

Smoked shoulder is an exceptionally salty cut of meat. Two different methods of preparation are commonly used to decrease the amount of salt in the meat. In the first method, the meat is placed in a pot and soaked in a refrigerated cold water bath for one day prior to cooking. During the soak, the water is changed several times. The pot of meat and water is then boiled on the stovetop until the meat is tender. In the second method, the meat is placed in cold water and brought to a boil. The boiling water is then poured off, replaced with fresh cold water, and the ham is brought to a boil again. This process can be repeated several times, as deemed appropriate by the chef, before the meat is allowed to cook. A combination of both methods is also acceptable. This is a very easy meal to cook, as the salt and flavor of the meat require no additional seasonings. The ham generally must boil for several hours until it is ready to eat. The vegetables are placed in the pot and boiled with the meat; however, some chefs prefer to place them in the ham's water after the meat has been removed to avoid overcooking.

Common condiments include horseradish, mustard, and cider vinegar.

It’s Chili, Soup, or Stew Saturday….Home-Style Meat and Potato Soup

This Saturday's Chili, Soup, or Stew is a Home-Style Meat and Potato Soup. Made using Mashed Potatoes and for the Meat your choice of Ham, Sandwich Meat, or Low Fat Hot Dogs. The recipe comes from one of my favorite recipe sites, the Diabetes Self Management. Full of Delicious and Diabetic Friendly Recipes. Plus don't forget to subscribe to the Diabetes Self Management Magazine! Every issues contains Diabetic Management Tips, Diabetes News, and Diabetic Friendly Recipes. So Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018!  https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/

Home-Style Meat and Potato Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons light margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk or 1 can (15 ounces) fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
One of the following: 1 ounce leftover diced lean ham, 1 ounce chopped lean sandwich meat, or 1 regular-size, low-fat hot dog, diced
1 ounce low-fat cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, or American), shredded

Directions
In a small saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to make a paste. Add skim milk and stir constantly over medium heat and bring to a slow boil to thicken slightly. Add mashed potato, black pepper, onion powder, and chopped meat. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 2 minutes. Spoon soup into bowls, then top each with a quarter of the shredded cheese.

Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: about 6 ounces.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 138 calories, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 6 mg, Sodium: 361 mg, Fiber: 1 g
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/soups-stews/home-style-meat-and-potato-soup/

Lunch Meat of the Week - Ham

Half ham

Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. As a processed meat, the term "ham" includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed.

Ham is made around the world, including a number of highly coveted regional specialties, such as Westphalian ham and some varieties of Spanish jamón. In addition, numerous ham products have specific geographical naming protection, such as Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto Toscano in Europe, and Smithfield ham in the US.



The preserving of pork leg as ham has a long history, with Cato the Elder writing about the "salting of hams" in his De Agri Cultura tome around 160 BC.

There are claims that the Chinese were the first people to mention the production of cured ham.

Typical slice of ham

Typical slice of hamLarousse Gastronomique claims an origin from Gaul. It was certainly well established by the Roman period, as evidenced by an import trade from Gaul mentioned by Marcus Terentius Varro in his writings.

The modern word "ham" is derived from the Old English ham or hom meaning the hollow or bend of the knee, from a Germanic base where it meant "crooked". It began to refer to the cut of pork derived from the hind leg of a pig around the 15th century.

Because of the preservation process, ham is a compound foodstuff or ingredient, being made up of the original meat, as well as the remnants of the preserving agent(s), such as salt, but it is still recognised as a food in its own right.


Ham is produced by curing raw pork by salting, also known as dry curing, or brining, also known as

Hams aging in an atmospherically controlled storage room

wet curing. Additionally smoking may be employed. Besides salt, several ingredients may be used to obtain flavoring and preservation, from black pepper (e.g. Prosciutto Toscano) to saffron (e.g. the "Zafferano di San Gimignano").


Ham is typically used in its sliced form, often as a filling for sandwiches and similar foods, such as in the ham sandwich and ham and cheese sandwich. Other variations include toasted sandwiches such as the croque-monsieur and the Cubano. It is also a popular topping for pizza in the United States.

Antipasto with ham and sausage

In the United Kingdom, a pork leg cut, either whole or sliced, that has been cured but requires additional cooking is known as gammon. Gammons were traditional cured before being cut from a side of pork along with bacon. When cooked, gammon is ham. Such roasts are a traditional part of British Christmas dinners.