tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10955703501429258422024-03-12T22:37:41.248-04:00Dan Can Cook, So Can you!Let's talk about world cuisine and cooking, sound fun?DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-41796065140365386222017-11-21T11:19:00.001-05:002017-11-21T11:19:09.122-05:00Oatmeal Cookie Pie CrustI love cheesecake and I do love traditional graham cracker crust, but I also love oatmeal cookies. Like. A lot. So, I decided to try this oatmeal cookie crust with my low fat cheese cake and I have to say. Damn. It is yummy! <br />
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<ul class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_kYe" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1/2 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1/4 teaspoon salt</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li class="m_-6386938228264295032gmail-_AXc" style="border: 0px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan. I use butter, crisco or sometimes cooking spray</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Mix the flour, cinnamon, and salt and then add the oats</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the brown sugar, butter, and vanilla </li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Using low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix very lightly, just until it is combined</li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides </li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Bake 10 minutes. I find it easier to place the pan on a cookie sheet to avoid dropping it</li>
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DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-37325698446637964862017-09-12T11:44:00.000-04:002017-09-12T11:44:06.292-04:00Moroccan Chicken and LentilsI love middle eastern food. Like. Love. I also love lentils and am always searching for new ideas. I've made this recipe, or similar to it a few times and it has always turned out well! It is a one pot meal, if you want it to be that. So yeas, I used a slow cooker. I don't like giving exact measurements because it is not necessary when cooking savory so adjust as you see fit.<br />
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2 cups lentils<br />
Chopped vegetables: carrots, onion, rutabaga and anything you might like.<br />
Chopped garlic<br />
2 tsp curry powder<br />
2 tsp paprika<br />
2 tsp chili powder<br />
2 tsp turmeric<br />
2 tsp ginger (dry or fresh)<br />
chicken stock<br />
<br />
<u>Chicken</u><br />
Chicken thighs - Pre- bake them to develop flavor and use your favorite spice rub<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Put everything into a crock pot, but not the chicken. Stir to mix<br />
2. Put the chicken over the lentils and vegetables.<br />
3. Pour the stock over everything. Use enough to cover the lentils, but not the chicken or else you will have soup.<br />
4. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.<br />
5. Enjoy!DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-76081422992529687902016-10-16T11:00:00.000-04:002016-10-16T11:00:02.815-04:00Coconut Oatmeal Cookies - Gluten Free! Lower Carb too!No, I am not gluten free, but I do look for cookies and things that are much lower in starchy carbs. Well, it's still difficult to find yummy things, but I found this recipe, made it and love it! The cookie is quite soft though, almost like a cake, but the flavor is perfect. It will not be suitable for anyone allergic to nuts or coconut, sorry!<br />
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I am also very sure you can add other things to the cookie such as chocolate chips or raisins, but I didn't have either of those, so I made a coconut oatmeal cookie instead!<br />
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If you aren't used to cooking without flour, you sometimes have to be prepared to either buy a few extra ingredients or always have them on hand. Also, I will tell you that I didn't have almond flour, but I did have slivered almonds in the freezer and ground those up into a "flour" along with some walnuts so you can just imagine how delicious these are! I also replaced one of the sticks of butter with apple sauce and the cookies are still moist and flavorful.<br />
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This recipe made about 30 cookies. <br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
<br />
Mix these together in one bowl and set aside:<br />
2 cups oats <br />
1.5 cups Almond flour<br />
3 tbsp coconut flour<br />
1/2 cup shredded coconut <br />
1/2 baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
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Cream these next ingredients together:<br />
1 stick softened butter<br />
1/2 cup apple sauce <br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 400F<br />
2. Cream the above ingredients together til nice and fluffy, then slowly add the rest of the ingredients<br />
3. To get 30, I used a spoon and scooped a bit more than a table spoon onto parchment paper and then lightly pressed them out into cookie shape.<br />
4. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool. Eat. Repeat.DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-57154129910071083442016-10-16T10:46:00.001-04:002016-10-16T10:46:15.007-04:00Mom's Chicken FingersI had a craving for chicken fingers which doesn't happen normally. However, I didn't want just any old chicken finger. No. I wanted my mom's! You're probably asking what makes them so special. Well, actually there isn't anything so special about them but they are a bit different than the typical chicken finger.<br />
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First, the only coating we use is flour. That's it. Nothing crazy. Nothing special. But, you need to season the flour so we use seasoned salt, pepper and garlic powder. Unfortunately I don't do measurements, but you should be able to taste all three, or smell all three in the breading mixture.<br />
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To keep the flour from flying around, I used a round cake pan and it worked well. <br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
White flour<br />
garlic powder<br />
black pepper<br />
seasoned salt<br />
1 cup of milk with 2 eggs <br />
Chicken breast cut into strips<br />
Canola oil <br />
<br />
First thing's first. I use a nonstick pan or a cast iron skillet, not too big because it will use a LOT of oil. So heat up the oil!<br />
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Make your life easy and set up an assembly line. I usually start to the right of my stove. So your first station is the milk and egg, then flour and then oil.<br />
<br />
1. dip or soak all chicken strips in the milk/egg mixture.<br />
2. Using only ONE hand, pick out a strip and use the other hand to toss it around the flour.<br />
3. Repeat step 2 until you have about 3-4 pieces you can put into the hot oil.<br />
4. Gently place the chicken into the oil and let it fry until golden brown. You may have to turn it over, but don't get into the habit of constantly flipping it.<br />
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I love these chicken fingers with macaroni salad, I don't know why, I just do! <br />
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It's that easy!<br />
<br />DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-79076243960305619262016-04-07T21:40:00.002-04:002017-09-12T11:49:14.648-04:00Lentil Bread - Mostly Wheat Free<br />
So, I've been looking for a way to enjoy bread while following my very low fast carb Diet Free Life. What this means for me is that I am trying to avoid eating an abundance of fast carbs (foods that quickly turn to sugar inside your body) and unfortunately, this means bread and pasta, two of my favorite things.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-ZK4SeqnHwHfwSLjCzUXrhkr4X7OD7pi37OoxIa8eUke-NQiSRqDElRCnTY-FS9CT5nNfrpwUJbPLJipHBD40K3xr26fcle7keA22AhibwjswI7Xxyenel2BROkzafN-GythyhQvWbaP/s1600/Lentil+bread+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-ZK4SeqnHwHfwSLjCzUXrhkr4X7OD7pi37OoxIa8eUke-NQiSRqDElRCnTY-FS9CT5nNfrpwUJbPLJipHBD40K3xr26fcle7keA22AhibwjswI7Xxyenel2BROkzafN-GythyhQvWbaP/s320/Lentil+bread+2.jpg" width="176" /></a><br />
Then I had this idea! Lentils. Lentils are delicious, don't get me wrong, they still are high in carbohydrates, but also high in fiber, have an interesting flavor, and are considered a slow carb. I love lentils in cold salads and hot soups, but in bread?? YES. So I searched and searched for a recipe that I thought might work and I found one, tweaked it to suit myself and I'd like to share with you.<br />
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Now, don't go expecting this to be fluffy white bread, there is little to no gluten in here, which gives breads its chewy texture. This bread is more dense, a little drier, but delicious. I am posting this recipe for now until I perfect this, then I will post a new recipe. This bread didn't rise like I had hoped, but I was able to slice it into "slices" that resemble bread by slicing the long way, rather than on the short side like a typical loaf of bread.<br />
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In the mean time, I will also work on an almond flour bread that we used to make for my brother when he followed a specific carbohydrate diet for Crohn's disease. I am just looking for something that isn't so high in fat though. Maybe a lentil\almond mix!?<br />
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1.5 cups of lentils (white or regular brown)<br />
3 Tbsp flour (or rice or other gluten free four)<br />
3 Tbsp arrow root (or ugh...corn starch)<br />
1.5 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp lemon juice<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
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1. Soak the lentils overnight.<br />
2. Preheat oven to 400F<br />
3. In a food processor, blend the lentils. Add a little water to loosen it a bit, but not too loose about 2-3 minutes.<br />
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep processing. This will add a lot of extra needed air for rising.<br />
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** The batter will be thick like a cake batter and should be bubbly from the added air.**<br />
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5. Pour batter into an oiled non stick pan or lined with parchment paper.<br />
5. Bake for about 45 minutes. You might want to cover the top with parchment paper too after the first 15 minutes.<br />
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After the bread has cooled, you will probably see that it didn't rise much (or did it!?). It's ok! Just cut the loaf into 3's and then cut the top, two middle slices and the bottom. You should get about 8 slices per loaf.<br />
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I am going to keep working on this recipe to see how to get it to rise more so stay tuned!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRYr7HxL4WXo6nhrbs0VvxwCfL1kYQPtjmIkfJAs4iU468MFRZSAWUNbc6WqhZFbnTdx4H9f0j0Au6ro5fYW1TKRw9Zo4FV2BVuuhVHWrbFt-mOgEMDwhIfBR7EmowrIFE7J4YtlwSGmi/s1600/lentil+bread+grilled+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRYr7HxL4WXo6nhrbs0VvxwCfL1kYQPtjmIkfJAs4iU468MFRZSAWUNbc6WqhZFbnTdx4H9f0j0Au6ro5fYW1TKRw9Zo4FV2BVuuhVHWrbFt-mOgEMDwhIfBR7EmowrIFE7J4YtlwSGmi/s320/lentil+bread+grilled+cheese.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lentil Bread Grilled Cheese</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLfNa0kqqGzmNpvXvjT7E9ADiBiNMwdoKV0dnnIqWavh21RUoXeM3_02d_5WBksT2iS2Xz_tCnqfcg9JB20LJECkQlswFMUbCQIsMeKSif4h12n9H4ZklgdORXIAYjM-iQTG-aD-h97v5/s1600/lentil+bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLfNa0kqqGzmNpvXvjT7E9ADiBiNMwdoKV0dnnIqWavh21RUoXeM3_02d_5WBksT2iS2Xz_tCnqfcg9JB20LJECkQlswFMUbCQIsMeKSif4h12n9H4ZklgdORXIAYjM-iQTG-aD-h97v5/s320/lentil+bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-54340055666999548862016-02-11T22:03:00.004-05:002016-02-11T22:03:57.103-05:00Pizza - Cauliflower and Almonds<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldQMTvYw8xg0NbC_TiwM-ueQHj2BZH4J8LTKKIaemSrFirh11njt13ey27HXujtZztdm1uInARJvJzGD0MORE2kii0Eafl2P_uXWsHflQRWDWFH6PtGPBgvwSIuM5e2kCrJvHq6VQU7s8/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldQMTvYw8xg0NbC_TiwM-ueQHj2BZH4J8LTKKIaemSrFirh11njt13ey27HXujtZztdm1uInARJvJzGD0MORE2kii0Eafl2P_uXWsHflQRWDWFH6PtGPBgvwSIuM5e2kCrJvHq6VQU7s8/s320/pizza.jpg" width="176" /></a> </div>
Many people can't eat wheat products. Many choose not to and many must avoid them to lose weight. I've been cooking with almond flour now for almost 20 years since my brother was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease back then. Man, times have changed! I remember having to order 25 lb tubs of almond flour directly from the almond farmers because it was unheard of. Aren't we lucky now that any ordinary grocery story sells it! And its cheaper now too!<br />
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So, because of the diagnosis, my mother and I became experts in baking with almond flour. We've made breads, pies, cakes..you name it! Heck, even my <a href="http://www.scdrecipe.com/recipes-pie/dans-awesome-pie-crust/" target="_blank">pie crust </a>recipe is STILL getting hits all these years later (I think I posted it back in 2002 or so)!<br />
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So here it is, pizza crust AND is actually pretty yummy! Now, there are many variations and I like two of them. One uses only cauliflower and the other which I am going to post uses both cauliflower and almond flour. I decided to add some almond flour to get rid of the extra I have in my freezer.<br />
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Half head of cauliflower<br />
half cup of almond flour<br />
half cup shredded cheese <br />
1 egg<br />
2 tbsp cream cheese<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 410F <br />
<br />
1. I started by microwaving the cauliflower because it dries it out while it cooks. You DO NOT want to use wet cauliflower. If you steam or boil it then make sure you squeeze out the water.<br />
2. Process cauliflower in a food processor, add the other ingredients and pulse until mixed.<br />
3. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, you can add a little olive oil to the paper<br />
4. Pour the "batter" onto the cookie sheet and spread fairly thin.<br />
5. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes. If it is browning, then that is good. The crust needs to dry out.<br />
IF you can flip it over then do that and cook another 10 minutes. Its ok if the crust is brown.<br />
6 . Spread tomato sauce and cheese over the top and cook for another 10 minutes. Let it cool slightly and then cut. You should be able to pick it up like pizza.<br />
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ENJOY<br />
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<br />DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-11074810272829143992016-02-04T22:01:00.001-05:002016-02-04T22:03:11.821-05:00No Rice Fried Rice (Cauliflower Fried Rice)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Like many people, I really enjoy Chinese or Asian inspired food, just look at my previous entries! Anyways, tonight I was craving fried rice, but those of you that know me, even if I drink only water, my body turns it to fat so I've been finding out that starchy carbs are not my friend. What was I to do! I remembered a friend telling me how someone they know made fried rice with cauliflower as the "rice" and I kept thinking "how delusional." </div>
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So tonight as I was microwaving the cauliflower I kept wondering why people try to trick themselves with horrible substitutes, and why am I one of those people tonight! So I found a head of cauliflower, cut it in half and microwaved it til soft. I chopped it in the food processor until the size of rice and put t aside.<br />
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Now, the flavoring is up to you, but I will post the recipe I used. Oh and by the way.....It actually DOES taste like yummy fried rice!<br />
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half head cauliflower</div>
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1 tbsp soy sauce</div>
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1 tbsp fresh grated ginger</div>
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1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)</div>
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handful of peas</div>
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handful of green beans, chopped</div>
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handful of chopped mushrooms </div>
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1 onion chopped</div>
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2 tsp garlic chili sauce </div>
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1 egg </div>
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1 tbsp oil </div>
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1. Cook the cauliflower until soft. Place in food processor and pulse until you get small rice sized bits</div>
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2. Heat the oil and add the onion and cook for a minute. Add ginger and chili sauce and cook for another minute.</div>
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3. Add cauliflower, green beans and mushrooms. Next, form a bare circle in the middle of the pan where you will scramble the egg. Once scrambled, mix into the rice.</div>
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4. Strir fry for a minute then add the soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir fry more.</div>
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5. Turn off the heat and add the peas.</div>
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DONE</div>
DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-60306223180967516172016-01-06T20:59:00.000-05:002016-01-06T21:19:34.151-05:00Hoisin SauceCooking Asian food can be a daunting task. We all know this. Then you find a recipe you think might be good, you start to read it and there are strange ingredients that you don't normally have on hand. No worries! I have a solution for hoisin! You may have many of the ingredients readily on hand, and if you don't then you need to stock your kitchen.<br>
<br>
3/4 kidney beans (color doesn't matter), rinsed<div>3 cloves minced garlic<br>3 tbsp soy sauce<br>
2 tbsp red wine vinegar<br>3 tbsp molasses<br>
2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice<br>
2 fresh dates (you don't have to add these, but I did for a little extra sweet)<br>
<br>
Add everything to a good blender and blend til smooth. <br>
<br>
Yup. That's all!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3HcFQlk9oQvgtEv-N3wbL11isA55SgLn5daVNu5wuagkwAKocZwRqAzf-aZVBRZUqBGvYkreY6izTY7VThopdyDxrWmv4RzYAelwybNC4FzLyC3gNF93GlidEkWYUhcC86IU5e0xzgrd/s1600/20160106_192852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3HcFQlk9oQvgtEv-N3wbL11isA55SgLn5daVNu5wuagkwAKocZwRqAzf-aZVBRZUqBGvYkreY6izTY7VThopdyDxrWmv4RzYAelwybNC4FzLyC3gNF93GlidEkWYUhcC86IU5e0xzgrd/s640/20160106_192852.jpg"> </a> </div></div>DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-36506691017112065192016-01-06T20:24:00.000-05:002016-01-06T21:09:41.978-05:00Chinese Chicken and Broccoli ....Again!Don't you just crave Chinese food sometimes? I do often and while there are numerous buffets to choose from at a cheap price, it is like asking for punishment! I've been following a Diet Free Life on and off for years and when I follow well, I lose lots of weight. One of my favorite things is you can basically eat what you want so here is something that I wanted to eat tonight! I got this recipe from Food Network, but I tweaked it a bit.<br />
<br />
I also didn't have hoisin sauce on hand so I made my own. After tasting it, I will never buy hoisin again, it was so good I could drink it.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I am not eating fast carbs for meals at the moment, so instead of rice, I used leftover, mashed kidney beans and they were perfect! They soaked up that flavorful sauce. <br />
<br />
<u><strong>Chinese Chicken with Broccoli!</strong></u><br />
<br />
<div class="box-block">
2 chicken breasts sliced thin</div>
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3 scallions thinly sliced</div>
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2 cloves minced garlic</div>
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1 inch peeled fresh grated ginger </div>
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1 tablespoon soy sauce</div>
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2 tablespoons sugar ( I use unprocessed)</div>
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1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon arrow root</div>
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1 tablespoon wine vinegar</div>
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1 tablespoon dark sesame oil</div>
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</div>
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1/3 cup water</div>
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3 tablespoons vegetable oil</div>
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1/4 cup hoisin sauce (see my home made recipe)</div>
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5 to 6 cups broccoli or a bag of frozen</div>
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</div>
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1. Make the marinade. Mix the garlic, ginger, soy sauce sugar, vinegar, 1 tsp arrow root and sesame oil. Add chicken and marinate at least 15 minutes or more. </div>
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</div>
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2. Get a skillet very hot. Add 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the broccoli and cook out any excess moisture. Once the broccoli is cooked and still green remove it from the pan.</div>
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</div>
<div class="box-block">
3. Heat the pan again with the remaining oil. Add the chicken (I had to do this in parts). Let the chicken slightly brown before flipping around. Once fully cooked, add 1 tbsp corn starch 1/3 cup water and the broccoli. </div>
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</div>
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4. Pour over the hoisin. Shut the heat and enjoy!</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp8mxYsKugAK1TT6LBIVxN_qRC1CTzHl8y3_l901gfzNFEgJ8nK_BKjq9hr6lkrOBaEK33DDkY-GlHEZVoEpZT6dzPn9aaje3UhMrNnBddnNKvjB2ul_z3r8vp4zPPGPQbtc12Yt3RHK0/s1600/20160106_192832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYp8mxYsKugAK1TT6LBIVxN_qRC1CTzHl8y3_l901gfzNFEgJ8nK_BKjq9hr6lkrOBaEK33DDkY-GlHEZVoEpZT6dzPn9aaje3UhMrNnBddnNKvjB2ul_z3r8vp4zPPGPQbtc12Yt3RHK0/s640/20160106_192832.jpg"> </a> </div>DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-35233496918959218162015-09-05T09:23:00.000-04:002015-10-26T01:08:53.381-04:00Stuffed Grape Leaves - DolmaEvery summer for the past 15 years I've made stuffed grape leaves in abundance, but why summer? Here in Massachusetts and New Hampshire we have the concord grape which grows wild and out of control. Every. Where. So I decided one day that I am tired of paying $5 for brined leaves when I can just pick my own! So I did just that. I always pick them from the same spot at my mother's house in NH. Out back way behind the pool where nothing but wild life roam. I know that my leaves are organic as no one planted the vines and no one touches them. No fertilizer, no pesticides....nothing.<br />
<br />
So, I spray my legs with bug spray as there are a lot of ticks and then I find the best and most perfectly shaped leaves I can find. I usually end up with about 100. If having a party and you know everyone loves these, you could easily collect a couple hundred leaves from one spot.<br />
<br />
Next, you have to wash them. They are wild. There are birds, insects and other strange things flying around. Wash each leaf in a bucket of water. It's refreshing to do on a hot day. I just dip them in and very lightly scrub, and then add to the pile. To the pile, I add more water, salt and lemon juice to help kill anything else and preserve the leaves. They keep very well in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but they will change color from bright green to dull brownish green. THIS IS OK!<br />
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The next part is difficult, trying to find that perfect recipe. Well, here is what I do, and everyone is different. I use beef and ground turkey or chicken, mixed. I use a little bit of rice, fresh lemon juice and a little mint or dill, chopped and of course, salt.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
Grape leaves<br />
1 lb of turkey and beef<br />
1/2 cup rice<br />
juice of one lemon<br />
extra lemons, sliced<br />
1 tbsp chopped dill or mint (or both?!) <br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
<br />
Mix everything together except for the lemon slices. Lay out a perfect leaf and be sure to cut off the tough stem and as much of the middle vein as possible. The rolling might seem daunting at first, but it really is quite easy, just a little time consuming so get a prep space in front of the tv ready.<br />
<br />
1. With the dark side down, add about a spoonful of mixture at the bottom where you cut.<br />
2. Roll the part closest to you over the mixture.<br />
3. Fold inthe sides and quickly roll so they stay tight.<br />
4. Keep rolling and folding the sides in until you have a tightly rolled grape leaf.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDqQGBq51nx_X80_xZ-vygtxSYfhBrALmhjf2v57DxXmL7DlAZ5qCQNJ30c9owjo2fWMCfR1ZYLVvo8N9vwawBvaEcurZb9B6hj_3g0iBGYVqJr8xuxrLYhSa88qGnr8HTi6on48fc7tg/s1600/20150815_195947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDqQGBq51nx_X80_xZ-vygtxSYfhBrALmhjf2v57DxXmL7DlAZ5qCQNJ30c9owjo2fWMCfR1ZYLVvo8N9vwawBvaEcurZb9B6hj_3g0iBGYVqJr8xuxrLYhSa88qGnr8HTi6on48fc7tg/s640/20150815_195947.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMhafxmJdHiq_HP54taGrOtx_xE86bDOgXnfQIQT3xXaAbh55jKFmk9MDkLIGzz69GypaChIrav3pyTc-_8Nv7oJCneMVAQKuToZjC9N1Y9gZJpkXCz5BKUCDKTp-klRc3PNZBOHJwcI6/s1600/20150815_195717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMhafxmJdHiq_HP54taGrOtx_xE86bDOgXnfQIQT3xXaAbh55jKFmk9MDkLIGzz69GypaChIrav3pyTc-_8Nv7oJCneMVAQKuToZjC9N1Y9gZJpkXCz5BKUCDKTp-klRc3PNZBOHJwcI6/s640/20150815_195717.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYTQ-jbVxRKIpIB1A02PV74boFgTbbNKDnKG3Tn7D5HnHlvMCtS_W51n0_EtWlzAAYIV__8yCuTTWtR_fVgyTsonZ1QKj2MiDNi76gGzft346UHMGSeKjrSzUWtolVBN3OBYDLdu43X9p/s1600/20150815_195458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYTQ-jbVxRKIpIB1A02PV74boFgTbbNKDnKG3Tn7D5HnHlvMCtS_W51n0_EtWlzAAYIV__8yCuTTWtR_fVgyTsonZ1QKj2MiDNi76gGzft346UHMGSeKjrSzUWtolVBN3OBYDLdu43X9p/s640/20150815_195458.jpg"> </a> </div>DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-42884823573767204572015-08-30T12:11:00.002-04:002015-08-30T12:11:48.777-04:00All American Baked BeansNothing screams summer (or English breakfast) like a crock full of baked beans. I grew up on these beans, waiting for every summer BBQ because I knew my mom was going to make them. While she made hers with navy beans and salt pork, I used red kidney beans and no meat due to having some vegetarians in the family. You can really use any bean you like as long as it holds up during the grueling cooking time these babies require.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sHEp9mOVyZwDVjoJXdjd1q3oW8PIZFEZjUiPRulADn7EmE0z-puyeLkxD3oGcB6-iR2Re2KlZMn5O24jykk2c5UErtYqhXoWmlBUDPKdlJWo0t4CliO4CtA5jSEGLeQXxtLo8BfKlPGA/s1600/20150717_201919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sHEp9mOVyZwDVjoJXdjd1q3oW8PIZFEZjUiPRulADn7EmE0z-puyeLkxD3oGcB6-iR2Re2KlZMn5O24jykk2c5UErtYqhXoWmlBUDPKdlJWo0t4CliO4CtA5jSEGLeQXxtLo8BfKlPGA/s200/20150717_201919.jpg" width="150" /></a>First off, I usually do about 1-1.5 cups of beans for a fairly large crowd. It may not look like a lot, but they grow during cooking. A very important thing about many varieties of dried beans, SOAK THEM, at least overnight (8 hours). What this does are two things; re-hydrate and reduce cooking time (thus preserving the nutrients) them and removes some of the oligosaccharides from the bean. If you don't remove the oligosaccharides you are in for a musical day the next morning. It removes the sugar that causes us to ....well...toot.<br />
<br />
I change the water every few hours, maybe you don't have to, but I do. I don't know why. Anyway....After soaking, add them to your crock pot and cover with water, just maybe half an inch above the top of the beans. Next, add your ingredients all at once and stir. It's not going to look pretty, but just you wait.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpEUPtsT2tmaF4W8e4-CxJlZW8rnrBH4fs4BrJfP5vwvEixcuiwvxlrf8QZDfdZ4UcsYY5A4jc5B8LIRUdMbTnpGkzNClBlEOSKhDFhhXGvQU0ffR8Rs1NrellLXy7Klzs8gzewO9mD8o/s1600/20150717_203529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpEUPtsT2tmaF4W8e4-CxJlZW8rnrBH4fs4BrJfP5vwvEixcuiwvxlrf8QZDfdZ4UcsYY5A4jc5B8LIRUdMbTnpGkzNClBlEOSKhDFhhXGvQU0ffR8Rs1NrellLXy7Klzs8gzewO9mD8o/s200/20150717_203529.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
The ingredients are simple:<br />
1.Ketchup or a small can of tomato paste<br />
2. Yellow mustard<br />
3. Molasses<br />
4. Onion<br />
5. Brown sugar or Coconut sugar<br />
<br />
Chop the onion into large pieces. It will break down during cooking. Add a generous squirt of mustard, maybe a table spoon. Next, add the can of tomato paste, about 1/3 cup of molasses and brown sugar. You might want to add some onion powder too. Any additions is totally up to you. In the picture below, I added cocoa powder to see how deep I could get the flavors, forgetting that there is a lot of sugar in the beans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaGSxGd86jXYDvFPn0KjTAsxljJ7-A7HlLkHqI-6-IeLM8Ziti6AEIWnecbwyalZL4bIorACVLqs3NW9IEo85NUG3W8KUHb3D_-6jCkdq2QgxoTdfKrZGhxAs20up0HhW9RmlPqt1schyphenhyphen/s1600/20150717_204350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaGSxGd86jXYDvFPn0KjTAsxljJ7-A7HlLkHqI-6-IeLM8Ziti6AEIWnecbwyalZL4bIorACVLqs3NW9IEo85NUG3W8KUHb3D_-6jCkdq2QgxoTdfKrZGhxAs20up0HhW9RmlPqt1schyphenhyphen/s200/20150717_204350.jpg" width="150" /></a>Stir and set the crock to cook on low for the next 12 hours or so. You can stir every now and then. The sauce will become dark, thick and rich.DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-29849828279174767312014-08-13T21:29:00.000-04:002014-08-13T21:29:01.946-04:00Vietnamese Chicken with Garlic, Lime and PepperAgain, another post! This one surprised me a lot. The flavors were so yummy and made the house smell amazing. I need to stop showing you how easy these are, or else we might make our local restaurantes go out of business! (never!)<br />
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So, I was in search of something easy, with chicken and peanuts. I found a recipe that uses beef, but I am not the biggest fan of beef so I made this my own and added chopped Chinese long beans.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWD1qBMc0KK5KL7XG81Aerok7wvrwgDJ9IOYIQa5TEoqu_vkia0Qxho6FhgJs6-15BMh5HZaIg0iPJa8qWsjOxwXmJaY4z1mTN41sstdiljEdEBmODmEQVkL5NhwmyVmmPrwz5W8fhq_9_/s1600/vietnamese+chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWD1qBMc0KK5KL7XG81Aerok7wvrwgDJ9IOYIQa5TEoqu_vkia0Qxho6FhgJs6-15BMh5HZaIg0iPJa8qWsjOxwXmJaY4z1mTN41sstdiljEdEBmODmEQVkL5NhwmyVmmPrwz5W8fhq_9_/s1600/vietnamese+chicken.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
1 1/2 lb thinly sliced chicken<br />
1 medium onion, chopped into quarters<br />
3 tbsp toasted chopped peanuts<br />
<br />
2 Tbsp soy sauce<br />
2 tbsp fresh lime juice<br />
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (I used turbinado)<br />
1 tbsp fish sauce<br />
<br />
5 cloves minced garlic<br />
3 tbsp oil (I mixed coconut and peanut)<br />
<br />
1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic with half the oil and a tsp of black pepper. Set aside<br />
2. In another small bowl combine the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Make sure the sugar is dissolved.<br />
3. The other half of the oil should be mixed with another tsp black pepper.<br />
<br />
You now have 3 small bowls. <br />
<br />
In a large skillet, heat half of the leftover oil<br />
over medium high. Place half the chicken in the pan and brown. Turn over and brown the other side. Once cooked, remove to a plate and set aside. Do the same with the other half of the chicken.<br />
<br />
Next, if you are using a vegetable, add it now and saute for a couple minutes. You might need to add a little water to help steam cook. Next, add the chicken and the garlic and oil and saute for a couple of minutes, just until the garlic is slightly cooked.<br />
<br />
Pour the mixed sauces and sugar over the chicken and vegetables until thickened. Once thickened and cooked, add the peanuts and serve.<br />
<br />Easy! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINloU065SPk-R8_m2R7WKywMu6oMOAVDvVMTs_iPkR2Vt11YcwRzjl4V5feYZw9GxJ0-5TISsFZSq6KhMMqn7hEB0H19HWqXwoOHYH-DD6dRKawZjkufp0jUaKOUq9fh5IJAP5aM_xnNj/s1600/peanut+chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINloU065SPk-R8_m2R7WKywMu6oMOAVDvVMTs_iPkR2Vt11YcwRzjl4V5feYZw9GxJ0-5TISsFZSq6KhMMqn7hEB0H19HWqXwoOHYH-DD6dRKawZjkufp0jUaKOUq9fh5IJAP5aM_xnNj/s1600/peanut+chicken.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-32121221735539732282014-08-13T21:06:00.000-04:002014-08-13T21:06:00.774-04:00Vietnamese Chicken SaladI told you I've been on a Vietnamese kick this summer! It's the fresh taste that Vietnamese brings to us by using herbs like mint and cilantro. Here is a super easy salad to make which most restaurants sell for about $8-10. There is no need to spend that much on one portion and you will see why!<br />
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If you are interested in cooking Asian food there a few ingredients that you will have to spring for, and by spring I mean pay $3 or less. Here they are: Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Chili Garlic Paste and just a small jar of minced garlic and one jar of ginger. All of these last forever in the fridge so even if you don't use them often that is ok.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ppN6PURDg1Dh1rcGd4LbLkhEsO8sRqkMXfE8HsW6YyFWbPkL_33dcmH_o048Abydoh3oGuygFobuxgPsse8vnhyphenhyphenTFEb-PEdfRtNFd1giACL2eks8d9DfLWucKSYNGG53OjF5Hl8vAFA0/s1600/vietnamese+chicken+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ppN6PURDg1Dh1rcGd4LbLkhEsO8sRqkMXfE8HsW6YyFWbPkL_33dcmH_o048Abydoh3oGuygFobuxgPsse8vnhyphenhyphenTFEb-PEdfRtNFd1giACL2eks8d9DfLWucKSYNGG53OjF5Hl8vAFA0/s1600/vietnamese+chicken+salad.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Off to the Asian market and here is what I picked up for the salad.<br />
<br />
1 Head Napa Cabbage, shredded<br />
Bean Sprouts <br />
Shredded Carrots (2-3)<br />
One Red Bell Pepper, sliced<br />
Chicken breast<br />
<br />
Handful of mint and cilantro, chopped <br />
<br />
<u>Dressing:</u><br />
2 tsp chili garlic sauce<br />
1 tbsp sugar<br />
1 tbsp white wine vinegar<br />
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice<br />
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce<br />
1 tbsp peanut oil<br />
1/2 medium onion, sliced thin<br />
<br />
Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Make sure the sugar is dissolved. Yes, the onion is included!<br />
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In a larger bowl, mix the salad ingredients. You can really put what you like in here, but I like this mix, although, in my pic I forgot the red bell pepper. Mix all of the ingredients including most of the mint and cilantro. Dress the salad by pouring the dressing over, including the onions. Top of the salad with the rest of the mint and cilantro and voila!<br />
<br />Super easy Vietnamese Salad!<br />
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DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-52538157943190207272014-08-10T21:07:00.001-04:002014-08-10T21:07:47.891-04:00Vietnamese Made Easy - Summer Roll!<div dir="ltr">
We all love summer rolls, even if we don't love Vietnamese food. But, what isn't there to love about it? A few months ago I tried Vietnamese with a neighbor for the first time. I became addicted. I just had a summer roll and a banh mi sandwich, both were amazing. The flavors of Vietnamese are quite different than other Asian cuisines. I noticed how fresh and cooling the food was. The use of fresh mint surprised me, but in a good way. You know how we call pork "the other white meat?" Well I'd like to call Vietnamese food "the lighter and fresher other Asian cuisine." </div>
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So, after I tried and became addicted to the banh mi, I went back and tried a noodle dish which consisted of vermicelli noodles, grilled chicken, a small egg roll, and a bean sprout and carrot "salad" oh and a light orange toned sauce which is quite delicious. For $8 you can't beat it, plus you know what you are eating is healthier than American-Chinese food.</div>
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This past weekend I decided to do it! I was at my local Asian market and picked up the summer roll wrappers. There were so many sizes and a couple of brands to choose from. I picked a size that I thought would work well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaSnrIevM7Pq19kp-bpqQ869XWUk4PIsMoL63dMKr7tdamINyUYTqEf6Ry7H_ObR8NtysnybHzwfE6NnQBpCCFZ0dLaedaRV8XTpZgB3F5O0M3TXndc-v4rPIq7VTWjMty2taA2rSUvuu/s640/20140730_204225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaSnrIevM7Pq19kp-bpqQ869XWUk4PIsMoL63dMKr7tdamINyUYTqEf6Ry7H_ObR8NtysnybHzwfE6NnQBpCCFZ0dLaedaRV8XTpZgB3F5O0M3TXndc-v4rPIq7VTWjMty2taA2rSUvuu/s640/20140730_204225.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><b>First step:</b> Arrange your area with the ingredients for your summer rolls. This will make rolling them speedy and easy. Place a wet paper towel near to the wrappers and water.</div>
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<b>Step 2:</b> Have a small skillet of water on low, lightly simmer, but not boil. Try to have your filling station as close to the water as possible. You'll need to transfer your rice paper to a wet paper towel in seconds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKO_71sna_JhN-5SoOl18anErE-KgyjEN8Dw4esJySIFWZv9ffDg1pnbdTGhteZocPqTHkyujFFRWU4qwalX2t6P2Cfg1EDSEX35G84qkURTyX7R8W4PB8ObBtUuwSYeDhspoIDXIZTei/s1600/20140730_210539.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKO_71sna_JhN-5SoOl18anErE-KgyjEN8Dw4esJySIFWZv9ffDg1pnbdTGhteZocPqTHkyujFFRWU4qwalX2t6P2Cfg1EDSEX35G84qkURTyX7R8W4PB8ObBtUuwSYeDhspoIDXIZTei/s640/20140730_210539.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><b> </b></div>
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<b>Step 3:</b> Begin! Dip a rice paper into the water, swish around with your fingers, maybe about 20 seconds. You will start to see it change consistency quickly. Take it out before it is too soft or jello-y. If you leave it in too long, it will rip easily. These are delicate, but not too difficult to handle. If you leave them in the water for just the right amount of time, its almost as if they are slightly al dente, then move them to the wet paper towel so they don't stick or dry out.</div>
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<b>Step 4:</b> Move fairly quickly, the rice paper is still absorbing water at this point, so throw in your beautiful ingredients. For your first couple, don't worry about the way it looks just yet. Try to get the feel for this. I usually place the fillings closer to my body, then fold them over, tuck under tightly and fold in the sides as you would with an egg roll. The hardest part will be trying to find where to separate the wrapper from the paper towel, but with practice, its easy!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkobrndnJCg3cBstGIRb37Zrw0lPwxESerNalzM29V7GaD_5ocnuela3ITd8cLuiPQ-E1Ns0PpM8o3JiWfXZFIAQn6sTtkW1AjmUlKzWa8rU1V0Vxv3H6OpEVduXQ2bRup-nnlbxnnpcQ-/s1600/20140730_210713.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkobrndnJCg3cBstGIRb37Zrw0lPwxESerNalzM29V7GaD_5ocnuela3ITd8cLuiPQ-E1Ns0PpM8o3JiWfXZFIAQn6sTtkW1AjmUlKzWa8rU1V0Vxv3H6OpEVduXQ2bRup-nnlbxnnpcQ-/s640/20140730_210713.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling the wrappers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAWNBCkkQDFrZxUPrsGgRhBxs9ZHhi_xs44bb1FvE9qq05gTD73FJqGxm5koAGZsGmyhZozXTL3Km8GpZ9nz8CvSAE2ZKOi_R6ueG_eSqRpTrGTgSzFRNW4NmBlC2kqxH3G_ijYSZvIrV/s640/20140730_210731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAWNBCkkQDFrZxUPrsGgRhBxs9ZHhi_xs44bb1FvE9qq05gTD73FJqGxm5koAGZsGmyhZozXTL3Km8GpZ9nz8CvSAE2ZKOi_R6ueG_eSqRpTrGTgSzFRNW4NmBlC2kqxH3G_ijYSZvIrV/s640/20140730_210731.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Rolling the rolls</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSJylXV1Ch9amXZBA9CEuIgZy-9DRPrzvA1hNSLZzmO8MkoJsBdAE9RbgRIOs6ELLjSv_m5Ss_BzmiGJswz-_GQv7pEFl3h65_qjUGPuNVlmfrMzQwfciLjF7tJVgxaw0mlIgzdyE7h6G/s1600/20140730_210828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSJylXV1Ch9amXZBA9CEuIgZy-9DRPrzvA1hNSLZzmO8MkoJsBdAE9RbgRIOs6ELLjSv_m5Ss_BzmiGJswz-_GQv7pEFl3h65_qjUGPuNVlmfrMzQwfciLjF7tJVgxaw0mlIgzdyE7h6G/s640/20140730_210828.jpg" height="240" width="320" /> </a>And here are the final products! Since you will be making more than one, and when you see how addictive easy it is, you will want to make many for leftovers. But, its not easy to keep them as they stick to almost everything. If making these for a party, you might want to have a damp paper towel at the base of your serving dish, and then use romaine leaves to secure each roll. Using the leaf like this will be sure to protect it from touching the others and creates an edible vessel to serve with!</div>
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Of course you will need to make plenty of Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce to go with these!</div>
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<b>Summer Rolls Ingrediets:</b></div>
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Rice paper </div>
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hot water</div>
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shrimp or boiled chicken</div>
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fresh basil leaves</div>
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fresh mint leaves</div>
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rice or tofu noodles</div>
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Shredded carrot</div>
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thinly sliced cucumber</div>
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Shredded lettuce</div>
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thinly sliced green onion</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34TDyPCfufPDjrtPbagTofIH2qbsincwCNuRIch7xlZ3AbUYoyaWVfgmOat1w2HUtBzbOK3n5dQdod7j5rAOdXEu8_0FKFa3ya7oIaV_qmQZWUKh5MXECvwvtnLZA-qKLqtrFnQ9Q4TCU/s1600/swedish+meatball2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34TDyPCfufPDjrtPbagTofIH2qbsincwCNuRIch7xlZ3AbUYoyaWVfgmOat1w2HUtBzbOK3n5dQdod7j5rAOdXEu8_0FKFa3ya7oIaV_qmQZWUKh5MXECvwvtnLZA-qKLqtrFnQ9Q4TCU/s1600/swedish+meatball2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Who doesn't love Swedish Meatballs? They remind me of the 1970s, although, I wasn't alive then it just seems like something that was on every 1970s table. Yeah yeah, but now its 2014 and guess what, the little balls of heaven are STILL blessing our tables, especially thanks to IKEA. Sure, you could spend a small fortune for IKEA supper or you can just make it yourself and since I don't live near an IKEA, I made it myself, minus the lingonsylt which I can't make :(<br />
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Anyways....I made my gravy with non-fat greek yogurt and a little arrowroot and it came out DIVINE. You must try! If you can't find arrowroot, just use cornstarch.<br />
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<u>Meatballs:</u><br />
1.5 lbs ground beef, chicken, pork (any mix you like. I used chicken and beef)<br />
1/4 cup egg whites<br />
1/4 cup matzo meal (or bread crumb)<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
1 tbsp onion powder<br />
2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tsp all spice<br />
Olive oil <br />
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Mix all together and shape into small balls. I usually make them slightly smaller than a golf ball, it lets me eat more! Heat enough oil to lightly cover a skillet and drop the balls in. DO NOT move them around or they will break apart! Fry the meatballs gently for a couple minutes on each side. Remove from pan when done and golden. Don't scrape or drain the pan unless there is a ton of fat.<br />
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<u>Gravy</u><br />
1 15 oz can chicken or beef stock<br />
1 tbsp butter<br />
2 tbsp flour (or can skip the roux all together)<br />
1 tbsp red wine vinegar<br />
water<br />
1/2 cup greek yogurt<br />
2 tbsp corn starch or arrow root <br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
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This is the tough part. Over medium heat melt the butter and then add the flour.<br />
Whisk gently adding a little water at a time. Your roux should be smooth and creamy, not lumpy. Adding more water and whisking should smooth it out. Let the roux cook for a minute or so. Next, turn up the heat a little higher and add your stock while whisking vigorously, you want to get all the browned meat off the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDDEYxOVrpXoRn9f76t9F3_jWHERo2xrWNRjIF49GAxeUyBhvCe4w97KXdqWjWE1s5bxjHe-GBzv60ZuVwvB-UdZkTHzij9P0SmptK3WCqhqS2GUlk2QmGP2h1nCForvWZx2S_IYdEY4U/s1600/swedish+meatballs+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDDEYxOVrpXoRn9f76t9F3_jWHERo2xrWNRjIF49GAxeUyBhvCe4w97KXdqWjWE1s5bxjHe-GBzv60ZuVwvB-UdZkTHzij9P0SmptK3WCqhqS2GUlk2QmGP2h1nCForvWZx2S_IYdEY4U/s1600/swedish+meatballs+1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Your gravy will be very fluid at this point, add enough arrow root or starch to thicken it. I like my gravy VERY thick so I add quite a bit. Whisk until smooth and re-add the meatballs. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then TURN OFF THE HEAT (This part is super important). Let the gravy cool for about 2 minutes BEFORE you add the greek yogurt or it will curdle and look yucky. Whisk the yogurt into the gravy, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.<br />
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I served my meatballs with German Spaetzle, but you can use any flat egg noodle you like. I also added peas to the bottom of my bowl because I needed a vegetable and I didn't feel like sauteeing cabbage tonight.DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-44743120006198677472014-04-02T20:50:00.002-04:002014-04-02T20:56:08.613-04:00Chutney and Cheddar Chicken<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jX98jTzRdPiA9cmQQxtSHmO1bfjTMgdLlX_i3uR4HQRrzIcLvagTKTWauZQOYWKEQkN45l-SNX4tubFeID1gSTzvuEKzNJRjR1mYg6tQdfBurHuH4lTDx-2-GzgJfEzGinh2ibZIwVIw/s640/20140402_201642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jX98jTzRdPiA9cmQQxtSHmO1bfjTMgdLlX_i3uR4HQRrzIcLvagTKTWauZQOYWKEQkN45l-SNX4tubFeID1gSTzvuEKzNJRjR1mYg6tQdfBurHuH4lTDx-2-GzgJfEzGinh2ibZIwVIw/s640/20140402_201642.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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If you are like me, you make the same chicken recipes day after day, week after week. Don't get me wrong, they are yummy recipes, but can't we just try something NEW for once? The answer is yes! We can!</div>
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My mother makes a lot of fruit glazed chicken breasts and I was actually craving that tonight. Of course, I didn't have any fruit jam, but I did have one jar of a special gem that I made a few months ago, English Christmas Chutney. This chutney is not jelly like at all, but is a mix of chopped, vinegary and savory, sweet and dried fruit. I will post my recipe as soon as I make it again.</div>
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Anyways, I remembered that I had one jar left, and while I love to eat it spooned atop a nice sharp cheddar, I figured I'd try it out atop chicken covered with cheddar. The results were awesome!</div>
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I marinated my thinly sliced chicken breasts in lemon juice and Trader Joes 21 Spice Salute, salt free seasoning. If you can't find it, use Mrs. Dash or your favorite herb blend. Sprinkle the juice and herb blend of chicken and let stand for an hour or two. I sliced the chicken thin as if I were making marsala or piccata. </div>
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If you can't find chutney, use a thick jam or preserve that has chopped fruit in it. Apricot, cherry or blueberry would be awesome in this.</div>
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<u><b>Ingredients:</b></u></div>
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1-2 large and thinly sliced chicken breasts <br />
lemon juice (half lemon)<br />
Herb seasoning<br />
cheddar cheese<br />
1 small jar of chutney<br />
coconut oil</div>
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salt to taste </div>
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1. Heat a skillet and add some coconut oil. When pan is heated add chicken.<br />
2. Brown chicken on both sides, add some water to the pan and let the chicken steam for about 3 minutes<br />
3. Spread the chutney on each piece of chicken and top with cheddar. Add more water to the pan if needed. Cover and let steam for another 3 minutes.<br />
4. At this point, chicken should be thoroughly cooked through. Serve and enjoy!</div>
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Imperatives/commands<br />
Giving directions (and potentially following directions!)<br />
Food Vocabulary (includes spelling) <br />
Count/Non-Count Food Nouns<br />
Adjectives <br />
Food packaging<br />
US weights and measurements<br />
Short story writing <br />
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It doesn't matter what level you are at, cooking brings all of us together and allows us to share something about each of our lives while learning a new language.<br />
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<b>Assignment #1 </b>- I want you to look through <a href="http://daniscooking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my blog </a>and pick a recipe. In the comments section of that recipe, please list the imperatives that were used and write their definition. Next, I usually include a short story about the recipe, please summarize the story in 2-3 sentences. <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #76a5af;"><b>Due February 28, 2014. </b></span></span><br />
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<b>Assignment #2</b> - Who cooks in your family? Ask that person for their favorite recipe to
cook for your family and post the recipe to your blog. Tell me about the
recipe, is it from your country? An old family recipe? Write an
interesting story in 2-3 paragraphs or more! <span style="color: #a2c4c9;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">Due March 7. </span></b></span><br />
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<b>Assignment #3 - </b> I did this when I was in high school for French
class and it was a lot of fun, before blogs existed. Because this takes
planning, the due date will be in <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">March 20th, 2014. </span></b></span><br />
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1. Choose another recipe or the same one from <a href="http://daniscooking.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my blog</a>. You will prepare it for your family. You will need to follow the directions and use the correct measurements when given.<br />
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2.
Re-write the recipe on your blog. Add a photo. Write a short story
about your experience (was it fun, boring, difficult, easy?). If you
changed any steps or ingredients, please write about it.<br />
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3. I'd like your family members to comment on the blog by giving you a grade and some comments about what you cooked for them. If they have a smart phone, show them how to use it!<br />
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***As always, if there are any issues that might keep you from being able to do part of the assignment, always let me know in advance!<br />
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These are supposed to be fun assignments, so if you come into any trouble please let me know! DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-40166532265829587482014-02-05T15:53:00.000-05:002014-02-05T16:47:42.730-05:00Shiritaki, Shirataki, Yam Noodle...WHAT?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIHve6tH89QuBsqGbZcmTS_b9XdgcVfWmmPlJHLU1DxD1_go6wXRddsnHXM9LwpHRt6GPwEH-YeE4l_S2x-nP2-eC1LozXXqA3hOAlyTTAaHlIhuwhemO9u0VJ8qd3UA9uil3FQRkRaxu/s1600/shirataki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIHve6tH89QuBsqGbZcmTS_b9XdgcVfWmmPlJHLU1DxD1_go6wXRddsnHXM9LwpHRt6GPwEH-YeE4l_S2x-nP2-eC1LozXXqA3hOAlyTTAaHlIhuwhemO9u0VJ8qd3UA9uil3FQRkRaxu/s1600/shirataki.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wow, it's taken me a long time to figure out what to write about this except for DON'T DO IT!! Now, I want everyone to try it and use my advice...<br />
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With the United States so concerned about diet and carbs and this and that, there are so many products available that claim to be delicious like pasta! Gluten free this, low carb that....Well, please follow my advice and don't waste your time or money on any of those products. The sad truth is, nothing can compare to good ol pasta. Or can it....?<br />
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Back in the early 2000s I found this miracle pasta, bin after bin of this strange reddish brown stuff claiming to be edible. Since this was before we had too much information on the internet, I had no way of researching this stuff, and since it was so low carb EVERY ONE was going to find out about it and buy it, especially at 50 cents a lb right? Well, there was a good reason that case after case was sitting there unsold at a national liquidation store. Not because the store was in a strange location, but because that pasta was down right the most disgusting thing I have ever put in my mouth, and I am so sorry for any of those whom I may have fed it to.<br />
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This reddish brown, inedible pasta shaped crap tasted and felt nothing like pasta. Even 10 years later I am still haunted by it. While I was so excited that I found it, after spending $20 on (you do the math) x packages, I was so livid with myself...what was I going to do with the rest? I had to throw it away, its not even something that you could donate.<br />
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I tried cooking it for HOURS, it was still hard and tasted horrid. I tried dousing it in cheese and butter. Nope, just wasted some good cheese on that. Never ever ever again! So for the next 12 years I continued to eat regular pasta, high fiber pasta, rice pasta, spelt pasta...you name it pasta!<br />
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One day while browsing a large local Asian market, I stumbled upon some refrigerated noodles packed in water. I had briefly heard about them before and at $1.29 a package I figured I'd try some. I got two shapes, one angel hair and one butterfly. I brought them home and researched and found out that these aren't all that new and have been around in Asian cuisine for thousands of years, and made from the Konjac or Konnyaku plant root. If you've ever heard of the "rotting corpse plant" its pretty similar to that...makes you want to try it now huh, but very interesting looking plant!<br />
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Not only are these noodles low in everything bad and high in everything good, there is an abundance of glucomannan in the konjac plant that is supposedly helpful with weight loss. Read all about Konjac <a href="http://www.konjacfoods.com/index.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE!</a> <br />
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<b>First thought: </b>ugh, these noodles never get soft and kind of smell fishy! WASH THEM IN HOT WATER and don't sniff them!<br />
<b>Second thought: </b>these are no substitute for pasta, but are excellent in Asian cooking!<br />
<b>Third thought: </b>a whole package has something like 10-50 calories (depends on the brand, and DON'T Trust Asian packaging to tell the truth), a lot of fiber and almost zero carbs.<br />
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Next, which kind to buy? Like I said, the straight up konnyaku are semi crunchy and really can't be used as spaghetti or anything similar. They would be excellent in soups and stir fries though and soak up the flavors in your dish wonderfully. I also recently read that you can soften then noodle by dry frying it in a pan for a couple of minutes. I haven't done this yet. I mentioned I bought butterfly shape...it was the second most disgusting thing I put in my mouth...the texture was just....bad. Too thick of a noodle to do with anything. It wasn't even good in soup!<br />
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There was also another kind, which was speckled with seaweed flakes. I just tried these today and they were slightly softer and virtually no nutrition at all, a few calories and a lot of fiber. Bland and not bad, but there are better brands.<br />
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But the overall winner are the Shirataki brand tofu noodles. I am not a fan of Hungry Girl, but the package with her on it is the one you should get. The calories are slightly higher, the carbs are about 6 per package and I honestly think you can EASILY substitute this product for pasta. Again, DON'T smell these noodles right out of the package! Boil for about a minute after rinsing and then enjoy.<br />
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I usually eat the whole package, its something like 40 calories, 1g fat, 6 g carb and 4 g fiber that makes this brand the overall winner!<br />
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Stay tuned for some recipes using House Foods Shirataki Tofu Noodles (and don't be afraid of the word tofu! It makes the noodle soft).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA95Ihgy3GbNSR6zt3No4aebqBGKCpTAtSQ_7kz133EzFmf08HaZnOb1vvzsvz5NPzZ5OIOKkiv1tkSeP0FjIGS935V7NwLaQT0GTI8y0dHy5j-6ZNJ8GLc-eynECetUOFSpsP56zPp1eK/s1600/shirataki+nutrition+label.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA95Ihgy3GbNSR6zt3No4aebqBGKCpTAtSQ_7kz133EzFmf08HaZnOb1vvzsvz5NPzZ5OIOKkiv1tkSeP0FjIGS935V7NwLaQT0GTI8y0dHy5j-6ZNJ8GLc-eynECetUOFSpsP56zPp1eK/s1600/shirataki+nutrition+label.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">konnyaku fiber choice (left), Shirataki Yam noodle (top), House Foods Shirataki (bottom)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-76819959255737967422013-11-11T19:43:00.001-05:002013-11-11T19:43:18.592-05:00Easy Thai Dipping SauceThis is a simple recipe for Thai dipping sauce to be used with egg rolls, won tons or any kind of dippable food! I usually use this as a baking sauce with fish, add a little dill and voila!<br />
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For my DFL friends, this is friendly by using arrowroot as a thickener and unprocessed sugar.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh665kvgxfp0IuQ-jk-vpYeunorFnmVfKZvtV-kesQMV2w-Y0F8khLWVF0PaXFM1IHJ8pTGxx-UpgcHR56eHBWppNgKknukQqbo5OqI5Ed5_lJ6EQt7xGCS721szLEeUxs-tQIJVHOKDd5/s1600/thai+sauce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh665kvgxfp0IuQ-jk-vpYeunorFnmVfKZvtV-kesQMV2w-Y0F8khLWVF0PaXFM1IHJ8pTGxx-UpgcHR56eHBWppNgKknukQqbo5OqI5Ed5_lJ6EQt7xGCS721szLEeUxs-tQIJVHOKDd5/s320/thai+sauce.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
1/4 cup water<br />
1/4 cup white vinegar<br />
1 tbsp fish/oyster sauce<br />
1 tbsp chopped garlic<br />
1 tsp chili-garlic paste <br />
t bsp arrow root<br />
half a lime<br />
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Mix everything together in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and add about 1 tbsp arrow root to thicken. Let cool. Store in a jar for a couple weeks in the fridge!DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-41323260598938671672013-11-11T19:37:00.002-05:002014-07-30T23:20:38.441-04:00Tilapia With Thai Dill Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq_a385_5urAM9j2uzMEyvenfVZzayp7nnk8ux4Bl0i7ii1n8TIe5haPlx7vpAbX9QeNhOkUwTeR7c1iuglCdneIwZLdi4DAGus2-n3h7sAjhHSTnCmNFkqljJX5PpAtPVK9S4eeH-aMg/s1600/tilapia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq_a385_5urAM9j2uzMEyvenfVZzayp7nnk8ux4Bl0i7ii1n8TIe5haPlx7vpAbX9QeNhOkUwTeR7c1iuglCdneIwZLdi4DAGus2-n3h7sAjhHSTnCmNFkqljJX5PpAtPVK9S4eeH-aMg/s320/tilapia.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Boy has it been a while! Lots of things have happened in the past year...including this recipe! Well, actually, I've got two recipes. The first one is an amazing toaster oven baked fish in a thai dipping sauce with dill. Wait what?!<br />
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Yeah, you know when summer is really hot and humid and you don't want to turn on the big oven? Well, this works amazingly in the toaster oven on 350F! Well, its November now, so I could use the extra heat, but I am still cooking this in the teeny oven.<br />
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I visited a friend of mine last year in Montreal, and this is actually his recipe used on trout, except, he didn't make the thai dipping sauce from scratch which is perfectly ok, if you can find it. The sauce is sweet, tangy and slightly spicy and when you add fresh chopped dill to it, it somehow pops to life with tons of flavor!<br />
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So here it is!<br />
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4 Tilapia fillets (can use salmon, trout or whatever you like)<br />
1/3 cup Thai dipping sauce<br />
Chopped fresh dill<br />
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Easy right?<br />
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Line your toaster oven pan with foil, place the fillets on it and pour the sauce over fillets. Sprinkle with dill and pop into the toaster oven for about 20 minutes on 350F.<br />
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Done!DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-72435421896260551602012-04-12T20:49:00.000-04:002012-04-12T20:49:22.167-04:00Chinese Spicy Chicken & Broccoli = EASYLast week I really wanted chinese food. Like, really wanted it, but I didn't want to pay for it, go figure, nor did I want the extra fat and sodium. Sometimes I think though, how much extra fat is added to something so simple like spicy chicken with broccoli? Well, it really depends, a lot of restaurants squirt or ladle (yes, LADLE) in some oil in their wok for stir frying. I didn't add quite as much.<br />
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So again, as we know I am following Diet Free Life www.dietfreelife.com and this meal would be perfect for those of you who are also following it. Just keep an eye on the sodium and you may want to switch out the corn starch. I only use corn starch because I like its thickening power more than arrow root. Also, I wonder how potato starch fares on DFL?<br />
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Anyways, here is the recipe and all you need to know is its EASY. Oh, one thing, it might be easier to thinly slice your meat while it is just slightly frozen and firm. You can use a cut of beef as well, or even shrimp, yum!<br />
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12 oz boneless chicken breast, sliced thin<br />
1 tbsp oyster sauce<br />
2 tbsp dark soy sauce (low sodium) or just use regular low sodium if you can't find dark<br />
1 tbsp grapeseed oil<br />
3-4 cloves chopped garlic<br />
2 tsp freshly grated ginger<br />
1 large onion, sliced into rings<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
1 tsp black pepper<br />
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper<br />
1 heard of broccoli, cut into smallish pieces<br />
1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water mixed<br />
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In a bowl, combine chicken soy sauce and oyster sauce. Let sit for about 20 minutes. In the mean time, slice the onion, broccoli and garlic and grate the ginger.<br />
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Heat the oil in a large skillet. If you have a wok great! I had to use my paella pan for this. Saute onion for a minute or two, then add garlic and ginger. You want to make sure the garlic doesn't burn, blah! Add the peppers and stir.<br />
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Add the chicken and let it lightly brown, its ok if it leaves a little something on the bottom of the pan. This will make a nice gravy. Add broccoli and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the water now, you may need more, try using 1 cup and scrape the lovely off the bottom of the pan and cover for a minute until broccoli cooks a little more.<br />
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At the very end, add the cornstarch slurry and mix until thick.<br />
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I ate this with brown rice and it was delicious!DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-29266007998877859282012-04-10T21:02:00.000-04:002012-04-10T21:02:51.449-04:00Delicious Cheesecake. Oh and its Low Fat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2c8rb2744fUFBGRWd-YTE22_25aXofQWsDY81TP4HbFH_XZ2RNrcKVrhpxnSS4zJnC-QgkU2Om82IiRVUDX9PUZ9Kx-WbK9rE4lb5mJgaiY8yD9PiwHrckwEkhEMnEaplfu85KfGTh4w/s1600/low+fat+cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2c8rb2744fUFBGRWd-YTE22_25aXofQWsDY81TP4HbFH_XZ2RNrcKVrhpxnSS4zJnC-QgkU2Om82IiRVUDX9PUZ9Kx-WbK9rE4lb5mJgaiY8yD9PiwHrckwEkhEMnEaplfu85KfGTh4w/s320/low+fat+cheesecake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Way back in the day I found this recipe, it actually came from Stoneyfield farms, but over the years I've made slight changes that really make this cheesecake smooth, rich, creamy and LOW FAT! How you ask?<br />
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Read on...<br />
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The secret ingredient is yogurt, and now that Greek yogurt is so popular I use this instead of regular plain yogurt, it definitely speeds up the draining process. Actually, it doesn't even have to be plain, you can use flavors to flavor your cheesecake if you wish, just keep in mind that you will need less sugar than the recipe calls for.<br />
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This also is a Diet Free Life friendly recipe, so DFL friends if you find yourself really wanting a rich and creamy dessert that is friendly and under your snack calorie allotment, then try this!<br />
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Lastly, you will love hearing people say "Oh I couldn't possibly eat that, its so high fat" and then telling them that they couldn't be more wrong, they still don't believe it! So here is the recipe, you can make it with or without the crust.<br />
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<u>Crust</u><br />
1.5 sleeves graham crackers broken into pieces<br />
1 tbsp organic sugar (use white if its all you have)<br />
3-4 tbsp smart balance light butter (or regular butter if you must)<br />
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Blend the graham crackers in a food processor until there are no more large pieces. Melt the butter and add to the cracker meal with the sugar. The cracker should form a crumbly moist but not wet ball. Put this in a lightly sprayed spring form pan and press along the sides. I think I used a 9 or 10 inch pan, not sure but will double check later.<br />
Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes.<br />
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<u>Cheesecake Filling</u><br />
1 Large container of fat free Greek Yogurt<br />
3 8oz packages of light cream cheese (neufchatel) or you can even use some fat free too<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 tbsp all purpose flour<br />
4 egg whites or 1 cup egg substitute<br />
2 tsp Vanilla (or you can use lemon juice and a little finely chopped rind YUM)<br />
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This part is a little tricky, you need cheese cloth which you can find at the grocery store. If not using greek yogurt you HAVE to do this or the results will be too watery. Layer a few pieces of cloth and plop the yogurt in the middle, pull up the sides of the cloth and lightly twist, you will see the whey drain out. Let it drain for a few hours and your result is yogurt cheese. I did this for 30 mins with Greek yogurt and not much whey came out, so yay.<br />
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Preheat over to 300F and bring some water to a boil. Once your water is boiled add about an inch to an oven proof dish and place in the oven. The cheesecake needs the moisture in the oven so it doesn't crack (it may still crack).<br />
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In a mixing bowl add cream cheese and sugar, cream together. Lightly fold in yogurt, flour, vanilla and egg whites.<br />
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Pour filling onto the crust, bake for an hour at 300F. After an hour, shut the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool with the door ajar. Chill for a couple hours before serving, I usually make this the night before and it comes out amaaaaazing!<br />
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I wish I had a better photo to show you how awesome this low fat cheesecake really is, but this one will do!DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-49333879175453577352012-03-18T21:52:00.000-04:002012-03-18T21:52:12.918-04:00Irish Cabbage Can Be Delicious!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciufMHVhAmeov7qZHWAc0nEJc2Zg4j-9PJ1OpJz8KDWw6KvBD7j1eiaj1UkHHRnS7itZWEnOcW6NqYb2epKuZKVThPybTHz4UCHQ3n6O1FcMXaLD3fBTSJxxVdfrj9XqDr8jplmYUlpcj/s1600/cabbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciufMHVhAmeov7qZHWAc0nEJc2Zg4j-9PJ1OpJz8KDWw6KvBD7j1eiaj1UkHHRnS7itZWEnOcW6NqYb2epKuZKVThPybTHz4UCHQ3n6O1FcMXaLD3fBTSJxxVdfrj9XqDr8jplmYUlpcj/s320/cabbage.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
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I was looking for a decent cabbage recipe, I mean, cabbage is cabbage. Its not the most glamorous vegetable, but it can be quite delicious. Let me just say that I love cole slaw, like..a lot. Love it. I judge restaurants based on their cole slaw, but I just wasn't feeling it tonight as I had it twice the past week.<br />
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This recipe I found has a bit of everything, saltiness from the bacon, sweetness from the cabbage and richness from the butter. Also, you will see some dark green in the photo, that is kale which I had found in my freezer, but you certainly don't have to add it if you don't want to or have it. I just happened to have some so I threw it in and it was pretty good!<br />
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<table class="posts" id="posts" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px; width: 1679px;"><tbody>
<tr class=" selected"><td class="title" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; vertical-align: top; width: 1201px;"><div class="postContents" style="margin-left: 23px;"><div class="entirePost" style="display: inline;">Irish Cabbage<br />
1 medium cabbage, quartered and core removed<br />
2 slices of lean bacon<br />
2 tbsp melted butter (or smart balance light)<br />
1 tsp of nutmeg<br />
drizzle of vinegar<br />
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1. Boil the cabbage in water for about 10-15 minutes.<br />
2. Fry the bacon, remove from fat and cut into bits.<br />
3. Place the cooked cabbage in a oven safe dish, drizzle with melted butter, top with bacon and nutmeg.<br />
4. Broil for 5-7 minutes.<br />
5. Just before serving add a splash of vinegar to your liking.</div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-48678934310775950902012-03-18T21:07:00.001-04:002012-03-18T21:24:43.858-04:00Sausage Sunday! Bangers and Mash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOFsp37zETheNOuxJ_AD4SsnAnfVPKLjftE62s202iAkPegWTjRedhRTGuZ_ZXZa4LuSd_jqLhZaxw2IRJopuPXHqIyYtsSZCC8goZ3j0t_JK4HcUXtmORMbuun2YCbw0W8l5b4hPwlfc/s1600/bangers+mash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOFsp37zETheNOuxJ_AD4SsnAnfVPKLjftE62s202iAkPegWTjRedhRTGuZ_ZXZa4LuSd_jqLhZaxw2IRJopuPXHqIyYtsSZCC8goZ3j0t_JK4HcUXtmORMbuun2YCbw0W8l5b4hPwlfc/s320/bangers+mash.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>Wow, I cannot believe how long it has been since I've written. I've been pretty busy and just haven't had the energy to write anything so here it is! Yesterday was St. Patrick's day, as we know, I am not a lick of Irish, not even a little, but that doesn't mean I can't sort of celebrate with great food, right? Also, I've been following a great program called <a href="http://www.dietfreelife.com/" target="_blank">Diet Free Life</a> (you can thank me for your inbound link later hehe), which has helped me to lose close to 25 lbs in two months (fluctuating the past 2 weeks ugh). The reason for this little ad is because the meal I ate is a complete meal which is pretty close to DFL compliant, with just a few tweaks here and there you can have a very compliant meal!<br />
<br />
I went to my sausage go to place, Karl's, on rt 1. I actually didn't go there with bangers on the mind but I saw them, freshly made, lovely bangers just asking me to take them home. So, I did! These bangers a bit spicy with a touch of nutmeg and are very delicious, especially when served with pan gravy which I am a big fan of.<br />
<br />
So I guess the only recipe you need now is for the mash, or mashed potatoes. Actually, you don't even need that, just use your own favorite recipe! Ok ok, I will post the one I used:<br />
<br />
<u>Mashed Potato</u><br />
3 large potatoes peeled and cubed<br />
1 tbsp smart balance light (or butter)<br />
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
chicken stock (I love Trader Joes low sodium!)<br />
Freshly ground pepper<br />
<br />
1. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until soft, usually about 10-15 mins<br />
2. Begin to pan fry your sausages<br />
3. In a bowl, combine the butter and greek yogurt, add potatoes and mash. It will be a bit dry now, so start adding the stock a little at a time. Some people like chunky potatoes, but I like them mostly creamy, so a little extra stock helps with the creaminess factor. Yum, set aside!<br />
<br />
<u>Pan Gravy</u><br />
1 tbsp flour<br />
a little fat to start the roux, use whatever you want<br />
<br />
1. Remove sausages from the pan.<br />
2. Add the fat and flour. Whisk<br />
3. Add a little bit of stock while whisking to avoid clumping (this is my trick. I use mostly stock to create a roux rather than mostly fat)<br />
4. Once the flour has cooked for a minute, add about a a cup and a half of stock, and keep whisking up the caramelized sausage off the bottom of the pan and watch the magic happen as it thickens!<br />
<br />
And lastly, you need a vegetable to complete the meal. I found a great Irish recipe for cabbage. I will post it here as well as make a new post for it as well. If you like cabbage, then you will like this.<br />
<br />
<u>Irish Cabbage</u><br />
1 medium cabbage, quartered and core removed<br />
2 slices of lean bacon<br />
2 tbsp melted butter (or smart balance light)<br />
pinch of nutmeg<br />
drizzle of vinegar<br />
<br />
1. Boil the cabbage in water for about 10-15 minutes.<br />
2. Fry the bacon, remove from fat and cut into bits.<br />
3. Place the cooked cabbage in a oven safe dish, drizzle with melted butter, top with bacon and nutmeg.<br />
4. Broil for 5-7 minutes.<br />
5. Just before serving add a splash of vinegar to your liking.<br />
<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, I wasn't really even planning it but it all came together nicely!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
(I left my laptop open when I went to get some water and one of my kitties stepped on it and left me this message, I found it to be very fitting so I am leaving it!)<br />
.......<br />
NMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMDGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1095570350142925842.post-34052837321630570742012-02-07T20:11:00.000-05:002012-02-07T20:11:17.806-05:00Petits Fours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HE_6wfP3_CLfrXQdhD6bPhyYPN3FuBIoj0Px-w4min1IJkyMAKA7LMFsAOxUUvdRRsoqWgSIR-NwvWAtZAyHKdtBGIl1V9TyZ2xkQtjiWM7w-kXJ66oGXc1q9t-m5rbY6EOCy5krf2ls/s1600/petits+fours+unglazed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HE_6wfP3_CLfrXQdhD6bPhyYPN3FuBIoj0Px-w4min1IJkyMAKA7LMFsAOxUUvdRRsoqWgSIR-NwvWAtZAyHKdtBGIl1V9TyZ2xkQtjiWM7w-kXJ66oGXc1q9t-m5rbY6EOCy5krf2ls/s320/petits+fours+unglazed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With Valentines Day just around the corner, what better way to surprise your loved one with something home made and from the heart? These were surprisingly easy to make, a bit time consuming but they were not difficult. I made them for the first time this past weekend for my mom's birthday. We didn't want a cake and especially not a store bought cake either so I decided to try something new. Petits Fours! What is a petit four? Its a small, bite sized confection, in this case, a small cake layered with fruit jam and then covered with a sugar glaze or fondant.<br />
<br />
If you are 100% prepared, then this might not be as time consuming as it was for me, I made the <a href="http://daniscooking.blogspot.com/2012/02/almond-paste-for-pastries-desserts.html" target="_blank">almond paste </a>from scratch as well as the <a href="http://daniscooking.blogspot.com/2012/02/frangipane.html" target="_blank">frangipane cake</a>, which is the traditional cake for this nice little dessert.<br />
<br />
You will need one recipe of cake or you could always just make or buy a different kind of cake as long as you can cut it without crumbling too much. If the cake is dry, brush on some fruit liquer or melted jam (or both!).<br />
<br />
You will also need a fruit jam of your choice or you could make butter cream layers. I used raspberry and apricot jam since the cake was pretty rich.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wKHX6160O2Qvf7hxrPuacokfGUC3e_b7oQJ75vipUSIMO4IsVBg2738Goop3bpIstSoSaHMF_4b5hD5mmMz9Rv_CVeyYW6WkMaG6oQAaOULThGiSyUvMUDo6wcyx-_YbjERdgppanrGx/s1600/frangipane+cake+squares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wKHX6160O2Qvf7hxrPuacokfGUC3e_b7oQJ75vipUSIMO4IsVBg2738Goop3bpIstSoSaHMF_4b5hD5mmMz9Rv_CVeyYW6WkMaG6oQAaOULThGiSyUvMUDo6wcyx-_YbjERdgppanrGx/s200/frangipane+cake+squares.jpg" width="119" /></a>Step 1. Determine the size petit fours you want. I think mine were about a square inch. I cut the first row, and then used that row as a pattern to make even squares across the rest of the cake.<br />
<br />
<br />
Step 2: Look through your squares. If any of them are thick enough to be split, I say go ahead and split them to thin out the cake. It will be nice to have a couple triple petits fours (wow so many numbers in that sentence!)<br />
<br />
Step 3: Start spreading the jam! Don't put too much or it will ooze out of the sides, and don't do too little, you want to be able to taste the fruit! Top the jammed cake with another cake and voila, you have a double layer petit four, or if you want to make a triple layer, try using two different fruit jams.<br />
<br />
Step 4: Once you have all of your petits fours ready, get your glaze going. Here is the recipe I used:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHVw9PNYgqPzWK3A5Vi5NsHdvy6hfGtqDtZun6M-I7iJYhV0ozzTwYXyocYsMzM0AEiz_okLb188bwQOcmmUfWBldZxTZt1ckWl1CCccYwImhQgpFYhYRuOzIZpSfUZ2RtDFyOe457h9W/s1600/galzed+petits+fours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">6 cups confectioners sugar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1/2 cup water</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">2 tbsp light corn syrup</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 tsp almond extract (or any kind you like)</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I</span>n a saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a temperature of 92 F, I think mine went a little higher but it was fine. Mixture should be thin enough to pour, but thick enough to coat . Stir in the almond extract.</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Step 6: Place a petit four on a fork, hold it over your glaze pot and with a spoon, spoon the glaze over the cake making sure that all sides have been covered. Allow the excess to drop off and then place on a cooling rack to dry.</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHVw9PNYgqPzWK3A5Vi5NsHdvy6hfGtqDtZun6M-I7iJYhV0ozzTwYXyocYsMzM0AEiz_okLb188bwQOcmmUfWBldZxTZt1ckWl1CCccYwImhQgpFYhYRuOzIZpSfUZ2RtDFyOe457h9W/s1600/galzed+petits+fours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHVw9PNYgqPzWK3A5Vi5NsHdvy6hfGtqDtZun6M-I7iJYhV0ozzTwYXyocYsMzM0AEiz_okLb188bwQOcmmUfWBldZxTZt1ckWl1CCccYwImhQgpFYhYRuOzIZpSfUZ2RtDFyOe457h9W/s320/galzed+petits+fours.jpg" width="320" /></a></span> </li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Step 7: Once the petit fours are dry, you can decorate them any way you would like, or if you are using stick on decorations, be sure to stick them to the fondant glaze while still wet to ensure that the decorations stay.</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Use your imagination as well as what you have in your cupboard, you would be surprised at the amount of combinations and flavors you can come up with! </li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Lastly...Enjoy!</li>
</span></ul>DGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04744613127595688987noreply@blogger.com0