Cooking With Angel

A different twist on a Tuna Casserole

2009-03-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

You can't go wrong with crispy-fried bacon and butter. Oh come on, you could use Smart Balance and Turkey bacon if you wanted to...this has tuna (good for you)...clams (also good for you)...garlic (good for your heart)...etc. Once you fry the bacon and boil the pasta you're minutes from dinner!

Mediterranean Pasta

1 lb. lean bacon
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 (7.5 oz.) cans chopped clams with liquid
1½ cups canned pitted and sliced black olives
½ cup butter
1 (12 oz.) pkg. noodles, cooked and drained
1 (7 oz.) can solid pack tuna, drained and chunked
¼ cup chopped parsley
Lemon wedges

Cut bacon into ½ inch pieces and sauté over low heat until crisp. Pour off all but ¼ cup drippings. Add garlic, clams, and olives, simmer for 5 minutes. Melt butter and pour into clam mixture. In a large bowl, place cooked noodles, clam mixture, tuna and parsley. Toss and serve with lemon wedges. (use linguini, vermicelli, etc.)

Here's another delicious recipe!

2009-03-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hi my fellow foodies!

Today on Good Things Utah I made a delicious Sausage Bread and since it's easy to make and afford, it qualifies for my:

Ingredients:

1 frozen bread dough
¾-1 lb. of Italian sausage
½ medium onion, diced
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, cooked as directed & squeezed dry
2 eggs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Roll out thawed bread dough into a large rectangle; cover and set aside. Brown sausage with onion, drain well. Add squeezed spinach and transfer entire mixture to large bowl. Mix in eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread sausage mixture onto rolled out dough and roll up like a jelly roll. Place in greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

This is really fabulous...and it's a meal in itself. Serve with marinara sauce or with a side salad. You could also add in some toasted pine nuts, chopped and sauteed mushrooms or spice it up a bit more with some cayenne or added Italian Seasoning.

Plus....once you've browned the Italian sausage and onions..it's only 30 minutes to the table!

Love you guys and let me know how you like it,

Angel

Are you kidding me?

2009-02-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been since before Valentines Day that I've posted something fun for you! I've been Facebooking, cleaning the garage, finishing up my dessert cookbook and playing with my puppy (when it's not snowing!)
This morning on Good Things Utah, I made Dark Chocolate Cake Bon-Bons - you can get the recipe by going to www.abc4.com and click on Good Things Utah. Right now it's at the top of the "Most Favorite" category on the main page. All it is is a dark chocolate cake mix and some frosting...plus whatever you'd like to roll your bon-bons in, i.e. chocolate sprinkles, cocoa, cinnamon, etc. No matter who makes them, they love them so please put this recipe on your "gotta do" list.
I promised cooking tips each month so, here are my February submissions. I hope they help you be more comfortable in your own kitchen - in the meantime just remember we're officially less than a month away from Spring!!!!

1. Place a rubber mat or a wet dish towel underneath your cutting board to help keep it from
slipping.

2. Tired of lumps in your hot cocoa? Once your powdered cocoa is in a bowl put just enough
water or milk in and mix to make a paste. Now you can gradually add the remaining liquid
and live lump-free!

3. Does your recipe call for cake flour? Remove 2 tablespoons from 1 cup of all-purpose flour
and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch; sift it to make sure it's well blended.

4. Use dental floss to cut any pastry roll type dish, i.e. cinnamon rolls, pizza rolls, etc. A knife
tends to crush the roll while dental floss easily cuts through the dough.

5. Grilling season will be here before you know it - when I'm making ka-bobs I always use metal
skewers to avoid the pre-soak that wooden skewers require. Make sure to lightly oil them
before sliding on the meat or veggies - it will help stop foods from sticking to the skewers.

6. Stop the bottom of ice cream cones from getting soggy by dropping in a mini marshmallow or
an upside down chocolate kiss. Not only will it stop the drips, it's an extra treat when the ice
cream's all gone!

7. If you're working with a recipe that's not in a cookbook...maybe you printed it off a website or
cut it out of a magazine...place it inside a large resealable plastic bag to protect it from
splatters.

8. People ask me how I keep track of all the recipes that I have...what works works best for me
is to purchase an accordian file and rename the tabs to reflect what kind of recipe you're
storing. I now have one for desserts, one for main dishes and one for side dishes....plus an
extra misc. accordian file. It's made a big difference when I'm tracking down a specific recipe.

Coming to www.cookingwithangel.com in March...a series of Basic Cooking Tip Webisodes like how to seed avocadoes or segment citrus or how to seed tomatoes and green peppers. I taped them at Western Gardens, Ben Cook shot and edited them, and I hope you'll let me know what you think. I plan on creating an entire library of "did you know" type webisodes to help new cooks learn and remind "seasoned" cooks what they may have forgotten!

Have a wonderful week and, as always, I look forward to hearing from you,
Angel

Valentines Day Eve

2009-02-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

This year, Valentines Day is on Saturday. Most husbands, if they know what's good for them, take their wives out to dinner...so make those reservations and start the entire "Weekend of Love" Friday night with a Super Supper for your Sweetheart!

You can make both the soup and the strawberry mousse in advance and save yourself some time. He'll feel so special after this meal, you may get a new pair of earrings along with your Saturday night out! Enjoy!

Start with Renee's Shrimp Cocktail Soup:

2 bottles of Clamato Juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup Valentina Picante Sauce
1 Tablespoon celery salt
Juice of 4-6 limes (about 1/3 cup)
3-5 Serrano peppers, cut into rings (be careful!)
One medium onion, diced
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 medium bunches cilantro, finely chopped
6 avocados cut into small pieces
2 lbs. cooked, deveined, peeled shrimp

In a large bowl, pour all of the Clamato Juice, ketchup and picante sauce; stir well. Add celery salt, lime juice, sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes and cilantro; stir well. Gently stir in avocados and shrimp. Cover and keep in fridge.

Next up? My Crispy Pancetta Chicken with Rice

2 lbs. chicken breasts
1 t. thyme
2 t. rosemary
½ t. salt
1 T. Lemon Pepper
2 cups broth
6 oz. pancetta
1 cup diced onions
1 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes
3 T. cornstarch
Shredded Mozzarella

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss chicken breasts in herb mixture of thyme, rosemary, salt and lemon pepper. Pour chicken broth into bottom of pan and insert steamer rack. Place prepared chicken on rack; cover and steam for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
While chicken is steaming, chop up pancetta and small dice onions. Sauté pancetta in large skillet until slightly crispy, add onions and continue to sauté until onions are softened and pancetta is very crispy. Remove from heat. Toss in chopped tomato last. Remove chicken from steaming rack and keep warm. Thicken remaining pan broth/juices with cornstarch; strain.
Serving Suggestions:
· Drizzle thickened pan juices over white rice
· Place steamed chicken on prepared rice
· Top with crispy pancetta mixture
· Drizzle again with thickened pan juices
· Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella

...and for dessert? Strawberry Mousse!

1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 enveloped unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon cold water

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed

2 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 cup heavy cream

Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water. Dissolve unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water. Puree frozen strawberries in blender. Add gelatin mixtures and sugar to the frozen strawberries and blend again. Add ice cream and cream, blending well. Pour into a wet 6 cup ring mold and freeze. To serve, unmold and let defrost for 15 minutes. Fill center with whipped cream if desired.

Peace and Budgeteria

2009-01-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

I just got back from leading a 90 minute Tranquility Retreat for Associated Retail Stores' Annual Conference. It's so rewarding to be able to help provide anti-stress tools to everyone in attendance. Today we talked about teenagers, old life wounds and Soul Soup! If you're interested in having a Tranquility Retreat for you and your friends...please let me know and we'll go from there.

Let's not stress about dinner! Here's another special from my

Garlic Lime Chicken

This is a quick 40 minute supper with hardly any "watch over" time!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

Mix soy sauce, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and mustard together. Marinate chicken in mixture for 30 minutes; remove and sprinkle with pepper.

Heat frying pan to medium, drizzle with olive oil or spray with oil and saute chicken for about 6 minutes per side or until juices run clear.

Serve with:

Rice pilaf (or other Rice-A-Roni boxed mix)

Steamer Vegetables

....or as a sandwich with a little hot mustard mixed in with mayo, cole slaw (instead of lettuce), and a quick rice salad

....also delicious chopped or shredded and served mixed with a little pasta and drizzled with Soy Sauce. Makes kind of an Asian Spaghetti...chop up some green onion and sprinkle on top

Enjoy!

Hugs,

Angel

Announcing Budgeteria

2009-01-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

Since we're all trying to be so conscious of our grocery spending...I thought I'd open the doors on my own place. Welcome to The

I'll be posting smart recipes that will be very budget-friendly and here's the first one!

Crock Pot Pork Chops

1 (6 oz.) package stuffing mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 teaspoon curry powder

6 pork chops

Mix stuffing as directed on package. Put half the stuffing in a lightly greased crockpot. Spoon 1/2 can of mushroom soup over stuffing; sprinkle with curry powder and place pork chops on top. Spoon remaining stuffing over chops; add remaining soup. Cook 8-10 hours on low in crockpot.

Complete the meal options:

Pork gravy

canned green beans or yams

mashed potatoes

green salad

It's super-easy and chances are you've had something like this before, however having the crockpot do all the work for you is fabulous and the house smells so good when you walk in the door after a long day.

I hope you like my Budgeteria...and look for more penny-pinching recipes coming your way in the future.

Angel

Cooking Tips #1

2009-01-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first in a series of monthly cooking tips here on my blog. You'd be surprised how many questions I get asked on a regular basis. How do I chop an onion quickly, when should I use sweet cream vs unsalted butter, how do I section out an orange..etc. Within the next 4-6 weeks I'll be doing a series of basic cooking tip webisodes. You'll be able to watch those at www.cookingwithangel.com.
In the meantime...here are some fun "Did You Know" fast facts about food:

* If you have leftover whipped cream, dollop it onto a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen put the dollops into a big resealable plastic bag and you'll have a quick topper for Hot Cocoa or maybe an Apple Crisp

* You can mellow out the flavor of fresh garlic cloves by peeling and simmering in a small saucepan...just for about 3-5 minutes. I store any garlic I've prepared like this in a small container drizzled with a little bit of olive oil. Don't leave it on the counter...just pop it in the refrigerator. It holds this way for about 2 weeks.

* Glass containers conduct more heat so if you can remember to reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees it'll offset that especially when your making baked goods like cookies or cakes. Most recipes don't account for the difference between glass and metal pans

* Half the peanuts grown in the United States are used to make peanut butter

* Word has it that storing plastic wrap in the freezer will stop it from sticking to itself...however I never have enough room in my freezer to test this out!

* You'll get more volume out of egg whites if you beat them at room temperature...however heavy cream should always be as cold as possible before beating

Okay...there's half a dozen for you. Have a great weekend and on Monday, I'll be making a recipe for Shrimp Cocktail Soup on ABC4's Good Things Utah. It's from Renee...one of my Facebook Friends!

Watch Out Vanna!

2009-01-12T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hello again....just getting ready to sit down for dinner but first, I wanted to let you know how awesome the weekend Home Show turned out. Once again I am amazed at how wonderful people are and how much we all can work together. I had 20-30 people in each "class" and before I knew it, we were all sharing great ways to save on our grocery budget and sharing "Mom" memories. Here's a couple of photos with me pretending to be Vanna White.

Tomorrow, one of my best friends at work, Jim, and his wife Nancy are having a baby girl. They already have enough boys! I send them love and light, hopes and dreams for their new addition.

By the way...I have a Facebook page now so...if you'd like to join in, I'd love to have you. Look for a blog update by the end of the week with a whole bunch of "Quick Tips" I've been collecting especially for you!

Hugs,

Angel

Hope to see you at the Home Show

2009-01-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the big Home Show at South Towne Expo Center....you know, the one where everyone looks around and finds lots of "honey-do"s! I'll be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday with some tips on how to be a better grocery shopper, how to save time on meal prep and how to banish "food stress" forever!

Would love to see you there - we'll have fun and laugh at ourselves I promise. My times are:
Friday - 2p/6p
Saturday - 11a/4p
Sunday - 2p/4p

I have a pretty extensive handout for everyone that attends that includes all kinds of info and even a couple of recipes.

Hope to meet you over the weekend!
Angel

2009-01-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Before I put away my Christmas Tree and ornaments, I wanted to share this very special gift. Suzi is a Good Things Utah viewer and took the time to custom-make a little ornament for each of us GTU girls.

I absolutely love this...the apron, the whisk, the STICK OF BUTTER! Thank you so much Suzi and it's going into my special ornament box so that I can enjoy it year after year. If any of you are looking for a special gift I bet Suzi could fix you up. Her email address is: haleyshairblossoms@gmail.com

Here's to a wonderful 2009...and no matter what life throws at you, always remember you come equipped with all the tools you need to make the right choices at the right time. My New Year's Resolution is simply to be accepting of every moment, every day, in every way. Believe me, the older you get the more you'll realize how important living in allowance is....you just can't control everything no matter how hard you try, right?

Enjoy your New Year's Day!

Angel

Ahhhhh...That Feels Good!

2008-12-29T17:06:00.000-08:00

Happy after-Christmas everybody....and now a confession:
I've been collecting cookbooks for years now...and I've had up to 3,000 at one time. Yes, it's a sickness but I took the first step to recovery over our long holiday weekend. I spent hours deciding which ones to keep and which ones to donate. Believe it or not I now only have about 500. My cookbook library looks so empty and the ones that are left look lonely!
We're all singing "Simplify!" so I took it to heart. All those cookbooks were just making me feel guilty for not paying attention to them....or I had promised myself that I would go through them and clip out the recipes that I just had to keep (but it didn't get done).
As I left this morning, I looked back at the many, many grocery sacks full of cookbooks for one last goodbye. So long to all the casseroles and grill-out recipes, the appetizer and salad dressing recipes, the desserts, the dips, the salads and soups. I have to stop now because I'm feeling a little "Seussical".
I actually do feel a bit lighter...a little less responsible...a lot more grateful for the cookbooks that remain.

Until next time,
Angel

Buddy's First Snow!

2008-12-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

Let's Play!

Buddy got his first taste of Utah snow.....most of the photos I took were just a blur, but these 3 came out pretty good. I think the first one is at the end of play time...you can see the bewildered look on his face, like, "okay Mom, I'm done now & my paws are cold!"

Angel

Associated Food Stores Christmas Party

2008-12-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

I'm so lucky to work with AFS. What a nice group of people who show their appreciation and loyalty to their employees! As you know, that's hard to find these days so I am truly blessed to be part of this organization. Last weekend we had our annual Christmas party. Held in the morning at a local movie complex, it's designed so that employees can bring their children to play games and sit on Santa's lap...plus watch a movie of their choice. It was truly a party filled with laughter and holiday cheer...and I've brought along proof! Check out these photos of my friends and AFS Family.

Love,

Angel

Updated Website

2008-12-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't checked in since just before Thanksgiving! Time flys by this time of year doesn't it? We have one pathetic little string of Christmas lights in our front window and the rest of our decorations have been in a holding pattern on the back patio since last weekend! Oh well, I expect I'll get my little tree out, my kitty ornaments, my Santa Collection and more put up over the next few days.

In the meantime, my website is getting a facelift and it looks terrific thanks to some very talented people that I work with. Please visit it and let me know what you think at www.cookingwithangel.com. New logo, extras, links, etc....and I've been busy writing little descriptions of each recipe. Wow! I didn't know there were so many on the site! Anyway, it should be completed entirely by the first of the year and I hope you enjoy the new look.

Earlier this week I did another Macey's Little Theatre Cooking Class in Sandy. We made the Angel Food Pound Cake and the Sugared Fairy Pecans. The best part was the end since we decided to cut the cake into cubes, top it with ice cream and chocolate sauce and top it with the pecans. Delicious! You'll find both of those recipes in my Stick of Butter Cookbook, available through Barnes and Noble and Seagull Books as well as on www.amazon.com.

I hope you're taking care of yourself, staying out of stress and in the holiday spirit. Life can be so distracting but if you'll just remember to give yourself some quiet moments throughout the day, the payback will be huge. If we can't hear our own inner voice we certainly can't hear any Divine guidance, right? Our only job here is to live joyously....write that down and keep it close. In the middle of chaos, just remembering to live joyously will bring you peace and calm, giving you a new perspective on any situation.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll check back soon. By the way, I love your comments...they always make my day!
Angel

Update on my little Buddy

2008-11-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

I love my new puppy....although we've now taken to calling him "The Bud-monster" (which he seems to enjoy!). These were taken a few days ago when we were out for a walk. He's now 4 months old and is getting better at herding our cats every day!

Hope you enjoyed the new "baby pictures"!

Angel

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

2008-11-24T13:11:00.001-08:00

Wednesday morning you'll see ABC4's Nicea Degering and I walked through Dan's Foothill and talked about keeping our Thanksgiving meal out of the Danger Zone. Nobody wants to wind up sick from buffet food at Aunt Carol's house so, here's the list. One more tip I forgot to mention....have everyone bring their crockpot and keep your dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. safe and warm inside.

Thaw turkey in the fridge? Figure 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey
Thaw submerged in cold water? Change out the water every 30 minutes and a good measure is 1 pound for each half hour
Internal temperature of 180 degrees (measure in the innermost part of the thigh….we recommend roasting your bird at 325. Please use a meat thermometer even if you have a pop up timer…just a good safety precaution
If you stuff your turkey, make sure the dressing reaches 165 degrees. Some families don’t even stuff their bird anymore..and if you don’t…fill the cavity with chunks of onion, maybe big slices of oranges to help keep the turkey moist…oh & don’t forget to pull out the little packet of giblets!
How long can you leave your food out…for example on a buffet table? Bacteria likes to show up between 40 degrees and 140 degrees…keep cold foods cold, hot foods hot….room temperature is not your friend.
If you have leftovers, all of your hot foods like Gravy, vegetables, stuffing…reheat those to 165 degrees before eating them.
My favorite personal tip? I like to take thick slices of bacon and lay them across the top of the turkey, the fat self bastes the bird and you get some great bacon to cut up into your mashed potatoes or sprinkle over your green beans.

If you have anything to add...please post it in the comments section of this message. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and make sure to watch ABC4's Good Morning Utah this Wednesday for more great ideas to keep in mind for the holidays.

Angel

Chocolate Show Crepes

2008-11-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the Utah Chocolate Show....something I've been honored to be a part of since the beginning. Every year I run out of recipe handouts so, this time around I thought I'd wise up and post it here. If you'd like to sign up for a regular Chocolate Show newsletter (fun!), then visit http://www.utahchocolateshow.com/ and get set up.

Thanks for checking in!
Hugs as always,
Angel

Super Show-off Chocolate Crepes

When you want to impress your guests just say “Oui-Oui!” to this delicious dessert recipe. You make the crepes and your guests fill them with their own personal delicacies from your filling buffet.

Chocolate Crepes:
· 1 ½ cups whole milk
· 1 cup flour
· ¼ cup cocoa powder
· 3 T. powdered sugar
· 1 large egg
· 1 T. butter, melted
· ¼ t. vanilla extract (you can choose your own favorite flavoring)
· 1/8 t. salt

Whisk all ingredients together until batter is completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. You can keep this batter in the fridge up to 2 days before you use it.

Using a non-stick 6½-inch skillet (or crepe pan), liberally spray butter-flavored oil into the bottom. Place pan over medium-high heat until you can see the oil barely starting to smoke. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of batter to the pan, swirling until the bottom is covered. Return to heat and cook crepe for 1 to 1½ minutes. You’ll notice the crepe getting a dry look on top and around the edges. With plastic spatula or flipper, loosen edges if necessary. Slide the spatula underneath the crepe and gently flip it upside down in the pan. Cook for at least 1 minute more and slide onto plate to keep warm. Lightly spray pan in between making each crepe. Easily makes 15 crepes.

Tips:
· Practice makes perfect. Know that you’ll probably tear the first few crepes as you adjust
the heat and get used to the swirling motion. No problem! It happens to all of us.
· Your crepe pan should be really quite hot.
· Make sure the crepe cooks long enough on the second side. Rushing this process will give
you a rubbery consistency in the center of your crepe.
· Have fun! Those French Chefs don’t have a thing on you!

Thick Chocolate Almond Sauce:
· 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
· 6-8 oz. semi sweet mini chocolate chips
· 1 t. almond extract
· Chopped almonds (if desired)

In medium size glass bowl, microwave milk on ½ power for 1-2 minutes or until hot. Remove from microwave and stir in chocolate chips until melted. Mix almond extract in last and, if desired, add chopped almonds.

What to have on your Crepe Buffet? Here’s a list (I prefer all of my fillings warmed):

First, the spread
· Peanut Butter
· Marshmallow Crème
· Nutella
· Fruit filled jam
· Honey
· Cream cheese sweetened with powdered sugar

Next, the specialties:
· Fresh sliced strawberries, pineapple, blackberries, bananas (can use frozen if necessary)
· Chopped nuts, toasted coconut, crushed cookies or graham crackers
· Pie filling
· The only exception to warming would, of course, be any type of mousse

The Topping:
· If using whipped cream, place it to the side of the crepe so each bite can be dipped
· Syrups, i.e. chocolate, caramel, berry coulis…even maple syrup can be used!
· Sprinkling of powdered sugar

Folding your crepes:
Traditionally, dessert crepes are folded into quarters….savory crepes are rolled. Whatever makes you happy is exactly what you should do.

Dinner's Decided

2008-11-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

If you look inside your Associated Food Stores weekly ads, you may see a block called "Dinner's Decided". That means Dan's, Macey's, Lin's, Dick's and other AFS stores are all helping you quickly pick your dinner from items already on sale. We started it at the end of October and I have lots of fun putting it together. Next week it's Soup and Salad...the following week a Pizza Party...and so on. It also includes the approximate cook time and my goals are always a half hour or less...and a total of less than $14. I've posted this Pasta dinner as an example and look! It's less than $10! Keep an eye out for it each week and if you have any suggestions, please let me know.

See you Friday on Good Things Utah,

Angel

As promised.....

2008-11-12T11:39:00.000-08:00

I've been having Panda Express cravings alot lately. My favorites are the Orange Chicken and the Beijing Beef, which, of course, are the two highest calorie and carb choices on the menu. (By the way, my Health Assessment was pretty good, although, as expected my cholesterol is a little bit high and we won't even discuss the body fat percentage). My husband likes the Cashew Chicken which is much healthier so here's a delicious version from my own cookbooks that I think you'll enjoy.

Simple Cashew Chicken
1 t. sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 t. garlic powder
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
3 T. cooking oil
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 t. cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Hoisin sauce
1 T. ground ginger
1 cup roasted, salted cashews
cooked white rice

Pour sesame oil, vinegar, sherry and garlic powder into a large resealable bag and shake to combine. Toss in chicken, seal and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove chicken from marinade (saving marinade). Heat cooking oil in wok or heavy skillet; stir fry chicken until done then add broccoli and carrots for 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, ginger and reserved marinade; stir into chicken & vegetables. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and heated through. Stir in cashews and bring to serving temperature. Serve over rice. Makes about 6 servings. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Now for a few helpful Tips and Tidbits:

What is Hoisin Sauce? It's a condiment and flavoring in Chinese cuisines made from soybeans, garlic, chiles and other spices. It's also known as Peking sauce.
Arkansas is the leading rice producing state in America
Rice vinegar comes in 3 types; white, red and black. White rice vinegar is the most versatile and is used in many Asian inspired sauces. Red rice vinegar is mostly used as a dipping sauce. Black rice vinegar is an ingredient in Chinese pickled pigs' feet (just in case you were wondering).
If you prefer not to use sherry, you can use an equal amount of apple or white grape juice
Did you know that cashews are in the same family as poison ivy?

See you Friday on Good Things Utah....I'll be making a little treat from walnuts, dates and sweet dough...and thanks for stopping by!

Angel

How fun is this?

2008-11-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

As I've admitted before, I'm far from a blogging Queen - so it's very exciting to see your comments and I want to say "thank you" for being so welcoming and kind. There are so many wonderful people in this world...but it's easy to get caught up in the negativity that comes our way. It's about choice...and perception...and a willingness to find the positive in even the most uncomfortable circumstances. These days, it seems that there's so much energy being focused towards seeing the good in our lives. Isn't it uplifting?

Over the weekend I was talking with my sister about the power of "hope". Can we pinpoint it to November 4th or just an overwhelming desire to get past all the challenges and know that the answers are already within us? Hope is what helps us see the vision of a better life. Hope allows us to dream of unlimited possibilities. It's hope that helps us remember the strength that we all carry and the unique qualities that each of us bring to the table.

This Thursday, I hope you'll join me at the Sandy Macey's as we sit down at a table of desserts! I'll be there at 7p for another visit to the Little Theatre. Classes are free and last about an hour (unless I start yakking way too much and stop looking at the clock!). This week's menu is 2 desserts from my Stick of Butter Cookbook. We'll do Cranberry Walnut Pie and Peanut Butter Cups...both are super easy and great to give as gifts.

Have a great week...and next time I check in, I promise an update on my little puppy Buddy and another bonus recipe....plus a few holiday tips.

Angel

Health Assessments - Ugh!

2008-11-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

Next Tuesday, we're having Health Assessments at work. It's one of those "for insurance purposes" things where they test for cholesterol, weight and blood pressure. I tend to have a backwards mentality when it comes to things like this. Knowing that the time to be good is upon me, I tend to have double cheeseburgers and milkshakes, extra helpings and brownies.

I know it's not right....but I can't or..don't want to help it. I always preach portion control which means a cookie in each hand. I've tried smaller plates, eating less food at more sittings throughout the day, being mindful of each bite. I've taken to the treadmill and yes, I must admit, it does feel better being a few pounds lighter....but wait! I'm working on a Dessert Cookbook!

Perhaps, in the future, I'll look at a salad-seafood-fruits & veggies cookbook - but in the meantime I'll be sampling my Chocolate Truffle Torte and Buttery Ginger Gems. The good news is that my cholesterol and blood pressure have always been low...the bad news could be that, as Maxwell Smart would say, I'll "miss it by that much"!

Wish me luck,
Angel

BC Rocks!

2008-11-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today I was up in Brigham City for their Annual Women's Forum. It was so nice to meet such wonderful ladies all gathered to celebrate the feminine spirit! As keynote speaker, I focused on staying out of stress and drama....and staying connected with your higher self, balanced and re-energizing your life's passion. We laughed and chatted....and then it was time for the breakout sessions.

I had the most considerate assistants who helped me demonstrate stuffing wontons and frying up some delicious holiday appetizers. We made a South of the Border
stuffing and, a Pizza stuffing....plus I shared lots of tips on how to make wonderful desserts with cheesecake, fudge, even pumpkin pie filling. Everyone got a taste and I signed lots of cookbooks. All in all it was a lovely Saturday. Special thanks to Joan Bell for the invitation - you are truly a beautiful woman.

One of the audience members took these photos...so I wanted to share. If you're feeling stressed out, run down and out of sorts...please let me know. I'd love to come visit with your group too!

Until next time,
Angel

Here comes the storm

2008-10-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

We've been so blessed with such fabulous weather, but this weekend it looks like we'll be welcoming rain and possibly snow early next week. Being raised in Oregon, I love the rain...but it wasn't like that when I was a kid. I remember staring out the window wishing I could go play as a 10 year old. As a teenager it was just a downer. Then I moved to Texas.

I had never seen it rain so hard that you had to pull the car over because you couldn't see the road. That was Texas. I'd never seen steam rise off the pavement at 4am after an early morning sprinkle. That was Texas. I'd never experienced 112+ degree weather or ice storms. Turns out growing up in Oregon was quite docile compared to places my future would bring me.

I guess that's my point. When we're younger we can't wait to move on. But what's the hurry? There's no doubt that the memories you form as a child will come back as some of the best times of your life. These days I appreciate rain for so many reasons. It brings "green" to nature and fills our lakes and rivers. It helps us stay home with our families in the cozy comfort of our kitchen....or lazing out in front of the television snuggled up on the couch....or just simply enjoying the sound of the rain on the roof. It's definitely home baked bread weather so here's a terrific recipe that'll make your house smell like heaven! It's one of many you'll find on my website at http://www.cookingwithangel.com/.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO CHEESE BREAD

1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda1

¼ t. salt

4 ounces shredded provolone

½ cup finely chopped green onion

2 t. minced fresh parsley

¾ t. dried rosemary, crumbled

2/3 t. coarsely ground pepper

2 t. shortening

2 t. sugar

2 large eggs

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1¼ cups buttermilk

1/3 cup chopped pine nuts

Drain tomatoes, reserving 2 t. oil; chop tomatoes and set aside. Cook garlic in a small amount of boiling water for 15 minutes; drain; peel and mash garlic, set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; stir well. Add chopped tomatoes, cheese, green onion, parsley, rosemary and pepper; stir well. Combine reserved oil, shortening and sugar; beat with whisk until smooth. Add mashed garlic, eggs and buttermilk; stir well. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic mixture and pine nuts to flour mixture; stirring just until blended.
Spread batter in greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ by 3 in loaf pan; smooth top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on rack.

KSL this Sunday - A Woman's View

2008-10-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, KSL's Amanda Dickson invited me to join her for "A Woman's View". We talked election, health care, staying in balance and, most of all, we talked about the strength of Woman Wisdom. You can listen in this Sunday, November 2nd, from 10a-11a on KSL Newsradio 1160AM or 102.7FM. You can also tune in online at http://www.ksl.com/

In the photo above, from left to right is Kim Wirthlin - VP of Government Relations at the UofU and Associate VP for Health Care; Amanda Dickson - KSL Morning Radio Goddess, and me! Also joining in the discussion was Joanne Milner - Education Partnership Coordinator with Mayor Ralph Becker.

This Saturday, I hope to see you in Brigham City for A Women's Forum at the high school. I'll be keynote speaking at 9:10a on how to Rebalance, Refresh and ReEnergize your Life's Purpose...then, it's on to the kitchen for two sessions about Cooking With Wontons. I'll bring back pictures!

In the meantime, see you in the morning on ABC4's Good Things Utah....have a Happy Halloween and thanks for checking in with me today.

Best,

Angel

To freeze or not to freeze

2008-10-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

I got this message the other day and wanted to answer it here on my blog. If you ever have any cooking questions I'd love to help. If I don't know the answer I bet I can find it! Happy cooking!

Here's the recipe that's being referred to:

Beefy Corn Chip Casserole

1 lb. ground round
½ cup chopped onion
½ t. garlic salt
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 cup chopped sliced olives
1 cup sour cream
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
canned chopped green chili peppers to taste
6.5 oz. corn chips
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:
Fry beef, add onions, garlic salt, tomato sauce and olives: set aside. Combine sour cream, cottage cheese and chopped chili peppers. Crush corn chips and place ½ in bottom of casserole dish. Add ½ meat mixture and sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheese. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over casserole. Repeat first two layers. End with cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

....and here's the question

Hi Angel,
I'm a big fan of yours. Love your Butter cookbook. I want to make some freezer meals and I was wondering if the Beefy Corn Chip Casserole you made on Good Things Utah will freeze well?

I'd appreciate any recipe ideas that freeze well that you may have too.
Thanks

Amy Messersmith

Hi Amy,
I would say that the Beefy Corn Chip Casserole isn't a good candidate for freezing. Neither sour cream or cottage cheese freeze well....you'd also probably have soggy corn chips! There are lots of great recipes on my website at www.cookingwithangel.com that would freeze well. Just remember that soft dairy products, i.e. cream cheese don't usually stand up well to freezing, neither do bread crumbs (or casserole toppings of any kind), cubed cooked potatoes (mashed are fine), and you may find a taste change in herbs and spices, especially garlic.

I hope that answers your question....and thanks for the compliment on my Stick of Butter Cookbook! Take care of yourself Amy and let me know if you need anything else at all.

Hugs as always,
Angel

Creamy Shrimp Spaghetti

2008-10-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

Today on ABC4's Good Things Utah, I made a delicious Creamy Shrimp Spaghetti that's delicious and inexpensive. Angie was in the kitchen with me along with a viewer guest host. We had lots of fun in the kitchen. Just go to http://www.abc4.com/ and click on Good Things Utah for the recipe. It's comfort food that begs you to take seconds.

By the way....I'd like to introduce you to my new puppy, Buddy! He's so cute and already sits, lays down and shakes. I took him for his first walk on a leash over the weekend. I think it was an "experience" for both of us! Now if I could only get him to stop chewing on my tennis shoes!

One week until Halloween

2008-10-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe I'd like to share with you for Halloween....well, actually it's one of several coming your way over the next week. Try this out and I guarantee the kids will love it because it's funny and you'll love it because it's easy. Double the batch for a Goblin Party treat!

JACK O’ LANTERN CHILI CUPS

2 cans (11.5 oz. each) refrigerated corn breadstick dough..or3 cans (4.5 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 can (15 oz.) mild chili with beans
1 cup frozen corn
Sliced Cheddar Cheese
Olive slices, bell pepper, and carrot pieces for decoration
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 16-18 regular-size (2-½ inch) muffin pan cups. Lightly roll out corn breadstick dough to press together perforations. Cut out 18 circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Press 1 circle onto the bottom and push up the side of each muffin cup about one inch.
Combine chili & corn in medium bowl. Fill each muffin cup with 1-tablespoon chili. Cut out 16-18 circles from cheddar cheese slices and place rounds over the chili mixture in cups. Decorate cheese with olive, bell pepper & carrot pieces to resemble jack-o’-lanterns. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until corn bread is completely baked and cheese is melted.
Makes about 8 servings

It's 4:13....Did you eat lunch today?

2008-10-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ola!
I came across some very interesting facts today...all about fast eating. Not fast food...fast eating! Did you know that:
People who eat quickly until they're full are 3 times more likely to be overweight? The World Health Organization estimates around 400 million people are obese, 20 million of those under the age of 5.

Slow eating encourages conversation, good digestion and a chance for your body to actually realize you're full instead of overstuffing yourself. My Mom used to sit at the table with me for our PB&J sandwich lunches and it was fun. We enjoyed ourselves and I still remember learning so much from my Mom just because we took the time to "sit a spell" (as they used to say). When we're old enough to go to school, we learn really fast how to gorge down our lunch in 20 minutes. Then we go to work and most likely are opting for the drive-through and lunch on the run. Sooner or later we pay the price. Where's the Tums? Did I eat lunch or not? My pants must have shrunk! You get the idea...so slow down, take the time to enjoy every bite, be mindful of your meal and anyone sitting around the table with you. I refuse to let life push me through a great steak and even better company! I hope you'll join me in savoring every bite.

How many people does it take.......

2008-10-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

How many people does it take to have a great time with their food? Well, if you were at the Macey's in Sandy, Utah last night...almost 40! I had the pleasure of conducting a cooking class in their Little Theatre Kitchen featuring recipes from my Stick of Butter Cookbook. We made Apricot Streusel Bars and Jolly Jelly Filled Biscuits...so it was a sugar-rush all the way around.
The best part, besides the cooking comradery, is when things don't quite go as planned. I use a pastry bag to "inject" the jelly into the biscuits and I had selected a tip that was way too big...so....can you say "free-flowing raspberry jelly"? What a mess! I felt like I was in an "I Love Lucy" episode (and if you don't know what that is...think goofy, slapstick comedy with a happy ending).
Thanks to everyone who came along for the ride...especially Susan, who is Macey's most dedicated, fabulous, sweetest, hard-working, incredibly multi-tasking, not-so-secret weapon.
She took today off and I hope she's letting somebody else pamper her!
Where can you pick up my Stick of Butter Cookbook? At Barnes and Noble, Seagull Books, and other fine bookstores...online at http://www.amazon.com/. It's full of retro recipes with at least a stick of butter in each one!
Tonight? My husbands grilling hamburgers to take advantage of our sunny weather....and I can't wait! Isn't it true that the best burgers come out of your own kitchen? Here's a quick tip: if you buy extra lean ground beef, mix yourself up some chopped garlic and butter and harden it up in the fridge - cut it into small pieces and mix it into your beef just before throwing it on the grill. You'll have the juiciest, best tasting burger on the planet - after all, isn't everything better with butter?

Weekend Leftovers!

2008-10-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'd like to say that my weekend was full of daring, living-on-the-edge kind of stuff. I didn't cliff dive or rock climb...however I did eliminate about 6 gazillion e-mails from my home address, angel@cookingwithangel.com, to make room for more. That in itself was a mind-boggling feat since some of those messages were from 2005! I saved recipes & email addresses, forwarded funny presentations to myself at work and generally cleaned house of about 2,000 messages that were just taking up space. You'd think I'd be able to do that with the rest of my house!

For Sunday Supper I whipped up a Sausage and Steak dish served over buttered noodles...which I then made this morning on ABC4's Good Things Utah. Yummy! My favorite weekend treat? I chopped up leftover tri-tip and roast beef, mixed them up with pizza toppings like pepperoni, onions, lots of cheese and mushrooms...heated it up and served it over a nice crisp green salad topped with Jalapeno Ranch dressing. What a great way to use leftovers...and now I guess I'll just have to make more.

Did you know that paprika is actually dried pimiento peppers ground up? That in the Middle Ages, students were encouraged to wrap rosemary sprigs around their hair to stimulate their brains? Oh wait! Here's a good one! You can make your own sweetened condensed milk by putting 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk into a blender along with 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water and 3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter. Process until smooth and creamy and you'll have enough for 1 (14 oz.) can! I bet that'll come in handy for the holidays.

Hope your having a happy Monday...and if you'd like to see how to make that sausage and steak over buttered noodles dish, just visit http://www.abc4.com/ , click on Good Things Utah and watch today's recipe....you'll also see my new puppy too!

Keep on Cookin'!
Angel

Recipes! Recipes! Recipes!

2008-10-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

My neighbors love me. Not because I'm nice or because I always say hello. My neighbors love me because I give them food. Whenever I'm working on a new cookbook they get lots of food. You see, compiling recipes for a cookbook means lots of testing, inventing, creating, starting over and having "That's it!" moments which means I taste it and have to get it out of the house or I'd weigh a gazillion pounds....especially since the cookbook I'm working on is all desserts. I can't tell you any more than that or my publisher will be canceling my contract, however chocolate and sugar are key ingredients....not to mention butter and cream!

Let's just say that this weekend my neighbors will love me even more...and that's okay. If delicious food works on my husband it will surely work on them. Wish me luck...and lots of self control!

Viva Desserts!
Angel