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.)
Monday, March 9, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Here's another delicious recipe!
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
Monday, February 23, 2009
Are you kidding me?
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
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
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Valentines Day Eve
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.
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
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.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Peace and Budgeteria
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
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Announcing Budgeteria
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
Friday, January 16, 2009
Cooking Tips #1
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!
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!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Watch Out Vanna!
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
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Hope to see you at the Home Show
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
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
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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
Monday, December 29, 2008
Ahhhhh...That Feels Good!
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
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
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Buddy's First Snow!
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
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Associated Food Stores Christmas Party
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
Friday, December 5, 2008
Updated Website
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
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
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Update on my little Buddy
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
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thanksgiving Safety Tips
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
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Chocolate Show Crepes
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Dinner's Decided
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
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
As promised.....
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:
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
Monday, November 10, 2008
How fun is this?
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
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
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