PandaConsumers

2010-09-12T09:56:00.001-07:00

Beer Bread

Prep Time: 3 mins
Total Time: 1 hr min
Serves: 6 -8

About This Recipe

"There are a few recipes for Beer Bread out there, but none as simple (and tasty!) as this one. You can even mix it in the baking pan for easy clean up. This is sensational when served with soups or just as a snack, but don't expect it to be around very long when your family gets a taste of it! Be sure to use a sheet pan on the shelf below the pan to catch any excess butter that may drip during cooking."

Ingredients

3 cups flour ( sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder ( omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt ( omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) cans beer
1/2 cup melted butter ( 1/4 cup will do just fine)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients and beer.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over mixture.
Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.
UPDATED NOTES: This recipe makes a very hearty bread with a crunchy, buttery crust. If you prefer a softer crust (like a traditional bread) mix the butter into the batter instead of pouring it over the top.
Sifting flour for bread recipes is a must-do. Most people just scoop the 1 cup measure in the flour canister and level it off. That compacts the flour and will turn your bread into a "hard biscuit" as some have described. That's because they aren't sifting their flour! If you do not have a sifter, use a spoon to spoon the flour into the 1 cup measure. Try it once the "correct" way and you will see an amazing difference in the end product.

No Knead Bread

2009-11-10T17:04:00.001-08:00

No Knead Bread Recipe

No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose's experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why's of how this bread works.

Yield: one 1 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel…something that can go into a 450F oven.)

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop.

2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you've got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.

3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, dump wobbly dough into pot. Doesn't matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Best way to eat it? Smear a warm slice with some good butter (Kerrygold and Lurpac are both found in your grocery stores, usually on top shelf)

***

German Oven Pancakes

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, sifted

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 450F. If you have a convection oven, set it at 425F - the pancakes rise even higher on the convection setting.

Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, melted butter, salt and sugar. Gradually add flour to egg mixture, a spoonful at a time. Have your child help you by spooning the flour in while you whisk by hand. Make sure the flour is well incorporated in the batter with no lumps, but do not over-mix, as you want to keep the pancake light.

Lightly spray a 9″-11″ oven-safe skillet with cooking spray. Pour batter in the skillet. Bake 12-18 minutes, just until the edges are golden. Check your pancake at the 12 minute mark. It's fun to turn on the oven light and watch the pancake form!

Note: Try experimenting with different pans and skillets - just as long as you use something at least 9″ wide and oven-safe. You could also divide the batter into two smaller pans and have them bake side by side and see which one rises higher. Just make sure that your oven rack is in the middle position or lower. Top with fruit granola, yogurt, powdered sugar, syrup, toasted almonds or fruit butters. Drizzle with caramel, chocolate syrup, honey or maple syrup.

Touch of Grace Biscuits

2009-11-10T17:01:00.001-08:00

Shirley Corriher's "Touch of Grace" Southern Biscuits

If you can't find Southern self-rising flour, or if you don't have time to wait for the mail, you can also try this: instead, combine 1 1/3 cups national-brand self-rising flour, 2/3 cup Wondra flour, and one heaping ½ teaspoon baking powder. That's a decent substitute, although not quite as light. You also might need to add a touch more buttermilk to get the right consistency.

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups Southern self-rising flour, such as White Lily
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour, for shaping biscuits (do not use self-rising for this)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray an 8" round cake pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the self-rising flour, salt, and sugar and whisk to mix well. Add the shortening and, using your fingers, rub it into the flour mixture until there are no lumps bigger than a large pea.

Stir in the heavy cream and buttermilk, taking care not to over mix. Let stand for 2-3 minutes. The dough will be very wet, resembling large-curd cottage cheese.

Pour the all-purpose flour into a shallow bowl or pie plate. Rub your hands in the flour to dust them well. Using a ¼-cup measuring scoop or something of similar size, spoon a lump of wet dough into the flour, and sprinkle some flour over it to coat well. Gently pick it up and shape it into a soft round. I do this by cradling it in the cupped palm of one hand and gently shaking it, letting the excess flour fall through my fingers. You can also toss the dough softly - very softly - back and forth from cupped palm to cupped palm: it should feel similar to a water balloon. Place biscuit in pan and repeat with remaining dough, pushing biscuits tightly against one another so that they will rise up and not spread out.

Brush with melted butter and bake until set and lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool for a minute or two, then dump out and break apart into individual biscuits.

Serve immediately.

Yield: 12-14 medium biscuits

2009-11-10T16:58:00.001-08:00

Snake Bites

2009-10-21T15:13:00.001-07:00

Snake BitesPrep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 25 min Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 can crescent rolls
Flour, for dusting
4 tablespoons spicy mustard
10 ounces thinly sliced ham
10 ounces thinly sliced salami
10 ounces bologna
12 ounces Monterey Jack, grated
Liquid food coloring
3 egg yolks
2 whole cloves
Toothpicks
2 small pimiento-stuffed olives
1 (1-inch) strips jarred roasted red peppers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Grease the foil and set aside.

Dust a flat surface lightly with flour. Spread out the crescent dough — do not separate. Pinch together the seams so that you have 1 piece of dough. Roll out to make a large rectangle. Make sure the dough is not stuck to the surface at all.

Brush the dough with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Layer the meats down the center of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on either end. You can feel free to use your favorite cold cuts.

Top the meats with the cheese. Fold 1 side of the dough over the filling, lengthwise. Then, fold the other 1/2 over and press the seal the filling inside. Take 1 egg yolk, and beat lightly with a fork. Brush the egg yolk over the top of the dough. The yolk will act as the glue to hold. Fold the dough in 1/2 again lengthwise. Pinch the seam with your fingers to seal. Press the outside of the dough to make sure everything is sealed tight and to make an even thickness for the body of your snake. Taper 1 end of the dough to form a tail shape. Form the other end into a head shape.

Beat the 2 remaining egg yolks together. Transfer to 3 separate small bowls. Add some food coloring to each bowl — whatever colors you like! Using a clean paintbrush, "paint" the snake with the egg yolk/food coloring mixture.

Transfer the snake to the foil lined sheet tray. Form into an "s" shape so it looks like the snake is slithering. Insert 2 cloves into the head to look like nostrils and 2 stuffed olives for eyes. Create a mouth or tongue with the roasted red peppers. Bake the snake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Corn Bread

2009-10-14T12:45:00.001-07:00

This is a basic Southern-style unsweetened cornbread, and it's delicious with beans, greens, or chili. If you like a sweet cornbread, feel free to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of sugar.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups stone ground cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg

Preparation:

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Heat oven to 350°. combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl or large cup, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and egg. Combine the two mixtures until blended and spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

2009-10-12T17:06:00.001-07:00

Pan Seared Rib Eye

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

Cook Time:

5 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

1 to 2 servings

Ingredients

1 boneless rib eye steak, 1 1/2-inch thick
Canola oil to coat
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Place 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring steak(s) to room temperature.

When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range over high heat. Coat steak lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper to taste.

Immediately place steak in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium rare steaks. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove steak from pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

2009-10-12T17:05:00.001-07:00

Use this quick and easy chili as a base, adding your favorite ingredients to suit your tastes.

Quick Chili

1 pound lean ground beef

3/4 cup chopped peeled onion
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Brown meat and onion in a large skillet; drain. Stir in kidney beans, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

You can also purchase Brooks ready for chili beans and seasonings and follow the recipe for my family's favorite chili—I surrendered about 10 years ago to this method as it is their all time leave no leftovers chili.

Class recipe

2009-10-08T03:13:00.001-07:00

Apple Lasanga

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 (21 ounce) cans apple pie filling
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine Cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, white sugar, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Blend well. Spread one can apple pie filling over the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Layer with half of the noodles, and then the cheese mixture. Layer again with remaining noodles, and the second can of pie filling.
Combine flour, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over top.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare garnish by blending sour cream and 1/3 cup brown sugar in small bowl until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate. Serve warm apple lasagna with sour cream garnish.

Class recipes

2009-10-08T03:06:00.001-07:00

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

1 ( 8 ounce) package Cream cheese, cubed

1 cup 100% Grated or shredded Parmesan Cheese

½ cup of butter or margarine

½ cup milk

8 ounces fettuccine, cooked and drained

Remove cooked noodles and using the same pot.

Stir cream cheese, Parmesan Cheese, butter and milk in large saucepan on low heat until smooth.

Add fettuccine, toss lightly. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Try serving with Italian bread and a salad tossed with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

PIZZA ROLL-UPS

1 pkg. crescent rolls
1 sm. onion; grated
8 oz. grated Mozzarella cheese
1 stick pepperoni
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. oregano

Cook in a 375 degree oven.

4 servings.

Mix together pepperoni, cheese, onion, tomato sauce and oregano. Make rectangles out of crescent rolls, pressing perforations together to close. Place mixture on short end and roll up, pressing ends together firmly. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. When done cut in half and serve.

PIZZA SAUCE

1 (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp. Italian herbs
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

Recipe: Lidia's Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
- makes about 1 quart, enough to dress 6 servings of pasta -

The difference between marinara sauce and tomato sauce is this: Marinara is a quick sauce, seasoned only with garlic, pepper, and, if you like, basil or oregano. The pieces of tomato are left chunky and the texture of the finished sauce is fairly loose. Tomato sauce, on the other hand, is a more complex affair, starting with puréed tomatoes and seasoned with onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf, and left to simmer until thickened and rich in flavor.

Make this sauce with fresh tomatoes only when the juiciest, most flavorful ripe tomatoes are available. (Increase the amount of olive oil a little if you make the sauce with fresh tomatoes.) Otherwise, canned plum tomatoes make a delicious marinara sauce.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 garlic cloves, peeled

3 pounds ripe fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or one 35 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid

Salt

Crushed red pepper

10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Procedure
1. Heat the oil in a 2- to 3-quart nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, add it to the oil, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

2. Carefully slide tomatoes and their liquid into the oil. Bring to a boil, and season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper. Lower the heat so sauce is at a lively simmer, and cook, breaking up tomatoes with a whisk or spoon, until sauce is chunky and thick, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the basil about 5 minutes before sauce is finished. Taste sauce, and season with salt and red pepper if necessary.

Toffee Graham Cracker Bars

Easy bars with graham crackers, pecans, and other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

20 graham crackers (individual squares), regular or chocolate
1 1/2 sticks butter (6 ounces)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

PREPARATION:

Line a jelly roll pan (10x15-inch) with foil; arrange graham crackers in the pan in a single layer. Combine butter and sugar in a heavy medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Boil for 2 minutes; stir in vanilla and chopped pecans. Pour the hot mixture over crackers and spread evenly. Bake 10 minutes at 350°. Remove at once from pan to flat surface to cool. When cool, break into smaller pieces.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. raisins, optional

GLAZE:

1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk, orange or apple juice

Separate rolls into rectangles, press perforations. Spread with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over rectangles. Sprinkle raisins, roll up each rectangle. Cut each roll into 5 slices. Place slices cut size down in ungreased DEEP DISH BAKER. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Glaze warm rolls.

One Pot Mac and Cheese

4 to 6 servings

1 pound rotini or elbow pasta

¼ cup (1/2 stick)butter

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups (1 quart) milk

6 cups (24 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese

½ teaspoon dry mustard (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and set aside in the colander.
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the milk, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.
Add the cheese, dry mustard, salt, and pepper, and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Add the pasta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring constantly.
Serve immediately.

Hanky Pankies

1 lb of ground sausage

1 lb of ground beef

1 lb of Velveeta cheese cubed

1 small loaf of rye bread—slices are about the size of crackers

Brown sausages and beef, drain fat, return to pan. Add cheese and cook on med-low. Spread bread on baking sheet, spoon meat/cheese mixture on to bread. Broil in oven until tops are slightly brown.

Multi Purpose Baking Mix

You can make up to twelve times this recipe, but store each batch in a separate bag in the fridge (for up to a week) or in the freezer (for up to 6 months). Frozen mix should sit at room temperature until the butter in pliable, about 5 minutes. (Recipe makes about 4 ½ cups)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp salt (small grain)

12 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut in small pieces.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut or massage the butter into the flour with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers until the mixture looks like cornmeal and the biggest pieces of butter are the size of large peas. (You can also do this in a food processor; just be sure not to over mix.)

Scones

1 recipe of multi-purpose baking Mix

1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest or orange zest

1 cup fresh blueberries or cranberries, or ½ cup dried fruit like cranberries, apricots or a combo of fruit and nuts.

1 large egg

1 ¼ cups buttermilk; more for brushing

3 Tablespoons sugar; more for sprinkling

Heat the oven to 375◦F. In a bowl, combine the Baking Mix with the zest and the chosen berries or whatever. Break the egg into the buttermilk and stir with a fork; add the sugar and stir briefly to combine. Make a shallow well in the dry mix and pour in the wet ingredients. With as few strokes as possible, stir until the mixture in just combines. It should be loose, but if it doesn't hold together at all, add more buttermilk 1 Tablespoon at a time.

Generously flour a counter and turn the dough out onto it; it will be shaggy and very soft. Scrape any bits in the bowl onto the mound of dough. Flour your hands. Shape the mixture into a very loose rectangle with the short side nearest you.

With a sharp knife, cut the rounds into six wedges each. Brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until golden brown about 25 5o 30 minutes.

2009-09-25T03:47:00.001-07:00

Measure Equivalents

1 tablespoon (tbsp) =	3 teaspoons (tsp)
1/16 cup (c) =	1 tablespoon
1/8 cup =	2 tablespoons
1/6 cup =	2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
1/4 cup =	4 tablespoons
1/3 cup =	5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup =	6 tablespoons
1/2 cup =	8 tablespoons
2/3 cup =	10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup =	12 tablespoons
1 cup =	48 teaspoons
1 cup=	16 tablespoons
8 fluid ounces (fl oz) =	1 cup
1 pint (pt) =	2 cups
1 quart (qt) =	2 pints
4 cups =	1 quart
1 gallon (gal) =	4 quarts
16 ounces (oz) =	1 pound (lb)
1 milliliter (ml) =	1 cubic centimeter (cc)
1 inch (in) =	2.54 centimeters (cm)

Liquid and Dry Measurement Equivalents

It is generally not a good idea to scale a recipe up or down by more than 3 or 4 times.

Liquid Measurements

In the United States, liquid measurement is not only used for liquids such as water and milk, it is also used when measuring other ingredients such as flour, sugar, shortening, butter, and spices. But there is a difference and if you can afford to have both dry and wet measurement tools your product will be closer to the recipe's intent.

The following video will illustrate correct measuring of wet or dry ingredients. http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3320196/9286456

	teaspoon	tablespoon	fluid ounce	gill	cup	pint	quart	gallon
1 teaspoon =	1	1/3	1/6	1/24	- - -	- - -	- - -	- - -
1 tablespoon =	3	1	1/2	1/8	1/16	- - -	- - -	- - -
1 fluid ounce =	6	2	1	1/4	1/8	1/16	- - -	- - -
1 gill =	24	8	4	1	1/2	1/4	1/8	- - -
1 cup =	48	16	8	2	1	1/2	1/4	1/16
1 pint =	96	32	16	4	2	1	1/2	1/8
1 quart =	192	64	32	8	4	2	1	1/4
1 gallon =	768	256	128	32	16	8	4	1
1 firkin =	6912	2304	1152	288	144	72	36	9
1 hogshead =	48384	16128	8064	2016	1008	504	252	63

MISCELLANEOUS	EQUIVALENT
1 pinch	1/8 teaspoon or less
1 teaspoon	60 drops

Dry Measurements

Dry measurements are not typically used in U.S. recipes; dry measurements are used mainly for measuring fresh produce (e.g. berries are sold by the quart, apples by the bushel, or peck). Do not confuse dry measure with liquid measure, because they are not the same.

The following link is to an online calculator that will do conversions for dry or wet ingredients: http://www.dutchovndude.com—on the right side click on measurements and scroll down the page that come up. The calculator is very accurate.

	Pint	Quart	Gallon	Peck	Bushel	Cubic Feet
Pint	1	1/2	1/8	1/16	1/64	0.019445
Quart	2	1	1/4	1/8	1/32	0.03889
Gallon	8	4	1	1/2	1/8	0.15556
Peck	16	8	2	1	1/4	0.31111
Bushel	64	32	8	4	1	1.2445
Cubic Feet	51.428	25.714	6.4285	3.2143	0.80356	1

Liquid Measurements vs. Dry Measurements

The table below shows the differences between dry measurement and liquid measurement.

DRY UNIT	LIQUID UNIT
1 pint, dry =	1.1636 pints, liquid
1 quart, dry =	1.1636 quarts, liquid
1 gallon, dry =	1.1636 gallons, liquid

Weight

The two most commonly used units of weight (or mass) measurement for cooking in the U.S. are the ounce and the pound. Do not confuse the ounce of weight with the fluid ounce, because they are not the same; there is no standard conversion between weight and volume unless you know the density of the ingredient. To make matters worse, there are different kinds of weight measurement; Avoirdupois weight, Troy weight, and Apothecaries weight.

In the U.S., when someone refers to pounds and ounces of weight (especially in cooking) they are usually referring to Avoirdupois weight.

Basic Cooking Rule:

16 ounces = 1 pound

Classroom Recipes

2009-09-17T18:10:00.001-07:00

VEGETABLE PIZZA

2 pkgs. crescent dinner rolls
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
2/3 c. mayonnaise (Regular or fat free)or 2 Tablespoons of Ranch Dressing.
1/2 tsp. dill
1/4 tsp. garlic powder—You can use a packet of Ranch Dressing with the mayo and not use these three spices.
1/2 tsp. season salt
Shredded broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes and onions, desired amount of each

Press crescent rolls onto pizza pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until brown. Let cool. Mix next 5 ingredients together. Spread on cooled crust then sprinkle shredded vegetables as desired. Cool for 2 minutes, cut and serve.

BRUSCHETTA

Simple, elegant and so flavorful, this appetizer is ready to serve in about 10 minutes!

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
16 (1/2-inch-thick) slices baguette, toasted (about 6 oz)—at 400◦ for about 6 minutes. Remember to let them dry for about 3 miutes before putting the sauce on top.

Stir together tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic.

You can add 1 or 2 fresh plum tomatoes that you have diced to the above and it will make the whole deal look fresh.

Spoon mixture onto toasted bread slices. Serve immediately.

Makes 16 appetizers.

Substitution: For a flavor twist, use our fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of the plain diced tomatoes.

Tomato Salsa Recipe

1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chili pepper, chopped roughly
juice of 1 lime (optional)
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 dash hot sauce or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Peel and slice onion in quarters. Place in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade. Add the garlic cloves. Pulse four to five times, until onion is diced. Be careful not to over-process, or the salsa will end up mushy. Add the cilantro, chili pepper (with or without seeds), lime zest, lime juice, tomatoes and hot sauce. Pulse until the salsa reaches the consistency of a thick puree. Be sure to leave in some chunks, too. It makes it look more homemade. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve this salsa with tortilla chips or your favorite Mexican food or store in an air-tight container for up to one week.

Serves 16.

HOMEMADE TORTILLA CHIPS

1 pkg. corn or flour tortillas (corn are lower in fat than flour)
cumin seasoning
Lite salt

Cut stack of tortillas into 8 wedges each. Spread wedges in a single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle with cumin and lite salt. Bake at 375 degrees about 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes. Make sure you watch them closely. You do not want them too brown. Store in an air tight container. When serving, freshen the chips in the microwave about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Let sit about 5 to 10 minutes before eating so they can harden and cool.

Makes 200 chips.

HOMEMADE TORTILLA CHIPS

1 pkg. flour/corn tortillas (12 package)
Nonstick cooking spray
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. chili powder

Spray each tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with spices. Stack tortillas and cut in half, in quarters, in eighths. Single layer on cookie sheet. Bake or broil 5 minutes at 350 degrees. A tasty, low fat, low salt alternative.

HEARTY VEGETABLE SOUP

1 can vegetable stock (14oz)
1 can tomato puree (29oz)
1 can tomato paste (6oz)
8 cups water
1 large carrot, medium dice
2 stalks celery, medium dice
2 red-skin potatoes, medium dice
1 1/2 cups broccoli crowns
8 button mushrooms, diced
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
4 pinches ground black mustard
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
3 tablespoons dried basil leaves
3 tablespoons dried oregano
4 dashes ground black pepper
6 handfuls pasta of choice (rottini, fusil, ziti, noodles)

This is a low cholesterol and no concentrated sugars soup - Heart Healthy!

In a large saucepan or stockpot, add vegetable stock and water and bring to a boil. Add diced carrots (hard vegetables) and full-boil for 5 minutes. Stir in Tomato Puree and Paste. Allowing to rolling boil for another 5 minutes. This begins softening the carrots.

Add all other fresh vegetables and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Then add the herbs & spices, stirring them in.

Simmer this for 30 minutes, partially covered. Stir in the pasta and simmer, partially covered, for another 10 minutes.

Test the softness of the carrots – if they still have just a little crunch, the soup is done. Add more simmer time if not.

Allow the soup to cool before serving (this allows the flavors to work together as it cools). Serve warm.

Makes about 1 gallon of soup. Enjoy!

Chef's note: you can add almost any vegetable in this soup. Just remember to add the hard vegetables in at the start.

TOMATO SAUCE

3 med. onion, cut into quarters
1 med. carrot, cut into quarters
1 celery rib, cut into quarters
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. virgin olive oil
1 (28 oz.) can plum tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried basil (2 tsp. fresh)
1 tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Put onions, carrot, celery and garlic in bowl of a food processor; process until minced (you can do this by hand, too). Add olive oil to a large saute pan over moderate heat. Add minced ingredients and saute until onions are limp. Transfer to larger pot. Add plum tomatoes and break them down with a fork into little chunks. Add tomato sauce; turn heat to high and bring to boil.

As it comes to a boil, add basil, parsley, oregano, salt, red pepper, black pepper, and half the Parmesan cheese. Stir vigorously until ingredients start to boil. Let it boil for about 2 minutes, then let it cook, over low moderate heat (just above a simmer) for 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.At end of 45 minutes, add rest of cheese; stir vigorously. Cover and let cook over the same heat for 45 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can use it right away to grace your favorite pasta or even as a sauce for fish or topping for a baked potato. If you don't use right away, store it, covered, in the refrigerator. If it gets too thick, simply water to it when you reheat it. I some times use this on lasagne!!!

2009-09-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

Asian Chicken Soup—Serves 4 for dinner

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Make ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead; don’t add dumplings. Return to a boil; add dumplings. Boil 3 minutes; serve.
Tip: Use a microplane to finely grate the ginger.
Note: Roster sauce (or Sriracha, pronounced SEE-RAH-CHAH) is a Thai-type hot sauce. It’s a sweet, hot, spicy mix of chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt.

6 cups of chicken broth ( or vegetable for the shrimp and beef for the pork)
½ head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
½ cup frozen peas or any other vegetable—or leave it out
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1-16 ounce package frozen pot stickers—chicken, pork or shrimp
1 cup cooked chicken, diced ( or 1 cup cooked shrimp, roughly chopped or 1 cup pulled pork)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Dash of Rooster Sauce—1/8 to ¼ teaspoon

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large soup pot. Add cabbage and mushrooms. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in grated ginger, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, peas and green onions; return to a boil. Stir in pot stickers and optional chicken or shrimp; cook 3 minutes over medium heat. Add sesame oil. Finish with a dash of Rooster Sauce, if desired. Serve.