A Little Product Review... Angell Bars

Angell Bars was nice enough to send me some samples of their organic candy bars.  They are made with cane juice, which I love.  I didn't feel crappy after eating them and I didn't mind letting my 18-month-old participate in the sampling.

This is what they looked like when I got through with them...

 I loved the Angell Crisp!  It was super yum.  I totally recommend having a couple of these stashed in your secret hiding place (every woman has one) for the emergency chocolate craving (every women has them).

Thanks Angell Bar!

A Little Cuisine... Pomegranate Pie

Do not be alarmed!  This is the best pie I have ever eaten!  And it is also the easiest pie I have ever made.

Pomegranate Pie Recipe
1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust
1 package of Raspberry Danish Dessert
1 pomegranate

Simply follow the Pie Filling directions on the Danish Dessert box.  Add the pomegranate seeds.  Pour into  crust and let it set up for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

When serving, first cut slice, then add a dollop of whipped cream.  Refrigerate leftovers (don't leave it sitting out for more than a few minutes for the crust gets gooey).

Enjoy!

A Little Cuisine... Coconut Syrup and Free Printable Label

Click here to download

My friend was making coconut syrup and wanted me to design a label.  This is what I came up with.  She is working on creating her own recipe but there are several out there, though I can't recommend any because I haven't tried them yet.  I may have to since this label is so cute.  Please feel free to download.  A cute bottle of coconut syrup would make a great Christmas gift.

A Little Cuisine... Healthy, Home-made Kettle Corn

I love kettle corn, but I could do without the sugar.  Enter this... the best popcorn you will ever make.  It's healthy too (serious bonus)!

You will need:

• Popcorn
• Canola oil
• Agave nectar
• Sea salt
• Coconut oil

Here's what you do:

1. Heat the canola oil in a heavy stock pot until you see steam rise.
2. Put in about 3/4 cup of popcorn kernels, cover.
3. Move the pot around over the stove.
4. Take off the heat when it stops popping.
5. Place the popcorn in a large bowl
6. Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil, toss.
7. Drizzle agave nectar (to taste)
8. Salt to taste.

And there you have it.  Now curl up by the fire and watch your favorite chick flick.

A Little Cuisine... Homemade Potato Chips

America Now, hosted by Leeza Gibbons and Bill Rancic, is a news magazine show offering you a daily dose of compelling stories, news, lifestyle info and advice from around the country on topics that are relevant and useful. Not only can you find the latest info on health, personal finance, technology, fashion and fitness, but you can also find everyday tips and recipes that will help you eat and live better.

Here is a recipe you can really use – homemade potato chips – from our Food Pro Devin Alexander.
To get started, thoroughly wash the potatoes (“russett” or “baker” potatoes work best) and set them aside to dry. The drier the potatoes, the crispier the final product.

Once the potatoes are dry, slice your potatoes as thinly as possible (about one-sixteenth of an inch).

Then put your sliced potatoes into a resealable plastic bag. Add a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil, a half-teaspoon for every eight ounces of potatoes, and add any kind of seasoning you like (salt, pepper, garlic powder etc). Seal the bag and toss, making sure the oil permeates the raw potatoes.

Prepare a piece of parchment paper on a microwave-safe plate. Lay potato slices flat on the parchment paper and pop them into the microwave for five to seven minutes. When they become crispy, you’ve got a delicious batch of chips for a fraction of the cost and calories!

Devin Alexander, best known as author of New York Times Bestselling series “The Biggest Loser” cookbooks, is a veteran in the fight against obesity who offers a unique approach to healthy cooking. She has maintained a 55 pound weight loss for over 15 years and lives by her message: you don’t have to deprive yourself to be fit and healthy. Now you can catch her on America Now, with hosts Leeza Gibbons and Bill Rancic.

For more tasty, healthy recipes and tips from Devin and the America Now team, check here to find out when America Now airs in your area.

A Little Snack...Blueberry Muffins

I spent fifty-cents on day at a yard sale on what has turned out to be the best cook book. Ever.

It's called the Joy of Cooking, and from muffins to Senate Bean soup, crepes to leeks, I have never had a failed recipe. Here is the Blue Berry Muffin recipe with my addition of lemon extract. You may need to double the batch- we eat them all within 20 minutes!

Joy of Cooking Blue Berry Muffins

Preheat oven to 400.

2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine in large bowl.

In a smaller bowl:

Melt one stick of butter. Add in:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract

Combine wet ingredients, then folding in the dry. Barely mix the wet and dry till moistened. Add in 1 cup of blueberries (or more, but too many will cause your batter to stay damp). Mix carefully; over stirring will get your batter too dense and stain it.

Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes (clean knife test). Let sit for at least 3 minutes before trying to remove. Makes 12 larger muffins and 12 mini-muffins.

A Little Food...How to Pick Produce

Ever picked a huge, shiny, Snow White killer apple, only to have it taste like styrofoam? I love flavorful fruits and veggies, and have spent the last ten years of my grocery life trying to learn to pick succulent fruit. Not only are fruits and veggies healthy for us, but when they taste great to boot, our perspective changes. We relish the food, we dine instead of eat, and healthy eating regains its pleaure. Here are some tips to get great produce:

Oranges- This is the one I can say I actually get right most of the time. Always pick the heavy orange; weight=juice=sweet goodness. Smoother skins tend to be sweeter. Weight them in comparison to one another in your hand.

Melons-Look for little Frankenstein-like criss cross marks on the fruit. This tells you bees have been at it, and the fruit is sweeter. Smell the navel of a canteloupe; if it smells overripe, then it is.

Pineapple-Pull the top leaves. If they come right out, it may be too ripe. If it has a little resistance but still comes out, it is probably ready. If it smells very pineappley, this is a sign that it may be great but must be eaten by the next day.

Asparagus- Look for tops that are not bent over. If the tops are bowing, the stalk is dried out.

Peaches- They can smell good but still be grainy on the inside. Usually fruit is sold in batches, so ask the grocer if you can sample one, and if it's good, then usually the rest are too.

Fruit in season tastes bushels better that the chemically ripened varieties off-season. I give myself permission to gorge on melons, peaches, berries and asparagus when they are naturally ripened.

A Little Dinner... Cabbage and Straw

This dinner is pure delicious comfort food to our family.  We have it a couple times a month.  I came home from work today and smelled it in the kitchen and was so happy!  (My husband is awesome).  I may or may not have had 3 helpings.  Seriously.
It is starchy and delicious and my kids gobble it down.  My sister-in-law found this recipe originally and tried it because her husband would not eat cabbage... and guess what?  He loved this.  We do too.

Our crib notes:  We cut down the total butter amount a bit and use half olive oil/half butter.  We add lots of extra garlic because it is divine.  We use dried sage if we don't have fresh.  You can get a big wedge of pecorino romano cheese (the cheese used in this recipe) at Costco for a steal and it says fresh in your fridge for a long time.  My husband likes to serve grilled or fried chicken on the side, and my sister-in-law adds ground turkey to the recipe.  Me?  I like it sans meat.  Just good old cabbage and straw. And sometimes with grilled mushrooms.  Yum.
Enjoy.  We sure do.

Reposted here for ease:

Cabbage and Straw by Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
• 1 pound fettuccine or pappardelle pasta
• 1 small head Savoy cabbage (about 1-1/4 pounds)—quartered, cored and shredded
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 garlic cloves—smashed, skins removed and cloves halved
• 16 fresh sage leaves, 6 whole and 10 thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1½ cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt it. Add the potatoes and cook for 7 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes.
2. While the potatoes and pasta are working, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and whole sage leaves. Cook until the sage is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the garlic and sage leaves to a small plate.
3. Add the sliced sage and ground pepper to the skillet; just before draining the potatoes, pasta and cabbage, add 2 ladles of the starchy cooking water.
4. Drain the potatoes, pasta and cabbage and add to the skillet. Stir it all together, adding the Pecorino Romano as you work to get a cheesy, buttery coating. Adjust the salt and garnish the pasta with the reserved whole sage leaves and garlic.
   
   

A Little Cuisine: Shrimp and Grits

This is an easy dinner, something beyond the usual, and around here it's called comfort food. This is not the usual cream-laden version. I like serving this with a green salad with fruit (think spinach with pear/apple/pomegranate and a light vinaigrette). I changed the ingredients somewhat to fit my family's tastes. If you are a vegetarian who eats fish, omit bacon and sub vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. Try subbing polenta for the grits.

Shrimp and Grits
adapted from Southern Living

Servings: 6
2 slices bacon

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 Cup flour
2 Cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 Cup chopped green onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Cup low sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For Grits:

1 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth
1 Cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup uncooked quick-cooking grits (find in the oatmeal section of your grocery)
3/4 Cup shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook bacon in cast iron pan until crisp. Remove bacon, drain on paper towels, and crumble. Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon drippings in pan.

Peel shrimp; devein if necessary. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper; dredge in flour.

Saute mushrooms in hot drippings with oil in pan 5 minutes or until tender. Add green onions and saute 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic, saute 2 minutes or until shrimp are lightly browned. stir in broth and lemon juice and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring to deglaze bottom of skillet. Spoon shrimp mixture over Cheese grits, sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

For Cheese Grits: Bring 3 first ingredients plus 1 1/3 Cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheeses and pepper and serve.

A Little Cuisine - How I got my kids to try kale (aka Dijon Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Kale)

Chicken Stew.

The concept seemed relatively safe for a recipe to try on my family. But chicken stew with kale? Would they try kale?

I showed my kids the recipe in 2006 when my Cooking Light issue came in the mail. Leafy green veggies are not popular at this house. But they were willing to try. We shopped for the ingredients together. We chopped the ingredients together. I subbed Yukon potatoes and used only chicken breasts because that is what I already had on hand. Left out the wine in favor of more chicken broth. The kids banged away at the food chopper to mince the garlic. I showed them how to swirl the slices of leek in a big bowl of cold water to make sure all the sand was out. Firstborn taught Secondborn how to use measuring cups and spoons. Everyone tore the ribs off the kale and tore up the leaves.

The kids were in the kitchen with me from beginning to end. We talked about our individual days, what books were currently being read, and plans for the weekend. The Love Magnet set the table with the help of Thirdborn. The only person who had to be called to the table was Mr. Wonderful.

My kids ate kale. That bears repeating from the rooftops: MY KIDS ATE KALE! Being involved for the entire process of putting a meal together gave them a sense of being investors in the meal. Everyone pointed out their contributions to Mr. Wonderful : "Dad, I added the spices.", "I cooked on the stove!", "I tore up the kale, that's a new vegetable.", "Hey, I tore up the kale, too!".

They liked the Dijon Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Kale enough to ask for it to be put on regular rotation at our house. Click on the link and let me introduce you to a regular comfort-food recipe made at my house in the fall.

A Little Best Thing Ever... Snowcones

There is a bounty of new snow outside today!  What to do?  You could head down to the sledding hill (brrr).  Or you could pretend you're in the tropics and stay inside!

Start with a bowl of fresh snow.

Add flavoring syrup.  You can find it in the coffee isle of the grocery store.

 Add a little heavy cream (you'll be glad you did).

So fun and delicious!  Even our husbands, who thought we were crazy, loved 'em!

Thanks to my darling friends, Tami and Jenny, who invented these with me!  You girls are the best!

A Little Cuisine... Holiday Food Traditions #1: Gingerbread

Food traditions abound at our house. Smells and tastes combined with family activities just seem to make them more celebratory. When we decorate the tree, I always pop in a pan of Gingerbread to bake. The spicy-sweet smell permeates the house. When the tree is done, we gather round for gingerbread topped with bananas and whipped cream. Our advent calendar is a stack a books: One Christmas book for every night until Christmas. I read the books by the light of the tree while the kids snuggle in quilts.

Christmas tree light, sleepy kids in quilts, and the smell of gingerbread.

Sounds perfect doesn't it?

Lion House Gingerbread

from Lion House Classics cookbook (2004)

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup butter

1 egg, beaten

1 Cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 Cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 Cup very hot water

Bananas and whipped cream

Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Add hot water and beat until smooth. (Batter will be very thin.)

Pour into well-greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Serve warm or cold with sliced bananas and whipped cream.

A Little Christmas Cuisine... Peppermint Joe Joe's

If you are fortunate enough to live in a city with Trader Joe's (my favorite grocery store on the planet earth) I invite you to experience the sublime Christmas miracle that I have been blessed with this season...

My husband's boss sent us some of these from Seattle.  Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's.  Oh the Joe Joe Joy!
These are delicious.  And the best part?  Everything from Trader Joe's is natural.  So when you read the ingredients on these bad boys - you won't see anything you don't recognize (no artificial colorings or flavorings, no hydogenated oils, no preservatives).  So these are pretty much HEALTHY!  Ho ho ho!  Merry Christmas to me.
Since I don't have a Trader Joe's in my state (still hoping for a Christmas miracle...) feel free to send me these for Christmas if you feel so inclined.  I have eaten two while writing this post and feel healthier and definitely more in the Christmas spirit.  :)

A Little Cuisine... My Favorite Banana Bread Recipes

I love making banana bread on cold rainy days. It's perfect for the kids' after-school snack paired with a steamer ( I always keep coconut, hazelnut, pumpkin pie, and caramel syrups on hand for steamers).

I've been making these recipes from Cooking Light since they came out in the same September 2003 article. I've tried other, but they just aren't the same. Let's get started!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze. I use coconut and rum flavorings instead of rum in the batter and grate lime zest into the glaze. I've also been known to sprinkle some toasted macadamia nuts over the glaze.

Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread. I always slip and add more chocolate than called for. Admit it, you would intentionally slip and add extra chocolate, too. So incredibly good. Use the Guittard extra-dark chocolate chips if you can find them in your local grocery.

Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios. This one is a bit unusual, mainly because cardamom is not a spice people keep on hand (unless they are into Swedish cooking). I like to double the cardamom. I read that others who have made this one also add a bit of cinnamon. I prefer just to let the cardamom flavor shine.

If you must slather a condiment onto your slice of banana bread, try lemon curd or a honey-sweetened cream cheese. Mmmmmmm.

Now, if I could just keep the bananas on my counter long enough to ripen for banana bread. Bananas at my house disappear fast.

A Little Tip... My Favorite Kitchen Gadget

My FAVORITE kitchen gadget has to be the...

Mix and Chop from Pampered Chef. It's good for so many things but most recently I have found it is great for chopping up hard boiled eggs for egg salad sandwiches. I love my chopper!  Usually chopping eggs is so messy.  Not anymore.  This tool is a little great!

A Little Cuisine... The best apple cider ever!

So, since it is Halloween, and since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I am here to share with you the BEST cider recipe.  EVER!  It has a tangy zip to it due to all the citrus juices involved.  Believe me you will impress.  Sometimes I hand this out in little throwaway cups on "All Hallow's Eve" to the adults in my neighborhood accompanying their darling trick-or-treaters.  You can even garnish it up with a cinnamon stick or an orange slice.  It makes a great accompaniment on Thanksgiving as well.  No matter when you make it, the whole house will smell heavenly. 

Corinne's Favorite Apple Cider... (This recipe is HUGE - I usually half it and it still makes more than you could ever drink)
2 cups sugar
5 cups water
12 cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
4 allspice berries (or about 1/4 tsp. ground allspice)
1 T. fresh or crystallized ginger
1/2 - 1 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon orange juice
1 cup lemon juice

Simmer sugar and spices with water for 10 minutes or so and then take out spices.  Add juices and heat.  Can also stick in a crock pot to keep warm for hours.

Enjoy!

A Little Cuisine... My Favorite Potato Cheese Soup Recipe

My husband printed out this potato cheese soup recipe, and it quickly became a family favorite.

This soup is not as heavy as some potato cheese soups, and has GREAT flavor - the key is the swiss cheese (added last) and the pepper.

One change I would make:  use 1/2 tsp instead of 1 tsp. of pepper. Also, once I used whole milk (because it was all I had at home) and it made it creamier but less flavorful overall. I prefer to use skim milk - it brings out the flavor and it is less fattening!  Win, win.

Serve with crusty rolls and you have a quick and easy dinner to keep you warm on a Halloween (or winter) night.

Yum.  Enjoy!

Recipe reposted here for easy viewing:

Ingredients
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, vegetable broth and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender. Do not rinse: mash mixture slightly. Stir in milk.
In a small mixing bowl, blend butter, flour, parsley, and pepper; stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
Remove from heat: add cheese and stir until cheese is almost melted. Let soup stand for 5 minutes.

A Little Cuisine... A Halloween Supper

I know there is a big trend to do gross-out fun foods for Halloween. However, I can't stomach the shrimp cocktail stacked to look like a cerebrum, the severed finger cookies, or cauliflower pickled to look like brains. Ick. I've had too many anatomy/physiology labs the past three semesters - gore doesn't equate fun-to-eat for me.

So here is the Halloween meal I've come up with for my family:

Martha Stewart's Ghost of Monte Cristo sandwiches. LOVE Monte Cristo sammies! Replace the meat with portabello mushroom or sauteed eggplant for a yummy vegetarian version. I love the idea of tomato soup drizzled with a sour cream to look like a web.

Orange-cup jack-o-lanterns for a basic fruit salad. My kids will love this. I think a fruit salad of citrus and stone fruits would be great.

And for the foodie in me (and much better than Halloween candy), I Am Baker created this gorgeous red velvet cake with the most darling marshmallow buttercream ghosts and dark chocolate ganache. Let the kids have their candy, I get this cake! If you bring your kids trick-or-treating to my house, I might invite you in for a slice. Might.

A Little Cuisine... Pumpkin!

The weather is finally starting to feel like Fall and with that I start craving pumpkin! Pumpkin rolls, pumpkin pie, pumpkin shakes etc! Here are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes:

(I've tried to give credit where credit is due!)

PUMPKIN BARS

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe Blog

4 eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15 oz. can pumpkin

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

ICING

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine softened

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

PUMPKIN ROLL

Recipe from the Libby's Pumpkin can

picture from allrecipes.com

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup Libby's 100% pure pumpkin

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 TBS. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 15x10 inch jelly roll pan. Line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle dish towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts (if you choose to add them).

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting from narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, powered sugar, butter and vanilla in a small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

PUMPKIN LAYERED PIE

Recipe from my friend, Kesha

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 TBS. milk

1 TBS. sugar

1 1/2 cups cool whip (will eventually use all of the 8 oz.)

1 graham cracker crust

1 cup cold milk

1 can 16 oz. pumpkin

1 large package vanilla instant pudding

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

Mix cream cheese, milk, and sugar in a bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Fold in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spread in crust. In bowl, pour in milk, pumpkin, pudding and spices. Beat with wire whisk until combined. It will be thick! Spread over cream cheese mixture in pie crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Put cool whip on top when ready to serve.

A Little Delicious... One GREAT cookie!

For those of you that are like me I LOVE Girl Scout Cookies. I love purchasing that first box of Samoas... it's never my last box. I was grocery shopping the other day and saw these on the shelf. I thought what the heck I will try them out. ALMOST as good as the real thing!

And for those of you that LOVE Thin Mints try these: