Monday, November 29, 2004
Buttermilk adds flavor without adding fat
Contrary to popular belief, buttermilk is not high in fat like butter. Buttermilk originally got its name because it was the liquid leftover after butter was churned. Today, most of the buttermilk found in grocery stores is made by adding culture to skim milk and allowing it to ferment. No matter how it is made, it is thicker than regular milk but thinner than cream, and has a variety of uses in cooking and baking.
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This recipe also makes good waffles.
Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, egg and melted butter. Lightly coat a griddle or skillet with oil or nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just blended. Pour or spoon batter, 1/2 cup at a time, onto the prepared griddle. Cook on both sides until golden brown, flipping when the surface begins to bubble. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 193 calories, 5 grams fat, 30 grams carbohydrates and 1 gram fiber.
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This coleslaw tastes a lot like KFC coleslaw. To get the full effect, be sure to chop the cabbage into very fine pieces.
Restaurant Coleslaw
8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 head)
1 medium carrot, shredded
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, buttermilk, milk, vinegar, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over cabbage mixture; toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 10 to 12 servings. Adapted from Top Secret Recipes (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com). Per serving: 111 calories, 8 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrates and 2 grams fiber.
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Pantry Pointers
To make 1 cup of buttermilk substitute, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup.
Store buttermilk in the refrigerator up to two weeks. For drinking, you’ll get the best flavor if you use it within a week. For baking, you can use buttermilk up to the expiration date on the container.
Since buttermilk is low in fat, use it in place of cream and butter in mashed potatoes. You’ll get the taste of butter and cream for fewer calories.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 22, 2004
Save stuffing mix for the day after Thanksgiving
Stuffing is a popular item on the Thanksgiving table, which means sometimes there isn’t enough of it left to go with all the leftover turkey. Keep a box of stuffing mix handy for the day after, and you’ll be able to make one of the following recipes. Use these recipes anytime you want a taste of Thanksgiving, just substitute thick slices of deli turkey for the cooked, chopped turkey.
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Leftover Turkey Casserole
1 6-ounce package dry bread stuffing mix
1 16-ounce container sour cream
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 1-ounce package dry onion soup mix
2 14.5-ounce cans French-style green beans, drained
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup and dry onion soup mix.
Lightly coat a 9x13-inch dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the green beans over the bottom of the dish. Top with a layer of turkey. Pour the soup mixture over the turkey. Top with stuffing. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
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Five-Ingredient Thanksgiving Meal
1 6-ounce package stuffing mix
2-1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 10-ounce package frozen cut green beans, thawed
1 12-ounce jar turkey gravy
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Lightly coat an 11x7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the stuffing over the bottom of the dish. Top with turkey, beans, gravy and pepper. Cover and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
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Turkey and Cornbread Salad
1 6-ounce package cornbread stuffing mix
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 8-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 2-ounce jar chopped pimiento, drained
1 cup prepared buttermilk salad dressing
Reserve 1/4 cup stuffing mix for garnish. In large bowl combine remaining stuffing mix, turkey, corn, green pepper, onion, pimiento and dressing. Mix thoroughly; cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. To serve, top salad with reserved stuffing mix. Makes 8 servings. Adapted from The National Turkey Federation.
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Pantry Pointers
After Thanksgiving dinner, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Leftover turkey will keep in the freezer up to 4 months.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 15, 2004
Include biscuits in your Thanksgiving menu
With all the food on the Thanksgiving table, it would seem like there would be no room for biscuits and rolls. Yet for many people, biscuits and rolls are as important to the meal as the turkey. Whether you start from scratch or from a can, serve your guests special biscuits fresh out of the oven.
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Homemade Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk and honey; stir into flour mixture until just combined. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 8 to 10 times. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 10 biscuits.
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If you don’t have time to make biscuits from scratch, make refrigerated biscuits your own by adding seasonings.
Poppy Seed Biscuit Ring
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
2 12-ounce tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch fluted tube pan. In a bowl, combine butter, onion, poppy seeds and garlic. Separate each tube of biscuits into 10 biscuits; dip in butter mixture and stand up on end in prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 14 to 16 minutes. Immediate invert onto a serving plate. Makes 10 to 15 servings.
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Serve this spread with biscuits, breads or muffins.
Pumpkin Apple Butter
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 medium apple, peeled and grated
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Combine pumpkin, apple, apple juice, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 months. Makes 24 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When making biscuits, be sure to knead the dough only as much as the recipe requires. Over handling the dough can result in tough biscuits.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, substitute 3/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 08, 2004
Use canned pears to make deliciously different treats
Eating canned pears is a great way to get the recommended number of fruit servings in your diet. They are available all year long, and are not high in calories if you buy them in juice or light syrup. But pears don’t have to be only a healthy snack. In addition to being good straight out of the can, they also add a moist sweetness to many baked goods.
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Mixes are a convenient shortcut to a homemade treat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add something extra to make the treat special.
Pear-Cranberry Coffee Cake
1 15.6-ounce cranberry-orange quick bread mix
1 15-ounce can sliced pears, drained and halved
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
Prepare bread mix according to package directions; pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle lemon juice on pears; arrange over batter.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over pears, Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Makes 9 servings.
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The pears add a sweet surprise to every slice of this low-fat cake that has only 4 grams of fat per serving.
Low-Fat Pear Bundt Cake
1 15.25-ounce can pears in light syrup, drained, syrup reserved
1 18.25-ounce white cake mix, unprepared
2 egg whites
1 egg
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch fluted tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside.
Chop pears. Place pears and syrup in a mixing bowl; add cake mix, egg whites and egg. Beat with a mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 4 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Makes 16 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Store unopened canned fruits in a cool place and they should retain their quality for a year or more. Canned fruit stored longer often is safe to eat but may have lost some color, flavor or texture. After canned fruit has been opened, store leftover fruit in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Breakfast • Desserts and Treats • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, November 01, 2004
Turn lean venison into a healthy meal
This fall’s deer population is looking good for hunters. Whether you get your own deer or have friends willing to share theirs, venison just might be featured on your dinner table sometime soon. Venison is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than many cuts of beef, and is a tasty ingredient in a healthy meal.
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This recipe makes a hearty stew. If you prefer a thinner soup, use less pasta.
Venison Italian Stew
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound ground venison
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
3 cups water
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can green beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
8 ounces uncooked spiral pasta
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add venison, onion, and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in pinto beans, green beans, carrots and zucchini; simmer for 90 minutes. Add pasta and cook until tender. Makes 8 servings.
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Venison Stroganoff
1 pound venison, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small onion, chopped
2 10.75-ounce cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 16-ounce package uncooked egg noodles
1 8-ounce container sour cream
Season venison with pepper and garlic powder. Sauté onion in a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add venison and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add soup; reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. While venison mixture simmers, cook egg noodles according to package directions. Just before serving, stir sour cream into meat mixture and heat through without bring to a boil. Serve over noodles. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To avoid the gamey flavor of venison, marinate the meat before cooking. For best results, use a marinade that contains a high-acid liquid like lemon juice, tomato juice, vinegar or wine.
Venison tends to be a deeper red color than beef and sometimes this makes venison look underdone even when it is thoroughly cooked. For best results, use a meat thermometer and cook until venison reaches 160 degrees.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com