Monday, April 25, 2005
Let your fruit salads go bananas
Bananas are the most popular fruit in America. This isn’t surprising when you consider that they are affordable and fresh all year long. Not only are they great to eat, they also make a great addition to fruit salads. Cut-up fruit doesn’t take a lot of fuss, but it looks like it does. And fruit salad makes a great side dish for almost any meal, picnic or party. Pair bananas with fruits that are in season or canned fruits to make your fruit salad attractive as well as tasty.
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Avocado Fruit Salad
3 medium avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 medium apple, chopped
1 medium form banana, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup halved seedless grapes
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
Cut avocados into chinks; toss with lemon juice. Drain, reserving the lemon juice; set avocados aside. For dressing, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, lemon peel and reserved lemon juice. In a large bowl, toss the apple, banana, grapes, oranges and avocados. Serve with dressing. Makes 6 servings.
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Blueberry Banana Salad
2 cups sliced firm bananas
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
2 tablespoons flaked coconut
1/2 cup sour cream
In a bowl, combine the bananas, blueberries, oranges, marshmallows and coconut. Gently fold in the sour cream. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 6 servings.
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Poppy Seed Fruit Salad
1 cup apple, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes
1 cup strawberries
1 cup melon balls
2 firm bananas, sliced
Dressing:
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon corn starch
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Combine all of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until thickened. Let cool before mixing with fruit. Combine all the fruits. Mix with poppy seed dressing and serve chilled. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When purchasing bananas to mix with other fruits in a salad, choose brightly colored bananas with green tips. Avoid bananas that are dull or grayish in color. Feel the bananas to make sure they are plump and firm. Bananas that are blemished, have split or sunken skins, or have a strong banana smell probably are overripe. Do not purchase overripe bananas unless you are going to cook with them.
To ripen green bananas, put them in a paper bag for a day or two.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 18, 2005
Celebrate Earth Day with a veggie burger cookout
This April 22 marks the 35th anniversary of Earth Day, now celebrated by millions of people worldwide. There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day, from participating in community events that raise awareness about our planet and our future to joining with neighbors to clean up the community. Some people go out and appreciate the land around them, while others enjoy the fresh organic foods that become available this time of year.
Since Earth Day comes at a time of year when the grill is beckoning, serve up some spring veggies on the side, with a main course of vegetarian burgers grilled and topped with something fun.
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California Burgers
4 meatless burgers
4 hamburger buns, toasted
4 lettuce leaves
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
12 slices onion
12 slices peeled avocado
1/4 cup Ranch salad dressing, optional
Grill burgers according to package directions. Place burger on toasted bun; top each with a lettuce leaf, Divide green pepper, cucumber, onion and avocado evenly between burgers. Drizzle with Ranch salad dressing if desired. Makes 4 servings. Recipe adapted from BOCA at http://www.bocaburger.com.
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Meatless Patty Melt
8 onion slices
8 medium mushrooms, sliced
16 slices marbled rye bread, toasted on 1 side
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 meatless burgers
8 slices Swiss cheese
In a medium nonstick pan over medium heat, sauté onions and mushrooms until golden; set aside. Grill burgers according to package directions. Spread butter on toasted side of each slice of bread. Place grilled burger on one half, then onions and mushrooms and top with cheese. Top with remaining bread, placing the toasted side on the cheese. Pan griddle until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is hot throughout. Makes 4 servings. Adapted from Gardenburger at http://www.gardenburger.com.
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Grilled Caesar Burger
4 meatless burgers
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/4 cup Caesar salad dressing
8 slices French or Italian bread
8 slices tomato
Grill burgers according to package directions. Meanwhile, toss lettuce with dressing until evenly coated. Divide evenly between bread slices. Top each with 1 burger, 2 of the tomato slices, and remaining bread slices. Makes 4 servings. Recipe adapted from BOCA at http://www.bocaburger.com.
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Pantry Pointers
To easily add flavor to a vegetarian burger, spread a little olive oil on both sides before grilling. This also will help prevent sticking and help the burgers brown.
Vegetables such as peppers, onions, mushrooms, corn on the cob and summer squash cook well on the grill.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 11, 2005
These chicken sandwiches can take the heat
Grilled chicken sandwiches are popular items on restaurant menus, but they also are easy to make at home. For a hearty and healthy meal, pair hot chicken sandwiches with salad, a bowl of soup or a vegetable.
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Chicken and Green Chili Sandwiches
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 4-ounce can whole green chilies, drained and sliced lengthwise
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
4 sandwich rolls
Pound chicken to flatten; place in a large resealable plastic bag, In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and oil; mix well. Set aside 1/4 cup for basting. Pour the remaining marinade into bag with chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Allow to marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Drain and discard marinade. Cook chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn and baste with reserved marinade; cook until juices run clear, about 5 to 8 minutes. Top each piece of chicken with a green chili and cheese slice; cover and cook until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve on rolls. Makes 4 servings.
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Oniony Chicken Sandwiches
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 slices bread, toasted
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook for 1 minute. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup honey and vinegar. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Pound chicken to flatten. Combine mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, paprika, and salt in a small bowl. Brush half of mustard mixture over chicken. Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Place the chicken, coated side down, in pan; cook for 5 minutes. Brush chicken with the remaining mustard mixture. Turn chicken over; cook until juices run clear, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place 1 chicken breast on each toast slice, and top each with 2 tablespoons onion mixture and another toast slice. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To flatten chicken, push meat outward with the flat side of a meat pounder to flatten it. Place chicken between layers of plastic wrap to save on cleanup time.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 04, 2005
Not all quick breads start with fruit
Few things liven up a meal like bread. But breads made with yeast often are too time consuming for a weekday meal. Since quick breads use baking soda or baking powder to make them rise, they are done a lot sooner than yeast breads. And while quick breads that include bananas and apples are staples in many homes, those made without fruit also have a place at the breakfast or dinner table.
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Cheesey Corn Loaf
2 teaspoons plus 1 cup cornmeal, divided
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cornmeal on the bottom and sides of a greased 8x4-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine remaining cornmeal, flour, sage, baking powder, salt, pepper, baking soda and cayenne if desired. In another bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in cheese.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Store leftover bread in the refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf.
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Cinnamon Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping:
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons butte or margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan; set aside.
Measure flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla into large mixing bowl. Beat 3 minutes. Pour into prepared loaf pan; smooth top.
In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over smoothed batter. Using knife, cut in a light swirling motion to give a marbled effect.
Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.
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Pantry Pointers
The batter of most quick breads will be lumpy after you stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Store cooked quick breads in the freezer for up to two months.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Friday, April 01, 2005
The Practical Pantry Newsletter Issue #1
April 2005
Visit our website at http://www.practicalpantry.com every week for new columns, recipes, tips, and more!
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In this issue:
—News from the Kitchen
—Reader Questions
—Tried and True
—Direct from the Pantry
—‘Tis the Season
—Nibbles
—Pantry Staple of the Month
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-- News from the Kitchen --
Welcome to the first issue of The Practical Pantry newsletter! We hope you will find the recipes tasty and the information helpful. Although we are starting small, we look forward to adding more sections in the future and may increase the frequency of the newsletter. Your input is important to us and will help us improve the newsletter. Email any comments or suggestions to .
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-- Reader Questions --
Q: How many cups of confectioners’ sugar make one pound?
A: 1 pound of confectioners’ sugar equals 4 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar. If it is Domino’s confectioners’ sugar, their website says 1 pound equals 3-3/4 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar.
Q: I have a recipe that calls for self-rising flour, but I only make it once or twice a year so I don’t want to buy it. What can I add to regular flour to make it self-rising?
A: To make 1 cup of self-rising flour, put 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a 1-cup measuring cup and then add all-purpose flour to make 1 cup.
If you have a question about a cooking technique or ingredient, or if you are just looking for a recipe, write to The Practical Pantry at .
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-- Tried and True—
I make this recipe often because it is simple and filling. I used to make it with boneless skinless chicken breasts that I cut into bite-size pieces, but I found the ground chicken or turkey was easier and tasted just as good.
WHITE CHILI
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can chicken broth
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, drained
In a saucepan coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté chicken and onion until no longer pink; drain if desired. Stir in broth, chilies, garlic, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in beans; cook 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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-- Direct from the Pantry --
When time is short, combine a few canned goods from the pantry into an easy meal.
EASY SOUTHWESTERN SOUP
2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 15.25-ounce whole kernel corn, drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, optional
In a saucepan, combine tomatoes, corn, and beans; heat through. Garnish servings with cheese and sour cream if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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-- ‘Tis the Season --
Spring is a wonderful time of year. Asparagus is in season, but there are still days where it is cool enough to enjoy a hot and creamy bowl of soup.
CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds asparagus, washed, woody ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup milk
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the flour and cook until bubbly, stirring constantly. Whisk in the stock. Stir in the asparagus, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is very tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove ½ cup of the asparagus to a plate.
In a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary, puree the soup for 45 seconds or until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan, add the milk, and cook, uncovered, over moderate heat until hot, stirring frequently. (Do not let it boil.) Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved asparagus. Makes 6 servings.
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-- Nibbles --
Check this space monthly for news about products, contests, cookbooks, and more.
(NAPSI)-Maybe you don’t cry over spilled milk, but if a spilled milkshake is grounds for tears, a new contest may be for you. It asks milkshake fans to stir up some creative milkshake recipes, using unusual combinations of flavors and ingredients.
If you’re having a brain freeze, here’s an idea to get you started: a peanut butter and jelly milkshake.
The contest winner’s just desserts: ten shares of Martha Stewart stock and an actual Holstein cow (think of all the milkshakes you could make)-or its cash equivalent, about $1,000.
The contest is sponsored by Idea Kitchen, a kitschy company that knows a thing or two about ice cream and shakes. Among other fun kitchen products, it offers a Motorized Ice Cream Cone that spins the ice cream for you and the Hand Crank Milkshake Mixer-to use it, just add frozen ingredients and turn the hand crank.
For more information or to enter the contest, visit the web site http://www.ideakitchen.net.
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-- Pantry Staple of the Month --
The best line of defense against take-out food for dinner is a well-stocked pantry.
Few things make us think of the pantry like a can of tuna. Tuna is a handy pantry staple that you easily can turn into a nutritious lunch or a quick dinner. And with the varieties available, you have far more choices than water or oil packed. Purchase tuna flavored with lemon, herbs, and more in containers that vary from pop-top cans to pouches.
As with any fish, mercury is a concern. For more information about mercury in tuna, check out “What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish” at the FDA’s website at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html.
GARDEN TUNA SALAD
To lighten this dish, use fat-free mayonnaise and sour cream.
1 6-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
2/3 cup chopped seeded and peeled cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pepper to taste
8 slices bread
4 lettuce leaves
In a bowl, combine tuna, cucumber, carrot, onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and pepper. Spread on 4 slices of bread; top with lettuce and remaining bread. Makes 4 servings.
Remember to rotate your pantry ingredients. If you buy tuna in bulk, don’t stack new cans on top of old cans.
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The Practical Pantry, in print since 1998 and on the web since 2000, is a weekly column with recipes to turn pantry staples into easy and healthy dishes.
Copyright 2005, Tammy Perry Olson
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