Monday, August 28, 2006
Spice up your Labor Day
If you are like many Americans, your Labor Day celebration will include good food as well as family and friends. If the people in your life prefer food on the zesty side, spice it up a bit for the holiday.
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Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
1 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and hot pepper sauce until well blended. Mix in the Ranch dressing, chicken and Cheddar cheese. Spread into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 16 servings.
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Spicy Grilled Shrimp
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 wedges lemon, optional
Preheat grill for medium heat. In a small bowl, crush the garlic with the salt. Mix in cayenne pepper and paprika, and then stir in olive oil and lemon juice to form a paste. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with garlic paste until evenly coated. Cook shrimp until opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with lemon wedges if desired. Makes 6 servings.
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Spicy Butter Bars
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup butterscotch chips, divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, coffee granules, and ginger; set aside. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt butter and 2/3 cup butterscotch chips. Remove from the heat. Stir in the dry ingredients and egg; mix well.
Spread into an ungreased 15x10-inch. Sprinkle with peanuts and remaining chips. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. Immediately cut into bars and remove from pan. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen bars.
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Pantry Pointers
It is best to buy most spices in small quantities, especially those used infrequently, because they lose their flavor over time. If you are in doubt of the quality of a spice, give it a good sniff before using it. Spices without an aroma likely won’t have much flavor either.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Appetizers and Snacks • Desserts and Treats • Main Dishes • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, August 21, 2006
The many uses for chives
Chives bring flavor to a variety of dishes, probably because they are members of the tasty onion family. While their insect-repelling properties make them a popular choice in many herb gardens, chives also are available all year long in grocery stores.
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Chicken with Chives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, garlic salt, parsley, chives, pepper, seafood seasoning, and seasoning salt. Rub the chicken breasts with 1/2 the mixture, and place the breasts in a medium baking dish. Toss the green bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion with the remaining olive oil mixture. Arrange over the chicken. Bake, stirring the vegetables once, until the vegetables are tender and the juices of the chicken run clear, about 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.
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For best results, use real butter and not margarine.
Grilled Corn with Chive Butter
6 medium ears sweet corn in husks
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Soak corn in cold water for 1 hour. In a small bowl, combine the butter, chives, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Carefully peel back corn husks to within 1 inch of bottom; remove silk. Brush with butter mixture. Rewrap corn in husks and secure with kitchen string. Grill corn, uncovered, over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Makes 6 servings.
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Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
1 pound mashing potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to come up 2 inches from the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until fork tender. Drain, and mash. Mix in the milk using a potato masher until fluffy. Stir in the sour cream and chives; season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When choosing chives, look for uniform color without signs of wilting. Store chives in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
In a pinch, chopped green onion tops can be substituted for chives.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, August 14, 2006
Relish those summer vegetables
Home canning is a nice way to preserve the flavors of summer without filling up the freezer. High-acid foods like relishes are easy to preserve, and perfect for even the beginning canner.
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Tomato Relish
3 cups prepared tomatoes (about 2-1/4 pounds)
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine
2 pouches CERTO Fruit Pectin
Scald, peel, and chop tomatoes. Place in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Measure 3 cups prepared tomatoes into saucepot. Add lemon peel and juice; mix well. Stir sugar into tomato mixture. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Pack into hot, sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4” head space. Wipe jar rims. Cover with two-piece lids; screw bands tightly. Place jars in canner, ensuring that jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil; process 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, and then remove jars to cool.
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Cucumber Relish
4 cups ground cucumbers, unpeeled
1 cup ground green pepper
1/2 cup ground sweet red pepper
3 cups ground onion
3 cups finely diced celery
1/4 cup salt
3-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
Grind all vegetables with a coarse blade or food processor. Combine all vegetables in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water, and let stand for 4 hours.
Drain thoroughly in a colander, pressing out all excess liquid. Combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in drained vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes. Pack into hot, sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/2” head space. Wipe jar rims. Cover with two-piece lids; screw bands tightly. Place jars in canner, ensuring that jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil; process 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, and then remove jars to cool.
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Pantry Pointers
After jars are cool, check seals by pressing the middle of the lids with your finger. If the lid springs back, the jar did not seal properly and it must be stored in the refrigerator.
For more information on canning, visit http://www.homecanning.com.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, August 07, 2006
Have a berry good breakfast
While many sources have been singing the praises of the healthy blueberry, strawberries and raspberries also are good for you. These berries are rich in antioxidants, which are thought to help fight cancer and heart disease as well as prevent strokes.
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This sauce is great on pancakes and waffles. Leftovers make a delicious topping on ice cream.
Blueberry Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water, orange juice, and sugar. Stir gently, and bring to a boil. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon. Makes 8 servings.
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This bread offers a lot of flavor for only 6 grams of fat per slice.
Banana-Berry Bread
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup mashed fresh strawberries
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar and oil until smooth; add the strawberries and banana. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts. Pour into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Makes 16 servings (1 loaf).
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Yogurt-Berry Parfait
1 6-ounce carton flavored yogurt
1/4 cup granola
1/2 cup sliced fresh berries
In a parfait glass or large glass mug, layer one-third of the yogurt, half of the granola and then half of the fruit. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining yogurt. Makes 1 serving.
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Pantry Pointers
When selecting berries, look for firm and plump fruits that aren’t mushy. Since berries don’t keep well, buy them when you are able to use them within a few days and don’t wash them until you are ready to use them.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com