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Easy Chicken Cacciatore Meal With Whole Wheat Spaghetti Menu and Recipes

Saturday, January 24th, 2009
cake recipe




This menu features a quick and easy recipe for chicken cacciatore, a warm spinach salad and a sugar-free white cake with various topping options, to finish off the meal.  Quick, easy, and healthy, too.  Try this meal.  You’ll be glad you did.



EASY CHICKEN CACCIATORE

2 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken ******* and/or thighs

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 cup thinly cut strips of green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced celery

2 tbsp Tomato Basil Garlic blend (such as Mrs. Dash)

1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup red cooking wine

Cooked whole-wheat thin spaghetti for 4 to 6 servings.

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add chicken and cook over medium heat on both sides until lightly browned.  This should take about 5 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add onion, bell pepper, celery and spices to skillet.  Cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in tomatoes and red wine.  Return chicken to skillet with vegetables and cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Serve over cooked spaghetti.

 

WARM SPINACH SALAD

1 bag (approx. 7 oz) baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup salad croutons (non-fat preferred)

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3 tbsp SPLENDA Granular

5 slices bacon

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Wash spinach leaves well, remove stems and drain in a colander.  Place in a salad serving bowl and add croutons.  In a small mixing bowl, blend together water, vinegar, mustard and SPLENDA.  Set aside.

Over medium-high heat, fry bacon in saucepan until crispy.  Drain well on paper toweling.  In same pan, put onion and garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes.  Add vinegar mixture, return bacon to pan and simmer another 1 - 2 minutes.  Pour over spinach and croutons and mix well.  Serve immediately while still warm.

This is a good diabetic salad as the carbs and protein are basically equal and a 1 3/4 cup serving has only one gram of sugar.

QUICK WHITE CAKE

1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite

1/2 cup solid shortening

2 egg whites

3/4 cup 2% milk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and Equal.  Blend together well.  Add shortening and egg whites.  Using an electric mixer, at low speed, mix into flour mixture.  Add milk and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Topping suggestions:

Cut into squares and top each square with a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping, and fresh berries of your choice.

Mix a small package of your favorite flavored gelatin mix according to package conditions.  As cake begins to cool, poke holes in cake with a large fork.  Pour 1/2 of the gelatin mixture over cake.  Refrigerate.  Refrigerate the remaining gelatin until lightly set.  Using mixer, mix gelatin into one small carton sugar-free whipped topping.  Spread over cake.  Keep in refrigerator until serving time.

Enjoy!



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I lost 47 lbs with my hectic life and these (FREE) products

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

My name is Destiny Collier (owner of this website) from , and I wanted to share my weight loss story with you. I am no celebrity, fitness fanatic, a person that has tons of money for a personal trainer or someone like that. I am just a wife/mom who figured out a system that worked better than all the famous diets, work out programs, etc.

First off let me tell you a little about myself. My husband Adam and I have been married for 15 years. We have 2 boys and a girl. Our oldest Brent is 13, then Taylor 9 and Ashley 5. Brent and Taylor were doing baseball together, however recently Taylor started soccer instead.

Which basically means our lives are more hectic with me chauffeuring around the kids and remember which day is which practice and who goes where. Hopefully my story can inspire you to try what I discovered and lose some weight!

Yep, that was me at my heaviest and right before my life changed when I started using Acai Slim and ColoThin. I found out you can actually try them for free.

How I got my few extra pounds. : ) Ok 47 lbs is a little more that a few extra, but anyways.

I used to weigh 127lbs. I was never runway model skinny, but I was slim. I had a little booty. And my husband always made me feel fantastic. After my first son was born, I gained about 15 lbs. But then I slowly lost if over a 2 years. Just being active and running around.

Then I got pregnant again. So there I go again, I gained back my weight and then some. This time I did not just drop off the weight. This time after Taylor, I never got below 142. But hey, I had two kids. And I still looked young. Finally, after Ashley was born, I gained a total of 47lbs.

I weighed 174lbs and felt uncomfortable in my own body. I stopped going out with friends. I felt ugly. So I decided to start dieting. I tried all the brand-name diets like Atkins, Jenny Craig, Slim Fast, Nutri-slim, South Beach, bought diet products advertised inside Shape magazines, etc.

You name it, I tried it. Even the one that Anna Nicole Smith was promoting for awhile. But none of these products had real results that lasted.

Yes, I would maybe lose 10-12 lbs or so then I would gain it right back up. I was so frustrated with these programs that basically made be go up and down in weight without lasting results. So, I just gave up. I started eating more and more because I just did not care. I was in a downward spiral. At my heaviest, I weighed 182lbs.

Most people think that overweight people got that way because they are lazy. Truth is, many woman gain extra weight because of life. Kids, work, school, driving around running errands. It all takes time from our day. And it is all so exhausting.

Who wants to come home after a full day of work, then drive our kids around to their practices or help the kids with their homework while cooking dinner, put kids to sleep, and then try to make a dash to the gym? That is insane. And I am like most Americans. I am not superwomen. I need to do what I need to do and then prepare for the next day.

This has nothing to do with laziness. People have lives and that may not necessary include going to a gym. I tried all the diet programs that people have swear by. I really did try them. But nothing that worked. I felt hopeless that this was just the way I was going to look forever. Then I saw one TV show that changed my life.

The TV show that turned my life around!

It was one Oprah TV show that changed my life. I would not say I owe my life to Oprah, but I would say that if I had not been watching when a Dr. Mehmet Oz came on to talk about a new superfood called Acai berry, I would probably still be fat.

Dr. Oz was a pretty credible guy. He is vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University. He had authored over 400 original publications, book chapters and medical books. And I trusted Oprah not to have shady doctors on, so I had a feeling this was not one of those too good to be true products.

Dr. Oz raved about a new berry from the Amazon Rainforest called Acai (pronounced ah-sa-ee). It is more powerful than pomegranate or red wine. And they can be put into easy to take supplement capsules. But the part that hooked me was when Dr. Oz explained how Acai helps you lose weight by reducing hunger and raising energy levels.

Acai seemed like the product I had been waiting for all along. Plus, after I saw that show I found out that even CNN, ABC, CBS and the Wall Street Journal have been covering the health benefits of Acai berries.

Even Rachael Ray herself has used this diet and was successful. She looks hot now!

Then the very next day I saw Dr. Oz on another show talking about another extremely effective way of losing weight as well. Dr Oz explained that how cleansing your colon or ColoThin is a great way to lose unwanted weight. I do not know all the medical details, but basically he was explaining how years worth of gunk and junk get trapped in your colon and trap in all sorts of toxins.

It is a thick slime like tar and it also ads a few inches to your waistline. And basically there are some products out there, again that come in a supplement pill form. And that all you have to do was take a pill and it will naturally clean out your colon.

Dr Oz explained that, you can do all the exercise you want and not lose weight without the right supplements to clean you and energize you. I thought, Maybe thats why all those diets failed for me. Dr. Oz said that cleansing out this sludge would automatically make you lose weight in ways dieting and exercise can not.

I liked Oprah and Dr. Oz because they themselves were not trying to peddle some product themselves. Oprah and Dr. Oz was trying to get the public understand the health benefits simply taking either an Acai berries or a ColoThin supplement pills. And Rachael Ray did it herself!

The Acai & ColoThin combo diet that melted my fat away like magic

These were the two amazing products that Oprah and Dr. Oz spoke about: Acai berries and ColoThin supplements. Typically they are sold separately by two different companies. But, I had my idea to combine these two methods, I needed to find a way to test it without spending lots of money.

I searched for a few days and found some great free trials of products to test.

The two products I found, and still use, are Acai Slim and ColoThin.

Here is how I combine them so effectively:

Step 1:

Acai Slim is the first and most important part of my routine.

Acai Slim helps me:

  • Super boost my energy by giving me more vitamins and nutrients than any other food on the planet
  • Cause me to lose my hunger pains. You just do not feel hungry anymore.
  • Stabilizes my metabolism
  • Revitalizes my skin cells. So when I lose the weight my skin will be tight around my body. This also tightens skin around my neck and face. Basically tightens your skin throughout your body. I just look younger, because I am tight everywhere.

I got a free 30-day trial of Acai Slim and I simply love the fact that I can take the Acai 1 capsule in the morning and one at night.

Step 2:

ColoThin is the second important step in my routine. While Acai Slim gives me energy, revitalize my cells and helps suppress my hunger, the ColoThin:

  • Removes walls of aged sludge in my colon. This sludge goes away down the toilet and out of your body.
  • Now that my colon is completely cleaned out this intern allows my body to actually get rid of the fat by dumping the fat out through my now cleaned out colon. It is amazing
  • And then since the colon is now clean, my body will actually able to absorb the Acai Slim even better
  • This allows even more fat and toxins to be eliminated through the colon, including toxins built up in the liver, gal bladder, pancreas and even breast tissue
  • This becomes a revitalizing cycle that keeps on benefiting my body over and over. I become beautiful again from the inside and now it will begin show on the outside.
  • This will drop pounds of retained water and fat, tighten your skin, make you look and feel 10-15 years younger, boost your energy, regulate your mood, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels

I got a free bottle of ColoThin and I take 1 capsule in the morning and 1 in the evening when I take my Acai. They are the perfect weight-loss combination, helping drop my ugly fat from everywhere and cleanse my system of harmful waste build up.

The results of MY OWN diet routine

During my trial period I lost 32 lbs! I continued using both products and lost another 15 lbs. (That is a total of 47 lbs in 3 months!) I am back to 137 and am just 10 lbs away from my pre-mom weight!

I feel healthier and more refreshed than ever. My husband is so proud of what I accomplished and I have more energy to do fun activities with my kids. But best of all, I look and feel sexier than I did in my twenties!

I hope my story provides at least some motivation to help you lose weight. Just do not give up, because losing weight really will change your life in ways you never imagined. You will feel things you have not felt since you were 20. Most importantly, you will finally be happy with yourself for tackling your weight once and for all.

I really recommend my method; it worked wonders when everything else failed. But the best part is that the products I found have free trials, so you can test it out and see if it is right for you.

Try my diet if your stuck in a rut!

Be sure to order both Acai Slim and ColoThin if you want to get maximum results. Both products have amazing free trials with a full money-back guarantee. I just paid shipping (less than $5.00 for each).

For a Free Bottle of Acai Slim - Click Here

For a Free Bottle of ColoThin - Click Here

Free* Trials Expire

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Baked Turkey Stuffed Tomato Luncheon Recipes

Thursday, December 18th, 2008
bread recipe


BAKED TURKEY-STUFFED TOMATOES

6 medium tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt, optional

1 cup low-fat milk

1 tbsp flour

1 3/4 cups chopped, cooked turkey breast

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup shredded low-fat American cheese

1/4 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cut tops from tomatoes and scoop out pulp.  Sprinkle inside of tomato shells with 1/4 tsp salt, if using.  Invert tomatoes on paper towels to drain.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine milk and flour stirring to blend.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened.  Stir in turkey, celery, onion, and cheese.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper.  Spoon mixture into the tomatoes shells and place in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan or dish.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 29 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

1 stuffed tomato = 114 calories, 7 g carbs, 17 g protein

GARLIC MONKEY BREAD

1 pkg dry yeast

1 cup warm water*

2 cups whole-wheat flour, divided

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

vegetable cooking oil spray

1 tbsp salt-free butter, melted

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand 5 minutes.  Combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and salt.  Add to yeast mixture, stirring well.  Gradually stir in remaining flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.  Knead dough for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Spray a bowl with vegetable oil spray and place dough in the bowl, turning to grease the top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until doubled in bulk–approximately 1 hour.

SUNSHINE CUPS

3/4 cup boiling water

1 small pkg sugar-free orange gelatin

1/2 cup cold orange juice

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1 small can mandarin oranges, rinsed and drained

Put dry gelatin into a medium mixing bowl.  Stir in boiling water and still at least two minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Stir in juice and cold water.  Refrigerate approximately 1 1/2 hours until thickened to the point that a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a definite impression. 

Take 3/4 cup of the thickened mixture out and set aside.  Stir raspberries and orange segments into the remaining gelatin mixture.  Pour into 6 serving dishes or into 1 larger bowl.  Beat the reserved gelatin on high speed of electric mixer until fluffy and approximately doubled in volume.  Spoon over gelatin.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm.

Enjoy!



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Vintage Economical Recipes for Lentils With Pasta and Also a Spice Crumb Cake

Friday, December 12th, 2008
cake recipe


In today’s society with high prices at the grocery store and unemployment numbers on the rise, good economical and healthy meals are again coming into focus.  Here are a couple of easy, inexpensive recipes that won’t “break the bank” but will allow you to feed your family a healthy meal.  Lentils are especially healthy and should be a part of any family’s healthy menus.

LENTILS WITH PASTA

1 cup dried lentils

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 tbsp olive oil

2 to 3 cloves of garlic minced, use amount to suit your taste

1 tsp ground coriander

8 oz pkg elbow macaroni

salt and pepper to suit your taste

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup fresh minced parsley OR 1 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Soak lentils overnight in water to cover. Add water if needed as lentils will absorb some of the water. Cook until lentils are soft. Drain thoroughly. In a large skillet, heat oil. Saute onions over medium heat until they are soft. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the coriander and stir in. Stir in the lentils and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to package directions until just barely soft. Drain. Mix the drained pasta with the lentil mixture. Season to suit your taste. Stir in the butter then sprinkle the parsley over the top. Serve hot.

SPICE CRUMB CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 tbsp molasses

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, spices and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove and set aside 1 cup of mixture for topping. In another bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk and molasses. Add to the remaining flour mixture. Mix together well. Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with the reserved topping. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.



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Pork Chops With Tomato Rice, Homemade Salad Dressing and a Bundt Cake All Diabetic Friendly

Saturday, November 29th, 2008
cake recipe


It’s time to bring out the economical family recipes to help struggling families with their food budgets.  Here is a menu that will allow you to feed your family without busting your food budget.  We start with Pork Chops with Tomato-Rice.  In this one dish you have your meat, grain, and a vegetable.  Add Homemade Russian Salad Dressing to salad greens with a shredded carrot, and finish off your meal with a dessert of Applesauce-Raisin-Cinnamon bundt cake which adds fruit to your menu.  There you have it–an easy, tasty, economical meal for your family.  And the whole menu is diabetic friendly.

PORK CHOPS WITH TOMATO-RICE

4 thick pork chops

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 can (16oz) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

In a large, heavy, deep skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, brown chops on both sides.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes and water; sprinkle with rice.  Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until chops are tender.  Add more water if necessary later in the cooking process.

HOMEMADE RUSSIAN SALAD DRESSING

1 cup olive oil

1 cup catsup

1 cup Splenda

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, chopped

Place all ingredients in blendar jar.  Pulse until well blended.  Store in refrigerator in a cruet or jar with lid.

APPLESAUCE-RAISIN-CINNAMON CAKE

3 cups water, divided

1 1/4 cups raisins

2 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

3 eggs, beaten, or 3/4 cup egg substitute

1 1/2 cups Equal Sugar-Lite

1 cup canola oil

3 cups self-rising flour

3 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp vanilla extract

Non-stick vegetable oil spray

In a large heavy-duty saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups water and the raisins; bring to a boil.  Continue boiling until water is gone.  Remove from the heat.  Add applesauce, eggs, Equal, oil and remaining water.  Stir to combine well.  Sift together flour, cinnamon, and soda.  Gradually add flour mixture to the applesauce mixture, stirring after each addition. 

Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray.  Spoon batter into pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing from pan.  Cool on a wire rack.

Cake should be cut into 28 thin serving slices.  Diabetics should only eat one serving per day.

 

 



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Pumpkin Bread Recipes and They’re Suitable for Diabetics, Too! How About Trying Pumpkin Crescent Dinner Rolls!

Friday, November 14th, 2008
bread recipe


Those bright orange pumpkins currently dotting the fields or adding color to the farmer’s markets and grocery store aisles, are just chocked full of healthy nutrients for us to enjoy.  Here are three bread recipes to help you enjoy the bounty.  Two are quick bread recipes, Pumpkin-Walnut Bread and Pumpkin-Nut Bread.  The third is a new twist on crescent rolls that is quite tasty, Pumpkin Crescent Dinner Rolls. 

PUMPKIN NUT BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup cooked pumpkin

1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite

1/2 cup fat-free milk

2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup chopped hickory nuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, Equal, milk and eggs.  Add dry ingredients and butter.  Mix only until flour is moistened.  Stir in nuts.  Bake in a well greased 9×5x3-inch loaf pan or 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan then remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

PUMPKIN WALNUT BREAD

3 1/2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 1/2 cups Splenda

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2/3 cups water

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sift all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.  Spray three 4 x 8-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Excellent served with cream cheese.

PUMPKIN CRESCENT DINNER ROLLS

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1 1/4 cups cooked (or canned) pumpkin

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup Splenda

2 eggs

2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add the pumpkin, butter, Splenda, eggs, salt, and whole wheat flour; beat until smooth.  Stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough.  Stir in enoughall-purpose flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

Punch down dough.  Turn onto a lightly floured board, divide into 3 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a 12-inch circle; cut each circle into 12 wedges.  Roll up wedges from the wide end and place pointed side down, 2-inches apart, on greased baking sheets.  Curve to for crescent shapes.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Yield:  36 crescents.  Per crescent:  134 calories, 23 g carbs, 4 g protein

Enjoy!



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A Recipe for Rye Bread

Thursday, October 30th, 2008
bread recipe


The more I make bread, the more I am convinced of the importance of the kitchen being in the best position in the house. When we designed and built our house, I was determined that the kitchen should have a view and be on the front of the house. Now that it’s six-fifteen of a summer morning and I’m up early, kneading bread, because we’ve run out again, I’m especially happy to be looking out over a sun-soaked landscape to the distant mountains. Every time you make bread you’re guaranteed a good ten minutes of contemplation as you knead it, the mechanical rhythmic activity frees the mind to wander or switch off…very therapeutic. Having a view thrown in as well is just an added bonus.

I haven’t always made bread. It is a comparatively recent development. Making jam was the first breakthrough into self-sufficiency, then came the day when our local supplier of rye bread, who made a loaf that (miracle of miracles), all the children would eat, decided to switch recipes and use caraway in it…instant rejection by the whole family.

We’d stopped the wheat bread to try and help my son’s allergies and found it helped most of us, so apart from the occasional indulgence of fluffy white bread, I wanted to stay off it. There was no alternative; I would have to take the leap into bread making. The main reason that I’d resisted was that it seemed to take so long. First the mixing and kneading, then the rising, then knocking down and forming loaves, a second rising and finally the baking. Who could keep track of all that in the chaotic life of a three-child family?

So eventually I take the plunge, turn to my friend Nigel (Slater, not namedropping but he and Nigella (Lawson) are ever-present in my kitchen, in book format of course) and find a foolproof recipe for a white loaf, simpler to start off with white I think. Well the first try produced a reasonable, if huge, loaf, and though my son still remembers that it was a bit doughy in the middle. Second try, I got two pretty perfect loaves and I was on a roll.

Now to find a recipe for rye bread. It seems that 100% rye is usually made by the sour dough method and I couldn’t see my family going for that, so settle for a half and half rye/whole-wheat recipe… triumph. Ok, my son the food connoisseur complained it was a bit too sweet, so next time round I reduced the amount of honey, but this recipe has been our staple diet ever since, and I am now truly ensconced in my kitchen, looking at the view, every other day, while I Endeavour to keep the supply level with the ever increasing demand.

Any way, finally to the recipe:

500g rye flour

450g whole-wheat flour plus more for kneading

50g plain flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 10g sachet of instant yeast

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons oil

670 ml milk

125 ml water

Warm the milk to lukewarm. Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and put in the yeast, then honey, then oil, pour on the warmed milk and water and mix. When it gets doughy turn out on to a well floured surface (it will be extremely sticky) and knead for 10 minutes. You will need to keep adding flour as you knead. It is better for it to be too sticky than too dry – you can always add more flour, but too dry will make a dry, hard loaf. After 10 minutes, put it back into the bowl with a plastic bag over it and leave in a warmish place for two hours or so. Then knock down, firmly pressing out the air, but not over kneading, then form into two or three loaves on a baking sheet, cover again and leave to rise for another hour. Then bake for 30 minutes at 190C until they sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf. Cool on a wire rack

So how do I keep track of the bread making, in between school runs, mealtimes and the rest? Well I don’t always. There are times when I optimistically start the bread off, leave it to rise and four hours later remember about it, knock it down, forget to switch on the oven so it has had an extra day or so in rising time by the time it gets cooked. It does seem to be very forgiving though – whatever you do to it, you do generally get bread out at the end, it may not always be the perfect loaf, but then variety is the spice of life after all. There was one time it hadn’t quite finished cooking by the time I had to do the school run, so I asked my husband to take it out in ten minutes….. By the time I got back we had a very useful weapon against intruders. We didn’t eat that one…I think it was ryvita for lunch…!



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Old-fashion Recipes for Cinnamon Goodies From Vintage Recipe Collection

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
cake recipe


There’s nothing much better than the smell of cinnamon to make the mouth water.  Whether waking to the smell of cinnamon or walking in the door to the fresh smell, cinnamon awakens the senses like few aromas can.  Here are some old-fashion recipes using cinnamon for you to try.  Let the smell of cinnamon envelope your kitchen today.

CINNAMON SUGAR FAN BISCUITS

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk

FILLING:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in shortening, using a pastry cutter or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk, just until moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead 8 to 10 times. Roll or pat into a 12-inch by 10-inch rectangle. For filling, spread the butter over the dough. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter. Cut into five 2-inch strips; stack strips on top of each other. Cut into six 2-inch pieces, place cut side down in six greased muffin cups. Bake at 425 degrees for 11 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire racks to cool. Serve while warm.

CINNAMON COOKIES

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

Cream sugars, butter in large bowl. Sift dry ingredients. Add egg, add dry ingredients. Form into roll. Refrigerate until chilled through. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice and bake.

CINNAMON LAYERED COFFEE CAKE

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup milk

3 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

4 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp flour

3/4 cup melted butter

To make topping, melt butter, add brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Mix well.  Sprinkle between batter layers and some on the top. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs, beat well.  Sift dry ingredients together, add alternately with milk and vanilla.  Put half in greased and floured 13 x 9 x2-inch baking pan.  Sprinkle half the topping mixture over batter.  Add remaining batter and top with remaining topping mix.  Bake cake at 350 degrees about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!



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Aphrodisiac Recipes to Inspire Intimate Desires

Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
bread recipe


To incorporate the essence of intimate passions into cooking, individuals with such desires should impart aphrodisiac recipes into meal preparation.

Exploration, in the medium of research, can conjure up a host of aphrodisiac recipes suitable for any meal, any day or any occasion.

Enterprising enthusiasts of the aphrodisiac prophecies should slant their respective shopping skills and culinary talents through the resources of aphrodisiac recipes.

Supplemental and subliminal rewards, through an individual’s embracement upon preparing aphrodisiac recipes are in the perception, motif, tone and mood that are achieved. Such achievements can only enhance and inspire romance and intimacy, in creating the ultimate in desirability and arousal.

Aphrodisiac recipes are plentiful in their bounty. Such recipes, with a heavy accent on romance, include appetizers, dip, spread, non-alcoholic beverages, flavored coffees and teas, breads, soups, salads, fondue, vegetables, complete entrees, desserts, and decadent chocolate buffets.

Erotic finger food, amid aphrodisiac recipes, involved the minimal preparations and artistic placement of varieties of cubed cheeses; hot and spiced frankfurters of the cocktail variety; black olives, large and generously stuffed; green olives, also large and generously stuffed; an assortment of vegetable, pickled; hot peppers; and, as a feature delicacy, smoked oysters; all, on an elegant platter.

Remaining on the ****** finger food theme, as a continuation of aphrodisiac recipes, upon a vividly colorful platter, display fresh fruits, to include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chunks of pineapple, seedless green and red grapes, dates, figs, sliced mangos, sliced papaya, sliced kiwi, watermelon pieces, sliced cantalope or honeydew. Amid the fruit, place in the center of the platter an appropriately sized bowl, filled with melted chocolate, sherbet or cottage cheese. Add various types of crackers to the platter.

A most alluring, among aphrodisiac recipes, calls for pepper jelly to be spread upon sliced honey ham. Cook some asparagus spears, place the vegetable atop the jellied topped ham, and proceed to roll in up, as with a jelly role. Allow the asparagus tips to extend from either edge of the rollup. Hold the rollup together by spearing it with a toothpick containing a nicely stuffed olive.

To add that naturally sweet touch to a bread item amid the host of aphrodisiac recipes is sweet potato biscuits. Ingredients include one cup of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of sugar, one cup of mashed sweet potatoes, three tablespoons of butter, and a combination of honey and butter combined to make a spread. The oven should be preheated to three hundred seventy five degrees. With the exception of the honey and butter spread, mix all of the other ingredients together to create nice dough. Roll the dough out to flatness, and cut such dough into biscuits. Bake the biscuits for a period of twenty minutes. Remove the hot biscuits from the oven, and apply melted butter to the tops of the biscuits with a brush. Split the biscuits open, and spread the honey and butter spread inside of each biscuit. Serve the sweet potato biscuits warm.

As decadent chocolate would be amongst aphrodisiac recipes, a chocolate fondue would enrich any occasion. For such a fondue, have available two-thirds cup of a light corn syrup, a half-cup of whipping cream, and one package or eight squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate. To prepare such decadence, combine the corn syrup and whipping cream within a large bowl that is microwave safe, on a high setting, for a duration of one and a half minutes or until such mixture reaches a boil. Remove the bowl containing the hot mixture from the microwave, and immediately stir in the chocolate, until the entire mixture is fully melted. Pour the mixture into a fondue pot. Serve warm, as a fine dip for a host of goodies, including sliced fresh fruit, whole strawberries, cookies, marshmallows, pretzels, cubed pound or angel cake.

A crowning piece within the array of aphrodisiac recipes for a dinner would be prime rib with herbed au jus. Choose a nice four-pound beef prime rib roast. Also shop for shallots, rosemary, salt, black pepper and parsley. Bake the roast in the oven for two hours at three hundred fifty degrees. For making the essential au jus, utilize the pan drippings from the roast. With the drippings as a base, add one tablespoon of shallots, one teaspoon each of black pepper, parsley, rosemary and salt, along with one cup of water. Bring the au jus mixture to a boil.



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Vegetarian Recipes: How to Make a Vegan Cake

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
cake recipe


Do you have a strict vegan in the family who has a birthday or celebration coming up that traditionally calls for cake? If you’re not familiar with vegan dietary practices, you might not know what vegans do not eat. Even worse, you might have no idea how to replace what they do not eat.

But don’t worry. In a few short paragraphs, I’ll explain exactly what you need to make the perfect cake for your vegan friend or relative. And best of all, no one will be able to taste the difference.

Let’s start with what strict vegans do not eat. They do not eat eggs. They do not drink milk. They don’t eat certain types of sugar. They don’t eat butter. And they don’t eat frosting.

Eggs can be replaced by “EnerG Egg Replacer,” which you can purchase at many grocery stores. The box will explain how much replacer to use per egg.

Cow’s milk can be replaced by organic rice milk, which doesn’t contain any animal byproducts. You can buy rice milk at your local grocery store, too.

Many vegans do not consume sugar, either, because it is often whitened by animal bone char. You can avoid sugar that is whitened by bone char by purchasing “unbleached” sugar, sugar in the raw, or beet sugar. There are some cane sugars, too, which were not whitened using bone char, but they hard to distinguish from others, unless you know the exact name brand.

Strict vegans will not eat food made with butter, either. If your cake recipe calls for butter, you can simply replace it with margarine or vegetable shortening.

In addition to butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, strict vegans also will not eat dairy frosting. If your recipe calls for frosting, you can look for a similar flavor of “non-dairy” frosting or you can make your own, replacing butter with margarine.

And there you have it: an ingredient replacement key for your vegan cake. Simply follow the key, replace vegan-unfriendly items on your recipe, and your cake will be perfectly fit for even the strictest vegetarian!



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