by Joi on January 5, 2010
A Canadian inspired cranberry dish such as Ocean Spray’s “Cranberry Turkey Satays” offers an easy, affordable, creative way to put a spin on a traditional party favorite.
Richmond, Canada, located right in Vancouver’s backyard, is home to over 60 family-owned cranberry farms. Cranberries are one of this beautiful city’s top agricultural crops.
For more Canadian inspired cranberry recipes, please visit www.oceanspray.ca.
Cranberry Turkey Satays
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1/3 cup peanut butter
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
chopped cilantro, to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless turkey breast
24 bamboo or metal skewers
DIRECTIONS:
Combine Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and pepper flakes in a blender container. Cover and blend 30 seconds or until well mixed. Reserve 1/2 cup. Stir cilantro into remainder and set aside.
Cut turkey breast crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Combine turkey and the 1/2 cup cranberry mixture in medium mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Soak bamboo skewers in water 30 minutes.
Thread turkey onto skewers. Broil or grill until turkey is no longer pink inside, turning once. Brush reserved cranberry cilantro mixture over satays and serve any remaining sauce as dip.
How amazingly original and tangy does this recipe sound? Our neighbors to the north know a thing or two about cooking, don’t they?
Holy cats, I love these. For one thing, they’re bright and colorful and I’m all about bright colors. For another, they’re absolutely ingenious. The Rachael Ray Moppines
, from Cooking.com, combine the best of both worlds: A kitchen towel and pot holders…. all in one! Each bright, beautiful (and larger than most little wimply kitchen towels) kitchen towel has a pot holder built into each end.
Rachael Ray frequently has one tossed over her shoulder while cooking on her show.
The towels have a waffle weave that is super absorbent, so you can dry your dishes, counter tops, hands, and so forth in record time. Dry off, then hang your moppine up (or throw it over your shoulder).
Then, of course, there are the The oven mitt pockets are padded and lined with terry fabric to insulate hands from the heat. Gotta have a set of these!
I’ve been loving the Sargento Reduced Fat Pepper Jack cheese in paninis, on cold sandwiches, and (of course) on Ritz Crackers. I’ve also found it to be outstanding in omelettes and shredded up in scrambled eggs.
It has a bit of a fiesty side, so be sure you’re ready. Personally, I think it’s sheer perfection.
The Pepper Jack Cheese is also a perfect mate for Boca Burgers and other varieties of meatless burgers. Just slice an onion, a fresh tomato, and throw a great pickle on the side. You’ll think you’re in Paradise, and trust me – you’ll never miss the red meat (or its calories).
Sargento Cheese.com has some outstanding recipes featuring Pepper Jack Cheese that you’ll want to check out.
Here are the links – you’ll want to test out each and every recipe. Trust me!
Red-Skin Potato Salad with Honey Dill Dressing
1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
4 strips bacon
1 medium onion, diced
6 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried dill
1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped
Directions:
In large pot, boil whole potatoes in salted water until; tender but firm. Drain and cool. While potatoes are cooling, sauté bacon until crisp in large frying pan. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onion to bacon drippings; cooking until soft, about 3 minutes. Add honey and vinegar to pan; stir to combine and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water, stir into honey mixture. Cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon; stir bacon and dill into dressing. Cut cooled potatoes in half, leaving skins on. In large bowl, combine potatoes and watercress. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently. Serve immediately.
This recipe and the beautiful picture are courtesy of the National Honey Board
The New Organic Victory Garden
Now even big city dwellers are doing it in the back yard!
A Guest Post By Jay North www.GoingOrganic.com
In the mid1940’s the United States government asked the people to plant edible gardens to help support the downwardly spiraling economy and the war effort. During that time millions of people all over the country planted gardens called “Victory Gardens”, and harvested nearly one third of all the vegetables consumed in the country. Gardening became a popular family or community effort planting vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees. Now with the ever expanding state of economic uncertainty many people are again looking for ways to not only, stretch their food dollars but also to avoid the high cost of healthcare by making better lifestyle choices, and so, the idea of the “Organic Victory Gardens” speared on by yours truly are tacking many of our current problems.
Now, even Michelle Obama is setting an example by planting a food garden at the White House, as did Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943 during another time of national crisis. It was reported in national news, In Eleanor’s time; some 20 million people grew their own food to help relieve the food shortages of WWII. While Michelle Obama’s 1,000-square-foot Organic Vegetables garden will help to provide food for the first family’s meals and possibly even formal dinners, she also talked about the garden as a means to educate children about healthful, locally grown fruits and vegetables. With the growing national concern about obesity and diabetes especially among our children, more physical activities and better natural food choices should be encouraged. Creating and maintaining an organic garden perfectly fits that prescription.
When you think about it, growing your own food becomes part of the solution to many growing problems associated with modern living. Such as global warming and reducing your carbon footprint, like me, many people today are concerned about the foods we buy in the supermarkets, what kind of chemicals were used on them, how far have they traveled to reach the shelves in your local store and how long have they been there.
Growing your own organic food can be both fun and healthy. Not only is it great physical exercise and a way to slow down and reconnect yourself with your environment, it also provides an opportunity to take full control of what you put into your body.
Organic gardening/farming is nothing new, it was once the only way to farm. We then began to depend on chemicals and other unnatural methods to grow more, bigger and better. Now that the earth has suffered largely from damage due to these practices, and many of us suffer needlessly from health disorders associated with chemicals, steroids and other unnatural additives to soil, water and food, we are again returning to the way nature intended us to grow. Organic farming doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or quantity of product. You will find that since organic farming replenishes the soil rather than robbing it of nutrients, eliminates build-up of chemical products and allows for growing massive amounts of lush, healthy, pest-free produce, your yield will be the same, if not better, than with other methods of farming.
Getting Started in Organic Gardening all about how you can start your first garden or farm or begin to convert your existing garden or farm into a healthy, productive and profitable, natural source of organically grown produce, plants and flowers. There is always something new to learn which makes for a great new hobby.
There are few greater satisfactions than slicing a fresh, juicy tomato and putting it on your sandwich, preparing a salad and knowing all the ingredients came from your own backyard or picking fresh organic beans for a hearty dinner meal. Starting a successful organic vegetable garden may take some know how and some help in getting started, and practice that may span over several seasons but don’t become discouraged if you make some mistakes because we all learn from our mistakes. You will find that organic gardening may become the most rewarding hobby, or lifestyle, you have ever started and shared with your family and neighbors.
For many organic growers, farming or gardening is a passion. We feel a connection to the Earth and believe it has become a moral duty to protect her and provide for her. Aside from the apparently spiritual affiliation, it’s just plain fun to be out in the sun playing in the dirt and watching things grow.
Happy Growing and Eat Organic It’s the Best for You and Your Family.
Jay North is a pioneer in the organic farming industry. He authored Getting Started In Organic Gardening for Fun And Profit, as a means of sharing his philosophy of renewal and self-sustained living. He is an internationally recognized authority in organic gardening contact Jay at www.GoingOrganic.com
Bakeware Essentials
Anyone with experience in the kitchen can tell the difference between a good meal and a great meal. While we can all agree that the right amount of ingredients plays an integral role in our food’s taste, it’s important to know that the quality of dinnerware and bakeware that we choose to use can also affect the final version of a dish. Your choice in bakeware necessities and splurges can make all the difference when you’re preparing for a special meal with friends and family or when you just want to create a fabulous treat for yourself!
One of the most important tools to invest in is a good set of measuring cups and spoons as baking is more of a science than cooking. In the cooking world, you’ll find that many chefs like to stick with cooking as opposed to putting together a baked dish and hoping for the best after they put the pan in the oven. The lack of room to experiment with baking recipes leaves chefs feeling limited. This isn’t to say that you should never test out new ingredients but you need to have the proportions a certain way for the chemistry of baking to work. Furthermore, baking is all about variety in size, shape, and texture which is why it’s great to get your hands on a nice set of different sized mixing bowls and baking pans. Start off with the basic muffin or rectangular pan shapes and work your way up to uniquely shaped novelty pans.
Baking isn’t a process where you want to cut corners in your bakeware choices as this can affect the overall taste, texture, or shape of your dish. With that being said, invest in a high quality rolling pin and hand or stand mixer that will get the job done every time. Baking mats are considered a splurge in the baking world but truly make all the difference when it comes time to roll out a stick batch of dough. In addition to essential bakeware materials, what’s baking without the amazing recipes? Create a small list of recipes to practice and perfect before moving onto anything too complicated. This will leave you feeling less frustrated and leave your family with delicious and edible dishes! Finally, research some fun decorating equipment that will allow you to frost, sprinkle, or simply bedazzle anything you pull out of the oven. This will allow you to flex your creative muscles and put on the fantastic display you’re looking to create!
For a great selection of bakeware, cookware, flatware, kitchen tools, espresso machines, and everything else you could hope for at the best prices (believe me, I bargain hunt!), you HAVE to check out Cookware.com. They have a billion and one things I have my eyes on, but the Rachael Ray Bubble & Browns Stoneware Bakers are at the top of the list. The colors are so vibrant, beautiful, and colorful (like Rachael, herself!). Gotta have them.
Hmmm, Mother’s Day isn’t that far away. Click HERE to check out all of the colors or these gorgeous Stoneware Bakers. You have to look into the Silicone Bakeware while you’re on the site, too. AMAZING!
One of the Food Network’s favorite chefs is back in action with new episodes tonight. Throwdown with Bobby Flay kicks off a new season with a Pad Thai Throwdown.
Bobby Flay has bitten off a big challenge with this one. He’ll be taking on Nongkran Daks. She has traveled the world perfecting her Thai recipes, teaches sold out cooking classes, and has written 5 cookbooks.
Oh, yeah. And her signature dish is Pad Thai.
This one should be exciting. How uncool would it be for Bobby to be on the losing end on his season premiere?!
Other highlights on today’s lineup include white pizza by Rachael Ray, breakfast recipes courtesy of Paula Deen, and a killer Cuban Sandwich from Alton Brown.
Today on the Food Network!
Paula’s Home Cooking – Breakfast Eggstravaganza
* Breakfast in a Cup
* Hash Brown Quiche
* White Hot Chocolate
* Ultimate Coffee Cake
* Omelette for a Crowd
5:30, 4:30 C
30 Minute Meals – Special Delivery
* Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower
* Root Veggie Salad with Horseradish Dressing
6:00, 5:00 C
30 Minute Meals – Movie Marathon
* White Pizza
* Mushroom Lovers’ French Bread Pizzas
* Puttanesca Pizza
6:30 pm, 7:30 C
Good Eats – Dr. Strangeloaf
* Very Basic Bread
8:00 pm, 7:00 C
Good Eats – Sandwich-Craft
* Cuban Sandwich
* Pan Bagnat
* Roasted Vegetable Spread
8:30 pm, 7:30 C
Throwdown with Bobby Flay – Pad Thai
9:00 pm, 8:00 C
Throwdown with Bobby Flay – Sushi
* Spicy Tuna Roll
9:30 pm, 8:30 C
As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!
This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household. I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.
I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:
- Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
- Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
- Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
- Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first. You can always add more but you can never add less.
- Keep your cleaning tools clean.
- Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
- NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
- Fall in love with Olive Oil.
- Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
- Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves. Make your own biscuits.
- Take pride in everything you make.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices.
- Rosemary loves chicken.
- Basil loves tomatoes.
- Use fresh ingredients.
- Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
- You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!
These are the tips I dish out the most often. Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time. I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites
, pictured above) However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.
There are several reasons. For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best. Bottom line: They know what they’re talking about! Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.
Another reason is this: You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have. It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.
When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side. It became so much work that I stopped doing it. However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there! I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category. Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day. They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.
Today on the Food Network!
Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
3:30, 2:30 C
Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract
8:00 pm, 7:00 C
Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork
8:30 pm, 7:30 C
Ace of Cakes – Cake-tastrophe
9:30 pm, 8:30 C
by Joi on February 22, 2009
You’ve read about my love for Green & Black’s Chocolates (here, here, here, and here). They really float my chocolate boat. As a matter of fact, before Valentine’s Day, I was in my favorite grocery store (Kroger) looking at heart shaped boxes of candy, wishing Green & Black’s sold Valentine’s Day collections.
I’d have bought the entire shelf!
As someone who is all about the environment and, especially, the precious animals we share this planet with, I love the fact that their great tasting chocolate is made from the world’s finest organic ingredients which gives back to the environment. Now Green & Black’s Organic chocolate wants to find out how you and I live green & black – making eco-friendly choices while not compromising on life’s every day indulgences. They’re having a contest and the prize is one you won’t believe.
All you have to do is submit an original story (200 words maximum) on how you balance both the green & the black – the eco-friendly and indulgent – in your life.
The winner will receive an exclusive guest package for two (2) to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, June 19-21, 2009. This year’s Classic will include culinary favorites Giada De Laurentiis and Mario Batali, cooking legend Jacques Pépin, grill master Bobby Flay, along with Michael Symon, Michel Richard, and many more. The perennially sold-out event will support Food & Wine’s Grow for Good campaign benefiting Wholesome Wave Foundation, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
The winning “Live in the &” entry will be awarded the following:
- Guest passes to the Classic in Aspen Grand Tastings
- Insider access to the exclusive Grow for Good Dinner
- Passes to select seminars
- Round trip airfare for 2 to Aspen
- Accommodations for 3 nights
To enter the Green & Black’s “Live in &” Contest presented with Food & Wine, simply visit the following link: www.foodandwine.com/greenandblacks.
Entries are being accepted now through April 30, 2009. Good luck!
by Joi on February 13, 2009
I know one thing for certain – with the deadly ice storm that recently hit Kentucky AND the wind storms we’ve been having lately, we’ll need a new grill this Spring. Like most people, we grill (or as people in other parts of the country say, barbecue) year round. According to The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, 58 percent of grill owners use their grills year round. Recently, grillers nationwide submitted their original grilling recipes to the Crisco® Cooking Sprays Grilling Hall of Fame Contest.
Now they need your help!
Fifteen grill masters around the US just advanced to become the top finalists in the Contest. Barbecue lovers everywhere (13 years or older) can help determine which five grand prize winners will be awarded a $5,000 backyard makeover and the distinction of a place in the Crisco Grilling Hall of Fame.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Visit www.GrillingHallofFame.com before April 6, 2009.
- Review top 15 finalists’ recipes and photos.
- Vote for the best recipe
- Limit one vote per person/e-mail address each day.
All of the Online Finalists and recipes include:
- Mary, Kerrville, TX – Grilled Chicken and Roasted Pepper Panini
- Mary, Ada, OK – Smoky Mojo-Mango Pork Loin
- Laureen, Riverside, CA – Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Jacama, Blue Cheese and Chipotle Lime Dressing
- Lisa, Clive, IA – Lemon-Rosemary Shrimp Crostini
- Derek, Charlotte, NC – Garlicky Grilled Pizzas with Grilled Shrimp, Feta, and Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Susan, Wilton, CT – Avocado Shrimp Boats
- Joseph, Providence, RI – Grilled Greek Feast
- Brooke, Colorado Springs, CO – Lani-Ono Island Chicken
- Valerie, Chatham, NJ – Pineapple Ribs
- Deborah, Lilburn, GA – Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa and Grilled Vegetables
- Jasmin, Livonia, NY – Sweet And Spicy Asian Surf And Turf Skewers
- Margaret, St. Petersburg, FL – Succulent Shrimp and Spinach Grilled Pizza
- Nikki, Beverly Beach, FL – Cardamom–Scented Tropical Fruit & Marshmallow Skewers with Apricot Sauce
- Edwina, Great Falls, MT – Grilled Mango-Citrus Chimichurri Shrimp
- Susan, Wilton, CT – Spice-Rubbed Mahi-Mahi Walks the Plank
For cooking out loud, you have to check out the recipe on the site for Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon! I’m certain my George Foreman grill’s up for the challenge.
