From the category archives:

Recipes (A-O)

How to Make a Banana Smoothie

by Joi on February 11, 2010

I bought a new blender yesterday with one thing in mind – Smoothies! I’ve tried out a few and I’m completely hooked. So far, my favorites are Blueberry Smoothies, Strawberry Smoothies, and Banana Smoothies.

A banana smoothie is a healthy, quick cold treat that you can make any time of year, not just in summer. There are a variety of ways to make a banana smoothie, but in this article we’ll stick with the basics.

Here are the tools and utensils you’ll need to make your banana smoothie:

A blender
Knife to cut up your banana
Serving glasses
Measuring cups

And here are the ingredients that we’ll be using to make our banana smoothie:

1 ripe banana
1 cup of crushed ice
1 cup of cold milk
1 tbsp of brown sugar

Here’s how to make the perfect banana smoothie every time

Some people like to freeze their banana first before adding it to the blender, but I find it turns out great using a regular room temperature banana.

Peel your banana and break it or cut it up into pieces and add it to your blender. Then pour in the ice, milk and add the brown sugar.

Turn on your blender and hold the top of the lid firmly in place. This is important because with something hard like ice inside, there’s a possibility that the lid could get knocked off and then you’d end up with a mess. If you don’t have crushed ice, use ice cubes instead, but pulse the blender a few times to break the ice cubes into smaller pieces.

Blending time should take about 30-60 seconds, but make sure your banana smoothie has a smooth creamy texture before serving.

When the mixture is finished blending, pour it out into a glass and if you decide to use a straw to drink from, use bigger straws to make it easier.

Video: How to make a banana smoothie

(I have no idea who this is in the video below – I just thought it might be helpful for my readers!)

I’ve become a Smoothie addict, so you’ll be seeing plenty of smoothie recipes, tips, and what not. I’m working on iced coffee drinks as well…. I’ll bet you already assumed that. So transparent.

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe from Nigella Express: In a Word, Divine!

by Joi on February 10, 2010

It’s been well-documented that Nigella Express is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks… and if there’s something I know inside/out it’s cookbooks. A collection numbering in the hundreds earns you the title expert.

A recipe I return to often is Nigella’s Roquamole. Like Nigella, I’m completely obsessed with avocados, so I thoroughly appreciate new and creative things to do with them. This recipe makes a throroughly modern Millie type of recipe that I know you’ll love.

Nigella Lawson’s Roquamole Recipe

Yield: 4-6 Servings
1 cup crumbled Roquefort or Saint Agur blue cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup sliced pickled green jalapenos from a jar
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
1/4 tsp paprika
large bag of blue corn tortilla chips (the blue corn ones make a huge difference, I recommend them with this recipe)

Crumble or mash the blue cheese with the sour cream in a bowl
Mash in the avocados. If they are ripe, a fork should be all you need.
Roughly chop the jalapenos and stir them into the mixture along with the finely sliced scallions.
Arrange in the center of a plate or dish, dust with paprika, and surround with tortilla chips. Dive in.

Tuscan Chicken Recipe from Jolane’s Cafe

by Joi on February 9, 2010

Jolane’s Tuscan Chicken Recipe

Serves 2

2 6-8oz Chicken breast- boneless-skin on
1 cup grape tomatoes-halved
1/4 cup red onion-sliced thin
3 tbs fresh basil-chopped
1/2 loaf crusty French bread torn into chucks
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs chopped garlic

Marinade:
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
2 springs of fresh rosemary
1 tbs chopped fresh garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
2 oz balsamic vinegar1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
Kosher salt (To taste)
Cracked black pepper (TT)

Marinate chicken breast for minimum 4-6 hours or overnight for best results. Remove chicken from marinate and pat dry with a clean towel. Place chicken, skin side down, in a hot pan with 1 tbs of canola oil. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until skin becomes crispy and golden brown. Turn chicken over and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a preheated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees. In a bowl, combine grape tomatoes, red onions, basil and balsamic vinaigrette. Toss and set aside. Combine extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Drizzle over bread and toss to coat. Place bread on a sheet pan and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until golden brown. On two plates portion out the bread and the tomato mixtures and place 1 chicken breast on each plate.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

The elegant recipe above is from an equally elegant restaurant, Jolane’s Cafe.

The fascinating history behind Jolane’s:
Jolane was born November 26, 1906, in Korompa on the Austria-Hungary border, near the city of Vienna, where Julius Meinl coffee originated. She arrived in America on September 7, 1913, at the age of six, with nothing more than the shirt on her back. Jolane was almost turned away at Ellis Island due to a problem with her eyes.

Nothing came easy in life for Jolane. Her family settled on the Near West Side of Chicago starting out in typical immigrant fashion of the time by selling vegetables from a wagon. She was an independent young woman who graduated from Tuley High School and obtained an Associate’s degree in Accounting from Crane Junior College. Because she saved her money, she did not hesitate to do anything that made her happy. She was one of few women to drive a car in the mid-1920s and went to Cuba by herself when she was 26.

Jölane married her husband and business partner, Dave, in 1934. They opened an electronics store in 1936 in Logan Square with her $800. Times were tough, but they worked side-by-side, for long hours, while at the same time starting a family. Jolane relished the role of mother, ensuring her three children were always well taken care of. She went home every day to fix lunch and had a hot meal on the table every night.

Their business grew into one of the most successful family businesses in the United States. Jolane remained active in the business well into her 70s. Her carefree spirit and sense of adventure never faltered. She cruised to Alaska at the age of 84 and flew alone to Japan when she was 90. Jölane lived almost 97 years.

Jolane’s main focus in life above everything else was simply to be a good person. – Jolane’s Cafe.com

Jolane’s Cafe Address:
1100 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Glenview, IL 60025

Warm Winter Soup Recipes with Wisconsin Cheese!

by Joi on February 8, 2010

I love soup pretty much year-round but never more so than during the months of January and February. The recipes below are three of the most outstanding soups you’ll ever eat. They each star wonderful Wisconsin Cheese which, without a doubt, makes homemade soups heartier and homier. Wisconsin Cheese is also fantastic shredded over canned soups such as Bean & Bacon, Tomato, Potato, and Mushroom.

The following recipes, courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, incorporate savory Aged Cheddar, Asiago and Gruyère cheeses beautifully. Try each one, you’ll soon have 3 favorite new soups.

Cauliflower and Wisconsin Aged Cheddar Soup — features a creamy Aged Cheddar base with tender cauliflower florets.
Onion Soup with Two Wisconsin Cheeses — this twist on a classic combines the mellow flavors of Asiago and Mozzarella Cheeses with satisfying onion-beef broth.
Wisconsin Gruyère Cheese and Sweet Potato Soup — combines the full-bodied flavor of Gruyère Cheese and sweet potatoes with a creamy chicken stock. Serve with Maple Brioche Croutons.

Cauliflower and Wisconsin Aged Cheddar Soup Recipe

Makes 8 servings

For the Soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, white part only, medium dice
1 bay leaf, halved
2 heads cauliflower, broken into florets
1 cup Chardonnay wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) Wisconsin Aged Cheddar, shredded

For the Garnish:
Olive oil for sautéing
4 slices firm bread of your choice, crusts removed and cubed for croutons

Soup:
Heat olive oil in heavy stockpot and add the diced leek. Sauté until translucent and flexible and the leek releases its sugars. Add bay leaf halves and the cauliflower florets. Stir until cauliflower releases juices. Add the wine and reduce liquid by half or three-fourths. Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Continue to boil until cauliflower is tender. Add heavy cream and bring back to boil. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf halves. Blend soup to a fine texture.

Return to stove over low heat. Gradually add shredded Cheddar, whisking until fully incorporated.

Garnish:
Heat small amount of olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add the bread cubes and sauté until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and divide croutons evenly to garnish.

Onion Soup With Two Wisconsin Cheeses Recipe

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter
5 cups onions, sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 cans (14 ounces each) beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine (or water)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices 3/4-inch French bread, toasted
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Wisconsin Asiago cheese, finely shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin part-skim Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Cooking Directions:
Heat butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to coat with butter. Cook over medium-low heat about 35 minutes until onions are golden brown, stirring often.

Add broth, red wine and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Ladle equally into four 1 1/2-cup ovenproof bowls. Add a slice of toast to each; push down to saturate with broth.

Mix cheeses and thyme. Completely cover bread and soup with cheese mixture, dividing equally. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 425°F about 10 minutes, until cheeses melt and turn lightly brown. Serve immediately.

Wisconsin Gruyère Cheese and Sweet Potato Soup with Maple Brioche Croutons Recipe

Makes 6 to 8 servings

For Croutons:
4 thick slices brioche, cut in 1” cubes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch kosher salt

For Soup:
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, large dice
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart heavy cream
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups Wisconsin Gruyère cheese (Roth Käse Surchoix), grated
1 sprig fresh sage, for garnish

Cooking Directions:

Croutons:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl combine brioche cubes with melted butter, syrup, cayenne and salt. Toss brioche cubes generally to cover with the mixture. Place croutons on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove croutons from oven and set aside to prepare soup.

Soup:
Combine sweet potatoes, chicken stock and heavy cream in a large pot; bring to a boil and cook until sweet potatoes are soft. Place sweet potatoes and liquid into a blender and puree until smooth.

Return liquid to a medium size pot and add cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; simmer. Using a whisk, slowly stir in the Wisconsin Gruyère cheese. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Final Preparation:
Divide croutons evenly among bowls and place in bottom of bowls. Ladle soup over the top; garnish with fresh sage.

For more recipes featuring Wisconsin Cheese, visit www.EatWisconsinCheese.com.

Healthy Recipes from Prevention’s Flat Belly Diet For Men

by Joi on February 6, 2010

Football and unhealthy food often go hand in hand. Chips, dips, nachos, wings — not necessarily the best food for one’s waistline! The following recipes are from Prevention’s new book, The Flat Belly Diet! for Men and I can easily see them putting the other foods on the DL – as in Don’t touch List. Okay, that would actually be the DTL, but we’ll just let it go.

Of course, these recipes will be fantastic whether it’s Superbowl Sunday or not.

Every recipe in this book, written by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief of Prevention, with Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, weighs in at less than 400 calories per serving and boasts a MUFA, or mono-unsaturated fatty acid, which have been proven to help shed belly fat (including the dangerous visceral fat that increases your risk for a number of serious health problems) and improve heart health.

They certainly have my attention, how about you?

For more information, visit Flat Belly Diet for Men.com. After checking out Flat Belly Diet for Men’s website, you’ll want to head to Prevention’s website for more great recipes from the Flat Belly Diet. There’s a Spinach-Pesto dip that I have an appointment with soon. Very soon.

SPICY CHICKEN CHEESE STEAK WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND PEPPERS

Preparation time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 16 minutes / Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup olive oil (MUFA)
12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces shredded 50 percent reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (8-ounce) French baguette, split lengthwise

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and reserve. Return the skillet to the stove and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, oregano, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 9 minutes, or until the onions are golden. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, or until starting to brown. Add the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Cook 1 minute, or until hot. Remove from the heat and add in the cheese, stirring until melted.

2. Top the baguette with the chicken mixture. Cut into 4 portions and serve.

*********************************

BLACK AND RED BEAN CHILI WITH WAGON WHEELS

Preparation time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 30 minutes / Makes 4 Servings

4 ounces wagon wheel pasta
1/4 cup olive oil (MUFA)
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15-ounce) no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Bring pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook 1 minute. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and salt, stirring until the chocolate has melted. Serve over the pasta.

Kitchen Gadgets to Fall in Love With This Valentine’s Day

by Joi on February 6, 2010

I’m a sucker for all holidays and embrace them like a 2 year old embraces her favorite teddy bear. Valentine’s Day is a favorite – how could it not be? It’s all about chocolate, love, stuffed animals, chocolate, beautiful flowers, hearts, and chocolate. I’ve rounded up some beautiful kitchen gadgets and what-nots below just in time for this very special holiday. Yes, I said holiday… on account of the chocolate.

These would make very special valentine’s day gifts. Needless to say, they’d also make very special “self to self” gifts. You gotta love those.

RSVP International 4-pc. Endurance Heart Measuring Spoons

Tin Woodsman 5-pc. Heart Measuring Spoon Set

Amco Set of 2 Heart Non Stick Heart and Daisy Pancake Molds

9-pc. Love Cookie Cutters

RSVP International 4-pc. Endurance Heart Measuring Cups

Tin Woodsman 5-pc. Heart Measuring Cup Set

Valentine Treats

Recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins

by Joi on February 5, 2010

The recipe below is from recipe from New York Times Bestselling novelist and avid baker Mary Burton.

Just over a year ago, author Mary Burton was quoted in the Richmond Times-Dispatch talking about how her passions—writing and baking—both contribute to her creativity. The article shared a recipe along with Mary’s view that, for her, they are intertwined, most probably because she experiences each as requiring creativity as well as expertise.

So, when the going gets tough, Mary heads to the kitchen where the stress level immediately ratchets down a few notches and she finds herself busy working out dialogue and untangling plot lines before the oven has even preheated. As she told the Times-Dispatch, “…you can tell how the writing’s going by the number of cupcakes on the counter.”

I love that! I find a similar solace in my kitchen as well. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’d be a lot more empty therapist couches is more people took up cooking. What a stress reliever!

For the recently published novel DYING SCREAM, Mary Burton shared her gift with protagonist Adrianna Barrington. Figuring that when Adrianna wasn’t helping track down a serial killer she would welcome a chance to chill, Mary gave her a great kitchen along with a penchant for pastry and other baked delicacies.

And, as long as it’s coming up on St. Valentine’s Day and Adrianna is carrying a torch for Homicide Detective Gage Hudson, Mary also decided it was time for her have her own recipe for readers to bake and enjoy ― Adrianna’s Carrot Cake Love Muffins.

The rest of us get to benefit from her creativity, how cool is that? What’s say, as a thank you (we cooks are nothing if not gracious) to Mary Burton, we all buy her newest novel, Dying Scream? After all, we bakers have to stick together!

For more about Mary Burton and her novels visit www.maryburton.com.

To see last year’s Valentine’s Day recipe for Mary Burton’s Buns— CLICK HERE.

Finally, to see the Richmond Times-Dispatch article— CLICK HERE.

Adrianna’s Carrot Cake Love Muffins Recipe

3 cups of shredded carrots
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

To the shredded carrots add eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix well. Shift flour, salt, cinnamon, baking power and baking soda into carrot mixture. Gently mix and scoop into muffin cups. Makes about 12. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

(If possible, hand shred the carrots. It takes a bit longer to shred by hand but the carrots hold more moisture and this really enhances the texture of the muffins.)

Muffins can be dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a cream cheese icing. Both are delicious.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons of milk

Cream all together until fluffy. When the muffins have cooled ice with frosting.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies With Golden Raisins

by Joi on February 3, 2010

I’m fixing to make a batch of one of my husband’s favorite cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The boy could eat about 12 at one setting. Sigh, I love him so.

We’re simply big on cookies in our house, whether it’s Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Birthdays, March Madness, the Superbowl, a night our beloved St. Louis Cardinals are playing baseball, Survivor Thursday, or a nothing really going on but lets celebrate it with cookies Wednesday night like tonight – you can almost always find a plate of cookies in our kitchen.

These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies never disappoint.

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES RECIPE

3/4 cup butter (not margarine, please)
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup black raisins
1 cup crushed walnuts

Mix butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and the dry ingredients. Add oatmeal, nuts, and chips. Drop by teaspoon on a greased, shiny cookie sheet. If your cookie sheet isn’t the shiny pan it once was, cover it with Reynold’s 100 % Recycled Aluminum Foil. The shininess helps the cookies to cook more evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees.

My mouth is watering….

*************************

Even with a great recipe (Which I believe the one above to be) and an outstanding cook (I know you are!), your cookies will only be as good as the cookie sheets you cook them on. The professional cookie pans you see below are incapable of producing a bad batch of cookies. For bakery-quality cookies each time, these are the cookie pans you need.

Chicago Metallic Set of 2 Professional Nonstick Cookie and Jelly Roll Pans

Original Super Bowl Recipes Courtesy of the Amazing Avocado!

by Joi on January 31, 2010

I can’t even tell you how much I love avocados. I’ve tried before and felt that I came up short, so I figure why even try? Suffice to say, I could eat two every single day for the rest of my life and want more. I use them in guacamole (of course), on paninis, in tossed salads, in pasta salads, on pizza, in tacos, in fajitas, and I’ve even put them into scrambled eggs before.

I also love to slice them, remove the pit, and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice inside. Then I toss a little finely chopped tomato with a little olive oil and salt and glob the tomato mixture onto the avocado. If I have fresh cilantro on hand, I sprinkle some on top. Then I have a party in my mouth. Naturally, I also simply slice them and eat them quite often as well.

A year or so ago, while reading a favorite cookbook, Nigella Express, I came across this quote from the beautiful author: “I eat an enormous amount of avocados…. (I remember reading) when I was really quite young, just in my teens, that the dogs that lived in avocado orchards always had shiny, glossy coats because of all the windfall fruit they snaffled up daily. That image has stuck with me, and it is such an appealing one. I always have it in mind as I prepare myself an avocado, which is often.”

Ever since reading that quote, I picture Nigella’s gorgeous hair when I cut open an avocado!

Below you’ll find a wealth of Avocado information – how to pick an avocado, how to cut an avocado, how to prepare an avocado, the nutritional values of avocados, a guacamole recipe, and a Chicken and Avocado Pizza recipe. Have mercy! The avocado recipes below (as well as the ones linked to at the end of this Mega Avocado Post) can give you the power to have the best Superbowl Snacks on the block when the Colts and the Saints fight it out for the big one. This has nothing to do with avocados or even cooking, but for the first time EVER, I honestly don’t care which team wins this year – I like them about the same. Peyton Manning is a class act and the Colts are a classy organization -what’s not to like about them? At the same time, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch and they’ve really built their program up to a position of dominance. It’d be great to see them rewarded for all their hard work.

I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the game, almost as much as the snacks!

Guacamole Monster Dip Recipe

1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico – halved, pitted and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon wasabi
1 cup plain thick Greek-style yogurt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In bowl, combine avocado, yogurt, ginger, salt, wasabi, garlic, and lime juice; stir until well mixed.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.
Serve as a dip with chips or vegetables or topping for iceberg lettuce wedges or romaine hearts.

Preparation time is about 5 minutes. Yields about 1-1/2 cups.

Chicken and Avocado Pizza Recipe

California-style pizza, ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes | Serves 2-4

1 12-inch Boboli ready-made pizza crust
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 fully ripened Avocado from Mexico, halved pitted, peeled and sliced

-Heat oven to 425°F. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet; bake crust 7 minutes.
-In small bowl, combine pizza sauce and Tabasco.
-Spread pizza with sauce; top with chicken, Avocado and cheese.
-Bake until crust is crisp on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Yields 8 slices.

Nutritional Information for Avocados:

One-fifth of a medium avocado (3 slices), or about one ounce, has only 50 calories.
Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 3 grams monounsaturated fat and 0.5 polyunsaturated grams fat per 1 oz. serving.
Avocados have a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 3.5 grams to 0.5 grams, making them a great substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.
Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA), which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. According to the AHA, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease.
Avocados are cholesterol- and sodium-free, and more than 50 percent of the fruit’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.
Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein in a 1 oz. serving, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado from Mexico

(Or, How to recognize your Hass!)

Avocados from Mexico are available year round. You can spot a ripe Hass Avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin.
Look for the “Avocados from Mexico” sticker
It appears on only the finest Avocados imported from Mexico.
Hass has heft
When you hold the Avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.

Get it ripe
Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green Avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready for use in a shorter time, two to three days.

Need your Avocado now?
If you need Avocados to use right away, look for fruit whose skin has turned dark green or black. The Avocado should yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.

Avocado Ripening and Storage Information

How to tell if your Avocado is ripe
To determine if your Avocado from Mexico is ripe, gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe Avocados will feel slightly soft. And when shopping for and storing Avocados, use this guide:

Storing ripe Avocados
Avocados at stages 2 – 4 can be stored at room temperature in an area with good circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep Avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Avocados at stages 4 – 5 can be stored in your refrigerator (36º to 40º F) for up to one week. When saving part of an Avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

How to Cut and Prepare an Avocado

Cut
Using a sharp knife, cut into the Avocado straight down, longitudinally (from top to bottom) until you hit the pit.
Twist
Take the Avocado and twist it until it separates into two halves, one of which will contain the pit.
Hit
Carefully strike the pit with your knife. Using a twisting motion, use the knife’s leverage to loosen and dislodge the pit.
Spoon
With a spoon, gently scoop away the Avocado’s flesh from the outer skin.
Enjoy
Your Avocado is now ready to make your appetizer or entrée a work of culinary art.

Ways to Serve Avocados

Avocados are most commonly used to make guacamole, but they are so versatile and can be incorporated into many other dishes like main entrees,, salads, dips, desserts, and sandwiches.

Avocados substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Images, recipes, and information are courtesy of www.theamazingavocado.com. Visit their site for hundreds of recipes. I just found one for Fish Tacos that I’ll be trying this week (I’d make it tonight if I didn’t already have a huge pot of Great Northern beans, potatoes, and ham cooking!). Another favorite is the Portabella Burgers with Avocado Spread. I’ve linked you to the page containing these recipes – be sure to browse around for more. That’s where I’m headed!

Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie Recipe for the Win

by Joi on January 23, 2010

Below is the outstanding recipe for Professional entrant Linda Hundt’s APC/Crisco National Pie Championship 2009 Best of Show pie, Tom’s Cherry Cherry Cherry Berry Pie. The annual event will be held this year April 23-25, 2010.

Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie Recipe

by Linda Hundt

Crust:
One and one-half cups of flour
One-quarter tsp baking powder
One-half tsp salt
One tsp sugar
One-half cup Crisco shortening

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer on medium speed swiftly until crust appears “pea like.” Carefully sprinkle ice cold water in crust mix until it just starts to be fully moistened and gathers together. Pat into disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least one half hour. Roll out on floured surface and make and crimp pie crust. Freeze until ready to use.

Filling:
Four and one-half cups Montmorency tart cherries –frozen
One cup sugar
One-quarter cup cornstarch
One-half tsp real almond extract
One tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
One-half tsp orange zest
One-half cup dried Michigan cherries
One and one-half cups of frozen blueberries

Combine frozen cherries, dried cherries, sugar, cornstarch. Stir constantly on med-hi heat until boiling. Add blueberries. Boil for one minute or until thickened. Add almond extract, lemon juice and zest. Pour blueberries in bottom of pie shell and pour cherry mixture over them.

Crumb Topping:
One cup sugar
One cup all purpose flour
One-quarter tsp salt
One stick butter softened

Mix together all crumb topping ingredients by hand or a pastry blender until crumbly.

Cover filling with crumb topping. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until filling is bubbling over crust.

Credit: The American Pie Council. Follow The American Pie Council on Twitter and Facebook for all things Pie!

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →