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!
Chef Jim Coleman’s “Easy French Toast Waffles” will be the perfect breakfast (or dinner if you love Breakfast Dinners like we do in our house) to make for your mother on Mother’s Day. They look spectacularly delicious and seem to be a breeze to make.
I’m loving the idea of waffles and French toast combining their delicious resources and pulling together to make a breakfast recipe. And doing it for all the mothers of the world makes it extra special.
This wonderful recipe was created by the renowned chef Jim Coleman in conjunction with Chef’sChoice®, a leading manufacturer of waffle makers.
Coleman’s Easy French Toast Waffles Recipe
Recipe Ingredients:
5 large Eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup Milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
8 slices Challah (day-old) bread, cut 1 inch thick
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, baking powder, sugar and salt. Transfer mixture into a 9 x 12 shallow baking pan. Cut each bread slice into 4 equally sized squares (32 pieces in all). Place bread slices into egg mixture, turning once, until well soaked.
Preheat Chef’sChoice WafflePro, Model 830B-SE Belgian waffle iron on the Crispy Exterior/Moist Interior setting at color control 4. (For other waffle irons, follow manufacturer’s directions). Place 4 pieces (equals 1 slice) in waffle iron, one in each grid, leaving a 1 inch space in the middle and cook until the ready buzzer sounds. Serve with warm syrup and/or powdered sugar. (Or mom’s favorite topping!) Makes 8 waffles and you know mom will be more than happy to share.
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Philadelphia-based Chef Jim Coleman hosts “A Chef’s Table,” a live weekly radio show broadcast on WHYY 91 FM and throughout the country over National Public Radio. Coleman’s “Flavors of America” show airs in 50 million homes across the country. He currently holds the position of executive chef at Blue Bell Country Club and Normandy Farm in Blue Bell, PA. Previously, he was executive chef of the AAA Five-Diamond Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia where he won many accolades. Coleman has also published three cookbooks: “Flavors with Jim Coleman,” “Flavors of America” and “The Rittenhouse Cookbook.”
Here’s a thought, why not serve mom the delicious waffles – then present her with a new Chef’sChoice WafflePro? The unique Quad Baking System allows you to choose either a fast or deep bake and you select the ideal flavor, texture and color. This professional, heavy duty unit offers “waffle ready” beeper and lights, non-stick deep channel griddle, an easy clean overflow channel and space saving upright storage. Call 800-432-3255 for a store nearest you.
by Joi on January 18, 2009
Nobody loves Starbucks like I love Starbucks – I’m totally comfortable with that claim. Not only do I frequent each of the three Starbucks in Owensboro (I like to spread the love), my kitchen echoes my sentiments. You can always find several bags of Starbucks coffee beans on the counter, Starbucks mugs in the cabinets, tumblers, and (of course) the full or half full coffee, tea, or latte that I’ve recently snagged.
I just found these gorgeous mugs online, at the Starbucks website – yes, I even stalk them online. It occurs to me that they’d make a great collection, so.. um, yeah… I’m going with that idea. Click through to see the rest of the gorgeous mugs they have. Starbucks is the reason, you know, that drinking coffee is so vogue, classy, and even sexy.
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. NY Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Chicago Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. San Francisco Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Hawaii Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Seattle Global Series Mug
by Joi on January 15, 2009
Italian Chicken Recipe
Servings: 4
2 cups Hood® Lowfat Cottage Cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- Blend cottage cheese in a blender or mini-food processor with oregano, garlic and basil.
- Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts into a baking dish and top each breast with 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle each piece of chicken with Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bake at 350°F until the chicken is thoroughly baked (about 30 minutes).
by Joi on October 15, 2008
The billboard above is raising eyebrows in the San Fransico area. According to Calorie Lab, the ad’s making people angry – can you believe that?!
I can’t imagine getting worked up over a suggestion that people should eat healthier. Naturally, the people behind the ad aren’t saying that celery sticks (the stick in question) will cure obesity all by themselves. They’re pointing out that the sort of healthy lifestyle that’s represented by waist-friendly foods such as celery sticks WILL help in the fight against fat.
Geez, why are people so quick to criticize and condemn anymore? It’s an ad aimed at helping people get healthier and it’s coming under criticism.
Personally? I think it’s a great ad with a great message. Clever, even. Maybe it’s a good thing that people ARE criticizing it – it’ll get more publicity that way. What do you think about the ad?
by Joi on October 14, 2008
The gorgeous AUTUMN LEAVES PUMPKIN is from Hartstone Pottery. It’s freezer, microwave, oven, and diswasher save. And absolutely beautiful to boot!
From the Website:
Oh come little leaf…rejoice in the crisp, cool days of autumn. Celebrate as the air brings its hints of pumpkin and spices, and the ever present crackle of natures free falling sails of change. Enjoy our hand-painted fall pottery! Mugs, plates, ruffle bowls. Made in Ohio by Hartstone USA. Microwave, freezer, oven and dishwasher safe. Lead free. America’s best stoneware!
The AUTUMN LEAVES PUMPKIN is from one of Hartstone Pottery’s most popular collections, the Autumn Leaves Collection. The pieces in this collection are stunning. They’d make autumn meals (including Thanksgiving!) something extra special. Below are a few of my other favorites.
AUTUMN LEAVES MINI BREAD PAN
AUTUMN LEAVES BREAD PAN
AUTUMN LEAVES 10″ PIE PLATE
AUTUMN LEAVES OVAL PLATTER
Click through any link to see the entire collection. The Autum Leaves Collection includes plates, mugs, ramekins, bowls, etc. Gorgeousness!
by Joi on October 12, 2008
The following light and healthy salad recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks “Cooking Light: An Exciting Compilation of Light Recipes.” I actually found this unique cookbook on a bargain table of all places, in a bookstore in Pensacola, Florida about 4 years ago. I’ve used it regularly since and have never seen it anywhere else.
This is one of the recipes I promised in the last post – another “Pink Food!”
CRAB AND CITRUS SALAD
8 oz. crab meat (or imitation crab – it’s what I actually use)
2 oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
1 pink grapefruit
1 small head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
6 TBS heavy cream
1 TBS chili sauce
1 TBS brandy (I use flavoring)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
salt
2 TBS salad oil
1. Chop up the crab. You want bite-sized servings. Set aside.
2. Mix the the following together: yogurt, chili sauce, cream, brandy flavoring, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Toss with the crabmeat.
3. Take a very thin strip of peel from each of the citrus fruits. Scrape off the bitter pith and discard. Cut each strip of peel into thin slivers. Put into boiling water and allow to boil for about 1 minute. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside.
4. Peel each of the citrus fruits and cut into segments. Do this over a bowl, so you can reserve the delicious juices.
5. Add the salad oil to the juice in the bowl, and toss with the fruit segments. Shred the iceberg lettuce and arrange on plates. Put the crabmeat mixture on top of the lettuce.
6. Arrange citrus segments over and around crabmeat and sprinkle citrus peel over the top.
If you read the articles I told you about in the last post, you know how much your body’s going to love all of this citrus. This salad is as good for you as it is good. It’s also very, very, very beautiful. If you’re making food for a “Pink party,” you could of course either add a little more grapefruit or just make sure you place it all on top. 
I’m making this beautiful salad sometime this week – and I’ll put a picture in this post as soon as we take one. (I was planning to make it this weekend, but can’t find crabmeat in my local stores!)
VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: Leaveth out the crab.
by Joi on October 10, 2008
Healthy Ingredients (Quark, Milk, Juice, Cereals) on Grass Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
When you get tired of reading all of the political articles and depressing news about the economy, below are links to great stories that’ll help your health. As a bonus, they’ll get your mind off of the financial news for a little while which might just keep you sane!
The Best Snack on Earth! – A Men’s Health feature on WebMD that supports their choice for the best snack on earth. It probably isn’t what you’re thinking. I know, I know – I thought it’d be coffee, too. You’ll be surprised – unless you’re a genius and figured it out already. In which case, Shhhhhh, let me think it was tough.
Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH – From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: “Get with the plan that is clinically proven to significantly reduce blood pressure! This updated booklet contains a week’s worth of sample menus and recipes recalculated using 2005 nutrient content data. The “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” eating plan features plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in salt/sodium. Also contains additional information on weight loss and physical activity.”
How Much Fruit and Vegetables do YOU actually Need? – You simply enter your age, sex, and level of physical activity, and the experts will tell you how many servings of fruits and vegetables you should be getting. I thought I ate a really healthy variety of foods, but I’m only getting 1/3 of the fruits I should be getting (and with 7 apple trees in my yard & 1 pear tree, I should be ashamed). At least I’m getting all the veggies I should be.
The Glorious Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables – Some You Probably Never Thought Of – Once you know how many servings you should be getting, this article will let you know exactly WHY you should follow through.
Tea With a Twist: How to Make Tea EVEN Healthier – Tea is already one of the healthiest things you can drink, but there’s something simple you can do to make it even more so.
Heart Smart Foods – Find which foods are the most nurturing to your heart… Then load up on them!
Also See:
The New Super Foods
The Best Guide to Vegetarian Eating
Eating Healthy
Fruit – It Does a Mind Good (Hmmm, so I’m only getting 1/3 of the amount of fruit I should be eating. This explains a lot!)
New Kids on the Food Block
by Joi on October 8, 2008
This great-looking Spooky Hand Candy Dish
is just the thing to bring a little more “spirit” to your den, living room, kitchen, bedroom, whatever.
If your family’s like mine, it won’t slow them down for a second. I have one daughter that’d probably slap the hand to make sure it didn’t beat her to the goodies.
We raised that girl right.
by Joi on October 4, 2008
Some of my favorite recipes are in the Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
cookbook. It’s honestly one of the best cookbooks ever put together.
I posted the recipe for Pumpkin Bars from this cookbook before (HERE!) and have heard back from a lot of people who tried them and loved them. I also heard from a great deal of people who’d bought the book and thanked me for telling them about it.
I made these pumpkin bars again this past week (for, like the bazillionth time), but this time instead of one pan, I bought two disposable, shallower pans and divided the recipe between them. The result was, of course, thinner pumpkin bars. We actually prefer them thinner, so the next time I make them (probably this week!) I’m going to divide them between two pans again. You have to watch the baking time, however, I found that they were ready almost 10 minutes earlier than the recipe states when you’re making them thinner.
Needless to say, if you go this route, keep an eye on them and do the whole toothpick test to make sure they’re through.
These Pumpkin Bars would make ideal Halloween Treats. If they were cut into small enough servings, they could be placed in small boxes – the ones you can buy in bulk in kitchen stores or party supply outlets.
I keep wanting to try these topped with whipped cream rather than the cream cheese icing, but I’m much, much too into cream cheese icing to commit.
