Who likes to "wander and ponder" the grocery store aisles on the way home from work, trying to figure out what's for dinner? I've done this enough times to know I don't like it at all. I am lucky enough to have a few incredibly organized friends, and after my moaning and groaning about this all-too-frequent recurring problem, Kristin told me how she now avoids this pattern:
She makes a menu, she shops around her menu, and on a specific day, she makes as much of her meals that she can, ahead of time and freezes them until time to serve. Whoa! THAT'S one brilliant idea, I thought to myself! Oh, I know the idea's been around for a long time, but you know how things sometimes don't register until you need 'em?
Anyway, I'm going to follow her lead, starting this weekend. And in case you like the idea as well, or are just looking for a great recipe to make ahead, here's an easy and superior chicken dish you'll want to try out:
CHICKEN NEWBURG (serves 6)
2 Tbsp minced onion
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
Dash pepper
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C half'n'half
2 C diced cooked chicken
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 C minced pimiento
1 avocado, cubed
Steamed rice
Cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and tarragon. Gradually add brother and half 'n' half. Cook over low heat, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add chicken; carefully blend in egg yolk, lemon juice, pimiento and avocado. Serve over steamed rice.
Now, if you aren't inclined to make entire recipes ahead, at least consider this: Notice the diced cooked chicken in the recipe. And how many other recipes do you like to make that also call for cooked chicken? Here's an idea--cook chicken breasts ahead of time, dice, lay out on a cookie sheet to freeze. When frozen, put pieces into freezer containers and freeze until needed for a recipe. Just this little step will save you a lot of time over the long haul as well.
Do YOU have tips or ideas to share on make-ahead meals or recipes? Please comment--we're all in this together, remember. So here's to making life easier with make-ahead meals, and until next time, happy cook'n!
Have you ever eaten an Ugli Fruit, or a Pomelo, or a Persimmon? I hadn't until lately, and WOW! what a treat. There's something just fun about discovering new foods and trying out new recipes. You Cook'n devotees know this already!
Here's what I found out about these 3 fruits: they're high in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and phytochemicals. And citrus (the family Ugli Fruit is in) has been found to protect against kidney stones! They're affordable this time of year, and as said, they're tasty. So here's my challenge: Along with all our other New Year's Resolutions, let's break out of the rut and try a few new foods this year. And since we're thinking about eating healthier, fruits in season are a good place to start. Here's a great Ugli Fruit recipe I found:
UGLI FRUIT WITH YOGURT AND HOMEMADE MUESLI (serves 4)
16 oz plain yogurt
2 Ugli
Muesli:
8 oz old fashioned oats
1 oz dried apricots, chopped (maybe a couple tablespoons)
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C chopped fresh or dried apple
2 Tbsp chopped hazelnuts (any nut will work, though)
1 Tbsp rye bran
1/8 to 1/4 C sliced almonds
Mix all muesli ingredients together. Peel ugli; use sharp knife to remove pith; place clean segments into bowl with its juices. Divide yogurt into 4 bowls; stir in ugli and juices, top with evenly divided muesli. Yum!
Do YOU have any recipes you can share involving wintertime fruits? Please comment and let's spread the goodness--we're all in this together, remember. And until next time, happy cook'n!
In this week's Cook'n Club newsletter I talk about one tool I just can't live without and why. Trying not to sound like an infomercial, I pretty much gush about the Zyliss Food Chopper. I just LOVE this tool. It does everything the company says it does and more--what a novel idea--a product that actually delivers!
Sticking with the "Stuff I Can't Live Without" theme, I thought I'd talk here about another ultra-cool tool that really deserves some raves: the Blue Avocado's collapsible shopping bags. Here's what you can read on their website:
"Blue Avocado is the love child of style and sustainability and was founded by a couple of mompreneurs and a hip little green maven who got tired of having to choose between what was convenient (and cute)--and what was right." Their mission is to make it easy to do good and get it done, with a little joy in the process.Their chic, sustainable and reusable grocery bags can replace up to 1,000 plastic bags every year. Again from their website: "This is Blue Avocado's first step toward achieving its vision of making the planet millions pounds lighter (CO2 emissions) and hundreds of communities stronger (1% of income invested in hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs around the world)." Doesn't that just make you want to join their journey as they take a stand for the planet and its people?
I bet YOU have a tool or two you can't live without either. Please take a minute and tell us about it. Just share your tip in the comment section. I'll highlight your thought(s) in the next blog. We're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff! And until next time, thanks for reading and happy cook'n!
This time of year, more than any other, we see lots of folks concerned about weight loss (more so now because of the New Year's Resolution factor). With this in mind I went searching for foods that do a good job of supporting the weight loss effort. And salmon was at the top of the list--poached, rather than baked or fried.
I'd always thought poaching was difficult, but not so. Here's what the experts have to say: When poaching fish, the water should just barely simmer, with a few bubbles rising to the surface every few seconds rather than bubbling steadily. I found two recommended methods for poaching salmon:
FISH POACHER:
The oblong pan comes with a cover and a rack for the fish, which allows you to remove the fish from the pan without damaging it. Place the fish directly on the r ack before lowering it into the cooking liquid. (Poachers are available in kitchenware stores for $26 to $70 and up.)
ROASTING PAN:
You can also use a roasting pan to poach fish. Wrap the fish in cheesecloth so it can be easily lowered into and removed from the pan. Leave enough cheesecloth at the ends of the fillet to use as handles for lifting the fish.
Now if you're one of the millions attempting to eat healthier (weight loss or not), here's an amazing poached salmon recipe I found from a 1999 issue of COOKING PLEASURES magazine:
POACHED SALMON WITH MUSTARD-DILL SAUCE
Salmon
2 lemon slices
1 small onion, sliced
1 rib celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh dill
12 C water
1 1/12 C dry white wine or water
1 salmon fillet (2 1/2 to 3 lbs)
Fresh dill sprigs
Sauce
1/2 C chopped fresh dill
1/2 C white wine vinegar
1/4 C honey mustard
1/4 C honey
1/4 C olive oil
In large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine lemon, onion, celery, bay leaf, salt, peppercorns, 2 sprigs dill, water and wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 to 45 min. Strain solids from cooking liquid; pour liquid into fish poacher or large roasting pan with cover. Return to a boil.
If using a fish poacher, place fish on poaching rack. If using roasting pan, wrap fish in cheesecloth, leaving ends to serve as handles. Place fish in poaching broth, adding more boiling water to cover fish, if necessary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, allowing 10 minutes cooking time per inch of thickness, or until salmon just begins to flake.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients; blend well. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Remove salmon from poaching liquid. Remove skin and excess fat. Serve hot or cold with sauce; garnish with fresh dill sprigs.
If you have any poaching secrets or recipes, please share. We love spreading the goodness! And until next time, happy cook'n!
If you're anything like the folks here at DVO, I'm betting you've got some fun plans for at least part of the weekend. With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to pass on a couple killer recipes for an EASY dinner (so you'll have more time for those fun plans of yours!). Take a look at this EASY chicken recipe and this EASY no-bake pie:
ONE-POT EASY CHICKEN (serves 6)
6-8 medium-sized potatoes, quartered
1-2 large onions, sliced
3-5 carrots, cubed
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 lbs chicken, skin removed (quarters, legs, and thighs work well)
1 small onion chopped
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (dried would probably be OK)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 C lemon juice
Mix together potatoes, sliced onions, carrots, 1 tsp garlic salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in bottom of slow cooker. Rinse and pat chicken dry. In bowl mix together chopped onions, 3/4 tsp black pepper, cloves, and 2 tsp garlic salt. Dredge chicken in seasonings. Place in slow cooker over vegetables. In a small bowl mix together oregano, rosemary, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken. Cover. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or until veggies are soft and chicken juices run clear.
EASY NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PIE (serves 6-8, or if I'm at the table, serves 2 or 3!)
1 deep dish chocolate cookie pie crust
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 C old fashioned peanut butter
8 oz frozen non-dairy whipped topping (BUT, I'd substitute real cream, whipped and sweetened)
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 C milk
Chocolate chips and peanuts for the top
Spread thin layer of peanut butter on bottom of pie crust. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, milk and pudding. Fold in whipped topping. Pour mixture into pie shell. Garnish with chocolate chips and peanuts. Chill overnight and serve. This plays to rave reviews!
When it comes to weekends, sometimes EASY is the name of the game. And with the Super Bowl coming up, you might want to try these recipes out now, because you might like 'em enough to serve them at your bowl party. Now, do YOU have an EASY recipe you could pass on? Please do share--let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, have a great weekend and happy cook'n!
It's no surprise that folks would be intently interested in menu-planning at the start of the new year. There's not a better way to make your kitchen work and meal-management easier and more efficient--what a great goal to set for 2010!
If you've been a Cook'n user for any length of time, you have experience with our menu-planning feature and I hope you like it as much as I do. I don't want to sound like an infomercial, but I love how I can simply drag recipes into the days of the week to create a menu, and how I can choose from my own cookbooks or from the great recipes that come with Cook'n.
Well, enough gushing, here's my plan for next week:
SUN: crockpot pot roast, spuds and carrots
MON: beef stew (using some leftover potroast, spuds and carrots)
TUE: shredded chicken breast wraps
WED: beef enchiladas (using more leftover potroast)
THU: spud nest (a meatless meal using mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and grated cheese)
FRI: Cook'n's Turkey Soup (but shredded chicken breast is substituted)
SAT: fettucine alfredo (another meatless meal with leftover steamed broccoli added)
As you look this plan over, you'll notice a couple things: 1) a couple meatless meals inserted for health and to trim the grocery budget, and 2) two basic elements are built upon (the pot roast and chicken breasts). You seasoned cooks out there know how well this approach works and I'm here to add my recommendation--make a menu plan, include a meatless meal or two, and build the bulk of your recipes around one or two key ingredients.
Now, do YOU have favorite meals you could share? I'm always looking for new and interesting, yet tried-and-true ideas for my menus--why reinvent the wheel when we have each other? So please comment--share the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!
A Yale University study shows that dark cocoa can lower blood pressure--not really new news, but always welcome news. And what better time for a hot cup of cocoa than winter time, because research also finds that chocolate can beat those winter time blues (is life good, or what?)! We've got a plethora of instant cocoa products on the market to choose from now, but they never seem to measure up to my Aunt Annie's To Die For Hot Cocoa that she'd have ready for us when we'd come visit.
If you haven't made hot cocoa from scratch, you really ought to try it--while it's a little bit of work, the results are SO much better than just mixing an instant from a can. To give you a major jump-start, here's Aunt Annie's recipe:
TO DIE FOR HOT COCOA (5 8-oz servings)
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 C whipping cream
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese (at room temperature)
4 C (1 qt) milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Mini marshmallows (optional)
Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan. Cream together cream cheese and whipping cream. Add to sugar/cocoa mixture in saucepan and mix well. Stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla; stir again. Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream or mini marshmallows as garnish.
You can see this is certainly NOT heart-healthy, but sometimes, who cares? This thicker cocoa really lives up to its name. Try it and let me know what you think. AND, do YOU have a favorite cocoa recipe you can share? Let's spread the good stuff. So until next time, here's to beating those winter time blues with an amazing cup of cocoa, and happy cook'n!
Last week (Jan. 12), I talked about how wintertime is the perfect time to hold a Soup Party. Since then readers have responded telling me that Jan. 23 is National Soup Swap Day (this is a neat website.) So besides the fact that the weather is darn nasty (in most places), now we have another great reason to cook up some soup.
Let's do this: Let's get with a few neighbors or family members and create this Soup Swap--think of the possibilities. For one, this could turn into a fun tradition. For another, this could be a great way to serve--have everyone make extra to take to someone that could use a little extra TLC right now.
Here are some Seattle Soup Swappers from last year's Soup Swap.
To get us started, here's my all-time favorite soup recipe, courtesy of my Aunt Annie (one of the most amazing cooks I ever knew!):
CREAMY CHEESY POTATO SOUP WITH SHRIMP AND GREEN ONIONS (serves 4-6)
I should probably rename this easy-to-make and delectable soup:
1 (8 ox) pkg cream cheese
1/2 C butter
1 C chopped green onions
2 (10.75 oz) cans Cream of Potato Soup
1 (15.25 oz) can whole kernel corn (I've used frozen as well)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 to 1 C milk 1 lb cooked shrimp
In soup pot, slowly melt cream cheese and butter over low heat. Add green onions and simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir in potato soup, corn, and parsley. Simmer another 10-15 minutes. Stir in milk to desired consistency, starting with 1/2 C and add more if needed. Add shrimp and heat thoroughly.
I'm dying to hear what you think of this recipe, so make it up, swap away, and get back to me. Also, do YOU have a good soup recipe you could share? Please do--let's spread the good stuff around, and until next time, happy cook'n!
While standing in line in the deli department of Kohler's Saturday, I glanced around and saw some leaflets by the cheese display. "Wisconsin Cheese Football Headquarters" was the name of this little jewel and am I glad I snagged it. Don't you just love freebies--especially when they're really useful?
This leaflet had a couple recipes you'll really want to try:
BEAN-BACON SANDWICH (serves 4)
1 (8 1/2 oz) pkg cornbread mix
Dijon mustard
3 C canned baked beans
4 slices bacon, fried crisp
1/4 C sweet onion, chopped and crumbled
1/4 C parsley, chopped
1 1/2 C (6 oz) Wisconsin Brick Cheese, shredded (we both know any brand cheese will work)
Prepare the cornbread in an 8x8-inch baking pan as directed on the package. Cool. Divide cornbread into four 4-inch squares. Slice each horizontally. Place squares, cut side up on baking sheet. Spread with Dijon mustard. Meanwhile, heat beans to boiling. Spoon generous 1/3 C of hot beans on each cornbread square. Sprinkle with bacon, onion and parsley. Sprinkle squares with the cheese. Place under preheated broiler 1-2 minutes. Place 2 squares of each on 4 plates. Yum!
BUFFALO WINGS WITH BLUE CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE (serves 6)
2 1/2 to 3 lbs chicken wings
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp hot-pepper sauce
1 tsp paprika
2/3 C (4 oz) Wisconsin Blue Cheese, crumbled (again, any brand will work)
2/3 C sour cream
4 tsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp green onions, finely chopped and divided
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 to 2 Tbsp milk
3 celery stalks, cut into sticks
Preheat broiler. Cut off wing tips; discard. Split wings at joint. Place in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Combine oil, hot pepper sauce and paprika. Pou8r over chicken, turning to coat pieces evenly. Marinate while making dipping sauce. In small bowl, combine blue cheese and sour cream. Stir in vinegar, 2 Tbsp green onions and pepper. Whisk in 1 to 2 Tbsp milk until sauce is smooth. (Or pulse in food processor.) Sprinkle top with remaining green onions. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Broil wings 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until crisp and cooked through. Remove to platter and sprinkle with a few more dashes hot pepper sauce, if desired. Serve with celery sticks and Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce. WOW!
If you've been looking for something fun and a little unique to serve at your upcoming Super Bowl party, these two goodies could just be it. Now do YOU have any easy and fool-proof, crowd-pleasing recipes you could share with our readers? We're all in this together, remember. Meanwhile, thanks for reading and happy cook'n!
Being the poster child for "SIMPLE", I'm always on the look-out for anything that can add more simplicity into life. I found something so great, I have to pass it on--an all-purpose recipe you can make delicious creamed soups from, with whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. Just choose your favorite vegetable from the chart below, blend the soup, and serve it either warm or cold. First, here's the basic recipe:
CREAM OF VEGETABLE SOUP
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1/2 C chopped onion
Desired veggie and seasonings (see chart)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
few dashes white pepper
1 C milk
In saucepan, combine chicken broth, onion, and one of the veggie/seasoning combinations from the chart below. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer the time indicated in the chart or till veggie is tender. (Remove bay leaf if you're using broccoli.) Place veggie mixture in a blender container or food processor. Cover and blend 30-60 sec. or till smooth. In same saucepan melt the butter and blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Add the milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir in the veggie puree. Cook till heated through for a warm soup. For a chilled soup, refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
Basic Vegetable Chart
2 C broccoli cuts + 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed + 1 small bay leaf + dash garlic powder (timing: 10 min, yield: 3 1/2 C)
1 C sliced carrots + 1 Tbsp snipped parsley + 1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed (timing: 12 min, yield: 3 1/2 C)
1 1/2 C cut green beans + 1/2 tsp dried savory, crushed (timing: 20 - 30 min, yield: 3 C)
1 1/2 C shelled peas + 1/4 C shredded lettuce + 2 Tbsp chopped ham + 1/4 tsp dried sage, crushed (timing: 8 min, yield: 3 1/2 C)
1 C sliced potatoes + 1/2 dried dillweed (timing: 10 min, yield: 3 C)
So if you're interested in holding a Soup Party as I suggested the other day, you might want to try one of these ideas. If you do, let me know if you liked it. And if YOU have any hand-dandy multi-purpose recipes, please pass them on! We're all in this together, remember! And until next time, happy cook'n!
We're all looking for ways to save money during these tough economic times, and there are a couple things we can do in the kitchen that can shave a little off the grocery bill, allowing us a little extra money to put to other bills, etc.
For instance, making our own sour cream from cottage cheese can save us money, and knowing how can also help out when we are making a recipe that calls for it and all we have in the fridge IS cottage cheese. Here's the what to do:
COTTAGE CHEESE "SOUR CREAM"
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 C creamed cottage cheese
Put ingredients in bowl and mix 'til smooth &creamy. Use as a base for dips such as anything calling for sour cream. Recipe doubles well. (Yield: 1 C)
Another very cool thing we can do to save a little on the grocery bill is to double our butter. Here's how: Soften a pound of butter to room temperature. Place in mixing bowl. Whip 'til fluffy. SLOWLY add in 1 1/2 C to 2 C of ice water (a tablespoon at a time). This takes a little while, but the butter will accept all the water. The result? You have doubled your butter from one pound to two, and cut the calories and fat in half! One thing though: this doubled butter won't work well for frying, cooking, or baking, as the water will separate out. But it tastes just the same as undoubled butter on toast, rolls, bread, spuds, etc.
So if a pound costs $2.25, you now have two pounds at $1.13 a pound. Saving a $1.13 may not seem like much at face value, but over the long haul, every little bit adds up.
Do YOU have money-saving kitchen tips you could share? I'd love to hear from you--let's pass on the good stuff--we're all in this together, remember. And until next time, happy cook'n!
Besides writing for the Cook'n Club Newsletter, I am also a DVO employee--I answer the phones all day long, five days a week. And I'm here to tell you that "nice" will get us WAY more mileage than "rude".
We're not sure why, or what's going on, but we've had a rash of truly nasty callers the last few days. Is it the weather--we're sick to death of winter, maybe? Or are folks discouraged and frustrated over the economy and their bills maybe? Or is a full moon coming? Whatever the reason, the phone-answering piece of the job has been on the unpleasant side lately.
My co-workers (especially the guys in tech-support) and myself talk about these calls after we hang up. And the thing we say the most? "WHY in the world does anyone think it's OK to be rude to someone?" or "Don't people understand NO ONE wants to help them when they're rude?"
So why I am telling you this? Because in case YOU call, we would love it if you would be nice. A nice caller gets so much better quality of service than someone that is rude--not necessarily on purpose, but because there's an instinctual urge on the part of the service-provider, to close the call as quickly as possible.
We understand the frustration that goes with not being able to get your software to do what you want it to do when you need it to do it. We understand the frustration of spending hard-earned money on something that doesn't seem to be working. And we understand that having to wait for tech support to get back to you adds insult to injury. So we do everything we can to be nice ourselves and help our callers as efficiently as we can--there's nothing we want more than happy, satisfied customers--this is over-arching goal every single day.
Everyone at DVO says that DVO callers are some of the most gracious and happy folks around. So as I say, maybe it's the weather, or the economy, or some other cosmic cause that's bringing out the worst in folks. And we know that sometimes folks just need to vent, but how about this? How about we all just try to be nice--no matter what. It gets WAY more mileage than "rude", and we'll all feel better in the long run! Thanks for listening.
We're in what social scientists call the "BLAHS" part of the year--the holidays and all its hoopla is over, the weather (in most parts of the country) is not the greatest (down right nasty where we are), and we're dealing with cabin fever (if you're a gardener, you know what I mean).
So you know what we need to do? We need to capitalize on this situation--let's have a party! And since it's wintertime, let's do soups! Doesn't a soup potluck sound fun? I'm going to call my favorite neighbors and divvy up soup assignments, breads/rolls, and desserts. I'll provide a nice tossed salad.
So if you like this idea, make those calls, set the table, and let's party! In the meantime, do you have a favorite soup recipe you could share? I'd love to know what YOU are cooking. Can't have too many good recipes--and that's the beauty of the Cook'n software, we know what to do with 'em now! (Which, by the way, seems to me like a terrific use of this BLAH time we're in--I'm going to enter some more recipes in my program!) And 'til we chat again, happy cook'n!
January, the month for positive affirmations, resolutions and goals. One of the goals folks are talking about here at DVO is healthier eating (who isn't thinking about that?). In my research on this subject I'm finding the nutritional pros are all in agreement: just a few small changes can make a BIG difference in our overall health.
For instance:
1) use extra virgin olive oil or safflower oil instead of canola or corn oil (safflower is the new darling of the "heart healthy" world right now)
2) eat a tablespoon of dried goji berries everyday (this berry is off the charts as far as its ORAC number--anti-cancer elements)
3) drink more water (no new news, but this year, LET'S DO IT!)
4) trim down the portion sizes (even just a little will help a lot)
5) insert at least one fresh green salad into your eating regime each day
6) don't eat after 6:00 pm (this one kills me--I'm a chronic snacker when watching TV or a movie--BUT since taking this step alone, I've dropped 4 lbs in the last three weeks)
7) if you can't fathom not eating after 6:00 pm, then make dinner your smallest and lightest meal of the day (the experts say breakfast should be the biggie, then a fairly big lunch, and a light dinner for easiest digestion, better sleep, and some real weight loss)
And there are other tips leading nutritionists suggest such as "eat less fat," but these 7 may be enough for now and an easy place to start. So what do you say--shall we give it a try with one or two of these? 2010 can be the year of better health and more energy! And while we're at it, happy Cook'n! 
Even though the holidays are past, doesn't it seem like life is still a bit hectic? Maybe I need to get more organized or something, but I still feel so under pressure to get stuff done (work, home, family, blah blah blah). This got me to thinking about what I can do to simplify and make things easier where I can.
And so I remembered something my mom used to do when I was a kid--on especially busy days she'd use her pressure cooker to get dinner on (things cook three to ten times faster). Have you used one? I haven't, but I definitely intend to start! I took a look at the cooker we sell here at DVO Enterprises, and our cookbook CD, Cook'n Under Pressure, and I really think I can do this, especially since the CD includes pressure cooking guides.
Besides the recipes for grains and rice, beans and lentils, vegetables, desserts, meat/poultry/and fish, and soups/stews, the meal-in-a-pot recipes may well be my answer to this chronic frenzy I'm feeling. It's worth a try, and I'll be reporting back. Meanwhile, how about offering any ideas YOU have for slowing life down and making things easier? Especially, if you have pressure cooker tips or recipes, won't you share?
Speaking of sharing, here's a pressure cooker recipe my Aunt Annie used a lot during the 40's. (I am so glad I was able to save her recipes and have them organized in my Cook'n Recipe Organizer--what a blessing it 's been to my family!) Try this great soup on a busy and blustery day:
20-MINUTE LENTIL SOUP (serves 8)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion
l large carrot
5 plum tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
6 C water or vegetable broth
2 C brown lentils
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
3 pinches black pepper
Place lentils in pressure cooker. Peel carrot, onion and garlic cloves, seed tomatoes. Add the vegetables, whole, to pressure cooker along with bay leaves (it's OK if the tomatoes are cut in half).
Add cold water or broth, salt to taste, paprika and herbs to pressure cooker and bring to boil, uncovered. When it starts to boil, place pressure-cooker cover and seal. When the pressure indicator rises, let cook 8 minutes.
Turn off heat, carefully move handle to safe position to eliminate pressure. Wait for all steam to clear and open.
Discard bay leaf. Transfer onion, carrot (carefully; it's very soft), tomatoes and garlic to a mixing bowl and blend. You might need to quarter the onion to get it properly blended. Return pureed veggies to lentils, mix well and serve with French bread. YUM!
Let me know if you like this soup, and to close, thanks for reading and being part of the Cook'n family! I can't tell ya how much we appreciate the opportunity to be part of your life! Happy cook'n!
Remember Kathy's December demonstration of her to-die-for "Cake Balls" ? I've discovered another variation--a new twist on a POPULAR theme, so to speak. Rather than baking a cake and mixing up some frosting, and then smooshing that all together (for the "ball" that is then dipped in chocolate), do this instead:
Grind an entire package of Oreos with an 8 oz. package of cream cheese. Blend well. Form your balls and dip in dipping chocolates, just as directed for the Cake Balls. Life is good, isn't it?
On another note: Are you like the rest of us here at DVO? We're setting New Year's goals. One of mine is to be more thoughtful and demonstrate more appreciation to others. With that idea in mind, I found a great book that I read over vacation. It's a quick and easy read with some practical suggestions that I'm already putting into practice. For instance:
Author Mike Robbins suggests we make a list of 5 or so people that are in our lives right now, that have impacted us in positive ways, and then within the next 72 hours we acknowledge them with either a note, a phone call, a personal visit, or... He suggests that as part of our "Thank you", we specify how they've impacted our life. I love this idea--wouldn't you agree that just about everyone needs more appreciation? And how cool is it to actually DO something about this need? What a lovely year we could all have if we demonstrated more appreciation to each other!
So that's it for today. Let me know what's on your mind (and in your ovens too!) And lastly, I hope you're enjoying the Cook'n products as much as we enjoy creating them for you!
If you're a Cook'n Club reader (our weekly newsletter ), you might remember an article I (Alice) did a few weeks ago regarding the fun of making homemade crackers. I talked about how easy this is, how tasty they are, and how much better the quality is (as compared to store-bought).
WOW! Did this article generate a lot of response. Come to find out, I'm not the only one out there that's had some fun with this idea. One reader emailed me asking if I had a recipe for something she enjoyed as a child--cheese straws. I put the question to our readers, and we received some good recipes. Here are three you might want to try:
Betty Webb shared a recipe her mother made when she was a little girl and says her mother made it before that (it is 100+ years old).
CHEESE STRAWS
1 grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 C butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 C flour
Mix; roll thin and cut in strips. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 min.
Jeanne Mason sent us a recipe for cheese straws she found in her Wear-Ever Cookie Press book:
1 lb grated sharp cheese
1/4 lb butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp cold water
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
Cream butter and cheese until soft. Add egg and water. Beat well. Sift flour, salt, cayenne and paprika together. Add in 3 additions, beating well after each addition. Chill dough 10 min. Pack into Wear-Ever Cookie gun fitted with the saw-toothed disk. [Obviously we can make this without a Wear-Ever Cookie gun--any cake decorating tube would work as long as the tip is large enough. OR, we could just use a plastic baggie with the corner snipped off.] Make long strips on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 min. or until golden. Cut in 3-inch lengths while still warm. Yield: 8 dozen 3-inch lengths (straws).
Finally, Dorothy shared a supper-easy old Tupperware recipe she'd saved.
Cheese Twists
1 15 oz pkg. refrigerated unbaked pie crust
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
Roll out pie crust to a 12-inch square. Roll dough to a 12x10-inch rectangle. Brush with 1 Tbsp of the melted butter and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Cut dough crosswise into 12 1-inch strips. Fold each strip in half length-wise and pinch edges together, twist. Place twists about 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 min., or until golden. Cool on baking sheets. Carefully transfer twists to a sealed container. Makes 24.
I was so jazzed that Betty, Jeanne, and Dorothy took the time to share these great recipes and want to publicly thank them. And I hope you'll give them a try and let me know what you think. Meanwhile, do YOU have a fun recipe, or a food memory you'd like to share? Let me know what's on your mind--and thanks for stopping by!
CHICKEN NEWBURG (serves 6)
