Go a Little Nuts With Your Veggies!

We all know we're supposed to eat more veggies--the health benefits are pretty compelling. But still, it can be hard to work them in to the daily diet, especially when we're on the run. So I thought I'd share a few tricks to getting more into the meal plan and onto the platter:

1. Keep a celery and carrot sticks in a container of water (covered) in the refrigerator. You'll always be able to put some in a baggie to munch on when away from home.
2. Eat more soups with veggies added. Easy to do.
3. Collect incredible-tasting veggie recipes--we're more inclined to eat 'em when we know they're going to taste amazing.

That said, consider adding NUTS to your veggie recipes. Cook or bake them in, or just garnish with them. Here are a couple recipes with nuts (almonds specifically) added that are taste-tested by the pickiest of veggie eaters around (my family) and they met with rave reviews:

ALMOND ASPARAGUS (serves 4)
1 lb asparagus
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 C slivered almonds, toasted
salt and pepper

Wash asparagus; cut into 1-inch diagonal slices. Heat butter in skillet; add asparagus and saute 3-4 min. Cover skillet and steam about 2 min. or until tender-crisp. Toss asparagus with lemon juice and almonds; salt and pepper to taste.

CAULIFLOWER PERSILLADE (serves 6)
1 head cauliflower (about 2 lbs), steamed
1 C slivered almonds
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1/4 C butter
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 C chicken broth
1/2 C white wine
1/2 C sour cream
salt and pepper

In medium skillet melt butter and saute almonds until lightly browned; remove with slotted spoon. Stir in flour and parsley; cook 2-3 min. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil and boil 1 min. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and 1/3 C of the almonds. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over steamed cauliflower; garnish with parsley and remaining almonds.

You can't beat the health benefits of almonds and the extra flavor they add to any dish--especially vegetables. So as we create our menu for next week, let's plan on adding more veggies to the table. Now, do YOU have a vegetable recipe you could share? Please do--we're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Healthy Eating, Simplified

We've discovered something at Cook'n that doesn't have a thing to do with our business of making and providing the best ecookbooks out there: it's Thinnerware. We have no connection to this company--don't receive a commission, or any form of remuneration whatsoever. It's just that many of us were drawn to this product because we're wanting to drop a few pounds (names are changed, or withheld, to protect the innocent), and Thinnerware could be a tool in doing just that.

On the marketing brochure it says: Thinnerware is perfect for anyone who wants to eat healthier. Our dishes are marked to help you keep track of how much you eat. They are great for dieters who are tired of pre-measuring food before every meal. The best part is, the marking are hidden in the design, so Thinnerware dishes look like regular, everyday dinnerware. The flowers on this blue plate designate differences in portion sizes. Easy. In other words, we can have a pretty table and eat our cake too (only in a smaller serving)!




The stripes designate serving sizes. Since they aren't labeled on the inside, they contribute to the design. VERY SMART!







Their dinnerware is hand-painted (made with non-toxic glaze), food safe, microwave and dishwasher safe. They also can make us custom dishes ("choose from 15 differrent colors to make your dishes match your style"). Considering the intensive production process, their prices are pretty affordable: plates are $12 each (4 for $45), bowls are $10 each (4 for $38), and cups are $8 each (4 for $30).

And here's a great piece of information I found on their website: "Because we paint all our dinnerware by hand, there are the occasional mistakes. These cosmetic blemishes do not affect the usability of the dishes (they are still food-safe), but prevent them from being sold at regular price. These are sold here for 15% off." Hotdog! I'm gonna check into this stuff and if you do as well, let me know what you think. It's a clever idea and I hope they do well. In the "No More Blood Sugar Blues" column of the Cook'n Club newsletter, I talk a lot about healthy eating, and portion size and control as a key method to managing glucose levels, so I was really jazzed to find this product!

Now on another note, a hot tip: Let's add more almonds to our dishes. They are the king of nut and their health benefits range from helping to lower cholesterol, to preventing heart disease, to adding more vitamins and minerals to our food. Not only is it perhaps the healthiest nut available, it's also very versatile. It can be eaten whole, blanched and sliced or slivered, or ground fine to use in baking (much European baking involves ground almonds). For starters, here's an almond-focused recipe you might like:

ALMOND ZUCCHINI BAKE (serves 6-8)
3/4 C chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp butter
4 C grated zucchini (got any left in your freezer from last garden season? I do!)
1 1/4 C grated Cheddar cheese
1 C bread crumbs
1 C slivered almonds, toasted
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg, well beaten

Cook onion and garlic in butter for 5 min; combine with zucchini in large bowl. Add 1 C cheese, bread crumbs, almonds and seasonings; toss lightly to mix. Spoon into lightly greased 9-inch baking dish. Pour egg over zucchini mixture and pierce wit ha fork to allow egg to penetrate. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min or until heated through and cheese has melted.

In closing, just a last thought: Isn't it great to live in a land where there is so much creativity and resources for bettering our lives? Like these cool dishes someone was smart enough to come up with--and because of our freedoms, they could take this idea to market. And don't you love the abundance of good food available? Now all we need to do is use these resources wisely and share along the way. That leads me to my usual final statement--if YOU have a good idea, tip, or recipe, please share. We're all in this together, remember. So until next time, here's to portion control, enjoying almonds, and happy cook'n!

MAN-Pleasing Recipes

About 30 years ago, the National Rice Council published a little booklet called "Man-Pleasing Recipes." Catchy name. Aunt Annie had this jewel tucked inside another booklet, "The New Treasury of Almond Recipes" (for another day...)

Here's how the booklet opens: No man likes the same thing every night! Here is an array of ways to add zest to your menus--entrees with meat, chicken or seafood. Recipes for the vegetable part of the plate or for the elegant dinner. Tasty--most are easy--try them!

Thumbing through the booklet, I found this was pretty much true. I also found some very useful information. For instance, consider its Serving Suggestions:

• Substitute beef or chicken bouillon for water when cooking rice.
• Add crumbled bacon and Cheddar cheese to hot cooked rice.
• Tasty breakfast idea--add cream, sugar, and fruit to hot or cold cooked rice.
• Add sour cream and chives to hot cooked rice.
• Toss hot cooked rice with chopped ripe olives.
• Add cooked rice to sauteed onions and mushrooms; heat through.
• Try hot cooked buttered rice with toasted sliced almonds--toss with Parmesan cheese and voila! Rice Almondine!
• Add flavor to cooked rice with seasoned salt, dry salad dressing mix, or curry powder.

The booklet also included fool-proof rice-cooking directions (which I definitely needed--mine always comes out sticky):

Oven Method: Measure proportions specified on package, using boiling liquid. Place ingredients in baking dish; cover. Bake at 350 degrees until rice is tender and liquid absorbed (about 10 min longer than the stove-top method).

Now here are a couple "MAN-Pleasing recipes (doesn't that make you smile for some reason?) from the booklet we might want to try:

RICE SOUFFLE:
1 C heavy white sauce
4 eggs, separated
1 C cooked rice
1 C grated Swiss or sharp cheese

Combine sauce with slightly beaten egg yolks and rice. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into rice mixture. Pour into an ungreased 2-qt casserole and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. (My thoughts: I think it would be nice to also fold in some chopped spinach, or finely diced broccoli.)

LEMON PILAF (serves 6)
1 C sliced celery
1 C chopped green onions with tops
2 Tbsp butter
3 C cooked rice
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 Tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Saute celery and onions in butter until tender. Add rice, lemon rind, and seasonings; toss lightly. Continue cooking over low heat about 2 min. or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve with broiled chicken, breast of veal, or baked or broiled fish. Toasted sliced almonds, or crisp crumbled bacon are also nice touches to this delicious dish.

If YOU have a rice recipe (or any other MAN-Pleasing Recipe) you especially like, won't you share? We're all in this together, remember, so let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Up the "WOW! Factor"--Add Some Cheese!

Looking to add a little spizzazz to dinner? One way to do it is with cheese. Historically, human beings LOVE cheese. It adds beauty to the dish and flavors that can't be matched any other way. And if we're careful--all things in moderation--we can indulge.

I'm cheese-talking because I just found a little treasure. I was flipping through one of my late Aunt Annie's magazines and found a recipe leaflet, "Great Meals Begin with Cheese." Simply stated and never more true. So I thought I'd share a couple of these with you. Try them and let me know what you think. Meanwhile, if YOU run on to a good recipe, please put it in the comment section and I'll be sure to feature it in a post with your name attached. We're all in this together, remember. So until next time, happy cook'n! Now, let's go make a great meal...

SOUTH OF THE BORDER CAESAR-SALSA SALAD (serves 4)

8 C romaine and radicchio salad mix (I like Fresh Express)
2 C cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 C black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 C frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1/3 C Caesar salad dressing
1/4 C prepared salsa
2 tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1 C croutons

In large bowl, combine lettuce, 1 C cheese, avocado, beans and corn. Combine dressing and salsa; mix well. Pour over lettuce mixture; toss well. Transfer to 4 serving plates; arrange tomatoes on plates. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and croutons.

THREE CHEESE ROASTED VEGETABLES (serves 6)

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, pared and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp basil, crushed
1 tsp oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lg zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 C Cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 C Monterey jack cheese, grated
Fresh basil sprigs as garnish (optional, but why not--so easy!)

Place potatoes and carrots in greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss lightly to coat. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 min. Add zucchini, red pepper and garlic; stir vegetables. Return to oven and bake 20 min. or until veggies are tender. Sprinkle with cheeses; return to oven about 2 min. more or just until cheese melts. Garnish with basil sprigs. This is fantastic with a crusty bread and a fresh fruit cup.

Two Chicken Dinners That Are Healthy and EASY Too!

I'm excited at the trend that's emerged in regards to healthy eating--recipe creators are understanding our need for things to be easy, too. Consider for instance this chicken dinner recipe I just found--note how, besides being on the healthy and tasty side (economical too), it is very easy to put together:

ZESTY ORANGE CHICKEN (serves 4)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 4 ounces orange juice Zest of one orange 4 orange slices (peel on) 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley teaspoon dried oregano 1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled 1 tablespoons oil Preheat the oven to 325F. In a large bowl mix the orange juice, orange zest, parsley, oregano and garlic. Add a little salt and pepper if desired. Place the chicken breasts in a non-stick baking pan and make 3 to 4 slashes on the top of each breast. Pour the marinade over the top and then top each breast with an orange slice. Cook approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Discard orange slices and serve with a side of wild rice and French green beans.

Chicken is always a favorite for taste and ease, and here's another recipe that sounds good for one of those evenings when we're just too tired to go to much effort, but we still want a great meal. I found this on the Egg Beaters website (and it takes only 20 minutes to prepare!):


CHICKEN BROCCOLI FRITTATA (serves 2)
(An Italian omelet made with broccoli, chicken, tomato and onion plus Italian seasoning for added flavor)

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 cup small fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 cup finely chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Egg Beaters® Original (1 cup = 8 oz)

1. Preheat broiler. Spray medium ovenproof skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add broccoli, chicken, tomato, onion, Italian seasoning and salt; cook and stir 3 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.
2. Add Egg Beaters. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook 9 minutes, or until frittata is almost set. Remove lid.
3. Place skillet under broiler 2 minutes or until top is set, but not brown. Cut frittata in half to serve.

Finally, a couple easy tips to overall healthier eating: First, let's drink more water--all day long, and especially with our meals. For some it may be a challenge to give up the soda or milk routine with a meal. But it's one of the quickest and easiest ways to weight loss. I have a friend who dropped 10 pounds in less than a year by weaning herself off soda--it was the only change she made in her diet and activity routine. Nutritionists all agree on this one--water is a real tool to improved health and weight loss.

Second: gradually scale down the portion size. I have another friend who has lost 20 pounds in the past nine months by reducing his portion sizes and eating on a smaller plate. He added in 20 minutes of daily exercise (walking and weight lifting). When I asked him how much of a sacrifice this was, he commented that since he feels so much better, he doesn't see it as a sacrifice at all. He said it only took a few days for him to not even notice the difference in portions.

We're still at the beginning of this new year, so if you haven't already, let's get serious about eating healthier. These two chicken dinners can be our start. So until next time, happy cook'n!

The Well-Stocked Pantry: The Top 10 Basics Every Kitchen Should Have

We can learn some lessons in frugality to learn from our grandparents who survived The Great Depression, especially when it comes to doing more with less. They saved money by growing some of their own food in kitchen and container gardens. And they knew how to stock their pantries--a well stocked pantry meant inexpensive family meal planning was a snap when the basics every kitchen should have were ingredients already on hand.

They also came up with inventive stretcher recipes, ones that deliciously used what they had on hand. The well-stocked pantry was critical in their day and the top ten basics every home cook should have is basically the same as it was in the 1930s. There are some updates, nods to the convenience foods that have been invented since then - like boxed macaroni and cheese. This is a new staple for families with finicky, hard-to-please young children. Their lessons for us: There is a world beyond yellow cheese and macaroni--canned salmon recipes, for instance, that are omega-3 rich, and kid-friendly.

Taking our cues from our grandmothers, here's what the well-stocked pantry sports. With these basics we can whip up most anything at a moment's notice with these top ten kitchen must-haves:

1. Baking supplies (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt)
2. Pasta, including the modern pantry staple of boxed macaroni and cheese.
   
3. Chicken broth (Swanson's Organic Chicken Broth won a recent Cooks Illustrated taste test)
4. Rice (brown and white and basmati)
5. Canned fish (take your pick of salmon, tuna, anchovies, or sardines)
6. Oatmeal
7. Nuts
8. Honey
9. Olive oil
10. Canned tomatoes

With these pantry staples in filling the family's larder the household food budget can stretch a very long way. The possibilities for inexpensive, pantry-based meals are endless. Peruse old cookbooks for ideas, including the first edition of the Joy of Cooking.

Stretching the Food Budget

Think about pantry stretchers, such as using leftover pasta to make a next day fritatta lunch, with the just the edition of beaten eggs, salt, and a little milk. Here are some ideas:

• A hearty, stick-to-the-ribs and heart-healthy breakfast of oatmeal with nuts and honey,
• Save leftover oatmeal and form into a loaf, allow to cool in the fridge over night and then to slice and pan fry in butter for a "stretcher" breakfast the next day,
• Spaghetti with a simple sauce of tuna and tomatoes,
• Tomato soup with rice
• Tuna and rice casserole (the dowager queen of cheap family meals.)

In closing, here's are some budget-stretching pasta ideas that we'll all want up our sleeves--they're fast, easy, and good! Have a great weekend, let's talk on Monday, and until then, happy cook'n!

Wide egg noodle ideas:
1. Toss with browned butter, sauteed mushrooms and chopped sage leaves. 2. Toss in a sauce of flaked hot-smoked (cooked) salmon, sauteed asparagus or peas, and cream. 3. Serve with ... Mushroom ragu (see recipe in the "6 Simple Sauces" tab)

A Streamlined Kitchen Gets Us Ready for Anything!

While I'm worn out with the cold weather and dreary days, I'm a little anxious about the coming of Spring. Why? Because warmer weather means more demands on my time--gardening, yard work, etc. and I want to stick with my New Year's Goal of cooking good meals at least 4 nights a week. I already feel like I'm spread thinner than a drink of water, so how am I going to cope with the less-time issue in a few weeks?

I'm going to streamline my kitchen down to the bare bones. I talked about the process in an earlier post, but I just need to visit with you about it once more (kind of like a mom that tells her teenager to be careful as he gets in the car to drive to school--my kids always used to say "NAH, I'm gonna drive like a maniac!" Just saying it made me feel better I guess.). I'm thinking that if I'm feeling overwhelmed, maybe others are too.

Anyway, when I say "streamline" the kitchen, I mean getting rid of anything I don't like, don't use, don't need, don't want, and don't have room for. I'll be going through every cupboard, drawer, and the pantry with the goal in mind of eliminating things and reorganizing what's left (the keepers). The purpose in this project will be to create a more user-friendly kitchen. I don't want to hunt for things anymore, and I don't want to paw through stuff to get to the things I really use and like. I want to be able to find what I need, when I need it, quickly and easily. Research says we'll spend 2 years of our life just looking for things. I don't have that kind of time to waste--getting the clutter out means a definite savings in time, which is just what I need more of!

The folks at DVO are sharing my angst a little also, which is why I think Dan is running a special on my DVD, "It's Here Somewhere In the Kitchen." (Dan and Kathy raise chickens, strawberries, and a family garden, as well as cook not just for their family, but for Cook'n video demonstrations.) They know the value of a streamlined kitchen and want all their Cook'n users to experience the same benefits. (It was in Dan and Kathy's kitchen that we created the DVD, where I show you step-by-step how to customize any kitchen to the needs and lifestyle of the user.)

So, I'm going to get my kitchen BACK in shape and you might want to join me--get yours ready for what the change in season might have in store for you. And if you decide to join me and run into any problems or issues you have questions on, you can always email me at alice@dvo.com. I am here for ya! Of course, as I always say, we're all in this together, so I welcome YOUR tips and ideas on how to create a more user-friendly kitchen as well. I promise you, if you haven't lived clutter free, it's the best. It gives new meaning to "happy cook'n!"

Now, speaking of gardening, before you know it we'll have the proverbial extra zucchini we won't know what to do with. So just for fun, and to help us get ready for the bounty, here's a healthy zucchini-using recipe that my family really liked when they were all home, and I thought you might like it too:

LENTIL BURRITOS (serves 4)
1 C lentils
2 C water
1/2 C finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 C chopped zucchini
1 C chopped green or sweet red pepper
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed or shredded
Eight flour tortillas

Cook the lentils, water, onion, garlic, cumin, and pepper sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are barely tender. Drain, if necessary. Toss the lentils with the taco sauce, zucchini, pepper, and cheese.

Spread about 1/2 C of the lentil mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Serve the burritos cold, or wrap each in a dampened paper towel and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes each, or until the burritos are hot through and the cheese begins to melt. Like a typical bean burrito, these are scrumptious served with diced avocado and sour cream.

Label-Reading Can Bring All Kinds of Tasty Surprises!

Do you ever read food packaging? I do. It's one of my little idiosyncrasies. I love seeing where things are made, what's in a product, and if there's a recipe or two included with the product. I was studying a recently emptied bottle of salt free Deliciously Dill Blend (one of my favorite ingredients to cook with) and found the manufacturer's website on the label. This company, Spice Hunter (located in San Luis Obispo, CA), is considered one of the best herb and spice providers around, so I was curious to see what their website offered--especially wondering if they offered recipes.

What a find--loads and loads of recipes! The company's spices and herbs are showcased in them, which is expected, and a really nice touch actually. For instance, look at the recipes below--who would have thought to include rosemary in a cookie or a muffin? I can hardly wait to see what this does to the overall flavor, and I will be trying these recipes this weekend. I'll be sure to report in. I'll also be talking more about label-reading and the tasty surprises we can find on them, in our upcoming Cook'n Club Newsletter, so be sure to open it up and read when it arrives.

Meanwhile, do YOU have any recipes you've found on a package label or product website? Tell us about them. We're all in this together, so let's share the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!

ROSEMARY NUT COOKIES

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. The Spice Hunter Fresh at Hand Rosemary
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt, optional
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. grated orange peel

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs, then add sugar. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture gradually to egg mixture. Stir in raisins, pecans, rosemary, and orange peel. Pour into greased 9” pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.

ROSEMARY AND LEMON MUFFINS

1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. The Spice Hunter Fresh at Hand Rosemary
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ cups melted butter
2 Tbsp. sugar

Combine milk, Fresh at Hand Rosemary, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs until they begin to foam. Stir in butter, sugar, and milk mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Fill muffin tins about two-thirds full. Bake at 375 °F for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

POPPY SEED & LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH LEMON GLAZE

For Shortbread:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 Tbsp. The Spice Hunter Pure Lemon Extract
½ cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. The Spice Hunter Dutch Poppy Seeds
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

For Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. The Spice Hunter Pure Lemon Extract
2 1/4 tsp. water

Cream butter, lemon extract and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add poppy seeds and flour, stirring to combine. Place dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll dough into a 9 by 13 inch rectangle. Place plastic wrap and dough onto a baking sheet and place in freezer until dough is firm. While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 325°F. Remove plastic wrap from dough, cut dough into 1 by 2 inch pieces, place on an un-greased baking sheet. Prick each cookie lightly with a fork twice. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden-brown on edges. While cookies are cooling, combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Once cookies have cooled, drizzle with glaze.

Homemade Orange Julius and Blender Pancakes

One of the many things I like about a 3-day weekend is the extra time I have to add some specialness (probably not a word) to something that is often completely missed, or at best, given short-shrift. BREAKFAST fills this definition--most families don't eat breakfast together (if they eat it at all), and if folks do eat breakfast, it's often something crummy (boxed cereal, for instance).

Another thing I like about a 3-day weekend: sometimes we have company! And when we do, I especially like having some fun/special breakfast recipes up my sleeve. This past weekend (President's Day weekend) was just such an occasion, so I pulled out a couple tried-and-true that I used to make when the kids were little. Just to show how good these are, now that my "babies" are adults, they're still raving about them!

The first is my rendition of the popular Orange Julius. This is one of the first recipes I learned to make when I was a young girl (10 years old). Over the years I've goofed around with it--substituting half and half or vanilla yogurt for the powdered milk and part of the water, adding fresh orange sections to create a smoothie Julius, and using frozen cranberry juice (not cocktail) instead of the frozen orange juice. I have to say, every experiment I tried was good. Below is the basic recipe for the typical Julius. Play around with it and see what fun combinations you can come up with.

The second recipe is one I received when I took a wheat cookery class twenty-five years ago--blender whole wheat pancakes. It's become a family favorite. I like it because it's fast, easy, and loaded with nutrients because it starts with the whole kernel, instead of wheat flour. You have the benefit of 100% of the wheat germ in all its freshness and power! And because everything is mixed altogether in the blender, this is one fast and easy recipe to make. This is such a popular approach to pancake-making, that Dan and a family friend, Gentry, did a video demonstration for the DVO website showing how to do this!

If you like to add a little extra splash to breakfast now and then, give these recipes a try. But in the interim, why not share any special breakfast recipes YOU have? We're all in this together, remember, so let's share the good stuff. And until next time, here's to a fun and homemade breakfast and of course, happy cook'n!

BASIC ORANGE JULIUS (serves 4, unless I'm at your table, then it serves 2--ha ha ha)
In blender:
1/3 C powdered milk
1/2 C sugar, or honey, or agave
1 tsp pure vanilla (I love the clear Mexican Vanilla Dan and Kathy sell--the flavor is exceptional)
1 (6 oz can) frozen orange juice

Blend well; stop blender and add a tray of ice cubes (maybe 12-14). Serve immediately.

WHOLE GRAIN BLENDER PANCAKES (serves 8)
In blender:
1 C whole wheat kernels (can mix this up with spelt, barley, kamut, oat groats, etc.)
1 C milk (cold; OR 1/3 C powdered milk and 1 C water)

Blend on high for 2 min.

Add:
1/2-2/3 C milk (cold; OR 1/3 C powdered milk and water)

Blend on high 3 min.

Add:
3-4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla (think Dan & Kathy's Mexican Vanilla)
1/4 C virgin olive oil (cold pressed; OR melted butter, OR melted coconut oil)
1 Tbsp honey, or agave
1/4 tsp salt

Blend well.

Add: 1 Tbsp non-aluminum baking powder (Rumford's is the brand I like best)

Fold in then start pouring batter immediately. Besides being loaded with nutrients, these are light and fluffy. Real crowd pleasers.

Have Fun with Tomato Soup!

Weekends can get busy, especially if you work outside the home during the week--the weekend becomes "catchup time" (and they're never long enough, are they?). With this in mind, I thought I'd share something quick, out of the ordinary, and fun you can do for a weekend meal:

Try a Tomato Soup Bar. Set up much like a baked potato bar, a tomato soup bar also calls for an wide assortment of fun add-ins. For instance, consider Italian herbed croutons, shredded cheeses, sliced black olives, fresh chopped basil, cooked black beans, diced fresh tomatoes, Fritos or tortilla chips, butter (one of my personal favorites), Spice Hunter's Deliciously Dill, chopped onion, diced avocado, sour cream, and so on. You're limited only by your imagination.

We've always employed a canned tomato soup (think Campbell's or your local grocery store house brand--they all seem the same to me), but if you want to get creative, homemade tomato soup is the bomb.com (although this undoes the "quick and easy" aspect of this meal)! In case you don't care so much about the "quick and easy" and have the time for "from scratch," here's a recipe for homemade tomato soup that we here at Cook'n highly recommend:

HOMEMADE CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
3 lbs freshly picked or vine-ripened tomatoes (although I've used the greasy, hard as rock, hothouse Roma tomatoes)
8 oz. chicken broth or water
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 C chopped celery
2 Tbsp fresh basil
1/2 C chopped onion
1 C milk or half and half

Combine tomatoes and broth; stew for 30 min. on low heat. Strain into bowl, removing seeds and skins. Return to pot. Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp flour. Add celery, basil, and onion. Cook over very low heat until mixture has thickened to desired consistency. Stir in one cup milk or half and half during last 10 min. of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If a smooth soup is desired, process in blender before serving.)

Serve this soup with a variety of add-ins and enjoy the applause! Let me know what you think of this idea and if you try the recipe, share your thoughts on this as well. And until next time, here's to a fun meal and happy cook'n!

10 Favorite Things to Fix When Snowed In or Just Dealing with Nasty Weather

I was reading a foodie blog the other day (I apologize for not remembering which one) and the author talked about research that was done regarding the most common foods folks fix when either snowed in, or otherwise dealing with inclement weather. Here's the list:

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies (no surprises here)
2. Chili
3. Beef Stew
4. Eggs and bacon
5. Minestrone Soup
6. Chicken Noodle Soup (and if the weather is super nasty, people seem inclined to experiment with making their own noodles)
7. Muffins (MY favorite is pineapple, carrot, bran with loads of raisins)
   
8. Spaghetti and meatballs
9. Pizza
   
10. Hot chocolate (lots of experimenting goes on with this one)

Do you notice the "comfort food" theme going on? Again, no real surprises with this list. My list would probably look close to this, except that I would qualify the "eggs and bacon" with omeletes and bacon. And I would substitute Bread for the "spaghetti and meatballs." What would YOUR list look like? This question would be a fun topic of conversation at the dinner table, don't you think? I'd be curious to see how close our family members would come to this list.

Now just for fun, I thought I'd share one of Kathy's all-time crowd-pleasing cookie recipes (you can see her demonstrate this on the website), just in case a snowstorm or other inclement weather heads your way:

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIES (yield: maybe a couple dozen cookies)
1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa
1/2 C walnuts, chopped
1 Tbsp sugar (for mixing with nuts)
48 Rolos (you'll find these in the candy aisle; I would need to buy much more than 48 as I LOVE them and would be sneaking them as I was mixing this recipe)

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, cover, and chill for about 1/2 hour. Mix nuts with 1 Tbsp sugar. Press each piece of dough around one Rolo and roll into a ball. Next, roll dough ball into sugar/nuts mixture and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 min. Let cool for 3-4 min. before moving to cooling rack.

This cookie recipe is to-die for, so be sure you have a couple bags of Rolos stashed in your pantry and hope hope hope for a snowy, nasty day (but then, who really needs any excuse to make a wonderful cookie?) Do YOU have a good recipe you like to make when you need a little extra comfort? Please share--we're all in this together, remember. And until next time, let's make our "10 Favorites" List and happy cook'n!

Slow Cooker--The Busy Cook's Best Friend!

As Spring approaches I start to get a little nervous--warmer weather means more demands on my time (gardening and yard work for instance), and I already feel like I'm spread thinner than a drink of water. I still want to be able to provide healthy, budget-wise, and yummy meals for the family, so how do I manage with less and less time at my disposal?

Behold the slow cooker--the busy cook's best friend (wouldn't you love to be the guy that invented it?). I thought just for drill, I'd do a little research to see if anyone had suggestions for different ways to use their slow cooker. Boy did I come up with a boatload of ideas. For instance:

• Soak beans in the pot overnight, rinse them in the morning while making breakfast, and then cook them all day. When you get home from work you have beans ready to go into anything.
• Slow cookers are a fantastic way to make oatmeal. Use Scottish or Irish-steel-cut oats for the most nutrition and best flavor. Put water and oats in the cooker before you go to bed, and wake up to a great breakfast base in the morning. Add milk, maple syrup, dried cherries, raisins, or craisins, chopped nuts, some cinnamon, coconut...the list can go on. This is amazing!
• The easiest way to cook a vegetarian meal in the cooker is to throw everything in at once (grains, cooked beans or lentils, veggies, water, oil, or spices. Then cover and cook for 8 hrs. Add any salt at the very last of the timing (salt toughens legumes and slows the cooking process).
  
• Roast or bake vegetables (which can be done without oil or herbs). No water is needed because the veggies have enough of their own, and they won't dry out in the cooker like they do in the oven. Using a digital time to turn the slow cooker on at the right time is the best way to prevent over-cooked veggies. You can bake a large or medium yam on low in four hours, or on high in two hours. Root vegetables or potatoes cut in big chunks take less time. A good idea is to coat them in oil.
  
• There are some clever ways to extend cooking time without hurting the integrity of the meal. Using the aforementioned digital timer is the first place to start. Say that you leave the house at 8:00 am and return at 7:00 pm. The slow cooker recipe you want to start before you leave, will be done five hours before you get home. So just plug your cooker into the timer; set it at 1:00 pm, and supper will be perfectly ready when you arrive. There are several digital timers to choose from on the Internet.
• Another way to extend cooking time is to go with a cold start. Pull a container of soup or stew out of the freezer in the morning, put in the cooker on warm or low; set the digital timer to cook for however long you want.
• Finally, start the day before: Add the ingredients for a one dish meal to the crockpot the night before, put it in the fridge, then start it cold in the morning. This will add another hour or two to the cooking time.

Now for more drill, let's try a recipe. This is very easy and quick, so the idea here is to make it ahead of time, freeze, and place it in the cooker frozen, and cook on low for a few hours (I don't have a timer yet, but I think 6 hours would be OK).

MRS. DASH'S BAKED ZITI (serves 8)
(This recipe is courtesy of Cook'n, edited to accommodate the slow cooker approach)

8 oz pkg ziti pasta (uncooked)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C chopped onion
2 C sliced, fresh mushrooms
1 tsp Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning
2 tsp Mrs. Dash extra spicy seasoning
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
2 Tbsp shredded Romano cheese
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes, no salt added
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

In med. saucepan, saute onion and mushrooms in olive oil until onions are translucent and mushrooms release their juice. Add seasonings, rosemary, Romano, and pasta and toss to incorporate flavors.

Line cooker pot with heavy-duty tin foil so foil goes up the sides of the container (you want enough left over to fold over top of casserole to make an airtight seal); shape well to cooker; grease foil well. Place all ingredients except stewed tomatoes in foil lined container. Then pour stewed tomatoes over top, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Fold foil over contents and seal well, then place container in freezer. Watch closely and as soon as contents begin to freeze (where it all holds the shape of the cooker), remove, and lift contents out of cooker pot. Return food to freezer.

On cook day, run foil covered casserole under hot water to loosen the foil; remove contents from foil and place in cold cooker. Set on LOW; you might add 1/2 C water. Cover and cook for 8 hrs. Serve with more shredded cheese, crusty french bread and tossed salad.

Now, do YOU have a suggestion for slow cooker use? Please share--we're all in this together, remember. Let me know what you think of this recipe, should you try it, and until next time, happy cook'n!