Cooking At Christmas Time. Quick and Oh So Good

Merry Christmas... and we really don't care if you don't like it when someone says that to you.
Having said that, here's a gift that keeps on giving all year long and far into the future.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
Steve and Kim

HERE'S THE  LINK FOR THIS GREAT PRODUCT

P.S.  Almost forgot:  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Butternut Squash Soup

If this doesn't warm you up nothing will.  Kim's favorite soup is butternut squash and here is the recipe for you to enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
1 peeled, seeded and chopped butternut squash
1 peeleed and quartered onion
1 peeled and quartered baking potato
1 quart of chicken broth
1/2 to 1 cup of whole milk

PREPARATION:
Preheat your over to 400 degrees.  Then, in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish, toss the butternut squash, onion and baking potato with 2 tablespoons of extra-vigfin olive oit to coat; season with salt and pepper.
Bake this until tender which normally takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour.  After it is baked transfer the vegetables and any juices to a large soup pot and add the chicken broth bringing it to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree untl smooth.  Stir in the milk according to the thickness you prefer and season with just a little bit more salt and pepper.

That's it.  Simple to prepare, great to eat and oh how warm your tummy will be when you finish eating this wonderfully rich and creamy soup delight.

The Day After The Feast

One of our favorite times of the year is the morning after Thanksgiving day.  All of the dishes have been done and put away.  Family is no longer fighting for the best part of the turkey and best of all the football games are over and done with so everyone can once again become as close to normal as they usually are.
Really though the reason we like the morning after is because breakfast is our favorite meal and to be able to share it with family once in a while is a real treat.  So here we sit, scrambled eggs on the plates, a slice of ham on the the serving tray and a huge side order of hash brown potatoes just waiting to be devoured.
Now that's what we call living and hope that you do too.

Sit down now and put the napkin on your lap or just tuck it into the shirt collar and dig in.  Nobody is looking beyond their own plates right now so just enjoy.

Happy Eating to All... and now I think it might just be nap time again.  What do you think?

An Ounce Of Prevention. Safety First This Holiday Season

It is easy to take safety in the kitchen for granted.  You get comfortable doing what you always do and suddenly there's a fire, a issue with cleanliness or a cut from a sharp knife etc.  All it takes is one minute of lost focus and accidents can happen.
Here's a few tips and tricks you should be aware of while busy preparing your holiday meals.
*  Keep cold water running in the sink while you pour hot water from a pot of vegetables.  It prevents the steam from scalding your hands.
*  Don't let oil heat to the smoking point.  It may ignite.  It also makes food taste bitter and irritates your eyes.
*  Sharp knives should be kept in plain view in wooden holders - but out of reach of young children - instead of among other utensils in the drawer.
*  When broiling meat, place a few pieces of dry bread in the broiler pan to soak up dripping fat.  This not only eliminates smoking fat but also reduces the chance that the fat will catch fire.
BURNS:
*  To help relieve pain from minor burns and reduce swelling of minor bumps and bruises, keep clean, damp sponges in your freezer.  When you burn or bruise yourself, apply a frozen sponge to the affected area.
*  Soothe a minor kitchen burn by rubbing it gently with the cut surface of a cold raw potato.
*  To relieve painful burns on hands, dissolve a few aspirin tablets in a bowl of cool water and soak.
FIRE:
*  Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over grease flare-up or blazing broiler.  If fire is snuffed out quickly, a partially burned steak could still be edible after the soda is rinsed off.
*  Never use flour as an extinguisher.
*  If fire is in your oven, immediately turn off heat and close the oven door.  Shutting off the air supply will smother the fire.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and we wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderfully Happy New Year.
Steve & Kim

Cooking The Grand Way

During this busy time of year perhaps you should consider "pre-making" some of the food and treats you'll enjoy in the coming days and weeks.  Here's a way to do just that.

  Take a close look HERE.

Gluten Free Eating Best Product Sources

Gluten free living is something everyone should strive for as it is far more healthy and helps you lose weight without all the fad diets you've tried and failed at through the years.  Want proof?  I've lost 22 pounds in the last 1 1/2 months just because I went gluten free.  It works!

The demand for gluten-free foods is growing rapidly as an increasing number of people are diagnosed with celiac disease, and told to avoid eating the protein. (Tennis star Novak Djokovic even attributes his standout performance this year to eliminating gluten from his diet.) The gluten-free section at Amazon Grocery offers thousands of such products, including breakfast items, baking goods, baby food, and boxed meals. Amazon began offering the goods in 2004 and has seen sales triple in the past two years, according to Anya Waring, a spokesperson for Amazon.

Yes, Amazon.com is probably the very best source of gluten free products at a price you can afford.  Next time you're looking for products that are gluten free be sure to explore Amazon.com.  It will save you a bundle of cash.

KITCHEN TIPS AND TRICKS

No new recipes today only a short note to invite you to join our mailing list of tips and tricks that you can use in the kitchen.
Just fill in the short form on the right of this posting and we'll send you regular updates filled with valuable information, tips and tricks that you can use right away to save time and money.
Take a minute now please to fill out the form and then just hit the send/submit button.  We'll do the rest.

Thanks
Steve and Kim                    

P.S.  You might also want to click on the little banner that says Free Coupons as it has some really great FREE deals for restaurants in your local area.  Sort of like Groupon but more focused on food than just "anything."  Take a look.

Healthy Eating The Right Way

Healthy eating the right way can be quite the challenge sometimes.  You have much to consider when it comes to your choices of food to prepare each day that will help keep your family healthy.
Choices include a balance of carbohydrates, calories and freshness (organic.)  It's not an easy thing to do and we understand that.  That's why we are always on the prowl for great resources to provide to you, our readers, as it relates to your health, good food that tastes as good as it looks and that will be within your budget.
Well, we've found a little gem of a site that we believe you'll enjoy.  Click on the link and we'll take you there.  You can decide for yourself if it's something you can use.  We think it is.
Here is the LINK.

Steve and Kim

Using Your Noodle For Perfect Pasta Every Time

I've always had two problems while cooking pasta.  The first one is that the pot in which I chose to boil the pasta always seems to want to boil over.  And secondly, the pasta always sticks together making it difficult to eat properly.  So, I went on a trip of discovery to learn how to solve those two small but irritating problems and I found my answers.  Here they are:

1)  Preventing Boil overs... I don't know why this works I only know that it does.
*  To prevent boil overs simply lay a large spoon or spatula across the top of the pot.  This prevents not only boil overs but splashing as well.

2)  Perfect Pasta Every Time...
*  Bring salted water to a boil, stir in your pasta and then cover the pot.  Now, turn off the heat and let it stand for approximately 15 minutes or until tender.
*  When the pasta is cooked to your liking run it under hot - not cold - water before you drain it.  This will prevent stickiness.
*  If pasta is to be used in a dish that requires further cooking, such as lasagna, reduce the cooking time by one third (15 minutes now becomes 10 minutes.)
*  If you're not going to serve spaghetti immediately, you can leave it in hot water and cool is slowly by adding ice cubes or cold water to stop the cooking process.  Reheat the spaghetti by running it under hot tap water in the strainer while shaking it vigorously.

And that's the name of that tune.  Now, go cook something.  The kids are getting hungry.

Steve and Kim

GLAZED LEMON CHIFFON CAKE

 

I know it is hot and the last thing you're thinking about is turning on your oven, heating up the entire kitchen and baking.  BUT... I would encourage you to get a tall glass of ice tea, turn on a fan and get baking.  This delicious, light and fluffy glazed lemon chiffon cake is going to be the hit of the evening.

Thanks to Carol of Tacoma, Washington for providing this great recipe.  You're the best!

GLAZED LEMON CHIFFON CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 TBSP baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 8 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 water
• 2-1/2  tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

GLAZE:

• 6 TBSP butter, melted
• 1 TBSP grated lemon zest
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 325*.
In large bowl, sift flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon zest; whisk until well combined.

In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer to stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 of whipped whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites until mixture is combined: do not over mix or batter will deflate. Pour into ungreased pan; tap gently on counter to release air pockets.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan immediately after removing from oven; cool completely. Run knife around the sides and center of cake to loosen.

 For glaze, combine butter, zest, confectioners' sugar, juice and vanilla in medium bowl; stir until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and spread with spatula... glaze that drips off cake can be scooped back up with spatula. Glaze will set hard within 30 minutes.