RASPBERRY MOUSSE

Ingredients
2 pkgs (10-oz each) frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp lemon juice from concentrate
red food coloring, optional
2 cups whipping cream, stiffly whipped
In a small saucepan, combine 1 package undrained raspberries and cornstarch; cook and stir until thickened and clear. Chill thoroughly.
In a blender, combine remaining 1 package undrained raspberries, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice; blend until smooth. Place in a large bowl; stir in food coloring, if desired. Fold in whipped cream.
Spoon half the mousse mixture into dessert dishes; top with equal portion of the raspberry sauce then the remaining mousse mixture. Chill thoroughly. Garnish with whipped cream or fresh raspberries, if desired.

ICE CREAM RICE PUDDING

Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice
2 pkgs (4-oz size) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups whipped topping
Rice the rice with cold water and drain well.
Combine the pudding mix, milk, ice cream, and cinnamon in a mixer bowl. Beat the mixture for 1 minute. Fold in the rice. Chill until serving time. Before serving, fold in the whipped topping. Spoon pudding into serving dishes and enjoy.

Whiting Quenelles In Shellfish Broth

How to cook: WHITING QUENELLES IN SHELLFISH BROTH


Ingredients:


FOR THE QUENELLES
15 g (1/2 oz) butter, melted
40 g (11/4 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
100 ml (31/2 fl oz) milk
225 g (8 oz) skinned whiting fillet, roughly chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
100 ml (31/2 fl oz) double cream


FOR THE BROTH
50 g (13/4 oz) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
450 g (1 lb) raw whole prawns, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tbsp brandy
100 ml (31/2 fl oz) dry white wine
3 ripe tomatoes, approx. 225 g (8 oz), chopped
1.5 litres (23/4 pints) fish stock
1 large leek, halved lengthways and sliced
1 large Maris Piper or King Edward
potato, approx. 300 g (10 oz), diced
generous pinch of saffron
extra virgin olive oil, to garnish


Directions:
For the quenelles, mix together the melted butter, breadcrumbs, and milk to make a coarse paste. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Put the whiting, lemon juice, and egg in a food processor with some salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste, and whizz to form a smooth paste. With the motor running, gradually add the cream. Put into a bowl, sit this in a larger bowl of iced water, cover, and set aside to chill and firm up.
To make the broth, melt half the butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Next, add the prawns and brandy and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Then add the wine, tomatoes, and hot stock and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Blend the broth, in batches, in a hand-held blender or food processor until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a large bowl, using the back of a soup ladle to push out as much as possible. You should end up with about 1.7 litres (3 pints) of broth. Set aside.
Return the stockpot to medium heat. Add the remaining butter, leek, and potato and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Add the saffron and broth and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture is barely simmering. Season to taste.
For each quenelle, scoop a generous spoonful of the fish mixture onto a dessert spoon. Then, with a second, equal-sized spoon, shape the mixture into a rugby-ball shape, moving it from one spoon to the other. Lower into the broth and repeat to make 4-6 quenelles. Poach for 5 minutes, turning halfway. Divide between 4-6 warmed bowls and spoon the broth all around. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.
SERVES 4-6

Guinness and Cabbage Delight

Beer is not just for drinking anymore these days. You can use it for things that you can never think of. It can be used to trap slugs and snails, mice exterminator and a (pricy) plant fertilizer. Beers can also be used for cooking. You may have come across steaks and ribs cooked using beer but that is not all beer is capable of. It can also be used together while making side dishes like salads. Here, you will learn how to cook Guinness and Cabbage Delight, a mesmerizing salad created with the help of an Irish stout beer.


Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 medium shallots, diced
2 teaspoons of minced or grated ginger root
3 cups of shredded red cabbage
3 cups of shredded napa cabbage
1 cup of Guinness
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper


Directions
1. First and foremost, heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium to high heat. You can also substitute the olive oil to other vegetable oils like pumpkin seed oil or peanut oil. Different oil being used will give different taste on your side dish. Experiment with the oils and choose the one that suits your taste buds.
2. Put in shallots and ginger in the frying pan. If you are afraid that the ginger taste will be overwhelming the overall taste of the dish (or you just don't like ginger!) you can reduce it to just a teaspoon. Cook them until tender.
3. Introduce red cabbage and napa cabbage into the mix and cook them for about two minutes. Cook longer and you can risk your cabbage to shrivel and this will affect the nutrients inside. It is not compulsory to use these cabbages together; you can try cooking this with red or napa cabbage alone. Cabbage is low in fat and it also has anti-aging effects because of the presence of vitamin C.
4. Pour in the Guinness inside the pan together with the salt and pepper. Guinness will give a rich and heavy taste to your dish. If you have a great sense of taste, you can also trace hints of coffee inside the beer. Reduce the heat to medium heat and then cover the pan. Let it heat for around 5 minutes and serve it inside a bowl.
A mix of red and napa cabbage will surely brighten up the presentation of your dish. High in vitamin C and surprisingly delicious with a mixture of rich flavor, it will be hard for you to not drool your mouth with this. This dish will be excellent for a small family and friends gathering.
As a wise man once said, 'cooking is easy but hard to master'. Being a man does not mean you suck at cooking. In fact, most famous chefs are men. If you are determine to prove to your girlfriend, mother-in-law or anyone that your cooking is not just a third-rate dish, learn from us and you will be able to cook better!

The Perfect Recipe for Yummy Swiss Steak

You have to invest a sum of around 3 hr and 15 min to prepare the delicious Swiss steak properly. Budget at least 45 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 2 hr and 30 min to cook the steak.


Ingredients
1. Beef bottom round-2 pounds beef bottom round (without unnecessary fat)
2. Beef broth- 1 and 1/2 cup
3. All-purpose flour-3/4 cups
4. Onion- 1 piece and sliced thinly
5. Kosher salt- 2 teaspoons
6. Vegetable oil-1/4 cup
7. Black pepper- 1 teaspoon
8. Celery- 2 stalks and chopped
9. Can diced tomatoes- 14.5 ounce
10. Tomato paste- 1 tablespoon
11. Cloves garlic- 2 pieces
12. Dried oregano- 1 teaspoon
13. Smoked paprika- 1 teaspoon
14. Worcestershire sauce- 1 tablespoon


Process:
Before you start cooking the steak, pre-heat the oven or the pan to 325 degrees F. Then cut the meat into ½ inch thick slices or into a manageable serving size. Use pepper and salt to season on the both sides of sliced the meat. Put the flour, salt and pepper on a pan and mix it with the meat pieces.
Make sure the meat is dry before seasoning. Dry meats easily get mixed with the flour. Tenderise the meat until the slices become ¼-inch thick. Further dredge the slices on both sides. It ensures the proper combination of all the ingredients with the steaks properly. Without adding the ingredients, the steak will lose taste.
Put sufficient vegetable oil on the oven covering the bottom of the pan, and set the fire on medium-high heat. Place the steaks on the pan when the oil begins shimmering. Do not overcrowd the pan with steaks. Make both sides of the steak golden brown. You can also apply butter or bacon drippings to brown the steak slices. You need roughly 2 minutes per side to make them brown. Take out the steaks and continue the same task till all the steaks get browned.
After browning the steaks, remove all the steaks to a plate. Place some onions, celery and garlic and fry 2 to 3 minutes. Blend the ingredients adding the tomato paste to combine. Then again stir the mixture adding paprika, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and beef broth to combine.
Then bring the steaks on the pot and submerge them in the liquid. Place the pot on the oven in middle rack. Do not forget to cover the pot.
Your next step is to cook the item for around 1 and ½ hours to 2 hours in low heat. If you do not want to count time, cook until the steak is tender or falling apart.

Easy Bundt Cake

Bundt cake molds produce a very artistic design in the cakes and it will be very difficult for anybody to resist a slice of Bundt cake. Another big advantage of baking bundt red velvet cake recipe is that they are easy to slice; even a thin slice can be cut easily. Here is a beautiful red velvet Bundt cake recipe for you to try out the next time you put on your baking hat.


What you will need:
- Vegetable oil - 1 1/2 cups
- Buttermilk - 1 cup
- Eggs - 2 (at room temperature)
- Red food coloring - 2 tablespoons
- White vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon
- Flour - 2 1/2 cups
- Sugar - 1 3/4 cups
- Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
- Salt - 3/4 teaspoon
- Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon


To prepare:
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease a Bundt pan and dust some flour on the inside.
- In a mixing bowl, break in the eggs and add the buttermilk to the eggs.
- Beat the eggs and buttermilk together using an electric mixer till the eggs are well beaten.
- Add the vinegar and red food coloring.
- Add the sugar and beat till the sugar dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one spoon at a time, and mix well between each addition to avoid clumps.
- Pour the prepared batter in the greased Bundt pan (fill 3/4 of the way).
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or till the cake is firm in the center and does not jiggle on shaking.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Invert on a wire rack and let the cake cool for at least an hour before applying frosting.
What you will need for the frosting:
- Cream cheese - 1 cup
- Butter at room temperature - 1/2 cup
- Powdered sugar (sifted) - 2 cups
- Vanilla essence - 1/2 teaspoon
To prepare:
- Mix the cream cheese and butter and beat using an electric mixer at high speed till softened.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the mix and beat at low speed till the mix is fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl at regular intervals to get an even mix.
To assemble the cake:
- Place the cake on a serving plate and cover with cream cheese frosting on all sides.
- Alternatively, you can melt the frosting in the microwave and pour it all over the cake and let it flow down the sides. Cool for a few minutes.
- Decorate with chopped walnuts to serve.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas With Black Bean Puree Recipes

Serve: 6
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound smoked salmon, cut into ¼ inch dice
- 1 canned low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1 ham hock
- 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
- 6 flour tortillas, each 8 inches in diameter
- ½ cup shredded jalapeno Jack cheese
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, just the leaves
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt
Methods:
1. Mix the blacks beans, ham hock, chicken stock, garlic, cumin seed, chili powder and thyme sprig in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. When boiled, reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, uncovered, until the beans are very tender, about 1.5 hours. Add some water or a little more stock to ensure the beans are covered during cooking.
3. Remove the ham hock and thyme sprig.
4. Drain the beans, reserving the stock, and place them in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed and adding some of the reserved stock to create a puree the consistency of thick ketchup.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. While the beans are cooking, melt the butter over low heat in a sauté pan.
7. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent for about 10 minutes.
8. Drain the onion in a sieve placed over a bowl, and reserve the butter and onion separately.
9. In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved onion butter.
10. Add the tortillas one at a time and brown lightly on both sides, adding additional butter as necessary.
11. As the tortillas are browned, blot them with paper towels to remove excess butter and set aside.
12. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the tortillas in a single layer on 2 baking sheets.
13. Sprinkle each evenly with an equal amount of the lack cheese. Using the squeeze bottle of bean purée, create a star pattern, or whatever design you like, on the cheese.
14. Place in the oven until thoroughly warmed and the cheese have begun to melt, about 5 minutes.
15. Remove the quesadillas from the oven and immediately divide among 6 plates.
16. Evenly divide the smoked salmon among the quesadillas.
17. Garnish with the onion, sour cream, and cilantro leaves.

Mushroom and Navy-Bean Stew

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 10 ounces baby spinach leaves
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• Ground pepper
• Salt

Directions
In a Dutch oven or large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; gently swirl to coat pan. Add onion and potatoes and sauté until onion is lightly browned, around 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and salt; cook until mushrooms are tender, around 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and water; cover with lid and cook until potatoes are tender. Add spinach and beans; cook until heated through. Stir in wine vinegar then season with salt and pepper.

Braised Chicken and Red Potatoes in Tarragon Broth

Ingredients

• 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pack red potato wedges, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté for a minute. Put in chicken and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, tarragon, salt, and pepper; once boiling simmer for 5 minutes while occasionally stirring. Add the potatoes; simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and serve right away.

Caraway Tea Recipe

For a one cup of tea, use about twelve ounces of water and a tablespoon of fresh caraway seed, or about two teaspoons of seed to one cup of water. Follow the simple steps below.

1. Place the water in a kettle and bring to boil.
2. Place your seeds in a tea cup.
3. Pour the boiling water over your caraway seeds.
4. Cover the tea cup with a plate or other cover to keep the heat of the water inside the cup.
5. Allow the tea to steep for at least fifteen minutes.
6. Pour tea into a second cup through a strainer, straining off the seeds.
7. Discard seeds.
8. Add honey to the tea to taste.

Alternatively, you may choose to boil the seeds in the water itself, boiling for 15-20 minutes as a quick method for getting maximum benefits out of your caraway. However, if you are able to wait overnight, your tea will be optimal if you allow it to steep for hours, much like an herbal infusion.


A Longer, More Effective Method 
The key with good caraway tea is to let the tea steep to allow the benefits of the caraway seed to be diffused into the water. Consider making a large batch of tea and allowing it to steep overnight. This is a common technique used in herbal infusions to maximize the benefits of the tea. To use this method, simply do the following:

1. Bring one quart of water to a boil.
2. Pour boiling water over about three tablespoons of caraway seed waiting in a sauce pan.
3. Cover the saucepan with a well-fitting lid.
4. Allow saucepan to sit covered overnight.
5. In the morning, strain the tea into a jar for easy storage, straining out the seeds.
6. Enjoy this tea with honey until you are feeling better.

This tea will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks in a well-sealed container. Simply warm it up when you are ready for a cup of tea. It will also sit well in your kitchen all day long, so you could make a day's supply of caraway tea each evening before you go to bed. Using this method, you will have a high quality tea all day long, for as long as you need it.
Find fresh caraway seeds online or at a local ethnic market for the best value. Buy a supply for about six months so that you always have fresh caraway seeds on hand.

3 type Common South Indian Chutneys.....

Coconut chutney

Ingredients to be ground to paste

• 2nos  grated fresh coconut
• 20gm roasted channa dal
• 4nos green chilly
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger

Ingredients for Seasoning

• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon Urad dal
• 1 teaspoon oil for seasoning
• 4 curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method

Grind all the ingredients except the seasoning together with ½ cup of hot water. Hot water prevents the coconut from getting curdled and sticky.

Heat oil in a small pan; add mustard seeds and Urad dal, curry leaves. Allow it to crackle. Add the seasoning to the ground coconut mixture. Now add the salt to taste and mix well.

                   

Tomato chutney

Ingredients to be ground to paste

• 2 cups of chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup small onions or ½ cup chopped regular onions
• 5 nos dry red chilly
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Ingredients for seasoning

• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• ½teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ Urad dal
• 4 curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan; add the onions and sauté until soft and tender. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilly, asafetida and turmeric powder. Sauté until the tomatoes are nice and soft and almost all the water has evaporated.

Allow the mixture to cool and grind into a smooth paste.

Heat oil small pan; add mustard seeds and Urad dal, curry leaves. Allow it to crackle.

Add the seasoning to the ground tomato onion paste. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Coriander chutney

Ingredients to be ground to paste

• 2 bunch of fresh coriander leaves
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 3 no’s  green chilly
• 5 gm asafetida (block)
• 10 gm tamarind
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Ingredients for seasoning

• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• ½teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ Urad dal
• 4 curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan; add the asafetida and grated coconut sauté for few minutes and add green chilly continuously mixed then strain the coconut mixer.

Roughly chopped corianders wash it 3 times and blanched for one minute and Strained and cool it. Coriander should be green colour.

Allow the mixture to cool and grind into a coconut mixer and coriander blanched along with tamarind smooth paste.

Heat oil small pan; add mustard seeds and Urad dal, curry leaves. Allow it to crackle.

Add the seasoning to the ground coriander paste. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Lobster Ravioli - The Perfect Lobster Filling

Lobster ravioli is an Italian pasta dish containing special ravioli noodles with a lobster filling and seafood sauce. To make a wonderful filling, utilizing the claw and tail meat of lobster can deliver a deeper lobster flavor into your ravioli. You can make the perfect lobster stock from the legs and carcasses, and a wonderful cream sauce with these things.
I always begin with the sauce. You can think of a light cheese sauce with capers, or a butter sauce with lemon sautéed in the butter and a few drops of cocktail. In a cast iron large skillet or stockpot, sauté onion and celery together in olive oil; add the lobster parts and cook until they turn red and fragrant. Pour in around 2 tablespoons of sherry to deglaze. Add a low in salt chicken broth and simmer for about an hour with a bay leaf or sage, and a few whole peppercorns. So far, it's the perfect sauce for my lobster ravioli. To make the perfect lobster ravioli filling, you can try the recipe below.
You'll need:

• 2 tablespoons, 1 ½ teaspoons butter
• 1-2 tablespoons mint shallots
• 3 pounds lobster meat, cleaned, boiled and minced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, cubed or minced
• 2 tablespoons, 1 ½ teaspoons flour
• 6 cups light cream
• 3 tablespoons sherry
• Salt and pepper

Soften butter in a separate saucepan or stockpot; add shallots and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cubed lobster meat and mushrooms and cook for another minute. Do not brown. Slowly sprinkle flour over the sautéed mix while stirring constantly. Add sherry, stirring constantly then the cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper then continue cooking until mixture thickens. You may remove mixture from heat and spread out in a flat pan to cool, or puree to a smooth thick paste. Chill to cool.
Adding vegetables or cheese can also be great. You can even add a drizzle of white truffle oil into your sherry sauce for an added sophistication. You will love the blend of slight sweetness from champagne and light muskiness from the truffles.

Quick and Easy Sandwiches

TACO SLOPPY JOES
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5-oz) tomatoes
2 tbsp catsup
2 tsp taco seasoning mix
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 to 6 hamburger buns
1 cup shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
shredded lettuce for garnish
diced tomatoes for garnish
black olives for garnish
taco sauce, if desired
In a large skillet saute the ground beef, onion, and garlic together until the beef is browned and crumbled. Drain off excess fat.
Add the tomatoes, catsup, taco seasoning, salt, and Dijon mustard. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until mixture is dry. Spoon the mixture onto the buns and top with the lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, olive, and taco sauce if desired.
FOCACCIA ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp dill weed
1 tsp onion powder
1 round (8-inch) focaccia bread
fresh lettuce leaves
tomato slices
3/4 lb deli sliced roast beef
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, and onion powder together in a small bowl.
Cut the focaccia bread into 4 pieces; split for sandwiches. Spread the dressing on the cut pieces of focaccia. Add lettuce leaves and tomato slices. Top with the roast beef and add the top slice of the bread to make a sandwich.
Yield: 4 sandwiches
NOTE: Don't like focaccia bread? Use Kaiser rolls or onion rolls instead.
CHILI SPICED PECAN PEANUT MIX
2 cups pecan halves or large pieces
2 cups roasted peanuts
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan, combine the peanuts and pecans. In a small bowl combine the egg white with the butter, chili powder, red pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and the hot sauce, stirring to combine well. Pour the butter mixture over the nuts in the pan, stirring to coat all the nuts well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the nuts are toasted. Remove from oven and set pan on a wire rack. Cool nuts completely in the pan. Store in an airtight container.

Pyaz Ki Kachori (Indian Fried onion Snack) Recipe Pyaz Ki Kachori (Indian Fried onion Snack) Recipe

Pyaz ki kachori is a delicious Indian fry bread that is especially popular in the Rajasthan region of the Indian subcontinent

What you will need for the dough:
- Refined flour - 2 cups
- Clarified butter (ghee) - 1/4 cup
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
What you will need for the filling:
- Finely chopped onions - 2 cups
- Nigella seeds - 1 teaspoon
- Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoons
- Bay leaves - 2
- Finely chopped green chilies - 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Gram flour - 2 teaspoons
- Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
- Red chili powder - 2 teaspoons
- Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
- Fresh chopped coriander leaves - 3 teaspoons
- Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Oil for frying
To prepare:
- In a deep bowl, mix the flour, ghee and salt.
- Rub it lightly between your fingers to get a crumbly mix.
- Use some water to knead a soft dough.
- Divide the dough in 12 equal portions, cover with muslin cloth, and set aside.
- In a frying pan, take 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onions, bay leaves, nigella seeds, chopped green chilies and fennel seeds.
- Once the onions turn translucent and light brown in color, add the garam masala, coriander powder, red chili powder and sauté for a few minutes so that the spices coat the onions well.
- Add the gram flour and mix well.
- Remove from heat after a minute and let it cool completely. - Remove the bay leaves.
- Add the fresh coriander leaves and salt, and mix well.
- Divide the filling in 12 equal portions.
- With the help of a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 2-inch diameter circle.
- Put one portion of filling in the center of the rolled out dough and fold the dough over the filling to make a ball shape.
- Roll out the filled dough to a 3-inch diameter circle. Take care that the filling does not fall out.
- Do the same for the rest of the dough and filling.
- Heat oil in a frying pan.
- Fry the bread in the hot oil at medium flame.
- This will take some time to fry as it has to cook from the inside. Fry until the bread is golden brown on both sides. Drain on an absorbent paper towel and serve hot

Longhorn Steakhouse's Portabella Beef Tenderloin

Portabella Cream Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups sliced baby portabella mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chives
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt & black pepper

Herb Rub:

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary-finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme-finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 whole beef tenderloin, 4-6 pounds, trimmed and skinned
• Olive Oil

Mix rub ingredients and set aside. Lay out the tenderloin, smoothest side up. Fold the tail end of the tenderloin under to make the thickness uniform. Tie the tenderloin snugly with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals and secure the folded end with two strings. Lightly coat with oil. Season all over with the herb rub.
Sear the tenderloin over a hot grill (450 degrees) for about 20 minutes, turning a quarter turn once every 4-5 minutes. Then slide the roast over to a less warm side of the grill (250 degrees), loosely cover it with foil and cook until it reaches your desired doneness, 20 to 30 minutes for medium rare (125° to 130°F), turning once. Remove from the grill, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes (important!).
Snip and remove all the twine from the roast. Cut the meat crosswise into 1/2- to 1-inch slices and arrange onto a serving platter. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve warm.

HEARTY WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

3 1/4 cups milk
2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp butter
3/4 cup honey
1 3/4 cup medium rye flour
1 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour
3 tsp salt
3 pkgs active dry yeast
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup bran cereal
Scald milk and pour 1 1/2 cups of it over the oats; set aside to cool until lukewarm.
To the remaining milk add water, butter, and honey; set aside until warm (120 to 130 degrees).
Mix the rye flour, whole wheat flour, and 2 cups of the bread flour together.
In a large mixer bowl, combine 3 cups of the above flour mixture, salt, and yeast. Add the warm liquid and and oat mixtures. Blend at low speed of electric mixer until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Stir in the sunflower seeds, wheat germ, bran cereal, remaining flour mixture and an additional 1 1/2 cups to 1 3/4 cups of the bread flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough of the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball.
Grease a bowl and place the dough ball in the bowl, turning once so top is greased. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough, divide into thirds and shape each third into a ball. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Shape into 3 loaves and place in greased 8-inch loaf baking pans, lightly greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until bread is golden and sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from the pans immediately after removing from the oven. Place on wire racks to cool.
Yield: 3 loaves

Making Your Own Steak Rubs

 

Chili Powder & Brown Sugar Rub
For the perfect flavor that is sure to please every guest, use this scrumptious recipe. Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl:
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Sprinkle equal amounts of the mixture on both sides of each steak. Massage the rub into the meat until the gritty texture disappears.
Bourbon & Black Pepper Rub
Although this recipe is best for grilled steaks, it is also delicious on oven-broiled meat. Combine the following ingredients in a bowl:
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon thyme
3 teaspoons brown sugar
Before sprinkling the rub on the steaks, season them with a splash of bourbon. Be sure to massage the bourbon and seasonings on both sides of each steak.
Jalapeno & Butter Rub
For those who enjoy spicy foods, this rub is a winner. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl:
1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
Rub equal amounts of the mixture on both sides of each steak. For a slightly sweeter taste, add a pinch of brown sugar on each piece.
Orange Brandy Rub
This recipe is perfect for summer barbecues. Grate about 3 tablespoons of orange peel onto a paper towel. Be sure the pieces are spaced evenly. Allow them to dry for several hours. Once the orange peels are dry, rub the steaks with a splash of brandy on each side. Sprinkle the orange peel evenly on each steak, and massage the pieces into the meat. If desired, add some fresh-cracked black pepper.
Although salt is a great addition to any steak, be sure to add it after the meat is done. Salt has a tendency to dry the beef during the cooking process. This is especially true for oven-broiled steaks. For optimal taste, cook the steaks to a medium degree.

Steak Marinade

Simple Savory Marinade
This recipe uses normal kitchen ingredients and is pleasing to nearly every palate. Gather the following ingredients:

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
Using a wire whisk, combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Rub the marinade on both sides of each steak. Place them in the refrigerator for several hours.
Phenomenal Caribbean Marinade
For summer grilling parties, this recipe is always a winner. It gives the steaks a mild exotic flavor. Combine the following ingredients in a shallow pan:
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup coconut juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
After the sugar is dissolved, dip the steaks in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate the meat for several hours. To make the flavor more even, turn the steaks over after a couple hours.
Zesty Italian Marinade
This marinade is great for steaks on the grill, in the oven or on the stove. To make this recipe, combine the following ingredients with a wire whisk:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil
Since the vinegar helps tenderize the meat, it is not necessary to let the steaks sit in the mixture for more than a few hours.
Sweet Mandarin Marinade
For a sweet and summery flavor, this is a great marinade choice. Mix the following ingredients together in a bowl:
1 cup mandarin orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Put the steaks in the mixture, and place them in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
The key to making any recipe a success is to avoid using salt or salt-based products. Since salt draws the moisture out of the beef, it is best to add it after the steaks are done cooking.

Quick and Easy Steak Recipes

Steak au Poivre
Poivre is French for pepper, and that's the main flavoring of the creamy sauce at the heart of this elegant steak dish. Prepare your steaks as usual; covering the meat with foil after it's cooked so it rests as you prepare the pepper sauce. Crush two tablespoons of whole black peppercorns and a tablespoon of green peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Dice a whole shallot and sauté it in butter, then add the crushed spices to the mixture. Cook it over medium heat until the shallots become tender, about four or five minutes, then add a cup of heavy cream and salt to taste. Reduce the sauce until it browns and thickens enough to coat the spoon. Serve the sauce over or alongside the steak.
Cajun Steak
New Orleans is rightly famous for its food, and while the port city serves up plenty of seafood, it also knows how to handle a great steak. Make a marinade of enough vegetable oil to coat the steaks, paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, a dash of allspice, diced onions and diced green peppers. Soak the steaks overnight in the mixture, then cook the steaks as desired. Top the steaks with a dab of butter before serving.
Herbed Butter Steak
One of the easiest steak recipes is also one of the best. Chefs rely on compound butter to make their recipes sing, and you can do the same. Cook your steak however you like, then add herbed butter just before you serve it. Make your own butter a day in advance by mixing a stick of room-temperature butter with chopped parsley, chives, finely minced garlic, dill, smoked paprika or any other flavors you enjoy.
Korean Bulgogi Steak
Traditionally, Korean bulgogi is thinly sliced and served with rice, but you can use this magnificently flavorful marinade for whole, uncut steaks as well. Combine half a cup of soy sauce, a tablespoon of dark sesame oil, three cloves of minced garlic, half a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and chopped green onions to taste. Add red pepper flakes and a tablespoon or two of toasted sesame seeds. Let the steaks marinate in the mixture for four to six hours or overnight before cooking. This recipe works especially well with the smokiness of grilling over charcoal.
Whichever steak recipe you choose, make it your own by tweaking the spices and herbs. Add a little tarragon here or some cumin there. You can't go wrong with a great steak.

Pumpkins With Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

For the frosting:
- 227 grams of fresh cream cheese
- 1/2 cup of white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
For the bread:
- 1 cup of roasted walnuts
- 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 1 cup of butter (softened)
- 2 cups of canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
To prepare:
- In a deep bowl, take the cream cheese and beat using an electric mixer until smooth in texture.
- Add the sugar and beat some more.
- Now add the eggs and the flour and beat the mix to get a smooth texture of the frosting. Set aside for later use.
- Grease two 9-inch baking pans for the bread (use a little oil and flour).
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a mixing bowl, break the eggs, add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add the softened butter and beat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and water and mix some more.
- Now use a spoon to stir in the canned pumpkin and walnuts.
- Mix the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
- Stir this mix into the batter using a spoon, but do not beat too much otherwise the bread will harden.
- Divide the bread batter in two parts.
- Pour half of one part in one baking tin and the other half in the other baking tin.
- Spread the prepared frosting on the bread batter.
- Top the frosting with the remaining batter using a spoon. Don't press the batter and just use light hands.
- Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about an hour.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before cutting in slices to serve. This bread can be served hot or cold.

Baked Tofu

Ingredients
- 1 block of firm tofu (~1 lb)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (reduce to 1 tbsp for low sodium diets, or use a low sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp powered garlic (avoid salted)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
Baked Tofu Preparation Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients (except the tofu) into a marinade
- Dry tofu block by pressing it between two towels for a minimum of 20 seconds
- Slice the tofu into 1/2-3/4 inch strips and lay in large bowl
-Dump the marinade over the tofu and allow to marinate for 1 hour in the fridge
- Remove the sliced tofu from the bowl and lay side by side onto a flat baking pan
- Pour remaining marinade from the bowl over the tofu on the pan spreading above and below the tofu
- After covering all pieces of tofu, remove excess marinade from the pan and save for an optional dipping sauce later on
- Preheat oven to 365
- Bake 30 minutes, carefully turning the tofu slices at 15 minutes
That's all there is to it! Enjoy by eating as is or by dipping into remaining marinade sauce. This goes very well with meat dishes, or for vegetarians try it with your favorite salad or pasta for a healthy wholesome meal. You can have a lot of fun with this recipe by making small changes to it each time you make it. For example, try adding a little onion powder, replace the sugar with honey or, my personal favorite, omit the ground ginger and garnish with fresh ginger.

Smoothie for Weight Loss

Ingredients
Frozen mangoes
Berries
3 tsp. pineapple yogurt
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup water
6 ice cubes
optional ingredients:
bee pollen, ginseng
Next in our free list of smoothie recipes is for everyone who loves chocolates and coffee. But isn't chocolate fattening? With one of our smoothie recipes for weight loss, you can once again enjoy chocolate without gaining weight. A smoothie, low in calories, contains calcium, proteins and needed fat, the next in our smoothie recipes for weight loss.
Ingredients For Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
Cocoa powder
frozen vanilla yogurt (low-fat)
water
ice
Third in our free list of recipes is all about berries. But berries are not all that it has, this one includes protein of 2 grams and dietary fiber, which can help us lose more weight. It also has other nutrients and minerals in it and it also low-calorie and low-fat which can helps us be healthier. A smoothie that we can enjoy all year, the third one in our free list of recipes for weight loss.
Ingredients For Recipe in Losing Weight
1 cup of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
1/2 cup of milk (low-fat)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (non-fat plain)
ice
Last in our free list of recipes, it is even approved by the renowned Good Morning America as a mid-day snack to lose weight. Described as a mid-day energizer, here is Calorie Smoothie.
Ingredients for a Calorie smoothie
5 strawberries
2 cups peach or orange flavored Fruit-2-0 water
ice (crushed)

PIZZA MARGHERITA

1 whole grain English muffin
1/2 roma tomato, sliced thin
1/3 cup part-skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
fresh, chopped basil
Toast the English muffin. Layer the tomatoes onto the English muffin halves. Sprinkle on the basil, then the cheese. Put the pizza under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
NUTRITION
calories - 262
saturated fat - 4.6 g
sodium - 490 mg
fiber - 4 g
protein - 14.3 g
VARIATIONS
Don't be afraid to experiment here. Think about your favorite pizza and incorporate it into this recipe. Instead of basil, you could use the traditional oregano for seasoning. Try adding your favorite grilled vegetables, olives, or mushrooms for extra flavor.

Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes

One of our weight loss smoothie recipes with only 136 calories per serving, it is described as a figure-friendly breakfast with a fruity flavor. It is one of the weight loss smoothie recipes that you can make in a flash!


1/2 large ripe banana (or other fruit of your choice)
1/3 cup Soy Protein, about 1 scoop (like Nature's Plus Spiru-Tein: Naturesplus.com)
1/2 tablespoon flax seed oil
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 tablespoon apple juice concentrate (or honey)
1 teaspoon Psyllium seed husks
8 ounces water


First, we must peel the banana and cut it into chunks. Incorporate all the ingredients through a blender. After this step, you can add ice cubes and some powdered vitamins if you want. After adding the said ingredients, blend it again through the blender until it is blended well.
One of our weight loss smoothie recipes is from Smoothieweb, it is described as a smoothie that is dairy-free. It is also one of the weight loss smoothie recipes that is simple, delicious and easy to make. A strawberry smoothie that will get you hooked without a dairy product.


  Strawberry Peach Soy Smoothie


Ingredients
1/2 cup soy or rice milk
12 strawberries
1/2 cup frozen peach slices
2 ice cubes


First is to incorporate the following ingredients: peaches, soy milk, strawberries and ice cubes. Next step is to blend all the ingredients. To do this the right way, you must use the pulse option as a first step. Then, use the high option to blend all your ingredients for 1 minute. After this, you are ready to taste and enjoy your dairy-free strawberry peach soy smoothie.


 Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie


1/2 banana
1 tbsp. natural peanut butter
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 tsp. chocolate whey protein powder
6 ice cubes


To make this wonderful smoothie, first is to add the ½ banana to the blender. Next is to add the peanut butter, non-fat milk, chocolate powder, and ice cubes. Blend them well in the blender. After this step, you are ready to enjoy your Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie.

POLISH KIELBASA SKILLET MEAL

1 bag (24 to 28-oz) frozen O'Brien potatoes
1 bag (16-oz) California Blend frozen vegetables
1 pkg (16-oz) Polish Kielbasa, sliced
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Place the potatoes and California Blend vegetables in a large nonstick skillet, cover, and cook about 8 minutes; stir occasionally. Add a tablespoon of water, if necessary.
Add the sliced Kielbasa to the skillet, replace the lid and cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and dinner is heated through.
Turn off heat and stir in the seasoned salt. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese before serving.
Yield: 4 servings

GRILLED VEGGIE SANDWICH

1 large jarred roasted red pepper, drained
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground caraway seeds
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp water
1 small zucchini, cut diagonally into 8 slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into 4 thick slices
1 red onion, cut into 4 slices
1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained
4 whole-grain rolls; cut into half for sandwiches
2 tbsp mayonnaise or mustard, if desired
Preheat the broiler or grill.
In blender container, puree the roasted red pepper, garlic, canola oil, red pepper flakes, cumin, caraway seeds, paprika, and water until smooth.
Spray the grill rack or broiler pan with canola oil spray. Mist the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion with the spray.
Cut the tofu into 8 slices. Brush each side with the sauce you made in the blender, enough to coat well. Grill or broil the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion approximately 4-inches from the heat, turning only once. Cook approximately 10 minutes until tender. Grill or broil the tofu slices, turning once, for 6 minutes.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread mustard or mayo, if using, on the cut sides of the bread. For each sandwich use 1/4 of the veggies and 2 slices of the tofu.
Each sandwich has approximately an equal number (16) grams of protein and carbs. A real bonus: each sandwich has 390 mg of those much-needed omega-3s.

German Food by Region

If you've ever attended an Oktoberfest celebration anywhere in the world, you're probably familiar with some basic German foods. Bratwurst is a staple at such festivals, and is usually served with sauerkraut, and maybe warm German potato salad. Then it's all washed down with a hearty ale, or a stout beer. But there's a lot more to German cuisine than these few common menu items, and you don't even have to learn German to enjoy them. Take a look at these authentic German dishes by region, and then give them a try!
Northwest
Bordering the North Sea, this part of Germany incorporates a lot of seafood into its cuisine. One of the most popular dishes of the area is "Aalsuppe", which is a sweet and sour eel soup that contains vegetables, bacon, and sometimes even fruits like prunes or pears. Another traditional meal served in northwest Germany is "Labskaus" which is salt herring, beef, pork, beets, and potatoes are all ground together. The mixture is then topped with a fried egg, and is served with cucumbers on the side. It's definitely a departure from bratwurst.
East
When the Berlin Wall fell, a whole branch of German cuisine became available once again to all of Germany, and the world. Eastern Germany offers hearty fare such as lentil soup with Thuringian sausage, which is called " Linsensuppe " mit "Thüringer Rotwurst", and the basic "Kartoffelsuppe", or potato soup. Cities around the region also lay claim to specific local foods. One of particular fame is "Dresdner Stollen", a Christmas cake which was first baked in Dresden in the 14th century.
South
The food in the southern part of Germany is much more meat-centered than in other regions. Here, you'll find "Rostbratwürste" or finger sausages, "Geschnetzeltes", which is veal in cream sauce, "Rostbraten", or braised beef served with Sauerkraut. The city of Stuttgart is known for a beef stew called "Gaisburger Marsch" , and for " Spätzle ", a soft, round egg noodle, which is a perfect accompaniment to the many meat dishes you'll find in southern Germany.
Berlin
Being the capital, it's only fitting that Berlin have a few dishes it's known for apart from the rest of Germany. Berliners spread rabbit pâté, or "Hase im Topf" on dark pumpernickel bread. That' usually followed with either "Erbsensuppe", a pea soup, or "Kohlsuppe", a hearty cabbage soup. Berlin takes Bratwurst a step further with "Regensburger Wurst" a spicy pork sausage, and ends the meal with either cheese"Käsekuchen", or "Gugelhupf", a coffee cake that is a famous coffee cake throughout Germany, and the world.
If you're not up to making any of these authentic German dishes at home, look for a German restaurant where you live, and expand your experience with German food beyond bratwurst and beer.

Pumpkin Dessert

Unsalted butter - 2 tablespoons
Bread (any type) cut in cubes - 8 cups
Fresh heavy cream - 2 cups
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoons
Egg yolks of 6 eggs
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Maple syrup - 3 tablespoons
Canned pumpkin puree - 1 cup
Fresh whipped cream for serving
Preparation:
Take a 10-inch flat glass baking dish and grease the insides using the unsalted butter.
In a separate baking dish, spread the bread cubes and roast them for about 15 minutes at 350F. Set aside.
Mix the fresh cream, milk and vanilla essence in a saucepan and heat on medium heat.
While the above mix heats, in a separate bowl beat the egg yolks and pumpkin puree.
Add the sugar and maple syrup and whisk the mix well so that the sugar dissolves completely.
Now take the hot cream, milk and vanilla mix and slowly whisk in the pumpkin mix.
You will have a custard-like liquid at the end.
In the greased baking dish, spread the bread cubes evenly and pour the custard over the cubes.
Let the dish stand for 15 minutes so that the bread soaks up the liquid. You can also press the cubes lightly so that they are immersed in the liquid.
Bake the dish in a preheated oven at 350F for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, take the dish out and cover with silver foil, then bake for 25-30 minutes more.
At the end of the baking time the sides of the pudding will be fluffy and a nice brown color.
Spicy caramel sauce goes perfectly with this pudding. What you will need for caramel sauce:
Dark Brown sugar - 1 1/4 cups
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
Whipped cream - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg - 1/4 teaspoon (grated)
Preparation:
Mix the brown sugar with the butter over low heat.
When the butter melts, add the whipping cream, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Heat it until you get a smooth mix (caramel in color).
Remove from heat to serve.
To serve the pudding you can either serve the whipped cream and sauce on the side or drizzle over the pudding.

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients
5 cups rinsed, hulled and crushed strawberries (or 5 cups unsweetened, whole frozen berries, defrosted)
7 cups sugar
1 box dry pectin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Method
Pick over berries and discard any that are bruised. Crush strawberries with a potato masher. Place berries, sugar and pectin in a large kettle. Bring to a rolling boil and boil hard for four minutes, stirring constantly. Skim off the foam that has developed. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving a half-inch space at the top. Seal and cool for at least 12 hours. Check the seal by pressing on the lids. If the lid springs back it is not sealed and you must refrigerate the jam. Of course, you should admire your efforts.

 

ALMOND PUFF COFFEE CAKE/PASTRY

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Powdered sugar glaze (recipe follows)
Chopped or thin sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the 1/2 cup of softened butter into 1 cup of flour. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of water over the mixture and mix in with a fork. Round dough into a ball and divide in half.
On an ungreased baking sheet, pat each half into a strip about 12 x 3-inches each. Place about 3-inches apart on the baking sheet.
In a medium saucepan heat the other 1/2 cup butter and cup of water to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the almond extract and the other cup of flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until the mixture forms a ball. This will take about a minute. Remove from the heat. Beat in the eggs, all at once, until smooth. Divided in half and spread evenly over the two dough strips on the baking sheet being sure to cover the dough strips completely.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until the topping is crisp and brown. Allow to cool and frost with the glaze below. Sprinkle glaze generously with the almonds.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp almond flavoring*
1 to 2 tbsp warm water
Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Start with the 1 tablespoon of warm water and gradually add the second until of the right consistency for a glaze.

Old Fashion Waffles and Cinnamon-Flavored Hot Chocolate

EASY HOMEMADE WAFFLES
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup melted shortening (canola oil, please!)
Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
In a mixing bowl, blend the egg yolks, milk, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the shortening but do not overmix. Fold in the egg whites and mix well with a fork or lightly with a whisk.
Very lightly grease the waffle iron and pour in about a half cup of batter. Close lid and cook according to your iron's instructions. Repeat until you have used all the batter.
Serve with butter, your favorite syrup, fresh fruit, etc to suit your diet and taste.
CINNAMON FLAVORED HOT CHOCOLATE
One of the things we have always enjoyed is hot chocolate. And I, personally, love it flavored. Try this recipe that also uses brewed coffee for a real tasty hot drink.
2-oz (2 1-oz squares) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tbsp very hot water
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar (now that I am a diabetic I use Splenda)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups brewed coffee
2 cups hot whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream for topping, if desired
Chocolate shavings for garnish, if desired
Melt the chocolate with the hot water and 1 cup of whole milk in the top of a double-boiler over hot water. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well. Stir in the coffee. Heat the mixture for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract to the hot whole milk and add to the chocolate mixture; beat until frothy. Pour into cups and garnish with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
Serves 6.

Low Calorie Chicken Recipes

Chicken Noodle Soup
Soups are a great way for dieters to fill up on low calorie food. Chicken noodle soup can hit the spot and kill hunger pains. Most soups can be prepared to be very low in calories by avoiding the use of oils and thickeners.
Make your chicken noodle soup with a low salt chicken broth or oxo cube and add plenty of chopped vegetables. Then add the pre-cooked chicken pieces and use a small amount of pasta, wholewheat is best, or throw in a handful of noodles which will cook quicker.
This makes a tasty chicken noodle soup and that is low in calories and a portion can also be frozen and used as an emergency ration.
Chicken Pitta
Use pitta bread to eat grilled chicken on the go. You can also stuff pitta more easily with extra vegetables as compared to a sandwich when these are likely to fall out. The extra vegetables will bulk out your snack whilst making it low on the calorie count. A whole wheat variety of Pita bread is preferable as this will not have such a drastic impact on blood sugar levels and contains extra fibre to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Use a low calorie dressing such as low calorie salad cream or add some low fat cottage cheese for some extra protein and a little sauce.
Chicken Meatballs
Don't discount using chicken to make meatballs. Although traditionally made with red meat it is perfectly possible to make delicious meatballs using chicken. This opens up another area where chicken can be used where traditionally red meat would have been used instead. Prepare chicken meatballs and then add to a spicy tomato sauce to a perfect low fat meal.
To make your chicken meatballs use ground chicken meat. You can either buy minced chicken or alternatively turkey or use a grinding machine to grind the meat. Place in a bowl and add two or three egg whites and a handful of oats which help to keep the mixture sticking together. Add in whatever spices you desire and then ball the meat into meatball portions. You can then place these on a baking tray and cook in the oven or fry in a low-fat spray oil in a cooking pan.
These meatballs can be served with freshly prepared tomato sauce and whole wheat spaghetti or just with a salad if you are following a high protein low calorie diet.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you want to ditch the carbs altogether then a good way is to eat your grilled chicken wrapped in leaves of lettuce rather than using bread. This is a perfect high protein snack, ideal for those on low carbohydrate diet plans as it will be virtually all protein.
Ta make a tasty snack stir-fry some vegetables in a low fat Chinese sauce together. Carrots mushrooms onion and peppers work well mixed with Chinese sauce or some soy sauce and lightly fried then left to cool before adding to your chicken lettuce wraps.
Add additional spices or seasonings to give some extra flavour. One good tip is to add some cayenne pepper as this raises your metabolic rate and gives a nice spicy hit to your low calorie snack.
We hope you enjoy these quick recipe text to make eating a chicken in your diet more exciting.
So there you have four quick and easy ways to liven up your chicken and add more variety to your diet. Next time you're feeling bored, make sure you give one of these a try.

Blueberry Dropping Cookies - Gluten free with no Added Sugar

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour mix
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed and drained)
• 3/4 cup coconut oil or real butter
• ½ cup fructevia
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated fresh lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• in a mixing bowl add the gluten-free flour mix, baking powder, and salt then stir to combine.
• in another bowl, beat coconut oil and fructevia until fluffy texture then add eggs, lemon rind, and vanilla and stir together until combined.
• mix flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with milk then fold in the berries.
• drop teaspoonfuls sized portions of dough onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with oil cooking oil.
• bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes.
• transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. This recipe makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen.

Blueberry Yummy Bars - Gluten Free with no Sugar Added

"This blueberry yummy bar is cheap, healthy and easy to make. Kids love them.
Ingredients

• ½ cup fructevia
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups gluten-free flour mix (See recipe below)
• 1 cup coconut oil or real butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup fructevia
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

• pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch pan with oil.
• stir together 1/2 cup of fructevia, 3 cups of gluten free flour mix, and baking powder in a bowl then mix in salt and cinnamon and lemon zest.
• blend in the real butter and egg using a fork. Gently press half of the dough into the pan.
• in another bowl, stir together the cornstarch, fructevia and lemon juice then mix in the blueberries.
• spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Put remaining dough over the layer of berries.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the top is slightly brown..
• let it completely cool before cutting it into squares.

Gluten Free Flour MixRecipe

• 6 cups brown rice flour (extra finely ground)
• 2 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
• 1 cup tapioca flour

Fresh Homemade Kefir

Kefir is a fermented type of milk that is similar to the consistency of grocery store yogurt drinks.


1 tbsp kefir grains
1 quart whole or 2% milk
Procedure:
1. Add the kefir grains and milk in a glass jar and fill it up to the top.
2. Cover with a clean cloth and elastic band and then set it aside in your cupboard or your kitchen counter.
3. Wait 1 to 2 days; stirring periodically with a plastic spoon (this is important because metal damages the cultures).
4. When thick, strain out the kefir grains with a plastic strainer (do your best to keep the grains intact), pour back into a clean jar and place in the fridge or repeat the process again. You can use these same grains because they will continue to remain active.
How to make coconut kefir
Coconut kefir is also a very tasty alternative. Unlike kefir made from cows' milk, coconut milk kefir doesn't have a strong fermented or sour flavor. It is nice and tangy with the naturally sweet taste of coconuts.
The texture is rich and smooth and is also slightly thinner in consistency than yogurt. Both the flavor and texture of fresh homemade kefir is in my opinion a lot better than any store-bought coconut milk kefir.
Use the same recipe as described above but change the ingredients so that instead of using one quart of milk, use two cans of coconut milk.
Also, make sure to re-hydrate your kefir grains in milk for 5 to 7 days at room temperature before making coconut kefir.
If the kefir grains are dehydrated, as they are from most online sources, you must make sure to first re-hydrate them in cows' milk.
Combine the grains with 1 cup of cows' milk and set out at room temperature in a loosely covered glass container for 5 to 7 days. Then strain the grains out each day and place them in a fresh cup of milk.
When the batches of milk take and smell slightly fermented and are thick, your grains are ready.