Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

"There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray
I can't help but love that quote. When I was a kid, my grandpa always called any store bought cookies that somehow made it into the house "Commie cookies." For him, it was Grandma's homemade cookies or none at all.
There's just something special about homemade cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies, so far as I'm concerned. It's a great family activity, something even children can help with, and everyone loves eating the results.
Here's an easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies I think you'll enjoy:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 package butter pecan, chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, devil's food, German, chocolate or yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
Heat oven to 350º. Combine half of the dry cake mix , butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining cake mix, nuts and chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Easy and Delicious Chocolate Fondue

Do you want to know how to make chocolate fondue the easy way? Doesn't even saying the words out loud, "Chocolate Fondue" make you want to swoon with ecstacy?

I mean, really! Who wouldn't love this decadent dessert? Forget the diet! And who says you have to wait for dessert? Treat yourself once in a while and have it for dinner! Why not? Life is short.

Since the Swiss take all the credit for making up this wonderous invention of fondue eating... it only stands to reason that continuing the practice would carry over to dessert.

I love chocolate. And anything that you can mix with it. So, learning how to make chocolate fondue for my friends and family was a real treat for me. And the idea of melting chocolate, adding things like nuts, or marshmellows, or fruit, or cake just sends me over the moon! And when you dive into these recipes for this dreamy dessert, you'll be joining me on the other side of that ol' moon.

Here's how to make chocolate fondue that will melt any choco-holic's heart:

What you'll need:

- 1 cup premium cocoa powder (ex:Scharffen Berger), sifted

- 1 1/4 cup water

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 1/4 cup corn syrup

- 1/2 cup plus 5 Tbsp heavy cream

- 5 oz 62% Scharffen Berger (premium semi-sweet chocolate), chopped

- Pound cake and fruit (ex. bananas, apples, strawberries, plums), cut into bite sized pieces

First, sift the cocoa into mixing bowl and set aside. When I was learning how to make chocolate fondue, I found out that sifting the cocoa is the real trick to making this recipe work. It helps create the smooth creamy texture that you want for serving.

Then, place the water, sugar, and corn syrup into a pot and bring to boil. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes until sugar solution has reduced by about 30%. Pour the cocoa powder a little bit at a time into the solution and blend with a whisk until nice and smooth.

Next, return the chocolate mixture to the stove and continue cooking over medium heat. Add the heavy cream, bring it to a boil and allow to simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in your chopped chocolate. Pour it all into a ceramic fondue pot or one appropriate and keep warm until ready to serve.

Presenting your fabulous chocolate fondue dessert with cut up pieces of cake and fruit is a wonderful way to end your evening with a bang!

It's rare to find someone who doesn't enjoy eating chocolate fondue. Here's one more super easy recipe to salivate over:

I can not get enough of this traditional Swiss chocolate fondue dessert. This recipe is very easy to make and you truly will swoon when you try it. Makes for a really good time whether it be for a dinner party dessert, or for some other festive occasion. Enjoy every little drop!

What you'll need:

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)

- teaspoon vanilla

First, heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until hot for about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the chocolate and stir until the consistency is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Stir in vanilla and transfer to a warm ceramic fondue pot.

Some great dippers for chocolate fondue are:

- apple slices

- sliced bananas

- flavored biscotti

- strawberries

- pound cake or angel food cake

- lady fingers

Try some of these variations for slightly different flavors:

You can substitute 2 to 3 Tbsp of kirsch, brandy, rum, or orange liqueur for the vanilla.

Enjoy!

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Easy, Elegant, and Traditional Southern Breakfast Recipes for Mother's Day

An Easy and Delicious Mother's Day Breakfast

Make this Mother's Day unforgettable with one of these breakfast menus, or use your imagination and substitute.

Quick and easy but delicious, the breakfast casserole is put together the night before. A delicious cantaloupe smoothie and easy muffins make this breakfast memorable.

Western Ham and Egg Casserole
Make this casserole the night before, then refrigerate and pop it in the oven in the morning.

Ingredients:
8 slices white bread, crust removed, cut into cubes
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups cubed, cooked ham (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
6 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk

Preparation:
Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, onion, and green pepper. Whisk together eggs and milk; pour over ham and cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator; let stand for 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until set.
Western ham and egg casserole serves 8.

An Extra-Special Mother's Day Breakfast
Here's an elegant breakfast for anyone who loves to cook. Perfect for Mother's day or any special occasion breakfast. For a touch of indulgence, serve this breakfast with champagne and orange juice Mimosas.

Eggs Benedict - Fruit Compote With Pears
Sour Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Strawberry Smoothies or Mimosas
Hot Coffee or Tea

Southern Breakfast
Here's a traditional Southern breakfast, from grits to biscuits and gravy.

Grits
Scrambled Eggs Deluxe
Ham with Red Eye Gravy
Biscuits with Sausage Gravy or Pecan Pancakes
Orange Juice, Hot Coffee, or Tea

Always remember to add a bud vase with her favorite flower to give any breakfast in bed that special touch. Don’t forget the cards and her other gifts too, she will start out the day with a HUGE smile on her face and go to work showing off what her family did for her.

Duck Breast Prosciutto

Prosciutto is a traditional aspect of charcuterie in French cooking. Simply, it is cured meat which is then cured and matured further by drying in air - leaving a wonderful, intensely flavored butchery product. Sliced thinly, and served with good, strong country-style mustard, dried fruits and black bread, it is a great lunch or part of a late autumn dinner.

Most prosciutto is made with pork. The recipe which follows is made with moulard duck breast. Moulard is a duck raised for foie gras, and its meat is typically more flavorful than domestic pekin, while not as gamy as wild mallard.

The magret is the lobe, or half breast of the moulard duck (each duck will have two magrets, or one full breast).

Moulard Magret Prosciutto

Salt/Spice Cure:

Ratio: This is an important part of any cured meat recipe. The salt ratio is especially important, the spice and garlic ratio which follows less so. Weigh you duck breasts and salt very carefully.

Per pound of Magret: (i.e., salt per weight of duck meat)

.7 OZ salt per pound of duck magret

Per Magret: (i.e., curing spices per unit of duck magret)

10 juniper berries
½ bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp coriander seed
10 black peppercorns
1 clove garlic

Crush to medium-fine juniper, bay leaf, coriander, peppercorns and garlic in mortar and pestle. Add salt and mix thoroughly.

Each Magret: Place large square plastic wrap on counter. Place Magret on wrap and place ½ of mixture on Magret, skin side, spreading so it coats evenly. Turn over and repeat with flesh side. Roll wrap up tightly and seal edges and repeat for up to weekly need. Cure under refrigeration for 24 hours.

Air Cure:

Wipe cure off meat – do not rinse. Place Magret on large square of cheesecloth and wrap cheesecloth around Magret, ensuring cheesecloth fully covers meat. Place twine around Magret and secure Magret as if it were a roast, leaving a 6” piece of twine free at one end. Hang in dry cooler at 38F for two weeks. Remove from cheesecloth, wrap in plastic and cut in paper-thin slices at service, freezing if needs be to obtain thin cuts (the freezing helps to firm up the duck breast, making it easier to slice thinly).

Dr. Seuss Inspired Recipes – Your Kids Will Love These

What child doesn’t grow up with Dr. Seuss books? We have quite a few of them lying around the house. The kids love the silly characters and the rhymes. The Dr. Seuss inspired recipes that I’m about to share with you have been a great hit in my house. Of course the famous green eggs and ham are included, but there are also quite a few other snack and meal ideas. Create a fun Dr. Seuss inspired afternoon with some of these recipes and of course don’t forget to read a few of the books with your kids. (If you don’t own any, enjoy a trip to your local library.)

Green Eggs and Ham

This has to be the most famous Dr. Seuss inspired dish. Scramble a few eggs, add a couple of drops of blue food coloring to the mixture and cook as usual. You can serve a warmed up slice of ham with it, and if you want to go all out, brush the ham with a little green food coloring.

My kids love either biscuits, or mashed potatoes with this dish. Add a little food coloring (either green, or a complimentary color like red) to the biscuit dough or the finished mashed potatoes for even more fun.

Cat in The Hat Snack

Make the Cat’s Hat for a fun snack. All you need is a few Ritz crackers, gummy lifesavers (preferably in white/clear and red) and a little vanilla frosting. Put the Ritz cracker on a plate. Use a little bit of vanilla frosting to glue the first lifesaver on the cracker. “Glue” more lifesavers on top of the first one alternating between red and white.
These snacks are so cute; you may want to take a picture of your child’s creation before it is devoured.

Wiggly Fish

This snack was inspired by “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish”. Prepare several different colors of Jello according to package directions and pour each flavor into a shallow pan. Use a fish shaped cookie cutter to cut the Jello into fish shapes. (If you don’t have a fish shaped cookie cutter you could also just cut fish shapes with a knife.) You can also add small pieces of fruit to the Jello mixture before it cools. This is a great way to sneak an extra serving of fruit into your child’s diet.

Pink Ink for The Yink

The Yink in “One Fish, Two Fish” love to drink pink ink. Make your own version by combining a few strawberries (either fresh, or frozen and thawed) and some milk in a blender. Add a few drops of red food coloring if the “ink” isn’t pink enough.

A Fruity Hat For The Cat

How about this for a fun Sunday breakfast? Whip up a batch of silver dollar pancakes and cut up some fresh strawberries. Grab some whipped cream and let the kids assemble the Cat’s hat by stacking pancakes, and strawberries on top of each other using the whipped cream as “glue”.

Enjoy a few of these Dr. Seuss inspired snacks and meals with your family, or invite a few neighbor kids over for a Dr. Seuss party. Either way they are a lot of fun and a great way to bring some of the Seuss stories to life.

Double Decker Pastry

This recipe is an experience for anyone, it’s kind of unique and very different from today’s baking, today all you need to do is go to the market and pick something off of the shelf, put it in the microwave and you have it.
Well I’m old fashion when it is something I’m going to eat and enjoy, I need to have hands on and do it the old way.

OK enough jabber let’s get on with the recipe so we can enjoy it, remember your ingredients should be room temperature or close to it.

Ingredients for dough:


5 cups unsifted flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baing powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
½ pound butter softened
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
4 egg yolks
½ pint sour cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla


Ingredients for filling:


2 ½ cups ground walnuts
½ cup sugar for nuts
jam or lekvar or whatever you like


Sift together 5 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda.

Add the butter, shortening, 4 egg yolks, ½ pint sour cream, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and of course the pinch of salt.

Combine all of these ingredients in your processor or mixer.

Divide dough into 3 parts, roll out the first piece and place it onto a 10 ½ inch x 15 ½ inch cookie sheet.

Mix together:


2 ½ cups ground walnuts
½ cup sugar for nuts
jam or lekvar or whatever you like


Spread some of this mixture onto the first layer of dough, then roll out another piece of dough and place it on top of the filling, put some more of the filling on top of the second layer of dough, now with the third piece of dough roll it out and create a lattice top on your creation.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, cool and cut.

Now enjoy what you have made.

Do Away With Dry BBQ In One Surefire Move

Barbecued chicken is a staple for most backyard cooks. When done right, it's a wonderful thing; when wrong, well, it's like gnawing on barbecued shoe leather. The problem is, chicken doesn't come rare or medium but for safety reasons it comes prepared one way-done, and prolonged exposure to high heat, as a rule, saps the juices out. But it doesn't have to be that way. There is one way to have your barbecued chicken served at its juiciest-brined.

Brining is a simple process where you immerse meat in a saltwater solution-for one to 24 hours-made with kosher salt, sugar and herbs. Brining, in a nutshell, locks in the meat's natural juices. In scientific terms, the solution binds the proteins together within the meat. All you really need to know is that your guests and family will thank you.

In most parts of the country, barbecue season is no longer restricted to the summer months. In fact, many Americans are having a yearlong love affair with their barbecue. That's a long time to settle for dry meat. So for your first foray into the world of brining, or if you're an old pro, try this recipe offered by America's authority on salt, Morton Salt.
Chicken Worth Its Salt

1 quart cool water

3/4 cup Morton® Kosher Salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 chicken (3 to 31/2 lbs.) cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry, or 2 split chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)

To Brine:

In a gallon-size sealable plastic bag, dissolve the Morton® Kosher Salt and sugar in 1 quart of cool water. Add the chicken, then seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate for one hour and up to 24. Remove chicken from the brine; rinse well under cool water. Pat dry with paper towel.

Grilling:

Heat grill 10 to 15 minutes. Season chicken as desired. Place chicken on grill, skin side down. Cook covered following manufacturer's suggestions. Check for doneness with instant-read thermometer-internal temperature reaches 170° F for poultry breast meat and 180° F for poultry thigh meat.

Dishing Out Healthy And Delicious Meals

People with a gift for serving up delicious-but healthful-dishes say it's important to present food that tastes good, is made with natural ingredients and is good for you. Fortunately, that doesn't have to mean skipping many classic recipes. These tips may help:

• Portion Size-You can help control weight gain by being wary of portion size. If you're serving meat, for instance, nutritionists say not to give a portion that's larger than a deck of cards. Fill the empty space on plates (and in stomachs) with veggies and whole grains.

• Something On The Side-Try serving a healthful vegetable soup and a side salad before dinner. That way, people can fill up on veggies, instead of less nutritious foods. Also, if you're trying to eat a little less, remember that our bodies often mistake thirst for hunger. So before you dig into dessert, try having a big glass of water and waiting a few minutes. You may turn out to be less hungry than you thought.

• Cooking Tips-Something as simple as switching to nonstick oil sprays can make a difference in how healthy a meal is. For instance, new Mazola Pure™ Cooking Spray is a healthier alternative to high-saturated-fat products such as butter or margarine. It adds Pure™ taste and Pure™ aroma to food, is perfect for fat-free cooking-and unlike other leading sprays, it does not contain alcohol or silicone. It comes in canola oil, extra virgin olive oil and natural butter flavors. It's also cholesterol free and has 0g trans fat per serving.

The spray can be used in a variety of ways including: adding light flavor when grilling sandwiches, making popcorn, holding seasonings in place on meats and vegetables, sauteing, pan searing seafood and chicken, flipping pancakes and browning foods in the microwave.

Try this delicious and healthful recipe:

Seasoned Roasted

Potatoes

2 lbs mini red or golden potatoes

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

2 teaspoons rosemary, dry

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, cracked

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Mazola Pure Cooking Spray -Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

2. Spray 9" x 13" baking pan with olive oil spray.

3. Combine garlic, rosemary, Kosher salt, and black pepper to make seasoning blend. Set aside.

4. Under cold running water, scrub potatoes to remove excess skin.

5. Cut potatoes into approximately 1" x 1" cubes. If using very small potatoes, do not cut.

6. Place potatoes in baking pan and spray with olive oil cooking spray until potatoes are coated. Mix potatoes after spraying to ensure even coating.

7. Add reserved seasoning blend and Parmesan cheese, and mix well. Spread mixture in a single layer and spray tops again, lightly with additional spray to help browning.

8. Bake at 450ºF for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves: 6

PrepTime: 10 minutes

Discover A Cool Way To Eat Healthy

It's hot. You're at the pool. You crave something light and refreshing but don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. Why not mix things up with frozen fruit?

There's no better time than summer to find a cool way to eat healthy. Ideal for smoothies, salsas or everyday snacking, frozen fruit has the added benefit of being just as nutritious as fresh fruit. It's a terrific way to enhance your summer menu, with 100 percent natural frozen fruit.

"The beauty of frozen fruit is that it has nutrition benefits equal to fresh fruit plus the added value of being easy to use. You only prepare what's needed and store the rest," said Wild Blueberry Association nutrition expert Susan Davis, MS, RD.

According to Davis, the Food and Drug Administration considers frozen fruits nutritionally comparable to fresh, allowing frozen produce to be labeled as healthy.

Easy to prepare and serve, frozen fruit is washed and ready to eat. The picking, cleaning, dicing and chopping have already been done. Eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank either. Ounce for ounce, frozen fruit offers tremendous value compared to fresh.

Try this delicious, colorful Mango Salsa for a savory-sweet twist on summer grilling:

Mango Salsa

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Makes 23/4 cups

2 cups Dole® Fresh Frozen Mango Chunks, partially thawed

1/2 cup finely chopped Dole Red Bell Pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped Dole Green Bell Pepper

1 tablespoon chopped Dole Green Onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chiles

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Combine mango chunks, bell peppers, onion, cilantro, chiles and lime peel in small bowl. Serve salsa at room temperature or slightly chilled. Serve over grilled chicken breasts or fish fillets. This delicious and colorful mango salsa can also be served as a dip with tortilla chips, spooned over quesadillas or tacos.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 31 calories; 0g fat (0g sat.); 0mg cholesterol; 2mg sodium; 8g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 7g sugars); 0g protein; 13% Vit A; 56% Vit C; 1% calcium; 1% iron; 3% potassium; 2% folate.

Refreshing Summer Treats

Hold on the ice and enjoy the juicy, sweet, refreshing fruits of summer!

Tropical Breeze: Get out the blender and combine low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, Dole Fresh Frozen Tropical Gold™ Pineapple and Dole 100% fruit juice. Pour into a dessert dish for a pineapple soft serve.

Fruity Finale: Add Dole Fresh Frozen Fruit as a topping for frozen yogurt, sherbet or light ice cream.

Diabetes Drink - 3 Sugar Free Drink Solutions

Don't you just hate it when you ask for a sugar free drink in a pub or restaurant and all they've got to offer is diet cola or water?

Or you're offered a pure fruit juice - "Well, that's sugar free - isn't it?" No it isn't - the sugar that occurs naturally in fruit juice is very high and that will play havoc with your blood sugar levels. But here are a few drinks you might like to try...

I got so fed up of the standard cola offer, I decided to experiment with mixing the different sugar free drinks that are available and you might like to try these alternatives to 'just cola'.

1) The first experiment I tried was to mix a diet cola and diet tonic water in the same glass. Then I added ice and lemon. The mixture gives a slightly sharper taste and it makes a very long and refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day.

2) Then I tried splitting a pure orange fruit juice (you could also try pineapple or tomato juice) with a friend and added sparkling water to my half of the juice. You could also try mixing your juice with diet tonic water.

3) If you want to make a refreshing drink at home, this pineapple slushy will hit your dry spot:

Take 1 can sugar-free ginger ale, add 1/4 cup of unsweetened pineapple juice and ice cubes.

Place in a blender and blend until the ice-cubes are crushed and you get a slushy mixture.

Why not experiment with other unsweetened fruit juices? And, if you want a little bit more of a kick, you could add rum extract to give it more flavor.

If you have any more ideas or recipes for sugar-free drink I would really love to hear about them.

Delicious Breads To Help You Close The Whole Grain Gap

Many Americans view themselves as healthy eaters and, according to a recent survey on the subject, 45 percent say they adhere to a healthy diet. But there may only be a grain of truth to that self-reported percentage.

On the first anniversary of the 2005 Food Pyramid recommendations from USDA, statistics show that Americans have been slow to heed this advice. Only 10 percent actually eat the recommended three servings of whole grains per day. The Whole Grains Council calls this the "Whole Grains Gap."

Fortunately, the rapidly growing awareness of the importance of whole grains is starting to make a positive change.

"The new food pyramid gets some credit, but whole grains have earned new respect in recent years through a parade of studies that show their role in reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity," said Dr. Julie Miller Jones, a nutritionist and Ph.D. in home economics/food science and nutrition.

Whole grain foods include pasta, breakfast cereals and breads made with whole grains and whole grain flours from wheat, barley, rye, corn, oats and brown rice and many other grains such as amaranth, bulgur and quinoa.

Miller Jones says eating more whole grains should be easier than eating extra servings of fruits and vegetables.

"Because we are already eating breads and other grain products, it's simply a matter of substituting whole grain products over the products made from highly refined flours we are at present consuming," said Miller Jones.

Finding recipes high in dietary fiber is easier than ever. For example, Fleischmann's Yeast has created about 100 delicious kitchen-tested whole grain recipes under its goodfibes seal. These recipes have no less than 0.8 grams and as much as 2.0 grams or more of dietary fiber per ounce of bread.

Here's a mouthwatering recipe for Whole Wheat Dill Bread, which has a satisfying savory flavor.

Whole Wheat Dill Bread

Whole wheat flour combines with butter, honey, dill seed and minced onion to make two loaves.

1 envelope Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100º to 110ºF)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups cottage cheese

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup dill seed

2 teaspoons dehydrated minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, slightly beaten

4 to 41/2 cups whole wheat flour

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water (100º to 110º F). Add sugar and let stand 5 minutes. Add cottage cheese, butter, honey, dill, onion, salt, baking soda and eggs; mix well. Add 3 cups flour; stir until combined.

Stir in 1 to 11/2 cups remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a clean towel or greased plastic wrap. Place over a bowl of hot water in an unheated (cool) oven. Let rise 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Remove from oven; punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Cover. Return dough to unheated (cool) oven with a fresh bowl of hot water underneath on a separate rack and let rise one hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. (Remove dough from oven while preheating.) Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.

Crescia Bread or Italian Cheese Bread

If you don’t like locatelli cheese then don’t even bother making this bread, this bread has such a great aroma and flavor that you will eat an entire loaf by yourself, it is also perfect for gift giving and the best part is that you can freeze it weeks in advance and everyone will think that you just made it that day.
Remember all ingredients should be at room temperature.

12 eggs well beaten
9 cups unsifted flour
1 lb. grated locatelli cheese
2 ounces dry yeast
5 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup warm water
½ lb. butter melted slightly or real soft
1 teaspoon salt


Put yeast in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon sugar and the 1 cup warm water and mix well, let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place your eggs in a mixing bowl and whip till well broken, add your yeast that you had already started, now add your melted butter, pepper, salt, flour, locatelli cheese, and if I missed any ingredient then put it in.

Mix on low speed until well blended then on second speed for 3 or 4 minutes, you should have a really nice dough, if it is too dry add some water, if it is too wet then add some more flour, separate dough in 1-1/4 pound pieces, shape it until it looks like a 6 inch hoagie bun and place it in well greased bread pans, let rise until double in size and bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes. The smell should be in the entire neighborhood by the time you are finished.

Creating The All-American Hamburger

Each year, Americans consume about 38 billion hamburgers. An enduring favorite, hamburgers are an iconic American food.

But what do Americans define as the classic American hamburger?

According to the recent survey conducted by the Caravan Opinion Research Corporation for The Johnny Rockets Group restaurant chain, Americans still prefer the classics.

Despite the advent of gourmet hamburgers, 74 percent of Americans believe the cheeseburger best embodies the classic American hamburger.

Eighty-six percent of Americans also prefer beef hamburgers over turkey or veggie patties.

When it comes to toppings, most respondents agree simplicity is key, with 40 percent choosing raw onions over grilled.

What is the secret to cooking your own classic cheeseburger?

"From my personal experience, the best way to create that mouthwatering balance of beef and cheese is to grill the meat with the cheese on top," says Mike Shumsky, Johnny Rockets chairman and chief executive officer. "A true cheeseburger connoisseur will wait until the meat is fully cooked, then add a slice of cheese and cover for 30 seconds so that the cheese melts perfectly."

Here's a recipe for the restaurant's classic cheeseburger, the Rocket Single:

Rocket Single

Hamburger bun

Special sauce (mix Thousand Island dressing, Dijon mustard and hot sauce to taste)

1 slice of cheddar cheese

1/3 lb. fresh ground beef, seasoned, hand-pressed and grilled

Fresh lettuce

Ripe tomato

Onion (sliced)

Grill the hamburger, according to preference, until its internal temperature reaches 160º F. Place cheese on top and cover for another 30 seconds. Place in a bun. Mix dressing and spread it on the bun. Layer on tomato, lettuce and onion.

How do you make a hamburger a classic? Grill the meat with the cheese on the top, says one popular hamburger chain. Cover for 30 seconds to make the cheese melt perfectly.

Copy Cat Appetizer Favorites - The Easy Way To Impress Your Guests

Have you ever wondered if there is an easy way to create dazzling appetizers that will go over well with your weekend guests?

Some people spend hours creating fancy appetizers that they may find quite tantalizing. The trick is this, will your weekend guest find your appetizers as mouth watering as you do? How can you be sure that your guess will like the fancy appetizers that you’re preparing?

One sure fire way to find appetizers that will get the job done is to use copycat restaurant recipes. These recipes have been developed by skilled chefs that mimic some of the best entrees,appetizers and desserts from America's most popular restaurants.

This is always a great way to insure that the appetizers that you prepare will appeal to the greatest number of your guests.Most people have several appetizer dishes that they order when they frequent their favorite restaurants. As you read this article,a few appetizers that you enjoy may come to mind.

Many copycat appetizer recipes are quite easy to follow, and use common ingredients that may be purchased from any local grocery store. Instructions for creating these scrumptious appetizers are usually very straightforward and easy to follow.

You’ll find everything form unique chips and salsa recipes to the more elaborate appetizers that can lend themselves to combination appetizer platters. Many of these recipes also include a wide range of supplemental sauces and dips that accompany these recipes that can add additional taste and savor to the recipe. You can also augment these recipes with your own dips and sauce recipes to further spice things up.

Many of these recipes can be whipped up in less that an hour and augmented with attractive garnishments that will dazzle your guests and appeal to their taste buds. Simply choose a few appetizers that cover a wide range of tastes and you’re in business.

Bottom line; don't spend hours and hours developing appetizer items that may not appeal to your guest. Simply copy recipes that are proven winners as well as time savers and feel confident that you're serving appetizers that are solid winners.

William Lockhart is founder of The Secret Inside Scoop and SuperNetSecrets.com His site and ezine focuses on unique and useful
resources, products and services that are difficult to find on the
Internet.

Cool Summer Soup Recipes - A Food Processor And 10 Minutes Is All You Need

Summer is coming and so is the hot weather. Nobody likes to cook in the heat of summer. A really hot meal on a hot day is almost as unpopular. It could be that a cool, easy to prepare summer soup is just what you need.

Below are 3 recipes for soups that can be made in your food processor or blender. If you have the ingredients on hand, none of them take more than 10 minutes to make. They are all delicious, nutritious, and really refreshing on a hot day. While the recipes all suggest you use a food processor, you can get very good results by using a blender or hand blender too.

These are all very simple recipes, so don't be shy to modify them and get a taste that your whole family can enjoy.

Here are the recipes.

Summer Vegetarian soup
This is great tasting soup with a touch of Italy included. It is super easy to make and very healthy. It is particularly good on a hot summer day

an avocado - skin and pit removed of course
4 Roma tomatoes - they may not be quite juicy enough (see below)
Basil to taste (Thai basil is really good in this)
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Process
How easy is this soup? Simply throw everything into your food processor and mix until it is smooth. If you find that it is more like a smoothie than soup, simply add more liquid (or swap one of the Roma tomatoes for another more juicy variety). Pour into bowls, garnish as you wish (minced chives are nice) and enjoy.

Sensational Salsa & Black Bean

This soup is a very simple soup that takes just a few minutes to prepare. It can be served hot or cold, but always benefits from being heated.
Roughly 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 normal sized cans of black beans (any brand is OK, but try for low salt)
1 1/2 cups soup stock (Just use chicken, beef, or vegetable bullion)
1 cup of your favorite salsa (chunky makes a heartier soup)
1 teaspoon cumin (best to use fresh ground in the soup and you can sprinkle seeds on top too)
1/4 cup of sour cream
1-2 green onions chopped fine

Process:
Put the beans, salsa, cumin, and soup stock into a food processor (a blender is OK too). Puree the mixture until it is creamy in texture. Pour the mixture into a mid-sized pot and heat on low-medium until it is completely hot. This allows the flavours to merge. If you are going to serve it cold, move it to the fridge to cool off till it is time to eat. To eat it hot, simply serve into bowls and garnish with the onions and some of the sour cream.

MANGO SOUP

Mangos are simply divine. They are great as a fruit, mixed into drinks, added to salads. They also make a really good cool summer soup which is explained below.

Ingredients:

1 large RIPE mango (it will be soft, no squishy, to touch)
2 cups chicken soup stock (make your own or use bullion if you must)
1 TBSP lemon grass (available in most Asian markets, it looks like long greenish reeds when you buy it)
1 TBSP ginger - Freshly chopped is best
Ground chili peppers to taste
1 cup yogurt (2% plain is best)
2 TBSP cilantro (chinese parsley) chopped fine

Process:
Chop mango and put in food processor. Mix briefly and then put in the ginger, lemon grass, chili and 1/2 cup of soup stock. Mix again till everything becomes very smooth. Move the soup into another bowl (be sure it is large enough) and mix in first the rest of the stock, and then the yogurt. This is best served cold, so put in fridge till you are ready to eat. Then put into bowls and serve with the cilantro as the garnish.

As the temperature starts to go up give these soups a try. They are all very simple and will add a new delicious and healthy dimension to your summer diet.

Cooking with Wild Game: Black Pepper and Juniper Venison Sauce

When cooking meats of any kind, there is no sauce like a sauce made from the meat trimmings and bones of the animal itself. Here’s one suggestion for a great venison sauce; use it with any roast or pan-roasted venison, such as leg, rack or loin - the black pepper and juniper lends itself well to the caramelized flavor of the roasted meat.

Yield: 1 cup

½ cup canola oil
2 ¼ lbs. venison bones, chopped into 1” pieces (or, 2 lbs bones, ¼ pound meat trimmings)
1 quarts water
1 quarts light chicken stock
2 quarts veal demi-glace (best: make it yourself; more than gourmet’s ready made is not bad)
½ lbs. carrots, cut into ½” pieces
½ lbs. onions, ½”
5 ounces celery, cut into ½”
3 peppercorns, crushed
2 juniper berries, crushed

Heat canola oil over high heat in a heavy pan large enough to hold bones in one layer, until just before smoking. Add bones and cook until well-browned and caramelized – do not turn before a good crust develops, and once turning, do not stir bones. You want a good, deep, rich caramelizing layer. The last few minutes, add the meat trimming, if you are using it. You want a good russet color to the bones, not black – watch for this and discard any blackened bones. Pour off fat from pan.

Add a little of your water, enough to deglaze the pan, reserving the rest for later. Using a wooden (ideally, flat) spoon, scrape the bones free and scrape up and loosen any browned bits. In my kitchen, I use to tell my chefs the pan should look, on the bottom, as if it had been washed. Add a little more water and allow to work – listen for the crackle to die down to a gentle bubbling, then, as the water evaporates, the gelatin will extract from the bones and it will begin to crackle again. Add ¾ cups of the light chicken stock and deglaze/reglaze as before. Add vegetables and stir to deglaze/reglaze. Add remaining water, chicken stock, and veal stock. Deglaze fully and transfer to stock pot.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, with pot offset to one side to set up a convection for skimming – throughout the process, you don’t want to allow accumulated scum and impurities to be reincorporated into the sauce, so skim the surface regularly. Skim and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until stock is at level of bones. If you have a fine mesh sieve, first strain the sauce through a coarse strainer then through the fine mesh sieve. If not, a coarse sieve with a layer of cheesecloth will do. The important thing is to strain with the coarse strainer first, then pass through the fine strainer. Pour strained stock into pot. Simmer until reduced to sauce consistency. Last ten minutes of reduction, add your crushed peppercorns and juniper berries, and reduce to 1 cups. Double strain again and serve.

Hunting can bring good food to the table. As a chef, I always sought to marry what I knew with what hunters and farmers always knew - the best food comes from the season and the land one knows. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Visit me anytime for more tips and thoughts on the outdoor life - a1-outdoors.com.

Cooking Up Kiwi Cuisine

Stemming from its British Colonial heritage, culinary culture in New Zealand has long been characterized by straightforward fodder such as steak and fries, fish and chips and baked meats. However, driven by the demands of increasingly sophisticated tourists to the region and influenced by both Asian and Pacific flavors, New Zealand cuisine has quickly evolved to cater to gourmet tastes. Today's New Zealand menus combine the incredibly fresh produce, meat and seafood with an eclectic mix of indigenous plants and exotic vegetables to create complex, flavorful dishes.

Fortunately, travelers heading to these dreamy, green islands in the South Pacific don't have to wait long to indulge in a Kiwi feast. For example, Air New Zealand offers a gourmet New Zealand-inspired menu for passengers traveling in its Business Premier and Pacific Premium Economy classes. Designed by world-renowned consultant chefs, an array of authentic options are paired with fine native wines to offer travelers a glimpse of the country's culinary culture before they even hit the ground.

For a sample of New Zealand cuisine at home, try this recipe handpicked by one of the consultant chefs from Air New Zealand and currently available on all flights originating from North America.

New Zealand Glazed Snapper and Arugula Salad with Vanilla Saffron Aioli

Serves 4

4 vine-ripened tomatoes

12 baby gourmet potatoes

4 medium fillets of fresh snapper

1 cup fresh arugula

Place tomatoes on a tray of rock salt in the oven at 320° F and roast until skins begin to split.

Remove from oven and keep warm. Slice potatoes into thin slices and pan fry in olive oil with sea salt till golden and crispy.

In a large pan, fry the snapper (sprinkled with sea salt) skin-side-down until golden. Turn the fillets over to finish cooking the fish. To stop the fillets from curling up, use a fish slice to press down on the fillets as soon as they go in the pan. Hold for 20 seconds at the start.

Toss arugula in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of New Zealand or regular extra-virgin olive oil.

Arrange potato slices on warmed dinner plates and squeeze "circles" of vanilla saffron aioli around the potatoes. Place snapper on top with arugula and roast tomato to the side. Brush with lemon caramel and serve while hot.

Vanilla Saffron Aioli

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground New Zealand or regular saffron

1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 egg yolk

6 oz. grape seed oil

Boil the vinegar and saffron together. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and rub the seeds into fine salt. If using vanilla extract, skip this step. In a bowl, whisk vanilla salt or extract onto the yolk, whisk in vinegar and slowly add in the oil, whisking well. Place in a bottle until ready to use. This makes it easy to serve and will keep in the fridge for up to four days.

Lemon Caramel

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Boil sugar, water and salt till golden caramel in color. Remove from the heat and cool slightly before carefully stirring in the lemon juice. Use a pastry brush to coat the snapper fillets.

This authentic New Zealand dish can help spice up your menu.

Cooking Recipes – Know Where to Look for Success

Have you ever had the craving for a particular dish or meal, but cannot seem to find a recipe for it? If this sounds like you, there is no need to fret. The fact of the matter is that recipes are available all over the place. Just because you are not a master chef does not mean that you cannot find cooking recipes. If you know where to look for recipes you should never have any problem getting started with your next delicious meal.

Here are three places that you can find cooking recipes without having to spend hours looking for them.

1. The most obvious place to find cooking recipes is in a cookbook. Paper recipes are what the majority of people turn to when they are trying to make a dish that they are not familiar with. After all, paper recipes allow you to keep the instructions handy as you move through the process. The good thing about cookbooks is that there are hundreds of them for sale, with each on touching on a unique topic. You can find a cookbook that covers everything from bread making to desserts.

2. When searching for cooking recipes never overlook a good friend. Chances are that if you like to cook, you probably know somebody else that shares the passion. Why not swap recipes so that everybody can enjoy? Trading paper recipes with a friend is one of the most overlooked ways of finding new dishes to make.

3. Of course, you can search for recipes online. If there is something that you need information on in a hurry, the internet is the place to look. Computer recipes allow you to find what you need without having to buy a single thing. In addition, many people have decided to go the internet route because they can print out the computer recipes and take them to the kitchen. It does not get much easier than that.

Regardless of what type of recipe you are in need of, the fact of the matter is that they can be found in a number of different places. If you do not have luck with one of the options listed above, you can always try the next. And if none of them work for you, why not find your own way of compiling recipes?

The bottom line is that you do not have to be a cooking professional to find quality recipes.

Cook Simply for the Two of You

Preparing a meal for just the two of you can be quick and easy, especially if you keep eggs on hand. Versatile eggs are a high-quality protein food portioned by nature to suit small households. Egg producers have made eggs even more convenient by offering 6- and 8-count packs to retailers. However many eggs you buy, they'll keep in the refrigerator, with insignificant quality loss, for at least three weeks from the time you bring them home.

With eggs in the fridge, it's easy to add a welcome change of pace to your menus. Eggs can also help you include more vegetables in your diet, as the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend. Quiche in Pepper Pots is a good example of an entree that combines egg protein with the vitamins, minerals and fiber of veggies.

These novel individual quiches are easy on the cook, too. Simply choose any colorful vegetable blend you like to fill the peppers, pour on an egg-and-milk custard and bake. Got company coming? Then just multiply the recipe to suit the number of servings you need.

For fast, nutritious eating other times, you can use the remaining eggs you have on hand in a variety of ways. Toss slices or wedges of hard-cooked eggs with greens and other veggies for a main-dish salad; poach eggs right in your favorite soup; reheat leftover pasta and veggies and pour on eggs to make a skillet scramble.

Quiche in Pepper Pots

2 servings


2 medium (about 4 oz. each) green, yellow or sweet red peppers

1/2 cup (about 8 oz.) frozen vegetable blend, thawed

2 eggs

1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed


Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Sawtooth or scallop pepper edges, if desired. Stand peppers upright in custard cups or muffin-pan cups. Spoon 1/4 cup of the vegetables into each pepper. In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasonings until well blended. Pour about 1/3 cup of the egg mixture over vegetables in each pepper.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Nutrition information per serving of 1/2 recipe using green and yellow peppers; broccoli, sweet red pepper, mushroom and onion vegetable blend; and skim milk: 119 calories, 5 gm total fat, 213 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 283 mg potassium, 10 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, riboflavin, phosphorus.

Convince Skeptics With Easy Vegetarian Recipes

If you are thinking of following vegetarian diet for certain causes - religious belief, health reason, economic reason, animal rights - you will face a barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical relatives and friends. A common argument about vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing vegetarian meals. Don't get swayed or discouraged by this argument because there is a lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and starches like potatoes and rice are also part of the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be incorporated depending on what type of vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in your average grocery store. Also, there is a variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, and even TV shows are veritable sources of healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss anything because the choices are limitless.

Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a regular diet except for the absence of meat. Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are well-balanced. They have the required amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a mineral often associated with milk, is not missed either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are known to have strong teeth and bones but their diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there is no reason you couldn't get your calcium requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria that enter the body which can cause heart diseases and infections. You can watch meat lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own healthy body with vegetarianism.

After proclaiming that you are eating healthier with vegetarianism, you'd think that the non-believers will stop bugging you. But no, they're back and possibly bearing the most difficult question for hedonists. They'll ask if you're not depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. When vegetarians state that there are easy vegetarian recipes, they don't just mean easy to prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike meats which use a lot of salt.

If your friends and relatives still won't stop bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a feast. When they see that you didn't even break a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they'll be convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don't be surprised if they'll ask you to go produce-shopping in the following days.

Classy, Convenient Cooking for Two

When you want to serve a quick-and-easy meal for just the two of you, count on eggs. Handily portioned by nature, eggs are conveniently packaged for quick-and-easy meals for one or two. Plus, eggs are one of the most versatile of all foods. You can fry, scramble, poach or bake them or cook them in the shell. You can also turn eggs into omelets or a frittata, quiche or strata.

French toast is yet another option -; a special but very economical option. In the Cajun areas of Louisiana, French toast is called pain perdu, lost bread. Long ago, thrifty cooks discovered they could rescue day-old (or older) bread which otherwise would have been wasted by soaking it in a mixture of eggs and milk before cooking it. When it's dressed up with a topping, though, who would ever guess that French toast had such a practical origin?

Although many folks consider French toast a breakfast food, you can serve this popular dish for any time of the day. For a classy meal, you can even split the toast slices, stuff them with cheese and serve them up with sugared strawberries.

Does French toast make a good meal? Sure. Following MyPyramid.gov, the bread is in the grain group and the eggs are a meat alternate. In Superb Stuffed French Toast, you get added calcium from the cheese stuffing and vitamin C from the strawberries on top. For the fiber it contains, this recipe calls for whole wheat bread, but you can use any type of bread you like. You can also use a different flavoring in place of the vanilla, such as almond, lemon or orange.

Superb Stuffed French Toast

2 servings


1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (about 4 ounces)

2 teaspoons sugar, divided

1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla, divided

2 (1-inch) or 4 thin slices whole wheat bread

2 eggs

2 tablespoons skim or low-fat (1%) milk

Cooking spray


In medium bowl, stir together strawberries and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Set aside. In small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar until thoroughly blended. Make pocket in each 1-inch bread slice by cutting from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Fill each pocket with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture. Or, spread 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto each of 2 thin slices of bread and place remaining bread on top to make 2 sandwiches.

In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Pour into 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Place filled bread slices in egg mixture. Soak bread, letting stand about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until egg mixture is absorbed. Evenly coat baking sheet with spray. Place soaked bread on baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 10 minutes. Turn slices. Continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes. To serve, top each bread slice with 1 tablespoon of the remaining ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup of the reserved strawberries.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/2 recipe using 4 thin slices whole wheat bread and skim milk: 328 calories, 12 gm total fat, 227 mg cholesterol, 428 mg sodium, 383 mg potassium, 38 gm carbohydrate, 18 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc.

Clams A La Du Chef

Are you a seafood lover well if you are here is something different, this recipe will tantalize your taste buds and make you scream for more, this is a great appetizer as well as a wonderful dinner, in this recipe you must use your judgment and use as much of a particular ingredient that you like or as little of each that you don’t like but you will find that by adding all the ingredients gives a nice balance to this dish.
Am I making you hungry? Well I hope so, now do stay with me because I can show people how to do things better than I can tell you. Ok were off.

Open 12 raw clams to be on the half shell and do take the time to check for pieces of shell in the clam, loosen the calm from the bottom part of the shell.

Herb Butter for clams:

Butter

Mince some watercress, parsley, shallots, anchovies, almonds, just a bit of garlic

Add some Pernod wine, Anisette, and a few drops of tobasco sauce

Mix the above ingredients together.

Place some of the herb butter mixture on each of the clams then place a ¼ slice of imported swiss cheese on the top of each clam, if you like more cheese then just add it, place the clams under the broiler until the cheese is bubblie and brown. Now it’s up to you to enjoy it.

Remember you can us as much or as little of the ingredients that you like because your making this to your taste, but personally I like the wines. “enjoy”

Christmas Recipes: Delicious Christmas Puddings

Christmas Recipes: Delicious Christmas Puddings

Pudding Recipes given here are easy to cook and absolutely delicious. Properly made Christmas puddings will be extremely tasty and make your Christmas celebrations a memorable experience. Enjoy these Puddings with your loved ones during this Christmas.


Christmas Pudding (1).

Ingredients of Christmas Pudding:-

1 lb. raisins (stoned), 1 lb. chopped apples, 1 lb. currants, 1 lb. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. mixed peel, chopped fine, 1 lb. shelled and ground Brazil nuts, 1/2 lb. chopped sweet almonds, 1 oz. bitter almonds (ground), 1 lb. sugar, 1/2 lb. butter, 1/2 oz. mixed spice and 6 eggs.

Instructions:-

Wash, pick, and dry the fruit, rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, beat up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients together; if the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Fill some greased basins with the mixture, and boil the puddings from 3 to 4 hours.



Christmas Pudding (2).

Ingredients:-

12 oz. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. currants, 1/2 lb. raisins, 1/2 lb. sweet almonds, 1 doz. bitter almonds, 3/4 lb. moist sugar, 3 oz. of butter, 2 oz. candied peel, 8 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of spice and 1 teacupful of apple sauce.

Instructions:-

Rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, wash, pick, and dry the fruit, stone the raisins, chop or grind the almonds, beat up the eggs, mixing all well together, at the last stir in the apple sauce. Boil the pudding in a buttered mould for 4 hours, and serve with white sauce.



Christmas Pudding (3).


Ingredients:-

1 lb. each of raisins, currants, sultanas, chopped apples, and Brazil nut kernels; 1/2 lb. each of moist sugar, wholemeal breadcrumbs, wheatmeal, and sweet almonds and butter; 1/4 lb. of mixed peel, 1/2 oz. of mixed spice, 6 eggs, and some milk.

Instructions:-

Wash and pick the currants and sultanas; wash and stone the raisins; chop fine the nut kernels, blanch and chop fine the almonds, and cut up fine the mixed peel. Rub the butter into the meal and breadcrumbs. First mix all the dry ingredients, then beat well the eggs and add them. Pour as much milk as is necessary to moisten the mixture sufficiently to work
it with a wooden spoon. Have ready buttered pudding basins, nearly fill them with the mixture, cover with pieces of buttered paper, tie pudding cloths over the basins, and boil for 4 hours.


Christmas Plum Pudding (1)

Ingredients of Christmas Plum Pudding:-

One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one heaping cupful of sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of well-washed currants, one cupful of chopped blanched almonds, half a cupful of citron, sliced thin, a teaspoonful of salt,
one of cloves, two of cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg and four well-beaten eggs.


Making of Christmas Plum Pudding:-

Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water. Flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows: In a large bowl put the
well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices and salt in one cupful of milk. Stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint. Boil or steam three to four hours. Serve with wine or any well-flavored sauce.


Christmas Plum Pudding (2)

Ingredients:-

2 cups ground suet, 2 cups bread crumbs, 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 2 cups sugar. 2 cups seeded raisins. 2 cups currants, 1 cup finely cut citron, 1 cup finely cut figs, 1 tablespoon finely cut orange peel, 1 tablespoon finely cut lemon peel, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup water or prune juice and 1 cup grape or other fruit juice

Instructions:-

Mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. Add more water if necessary to make stiff dough. Fill greased molds 2/3 full, and steam two or three hours. This pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. Before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce.

Christmas Cheesecake

This is a cheesecake that I have been making for over 20 years if you follow the recipe to the “T” you won't have any problem, it is also colorful as well as the most wonderful piece of pastry that you ever put in your mouth.

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
2 pounds cream cheese
1cup sugar
8 ounces sour cream
2 eggs
1cup flour
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 cup in total chopped candied cherries red and green raisins, walnuts, candied pineapple
½ cup small chocolate chips


In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until your cheesecake batter is smooth and creamy. At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine.
Add the candied fruit, raisins, walnuts, pine apple, chocolate chips, fold everything together.


Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan.
Now you add slowly to the pan your cheesecake mix as not to disturb the crumbs too much, now you should have a full pan.
The total weight of the cheesecake with the crumbs on the sides should be 5 to 5-1/4 pounds if you have some batter leftover just chill it, put some whip cream on it and enjoy.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees and not more, when your oven is hot place the cheesecake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cheesecake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours. Now remove it from the pan and enjoy.
Before serving sprinkle some red and green edible glitter that you can purchase at any store that has decorating supplies.

Choosing the Best Cuts of Beef

Are you wondering how to choose the best beef for your cooking needs? However you choose to cook the beef you select, the same criteria apply to choosing beef. Select meat that is bright red with veins of fat, or marbling, through it. The red color indicates that the beef is freshly cut. The fat running through the meat provides juiciness and flavor. As the beef cooks the fat will run off the meat, separating itself so you are not eating large amounts of fat which is not healthy for you. Fat around the edges of the beef should be white to ivory and firm to the touch. Before cooking your steaks, check for large pieces of fat and trim it away. The fat adds flavor and protects the meat from becoming dry during cooking too much fat remaining in a pan after cooking can affect the sauce or gravy. A good rule of thumb is to trim the fat to about 1/8 inch thick.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades beef for meat packers. Marbling is the chief criteria for how beef is graded and priced in U. S. The more marbling throughout beef, the more tender, flavorful, and costly the beef will be. The highest quality, prime beef is rarely found in grocery stores. Most of the prime cuts go to the high classed restaurants. Choice meat which is well marbled and tender can be found at the quality markets and butchers.

Select meat, with contains little or no marbling, is the most commonly stocked grade of beef. For the best taste and tenderness, buy USDA choice beef over select meat. Officially graded beef will carry the USDA designation; otherwise the grade has been determined by the grocery store you are purchasing the meat from.

Grass fed beef is becoming more desirable and available in some markets. As the public becomes more informed about the additives being fed to the beef they are purchasing, the more popular grass fed beef is becoming. Grass fed beef is a bit lower in marbling and fat then corn fed beef. However, grass fed steaks can be quite tender and have a wonderful beef flavor.

For more info on beef and a large selection of beef and steak recipes visit www.steak-n-beef.com.

Chocolate Rasperry Cake

This is a moist chocolate cake recipe, it is a 3 layer cake with 2 layers of raspberry cream filling and topped with a chocolate raspberry butter cream icing. Are you salivating yet?
To make this cake use your favorite chocolate cake recipe or for the inexperienced baker just use 2 dark chocolate cake mixes.

Mix with

8 medium eggs

2 cups cold water

2/3 cup oil

Mix on medium speed until well blended, scrape bowl, mix for 1 more minute.

Pour in equal portions into 3 (10x2 inch baking pans).

Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool on rack, remove from pans, level cakes by cutting off rounded tops.

Purchase a good fruitful raspberry pastry filling (H&H) is the best, place about 1 pound of filling in a bowl and add whip cream to it (whip the cream first) now fold them together until you reach the desired flavor and thickness (don't make it too thin).

Use any chocolate butter cream recipe that you like and add to the icing (black raspberry extract) until you reach the desired flavor (if you make the icing too thin just add some more 10x sugar).

Assemble the cake:

On the bottom layer put a dam of icing around the edge and your filling in the center and smooth to level, repeat for 2nd and 3rd layer, decorate as in picture, use shaved chocolate or chocolate jimmies in center of the top.

Chocolate ice cream, tips and a scrumptious recipe

The best way to obtain a smooth, evenly textured ice cream is to whisk the mixture carefully and freeze quickly.
The main thing you want to avoid is ice crystals forming in the mixture this can be achieved by adding air into the mix, you can do this by taking the mixture out of the freezer after 20 minutes and giving it a further whisk.

Tips
Chill all ingredients and utensils before you use them
Be accurate with the quantity of sugar, to much will prevent the mixture from freezing and to little will cause the mixture to freeze hard and rocky
Do not put warm mixtures into the finished container allow to cool
Do not fill the container because freezing will increase the size of the contents
Put freezer on coldest setting


Ingredients (serves 3-4)

200ml of milk
1 egg
40g of fine sugar

120g of Lindt 99% excellence chocolate
70ml of water
140ml of cream
7ml of vanilla essence

Whisk the egg and sugar and add the warm milk whilst whisking.
Add the mix to a bowl and heat without boiling for about five minutes
Strain this mix then leave to cool

Break the chocolate into pieces and place into another bowl add the water, dissolve this slowly over a low heat.
Add the melted chocolate to the previous mix and stir.
Important you now need to cool this mix.
Once cooled add the half whipped cream and vanilla and gently whisk for 1 minute.
Place this in your freezer remove after 20 minutes and whisk (churn) for a couple of minutes then return to freezer

Scrumptious home made chocolate ice cream!

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Chocolate Fondue - Two Delicious Recipes

Are you an old pro when it comes to making delicious desserts? Do your guests rave about your cakes and pies? The next time you have company over for dessert, why not try something different. Chocolate fondue has been in and out of fashion since the seventies and most people have tried it at least once. But if you want to try something new and exciting There are many different dessert fondues out there to satisfy just about anyone with a sweet tooth.

Recently dark chocolate has been in the news being declared as a new heart healthy food. Dark chocolate retains more flavonoids that other varieties of chocolate such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, cocoa or chocolate syrup. New research has also determined that eating a diet high in flavonoids helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Obviously this doesn’t mean that you should run to the store to buy some candy bars. But it does mean that when eaten in moderation, dark chocolate can be a healthy choice as a dessert.

And whether is good for you or not, who can resist a fondue pot of hot melted chocolate just waiting for your to dip something into it. What better way to enjoy strawberries, bananas and other ripe fruits. But don’t stop there. Be sure to try dunking some salty treats into the chocolate such as pretzels and potato chips. Mixing sweet and salty foods creates a unique flavor that you are sure to enjoy.

So not only is chocolate delicious, but it is now considered a heart healthy food as well. Those are some excellent reasons to add a few chocolate fondue recipes to your recipe book. Why not try one of these chocolate fondue recipes tonight?

Dark Chocolate Fondue
12 ounces Premium Dark Chocolate (chopped)
3/4 cup Whipping Cream
2 teaspoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur (optional)

Over low flame, heat whipping cream until warm (DO NOT BOIL)
Slowly add the chopped dark chocolate while stirring
Stir until the mixture becomes smooth
Stir in liqueur
To Dip:
Strawberries, Bananas, Sliced Apple, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake, Pretzel Sticks, Chunks of Pineapple, Marshmallows, Potato Chips

Mint Chocolate Fondue
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Peppermint Liqueur
8 ounces Semisweet Chocolate

Warm the heavy cream over medium low heat
Add liqueur
Grate the chocolate or break into small pieces and slowly add to mixture while stirring
Stir until the chocolate is melted

To Dip:
Candied Fruit, Pears, Peach Slices, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake

Chocolate Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
2 pounds cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until smooth and creamy.

At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine. Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan. Now you add slowly to the pan your cheesecake mix as not to disturb the crumbs too much, now you should have a full pan.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrease and not more, when your oven is hot place the cake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours. Now remove it from the pan and enjoy. You can put a coconut pecan topping on it if you like.

Chinese Recipe of Beef With Broccoli

Beef With Broccoli is a classic when it comes to chinese cooking. It makes a perfect plate for almost all occasions.


Ingredients:

3/4 lb (375 g) lean beef, sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces

Marinade for Beef:
1 egg
1/3 tsp (1.5 mL) salt
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cooking wine
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch (corn flour)
2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 Tbsp (20 mL) oil

1 1/2 lb (750 g) broccoli, flowerets removed, slice on the diagonal into thin slices
1 cup (250 mL) cooking oil
2 1/2 Tbsp (30 mL) oyster sauce
2 Tbsp (25 mL) light soy sauce
3/4 Tbsp (10 mL) dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sugar
a few drops of sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch (if desired)

Directions:

Slice beef and mix together marinade ingredients. Add marinade to beef and marinate for thirty minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix in thoroughly, and marinate beef for another thirty minutes. While beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables.

Heat wok and add 1 cup of oil. When oil is ready, add beef and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove beef and set aside on a plate. Drain the wok and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Add 1/2 cup water to wok. Bring the water to a boil and add the broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked through. Drain the wok.

Heat wok and add oil (about 2 tablespoons). Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add vegetables and beef and mix together. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce ingredients. Add cornstarch, stirring to thicken. Mix sauce together with other ingredients. Serve hot. Serves 3 to 4

Chicken Stock

The basis of a good soup is usually a good stock. Once you know how to make a good stock, you can use it for an almost endless variety of soups. This is a recipe I use for chicken stock that's easy to make, and tastes delicious. I usually make extra, and freeze what I don't use.

1 Whole Chicken, about 3 pounds

8 cups water

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into large chunks

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2-3 sprigs of parsley

1-2 sprigs of sage

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme (please, no Simon and Garfunkel jokes)

2 tsp. salt

Cut the chicken up into pieces.

Put the chicken, and the rest of the ingredients into a large kettle, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken, and place in a bowl to cool.

Pour the stock through a colander lined with cheesecloth, and chill.

When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and freeze or refrigerate the chicken for another use.

Skim the fat off of the stock, and refrigerate, freeze, or use immediately.

Yield: About 6 cups of stock, about 4 cups of chicken.

Don't feel constrained by the ingredients and amounts listed in this recipe. You can use other herbs for a different flavor. You could add ginger peels and lemongrass for an Asian flavor. Just let your imagination run wild.

You don't need to use a whole chicken either. You can buy the bone-in chicken breasts, and remove the bones before cooking. Then just put the bones in a plastic bag, and put them into the freezer. Then when you're ready to make the stock, just take the bones out and use them in the stock.

Once you've learned to make this chicken stock, you can use it as a basis for many different soups... chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, peanut butter soup... again, just let your imagination run wild with it, and enjoy!

Cherries Are The Pick Of The Season

In the summer, life is a bowl of cherries. The long, warm days have produce sections brimming with big, juicy, sweet cherries. To promote the nutritional benefits of fresh produce, there's the Pick of the Season, a public health initiative spotlighting seasonal fruit and vegetables, with recipes this quarter for cherries, a produce selection that travels from the great Northwest right to you.

Besides the great taste, cherries are also low in calories-only 90 calories for 1 cup-and contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. However, they pack in some great nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber and potassium. So whether they're Bing or Rainier, this beautiful fruit is a crowd pleaser. Delicious in a recipe or by the handful, for dessert or a midday snack, you can enjoy cherries all season long and beyond.

There are so many ways to add cherries to your favorite recipes, like in cherry-stuffed grilled chicken, cherry and hazelnut salad, cherry clafouti and this cherry smoothie:

Cherry Smoothie

1 cup light vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries

1/2 cup drained canned mandarin orange sections (canned in juice, no sugar added)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass; serve immediately. POINTS® value per serving: 4; 239 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber

Recipes like this one reflect the food values inherent in the Weight Watchers philosophy-that eating should be satisfying, as well as healthy.

Chef John Folse On How To Cook Delicious Shrimp

Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a man with a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there's no doubt where his heart is.

"Eating in Louisiana is a religion; it's not just about nutrition," Chef Folse says. "It's an in-gathering; it's celebratory; it's a prayer of thanks for all we've been blessed with from the swamp."

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mother as a young boy. His father raised six boys and two girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he needed to teach his children was to be good cooks.

And their first lesson was that only the freshest foods yield their true flavors. "He really taught us to refuse anything less than great taste," Chef says.

To serve the freshest foods, you need to know what's in season. "When it's brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it's white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it's strawberry season, you eat strawberries," Chef chuckles.

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs until fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you need to know how to select the very best quality.

Well-taught cooks only purchase whole, in-shell, raw shrimp when they're displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to the touch, not soft. The shells must be translucent and moist, not dull or dry.

Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also means learning a sense of timing. "A lot of people are worried they will undercook shrimp," Chef says, "but the real crime would be to overcook it and boil out all of the flavor and texture."

Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana flavors.

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Chef Folse's Shrimp Scampi. "Try this dish. It's an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it's one of my favorites."

Chef explains that although scampi is a term used elsewhere to describe a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This simple recipe is magnificent when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For an excellent wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a glass of lovely Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse's Shrimp Scampi

11/2 pounds (20-25 count) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup flour

Salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup shallots, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh oregano

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

In a mixing bowl, blend flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp lightly in seasoned flour and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes or until edges turn golden. Blend in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Using a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

Celebrity Chef, Winery Blend Best of Both Worlds

Much like the chicken and the egg conundrum, those with a palate for fine wine and good food often debate whether it is the wine that makes food taste better or the other way around. Either way, one cooking expert is showing that the two actually bring out the best in each other.

In a new venture with Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace, celebrity chef Curtis Aikens hopes to enlighten both diners and would-be culinary artisans to the wonders of cooking and eating with wine. A pioneer in "California Italian Nouveau" cuisine, Aikens will be creating signature dishes and food products for the winery. His recipes will appear in Viansa's monthly publication, Tuscan Club Magazine.

Viansa is a destination winery at the entrance to the Sonoma Valley Wine Country. In addition to offering an array of award-winning California varietals, Viansa is the premier producer of Italian varietals in the United States. The winery is marketed by the publicly traded 360 Global Wine Company (www.360wines.com).

This year, Viansa Winery was rated by the Sonoma radio station KVON 1440 as "The Best Wine Country Experience" in Sonoma.

Aikens' achievements include a number of published books, appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Entertainment Tonight" and a regular guest spot on "Good Morning America." He has been a food consultant to the U.S. Open tennis tournament, the New York City Plaza Hotel and the United Nations.

The following recipe is an example of Aikens' culinary creativity. This dish pairs well with Viansa "Pierina" Vernaccia, Arneis or Chardonnay, he says.


VIANSA CHICKEN

ROLLATINE

(Makes 4 servings)


2 large chicken breasts, sliced

in half lengthwise to make

four strips

1 1/2 tablespoons Cucina

Viansa Roasted Red

Pepper Pesto

1 1/2 tablespoons Cucina

Viansa Sun-Dried

Tomato Pesto

1 1/2 tablespoons Cucina

Viansa Artichoke Pesto


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Flatten chicken pieces with a mallet or the bottom of an empty wine bottle.

Spread 1 teaspoon of each pesto evenly over each piece of chicken. Roll up the chicken strips and close with toothpicks.

Bake chicken rolls in oven for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into rings to serve.

Celebrating A Milestone With Semi-Homemade Chef Sandra Lee

Remember the smell of freshly baked raisin oatmeal cookies when you were little? Chances are, sitting on the counter while your mother was baking them was a red box with the memorable image of a woman in a red bonnet holding a tray of freshly picked grapes.

Since 1916, the Sun-Maid girl has been in the hearts and homes of families across the country and she is receiving a digital makeover for her 90th birthday. In honor of the new, more modern look, celebrity chef Sandra Lee, of "Semi-Homemade" fame, has done a contemporary take on the traditional oatmeal cookie recipe and has helpful tips to freshen up any dessert. "I've been baking raisin oatmeal cookies since I was 9 years old and can still remember the delicious smell and taste from my childhood years. That's why I feel honored to put my own unique spin on this timeless and personally treasured classic."

Using Lee's shortcuts and savory secrets, even the busiest person can deliver marvelous meals, scrumptious snacks and decadent desserts in minutes. Some helpful tips from Lee on making your dessert memorable include:

• Focus on desserts that are big on flavor and low on labor and make sure they go from baking sheet to plate in mere minutes, giving you time to linger with those you love.

• Incorporating raisins and dried fruit into desserts is a great way to get your children to consume some of their daily required helpings of fruit.

• Consider measuring out dry ingredients before preparing desserts. Ingredients such as flour, sugar and nuts can be measured and placed in their own separate sandwich bags beforehand, and when you are ready to start cooking all you'll have to do is simply pour them into a bowl and cook. This is a great way to include kids in the kitchen, too.

• Desserts can be decorative. Place them center stage as an eye-catching edible centerpiece. One idea is to place your raisin oatmeal cookie bars around the rim of a large colorful plate. Place scoops of your guests' favorite ice creams, frozen yogurts and other toppings in the center of the dish, allowing them to create their own scrumptious version of this dessert.

"I remember growing up and baking with my grandmother, who always had Sun-Maid raisins for any occasion from snacking to baking. I do the same today with my nieces and nephews," said Lee. "They love Sun-Maid raisins and I love that they help to make many of my semi-homemade dishes even more delicious."

Try these tempting Spice Raisin Oatmeal Cookie Bars with your family after a fun semi-homemade meal of your own.

Sun-Maid Spice Raisin

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

You Will Need:

9x13" baking pan

Cooking spray, butter-flavored

Large mixing bowl

Electric mixer

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 box (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup oats

1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

1/2 cup pecan pieces (optional)

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup decorative or coarse sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.

2. COMBINE eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on low, until combined.

3. ADD spice cake mix and brown sugar. Beat on low until dough comes together. (Dough will be dense.)

4. STIR in oats, raisins and pecans separately.

5. SPREAD dough into prepared pan.

6. BAKE for 20-25 minutes.

7. REMOVE from oven and let cool. Cut into bars to serve.

Optional: Sprinkle desired amount of coarse or decorative sugar over dough mixture for added decoration before baking.

Yield: 24 bars

Oatmeal cookie bars are an easy, healthy and delicious snack.

Catfish On A Roll-In Less Than 10 Minutes

Sandwiches are a staple for most of us, but it's easy to get in a rut, making or ordering the same old thing. Why not break out of the boring routine with a Southern-style po' boy stuffed with crispy-coated U.S. farm-raised catfish and all the trimmings? In less than 10 minutes, this world-class sandwich is ready to enjoy.

Once you're hooked on the mild, sweet flavor and convenience of U.S. farm-raised catfish, you'll want to keep a good thing going. Also try this versatile fish grilled or broiled with Cajun-style or jerk seasonings, in tacos and in chowder.

To be sure you're getting U.S. farm-raised catfish-ask for it by name. Not only is this all-American product a healthful, safe choice, but consumers have the satisfaction of knowing that it is farmed in an environmentally responsible way.

Visit www.catfishinstitute.com for more information and recipes. For a free U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish recipe leaflet, fax your request to (212)254-2452. And don't forget: You're gonna love U.S. farm-raised catfish any way you cook it!

Catfish Po' Boys

(Yield: 4 portions)

1 egg, beaten

1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

4 U.S. farm-raised catfish fillets (about 6 ounces each)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 4-inch long rolls, split or 8 slices of bread

1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce

8 jarred roasted red pepper halves

8 lettuce leaves

8 thin slices provolone cheese

In separate shallow bowls, place egg and breadcrumbs. Dip each catfish fillet into egg, then coat in breadcrumbs, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook the fillets, a few at a time, until golden brown and opaque in the center, 3 to 4 minutes on each side; drain on paper towels. Spread cut sides of the rolls with pesto. On bottoms of rolls, layer roasted red peppers, lettuce leaves and provolone; top each with a catfish fillet. Place roll tops on fish.

Cast Your Vote for 'America's Fish'

Election season is in full swing, and it's time to get out and vote. For president, you say? Of course, but there's one more candidate to elect this year - America's fish.

Think about it: America has a national anthem, a national flower and even a national tree, but not a national fish. Therefore, the Catfish Institute has nominated U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish for the honor.

Why is this fish worthy of such a title? A true American original, U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish can be found on plates all around the country, from California to New York and all the way to Washington. This versatile fish is adaptable to a variety of seasonings and can be grilled, baked, poached, broiled or fried. So where does this candidate stand on the important issues? Read on:

* On the environment: A friend to the environment, U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is fed a grain-based diet and raised in closed, freshwater ponds.

* On family values: Affording Americans time at home with family is a valued priority for this candidate. Because catfish is so easy to prepare, families can spend less time cooking and more time together.

* On health and nutrition: Low in fat, calories and sodium, carb-free, and high in protein, this candidate is ideal for every health-conscious American.

* On the economy: With prices that are easy on the pocketbook, voting for this candidate is smart economics.

Try this quick, easy recipe to see what else "Candidate Catfish" has to offer.


CLASSIC FRIED CATFISH


3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish

fillets

Vegetable oil

For garnish: sliced tomato

and parsley sprigs


Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Coat farm-raised catfish with mixture, shaking off excess.

Fill deep pot or 12-inch skillet half full with vegetable oil. Heat to 350 F. Add catfish in single layer and fry until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes, depending on size. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Canned Pears: Always Ripe and "Pear-fect"

Milder weather not only means blue skies and blooming flowers, it's the start of outdoor gatherings. It's also a great excuse to switch up the menu. Salads and kabobs are favorites during warmer months and canned fruit can easily enhance a recipe. Canned Bartlett pears are always ripe, ready to eat and contain virtually no fat or cholesterol. So next time you host a get-together, add a little sweetness to the feast with this pantry staple. Try serving Blueberry, Pear and Apricot Salad with Almonds or Barbecued Pear and Chicken Kabobs to family and guests.

Blueberry, Pear and Apricot Salad With Almonds

Makes 12 Servings

1 can (15 ounces) Bartlett pear halves in extra-light syrup

1 can (81/4 ounces) Bartlett pear halves in extra-light syrup

1 can (15 ounces) blueberries in light syrup

1 can (83/4 ounces) apricot halves in extra-light syrup

Juice of 1 small lemon

1/2 cup sliced almonds, roasted

Drain both cans of pear halves; slice into bite-sized pieces. Drain apricots; halve. Drain blueberries; divide among salad plates and arrange; arrange pears and apricots as well. Top salads with lemon juice and almonds; serve.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories: 78, Protein: 1.5g, Carbohydrates: 14.5g, Fiber: 1.5g, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 6mg.

Barbecued Pear and

Chicken Kabobs

Makes 4 Servings

1 can (15 ounces) Bartlett pear halves

1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

8 kabob skewers

1 red, green or yellow sweet bell pepper, cut into 11/2-inch squares

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 11/2-inch chunks

Preheat grill or broiler. Drain pears, reserving juice. Cut pears into 11/2-inch chunks; set aside. In a bowl, stir together barbecue sauce, honey, mustard, garlic and 3 tablespoons of the reserved pear juice. On 4 skewers, alternate the pear and bell pepper pieces.

On remaining skewers, place chicken pieces. Brush all skewered ingredients liberally with the sauce mixture. Grill chicken skewers over medium coals for 10 minutes (or broil for 5 minutes), brushing occasionally with sauce.

Add pear-pepper skewers; grill for 5 to 7 minutes (or broil 2 to 4 minutes) more, or until chicken is no longer pink and pears and peppers are heated through. Serve one chicken kabob and one pear kabob per serving.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories: 241, Protein: 25g, Carbohydrates: 29g, Fiber: 1g, Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 407mg.

A "pear-fect idea" for outdoor gatherings is a Blueberry, Pear and Apricot Salad with Almonds.

Canadian Bacon Now An American Favorite

The phrase "pass the bacon" is beginning to have a more nutritious meaning for millions of health-conscious Americans incorporating Canadian bacon into their diets.

Best known as an ingredient in Eggs Benedict, Canadian bacon's recent rise in popularity stems from the low-carbohydrate diet craze. Although carb counting is no longer as fashionable, Canadian bacon remains a healthy cooking option because it's low in fat and high in protein.

With "bacon" in its name, consumers often confuse Canadian bacon with traditional American bacon, according to Philip Jones, president of Jones Dairy Farm, a leading U.S. producer of Canadian bacon. However, unlike its fatty American counterpart, Canadian bacon is a lean smoked meat made from the tender pork loin. It's precooked and has an appearance and flavor more similar to ham.

Jones points out an important difference between Canadian bacon and Canadian-style bacon. Real Canadian bacon is strictly the loin meat, but Canadian-style bacon is typically made from sirloin hip meat and includes ground pork trim. Jones believes consumers will prefer the higher-quality authentic product because it provides a more uniform appearance, better texture and superior taste.

"Real Canadian bacon provides fuller flavor and firmer texture," said Jones. "It's a premium ingredient that adds a wonderful smoky flavor in salads, sandwiches, soups or even by itself." He offers the following recipe showcasing the versatility of Canadian bacon.

Cajun-Style Gumbo

Makes 5 (11/2-cup) servings

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flour

1 (141/2-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chicken or beef broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 (10-oz) package frozen sliced okra, thawed

8 Jones Golden Brown precooked sausage links or patties, coarsely chopped

1 (6-oz) package Jones Canadian Bacon slices, cut into strips

2 cups hot cooked rice

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add green pepper, onion, garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, thyme, oregano, pepper sauce; bring to simmer. Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in okra and sausage; simmer covered 5 minutes. Stir in Canadian bacon; simmer uncovered 3 minutes. Ladle into five shallow bowls; top with rice, parsley.

Cajun-Style Gumbo made better with the addition of real Canadian bacon.

California-Style Buttered Pasta Is Easy And Delicious

California and Italy have much in common, which explains why many simple Italian dishes featuring fresh ingredients are popular in the Golden State. One dish that deliciously merges the Old World with the new is California-Style Buttered Pasta.

While red sauce is the most familiar match for Italian pasta, as you move into Northern Italy the tomatoes and olive oil give way to creamy butter as a popular pasta topping. Northern Italy is a major dairy region, much like California, which is the largest milk and butter producer in the U.S.

This delicious dish couldn't be simpler to prepare, combining cooked pasta with the rich natural taste of California butter. The dish comes together as quickly as you can cook the pasta.

A topping of toasted bread crumbs adds a pleasing crunch. And for a uniquely California variation, substitute grated Dry Jack for Parmesan. Dry Jack is an aged form of the ever-popular Monterey Jack, both of which were created in California.

Hearty enough to serve as a main course with a green salad on the side, California-Style Buttered Pasta is also a perfect accompaniment to any type of meat or chicken dish. It also goes well with fish because its rich yet subtle flavors do not overwhelm even the most delicate fish.

This recipe works best with slightly wider forms of pasta, such as linguini or fettuccini, which provide a nice balance between the pasta and butter coating. It will also work nicely with a penne or rigatoni style of pasta. But feel free to use your favorite type.

CALIFORNIA-STYLE BUTTERED PASTA

Yield: 3-4 entrée servings

or 6-8 as a side dish

1 pound (16 ounces) dried or fresh linguini

2 tablespoons salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) California butter

1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated California Dry Jack or Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large (6-8 quart) pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta.

2. While pasta is cooking, cut butter into 1-inch pieces and set aside to soften.

3. When pasta is cooked to desired doneness, drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Return drained pasta to the cooking pot and add butter, half the grated cheese and half the bread crumbs. Toss, coating well. Add the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl or portion into individual pasta bowls and sprinkle remaining cheese and bread crumbs on top. Serve immediately.

For a simple and hearty meal or a delicious side dish, try California-Style Buttered Pasta.