Well, I've been gone, a while, from the blog-o-sphere. I'm back, but I won't make any promises on how "back " I am. Though I've recently organized all my recipes, so that's inspired me to get back on here. I need a hobby and a creative writing outlet, so I've missed this.
Here's one of my new favorite recipes. So favorite that I'll probably wear it out soon.
Pasta Salad with Chicken, Raisins, and Almonds - from Everyday Food
Serves 4 - Prep Time: 15 min - Total Time: 25 Min
This recipe works well using leftover or rotisserie chicken. Yougur and lemon create a tart, creamy sauce without adding a lot of fat.
Ingredients:
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 8 ounces whole-wheat penne rigate (or other short pasta)
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional - but they are great!)
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1. In a large pot of boiling slated water, coo pasta until al dent. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
2. In a large bowl, stir together pasta, chicken, yogurt, raisins, parsley, almonds, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Thin sauce with pasta water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. (To store, refrigerate, up to 1 day.)
per serv: 484 cal; 9.9 g fat (2.3 g sat fat); 56.4 g protein; 41.3 g carb; 7.8 g fiber
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday, October 27, 2008
Time for Some Feedback
I'm looking for ideas from you all this time. Our church group is eating dinner together each time we meet and I need ideas (there are 8 adults). We want simple to prepare meals that everyone can participate in by bringing something to add to it.
Here's what we've done:
Here's what we've done:
- Pizza and Salad
- Soup - I made it, everyone chipped in money
- Frozen Lasagna, Salad, Bread
- Taco Salad
Monday, September 15, 2008
Read the Labels
I am all about generic brands, as long as they are priced less. I almost always buy them when available, but will go for name brands when I can tell a major difference in quality or would like the health benefit of a name brand.
Today at the grocery store was one such instance of buying a name brand for the health benefit. The recipe called for low-sodium chicken broth. So I looked at them all and picked up the Swanson's Chicken Broth, which has 1/3 less sodium. This was written on the package with an asterisk. The note was that there was a 1/3 less sodium than their original product. I thought I might as well compare the sodium content to the generic brand I normally would buy. So I picked up the chicken broth by Great Value (the Wal-Mart generic brand) and compared. I was floored. The Swanson's Chicken Broth with less sodium had 570 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving while the Great Value Chicken Broth had 135 mg sodium per 1 cup serving. That is a MAJOR difference. So not only did I buy the one with a LOT less sodium, I spent less money, almost half the price. Lesson learned... read the labels. I pasted the labels from their websites so you can see for yourself.
Great Value Chicken Broth Nutrition Info
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
Est. Percent of Calories from:
Swanson's Chicken Broth Nutrition Info
Today at the grocery store was one such instance of buying a name brand for the health benefit. The recipe called for low-sodium chicken broth. So I looked at them all and picked up the Swanson's Chicken Broth, which has 1/3 less sodium. This was written on the package with an asterisk. The note was that there was a 1/3 less sodium than their original product. I thought I might as well compare the sodium content to the generic brand I normally would buy. So I picked up the chicken broth by Great Value (the Wal-Mart generic brand) and compared. I was floored. The Swanson's Chicken Broth with less sodium had 570 mg of sodium per 1 cup serving while the Great Value Chicken Broth had 135 mg sodium per 1 cup serving. That is a MAJOR difference. So not only did I buy the one with a LOT less sodium, I spent less money, almost half the price. Lesson learned... read the labels. I pasted the labels from their websites so you can see for yourself.
Great Value Chicken Broth Nutrition Info
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup
| Amount per Serving | |||
| |||
| % Daily Value * | |||
| Total Fat 0g | 0% | ||
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% | ||
| Monounsaturated Fat 0g | |||
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0g | |||
| Trans Fat 0g | |||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | ||
| Sodium 135mg | 6% | ||
| Potassium 110mg | 3% | ||
| Total Carbohydrate 0g | 0% | ||
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% | ||
| Sugars 0g | |||
| Protein 2g | 4% | ||
| Vitamin A | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0% |
| Calcium | 0% |
| Iron | 1% |
Est. Percent of Calories from:
| Fat 0.0% Carbs 0.0% |
| Protein 80.0% |
Swanson's Chicken Broth Nutrition Info
Amount Per Serving (serving size) = 1 cup
Calories 15
Total Fat 0g
Sat. Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 570mg
Total Carbs. 1g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
%Daily Values **
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calicum 0%
Iron 2%
Friday, August 29, 2008
This Months Everyday Food
If you don't normally get the recipe magazine Everyday Food I highly suggest you get the one for September. It's got some great quick recipes and I have many dog-eared to try. I made the Cuban Black Bean Stew with Rice last night and it was great. Next time I'll put some sliced avocado on top or make some guacamole. I'm making the Late-Summer Vegetable Soup tonight, and I'm doubling it to freeze for later.
Friday, August 8, 2008
What I Was Looking For
Cool Southwestern Salad with Corn and Avocado
This was great and easy. Shortcuts to making it even easier would be to use frozen corn and pre-squeezed lime juice. I think you could substitute black beans for the pinto beans, if you prefer. This will probably make one of my future meal plans. I served it with tortilla chips.
This was great and easy. Shortcuts to making it even easier would be to use frozen corn and pre-squeezed lime juice. I think you could substitute black beans for the pinto beans, if you prefer. This will probably make one of my future meal plans. I served it with tortilla chips.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Not What I Was Looking For
So when I started looking for an easy salad with grilled chicken I wasn't planning on making this, Roasted-Vegetable Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken. But I am certainly glad I did.
This took a little more time than I wanted, with all the chopping, but if you want to make something ahead of time, or have someone helping in the kitchen, this is great. I made it in the morning to avoid heating-up my kitchen in the late afternoon. I left it in the fridge and heated before we were ready to eat.
This is a great meal to make ahead, for entertaining, and for leftovers, it' makes a lot. I hope you like it as much as we did!
This took a little more time than I wanted, with all the chopping, but if you want to make something ahead of time, or have someone helping in the kitchen, this is great. I made it in the morning to avoid heating-up my kitchen in the late afternoon. I left it in the fridge and heated before we were ready to eat.
This is a great meal to make ahead, for entertaining, and for leftovers, it' makes a lot. I hope you like it as much as we did!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Hot Roll Mix No Rise
I am not one to attempt making dough or bread very often, but this is a simple and extremely versatile dough that I started making overseas and still make here. The great thing about this dough is that it can keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks and you can use it to make biscuits, rolls, pizza dough, and cinnamon rolls. I usually use yogurt and 1/2 cup sugar.
Hot Roll Mix - No Rise
1 Tbs yeast 1/2 tsp soda
1/2 cup warm water 5 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs sugar 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil 5 cups (or more) flour
2 cups sour milk, yogurt, or buttermilk 1/2 cup (or less) sugar
Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 Tbs sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix and knead well. Place in greased container (make it a large container, it will expand). Refrigerate. When needed removed desired amount and bake at 425.
To make cinnamon rolls, roll out into rectangle, spread with soft butter, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and brown sugar - roll up, cut, and bake (at 350 degrees for 30 minutes). When done glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, a small spoon of melted butter and just a dab of almond flavoring. I haven't really figured out the portions for the glaze mixture, so it's an experiment for me every time.
Hot Roll Mix - No Rise
1 Tbs yeast 1/2 tsp soda
1/2 cup warm water 5 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs sugar 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil 5 cups (or more) flour
2 cups sour milk, yogurt, or buttermilk 1/2 cup (or less) sugar
Dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 Tbs sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix and knead well. Place in greased container (make it a large container, it will expand). Refrigerate. When needed removed desired amount and bake at 425.
To make cinnamon rolls, roll out into rectangle, spread with soft butter, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and brown sugar - roll up, cut, and bake (at 350 degrees for 30 minutes). When done glaze with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, a small spoon of melted butter and just a dab of almond flavoring. I haven't really figured out the portions for the glaze mixture, so it's an experiment for me every time.
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