Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Thank you, I had faith that you would know the right link.
You’ve probably seen this, but:
Manila reports Ebola virus in pigs
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/93df0f52-c7c0-11dd-b611-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/fitness/10cookingtips.html
Ten Healthy Cooking Tips
Good nutrition is not just a matter of selecting the “right” foods to eat. It is also important to prepare these foods in ways that will maintain their nutritional benefits. Careful decisions about cooking techniques can have a profound effect on the nutrient content of the foods we prepare. These cooking strategies and ingredient substitution ideas can help retain and, in some cases, improve, the nutritional value of your most popular dishes. They can also help you meet the American Institute for Cancer Research’s recommendations for lower cancer risk and better overall health:
* Cut the salt in half in your favorite recipes. Most of the time this will not produce a noticeable taste change. Consider replacing part of the salt with an herb or spice, flavored vinegar, citrus juice or peel. Garlic or onion power (not garlic or onion salt) work well in meats, soups, and sauces. Make your own mix of garlic, onion, paprika, and parsley flakes. See also: Salt Sense
* Use veggie spray or non-stick pans for grilling or stir-frying.
* Choose methods of cooking that will retain flavor, color, and nutrients. Steam instead of boiling vegetables. Avoid cooking at high temperatures (except for quick stir-frying) and long cooking times. Both extended heat and liquid can destroy or leach out valuable nutrients.
* Add vegetables whenever possible to ensure your five-a-day intake. Experiment with more veggie variety in salads, try new vegetable mixes, include some shredded vegetables in casseroles, and add different vegetables to soups and stews. Use chopped red or yellow peppers to “pep” up the flavor. Try vegetable salsas and fruit chutneys as accompaniments to meat or poultry in place of heavy gravies or sauces.
* Try some lower-in-fat substitutes such as low fat cheese, salad dressing and evaporated skim milk. Try low cholesterol egg products. Use two egg whites instead of one whole egg to significantly reduce the fat and cholesterol content of some baked goods. See also: Defatting Your Recipes
* When you use oil, select olive or canola oil. Drain off visible fat while cooking, blot pan-fried foods on paper towels to absorb extra grease, and allow soups to chill before reheating and serving so that the fat can be skimmed off the top.
* Choose roasting, poaching or stir frying as frequent cooking methods. Keep open-flame grilling of meats to a minimum as this practice produces cancer-promoting compounds. Avoid eating charred food. Microwave cooking is a healthful way to cook vegetables because the short cooking time reduces nutrient losses and usually no added water or fat is needed.
* Reduce the fat in home baked goodies by substituting applesauce, pureed prunes, mashed bananas, or yogurt for up to half of the shortening. It works! Obviously prune puree would discolor a yellow cake but does well for chocolate cake and brownies. The end result is moist and fat content is reduced. See also: Fruit Puree Fat Replacement
* Substitute some whole grain products for all-purpose flour in your cooking. Try whole wheat flour, oatmeal or flax in bread and muffins, or add some bran or wheat germ to your meatloaf. Try using some soy flour in biscuits and breads.
* Try more fruit desserts (fresh, stewed, and cobblers) instead of cakes and cookies. Choose frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet instead of ice cream. Serve cake with fruit sauce instead of frosting or whipped cream.
Using sensible cooking methods, less fat, and adding more vegetables, fruits and whole grains to recipes are guaranteed winning techniques to set a better nutritional table. These steps can also help lower risk for chronic diseases such as cancer.
Thanks. That looks pretty easy to follow. I saved it. One question though.....where do you get fresh yeast? Does Walmart sell it? I bought the packets. Does it make a difference?
The newspapers haven't seemed to understand that idea so far. They also don't refer readers to other newspaper articles the way the blogs do. It's interesting how liberal they are in editorials and story selection and slant, but how competitive they are in being reluctant to send traffic to other newspapers. I think they are stuck in their 1950s business model.
You can have the soap box now. LOL.
http://www.bellybytes.com/recipes/soup2.shtml
Soup Recipes II
Summer Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
One small diced red onion
One zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup oyster mushrooms
Two medium tomatoes, cored and diced
2 cups purchased vegetable juice, such as V-8
1/4 cup slivered basil
Two thin slices French bread
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat oil in medium pan. Add onion, zucchini and mushrooms and sauté ten minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes and cook over beef one minute or until pulpy. Add vegetable juice and simmer two minutes or until hot. Stir in basil and simmer two more minutes.
Meanwhile, place bread on baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toast in oven at 400-degrees five minutes or until cheese melts.
Pour soup into two bowls. Top each serving with one, cheese-topped bread slice.
Recipe makes two servings.
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Hot-Sour Soup
6 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon of dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 carrot, julienned
3/4 cup bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed, julienned
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3-tablespoons water
1 egg, beaten
8 ounces firm tofu, cubed
3 green onions, sliced
Directions:
Heat broth in large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add vinegar, chili paste, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, carrot and bamboo shoots. Bring to boil. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat and simmer until soup thickens slightly, about three minutes. Pour egg into hot soup in thin stream. Stir gently until egg cooks and shreds finely. Gently stir in tofu and green onions. Serve hot.
Recipe makes eight servings.
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Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients:
One pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cup water
Three drops hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons instant beef-bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Four ribs celery, sliced
Two large onions, chopped
Three cans (10-3/4 ounces) 98-percent fat free cream of mushroom soup
Two soup cans of water
Directions:
In heavy, 4-quart (or larger) soup kettle, brown beef with salt and Italian seasoning, crumbling meat as it cooks. Add rice and water, hot pepper sauce, bouillon granules, pepper, celery and onion and simmer about 30 minutes.
Stir in soup and cans of water. Cover and simmer another 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings.
Recipe makes eight to ten servings.
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French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
1/8 cup olive
4 cups thinly sliced onions
2 cans (10.5 ounces each) beef broth (bouillon)
3/4 cup Coca-Cola®
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Thick French bread slices
Grated Parmesan cheese
*Note: To reduce foam for accurate measurement, use Coca-Cola room temperature and stir rapidly.
Directions:
Melt butter in heavy saucepan; add onions and cook until golden; do not brown. Add undiluted beef broth, one soup can of water, Coca-Cola, salt, vinegar, and pepper. Cover; simmer 20-25 minutes. In a broiler, toast one side of the French bread slices. Turn, generously sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toast until browned. Ladle soup into deep bowls and top with toast, cheese side up.
Recipe makes about 6 cups or four servings.
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Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
Two pounds ripe plum tomatoes, halved
Six garlic cloves, peeled
Three, fresh thyme sprigs
Three tablespoons olive oil
Three cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably home made
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Four, fresh sage leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
Toss tomatoes with garlic, thyme and olive oil. Spread tomatoes evenly on baking sheet and roast them 20 minutes. Let tomatoes cool, then remove thyme sprigs and slip skins off tomatoes. Puree tomatoes, garlic and stock in food processor until smooth. Transfer puree to soup pot and simmer over medium-low heat until it heats through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with sage leaves torn over the top.
Recipe makes four servings.
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Warming Ginger Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Four small leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated
1-1/2 pounds parsnips, chopped into small pieces
1-1/4 cups of dry white wine
5 cups vegetable broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil in a large pan over low heat. Add leeks and ginger. Cook until the leeks begin to soften, about two minutes. Add parsnips and cook six minutes.
Pour in wine and broth or water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Puree in blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with paprika.
Recipe serves four.
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Tortellini Soup
Ingredients:
32 ounces low-sodium, no-fat chicken broth
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup cut-up fresh green beans
One large tomato, peeled and diced
One clove garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
One package (9 ounces) fresh cheese tortellini
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Several drops liquid hot pepper sauce, optional
Directions:
Place chicken broth in a heavy 3 or 5-quart saucepan. Add onion, jalapeno pepper, green beans and tomato as you cut them up; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer three to four minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste and tortellini; cook about four minutes.
Add basil, oregano and chili powder; continue cooking about two more minutes until tortellini is tender and the flavors are blended. Stir in hot pepper sauce, if using.
Recipe makes two to three servings.
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South of the Border Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
4 cups South of the Border Beans (see recipe below)
Two cans of (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth (see note)
1-1/4 teaspoons sugar
Juice of 1/2 lime
4 ounces baked or regular tortilla chips (for 2-1/2 cup crushed or to taste)
5 tablespoons shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Directions:
If beans are frozen, partly defrost beans by opening the plastic bag abut 2-inches to vent and micro-waving them, on high three minutes. Meanwhile, place broth and sugar in a 4-1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
Remove the beans from the bag and add them to pot. Stir gently to break up any frozen chunks of beans. Be careful not to mash beans. When soup returns to boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in lime juice. Crush chips slightly and place in soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once.
Recipe makes five servings.
South of the Border Beans:
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil
One large onion, for one cup chopped
One can of (15 ounces) white beans
One can of (15 ounces) red beans
Two cans of (15 ounces each) black beans, not drained
Two cans of (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onions
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1-1/2 cup frozen yellow corn kernels
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Directions:
Heat oil in extra-deep, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. (See note). Peel and coarsely chop onion, adding it to skillet as you chop. Raise heat to medium-high and stir from time to time. While onions cook, rinse and drain red beans and white beans and add them to the skillet. Add black beans (with juice), tomatoes and garlic. Add corn, chili powder and cumin. Stir to blend well.
Reduce heat to low and simmer two minutes or until heated through and ready to serve. Recipe makes eight cups for two 4-cup batches.
Notes: If you do not have an extra-deep fryer, you can use a Dutch oven or soup pot. To freeze leftovers, allow beans to cool, then place four cups into a gallon-size, zipper-top plastic bag and freeze up to one month. To use frozen beans, partly open the plastic bag to vent. Microwave three minutes on high to defrost partly. Remove beans from bag and continue with your recipe.
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Quick Crab Soup
Ingredients:
One medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups water
One (6 ounce) package frozen crab meat, thawed and drained
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
3 cups fat free milk
Directions:
Saute onion in butter in a heavy skillet until tender; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add water; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, just until thoroughly heated. Serve soup immediately.
Recipe makes about 1-1/2-quarts.
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Toasted French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
Four large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter or Smart Balance, melted
Three, (10-3/4-ounce) cans of beef broth, undiluted
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Four or five slices French bread, toasted
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Saute onion in butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat until tender, stirring frequently. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer five minutes. Ladle soup into individual baking dishes; top each with a slice of toasted bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler two to three minutes to brown top. Serve immediately.
Recipe makes about four cups of soup.
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Chicken Soup and Dumplings
Homemade chicken soup and dumplings — what could taste more like home!
Ingredients:
Soup Ingredients:
8 cups water
Two pounds chicken wings
Two medium (1 cup) onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
One bay leaf
Three carrots (1-1/2 cups), sliced
Two stalks (1 cup) celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Dumpling Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup fat free milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Place water, chicken wings, 1/2-cup onion, 1-teaspoon salt, 1/2-teaspoon pepper and bay leaf in 6-quart saucepan. Cover; cook over high heat until mixture comes to a full boil (10 to 15 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook until chicken is tender and comes off the bone (1 to 1-1/2 hours). Remove chicken from broth. Cool chicken slightly and remove the meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Strain broth.
Return chicken and broth to saucepan. Add remaining onions, pepper and all remaining soup ingredients. Increase heat to high. Cook until mixture comes to a boil (10 to 15 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Cook until heated through (five to ten minutes).
Meanwhile, stir together flour, baking powder and 1/4-teaspoon of salt in small bowl; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk and parsley. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto hot soup. Cover; cook ten minutes. Uncover; continue cooking ten minutes.
Recipe makes six, 1-cup servings.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 490
Protein: 32g
Carbohydrate: 25g
Fat: 29g
Cholesterol: 130mg
Sodium: 870mg
Fiber: 3g
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French Onion Tomato Soup
Tomato juice gives extra flavor to this soup so quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
4 cups thinly sliced onions
One garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
One can of (46 ounces) tomato juice
2 teaspoons of beef bouillon granules
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Six slices French bread, toasted
2 cups fat free Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter until tender. Add the tomato juice, bouillon, lemon juice, parsley and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle soup into ten-ounce oven-safe soup bowls or ramekins. Top with French bread; sprinkle with cheese. Broil four to six-inches from the heat for two to three minutes or until cheese bubbles.
Recipe makes six servings.
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Ham and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
One medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
One medium zucchini, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
One pound of fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cups fresh or frozen corn
3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
Six medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter until tender. Add the tomato juice, bouillon, lemon juice, parsley and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle soup into ten-ounce oven-safe soup bowls or ramekins. Top with French bread; sprinkle with cheese. Broil four to six-inches from the heat for two to three minutes or until cheese bubbles.
Recipe makes eight to ten servings.
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Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Broccoli, a super vegetable, is a member of the cruciferous vegetable - or cabbage family. Other vegetables in this category include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens and Swiss chard.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk (skim or 2%)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper and thyme, ground
1/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
Directions:
Place vegetables and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until vegetables are tender.
Mix the milk, cornstarch, salt, pepper and thyme; add to cooked vegetables. Cook, stirring instantly until soup is slightly thick and mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir until melted.
Tips: When selecting this vegetable, look for heads that are dark green, free of yellowing and have compact clusters. Refrigerate (unwashed) in a plastic bag or store in the freezer for later use. To prepare fresh broccoli, trim off large leaves and peel the stalks; then cut stalks lengthwise length wise from end to green heads to make spears. Alternatively, cut heads into florets for other creations.
Recipe makes four servings.
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Belly Bytes!
Soup of the Evening - A witty and substantive research effort on the history of soup and food in all cultures, with over 400 pages of recipes, quotations, stories, traditions, literary references, breaking news stories, and original illustrations
http://www.bellybytes.com/recipes/soup.shtml
Super Soups
To fully capture the flavor of the vegetables in your soups, do as little to them as possible. Rather, rely on the extraordinary flavor of the products at hand. You want the taste of the vegetable to come through. To do this, cook the vegetable lightly in its own juice by juicing enough of the vegetable to substitute for stock. You could also make a stock from the vegetable trimmings. You want to concentrate the flavors and use just enough herbs to enhance the vegetables. Following are a few tips to give you the best pot of soup you ever made!
Flavor the Soup
To help your vegetables reach their full flavor potential, saute or roast them before you add them to your soup pot. This will caramelize the naturally occurring sugars in the vegetables, giving them a much richer, deeper flavor. Over a medium-high burner, heat a skillet that’s big enough to contain your chopped vegetables in a single layer (they will steam instead of caramelize if they’re stacked on top of each other), pour in a small amount of oil, and add your vegetables. Stir or toss them often enough to keep them from burning, but be patient. Really good browning can take some time. Another way to add flavor to your vegetables is by pan-roasting them in a hot (450-degree) oven. Toss them very lightly in oil, place them on a sturdy baking sheet in a single layer, and do not cover them. Stir occasionally, and remove when golden-brown.
Variety in Your Soup
One of the greatest things about soup is its versatility. You could eat soup every day of the year and never have the same kind twice. Use your imagination, try using your favorite vegetables in different pairs, etc. Examples: American regional favorites like gumbo, chowder, cioppino, burgoo, frogmore stew, and good ol’ chili. And that’s just for starters!
Garnish for Your Soup
Not only does a little garnish make your soup look nice, but it will add a whole new and contrasting flavor, texture or temperature. Try a sprinkling of freshly minced herbs or finely grated flavorful cheese. To cool down a spicy soup or just add a touch of creaminess, stir lime juice, or a little grated ginger, or some finely chopped orange zest, or perhaps a dash of curry powder into some sour cream or plain yogurt. A spoonful of salsa, or a few chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, scallions, or cucumbers add a cool, fresh taste to your soup. Finally, add crunch with a topping of croutons, tortilla chips or crackers.
Recipes
Corn and Sweet Garlic Soup
Ingredients
3/4 pound whole garlic head, coated with three tablespoons corn oil
Six ears of corn
7 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1/2 pound or one large onion, peeled
Three ribs (1-1/4 pound) celery cut into large dice
One small head of garlic cut in half and not peeled
Three quarts of chicken stock
1/2 tablespoon chili powder (medium hot)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound (1 large) onion, peeled and cut into small dice
Two ribs celery, cut into small dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Roast oil-coated garlic head in preheated oven 45 minutes. Cut off top of heads and squeeze garlic out of cloves; set aside.
Cut kernels off ears of corn, reserving cobs. “Milk” corn cobs by taking back of a knife and running it down the sides of the cob while holding cob upright in a bowl. Set aside with the corn kernels. Rub cobs with three tablespoons of the corn oil and char-grill or sauté until lightly golden. Cut peeled onion in half and rub with one tablespoon of remaining corn oil. Char-grill or sauté until golden.
Place cobs, char-grilled onion, the large dice of celery, the small, halved head of garlic, the chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, thyme and bay leaf in stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain through colander; press all juices out of vegetables and reserve stock. Sauté diced onion and diced celery in remaining three tablespoons olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook three to four minutes. Add reserved corn kernels and milk.
Add reserved stock. Bring to boil and simmer five minutes. With slotted spoon or strainer, remove half the corn kernels and puree in blender or food processor with reserved roasted garlic. Add back to soup, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If desired, add more cumin and chili powder.
Recipe makes eight servings.
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Soup Jardinere (Garden Soup)
Ingredients:
6 cups of chicken stock
4 cups mixed greens, tough stems or ribs removed
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs (mixture of dill, parsley, chives and chervil)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup minced green onion, for garnish
Directions
In a medium stock- pot over moderately high heat, bring stock to simmer. Add greens and cook until wilted. This should take about three minutes.
Stir in herbs and simmer two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup garnished with green onion, in warmed bowls.
Recipe makes four to six servings.
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Hearty Lasagna Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground round
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Two cans (14-1/2 ounces) seasoned beef broth with onions
One can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups uncooked corkscrew pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Cook beef with garlic in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
Add the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Heat to a boil.
Stir in the pasta. Cook over medium heat ten minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.
Recipe serves two to four.
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Knefla Soup
*This recipe often is prepared during lent season
Ingredients:
Two eggs
4-1/2 cups water (divided)
Salt
1 cup flour, about
1/2 of an onion, diced
3 tablespoons corn oil
Three medium potatoes, peeled, diced
One rib of celery finely cut
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup vinegar, about
Directions:
To make dumplings, mix together eggs, 1/2-cup water and 1/2-teaspoon salt. Add flour to form stiff and just slightly sticky dough.
To make the soup, sauté onion in oil until soft. Set aside. In soup pot, boil potatoes with the celery in the remaining four cups water. When done, mash the vegetables in the water and add salt and pepper to taste. Add reserved onion plus vinegar.
Make dumplings about the size of a walnut and drop into hot soup. Cook until done, three to five minutes.
Recipe makes about four servings.
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Creamy Onion Chowder
Ingredients:
2 slices already-cooked bacon (see note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds (about four medium) sweet onions
1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated mashed potatoes (see note)
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
2 cans (14-1/2 ounce) fat-free chicken broth
2 cups frozen yellow corn kernels
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more, to taste
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Directions:
Place bacon on microwave safe plate and microwave until crisp, according to package directions, about 30 to 40 seconds. Blot with paper towel to remove any excess grease. Set aside.
Heat oil on medium in 4-1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Meanwhile, peel onions one at a time and coarsely chop, adding to pot as you chop. When you have added all the onions, raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are tender, about six minutes.
Meanwhile, microwave mashed potatoes according to package directions, until just warm, about three minutes. Remove from microwave; set aside.
Add garlic to pot and stir and cook one minute. Add chicken broth and stir well, scraping pot bottom to remove any brown bits. Add mashed potatoes, corn, bay leaves, thyme and black pepper.
Cover pot, raise heat to high and bring soup to boil. Meanwhile, coarsely chop bacon and set aside. When soup boils, remove pot from heat and turn off stove. Remove bay leaves, and stir in sour cream and mix well. Serve at once in soup bowls, sprinkling bacon on top at the table.
Notes: There are now several brands of already cooked bacon. Look for it beside the raw bacon. If you cannot find it, microwave regular bacon until fully cooked.
This recipe was tested with Simply Potatoes brand refrigerated mashed potatoes, but 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes can be substituted.
Recipe makes five servings.
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Chicken Noodle Soup Express
Ingredients:
Two cans of fat free chicken broth (14-1/2 ounces)
Generous dash pepper
One medium carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 cup uncooked medium egg noodles (preferably “No-Yolks”)
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
Directions:
Mix the broth, pepper, carrot and celery in a saucepan. Heat to a boil.
Stir in the noodles and the chicken. Cook over medium heat ten minutes or until the noodles are done.
Recipe serves two to four.
Nutritional information per one-fourth of recipe:
Calories: 86
Total Fat: 2g
Carbohydrate: 7g
Protein: 9mg
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Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup With Spinach and Garlic Chives
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds of chicken breast meat
8 thin slices fresh ginger
1 bunch green onions, cut crosswise into thirds
10 cups water
3/4 cup Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry
2 ounces dried rice-stick noodles (rice vermicelli)
1/2 pound fresh spinach, coarse stems discarded and leaves washed, drained and chopped
coarsely (about 4 packed cups)
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh garlic chives
Directions:
Using cleaver or heavy knife cut chicken into large pieces. Cut chicken through bones into 2-inch pieces. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch chicken one minute. In colander, drain chicken and rinse under cold water.
With flat side of cleaver or knife, lightly smash gingerroot and green onion. In clean kettle, bring ten cups water to boil with chicken, ginger, green onions and rice wine. Simmer soup, uncovered, two hours, skimming froth occasionally. Pour broth through colander lined with triple thickness of cheesecloth into large, heat -proof bowl, reserving chicken for another use.
Broth may be made three days ahead, cooled completely uncovered and chilled, covered. In cleaned pot, bring broth to boil. Add noodles and boil, stirring occasionally, two minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer, stirring once or twice, until spinach turns bright green and is just tender, about three minutes. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper, and simmer one minute.
Recipe makes about eight cups.
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Black Bean Soup
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
One medium chopped onion
One rib sliced celery
One medium chopped carrot
1 seeded and chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
Two minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups water
2 cans (15 ounces) rinsed and drained black beans
One can of (14-1/2 ounces) 99% fat-free chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves
Lime wedges and light sour cream for garnish
Directions:
In a large pot, heat oil over medium until hot. Add onion, celery, carrot and jalapeno pepper and cook ten minutes or until vegetables soften; stir occasionally. Add garlic and cumin and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add water, beans and broth. Heat to boiling over medium-high. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Remove from heat. If desired, use immersion blender to puree mixture until almost smooth. Stir in lime -juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream.
Recipe makes four servings.
Some recipes ask you to "proof" the yeast, in which you put the yeast in some liquid, add some sugar and sometimes flour in a bowl, let it sit in a warm place, and wait to see if the mixture produces bubbles (that means the yeast is alive and growing). Let me know if you want to get information on doing that and I will find it for you. Most recipes can be modified to let you put the proofed yeast mixture into the dough with the liquids and continue the directions from there.
I am excited that you want to learn to bake bread! I just realized that I learned how to make bread back in the 1970s, and it's neat to share my knowledge. It's very rewarding and different from store-bought bread. Yummm!
Al Qaeda Suspects Held In Belgium (Sky News)
Police in Belgium have arrested 14 suspected al Qaeda members, including one who is believed to have been about to commit a suicide attack.
http://tinyurl.com/5vg6qr
I saw the pig disease in Promed, but it was from a source that couldn’t be posted and the Promed does not come with an article url.
Thanks for posting it, one has to wonder how it got from Va. to the islands?
My granddaughter and I are going to learn how together.
You can have the soap box now. LOL.<<<
Don’t need it, you said it well enough for both of us.
Big smile.
Thanks. Lot’s of useful tips there that I hadn’t thought about.
About your yeast.
You will have less failure if you buy it in the bulk and keep it in the freezer, I take out a couple ounces and then keep it in the refrigerator.
A rounded tablespoon is one of the yeast packets.
I have used frozen yeast 10 years after it expired, kept in the freezer, needed to add a little more, but it made bread and was all that I had to work with, couldn’t afford to go and buy it at the time.
Nichols garden nursery did sell a nice yeast by the pound.
Walton Feed.com sells the SAF yeast and it is cheap $5.00 or so per pound and it is the same as those $8.00 4 ounce jars of bread machine yeast, has ascorbic acid added, that is the only difference between bread machine and regular.
When I first bought the SAF brand yeast, I was not sure if I needed to know something ‘else’ about it and asked on the Mormon Ladies group at the LDS Church, found that they all use it and nothing else.
You will find it in some of the warehouse stores.
They catch the cells and then get leads on other cells.
People really do need to wake up, as you see from the headlines, there are far more terrorists, than the papers and liberals want us to know.
http://www.bellybytes.com/recipes/beatstress.shtml
Twenty Stress-Fighting Snacks
All of the following snacks were designed with flavor and stress-busting nutrition in mind, so you get the biggest nutritional bang for your bite while protecting your body and brain from the ravages of stress.
1. The European Snack
Top a piece of toasted nut bread with an ounce of low-fat cheese and slices of an apple. Serve with orange juice.
2. Sweet and Creamy
Spread fat-free cream cheese over fat-free whole-wheat crackers and top with mango chutney. Serve with a glass of calcium-fortified soy milk.
3. Vegetable Dip
Dip raw vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, baby carrots, and zucchini) in fat-free ranch dressing. Serve with sparkling apple juice.
4. Fruit Tortilla
Spread soy butter and a little all-fruit jam on a heated tortilla; fill it with fresh fruit, such as peach slices and strawberries. Roll it into a burrito.
5. Tropical Parfait
Layer tropical fruits like banana, mango, pineapple or papaya with low-fat yogurt and low-fat granola in a parfait glass.
6. Healthy Dippers
Cut corn tortillas into eight wedges and bake at 350 degrees for nine minutes or until crisp.
7. Apple Snack
Drizzle apple wedges with nonfat caramel sauce.
8. Mini-Tomato Bowl
Fill hollowed-out cherry tomatoes with tuna salad, hummus or leftover couscous.
9. Celery Log
Stuff celery stalks with almond butter; sprinkle with cranberries.
10. One-Minute Bagel
Top half a toasted whole-wheat bagel with hummus and thin slices of red pepper.
11. Shrimp Round
Dollop cucumber slices with fat-free cream cheese, a cooked shrimp and a drizzle of cocktail sauce.
12. Sweet and Crunch
Stuff almonds into dates or pitted dried plums.
13. Salt and Crunch
Top a wheat cracker with tuna mixed with fat free mayonnaise and a sweet-pickle slice.
14. Peanut Butter Candy
Mix equal amounts of peanut butter, toasted wheat germ and honey. Spread on a whole-wheat crackers and serve with orange juice.
15. Double Cinnamon
Dunk a toasted slice of cinnamon-raisin bread in low-fat apple-cinnamon yogurt. Serve with kiwi slices.
16. Melon Bowl
Fill half a cantaloupe with lemon yogurt and top with whole-grain cereal.
17. Zesty Orange
Sprinkle crystallized ginger over mandarin orange slices. Serve with milk or soy milk.
18. Mini-Pizza
Toast a whole-wheat English muffin; top with pizza sauce, low-fat cheese and steamed vegetables. Broil for one minute or until the cheese bubbles.
19. Pina Colada Shake
In a blender, whip one frozen banana, one-half cup pineapple, 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, one-quarter teaspoon coconut extract and one-quarter cup nonfat milk. Serve with graham crackers.
20. Nature’s Sorbet
Pour two cups of frozen blueberries into a bowl. Serve with a cup of fat free hot chocolate.
Every grocery store sells ordinary yeast, which I've always had fine results with. Get regular Fleishman's Yeast or Red Star Yeast, straight from the grocery store in those little packets (three packets sold together - unless you're an oddball like me always buying organic, sugar free products at Whole Foods).
She does use an unusual method to prove the yeast. Usually you do that in a separate bowl to ensure that it will grow and not waste your bread ingredients on dead or stale yeast. She asks you to put the ingredients in a well in the dry ingredients. I'd take the yeast, a quarter of the milk and a quarter of the sugar and proof it in a separate bowl. Wait ten minutes to see if it bubbles, then if all is well, put the yeast mixture in the flour well and continue from there adding the rest of the milk and sugar to the flour mixture.
Good thing bread is so forgiving.
Please let us know if you have more questions. Granny, any additional thoughts, or have I missed anything?
http://www.bellybytes.com/all_articles/smart_snacks.html
Smart Snacks
For an energizing treat, pour some Post Cranberry Almond Crunch Cereal into a resealable bag to enjoy with some Breyers Yogurt. Then grab a spoon and go.
Enjoy a snack break while you are in the car. A few nibbles from a Teddy Grahams Go Pack makes a fun snack to keep you going and they’re a good source of calcium. The resealable lid makes this multiple-serving snack great for travel.
Kraft Handi-Snacks Cheez ‘n Breadsticks make a great shelf-stable snack for people on the go. Store them in your desk or your purse for a quick bite when you are on the run.
A single-serve package of Fig Newtons or Snackwell’s Cookies and your favorite fruit go well with a mug of coffee any time of day.
Planters Trail Mix Nuts, Seeds and Raisins is a low-sodium, cholesterol-free snack. Share with friends and enjoy with a piece of your favorite fruit.
Put raw vegetables (e.g., baby carrots, grape tomatoes, celery cuts, broccoli florets, etc.) in a resealable plastic food storage bag and take with you anytime, anywhere.
Top prepared Kraft Easy Mac with leftover cooked vegetables or chopped tomatoes. This will give you 1-1/2 grains and 1/2 meat from the Food Guide Pyramid!
Spread 2-tablespoons peanut butter on five Ritz Crackers and top with 1/4-cup chopped apple. This snack equals 1 gran, 1/2 meat and 1/2 fruit on the Food Guide Pyramid.
Top six Triscuit Crackers with 1-ounce sliced Cheddar cheese and jam or preserves of choice. Two grains and 1/2 milk on the Food Guide Pyramid.
For some “grab-n-go” fuel, grab a Balance Bar and Capri Sun Sport. 1-1/2 Grains and 1 Meat on the Food Guide Pyramid.
http://www.bellybytes.com/recipes/snacks.shtml
Power Snacks
These speak for themselves!
Recipes:
Happy Trail Mix
Ingredients:
1 cup low-fat granola
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup roasted and salted, shelled peanuts
1/4 cup M & M’s or other chocolate candies
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to four weeks.
Note: This trail mix can be made with other dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, pineapple) and nuts depending on your personal preference.
Recipe makes six servings.
Nutrition information per 1/2-cup serving:
Calories: 210
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 1mg
Sodium: 65mg
Carbohydrate: 38g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
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Protein Power Balls
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup corn flakes
3/4 cup soy protein powder
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened coconut, toasted
Directions:
Combine the peanut butter, corn flakes, protein powder, brown sugar and chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Work the mixture with your hands to combine well.
Use a spoon to scoop out the mixture and roll into golf ball size balls. Roll them in the toasted coconut to coat the outside.
Refrigerate for at least one hour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Recipe makes 25 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (1 power ball): Calories: 133
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 87mg
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 9g
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Apricot, Date and Nut Bars
Ingredients:
1/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup pecans, chopped
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and spray a 10-inch by 10-inch pan with nonstick spray. Toss the dates and apricots with 1-tablespoon of flour. Add the raisins and nuts and set aside.
Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whip them with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add the brown sugar and continue whipping until the mixture is thick, about five minutes.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and fold it into the egg mixture. Fold in the fruit and nut mixture.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, about 20 minutes.
Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to five days.
Recipe makes 15 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (1 bar): Calories: 217
Total Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 43mg
Sodium: 74mg
Carbohydrate: 39g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
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Power Bars
Ingredients:
3/4 cup margarine or butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
2 teaspoons baking soda
One, 21-ounce can cherry filling and topping
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
Put butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed, three to four minutes, or until well mixed.
Combine flour, oats and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat on low speed until crumbly. Spread two-thirds of the oats mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Press down to make a firm layer. Put cherry filling in an electric blender or food processor container; puree until smooth. Pour pureed cherry filling into a medium saucepan. Combine granulated sugar and cornstarch; stir into cherry filling. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in almond extract. Pour cherry mixture over oats layer; spread evenly. Top with remaining oats mixture.
Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool before cutting into bars.
Recipe makes 32 bars.
Nutrition information per serving (1 bar): Calories: 145
Total Fat: 4.7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Percentage of calories from fat: 29
http://www.bellybytes.com/recipes/2healthybreads.shtml
Two Healthy Bread Recipes!
Just the recipes!
Rapid Mix One Bowl Low Cholesterol Bread
Ingredients:
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope rapid rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon margarine
Directions:
Directions In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat water and margarine until very warm (120 to 130-degrees). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat two minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about eight to ten minutes. Cover; let rest ten minutes.
Divide dough in half; roll each to 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Beginning on short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place, seam sides down, in two greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 400-degrees 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
Recipe makes two loaves.
Nutrition information per 1/24 of recipe:
Calories : 150
Total fat : 1g
Saturated fat : 0g
Cholesterol : 0mg
Sodium : 200mg
Carbohydrates : 31g
Dietary fiber : 1g
Protein : 4g
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Rapid Mix One Bowl Salt-Free Bread
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Directions:
In large warm bowl, place warm water and sprinkle in yeast. Stir until dissolved. Add 1 cup flour, sugar and peanut oil. Beat two minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about eight to ten minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Punch dough down; roll to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning on short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 400-degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.
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See also: Healthy Bread Recipes
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