Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

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."

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."

DIY Bookmaking, Bookbinding, Book Press - Buncha Links

Posted By TipNut On October 13, 2007 @ 8:18 am In DIY Projects | No Comments

DIY bookmaking and bookbinding seem to be taking off as a craft & hobby. It’s not hard at all to find tutorials and guides online for how to make your own moleskins, notebooks, zines, journals and book binding tips too.

Here’s a bunch of info you might like to check out from my collection of bookmarks:

* [1] Brian Sawyer: Bookbinding
*This project is a longer version of an article that appears in Make magazine. Also see [2] the flickr page.
* [3] Do-It-Yourself Book Press
*Yowza, plenty of details and instruction here
* [4] Learn how to bind a hardback book
*Gorgeous pdf files to download illustrating full instructions. The page does ask for an email address to join them, but it’s not necessary if you don’t want to.
* [5] Make Your Own Moleskine-Like-Notebook
* [6] From prints into journals
*If you don’t mind getting glue on your fingers and you’ve got a couple of prints and a bunch of papers to spare, you could try making your very own photo journal!
* [7] Fun and Easy How to Guide to Binding Your Own Paperback Books At Home…FAST
*A quick and dirty book binding technique you can use to turn your ebooks into a real book with about 5 minutes worth of effort.
* [8] Bind It Fast
*Make or repair books with this easy technique
* [9] Book Assembly Photo-Journal
* [10] Moleskine Reloaded …or, How to Rebind a Moleskine Notebook
* [11] Make your own Pocketmods
* [12] Homemade City Notebook
* [13] DIY Bookbinding - download from University of British Columbia (pdf)
* [14] How To Make A Moleskin Knockoff - Download (pdf)
* [15] How to Make a Simple Hardcover Book
* [16] Stamphenge MiniBook Tutorial page
* [17] Bookbinding 101, A Quick Introduction, and [18] Bookbinding 101: Your First Book
* [19] How to recycle office paper into blank books
* [20] How to make a zine
* [21] Making A Casebound Book

More Tips You May Like:

* [22] Buncha Cool Free Printable Calendars + DIY Calendar Projects
* [23] Once A Month Cooking - Buncha Links
* [24] Organize Sewing Rooms & Craft Supplies - Buncha Links
* [25] Budget Decorating Tip: Frame Decorative Pictures From Books
* [26] DIY Desk For Two

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/diy-bookmaking-bookbinding-book-press-buncha-links/

URLs in this post:
[1] Brian Sawyer: Bookbinding: http://briansawyer.wordpress.com/craft/bookbinding/
[2] the flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/olivepress/sets/605394/
[3] Do-It-Yourself Book Press: http://nomediakings.org/doityourself/doityourself_book_press.html
[4] Learn how to bind a hardback book: http://www.dadcando.com/default_MAKING.asp?project=BookBinding&catagory=FromJunk
[5] Make Your Own Moleskine-Like-Notebook: http://www.michaelshannon.us/makeabook/index.html
[6] From prints into journals: http://www.fiveandahalf.net/blog/from-prints-into-journals/
[7] Fun and Easy How to Guide to Binding Your Own Paperback Books At Home…FAST: http://www.persistenceunlimited.com/2006/03/fun-and-easy-how-to-guide-to-binding-your-own-paperback-
books-at-homefast/

[8] Bind It Fast: http://www.sff.net/people/Brook.West/bind/bindit.html
[9] Book Assembly Photo-Journal: http://tobycraig.livejournal.com/29223.html
[10] Moleskine Reloaded …or, How to Rebind a Moleskine Notebook: http://www.trumpetvine.com/sketchblog/moleskine-reloaded/
[11] Make your own Pocketmods: http://www.pocketmod.com/
[12] Homemade City Notebook: http://www.litwack.org/?page_id=1441
[13] DIY Bookbinding - download from University of British Columbia: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/courses/libr559f/06-07-wt1/portfolios/M_Rooney/docs/diy.pdf
[14] How To Make A Moleskin Knockoff - Download: http://www.tjbookarts.com/documents/hedgehogbook.pdf
[15] How to Make a Simple Hardcover Book: http://www.mothteeth.com/bookmaking/
[16] Stamphenge MiniBook Tutorial page: http://stamphenge.wordpress.com/minibooks/
[17] Bookbinding 101, A Quick Introduction: http://www.diyplanner.com/node/433
[18] Bookbinding 101: Your First Book: http://www.diyplanner.com/node/442
[19] How to recycle office paper into blank books: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-recycle-office-paper-into-blank-books/
[20] How to make a zine: http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-make-a-zine/
[21] Making A Casebound Book: http://www.indiana.edu/~libpres/manual/treatments/cbind/index.html
[22] Buncha Cool Free Printable Calendars + DIY Calendar Projects: http://tipnut.com/cool-free-printable-calendars/
[23] Once A Month Cooking - Buncha Links: http://tipnut.com/once-a-month-cooking-buncha-links/
[24] Organize Sewing Rooms & Craft Supplies - Buncha Links: http://tipnut.com/organize-sewing-rooms-craft-supplies-buncha-links/
[25] Budget Decorating Tip: Frame Decorative Pictures From Books: http://tipnut.com/frame-book-pictures/
[26] DIY Desk For Two: http://tipnut.com/diy-desk-for-two/

Click here to print.

Recipe Hit List: 12 Homemade Bread Recipes

Posted By TipNut On November 20, 2008 @ 1:04 pm In Recipes | 3 Comments

Freshly baked homemade bread, still warm with real butter and topped with some homemade strawberry jam or slices of thick cheese, delicious! Homemade bread is not only heavenly, it’s a frugal treat made with wholesome ingredients and no added preservatives. This week’s Recipe Hit List is a collection of a variety of breads: White, Oat, Rye, Whole Wheat and more. Enjoy!

12 Homemade Bread Recipes
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. American Sandwich Bread [annieseats.wordpress.com] - Tipnut.com[1] American Sandwich Bread: must say, this bread really delivered. It really is a wonderful homemade sandwich bread. One of my major gripes about other loaves I have made in the past is that, while delicious, they do not have the height that I am looking for in a sandwich bread. However, this loaf has great height. The dough was just beautiful to work with and it rose easily. I also appreciate how quick the whole process was. I started in the morning and before lunch we had fresh bread for sandwiches. Fabulous! Recipe found at Annie’s Eats.

2. [2] Decadent Sweet Milk Bread: This makes a soft sweet loaf of bread. It can be totally made in a bread machine, however, I just used the machine to make the dough. Recipe found at Frugal Dr. Mom.

3. [3] Deli-Style Rye Bread: All I’m going to say about this recipe is that after making it, I decided that I am never going to the grocery store for bread ever again. Let’s not ruin this with any more words - just enjoy. Recipe found at Pete Bakes!

4. [4] Homemade Whole Wheat Bread: A fresh slice from the oven with a little butter on the top is like a taste of heaven! Especially when this bread comes from your very own oven and is made from quality ingredients, no additives, and soaked for the highest nutritional benefit! Who can ask for better? Recipe found at Passionate Homemaking.

5. [5] How To Make Great Homemade Bread: I’ve come to appreciate a great loaf of homemade bread for the taste, consistency and the price! With this recipe my kids prefer homemade to store bought bread. Recipe from What’s For Dinner.

6. [6] Oatmeal Toasting Bread Recipe: Makes three 8 x 4 loaves approximately 24 ounces each, plus 10 ounces dough to save as ‘old dough’ for your next batch. Recipe found at Farmgirl Fare.

7. [7] Easy, No Knead Crusty Bread: This easy bread recipe requires no kneading, and uses the heat and humidity of a Dutch oven to achieve the perfect crispy crust. Recipe found at Mother Earth News (recipe is on page 2 of article).

8. [8] Whole Wheat Beer Bread: Look at that gorgeous loaf! It has a firm and crunchy outer crust but is still soft on the inside. I am so proud of my loaf!! Recipe found at Happy Herbivore.

9. [9] Jamie Oliver’s Basic Bread Recipe: I’m still really mad about bread – I love it. It’s so exciting. It’s such a rewarding, therapeutic, tactile thing and you’ll be so proud of yourself once you’ve cracked it. Recipe found at JamieOliver.com.

10. [10] Honey Bran Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe: When it comes to baking bread, my motto is If you have friends or a freezer, never bake just one loaf at a time. It only takes a few more minutes of work to bake two or three loaves, and homemade bread freezes beautifully. Recipe found at A Year In Bread.

11. [11] Speedy No-Knead Bread: Recipe from The New York Times.

12. [12] Cuban Bread: This is another one of those breads that are fast and delicious. This recipe comes from the Tightwad Gazette, and is done in less than an hour and a half. Hooray! Recipe found at Fun Foods On A Budget.

And don’t miss today’s earlier tip [13] Baking Homemade Bread: How To Shape Loaves.

More Tips You May Like:

* [14] How To Make Bread, White Bread Recipe
* [13] Baking Homemade Bread: How To Shape Loaves
* [15] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes
* [16] Recipe Hit List: 12 Marvelous Muffin Recipes
* [17] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bread-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] American Sandwich Bread: http://annieseats.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/american-sandwich-bread/
[2] Decadent Sweet Milk Bread: http://frugaldrmom.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-most-favorite-bread-recipe.html
[3] Deli-Style Rye Bread: http://www.peterandrewryan.com/baking/2008/11/deli-style-rye-bread/
[4] Homemade Whole Wheat Bread: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/01/kitchen-tip-tuesday-homemade-bread.html
[5] How To Make Great Homemade Bread: http://dinnertimeagain.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-great-homemade-bread-its.html
[6] Oatmeal Toasting Bread Recipe: http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2006/11/oatmeal-toasting-bread-baking.html
[7] Easy, No Knead Crusty Bread: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-12-01/Easy-No-Knead-Dutch-Oven-Crusty-Bread.aspx
[8] Whole Wheat Beer Bread: http://happyherbivore.com/2008/11/whole-wheat-beer-bread/
[9] Jamie Oliver’s Basic Bread Recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/veggies-and-sides/basic-bread-recipe
[10] Honey Bran Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe: http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2008/11/susan-honey-bran-whole-wheat-sandwich.html
[11] Speedy No-Knead Bread: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/081mrex.html
[12] Cuban Bread: http://baskersfunfoods.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-deliciously-fast-yeast-bread.html
[13] Baking Homemade Bread: How To Shape Loaves: http://tipnut.com/shape-loaves/
[14] How To Make Bread, White Bread Recipe: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bread-white-bread-recipe/
[15] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes: http://tipnut.com/grilled-sandwich-recipes/
[16] Recipe Hit List: 12 Marvelous Muffin Recipes: http://tipnut.com/muffin-recipes/
[17] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes: http://tipnut.com/meatloaf-recipes/

Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes

Posted By TipNut On October 30, 2008 @ 1:03 pm In Recipes | 9 Comments

I love meatloaf! It’s one of my favorite main dishes to make since it’s super easy to put together, and bonus! it’s my son’s favorite meal too (with buttery mashed potatoes of course!). Is it possible to have only one favorite meatloaf recipe? There are too many delicious ways to make it for me to pick just one and I’ve always got room in my recipe box for more.

I got a little carried away again for this week’s Recipe Hit List by choosing 25 recipes I’ve found online, but they all look so darn good! Here’s what I found…

25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Meatloaf Cupcakes [finefuriouslife.com] - Tipnut.com[1] Meatloaf Cupcakes With Mashed Potato Frosting: Triple-meat cupcakes are frosted with two types of mashed potato–beetroot-tinted and plain–and topped with green pepper sprinkles. Recipe found at Fine Furious Life.

2. [2] Meatloaf Muffins with Barbecue Sauce: Rachael Ray’s recipe featured on the Food Network.

3. [3] Mini Meatloaf Wrapped in Bacon: I think that there are many of us (me) who are intimidated by cooking. It seems so difficult. So time consuming. So many ingredients and spices. Over the past few years I have learned to trust myself and move entirely away from processed foods. And in the process I have discovered that when you use real foods, it is difficult to make something that is truly awful. Recipe found at Ordering Disorder.

4. [4] Cheesy Meatloaf: Not the greatest pic of meatloaf, but it was the best I’ve ever had. The P man ate it up too. I will always make my meatloaf like this from now on. Believe me- so will you! Yummmm! Recipe from Nic In The Kitchen.

5. [5] Meat Loaf Cordon Bleu: I’m a school counselor and mother of one young child. Even with my busy schedule, I can make this in the morning and pop it into the oven when I get home. Recipe found at Taste Of Home.

6. [6] Stormy Weather Meatloaf: Since it’s comfort food (which means that the food police have been given the night off), I adhere to the following meatloaf rules: more pork than beef, at least 25% fat, and a good measure of salt. After those rules are complied with I go with the flow in terms of ingredients…tasty porcini mushrooms, tarragon, ground fennel seeds and a mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions) ended up in this version. Recipe found at Stephen Cooks.

7. [7] Buttermilk Brown Sugar Meatloaf: I had some leftover buttermilk in the fridge and I wondered what would happen if used it to replaced the milk in my meatloaf recipe. I know you’ve read my various posts on buttermilk’s delicious, tenderizing effects on meat, so at least my idea had some proven food science behind it. So, I decided to go for it, and was very happy with the results. This meatloaf recipe is very flavorful, and as the proverbial description goes, “melts in your mouth.” As far as vegetables, I only used onions, but their sweetness, along with the simple brown sugar glaze were a great counterpoint to the others flavors. Recipe found at Food Wishes.

8. [8] Slow Cooking Thursday ~ Easy Meatloaf: I was going through my cookbooks tonight and found this recipe below that I’ve made in the past and we all enjoyed. I like to make notations at the top of all the recipes I try and this one has “Great!” marked on the top. The best part of this recipe is that it’s a one pot meal. You’ve got your meat, potatoes and carrots all cooking up at once. Nothing to do at dinner except dish up. Recipe found at I’m An Organizing Junkie.

9. [9] Italian (Not So Mini) Mini Meat Loaves: This dinner was a big risk because WF has said (several times) that he does not like meatloaf. But I just had to try it anyway because it’s not just a slab of beef dried out in the oven. It’s got peppers! And onions! I mean how can you not like that?? Recipe found at The French Kitchen.

10. [10] Quick Savoury Meatloaf: Recipe from Kellogg’s Rice Krispies.

11. [11] Brown Sugar Meat Loaf: I have to say this meat loaf was better than most of my freestyle meat loaves. I was afraid it would be bland but it wasn’t bland at all. I’d definitely say this is one of the better meat loaves I’ve tasted. Recipe found at The Cookbook Junkie.

12. [12] Italian Meatloaf: The recipe calls for a total of 3 LB of meat for one “loaf” but it’s much easier and more practical to split them into 2 so you can easily freeze or save one. KEY things to remember are using fresh mozzarella… not Polly-O which can barely be called cheese… no offence. ALSO, Fresh tomatoes and basil are extremely important! Recipe found at la Petit Chef.

13. [13] Mediterranean Meatloaf: Recipe found at The Hungry Little Caterpillar.

14. [14] Classic Meatloaf: I love to make my classic meatloaf because it’s healthy, has lots of veggies, and is very moist due to the tiny chopped veggies all throughout the meat. I use my meatloaf mix – beef and turkey- rather than classic meatloaf mix (beef, pork and veal) because it’s healthier and I don’t eat veal. Recipe found at A Year In The Kitchen.

15. [15] Meatloaf - Paradise By the Oven Door Light: My loaf is a very simple version in deference to my little loaf eaters’ taste buds. I simply combine ground beef, Montreal Steak Seasoning, sauteed minced onions and carrots, beaten large egg, and BBQ sauce. Recipe found at It’s All Gouda.
16. [16] Reuben Meatloaf Recipe: However when I was in Jr. High my mom found a recipe for Reuben Meatloaf. This became a favorite recipe that was served a couple of times a year. Recipe found at Frugal Upstate.

17. [17] Stuffed Meatloaf: Recipe found at Hidden Haven Homestead.

18. [18] Spinach Meatloaf Roll Recipe: This delectable dinner was such a joy watching being made - Jay and Gordon’s joint venture in Spinach Meatloaf Role. Accompanied by a baked potato and followed with a Lacota Squash dessert - we had a scrumptious dinner. Recipe found at Alvin Gill-Tapia.

19. [19] Sweet & Sour Meatloaf Recipe: The only meatloaf I really like is this version my mother taught me to make. It’s moist with a lot of flavor, and it is always better the second or third meal if you have leftovers. Recipe found at Crochet And Stitches.

20. [20] Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe: Last night we had meatloaf with zucchini in it and it was really good. I even asked for seconds! Recipe found at Garden Baby.

21. [21] Ranch Onion Meatloaf: I had to share this fantastic new recipe I made for my supper swap group this week. It only took about 20 minutes to make 4 meatloafs, and in return, my family is feasting on three different meals this week. Recipe found at TrishBerg.

22. [22] Horseradish Meatloaf: When I first tried this recipe I wasn’t sure if the kids would like the horseradish flavor, we all instantly loved it and this meatloaf became our new favorite meatloaf recipe. Recipe found at Fanksgiving.

23. [23] Meatloaf Parmesan: Don’t let the word meatloaf fool you- this is not your grandma’s meatloaf! It tastes like a meatball and even my dear husband- who whined, groaned, complained and was entirely too dramatic about how much he doesn’t like meatloaf- ate it and enjoyed it. Recipe found at Graceful Goodness.

24. [24] Wolfgang’s Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf: This is one of the most popular dishes in my Cafes, probably because it reminds people of home cooking and their grandmothers! The bacon helps keep the meatloaf moist, a key concern and one of the reasons that I always cook this dish in a water bath. Recipe found at Yahoo! Food.

25. [25] Gourmet Meatloaf Recipe: I have many fond memories of meatloaf. It smells so yummy when it’s baking. It’s super easy to make and best of all, it’s relatively inexpensive. Below is one of my favorite versions of meatloaf. You can use different types of meat if you like. You can also add in additional spices such as parsley and basil, cayenne pepper or garlic salt. Recipe found at The Cheap Gourmet.

Also see [26] Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks.

More Tips You May Like:

* [27] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [26] 10 Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks
* [28] Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf Recipe
* [29] Recipe Hit List: 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes
* [30] Recipe Hit List: 12 Homemade Bread Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/meatloaf-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] Meatloaf Cupcakes With Mashed Potato Frosting: http://finefuriouslife.com/2008/05/14/meatloaf-cupcakes-with-mashed-potato-frosting/
[2] Meatloaf Muffins with Barbecue Sauce: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/meatloaf-muffins-with-barbecue-sauce-recipe/index.htm
l

[3] Mini Meatloaf Wrapped in Bacon: http://workitmom.com/bloggers/orderingdisorder/2008/02/26/a-little-bit-of-heaven-mini-meatloaf-wrapp
ed-in-bacon/

10 Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks

Posted By TipNut On October 30, 2008 @ 6:33 am In Cooking Tips | 20 Comments

Picture of Meatloaf - Tipnut.com

1. Mixing It Up Helpers: Some say meatloaf HAS to be mixed with your bare hands. Others say a thick wooden spoon or even a potato masher will do the job just fine. You could also put all the ingredients in a large ziploc bag, seal, then mash all ingredients together without getting your hands messy. Mix until everything’s blended fairly well, overmixing can result in a tough meatloaf.

2. Make Ahead: When making meatloaf, try making 2 or more batches at once. You can cook the meatloaf then freeze or shape into loaves, wrap the uncooked loaf well and freeze. Just take the meatloaf out of the freezer and it’s ready to cook. I’ve also mixed up all the ingredients, taken out the amount needed for one loaf and packed it in a ziploc bag (without forming into a loaf first). Squish all the meat in from side to side, top to bottom to force out all the air and to make the package really flat. Seal then freeze, it’s a real space saver in the freezer since you can stack the flat packs one on top of the other. All that’s needed is to shape into loaves once the meatloaf mix has thawed.

3. Loaf Sizes: You can make a single loaf in a loaf pan or shape into smaller, individual loaves by cooking them in muffin tins–great for portion control and kids love them too! You can also make them “free form” and cook directly on an oven rack which results in a nice crust all over (have a pan on the rack underneath to catch drippings).

4. Meatloaf Cling: If your meatloaf always sticks and clings to the bottom of the pan, try laying a strip of raw bacon on the bottom of the pan before filling with meat. The bacon not only helps prevent the meatloaf from cooking to the bottom, it also adds flavor.

5. Crumbling Meatloaf: If your meatloaf is always crumbling apart when you slice it, let it sit for a few minutes first and then cut into pieces. The meat will hold together better.

6. Meatloaf Filler Ideas: These help bulk up the loaf and stretch your meat, also used to help bind the wet ingredients with the ground meat. You could use cracker crumbs, bread crumbs (seasoned or plain), quick cooking oats, corn flakes, mushrooms, garlic or seasoned croutons, Stove Top Stuffing and even rice or chopped/grated veggies like carrots.

7. Mixed In Sauces & Liquid Ideas: These help keep the meat moist and many also increase the flavor, try–chili sauce, tomato sauce, ketchup, mushroom soup, sour cream, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, milk, beef stock, cream, wine, sweet & sour sauce, bbq sauce, steak sauce, V8 juice, salsa, plain yogurt, soy sauce, prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salad dressings (like ranch), apple sauce, lightly beaten eggs, canned diced tomatoes & peppers, canned chicken & rice or tomato soup.

8. Flavor Mix In Ideas: Kick up the flavor with one or more of these ideas–dry onion soup mix, Italian seasonings, chopped onion, minced garlic, horseradish, thyme, sage, oregano, chopped green olives, celery, generous amounts of shredded cheddar cheese.

9. Meatloaf Topper Ideas: Try pouring a can of mushroom soup over top 20 to 30 minutes before the meatloaf is done for a tasty mushroom sauce. You could also use your favorite tomato sauce or chili sauce–the zestier the better! Also slices of bacon over top is another tasty idea.

10. Yummy Meatloaf Split: Place half of the ground meat in the pan, cover with grated cheddar cheese or mozza cheese and onions then top with the other half of ground meat. Cook as you normally would. Lightly sautéed mushrooms, garlic & peppers are a nice addition too.

Do you have a meatloaf secret not listed above? Please share it by adding the tip below–we’d all love to hear it!

Updated: New tips added as well as tips from comments below included for convenience (thanks for sharing!). Originally published April 17, 2007.

More Tips You May Like:

* [1] 12 Tips For Tasty Homemade Soup
* [2] Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf Recipe
* [3] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks
* [4] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes
* [5] Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce - Recipe

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tasty-meatloaf-tips-tricks/

URLs in this post:
[1] 12 Tips For Tasty Homemade Soup: http://tipnut.com/homemade-soup/
[2] Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf Recipe: http://tipnut.com/slow-cooker-mexican-meatloaf-recipe/
[3] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-cooking-tips-tricks/
[4] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes: http://tipnut.com/meatloaf-recipes/
[5] Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce - Recipe: http://tipnut.com/slow-cooker-spaghetti-sauce-recipe/

Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes

Posted By TipNut On September 18, 2008 @ 1:08 pm In Recipes | 3 Comments

I’ve been hunting for slow cooker recipes this past week, here are my top 12 picks that I found online. Enjoy!

Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes

Chicken & Vegetables With Herbs [bhg.com] - Tipnut.com

1. [1] Chicken & Vegetables With Herbs: Chicken legs, mushrooms, pearl onions and herbs smothered in sauce, yum! Recipe found at Better Homes And Gardens.

2. [2] Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice and Baby Carrots: Boneless chicken breasts, celery, green pepper, onion, pineapple chunks and more tasty ingredients make a nice dish that is served with rice and mini carrots. Found at Food Network.

3. [3] Easy Pepper Jack Chicken: Chicken breasts, bell pepper strips, Pepper Jack cheese soup and chunky salsa make up this super-easy slow cooker meal. Found at My Favorite Recipes.

4. [4] Slow Cooker Chicken with Creamy Rice & Broccoli: Boneless chicken breasts, three different cans of cream soups, rice, broccoli, garlic & more. Chicken is rubbed with garlic and seared before adding to crockpot. Found at The French Kitchen.

5. [5] Crock Pot Pizza: Ground beef, wide noodles, pizza sauce, mushroom soup, mozzarella cheese and your favorite pizza toppings are all layered in the crockpot. Found at Kaysville Momma.

6. [6] Slow Cooker Ribs: Ribs are seasoned with rub overnight then cooked slow for a few hours in a can of beer in the crockpot (can of coke can be used too). Finish the meat off by smothering in BBQ sauce and cook in the oven for a few minutes. Found at Julie’s Foodie.

7. [7] Beef Burgundy: This recipe requires a bit of fuss, but it sounds delish! Beef stewing meat, bacon, onion, carrots, and more tasty things make this hearty dish. Found at Martin Family Moments.

8. [8] Crockpot Chow Mein Recipe: Make this with chicken or your favorite meat (or even vegetarian). Anything with Chow Mein in the name has to be a hit as far as I’m concerned ;). Found at A Year Of CrockPotting.

9. [9] Crock Pot Chicken And Dressing Tutorial: What’s not to love in this recipe–ingredients include chicken breasts, cornbread, onion, hard boiled eggs and cream of chicken soup. Found at Southern Plate.

10. [10] Easy Barbeque Pork Sandwiches: Ingredients include pork roast, onion and bbq sauce, super simple crockpot recipe that slow cooks all day. Found at Aggie’s Kitchen.

11. [11] Stuffed Cabbage Casserole For The Crock Pot: A slow cooker version of lazy cabbage rolls, ingredients include ground beef or turkey, cabbage, onion, green pepper, rice and diced tomatoes. Found at Nanny Kim’s Recipes.

12. [12] Super Easy Pot Roast: Beef roast, brown gravy mix, dry Italian salad dressing mix, dry ranch dressing mix, water and that’s it for ingredients! Slow cooks all day. Found at Created And Called.

More Recipes:

* [13] Crockpot Pull-Apart Roast Beef Recipe
* [14] How To Make Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal
* [15] Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken
* [16] Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf Recipe
* [17] Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce - Recipe

Tips:

* [18] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks
* [19] Crusty Crockpot Cleaning Tips

More Tips You May Like:

* [20] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes
* [13] Crockpot Pull-Apart Roast Beef Recipe
* [21] Recipe Hit List: 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes
* [22] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month
* [23] Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] Chicken & Vegetables With Herbs: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/chicken-and-vegetables-with-herbs/
[2] Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice and Baby Carrots: http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=7034
[3] Easy Pepper Jack Chicken: http://myallrecipes.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/easy-pepper-jack-chicken/
[4] Slow Cooker Chicken with Creamy Rice & Broccoli: http://thefrenchkitchen.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/slow-cooker-chx-creamy-rice-broccoli/
[5] Crock Pot Pizza: http://kaysvillemomma.blogspot.com/2008/09/heres-yummy-crockpot-recipe-for-you.html
[6] Slow Cooker Ribs: http://juliesfoodie.blogspot.com/2008/09/slow-cooker-ribs.html
[7] Beef Burgundy: http://martinfamilymoments.blogspot.com/2008/09/one-of-my-favorite-recipes.html
[8] Crockpot Chow Mein Recipe: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/07/crockpot-chow-mein-recipe.html
[9] Crock Pot Chicken And Dressing Tutorial: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/07/crock-pot-chicken-and-dressing-tutorial.html
[10] Easy Barbeque Pork Sandwiches: http://aggieskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/09/jamies-easy-barbeque-pork-sandwiches.html
[11] Stuffed Cabbage Casserole For The Crock Pot: http://nannykimsrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/09/stuffed-cabbage-casserole-for-crock-pot.html
[12] Super Easy Pot Roast: http://momnaction.blogspot.com/2008/09/calling-all-slow-cookers.html
[13] Crockpot Pull-Apart Roast Beef Recipe: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-pull-apart-roast-beef-recipe/
[14] How To Make Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-overnight-crockpot-oatmeal-oatmeal-in-a-thermos/
[15] Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-rotisserie-chicken/
[16] Slow Cooker Mexican Meatloaf Recipe: http://tipnut.com/slow-cooker-mexican-meatloaf-recipe/
[17] Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce - Recipe: http://tipnut.com/slow-cooker-spaghetti-sauce-recipe/
[18] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-cooking-tips-tricks/
[19] Crusty Crockpot Cleaning Tips: http://tipnut.com/crusty-crockpot-cleaning-tips/
[20] Recipe Hit List: 25 Tempting Meatloaf Recipes: http://tipnut.com/meatloaf-recipes/
[21] Recipe Hit List: 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-soup-recipes/
[22] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month: http://tipnut.com/stir-fry-recipes/
[23] Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes: http://tipnut.com/tasty-main-dishes/

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Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks

Posted By TipNut On September 18, 2008 @ 9:33 am In Cooking Tips, Popular Tips | 7 Comments

Picture of Crockpot

1. If you don’t like the taste or texture of the meat from simmering in its juices, set the meat on a layer of vegetables (like potatoes, onions or carrots) or set it on foil balls high enough to keep the meat out of the juices ([1] see directions on this recipe for the foil ball method).

2. Spray the crock lightly with non-stick spray, olive oil or vegetable oil to prevent the dish cooking or burning onto the sides of the crock, you’ll also find [2] plenty of crockpot cleaning tips here.

3. Make sure the crock is half full of food ingredients to keep the dish from burning or overcooking…don’t fill the crock too full, you want it no more than 2/3 full or the dish will need to cook longer to prevent it from being undercooked. If you can, have both a smaller and larger size slow cooker on hand to accommodate various quantities and recipes. Slowcookers can be found really cheap at garage sales and it’s worth it to have another one on hand.

4. Carefully remove the lid from the crock by lifting it straight up then over. This will help prevent much of the condensation running back into the dish which just dilutes the sauce consistency and flavor.

5. Unless the recipe instructs you to do so, do not lift the lid to stir or peek at the dish. This lowers the temperature inside the crock pot and the meal won’t be fully cooked within the allotted time.

6. Prevent half cooked carrots and potatoes by layering them on the bottom of the crock first then adding the rest of the ingredients. Cut them in about 1 inch chunks or so, this helps them cook faster.

7. Use fresh vegetables rather than canned or frozen since they’ll retain their flavor and texture better (as well as add flavor to the meat). If you do use canned or frozen vegetables, add them to your crockpot toward the end of cooking time, just long enough to heat them through. This way they won’t be tasteless mush.

8. For more flavor, first brown any meat, onions, garlic and some of the flavorful veggies (like onions and green peppers).

9. Trim off as much of the fat on the meat as you can as well as remove the skin from chicken, this helps prevent much of the fat melting into the sauce.

10. Cook with thawed meat rather than frozen (unless recipe instructs otherwise). The dish will need longer cooking otherwise and will affect the rest of the ingredients.

11. Choose cuts of meat that will fit in your slow cooker easily. If the cut of meat is too big and you cram it in, it won’t cook through as well and will likely need longer cooking time (affecting the rest of the recipe’s ingredients as well). Trim off excess meat and freeze to use later in soups or stews.

12. Choose cheap cuts of meat where possible since the meat turns out quite tender when cooked slow. Slow cooking is a great opportunity to economize.

13. If the sauce or gravy is too thin, remove the lid from the slow cooker the last 1/2 hour and turn up the heat to try to thicken it. You can also add [3] potato flakes to thicken the sauce.

14. Dry herbs and spices can lose their flavor when cooking so long, if possible–try adding them the last two hours before the meal is ready to help keep the flavor. Use fresh herbs when possible, these can be added first thing since they’ll hold their flavor better when cooking for hours.

15. For better pasta and rice, cook these separately about an hour before the meal is ready. Once they’re barely cooked, throw them in with the meal to simmer in the sauce.

16. You can cut cooking time in half by cooking on High instead of Low, but cook according to directions whenever possible since the recipe results might differ otherwise (meat may not be as tender, etc.).

17. If your slow cooker doesn’t come with a timer, you can buy an appliance timer for just a few bucks (check Amazon for “Appliance Timer”, some are quite low in price). This is really nice to have since you can start the crockpot later in the morning, in the middle of the night or set it to turn off in case you’re late getting home from work.

Updated: Originally published February 12, 2008, new tips added

More Tips You May Like:

* [4] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [5] 10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking
* [2] Crusty Crockpot Cleaning Tips
* [6] 5 Simple Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta
* [7] 10 Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-cooking-tips-tricks/

URLs in this post:
[1] see directions on this recipe: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-rotisserie-chicken/
[2] plenty of crockpot cleaning tips here: http://tipnut.com/crusty-crockpot-cleaning-tips/
[3] potato flakes: http://tipnut.com/quick-tips-for-the-kitchen/
[4] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-recipes/
[5] 10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking: http://tipnut.com/tips-stir-fry/
[6] 5 Simple Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta: http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/
[7] 10 Tasty Meatloaf Tips & Tricks: http://tipnut.com/tasty-meatloaf-tips-tricks/

10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking

Posted By TipNut On September 25, 2008 @ 6:34 am In Cooking Tips | 2 Comments

Picture of Wok & Stir Fry Cooking - Tipnut.comHow would you like to eat healthy, cook fast on work nights and enjoy restaurant quality meals without the restaurant prices?

Stir fry cooking is the answer, here are a few quick tips to help you get started.

10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking

1. Stir frying is a fast way to cook but it’s the prep work that can take a lot of time. Solve this problem by prepping what you can the night before. [1] Wash, chop & store food items in airtight containers, meat and vegetables separate, and refrigerate overnight.

2. For best results use fresh vegetables cut in even, uniform pieces. You can use frozen too, but fresh typically gives better results. If the prep work discourages you, don’t feel bad about buying prepackaged bags of cut fresh veggies–you’re preparing good healthy food and if that means paying a bit extra for shortcuts, I say go for it.

3. Cut meats in bite size, uniform sizes or sliced thin. If your meat is cut in chunks that are too big, chances are it will be dry by the time it’s fully cooked.

4. Choose lean cuts of meat and trim fat so that there isn’t much grease added to the dish.

5. Have all your meat and vegetables prepped before you start cooking. Arrange all ingredients in piles on a large cutting board or in individual bowls and placed within reach of the stove. Have your seasonings and sauces at hand too. Successful stir frying relies on fast paced cooking, be ready.

6. Preheat the wok or pan and oil before adding food. If your oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Pour out the oil, clean the wok and start again. Heat is very important with stir frying, to retain the most flavor you want the heat high for food to cook quickly rather than simmering slowly over low/medium heat.

7. Since you’ll be cooking on high heat, choose an oil with a high smoking point like peanut oil or safflower oil. These won’t burn or break down and ruin the dish.

8. When adding ingredients to the wok or pan, arrange items evenly across the surface so everything has a chance to cook quickly.

9. Add the ingredients as recipe instructs, meats take longer to cook so they’re started first. Some vegetables take longer to cook than others so they are added first, and so on. If you’re winging a dish on your own, start cooking the vegetables that take the longest to cook then work your way down.

10. Remove food from heat as soon as it’s cooked, this is not a dish to keep warm and serve out of the wok otherwise the dish continues to cook, loses flavor and gets mushy.

For in-depth wok & stir frying tips, here is a collection of links from the blog Tigers And Strawberries, the detailed info here is fantastic:

* [2] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir Fry: Introducing Barbara’s Rules of Three
* [3] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir-Fry–Step Two: The Aromatics
* [4] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir-Fry–Step Three: The Condiments
* [5] Stir Fry Technique: Ten Steps to Better Wok Cookery
* [6] Stir Fry Technique II: Ten Steps to Better Chicken From a Wok

More Tips You May Like:

* [7] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month
* [8] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks
* [9] Rendering Fat For Cooking Use
* [10] 5 Simple Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta
* [11] Quick Oriental Style Tuna Supper

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tips-stir-fry/

URLs in this post:
[1] Wash: http://tipnut.com/produce-wash/
[2] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir Fry: Introducing Barbara’s Rules of Three: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/04/24/creating-your-own-foolproof-chinese-stir-fry-barbara
s-rules-of-three/

[3] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir-Fry–Step Two: The Aromatics: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/05/04/creating-your-own-foolproof-chinese-stir-fry-step-tw
o-the-aromatics/

[4] Creating Your Own Foolproof Chinese Stir-Fry–Step Three: The Condiments: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/05/09/creating-your-own-foolproof-chinese-stir-fry-step-th
ree-the-condiments/

[5] Stir Fry Technique: Ten Steps to Better Wok Cookery: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/01/16/stir-fry-technique-ten-steps-to-better-wok-cookery/
[6] Stir Fry Technique II: Ten Steps to Better Chicken From a Wok: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/05/03/stir-fry-technique-ii-ten-steps-to-better-chicken-fr
om-a-wok/

[7] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month: http://tipnut.com/stir-fry-recipes/
[8] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-cooking-tips-tricks/
[9] Rendering Fat For Cooking Use: http://tipnut.com/rendering-fat-for-cooking-use/
[10] 5 Simple Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta: http://tipnut.com/cooking-perfect-pasta/
[11] Quick Oriental Style Tuna Supper: http://tipnut.com/quick-oriental-style-tuna-supper/

Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes

Posted By TipNut On August 14, 2008 @ 1:08 pm In Recipes | 4 Comments

Here are this week’s recipes found around the net that have caught my eye, enjoy!

* Picture of Summer Eggs Dish [havepinnywillcook.wordpress.com] - Tipnut.com[1] Summer Eggs: Quick & easy meal with a half dozen green, red and yellow peppers forming the basis of this dish, from Have Pinny Will Cook.
* [2] Pizza Breadstick Casserole: Use a box of Pillsbury’s refrigerated Parmesan breadsticks to make this easy hot dish, from LisaCooking.
* [3] Beef and Salsa Skillet: Cook and serve dinner from one skillet! You’ll only have one pan to wash after you’ve devoured this tasty Mexican dinner. Found on the Betty Crocker website.
* [4] Garlic Chicken w/Sweet Roasted Pepper Sauce: This recipe comes from a supermarket’s free recipe card promotion (they give you the recipe, you buy the ingredients–everyone’s happy). Very quick to make (the recipe series is 30 minutes or less), from My Tasty Space.
* [5] Skillet Chicken & Potato Dinner: Serve these tender chicken breasts prepared with hearty vegetables for a quick weeknight meal. Recipe from Land O’Lakes website.
* [6] Southwest Skillet Ragu: Quote from the website…This is one of those go-to weeknight meals that we can throw together with our eyes closed and one hand behind our back. Chewy pasta and gooey cheese are balanced out by a big helping of veggies. Add in a spicy kick and everyone leaves happy. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples at our house, and there’s plenty of flexibility in the recipe to throw in whatever happens to be in season or on hand. Recipe from The Kitchn.

More Tips You May Like:

* [7] Recipe Hit List: Make Ahead Casseroles
* [8] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [9] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes
* [10] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month
* [11] Recipe Hit List: Tasty Frozen Treats

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/tasty-main-dishes/

URLs in this post:
[1] Summer Eggs: http://havepinnywillcook.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/summer-eggs/
[2] Pizza Breadstick Casserole: http://lisacooking.com/2008/06/24/pizza-breadstick-casserole/
[3] Beef and Salsa Skillet: http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?recipeId=6983
[4] Garlic Chicken w/Sweet Roasted Pepper Sauce: http://nhmom.blogspot.com/2008/05/garlic-chicken-wsweet-roasted-pepper.html
[5] Skillet Chicken & Potato Dinner: http://www.landolakes.com/mealideas/ViewRecipe.cfm?RecipeID=5134c
[6] Southwest Skillet Ragu: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/pasta/recipe-southwest-skillet-ragu-045258
[7] Recipe Hit List: Make Ahead Casseroles: http://tipnut.com/make-ahead-casseroles/
[8] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-recipes/
[9] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes: http://tipnut.com/grilled-sandwich-recipes/
[10] Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month: http://tipnut.com/stir-fry-recipes/
[11] Recipe Hit List: Tasty Frozen Treats: http://tipnut.com/tasty-frozen-treats/

Recipe Hit List: Make Ahead Casseroles

Posted By TipNut On August 28, 2008 @ 1:06 pm In Popular Tips, Recipes | 1 Comment

Where did the summer go? Fall’s here and suddenly, BAM, things are crazy busy. I’ve been in the mood for meal planning and make ahead / freezer casserole dishes. Here’s a whopping 10 recipes that have caught my eye this past week…Good Grief I’m Hungry, these all sound so tasty!

Recipe Hit List: Make Ahead Casseroles

1. Picture of Make Ahead Chicken Casserole [southernliving.com] - Tipnut.com[1] Make-Ahead Chicken Casserole: Get ready for the back-to-school push–freeze this chicken and rice entrée for weeknight meals (click the recipe link for Chicken Casserole D’Iberville). Found at Southern Living.

2. [2] Ahead Meals: Beefy Enchilada Bake: A layered lasagna casserole that’s easy to prepare, great to make ahead of time, freeze, thaw and bake. Recipe found at Heavenly Homemakers.

3. [3] Sicilian Casserole: Wrap this zesty ground beef dish well and freeze up to 3 months, see directions at the bottom of recipe for how to freeze ahead. Found at ArmyMama.
4. [4] Shepherd’s Pie Casserole: Always an easy favorite you can count on, from the site–”This is another one of those dishes that’s great to make ahead and freeze”. Found at See Kat Cook.

5. [5] Country Casserole: From the site’s description–”This casserole is quick, easy, filling, great tasting, an inexpensive way to feed a crowd, a complete meal in one, freezes AMAZINGLY well, can be made even MORE easy by using canned chicken when you’re not in the mood to cook chicken ahead of time”. Sounds like a winner to me! Ingredients include chicken, pasta and veggies. Found at Southern Plate.

6. [6] Make Ahead Marmalade French Toast Casserole: I’m a sucker for both french toast & make ahead dishes–no way can I resist! This one’s an overnight refrigerated dish. Found at Foodies-R-Us. Also see this [7] breakfast casserole recipe.

7. [8] Chicken And Dressing Casserole - Freezer: From the site–”I make a really good chicken and dressing casserole that is basically thrown together. I divide it into two or three containers and freeze them.” Found at MyFavoriteRecipes.

8. [9] Light King Ranch Chicken: From the site–”Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake as directed.” Found at Michelle’s Messy Musings.

9. [10] Chicken Enchilada Casserole: From the site–”You can assemble the casserole ahead of time; cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly. Or freeze casserole, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours, then bake for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.” Found at Apple A Day.

10. [11] Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole: There are actually three recipes on this page that all sound good, I’m liking the look of the Poppy Seed Chicken recipe too (and take a look at all the meals stacked in her freezer–good for her!). Found at Live to Learn! Homeschool Blogger.

Getting inspired to start some freezer or bulk cooking? Check out [12] Once A Month Cooking for some great resources to get you started.

And don’t forget about this kick-up-the-flavor tip: [13] Kick Up A Casserole With Herb Crusts.

More Tips You May Like:

* [14] Recipe Hit List: Eggs For Breakfast
* [15] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [16] Recipe Hit List: 14 Turkey Leftover Recipes
* [17] 7 Easy Freeze-Ahead Shortcuts
* [18] Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/make-ahead-casseroles/

Recipe Hit List: Stir Fry Recipes For Each Day Of The Month

Posted By TipNut On September 25, 2008 @ 1:03 pm In Recipes | 2 Comments

Picture of Cooking Stir Fry - Tipnut.comHere are my picks for 31 tasty stir fry recipes that I’ve found online, they range from simple ingredients to more “Wok Star” pantry staples.

You’ll also find several recipes at the bottom for stir fry sauces. Quite a packed list here folks! Also check out today’s earlier post: [1] 10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking.

I went a little overboard for this week’s Recipe Hit List, but there are SO MANY delicious recipes available that I couldn’t help myself!

Recipe Hit List: 31 Stir Fry Recipes

*Most descriptions included below are directly from recipe page

1. [2] Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas: Stir-fries aren’t usually the well-edited dishes you think about and shop for in advance. They are frequently renegade, use-up-what’s-in-the-fridge meals, which is part of their charm. But not so with this recipe. We deliberately chose these ingredients, using pork tenderloin where we’d normally throw in chicken and adding lots of green.

2. [3] Chicken Lo Mein: This is sort of a healthier version of the totally Americanized takeout classic-more fresh vegetables, less fat and you can make it in about the same time it would take to be delivered. And the flavor? More complex, more flavorful and more interesting than than the best lo mein you can get out. The leftovers hold up very well for lunch the next day.

3. [4] Chicken Stir-Fry in Peanut Sauce: If you’re suddenly struck by a craving for peanut stir-fry- imagining tender sweet mouthfuls of broccoli, crisp and elegant red pepper strips and slender chicken pieces all commingling happily in an earthy, garlicky peanut sauce- I’ve got you covered. It doesn’t get much better than this easy recipe.

4. [5] Chinese Broccoli Beef Recipe: Chinese broccoli beef (or broccoli and beef) is a stir fry dish consisting of fresh broccoli, slices of steak in a delicious sauce. It can be found at many take-out places and at many buffets in the United States, and now you can make it at home as well!

5. [6] Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews: Its Asian flavors come from a bright mix of fish sauce, oyster sauce and basil—and just a little oil.

6. [7] Your Basic Go-To Stir-Fry: Meat is not required in this dish, feel free to sub in tofu, or go all veggie.

7. [8] Basil & Black Pepper Beef with Egg Noodles: If you don’t eat beef, chicken or pork could be the substitute. And if you want to make it a bit spicy, just add some freshly cut chilies in your stir-fry.

8. [9] Yaki Udon With Beef: If you marinate the beef the night before or in the morning (which improves the flavour anyway), everything comes together and onto the table really quickly less than half an hour.

9. [10] The Secret’s In The Sauce: Sichuan Shredded Chicken With Garlic Sauce: A wonderful story behind this recipe that was secret for years until now.

10. [11] Spicy Pork & Cashew Stir-Fry With Snow Peas And Red Pepper: Thinly sliced boneless pork loin, hot red pepper flakes, strips of fresh red pepper, cashews, snow peas and more. Recipe found at Epicurious.

11. [12] Black Pepper Pork: Black pepper pork with onion and red bell pepper.

12. [13] Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce: Yummy recipe plus includes basic rules for stir-frying.

13. [14] Weekend Stirfry, Part II: Stirfries and soups are excellent ways to use up produce, go ahead - clean out your refrigerator and give it at try!

14. [15] Simple Minced Pork Noodles: The great thing with this dish is that you can always cook up a little more minced pork than you need. Pop the extra portions in your fridge or freezer. And the next time you’re feeling a little peckish, a great, comforting meal is only minutes away. All you have to do is boil your noodles, defrost the pork and you’re ready to chow down.

15. [16] Stir-fried Shanghai Noodles: A very quick and easy recipe, stir-fried Shanghai noodles with mushroom and chinese mustard greens in thick soy sauce.

16. [17] Stir Fry Chinese Cabbage and Chicken: A quick-to-whip-up dish, with protein, iron, sodium and fibre in one plate. Chinese style. Minimum oil, quick cooking time to seal in the nutritious stuff.

17. [18] Mushroom Pepper Stir: Simple recipe, meat free.

18. [19] Oriental Stir Fry with Aromatic Lamb & Pok Choi: Lamb, noodles, ginger, garlic, pak choi and more.

19. [20] Kung Pao Chicken: Chicken, broccoli slaw, red bell pepper & more.

20. [21] Hoisin Beef With Vegetables: This dish wasn’t overwhelming with flavor, like I first expected to be with the hoisin, ginger and garlic, but it was still delicious and flavorful. And I can see why Robin Miller uses this as her go-to recipe - it really is adaptable to whatever you have on hand!

21. [22] Stir Fried Shrimp, Eggs and Peas + Stir Fry Secrets: In this Stir Fried Shrimp, Eggs and Peas dish, you’ll practice all three of these secrets. You’ll let the oil heat up before adding the shrimp, spread out the shrimp so that they don’t touch and just let it sear. Once cooked, you’ll remove the shrimp and add it back in when the eggs are almost set. This will give you a light/firm/crisp/crunch/springy shrimp - a sure sign that you’ve cooked the shrimp properly.

22. [23] Sunburst Stir-Fry: This zesty dish gets its name from the colorful red pepper and yellow summer squash.
23. [24] Veggie Stir Fry with Rice Noodles: Try this stir fry as a quick and healthy weekday meal. It comes together in no time at all and the ingredients are flexible. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand and substitute rice for the noodles if you wish.

24. [25] Pineapple and Pork Stir Fry: Serve over a bed of cooked rice. Sprinkle fresh ground red pepper flakes for an extra spicy dinner, not recommended for the kiddos.

25. [26] Rainbow Thai Stir-Fry: The colors in this quick stir-fry showcase the beauty of summer harvest while the chili garlic lime sauce brings out the taste of Asia. The sauce is also quite versatile. Omit the lime for a chili garlic sauce, add extra garlic for a Thai garlic sauce or add szechuan sauce for a spicier dish.

26. [27] Vegetable Stir Fry: This meal is healthy, hearty and oh so good! It’s the perfect combination for a quick, easy meal! Includes tofu.

27. [28] Spicy Ginger Beef: Freshly grated ginger adds a peppery heat to the hot red curry and sweet red chili sauce. All three heats combined give this beef entrée, rich and complimentary flavors.

28. [29] Garlic Beef with Asparagus and Shiitakes: Any mushroom can be substituted for shiitakes. And asparagus can be replaced with any green vegetable, such as snow peas, broccoli or Chinese broccoli. If you like a lot of sauce, increase the quantity of stock or water to 1 1/2 cups and add additional corn starch slurry to thicken.

29. [30] Savory Chicken Stir Fry with Glass Noodles: Chicken, ginger, garlic, red bell pepper, onion & more served on a bed of Glass Noodles.

30. [31] Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Vegetables: You can use any kind of meat with this, recipe from a Cook’s Illustrated cookbook.

31. [32] Teriyaki Chicken Bowls: This is an easy Asian-inspired meal. The stir fry comes together quickly, and making your own teriyaki sauce is easy and delicious.

Stir Fry Sauce Recipes

* [33] Yummy Stir Fry: A soy-free sauce.

* [34] Garlic & Ginger Stir-fry Sauce: A basic, delicious brown sauce that has a lot of garlic and ginger.

* [35] Stir Fry Sauce: Basic recipe with ingredients including soy sauce, ginger and vinegar.

* [36] Mollie Katzen’s Kung Pao Sauce: Ingredients include rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and more.

* [37] CI’s Orange-Sesame Stir-Fry Sauce: Orange juice, soy sauce, chicken broth, toasted sesame oil & more.

* [38] Chinese Basic Stir Fry Sauce: Sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chicken broth, brown sugar and even Tabasco are some of the ingredients in this recipe.

* [39] Lime and Ginger Stir-Fry Marinade: Lime? Ginger? I’m in! Other ingredients include soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes.

* [40] Chinese Black Bean Sauce: This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prepare, so make it ahead on the weekend as a base for super-quick dinners during the week. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks and makes more than enough for the two recipes, so you can cut it in half if you like.

More Tips You May Like:

* [41] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [1] 10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking
* [42] Recipe Hit List - Tasty Main Dishes
* [43] Recipe Hit List: 12 Pasta Pleasers
* [44] Recipe Hit List: 15 Comforting Homemade Soup Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/stir-fry-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] 10 Quick Tips For Stir Fry Cooking: http://tipnut.com/tips-stir-fry/
[2] Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/recipe-pork-stirfry-with-asparagus-and-sugar-snap-peas-
047510

[3] Chicken Lo Mein: http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2008/03/chicken-lo-mein.html
[4] Chicken Stir-Fry in Peanut Sauce: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/01/peanut-chicken-broccoli-stir-fry.html
[5] Chinese Broccoli Beef Recipe: http://blogchef.net/chinese-broccoli-beef-recipe/
[6] Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-stir-fry-with-asparagus-and-cashews
[7] Your Basic Go-To Stir-Fry: http://www.onefrugalfoodie.com/2008/02/10/quick-easy-stir-fry/
[8] Basil & Black Pepper Beef with Egg Noodles: http://www.mycookinghut.com/2008/05/15/basil-black-pepper-beef-with-egg-noodles/
[9] Yaki Udon With Beef: http://www.soyandpepper.com/2008/04/yaki-udon-with-beef.html
[10] The Secret’s In The Sauce: Sichuan Shredded Chicken With Garlic Sauce: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2007/06/20/a-sichuan-classic-shredded-chicken-with-garlic-sauce
/

[11] Spicy Pork & Cashew Stir-Fry With Snow Peas And Red Pepper: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SPICY-PORK-AND-CASHEW-STIR-FRY-WITH-SNOW-PEAS-AND-RED-P
EPPER-104637

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

Posted By TipNut On October 26, 2007 @ 6:38 am In Food, Recipes | No Comments

This will make a nice chicken with a slightly crispy skin, not quite rotisserie crispy, but it’s still very good.

Ingredients:

Roasting Chicken
Seasonings (Lemon Pepper, Lemon Herb Blend, or your favorite Chicken Spices)
Lard (I use Tenderflake)

Directions:

* Wash the chicken inside and out thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub in a light layer of lard all over the outside of the chicken, wings, legs and all. Sprinkle seasonings inside the chicken and outside (be generous).
* Wad up aluminum foil into balls, large enough for the chicken to sit on top of them yet not having the chicken touching the lid. I like to make them as high as I can since there is quite a bit of juice that accumulates at the bottom–I don’t like the chicken “simmering” in this. Arrange foil balls around the bottom of the crockpot, as many as you need to hold the chicken up (4 should do it).
* Place the chicken on the foil balls, breast side up.
* Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 6 to 7 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. Watch the juice level and if it gets high, use a turkey baster to remove some of it.

I did try last week’s [1] crockpot potatoes with this rotisserie style chicken dish, and they were good even though I scrimped on the cheese and onions (it looked like too much!). Next time I’ll use the amount the recipe suggests ;). Having two crockpots is really handy (I find one large and one small is perfect), you can have two hot dishes prepared and most of the work done in the morning. Watch for sales since these can be picked up at such low prices now.

More Tips You May Like:

* [2] How To Meal-Stretch A Chicken
* [3] Crockpot Chicken Soup For The Soul
* [4] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks
* [5] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes
* [6] Crockpot Pull-Apart Roast Beef Recipe

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-rotisserie-chicken/

URLs in this post:
[1] crockpot potatoes: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-potatoes-recipe/
[2] How To Meal-Stretch A Chicken: http://tipnut.com/meal-stretch-chicken/
[3] Crockpot Chicken Soup For The Soul: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-chicken-soup-for-the-soul/
[4] Crockpot Cooking Tips & Tricks: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-cooking-tips-tricks/
[5] Recipe Hit List: 12 Tempting Crockpot Recipes: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-recipes/
[6] Crockpot Pull-Apart Roast Beef Recipe: http://tipnut.com/crockpot-pull-apart-roast-beef-recipe/

[This I knew, from reading up on candles a couple years ago.
granny]

Holiday Candle Light...lovely ambiance, but...

As the nights get longer do you light candles in your home? Do you burn candles during the holiday season? Candles add a wonderful ambience, but you’ll be healthier by blowing them out — if they’re paraffin candles. Paraffin, leaded wicks, and even scents can make us sick.

Paraffin is a derivative of petroleum; paraffin is the last product after asphalt in petroleum refining. The grayish-black sludge is whitened with 100 percent strength bleach, creating dioxins, before further processing. When burned, the paraffin releases carcinogenic toxins such as benzene, toluene, formaldehy
de, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and others. The emissions from paraffin candles contain many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel!

Burning paraffin candles contributes to an indoor air pollution problem by emitting soot into the air. This soot ends up in our lungs, and lays a light coat of soot on walls, ceilings, ventilation system ductwork, and the contents of your home. If the light-colored fabrics in your home begin to look dingy or gray, if plastic items in the house begin to accumulate a dark film, if your electronic equipment has discolorations especially around vents, if your TV or computer monitor screen is covered with a thin dark residue that wipes off with a clean cloth, you could have an indoor air quality problem resulting from candle soot.

Anyone — especially those with asthma and respiratory conditions — may be very sensitive to both the soot and the toxins. Candles can trigger allergic reactions including itchy and watery eyes, sore throat, blocked nasal passages, headaches, hives, skin irritations, and asthma-like conditions. If you feel worse when you enter a room where candles are burning, you may be one of the sensitive ones.

Consider wicks. Traditionally wicks were made of braided cotton, but over time wicks are often made with metal centers so they would stand up straight. That metal was usually lead, sometimes zinc or tin. In 2002, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned lead in candlewicks made in the United States, so most candles do not contain leaded wicks. But
candles made abroad, mainly in China, often contain leaded wicks. Votive candles, tea candles, and pillar candles are the most likely to have leaded wicks. Some stores, like Pier One and Wal-Mart have banned candles with leaded wicks.

If you are like me, you probably have candles that have been sitting in a cabinet for many years, so how can we tell if our wicks have lead in them?

Â· Read the label on the candle (if it has one). Â
Â· If you notice a very thin core of metal around the wick, chances are good it’s lead.
Â· If the wick can make a dark mark on paper it’s probably lead. Don’t burn it.

Fragrances added to candles make my nose run and itch.Â According to the National Candle Association, 75% of candles sold have natural and synthetic scents. They also believe that they are safe. But you may have the same reaction to them that I do.Â If so, buy unscented candles.Â For me, candles made with essential oils (not perfume oils) don’t typically provoke allergic symptoms.Â Â

Healthy Candle Options -
The good news is that candles made from soy and beeswax are healthier for us. Soy candles generally last 50% longer than paraffin-based candles. They burn cleaner, slower, and cooler. They’re non-toxic and less likely to trigger allergies. They usually have a cotton wick. In addition they clean up with soap and water. Soy candles are labeled explicitly, so if it doesn’t say soy on the label, it isn’t. If it doesn’t say cotton wick, it probably
isn’t.

Beeswax is returning to popularity. Beeswax burns longer, is less likely to trigger allergies and generally does not produce toxins or soot. It burns slow and well, but be careful of the drips...they are sticky like honey and hard to clean up. Do read the labels, as some manufacturers may have added paraffin.
Â
Consider your choices. When you stand in front of a store display of candles deciding which to buy, please consider your choices. While soy and beeswax candles are more expensive, they are an investment in your health and your family’s health.

Resources:
-http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/11.13.03/candles-0346.html
-Environment, Health, and Safety On-line
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/candles2.htm
-Nriagu, JO and Kim, MJ. Emissions of lead and zinc from candles with metal-core wicks. Sci Total Environ, 2000 Apr 24;250(1-3):37-41. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10811249?dopt=Abstract
-Levin, R. et. al. Lead Exposures in US Children, 2008: Implications for Prevention. Environ. Health Perspec 116:1285-1293http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/11241/11241.html
-Neer, H. Health Dangers of Lead Wick Candles, AC Associated Content, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8710/health_dangers_of_lead_wick_candles.html?page=3&cat=5
-National Candle Association
http://www.candles.org/elements_fragrance.html

Tip Provided By:

Dr. Liz Lipski has a PhD and is board certified in clinical nutrition. A 30-year practitioner, author, and the Director of Doctoral Studies at Hawthorn University. She is founder of Innovative Healing Inc., author of Digestive Wellness, Digest
ive Wellness for Children, and many other publications.

Recycle: Forward this on to a friend

Copyright 2008 Innovative Healing
To subscribe: www.FreeWeeklyHealthTip.com
Questions, comments, suggestions? E-mail: tips@innovativehealing.com
Also visit: Access to Health Experts

From:

To visit group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RealFoodSimpleLife/

http://safetycenter.navy.mil/safetips/wintercar-p.htm

Winter, Your Car, and You

Driving in the winter means snow, sleet, and ice that can lead to slower traffic, hazardous road conditions, hot tempers and unforseen dangers. To help you make it safely through winter, here are some suggestions from the National Safety Council to make sure that you and your vehicle are prepared.
Weather

At any temperature-20 degrees Fahrenheit below zero or 90 degrees Fahrenheit above-weather affects road and driving conditions and can pose serious problems.
It is important to listen to forecasts on radio, TV, cable weather channel, or forecasts in the daily papers.
Your Car

Prepare your car for winter. Start with a checkup that includes:

* Checking the ignition, brakes, wiring, hoses and fan belts.
* Changing and adjusting the spark plugs.
* Checking the air, fuel and emission filters, and the PCV valve.
* Inspecting the distributor.
* Checking the battery.
* Checking the tires for air, sidewall wear and tread depth.
* Checking antifreeze leve and the freeze line.
* Your car should have a tune-up (check the owner’s manual for the recommended interval) to ensure better gas mileage, quicker starts and faster response on pick-up and passing power.

Necessary Equipment

An emergency situation on the road can arise at any time and you must be prepared. Following the tuneup, a full tank of gas, and fresh anti-freeze, your trunk should carry:

* A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack
* A shovel
* Jumper cables
* Tow and tire chains
* A bag of salt or cat litter
* Tool kit

Essential Supplies

Be prepared with a “survival kit” that should always remain in the car. Replenish after use. Essential supplies include:

* Working flashlight and extra batteries
* Reflective triangles and brightly-colored cloth
* Compass
* First aid kit
* Exterior windshield cleaner
* Ice scraper and snow brush
* Wooden stick matches in a waterproof container
* Scissors and string/cord
* Non-perishable, high energy foods like unsalted canned nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
* In addition, if you are driving long distances under cold, snowy, and icy conditions, you should also carry supplies to keep you warm, such as heavy woolen mittens, socks, a cap, and blankets.

If You Become Stranded

* Do not leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to possible help, and are certain you will improve your situation.
* To attract attention, light two flares and place one at each end of the car a safe distance away. Hang a brightly colored cloth from your antenna.
* If you are sure the car’s exhaust pipe is not blocked, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending upon the amount of gas in the tank.
* To protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia use the woolen items and blankets to keep warm.
* Keep at least one window open slightly. Heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut.
* Eat a hard candy to keep your mouth moist.

These tips provided courtesy the National Safety Council

[And walking shoes....granny]

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