Saturday, August 23, 2014

Tebow Family Pizza


I don't know what or if this has anything to do with Pro-Football player Tim Tebow...But if it does....His family sure knows how to make a darn good pizza..

INGREDIENTS:
1    pound    ground beef, 80% lean meat
 
1/2    Green peppers ( chopped ) 

 
1    Dry Italian style spaghetti sauce mix

 
6    ounces    tomato paste

 
3/4    cup    water

 
7 1/2    ounces    buttermilk biscuit dough ( 1 tube )

 
1/3    cup    parmesan cheese, grated ( divided ) 

 
2    cups    mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS: 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a large skillet, cook and stir beef and pepper over medium heat until met is no longer pink; drain.
  3. Stir in the sauce mix, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
  4. Separate biscuits from each other, and then separate each biscuit into two layers (half it!) Press biscuits onto the bottom and sides of a greased deep-dish 9″ pie plate to form a crust. Smush biscuits to seal any gaps. Sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese; fill with meat mixture.
  5. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
Hey...I mean you don't have to be a Tim Tebow fan or even a football fan to enjoy something as good as this... Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Feelin Good About Coffee


If You know me ,you know I start off nearly everyday with a hot steaming tumbler of coffee...I never imagined that coffee might actually be good for me...Go ahead, brew and pour your coffee. Some studies  have shown coffee can lower your risk of diabetes, liver cancer, Alzheimer’s and skin cancer..I'm not joking...Check it out-

Did you know for instance...A new study presented at an American Heart Association meeting found that young adults who drank a cup of caffeinated coffee boosted their blood flow compared to when they drank decaf?

 Researchers looked at blood flow in the finger, which indicates how well the body’s smallest blood vessels—particularly, the inner linings of these blood vessels—work. Studies have linked poor function of this lining to an increased risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.

The researchers suspect that caffeine opens up blood vessels and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reviewed data from three large studies–of nearly 200,000 adults—and found that the risk of suicide for adults who drank two to four cups of caffeinated coffee per day was half that of those who drank decaf or little or no coffee.

The researchers believe that caffeine boosts neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline—acting as a mild antidepressant.

People who drank at least one cup of caffeinated coffee a day cut their risk of developing throat or mouth cancer compared to those who drank none.

The risk was 20 percent lower among those who drank one to two cups daily and 50 percent less if they drank more than four cups, states a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The authors say more research needs to be done to understand why.

Finally, If you love the convenience of single-serving coffee makers but hate how those plastic cups are piling up in landfills, three brands now offer a biodegradable, single-cup solution: Canterbury Coffee’s OneCoffee, San Francisco Bay’s OneCup and Organic Coffee Company’s OneCup.

I'm feelin pretty good about my morning joe now of days...

Drink well my friends!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Churro Ice Cream Sandwich


My favorite Latina Detective,Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace (from my blog Escapades) recently hipped me to this wonderful summer dessert...
She said- "While it hasn’t reached cronut-level fervor, this hybrid dessert has drawn major crowds with its crispy-chewy cinnamon-sugar shell filled with a creamy orb of vanilla custard."

It's national Ice Cream Day....And what a better way to celebrate it by having two scoops of your favorite ice cream and placing it between two churros..

So Enjoy!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Fettuccine with Lemon Ricotta and Zucchini

Knowing that I like everything Italian and Pasta related ,how could I resist when I came across this recipe in Wine & Food...

INGREDIENTS:

12    ounce    fettucine

1    tablespoon    olive oil
 
1    lemons ( finely grated zest ) 
 
1    zucchini squash ( large, halved lengthwise and cut into ribbons ) 
 
1    summer squash ( large, halved lengthwise and cut into ribbons ) 
 
2    carrots ( medium, cut into ribbons ) 
 
1    lemons ( juice of ) 
 
1    cup    chives ( handful, chopped )
 
1    cup    parsley ( handful, chopped ) 
 
1    cup    ricotta cheese

to taste    salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
 
Cook your pasta according to package directions.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the vegetables together with the lemon peel over medium-high heat soft and slightly colored.

To make the ricotta sauce, stir all ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. 
 
Add the pasta back to the pot with the ricotta sauce and the reserved liquid. Carefully mix in the vegetables and serve immediately.

  Have a nice white wine with this!
 

Enjoy!  Eat well my friends!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Coconut Syrup

Doesn't that Coconut Waffle look good?   Yesssssssssssssss..Makes me want to go out to breakfast right this minute....

The Syrup looks different doesn't it? Or did you even know that that was syrup from the photo?  It's Coconut Syrup....

What is Coconut syrup you say?  Glad you asked.

I hear it is simply amazing over both Pancakes and Waffles...Here are the easy instructions-

INGREDIENTS:

1    stick    butter ( which is 1/2 cup or 1/4 lb. )

1/2    cup    buttermilk
 
1    cup    sugar
 
1/2    teaspoon    Coconut Extract
 
1/2    teaspoon    baking soda

DIRECTIONS:
 
 In a large pot, slowly melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the buttermilk and sugar. Turn the heat up and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
 
 Boil one minute, then add the coconut extract.
 
 Slowly sprinkle in the baking soda while stirring with a whisk. It will start to foam up and get all bubbly like a volcano that’s about to erupt.(Good to use a large pot for this.)

Serve it warm or at room temperature. It is also great on pancakes!
 
Thank You Marie Poulson, (a fellow food blogger) for this great recipe!

Enjoy!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Flourless Pancakes



Here is a quick and easy Pancake recipe for Diabetics and pre-diabetics like myself for flour less Pancakes-

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
1/4 cup corn meal
1 egg
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

 Mix all ingedients and cook in a pan over medium heat.

Number of Servings: 1

See...Easy....

Have a tall glass of milk with them!


Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!


 

Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household