Monday, March 30, 2015

Banana Foster Crepes


I'm back...and back with a real sweet breakfast treat for you.....Banana Foster Crepes!

I've just discovered crepes in the past year or so....They're lighter than both pancakes and eggs and yet full of protein....(Yeah, right!)

Anyway....I'm betting your local IHOP or diner doesn't serve this....

INGREDIENTS:

Crepes:
1 ½ c milk
1 c flour
2 Tb sugar
1 Tb veg. oil
2 eggs
butter (for cooking)

 Filling:
1/2 C butter
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C heavy cream
3-4 bananas
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Whipped cream (to top)
*can double the filling

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl combine milk, flour eggs, oil, and sugar. Beat until well mixed. Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium heat, add a little butter and swirl around until melted. Remove from heat. Pour in approx. ¼ C of batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. Return to heat and cook until it starts to bubble then flip it over and cook until lightly browned. Repeat with each crepe, adding more butter to the skillet each time.

 Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over med-high heat. Add the brown sugar, stir and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the cream and whisk to combine. Slice the bananas at an angle then add to the sauce and mix. Add the chopped nuts and cinnamon. Stir over med-high heat until boiling then continue to cook for an additional minute or two. Serve warm inside crepes, drizzle with a little of the caramel sauce and top with whipped cream.

(Special Thank You to the Food Network for the recipe...)

As usual...Chase this down with a cold refreshing glass of milk!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  Enjoy! and Eat well my friends!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

PASTA WITH CHICKEN, ROASTED RED PEPPERS & FETA

It has been awhile since I posted on this blog and I know I had promised to post more...but in order to do that I have to find the best and most innovated recipes to share with you...

I think I have found one...Pasta with Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers and Feta..

INGREDIENTS:

  •   2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4  cup olive oil, divided
  • 1  jar  (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained, finely chopped
  • 1  pkg.  (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Grilled Chicken Breast
  • 8  oz. farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
  • 1  pkg.  (4 oz.) ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • 1  Tbsp.  chopped fresh parsley (optional)
DIRECTIONS:

Cook  and stir garlic in 2 Tbsp. of the oil in skillet on medium heat 3 minutes. Add peppers, chicken breast strips and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through.
Cook  pasta as directed on package; drain.
Toss  vegetable mixture with hot pasta and feta cheese. Sprinkle with parsley.

Sounds Easy enough Doesn't it?

Tastes even better!  Enjoy!

Eat Well My friends!

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Slow Cooker Roast Beef

Twelve days into the month and I'm back with the latest recipe...Slow Cooker Roast Beef...

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  • Pour the soy sauce and dry onion soup mix into the slow cooker. Mix well. Place chuck roast into slow cooker. Add water until the top 1/2 inch of the roast is not covered. Add the fresh ground pepper over the top.
  • 2Cover and cook on low for 22 hours.
Now that's slowwwwwwwwwwww cookin...but it'll be good. Enjoy! and remember...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