How To Make Mochaccino Coffee

If you are trying to watch the carbohydrates in your diet, then you may want to try this Mochachino with Ricotta Cheese. It’s great for those of you who love the taste or texture of ricotta and wonder how it would taste like a drink! We have even added some vegan ingredient substitutes depending on your diet.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of dark, boiled or brewed coffee, at room temperature
• 1/2 half cup of ricotta cheese or silken tofu for vegans
• 2 packets of honey or artificial sweetener
• 1 tablespoon of soy milk or coffee creamer
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla bean or vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of ground cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1 full tray of ice cubes

Directions:

Pour all coffee into a high or medium powered blender, and add the sweeteners, vanilla, cocoa, cheese or tofu, ice cubes and creamer. Once this is done, place ice cubes on top of the mix. Puree until at a smooth consistency, and pour into glasses.

Enjoy!

Image: Ihavenet

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How To Cut a Grapefruit

There is nothing quite like a grapefruit for breakfast – not just tart and refreshing, grapefruits are filled to the brim with many of the vitamins and minerals essential to our well-being, such as Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C, and Folic Acid. Since they have low sugar content and are very filling, grapefruits can be the perfect low-calorie, healthy, and delicious start to your day.

Of course, nothing is perfect, so they are somewhat annoying to cut and eat (especially if you haven’t had your first cup of coffee yet). There’s a reason we all have the slapstick image of someone eating a grapefruit, and getting juice squirted in their eye. Without the proper technique, eating a grapefruit can be frustrating and messy.

While you may simply quarter and eat it like an orange, the grapefruit’s membrane is much tougher, and can be somewhat unpleasant to chew on. That’s why your best option is to slice the grapefruit in half and cut out the individual segments. To do this, a grapefruit knife is truly your best friend. They can be bought online for under $5, and will make your life much easier. Grapefruit knives generally have two sides: a double blade for separating the segments from the membrane, and a curved blade for separating the entire flesh from the skin. If you are an avid grapefruit eater, this will make your life much easier, and your grapefruit eating much more elegant – and cleaner!

If you only occasionally eat grapefruits, maybe it’s time to think about why you don’t eat them more often – is it because they are a pain to cut? Would you have more of this healthy snack if it were easier to eat? Maybe a grapefruit knife will help. In a pinch, however, a paring knife will do just fine.

You will need:

A ripe grapefruit
A cutting board
A sharp paring knife or a double-sided grapefruit knife
A small dessert spoon

With the paring knife:

1. Start by slicing the grapefruit in half along the center, the same way as you would cut open an orange or lemon for squeezing.
2. Insert the blade in one of the segments, near the center of the grapefruit, with the cutting edge facing out. The blade should be right next to the membrane, so that when you cut, it will neatly separate the fleshy segment from the tough membrane.
3. Cut towards the edge of the grapefruit, being careful not to pierce the skin with the tip of the knife – you don’t want any of the precious juice to leak out!
4. Repeat on the other side of the membrane.
5. Go all around the grapefruit, separating each segment.
6. Once all segments are loose from the membranes, insert the spoon between the flesh and the skin, and pull out your neatly cut segment.
7. You may scoop out all the segments and put them on a plate, or eat each one straight from the grapefruit.
8. Enjoy your healthy, nutritious breakfast!

With the double-sided grapefruit knife:

1. Start by slicing the grapefruit in half along the center, the same way as you would cut open an orange or lemon for squeezing.
2. Insert the blades in one of the segments, near the center of the grapefruit, with the cutting edge facing out. Each of the blades should be on either side of the membrane.
3. Cut towards the edge of the grapefruit, being careful not to cut through the skin with the tip of the knife – you don’t want any of the precious juice to leak out!
4. Repeat this for each segment, all around the entire grapefruit.
5. Once all segments are separated from their membranes, insert the curved blade on the grapefruit knife between the flesh and the skin, and cut all the way around the grapefruit. Be careful not to tip the grapefruit, as a lot of the juice might spill.
6. With a spoon, you may scoop out all the segments and put them on a plate, or eat each one straight from the grapefruit.
7. Enjoy your healthy, nutritious breakfast!

Note: If using a grapefruit knife, make sure to clean thoroughly between the two blades, as small pips stuck between them are easy to overlook.

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How To Make French Onion Soup

French onion soup is famous for its rich and beefy broth, delicious caramelized onions, and cheesy crust. You can easily wow your family or dinner guests with the following recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium yellow onions, (about 8 cups), thinly sliced
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. sugar
• 1 T. flour
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup white wine
• French bread
• Fresh garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cups Aged Gruyere

Procedure:

For the Soup:

1. Melt ¼ cup butter in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in thinly sliced onions, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. of pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the onions for 15 minutes. Stir the onions occasionally.
3. Uncover the pan, add ¼ tsp. sugar, and stir. Return to medium heat and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until they achieve a golden brown color.
4. Add 1 T. flour and stir for 3 minutes.
5. Add 2 quarts of beef stock, 1 bay leaf, and ½ cup white wine. Bring the liquid to boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat to simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Set soup aside until ready to serve.

For the Croutons:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Rub each round of French bread with cut garlic. Brush each round with olive oil.
3. Place French bread rounds on a greased baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes. French bread rounds can be based with olive oil during baking. They should be dry, crisp, and brown after baking.

Serving the Soup:

1. Reheat the soup over medium-low heat.
2. Pour individual servings of soup into soup bowls.
3. Place one French bread round in each soup bowl.
4. Top each French bread round with shredded cheese.

Extra Tips and Tricks

This French onion soup recipe is very easy to follow and gets an rave reviews whenever we serve it to family and friends. Here are a few tips and tricks we have found helpful when making this dish.

• Yellow onions work best for this recipe. You will not get the right flavor with sweet onions.
• Do not stir the onions too often during the cooking process. Over-stirring the onions will not allow them to caramelize. To achieve a mellow flavor they must cook for a long time over low heat. Plus, do not try to hurry the onions. Cooking the onions too fast can lead to blackened onions and give the soup a burned and bitter taste.
• It is perfectly acceptable to use canned beef stock or beef broth in this recipe.
• Do not feel obligated to purchase an expensive French white wine for this soup. If you will be having white wine with your dinner use it in the soup. It is always a good idea to cook with a good wine that you also enjoy drinking. A dry Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc will pare nicely with the soup and the meal.
• When preparing the French bread rounds you can substitute powdered garlic if you are out of fresh garlic. Mix a tablespoon of garlic powder with three tablespoons of olive oil and spread on the French bread rounds before placing them in the oven to mimic the fresh garlic taste.
• Grated Swiss cheese or grated Parmesan cheese can be substituted for the aged Gruyere cheese.
• The French bread rounds can be basted with the beef stock from the soup during baking instead of the olive oil.
• French onion soup is normally served with a bubbling cheese crust. To achieve this at home, place finished individual soup bowls on a baking sheet and run under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
• The soup can be prepared twenty-four hours before serving and refrigerated. To serve, reheat on medium-low and place into individual soup bowls before adding French bread rounds and shredded cheese.

Serve a bowl of French onion soup with a nice salad of fresh greens and balsamic vinaigrette and you have a delicious brunch. A small cup size serving of this soup makes an elegant start to any meal. Bon appetit!

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How To Make Roasted Pork With Autumn Vegetables

Roasted Pork with Autumn Vegetables is a great dish for any time of year, it is sure to impress your guests. Not only is it a fragrant dish, it is appealing to the eye as well. This is due to the bright, vibrant colors of the vegetables. It is a relatively easy dish to prepare as well, requiring minimal preparation. The dish is perfect for holidays and a casual get together, but also as just a family meal.

To begin the dish, you will need a few ingredients:

• Two and a quarter pound boneless pork loin
• Two fennel bulbs
• One small onion
• One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• Two tablespoons of fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon of both salt and pepper
• One large rutabaga, eight baby carrots
• One bag of Brussels sprouts
• A bunch of baby beets
• 3/4 cup of reduced vegetable broth
• Half a cup of dried white wine
• Two teaspoons of Dijon mustard

Preparation:

The next step is to cut and wash your vegetables. Be sure to cut the onions and the fennel leaving the root side intact, and into 1/4 sections. By leaving the root side, you will be sure to keep them together. This makes the dish more visually appealing. Peel and cut your carrots into 2-3 inch sections. The rest of the vegetables do not need to be cut.

At this point, you want to caramelize the onions and fennel. What this means is to simply sauté them to give them a nice, brown color. This enhances the flavor, and makes them visually appealing. You will not cook them all the way through. To do this, heat some extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Place them cut side down in the pan, cook two minutes on one side then flip to the other side. You will hear them sizzling. Once caramelized, remove them from the pan and set them aside.

To prepare the dish for the oven, place the pork loin in the middle of your roasting pan, on top of a wire rack. This is done to allow drippings to collect underneath. Then lay the roasted vegetables evenly, alongside the roast. Next, place the rutabaga, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and beets around the roast in the same manner. Once they are all placed, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the pork and vegetables. Then sprinkle the sage over the pork in the same manner; some can go over the vegetables as well, but most of the sage should be on the pork.

Finally, it is time to cook the roast. Place it in a preheated, 400 degree oven on a center rack. Bake the roast for approximately 50 minutes. Once the roast is cooked, it should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees. The final step is to make a sauce out of the stock that drips beneath the roast. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, and use tongs or a large fork to move the roast to a platter, and the vegetables to a bowl for serving later.

To make the white wine sauce, place a sauce pan over medium high heat. Take the drippings, which are called a “fond,” and pour them into the sauce pan. Add the vegetable stock, and chardonnay of your choice, along with the two teaspoons of Dijon mustard to the pan with the drippings. Whisk it together while bringing the mixture to a simmer. You will simmer it down, or reduce it for about ten minutes. When finished, it will be about half of the amount you started with. You will want to regularly whisk the mixture while it is simmering to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

To serve your amazing Roasted Pork with Autumn Vegetables, slice the pork and place it on a serving plate, surround it with a bit of each of the vegetables, and ladle some of the white wine sauce over the top of it. Guests will think you slaved for hours, but this simple dish can be your secret! You can end the meal with a cool dessert, leaving your guests satisfied and impressed.

Image: Jolts & Jollies

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How To Make Grapefruit Quinoa Salad

Both grapefruit and quinoa are known for being wonder foods. Chock full of essential vitamins and minerals, a grapefruit quinoa salad is an excellent choice for the health conscious eater. This vegetarian friendly dish is inexpensive, nutritious and simple to prepare; an excellent recipe to have in your repertoire. This basic quinoa grapefruit salad recipe can easily be adapted to include your other favorite veggies and fruits such as avocado, kale or cranberries. This dish can be served up warm or cold and stores easily.

This recipe requires about 40 minutes to prepare and cook. The current recipe makes approximately four to six servings of grapefruit quinoa salad, however, the amounts can easily be altered to change the number of servings. It is low in calories and full of protein. It can easily be served in smaller portions as an appetizer or a side dish to another meal, however, it also stands alone nicely as a main dish. This recipe includes a simple grapefruit vinaigrette to be sprinkled on top, however, any dressing can be used.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1/2 cup of quinoa, uncooked
• 2 cups of chopped spinach (or any other leafy green of your choice)
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 3 pink or white grapefruits
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or 1/8 cup of sliced almonds)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 3 ounces feta cheese

Cookware Needed:

• One medium sized saucepan
• One large mixing bowl
• Small paring knife
• One small mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• One large skillet or frying pan
• Sieve

Instructions:

Begin by lightly rinsing the uncooked quinoa under water. You can do this using either a sieve or by placing it in a bowl and then using your hand to block to the grains as you pour the water out. Rinsing the grains before cooking them prevent them from tasting bitter. Next, toast the uncooked quinoa. Toasting the quinoa before cooking it is optional, however, it will help prevent the end product from coming out mushy, and instead flavorful and fluffy. Place the wet quinoa in a frying pan over medium heat and allow to toast for about two to three minutes.

In a medium sized saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add in a pinch of salt and the quinoa grain. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the saucepan. Let the quinoa cook for 20 minutes and then remove it from the heat. Once you have removed the saucepan from the burner, let the quinoa continue to sit, still covered, for another 10 minutes. This will allow the quinoa to finish absorbing any water residue and to settle.

Finely slice 1/2 of a red onion. You can either finely chop the onion, or cut it into long slices. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped spinach, or other leafy green of your choice and the red onion. Kale and arugula are both excellent substitues in this dish for the spinach, or try a combination of all three. You can add more or less spinach and onion depending on your personal taste. If you would like to include feta cheese with this meal, crumble the feta and mix it in with the spinach and onion.

Using a small paring knife, peel and slice two of the grapefruits. To properly slice a grapefruit, begin by cutting of the top and bottom of the fruit. Then proceed to peel the rest of the fruit. Cut following the natural slices of the grapefruit, however, you don’t want to have any of the white membranes in your dish. Add the grapefruit slices in with the spinach and onion. Cut the third grapefruit in half. In a small bowl, squeeze out the juice from the grapefruit and add in the oil and vinegar. Stir vigorously. This makes an easy, and basic grapefruit vinaigrette dressing. Salt and pepper the dressing to taste.

Combine the cooked quinoa with the chopped spinach and onion mix and mix it all together. Pour the dressing over the dish and stir it in. Your grapefruit quinoa salad is now ready to serve.

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How To Make French Bread

Making authentic French bread at home is simple with this easy to follow recipe.

Before beginning, gather all equipment needed for completing the recipe.

Equipment:

• Heavy-duty standing mixer with a paddle attachment
• Small bowl
• Large bowl
• Wire whisk
• Pastry brush
• Pastry scraper
• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper

After gathering the equipment, prep the ingredients required for the recipe.

• 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 ¼ cup lukewarm whole milk
• 2 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 cups All-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work area
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature or ½ a stick
• 1-teaspoon canola or oil olive for greasing bowl

Instructions:

1. Line pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cooking spray, butter or grease are other options to prevent bread from sticking.
2. Pour ¼ cup lukewarm milk into a small bowl. Lukewarm milk is best to help dissolve the yeast. Add 2 ½ teaspoons of active dry yeast to milk and whisk to dissolve. Lukewarm milk is best when activating yeast. If milk is too warm, the yeast will not activate. If milk is too cold, the yeast will activate too slowly.
3. After yeast has fully dissolved, add ¾-cup lukewarm milk to the mixture. Whisk together until the mixture is foamy and forms bubbles on the top. Properly activated yeast will foam. If the yeast does not foam, then the yeast is not working. Check the expiration date to make sure the yeast has not expired. Pour the yeast and milk mixture into the standing mixer.
4. Add bread flour, All-purpose flour, salt, and sugar into the mixer with the yeast mixture. Turn the mixer on low and began slowly mixing the ingredients. The ingredients begin to resemble a dry, coarse meal. Add the room temperature, unsalted butter into the mixer. Continue to mix the ingredients on low to medium speed. After dough comes together and begins to form a ball, turn off the mixer.
5. Lightly flour work surface with All-purpose flour. Use less flour rather than more since too much flour changes the consistency of the dough. Tour dough out onto floured surface. Dough should not be wet or overly sticky. Work dough into a ball with hands. After dough forms a ball, lightly flour the top of the dough. Lightly flour palms of hands and push them into the center of the ball pushing away from the body. Then, fold dough over back towards the body. After every sequence of motion, turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat. This is the kneading process. Continue to follow this process and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. Kneading the dough gives the bread a light, airy texture. Under kneaded bread is dense and heavy. Dough becomes smooth and elastic after about 8-10 minutes of kneading.
6. Lightly oil large bowl. Place dough into bowl and turn it several times to coat the dough with the oil. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl containing the bread. Set bowl aside for two hours and let dough rise until doubled in size.
7. After dough doubles in size, deflate dough with hands then turn it out onto lightly floured surface. Cut dough in half with pastry scraper. Set half aside for later use. Slightly flatten remaining half of dough. Gently roll dough back and forth to form a baguette shape about 8 inches long. Dividing dough into smaller portions before rolling will yield smaller loaves. Place loaves on baking sheet and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest for 20 minutes. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. After 20 minutes, remove plastic wrap. Make horizontal lines through tops of loaves with a sharp knife. Do not cut too deeply into dough. Take pastry brush and apply the remaining milk on tops and sides of loaves.
9. Place baking sheets with dough into preheated oven. Bake loaves for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. When loaves become golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. Bread will be crisp on top, crunchy on bottom and soft and chewy in the center.

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How To Make Baseball Player Bomb Pops

Summer has arrived. The warmer weather will bring with it requests for cooler fare – including treats! Chances are, with school being out, you are looking for entertaining ways to keep the kids occupied. Have them pitch in on this recipe for Baseball Player Bomb Pops. These whimsical cool treats are personalized so each person will be able to select their favorite team and player. The setup and preparation time are a breeze. They are fun to make and eat. Nothing says summer like baseball and popsicles. Combine the two and you’ll score a home run!

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Serves: Makes 8 medium popsicles

Ingredients

• 8 Multi-color bomb pops
• 8 Strawberries
• 1 Tube of White Frosting
• 16 (8 pairs) Sugar Cake Decoration Letters
• 16 Candy Eyes
• 8 Graham Cracker Sticks (cut in half)

TIP: To help you envision this tasty treat, imagine that the strawberries form the baseball helmet and the graham crackers form the arms. The frosting is the “glue” that holds the eyes and letters together.

Preparation

1. Remove the stems from the strawberries then pat them dry removing any moisture.
2. Core each strawberry in the center enough so that it will fit snugly over the top of each bomb pop.
3. Cut off a V-shaped slice of the long edge of each strawberry.
4. Place a dab of white frosting at the center of the strawberry (where you cut the V shape).
5. Attach a sugar cake decoration letter to the frosting. This will be your team’s letter.
6. Place a tiny dab of white frosting near the top of each bomb pop.
7. Stick the candy eyes to the frosting. Alternative: if you do not have candy eyes, simply dab a tiny bit of frosting (as instructed in # 6) and add a tiny piece of chocolate to form the pupils.
8. Add a dab of white frosting to the front of the bomb pop and attach the corresponding sugar cake decoration (team) letters.
9. Dab a bit of frosting to the sides of the bomb pop and attach the graham crackers to form arms.

The next step is easy: eat and enjoy your creation. It will cool you down on a hot summer day. This recipe is also perfect for birthday parties. Have the birthday child and attendees make Baseball Player Bomb Pops for an undeniably great time.

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How To Make Greek Easter Bread

Greek history begins way past the starting of Christianity, but from the early days of Christian Faith, the Greek people have accepted Christian beliefs and now they are a big part of what is Greek heritage today. Easter is by far the largest celebration and feast for the people of the Greek Orthodox Faith. One great traditional food that is served during this time is, Easter Bread. It is a sweet yeast bread, also known as Tsoureki, made up of butter, milk and eggs. It also contains, mahlepi, the main flavor in the bread, which is a seed that is found within the stoned of the St. Luci Cherry, and is used as a spice in many other middle eastern foods. It has a cinnamon/nutty like taste. This bread is traditionally baked on Holy Thursday, and then feasted upon on Easter Sunday morning. It is a light bread, with a denseness that is very filling. The sweet bread served along with a nice cup of hot coffee is absolutely delicious!

 

Ingredients:

• 7 cups flour
• 3 quick rise yeast packets
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. mahlepi
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon and orange zest
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 red dyed hard-boiled egg

Egg Wash for bread

• 1 egg
• a few drops vanilla
• 1 tbsp. water

Note: All ingredients should be at least room temperature in order to help make the dough rise faster.

Preparation:

1. Pour flour in large mixing bowl, and make a hole in the center of it with your hands. This is where you will put the sugar, salt, mahlepi, and zest. Make sure that the mahlepi is grounded up into a fine powder, like the consistency of flour, before adding to the mixture. Now mix this all together with your hands. Then add the hot milk and mix this in with your hands as well. Once the mixture is formed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing in each one well. Next, add the yeast and water mixture. After this is done, the dough should appear stringy when stretched apart.
2. The next step is to pour the melted butter into the mixture, one handful at a time. Fold the butter into the dough, do not kneed it. Keep repeating this process until all the butter is used up. It’s okay if any butter is pooling around the edges, it will absorb into the dough as it rises.
3. Cover the dough while it is still in the bowl, with plastic wrap, so it is tucked down around it. Next, wrap the bowl in towels and keep it in a warm place where it will rise for the next 2 hours.
4. Next, separate the dough into four equal parts. Then separate each of the four parts into three separate sections. Roll each piece until it is about 14 inches long, and about as thick as your finger. Then braid 3 sections together, which will be one loaf of bread, you should end up with 4 braided sections. The three strand braid symbolized the Holy Trinity.
5. The next step is to take 4 round pans that have been lined with wax paper, and put one braid of dough into each pan, lining the rim of it. Cover each bowl with a towel and place them in a warm spot again for 30-45 mins for the dough to rise once again.
6. Once the braids of dough have risen, mix up the egg wash, and beat the three ingredients well together in a small bowl. Then brush each braid with this mixture, which will give the bread a nice shine once it is done.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake two pans at a time, for 30 minuets. Watch dough to make sure it does not get too brown, you can cover the top with foil until it is finished baking.
8. When the bread has finally cooled, cut a small circle in the center for the bread for the hard-boiled egg, which is dyed red to represent the color of life, as well as a symbol of renewal and victory over death. 

Now that this great traditional bread is finished, enjoy!

Image: SpiceRoots

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How To Make Mixed Greens With Grapes & Fried Feta

This recipe is a delicious mix of healthy and hearty! (Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like fried cheese!) It is a perfect lunch dish for you or your friends and family, and is incredibly simple and easy to prepare. What’s more, is that once you know how to fry feta once, its an easy skill to master.

Ingredients:

• Mixed Greens: This can be your choice of arugula, spinach, cabbage, chard or a variety of lettuces.
• Seedless Grapes: A personal favorite is to use the common ‘green grape’ in the U.S., also known as the Thompson seedless grape.
• Butter: 2 oz., any variety will do, however unsalted butter offers a slightly healthier alternative – even when you are frying cheese in it
• Olive Oil: 2.5 oz., different varieties of olive oil will work, however when frying it is best to use a lower grade and save your E.V.O.O. (extra virgin olive oil) for other dishes.
• Flour Mixture: 1-2 cups of flour, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper.
• Bowl of Ice water: (For the feta before frying)
• Feta cheese: 4-6 oz is usually plenty, but the oil and butter fry can do as much as 10 ounces. Be sure to buy whole feta and not the crumbles.
• Walnuts: Optional, but many varieties of nuts will work. The trick with nuts in any salad is to chop them before adding. If they are left un-chopped, they can be too large and difficult to eat with a fork.
• Brown Sugar: 2-4 Tbsp.

(Note about amounts: They will vary! As a rule, no more than two cups of salad per person, and only about a half-dozen grapes per person. The feta varies too, but if you want it to blend nicely and not overpower the other ingredients, chop it up layer it over the top. In my experience, pan-fried feta that doesn’t make it onto a salad usually still finds its way into someones belly.)

Preparation:

1. The preparatory work for this dish simply demands the greens be laid out, and the grapes to be cut first. You can chop the walnuts now too if you would like to skip step 4 below. Simply slice the grapes in half and rest them atop the greens for now.
2. Start by melting the butter and heating the oil in a medium pan. Meanwhile, slice the feta lengthwise into bite-size ‘fingers’. If preferred, cubes can work as well, however I have always had better luck with longer pieces. Remember too that these are best served hot and are easy to do, so plan ahead for your guests!
3. Place the feta fingers in the ice water for 30 seconds or so or until chilled. This will allow the flour mixture to stick better. Once chilled, roll in the flow mixture until thoroughly coated and then place in the pan. Gently roll the fingers frequently to fry evenly before the cheese melts too thin. Pull out with tongs and allow to cool on a paper towel.
4. Now, as an option, you can toss in the walnuts into the butter/oil mixture for a few seconds to heat and coat them. Only a few seconds are needed before they can be removed by a sifting spoon, and rolled or sprinkled in the brown sugar. This adds a sweet crunch to the dish that nicely compliments the fried feta and tart grapes.

The cheese and walnuts can now be added to the salad. If preferred, the ensemble can be tossed in a mild dressing, such as a balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette, although I am partial to a homemade ranch dressing myself!

Image: MonkeySee

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How To Make Honey BBQ Chicken Bacon Dippers

For your next get together, here is a great recipe that will have your guests begging for more. The following will include all the ingredients you need to procure as well as simple cooking directions and a few variations to suit your personal tastes. Read through this simple recipe and make it your own to really show off your cooking skills on your next get together.

First I will explain what items you should pick and how much of each you will need. You should first find some Greek yogurt. You will use 3/4 of a cup in this recipe so buy accordingly. A bottle of any brand of honey barbecue sauce will be the next item you will need. You will only be using about 1/4 of a cup for this recipe. Next you should find a deboned roasted chicken. You will need to shred this up into small pieces. 3 ounces of bacon bits will be added to the mix. A cup of canned or frozen sweet corn will be needed as well. Pick up a red pepper. You will only be using half of it. Make you seed it well and dice it up as fine as possible. Eight ounces of Monterey Jack cheese that is shredded will also be used. Flour tortillas will be the next item on your shopping list. Around ten should suffice. Ranch dressing and sour cream can also be picked up for dipping purposes.

So in short, you will need these ingredients:

• Greek Yogurt
• Honey Barbecue Sauce
• Whole Roasted Chicken
• Bacon Bits
• Sweet Corn
• Red Pepper
• Monterey Jack Cheese
• Tortillas
• Ranch
• Sour Cream

After you have collected all these items it is time to begin. You can start by preparing any items that may not be ready for the recipe. Your roasted chicken should be shredded up and all the bones removed. Half of your red pepper should be seeded and diced up as finely as you can. Shred your monterey jack cheese if you bought it as a block. When all these items are prepared you should be ready to start.

Instructions:

1. Start preheating your oven to a temperature of 425 degrees.
2. Find yourself a cookie sheet and either spray it with cooking spray or use a piece of wax paper to save yourself time later during clean up.
3. Mix up your 3/4 of a cup of Greek yogurt and your 1/4 cup of honey barbecue sauce in a decent sized bowl.
4. You will then mix in your shredded chicken, the 3 ounces of bacon bits, the cup of sweet corn, the half of the red pepper that has been seeded and diced, and the 8 ounces of shredded Monterey jack cheese.
5. After your concoction has been well mixed, spread about 1/3 a cup of it on a tortilla and roll it up inside. With the seam down, place it on your cookie sheet and spray the top of it with cooking spray.
6. Repeat the last step with the tortilla until all of your mixture is gone or you run out of tortillas.
7. Now you are ready to bake. Leave them in the oven for about 8 minutes and flip carefully flip them at this point.
8. Bake for another eight minutes after flipping and you are ready to go. Serve them with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy.

There are many changes to this recipe you can make. Instead of using bacon bits, you could prepare and use real bacon to add to the flavor. If you do not like peppers, you can leave this item out or change it to something that suits your tastes better. The Monterey jack cheese can be swapped for another cheese of your choice as well. For dipping sauces, you could try honey mustard or a variety of other things.

Using these ingredients you will have amazing honey barbecue chicken and bacon dippers. They have a lot of flavor and are relatively quick and easy to make. Try to perfect the recipe to your taste and blow away your guests at your next get together or even just your family at the dinner table.

Image: MonekeySee

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How to Make Black Tea

When you would like to create a proper black tea, there are some basic steps in doing so. To begin, you will need to gather together the supplies and ingredients that you’ll need. While some people might like to add milk, a sliced lemon, or sugar, other people might only want a basic black tea.

To start, you will need

• tea leaves
• a tea grinder
• a kettle
• a kettle screen
• tea cup
• warming cloth
• lemon, sugar
• milk
• stirring spoon
• treats (optional)

The kettle should be filled with hot tap water and placed on the stove. While the tea leaves are being prepared, the kettle water should be warming. Also, if you would like to add milk to your tea, you might also want to start warming your milk as well. However, others might like to add the milk to their tea cold.

Some tea leaves come whole; this way people can grind the leaves down themselves when they’re ready to make tea. This results in a fresh cup of tea every time. People might also opt for a mortar and pestle to put the leaves into, so that they can be broken into leaf shards that are capable of brewing. Still, other tea leaves are already ground in the tea bag. Whatever type of black tea leaf preparation that the person chooses, it’s important that the leaves are fresh.

After the black tea leaves have been ground, you can then go ahead and add them to the tea kettle. By now, the tea kettle water should have warmed to the point where it needs to be at to brew the tea leaves. The leaves should be brewed according to the specific tea manufacturer’s instructions.

In most cases, this is anywhere from three to five minutes. Although, other teas might take as long as ten minutes to brew; a rule of thumb to remember is that the longer tea leaves are brewed for, the stronger the tea and the caffeine content will be.

After the tea has finished brewing for the specified amount of time, it can then be taken off the stove top and strained to remove the tea leaves from the finished brew. To keep the tea kettle warm, you can wrap it in a cloth to insulate the warmth in the kettle container.

To pour a refreshing cup of tea, simply pour yourself some black tea into your tea cup, and add milk, sugar, or a lemon wedge if you’d like. If desired, you might also want to cut yourself a piece of cake, or have a few oatmeal cookies with your black tea.

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How To Make Traditional Tamales

Authentic Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish. Tamales are cooked with masa harina flour, also known as cornmeal dough. This is the same flour that is used for cooking another Mexican fare such as corn tortillas. The tamales are generally cooked inside corn husks, which are then removed before eating the dish. In some Mexican regions, the tamales are cooked in other types of leaves instead of the corn husks.

Tamales can be made with various fillings. Common tamale fillings include pork and beef. However, other variations include chicken, beans, and cheese. The traditional tamale is usually made using meat-based products, such as beef broth and lard. However, you can easily alter the recipe to make it vegetarian-friendly by substituting in veggie-based ingredients such as vegetable stock and vegetable shortening.

Making tamales is rather labor intensive and requires a large investment of time; if you are going to be making tamales, plan on setting aside two days to complete the process. Certain ingredients need to be soaked overnight or cooked for many hours. Leftover tamales can easily be frozen and stored, therefore, if you are already going to the trouble to make this Mexican dish, consider making a larger batch and freezing the leftovers.

Tamale Dough Ingredients:
3 cups masa harina flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup vegetable shortening of lard
2 cups beef broth
Note: You can either buy store bought broth or save the broth from when you cook your meat.

Wrapper Ingredients:
36 Corn Husks, soaked overnight in water

Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork loin (or other meat or filling of your choice)
1 large onion, chopped
1 whole head garlic
4 jalapenos
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper and chili powder to taste

Kitchenware Needed:
Large cooking pot or crock pot
Steamer
Large mixing bowl

Instructions:
Fill a large pot with water. Add your meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Allow the meat to cook on low for at least five hours. You can also use a crock pot to cook the meat. Continue cooking the meat until it is tender and shreds easily. Once the meat has finished cooking it, pull it out of the water and set is aside to cool. Gently shred it apart using a fork.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the tamale dough ingredients together. Take one of the corn husks, and spread the dough mixture evenly around the corn husk, about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick. Add a couple of spoonfuls of filling. Spread the filling evenly, then wrap the dough around the filling, securing the filling inside. Continue to repeat this process. Place the tamales in a steamer to cook for about 40 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Optional Extra: Traditional Mexican Salsa

Ingredients Needed:
4 jalapeno peppers
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
2 cans whole tomatoes, drained
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Kitchenware Needed:
Blender
Skillet

Instructions:
Place the jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro in a blender and set to pulse. Finely chop one medium sized onion and a clove of garlic. Cook the onion and garlic in a skillet. When the onions just begin to cook, add in the tomato mix from the blender. Stir everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste and other-other spices you desire. Set the heat to low and let cook for approximately 15 minutes. If your salsa is too spicy, add a dash of lemon juice to make it slightly milder.

Tamales can stand alone as a dish by themselves, or they can be served alongside other traditional Mexican fare. Other possible side items to pair up with this dish include Pozole soup, or if you want to keep it simple, a basic Spanish rice refried or black beans. You may also considering serving your tamales with some type of dip or sauce; salsa, guacamole, red chili sauce and cilantro tomato sauces are all good choices.

Once you feel confident in your tamale making skills, start branching out and experimenting with other tamale based dishes, such as Mexican tamale pies or tamale casseroles.

Image: Everydaysouthwest

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How To Make Salmon Fillets With Spinach Almond Pesto

Salmon has become known as one of the super foods that everyone should include in their diet. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (the “good” fat) that promotes healthy skin, lowers cholesterol, protects against heart disease and reduces inflammation, is abundant in salmon. It is also a delicious, firm-fleshed fish that works well in a variety of preparations. This recipe pairs pan seared salmon fillets with a pesto made from spinach and almonds instead of basil and pine nuts, for an extra healthy boost. Grapeseed oil is used instead of olive oil because of its lighter taste that lets the flavors of the ingredients in the pesto shine.

Since the recipe is easy to prepare, you can quickly make a great meal after a long day at the office. To complement the simply prepared fish, serve with iced herbal tea and add a crispy salad of mixed spring greens with cherry tomatoes, green peas, cucumbers and thinly sliced red onion rings. While the salmon sears, cook your favorite pasta to toss with some of the pesto. You will have a freshly prepared, complete meal in under 35 minutes that is tasty as well as healthy.

If you are someone who likes to finish a meal with dessert, keep it light with a fruit sorbet or frozen yogurt; use sliced fresh fruit as an edible garnish. Bon apetit!

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 – 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• Small bunch of cilantro, about 6 stems, leaves removed
• 4 cloves of garlic, diced
• ¾ cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup water
• 4 salmon fillets, about 5 ounces each, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, halved

To make the pesto: Process the almonds and garlic in a food processor for 15 seconds. Add the spinach, cilantro leaves and ½ teaspoons of salt and pepper. Run the processor on low while slowly pouring in the grapeseed oil through the feed tube. Add water from the ½ cup as necessary while pureeing, to keep the mixture smooth. Process until the pesto is a nice puree. Add the cheese and puree again for one minute. Makes 2 cups.

To prepare the salmon: Pour the canola oil in a pan and heat to medium high. Salt and pepper both sides of the salmon to taste and sear in the pan for 4 minutes until lightly browned; turn and cook on other side for 4 minutes, or until fish is just opaque in the center. Remove from pan to a serving dish and squeeze the lemon halves over the fish. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of pesto over each fillet and serve.

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