Try some variations of your basic recipes this new year
Published 10:48 pm Wednesday, January 7, 2009
By Staff
I have always regarded Christmas as a spirit that lives within our hearts and the New Year as memories of days gone by. I extend to each and every one of you my warmest wishes for good health and happiness. May it multiply to a fabulous sum through this forthcoming New Year. May each successive day of the year 2009 bring you peacefulness and comfort. As we turn the page of the calendar, gradually our days of long, dreamy twilights will disappear and the snow will moisten and purify the soil for spring planting. Nature has such a unique method of garbing the trees in their cloaks of ermine. The Christmas season extends to the day of Epiphany, which takes place on Jan. 6, although many indoor Christmas trees will have been relegated to the out-of-doors long before this holiday commences. A part of me will never forget the memory of caroling with my young people's church group back home. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I had ever had. Just to see the reaction from those being serenaded. When you witness tears of gratitude rolling down the cheeks of some of the recipients, it makes you realize just how little it takes to bring happiness into the lives of others. Perhaps this is what Charles Dickens had in mind when he penned the following phrase: "It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmastime, when its mighty founder was a child Himself."
Holiday Gingerbread Muffins
1 1/4 cps whole grain flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then line your muffin tins with paper muffin liners. Now, sift together the flour, ginger, dry milk, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cloves and nutmeg. In yet another bowl, mix together the skim milk with the molasses, applesauce, maple syrup, egg whites and oil; then pour this over the flour mixture. Keep mixing until all of the dry ingredients are moistened, but be careful to not over mix. Spoon the batter into muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffins from the pan immediately and cool them on a wire rack.
A true family is not always one's own flesh and blood, it is sometimes just a climate of the heart.
A touch of levity: A sign posted on a hospital bulletin board read: "The community chorus will begin Monday night rehearsals at 6 p.m. We have a special need for men's voices, but all parts are welcome."
As we bid goodbye to 2008, many of us resolve to pay more attention to our diets and treat ourselves to a healthier lifestyle in the forthcoming year! Sound familiar? If you are serious about this, remember just choosing a healthy diet is not going to do it alone. You must combine your food intake with exercise. Turn off the television, get up off your posterior and move around a bit. Moderate exercise can make a dramatic difference in your life expectancy.
Vegetable Chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
12 black olives
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-28 ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
2 cups tomato sauce
4 ounces green chili peppers, diced
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 cups cooked kidney beans
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Warm oil in a large pot at medium heat, then add onions, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, olives and garlic and saute for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, chili peppers, beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano and paprika. Allow this mixture to simmer for 30 minutes or longer, being sure to stir from time to time to prevent it from burning. Last of all, add the vinegar to taste. Garnish with yogurt or sour cream and serve.
A touch of levity: I took my eyeglasses along with the tiny screws that I had found on my carpet to the optician to be repaired. I watched carefully as he repaired my glasses, but questioned why he failed to use the screws I had given him. I was rather embarrassed when he replied, "I'm sorry madam, but those were not screws, they were crumbs." … Oops!
Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Sauce
1 pound angel hair pasta
8 cups large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
Warm the oil in a large saucepan at medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in 5 1/2 cups of tomatoes, the wine, basil, salt, pepper and oregano; bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, then allow the mixture to simmer for 30 minutes and then add the remaining tomatoes. Remove the sauce from the burner and set aside as you prepare the pasta. Drain thoroughly, then toss it with half of the Parmesan. Pour the sauce over the pasta, and toss. Top with the remainder of the Parmesan and serve immediately.
Homemaker's Hint: As you shop for this pasta, it might be labeled either vermicelli or capellini. You will find it to be a very thin form of spaghetti.
**When going ice skating, be cautious to never judge a brook by its cover.
Homemaker's Hint: Did you know that heartburn flare-ups can be aggravated by an overweight condition, smoking and abusing alcohol?
If you would like a new twist on plain mashed potatoes, try cooking them with a clove of garlic and some sweet potatoes …
Mashed Potatoes with a Twist
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1 tablespoon nonfat mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes along with the garlic for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes test tender. Drain well, then add the sour cream, milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Beat the potatoes to the desired texture. Add milk as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
Homemaker's Hint: Be a bit venturesome from time to time in your food preparation. You notice that today's recipe combines two different kinds of potatoes.
A touch of levity: Formal and informal prayer was being discussed in our adult Sunday school class. One man remarked, "You know, I do my best praying behind the steering wheel of my car." From the back of the room, in an especially quiet voice, the man's wife totally agreed! "Yes," she said, "I too do my best praying when you are driving."
This next recipe goes best with whole grain pita chips
Cinnamon Raisin and Nut Spread
1 cup nonfat cream cheese
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
dash nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins or currants
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
Mix cream cheese, lemon rind, syrup, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until mixture becomes very smooth and creamy. Stir in raisins or currants plus your choice of nuts, then place into a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Stuffed Spinach and Feta Bread
Dough:
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 to 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
To make the dough, combine the water with the sugar or honey, then sprinkle the yeast on top of this. Set aside to proof for 5-10 minutes. Add the whole wheat flour and salt and beat well for several minutes with an electric mixer. Now, turn this out onto a floured board and knead in enough of the unbleached flour that will enable you to form a workable dough. Knead for 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic, then form into a ball. Lightly coat a very large bowl with a bit of oil. Add the dough, then turn the ball to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl, then set it aside in a warm area for a good hour or so for it must double in size.
Filling:
10 ounces spinach, coarsely chopped
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped red onions
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup shredded part-skim Swiss cheese
4 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds
1 egg lightly beaten
freshly ground pepper
To make the filling, warm the oil in a large nonstick skillet at medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, then saute for several minutes. Then add the spinach, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes while stirring frequently until the majority of the liquid has evaporated, then set aside. Oil a baking sheet, then punch down the dough and divide it in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and roll each of the halves into a rectangle measuring about 10 by 15 inches. Sprinkle the Swiss, feta and spinach mixture evenly over the rectangles. Now, beginning with the short side, roll each of the rectangles up and pinch the edges and the ends closed. Place these loaves, seam side down, onto your prepared baking sheet; but be sure to leave enough room between them for rising as they bake. Using a very sharp knife, cut three one-inch slits on the top of each loaf, then brush the tops lightly with some egg and sprinkle with seeds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then bake for 45 minutes or until the filling bursts out of the sides and the tops are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Note: if making this recipe from scratch is too involved, just buy some frozen dough and thaw it before using this recipe.
A touch of levity: Have you ever noticed that the two bestsellers in any bookstore are usually the cookbooks and the diet books?
Onion/Pumpernickel Bread
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons carob powder
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup rye flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon skim milk
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
In a large bowl, mix the warm water and milk and the molasses together. Sprinkle the yeast on the top, then set aside for five to 10 minutes. Using a very small saucepan or microwave, melt the butter and stir in the carob powder and allow to cool. Add it to the whole wheat flour and beat well for 3 minutes. Add the onions, rye flour, salt and carob mixture and beat this for another three minutes. Lightly oil a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, pour the dough into the pan, then allow to rise for 30 minutes in a very warm area (80-85 degrees). By this time, the mixture should have doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Brush the top of the dough with one teaspoon of milk, then sprinkle evenly with some of the caraway seeds. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom. Remove the bread from the pan, allow to cool on a wire rack.
You will notice that the recipe above is unusual because it does not require any kneading. You will also find that it has a mildly sweet flavor and its texture is somewhat between a yeast and a quick bread. That hint of carob is a very intriguing touch, although you can even replace the carob with cocoa powder if you so desire.
A touch of levity: Boy Scout leader to his troop: "Remember, fellas, if you ever get lost at night, get your bearings from the sky. A glow will indicate the nearest shopping center."
Honey Rolls
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup honey
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oleo, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Pour the warm water into a large bowl, then sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside for 5-10 minutes. Now, slowly add the honey and just one cup of the flour. Beat this for three minutes by your electric mixer, or beat very vigorously by hand. Beat in the milk, egg, butter or oleo and the salt. Now, turn this dough out onto a floured board and proceed to knead in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, unstuck dough. Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, then form into a ball. Lightly coat a very large bowl with a bit of oil, then add the dough and turn the ball to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a damp (not wet) tea towel, and set aside in a warm area of 80-85 degrees, allowing the dough to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Punch down the dough and divide it into 10 portions. Shape each of these portions into a roll and place it onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. (Note: I believe you will be delighted with the results, these little rolls are tasty and light … considering they are a whole grain bread.)
A touch of levity: Tired from waiting for their overdue baby, my daughter Margaret and her husband, Dave, broke the monotony one night by going to the movies. Margaret went inside to get seats while Dave bought the popcorn and drinks in the lobby. Paying for the refreshments, my son-in-law knocked over his pop. The clerk mopped up the mess and refilled his cup. Rattled, Dave then joined his wife. Talking over the background music, he dramatically described the episode. One of his expressive gestures upset the bucket of popcorn. Dave sheepishly headed back to the lobby. When he was out of earshot, the woman sitting next to my daughter turned and asked, "You're not going to let him hold the baby, are you?"
Each that we awake is a new start, another chance. Why waste it on self-pity, sloth and selfishness? Roll that day around on your tongue, relish the taste of its freedom. Breathe deeply in the morning air, savor the fragrance of opportunity. Run your hands along the spine of those precious 24 hours and feel the strength in that sinew and bone. Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands!
WARMEST WISHES FOR A HEALTHY &HAPPY NEW YEAR!