Dinner out of leftovers

Easter is approaching and after two weeks of leftovers, you get sick of eating ham sandwiches and lumpy mashed potatoes. There are so many ways to jazz up your Easter leftovers so that your family will be coming back for more.  

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Directions

• Divide ham among eight muffin cups coated with cooking spray; top with cheese. In a large bowl, beat eggs and whites. Beat in the chives, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese, filling each muffin cup three-fourths full.
• Bake at 375° for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around edges to loosen; remove from pan. Serve warm. Yield: 8 frittatas.

 Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 packages (6 ounces each) reduced-sodium stuffing mix
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 cup milk
• 8 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 pound sliced deli ham, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup and milk; set aside.
• Divide chicken between two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, Swiss cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound cubed fully cooked ham
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons minced chives
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Mini Ham 'n' Cheese Frittatas Recipe

mix and match

French fries and ketchup, oreo's and milk, and chocolate and peanut butter, all classic food combinations, but it's 2012, and time for something new and a little crazy. Don't be afraid to mix up different flavors together and you might be surprised in what you find.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry
• 1/8th seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes
• 12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) whole fresh mint leaves, julienned

Directions

Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.

Place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.

Red Beef Chili with Chocolate and Chili Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds bottom round beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle dark beer
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 large red onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 poblano, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon seeded and chopped habanero
• 1 Thai bird chile, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
• 1 tablespoon cascabel chile powder
• 1 teaspoon New Mexican chile powder
• 5 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned low-sodium or water
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and pureed
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup, or more, to taste
• Toasted Cumin Crema, recipe follows

Directions

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and saute until browned on all sides. Sprinkle with the cumin and stir well. Deglaze the pan with the beer and bring to a boil. Stir in the chocolate and cook until beer is almost completely reduced.

In a separate pot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the poblano, habanero, Thai bird, jand alapeno peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle puree, ancho powder, pasilla powder, cascabel and New Mexican chile powders and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil and boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the beef mixture back to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for 1 hour, or until thick and beef is tender. Remove from the heat, add the maple syrup, and adjust seasonings.

dieting = bluhhh?

So I have been eating really healthy now for about three months, and I have been exercising and cutting out the junk food and yes, it does work. I've lost about fifteen pounds so far and it feels good to put those pants on without having a muffin top busting out the sides. I know that everyone that goes on a diet tries to eat the most healthiest, blandest food is an attempt to drop the pounds. Here's some advice on what works for me...

1. No soda! Soda is the single most difficult thing that hinders weight loss. Soda is jam packed with sugar and artificial flavorings and even though the bottle says diet, it does not mean healthy!

2. Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you can take away. Its recommended to have about 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables. Your less likely to overeat on healthy foods because the vitamins and minerals replace the fat in your diet.

3. Be careful about your midnight snacks. Don't sit in from of the television with a bag of chips or a cookies because then your gonna continue to eat until you decide to move away from the TV, which may not be for hours. Eat some low fat ice cream or a yogurt and wash it down with some hot tea instead.

4. Water, water,water. Water is a cure for just about anything. Drinking water throughout your day will indeed improve the way you look and feel.

5. Enjoy your favorite foods, in moderation. It's not a crime to eat a chocolate bar or enjoy a piece of cake every once in a good while, but don't over do it. Try to stick to the recommended serving sizes because we all know its hard to only eat 15 potato chips or a little sliver of the chocolate cake, but it is better to enjoy it even though it is small then too eat too much and feel really guilty afterwords.

Spring time favorites

Here's some yummy spring time favorites of mine :D 

Spring Rissotto

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 3/4 cups dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth, heated
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, blanched
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Add 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once butter foams add the onion and saute until tender and soft, about 6 minutes.

Season the onion with salt and pepper. Add the rice and cook while stirring, until you can hear the rice crackle softly, and it becomes translucent around the edges. Add the wine and cook, while stirring, until the wine is almost dry and absorbed.

Once wine has been absorbed, add 1 cup hot broth at a time, stirring until almost all the liquid is absorbed, and then adding more. Cook until the rice is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Stir in the blanched asparagus and peas. Cook until the peas are very bright green and the asparagus is warmed through. Remove from heat and add the remaining 1tablespoon butter and the finely grated Parmesan.

Deep Fried Asparagus = Ahhhmazing!

• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed

 

 

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Whisk milk and eggs together in a bowl.
3. Stir biscuit mix, Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper together in a separate bowl.
4. Dip asparagus into milk mixture.
5. Roll and coat asparagus in dry ingredient mixture. Repeat with a second layer for each asparagus.
6. Carefully place coated asparagus in the hot oil; fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Power Food

Green Tea :)

 

Green tea was discovered by the Chinese over 4000 years ago. It is used for its medicinal and herbal powers. Its leaves are not oxidized but they are steamed to preserve its nutrition, therefore there are know many green tea benefits to human health.Green tea is now the 2nd most popular drink consumed worldwide after water. It has many beneficial roles which have made it very common among individuals. Following are the direct benefits of green tea.

1. It is believed to have polyphenols in it, which helps it burn the calories and maintaining the heat of the body.
2. Its leaves contain EGCG which helps the body to fight the cancer cells and does not allow them to enter the body.
3. It also minimizes the risk of strokes in the body.
4. Green tea has satisfying effects on hypertension and cholesterol.
5. One of its ingredient Catechine helps destroy bacteria which causes food poisoning in the stomach.
6. It also helps in suppressing appetite.
7. It is also believed that t is very beneficial for oral hygiene.
8. It is accepted that green tea is quite healthy for the heart.
9. It is believed to work well in improving the functioning of the immune system.
10. Green tea is fabulous for diet conscious people.
11. Ingredients of green tea help increasing the rate of burning of fat and calories.

Ya are what ya eat :)

I live in Central Pennsylvania and being around some Amish communities I have learned to enjoy some local favorites. My grandmother is Mennonite and she makes the ultimate chocolate whoopie pie that can make anyone drop at the knees. Little did i know how horrible they are for my body. I have calculated all the ingredients in a whoopie pie and the results were simply mind blowing!  One of Grammy's whoopies contains about 630 calories and almost 36 grams of fat! That's about 1/3 of the calories taken in by a human daily. So next time you go to grab a sinfully sweet treat i would recommend something a little more heart healthy, like a slice of angel food cake, which has only about 150 calories and usually no fat whatsoever. Spice it up with some fruit and a glass of milk and ya got yourself a sinfully healthy sweet treat. I'm not saying you have to deprive yourself of all foods wonderful, just try to be a conscious healthy eater. :)

You'll regret that later.

Something a little more sensible.

chef profile

The granddaughter of famed producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada De Laurentiis was born on August 22, 1970, in Rome, Italy. She moved to the United States at the age of 7. Inheriting a passion for cooking, De Laurentiis studied at Le Cordon Bleu. She worked as a caterer before landing her first cooking show, Everyday Italian. Today she is a best-selling author and well-known culinary personality.

In 1996, De Laurentiis graduated from UCLA with a degree in anthropology. But she eventually decided to follow her heart back to the kitchen. Moving to Paris, De Laurentiis studied at Le Cordon Bleu, the famed cooking school. She then returned to Los Angeles, where she worked for two prestigious restaurants: the Ritz Carlton Fine Dining Room and Wolfgang Puck's Spago.

De Laurentiis branched out on her own, starting a catering company called GDL Foods. She landed some famous clients, including director Ron Howard, and developed a thriving business. On the side, De Laurentiis also worked as a food stylist.

A friend at Food & Wine magazine asked her to write about her family's Sunday meal traditions. The article proved to be a launching pad for a new career. An executive with the Food Network saw De Laurentiis's piece, and she soon developed her own series for the channel.

Power Food

Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

.

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

• Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
• Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

      Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

• • it tastes good
  • it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
  • it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
  • it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

  Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:

  Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid.

                                              

Gotta watch these :)

I am addicted to watching the food channel and i love to see the new shows that premiere, here are some hit new shows just getting started. Check em outttt :D

Crave
Hosted by food critic and journalist Troy Johnson, Crave takes viewers on a cross-country journey for the most perfect versions of the foods he craves like pizza, pork, fried chicken and ice cream. Enthralled by the culinary wonders surrounding him, Troy will travel anywhere and try anything in pursuit of his obsession.
Premieres: Monday, August 29 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern/ 7:30 p.m. Central

Sweet Genius
Sweet Genius is a sugar-packed competition series that challenges America’s premier pastry chefs to create magical and inventive desserts given inspiration, surprise ingredients and a finite amount of time. The chefs must compete in three unique pastry challenges judged by Ron Ben-Israel (pictured above) — the Sweet Genius himself — who will critique their work and determine who will receive a $10,000 cash prize

Power food :)

Salmon

Everybody knows that fish are an excellent source of protein and contains the essential amino acids. But very few are aware that it also packed with the goodness of vitamin A, B6, B2 and also contains riboflavin and niacin. Apart from this the other beneficial substances found in salmon are iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. The consumption of salmon protects a person from various heart diseases as well as cancer. Various studies have shown this. People who consume fish regularly live longer than people who do not.

Apart from the highly beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, salmon is also a source of Vitamin E. this vitamin is responsible for healthy skin. This also helps in checking the spread of free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage the body and are responsible for early signs of aging. Thus Salmon helps delaying the aging process.

Salmon does not contain carbohydrates and so it should be included by people in their diets who are keen to lose weight yet retaining their muscular strength.
Salmon also helps in lowering the blood pressure so it is particularly useful for the patients of high blood pressure.Recent studies have also shown that bio-active protein molecules are also present in Salmon which helps in providing support to joints and also checks inflammation in the digestive tract.

Salmon does not load our digestive system and it is very easy to digest. It is also known for its mood elevating properties. It helps in decreasing depression. The brain functions in an effective manner after one has had Salmon.

Mrs. Deen :)

From Paula’s Home Cooking to Top Chef, Paula Deen has been a fixture on the Food Network for over a decade. She has also written several books on Southern cooking, as well as a memoir, and has started her own magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen


Born in Albany, Georgia, Paula Deen went to Albany High School and married her first husband after graduating in 1965. Her parents both died by the time she was 23, a loss that led Deen into panic attacks and chronic agoraphobia. She retreated into her cooking, eventually starting a home-based catering business, The Bag Lady, with her two sons serving as deliverymen.

The Bad Lady was a hit, and its popularity forced Deen to expand beyond the confines of her kitchen. In January 1996, she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, in downtown Savannah, which she ran with her two sons. By 1999, USA Today had awarded The Lady and Sons with the "International Meal of the Year" title.  The restaurant, like Deen's catering company, was also wildly popular, and her first cookbook, The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook, soon followed. The book gave readers a chance to try Paula's recipes at home, and in turn led to her first TV appearance, on the QVC shopping channel.

 Paula Deen's Famous Croque Madame Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, plus 2 tablespoons for eggs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 10 to 12 slices white bread
• 3/4 pound deli ham
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere, reserve some for top of casserole
• 6 eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes more. Whisk in the mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour a thin layer of the sauce into the prepared baking dish and cover it with 5 or 6 slices of the bread, then slices of the ham and an even layer of the Gruyere. Repeat the layers once more, ending with a third layer of sauce to cover all. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cut into 6 equal pieces.
Working in 2 batches, melt 1tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crack 3 eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the whites are nearly set, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the eggs and continue cooking until the whites are completely set, about 1 minute more. You're going to top each portion of the casserole with a fried egg. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon butter. Top with Gruyere and it in the oven for a few minutes until cheese melts.

My Sunday afternoon :)

I was looking up some crazy food facts the other day, well ya know because i had nothing better to do on my Sunday afternoon than to search the web for thigs about food. Yeah my life can drag at times, but who's doesn't? Anyways here is some seriously cool facts about the food we eat everyday :) enjoy!


info obtained from http://www.todayifoundout.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Junk-Food-Infograhic-copy.jpg

Crazy good meatballs

Greek meatballs :)
I've been having an infatuation with greek foods lately and i found these and made them for my mom and I.  AHHHmazing!!

2 lbs hamburger meat (80/20%)
2 large onion
a generous bunch of fresh mint leaves
1 cup of moistened and drained
sourdough bread (crust removed)
2 egg yolks
all purpose flour (not self-rising)
vegetable oil
salt
pepper

Chop onion and mint very finely and combine with hamburger meat. Remove the center portion of the sourdough bread, leaving behind the crust; moisten the bread briefly with milk or water and drain away extra moisture. Place hamburger mixture in a large mixing bowl and add egg yolks, salt, pepper and bread, mixing thoroughly. Let stand for 1 hour and form 2" balls, then coat with flour and fry them in medium hot oil. Turn the balls on all sides until light brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve hot or cold. Best if served next day or later refrigerated. Excellent appetizer if you make smaller balls fondue size.

Power Food numero tres :)

Greek Yogurt
Most people think of yogurt as a snack food or a quick breakfast. In Greece, their signature yogurt is used in almost every dish of  food that they prepare. This yogurt packs three times the amount of protein as a normal yogurt would. There are countless amounts of health benefits that come from eating Greek yogurt.

-improves intestinal health

- helps build and maintain healthy bones

- enhances immunity

- improves vaginal health

                                                                     - lowers blood pressure

                                                                -aids in weight loss

Because Greek yogurt is so thick and nutritional it is much more beneficial than a regular yogurt. Greek yogurt also is not packed with the extra sugar that is found in the grocery store variety. There are some sensational recipes that use Greek yogurt in them.

Kellogg's® Eggo® Waffles with Caramelized Bananas and Greek Yogurt

Ingredients

• 4 Kellogg's® Eggo® Homestyle waffles
• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, milled flaxseed, toasted coconut or All-Bran

Directions

1. Lengthwise cut bananas in half. Crosswise cut each half into two pieces. In large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray place banana pieces, cut side down. Cook over medium-high heat about 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully turn. Add orange juice. Cook, frequently shaking skillet, about 1 minute more or until banana pieces soften.

2. Heat one Kellogg's® Eggo® Homestyle waffle according to package directions. Place waffle on serving plate. Top with banana pieces. Pour any remaining juices from skillet over waffle and bananas. Add about 2 tablespoons yogurt and garnish as desired.