Fun Recipe

Do any of you but the oldsters remember Gracie Allen? This her classic humor. Anne (Guild) emailed this to me, she thought the bloggers would enjoy, I sure did. Google Gracie for some of her humor. Love you all. COOK ONl...........

Gracie Allen's Classic Recipe for Roast Beef

1 large Roast of beef

1 small Roast of beef

Take the two roasts and put them in the oven.

When the little one burns, the big one is done.

Spinach Beet Salad

Hello all, haven't been on for a while, last week was an incredibly busy one and I actually didn't do much interesting cooking. I'm on a very healthy food plan all this week, I had a friend over last weekend and of course we took her to some our favorite Portland eateries, that started the foodie indulgence which continued after she left, with blueberry cobbler a turnip cake (that's right and it was delish). But the the scale pointed at two additional pounds of all that wonderful food that attached itself to me. So, super healthy food week here I come. I'll be posting some of the recipes I use throughout the week. Last night I made a beet/feta/spinach salad. I followed a recipe sort of but I changed it so much that I'm going to just make my own. Hope you like as much as Michael and I did.

Spinach Beet Salad

Ingredients Serves 2

1 3-4 med beets

2 hard boiled eggs

1 C. thinly sliced sweet onion

3 C. baby spinach leaves

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/3 C. walnut pieces

vinaigrette recipe below.

Directions

Boil the beets in water for approximately 12 minutes until tender enough for a fork to go it easily. When done take out to cool and put the two eggs in to hard boil, (you'll get that beautiful red color on the outside of the egg), cook eggs for approximately 15 minutes, then drop then into ice water immediately to cool, the shell will remove easily then. When the beets are cool enough to handle cut off stems and rub your hands over the beets and the skin will come right off, (use rubber gloves if you don't want your hands to get a beautiful pink, however it comes off in an hour or so.) Put eggs and beets in bowl to cool in refrigerator, they need to be cold before you serve the salad.

See you in a couple of days my friends, COOK ON................

Make a basic vinaigrette:

1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion

1 TBS dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, diced & smashed well

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Add first 7 ingredients, blend then slowly add the olive oil, whisking (or in a blender) until emulsified (or incorporated into dressing) set aside.

Chop or slice the beets. Place beets, spinach, onion, feta, bacon, and walnuts into a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Arrange mixture on 2 serving plates.

Quarter the pickled eggs, and arrange them on top of each salad. Serve with the remaining vinaigrette.

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

Happy Monday all. I made this lucious dish last night. After you cook the pasta it takes about 15 minutes to put together. Because I'm not doing dairy I'm always looking for interesting recipes to use goat cheese.

Note: Goat milk has a completely different composition than a cow, for that reason it fits into a non-dairy diet (thank goodness or I'd have to kill myself, no cheese for the rest of my life, AHHHHH)

There are so many goat cheese options now, it's wonderful. Especially Trader Joe's (again sorry Alabama). Any log of goat cheese will do for this recipe. If you feel like you need meat you could add some baked chicken or a pork chop. However, Michael and I just had this dish and some toast. Lots of protein in that cheese. It is rich tasting, creamy and the roasted asparagus had an amazing flavor to the whole dish. Keep out a whole cup of pasta water, so you can thin it out more if you want.

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus

This corkscrew pasta turns sophisticated with a creamy no-cook sauce. It's a dream to make: Just whisk together goat cheese, pasta water, and butter, and toss with cavatappi and asparagus.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4.

2 bunches asparagus (2 pounds total), tough ends removed

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

12 ounces cavatappi or other short pasta

1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled

2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.

While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.

First published

Copyright 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Healing Chicken Noodle Soup

Since I'm noticing colds/flu all over town. Michael has a cold now and I'm making him chicken noodle soup. I found this wonderful article about the healing properties of the soup and I thought this was a good thing to share with you. It is very close to my chicken soup. Add a little nighttime cold medicine and you will be comfortable all day. Love and COOK ON............

Why chicken soup heals:

We have all heard that chicken soup is good for the sick for hundreds of years. Can it really be true? Chicken soup is a favorite healing soup all over the world. It has often been called Jewish penicillin and scientists have spent time and money examining the actions of chicken soup on colds and flu. It’s no surprise that they’ve found evidence of the way chicken soup combats the symptoms of a cold. See Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes below along with the reasons why it is so good for us.

___________________________________________________________

The reasons why Chicken soup is healing

Soup has anti-inflammatory properties that helped sore throats and helped stop the movement of neutrophils (white blood cells that encourage the flow of mucus that accumulates in the lungs and nose). steam is a real benefit. Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear up congestion. This can also be said for many hot soups.

Spices that are often added to chicken soup, such as garlic and pepper (all ancient treatments for respiratory diseases), work the same way as modern cough medicines, thinning mucus and making breathing easier. chicken soup contains drug-like agents similar to those in modern cold medicines. For example, an amino acid released from chicken during cooking chemically resembles the drug acetylcysteine, prescribed for bronchitis and other respiratory problems.

Chicken Soup puts needed fluids back into the body.

___________________________________________________________

Curative properties

According to food historians chicken soup was prescribed as a cure for the common cold in Ancient Egypt. The 10th century Persian physician Avicenna referred to the curative powers of chicken soup in his writings. In the 12th century the Jewish sage Maimonides wrote that chicken soup “has virtue in rectifying corrupted humours”, and recommended it as nutrition for convalescents; Maimonides also particularly recommended chicken soup for people suffering from hemorrhoids and the early stages of leprosy.

Modern research conducted by Dr. Stephen Rennard, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine, and his colleagues at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha suggests that there might be some scientific basis for the belief in the curative powers of chicken soup. They found that the particular blend of nutrients and vitamins in traditional chicken soup can slow the activity of certain white blood cells. This may have an anti-inflammatory effect that could hypothetically lead to temporary ease from symptoms of illness. Their research was published in 2000 in the scientific journal Chest. This was not, however, an in vivo clinical trial, and did not demonstrate that chicken soup was the best foodstuff for this purpose.

Because it is simple to prepare, relatively cheap, nutritious, and easily digested, chicken soup is a good food for winter convalescents. Sipping warm soup can also clear the sinuses because of the steam ventilating into the nasal passages, serving as a natural decongestant, which also relieves cold and flu symptoms. Last, but not least, chicken soup can be beneficial due to the placebo effect of comfort foods

Chicken Noodle Soup

Healing Directions

Stew your chicken first:

Place a 3 to 4 lb. chicken in a 5-6 qt. pan and cover with water.

Add 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Cook for 1/2 hour over medium heat

until chicken is done and falls off the bone.

Remove bones and chicken from the pot to cool.

Keep the broth in the pot and set to simmer.

Add to simmering broth:

2 large onion diced

3 celery ribs diced (seeds are good too)

3 carrots diced

1/2 stick of butter

3 cloves of chopped garlic

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt & pepper

If you want a really strong /rich flavor: Nows the time to add...

Add 3 or 4 bouillon cubes

or 1 can of chicken stock.

(Note: if you are cooking this for someone who is already sick.... their taste buds may not be up to par and may need the soup to be stronger in flavor so they can taste it better.) Getting them to eat it is the key to getting well. It may be to strong for you but just right for them. You can always add water to your own bowl if it's to strong for you personally.

Cut chicken up into large chunks.

Replace chicken back into simmering broth.

Add 1 cup of large diced potatoes

Cover with water.

Cook for another 30 minutes on medium heat.

Last 10 minutes of cooking:

Important Healing Herbs

Add 1 bunch of chopped parsley to soup.

If you have thyme, add 1/2 teaspoon.

If you have sage, add 1/2 teaspoon.

If you have basil, add 1/2 teaspoon.

pinch of poultry seasoning

Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper!!

Cook for 10 more minutes

2nd Day: Left overs

Re-warm the left over Chicken Soup

Add 4 ounces of egg noodles to the soup.

1 can of broth

1 cup of water

It's now Chicken Noodle Soup!

The Chicken Noodle Soup

will taste the best on this 2nd day!

3rd Day: Left overs

Note: Changing the soup slightly each day will add variety to the soup so it doesn't seem so boeing while keeping the regiment of someone eating it. This soup is packed full of vitamins and minerals so the more they are willing to eat, the better. If you go for a 3rd day, try adding a can of "Cream of celery soup" to thicken it up and add a new feeling in the mouth.

And if you have been feeling under the weather....

by now you should be feeling the effects of healing soup.

_________________________________________

The ingredients

Chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, a substance released when you make the soup. This amino acid is similar to the drug acetylcysteine, which is prescribed by doctors to patients with bronchitis. It thins the mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough out.

Onions: a regular in chicken soup- contains quercetin, a powerful anti-oxidant that is also a natural anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory. Onion are a strong antibacterial agent.

Garlic: has phytochemicals that are helpful in reducing cancer risk and boosting the immune system. The herb (yes it is considered a herb or veggie) is beneficial to the bodys overall maintenance. It is rich in protein; vitamins A, B-1 and C; essential minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and selenium. Plus it contains 17 different amino acids. Increases energy and endurance. Garlic gives chicken soup a great flavor as well. ---- Bible: God through Jesus Christ our Lord (John 1:3, Col. 1:16) created garlic for us not only to enjoy as a flavor in our cooked foods, but also to use as a medicine.

Cayenne Pepper sprinkled in food, broth or tea also promotes sweating to break a fever. Cayenne acts as a catalyst, carrying all other herbs and supplements quickly to the place in the body where they are needed and increasing their effectiveness. It is also high in vitamin C and useful in the treatment of colds, sinus problems and respiratory ailments.

A greater variety of vegetables means a greater mix of nutrients and phytochemicals.

Carrots, one of the routine vegetable ingredients found in chicken soup, are the best natural source of beta-carotene. The body takes that beta-carotene and converts it to vitamin A. Vitamin A helps prevent and fight off infections by enhancing the actions of white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses.

Herb/Parsley: Packed with nutrients, parsley (Petroselinum sativum) is a great source of dietary calcium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin A, as well as beta-carotene, and folic acids.

Parsley has proved itself a potent medicinal herb. It has cancer-fighting volatile oil components including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene. Parsley is also rich in flavonoids with powerful anti-oxidant properties including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin. It is known to both detoxify and soothe the kidneys. Parsley leaves can be a gentle treatment for kidney problems, bladder infections, and to reduce mucus in the first stages of a cold and influenza. A good chicken soup recipe will usually have 1 "bunch" of parsley as an ingredient.

Celery seed: Celery seed helps ease urinary tract infections, as it's an excellent antiseptic. It's also anti-inflammatory, relieving arthritis and gout. An excellent diuretic, it aids digestion and even alleviates gas. The Celery stalk itself is high in minerals and is a significant source for magnesium.

Thyme/herb: Thyme heals all colds. It's an effective expectorant, as well as an antiseptic. It can help clear congestion, viral infections, or a dry, hacking cough.

Strawberry Cake

I'm going to post this strawberry cake again. It was a great success at Easter dinner. I made it on Saturday, wasn't happy with the way it looked, sort of flat, a little over done around the edges. I continued to check in the oven every couple of minutes after the suggested timehad passed, but it wasn't getting done in the middle, after an extra 6 minutes I took it out. I almost threw it out, then I decided to frost it with the cream cheese frosting, (that can make any cake taste good). Then I made a chocolate cake thinking the strawberry cake would be too gross to eat, WRONG! It was delicious, my friend Clark said it was between cake & bread pudding. So it's dense, but soft too. Really good strawberry taste. Of course the Cream Cheese frosting (see below) is a great easy recipe and just perfect with this cake. So, you all must make this cake, I'm going to make it again and see it if it turns out the same, maybe it was just the over cooking, we'll see, but it is delicious, I think I'll have a piece for breakfast with coffee oh yummmmmmmmm. Let me know the outcome of your strawberry cake. COOK ON..................................

Strawberry Cake

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups white sugar

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs (room temperature)

2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry puree made from

frozen sweetened strawberries

Cream Cheese Frosting (See below)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/27/2010

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

5 TBSP softened butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups powderedsugar

Directions

Beat cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with softened butter and vanilla until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

No softening the cream cheese (though you do have to plan ahead with the butter). No whipping to a certain point that occurs for all of ten seconds before it's ruined. The hardest part is not eating the frosting straight from the bowl by the spoonful.

Easter Dinner

Happy Rainy Spring, here in Portland anyway. Thought I'd give you my Easter menu for this Sunday in case your wondering what to do.

Kirstin and I will be serving:

Honey Roasted Ham

Mustard Sauce

Roasted Asparagus

Smashed Potatoes

Loving Rolls (My girls name for those soft little white rolls at the market)

Strawberry Cake

Pecan Pie (baked by Michael, we'll see)

I hope you will try a couple of these recipes, it's not a difficult or time consuming menu, since we'll all be going to church on Sunday, it's not so labor intensive. HAPPY EASTER and COOK ON..............

HAM: I'm buying the spiral honey ham from the market, remember it only needs to be warmed up, it's already cooked, you can add a little honey and orange juice glaze, which adds a nice fresh flavor to the ham.

Smashed Potatoes

This recipe is a new twist on an old family favorite. Leave the skins on the potatoes for added nutrition.

2 1/4 pounds potatoes

Splash of milk

1 Tbsp. butter

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sprig fresh rosemary

Olive oil

Scrub your potatoes clean, cut them in half, and put them into a pan of salted, boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes until tender. Stick a knife into them to check they're soft all the way through. Drain in a colander and return them to the pan. Add the milk, butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash until smooth and creamy, adding another splash of milk if necessary. Pick a rosemary leaves off the woody stalk and lightly push them into the potato. You can drizzle with a little olive oil, or use olive oil instead of butter.

This recipe is taken from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion). © Jamie Oliver, 2009

Roasted Asparagus Roasting brings out the sweetness of the Asparagus, this is the only way I cook asparagus anymore, so good.

In place of the lemon juice, you can drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Add a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese for an extra touch.

1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher Salt

Freshly grated black pepper

Lemon juice

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2 Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.

3 Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

Serves 4.

Finally, the Strawberry Cake mmmmmmmmmm

Strawberry Cake

2 cups white sugar

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs (room temperature)

2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry puree made from

frozen sweetened strawberries

Cream Cheese Frosting (See below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/27/2010

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

5 TBSP softened butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with softened butter and vanilla until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

No softening the cream cheese (though you do have to plan ahead with the butter). No whipping to a certain point that occurs for all of ten seconds before it's ruined. The hardest part is not eating the frosting straight from the bowl by the spoonful.

Roasted and Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Hi All, Having left over corn beef hash but needed a little more. This recipe is so lovely, a delicate roasted soup with all the flavor that comes from roasting veggies. Fairly simple and delicious. It would also be wonderful just served with grilled cheese or tuna sandwich. Cook On..................

Roasted and Curried Butternut Squash Soup

"This is my original recipe and can be either vegetarian or meat based. It also freezes well - just thaw, heat and add cream or yoghurt before serving. It's delicious and well worth the extra steps of roasting and pureeing. Enjoy!"

INGREDIENTS: Servings: 8

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded

2 large onions, peeled and quartered

1 medium head garlic

6 cups vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon mild curry powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Place squash halves and onion onto the prepared baking sheet. Wrap garlic in foil and set with other vegetables.

Roast in the center of the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the squash is tender. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skin like paste into a food processor. Scrape the flesh from the squash and place into the food processor along with the roasted onion. Puree until smooth. Add vegetable broth if necessary. Transfer the pureed mixture to a stockpot and stir in vegetable broth. Season with the bay leaf, brown sugar, curry powder, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.

Remove bay leaf and serve hot. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/23/2010