Fruit Dip

Strawberry Dip

There is nothing like fresh strawberries, but add this dip and you will please anyones craving.  It's so simple, yet so delicious, you will be giving the recipe out before you know it.  Grab a tub of whip cream and add you favorite flavored jello in to it.  Not the whole packet, you can sample by taste to your liking.  Keep mixing until it becomes smooth.  This is a wonderful dip for straberries, pineapple and other fruits you might enjoy like babnanas.  It's great to serve at a bbq or private party.  Here again is the recipe.

• 1 tub of whip cream
• 1 package of jello ( I prefer strawberry )
• Pour jello sugar slowly into whip cream tub and mix together until your liking
• Serve with strawberries, pineapple, banana, etc.

This other great recipe for fruit dips is a treat in all seasons.  It calls for bar of cream cheese, and a jar of fluff (16oz).  Mix the two together and add a little orange juice to soften it up to your liking.  Serve fuits with it.  Delicious.

Chicken breast recipes are one thing that a recipe box or kitchen should not be without. Between soccer games, karate, and doctor appointments life can be very hectic and cooking a 5 course meal is just out of the question. However our families still deserve a well balanced, nutritious and tasty meal; which means we have to improvise and come up with recipes that are simple, quick and meet those requirements.

These simple chicken breast recipes are just the ticket to sitting your family down to a hot, nutritious and flavorful meal. They will take you from the chicken to the table with ease and little time. Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice

8 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 can milk
1 box of long grain and wild rice mix
1 16 oz bag of frozen veggies

Preheat oven to 350.

Evenly spread the rice in a 13x9 inch pan. Then sprinkle the herb packet that came with the rice over it, and top with the veggies. In a bowl mix the onion soup with one can of water and pour it over the veggies. Then place the chicken on top of the rice. In a bowl mix the mushroom soup with the milk and pour this over the chicken. Bake for 1 ? hours.

Ranch Chicken with Veggies

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 c veggie of choice (carrots work well)
1 c Italian bread crumbs, plus a little extra
2 packages of dry Ranch dressing mix

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray or oil the a 9x13 dish and coat with extra bread crumbs.

In a bowl mix the ranch dressing and 1 cup of bread crumbs together. Coat the chicken in the mixture and place in pan. Then put your veggie in the mixture, stir to evenly coat and then place carrots in the pan around the chicken.

Bake for 35 minutes then serve with slices of bread or biscuits.

This next simple chicken breast recipe is a marvelous well-balanced meal that can be done in one pan. Its incredibly easy to make and simple to clean up. This recipe can also be converted to a crock pot if necessary and baked during the day.

Both of these recipes do involve quiet a few ingredients and minimal amounts of prep time. However if you need something with almost no prep and few ingredients then you can always opt for the classic; throw some chicken in a pan and pour a can of cream of chicken over it, serve it with instant mashed potatoes and a veggie. This simple chicken breast recipe has been around for ages and has become a favorite quick meal for most families.

Spices

Lets talk

SPICES

Spices add flavor and can make food more palatable. Even just adding plain salt and pepper makes our food better than it would be without them. Garlic adds another strong dimension to our food. Without spice, our food is unappetizing and without flavor. With spice, it can be a sensual delight.

As the world gets smaller, we get to try more cuisines. This introduces us to spices we may not have tried before. Today, it frequently happens that we have a dish from Mexico on Monday, from Italy on Tuesday, and China on Wednesday. After that, maybe you will eat something from India or Russia. Regional spices are becoming more common in the stores and as we taste these new combinations, we discover new favorites. Before we know it, we have added new spices to our cupboard.

The Care and Storage of Spices Makes a Difference

Can you remember the last time you bought spices? They do not have an indefinite shelf life. As time goes by, they lose color and flavor. To keep your spices as fresh as possible, store them someplace away from oxygen, heat, moisture, and bright light.

As convenient as it may be to keep them near your stove, try to keep them away from your kitchen appliances. Heat and steam can cause dampness, which will shorten their shelf life. Airtight containers made of glass or tin will help preserve the volatile oils in the spice, keeping their flavor intact.

Each spice can have a different shelf life. Check the ones in your cupboard periodically to check for freshness. Look at the color... is it faded? Is the scent still strong? Remember that whole spices will keep for a longer time span than those that are ground. It also depends on what part of the plant your spice is from.

For whole spices, remember that leaves and flowers may last up to a year. Roots, seeds, and barks can retain their goodness for over two years. Ground spices have a shorter life span. Leaves, seeds and barks will be good for about six months, while roots will remain fresh for up to a year.

Using Ethnic Spices to Bring the World Home

There are many ethnic recipes that require special spices to give them their unique flavor. For example, if you want to make chicken enchiladas, you may need cumin, chilies, cilantro, and garlic to create an authentic Mexican flavor.

If you decide to try an Afghani dish, you may need spices like savory, sumac, and sesame. For Indian food, you may need coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Japanese recipes may require furikake, chilies, ginger, and miso.

Exploring the world of spices can be fun and you may find new spices that you truly enjoy. Keep your mind and your mouth open for new tasty flavors. You may find that Greek cuisine is your cup of tea, while Afghani is not. You will never know unless you try. What makes this all possible is the availability of spices from all over the world today. It is commonplace these days to find many in your regular grocery store if not they are almost surely available at your local ethnic market.

Pasta Party

Three delicious pasta recipes that you can prepare for any occasion that suits you. The recipes are very easy and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
In this article, I am going to share with you three delicious pasta recipes that you can prepare for any occasion that suits you. The recipes are very easy and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. They are great for parties and easy for you to prepare.

So, here we go

Lemon Tuna Pasta

4 tsp Butter
18 Black olives, pitted and sliced
1 tsp Oil; olive
2 can Tuna; chunk, drained
4 large Garlic cloves, chopped
Pasta; penne, cooked and drained
1/8 cup Lemon juice
4 tsp Butter (add at end)
3 tsp Capers, drained


Melt butter with oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, capers and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add tuna and separate it (DO NOT FLAKE) with a fork. Heat through stirring gently, drain pasta. Add remainder of butter and sauce to hot pasta, tossing well.


Tomato Soup with Pasta

3 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 small Onion, chopped
1 tsp Basil
1 lb Tomatoes chopped
3 pt Stock
1 Carrot, sliced
1 cup Small pasta / broken vermicelli
1 Celery stick, sliced
1 tbsp Chopped parsley
1 tsp Salt


Heat oil in soup pot and gently fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, carrot and celery. Mix well with the oil. Sprinkle in the seasonings and stir together. Fry for 3 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then add pasta. When pasta is tendered, served and garnished with parsley.

Both Pasta Recipes yield 4 servings

If you are concerned about your health and think that the above pasta recipes are too rich in calories, here is one recipe that I am sure you all love

Broccoli-Pasta Toss

2 cups Broccoli flowerets
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
4 oz Fettuccine, broken up
1 tsp Sesame seed, toasted
1 tbsp Oil, cooking
1/8 tsp Garlic powder


In a large saucepan cook broccoli and pasta in a large amount of boiling water for 6 -8 minutes or just until tender, stirring once or twice. Drain. Add oil to pasta mixture and toss. Add cheese, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately 4 servings.

Crock Pot Pasta

Perfect pasta can be made using your crock-pot With a few tips, you will get delicious pasta every time.

Perfect pasta can be made using your crock-pot. With a few tips, you will get delicious pasta every time. There are many different ways to make pasta with crock-pot recipes. It all depends on what recipe you are making.

Cooking Pasta as a Separate Step

In some recipes, it is recommended to cook your pasta completely before adding it to your recipe. Alternatively, your crock-pot contents might be served on a bed of noodles. You may find this works well with stroganoff, roasted meats with sauces, and other similar recipes.

Some recipes may ask you to partially cook your pasta in boiling water until it is just barely tender. They then suggest adding the semi-cooked pasta to the crock-pot for the last half hour or so of cooking. You may use this technique with dishes like chicken Alfredo, casseroles and other meals. This method allows the noodles to finish cooking in the crock-pot, soaking up some of the flavors in the sauce.

Making the pasta separately is more work than just using the crock-pot. However, taking the time to boil your water and cook the pasta just right gives you perfect noodles when you need them. This technique is not appropriate for all recipes, however.

Everything in the Crock-Pot at Once

Some recipes that you find for the crock-pot call for uncooked pasta. They mean less work for you, though in most cases the pasta is still added in towards the end. This technique works well for homemade chicken noodle soup, ramen, or goulash. Standard types of pasta should be added to your crock-pot about half an hour to an hour before serving. If you are making a ramen soup, the thin noodles only take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook if your crock-pot is on the high setting.

You will also find recipes that need the pasta added at the very beginning. An example of this type of dish would be crock-pot lasagna. Macaroni and cheese is also nice and creamy in the crock-pot, but it is a dish that only takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours to cook. Leaving it any longer will result in mushy noodles. Baked ziti, stuffed shells, and thicker casseroles will have this requirement. Watch your cooking time, because these dishes often do not take all day to cook. Overcooked noodles will be soft and shapeless.

Pasta does just fine in the crock-pot. All you need to do for success is to use the right approach for each recipe. Pasta is more delicate than something like beans are, so keep an eye on the cooker until you know how the recipe will work. Sometimes it may take a few times to get it right.

You will soon be feeding your family delicious meals featuring pasta from your crock-pot. Pasta is true comfort food, and it has never been easier then when you master the skill of simple slow cooked pasta dish that the family will just adore. So next time you make pasta instead of leaving the crock-pot to collect dust in the cupboard take it out and discover how easy crock-pot pasta is.

Brown your pasta for a different taste all together

Here is another fabulous pasta dish. Now I know pasta isn't good for your hips, but all in moderation. I'm not a slender girl by no means, but I believe I'm at a healthy weight without being too over conscious of what I put in my mouth. You have to live your life with out trying to look better than the next person. Just look good for yourself and I think your OK. That's my opinion of coarse. A year ago I was at a very healthy weight of 150 pounds on my 5'8 frame. I wore a bikini and I loved looking in the mirror. However, it was very difficult for me to maintain and once I met my husband, I started enjoying a little more food. Although I would love to loose the twenty pounds I've gained, I believe I eat healthier now.

That being said, look at this dish ! It's pasta ! YUM ! Not only is it pasta though, it's a taste bud come to momma type of pasta. Look at it. Every bite of this pasta made me want more and more, but all in moderation of coarse. This pasta was a dish I enjoyed on my trip to Italy in Capri. It was light and delicate. Everything fresh. You can create this dish at home with just some pasta of your liking, ricotta, mozzerella and light sauce. The browning in the oven is what makes this dish special. Try browning your pasta to make a more scrumpcious meal even better. Just throw it on a dish and pop it in the oven on broil, make sure you watch it though. There's nothing worse than eating burnt pasta.

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI

This was a fabulous dish I tried in Sorrento, Italy. Lets just say the picture says it all. It melted in my mouth! In fact, all the pasta dishes I had in Italy melted in my mouth. This spinach cheese manicotti was light and delicate. The pasta was freshly made and the filing was out of this world!

I had to venture into the kitchen to talk to the chefs. Our tour guide had to come with me as I do not speak a word of Italian. If your ever in Sorrento, you must get this dish. Even the way they brown their pasta ever so lite, makes all the world of difference when you slide it in your mouth. Yum! The trick is to buy and make everything fresh.

This is my 10 year old beautiful girl Sadie. We had to bring her to the emergency room the other day because she was having trouble with her right hind leg. I was so worried. Turns out her knee cap slips out of place. For the time being she's on medication. If the medication doesn't help it, surgery might be the answer. Question is, what price do you stop and say is it worth it? That's such a tough question. This is the dog you love, you nurtured and they give you so much love in return. If the price is something that might get me into debt, is it worth it to save a 10 year old dog for a few more years of their life? It's horrible, but you have to think it. I'm sure many people have to come up with the answer to this question and thank god I didn't have to at that point. She's such a great girl.

Well Happy 2010 everyone! Another year of life gone by. Last night we had a party and what I remember thinking when the ball dropped was how lucky I was just to be alive and with the people I was with, family and friends.

Recipe of the Day

Oreo Cookie Balls

Take 1 package of Oreo cookies and mash them up pretty good

Add 1 package of cream cheese and mix in with cookie crumbles

Shape into balls

Dip in white or semi sweet chocolate

Refrigerate

EAT!!!