Peanut Butter And Banana Pie
Ingredients:
1 9 inch pie crust
1 Cup creamy peanut butter
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 medium bananas
Directions:
Cook the pie crust according to package directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the whipping cream with the other 1/2 cup of the sugar and the vanilla. Whisk until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.
Slice one of the bananas into the bottom of the pie crust. Add one half of the peanut butter mixture, spreading it evenly over in the pie crust.
Slice the second banana onto the layer of peanut butter mixture. Add the remaining peanut butter mixture, and smooth the top.
Place the pie into the freezer for one hour to set. Remove from the freezer, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Note: For a sugar free version of the pie, you can replace the sugar with Splenda.
Leftover Makeovers
What do you do when a meal is finished? Most of us wash the dishes and wrap up the leftovers, but what happens to the leftover portions not eaten? Do they get consumed later or do they sit in the refrigerator until they start to smell and you finally throw them out? If you tend to do the latter, how about saving some time and money by learning how to use those leftovers in new ways to surprise your family at dinner time.
Some people like leftovers and some do not. Still then, many will eat them one day out, but quickly get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Here’s a way to fix the problem if you or someone in your family is the same way. Let’s start with an example.
You prepare a roasted pork loin and rice for dinner one night. The family wants something else for dinner the following night so the pork loin gets pushed to the back of the refrigerator. Normally, that’s where it will stay until you clean out the fridge, right? Not anymore. Let’s do something to keep that pork loin from going to waste.
Eating leftovers the way they were originally served, is probably what’s turning family members off from wanting it again the next night. Your family doesn’t have to eat the pork loin as is. So, chop that pork loin up into bite size pieces.
Now you’re probably thinking, ok that’s great, but what do I do with it now? In a large skillet or wok, stir fry the leftover rice with a bag of frozen veggies, an egg, and some of the chopped pork loin to make pork fried rice. Add a little soy sauce and you’ve got a whole new dinner for your hungry family.
This is just one way that leftovers can be turned into a new dish with a new flavor. The same can also be done using chicken, seafood, or beef. Let’s take a look at beef.
If you have hamburgers left from dinner, chop them up until they resemble ground beef again. The meat can be combined with chili powder and taco sauce to make beef tacos. Or, add some beans, chopped peppers and tomatoes, and sauce to create a pot of chili. If you have the imagination, there are an unlimited number of possibilities of what you can do with meats and side dishes from a previous night’s dinner.
Using a little leftover magic can make one meal last for two, three, or even four more days. But, you don’t have to eat it all in the same week. Fix a new meal with the leftovers and freeze it until you are ready to have that particular meat again. On that day, dinner will already be made, all you’ll need to do is heat it up. Yes, it really can be just that simple.
Your family will be amazed at your ability to transform any meal into a new creation they will enjoy. Besides that, you will save money on your grocery bill and won’t be throwing it away in the trash can as spoiled leftovers. Try these and similar ideas to expand your family’s palate.
A Visit To Naples
My wife and I recently got back from a Mediterranean cruise. One of our stops on the cruise was in Naples, where pizza was invented. While we were there, we got to try some of the pizza, and it was incredible.
I had heard of a pizzeria in Naples called Da Michele, which is supposed to have the best pizza in the world. They have only two kinds of pizza at Da Michele. The first type of pizza is Pizza Marinara, which is topped simply with tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Their other pizza is Pizza Margherita, which is topped with tomatoes, mozzerella, and basil. Pizza Margherita is named after Queen Margherita, who was married to King Umberto I. The Pizza Margherita also represents the colors of the Italian flag, red, white, and green.
Neapolitan pizza is much different than we are used to in the United States. Here, we top pizzas with pepperoni, sausage, canadian bacon, peppers, mushrooms, olives, and a load of cheese. We have thin crust New York pizzas, and Chicago deep dish pizzas, as well as many other variations. In Naples, they have pizzas other than Marinara and Margherita, but those two are the staples of Neapolitan pizza. In Naples, and the rest of Italy for that matter, the pizzas are not as big as American Pizzas. The typical pizza in Naples is about 12 inches, and is intended to be one serving. That might seem a lot, but the pizza is much lighter than ours. My wife polished off a Pizza Marinara by herself.
In Naples, the pizza crust is thin and chewy. The pizzas are baked quickly in a very hot, wood fired oven. Ours was ready just minutes after we had ordered them. They do not load the pizzas as heavily with toppings as we do, but their ingredients are in perfect balance.
As I stated earlier, I had heard of a pizzeria called Da Michele, so when we had a chance to go into Naples on our own, we went looking for Da Michele. Unfortunately, many of the streets in Naples are not marked, so we easily got lost. Eventually, however, I did find a landmark which I recognized from the map, so we got turned in the right direction, and we found Da Michele… and a huge line. We decided that we didn’t want to wait that long. Fortunately, there was another pizzeria nearby which was not as crowded. So, my wife and I went in and ordered. We had a bit of trouble, since neither of us speak Italian, but we got our order. My wife had the Marinara, and I had the Margherita. I have to say that was the best pizza that I have ever had. All of the ingredients were in perfect balance, and the flavors blended together wonderfully.
The next time we’re in Naples, I definitely plan on going back to the pizzeria that we visited. I can’t remember the name, but I remember where it is. But until our next visit, I may just have to have a pizza oven built in my back yard, so I can make Neapolitan Pizza at home.
Quinoa Pilaf
Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients for Quinoa Pilaf:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1/4 tsp oregano
6 cups cooked quinoa
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped almonds, dry roasted
Directions For Quinoa Pilaf:
Put olive oil in large skillet over medium heat; add onion, celery, carrot, green pepper, and red pepper, and cook, stirring until vegetables start to soften, but are still somewhat crisp.
Stir in garlic and oregano and heat for 1 minute.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in the quinoa, mixing well.
salt and pepper to taste.
Toss in roasted almonds and serve hot either as a side dish or light main dish.
Note: To roast almonds, put in dry skillet over medium heat and toss until lightly browned.
If you have never had quinoa, you should try this quinoa pilaf. Quinoa is a grain that is high in fiber and protein, making it extremely healthy. This quinoa pilaf is a great way to try quinoa.
Red Fruit Punch
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C of sugar
8 quarts of water, divided
4 (.14 oz.) pkgs. unsweetened strawberry drink mix
3 (6 oz.) cans frozen orange juice, thawed
2 1/4 C frozen lemonade concentrate
2 (46 oz.) cans unsweetened pineapple juice
2 liters of ginger ale
Directions:
Place the sugar into a large saucepan.
Pour 2 quarts of the water into the pan and place the pan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the strawberry drink mix.
Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
When ready to serve place the syrup mixture into a large punch bowl.
Stir in the orange juice and lemonade until well combined.
Add the pineapple juice and remaining water and stir again.
Pour in the ginger ale and serve with ice.
Makes 3 gallons
For a holiday celebration, or for a summer barbecue, this is an easy fruit punch recipe. Delicious and refreshing.
Picking Your Crock Pot
How Do I Choose The Right Crock Pot?
Thirty or forty years ago, there were only a few models of crock pots to choose from. Today there are hundreds if not thousands of options in the world of crock pots. Over the years, improvements have been made, new brands have come to the market, and the world is reinventing what the slow cooker can do. When it comes to selecting a crock pot, you need to know what to look for, what you absolutely need your crock pot to do, and your bottom line. Let’s take a look at a few guidelines for choosing the crock pot that’s right for you:
The Basic Structure
A crock pot is made up of three main parts; 1) the outer shell or base; 2) the inner stoneware or crock insert, and 3) the lid.
The outer shell should stay rather cool to the touch. You should be able to wash off the surface with a damp rag without too much trouble. Look for skid-proof feet on the bottom to keep the crock pot from slipping around the counter top while you’re preparing your meal. The outer shell also houses the controls, so check to see if they are sturdy, well situated, and easy to see.
The inner stoneware section, or ‘crock,’ should be rather resilient and feel sturdy. The crock is not unbreakable, so if you drop it on a solid floor, it may break. However, it should feel solid in your hands. The best crock pots have a removable insert so it makes serving and clean up easy. You’ll also want to be sure you can get your hands on the crock handles and easily lift it out of the outer shell without struggling.
The lid, while simple in design, is one of the reasons crock pots work so well. The best lids have a separate knob protruding out of the top. This separation of materials helps to keep the knob cool to the touch while the rest of the device heats up. The lid should also have a good seal around the outside edge, in order to keep the heat and liquids from escaping. Glass lids used to be the standard, but nowadays the plastic ones are just as nice and they have the added benefit of being lighter, which makes them easier to handle.
What You Need vs What You Want
While the three basic parts come standard on all crock pots; the base, insert, and lid. Beyond those three basic elements, you’ll find some very nice, convenient features you might want to look at.
Your basic crock pot has one switch on the outside of the base, sort of a dial. This switch usually has three or four settings. The standard settings you’ll find are High, Low, and Warm. There is a fourth setting of “Off” on many crock pots today, but years ago, it was common to unplug the crock pot when you wanted to turn it off.
More modern crock pots allow you to control more than those three basic settings. Digital crock pots are designed to give you control over the actual temperature of the crock pot. You can also set a timer to let you know when your dish needs to be stirred, have ingredients added, or is done.
Programmable crock pots allow the user to set the temperature on high, then automatically turn down to low at a chosen time during the cooking process. While it usually seems good to have more control, these added features may make things a little difficult. Depending on your style, this may make crock pot cooking seem more involved, especially when most crock pot recipes are written with simple High and Low settings.
Determining the size of the crock pot is also important. The larger the family, the bigger the crock pot. However, a large stew can still be made in a four or five quart crock pot. You’ll want to consider the area you have on your counter top, too. Also, the shape is important. If you’ve cooking a lot of bigger chickens or roasts, you might want to consider an oval shape. If your crock pot will be used mainly for soup, a deeper model may be just right. If you are cooking appetizers and snacks mostly, a smaller crock pot will probably suit you just fine.
The Bottom Line
Crock pots can range from ten dollars to well over a couple hundred. The most important aspect of picking out the perfect crock pot for you is to look at your budget and find the best value for your money. Look at size, construction of parts, and how well it all goes together. If taken care of, your crock pot will last a lifetime and will pay for itself over and over again. Just remember, you don’t have to get the fanciest crock pot to cook a great meal for your family.
Chipotle Pepper Deviled Eggs
Spicy Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 C of mayonnaise
1/2 C of green chiles, chopped very fine
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 t of garlic salt
6 teaspoons of salsa
Directions:
Cut the eggs in half, remove the yolks to a mixing bowl and place the whites on a serving platter.
Mash the yolks with a fork or potato masher until well mashed.
Add the mayonnaise, green chilies, chipotle pepper and salt to the yolks and mix until blended together well.
Fill each egg white with the yolk mixture.
Place 1/2 t of the salsa on top of each filled egg.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.
Makes 12 servings
Deviled eggs are always a huge favorite when our family gets together for holidays or birthdays. This particular deviled egg recipe has an extra kick from the chipotle peppers and green chiles. Keep in mind these are spicy, so make sure that you’re serving these deviled eggs to those who appreciate the spice.
Italian Cheese Potato Wedges
Italian Cheese Potato Wedges
Ingredients:
3 baking potatoes
1/3 C of margarine melted
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp bottled garlic
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil.
Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 8 wedges each.
Place the cheese, seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl.
Pour melted margarine into the bowl with the seasonings.
Whisk until well combined.
Add the potatoe wedges to the bowl in batches, turning to coat them well.
Place the coated potatoe wedges onto the lined baking sheet.
Bake 30 minutes or until tender.
Makes 6 servings
The Italian seasoning and garlic combined with the cheese makes these potatoe wedges a hit every time. Use leftover baked potatoes to save on time and money. Adjust your baking time if using potatoes that have already been baked to 15 minutes or until the potato wedges are heated through.
Tips for Canning
Canning today, is as easy as it ever has been. It’s nothing like the old days when it took a whole week to can one section of vegetables from your garden. Today, a whole garden can be completed in a day or two. While industrial canning can take place in a matter of minutes, there are still some standard precautionary measures to take while canning at home. Here are some things to remember when canning this year:
High Acid vs. Low Acid
It is important to know the acidity of the foods you are trying to can. Some foods have a high acidity, while others are extremely low. Knowing the acid level of your food gives you the knowledge of how to make sure they are safely canned. High acid foods can be safely canned in a boiling water canner, while the low acid foods can only be canned safely in a pressure cooker.
Low acid foods, strangely enough with a pH higher than 4.6, cannot stave off the harmful bacteria at low temperatures, like those found in a boiling water canner. These low acid foods are things like vegetables, proteins, sauces and soups. These must be canned in a pressure canner that reaches at least 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
High acid foods, with a pH lower than 4.6, can safely be canned in a boiling water bath because their natural acidity helps to kill and prevent the bacteria that can form. The lower temperature is enough, combined with the natural acidity of the food, to be safely preserved. These types of foods include fruit, jams, jellies, relishes and acidified tomatoes.
Follow Instructions
It is important to follow the instructions on the recipe exactly. Any deviation in technique could lead to spoiled foods or food that doesn’t taste right because too much salt or acid was used. Things to remember are times in the pressure canner or boiling water bath, how much acid to add to the jar and the right amounts of spices to be added. This will preserve the taste so the foods taste the way you want it to when opened back up.
Use Proper Materials
Make sure the jar is properly cleaned, the flat has not been used and the band is not rusted or warped in any way. It is important to use proper techniques when canning, otherwise the seal may not hold or certain bacteria may be incorporated into the food. Using the right types of canner for the job is also important. For example, having a pressure canner, which does not hold a proper seal, may make it difficult to get a proper seal on the can or can keep the food from reaching the proper temperature for it to preserve correctly.
Canning is much easier today, but there are still certain rules you must follow in order to properly preserve your favorite foods. Knowing your food, following the recipe and instructions and using the right materials is a great way to make sure your canning will work the way it should. Keeping it simple is the easiest way to make your canning as quickly as possible because it helps reduce the amount of mistakes being made that can spoil your food.
