How to Keep Vegetables and Herbs Fresh and Dry

Yesterday we showed you a delicious way to eat your vegetables. To keep them lasting longer try this:

Line produce drawers in your refrigerator with paper towels. For individual plastic containers or bags that hold salad greens or herbs, insert a paper towel in the package. Change out the paper towels when they absorb moisture.

A Quick and Easy Way to Peel a Potato

All of us at A Busy Nest tried this easy way to peel potatoes and it worked like a charm. Simply score a potato with a sharp knife around the middle. Place in boiling water and cook until tender, about 15 minutes (cooking time is dependent on size of the potato). Take the potato out and immediately stick in ice water for less than a minute and the skins will pull off with ease. 

Watch Dawn Wells, a spokesperson for the Idaho Potato Commission, demonstrate this:

Roasted Garlic, Two Ways

When I was a small child in the 50's I remember seeing this older lady walking down the street wearing a garlic necklace and she smelled like garlic.  It was in the winter time during the cold and flu season.  I told my Mom about this lady and she replied, "Oh yes, that is Sadie Leader and she eats garlic to prevent herself from getting sick." I thought it was strange at the time but now realize how wise Sadie was.

I started to use garlic often after our  children started to have more colds and infections.  My youngest child would eat a whole bulb with dinner. It seems like she was one who had less colds than the other children.


Garlic is a powerful natural therapeutic herb.  It is claimed to lower cholesterol, high blood pressure and prevent heart attacks.  It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Garlic is also one of my favorite aromas in the kitchen when I am cooking. Here is my favorite way to use this healthful ingredient:


Roasted Garlic
I have a Norpro Terra Cotta Baker that I use to roast two to three cloves at a time.  I soak the container in cold water for a few minutes. Then I cut the tops off the bulbs and drizzle with just enough olive oil on each bulb to cover.  Finally I sprinkle with chopped herbs (such as rosemary, oregano or basil) and salt and pepper. It bakes for one hour at 375. You can also use a baking pan and cover the bulbs with aluminum foil. The roasted garlic should be stored in the fridge.


Roasted garlic is a great healthy replacement for butter on freshly baked bread, or mashed with a fork and added to a variety of recipes.

How to Turn Leftovers into a Pasta Bar

Photo from here

I was trying to accomplish two things: 


1. Clean out the refrigerator of items that need to be used .


2. Make a meal for dinner that my children would eat. 


As I lined up cream, Parmesan cheese, roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes on the counter, a new idea for dinner at our house was born. I boiled some whole wheat penne pasta and created a quick Alfredo sauce with the cream and Parmesan cheese. While the pasta was boiling, I filled glass prep bowls with a variety of toppings: roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, olives, peas, and pepperoni.  It was fun and everyone created their own pasta dish. 

Next time, I'm putting out different sauces, more toppings and everyone will name their signature dish! I might try making these 3 sauces from Rachel Ray's pasta bar and try new toppings such as mushrooms, Italian sausage, broccoli, spinach, artichokes, fresh tomatoes, shrimp, various crumble or shredded cheeses. 


Oh, the possibilities! We're definitely having pasta bars more often.  Picky eaters should try this one. They might even eat a few veggies! 

Perfectly Caramelized Onions in a Slow Cooker (Part 2)

After 10 hours in the slow cooker, you should have onions that are beautifully caramelized. Here are some ideas of how to use them:


-Add to pasta with goat cheese, thyme and arugula for a quick weeknight meal (pictured)
-Throw them in an omelet for a gourmet breakfast 
-Make a quick side dish by adding caramelized onions and a little black pepper to some couscous
-Grill slices of baguette and top with caramelized onions and parmesan cheese for a new twist on bruschetta
-Quickly saute with fresh corn, chili powder and a splash of lime juice for a topping on tacos

-Use as topping for your favorite sandwich or pizza

-Make a quick lentil soup by simmering lentils in vegetable stock until tender. Stir in caramelized onions and garnish with fresh flat leaf parsley.

Perfectly Caramelized Onions in a Slow Cooker

Nothing excites me more than sitting down to a bowl of pasta, a slice of quiche or a even a pizza that has caramelized onions on it. Caramelized onions can really take the flavor of a dish to the next level and is one of my favorite ingredients to incorporate into cooking. The downside? To truly caramelize onions like the pros requires about 4 hours on the stovetop and a watchful eye. But don't click away yet. There is a way to have beautiful, golden onions without much effort at all. Dust off that slow cooker sitting in the back of your cupboard, pour in a little olive oil to coat the bottom and fill it with sliced onions. And then? Leave it alone for 10 hours on low! The finished onions can be used right away or put in the freezer until you have the urge to throw them into another dish for a punch of flavor. There is no recipe, it just depends on the size of your slow cooker and how much you want to make. 
Stay tuned tomorrow when I will show you how I put these to good use!

Avoid a "Sticky" Situation When Rolling Out Dough

Whether you are making dough for sugar cookies or cinnamon rolls, try this useful tip when flouring your countertop: Use a mesh strainer. Often times I throw flour down on the countertop, but fail to get an evenly coated surface. It's no wonder that within minutes I am cursing the counter for sticking to my dough. Here's an easy solution:

You'll need a mesh strainer like this one from Oxo. You could also use a powdered sugar shaker if you had one on hand.

Scoop some flour in the sifter, and dust your counter like you would with powdered sugar. You can lay it on thick or thin, depending on the task at hand. 

Olympic Inspirations

Shaun White is why we are most excited to watch the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics this year!  After recently watching him clinch another gold at the X Games, we can't wait to watch this unbelievable snowboarder go for gold again.  My nine year old son is especially fascinated with his death defying skills.


One of my earliest and fondest Winter Olympics memories is Gordeeva and Grinkov in 1988.  Their skating routine was magical and she was so beautiful for such a young person. I have since become enthralled with the moving stories of athletes from many countries and sports.  In more recent Olympics, Sarah Hughes, Sasha Cohen, Shaun White, Hanah Teter and Apolo Anton Ohno are just some of the athletes that have had me cheering hard for the USA (and kept me up way too late)!
Try following this mom's experience blogging among world journalists in Vancouver here:   http://www.crazybloggincanuck.com/.

Because of the inspiration and unbelievable shows of athleticism, we make a party of the winter and summer Olympics at our home. I have been inspired to make foods from different cultures as we enjoy watching these extraordinary athletes. This weekend we had Bobotie from Africa, a popular custard-topped meat pie which is very flavorful and slightly sweet. I made this recipe from Boma, the restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World (my very favorite place to eat when I visit).  They were kind enough to give me all the recipes I requested.  

Thanks Boma!

Bobotie


Ingredients:

2 pounds ground lamb, beef or a mixture of both 
2 tablespoons safflower oil
½ cup onion, large dice
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
3 slices loaf white bread
1 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup almond or pumpkin seeds, sliced
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins 


Topping:
1 cup Easy Eggs (refrigerated liquid whole eggs)
1 cup heavy cream/milk


Heat oil and caramelize the onions. Reduce heat and add dry spices. Mix well. Deglaze with rice wine vinegar. Add meat and continue to cook until meat is cooked through.

• When the meat is done, drain 90% of the grease off. Then tear the bread into small pieces and add it as well as the cream to the meat mixture.
  
  
  
  

  Add the sugar and mix well. Add a little bit of water if the mix looks too dry. Then add the raisins and almonds. Add more cinnamon and curry, if desired.  Cool.

  In a small container, place the bobotie mixture and top with the egg custard mix. Bake in the oven at 325º F until golden brown and cooked through. 

  
  

  I had to cook mine about 40 minutes until the eggs were set. Don't let the egg custard on top deter you (I am not a custard fan).  This is definitely worth a try if you enjoy experiencing different flavors! Serves 10.
  
  
  

  

  
  

Oven Baked Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a classic creole dish that has been a favorite for Mardi Gras. This  dish serves up to 14 and can separated into baking dishes: one to serve and another to freeze for another day. Celebrate Mardi Gras by dressing the table with purple, green and gold decorations and sit down to this hearty and spicy casserole. 

Oven Baked Jambalaya 

1/4 cup olive oil                                                                        

1 large onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic,sliced thin with garlic slicer

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

3 bay leaves

3 tablespoons creole seasoning blend

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce                                                        

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

7 cups chicken stock 

3 cups chopped cooked ham

3 cups cooked smoked sausage, sliced

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 cups frozen shrimp

3 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil  large stock pot. Saute onion, red pepper, celery and garlic until tender, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomato paste and cook to brown slightly, stirring constantly. Stir in bay leaves, Creole seasoning blend and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into a large roasting pan. Squeeze tomatoes to break up into pieces, and add to mixture in pan along with tomato sauce. Stir in juice from tomatoes, chicken stock, ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp and rice. Mix well. 

Put in a covered enameled cast iron dutch oven or a covered casserole dish. Bake 1 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through baking time. Remove bay leaves before serving.

How To: Use Powdered Milk As Sugar Substitute

I recently tried this tip from Dr. David Katz on how to cut the sugar in baking. He says to substitute some of the sugar in recipes with fat-free powdered milk... "Lactose-milk sugar-provides the bulk and consistency of the regular stuff but reduces total sweetness and calories, while adding protein and calcium." I reduced sugar by 1/3 starting out in a couple of recipes and never even noticed a difference. I also have a new way to use expiring powdered milk!

Note: Dr. Katz has a fun nutrition education program for kids.  My kids enjoy inspecting nutrition labels now.

http://www.davidkatzmd.com/nutritiondetectives.aspx

10 Chocolates You Must Try This Valentines Day

1. Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate Covered Marzipan
2. Vosges Mo's Dark Chocolate Bacon Bar
3. Lindt Excellence Intense Orange Dark Chocolate Bar
4. Hachez Cocoa d'Arriba Mango-Chili Bar
5. Lindt Excellence White Coconut Bar
6. Chuao Firecracker Bar (Dark Chocolate Bar, Chipotle, Salt and Popping Candy)
7. Lindt Fioretto Hazelnut Nougat
8. Dagoba Xocolatl Chocolate Bar (Chilies, Cacao Nibs)
9. Lindt Fioretto Caramel
10. Berkshire Bark Pretzelogical (Belgium Chocolate, Caramel, Pretzels, Peanut Butter, Sea Salt)

Give Kids an Increase of Love on Valentine's Day

Making every holiday fun and special is a great tradition in our home.  I can thank the "empty nester" for this since she did that for me growing up.  Valentine's Day is on Sunday this year so your loved ones will probably be home with you all day.  So I am including a list of ideas to make the holiday fun for your kids if you have never celebrated or want to find a new idea to add to your current traditions.  These are extremely easy...that's all it takes to make an impression on a child.
Start with breakfast

• heart-shaped pancakes or toast is easy to make with a cookie cutter
• strawberries
• pink or red juice or smoothies
• use holiday themed sprinkles to decorate breakfast or plate
• white doilies, valentine napkins for plate settings
• Valentine's card with place setting

then

• send them on a Hershey's Hugs & Kisses treasure hunt    
• make your own holiday bingo boards and use conversation hearts

make a treat together (these are tried and true favorites for us)

• decorated sugar cookies (refrigerated dough or your favorite recipe) or cupcakes
• easy crisp rice cereal treat http://www.dianthomas.com/a-giveakissforvd.htm
• home-made valentine cards (with candy) 
• we like this one for boys http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/blast-off-rocket-candy-card-668339/
• and this one for girls http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/friendship-blossoms-825185/

end with a dinner party

• make a family favorite for dinner and don't forget a special dessert
• swap Valentine's cards with each other
• give them something they love  (I'll be giving my 9 year old sushi, my 7 year old flowers and my 3 year old a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.)

It's not complicated but your kids will remember you forever (and expect it forever too)!  Remember, it's all about L-O-V-E.

How to Make Homemade Granola

My first taste of granola was in the mid-70s. After buying granola in the health food store, I realized I could make granola at home cheaper. I found a recipe and started making large batches that could be put in freezer bags and stored in the freezer. It quickly became a family favorite. After experimenting with various recipes over the years, I have held onto the following recipe and just love its wholesome taste. My basic granola recipe can be used by itself or used with just few alterations to make granola bars. Below are recipes for both with additional ideas of how to enjoy granola.

 Essential Granola                    

4 cups oats

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

One or more of the following: raisins, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds 

Stir honey and oil together in a saucepan over low heat until warmed.

Place ingredients in a large bowl. Pour honey mixture over and mix to combine. Spread out in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 and stir every 5 minutes for 25-30 minutes. Let cool. Place in an airtight container or store in freezer.

Granola Bars

1 batch Essential Granola

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Smart Balance Omega Peanut Butter (click here for a coupon)

1 cup of sunflower seeds

1 cup raisins

Combine salt, vanilla, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium low heat stirring until dissolved.

Transfer Essential Granola to bowl and add sunflower seeds and raisins. Pour honey/peanut butter mixture on top and mix thoroughly. 

Line a 9x12 baking pan with parchment paper. Pat mixture with the back of a spatula or measuring cup to create a smooth even surface.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Let cool for 2 hour hours and then cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Yogurt Parfaits

Just take your favorite yogurt and then I like Oiko's 0% FAT Organic Greek Yogurt layer with granola and fresh berries. Repeat a couple times until you have a few layers of everything. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with wheat germ or sliced almonds.