tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91245785131408745622024-03-12T23:59:26.201-04:00Kat's Divine ComedyKat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-25398916838434296842017-04-01T20:46:00.000-04:002017-04-01T20:46:08.514-04:00Mom's Cheesy Potatoes on a diet<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSysFAWa8so/TvYnbLJRFmI/AAAAAAAAAJc/1EpkEz41MXE/s1600/DSC02779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSysFAWa8so/TvYnbLJRFmI/AAAAAAAAAJc/1EpkEz41MXE/s320/DSC02779.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of my favorite dishes in the world, my Mom's Cheesy Potatoes. It's like crack to me, cheese and potatoes are my ultimate weakness. It's something that without a strict diet I could easily mow down half the pan in one sitting. (I'm pretty sure I have in fact done this) And I'm not the only one, last time I made it I had maybe two servings and the rest was eaten within 24 hours by two people. This recipe makes 12 servings. And my servings are normal people size servings, not one of those stupid "Serving Size" of one package of Raman Noodles apparently is for 2 people. Ridiculous I say!</div>
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I found this pretty awesome website where you can not only add your recipes to share but also just put in your recipes to just calculate nutritional information. I highly suggest it if you have recipes that call for a lot of things you can't just look on the back of the box to see how many calories it is. <a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/home.asp" target="_blank">Spark Recipes Calculator Website</a> Converting a recipe to a lower calorie version in most cases is relatively easy, I wouldn't suggest it when baking because that's a science and putting in different ingredients can sometimes be disastrous. For me when <span style="background-color: white;">making this recipe I pretty much when buying the ingredients looked around to see what options I had for lower calories. Campbell's does make a reduced fat Cream of Chicken soup, it took a bit of searching but I found it. I think the only thing that I couldn't find a lower calorie version of was the actual potatoes.</span></div>
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So here's the promised recipe of a reduce fat and calorie version of my Mom's Cheesy Potatoes (original recipe with nutritional info:<a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1909381)" target="_blank">Mom's Cheesy Potatoes</a> )<br />
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2 lbs Frozen Hash browns, shredded are best<br />
.5 c Margarine, melted<br />
1 lb Reduced Fat Cheddar<br />
1 can 98% Reduced Fat Cream of Chicken Soup<br />
1 pt Fat Free Sour Cream<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
.5 tsp pepper<br />
1 medium onion, diced<br />
2 c crushed cornflakes<br />
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In a saucepan, melt Margarine, soup, and sour cream. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, onion, and salt & pepper. Pour the soup mixture over the potato mixture and mix to coat the potatoes as evenly as possible. Pour into a 9x13 casserole pan and cover with the cornflakes. Bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.<br />
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The original stats per serving of this recipe are: 512.7 calories, 36.7g Fat (yowza!), 56.3mg Cholesterol, 742.9mg Sodium, 38g Carbohydrates, and 10g Protein. My reduced calorie version's stats in comparison: 264 Calories, 16.6g Fat (still high but in comparison way lower), 32.2mg Cholesterol, 562.3mg Sodium, 25.2g Carbohydrates, and 14.2g Protein.Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-11358157212861809682017-04-01T20:44:00.000-04:002017-04-01T20:44:02.821-04:00Guacamole<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOrhaxcY0Ro/TwDFYWuMk4I/AAAAAAAAAKY/ODoBp600JLc/s1600/guacamole.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOrhaxcY0Ro/TwDFYWuMk4I/AAAAAAAAAKY/ODoBp600JLc/s320/guacamole.png" width="191" /></a>Today I decided to make a healthy snack but I was in the mood for Mexican, so I made some Guacamole which is so super easy to make I don't know why I just buy the ingredients more often and make it myself. I had to make Guacamole literally everyday for about 6 months straight from scratch so I probably was just burnt out on making it, but since its been a good year since I had to be a slave to Guacamole I'm no longer scarred for life. In my recipe I do use lemon juice mostly because I had it on hand already, but I'd highly recommend using the same about of lime juice if you can get it. Its very important to add this ingredient to the Guacamole. Besides the avocados I'd say the lemon or lime juice is the thing you can't skip. If you don't add it then you're avocados will go brown very quick, adding the acid will give you an extra day or two of good color depending on the actual avocados. I've used avocados in the past that even with acid and using all the other "tricks" to keep it looking fresh would turn brown within minutes. My recipe is for a non-spicy Guacamole, if you want it spicier just add a diced jalapeno and more Frank's red hot or Tabasco.</div>
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Guacamole</div>
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3 avocados, pitted and peeled</div>
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1 red onion, diced</div>
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1 large tomato, diced</div>
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1 t pepper</div>
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If you happen to have a mortar and pestle put all the ingredients into it and grind away until its a nice paste. If you don't then just put it all into a bowl and use a large wooden spoon and smash it all together. And Voila! you have Guacamole! To keep it relatively healthy make sure to portion out one serving of your chips before starting to munch, because this is something that is super easy to just snack and snack and snack. I say this makes about 10 servings but if you're not careful you can easily eat more than one serving, though I didn't actually measure out the size of servings, sorry! Each serving is about 96 calories, and it has about 8 grams of Fat which is a lot but at the same time its fat from avocados which is pretty good for you because it doesn't give any cholesterol like animal fats do.</div>
Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-73600396718199647362017-03-25T20:43:00.003-04:002017-03-25T20:43:41.643-04:00Split Pea Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-X3rhRUZ025uGfYV_3yYjoRhrhkRWWecqvOqb_HTN7qR2O9vVXA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-X3rhRUZ025uGfYV_3yYjoRhrhkRWWecqvOqb_HTN7qR2O9vVXA" width="400" /></a></div>
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I don't know about you, but up until maybe two years ago I always viewed Split Pea Soup as a disgusting and unappetizing soup that no one liked. It certainly looks unappealing with its puke green color with random chunks of ham so I just never tried it. It wasn't until I became Sous Chef at a corporate cafe and had it put on the menu that I even tried it, mostly because I had to make it. Let me tell you, making something that you are going to sell even though you've never actually tried it or in fact cooked it before is quite a daunting task, one of which happened to me multiple times. Luckily for me, I remembered my basics from <a href="http://www.jwu.edu/" target="_blank">Culinary School</a> and also read the split pea package which had some basic instructions and from there I winged it. This is when I discovered my love for Split Pea Soup. However I have also discovered that I only like fresh and from scratch Split Pea Soup, I can't stomach the stuff from cans.</div>
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This soup recipe is super easy to prepare and could easily be made in a crock pot. I don't generally use my crock pot seeing as mine is literally older than I am. Seriously I'm pretty sure its from the 70s. And I use my giant stock pot (2 gallons is giant right?) and usually after I'm halfway done I realize that I probably could have used my crock pot. After working in commercial kitchens for a few years its hard for me to add to my repertoire things like microwaves and crock pots. Friends of mine who generally say they can't cook use crock pots better than I do! Anyway, as I said this recipe could easily be put into a crock pot and let it sit for a few hours, though it does take a good 2 hours of cooking time on the stove as well. I did try to calculate calories for this soup as well, though I'm not exactly sure how accurate my nutritional information is because there is reducing involved so the serving size of 12 ounces. I would say the calories aren't far off at least, I think within 50 calories or so. This is quite a healthy dish. For 12 ounces of Split Pea Soup <a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp" target="_blank">my calorie calculator website</a> says it would be about 185 calories which is pretty awesome because it is super filling. I feel like this soup fills me up more than any other soup I make.</div>
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Split Pea Soup</div>
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1 lb dry Split Peas </div>
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1/2 lb ham, diced</div>
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1 lb carrots, diced</div>
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1 large onion, diced</div>
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10 cups water</div>
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2 chicken bouillon cubes</div>
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Salt & Pepper</div>
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Garlic Powder</div>
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Onion Powder</div>
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With a small amount of oil saute the carrots, onion, and ham in a stock pot. You don't really need to get any color on them you almost want to sweat them more than saute them. Add the Split Peas, water, and Bouillon cubes. Stir and bring to a boil on high heat.</div>
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Once boiling add your salt, pepper, and garlic & onion powders, though you'll probably add more at the end as well to taste. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for about 2 hours, just check to see if everything is nice and mushy, if its not I just turn up the heat for a quick boil for a few minutes while frequently stirring just to finish cooking off the carrots (when I made this my carrots weren't done all the way until after this but I didn't cut them very small!). Turn off the heat, and remove if you're on an electric stovetop. Next take your immersion blender, if you don't have one you probably will have to use a normal blender just be careful to hold the top with a kitchen towel so it doesn't blow off with the heat, but an immersion blender is best! Once its nice and blended give it a taste, but don't be like me and burn your tongue because its wicked hot. This is when you add more of your seasonings to get it to where you like. I had to end up adding a whole lot of salt to mine. This makes at least 5 large servings or 10 small servings. I would suggest freezing half if you are cooking for just yourself because I'll usually eat it about 3 days in a row then want something else.</div>
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An alternate less healthy version of this and super delicious is instead of ham you use 4-5 slices of good bacon. If you use bacon make sure to render all the fat out before adding the veggies and you won't have to add any oil at all since there will be more than enough bacon grease. When I made it with bacon instead of ham I had all my animals fighting each other for the rights to lick my bowl every time I heated it up. One of our cats actually tried to stick her head in the pot to eat some, luckily I stopped her before she stole any of my soup!</div>
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Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!</div>
Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-51910916004858217862017-03-25T20:41:00.000-04:002017-03-25T20:42:14.337-04:00Raspberry Bran Muffins<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiVD3Oy8V7DqFO5809GIOewiK6R_q6OCMN88mS2gMPoLKIORFOXT2Zf8oEmGn3SnAcb2xPk-dYYTQhOzOucok7YoSMec1RqPpCOwSuGk0R3BC3v8iBV9Guy9EatN-TBeM7vx_uS9j3wec/s1600/DSC00086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiVD3Oy8V7DqFO5809GIOewiK6R_q6OCMN88mS2gMPoLKIORFOXT2Zf8oEmGn3SnAcb2xPk-dYYTQhOzOucok7YoSMec1RqPpCOwSuGk0R3BC3v8iBV9Guy9EatN-TBeM7vx_uS9j3wec/s320/DSC00086.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I feel like sometimes you need to eat outside your comfort zone. Quite a few of my recipes I post here are things that only a few years ago I never would have eaten and that I feel like if you give them a chance as I have you will find new things to enjoy. Only at my last cooking job did I discover Bran Muffins. Who knew something that I've avoided like the plague could be so delicious! </div>
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Not only are they tasty they are pretty damn good for you. I made these as mini muffins and each muffin comes out to only 87 calories each. I got the original recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">Allrecipes.com</a> but instead of raisins I put frozen raspberries that I had already. This was so easy you can easily put whatever fruit you want in it, just always fold it in, either dried fruit or frozen fruit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k713FrostUWtOgWGPij23UP41dP-6YezggqAqajS9DiMCoMkopsXcvKu87WjmJ8noxMIpqN0-jYw8HJ43AsPkVcom0wL4E4eWZrz3ipKeNApBVMEuP6njEE8X7aVfjndaR4K8hwQ-b46/s1600/DSC00094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k713FrostUWtOgWGPij23UP41dP-6YezggqAqajS9DiMCoMkopsXcvKu87WjmJ8noxMIpqN0-jYw8HJ43AsPkVcom0wL4E4eWZrz3ipKeNApBVMEuP6njEE8X7aVfjndaR4K8hwQ-b46/s320/DSC00094.JPG" width="320" /></a>Raspberry Bran Muffins<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/classic-bran-muffins/detail.aspx" target="_blank">Classic Bran Muffins on Allrecipes</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>1 1/2 c Wheat Bran<br />
1 c Buttermilk (or 4 Tbsp Dried Buttermilk & 1 c Water)<br />
1/3 c vegetable oil<br />
1 egg<br />
2/3 c brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 c AP Flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 c frozen raspberries<br />
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Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the Wheat Bran and Buttermilk together and let sit 10 minutes. Add the oil, egg, sugar, and vanilla to the wheat bran mixture and mix until combined. Add all the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the raspberries. Scoop into a sprayed muffin pan (I used my 1 3/4oz ice cream scoop to make 24 mini muffins) and bake for 15 minutes.Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-48074260911697665252014-03-26T21:27:00.001-04:002014-03-26T21:29:18.941-04:00Mexican Chicken Lasagna<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujbEMb9eqrBn8vP7Xs69vj36RDZMTwAR5Z6XLeLs_I7rvnNiOQrQcoGQdIOjxmYvrSAHWG0p7Obvk28W_l30QNRjmrswRf3ga2lM9t1nFC7pQiNoPcBHRkwvq_aZ7ag60Iux7Cs2Bpvg7/s320/10006563_10102155743584380_393531170_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujbEMb9eqrBn8vP7Xs69vj36RDZMTwAR5Z6XLeLs_I7rvnNiOQrQcoGQdIOjxmYvrSAHWG0p7Obvk28W_l30QNRjmrswRf3ga2lM9t1nFC7pQiNoPcBHRkwvq_aZ7ag60Iux7Cs2Bpvg7/s320/10006563_10102155743584380_393531170_n.jpg" /></a>So a few weeks ago I wanted to make classic Italian lasagna and as you do I went to the store and bought all the ingredients. And when I was in the pasta aisle looking for lasagna noodles (I thought of making it from scratch but laziness overwhelmed me!) and the Barilla no-cook lasagna noodles were on sale and looking at the small boxes I thought there was no way only one box would make one lasagna, so of course I bought four boxes. Low and behold, one box does in fact make a whole lasagna... So now I had an abundance of lasagna noodles and I was getting sick of regular old lasagna, so I decided to get creative and make a Mexican lasagna. I've been brainstorming all week on how to actually make it, and of course I didn't actually look up recipes that others have done, this is ALL me. At first I had thought of mixing all the ingredients into the sauce minus the noodles and cheese, then thought better of it. Lasagna is layered after all! </div>
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I feel like this was pretty easy to make though it was a little time consuming making the chicken, however that is easy enough to throw in a crock pot on low or make it a day ahead. I personally poached it for a couple hours on the stove when I was dropping off the daycare dogs. And then to shred the chicken I threw it in my kitchen-aid mixer with the paddle mixer until it was perfectly shredded! Other than the chicken the rest of the lasagna is a breeze to make. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!</div>
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Mexican Chicken Lasagna</div>
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2 large Chicken Breasts, shredded</div>
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3 cans black beans, drained</div>
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1 large can crushed tomatoes (28oz)</div>
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1 green pepper</div>
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1 red pepper</div>
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1 yellow onion</div>
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2-3 hot peppers (use whatever hot peppers you'd use normally for other stuff, it should be spicy)</div>
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2-3 cups Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese</div>
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1 box no-boil lasagna noodles</div>
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Cook the chicken either in a crock pot or on the stove with salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Once cooked through and tender, drain, and either shred by hand or in a mixer.</div>
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Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.</div>
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Chop the peppers and onion finely (I used my food processor to do it or you can use a knife...old school) and then saute in a large saucepan. When the veggies are soft add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for at least 10-15 minutes. </div>
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In a large casserole dish layer first the sauce, then noodles, followed by chicken, beans and cheese. Top with noodles, sauce, chicken, beans, and cheese. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce and cheese. Cover in aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and nice looking. </div>
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My final lasagna I was able to cut into 16 pieces. And it was DELICIOUS! Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPf392jraaSWU5wxFJff46_SzICasYvhAHzUZ7A5jTx59725y4Hv3lMpv0VJEDA9Yrz62jXYiYAz8SnTba4mi1lWCwgjr9uvDe5DAB0Ki9b13lmhaT5iYeEy7ZmNJMXXI5Gm_F4y8glYP-/s1600/20130315_173932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPf392jraaSWU5wxFJff46_SzICasYvhAHzUZ7A5jTx59725y4Hv3lMpv0VJEDA9Yrz62jXYiYAz8SnTba4mi1lWCwgjr9uvDe5DAB0Ki9b13lmhaT5iYeEy7ZmNJMXXI5Gm_F4y8glYP-/s400/20130315_173932.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I make a mean peanut sauce. I use it for anything and everything. It started out as my go-to pad thai sauce that I created a couple years ago when I had to make pad thai for the first time in my life at work. Another instance where they made a menu where I didn't know how to make the main courses before the day of. And since then I've evolved it to be a multi-purpose peanut sauce that I use for stir fry, pad thai, or the occasional chicken wrap. This is literally one of the easiest sauce recipes out there and takes about 5 minutes to make. Another nice thing about it is that you can control the spiciness of it very easily just by slowly adding the Sriracha to it until it meets your spice level. And I tend to make a lot of the sauce and use it for a few meals as the week goes on, there is nothing in it that won't last a few weeks or more in the fridge so it's something you can make a bunch of and save for later.</div>
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I find when making the chicken wrap you need something nice and crunchy but flavorful to go with it as well, which is why I have an Asian slaw with it, another thing that's super easy to make if you already have made my <a href="http://katsdivinecomedy.blogspot.com/2013/03/deviled-eggs-with-pickled-onion.html" target="_blank">Deviled Eggs with Pickled Onions</a> since I take shredded cabbage and carrots and add the pickled onions and its juice to make the slaw.</div>
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Peanut Sauce</div>
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1 c Brown Sugar</div>
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1/2 c Sugar</div>
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1/3 c Fish Sauce</div>
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1/2 c Ketchup</div>
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1/2 c Peanut Butter</div>
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1/4 c lemon or lime juice</div>
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1/4 c vinegar (I use white distilled or cider)</div>
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TT Sriracha</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMpJuMiqIds/UUjqyMS5wdI/AAAAAAAAAd4/axgADDpEx_k/s1600/20130315_170839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMpJuMiqIds/UUjqyMS5wdI/AAAAAAAAAd4/axgADDpEx_k/s200/20130315_170839.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc_hiMGBICs/UUjqX7kUG-I/AAAAAAAAAdw/D5frelLhHBE/s1600/20130315_170253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc_hiMGBICs/UUjqX7kUG-I/AAAAAAAAAdw/D5frelLhHBE/s200/20130315_170253.jpg" width="150" /></a>Now you literally put everything in a sauce pan and turn the heat on medium to low and stir it up until its blended. It takes a whole 5 minutes. Once its blended I taste it and add more Sriracha as needed to spice it up a little. But make sure to just start with maybe 4 or 5 drops because that stuff gets hot quick! Then I take the finished sauce and spoon it onto cooked and sliced chicken, which I pre-make.<br />
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Then I take a half of a cabbage's worth of shredded cabbage and one shredded carrot and mix it with a small handful of the <a href="http://katsdivinecomedy.blogspot.com/2013/03/deviled-eggs-with-pickled-onion.html" target="_blank">pickled onions</a> I made earlier in the week and about a half cup or less of the pickling juice from the onions. I mix it up and let sit for 10 minutes or so, usually during the time I'm cooking chicken in the oven.<br />
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The nice thing about this recipe is that it can easily be made gluten free by instead of using whole wheat wraps like I did, you can use lettuce wraps, like Boston bibb, which not just makes it gluten free but also saves you a 100+ calories depending on the wrap you use. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!<br />
<br />Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-31321130287888350322013-03-13T12:41:00.005-04:002013-03-13T12:41:43.222-04:00Deviled Eggs with Pickled Onion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With Easter just around the corner we have all the obligatory food served (that I love). I pretty much love any holiday that is more centered around food than anything else. No wonder I'm overweight! At Easter my family does Deviled Eggs, Ham, and all the fixings that goes with all our holidays - potatoes, carrots, and breads. This year I'm not sure what exactly I'm doing but one thing I love no matter the time of the year are Deviled Eggs. There is just something about them that are awesome.<br />
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Now I decided that I wanted to make a different sort of Deviled eggs, and not what everyone and their mother does by making truffled Deviled Eggs, I've seen those at multiple places in Boston. So after thinking about it there aren't that many ingredients you have in this recipe that can be changed too greatly without taking away the essence that is Deviled Eggs. So I started with the mustard. There are so many varieties of mustard out there, Dijon plain yellow, horseradish, Asian spicy mustard... hmmm Asian Spicy Mustard... What about a more Asian Deviled Eggs? Might just work... This is literally my thought process as I try coming up with a new recipe. Then I thought of what I might put on it without taking away from either the Asian aspect or Deviled Eggs aspect. Because other than having the Asian spicy mustard I wasn't going to veer far from the traditional recipe. That's when I thought of doing my Pickled Onions on top as the garnish.<br />
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Now Pickled Onions aren't necessarily Asian however I have incorporated it into Asian style dishes very easily by adding flavorings that blend well. My Pickled Onion recipe you'll look at it and say "I don't see anything particularly Asian about this..." but my leftover Onions I will easily add to my Asian Slaw that will go in my Peanut Chicken Wrap later this week (most likely featured on my other blog <a href="http://chefondiet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chef on a Diet</a>). I guess you'll have to trust me and let me use my Artistic License!<br />
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Pickled Onions<br />
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1 Red Onion, sliced thinly<br />
1/2 Jalapeno, sliced thinly<br />
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar<br />
1/4 cup Sugar<br />
1/4 cup Salt<br />
1 tsp Peppercorns<br />
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You'll want to do this the day before you need to use your pickled onions because they can be ready within a couple hours but they are at their best sitting in the liquid overnight if not longer. Combine everything but the Onion and Jalapeno and mix to combine, then add the Onion and Jalapeno to the liquid mixture, cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Then they should look hot pink. Now I let them sit two days because life got in the way of me making the Deviled Eggs on the day I planned to, so mine got a bit spicier than I anticipated. The longer they sit the more the jalapenos blend with the onions.<br />
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Deviled Eggs<br />
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6 Hard Boiled Eggs (my method below)<br />
2 Tbsp Mayonaise<br />
1 packet Spicy Asian Mustard (from Chinese take-out)<br />
4 dots of Sriracha<br />
1/2 tsp Soy Sauce<br />
1/2 tsp Pickled Onion liquid<br />
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To make Hard Boiled Eggs: put raw eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil on high heat and once at a roaring boil turn a timer on for 3 minutes. Let boil until the timer goes off and remove from heat and immediately cover. Let sit covered for 6-7 minutes and once the time is up drain the hot water out and shock the eggs with ice water. Or what I do is run cold water on them in the pot for about 5 minutes and then throw them in the fridge. For this its easier to make the Deviled Egg mixture if the yolks are as well done as possible short of making them go green. Mine were done but not well done and it made it slightly difficult to mix it by hand, not impossible mind you, just difficult.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTvo1nmOdKA/UUCpsxMBekI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/EEg99kAS1s8/s1600/DSC00111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTvo1nmOdKA/UUCpsxMBekI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/EEg99kAS1s8/s200/DSC00111.JPG" width="200" /></a>After they are cool, de-shell the eggs being careful not to break them apart. Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolk into a bowl and set the egg whites aside. Combine the remaining ingredients into the bowl with the yolks (you can also use a food processor if you have one otherwise use a fork). Stir until they are nice and smooth. If you have a piping bag use that to squirt the yolk mixture back into the egg white cups, if not put it in a ziploc bag and then cut the tip of a corner off and squeeze the yolk mixture that way.<br />
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Garnish with a couple pickled onions and jalapeno and voila! you have Deviled Eggs! Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-51256773053862773852013-03-01T18:37:00.001-05:002013-03-01T18:37:29.749-05:00Whole Wheat Pizza Dough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So if you're like me you love pizza and get a craving for pizza at least every other week, and also like me you probably are dirt poor and can't afford to actually order pizza. So what to do? Make pizza with ingredients you already have! When you think about it in order to make pizza dough you really only need flour, water, and yeast (I added sugar to mine as well as whole wheat flour both of which I already had). I make my own pizza sauce however most people already have jars of marinara laying around (I really could have stolen some from my sister if I felt like it, don't worry, Mary, I'd let you have some pizza!), so really you only have to buy some cheese which I bought the good stuff enough for two really big pizzas for $6 today (can't beat fresh mozzarella!). You may ask, "But Kat, what about other toppings!?" Well again you can raid your fridge and cupboards for those as well. I made Hawaiian pizza because I had a can of pineapple chunks and leftover ham from my <a href="http://chefondiet.blogspot.com/2013/02/split-pea-soup.html" target="_blank">Split Pea Soup on Chef on a Diet Blog Post</a>. However I could have also made spinach and feta pizza with frozen spinach and leftover feta that keeps staring at me to use, I have plenty of venison and moose sausage in my freezer that I could cook up, hell I could even steal more things from my sister's cupboard like olives and god only knows what else! (I didn't steal anything so I don't what she actually has) And just remember folks, if you steal from someone else's cupboard to make this pizza let them have some too, because if they live with you they probably have no money either! (And crave pizza)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the Oven</td></tr>
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So this Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe I modified from a recipe my lovely boyfriend uses, I'm not sure where exactly he got it from, but it comes out great when he makes it so I "borrowed" it and modified it slightly. I was also debating whether to put this recipe on this blog or my more healthy blog <a href="http://chefondiet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chef on a Diet</a> but with how much cheese I put on it I decided it probably wasn't as healthy as my mind wants to pretend it is. "It's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough so obviously its healthy!" If you don't have any whole wheat flour just use all AP Flour instead and it'll be fine.<br />
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Whole Wheat Pizza Dough<br />
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1 packet Yeast<br />
1 3/4 cups Lukewarm Water<br />
1 TBSP Sugar<br />
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour<br />
2 cups All Purpose Flour<br />
1 tsp Salt<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to Rise!</td></tr>
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Combine the yeast, water, and sugar in your mixer with a dough hook. (If you don't have a mixer just put it in a large bowl) Wait five plus minutes while the yeast begins to foam. Once its nice and foamy add the flour and salt and mix away until it forms a ball. Pull it out and on a floured surface roll it into a ball and cut it in half, then roll each half up into a ball again. Cover with wax paper or plastic wrap and let rise until it doubles in size. (30 minutes to an hour depending on how cold your house is) Now you can either make TWO pizzas, or just wrap one up in a ziploc bag and freeze it to use later. Either way you want to roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the size of your pizza pan. I have a commercial pizza pan that has holes all through it which makes it cook really nicely, I also have a pizza stone which also comes out great, if you don't have either just throw it on a sheet pan that you have sprayed with pan spray. Then put your sauce, cheese, and toppings on it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Commercial Pizza Pan on my Cutting board</td></tr>
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Though if you use a pizza stone you are supposed to heat the stone up first in the oven before putting the dough on it, that's part of the reason I like my commercial pizza pan because you can put the pizza directly on it and then put it on the heated stone with a whole lot less aggravation. I usually start off cooking it at 425 degrees (preheated) for 20 minutes, and depending on how many toppings you put on you may need to go a little more, I usually just lift up a corner to see if the crust looks all the way cooked. And viola! you have the miracle of pizza on the cheap!<br />
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Please note that I made the Pizza Dough the night before I actually made the pizza. Since the dough can take a good hour or more to make I decided that in order for me to have instant gratification, aka pizza, I should make it early so all I have to do is roll out the dough, top, and bake when I get done work for the day.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wy5LJhkQB-g/UTE0MFWMelI/AAAAAAAAAWY/mjW9Ia-b4EA/s1600/DSC00075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wy5LJhkQB-g/UTE0MFWMelI/AAAAAAAAAWY/mjW9Ia-b4EA/s200/DSC00075.JPG" width="200" /></a>Kat's Pizza Sauce (for two pizzas)<br />
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1 can Crushed Tomatoes (the big can)<br />
1 TBSP Sugar<br />
1 TBSP Italian Herbs<br />
1 1/2 tsp Salt<br />
1/4 tsp Pepper<br />
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder<br />
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Mix all ingredients and you are good to go. This is enough for two pizzas using the pizza dough recipe above.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I ate too much of this...</td></tr>
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<br />Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-9110043807798681862012-09-30T15:38:00.001-04:002012-09-30T15:42:54.578-04:00Autumn Harvest Beef Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know about you but on a cold rainy day such as today I like to have a big bowl of hearty beef stew. So my boyfriend and I went to the grocery store to get the ingredients and while there I was inspired to make a stew that was not as traditional as I always make it. This is a pretty simple recipe that cooks up nicely in about an hour, plus the prep time it takes to cut up all the veggies. This is definitely a vegetable heavy stew that still has a lot of beef chunks and flavor you crave from a beef stew. The thing that inspired me the most to make a slightly non-traditional beef stew was that butternut squash was on sale, I absolutely love butternut squash and I was thinking about putting it in the stew but wasn't sure how it would taste in the stew. I think it ended up being a success, hence the blog!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Autumn Harvest Beef Stew</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.5lb stew beef (venison/buffalo also great)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8oz button mushrooms, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 celery stalks, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 small onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 parsnips, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 carrots, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 small/medium potatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 boxes organic beef broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 small can tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 bottle red wine</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure to prep everything before starting to saute the vegetables. You don't want to have to turn off the heat to prevent burning. And always cut your vegetables the same size so that you will have even cooking. And with the stew beef, I always cut the beef into smaller chunks because the store usually cuts them awfully large for my taste and it will take longer to cook and tenderize in the stew.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat a large stockpot on medium-high to high heat with a small amount of oil in it. Add the veggies to saute until they start to get soft and then add the beef. Saute everything until the beef is browned a bit. Add the can of tomato paste. The tomato paste adds acidity to the stew which helps tenderize the beef. I gave my mom this tip when I first went to culinary school and now she swears by tomato paste in her stews because according to her the meat becomes more tender than she ever has gotten it before. After you mix the tomato paste in to coat everything, deglaze with the red wine. When you deglaze you get all the yummy browned bits off the bottom of the pan which adds a lot of flavor to the stew. If you don't have wine you can always use beer as well, I suggest a stout for beef.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once you get all the bits off the bottom of the pot let the red wine reduce by half and add the beef broth. You can always use stock as well, and I generally prefer stock, however at the store the organic beef broth had the best ingredients. Its never a good sign when you try to buy beef stock and there are more ingredients in it than just "beef stock". At least the beef broth I got only had two ingredients, beef stock and water. Usually beef broth is a watered down and saltier version of beef stock and when using beef broth you have to be careful when you reduce it because it can get very salty quick. I was very happy with my purchase of this organic beef broth though. Always check the ingredients!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After adding the broth, reduce the heat to medium heat and leaving it uncovered let it simmer for about an hour. Then I usually pull out a piece of meat and check to see if its tender to my satisfaction. I was really surprised how quickly it tenderized when I made it, but its because of the combination of cutting the beef into smaller bite size pieces and the tomato paste. Plus I think the wine I got at the wine store had a little higher acidity as well. When choosing a wine just ask the employees at the wine stores what red would go well in a stew, they are usually pretty helpful in finding something that is reasonably priced and something you can drink the rest of while waiting for the stew to finish! My stew just by reducing from the simmering thickened up on its own, but if you want to thicken it up some more make a cornstarch slurry by adding a few tablespoons of cornstarch to about a cup of cold water and add it to a boiling stew and stir until it thickens. Repeat if you want it still thicker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ended up serving my stew with some nice crusty sourdough bread which really made the whole meal completely awesome. As you see in the picture my dog loved the smell and was trying to get some herself!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span>Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0Boston, MA, USA42.3584308 -71.059773242.2645643 -71.217701699999992 42.4522973 -70.9018447tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-77638531170010974412010-10-20T16:47:00.000-04:002010-10-20T16:47:34.494-04:00Pumpkin-Apple BBQ SauceSo continue my pumpkin obsession I prepared this awesome bbq recipe that I put on pulled pork, which I used the same recipe as what I posted earlier on here. You'll see that there are some similarities to my BBQ recipe that goes along with the pulled pork that I posted before. Also to make the pumpkin puree, just follow the instructions in the Pumpkin Cake post, though you can also used canned puree, not everyone has the time to roast pumpkins for a few hours. I'm one of those strange people that does that sort of thing for fun. Sadly I have no pictures of the making of this since it was pretty boring to look at in the blender and while it was simmering. <br />
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Pumpkin Apple BBQ Sauce<br />
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1c Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
2c Pumpkin Puree<br />
1 Red Onion, diced<br />
3 Tbsp Garlic, minced<br />
1/2c Brown Sugar<br />
1c Applesauce<br />
4-5 shakes Worchestershire<br />
1/2c Ketchup<br />
1 Orange, juiced<br />
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard<br />
1 tsp Cumin<br />
1 tsp Paprika<br />
10 shakes Frank's Red Hot<br />
1 Tbsp Parsley<br />
1 Tbsp Thyme<br />
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Put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth. You can use a blender as well, but I prefer the food processor. Once smooth put it into a sauce pan and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Use this BBQ sauce on anything you like, but it was really good on the pulled pork.<br />
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Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-40288185346203606672010-10-10T15:49:00.000-04:002010-10-10T15:49:29.278-04:00Pumpkin Cake<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I started a new job recently which has given me the opportunity to actually have time to work on this blog. At my new job I have quite a bit of flexibility to pretty much do whatever I want when it comes to desserts and cold dishes, and being that it's October I thought what better way to honor the month (which is by chance also Celiac Awareness Month) to be completely obsessed with all things pumpkin. In the following weeks, I'll be posting all things pumpkin from my own experiments.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6NiwX1E0rWkkH3k5tKKZId9BKDFuakuubOTcB27DIBez8dnJUj_UnqbLMJJyiE35t87niQYQIwh6drpbF-3Wo-Hr3-n0S7Fppopl-BsYH2luuyKjkEO3cS8-2SdoGz3v6kvgnloGLAAg/s1600/DSC02777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6NiwX1E0rWkkH3k5tKKZId9BKDFuakuubOTcB27DIBez8dnJUj_UnqbLMJJyiE35t87niQYQIwh6drpbF-3Wo-Hr3-n0S7Fppopl-BsYH2luuyKjkEO3cS8-2SdoGz3v6kvgnloGLAAg/s200/DSC02777.JPG" width="200" /></a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">First thing first, I've been using homemade pumpkin puree for my recipes. To make pumpkin puree you simply cut sugar pumpkins in half, scoop out the seeds, put them skin side up onto a sheet pan, add a cup of water to the sheet pan and roast at 350 for 1 hour to 1.5 hours until the "meat" is all the way cooked. Then just scoop the insides out and puree it in a food processor. I'd recommend the food processor over a blender, I tried to do it in my blender first and it was an epic failure, but my food process had no issue with it.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now at work all week I've been making Pumpkin Cake, that wasn't gluten free and it was so very good. Yes, I cheated and ate some, I did have to test it out. However, I decided to try and make it gluten free. I dug in Saturday morning for a full day of experimentation, modifying the recipe I had been making all week at work. Oddly enough my first attempt came out amazing. Some of my modifications were on purpose, some were accidental mostly because I realized after I already started I didn't have enough sugar, which is why it's half white sugar, and half brown sugar. This cake came out amazingly moist and spongy. From my experience, almost all my gluten free baking has turned out like bricks. My sister even told me how she would have never known "there was something wrong with it". And while I don't have a recipe listed, this goes really well with a cream cheese frosting, but I ate it just plain.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLXXx3lAaBLGFJWAlbT1v0KbK9vfUv0TmTqtSiyfAigM-rp1ZWJAYP1QVWLN4xlJwpWZzD-1QyTbio05oG1evSWOxTMqrfqTq_jiCRzokID6-FCtGfTMuxj6K0btn_PGhP05LChZMQte1/s1600/DSC02780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLXXx3lAaBLGFJWAlbT1v0KbK9vfUv0TmTqtSiyfAigM-rp1ZWJAYP1QVWLN4xlJwpWZzD-1QyTbio05oG1evSWOxTMqrfqTq_jiCRzokID6-FCtGfTMuxj6K0btn_PGhP05LChZMQte1/s200/DSC02780.JPG" width="200" /></a>Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake Recipe</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 c sugar</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 c brown sugar</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2/3 c vegetable oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp vanilla</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 c pumpkin puree</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 eggs</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 c GF All purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp xanthum gum</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1.5 tsp Baking Powder</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp Baking Soda</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 tsp salt</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp cinnamon</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp nutmeg</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sift the flour, xanthum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together and set aside. Combine the sugar and oil until well mixed, I do this all by hand with a whisk. Add the vanilla and pumpkin and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, then slowly add the flour mix until blended. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan, and bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=celi-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000KEPBCS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></div><span></span>Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-85643907627760583072010-06-10T19:14:00.000-04:002018-05-03T10:02:22.616-04:00Mango BBQ Pulled PorkFor the LOST series finale I decided to do a tropical themed pulled pork and I love mangos so that's pretty much my inspiration for creating this dish. This is an all day recipe or at least you need to commit a good 4-6 hours of your day towards it because pulled pork really is an art AND science and it just takes that long to make it mouthwatering awesome. I must say with no measure of bias that this pulled pork was just about the best pulled pork I've ever had. I found myself explaining multiple times throughout the night to fellow LOST fans how exactly I made it so awesome. I doubt anyone remembered my explanation so I'm sure they'll come to our next party where I probably will repeat it making it. Okay that's enough self-gratification, here's the actual recipe.<br />
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Dry Rub:<br />
1 c brown sugar<br />
1 Tbsp garlic powder<br />
1 Tbsp dry mustard<br />
2 Tbsp paprika<br />
2 Tbsp salt<br />
1 Tbsp chili powder<br />
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1 5-7lb Boston Butt or Picnic Shoulder<br />
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Rub the dry rub all over your pork and let it marinate for at least an hour but overnight it optimal. I did it for only an hour because well I forgot to do it. As you can see in my picture I did one butt and one shoulder. Once it's been sitting for an hour (or more) put it into a preheated 300 degree oven covered with foil tightly or with the lid of your roasting pan. Let it roast for 4 hours and check the internal temperature and if it's at least 170 degrees, if not let it keep roasting. It shouldn't take more than 6 hours total. <br />
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Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before touching it. <br />
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Then you can use two forks to "pull" the pork apart. Then you can set it aside if you don't need to eat it right away or add the BBQ sauce which follows and enjoy.<br />
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Mango BBQ Sauce:<br />
1 c cider vinegar<br />
2 mangos, peeled and cut up (might be able to use frozen mangos that have been thawed)<br />
1 red onion, chopped<br />
2-3 Tbsp garlic, minced<br />
1/2 c brown sugar<br />
1 c ketchup<br />
4-5 shakes Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 large lime, juiced<br />
TT Salt & Pepper<br />
1/2 c orange mango juice<br />
1/2 tsp cumin<br />
1/2 tsp paprika<br />
10 shakes Frank's Red Hot<br />
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh or dry<br />
1 Tbsp thyme<br />
1/2 tsp dry mustard<br />
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Here's the hard part, put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. <br />
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Then simmer on medium heat for at least 45 minutes. Can use about half of the sauce to mix with the pulled pork.Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-90188704520587906672010-04-12T18:52:00.000-04:002010-04-12T18:54:28.833-04:00Kat's Awesome Potato SaladSo Aaron, my sister's bf, decided to have a BBQ this weekend, and me being me decided that I needed to make some side dishes. I whipped up a random concoction of potato salad and it turned out amazing!<br />
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1.5 lbs red potatoes, 1 inch cubes(ish)<br />
1 small red pepper, diced<br />
1 small onion (spanish ideally), diced<br />
3/4 cup frozen peas (thawed)<br />
1/2 cup mayo<br />
1 tbsp italian herbs<br />
2 dill pickle spears, diced<br />
1 tsp Frank's Red Hot<br />
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard<br />
TT Salt and Pepper<br />
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Put the cubed potatoes into cold water and bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are al dente (aka cooked but not soft). While the water is heating up you can easily dice and mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl. Once the potatoes are done cooking, drain them and rinse them with cold water, then let them sit in the strainer for a couple minutes to let them dry off a little. Then pour the potatoes into the mayo mixture, no need to cool them down first just dump them on in and mix it to coat all the potatoes with the mayo mixture. This is when I taste it to see if I need to add anymore Salt and Pepper. If you taste it before you put the potatoes in you may think it's too salty only to find out after the potatoes are in that it's too bland. Then just refridgerate for at least an hour or until it's cool and enjoy! Though I must admit I always eat some potato salad before it's cold because I love it so much. For the note I have about spanish onions, I like using those in this recipe because it is raw and other types of onions can be a bit harsh, but spanish onions are a bit more mild and are much easier to handle raw. And you may notice that I use Frank's Red Hot as sort of my secret ingredient in most of my dishes, even if it's not listed in my recipe I might have ended up using it. Its something that if used in small amounts can really enhance flavors within the dish much like salt does, used in larger amounts it makes the dish pretty hot however, so start off small and work your way up a few drops at a time and always taste taste taste!<br />
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Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-4512243773770021802010-04-04T13:04:00.000-04:002010-04-04T13:06:53.743-04:00Eggplant LasagnaThis is one of my favorite comfort foods to make that actually fullfills my craving for italian food since the consistency my "noodles" actually taste and feel like noodles. It is one food also that actually gets better with reheating. For some reason the eggplant noodles meld together in the fridge and when you reheat it it tastes exactly like normal italian lasagna. My mom and I have both fooled finicky eaters with this reheated, we just neglect to tell them its eggplant instead of egg noodles until after their plate is empty. And one nice thing about this is that you can really add what ever you want for vegetables in the intial saute. My recipe is just what how I made it when I was experimenting. This can easily be made vegetarian if necessary, I just am an omnivore.<br />
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3.5 oz Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced<br />
1 red bell pepper, diced<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
1 Tbsp various italian herbs<br />
1 large eggplant<br />
1 jar marinara<br />
1 lb shredded mozzarella<br />
32 oz ricotta<br />
2 eggs<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jDGibDboI/AAAAAAAAAEg/gTiBK29VTfs/s1600/DSC02701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jDGibDboI/AAAAAAAAAEg/gTiBK29VTfs/s200/DSC02701.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Saute the mushrooms, onion, pepper, garlic, and ground beef in a hot pan until the beef is fully cooked. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer and add the herbs. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jDxqNDJrI/AAAAAAAAAEw/ppqo9znxYxk/s1600/DSC02704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jDxqNDJrI/AAAAAAAAAEw/ppqo9znxYxk/s200/DSC02704.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Peel the eggplant and slice thinly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jEr-SO0LI/AAAAAAAAAE4/3iCtouabOIs/s1600/DSC02700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9SCLwQoQWjY/S7jEr-SO0LI/AAAAAAAAAE4/3iCtouabOIs/s200/DSC02700.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Take a deep dish and put the sauce down first, then layer the eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and sauce. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSXEx__PQflMxjSiB_WeafxxDe6uLe0w2-CjQvgBJz8-RC6IuVEv1ncNIolP2viy5az5NCLdnnVF9wpGp4RmOotLuh2ndQWsUPYh35GVA4QMmbr_rKdibmGf5z45a9KtaOGXrNXD5aw2N/s1600/DSC02705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSXEx__PQflMxjSiB_WeafxxDe6uLe0w2-CjQvgBJz8-RC6IuVEv1ncNIolP2viy5az5NCLdnnVF9wpGp4RmOotLuh2ndQWsUPYh35GVA4QMmbr_rKdibmGf5z45a9KtaOGXrNXD5aw2N/s200/DSC02705.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Make sure to finish with the sauce on top. I did about 4 layers of eggplant. Bake for about 1 hour at 375 degrees. This will be VERY juice so definitely let it sit for a bit before cracking into it. The only reason why I used a circular pan was because it was my only deep pan. If you don't want to use egpplant you can also use zucchini slices in the exact same way as the eggplant for a similar texture.<br />
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Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-57094387962106163862010-03-29T20:29:00.000-04:002010-03-29T20:35:09.278-04:00Re-vamp of blog and Risotto!So in an effort to re-vamp my blog somewhat I've decided to incorporate going out to Boston restaurants to test the food, gluten free knowledge of staff, and if there are even gluten free options to begin with. I'll try to do something like this each week, or at least post a recipe. Who knew it was so hard to keep up with blogging!<br />
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And since this is such a short post I might as well add a recipe.<br />
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Red Pepper and Mushroom Risotto<br />
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1 cup Arborio Rice<br />
2 cups Chicken Stock<br />
1 cup Milk or white wine.<br />
1 small onion, diced<br />
2-3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 small red bell pepper<br />
5-6 shiitake mushroom tops, diced<br />
1/4 cup Parmesean Cheese.<br />
1 Tbsp Italian Herb Mix (i.e. oregano, basil, marjoram, etc)<br />
1 Tbsp Olive Oil<br />
1 Tbsp Butter<br />
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Melt the butter in a pan with the olive oil on medium high heat. once melted add the onion, pepper, garlic, and mushrooms and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the arborio rice and stirring with a wooden spoon until the rice is a little toasted and completely covered by the oil and butter. Add the cup of wine if you are using wine, otherwise add a cup of stock. Stir the rice frequently until the the liquid is almost completely gone then add another cup of stock. Repeat the process of stirring until the liquid is almost gone then add the cup of milk if you are doing milk instead of wine, or if you did the wine add the stock. At this point everything should look pretty creamy. Reduce the liquid again and when its about halfway reduced add the cheese and herbs. Take the risotto off the heat once the liquid is almost gone, but leave a little juice because it will continue to soak it up. Then salt and pepper to taste. This can be eaten as a main dish or can be used as a side dish. I like to have risotto with baked salmon because it just always goes so good together!<br />
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Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-77148765485911891482010-02-06T19:56:00.000-05:002010-02-06T19:56:32.740-05:00HummusOh look I still have a blog!<br />
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Getting ready for the Super Bowl and one of the things I decided to do was make Hummus for the vegetarian crowd coming to our party. I believe Hummus is usually gluten free anyway but my recipe I made for the party exceeded my expectations in taste, and it's so simple to make!<br />
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1/4 c Tahini (sometimes called seseme tahini paste)<br />
1 lemon - juiced<br />
1 T ground cumin<br />
2 garlic cloves minced (or more to taste)<br />
1.5 cans of chickpeas drained<br />
4 T olive oil<br />
3/4 c hot water<br />
Pretty much just put all the ingredients into a food processor except the hot water which you drizzle in and blend til it looks like hummus.<br />
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After you taste it if it is a little bland you can add a little more cumin and garlic. Mine was a little bland at first and I added more of those things and it turned out amazing. My recipe does take into account the additions of the cumin and garlic I added to the end, but I didn't have exact measurements so you may have to add a little more. Also adding a little salt and pepper can enhance the flavor as well.<br />
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Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-33771473791863981072009-02-28T19:47:00.000-05:002009-02-28T19:48:22.468-05:00Organic Milk is Better!Dairy is one of the first things people tend to get that is organic when they decide to switch over, mostly because of availability of the items. In almost any grocery market these days you can go in and buy a gallon organic milk for not too big of a price difference from nonorganic milk. In fact many organic milk producers can easily sell twice as much as what they produce and the US has to import 10% of its organic milk from Holland. Organic milk is defined as milk from cows that graze on organic pastures and are fed hay or silage. None of the food for dairy cows can be modified using chemical fertilizers, animal byproducts, or with the addition of medication and hormones. However organic dairy cows can be administered medication on an as needed basis. Nonorganic dairy cows are regularly given synthetic growth hormones to increase their milk production, however research has shown that not only can it affect preteen onset of puberty but also increase the possibility of women to have twins. Women are have an increased chance at having twins because the growth hormones given to dairy cows affects proteins in a woman’s body that increases ovulation. When it comes to dairy it seems like a no-nonsense decision to go organic. Women are told when they are breastfeeding to stay away from a lot of various things because everything they eat or use goes directly into their breast milk. So why do we inject dairy cows with antibiotics, growth hormones, and various other things and not think that it will come out in our milk? The answer is, because we can. By injecting those things into the dairy cows they produce more milk and stay healthy longer. In the end, milk and dairy are things that are definitely worth buying organic.Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-53962012597915849672009-02-28T19:21:00.000-05:002009-02-28T19:42:41.574-05:00Quick and Easy ChiliIntimidated by making chili? Don't be. One of the first things I made when I was diagnosed with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Celiac</span> Disease was chili. I had bought one of those chili packet mixes and discovered that it in fact had gluten in it. However I read the recipe on the back of it and thought, this packet mix really does nothing! So I just made the basic recipe from the back of the packet. It came out decent, and that became my staple for the first few months and I slowly was able to adjust it until I could make it within a half hour for pretty cheap as well.<br /><br />1 lb ground meat<br />2 cans diced tomatoes<br />1 can pinto beans<br />1 can kidney beans<br />1 can black beans<br />1 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">habenero</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Serrano</span> pepper, diced<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">TT</span> Chili Powder<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">TT</span> Garlic Powder<br /><br />Brown the meat and chop it up into little pieces while browning. Once cooked or at least mostly cooked add all the other ingredients including the juices. Bring up to a boil and then let simmer for at least 15 minutes. And enjoy! <br /><br />See? Super easy. And the longer you let it simmer the better it gets. If I make it for lunch I just leave it on the stove on the lowest heat and eat some more at dinner time or put it in a bowl with some shredded cheese and eat it with tortilla chips. Just store the rest in the fridge and when you reheat it, it makes even better chili dip as well as soup. A really good chili dip idea is putting cream cheese on the bottom of an oven safe pan or dish add the chili and top with cheddar cheese. And throw it into the oven to heat it up and make the cheese bubble.Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124578513140874562.post-86580342507958061782009-02-26T19:32:00.000-05:002009-02-26T19:43:18.215-05:00Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato SoupSo today I had the motivation to cook soup so I could have food for a couple days. I went to walmart browsing the aisles and saw that butternut squash was on sale. So I immediately grabbed one and thought about what else I could add to it. The result omg so good! So I figured I'd share the recipe.<br /><br />1 Butternut Squash<br />2 Sweet Potatoes<br />1/2 onion<br />1 box of chicken stock<br />TT Cinnamon<br />TT Salt<br />TT Pepper<br /><br />I cut up the squash and potatoes to half inch blocks and julienned the onions. I added a small amount of oil to a pan and sauteed the squash, potatoes, and onion until a good aroma is coming out of the pan. I then added the chicken stock which almost completely covered all the stuff. I then brought it up to a boil then reduced to a simmer and cooked until everything was soft. I then added the spices and pureed the whole mixture together until smooth. <br /><br />The end result is a blend of sweet and savory that is perfect for a cool night. One bowl easily fills you up and warms you up. Enjoy!Kat Meagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14720234504122905721noreply@blogger.com0