Grilled Club Sandwiches
March 23, 2008
Grilled Club Sandwiches
by: Luke Indran
Pretty much nothing can compare to the wholesome goodness and lovely warm savoury sensation of grilled sandwiches if what you’re after is some simple yet tasty fare. This clever variation of the old dejeuner classic is also no slouch when it comes to nutritional content and quite simply hits the ball out out of the park where taste is concerned!
Grilled Club Sandwiches
Yield: 6 Servings
1 long thin loaf (18 inches) - French bread
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c bold & spicy mustard
2 T finely red onion, chopped
2 T horseradish
1/2 lb sliced smoked ham, boiled
1/2 lb honey-baked deli, sliced turkey
1 lg ripe tomato, sliced
8 oz brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 bn watercress, washed and drained
Cut bread in half lengthwise. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, onion and horseradish in small bowl; mix well. Spread mixture on both halves of bread. Layer ham, turkey, tomato, cheese and watercress on bottom half of bread.
Cover with top half; press down firmly. Cut loaf crosswise into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Thread two mini sandwiches through crusts onto metal skewer. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Guide To Bunn Coffee Makers
March 22, 2008
Guide To Bunn Coffee Makers
by: Jack Blacksmith
Are you one of those people who can’t get moving in the morning without that morning cup of coffee? If you are, you aren’t alone. Homes across the country are home to Bunn coffee makers, espresso or cappuccino makers to get people up and ready to face the day. Bunn is one of the best known names in home coffee machines and has a solid reputation for quality.
Features of Coffee Makers
The company makes seven different machines, with features for every need. Models come in single servings all the way up to a ten-cup machine. The number of coffee drinkers in your house and the number of cups each drinks will help determine the size of the machine you need. You can choose other features for convenience.
Timers are a great feature to have in a coffee maker. You can get everything ready before you go to bed and wake to a deliciously brewed pot. Fill the machine with water and coffee grounds and set the timer for just a few minutes before your alarm clock will go off. The machine will do the rest.
Steamed Bread: Apricot-Date Nut Bread with Caramel Sauce
March 21, 2008
Steamed breads are so versatile. We love the outdoors and are always looking for interesting and different foods that we can cook while camping and steamed breads can be cooked as you lounge around the campfire. They make wonderful treats at home. And they make great emergency fare since you don’t need an oven or even a range to cook these breads.
We put the following recipe together for a trip into the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming with a group of varsity scouts. We started it cooking next to the morning fire and by the time breakfast was over and the dishes were done, the bread was ready. It was a little rich for morning food–more like a cake than a bread–but these backpackers didn’t seem to mind and it certainly turned out good enough to be a treat at home.
Apricot-Date Nut Bread with Caramel Sauce
11/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup apricot nectar 2 cups chopped dates 1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts
Caramel Sauce
3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup dry milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
The Health Aspects Of Chocolate
March 20, 2008
The Health Aspects Of Chocolate
by: Elli Potrelli
Chocolate is relaxing. It’s calming. It soothes our nerves and makes us feel good. And we often think of it as a sinful indulgence. But it doesn’t have to be. If you choose your chocolate wisely, you can enjoy it without the guilty feelings we normally associate with it.
What Are the Healthy Aspects of Chocolate?
By eating small amounts of the right chocolate, you will enjoy the many health aspects of chocolate. Chocolate contains high levels of potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1, B2, D and E. If that’s not reason enough to reach for a daily dose of chocolate, consider that it can also lower blood pressure and prevent arteries from hardening, therefore protecting the heart.
Has Chocolate Been Wrongly Accused?
For the most part, chocolate has been wrongly accused. New studies are finding that common beliefs about the effects of chocolate are not true after all. While we used to associate chocolate with acne, researchers have now dismissed a possible link between the two. While some people avoided chocolate because of the caffeine level associated with it, we now know that a small serving only contains as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Does chocolate really cause migraines? Well, only if consumed in large amounts. Again, moderation plays a big role here.
Microwave Ovens and the Healthfulness of Microwaved Food
March 20, 2008
Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They are more energy-efficient than other cooking methods. But are they safe? And do they produce food that contributes to the health of our bodies?
While there is not enough evidence to require warning labels on microwave ovens, or to remove them from the market, there is concern both about the safety of our exposure to microwaves and the healthfulness of microwaved food.
THE DANGERS OF MICROWAVES
Even microwave ovens that are functioning perfectly emit microwaves. Safety standards set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allow microwave emissions of up to one milliwatt per square centimeter (1mW/cm2) when the oven is purchased, and up to 5mW/cm2 after the oven has been in use. Studies on industrial exposure recommend that daily exposure should not exceed one milliwatt for more than one minute. Average home use of microwave ovens far exceed this.
Workers who are exposed to microwaves on the job experience headaches, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances and other symptoms.
HOW MICROWAVES AFFECT FOOD
Advocates of microwaved food claim that it is healthier because it retains vitamins, but the University of Minnesota disagrees:
Food And Wine Choice Advice From An Expert Wine Taster
March 19, 2008
Food And Wine Choice Advice From An Expert Wine Taster
by: Chris Robertson
Food and wine were meant to go together. In my big Italian family, no gathering was complete without plenty of both. Winter feasts were easy for the food and wine lovers among us - a hearty red table wine is the perfect foil for most southern Italian dishes. A pitcher of table wine drawn from the cask in the basement was the typical accompaniment to our everyday meals.
Red, white or rose, Italian table wines are meant to be imbibed in the casual atmosphere of a family dinner. They are light enough to be enjoyed even by the casual food and wine enthusiast, and robust enough to complement the full-flavored richness of smoked and barbecued food. Which leads us to the subject of this little soliloquy - mixing and matching food and wine for the barbecue. My own tastes run to Italian jug wines, and if it was up to me, I’d tell you to just go out and buy a jug of Chianti and a jug of Lambrusco. It’s what I grew up with, and I happen to love the little sparkle that a good Lambrusco (yes, they do exist!) adds to food.
The Best Mexican Food Across The Country, Chosen By Mexican Restaurant Reviews From Boston To San Francisco
March 18, 2008
The Best Mexican Food Across The Country, Chosen By Mexican Restaurant Reviews From Boston To San Francisco
by: Chris Robertson
“You can’t get good Mexican food anywhere north of Texas.”
So averred my good buddy Tony when I suggested a Mexican meal on his recent visit. Now, I’m a good deal north of Texas, being in the Heart of Massachusetts, but that’s the kind of challenge that I can’t pass up. Three hours later, he was rubbing his stuffed belly as we left Tortilla Sam’s, voted Worchester’s Best Mexican Restaurant for the third year in a row. Being voted Best Mexican Restaurant in a little northeastern city may not seem like much - till you stand in front of the window at Tortilla Sam’s and watch the tortillas - freshly mixed and cut by hand - roll through the steam press and catch a whiff of the mole. Then you realize that this is real Mexican food. And if the Mexican food in Worcester is good enough to impress Texas-born-and-raised Tony, we’ve got to figure that there are great Mexican restaurants in other unexpected places, right?
Fancy Up Your Muffins
March 17, 2008
We introduced muffins to you last week and many of you bought our new Apple Oat Muffin Mix. Now we’re going to tell you how to "fancy up" your muffins. We’ll show you how to add a touch of orange to your muffins, put a fancy graham crumb topping on them, or top them with cream cheese. You can do this with your Apple Oat Muffins or a recipe of your choice.
First, for the orange muffins . . .
Pick a recipe that uses baking soda (or baking soda and baking powder) as a leavener. Baking soda is alkaline and needs an acid to complete the chemical reaction that causes the bubbles. Buttermilk is the acid most often used. Since orange juice is an acid, you can use that in place of buttermilk. Add a streusel topping and include one tablespoon of orange zest.
Here is a streusel topping mix that works well:
Orange Nut Streusel Topping
1/2 cup walnut pieces 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoon orange zest (the zest from one large orange) 1 tablespoon cold butter
1. Chop the walnuts into small pieces.
Advice on Choosing Health Food And Healthy Foods And Reading Nutrition Labels
March 16, 2008
Advice on Choosing Health Food And Healthy Foods And Reading Nutrition Labels
by: Chris Robertson
Health food doesn’t need a definition, does it? We all know what health food is it’s yogurt and granola, whole-grain cereal and organically grown vegetables and fruit. It’s 100% natural, no preservatives or dyes, unadulterated, pure. When you put all that together, you should have healthy food, yet all too often, what’s marketed as health food these days barely classifies as food, let alone health food.
Take a look at one of our favorite health food choices - yogurt. It hit supermarket shelves in the early seventies, though it had been available before that in health food stores and restaurants. Real yogurt has two ingredients: milk (whole, skim or low fat) and live yogurt cultures. That’s health food - calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, protein. Next time you’re at the supermarket, take a look at the dairy case. You’ll find row after row of hyper-sweetened brightly colored rainbow swirled and candy-sprinkled yogurt packaged in ways that appeal to our littlest consumers - children. Millions of parents buy the enticing packages, secure that because it’s yogurt, they’re buying food that’s healthy for their children.
Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers
March 15, 2008
Unique Wedding And Shower Candy Favors With Personalized Candy Wrappers
by: Chris Robertson
One of the hottest wedding and shower favor ideas these days is candy. Personalized candy wrappers with your name and wedding details offer an alternative to the traditional tulle and ribbon wedding candy, the ubiquitous Jordan almond. Whether you choose a bar of Belgian chocolate wrapped in embossed foil or a chocolate candy rose with a personalized ribbon and tag, personalized candy favors are the kind of sweet treat that guests love to take home.
Most companies that offer personalized chocolate candy wrappers give you a wide variety of styles and kinds of candy to choose from. A particular favorite with many brides are miniature 1-inch square chocolate candy. Bright foil candy wrappers are stamped with brides, grooms, wedding bells and doves to further the happy couple’s wedding theme. Full size candy bars with personalized wrappers average about $1.75 apiece. For a bit less, you can have your name and wedding date imprinted on Hershey’s miniatures like Krackel, Hershey’s Special Dark candy bars and Mr. Goodbars. A package of 100 miniature candy bars costs about $50.
