A Favorite Salad – Classic 7-Layer Salad

By KC Kudra

Help on the Barbecue:

How to Cook a Tender Juicy Steak
Easy BBQ Chicken Marinade
Discover Barbecue – How to Smoke Pork Ribs in a Weber Kettle
Learn How to Smoke Barbecue – What is a Water Smoker?
Buttery Grilled Citrus Fish and Easy Grilled Vegetables
A Delicious Basting Sauce For Grilled Fresh Vegetables
How to Barbecue a Brisket
Top 10 Grilling Tips -Video

Side Dishes

Tex-Mex Sweet Potato Salad With Zucchini, Bell Pepper, and Corn
Sunny Broccoli Salad
9 Delicious and Easy Ways to Cook Okra
How to Cook Collard Greens
Easy Baked Acorn Squash
Summer Squash with Sour Cream
Summer Squash Pudding
Summer Squash with Sour Cream
Easy Overnight Vegetable Salad
Macaroni Salad Ring
Potato Salad
Spiced Cantaloupe
Easy Grilled Vegetables

Appetizers

Deviled Eggs
Avocado Stuffed Eggs, Chicken Salad Stuffed Eggs

Bread Pudding Bars, photo by Mr. Ducke

I have always loved bread pudding. My mother used to make it compact and solid. She cut it into bars and we would grab a bar on our way through the kitchen and out the back door. She made it as a snack to use up stale bread. I now appreciate it as a classic southern dessert that can stand on its own.

You’ll find as many different variations of Bread Pudding as there are southern cooks. This recipe by Linda Carol Wilson  features a nutmeg sauce. The molasses adds another layer of flavor to this classic.

Recipe for a Southern Staple – Bread Pudding With Nutmeg Sauce

By Linda Carol Wilson

I have just never been able to master a desire for bread pudding. I know it is very popular, especially in the south. Being a native Hoosier now living in Texas, I am thankful Texas is not really considered the South even though we border the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico. Here we are more concerned with Tex-Mex than bread pudding. Strange at it sounds, my first experience with this southern delight was when I lived in New York City! But for you Bread Pudding aficionados, here is a recipe featuring nutmeg sauce.

BREAD PUDDING WITH NUTMEG SAUCE
1 cup dry bread crumbs (not fine)
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp molasses
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter or spray a 2-quart casserole dish or baking pan; set aside.

Put the bread crumbs in the milk and set aside to soak.

In a medium mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Add the molasses and blend in. In a small bowl combine the flour cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, and baking soda. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in the bread crumbs and milk along with the raisins. When well blended, pour into the prepared casserole dish or pan. Bake at 325 degrees until set, about one hour.

NUTMEG SAUCE FOR BREAD PUDDING

1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups water
1/8 tsp nutmeg

In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the water and cook over medium heat until thickened and clear, stirring almost constantly. Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg, stirring well. Serve hot over the bread pudding.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda’s dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com

For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

Pork Chop and Applesauce Dinner Gets a Makeover With Spicy Pear Chutney and Brined Pork Chops

By Carol Kicinski

Pork chops and applesauce is a classic weeknight dinner. However it may be time to make over this dinnertime favorite. Applesauce is fine but with its sweet, one note flavor, bland color and baby food texture, it could easily stand for an update.

Spicy Pear Chutney is just the answer! Green Anjou pears are in season and their crispy, juicy sweetness is the perfect compliment to pork chops. In about 15 minutes with some fresh, ripe pears, a few pantry items and a handful of dried cranberries you can whip up a side dish to make any ordinary pork chop company worthy.

This spicy pear chutney is a must try recipe! It not only goes great with the brined pork chops but also makes an amazing topping for pulled pork, baked chicken breasts and would even make a welcome change as an accompaniment for your Holiday Turkey!

Now let’s talk chops. About 25 years ago, the pork industry answered the demand for leaner meat. They bred pigs to have less fat and as we all know, less fat means less flavor and drier meat. So in order to pump up the flavor and juiciness of cheap supermarket pork chops, brining is the answer! Brining is soaking meat in a salty water solution with some flavoring added.

Why it works.

Remember in 5th grade science class we learned about osmosis? No, not smarter than a fifth grader? That’s ok. Simply put, water flows out of things that are less concentrated into things more highly concentrated. Brines have a higher concentration of salt than the water in the pork chop cells so the water flows out, the salt from the brining solution flows into the meat making the meat cells more concentrated so they draw the moisture back in. The bottom line is that brining makes tough flavorless meat moist, tender and more flavorful.

This brine recipe uses classic pork flavors; onion and sage. You can change up the flavor anyway you like with different herbs, spices and vegetables but keep in the basics of water, salt, sugar and vinegar. They all play their part in the brining process. The sugar will keep the pork chops from tasting too salty and the vinegar tenderizes the meat.

Four inexpensive pork chops can be purchased in most cases for about $5.00, brine and grill them, add the Spicy Pear Chutney and some steamed green beans and you have a delicious dinner for 4 for under $10.00! And aside from the brining time the whole meal was ready in about half an hour.

Spicy Pear Chutney, photo by LollyKnit

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ medium sized red onion, minced

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it)

3 fresh pears, chopped

Directions

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and minced red onion. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the dried cranberries and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and peaches. Combine well. Simmer on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the pears and cranberries have softened but the pears still retain their shape. If the mixture is too liquid, turn the heat up and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve warm.

Makes about 2 cups.

Brined Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 cups water, use divided

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

4 pork chops about ¾ inch thick

½ white onion, sliced

2 or 3 springs of fresh sage

Olive oil for brushing the pork chops

Directions

Combine 1 cup water with the salt, brown sugar and pepper in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 3 cups of cold water and let the mixture cool. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Pour mixture into a glass baking dish or large freezer weight plastic storage bag. Add the pork chops, onions and sage. Refrigerate for 1 – 12 hours. Even a little bit of brining is better than none.

Take pork chops out of the fridge and rinse them well with cold water the pat dry with paper towels. Let set for about 5 minutes before cooking.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Brush the pork chops with olive oil and cook for 4 minutes per side (more or less depending on the thickness of the pork chops). Remove from pan, brush the top with a little more olive oil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 pork chops.

For recipes visit Simply…Gluten-free

By Linda Carol Wilson

Lemon Drop Cookies, photo by nsdis

These Lemon Crisp Cookies are not overly sweet but offer a light, tangy, refreshing taste. Perfect for after a meal or as a snack, these cookies are sure to be winners. They are as at home in a lunchbox as they are at afternoon high tea. Make some to share with your family and friends; you will be surprised how easy they are. Not only are they tasty and easy to make, they are pretty enough to decorate any table.

LEMON CRISP COOKIES

1 stick butter (unsalted is best), softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*

DRIZZLE:

1 cup powdered sugar
5 or 6 tsps lemon juice
Yellow sugar sprinkles

*For a healthier cookie use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for two minutes or until fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, lemon peel, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the mixture until well mixed. On low speed, beat in the flour/flours just until blended. Do not over beat the dough!

Drop the cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets using a teaspoon. Place cookies approximately 1 1/2-inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for about a minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely. When cookies are cool, make the drizzle by stirring the powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Use just enough lemon juice to made mixture thin enough to drizzle without being runny. Drizzle over the tops of the cookies and sprinkle the yellow sugar candies over all.

Enjoy!

Salmon Cakes, photo by Another Pint Please...

This is an especially heart-healthy recipe because it contains omega 3 fatty acids in two forms: the fish oil from salmon and the plant-based omega 3 found in walnuts. In a recent clinical trial comparing the two types of omega-3s, researchers found that plant-derived omega-3 offers different heart-health benefits than the marine-derived omega-3, so for optimal heart health, you need to include both sources in your diet. This is also a very customizable recipe. Here, I’m giving it to you dinner sized for 2 people, roughly 2 and a half medium cakes each; or you can save some for lunch the next day. If you want a smaller meal for one person, just use 1 can of the salmon and halve the other ingredients.

Ingredients

2 cans boneless/skinless wild salmon (6 oz cans with liquid)

2 tsp dill

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp honey

2 eggs

1/2 small to medium yellow onion – chopped fine

1/3 red bell pepper – chopped fine

1/3 cup walnuts – finely crushed

Directions

1. Mix Together the mustard, honey and eggs, then set aside

Mixing Together

1. Mash salmon with a fork and add the walnuts, dill, paprika, red pepper flakes.

2. Mix in onion and red pepper into the salmon.

3. Add mustard/honey and egg mixture into the salmon.

4. Add approximately 1/3-1/2 cup of a combo of Italian flavored bread crumbs/plain breadcrumbs

5. Mixture should be firm and medium wet – just enough to form into patties without breaking apart.

Frying

Form into patties and fry on each side in olive oil until golden brown and hot.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with a good Tartar Sauce on the side or a dab of mayonnaise.

Ginger Marin is a Los-Angeles-based freelance writer whose main site is http://www.bioniclady.com

Chicken pot pie, photo by Pengrin

You can make the whole thing ahead of time and bake it just before serving. A really great idea and time saver, is to make a double portion of the pie filling and then freeze it for when you need a meal in a hurry. You can try tasty variations once you’ve mastered the basics. Not exactly low-fat diet friendly but perfect served with buttery mash and baby peas.

Some Chicken Pie Baking Tips

* You can make the chicken pie ahead of time and bake it just before serving.
* Make a double portion of the pie filling and then freeze it for when you need a meal in a hurry.
* Always have a ready-made roll of puff pastry in the freezer for when you feel like pie.
* be sure to make a few small slits in the top of the pastry so that the steam can escape during the baking time.
* Use left-over chicken or ready-cooked chicken if you want to save time.
* Use vegetables in season as these will be cheaper and readily available.
* Adjust the seasoning in the filling to suit your own taste.
* Wine adds amazing depth to the flavor of the filling so if possible don’t leave it out.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Ingredients

* olive oil and butter, for frying
* salt and milled pepper
* 500g deboned chicken thighs, diced
* 2 leeks, sliced
* 2 celery sticks, sliced
* 1 packet (250g) white or brown mushrooms, sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 Tbsp (30ml) thyme leaves
* 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
* 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
* 1 tub (250ml) cream
* 1 small packet (80g) baby spinach, blanched and chopped or frozen vegetable mix
* 1 cup (250ml) fresh or frozen peas
* 1 roll puff pastry, defrosted, divided into 4
* 1 extra-large egg yolk, beaten

Cooking Instructions For Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pies

1. Preheat oven to 220 C.
2. Heat the oil and butter in pan and lightly saute the seasoned chicken until browned. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Fry the leeks, celery and mushrooms until soft but be careful not to brown too much. Add the chopped garlic and fry for another minute.
4. Toss in the thyme leaves, wine, chicken stock, cream and browned chicken. Let this simmer for 25 minutes – the liquid should reduced by about half. Stir through wilted spinach and peas.
5. Spoon filling into 4 ramekins /small pie dishes and cover each with pastry. Crimp edges with a fork and make a few slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape from the chicken pies while they are baking.
6. Brush the tops of the pies with egg yolk and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry has gone that delicious golden color.

This Chicken Pot Pie serves 4 people.

Everyone needs a little Cooking Inspiration. Try a few more of our Chicken Pot Pie Recipes and sign up for our Chicken Recipes Newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_Oosthuis

Berry Stuffed Crepes, photo by Brisbane Falling

As a child I was always barely waiting for my mother to make crepes and eat them filled with home made sour cherry preserves! Back then is when I learned how easy it actually is to make the crepe batter whether you are mixing it by hand or using a food processor or blender. Just follow a few basic guidelines and you’ll always have perfect crepe batter!

Making the crepe batter requires a different technique based on the tools you have at hand to make it. If you have a blender or food processor you can just put all the ingredients together and mix until you get a smooth consistency. If you mix it by hand using a whisk start by beating the eggs then add a bit of flour and milk at a time. Sifting the flour will also help avoiding the flour to clump up but if you don’t have access to a sifter just add the flour one tablespoon at a time and try to spread it all over the batter surface rather than dumping it all in one place. Doing it this way is a bit more tedious but it will ensure that your final batter will be smooth and free of flour clumps.

Consistency wise, I prefer having the batter a bit thicker when using a spreader tool on a heavy cast iron crepe pan or an electric crepe maker, or runny if I use a light pan and spread the batter by tilting the pan. The best consistency is achieved when you poor the batter from a ladle 8 to 10 inches above the batter into the rest of the batter and it forms a continuous stream which does not splash when falling in the rest of the batter. Also you have to keep in mind that if you are refrigerating the batter for a couple hours to leave the flour absorb all the liquid, you will end up with a thicker batter. To compensate for this I usually check the consistency before cooking the crepes and add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.

The basic ingredients and quantities for the basic crepe batter are as follows:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt to taste

This will create a thicker batter best suited for use with a spreader. Add about 1/2 cup of milk for a thinner batter that will easily spread by tilting the crepe pan.

This batter will work for both sweet and savory crepes but if you want to make just sweet crepes you can add a bit of sugar and vanilla for more flavor!

Bon apetit!

There are a few types of different styles of barbecue smokers for making smoked barbecue. The first is the offset smoker. With this type, the fire box is on the side of the smoke chamber, and the meat sits on grills inside the smoke chamber and is subjected to low heat (approximately 235 degrees) and wood smoke. The second type is the Kettle type smoker (an example of this is the well loved Weber Kettle that everyone owns, or at one point in their life has owned.) The third type of smoker is the vertical type. In the vertical type, the fire is built at the bottom of the smoke chamber (picture a large cylindrical object, like a large garbage can,), there is a pan over the fire which contains wood chips that when heated will provide additional smoke. Above this pan are racks that the meat sits on while smoking, and above the meat is a tight fitting lid that has some type of ventilation system for smoke flow release.

This is the second article in a series of three by Jim Hess on the subject of smoking.

A water smoker is a type of a vertical smoker. A water smoker, in addition to the pan with the smoking soaked wood chips, has a pan of water which sits directly above the wood chip pan. This pan is filled with water. The water in this pan helps keep the meat moist during the low and slow cooking process. As the fire burns, it heats the liquid in the water pan, which causes water vapor to mix with the smoke and help keep the meat moist during the cooking process.