May 16, 2009
Today the Kiwanis Family House in Sacramento will host its first annual Community Chili Cook-off. A fund raiser for needy families with loved ones that are hospitalized, the Kiwanis Club has a long and distinguished history for helping those in need and support of the community.
In honor of this fund raiser, here is my own chili recipe.
Fire Roasted Chicken Chili
A little healthier than the traditional version. You can either temper the heat, or turn it up. Create your own brand of spiciness, anywhere from a 'one-alarm fire', to 'fire in the hole' heat. Careful though, you don't want to end up in the hospital with a rich case of heart burn.
Ingredients:
1 Bag dried Great Northern Beans
1 - 1.5 lb pkg of Chicken Thighs or Breasts
1 15 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce
1 6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste
2 8 oz. Cans of Chicken Stock
1 4 oz. Can of Fire Roasted Green Chilis
4 dried New Mexico Chilis, reconstituted in hot water
1 finely chopped onion
4 or 5 minced garlic cloves
Chili Powder to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated cheddar cheese, sour cream or creme fraiche, and sliced scallions for garnish.
Instructions:
Either soak the dried beans in water overnight, or cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then cover and remove from heat. Let sit for one hour.
Pour boiling water over dried chilis and let sit for one hour to reconstitute.
Either grill or broil the chicken until done. After cooled, cut meat into small, bite size chunks and set aside.
Place beans, chicken, tomato sauce and paste, stock, onions, garlic, finely chopped New Mexico Chilis, and spices, into a crock pot. Stir well. Make sure there is enough chicken stock to completely cover the beans. You can finish with water if necessary. Set on low heat for approximately 6 to 8 hours, or until beans are tender. Serve topped with chopped onions and grated cheese.
Alternately, for stove top cooking, place all ingredients in a large stock pot, making sure to cover the beans completely with liquid. Simmer, covered, on low heat for approximately 1-2 hours, or until beans are tender. Serve topped with chopped onions, sour cream or creme fraiche, and grated cheese.
Enjoy!
Lori Sinclair
www.SinclairInkSpot.com
Find me at my website, or on Facebook, MySpace, Shoutlife, Classmates, or Twitter.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
When Life Gives You Lemons
When Life Gives You Lemons:
Part of the reason why people hate diet foods so much is that they have no flavor. Let’s face it. Most of the so-called ‘diet’ foods that you buy in the grocery store have been processed beyond recognition, and are as bland as cardboard. They are either sweetened with sugar substitutes, or so highly salted you can’t find the taste advertized on the outside of the package. By putting more flavor into the foods that we do eat, we can eat less, be more satisfied, be healthier, and not feel as though we are being punished. One simple food that is cheap, easy, and will add lots of flavor to a variety of foods is the humble lemon.
I have a dwarf lemon tree in my back yard, and I love it. It is about as tall as a large bush and will produce enough lemons for me to last most of the summer. They store well in a cool area, and last for weeks after having been picked.
Lemon will also take the garlic smell off of your hands, take the alkalinity out of your skin if you have touched wet cement, cut grease on your counters, make your dishes smell fresh, make a nice relaxing bath, as well as flavor your foods. A combination of lemon juice and salt can clean your copper pots and make them shine like new.
Here is a quick and easy trick to utilize your fresh lemons.
Zest two lemons, being careful to get only the colored portion of the peel, but leaving behind the more bitter white pith. Take the lemon zest and stir it into 1 cup of your favorite cooking oil - any oil will do. Heat the oil for 1-2 minutes in the microwave to release the oils in the lemons. As the oil cools it will increase in both the flavor and aroma of the fresh lemons. Store oil in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Strain the oil through cheesecloth for cooking (so the zest will not burn), or use as is for salad dressings and food flavorings.
Juice the leftover lemons and freeze in ice cube trays. They will form pre-measured 1 tsp size chunks for your recipes. Frozen lemon juice will keep for months. It tastes better than the plastic lemon juice, and is always ready when you need it.
A squeeze of lemon across the top of your dishes will also reduce the need for extra salt, making it one of the healthier things that you can eat.
And, when life gives you lemons, there’s always the traditional hot summer treat, lemonade! Or float a lemon slice in ice water for a refreshing treat.
Fall back in love with the lemon. It’ll do wonders for your meals, your home, and your health.
© Loretta Sinclair 2009
www.SinclairInkSpot.com
Part of the reason why people hate diet foods so much is that they have no flavor. Let’s face it. Most of the so-called ‘diet’ foods that you buy in the grocery store have been processed beyond recognition, and are as bland as cardboard. They are either sweetened with sugar substitutes, or so highly salted you can’t find the taste advertized on the outside of the package. By putting more flavor into the foods that we do eat, we can eat less, be more satisfied, be healthier, and not feel as though we are being punished. One simple food that is cheap, easy, and will add lots of flavor to a variety of foods is the humble lemon.
I have a dwarf lemon tree in my back yard, and I love it. It is about as tall as a large bush and will produce enough lemons for me to last most of the summer. They store well in a cool area, and last for weeks after having been picked.
Lemon will also take the garlic smell off of your hands, take the alkalinity out of your skin if you have touched wet cement, cut grease on your counters, make your dishes smell fresh, make a nice relaxing bath, as well as flavor your foods. A combination of lemon juice and salt can clean your copper pots and make them shine like new.
Here is a quick and easy trick to utilize your fresh lemons.
Zest two lemons, being careful to get only the colored portion of the peel, but leaving behind the more bitter white pith. Take the lemon zest and stir it into 1 cup of your favorite cooking oil - any oil will do. Heat the oil for 1-2 minutes in the microwave to release the oils in the lemons. As the oil cools it will increase in both the flavor and aroma of the fresh lemons. Store oil in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Strain the oil through cheesecloth for cooking (so the zest will not burn), or use as is for salad dressings and food flavorings.
Juice the leftover lemons and freeze in ice cube trays. They will form pre-measured 1 tsp size chunks for your recipes. Frozen lemon juice will keep for months. It tastes better than the plastic lemon juice, and is always ready when you need it.
A squeeze of lemon across the top of your dishes will also reduce the need for extra salt, making it one of the healthier things that you can eat.
And, when life gives you lemons, there’s always the traditional hot summer treat, lemonade! Or float a lemon slice in ice water for a refreshing treat.
Fall back in love with the lemon. It’ll do wonders for your meals, your home, and your health.
© Loretta Sinclair 2009
www.SinclairInkSpot.com
Breakfast Lasagne
I love lasagne. It is a fond memory of childhood. My mother’s recipe wasn’t anything special, but she made it with love, which made it extra good to a little girl growing up. In honor of National Lasagne Day, July 29th here is a new interpretation of the old classic. This is a breakfast lasagne. It is warm and delicious and a great way to start any day. Also great for pot lucks and get togethers. It is a great way to get a healthy meal into kids before school. Customize the recipe with your favorite ingredients for a family classic that can be handed down through the years, creating a fond memory for your own household.
Breakfast Lasagne
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Lasagne noodles, cooked to package specifications
16 oz. Ricotta or cottage cheese
6 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped into small pieces
1 C. Mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (optional)
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed (optional)
Bacon or sausage, cooked and crumbled into small pieces
6 eggs, scrambled loosely
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
6 C. Garlic cream sauce (either canned, or see recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the chopped, drained spinach with the Ricotta or Cottage cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside.
In 8 ½ x 11 baking pan, layer the following: (Begin with a small amount of garlic sauce so the noodles won’t stick, then top with the last of the sauce at the end).
A layer of lasagne noodles
a thin layer of the Ricotta/Spinach mixture
mushrooms and onions
bacon or sausage
scrambled eggs
Garlic Cream Sauce
Repeat until ingredients are gone, reserving one layer of noodles to top the dish with
place the last of the cream sauce on top of the last layer of noodles
Top with mozzarella.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking and turn the oven up to 425 degrees to brown the cheese. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garlic Cream Sauce:
½ C. Oil or butter
½ C. flour
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 T. chopped garlic
6 C. Whole milk or Half and Half (can substitute low fat milk)
Over medium heat warm the oil or butter in a saute pan. Stir in the flour, making a loose paste. Season with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that you will be adding the milk or cream later. After the flour mixture has cooked for 2-3 minutes over medium heat add the chopped garlic, stirring so the garlic will not burn. After the garlic is warm, quickly whisk in the liquid all at once, incorporating all of the flour mixture into the milk. Continue to stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, thickening it. Taste for seasonings and readjust if needed. Once the cream sauce has been brought back to the boil, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before using for lasagne dish.
© Loretta Sinclair 2009
www.SinclairInkSpot.com
Breakfast Lasagne
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Lasagne noodles, cooked to package specifications
16 oz. Ricotta or cottage cheese
6 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped into small pieces
1 C. Mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (optional)
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed (optional)
Bacon or sausage, cooked and crumbled into small pieces
6 eggs, scrambled loosely
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
6 C. Garlic cream sauce (either canned, or see recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the chopped, drained spinach with the Ricotta or Cottage cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside.
In 8 ½ x 11 baking pan, layer the following: (Begin with a small amount of garlic sauce so the noodles won’t stick, then top with the last of the sauce at the end).
A layer of lasagne noodles
a thin layer of the Ricotta/Spinach mixture
mushrooms and onions
bacon or sausage
scrambled eggs
Garlic Cream Sauce
Repeat until ingredients are gone, reserving one layer of noodles to top the dish with
place the last of the cream sauce on top of the last layer of noodles
Top with mozzarella.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking and turn the oven up to 425 degrees to brown the cheese. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garlic Cream Sauce:
½ C. Oil or butter
½ C. flour
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 T. chopped garlic
6 C. Whole milk or Half and Half (can substitute low fat milk)
Over medium heat warm the oil or butter in a saute pan. Stir in the flour, making a loose paste. Season with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that you will be adding the milk or cream later. After the flour mixture has cooked for 2-3 minutes over medium heat add the chopped garlic, stirring so the garlic will not burn. After the garlic is warm, quickly whisk in the liquid all at once, incorporating all of the flour mixture into the milk. Continue to stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, thickening it. Taste for seasonings and readjust if needed. Once the cream sauce has been brought back to the boil, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before using for lasagne dish.
© Loretta Sinclair 2009
www.SinclairInkSpot.com
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