From the monthly archives:

January 2009

Pasta Salad with Chicken and Artichokes

1 pound pasta shells
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cups diced cooked chicken
6 ounces canned artichokes, chopped
Dash of Tabasco
Toasted almonds
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until tender, but firm, 8 to 12 minutes, stirring often. Drain well and rinse with cold water. Shake [...]

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Strawberry-Glazed Fruit Salad

1 quart fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved
20 ounces canned pineapple chunks, drained
4 firm large bananas, sliced
16 ounces strawberry glaze
In a large bowl, gently toss together strawberries, pineapple chunks and banana slices. Fold in strawberry glaze. Chill 1 hour before serving.
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Tortellini Salad

1 pound cheese-filled tortellini, cooked and drained
1/2 pound rotini, cooked and drained
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 roasted red pepper, sliced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni slices, chopped coarsely
1/2 bunch of scallions, sliced
1/4 pound fresh broccoli florets, blanched
1/2 cup pine nuts, optional
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Italian salad dressing
Grated parmesan or romano cheese

Combine [...]

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Bean Salsa

15 oz can black beans, drain and rinse
11 oz corn
2 cups salsa
1/4 bottle red wine dressing
2 to 3 chopped green onions
1 to 2 toes pressed garlic
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. chopped jalapenos

Combine ingredients and chill 4-5 hours before serving with chips.

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Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity
In today’s sedentary society, childhood obesity has expanded to epidemic proportions, affecting a large number of our nation’s children. In a nutshell, the problem is that children typically exercise too little and eat too much. Indeed studies by the Mayo Clinic show that the main risk factors in childhood obesity are eating too much [...]

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Potato Soup for Crockpot

4 large potatoes, cubed
1 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon margarine
1 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 cups water
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour, mixed with water
Place ingredients 1 through 6 in the crockpot and cook all day on low to medium. One half hour to one hour before serving add milk and flour mixture. After the soup [...]

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Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

1/2 pound macaroni shells
3 boneless chicken breasts
1 bunch seedless grapes
1 can canned mandarin oranges
1 cup mayonnaise
almond slivers

Cook macaroni shells in salted boiling water until tender, cool. Boil chicken breasts (about 3) until done. Skin chicken and dice into chunks. Toss macaroni, chicken and grapes. Drain juice off oranges and save. Add oranges and grapes to [...]

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Fluffy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
3 bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup prune juice
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine all ingredients except ginger and beat till fluffy. Pour into greased casserole and bake 50 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle with candied ginger. Serve as a side dish or [...]

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Zesty Carrot Bake

1 pound carrots cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons minced onion
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

On stove top or in a microwave oven, cook carrots until tender. Place in a 1 qt baking dish; set aside. In [...]

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Pasta Salad

2/3 cup rotini noodles
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped basil or parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Add vegetables and cheese. Stir in mayonnaise, basil or parsley and oregano

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Neapolitan-Style Crostini

16 slices italian bread, cut 1/2″ thick
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup black or green tapenade
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut in 14 1/4″ slices
1/2 pound plum tomatoes slices, cut lengthwise into 16 1/4″
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Brush one side of the bread slices with some of [...]

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A New Era in Bake Ware

A New Era in Bake Ware
by Niki Hampton
We have all grown accustomed to our conventional bake ware. Our trusty aluminum and non-stick bake ware that has never let us down, right? So, why change? Well, if we are honest with ourselves we will admit that “our trusty aluminum bake ware” is not even that. Baked [...]

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Onion and Potato Soup

2 white onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup prosciutto or cooked ham
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 teaspoon pepper
4 potatoes, shredded
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
Cover and cook onions in butter in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, garlic, bay leaves [...]

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Quick Chili

2 tablespoons salad oil
1 medium onion, chopped
12 ounces canned luncheon meat, cubed
1 pound canned kidney beans
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add onion and meat. Cook over medium heat until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Servings: 6

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Apricot Coconut Balls

1 1/2 cups dried apricots, finely chopped
2 cups shredded coconut
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
powdered sugar
Mix apricots and coconut. Add condensed milk and blend well. Shape into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Let stand until firm.
Makes 32 (1 1/4 inch) balls

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Steamed Asparagus with Orange

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
pinch of salt (optional)
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned (2 to 3)
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
In a large Dutch oven steam the asparagus on a steamer rack until [...]

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Alternative Health Diets

Alternative Health Diets
There are so many diets being touted as the best for optimal health it is hard to keep it all straight. In more mainstream conversation you might hear about the Atkins diet or the South Beach Diet but in alternative health circles you hear about the benefits of vegetarian or vegan diets, macrobiotic [...]

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Beef and Cabbage Joes

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup sliced celery, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 medium
2 cups shredded cabbage
3/4 cup catsup
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 each hamburger buns, split and toasted
Cook and stir the meat, onion and celery in a large skillet until the meat is brown. Drain off [...]

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Ginger-Glazed Carrots

8 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices (4 cups)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple juice
2 teaspoons margarine
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
Cook all ingredients except lemon juice and brown sugar in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated. [...]

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Beer Cheese Dip

2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 pckg Hidden Valley Original Ranch dip mix
1/2 to 3/4 cup beer
Chopped green onions and shredded cheese, for garnish

Combine cheese, cream cheese and dip mix. Gradually stir in the beer until mixture reaches desired consistency. Garnish with green onion and additional shredded cheese. Serve with chips.

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