Ok so maybe some would disagree with me, but other than my youngest daughter this is a big hit at the dinner table, especially when I make Mexican themed meals.
Heat up 4 cups of hot water
Steep 5 chai tea bags
add 1 tbs vanilla
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs cinnamon
Stir well
Pour hot tea mixture into a pitcher, add about 3 cups of ice, let it melt into it
Once it has cooled, fill individual glasses half way with ice
Also Fill each glass half way with one of the following...
-low fat half and half
-rice milk
-skim milk or any percentage will do really
Then pour the tea mixture over it, stir gently and serve
You can also make this an adult drink by adding liquor to it such as a rum, Kahlua, Irish Crm etc.
Great drink for a party or just a dinner among friends. Enjoy!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Avacado, spinach and black bean dip AKA, Diaper Dip
Ok, so the term Diaper dip doesn't make it sound overly appealing but trust me this yummy dip is well worth the effort and yes it is high in fat, but good fat and less in calories, and is great for a party so you don't have to worry so much because you won't be the only one inhaling it. I was bored in my kitchen the other day, had left over ingredients from a Mexican themed casserole I was making so I decided to throw these items into the ol' food processor and give it a try! Honestly if you don't have a good food processor I would just wait till you have one or borrow one to make this, otherwise you probably won't want to go through all the hassle of not having one again.
Sooo, that being said,
-1 or 2 whole avocado's (skin and pit not included of course)You do not have to double any of the other ingredients if you add an extra avocado.
-1/2 cup black beans (I prefer to cook them but canned would do)
-2 cups fresh baby organic spinach ** Please do not use frozen!
-1/2 cup queso (to make your own I will include a super easy recipe at the bottom)
-1/2 cup low fat cream cheese
-1/3 cup mayo (low fat or fat free is fine)
-1/3 cup fresh parsley
-apx 2 tbs fresh leak or green onion
- salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste (you can add cayenne pepper for some heat)
The beauty of a food processor and a dip recipe is that you don't have to chop anything ahead of time, dump them all in, process and scoop out to serve
Queso recipe: (No spice)
1/4 cup low fat half and half
2 cups shredded cheese ( I prefer softer cheeses like Colby and Monterey but don't be afraid to experiment. Cheddar works but it will not have as smooth a consistency so I would avoid it unless you are a die hard cheddar fan.
Now, if you don't like spice in it, continue on to heating it, if you do like spice, then read on here... take one chili pepper, remove all seeds and chop extra fine and add to the mix, for extra heat add cayenne pepper to taste.
On the lowest heat possible, slowly warm up the half and half, then as it warms add the cheese and stir it in, I have found that if you stir it for a few minutes then shut the heat off and cover it and go do something else for a few minutes, you have burnt free queso. Don't be impatient, just cover and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir. It's really that simple!
Don't forget to make your own chips using jalapeno tortilla shells, simply rub a small amount of olive oil or spray with pam, cut in chip size pieces, spread evenly and bake on 350 degrees for a few minutes until they start to stiffen up. Keep an eye on them because they will over cook in a matter of seconds once they reach that point.
Everyone will love your chips and dips and ask you to teach them! Enjoy.
Sooo, that being said,
-1 or 2 whole avocado's (skin and pit not included of course)You do not have to double any of the other ingredients if you add an extra avocado.
-1/2 cup black beans (I prefer to cook them but canned would do)
-2 cups fresh baby organic spinach ** Please do not use frozen!
-1/2 cup queso (to make your own I will include a super easy recipe at the bottom)
-1/2 cup low fat cream cheese
-1/3 cup mayo (low fat or fat free is fine)
-1/3 cup fresh parsley
-apx 2 tbs fresh leak or green onion
- salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste (you can add cayenne pepper for some heat)
The beauty of a food processor and a dip recipe is that you don't have to chop anything ahead of time, dump them all in, process and scoop out to serve
Queso recipe: (No spice)
1/4 cup low fat half and half
2 cups shredded cheese ( I prefer softer cheeses like Colby and Monterey but don't be afraid to experiment. Cheddar works but it will not have as smooth a consistency so I would avoid it unless you are a die hard cheddar fan.
Now, if you don't like spice in it, continue on to heating it, if you do like spice, then read on here... take one chili pepper, remove all seeds and chop extra fine and add to the mix, for extra heat add cayenne pepper to taste.
On the lowest heat possible, slowly warm up the half and half, then as it warms add the cheese and stir it in, I have found that if you stir it for a few minutes then shut the heat off and cover it and go do something else for a few minutes, you have burnt free queso. Don't be impatient, just cover and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir. It's really that simple!
Don't forget to make your own chips using jalapeno tortilla shells, simply rub a small amount of olive oil or spray with pam, cut in chip size pieces, spread evenly and bake on 350 degrees for a few minutes until they start to stiffen up. Keep an eye on them because they will over cook in a matter of seconds once they reach that point.
Everyone will love your chips and dips and ask you to teach them! Enjoy.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
the power of celery!
I personal hate celery, I don't like the taste or the texture just as I hate tomatoes for the same reason, but I love to cook with both and use them both for several things. But today we are going to talk about the power of celery and how to use it for full effects especially if you can't just eat it as is.
The celery juice used in my healthy smoothie inspired me to do some more digging because lets face it, the juice from the health food store, though only 5-6 bucks, only lasts a few days and at that price a lot of people don't want to buy it. So I thought to myself, what if we just chopped up the celery and used it in the smoothie? After all wouldn't you be getting even more benefits from it that way because you have all the fiber left in it? So today I threw in 1/4 cup each of dark frozen cherries, black berries and blue berries, about 1 and a half cups of orange juice (squeeze your own for an even healthier effect) I chopped just two stalks but easily could have used more and blended with my green powder which you certainly don't need to add if you can't afford the 20 plus dollars for it right now. I have to admit, I liked it a lot better than the juice! It was much less evasive in taste, I could taste the celery in it but it wasn't as syrupy tasting as the juice was and much lighter and I know I just gulped down a major dose of fiber, not to mention the tons of vitamins each ingredient held. Take the time to google the benefits of celery and see just how powerful that little stalk is. Ohh and use the leaves from it too! Don't be afraid, that is one part that I really enjoy eating and cooking with and wished deeply that stores would leave them on, no pun intended lol.
The celery juice used in my healthy smoothie inspired me to do some more digging because lets face it, the juice from the health food store, though only 5-6 bucks, only lasts a few days and at that price a lot of people don't want to buy it. So I thought to myself, what if we just chopped up the celery and used it in the smoothie? After all wouldn't you be getting even more benefits from it that way because you have all the fiber left in it? So today I threw in 1/4 cup each of dark frozen cherries, black berries and blue berries, about 1 and a half cups of orange juice (squeeze your own for an even healthier effect) I chopped just two stalks but easily could have used more and blended with my green powder which you certainly don't need to add if you can't afford the 20 plus dollars for it right now. I have to admit, I liked it a lot better than the juice! It was much less evasive in taste, I could taste the celery in it but it wasn't as syrupy tasting as the juice was and much lighter and I know I just gulped down a major dose of fiber, not to mention the tons of vitamins each ingredient held. Take the time to google the benefits of celery and see just how powerful that little stalk is. Ohh and use the leaves from it too! Don't be afraid, that is one part that I really enjoy eating and cooking with and wished deeply that stores would leave them on, no pun intended lol.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Home Made Mayo, totally full of good fat and loving it!
OK, I know dieters are extremely freaked out by mayo, and we cut carbs and fat and calories until we are basically eating chemically made cardboard cookies and granola bars (all which are sooooo bad for us in truth!) Today I was inspired to look up Julia Child's mayonnaise recipe and I carefully read it because it is something of a chemistry project in the kitchen but felt confident enough with my years of experience in the kitchen to tackle it and let me tell you something my friends, this was like a culinary orgasm in my mouth!!!! I know that is probably a bad choice of words for those easily offended, but try it for yourself. You will think this stuff is almost better than sex from time to time!
I will admit, being the first time it took a whole hour of beating with a mixer and standing there slowly letting the oil drizzle into the bowl but the flavor that rewarded me after was something I just can't even explain! I used olive oil instead of vegetable or any other simply because it is very good for you and I love that olive based flavor to begin with. I simply spread it on some french bread and melted into my couch as I called my mother to tell her that the French are by far my favorite people now. (mayo is from France lol) Sooooo that being said, I copy and pasted the recipe I found online, compliments of... http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/condiments/mayonnaise/mayonnaise-recipe.asp apologies for this not being my own, but it was too good not to share. Experiment, share with friends and later I will post the sandwich I am making for dinner with it.
The following directions are for a hand-beaten sauce (using a wire whisk). For electric beaters, use the large bowl and the “moderately fast” speed for whipping cream
. Continually push the sauce into the beater blades with a rubber scraper.
Ingredients
* Round-bottomed, 2½ to 3-quart glazed pottery, glass or stainless steel mixing bowl
. Set it in a heavy casserole or saucepan to keep it from slipping.
* 3 egg yolks
* Large wire whisk
* 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
or lemon juice (more drops as needed)
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ¼ teaspoon dry or prepared mustard
* 1½ to 2¼ cups of olive oil, salad oil or a mixture of each. If the oil is cold, heat it to tepid; and if you are a novice, use the minimum amount (I only used one cup and did fine)
* 2 tablespoons boiling water
Directions
1. Warm the bowl in hot water; dry it. Add the egg yolks and beat for 1 to 2 minutes until they are thick and sticky.
2. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, salt and mustard. Beat for 30 seconds more.
3. The egg yolks are now ready to receive the oil. While it goes in, drop by drop, you must not stop beating until the sauce has thickened. A speed of 2 strokes per second is fast enough. You can switch hands or switch directions, as long as you beat constantly.
4. Add the drops of oil with a teaspoon, or rest the lip of the bottle on the edge of the bowl. Keep your eye on the oil rather than on the sauce. Stop pouring and continue beating every 10 seconds or so, to be sure the egg yolks are absorbing the oil.
5. After 1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil has been incorporated, the sauce will thicken into a very heavy cream and the crisis of potential curdling is over. The beating arm may rest a moment. Then, beat in the remaining oil by 1 to 2 tablespoon dollops, blending it thoroughly after each addition.
6. When the sauce becomes too thick and stiff, beat in drops of vinegar or lemon juice to thin it out. Then continue with the oil.
7. Beat the boiling water into the sauce. This is an anti-curdling insurance. Season to taste.
8. If the sauce is not used immediately, scrape it into a small bowl and cover it tightly so a skin will not form on its surface.
Tips For Making Mayonnaise
Julia Child’s tips for homemade mayonnaise:
* Room Temperature: Have all ingredients at room temperature. If they aren’t, warm the mixing bowl in hot water to take the chill off the egg yolks; heat the oil to tepid if it is cold.
* Egg Yolks: Always beat the yolks for a minute or two before adding anything to them. When they are thick and sticky, they are ready to absorb the oil.
* Adding The Oil: The oil must be added very slowly at first, in droplets, until the emulsion process begins and the sauce thickens into a heavy cream. Then, the oil may be incorporated more rapidly.
* Proportions: The maximum amount of oil one large egg yolk can absorb is six ounces, or ¾ cup. When this maximum is exceeded, the binding properties of the egg yolks break down, and the sauce thins out or curdles. If you have never made mayonnaise before, it is safest not to exceed ½ cup of oil per egg yolk. Here is a table giving proportions for varying amounts of sauce:
Number Yolks Cups Of Oil Vinegar Or Lemon Juice Finished Sauce
2 1 to 1½ cups 2 to 3 tablespoons 1¼ to 1¾ cups
3 1½ to 2¼ cups 3 to 5 tablespoons 2 to 2¾ cups
4 2 to 3 cups 4 to 6 tablespoons 2½ to 3-2/3 cups
6
3 to 4½ cups
6 to 10 tablespoons 3¾ to 5½ cups
I will admit, being the first time it took a whole hour of beating with a mixer and standing there slowly letting the oil drizzle into the bowl but the flavor that rewarded me after was something I just can't even explain! I used olive oil instead of vegetable or any other simply because it is very good for you and I love that olive based flavor to begin with. I simply spread it on some french bread and melted into my couch as I called my mother to tell her that the French are by far my favorite people now. (mayo is from France lol) Sooooo that being said, I copy and pasted the recipe I found online, compliments of... http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/condiments/mayonnaise/mayonnaise-recipe.asp apologies for this not being my own, but it was too good not to share. Experiment, share with friends and later I will post the sandwich I am making for dinner with it.
The following directions are for a hand-beaten sauce (using a wire whisk). For electric beaters, use the large bowl and the “moderately fast” speed for whipping cream
. Continually push the sauce into the beater blades with a rubber scraper.
Ingredients
* Round-bottomed, 2½ to 3-quart glazed pottery, glass or stainless steel mixing bowl
. Set it in a heavy casserole or saucepan to keep it from slipping.
* 3 egg yolks
* Large wire whisk
* 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
or lemon juice (more drops as needed)
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ¼ teaspoon dry or prepared mustard
* 1½ to 2¼ cups of olive oil, salad oil or a mixture of each. If the oil is cold, heat it to tepid; and if you are a novice, use the minimum amount (I only used one cup and did fine)
* 2 tablespoons boiling water
Directions
1. Warm the bowl in hot water; dry it. Add the egg yolks and beat for 1 to 2 minutes until they are thick and sticky.
2. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, salt and mustard. Beat for 30 seconds more.
3. The egg yolks are now ready to receive the oil. While it goes in, drop by drop, you must not stop beating until the sauce has thickened. A speed of 2 strokes per second is fast enough. You can switch hands or switch directions, as long as you beat constantly.
4. Add the drops of oil with a teaspoon, or rest the lip of the bottle on the edge of the bowl. Keep your eye on the oil rather than on the sauce. Stop pouring and continue beating every 10 seconds or so, to be sure the egg yolks are absorbing the oil.
5. After 1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil has been incorporated, the sauce will thicken into a very heavy cream and the crisis of potential curdling is over. The beating arm may rest a moment. Then, beat in the remaining oil by 1 to 2 tablespoon dollops, blending it thoroughly after each addition.
6. When the sauce becomes too thick and stiff, beat in drops of vinegar or lemon juice to thin it out. Then continue with the oil.
7. Beat the boiling water into the sauce. This is an anti-curdling insurance. Season to taste.
8. If the sauce is not used immediately, scrape it into a small bowl and cover it tightly so a skin will not form on its surface.
Tips For Making Mayonnaise
Julia Child’s tips for homemade mayonnaise:
* Room Temperature: Have all ingredients at room temperature. If they aren’t, warm the mixing bowl in hot water to take the chill off the egg yolks; heat the oil to tepid if it is cold.
* Egg Yolks: Always beat the yolks for a minute or two before adding anything to them. When they are thick and sticky, they are ready to absorb the oil.
* Adding The Oil: The oil must be added very slowly at first, in droplets, until the emulsion process begins and the sauce thickens into a heavy cream. Then, the oil may be incorporated more rapidly.
* Proportions: The maximum amount of oil one large egg yolk can absorb is six ounces, or ¾ cup. When this maximum is exceeded, the binding properties of the egg yolks break down, and the sauce thins out or curdles. If you have never made mayonnaise before, it is safest not to exceed ½ cup of oil per egg yolk. Here is a table giving proportions for varying amounts of sauce:
Number Yolks Cups Of Oil Vinegar Or Lemon Juice Finished Sauce
2 1 to 1½ cups 2 to 3 tablespoons 1¼ to 1¾ cups
3 1½ to 2¼ cups 3 to 5 tablespoons 2 to 2¾ cups
4 2 to 3 cups 4 to 6 tablespoons 2½ to 3-2/3 cups
6
3 to 4½ cups
6 to 10 tablespoons 3¾ to 5½ cups
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