Month: December 2019

10 Lucky Foods for New Year’s Day

Posted on December 30, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in Family, RecipesTagged food, new years, new years eve, recipesNo Comments

A new decade is upon us, and we have big hopes that good fortune will be on our side this New Year. People around the world have special foods they eat for good luck on New Year’s. Think about adding one of these New Year’s Eve party foods to bring luck to you and all your guests. Make 2020 your best year ever. Pork: For the longest time, Pork was associated as a dish reserved for the wealthy. In some cultures because pigs root forward they are a sign of prosperity. This delicious meat is known to bring good luck when eaten on New Year’s Day. Fish: Do yourself a favor and add a hearty fish cuisine to your menu to supercharge your good fortune in the New Year. It is believed that the fish scales resemble coins symbolizing prosperity and abundance. Mix and match a few different New Year’s Eve food traditions with black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread to make a fortune this year. As the Southern saying goes, “peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold. Greens: The color green symbolizes good luck and money. On New Year’s sink your teeth into some yummy and healthy leafy richness with greens like Kale, cabbage, collard greens, brussels sprouts, and green beans. Cornbread: Another southern tradition is eating cornbread on New Year’s Day. Eating these golden delights will bring in good fortune this year. Black-eyed peas: Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is a time-honored tradition. in the American South, black-eyed peas are considered auspicious because of their resemblance to coins. Get started with a fresh black-eyed peas salad if you’re not in the mood to get very creative in the kitchen. Noodles: In China, Japan, and many other Asian countries, it’s customary to serve and eat noodles on New Year’s Day. Their length symbolizes long life. just make sure not to break or shorten the noodles during the cooking process. Pomegranate: As per the Turkish tradition, Pomegranates are associated with fertility and abundance. The Pomegranate seeds symbolize fertility and abundance for the coming year. Cakes: Ring-shaped cakes are amazing options to bite into, on this New Year’s Eve. It’s easier to make at home. It is often said that ring-shaped cakes with trinkets baked inside are symbolic of life coming full circle. So indulge your sweet tooth. Lentils: Italians believe that lentils hold a great deal of goodness. So it makes sense that lentil-based dishes are a great choice in the New Year. Grapes: The Spanish and Portuguese eat 12 grapes as the clock chimes 12 times at midnight to symbolize the 12 months of the New Year. Try passing around at your NYE party for a tasty twist.

Delicious Christmas Leftover Recipes

Posted on December 23, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in Home, RecipesNo Comments

Get creative with Christmas dinner leftovers. Transform your leftover turkey and all the other holidays’ trimmings into a whole range of delicious dishes. From casseroles to pizza, these recipes are full of festive flavor. Leftovers can be great, just make sure you make the most of them and follow food safety practices. What to Do With Leftover Ham Ham Pizza Try making your pizza using your fridge full of leftover ham. To make it a Hawaiian style pizza you can even add pineapple to it if that’s your favorite combo. Ingredients 2 cups of chopped, leftover ham 1 store-bought pizza dough OR 1 batch of homemade pizza dough 1 jar of store-bought or batch of home-made herb pizza sauce 1 (240 g) ball of mozzarella cheese, sliced 1 large onion, sliced Instructions Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly dust your counter-top in flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out your pizza dough until desired size and thickness is reached. Carefully transfer to pizza pan and adjust accordingly. Spread your sauce to about 1-inch from the edge of the pizza dough. That uncovered part will be your crust. Evenly spread out the ham and onion. Finish off with mozzarella cheese. Place into oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until mozzarella cheese is nicely browned and crust is golden. Allow cooling slightly before cutting! Baked Ham and Cheese Sliders After all the holiday cooking you might want to take it easy, these sliders are a simple and satisfying dish to whip up. Ingredients 24 slices of ham 6 Slices of Swiss cheese, cut into fourths 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup butter melted 1 tablespoon Onion Powder 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 packages (12 count) Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls Directions Cut rolls in half and spread mayo onto 1 side of the rolls. Place a slice or two of ham and slice of Swiss cheese in the roll. Replace the top of the rolls and bunch them closely together into a baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for an additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm. Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole It’s the day after Christmas and you’re still feeling festive, and need to make breakfast to feed a large group, this casserole is a perfect option. Ingredients 10 large eggs 1 1/2 cup milk 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish 1 tsp. garlic powder Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 cups cubed French bread or baguette 1/2 lb. ham, chopped 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, thyme, and garlic powder and season generously with salt and pepper. Butter a large baking dish. Add bread and top with ham and cheddar. Pour over egg mixture. Bake until eggs are cooked through and ham is golden, 45 to 55 minutes. (To make ahead, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight, then bake as directed.) Garnish with more thyme and serve. What to Do With Leftover Turkey Turkey Enchiladas We all love Mexican food, and this recipe is the perfect comfort dish to use up that leftover turkey. Ingredients 2 cups cooked shredded turkey 2 teaspoons cumin 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese 12 tortillas (enchilada size/fajita size – about 8-10 inches) 2 cups enchilada sauce chopped cilantro Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a casserole/baking dish. Lay tortillas out on a clean flat surface. Distribute black beans and shredded turkey between each tortilla and lay it out in a strip right down the middle of each tortilla. Sprinkle cumin over black beans and turkey. Divide one cup of cheese between each tortilla, sprinkle the cheese right on top of the black beans and turkey. Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a prepared baking dish. Roll up each tortilla and place side by side in the dish. Sprinkle remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, and remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and tortillas start to brown a little bit. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm. Turkey Panini These grilled Italian sandwiches are a real treat! The cranberry sauce and thyme give it that extra holiday touch. Ingredients 3 ounces sourdough bread 2 slices sliced about ½ inch thick 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 3 ounces turkey breast 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce 1 slice provolone cheese 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves Directions Heat a panini press or skillet to medium-high heat. Spread the mayo on both sides of the bread. Lay the slices down on a clean work surface. Place the sliced turkey meat on top of one slice of bread. Add the fresh thyme leaves, then the cranberry sauce and finally the provolone cheese. Cover the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Transfer the sandwich to a panini press or hot skillet. Press together gently to help the whole sandwich stick together. Cook it until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted about 3-4 minutes. Turkey Spaghetti Bake A pasta dish big enough to feed a crowd and delicious enough to keep them coming back for more. Ingredients 1/2 pound spaghetti 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 yellow onion finely chopped 3 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 1/2 cups leftover shredded turkey or chicken 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes salt and pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella ½ cup small fresh mozzarella balls Fresh basil to garnish Directions Preheat

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Posted on December 18, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in RecipesNo Comments

Holiday celebrations call for recipes of all kinds, but perhaps the most popular area at many parties is the dessert table. Add flavor to your get-togethers with a festive treat like these Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, which call for the seasonal taste of peppermint and the versatility of dairy for a sweet bite after a holiday meal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_XO-fwEbg Peppermint Shortbread Cookies Recipe courtesy of Rachel Gurk of “Rachel Cooks” on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes freeze time Cook time: 15 minutes Servings: 40 2-2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup peppermint crunch baking chips In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Gradually add flour and mix on low until combined. Add baking chips and continue mixing on low until fully combined. On wax paper or parchment paper, form dough into 12-14-inch log and freeze at least 30 minutes, or until firm. Heat oven to 350° F. Cut shortbread dough into 1/4-inch slices; bake 13-15 minutes on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Real Life Microwave Hacks

Posted on December 11, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in Appliances 101, Home, How-To, KitchenTagged kitchen, kitchen appliances, life hacks, microwave, tips and tricksNo Comments

It’s not just for reheating leftover pizza- the microwave has some pretty nifty hacks that you can use to make your life easier. Here is a list of the best hacks we found. Peeling Garlic Got Easier Peeling garlic is daunting, however, you can put the garlic in the microwave and heat it up for 15 seconds. The heat will release the moisture from the garlic clove which gets trapped between the skins and loosens it. Once you take it out, the skin just slide off. Get More Juice from Your Citrus Fruits If you need help getting the most juice out of a lemon, lime or other citrus fruit throw it into the microwave for about 10-20 seconds so that the pulp inside becomes soft and you can juice it with ease. Tear-free Onion Chopping Save your eyes from the horrible stinging sensation you get when chopping onions. Ever wondered why that happens? Well, when an onion is cut with a knife, its cells release volatile sulfur compounds that cause tearing. The trick is to trim off the ends with a knife and heat the onion for about 30 seconds before chopping away. Bring Stale Bread Back to Life When your bread or bagels stale simply wrap in a moist paper towel (not soaking) and pop in the microwave for 20-second increments. The moisture from the towel will soak into the bread to make it taste fresh again. Preserve Fresh Herbs If you want to preserve herbs well, wrap them in a paper towel and heat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds allowing them to dry out. This may make them last longer in the refrigerator. To completely dry the herbs continue to microwave in 15-30 second increments until the herbs. Soak Lentils or Beans Overnight All you need to do is place your uncooked beans or lentils in a bowl filled with water, add a pinch of baking soda and microwave them for about 10 minutes. Allow them to rest for 30-40 minutes, after which they are ready to be cooked. Make Frothy Milk for Your Coffee The next time you’re craving a fancy frothy café au lait just make it yourself. A microwave and a mason jar are all you need. Fill the mason jar with as much skim or 2% milk as you’d normally use in your coffee, cover and shake it vigorously to get the frothing process started, then pop it uncovered in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then voila! Silky, frothy warm milk. A DIY Heating Pad for those Cold Nights Make your heating pad at home in two minutes! Pour rice into a sock then tie a knot at the top of the sock. Put it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Reheat as needed. Steam Clean the Microwave We’re sure with these hacks your microwave will be working overtime. So while you’re at it, steam clean it with some lemon water. Place a bowl of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice into the microwave and set the timer for 5 minutes or until the water boils, let it sit in the microwave for 3 minutes so the steam can loosen any food stains. Remove the bowl then wipe your microwave clean.

Quick Cleaning Tips for Your Kitchen Appliances

Posted on December 4, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in Appliances 101, Home, How-To, KitchenTagged kitchen, kitchen appliances, kitchens1 Comment

Clean your kitchen appliances faster with these quick cleaning tips for your kitchen appliances, show your appliances a little cleaning love, and they’ll look and work as good as new. Clean Your Refrigerator The space behind your refrigerator is notoriously filthy. Dirt, pet hair, and a host of other stuff can build up beneath and behind the refrigerator. This can block the appliance’s motor and coils and restrict airflow. To clean, pull out the refrigerator and mop up whatever you find. Part of my spring cleaning ritual. Is to vacuum the refrigerator coils behind the fridge, which will put less stress on the motor and prolong its life. Here’s how to clean the inside of a refrigerator the easy way. A little soapy water or an equal parts water and white vinegar solution will clean and shine the inside of your fridge. Wipe down shelves and crispers weekly, or whenever you spot a spill. Remove fingerprints on stainless steel exteriors with a damp cloth. Clean Your Dishwasher You wouldn’t think of cleaning a dishwasher since its job is to clean but it also needs a good cleaning; In fact, as often as your shower or sink. Sanitizing the dishwasher can be done quickly. To eliminate mold and bacteria run the dishwasher on the hottest, and longest cycle with white vinegar. This will sanitize and loosen food and soap scum. You should wipe around the edges of the door, around the gasket and check the drainage area as well. Clean Your Microwave Sauce and food splatter inside the microwave constantly and all that buildup is unsightly and gross to cook with. Fortunately, there is a simple solution, the best way to clean microwave messes is to fill a microwave-safe container with water, microwave it until the water boils, and let it sit for a few minutes while steam loosens any caked-on food. Then simply wipe it clean. Clean Your Kitchen Stove and Oven Stove-tops are hot spots for oil splatters and food spills, so it’s best to clean it often. The key to cleaning your stove-top is to be quick. Before the bits of food cook onto the surface wipe them away immediately, careful not to burn yourself. If splatters sit for a few days soak with an equal parts mix of vinegar and water or use dish soap and water for built-up grease. Now that the stove-top is clean, you can take care of your oven and it’s quite simple nowadays because most ovens have self-cleaning options. While this feature does a good job of by itself there are a few spots it doesn’t reach. You can wipe them up built-up grime with vinegar or soapy water around door hinges and frames and the space between double ovens.