Looking for family recipes…………

To my cookingislife family,

WHERE ARE THE RECIPES…….COME ON GUYS AND GIRLS  email them to me at              cheftaitt-recipes@yahoo.com

I am looking to post family recipes, everyone has a family recipe that has been passed down through the generations. Please Please feel free to submit your family recipes so i can post them. If you have time to make them and take pictures that is a bonus………….

looking forward to trying your family recipes!!

cookingislife!!

 

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes With Goat Cheese

 

Ingredients

• 12 medium tomatoes
• 1 2/3 lbs fresh goat cheese
• 1 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 -2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, good quality

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Slice off the top 1/2 inch of each tomato and reserve the tops. Scoop out the tomato cores and seeds. Cut a very thin sliver off of the bottom of each tomato to help them stand up straight. Arrange the tomatoes in a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. In a bowl, combine the goat cheese with the egg, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spoon the goat cheese mixture into the tomatoes, mounding the filling 1/2 inch above the rim. Cover with the tomato tops and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Bake the tomatoes for 35 minutes, until tender and browned in spots and the cheese is hot. Let stand for 15 minutes. Drizzle each with a bit of the balsamic. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pulled Pork (Crock Pot)

Ingredients

• 4 lbs pork roast ( shoulder or butt)
• 2 large onions
• 1 cup coke
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
• barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Slice one onion and place in crock pot.
2. Put in the roast and cover with the other onion, sliced. Pour over the ginger ale. Cover and cook on LOW for about 12 hours.
3. Remove the meat, strain and save the onions, discard all liquid. With two forks, shred the meat, discarding any remaining fat, bones or skin. Most of the fat will have melted away.
4. Return the shredded meat and the onions to the crock pot, stir in the barbecue sauce. Continue to cook for another 4 to 6 hours on LOW.
5. Serve with hamburger buns or rolls and additional barbecue sauce. Any leftovers freeze very well.
6. Note: Shoulder or butt are recommended because the meat shreds very well. Other cuts do not shred as readily. It is a fattier cut, but the fat melts away in the cooking and is poured away when you discard the liquid.
7. Note: Shoulder or butt are recommended because the meat shreds very well. Other cuts do not shred as readily. It is a fattier cut, but the fat melts away in the cooking and is poured away when you discard the liquid.
8.  if you have a newer or bigger crock pot, you  need to revise times downward, esp. after the bbq sauce is added.   you need at least a couple of hours for it all to meld.

9. Note3: You might want to turn your roast over after it’s cooked a while, to ensure more even cooking. I think this may depend on the size and shape of your roast and the size of your slow cooker. Remember that each time you remove the lid you lose heat and be careful, as turning a large piece of meat is awkward.

Key Lime Pie

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 3 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 cups key lime juice
• 2 cups heavy cream, for whipping
• lime slices ( to garnish)

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick on bottom and sides of 10×2 inch pan. In another bowl,mix condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice. on low speed of mixer until well blender. It should be creamy color and slightly thickened – about 2 minutes.
2. Pour into prepared pan and bake in 350 degree over 18-24 minutes (pressing surface lightly with finger should leave a mark) Remove from oven and let cool. Refrigerate 6-8 hours before serving. Remove sides from springform pan. Garnish with shipped cream and fresh lime slices.
3. The butter amount is 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

 

Ingredients

• 2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and halved lengthwise
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 2 granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon curry powder ( to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven broiler.
2. Line a small roasting pan or baking sheet with foil. Place pepper halves in pan, cut side down, and place on oven shelf closest to broiler.
3. Broil until pepper skins are completely black, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, wrap peppers in foil, and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
5. Remove foil and peel off the blackened skins. Slice peppers into 1/2-inch strips and set aside.
6. Combine squash, onion, apples and broth in heavy 4-qt saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
7. Partially cover saucepan, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
8. Add the pepper slices and cook for 5 minutes longer.
9. Transfer soup to food processor or blender and process until smooth. Return to saucepan, add seasonings and reheat before serving.

Devil’s Food Cake

 

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup hot milk
• 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 11 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the chocolate frosting:

• 3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 8 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream, or as needed

Directions:

To make the cake, preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.

In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the hot milk and cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool completely.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat together the granulated sugar and butter on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and the cooled cocoa mixture.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake the cakes until they begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of each pan to release the cake. Invert the pans onto the racks, lift off the pans and peel the parchment paper off the cakes. Turn the cakes right side up and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate frosting: In a bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Using the mixer, beat in the butter on low speed until it is crumbly. Beat in the vanilla, then gradually beat in enough of the cream to make a spreadable frosting.

Here are 5 things you may not know about grocery stores:

 

 

1. Why produce is misted.

The first thing you see when you enter many grocery stores is a colourful wall of fresh produce, sometimes being misted gently. It screams healthy. That wholesome look has been proven to result in $5 to $8 more in sales per visit.

So next time you go into a grocery store save the produce area for last. Start by walking past the cash registers and the rows of chips, candy and treats. I guarantee you will buy less. Nothing kills spending faster than the thought that the last thing your waistline needs is $5 worth of treats.

2. Why milk is at the back.

Most quick trips to the grocery store are for bread, milk and eggs, so marketers place these items at the back of the store hoping you will walk down an aisle and make an impulse buy. Avoid the temptation — just walk around the perimeter, pick up your bread, milk and eggs and leave.

3. Always try lower shelves.

If you must walk down an aisle it is easy to buy healthier foods and save money by choosing the foods you have to bend down or stretch up to reach. The shelf space at eye level is aimed at the average Canadian woman who is 5-foot-5. Since women do most of the grocery shopping manufacturers will pay thousands of dollars per store to own that space.

Take the cracker aisle; the least healthy, most expensive crackers are generally on the eye-level shelves. Choose healthier and less expensive crackers by just bending down or stretching up to reach them.

4. Featured specials aren’t so special.

Be wary of items that are “on special” or “featured” at the front of an aisle. Notice they don’t always say “on sale,” because often times they are not. A “featured” cereal may be exactly the same price as it is in the aisle, just placed in a more prominent spot to increase sales.

5. Watch for “me too” items.

The front of the aisle is also a favourite spot for what I call “me too” items. A more expensive cereal is “accidentally” placed next to the featured cereal, and only when you get to the checkout do you find out it is more expensive. Most shoppers just keep it rather than go back to change it. Next time avoid those featured areas.

It may not seem like much but remember, “look after your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.” It is often the mundane day-to-day activities like grocery shopping where people are most easily parted from their money.

9 Foods to Avoid When You Have Type 2 Diabetes

 

Sugary Foods

Soda, sweets, desserts, and other foods that are made primarily of sugar are considered low-quality carbohydrates

Fruit Juice

While fiber-rich whole fruits are considered healthy carbohydrates for people with diabetes, fruit juice is another story. People with diabetes should avoid drinking fruit juice, even 100 percent fruit juice. Fruit juice contains more nutrition than soda and other sugary drinks, but the problem is that fruit juices have concentrated amounts of fruit sugar and therefore cause your blood sugar to shoot up.

Dried Fruit

Although dried fruit contains fiber and many nutrients, the dehydration process causes fruits’ natural sugars to get super-concentrated. While snacking on raisins or dried apricots is better for you than eating a cookie, it’ll still send your blood sugar soaring.

White Rice, Bread, and Flour

Big offenders on the low-quality carb list are refined starches like white rice and anything made with white flour, including white bread and pasta. These “white” carbs act a lot like sugar once your body begins to digest them, which means that they will interfere with your glucose levels.

Full-Fat Dairy

You’ve probably heard that the saturated fats in dairy products can raise your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease, but saturated fats may cause yet another serious problem for people with diabetes. Some studies have found that eating a diet high in saturated fat may worsen insulin resistance. Do your best to avoid dairy products made with whole milk, such as cream, full-fat yogurt, ice cream, cream cheese, and other full-fat cheeses

Fatty Cuts of Meat

You’ll want to avoid high-fat cuts of meat for the same reason as whole-milk dairy — they’re high in saturated fats. Saturated fats in meat raise cholesterol and promote inflammation throughout the body, and it can also put people with diabetes at an even greater risk of heart disease than the average person, since their risk is already elevated as a result of diabetes.

Packaged Snacks and Baked Goods

Aside from all the sugar, junky white flour, sodium, and preservatives they contain, packaged snacks and baked goods like chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and snack cakes often have trans fats. Trans fats increase your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, lower your “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and raise your risk of heart disease. And they are even more dangerous than saturated fats for people who are dealing with diabetes

Fried Foods

You may have a weakness for french fries, fried chicken, potato chips, fried dough, and the like, but kicking this craving will be better for your health in the long run. Fried foods typically soak up tons of oil, which equates to lots of extra calories — and many are coated in breading first, jacking up the numbers even more. Overdoing the greasy stuff can pack on the pounds and cause blood-sugar chaos. To add insult to injury, some foods are deep-fried in hydrogenated oils that are laden with unhealthy trans fats.

Alcohol

Before you go for a pre-dinner cocktail, or even a glass of wine with dinner, check with your doctor to make sure that it’s safe for you to drink alcohol, since alcohol can interfere with your blood-sugar levels. If you do drink, keep it in moderation. “Moderation” is generally defined as no more than one serving per day if you’re a woman and no more than two if you’re a man. A typical serving is measured as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1 ½ ounces of liquor.

Information From:  Everyday Health, Inc.