Soft drinks (AKA soda, pop) contain phosphoric acid that can interfere with your body’s ability to use calcium leading to the softening of your bones.
FOR YOUR HEALTH
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Monthly Archives: September 2011
MIXED HERB DIP
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs snipped chives
1 tbs snipped parsley
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp snipped marjoram
1 1/2 tsp snipped oregano
1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
1/2 tsp curry powder
in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. cover & chill. serve as a dip for veggies.
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SOUTHERN COCONUT CAKE
CAKE BATTER
3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract (preferably clear)
FLUFFY COCONUT FROSTING
2 egg whites
2 tbs light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract (preferably clear)
3 cups sweetened grated coconut, or as desired
preheat the oven to 350°. spray or grease & lightly flour three 8″ round cake pans.
sift together the flour, baking powder, & salt. set aside.
in a lg bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until thickened. sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the sugar & the cream of tartar & continue beating until the egg whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. set aside.
in another lg bowl, using the mixer, cream the shortening & the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar until light, about 2 minutes. beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. beat in the vanilla. fold in the beaten egg whites.
pour the batter into the prepared pans. bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
for the frosting: in a lg bowl, using the mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff, glossy peaks. set aside.
combine the corn syrup, sugar, & water in a small saucepan. bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium & cook until the syrup reaches 238° on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. watch carefully toward the end of cooking time. when the syrup reaches 238°, pour it in a slow, steady stream into the beaten egg whites, beating constantly. beat until the frosting is cooled & fluffy, a few minutes. blend in vanilla.
set one cake layer on a plastic plate or cardboard round. spread the top with frosting. repeat with a second layer. set the third layer on top. spread the frosting generously over the top & sides of the cake. sprinkle the coconut over the frosting, gently patting it onto the sides of the cake so it adheres.
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VANILLA SYRUP
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split & scraped
1 tsp vanilla extract
pour water into saucepan. add sugar & vanilla beans. throw the pod in too! let it simmer a good 5 minutes, then add vanilla extract. pour through cheesecloth. store in fridge.
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FRIENDSHIP CASSEROLE
2 lbs ground beef
1 (48 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
2 tbs sugar
1 (16 oz) pkg medium egg noodles
1/2 cup margarine OR butter
1/2 tsp onion salt (or onion powder)
1/2 tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
preheat oven to 350°. brown meat & drain fat. add spaghetti sauce & sugar to meat; simmer 20 minutes. cook noodle as directed (al dente); drain & toss with margarine, onion salt, garlic salt & parmesan cheese. spray two 9″x13″ pans with pam. in both pans, layer half the sauce, all of the noodles, rest of the sauce; top with mozzarella cheese. cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.
NOTE: SINCE THIS RECIPE MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO CASSEROLES, PLAN ONE FOR YOUR FAMILY & ONE FOR A FRIEND. THINK OF SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NEED A REMINDER THAT THEY HAVE FRIENDS WHO CARE ABOUT THEM – A NEW MOM IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, A FAMILY WHO IS MOVING, SOMEONE WITH AN ILLNESS…
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TACO FILLING
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
in a 2 qt casserole, break up ground beef. add onion, green pepper & garlic. cover. microwave at HIGH 10 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes. drain well. add tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, chili powder & salt. cover. microwave at HIGH 8-10 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes.
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DILL DIP
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbs parsley flakes
1 tbs onion flakes
1 tsp dill seed
1 tbs chives
dash of salt
few drops of tobasco salt
mix togther all the ingredients. refrigerate for 8 hours.
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BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 tbs olive oil
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1 med carrot, chopped
1/2 small green pepper, seeded & minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15.5 oz) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, left undrained
4 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
heat the oil in a lg skillet over medium heat. add the onion, carrot, green pepper, & garlic. cover & cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
transfer the cooked vegetables to a 4-6 qt slow cooker, add the beans, tomatoes & their juice, stock, bay leaves, cumin, thyme, & cayenne, & season with salt & pepper. stir to combine. cover & cook on LOW for 8 hours.
remove & discard the bay leaves & taste to adjust the seasonings. just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, if using. to thicken, puree at least 2 cups or up to one half of the soup solids with an immersion blender used right in the cooker, or ladled into a regular blender or food processor & returned to the cooker. serve hot.
serves 4-6
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PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CUPCAKES
FRUIT TOPPING
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
CUPCAKE BATTER
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room tenperature
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice OR milk
1 egg
preheat oven to 350°. spray or grease a nonstick muffin pan.
drain the pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice for the batter, if desired. place the pineapple on a double layer of paper towels to drain completely.
in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar & melted butter. divide evenly among the muffin pan cups. arrange the pineapple chunks decoratively on top of the sugar mixture. set aside.
in a lg bowl, combine the flour, sugar, & baking powder. with an electric mixer, mix in the butter & pineapple juice, beating for 2 minutes to make a smooth batter. beat in the egg.
spoon the batter over the fruit in the muffin pan, filling each cup 3/4 full. bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then place a wire rack on top of the muffin pan & invert the cupcakes onto the rack so the pineapple is on top. let cool completely.
makes 12 cupcakes
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BAKING
MAKE SURE YOUR YEAST IS FRESH – Yeast is a living organism, and in order for it to work, it needs to be alive when you use it. To test whether yeast is active, combine it with the amount of warm water asked for in the recipe. Then add a small amount of sugar (1/8 tsp is all that is needed). The sugar acts as food for the yeast, and if it’s alive, it will begin to bubble within approximately 10 minutes. If there is no bubbling, then you know the yeast is no good.