USE FROZEN BERRIES IN BAKED GOODS – Frozen berries can taste just as good as fresh when used in baked goods. Look for whole berries without syrup. You don’t even have to bother thawing them before adding them to your batter. You may need to add a few minutes to your cooking time however because they will make the batter cold.
REDUCE THE STICKINESS OF PASTA AND RICE – The starch in pastas and rices often cause them to stick together. Avoid this by adding a splash of vinegar when boiling them. The result will be perfect, stick-free pasta and rice every time.
RIPEN TOMATOES OVERNIGHT – Putting green tomatoes in a brown paper bag with an overripe banana can quickly ripen them. By the morning your green tomatoes will be red and ready to eat.
GET CRISPIER FRIED CHICKEN – For crispier fried chicken, add a teaspoon of baking powder to your coating mix then coat and fry as you normally would. Remember to make sure that the oil is very hot before adding the chicken to avoid an overpowering greasy taste.
USING PRE-MADE TOMATO SAUCE – Store bought tomato sauce is an easy alternative to making your own, but sometimes it is too acidic or too salty for the dish you’re using it in. A great tip to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce is to add about 1/8 cup of sugar. To reduce saltiness, add a little cream.
AVOID OOZING EGG WHITES – Do your egg whites ooze out some of their whites when you boil them? This is because every egg contains an air pocket at the larger, rounded end. When placed in simmering water the air pocket expands and creates a higher atmospheric pressure within the egg than in the water. The fragile shell cracks from the built-up pressure. Avoid this problem in the future by removing the eggs from the refrigerator and piercing the larger end with a pin. This will give the air a hole to escape through.
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 (16 oz) can mild chili beans, undrained
1 (14 1/2 oz) mexican stewed tomatoes, drained
1 cup salsa
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 envelope reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup 4% cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups sour cream, divided
9 lasagna noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained
in a dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. stir in the beans, tomatoes, salsa, chilies and seasonings.
in a lg bowl, combine monterey jack and mozzarella cheeses; set aside 1 cup. stir cottage cheese and 3/4 cup sour cream into remaining cheese mixture.
spread 1 cup meat sauce into a greased 13″x9″ baking dish. layer with three noodles, and a third of the cottage cheese mixture and meat sauce. repeat layers twice (dish will be full).
cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. uncover; spread with remaining sour cream. sprinkle with reserved cheeses. bake 10-12 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
12 servings
3 medium ripe avocados, peeled
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
tortilla chips
in a small bowl, mash avocado with a fork. stir in the onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. refrigerate until serving. serve with chips.
8 servings
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
8 (8″) tortillas
1 cup (8 oz) plain yogurt OR sour cream
1 cup salsa
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (2 1/4 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, optional
in a small bowl, combine chicken and cream cheese. spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up tightly. place seam side down in a greased 13″x9″ baking dish.
in another small bowl, combine yogurt and salsa; spread over tortillas. bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. sprinkle with cheese and olives. bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. serve with lettuce and tomatoes if desired.
8 servings
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz each)
2 tsp canola oil
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
2 cups cooked brown rice
combine the chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt; rub over chicken. in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken in oil on both sides. stir in the beans, corn and salsa. cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
slice chicken; serve with rice and bean mixture.
4 servings
