Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

By Diane Watkins

This is an easy recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs. While the cooking time is long, this can be mostly unsupervised, just give it an occasional stir. If you desire, you can use the crock pot or the pressure cooker for this recipe, those instructions are included at the end.

You can add other herbs to suit your liking. I've known cooks to add parsley, bay leaves, oregano, marjoram, or take the easy way out and use 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning mix instead of the thyme. Experiment until you find the mix your family prefers.

Italian Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

3/4 pound ground beef

1/4 pound ground pork sausage meat

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs - I like Italian style seasoned

2 small eggs

1 clove garlic, or 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces tomato paste

1 large can of tomatoes or 2 regular cans

1 cup water

1 medium onion, sliced

1 green pepper, diced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 4 ounce can mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon thyme or other herbs as desired

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Mix the meats, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and eggs. Form into meatballs the about 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter. Brown in the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven (if cooking sauce on the stovetop).
2. When meatballs are brown, remove from the pan and add the onion and green pepper. Saute for a few minutes.
3. Return the meat balls to the pot and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours on the stovetop stirring occasionally. You're going to want to cover this, tomato sauces tend to spit occasionally.

You can simmer on low in the crock pot all day until you are ready to serve, or you can also pressure cook this for 20 minutes at low pressure (5lbs.) When using either of these methods, follow the instructions completely until the cooking step. When using the crock pot, I reduce the water to about 1/2 cup or until the thickness you desire.

Do you need more easy crock pot recipe ideas? Sign up for our newsletter at Easy Crock Pot Recipes and get quick and healthy crock pot recipes delivered to your email regularly. Find more quick and easy recipe ideas at Quick and Easy Recipes.

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

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What's for Dinner? Savory Pork and Sweet Potato Stew

By Shannon W.

Feel free to subsitute chicken broth for the beer, if you do not care for it.

Ingredient

1 t each: ancho chile powder, cumin
pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, minced
vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops, trimmed
1 small onion, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, chopped
2 (12 oz) Mexican beers
1 cinnamon stick
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
fresh cilantro, snipped and divided

Mix first four ingredients together; press onto pork. Marinate overnight.

Heat a Dutch oven, drizzled with oil, over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add pork to pan; cook several minutes on each side. Remove pork and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and jalapeño and sauté for about five minutes.

Stir in beer while stirring. Add pork back to pan along with cinnamon; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or til pork is tender.

Stir in sweet potato and a handful of cilantro; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

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What's for Dinner? Robin's Fried Chicken, Greens and Elita's Mac n Cheese

By Shannon W.

This is the fried chicken recipe passed on by my sister Robin (with a few slight alterations by me). The collard greens were pre-seasoned, and I just slow cooked them for a few hours for even better flavor. The macaroni and cheese recipe belongs to Gather's own Elita K. It is the best one I have ever found for mac n cheese, and I use it almost every time I make it.

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
season salt
1 whole chicken, cut up
1 cup flour
1 T. salt
2 T. white pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
2 t paprika
vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Mix buttermilk, garlic and season salt. Pour over chicken and marinate overnight. Drain.

Mix flour and remaining seasonings. Add to a large Ziploc type bag. Toss in chicken pieces and coat well. Set coated chicken on a plate and let sit til a "doughy" look forms.

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. When nice and hot, add chicken and fry til golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper bags.

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Super Cheesy Garlic Bread (Bread Machine)

By Shannon

Shannon I a really good friend of ours who likes to cook so we asked her to post some of her recipes on our blogs. This recipe "Super Cheesy Garlic Bread" she made in a bread machine. Shannon suggests to go with stuffed shells and asparagus. I makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf that turns out soft.

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 T olive oil
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 T Parmesan cheese
2 T sugar
2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t bread machine yeast

Directions

Place ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions.

Served with butter.

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Chicken Chili Recipes

There is nothing better than having a hot bowl of chicken chili. Here is a great Chicken Chili Recipe By Nathalie Sanders

These chicken chili recipes are delicious. Just check these out and I'm sure you'll be amazingly surprised.

So here we go for some chicken chili recipes

>>Great Chili Chicken

2 t olive oil

1 t basil

1 t no salt seasoning

1/2 ts cumin

1/2 c green pepper diced

1/2 c celery diced

2 apples cored and sliced

2 cn kidney beans (14 oz each) un drained

2 c onion diced

2 cl garlic minced

2 lg whole chicken breasts boned skinned, and diced

2 t chili powder

3 c tomato juice

3 dr tabasco sauce

In a dutch oven, heat the oil and brown the chicken slightly. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the kidney beans and simmer for 1 hour. Add the kidney beans and simmer for an additional hour, or until the chili reaches the desired thickness.

>>Chili Stuffed Chicken

1 lg garlic, clove, minced

1/2 ts chili powder

2 tb butter, unsalted lettuce, romaine

3/4 c cheese, monterey jack, shredded

4 ea breasts, chicken, halves, broiler/fryer, boned, skinned

4 oz chilies, green, canned, chopped, drained

4 tb salsa, chunky style

Make a horizontal cut across each chicken breast to make a pocket.

In a small bowl, mix the chilies, cheese, garlic, and chili powder. Divide the cheese mixture into four equal portions and place one portion in each chicken breast pocket; secure the chicken pockets with wooden picks.

In large non-stick pan, place the butter and melt over medium heat. Add chicken to the melted butter and cook, turning, about 12 minutes, or until the chicken is brown and fork tender. Arrange the lettuce and chicken on a large serving platter. Spoon 1 tablespoon of salsa over each chicken breast.

That's it for today! If you want more chicken chili recipes just check below:

Nathalie Sanders is a chef mom. She reveals her delicious recipes and up-to-date cooking tips in a very famous newsletter: Quick Easy Recipes Secrets. She is also a fan of Secret Restaurant Recipes. You can grab a copy here: Copycat Recipes.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Chicken-Chili-Recipes&id=729570

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Learn To Be A Chef Right From Your Living Room

By Dror Klar

If you love to cook and really love to eat good food, then you need to be watching some of the great cooking shows that come on your television. There are so many cooking and good eating programs that you can learn from if you have cable or satellite channels. Just about any time of the day or night there is some fantastic cooking going on somewhere.

It does not really matter what type of food you like, there is someone that can teach you the essentials that you need to cook it. You can learn about all kinds of food ingredients, things like spices, cheeses, oils, flours, meals, meats, vegetables and more. Then there is the main course that everyone needs to know how to prepare, deserts.

The Food Network channel is all about great food and how to prepare it.. If you want to learn how to cook with a good helping of comedy, then Good Eats, hosted by Alton Brown, is the show for you. He offers lots of great recipes as well as what utensils and cooking apparatus are best to use. He dispels many cooking myths and teaches how to do a lot of things in different ways. He has a great personality and his show can not help but captivate you. It is different than your average how to program. He could be a comedian as well as a great food preparer.

If you love southern cooking, then you must catch Paula Dean. She is defiantly country as cornbread with her cooking as well as her personality. She is simply lovable. There is not be a pretentious bone in her body. She is a down home cook who knows her stuff. She teaches how to make all the southern treats that either already love or some you have heard about and always wanted to try.. She has many cook books and videos that you can purchase. She owns and operates a very popular restaurant in Savannah, Ga. With her sons. It is called The Lady and Sons.

If you like reality type shows, The Iron Chef is very popular and who would have thought that a cook off could be so thrilling. Three master chefs star in this show and they go up against lesser known chefs. There is a secret ingredient that must be used in a variety of dishes. The show is hosted by Alton Brown. The show originally started in Japan and is a sensation over there. Apparently it has become a sensation in America as well.

You can also catch programs that have chefs that we are used to seeing on television everywhere like Rachael Ray, Wolfgang Puck, and Emeril Lagasse.

Dror Klar offers The Cheapest Dallas Direct TV, Dish Network and
Texas High Speed Satellite Internet on the web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dror_Klar
http://EzineArticles.com/?Learn-To-Be-A-Chef-Right-From-Your-Living-Room&id=916184

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Homemade Lasagna

By Andrew J Smith

I have lived in Italy for ten years and I love Italian food. In fact I seem to love it more with each passing day. This lasagna recipe is one of my favorites.

Ingredients

8 oz. Italian Prosciutto, chopped
8 oz. Lasagna pasta noodles, cooked
16 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 tbs. fresh basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1/4 tsp. oregano
ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbs. olive oil
fresh Basil sprigs for garnish

1) Cook pasta according to package directions or until tender but still firm. Drain, keep warm.

2) To make the sauce, in a large saucepan or cast iron skillet, over mediumhigh high heat, saute the garlic, onion and prosciutto in the olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the lean beef, oregano, a touch of black pepper and saute 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add tomatoes and basil, reduce heat and simmer sauce 35 to 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

3) Grease a 9" x 12" or larger, baking pan. Arrange a first layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of the beef and prosciutto tomato sauce, Ricotta cheese, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Add a second alternating layer of noodles, sauce and other ingredients. Repeat until pan is full ending up with a top layer of sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil

For more great Italian recipes, some delicious Italian food and useful cooking tips visit me at:

http://www.my-italy-piedmont-marche-and-more.com/italian-recipe.html

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Super Bowl Seafood Appetizer Recipes

By William Mccabe

Putting together a Super Bowl Party can either be the toil of the year or a lot of fun! We have taken four of our friends & neighbors "fan tested" Snack & Appetizer Recipes and assembled them here. See how easy it is to put out a healthy, delicious spread for the big game using just a few ingredients! We often have our party goers each bring or prepare on dish at the party. Putting together these appetizers can be done during the pre-game and ready for serving by game time or half time.

Basic Ingredients:

Hot Smoked Salmon or Gourmet Smoked Salmon Can Fillets

Frozen Crab Meat
Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab
Cream Cheese
Garlic Herb Cheese
Cottage Cheese (Small Curd)
Chives
Green Onions
Red, Green & Yellow Peppers
Garlic
Artichoke Hearts
Carr's Crackers or Triscuits
Baguette
Large Flour Tortillas
Toothpicks

Recipe #1: SMOKED SALMON PINWHEELS

Ingredients:

8oz Hot Smoked Salmon or Smoked Canned Salmon
1 5 OZ. Package Garlic Herb Cheese Spread
1 8 OZ. Cream Cheese - Softened
1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
8 8" Tortillas (Flour or Flavored; Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach etc.).

Directions:

Blend both cheeses until creamy. Stir in red onions & lemon juice.

Remove skin and dice smoked salmon into pieces or chop in a food processor and add to cheese mixture.

Spread and divide filling to cover each tortilla and then roll up them up jelly roll style.

Place the seam down on a tray and secure roll with a toothpick.

Refrigerate till well chilled, trim ends, then cut each roll into pinwheels about 3/8" thick.

Stick a toothpick in each pinwheel.

Serve on platter cut side up.

Recipe #2: Crab Quesadillas

Ingredients:

16 OZ. Wild Ocean Seafoods Crab Meat
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Green Onions Chopped
2 Tbsp Chopped Canned Jalapeño Chiles Drained
10-12 8" Flour Tortillas (Flour or Flavored; Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach etc.)
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Melted

Directions:

In large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except tortillas and butter.

Refrigerate until ready to complete.

Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling on each tortilla.

Fold in half, brush both sides with unsalter butter.

Place on baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. This makes 40 or so pieces.

Recipe #3: Smoked Salmon Loaf

Ingredients:

2 6oz Cans of Wild Alder Smoked Salmon or

12oz of Wild Hot Smoked Salmon.

8oz Cream Cheese

½ tsp Horseradish

1 tbsp Grated Onion

Cracked Pepper to Taste

Fresh Parsley

Directions:

Open Wild Smoked Salmon cans, remove salmon & remove skin (optional) & strain or

Flake the Hot Smoked Salmon with a fork into small pieces & place in mixing bowl.

Add Cream Cheese, Horseradish, & Onion, mix well.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Remove from mixing bowl and form into a Loaf.

Roll the Loaf in fresh parsley & cracked pepper

Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Recipe #4: Crab & Artichoke Dip in Crab Shell

Ingredients:

2 Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mayonnaise
½ Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 6.5oz Cans of Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1 Cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
Garlic Powder or Granulated Garlic to taste.
(It is better to use the granulated garlic, but it is sometimes sold as "garlic powder")

Directions:

Remove the Crab Meat from the Dungeness Crab drain & place in a mixing bowl.

Wash & & clean out the interior of the crab shell.

Be sure to discard the gill sections from the top of the opened whole crab.

Chop the artichoke hearts into 1/8th sections if they do not already come that way.

In the Mixing Bowl, add the Sour Cream, Mayonnaise, Parmesan Cheese, Artichoke Hearts, Cottage Cheese, and Granulated Garlic. Mix well with the crab meat.

Place mixture into the upside down Crab Shells.

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees (F)

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with Sliced Toasted Baguette or Crackers

Enjoy!

Wild Ocean Seafoods continues a 112 year tradition of providing the finest in Wild Fresh Frozen Seafood to discriminating seafood lovers and fine dining restaurants. We offer direct from the processor to your door service at the most competitive prices available! Wild Ocean Seafoods

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Valentine Recipes - Delicious Puddings for Your Sweetheart

By Amy Tylor

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Here are Recipes of Delicious Valentine Puddings for your special person coming to dinner on Valentines's Day. Try these Valentine Recipes to make this day more Romantic.

Valentine Recipe:1 HONEY PUDDING

Mix one-half cup of honey with six ounces of bread crumbs and add one-half cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of ginger, grated rind of half a lemon and yolks of two eggs. Beat the mixture thoroughly and then add two tablespoons of butter and the whites of the eggs well beaten. Steam for about two hours in a pudding mold which is not more than three-quarters full.

Valentine Recipe:2 CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Take half a cake of chocolate broken in one quart of milk and put on the range until it reaches boiling point. Remove the mixture from the range. Add four teaspoonfuls of cornstarch mixed with the yolks of three eggs and one cup and a half of sugar. Stir constantly until thick. Remove from the fire, flavor with vanilla and pour the mixture in a dish. Beat the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth and add a little sugar. Cover the top of the pudding with a meringue and set in the oven until a light brown. Serve cold.

Valentine Recipe:3 JELLY PUDDINGS.

Two cupfuls of fine stale biscuit or bread crumbs, one cupful of rich milk cream, if you can get it; five eggs beaten very light, half a teaspoonful of soda stirred in boiling water, one cupful of sweet jelly, jam or marmalade. Scald the milk and pour over the
crumbs. Beat until half cold and stir in the beaten yolks, then whites, finally the soda. Fill large cups half full with the batter, set in a quick oven and bake half an hour. When done, turn out quickly and dexterously. With a sharp knife make an incision in the side of
each; pull partly open, and put a liberal spoonful of the conserve within. Close the slit by pinching the edges with your fingers. Eat warm with sweetened cream.

Valentine Recipe:4 APPLE CUSTARD PUDDING.

Put a quart of pared and quartered apples into a stewpan, with half a cupful of water and cook them until they are soft. Remove from the fire and add half a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter and the grated rind and the juice of a lemon. Have ready mixed two cupfuls of grated bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of flour. Add this also to the apple mixture, after which stir in two well-beaten eggs. Turn all into a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. Serve with sugar and cream or hard sweet sauce.

Valentine Recipe:5 APRICOT PUDDING

Take 1 tin of apricots, 6 sponge cakes, 1/2 pint of milk, 2 eggs. Put the apricots into a saucepan and let them simmer with a little sugar for 1/2 an hour. Take them off the fire and beat them with a fork. Mix with them the sponge cakes crumbled. Beat the eggs up with milk and pour it on the apricots. Pour the mixture into a wetted mould and bake in a hot oven with a cover over the mould for 1/2 an hour. Turn out; serve either hot or cold.

Valentine Recipe:6 CARROT PUDDING

Take three or four clear red carrots, boil and peel them, take the red part of the carrot, beat it very fine in a mixing bowl, put to it the crumbs of a penny loaf, six eggs, half a pound of clarified butter, two or three spoonfuls of rose water, a little lemon-peel shred, grate in a little nutmeg, mix them well together, bake it with a puff-paste round your dish and have a little white wine, butter and sugar for the sauce.

Valentine Recipe:7 CHEESE PUDDING

Take breakfast-cupful of milk into a saucepan with a piece of butter the size of a large egg. Let it remain until the butter is melted, then pour it over three-quarters of a pound of bread crumbs and half a pound of grated cheese; let these soak for twenty minutes, then add a pinch of salt and 4 eggs, well beaten. Pour the mixture into a well-buttered dish and bake in a quick oven upto 40 Minutes.

Valentine Recipe:8 DATE PUDDING

Melt three tablespoons of butter, add one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of milk, one and two-third cups of flour sifted with one-half teaspoon of baking-soda, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the above one-half pound of dates, stoned and cut. Turn into a well-buttered mold. Butter the cover also and steam two and one-half hours. Keep at a steady boil. Serve with any kind of sauce.

Hope you will enjoy these Valentine's recipes.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Amy Tylor is the Author of Pudding Recipes E-book:

http://www.puddingrecipe.7try.com/
She also maintains a Directory of Valentine day Recipes at:
http://www.valentine-day.7try.com/valentine-day-recipe.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Tylor
http://EzineArticles.com/?Valentine-Recipes---Delicious-Puddings-for-Your-Sweetheart&id=136069

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Peanut Butter Causing Diabetes

The topic discussion at work today was “Is eating lots of peanut butter bad for you”. I have a child that eats a lot of peanut butter so, being the concerning father that I am and before I a made any comments I checked it out for myself over the web. Some are saying that eating peanut butter may help people lose weight and is also known to ward off diabetes in women.

On November 27, 2002 CBS News wrote an article called “ Nuts to Diabetes”. The article is about studies made in the past decade that have shown eating small amounts of nuts and peanut butter can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. You can find the article at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/27/health/main531008.shtml

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High Fiber Recipes: The Heart of Valentine's Day

By Stephanie Shank

Chocolates, flowers, gifts, cards and delicious high-fiber desserts are all the tradition on this special day for love known as Valentine's Day. Fiberlady recognizes that no matter what the origins of Valentine's Day, it's a perfect day for celebrating with those you love and to share the healthy indulgences of high fiber foods. Say "I love you" with these scrumptious high-fiber desserts. Your lover's heart will be content.

White Chocolate Mousse With Raspberries
6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries (washed & divided 3-1)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons framboise liqueur
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup milk, warmed
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 pinch cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons finely chopped toasted almonds
raspberries (to garnish)
mint sprigs (to garnish)

Preparation:

1. In a blender or food processor fitted with metal blade, combine 1-1/2 cups of the raspberries with the sugar.

2. Puree until smooth.

3. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

4. Add the framboise and stir to mix.

5. Stir in the remaining whole raspberries, halved, into the puree.

6. Set aside.

7. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of gently simmering water; do not allow the bowl to touch the water.

8. Heat the chocolate until it is melted and smooth and registers 140F on an instant-read thermometer.

9. Gradually add the warm milk to the chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth.

10. Remove the bowl from the water and allow mixture to cool until it is almost at room temperature.

11. In a bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat the cream just until soft peaks form.

12. In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form.

13. Using a rubber spatula fold half of the whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it.

14. Fold the remaining whites, whipped cream and vanilla into the chocolate mixture just until combined and no white drifts remain.

15. DO NOT OVERMIX.

16. You may cover and refrigerate the mousse for up to 1 day ahead.

17. To serve, spoon about half of the mousse into 6 parfait glasses, half filling each glass.

18. Top with raspberry sauce, again using about half and dividing equally.

19. Then sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of almonds.

20. Repeat with remaining mousse and raspberry sauce.

21. Sprinkle with remaining finely chopped almonds. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprigs.

Fiber per serving 3.3 grams

Poached Red Pear Zinfandel
4 servings

Ingredients:

4 large ripe red pears or other pear variety
1 1/2 cup white zinfandel or rose wine
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
4 tsp honey
1 fresh mint leaves (optional)

Preparation:

Core pears from bottom, leaving stem intact. If desired,use a paring knife to peel a spiral channel from tip to bottom of fruit.

Slice the bottoms off pears to allow them to stand upright. Stand pears up in the bottom of a large saucepan; add wine and vanilla bean or liquid vanilla. Bring mixture just to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer pears, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to four dessert dishes. Add sugar to liquid in pan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 2/3-cup and is the consistency of a thin sauce.

Spoon sauce over pears. Drizzle honey on top. Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with mint.

Fiber per serving: 5 grams

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

8 oz Premium Chocolate (chopped)
1 cup Whipping Cream
2 tsp Grand Marnier (optional)

Preparation:

Over low flame, heat cream until warm (DO NOT BOIL).
Slowly add chocolate while stirring. Mixture will become smooth. Stir in liqueur.

To Dip: Strawberries, Bananas, Apples, Pears and Raspberries

Fiber Count:

Strawberries: 1 cup, 3 grams
Pear: 1 medium, 4 grams
Apple: 1 medium, 4 grams
Banana: 1 medium, 3 grams
Raspberries: 1/2 cup, 4.6 grams

Honey Nut Tart
8 servings

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups flour

Filling:

1 cup honey
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
2-1/2 cups unsalted mixed toasted nuts

Preparation:

To prepare crust, stir together butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in egg, then flour and salt. Knead several times on a lightly floured board and wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Press dough into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside.

Filling: combine honey and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until reduced by half and deep golden brown; add heavy cream and cook for 5 minutes more; stir in nuts. Pour into crust; let cool before cutting.

Fiber per serving: 5 g

Pear and Cranberry Crisp
6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Fruit Filling:

7 large slightly under-ripe pears, peeled, cored, and each cut lengthwise into 8 slices
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation:

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish with 2-inch sides.

To make the topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

To make the filling: Toss together all the ingredients and spoon into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling. Set the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the topping is golden and the filling thickens and bubbles. Cool at least 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Fiber per serving: 9.1 g

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady has studied nutrition for many healthy years which prompted her commitment to high fiber foods and the development of her informative website High Fiber Health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Shank
http://EzineArticles.com/?High-Fiber-Recipes:-The-Heart-of-Valentines-Day&id=142136

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Dr. Mehmet Öz mentions Mangosteen fruit having Anti-aging properties on the Oprah Show

Dr. Mehmet Öz, a regular on the Oprah show, is a cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and current Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic says there are a few fruits in the world that contain anti aging properties. Dr. Oz named the mangosteen fruit harvest in South East Asia as one of those fruits.

The Mangosteen is very difficult to import into the US due to the pesticides that could destroy our crops. So, the fruit has to be placed in a juice form. Most of the juices found in local supermarkets are made from extracts which are an imitation of the chemicals taken from the fruit in an alcoholic solution. In order to get the full benefit of the fruit we would have to eat the whole fruit including the rind. The rind holds the secret to the anti-aging and anti-inflammation properties required to maintain a healthy life style. But the rind is very bitter so other juices must be added to counter act the bitterness of the rind. There is only one product that contains the entire fruit including the rind as well as having an enjoyable taste known as Xango.

For more formation about Xango click here!

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Super Bowl Recipe - Barbecue Wing Special

It's that time year again when two rivalry's bash helmets to become Super Bowl heroes. The Super Bowl is one of Americas favorite events. Friends and family get together to party and watch their favorite football team play in the Super Bowl. Are you ready for some Super Bowl recipes? I am a huge fan of barbecue wings! While surfing on the internet I came across one of Brandy SummersSpecial Barbecue Wing Recipe. Get your printer ready for this tangy recipe and enjoy!

Recipes for Superbowl Party - Tangy Barbecue Wings
By Brandy Summers

These savory chicken wings are so lip smacking good and will be gone before halftime.

25 (5 pounds) whole chicken wings
2-1/2 cups hot and spicy ketchup
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare two 15x10-inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cut up the chicken wings into three sections. Discard the wing tips.

Place the chicken wings into the prepared baking pans. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes; drain. Turn the wings over and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the ketchup, vinegar, honey, molasses, salt, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and chili powder. Add in the Liquid Smoke, if desired. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Drain wings; place 1/3 of wings into a 5-quart slow cooker. Top with 1 cup of sauce. Repeat this two times with remaining wings and sauce.

Cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Stir before serving.

=> Recipes for Superbowl Party: Crab Football Spread

The perfect cheese spread for any football party.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
1 cup crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
1 cup cottage cheese
2 tespoons seafood seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Pretzel sticks
Assorted crackers

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, crab, cottage cheese, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and the mustard. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Form the cheese mixture into a football shape with your hands. Arrange pretzel sticks on top to make football laces. Serve with crackers.

=> Recipes for Superbowl Party: Party Pizza Bites

A great party finger food made with pita bread, provolone cheese and salsa.

2 (6-inch) pita pockets
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 slices pepperoni
4 round slices provolone cheese, cut into wedge shapes
1/3 cup medium chunky salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a heatproof bowl, combine the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Microwave on high heat for 40 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir in the butter; set aside.

Cut each pita pocket into 4 pizza shaped wedges. Cutting along the curved outer edge of each wedge, separate again into 2 pieces. Brush both sides of wedges liberally with the warm olive oil mixture.

Place the wedges, crust side down, onto a baking sheet. Top each wedge with salsa, a slice of provolone cheese and a slice of pepperoni. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve warm.

When you need to make a quick meal, there's nothing like a hot, bubbly homemade casserole to make mouths water and have 'em lining up for seconds. Go here for instant free recipes => http://www.best-casserole-recipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandy_Summers
http://EzineArticles.com/?Recipes-for-Superbowl-Party---Tangy-Barbecue-Wings&id=908788

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A Winter Recipe Dinner

Okay, so I was surfing the internet the other day looking for a winter recipe that would be really good to prepare for dinner. I came across this Homemade Beef Pot Pie recipe by Brandy Summers. I am a sucker for homemade recipes and I have to say this one sounds great for the occasion. I am from the Michigan area so it can get pretty darn cold up here in the north but a nice hot meal can warm you up. Thank you Brandy for this awesome recipe!

Beef Pot Pie Recipe - Homemade Beef Pot Pie
By Brandy Summers

Hearty beef pot pie is a great meal to serve on a cold day or any time you want something that really sticks to your ribs. You can add extra zing to this recipe by adding 1 large chopped onion and mix in 1/3 cup of red wine with the gravy.

1 pound sirloin steak, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
3 large carrots, cubed
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
2 (9-inch) refrigerator pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium high heat, brown the pieces of meat on all sides. Pour in enough water to almost cover the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer meat until it falls apart easily (about 2 to 3 hours). Place meat in a large bowl. Slightly shred the meat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the beef broth, carrots and potatoes. Cook over medium high heat until almost tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).

When the carrots and potatoes are done, transfer to a large mixing bowl and combine with the beef. Reserve the liquid in the saucepan. Mix the peas in with the vegetables and beef.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/3 cup of water and pour this into the reserved beef broth. Bring to a simmer while stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie shells following package directions. Spoon the beef mixture into the pie crust. Pour the gravy on top. Cover with remaining pie crust.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: All American Hamburger Pie

This recipe is an American favorite. We love hamburgers, so making a pie out of our favorite meat sandwich is a winning idea. To give this recipe a richer flavor, you can substitute 1 can of mushroom soup for 1 can of tomato soup.

4 potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup
1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and quarter the potatoes and put into boiling water; cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat until the beef is brown; drain. Stir in the tomato soup and green beans.

Pour mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mound the mashed potatoes around the meat mixture (do not cover meat). Sprinkle cheese on top of the potatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are golden.

=> Cheeseburger Pie Recipe: Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger! Need I say more?

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup buttermilk baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch deep dish pie plate. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is brown; drain. Spread beef mixture into the pie plate.

Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper and oregano. Arrange tomato slices on top of meat. Sprinkle cheese on top.

In a small bowl, combine together the baking mix, milk and eggs. Pour over cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

=> Hamburger Pie Recipe: Corn Bread Hamburger Pie

This is a nice variation on the basic hamburger pie recipe. The cornbread mix adds a nice sweetness and blends very well with the other ingredients. For an extra treat, add 1 can of creamed corn to the cornbread mix.

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon steak sauce
1 (8.5 oz.) package corn bread/muffin mix
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large oven proof skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium high heat until meat is brown; drain. Stir in the soup, salsa, ketchup and steak sauce.

Prepare the cornbread batter according to package directions; let stand for 2 minutes. Spoon batter over beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until corn bread is lightly browned. Garnish with parsley.

Mmmm . . . where can you find that yummy recipe?

Milkshakes, Smoothies, Brownies, Chili, Casseroles and more!

http://www.best-free-cooking-recipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandy_Summers
http://EzineArticles.com/?Beef-Pot-Pie-Recipe---Homemade-Beef-Pot-Pie&id=723743

Hamburger Pie Recipe

By Lonnie Niver

Ingredients

1 lb Hamburger
1 8oz Mozzarella Cheese
1 can Cr. of Mushrooms
1 Biscuit Mix
1/2 Onion


Brown meat & Onion, add soup. Make biscuits and spread on pan. Spread on meat and then cover with cheese after dough begins to brown.

The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition with 1,000 Recipes

The Best Life Diet - Oprah Winfrey's Personal Diet Program

By Brodie Heinrichsen

We’ve all have heard of the talk show guru Oprah Winfrey, if you haven’t you probably been living under a rock and don’t need a weight loss program because you are in fantastic shape from eating roots a berry’s. Now that we’re back in reality; I mentioned Oprah Winfrey because she is probably biggest spokesperson behind The Best Life Diet. Author and fitness trainer Bob Green is no well known due to his work with Oprah Winfrey. Green combines the best of all his knowledge into one book The Best Life Diet.

The best life program is far from conventional. Its not one of those diets that you can on and off again. The structure of this weight loss program was built to be a way of life that puts you at your healthiest. Obviously the main purpose of the program is to lose weight, but it also involves keeping the weight off, and developing habits that dramatically reduce your risks of diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses. The Best Life Diet also covers one of the biggest problems people have when it comes to eating ‘emotional eating’. What I personally like about The Best Life Diet is that it takes an approach that addresses your life first. It asks questions like “Why are you overweight?” and “Why have you been unable to maintain weight loss in the past?” After having you answer these questions, Bob Green leads you into his three phased approach to managing your weight. Every phase is carefully planned and is saturated with considerable and detailed assistance.

Phase
• Takes a minimum of 4 weeks.
• Focuses on moving more and changing meal patterns.
• This part includes; stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime. Eliminating alcohol, increasing activity level, and eating 3 meals plus at least one snack.

It may take a while to adjust your body especially if you’re extremely over weight and are eating much more than three times or snacking constantly during the day. But once you have adapted to these new patterns it is time to move onto phase 2. If you notice in phase one it really wasn’t focused on weight loss, it was more focused on your personal lifestyle when it comes to food.

Phase 2
• Takes a minimum of 4 weeks (just like phase 1)
• Builds onto phase 1
• Increase activity level (Just like phase 1)
• Addressing the physical and emotional reasons behind your hunger.
• Starts to focus on portion sizes
• Remove 6 problem foods from your diet

Notice that in phase 2 we are entering into weight loss. After the four weeks you compare your 4 week weight against your set goal weight. If you have already met your goal weight it is time to move to phase 3, if you have not then you should continue with phase 2 until you reach your goal weight.

Phase 3
• Lifetime
• Builds on phase 1 and 2.
• Increase activity level.
• Removes more unhealthy foods from your diet
• Adds more wholesome foods to your diet.

What you wont find in this weight loss program is the “lose x pounds in x weeks’ mantra that sells a lot of other diets. The Best Life Diet provides a lot of helpful guidelines to assist in every step of each of the phases. The process is gradual and will take time, but like anything else that is good in life it takes time. Anything that promises a lot with very little or no work you should probably run for the hills.

The Best Life Diet Online

Bob Green has gone a step further with his book providing an online version of his popular diet. This provides much of the information found in the book but also provides additional tools:

• Weight tracking and journaling.
• Ability to network with others; following each others diets.
• A comprehensive selection of meal plans, recipe database, and how to videos.

If you remember I mentioned Oprah’s Winfrey earlier in the article. That is because this is the diet she used to drop all her weight and keep it off successfully. You are at least 20 years of age or older you will remember the old days of one minute fat Oprah, the next minute skinny Oprah etc. This went on for many years until she started using The Best Life Diet. She is a prime example of how this plan can be effective. The Best Life comes with two sets of meal plans. The first week is a week of Oprah’s personal menus. The second is two weeks of optimal Best Life menus.

This is a very comprehensive book and diet. Bob Green covers all the bases: the whole spectrum of healthy nutrition and supplementation, the ability to increase activity and exercise levels. He also carefully addresses personality and behavioral issues that play a part in weight management. This is not one of those restrictive diets that leave it up to you to decide what is working for you and what isn’t. Many of the calorie levels in the foods provided are available to be studied and reviewed by the user. The costs are reasonable much like most of the better diets found online. They range about $4.50 per week. Currently The Best Life Diet is offering a 10 day risk free trial. During this period you can cancel your membership if not satisfied and receive a full refund. This is a top 10 weight loss program and comes highly recommended. If you are looking for a good weight loss program with strong features, and lots of clear information that holds your hand through a step by step process then this may be the right diet for you.

For a wide variety of the best weight loss programs, exercise programs, and some of the best FREE fitness information on the web visit http://www.flexyourhealth.com/index.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brodie_Heinrichsen
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Best-Life-Diet---Oprah-Winfreys-Personal-Diet-Program&id=546976

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Anti-aging Fruit!

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Roasted Pear Shortcakes with Warm Toffee Sauce

While I was searching for great recipes for Valentine's Day I came across this easy recipe from Every day with Rachael Ray. If your looking for more easy recipes don't hesitate to surf our blog.

Silvana Nardone
From Every Day with Rachael Ray
October - 2006

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whipped
6 pears (about 2 1/2 pounds)-peeled, halved, cored and sliced about 1/4 inch thick

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the flour with 1/4 cup brown sugar, the baking powder and salt. Add 1 1/2 sticks butter and mix on low until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1/2 cup unwhipped heavy cream. Add the liquid to the mixer and mix until just combined. Pat the dough out until about 1 inch thick on the prepared baking sheet and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place the pieces 1 inch apart and bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
2. Meanwhile, place the pears with the 3 tablespoons brown sugar and the 3 tablespoons butter on a rimmed baking sheet and toss to coat. Cover the pears loosely with foil and roast until tender and caramelized, about 15 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 stick butter with the remaining 1/2 cup unwhipped heavy cream and the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer the toffee sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. To serve, splice each shortcake in half and layer the bottom halves with the toffee sauce, roasted pears and whipped cream. Drizzle more toffee sauce over the whipped cream and cover with the shortcake tops.

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Anti-aging Fruit!

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Sugar Cookies

By Lonnie Niver


Guess what I found? My favorite sugar cookie recipe my mom use to make. When I was a kid I couldn't wait till Christmas or Valentine's Day because I knew my mom was going to bake my favorite cookie for the holidays. Mom would let my brother, sister and I help roll the dough and using those fancy cookie cutters to cut out our favorite shapes. Every now and then we would sneak a pinch of the dough just for a taste.

Now that I am all grown up I still have those cravings during the holidays for my moms sugar cookie recipe. so, I would like to share it with you.

Ingredients

2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 tbsp Milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Mix together then chill. Roll out dough 1/8in. thick - cook
on 375° for 10-12 min. on an un-greased sheet. Next, let the cookies
cool and then serve.

Serves 3 to 5 dozen depending on how thick you roll out the dough.

ENJOY! If your looking for more easy recipes don't hesitate to surf our blog.

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Anti-aging Fruit!

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Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding

By the The Swamp Queens

If your looking for more easy recipes don't hesitate to surf our blog.

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Anti-aging Fruit!

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This Valentines Day say "I Love You" with Cookies

By Christine Steendahl

What better way to tell your sweetie “I Love You” than with some fresh baked cookies? Give some of these sweet treats a try this Valentine’s Day. Cupid himself would be impressed by these yummy creations. They are sure to be a hit with your Sweetheart, Children, Neighbors or anyone else special to you as well. Don’t forget to get the kids involved! I still have memories of making Valentine’s Day Cookies as a child.

Heart Shaped Cookies

Make you favorite roll-out sugar cookie recipe. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut them. Bake, frost and decorate to your heart’s content. You can sprinkle them with red or pink crystallized sugar before you bake them, or frost and sprinkle with some tiny candied hearts or pink sprinkles after they are baked. Use icing in a tube to write a message or draw a picture on the cookie.

Cookie Lollipop

Heart Shaped cookie lollipops are always a big hit. Start with basic sugar cookie dough. Roll it out to about 1/8th inch thickness (place the dough between two sheets of wax paper to keep the dough from sticking). Use a heart shaped cookie cutter and cut an equal amount of hearts. Place half a bamboo skewer, a lollipop stick (found at craft stores) or a Popsicle stick on the bottom half of the hearts. Place the remaining hearts on top and press them firmly together. Bake according to your recipe instructions and decorate as desired.

Tip – soak the skewers or Popsicle sticks in water before placing them on the cookies to keep them from getting burnt.

Valentine’s Rice Krispies Treats

Make Rice Krispies Treats and while the mixture is still warm use a large heart shaped cookie cutter to cut them out. If you can’t find a cookie cutter of the right size, draw a heart on cardboard and use it as a template. Just lay it on the sheet of Rice Krispies Treats and trace around it with a knife. For even more Valentine fun add a few drops of red food coloring to the marshmallow mixture for a pink version of the sticky treat.

Cookie Dough Jar

Place the dry ingredients of your favorite cookie recipe in a pretty jar. Write the recipe for the cookie on a heart shaped piece of paper or a valentine’s note card. Tie it with a pretty bow around the jar. Make the glass jar even more special by drawing little red hearts on it with a permanent marker. These are so cute and easy!

Bouquet of Cookies

Bake up some of your favorite cookies. Get a pretty basket and line it with a red or pink cloth napkin. Arrange the homemade cookies in the basket. If you’d like, you can also add some heart shaped cookie cutters, Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles, or some hot chocolate mix. Another option would be to use a piece of floral foam and arrange some decorated Cookie Lollipops within the basket and fill the bottom with Hershey’s Kisses or other Valentine Candy.

All of these cookie ideas for Valentine’s Day make wonderful gifts for a special someone that has a personal touch. They are sure to be appreciated, after all, who doesn’t like cookies?

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning. Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Steendahl
http://EzineArticles.com/?This-Valentines-Day-say-I-Love-You-with-Cookies&id=141781

Anti-aging Fruit!

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Valentine's Day Recipes

By Sean Carter

Pamper your sweetheart with your own hand-baked Valentine cookie pops or make him/ her some delicate Valentine muffins or may be a sweet Sweetheart Cake can do the magic. You can cook up little surprises for the young ones too. Get them some yummy heart-shaped cookies or a couple of Rosey Posey cupcakes and you’re all set to wallow in their unadulterated excitement. You can prepare sweet candy hugs for mom and dad, or you can make some chocolatey kisses for your gramps.

The idea behind Valentine’s Day recipes and these delicacies is to sweeten up the senses of all those you hold close to your heart and make them feel on top of the world. And if you sit and think, you’ll actually be surprised to see as to how much you can do to the Valentine’s Day menu or how many recipe ideas strike you for the day. So prepare or get the best for your loved ones this Valentine’s Day and tickle their sweet tooth with the top-notch Valentine’s Day recipes that are rich in the X’s and O’s ! Listed below is a list of not-so-common, yet-so-yummy Valentine's Day recipes for you to romance up the day !

Valentines Cream-N-Rum

Ingredients

1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
8 oz rum
14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Procedure
Blend all the ingredients together for a few minutes. Remove and store in a glass bottle. Refrigerate overnight and there you are—ready with the sinfully appetizing Valentine’s Day drink that will leave your folks/ beloved slobber for more.

Mushy Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 pound beef (minced)
1 cup white wine
2 tsp horseradish
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp chives
About 15 mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Mix the beef, horseradish, garlic, chives, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Fill each mushroom (the stem removed) with this mixture. Pour the wine over the stuffed mushrooms and place it all in a pre-heated oven in 350 degrees F. Bake for about 25 minutes till the meat is nicely brown. Serve these mushy mushrooms hot and steaming and set the appetites of your guest(s) on fire with this Valentine’s Day recipe !

Passionate Pasta

Ingredients

6 oz fettuccini pasta
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tbsp chopped shallots
3 cups fresh mushrooms (chopped and sliced)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tbsp butter
3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
7 oz red bell peppers (roasted)
1 tbsp drained capers

Procedure
Marinate the shrimp with olive oil and Cajun seasoning and set aside for fifteen minutes. Boil the pasta in salt water. Then drain and keep aside. Next, in a separate pot, sauté the mushrooms and shallots in butter until tender. Remove. Now add the shrimps in the remaining butter and cook for a few minutes till the shrimps turn pink. Remove from the pan and add 2/3 cup of chicken broth into the pan. Wait till the broth reduces to about 1/4 cup. In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream and corn starch before adding it to the boiling broth. Cook for about a minute till the sauce gets thick. Now add the shrimps, mushroom mixture, roasted red peppers, and the capers. Heat thoroughly and season to taste. Pour it over the pasta. That’s it ! Now savor the flavor of this Passionate Pasta in all the Valentine’s Day hoopla

Oyster Delight

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh and large oysters
2 tbsp chopped parsley
10 slices of bacon
A pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Sprinkle the seasoning and parsley on the fresh oysters. Wrap the oysters in the bacon and button up with toothpicks. Place them in a shallow baking dish and bake in 450 degrees F for about ten-fifteen minutes till the bacon is crisp. This is one great Valentine’s Day recipe idea that would neither take you long to make, nor would it take your guests to polish off.

Brownie Love

Ingredients

4 bars of unsweetened chocolate
8 oz whipped cream
3/ 4 cup margarine
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped, assorted nuts
3 cups strawberries

Procedure
Melt the chocolate and margarine together. Keep stirring till the chocolate melts completely. Add the sugar and mix well. Now add the flour, eggs and nuts and mix till it forms a smooth paste. Bake it in a pre-heated oven of 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. After it cools, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Take out and cut into heart shapes with the help of a cookie-cutter. Spread the brownies on a plate, place the strawberries on them and top with the whipped cream to make the dish look as yummy as any other of the day. Have a bellyful fun on Valentine’s Day with all.

So try these Valentine's Day recipes this February 14 along with your heart-shaped cakes and kiss cookies. Start off your Valentine's Day dinner with the Valentines Cream-N-Rum. Slowly sip the fun in and gear up for a starry-eyed time with this cool Valentine’s Day drink. The Mushy Mushrooms make for great appetizers, and you’ll have the perfect fill if you go for the oysters on Valentine's Day along with the Passionate Pasta ! Try the absolutely delicious brownies for dessert and wrap up a wonderful Valentine's Day dinner. But you can always keep adding to your menu and come up with more innovative Valentine’s Day recipes. The day is all yours to enjoy with love, luck and laughter.

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Valentine's Day and world events. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an
active blogger at Valentines Day Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Carter
http://EzineArticles.com/?Valentines-Day-Recipes&id=412523

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Anti-aging Fruit!

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