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Bacon Roasted Apple Bites – A Breakfast Treat
2007-11-02 18:14:00
Wow! I just discovered this wonderful, very easy breakfast delight! In the evening:Slice an apple or two into wedgesWrap each wedge in a piece of bacon (I used about 1/3 slice of bacon for each wedge, my wedges were fairly small)Secure ends with toothpicksFreezeIn the morning:Preheat oven to 400 degreesPlace apple slices on a cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes (or until bacon is done to your liking)This was great alone, and would perfectly compliment eggs. Next time I am going to try it with a little cream cheese and drizzled with maple syrup. It’s great if you want something for breakfast without trying to cook first thing in the morning, and would make a great snack any time of day!
More About: Apple , Breakfast , Treat , Bacon , Bite

Green Chili
2007-10-08 17:07:00
Green Chilli 2 pound pork (cut up)2 large onions (diced)1 bulb garlic (peeled)4 jalapenos (sliced)6 green chilies (roasted, peeled, sliced)OreganoBasilCuminSaltWaterCornstar ch (optional)Place pork in a large pot, salt and cook until done. Add onions, garlic, jalapenos, and green chilies. Cook on med high about 10 minutes. Add 6 cups water. Simmer for about 2 hours or until water is greatly reduced. Add 4 cups water, oregano, basil, cumin, and more salt if needed. Simmer about 2 hours. If not thick enough add corn starch in small amount until it reaches the desired thickness.
More About: Green , Chili , Hili

Toasted Corn
2007-10-05 18:58:00
Toasted cornCorn Bacon greaseCut the kernels off of an ear of corn. Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in an iron skillet on high heat. When the grease begins to smoke, toss in corn, smooth out to form one layer, and cover. Reduce heat to medium high. Be careful! This stuff pops. If you don’t cover it, you will lose all of the corn. You’ll need to check it a couple of times and possibly stir it around a bit, so that the corn cooks evenly. Use the lid as a shield from the popping corn. It’s done when the popping slows and the corn looks a bit scorched.

Sandi’s Ceviche
2007-10-04 04:51:00
Sandi’s CevicheI don’t have much experience with fish, and I haven’t found many recipes that really did it for me. I recently discovered that I like sushi, but I haven’t been brave enough to try making it at home. So, I decided to try “cooking” fish with lemon juice instead of heat. I knew it could be done, but I didn’t know about ceviche.Ceviche is also called seviche, cebiche, or cevice. A quick search online will tell you all about its disputed history. Most of what I found says it comes from Peru. Basically, I looked through a whole bunch of recipes and worked with what was available to me for ingredients. It’s wonderful! Here’s my recipe:12 oz salmon (I used wild caught)1 small onion3 large cloves garlic2 cayenne peppersJuice of ½ limeLemon juice (enough to cover)Salt Pepper1 medium sized avocado Slice salmon into small chunks. Thinly slice onion, garlic, and cayenne. Place in a glass or ceramic dish. Add salt and pepper. Squeeze in limes juice. Add enough le...

Pumpkin Dip
2007-10-01 20:22:00
Pumpkin Dip/SpreadI discovered this because I had three cans of pumpkin that I needed to use up before they were too old. Unlike chocolate or bacon, I’m picky about pumpkin. I’m not really a fan of pumpkin pie. I used one can for soup, but I wanted to try something different, too. That’s how I discovered pumpkin dip. I made ginger snaps to go with it. Those ran out before the dip. Then I made brownies, but not with the dip in mind. My boyfriend decided to try spreading some of the dip on a brownie. I thought it sounded OK, but I wasn’t real excited about it. Then I tried it. WOW! It was incredible!Now, here’s the strange part. We bought some brownie bites, which are tiny brownie square dipped in sugar. We tried the pumpkin dip on those and, yuck! It tasted bitter. The brownies I had made were from a cake mix, and not terribly sweet. The brownie bites are very sweet, and so is the pumpkin dip. All we can figure is that all the sweetness clashed, rather than complimenting ea...
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Cheesy Garlic Sour Cream Cornbread
2007-08-24 06:43:00
Cheesy Garlic Sour Cream Cornbread, by Sandra Yvonne Duke1 ¼ cup cornmeal2 tablespoons baking powder8 oz grated cheddar1 can cream style corn6 oz sourcream2 eggs½ cup butter3 tablespoons minced garlicPreheat oven to 400. Sauté garlic in butter about 3 minutes,combine with corn, eggs, and sour cream, stir in cornmeal and baking powder. Pour half of mixture into a well-greased iron skillet. Top with cheese. Cover with remaining mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.This recipe makes great muffins, too!
More About: Brea

Simple Salsa
2007-08-20 19:43:00
Simple Salsa , by Sandra Yvonne Duke1 medium onion4 medium tomatoes½ bulb garlic3 jalapenosJuice of ½ limeSaltPeel the onions and garlic. Cut the stems off the jalapenos and tomatoes. Cut the onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos into small enough sections to put in food processor. Put it all in the food processor and pulse to the consistency that you like.
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What I’m Cooking This Weekend
2007-08-19 20:08:00
I like to cook several things at once, when I can. It just makes things so much easier for me later on. Yesterday I made stuffed green chilies, salsa, refried beans, and jasmine rice. I also started to different kinds of beans soaking to make two different kinds of bean soup today - black bean and split pea. The soups will cook all day in crockpots. I will freeze one and we’ll eat the other. For making soups and things I like to buy bacon ends and pieces. It’s much cheaper than regular strips and works just as well. The soups can be served with just about anything. One night we’ll have soup with baked sweet potatoes. I also have some cheesy garlic cornbread muffins in the freezer that I made last week.
More About: Cooking , Weekend , Cookin

Stuffed Green Chilies
2007-08-19 02:27:00
Stuffed Green Chilies, by Sandra Yvonne Duke4 large green chilies1 lb ground beef10oz muenster cheese (shredded)1 small Vidalia onion4 large cloves garlicOreganoSaltFresh ground black pepperGreen chili or green chili enchilada sauceBrown meat, drain, and season with oregano salt and black pepper. While the meat is cooking, cut up onion and garlic (I use a food processor). Slice the green chilies open lengthwise – DO NOT cut in half, just make a large opening. Pull the guts out of the chilies and cut up with the onions and garlic. Add the meat to the mixture and allow to cool for a few minutes. It can be warm, but not too hot to handle. Add most of the cheese (save a little to sprinkle on top). Preheat oven to 350. Stuff the chilies with the mixture. Try to fit all of it in if you can. Place the stuffed chilies in a baking dish. If you have any left-over stuffing put it on top. Pour the sauce over the chilies. I use a large can of green chili enchilada sauce. Homemade is better if ...
More About: Hili

Cooking Ahead
2007-08-10 22:12:00
If you’re like me, you don’t always have the time or energy to cook a big meal. Cookin g ahead and freezing food can mean having food on hand whenever you need it, but for some that sounds like spending all day, or at least several hours, in the kitchen. It doesn’t have to be that way!You can simplify and save time by making several versions of one thing at a time. I like to use chicken as an example, but you can use this for other foods. Instead of just making one chicken dish, try making throwing together 3 or 4 (in separate baking dishes) and baking them all at once. It will add a few minutes to your prep time, but save you several hours. Try a combination of any of the following.1. Lemmon & Pepper chicken (see recipe June 27, 2007).2. Teriyaki Chicken – just place the chicken in the pan and cover with teriyaki sauce.3. Chicken with tomato and mozzarella – placed chicken in the pan, cover with a can of diced tomatoes, add some garlic if you like, and top with shredded mo...
More About: Ahead

Food Recalls
2007-08-03 03:21:00
I’ve said it before, but it’s just getting worse. EATING IS SCARY!!! It seems like there has been a recall on every type of food imaginable, lately. If I weren’t so addicted to food I’d be tempted to give it up.In case you don’t know already, I am no fan of the FDA, but I wanted to give you the link their recall page anyway.For those of you who aren’t keeping up, E. coli is no longer in vogue. The new scare is botulism.You may have heard about the canned chili recall, and if you’re like me, you didn’t rush to check your shelves because canned chili is just nasty, so you never buy it anyway. Well, what they don’t seem to mention about this on the news is that it’s not just chili. The Castleberry’s “chili” recall includes corned beef hash, beef stew, and dog food. Yes, four varieties of Natural Balance dog food. There is also a recall on Lakeside canned green beans.Among the countless contaminated imports from China, fresh ginger is now being recalled due to ...
More About: Food , Food recall

Turkey Wrapped Zucchini Spears
2007-07-27 06:23:00
Turkey Wrap ped Zucchini Spears , by Sandra Yvonne Duke1 large zucchini8 slices honey roasted turkeySwiss cheeseCream cheeseSalt Peel zucchini and slice lengthwise into 8 pieces. Cut 8 slices of Swiss cheese (about ¼” by 1” by 3”). Lay one piece of zucchini and one piece of Swiss cheese across one piece of turkey, and add cream cheese (about the same amount as the Swiss). The zucchini will be longer that the meat. Salt, roll up and secure with one or two toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake at 450 for about 30 minutes.
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Steak and Sweet Potato Soup
2007-07-21 20:53:00
Steak and Sweet Potato Soup , by Sandra Yvonne Duke1 cooked steak (cut into very small pieces, leave fat on)1 sweet potato (peeled and thinly sliced)1 onion (diced)5 cups water1 cup chicken stock or brothPowdered garlicBasilOreganoThymeGarlic chivesParsleyChili Pequin2 cups milk Place all ingredients except milk in a pan and boil for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover, simmer for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest setting, add milk, warm for 10-15 minutes.This recipe is very easy, requires very little “babysitting” but does take some time. I grow my own oregano, basil, thyme, chives, and parsley, which gives it an even better flavor, but dried will work.
More About: Steak

Pasta Salad
2007-07-16 02:42:00
Pasta Salad , by Sandra Yvonne DukeYou can vary this recipe in many ways for different flavors, and different purposes. I suggest playing with different amounts and kinds of vegetables. I use Simply Organic salad dressing mix because it has no MSG!Dressing1 package garlic vinaigrette (or Italian) dressing mix4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar¼ cup water1/3 cup flax oil1/3 cup olive oilFresh oregano (if available, if not dried will work)Fresh basil (see above)Mix together dressing mix, vinegar and water. Once well blended add oregano, basil, flax oil, and olive oil. Let stand one hour. Refrigerate until chilled (can be made a day ahead).12 oz dried pasta (spirals, shells, wheels, any shape or combo will work, but I don’t recommend long pastas like spaghetti)1 head broccoli (florettes only, chopped up fairly small)½ pint Cherry tomatoes, quartered2 avocados12 oz tofu, cubedCook pasta al dente and rinse with cold water until all pasta has cooled. Rinse pan in cold water until it is cool...
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Bacon “Wrapped” Shrimp
2007-07-16 02:39:00
Bacon “Wrap ped” Shrimp , by Sandra Yvonne DukeThis was inspired by a dish served at Viva Vallarta, in Canon City, Colorado. Theirs is different in a few ways and, as in most restaurants, to me the portion size is just a tease. They actually wrap their shrimp with the bacon. I don’t. That takes a lot of time and work out of this recipe.1 pound bacon1 pound cooked and peeled shrimp (tails are OK)8 oz mushrooms, sliced1 bunch green onions, sliced w/green parts4 cloves garlic, sliced1 green chili, seeded and sliced1 jalapeno, sliced1 small handful dried chili pequin½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne¼ teaspoon cuminPaprikaSaltCut bacon strips into quarters and cook on medium high in a large iron skillet (kitchen scissors work great for this and you do not have to cut the slices individually). DO NOT drain grease (the mushrooms will soak up most of it). When bacon is done or almost done reduce heat to medium and add green onions, garlic, green chili, and jalapeno. Cook for one or two minutes....
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A Different Broccoli Mac & Cheese
2007-07-11 17:07:00
A Diff erent Broccoli Mac & Cheese , by Sandra Yvonne DukeNormally, I like to make everything from scratch, including my sauces, but sometimes there's just not time. This cheater recipe comes out almost as good as homemade, and is much, much easier. It uses a pre-made sauce, Alfredo or other white cheese.1 cup dry macaroni¾ lb broccoli1 jar (16oz) Alfredo sauce8 oz blue cheese crumblesPre-heat oven to 350.Cook macaroni.Steam broccoli.In a large oven-safe glass bowl – place 1/2 of the macaroni and ½ of the broccoli and mix together. Add ½ of the sauce and ½ of the blue cheese and mix well. Repeat with the second half of all ingredients. Bake uncovered for about 30 to 45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.This works great with the Lemmon & Pepper Chicken recipe and can go in the oven at the same time!
More About: Rocco

Deep Fry Fetish
2007-07-04 03:49:00
Many of you already know how much I love my deep fryer. Well, I have discovered a whole new joy in deep frying - tortilla chips!It's too easy! Just cut corn tortillas into quarters and throw them in the deep fryer for about one minute. Drop them in a papertowel lined bowl and salt immediately.The first time I tried it, I was making nachos and used only salt. This time they are for dipping, so I used my own seasoning salt and some chili powder. YUM!I plan on experimenting further, making my own tortillas, maybe trying to make something like Fritos, too. I have had tortilla chips made this way from flour tortillas, and those were great!Of course, I love to make deep fried sweet potato chips, and we often have a big bowl of breaded okra in place of popcorn.Then there are our deep fry fests, when we fry mushrooms, zucchini, clam strips, eggplant, basically anything we can get our hands on!What do you like to deep fry?
More About: Fetish , Deep , Deep fry

Peach and Spinach Salad
2007-06-30 20:21:00
Peach and Spinach Salad , by Sandra Yvonne DukeFresh spinachPeach slicesGreen onionsFeta cheeseRaspberry vinaigretteplace in each serving bowl:2 to 3 handfuls fresh spinach leaves6 to 8 peach slices1 green onion, sliced1 to 2 tablespoons feta cheese (crubled or cubed)Serve with your favorite raspberry vinaigrette.Peaches can be fresh or preserved. I have found that the peaches in glass jars are much better than peaches that come in a can. I like Marie's raspberry vinaigrette.
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Questions From Readers
2007-06-29 00:42:00
Today a reader asked if I take questions on food and/or gardening. The answer is Yes! Please, send me your questions! I may not have all the answers, but I will gladly post your questions so that other readers can comment and provide feedback!So, here is Mattie's question:I am planning to spray compost tea on my landscape. Is it safe for edible plants? And is it recommended for vegetable gardens?I am no gardening expert, so I will be looking into this myself. In the meantime, if anyone has the answers, please post them as a comment!
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What Does Willie Nelson Have To Do With Dinner?
2007-06-28 19:51:00
Take a look at the headlines lately and all you hear about are celebrities, oil prices, global warming, and contaminated food. So, why don’t we don’t we hear something about Willie every single day? He has good, realistic answers to these serious problems.So, what does Willie have to do with dinner? He supports family farms – locally grown food (and even locally grown fuel). His article, in the current Mother Earth News, talks about a new farm bill, one that could help make locally grown food a real purchase option for everyone. Locally grown foods, foods grown on family farms rather than large industrial farms, are healthier and taste better.Locally grown foods are also safer. They are not subject to nation-wide recalls due to contamination. For instance, when we had the big spinach E coli scare, you couldn’t find fresh spinach in the stores. It was all pulled because it might be contaminated. Most people simply had to go without. I, on the other hand, had all the fresh spi...
More About: Willie Nelson , Dinner , Nelson , To Do

Recipe: Lemon & Pepper Chicken
2007-06-28 00:44:00
Here is a recipe to get you started. This was in the premier issue of the newsletter back in August, 2004. The original version suggested covering with aluminum foil. I no longer reccomend the use of aliminum for any purpose!!!Reci pe : Lemon & Pepper Chicken , by Sandra Yvonne DukeBoneless skinless chicken breastButterBlack pepper (fresh ground if you have it)Lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best!)Preheat oven to 350.Place chicken breasts in a glass baking pan.Pour lemon juice overchicken until you have about ¼ to ½ inch standing in the bottom ofthe pan.Place 1-2 tablespoons of butter on each chicken breast.Coat with black pepper.Cover and bake for 30 to 45 minutes (you may need to increase the time if the chicken isfrozen). Chicken will be juiciest if you spoon some of the juiceover the chicken every 10 -15 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of cooking for a more appealing look.Serve over rice with Anasazi or pinto beans.Serving tip: Chop up and mix together a little onion,...

Introducing the Real Food for Health and Pleasure Blog!
2007-06-27 23:59:00
Real Food for Health and Pleasure began in 2004 as a free newsletter.Major changes in my life eventually meant I just didn't have time to put out the newsletter anymore, but I am still obsessed with food. I always have the urge to share new things about food and sometimes just what I'm cooking today. So, I decided to move the newsletter to a blog.I will be posting artilces and recipes previously published in the newsletter in addition to brand new stuff. You can view the newsletter archives here.Readers who would like to contibute original posts (recipes, etc), are welcome to contact me.I hope to hear from all of you!
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