Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Touring the gourmet shops at San Francisco's Ferry Building, my sister pointed out squares of papered lard. She said the cooks were using lard in pie crusts. Our family uses oil or shortening. But in these days when hydrogenated fats from cottonseed oil have been labeled health risks and in some areas banned, it's time to return to the basics. So here's a recipe that omits all cottonseed oil.

2 cups all purpose flour (chilled for an hour)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup butter, unsalted
1/3 cup lard
5 to 6 tablespoons of icy cold water

Mix flour with salt and sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter and lard.
Add ice water mixing with a fork until pastry comes together in peas. Do not over mix. With clean hands form into a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each
into a round flat disc and refrigerate for 1 hour. Then place the pastry disk on a floured surface. Put paper on top and roll out crust to one inch circle beyond the rim of your pie pan. Carefully remove paper and place in pan.

Graham Cracker Brownies (two sizes)
You get the party size and personal pan size!
Honey Maid Original Graham Crackers are recommended.

For a 9 x 13 pan mix together:
4 cups of crushed graham crackers
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 regular and 1 light)
About 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Spread in the bottom of a greased pan.
Bake 350 degrees F (175 degrees F) for 25-30 minutes.
Cut and remove from pan while still warm. Cool on rack before storing.

For a 9-inch square pan mix together:
2 cups of crushed graham crackers
1 cup chocolate chips
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
About 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp of vanilla
Spread into the bottom of a greased pan.
Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cut and remove from pan while still warm.
Cool cookies on rack before storing.

Hello Dolly Bars

My brother-in-law just made these. Hello Dolly was the name my mom-in- law called these cookies also known as seven layer bars. I think their showiness would capture any tycoon or pauper's heart.

Melt 1/2 cup of margarine
Add 2 cups of crushed graham crackers
Press into an 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle over that:
1 cup flaked coconut
6 oz package chocolate chips
6 oz package butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Next pour over
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes.
Cool on a rack, then cut into bars.

Breakfast Fat Blaster Quiz

My beloved and I had a Micky D breakfast this morning so I could drop my van off to silence squeaky brakes. We ordered Sausage Biscuit with eggs and Hash browns. I could pour tomato catsup on to ingest the healthy carotenoid, lycopene. The meal was smooth and fatty.

Want to guess what favorite breakfast foods beats off fat?
a. Oatmeal, milk, and raisins
b. Waffles, cream, and fresh strawberries
c. Eggs with jellied whole wheat toast
d. Bacon and a bowl of grits
e. Bagels and cream cheese
Click on the surprising answer and research link at RealAge.com.

CHICKEN SQUARE PUFFS
Here's a treat from a Pittsburgh e-mail pal, thanks to the Pillsbury Dough boy as well. You could buy cold rotisserie chicken, skin and debone the meat for a double recipe. Serve with a salad of greens. Yum!

1 (3 oz).package cream cheese
1 Tablespoon of butter, softened
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 Tablespoon of chopped chives or green onion
¼ teaspoon of salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
1 Tablespoon of chopped pimento (optional)
2 tablespoons milk
1 (8 oz. can) Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
1 Tablespoon of butter, melted
¾ cup of seasoned croutons, crushed

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and 1 tbs. softened butter; beat until smooth. Add chicken, chives (onions), salt, pepper, milk, and chopped pimento. Mix well.

Separate dough into 4 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 Cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull four corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch the edges to seal. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

With pastry brush, brush tops of sandwiches with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle with crushed croutons.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serves four.

Pot Roast Aloha

My sister Percy says ginger helps your throat sing the high notes. Most folks know that ginger can get you past tummy upsets and nausea; clinical studies show how much pregnant women benefit from the Zingiberis rhizoma root. More research needs to be done to show that ginger can work like aspirin to stave off sticky platelets. Ginger, iron and calcium laden, is anti-viral and anti-microbial. And Ginger makes a dish like Pot Roast Aloha sway the tropical taste buds.

4 to 5 lb chuck or sirloin roast
2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1cup pale- dry sherry
1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh ginger or 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
Freshly ground pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced
4 whole cloves (optional)

Rub the roast with one tablespoon of olive oil and the minced garlic. Place the meat in a glass or stainless bowl. Add the sherry, soy sauce, ginger, pepper, onions, and cloves. Turn meat to coat. Cover and chill overnight. To cook, remove the meat from the marinade. Save marinade. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Brown both sides of meat in the remaining, heated olive oil. Transfer to slow cooker. Add ½ cup of the reserved marinade. Put rest of marinade in refrigerator. Cover pot and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until fork tender. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Add ½ cup more marinade to pan juices. Cook until reduced. Pour into a sauce bowl. Serves 8 to 10.

Easy Steak Fajitas

What a great time, grill time! We had friends come by Memorial Day with fresh from the farm beef in steaks and humongous burgers. At the close of the evening we had leftover gelatin and steak. We sliced the steak and had fajitas a few days later. Yummy!
(Read two, quick blogs with great recipes for summer eats).

STEAK MIX
1 package of Taco Seasoning Mix (spicy is best)
3 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon honey
I pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cooked medium rare,
cut into bite-sized strips, thin
1 large Vidalia or sweet yellow onion, cut into thin wedges
2 medium green bell peppers (or 1 red and 1 green), seeded, cut into thin strips
SALSA MIX
2 teaspoons of the Taco mix, reserved
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium avocado, pitted,peeled, chopped
2 T finely chopped red onions
2 teaspoons lime juice
WRAPS
8 whole wheat tortillas, heated
Diced cilantro as garnish.

Reserve 2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix in a bowl for salsa. In a shallow glass baking dish, mix well remaining taco mix, 3 tablespoons of lime juice and honey. Add beef strips; toss to coat. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the salsa bowl combine the reserved taco mix and all salsa ingredients. Stir well. Set aside.

Spray oil in a nonstick skillet. Bring pan to medium high heat. Add the onion wedges; stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the beef and green peppers and stir fry 2 minutes or of desired doneness.

Spoon 1/2 cup of beef mixture down center of tortilla. Serve with the guacamole salsa, sprinkled fresh cilantro, and sour cream, if desired. Serves four.

APPLE SAUCY GELATIN
2 boxes of Strawberry Jello (6 oz.)
4 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water
1 jar of unsweetened applesauce (about 46 oz.)

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin crystals in the boiling water. Stir in cold water and applesauce. Spray inside of 13 by 9 by 2 inches pan with nonstick cooking spray (or oil). Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Makes 16 squares.

Groceries and Gas(oline) Tips

Unless you bike or public transit to the store and back, the spiking price at the pump will spike your trip to the grocery store or mega mart. Slower Fast Food still believes it is still cheaper to cook and eat at home. But you can stretch out the time between gas fillings and save money, too. The first three tips on when to pump gas are an oil company person's suggestions and verified by my local mechanic:

To Pump or Not to Pump

* Know when not to fill your tank Gasoline is more dense or thick when cooler. Don't fill your tank in the heat of the day. In warm seasons, try to pump early in the morning. The gas tank will fill up more.
* Read your gas gauge! Most folks test the E for Empty on the gauge. Better to fill your tank when it is half empty. Besides the credit cards limit(as of this writing) how much you can pay.
*Avoid tankers. If you see a tanker truck filling the underground reservoirs of the station, it's best not to fill up. Though stations are inspected, the tanker may still stir up sediments and vapors you don't need in your tank.

More tips

* Avoid endless errands. Once a week study your pantry or storage areas and write down items you need or run low on. When the list is nice and full, then do one big trip to the store.
* Carpool grocery trips. Friends did this with me when we needed to visit the Strip in Pittsburgh, an old style grocer's venue. First, find a neighbor or friend with a vehicle with great storage. Buy together, but try to separate your purchases, say yours are in paper bags and hers are in canvas bags. Or use boxes with your family names on them.
* Feed your tires well. Keep them at correct air pressure and your tank of gas goes further.
* Oil and lube on schedule. Happy engine leads to a more efficient use of gasoline.
For more ideas check out this nifty FTC web page on gas saving tips.

Soup Cans to the Rescue

When oil prices punch up grocery bills, home-cooked dishes become viable alternatives to pricey eat-out meals. As you cook pour in condensed soup for a smoother sensation to the palate, yum. Nowadays you can buy generic canned versions with low sodium or reduced fat. Health food stores have alternative canned choices for the holistic folks.
Think soup and be ready to cook and manga well on five, FAST recipes:

Chicken and Roasted Garlic Risotto
4 boneless chicken breast halves
1 Tablespoon butter
1 can (10 ¾ oz) low fat cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup*
2 cups water
2 cups uncooked rice
1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Heat butter in a skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken. Next add soups and water. Heat to a boil. Stir in rice and vegetables. Top with chicken. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until done. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Serves 4.
*If you cannot find the roasted garlic soup, then fry freshly cut garlic in the butter.

Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Rice
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ in thick
1 can (10 ¾ oz) low fat cream of mushroom soup
½ soup can of milk
1 package of ranch salad dressing mix
Paprika

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the chops and cook until browned. Add the soup, milk, and ½ of the salad dressing mix. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until done. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with rice. Serves 4. To make the ranch style rice, add the rest of the salad dressing to the water, when making rice.

Grilled Chicken Celery Entree
4 boneless chicken breasts fillets
Shake of no salt seasoning for grilled chicken
1 can low fat cream of celery soup
½ cup of water

Grill seasoned chicken on indoor, covered grill, 4-6 minutes, until no longer pink. Heat the soup and water. Use as sauce. Great served over couscous or rice. Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Pork Chops
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion chopped
4 boneless pork chops
1 can cream of celery soup
½ cup of water

Cook pork chops in medium-high heated and oiled skillet, until browned. Add onions; cook till clear. Next add the soup and water. Cover and simmer until done, around 15 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Beef Taco Jose
( Instead of buns, try it over corn bread or over cooked brown rice.)
1 lb of ground chuck
1 can of tomato soup
1 cup salsa (as spicy as you like it)
½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz.)

In a skillet brown the ground beef. Drain off fat. Return to pan. Next add the soup and salsa. Heat thoroughly. Top with cheese. Serves on hamburger rolls. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant season ran from August to October, but now the royal nightshade fruit is available year round. The skin has the miraculous phyto-nutrient, nasunin. Nasunin protects the lips in brain cell membranes, helping the brain cells be cleaner and healthier. Though its phenolic acids fight microbes, cancer growth, and viruses, they create the bitterness and brown color when the eggplant is cut. But agricultural scientists are working to keep the healthy value and make the eggplant tastier. Meanwhile take out these ingredients to bake a taste bud pleasing dish.*

One eggplant, cut into thin slices, leave on skin
1 Tablespoon sea salt
8 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten or 2 egg whites
½ cup chopped fresh basil
4 cups of spaghetti sauce

Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Place slices in a colander, and place a dish underneath the colander to capture liquid that will sweat out of the eggplant. Allow to sweat for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit (175 degrees Celsius). In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella cheese, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in egg or egg whites, and basil.

Rinse the eggplant slices in cold water until all salt is removed. In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Place one layer of eggplant in the pan; brown each side. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices, using additional oil if necessary.

In a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, spread 1½ cups of spaghetti sauce. Place a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant layer with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant and cheese mixture is used. Pour remaining sauce on top of layers, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly. Serves 4-6.

*Reference The World's Healthiest Food website. Picture from All Recipes

Perfected Hard Boiled Egg

Here's the scoop on how to hard boil a tasty egg and open it with ease. I give you the secret on how to open each egg without the inner skin sticking to it:

Place egg in a small saucepan. Add cold water an inch over the egg. Add a teaspoon of oil.
Put pot on stove. Turn heat element on high.
Let water come to a boil (bubbles rise and pop on surface of water).
As it comes to a boil, turn off heating element. Remove pan from heat. Cover.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Remove eggs from water. You can refrigerate them for later. If not cool eggs in cold water. Break open by striking it on a counter, and remove shells.

Chili Rojo de Pollo

Want to take the ice out of winter? Try this easy crock-pot delight. Here's a recipe for a cumin spiced chili, inspired by folks at my awesome church:

6 chicken thighs or breasts, boned, skinned, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, mashed or finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced and seeded
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano leaf
1 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of sea salt
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)
2 cans great northern or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
I can corn, drained or 2 cups frozen corn
2 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro.

In a skillet sauté the chicken, garlic, onions, and bell peppers in the heated olive oil, until onions are clear, no more than 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked items to the crock-pot, and add the remaining items (may add the fresh cilantro in the last half hour of cooking). Stir, cover, and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours. Serve over rice or with cornbread. Serves 4 to 6 persons.

What gets a chili to dance to mariachi music? Some like it hot with red peppers, yet I think the guitars strum when one tosses cumin into the pot. The cumin scent dazzles your nostrils, which gets the taste buds salivating in your mouth. Can you hear the trumpet fanfare?

Moreover, God packed nutritional benefits into the Cumin Seed. Cumin is a terrific source of iron, so good for the hemoglobin and for energy. Cumin also sparks pancreatic enzymes that lead to better digestion. It may also have detoxifying anti-cancer properties. To read more about the research on benefits and nutritional analysis of cumin, go to World’s Healthiest Foods.

Chicken with Orange-Sage Sauce

3 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon dried sage or 3 Tablespoons chopped, fresh sage
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1.25 lbs)
1teaspoon sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 Tablespoon of oil
1 ½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup of orange juice
3 Tablespoons heavy cream

Beat together butter and sage in small bowl until smooth and blended. Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add chicken to the skillet; sauté about seven minutes per side or until lightly browned (170 degrees). Remove to a warm platter.
Add sage butter to warm skillet; stir with wooden spoon to melt and loosen any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Whisk in flour until smooth. Place the skillet over a low heat setting. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the orange juice, stirring constantly; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened and bubbly Stir in remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and the heavy cream; heat.
Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve. 4 servings

FISH or FAST?

On this First Friday of Lent, I ponder what fast I should undergo.

Jesus indicates fasting is an expected discipline in life. He said,

"When you fast (not IF you fast)
put on oil on your head and wash your face,
so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting,
but only to your Father, who is unseen,
and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:17-18)

Now the oil on the head is a Middle Eastern custom, but there remains the fast. What do I abstain from this Lent?

Our church gave a handout about fasting. I learned five ways to fast:

1. Supernatural fast: no food or water. Moses did this on Mt. Sinai in God's presence. Jesus went into the wilderness forty days, only feeding on God's Word.

2. Daniel's fast: While in Babylonian exile, Daniel and friends fasted twenty-one days, restricting his diet to the traditions of his people. To do this fast, I could eat Bible foods, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, water or juice, cereals, flat breads, cheese, poultry, or fish. No pork or beef. Try to eat only two main meals per day.

3. Limited fast: I know a friend who gave up chocolate for Lent. That would be hard for me, so it's a possibility. It could be cans of pop for others. Or give up fast food. Since we are tight on our budget, we rarely go out to eat.

4. Drink Juice fast: This to me would be a challenge as I like to chew. But in this one you drink juices, water. I guess vegetable juices are in the mix as well.

5. Some folks do behavior fasts, which I guess is more spiritual that gastrointestinal. Some restrict pleasurable activities like movies, TV, or reading pleasure books.Others give more time for other spiritual activity. The church handout recommended a tithe of ten percent of each day, which is two hours, 24 minutes per diem. This could be ministry or Bible meditation, or family devotions, or prayer meetings.

So tell me, when you fast, how do you do it?