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Delicious Uses for Thanksgiving Leftovers

November 19, 2015 by

If you’ve ever made a turkey sandwich from Thanksgiving turkey, you know that the leftovers are almost as good as the meal itself. Here are a few new ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers in creative and delicious ways.

Thanks Benedict on Stuffing Cakes with Sage Hollandaise [Food Network]
If the long name on this one leaves you scratching your head, you’ll understand once you see this breakfast dish in action. Thanksgiving stuffing is molded into small, flat cakes and toped with pancetta and poached eggs to create a new version of eggs Benedict using mostly holiday leftovers.

Cranberry Sauce Over Pound Cake A la Mode [Rachael Ray]
If your dinner guests leave behind an excess of cranberry sauce, use it as a topping on this delicious seasonal dessert. You can also use pre-packaged pound cake to make the whole thing even easier.

Turkey Banh Mi [Martha Stewart]
Instead of your usual day-after turkey sandwich, get a bit global by creating a traditional Vietnamese banh mi with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Top it with spicy mayonnaise, fresh cilantro and crispy vegetables and serve the whole thing on a whole wheat baguette. This sandwich is especially great for those who can’t bare another bite of the cranberry and gravy flavors of Thanksgiving dinner.

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Deliciously Simple Ice Cream Cake Recipes

July 23, 2015 by

Those with a sweet spot for cake know that there's only one possible way to make the dessert even better: Combine it with ice cream! You might think ice cream cake is difficult to make at home, but these three tried-and-true recipes prove otherwise.

Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake [Food Network]
Taste buds of all ages with do back flips for this recipe from Food Network star Sandra Lee. Requiring only 20 minutes of prep time, the recipe entails baking two chocolate layer cakes, then sandwiching the cakes around a molded slab of ice cream. To make the whole thing even more decadent, a rich chocolate ganache is poured over top. The best part of this recipe is its versatility; you can use whatever ice cream and cake flavors you desire!

Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake [Martha Stewart]
You'd expect a recipe from Martha Stewart to be time consuming and complicated, but this ice cream cake recipe is, well, a piece of cake! To create this neapolitan-style dessert, three different flavors of ice cream are layered within a loaf pan. For that signature cookie crunch that everyone loves and expects from an ice cream cake, chocolate cookie crumbs separate each ice cream layer. The most difficult part of Martha's recipe is just waiting for the cake to set up in the freezer.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Cake [AllRecipes]
To make this cake truly decadent, its crust is crafted from crushed chocolate chip cookies. Then, a layer of hot fudge is poured over top of the crust. After the fudge crust cools, the recipe entails spreading a layer of softened ice cream over the crust, then freezing overnight. A healthy dose of whipped cream on top takes the cake to a whole 'nother level!

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Pro Tips for a Perfect Pie Crust

March 5, 2015 by

With the holiday season in full swing, you might want to impress your family and friends with a delicious, homemade pie at your festive gathering. Although making a pie from scratch seems intimidating, these tips from the pros will ensure that your crust turns out completely flawless.

  1. Chill everything. It’s fairly common knowledge that a good pie crust relies on very cold butter, but you can even go one step further by chilling everything (like flour, butter and shortening) before beginning.
  2. Keep things lumpy. While most recipes require you to blend or mix the dough until it’s perfectly smooth, a good pie crust relies on those small chunks of butter or other fats. This is what creates small air pockets for that lovely flaky texture once it’s done baking.
  3. Don’t over-handle the dough. The warmth from your hands can cause the gluten in the dough to seize up, so be sure to only touch the dough when transferring it into the pan.
  4. Use parchment paper. Not only does sandwiching your pie dough between parchment paper keep your kitchen cleaner, it also prevents the crust from tearing when it gets too thin.
  5. Create an aluminum shield. Because the pie’s filling and its crust tend to cook at different speeds, wrap a shield of aluminum foil around the crust’s edges during the last five minutes of baking.

10 Tips for Making Perfect Pie Crust [About Food]
The 10 Commandments of a Perfect Pie Crust [Real Simple]
6 Tips For Perfect Pies And Tarts [Food Network]

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Food Canning 101: 5 Basics

January 22, 2015 by

Your grandmother may have been on to something with all of those canned fruits and vegetables. Canning is a great way to preserve the lifespan of fresh produce, and it creates a number of unique new ways to eat your favorite veggies. If you want to start canning in your own home, here are 5 things that you need to know.

  1. Do not use overripe produce. Although canning helps you to extend the lifespan of produce, it won’t reverse the ripening process if it has already happened. Be sure to use only crisp, fresh fruits and vegetables.
  2. Sterilize cans before starting. Because your produce will be sealed tightly inside of the glass jars, you want to make sure that there is no bacteria inside of there as well. Wash each jar with hot, soapy water and soak them in a boiling water bath for at least 10 minutes before you begin.
  3. Research acid additions. Many types of fruits and vegetables require ascorbic acid or citric acid to prevent browning or maintain pH levels, so do your research before canning.
  4. Do not fill the jars completely. Your produce will expand during the boiling process, so be sure leave an inch or so of space at the top of each jar.

More Canning Tips and Do's/Don'ts [Pick Your Own]
Canning 101: The Basics [Simple Bites]
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision [NCHFP]

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Healthy Rice and Potato Dishes That Won’t Weigh You Down

June 19, 2014 by

Starches and whole grains are important for feeling energized, but if eaten in excess, they can make you feel heavy or weighed-down. These delicious and nutritious recipes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute incorporate rice and potatoes into your diet in a way that benefits your body and provides proper portion sizes.

Delicious Oven French Fries
Though fast food French fries are anything but healthy, this oven-baked alternative provides the same classic taste without the added fat and salt.

Wonderful Stuffed Potatoes
By stuffing a baked potato with low fat milk and cottage cheese instead of the usual sour cream, you can save calories and still get the same savory taste.

Candied Yams
The holiday favorite gets a healthy makeover in this fast and easy recipe, with sweet brown sugar and tangy orange juice for a boost of added flavor.

Scallion Rice
The addition of green onions and bullion gives this simple, low-calorie rice dish a little something extra, and makes it perfect for eating with a variety of meats, vegetables or stir-fries.

Sunshine Rice
Perfect for pairing with grilled chicken or for eating on its own, this rice recipe contains unique ingredients like hot sauce, almonds, and lemon juice for a distinctly flavorful taste.

For more healthy rice and potato dishes, visit the NIH website by clicking here.

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4 Inventive Side Salads to Spice Up Any Meal

May 14, 2014 by

Sure, a traditional salad adds extra nutrients and an additional serving of vegetables to your meal, but it certainly doesn’t add extra flavor. There are a number of more exciting ways to prepare salad, from sweet and fresh to hearty and spicy. If you want to make a truly unique side salad to complement your grilled fish or steak, you need to know which veggies, toppings, and dressings work well together. These four side salad recipes make it easy on any home chef.

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese and Bread Crumbs [Delish]
The earthy flavor of asparagus is offset by creamy goat cheese in this mouth-watering recipe. The bread crumbs impart an added crunch.

Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad [Martha Stewart]
Delicious served with chips or as a topping for chicken, Martha Stewart's recipe receives added sweetness from corn.

Marinated Carrot Salad with Ginger and Sesame Oil [Food & Wine]
Ginger gives this recipe a spicy kick, while sesame oil ups the Asian fare flavor.

Orange-Pistachio Wild Rice Salad [Fitness Magazine]
Equal parts healthy and hearty, this recipe is the perfect match to your favorite meat and seafood dishes.

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Find Out How Many Calories Your Favorite Activities Burn With This Chart

April 17, 2014 by

Counting calories is important when you’re trying to lose weight, but the most rewarding part is subtracting the calories you’ve burned off through exercise. This helpful chart from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells you how many calories common physical activities burn, from hiking to swimming to chopping wood in the yard.

This chart is divided into either vigorous-intensity physical activity or moderate-intensity physical activity. The most common physical activities for losing weight are traditional exercise activities, whether they’re performed in a gym or outdoors. Vigorous exercises like running, bicycling, and swimming burn the most calories, and the longer you do them, the more calories you’ll burn. However, on the days you’re feeling tired or worn down, even simple walking, stretching, or easy bike riding is better than sitting at home.

Many everyday tasks that you would never consider calorie-burning activities do, in fact, help you to lose weight as well. Gardening or pulling weeds in your own backyard burns approximately 330 calories in an hour for the average person, much more than most people expect. Even an enjoyable afternoon of golfing or hiking will help you drop calories and, in turn, shed pounds.

For people who want to lose weight, it’s helpful to know that people who weigh more than 154 pounds burn more calories per hour than those who weigh less. You’ll see results quickly as soon as you start doing a few physical activities per week, and then it’s just a matter of sticking with it!

How many calories are used in physical activities? [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

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