National Junk Food Day - DIY Cheez Its

While searching for a recipe for today I stumbled up this great video for making your own cheese crackers, AKA Cheez Its.  They are also perfect for the snack "remakes" we are playing around with for healthier foods in our current series!  If these are as good as they sound, the family will be thrilled as Cheez Its are hubby's favorites.

This looks like a great recipe and I can't wait to give it a try.  What do you think?  I like that the ingredients are limited, only 4 and there are WAY less things in them we can't pronounce! 




Hope my family enjoys them!
Happy cooking,
Carrie

Wordless Wednesday - Veggie Progress!

Some of you might have seen the images from March of the seedlings we had going here.  Today's images are the updates, fresh from the garden just now!

Don't you love the tiny pickle?

Yah.... one of MANY summer squash...

Have fun in the kitchen,
Carrie

Delicious Treats That Won't Tip the Scales - Day #1

We all want to indulge in tasty treats now and then; but if you're avoiding all those typical treats - chips, milkshakes, candy, cookies, cakes, and so forth - where do you turn? Are there still sweet and delicious foods that are healthy but still qualify as treats?

The answer lies, in part, in using substitutes. Fried and/or sugary foods may be off-limit, but you can substitute moderate amounts of healthy fats and oven-baking for the fried foods, and natural sugars and sweeteners instead of white sugar.

I thought I might share some recipes with you over the next few days for some tasty treats you might like to try.  Today's is one of our family favorites: oven-baked "fries." 

The crunchy saltiness of French fries and potato chips is almost irresistible, at least in my world. Instead of fried potatoes, why not try oven-baking them?

 
Oven Baked Fries

Ingredients

potatoes
olive oil
salt, pepper, seasonings

Directions

1. Cut washed potatoes into fry-sized strips or sticks.
2. Toss them in a little oil, about 1 teaspoon per potato. 
3. Stir in seasonings of your choice (such as salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, etc.)
4. Bake at 425 for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

 These are so delicious!  The whole family loves them - give them a try!
Have fun in the kitchen,
Carrie

Monday Menu #11

My middle sweetie and her other half are here for the week, so food choices change, especially because the reason she's home is so that she can coach field hockey with our youngest and I all week.  From 5-8 pm... 1 hour away from home. 

As I make the plan for the week, I need to keep that in mind as well as the fact we are leaving the "men folk" home every night.  Not that either isn't capable of pulling things together, but it's definitely complicated.

Here's what I am thinking MIGHT work:

Monday - Crockpot Pulled Pork (either bring along and eat on the way or eat when we finish).  I really like this recipe (very tasty rub mix), but I do mine in the crockpot, just for time and OMG it's a bazillion degrees right now! 

Tuesday - Left-over Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw

Wednesday - BLT Wrap's

Thursday - Grilled Chicken Tenders and Bacon Subs (similar to Subway)

Friday - Coach's Dinner Out....yup!  Can't wait!

Saturday - Lasagna (pulled from freezer)


Sunday - Grilled Cheese and Homemade Fries

What tasty ideas do you have for the week?
Have fun in the kitchen!
Carrie

Raspberry Creme Brulee --> We can do this!!

I was looking for a WOW me, summer fruit recipe and this wonderful video from Laura Vitale jumped right off the screen at me!  (New subscriber to her Youtube channel and blog follower, just saying...)

Just the words "creme brulee" scare me.  Right out of my socks.  Seriously, no way I could do this, BUT guess what?  I think we can, folks, thanks to Laura.

Take a peek and see what you think.



Shall we give this a try?  I'm in!

Happy cooking,
Carrie

Dining Out: KC's Rib Shack, Manchester, NH

Hubby and I are continuing our exploration for YOU, my readers!  He will make the sacrifice, dutifully, in the name of research.  :o)  (**claps & cheers for his bravery!)

We made a stop at KC's Rib Shack 376 Second Street in Manchester, NH.  It was early on a Sunday evening but we saw quite a few cars in the parking lot, always a good sign. 

 

Once we got inside, it was all about the ambiance - from the lighting to the license plates on the ceiling and from the buckets of plastic silverware to the oodles of paper towels, this was a fun kind of place.

We had a table to the right of the silver metal in the back.

I'm thinking this was plenty of salt and pepper... lots of paper towels, too!

The menu was an adventure.  You can see it HERE.  Hubby went with the Chicken Wing Pladda (yes, you pronounce it that way...) with the Buffalo sauce.  It came with some coleslaw, chips and a piece of tasty cornbread with just a hint of jalapeno.  (I had a nibble...)  He said he would up it to the Jamaican Jerk, one of the spiciest ones, another time.  He enjoyed having all the wings to himself and said they were tasty.

I went with the Pulled Pork Sammie, the "real way" - which is loaded with coleslaw and dill pickle chips.   I decided on mashed potatoes for my side as I wasn't sure how spicy it would be.  Turns out, it wasn't spicy at all.  The waitress brought us a beer six-pack filled with KC BBQ sauces, but didn't explain them to us.  I put a bit of each on a plate and dipped my sandwich in each one, which I imagine is what you should do OR if you've been there and know the sauces, you'd pour one on and it would be much more flavorful.  It was very tender, so if I had known which I like and had slathered it on, it would have had more flavor.

The sauces were Hickory, Spicy, Carolina Red and Apple Slatha (try typing that into your iphone's notepad and NOT having it self-correct!).  There was also ketchup, but I'd rather not admit it was there - takes away from the overall sense of where we were...  My favorite by far, was the Apple Slatha - an apple cinnamon flavored sauce.  For levels of hotness, it went from Hickory to Spicy to the Carolina Red.  Yup, that was pretty fiery - I'm not into that... Bri?  Yes...

I had the homemade lemonade to drink, which was just what I was looking for.  I am a lemonade fan and if you tell me it's "homemade" I am all over it.  It didn't have any pulp, what one expects with homemade lemonade, but it tasted great.


I would recommend the Rib Shack if you are looking for some BBQ - but I would be hesitant to say "take the kids there" on a Friday or Saturday night.  A portion is a bar and I would imagine it gets pretty loud.  There was a family there sitting next to us when we were there with middle school and high school daughters.  Personally, it might not be the place I would take younger children, not like Famous Dave's .

On a scale of 1-5, I would give it a 3.  If you have a "hankerin'" it would fit the bill.

Happy eats!
Carrie

Chia Seeds - What Are They and Why Are They So Healthy?

For those who associate Chia seeds with funny Chia Pets, a discussion of the benefits of Chia seeds may seem a little odd. Chia seeds are actually healthy and nutritious.  I've been doing a bit of research before heading to Trader Joe's this week, and thought I'd share some of what I found out. 

What Are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds come from a type of sage, Salvia hispanica, which grows in South America and Mexico. They come in a white or black variety, and there is said to be no nutritional difference between the colors. Chia seeds were a staple food among the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, and it is said that the men would eat Chia seeds before going on a hunt in order to increase endurance. Natives are also reported to have used Chia seeds to stave off hunger on long journeys. I guess you could say "good things come in small packages"!

What Makes Chia So Healthy?
Probably the most familiar health benefit of Chia seeds is their healthy fat content. They contain Omega-3 fatty acids (some sources claim they also contain Omega-6 fatty acids), the health benefits of which are numerous. Omega-3s have been implicated in promoting cardiovascular health, reducing inflammation, regulating hormones, and improving mood, and many of us could use a bit of mood improvement, right?

Here are some of Chia's other reported healthful qualities:

1. Blood sugar regulation - If you put Chia seeds in water and stir them, in about 25 minutes they will form a gel-like substance that can become quite thick. Research in this area has implicated that a similar gel forms in your stomach when you eat Chia seeds and drink liquid (or mix the seeds with liquid and ingest them that way). This gel may slow the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars, helping to stabilize blood sugar. The image might be a bit, well, icky, but it makes sense!  Sounds like a great science experiment. 


2. Intestinal health - The smooth, gelatinous quality of Chia seeds and their fiber content are implicated in intestinal health. The gel-like consistency and fiber content may act as a sort of toxin-absorbing mass that moves through the intestinal tract with minimal irritation.


3. Endurance and energy - As noted above, ancient peoples used Chia seeds to promote endurance and energy. The word "Chia" is said to be derived from the Mayan word for strength. Chia's reputation for generating energy and endurance may be due to its nutrients, its slowing of the digestion of sugars, or its gel-like qualities.


4. Weight loss - Due to the gel it forms and its high fiber, Chia may slow the rate of digestion, helping you feel fuller longer. Also, its blood sugar stabilizing effects and energy-boosting properties may contribute to weight loss. 


5. Nutrients - In addition to fiber, Chia seeds contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc.

I've mentioned I enjoy like LOVE Trader Joe's.  I found a wonderful breakfast recipe on their website, as well, for a Power Bowl, using lots of delicious ingredients including Chia seeds.

While cruising the aisles there, I also ran across this delicious Strawberry Chia Smoothy.  It is made from a strawberry puree, apple juice and Chia seeds.  Would be pretty easy to whip up, don't you think?

Have you tried Chia seeds in your diet?  What do you think?

Have fun in the kitchen,
Carrie