Carrots!

Carrots are delicious raw, grated into salads, steamed, boiled, microwaved, or added to stir-fries, casseroles, soups, or stews. Or cut them into finger-long pieces, toss with thyme and honey, and roast until tender.

Moist Carrot Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 5 eggs
• 1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2-1/2 cups white sugar
• 3-1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 1-1/4 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup and 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 1-1/4 cups flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts and flaked coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Avocadoes

It is Superbowl weekend.  What could be better than freshly made guacamole dip?  Adding cilantro (which is on sale this week), would add a unique zest to the treat that will wow your guests.

Avocados have a buttery, nutty flavor, but their appearance varies greatly depending on the variety. Avocados ripen best after picking and ripening can be accelerated by placing several in a paper bag. Eat avocados with a sprinkling of sea salt, top with chicken or tuna salad, or toss one in the blender with peaches, yogurt, blueberries, and crushed ice for a power-packed smoothie.

Avocado and Papaya Salad  

Prep Time:
15 min

Total Time:
15 min

Makes:
4 servings

• 1 bag (6 oz.) spinach leaves (about 4 cups)
• 2 cups  peeled papaya slices
• 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 small  red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 seedless orange, peeled, sectioned
• 1/2 cup  Italian Salad Dressing

ARRANGE spinach, papaya, avocado, onion and oranges on large serving platter.

SERVE topped with dressing.

Bananas

• Mix fresh bananas into yogurt or smoothies, add them to fruit salads or cereal, or eat them out of hand.
• Storing bananas in the refrigerator will slow the ripening process. This will cause the skin to darken, but the flesh will be fine.
• Overripe bananas are great for muffins, breads or other baked goods.

Banana Orange Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 ripe, large Banana
• 2 medium Oranges
• 8 ounces (2 cartons) vanilla low-fat yogurt dash of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Directions

1. Peel bananas; slice into blender container or food processor.
2. Peel oranges; cut into chunks.
3. Add to blender with yogurt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Cover; blend until smooth.

Holiday Oranges

The tradition is great and is steeped in a bunch of varieties of etymology.  Who started the Oranges for Christmas idea?  Ask 10 people and you will get 10 different answers.  Still, it is great to have fresh citrus in your diet in the middle of winter!  The oranges fit into the toe of your Christmas stocking really well, and it is a VERY low cost and healthy alternative to candy fillers.

So what are you going to do with the oranges?  Here is a GREAT idea!

ORANGE SALAD

• 1 head your favorite lettuce
• 2 washed
 oranges, sectioned
• 
Few rings of purple onion
• Candied, slivered almonds

DRESSING:
1/2 Cup canola oil, 
3 tbsp. orange juice
, 3 tsp. vinegar
, dash of dry mustard
, pinch of salt.

Directions:

• Shred lettuce. Section oranges. Toss romaine, orange sections and onion. Chill in refrigerator for several hours.
• Melt a half cup of sugar in a frying pan (did you know sugar melts if heated up?) and add almonds and fry them for a minute.  Let cool on a plate, break them apart and sprinkle over your salad.
• Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad, tossing well. This is a colorful salad that goes well with any holiday meal.

Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams

Contrary to popular opinion, sweet potatoes and yams are not the same—they’re not even the same species. When orange-fleshed sweet potatoes were introduced to the American market they were incorrectly called yams to differentiate them from more readily available, lighter-fleshed sweet potatoes. Real yams can be found in Latin American markets, but do note that yams are not as high in vitamins A and C as sweet potatoes, though they are higher in potassium. And unlike sweet potatoes, yams must be cooked to destroy compounds that can make you ill if ingested.

Sweet Potatoes are a nutritional All Star – one of the best vegetables you can eat. They’re loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Bake and then mix in some unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.

Shopping Tips: Choose sweet potatoes with taut, papery skins, tapered ends and uniform size, shape and color. The intensity of the orange color varies in different cultivars of sweet potato—darker colors are higher in beneficial carotenoids.

Storage Tips: Sweet potatoes will keep for 6 to 10 months in a cool, dark place. Colder temperatures can speed decay, and warmer temps will accelerate sprouting and loss of moisture.

The flavor of sweet potatoes can actually improve with storage as some of the starch turns into sugar.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

1 (1 pound) sweet potato                                 2 eggs

½ cup butter, softened                                    ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup granulated sugar                                    ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ cup milk                                                      1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40-50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a soufflé, and then will sink down as it cools.

Healthy After-School Snacks for Your Hungry Kids

Kids young and old need snacks in between meals to keep their bodies healthy and strong. Making sure those snacks are wholesome and provide kids with the nutrients they need to study and learn isn’t always easy, especially for parents that don’t have a lot of time. Fortunately, there are many snacks that are easy to prepare, healthy and delicious. Here are a few ideas that will have your kids snacking healthy and loving it.

• Homemade Trail Mix – Some trail mixes are filled with ingredients that are too salty or sweet to be healthy. By making yours at home, you can control what goes into the mix.
• Cottage Cheese – Add a few slices of fruit on top can be a great addition.
• Frozen Grapes – Turn up the appeal of grapes by popping them into the freezer. They’ll be a cool and delicious treat yours kids will love.
• Bananas – Bananas are great because they are easy to eat and healthy too. Pair them up with peanut butter for an added boost.
• Plain Popcorn – Popcorn can feel like a special treat, but without loads of butter and salt it’s actually a pretty healthy snack.

The Frugal Father: Embrace the Primary Principles of Penny Pinching

For most men, acknowledging fear, intimidation or panic is simply unacceptable. Worlds were not discovered by the weak. Nations were not built by cowards. Mountains were not conquered by worry.

But, despite our best efforts to be forever poised, confident and composed, there comes a time when men must enter what once was viewed as untouchable ground . . . the grocery store.

Armed with carefully crafted lists and spouses on speed dial, we venture into unchartered waters with one goal: get in, get out and get back to our homes, our children and our ESPN. It is with this purpose, which we, the frugal fathers have embraced the primary principles of penny pinching.

Principle #1 – Celebrate Store Brands

While they may not sponsor bowl games or spend millions on TV commercials, store brands offer significant savings for any frugal father. Men of intelligence have done their research. In fact, instead of buying national brands, shoppers can save about 30 percent per week on the average shopping trip, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association. Store brands like the popular Western Family label are as good as the national brands at consistently lower prices.

Principle #2 – Buy Produce in Season

Food in season is typically priced to sell. During baseball season, corn on the cob is a fraction of the cost compared to other times of the year. When football starts, apples are at their peak of freshness and bargains are readily available. Knowing when to shop for what product not only saves money, but also means we get the best quality as well.

Principle #3 – Be Smart with Prepared Foods

Unless we have a coupon (yes, our egos do allow us to coupon clip) or the item is on sale, frugal fathers know buying prepackaged, sliced, or washed products comes with a higher price tag. Plus, grating our own cheese or chopping our own lettuce is a great way to burn a few extra calories.

Principle #4 – See the Big Picture and Buy Local

Frugal fathers are fiercely loyal to our homelands. We work hard for our money and care where it goes. When we support local grocers, we know our money stays in our communities. We pride ourselves on supporting the people we know and realize our success and their success are connected.

Five Healthy Shopping Tips

Reading labels has become a typical part of my family’s trip to the grocery store. We made a pact months ago to do everything possible to stay fit and live active lives. However, this has proven to be a challenge for us and we have come up with 5 strategies that work really well for us.

1. Stay on the perimeter

Typically, your fresh food departments including meat, produce and dairy are those on the perimeter of the store. If you are wanting to stay healthy, you should be shopping these areas the bulk of the time.

2. Never shop hungry

When do you typically shop? If you are like most of us, you probably find yourself shopping for groceries on the way home from work. This is bad news as you are typically hungry and are more likely to shop on impulse. Instead, find a time to grocery shop that comes after a good meal.

3. Chose a sound goal

There are a ton of diets out there to choose from, but if you really want to make progress you have to commit to a lifetime of health eating and often lifestyle choices coincide with this. Avoid fad diets and select a realistic goal(s) to pursue.

4. Plan your meals

Plan out your meals for the coming week. Make a list of the items you need and commit to only buying what is on the list. If all else fails, ask your spouse or someone else that can be trusted to stick to the list to shop for you.

5. Buy real food

We have a rule in our house – if Grandma couldn’t buy it in the grocery store when she was a little kid, we don’t buy it. If this doesn’t make sense, go back to tip #1.

Food Safety

Tags

meat, tips

Here are a few important food safety tips for meal and snack preparation:

• Always wash hands immediately before and after handling raw meat.
• Defrost meats in the refrigerator.
• When the microwave oven is used for defrosting, food should be cooked immediately.
• Never defrost at room temperature.

FOLLOW THESE TIPS FOR SAFE HANDLING OF RAW MEAT:

• Keep raw meats and their juices separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Don’t place cooked foods on plates used for raw meats.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meats.
• Clean all cooking utensils, dishware and countertops that have come in contact with raw meats with hot, soapy water.

USING A MEAT THERMOMETER

A meat thermometer will help you cook beef to a safe temperature and prevent overcooking.

• Choose a thermometer that is designed for meat – not for candy and other foods.
• The two most common types of meat thermometers are the Instant Read and the Oven-Proof. The Instant Read thermometer provides a quick reading via a dial or digital readout. It provides accurate reading of meat at least 1/4-inch thick, ideal for steaks and burgers.
• The Oven-Proof thermometer provides an accurate reading of temperature in meat at least 2 inches thick. Thermometer inserted into meat prior to cooking, remains inserted during cooking. Designed for use in conventional ovens. Ideal for roasts.

CONSUMERS TELL ALL: BEEF FLAVOR PREFERENCES AT HOME

Tags

beef, meat

Why do nine out of ten American households love serving beef? Because it’s versatile, easy to prepare and provides pure, unparalleled eating pleasure. Beef ’s flavor, aroma and appearance trigger a sense of well-being like no other meat.

A recent survey conducted on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board with over 1,000 U.S. beef eaters. The results were examined by demographics – defined by race, gender, age and region. Following are some of the key findings:

Who’s in the kitchen?

• Women (79%) are more often the primary food preparer than men (45%)
• Hispanics and African Americans seem to enjoy cooking for family and friends more than other groups.
• Asians and Hispanics seem to have the most adventurous palates and enjoy trying new foods. However, Asians are more likely to experience them at restaurants rather than at home.
• Hispanics and Asians are more likely to take advantage of time-saving convenience products than African Americans and Whites.

Beef Cravings:v What are we eating?

Percentage of consumers who ate this in the past week:

• Ground Beef 77%
• Steak 60%
• Beef Deli Products 54%
• Roasts 39%
• Sliced or Cubed Beef 39%

Top Ten Factors Influencing Beef Flavor

• Marbling
• Quality Grade
• Cooking Method
• Degree of Doneness
• Postmortem Aging
• Marinating
• Freezing/Thawing
• Type of Packaging
• Added Flavors
• Beef Production (feeding practices)

Top Factors Affecting Beef Tenderness

• Animal Maturity
• Postmortem Aging
• Muscle Type
• Marbling
• Marinating
• Mechanical Tenderization
• Proper Cooking Methods
• Degree of Doneness
• Proper Carving Technique

Top Flavors to Pair with Beef

• Aged Cheeses
• Bacon
• Barbecue Sauce
• Bell Peppers
• Garlic
• Mushrooms
• Mustard
• Onions
• Peppercorns
• Red Wine
• Sour Cream
• Soy Sauce
• Thyme
• Tomatoes
• Worcestershire Sauce