According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are five elements that contribute to all activities: TREE / WOOD, FIRE, SOIL / EARTH, METAL and WATER.

Fire is the element of summer … so how can this help to put more of YOU in summer? The more you use EnergyRich™ Seasonal Foods (rather than associational season foods – a-hem like, maybe, ice-cream?), the more energy you have available for fun!

Here is a perfect EnergyRich™ recipe for the summer:

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Soup

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered lengthwise

2 small zucchini (1/2 lb. total), trimmed and quartered lengthwise

1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 tsp. olive oil

3 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1 1/4 lbs.), cored and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

1 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar

Pinch of salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Instructions

1 – Prepare a grill or preheat the broiler. 2 – Grill or broil bell peppers, skin-side toward the flame, until the skin is blackened, 5 to 10 minutes. 3 – Place in a paper bag and set aside for 15 minutes.4 – Brush zucchini and onion slices with oil and grill or broil until well browned and tender, about

5 minutes. 5 – Chop coarsely and set aside.6 – Peel the peppers. 7 – Coarsely chop the yellow pepper and set aside with the reserved zucchini and onions. 8 – Place the red peppers in a food processor or blender, along with tomatoes, garlic and oregano; puree until smooth. 9 – Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 cup water, basil, vinegar and the reserved chopped vegetables. 10 – Season with salt and pepper. 11 – Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes. (The soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)

To your health and success, Heather

Heather Dominick is a Nutrition-Energy Consultant accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and creator of The Energy Rich Lifestyle Program™. In addition to her nutrition services, she is a motivating and dynamic speaker.

Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine? You absolutely can! But here’s what you MUST include: Heather Dominick, Certified Nutrition-Energy Consultant, is founder of the EnergyRich Lifestyle Program™, the proven step-by- step program to help you achieve your best health and fullest life. For a limited time sign up for her freebie EnergyRICH™ Tips and receive a F*ee Report: Crucial Tips For Grocery Shopping at http://www.individual-health.net.

Christmas recipe serves: 6

calories per serving: 490

preparation time: 30 minutes

cooking time: 2 hours 15 minutes

suitable for freezing (after step 4)

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• shallots or small onions, 225 g (8oz)
• streaky bacon, rindless 225 g (8 oz)
• pheasants, oven ready, brace
• salt and pepper
• oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• butter, 50 g (2 oz)
• garlic cloves, 2
• Madeira, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
• beef stock, 600 ml (1 pint)
• thyme, fresh (sprig) or dried (pinch)
• bay leaves, 2
• juniper berries, 6
• orange, pared rind and juice from 1
• recurrant jelly, 90 (ml) (6 tbsp)
• chestnuts, peeled 225 g (8 oz), canned, frozen or vacuum-packed)
• garnish, thyme (fresh)

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Remove the backbone and knuckles from the pheasants and cut into four pieces each. Season with salt and pepper. Cut up some bacon and peel the shallots.

2. Brown the shallots and bacon in the butter and oil and put to one side. Add the pheasant, two pieces at a time and fry until golden. Then reome the pheasant and put to one side.

3. Add crushed garlic to the casserole dish along with the stock, thyme, juniper berries, bay leaves, the pared orange rind and half the Madeira. Heat to boiling and

   add the pheasant. Cover and cook at gas mark 3 (170 degrees centigrade, 325 F) for 60 minutes.

4. Add the redcurrant jelly, bacon and shallots. Cook for an additional 45 minutes or until the pheasant is tender.

5. Prepare the marinade by soaking the cranberries and chestnuts in the remaing Madeira and orange juice for 30 minutes.

6. From the casserole, remove the bacon, vegetables and pheasant and keep warm. Reduce the remaining liquid till it is syrup like. Add the marinade from step 5 and simmer for 5 minutes more.

7. To serve, season and pour the sauce over the pheasant, bacon and vegetables. Garnish with fresh thyme.

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(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including theironline home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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This Gyokuro cheesecake makes an elegant dessert. Perfect for any occasion, and pretty easy to make.

Gyokuro Cheesecake

Ingredients

10 chocolate graham crackers

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup low-fat margerine, melted

3 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

3 eggs, lightly beaten.

1 1/4 cups organic sugar

1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened powder)

3 tablespoons organic flour

3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup gyokuro tea

1 teaspoon matcha powder

non-stick cooking spray

Preparation

Break the graham crackers into pieces, place in a food processor and process to crumbs.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the organic sugar and cocoa and mix well.

Add the low-fat margerine and stir with a fork to moisten the crumbs.

Spray a 9″ springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and set aside. Adjust the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the

cream cheese and eggs together. Add the organic sugar, cocoa powder and organic flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add the non-fat plain yogurt, gyokuro tea and matcha and mix well.

Pour into the pan over the baked crust. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250 and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. or until the cake is set in the center. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake remain in the oven for one hour.

Remove from the oven and cool. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to release it from the pan. When the cake is completely cool, remove the side of the pan. Cake is best when chilled for at least 6 hours before serving.

Eric Newman is an author for Teanobi.com. All articles may be used and reprinted as long as they have an active link at the bottom pointing to http://www.teanobi.com with the anchored text: Teanobi – Green Tea

The holidays are a time for friends and family and good old-fashioned home cooking. Who can resist the tempting smells coming from the kitchen at this most favorite time of year? Holiday dinners were among my favorite, most memorable meals as a child. Our family shared our holiday meals with different relatives each year, but wherever we were and whoever we were with, we always knew to expect good food and enjoyable family gatherings that we would remember for months to come.

When I was a child, it was always a tradition in our family to have turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas. We would also always enjoy mounds of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams with lots of butter, brown sugar, and melted marshmallows, and I could always count on sampling my dad’s famous fruit salad. He would meticulously cut each fruit into bite-size pieces (apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, and raisins), and mix it all together with a generous portion of homemade whipped cream. Homemade cranberry sauce was also always a special holiday treat.

Now that I’m married we have even more family to share our holiday meals with. With so much family, though, we rarely get to host dinner at our house. It’s always nice to go to someone else’s house to eat, but then we don’t get any of the leftovers! We usually end up taking advantage of the holiday sales at the supermarket though, and then we can have our own little feast. I’ve had a lot of fun over the years devising ways to use up the leftovers from our own holiday meals–and I’d like to share some of my favorite recipes with you.

Turkey and Rice Soup

2 1/2 cups turkey, cooked and diced

1 can cream of

mushroom soup

1 6-ounce box long-grained rice

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 cup carrots, grated

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients with 6 cups of water. Simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, approximately 30 minutes. Great with fresh bread.

Turkey Spaghetti

8 oz. spaghetti or other pasta

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

3/4 c. grated mild cheddar cheese

2 c. leftover cooked, diced turkey

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional – diced celery and/or diced onion to your taste

Prepare soup as directed. Prepare spaghetti as directed then drain. Combine spaghetti, soup and remaining ingredients. Stir until cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes and Ham Bake

2 cups mashed potatoes

2 tablespoons mustard

2 cups ham, cubed

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, mix mashed potatoes and mustard. Spread potato mixture in the bottom of a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Arrange ham on top of potatoes. In a small bowl, mix cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. Spread over ham. Bake until mixture is heated through, about 30 minutes.

Chopped Ham Sandwiches

2 lb. leftover ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 c. ketchup

1/4 c. vinegar

1 c. water

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Fry ham in a skillet and sprinkle flour over it. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour and serve on toast or hamburger buns. Makes 15 to 20 sandwiches.

Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

After the first Spring rains, spongy fungi grew wild in abundance in the cooler climates of the Northern United States. Until, commercialization had made them available every day of the year. Whether in a soup, a stir-fry or as a part of a salad, mushrooms are very versatile to prepare.

A muchroom tart is delicious whenever it is served. For the carb or the cholesterol conscious low-fat milk, an egg product, light sour cream and a light butter is substituted.

Mushroom Tart

(Serves 6)

¼-cup butter

2-cloves garlic, finely chopped

1-12 oz. Package mushrooms, sliced

¼-tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1-egg

1-egg yolk

1-cup cream( ½-cup half and half mixed with ½-cup sour cream)

1-pie shell, prebaked for ten to fifteen minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Directions: Melt the butter add the garlic and sauté it for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and season them with the nutmeg, the salt and the pepper. Into a bowl: Combine the egg, the egg yolk and the cream. Into the prebaked pie shell: Spoon themushroom mixture into it. Pour the cream and the egg mixture over the mushrooms.Bake at 350 degrees until the ingredients are well set.

The density of mushrooms are well combined with the crunchy taste of raw cauliflower mixed with green olives, celery, cubed cheese and mayonnaise.

Mushroom And Cauliflower Salad

1-head cauliflower, washed and chopped

1-12-oz container fresh mushrooms, chopped

1-tsp butter or margarine

1-small jar green olives, chopped

1-small block velveeta cheese, cubed

2-stalks celery, chopped

1-small container cherry tomatoes, chopped

¾-cups mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Into a skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the butter or margarine until they are tender. Drain any liquid left from the cooked mushrooms. Into a salad bowl, add the raw Vegetables, the sautéed mushrooms, the olives and the cubed cheese. Season with the salt and the pepper. Add the mayonnaise and mix the ingredients together until they are well combined. Serve chilled.

Mushroom soup will also double as a sauce if the need arises. Thick and creamy, it is a great way to warm up during those cool fall evenings as well as the colder winter nights. For a lower calorie version low-fat milk and a light

butter is substituted.

Mushroom Soup

(Serves 4-bowls or 6 six cups)

1-12-oz container fresh mushrooms with stems and tops, diced

2-cloves garlic, finely chopped

½-stick butter or margarine

2-Tlb flour

2-cups milk

1-cup water

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and light sauté the mushrooms and the garlic. Add the flour to the sautéed ingredients letting it slightly brown. Measure the two cups of milk and the one cup water stirring it into the lightly browned flour and the mushroom mixture. Cook on medium and keep stirring the mixture until the soup is thickened. Serve with garlic croutons and a tossed green salad.

Mushrooms are stir-fried with snow peas, sliced green onions and green bell pepper for a meal that is a vegan lovers delight. A great dish for the carb and the cholesterol conscioustoo.

Mushroom Stir Fry

1-cup dried mushrooms, soaked in water and sliced

1-cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

2-cups snow peas, fresh or frozen

4-green onions, sliced in half and down the middle of the onion

3-cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

½-cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

½-green bell pepper, sliced thin

1-Tlb vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Gravy

1-Tlb soy sauce

1-Tlb corn starch dissolved into three-fourths cold water

1-vegetable seasoning cube

2-Tlb water

Directions for the gravy: Mix the corn starch, the water and the vegetable seasoning cube.Stir in the soy sauce.Directions for the stir-fry: In a wok or a large non-stick skillet, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the green onion the garlic for three minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir fry until the vegetable are tender. Add the gravy mixture and coat the vegetables with it. Let the mixture thicken and if the gravy need thinned add more water. Serve over steamed rice.

A light dessert for the mushroom meal is a five-cup salad. It is light enough for a spring evening and hearty enough for winter.

Five Cup Salad

1-can mandarin oranges, drained

1-8oz can of crush pineapple, drained

1-cup sour cream

1-cup of coconut, toasted

1-cup minature marshmallows

Directions: Lightly combine the ingredients and let chill for at least six hours.

Cooking since the age of fifteen, the author has always enjoyedcooking with mushrooms.

Traditional Scottish produce and ideal in a box or tin for a christmas gift.

Christmas recipe makes: 2 to 3 dozen

Calories per biscuit: 180-270

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Not suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

• butter, 450 g (1 lb)
  

• sugar, caster 225 g (8 oz)
  

• flour, plain white 450 g (1 lb)
  

• rice, ground or flour 225 g (8 oz)
  

• salt, pinch
  

• sugar, colored granulated or golden
  

• sugar, caster for sprinkling
  

All these recipe ingredients must be at room temperature.

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Mix the sugar and butter until a creamy and fluffy consistency. Mix together the salt, rice flour and flour. Now blend with the creamy mixture and mix until it is breadcrumb like.

2. Take some mixture in your hand and form a ball shape that can be rolled into a 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) tube shape. Enclose in cling film and cool till hard.

3. Cut the tube of dough into half inch slices (10 mm) and coat the edges with the golden or granulated sugar. Bake until slightly golden at 190 degrees centigrade(gas mark 5, 375 F) for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with caster sugar after removing from the

   oven.

4. After 10 minutes transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.

Changes you can make to the recipe:

• Add a spice such as ‘mixed spice’ to the flours to make a Spiced Shortbread.

• To make a Ginger Shortbread add ground ginger to the flours and crystallized ginger to the dough from step 1.

• For Chocolate Chip Shortbread blend chocolate pieces into the dough.

• For Lavender Shortbread, add half a dozen lavender flower tops into the dough. This time roll the dough into thin pieces, cut intobiscuit shape and bake for about quarter of an hour.

• For Rosemary Shortbread, just replace the lavender with fresh chopped rosemary and carry on as above.

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(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Gifts-for-Christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including theironline home collectibles and russian gifts stores.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

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Quick breads are a quick, easy accompaniment to any holiday meal.

For the best-tasting holiday quick breads, here are some helpful hints:

- Only grease the bottoms of the loaf pans or the sides of the bread will pull away from the sides of the baking pan.

- Bake in the center of the center rack of the oven.

- When adding liquids to the dry ingredients, stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

- Quick breads can be made ahead and frozen from 1 to 2 months.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs, beaten slightly

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup chopped cranberries

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Cranberry Bread

2 cups flour

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup cranberries, sliced

1 cup sugar

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

Juice and rind of 1

orange

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add water to orange juice to make 3/4 cup liquid. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread

5 cups flour

4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 large can pumpkin

2 cups nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs. In another bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add flour and pumpkin alternately to the egg mixture. Add nuts. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Apple Bread

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/4 cups oil

2 apples, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients until well blended. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

The first time I ran across parmesan wafers I was in a steak house with my dad. He had ordered a salad and immediately began raving about these strange flat cookie looking things. After a few minutes of him raving I decided to try one. It turns out he was right. They were parmesan wafers, we ended up ordering these tangy, crunchy wafers as an appetizer and continued to enjoy this new found treat.

Later after trying to re-create the recipe at home I finally called my dad. I had come up with the combination that made those tasty parmesan wafers such a treat. We now serve these parmesan wafers with salads, soups and on occasion as a simple appetizer.

Now when my dad comes to visit I still make this special treat that we discoverd together.

1 Cup

grated parmesan cheese, grate with the largest holes on the grater

1 Tbs all-purpose flour

¼ tsp ground pepper

Stir together all three ingredients. Spoon tablespoon amounts of mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place each spoon full about 4 inches apart. Flatten each mound with the back of a greased spatula.

Bake at 375° in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly then transfer to plates.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com

This is the original recipe for making paczki that was brought from Europe by my wife’s grandmother when she first arrived at Ellis Island and the onward to Pennsylvania where she finally settled.

Just how old this recipe really is I have no idea but the only thing I know is how good the paczki’s are.

You must follow this recipe exactly or it will not work well, I know, I have tried to create some shortcuts that were ok but not as good.

This recipe yields 4dozen of the most delicious punczki that you ever had.

Remember all ingredients should be room temperature.

1.Disolve:

¾ ounce yeast in ¼ cup warm water

warm ½ quart milk

add to the yeast and warm milk 3 cups flour and let rise for about ½ hour to create what is called a sponge.

2.Put together:

½ quart warm milk

¼ lb. Butter

2 tablespoons shortening

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons whiskey

3.Mix steps 1 and 2 with 6 eggs, pinch of salt, 9 cups flour and mix until you get a really good textured dough.

Let the dough rise until double in size,

cut the dough into 2 ounce pieces and form balls.

Place the dough balls on a well oiled flat pan, let them rise for about ½ hour to about ¾ hour.

Fry dough balls in 350 degree oil until well browned on both sides then put them on a brown paper bag to drain the oil form frying.

Let cool for a while and fill using a pastry bag with a tip that has a whole about the size of a pencil, roll in sugar or 10x sugar and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.

You can fill them with prune leckvar or any jellies that you like.

Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. You can visit my site at http://www.andies.cashhosters2.com

NOTE”: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end). Please send a copy of your reprint to pastrie@verizon.net

Parchment Paper Fish

Select a firm white fish. I use tilapia; this is a favorite in our home.

garlic cloves, one for each piece of fish

carrots, one half for each piece of fish

sweet onion

parsley

bay leaf, one for each piece of fish

thyme

fennel

dried oregano

parchment paper

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper big enough to wrap the fish in, one for each piece of fish. Place one piece of fish on each piece of parchment paper, thinly slice the garlic, carrots, and onion and place the amount you like on top of the fish. (I use the amounts above; you can adjust this to your taste.) Sprinkle the parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano over the top. (Again use an amount to suit your taste.)

Fold up the sides of the parchment paper making a sort of envelope. Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve

in the parchment paper. Slice open the top of the paper to let the steam out, and drizzle with butter sauce.

Butter Sauce

¼ Cup shallots, finely chopped

¼ Cup white wine vinegar

¼ Cup dry white wine

Dash of salt

½ 1b butter

Reduce over medium heat the shallots, white wine vinegar, dry white wine and salt, in a small sauce pan. Cool the pan slightly, return to a very low heat. Add the butter in small amounts, reducing in between additions. This sauce should be served warm.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com