“Next to music there is nothing that lifts the spirits and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili.” – Harry James. Source: http://whatscookingamerica.net

When your day has been hard and your soul is longing for the comforts of home, what better to come home to but a delicious bowl of heartwarming chili. The hearty dish has been a favorite in this country for centuries, and has a vivid and rich history. Much has been written about the origins of chili, but regardless of its beginnings, the fact remains that people love the stuff and can’t get enough of it.

For families looking to cut food expenses, adding chili to the weekly menu is a great idea. The ability to cheaply feed large families was one reason for chili’s popularity in previous centuries, and still remains so to this day. Everyone has heard stories about how cowboys cooked kettles of chili over open flames on the range during cattle drives. They cooked what they had available, and what would keep well longest. Chili is always better the next day after all.

Hard working folks still love to sit down to a piping hot bowl of chili at the end of the day. The best way to have your chili ready as soon as

you arrive home is to cook it in your slow cooker.

Here are a few tasty chili recipes to get you started:

Slow Cooked Chunky Chili

1 lb ground beef1 lb bulk pork sausage4 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained2 cans diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained1 large onion, chopped1 medium green pepper, chopped1 envelope taco seasoning½ tsp salt¼ tsp pepperCook the meat in a skillet and drain. Place it into a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

Southwestern Chicken Chili
5 large chicken breasts, chopped 2 cans kidney beans, drained 2 cans whole canned tomatoes2 cans canned corn 1 yellow onion, chopped 5 tablespoons chili powder
Put rinsed kidney beans on the bottom of the slow cooker. Next add Corn. Place 1/2 the Chili Powder on top of the corn and beans. Pile on the chicken slices. Pour in Tomatoes. Cover with remaining chili powder. Cover and cook on High for 8-10 hours. Add the onion 30 minutes before serving.

About the Author: Sherry Frewerd publishes Family Crock Pot Recipes http://familycrockpotrecipes.comand several other food related websites and blogs. Stop by Family Crock Pot Recipes today for quick and easy family meal planning recipes and ideas.
                    
                    

This is a great recipe for a special breakfast or brunch! Lots of variations!

3 C sifted all-purpose flour (or part whole wheat flour)

4 tsp baking powder

2 T sugar (optional)

1 tsp salt

4 egg yolks, beaten

4 egg whites beaten until stiff

1 1/2 to 2 C sweet milk or buttermilk

4 T melted butter

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat egg yolks until light and add the milk and melted butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Fold in beaten egg whites. Bake in a hot waffle iron. Makes about a dozen waffles.

Tips:

- Put the waffle batter into a pitcher. It is much easer to pour the batter!

- Don’t overfill waffle compartments or the batter runs out on the sides of the waffle iron.

- Waffles are done when there is no more steam rising from the iron.

- After cooling, freeze extra waffles in a plastic freezer bag. Separate with wax paper before freezing.

Variations:

1. Apple Waffles – Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Add a cup of chopped, peeled apple to batter. Serve with warm applesauce & sour cream.

2. Bacon Waffles – Crumble a few slices of cooked, drained & crumbled bacon into the batter.

3. Banana Waffles – Add a chopped banana to the batter.

4. Blueberry Waffles – Add 1-cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed

& drained).

5. Chocolate Waffles – Increase sugar to 1/3 cup and add 1 square melted unsweetened chocolate OR add 1/2-cup cocoa and a 1/3-cup sugar to dry ingredients. Serve with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

6. Cinnamon Raisin Waffles – Add a teaspoon cinnamon and a couple spoonfuls of plumped raisins to the batter.

7. Ham Waffles – Add a couple of spoonfuls of diced ham to the batter. Sauté it first for better flavor.

8. Molasses Spice Waffles – Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a 1/2-teaspoon of nutmeg to dry ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons of molasses to liquid ingredients.

9. Nutty Waffles – Add 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, pecans, walnuts or filberts. Toast the nuts for better flavor!

10. Orange Zest Waffles – Add a tablespoon orange zest to batter. Substitute 1/2 cup orange juice for 1/2-cup milk.

11. Pineapple Waffles – Add a cup of well-drained crushed pineapple to the batter.

12. Sausage Waffles – Add a couple of spoonfuls of cooked, crumbled and drained sausage to the batter.

Copyright 2000 by Leslie Sausage

Leslie Sausage lives with her husband in rural Texas. She is the mom of four grown children, a freelance writer and an elementary school teacher! For creative, practical and fun ideas please visit her web site at http://www.heart4home.net.

Christmas recipe makes: 2 dozen

Calories per truffle: 65

Preparation time: 30 – 60 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Suitable for freezing

Christmas recipe ingredients:

Truffle Mixture:

• chocolate, bitter, plain or milk 225g (8 oz)
  

• double cream, 75 ml (3 fl oz)
  

• brandy, 75 ml (3 fl oz)
  
  or rum,orange liqueur, coffee liqueur, coconut liqueur

Rolled Truffles:

• cocoa powder
  

• chopped nuts
  

• coconut, dessicated or grated
  

• chocolate vermicelli or grated choclate for rolling

Dipped Truffles:

• chocolate, plain, milk or white (350 g (12 oz)
  
  or mixture of all three

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Truffle Mixture: Add the cream to grated chocolate and melt in a bowl over water at boiling point, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool and thicken.

2. Add your alcohol of choice and whisk until the mixture is strong enough to stay ‘up’ when a strand of mixture is pulled up by the whisk. Then put the mixture into a shallow tin (covered) and cool till firm.

3. Rolled Truffles: Place teaspoonful size amounts of truffle mixture onto a tray sprinkled with cocoa powder and roll into ball shapes. Alternatively you can substitute the cocoa with grated chocolate, chopped nuts, coconut, or chocolate vermicelli. Cool in a refrigerator for at least two hours.

4. Dipped Truffles: Roll the truffle mixture

   into 2.5 cm (1 inch) size balls and freeze overnight until rock hard. [If you wish you could push some edible decor into the balls before cooling, such as nuts, ginger or cherries.]

5. Prepare some melted chocolate over water at boiling point. If you can, check the temperature is in the range 46-49 degrees centigrade (115-120 F) or for white chocolate, 43 degrees centigrade.

6. Taking two or three truffles at a time, use cocktail sticks to dip them into the melted chocolate before placing them on non-stick paper. Transfer to a refrigerator for cooling for at least two hours to harden. Repeat for the remaining truffles.

7. Present the truffles in paper cases and store in boxes. Keep in a refrigerator for up to ten days.

(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.

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

Fresh fruit desserts can be more than just diced fruit in a bowl. By mixing fresh fruit with lime and making a fresh fruit Pico de Gallo dessert goes from the hum drum ordinary to a spicy sweet treat.

The cayenne whipped cream in this dessert is a zesty way to top this southwestern flavored fresh fruit dessert. Fresh fruit Pico de Gallo with Cayenne Whipped Cream is a perfect end to a traditional Mexican style meal. If you are looking for a twist that the kids will like scoop vanilla ice cream in a bowl and top the ice cream with fresh fruit Pico de Gallo with cayenne whipped cream.

Fresh Fruit Pico de Gallo with Cayenne Whipped Cream

4 Cups Ripe Mellon, use melon of your choice

1 Can Pineapple Chunks, drained

1 Cup Jicama, cut into bite size cubes

1 Cucumber, peeled and cut

into bite size cubes

1 Lime, juice of 1 lime

2 Cups Whipped Cream

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Combine and stir together the first five ingredients. Chill thoroughly.

Whip together the whipped cream and cayenne pepper.

Serve in chilled martini glasses. Spoon the fruit mix into the bottom of the glass and place a large spoon full of whipped cream atop each glass. For added color place two to three fresh mint leaves on the edge of the chilled martini glass.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes and menus. 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

Americans on average consume large amounts of sugar daily. This is a big problem in our society because increased sugar intake leads to numerous health problems. If you do not reduce the amount of sugar you consume, you may put yourself at risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity. Sugar can be consumed in moderation, but to live as healthy as possible it is recommended to stay away from sugar as much as you can. If you are interested in eliminating sugar from your diet, a great place to start is with sugar substitutes. Sugar substitutes are beneficial to your health because they allow you to avoid the added calories provided by sucrose, which is table sugar.

Reasons to Avoid Sugars

Heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are all serious problems that affect Americans daily, but child obesity is a new problem in America. This is a serious problem because it can lead to further health problem later in the child’s life. A study performed by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that children and teens consume sugar-sweetened beverages regularly and these drinks provide an extra 356 calories each day. The main cause of weight-gain is the added calories provided by sugar. Sugar is present in many foods and drinks that are consumed every day and most people eat more sugar than they realize. In order to help reduce the amount of sugar consumed daily; the following is a list of reasons for reducing sugar consumption a healthy alternative such as Splenda.

Research on Excessive Sugar Consumption

Research published in the United States has found that those who drink one cup of soda a day have an increased risk of gaining weight or developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume one cup per month. This study has also proven that type 2 diabetes and obesity are caused by sugar and high fructose corn syrup. This is the main reason one should consider a sugar substitute because more Americans are trying to live healthier lives by limiting sugars. It is also not necessary to sacrifice the flavor of your food and drinks. There are many types of sugar substitutes available on the market; you just need to find one that is best for you.

Sugar Free Alternatives to Sugar

Sugar-free foods may contain an ingredient called polyols. Polyols provide the quality of sugar based foods without the negative health risks. The main benefits of choosing foods sweetened with polyols

are that they taste like sugar, provide less calories, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing foods that use polyols to provide the claim “does not promote tooth decay.”

Splenda as a Sugar Alternative

Splenda, the artificial sweetener is a popular product that can benefit one’s health significantly. Splenda contains zero calories and it is beneficial to those who suffer from heath issues. One disease in particular that can be caused by sugar intake is diabetes. Diabetes is an illness that affects many Americans and those with the disease have to be extra careful not to consume too much sugar.

Diabetes is a disease where blood sugar levels become abnormally high. This results in those suffering from type 1 diabetes to inject insulin into their blood. Many who suffer from diabetes have switched to sugar substitutes because of the low carbohydrates and low amounts of calories present in these products. Artificial Sweeteners are also highly beneficial to diabetics because they provide the flavor of sugars without raising glucose levels.

Sugar Substitutes are Excellent for Cooking

When it comes to cooking and baking, sugar is an important ingredient. Because of the health risks associated with sugar, you may want to consider a sugar substitute such as Splenda. Splenda acts like a sugar and allows you to bake or cook your favorite meals without sacrificing the flavor provided by sucrose.

Many consume sugar daily and this provides added risks of serious health problems. Switching from sucrose to Splenda can change your life completely by lowering your chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. These problems come from the extra calories present in table sugar. Artificial sweeteners also help reduce one’s blood sugar by helping to control diabetes. There are many ways to avoid these health issues and the easiest is to avoid products with large amounts of sugar. There are numerous recipes available to help you begin the path to healthy sugar-free baking. You may also want to begin by considering the substitution of sugar with Splenda or other artificial sweeteners.

Next time you decide to eat a candy bar or drink a soft drink, remember the health problems associated with excessive sugar consumption or choose sugar alternatives as your sweetener. Although sugar in small amounts is not bad for your health, it is best to avoid it altogether.

About Author:

Lisa Parker is a freelance writer who focuses on topics concerning health and exercise, often discussing specific products such as Splenda.
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I have always loved mac-n-cheese, and this variation is one of my favorites!

• 1 pound of browned hamburger

• 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

• 2 cups cooked macaroni (or egg noodles; I prefer to use egg noodles myself)

• Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

Combine hamburger and macaroni (or egg noodles) in a large baking dish.

Add

cream of mushroom soup and mix well.

Stir in cheddar cheese.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

About The Author

LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the book, *Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm)* (trade paperback; August 2003). For more information, visit http://ruralroute2.com

bigpuines@ruralroute2.com

Jalapeno Croutons

2 Tbs Jalapenos, seeded and diced. If fresh jalapenos are not available you can use canned or for a milder taste try substituting canned green chilies.

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Salt

2 ¾ Cups Milk

1 ½ Cups Cornmeal

Vegetable Oil for cooking

In a medium sauce pan combine the jalapenos, cayenne, salt and milk and bring to a boil. Gently add in 1 cup of cornmeal stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and cook over medium while stirring for 3 to 5 minutes and it forms a ball in the center of the pan. Remove from heat and roll the mixture onto a well greased cookie sheet until it is about ½ inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours and cut into ½ inch cubes.

Toss the cooled cubes in ½ cup cornmeal.

Fry the cubes in hot vegetable oil for about 2 minutes or until they are crisp. When they are crisp remove from the oil and drain on layers of paper towels. When drained add to the romaine.

Salad

4 Cups Romaine Lettuce or hearts of romaine

Dressing*

1 Tbs Anchovy Paste

1 Small Shallot, minced

4 Cloves Garlic, roasted and mashed

1 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

3 Tbs Chipotle, this

is a dark brown sauce used in southwest cooking. It has an earthy taste and is spicy. This makes a great addition to mayonnaise. Mix a small amount of chipotle with your mayonnaise and use it as you would normally on sandwiches.

1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar

½ Lime Juiced

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

¾ Cup Olive oil

Salt to taste

In a large bowl combine the first 10 ingredients and whisk thoroughly. When thoroughly blended slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue to whisk. Pour over the romaine and croutons and toss.

*This is an egg free Caesar Salad, if you want eggs you can add in 1 egg that has soaked in extremely hot water for one minute. Then crack and mix the egg in with the first 10 ingredients dressing.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes and menus. 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

The French word for starter is entree and its origins were said to come from 15th Century banquet halls, denoting the entry of the starter into the room, where it would be paraded around before being served to the high table.

Starter recipes from across the globe have become highly popular in Britain today. An influx in Thai, Malaysian and Indian restaurants in the late 90’s have seen an increase in the international cuisine we cook at home. Thai starter recipes are desirable with their delicate balance of chilli and sweet flavours and are easy starter recipes to try at home. Chicken satay, Thai fish cakes and spicy Asian salads are classic Thai dishes perfect for a starter menu.

Deciding which starters to cook depends very much on the occasion. For Christmas and formal occasions, a simple and classic starter such as smoked salmon is a light starter idea before a heavy meal. Larger informal gatherings are a good place to try canapé recipe ideas. Italian anti-pastiare the perfect canapé as they combine the stronger flavours of anchovy and olive with light cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta,

in a bite-sized portion. Other Italian starter recipes such as brushetta are quick and easy ideas for a healthy starter.

Using salad or soup recipes for your starter is a great way to keep your meal healthy. Shellfish such as prawns, crab and scallop starter recipes served with salad leaves use classic flavour ideas whilst still remaining low fat.

Indian starter recipes are another tasty starter idea for a gathering or friends as they make excellent finger food and are simple to make in large quantities. Tandoori chicken and onion baajis are popular Indian starter recipes both in restaurants and at home. The function of the starter however is very much a Western concept. In India there are several components to the main meal. A good example of this is in the traditional Indian Thali which is a main meal made up of about five smaller courses. Each dish is said to be perfectly balanced in nutrition and flavour and is usually vegetarian.

MyDish has a huge range of starter ideas both classic and across the globe. For inspiration on your starter recipes look no further.

This is a great summer salad, leaving you refreshed even on the hottest days. For those who like to have a little protein with there salad, both grilled chicken or shrimp go well with this dish. Don’t let the number of items scare you, this is a simple recipe and well worth the extra time. Great for the family or summer parties.

Spinach Salad

Makes 1 salad

• 4 oz. Spinach – cleaned and stem removed

• 2 oz. Mango – peeled, seeded and diced into ¾” pieces

• 2 oz. Papaya – peeled, seeded and diced into ¾” pieces

• 2 oz. Mandarin oranges

• ½ oz. Red onion – julienne

• 2 Tbsp. Slivered almonds – toasted

• 2 oz. Lime vinaigrette (recipe follows)

• 1 ea. Lime slices

Combine spinach red onion and lime vinaigrette in a bowl and toss. Place

on plate and top with mango, papaya, mandarin oranges and slivered almonds. Garnish with lime slice.

Lime vinaigrette

Yields 4 cups

• 4 oz. Lime marmalade

• 6 oz. Fresh lime juice

• 4 tsp. Sugar

• 4 tsp. Orange juice concentrate – undiluted

• 2 ½ oz. Cider vinegar

• 2 tsp. Kosher salt

• 1 tsp. Sambal olek (chili paste)

• 1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

• ½ tsp. Ground coriander

• 1 Tbsp. Poppy seeds

• 2 cups Canola oil

• 3 oz. Olive oil

Combine and mix all ingredients except the oils in a mixer. Slowly add the oil on medium speed until vinaigrette is emulsified. Store in an air tight container and refrigerate.

About The Author

Chef Richard has worked in some of the finest restaurants in Washington and is the author of the ebook “Chef’s Special”. You can find more free recipes and order the ebook at http://www.csrecipes.com

With the increase in the number of heath hazards, it has become necessary for the people to be a bit conscious about their health. To stay away from the effects of multiple diseases, controlling your food habits is considered to be the most important thing. Consuming boiled vegetables and salads are, undoubtedly, healthy but do you like eating them all the time. Definitely not. If you want to eat healthy as well as tasty foodstuff, seafoods, like lobster, shrimp, clams, crab cakes, etc. are the best items. With high nutritional value, the seafoods contribute in strengthening and regulating all the functions that are carried out by a human body.

Among all other seafoods that are available, lobster is the most preferable food item. It acts as the main ingredient in the preparation of soups, bisques and rolls. Being highly rich in protein and lower in fat content, these items serve to be one of the most ideal dishes for the health conscious people. To get a sweet flavor, the lobsters are, firstly, dipped into clarified butter and then they are cooked. It is the source of several vitamins and minerals and hence consuming it helps in healing several health problems. Lobster is cooked in multiple ways. It is an item with less carbohydrate, less cholesterol and low fats, which very precisely mention the benefits of intake of this item.

Some of the health benefits of consuming lobsters have been mentioned below:

• Like several other seafoods, lobster also contains omega-3 fatty acids in huge amount, which is considered good for both heart

  and brain. If you consume its meat or any other dish, it will reduce your risk of getting heart diseases and will strengthen your brain functioning to a great extent.

• The individuals who are not allowed to take in carbohydrates, lobsters will act as the best ingredient to prepare a diet with less or no carbohydrate content in it.
• The items prepared using it are rich in selenium, which regulates proper immune system functioning along with thyroid gland and thereby protects a human body from being attacked by heart diseases.
• Most of the people are attacked by bone and tissue diseases, intake of lobster meat or soup will help you get rid of such health problems.
• Presence of phosphorous facilitates proper functioning of the kidneys and reduces acute arthritis pain that the patients suffer from.
• Along with enhancing the functionality of heart and brain, lobster consumption also boosts your immune system and makes your reproductive system healthier.
• Lobster also helps the individuals to stay away from various health disorders, such as, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and other chronic conditions caused due to problems in bone and connective tissue, etc.

Knowing the health benefits of the item, however, will help you consume the mouth watering lobster dishes without any fear of gaining calories. Besides these food items, several other seafood recipes are there which also provide for the same health benefits and hence can be taken in without any hesitation. crab cakes, among all being the most sought-after foodstuff by the food lovers.

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