My Quick Dinner Recipes

Sweet Potato Crisps

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:43:00 +0000

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400

Chocolaty Breadsticks

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:45:00 +0000

Ingredients:

No related posts.

Halloween Party Toffee Apples

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:35:00 +0000

Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 sweet apples
8 oz white sugar
4 oz water
1 oz butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp mixed nuts, finely chopped
6 wooden skewers

Instructions:
Place the sugar and the water in a pan over low heat and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the butter and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture becomes syrupy and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and add the nuts. Mix gently. Pierce the apples halfway through with the wooden skewers at the stalk end. Dip each apple carefully into the toffee until well coated. Place onto a lined baking tray until the toffee has hardened.

Enjoy!

Five Home-Made Jam and Chutney Recipes

admin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:38:00 +0000

Granted, jam and chutney making are NOT quick cooking methods!

However, making jams and chutney at home is a rewarding process. Jams and chutneys can be made then canned or frozen for future use, yielding you a long shelf-life of use. You can use almost any ingredients that tickle your taste buds to create some yummy recipes.

Here are a few recipes from the web to start you off. Save them for a long weekend, when you have extra time on your hands.

Strawberry Jam

* 2 qts. strawberries
* 1 package pectin
* 7 cups sugar

Wash and take the tops off the berries. Crush the berries, one layer at a time. Measure 4 1/2 cups berries and put them in a pan. Add pectin and place over high heat. Stir until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Add the sugar and return to the boil. Boil hard one more minute, stirring constantly. Let set for 5 minutes and remove foam from top.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 4 pints

Banana Nut Bread Jam

* 10 ripe bananas, pureed (you need 3 cups)
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 4 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts, minced
* 1 box pectin
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional

Mix bananas, walnuts, lemon juice and powdered pectin in large kettle. Stir while bringing to a full rolling boil. All at once add sugars. Stirring continuously, heat until full rolling boil. Continue to heat 1 minute. Fill jars to 1/4 inch of top seat with two-part lid and ring. Put in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about 3 pints.

Mango Chutney

* 6 large mangoes
* 6 garlic cloves chopped
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 apples peeled and chopped
* 12 oz. golden raisins
* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely chopped
* 2 cups wine vinegar
* 6 red chillies finely chopped

Add everything but the mangoes to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Peel and take the seed out of the mangoes. Slice the mangoes. Add the sliced mangoes to the pan and cook for about 30 minutes or until thick.

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Apple Chutney

* 3 lbs. apples finely chopped
* 1 lb. onions finely chopped
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 3 red chillies
* 1 1/2 cups vinegar

Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until mixture thickens, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove chillies. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Spicy Blueberry Jam

* 2 pints blueberries
* 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
* 3 cups sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and mace
* 1/8 teaspoon cloves

Wash and stem the berries. Place with the vinegar in a four-quart saucepan over medium heat. When juice starts to form, increase heat slightly, and stir often until mixture boils. Boil steadily about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Remove from heat and measure. You should have about 3 3/4 cups. If necessary, add water to fill to 4-cup mark. Return mixture to pan.

Combine sugar and spices in a bowl. Bring fruit mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add sugar and spices all at once, and stir until jam boils again. Adjust heat so jam boils steadily for 5 to 15 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. When it’s done, remove from heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Label and store a week or so for flavors to mellow.

Makes about 5 cups.

Making jams and chutneys at home is a simple process. This article provides you with five recipes to start off with. Each of these recipes came from various websites and there are many more free recipes to be found. These recipes can be doubled or cut in half, depending upon your preference. All of these recipes and almost all of the jam and chutney recipes out there instruct you to can them for future use. Enjoy the recipes and let your creativity flow in creating your own.

Halloween Popcorn Party Mix

admin — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:37:00 +0000

Ingredients:
10 cups popped popcorn
1 cup raisins
14 oz salted peanuts
16 oz plain M & M

Macaroni Salad with Ham

admin — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Ingredients:
3 cups macaroni pasta
1 cup diced ham
3 stalks of celery, diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Witches

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:42:00 +0000

Ingredients:
1 quart grape juice
1 quart orange juice
1 quart ginger ale

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a Halloween punch bowl. Add spooky Halloween decorations, such as spooky ice-cubes or a gruesome mask made of punch.

To make a mask, fill a plastic mask with punch and freeze overnight. Unmold and add to the punch bowl.

Crunchy Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:41:00 +0000

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tortillas
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp honey

Instructions:
Place the banana slices in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Gentle toss until the banana slices are well coated with the juice. Spread one side of each tortilla with the crunchy peanut butter and layer with the banana slices. Drizzle with the honey and roll.

Makes a great quick snack.

Hot Apple Cider Punch with Calvados

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:40:00 +0000

Makes about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups apple juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
4 whole cloves and 3 whole allspice berries (in a spice bag)

Spooky Halloween Punch Recipes

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:39:00 +0000

Everyone enjoys a good party with family and friends when there is tasty food involved as well as some delectable drinks to be had. Halloween is a time a year when people can let loose by dressing up in a silly outfit or a frightening one, so why not let them get in the mood with some of these Halloween-inspired beverages.

Italian Fruit Punch

For those of your friends who like to drink, a great choice is the Italian Fruit Punch, which is a fast and easy drink to prepare for awaiting guests. The combination of Limoncello, Maraschino liqueur, orange juice, sparkling water, and ice will have your guests living it up in no time.

Ingredients

* 2 cups orange juice
* 2 cups sparkling water
* 1/2 cup of Maraschino liqueur
* 1/2 cup Limoncello
* Ice
* Black licorice sticks for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher with ice and stir. Place in a martini glass and garnish with a black licorice for a vibrant and festive Halloween drink.

Pomegranate Mojito with Vanilla Sugar

Need something for those Mojito fans at your party? Well take a look at this recipe which will satisfy any blood-hungry guest.

Ingredients

* 2 cups pomegranate juice
* 2 ounces of white rum
* 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (see below)
* 4 ounces of club soda
* Cracked Ice
* 6 Sprigs of fresh mint

In a cocktail shaker, combine all the ingredients minus the mint and shake. Mull the mint in the bottom of a cocktail glass, then strain the pomegranate mixture into the glass with the mint and serve.

Making the vanilla sugar is simple; with a large airtight container handy, cut vanilla beans in half lengthwise and then crosswise. Take 2 cups of sugar and place on the bottom of the container, then add the vanilla bean quarters and finally add another 2 cups of sugar onto the vanilla beans and close tightly. It is important to keep the sugar in a cool, dark area and to shake twice daily to distribute the vanilla essence. The vanilla bean and sugar mixture is good for up to 3 weeks. Remember to replace the sugar as it is used.

Vampire Blood Drink

Not everyone at your party will be drinking alcohol. You need some drinks for the adults who do not drink and for the children. Vampire Blood Drink is very easy to make and will have the kids begging for more.

Ingredients

* 1 gallon cranberry juice
* 1 gallon orange juice
* 1 cup of raspberry sorbet
* 1 quart of seltzer
* Ice

With a big punch bowl handy, add cranberry juice, orange juice, seltzer, and softened raspberry sorbet. Mix well so that the sorbet disappears into the mixture.

Ghoulade

This drink is a green “ghoulade” and it steps away from the traditional red beverages.

Ingredients

* 2 (6-ounce) cans limeade, frozen concentrate, thawed
* 3 cups lemon-lime soda
* 3 1/2 cups green sports drink (either Gatorade or PowerAde)
* Green food coloring
* Ice
* Whipped cream, for topping
* Candy sticks or sipping straw

In a pitcher combine the limeade, soda, and sports drink, then add green food coloring to desired green color and stir. Add ice and then pour into glasses for a fun green not red Halloween drink. Lastly fill a piping bag with whipped cream and top each glass and then add a straw or a candy stick.

To liven up the party with some props, fill service gloves with colored water and tie the ends in a knot and freeze for 12 to 24 hours. When frozen, cut the gloves off the ice and place in the bowl for a ghoulish fun prop.

No matter who is at your party, one or all of these drinks will have your guests anxious to be on the party list for next year. Enjoy Halloween safely and happily.