Earthly Eating

It’s on your plate. Here are five of the easiest chicken recipes, you can make tonight without any fuss. And your family will really love it. Trust me, there will be no left overs with these dishes.

Cooking with chicken recipe #1:
Chicken and Cheesy Noodles
Serves: 4

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halved (1 lb.)
2 cups frozen vegetables blend, thawed and drained
1 pkg. ( 7 1/4 oz.) macaroni and cheese dinner
2 cups water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Heat a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray on medium heat. Add the chicken; cover and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until browned to your liking.

Add vegetables, macaroni cheese sauce mix, water and 1/2 cup of the cheese; stir together. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese’ cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking with chicken recipe #2:
Chicken and Cheese Roll-ups
Makes 4 servings

8 flour tortillas
1/2 cup chunky salsa
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup Colby and Monterey jack cheese blend
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 large tomato, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Top each tortilla with salsa and chicken. Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito-style.

Arrange tortillas, seam-side down, in 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with lettuce and tomato.

Cooking with chicken recipe #3:
Philly-Style Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Makes: 4 servings

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 French bread baguette, 16 to 20 inches long
4 cheese slices

Cook the chicken and onions in a skillet on medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add barbecue sauce, water and sugar; stir. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook an additional 7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from the skillet. Shred the chicken with 2 forks or chop into small pieces. Return to the skillet; stir until evenly coated with sauce. Cut baguette crosswise into 4 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise in half. Fill with chicken mixture and cheese slices.

Cooking with chicken recipe #4:
Chicken Fiesta Salad
Makes: 4 servings

6 cups romaine lettuce
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 cup cheese crumbles
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 oz. tortilla chips

Place lettuce in the bottom of a glass serving bowl or on a serving platter. Layer evenly with beans, corn, chicken, salsa and cheese. Drizzle with the ranch dressing and top with the chips.

Cooking with chicken recipe #5:
Cheddar Chicken Casserole
Makes: 4 servings

1 pkg. macaroni and cheese dinner
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded with a fork
1 can stewed tomatoes, Italian style
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves or dried basil leaves
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare the dinner in a large saucepan as directed on the package, leaving out the butter addition. Meanwhile, after cooking and shredding the chicken, add tomatoes to the chicken, mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add meat mixture to the prepared dinner; spoon into a 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Honeycomb Toss
Makes: 8 cups or 16 servings

4 cups honeycomb shaped cereal
2 cups teddy bear shaped chocolate graham cookies
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup peanuts

Mix all ingredients together in a tightly covered container. Store at room temperature in the container.

Happy Eating!

Freezing meat preserves its quality and retards the growth of bacteria. Freezing does not stop bacterial growth, so maintain strict cleanliness during all aspects of butchering and packing.

The quality of frozen chicken depends on the following:

• How fresh it is when you freeze it.

• The temperature under which it remains frozen.

• The length of storage time.

Chicken may be frozen raw or cooked, whole or in pieces. If you package cut up chicken, place enough pieces in each packet for at least one meal.

If you freeze birds whole, never stuff them before freezing them. Dense stuffing slows freezing, giving bacteria more time to proliferate.

Whether you freeze birds whole or in pieces, trim away excess fat (since fat goes rancid fairly rapidly) and cut off sharp bones that may pierce the wrapping (exposing the meat to freezer burn). Freezer burn occurs when food is not adequately wrapped so that air circulates over the exposed surface, sucking out moisture.

Double wrapping each packet, first in heavy foil or plastic wrap, then in waxed butcher paper sealed with freezer tape is the best way. If you’re packing the whole bird, use plastic bags designed for freezer use, seal the bird in one bag, then place the bag inside the second bag and seal it.

To remove the air from the plastic bag, gather the opening of the bag and use a vacuum pump or clean vacuum cleaner hose to remove the air. (Do not, as is sometimes suggested, inhale through a straw to draw out the air, as you run the risk of inhaling a bit of something from the inside of the bag.) With much of the air, the bag will cling tightly to the meat. Twist the opening to close the bag, and apply a twist tie.

One each packet, jot down the date and the contents. Spread packets around in the freezer, leaving space between them for air to circulate until they freeze hard, which takes at least 12 hours. After the meat is frozen you can stack it any way you would like to stack it in your freezer.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Rigatoni Carbonara
Serves: 4

1 lb. rigatoni
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Parmigian-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper
Handful of parsley

1. Cook rigatoni. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil and pancetta. Brown 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add wine and stir up pan drippings.

2. Beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful of pasta cooking water.

3. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Pour egg mixture on top. Toss rapidly to coat pasta without cooking the egg. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, salt and lots of pepper. Toss pasta until it soaks up egg mixture. Top with parsley and extra cheese.

Happy Eating!

Fryers are usually cut into quarters or smaller pieces for frying. Broilers may be left whole for open-pit roasting or cut into halves or quarters for barbecuing. Roasts are generally left whole. Always practice safe food handling, especially with chicken. To cut up a chicken, use a sharp, heavy knife and follow these steps:

1. Cut the skin between the thighs and the body.

2. Grasp a leg in each hand, left the bird and behind the legs back until the hip joints pop free.

3. Cut each leg away by slicing from the back to the front at the hip, as close as possible to the backbones,.

4. Leave the leg in once piece or, if you wish, separate the thigh from the drumstick by cutting through the joint between them. You can find the joint by flexing the leg and thigh to locate the being point.

5. One the same side, remove the wing by cutting along the joint inside the “wing-pit”, over the joint and down around it. Turn the bird over and remove the other leg and wing. To create mini-drumsticks (aka: buffalo wings), separate the upper, meatier portion of each wing from the lower tow bony sections.

6. To divide the body, stand the bird on its neck and cut the tail toward the neck, along the end of the ribs on one side. Cut along the other side to free the back. Bend the back until it snaps in half, and cut along the line of least resistance to separate the ribs from the lower back.

7. Place the breast on the cutting board, skin side down, and cut through white cartilage at the V of the neck.

8. Grasp the breast firmly in both hands and bend back each side, pushing with your fingers to snap the breastbone. Cut the breast in half lengthwise alongside the bone. For boned breasts, place the skin side up on the cutting board. Insert the knife along one side of the bird and cut the meat away from the bone. Repeat on the other side of the bird.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Crunchy Onion Chicken
Serves: 4

1 1/3 cup French friend onions
1 lb. or (4 breasts) boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
3 egg, beaten well

Crush the fried onion in a plastic bag. It’s better to crush them in the bag using the back of a large spoon, because it’s less of a mess. Set aside.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl and dip the thawed chicken breast into the egg. After dipping into the egg mixture drop the breast one by one into the bag of crushed onions.

Bake 20 minutes at 400°F until cooked thoroughly. Pair this mean with some baked sweet potatoes and mexi-corn.

Happy Eating!

When you squeeze a lemon (or peel an orange), save the skin. Scientists at De Montfort University in the United Kingdom found that a compound in tangerine peel s called salvestrol Q40 kills an enzyme that spurs the growth of human cancer cells. Previous research has shown that limonene, a compound found in lemon, orange, and grapefruit peel, might also decrease cancer risk. Zest the well-washed fruit (toss the bitter white pith) and add to soups, baked goods, yogurt or hot tea. There is one calorie in a teaspoon of lemon zest and is full of compounds that help fight cancer as well.

Candied Lemon, Orange or Grapefruit Peel

6 lemons or
2 grapefruits or
4 oranges
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
sugar or superfine sugar , for coating

1. With sharp knife, score the skin of the fruit (use only one type for a batch) into quarters, then peel it off with your fingers, keeping the pith attached. Lay each quarter of skin on a cutting board and cut to make uniform strips from 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide, according to your preference; you should have about 3 cups of strips.

2. Cover peels with water in saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute, then drain, cover with water again and repeat two times (total of three times). Then, cover again and simmer the peel for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. In the saucepan, make the syrup with sugar, water and corn syrup. Boil for about two minutes, then add the peel. Simmer stirring occasionally, until the syrup is considerably reduced, then watch closely. If you want a tender candied peel, cook until perhaps 3 T syrup is left, and drain the peels. Medium-firm, leave only a spoonful of syrup, then drain. For candy-like crisp peel, watch closely until the syrup is on the point of hardening and has almost vanished.

4. Arrange the peel on a bed of sugar on a jelly roll pan at whatever stage you have stopped cooking. Straighten the strips while hot. Sprinkle more sugar over the strips and toss them occasionally as they cool.

5. When cool enough to handle, put the strips onto cake racks and let them dry.

*Looking for ideas on how to sneak in veggies into your child’s diet, here some tips*

Beets: Trim stems to 1-inch. Wrap, unpeeled, in aluminum foil, and roast at 400°F for about 1 hour, or peel, quarter and steam for 45 to 50 minutes. Slip pureed beets into salsas and salad dressings,

Broccoli: Cut into florets. Steam 6 to 7 minutes. Add a couple of tbs. of water to the food processor if needed for smooth texture. Slip pureed broccoli into pizza sauce and cooked peas.

Cauliflower: Cut florets off stem; discard stem. Steam 8 to 10 minutes. Purée with a couple of tbs. of water if needed. Slip it into Mac and cheese and tune sandwiches or chicken sandwiches.

Baby Spinach: Steam 30 to 40 seconds, or cook in skillet with 1 tbs. water 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to wilt. Slip into pizza and chicken stir-fry.

Sweet Potato: Cut unpeeled potatoes into quarters and steam 40 to 45 minutes, or roast whole potatoes at 400°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Scoop out of skin. Slip into pancakes, cupcake mixes and cake mixes.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Crunchy Onion Chicken
Serves: 4

1 1/3 fried onions
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

1. Place fried onions into plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or with rolling pin.

2. Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.

3. Place chicken on baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional crumbs, if desired.

4. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

Happy Eating!

Ham & Cheese Wheels
Serves: 4

4 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup) or 1 cup pre-shredded carrots
1/2 cup pre-shredded redsuced-fat cheddar cheese
6 oz. thinly sliced lean deli ham

1. Spread the cream cheese evenly over each of the tortillas.
2. Layer each tortilla with carrots, cheese, and ham.
3. Roll up tightly and slice into 3/4 inch rounds. Serve with your choise of dipping sauce. Don’t have any dipping sauce ideas try this one.
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/3 cup barnecue sauce
1/4 cup hummus

Better B.L.T.s
Serves: 4

1/2 lb. nitrite-free bacon ( 8 to 10 slices)
4 tsp. light mayonnaise
8 slices whole wheat bread
8 leaves of romaine lettuce, washed and dried
4 thin slices of organic tomatoes

1. Cook the bacon according to the package instructions until they are crisy. Pat with a paper towel to remove excess fat.
2. To make the sandwiches, spread 1 tsp. mayonnaise on the bread.
3. Layer even;y with 1 lettuce leaf. Slice, wrap in plastic wrap to keep them fresh or slice and serve.

Easy Pasta Salad
Serves: 8-10

1 lb. dried dried bowtie pasta
4-5 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (2 cups)
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered (optional)
6-8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped or 1 can (6 oz.) small black olives, drained
1/3-1/2 cup light Italian or Caesar salad dressing
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Four minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the pasta is done completely. Drain and place in a large bowl.
2. While the pasta is still warm, add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cheese, olives, salad dressing, and herbs as desired and stir to combine. Serve warm or chill for a cold pasta salad dish.

Taco Chili
Serves: 6

1 tbs. olive oil
2 large carrots, finely diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup) or 1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 lb. lean ground beef 90% or higher or turkey
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) blackeye peas or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) yellow or white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chili peppers, optional
2-3 tsp. chili powder
2-3 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup pre-shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the carrots, onion and beed and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, hominy, water, chili peppers as desired, chili powder, cumin, and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve in individual bowls and top with shredded cheese.

**JW over at 1P Start has visitors to his page that are still running Windows 98 and he has quite a funny story behind what he thinks about it. Read it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Chicken Wraps That Please
Serves: 4

1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 cup chicken stock
2 tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper to taste
4 small bread rolls

In a medium fry pan, heat oil over low heat and add onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and raise heat to medium-high. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add garlic, spices and chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut off one end of each loaf of bread. Fill the bread with chicken mixture and serve.

Happy Eating!

An antibiotic used to treat food poisoning caused by Campylobacter, fluoroquinolone was also administered to chickens with respiratory problems until 2005. Then the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned its use on poultry farms due to concerns over antibiotic-resistant bacteria developing in humans, making fluoroquinolone less effective for those who needed it. Recent research at Johns Hopkins University now suggests that the ban may not be enough to protect humans from antibiotic resistance. Scientists tested chicken from farms that stopped using fluoroquinolone three years before the FDA ban, only to find the presence of antibiotic-resisitant ampylobacter. Their study indicates that once antibiotic-resistance bacteria develop, they can remain in the chickens long after farmers stop using these drugs, possibly from antibiotic-contaminated water, litter, or ventilation systems.

The safest solution? Choose certified organic chicken from producers who have never administered antibiotics. Also, did you know: The time spent waiting in linme at a fast food drive-through is the saem amount of time it takes to make an organic breakfast of scrambled eggs, whole-wheat toast, and organic juice and it also uses less gas.

(Source: TFL 2007)

**Terri over at Brothers & Sisters has the lastest on the shows Golden Globe position and what the public thinks about the show. She also has the list of the other Golden Globe nominations. Read the list here and where the show Brothers & Sisters falls in that list or at all.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe-Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Rocky Road N0-Bake Cheesecake
Serves: 10

3 squares Baker’s® Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened(place completely unwrapped packages of cream cheese on a microwaveable plate. Microwave on HIGH 15 to 20 seconds or until slightly softened.)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups thawed whipped topping
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup chopped cocktail peanuts
1 Oreo® Pie crust

Microwave 1 of the chocolate squares in a small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 minute; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer on meidum speed until well blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping, marshmallows and peanuts. Coarsely chop remaining 2 chocolate squares; stir into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into crust.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Happy Eating!

Bacteria, salmonella, etc. may be lurking in your meats whether you want them to or not. In order to cut down on sicknesses with your meat, always practice safe-handling practices. Never assume you are safe when it comes to raw meats. Here are some tips to adopt in your own meat-handling chores. Some of these practices start the minute you pick up your meat selections in the grocery store.

• Seperate meats from fruits and vegetables in the shopping cart and in your refrigerator.

• Never let meat leak onto other foods when stored in the refrigerator or cooler.

• Throughly wash before preparing food and immediately after handling raw meat.

• Always cook meat until the juices run absolutely clear, and use a meat thermometer to ensure the interior of the meat has reached its recommended temperature.

• Keep utensils and cutting boards separate from meats and vegetables. Carefully clean any surface that has come in contact with raw meat before any other item is placed on that surface.

• Buy fresh-looking fruits and vegetables, avoiding any that are bruised, shriveled, moldy, or slimy. Reject anything that smells bad or packaged vegetables that look old. Buy only what you need.

• Always wash fruits and vegetables throughly in clean drinking water before eating them.

• Handle fresh fruits and vegetables carefully. Put produce away promptly, and keep all cut fruits and vegetables covered in the refrigerator until just before serving.

• Wash all countertops and utensils throughly after handling food.

• Discard old produce. Throw way cut produce that has been out of the refrigerator for four hours or more.

• When eating outside, keep food refrigerated until just before serving.

**Over at Los Angeles, CA blog here at 451 Press, Megan Palmer talks about the two stunt men that were burned while working on the set of Adam Sandler’s new movie You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Which is due to be out in late June 2008. To read more about this, click here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Spiked Southern Comfort Style Sweet Potato Pie
Serves: Makes 1 pie

1 graham cracker pie crust (9″)
1 1/2 cups cooked and peeled sweet potatoes
1 cup whipping cream
3 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbs. Southern Comfort Liquor

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients until well blended and pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 350°F and cook for an additional 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pie on rack before refrigerating.

Happy Eating!

Thanksgiving is the day of the year when we eat so much that most of us afterward need a good long nap to feel better. Eating healthy and indluging don’t really go hand and hand on this day either. But, eating reasonably healthfully isn’t a loos cause on this day of thanks. Here’s how to keep in check and not go over-board with eating.

• FOWL: If the choice is between glazed nitrate-cured ham or traditional big bird, opt for the poultry. Although the dark meat has a higher fat content, it’s also richer in iron and zinc, two important minerals most Americans don’t get enough of. A smaller portion will take you farther nutrionally than an equal portion of white meat.

• SIDES: Most of your holiday sides are where the nutrition actions is, at least they’re done right. Winter squash, squash as butternut squash and pumpkin, is loaded with vitamin A as beta-carotene and other antioxidants to help prevent heart disease and cancer. They’re also a good source of potassium and brimming with fiber. Fiber helps prevent a number of cancers while acting as a probotic and feeding the helpful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

• YAMS/SWEET POTATOES: Like the other yellow, orange, and gold root veggies, they have the vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and fiber. But they also are one of the best sources of food energy. Boiled or steamed sweet potatoes and yams are one of the healthiest foods people can eat. The low-heat cooking helps them retain more nutrients and provide the type of carbohydrates most suited for weight management and blood-sugar control.

• THE COLOR RED: Red fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of vitamins and antioxidants. Berries contain proanthocyanidins that can prevent the adhesion of various bacteria associated with urinary tract infections, gum disease, and stomach ulcers.

• DRIED FRUITS: Look to dried fruits such as dried plums, dried figs, raisins, and dried cherries, for more than iron, zinc and other minerals. They have plenty of calcium, too. And of course, they are loaded with fiber and potassium. You can make pies from most of them, add them to stuffing, sauces, and compotes, or eat them just they way they are with some nuts.

**Toys-R-Us makes a statement about the many recent toy recalls. Read the statement made by a Toys-R-Us spokesperson over at Reviewing Toys. While you are there Eliza Ferree has posted many reviews of other toys, so before you buy read some of her postings to see if the toy is a good buy or not.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe: Day 5 Of Low-Fat Eating

Guilt-Free, Low-Fat, Healthy Snacks For You And Your Family

• Just Vegetables: Dehydrated niblets of corn, carrots, peas, tomatoes, and bell peppers make eating veggies almost as satisfying as eating popcorn. There is nothing added, so all you get is phytochemicals, fiber, and vitamins A and C. Plus a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Find them at natural foods stores everywhere or click here for an online company distribution.

• Dried Fruits: Here is a snack that’s packed with potassium, antioxidants, and fiber. Granted, dried fruit is high in sugar, but that actually makes it a food choice when you need a little pick-me-up. You can munch a cup of dried blackberries and take in just 90 calories and a whopping 9 grams of fiber in them.

• Edamame: A traditional snack in Japan, edamame, or blanched soybeans in pids, are becoming increasingly available in the United States. The sweet, nutty-tasting beans are loaded with soy protein, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol. A half cup of chelled beans has 125 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Look for unsalted edamame in the frozen foods section.

• Sliced Raw Vegetables: Make you own mini-party platter with sweet red peppers, baby carrots, celery, and a bit of hummus. The fiber in the veggies and creamy bean dip will fill you up, withgout loading you down with calories.

• Rice Cakes: Whole grains are the prixe here. Diets rich in whole grains ,ay reduce your risk of diabetes and some cancers. Unsalted rice cakes can be cardboardly; if you’re eating them unadorned, opt for ones with a littel salt. Quaker’s Lightly Salted rice cakse are satisfying crunchy and are made with only two ingredients, whole grain brown rice and salt. Two cakes, deliver 70 calories and a scant of 30 milligrams of sodium.
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Lime and Ginger Custards
Serves: 5

1 tsp. lime zest
1/3 cup fresh like juice
1/2 cup cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp finely grated ginger

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Whisk together all the ingredients in a large glass bowl.

3. Place five 4-ounce custard cups in a large baking dish. Fill cups 3/4 of the way from being full with the mixture.

4. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

5. Place baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 mintues, or until just about set. The centers should be slightly liquid.

6. Remove pan from the oven and let custard cool in the water bath.

7. Chill and serve.

Happy Eating!

In pace of sugary cerals, serve whole grains sweetened with fresh fruit, a great way for you to start the day as well as your children. Whole grains, which break down slowly in digestion, helps lower the risk of atherosclerosis and inflammatory conditions. They also help reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. There has a links between lower heart failure to those who eat a whole-grain breakfast as well.

Whole grains help reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke, benefit people with Type-2 diabetes, and may even enhance learning. Children who eat hot oatmeal preform better on memory test than those who start their day with ready-to-eat cereal. (Source: TFO 2007) Because whole grains are more filling than refined grains, they can also help maintain a healthy weight.

For your knowledge: Making a mealtime staple out of lean chicken breast may protect you and yours from colon cancer. White meat is the form of chicken is important in preventing precancerous polyps of the colon. While a direct line isn’t indentified, chicke is rich in selenium and calcium, both of which have been associatd with some benefits in reducing colorectal cancer risk. (Source: American Journal of Gastroenterology)

**Are you a Kelly Clarkson fan? Would you love to have a signed guitar from her? Well, over at Kelly Clarkson -Fan, Sarah Lee has posted an article on how you can get your hands on one. Read more about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Carrot Flan
Serves 8

1 pound of carrots, scrubbed and sliced
1/2 teaspoon of honey
1 tsp. Broth powder
Water

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pan, include water until it just covers contents, and cook until the carrots are tender and the water evaporates. To microwave: rince and cut carrots. Place in a covered glass bowl with water clinging to the carrots. Microwave for 12-14 minuts until very tender.

2 tablespoons butter-flavored flakes
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs

2. Combine in blender with cooked carrots, then puree.

3. Pour into custard cups or individual ring molds.

4. Set containers in a pan of hot water and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until custard sets.

5. Serve hot in the custard cups.

Happy Eating!

If you have leftovers such as:
• Chicken
• Rice
• Broccoli
• Potatoes
• Winter Greens
• Bacon
• Salmon
• Beans
• Pork
• Stale Bread

Here are ways to use them in recipes:

Egg and Lemon Soup With Chicken:
Serves 4

Leftovers to use:
2 cups finely shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1/2 cup cooked broccoli florets, finely chopped

Additionally:
4 cups chicken broth
Zest of 1 large lemon, removed in big pieces with vegeatbale peeler
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 larege eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tbs. fresh lemon juive
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Bring broth, zest, cinnamon stick and bay leaf to a boil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cover and boil 5 minutes. Remove zest, cinnamon, and bay leaf with a slotted spoon.

2. Whisk together eggs, yolks, lemon juice, and cayenne in medium bowl.

3. Remove pot from heat. Slowly add 1/2 cup broth to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, slowly pour the egg mixture back into remaining broth.

4. Cook, still whisking constantly, over low heat until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. (Do not allow boroth to boil, or eggs will scramble.) Fold chicken and rice and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls sprinkled with broccoli and parsley.
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Potato, Bacon, and Green Frittata
Serve: 6

Leftovers to use:
1 1/4 cup roasted or boiled potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup cooked greens, such as mustard or kale, chopped
2 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Additonally:
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
2 large sweet onions, thinkly sliced
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
8 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet with oven proof handle over medium heat. Add onions, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper; cook, turning with tongs, 10 minutes, or until well browned. Stir in vinegar and cook 1 minutes longer. Stir in potatoes, greens, bacon, and 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper.

2. Pou eggs over vegetables and stir to blend. Cook over medium heat until mixtues begins to set, 3 minutes. Place skillet in oven and cook until set, 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. To serve, loosen around edges with a rubber spatula and turn out onto a platter.
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Grilled Salmon and White Bean Salad:
Serves: 4

Leftovers to use:
1 2/ cups skinledd grilled slamon or tune pieces, broken into large chunks
2 cups cooked white beans, drained
1 cup green beans

Additionally:
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed
1 1/2 tsp. thinly shredded fresh sage or minced rosemary leaves

1. Whisk together oil, lemon juice and zest, and pinch of salt and pepper. Toss salmon with 1 tbs. dressing.

2. Toss white and green beans, together. Ladle out onto a sided plate. Alternately stack rings of red onion on top of beans.

3. Ladle out your fish ontop of onions. Add grape tomatoes ontop of fish, then add the fresh sage or rosemary ontop if the grape tomatoes.

**Carrie Underwood is still with Chase Crawford, find out more about him here**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Frozen Chocolate Souffles
Serves: 1

3 cups milk
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-servings size each) Chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling
2 cups thawed whipped topping
16 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo®), chopped (about 2 cups)
8 marachino cherries

Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk for about 2 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon 2 tbsp. of the chopped cookies into each of the eight 8-to9-ox drinking cups. Cover evenly with half of the pudding mixture. Rpeat leayers. Cover with foil. Freeze 5 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Peel away paper to unmold onto dessert plates. Top each with a cherry. Store leftovers in the freezer.

Happy Eating!

1. In Tacos: Wrap the chicken, lettuse, cherry tomatoes, chredded pepper Jack cheese, and your favorite salsa in a soft tortilla.

2. In A Sandwich: Make a new-wave Reuben with rye bread, Canadian beacon, sliced chciken, red onion, and Swiss cheese.

3. In A Salad: Toss chicken with sliced pears, toasted walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, and baby green with a mustard vinaigrette.

4. In Barbecue: Heat shredded chicken in your favorite barbecue sauce; serve on a bun with coleslaw.

5. In Hash: Sauté shredded chicken with scallions, cooked potatoes, lemon zest and juice, and lots of freshly ground pepper.

**Summer is getting crafty,

with 30 gifts in 30 days. Read all about it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Apple-Berry Pomegranate Freezer Jam
Serves: about 5 *8 oz.) half pints

1 package (1.59 oz.) freezer jam fruit pectin
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 cups peeled, cored, chopped apples (about 4 large)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup crushed raspberries (about 2 6-oz containers)

1. Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl until well belnded. Set aside.

2. Combine apples, pomegranate juice and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

3. Crush apples with a potato masher. Allow to cool, about 15 minutes.

4. Add apples and raspberries to pectin mixture, stirring just to combine. Continue stirring for 3 minutes.

5. Ladle jam into clean plastic 8 oz. freezer jars to the fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, and refrigerate up ti three weeks or freeze up to one year.thly Eating Recipe:

Happy Eating!