Andouille and Red Beans & Rice

Makes 4 servings Serving size : about 3/4 cup bean mixture and 1/2 cup rice

With a generous hit of spice and smoke , andouille sausage has long been a favorite ingredient in Cajun recipes . It adds depth of flavor to this simple bean dish .

1    (3-1/2 ounces) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
**cooking spray**
4    ounces andouille sausage , diced
1    cup chopped onion
2    teaspoons salt-free cajun seasoning
1    teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2  teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1    (16 ounce) can dark kidney beans , rinsed and drained
1    (14 ounce) can fat-free , less-sodium chicken broth
1/4   cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2   teaspoon salt

1 .   Cook rice according to directions , omitting salt and fat.
2 .   Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat . Coat pan with cooking spray . Add sausage ; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned . Using a slotted spoon , transfer sausage to a bowl and keep warm .
3 .   Add bell pepper , onion , Cajun seasoning , thyme and hot pepper sauce to pan ; saute 3 minutes or until onions are tender . Add beans and broth to pan ; cook 10 minutes or until thick , mashing hal the beans . Add sausage , parsley and salt to pan ; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated , stirring occasionally . Serve over rice.
TIP:
While the beans and rice simmer , prepare and bake a cornbread mix for a quick and easy side .
Heart  healthy

Food for Thought : Coupons



Coupons are one way consumers can save money on groceries . However they may not always be the best way to reduce costs or provide healthful foods for your family . Also , coupons are frequently offered for convenience of processed foods , which are normally high in sodium , fat and preservatives  . Hear are a few tips to make sure you are getting a good financial and healthful bargain :

1 . Before you clip , evaluate the product . Is this a product you normally buy ? Or is it an opportunity  to get your family to try a new food or recipe ? If so , then the coupon may be worth clipping .

2. Just because an item is a good buy does not mean it is good for you . Make sure you check the Nutrition Facts Label and compare the product with similar products .

3 . Compare the savings price to the store brand . Many times the store brand is a better bargain than the national brand with a coupon .

Words of Wisdom :
The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."

Humor is most powerful thing that uses laughter as it base to chase your blues away.

What matters is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight of the dog.

The difficult thing about children is that they come with no instructions. You pretty well have to assemble them on your own.

Old people like to give good advice, since they can no longer set bad examples

I must be getting absent-minded. Whenever I complain that things aren't what they used to be, I always forget to include myself.

"Life is the movie you see through your own eyes. It makes little difference what's happening out there. It's how you take it that counts."
A proud  grandpoppa     G.  

Creole Chicken and Vegetables

4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Enjoy the flavor of summer anytime by using frozen bell peppers and frozen okra in this speedy Creole dish. For a filling meal, serve over rice.

Cooking spray
1 .......................pound chicken breast tenders
2 ......................cups frozen pepper stir-fry (such as Bird's Eye brand), thawed
1 ......................cup frozen cut okra, thawed
3/4 ...................cup thinly sliced celery
3/4 ...................teaspoon sugar
1/2 ..................teaspoon salt
1/2 ..................teaspoon dried thyme
1/4.................. teaspoon ground red pepper
1 .....................(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 ..................cup chopped fresh parsley
1 .....................tablespoon butter

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Add pepper stir-fry and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper), stirring to combine. Pour tomatoes over chicken mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover; cook 3 minutes. Add parsley and butter, stirring until butter melts.

Heart  healthy

Flank Steak with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Glaze

Makes 4 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces steak, about 1/4 cup onions, and about 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze)

The reduced balsamic vinegar sauce gives the flank steak a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with the caramelized onions. Both the steak and onions contribute a hefty dose of potassium to this entrée--766 milligrams in each serving. Serve with steamed broccoli or asparagus, and drizzle some of the glaze over the vegetable

2/3 ..................cup balsamic vinegar
1 .....................tablespoon olive oil
6 .....................cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 ..................teaspoon salt, divided
1 ....................(1-pound) flank steak, trimmed 
1/4 .................teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 ................teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking spray

1 .       Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.
2 .      Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 18 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Remove from heat.
3 .     Preheat broiler.
4 .     Sprinkle steak with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and thyme. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cutsteak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve steak over onions; drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Wine TIP:
Steak and caramelized onions are fabulous partners for numerous red wines. But the balsamic vinegar glaze presents a bit of a challenge since vinegar can make wine taste sharp. These three  varieties  stands up especially well to vinegar: There are  so many . Caberent Sauvignon  ... Pinot Noir  ... Zinfandel  made  by Ferrari -Carano Winery's  in Napa Valley, California, which is dense and lip-smacking .
Heart healthy

Blueberry and-Raspberry Cobbler

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2............ pounds fresh figs, stemmed and cut into fourths
2 ...........pounds fresh raspberries 
1 ...........cup granulated sugar
1/2 ........cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 ...........tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ...........teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 ...........teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 ..........(3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 ..........(15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

1 .        Combine half of blurberries , half of raspberries, and next 6 ingredients in a saucepan, and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat 40 minutes or until fig mixture is thickened. Stir in remaining blueberries and raspberries, and remove from heat. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks.
2 .       Spoon half of fig mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish, reserving other half.
3 .      Roll each piecrust into a 12-inch circle. Cut 1 piecrust into 1-inch strips; set aside. Place remaining piecrust on top of fig mixture in baking dish.
4 .       Bake at 475° for 12 minutes.
5.        Spoon remaining blueberry mixture over baked crust; arrange reserved strips in a lattice design over filling.
6.        Bake 14 minutes or until golden.
Heart healthy

Molasses Blueberry Muffins...With 10 variations

Molasses Blueberry Muffins: The only blueberry muffin recipe you will ever need with ten variations to step it up.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour, spooned in
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
• ¼ cup canola or grape seed oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line muffin tins with papers.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together liquid ingredients.
3. In a large bowl whisk dry ingredients.
4. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and stir gently 2-3 times. Add the berries and mix just until the flour is moistened. (Mixing should be held to a minimum – a light stirring for 10 to 20 seconds. Batter will be lumpy and will break into course globs.
5. Pour into muffin cups and fill to the top.
6. Bake at once until golden brown, about 20 minutes. (If muffins remain in the tins a few moments after leaving the oven, they will be easier to remove.)

10 Tasty Blueberry Muffin Recipe Variations:

1. Add the zest of half a lemon and a pinch of ginger to the dry ingredients before mixing.
2. Swap out half of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour or spelt flour.
3. Reduce the sugar to 2/3 cup if you prefer your muffins less sweet.
4. Sprinkle coarse sugar overtop before baking to give them a pretty sparkle
5. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped crystalized ginger to the batter.
6. Swap melted butter for 2 Tbsp. of the oil to add a little richness to the taste.
7. Add 1/4 cup poppy seeds or 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the zest of an orange.
8. Add half raspberries and half blueberries for berry blast muffins.
9. Substitute 1/4 ground flax seed, oat bran or wheat germ for 1/4 cup of the flour.
10. Dress them up with a lemon glaze (1/2 cup icing sugar, 1 Tbsp. milk or cream and a few drops of lemon juice)

Go ahead, experiment. They’re delicious when made just as the recipe is written but if you like to make blueberry muffins often it’s great to have options to shake it up a bit.

Food for Thought : September is All-American Breakfast Month

September is All-American Breakfast Month and many school districts will be emphasizing to students the importance of a healthy breakfast. Kids who eat breakfast have been shown to have better overall diets, school performance and less behavior or cognitive problems. The same holds true for adults as well. Here are a few tips to help you make the commitment to eating a healthier breakfast in September:
1.  Look for lean protein. Eggs and egg whites most often come to mind when we think of breakfast protein foods, but beans, fish, chicken and lean beef make excellent options, too. Try a beef or chicken fajita omelet or breakfast burrito.

2 .  Try cold oats. Mix rolled oats with any liquid, such as milk or yogurt, in a 1:1 ratio in a glass jar. Stir in fruit and a sweetener, such as honey, brown sugar, etc., if desired. Add spices such as cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg, as desired. Shake to mix well and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy the next morning.

3 .  Be careful when choosing cereal bars, frozen meals or ready-to-eat cereals. Many times these have many calories, added sugars, fats and unwanted additional ingredients or preservatives. Experiment with making your own for the week or making some and freezing them. This way you know exactly what foods are going into the meals you eat.

Words of Widom:
Do not condemn the judgment of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.

When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small.
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

A proud grandpoppa            G.