Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
This party-ready chicken wing recipe will not disappoint, especially if you make and serve the blue cheese dip on the side.
Serves 10
DIP:
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
WINGS:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, wings separated at joints
Heart Healthy
1. Make dip: In a bowl, combine blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice and garlic powder, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
2. Make wings: Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a large cooling rack on top of sheet and mist with cooking spray.
3. In a small pan, combine ketchup, hot sauce, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring, until well combined and smooth. Pour into a bowl and let cool.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of sauce into a small bowl; cover and set aside. In a large bowl, toss wings with 1/2 cup sauce until coated. Place wings on rack. Roast for 10 minutes, then brush with more sauce. Roast 10 minutes longer; brush with more sauce. Turn wings over, brush with sauce and roast 10 minutes. Brush with more sauce and roast for a final 10 minutes.
5. Remove wings to a large bowl and toss with reserved sauce. Serve with blue cheese dip on the side.
Heart Healthy
By Athena Philis-Tsimikas, M.D.
When you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you know how important it is to check your blood sugar, eat the right foods, and stay active. But being aware of these actions and actually doing them consistently can be two very different things.
This is where a diabetes support group can go a long way toward successfully managing your diabetes. Connecting with other people who have diabetes can help you stay motivated to take care of yourself by offering both practical and personal support. According to a study published in the January 2012 issue of Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, people with type 2 diabetes who attend support groups are more successful at maintaining — or even improving — their health.
Here are just a few of the benefits diabetes support groups offer:
1. Community Means You’re Never Alone
It’s common for people living with diabetes to feel isolated, especially if you’ve been recently diagnosed or don’t have any family or friends with the disease. A diabetes support group can help you realize you’re far from alone. You’ll meet an entire group of people who understand what you’re going through and are happy to offer guidance and encouragement.
2. Practical Advice Makes Managing Blood Sugar Easier
Support groups can provide a wealth of information and ideas on ways to make managing diabetes easier, such as diabetes-friendly recipes the whole family can enjoy, tips for eating right at holiday parties and work events, and local resources for people with diabetes. Plus, you may meet new friends to exercise and do other activities with.
3. Personal Connection Is What Makes Diabetes Support Groups So Effective
When you’re living with diabetes, taking care of yourself is a priority. If you are caring for a family, have a demanding job, or have other responsibilities, you may feel overwhelmed at times — and caring for yourself may fall by the wayside. Support group members often have the same challenges and can help you through the tough times and keep you on track.
4. Guest Speakers and Special Events Connect You to New Research, Therapies, and Community
Some diabetes support groups feature guest speakers such as physicians, researchers, and other experts who talk about the latest findings in diabetes management or share their perspectives. Additionally, groups may have special events such as potlucks, group walks, or fundraisers.
Most larger cities offer in-person support groups that meet regularly and are led by a facilitator, but there also are a number of online groups available 24/7 for people who live in smaller towns or who may not have the time or transportation to attend in person. Your physician or diabetes care manager may be able to recommend a group; the links below may also be helpful. It’s a good idea to check out several groups if possible to find the right one for you.
Find a diabetes support group near you via the Defeat Diabetes Foundation.
For a list of national online support groups, visit the American Diabetes Association.
Watercolor: Diana Ong
The Italian word "cacciatore" translates to "hunter" in English, referring to a dish prepared with tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions–"hunter-style."
8 bone-in chicken thighs (2 1/4 pounds), skinned
8 bone-in chicken drumsticks (1 3/4 pounds), skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, vertically sliced
1 red bell pepper, vertically sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine
Chopped fresh thyme (optional)
1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place chicken in a 5-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Place mushrooms on top of chicken.
2. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers to pan; sprinkle vegetables with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring often. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Cook 1 minute. Stir in flour. Stir in oregano, thyme, and tomatoes.
3. Pour tomato mixture over mushrooms in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or until chicken is very tender. Serve over fettuccine. Sprinkle with additional thyme, if desired.
Heart Healthy
By Amy Norton , HealthDay News
But researchers suggest that artery-clogging plaque has to be present to increase risk.
Intense anger or heavy physical exertion may be triggers for a first heart attack in some people, new research suggests.
In the study of more than 12,000 people, both intense activity and intense emotions each seemed to double the odds of suffering a heart attack in the next hour. That risk rose about threefold when people were upset and exerted themselves at the same time.
The study is far from the first to suggest -- and it does not prove -- that bouts of anger or physical exertion can trigger a heart attack.
But, it's larger than past studies, and more diverse -- covering first-time heart attack patients in 52 countries, said Barry Jacobs, a spokesman for the American Heart Association who was not involved in the research.
"This confirms that blowing your top is not good -- for other people, or for you," Jacobs said.
Do the findings mean that everyone who gets angry will see a similar spike in their heart attack risk?
"Common sense says no," said Jacobs, director of behavioral sciences at the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Springfield, Pa.
He pointed to the underlying biology of it all: Intense emotions or activity can drive up blood pressure and heart rate, and cause blood vessels to constrict. That, in turn, may cause any artery-clogging "plaques" to rupture and cut off blood flow to the heart -- prompting a heart attack.
But a person would have to harbor those plaques in the first place, Jacobs said.
In the study, researchers asked the heart attack patients whether they had been angry or emotionally upset in the hour before their heart attack, or during the same hour the day before. They also asked about heavy physical exertion.
The study did not dig for details -- such as the type of physical activity, or whether a person had an angry outburst or silently simmered.
"What we felt was important was to ask the same person about two different time periods," said lead researcher Dr. Andrew Smyth, of the Population Health Research Center at McMaster University, in Canada.
On average, his team found, people were over two times more likely to suffer a heart attack in the hour after a bout of intense emotions or activity, versus the same hour a day before.
In all, almost 14 percent of study participants said they'd exerted themselves in the hour before their heart attack symptoms arose. A similar number said they'd been angry or upset.
Smyth said his team did look at other factors that affect heart attack risk -- but none of them changed the risks linked to exertion and intense emotions. Physical exertion, for example, raised people's heart attack risk whether they were normally sedentary or regularly exercised.
Still, the researchers said, people face "external triggers" like anger and exertion every day, without succumbing to a heart attack. So, it's likely that those triggers come into play only when a person has artery-clogging plaques that are particularly vulnerable to rupturing.
The findings on heavy exertion do not negate the importance of regular exercise, Smyth said. It's well known, he noted, that exercise has many long-term health benefits -- including a reduced risk of heart disease.
But Smyth did advise avoiding "extremes" -- physical and emotional.
"I do appreciate the difficulty in doing this," he said. "There are times when exposure to extremes of either is unavoidable."
However, people with risk factors for heart attack can limit heavy exertion when possible, and "employ strategies" to avoid extreme emotions, according to Smyth.
Jacobs agreed. He said he does not advocate "burying your emotions." But, he added, "people can learn more appropriate ways of dealing with their emotions."
Jacobs pointed to meditation, breathing and relaxation exercises, and anger and stress management programs as sources of help. He suggested people talk to their doctor about resources in their community, or go online to learn simple techniques, such as breathing practices.
A proud grand-poppa G.
The key to this dish is to brown the chicken before it goes into the slow cooker, yielding major depth of flavor and picture-perfect presentation.
3 carrots or celery ribs
5 pounds chicken leg quarters
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons pimentón (sweet smoked Spanish paprika)
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1-1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
12 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 pounds fingerling Yukon gold potatoes, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil
Garnish: fresh rosemary
1. Place carrots in a single layer in a 5-qt. slow cooker.
2. Remove skin from chicken, and trim fat. Stir together rosemary, pimentón, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Rub mixture over chicken.
3. Sauté garlic in 3 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon; reserve oil in skillet. Cook half of chicken in reserved oil in skillet 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown. Transfer to slow cooker, reserving drippings in skillet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Add broth and garlic to reserved drippings in skillet, and cook 1 minute, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours.
5. Toss potatoes with 1 tsp. oil and remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook 2 more hours.
6. Transfer chicken and potatoes to a serving platter, and pour juices from slow cooker through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; skim fat from juices. Serve immediately with chicken and potatoes or rice if you prefer.
TIP :
The Art of Browning meats and poultry before simmering in the slow cooker yields major depth of flavor plus a picture-perfect presentation, so don't be tempted to skip it. First, pat the meat dry with paper towels before seasoning. Set a heavy stainless-steel or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (not nonstick) over medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot enough for the oil to shimmer--the meat should hiss and sizzle as soon as it hits the pan. Be sure not to crowd the pan; doing so drops the temp, causing the meat to steam rather than form a crisp crust. Don't turn the meat until the bottom is well-browned.
Heart healthy
Just because you're getting older doesn't mean your sex life should suffer.
By Krisha McCoy
Medically Reviewed by Pat F. Bass, III, MD, MPH
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Changes in the body due to aging may make sex less enjoyable or lead to difficulties with sexual arousal.
Communicating with your partner, being willing to try new things, and taking care of your overall health can help you maintain an active sex life as you get older.
A healthy sex life is an essential part of overall good health, and it’s a myth that sex has to suffer as you get older. If you give sex the attention it deserves, you can maintain a healthy and active sex life no matter what birthday you just celebrated.
Age-Related Changes in Sexual Health
As we age, changes in our bodies may affect our sex lives. This can lead to problems such as less enjoyment during sex or difficulty becoming sexually aroused.
In women, hormonal changes after menopause or a hysterectomy can cause the vagina to become shorter, narrower, and less lubricated. These vaginal changes can make sex somewhat uncomfortable and less pleasurable. In addition, the psychological effects of aging may make sex less enjoyable for some women.
In men, aging is associated with an increased risk of becoming impotent, or being unable to have or keep an erection. Some men find that when they get older, erections can be less firm or smaller than they used to be, and that they produce less ejaculate during an orgasm or lose an erection faster after orgasm.
Health problems are more common in old age, and certain age-related conditions can also affect sexual satisfaction in both men and women, including:
Arthritis
Diabetes
Heart disease
Chronic pain
Stroke
Incontinence
Maintaining a Satisfying Sex Life
While you cannot stop the aging process, there are plenty of ways to preserve your sexual health as you get older:
Pay attention to your overall health.Exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and managing the stress in your life can help to keep your sex life active and satisfying.
Communicate with your partner. Your relationship with your partner is an important part of your sexual health. Talk to your partner about his or her sexual desires and discuss any sexual changes you are experiencing. Be a good listener if your partner has sexual concerns.
Try something new. Exploring sex without intercourse, trying new sexual positions, having sex at different times of the day, and focusing more on foreplay can make your sex life more exciting and satisfying.
Be open to meeting new people. Be open to meeting someone who is also single. You can meet new people by getting involved in new social activities, taking advantage of events at your local community center, or signing up for adult education classes at a nearby college or university.
Solving Sexual Health Issues
If you have a sexual problem you are concerned about, talk with your doctor. In some cases, treating an underlying health problem or adjusting a medication, such as blood pressure or diabetes drugs, antihistamines, or antidepressants can help with sexual problems such as impotence.
When a health problem or medication is not the problem, there are simple ways to treat many of the common sexual issues people experience as they age. For example, women who have poor vaginal lubrication can often find satisfaction using lubricants or vaginal estrogen supplements. Impotence in men can frequently be managed or reversed with medications, hormone replacement therapy, penile implants, surgery, or sexual counseling.
The bottom line: Don’t assume that your sexual self disappears as you age. You can remain sexually active for years to come.
A proud grand-poppa G.
A very simple recipe for happy smiles and warm tummies on a cold winter's day.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
1 lb lean ground round ( I sautéed onions and mushrooms to add to meat mix)
Salt to taste
1 can (15 oz) chunky Italian style tomatoes,
1 can (10 oz) refrigerated pizza dough,
6 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Broken bits of cooked bacon to top cheese ... optional
1 cooking spray,
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Cook salted meat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just browned, stirring until it crumbles. Don't over-cook. Drain, if necessary, and return to skillet. ( Add cooked onions and mushrooms at this point) Add tomatoes and cook until heated through. A little pinch of oregano or basil at this point might add some zip but is not necessary.
While meat cooks, coat a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough and press into bottom and halfway up sides of the baking dish. Fill the pizza crust with meat mixture.
Bake uncovered for 12 minutes. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Top with cooked bacon.
Cool 5 minutes before serving.
It's a quick dish you can make in less than an hour but looks so golden delicious, you feel like a gourmet chef. Feel free to add other toppings.
