Fruity Chicken Salad Sub Recipe

 By Natasha Carmon 

Photo: thedailygreen.com
 
Chicken salad is a great quick lite recipe to make for the summer. I love sub sandwiches and there is a fast food sub place I frequent a lot but I won't mention them here. You'll have to guess who they are. Here's a hint, some man named Jared lost a lot of weight eating them. Anyway they have added one of my favorite sandwiches back to their menu for the summer.

Even though they are relatively a cheap place to eat, I still like trying to cut corners on spending as little money as possible. I like coming up with my version of how I make something you buy at a fast food restaurant. It's healthier, cheaper and probably taste better than the original. Here, I will share my Fruity Chicken Salad sub. This is a recipe where you can put your own creativity into what ingredients you like in your sub sandwich.

Ingredients
12-16 oz can chicken
1/2 cup grapes (red, green or both)
1 celery stalk
half onion
1/2 cup mayo
1 peach yogurt cup
1 tsp rosemary
2 tbsp dill
1/4 cup green peppers
1/2 cup of raisins, cranberries & almonds
spinach
black olives
hot pepperjack cheese
cucumbers

In a large mixing bowl add the can chicken drained. Chop your onions, celery and green pepper small and add to chicken. Add the fruit mix with almonds in along with the grapes. Add the mayo and peach yogurt and mix well with the ingredients. Add the dill and salt and pepper to season. Don't skimp on the dill, it gives the salad a nice flavor after it's been in the refrigerator. The longer in the fridge the better tasting. Choose your favorite bread. I use any kind of bread but if I'm making subs, I will use an Italian loaf or french bread. I cut the loaf in half then slice the half separating the top and bottom. I use two slices of pepperjack cheese to line the bottom bread then top with my cold chicken salad. You are ready to dress you sandwich. I like lots of black olives, spinach and cucumbers lined neatly across the sandwich. You can choose whatever toppings for your sandwich according to your taste. I don't use any other dressing on mine because the mayo and peach yogurt is enough but you can. Fold the sandwich together and you have fruity chicken subs.

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Meatloaf Recipe

 By Natasha Carmon 

Photo: simplyrecipes.com
 
One of my all time favorite recipes to make is meatloaf. Who doesn't like a good meatloaf with buttered rolls, macaroni and cheese and green beans on the side? Plus the next day you can have leftover meatloaf sandwiches. Slice a piece and put it on some plain or toasted bread and you've got the best sandwich ever.
Since I don't eat red meat as much as I used to, I substituted this recipe I'm sharing with you with ground chicken. Sigh, it wasn't the same but it didn't taste too bad. Meatloaf made with anything other than beef or sausage isn't right at all. I know some people mix theirs with sausage or veal but I would rather just have lean ground beef instead. Here's my meatloaf recipe for you to try.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion
1 small green pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can of tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup oats
1 egg
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce for meatloaf

1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard

Get a large mixing bowl and add ground beef to it. Chop onions and green peppers into little chucks and add to ground beef. Use the chunky onion and green pepper unless you don't care for having chunks of vegetables in your meatloaf. Some people like their vegetables diced really fine but I like to see mine in the loaf when I slice it. Add both cans of tomato sauce and tomato paste to the mixture along with the Worcestershire sauce. Add the oats, egg and seasonings. Then you take your very clean hands and mix it all together. If the loaf is too saucy you can add more oats as needed. Once you have incorporated the mixture pat the meatloaf into a loaf pan. I sometimes put a little flour in the bottom of the pan to keep from sticking. Put loaf into a 350 degree oven and cook for 30 minutes. While the loaf is cooking mix your ingredients together for the sauce. Remove the loaf from the oven and spread the sauce over the loaf evenly. Put the meatloaf back into the oven and cook about 15 more minutes. Take it out of the oven and let the loaf cool. It is important that it rest in the loaf pan about 20-30 minutes before cutting it, if not it will fall apart when you cut it.

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Zesty Mediterranean-Style Baked Tilapia Recipe

 By R Ayite Okyne 

Photo: thumbs.ifood.tv
 
An easy recipe for one of the dishes I make that always gets a standing ovation and requests for encores is my Zesty Baked Tilapia Mediterranean-Style. It is a pretty easy to make baked fish recipe, can be prepped ahead of time and assembled "lickety-split"! What makes it so fragrant and tasty is that it is infused with flavor both from the top and the bottom and this style of baking keeps the fish moist throughout. I made it the other day and thought I'd share the recipe with you...
For this, I used ingredients from the Target Stores brand Market Pantry. You will need:

• 1lb Market Pantry® tilapia fillets (or 4-6 pieces)
• One large tomato or two medium tomatoes, sliced crosswise
• Grated zest and juice of two lemons
• Two tablespoons Market Pantry® chopped Kalamata olives
• ½ cup Market Pantry® mayonnaise
• ½ cup Market Pantry® grated Parmesan cheese
• One tablespoon olive oil
• Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lay the sliced tomatoes in a rectangular glass dish and sprinkle with the chopped olives and lemon zest and drizzle with olive oil.
Season the fillets with salt and pepper and lay them over the bed of sliced tomatoes, olives and lemon zest and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese together with some of the lemon juice. Add just enough lemon juice to achieve a pleasant balance of flavors, and a medium-thick consistency. Start with two tablespoons of lemon juice. Coat each fillet with the mixture and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the topping turns a golden brown.

When I'm entertaining, I usually assemble the dish and prepare the mixture, wrap them in plastic film and keep them in the refrigerator. While my guests are having cocktails, I coat the fish with the topping and put in the oven right away. It's best served fresh out the oven. This dish should taste citrusy on the top with the olive flavor as the middle note, and the cheese and mayonnaise following in close order, but less distinct. The rather bland fish is infused with the lemon zest and olives from below and the lemon in the topping, giving it that piquant taste. The citrus flavor is tempered by the tomatoes and the cheese and mayonnaise. The topping also helps keep the fish moist and seals in all the flavors.

I have served this with couscous and vegetables, a brown and wild rice medley, saffron rice as well as rosemary roasted potatoes and it works well. Whatever you choose to serve with this should not be too flavorful or acidic - there can only be one star at this table! My favorite wine to pair with this tends to be a Pinot Grigio, but a Chardonnay works just as well.
Try it and let me know how you like it - more importantly, how your guests like it! I can't wait to get your feedback! Many Thanks to Target Stores.

R. Ayite Okyne is The Lifestyle Maven - a style guru, epicure, lifestyle expert and cultural ambassador with a quest for the inspired life. He authors a blog http://ayiteokyne.blogspot.com and hosts a series of web episodes http://YouTube.com/TheLifestyleMaven. Send your questions to ayite@thelifestylemaven.com and he'll be happy to answer them!

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Step By Step Recipes - Chinese Fried Wonton and Shrimp Balls

 By Rienzi F 

Photo: rasamalaysia.com
 
Chinese culinary history is believed to have dated back to a thousand years already and over time it has also incorporated and blended with the cuisines of other cultures and traditions too. However, the styles and tastes of Chine vary with each region, which has wonderfully led to a dazzling array of techniques, ingredients and even eating styles. Here's a look at two of the most popular Chinese step by step recipes, fried wonton and shrimp balls.

Fried Wonton

To prepare fried wonton, you will require the following ingredients - 1/2pound minced pork, 12 chopped bay scallops, 1 pack wonton skins, three peeled and chopped water chestnuts, 1lightly beaten egg, two coriander sprigs, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon corn flour, ½ teaspoon fish sauce, salt, white pepper and oil for deep frying.

To cook this easy to follow recipe, mix bay scallops, minced pork, water chestnuts, corn flour and chopped coriander into a bowl, and then add half of the beaten egg (the other half will be used for wrapping the wonton). Mix these ingredients properly, and then and the white pepper, salt and fish sauce. Set aside, and wrap the wontons with the wonton skins, and fry these in a wok filled with cooking oil. Serve hot, and season with chilli sauce or ketchup.

Fried Shrimp Balls

To prepare fried shrimp balls with wonton skin, you will need the following ingredients - one teaspoon salt or fish sauce, one pound raw shrimp, one teaspoon sugar, 1 table spoon corn starch, 1 lightly-beaten egg white, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, one table spoon oil, wonton skins and a few dashes of white pepper.
To cook, de-vein the shrimp and toss it aside. Then, using a mini food processor, beat the egg white until it becomes frothy, and add the raw shrimp, along with the other seasonings. Carefully blend these ingredients until they form a shrimp paste. Next, cut the wonton skins into very small strips and place them on a flat surface.

Form the shrimp paste into balls and roll them in a bed of wonton skin, but ensure that the wonton skin will evenly coat the shrimp balls. Next, deep fry the shrimp balls in a wok, until they get golden brown. Serve with hot sauce, or preferably Thai sweet chilli sauce.
To find more delectable Chinese, and oriental-style step by step easy recipes with photos, log on to the Internet, and type "step by step Chinese recipes" on your search engine.

Additional Fact:

According to most food experts, most salad are served cold, but some especially the South German potato salad, are warm when served. Have fun serving this truly tasty Salad Nicoise and learn more step by step recipes at ( http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/ ).

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How to Make Pineapple and Coconut Banana Bread

 By Rachel L Salazar 

Photo: kraftrecipes.com
 
I've always loved recipes that look complicated and involved, but are actually easy and quick to make. This is one of my favorites. You can just about mix everything in a bread pan and throw it in the oven. This weekend I had a craving for something sweet yet chewy, so I threw some pineapple chunks, coconut and oatmeal into my banana bread recipe and it turned out fantastic!

Served with a dollop of greek yogurt, this turned out naturally sweet, chewy and most of all moist. I think my banana bread will have to give way to this Pineapple and Coconut Banana Bread I threw together.
This bread we've enjoyed eating for breakfast is simply stuffed with yummy bites of banana and pineapple. You just can't take a bit without tasting one - which is exactly what I was going for, so I'm happy. OK, I've been squealing around the house all day; I'm just so proud of myself.

I put a dollop of greek peach yogurt on the top, and fresh strawberries to compliment our breakfast, and wow, did it! All the natural sweetness melded together and really created the perfect breakfast dish.
I had hoped to make the leftover pieces into thick french toast, but we nibbled them down to crumbs. I'll have to try that another day.
Pineapple Coconut Banana Bread
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup oats
• 3 mashed bananas
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup drained pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Combine banana, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a small bowl.
4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Add pineapple, nuts and coconut, gently stir to mix.
6. Spoon batter into a bread pan.
7. Sprinkle coconut on top of the bread to garnish.
8. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool on a wire rack, in the pan, for about 15 minutes
10. Remove the bread from the pan after 15 minutes and cool thoroughly on the rack.

The easiest way to mash a banana, is to do it in the skin. Slightly break open the top, and gently squeeze the banana until it feels mushy. Peel off one side, and finish with a fork. I took one banana and sliced it for nice big banana chunks in the bread.

If you liked this recipe, join us at Enjoying Simplicity, http://enjoyingsimplicity.com. Enjoying Simplicity is our vision that cooking can be healthy, simple and it can be done at a low-cost.

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Garlic Bread on Texas Toast Recipe

 By Becca Knight 

Photo: 4.bp.blogspot.com
 
Popular in Texas and the states surrounding it, Texas toast is generally served toasted as a side. Texas toast is a type of pre-sliced bread packed in bags, not sold toasted as the name implies. What sets it apart from other bread is that it is that the thickness of the slices is double the thickness of typical sliced bread. It is especially useful for dishes in which the bread is used to soak up liquid ingredients. Extra thickness can improve the finished product, such as in French toast.

Texas toast was reportedly first served at The Pig Stand drive-in restaurant in Beaumont, Texas, after a bakery order for thicker slices of bread resulted in slices too thick for the toaster and the cook suggested buttering and grilling them as a remedy in 1941. Although The Pig Stand's story is not contended, they failed to patent this invention. Producers of Texas toast in the United States include Wonder Bread, Mrs. Baird's, Franz Bakery, and Safeway's Lucerne foods.

In this recipe, you may use margarine or butter, whipped or not, as long as it is spreadable. The main detail to adhere to is the proper technique for producing the garlic bread on Texas toast.

Ingredients
Texas toast bread, unfrozen
Butter or margarine, softened
Granulated garlic powder
Paprika powder
Dried parsley

Directions
Heat oven to 400º F

Select the desired number of slices from the loaf - or loaves if you are doing a large quantity. The most important thing you need to know about making Texas toast right is you need to butter both sides. Using plain, unseasoned butter or margarine coat each side of each slice of bread evenly paying attention to cover the edges so that they do not burn. Place on an un-greased shallow baking sheet as you go.
Next sprinkle as much granulated garlic as you wish onto the upward facing side of the buttered bread and follow with paprika and parsley. The paprika and parsley have a mild flavor so that the garlic will stand out, and are mainly used for the added colors. Red paprika, green parsley and white bread together represent the colors in the Italian flag. So here we have a marriage of Italy and Texas, time to "toast" the newlyweds.
Put the toast into the pre-heated oven or broiler. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until butter is melted and bread is golden brown. This will be a richer toast than a garlic toast on a French loaf with warm buttery goodness top and bottom.

Place the toast on a plate or basket and serve warm.

Becca Knight lives in Texas and writes about it on her blog "Don't Know Much About Texas"

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Simple Tips For Making The Perfect Smoothie

By Tracy J Elmore

Photo: http://tnt802.files.wordpress.com

Smoothies are seen as a perfect way of maintaining good health. Making a smoothie can be pretty easy but there are certain tricks that one needs to keep in mind to in order obtain the best smoothie. Some of the tips used in making the best smoothies include:

Use Yoghurt as your Base

Making a smoothie normally requires a semi liquid. Normally milk is usually used or sometimes soy. Yoghurt is seen to be the best base as it contains certain beneficial bacteria. Yoghurt is also good because it is low in calories.

Freeze Your Fruits

Frozen fruits are the best when it comes to making smoothies. Frozen fruits normally make your smoothie to be extra thick and cold. Large fruits like melons normally need to be chopped before being placed in the freezer.

Healthy All the way

If you intend to lower the content of calories in your smoothie, you can either use skimmed milk or soy milk. You can also increase the nutrition of your smoothie by using protein powder, brewer's yeast or wheat germ.

Cocoa is normally packed with lots of flavanols. These are the compounds used in making chocolates. Unlike chocolates cocoa is seen to be virtually fat free and low in calories. Adding just one teaspoon of cocoa will go a long way in boosting the health of your heart. Cocoa powder is good for butter and banana smoothies.

Extra Tips

It can be really irritating when you make a smoothie and realize that's its not thick enough. If your smoothie is coming out extra thin you can make it thicker by adding ice cubes.

When blending, it is necessary that you add the liquids first. This prevents the fruits from binding up with the liquids. Blend everything on high until it is highly blended. If the smoothie is too thick it means that you've used too much ice cubes or frozen fruits. Thinning can be done by using water, a splash of coffee or green tea. Coffee perfectly matches with smoothies made of butter, cocoa powder and bananas. Green tea on the other hand particularly goes well with peaches and strawberries. In addition, coffee and tea are seen to have beneficial antioxidants which have numerous health benefits.

The ingredients used in making smoothies are never sweet for the tongue. One can sweeten the smoothie a little bit by adding maple syrup or honey. Keep this sweeteners at a minimum in order to keep the calories level down.

Some of the ingredients used in making a punchy smoothie include:

• 1 cup of milk

• 1 cup spinach

• 1 teaspoon of honey

• A quarter cup of frozen peaches

• A quarter cup of frozen strawberries

Finally just because your smoothie has ingredients like spinach, peaches and soymilk doesn't mean that it's healthy. A healthy smoothie is one that has a low count in calorie. You need to keep an eye on the calories level of your smoothie. This will help you understand how your smoothie fits perfectly in to your diet plan. To learn more about how to make the perfect smoothie, visit http://www.mainstreetclinton.com.

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