The Good Stuff

Salmon offers a heart healthy dose of omega-3 fat - the good kind of fat everybody needs! Here is an easy and delicious little salmon dish anyone can prepare!

Here's all you need:

One small can salmon ( wild-caught - avoid farm raised fish )
four eggs beaten light
four tablespoons melted butter (not hot)
one half cup fine bread crumbs

Season the salmon with salt, pepper, and parsley.

Chop the fish fine, then rub in butter till smooth.

Beat crumbs into egg and season before putting with fish.

Butter your baking dish and bake for one hour!

Keep eating healthy foods and enjoy these last few days of 2008!

The Christmas Chocolates

"The people who make constant use of chocolate are the ones who enjoy the most steady health, and are the least subject to a multitude of little ailments which destroy the comfort of life" an excerpt from an early 20th century dietitian.

Christmas means lots of tasty treats. Rich, delicious sweets. Chocolate everything! Here is an easy to make chocolate and maple walnut delicacy sure to leave a smile on your lips!

White of 1 egg,
3 tablespoonfuls of maple syrup ( use real maple syrup! ),
1 tablespoonful of water,
sifted confectioner's sugar,
1 teaspoonful of vanilla extract,
2 or more squares of Baker's Chocolate,
walnuts halves.

Beat the egg white slightly.
Melt the chocolate over hot water in a double boiler.
add the syrup, water, sugar as needed,
the melted chocolate, and the vanilla
add a little more water if necessary.

Work with a silver plated knife and knead until thoroughly mixed.

Then break off small pieces of uniform size and roll them into balls, in the hollow of the hand, flatten the balls a little, set the half of an English walnut upon each, pressing the nut into the candy and thus flattening it still more.

The maple gives the chocolate a particularly nice flavor!

Share with family and friends for best results! Or, if you're feeling especially giving try giving some to your boss or a favorite customer! They'll love the personal touch and beg you for your secret recipe!

More about chocolate and some tasty fudge here.

Merry Christmas!

Delicious Christmas Treats

Enjoy these delicious applesauce cookies with a warm cup of coffee this Christmas!

Here's all you'll need:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts nuts

So easy to make:

Whip sugar, butter and egg.

In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well.

Stir flour mixture into butter and egg mixture just until moist.

Add in the applesauce, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts.

Drop dough by heaping teaspoon several inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top just after you remove them from the oven!

Share these delicious Holiday treats with your family, friends and co-workers this Holiday season!

And don't forget to keep eating healthy too!

Merry Christmas!

What do you get your Mom who has everything?

What do you get your parents who seem to have everything? Maybe this year we’ll get our folks something they will actually use. Mom and Dad both love to cook. Their delightful culinary creations have warmed our tummies for years. The pleasing aroma upon entering Mom’s kitchen is always a treat.

Her spaghetti sauce is one of my favorites. The unmistakable aroma of Mom’s marinara simmering on the stove top signaled a delicious evening meal was in the works! She’d start her preparations early in the afternoon. Washing tomatoes and herbs. Making sure her large sauce pan and large stock pot were spotless. Move loved making spaghetti and it showed! We loved coming home from school to that pleasing aroma.

Growing up in a large, middle class family we weren’t even aware that spaghetti sauce came in a jar or can. It wasn’t until college that I discovered you could shell out a couple bucks and get a jar of pre-made sauce. I’m all for convenience and easy. And still nothing comes close to Mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce.

Dad’s pizza night was always a treat! He loved making Pizza and we loved eating it! Growing up we didn’t know the ease and convenience of pizza delivery! Luckily we have a Dad who loves pizza and knows how to make an incredibly delicious pizza pie!

Maybe this Christmas I’ll get Mom another piece of copper-core cookware. She might enjoy a new Chef’s pan or maybe even another saucier. Thank goodness we can still buy gourmet stainless steel cookware made right here in the USA!

Maybe I'll convince her to make spaghetti!

Merry Christmas!

Delicious Coffee Cake!

What would the Holidays be without a delicious coffee cake? Why wait for Christmas to enjoy this tasty treat? Try this easy and nutritious coffee cake at your next brunch or anytime!

Here is all you need:

1 egg
1/2 cup low or nonfat milk
1/2 cup yogurt, nonfat plain (or vanilla - if you prefer)
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (yellow only)
2 cups all-purpose flour ( make one cup Whole Wheat! )
2/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Now, for the topping you'll need:

For the topping:
1/2 Cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl whisk together the egg, milk, yogurt, oil and lemon peel.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt onto the liquid ingredients. Using a fork, stir gently, just until ingredients are combined.

Gently add the blueberries. Pour the batter into an 8- or 9-inch baking pan coated with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl combine the topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes ( on the center rack ) or until the top is lightly browned. ( Or it passes the toothpick test - insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean - you're all set! )

Allow the cake to cool in the baking pan for 5 or 10 minutes. This delicious coffee cake tastes great served warm. Or, wrap and freeze some for a late-night treat later!

Blueberries are truly one of nature's superfoods! Enjoy this healthy coffee cake and keep eating healthy!

Happy Thanksgiving

The pleasant aroma wafting from the kitchen was unmistakable. We only got to enjoy this sweet smell once a year - on Thanksgiving morning! I never have figured out what she does to that turkey before she puts it in the oven. But it sure filled our humble home with a most pleasing aroma!

A couple days before Thanksgiving Dad would stop by the discount bread store and pick up a bunch of half price bread. On the night before the big day we all got to stay up late making toast and ripping it into small pieces to be used in the stuffing. “That’s too big” Mom would admonish us when we got lazy and tried to toss in too large a piece. Our old two-slice toaster got a real workout that Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.

Long before you could walk into your local superstore and pick up practically any variety of pre-made pie, Moms everywhere made pies the day before Thanksgiving. Oven space was at a premium on Thanksgiving day itself ! Mom put “the bird” in the oven early so it would be ready to eat by Supper.

Then, early on Thanksgiving morning and after Mom had stuffed and started cooking the turkey she would turn on the TV and we’d watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade. I can’t imagine a Thanksgiving morning without catching a glimpse of the numerous high school bands , incredibly big balloons and the famous Radio City Hall Rockettes. Long before Santa brought up the rear of the parade we’d start enjoying that wonderful scent.

As the afternoon grew long Mom would prepare the cranberries and start washing and cutting the potatoes. She’d put out little bowls of pickles and olives – all would be long gone before the feast began! An hour or so before she pulled that magnificent bird from the oven she’d prepare some more stuffing. Mom’s homemade stuffing always turns out so good – it has long been my favorite part of the whole Thanksgiving meal!

Somehow, everything would come together just in time to hear her call to Dad – “It’s time to carve the Turkey”! While Dad carved the moist and aromatic turkey meat we’d take turns mashing the potatoes and stirring the gravy! That meant that pretty soon we’d all be gathering around the table for another wonderful Thanksgiving feast.
Hoping all your Thanksgiving memories are pleasant. Or that you’ll make some new ones this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Healthy Eating with easy Lentil Soup

Lentils have been described as the perfect food. Inexpensive and nutritious, lentils are a great source of fiber and vitamin A. Lentils can help lower your cholesterol and offer a good source of protein too. Lentils really are a superfood!

Try this easy lentil soup in your slow cooker. Just toss everything in the crock-pot or slow-cooker before you leave in the morning. Come home after work to a nice warm bowl of delicious lentil soup!

Here's all you'll need

6 cups water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 Tablespoons dried parsley (optional)
2 teaspoons beef bouillon or 2 cubes beef bouillon
1 1/2 cups dry lentils
2 medium sliced carrots
1 medium chopped onion
2 sliced celery stalks

Just toss it in the crock-pot and cook on low for about ten hours. One serving contains about 200 calories and has over 60% of your daily fiber needs!

Read on for more about superfoods and eating-healthy!

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Enjoy Autumn's Splendor with some Sweet Potatoes!

Try these tasty sweet potato patties any time for a quick and nutritious snack. At only 150 calories you can enjoy two and get 1/4 of your daily fiber and a generous supply of vitamin A!

Here's all you need:

3 sweet potatoes
1 cup crushed bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

How to prepare:

1. Wash the sweet potatoes.

2. Bake the sweet potatoes in a microwave until they are soft.

3. Remove the peels from the sweet potatoes.

4. Put the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl. Mash them with a fork.

5. Crush the bread crumbs on a cutting board with a rolling pin or jar.

6. Put the crushed bread crumbs in a small bowl.

7. Shape sweet potato into 6 small patties.

8. Roll each patty in the crushed crumbs.

9. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

10. Brown each patty on both sides in the oil.

Eating healthy is easy and good for you - especially during these wonderful days of Autumn! For more healthy eating ideas - here is another delicious sweet potato recipe - good enough for any Thanksgiving table!

How to Spend More Time with Family and Friends

With Thanksgiving and the Holidays right around the corner this might be the perfect time to start planning and make sure we have all the cookware and tools we need to make this Thanksgiving as hassle free as possible. Start your preparations now so you can enjoy more time with Family and friends when the big day arrives.

Is it time to rearrange or organize the spices? I know mine are in a state of near total disarray! And my pantry is, well, like a messy desk. It’s not too early to start stocking up on olive oil, sugar, flour, and butter and all those essentials we like to keep readily available. Watch the store ads – many will be offering bargain prices on many staples in these last few weeks leading up to the feast!

Have you tried a trip to the supermarket on the day before Thanksgiving? Many stores are a virtual madhouse on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Several years ago I waited 20 minutes in line to buy some butter and milk! I hope I never again find myself in that predicament. Shop early and avoid the lines!

It’s not too early to start picking up those special, seasonal decorations. You know – those little things that help us create the perfect centerpiece! Pine cones, tiny little pumpkins, squash, and cut evergreen branches make an easy and decorative centerpiece!

Order that new roasting pan you’ve been dreaming of now! Are your most used sauce pans or stockpots looking like they’ve served their useful lives? If you’ve been thinking about new cookware, now is the perfect time to order for delivery before Thanksgiving.

We’ve been very happy with our All-Clad Copper Core Stainless Steel cookware. Made in America by craftsmen who have been making cookware for several decades, the All-Clad Copper Core line is the last set of cookware you’ll ever buy!

Sanitize all those cooking utensils you haven’t used in a while! Toss all those old spices and herbs that just don’t look or smell right. Stock up on those must-have spices now!

Start your preparations early and spend more time with your family and guests when you celebrate Thanksgiving!

Top of the Line - The Best Cookware

As Halloween comes and goes, many of us find ourselves spending more time indoors. As the temperatures gradually cool and Winter like weather fast approaches, we have more time for cooking.

Why not cook with the best?

You can buy less expensive cookware. And, as that old, old saying goes - "You get what you pay for". If you make one investment for your kitchen before the Holidays - invest in the cookware you'll love using every day! Sturdy, long-lasting, and safe to use. No worries about what goes into this American-made quality cookware.

Professional chefs and fine cooks all over the world love their All-Clad Copper core cookware. Just pick one up and you'll feel the sturdy, lifetime quality in every piece.

All-Clad Copper-Core 7 Piece Cookware Set This set includes the following items:10" Fry Pan2 qt. Sauce Pan with Lid 3 qt. Saute Pan with Lid 8 qt. Stock Pot with Lid. Why you'll like this All-Clad set: Five bonded layers of stainless steel, aluminum and copper allow pieces to heat quickly and evenly so you can rely on consistent performance. Provides the efficiency of copper with the durability and easy maintenance of stainless steel. The pieces are safe for your oven up to 500 degrees F. The fry pan, sauce pan and saute pan handles stay cool. The handle length keeps your hands away from cooking surfaces. The stock pot's loop handles stay cool and make lifting easy. More Features:Permanent 18/10 Stainless Steel cooking surface will not react with food. Pure aluminum and copper inner core throughout for optimal heat conductivity. Finished off by an exterior stripe of exposed copper Lifetime warranty Fully-clad pots and pans manufactured in the USA! Handwash only, not dishwasher safe All-Clad 6000-7-SS

Autumn Treats

The days leading up to Halloween are filled with fun. We always enjoy our evening walk this time of year taking in the crisp Autumn air. The wonderful variety of Halloween decorations adorning our streets is always a sight to behold. Ghosts hanging from trees. Pumpkins and mums gracing many a front porch. Lawns turned into make-shift graveyards. Goblins and ghouls on every block!



The Autumn colors are in full swing across many parts of North America this week. Rich shades of crimson and burnt oranges, Fading greens turning into bright golden yellows. Trees ablaze with reds of every shade. Fields of milo painted in rustic brown.



Soon, our schools, shopping malls and streets will be filled with happy and excited little trick-or-treaters sporting this year’s array of scary costumes! Carrying little sacks or plastic jack-o-lanterns to hold their bounty of candy and popcorn balls! School teachers and legions of volunteer Moms are busily planning this year’s Halloween party!



Haunted Houses, Spooky Mansions, Corn mazes and Pumpkin patches offer Autumn fun for kids of all ages! Fall is such a fun-filled and beautiful time of year.



Autumn is the perfect season to savor the fruits of another bountiful harvest. Healthy eating is fun and easy during this wonderful time of the year. Apples of every variety fill store shelves. Squash, Peppers, tomatoes, and fresh vegetables galore. Pumpkins are very inexpensive this month and quite nutritious too. Try some roasted pumpkin seeds after you carve up that Jack-o-Lantern!



So enjoy this special time of year eating healthy foods! Try your hand at an easy three bean chili. Or how about a delicious pumpkin recipe? Whatever your favorite recipe or entertainment we hope you will have a