A FEW MORE FACTS ABOUT APPLES... AND PUMPKIN

   

                  We all know APPLES  are an  excellent source of vitamin  "C".

                  APPLES may also protect the brain cells from the onset of Alzheimer's.

                  The pectin in apples help to lower LDL [the bad] cholesterol.

                   APPLES are also a bone strengthening fruit.

                   Whether you eat your APPLE sliced  with cheese cubes or dipped in

                   peanutbuttter, it is important to eat 1 or 2 every day.


                     PUMPKIN contains abundant quantities of good dietary fibre.

                    PUMPKIN,  as well as the seeds, is high in potassium,  magnesium,

                    vitamins "A"  and  "E". Beta Carotene and  lycopene are compounds of

                    vitamin "A", making  PUMPKIN a super food.

                     It  is possible PUMPKIN can lower the risk of some cancers.

                    PUMPKIN is high in nutrients yet is the flesh itself is low in calories.

                    That completes my post for today. Hope everyone had a great weekend

                     regardless of the weather---rain all weekend here in Maine.

                     Bye for now friend, Jenny

                    My next post will be a few ideas using PUMPKIN. If you have a recipe

                   you would like to share, send it to me. Do not forget to leave your comment.

                    
                                       

                  


                    

          

               

Just a few


ideas for Apples

MORE APPLES....WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE?

           Apples can be baked, made into applesauce, added to coffeecakes, muffins, cooked

          in tarts,or pies,....the choices are endless! Following is a recipe I often make. It is a

          quick  bread. Quick and easy to make. Very good for dessert or snacking anytime.

                                                             APPLE BREAD

           3/4 cup sugar

           2 eggs

           1 1/2 Tablespoons milk

           1/2 cup cooking oil
                                               
           Cream these ingredients together, then add

           2 cups flour [ I used 1 cup white-wheat flour, and 1 cup all purpose flour]

           1 teaspoon baking SODA

           1/2 teaspoon salt

           Beat all these ingredients well

           Add 1 cup finely chopped, peeled apple [ I have used Cortland, but I like McIntosh]

           Put into a greased loaf pan.

          Sprinkle a mixture of Cinnamon- Sugar on top.[ Buy premixed shaker or mix 1 tea-

           spoon cinnamon with  2  Tablespoon sugar] adding more or less to your taste.

           Bake at 350* for 50 minutes. Cake tester should come out clean when bread is

           cooked through. Let cool completely before cutting. Slice and eat! Butter or not.

                             When baking with apples other fruits may be added. Dried cranberries

             fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries all blend with the apple. Whether it is a pie,

            apple crisp or even an upside down cake adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup of these fruits make

            a really tasty dish. I know a lady  that always added raisins to her apple pie.[ It was

            actually darn good.! It helps if you like raisins]

                                Do you have a favorite recipe using apples you would like to share?

             Send it to me by email and I will gladly post it .

             If you missed last weeks post, they are all listed on the right hand column. Just click
          
             and each will appear.

             That's it for now. Thank you for taking time-out to read  my blog.

                                   Till next time friend,  this is Jenny

APPLES, APPLES, TO COOK, OR NOT TO COOK!

                                         At this time of year we have  APPLES !!! This fruit tells us fall is here.

                              There are many kinds of apples. Here are a few suggestions as to what

                               kind is best for whatever you may be picking/buying the apples for:

                       
                               BAKING;

                               When baking apples they should hold their shape. Granny Smith is the

                               most popular choice, and Pink Lady a close second because of its

                               sweetness and tartness.

                               Gala and Fuji apples are perfect for cakes and muffins because of their

                               firmness and sweetness.

                               APPLESAUCE OR PUREE;

                               The McIntosh, Jonathan, and crisp Empire are all excellent choices. All

                               three cook down to a very flavorful sauce or puree.

                               SALADS;

                               Red Delicious, Cortland, and the Empire are the most chosen of all.

                               The reason  being they will stay white in your salad, have thin skin and

                                have a mild taste.

                                SNACKING;

                                Red Delicious and Golden Delicious are very popular. If you like crunch

                                Braeburn and Gala are the preferred  choice.Fuji is also a good snacking

                                apple because it sweet, and is perfect to eat with a mild cheese.

                       

                               Apples are nutritious  and are loaded with vitamins. I am sure you heard--

                              " An apple a day keeps the doctor away".

                               There are many uses for apples that I did not mention. A book written by

                               AMY TRAVERSO, titled The Apple Lover's Cookbook is very informative,

                               especially if you want to know what  apples you can "pair  together" when

                                making desserts etc.

                         
                              I hope you will take advantage and use these "tidbits", the next time you

                               buy  your apples.


                             Thank you for visiting my blog, I hope you will come again. And do not

                              just read, but leave me your comment at the bottom of the page.

                             Thanks again.  That is all for today, Jenny

          
                 Do you know the five foods you should not eat?? Click on the link to find out.

                 You will be suprised, I was!

                          


                          

                          

                           

HELPFUL TIPS

             When you want to clean or make your kitchen counters and surrounding areas

             GERM free..and do not want chemical cleaners, use a mixture of vinegar and

             water,  3 Tablespoons vinegar and 1/2 cup water.

           This same mixture of vinegar and water is excellent for cleaning the inside of a

            Microwave.

            With a used fabric softener sheet cleaning the lint from the dryer filter/screen is

            cinch, and it collects all the lint, your hands don't touch it!

            When loading silverware into the dishwasher, if you can take the time to sort each

            compartment--like --forks in one, spoons in another etc., unloading is so much

             faster and easier.

            Want to measure portions, but don't have a foods scale,  make a fist.

             That is a serving!

             If you have never bought parchment paper, you should. It eliminates constant

             cleaning of your cookie sheets and most times can be reused.

            Muffin batter can be put n the muffin tins and refrigerated, covered overnight

            and baked the next morning. Be sure to  let the  chilled  batter sit at room

            temperature before baking.

           If you have a mixer, try using the whip attachment to whip potatoes for 2 minutes.

           Break up potatoes first, you will have lump free fluffy potatoes.




           Till next time, this is Jenny, hoping you enjoy and find you have use for these tips.

            Don't forget to leave me your comments. I appreciate them.
            

          

     

ALL ABOUT WINE

                        Wine seasons fine foods and kindles delight in dining pleasures. Wine can be  

                         served with friends and or family for dinner, lunch, and even with dessert.

                        There are two main headings for wine--imported and domestic--red or white.

                         For daily use these wines are suggested.

                         When serving fish, pork, or other light meat white wine should be the

                          choice. To accompany beef, lamb and other red meats choose a red wine.

                         Desserts and fruits combine best with sweet, dry wine.

                         Dry wines tend to be less sweet. A Chablis and Riesling vary in "dryness"

                         according to brand and year grown.

                        All  sweet white wines, champagnes and sparkling wines, should be

                        thoroughly chilled. When it is served it is drunk cooled or chilled. The sweeter

                        the wine the longer it will take to chill. Up to an hour in a refrigerator.

                       On the other hand red wines should be served at room temperature.

                       Red Burgundy may be served slightly cooler than other red wines.

                       Beaujolais, Arbois, Chinon and a few other red wines have body and

                        can be served chilled. They are the exception to the rule.

                        In addition to the above wines mentioned, Bordeau, Anjois, Alsace and

                        Rhone valley produce excellent French wines. Germany, Italy and France

                        have always been  known for their wine.In America there are many vineyards.

                       Check the Internet for your state or area to see what wines are produced.

                       The state  of Maine has a number of wineries that people might not even

                       know about.

                        There is a huge variety of wine available at supermarkets, your big box stores,

                        [ Sam's, Costco, BJs,]  even stores like Walmart and Kmart. Not counting the

                        grocery and many convenience stores too. When purchasing wine it is very

                        important to read the label. The label gives you the type, variety, and flavor.

                         One thing that is essential information on the label is the GRADE . The higher

                         the rating the better the wine. Ratings over 80 are recommended.

                         The label is also useful in giving you the region it comes from as well as

                         "pairings", meaning, the choices, or choice of food that will go best with the

                          wine.



                          I hope you will click on the comments below and leave me yours, I look

                          forward to reading them. Thanks for taking time to visit. Hope you will

                          come again, Jenny


                        

  

                        Now, here in America we have vineyards that produce great wines.

A LITTLE MORE TOMATO!

                                    
                                     This has been a good year for some gardens in Maine.There has been

                                      an  abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, corn and

                                      other vegetables I haven't even mentioned.The weather was perfect

                                      this year for the berry crop too, especially blueberries

                                       and strawberries.

                                      The recipe I have for you today is another version of a garden salad.




                                                             Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad

                                          3 cups of chopped cucumber

                                          1/4 medium red onion, chopped

                                          1 large tomato, diced

                                          2 ounces of Calamata olives, halved [1/4 cup]

                                          1/2 cup Feta cheese

                                          1/4 cup fresh chopped mint

                                          6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

                                          2 Tablespoons White-wine vinegar

                                          1 teaspoon of granulated sugar [or substitute sweetener ]

                                          Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

                                          Combine Feta cheese, mint, olive oil, vinegar and sugar

                                          in a blender and blend  until thoroughly combined. If dressing

                                          seems too thick add a little water for desired consistency.

                                          Season dressing with salt and pepper. [ freshly ground, if you have it]

                                          Arrange salad on serving plates and pour dressing on top.

                                          Serve at once.


                                
                                      Even the canned tomatoes are a good source of Vitamins A,& E

                                      and lycopene a powerful antioxidant.There are crushed, diced,

                                      petite diced, so even when you no longer have the garden fresh kind

                                      one can still get the benefitial vitamins needed by eating canned.

                                     
                                   Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your comments, Jenny

                                                  

                                     

                                                

I SAY TOMATO, YOU SAY TOMAHTO..

  
                         We all know tomatoes are  good for us. They are rich in lycopene, which has

                         been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers and perhaps help protect us

                         against  heart disease.

                         Cooking fresh tomatoes releases the lycopene. Adding a little olive oil also,

                         helps dissolve the lyopene, so it can be readily absorbed into the

                         bloodstream.

                         One ripe tomato has only 45 calories, but delivers 40% of our daily

                         requirement of Vitamin C and 20% of Vitamin A. Following are a few easy

                         recipes using tomatoes that you might like trying.


                                                           Tomato-Cucumber Salad

                          Whisk together until well blended in a large bowl

                          1/4 cup of each-- light mayo and reduced fat sour cream

                          1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar

                          1 tbsp lime juice

                          Add these ingredients to the dressing stirring gently  to coat;

                          2 Pt cherry tomatoes, halved [4 cups]

                          1 small English cucumber, seeded, thinly sliced

                          3 Tbsp finally chopped scallions

                          3 Tbsp fresh dill

                         This makes 7 cups of salad--serves 5-6 people.



                                                 Fresh  Tomato Soup

                          1 Tbsp olive or canola oil

                          1 cup coarsely chopped onion

                          1 Tbsp minced garlic

                           9 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

                          3/4 tsp salt, or to taste

                          1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

                           Heat oil in 3-4 qt. saucepan over medium low heat.

                            Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.

                           Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to oil, reduce heat to low,

                           cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until

                           tomatoes are very soft.

                          When cool enough to handle, transfer mixture to a blender or food processor

                          in batches, and blend or pulse until soupy but still slightly chunky.

                         I didn't follow these last directions. I put the tomatoes  uncooked 2  cups

                          at a time in a blender, until they were smooth . I found this easier than

                          waiting for them to cool down then blending.

                         This makes 6 cups. Can be eaten hot, warm or even chilled. If you find

                         the tomatoes too acidic for your taste, add a pinch of sugar.

                         I hope you will try this soup as an apetizer or with a grilled cheese.YUM!

                         I welcome any/all comments.Don't be silent, voice your opinion.

                        Thank you, come again. Jenny

                          
                         

SEPTEMBER IS HERE!

             I hope everyone had a great Labor Day. The last big H U R A A H ---ending

             most vacations, getting kids in school and college student back to classes too.

             I had a good day, the day before labor day even though it rained most of the day.

             Now it is time for me to get back to my blog.!

              The first recipe I have for you is a one dish skillet meal that I am sure you are going

              like. It is quick and easy to make. Ingredients that are inexpensive to get, or might

              even have on hand.


                                                        BEEF TACO SKILLET

                       1 lb.ground beef [ or ground turkey ]
              
                       1 can tomato soup

                       1 cup Chunky Salsa or Picante Sauce

                       1/2 cup water

                       8 flour or corn tortillas--broken into 1" pieces

                       1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese

                   Cook beef in skillet. Pour of fat,

                   Add soup, water tortillas and half of the cheese. Heat to boil.

                   Cover and cook on low heat 5 minutes, or until hot .

                   Top each serving with some of the remaining cheese.

         That's it! Kids like this, hope you will try it.