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.

THE LAST "HOLIDAY" ENDING SUMMER!

                                                       

                 HI TO ANYONE/EVERYONE OF MY FRIENDS READING THIS,

 WELL LABOR DAY WEEKEND IS HERE..ALWAYS WAS A BIG FAMILY DAY

OF BARBECUING, EATING, LAUGHING AND JUST PLAIN FUN! KIDS SWUNG ON

 HOME MADE SWINGS, PLAYED TAG, KICK THE CAN, EVEN HIDE AND SEEK.

SOME OF THE ADULTS PLAYED CROQUET.

TIMES SURE HAVE CHANGED.NOW KIDS ARE LISTENING TO I POD'S,TEXTING,

AND PLAYING WITH EITHER THEIR VIDEO GAMES OR X-BOX.

ADULTS STILL PLAY CROQUET , CHAT AND PLAY CARDS.

I KNOW, EVERYTING IS DIFFERENT, I AM NOT YOUNG ANY MORE FOR ONE.

SOME FAMILIES DO GET TOGETHER AND  STILL.HAVE A FUN TIME.

ONCE YOU HAVE LOST LOVED ONES OVER THE YEARS--BOTH

MY MOTHER AND FATHER, A SISTER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

 DEAR HUSBAND, AND NUMEROUS OTHER RELATIVES AND FRIENDS,

TIMES ARE NEVER THE SAME. OH YOU TRY , BUT BY THE END OF THE DAY

YOU FEEL LIKE YOU REALLY DON'T CARE FOR THE "GET TOGETHER" ANY MORE.

SETTING ALL THAT ASIDE I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND.

I WILL BE BACK THE WEEKEND FOLLOWING LABOR DAY.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING. PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT, SO I'LL KNOW

YOU WERE HERE, ALONG WITH ANY SUGGGESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANKS AGAIN, JENNY

ANOTHER QUICK AND EASY

  

                                                             BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA

                        12   inch pizza crust, ready made,  purchased , [or recipe following]

                        BBQ Sauce, original, unless you have a specific one you like,

                       1 cup of cooked chicken, shredded {use two forks to pull apart]

                       1/2 of a red onion sliced really thin

                       3 Tablespoons finally chopped cilantro leaves

                       1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

                       3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

                      

                        Preheat oven to 400*

                        Put the chicken in a small bowl, toss with BBQ sauce, amounts vary,
\
                        Enough to cover the chicken[ not drenched]. Set aside.

                        On a floured surface, roll out dough and place on lightly sprayed

                        baking sheet/pizza  pan.

                        Spoon about 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce on dough [1/4 inch from edge.]

                        Sprinkle cheeses,and onions over sauce,Spread chicken over top.

                        Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

                       Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.


                       Store bought pizza shells, ready made dough , or your own recipe

                       can be used. The more you roll out the pizza dough, the thinner  the crust.

                       I have made this recipe and rolled out my dough to 14 1/2 inches

                       for a crispy crust. I really liked it. Hope you will give it a try.


                                                          Jenny's  Pizza Dough Recipe

                       1 Cup warm water

                       1 cup of  WHITE WHEAT FLOUR

                       1 Cup of all purpose flour

                      1 Package of dry yeast

                      4 Tablespoons olive oil

                       1/4 teaspoon salt

               
                    If you have a mixer, this is easy. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm water in mixer bowl,

                    with  dough hook attached. Add flour to the water in mixing bowl

                    Mix till combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Combine remaining water

                    [ 1/4 cup] and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand till bubbly.

                    Add yeast mixture, oil, and salt; mix 5 minutes or till dough forms a ball.

                    Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough

                    with plastic wrap which is sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

                   Refrigerate 24 hours.

                    Make the dough a day ahead. Also this dough can be frozen.

                    When you refrigerate dough, let stand covered for  1 hour.

                    If frozen, defrost in refrigerator overnight, then proceed  with above directions.

                    If you find it difficult to handle the dough, put a little oil in your hands.

                    This is not a "quick" recipe, but if you have the time give it a try.

                    

                   Let me know your results by leaving me a comment at the bottom of this page.

                   Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you will come again, Jenny