Newspaper Page Text
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WEDNESAY,
MARCH 9, 2005
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carte
Tazotogo
Tazo Tea now
comes ready to
drink in bottles, >
s.
with a wide
variety of fla
vors including
teas with juice
in them. |
Flavors
include , Plum
Delicious,
Bramberry,
Mango,
Englightened
Lemon and
Giant Peach
with a number
of caffeine-free options.
(Tazo teas are also available
in bags.)
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Lunch in a box:
Smart Ones Lemon Herb
Chicken Piccata
This meal, while reason
ably filling, is merely run
of-the mill as “lean” frozen
meals go.
There’s not as much
“lemon herb” flavoring as
you might expect, but there
are plenty of chicken
chunks.
One thing about the
chicken, though: The pack
age promises “grilled tender
white meat chicken,” and
they got it right, except for
the “grilled” part. A close
reading of the ingredients
reveals that the illusion of
“grilled” is accomplished
with “caramel color.” That’s
not how I grill.
All of which contributes
to this meal’s mediocrity.
Skip it; you won’t miss it.
Calories: 250
Total fat: 5g (8% DV)
Saturated fat: 1.5 g (8%
DV)
Total Carbs: 36g (12% DV)
Net wt.: 9 oz.
Overall rating: 2.5 (out of
5)
- Rex Gambill
Making Irish Coffee
St. Pat’s day is right
around the corner, so if you
want to enjoy the tradition
al Irish Coffee, here’s a
recipe with some tips.
1 jigger of Irish
Whiskey
2 teaspoons sugar
Fresh hot (strong) cof
fee
Fresh whipping cream
Whip the cream until it
is just slightly thick
ened.
If you’re using a tumbler
or wine glass, heat it with
hot running water just
before pouring the coffee in.
Pour whiskey and coffee
into the glass, and stir in
sugar. Carefully spoon a
half-inch layer of cream on
top of the coffee. Do not stir
the cream into the coffee.
Hearth&fHome
St’iawhe.l’im tee as on is keie
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
It’s strawberry season again.
They’re plentiful in local grocery
stores, and the Perry Exchange
Club is selling them at sl4 a flats,
fresh from Florida, with pickup on
March 18 and 19 at Advance Auto
Parts.
So what are you going to do with
all those delicious berries?
Here are some new ideas, along
with some traditional ones.
Berry Blender Ice Cream
2 cups strawberries, sliced
with sugar added, and frozen
overnight
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine cream and eggs in
blender or food processor fitted
with metal blade; whirl 2 seconds.
Drop in frozen strawberries, a
chunk at a time. Whirl until
smooth, turning on and off and
scraping side of container as need
ed. Stir in lemon juice. Spoon into
serving dishes. Note: Ice cream can
be made ahead, covered, and stored
in freezer. Remove 15 minutes
before serving. Makes about 1 1/4
cups.
Source: Calif. Strawberry
Commisssion
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Chocolate Covered
Strawberries
12 strawberries, with stalks
on
1 cup Nestle Dark, Milk or
White Melts; or 1/3 cup of each
melt variety
Cover an oven tray with foil or
baking paper.
Wash the strawberries and dry
them thoroughly on paper towels.
Melt the Dark, Milk or White
Melts according to instructions on
the packet (You can melt chocolate
in the microwave, or on the stove
top).
Holding the strawberries by the
stalk, dip them into the melted
chocolate. Place on the tray.
Leave to set Use immediately, or
refrigerate and use within 4 hours.
Strawberry Freezer Jam
with powdered pectin
Makes & or 6 half-pint jars.
2 cups crushed strawberries
(about 1 quart berries)
A cause (op celebration: Cookbook has entertaining solutions
By LAURA INGALLS GUNN
HHJ Lifestyle Writer
It is no secret that I love
to host gatherings in my
home. Any excuse is a good
one to invite those who are
near and dear over for what
hopefully will be a memo
rable time.
What is not widely known
though is that I agonize for
days, sometimes weeks, on
what food and drink should
be served.
For many people this is a
common problem. You may
know what entree or
dessert you’d like to serve,
but may be at a loss as to
what should accompany it.
For that reason,l was
intrigued to receive a copy
of the cookbook
“Celebrate!” by Sheila
Lukins.
The introduction lists 43
celebrations and 350
recipes of complete menu
ideas for dozens of tradi
tional calendar celebra
tions. It also covers entrees,
side dishes and desserts to
- i ■- 1
4 s #
cups JM| __ T.'.
sugar A
1 pack- *
age pow
dered pectin
1 cup water
To prepare fruit sort
and wash fully ripe berries.
Drain. Remove caps and stems;
crush berries.
To make jam. Place prepared
berries in a large mixing bowl. Add
sugar, mix well, and let stand for 20
minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dissolve pectin in water and boil
for 1 minute. Add pectin solution to
berry-and-sugar mixture; stir for 2
minutes. Pour jam into freezer con
tainers or canning jars, leaving 1/2
inch space at the top. Cover con
tainers and let stand at room tem
perature for 24 hours or until jam
has set
To store. Store uncooked jams in
refrigerator or freezer. They can be
held up to 3 weeks in a refrigerator
or up to a year in a freezer. If kept
at room temperature they will mold
or ferment in a short time. Once a
container is opened, jam should be
stored in the refrigerator and used
within a few days.
Note: If jam is too firm, stir to
soften. If it tends to separate, stir to
blend. If it is too soft, bring it to a
boil. It will thicken on cooling.
Source:
U.S. Dept, of Agriculture (USDA)
Strawberry Pudding Cake
2 1/2 cups angel food cake
1 large box vanilla instant
pudding
Milk for pudding
3 cups fresh strawberries,
sliced
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip
Tear cake into little pieces and
cover bottom of 5 dessert dishes.
Mix pudding according to direc
tions on box; pour over cake.
Spread fresh strawberries over
pudding mixture. Top with Cool
Whip. Refrigerate if not served
immediately. NOTE: A 7 x 9 inch
dish may be used instead of the
dessert dishes.
Strawberry Sundae Salad
1 pint strawberries, rinsed,
hulled & sliced
1/4 cup fresh orange juice,
REVIEW
help create celebrations of
other exciting life events
such as a new job or a
springtime bridal shower.
Even a simple Saturday
night gathering with
friends is listed as an occa
sion to combine good food
and fun.
The recipes are fairly easy
to follow and contain ingre
dients that are obtainable
in most supermarkets.
Lukins also provides good
divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 lb. (2 cups) cottage cheese
1 teaspoon grated fresh
orange peel
12 cup granola cereal
Salad greens
Combine in electric blender con
tainer 1 cup sliced strawberries, 2
Ts orange juice and sugar. Cover
and process until pureed. Mix cot
tage cheese with remaining 2 table
spoons orange juice, orange peel
and granola cereal. Arrange salad
greens on 4 individual serving
plates, topping each with 1/2 cup
cottage cheese mixture and remain
ing sliced strawberries. Serve with
pureed strawberry sauce (see recipe
below) and sprinkle with additional
granola cereal, if desired. Yield: 4
servings.
Pureed Strawberry Sauce
1 pint fresh strawberries,
hulled
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or
lime juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a food processor, combine
strawberries, sugar, lemon or lime
juice and vanilla. Puree, then chill.
Serve sauce over custard, ice cream
or pound cake. Yield: 2 cups.
Strawberry Cream Pie
1 package (4-serving size)
vanilla instant pudding and pie
filling
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons grated orange
rind
2 cups frozen whipped top
ping, thawed (plus extra for
garnish, if desired) (1 8-ounce
container equals 3 1/2 cups)
1 prepared 9-inch graham
cracker pie crust
2 cups fresh strawberries,
hulled, rinsed and patted dry
In a large bowl, combine the
vanilla pudding mix, sour cream,
milk, and orange rind. Add the
whipped topping and beat with a
tips for the novice cook as
well as interesting history
and background informa
tion and customs for certain
holidays.
The colored photography
by Melanie Acevedo is just
beautiful.
1 know for many people it
is almost impossible to cook
without having a great pic
ture as your guide and this
book delivers.
But what I considered the
best aspect of the book was
that Lukins includes music
suggestions and drink selec
tions along with fantastic
tabletop decorating ideas.
It is truly an “everything
but the kitchen sink” cook
book.
Here’s a recipe from
“Celebrate” just for St.
Patrick’s Day.
Potato Leek Soup
4 leeks
2 tablespoons distilled
white vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter
2 tablespoons extra
virgin olive oil
2 onions, halved and
thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic,
chopped
4 russet potatoes
(about 8 ounces each),
peeled and thinly sliced
5 cups of chicken
broth
2 tablespoons fresh
lemon juice
Salt and freshly
ground pepper, to taste
2 1/2 cups heavy
(whipping) cream
2 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup snipped fresh
chives, for garnish
Chive blossoms, if
available, for garnish
Trim the roots and tough
outer leaves from the leeks
and discard them. Trim the
remaining leaves to about 2
inches. Cut the leeks in half
lengthwise. Stir the vinegar
into a large bowl of water,
add the leeks and soak for
30 minutes. Then rinse,
wire whisk
for 1 minute or
until well blended. Spoon half the
mixture into the pie crust Press the
strawberries, stem-side down, into
the mixture, then top with the
remaining mixture. Freeze the pie
for about 1 hour or refrigerate for 3
hours before serving. Garnish with
additional whipped topping and/or
strawberries. Yield: 6 to 8
Strawberry Cream
Cheese Mold
2 (8-ounce) packages cream
cheese, softened
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar - depend
ing on sweetness of berries
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup whipping cream,
whipped
Beat cream cheese and sugar
with mixer until light and fluffy.
Fold in strawberries and whipped
cream. Turn into 5-6 cup mold.
Freeze at least 8 hours. Let stand at
room temperature 30 minutes;
unmold. Garnish with mint or
strawberries.
Yield: 10 (1/2-cup) servings
Chocolate Strawberry
Shortcake
6 cup strawberries
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup Hershey cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 teaspoon confectioners’
sugar
Select 6 strawberries and set
aside. Slice remaining strawberries.
Combine sliced strawberries and
1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
Turn oven to 450 degrees. Grease
8” round pan.
In medium mixing bowl combine
flour, cocoa, remaining 1/2 cup
sugar, baking powder and salt Cut
in butter until mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Combine egg and
See STRAWBERRIES, page 7A
drain and dice the leeks.
'Melt the butter in the
olive oil in a large heavy pot
over low heat. Add the
leeks, onions and garlic and
cook, stirring occasionally,
until well softened, 15 min
utes.
Add the potatoes, broth
and lemon juice. Raise the
heat to medium-high and
bring to a boil. Then reduce
the heat to medium-low and
simmer, partially covered,
until the potatoes are ten
der, 40 minutes. Season
with salt and pepper and
allow to cool slightly.
Puree the soup, in batch
es, in a blender, leaving a
bit of texture. Transfer the
pureed soup to a clean pot
and stir in the cream and
milk. Season to taste. If
serving the soup hot, reheat
it very slowly over low heat;
do not boil. If serving it
cold, chill it well. Serve the
soup garnished with chives
and chive blossoms if avail
able.
6A