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A to Z Recipes Newsletter
May 9, 2005
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Publisher's Desk
Ramblings
Did You Know?
Monthly Theme
Reader Support
Birthday Babies
Discussion Forum
Crazy Corner
Recipe Favorites
Heart Healthy
For Two
Publisher's Choice
Good morning and welcome to your Monday edition of A to Z Recipes. Guess what? We have TWO birthday babies...
Angelique in Texas celebrates her birthday today!!!
Bunnie in Southern California has a special birthday tomorrow!!!
Please drop by the A to Z Discussion Forum to send them a personal wish.
In honor of our birthday babies, I have prepared a very special issue. The recipes were selected especially for them. Based upon the recipes Angelique shares, I have chosen a handful that I hope she will find tasty. And for Bunnie, who requested recipes using imitation crab, I have found some gems. Angelique and Bunnie, may you have the best birthday ever!
Hey, folks... the voting stats have gotten really puny. How about keeping us as one of the top three ezines by placing that vote right now? I appreciate your help. We will lose the third place title this month if we don't get busy. You may vote once daily (and I hope you will). Just register (doesn't cost a penny) and you can vote every day (only costs a minute). Once you register, enter your email address and password in the appropriate area and a minute is all you lose. Thanks.
Oh! Today is my birthday, too. Happy Birthday to ME.
Cookbooks, Recipes, Gourmet Cooking from Amazon
A Recipe for a Long Lasting Friendship
Ingredients ...
Forgiveness. Use generously as you can
never add too much of this to a relationship.
Respect - this ingredient is at its' best
when it works both ways.
Inspiration - this will cause your friendship
to rise above the rest, as it tends to lift
their spirits. (We all need a little of this in
our lives. When it's given by a friend it's even
more appreciated.)
Encouragement - something we could all use a
heaping portion of and is very easily digested!!
Never-ending love - this ingredient is one of
the most important ones of all yet the most
available and easiest to add.
Determination - this is one of the final ingredients
and may be just a little harder to come by at
times but when blended together with the rest
you have a no-fail recipe.
Sprinkle generously with patience, kindness, and
understanding and a dash of humor.
Servings: Many!!!
CUTTING BOARD SAFETY
Never allow raw meat, poultry and fish to come in contact with other foods. Improper washing, such as with a damp cloth, will not remove bacteria. And washing only with soap and water may not do the job, either.
To prevent cross-contamination from a cutting board, the FDA advises consumers to follow these practices:
Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or a non-porous material such as plastic and free of cracks and crevices. These kinds of boards can be cleaned easily. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials.
Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap, and a scrub brush to remove food particles. Then sanitize the boards by putting them through the automatic dishwasher or rinsing them in a solution of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of chlorine bleach in 1 quart (about 1 liter) of water.
Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods and before using them for ready-to-eat foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish. Disposable cutting boards are a newer option, and can be found in grocery and discount chain stores.
(Compiled from the FDA Consumer - latest revision, July 2002)
FDA's Food Information Line
1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366)
Recorded messages 24 hours a day, every day. FDA public affairs specialists available 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Mexican Recipe Favorites
Here's the scoop on the current theme:
There is one type of food that usually gets grandioso reviews: Mexican. During the month of May, we are searching high and low for the best Mexican Recipe Favorites. Send us those family keepers and restaurant taste-likes for all to share here at A to Z Recipes. Make sure to try out my sampler and drop by the rules section to ensure your submissions are acceptable.
Here's a sampler for you:
SOUTHWESTERN LIGHT CHIMICHANGAS
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 t. ground red chiles
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 egg, beaten
2 T. margarine, softened
8 flour tortillas (10"), warmed
Preheat oven to 475.
Brown beef with onion in a skillet. Drain excess grease and add red wine vinegar, red chiles, cinnamon, cloves, green chiles and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Spoon 1/2 cup of meat mixture on the center of each warm tortilla. Fold sides to overlap the folded bottom to cover meat Brush folded ends with beaten egg to seal. Brush each with margarine Place on non-stick pan, seam side down.
Bake uncovered 10-12 minutes.
Top with Salsa if desired.
4 servings
(I add fat-free cheddar cheese atop the mixture before folding the tortilla.)
Please use this link for theme recipes: Mexican Recipe Favorites
A to Z Recipes continues with its popular Theme Issues. We will share theme recipes and post them on the first Sunday of each month. Send your recipes no later than the last Friday of each month to have them posted in the next monthly theme issue. You may send in your favorite theme recipes in ONE email. If the number of recipes submitted by readers exceeds those needed in the issue, the publisher will post as many from every submitter as possible and save the remaining recipes for the following Sundays of that month. The rules for recipe submissions for the monthly theme issues are the same as ALL recipes submitted for posting.
The rules are:
As a service to your fellow readers, please send only recipes that are in a form that others could easily copy and save for their own use. Recipes that would require a lot of editing or cleaning up (ALL caps or NO caps) or use non-standard measurements should not be submitted. Recipes without a name and location of sender may NOT be posted or posted without any credit given. There will be NO recipes posted that are from other recipe-zines. A to Z Recipes protects the privacy of its readers and does NOT publish email addresses. There will be no exceptions.
See the A to Z Recipes Theme Issues collection here:
A to Z Recipes Theme Issues
The theme issue for Mexican Recipe Favorites has a deadline of May 27, 2005, and will be posted on June 5, 2005.
Please use this link for theme recipes: Mexican Recipe Favorites
As usual, only recipes are to be sent to: A to Z Recipes Inbox.
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A to Z Recipes operates solely through reader support. Your donation helps to defray the expenses involved with publishing this newsletter and the web site. There
is no monetary gain involved, only the opportunity for you to offset the Publisher's expenses thereto. You may donate through PayPal, or other methods listed.
To make donations using other methods, go here.
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Would you like to celebrate your birthday with us here at A to Z Recipes? We would love to help you strike up the band and light the candles on that
cake.
Please send your request using this link. Tell us some basic
information:
Your Name
Where you live
Your birthdate
You may include anything else you would like to share such as:
How long you have been with A to Z Recipes
Something about your job and family
Your hobbies
Any special recipe requests
This information will help us get to know you as well as help celebrate your special day. Knowing our a2z family, I am sure it will help others find shared interests
and make new friendships. Because of time constraints, only birthdays shared using the appropriate link and basic information will be considered.
Our discussion forum at QuickTopic is where a2z??™ers go to meet others, swap recipes and give feedback about what is going on in A to Z Recipes. It is
expected that opinions, suggestions, etc. posted there be done with kindness and respect for all involved*. To join in at QT (or just to read) use your web browser
to go to:
A to Z Recipes Discussion Forum
You don't have to register or sign in, and you can choose to receive email for newly posted messages -- just select the button when you get there.
NOTE:
Maybe once you get to the site, you could add it to favorites. Links that are easy to find are more likely to be used again.
*Offensive postings will be deleted by the publisher.
Family Photos!
You may view the
June 2004 A to Z Family Reunion. Check out Leslie and Rusty's pics from the
December 2004 A to Z Family Reunion.
Phone Home
((((RING))))
***Pick Up***
"Hello?"
"Hi honey, this is Daddy, Is Mommy near the phone?"
"No Daddy, She's upstairs in the bedroom with Uncle Mike "
After a brief pause, Daddy says, "But honey, you haven't got an Uncle Mike "
"Oh yes I do, and he's upstairs in the room with Mommy, right now"
**Brief Pause**
"Uh, okay then, this is what I want you to do. Put the phone down on the table, run upstairs and knock on the bedroom door, and shout to Mommy that Daddy's car just pulled into the driveway"
"Okay Daddy, just a minute"
A few minutes later the little girl comes back to the phone.
"I did it Daddy"
"And what happened honey?" he asked.
"Well, Mommy got all scared, jumped out of bed with no clothes on and ran around screaming! Then she tripped over the rug, hit her head on the dresser and now she isn't moving at all!"
"Oh my God!!! What about your Uncle Mike ?"
"He jumped out of the bed with no clothes on too. He was all scared and he jumped out of the back window and into the swimming pool. But I guess he didn't know that you took out the water last week to clean it. He hit the bottom of the pool and I think he's dead"
***Long Pause***
***Longer Pause***
Then Daddy says, "Swimming pool?"... Is this 486 -5731 ???
Looking for a particular recipe, ingredient or submitter?
Search A to Z Recipes Site and Newsletters:
Kitchen Bestsellers from Amazon
BEST BANANA BREAD
This recipe is for Angelique
Makes 1 - 8x4 inch loaf (10 servings).
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and mashed bananas. Mix in flour and baking soda just until combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. If top begins to brown too quickly, decrease heat slightly. Center should be soft and chewy, while the outside, crisp and crunchy.
IMPERIAL CRAB NEWBURG CASSEROLE
This recipe is for Bunnie
Serves: 4
Ready in under 30 minutes
1 pound imitation crab meat
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup cream
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 tablespoons sherry
1 small package slivered almonds
1 cup bread crumbs mixed with enough butter to make a paste
Carefully separate lumps of crabmeat. Place in a shallow baking dish. To make sauce, melt butter and add flour, making a smooth paste. Add cream and bring mixture slowly to a boil. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Add well beaten egg yolks, salt, cayenne, horseradish and sherry. Cook over low heat for 3 extra minutes. Pour over crabmeat. Crush a cup of croutons: mix these with a small package of slivered almonds and enough melted butter to make a paste. Spread top of mixture with paste and bake at 350 degrees until brown.
CHIPOTLE SHRIMP OVER RICE
This recipe is for Angelique
1 can (14.5 ounces) fat-free chicken broth
3/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups "instant" (5-minute) rice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion (for ?? cupstrips)
1 medium green bell pepper (for 3/4 cup chopped)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onions
1 small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 to 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (for 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped), see note
1 tablespoon honey
1 pound already-peeled medium-size raw shrimp, see note
Place the chicken broth and water in a 2-quart saucepan, cover the pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. When the broth boils, uncover the pan and stir in the rice, then re-cover and remove the pan from the heat. Let the pan stand, covered, for 5 minutes or until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch extra-deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Peel the onion and cut it in half. Cut each half into crescent-shaped slices about 1/4 inch wide. Add the onion slices to the skillet as you cut them. Rinse and seed the bell pepper and cut it into bite-size pieces. Add the pieces to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato sauce. Finely chop the chipotle peppers and add them to the skillet. Add the honey and stir to mix well. Add the shrimp, raise the heat to medium-high, and stir and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Serve at once over hot rice.
Serves 4.
Note: Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are found in the Mexican foods section of a supermarket. They are very hot, so add them to taste. If you can't find chipotles, substitute hot pepper sauce and a drop of liquid smoke to taste. We tested this recipe using medium-sized (36 to 40 count) shrimp. If you can't find already-peeled raw shrimp, you can substitute already-peeled cooked shrimp. Just stir them into the sauce in step 3 and cook only until heated through.
CRAB QUICHE
This recipe is for Bunnie
Serves 6
1 pound crab meat (imitation works great)
1/4 pound sliced bacon cooked and crumbled
1 (9") unbaked pie crust (deep dish)
1/4 pound of Swiss cheese, shredded
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon of salt
pinch of parsley and garlic powder
dash of ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook bacon until crisp. Sprinkle cheese, crab and most of bacon in pie shell. In bowl beat eggs, half and half, and spices. Pour in pie crust, bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, turn back oven to 325 degrees and bake for 20 extra minutes. Garnish with remaining bacon. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This recipe is for Angelique
1 cup (110 grams) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 pound (340 grams) raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups finely grated)
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) safflower or canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound (454 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/2 cups (275 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
finely grated lemon zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Garnish:
1/4 cup toasted and finely ground pecans (optional) and/or Marzipan Carrots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two - 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper.
Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.
To assemble: place one cake, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread with about a third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top side down, onto the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, garnish the top of the cake with finely ground toasted pecans or marzipan carrots (see below). Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Serves 10 - 12.
Frosting:
In bowl of electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice.
Marzipan Carrots:
To make the carrots you will need: Marzipan and orange and green icing colors (can use liquid or paste food coloring)
Knead a small amount of orange food coloring into the marzipan until the color is distributed and is the desired color. Shape into carrots, using a toothpick to make veins.
Knead a small amount of green food coloring into the marzipan and make the carrot tops.
Marzipan is a cooked mixture of finely ground almonds, sugar, and water. It is slightly sweeter and firmer than almond paste and has a smoother texture. It can be colored and rolled out to cover cakes and pastries, or formed into shapes. It comes in plastic-wrapped rolls.
DEVILLED CRAB CHEESE BALL
This recipe is for Bunnie
1 pound imitation crabmeat
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Mix together imitation crab, cream cheese, onion, celery, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into a ball, place on a plate, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.
TASTY ROASTED VEGETABLES
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano OR
1 tablespoon each minced fresh basil and oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Combine the remaining ingredients; drizzle over vegetables. Stir to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender.
Serves 6.
Nutritional Analysis: One 3/4-cup serving (prepared without salt) equals: 80 calories, 13 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 14 gm carbohydrate, 2 gm protein, 3 gm fat
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat
PASTA & ARTICHOKES IN GARLIC SAUCE
Makes 2 servings
4 ounces small uncooked seashell pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig fresh basil, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add seashell pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Mix in the garlic, basil, and artichoke hearts, and cook 5 minutes, until heated through. Toss with the cooked pasta to serve.
OLIVE GARDEN SHRIMP PRIMAVERA
Sauce:
6 T. butter or margarine
1 T. garlic, fresh, minced
1 oz. package Knorr Newburg Sauce ( or similar)
32 oz. crushed tomatoes, canned
1 1/2 T. lemon juice, fresh
1/4 t. (or to taste) red pepper, crushed
1/2 t. basil, dry
1/4 t. marjoram, dry
1/2 t. black pepper
Pasta:
1 lb. fresh Linguine (or quality dry pasta)
Vegetables:
1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved (or quartered if large)
1 C. green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
1 C. red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 C. yellow onion, cut into 1 inch squares
2 T. butter for saut?©ing
Shrimp:
1 lb. medium to large fully cooked shrimp, thawed and drained.
Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook one minute. Add remaining spice and tomato ingredients, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Saute vegetables about 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Add to the sauce and simmer 5 minutes more.
Cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is almost done, stir shrimp into sauce to heat through. do not boil. Spoon Shrimp Primavera over hot linguine. Pass Parmesan cheese.
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