Thursday, November 26, 2009

Reduced Carb Cornbread

I am always trying to control my carbs. This recipe is one that I developed through lots of trial and error. You can cook it in a glass 9 x 9 pan, a standard cake tin, or even a cast-iron dutch oven. In the dutch oven method, I heat the pan and put the shortening in, then just pour the batter in the center of the oil. It works really well this way and you get a crunchy bottom crust.

Reduced Carb Cornbread


Ingredients:
¾ cup cornmeal
1 cup soy flour
½ cup wheat flour
¼ cup splenda
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 beaten eggs
1 cup water
4 tsp wheat gluten
butter or shortening to grease pan

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Grease 9 x 9 glass or metal pan.
3. Mix all ingredients until combined
a. DO NOT OVERMIX – just bring ingredients together (unless you want leather – like cornbread)
4. Pour mixture into pan and bake on middle oven rack for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.


No pictures - cooking for the Holiday. Enjoy and comment if you like the recipe. Feedback is appreciated.

Have an awesome Thanksgiving, and May God Bless You and Yours.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Egg Omelette

Everybody seems to love eggs. I am no exception to this rule. I find that an egg omelette along with a slice of buttered toast and a cup of hot coffee is hard to beat for starting your day right. There are a lot of ways to serve up eggs, but the omelette is one of those dishes that just seem to work for me most of the time.

Utensils:
nonstick frying pan
cup for holding cracked eggs
fork
spatula

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp I can't believe its not butter
2 slices of Turkey Ham, chopped
1 slice American Cheese
salt and pepper to taste
ground red oriental pepper (optional)


Instructions:
1. Crack eggs and place them in a cup. Make sure that the cup has a wide enough top and is deep enough to whisk the eggs in.
2. Set stove on medium low to medium - 3 on an electric stove is ideal.
3. Place butter in the pan. Move the pan around to distribute the butter evenly.
4. Once butter is spread out, whisk eggs and pour them into the pan, spreading them across the entire surface. Add salt and pepper.
5. To expedite cooking, use your spatula to work the egg in, pushing from the outside edges to the center of the pan.
6. Let eggs cook until they appear to be almost done on the top. Do not overcook as they will be like rubber if you do...
7. Place the turkey ham in a row in the center of the omelette. Tear the american cheese into strips and place in the center of the omelette as well.
8. Fold over the omelette.
9. Wait for 30 seconds to a minute to make sure the eggs are set.
10. Remove from pan to a plate. Add some oriental chili or hot sauce if you like.
11. Enjoy!

I have made a brief video of me cooking up this omelette - its fast, its easy and its delicious!

Have a Great Day and God Bless!







Thanks for the music in the video goes to Dan O'Connor at http://DanoSongs.com Really free, really good music.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen
There is a breakdown in the American Family. It appears that we are all too often too busy to do anything with one another. Family members share a unique bond that can never be broken - you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.

It is for this reason that I regularly involve my kids in my cooking. Many times I will have my son or daughter helping me to mix batter, crack eggs, season something, or help get another bowl or pan for cooking. Lots of kids that I talked to when I was teaching said that they didn't know how to cook. Others stated that they did not want to try because it seemed too complicated. This brings me to a question: How are young people going to get a chance to eat a decent meal when they are on their own, UNLESS they are taught how to cook by their parents?

The advantage for the young person is big - he or she might be able to try to save some money or do something with the money that would have been spent on eating out every night. Another important note here - the time spent teaching them while they are still at home is special. It is a chance for the parent and the child to bond and get to know more about each other. I am glad that there were times that my parents involved me in cooking and other everyday activities - I am a better person for it, and I really enjoyed learning from them.

So the next time that you are wanting to make that "special" dish, or do something where you need your kids help, get it. You might hear complaints at first, but it always works out that they have fun, and you will too!

Have a Great Day and God Bless!