Healthy cooking tips, recipes, food facts and more from a Registered Dietitian!
E. – Sides -
Cornbread Dressing
Nov 24th
I also asked my mom to share her Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing recipe with me. Here in the South, it’s Cornbread Dressing, NOT STUFFING!
One making of cornbread, made in a 10″ iron skillet. If you don’t have one, here is one to use:
Sift together:
1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups corn meal
Then add: 2 cups milk or chicken broth
1/2 cup oil
2 beaten eggs
Bake at 400° for about 20-30 min.
Dressing:
Cornbread Recipe Above
1 onion, chopped,
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
3 bay leaves, crumbled
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Saute your onion, bell pepper, and celery in a little bit of oil along with all the rest of the seasonings. After your cornbread has cooled a little, crumble it into a large bowl and add your sauteed seasonings and mix well.
Several cups of Chicken Broth
2-3 boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 raw eggs, beaten
finely torn loaf bread (2-4 pieces)
Add your chopped boiled eggs, your beaten eggs, and 2 pieces of bread. Add more as needed.
Use Chicken Broth to moisten your dressing. You don’t want it runny, but it will dry out as you bake it. You will need to taste test for salt and pepper. Add more as needed. It is best to make the dressing a day or two ahead and keep in the refrigerator. It gives the flavors a chance to “marry.” When you are ready to bake it, bake in a 350° oven for about an hour, or until is has begun to brown and set. It is best not to stir while baking.
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Loading ...Sweet Potato Casserole
Oct 7th
6 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons light butter
1/4 cup Splenda
1/4 cup brown sugar + extra for the top
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
Wash sweet potatoes and cut into large sections. Boil sweet potatoes until tender. Drain and slip skins off.
Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add light butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Beat in Splenda, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.
Place sweet potato mixture into a greased 9″ square casserole dish (really any similarly sized casserole dish will work). Sprinkle with extra brown sugar and pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the brown sugar on top melts and potatoes are again hot all the way through.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Wild Rice & Cranberry Salad
Sep 9th
1 pkg long grain and wild rice (Uncle Ben’s is good)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup broccoli flowerettes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 2-oz. jar pimento
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
Prepare rice according to directions, cool completely. Combine rice and next 5 ingredients. Add dressing and chill at least 2 hours. Mix in peanuts just before serving.
SWEET AND SOUR DRESSING
1/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use less about 1/3 cup)
Mix all in a jar and shake, pour over rice mixture.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Steamed Veggies
Aug 29th
Yet another favorite way to cook broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and vegetable blends is to steam them. I, thanks to wedding gifts (and a find at Dirt Cheap), I have 3 ways to steam my veggies.
- Electric Vegetable Steamer/Rice Cooker – this was my Dirt Cheap $6 find! My steamer cooks rice to perfection and also steams vegetables wonderfully!
- Steamer Basket – I got a cool green silicone steamer basket as a wedding gift (which I love!), 
.but my mom has always had a metal one from the supermarket which works great, too. What I love about the silicone basket is that it is easier to get out of your pot without getting burned and the food cooks really even. It’s also a cinch to clean.
- Micro-steamer – I also received a really neat Micro-Steamer as a wedding gift from Pampered Chef. I just got it the other day and can’t wait to try it out!
How To:
- To steam with an electric or micro steamer, read the instructions.
- To steam with a steamer that fits in a boiler, fill your boiler with water to the base of the steamer (the STEAM cooks your food, the food shouldn’t be in the water). Place your veggies in the steamer basket, season, and close the lid, allowing your vegetables to cook for about 10 minutes or until tender-crisp.
Seasonings:
- You can choose your seasonings based on what you have a taste for. I’ve known people to put lemon juice, garlic, and other seasonings right into the water. We normally season our steamed vegetables with Seasoning Salt and Lemon Pepper. Basil, Garlic, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper are all great for seasoning, too!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Benefits of Frozen Vegetables
Aug 28th
If you haven’t noticed from reading this newsletter, I have become a huge fan of frozen vegetables. With just Ryan and I in the house, I have nearly cried throwing away several different fresh vegetables that we just couldn’t eat up fast enough!
Buying frozen or freezing vegetables has worked great for us. As soon as I notice onions beginning to wilt, I shoot them through my food processor, place them in bags, and freeze them. Wilting mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, etc work great in the freezer as well. Then, I can pull out these great veggies when I’m ready for them.
Freezing also allows you to catch sales. If you know you can freeze a big bag of onions that’s on sale for half price, you’ll be able to enjoy half price onions much longer!
Check out the prices in the frozen aisle if you’re watching your budget. I’ve found bell pepper, broccoli, and several other vegetables to be much cheaper frozen than fresh. While fresh is still the best for your health most of the time, frozen is better for you than canned foods and won’t spoil as quickly as fresh foods.
Now, if only I could have a second freezer here at the apartment!
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