Daily Archives: July 7, 2012
Porter House Meatloaf
My husband LOVES himself some meatloaf. So when I was inspired to make him this retro classic I looked to no other than the Queen of Southern Cuisine – Paula Deen. Taking her advice as I always do, I made the recipe according to her precise measurements. We were in LOVE but when the second time came around to make this dish I had a few extra spices and seasonings in the house and I decided to add them to the mix. As if it wasn’t good already, it was even better. So from that point on I have been making it the re-mix way. Like the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix
- Glaze Topping
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Honey Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a skillet saute diced onion and bell pepper until they become tender.
Next in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, tomato paste, onions, green pepper, oats, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and soup mix. Shape mixture and place in a loaf pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Slather the glaze on top of the meat loaf and bake until the meat loaf is firm and cooked all the way through, about 1 hour. Serve hot with your favorite side dish & Enjoy!
* Chef’s Tip – Leftovers make a killer sandwich 🙂
Recipe was re-mixed from Paula Deen: Aunt Peggy’s Meatloaf @ http://www.foodnetwork.com
Southern Banana Pudding
How many times have I made banana pudding for my family? Let me count the times. LOL. I can remember the very first time I made this delectable delight as if is it was yesterday. And as fast as you can say banana pudding it was all gone. That’s just how much they loved it. To this day I have been making it ever since. Countless times. Try this recipe today it will sure to become a family favorite.
-
Ingredients
- 1 box of Vanilla Wafers
- 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
- 4 cups milk
- 2 (3-oz) box instant Vanilla pudding
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-oz) container of cool whip
Instructions
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend with a handheld mixer. Using another bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Next fold in 3/4 of the the cool whip to the mixture.
Now line the bottom of a 13×9 dish with a layer of vanilla wafers. Then a layer of 3-4 bananas. Next layer half the pudding mixture on top of the wafers and bananas. Repeat the layers with the remaining wafers, bananas and pudding. Top dessert with remaining cool whip and garnish with a few crumbled vanilla wafers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
*TIP: Give this dish a more elegant flare by using Chessmen Cookies
Will McDonald’s and Coke Be Banned at 2012 Olympic Games?
The London Assembly finds fast food and sugary drinks inappropriate for the athletic contest
By: Sean Flynn, Junior Writer July 06, 2012 @ 2:54 PM
While McDonald’s finalizes plans to open its largest store in celebration of the London Olympics, it doesn’t appear that the celebratory sentiment is shared by all. Opponents of the burger giant and Coca-Cola are increasing their efforts to ban the popular fast food giants from the London 2012 Games according to the Huffington Post.
The London Assembly has voted on a call to ban the two mega sponsors from the London 2012 Games. The argument is that high-calorie drink and high-fat fast food companies should not financially support the display of the world’s best athletic talent, reported the Huffington Post.
The motion agreed upon on Wednesday calls for a host of issues to be addressed for future Olympic Games. Plans call for the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to recommend that the International Olympic Committee selects sponsors with no relation to unhealthy food or drink and for the Mayor of London to encourage the organizers to select sponsors for sporting events that don’t include food or drink. Lastly, the motion calls for restrictions on advertising at major sporting events by food and drink companies, according to The Telegraph.
Both companies have a long history with the Olympic Games making the potential ban that much more difficult. Coca-Cola is the longest-running sponsor of both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games dating back to 1928, according to the Coca-Cola website. McDonald’s became a sponsor in 1968, when the company airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes in Grenoble, France after they reported being homesick for McDonald’s food, according to McDonald’s.
Sean Flynn is a Junior Writer for The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @BuffaloFlynn
Copyright 2012 Spanfeller Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Daily Meal is a registered trademark of Spanfeller Media Group, Inc
Many Benefits Of Coconut Oil
By: Alicia French
IS THIS TRENDY FAT HEALTHY
OR HYPE?
We vote “healthy” — and there are several reasons that back us up. Coconut oil offers a variety of benefits whether used in cooking or as a beauty treatment. You’ll want to be sure you get in on this trend for the sake of your health.
Like any food, quality is important if you want the greatest benefits. When shopping for coconut oil, you should look for organic, cold-pressed, extra-virgin oil. The process by which coconut oil is made can greatly impact both its health benefits and its taste. Avoid products that were heat-processed, hydrogenated, bleached, deodorized, refined or include preservatives or additives.
Not all fats are considered equal
We’ve been trained to steer clear of saturated fats, and coconut oil is high in saturated fat. But before you write off this nutritional powerhouse as just another fatty food, you should know that the saturated fat in coconut oil has actually been shown to help people lose weight. Coconut is a natural oil and the fat is inherent in the fruit itself, not artificially created as in margarine or hydrogenated oils.
Perfect for cooking
Just about every other oil available breaks down during high heat, and some studies have linked the use of highly heated oils to health problems, even including cancer. Frying with most oils destroys the antioxidants and oxidizes the oil, creating toxic compounds. Coconut oil can withstand high heat and is one of the most stable oils you can use, meaning it won’t break down as soon as the heat goes up. Coconut oil can also be used in place of butter when baking for a healthier or vegan option. The oil will give your food a slight coconut flavor.
A natural beauty product
Coconut oil can act as an antioxidant for your skin as well and can be used in place of lotion or even lip balm. Women can use it to remove eye makeup and men can use it in place of shaving cream. Using coconut oil on your face may even help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Since it is completely natural and chemical-free, it is ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Health benefits
Unlike many fats, coconut oil has been shown to actually slim people down when they consume it. The reason is that coconut oil actually boosts your metabolism and helps your body burn calories more efficiently. In addition, most other fats are stored by your body, while the fat in coconut oil is less likely to be stored and more likely to be burned for energy.
Other reported health benefits include:
- Faster cell regeneration
- Improved immune function
- Improved energy level
- Heart health advantages
- Improved thyroid function
- Stabilized blood sugar in diabetics
- Improved calcium and magnesium absorption, leading to better bone health
Thanks to the versatility of coconut oil, adding it to your shopping list might just save you money. However the financial benefits are just a bonus, on top of all the beneficial effects this super-food can have on your health.
More on coconut oil
Cuckoo for coconut oil
Coconut oil: 12 Inexpensive beauty products to make at home
Beauty DIY: Make a coconut oil hair mask
© Copyright 2003 – 2012, SheKnows LLC, A Division of AtomicOnline LLC, All Rights Reserved
So just how HOT is it? Apparently dashboard oven hot.
Click on link to watch video: Tennessee Woman Bakes Cookies In Car
I know that we have all heard the expression, “It is so HOT I can fry an egg outside.” Well to one Tennessee woman she literally took that expression and ran with it. All the way to her car to bake cookies that is. YES I said cookies. And YES I said in her car. Now call me crazy but is this safe? In my eyes the Chef this just breaks all the health code violations. I can see if you were doing a science project of some sort but she was making these cookies as a delicious treat and took the liberty of eating one on TV. True her car probably smelt good after it was all said and done but No Thanks! I would rather bake mine in the kitchen.
The Impromptu “Stay-In” Date Night
You see I am a well thought out person. I love to plan and to have every little detail organized. But tonight it didn’t happen that way. For starters I was drained. I felt as if I was hit with a Mack truck or had a serious case of jet lag. So in true lazy fashion I talked myself out of cooking dinner and opt’d for the good ole take out. Asking my husband gingerly, “Sweetie you want pizza tonight?” His reply was “YES!” of course. Like I knew it would be because this house LOVES pizza. So now the un-plan was in motion. We ordered the pizza & made a salad while we wait. Once the pizza arrived we fixed our plates and sat down to a very nice dinner. Afterwards we cleaned the kitchen and settled in to watch a movie that I had pre-recorded on the DVR. And you want to know the best part of it all, Sweetie stayed awake. Usually he tends to get the i-tis and I have to stop it and plan to watch it at a later time. But NOPE not today. We watch the complete movie in its entirety. This was a great impromptu “Stay-In” date night. And to think it wasn’t even planned. It’s times we share like this that are just Priceless. Just simply Priceless.
“I have found the one whom my soul LOVES …” Song of Solomon 3:4
Looking Back
READ: Genesis 48:8-16
God . . . has fed me all my life long to this day. —Genesis 48:15
George Matheson, best known for the hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go,” wrote another song titled “Ignored Blessings,” in which he looks back to “the road gone by.” It was by looking back he could see that his heavenly Father had led him all the way.
God has an itinerary for each of us, a “course” that we must run (see Acts 20:24 and 2 Tim. 4:7). Our route is charted in the councils of heaven and rooted in the sovereign purposes of God.
Yet our choices are not irrelevant. We make decisions every day, large and small, some of which have life-altering consequences. The question—aside from the confounding mystery of God’s sovereignty and human choice—is this: How can we discern the course to be run?
The answer is clearer to me now that I’m older and have more of the past to look back on. By looking back, I see that God has led me all the way. I can truthfully say, “God has been my shepherd all my life to this day” (Gen. 48:15 NIV). Though clouds surround the present and I do not know what the future may hold, I have the assurance that the Shepherd will show me the way. My task is to follow Him in love and obedience, and trust each step to Him. —David Roper
O Father of light and leading,
From the top of each rising hill
Let me cast my eye on the road gone by
To mark the steps of Thy will. —Matheson
We can trust our all-knowing God for the unknown future.
Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. – To read more stories of Our Daily Bread visit www.odb.org.
I Am Lady Fab 