Food For Thought

May 23, 2010

An Apple a Day

Filed under: Nutrition, family, holidays — Tags: , , , , — Anne Coleman @ 10:24 pm

Though Ben Franklin may have written the term, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ in Poor Richard’s Almanack, it certainly wasn’t the origin of the saying. No one is 100% sure where it was first spoken, but there’s a lot of truth to the statement.

With over 7,500 varieties grown, the apple is the most commonly eaten fruit on the planet. Add to that the fact that it’s good for you, and you have a sure-fire winner. Packed with fiber and rich in potassium and vitamin C, it’s a health-kick in a small and portable form.

But, let’s talk recipes. The apple is used in everything from sweet to savory dishes and eaten as a snack, a side, a dessert and even a main dish. I know my favorite is apple pie and I bet the rest of my family feels the same. Even so, with Father’s Day coming up, I wanted something a little different.

Every dad I know loves grilling and consuming grilled food. This recipe starts dad’s day off with a breakfast cooked on the grill. You can also serve this one up when camping. It’s easy, quick and sure to please.

Grilled Apples and Sausage with Pancakes
Serves 4

1 pound bulk pork sausage shaped into patties or 1 pound pre-made sausage patties
2 large apples – we like Granny Smith – the tart blends well with maple syrup

Heat grill to medium.
Core apples and slice into 1/4-inch slices.
Form sausage into patties.
Grill sausage for 4 to 5 minutes per side. When turning sausages, add apple slices and cook until sausages are done and apples are tender.
Serve with pancakes and syrup.

March 18, 2010

Corned Beef Hash

Filed under: Quick Meal Tips, leftovers — Tags: , , — Anne Coleman @ 9:33 am

The day after St. Patrick’s Day in our home is always a hash day.  Our heritage is deep with Irish roots and there wouldn’t be a St. Paddy’s Day without corned beef and cabbage. Even with 9 of us, we still wind up with leftovers and I look forward to it. My favorite is hash in the morning topped with an egg – and there are only a few of the others that don’t like day-old corned beef. That’s OK – it’s just more for the rest of us.

This doesn’t take much time at all, and once it’s simmering, cook the eggs for the top and it will all come together at the right time. This amount is good for 4 to 6.

Corned Beef Hash

3 cups of corned beef – cubed
3 cups cooked potatoes – cubed
1 small onion – chopped
beef or other stock – as needed
1 egg per person – cooked as desired – optional

1. In a large skillet, cook onion in a small amount of oil until it begins to soften.
2. Add beef and potatoes and stir well. Cook until potatoes begin to brown and add enough stock to moisten.
3. Turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and let simmer while eggs are being cooked. If you’re not making eggs, cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Remove lid and cook until liquid is evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with a cooked egg if desired.

August 4, 2008

“Ziploc” Omelettes

Filed under: Quick Meal Tips — Tags: , — Penny Hawkins @ 10:06 am

This is a super-fast, fool-proof way to make individual omelettes for yourself or a crowd. It’s a great idea for a family “breakfast supper”, company, or singles who don’t feel like fussing over breakfast (or dinner). It sounds weird, but it really works…your family and friends won’t believe it!  Serve these with fresh fruit, muffins or coffee cake for a no-fuss breakfast that will impress everyone.

Add cold water to a pot large enough to hold 4 filled Freezer Ziploc-style bags at once (at least a 2-4 qt. pot), and bring to a full, rolling boil.

Meanwhile, pass out one quart size Ziploc bag per person. Crack 2 eggs per person (large or extra-large) into each bag, zip shut and carefully shake/squeeze to combine them.

Set out a variety of fillings such as cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, salsa, etc., the sky is the limit!

Let each person add the fillings they like to their bag, zip it closed again and shake to combine eggs and fillings.

Carefully squeeze the air out of the bag and zip it up.

Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily onto plates or serving dishes.

To get a jump start on tomorrow’s breakfast today, simply get you bag ready with the eggs and your choice of topping the night before, then in the morning, get your water boiling, throw the zipped bag in while you shower, and when you get out, breakfast is ready!

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