3 Tasty Rhubarb Treats
By Dr. Robb | March 3, 2007
RHUBARB BARS
3 cups Rhubarb (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 1/2 cups Quick Oatmeal
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Margerine
1/2 cup Nuts
Cook rhubarb, cornstarch, vanilla, sugar and water in a saucepan until thickened. Let mixture cool. In a bowl, mix the oatmeal, flour, baking soda, brown sugar, margarine and nuts until the mixture is crumbly. Put 3/4 of the mixture in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan – press down. Pour the cooled rhubarb mixture over this and top with the remaining 1/4 crumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
RHUBARB CRUNCH
1 cup Flour
3/4 cup Oatmeal
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Melted Butter
4 cups Rhubarb (chopped)
1 cup Sugar
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 cup Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Mix flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, brown sugar and melted butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Put 1/2 of this mixture into a greased 9 inch round pan. Cover with 4 cups of chopped rhubarb. In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla – cook until the mixture is clear, then pour this mixture over the rhubarb in the 9 inch round pan. Top the pan off with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve with ice cream.
RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE
3 Eggs
3 tablespoons Milk
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
3/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
4 cups Rhubarb (chopped)
1 unbaked Pie Shell (9 inch)
Slightly beat the eggs then add the milk. Stir in sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Next, mix in the rhubarb. Pour into the 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes.
Dr. Robb is the editor for http://www.spicypleasures.com/ Socialize your cooking experience. Enter your favorite recipe or rate the ones you try out. The best will be published into an ecookbook.
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15 More Secret Kitchen Hints
By Dr. Robb | February 27, 2007
While putting together my article called “15 Secret Kitchen Hints”, I quickly found that I had more than 15, so I thought it would be a great idea to have a second list:
1. For fluffier omelets, add a pinch of cornstarch before beating the eggs.
2. Thaw frozen fish in milk. The milk draws out the frozen taste and provides fresh-caught flavor.
3. You’ll get more juice from a lemon if you warm it first in a bowl of warm/hot water.
4. A sack of lumpy sugar won’t be lumpy anymore if you place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. A small amount of baking soda added to gravy will eliminate excess grease.
6. To remove the core from a head of lettuce, hit the core end against the counter sharply. The core will loosen and pull out easily.
7. A few drops of lemon juice added to whipping cream helps it whip faster and better.
8. Cream whipped ahead of time will not separate if you add 1/4 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin per cup of cream.
9. A leftover baked potato can be re-baked if you dip it in water and bake it at 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes.
10. Ripen green fruits by placing them in a paper bag. This will promote ripening.
11. When measuring butter or shortening in a measuring cup, dip the bottom of the measuring cup into hot water and the butter or shortening will slide right out.
12. A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cop of corn will remove every strand of corn silk.
13. To determine whether an egg is hard-boiled, spin it. If it spins, it is hard-boiled; if it wobbles and will not spin, it is raw.
14. Scalding tomatoes, peaches, or pears in boiling water before peeling makes it easier on you and the fruit – the skins slip right off.
15. Before measuring honey or other syrup, oil the cup with cooking oil and rinse in hot water.
Dr. Robb is the editor for http://www.spicypleasures.com/ Socialize your cooking experience. Enter your favorite recipe or rate the ones you try out. The best will be published into an ecookbook.
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The Right Way To Eat Before An Athletic Event
By Dr. Robb | February 24, 2007
Nutrition is often an overlooked component of sports training and performance. In reality, nutrition plays a major role in how athletes perform.
In general, pre-game meals are eaten between three and five hours before the start of the athletic activity and it serves to build the glycogen reserves and balance the body’s blood sugar level.
It isn’t necessary to make your pre-game meal a completely balanced meal if you eat right most of the time. Pre-game meals should be high in carbohydrates and very low in protein and fats. Proteins and fats take much longer to digest whereas carbohydrates are turned into usable energy at a very fast rate. Protein can also cause increased urine production which can lead to dehydration… So drinking lots of water is also a very good idea for athletes.
Some foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat are pasta/spaghetti, potatoes, bread and other grains, fruits, vegetables, corn, and rice.
Many athletes find it beneficial to eat a cereal snack bar or drink fruit juice or a sports drink about an hour before the athletic activity, but try to avoid snacks high in refined sugar such as candy bars. Candy bars provide quick energy, but will cause the blood sugar level to be very unstable.
If your athletic activity is going to be in the morning, it is a good idea to get up at least 3 hours before the competition and eat a high carbohydrate meal. At the very least you should eat a cereal bar or drink some fruit juice.
You should also avoid stuffing yourself during your pre-game meal. It’s best if you eat until you feel comfortably full, don’t overdo it. Pre-game meals are also not a good place to experiment with new foods. Eat only those foods that you are used to and your body has no problems with.
Avoid all drinks that contain caffeine and/or alcohol. Those fluids tend to increase urine output and dehydrate your body. Just in case you haven’t heard this before… Drink lots of water before, during and after exercise.
Dr. Robb is the editor for http://www.spicypleasures.com/ Socialize your cooking experience. Enter your favorite recipe or rate the ones you try out. The best will be published into an ecookbook.
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3 Awesome Pickle Recipes
By Dr. Robb | February 21, 2007
BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES
4 quarts Cucumbers
Onions (as many as you like)
5 cups Sugar
3 cups Vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
1/3 cup Salt
2 trays of Ice Cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons Celery Seed
2 tablespoons Mustard Seed
Slice cucumbers and onions and place them in a very large bowl. Pour salt over them and put 2 trays of ice cubes on them for three hours, then drain. In a large pot, mix the sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery seed, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil, then add the pickles and onions and bring to a boil again. Can in sterilized jars.
REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
8 Cucumbers (sliced thin)
1 cup Onions (sliced thin)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Vinegar
2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
1 teaspoon Celery Seed
Mix the cucumbers, onions and salt. Let it sit for one hour. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed in a pot and boil. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely. Drain the cucumbers and onions. In a couple large containers with lids, divide the cucumbers and onions evenly into the containers and pour the boiled mixture evenly over the cucumbers and onions in each container. Put the lids on the containers and place the pickles in the refrigerator. Pickles will keep for weeks.
SWEET PICKLE RELISH
12 lbs. Cucumbers
12 Onions (medium)
7 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Celery Seed
1 quart Dark Vinegar
1 tablespoon Mustard Seed
1 tablespoon Turmeric
Canning Salt
Grind cucumbers and onions together and let stand in a large bowl, sprinkle a handful of salt over the top and let it stand overnight. Rinse and drain well. In a large pot, mix sugar, celery seed, vinegar, mustard seed, and turmeric. Heat and add the cucumber/onion mix. Cook for 30 minutes, but DO NOT let it boil. Put in fruit jars and seal. Makes approximately 5 pints.
Dr. Robb is the editor for http://www.spicypleasures.com/ Socialize your cooking experience. Enter your favorite recipe or rate the ones you try out. The best will be published into an ecookbook.
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15 Secret Kitchen Hints
By Dr. Robb | February 18, 2007
While I’ve been learning to cook the past couple years, I have made plenty of mistakes… and learned a lot of lessons. I thought it would be a great idea to write a couple articles on the things I’ve learned. So here it goes:
1. If you’ve over-sweetened a dish, add salt.
2. If you’ve over-salted soup or vegetables, cut up a potato and add it. Once the potatoes have cooked, discard the potatoes. They will absorb some of the salt.
3. Pale gravy may be browned by adding a bit of instant coffee straight from the jar… no bitter taste either.
4. Drop a lettuce leaf into a pot of homemade soup to absorb excess grease from the top.
5. Perk up soggy lettuce by adding lemon juice to a bowl of cold water. Soak the lettuce for an hour in the refrigerator.
6. Lettuce and celery will keep longer if you store them in paper bags instead of plastic wrap.
7. Cream will whip faster and better if you first chill the cream, bowl, and beaters.
8. Brown sugar won’t harden if an apple slice is placed in the container.
9. You will have less tears when cutting onions if you place them in the freezer for 5 or 6 minutes before you cut them.
10. When pan frying, always heat the pan before adding the butter or oil.
11. Muffins will slide right out of the pan if the hot pan is first placed on a wet towel.
12. A little bit of cooking oil or butter added to the water when boiling rice, spaghetti, or noodles will prevent it from boiling over.
13. A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separate.
14. To determine whether and egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
15. Egg shells can easily be removed from hard-boiled eggs by quickly cooling them in cold water first.
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Irish Recipes for an Unforgettable Saint Patrick’s Day
By Dr. Robb | February 11, 2007
If you visit Ireland on 17th March, you will be greeted by a festive
mood, for on this day the Irish celebrate the feast of Saint Patrick, the
patron saint of the country. It is a national holiday in the Republic of
Ireland and in other parts of the world.
One of the noticeable traditions during the feast day is all the Irish
are wearing green, which symbolizes spring and prospering of the crops.
Aside from the green wear, there is a thanksgiving party that is conducted
to celebrate this holiday. And one of the highlights in the festivity is
the vast array of foods spread out across the dining table.
Here are some Irish recipes you can enjoy cooking as
well as eating together with your loved ones and friends.
Authentic Corned Beef and Cabbage
This recipe is one of the most popularly done during the feast day. It
is partly because it includes cabbage (matching the green color theme of
the holiday). But also, the end-product will surely delight the
taste-buds of even foreigners.
The main ingredients are the following:
*Â Corned beef brisket (weighing at least four
pounds);
*Â One glass of orange juice;
*Â 18 to 20 cloves of
garlic;
*Â One teaspoon of yellow mustard seeds;
*Â One-half
teaspoon of caraway seeds;
*Â One-half teaspoon of black
peppercorns; and
*Â One-half teaspoon of whole coriander.
Place the raw corned beef brisket into a large pot and insert the
garlic cloves into it. Spread the remaining spices and put water into it.
Let it boil and simmer for three hours or until the beef is tender.
For the dressing, you will need small potatoes, peeled carrots, and one
medium head cabbage which is peeled and then cut into larger pieces.
Forty minutes before the beef becomes tender, fill a large pot with
boiling water and cook the potatoes and carrots. After ten minutes, add
the cabbage before serving it on the table. Remember that cabbage doesn’t
need to be cooked for long. After cooking the vegetables, drain it and
arrange it together with the beef.
Easy Hot Whiskey Punch
Invigorate your body during the feast day with this refreshing Irish
punch. Here are the main ingredients:
*Â One serving of whiskey (average of one regular drinking
glass);
*Â Two teaspoons of white sugar;
*Â Two slices of
fresh lemons; and
*Â Seven ounce of boiling water.
You combine
the whiskey with the sugar and lemon slices into a strong glass. After
combining the ingredients, pour on the boiling water and stir it until the
sugar is dissolved.
Irish Scones
This is another of the great delicious Irish Recipes
This is the tasty Irish cookie that will surely make you crave more.
The ingredients are:
*Â One-half cup of butter;
*Â Four cups of
flour;
*Â Two teaspoons of baking powder;
*Â One-half
teaspoon of salt;
*Â One-fourth cup of sugar;
*Â One egg;
*Â One cup of milk; and
*Â Raisins or other dried
fruits as add-ons.
First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Get a large bowl,
and combine the flour and butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the
baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix the beaten egg and milk in a separate
bowl and combine it with the previous mixture in order to make dough. Turn
into the floured surface and roll it to one-inch thickness.
With a cookie cutter or even the bottom of a drinking glass, cut the
dough into two-inch rounds and placed it into the greased cookie sheet,
about an inch apart and bake it in the oven for fifteen minutes.
These are some of the popular Irish recipes you can
use to serve at your table - maybe during Saint Patrick?s Day. And do not
forget an Irish toast to bless the meal!
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3 Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Their Vegetables
By Dr. Robb | February 10, 2007
Anyone that has small children knows that getting your kids to eat their vegetables can sometimes be harder than getting a straight answer from a politician in an election year.
It doesn’t always have to be that difficult though… you just have to use a little creativity and a little patience. Let’s get started.
1. Instead of trying to force your kids to eat vegetables that they think they don’t like, simply try combining them with another vegetable that they DO like. Most kids love mashed potatoes, so I’ll use them as an example. Cut up some cauliflower and cook it with the potatoes. Just mash up the cauliflower with the potatoes, add anything else that you usually add and your kids probably won’t even know they are eating cauliflower.
You can do this with a lot of different combinations of vegetables. If they like sweet potatoes, you can add a few carrots… the will never know. The important thing is to not give them the choice to pick out the vegetables they think they don’t like. If you just mix vegetables without being able to mash them, your kids will most certainly pick and choose the vegetables they want.
2. Start a small garden and let the kids help with it. Let them have their own small garden if you have the space. You will be surprised at what the kids will eat if they get to choose what gets grown and they take part in it. Get them to pick three different vegetables and let them help prepare them when they are finished growing.
3. Kids do as their parents do… not as their parents say. Like it or not, if YOU don’t eat your vegetables, your kids won’t eat theirs. They learn by watching and imitating. If you expect your kids to eat the vegetables, then you need to make it a part of your normal everyday life too. If they see you eating healthy vegetable snacks each day, they will grow up thinking that is normal and they will snack on vegetables.
There are a lot of other different ways to get kids to eat their vegetables, but these are the three most successful methods. Give them a try and see how it goes.
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