Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

Mango dressing: 2 tbsp. frozen mango juice or mango chutney 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp. veg oil 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp ketchup Salt and Pepper Optional: 1/4 tsp tumeric Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Makes about 1/4 cup of dressing. Cook: 2 eggs to hard boiled Peel and slice or quarter Cook: 1 cups of rice or acine de pepe pasta (uncooked) to al dente which is about 3 cups. Rinse with cool water. Prepare: 3 cups of shredded head lettuce 1 cup of cooked ham diced small or shredded 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese shredded 1 cup shredded carrots and apples 1 cup diced cucumbers and tomatoes optional (I used some leftover bean salad): chick peas green beans onions peppers cranberries or raisins and nuts In a really large bowl: Toss together lettuce, pasta or rice, veggies, rice and ham. Refrigerate. When serving: Top the salad with shredded cheese, nuts if desired and eggs. Drizzle with dressing and serve with a side of slice...

Fall Cheddar and Sausage Soup In a larger pot than you think necessary: Brown: 4 sausage cut into small pieces Then add: 1 bottle of beer 1 can of black beans Bring to a boil, stirring often. Mix together: 1 cup shredded carrot 1 cup celery diced small 1 small onion diced small 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp sea salt (or more if desired) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 cup sour cream Add to pot, stirring often. Bring to a boil again. Add: 4 cups cream soup stock And 2 cups grated cheddar cheese Stirring well. Pour into a crock pot. Serve with fresh bread. "Bon Appetit!" Might like to add: 2 cups of frozen hash brown potatoes.

In the spirit of cheap pork loins this week... I took a $11 pork loin and cut off Some beautiful thick pork chops. This left me with an odd shaped V pork loin on the counter. So. I started my cut from left to right And then across and back to the left. I took the butterflied meat And pounded the meat out into A large semi flat piece. I could have tenderizer more But I wanted a thicker pork. I found some lunch meat (In my case it was ham) And laid it all over the top. I surprisingly had a box of instant stuffing Which is VERY unusual. I added onions, apple and celery And then followed the directions. Once it was softened I spread it out on top of the ham. I rolled it as tight as possible, Then folded a piece of tinfoil into a strip To wrap around the roast To hold it together (because I had no twine) Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. "Bon Appetit!"

Hasselback potatoes are a fun way to cook a potato. You cut slots into each potato that are perfect for filling with delicious fillings. INGREDIENTS 6 medium potatoes 2 tbsp groundnut oil 1 tbsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Ham slices (350g) 1 jar alfredo sauce 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut parallel lines Down the length of the potatoes Using two wooden spoons Laid next to the potato as a guide To stop you From cutting all the way through. Lay the potatoes in a greased roasting pan and brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for an hour (or until the potatoes are fanned out) Remove from oven. Fill each slot with a 2x2 ish piece Of thinly sliced ham Cover potatoes with alfredo sauce And then grated cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes and then broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with a green salad Or vegetable of your choice And enjoy! ********************************** ORIGINAL RECIPE ht...

I started my soup base with a little leftover turkey and gravy. Instead of how the recipe reads: 1tbsp oil 3/4 lb of chicken breast (Cut into thin strips) Heat oil on med high then add chicken. Cook minimum of 4 minutes, then remove to a plate. Reduce heat to med and : 1 cup chopped onion (or corn) 1 cup sliced carrots (or peas) 1 clove minced garlic Cook for 10 minutes scraping bottom of pan until onion and carrot are soft. Now add and bring to a boil: 5 cups chicken stock (not just water oops!) 1/4 cup long grain rice (or egg noodles) 1 tsp lemon zest Reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender. Now add: 2 cups spinach (if desired) 1/2 cup green onions (if desired) 2tbsp lemon juice. Stir and cook 5 more minutes. Makes 7 cups.

Lay slices of bacon on a wire rack in a shallow pan. Bake in hot oven (400F) about 10 minutes, or until the desired crispness. This bacon needs no draining and browns evenly from end to end without curling.  This method is recommended when cooking large quantities because bacon requires less watching and needs no turning at all.

This is a lean meat usually cut in thin slices. Place slices in a heavy skillet and cook over low heat about 5 minutes.  Turn slices frequently. When done, the lean part is a red brown and the fat is a light golden brown.  It rarely requires draining.