Saturday, May 1, 2010

Oven Baked Pineapple Pork Chops

8-oz. can pineapple slices, drained and 4 T. juice reserved



2 T. soy sauce


1/2 t. ground ginger


1/2 t. garlic powder 4 pork loin chops


1/3 c. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs


1 t. paprika


Combine reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder in a


shallow bowl; add pork chops, turning once to coat. Marinate in the


refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Gently toss bread crumbs and paprika in a


pie plate; add pork chops, coating both sides. Arrange pork chops in an


ungreased shallow 13"x9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.


Turn pork chops; place one pineapple slice on each pork chop. Bake 25


additional minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Milk Toast Recipe

My daughter's boyfriend told me about this recipe, said his mom makes it and they (the teens) were saying how gross it sounds, I thought it sounded yummy so I'm sharing.

(2 servings)



4 slices of toast


4 pats of butter


1 tsp cinnamon and sugar


1/2 cup milk


Heat milk on low.
Butter toast as you usually would and sprinkle each piece with cinnamon and sugar. Tear the toast into bite-sized pieces and place in two cereal bowls.
Pour warm milk over toast pieces.

In the early 1900s, Milk Toast was popular fare for children and the ailing. It is still popular today among poor families and singles.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

13 Ways to Use Cucumbers

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Roasted Pepper & Tomato Soup

•2 Tablespoons butter



•2 Tablespoons flour


•16 oz can of whole tomatoes with Italian seasoning, undrained


•7 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained


•1 cup chicken broth


•6 oz. can tomato paste


•1 clove garlic, minced


•1 Tablespoon sugar


•1 Tablespoon dried basil or 2 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped


•Salt and pepper to taste






Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour to make a roux and cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, red peppers, broth, tomato paste, garlic, sugar and salt and pepper. Cook until soup bubbles. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a standing blender.
 

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