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Nectarine Meringues

July 23, 2008

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This beautiful summer dessert is a welcome finale to any special meal. Your family and guests will love this blend of fruit, whipped cream, and crunchy meringue.

Nectarine Meringues

3 egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Almond Extract ( 6 fl oz) or (2 fl oz)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon
3 fresh white nectarines, pitted and sliced

Honey and Lemon Drizzle
1/3 cup warm honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Almond Extract (6 fl oz) or (2 fl oz)

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Add cornstarch, almond extract, and cream of tartar; beat for 30 seconds more. Spread into six 4-inch circles on prepared baking sheet, making a well in the center with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then turn oven off and leave meringues in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool. Carefully remove meringues from parchment paper.

Beat cream with powdered sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fill each meringue with cream and arrange nectarine slices on top.

Stir together honey, lemon juice, and extract; drizzle over nectarines. Serve immediately. Makes 6 Servings

Tips

Draw six 4-inch circles on parchment paper to help make each meringue the same size. Start small as the egg white mixture may spread and the meringue will become too large.
Make sure that the bowl and beaters used to beat the egg whites are clean and dry. Oil or other substances may interfere with the egg whites forming soft peaks.
Substitute sliced peaches, sliced strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries for the nectarines.
One of my favorite summer desserts is a meringue shell filled with vanilla ice cream and sliced fresh strawberries.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter called Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

No-Bake Cookies - Chocolate Haystacks, Golden Citrus, and White Chocolate and Cranberry Nut

July 22, 2008

No-bake cookies are a fun summer treat. You don’t have to heat up the kitchen to bake them and the kids will enjoy shaping and eating them. Just make sure the mixture is cool before little hands dig in to shape the cookies.

Chocolate Haystack No-Bake Cookies
These cookies are chocolaty good. They are easy to make and never fail to please. But be careful; one is never enough.

2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons Watkins Baking Cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup canned evaporated milk
1 pinch salt
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract

In a saucepan bring the sugar, cocoa, butter, canned milk, and salt to a rapid boil. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.

Add the oats, coconut, peanut butter, and vanilla and mix well.
While still warm, drop the cookies by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool.

Golden Citrus No-Bake Cookies
The orange zest adds just enough zip to make these cookies sweetly refreshing.

1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 cup pecan pieces
zest from one large orange
1/2 cup butter
1 cup golden raisins, chopped
2 egg large yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract

Combine the cereal, pecans, and orange zest in a 2-quart mixing bowl. Toss just enough to blend the ingredients. Set the bowl aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan combine the butter, raisins, egg yolks, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the hot mixture over the cereal mixture; mix thoroughly, and let the mixture sit until it is cool enough to handle. Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a platter.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Nut Bar Cookies
This cookie is loaded with nuts and cranberries. The white chocolate makes the marshmallows taste creamy and rich. Using milk chocolate is a tasty addition too but the color of the chocolate masks the color of the coconut and the cranberries.

1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pecan pieces
1/3 cup slivered almonds, chopped into pieces
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
4 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips

In a 3-quart mixing bowl, combine the sunflower seeds, pecans, almonds, coconut, cereal, and cranberries. Toss ingredients to evenly distribute them.

In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until marshmallows are totally melted. Add the white or milk chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and combined. Remove the pan from the heat.

Immediately pour the hot marshmallow mixture over the cereal mix. Stir to thoroughly coat the cereal.
Quickly scoop the mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch pan. Distribute and press the warm mixture to an even thickness. Let the treats cool before cutting them cut into squares.

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Grilled Citrus Chicken Kabobs

July 18, 2008

These colorful, citrusy Chicken Kabobs are great for a summer party or backyard barbecue. They allow your guests to socialize while helping to prepare the meal. Serve them for an appetizer or a main dish.

Set out bowls of cut up fruits, vegetables, and marinated chicken and let your guests prepare kabobs according to their personal tastes. Keep marinated chicken refrigerated until ready to make kabobs.

As an alternative Chicken Kabobs may also be prepared on skewers earlier the same day as the party and refrigerated until ready to grill. Not as much fun but guests do not have to wash their hands after preparing kabobs.

Serve these delicious kabobs with brown or white rice. Brown rice is a little more chewy that white rice, adding whole grains and fiber to your diet. Make your rice more flavorful by adding Watkins Chicken Soup Base to the water when cooking the rice. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons to each cup of water and mix well before adding rice.

Prepare extra skewers of grilled vegetables for a more filling meal. Grill pineapple slices and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

A crisp green salad and garlic bread round out your menu.

Grilled Citrus Chicken Kabobs

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 8 oz can pineapple chunks, drained and save the juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Granulated Black Pepper
1 lemon
1 lime
1 small orange
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 cup whole mushrooms
1 small red onion
8 wooden or metal skewers

Combine orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk juices together well. Reserve 1/2 cup of this marinade mixture. Place chicken in a large ziploc bag and add the remaining marinade. Chill at least 2 hours, turning the bag frequently to coat the chicken.

Cut peppers and onions into 1 inch chunks. Slice the mushrooms in half.

Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes or use metal skewers. Use caution when turning or removing kabobos on metal skewers because they become very hot.

Remove chicken from the marinade and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut lemon, lime and orange into 1-2 inch pieces. Thread skewers with the fruits, vegetables and chicken in an alternating pattern.

Preheat a gas/charcoal grill or ridged grill pan to a medium-high heat. Place kabobs on the grill and baste occasionally with the reserved marinade. Turn kabobs frequently and cook until chicken is done. Place on a platter to serve and garnish it with any of the leftover fruits.

The fruits make the chicken so moist and tender. It can help to par-boil (pre-boil) the peppers and onions for 2-3 minutes prior to adding to skewers. This process helps to ensure they will finish cooking with the rest of the food plus helps prevent cracking when you thread the skewers.

Number of servings: 8 kabobs

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Perfect Banana Muffins

July 15, 2008

Serve these flavorful banana muffins for breakfast, brunch, snacks, with a salad for lunch, or with dinner instead of your usual choice of bread. They require less sugar because of the sweetness from using very ripe bananas. Both grapeseed oil and canola oil are high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in saturated (”bad”) fat, making them some of the healthiest of all commonly used cooking oils.

They taste great with or without the streusel topping.

Perfect Banana Muffins

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups ripe mashed banana
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream (not low fat)
1/4 cup Watkins Grapeseed Oil or Canola Oil
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract

1 cup pecan or walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

In another bowl, mix the mashed banana, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and vanilla together.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until the ingredients are mixed well. Fold in the nuts.

Fill the well-greased tins nearly full. Use all the batter for twelve standard muffins. Sprinkle on the optional streusel topping.

Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Let sit for five minutes and remove the muffins from the pan to a rack to cool.

Streusel Topping

1/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces, finely chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients and stir until well combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over the muffins before baking.

Tips for this recipe

1. Use the ripest bananas that you can find. Ripe bananas have much more flavor.

2. Adjust the flour if necessary. Because bananas differ in their moistness as they ripen, you may have to add a couple tablespoons of flour. The batter should be half way between cake batter and cookie dough for drop cookies. It should be stiff enough that it can mound in your scoop and so that it will rise instead of flow as it bakes, giving the muffins a high dome.

3. Fill the muffin tins almost to the top. It takes a lot of batter to build a dome. If you fill the tins only 2/3’s full, you’ll have batter left over and smaller muffins. This recipe is designed for 12 standard muffins.

4. Start out with a hot oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and then reduce the temperature as directed. The initial hot oven creates a burst of steam that helps lift the muffins.

5. Check the cooking time. Because you turn the temperature down, times are only an estimate and oven temperatures vary. Muffins my require more or less time to bake.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter called Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

July 15, 2008

Ice cream is a favorite summer treat or dessert for young and old alike. A bowl or waffle cone of creamy cold ice cream is a true delight!

Making homemade ice cream used to require a great deal of time and planning. The ice cream maker needed crushed ice and ice cream salt to make the ice cream mixture cold enough to freeze.

Today the automatic frozen tub ice cream makers freeze ice cream in approximately 25-30 minutes. No crushed ice or salt is required. Just freeze the tub for 24 hours before making the ice cream and make sure the ice cream mixture is chilled. Just pour the mixture in the frozen tub as it turns; then add in extras according to the recipe or the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you like cherry cheesecake you’ll go bananas over cherry cheesecake ice cream!

Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

4 oz (110 g) cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream
2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated lemon zest
3 grahm crackers, crumbled
3/4 cup (180 ml) canned cherry pie filling

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Set aside. Bring the milk to a simmer in a sauce pan over moderate heat. Do not boil. Slowly beat the milk into the cream cheese mixture, then transfer to the sauce pan. Cook over low hear, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and lemon zest. Refrigerate covered until cool or overnight. Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions, adding the crumbled graham crackers when the ice cream is about half frozen. Gently stir the cherry pie filling into the finished ice cream, being careful not to over mix. Distinct swirls should be visible. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours before serving. Makes about 1 quart (1 L).

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter called Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Frozen Summer Treats

July 11, 2008

It was 109 degrees yesterday and 106 degrees today here in northern California! The kids shouldn’t even go outside to play when it gets that hot. They burn or become dehydrated in a very short period of time.

Let the kids cool down with some frozen fruit treats.

Strawberry-Peach Pops

Soymilk, organic berries, yogurt and honey whip up into freezer pops you can feel good about serving.

1 cup soymilk
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 container (6 oz) fat free peach yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
10 paper cups (3-oz size)
10 craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends)

1. Place soymilk, strawberries, yogurt and honey in blender or food processor. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth.
2. Fill each cup with about 1/4 cup yogurt mixture. Place cups in freezer until partially frozen, about 45 minutes.
3. Insert sticks; freeze until firm. To serve, remove cups.

Substitute other flavors such as lemon or berry yogurt for the peach yogurt.

Berry-Banana Freezer Pops

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen strawberries in syrup, slightly thawed and undrained
1 container (6 ounces) strawberry yogurt
1 small banana, mashed
10 wooden sticks with rounded ends

1. Place strawberries, yogurt and banana in blender. Cover and blend until smooth.
2. Pour slightly less than 1/2 cup fruit mixture into each of ten 6- to 8-ounce freezer pop molds or paper cups. Insert stick into each pop. If using paper cups, place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm.

Mix frozen raspberries and raspberry yogurt with the banana for a slightly different flavor.

Frozen Bananas

4 bananas, peeled and halved
2 cups milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
Crushed granola, chopped nuts, candy sprinkles, or toasted coconut
8 wooden craft sticks

1. Insert wooden stick into end of each banana piece.

2. Arrange on parchment, waxed paper, or foil lined sheet pan and freeze for 20-30 minutes.

3. Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and cook on medium heat until melted, about 60 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Chocolate chips can also be melted in a bowl placed over a pan of hot water. Do not let bottom of bowl touch water.

4. Remove bananas from freezer and dip in melted chocolate.

5. Immediately roll chocolate-covered bananas in chopped nuts, sprinkles, crushed granola, or toasted coconut.

6. Freeze until frozen solid, about 1 hour.

Tips

To crush granola, place in a plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.
Frozen bananas also taste great drizzled with melted chocolate and peanut butter chips.
Use frozen strawberries instead of bananas. Choose large strawberries. Remove tops and insert craft stick.

Frozen Pineapple on a Stick

8 pieces fresh pineapple, (about 3×1 inch)
1/4 cup pineapple juice or orange juice
3/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted

1. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Insert wooden skewer into narrow end of each piece of pineapple. Dip pineapple into juice, then roll in coconut, coating completely. Place on cookie sheet.

2. Cover and freeze 1 to 2 hours or until firm. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

To toast coconut, bake uncovered in an ungreased shallow pan in a 350 degrees F oven 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Sangria, a Summer Wine Punch

July 7, 2008

Sangria is a summer wine “punch”, made with red wine, fresh, seasonal fruit and a bit of bubbly water or citrus flavored soda. While Sangria was first created in Spain, countries all over the globe have adapted the recipe to make a fruit-filled wine beverage that is refreshing and compliments a wide variety of foods.

For a summer party multiply the recipe and mix Sangria in a large jar with a spigot. Serve in frosted glasses with a slice of lime, lemon, or orange as a garnish on the rim of the glass. Always allow the wine and fruit to marinate in the refrigerator for several hours so the flavors blend.

Classic Sangria

1 Bottle of red wine (750ml) (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
1 Lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Shot brandy
2 Cups ginger ale or club soda

Carefully wash outside peel of all fruit. Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight allowing the flavors to blend. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

If you’d like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.

You can also add sliced strawberries, peaches, apple wedges, handful of fresh blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, rum, or citrus soda pop.

Non-Alcoholic Sangria

1/4 c. sugar
1 c. orange juice
1/2 fresh lemon, sliced
1/2 fresh orange, sliced
1 sm. apple or peach, cut into wedges
4 c. club soda
4 c. grape juice

In large pitcher, combine orange juice, sugar, and grape juice. Add cut fruit and stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until cool and add club soda just before serving.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter - Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

July 5, 2008

I always bake my husband’s birthday cake and this year he requested a carrot cake. We have several celebrations this month so this cake was just for our immediate family. I jokingly asked him if he would like the cake decorated with marzipan carrots like they do at the bakery and he said he could “pass” on the marzipan carrots. I’ve made carrot cakes from several recipes and this is a moist cake with a slight amount of chewiness from the toasted nuts. The Cream Cheese Frosting is rich and creamy. This is my favorite carrot cake recipe.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup (100 grams) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 pound (340 grams) raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups fnely grated)
1/2 cup of crushed pineapple, well drained
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Ground Cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
2 teaspoons Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla Extract

Note
This cake can be baked in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch (23 x 23 x 5 cm) pan. Just increase the baking time to 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two 9 x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper.

Toast pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer (or with hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3-4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.

To assemble, place one cake layer, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread with about one third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top of cake facing up, onto the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. If desired, press toasted and finely chopped nuts (one cup toasted) on the sides of the cake and decorate the top of the cake with marzipan carrots (see below). Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 10-12.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup (57 grams) butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 - 2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon (4 grams) Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla Extract or Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract
Finely grated lemon zest of one lemon (optional)

In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk as needed for spreading consistency. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Frosting should be very thick.

Marzipan Carrots

To make the carrots you will need
Marzipan
Orange and green icing colors (use liquid or paste food coloring)

Knead a small anount of orange food coloring into marizpan until the color is distributed and is the desired “carrot” color. Shape into carrots, using a toothpick to make veins.

Knead a snall amount of green food coloring into the marzipan and make the carrot tops.

Marzipan is a cooked mixture of finely ground almonds, sugar, and water. It is slightly sweeter and firmer than almond paste and has a smoother texture. It can be colored and rolled out to cover cakes and pastries, or formed into shapes. It comes in plastic-wrapped rolls.

Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, and Marzipan Carrot recipes adapted from Joyofbaking.com

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Watkins Newsletter - Around the Kitchen Table - July Issue

July 2, 2008

Welcome to another issue of Around the Kitchen Table!

One of the recipes featured in this issue is Firecracker Pasta Salad made with cheese tortellini, veggies, Watkins Seasonings, and shredded cheese.

Firecracker Pasta Salad

2 packages (9 ounces each) Refrigerated Three Cheese Tortellini prepared according to package directions, chilled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 medium tomatoes chopped
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 large green bell pepper chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup halved ripe olives
1 teaspoon Watkins Season Salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Watkins Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup (.75 ounce) Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Romano Cheese

Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Pour into large bowl; cool. Whisk in vinegar.

Add prepared pasta, tomatoes, broccoli, bell pepper, olives, onion, season salt, and red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese and Romano cheese; toss well to coat. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Tips

Do not overcook tortellini or it will not hold its shape.
If you prefer that your broccoli florets have a little less crunch, steam them for a minute in the microwave.

Other recipes featured in this issue are Chicken Newburg, Quick and Easy Salsa, Chex Barbecue Snack Mix, Strawberry Banana Trifle, and Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes.

Each month one newsletter subscriber or customer is chosen at random to receive a free full-sized product so enter the contest. You might be the winner!

Check out this issue to see what you could win. Around the Kitchen Table Watkins Newsletter for more recipes and cooking tips.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/july1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips

Favorite Ingredients Friday - Chex Barbecue Snack Mix

June 27, 2008

Welcome to Favorite Ingredients Friday sponsored by Overwhelmed With Joy.

Chex Barbecue Snack Mix
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.com

Need something to munch on while grilling in the backyard or a great snack for a video marathon? Mix up some for the Fourth of July.

3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
1 1/2 cups bite-size pretzel twists
1 1/2 cups bite-size cheese crackers
3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup Watkins Gourmet Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon Watkins Organic Onion Powder
3/4 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder

In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, pretzels, crackers and peanuts.
In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
Microwave uncovered on High 7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on foil or paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Makes 15 1/2 cup servings.

You can vary the flavor by using different barbecue sauce varieties or by trying different nuts in place of the peanuts.

A dash of Watkins Ground Red Pepper (cayenne) or a few drops of red pepper sauce turns this into Spicy Chex Barbecue Snack Mix.

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Written by Eleisia · Filed Under Recipes & Tips