Fruit Kabobs With Sweet Cream Cheese Dip

I made these for a Super Bowl party and they were gone in a matter of minutes - and my kids (even my picky fruit eater) were ecstatic about them.  Why is food always better on a stick?!  Well, for whatever reason, it is.  This is a quick, easy, healthy potluck or party recipe.  I highly recommend the dip, but it's not necessary.  Fruit alone on a stick is good enough!

FRUIT KABOBS

1 lb. red seedless grapes
4 Mandarin oranges (or Clementines)
3 to 4 medium apples
2 large bananas
1 package of strawberries

Directions:  Wash and slice the apples, then soak them in ginger ale (yes, ginger ale - it works!) for 5 to 10 minutes and set aside.  Slice and toss the bananas with lemon juice.  Set aside.  Wash the grapes and strawberries, and slice the strawberries in half lengthwise.  Peel and separate the oranges.  Take the skewers and cut them in half (I used very sharp kitchen scissors, but a sharp chef's knife would work as well).  Thread the fruit onto the skewers, leaving about 1/2-inch on both ends so that they can be picked up.  Refrigerate until serving.  (*NOTE:  I made these about 2 hours ahead of time, and the apples and bananas did not change color!*)  This recipe makes approximately 20 skewers.

SWEET CREAM CHEESE DIP

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)
1/2 cup brown sugar (*I cut this down to about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
2 T sour cream

Place cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well with a spoon or hand mixer.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Flavored Coffee -What's In It & How to Make Your Own (Minus the Mystery Ingredients)

 



If you are a coffee-holic like myself, then you have probably wondered what exactly flavors your creme-brulee, chocolate-raspberry and "Jaimaican Me Crazy" brews.  The coffee packages generally don't specify the ingredients used to flavor the coffee (they just say "coffee and natural and artificial flavors"), which is rather frightening, in my opinion.  So, I decided to do a little research.    I know it's long, but it's worth the read.  According to this website,

"Flavoring oils are combinations of natural and synthetic flavor chemicals which are compounded by professional flavor chemists. Natural oils used in flavored coffees are extracted from a variety of sources, such as vanilla beans, cocoa beans, and various nuts and berries. Cinnamon, clove, and chicory are also used in a variety of coffee flavors. Synthetic flavor agents are chemicals which are manufactured on a commercial basis. For example, a nutty, woody, musty flavor can be produced with 2, 4-Dimethyl-5-acetylthiazole. Similarly, 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine is used to add an earthy, almost peanuty or potato-like flavor. Flavor chemists blend many such oils to achieve specific flavor combinations. While other food flavors may be composed of nine or 10 ingredients, coffee flavors may require up to 80 different compounds to achieve subtle flavors. Virtually any taste can be reproduced. Marketers have found that consumers prefer coffee flavors with sweet creamy notes. The ideal flavor should mask some of the harsh notes of the coffee yet not interfere with its aromatic characteristics.

The pure flavor compounds described above are highly concentrated and must be diluted in a solvent to allow the blending of multiple oils and easy application to the beans. Common solvents include water, alcohol, propylene glycol, and fractionated vegetable oils. These solvents are generally volatile chemicals that are removed from the beans by drying. Older solvent system technology produced beans which dried up and lost flavor. Current technology uses more stable solvents which leave the beans with a glossy sheen and longer lasting flavor.

The flavor chemicals and the solvents used in flavors must not only be approved for use in foods, but they must also not adversely react with the packaging material and the processing equipment with which they come into contact. Furthermore, they must meet the desired cost constraints."

A couple of things bother me about this description of coffee flavoring oils.  For starters, some coffees contain 80 different flavoring compounds!  Yuck!  In addition, according to ChemSpider, a chemical database,  2, 4-Dimethyl-5-acetylthiazole is a synthetic flavorant that causes skin, eye and lung irritation upon contact (so what exactly does it do to us when it's ingested?).  Secondly, according to ChemSpider, 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine in its chemical state carries an irreversible damage risk to the eyes, skin and lungs, is a skin and eye irritant, and is harmful if swallowed (!).  Now, I am not a chemist and I certainly hope that in their flavorant states these chemicals are in fact edible, but the facts do freak me out a bit. (As do the solvents used in the coffee flavoring process.)  That being said, I started experimenting with ways to flavor my own coffee.  Below you will find a very easy (and very yummy) way to flavor your own coffee, minus the mystery ingredients!  I hope you enjoy your chemical-free, flavored java fix :)

Easy DIY Flavored Coffee Recipe

*For a 10-cup pot of coffee, place 1/2 to 1 tsp (or more, according to your preferences) of the desired spice on top of the grounds PRIOR TO brewing.
*Brew and enjoy!
*Spices that I use frequently are pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.  I have also used cocoa powder, or a dash of peppermint extract or vanilla extract on top of the grounds prior to brewing very successfully. 

Classic Lady Grantham Quotes (Because We All Need A Good Laugh!)

She's witty, she's sarcastic, she's prejudiced against Americans and she's amazing - easily my favorite Downton Abbey character.  Lady Grantham also reminds me of my late, Great Aunt "C" (short for Celia) - they share the same "old lady smirk", as I like to call it, and my Aunt used to have zingers very comparable to Lady Grantham's.  Since it's Friday and I certainly need a laugh after a stressful week of moving- and property management-related activities, I thought a compilation of Lady Grantham quotes was in order.  I will add to the list as the season progresses :)  Enjoy a good lol for me!

1.)

Lady Grantham: "I think it's a ridiculous idea."
Lady Sybil: "Why?"
Lady Grantham: "Because this is a house, not a hospital."
Lady Mary: "Granny, a convalescent home is where people rest and recuperate."
Lady Grantham: "But if there are relapses. What then? Amputation in the dining room? Resuscitation in the pantry?"

2.)

Sir Richard Carlisle:  "I'm leaving the morning Lady Grantham, I doubt we'll meet again."

Lady Grantham:  "Do you promise?" 3.) Lady Grantham:  "Oh my dears. Is it really true? I can't believe it. Last night he looked so well. Of course it *would* happen to a foreigner.  It's typical." Lady Mary:  "Don't be ridiculous." Lady Grantham:  "I'm not being ridiculous. No Englishman would *dream* of dying in someone else's house - especially somebody they didn't even know." 4.) Lady Grantham:  "What is a weekEND?" 5.) Lady Grantham:  "Your turn will come." Lady Edith:  "Will it? Or am I to be the maiden aunt? Isn't this what they do? Arrange presents for their prettier relations?" Lady Grantham:  "Don't be defeatist dear, it's terribly middle class." 6.) Lady Grantham: "Good heavens, what am I sitting on?" Matthew:  "A swivel... chair."  Lady Grantham:  "Oh, another modern brainwave?"  Matthew:  "Not very modern; they were invented by Thomas Jefferson."  Lady Grantham:  "Why does every day involve a fight with an American?"  7.) Lady Grantham:  [to Mrs. Crawley when they realize Mary will not take Matthew despite the fact that he remains the heir to the title and estate] "Your quarrel is with my daughter, Rosamund, and not with me. So put that in your pipe and smoke it."  8.) Lady Sybil: "No one ever learned anything from a governess except for French, and how to curtsy."  Lady Grantham:  "What more do you need?" 9.) Lady Grantham:  “First electricity, now telephones. Sometimes I feel as if I’m living in an H.G. Wells novel.” 10.) Lady Grantham:  “I knew this family was approaching disillusion, I wasn’t aware that illusion was already upon us.” 11.) Lady Grantham: “We’ll have to take her abroad, in these moments you can usually find an Italian who’s not too picky.” 12.) Lady Grantham:  “Alas, I am beyond impropriety”

My New Fave Snack: Homemade Oatmeal-Raisin "Larabars"

In a pinch yesterday, I spent a whole, whopping dollar on one, tiny little Cherry Pie Larabar.  Boy, was it disappointing (I had never had this flavor and definitely didn't like it).  It should be called "Cherry Tart", because it tastes nothing at all like cherry pie.  Anyhow, today my hankering for Larabars continued - good Larabars, that is.   I was sick of my usual homemade "Larabar" recipe, though, so I did some scouring online for a new, better recipe. 

I found the mother load of homemade "Larabar" recipes on Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog...that chick is awesome.  My inspiration for these Homemade Oatmeal-Raisin "Larabars" came from this recipe on her blog (I will definitely be making her Girl Scout Cookie Larabars next).  I used what I had on hand, threw it all in my food processor and Voila!  Craving satisfied.  These little babies are so good, both my kids were begging for more.  No sugar, no flour, no preservatives, and definitely not $1 each.  Enjoy!

Homemade Oatmeal-Raisin "Larabars"

1 to 1-1/2 cups raisins
12 Tbs quick oats
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seed kernels (or walnuts)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash salt

Directions:  Place oats, pumpkin seed kernels and almonds in food processor (or other mixer).  Blend until desired consistency.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Pulse in the food processor until mixture starts to clump together.  (*Note:  If mixture is still too dry, add more raisins until it starts sticking together.)  Place mixture in a Ziploc bag and flatten with the palms of your hands (this avoids getting your hands sticky).  Rip open the bag along the seam and slice into bars. **UPDATE:  If you don't want to waste one of your precious Ziplocs, just sandwich the mixture between two pieces of wax paper to flatten.**  Makes approximately 8-10 bars, depending on how large you slice them.  To store, refrigerate in an airtight container (or freeze).  Will keep in the fridge for approximately two weeks.

The Best Flu Prevention/Remedy You Will Ever Taste!

With all of the flu and flu shot hype in the media right now (and the fact that my kids have been fighting colds all this week), I figured I'd post the most powerful item in my cold/flu-fighting arsenal:  elderberry syrup.  Elderberries (Sambucus Nigra) are beautiful, little dark purple/black berries that are available in Northeast Ohio at various farmers' markets in late-Au gust or early September (if you want to know exactly where, leave a comment and I'll tell you).  They can also be purchased in dried form online.  The syrup recipe below (which is basically this recipe with a slight modification) is the best flu prevention/remedy you will ever taste!  The cinnamon, cloves and ginger give it a lovely flavor, and the smell while it's cooking is absolutely delicious.  My four-year-old loves it!  If you don't feel like tracking down elderberries, elderberry extract, or Sambucol, can be purchased at such stores as The Vitamin Shoppe.  However, making the syrup is much more cost-effective!

If you don't think little berries can fight the flu, (or if you're picturing me cackling while stirring a large cauldron of bubbling purple juice, like a friend of mine likes to joke,) check this out:  A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Sambucol elderberry extract administered to a group of people during an influenza outbreak, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, shows the following:  "A significant improvement of the symptoms, including fever, was seen in 93.3% of the cases in the SAM(Sambucol)-treated group within 2 days, whereas in the control group 91.7% of the patients showed an improvement within 6 days (p < 0.001). A complete cure was achieved within 2 to 3 days in nearly 90% of the SAM-treated group and within at least 6 days in the placebo group (p < 0.001). No satisfactory medication to cure influenza type A and B is available. Considering the efficacy of the extract in vitro on all strains of influenza virus tested, the clinical results, its low cost, and absence of side-effects, this preparation could offer a possibility for safe treatment for influenza A and B."  In other words, elderberry extract is proven to significantly reduce the duration and symptoms of influenza with no side effects.  Based on the results of this study, I'd say yes, little berries can fight the flu :)

**NOTE: Due to the fact that all green parts of the plant (including the stems) are poisonous, I would advise against sampling the elderberries prior to cooking! (Don't worry, they are fine to eat after they are cooked.)**

Elderberry Immunity Syrup Recipe

1cup fresh or 2/3 cup dried black elderberries
3 cups water
1- to 2-inch chunk of fresh ginger root
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp whole cloves or clove powder
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (with the "mother", if possible)
1 cup raw honey

Directions:  Place elderberries, water, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and add the apple cider vinegar.  Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for approx. 45 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to half the original amount.  Remove from heat and cool.  Strain out the berries (and be sure to squeeze them out with the back of a spoon in order to extract all the juice) into a glass bowl.  Stir in the honey.  Label and store in the fridge.  This recipe usually lasts us about 2-3 weeks when everyone in the house is taking it at once.

Dosage:  I take 1 tablespoon every day (except weekends) to keep my immunity up during flu season.  If I feel a cold coming on, I start taking 1 tablespoon every 3-4 hours.  I give my daughter 1 teaspoon per day to boost immunity if someone in the house has a cold, or if she contracts a cold, I give her 1 teaspoon 3 times per day. It is also very tasty when mixed with citrus juice, and can also be watered down to make a juice drink.

If you or one of your kids are feeling under the weather, check out my recipes for Ginger Honey Lemon Tea and Honey Onion Cough Syrup for some more easy and effective home remedies!

Tangy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

I always equate the first month of a new year with guilt - usually because the media is abuzz with talk of detoxification, supplementing, fasting, dieting, exercising and the like - and I usually still haven't met my health goals from the year before!  As a result, I feel guilt, and guilt usually drives me to cross my arms and pout; to rebel like a little kid and refuse to do anything at all.  So, last year, in an effort to act like a mature and responsible adult instead of a pouting child, I determined to learn how to make the things that I usually buy, but without the added preservatives, chemicals and sugar.  My repertoire is slowly growing, and this week I decided to tackle ranch dressing - again. 

This is not the first time I've tried to make ranch, which we consume like water in this house - I've swung and missed a few times with various recipes.  However, I've liked this recipe the best so far.  It's adapted from a ranch dressing recipe that I found in my Dinosaur Bar B Que:  An American Roadhouse cookbook.  (Side note:  If you are ever in the Rochester, Harlem or Syracuse, NY area, eating at the Dinosaur Bar B Que is an absolute must - best barbecue I have EVER had - and best pulled pork and fried green tomatoes in the world.)  Now, I will warn you, my husband said, "It's too tangy," which is why "Tangy" is in the title.  The great thing about this recipe is that if you want less tang, reduce (or completely omit) the amounts of fresh garlic, black pepper and cayenne.  Add more dill if you like dill, or more mayo if you like that flavor.  Enjoy the versatility (and your salad) without the mystery ingredients!

Tangy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 cup Hellman's (or similar) mayonnaise
1/4 cup Miracle Whip (only because I ran out of Hellman's)
1 to 2 cups buttermilk (look for the kind that does not include preservatives and add up to 2 cups, or until you reach the desired flavor and consistency)
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
1/2 tsp. dill weed
dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:  Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a whisk.  Pour into a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate.  Makes approximately 3 cups dressing.

Amazing Dark-Chocolate Truffles

I know they don't look all that appetizing, but let me tell you - I am a chocolate connoisseur, and I am addicted to these things.  Not only are they easier to make than cookies (and make for a very good last-minute recipe), but they are also easier than the usual candy-making process.  They are rich, but not too rich, and you can roll them in cinnamon, cocoa powder, sprinkles, coconut, nuts, etc.  I tried rolling them in sprinkles, coconut and a mixture of cinnamon and cocoa powder.  The cinnamon/cocoa powder mixture is the best one (in my humble opinion).  Enjoy!

Amazing Dark-Chocolate Truffles

2 12-oz bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips                      
1-1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I actually added a tad more than this)
2 tsp good quality vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
sprinkles, coconut, nuts or cocoa powder for rolling

Directions: 
-Place chocolate chips and whipping cream in a double boiler.  Stir often until completely melted.
-Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and desired spices.
-Pour into a glass bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
-Using a teaspoon, scoop out the truffle mixture, roll into balls and roll in desired topping (great job for a kid).
-Place in mini cupcake liners (makes for easier transportation).

*Depending on the size truffles you roll, this recipe should make approx. 40-50 truffles