Buffalo Chicken Soup - Buffalo Wings in Liquid Form

Am I the only one who thinks it is strange to pay millions of dollars to men who run around on a field kicking/throwing/catching a ball, and yet we pay our teachers peanuts to tutor and care for the rising generation of Americans??? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

But, here’s what I do love: I do love getting together with friends and family. And I do love eating waaaay too many calories of decadence. I do love a steamy, spicy bowl of soup on a winter day. And I love the flavors of Buffalo Wings. A few years ago, I even made a pilgrimage to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, where Buffalo Wings were invented.

So to me it seemed a natch to make a soup that has those flavors all in one bowl. Hence, Buffalo Chicken Soup.

This soup is actually good for you if you use low fat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

It is so good, it’s even worth watching a little football on the side.

Check out some of our yummy noshes for Game Days past.

Fabulous food blogger Sarah at Sarah’s Cucina Bella did a fabulous roundup of superbowl foods by other bloggers, to which we say: CHEERS!

General Snackiness:

• Chili Cheese Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Brown Butter Garlic Snack Mix on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Bread on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Hot Spinach Artichoke White Bean Dip on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Italian Gorgonzola Bread on Sweetnicks
• Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Ham on Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Ginger Spice Mixed Nuts on The Perfect Pantry
• Bacon-Wrapped Apple and Sausage Bundles on Recipe Girl
• Roasted Pancetta and Herb Butter Crostini on Family, Friends and Food

Chilis:

• Autumn Vegetable Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Turkey Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Meat-Lovers Chipotle Chili on Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Texas Chili on Soup Addict
• Steak Chili on Food for My Family
• Chili con Carne on The Foodies Kitchen
• White Chicken Chili on Cinnamon Girl Recipes
• Chipotle Sauce Chili with Apple and Black Beans on VeganYumYum
• Cincinnati Chili on Framed Cooks
• Spicy Vegetarian Chili on Joy the Baker

3 tablespoons butter
3 cups diced celery
2 cups  diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce (I like Frank’s)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Garnishes: blue cheese crumbles, diced chicken, hot sauce, Greek yogurt

In a large stockpost, saute celery and onions over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened.

Add garlic and saute another minute. Stir in flour and cook another minute or two, until flour is absorbed.

Add chicken stock and hot sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in chicken and Greek yogurt.

Serve warm. Garnish as desired.

I love jam. Not just any jam but home made jam. Mess up your entire kitchen jam. Stick your feet to the kitchen floor jam. Make you feel like June Cleaver jam.

But, one problem: fruit is not plentiful and cheap in the last few days of the year. So. What about a winter jam?

I had seen Carrot Cake Jam recipes in magazines last fall, and was intrigued. Ooey gooey cinnamony jam that you can make in the dead of winter. Maybe they are on to something. And they were right – this really is carrot cake in jam form. Yum.

So, with family and friends staying for the holidays, giving you some extra hands in the kitchen, I say why not make some jam???

Happy New Year, Everyone!

CARROT CAKE JAM

Makes about 8 half-pints

1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1 1/2 cups diced cored peeled pears
1 can (15 ounces) crushed pineapple, including juice
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 package powdered fruit pectin
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

Combine carrots, pears, pineapple and juice, lemon juice, and spices in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Lower temperature to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add powdered pectin, incorporating well, and bring carrot mixture back to a boil. Add sugar all at once and return back to a full boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 full minute.

Ladle hot jam into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

– posted by Donna

Spooky Spider Cheeseball Recipe for Halloween Hauntings

Food should be fun, I say.  And sometimes weird, freaky or scary. Like on Halloween, for example.

In  Halloweens past we have whipped up a jack-o-lantern cheeseball by crushing nacho cheese Doritos and rolling the cheeseball in the crumbs.

This year, I wanted to attempt an all edible spider cheeseball, but was at a loss as to what would be savory and black and edible. Then, I was cleaning out my spice cupboard a few weeks ago and came across a huge jar of black sesame seeds that have been lurking at the back of the top shelf for ages now. BINGO! Black sesame seeds are perfect, and look very spider-ish, I must say.

You can use your favorite cheeseball recipe and then just roll it in the seeds on a plate. Or, use our recipe below. Either way, I promise it will be the hit of the party.

And, if you’re looking for other fun Halloween ideas, go over to the Halloween roundup by Cookin Canuck – so many great ideas!

Happy All Hallow’s Eve, Everyone!

JACK-O-LANTERN (AND SPIDER) CHEESE BALL

8 ounces regular or light cream cheese, softened
8 ounces cheddar cheese (or other favorite cheese), grated
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 green onions, thinly sliced, tops included
1 cup finely crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos chips
4 jumbo sized black olives
1 small dill pickle

Mix together the cream cheese, cheddar, Worcestershire sauce and green onions. Form into a ball and then flatten slightly on top to form a pumpkin shape. Make and indentation on the top where the stem will be placed. Freeze for at least one hour.

Place Dorito crumbs on a plate and roll cheese ball in crumbs. Place on a serving plate.

Cut olive into two triangles for eyes and a jack-o-lantern style mouth.  Stick the eyes and mouth onto cheese ball with toothpicks. Cut pickle in half and place on top, forming a stem.

Serve chilled with crackers, toasted baguette slices or pita crisps.

FOR SPIDER CHEESEBALL VARIATION:

Omit doritos and use 1 cup of black sesame seeds.

Slice two green olives with pimento stuffing for eyes and a green bell pepper for legs.

– posted by Donna

Potato Gallette Avocado Chopped Salad

I grew up in heat. Lots of heat. Giant blow-dryer heat. Cook-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk heat. Skin-sticks-to-the-chair heat.

They say in Tucson, “it’s a dry heat,” so it feels cooler. I disagree. If it’s 115 out, it’s hot, hot, HOT.

We kids used to do odd things to keep cool in the summers. We ran through the sprinklers. We laid in the shady carport so our bare stomachs could be against the cool smooth cement playing Go Fish.  We drank lemonade all day long. We rode around town at night with all the car windows rolled down. Sometimes we ate banana splits for dinner. And we ate tons and tons of cold salads.

One of my favorites is the simplest chopped salad you can make: cool, creamy avocados paired with ripe tomatoes and tart grassy green onions. All tossed with a light Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. This is a salad that just screams “SUMMER” in your mouth, and on your plate.

Avocado Chopped Salad topped with Smoked Paprika Grilled Shrimp

 

It’s also a healthy take on potato salad for the June Daring Cooks challenge and the potato version makes for a perfect Meatless Monday treat.

So, let’s summarize: easy, cool, refreshing, healthy. Summer conquered!

AVOCADO CHOPPED SALAD
with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside for flavors to blend.

1/4 cup diced cilantro
2 large ripe Haas avocados
1 medium ripe tomato
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Chop avocados and tomato into small pieces.

Strain vinaigrette to remove lime zest. Stir in cilantro.

Toss all vegetables and vinaigrette together.

FOR POTATO GALLETTE:

Slice a Russet potato into paper thin slices. Using a 2 1/2 inch diameter cookie cutter, cut potato slices into circles. Arrange 6 or 7 slices on a piece of parchment paper, sprinkle with salt and pepper  and then brush with melted butter. Let stand for 5 minutes. This is important – to let potato slices bond together. Heat a heavy skillet to medium heat. Place potato rounds into skillet by turning the piece of parchment paper upside down quickly over skillet. Brush top of potato round with melted butter. Place a small pan on top of potato rounds to keep flat while cooking.(If you have a bacon press or a chef’s press, use that.)  Cook on one side until you see edges of potato circles are getting brown. Turn over carefully, so as not to disturb circles. Cook with pan on top until other side is browned. Blot with paper towels and let cool completely.

When using your gallettes in this salad, I like to pick them up and spoon some avocado mixture on top and then eat them like a finger food.

FOR GRILLED SHRIMP:

Brush large uncooked shrimp with vegetable oil and smoked paprika. Grill until cooked through, turning once.

Check out  a sampling of my Daring Cooks Friends and their potato salads:

Potato Mango Ginger Salad, Parsley Sage Desserts and Line Drives
Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad, Family Spice
So Many Versions, Monkey Shines
Four versions, Good Cooks
Smoky Peppadew Salad, Onions and Chocolate
Mediterranean Potato Salad, Bake me Away
And, Audax from Down Under trumped us all with SEVEN potato Salads! Yowza!

– posted by Donna

Yam-a-licious Tater Tots, a Sweet Potato Version of the Potato Classic

Us kids of the 70′s looked forward to one thing in the school cafeteria: Tater Tots. They were invented in the 50′s, and by the 70′s they were a staple at school and at home. Seriously, who doesn’t love the crispy crunchy little nuggets with pillowy soft insides? If anyone says they don’t like Tater Tots, only two things are possible 1) they are lying, or 2) they have never eaten Tater Tots. We are all Napoleon Dynomite when it comes to Tots.

We decided to update this American classic, giving this recipe a sweet orange makeover for a bloggers-only contest. If you like sweet potato fries, these tots may just become your new addiction!

This new enlightened version is even more delicious than the original – same crispy outsides, but sweeter, more flavorful insides. Sweet potatoes are about a million per cent more flavorful than regular spuds, and pack a real nutritional bang for your buck. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are an incredibly nutrient-dense food.

To make the interior light and fluffy I grated the tubers and then baked the shreds to take out excess water. Then, I tossed them with a little cornstarch and flour for binders. They hold together perfectly and the bath in hot oil gives them that perfect crunch.

Well worth the effort – for kids and for the kid in all of us.

YAM-A-LICIOUS TATER TOTS

Makes about 16 tots

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (1 large potato or 2 small potatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or cayenne pepper)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Canola oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar if desired for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the skin off the potato. Grate the peeled potato on the large holes of a box grater. Place a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet (11 by 17 inches). Spread the grated  potato on the baking sheet, distributing evenly. Sprinkle salt on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to warm. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except oil. Stir this dry mixture into the grated potatoes until it is fully integrated with potatoes and you can no longer see it.

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a deep fryer or a medium skillet filled about 1 inch deep with oil.

Pour a little oil into a small bowl. Dip a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon  into oil and then fill the spoon with potato mixture. Dump out the tablespoon into your hands and pat out mixture into small discs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Deep fry in batches, leaving plenty of room in oil so that discs don’t stick together. Cook for about 80 to 90 seconds, until outsides are browned. Remove and place on paper towels. Blot tops of discs gently with another paper towel. Sprinkle with either a little more salt or cinnamon sugar, as desired. Serve immediately.

Other amazing tots by bloggers:

Home made Tater Tots, The Urban Baker
Oven Baked Tater Tots, The Kitchn
Tater Tots for Adults, Al Dente
Crab Tater Tots, Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

– posted by Donna

A Vegetarian Version of Shrimp Creole with Roasted Okra

Is it just me – or am I right that when you put shrimp into a flavorful spicy sauce, the shrimp get lost and just become a tasteless rubbery substance? I say when you buy shrimp, save it for sauteing in butter and garlic or dipping in cocktail sauce! Don’t waste it in a sauce that takes over completely. So, the classic Creole dish – Shrimp Creole – is ripe for a Meatless Monday makeover, I say.

I love the spicy tomato-based dish, but it was just begging for okra ( a classic Cajun ingredient, after all) added to it. So, I nixed the shrimp and toasted/roasted some okra slices in a screaming hot oven to give them a nice crust. Okra is better roasted than simmered here – making it slime-free – and keeping its taste separate and distinct from the sauce. And how I wish I could say this with a proper Louisiana accent: OOOoohh-weeee!!!

To celebrate like a proper foodie on Mardi Gras, I dug out my copy of My New Orleans – from my purchase last year, and spent a half an hour just feasting on the pages. This book is not just a cookbook, but a work of art. A beautifully written and photographed tribute by Chef John Besh to his homeland. Chef Besh, I salute you and all things Cajun ~ and I hope this veggie version does you proud!

SHRIMPLESS CREOLE
adapted from the Shrimp Creole Recipe in My New Orleans, by John Besh

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish
To make the dish into an entree, serve over rice or quinoa or other favorite starch

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large white onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon paprika, regular or smoked
1 teaspoon each: cayenne pepper sauce, salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
16 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen thawed okra, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

In a large heavy bottomed skillet, saute onion in  2 tablespoons of the oil for about 2 minutes over medium high heat, until softened. Add bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook another minute.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except okra and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and let cook about 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.

Toss okra in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes about 6 inches from the heat, until browned. Remove from oven and turn okra over. Returen to oven and broil another 2 to 3 minutes, until other sides are browned. Stir into skillet mixture and serve immediately.

This dish is thick and hearty, and can just be served as a side dish. To turn it into a main dish, serve it over rice, quinoa or other starch.

***

Other fabulous Mardi Gras recipes by bloggers:

Louisiana collides with Denmark in these Mardi Gras ebelskivers by Vintage Victuals
Yes, they celebrate Mardi Gras in the midwest by Iowa Girl Eats
Check out the prettiest Mardi Gras cookies ever – Once Upon a Plate

– posted by Donna

Five Minute Avocado and Salsa Verde Chilaquiles

When I’m strapped for time even more than my usual frantic pace, I sometimes turn to a traditional Mexican peasant dish – chilaquiles. Some Latino markets carry chips made especially for chilaquiles called “duritos,” because they are harder and thicker than regular chips. (HEY! Do you think that’s where they got the name “Doritos”? One food blogger thinks so.) But don’t worry – this dish is great using regular tortilla chips, and is great for using up the broken chips that wind up at the bottom of the bag.

This dish fits perfectly with so many things we believe in here at FFF – eating less meat; avoiding drive-thru meals by making desperation dinners with five ingredients in five minutes; focus on healthy ingredients; cooking with your family in the kitchen.

Could this be a Fab Frugal signature dish?!

There are many fabulous things about this dish – 1) You can get it on your table in 5 minutes flat, and that includes grating the cheese!; 2) It uses up leftover tortilla chips and salsa; 3) It is traditionally a vegetarian dish, perfect for Meatless Mondays; 4) It can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner; and 5) You can customize this dish easily to fit your taste.

Sold yet?

Okay, here’s one more reason: You can teach even small children to make this dish! Kids will have fun breaking up tortilla chips and tossing them in the pan. They can also grate cheese and help assemble.

An avocado is not a traditional ingredient, but I like it paired with salsa verde to add creaminess.

I added a poached egg on top in place of traditional scrambled eggs, but, - Hey! – choose your own style!  You can adjust the heat level by picking the style of salsa you love.

Salud!

TEN-MINUTE AVOCADO TOMATILLO CHILAQUILES

Total time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde
1 large Haas avocado
8 cups broken tortilla chips
2 ounces pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 large eggs, poached (or, cooked any way your family likes them)

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat. Place half of the salsa and the flesh of the avocado in a blender and blend until smooth.

Stir in avocado mixture and remaining salsa into pan. (NOTE: At this point, taste your sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Adjust texture so that it is the consistency of a white sauce, adding water if necessary.) Add tortillas and toss to coat. Divide skillet mixture and place on four serving plates.

Top with a little grated cheese and one poached egg.

Serve immediately.

Other food bloggers do chilaquiles:
Chilaquiles Verdes, Off the (meat) Hook
Chilaquiles, Blue Jean Gourmet
Chicken Chilaquiles, Dianasaur Dishes
!Chilaquiles!, Endless Summer
Easy Chilaquiles, Kitchen Gadget Girl
Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles, Eat Me Delicious
Red Chile and Chorizo Chilaquiles, Food People Want
Chilaquiles, Mike’s Table
Chilaquiles, Mexico in my Kitchen
Weekday Chilaquiles, The Spiced Life
Chilaquiles, Zen Kitchen

– posted by Donna

A football is the brown ball with the pointy ends, right?

Confession time: I know nothing about football. Less than nothing. However. Lest you think I sit and read Shakespeare sonnets in a corner while the rest of the country is high-fiving and whoop-whooping in front of a flatscreen on one particular winter Sunday every year, read on frugal football fans.

I am a once-a-year football fan. OK, truthfully, it’s not the game I enjoy. I like the rubbing shoulders with friends and loved ones. I like being an unashamed couch potato for a whole day. I like the smorgasbord of decadent foods. I like the stress-relieving outbursts of cheering and booing intermittently. So for one day once a year I am an uber-obnoxious football fan.

And I love make-your-own buffets for large festive gatherings. No whining about what is on your plate, because YOU put it there.

Anne and I had the joy of being together at my home for just one day recently, and can you guess how we spent that day? Cooking new culinary creations, of course! Isn’t that how every mom loves to spend a too-rare day with her  daughter?

We decided to go for chili and fixin’s this year with a twist: cornbread waffles to ladle the chili onto. Let me assure you all, chili has just met its soul mate: cornbread waffles!

Of course, we used Anne’s Ultimate Veggie Chili, which made it to the top 2 of the hundreds submitted for the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown.

My son’s girlfriend Sarah, who has been eating at my house every week for several years proclaimed: “This is the best thing I ever ate!” Do you think they’ll put her on the show?

These savory waffles are heavenly with chili slathered on top. We tweaked a recipe in one of our favorite gluten-free cookbooks, Cooking for Isaiah by Silvana Nardone – this recipe makes one of those “perfect crumb” cornbreads. We added some tweaks, of course: minced peppers and grated cheese in the batter, plus a dash of cayenne pepper sauce and chipotle powder for smokiness.

The batter makes perfect savory waffles, too, with a few tricks: Make sure to spray your waffle iron with canola oil so that there is a nicely browned and crispy crust on your waffles. And keep your waffles cooking long enough to make them well done. We did a few waffles with soft texture, and it wasn’t as tasty when ladled with soft chili on top. You need that crunch to the dish.

We just set out a large stockpot of steaming chili and then bowls of toppings to spoon on top – a low-maintenance savory meal ready whenever you feel like eating.

Oh, and by the way: GO TEAM! ((Yes, you guessed it, I have no idea which team to cheer for . . .))

CORNBREAD WAFFLE CHILI STACKS

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup milk of choice (we used Rice Dream rice milk)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce (we like Frank’s)
1 cup all purpose gluten free baking flour (we like Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or smoked paprika
1 cup corn kernels
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup minced peppers of choice (we used 1 jalapeno and a little red bell pepper)

Stir together milk, vinegar, eggs and oil. Whisk together in another bowl the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and powder, spices and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture with a spoon until just combined. Stir in all remaining ingredients.

Heat a waffle iron to hottest setting. Spray lightly with canola oil. Ladle batter onto waffle iron and cook until very brown and crisp.

Ladle waffles with chili and toppings of choice.

Enjoy!

– posted by Donna

]]> http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/cornbread-waffle-chili-stacks-superbowl-recipe-gluten-free/feed/ 9 http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/tofu-taco-filling/ http://www.apronstringsblog.com/entrees/tofu-taco-filling/#comments Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:50:50 +0000 Donna http://www.fabfrugalfood.com/?p=3477

If you think these look like classic ground beef tacos, I have done my job. (( Smiles smugly to self. ))

This recipe was originally created for the book that Anne and I wrote “101 Things to do with Tofu,” and I share it here with you updated just a bit. (( Hey! I add Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce to most every recipe now. ))

Lauren, a fabulous young food blogger, emailed me recently and asked if I had some suggestions for her to incorporate tofu into everyday dishes. Boy Oh Boy – kind of like asking Paula Deen if she has any recommendations for fried foods. (( Let us count the ways . . .)) So, Lauren, thanks for the email and for getting me craving these delicious veggie tacos once again! I decided a Meatless Monday post was in order!

This filling is fabulously flavorful and has a texture similar to classic ground beef taco filling, but is 100 per cent vegetarian, in fact – it’s even vegan! If you are like me and are making resolutions for the New Year to eat less meat, this is a perfect recipe to start with. I like it even BETTER than the traditional spiced hamburger taco filling. It is softer and has less of that ground beef “gristle” taste. I promise: Even the most dedicated carnivores will love this healthy substitute for ground cow! Try it out on your favorite carnivore and go ahead and TRY to prove me wrong!

There are countless benefits, say the Mayo Clinic researchers, to eating less meat.  But let’s just all admit right now that Americans eat much more meat than they need to. Enough said. With fab and frugal ways to cut back on meat like this taco filling, why would you not cut back? Amen! to the Meatless Monday folks, who point out that less meat consumption reduces heart disease, lowers risk of cancer and helps fight obesity. ((HOLY COW! **Pun intended!**))

The combination of soy sauce, peanut butter and spices, mostly chile powder and cumin, turns crumbled tofu into one of those “I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-Meat” kind of recipes. It is a magical concoction.

This is a great thing to have on hand to make a quick Desperation Dinner – so I like to keep some small zip lock baggies of this magical stuff in my freezer. This stuff makes great sloppy joes and last-minute spaghetti sauce!

Happy Less-Meaty New Year to all!

GROUND TOFU TACO FILLING

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce (I use Frank’s)
16 ounces frozen and then thawed extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first seven ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Drain water from tofu block. Wrap tofu in a thin kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels. Place wrapped tofu between two plates. Press gently and evenly with hands to remove water from tofu. (You can also place a wieght on top of the top plate and let tofu sit for 20 minutes or so.) Unwrap tofu and crumble into small bits into mixing bowl. Toss with sauce in mixing bowl.

Spread oil on a 12 by 18 inch baking sheet. Sprinkle crumbled tofu on top of oil in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir tofu. Return to oven and cook for about 20 mor minutes, until tofu is crispy.

Use as you would any spicy ground beef filling.

Other food bloggers use tofu in fabulous ways:
Red Curry Tofu, The Perfect Pantry
Tofu and Green Bean Stir Fry, The Perfect Pantry
Tofu Scramble, Healthy Happy Life
Soy and Sesame Baked Tofu, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Crispy Rice and Tofu Balls, Just Bento
Tofu Tacos, Former Chef
Tofu Celery Salad, Use Real Butter
Grilled Tofu and Peppers Tacos, Herbivoracious

And, check out some of FFF’s other tofu-licious recipes:
Babymoon Bake
Mango Avocado Crispy Tofu Salad
Sun-dried Tomato Tofu Spread
Anne’s Food-Network Worthy Veggie Chili!
Tofu Mac-’n'-Cheese

– posted by Donna

Luckily for us all, America’s doctors have put together their Top Ten Super Foods List and I am excited, because I love every single one of these foods! There are lots of “super foods” lists out there, and they are pretty similar. Long on green veggies. Short on meats and fats. Martha Stewart’s people could only narrow their list to 38 super foods. The foods that have made the doctors’ “List” are on there because they are healthy in multiple ways. I like that approach – nutritional multi-taskers. They are lower in calories and carbs than many foods, and they are nutritionally dense. They also are heart healthy and anti-oxidant rich (think “anti-cancer!”).

So, my fab frugal friends, here are some of our favorite tips for making these 10 nutritional wonder foods an easy and delicious part of a long and healthy life.

1.  YOGURT

Yogurt is packed with protein and nutrients and is a miracle substance for adding pro-biotics and improving digestion. I like Greek yogurt – so creamy and delicious. You can find it in stores these days, but it is spendy. So, I decided to make my own – check out How to Make Your Own Greek Yogurt. Good News: It’s a Cinch!

2. EGGS

I was so thrilled to see these on The List, because I LOVE EGGS! Scrambled, fried, poached, hard boiled. Any old way. Eggs are an inexpensive protein packed with nutrients, and are especially high in choline, which is good for brain development, especially in young kids. They are also, in my humble opinion, the most versatile food on the planet, and can be used in endless ways. I just discovered an easy new way to enjoy eggs: Savory Egg Tarts by Julia Child.

3.  NUTS

Sure, they have some fat in them, but they’re still worth it – it’s good fat, the kind that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Bonus: they are rich in fiber and antioxidants and are low in carbs. Walnuts and almonds are especially healthy. You can easily make your own roasted nut blends and keep them handy. Last year I gave out Anne’s Fire and Ice Nuts for Christmas gifts – healthy, flavorful nut-tricious!

4. KIWIS

I have always loved these wonders from down under (New Zeland and Australia)! Turns out they are good for you, too! Don’t you love it when one of your craves turns out to be healthy?! These are one of the most nutrient-dense fruits, so we should be serving them up more often! Slice them into salads for a start, or just pack them, cut in half, in a lunch box with a spoon to scoop them out. G’Day, Healthy Mates!

5. QUINOA

This ancient grain is a protein superstar – one of the very few vegetables that is a complete protein. If you haven’t tried quinoa, you’re missing out – it has a fluffy, nutty quality that is lighter and tastier than rice and is just as easy as rice to make as a side dish – just boil with water or broth and Voila! – instant flavorful easy side dish. I like quinoa mixed into a fruit salad, and even made a patriotic version for the Fourth of July!

6- BEANS

This humblest of foods has regained respect in modern food culture because beans are just about the healthiest things you can put in your mouth. Fiber, protein and omega-3s – all for a few pennies. What’s not to love? Here’s one way you may not have thought of before that is amazingly easy and yet exotic and flavorful. Here is the ENTIRE recipe: Blend one can of black beans and one can of enchilada sauce in the blender until smooth. No, really. That’s it. This Black Bean Puree is perfect on nachos, as a dip for chips or on enchiladas. Here’s a contender for the Easiest Healthiest Dinner EVER: Pour the puree on some warmed, folded whole grain tortillas and add chopped tomatoes, cilantro and cheese – Instant Super Healthy 10-Minute Dinner!

7 – SALMON

This flavorful fish is on The List because it is one of the best sources of omega-3 fats. Alaskan wild salmon, which has made a resurgence in numbers in the last few years, is the most flavorful of all salmon. It is delicious barbecued, of course, but if you’ve never tried poaching salmon, you may add this to your favorite ways to eat salmon, and any fish really. The fillets come out moist and delicious and you can use flavorful liquids to poach, such as broth with a little splash of vinegar. Just bring the liquid almost to a boil in a large shallow skillet and then add the salmon skin-side down and poach for about 5 minutes, until cooked through. Delish!

8 – BROCCOLI

You knew this had to be on the list, right? Broccoli is a sneaky superstar food, because it has more beta carotene than carrots and tons of other anti-oxidants. It is one of those flexible foods that can be used with almost any cooking method. Our family’s favorite way to eat what my little kids always called “Green Trees” is to dip chunks in a cheese fondue. YUM!  Anne made delicious roasted broccoli this year – toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and then roast at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. You can add some flavor boosters at the end, like lemon juice and zest, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese. But really, not necessary. Roasted broccoli is a joy all its own!

9 – SWEET POTATOES

These are the most flavorful tubers – anti-cancer and anti-bone loss, and just plain yummy. They don’t need as much “loaded” into them to make them flavorful like white potatoes do, so they can be just baked and eaten with a little S & P. Who doesn’t love sweet potato fries? They’re at restaurants everywhere these days, and for good reason! You can make rustic sweet potato chips easily at home, too – Just slice them thin, spray with a little canola oil and bake at the top of the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until crispy.

10 – BERRIES

These little gems are packed with nutrients and are good for your blood sugar levels. Blueberries especially pack an amazing anti-cancer punch! When blueberries are cheap next summer, try out this new way to use them: Blueberry Mint Coolers. Refreshing. Easy. Healthy. Blueberry Heaven!

So there you have it, Food Fans. The best of the best for a healthy New Year!

How many super foods will make your resolutions list?

Happy Healthy New year, All!

– posted by Donna