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Chocolate Icebox Cake

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This mouthwatering chocolate cake makes a cool, creamy dessert for your Labor Day weekend!

Chocolate Icebox Cake

Watkins Nonstick Cooking Spray
14 ounces semisweet chocolate (do not use chips)
2 containers (15 ounces each) part-skim ricotta cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafers (about 44 cookies)
Watkins Almond, Rum, Raspberry, Coconut, Peanut Butter, or Banana Extract (optional)

Prepare Pan
Remove sides from a 9-inch round springform pan. Place a sheet of waxed paper over bottom, leaving an overhang; lock sides onto bottom, firmly securing paper. Spray inside of pan with cooking spray; line sides with a strip of waxed paper 28 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Make Chocolate Ricotta Mixture
Break 12 ounces of chocolate into pieces. Place in a heatproof medium bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a food processor or with a mixer, blend ricotta until very smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl. Add warm chocolate; blend until smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Watkins Almond, Rum, Raspberry, Coconut, Peanut Butter, or Banana Extract for an additional subtle flavor. In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in chocolate-ricotta mixture.

Assemble Cake
Arrange half the cookies in an overlapping pattern to cover bottom of pan. Spoon half the chocolate-ricotta mixture on top of cookies; smooth top. Cover with remaining cookies; top with remaining chocolate-ricotta mixture, and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.

Before serving, release sides of pan and remove waxed paper from sides. Using bottom piece of waxed paper, pull cake onto a platter; with a metal spatula, lift cake and remove waxed paper. Using a vegetable peeler, shave remaining 2 ounces chocolate over top of cake. With a knife dipped in hot water, cut cake into 10 slices (wipe off knife, and dip in hot water after each slice). Serves 10.

Why not use chocolate chips?
Joyofbaking.com says chocolate chips when melted become chocolate that is thick, muddy and grainy that is very difficult to use. This is because of the smaller amount of cocoa butter (25-30%) in the chocolate chips.

What is Ricotta?
Ricotta, an Italian whey cheese, is a low-fat, nutritious liquid that is a by-product of cheese production. It is produced from whey, the liquid separated out from the curds when cheese is made. Whey is processed forming a fine curd. Once cooled, the curd is separated by passing though a fine cloth.

Ricotta is a fresh cheese (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 5% fat. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese, though considerably lighter. Like many fresh cheeses, it is highly perishable.

Ricotta is also used in lasagna, cheesecake, and cannoli.

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/august15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Mashed Potato Salads - Bacon Mashed Potato Salad and Cheesy Mashed Potato Salad

I usually make my potato salad but occasionally I’ll pick up a carton of potato salad at the deli of our supermarket. The last carton seemed creamier with fewer and smaller pieces of potato. And, just by chance I came across these Mashed Potato Salad recipes.

Bacon and Mashed Potato Salad
This is a scrumptious potato salad, nothing too exotic but a great combination of flavors. The dressing is made with half sour cream and half mayonnaise. The tang comes from chopped sweet pickles and cider vinegar.

8 to 10 new red potatoes or russets
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 small sweet pickles, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 strips bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks and boil them in salted water until they are tender but not mushy. Drain the potatoes and let them cool. Mash or rice the potatoes.

Make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, bell pepper, pickles, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil together. Taste the dressing and add more seasoning or vinegar if desired.

Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix until you have a creamy mixture. Add the crumbled bacon to the potatoes or sprinkle it on top.

Chill the salad in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Salad
This is an all-American potato salad. Everyone that tried this salad liked it.

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
1/2 cup sweet onions, minced
1/2 cup sweet relish
2 boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Wash the potatoes, place them into a large pan, and cover them with water. Add salt. Partially cover the pan with a lid and bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain off the water.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, you may either peel them or leave the skins on. Cut them into one-inch cubes. Mash the potatoes in a medium bowl, using either a potato masher or ricer.
Add the minced onions, sweet relish, chopped boiled eggs, and cheddar cheese. Carefully mix the ingredients into the mashed potatoes.

Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise and stir into the potato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Tip
Potatoes can be categorized as waxy, generally called “new potatoes” and starchy potatoes, called russets. Starchy potatoes are best for baking and mashing, while waxy potatoes hold their shape well when boiled and fried.

“New potatoes” include Yukon Gold, Red Bliss, and Round Reds. They can be used with their skins on, as new potatoes have thin, delicate, flavorful skin.

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/august15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Fresh Bean and Sweet Corn Salad

One of my favorite summer vegetables is corn on the cob. I especially like white corn because it seems to have more sweetness. Both white and yellow corn loose some of the sweetness as it sits so eat as soon as possible after picking. The following recipe uses fresh sweet corn kernels cut from the cob.

Sweet corn is a variety of maize with a high sugar content. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry and fully mature, sweet corn is picked when immature and eaten as a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar into starch, sweet corn stores poorly and must be eaten, canned, or frozen before the kernels become tough and starchy.

Fresh Bean and Sweet Corn Salad

2 cups green beans, halved
1 cup yellow wax beans, halved
5 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper or green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil or Watkins Grapeseed Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper

Cook green and yellow beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about
4 minutes. Drain and rinse beans under cold water to cool. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine beans, corn, bell pepper and onion in large bowl.

Blend sugar, vinegar, and oil. Pour over vegetables and toss. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving toss to coat and drain. Yield: 8 servings

Watkins Grapeseed Oil is one of the only foods shown to not only lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, but also increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Its light, neutral flavor won’t clash with other foods.

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/august15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Watkins - Around the Kitchen Table - August Issue

Welcome to another issue of Around the Kitchen Table!

One of the recipes featured in this issue is Healthified Ranch Dressing less fat, no saturated fat, and fewer calories than the original recipe.

Healthified Ranch Dressing

This version has 77% less fat, no saturated fat, and 66% fewer calories. Plain yogurt replaces sour cream in a tasty versatile salad dressing or a dip for veggies. If you like fresh homemade dressing for your salads you’ll enjoy the delicate flavor of this dressing.

1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon Watkins Parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper

In small bowl, mix ingredients until blended. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Makes 12 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Other recipes featured in this issue are Turkey-Pasta Salad, Taco Salad, Crunchy Asian Salad, Tropical Chicken Stir-fry, Fruit and Nut Chicken Salad, Italian Cream Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake Pie, Turtle Bars, Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

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/august15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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International Youth Day - 4-H Recipes

August 12 is International Youth Day. I chose to post some recipes contrubuted by 4-H members. The following recipes were selected from http://www.uvm.edu

4-H is a youth program.

The basic philosophy behind 4-H is that informal education can be a valued addition to a young person’s learning process. 4-H programs are cooperatively developed in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture, land-grant colleges across the country, and local communities. 4-H creates opportunities that promote positive youth development. 4-H is a world leader in helping youths develop and become productive citizens who will be able to meet the needs of a diverse and changing society.  4-H teaches youth leadership, citizenship, and life skills.

4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health and strives to incorporate four essential elements for positive youth development: mastery, belonging, independence, and generosity.

4-H programs teach subject areas and cultivate skills that promote success in life.

In 4-H clubs, youth belong to a group, elect officers, plan and attend meetings, conduct community service, participate in competitions or other events, and make friends.

Amazing Broccoli Salad by Lyn Jarvis

10 slices bacon
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sunflower seeds

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion, and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.

Baked Bean Corn Bread by Lyn Jarvis

2 pkgs. (8.5 oz. each) corn bread-muffin mix
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (10 oz.) baked beans

In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn bread mixes, milk, and eggs. Pour 1 1/2 cups of batter into a
greased 9-inch pie plate. Spread with baked beans. Spread with remaining batter. Bake, uncovered, at
400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into corn bread comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 6 servings.

No-Crust Sweet Potato Pie by Carolyn Peake

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cook and mash potatoes. In a large bowl beat eggs, add sugar, salt, and stir in milk. Add potatoes and vanilla. Spray a baking dish with cooking oil and bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes then at 300 degrees F for 40 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Sweet and Sour Chicken by Marco Ayala

2 large chicken breasts, cubed and lightly browned in butter
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks and juice
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp. vinegar Maraschino cherries Pickles (optional)
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked rice

Mix chicken, pineapple and juice, cherries, pickles, brown sugar, and vinegar in large saucepan and simmer on medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Mix water and cornstarch and add to chicken mixture. Reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve over cooked rice. Yield: 4 servings.

Sour Cream Ginger Snaps by Ramonia Allaire

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Place oil, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream in a mixer bowl and mix at medium speed to blend well. Sift flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together to blend well, and add to sour cream mixture. Mix at medium speed until creamy. Drop dough by 1 1/2 Tbsp. onto cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove them to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Yields 24 cookies. Each cookie equals 1 starch with 92 calories and 4 fat grams.

Turkey Rice Casserole by Ruth Clough

4 cups cut up turkey (or chicken) approx. 2½ lbs.
2 cups diced celery (or ½ pkg. celery hearts)
2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 can (8 oz.) mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cans (10.5 oz.) cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

Topping
2 cups Rice Krispies
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Almonds, slivered

Mix together all ingredients and put into a large greased casserole dishe. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time put on topping. Yield: 8 servings

Vermont Maple Walnut Cream Pudding by Judy Morgan

2 cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup heavy cream

Scald 1 3/4 cup milk with the maple syrup in the top of a double boiler. Combine the remaining milk with
cornstarch, and salt; add gradually to the hot mixture. Cook for 25 minutes and then add this mixture to eggs (which have been slightly beaten). Cook for 5 minutes longer. Pour into serving dish and sprinkle with nuts while pudding is still hot. Chill and serve with whipped cream.

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/august1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Herb Bread

I found this Herb Bread recipe over at Sandra’s Slow Cooking Thursday post at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. The photo of her bread looked so irresistible that I just had to make it myself. She cooked the bread in her slow cooker. I  was planning to use my slow cooker too but my cooker was too large for the loaf of bread so I baked it in the oven.

This bread uses yeast but does not require kneading or rising, saving time in the kitchen.

Of course, I adapted the recipe using Watkins ingredients.

Herb Bread

1 tsp. granulated sugar
1-1/3 cups warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast (1 scant Tbsp. )
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. Watkins Oregano
1 tsp. Watkins Ground Sage
1/4 tsp. Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Watkins Onion Powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup all purpose flour

(Sandra’s recipe) Stir first amount of sugar in warm water in large warmed bowl. Sprinkle with yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add next 8 ingredients. Beat on low to moisten. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Work in second amount of flour.

Turn into greased 3-1/2 quart slow cooker. Smooth top with wet spoon or hand. Place 5 paper towels between top of slow cooker and lid. Put wooden match or an object 1/8-inch thick between paper towels and edge of slow cooker to allow a bit of steam to escape. Do not lift lid for the first 2 hours cooking time. Cook on High for about 2-1/2 hours. Loosen sides with knife. Turn out onto rack to cool. Cuts into 14 slices.

(My recipe adaptation for the oven) Stir first amount of sugar in warm water in large warmed bowl. Sprinkle with yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add next 8 ingredients. Beat on low to moisten. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Work in second amount of flour.

Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch glass bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from oven and turn loaf onto rack to cool. Brush top of loaf with softened butter.

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/august1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Southwest Chicken Rollups

Southwest Chicken Rollups
Tortillas, chicken, vegetables and cheese combine for an easy handheld meal the whole family will enjoy. Use a rotisserie chicken or cold cuts from your supermarket deli counter.

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) jar picante sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Chili Powder or Watkins Organic Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained
8 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/2 cup prepared guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine the chicken, picante sauce, chili powder and garlic powder in a large skillet and mix well. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 3/4 cup of the Cheddar and the beans and mix well.

2. Wrap the tortillas in a kitchen towel and microwave on High for 1 minute. Or place tortillas on a plate and cover with a paper towel and microwave.

3. Spoon equal portions of the chicken mixture onto each warm tortilla. Top with the remaining cheddar, the lettuce, tomato, green onions, guacamole, sour cream and cilantro. Roll to enclose the filling and serve.

Variation
For a delicious meatless meal, replace the chicken with refried beans or red kidney beans, then add grilled peppers and onions and sliced black olives to the filling.

Tip
Coring Iceberg Lettuce
To quickly core iceberg lettuce, hold the head in both hands with the core facing down, then sharply rap the head on a work surface. The core then can be simply pulled out and the tightly packed leaves are easily removed.

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/august1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Slow Cooking Thursday - Slow Cooker Barbeque

For more slow cooker recipes visit Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. If you are looking for some delicious slow cooker recipes visit the other cooks in this recipe exchange.

Use your slow cooker for summer meals so your kitchen stays cool. Prepare this slow cooker barbeque for your next backyard get together. You can also freeze, then thaw and heat for a quick weekday dinner.

Slow Cooker Barbeque

1 boneless beef chuck roast or pork roast
1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Onion Powder
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bottle Watkins Original Barbeque Sauce

Trim all fat from roast. Brown roast on all sides in a small amount of olive oil. Place roast in slow cooker. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, onion, and green bell pepper. Pour half of bottle of barbeque sauce over meat. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Carefully remove meat from slow cooker, shred and return to slow cooker. Pour the other half bottle of barbeque sauce over meat and mix. (More barbecue sauce may be required depending on the size of the roast and your personal taste.) Cook for 1 more hour. Serve hot on buns or rolls.

We love this barbeque with coleslaw and corn on the cob!

Corn on the cob cooked on the grill is a special treat! Pull back the husks and remove silk from the ears; then soak corn with husks in cold water for about an hour. Heat grill. Remove ears of corn from water and drain. Place on hot grill and cook until corn is crisp tender. Husks may begin to char on the outside. Carefully remove corn from grill with tongs or oven mits. Cool slightly. Pull back husks and use as a handle as you eat!

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Homemade Salad Dressings Add Flavor to the Crunch

Cool crunchy salads taste great on a hot summer’s day. These days people mix just about any kind of food ingredients in a salad - vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, pastas, nuts, herbs, and breads.

The salad dressing you choose complements the flavors of the salad ingredients. You can adjust the flavors of your homemade dressing to your own particular taste. Since homemade dressings contain no preservatives they should be kept in the refrigerator and used within two to three days.

Bleu Cheese Dressing
Serve this dressing on a crisp green salad made with lettuce, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions. Blue cheese dressing also complements a pasta salad such as a cheese tortellini and sun-dried tomato salad. This dressing may also be used as a dipping sauce for carrot and celery sticks and for buffalo wings.

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons buttermilk or whole milk
1 tablespoon crumbled bleu cheese
1/8 teaspoon Watkins coarse ground Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Watkins Organic Onion Powder
1/8 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl or shake together in a jar. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Makes 1 cup.

Oriental Dressing
This oriental salad dressing tastes best drizzled over a Chinese Chicken Salad. The sesame oil and ginger give this salad dressing that distinctive oriental flavor.

6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh finely grated peeled ginger or 1/4 teaspoon Watkins Ground Ginger

Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Put dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad.

Tip
Sesame oil is used to flavor salad dressings, soups, and pasta. It is not used for frying foods.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing
Because this dressing is thick, one cup of it will coat only about 3 quarts (or about 6 servings) of salad greens. It works best with mild greens such as iceberg and romaine lettuce. This dressing complements the flavors of a shrimp salad or a crab salad or a cob salad.

1 small clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon green olives with pimentos, minced (3 to 4 olives)
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
1/4 cup minced sweet pickle or sweet pickle relish
1 hard-boiled egg, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of Watkins Black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/4 - 1/3 cup chili sauce

Mince the garlic, then sprinkle it with the salt. Use the flat side of a knife or the back of a spoon to turn the garlic and salt into a smooth paste.

Mix the garlic paste, olives, pickle, onion, egg, lemon juice, and ground pepper together in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise or salad dressing and chili sauce and mix well. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

Peanut Dressing
The sweet and creamy flavor of this dressing tastes great on Asian-inspired salads.

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon finely grated freshly peeled ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
Pinch of Watkins Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and freshly ground Watkins Black Pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, canola oil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If you use natural peanut butter, you may need to add a little sugar to sweeten the flavor.

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/august1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Sliders - Mini Burgers, the New Fad Food

 

We were at a BBQ style birthday party over the weekend and host and hostess served sliders - mini burgers on miniature buns or dinner rolls.

Sliders are one of today’s new fad foods - from diners to upscale restaurants, backyard parties to wedding receptions. A slider plate, usually comprising two or three, may be served as an appetizer or a main course.

The fancy ones may be fashioned of Kobe beef or fresh tuna steaks tucked into mini brioche buns. Most sliders are made from grilled ground sirloin topped with pickles, dolloped with ketchup and slid into soft dinner rolls.

Ground Beef Sliders

2 pounds ground chuck or sirloin
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 tablespoons Watkins Steak Sauce
1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Granulated Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 miniature buns or dinner rolls

Place ground chuck or sirloin in a large bowl and add Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Mix all ingredients.

Form meat mixture into 16 mini patties.

Split dinner rolls. Wrap the buns or rolls in foil and place in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or serve at room temperature.

Grill meat patties for 2 to 3 minutes per side or to desired doneness.

Remove the buns from the oven. Slide one patty into each bun. Serve immediately with cheese slices, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, tomato slices. Makes 4 - 6 servings.

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/august1-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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