Tag Archives: Recipe

Make Play Dough | Preschool & Kindergarten Rainy Day Activity | Play Dough Recipe

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Make Playdough

Play dough can give your children countless hours of fun! This kids recipe is worth the effort. This play dough recipe is also good for special needs children, it helps with their fine motor development and brings out their imagination and creativity.  

Play Dough Recipe

2 cups flour                            1/2 cup salt

1 tbsp. cream of tartar       1-3/4 cups boiling water

2 tbsp. vegetable oil          food coloring

In medium size bowl, combine flour, salt and cream of tartar; stir well. Stir in boiling water, oil, and food coloring. Let dough cool 10 minutes. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Store in airtight container.

Source: Pillsbury Recipe www.pillsbury.com

 

Recipe |Shiitake Mushrooms | How to Cook Shiitake Mushrooms

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Growing MushroomsPhoto Copyright by Cindy

Growing Mushrooms
Photo Copyright by Cindy

 Shiitake mushrooms are a true delight! When I first had Shiitakes, it was after listening to a program on TV talking about adding mushrooms to foods as a filler. The point being–you won’t have to eat as much meat and you will get lots of fiber and other nutrients. I went out and bought very large shiitake caps. I came home and fixed them in butter and put them on top of a thinner hamburger than usual,  lettuce and mayo, no bread. I served it up on the plate. The family was quite pleased with this bread-less treat. However, I wasn’t quite sure that I even liked this type of mushroom…at first.

But then…our friend Cindy, gave us some of her shiitake mushrooms that she grows. Oh, my goodness!

What a difference to get hand cut, clean, fresh mushrooms right from her local farm.

Fried Shiitake Mushrooms 

Shiitake Mushrooms Sm Copyright Virginia Wright 2013

Shiitake Mushrooms Sm Copyright Virginia Wright 2013

I don’t mind eating the stems when the mushrooms are smaller. I get out a large frying pan and put about 1 tbsp of Organic butter in the bottom, then add the mushrooms, and let the butter melt into the mushrooms. Turn the burner up on about medium heat, lightly salt the mushrooms and frequently stir so as not to burn the mushrooms. Cook until they are golden brown, and done to taste, about 10 minutes. Shiitake mushrooms have a taste all of their own.

If you don’t like eating the stems, simply pull them off and only cook the caps. But save the stems and grind them up and put them in your meatloaf, or hamburgers as a filler. You won’t have to use as much meat as you normally would, and that means you get a little less saturated fat as you aren’t eating as much meat. You feel full quicker from the fiber replacement too. A win-win situation!

Shiitake Mushrooms by Cindy2

Growing Mushrooms
Photo Copyright by Cindy

Thanks Cindy for letting me use your photos! And for the true introduction into shiitake mushrooms!

More on shiitake mushrooms: 

Shiitake Mushrooms Disease Prevention:

http://www.naturalnews.com/040673_shiitake_mushrooms_edible_disease_prevention.html

Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake

Recipes:

http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-food-recipes/

Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms on Rosemary Skewers by Martha Stewart

Nutrition Facts:

http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/shiitake-mushrooms-(with-salt-cooked)

Good Luck with your recipe! Visit often, to see what we are cooking up next!
-Virginia Wright

Author, Food Writer, Recipe Developer, Foodie & Queen of Recipe Adaptation

© 2012 Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Recipe| Vegetables |Organic Sautéed Kale

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Recipe: Organic Sautéed Kale

Summary: Organic kale sautéed in olive oil is a great veggie and easy to make. Top sautéed kale with a drizzle of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Fresh Kale

Fresh Kale, OrganicIngredients

  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 Tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 2 wedges of lemon

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, add olive and garlic. Cook on medium-high heat until garlic is tender.
  2. Add loosely cut kale in sections all over bottom of pan. Pour 1/2 boiling water over the top of the kale, toss, and cover. Cook kale for about five minutes.
  3. Uncover, continue cooking until water has evaporated, then salt and pepper kale to taste.
  4. Serve with a drizzle of fresh lemon over the top.

Preparation time: 15 – 20  minute(s)

Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 3-4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 10 review(s)

Cooking tip:

Rinse kale in cold water, and pat dry. Use kitchen scissors to cut, or tear kale with your hands. Use both leaves and stems for the recipe.

Not all Olive Oil is Manufactured Equal
Cooking with a “good” olive oil is important because– olive oil stands up well to high heat (frying temperatures). However, do not cook (above its smoke point) as it can make food taste bad.

This is a good link to refer to about olive oil from the Olive Oil Source, the site is everything olive oil:

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/heating-olive-oil

Buying Organically
Wherever you can, buy “Organic.” In most all the recipes I develop and post, I substitute non-organic ingredients for ORGANIC ingredients. When you shop at your local farmers market, if the produce is not marked Organic, ask them if it is organically-grown. It is okay to ask! It is your right to know what you put in your mouth or not.

What “Organically Grown” Means

Produce that is organically grown and processed uses no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides during the growing process.

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/organics.htm

National Organic Program

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

Enjoy this Sauteed Kale Recipe! 

Visit often to see what we are cooking up next…

Disclaimer: The websites (pages), that I mention in my articles, does not mean an endorsement by me. Nor does it constitute an endorsement by the other website, or me (Virginia Wright). I have independently written this article with recipe as a freelance writer.

© 2012 Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Recipe|Dandelions Batter-Fried Eating Wild-Dandelion Blossoms

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Batter-Fried Dandelion Blossoms                                                                                        By Virginia Wright

Ingredients

  • 2 c dandelion blossoms
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 c milk
  • 1 c self-rise flour
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp basil
  •  Light olive oil for sautéing
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

When you go out hunting for your dandelion blossoms, you will need certain tools, scissors and a 2-cup measuring cup to collect your blossoms in.

1. Cut dandelion blossoms right under the base of the head, avoiding bitter stems. Pick blossoms just before using, as the blossoms will close up quickly after cutting.

Cutting Dandelions right under head of blossom. © Virginia Wright

2.  Fill a bowl with water, put blossoms in and rinse well; place on paper towels, and gently pat dry.

Rinsing Dandelion Blossoms.  © Virginia Wright


3. Beat the egg and milk in medium-size bowl; add flour, pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, and savory herbs– cumin and basil.

Dipping blossoms in batter. © Virginia Wright

4. Mix well. Dip each flower head into the batter, one at a time.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is PanFryDandelionBlossoms_VW-300x225.jpg
Dip Blossoms and Pan Fry © Virginia Wright

5.  Sauté flower blossom in olive oil, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels lean brown paper bag. Serve hot.

Battered Fried Dandelion Blossoms © Virginia Wright

HELP SAVE THE HONEYBEES

I hope when you notice dandelion greens growing on your lawn that you do not kill them, besides being a nice early springtime treat to eat, the honeybees like the blossoms as well. Save a patch of grass for the honeybees!

COOKBOOK: Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook: Recipes From Maine                    Advertisement 

© 2012-2020  Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.