AVACARD SEED TEA (A FEEL GOOD TEA)

Through my research I have found that there are so many teas that are as good for you as they are for you.  We have spent so many years ingesting pills for everything and learning that one problem leads to another, all because we are people who were made to consume plant based food.

Our ancesters were on the right tract, whenever they were sick they went out to look for natural herbs that would cure their ailments. For years I suffered from high cholesterol it seamed that no matter what I did the numbers were high. So I began researching things in nature that could help and I found that avocados were good to lower cholesterol  and blood pressure so I began to incorporate avocado into my diet. When I went for my routine doctor visit and took my blood test I was surprised to know that my blood pressure was normal and so was my cholesterol.  That has made a believer out of me and it's not that I eat lots of avacado I eat them about twice a week. Through further research infant that if I make a tea from the seed the results are phenomenal .  My hair, skin and nails are beautiful. My diabetes has improved, I no longer catch colds and I don't take flu shots.  I just can't say enough about the avocado.

In my blogs about teas, I am going to inform you about many other teas that are excellent for good health. I will also let you know how my cook book is coming along,  so check out my blog for updates.

CHAYOTE TEA HELPS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE(a feel good tea)

The Chayote Squash is grown in a tropical climate but you can grow the leaves.  The vegetable will sprout and it will grow leaves.  When you feel you have enough leaves you can then harvest the leaves spread them out on a cookie sheet and dry them in the oven until they become crumbly. Then remove from the oven and let cool.




After the leaves have cooled then you can crumble them and place in a glass jar or container so that when you want tea you can put the amount you want in a small tea steeper usually a mesh circular metal ball.

This is a favorite of the Caribbean and Louisiana cooks. . This vegetable also has 168mg. Of potassium  something your body needs.  It's peak season is call and occasionally  late spring.

You can prepare it raw or cooked such as grilling, stir frying, boiling, steaming and baking. You can also slice and shred for salads. Mix with citrus cabbage,arugruggla  and fresh herbs. You can bake it and serve like potatoes, add to soups, stews and curries.

If you want more information please look it up and find other wonderful things chayote does for the body.

Dinner On a Budget!

Food these days has become extremely expensive so it is important for you to shop and get the best bang for your buck.  First, you should know what your family likes eating.  If your family is used to eating fast food, then you plan to serve them basically the same food but actually cooking whole food instead of the fast convenient food.

The keyword to all of this is planning.  If your family enjoys chicken then buy chicken parts, thighs, legs, wings.  Bake your chicken instead of frying using the seasoning that will enhance the flavor, such as poultry seasoning, Montreal chicken seasoning and sometimes I like to use a little Italian dressing I even use some Thai Chile seasoning, it has a sweet tangy taste with a little kick.  Your family will enjoy it.

Next, instead of french fries, I would introduce my family to a few food items, Wide egg noodles, mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, or even sweet potatoes, did you know that there are white sweet potatoes also,

Finally, you incorporate some green vegetables into the menu, most people like string beans, collard greens or even broccoli or peas.  These vegetables can be prepared by steaming for greater flavor or boiling with lots of butter salt and pepper to taste for seasoning.

If you can remember that if you keep once a month when you shop, to pick up staple items like onions, potatoes rice, pasta (noodles, macaroni, spaghetti) Marinara sauce, celery, carrots, olive oil or canola oil, this will make a big difference on your household food budget.  Also, if you enjoy grits, cornmeal don't forget these items.  With these items, you and your family can plan meals for the entire month on a reasonable budget.

These are some of the foods that will help you make a few meals without breaking the bank  I feel that you save money when you buy what you need when you need it.  Sometimes when you shop and buy vegetables especially ahead of the time you want to use it, before you realize it, the vegetables have begun to spoil. Also with tomatoes, do not store them in the refrigerator, they will go bad faster.  One way to remember is to pay attention to the way they are stored in the market.  If they are not stored in plastic bags, then when you come home remove the plastic to keep your food from spoiling.

Karen's Bread Pudding

I think that Bread Pudding is one of my favorite desserts. I always liked it as a child when my momma would make it for us during the winter time. Momma was not what you would call a good cook. She really enjoy sweets   like cake and cookies. She would make us ginger bread with whipped cream or lemon sauce. Whenever I eat these foods I think of my momma.

It was about 7 years ago I went to a Convention in King of Prussia PA. in the Raddisson Hotel and I ate the best Bread Pudding I ever had.  It was perfect it was soft and sweet and it had just enough raisins.  I should have went in the Kitchen and asked the chef how did he come up with the recipe but I didn't.  So since then I have been trying to get that same texture and taste but so far to no avail.

The formula I did come up with that had the taste but not quite the texture but close was this:

I had day old french bread.I didn't cut it in squares but I put it in a blender and pulsed it a few times, then on the stove I made the same custard I would make for banana pudding which is 1 cup of sugar, 4 egg yokes and vanilla, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cup of heavy cream with a little flour about 1.3 cup then I in a double boiler stirred until thickened and poured it into the backing dish I let it all sink in and then I also added dried cranberries and chopped pecans, then I baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes until it was brown on top and knife inserted came out clean, This dessert is best eaten warm with light cream, whipped cream or rum sauce.

2018 NO KNEAD DUTCH OVEN CRUSTY BREAD

This is truly the best crust bread I have ever made.  It is so easy and simple that anyone will have success.  As a matter of fact you can put anything you want to it.  You can make it with raisins, cranberries, nuts flax seed etc.  It is simply wonderful to serve when company comes.  so here is the Recipe:

3 cups of all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. dry active yeast

1 cup of room temp. water.

anything else you want to incorporate.

With a wooden spoon mix all ingredients well, it should be very sticky. Take a good amount of flour in your hands this will allow you to handle the bread dough better and shape it into a ball.  You will the shape into a ball and put it into your dutch oven or a glass or metal bowl cover then let it rise for 12 to 18 hours.

After the bread has set for at least 12 hours place covered into a 450 degree oven for 30  minutes then remove from oven uncover  score the bread I usually put an X on the top of the bread. then put back into the oven until golden brown, leave in until it is the type of brown that you like. This usually takes another 30 minutes.

I usually have my bread on a cookie sheet and with parchment paper underneath this was it brown on all sides.  After you let the bread cool slice into thin slices and eat with cream cheese, butter.  I made one bread with cranberries and pecans and it was very good.  I am going to try Thyme and  black olives, then I might even make cinnamon bread that I can spread my apple butter on,

This is how the bread looks after you mike all the ingredients up and put into the dutch oven

 it looks when you remove it from the oven this is the way.  So this bread is open to so many different ways , it is truly the easiest bread I have made so far.  If you can think of different flavors write me a comment or let me know how your bread turns out.