Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Au Gratin

Leftover ham after the Thanksgiving holiday? Here's one of my favorite recipes that can use some of the ham you had leftover. I've never tried substituting cooked turkey, but I bet it is just as good! I might try that this coming weekend after the holiday, if there's any leftover!

Being a county Extension agent allows for some night meetings in order to meet the needs of our clientele. I tend to use quick slow cooker recipes like the Ham and Potato Au Gratin recipe on nights when I only get to come home for a short amount of time before I'm out the door to a night meeting with 4-H youth, diabetes education classes, or the county fair association. Just simply layer the ingredients in the slow cooker and set on low for a long meeting (4 hours or longer) or high for a short meeting (about 2 hours). When you get home dinner is ready for the table. Serve with some hot rolls and a side salad or green vegetable or fruit and you will have a healthy warm and comforting meal for your family. What a great meal to satisfy a famished family after a short Christmas shopping trip!

If you and your family are tried of ham after Thanksgiving, simply cut/slice the leftover ham and place in freezer bags or containers for later date. Remember to come back to our healthy living videos during the holiday season for more ideas that can add variety to your dinner time meal planning.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy holiday season!
Dee Lee

Altering Recipes

Here recently our family has been trying to cut back on the calories and fat in our diet. I took our favorite creamy chicken enchilada recipe and worked on it until we created this recipe. It is really not hard to change recipes so they are lower in fat and calories. Listed are some tips on altering recipes to be healthy.

Make a large pot of homemade beef, chicken or vegetable stock and freeze the broth in ice cube trays. Pop out only as many cubes as you need to add wonderful flavor to your food, especially on busy days when you don't have much time to cook. Cook your rice and pasta in the stock for added flavor and not added fat.

Thicken soups with prepared instant mashed potatoes (or pureed cooked potatoes) instead of heavy cream. Evaporated skim milk can take the place of heavy cream as well.

Replace the mayonnaise and sour cream in recipes with pureed, seasoned silken tofu or plain low-fat yogurt, dressed up with your favorite diced vegetables and seasonings.

Happy Cooking

Pumpkin Soup

Nothing reminds us more of fall and cool weather than pumpkins…however, have you ever thought of making pumpkin soup for your dinner tonight? I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. Here are several reasons: pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene, an important antioxidant. Current research tells us a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, protects us against heart disease, as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Notice this pumpkin soup recipe also “sneaks in” some mashed carrots to add even more nutrition to this soup. The beans (your choice – either white or black beans) add some all important fiber to the diet. You don’t have to tell your family how good this soup is for you, just make it and you will be pleasantly surprised!

Happy Cooking,

Donna

Savory Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Growing up in a family with two working parents, meals were sometimes prepared and cooked while we were away or busy with other activities. Savory Slow Cooker Pot Roast is a meal that can be prepared and left, while you are busy taking care of every day life.

I make this yummy recipe on a regular basis and it has become one of my favorites to make for friends or to take for potluck dinners. I hope you enjoy the simplicity of making this tasty dish. I serve it with traditional foods such as: mashed lowfat cream cheese potatoes (using the gravy from the pot roast), steamed carrots or green beans, and a piece of seasonal fruit.

Here are some important food safety reminders when using a slow cooker:

Clean
Always begin with handwashing, before, during and after preparing food. Make sure all utensils, equipment, and cooking areas are clean prior to handling food.
Refrigerate
Chill all foods before preparation in the refrigerator. To save on preparation time, I wash and cut up all my meats and vegetables for separate storage in the refrigerator prior to the time for cooking.
Never add raw frozen meat or poultry to a slow cooker. Because of the slow cooking process and thawing time, food could potentially remain in the temperature danger zone 40 to 140 degrees for more than 2 hours. Foods with high moisture content, such as chili, soup, stew, spaghetti sauce or others with sauce, tend to do well in slow cookers. If using a commercially frozen slow cooker meal, prepare according to manufacturer's instructions.
Filling the Cooker
A slow cooker should be filled no less than half full and no more than two-thirds full to allow for optimum cooking. Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry in a slow cooker so if using them, put the vegetables in first. Then add the meat and desired amount of liquid such as broth, water or barbecue sauce. Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness. Every time you open the lid, you are increasing the amount of cooking time and lowering the temperature in the slow cooker.
Cooker Setting
Most cookers have two or more settings. Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

If possible, turn the cooker on the highest setting for the first hour of cooking time and then to low or the setting called for in your recipe. However, it's safe to cook foods on low the entire time — if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

While food is cooking and once it's done, food will stay safe as long as the cooker is operating.
Power Outage
If you are not at home during the entire slow-cooking process and the power goes out, throw away the food even if it looks done.

If you are at home, finish cooking the ingredients immediately by some other means: on a gas stove, on the outdoor grill or at a house where the power is on.

When you are at home, and if the food was completely cooked before the power went out, the food should remain safe up to two hours in the cooker with the power off.
Leftover storage
Store leftovers in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within two hours after cooking is finished. Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 °F. Then the hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving—at least 140 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

Refer to the April 5th blog: “Tips for Slow Cooking by Emily” for more information.

Safe & Happy Slow Cooking!
Dee Lee

Teriyaki-Ginger Pork Tenderloin

By Carrie Brazeal

When’s the last time that you served a pork tenderloin? Pork tenderloins are widely available and even come marinated - all you have to do is roast until the center of the tenderloin reaches 160 degrees, slice and serve. For a one-pound tenderloin at 350 degrees, this usually takes approximately 30 minutes. Don’t overcook or the pork may dry out. Be sure to use a meat thermometer and allow five minutes standing time before measuring the temperature.

The tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork and meets the guidelines for "extra lean" - a 3-ounce serving has less than 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and 62 milligrams of cholesterol – it’s as lean as a skinless chicken breast. Be sure to trim any visible fat from the tenderloin before cooking.

For a different change of pace, try Teriyaki-Ginger Pork Tenderloin. For this Asian-inspired meal, the pork is sliced into 1/2-inch slices,which means that it cooks rapidly. The sauce thickens quickly and is spooned over the pork slices. Serve with Curried Rice, steamed snow peas and orange slices. For the Curried Rice, prepare instant rice according to package directions, add a few ingredients and serve. Both recipes are quick and easy to prepare; you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

I hope that your family enjoys this meal. Happy cooking! Carrie

Shrimp Diablo

Hello, Everyone! This is one of my absolute favorite meals to make! It is simple and quick to prepare. If you would just give it a chance, you will be amazed! And, to be honest, I am truly giving my secret away. Everyone that I have made this dish for has told me what a great chef I am, Ha! As you will see, it has only four ingredients. You can prepare for this meal ahead of time (like when the shrimp is on sale) by keeping frozen shrimp in your freezer. The other ingredients can be stored in your pantry. If you get a call for an unexpected guest, you can prepare this dish with ease. But the best thing is, it tastes great and is fast! You will impress everyone -adults and kids love it!

Here are some tips to help with preparing this tasty meal:

The red sauce can be any type you choose. This recipe calls for a 1 lb or a 10 ounce jar, you can add or use less dependent on your taste. To spice up the sauce you can add some red pepper flakes.

Defrost the shrimp in the refrigerator or under cool running water for no more than 20 minutes.

If you purchase shelled shrimp make it easier on yourself by peeling and deveining the shrimp while it is raw.

Just to give you an idea - when purchasing raw shrimp a way to calculate servings, is when the shrimp is cooked, it is equal to half the raw amount.
For example, 2 pounds of shrimp will cook down to approximately 1 pound.

To change up the recipe feel free to use crab or lobster in place of the shrimp.

I hope you try this recipe, I guarantee if are a shrimp fan like me you will love it. You can also be creative and use varying sauces or meats to make this fit your taste!

I would like to give special thanks to Danielle Hammond, RD. Extension Assistant, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Amanda Scott, RD, LD, MS. Program Specialist with Expanded Nutrition with the Nutrition and Food Science Department with Texas AgriLife Extension Service for their time, support and input to make this project successful.

Best Wishes,
Cassandra Coleman

Beefy Stuffed Pasta

This recipe could be made ahead of time or even frozen to be cooked at a later time. The pasta shells can be filled and frozen separately. Prepare pasta shells as directed. Place filled shells onto ungreased baking sheet; cover and freeze. When frozen, place shells into resealable plastic freezer bag; seal bag. Place bag in freezer. To bake shells, heat oven to 350°F. Continue assembling casserole with frozen shells, sauce and cheese as directed in oven directions. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until heated through. You can also use your leftover cooked shells as an appetizer, rinse the shells with cold water, drain really well on a towel, then fill with egg salad or ham salad. Keep in the "frig" until ready to serve. Also, if you have shells that have broken up, and you can not fill them with what you are stuffing them with, put them aside to use in another pasta dish at a later time. Here is some food for thought; for years I have put salt in my water when boiling the water for the pasta, I really never stopped to think why, I just did it because that is what my mother did. Salt actually plays a very important role in the cooking of pasta; salt brings out the natural flavor of the pasta. The salt however, must be added once the water has started to boil. If the salt is added too late, it will not be absorbed correctly into the pasta. Adding salt too early may lengthen the boiling time. Allow the salt to dissolve before adding the pasta. So now you know! Happy Cooking!!
Halee Mitchell

Breakfast Casserole for Dinner Tonight?!

Some of you may think I have lost my mind when you see the title of this week’s recipe. However, my family has always enjoyed a breakfast for dinner occasionally. Maybe it is because we are always rushed in the morning and a quick bowl of cereal usually suffices for the beginning meal of the day. Dinner time is sometimes better to enjoy this type of meal.

Holidays and weekends are also a good time to try this casserole for a brunch as well. It is so handy to make up the night before. After sleeping late, put it in the oven and your meal will be ready shortly with very little effort!

Nutritionally, this casserole is full of good nutrition. Despite what you may have heard about eggs, they are really quite good for you. One egg provides 6 grams of protein which is 12% of the recommended daily allowance of protein. According to the American Egg Board, eggs provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. The high-quality protein in eggs helps us feel full longer and stay energized, which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.

A recent survey of healthy adults conducted by the Egg Nutrition Center shows that nearly one out of four (24 percent) Americans still avoid eggs due to the fear of dietary cholesterol, even though 30 years of research has never linked egg consumption to heart disease. My advice regarding eggs is as with any food, moderation is the key to a healthy life style.

So, this week, get out of your comfort zone, and have Breakfast Casserole for your Dinner Tonight! Don't forget to try the yummy strawberry soup recipe as well. It is sure to be a family favorite.

Donna

Baked Chicken Fajitas

By Carrie Brazeal

For a quick and simple dinner, try Baked Chicken Fajitas. During the baking time, make Black Bean Salsa with Pineapple to serve with it. Dinner will be on the table in just a few minutes.

If you have time the night before or in the morning, cut the chicken breasts and veggies into thin stips, place in separate plastic lock-top bags and refrigerate. This makes preparation go much faster. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven with the fajitas the last 10 minutes and dinner will be ready.

Practice good food safety when working with chicken. Use a separate cutting board for fresh meats and veggies. Sanitize cutting boards after washing by dipping or spraying with a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of household bleach to 1 quart of water) and let air dry. This solution may also be used on countertops if not natural stone as well as knives and other utensils.

To make cleanup easier, line a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil before adding the ingredients. At cleanup time, just remove the foil and the pan should be clean.

If your family doesn't care for bell peppers, increase the onion or substitute zucchini squash or other veggies. The chili powder and cumin give a good flavor that your family will enjoy - its not too hot or spicy. Leftovers can be refrigerated and re-heated for lunch the next day.

Purchase chicken breasts when on sale and package for the freezer. I like to wrap individual breasts in wax paper and place in a lock-top freezer bag. Since they freeze individually, I can take out the exact amount that I need. Make sure that you label the bag with the date and contents. Remember FIFO - first in, first out. Have some type of system so that packages of food don't get stuck in the back of the freezer. Chicken breasts can be frozen up to 4 months without losing food quality.

The salsa makes a great side dish to serve with the fajitas. Pineapple adds just the right amount of "sweet" to offset the peppers, onion and cilantro. Remember to wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers such as jalapeno. Never touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you have washed your hands - the volative oils will cause burning. If your family doesn't care for cilantro, you can easily leave it out. If you have leftovers, the salsa can be refrigerated and served the next day with baked tortilla chips.

I hope that your family enjoys the fajitas and salsa. It's a favorite at my house. Happy cooking! Carrie

Reducing the sugar, sodium and fat are important for healthy cooking. You can take an old family favorite, alter some of the high fat and high calorie ingredients and make it something you can enjoy minus the guilty feelings. Boosting the flavor with herbs and spices is a great way to add flavor without adding calories or fat.

Where to begin? In most recipes you can reduce the sugar by 1/3 to ½ . When you reduce the sugar increase the spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. While these spices are not sweet they become most appealing when combined with sweet flavors and work well when combined with unsweetened fruit, bringing out the natural sweetness.

You can reduce the salt significantly or omit completely in most recipes however this affects the flavor. Adding aromatics such as garlic and onion will increase flavor and their aroma will bring the family to the kitchen. To start out try a few flavors and determine what you like. Some that work well together are: rosemary and chicken or red potatoes, tarragon with fish, basil and oregano with pasta and tomatoes, nutmeg with cooked spinach, chili powder with corn, lemon pepper with squash, cloves, ginger and mace are all flavors that work well with most fruits. Read the label on spices - some contain salt, likely suspects are chili powder and lemon pepper.

You can reduce the fat in most recipes by 1/3 to ½, this includes oils, shortening and butter. When reducing the fat by 1 tablespoon you remove approximately 100 calories, a good thing but, it removes flavor as well. Increase the flavor by increasing or adding herbs and spices. Add the spice at the beginning of the cooking so the food will have time absorb the flavor. The zest of lemon, lime or orange gives incredible flavor to a dish. Here is an idea, make lemon butter sauce next time you grill fish, add the juice and zest of a lemon and reduce the amount of butter used, you will be amazed at the flavor.

When using herbs and spices it is always good to start with small amounts, you can always add more if you like.

If you need to substitute dried for fresh or vice versa use the following guideline:
1 tablespoon finely cut fresh herbs is equal to
1 teaspoon dried leafy herbs is equal to
1/4 to ½ teaspoon ground dried herbs

I hope you enjoy today’s recipe for quick chicken and pasta using fresh basil. If you find it needs a little more flavor for your taste add a sprinkle of salt free seasoning.

Healthy regards,

Dana

Beef and Cheese French Bread

By Carrie T. Brazeal

Hearty sandwiches make a quick yet filling dinner for hectic weekdays. Just keep these simple ingredients on your pantry shelf and you will always be ready when you need a quick, hot meal. To keep the fat content as low as possible, use at least 80% lean ground beef and drain thoroughly. I like to purchase lean ground beef when it’s on sale and freeze in one-pound packages. Make sure that you use freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Label the bag with the date and how much is in the bag. After measuring out, I like to flatten the ground beef so it stacks easier in my freezer. It also makes thawing quicker since it is a uniform shape. A one-pound package will thaw overnight in the refrigerator (be sure to put the package on a plate to catch any drips) and be ready to brown when you get home. You may also thaw the ground beef in the microwave if you forget to place it in the refrigerator the night before. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for thawing and make sure that you brown the meat immediately following thawing.

When I have time, I will brown three or four pounds of ground beef with onion, drain, package in one-pound bags, label and freeze. This makes meal preparation a lot faster with the meat already cooked. All I have to do is thaw and add a few other ingredients. I use the cooked beef and onion mixture in casseroles, spaghetti sauce, pizza - any recipe that calls for browned ground beef. Of course, if your family doesn’t care for onions, just omit it.

If your family doesn’t care for green peppers or olives, no problem. Just leave it out. With the salsa, onion, chili powder, garlic and cumin, the meat mixture has a wonderful flavor. I prefer using medium salsa since my family enjoys the extra “kick” but your family might prefer mild or hot. Make sure that you use salsa since it is thicker than picante.

Even though the recipe calls for French bread, you can use any type of bread as a base: Texas toast would make individual servings as well as English muffin halves, plain bagels, flatbread, etc. Adjust the baking time accordingly.

If the recipe is makes too much for your family, prepare it as instructed but leave out the olives since they don’t freeze well. Use half for dinner tonight and freeze half. The half loaf of French bread may also be frozen. I use the original plastic bag, seal it and overwrap with heavy duty aluminum foil. Freeze no longer than 1 month. Remove the foil and thaw for about 1 hour at room temperature. Thaw the meat mixture, spread on the thawed bread and heat as directed. You will have a hot meal in record time. The meat mixture may also be used to make tacos, wraps or served over lettuce for taco salad.

Add a tossed green salad and your favorite dressing or some crunchy veggies such as carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower and your favorite non-fat frozen yogurt. You will have quick and nutritious meal that includes foods from the grains group (bread), protein group (ground beef or turkey), dairy (cheese and frozen yogurt), and veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower). Instead of serving frozen yogurt, try any type of fresh fruit such as apple or orange slices or canned pineapple or pears.

I hope that you enjoy the Beef and Cheese French Bread. Happy cooking! Carrie

Southwest Veggie Burritos

Hello! I hope you try this recipe, not only is it delicious, it is tasty too! But the best part is it is very simple and most of the ingredients you may find you already have in your pantry. This recipe is also is full of major nutrients and vitamins. And if you have a person over for dinner that does not eat meat you can serve this dish to them. On the other hand, if you have a person over that only eats meals with meat, you can add chicken, pork, beef, or seafood, it is your choice. Just by adding any one of those extra ingredients it changes the whole taste, this is a very versatile recipe.

What I like are meals that if in the middle of preparation, you discover you don’t have all of the ingredients, you can substitute. This is definitely one of those recipes. I have a friend that said she tried this with pineapple and loved it! Make this your own and add meat or other fruits or vegetables. It is open to anything!

My daughter helps me make this and she loves to pour the ingredients in the bowl and mix them (plus it keeps her busy so I can work on other tasks, Ha!). This also sets a good example to family and friends because people sometimes assume if it is good for you it does not taste good. This has all of the benefits; it has vegetables, fruit and meat (if you choose), grains, and dairy. That means if you prepare this with all of those ingredients you have selected all areas of the “My Pyramid”. If you are not familiar with the, My Pyramid, be sure and contact your local county extension agent with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. That is a contact that will have access to a wealth of knowledge and it is only a phone call away! I know if you give this recipe a chance it will become like many others on this website, a favorite of your families!

Best regards, Cassandra Coleman

Yummy Chicken Salad

Today's recipe actually came from my daughter! She and her roommates made this recipe when they were in college. It has been such a family favorite that Julie requested this "comfort food" as part of her wedding buffet! One of the reasons chicken salad is so popular is its versatility. If you don’t like the some of the “non-traditional” ingredients, either leave them out or substitute what your family likes. Adding additional fruits and vegetables is a perfect way to bolster your family’s intake of these items. Research shows very few of us get the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Be prepared -this is a large recipe of chicken salad – perfect for a crowd or leftovers! If it seems overwhelming to you, simply half the ingredients! Remember these are recipes intended to help your family eat healthier – adapt as needed!

Finally, there are many websites that can break down the nutrient analysis of any recipe. If you have a health concern about any recipe, be sure and use all the free helps available online. Have a great day!
Donna

A Thought About Food: Family Mealtime + Fitness = Full Esteem Ahead

This recipe is one my family enjoys! This recipe is usually prepared by my husband for our family! I hope you will give it a try.
Think about this! August 24, 2009 was the first day of school for my son and daughter. My daughter, Shuncy, entered the 7th grade at Marlin Middle School and my son, KT, entered the 5th grade at Marlin Elementary School. On the morning of August 26, 2009, my daughter who had completed two days of increased activities including band, cheerleading and volleyball practice, exited the front door on her way to school while making the following statement, "Mama, make sure you have something cooked and ready for me to eat when I make it home." Her statement, brought to mind the important message we have been communicating through this blog. Her statement also reminded me of the major role that I play in making sure she receives daily nutritious meals. This is a major role because there is so much substance in the meals I provide her. Substance? Yes! The nutrition is substance! The time we spend together while consuming the meal is substance! It provides nourishment and contributes greatly to the self-esteem of each family member. I use to hear the saying full steam ahead when I was a child and it meant onward determination. I hope this blog motivates you to move forward in providing healthy meals for your family. Research shows that youth who have a balance of quality family time, physical fitness and healthy meals do better in school and life. For more information on this research visit the Cooper Institute at www.cooperinstitute.org/our-kids-health/index.cfm.
We as parents, play a major role in contributing to the self-esteem and substance of our family. Do the math! Family mealtime + Fitness = Full Esteem Ahead!

Lasagna Roll Ups

The key to this recipe and many others is to prepare ahead. When I make spaghetti meat sauce at home, I make enough for other recipes (like this one) too and freeze for later use! I also prepare the cheese filling either the night or morning before I plan to cook. Both of these steps save loads of preparation time for this meal.

To find information about freezing prepared foods visit the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension page linked below:

Freezing Prepared Foods

Have a great week and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Dee Lee :)