The following slide show demonstrates making one cup of fresh, all natural peanut butter. However, the process works better with two or even three cups at a time. This recipe makes two cups.

RECIPE

Fresh ground peanut butter

Ingredients:

2 cups roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. Place all peanuts into the Vitamix container.
2. Set Vitamix at Variable Speed 1 and turn on.
3. Gradually increase speed to 10 then switch to high. Run for approximately 1 minute.
4. Turn off machine and check contents. You may need to scrape the walls of the container with a spatula.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3. When the sound of the motor changes as if laboring, stop.
6. Remove the Vitamix container from the base and scrape (using a spatula) out all peanut butter into a container for storage.

Peanut butter keeps in the refrigerator for a week, although it probably won’t be around that long! After you taste fresh peanut butter, you won’t enjoy the commercial jars of peanut butter that contain additives.

I enjoy spreading the peanut butter on a toasted slice of whole grain bread. I drizzle with honey. Nutritious and yummy! Try it and see.

There is a catch. You need a Vitamix machine. Regular visitors to the Hasty Tasty Meals Kitchen already know how enthusiastic I am about the Vitamix, but I’ll spare you a commercial of all its benefits. For now I’ll focus on juice.

Whole foods juice includes all the fruit (except the peel in certain foods like pineapple, oranges, and bananas): membrane, seeds (except for the deadly seeds found in peaches, apricots, and apples; you’ll want to remove those), pulp, and juice. A juice extractor removes everything but the juice, which leaves you with a high sugar/low fiber product. What a waste of good food!

Here is an example. To extract enough juice for two four-ounce servings of orange juice, you’d need two or three oranges, depending on size. With the Vitamix, you use one orange and a cup of ice. That’s it! If the fruit is too tart, you may add a touch of honey or other sweetener, but that’s optional and usually unnecessary.

Are you convinced? If so, go to Vitamix.com and place your order. Use code 06-006627 for free shipping!

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,200 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

More good things coming in 2012, so stay tuned!

I created this recipe especially for my mom. She loved blackeye peas, and she loved this soup. It’s a great use-up of your turkey stock if you make it from your Christmas turkey bones. I prefer dried blackeye peas, but canned works, too.

You can make this recipe either in the pressure cooker in half an hour or slow-cook it half a day. Either way, there’s no need to presoak the blackeye peas. Make it up ahead and re-heat to serve. (Soup’s always tastier the next day!)

RECIPE

Blackeye Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot grated
1 potato, cut up into 1” pieces
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 quart low sodium chicken broth
1 can blackeye peas, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups water and 1 cup dried blackeye peas― add cooking time)
1 can Rotel® tomatoes and green chiles
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Preheat the oil in a 4-quart sauce pan (I use either the Gourmet Slo-Cooker or the pressure cooker) on Medium and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot, potato. Sauté another 5 minutes. Add the carton of chicken broth, can of Rotel®, and can of blackeye peas (or dried peas and 2 cups water). Bring to a bubble then reduce heat.

Slow-cook method: Remove pan from burner, add bay leaf, and place on the electric base. (or pour into a Crock Pot® if you prefer) Slow-cook on a medium-low setting for 5 hours, or longer if using dried peas. Remove bayleaf, check and adjust seasonings, then serve.

~OR~

Pressure Cooker Method: Secure lid of your pressure cooker, bring to pressure and cook 15 minutes for canned blackeye peas and 30 minutes for dried blackeye peas. Remove from heat, release pressure according to your manufacturer’s instructions, then carefully open the cooker.

Check the peas for doneness. If necessary, return pot uncovered to the burner and simmer until the blackeye peas are cooked. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasonings, then serve.

Happy new year!

The slow cooker cooks all day while you are away

You don’t like the taste of prunes? I certainly don’t. But here’s a suggestion: hide them in your fruit smoothies. I add 5 (one serving, according to the package) prunes to the following recipe, which serves 2. Tastes sweet and keeps your plumbing running smooth, too.

RECIPE

Breakfast Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup milk or soy milk
1 orange, quartered and peeled
1 apple, quartered and cored
5 prunes
1 cup frozen peaches or assorted frozen fruit

Directions:

Add ingedients in the oder in which they are listed to the Vitamix container. Secure lid. Set to Variable Speed 1 and turn on the machine. Gradually increase to Speed 10 then flip switch to High. Process for 1 minutes.

Makes 2 servings.

No added sweetener is necessary because the prunes are very sweet. If prunes still are a turn off for you, think of them as dried plums.

You don’t have a Vitamix? Ask Santa for one now. Click through the ad in the sidebar and get free shipping. You won’t regret owning a Vitamix. The more you use it, the healthier you’ll be!

RECIPE

Turkey BBQ Sandwiches
Serves 2
(I serve these with Cole Slaw made using the Vitamix)

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded turkey dark meat
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce of choice
2 whole wheat burger buns

Directions:
Combine turkey and barbecue sauce in a one quart pan. Cover and place over low heat for gentle heating. After mixture is completely warmed through, remove pan from heat and serve on the burger buns.

RECIPE

Turkey Tetrazzini
Serves 4-5

(I use a Kitchen Craft liquid core electric skillet, but this recipe can be baked in a conventional oven. I prefer the electric skillet because the entire dish is prepared in one pot, reducing clean-up time in the kitchen. Also, a quality liquid core electric skillet uses less energy than an oven):

Dry sauté in a non-stick skillet:

1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

After the mushrooms have browned, add:

1½ cups cooked turkey, cubed
4 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta, spread evenly across vegetables and chicken in skillet (or 1½ quart baking dish)

In a 1 pint measuring pitcher, blend:

1 10 ¾ oz. can Campbell’s® 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
½ cup milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pour soup mixture over turkey and pasta. Be sure all pasta is covered.

If using a liquid core electric skillet, cover and close vent. Set temperature to 200°F and simmer for 30 minutes. Do NOT remove lid to peek. If baking, cover casserole with foil and cook in a pre-heated 375°F oven for 30 minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with a garden salad and whole grain bread. Serves 4.

With the rising cost of canned goods, I’ve started canning my own turkey stock, which is easy using the pressure cooker and pint canning jars.  But whether you make your own stock or buy it, you’ll enjoy making soup from leftover turkey.  Here’s one suggestion, Turkey Noodle Soup:

RECIPE

Turkey Noodle Soup

Makes 4 servings

In a 3 quart pot over medium heat, add

2 teaspoons olive oil
brown for 5 minutes:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
4 stalks celery (including the leaves), sliced
1 bell pepper (any color, but I use red), seeded and chopped

Add:

1 quart turkey stock or chicken broth
1 cup water
Seasonings – your choice
1 ½ cups cooked turkey, cubed

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Don’t remove the lid and you’ll be able to cook on the lowest setting.

About 10 minutes before serving, add:<!–[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]–>
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1 cup dry whole wheat noodles, or any whole wheat pasta

Taste test for seasonings. You may want to add salt or pepper. When the noodles are al dente, serve the soup.

The beauty of this recipe is the cooking time is flexible. The soup can simmer for 20 minutes or a couple of hours because the starchy pasta isn’t added until the last 10 minutes. It’s a light, healthy meal for those days following the overindulgence of a holiday meal. Double or triple the recipe and feed a crowd on a cold night.

One more tip: You can adapt this for the slow cooker. Add the pasta in during the last hour and turn to Low.

Here’s one I modified from a GE recipe.  Theirs is baked in a casserole dish, but I use the electric skillet.

RECIPE

Turkey Cashew Casserole
Serves 6

In a pre-heated electric skillet, melt:

1 Tablespoon butter

Sauté for five minutes:

2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped

Add:

5 cups cubed cooked turkey

Mix together in a large mixing pitcher or bowl:

1 cup turkey or chicken broth
2 cans reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
dash of hot sauce

Pour over chicken and cover.  Simmer (220°) for 20-25 minutes (or bake in a casserole dish at 350° for 30 minutes in a traditional oven).

Sprinkle cooked casserole with:

1 cup cashews
10 oz. chow-mein noodles

Serve and enjoy!

I saved my favorite for last, turkey burritos!  This recipe can be adjusted according to how much leftover turkey you have.

RECIPE

Turkey Burritos
Makes 6

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl combine:

1 cup shredded cooked turkey
1 can Rotel® tomatoes and green chiles
1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (or your choice)

Mix together and divide into six equal portions.  Fill each of the:

6 whole wheat tortillas

with a portion of the mixture.  Wrap tortilla around mixture into a roll.  Place burritos in a 9×13 casserole dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and uncover.  After 5 minutes, remove each burrito from the casserole dish and serve.

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it with these famous TV chefs and their elaborate instructions for making the perfect holiday turkey. Folks, it doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating. About the only thing I agree with them on is the use of a good thermometer. Here is how I cook my holiday turkey, and it’s always moist and delicious.

First, buy the smallest turkey possible. If you’re having lots of guests, buy two small turkeys or one turkey and a breast. Be sure to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator completely, which can take several days. When I cook the turkey on Thanksgiving (or Christmas) morning, I’ve already prepped it the night before by removing the giblets (and whatever else is stuffed in its cavity) and patting the skin dry with paper towels.

I preheat the oven to 325°, sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning on the outside and inside the cavity, stick an onion quarter and celery stick inside, then get my roasting pan ready. I use a stainless steel covered roasting pan, but one of those roasting bags works great, too. In the bottom of the roasting pan I build a “rack” of celery, onion, and carrots. I place the turkey (breast side up) on the vegetables (They keep the bird elevated from the bottom of the pan, but you may also use a roasting rack if you have one). Then I pour about three cups of water into the bottom of the pan around the bird. This water steams the turkey to keep it moist and later becomes the drippings for your gravy.

I don’t stuff the bird with anything else but fresh herbs. It’s easier to make the dressing the day before using chicken stock or broth. Then I pop it in the oven to finish after I’ve cooked the turkey. Leftover dressing has a longer and safer storage life if it isn’t cooked inside the bird.

Don’t worry about stuff like starting out at a high temperature to brown the turkey’s skin or rubbing butter beneath the skin. If you cook low and slow, the bird won’t dry out. As for the skin, you shouldn’t be eating it, anyway! It’s loaded with saturated fat you don’t need. You should skin the bird before you carve it to serve.

Cook the turkey for twenty minutes per pound but pull the roaster from the oven early to test the temperature. If it’s at least 160° inside temperature, take the roasting pan out, keep it covered, and set it somewhere to “rest” for at least half an hour, or until internal temperature reaches 180°F. Residual cooking will bring the turkey meat to the desired temperature without overcooking it.

How simple is that? Good luck and happy Thanksgiving!

UPDATE: I followed these instuctions except omitted the water and the bird turned out great. So the addition of water for steaming is optional. There is enough liquid from the vegetables to create steam.

After experimenting in the Hasty Tasty Meals Kitchen, I’ve found a way to make whole wheat bread with the right texture for sandwiches. Whether you have a bread machine or you use a Vitamix or your hands, try this recipe. You’ll need a 12 oz. can of beer (and no, it’s not for the cook! )

RECIPE

Whole Wheat Beer Bread

Ingredients:

• 12 oz can beer, room temperature (pull the tab so it goes flat)
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• ½ stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. wheat germ
• ½ cup gluten
• 2½ tsp. yeast

Directions:

Add all ingredients in order listed to the bread machine pan. Select “Wheat” setting and hit “Start.” Approximately three and a half hours later, you’ll have tasty whole wheat bread. Remove immediately from the bread pan and allow to cool before slicing.

If you don’t use a bread machine, make the dough (I’ve omitted dough making instructions, but if you have a Vitamix, follow the directions in your Vitamix book) and let it rise. Knead and let it rise again. Bake in a buttered loaf pan at 350° for about 40 minutes or until done. Loaf is fully baked when you thump it and it sounds hollow. Remove loaf from pan and allow it to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

You will be delighted with the airy softness of this whole wheat bread. Enjoy!

One day while watching a segment of Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals in which she turned ground meat into sausage, I was motivated to try making my own. I took it a step further and ground my own meat, which is easy using my Vita-mix machine. The result: delicious sausage without nitrites or nitrates. I love being in control of my food.

Here is how I made a pound (4 servings) of sausage:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean meat (your choice)
• 1 Tbsp. ground sage
• 1 Tbsp. steak seasoning blend Mrs. Dash
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup minced celery, onion, and bell pepper*
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

*You can mince these in your Vita-mix.

Directions:

1. I raided my freezer and found 2 top sirloins (approximately 4 oz. each) and 2 boneless pork chops (same size). I thawed them in my refrigerator.
2. I sliced the meat into 1″ cubes.
3. I turned on the Vita-mix to Variable Speed 5 then dropped in about a third of the meat.
4. I ran the Vita-mix about 20 seconds then dumped the ground meat into a bowl.
5. I repeated the process twice more (grinding meat in batches is actually faster).
6. Into the bowl of ground steak and pork I added my spices and seasonings.
7. Using my hands, I mixed the ingredients well, taking care not to overwork the meat.
8. The sausage was ready to cook.

How simple and easy. Now if I can figure out how to make links . . .

The concept is simple, one our great-grandmothers and grandmothers knew well: low and slow. When you cook over low heat for a long time, you give food the chance to develop its natural flavors. You don’t risk burning or toughening food when you gently cook. Unlike hasty tasty meals, a gently cooked meal takes time. (Not to be confused with slow-cooker cooking, which takes hours)

The upside of low and slow is multi-tasking. If you start your meal gently cooking, you don’t need to stand and tend to it. You can put pots on the range or in the oven to start cooking gently then go on to other chores like laundry, checking e-mails, or cleaning the kitchen. You can set the table at your leisure. In a way, it’s more relaxed cooking.

Here is a gently cooked meal as an example. Prep produce for carrots and broccoli. Place the carrots in a 1½ quart pan (carrots have a longer cooking time than broccoli), cover, and turn the burner on low. If your range is gas, this is the lowest setting; electric range setting would be one notch higher than warm.

Take frozen fish fillets, season, and place in a dry 10” skillet. Cover and turn heat to its lowest setting as you did the carrots.

Do not lift the lids on the pans. You can check for steam by spinning the lids. If they spin freely, you have vapor seal. This is what you want. If the lid rattles and steam spews around the edges, lower the heat or use a flame-tamer.

After about twenty minutes, add the broccoli to the 1½ quart pan on top the carrots. Replace the lid and allow broccoli to steam at least twenty minutes for firm. Add time if you like broccoli super tender, taking care not to overcook. Broccoli cooked gently will not turn an ugly brownish color, even if it overcooks a bit.

After about forty-five minutes, dinner is ready to serve. You will get nothing but compliments on your delicious meal, and you can relax and enjoy dinner, too. Gentle cooking makes cleanup easy, especially if you use quality heavy-gauge cookware that evenly distributes the heat. No hot spots means no burned on food. Best of all, slow cooking requires little to no fat, which means healthier meals!

Gently cooked fish dinner