Be it a healthy chicken salad or any other chicken recipe, choosing the right chicken for your dish is very important .If you opt for the cheap battery-reared chicken, you will get a greasy and stringy dish with a flat taste. These chickens are fed on a high-calorie diet that gives them a lot of fat but no muscle. On the other hand, choosing an organic chicken will give you firm and full-flavored meat. Organic birds are raised on a better diet and roam free under better and more humane conditions. This chicken will obviously cost more but will give you better taste and quality.

To further decrease the level of fat, you can trim off some areas, especially on the thighs, and enjoy a healthier meal. You should never leave raw chicken at room temperature. To prevent contamination, always wash chicken with cold water. Store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within two days. Similarly, cooked chicken shouldn’t be left out for more than two hours. Frozen chicken can easily sit in your freezer for one year without any harm.

A little creativity in your kitchen can whip up new low-fat and healthy chicken recipes for your entire family. If you cannot find a particular ingredient, try replacing it with some substitute and see the all-new dish prepared exclusively by you. While preparing food, follow basic safety rules and avoid accidents in your kitchen. This will ensure you safely prepare tasty meals for everyday consumption focused towards a healthy and long life.

Steak Diane is a classical and tasty meat dish that is a classic in white-tablecloth restaurants and, to properly be served, must be prepared at tableside. This presentation is a great way to impress your guests or perfect for that special romantic dinner!

2 boneless beef top loin steaks, cut 1-inch thick (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. brandy (optional)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb. small mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots or green onions
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms and shallots; cook and stir for 4 minutes or until tender. Remove.

On a clean pan; spray with cooking spray or few drops of oil, heat over medium heat until hot. Combine lemon peel and pepper; press onto beef steaks. Place steaks in pan; cook 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare to medium, turning occasionally. Remove and keep warm.

Adding the brandy to the pan, cook and stir until browned bits attached to skillet are dissolved. Stir in half-and-half, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in mushroom mixture; heat through. Serve with sauce. Serves 4.

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
2 pounds cream cheese
1cup sugar
8 ounces sour cream
2 eggs
1cup flour
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 cup in total chopped candied cherries red and green raisins, walnuts, candied pineapple
½ cup small chocolate chips

In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until your cheesecake batter is smooth and creamy. At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine.
Add the candied fruit, raisins, walnuts, pine apple, chocolate chips, fold everything together.

Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan.
Now you add slowly to the pan your cheesecake mix as not to disturb the crumbs too much, now you should have a full pan.
The total weight of the cheesecake with the crumbs on the sides should be 5 to 5-1/4 pounds if you have some batter leftover just chill it, put some whip cream on it and enjoy.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees and not more, when your oven is hot place the cheesecake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cheesecake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours. Now remove it from the pan and enjoy.
Before serving sprinkle some red and green edible glitter that you can purchase at any store that has decorating supplies.

1. Get rid of hunger: Getting rid of hunger is one of the most important things you need to do in order to lose weight successfully. If you are always hungry, you will always eat, and weight loss will never happen. You should eat foods that can keep you full for a long time. Fiber-rich foods such as lentils, legumes, nuts, apples, peas, etc. are good foods that not only suppress your hunger but also keep your digestive system healthy!

2. Drink more water: Believe it or not, you can lose at least 7-10 extra pounds just by drinking enough water. How? When you don’t drink enough water, your body stores water inside, so as to meet any future water scarcity. Your body won’t hoard water like this if it feels that there is an abundance of water. To assure your body of this abundance, you should drink at least eight glasses of water daily!

I have found that people managed to lose a minimum of seven pounds once they started drinking more water! Once your body gets water regularly, it will stop hoarding water and flush out any excess water that it has stored!

But this is not where the many benefits of water end. Water also boosts your metabolic rate, which helps you burn fat and lose weight. Water also detoxifies your body. When your body has gotten rid of all the toxins, you will not only lose some more pounds, but also feel better!

3. Hula Hooping: If you want to lose weight without exercises, hula hooping is a fun way to do it. All you need is a $10 weighted hula hoop. Just twirl it around yourself for at least one minute at a time. You need to do this exercise for ten minutes everyday, but if you cannot do it all at once, don’t worry. Just do it whenever you find a little time.

If you do it only ten times per day, each time spending just one minute on it, you will be able to lose weight. Plus it is fun to do!

As you can see, weight loss doesn’t have to be hard and scary. Follow the three tips above and see how easily you shed those extra pounds!

Then again, some people need a bit of extra support to help them achieve quick weight loss! Here is where weight loss food programs come in.

There are many weight loss food programs popping up in recent years but not all of them are worth your money. Some are endorsed by celebrities, but just because a clinic is endorsed by celebrities doesn’t mean that it is good. Most of the weight loss food programs would promise you the impossible, so it is important to do your due diligence before you join any of them.

Before you join a weight loss food program, enquire about the following:

1. Presence of qualified physicians: Enquire if there are any qualified physicians present at the clinic. For one, weight loss cannot always be achieved by diet and exercise; in some cases, people gain weight because of medical complications and in such cases, the person will need medical attention.

For another, it is important that you don’t suffer from some kind of side-effects after weight loss. In short, if there are no physicians available at the clinic, then don’t join it!

2. Time taken: Enquire how much time it takes on an average to lose weight, and how much weight could be lost within that time period. The salespersons might try to offer misleading answers on this question so make sure to do local enquiries too!

Remember that if the clinic claims to help people lose huge amounts of fat within a very short time, say fifty pounds within two months, then that means they are using some unhealthy weight loss methods. Run away from such clinics!

3. Food: What food do they suggest you to eat? This is a very crucial question you should ask yourself before joining a weight loss food program! Most of the weight loss food programs offer pre-packaged meals to their clients. Pre-packaged meals are okay if you can spend hundreds of dollars on them, but what if you don’t have that much money?

Besides, what will happen after you lose weight successfully? Will you keep spending ridiculous amounts of money on food? Any weight loss food program which limits you to their pre-made meals is not a viable solution for you! You should be allowed to cook foods on your own!

4. Exercises: Regardless of whatever people tell you, it is almost impossible to lose weight fast without the aid of exercises. Changing your eating habits alone won’t yield any permanent results! Weight loss can be achieved only when you combine healthy eating with physical activity.

Exercises boost your metabolic rate, which in turn helps you burn fat fast. If the clinic in question doesn’t include exercise in their weight loss program, this is not a suitable clinic for you!

Slice green onions, put in a pot and start cooking. Cut green pepper stem end off and cut in half, take the seeds and membrane out. Cut the green-pepper into bite size pieces and add to pot. Take the outer leafs layers off the cabbage, cut into bite size pieces, add to pot. Clean carrots, cut into bite size pieces, and add to pot. Slice mushrooms into thick slices, add to pot .If you would like a spicy soup, and add a small amount of curry or cayenne pepper now. You can use beef or chicken bouillon cubes for seasonings. These have all the salt and flavors you will need. Use about 12 cups of water, cover and put heat on low. Let soup cook for a long time – two hours works well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This is the recipe I found, and from speaking to several people this is my conclusion: if you stick to the plan, it can work for you, yet this whole cabbage soup business is for those who can actually appreciate it. As for me, I truly believe that one should consume not only what would make his loose weight, but also something that would taste good! What would be the point of suffering if your final goal is to feel good? I think that one should enjoy not only the result but also the process!

Try this cabbage soup recipe. You will not regret it. There aren’t a lot of tatsy and healthy foods as the cabbage soup.

“I think soup was bred into me by my mother. She says that there is both eating and drinking in it,” says Egan.

Another of Egan’s favorite dishes is salmon. “I love the thought of eating wild salmon from the very river that is the source of water for our Irish whiskey.”

Chefs around the globe have long turned to spirits to add levels of complexity and flavor to their favorite recipes, so it should come as no surprise that Irish whiskey has a place in modern recipes that will delight the palate long after St. Patrick’s Day.

But for those seeking tradition, Egan shares his favorite recipe for Irish coffee. Pour 11/2 ounces of Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey into a warm glass. Fill with strong black coffee and top with whipped cream.

Bushmills Wild

Mushroom Soup

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms (soaked in warm water and finely chopped)

1 cup warm water

olive oil

butter

2 leeks-finely sliced

2 shallots-chopped

1 clove garlic-chopped

8 ozs. fresh wild mushrooms -chopped

4 cups beef stock

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 cup double cream

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Sprigs of fresh thyme to garnish

3 capfuls Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey

Serves four

In large saucepan, sauté leeks, shallots and garlic in butter and oil until soft, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes).

Add wild mushrooms and stir over a medium heat until they begin to soften. Add beef stock and bring to a boil. Add the porcini, soaking liquid, thyme and salt and pepper. Lower the heat, half cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour about 3/4 of the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine with remaining soup, add heavy cream and heat through. Check the consistency, adding more stock or water if the soup is too thick. Add 3 caps of Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey. Season to taste. Serve hot, garnished with sprigs of fresh thyme.

Peppered River Bush Salmon With Bushmills Whiskey Cream Sauce

1 Tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed

1/2 Tablespoon white peppercorns, crushed

2 6-oz. salmon steaks

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

freshly ground sea salt

butter

1 Tablespoon Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus extra to garnish

Serves two

Combine crushed peppercorns. Cover salmon steaks with mustard and press peppercorns into the cut sides of the salmon to form thin coating. Season with salt.

Melt butter in a hot pan. Add salmon steaks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook on one side, until browned, about 3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium high, turn over salmon. Add whiskey. Cook rapidly until the whiskey has been reduced. Add the cream and stir quickly, scraping up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.

Cook until the sauce starts to thicken (1-2 minutes), then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped chives and serve immediately, garnished with the extra chives.

Hot N’ Spicy Chicken Recipe #1. Spicy Chicken Wings

- 1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. oregano
- 4 tbsp. parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 stick margarine
- 4-5 lbs. chicken wings

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.

#2. Hot Chicken Wings

Chicken wings
1/2 stick margarine
1 bottle Durkee hot sauce
2 tbsp. honey
10 shakes Tabasco
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Deep fry wings for 20 minutes. Drain and dip and let set in sauce. Take out to dry and then serve.

#3. Hot-N-Spicy Chicken Wings

5 lbs. bag chicken wings (drumettes)
12 fl. oz. Louisiana Pre Crystal Hot Sauce
1-2 sticks butter

Fry chicken wings until golden brown and drain on paper towel. Mix hot sauce and melted butter and pour into deep pan or crock pot. Add chicken wings to sauce and heat thoroughly.

Just enough to satisfy a sweet craving, the cupcake is an indulgence of the right proportions. The cupcake has arrived and with more variations on the cake theme than ever.

When a cupcake crosses with a brownie, a satisfying, deep chocolate flavor is presented in the form of a little cake. Brownie cupcakes make a deliciously dense cake, especially tasty with a sweet addition of natural raisins. The recipe comes together quickly in a single pot on the stovetop, a great option for quick cleanups.

Top the cupcakes with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a drizzle of glaze, excellent for lunchboxes. For the full cupcake effect, traditional buttercream frosting dresses up the brownie cupcakes for a party.

Brownie Cupcakes

3 oz. (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup butter or margarine

11/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

11/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick (8-oz.) butter, softened

1 box (16-oz.) powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or line 12 (23/4-inch) muffin cups with paper baking cups.

In large saucepan, over very low heat, combine chocolate and butter; heat just until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar; blend well.

Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, walnuts and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling almost full.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost as desired. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Frosting:

In small mixing bowl, combine first four ingredients and 2 tablespoons of milk. With electric mixer, combine on low until blended. Continue to beat on high until fluffy, adding additional milk as needed for spreading consistency.

Coconut Beer Batter Fried Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

2 eggs
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beer
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
coconut oil
3 cups grated coconut

Seasoning mix:

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Thoroughly combine the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix 1-1/4 cups of the flour, 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, baking powder, eggs, and beer together in a bowl, breaking up all lumps until it is smooth.

Combine the remaining flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and set aside. Place the coconut in a separate bowl.

Sprinkle both sides of the shrimps with the remaining seasoning mix. Then hold each shrimp by the tail, dredge in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip in batter and allow excess to drip off. Coat each shrimp with the coconut and place on a baking sheet.

Heat deep fryer to 350°F. Drop each shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 1/2 to 1 minute on each side. Do not crowd the fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Lay shrimp on large lettuce leaves and serve with Pineapple Salsa dip. Garnish with lemon, orange, or lime wedges.

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (or apricot-pineapple preserves)
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeno chili
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and gently toss.

Coconut Shrimp Kabobs with Island Coconut Salsa

1 lb. shell-on shrimp, uncooked
1/3 cup coconut milk, canned and sweetened
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon red chili peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 to 18 fresh pineapple chunks

Island Coconut Salsa

1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil or macadamia nut oil

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails; set aside. Combine coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, red peppers, cumin, coriander and pepper; pour over shrimp. Marinate no more than 1 hour. Thread shrimp and pineapple chunks on skewers. Broil or grill, 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are done. Arrange coconut shrimp on large lettuce leaves. Serve with Island Coconut Salsa on the side.

Caribbean Shrimp Run Down

1 lb shell-on shrimp, uncooked
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
3 cups coconut milk
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
Finely chopped hot pepper to taste
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 t. fresh chopped thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails. Pour the lime juice over the shrimp and set aside. Cook the coconut milk in a heavy frying pan until it is oily. Add the onion, garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add the hot pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper, thyme and vinegar. Stir and cook very gently for 10 minutes.

Drain the shrimp, add the other ingredients and cook until the shrimp is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over rice. Preparation time: 30 minutes.

By Dianne Ronnow © 2006 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved.