Do You Want a "New You" for the New Year?

Happy New Year! On or about New Year's Day, many people resolve to diet and begin excercise programs. I actually have jump on those who are making such new year's resolutions: I began my diet and fitness program in August. See my August 25 post (Click Here). I am now happy to report that I have lost 26 pounds. I have gone from 220 to 194 pounds, from a 38" to a 36" waist--and it is not from following any fad diet or doing anything crazy. I have put myself on a program of healthy and sensible eating and excercise.

I probably could have lost even more weight in the last five months if had gone for one of these radical weight loss programs. But I have opted for a healthier approach by which I am gradually converting fat to muscle, and becoming physically fit in the process. I must say, I have not starved myself. In fact, I have bothcreated and eaten almost all of the recipes that I have posted on my blog and published in my weekly newsletters for the past five months while I have been losing weight.

All of this has been a real education for me--and I think that is such an imortant word when it comes to dieting: "education." I have learned about how it is actually important to not starve yourself, but to become aware of foods which help to burn fat. I have learned about eating a number of small meals throughout the day, at the right times, and how this keeps the fat burning away!

No matter what anyone tells you calories are an issue in dieting. I began my diet by meticuloulsy recording my caloric intake each day. I found out that you can actually eat very satisfying meals throughout the day and stay within the limit of calories by which you can constantly lose weight! I don't count calories now, but I stay conscious of approximately how many I'm taking in througout the day--and I'm still losing weight. I also must tell you that two days a week I relax and eat what I want, when I want, and how much I want. I don't go wild on these days, but I reward myself, often with recipes like I've been publishing!

I have also learned that there are "good fats" and "bad fats." And there are definitley a lot of great tasting foods that are highly proficient at fat burning!

My new way of eating, coupled with my very sensible fitness program (one half hour of excercise three times a week) has made me feel better than I've felt in many years! If you are considering making some changes in 2008, here are some resources you might want to check out...

The Mediterranean Diet is also known as the Heart Diet or Cancer Diet and is currently one of the most respected diets known today. Now if you're like me, you might not want to totally commit to any one diet--but you might want to consider adding some of these unique, tasty and healthful recipes into your meal schedule. I reviewed this diet on the September 1 post of my blog at:

The Mediterranean Diet--Click Here!

Medical researcher Shola Oslo has written an ebook which gives all the details of extensive research on foods which fight fats--resulting in fast, yet safe and healthy weight loss. Shola tells us "...there are some scientifically proven foods that are known to aid weight loss? These are foods doctors, scientists, medical researchers and nutritionists know help weight loss." See my review of this ebook at:

Discover 110 Amazing Fat Fighting Foods!--Click Here!

Quickly shrink your waistline, lose body fat, eliminate low back pain and develop a stunning set of six-pack abs... David Grisaffi has been an exercise specialist, strength coach and personal trainer since 1994, working with all types of people from professional boxers to housewives who want to get rid of cellulite. Check out his course, Firm and Flatten Your Abs, at:

Firm and Flatten Your Abs!--Click Here!

The Greatest Gift Ever Given...

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." --Luke 2:10-11

"For God so loved the world that He gave His unique Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
--John 3:16

May You Have a Very Merry Christmas!

Griff's American Christmas Brined Turkey

I brined a turkey for Thanksgiving, and it was wonderful. You might want to try this for your Christmas dinner. I put together a recipe for this largely based on a recipe by Alton Brown, but I made quite a few changes, especially in the aromatics. It was a joy both to prepare and eat this bird.

Brining is a process in which meat is soaked in a salt solution (called a brine) before cooking. The brine makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, through the process of osmosis. This process causes cells to hold on to the water while the meat, poultry or fish is cooking. That's the short version of it. Scientists could go on forever about this process, but I'm not a scientist. I just know that it works.

Ingredients:

1 thawed turkey (approx. 20 lb.)

The Brine:
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 gallon iced water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

The Aromatics:
2 cups water
1 large handful fresh parsley leaves (cut off the stalks)
6 (4” long) pieces celery
4 (4” long) pieces carrot
1 sliced red apple
1/2 sliced onion
4 whole, peeled cloves garlic
2 tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
Olive oil for basting

Instructions:

The night before: Combine all of the ingredients for the brine, except the ice water in a large (8 qt.) kettle and bring to a boil, stirring well so as to dissolve the salt and sugar. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Then combine the brine and the ice water in a large and clean insulated cooler. Place the turkey, breast side down in cooler, and put lid on. Marinate for about 8 to 10 hours, turning once.

When you are ready to roast the bird, combine the celery, the carrot, the apple, the onion and the garlic in a large, microwave safe bowl. Stir the rubbed sage and dried thyme leaves into the water and add it to the ingredients in the bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Wash the bird inside and out with cold water. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Pat dry with paper towels and put the celery, the carrot, the apple, the onion the garlic, and the fresh parsley leaves in cavity. Tuck back the wings and coat the whole turkey liberally with olive oil.

Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover the breast area only with a double layer of aluminum foil. Insert a meat thermometer between the thigh and breast just beyond the lower part of the thigh bone, making sure that the thermometer does not touch any part of the bone. Reduce oven to 325 degrees F and put the bird back in the oven. The remaining roasting time for a turkey of about 20 pounds should be anywhere from about 4 to 5 hours. Make adjustments for different size birds. Turkey should be done when the meat thermometer reaches 190 degrees F in the deepest part of the thigh muscle. (Some sources give lower temperatures, but I like to be sure.) After removing from oven, cover entire bird loosely with foil and allow 15-20 minutes standing time before carving. Discard the aromatics.

Write a Cookbook and Make it Sell

"It's a crying shame. There has never been a better time to publish a cookbook, but most of the people I speak with don't think they can do it. You know the type of people I'm talking about--the ones who, even with opportunity staring them right in the face, will always tell you why they can't do something."

These are the words of Ron Douglas, the author of a new, instantly downloadable instructional course, Write a Cookbook and Make it Sell. Ron shows you how to make quick cash by selling your own cookbook, even if you can't cook and don't like to write. Ron, a best selling cookbook author, reveals his inexpensive step-by-step system to create a cookbook and earn big profits in 60 days or less. Some great bonuses too! For all the details:
Click Here!

Griff's Brother's American Mac and Tomatoes

We all know that kids love mac & cheese. When we were kids, there was a dish my brother Jay loved even more than mac and cheese. He called it "Macaroni and Tomatoes" and it was one of the first dished he learned to cook. This is easy to make and it makes a great lunch. It also makes a great side dish to accompany beef, pork, fish or poultry.

Ingredients:

1 qt. water
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

Instructions:

In a small pan melt the butter over low to medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender. In a medium size pan, bring water to a boil over medium to high heat. Add the macaroni and reduce heat a bit, stirring frequently until macaroni is at desired firmness. Drain off the water in strainer and put the macaroni back in the pan. Add the onions and the tomato sauce and heat a couple of minutes over low heat, stirring frequently. This tastes great topped with grated dried Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper! Serves 4.

Discover 110 Amazing Fat Fighting Foods!

In my August 25 post I noted that I was counting calories to lose weight. I'm also on a sensible exercise program. I'm happy to say that I've lost 21 pounds so far. And I've still been eating some great meals--check out the Cajun surf 'n turf we recently ate (on a recent post). But counting calories hasn't been the key to my success. I've been learning about foods that are scientifically proven to burn fat. I'm dieting smarter now!

Medical researcher Shola Oslo has written an ebook which gives all the details of extensive research on foods which fight fats--resulting in fast, yet safe and healthy weight loss. Shola tells us "...there are some scientifically proven foods that are known to aid weight loss? These are foods doctors, scientists, medical researchers and nutritionists know help weight loss." Here is an example she cites:

"In a recent California study, doctors discovered that eating half a grapefruit before meals helped patients reduce their insulin levels for 2 hours after eating. The patients who ate the grapefruit before meals lost 1.6kg on average, compared to 0.3kg lost by the patients who were not given the grapefruit, making grapefruit 433% more effective at burning fat compared with dieting alone."

Whole-wheat protein is another example of a food which was proven in a study to aid in weight loss. Shola writes:

"Scientists gave one groups of overweight women a whole-wheat protein to eat, and compared results with another group following a standard low calorie diet. The group who ate the wheat protein lost an average of 5.5kg during the experiment, while the group who ate the standard low calorie diet lost only 2.8kg, making whole-wheat proteins 96% more effective for weight loss."

What you will learn in Shola's ebook will astound you: A comprehensive guide to fat fighting fruits, fat fighting, vegetables, fat fighting proteins, fat fighting herbs and spices--even fat fighting fats! Plus, a simple easy to follow plan. Fat Fighting Foods contains a very simple and easy to follow way of eating, with just a few rules to follow. She has even summarized them on one page so you can put it up on your refrigerator, take it shopping or keep with you for easy reference. For more information:
Click Here!

Thank You, Veterans!

As tomorrow will be Veteran's Day, I wanted to thank all of you who have been, or are currently, in our nation's military. There is not a day that goes by that I do not reflect, with gratitude, on the freedom we enjoy in our great nation, the United States of America. That freedom has been secured only through the sacrifice of those in our military forces throughout the generations, including those serving at the present time.

While the media in this nation relentlessly puts a negative spin on our nation's mission in Iraq and our military, our troops continue, with high morale, to risk their lives daily and remain focused on their task. They are highly skilled professionals and they are doing an incredible job. I often pray that God will protect those who are in harm's way as they protect our lives, our freedom, and our very way of life. They are achieving success and Americans should not be willing to settle for anything less than success.

Veteran's Day Recipe Special: "S.O.S"

I thought that as we recognize our Veterans with gratitude, it would be kind of fun to look at an actual recipe from our military's past. Those in our nation's armed forces have, for many years, commonly (and affectionately) referred to creamed chipped beef as "S.O.S"--that is, "sh** on a shingle." According to SeaBeeCook.com, the following recipe comes from the 1910 Manual for Army Cooks Recipe no. 251...

Chipped Beef

Yield: 60 men
Portion: not given

Ingredients:

15 lb chipped beef
1 lb Fat, butter preferred
1&1/4 lb flour, browned in fat
2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk
1 bunch parsley
1/4 oz. pepper
6 qt. beef stock

Method:

Melt the fat in the pan, and add the flour; when it has been cooked a few minutes, add the milk, dissolved in the beef stock, or water. Stir the batter in slowly to prevent lumping, and then add the beef. Cook a few minutes, add the parsley, and serve on toast.

Notes:

If the beef is very salty, it should be scalded before cooking.

[My note: if you're cooking for a family of 6, just divide this recipe by 10!]

Operation Happy Note

How would you like to be a blessing to some of those who are laying their lives on the line to protect us? Check out my post about Operation Happy Note on my music blog at:
http://flatpickpost.blogspot.com/2007/11/ohn2.html

Joe's Foot Warmer Corn "Chowda"

In my October 30 Recipe-of-the-Week Newsletter, I invited my subscribers to share their recipes with us--that is, to send them for possible publication in my weekly newsletter or my blog. (If you don't receive my FREE weekly recipe newsletter, why not sign up on the right column of this blog?) Joe, of Winter Garden, Florida, responded with an intriguing story and a recipe that sounds great. Joe writes:

I used live in Northeastern Massachusetts with my wife of 35 years, 2 cats, 2 macaws and a cockatoo. Our three kids have all started families of their own, and the grandchildren all love to come to "Grumpy's" house for dinner. This recipe came to me through at least 3 generations of grandmothers. I make this dish primarily in the winter. New England winters can be cold. The kids used to say that one bowl of this chowder for supper would keep your feet warm all night. Have it with your favorite bread and don't be shy about dipping...

Joe's Foot Warmer Corn Chowda

Ingredients:

1/2 pound thick sliced bacon (as lean as possible)
(Salt pork is the traditional way, but I like it better with bacon. Lean salt pork is difficult to get unless you make your own.)
3-4 medium onions (coarsely chopped)
6-8 potatoes (washed, skin on, cut into large bite sized pieces)
4 Tbs. butter or margarine (Nanna made her own butter)
1.5 tsp. salt
3 (15 oz.) cans creamed corn (your favorite brand; of course, Nanna made her own from her ownhome grown corn)
3 (15 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained (see note above for cream style)
4 to 5 cups whole milk or Half & Half (I like the Half & Half as it gives a creamier feel on the tongue--Nanna used whole milk straight from the cow, not this processed and remanufactured substitute we call milk today!)
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

Cut the bacon into squares about 1" X 1" and toss it into a large, preheated pot, (if the pot is heated the bacon won't stick). Cook stirring occasionally until just before it starts to crisp. Drain the bacon grease and discar (don't be too fussy about trying to get it dry). Add the chopped onions, potatoes, salt and barely cover with water. Bring to a low boil and cook until potatoes are barely tender. Stir in the creamed corn, and whole kernel corn and bring it back to a very low boil. Stir in the condensed milk or Half & Half. Bring the temperature back to just below scalding for the milk stirring constantly and remove from heat. Cut the butter into pats and drop onto the surface, but do not stir at this time. Sprinkle the entire surface of the chowder with black pepper as lightly or as heavily as your pallet permits. Cover the pot and let it rest for about half an hour. Stir and serve in large bowls with chunks of fresh baked bread (for dipping). Serves 10 to 12 people. (Leftovers freeze well!)

Hope you all enjoy this as much as my family does!

Joe, Winter Garden, Florida USA

Kristy Leigh's "ChocoFactory" System

Kristy Leigh has put together the most comprehensive chocolate recipe resource I have ever seen! Her ChocoFactory system, for a one-time fee of only $19.99, includes a vast multimedia approach to preparing, at a very low cost, desserts prepared by world-famous chefs.

First, there is Kristy's downloadable course. This is the most complete, easy to implement, authentic, & best tasting collection of recipes and lessons for making "scrumdiddilyumptious" desserts from your own home that you or anyone eating at your house or event has ever encountered!

Next there is The Official ChocoFactory eCourse.You will receive Kristy's ecourse featuring 50 pages of complete step by step instruction on how to make any mouth watering dessert up to 5-star restaurant standards. Learn the all of Kristy's tactics to have your own gourmet chocolatier eatery in your own home.

I think this is probably the best component of the package: The ChocoFactory DVD quality video tutorials that you'll have access to online! This comprehensive & supplemental video tutorial/instructional series teaches you Kristy's secret system of pumping out desserts and candies fast and at low cost. You may even want to watch to the videos multiple times to get the full value of this massive package.

Thousands of the most original, cutting edge recipes--plus some great bonuses! For all the details:
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Griff's Cajun Surf 'n Turf!

My son Nate and I pulled off a great grilling project this weekend. What we decided to try to accomplish was a Cajun style “surf ‘n turf.” We started with my Creole seasoning mix. I always make a pretty large batch, because I use it in all kinds of recipes! I use it on fish, on chicken, in my jambalaya, on pork... If you scroll down, you’ll find a couple of posts where I’ve used it. I also use it some of the weekly recipes I send out. If you don’t receive my FREE weekly recipe newsletter, why not sign up on the right hand column of this blog? The bottom photo is the final presentation of our grilling endeavor, accompanied by some Zatarain's® New Orleans Style Dirty Rice Mix. This turned out to be one of the best cookouts we've ever done! Nate took these great photos of the food. Here are the recipes for the seasoning mix, the steak and the shrimp:

Griff's American Creole Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. dried basil leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Instructions:

Mix together in a roomy plastic food storage container, put the lid on and shake everything together real well. (For best results, use fresh spices!)

Griff’s Cajun Grilled Steak

Ingredients:

4 nice, thick steaks (1/2 to 1 lb. each)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh, chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp. butter
4 tsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (See recipe above)
1 tsp. Louisiana hot pepper sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. coarse, ground pepper

Instructions:

In a small sauce pan, gently heat the butter over low to medium heat. Add all other ingredients except for the steak and the Creole seasoning mix. Sauté over low heat, stirring often, until peppers, onions and celery are tender. Grill the steaks (preferably on a charcoal grill). While grilling, evenly sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. of Griff’s Creole Seasoning mix on each side of each steak. When steaks are finished, apply the pepper-onion-celery mixture on top of each steak and serve.

Griff’s Cajun Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

1 lb. jumbo shrimp, deveined and shelled
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup canola oil
1 green bell pepper, cut into squares between 1” and 1.5”
1 cup red onion, cut into squares between 1” and 1.5”
1 cup celery, cut into 1” long pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (See recipe above)
1 tsp. dry, ground mustard
1/4 tsp. celery salt

Instructions:

In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the oil and all of the ingredients except for the shrimp, the bell pepper, the onion and the tomatoes. Place shrimp in another bowl. Pour the liquid mixture over the shrimp, cover and marinate in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. Alternately place the shrimp, bell pepper, onion and tomatoes on thin, wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for a couple of hours. With a basting brush, apply canola oil over the entire surface of everything on the skewers and grill over hot coals just until the meat turns opaque. Serves 4 to 6.

245 Recipes That Will Make Your Dog the Happiest Dog in Town!

I'm so enthusiastic about recipes for people, I sometimes forget that dogs are people too! (At least some people think they are!) Have you ever thought of putting together some great--and healthy--recipes for your dog?

50 years ago, a young dog fancier named John Miller wanted to improve his dog's growth. After analyzing commercial dog food formulas, he found they were all loaded with unhealthy chemicals. John developed a better recipe and tried it on his own dogs, using healthier ingredients. The result was a complete triumph!

John couldn't believe how fast his dogs health and behavior improved. Also he reduced his dog food costs by 50%. Happy with his discovery, he tried, hundreds of new recipes in the following years so he could see their effects on dog health and growth. Through these experiments, John created dozens of amazing recipes that make dogs grow faster and stronger--without using harmful commercial products (because they are infamous for mineral deficiencies).

John's recipes were so easy to do and so effective that multinational companies offered John more than $500,000 for his recipes, but above all, they wanted his silence. However, John is a man of principles and always refused such money. In fact, John wants you to know how to have a healthier dog, without spending a fortune on products! For all of the details:
Click Here!

Griff's Grilled Beef Pepper Burgers

Catch one of the last grilling weekends of the season with this awesome burger recipe. Of course, if you're like me, you grill year-round. These burgers also taste great pan-fried.

Ingredients:

2 lb. ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp. McCormick® Grill Mates® Roasted Garlic Montreal Steak® seasoning
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Blend well, by hand, the meat, garlic, peppers, and onion in a mixing bowl and form into eight patties. Coat grill with a little oil or PAM® spray. Grill burgers, pouring the sauces, and sprinkling the seasonings, on each side of burgers while grilling. Serve on sesame seed buns with your favorite fixins'.

America's Most Wanted Recipes

This is now my favorite restaurant "copy-cat" cookbook because it is now two cookbooks--volumes I and II--with 7 additional bonuses. The extensive research behind these recipes is what makes America's Most Wanted Recipes, Volumes I and II, the hottest selling instantly downloadable recipe ebooks on the internet.

After 5 years of research and testing with over 45,000 Members of a secret recipe forum, you can finally learn the jealously guarded secrets behind actual dishes from billion dollar restaurants like Applebee's, Bahama Breeze, Bennigan's, Boson Market, Brooklyn Cafe, The Cheesecake Factory, Chili's, Hard Rock Cafe, KFC, The Olive Garden, PF Chang's, Rainforest Cafe, Red Lobster, ... (far too many to list here) and learn how to easily make them at home!

Get both volumes along with the 7 great bonuses for only $29.97! For all the details:
Click Here!

Griff's Mom's American Party Mix

When I was a kid in the 1960's, my parents would have patio parties and my mom would make her slightly modified version of the famous "Chex Party Mix." My older brother and I always enjoyed the leftovers the next day.

Ingredients:

3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup Fritos® corn chips
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In an ungreased, large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Serve in a big glass bowl Store leftovers in an airtight container. Makes approximately 24 1/2 cup servings.

Dream Cakes Made Easy

Do you need that perfect cake for--a wedding--a graduation--a birthday--an anniversary--a sports occasion--any occasion? With a lifetime subscription to Dream Cakes Made Easy you get step-by-step detailed instructions to make 25 celebration cakes with ease--PLUS more than 100 cake recipes from all over the world! Save a lot of time and money and bake that perfect celebration cake! In addition to this instantly downloadable ebook for only $34.95, there are four great bonuses! For more details:
Click Here!

Griff's Mom's American Cocktail Sauce

Here is a recipe for a simple, no-nonsense, great tasting cocktail sauce. My mom taught me this one back in the day. I know there are some similar ones out there, but my mom's is the best, of course. This is great on shrimp, but I also love it on any kind of fish. In fact, on scallops I'll take this over tartar sauce any day of the week!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tbsp. lemon juice
4 tsp. prepared horseradish
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

In a small bowl or food container, mix all ingredients together thoroughly with a spoon. Cover, refrigerate for about an hour and serve.

The Mediterranean Diet

Are you thinking of dieting? What would you think about a diet that is safe and achievable with recipes that are easy and healthy--and taste great? You may want to consider the Mediterranean Diet. This is not a "fad" diet: It has had centuries of verification. The Mediterranean Diet is also known as the Heart Diet or Cancer Diet and is currently one of the most respected diets known today. Now if you're like me, you might not want to totally commit to any one diet--but you might want to consider adding some of these unique, tasty and healthful recipes into your meal schedule.

One of the important features of the Mediterranean Diet is olive oil. Says author Ray Darken: "The history of olive oil, olive oil uses and olive oil facts are looked at very seriously because of the health benefits of olive oil and other related properties ... In the early stages (several years ago) I tried a recipe of Moussaka and Greek Salad to see if I would enjoy the taste and versatility. I never looked back! My house is now full of recipes from the Mediterranean Diet. This style of diet is one you will never turn your back on!" For more details about this safe and healthy diet:
Click Here!

Griff's Quick & Lean Chinese Chicken

At the beginning of August I started counting calories. Now don't worry, on two days of each week I cook and I don't count calories, so I'll still be publishing my "usual" kinds of recipes. But on Wednesday I put together an awesome Chinese style dish that was fast, easy, great tasting, lean and healthful. In fact, at six servings, I figured the calories came in at 345 per serving. What's more, the fat per serving is only 5 grams! Now if you want to make the preparation time even faster, buy the packaged, frozen pepper strips and diced onions. That way the only thing you'll dice is the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 lb. pre-grilled chicken breast strips
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 cups bell pepper strips (green, red, yellow or mixed)
1 cup chopped or diced onion
1 cup fresh, diced tomatoes
1 tbs. corn starch
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
4 cloves mince garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1.5 cups (dry) Uncle Ben’s® Converted® rice and ingredients called for in instructions on box.

Instructions:

Prepare the rice according to the instructions on box. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the meat and, the bell peppers and the onions and continue to stir often, until veggies are tender (but don’t overcook!). Add the chicken broth, the water chestnuts, the soy sauce and the rice vinegar and then all of the dry ingredients except for the corn starch. Bring to boil and then simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes. Then mix the cornstarch into the 1/4 cup of cold water and add to skillet. Continue to stir until gravy thickens a bit. Serve on the rice. Serves about 6.

If you are interested in authentic Chinese recipes, learn how to cook low fat & low carb Chinese food from a Chinese master chef with 40 years of cooking experience! For more details:
Click Here!

If you are considering a diet, check out the Mediterranean Diet: It's safe, easy, achievable, healthy with wonderful tasting recipes. Centuries of verification! This diet is also known as the Heart Diet or the Cancer Diet and is currently one of the most respected diets known today. For more details: Click Here!

Secrets of the Indian Restaurant Curry

Imagine... serving wonderful Indian restaurant type cuisine to your family and friends (for just a fraction of the cost of eating out) even if you can burn water or can't boil an egg!

This instantly downloadable ebook is not just another collection of recipes. Secrets of the Indian Restaurant Curry is a hands-on guide which actually shows, step-by-step, how Indian restaurant chefs create such wonderful meals.

This ebook will teach you everything about making curries exactly like the Indian curry you enjoy at the curry house. A curry recipe for every occasion. Create the most delicious, spicy, hot, mouth-watering and tasty foods from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Included are great recipes for vindaloo curry, chicken curry, madras curry, chicken tikka masala, balti, chicken korma, basmati rice, lamb tikka, bhuna, bhoona, basic curry sauce, special spice mixture, biriyani, jalfrezi, onion bhaji, passanda, tandoori and much, much more.

Learn the curry secret for making great Indian restaurant style food! Vegetarian dishes are also included. Indian restaurant cooking at home will become second nature to you. Turn your kitchen into the curry kitchen. For more details: Click Here!

Griff's American Grilled Peaches

Here is a wonderful dessert to do on the charcoal grill right after you take the steaks or burgers off. It might seem odd that black pepper would be used in a dessert recipe, but trust me, it won't taste like you would expect it to, and the pepper is an important layer of flavor. The taste will be rich and fruity with an aroma of the great outdoors. A scoop of vanilla ice cream served beside it makes the perfect dessert for your cookout.

Ingredients:

4 ripe peaches
6.5 oz. white wine
6 oz. maple syrup
Freshly ground black pepper (enough to sprinkle lightly on all peach halves)

Instructions:

Mix the wine and maple syrup in a shallow baking dish. Cut the peaches in half and remove pits. Lay the peach halves flat-side-down in the wine and syrup and soak for at least an hour. Place halves on grill round-side-down and sprinkle flat side pretty well with fresh ground black pepper. Allow the peaches to grill until you get some black grill marks on the skins. Flip over flat-side-down until grilled thoroughly. Serves 4 to 8.

Why Did I Eat All of Those Pickles?

“Why did I eat all of those pickles?” asks Jonathan Heusman. Then he answers his own question: “Because they were so good. As I grew up, Grandma's pickles never failed to bring a smile to my face and a treat to my tastebuds.So one day I decided I wanted to make my own.

"Once I was old enough, I made sure Grandma taught me everything about her famous pickling recipes and techniques. She gave me all of her pickling secrets and knowledge to create amazing pickles. Since then, I have developed even more great pickling techniques, utilizing the technology of today."

Jonathan put all of his techniques together in The Ultimate Guide to Pickling, a comprehensive resource that is instantly downloadable. It’s not just for pickles but for other vegetables too!

E. Peterson of Scottsdale, AZ, writes regarding Jonathan’s ebook: "I had always wanted to pickle, but had never had the step by step instructions that I needed... until now. The Ultimate Guide to Pickling not only led me step by step through pickling, but provided me with tons of great tips, recipes, and resources. My family will be pleasantly surprised come the holidays!"

This great guide to pickling is only $19!
For more details: Click Here!

Griff's Caribbean Grilled Tilapia

Back in the spring, I sent this one out in my newsletter as my recipe-ot-the-week. I got so many raves about it that I thought I ought to add it to my blog, especially since it's still grilling season. This is a recipe that is really easy to put together and is extremely healthy to boot. It's great for your summer patio party--unique with a tropical flair!

Ingredients:

4 fresh or thawed tilapia fillets (or another white fish)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
2 tsp. McCormick® Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 (8 oz.) can sliced pineapple, in its own juice

Instructions:

Mix the olive oil, wine and parsley marinate the fish in the mixture for about an hour. Place the fish on hot grill (preferably a charcoal grill--and don't forget to oil the grill, or spray with some PAM®). Sprinkle fish with half of the Caribbean jerk seasoning and half of the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple. With a basting brush, brush some of the oil marinade on the pieces offish. Place the pineapple slices on grill as well. Turn fish over, sprinkle with rest of seasonings and add pineapple juice and oil marinade as on first side. Flip the pineapple slices as well--serve the fish with pineapple slices. This dish tastes great topped with Griff's Caribbean Mango Salsa (see below).

Griff's Caribbean Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

2/3 cup chopped mango
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
4 rounded tsp. jalapeno peppers (with most of the seeds and membrane removed), very finely chopped
4 rounded tsp. finely chopped red onions
2 rounded tsp. finely chopped red bell peppers (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
2 rounded tsp. finely chopped green bell peppers (with most of seeds and membrane removed)
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour or more before serving.

Do you like Caribbean and Jamaican cooking? (Or would you like to try it?) Learn the tricks that Caribbean and Jamaican pros use every day to make soups, seafoods, meats, jerk food, and even vegetarian dishes. This kind of food is wonderfully tangy, unique, and "health friendly." Here are two great and inexpensive, instantly downloadable resources:

Click Here for Caribbean Recipes!

Click Here for Jamaican Recipes!

Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking

The thing I like most about the instantly downloadable ebook, Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking, is that it is authentic. Here is the author’s story:

“I'm Nicholas Zhou. I love Chinese food since I was born. I began to learn cooking Chinese food from my mom when I was 9. I was able to know the difference between ginger and garlic and how to use a pancake turner.

“When I was 12, I began to help my aunt in the kitchen (this was how I paid for my school clothes and supplies). My aunt was a very famous chef in town. Actually she was like the local chief chef and was invited to cook for all the major events, feasts and wedding parties held in town. She taught me everything about cooking - selecting ingredients, balancing nutrition, 6 key techniques in Chinese cooking, 8 Chinese cooking styles and even table etiquette.

“I still remember one day when I was 15. ‘Hui (my nick name), I don't have anything to teach you any more,’ my aunt said after a graduation feast. I guess that's when I graduated from Chinese cooking school.

“In the past 10 years, I never stopped learning cooking. I always bring my favorite Joyce Chen wok with me whenever I move to.

“But I never thought of coming up with a cookbook until February 3rd, 1997 - my aunt passed away because of cancer. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her face to face because I was going to college far away from hometown. I was thinking of doing something for her. Nothing is better than writing a cookbook.

“After one and a half years of work, I came up with the Chinese version cookbook in
1998 and got it published with a national publisher. About 560,000 copies have been sold since then.

“In 2000, my friend suggested me to translate my cookbook into English and bring it to all people around the world who love Chinese food. In order to let this book be suitable for most people, I visited all the major Chinese restaurants here in Ohio and studied hundreds of restaurant menus. I talked to scores of doctors about healthy eating and nutrition. I subscribed to several major health publications and read health news regularly. After two years of research, I came up with my English version e-cookbook Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking.”

For more details: Click Here!

Griff's American Grilled Beer Burgers

Talk about a Recipe that is American through and through! Here is an all-American burger recipe I put together recently. Be extra patriotic and use an American brew for this recipe!

Ingredients:

1.5 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves minced garlic
1 12 oz. bottle beer
4 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. McCormick® Grill Mates® Roasted Garlic Montreal Steak® seasoning
1 tsp. Lawry's® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
2 tbsp. butter
1.5 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. Louisiana hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. yellow mustard
7 or 8 hamburger buns

Instructions:

The burgers:

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, the egg, 1 clove of minced garlic, 3 tsp. of the brown sugar, the chili powder, and two tbsp. of the beer. Make into patties (makes seven or eight small patties). On a well-oiled grill, grill the burgers, sprinkling the Montreal Steak® seasoning and the seasoned pepper on each side of burgers while grilling. Serve on toasted hamburger buns and top with beer braised onion sauce (below).

The beer-braised onion sauce:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan (avoid getting too hot). Add the onions and the remaining clove of minced garlic and sauté for 5-10 minutes. Add half of the remaining beer, and the soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tsp. brown sugar, and yellow mustard. Cook until the beer has been well absorbed into the onions and the onions are slightly brown. Add the rest of the beer and simmer for awhile.

I use beer in many of the recipes I develop because it enhances the flavors of a recipe and adds layers of flavor. Award winning brewmaster Mike Snyder has written an excellent eBook offering 36 recipes, all using beer. Breakfast recipes, soup & chili recipes, dinner recipes, bread & sides, desserts... It's all there! Everything from baked french toast to cream of potato soup to turkey stir-fry to banana pudding. While specifying the quantity of beer in each recipe, Mike has purposely excluded brand names and styles of beer, allowing the cook complete flexibility to use his or her own flavor variations and to experiment. Purchase this eBook for only $4.95 from the following link:
Beer Inside A collection of food recipes containing beer. Instant ebook download.

101 Tasty Chicken Recipes

I’ve always loved chicken, and I have come up with some pretty good chicken recipes (for example, see my Cajun Bourbon grilled chicken recipe on my June 9 post). I like the health benefits of poultry, and I like how versatile chicken is for use in dishes of virtually every ethnicity and every region of the good old U.S.A. However, something I have never really ever thought about is just how many different chicken recipes there are!

There is an amazing new cookbook, an instantly downloadable ebook, called, "101 Tasty Chicken Recipes." It covers nearly every chicken recipe you will ever need to know so that you can make new and exciting chicken dishes for yourself, your friends and your family! Here is the list:

1. Chicken Breast
2. Fried Chicken
3. Baked Chicken
4. Chicken soup
5. Chicken Salad
6. Chicken Crockpot
7. Easy Chicken Recipe
8. Chicken Parmesan
9. Chicken Marsala
10. Chicken Pot Pie
11. Chicken and Dumplings
12. Chicken and Rice
13. Chicken Casserole
14. Chicken Noodle Soup
15. Chicken Curry
16. Chicken Wings
17. Chicken Enchilada
18. Chicken Cordon Bleu
19. Low Fat Chicken
20. Lemon Chicken
21. Chicken Stir Fry
22. Chicken Spaghetti
23. Chicken Alfredo
24. Chicken Cacciatore
25. Chicken Pakora
26. Orange Chicken
27. Chicken Tortilla Soup
28. Teriyaki Chicken
29. Roast Chicken
30. Sesame Chicken
31. Chicken Pasta
32. Kentucky Fried Chicken
33. Chicken Thighs
34. Barbecue Chicken
35. Bourbon Chicken
36. White Chicken Chili
37. Healthy Chicken Recipe
38. Rotisserie Chicken
39. Slow Cooker Chicken
40. Sweet and Sour Chicken
41. Grilled Chicken
42. Chicken Kiev
43. Chicken Burger
44. Chicken Quesadillas
45. Chicken Chili
46. Chicken Stew
47. Chicken and Broccoli
48. Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast
49. Whole chicken
50. Chicken Fajitas
51. Italian Chicken
52. Moroccan Chicken
53. Chicken Salad Sandwich
54. Tender Chicken
55. Oven Fried Chicken
56. General Tso's Chicken
57. Baked Chicken Breast
58. Chicken Piccata
59. Southern Fried Chicken
60. Jerk Chicken
61. Stuffed Chicken
62. Chicken Fried Rice
63. Chicken Leg
64. Chicken Divan
65. Homemade Chicken Soup (with noodles)
66. Chicken a la King
67. Low Carb Chicken
68. Steamed Chicken
69. Quick Chicken
70. Butter Chicken
71. Cashew Chicken
72. Chicken Marinade
73. Chicken and Noodles
74. Chicken Fingers
75. Ground Chicken
76. Chicken cutlet
77. Mexican chicken
78. Pineapple Chicken
79. Chicken and Mushrooms
80. Tomato Chicken
81. Chicken Francaise
82. Leftover Chicken
83. Chinese Chicken
84. Deep Fried Chicken (in Beer Batter)
85. Tandoori Chicken
86. Chicken Strips
87. King Ranch Chicken
88. Chicken Tetrazzini
89. Garlic Chicken (with Lemon)
90. Mango Chicken
91. Coronation chicken
92. Chicken Tikka
93. Chicken Korma
94. Chicken Risotto
95. Chicken Chasseur
96. Chicken Lasagna
97. Chicken Chow Mein
98. Balti Chicken
99. Chicken Liver Pate
100. Chicken Madras
101. Chicken and Cream Soup

This comprehensive recipe ebook costs only $7 and it comes with some great bonuses! Check it out at:
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