Whining and Dining

Leftover Cranberry Sauce?? Make a Salsa!

In honor of our Southwestern Thanksgiving, I made this cranberry salsa, which turned out to be the hit of the dinner. If you have any leftover jars of cranberry sauce kickin' around, this is a good way to use it up. (I'm making my grandma, Bootsie, proud here as she always says, "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without").

This recipe is best if you make it the day before. You can serve it with green (if you can find them. I have no idea where) or blue tortilla chips. How festive is that!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 16 oz. can of whole berry cranberry sauce

2  jalepenos seeded and diced

Handful of diced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. lime juice

pinch of salt

Mix all of the above in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. May be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Got leftover turkey? Use the cranberry salsa to spice up your turkey sandwich or make some turkey tacos.

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

Oh, the excitement of Thanksgiving week is upon us and the menu planning is in full swing. This will be our first year to be sans family and cook a turkey on our own. We'll be dining with friends, and hopefully, they'll enjoy all of our experimentation.

After reviewing what the expert chef's orchestrate for their Thanksgiving feasts, I've noticed a certain trend.....offering a seasonal squash or pumpkin soup as a starter. So in that spirit, we're planning to make this yummy Southwestern Pumpkin soup. We've made it before a few times, and it doesn't disappoint. We add a touch of ground chipoltle peppers as the smokiness goes well with the sweetness of the pumpkin. You can add a dollup of non-fat yogurt or sour cream, too.

I'll keep you posted on the other Thanksgiving menu items.

Try This: Pomegranates & Cheese

I love when I find suprising food combinations. One such combo, pomegranates & cheese, I discovered a few weeks ago. For the sophisticated palate, a.k.a. mom and dad, you can pair the sweet 'n tangy  pomegranate seeds with a mild goat cheese. Perfect on a crostini (pictured here). Preheat your oven to 450. Slice a baguette and place slices on a cookie sheet. Spread with olive oil. Bake until golden brown. Spread with goat cheese (It's easier if it is room temperature). Cut open a pomegranate and remove the seeds. Sprinkle your crostinis with the seeds. Great for an appetizer or eat over an arugula or spinach salad.

For the juniors, you can polka-dot cream cheese spread with some pomegranate seeds. Toast a whole wheat bagel (or whatever you prefer). Spread with cream cheese and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy during National Pomegranante Month! Don't know how to open a pomegranate?? Click here for a step by step guide

Toddler Test Kitchen: Organic Mini Taquitos

Easy to eat and easy to dip. The mini taquitos from the Whole Kids product line at Whole Foods have been a big hit in our household. We've been serving these to her with Trader Joe's "Fire-Roasted Guacamole."

We've been buying the chicken ones, but the pinto bean variety are pictured right. My daughter turns her nose up at most types of meat. So, when I discover a way to disguise it or try a new dish and she gobbles it up, it is definitely worth mentioning.

Oh, I should note that Whole Foods has a grown up version of these, too. They are mentioned in the SuperFoods book that I've been reading lately. I'm sure they are just as yummy as the little guys.

Whole Foods Paradise

We may have found paradise in the new Whole Foods Pasadena. Fellow foodies, this is your mecca. It's  a department store for gourmet, healthy food.

Pasadena Whole Foods
Originally uploaded by getofab

It is two floors with a fancy escalator for your cart, too. I mean, wow. It is really, really impressive. The prepared foods section is absolutely unreal. You can find just about anything you want from homemade donuts to rice pudding to lasagna. There's an Asian Express counter turning out noodle bowls and sushi. And a Meditteranean "Cucina" serving brick oven pizzas, other Italina favorites and Greek dishes. There's a chocolate bar and a desert bar with a variety of piping hot cobblers, decadent cheesecake and chocolate-covered strawberries. Also, I picked up some roasted cinnamon almonds from the nut "Roaster" bar. The best part, a wine and tapas bar.

Try coming here for breakfast. Not only will you beat the crazy masses, but you'll also be able to sample all of the delicious baked goods. You should see the pastry stand. There is much to choose from! The ham and cheese stuffed croissants were about the best I've had in a long time. Nothing like a buttery croissant! The Allegria coffee bar delivers a rich and bold cup of Joe. And then, there's the breakfast bar with a variety of egg dishes, breakfast potatoes, sausage, bacon and creme brulee French Toast.

For the busy, working parents, check out the "Short-Order Chef" section downstairs by the produce. You can grab veggies pre-cooked, which will speed your dinner prep exponentially.

Go soon, but go early!!!

Whole Foods Market

465 South Arroyo Parkway

Pasadena, CA 91105

Phone: 626.204.2266

Fax: 626.204.2277

Snuggle up with a Gingerbread Latte

It was a great morning today. Why? Because I discovered that it is officially holiday drink season at Peet's today. My non-fat Gingerbread Latte was as good as ever. I was smiling on the inside and out.

Just thought I would pass it along to all of you parents out there who need a little pick me up /splurge over the next few months.

Despite the picture of the Bucks' trio of holiday drinks, I do think the Peet's Gingerbread Latte is superior to them all.

Wishing you a happy start to the holiday season!

Whole-Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins

Of course, muffins are a great way to entice youngsters to eat fruits and veggies. You can even sneak in protein with cheese, ham, nuts, peanut butter, etc. Perfect for breakfast (fiber is always one of the best ways to start the day) or a snack on the go.

Check out tomorrow's LA Times' food section for the article on healthy, delicous muffins. Here's one of the recipes from the article, which looks amazing. Don't let the amount of time involved scare you, it's mostly the baking of the sweet potatoes that is time intensive. Or think of it as a good weekend muffin recipe. Get ready to take your muffins to the next level...

Recipe: Whole-wheat sweet potato muffins

November 7, 2007

Total time: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: 10 muffins

Note: From Kim Boyce. Use the dark-skinned sweet potatoes commonly referred to as yams.

1/2 pound (about 2 small) sweet potatoes

Vegetable oil spray for coating the tins

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup flour

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1/4 - to 1/2 -inch pieces

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Roast for 1 hour or until they are tender when pierced with a fork and are caramelizing. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then lightly mash with a fork. Set aside.

2. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the muffin tin with vegetable oil.

3. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, whole-wheat flour, whole-grain pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, yogurt, egg and vanilla together.

5. Scrape down the sides of the butter bowl and alternately add the dry and wet ingredients; do not overmix. Gently fold in the sweet potatoes, then the dates.

6. Using an ice cream scoop (about one-half cup capacity), scoop the batter into each of 10 prepared muffin cups, about 1 scoop per muffin. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The muffins will be dark golden brown on the bottom.

Each muffin: 267 calories; 6 grams protein; 52 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 35 mg. cholesterol; 273 mg. sodium.

Saturday Breakfast Tour: The Brite Spot

The Brite Spot
Originally uploaded by simpletoenchant

My husband has always dreamt of being a regular at a neighborhood diner or bar. You know the place "where everyone knows your name." Or the salty waitress who cracks a pseudo smile as you acknowledge that you'll indeed have "the usual."

The Brite Spot diner in Echo Park is a place where those kind of dreams can come true. It's cool, it's retro, it's got all of the things you love about a diner - plentiful coffee, food served quickly, music playing, slick leather booths. Also reasons why diners are always a good choice when dining with a tot.

You'll find all of your typical diner comfort fare at this establishment that's been open since 1949. The Brite Spot offers lots of vegetarian options if that's your forte. I indulged in the vegetarian chilaquilas, and they rocked. However, I did order the extra jalepenos on the dish, and my mouth was on fire. They have some really, really yummy pancakes, too. I hear the French toast combo and breakfast quesadillas are good, too.

While our food did come quickly, the service was a bit lacking. All in all, it was a good experience. And maybe, just maybe my husband could someday be the "Norm" of The Brite Spot. If only we weren't on the great breakfast tour of LA....

Open daily 6 a.m.-4 a.m.

1918 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles 90026
(213) 484-9800

White Bean Chicken Chili

I love a good, hearty chili. I also love a lighter version of this classic Southwestern comfort food. Here's one of our favorite chilis adapted from a recipe on AllRecipes.com.

Since it is fall and prime football season, I thought I'd pass this one along. You may want to double the recipe. It's gone fast like that wide open receiver.

Original recipe yields 8-10 servings. That's smallish servings like maybe for 8 - 10 kids. Or we are just outright pigs.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat (Hello Costco rotisserie chicken!)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup of green salsa (add more to taste)
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles</strong>
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
1 cup of frozen roasted corn (You can find this at Trader Joe's)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Tapatio or tabasco if you want a little heat
1 lime, sliced
And a little nip of that beer your drinking (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, green sauce, tomatoes, chilies, little beer (optional) and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado, sliced fresh jalepenos, sour cream or non-fat yogurt, and tortilla chips.

We also like to serve this over ready-made polenta (look for it at the grocery store / we get our at Trader Joe's). You can microwave the polenta first, and then spoon the chili on top. Or you can slice the polenta and crisp it up on the skillet.

Last March, we invited friends over to watch the Final Four and served this chili to our friends and their kids. Perfect for that game-watching party!

News Alert: Check your frozen pizza stash

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Almost five million Totino's and Jeno's frozen pizzas with pepperoni toppings are being recalled because the pepperoni may be contaminated with E. coli, General Mills Inc said on Thursday.

Click here for the rest of the story.