Joyce Middleton's Blog, page 16

List of Reasons to Avoid GMO Foods

Last spring, I started buying soy milk to make my smoothies for the simple reason I could store it on the shelf until used. Without kids to feed, my milk was sometimes going bad before I used it all. And besides, soy is good for you, right? With the recent passing of bill HR 933 signed by President Obama on March 26th, I decided to do further research into GMOs. What is GMO and why should you be concerned? First, {Read More}

Meals on a Budget and Cookbook Recipes

I’m finishing up my new cookbook, “Savory Quick Breads” and realized how perfect these recipes are for families planning meals on a budget. Many of us buy cookbooks because we like to read them and we like the pictures. If you’re like me, I’m sure you haven’t actually made the majority of the recipes in all your cookbooks. So – does this mean you should stop buying cookbooks? Not at all, but I would suggest you read them for added {Read More}

Mexican Chorizo & Potato Quick Bread Sneak Peek

Cooking and baking from your pantry can save you a lot of money when you get the hang of it. You just need to get a little creative! Last week I made a large recipe of Mexican Chorizo and Potatoes and instead of doubling the recipe, I used up a whole bag of small red potatoes. Although not as spicy and moist as a single recipe would be, it was perfect for what I wanted to accomplish – use up {Read More}

Mexican Chorizo and Potatoes

Make a whole pot of Mexican Chorizo and Potatoes and you have the ingredients for multiple inexpensive meals with ingredients you probably already stock in your pantry. Nothing expensive about this… just lots of spicy flavor. You don’t need a lot of fancy spices or herbs… let the chorizo flavor the meal. When I serve the mixture on a plate, I like to top it with sour cream, shredded cheese and green onion or cilantro. Imagine the toppings you can {Read More}

The Art of Using Mexican Chorizo

Mexican chorizo is nothing like Spanish chorizo, which is cured and sliced like a regular sausage. Instead, Mexican chorizo is raw and made of pork, which needs to be removed from its casing and fully cooked before serving. You can also find it made with beef, but it is only considered the “alternative” to the traditional. When raising my son, we lived in Laguna Niguel in Southern California. At that time I was a single parent working extended hours throughout {Read More}

How to Bake a Ham

Easter signifies Spring for many people and this year it’s very early. Do you have a favorite recipe you make every year for Easter? I have friends who make their hot-cross buns every year; family who just enjoy the hard-boiled Easter eggs for breakfast and then Easter dinner out; and then there’s lamb and ham which seem to be big favorites in certain parts of the country. Ham can be purchased fresh or cured. It comes from the rear leg {Read More}

Brats with Potato and Apples

The standard German bratwurst was a means of survival for the people of Germany throughout history. Initially it was a way to use up all the leftover parts of a pig. Left to cure, the bratwurst became the mainstay during cold winter months. It is also one of the favorites in many parts of the US where Germans originally settled. So popular is the bratwurst, it has spawned a multitude of variations with the meat, herbs, and spices used. {Read More}

Oatmeal Almond Bars

The other day I wrote about energy and nutrition bars that are purchased as a snack and sometimes used as a meal replacement. In order to cut calories and reduce fat, many are filled with chemical products you wouldn’t want in the food you eat. Yesterday I was playing in the kitchen to create a new recipe. I started with one of my quick bread recipes and replaced part of the flour with oatmeal and reduced the sugar and dairy {Read More}

Energy and Nutrition Bars

When I was a girl, the most requested item I begged my Mother to put in my lunch was a Hostess Blackberry Pie. Back then, we could purchase a hot lunch in the cafeteria, but that was a luxury that didn’t happen often. You see, I had three brothers and my Mother made lunches for all of us to take to school and on field trips, which saved the family quite a bit of money. I usually received a {Read More}

Bittersweet Chocolate Coated Truffles

Truffles are one of my favorite chocolate candies to make. They are time-consuming, but so, so worth it! Print Bittersweet Chocolate Coated Truffles Author:Joyce Middleton Recipe type:Candy Cuisine:American Prep time: 2 hours Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 2 hours 15 mins Serves:12 Nothing is better than homemade chocolate truffles. This recipe includes liquor and has a high content of butter and fats, so take pleasure in eating just one! Ingredients BASIC TRUFFLE RECIPE 4 oz Ghirardelli Bit...