Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog
November 9, 2008 by Susanne F
Filed under Gift Ideas Kids, Main Content
One of the most important things in life is literacy. In fact, one of the most important things your children will learn to do during their lives is learn to read. Learning to read well at an early age is truly the key for a bright future. Studies show that children who learn to read at an early age are more likely to become successful students throughout their educational careers.
How can you, as a parent, help your children learn to read at an early age? One way is to start reading to your children as early as possible. Another way is to give them learning tools that aid their development and understanding of language. One of these vital tools is the Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog.
LeapFrog has really established a collection of learning toys and tools that help children at any age learn to speak, read and learn. The Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog engages all of the child’s senses to capture their attention and get them interested in the words. Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog is a type of pen device that children touch on the pages of a book. When the Tag reader touches the pages, it recites the words on the page, helping children learn the sound of the word while correlating that word to its written form.
Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog works with special Tag reader-enabled book. The Tag reader has a tiny camera on the tip that looks at the images of the words and recites them back to the child. The best part? The amazing technology behind the Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog allows it to adjust to a child’s level, allowing the child to easily understand what is being read back to them. You won’t have to worry about frustrating your child with Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog!
The Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog is interactive for you as a parent as well. You can connect the Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog to your computer and track your child’s progress through the books and reward their growth by developing a learning path made specifically for them!
Make your child’s literacy a priority this year. Give the Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog for a gift this Christmas. You’ll be amazed how quickly they learn to read after using the Pink Tag™ Reading System from LeapFrog for only a short period of time!
A Low-Fat Thanksgiving Dinner
November 5, 2008 by Susanne F
Filed under Main Content, Recipes, Thanksgiving
It may seem un-American, but fitness-conscious guys can slam together an awesome feast for the Day of the Big Gorge. Just follow our no-brainer plan.
You don’t even remember saying it, but you said it. Maybe it was at a family barbecue after one too many Budweisers, or over the phone to Mom, who was laying on the guilt extra-thick. Regardless of when or why you said those words, you said them:
“This Thanksgiving, I’m cooking”.
The Thanksgiving meal is as much about the show as the food. Besides tasty traditional fare, Turkey Day guests expect a good performance, with fine presentation, timing and style. What should you do first? Start by giving thanks that we’re here to pull your bird out of the fire. We’ll show you everything you need to impress even the most skeptical critics and make the audience stand up and applaud: a shopping list, simple yet delicious recipes and even a three-day timetable to follow. All you need do is stick to the plan.
The best part is that your production will have panache but won’t be loaded with fat and calories. The typical Thanksgiving meal can top out at an Ebert-size 2,300 calories and 120 grams of fat. Your low-fat feast will be more on the Siskel side, with only 1,110 calories and 27 grams of fat (a mere 23 percent of total calories from fat).
Start by following the shopping list; you won’t forget a thing if you tear it out and bring it with you to the grocery store. Next, take advantage of time-savers. For instance, plastic oven cooking bags cook turkey faster than traditional roasting does - while keeping it moist and tender. A seven- to nine-pound turkey cooks in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours with a bag, compared to 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours without one. And there’s no messy pan to clean up afterward.
We’ve also provided a timetable to guide you through each preparation step on Thanksgiving Day. It may take some juggling to get the bird and all the trimmings done at the same time and still have everything hot, but don’t stress out. Even the most accomplished cooks rarely execute perfect timing when it comes to a huge holiday meal and limited oven space. If necessary, just zap potatoes or stuffing in the microwave to rewarm them.
We’ve written the script and you’ve invited the guests. With a little bit of luck, you should have a happy ending on your hands - or at least a good comedy.
The countdown: It’s still a few days away, but the clock is ticking. You’ll make it easier on yourself if you get a few things done beforehand.
Three days before (Monday evening)
* Buy frozen turkey and all ingredients.
* Begin thawing frozen turkey in refrigerator (see instructions).
* Refrigerate all other perishable foods.
* Figure out which serving dishes you’ll use for the meal (paper plates aren’t gonna cut it).
One day before
* Shop for fresh green beans if you didn’t get them Monday.
* Check the turkey to make sure it’s thawing. (If it isn’t, see “Thawing a frozen turkey,” right.)
* Set out all your serving dishes and utensils so you’ll be more organized.
The usual suspects
You know who they are, so go ahead and round them up, but take this shopping list with you to the store. You may remember the turkey, the potatoes and the cranberry sauce, but what about the fat-free gravy and the pie crust? Work off our list and you’ll come home with everything you need.
Frozen aisle
7- to 9-lb. frozen or fresh turkey (figure one pound per person)
1 tub fat-free whipped topping
1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust
Refrigerated section
1 tub olive-oil margarine
1 tub low-fat margarine
1 8-oz. container reduced-fat sour cream
1 quart skim milk
1 dozen eggs
Produce section
5-lb. bag Yukon gold potatoes
2 lbs. fresh green beans
1 6-oz. package portabella mushrooms
Small jar of minced garlic (or fresh if you feel like mincing it yourself)
1 bunch celery
2 large onions
2 or 3 large sweet potatoes
Dry goods
Oven cooking bags (look near the aluminum foil) Foil roasting pan (at least two inches deep)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 16-oz. bag herb-seasoned stuffing mix
3 14.5-oz.cans 99 percent fat-free chicken broth
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1 14-oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
Spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper
Flour
Meat thermometer
1 or 2 cans cranberry sauce
2 jars fat-free turkey gravy
Thawing a frozen turkey
Refrigerator thawing (safer)
1. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper.
2. Set pit down on a large plate or tray (to catch liquids during thawing).
3. Stick it in the fridge.
4. Thawing will take at least five hours per pound of turkey; a seven- to nine-pounder will take two or three days to thaw properly.
Cold-water thawing (faster)
1. Keep the turkey in its original wrapper; make sure the wrapper has no punctures or tears.
2. Stick the turkey in the sink and completely immerse it in cold water. (This keeps
3. Change the cold water every 30 minutes. the outside of the turkey from getting warm while the inside continues to thaw - crucial for preventing bacterial growth).
4. A seven- to nine-pound turkey needs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours to thaw this way.
The Big Day
9:30 a.m.
* Preheat oven to 425 degrees
* Prepare pumpkin pie (see page 91) and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
* Reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue baking pie according to recipe.
10:00 a.m.
* Prepare turkey (see page 90).
10:30 a.m.
* Pie should be done.
* Turkey goes in oven.
* Set the table.
* Put cranberry sauce in serving dish. Keep cold.
11:00 a.m.
* Prepare the stuffing, but don’t bake it yet.
11:30 a.m.
* Prepare potatoes and begin boiling them.
* Check turkey.
* Begin cutting green beans and mushrooms.
12:00-12:30 p.m.
* Put stuffing in oven along with turkey.
* Use meat thermometer to check turkey temperature (180 degrees means it’s done).
* Steam green beans and saute mushrooms.
* Mash potatoes and cover to keep warm.
* Microwave gravy until hot.
12:30 p.m.
* Remove stuffing from oven.
* Remove the turkey if it’s done.
* Finish preparing beans and mushrooms.
12:45 p.m.
* Set the table.
* Carve turkey after letting it sit for 15 minutes.
* Nuke any food that’s cooled off.
1:00 p.m.
* Sit down and enjoy the feast with your guests.
* Bask in the praise everyone will be throwing your way for a job well done.
* Feign exhaustion and guilt-trip someone else into cleaning up while you watch football.
Perfect Turkey
Makes at least six to eight servings (four ounces roasted turkey meat without skin per serving, plus tons of leftovers).
Assemble:
* One seven- to nine-pound fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
* 1 oven cooking bag
* 1 tbs. flour
* Vegetable cooking spray
* Foil roasting pan
* Meat thermometer
Prepare:
* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
* Remove the turkey wrapper, then dig into the neck and body cavities to remove the plastic bags containing the neck and giblets (yeah, it’s messy, but you don’t want your guests munching on turkey throat).
* Rinse the bird inside and out with cold water, then drain well, patting the skin dry with paper to towels. Then spray the outside surface with vegetable cooking spray.
* Put the flour in the oven bag and shake it around. Then lay the bag in the roasting pan (don’t let it hang over the sides of the pan.)
* Put the turkey in the bag, breast side up. Close the bag (it should have a nylon tie), then cut some half-inch slits in the top of the bag (six or so should do it). Then stick the meat thermometer (piercing the bag in the process) into the lower part of the thigh meat on the side of the turkey, making sure it isn’t touching the bone.
* Adjust the oven rack so the bird will roast in the middle of the oven, then plop it in. Write the time here: _____
* Roast for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until the mercury hits 180 degrees. Remove the turkey and let it sit for 15 minutes before opening the bag.
* Carve the turkey and arrange the pieces on a large platter.
Light meat only, no skin: 177 calories, 18 percent fat (3.5 grams), 2 grams carbohydrate, 34 grams protein per serving
Light and dark meat, no skin: 193 calories, 28 percent fat (6 grams), 2 grams carbohydrate, 33 grams protein per serving
On the light side
What would Thanksgiving be without these traditional favorites? They’re lighter than you think, so don’t leave them off the menu.
Gravy: Why hassle with making turkey gravy from scratch? Just buy a couple of jars at the store. They’re stress-free, lump-free and light - most have only 25 to 35 calories and a gram or two of fat per quarter-cup serving. Some are even fat-free. Simply toss the gravy in the microwave till it’s hot.
Sweet potatoes: Power-packed with complex carbs and vitamin A, sweet potatoes add color to your otherwise monochrome meal. Nuke eight small or four large ones together, on high power, for 15 to 25 minutes. Top with low-fat margarine and a sprinkle of cinnamon. A one-cup serving of sweet potatoes adds only 120 calories and no fat.
Cranberry sauce: Adds color, variety and tradition. One quarter-cup serving of canned jellied or whole cranberry sauce will add only 110 calories and zero fat to your feast.
Whipped topping: Top your pumpkin pie with a dollop of fat-free whipped topping. It tastes the same as higher-fat toppings, but with only 30 calories and no fat per two tablespoons.
Savory Stuffing
Makes eight to l 0 one-cup servings
Assemble:
* 1 16-oz. package herb-seasoned or cornbread stuffing
* 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups 99 percent fat-free chicken broth
* 1 cup celery, diced
* 1 cup onion, chopped
* 1 tbs. garlic, minced
* 1 tbs. olive-oil margarine
Tip: You can add zing to the stuffing by adding up to three cups of one or more of these ingredients per 16-oz. package of stuffing mix:
* Mushrooms
* Cranberries, dried or fresh
* Dried cherries, figs or apricots
* Raisins or dates
* Chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or chestnuts
* Oysters
* Applesauce
* Chopped apple or orange
* Lemon or orange rind
* Minced garlic
* Capers (go easy on ‘em)
Prepare:
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* Pour the dry stuffing mix into a large bowl.
* Saute (fancy word for “cook in a pan”) the celery, onion and garlic with margarine in a large skillet over medium heat, until the vegetables are barely crisp.
* Add the sauteed vegetables, along with the chicken broth, to the stuffing mix, then toss lightly until all the ingredients are moist. (Add a little extra chicken broth if you want a moister stuffing.)
* Pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking pan. Bake until heated thoroughly, probably about 30 minutes.
256 calories, 11 percent fat (3 grams), 49 grams carbohydrate, 7.5 grams protein per serving
Green Beans with Portabella Mushrooms
Makes eight 3/4-cup servings
Assemble:
* 2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed and trimmed of ends
* 1 6-oz. package portabella mushrooms, cut into 1-inch chunks
* 3 tbs. olive-oil margarine
Prepare:
* Place a steaming rack or basket in a large saucepan or stock pot that has a lid. Add water up to, but not beyond, the bottom of the basket, and bring the water to boil.
* Once the water is boiling, arrange the beans in the steaming basket. Cover and cook them for 10 to 20 minutes or until done.
* While the beans cook, melt some margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute them until they’re soft and nearly all the liquid has cooked off.
* When done, drain the beans and put them in a large bowl.
* Toss the green beans and mushrooms together.
71 calories, 38 percent fat (3.5 grams), 9 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams protein per serving
Mashed Potatoes Supreme
Makes eight one-cup servings
Assemble:
* 8 medium-to-large Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 1/4 lbs), cut into eighths with the skin left on
* 1/3 1/2 to cup skim milk
* 1/4 cup reduced-fat margarine
* 1/3 to 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* Salt and pepper
Prepare:
* Put the potato chunks in a large pot or pan and cover them completely with water.
* Bring them to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. (Potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork when done.)
* Drain the water and place the spuds in a pan or mixing bowl. With a fork, potato masher or electric mixer, mash the hell out of them - nothing’s worse than lumpy mashed potatoes.
* Add margarine, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup sour cream. Use more if the potatoes seem dry. MIX until your forearms cramp.
* Add salt and pepper to taste.
200 calories, 20 percent fat (4.5 grams), 70 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams protein per serving
Pumpkin Pie
Makes eight servings
Assemble:
* 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
* 1 14-oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
* 4 egg whites
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
* 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 tub fat-free whipped topping
* 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish frozen or refrigerated pie shell
Prepare:
* Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
* In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and mix ‘era well.
* Pour the mix into the unbaked pie shell and put it in the oven. After 15 minutes at 425 degrees, turn the oven down to 350 and continue baking for another 35 to 40 minutes, or until you can stick a knife into the center and it comes out clean.
* Let the pie cool before cutting it, and serve it with the whipped topping.
295 calories, 25 percent fat (8 grams), 48 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams protein per serving
To the rescue
If you feel your meal is headed for catastrophe, call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at 800-323-4848 any time on Thanksgiving. They’ll help you avert disaster, and you won’t have to endure the shame of begging Aunt Agatha for help.
Registered dietitian Kim Galeaz has convinced the man of her house to use an oven cooking bag.
Lucinda’s Gluten Free Turkey
November 5, 2008 by Susanne F
Filed under Main Content, Recipes
Lucinda’s Gluten Free (but pretty Traditional) Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Specialty Recipe
This Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner can be gluten free or for non-allergic folks made with regular ingredients. The stuffing is a recipe I modified from a stuffing my former mother-in-law gave me when I was just a young newly-wed. I think she was afraid that her son would not be fed right, so she taught me some things. Most of the other dishes I make are a result of what I learn from my Grandmother and mother with my own variations. I am sorry, but I am one of those cooks that doesn’t measure, but cooks by taste, texture and what is in the refrigerator, so some of the measurements are estimates and need not be strictly adhered to.
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| Turkey: Completely thaw the turkey as per its wrapper instructions. Wash with water (no soap for you novices) and clean the turkey. If you are inclined, you can boil the innards to chop and add to you dressing. (I don’t, but my grandmother who lived through the depression never threw anything away.) Pat dry with a clean towel or paper towels. (Don’t not use a blow dryer. I’m not kidding. I know someone who did this and it wasn’t pretty!)
Stuffing: In a large skillet pan, melt the butter. Add celery, onion, parsley, and seasonings … saute. When onions are clear add water chestnuts and apples. Simmer on low heat while you toast the bread. Cut the bread into cubes and place on a cookie sheet. Brown in oven at broil until crispy brown. Take bread and place in a large bowl, then pour mixture from pan over bread and stir until well mixed together. Save the left-over butter residue in the bottom of the saute pan. Set aside to cool a bit. Turkey: Take your turkey and place on a turkey rack in a big roasting pan. Stuff dressing into the turkey cavity, both front and back (neck and you know what). Skew together to close opening. Mix together BBQ sauce, Italian dressing, honey, salt and pepper and some of the butter residue from your stuffing saute. Should be a liquid paste consistency. Rub all over the turkey. This is a great way to seal in the moisture and flavor of the turkey and it comes out a lovely rich brown color.Place in oven at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes per pound or until your meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Put about a cup of water in the bottom of the pan so that the drippings from your turkey don’t burn up, (you may have to add water occasionally to the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste you turkey occasionally with the drippings from the bottom of the pan or with butter and seasonings. Gravy: After you remove the turkey from the oven, pour all the drippings into a sauce pan. Add some gluten-free broth if you do not have enough drippings. Mix corn starch with water and stir well until all the corn starch is dissolved. Bring drippings to a gentle boil and stir in corn starch mixture. Mix in well and remove from heat (you do not want to over cook your gravy). Gravy should thicken. You may need to add more corn starch. Let the burner cool down and then gently simmer the gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note: Some turkey’s you buy now have a gravy mix with them. I use this for my non-allergic friends. Do not make this for those who are allergic to gluten because this mixture has wheat flour in it. Also be careful about adding salt as these tend to be pretty salty already. Mashed potatoes: Place in large pot and boil potatoes in water. Make sure water covers all the potato. Boiling at a medium heat will take longer, but you are less likely to have a mess from the water boiling over. This should take any where from 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on how much potatoes you cook. Potatoes are done when you can easily stick a knife through them. I leave the peels on the red potatoes, but you can either remove them before or after you cook them. Drain water from the potatoes and place in a mixer bowl. Add butter, salt, pepper and a little bit of milk (room temperature, not cold) and beat until smooth, adding milk for smoothness. Sweet potato: These can be cooked many ways. My mother likes them baked with brown sugar. My husband just likes them baked plain (wrap in foil, throw in oven last hour of the turkey cooking), and I don’t like them at all. I found this recipe on 1st Traveler’s Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com) |
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October 24, 2008 by Susanne F
Filed under Main Content
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