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Apr 4, 2018

Polish Stir-Fry ( Haluski )

Best Recipe HaluskiHow can something so easy be so good? I love haluski so much I just can’t get enough. My mother used to make it and I never asked her for the recipe but I finally figured out how to make it like she did and it’s so good! It’s basically a Polish stir fry of cabbage and onions that is quick and easy so you need to prep everything in advance. It only takes 20 minutes to make. I slice the cabbage by hand and then rough chop it after that.

Most haluski recipes use lots of butter but you don’t need to. This whole pan has only 2 tablespoons of butter and some of that is stirred in at the end for a great flavor and finish.

Now about the sauerkraut: I LOVE the addition of sauerkraut but I know it’s not for everyone (except us Poles ??) but I do recommend trying the kraut version for a true Polish experience. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Easy Recipes For Beginners, Main Dishes, Polish Cooking, Quick & Easy
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Mar 28, 2018

Easter Bread

Quick and Easy Easter BreadThis soft and sweet egg bread is easier to make than it looks. It’s fast. It’s beautiful. And it’s full of golden raisins. My simple recipe needs only one rise so it’s ready in just over two hours. You start with a simple but sweet egg bread and divide it into two. Roll each half into a 24-inch rope. Twist the ropes together like this…

How To Braid BreadPlace the rope on your baking sheet and shape it onto a wreath, pinching and tucking the edges in the best you can. Here it is ready to rise…

wreathAfter it rises in a warm spot and had doubled in size, it will look like this…

Now, just bake and finish. To ensure success have all your ingredients at room temperature, including the egg + yolk. Adding a cold egg will slow down the rise time. Make the powdered sugar glaze as thin or thick as you like. In the photo at the top I made a slightly thinner glaze than the one on the recipe page. Enjoy this delicious sweet holiday bread on any special occasion. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Breads/Muffins, Holiday
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Mar 25, 2018

Swiss Chard Beauty

Rainbow Swiss ChardLook what I found at the market today! Swiss chard is usually mostly green but today it was an explosion of vibrant color and you know what that means? Even more nutrients!

Designer shoes on sale or hot pink Swiss chard – guess which one gets me excited? I was so excited I rushed home to make my spaghetti with chard for dinner. It’s my favorite pasta side dish and I had it with salmon patties.

The chard is sauteed with some garlic and olive oil, add some Parmesan, stir in the spaghetti and it’s done. Ten minutes. Like all leafy greens, Swiss chard has many health benefits.

If you want to try my easy spaghetti with Swiss chard, click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: General, Nutrition, What I Cooked Today
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Mar 22, 2018

Does Chicken Soup Really Help a Cold?

The short answer is yes. Warm liquids, such as soup or tea do help relieve cold symptoms but chicken soup is a better choice. Here’s why:

  1. A compound found in chicken soup (carnosine) helps the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of a cold or flu.
  2. Soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce a cold’s miserable side effects.
  3. The soup’s salt, steam and heat can also help thin mucus, making it easier to expel. The steam also soothes irritated passageways in your nose and throat.
  4. Soups are also hydrating, which is particularly important when fighting off an infection. Staying hydrated is key to recovery and salty, chicken soup is packed with electrolytes that may help retain even more fluids than water or commercial electrolyte drinks.
  5. Warm soup or other liquids can help open up sinuses, relieving congestion and shortening the time the virus is in contact with the lining of your nose. The faster you can move the mucus through you nose, the better.

Homemade Chicken Soup

Make chicken-noodle or chicken-rice soup or just sip it as a healing broth. If you would like my recipe for healthy, homemade chicken soup click here. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Nutrition
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Mar 17, 2018

Simple Rice with Brussels Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts RiceI don’t make plain rice any more. Why would I when it’s so easy to add a vegetable to rice while it cooks? And Brussels sprouts make a really good (and healthy) addition. They are a cruciferous vegetable that can protect you against cancer and heart disease. They also benefit your eyes and provide lots of minerals, vitamin C, fiber, and even protein!

My rice of choice is Uncle Ben’s converted rice, which cooks beautifully in 20 minutes, just enough time for the Brussels sprouts to turn soft and tender, and kind of sweet.

There is no meal in this house without at least one cooked vegetable, and always a salad, and this is an easy way to get people who may not like steamed and cooked vegetables to have them mixed into a tasty rice. This easy side dish goes really well with my salmon patties or lemon chicken cutlets. This is a really easy, simple recipe that anyone can make. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Easy Recipes For Beginners, Soups/Salads/Side Dishes
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Mar 2, 2018

Blueberry Pancakes

Best Recipe Blueberry Pancakes from ScratchI made pancakes today. From scratch. In five minutes. If you’ve never made buttermilk pancakes from scratch… do it. You will never buy a mix again. Fresh blueberries are just coming into season and I decided to treat myself to pancakes for breakfast.

I put a little butter on the top, which melted right away, and then poured real maple syrup all over. OMG! And here is some good news: you can also make them with whole wheat pastry flour. They are delicious either way.

Blueberries are anti-aging superstars that are full of antioxidants, good for the brain and heart, and defenders against cancer and inflammation. I’ve said enough. Just do it. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Filed Under: Breakfast, What I Cooked Today
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Feb 23, 2018

Spaghetti & Spinach Frittata

A frittata for dinner? Made with spaghetti? In 30 minutes? This is my kind of dinner!

Frittatas are usually associated with breakfast because they’re made with eggs, but when you throw in some spaghetti and then add health-building spinach, a little parmesan… that’s a mighty fine dinner right there.  It cooks in 6 minutes on the stove top but you do have to flip it over after 3 minutes. Here’s how I do it:

First, you need to use a fry pan with sloped sides. I slide the frittata from the pan onto a dinner plate, cover that plate with another dinner plate, flip the plates over and then slide the uncooked side back onto the pan. It’s easy, but remember to swirl a little olive oil in the pan before cooking the 2nd side.

I’m trying to eat more vegetarian meals and when it’s an easy one pan meal like this, that’s a bonus. Some recipes use different pasta shapes but I prefer angel hair spaghetti for this recipe, and I like to serve it right away… after a salad of course. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Filed Under: Main Dishes
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Feb 16, 2018

15 Minute Veggie Pasta

15 Minute Quick Veggie PastaI just found a better and simpler way to make pasta with vegetables. Everything cooks in one pot and you don’t even have to drain the pasta. With a small amount of water the pasta and vegetables all cook in the same pot. I love it.

I make it with two of the most important vegetables for health: broccoli and spinach but it also works with just broccoli. This super fast vegetarian meal takes just 15 minutes and here a couple of tips:

  • Be sure to keep the water boiling (not too high or too much water will boil away).
  • If too much water boils away, you can add a little more water as needed.
  • A timer is really helpful so you can set it for the pasta cooking time and then keep an eye to know when to add the veggies.
  • When you add the broccoli, just open the lid briefly, toss the broccoli on top, and quickly close the lid. The broccoli will steam right on top.
  • Add more or less parmesan. I like it with three tablespoons.

This can be a side dish or main dish. I plan to try it next with whole wheat pasta and will share my results.  Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Easy Recipes For Beginners, Main Dishes, Soups/Salads/Side Dishes, What I Cooked Today
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