So what are you up to today? I caught this headline on Yahoo and I had to share this article with you... its about my favorite topic... FOOD!
The 10 most unloved foods
by The Foxy Life by Elycia Rubin and Rita Mauceri, on Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:26pm PDT
In the food world, being a piping hot pizza or a big bowl of pasta is sort of like being Oprah – you can do no wrong and everyone adores you. On the other hand, if you’re one of these unlucky edibles below, you have to work hard for every ounce of love, and you’re more likely to conjure up a “yuck!” as a “yum.” But, before you judge these foods by their reputations, you may want to take a second taste. Or not.
Liver. The first problem here is just knowing what liver is. For many, that’s a deal breaker. Still, liver has a surprisingly robust fan base, many of whom are true gourmands. But like other “gourmet” treats (steak tartare, sweetbreads), liver can be an acquired taste. If you’re not quite ready to dive into a slice but are curious, you can always try easing your way in by topping a cracker off with some chopped liver – usually mixed with grilled onions, garlic and eggs. The pluses: high in protein and nutrients like vitamin A, iron, and zinc. The minuses: high in cholestrol and can contain high doses of contaminants or metals. Even if it can taste good, we can't stop hearing Hannibal Lector talking about fava beans and Chianti...
Blue Cheese. The varieties of blue cheese seem to range from stinky to stinkier. This stuff is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve tried it and can’t stand it, you’ll probably never be converted. For those of us who adore blue cheese, it’s a surprisingly versatile food – perfect sprinkled in an arugula or spinach salad, a delicious way to spike a pasta primavera, a rich sauce for steaks, or the ideal accompaniment to a glass of red wine and some water crackers.
Eggplant. This purple-hued veggie has several things going against it. It’s spongy and bitter when raw (not very appealing), doesn’t have a strong taste of its own (no huge flavor appeal), and tends to get mushy when cooked. And when it’s undercooked, it’s a bit too tough for our taste. BUT, when it’s perfectly whipped up until oh so melt-in-your-mouth tender and sautéed in Chinese dishes we find it irresistible. And, cheesy eggplant parmesan is so irresistible!
Okra. Many people don’t even know what okra IS. Well, it’s a long, green vegetable filled with rows of tiny seeds that you’ll find are a bit sticky when you slice one open raw. That stickiness is useful in gumbos and other Creole and Cajun cooking, as it adds texture. Maybe it’s the funny name that makes people hesitant to dive in. We love using it in stir-fry dishes or just sauteeing some in a bit of garlic and olive oil. It's light and tasty -- and loaded with vitamins A and C. So, try giving this ultra cool veggie a whirl!
Sardines. Oily and fishy. Not quite what we’re looking for when it comes to a delectable treat. These little guys have a cult following, anyway. We have a hard time figuring out why. Maybe it’s because they are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein? That’s the only thing that appeals to us.
Lima Beans. We think it's the color that has killed their reputation. They're the color of sun-bleached curtains from some early '70s kitchen. Too bad because they’re filled with fiber and they are delicious -- really! They're best made from scratch, but we buy them frozen to save time. Simply steam or boil them, then toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and top with shaved Parmesan cheese. They're also great tossed into a veggie stir-fry and mixed with brown rice and even beer!
Brussels Sprouts. There’s no way to be particularly delicate about this – these little buggers have a reputation for making people, uhm, gassy. That issue aside, they are one of the super-stars of the veggie world in our book. It’s essential that they not be overcooked – it ruins the fresh green flavor. Toss them with olive oil, garlic, and sea salt and roast them in the oven until they start to brown. Enhance their flavor with lemon juice or shred them and sauté with shallots and bacon.
Grits. One of us is a Southern girl who gets a little peeved when people diss grits. We’ve heard the argument that they are tasteless mush. Without any accoutrements, that’s pretty much true, we admit. But slather on a little butter (okay, lots of butter), salt and pepper, and you’re in heaven. If you really want to fall in love with grits, try cheesy grits. Nirvana!
Hard Boiled Eggs. Let’s face it, with a rubbery white outside and a pasty yellow inside, it's not hard to see why hard boiled eggs aren’t on everyone’s love list. Whether they’re chopped up in a Cobb salad or deviled at a barbecue, or simply sprinkled with salt and pepper, these could be something you like more than you think.
Beets. People who don’t like this vegetable could not be more wrong. Usually it’s those poor folks who were force-fed slimy, mushy canned beets as a kid. We urge you to give them a second chance. If you’re too annoyed by the mess created by red beets, then try golden beets, which are sweeter, anyway. No need to peel them – just scrub with a veggie brush, trim the ends, and wrap loosely in foil. Roast in a 350 degree oven until a knife slides in and out easily. Allow to cool and the skin will peel right off. We serve them sliced with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper, but they’re so sweet and delicious you may find yourself munching them whole!
So how many of these things do you actually like? Me... oh about 5 of them really LOL! And talking about food leads to a great craft idea. If you have little kids, you can make some "fake food" for them to play with or as an educational prop. You could also use them for decoration around your home too! There are alot of links for things such as fried eggs, tomatoes, strawberries, pasta, fortune cookies, and more on the Angelfire Sewing Site. Just scroll down about to the half a page and they are listed on the right! But here is just one example for you!
Craft Idea of the Day: Fake Food
Cupcake (instructions with step by step pictures)
Materials:
Paper + pencil
-Scissors
-2 colors of felt of your liking (one for the bottom/middle part and one for the icing)
-Cereal box cardboard (or anything similar)
-Stuffing (wool, toystuffing, etc.)
-Thread (can match the felt or not)
-Needle (small one to fit through little beads if you choose to use them)
-Stuff for embellishment (beads, embroidery floss, little scraps of felt, anythings and everything that you fancy)
Directions:
1. Cut out the paper shapes. The sizes are 1) the first circle/bottom piece 1.3/4″ x 1.3/4″, 2) the next smaller circle is cut from the cardboard and is 1.1/2″ x 1.1/2″, 3) the next pac man looking piece is 2.1/2″ x 2.1/2″, 4) the long piece at the bottom of the picture is 5.3/4″ (the longest part at the top) and 5″ (the smaller bottom part) x 1.1/2″.
2. Pin the paper shapes onto the felt and cut them out.
3. Sew up the top to make a little cone. I used a backstitch here but any old stitch would work just fine
4. Flip the cone inside out and embellish the top to your hearts content. I sewed on little beads here and there to look like sprinkles. (this picture shows the middle part already sewed on, but it is easier to embellish before sewing on the middle so please ignore the color change and order of this photo).
5. Sew the middle piece together. I just put one end over the other and sewed it up.
6. Flip the middle inside out and pop in the already sewed and embellished top piece to the larger end of the middle piece (embellished side down).
7. Sew them together!
8. Flip it all inside out and stuff away. I used some of the toy (acrylic) stuffing from a teddy bear we were getting rid of.
9. Smoosh the cardboard circle and the bottom felt circle into place on the bottom. (Have your needle and thread ready for the next step)
10. Sew the bottom circle onto the middle part. I used a blanket stitch here.
11. Tada! a lovely little cupcake eagerly awaiting its first playmate.
Ok now lets talk something you can actually eat! And even one step further, let's stick with cupcakes! By: BAKERAMA: "This is a very moist and light carrot muffin. It's not too sweet and not greasy like other carrot muffins/cakes. The White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing adds just enough sweetness to round it off."
Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
2 ounces white chocolate
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/8 cups white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Mix in heavy cream.
Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.
Doesn't that look sinfully delish? Ok kids its time for me to get off here and get my butt up the road to the hospital. I will chat with you more later tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and until tomorrow... HUGS!
