I was converted to the joys of rosewater from the moment I tasted my first rose lassi at my local Indian restaurant. Think a chilled, creamy yoghurt drink flavoured with rosewater cajun chicken salad rose petals. Yes, rose petals! There's something about chewing those soft little petals that just topped the drink off perfectly. You can keep your mango lassi anyday!
Roasted dishes, such as cajun whole chicken or lamb, are a great idea because you can put them in the oven and not have to worry about them until cooking time is up. Be sure to add vegetables and spices to give your main course added dimension. One of my favourites is a Greek roast lamb, called a 'lazy roast' on the BBC website. You can find a link to the recipe below.
A side benefit is we generally get invited to their homes by our dinner guests. Although I love to cook and entertain, we do accept their invitation occasionally. I am currently developing some new recipes, and am trying to copy some of the better restaurant recipes. When someone comments on a favorite dish at a restaurant I take that as a slow cooker hole chicken challenge to duplicate that dish.
Next is hamburger meat. This is actually the very easiest meat to cook simply because all you do is stir it around until it all becomes darkish brown and add a few seasonings here and there. However, due to the awful smell of raw hamburger and the blood smell as it cooks, it's not as mentally easy to prepare as chicken is. I have to have an open window or a fan on to prepare hamburger, as it makes me gag, but it isn't that bloody and once it begins cooking that stink turns into more of a "cooked stink" so it does become easier to tolerate.
Two of the most common chicken pasta recipes are chicken ravioli cacciatore and slow cooker whole chicken allrecipes pasta. To anyone who loves eating pasta, you have probably tasted these two dishes. To help you out in preparing these chicken pastas, here are the steps.
If you really want a low fat meal, don't use as much meat and replace with whole grains and beans. You can add fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of your slow cooker low fat meal as well. If someone tells you that eating low fat meal is boring and bland, they aren't making use of all the no fat options that are available to add zest and flavor to any meal.
Avoid the office enabler's advances. You know the type. The thin person in your office who bakes incessantly, offering their delicious danishes and creamy cakes around, but never eating them? They're called enablers and for some reason they get a kick out of people eating their treats. The best way to avoid consuming them is to say a polite "no thank you" and move on. It's impossible for most people (myself included!) to "just have one" muffin or cookie or piece of slice. Once you taste these treats you begin to reason with yourself that another two or three (or more!) pieces won't hurt. They will.
If you need to cook for a large number of people, or are faced with cooking the Thanksgiving dinner for the in-laws, don't stress. Prepare as much as you can in advance. Get all the non-refrigerated ingredients out the cupboards. Make sure you've got all the baking tins, trays, pans etc that you will need and recheck your timings so that you will be all ready to go on the day itself.
The important point is you can have great food, fellowship and not be subjected to the restaurant prices. Reserve the restaurant trips for special occasions.
Roasted dishes, such as cajun whole chicken or lamb, are a great idea because you can put them in the oven and not have to worry about them until cooking time is up. Be sure to add vegetables and spices to give your main course added dimension. One of my favourites is a Greek roast lamb, called a 'lazy roast' on the BBC website. You can find a link to the recipe below.
A side benefit is we generally get invited to their homes by our dinner guests. Although I love to cook and entertain, we do accept their invitation occasionally. I am currently developing some new recipes, and am trying to copy some of the better restaurant recipes. When someone comments on a favorite dish at a restaurant I take that as a slow cooker hole chicken challenge to duplicate that dish.
Next is hamburger meat. This is actually the very easiest meat to cook simply because all you do is stir it around until it all becomes darkish brown and add a few seasonings here and there. However, due to the awful smell of raw hamburger and the blood smell as it cooks, it's not as mentally easy to prepare as chicken is. I have to have an open window or a fan on to prepare hamburger, as it makes me gag, but it isn't that bloody and once it begins cooking that stink turns into more of a "cooked stink" so it does become easier to tolerate.
Two of the most common chicken pasta recipes are chicken ravioli cacciatore and slow cooker whole chicken allrecipes pasta. To anyone who loves eating pasta, you have probably tasted these two dishes. To help you out in preparing these chicken pastas, here are the steps.
If you really want a low fat meal, don't use as much meat and replace with whole grains and beans. You can add fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of your slow cooker low fat meal as well. If someone tells you that eating low fat meal is boring and bland, they aren't making use of all the no fat options that are available to add zest and flavor to any meal.
Avoid the office enabler's advances. You know the type. The thin person in your office who bakes incessantly, offering their delicious danishes and creamy cakes around, but never eating them? They're called enablers and for some reason they get a kick out of people eating their treats. The best way to avoid consuming them is to say a polite "no thank you" and move on. It's impossible for most people (myself included!) to "just have one" muffin or cookie or piece of slice. Once you taste these treats you begin to reason with yourself that another two or three (or more!) pieces won't hurt. They will.
If you need to cook for a large number of people, or are faced with cooking the Thanksgiving dinner for the in-laws, don't stress. Prepare as much as you can in advance. Get all the non-refrigerated ingredients out the cupboards. Make sure you've got all the baking tins, trays, pans etc that you will need and recheck your timings so that you will be all ready to go on the day itself.
The important point is you can have great food, fellowship and not be subjected to the restaurant prices. Reserve the restaurant trips for special occasions.