With the price of potato chips steadily on the rise at the grocery store, making homemade potato chips can be an excellent way to add crunch to a dish, and provide a quick and easy snack.

One of the first things that I started to play with when I got my Pampered Chef consultant kit, was the mandoline! Due to an injury on my right hand when I was younger, it was difficult for me to find a comfortable way for me to use the product. I had to be able to show people how to use them properly, it was one of our best sellers!

So, that week I used all four inserts and practiced all week. I shredded so much cheddar cheese it is ridiculous. I also went through a whole bag of potatoes trying out the other three inserts. Rather than wasting all of that potato, I decided to make some of these!

If you dont have a mandolin or a crinkle cutter don’t be discouraged! You can finley slice the potatoes and fry it that way. I dont have a deep fryer, so I use a large frying pan that I fill a little over half away with peanut oil. You can use a vegetable, or any other oil of your choice. I prefer to fry with peanut oil.

It takes about 5-10 minutes before the oil to heat up and then you want to fry the chips for about 2 minutes on each side. Lay them on a bed of paper towels on a plate and fry up the next batch.

Once that batch is complete, throw in the first batch back into the oil to get a better crunch.

Fry again for 1-2 minutes at a time on each side, and season with salt and pepper as soon as they come out of the oil.

You can also do this with sweet potatoes and then sprinkling brown sugar and cinnamon whenever they come out of the oil rather than the salt. This is one of our families favorite, especially whenever we grill outside!

For an extra kick, try adding 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to your ranch, it adds so much flavor and a really thanks to the riches of the chips. I promise after you try these chips you will be reaching for a bag of potatoes rather than a bag of doritos!

With all the buzz lately, we wanted to take a closer look at Greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt to see which offers more health benefits and to find out if you should favor one over the other or include them both in your diet. Both, whether low fat or no fat, are considered part a of a healthy diet.

Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt: Nutritional Breakdown

Calories: Both types have roughly the same amount of calories.

Fat: Both types of yogurt are available in no fat and low fat options, but regular yogurt wins the saturated fat battle, as it has much less than Greek yogurt.

Protein: Greek yogurt wins this battle, packing roughly twice the protein compared to regular yogurt.

Sugar: Greek yogurt wins this battle, packing nearly half the sugar compared to regular yogurt.

Carbs: Greek yogurt is better in terms of a low carb solution, but if either type of yogurt is sweetened, it will

Sodium: Greek yogurt contains about half the sodium compared to most brands of regular.

Calcium: Regular yogurt wins this battle, offering 30% of the daily recommended amount in just a serving. While Greek yogurt still contains plenty, regular yogurt has more.

Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt: What Makes Them Different

Greek yogurt is strained to remove more of the liquid compared to a regular yogurt. This is what gives the Greek version a thicker texture. Straining it is what also removes a great deal of the sugar and lactose, making it lower carb and a better option for people who are lactose intolerant. The straining process is what causes it to lose some of the calcium compared to regular yogurt. This is the reason why the two can have similar caloric and fat amounts, but pack more protein and less sugar (two main reasons why dietitians love it!)

Both varieties will help you lose weight and keep you feeling full longer on less, provided you stick to plain low or no fat versions, not sweetened with extra ingredients. Greek yogurt is an acceptable option for many different dishes and can be used for fruit and veggie dips, sweet dishes with fruit and granola, or even as sour cream for tacos, or in place of mayo or cream cheese. The versatility helps in allowing people to have healthier versions of their favorite comfort foods.

When it comes to Greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt, which do you prefer?

Our last post featured Tequila Lime Chicken Pasta. If you followed the recipe and cooked two pounds of chicken, you should have a pound leftover that will make this chicken quesadilla recipe that much easier!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Tequila Lime Chicken
• Flour tortillas
• Mexican cheeses (I recommend using a Mexican blend along with a Colby/Monterey Jack blend, but use your favorite)
• Peppers, onions, etc. (optional)

Chicken Quesadilla Recipe Directions

1. Shred the previously prepared chicken. If you do not have it already made, follow the recipe above, and then continue to step 2.
2. Microwave the tortillas for just a few seconds, (20 or so should do it, but microwave oven’s vary) to get them warm so the first layer of cheese melts instantly.
3. Top one warm tortilla with a layer of cheese.
4. Add a generous helping of the chicken.
5. Add any other optional toppings.
6. Add another layer of cheese.
7. Top with second tortilla.
8. Fry in pan over medium heat for 2-4 minutes, or until golden brown and cheese is melted.
9. Flip, and repeat.

Serve with Spanish Rice, black beans, sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.

This tequila lime chicken recipe will easily make two dinners. Buy two pounds of chicken, use one pound with the pasta, and save the other pound for shredding to use in quesadillas. We’ll post that recipe on Thursday!

Tequila Lime Chicken Recipe Ingredients

• 2 pounds of chicken tenders
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• ¼ tsp. garlic salt
• Juice from one lime
• Shot of tequila (I use Patron, but you can use whatever you want)
• 1 yellow or orange pepper
• Egg noodles (or whatever you prefer)

Directions

First, you will want to heavily season your chicken on both sides. If you like spicy, don’t be afraid to kick up the heat with some cayenne or red pepper flake. (My measurements are guestimates; I’m not one of those cooks who measures everything out. I did make quite the mess trying to come up with what I did!) Place in a large casserole dish and dice up the pepper. Toss on top of the seasoned chicken and then juice the lime evenly over the chicken and peppers. Repeat with the shot of tequila and let it sit in the fridge about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, you can be heating up your frying pan with some butter and get a pot of water boiling for the pasta.

Once the chicken has marinated and the pan is hot enough, you can go ahead and start cooking the chicken. It normally takes about 3-5 minutes per side to get the carmalization that I like. You can also cook the peppers, or cook everything on the grill.

Season and cook your pasta, and drain.

Once your chicken is done, plate half of it on top of pasta with veggies.

Shred the other half of the chicken and store for quesadillas.

This Tequila Lime Chicken recipe will rival Applebee’s any day, and will do it at a fraction of the cost!

]]> http://itsfoodtastic.com/recipes/tequila-lime-chicken/feed/ 1 http://itsfoodtastic.com/general/announcing-its-foodtastic-contributors/ http://itsfoodtastic.com/general/announcing-its-foodtastic-contributors/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:34:30 +0000 Cindy http://itsfoodtastic.com/?p=1989

When I started this blog a year and a half ago, I had high hopes and dreams for it. Admittedly, it’s lasted longer than any other personal blog attempt has, but at the same time, I feel it’s been highly neglected in favor of my job, my family, and a desire to sometimes just eat the food we cook. Rather than give up the blog together, or continue to neglect it on a regular basis, I have enlisted help from two fellow foodies and people I call friends. Meet the newest contributors to It’s Foodtastic! Christina Flis and Jennifer King.

Christina Flis

Hi! My name is Christina Flis, and I enjoy everything about food. I am always looking for something new to try and putting my own spin on the recipes I find. I have worked in the restaurant industry, and I used to be Pampered Chef consultant. Currently, I work as a freelance writer, caterer and baker, and a PR rep for a local hip-hop duo. In the midst of all this, I prepare the majority of our meals, at home, from scratch.

To learn more about me and what I do, check out my website: ChristinaFlis.com.

Jennifer King

Hi! My name is Jennifer King. I am 28 and I just got married to a wonderful man! We live in a cabin in the woods with our dogs Charles and Daisy. Currently, I am working part time at a restaurant and I am also going to culinary school. I have a serious passion for food that started at a very young age.

Growing up, my mom stayed with me and my two sisters so there was always something cooking! I remember watching her make biscuits so easily without even a recipe. When I was about 7, I begged to make my very own batch of chocolate chip cookies. Well, I did just that, but instead of flour, I used cornmeal and they turned out flat and square! You know what though? I didn’t care because I was spending time with my family, and ever since I have loved being in the kitchen.

My other inspirations are my grandparents. I used to spend a lot of time with them during the summer when I was a kid. They live on a farm and raise tobacco on top of several large vegetable gardens. During harvest time they would preserve everything and taught me how to do it, too. Eventually, I asked for my own garden plot and now I grow all kinds of herbs and vegetables every year! I never use fertilizers or pesticides on my plants because clean eating is important to me and my family. This is a big reason why I do this. I am not saying that we will not eat vegetables other ways, but this is the way that I was raised in perfer to garden. I try to preserve most everything that I grow but I have a sharing problem! I find that to be a common problem among us cooks. To see someone smile after taking a bite, well, it feels good!

Between the three of us, you’ll get new It’s Foodtastic! goodness generally no less than twice per week. Join me as I welcome these wonderful ladies to the team! With this new community approach, we’ll also be offering our readers the chance to submit their own content to be featured here on Its Foodtastic!

As soon as I asked my husband to buy all of the fruit for the Apple Berry Salsa, he immediately asked if I would make a pitcher of mojitos too. Next time you are in the mood for a refreshing drink, you must give this recipe a try!

The night I met my husband, I was cooking dinner at a friend’s house (chicken quesadillas, queso dip and mojitos) and she had invited her friend over. At first, I was pretty mad. I thought it was going to be a girl’s night, but her friend ended up bringing Kevin with him. He said it was one of the best meals he has ever had and it’s something we still eat at least once a month, minus the mojitos of course! The original recipe is from The Pampered Chef, and I just took their ideas and ran with it. The small changes that I have made really enhance all of the different flavors in a mojito. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is so refreshing that you don’t even have to make it alcoholic. Personally, I am not a big drinker because of certain health problems but I normally pour myself a tall glass before I add the liquor so I can enjoy it too!

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 2 limes
• 2 oranges
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cups of sugar
• Large handful of mint (regular, pineapple, chocolate, whatever is available) about an ounce
• ¼-1/2 cup of flavored rum to taste. So far I have tried pineapple, coconut and mango (optional)
• 1-1½ cups white rum to taste (optional)
• About a liter of sprite (if making non-alcoholic use all fruit juice and more Sprite)

Directions

The first and most important step is making the simple syrup. Simmer the water and one cup of sugar and put the other cup of sugar in a bowl for the rimmer. Break up the mint leaves and stems to release all of the flavors and put it in the pot with the sugar and water. Zest 1 ½ lemons, limes, and oranges right on top of the mint and stir occasionally. Make sure you don’t burn the mint! Meanwhile, finish zesting the remaining halves of the fruits into the bowl of sugar. Using a fork, blend the zest into the sugar. Once you can’t see the individual pieces of zest you know your rimmer is done. By now, your simple syrup should be ready.

Strain the mixture into a pitcher. Juice 1 ½ lemons, limes, and oranges right on top of the minty mixture in the strainer. You want to get as much flavor from that mixture as possible before you dispose of it. In another bowl juice the other halves of the fruit so you have a liquid to help pick up your rimmer. The next part is optional. Add the flavored and clear rums through the strainer as well. You can adjust the measurements however you like; this is just the way that all of my friends prefer for me to make them!

Lastly (and slowly) add the liter of Sprite. Strange for a mojito, I know but trust me it works great! You don’t have to use Sprite it’s just what we generally use. I have made it with Sierra Mist in the past, but I normally just buy what’s on sale!

Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors combine and chill. When you are ready to pour one, dip a glass in the fruit juice (you can add water if that’s too acidic for your taste) and then dip it in the bowl with the rimmer. Fill your glass with ice, drop a few cherries in and then pour your mojito. I garnish mine with an orange peel and a small mint leaf. Enjoy responsibly!

I’ve been sitting on my porch with a pen and paper waiting for the inspiration to write, but once again I can’t get my head out of the kitchen! Since the weather has been so beautiful, I was thinking about making some apple berry salsa. I know, I was supposed to blog about this earlier but it was just too cold!

I learned this recipe at my very first Pampered Chef meeting and over the years I have tweaked it to match my personality. I’m sure after you try this recipe it will become a favorite in your family too!

Ingredients

• 2 Fuji Apples, 1 granny smith
• 2 kiwis (or 3 small)
• 1 pint of strawberries
• 1 orange (zest and juice)
• 2 tablespoons apple jelly
• 3 table spoons dark brown sugar
• A couple drops of lemon juice
• Large pack of flour tortillas
• Cinnamon sugar
• Peanut Oil

Directions

Wash and prepare all fruit. I start with half of the strawberries and I usually use the Pampered Chef Food Chopper. I have made this salsa in my food processor but it doesn’t come out the consistency I like. After everything is chopped, toss it in a large bowl. Dice up the kiwi and add to the strawberries. Peel, core and slice each apple one at a time to prevent browning mixing in each apple into the strawberry and kiwi mixture. When you have finished adding the last of the apple, continue chopping the remaining strawberries. Stir until all of the fruit is in-cooperated.

Now is a good time to preheat the peanut oil in either a deep fryer or a shallow pan on medium. I use a large frying pan and use about half of the bottle of oil. I keep the eye on 5 and let it warm up for at least 10 minutes.

Add apple jelly and brown sugar and stir again. Zest and juice the orange right into the bowl and give it another good stir. Throw a lid on the bowl and put it in the refrigerator and let the flavors blend together. Prepare a plate with several paper towels and place it close to your frying pan so your chips have a place to absorb the remaining oil. This also helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the chips.

Now it’s time to make some chips! The Pampered Chef recommends that you slice the flour tortillas with a pizza cutter, brush with water, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. The chips turn out great this way but I ALWAYS fry mine. It gives it a better consistency and crunch with the sweet salsa. I cut the tortillas like I would a pizza, and when the oil is warm enough, I throw one in just to make sure it doesn’t sink and it starts to sizzle as soon as it hits the pan.

You don’t want to over crowd the pan with chips when you are frying them, make sure you give them room to roam and puff up. It takes about a minute to cook on each side, after a few chips you’ll figure out how you like yours cooked. I like mine light and fluffy in the middle, but my husband likes his crunchy so his take almost 2 minutes each side. Flipping them often is the key to making sure that they don’t burn. As soon as they are done, place them on the plate with the paper towel and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

If you don’t want to take the time to make the chips, it’s also good in the shortcake shells, topped with whipped cream.

Make sure you come back and leave me comments after you’ve tried this salsa! It’s quickly become a favorite in my family.

Food on the Table is a meal planning website offering premium services, meaning you have to pay for it to take advantage of it. I’d never heard of it before today, but if you go on over to Food on the Table and enter the promo code MARFREE, you will receive a free, lifetime subscription to the website. I just joined, and wanted to pop over here real quick to share it with you. (I know we’ve been terrible at updating the blog lately, but we’ve had a lot of stuff going on recently that’s kept us from it. We hope to get back to posting on a regular basis, soon.)

Anyway, not only will Food on the Table help you plan your meals, they’ll link you your local grocery store sales to help you get the most of your meals while saving money, and they’ll even put together a grocery list for you to print out. I’m not sure how long this deal will last, but it’s an awesome chance for anyone who leads a busy life but loves to cook.

One of our Thanksgiving desserts was a Bourbon Pecan Pie, using Paula Deen’s recipe from Food Network. I’d never made a pecan pie before, which is surprising because it is one of my favorite sinful desserts. Want to make your own? Here’s the recipe we used. Skip the bourbon if you don’t have it on hand or don’t like the taste and you’ll still get a yummy pecan pie.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon
• 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Stir together melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Add all other ingredients and stir until well mixed.
4. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell.
5. Place on cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce oven temp to 350, and bake for 25 more minutes, or until set.
7. When set, remove from oven and cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

When I made this bourbon pecan pie, only one of the two I made set. I had too many people in and out my kitchen, and I pulled it at 25 minutes… but it wasn’t set. It wasn’t a waste though! I was able to use it in ice cream to make milk shakes. The extra calories didn’t like my waistline, but my taste buds were dancing!

Instead of paying for delivery, why not make your own pizza from scratch starting with this homemade pizza dough? If your family is anything like mine, pizza is an absolute must-have! The hour and a half the dough takes to get ready gives you plenty of time to clean the kitchen and prep your veggies and toppings, and take care of other chores you may have to deal with before dinner. Once you try this dough, you’ll never go back to a canned or boxed crust again.This homemade pizza dough recipe makes enough for a single 14” pizza, or six to eight personal pizzas or calzones. If opting for personal pizzas or calzones, you will even have enough left over to make your own funnel cake for dessert! We’ll share that recipe, tomorrow, so keep an eye out for it. Dinner and dessert from one batch of dough makes our family nights much more enjoyable!

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. honey
• ½ cup of warm water
• ¾ cup of warm milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. oil (2 for dough and 1 for the bowl it rises in)
• 1 ½ cup of bread floor
• 1 ½ cup of unbleached whole wheat flour

Directions for Making the Homemade Pizza Dough

1. Proof the yeast. To do this you’ll combine the yeast, sugar, honey and water. I’ve added a splash of beer during this step before and it had amazing flavor. It made the yeast flavor less empowering. Stir and let stand 10 minutes. The mixture should become foamy and bubbly. This means your yeast is active and it’s OK to go ahead with the recipe.
2.  Add: milk, oil, salt, bread flour, and ½ cup of unbleached whole wheat flour. The dough will form and will be very loose.
3. Add ½ cup of unbleached whole wheat flour. Slowly incorporating the two different types of flour really makes a big textural difference. Stir until mixture is smooth.
4. Add in the last ½ of flour. This is when I normally start working the flour in with my hands until its mixed well. Turn onto a floured pastry mat (or wax paper if you don’t have a mat) and knead for 8-10 minutes, no cheating!!
5. Place dough in oiled bowl then turn over so the dough is evenly coated. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
6. During that hour your dough should have doubled in size. Turn dough onto floured mat again and knead for just a minute. If you are making one large pizza, just skip the next step and continue making your pizza!
7. Grab and break off handfuls of dough. I get 6-8. Shape them into balls and let those babies rise for another 30 minutes.

Using the Fresh Dough to Make Your Pizza

*Note: Do not use a rolling pin! Doing so will push out all of the air that is inside the dough and it will become hard and chewy.

1. Start by patting down the dough ball down then work it out, turning the dough over as you work. Press the dough out with your fingers. If you are making a stuffed crust pizza it’s easier to shape it into a square so that it fits easier and doesn’t tear the dough. Roll over and under the crust so it doesn’t separate or break through the crust. I use 2 pieces of string cheese, cut in half because it’s just too hard to fit a whole piece of string cheese on one side!
2. Use a homemade or store bought pizza, marinara, or spaghetti sauce of choice. Evenly spread on the bottom of the pizza, not getting any on the crust.
3. Top with half the cheese you’re planning on using then place pepperoni and other toppings, then the rest of your cheese. This prevents your toppings and crust from becoming soggy.
4. Brush the top of the crust with butter then bake at 425* for 10-12 minutes. Brush the crust again with butter, but this time sprinkle garlic salt and grate fresh Parmesan on the crust and pizza. Broil for 1-2 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from pan and slicing.
5. Place extra dough balls into individual sandwich bags and then place 1 in the refrigerator for funnel cake and put the rest in the freezer for another time. It may take up to an hour to thaw completely.