Stylish meals in minutes

(Family Features) - With today's more sophisticated palates, and the desire to savor more healthy and well-balanced meals, standard take-out fare just won't cut it anymore for speedy weeknight meals. There's a world of difference between "just okay" and "outstanding!" at-home menus.
From the deli to the frozen food case to the produce aisle, we're on the hunt for products that help us get stylish, contemporary meals on the table fast. Help is here. The category of high-quality prepped offerings from the supermarket is growing. And they taste better than ever.
The washed, ready-to-eat packaged salad mixes were the first produce products to make "fresh, fast!" a possibility. And the latest of these salads is chef-inspired creations that compete with entrées for centerpiece status.
New salads taking center stage on the menu include a variety of tempting offerings: Fresh mixtures of greens, a variety of vegetables, savory goodies, dried fruits, nuts, croutons, aged cheeses and professional-quality dressings give this new class of premium, ready-to-toss salads pizzazz.
With nutrition professionals recommending that we get up to nine to fifteen servings of fruits and vegetables daily, it's a deliciously painless way to meet those dietary requirements by including fabulous salads in daily menus. Baby Spinach, tender Spring Mix, crisp Hearts of Romaine, and crunchy Broccoli florets are some of the nutrient-dense foundations of these premium salads.
The amazing variety of salads available — all nutrient-rich and delivered in the peak of freshness for great taste - make it possible to serve a week's worth of dinners that showcase a world of flavors.
Originating this exciting new generation of salads is Fresh Express with its Premium Recipe Complete Salad line debuting in the produce aisle of grocery stores nationwide this month. These complete fresh salad mixes — all the toppings and dressing are in the bag — reflect contemporary flavor trends and offer a culinary artist's palette of colors, flavors and textures.
With center-stage combinations like B.L.T. Caesar Salad, Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette, Caesar Supreme and a one-of-a-kind fresh Broccoli Salad, the Premium Recipe Complete Salads can add style and spark to any meal.
Savvy cooks can tap into their own repertoires of snazzy, quick and tasty entrées to pair with these dressy salads. Or, try some of these streamlined, stylish pairings - one for each day of the week.
For serving suggestions, recipes, promotions and the latest in fresh-cut salads, check out the Fresh Express web site at http://www.freshexpress.com/.
On-hand ingredients make a simple adornment, taking everyday chicken breasts to a new level.

Chicken With Parsley, Garlic and Romano

CrustMakes 4 servings
2 slices whole wheat bread, torn

1/4 cup parsley, trimmed and washed

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 cup grated Romano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Heat oven to 425°F. In small bowl of food processor, process bread pieces, parsley and garlic, add Romano, salt, pepper and oil, pulse briefly; set aside. Coat chicken evenly with mustard, place in shallow roasting pan and pat crumb mixture on top. Bake until chicken is cooked through and crumbs nicely browned, about 20-25 minutes.

Lemon Juice Health Benefits

Lemonade is known to have been used as a refreshing drink since the time of the Moguls. Modem investigations have tended to support this use, the essential oil being very good for cooling the body. This use can be extended to the employment of lemon juice with water and sugar as the best drink to take when you have a fever
When the temperature of the body is high, whether from the effects of the sun or from the results of illness, it is necessary to take regular drinks in order to prevent dehydration. Sugar is not normally a desirable part of a healthy diet, nevertheless it has its part to play with lemon, and although there is no doubt that the addition of honey if available is very much to be preferred.
The high vitamin C content of the lemon has been used for hundreds of years to ward off scurvy among sailors and travelers. There is little sodium, so the fruit is good as a flavoring for those on a low salt diet.
Because in some countries the producers of lemons extend their keeping properties and improve appearance by coating them with the chemical diphenyl and waxing the fruits, it is a wise precaution to wash the lemon with a little unscented soap and then rinse thoroughly before converting the whole fruit to juice.
The pulp left from the juicing is excellent for the skin and can also soothe the bites and stings of insects. If you add equal parts of toilet water and of glycerin to the residue the mixture can be made to keep the hands smooth.
Doctors Morel and Rochaix demonstrated that the extract of lemon when vaporized will neutralize the bacteria of meningococcus, typhoid, pneumococcus and staphylococcus in from 15 to 180 minutes.
A gastronomically inclined Frenchman, Charles Richet, is said by Dr Valnet to have discovered that the lemon juice added to raw oysters before eating them destroys 92% of the bacteria present within 15 minutes. A good reason to wait before you eat!
This information is relevant to the idea that lemon juice is a most important therapy to be used in all cases of infection of the respiratory tract and as a general tonic.
Provided that the juice is diluted with water, there is no danger in taking any reasonable quantity of lemon juice. Be sure to choose firm, clear colored lemons that have not begun to wither. The first signs of ageing can be spotted where the stem was once attached to the fruit.

How to make Pizza - A step by Step Guide to show you how to make pizza

So you want to learn how to make pizza yourself? Making pizzas is quite easy when you know the steps involved. Follow this step by step guide to making your own pizzas at home, and delight everyone with the flavor of your hands.

Step 1. Preparing your tomato pizza sauce

Melt the butter with the olive oil and slowly but completely sauté the garlic and onion in a skillet. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and puree. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for two hours. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes with a potato masher. Continue to mash, stir, and simmer partially covered until the sauce reaches the consistency of a rich soup.

Step 2 Making Pizza Dough

Making your own pizza dough by hand is both challenging and satisfying. Home made pizza dough, "from scratch," is without a doubt the single most defining factor that differentiates a great pizza from any other pizza that you will ever have. And, the personal gratification that comes of successfully making pizza at home for yourself, your loved-ones and your friends makes it all the more worthwhile.

Step 3 Panning the Prepared Pizza Dough

Panning the dough is the step where you use a rolling pin or machines to create the pizza base with your dough. There are machines that help you sheet and pan the pizza dough, or you can use the hand tossing method or the rolling pin if you want to do it yourself.
Depending on the style, size, composition and number of pizzas you choose to make, the methods of sizing, shaping, trimming, and ultimately, panning the pizza dough, will vary.

step 4 Topping the Pizza

First, spread the pizza sauce evenly over the surface of the dough. Spoon the sauce out to the edge of the dough sheet, leaving "un-sauced" about 3/4" to 1" of the dough crust. Next, layer the shredded cheese creating an evenly distributed bed of cheese on which to arrange your toppings. (You will use another cup of cheese for finishing off the top of the pizza.) From this point on, let your eyes, nose, creativity and taste buds take over to add other toppings to your pizza. Some toppings, (fresh vegetables, certain cheeses and fatty meats), are higher in moisture and fat content and you have to take this into account when you use them, to ensure your pizza doesn't turn out soggy.

Step 5 Baking the Pizza

The final step is to bake to pizza. When you oven is at the right temperature place a prepped pizza in the center of the middle rack to allow for maximum air circulation around the pan.
Make adjustments to your baking process one at a time until you've found the perfect balance of rack position, temperature and baking time to suit your oven. Signs to look for that the pizza is ready are:
# The cheese has melted on top and is beginning to brown, # The crust edge has browned, from a medium to a golden brown, and, # Carefully lift the edge of the pizza to inspect its bottom. The bottom dough should be evenly browned.

by Kalpagam Swaminathan

Low Cost Ways of Reducing or Preventing Back Pain

The vast majority of people will experience some sort of back pain throughout their lives. When most people think of back pain treatments, they often think of expensive medication and surgical procedures.However, many would be surprised to learn that low cost methods for treating back pain are available which are quite effective. Several studies have been conducted which show that getting a good amount of cardiovascular exercise on a regular basis is very effective at stopping back pain.Many of these methods are low cost, such as hiking, swimming, or jogging. Cardiovascular exercises have been shown to be just as effective for treating and preventing back pain as many psysical therapies. These activities are fun to do, and will keep both your back and the rest of your body healthy.Some of you reading this article may be under the impression that this advice is common sense. In reality, many people don't know how to properly exercise their backs, and give up easily when things become tough. Some are already unhealthy and overweight, and have developed bad habits which are difficult to break.It is important to change your mindset. Instead of looking at cardiovascular exercise as a chore, incorporate it into your everday activities. If you have a job which is close to your home, start riding a bike to work once a week. Start small and work your way up.Exercise is important for your spine and back. Humans aren't designed to spend hours sitting in front of a computer or in traffic. We are supposed to work out our bodies, and when we don't, problems like chronic back pain develop over time.When people suffer from back pain, they often stop exercising entirely. They are under the false impression that exercising their backs will put them in even more pain. This is certainly true if they don't exercise properly. The muscles surrounding the spinal column support your body, and need to be strong.The weaker they are, the more pain you will experience. By exercising, you strengthen these muscles in your back, and they will become strong enough to support your body, relieving you of pain. You don't want to wait until the problem becomes so severe that you need medical treatment .The costs of healthcare are increasing, and people are finding it hard to afford care. The best type of treatment you can give yourself is prevention by exercising properly and keeping both your back and the rest of your body healthy.

Delicious Barbecue Chicken Recipes

Anyone can create delicious homemade hot barbeque recipes for serving to friends & family. Making a chicken barbeque dish can be a wonderful experience, as long as you take the time to make the recipes right. You can cook each of them for your family and friends & let them decide which they like best

Recipe #1

1 chicken, broken down into 2 leg quarters and 2 breasts 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 cups catsup 4 ounces brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sesame oil 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated 1-1/2 tsp garlic powder 1-1/2 tsp cumin 1-1/2 tsp chili powder
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-low heat. Close the grill to thoroughly preheat the grate. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Combine the next 10 ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Grill the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Next, place the chicken in a 9x13-inch casserole dish and baste generously with the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes. Delicious!

Recipe #2

1 package barbecue-seasoned boneless chicken 1/3 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 4 split lightly toasted Kaiser rolls
Prepare outdoor grill for cooking or preheat broiler. Grill or broil chicken 5 to 6 inches from heat source until cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes, turning 2 to 3 times.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard; stir in cabbage and onion; blend well.
Place a chicken breast on bottom half of each roll; spread mayonnaise mixture on top; cover with lettuce and top half of roll. Serve 4 Sandwiches
Makes 4 sandwiches

MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY

Breakfast is generally recognized as the most important meal of the day. At breakfast time, it's been a while since you have put some calories in the body and you are preparing to start the most active part of your day. (If you work at night and sleep in the day, then supper is the most important meal of the day.) You need something in yIt's very easy to get into a breakfast rut. I confess that every morning for about eighteen years, I had a bowl of oatmeal, two slices of buttered toast and a glass of milk for breakfast. Nothing really wrong with that, but we all know that variety is the spice of life. In my later years, I've come to look forward to breakfast as my favorite meal. I try to vary the menu and keep things interesting.
I pity the folks who start their day with a bottle of Pepsi or a bowl of crunchy flakes and skim milk. That ain't no way to start your day. The most pitiful breakfast of all is the ubiquitous "Breakfast Taco" of the Southwest. It seems that every retail outlet in the Southwest has a hand lettered placard advertising the "BT". These insipid little things are more akin to a burrito than a taco. No matter what flavor advertised, they contain an awful mixture of eggs and potatoes and maybe beans. They are wrapped in an ancient flour tortilla and then wrapped again in foil. The only flavor is from the "Hotamild" sauce you apply from a small plastic envelope. "Hotamild"? "Hotamild"? "Oh, Hot or Mild". Stay away from these things. I'd a whole lot rather see you spend your money on a Snickers Bar.
Weekends are the best time for really great breakfasts. You have time to come fully awake, have a cup of coffee or two and work up a good breakfast appetite. Sundays work for me. Saturday might be best for you.
The most important item in any breakfast menu is coffee. Hot and aromatic. Nothing smells better on a Sunday morning than coffee brewing. For the younger crowd, some cold, fresh milk is in order. Avoid giving the kids hot chocolate or chocolate-flavored milk for breakfast. They will just fill up on sugar calories, when it's protein they need.
Eggs are good. Despite all the bad press eggs have gotten in past years, it's now okay to have a few eggs in your weekly diet. Eggs can be fried, poached, boiled or scrambled for variety.
Breakfast meat is traditionally bacon, ham or breakfast sausage. That's fine, but if you live anywhere near a German community, you want to try some of their "pan sausage". That is pork sausage that is not in a casing; it's sold like hamburger. Pork chops or beef steak go fine for breakfast, too. You don't have to fry these meats. You can broil them or, if you are really serious, get out and crank up the grill.
You have to have a bread with breakfast. Toast is traditional. Homemade bread makes the best toast. Pancakes also compliment any breakfast and can be served alone if you wish. Toasted English muffins go well, too. You will need butter and jelly or syrup for the bread. Let the butter sit out overnight so it will be soft enough to spread.
Corn, oats or wheat is on the breakfast menu for the cereal eaters. Corn comes to the table as flakes, grits or meal.
Flakes you know about. They come in a box and are overpriced. You put them in a bowl and add milk, sugar if needed and fresh fruit if you have it. They have their place at the breakfast table. Grits are a Southern invention made from hominy. Hominy is dried corn that is treated with lime to remove the husk. Grits are cooked according to package instructions and can be served Yankee style with sugar, butter and milk or Southern style like polenta. Cornmeal can be made into corn mush, which doesn't sound very good, but is delicious and very nourishing. Simply cook cornmeal in boiling water for a few minutes and serve with butter, sugar and milk. The Germans have "scrapple" which is a cornmeal loaf with meat in it. It is sliced and fried for breakfast.
Oats come as oatmeal or oat flakes or oat bran. Oatmeal needs to be a type that you actually cook. Avoid those "oatmeals" that you just pour hot water on. Cooking oatmeal doesn't take more than five or six minutes and the end product is so much better. Just add a little butter, sugar and milk or cream. The oat flakes you treat like corn flakes, and just follow the instructions on the oat bran, which is usually used as a supplement to other cereals.
Wheat is best known as flakes. That "Breakfast of Champions" thing. There is also cream of wheat, which you probably know about. You may not have tried cracked wheat. You can get it at the health food store or as Ralston brand in the cereal section. This is simply whole wheat berries that have been cracked. They are cooked and served as a hot cereal. Very good and full of fiber. Wheat bran is the husk of the wheat berry. It's the brown part. It's also very good for you. That's why you are encouraged to eat whole wheat products.
Make sure that any jam or jelly you serve with breakfast is the highest quality and you can actually taste the fruit and not just the sugar. The new pseudo jellies that contain more fruit than sugar are very good.
Don't forget to serve fresh fruit in season with your breakfast.
Now you are all primed for a big breakfast. Go for it.
In the coming months we will discuss the noon meal which is either "dinner" or "lunch," depending on where you come from and "supper," which may be "dinner," also depending on where you come from.
May your ingestion of nourishment be most pleasant.
our stomach to nourish your activities.