Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Prep time: 
 
Total time: 

Tzatziki is a healthy sauce you can serve with chicken, grilled veggies, pita chips, gyros and as a raw veggie dip.
Author: 
Skill Level: Easy
Cost To Make: $4-$5
Serving: 3 cups

Ingredients

  • ½ English cucumber, peeled
  • 16 oz (2 cups) Cold plain Greek yogurt (either full fat or fat free will work)
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • ⅓ cup chopped dill, fresh or frozen
  • 1½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (Juice of ½ lemon; please squeeze a real lemon)
  • ½ tsp salt, or to taste
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. How to Make Tzatziki Sauce:
  2. The Cucumber should be peeled, finely diced and strained of it's juices. I squeezed it really tight by the fistful. You can use a cheese cloth if you wish. Getting rid of excess juice is important so that you tzatziki sauce isn't watery the next day.
  3. Combine the strained and chopped cucumber with 2 cups plain greek yogurt, 1½ Tbsp lemon juice, 4 pressed garlic cloves, ⅓ cup chopped dill, ½ tsp salt (add more to taste) and ⅛ tsp black pepper.
  4. Mix everything together and add more salt to taste if needed. It's best to refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld. It tastes even better when refrigerated overnight!

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Mediterranean Diet Guidlines

  • Eat your veggies and fruits — and switch to whole grains. An abundance and variety of plant foods should make up the majority of your meals. Strive for seven to 10 servings a day of veggies and fruits. Switch to whole-grain bread and cereal, and begin to eat more whole-gain rice and pasta products.
  • Go nuts. Keep almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts on hand for a quick snack. Choose natural peanut butter, rather than the kind with hydrogenated fat added. Try tahini (blended sesame seeds) as a dip or spread for bread.
  • Pass on the butter. Try olive or canola oil as a healthy replacement for butter or margarine. Use it in cooking. Dip bread in flavored olive oil or lightly spread it on whole-grain bread for a tasty alternative to butter. Or try tahini as a dip or spread.
  • Spice it up. Herbs and spices make food tasty and are also rich in health-promoting substances. Season your meals with herbs and spices rather than salt.
  • Go fish. Eat fish once or twice a week. Fresh or water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are healthy choices. Grilled fish tastes good and requires little cleanup. Avoid fried fish, unless it's sauteed in a small amount of canola oil.
  • Rein in the red meat. Substitute fish and poultry for red meat. When eaten, make sure it's lean and keep portions small (about the size of a deck of cards). Also avoid sausage, bacon and other high-fat meats.
  • Choose low-fat dairy. Limit higher fat dairy products such as whole or 2 percent milk, cheese and ice cream. Switch to skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese.
  • Raise a glass to healthy eating. If it's OK with your doctor, have a glass of wine at dinner. If you don't drink alcohol, you don't need to start. Drinking purple grape juice may be an alternative to wine.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Shell Stitch Beanie

Hook-Size G Crochet Hook
Yarn-4-ply worsted weight
Size Estimate - 22 inches around


Abbreviations
SH = Shell
DC = Double Crochet
CH = Chain
MC = Magic Circle

I am providing two starts for the cap. You can pick which one you want to use.
Start 1: Magic Circle for starting loop.
Start 2: Chain 7, join

Round 1: CH 1, *SC in starting loop. SH of 5 DC in loop, complete 4 times from *, join in beginning SC. (4 Shells)

This next round is preparing for the shell increases. It takes two rounds to complete an increase for shells.
Round 2: SL ST to 3rd DC, CH 1, *SC in same ST, (this will be an increase shell)SH- 3DC, CH 1, 3 DC. SC in 3rd DC, complete 4 times from *, join in beg SC. (This is the first part of the shell increase, you will have 4 shells with 3DC,CH 1, 3 DC in each shell. There will be 4 more shells added to each chain 1 space in the next round.)

Round 3: SL ST to 2nd DC, CH 1,*SC in 2nd DC, SH of 5 DC in CH 1 space, SC in 2nd DC, SH of 5 DC in the next SC, Complete 4 times from *, join in beg SC. (This is the second part of the shell increase. When this round is complete, there will be 8 full shells with 5 double crochet each)
Round 4: SL ST to 3rd DC, CH 1 *SC in DC, SH-5 DC in the next SC, Complete 8 times total from*, join in beg SC. (This is just a normal round of shells. You will have 8 shells with 5 DC in each shell)

Round 5: SL ST to 3rd DC, CH 1, *SC in DC, SH-3DC, CH 1, 3DC in next SC. SC in 3rd DC. SH-5DC in next SC. Complete 4 times from*, join in beg SC. (First part of the increase. There will be 4 shells of 3DC, CH 1, 3 DC. There will be 4 shells of 5 DC. 8 Shells all together.)

The hat will take on the shape of a square at this point. This is normal for the previous and next round.

Round 6: SL ST to 2rd DC, CH 1, * SC in 2nd DC, SH-5 DC in CH 1. SC in 2 DC. SH-5 DC in next SC, SC in 3rd DC, SH-5 DC in next SC. Complete 4 times from *, join in beg SC. (Second part of the increase. There will be 12 shells total, with 5 DC in each shell) 
in the next SC.


After this there are no more increase rounds. The hat will shape into a hat even though it may not look like it at this point.

Round 7-17: 
SL ST to 3rd DC, CH 1 *SC in DC, SH-5 DC in the next SC, Complete 12 times total from*, join in beg SC. ( You will have 12 shells with 5 DC in each shell for the remainder of the hat)

Thursday, July 7, 2016

BITCK

Dash Cam Saves The Day! Sitting at a red light....minding our own business....when the local BITCK drives by. Red spray paint scribbled in an angry manner....and the H looked like a K. Full screen so you can see the car and volume on to hear Cass' reaction.