"Y" You Should Read This Giveaway Post

The "Y" I am talking about is as in Yoplait Yogurt and Yoga. We are big fans if Yoplait in our house. One favorite of my husband's is the Blueberry Acai...lots of antioxidants in there! And yogurt contains probiotics and calicum, all residing in that little cup of creaminess. Yoplait has items that will satisfy many different tastes...regular, non-fat and Whips and the plain yogurt is a great replacement for fats in cooking and baking. A few months ago I posted a cupcake recipe using Non-fat Strawberry Yoplait Yogurt. They are light and delicious!

I also love doing yoga stretches. I may not be in a formal class, but yoga provides me with relaxation techniques and help many areas of my body be healthy. It is a nice way to start the day.

BlogSpark has provided me with an opportunity for a great giveaway! Yoplait is a tasty way a to get more calcium and vitamin D in your diet that’s guaranteed to please both moms and kids. Yoplait is the only leading brand of yogurt containing calcium and vitamin D in every serving (10-20 percent of your daily value of vitamin D and an excellent source of calcium). Yoplait offers a large variety of great tasting flavors to help the whole family meet their vitamin D and calcium needs.

Did you know that …?
76% of the population is falling short of getting enough vitamin D; and 72% of the population is not getting enough calcium in their diets*
(Consuming calcium and vitamin D during childhood and adolescence can help reduce risk of fractures in adulthood*)
Getting an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D, paired with exercise, is important to help build and maintain strong, healthy bones. Yoplait is partnering with Nancy O’Dell, entertainment news reporter and celebrity mom, who understands the importance of incorporating calcium and Vitamin D into her diet – while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Two lucky winners of my giveaway will win a Yoplait Yoga mat with carrying case, a coupon for a free Yoplait yogurt** and an autographed copy of Nancy O'Dell's book titled Full of Life!
You can also watch a video of Nancy talking about the importance of keeping a healthy diet and exercise routine by clicking here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1jm1u-MlEU You can also watch Nancy’s lifestyle tips, available to watch on Yoplait’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Yoplait. !
**Please note the free coupon is not valid outside the U.S. and in the following states: ID, LA, ND, NJ, NV, and TN
My daughter is pregnant and I think she is really going to enjoy this book!

So that brings me to the giveaway! Yoplait is offering a complimentary gift bag and book to two of my readers.

• First, send me a comment and tell me how you keep your family healthy and fit and your favorite Yoplait flavor. That gives you one chance to win.


• Next, if you are already a follower of my blog, let me know and if you become a follower tell me that. That gives you a second chance to win.


• Last, if you post about this giveaway on your blog, it will qualify you for a third chance!

That's it! You have until midnight EST October 9th to enter! Good luck!

Check out this blog!

I just found the cutest jewelry! Check out Uniquely Allie's blog and link to her Etsy shop. There are some very unique and very nice jewelry!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This recipe and photo comes compliments of the October issue of Food Network Magazine. As the cooler fall weather is going to be settling upon us, we are trying to take advantage of any of the nicer days that we can. That means using the grill for the last few times before we button it up for the winter. Today has been a beautiful day...a little cool, but sunny and nice.

I marinated some chicken breasts for tonight and am paring it with this colorful pasta salad. It has all of the ingredients that I love and it smells wonderful! Plus I love farfalle pasta. Maybe because all those bows make me feel girl-y! This makes enough for 4-6 people, so that means leftover for lunch tomorrow!

Have a great weekend!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Kosher salt

1 lb. tricolor bowtie or fusilli pasta

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2-3 tsp. dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

2/3 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (I used oil packed)

1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned

1/4 cup diced onion

2 large pickled pepperoncini , diced(I didn't want to buy a whole jar so I used sliced banana peppers)

3 Tbsp halved black olives

2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

1-1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1-1/2 Tbsp grated romano cheese

I also put about 1/2 cup of canned chickpeas in this (rinsed and drained)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then rinse with cold water to cool.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, mustard, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in enough of the oil to make a smooth dressing; season with salt and pepper.

Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, onion, pepperoncini, olives and oregano in a bowl. Add the cooked pasta. 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Add the vinaigrette and both cheeses and toss. Chill until ready to serve.

Home Made Pecan Sandies

Many of us try to keep something in the freezer that we can take out and serve with coffee when there is unexpected company. It takes the pressure off of having to create something immediately. In the fall I keep a frozen, unbaked apple pie that can be popped into the oven at a moment's notice and served later in the day with no fuss and no kitchen clean up. It is easy to make 2 pies, put one away and bake the other. The same holds true with some cookie dough. I have bought the fundraiser cookie doughs in the buckets, but they always seem too sweet. The packaged cookies that are slice and bake or pull-apart and bake...easy, but again too sweet for me. And my preference is to know what is going into my cookies. I am always on the look-out for something new I can make that will fit this description. These doughs are really handy when the kids are going to be around as it takes little time to slice and bake. And nothing is better than the aroma of freshly baked cookies when you walk in the door! Well, I found a new recipe that I think is going to be like Pecan Sandies. I love, love those!! I hardly ever buy them though. The recipe comes from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco. They sound so good and the best part...the dough can be frozen for up to a month. I am thinking that if you have some baking going on in your kitchen already, this is something that will go together quickly and you can put away for another time. I might even add these to the Christmas tray. You roll these in Demarara sugar so when you slice and bake there is a nice, crispy sweet edge. For the holidays, they would be cute rolled in red or green sanding sugar.

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen.

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1-1/4 sticks (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise, seeds scraped

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. demerara or turbinado sugar

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. (If you are making the dough to put away, do this step in your toaster oven to save energy.)

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, vanilla extract and salt at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour in 3 batches, beating at low speed until just incorporated. Discard the vanilla bean. Stir in the pecans.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and roll into a 1-1/2-inch thick log. Wrap the log in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerated for about 1 hour, until chilled.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, Spread the demerara sugar on a platter. Brush the log with the egg yolk and roll in the sugar. Slice the log into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1-inch apart. (Skip this step if you are freezing and when you are ready to bake then do the egg wash and sugar step prior to baking.)

Bake the shortbread cookies for about 20 minutes, until the edges are golden; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let stand until cooled completely, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Nuts for Nutella Pound Cake

When it comes to Nutella, just sit me down with the jar and a spoon. There is something so addicting to me about this creamy hazelnut-chocolate spread. If I open the jar, I have to use it up in something before I end up eating it all. One of my favorite snacks are organic honey-nut brown rice cakes that I get at our local health food store. I love these with a little almond butter spread on them. But if there is Nutella, well, I spread a little of that on it too! Kind of cancels out all that nutritional value of the rice cake, doesn't it? Well a girl has to have a little fun once in awhile! That brings me to my recipe for today.

I opened up my new issue (October, 2009) of Food and Wine. There on page 118....jumping right out at me in living color... is a picture of a slice of pound cake...with Nutella in the cake! (This is the photo from the magazine). I made this last night. The recipe's author, as well as the author of Cake Keeper Cakes, Lauren Chattman, recommends serving this with a scoop of coffee ice cream. OMG....I can't stand this torture. How are we supposed to be on diets when these recipes are in our faces? I pledge to be good however, and have a tiny piece. I brought this into work to see what kind of reviews it would get. That also guaranteed that I wouldn't eat the whole thing.

Even the husband wh is trying to watch sweets didn't get a taste! Results? FABULOUS... and a definite keeper recipe. Would make a great item to take along or send over to a sick friend!

Nutella-Swirl Pound Cake

Makes one 9 X 5 inch loaf cake

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar

One 13-oz jar Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.

In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk the 1-1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella.

Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.

Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let the cake cool 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The pound cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah

Our very good friends are Jewish and they regularly share their holiday traditions and tables with their non-Jewish friends, just as we share our traditions and cultures with them. We have all learned so much from each other and it is interesting and fun. This Sunday we will be sharing their second night Rosh Hashanah dinner with them. This is their New Year and is a happy occasion. Many lovely and simple foods signify this holiday....honey, apples, pomegranates and lovely Challah bread. As my hostess gift, I am bringing a Lekach. Lekach is the Hebrew word for Honey Cake and is one of the traditional foods eaten during the holiday to celebrate a "sweet" new year. I have never made this before and I am hoping it turns out well. But it sounds so delicious. I imagine the aroma in the house will be exquisite! So this will take up part of my Saturday as it says to make it the day before. I will have a hard time not trying it! Wish me luck!! And L'Shana Tovah Tikatevu!!

Lekach (Honey Cake)
Ingredients
2/3 C. light brown sugar

2/3 C. honey

1/2 C. vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

1/4 C. apple juice

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. raisins

1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan.

Beat the brown sugar, honey and shortening in a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, apple juice and lemon rind.

Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt just until flour is moistened.

Fold in raisins and nuts; transfer to greased pan.

Bake bread 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Tip: When measuring sticky ingredients like honey, lightly oil the inside of the measuring cup. Remember to use a liquid measure for the honey in this recipe. Also, make a day ahead for even better flavor.

Yield: 12 servings

We went to visit our daughter this weekend and had a cook-out with those great turkey burgers I had posted. But while we were there, she had me taste a chicken dish she had prepared the night before for her family. Now let me tell you, it was tasty and moreover, when she told me how she made it, I thought it would be a perfect easy weeknight meal. She had gotten this recipe quite awhile ago from a friend. Rhonda has a large circle of friends, and this one made a meal for her family after our grandson (who is now 2!) had been born. She recently came across the recipe and made it with some yellow rice and steamed green beans that were quickly sauteed with some fresh garlic. I have to say that the combination of ingredients is odd, but it is really good. Rachael Ray has a recipe for apricot chicken, but I think this is easier and it does use fewer ingredients. This is a recipe that I will use from time to time when I have to make a meal for someone or just as a weeknight supper. It has a delicious sauce that would be perfect over mashed potatoes as well. My other idea is to cut the chicken in cubes for kebobs and marinate them in the mayo mixture. Keep some aside before marinating and you will have a nice glaze to brush over the chicken while it is on the grill.
Can be easily doubled or tripled and would be good for a buffet.

Quick Apricot Chicken
1-1/2 lbs. chicken tenders
1/2 cup apricot jam (use the low sugar or all fruit for calorie savings)
1/2 cup Hellman's Canola Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Salt and pepper
Mix the jam, mayonnaise and dry soup mix together.
Lay the chicken tenders in a baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and pour the mayo/jam mixture over the chicken.
Place in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is done through. Serves 4.

Favorite Friend Makin' Monday Shows

It's another Friend Makin' Monday and today we are talking about favoite shows. I am a big reader and love movies, but when it comes to TV, I am not a huge fan. But I do have a few faves. I love The Mentalist...what's not to like...Simon Baker and that smile. Here he is looking pretty much like the "hottie" he really is!

I also like any of the dance shows although if I want to watch those it is in another room without the husband. His taste runs more to football during the fall season! I like to watch it once in awhile, but not ALL the time!

But happy Monday and enjoy the new season of TV. I might even catch the new Jay Leno show tonight. I very rarely watched him because he was on too late. Now maybe I can stay up after 10:00!!!

Turkey Burgers a la Bobby Flay

Do you ever notice when you pick up a magazine and see a picture that looks tempting only to find the recipe contains a ga-zillion ingredients? If I scan it and I have most everything, I'm OK with it. But if it contains far-flung ingredients, I may pass it by because I don't want to buy a spice for example, use it, only to find I will never use it again. I guess I am on this soapbox, because all too often I see this in magazines that I love. And it makes me think that for all the wonderful chefs out there who create all these delectable delights and include their recipes, the average home cook would never step out of the box to try them. So many of us, yes, myself included, often find ourselves being food magazine voyeurs rather than tasters of what most likely tastes wonderful if we took the time. Please don't ask me why I decided to talk about this, but I just had to wax about it for a few sentences before getting down to business. And for the record, I have looked at involved recipe steps and geared them down for ease. Most often, the results are very good. So I consider myself to be creative in this regard!!

As we are winding down the summer in Central NY, we are trying to fit in as much grilling time as possible before the snow prevents us from doing so. Not that I expect snow in the next couple of weeks, but it can turn on us quickly up here. We had snow on Halloween one year!! In the July issue of Food and Wine, there was a recipe for turkey burgers with gouda cheese, a Bobby Flay contribution. I like using ground turkey because it is healthier. Unfortunately I love to make them mixed with crumbled blue cheese! So much for healthy! But they are good and we don't have them that often. So on my menu for the weekend are these burgers. The husband can grill so I am off the hook for that part of the meal and we are going out for dinner tonight! Perfect...all I have to make is reservations. Have a great weekend...remember to eat healthy and happy!

Turkey Burgers with Smoked Gouda

1red onion, cut into 1/3-in thick slabs

Vegetable oil for brushing

4 hamburger buns, split (I am using some really good buns here, with sesame seeds)

1- 1/2 lbs fround turkey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices smoked Gouda cheese (4 oz)

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard

1 Tbsp. drained prepared horseradish

1 Tbsp honey

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. (See you can even make these on the stovetop!)Brush the onion with oil and grill until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Brush the cut sides of the buns with oil and grill until toasted, about 30 seconds.

Form the ground turkey into four 1-inch thick patties and brush with the oil. Season with salt and pepper and grill over high heat, turning once, until nearly cooked through, about 10 minutes. Top with the Gouda, close the grill (or cover the grill pan) and cook until cheese is melted and the burgers are cooked through, about 1 minute longer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mustards, horseradish and honey and spread on the bottom half of the buns. Top with the burgers and onions. Close the burgers and serve right away.

Make a great big tossed salad , roast some corn on the grill and you have a great meal!

I Selected Dark Blue

Well, how exciting! My foot is broken. I ended up going for an X-ray when things weren't getting better and sure enough, I have a break on the side of my foot. The solution? I am in a walking cast...RIGHT UP TO MY KNEE! With all the pretty colors to choose from, I opted for dark blue for my cast. It is still RIGHT OUT THERE, but less so than neon pink or green! So here I am for the next 6 weeks, hobbling around. Now the husband can wait on me.

This is what I look like only in blue.

Anyway, I found this neat recipe in the September 09 issue of Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. I think it is something that my family will like and I plan to make it when they are all here in the next couple of weeks.

It is a Sausage, Egg and Cheese Casserole. While the recipe calls for heavy whipping cream, I am going to use Low-Fat Half and Half. I don't think it will compromise the flavor or consistency. And I am also going to use breskfast turkey sausage.

The photo in the magazine makes me want to dig right in and it is so easy to make. It would also be nice on a brunch table or for company, without spending a lot of time. The recipe calls for fresh thyme. I like the sage -iness of breakfast sausage so I might toss a touch of that in as well.

But, I wanted to share this with you, because I think it sounds like a hearty way to start a nice chilly fall day before getting out to rake the leaves! Just don't eat too much!

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Casserole

1 (1 lb. pkg ) bulk breakfast sausage

1 cup shredded Italian 5-cheese blend

1 (8 oz) pkg cubed Velveeta cheese

4 large eggs

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp dried thyme

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 (10.2 oz) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9-in. square baking dish with PAM and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet cook sausage over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and crumbly. Drain well on paper towels. Cool.

Sprinkle sausage and cheeses into prepared dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, thyme, garlic salt and pepper; pour over sausage mixture.

Arrange biscuits evenly over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 15 minutes longer.

Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

Friend Makin' Monday and why I love fall!

Amber is hosting Friend Makin' Mondays and what better way than to ask us what we love about fall. For me it is the crispness that fall brings.

I love crisp fall leaves....the beauty that has been painted on the maples in the fall is majestic and they are so stately and happy looking even though they will be losing their beauty as winter takes over.

How about watching kids as they jump through piles of leaves and hear the crunch under your feet.

And then there is the first bite of the apple you pick from the apple orchard..... juicy, tart and sweet all at the same time...begging for you to turn them into a pie.

There is that first crisp cut into your pumpkin....jack-o-lanterns all a-row...the lovely smell of pumpkin permeating the air and the seeds that turn into crispy little snacks!

Breathe in the crisp air and fill your lungs with fall! Get out the sweaters, get out the rakes and enjoy the weather because soon Old Man Winter will be blowing cold.

How did this happen?...Or a way to get out of work!!

So...this is what happened. I was on my way to work and stepped off the last step into the garage from the house. My sandal caught the door mat just right...or wrong...and I twisted my foot...in the shoe. There was a blinding flash of pain. I hobbled into the house, grabbed an ice pack, showed it to the husband and off to work I went. Well, by the time I got there, I had a hard time putting my foot down on the ground and there was a big lump on the side of my foot. I think at this time I should tell you that I changed shoes before I left for work.

Fortunately my company has a nurse practitioner on duty during the day, so I made it right down to her office where she proclaimed a torn ligament. She wrapped it up and gave me a script for an air splint. We have a friend who works in prosthetics and he was able to get me fixed up with that. So all this happening before noon, I felt like my day was shot!

Now it just so happens that our daughter ( who lives 2 hours away) is moving to a new home and we had planned to go to her house on Saturday to help her pack. That is where the "way to get out of work" part comes in!

We had a few laughs over that for sure. But since we were going to be there all day, I did what I do best. I baked. I made from scratch brownies using a recipe from Ellie Krieger. They are more cake like...a bit healthier...but the grandkids were not fans. Nothing like the boxed brownies, I guess.

I also made a Nectarine-Blueberry pie and that was a winner. This recipe had a hint of lemon in it. Really nice recipe that came out of Country Living magazine. I cheated a little and used a Pillsbury Ready Made Pie Crust, but the result was really luscious with all the fruit. So that fairly warm, fresh pie and some vanilla ice cream was the showstopper for our family and friends that day!

I am on the mend and hopefully this will heal fast so I can get back to my exercise!

Nectarine-Blueberry Pie

3 1/2 lbs nectarines (halved, pitted and sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices)

3/4 cup blueberries

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp supgar for sprinkling

3 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 egg

1 Tbsp milk (beated with the above egg for egg wash)

Heat oven to 450 degrees and adjust rack to lower-middle position.

Place the nectarines in a large bowl and toss with the blueberries, 1 cup sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside for 15 minutes, the drain.

Fit one piece of pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, fill with the fruit and top with the second piece of pie dough. Seal and flute edges and brush top with some egg wash.

Slice a few decorative slits into the top crust abd bake 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 425 degrees and bake 25 minutes, then brush with more egg wash, sprinkle on 1 Tbsp sugar and continue to bake unto golden brown, about 5 more minutes.

Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

I found this recipe on RecipeZaar.


While I don't follow a vegan lifestyle, there are some great recipes out there that I have tried and love.
We have some vegans/vegetarians in our department at work, so I thought I would bring a treat that everyone could enjoy. These are so good. I mean really good. I used unsweetened applesauce and the recipe was fine. These are wonderful treats!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
1/3 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.Beat the oil, brown sugar, applesauce and baking powder together until smooth.
3.Sift the flour and baking soda into a large bowl. Add the oats, salt, chocolate chips, and cherries, stirring together. Add the wet ingredients and stir (careful not to overmix).
4.Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto sheets lined with parchment paper, or nonstick pans. Leave 2 inches between each one so they have room to spread out.
5.Bake for 10-12 minutes on the center rack of the oven. Let stand 2 minutes after you take them off, then slide the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.