Hot dogs, are they bad for your health?

Hot dogs are great on the grill, with chili and onions, and ketchup, and mustard, and most anything you want to throw on them! But are hot dogs bad for your health? Seems like most everything you eat nowdays is bad for you, or most any food that tastes good anyway!

There is so much controversy on the hot dog, if they are bad or good for you, that I would love to hear your opinons.

I don't know about y'all, but, no microwave for me when it comes to my hot dogs! If they aren't grilled, then I have to boil them on the stove, until they are nice, and plump, and hot! But, what's up with that anyway? They don't plump up near as much as they used to, don't have the same taste either. All this chicken and pork and turkey, instead of the way they used to be. Wonder what they used to make them out of?

I'm sure the way I fix mine are for sure not healthy. I put mayonnaisse, mustard, ketchup, onions, chili and cheese on mine. I can almost hear some of you groaning at that! But I bet there are some folks out there that like their dogs this way too!

What is your favorite type of hot dog? What kind stuff do you put on yours? I would really love to know what your favorite way to eat your hot dog is! So, come on folks, share your favorite hot dog recipe with us!

Labels: chil, health, hot dogs

Need or want to eat meals that are healthy, but find that most do not have much taste? Would you like to actually eat a meal that is healthy and has taste?

I recently came across this blog, Healthy Yet Yummy Food - For Healthy, Delicious And Quick Meal Recipes that seem to be bursting with flavor!

Recipes like, Chili Crab, Hawaiian stir-fried tempeh, Watermelon Fire and Ice Salsa, just to name a few, plus many more.

The following recipe is one I really can't wait to try:
Spiced Coconut Fish-Serves 4

Ingredients :
500 g Fish fillets
1/2 cup Desiccated coconut
3/4 cup Hot water
1 clove Garlic
12 mm Fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon Ground kencur (aromatic ginger)
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh coriander leaves
Banana leaves
Aluminum foil

Method :
Wash, clean and scale fillets and cut into approximately 10 cm lengths.
Blend together, at high speed, the coconut, hot water, garlic, ginger, kencur, cumin, coriander, garam masala and salt until coconut is very finely ground.
Mix in lemon juice and coriander leaves.
Put equivalent of 1 fillet of fish on each piece of banana leaf placed on square of foil.
Spoon 2-3 teaspoons of coconut mixture on fish.
Wrap leaf over, make a parcel of foil, steam for 15 minutes.
Serve hot.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it! This blog a visit, I'm sure you will find a recipe you like! Feel free to leave your comments!

Labels: food, healthy, quick, recipes, yummy

I know I normally post recipes, but I just had to give my two cents worth on the rising cost of gas and food.

With gas prices rising, so are our food costs. It is getting to where people are having to choose between putting gas in their car, or eating. That is really sad, and something really needs to be done soon.

Imagine a single parent raising children on their own. Some only make minimum wage, have to pay a baby sitter, put gas in their car to get to work, and put food on the table. For many that is becoming a overwhelming task. Also anyone living on a low fixed income.

I think we are going to start seeing a lot more gas theft, people standing in front of gas stations asking for gas or money, more people turning to food stamps, and welfare, because they just can't make it on what they recieve monthly. There is just too much month at the end of the money for a lot of people. How is the higher price of gas helping anyone?

I would love to hear comments on this issue. You opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Labels: cost, food, gas

Cajun Fried Sweet Potato Fries

These Cajun sweet potatoes are simple to make and will make your mouth water!

You will need one sweet potato for each person.

First you take the sweet potatoes and bake them in the oven at 375 to 400 degree F for about 45 minutes.

Then let cool, peel each one, and slice into strips lengthwise, just like a regular french fry.
Next, drop the fries into hot oil, and fry them up until golden brown. Drain.

That's it! You can season them with salt, or as a lot of places here in Louisiana do, serve them sprinkled with powdered sugar! I've had them both ways, and I happen to like them with a little powdered sugar, instead of salt.

Not sure which way your family or guests will like them? Leave off the salt, or sugar, and let them choose!

I found this really neat recipe for Shamburgers that would be great to serve for April Fool's Day!
April is just around the corner! Wow, this year is already going fast.

The reason they are called Shamburgers, is because they look like regular hamburgers, but when you bite into them, you are in for a surprize! You can fool almost anyone with these! They are acutally cookies made to look like hamburgers, with seasame seeds and all! That is why they are called Shamburgers!

Okay, ready to pull the wool over someones eyes? Here is what you need to do:

First of all, gather the following ingredients together:

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1 cup sugar
3 eggs (1 is for the cookie glaze)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
Green food coloring
Red and yellow icing
12 large (1.5 ounces) or 36 medium (.6 ounce) peppermint patties

The next step is to make the fake hamburger buns:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream the margarine and sugar until fluffy, or about 1 to 2 minutes. Then you 2 eggs and beat well. Stir in the vanilla extract.
With me so far? Great!

Stir up the flour, baking powder and salt into a seperate bowl, mixing well. Once you have done this, add this mixture to the creamy mix you made with the margarine, sugar and vanilla, making sure to blend it all in together well.

Now, you take this mixture using about a rounded tablespoon at a time, and drop it onto a lightly greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Next, take a rounded glass, flour the bottom of it lightly, and use it to press the dough into a circle.

Take the remaining egg, and beat it well, then use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top of each cookie. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top of each cookie. Bake them in the oven for around ten minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.

Once these are done, cool them on a rack. While these are cooling, it's time to make the fake lettuce for your Shamburgers!

Place the shredded coconut in a plastic bag, add a couple of drops of the green food coloring to this, and shake it all up until it has turned a light green color.

Now, your cookies have cooled and you have it all set to go!

This is how you put it all together:

Assemble the burgers:
Choose two of the cookies that are about the same size and shape. Spread some icing ketchup or mustard on the bottom "bun" add a peppermint patty, sprinkle with some coconut lettuce. Then add a squirt or so of icing ketchup or mustard to hold the top bun together.

Now you are done! How does it look? Like Hamburgers, or shall we say, Shamburgers!

This recipe makes about 12 large hamburgers, or Shamburgers.

Have fun with it, and let me know what you think by adding a comment~

Chocolate Easter Eggs

Ingredients:
1 cup butter softened3 pounds powdered sugar
2/3 cup condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound chocolate (semi-sweet) semi-sweet, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Icing:
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 x food coloring (optional)

Directions:

To increase variety, divide dough into four portions and use extra flavors.
In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in icing sugar, milk, vanilla and salt.
On work surface, knead until smooth.
Shape into 32 eggs.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

Irish Cream Chocolates

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur, such as Bailey's
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecan pieces

Heat chocolate, Irish cream and whipping cream in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonsful onto wax paper; cool for one hour.

Remove Irish cream chocolates from wax paper and store in airtight container.

St. Patrick's Parfait

1 box instant pistachio pudding
2 cups milk
2 kiwifruit, sliced
Cool Whip
green food coloring

Prepare pudding according to package directions.

When pudding is chilled, layer pudding, kiwifruit and green-tinted
Cool Whip in clear plastic cups.

Serve parfait on St Patrick's Day along with green-tinted lemonade.

Louisiana King Cake

1/2 warm water (110 degrees F.)
1/2 cup warm milk (110 degrees F.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 3/4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
1 tiny (1-inch) plastic doll
Colored Sugars
Lemon Frosting

Place all ingredients in bread pan according to manufacturer's instructions; select dough setting and press start. NOTE: Check the dough (don't be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).

When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and put into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a draft free place to rise for approximately 1 hour or until the dough doubles in volume.

Lightly coat a large baking sheet with butter or vegetable spray; set aside. Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly-oiled surface. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and shape dough into a cylinder. Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to form a circle. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in volume.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush top and sides of cake with egg white wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. (A good check is to use an instant thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. If desired, at this time, you can hide the plastic doll in the cake.

Colored Sugars:
3/4 cup sugar
Green, purple, and yellow coloring paste

Squeeze a dot of paste in palm of hand. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over the paste and rub together quickly. Place this mixture on wax paper and wash hands to remove color. Repeat process for other two colors; set aside.

Lemon Frosting:
3/4 cups powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth (depending on size of lemon, add water if mixture is too thick or additional powdered sugar if too thin). Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

This recipe for Louisiana King Cake may sound like a lot of trouble, and for some people, not worth it, but I live in Louisiana, and King Cakes for Mardi Gras are a Mardi Gras tradition! So, what the heck, give it a try, I bet your guests will love the cake and the concept!

For other great recipes, a fun recipe forum, free newsletter, with lots of great people that help you out with cooking questions,recipe requests, or just about anything related to cooking, visit our other website Recipe Snoop!
Recipe Snoop

You will really be surprised at what we have to offer! Best of all, it's all FREE!

My house was almost set on fire by an arsonist twice in two days. This time, he poured gas on my car and was in the process of lighting a match when I caught him, when I smelled gas. All I saw was a tennis shoe, and the flame of a lighter.

The cops have not done one thing, I'm scared, and need any help we can get. Please, if anyone can, get people's attention about this. Anyone, everyone, the media, the newspaper, friends, anyone! My house was almost set on fire twice, and I am really scared! Please read the complete story here. House almost set on fire Twice