White Bean Soup Recipe With Ham Hocks : What Are Ham Hocks?

Learn about ham hocks for a ham hocks and white bean soup recipe in this free Southern food cooking video. Expert: David Postada Bio: David Postada is Chef and owner of the Big Easy Catering company in Santa Barbara, California. Filmmaker: Diana Bacon



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8uHCTdSKcg&hl=en

GREEN PEA SOUP

PEA SOUP



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFeXEwMLxls&hl=en

Mini Meals - Small Meals Made Easy

When you are in a real hurry, need a quick-fix meal or just want something on the smaller side, mini-meals are a great idea.

The variety is endless and can include just simple foods that you have in your fridge or cupboard.

These simple meals can take the edge off if you get really hungry but don't have time for a full meal. Some people also tend to be grazers and eat several smaller meals throughout the day instead of the standard three bigger meals and that's when having a variety of mini-meal ideas ready to go comes in handy.

Here are some ideas for quick and easy mini-meals that are not only delicious but are budget-friendly too.

Cottage Cheese: low-fat cottage cheese is a good base and can be combined with any of the following fruits or veggies (cut into bite-sized pieces) and a sprinkling of chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.

Here are is a suggested list of fruits and vegetables to add to your cottage cheese.

- Fruit:
blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples or applesauce, banana, mandarin oranges, diced mango, peaches or pineapple

spices and sweeteners for fruit: agave syrup, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, nutmeg

- Veggies:
carrots, celery, chayote squash, cucumber,green beans, jicama, leeks, mushrooms,onions or scallions, frozen, thawed and drained peas, radishes or tomatoes

herbs for veggies: basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, thyme, rosemary

Soup: Soup is a great way to get more vegetables in your diet and if you take a good vegetable soup (either homemade or a store bought variety with natural ingredients) and add a little something extra to it you can have a meal in a bowl in minutes.

Here are some easy additions to try:

-cooked and cubed white or sweet potatoes
-cooked brown or basmati rice
-canned beans (rinsed and drained)
-grilled chicken, grilled salmon
-canned salmon or tuna (drained)
-baked tofu (cut into cubes and add to soup)

Fresh spinach is a nice addition, just stir it into the hot soup and the leaves will wilt into it. You might also like to try fresh chopped herbs like cilantro or basil for a nice topping for the soup. You could also add a small handful of grated fresh cheese.

Pita Sandwich: Here's a simple idea that is so quick and can be made with practically anything you have on hand. I usually mix a few ingredients together, stuff the pita and then add a flavorful topping. Here are some of my favorite stuffings.

- mix together: tuna, a little mayonnaise, celery, tomatoes
topping: chopped fresh basil

- mix together: cooked chicken, low-fat Greek style plain yogurt, cucumbers, sweet red peppers
topping: sprinkling of chopped green olives

- mix together: Oriental style baked tofu, mustard, sliced scallions, water chestnuts
topping: alfalfa or radish sprouts

- mix together: spread some almond butter in the pita on one or both sides and add some diced strawberries or bananas
topping: a sprinkling of cinnamon or drizzle of honey

- mix together: cottage cheese, sliced leeks, capers, tomatoes
topping: walnut pieces

- mix together: cooked ham (diced), mustard, low-fat Swiss cheese cubes, shredded lettuce
topping: a sprinkling of diced apple

- mix together: spread a layer of whipped low-fat cream cheese inside one or both sides of the pita and add a mixture of diced apple and diced celery
topping: a sprinkling of cinnamon

- mix together: canned salmon (drained), thinly sliced red onion, low-fat Greek style plain yogurt, diced sun-dried tomatoes (no oil variety - softened in warm water)
topping: sprinkling of dried dill or chopped fresh dill

- mix together: diced hard-cooked egg, mayonnaise and spicy mustard, diced celery
topping: radish sprouts and grated parmesan cheese

- mix together: basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, drained and chopped), diced black olives, shredded cabbage
topping: crumbled goat cheese

Simple Fruit Combos: Use these combinations and simply place in a bowl and enjoy or place in a container to take to work for a light lunch.

- cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon cubes combined with crumbled blue or feta cheese

- apples chunks with grapes and gouda cheese

- red and green grapes, celery chunks and goat cheese crumbles

- mango, papaya and sliced almonds

- nectarine and peach slices or chunks tossed in a little low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt topped with crumbled cinnamon graham crackers

- strawberries and blueberries tossed in lemon yogurt with whole grain crackers on the side

Mini Sandwiches (Open-Faced) - whole grain English muffins topped with:

- marinara sauce, thin sliced mushrooms, low-fat cheese slice

- thin layer of tomato paste, basil leaves, cooked chopped shrimp, grated parmesan cheese

- mashed black beans topped with salsa and grated soy cheese

- hummus topped with baby spinach leaves, thin slices of zucchini squash or yellow summer squash, thin slice of beefsteak tomato and salt and pepper to taste

- vegetarian refried beans, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumbers, vegetarian pepper jack cheese slice

- mashed banana, chopped dates and chopped walnuts

- low-fat mayonnaise, deli turkey slices, romaine lettuce and sweet red pepper slices

Other Quick Mini-Meal Options:

- String Cheese: another simple and quick idea and can be eaten with either sliced or cubed fruit of choice or vegetable sticks using carrots, celery, jicama, sweet peppers, cucumbers or chayote squash

- Fruit or Veggie Skewers: a simple idea and easy to make

For fruit skewers: try apple and pear cubes with green or red grapes skewered on small wooden skewers alternating with cubes of sharp cheddar cheese or choose your favorite fruit and cheese combos

For veggie skewers: try chunks of sweet peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini or even summer squash and your favorite cheese

Give these simple ideas a try when you need a quick mini-meal in a hurry.

White Bean Soup Recipe With Ham Hocks : How to Cut Cornbread

Learn how to cut cornbread for a ham hocks and white bean soup recipe in this free Southern food cooking video. Expert: David Postada Bio: David Postada is Chef and owner of the Big Easy Catering company in Santa Barbara, California. Filmmaker: Diana Bacon



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMRcmVJyiU&hl=en

Mastering the Art of Soup Making

Soup making can quickly become a passion. Producing quick, hearty, low cost, one-pot meals that instantly satisfy will have you wondering why you haven't been making homemade soups sooner. Ranging from light and sparse broths and bisques, to heavy and complex stews and chowders, few dishes can match soup for delivering taste and comfort. Classics like minestrone, beef and barley, and Manhattan clam chowder are always delicious, while other more innovative dishes like curried crab and coconut; purée of split pea, cantaloupe soup with lime granite; Spanish gazpacho; cream of tomato with basil, and seafood gumbo, can also be made in the comfort of your own kitchen with the help of some fresh ingredients, and proper technique.

Soup making is a wonderful activity year round, thanks in part to changing climates, culinary desires, and fresh seasonal ingredients. Hearty winter chowders and stews or light summer bisques and consommés are amazing to create in just a few moments and have simmering on the back burner for everyone to enjoy. Visiting local farmers markets for the latest in season vegetables, and fish markets for the latest local catches can take your dishes to a whole new level.

The essence of great cooking is getting basic techniques mastered and then building on the foundations of flavors and textures to create the classics and new and delicious dishes. Homemade stocks, broths, and purees are the best starting points for most recipes, and creating them can be as much fun as making the soups and eating them. Soup stocks are made by adding meats and vegetables to a stockpot and simmering in water for hours on the stove top. The ingredients that go into stock making can be anything from leftovers to inexpensive vegetables, cuts of meats and fish.

cute babe makes breach pea and ham soup

A video walkthrough of this classic recipe by a really cute girl.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsRorDqewA&hl=en

Quick Recipes For the End of a Busy Day

You know what it's like after a hard day at the office: you're tired, frustrated and just want to relax when you get back home. The last thing on your mind is standing in front of a hot cooker.

It's scenarios like that which have made takeaways so popular, whether it's a greasy cheeseburger, kebab meat of unknown origin or the old staple fish and chips. They're all enticing after a long day, and so easy...

But for a quick, simple meal, the takeaway isn't the only choice. You can knock up sandwiches, wraps, salad or pasta in a matter of minutes, and they're all cheaper and healthier than a takeaway.

There are a number of quick and easy recipes that you can use to make paninis, bagels and other posh sandwiches.

A favourite of mine is a delicious hot ciabatta with roast vegetables and cream cheese. Here's how you make it:

Chop up a mixture of vegetables - what you use is down to personal preference. I like courgettes, orange pepper, red onion and some cherry tomatoes. Put the vegetables onto an oven tray, drizzle some olive oil over them and sprinkle a few herbs on top. Place this into a hot oven and roast for about 20 minutes.

While that's cooking, why not change out of your work clothes into something more comfy, and open a bottle of wine before starting the next simple phase. Just make sure you give the vegetables the occasional shake so that they cook evenly.

Slice the ciabatta bread and toast it on a hot griddle pan with a splash of olive oil. This should be on a low heat, and keep a close watch on it as it only takes a few seconds.

And lastly, spread cream cheese onto the bread, remove the vegetables from the oven and scatter them onto the bread. Served with a simple side salad, this is a delicious, satisfying meal that's so simple to put together.

All in all, it takes about 25 minutes to prepare and cook this quick and easy recipe, and once you've got the vegetables in the oven that's the hardest part out of the way. And there won't be much washing up afterwards, either.

Here's an extra tip: make more roast vegetables than you need, as they are perfect for an additional snack - for example, in hummus for a quick lunchtime snack.

Although it's simple, experimentation is what makes a chef great and cooking so much fun. Why not try making a panini, bagel or ciabatta with different fillings. Use a variety of your favourite fillings, such as ham, cheese, salad and vegetables and there's a very good chance it'll taste great.

And remember that there's a huge selection of chutneys, relishes and jams available that will spice up even the simplest of sandwiches. For example, chili jam is a great, spicy addition to a chicken and cheese bagel.
And for more easy recipe ideas, keep an eye on your local delicatessens' and cafes' menus, and try to replicate their more interesting-sounding choices at home.

Of course, you can also try the Internet. Because you have access to the whole world, you can find some amazing recipe ideas online. Because of their Italian heritage, paninis really benefit from a wide range of tasty ideas.

So it doesn't matter how tired or fed-up you are when you get home from a long day, there's always something simple and quick you can prepare in the same time it would take for your takeaway to arrive.