General Tso’s Chicken Low Fat & Radio Show #Giveaway

My daughter and I picked another healthy version recipe from our Pinterest boards: General Tso’s chicken. I actually cut back even more on the calories by eliminating the oil in the sauce and just relying on reducing it with a slow boil. Just one word of warning, use less red pepper if you do it this way unless you like spicy! Also, make sure to only add the red pepper toward the end of the sauce reduction to avoid the spiciness. Also, I didn’t have apricot jam, but had some orange marmalade to use. Worked out great with that and not too sweet.

The “breading” comes out fabulously crispy and tasty. I set some aside some of the chicken for my daughter to eat as nuggets during the week.

You can find the recipe for this fabulous dish by clicking here!

Maybe make some tonight and pull up a chair and join me at my upcoming radio show with the fabulous Bab from Bab’s Book Bistro! Join me there at 7:30 EST as we chat about the sexy royals from THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE, my exploits along the Jersey Shore, and lots of other fun things. I’ll also be giving away five collectible print copies of my paranormal novella, GHOST OF A CHANCE. Listen in to find out how you can win one of these!

To come and hear the show, chat with us, etc., you can click here or use this link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/broadcast-from-the-bistro/2013/01/30/entangled-suspense-author-caridad-pieiro

January 15, 2013July 14, 2023

Pound of Feathers or Lead? Serving Sizes Matter

As some of you may know from my Twitter and Facebook Posts, my goal for the New Year is to get healthier and lose weight. I’ve always stuck to an exercise regimen, but found that losing weight was just not happening in the past couple of years.

One thing that I had not done, as I had in the past, was limit my carbs. That was step one and wow, what a difference. Cutting back and substituting whole grain carbs has made a HUGE difference. It’s been just two weeks and I’ve lost 11 pounds.

The other thing I’m doing is being more conscious of serving sizes. Let’s face it, it’s tough to know what is a cup of anything and the last thing I want to do is to turn cooking dinner into a chemistry lab where I am busily measuring everything.

But serving sizes do matter and with that in mind, I laid out a tablespoon on the kitchen counter and took my plastic measuring cups to my office, where most of my mot egregious eating happens at lunch hour with my friends. The goal: make sure that the size of my portions was in keeping with the serving size so that I would know just how many calories I was eating!

But measuring cups and spoons are not always available, so how do you know when it’s one serving or more?

I’ve tracked down this excellent visual comparison from the people at the Food Network! Just click here to see how you can gauge just how many servings are in your portion!

My hardest one to judge is always meats. Now I know that of beef/chicken/pork looks like a deck of cards or my palm without my fingers (another good way to gauge). So how many ounces is in a meat serving? 3 ounces. If you’re eating fish, three ounces looks like the size of a checkbook.

If you’re going to have a larger portion (8 ounces) of meat, a serving is about the size of a thin paperback novel.

I hope this helps out if like me, you’re trying to implement a healthier lifestyle for the New Year.

November 13, 2012July 6, 2017

Pecan Pie An American Tradition

One of the things my mother stressed when we were kids was that we should honor the culture and traditions of the Nation that had gifted us with Liberty and a wealth of opportunities we would not have had in our native land. Because of that, when it came time to celebrate American holidays, my mom went all out to bring to our family and friends those things that she thought were truly American.

Pecan pie was one of those things and my sister continues with this tradition every Thanksgiving. Sis is the one who does this fantastic American holiday while I do Christmas Eve with a meld of American, Cuban and Italian flavors.

So why is pecan pie so American? For starters, pecans come from a hickory tree that is native to South-Central North America. While that means there are some pecan trees in areas of Mexico, the pecan tree is really prevalent in most of the southern United States.

Did you know “pecan” was an Algonquian meaning that the nut required a stone to be cracked open?

As for the origins of the pie itself, there is some dispute about that. Some say it was first made in New Orleans when the French learned about the nut from the Native Americans. But recipes for the pie itself do not begin to appear in more well-known cookbooks until the 1940s. That could be because Karo Syrup made the dish popular in the 1930s.

My sister follows the Karo syrup recipe which you can find by clicking here. But the trick to make this really nutty and hearty is to at least double the number of pecans suggested in the recipe.

So instead of six ounces, use at least twelve or maybe even an entire pound bag of pecans. You will have to adjust the size of the pie plate to allow for the greater volume, but you will get a delicious, sweet, chewy, nutty pie with this variation.

You can also add some bourbon and/or chocolate to the recipe. Substitute 2 tablespoons of bourbon for the vanilla or add 3 ounces of semi-sweet chopped chocolate to the mix (or make it a combo of bourbon and chocolate!).

Pecan pie is wonderful served warm with a topping of either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

November 6, 2012

Meatloaf and Shephard Pie a la Carmen

We woke up with a winter chill this morning. Brrr. What better time for warm comfort food to chase away that chill. This recipe is from my sister Carmen who is a fabulous cook! It’s got all the perfect mixings for a meal to warm your innards on a cold winter day. I hope you enjoy!

Meatloaf and Shephard Pie a la Carmen

2 pounds ground round beef
1 Martinâ€™s round potato roll broken into small pieces
2 eggs
1 Â½ packages of Knorr brown gravy mix
Â½ cup ketchup
Â½ cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
Pillsbury Pie Crust (for pie)

Preheat oven to 375Âº

Mix all the ingredients except the ground beef in large bowl breaking up the bread (I use a whisk). Add the beef and gently incorporate â€“ do not overmix.

Place in loaf pan and spread out. Drizzle ketchup on top.

Bake for 45-50 minutes and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with mashed potatoes and caramelized onions (onions that have been sautÃ©ed in butter, olive oil and salt until brown.

Enjoy the meatloaf and if you’ve got some leftovers, it’s time for the Shephard’s Pie!

Shepard’s Pie

Using store bought pie crust place crust in pie pan. Cover with non-stick foil and bake with dry beans (I use the same ones over and over to keep the crust from lifting) at 375Âº for 20 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake an additional 5 -10 minutes until golden brown.

Spread caramelized onions on the bottom. Break up the left over meatloaf and place in pan. Spread leftover mashed potatoes over the meatloaf.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

***

Here is a picture of me and my sis during one of our cooking moments!

October 9, 2012July 8, 2019

Choriburger Recipe on Tip Tuesday & Blog Tour #Giveaway

Thanks for those who suggested it was time for some more recipes. I love to cook and try to experiment whenever I get a chance. Today I have for you a recipe inspired by some amazing sliders from Cubacan in Asbury Park.

But first, please take a moment to visit with me on my KISSED BY A VAMPIRE blog tour as I stop by the wonderful United by Books blog! Follow the instructions there for a chance to win an autographed copy of THE CLAIMED along with some SWAG.

And now back to recipe time! This “choriburger” is a mix of regular ground beef and either fresh or dried chorizo sausage. Personally I prefer the dried sausage because it gives a little more flavor to the burgers, but it’s up to you on how much chorizo flavor you like and also, availability of either the dry or fresh chorizos.

Just one word of warning, make sure you’re not buying hot chorizo sausages unless you really want something very very spicy.

This mix also makes some delicious sliders or if you’re watching carbs, serve it over shredded lettuce and/or Napa cabbage with a salsa-based sour cream sauce (recipe also included below!).

Choriburgers

1 pound ground beef (either 80% lean or 85% lean).
If using the dried chorizo, go for the 80% lean to give you some extra moisture.

1/2 pound fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed.
If you are using dried chorizo, about 1/4 pound either ground or finely chopped. For a stronger chorizo flavor, use half a pound.

2 tsp sweet paprika

Mix the ground beef and chorizo together and sprinkle with the sweet paprika. Don’t work the meat too much or compact it too tightly. That’ll just make for a hard, dry burger. Same goes for when you go to shape the patties.

Set the mixture aside for at least half an hour in the fridge before shaping the patties to let the flavors meld.

Cook to your liking, but remember that the paprika you added and the paprika in the chorizo will impart color to the meat so it may look rarer than it really is. One little hint to keep moisture in the burger, when you put the patties on the grill, make an indent with your thumb in the middle of the pattie to create a little well. That will keep some of the juices in the burger rather than running off onto the grill.

Serve on buns or even better, some nice Portuguese bread rolls. If you want to top it with cheese, keep with the theme and use a nice slice or two of Manchego cheese.

For a special sauce to use on the burgers and/or your lettuce, try this: Mix half a pint of sour cream with your favorite green salsa. The green salsas are milder and their flavor works fabulously with these choriburgers!

Enjoy!

November 22, 2011April 28, 2021

Manicotti recipe plus a new look for the REBORN series!

Working on a new look for THE CALLING vampire novels as you can hopefully see above. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve gone to contract with Entangled Publishing to relaunch the series as THE REBORN vampire novels starting in early 2013. I’m already hard at work on the first Diana and Ryder book and having a blast with this series of my heart.

Look for updates at THE CALLING/BE REBORN site over the next few months. Also look for some free reads as we catch up with Diana and Ryder as well as the rest of the Scooby Gang as we approach the release of the last two books in THE CALLING and the launch of the new REBORN series!

The overhaul of the site as well as work have been keeping me busy, but this weekend I somehow found time to make an old favorite – manicotti! I just love those delicate little pasta crepes filled with ricotta and baked to delicious goodness.

They are relatively easy. The clue is to have a nicely seasoned 6″ cast iron skillet, a small ladle, spatula and just the right mix for the crepes. You don’t want them to be too thick or pancakey so getting them right is the key. If the batter seems too thick, thin with more water. So here goes!

Manicotti

Manicotti Crepes:

1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup water
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs

Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. The mix should be like a runny pancake batter.

Oil the cast iron skillet with just a little oil smeared around the skillet with a paper towel. Non-stick works well, but to keep the crepes a uniform size, make sure there is an edge to the pan. In other words, not an omelet pan so much.

Heat the skillet until a drop of water dances on the surface. Then kick it down a notch and ladle in the batter. Give the skillet a twirl until the bottom is coated with the batter. It should be about 1/4 inch thick and not much more. I use two small ladle-fulls of batter, but make sure you use the same amount of batter for each crepe to keep them uniform.

Lay the cooked crepes on a paper plate. It’s okay to stack them up until you are done. The oil in the batter keeps them from sticking to the skillet and to each other.

You will get about 12 crepes from the above mix.

Ricotta Filling for the Manicotti

2 eggs
2 pounds Ricotta (Drain it for a few hours to get rid of the excess liquid)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh parsley if you have it, if not a little dried (but it’s not an essential)
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Beat the eggs and then add everything else (but leave a handful or two of mozzarella for a topping). Mix it all up and put about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture toward one end of the crepe. Roll the crepe to cover the cheese mixture. Lay the crepe with the rolled edge down on a greased pan with a little bit of red sauce.

Roll all the crepes and lay them side by side. A 9×13 pan should allow for all twelve crepes to go there side by side. Cover with a little red sauce and top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes and then serve!

For a change of pace, cook up some spinach, squeeze out the extra liquid, chop and mix it into the cheese mixture. It’s quite tasty that way also.

This is a good recipe if you need a Thanksgiving side dish for those who don’t like turkey. Me, I love all the traditional Thanksgiving foods and can’t wait to be with family for the holiday!

April 19, 2011July 14, 2023

Tuesday Tips for Weight Loss

As some of you may have noticed, I’m back to trying to lose weight and get healthier. Stress and other things made my weight balloon upwards to its own area code. So shortly after the New Year, I began a campaign to change my lifestyle by becoming more active and eating healthier foods. As of this morning, I’ve lost 30 pounds.

Yep, thirty (30) pounds and I’m very excited about that. I’m also excited by the fact that the way I am eating and working out now seems sustainable, which is the key to keeping off the weight. After all, it’s not about a diet, it’s about a lifestyle that you can keep up.

You’re probably asking what I’ve been doing? For starters I try to be more active every day. I’ve started wearing a pedometer and strive to reach 10,000 paces each day, not including my workout regimen.

That means walking to and from my office and getting up once an hour to move about. With the weather getting nicer, sis and I have even started taking a short walk at lunch hour.

I try to work out 5 to 7 times a week for about half an hour a session. I mix up doing cardio with weight training. The weights are important because they help strengthen your muscles and muscles have a higher metabolism than fat which means that you are regularly burning more calories to sustain that higher muscle mass.

Plus who doesn’t like sleek toned arms and legs? Here are some simple exercises you can even do at home to tone your arms!

What have I changed in my diet? Well my favorite food group – bread, rice and pasta (LOL!) is virtually gone. I try to limit those to once or twice a week. When I do have either bread or pasta, I make sure it’s whole grain bread or pasta. As for rice, I’ve substituted quinoa. I’ve even made a tasty Chinese fried rice by substituting the pre-cooked quinoa for the rice. Have also made something similar to a tabouleh salad with this grain. You can check out more recipes here.

We still eat beef, pork and chicken, but in smaller portions and I’ve also started eating a lot more shrimp and eggs. Both are high in protein and low in calories (but watch the cholesterol if you have problems with that).

As sides to all our meals – a big salad and more vegetables. Lots more. The key is to have lots of high volume foods with low calories. Greens of all kinds make wonderful side dishes or even a once a week vegetarian meal. Cook up some collard greens or kale with onions and mushrooms, add some chicken broth and cannellini beans, top with some chopped tomatoes and you’ve got a very filling and low calorie soup. You can even add some cheese to the mix for added protein. There are lots of nice lower fat cheeses out there now and we regularly put cheese in our salads as well.

As for dessert, we’re eating a lot more fruit and snacking on cashews and chocolate covered raisins.

Where do I go from here? Well, I’m going to keep on eating healthier and working out. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds by the RWA National Conference at the end of June. I try to set those goals in reasonable amounts because there is nothing worse than setting yourself up for failure by being unrealistic.

If you’re in the same boat as I am, I hope these tips help you! If you’ve found some good things to get healthier, please share them with us by leaving them in the comment area.

Finally, our Danger Women Writing Contest and Guest Blog continues with a visit from the RomCon folks and a giveaway of tickets to this year’s convention. Drop by the blog later and leave a comment for a chance to win!