Review - Relish Menu Planning

Planning a meal for my family is such a feat for me because I am not so keen at cooking simply because, I don't cook. However, I should be thankful for sites like relishrelish.com for giving me inspiration on what to prepare and buy for my family's weekly meals for 5 days.

Relishrelish.com is a great resource and planning site for mommies like myself. It makes planning meals a breeze because of its functions like:

Build a menu
This is a feature of the site where you can choose from a number of meal selections and drag your selections and even favorite them on the other side of the dashboard.

Shopping List
Your chosen meals have a built in ingredients feature so that when you click on the shopping list, all the ingredients in the meals you have selected for the week will be shown to you. All you have to do is check on the items you have to buy. You can also select the number of people to be served so the number of ingredients adjusts accordingly so you don't have to make wild guesses on how much ingredients you have to buy for the number of people you will serve. The number of people to serve can be adjusted to 2, 4, 6 and 8. You can print this list as well that you can take in the grocery.

Legend Key
This shows the legends used in the recipes. I find this very helpful because I am not kitchen-savvy nor cooking-savvy so anything that involves cooking terminologies will be clarified with this legend. The legend also seves as your guide if you want to prepare vegetarian meals, good for morning preparations, budget meals, desserts, etc. It is a good way to check the categories of your meal plan.

Favorites tab
This tab will hold the list of your favorite dishes. Just click this tab to view them in one go.

Weekly Recipes tab
This tab features all the recipes in relishrelish.com where you can choose the ones you want to prepare for the whole 5 days.

Editor's Pick tab
This is a great tab to see what is smokin' in the editor's choices. You may want to favorite the choice or add to your meal plan too!

Search tab
This tab makes filtering and searching of recipes very easy. No more cluttered recipes everywhere and no need to recall where you saved a favorite recipe because it is all here in relishrelish.com.

Benefits:
This site really saves you time, effort and money in the long run because the meal planning makes it easy for you to get the stuff you want and print it. It auto adjusts the amount of ingredients you require based on the number of people you will serve form the shopping list function. So, you don't spend much on unnecessary number of ingredients and put them to waste because you bought too much.

Subscription:
For $7.00 per month, I think that is a good deal to be able to have everything you need with meal planning. You can start with a the $7.00 per month or save 15% if you subscribe for 6 months and a 30% discount if you choose the yearly subscription which is a total of $58.80.


Relishrelish.com is a great site to subscribe to because I get to save a lot. I do recommend this to those who are in-charge of preparing meals for the family so you cut back on cost, time and even hassle.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Favorite Cooking Techniques for Healthy Food

Cooking healthy food can sometimes be challenging to others when in fact, it will only require you some minor changes, which you have to deal with in exchange of healthier food. By using items or ingredients instead of the ones that you are used to, with the combination of various techniques, you’ll definitely end up having your tummy full of healthy and nutritious food.

So what are the cooking techniques to consider for you to produce healthy recipes? Are there special ingredients or substance to use or are there proper or alternative ways to cook meals?

One of the healthiest techniques is to add herbs to your food. Herbs are rich in vitamins and minerals with fewer calories. By adding these to your food, you are increasing the flavor of your dish, thus making it more exotic. You don’t have to become a professional chef to do this because just by experimenting, you’ll be able to cook different meals that will surely tickle your palate.

Next thing to consider is to lessen salt intake. Increasing the amount of herbs will not be enough if you won’t be able to lessen your salt consumption.  Remember that herbs have natural flavors, which make salt less necessary. By doing so, you will be able to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and other heart diseases.

Another is to steam the vegetables that you eat. Letting the vegetables boil in the water will drain the nutrients out into the water, making it somehow useless or less nutritious. So instead of boiling, try steaming. Just put a little amount of water in the pan, insert the basket filled with veggies, cover and heat. You can add the spices at the last minute and you will surely enjoy the better taste of steamed vegetables.

Opt for monounsaturated fats. Avoid fats such as fatty acids, trans and saturated fats because these are all unhealthy especially to your heart. Start using peanut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, sesame seed oil or olive oil in cooking, as this is one of the best cooking techniques that will help you provide healthier meals.

Never forget to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits every time you take a meal. This will definitely add more nutrients in your body, thus making you healthier and it will help strengthen your immune system.

In addition, reducing the amount of red meat in your healthy recipes is also a big factor. It would be hard for some not to eat steak or the like but what you can do is to slowly reduce the size of the meat you eat from time to time. After a while, you won’t be able to notice that there is no meat present in your food.

Furthermore, nuts can substitute your craving for chips. Nuts are rich in protein and you can combine it with fruits and vegetables like apple, celery, cucumber, and tomatoes then add some mayonnaise or salad dressing and you can have an appetizing salad.

Talking about salad, you can also have it on a burrito and just make sure that it’s a whole grain burrito. Finely chop the veggies and chicken, put it on a burrito wrap then put your favorite dressing. This can be perfect if you are also on a diet or trying to lose weight.

Remember that these various techniques will make your cooking hobby a lot more challenging, fun and as well as interesting. Cooking healthy recipes will provide you a lot of benefits such as reduce fat contents, improve digestion and destroy harmful bacteria and toxins, which are usually the main causes of infection. Surely, this will allow you to have a healthy lifestyle that is free from harmful diseases.

Christmas Food For The Family

Our household will be doubled in number in few days time. My mom, mon-in-law, sis-in-law and her family will be spending Christmas with us this year. We want to make this celebration as festive as possible because we haven't been home for Christmas for sometime. I haven't seen my mom too for more than a year now.

I am researching the internet for great recipes for the holiday season. It's public knowledge that I don't fare well in cooking so I am looking for easy to prepare and cook.

Here are some of the recipes I found which I feel will be viable for me to make. Let's just hope I don't end up feeling lazy and will probably dial the nearest restaurant for a home delivery!

Roast Turkey
(from Food.com)

Ingredients:
1 (16 lb) frozen young turkey
For the brine
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berry
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon ice water
For the aromatics
1 red apple , sliced
1/2 onion , sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
canola oil

Directions:

• Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stock pot and bring to a boil.
• Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5 gallon bucket.
• Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours.
• Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
• A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
• Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.
• Discard brine.
• Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage.
• Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.
• Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500F for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350°F.
• Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161°F.
• A 14-16 pound bird should require a total of 2-2 1/2 hours of roasting.
• Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Macaroni and Cheese
(from Food.com)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
2 cups macaroni , cooked
1 pinch cayenne (optional)

Directions:

• Make a roux by melting butter in pan and adding flour. Stir constantly and cook until it is the color of caramel candy. It burns easily so stir stir stir!
• Slowly and carefully add milk while stirring.
• When milk starts to steam add cheese and seasonings and stir until melted and well combined.
• Pour over cooked macaroni noodles and serve.

No-Bake Pecan Chocolate Pie
(from celebrations.com)

Ingredients:
For the Pecan Cookie Crust
2 cups Pecan Cookies Crumbs
6 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Melted
2 tbsp. Sugar
Chocolate Cream Filling
4 ounces Chocolate, Chopped
1/3 cup Milk
4 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened and at Room Temperature
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Pecans, For Topping

Directions:

• To make the pecan cookie crust, combine the pecan cookie crumbs, the melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir until the crumbs soak up all the butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Place the pie plate in the freezer to firm the crust, about 15 minutes.
• While the crust is chilling, make the chocolate cream filling. Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds and then stir. Repeat the process of microwaving for 30 seconds and stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
• Place the melted chocolate in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cream cheese, milk, and sugar. Beat until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to cool.
• While the chocolate mixture is in the refrigerator, wash and clean the mixing bowl. Return the bowl to the stand mixer and place the heavy cream in the bowl. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form, starting at low speed and slowly increasing to medium-high speed.
• Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and, with a spatula, carefully fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.
• Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the mixture into the center. Using a small spatula evenly spread the filling until it is smooth.
• Arrange the pecans in a circular pattern on top of the filling in. Place the pie in the freezer to firm, about 3-4 hours.

Chicken Galantina (my favorite!)
(from lutongpinoy.info)

Ingredients:
1 chicken, dressed and deboned
1 cup of Vienna sausage
1 1/4 cups of ham, ground
1 1/4 cups of pork, ground
4 eggs (2 raw, 2 boiled)
1/4 cup of flour
clotted chicken blood
1 carrot, sliced lengthwise
calamansi juice
soy sauce
soy sauce
salt and pepper
parsely (for garnishing)

Directions:

• Marinate chicken in calamansi juice and soy sauce.
• In a blow, combine flour, ground ham, ground pork, sausage, and raw eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill the chicken with the meat mixture. Insert into the sides the clotted chicken blood, boiled eggs, and sliced carrtos.
• Wrap the chicken in cheese cloth, making sure that the cloth is tightly tied.
• Steam the chicken for 1 1/2 hours then set aside to cool. Tighten the wrapping further, if necessary.
• Refrigerate the chicken for 24 hours.
• To serve: unwrap the chicken, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, put in a platter and garnish with parsely.

Pineapple Sliced Ham
(from betterrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS:
3 lb Spiral Sliced Ham
1 can Pineapple Slices

DIRECTIONS:
Place ham in baking dish and arrange pineapple slices over ham. Pour juice over ham and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.


The above recipes look very easy to do. I hope they are actually easy to do or else! Merry Christmas!

Great Party Food Ideas

My daughter will turn 13 early next year. I am already preparing her mini party as early as now. It is only mini because we are inviting her close school friends and our friends here in Dubai. I would love to have the party in Manila but my daughter has classes in February. We might as well stick here in Dubai since most of her friends are from her school here anyway.

She loves whimsical themed party so I am thinking of setting up a party to that effect. First of, I am still searching for Party Food Ideas which will be acceptable by both teenagers and the adults. I am looking for light and healthy meals. The party is going to be a small gathering with activities so the food must not be that heavy. I want the guests to enjoy all the fun games after.

I am searching great recipes for the birthday celebration. I am thinking of finger food like crudites or cocktail-sized frankfurters for appetizers. For the light main course, my family loves grilled chicken and sausages as part of the selection. Another food that comes to mind for the main course is California Vegetable Wraps. This can be sliced so it can be a great finger food selection too. The desserts will have customized cupcakes which my friend will make as a gift. Bless her! Apart from the cupcakes, there will be various kinds of bread served. I saw this recipe from iVillage.com and thought it appropriate for the purpose. It is called Italian Panzanella Bread Salad. It will be good for the young and young at hearts. Last selection for the dessert is the candy buffet which I will make myself. I am sure that this will be a big hit for all the kids and probably even the adults too.

There are so many recipes to find from iVillage.com which I am considering for the party. My only concern at the moment is finding all the time and extra help I can get to be able to whip up great meals which are healthy too. I know it is still early but I can test the other recipes there and see how long it will take me to prepare them.

I am already excited and it is still months away. Thank goodness for resources we can find in the Internet because they are really helpful in terms of planning and suggesting food ideas for parties.