Author Archives: TIMOTHY Benford

Sweet Vidalia Onion Pesto Gives Your Dishes the Perfect Southern Touch

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First things first – when you’re talking about Vidalia onions, you are talking about onions that must be grown in Georgia in 20 specific counties. That’s not just talk or opinion, that’s the way it is according to both federal law and Georgia State law. That way when you as a consumer buy an onion labelled as a Vidalia onion, you know that it will have that sweet flavor that Vidalia onions are known for. Of course you can enjoy these wonderful vegetables in your summer dishes and salads.

But what about during the winter. Well if you’re like me and just don’t think that there is ever enough garlic and onions in the world, then you’ll want to try Sweet Vidalia Onion Pesto.
Sweet Vidalia Onion Pesto

For a unique onion dip, combine this pesto with mayonaise. Then add Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve it with rustic bread and a hearty wine that can stand up to the flavors. I always keep several jars of gourmet pesto in stock in my kitchen. As you can see you can easily whip up unique appetizers to serve unexpected guests. You can also bring pasta to life when you toss it with Sweet Vidalia Onion Pesto. Don’t forget to toss in some pine nuts and currants for an Italian accent. With just one little jar of pesto, you can add an entire new range of flavor to your everyday dishes.

Using a Ninja BL205 To make Shakes

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One of my favoutite accompanients to go with a salad and a chunk of Spicy BBQ chicken is a nice cool mango shake.  I have always enjoyed having a spectrum of tastes and textures when eating my meals and a hot and spicy meal with a cool, refreshing fruit drink has always been my drink of choice.  Most of my friends think i am mad to have such a thick drink with my meals, but i can’t stand drinking lager while eating and i always drink water before a meal.  It’s kind of like having a main meal and dessert at the same time.  I bet there are a few people reading this who like to overwhelm their senses with a plethera of taste sensations.

There’s a few recommendations for different products to help you with your kitchen appliances over at MamaZangs.  As I mentioned above i like a mango shake.   In a few days i think i’ll add the recipe to how i like it on this blog, so keep your eyes out.  I know a few tricks to make it taste absolutely spectacular.  For now i will reveal only the pulse blender that i use.  There are loads of really expensive blenders out there but for a reasonably priced option i went for the Ninja Bl205, it does the job more than adequatley and I am really happy with my purchase. 

Getting the right juicer it not that easy

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Choosing the right juicer is certainly no easy task, but if you take your time I am sure you will find that Breville fountain juicers are certainly some of the best options these days. There are many good ones out there ranging from really cheap, budget juicers all the way to top premium juicers.

If I were to elect the best juicer to buy, I believe one of the best options would be an Breville 800JEXL. Unfortunately this juicer might be a bit too expensive for some people, so they might ask me what other options they have as far as juicers are concerned.

Well, you could actually buy a BJE510XL or maybe a cheap Breville BJE200XL. Both these juicers are great with around $100 dollars of difference between them. If you are on a really tight budget, then go for a BJE200XL. This is not the best juicer out there, but it is certainly one of the most cost effective juicers I have ever seen.

With it you will be able to process and juice most fruits and vegetables. Be aware that if you do want to juice wheatgrass and leafy greens, than these are not recommended juicers since they are centrifugal juicers.

Crab-Stuffed Grilled Shrimp Recipe

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With this great grilled shrimp recipe, you get two favorite examples of seafood in one bite – shrimp and crabmeat. Many American recipes are often “heavy” on the meats, so, in addition to seafood, you’ll also get a taste of savory, smoky bacon. What more could you ask of a recipe?

Crab-Stuffed Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Jumbo or colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails intact
  • ½ cup fresh crabmeat
  • 2 tablespoons crushed saltine crackers
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 2 teaspoons minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • Mayonnaise
  • Thin bacon strips
  • Toothpicks

Directions: Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. The split in the back of the shrimp needs to be deep, so use a sharp knife if you need to make the split deeper, being careful not to slice all the way through the flesh.

Combine crabmeat, saltine crackers, egg, ground red pepper. And garlic salt. When cracker crumbs are soft, mix in just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together. Wrap each stuffed shrimp with a slice of bacon and use a toothpick to secure.

Clean and lightly oil grill grates and heat grill to medium-high. Grill shrimp for about two or three minutes per side, or until bacon is done and shrimp are opaque and pink.

 

 

Southern Food for a Barbecue

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It’s kind of a rule in the South: if you throw a barbecue, you have to serve some southern food as side dishes. My husband and I are hosting a Labor Day barbecue tomorrow, actually.  We’re having twenty-four guests. The main attraction, of course, is the pork. We’re smoking three Boston butts and a pork loin. We’re also firing up the grill to cook some sausages and hot dogs. I’m making coleslaw and old-fashioned potato salad, both with Vidalia onions.

All our guests will be family members or close friends, and they’re all bringing a dish. And yes, everyone is bringing southern food! We’ll have slow-cooked baked beans with bacon and molasses, cornbread salad, macaroni and cheese, and peach salad. For dessert, there’ll be chocolate delight, fudge cake, and cupcakes for the kids.

Hubby and I are a great team when it comes to smoking pork shoulders, or butts. I made a wet rub last night with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, ground red pepper, cumin, and chipotle powder. I gave the butts a good massage with the rub, and they’ve been curing in the fridge for about 20 hours now. Hubby will soon put the pork on the smoker with pecan wood, and they’ll smoke at low heat for around twelve hours or so. I’ll pull two of the butts for pulled pork sandwiches, and I’ll leave one butt and the pork loin whole so that folks can have sliced pork. I have a strong feeling I’ll dream about southern food tonight!

Diet Food Plans for Your Life

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Believe it or not, some diet food plans are compatible with your lifestyle. They are out there if you just look. You can take a look at Medifast diet reviews as they generally suggest that the plan makes it simple to adjust to your way of life because you are still consuming one normal meal each day. You could simply order this full meal if you are going out to eat without anyone knowing you are even dieting. Your server or friends and family will be oblivious.

Also, Medifast foods are conveniently packed so you may carry them anyplace you go. No matter if you go to school or work, you can take a Medifast bar or ready to drink shake with your lunch. You can even stockpile a week’s worth of meals in your desk at the office. With Medifast, you do not have to figure out how you are going to eat. They make it too easy. It’s easy. While you are continuing to lose weight, go about your day normally and eat the meals.

Medifast also provides an extensive variety of foods in their plan. You should be able to find plenty of foods that you like and if you have unique dietary needs you can speak to a Medifast specialist to find out what kinds of foods are best for you. Ordering a la carte from their menu or ordering variety packs is an option as well. This will enable you to steer clear of the foods you don’t like and stock up on the ones you do enjoy.