Directions: Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Chill until serving time. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Serve over mixed baby salad greens, mmmm!

This won’t taste the same with out Watkins ingredients, you deserve the very best and you can get it here in the US store or the Canadian store.

Technorati Tags: Salads

1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
3 tsp Watkins garlic liquid spice
1 tbsp Watkins rosemary, crumbled
2 tbsp honey mustard
1 tbsp Watkins grapeseed oil
1 tbsp Watkins minced green onion
1/2 tsp Watkins granulated black pepper
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, fat trimmed

Directions: In bowl, mix all ingredients, except tenderloin. Place tenderloin in a bowl and pour mixture over it. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Pre-heat the BBQ on medium heat. Remove tenderloin from the marinade and set marinade aside. Barbecue the tenderloin for about 15 minutes, turning and basting the meat often with the marinade. The meat should be brown on the outside with just a touch of pink on the inside. Remove from heat and let it sit for 5 min to let the juices settle before slicing it into half inch slices.

Heat the remaining marinade, bringing it just to a boil and serve it with the sliced tenderloin.

You’ll find the herbs, spices and other barbecue essential ingredients in the Watkins US store or the Watkins Canadian Store. When you drop by, be sure to ask for a free Watkins products catalog.

Technorati Tags: barbecue, pork, recipes

Place desired number of eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Immediately cool eggs in cold water to prevent the yolks from turning grey.

Thanks to Megan for the beautiful egg photo, click the image to see more of her photos.

Technorati Tags: eggs, how to cook

You’ll need:
10 1bs beets, cooked
7 quart or 14 pint canning jars with lids and rings
Canner with rack, or large pressure canner
Pickling solution, recipe below.

First, cook and peel beets. If you don’t know how read: How to cook beets. While the beets are cooking, wash and sterilize your canning jars and lids. Fill jars up to one half inch from the top with prepared beets, small ones can be left whole, large beets should be sliced. Prepare pickling solution. 

Ingredients:
3 pints (6 cups) white vinegar, with 5 percent acidity
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Watkins pickling spices

Directions: Place above ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Pour hot solution over beets in jars. Wipe jar tops, apply lids and screw bands. Place jars in/on rack in caner and process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes or longer (see below). Make sure water covers jars by an inch or so. Allow jars to cool in water for a few minutes. Using jar tongs or oven mitts remove jars from hot water, place on folded, dry towel to cool completely. Stand back and admire your beautiful jars of pickled beets!

Processing time varies by your communities altitude but is the same for quart or pint jars; process for 30 minutes at sea level to 1,000 feet, for 35 minutes at 1,001 to 3,000 feet, for 40 minutes at 3,001 to 6,000 feet or 45 minutes if you live above 6,000 feet.

Technorati Tags: home canning, pickles

Thanks to Live♥Laugh♥Love, on Flickr for the photo, click the image to see more of Sabrina’s photos.

2 tbsp sesame oil
1 chili, finely chopped
1 lb oriental mushrooms (oyster, shitake etc)
3 1/2 oz pine nuts
1 onion, sliced
1 lb green vegetables (Pak Choi, Bok Choi, Spinach, Chinese cabbage etc)
1 11 oz can baby corn, halved lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, sliced
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions: Heat the sesame oil in a wok and add chili, pine nuts and garlic. Sautè for about 30 seconds on high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, green vegetables, baby corn and red pepper and stir-fry for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and stir-fry for about a minute. Sprinkle with cilantro, stir well and serve immediately with rice  or oriental noodles.
(Serves 4)

Stir fry tips:

• vegetable should be tender but still a bit crisp when done.
• left over stir fry keeps and reheats well, make extra for packed lunches. A healthier and cheaper alternative to fast foods.
• add some tofu or left over cooked meat to make this a main dish.
• don’t have pine nuts? substitute slivered almonds

Technorati Tags: side dishes, vegetables, vegetarian

Watkins Spice Rack

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon Watkins ground ginger
2 eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/4 cup milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Watkins baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar, if desired

Directions: Pe-heat oven to 375 deg. F. Beat brown sugar, butter, shortening, ginger and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in bananas and milk. Stir in flour, baking powder and
salt.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: cookies, drop cookies, ginger

Directions: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, egg white, cider, yogurt, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the apple, raisins and orange peel.

Transfer to a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf

You can order your Watkins spices and other ingredients fresh from the factory in the Watkins US online store or the Watkins Canadian online store.

Technorati Tags: cake, cinnamon, loaf, quick bread, recipes

Whole Wheat Garlic Croutons
3 medium slices day-old whole wheat bread, or your bread of choice
1 to 4 tablespoons Watkins grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon Watkins garlic granules, or to taste

For Herb Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins parsley
Watkins Basil
Watkins Minced Green Onion
Watkins Marjoram
Watkins Thyme

For Spicy Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Chili Powder
Watkins Cilantro

For Dill Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Dill and parsley

For Greek Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of each:
Watkins Oregano
Watkins Parsley

For Rosemary Croutons
Add 1/4 teaspoon of Watkins Rosemary, crumbled

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the bread into small cubes, you can cut off the crusts if you want. Place the bread cubes into a bowl. Drizzle bread with the grapeseed oil, sprinkle on garlic granules and herbs if desired and toss to mix.

Spread the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Tip: Use the smaller amount (1 T) of grapeseed oil to keep the calorie count down on your croutons. While grapeseed oil is the healthiest available all oils have the same calories.

Watkins grapeseed oil comes in three flavors; original unflavored, garlic and parsley and citrus cilantro so you can use the one that will enhance the flavor of your croutons.

What type of croutons are your favorites and what do you use them as a garnish for?

Technorati Tags: garnish, Salads, soups, vegetarian

Stocking your pantry with commonly used ingredients will save you lots of time. You’ll spend less time shopping for food and it will make it easier for you to plan and serve meals when you have your most commonly used ingredients on hand. Nothing is worse than searching through recipes for tonight’s dinner and then finding out you are missing key ingredients.

If you purchase non-perishable foods and pantry essentials on sale and, or in bulk you’ll save money. You’ll also save money because you are organized and prepared so you’ll do less spur of the moment purchases for higher priced ingredients and you’ll also buy less prepared or expensive take out foods. An added benefit, already prepared foods and take out are not as healthy for your family either! Don’t forget every trip to the store costs you money for fuel plus wear and tear on your vehicle so you’ll also save money by reducing your transportation expenses.

You’ll be prepared in the case of emergencies! You never know when you’ll have to face an emergency due to bad weather, a natural disaster, illness or a loss of income. What if the supermarket’s shelves are bare because goods can’t be delivered due to a snow storm? Imagine dragging yourself or sick kids to the store when you have the flu. It doesn’t sound like much fun! If you have a well stocked pantry and freezer this won’t be a worry for you.

Life will definitely be less stressful if you have a some extra groceries on hand. Your menu planning will be easier, you’ll save time by running to the store less often, you’ll be prepared for an emergency and having extra money also means less financial worries.

What do you think? Do you prefer to have a well stocked pantry or do you prefer to do your grocery shopping daily? Do tell, we’d love to know!

Technorati Tags: Getting Organized, Shopping

Food is always the center of our celebrations and family gatherings and we always take the time to remember that some people are not as fortunate as we are. This time of year I personally reflect on how many things I’m grateful for including an abundance of good food.

I hope you will enjoy all the joys of the season!