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Simple Tip: Chill Broth to Skim Fat

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:30:49 -0800

If you're making chicken broth, stock, or any type of clear, meat-based soup this Winter, keep in mind that chilling the soup will make skimming excess fat much easier.

It may be hard to discern fat from broth when it's warm, but when the liquid has been chilled, any fat turns white, congeals, and rises to the top. Skimming it off - which is a cinch when done with a large spoon - means you'll be left with a soup that's less greasy and has more concentrated flavors.

Do you do the same with your soups? If you have another tip for making soup, share it with me below!

Biggest Headline of 2008: Year of Bacon

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:30:10 -0800

In many respects, 2008 was a rough year, but let's not forget that there were some great things that came out it - namely, the rise of bacon. Along with its brother, pork belly, we declared bacon to be one of the trendiest ingredients of the year. Hopefully, its distinct smoky flavor and marbled, chewy-crispy texture will make it a timeless classic. But even bacon has its limits, as you'll find out when you read on.

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Where's The Meat?

YumSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 09:59:32 -0700

I love bacon, there's something about the smell, texture and flavor that just makes me drool, drool, drool. And as much as I love the fatty portions of the meat, we all know it's about how well they combine. You need a good proportion of meat to fat in order to make it work well. Every person has their own personal ratio, but something tells me that this obviously fatty ratio isn't going to become many people's personal favorite. I mean check it out, this piece of Jamestown Brand bacon is what? 90% fat? Oh god, I think my arteries have just hardened...

Source: The Consumerist

Baking with Applesauce

YumSugar — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:00:15 -0800

There was an interesting discussion over at the Kitchen Goddess group regarding the substitution of applesauce for oil. Lucky for us, FitSugar heard about it and gave us the lowdown.

Now you might be asking yourself, could this really taste good? The answer is yes. Take your best cookie recipe and give it a try. I'll be honest, it won't taste as fantastic as the original, but it'll be healthier and in my book that means I don't have to feel so guilty.

If your favorite recipe is too good to mess with, then look for one that calls for applesauce to begin with. For yummy Applesauce Cookies, read more

Applesauce Cookies
From Cookie Recipes 101

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup applesauce

Beat eggs until thick. Add sugar. Continue beating until well mixed. Add flour that has been sifted with soda, salt, spices, and baking powder. Mix well. Add raisins and applesauce. Stir until well blended. Drop a tablespoon on a Teflon or treated cookie sheet [or one that has a piece of parchment paper on it]. Bake at 375F until done. Approximately 10 minutes. You may frost with frosting or just sprinkle with powdered sugar, they are even tasty plain.

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Bacon Fat Candle: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:44 -0800

Most of you prefer crispy bacon to its chewy counterpart - but how about bacon in candle form instead?

Rather than oh-so-predictable bacon vodka and bacon chocolate, Rick Gresh, the chef at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago, is serving guests bacon candles. The votives are made of rendered bacon fat and a vegetable-based wick, and as they melt, are poured over dry-aged steaks and rare scallops to impart a rich, smoked aroma.

What do you think of the newfangled idea? Does it hold a light to this year's other bacon innovations?

Source

Low-Fat Red & White Dessert For the 4th

partysugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:43:18 -0700

Sorbet is a great alternative to ice cream. It's perfect for those who are lactose intolerant, refreshingly fruity, and way lower in fat. While it's great served alone in a delicate little bowl, it's more festive as part of a super simple frozen dessert. This dessert is so simple, the only thing you need is time for it to freeze. Purchase groceries today, assemble tomorrow night, and serve on Wednesday. Serve on a white plate, garnished with blueberries, for a patriotic splash.

I know lots of you will love this recipe, so get it now, just read more

Low-Fat Raspberry Sorbet Dessert
From Kraft Foods

1 pt. (2 cups) raspberry sorbet, softened
1 cup cold fat free milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) vanilla flavored instant pudding & pie filling (recommended: Jello's fat free, sugar free, reduced calorie version)
8 oz whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
1 cup raspberries

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil. Spoon sorbet into pan; freeze 10 min.
Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping; spread evenly over sorbet in pan.
Freeze 3 hours or overnight.
To unmold, invert pan onto plate; remove foil. Let stand 10 to 15 min. to soften slightly before cutting into 12 slices to serve.
Place one slice on each of 12 dessert plates. Top evenly with raspberries. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Serves 12.

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Burger King Turns Trans Fat Free

YumSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:00:16 -0700

Yesterday, Burger King announced that all of its restaurants in the US and Canada have made the switch to cooking with trans fat free oils. The second most popular fast food chain also announced that all of its menu items, including baked goods, will contain zero grams of trans fat by Nov. 1 - earlier than the company anticipated.

According to a statement issued by Burger King, customers who tried the new trans fat free foods were either unable to tell a difference in the taste of menu items or felt that the products tasted even better. The hamburger chain attributes this to its two proprietary blends of three oils.

The company has fallen under criticism for taking so long to cut out trans fat oils: Both KFC and Taco Bell switched in 2007, and Wendy's a year before that. Number one fast food chain McDonald's is now one of the last to make the complete switch, promising a menu free of trans fats by the end of the year.

Source

Happy Hour: Fat Prince

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:00:59 -0700

Like bitters, maraschino liqueur is an essential ingredient in many classic cocktails but serves an opposite purpose. The cherry-derived spirit offers just a hint of sweetness that's not at all syrupy. I particularly love cocktails that combine bitters and maraschino, as the competing elements come together for a very complex taste.The festive Fat Prince challenges (in a good way) the taste buds even more, with earthy rye and a float of Brut champagne. Though the combination isn't timid, it's a highly sippable tipple. It's also a great way to get acquainted with maraschino, but if you can't find it, you can substitute kirschwasser. To get the recipe, read more.

Fat Prince
From Esquire

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
1/2 teaspoon maraschino liqueur (look for Luxardo)
1/2 teaspoon rich simple syrup*
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Brut champagne
Lemon peel

Directions

Stir well with cracked ice 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey (if you can't find rye, use bourbon), 1/2 tsp. maraschino liqueur, 1/2 tsp. rich simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, top off with Brut champagne, and twist a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top. If more lushness is desired, add a cube of pineapple.

Makes 1 cocktail.

*To make rich simple syrup, stir 2 parts raw or Demerara sugar and 1 part water over a low flame until all the sugar has dissolved; let cool.

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This Is Why You're Fat: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:30:32 -0800

Less is more - except when more is more. At least that's the principle behind a new website, This is why you're fat. In the last several days, the food porn site has skyrocketed to Internet fame with its Would You Eat This?-worthy images, which include everything from a colossal breakfast chimichanga to a pizza topped with corn dogs.

While it's entertaining (who doesn't love oversize things?), one could argue that it's simply too much. What do you think of it?

Source

Dessert Without The Guilt: Low Fat Banana Mousse

partysugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:01:31 -0700

I know I'm guilty of posting far too many delicious, drool worthy desserts that are full of fat, butter, cream, chocolate, and everything else bad for us. To make up for all of the fattening recipes, and to please my dear friend FitSugar, I recommend that we make a creamy dessert that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium! The smooth mousse takes its full balanced flavor from real ripe bananas and makes a nice finish to a heavy grilled meal, a crisp filling salad, or a cheesy sandwich. Go ahead, have dessert without the guilt. Get the recipe, just read more

Banana Mousse
From Medicine Net

2 tablespoons low fat (1%) milk
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 medium banana, cut in quarters
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
8 1/4-inch banana slices

Place milk, sugar, vanilla, and banana in blender. Process 15 seconds at high speed until smooth.
Pour mixture into a small bowl; fold in yogurt.
Chill.
Spoon into 4 dessert dishes; garnish each with 2 banana slices just before serving..

Serves 4.

Calories: 94 Total fat: 1 g Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 4 mg Sodium: 47 mg

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