August 30, 2007
Your Soul Food Lovers' Newsletter
Your Soul Food Lovers’ Newsletter
Volume #011
Happy Labor Day!!
CONTENTS
Welcome New Friends
What’s New !
Feature Article: Labor Day Family Activities
Coming In Next Issue: Fall Into Flavor: Hearty Soul Food Cooking
Column: Spice Up Your Soul Food
Cassandra’s Cooking Tips
Labor Day Recipes
Soul Food Care Package
Soul Food Resource Center (new)
Link to Your Gift: New Trends in Soul Food Cooking
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WELCOME NEW FRIENDS
Hey Soul Food Lovers! Thank you for joining us. We invite you to send comments, suggestions, and ideas on what they would like to see in this newsletter.
Please feel free to take our reader’s poll. This poll gives us insight into the kind of information you want to see in this newsletter. So please take some time from your busy schedule to let us know what you want us to cover. No need to include your name. Visit the Soul Food Resource Center for the Reader’s Poll link.
Also, if you have recipes or cooking stories from the kitchen you want to share, please feel free to do so. Send them directly to me at Cassandra@soul-food-advisor.com.
Again, welcome, sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter.
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WHAT’S NEW! -
+++ New Soul Food Cookbook +++
I’m sure most of you know by now about the newly released Soul Food Lovers’ Cookbook. For full details, free cookbook recipes and a special bonus, go to:
Quick Labor Day Meal Without the Labor
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FEATURE ARTICLE-
Labor Day Family Activities
By Cassandra Harrell
Labor Day is a time to recognize the contributors of America’s working men and women, as well as the achievements of the organized labor movement. This is even more reason to have fun and enjoy relaxing activities.
What’s your favorite thing to do for Labor Day? Is it time you reserve for family and friends and have a big barbecue or picnic? Or is it a quiet time at home doing absolutely nothing.
My Labor Day starts with parades and marching bands, fireworks, lots of food and seeing old school mates I haven’t seen in years. We spend the three days leading up to Labor Day on the park where all the fun activities are. We usually have a stand selling barbecue sandwiches, ribs, and beverages.
There are many activities that families get involved with during this time such as taking short trips to nearby cities, camping, visiting family and friends, or going to the movies or concerts.
Most stores and shopping centers are still open so many take advantage of this opportunity to shop. Many cites and small towns have baseball games on Labor Day. Another great way to get together with friends and enjoy yourself.
Or what about having a big Labor Day Backyard Party with decorations, food, outdoor activities such a volleyball, throwing Frisbees, softball, and even a parade.
If someone you know is having a birthday over the Labor Day weekend this is the perfect time to really make it special. Why not decorate their birthday cake in red, white and blue.
Labor Day is really what you make it and its yours to celebrate however you choose. Have a safe and enjoyable day!
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NEXT MONTH‘S FEATURE:
Fall Into Flavor: Hearty Soul Food Cooking
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SPICE UP YOUR SOUL FOOD -COLUMN
This month we focus on Ginger
Ginger is consider a fall spice and its young ginger roots are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes.
They can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added as a sweetener; sliced orange or lemon fruit may also be added.
Ginger is also candied and is used as a flavoring for candy, cookies, crackers and cake, and is the main flavor in ginger ale, a sweet, carbonated, non-alcoholic beverage, as well as the similar, but somewhat spicier beverage ginger beer.
Ginger has been found effective by multiple studies for treating nausea caused by seasickness, morning sickness and chemotherapy, though ginger was not found superior over a placebo for post-operative nausea.
There is a lot of medical information and beliefs that may help some aliments by using ginger. If you like to read more on this visit More Information on Ginger
Below are recipes using ginger:
GINGER & HONEY SHRIMP
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup green peppers, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
Season salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, green peppers, and honey; cook and stir until fragrant. Add shrimp; cook for 5 minutes, stirring as needed, until shrimp are pink and opaque. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
GINGERSNAP COOKIES
¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
Sugar for rolling cookie dough
Beat shortening at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg and molasses; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, salt; cinnamon and ginger; mix well. Add about ¼ of flour mixture at a time to creamed mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Baked at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool. Yield: 4 dozen.
For information on choosing cooking spices, visit Soul Food Spice Center
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CASSANDRA’S COOKING TIPS
QUICK BAKING TIPS
· Keep eggs at room temperature for making cakes and for whipping egg whites to make meringue.
· To keep a cake from crumbing, frost a thin layer of frosting then freeze for 20 to 30 minutes or until set; then finish frosting the cake.
· A cheesecake need several hours to chill before it is set.
· Tin coffee cans make excellent freezing containers for cookies.
· Unbaked cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen in an airtight container for up to 9 months.
· When making bars, line pan with aluminum foil and prepare as directed. The bars can be lifted out, and cleanup is super easy.
Watch for more exciting cooking tips next month! Also visit the Cooking and Baking Center for new tips.
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LABOR DAY RECIPES
LABOR DAY BURGERS
2 pounds fresh ground chuck or round
2 slices white bread, crumbled
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of season salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
In a medium bowl, combine ground chuck, bread, egg and water. Mix well. Add onions, peppers, garlic, season salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 4-5 inch patties. Grill each side 4 to 6 minutes, or until completely done. Serve immediately.
POTATO SALAD WITH CREAMY DRESSING
7 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
3 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
¼ cup onions, chopped
¼ cup green peppers, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
Combine potatoes, eggs, onions, peppers, and celery. Fold in dressing and chill. Before serving sprinkle with paprika.
Dressing:
½ cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup vinegar
4 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
In a medium saucepan, combine dressing ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat. Cool. Fold dressing into potato mixture. Chill.
WORKER‘S BAKED BEANS
6 slices bacon, 1 inch thick
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
2 (16 ounce) pork and beans
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper, ground
½ cup chili sauce or ketchup
Fry bacon in skillet until crisp, remove and drain on paper towel. Saute onions and green peppers in bacon grease until translucent. Add beans, brown sugar, pepper, red pepper, chili sauce, and bacon. Stir. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot. Yield: 8 servings.
LABOR DAY BUTTERMILK CAKE
3 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
6 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons lemon extract
3 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
Blend sugar and shortening. Add egg yolks one at a time; blend well after each addition. Add lemon extract. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together. Add to first mixture alternately with buttermilk. (Begin and end with dry ingredients).
Beat egg whites until stiff; carefully fold into mixture. Bake in greased and floured tube pan in a 350 degree oven for 70 minutes. Top of cake should be firm with a crunchy-like crust. Serve with your favorite topping.
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SOUL FOOD CARE PACKAGE
Newsletter Subscribers receive an automatic entry into our monthly contest for a chance to win a Soul Food Care Package. This package is loaded with soul food goodies, cooking gadgets, soul food recipes, cooking tips, and a personalized
letter from me---Your Soul Food Advisor. So please tell everyone about this offer. Good Luck!
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SOUL FOOD RESOURCE CENTER
September National Food Celebrations
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LINK TO YOUR GIFT
As promised, here is your gift for subscribing - New Trends in Soul Food cooking. The report is password protected. The password is ??????????. Just click the link below; then enter password. Enter password exactly as listed. New Food Trend
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UNTIL NEXT TIME
Cassandra Harrell is a Soul Food Advisor and recently owned a soul food restaurant and catering service. She taught cooking classes on preparing great soul food cuisine, and have served thousands during conventions and special events.
Cassandra Harrell
Editor & Soul Food Advisor
Soul Food Advisor