I've always been fascinated by making things from scratch; canning, sewing, gardening, dehydrating, preserving, making cheese and soap (not at the same time); I get a self-satisfied feeling of accomplishment. So I was thrilled to find this recipe for homemade pepperoni.
I don't remember what I was researching when I found the Tammy's Recipes site, but her "miscellaneous" section called to me. That's how I ended up with this amazing pepperoni recipe.
It takes some planning ahead to make, but it's totally worth it to have real pepperoni taste minus all the bad stuff that's found in the commercial varieties. I must admit that I substituted kosher salt + some brown sugar for the Morton's Tender Quick curing salt that the recipe calls for. I couldn't find Tender Quick in my local grocery stores and when I looked it up online I found that it contains sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, and propylene glycol, all the stuff I don't want in my homemade foods. The resulting sausage is brown instead of commercial pepperoni red but it tastes the same. The results were fine with my family.
Tammy's Spicy Pepperoni
A spicy dense cured pepperoni recipe. This recipe is very easy to make and has that authentic pepperoni taste.
Yield: 2 pounds of pepperoni
2 pounds lean ground beef (85% lean or leaner)
2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 1/2 or 2 teaspoons crushed fennel seed*
1 or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper**
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 heaping teaspoons Morton's Tender Quick curing salt
1. Combine seasonings and meat and mix thoroughly, using hands. Cover and refrigerate for 48-72 hours.
2. Form meat into two long logs or rolls. Place a rack (or pan/sheet with drainage) on a cookie sheet and put the logs onto rack. Bake at 200 degrees for 8 hours, rotating logs every 2 hours.
3. Logs will be a bright pink when they are finished, and should be fairly dry and firm. Wipe off excess grease and allow meat to cool. Chill and then slice thinly. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Additional Notes from Tammy:
*I crushed mine with a rolling pin; it wasn't extremely crushed, but that's okay: it doesn't need to be very fine.
**Use more if you like hotter pepperoni; use less if you want a milder flavor
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About Me
- Edda Mome
- I'm a mom interested in my family's health. I want things as natural and organic as possible. Professionally, I'm a clinical hypnotherapist that specializes in problems of depression, anxiety, and addictions. I'm also pursuing a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.
Falling asleep naturally Part 2: The Interaction of Bio-chemicals
Sunday, May 9, 2010 | By Edda Mome
It all starts with tryptophan
Tryptophan is one of 8 essential amino acids. Amino acids are critical to life; they are the building blocks of protein, form parts of co-enzymes, and help the body form other molecules. When these amino acids are labeled "essential" it means that the body can't synthesize them from other compounds so they have to be gotten from food. (Just a note: Five of the non-essential amino acids can't be fully synthesized in young children either because their metabolic pathways don't completely develop until they are older. So it's vitally important to make sure our children are fed healthy nutritious meals to ensure their bodies grow properly.)
Tryptophan is required for the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is important for normal nerve and brain function. It is further important in controlling hyperactivity in children, assists in alleviating stress, helps with weight loss and reducing appetite. It has also been found that people suffering from migraine headaches have abnormal levels of tryptophan.
Tryptophan plays a significant role in the synthesis of one of the B complex group of vitamins called niacin or nicotinic acid. In the human system, an average of about 1 mg of niacin is formed from 60 mg of dietary tryptophan.
This amino acid is also essential for blood clotting and formation of digestive juices. It induces sleep and relaxes the nervous system. It wards off signs of premature ageing, such as cataract of the eyes, baldness, deterioration of sex gland functioning, and malformation of tooth enamel.
A shortage of tryptophan, combined with a shortage of magnesium may be a contributing factor to heart artery spasms.
There's a lot going on in the body for which tryptophan is responsible but let's just look at the sleep-inducing aspect of the amino acid.
Tryptophan --> Serotonin --> Melatonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that conveys the positive sensations of satiety, satisfaction and relaxation. It regulates appetite and when converted to melatonin helps us to sleep.
In order to produce serotonin from tryptophan we need plenty of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium as well as vitamin D (from sunlight). These are essential coenzymes necessary in the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and without which the body cannot produce serotonin. If it cannot produce serotonin, it cannot produce melatonin (our sleeping hormone), which is also dependent on vitamin B6 and magnesium.
However, if the body has a deficiency of niacin (Vitamin B3), all the available tryptophan in the body may be used up in the conversion of tryptophan into niacin, at the ratio of 60 to 1, which may create a tryptophan deficiency despite adequate amounts in food!
It gets worse: There is an interdependency between vitamin B6 and zinc; when the body is deficient in zinc it cannot utilize vitamin B6 which then can't be used to convert tryptophan to serotonin and then on to melatonin. Therefore, a zinc deficiency may also cause insomnia.
Reasons to have an adequate supply of B6 in your system:
· it could cut the risk of Parkinson’s disease by half
· it prevents the buildup of plaque in the heart
· it decreases sensitivity to monosodium glutamate
· it has a beneficial effect on carpal tunnel syndrome
· it has long been publicized as a cure for premenstrual syndrome
· it can alleviate some of the many symptoms of an alcoholic hangover
· it can alleviate morning sickness from pregnancy
· it decreases the risk of colorectal cancer
· it decreases the formation of kidney stones
· it may increase dream vividness or the ability to recall dreams.
· Vitamin B6 is necessary for converting tryptophan to niacin and into serotonin
Magnesium
People with a magnesium deficiency suffer from "Type II insomnia." They fall asleep easily but only experience a relatively short period of deep, restful sleep, that delicious time when your body is able to rebuild muscles, skin and bones. Most of the night they are trapped in light, useless sleep. They toss and they turn. Then, they wake up exhausted.
Ironically, people with too little magnesium in relation to calcium develop this trouble because they don't have enough energy to sleep restfully. Restful sleep requires a certain amount of energy to reach the stage of rejuvenating rest, which is characterized by rapid eye movement (REM). When you can't maintain REM sleep for a prolonged period, fatigue eventually becomes chronic during your waking hours. (Your energy is zapped because you have too much calcium in relation to magnesium.)
People under stress are prone to this kind of insomnia because stress sops up all the magnesium it can find, creating a shortage.
The following information about magnesium comes from krispin.com
Magnesium is a critical element in 325+ biochemical reactions in the human body.
Recent research, in France and several other European countries, gives a clue concerning the role of magnesium plays in the transmission of hormones (such as insulin, thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, etc.), neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, catecholamines, serotonin, GABA, etc.), and minerals and mineral electrolytes.
This research concludes that it is magnesium status that controls cell membrane potential and through this means controls uptake and release of many hormones, nutrients and neurotransmitters. It is magnesium that controls the fate of potassium and calcium in the body. If magnesium is insufficient potassium and calcium will be lost in the urine and calcium will be deposited in the soft tissues (kidneys, arteries, joints, brain, etc.).
Magnesium protects the cell from aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and nickel. Evidence is mounting that low levels of magnesium contribute to the heavy metal deposition in the brain that precedes Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. It is probable that low total body magnesium contributes to heavy metal toxicity in children and is a participant in the etiology of learning disorders.
Magnesium deficiency (from low dietary intake or excess loss) is clinically associated with:
* ADD/ADHD
* Alzheimer's
* Angina
* Anxiety disorders
* Arrhythmia
* Arthritis- Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis
* Asthma
* Autism
* Auto immune disorders- all types
* Cavities
* Cerebral Palsy- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Congestive Heart Disease
* Constipation
* Crooked teeth- narrow jaw- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Depression
* Diabetes- Type I and II
* Eating disorders- Bulimia, Anorexia
* Fibromyalgia
* Gut disorders- including peptic ulcer, Crohn's disease, colitis, food allergy
* Heart Disease- Arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol, high triglycerides
* Heart Disease- in infants born to magnesium deficient mothers
* High Blood Pressure
* Hypoglycemia
* Impaired athletic performance
* Infantile Seizure- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Insomnia
* Kidney Stones
* Lou Gehrig's Disease
* Migraines- including cluster type
* Mitral Valve Prolapse
* Multiple Sclerosis
* Muscle cramps
* Muscle weakness, fatigue
* Myopia- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Obesity- especially obesity associated with high carbohydrate diets
* Osteoporosis- just adding magnesium reversed bone loss
* Parkinson's Disease
* PMS- including menstrual pain and irregularities
* PPH- Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
* Raynaud's
* SIDS- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
* Stroke
* Syndrome X- insulin resistance
* Thyroid disorders- low, high and auto-immune; low magnesium reduces T4
Calcium
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
William Sears, M.D. writes: "Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods."
People who don't have enough calcium have two sleep-related problems. First, they have great difficulty falling asleep. In most cases this occurs because low tissue calcium produces irritability. They're just too upset to be able to fall asleep.
Second, people with low calcium levels are plagued with muscle cramps at night. These painful cramps occur even without any real exertion during the day. A calcium to magnesium imbalance causes these muscles to remain in a constant state of contraction.
Vitamin D
We are all animals that depend on a wake-sleep cycle. This is called the circadian rhythm. This rhythm is set up by our exposure to sunlight. There is more insomnia when there is a lack of sunlight or darkness such as near the North pole. We know that sunlight triggers the skin to form calciferol, commonly known as Vitamin D3. The same hormone, yes, Vitamin D is a hormone, is added to milk to insure that children get some hormone to help form long bones and teeth. But Vitamin D3 does so much more. It has not been recognized yet that Calciferol controls the release of melatonin and regulates the pituitary release of growth hormone.
Vitamin D is key in allowing minerals to absorb properly and metabolize in the body. It also regulates normal cell growth function and promotes blood sugar regulation. Additionally, vitamin D assists in the buildup of healthy tissue and the regulation of the immune system.
In addition to insomnia, vitamin D deficiency can factor into the causes of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, rickets, other bone disorders, osteoporosis, and depression.
There are three specific ways to increase the amount of vitamin D an individual gets:
· For light-skinned individuals, get about 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure per day. For darker-skinned individuals, get about 40 minutes. Beyond this time, use an SPF lotion to protect the skin.
· Eat a diet rich in oily fish, spinach, broccoli, fruits and fortified milk, although acquiring the recommended amount through diet alone is unlikely.
· Take a vitamin D supplement of 1000-2000 IU daily.
Zinc
Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes and it plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.
COPPER AND INSOMNIA
A hallmark of copper imbalance is insomnia. Copper has a stimulating effect on the brain, causes the mind to race, and it can also excite the emotions. High-copper individuals often stay up late and have difficulty falling or staying asleep. Insomnia before the menstrual period can often be due to elevated copper, as this tends to occur just before the menstrual period in young women.
Improving the copper balance may take a few weeks to a few months or more, especially if other nutritional imbalances are present. For this reason, other remedies may be needed for a while until the copper is brought into a better balance. Remedies that specifically affect copper include taking zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, and perhaps also molybdenum. All of these may help lower a very high copper in some people. However, do not continue these if they are not effective, as they can also unbalance the body chemistry if taken for extended periods of time. To read more about copper, read the article entitled Copper Toxicity Syndrome.
Next: Tryptophan and Insulin
The Insomnia Series
Falling asleep naturally Part 1
Tryptophan is one of 8 essential amino acids. Amino acids are critical to life; they are the building blocks of protein, form parts of co-enzymes, and help the body form other molecules. When these amino acids are labeled "essential" it means that the body can't synthesize them from other compounds so they have to be gotten from food. (Just a note: Five of the non-essential amino acids can't be fully synthesized in young children either because their metabolic pathways don't completely develop until they are older. So it's vitally important to make sure our children are fed healthy nutritious meals to ensure their bodies grow properly.)
Tryptophan is required for the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is important for normal nerve and brain function. It is further important in controlling hyperactivity in children, assists in alleviating stress, helps with weight loss and reducing appetite. It has also been found that people suffering from migraine headaches have abnormal levels of tryptophan.
Tryptophan plays a significant role in the synthesis of one of the B complex group of vitamins called niacin or nicotinic acid. In the human system, an average of about 1 mg of niacin is formed from 60 mg of dietary tryptophan.
This amino acid is also essential for blood clotting and formation of digestive juices. It induces sleep and relaxes the nervous system. It wards off signs of premature ageing, such as cataract of the eyes, baldness, deterioration of sex gland functioning, and malformation of tooth enamel.
A shortage of tryptophan, combined with a shortage of magnesium may be a contributing factor to heart artery spasms.
There's a lot going on in the body for which tryptophan is responsible but let's just look at the sleep-inducing aspect of the amino acid.
Tryptophan --> Serotonin --> Melatonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that conveys the positive sensations of satiety, satisfaction and relaxation. It regulates appetite and when converted to melatonin helps us to sleep.
In order to produce serotonin from tryptophan we need plenty of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and magnesium as well as vitamin D (from sunlight). These are essential coenzymes necessary in the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and without which the body cannot produce serotonin. If it cannot produce serotonin, it cannot produce melatonin (our sleeping hormone), which is also dependent on vitamin B6 and magnesium.
However, if the body has a deficiency of niacin (Vitamin B3), all the available tryptophan in the body may be used up in the conversion of tryptophan into niacin, at the ratio of 60 to 1, which may create a tryptophan deficiency despite adequate amounts in food!
It gets worse: There is an interdependency between vitamin B6 and zinc; when the body is deficient in zinc it cannot utilize vitamin B6 which then can't be used to convert tryptophan to serotonin and then on to melatonin. Therefore, a zinc deficiency may also cause insomnia.
Reasons to have an adequate supply of B6 in your system:
· it could cut the risk of Parkinson’s disease by half
· it prevents the buildup of plaque in the heart
· it decreases sensitivity to monosodium glutamate
· it has a beneficial effect on carpal tunnel syndrome
· it has long been publicized as a cure for premenstrual syndrome
· it can alleviate some of the many symptoms of an alcoholic hangover
· it can alleviate morning sickness from pregnancy
· it decreases the risk of colorectal cancer
· it decreases the formation of kidney stones
· it may increase dream vividness or the ability to recall dreams.
· Vitamin B6 is necessary for converting tryptophan to niacin and into serotonin
Magnesium
People with a magnesium deficiency suffer from "Type II insomnia." They fall asleep easily but only experience a relatively short period of deep, restful sleep, that delicious time when your body is able to rebuild muscles, skin and bones. Most of the night they are trapped in light, useless sleep. They toss and they turn. Then, they wake up exhausted.
Ironically, people with too little magnesium in relation to calcium develop this trouble because they don't have enough energy to sleep restfully. Restful sleep requires a certain amount of energy to reach the stage of rejuvenating rest, which is characterized by rapid eye movement (REM). When you can't maintain REM sleep for a prolonged period, fatigue eventually becomes chronic during your waking hours. (Your energy is zapped because you have too much calcium in relation to magnesium.)
People under stress are prone to this kind of insomnia because stress sops up all the magnesium it can find, creating a shortage.
The following information about magnesium comes from krispin.com
Magnesium is a critical element in 325+ biochemical reactions in the human body.
Recent research, in France and several other European countries, gives a clue concerning the role of magnesium plays in the transmission of hormones (such as insulin, thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, etc.), neurotransmitters (such as dopamine, catecholamines, serotonin, GABA, etc.), and minerals and mineral electrolytes.
This research concludes that it is magnesium status that controls cell membrane potential and through this means controls uptake and release of many hormones, nutrients and neurotransmitters. It is magnesium that controls the fate of potassium and calcium in the body. If magnesium is insufficient potassium and calcium will be lost in the urine and calcium will be deposited in the soft tissues (kidneys, arteries, joints, brain, etc.).
Magnesium protects the cell from aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium and nickel. Evidence is mounting that low levels of magnesium contribute to the heavy metal deposition in the brain that precedes Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. It is probable that low total body magnesium contributes to heavy metal toxicity in children and is a participant in the etiology of learning disorders.
Magnesium deficiency (from low dietary intake or excess loss) is clinically associated with:
* ADD/ADHD
* Alzheimer's
* Angina
* Anxiety disorders
* Arrhythmia
* Arthritis- Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis
* Asthma
* Autism
* Auto immune disorders- all types
* Cavities
* Cerebral Palsy- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
* Congestive Heart Disease
* Constipation
* Crooked teeth- narrow jaw- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Depression
* Diabetes- Type I and II
* Eating disorders- Bulimia, Anorexia
* Fibromyalgia
* Gut disorders- including peptic ulcer, Crohn's disease, colitis, food allergy
* Heart Disease- Arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol, high triglycerides
* Heart Disease- in infants born to magnesium deficient mothers
* High Blood Pressure
* Hypoglycemia
* Impaired athletic performance
* Infantile Seizure- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Insomnia
* Kidney Stones
* Lou Gehrig's Disease
* Migraines- including cluster type
* Mitral Valve Prolapse
* Multiple Sclerosis
* Muscle cramps
* Muscle weakness, fatigue
* Myopia- in children from magnesium deficient mothers
* Obesity- especially obesity associated with high carbohydrate diets
* Osteoporosis- just adding magnesium reversed bone loss
* Parkinson's Disease
* PMS- including menstrual pain and irregularities
* PPH- Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
* Raynaud's
* SIDS- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
* Stroke
* Syndrome X- insulin resistance
* Thyroid disorders- low, high and auto-immune; low magnesium reduces T4
Calcium
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
William Sears, M.D. writes: "Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods."
People who don't have enough calcium have two sleep-related problems. First, they have great difficulty falling asleep. In most cases this occurs because low tissue calcium produces irritability. They're just too upset to be able to fall asleep.
Second, people with low calcium levels are plagued with muscle cramps at night. These painful cramps occur even without any real exertion during the day. A calcium to magnesium imbalance causes these muscles to remain in a constant state of contraction.
Vitamin D
We are all animals that depend on a wake-sleep cycle. This is called the circadian rhythm. This rhythm is set up by our exposure to sunlight. There is more insomnia when there is a lack of sunlight or darkness such as near the North pole. We know that sunlight triggers the skin to form calciferol, commonly known as Vitamin D3. The same hormone, yes, Vitamin D is a hormone, is added to milk to insure that children get some hormone to help form long bones and teeth. But Vitamin D3 does so much more. It has not been recognized yet that Calciferol controls the release of melatonin and regulates the pituitary release of growth hormone.
Vitamin D is key in allowing minerals to absorb properly and metabolize in the body. It also regulates normal cell growth function and promotes blood sugar regulation. Additionally, vitamin D assists in the buildup of healthy tissue and the regulation of the immune system.
In addition to insomnia, vitamin D deficiency can factor into the causes of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, rickets, other bone disorders, osteoporosis, and depression.
There are three specific ways to increase the amount of vitamin D an individual gets:
· For light-skinned individuals, get about 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure per day. For darker-skinned individuals, get about 40 minutes. Beyond this time, use an SPF lotion to protect the skin.
· Eat a diet rich in oily fish, spinach, broccoli, fruits and fortified milk, although acquiring the recommended amount through diet alone is unlikely.
· Take a vitamin D supplement of 1000-2000 IU daily.
Zinc
Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes and it plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.
COPPER AND INSOMNIA
A hallmark of copper imbalance is insomnia. Copper has a stimulating effect on the brain, causes the mind to race, and it can also excite the emotions. High-copper individuals often stay up late and have difficulty falling or staying asleep. Insomnia before the menstrual period can often be due to elevated copper, as this tends to occur just before the menstrual period in young women.
Improving the copper balance may take a few weeks to a few months or more, especially if other nutritional imbalances are present. For this reason, other remedies may be needed for a while until the copper is brought into a better balance. Remedies that specifically affect copper include taking zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, and perhaps also molybdenum. All of these may help lower a very high copper in some people. However, do not continue these if they are not effective, as they can also unbalance the body chemistry if taken for extended periods of time. To read more about copper, read the article entitled Copper Toxicity Syndrome.
Next: Tryptophan and Insulin
The Insomnia Series
Falling asleep naturally Part 1
Quick and Easy Salsa recipe
Friday, May 7, 2010 | By Edda Mome
If you are a fan of pico de gallo-type salsa, you'll appreciate this very easy, tasty recipe.
Quick and Easy Salsa
1 16-oz bottle Pace Medium (or hot or mild depending on your preference) Picante Sauce
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 large tomato, chopped
1/2 to 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 to 1 bunch green onions, chopped
Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy!
Quick and Easy Salsa
1 16-oz bottle Pace Medium (or hot or mild depending on your preference) Picante Sauce
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 large tomato, chopped
1/2 to 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 to 1 bunch green onions, chopped
Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy!
Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas recipe
| By Edda Mome
Tonight we are having tomatillo chicken enchiladas for dinner. I'm so happy! This is one of my very favorite recipes. I think it's absolutely luscious and relatively healthy. It takes time to create but is soooo worth it.
I have no idea where I got it from. That's the problem with most of my old recipes; I have no clue where they originated. If anyone out there recognizes any of my old recipes and knows who they came from, please let me know and I'll happily add the attribute.
Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas
Tomatillo Salsa
2 lb tomatillos*
1 cup chopped onions
3 Serrano chile peppers, seeded, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ c lime juice
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp salt
Enchiladas
2 c shredded cooked chicken
8 oz (2 c) shredded hot pepper cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
½ c chopped green onions
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas, warmed
Peel husks from tomatillos; rinse. Place tomatillos in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Drain.
Place tomatillos in food processor bowl with metal blade or blender container; process with on/off pulses just until smooth.** In large bowl, combine tomatillos and all remaining tomatillo salsa ingredients; mix well. Spread 1 cup of the salsa over bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
Heat oven to 350°. In large bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the tomatillo salsa and all remaining enchilada ingredients except tortillas; mix well. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, over salsa in baking dish. Spoon ½ cup of the salsa over filled enchiladas. Cover.
Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. 6 servings.
Tips:
*Three 11-oz cans tomatillos, drained, can be substituted for fresh tomatillos.
**After tomatillos are processed in blender, they can be refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 3 months.
I have no idea where I got it from. That's the problem with most of my old recipes; I have no clue where they originated. If anyone out there recognizes any of my old recipes and knows who they came from, please let me know and I'll happily add the attribute.
Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas
Tomatillo Salsa
2 lb tomatillos*
1 cup chopped onions
3 Serrano chile peppers, seeded, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ c lime juice
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp salt
Enchiladas
2 c shredded cooked chicken
8 oz (2 c) shredded hot pepper cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
½ c chopped green onions
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas, warmed
Peel husks from tomatillos; rinse. Place tomatillos in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until soft. Drain.
Place tomatillos in food processor bowl with metal blade or blender container; process with on/off pulses just until smooth.** In large bowl, combine tomatillos and all remaining tomatillo salsa ingredients; mix well. Spread 1 cup of the salsa over bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
Heat oven to 350°. In large bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the tomatillo salsa and all remaining enchilada ingredients except tortillas; mix well. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, over salsa in baking dish. Spoon ½ cup of the salsa over filled enchiladas. Cover.
Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. 6 servings.
Tips:
*Three 11-oz cans tomatillos, drained, can be substituted for fresh tomatillos.
**After tomatillos are processed in blender, they can be refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 3 months.
Falling asleep naturally Part 1
| By Edda Mome
I've often thought that it would be nice to be able to get by on less sleep so I could accomplish more, but it just doesn't work out that way for me. Some people seem to function well on 4 hours of sleep each night but I NEED at least 7 hours of restful sleep in order to function well the next day.
Craig David says it best: It feels like insomnia, ah, ah.
Almost everyone has at some point experienced the frustrating inability to go to sleep, but sometimes it gets much, much worse and ends up in chronic insomnia. It's not just not sleeping that's the problem; it's the fatigue and brain fog that follows the insomnia.
Did you know that aside from disease, nothing degrades your health faster than lack of sleep? Your body requires that period of rest in order to replenish and rejuvenate.
While you are sleeping, your body uses that time to conduct important preventive maintenance at the cellular level. Deprive the body of this restful period and you increase the potential for severe physical and/or psychological maladies.
What happens when you don’t get enough sleep
With a packed schedule, trying to squeeze as many hours as possible into the day is sorely tempting. However, when you continuously short yourself on sleep, as happens when you CAN'T fall asleep/stay asleep, you begin to pay for it in many ways:
* Impaired mood, memory, and concentration. When you don’t get enough sleep, you’re less productive, not more. Lack of sleep affects your ability to concentrate and remember things. What’s more, it makes you irritable and cranky. As a result, your social and decision-making skills suffer.
* Dampened immune system. Without adequate sleep, the immune system weakens, making you more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other infections and diseases. And when you DO get sick, it takes you longer to recover.
* Increased risk of accidents. Did you know that driving while seriously sleep deprived is similar to driving while drunk? The lack of motor coordination associated with sleep deprivation also makes you more susceptible to falls and injuries.
So, even knowing all of that, why is it so darned hard to get to sleep or stay asleep? Sometimes, even when we DO want the Sandman to do his job, we just lie there staring at the ceiling thinking of not being able to sleep. Sometimes desperation sets in and some of us resort to either over the counter or prescription sleeping aids, but since this blog is about natural remedies, we're going to talk about food and the relationship between tryptophan, B vitamins, vitamin D, serotonin, melatonin, insulin, calcium, and magnesium and how they all help you sleep.
Next: The Interaction of Bio-chemicals
Craig David says it best: It feels like insomnia, ah, ah.
Almost everyone has at some point experienced the frustrating inability to go to sleep, but sometimes it gets much, much worse and ends up in chronic insomnia. It's not just not sleeping that's the problem; it's the fatigue and brain fog that follows the insomnia.
Did you know that aside from disease, nothing degrades your health faster than lack of sleep? Your body requires that period of rest in order to replenish and rejuvenate.
While you are sleeping, your body uses that time to conduct important preventive maintenance at the cellular level. Deprive the body of this restful period and you increase the potential for severe physical and/or psychological maladies.
What happens when you don’t get enough sleep
With a packed schedule, trying to squeeze as many hours as possible into the day is sorely tempting. However, when you continuously short yourself on sleep, as happens when you CAN'T fall asleep/stay asleep, you begin to pay for it in many ways:
* Impaired mood, memory, and concentration. When you don’t get enough sleep, you’re less productive, not more. Lack of sleep affects your ability to concentrate and remember things. What’s more, it makes you irritable and cranky. As a result, your social and decision-making skills suffer.
* Dampened immune system. Without adequate sleep, the immune system weakens, making you more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other infections and diseases. And when you DO get sick, it takes you longer to recover.
* Increased risk of accidents. Did you know that driving while seriously sleep deprived is similar to driving while drunk? The lack of motor coordination associated with sleep deprivation also makes you more susceptible to falls and injuries.
So, even knowing all of that, why is it so darned hard to get to sleep or stay asleep? Sometimes, even when we DO want the Sandman to do his job, we just lie there staring at the ceiling thinking of not being able to sleep. Sometimes desperation sets in and some of us resort to either over the counter or prescription sleeping aids, but since this blog is about natural remedies, we're going to talk about food and the relationship between tryptophan, B vitamins, vitamin D, serotonin, melatonin, insulin, calcium, and magnesium and how they all help you sleep.
Next: The Interaction of Bio-chemicals
A new substitute teacher
Thursday, May 6, 2010 | By Edda Mome
I'm very pleased to announce that I passed my substitute teaching certification final exam. Let me put that differently; I'm overjoyed that I passed my final exam!!!!! I pretty much memorized all the material that was in the pretests and all the material that I knew would be on the exam. Had I not gone to hypnotherapy school I wouldn't have believed that I could memorize that much stuff (While there I learned how to put myself into trance and just be able to recall the info when I needed it.) I NEEDED all that info. I wasn't the first student done but I was a close second. So, yea, it's done.
Now here I am with three weeks left in the school year; not much time to actually get into the trenches and teach. Maybe I'll need the summer to recuperate?
Anyway, I've been a little busy for the past week. That's why I haven't posted lately. Now that I'm done with studying for the final you'll get more regular postings.
I'm done rambling. I'm finally going to bed. Good night all.
Now here I am with three weeks left in the school year; not much time to actually get into the trenches and teach. Maybe I'll need the summer to recuperate?
Anyway, I've been a little busy for the past week. That's why I haven't posted lately. Now that I'm done with studying for the final you'll get more regular postings.
I'm done rambling. I'm finally going to bed. Good night all.
Hawaiian Sweet Bread recipe
| By Edda Mome
I've been working at night as a stocker at the Pearl Harbor Commissary for the last few months. Night time is the worst time for me to be working around food because everything looks and smells so good. The last few nights I've felt lured by the Hawaiian Sweet bread on the bread racks near the back room where all the items that need to be stocked are kept. I remembered this wonderful recipe that my calabash cousin gave me a few decades ago. So I pulled it out of my extensive collection of recipes -- and it's now on my to-do list for tomorrow. I hope you'll try it - it really is pretty tasty! It's not exactly like the store-bought loaves, but it's pretty close.
Hawaiian Sweet Bread
½ cup warm water
½ small grated potato
1 Tablespoon yeast
1½ teaspoons sugar
Mix, let stand 1 hour. Add 2-½ c white flour, ¼ c warm milk. Let rise 1 ½ to 2 hours.
3 eggs + 1 yolk
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ Tablespoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons lemon extract
1 stick butter, melted
Add to risen mixture.
1 Tablespoon yeast in ¼ cup warm milk
Add instantly to the rest of the batter; do not wait to rise. Mix well with hands.
Add approximately 2½ cups flour
Knead 30 minutes, keeping dough on soft side. Oil hands; pat dough smooth to cover with oil. Cover; let rise until doubled. Punch down; divide in halves. Knead each half a few times. Make 2 round loaves, place in greased round cake pans, let rise 1 hour to 1-½ hours. Brush top with egg yolk diluted with water. Bake 350° for 40 minutes.
Hawaiian Sweet Bread
½ cup warm water
½ small grated potato
1 Tablespoon yeast
1½ teaspoons sugar
Mix, let stand 1 hour. Add 2-½ c white flour, ¼ c warm milk. Let rise 1 ½ to 2 hours.
3 eggs + 1 yolk
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ Tablespoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons lemon extract
1 stick butter, melted
Add to risen mixture.
1 Tablespoon yeast in ¼ cup warm milk
Add instantly to the rest of the batter; do not wait to rise. Mix well with hands.
Add approximately 2½ cups flour
Knead 30 minutes, keeping dough on soft side. Oil hands; pat dough smooth to cover with oil. Cover; let rise until doubled. Punch down; divide in halves. Knead each half a few times. Make 2 round loaves, place in greased round cake pans, let rise 1 hour to 1-½ hours. Brush top with egg yolk diluted with water. Bake 350° for 40 minutes.