Lustre Craft ENews! - Happy Holidays To One And All!
In the mad rush to get ready for your big family celebration, remember that the most important part of your meal is sitting down together and enjoying each other’s company. That means putting a meal on the table for all to enjoy and getting you out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. Keep in mind these tips when planning your meals:
o Serve a rainbow at every meal. Color will give a festive look to your meal and insure good nutrition at the same time.
o Go ahead and make your family favorites, your Lustre Craft Cookware will allow you to cook all the traditional recipes your family loves.
o Plan your meals so that foods high in starch, fat or sugar are spread through out the season. Slip in a green salad, fruit platter or fresh vegetable plate in place of rolls, extra potatoes or noodles.
o Cook light; use broth to baste turkey in place of pan dripping; use fat-free products in recipes such as fat-free sour cream, cream cheese, whipped topping. Use fat-free evaporated milk in place of cream in recipes for a satisfying richness.
o Cook the greaseless, waterless way. In place of sautéing in butter:
? Dice or slice your onions, celery, mushrooms or whatever is called for in the recipe.
? Place them in your Lustre Craft Cookware and cover with the valve open.
? Cook on medium heat until vapor escapes, or about 3 minutes.
? Turn to low and cook until tender and add to your recipe.
o When making gravy, pour the pan drippings into a Pyrex® bowl, measuring cup or sturdy plastic bag. Allow the fat to float to the top. Remove fat with a spoon and return the drippings to your pan and heat on medium. Continue to make your gravy by combining ¼ cup cold water and 2 Tbs. cornstarch or flour in a small container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to mix completely. Slowly add to the hot drippings in the pan. Stir until the mixture thickens. Add water if needed to increase the quantity of gravy or if too thick; season to taste.
o If you used the bag, simply snip the bottom corner of the bag while holding the bag over your pan: stop the flow when the grease nears the snipped corner.
o Keep your portions small. Remember, there will be lots of special meals and foods to enjoy, don’t over indulge at each sitting.
o Suggest a walk around the block as the perfect way to end a meal.
In all the hustle and bustle, don’t forget breakfast. Family and out of town guests will head for those home-baked cookies or leftover pie if they don’t see much available for breakfast. Wake them up with an easy yet well planned start to the day. Eggs and toast with some fresh orange juice, prepared grapefruit or a dish of berries makes an ordinary breakfast special. Or, try French toast with warm maple syrup and fruit on the side. Better yet, try our featured recipe, Every Day Eggs Benedict, for an elegant but quick and easy start to the day. Go to www.LustreCraftCookware.com for the recipe. Most of all spend all the time you can this Holiday Season with the ones you love.
