Bean Facts

1 cup of dried beans equals 8 ounces

1 cup of dried beans equals 2 to 3 cups of cooked beans

1 pound of dried beans equals 6 cups of cooked beans

One 15 to 16 ounce can of beans, rinsed and drained, equals 1 1/2 to 2 cups

Honey-Soy Chicken

Honey, soy sauce, and a splash of water make a simple sticky glaze. Lining the pan with aluminum foil eases after-dinner clean-up.

Serves 4

1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 skinless chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds total)
coarse salt and ground pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a shallow roasting pan or 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, mix together honey, soy sauce, and 1/3 cup water. Add chicken, and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken and honey mixture to prepared roasting pan.

Bake chicken, basting with juices from edges of pan every 10 minutes, until well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of drumstick (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.



I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website while crusing the internet . . . as yet I have not tried it . . . will comment when I do. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear your comments.


How I'd vary this recipe . . .

Since I only buy frozen chicken tenderloins or whole chickens, I'd use chicken tenderloins in this recipe, with the addition of garlic and sliced onions and serve over white rice.

Roasted Chicken Tips

To get flavor into the meat and not just on the skin, lift up the skin and rub garlic, salt and butter right on the chicken. Keep disposable plastic gloves on hand for this prep step.

Stuff the chicken with onions, celery, carrots and garlic to get flavor from the inside out. Lemons and onions gives the chicken an awesome lemony flavor.

To get even browning on the chicken, coat it with vegetable cooking spray before baking.

To prevent the skin from shrinking while cooking, use wooden picks to hold it back in place over the breast meat.

Yogurt acts as a marinade to tenderize the chicken and make it moist. It does inhibit browning, so be sure to wipe excess from skin and coat with cooking spray.

Tie the ends of the legs together with kitchen string. This will help the chicken hold a better shape while baking. (Personally, I don't do this . . . in my opinion, the chicken cooks better without doing it . . . however, if the appearance of the roasted chicken is important, tie the legs)

Bake on a wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined pan. It's all about not letting the chicken lounge in the drippings. Use a broiler pan with a rack, or place a rack in a pan that has at least 1-inch sides, such as a jelly-roll pan.

Got more tips? Please comment :)

Banana Coconut Cream Dessert

This recipe is begging for me to try. It is one of those quick and easy desserts you can control ingredients to make lower fat. Looks yummy . . . will comment when I try it out. If you make it before I do, please comment! By the way, keep an extra box of Bisquick around!

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup firm butter or margarine
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 3/4 cups milk
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 cups whipped cream
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut


1. Heat oven to 375°F. Mix Bisquick mix and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Press in bottom of ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches.

2. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. Make pudding mix as directed on package for pudding, using 1 3/4 cups milk; spread over crust. Top with banana slices. Spread whipped cream over top. Sprinkle with coconut. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 24 hours.


High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) No changes.

This recipe comes from Betty Crocker.com . . . on my link listing