Washing Lettuce

Melanie suggested washing your lettuce in salt water. I tried it last week and again this week, it works great. Just fill your sink with cold water. Sprinkle in a good bit of salt and stir around. Dump in your lettuce and let it soak about 5 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and ready to eat!

Freezing Cilantro

By Lea Ann Fessenden-Joseph, eHow Editor

Add some zest to your cooking with cilantro

Rate: (2 Ratings)

Fresh cilantro will only remain fresh for five to 10 days in the refrigerator. If you are harvesting or buying large quantities, you may want to consider freezing the herbs for use in cooking later. Of course, some of the vibrant flavor will be lost, but certainly not all.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Rinse the cilantro to remove any dirt or dust from the leaves. Pat cilantro dry with paper towels.

Step2

Cut all the leaves from the stems using your kitchen shears or a sharp knife.

Step3

Clean an empty ice cube tray and fill each cube with your cilantro leaves. Pack as many leaves as possible.

Step4

Add a little water to each cube of the tray and store the ice tray in the freezer for two days.

Step5

Remove the cubes and pour them into a zip lock freezer bag after the cubes are frozen solid. Store the freezer bag in the freezer and remove the cilantro cubes as needed for soups, stews, salsa or any recipe.

If you don't have an ice cube tray handy try a mini muffin tin.

Tomato Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 5 serrano chiles, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, chili peppers, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

The name says it all. There 's a chocolate layer and a thick and creamy banana cream layer. But there are also lots of whipped cream topping and shredded, toasted coconut. Chill and serve this sensational deep-dish dessert to a cheering crowd.

Yield:

1 - deep dish pie

Ingredients
	1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust, baked and cooled 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon butter 2 bananas, sliced 1 1/2 cups cold milk 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Combine chocolate, 1 tablespoon milk, and butter or margarine in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread evenly in pie crust.
2. Arrange banana slices over chocolate.
3. Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mix, and beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut. Spoon over banana slices in crust.
4. Spread whipped topping over pie. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set. Store in refrigerator.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 8
	Amount Per Serving
	Calories:	377 cal		Total Fat:	20.7 g		Cholesterol:	8 mg
	Sodium:	405 mg		Carbohydrates:	46.3 g		Fiber:	2.1 g
	Protein:	4.1 g

Mango Papaya Salsa

Bring the sweet flavor of the tropics to your next summer meal! This blend of distinctive fruit flavors is great with chips, or as a topping for seafood and poultry.

Prep Time:	15m
Ready in:	45m
Yield:	8 servings

Ingredients
	1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced 1 papaya - peeled, seeded and diced 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced 1/2 sweet onion, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix mango, papaya, red bell pepper, avocado, sweet onion, cilantro, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 8
	Amount Per Serving
	Calories:	76 cal		Total Fat:	4 g		Cholesterol:	0 mg
	Sodium:	6 mg		Carbohydrates:	10.7 g		Fiber:	2.6 g
	Protein:	1 g

Guacamole (with cilantro)

Cilantro and cayenne give this tasty guacamole a kick. Makes four servings.

Prep Time:	10m
Ready in:	10m
Yield:	4 servings

Ingredients
	3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed 1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup diced onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 4
	Amount Per Serving
	Calories:	264 cal		Total Fat:	23.3 g		Cholesterol:	0 mg
	Sodium:	601 mg		Carbohydrates:	16.4 g		Fiber:	8.8 g
	Protein:	3.7 g

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Pesto

Cook chicken tenders quickly on the grill and top with pesto made with cilantro and sesame seeds for a zesty, speedy dinner. Serve with: Quinoa and grilled asparagus.

Prep Time:	35 minutes
Ready in:	35 minutes
Yield:	4 servings
Ease of Prep:	Easy

Recipe Ingredients
	1/4 cup lime juice
	1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
	1 tablespoon canola oil
	1 teaspoon chili powder
	1 pound chicken tenders
	2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (1-2 bunches)
	2 scallions , sliced
	2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (see Ingredient Note)

Recipe Directions

1. Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, oil and chili powder in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl. Add chicken to the remaining marinade; toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Meanwhile, place cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and the reserved marinade in a food processor and process until fairly smooth.
4. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade) and grill until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the chicken with the cilantro-sesame pesto.

Ingredient Note: Sesame seeds can be purchased already toasted. Look for them near other Asian ingredients. Or toast your own in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Tip: To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Health Advantages: low calorie, low carb, low sat fat, low sodium, heart healthy, healthy weight, gluten free diet.

Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 4
	Amount Per serving
	Calories:	152 cal					Carbohydrate Servings:	0
	Carbohydrates:	3 g		Dietary Fiber:	1 g		Cholesterol:	67 mg
	Fat:	4 g		Sodium:	290 mg		Saturated Fat:	0 g
	Protein:	27 g		Potassium:	105 mg		Monounsaturated Fat:	2 g
	Nutrition Bonus:	Vitamin A (15% daily value).
	Exchanges:	3 1/2 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Freezing Sweet Potatoes

Directions for Freezing Sweet Potato

Ingredients and Equipment

• sweet potatoes (see step 1)
• A sharp, large serrated knife
• Freezer bags or containers

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Choose your sweet potatoes

Choose medium to large sweet potatoes that have been cured for at least one week (they're sweeter). Select sound, firm roots. For the most food value, choose sweet potatoes of a deep orange color.

Handle them carefully to prevent bruising. Ideal storage conditions are a dry, unrefrigerated area at 55 to 60 degrees F. Do NOT refrigerate, because temperatures below 55 degrees F. will chill it, giving it a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked.

Sort according to size and wash.

Step 2 - Cook the sweet potatoes

Cook until almost tender using any one of the following methods:

• in water,
• in steam,
• in a pressure cooker or
• in the oven.

Cook them until they are partially soft (about 15 to 20 minutes in fully boiling water).

Step 4 - Cool

Let stand at room temperature until cool.

Step 5 - Peel

Peel the sweet potatoes, cut in halves, slice or mash. (mashing is ok for freezing, just not canning)

Step 6 - Avoid darkening

If desired, to prevent darkening, dip whole sweet potatoes or slices for 5 seconds in a solution of 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1 quart water.

To keep mashed sweet potatoes from darkening, mix 2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice with each quart of mashed sweet potatoes.

Step 7 - Pack

Pack into containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. You can pack it containers, like Ziploc bags or plastic containers, exclude as much air as you can, and freeze it!

Step 8 - Freeze

Seal and freeze.