How to Make an Arnold Palmer Natural Ice Tea

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

8 large Lipton or organic tea bags

10 lemons

2 cups of natural cane turbinado sugar

3 gallons of spring water or drinking water

Directions

1. In a large cooking pot bring 1 gallon and a half of spring water or drinking water to a boil, reduce heat to minimum.

2. Slowly stir in 2 cups of natural cane turbinado sugar-stir slowly for three minutes. Remove from burner, do not remove tea bags, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

3. Remove tea bags from pot, stir pot vigorously for 1 minute, pour beverage into 1 gallon plastic or glass container-refrigerate for 2 hours. Pour the remaining ½ gallon tea into another container (this will be used as the first half and half mixture).

4. Slice lemons into halves; squeeze lemon juice into saved ½ gallon tea container. Shake vigorously, refrigerate for 2 hours.

5. Remove beverage containers from refrigerator, mix appropriate 1 ½ sweetened tea to 1 ½ of unsweetened in a 16oz glass garnished with a wedge of lemon. Repeat same steps for guest, family and friends, unused beverage may be mixed together and saved for three to five days. You can also semi freeze the beverage to make a delightful frozen slushy topped with a piece if orange, raspberry or any fruit of your desire.

 Photo Credit: Evan Swigart -- 2010

Healthy Tips to Fight Insomnia in 2017 and Beyond

Insomnia; known to be a deadly and silent killer, if left untreated this chronic sleep disorder can cause irrefutable damage to the central nervous system.

According to continuous research of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Insomnia is a condition in which you have trouble falling asleep”. And, also duly noted by the National Institutes of Health, “Long-term insomnia can cause you to feel depressed or irritable; having trouble paying attention; learning and remembering; and not to do your best at the job or at school.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Many well-renowned health advocates have concluded – that most insomnia patients bring on this disorder from instituting many poor health habits – that eventually develop into problematic health issues as time goes on.

Poor sleeping habits can develop from eating dinner or meals one hour before bed time; this is when most people begin to have the most difficult time in falling asleep. Onset insomnia can bring about difficulty in falling asleep due to extra anxiety in ones personal life, undue stress is also the major cause of ill health in American people.

Healthy Tip #1 Incorporate on a daily basis deep breathing techniques while including some type of meditational music. I have provided two links to help aid in meditation and relaxation tips from an old school point of view.

http://www.newagemusic.com/

http://www.newearthrecords.com/

Healthy Tip #2 Time management time to relax, and learning to apply discipline to relax. Stress needs to be completely absorbed in non-stressful activities. Incorporate reading a few passages from a favorite novel or book before retiring. It is well documented from many sources that reading greatly reduces stress, especially induced in a peaceful environment. Healthy tip 1 can be combined with healthy tip 2 – to ensure maximum benefits.

Healthy Tip #3 Discipline leads to repetition. Incorporating the first two healthy tips on a weekly basis for a three month period – will significantly reduce stressors that bring on insomnia and incite sleep disorders.

Healthy Tip #4 Power of Your Mind: View the entire end of day activity as an anchor that you let rest at bay. Visualize and enforce positive energy. Make time each day to take a soothing mineral bath, time to soothe the body also helps aid in a relaxed state of mind. There is nothing more rewarding to fight insomnia than having peace of mind.

Healthy Tip #5 Know when to call it a day – may be the most important aspect of fighting insomnia. Bed time will vary from each individual, but the same principals stated in this article apply to each individual who wants battle and defeat sleep disorders. Aromatherapy placed in the bedroom adds an additional comfort zone, the many known and documented findings/ affects of herbal remedies have been used for centuries worldwide to combat sleep disorders. Same time to bed – equals to a repetitive factor that becomes routine when applied in a well-disciplined fashion.

Hope these healthy tips bring sweet dreams and tranquility for 2017 and beyond.

Resources and Help Link:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/inso/inso_whatis.html

Photo Credit: Andre Schmucki 2016

Cómo hacer los huesos del cuello del cerdo con la salsa casera de Brown y las patatas blancas

Esta receta ha estado en mi familia durante tres generaciones, es una receta secreta que me gustaría compartir con todos los que disfruta de la creación de una comida abundante, satisfactoria, para el hogar. Esta receta requiere mucho tiempo para prepararse, sería aconsejable seguir cada paso que presento aquí - para disfrutar y salvador en la preparación de esta receta de comida del alma. En general; Esta receta es una tradición de larga data basada en la comunidad afroamericana y caribeña, que ahora se ha convertido en un elemento básico de la cocina americana tradicional.

Sirve de 10 a 12

1. Presoak 3lbs de huesos frescos del cuello de cerdo por 1 hora en agua salada yodada. Retire los huesos del cuello del agua, enjuague bien con agua tibia para eliminar los sedimentos y grasas inertes de la carne. Después de que la carne se haya enjuagado y limpiado apropiadamente, agregue 10 tazas de agua a la olla grande, lleve a ebullición y agregue los huesos del cuello a la olla.

2. Deje que los huesos del cuello se hervan sin cubrir durante 1 hora, antes de reducir al mínimo de calor, desnatase el exceso de grasa varias veces antes de colocar la tapa en la olla.

3. Cocine los huesos del cuello durante otra hora.

4. Mientras los huesos del cuello están cocinando, pelar y cortar 6 patatas blancas enteras en mitades o trozos.

5. Después de que los huesos del cuello hayan hervido a fuego lento durante una hora adicional, deje de cocinar, deje reposar durante 15 minutos.

6. Retire los huesos del cuello de la olla, deseche el agua, se necesitará agua fresca para reiniciar el último proceso de cocción. Lleve a ebullición 10 tazas de agua dulce, agregar los huesos del cuello a la olla.

7. Agregue las papas pre-cortadas y 1 ½ lonchas de español (cebolla roja) a la olla, agregue una generosa cantidad de mezcla de sazonada sin sel Dash.

8. Añadir 2 cucharadas de condimento de Adobo Goya

9. Agregue la salsa picante de Texas Pete (use la discreción a su gusto)

10. Añadir 1 cucharada de tomillo y orégano

11. Agregue 2 cucharadas de ajo del mundo de las especias

12. Agregue 1 cucharadita de almidón de maíz, agregue 1 cucharada de harina

13. Agregue todos los ingredientes para reducir el fuego y dejar hervir a fuego lento durante 1 y ½ hora. Durante la etapa final de la cocción, enjuague el exceso de grasa, no debe haber ningún rastro de grasa de carne visible. Elija la carne con un tenedor, si la carne es tierna, casi se cae del hueso - entonces esta deliciosa receta de comida del alma está lista para servir.

Photo Credit: Alfonso Coley -- Placa de huesos de cuello bien hechos antes de añadir a la olla

How to Make Pork Neck Bones with Homemade Brown Gravy and White Potatoes

This recipe has been in my family for three generations, it is a secret recipe that I would like to share with everyone whom enjoys creating a hearty, fulfilling, down-home, soul food meal. This recipe is time consuming to prepare, it would be well advised to follow each step I present herein – to enjoy and savior in the preparation of this soul food recipe. Overall; this recipe is a long standing tradition based in the African-American and Caribbean community, which has now become a staple of the traditional American cuisine.

Serves 10 to 12

1.  Presoak 3lbs of fresh pork neck bones for 1 hour in iodized salt water. Remove neck bones from water, rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove sediments and fatty inert from meat. After meat has been rinsed and cleaned properly, add 10 cups of water to large pot, bring to a boil, and add neck bones to pot.

2.  Let neck bones boil uncovered for 1 hour, before reducing to minimum heat, skim excess grease several times before placing lid on cooking pot.

3.  Simmer neck bones for another hour.

4. While neck bones are cooking, peel and cut 6 whole white potatoes into halves or chunks.

5. After neck bones have simmered for an additional hour, stop cooking, let stand for 15 minutes.

6. Remove neck bones from pot, discard water, fresh water will be needed to re-start the last cooking process. Bring to a boil 10 cups of fresh water, add neck bones to pot.

7.  Add pre-cut potatoes and 1 ½ finely sliced Spanish (red-onion) to pot, add a generous amount of salt-free Mrs. Dash seasoning blend.

8.  Add 2 tablespoons of Goya Adobo seasoning

9.  Add Texas Pete hot sauce (use discretion-to your liking)

10. Add 1 tablespoon of thyme and oregano

11.  Add 2 tablespoons of Spice-World Garlic

12. Add 1 teaspoon of corn starch, add 1 tablespoon of flour

13. Stir in all ingredients reduce heat and let simmer for 1 and ½ hour. During the final stage of the cooking, skim excess grease, there should be no trace of meat grease visible. Pick meat with fork, if meat is tender, almost falling off the bone – then this delightful soul food recipe is ready to serve.

Photo Credit: Alfonso Coley -- Showing two neck bones well done before adding to the pot

Come fare italiano Pomodori verdi fritti

Serve 6-8

2 chili di pomodori verdi
6 fette di provolone
Meno di 1 ½ padella piena di olio di canola di cottura (sarà necessario ripetere l'operazione 2 volte se la cottura per un gruppo più grande)
briciole di pane italiano
1 cucchiaio di Goya Adobo pepe condimento
Migliori uova di 2 uova sbattute, Terra
1 cucchiaio di basilico

Come fare Pomodori verdi

1. Pomodori verdi devono essere tagliati in quarti di media; questo dà il pomodoro la migliore consistenza frittura.

2. Aggiungere 1 tazza di pangrattato italiani a ciotola mescolare, mettere le uova sbattute a parte, girare fuochi superiore a 1 quarto sotto fuoco medio, e aggiungere olio di canola di cottura della vaschetta.

3. Stagione entrambi i lati di pomodori verdi con basilico, aggiungere 1 cucchiaio di Goya Adobo condimento per la pastella di uova.

4. Dip nei pomodori verdi in uovo battitore uno alla volta, rotolare entrambi i lati nel pangrattato italiani, e subito aggiungere i pomodori in cucina padella. Girare il calore fino a medio, e friggere pan per 10 a 12 minuti, girare pomodori verdi 2 volte per dargli quel tessuto marrone dorato.

5. Top i pomodori verdi con una fetta moderata di provolone, lasciate sciogliere sulla parte superiore del pomodoro, mentre ancora in padella. Rimuovere immediatamente dalla padella, mettere i pomodori su un tovagliolo di carta per drenare l'olio in eccesso e servite subito con un bicchiere di zinfandel rosso o bianco.

Photo Credit: Andy Melton 2008 -- Wikimedia Commons

How To Make Italian Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds of green tomatoes

6 slices of provolone cheese

Less than 1 ½ pan filled with canola cooking (will need to repeat this step 2 times if cooking for a larger group)

Italian bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of Goya Adobo pepper seasoning

2 Egg Land’s Best eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon of sweet basil

How to Make Green Tomatoes

1. Green tomatoes should be sliced into medium quarters; this gives the tomato the best frying consistency.

2. Add 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs to mixing bowl, place beaten eggs aside, turn stove top burner to 1 quarter below medium heat, and add canola oil to cooking pan.

3. Season both sides of green tomatoes with sweet basil, add 1 tablespoon of Goya Adobo seasoning to egg batter.

4. Dip in green tomatoes in egg batter one at a time, roll both sides in Italian bread crumbs, and immediately add tomatoes into cooking frying pan. Turn heat up to medium, and pan fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turn over green tomatoes 2 times to give it that golden brown texture.

5. Top off green tomatoes with a moderate slice of provolone cheese, let melt on top of tomato while still in frying pan. Remove immediately from frying pan, place tomatoes on a paper towel to drain off excess oil and serve right away with a glass of red or white zinfandel. 

Photo Credit: Andy Melton 2008 -- Wikimedia Commons