The reason I’ve been studying flax seeds is because I want to eat healthier.  Well, apparently, flax seed is probably one of the most nutrient packed foods on the planet, loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and that good old omega-3 fatty acid.  Flax seed is also low in carbs, so if you are limiting your sugar and starch intake, you can use flax seed meal in your cooking without adding carbohydrates to your diet.

When I first started reading about flax seed, I thought it would be simple to add to my diet as a supplement.  Well, it’s not a magic pill.  Apparently, the flax seeds need to be ground into meal to make the “phytochemicals”, which are the things like antioxidants, available to your body.  Un-ground flax seeds will just pass through your body without leaving any of the nutritients.  And, the fiber does not exist in flax seed oil.  So, no supplement will do.

There are also benefits for people trying to lose weight.  Even when sticking to a strict diet, if you include foods made with flax seed meal, you will feel more satisfied after eating a meal.  This is because of the healthy fat and good fiber that flax seeds offer.

So, how can we include flax seeds in our diet?  It appears that the most important thing to know is that you should use flax seed meal in your cooking.  Grinding the seeds into meal “releases” the nutrients and makes them available to your body.  When you grind your flax seeds into meal, the meal will get rancid rather quickly, staying fresh in the freezer for only a week or two.  That’s why most folks choose to grind only what they need at the time.  However, you can store whole flax seeds up to a year in a cool, dark place in an airtight container – probably in the refrigerator.

Some people will use flax seed meal as an egg substitute in dishes that call for egg to add structure to the food, like meatloaf.  You can also sprinkle a tablespoon or two on hot cereal in the morning.  Other recipes call for flax seed meal to be used in the place of flour in quick breads or muffins.

As to the method of grinding the flax seeds into meal, a lot of folks have recommended the use of a coffee grinder.  I can see their point mostly because you don’t want to grind more than you’re going to use up right away.  So, unless I’m making a muffin recipe which calls for two cups of meal, grinding a few tablespoons for my cereal will probably work best in my coffee grinder.  When you grind them, just be sure you can’t feel any sharp edges leftover.  The flax seed meal should feel grainy, but not sharp.

Now, I’m wondering if anyone has cooked a lot, or even a little, with flax seed meal.  If you have, I’d love to hear your ideas about their best use, especially if you’ve used flax seed meal to replace eggs or flour.  Also, have you had any problems finding flax seeds?  I look forward to your input!

I know from experience that corn on the cob is very, very delicate and must be picked and eaten almost simultaneously.  My Mom used to get the big pot boiling on the stove before she sent us out to pick!  That quick cooking really makes a difference in the flavor.  However, just how much corn can a person eat?

If the stalks are loaded, and the frost is about to make a surprise appearance, you’re going to end up with a bushel of corn waiting to be eaten.  So, what can you do with that much corn?

The easiest, or at least most reliable, method for taking care of an abundance of corn is to cut the kernels from the cob and freeze them.  This is a messy job but it’s very effective.  The actual freezing is easy enough – just put portions in a zip-lock bag and freeze it.  But, the removal of the kernels from the cob is a bit tricky.  You want to get all the “milk” without any of the cob.  You need a very sharp knife and a bowl to catch the kernels.  But, no matter how you do it, it’s a mess.

Once you’ve removed the kernels, the ways to serve corn is endless.  Freshly removed kernels are so sweet and tender, they make the perfect start to a perfect Corn Chowder.  Fresh corn cut from the cob turns any old Corn Chowder recipe into a masterpiece.  I’d have to say that is one of my favorite choices for using fresh corn.

Other uses for fresh corn is to simply cook and serve with butter, salt, and a bit of freshly ground black pepper.  Mix in some diced sweet red peppers for a little color and crunch and you’ve got a delightful dish.  Like I said, the choices are endless.

I’d love to hear some of your favorite recipes for fresh corn, either on the cob or off.  I’d also appreciate any tips you may have for removing corn from the cob and if you have any ideas for keeping the job a bit more tidy!  Thanks!

Needless to say, we still end up with multiple packages of bacon in our refrigerator because my husband also likes to shop for groceries.

Now that I have several packages of bacon in my refrigerator, and would rather use it up in more imaginative ways than just four strips alongside eggs on my husband’s breakfast plate, I’m wondering if anyone has an interesting way to use bacon in a main dish.

I must admit I love those broccoli salads that have crumbled bacon and raisins in them.  That’s such a neat combination of flavors and the salads are actually rather healthy, even with the bacon.  Any time I can combine some kind of green food along with the bacon, I feel a bit better about what I’m serving and eating.

Do you have any other ways to include bacon in a salad or main dish that would suit both my bacon-loving husband and a person who’s trying to eat a bit healthier, such as myself?

I’d love to hear your ideas!

As with any favorite food, you’ve got to find new ways to cook and serve them so you don’t get tired of them.  I’ve basically used the same recipe for turnip greens time after time and really need to try something totally different.

I usually cheat and buy already washed and trimmed turnip greens.  Our farmer’s market has bags of prepared greens all ready to go, or you can buy bunches and clean them yourself.  I’m just a bit lazy when it comes to washing greens.  If you’re forced to wash your own, cut off the thick ends, split the ribs right down the middle, chop up the greens into bite size pieces (a scissors works well for that) and dump them into a huge tub of cold water to soak.  You’ll need to change the water two or three times to get rid of the grit.  When I’ve been forced to clean my own greens, I’ve used a big plastic storage bin placed in my bathtub.

The recipe I use is a simple tried and true method.  Just the greens, salt pork if I have it, or bacon or ham will do, water, onion, garlic, a touch of brown sugar, sprinkle of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, and just a few crushed red pepper flakes.  Add water and start simmering.  You’ll know when it’s done because the greens will become tender and the flavors will blend nicely.

What I’m wondering is if anyone has developed a good alternative turnip greens recipe that’s as satisfying as the traditional one.  I’ve made creamed spinach in the past and wonder if there is a creamed turnip green dish that works.

I’d love to hear your ideas on the whole turnip green subject!

Our family is not big into Jello-Type desserts, so the strawberry gelatin will probably sit in my cupboards until I come up with something else to use them for.

I do have one more rhubarb dessert recipe I can make, which isn’t a pie.  It only uses two cups of rhubarb so I think I could squeak out this last recipe, but it still won’t use up all the strawberry gelatin I have left.  I’ll share this Easy Rhubarb Strawberry Bars recipe just in case you’ve got a hankerin’ for another rhubarb dessert.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 egg, beaten with fork
• 1 tblsp milk

• 2 cups rhubarb, cleaned and cut small
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin
• 1 cup sugar

Mix together in bowl the flour, baking powder, and salt, then cut in the butter.  (Take 1/2 cup of mixture out and set aside for the topping.) Add the egg and milk to your main bowl and mix well.  Pat mixture into an 8 inch square baking pan.  Put rhubarb on top and sprinkle with the strawberry gelatin.  Mix the 1 cup of sugar with the 1/2 cup of reserved topping and sprinkle over the rhubarb/strawberry gelatin mix.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees.  This can be served warm like an Apple Crisp, with ice cream.  Or cool a little and cut into bars.

Any other ideas for using strawberry gelatin?  I’d love to hear from you!

As far as cooking with buttermilk, I will say that I use buttermilk in many marinades, especially with chicken.  Buttermilk is more acidic than regular milk so it really does the marinading thing very well, making meat and chicken nice and tender, and, again, the flavor boost is a bonus.

I must say, I can not bring myself to drink it, but have found many other uses for buttermilk.  And, now that I found out the truth that it is actually low in calories and fat, I’m finding more uses for it.  I’ve started using buttermilk in more sauces and creamy dishes, like Beef Stroganoff.  I used to stir in sour cream, but find that buttermilk works just as well.

If you’re looking for a simple side-dish recipe to try buttermilk in, I’ll share my Skillet Potatoes recipe with you.

• 2 tblsp butter, or oil with a touch of butter
• 2 large potatoes, diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk

Melt the butter (or oil/butter mix) in large heavy skillet and add potatoes.  Cook on medium heat, stirring until potatoes are browned nicely.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper over, then pour in the buttermilk.  Simmer slowly uncovered until potatoes get tender and the buttermilk thickens up.  This will take about 15 minutes or so.

This is a surprisingly delicious potato dish.  You may want to sprinkle a little freshly snipped chives or green onions on top when you serve.

These are just a few ideas for using buttermilk.  What are some of your favorite ways to use up some of your buttermilk?

To make a long story short, I bought a jar of gourmet stuffed green olives for my brother-in-law who loves them in martinis.  But then the ban on flying with any liquids went into effect and I couldn’t bring them on the plane when I went to visit my family.  So, they stayed in my cupboard for about a year until I finally flushed them down the toilet, which is an interesting story for another day.

Now, I’m just curious what you would use green olives for in cooking.  I most often see them used in different Mediterranean inspired dishes.  Also, they are quite prevalent on anti-pasto trays at Italian dinner tables.

What would you use them in if you were trying to finish off a jar?  I do have a memory of being in grade school and eating a tuna-macaroni salad at the school picnic, and there were cut up stuffed green olives mixed in.  I can’t remember if I like it though.

I’d love to hear your opinions and recipes for using up a jar of olives.

The first thing that comes to mind to use up pie crusts is Chicken Pot Pie.  I’ve never had a great deal of luck with my pot pies, so am a little hesitant to try again.  Mine are normally a bit too runny, and I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong.  I have considered making them smaller, more like individual pies, just to keep them from staying too liquid in the middle.  Any ideas?

Has anyone tried to cut up a pie crust into strips and just creating a nice crust on top of a casserole, sort of Shepard Pie style?  I would think that would be pretty good.

I also had an idea that I could cut the pie crusts into smaller circles that would fit in a muffin tin and making little “breakfast pies” by putting some sausage and egg mixture in each one and baking them.  Doesn’t that sound cute?

I’d love to hear from you with any tips and ideas you might have to use up my pie crusts!

I did stumble across a fantastically inventive recipe that I am really anxious to try.  It was scribbled on a piece of paper stuck in a cookbook I bought at the library’s book fair.  My husband makes a pretty mean meatloaf, so I’m going to challenge him with a meatloaf “cook off” with this recipe.  Here it is, see what you think.

Dijon Applesauce Meat Loaf

• 1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 small onion, diced finely
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb ground beef

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tblsp brown sugar
• 1 tblsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

In a big bowl, mix together the egg, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup applesauce, onion, celery salt, 1 teaspoon Dijon, salt, and pepper.  When it’s mixed well, add the beef and mix it up nicely with your hands, being sure not to over mix it.  Form loaf and put in greased loaf pan.  Whisk together the topping ingredients and spread evenly over the meat loaf.  Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.

I really like the change from the regular tomato based meat loaf.  We’ll see if my husband agrees!

Any other ideas about how to use lots and lots of applesauce?  I’d love it if you would share your recipes with me.

I actually prefer using evaporated milk in my Fish Chowder, and other creamy soups.  The texture is very nice and you don’t have to worry about scorching the milk if you let the temperature get away from you a little.  I’ll share a Real Simple Fish Chowder recipe that I use when I want to make it simple, but good.

• 3 cups of cooked fish, any kind you like, flaked up a little
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 big potatoes, cooked (mash half, cube half)
• 2 strips bacon, fried, drained, crumbled
• 1 tsp, more or less, salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk

Melt the butter in a soup pot and lightly saute onion.  In separate pot, cook potatoes, mash half and cube half.  Fry the bacon in separate skillet, drain, and crumble.  Now, add all the ingredients once they’re ready to the soup pot with butter and onion.  Give it all a good stir and heat through.  Refrigerate, and reheat the next day… it always tastes better the day after.  Serve with crusty bread, and sprinkle a little fresh chives on top of the chowder.  Very simple and good.

I’ve used half-and-half instead of the evaporated milk in this recipe and it just doesn’t taste like home.  How do you use evaporated milk?  Any fun new recipes?  I’d love to hear from you!