Classic Home Cooking With Dora Sanders Hill

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"The Sensuality of Good Food"

This article is  written strictly for "grown folks"....It's sexy, it's mature....and is designed solely for the purpose of creating an "atmosphere of romance"...Of course, we all could use a little more romance in our lives....And this platter is sure to do the trick.

I have been happily married to my best friend and my lover for over 18 years...We love going out on dates, and we love enjoying a romantic meal in a dimly lit restaurant. But with the economy being as shaky as it is, sometimes the finer, more enjoyable things in life have a tendency to get put on hold, because of finances, but that does not have to be the case. Food is sensual, provacative, and enticing. It creates an aura of it's own and can easily be used to set any mood if you work it right. I call this platter, "Grown and Sexy".

You are home and you want to set the mood. This platter is perfect. It requires no cooking and is full of sexy finger foods that have a balance of carbs, and proteins, so you are not stuffed and ready to go to sleep. Guys, you can do this too....it's so easy.  Can you imagine how your lady will feel when you create this marvelous platter and bring it into the bedroom?  Then you take your time and make little wraps out of the Romaine lettuce and feed it to her? Yeah...you get the picture...No utensils required. Ladies, it's calorie friendly so you don't have to worry about your figure or your diet...because it's a mixture of sweet and savory, lowfat and  it's very, very satisfying. Pair it with your sexy beverage choice...served in the sexiest stemmed glass that you have, with some smooth jazz or classic R&B  and ohhlala. You'll have a night to remember.

"Grown and Sexy Platter"

This platter includes an assortment of fresh fruit. Pick whatever is in season and whatever  fruit you enjoy...Just make sure that you use a variety of colors and textures. I love hummus. I have red pepper hummus in the middle of this tray. If you have never tried hummus, give it a try. They have a variety of flavors and it makes a wonderful dip with toasted bagels cut into bite size pieces. The little white triangles are Skinny Cow cheese spreads, low calorie and loaded with flavor. Also, on the tray is cubed cheese (of your choice), I opted for the 2% variety, but any kind will work nicely. I added some honey ham cut into small pieces. Of course you can use any deli meat you prefer... or no meat at all. The key is to make it colorful and arrange it nicely. I also added some olives. You could use pickles or sliced fresh veggie. Romaine lettuce, rinsed and cut in half, make a wonderful wrap to create all kinds of flavor combinations from your platter.  You can make this platter with what ever ingredients you like. Be creative and Enjoy!

With A Little Planning You Can Have “Faster Food” At Home

You’ve had a hard day at work….and you still  have to pick up the kids and get some food either picked up or prepared for dinner.  You’re already tired and just can’t imagine standing in the kitchen for another hour and half …So once again the drive thru wins out.

It’s a vicious cycle and I know you want to do better, and you can with a little planning. It all starts at the grocery store. I very rarely take a full grocery list to the store…(I’ll talk more in depth about shopping in another post) I only  take a list with the main essentials that we are getting low on like, milk, eggs, bread and butter etc. …Everything else is pretty much up for grabs and based on what is on sale that  week. I don’t have any brand loyalties and have found that the discount store brands taste just as good as the name brand (And Classic Home Cooks always doctor it up anyway). I have found that I can save the most money when I plan meals around   the meats and items that are on sale and stocking up on them, instead of planning a menu and end up paying a premium amount for something that I could get $2.00 cheaper the next week.

Try this simple recipe instead of stopping at Taco Belle:

1 pound Boneless Chicken breast (take out of freezer in the morning before you leave and leave it in refrigerator to thaw.) *You can also use a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp instead,  as seen in the picture.

When you get home, take chicken out of the refrigerator, rinse and cut into to small strips that will cook fairly quickly.  Pour a little cooking oil about 2-3 TBS into a heavy skillet. (You can also spray with a non stick cooking spray.) While the skillet is getting hot, seasoned chicken with chili powder, garlic powder, and a little seasoning    salt.  Add chicken to skillet and cook strips until done.  Cover and set aside.

Chop a half head of Iceberg lettuce, and dice one med. tomato.  Put lettuce on large  serving plate sprinkle with tomatoes and add shredded Mexican style cheese. Place cooked chicken on top and let each person add salsa and or Ranch Dressing.  Serve with Garden Salsa Sun chips   Time: 20- 25 mins. (serves  4)

*You can also add canned black beans (rinsed) and some canned corn (rinse and drained) on top for garnish as well as sliced avocado , or sour cream if you like.

**Boneless chicken breast is a staple at our house, but I only buy it when it goes on sale, then I’ll buy a couple of extra packages. It cooks up fast and is very versatile.

"Nothing says I LOVE you like a home cooked meal."

I have been getting   requests  for  years about  starting a cooking school…God is perfect in His timing and I have to admit that I am  very excited to be sharing with you some of my favorite recipes, techniques and strategies on how to cook fabulous, delicious and sexy meals  that your family and friends will love.…Yes food is sensuous and eating is intimate…When you cook for people that you love, it is translated in a real and tangible way. As,  an old adage says, “That a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  

“Classic Home Cooking” is time tested and of the highest quality. It is food that is fused with love in every bite. To be a classic home cook you don’t have to have  special training, or even be a great cook. You just  need  to have  a love for food and the people  that you  are cooking for…With a few tips and some great recipes…You will be getting raves reviews about your meals too.

I will be sharing cooking and shopping tips in this blog And even with state of the economy, one thing we do know is that we have to eat...And if we can make it fun, entertaining, sexy, enjoyable...and economical, then our foodie experiences will be all the better. You may not be able to go out...But you can go in!

Be sure to visit my web page and register for the upcoming "Classic Home Cooking with Dora Sanders Hill", classes

http://classiccooking.eventbrite.com/