Did you know...

If you accidentally oversalt the food, add some type of citrus or acid to balance it out.

Recipe: Easy Spinach and Cheese Ravioli

10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese (grated fine)
½ cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
Salt and pepper to taste
24 wonton wrappers
2 ½ cups marinara sauce, warmed

1.        Mix the spinach, cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper together.   

2.       Assemble ravioli:   Arrange 4 to 6 wrappers on a work surface, keeping remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel.  Spoon a scant tablespoon spinach mixture in center of each wrapper.  With a fingertip, moisten edges of wrapper with water, then fold over filling to form a triangle and press to seal (flatten area around filling to eliminate air pockets).  Place ravioli on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel.  Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

3.       In a large pot bring salted water to boil; reduce to a bare simmer.  Drop half the ravioli into water, one at a time, stirring gently to prevent sticking.  Cook until al dente, about 3 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, arrange in a single layer, and let drain briefly.  Repeat with remaining ravioli.  Serve topped with sauce

Did you know...

You can Freeze Herbs (I was really surprised by this)

If your naturally green thumb has left you with bushels of herbs, sometimes drying them leaves them tasteless. Freezing them at their freshest is a great way to store moist herbs to retain flavor. Start by washing and pat-drying your leafy herbs. You may want to chop them into desired portions before freezing. On a small tray or cookie sheet, spread the herbs out individually on top of parchment paper and place them covered in the freezer. Once frozen solid, remove the herbs, place them in an airtight plastic bag and pop back into freezer until you are ready to use. You could even spoon herbs into an ice tray and fill it halfway with water. When they're ready, simply plop the herbs in a stew or your next dish. Flavorful herbs such as mint are best with iced tea or even your next chilled cocktail.  

Smoky Mountains .... Cades Cove

When touring The Great Smoky Mountains a must see is Cades Cove.  It is an 11 mile driving loop that follows some of the routes the settlers forged years ago.  Did you know it was once called “Kate’s Cove” after an Indian Chief’s wife?  The Cherokee Nation came back over and over due to the great hunting.  Then the European descendants made it their home for the same reason.  I would hope it was also due to the stunning valley surrounded by beautiful mountains and wildlife.  It is definitely a must see when visiting The Great Smoky Mountains.  There are several areas to stop and explore… trails, wildlife, scenery, and buildings.  It is a magical place that can take you back in time and experience the past.

Our first stop on the loop is John Oliver’s Place.  The Oliver’s settled in Cades Cove in 1826 with no Indian Treaty allowing them access.  They were lucky because the Cherokee Indians actually helped them survive their first winter.  The Calhoun Treaty took affect about a year later.  Taking a left you can visit Primitive Baptist Church that the early settlers established in 1827.  It served the community until 1887 but during the Civil War; public unrest shut the church down.  Next on the loop is the Methodist Church.  Reportedly the building and it furnishings were made by J.D. McCampbell.  He was a blacksmith and carpenter, and it is said he built the church in 115 days for $115 (I wish we could build a house for that!).  He later became a preacher and served his community.

The Missionary Baptist Church is the next stop in the loop.  It was formed in 1839 when some of the members of the Primitive Baptist Church favored missionary work.   The other members believed there was no biblical basis that supports missionary work.   When they couldn’t agree the Missionary Baptist Church was formed.   To the right you will find Rich Mountain Road.  This road was built by the state in the 1920’s, but once was an Indian trail.  It is a 12 mile trek which takes you to an incredible view at the top of the path.  If you like to hike then Cooper Road Trail is right up your alley.  This trail once was a path for wagons, and now it is a 10 mile hiking trail that ends near the Foothills Parkway.

Elijah Oliver Place is our next stop.  Elijah was born in Cades Cove in 1824 to John and Luraney the first settlers in the cove.  It is at the end of a half-mile hiking trail.  There is a smokehouse barn and springhouse to explore.  Our next adventure back in time takes us to the Cable Mill Area. It features the Visitor Center, the blacksmith shop, cantilever barn, smokehouse, Gregg-Cable house, and a corn crib and the John Cable Mill.  The mill is still working and you can stop and purchase corn mill and flour as settlers once did.   A little further up the trail is the Henry Whitehead Place.  It was built in the late 1800’s.

A great place to stretch your legs is the half mile Nature Trail.  Up on your right is Dan Lawson Place which was built in 1856.  The small outbuildings were sometime used as pantries and smokehouses.  If you love honey you will like our next stop.  The Tipton Place has a bee gum stand.  Our final stop and last chance to see the past is the Carter Shields Cabin.

Recipe: Apricot Marinated Pork Chops

¼ cup canola oil plus 1 tbsp
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp Sriracha 
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seed oil (or toasted sesame oil) 
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
2 tbsp apricot preserves
8 – 4oz. thin pork chops, bone-in (about ¼ inch thick)
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (you also could use cilantro)
2 to 4 green onions, sliced  (depends on how much you like)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place 1/4 cup canola oil, sugar, vinegar, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, pumpkin oil, garlic and apricot preserves in a food processor and process for 15 seconds. Put the pork chops in a heavy-duty resalable plastic bag. Add half of the marinade and reserve the other half until serving. Squeeze out the air, seal and move the chops around in the bag to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes, and up to 8 hours.
  

Remove the chops from the bag. Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil to reduce and thicken the sauce a bit, about 2 minutes.

Heat large stainless saute pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Brown the chops in the hot pan, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place the saute pan in the oven and cook until done (155 degrees F internal temperature). Serve with a spoonful of the glaze, with parsley and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.

Did you know....

Steep a cup of vanilla tea in hot water and sip slowly. Or sniff a bottle of vanilla extract or essential oil slowly and deeply three times whenever you need to de-stress or calm down.

Did you know...

Nourish bones as well as skin by choosing orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D.