OCR Text |
Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Wednesday, December 27, 2006 A5 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Great tasting, less filling ways to start the New Year By Tanya Y. Spencer Education Editor A good trade As a kid, I always wanted a horse. However, when you live on a lot the size of a Kleenex, in the suburbs of Washington D.C., the neighbors don’t take kindly to the fragrance of road apples. The dream never died and when we moved to Sanpete County, the hunt was on. Our son, Dave, had never ridden, so a calm, gentle horse was a must. When we explained that to a prospective seller, his family looked at each other and exclaimed in unison, “Spooky!” It was a weird thing to say. As far as I knew, we didn’t look like Lily and Herman Munster. When I realized ‘Spooky’ was the name of their horse, it should have been a clue to the animal’s personality. But hey, we’d never owned a horse— maybe they’d named her that because she was born on Halloween. “Will you ride her so we can see how she responds?” my husband, Russ, asked. The son ran to the barn and brought out a prancing, sidestepping horse. I wondered, “Is it normal to see the whites of a horse’s eyes?” The boy leapt on and before the kid’s backside even hit the saddle, the horse bolted. They ripped around the arena, scaring the beejeebers out of the barn cat who sat sunning itself by a post. Horse and rider finally reared to a halt, inches away from us, and I had visions of Spooky falling over backwards and squashing us. Dust filled the air, but Russ managed to cough out a few words. “Thanks so much, but I don’t think that horse is quite right for us.” The next horse we visited was a Morgan named Sonja. She was calm, friendly and wanted to sit in our laps. That was a good sign, wasn’t it? She was so sweet we probably didn’t need to ask, but I did anyway. “Can we take her for a ride?” By “we,” I meant Russ. After watching Spooky the devil horse rear up and flail the air, the only thing I was willing to climb on was a fence post. Sonja stood quietly, nuzzling the owner’s arm as Russ swung into the saddle. She didn’t crow-hop, buck, or walk out from underneath him. That was another good sign, wasn’t it? Russ rode her in the arena, and she walked sedately, sticking close to the rail. So close his knee bumped each post as he rode past. The horse was trying to rub him off. Apparently Sonja was great at being a large, affectionate, manureproducing pet, but not much good for riding. It took some searching, but we finally settled on a white Arabian. I had visions of myself as Lawrence-etta of Arabia. The horse was beautiful, fine-boned, and regal. And as we found out over time, she was also as dumb as dirt. Plus, she had a nasty cough. It seemed like every time she ate hay, she coughed. Thinking she had a cold, we doctored her with a shot of combiotic, and for good measure, a couple of slurps of honey. One did about as much good as the other, because she kept coughing. Ok, I take that back; the combiotic didn’t do much, but the honey was useful. Hay stuck to her sticky lips and muzzle as she ate, which not only provided comic relief but also prevented her from blowing nasal mucus all over us when she coughed. Eventually, I asked one of the old-timers about the problem. Reluctance flitted over his weathered face. He hemmed and hawed, and finally mumbled something about the horse being “heavy.” “Heavy?” I thought. “Of course, she’s heavy, she’s a horse! What nitwit doesn’t know a horse is heavy? ” It turns out the word wasn’t “heavy,” it was “heave-y.” As in, “Thet thar horse has the heaves.” When you rode her, she’d cough every few steps. It was like sitting atop a walking earthquake and was about as much fun as having saddle sores. We kept her for a while but all she was good for was manure for the garden, so we eventually traded her. And it was a good trade in my book. We got a hundred gallons of heating oil and he got a heavy horse with hay stuck to her lips. MANTI—As the holiday season comes to an end, many of us have acquired a few extra ounces (okay, pounds) that we certainly wish we could return along with Christmas gifts that weren’t quite right. But then, the New Year and the Superbowl are just around the corner. With the popularity of celebrity chefs, maybe some of us have tried to recreate their masterpieces. I must confess I was tempted to try something called “Chocolate Cranberry Cake” because I absolutely love cranberries and chocolate but have never had them together. The “sticker shock” of the nutrition label at first disappointed me and then made me a little angry. One slice is 1,281 calories, or nearly a full day’s worth of energy. Now, maybe miss size 8 celebrity chef can survive a 1,200-calorie slice of cake, but I can’t afford the calories in one piece of hard candy. Even without celebrity recipes, it is easy to eat a day’s TANYA Y. SPENCER / MESSENGER PHOTO This fruit dip is a great-tasting and healthy way to kick off the New Year. worth of calories in just one meal. With all the parties and dinners that crop up this time of year, several high-calorie days can be clustered together. Blend This buffalo skewered chicken is sure to be a hit with your party guests. Taco Cups This is a flexible recipe, vary amounts according to your needs. corn tortillas refried beans shredded cheese taco sauce onions or tomatoes for garnish oil or cooking spray Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray or oil (use a brush or a paper towel) muffin cups. Take three tortillas, place in a plastic bag and microwave for 20-30 seconds until soft. Quickly cut tortillas into wedges, gently place one wedge in each muffin cup. Bake about 12 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy. Repeat until you have enough cups. Allow cups to cool in pan about 5 minutes before removing. (These may be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container with paper between layers of cups.) For each 1/2 cup of beans, combine 1/8 cup taco sauce and cheese. Microwave until warm and smooth. Place one tablespoon of filling into each cup. Garnish with a few shreds of cheese and onions or tomatoes. great eats with temperatures too cold to be active outdoors, and suddenly you’re looking for an ice pick to add another notch to your belt. Most of us make those New Year ’s resolutions to “get healthy,” “eat right,” or “lose weight,” only to abandon them before the end of January. Could it be because the food we eat just isn’t as fun or delicious as all the whipped, buttered and baked bites of the holiday season? But good (for you) food doesn’t have to taste boring or lack the presentation of holiday platters. Trimming the fat out of a meal is actually easier than trimming the Christmas tree! (At least for me—I’m rearranging ornaments right up until Christmas morning.) The first and easiest trick is to switch from fried foods to baked versions, and the second is to load lowfat/nonfat versions of cream and milk products with flavor. The next trick is to present the food in an appetizing way. This year, pass on cheesy nachos and give baked tortilla cups with bean and cheese filling a try. The cups are super easy to make and look great on a plate. The filling of these bites will remind you of nachos, but most of the gooey cheese has been replaced. If beans aren’t to your palate, filling possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to get creative. Around my house, baked buffalo wings are a Superbowl staple, but I thought I’d try cutting back the fat and calories (See “Food” on A10) Buffalo Skewered Chicken 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast 2 cups hot sauce 3-5 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 25-30 bamboo skewers Begin by soaking the skewers in hot water. Slice chicken breast into strips. Place chicken into a large glass baking pan (do not use metal or plastic), and cover with hot sauce and garlic and mix well. Marinate for at least 1 1/2 hours. Thread 2-3 chicken pieces on each skewer. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear gloves because the hot sauce can sting the skin. After all the chicken has been skewered, keep it from drying out by returning it to the marinade. Heat the broiler to medium-high. Place the chicken on a lightly oiled broiler pan. Do not place the chicken directly in a baking pan; you need to have it on a rack for best results. Broil about 6 inches away from the heat for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. About halfway through the cooking time, baste the chicken with the remaining marinade to help it stay moist. The chicken should be nicely browned or even just a little charred on the edges. Serve with celery and carrot sticks and bleu cheese dipping sauce. Check us out online Sanpetemessenger.com Season’s Greetings from Home-Tech Construction, dba Butterfield Construction, and the Butterfield family. |