THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


Also visit our main website, TheNibble.com.

TIP OF THE DAY: A New Use For Leftover Baguette

January 5, 2013 at 8:42 am · Filed under Bread-Crackers-Sandwiches, Chocolate, Recipes, Snacks


Baguette slices dipped in chocolate. These
are topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. Photo
by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.		   We were waiting for our latte at Le Pain Quotidien when we noticed, among the baked goodies, a clamshell box of chocolate-covered something.

Homing in on the label, the quirky-looking product turned out to be chocolate-covered baguette slices, made from baguettes left over at the day’s end.

Traditional tips for leftover baguette include bread crumbs, bread pudding, bread salad, bruschetta, croutons, crostini, fondue dippers and garlic toast. But we like the sweet treatment of chocolate-covered bread.

It’s easy to make for home snacking (delicious with coffee and tea), to bring to work or as gifts.

CHOCOLATE COVERED BREAD

Ingredients

  • Day-old baguette
  • Chocolate bar, chocolate chips or other sweetened chocolate
    (dark, milk or white chocolate or a combination)
  • Optional garnish: chopped nuts, dried fruit, sea salt, seeds
    		•
     

    Preparation

    1. SLICE leftover baguette into 1/4″ wide pieces and toast lightly. You can use a toaster oven or conventional oven. Let the toasted slices cool to room temperature.

    2. MELT chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Dip one side of the baguette slices and coat thoroughly. Let dry, coated side up, on wax paper. Then dip second side.

    3. SPRINKLE before the chocolate dries with your choice of one or more garnishes: coarse sea salt, chopped nuts, dried fruit (blueberries, cherries, cranberries, raisins or other favorite) or seeds (sesame or pumpkin seeds).

    4. ENJOY within a day or two; keep in an airtight storage container.
    Find more of our favorite chocolate treats.

      

    Comments off

    PRODUCT: Herb Tea For Dogs

    January 5, 2013 at 8:18 am · Filed under Pet Food

    January is National Tea Month. How about enjoying a cup with your canine companion?

    But don’t serve Fido a cup of Earl Grey or Green Jasmine: Caffeine isn’t good for dogs. California Tea House consulted with numerous veterinarians and researched herbal treatments for canines in order to develop a perfect blend for canines. It happens to be the (human) tea company’s most popular product!

    Named after the company’s favorite canine, Machu’s Blend tea for dogs is a once-a-day herbal tea that:

  • Promotes healthy skin and coat.
  • Lowers stress.
  • Aids digestion of dry dog food, easing the stomach and reducing gas.
  • Prevents motion sickness caused by car rides.
  • Prevents bloat.
  • Reduces epileptic seizures in affected dogs.
    		•   
    An herbal tea blend developed just for dogs. Photo courtesy California Tea Housel
     

    WHAT’S IN THE DOG TEA?

    Machu’s Blend tea for dogs combines chamomile, calendula (marigold), fennel seed, ginger root and skullcap (a member of the mint family).

    Brew a half teaspoon in a cup of water, steep for 1-2 minutes and allow the tea to completely cool (you can add ice). Then, you and Fido are ready to curl up on the sofa with a good book or your favorite DVD: perhaps a Beverly Hills Chihuahua marathon?

    Get your Machu’s Blend—and plenty of blends for humans—at CaliforniaTeaHouse.com.
      

    Comments off

    TIP OF THE DAY: Indulge In Smaller Portions

    January 4, 2013 at 8:24 am · Filed under Pasta-Pizza, Recipes, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs


    Don’t bring a serving dish to the table:
    Spoon out portions into—or directly bake
    them in—ramekins. Photo courtesy Blake’s
    All Natural.

    		   Healthcare professionals and everyone who’s successfully kept off weight will tell you: You don’t have to give up your favorite foods. Just eat them in small portions.

    Unfortunately, we live in a “supersize me” culture. When we pay to eat out, we want our money’s worth: We’re pleased by huge portions and comment negatively on smaller ones. Research shows that, although people are more aware of the higher calorie intake of large portions, they tend to feel justified eating the amount that’s put in front of them.

    But when you cook at home, your advantage is the ability to control the amount of food they prepare as well as the portion size.

    With that, our tip of the day is: Make it mini.

    One way to ensure smaller portions is to buy smaller muffin tins for cheesecake, cupcakes, muffins, potato and pasta dishes, starchy sides and other carb-laden treats.

     
    Or, bake mac and cheese or scalloped potatoes in ramekins or parchment cups. We put our PaperChef Parchment Cups—Tulip Cups and Lotus Cups—to use. Beyond baking with ease, parchment cups are great for portion control with an attractive presentation.

    Steer away from bringing a serving dish or pot to the table. Pre-fill parchment cups, ramekins or other small dishes with individual portions and bring them to the table, where everybody gets one. To avoid seconds, pack any extras from the recipes into portion-control cups and stick them into the freezer.

    This recipe is by Matthew Kadey for PaperChef.com.

    MINI MAC & CHEESE CUPS

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup (250 ml) whole-grain elbow pasta
  • 1½ cups (375 ml) shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon (about 150mL) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) low-fat milk
  • ? cup (80 ml) plain low-fat yogurt, preferably Greek-style
  • ½ cup (125 ml) chopped sun-fried tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped chives
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) cayenne pepper (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) grainy or Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml)salt
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs
  • 12 PaperChef Tulip Cups

    •  
    Preparation

    1. COOK the macaroni according to the package instructions, until al dente.

    2. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F.

    3. DRAIN the pasta, return it to the pot and stir in the Cheddar cheese and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.

    4. LIGHTY beat the eggs and stir in the milk and yogurt.

    5. ADD the egg mixture to the pasta mixture along with the sun-dried tomatoes, chives, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

    6. DIVIDE the mixture among 12 parchment cups (this recipe used PaperChef Tulip Cups).

    7. HEAT the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.

    8. STIR in the bread crumbs and cook until browned, stirring regularly.

    9. STIR the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese into the toasted bread crumbs, sprinkle over the pasta mixture and bake until set, about 15 minutes.

    10. COOL for 5 minutes before unmolding.

     

    MINI SCALLOPED POTATO CUPS

    Ingredients

    This recipe yields 12 appetizer-size servings.

  • 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup fat-free half and half
  • 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese
  • 1/4 cup each sharp Cheddar and smoked Gruyère cheeses
  • 1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup real bacon bits or crumbled pieces
  • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
    		•   

    Use ramekins to control portion sizes. Photo courtesy PotatoGoodness.com.

     

    Preparation

    1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F and spray 12 small ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

    2. PLACE potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile…

    3. MELT butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute more. Slowly stir in half and half, cooking until mixture is smooth.

    4. ADD cheeses, a little at a time; then stir in remaining ingredients.

    5. SPOON into prepared ramekins and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
     
    Do you have a favorite portion control tip? Please share!

      

    Comments off



    © Copyright 2005-2026 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. All images are copyrighted to their respective owners.