How Much Should You Eat?

How Much Should You Eat?

A good rule of thumb, so to speak (wink, wink), is to use your hand as a measuring guide when deciding on portions. Your fist makes a good portion guide for most meals. You’ll be surprised how filling a fist’s portion can be! Give it a try.

What I Cooked Today… Macaroni Supreme

What I Cooked Today… Macaroni Supreme

When finished, this meal is delicious and filling and a great way to stretch one meal into two.

• 1 ½ Cups Dried Macaroni (I love Barilla)
  
• 2 cups tomato sauce*
  
• Leftover vegetables (peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.)
  
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  
• ½ cup shredded chicken (also leftovers, but if you don’t have it you can just make it with vegetables) 
  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Boil off the macaroni in salted water (you can stir it to prevent it from sticking instead of adding the extra calories with oil). Pour the macaroni into a baking dish (discard the water) and top with chicken, tomato sauce, cheese and vegetables. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!

*Tomato sauce is already in Cooking with Mary’s recipe log. Search for key word “tomato sauce.”


How Much Should You Eat?

A good rule of thumb, so to speak (wink, wink), is to use your hand as a measuring guide when deciding on portions. Your fist makes a good portion guide for most meals. You’ll be surprised how filling a fist’s portion can be! Give it a try.

Ingredient of the Day: Macaroni

My grandmother-in-law is everything you could possibly want in an Italian grandmother. She’s 4’11’’, grabs your cheeks like it was her job (with great big kisses to follow), always has meatballs ready for a snack and, of course, wants everyone to call her “Ma.”

It is Ma’s opinion that pasta should never be called pasta. To her, pasta is macaroni, and macaroni is an essential ingredient in most of her daily menus. There is simple nothing like going home to Ma’s house and having a bowl of macaroni and gravy (that’s Italian slang for tomato sauce!).

Macaroni is shaped like an elbow. It is used in all types of dishes and is packaged mostly dried. In fact, I have never seen fresh macaroni available in stores. Macaroni and cheese is an American favorite, but it can be used in other dishes as well.

These days, you can find macaroni wheat and gluten free. Ma probably wouldn’t serve it that way, but it’s a great option for people with specific health concerns, or for those just looking to add more fiber to their diet.

Ask Mary: Veggie Steaming

Dear Mary,
I don’t have a vegetable steamer. Can I still steam vegetables?
Thanks!

Without a vegetable steamer, the best option for your veggies would be to blanch them quickly by boiling them for a few minutes. However, if steaming is your preferred cooking method, run over to a place like Bed, Bath and Beyond and pick up a steam basket. They’re fairly inexpensive and really get the job done. I prefer to steam my veggies because steaming helps maintain the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that you need in your daily diet during the cooking process.