Chunky Chicken Potato Soup

6-8 potatoes
Water to cover potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth/pan drippings
boneless chicken tenderloins
Salt
Seasonings, eg. 1/4 t. thyme or rosemary
up to 1/4 cup steamed vegetable (optional)
2 cans evaporated milk
1/4 cup grated cheese (optional)
Water
sugar

Place whole potatoes in a pot and fill with enough water to just cover them. Add salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat. Cook about 30 minutes until potatoes centers done. Test center with fork or knive.

While potatoes are cooking, saute the onion, garlic in butter in skillet until translucent. Add chopped chicken. Lightly salt and add any optional seasonings. Stir and sute chicken until completely cooked.

Saute a little chopped spinach or another steamed vegetable with chicken if you choose.

When potatoes are done drain and rinse in cold water. Let cool enough to peel off skins with paring knife.

Mash the potatoes into chunks with a potato masher. Add milk and broth. Continue to mash and blend in liquid. Add grated cheese (optional). Heat slowly on medium-low melting the cheese. Add additional liquid (water or broth) to achieve desired consistency.

Add cooked seasoned chicken to soup. Add a pinch of sugar. Stir and continue to heat thoroughly but slowly. Creamy soup may stick to pot or scorch easily.

If soup is still too thick, add a additional water. It should be a thick chunky soup.

Garnish with grated cheese, chives or bacon.

I like a dash of paprika as a final touch.

Cranberry as a preventive treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs)

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/cranberry-000235.htm

Cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon ) has been used as both a food and a medicine for centuries. It is native to North America and was used by Native Americans to treat bladder and kidney diseases. Early settlers from England learned to use the berry both raw and cooked for many ailments, including appetite loss, digestive problems, blood disorders, and scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).
Cranberry is best known as a preventive treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs), commonly caused by bacteria known as Escherichia coli ( E. coli ). Originally, scientists thought cranberry worked by making urine acidic enough to kill the bacteria. Now, studies have shown that cranberry actually prevents bacteria from attaching to the walls of the urinary tract. Valid scientific studies support the use of cranberry (taken as a supplement or as juice) for preventing -- though not treating -- UTIs.

...

Medicinal Uses and Indications
Urinary tract infections
Cranberry is used to prevent urinary tract infections of the bladder and urethra (the tube that drains urine from the bladder). Several studies indicate its effectiveness. In one study of older women, cranberry juice significantly reduced the amount of bacteria present in the bladder compared to placebo. Another study showed that younger women with a history of recurrent UTIs who took cranberry by capsule significantly reduced the recurrence of UTI compared to those who took placebo.
However, evidence suggests that cranberry is not as effective against bacteria once they have attached to cells in the urinary tract. For this reason, cranberry is more effective at preventing UTIs than treating them. Instead, UTIs should be treated with conventional antibiotics.

...

Oral hygiene
Studies also suggest that cranberries may help prevent bacteria from adhering to gums and around the teeth, helping to prevent cavities. Researchers caution, however, that cranberry juice is often high in sugar and should not be used for oral hygiene.

Available Forms
Cranberries are available fresh or frozen and in juice and concentrate forms. Dried berries are also available in tablet or capsule form. Pure cranberry juice is very sour, so most cranberry juices contain a mixture of cranberries, sweeteners (which may reduce the healthful effects of the juice), and vitamin C. Look for a brand of cranberry juice that has the lowest amount of added sugar or is sugar-free.

...

Adult
Juice: 3 or more fluid oz. of pure juice per day, or about 10 oz. of cranberry juice cocktail
Capsules: 300 mg to 400 mg, 6 per day in divided doses
Fresh or frozen cranberries: 1.5 ounces

Precautions
The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.
Cranberry juice and supplements are generally considered safe with no serious side effects, even for pregnant women.
Cranberry contains relatively high levels of oxalate, chemicals that may increase the risk of kidney stones. People who have or have had kidney stones should talk to their doctor before taking cranberry supplements or drinking large amounts of cranberry juice.
Cranberry should not be used as a substitute for antibiotics during a UTI.
Because most cranberry juice contains added sugar, people who have diabetes should look for brands of juice that are artificially sweetened or should limit their consumption of regular juice.

Possible Interactions
A preliminary report suggests that cranberry may interfere with the effects of the blood-thinning drug warfarin. If you take warfarin, do not take supplemental cranberry and limit your consumption of cranberry juice.


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Wilted Lettuce

How to Restore Partially Wilted Lettuce

If your lettuce is a little soft but hasn't turned rotten, it may just be dehydrated. You can rejuvenate it with some ice and water.

Wilted Lettuce Salad
Simplified

This is a recipe for cooking wilted lettuce and onions, but you can use turnip greens as well. As far as adding meat, normally used are: bacon crumbs or bits, ham cut into very small pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 quarts shredded lettuce


• 3 to 4 green onions, chopped


• salt and pepper

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons melted bacon drippings


• 2 tablespoons vinegar


• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:
Combine lettuce and onion in a large bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine dressing ingredients and heat to boiling point; pour over shredded lettuce mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings. Toss to mix. Serve at once.

Wilted Lettuce Salad

5 slices bacon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 head leaf lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
6 green onions with tops, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS
*Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove from skillet, crumble and set aside.
*To the hot bacon drippings, add the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and pepper Stir over medium heat until hot.
*In a large bowl, combine the lettuce and green onions. Add the warm dressing and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.


WILTED LETTUCE SALAD
skillet version

2 bunches leaf lettuce, shredded
4 slices bacon
1/4 c. vinegar
1/3 c. chopped green onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Sugar

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Add vinegar to skillet and heat through. Remove skillet from heat. Add lettuce and onion to skillet. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and bacon. Toss 1-2 minutes until lettuce is wilted. Wilted lettuce won't wait. Serve immediately to enjoy its peak flavor.

POLISH SAUSAGE BAKE

1 pkg. Polish sausage
6 potatoes
1 onion
2 cans green beans
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Cut Polish sausage down the center lengthwise. Then cut into slices. Peel potatoes and cut them up. Chop the onion. Put all the ingredients into a large baking pan. Put the green beans and juice in pan. Add the two cans cream of mushroom soup. Stir it all up well. Add little salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees until potatoes are done.

TOMATOES, BLACK OLIVES, AND FETA CHEESE

FRESH BROCCOLI SALAD WITH TOMATOES, BLACK OLIVES,
AND FETA CHEESE
4 to 6 servings
  
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (see note)
Boiling salted water (optional)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 cup cherry or grape (very small) tomatoes (see note)
3/4 to 1 cup thinly sliced or coarsely chopped green onion (include some green tops)
½ to 1 cup pitted small black/ripe olives, drained (see note)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese or feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes or reduced-fat feta cheese of choice
Red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive as desired,
  or commercial Greek-style dressing or reduced-fat Greek-style dressing as desired 
Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper to taste
Cavender's Greek Seasoning as desired (optional)
Crisp leaf or Boston or bibb lettuce for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese as desired for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS
May use broccoli raw, if desired.  Or, blanche broccoli, uncovered, in boiling salted water to cover in a medium heavy saucepan over high heat for about 2 minutes.  Or, microwave broccoli in water to cover in a glass heat-proof bowl at HIGH power for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook.  Immediately rinse broccoli under cold running water to stop cooking action
Combine raw or cooled cooked broccoli, garlic, cherry or grape tomatoes, green onion, olives, and feta cheese of choice in a deep medium bowl.  Add enough vinegar and olive oil or commercial dressing or reduced-fat dressing to moisten broccoli mixture well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and Greek seasoning, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.  To serve, line 4 to 6 salad plates with crisp lettuce leaves. Or, line a large salad bowl with lettuce leaves.  Spoon broccoli mixture onto each salad plate, dividing evenly, or into large salad bowl. Garnish each individual salad or large salad bowl with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.
Note: If cherry tomatoes are quite large, cut each in half.
Note: May use pitted oil-cured black/ripe olives or Calamita olives, if desired

SPAGHETTI with TOMATOES, BLACK OLIVES, AND FETA CHEESE
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced