Super Bowl Snack Attack
Make your party food a hit with George Foreman
Super Bowl XLIV is set for February 7th of this year. To make your Super Bowl party planning easy – and a little healthier – we’re giving you a few ideas on how to use your George Foreman grill to handle all the party snacks you need to satisfy your Super Bowl crowd.
Tailgate Party Fare
From cheeseburgers to hot dogs, your George Foreman grill can bring all your favorite tailgate foods inside for your Super Bowl party. Depending on where you live, it’s probably still too cold to BBQ outside, so your electric grill is the perfect way to keep your favorite football foods supplied. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and brats can all be done in less than ten minutes, so it’s easy to make enough for all your guests.
Tex-Mex Treats
If you have a 360 Grill™ with quesadilla plates or our Quesadilla Maker, you can do stuffed-pocket quesadillas for another party platter. Since you make 6 quesadilla slices at a time, you can do several rounds of cooking to get a full spread with several stuffing options, like beef, chicken and vegetarian or plain cheese.
Another great Tex-Mex party food is fajitas. For quick and easy fajita meat, just marinate your chicken or beef in some lime juice with cilantro, cumin, pepper and chili powder to taste (you can do this the night before to make game-day cooking easier). Cook the meat, then cut across the grain in finger-length strips. To make this a party platter item, simply use mini tortillas, add the meat and let you guests go to town with toppings.
Mini Sandwiches
Finger foods make the best Super Bowl snacks because your guests don’t have to look away from the action to get a bite to eat – just reach and grab. Store-bought mini sandwich platters aren’t the most exciting thing in the world, but if you make the sandwiches from scratch at home, you can take standard party fare and make it masterful. You also get the added benefit of doing hot sandwiches, instead of cold, to make the platter a little heartier for all your hungry guests.
You can do this with any of your favorite sandwiches, but we highly recommend adding the Grown-Up Grilled Cheese recipe from this month’s recipe feature to your list.
Party Day Tip:
Making full-size burgers for a large number of guests may be too much. If you have a lot of guests coming, divide your burger meat into 3.5-ounce servings to make mini-burgers or sliders.
Party Day Tip #2:
Always check with your guests to see if you have a vegetarian or vegan in your group. If so, make sure to have some non-meat options on your party menu. Hot veggie sandwiches are a great way to ensure your vegetarian guests don’t get stuck with just veggie dip.
Game-Day Desserts
If you have a variable temperature grill with a deep-dish bake plate (needs to have high sides), you can do desserts directly on your grill, too. From sweet corn griddle cakes to brownies, you just have to adjust the cooking time for the different type of appliance. Simply set the cooking temperature to the same one listed on the package directions and check the dessert for doneness periodically before the listed cooking time to avoid overcooking.
Heart Healthy
Being good to your heart for Valentine’s Day
For Valentine’s Day this year, George Foreman would like to spread the love by encouraging you to make a commitment to be good to your heart (and the hearts of all your loved ones that gather around your table). Be good to yourself by focusing this year on maintaining a healthy diet that’s good for your heart, so you can be around for many more Valentine’s Days to come.
Know the Facts
If you haven’t made a heart smart commitment before or you’ve been avoiding thinking about it, you may not know too much about how to eat healthy for your heart – specifically what all the terminology means when doctors talk LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and other cholesterol related words. If you’re in need of an overview of the basics, read our Being Heart Smart article to help get you started.
Knock Out the Fat
Fat, particularly saturated and trans fats, are not your heart’s friend. To help promote a healthy heart, cut as much fat as you can from your diet. To start knocking fat out of your diet, it’s not necessary to completely change what you’re eating – just be more focused in making sure your meals are healthy.
Always trim meats before you cook them. This cuts the excess fat off the meat, so you’re getting the protein you need without adding as much fat to your diet. When possible, also try buying leaner meats and using them in place of their more fattening protein cousins – buffalo or venison, for example, are both leaner than regular beef.
For even healthier meals, cook meats on your George Foreman grill. Grilling can be a healthier method of cooking, in general, because you’re not adding oils, butters or creams to sauces like you do in baking or sautéing. In addition, your George Foreman grill will help knock out even more fat, so healthy cooking is easy without a lot of extra work.
Watch Additives
When you’re cooking fresh, you don’t really have to worry about chemical or synthetic additives in your food, but you do have to pay attention to what you’re adding.
A healthy piece of chicken isn’t so healthy if you cook it in a stick of butter. For grilling, the nonstick plates of your grill are designed to cook without adding oil or butter to “season” the cooking surface. Don’t add oil or butter, because they’re not needed and just add extra fat and calories.
For sauces and toppings, always make sure to use light oils – particularly olive oil. Mayo Clinic Nutritionist, Katherine Zeratsky explains that this is, “a healthier type of fat that can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol levels in your blood.” In addition, use low-fat alternatives when you add things like milk or cheese. By cutting a few calories and fat grams here and there, the meal is healthier overall and better for you.
Diversify Your Diet
Eating healthy successfully and being good to your heart while doing it is all about diversifying your diet. You don’t want to be bad to your taste buds while being good to your heart, because it will probably only be a temporary fix. Limited diets get boring, making them easy to break. Instead of limiting yourself, try diversifying instead.
Keep your family’s Hamburger Fridays, but do Tuna Steak Tuesdays to change up your protein and add some vital Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet for your heart. Then, when Hamburger Friday rolls around, try using special toppings on the burgers to add in more vegetables – and even possibly some fruit – to make it a healthier meal. Remember, little changes add up, so each change you make is a step towards a healthy diet and a happy heart.
George Foreman Valentines Day Breakfast
Valentine’s Day Breakfast with Your George Foreman Griddle / Griddle Plate
Fruit-Topped Pancakes & French Toast
Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, which makes it the perfect opportunity to serve up a little breakfast-in-bed to your valentine. You actually have the time to cook a full meal and make it with love this year, instead of trying to rush something in the morning before you head off to work. With either a George Foreman Griddle or a George Foreman Grill with an interchangeable griddle/bake plate, doing breakfast-in-bed is easy!
The nice thing about making breakfast on a griddle surface is that you can pretty much do everything at one time, with one appliance. This makes cooking less stressful (especially nice for sleepy mornings) plus minimizes cleanup so you can get on with enjoying your Valentine’s Day instead of washing dishes.
So what can you cook on using a George Foreman griddle or griddle plate? Just about anything you could imagine in the way of breakfast food:
A full spread for a special Valentine's Day breakfast
- Eggs
- Bacon, Sausage, Ham
- Hash Browns
- Pancakes
- Corncakes
- French Toast
- Omelets & Scrambles
- Breakfast Sandwiches
- Breakfast Tacos & Burritos
- Toad-in-a-Hole
All of our griddles, plus any grill that has a griddle plate, will have variable temperature, since griddles can handle such a wide variety of foods. Refer to the cooking chart in your Use & Care manual for specific temperatures, but most breakfast foods range between 325° and 350°F.
Once you have the food ready, just put everything nicely on the plate, add some juice and a fresh flower for decoration, and you have the perfect start your Valentine’s Day without a lot of work.
If you need a recipe to get you inspired, here’s a great one for English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches…
English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches
- 2 English muffins
- 4 slices Canadian bacon, 3” diameter
- ⅓ cup Egg Beaters®
- 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- Butter, softened
- Salt and pepper
- Preheat griddle surface to 350°F.
- Spread butter on cut side of English muffins. Place butter side down on griddle surface.
- Place Canadian bacon slices on griddle surface.
- Drop ½ tsp. of butter on the griddle surface and pour Egg Beaters® on top of the butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn Canadian bacon over and top with cheese slices.
- Turn eggs over after they have set.
- When egg is done and cheese is soft, turn over English muffin, top with Canadian bacon, cheese side down, and then add the egg.
Super Bowl Party Planning
Party Planning for Super Bowl 2010
Super Bowl is coming up February 7th – weekend after next. We’ll have a full article in our upcoming newsletter later this week that offers ideas on how to use your George Foreman grill to make a great party menu, but these tips will help you get started on your planning now.
Plan Ahead to Buy Early
Just like major holidays, grocery stores get packed and standard party foods often run out around the Super Bowl. By planning your party menu now, you can avoid long lines and a lot of frustration in having to re-plan items if ingredients are sold out. Being ahead of the game will save you the stress of doing everything last minute.
Consider Your Guests
Make sure as you plan your menu to take any special dietary needs that your guests may have into account. Whether you’re serving vegans or guests with a particular food allergy, making your menu with your guests in mind will ensure everyone gets enough food. This way, you can also have time to test any special menu items you’re not familiar with cooking in advance, so you don’t end up short a dish on game day.
Consider Your Kitchen
When you’re making your party menu, always take into consideration what you have to work with in your kitchen. Making all the items with one appliance may cause a slowdown in your kitchen as you get everything ready. Try to spread out the cooking load amongst your appliances. In addition, consider the cooking times in advance so you can see how to stagger the cooking that Sunday. This is also a good way to see if there is any marinating or prep work you can do the night before.
Plan for the Other Meals that Sunday
Super Bowl kickoff is scheduled for around 6:30 on that Sunday. Since you’re going to be doing a lot of cooking for your party, make the other meals that day as easy as possible so people in your home don’t starve before the party food is laid out – and so everything isn’t gone before the game even starts. Depending on your party food, burgers and hot dogs are a great solution for game-day lunch, since they offer a taste of tailgating and don’t require a lot of time or effort.
Super Champ Value Grill
New to Market: Super Champ™ Value Grill
Need cooking space for up to 4 people without a lot of bells and whistles? Look no further than our new Super Champ™ Value Grill with an attractive black finish. As part of the Super Champ series, this grill is as easy as they come – just plug in, preheat and you’re ready to go!
With an 84 Sq. In. cooking surface, this grill easily accommodates servings of your favorite grilled foods like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken for up to 4 people.
Knock out the fat on 2 steaks (plus garnish) or up to 4 burgers
The cooking surface features our Healthy Cooking Combination, so you get the patented slope, George Tough™ nonstick coating and Signature Foreman heating elements. This combination helps knock out the fat for healthier meals without a hassle.
In addition to the part they play in the Healthy Cooking Combination, the Signature Foreman heating elements provide even heat distribution, which means you have consistent heat from the center to the sides of the plate. They also promote faster temperature recovery once food is placed on the plate, so you get better results.
Additional features include a set of drip trays and custom-fit spatulas. Both of these features are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. The attractive black finish on the grill is glossy to add a bit of elegance to your grill and looks great on any counter – particularly if you have a lot of stainless steel / black accent products.
The black version of this grill is new and will be available only at Walmart. However, the grill is also available in platinum at a number of other major retailers and online.
George Foreman Grills Pop Sightings
Pop Culture Sightings of George Foreman Grills
Since the launch of George Foreman grills in the early 90’s, they have become an icon of pop culture. In TV, movies, web parodies and even fiction writing, you can find the George Foreman name everywhere. In this post, we’re celebrating the George Foreman name with some of the most recent pop culture references we’ve seen.
Get Grilling with Vampires
In the most recent book in her vampire series, Lover Avenged of The Black Dagger Brotherhood, writer J.R. Ward proves even vampires can find a use for George Foreman Grills:
“Ehlena was still wide-awake at ten a.m. Stuck inside by daylight, she paced around her bedroom in a huddle with her arms around herself, and her socks doing little to keep her feet warm enough.
Then again, she was so cold on the inside, she could have been wearing a pair of George Foreman Grills and still been chilly.”
We don’t really recommend anyone but an immortal try using grills as socks, but we appreciate a completely untapped market of chilly vampires that can use our technology.
George Foreman Grillz
Probably the best example of a reference to George Foreman grills in song lyrics comes from the 2005 Grillz rap single from Nelly’s Sweatsuit album. The actual line is from Paul Wall’s featured verse:
My teeth are mind blowin’ givin’ everybody chillz
Call me George Foreman ‘cuz I’m sellin’ everybody grillz
What I Like About Grills
One of our staff was watching Teen Nick with her daughter and saw this bit about George Foreman grills on What I Like About You. Gary wants a red George Foreman grill in return for a favor. We don’t blame you, Gary – it’s our favorite reward, too.
IMG_2292Send Us More!
We know these are only just a few of the many of George Foreman grill references in pop culture. Got your own favorite George Foreman reference? Find the clip or quote and send it to us!
Pepper to Perfection
Spice Rack: Pepper to Perfection
Pepper is one of the most important spices in the world. Throughout history, it was one of the first spices used; hunts for peppercorns led to exploration of the New World and it was even a form of currency at some points. Today, Spice of Life lists it as the most traded spice in the world, with an average American eating about ¼ lb. per year.
In grilling, peppercorns are a grill master’s best friend. A properly peppered steak doesn’t really need any sauce, dressing or marinade. Peppered steak and chicken regularly appear on menus around the world and being able to make these successfully at home can bring sophistication and refinement to any dinner table. In addition, the Food Lover’s Companion states, “Because it stimulates gastric juices, it delivers a digestive bonus as well.”
The key to good peppering is to know the difference between the various types of peppercorns and the flavors they provide. The Food Lover’s Companion describes “the world’s most popular spice” as a berry that grows in grapelike clusters on the pepper plant. This berry actually produces three different types of peppercorns – black, green and white; the difference between the three types is actually a product of when they’re picked and how they’re processed.
Remember, ground pepper (all varieties) is made from peppercorns. If you’re really keyed in to making phenomenal grilled meals, grinding whole peppercorns for fresh ground pepper will deliver better flavor to your finished plate.
Black Peppercorns
Black peppercorns are picked when the berry is not quite ripe. It’s dried until it shrivels, which is when the skin turns black. The flavor is actually the strongest of the three types, with the most heat. If you’re grinding for use in a rub, Steven Raichlen’s Barbeque Bible advises that you want a coarse grind for grilling, so you should set your mill to the largest grind setting. Black peppercorns are also called “cracked peppercorns” and are the type used in the popular French dish, Steak Au Poivre.
Green Peppercorns
This type of peppercorn is also picked from the pepper plant when the berry is still unripe. They’re usually a little softer and are often preserved in brine (although in some cases, they’re freeze dried). They possess some aromatic heat, but they’re less pungent. The flavor is often described as more “fresh”. Since the flavor is fresher, they’re more commonly used with vegetable and fruit dishes so they don’t overpower the food.
White Peppercorns
This last type of peppercorn made from the pepper plant berry is picked when the berry is ripe. The skin is removed and then it’s dried, lending to the difference in color. White is the least pungent of the three types and is often used with extremely light dishes, both for a light flavor and its distinctively light appearance on the plate – so you can avoid things like having little black flakes messing up the presentation of a beautiful piece of white fish with cream sauce.
Other Types
There are several other types of peppercorns that are used in certain types of cooking, including pink peppercorns used commonly in French cooking from the Baies Rose Plant and Szechuan peppercorns (also Sichuan) from the prickly ash tree used in
Asian cooking. These specialty peppercorns are usually more expensive and are often only available through specialty stores.
In addition to different types, many popular spice companies will sell a peppercorn blend (also called rainbow peppercorns) that mixes various types to impart a variety of flavors. These can usually be found at your regular grocery store and make a great addition to your spice rack because they’re an easy way to add a complex flavor profile to your food. They’re also good to have because they usually include pink peppercorns that are typically more expensive and harder to find.
Get Grilling with Fish
Hot on the Grill: Get Grilling with Fish
Beyond the joke to “throw another shrimp on the barbie,” fish is largely an unsung hero when it comes to grilling. Since it’s not as common to American BBQ as beef, pork or even chicken, it’s often forgotten in indoor grilling, too. In truth, fish offers a whole world of different flavors when it comes to cooking on your electric grill. In this post, we’re kicking off our Get Grilling with Fish series, starting with three of the most common types you can incorporate into your weekly meal planning.
Shrimp
In the 90’s during a health trend to cut cholesterol-laden foods from the American diet, shrimp got pegged as being bad for you because of high levels of cholesterol. In truth, however, studies have shown that shrimp does not raise cholesterol or have any adverse affects.
As David Herber of the Center for Human Nutrition at UCLA put in an A2Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness article, “The American Heart Association acknowledged a long time ago that shrimp had been wrongly accused, but lots of people, including some doctors, still believe this myth.” The article goes on to list all of the nutritional benefits of shrimp – low in calories and fat with, “beneficial doses of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and niacin,” as well as minerals like iron, zinc and copper.
The possibilities with shrimp on the grill are practically limitless because it’s such a versatile food. You can do a simple marinade with lemon and pepper, a spicy rub with Cajun seasoning or simply grill them up and serve with a tangy BBQ dipping sauce. They take about 3-4 minutes to cook, so it makes a fantastic quick dish for the family, served alongside rice, noodles or your favorite mixed veggies. You can also do grilled shrimp with dipping sauce for an easy party platter that won’t pack the pounds on your guests.
SalmonWe’ve talked about this particular fish in a number of posts and newsletter articles, because it’s one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids you’ll find anywhere! A2Z Health, Beauty and Fitness states, “You won’t find a richer source. One 4-ounce serving gives you a whopping 2.1 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.” You can read more about the benefits of omega-3 in our recent To Your Health post.
In addition to the omega-3 benefits, salmon is low in calories, saturated fat and trans-fatty acids. According to SalmonFacts.org, “Salmon provides as much high-quality, complete protein as a mouthful of chicken, ground beef, pork or tuna.” The benefit of these high-quality proteins is to “help maintain an active metabolism, which plays an integral role in weight loss.”
Salmon on the grill can be done as a fillet or a steak. Without getting too technical, a salmon fillet is a thinner cut with all of the skin and bones removed. A steak is a thicker cut (usually about 1-inch thick). Typically in cooking, you see salmon used with a lot of fresh fruits like mango, apricot and lemon or with sauce like drizzled vinaigrette or chutney topping. Again, like shrimp, it’s extremely versatile in what you can do with it, so it makes a great addition to a healthy meal plan.
Tuna
The World’s Healthiest Foods sites tuna as “a truly nutrient-dense food.” It’s an excellent source of high quality protein and contains important nutrients including selenium, magnesium, and potassium, the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Along with salmon, this fatty fish is an instant omega-3 benefit addition to any diet and can help with a slew of preventive health measures.
Cooking for both cuts of fish can be similar in the flavor profiles you use – fresh, clean and often fruity. However, tuna also works well in the bold and spicy flavor profiles with ingredients like wasabi, chili, peppercorns and hot sauces. If your family likes big, bold flavors, tuna may be a good choice for the menu plan because of this particular versatility.
Look for more great ideas to Get Grilling with Fish coming soon in future posts!
Asian Flavored Grilled Steaks
From the Cookbook: Asian Flavored Grilled Steaks
It’s time for another recipe! This recipe can be cooked on any two-serving George Foreman grill (any grill with more than approximately 40 Sq. In. of cooking surface). This dish is easy to make and works great served with white rice drizzled with a bit of the ginger sauce used on the steak.
Ingredients:- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. finely diced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 New York strip (shell) steaks, about 6 to 8 oz., each
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp. garlic pepper
- ¼ cup sliced green onion
- 2 tbsp. minced red pepper
Preheat grill (at highest setting if you have a variable temperature grill).
In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients; stir to blend. Cover and set aside.
Season steaks with kosher salt and garlic pepper. Place on the preheated grill.
Close the grill cover and cook to desired doneness (usually between 6 – 8 minutes).
Remove steaks to a serving platter. Sprinkle with green onion and red pepper to garnish. Drizzle with reserved ginger sauce.
Makes 2 servings.
Some Truths About Red Meat
To Your Health: Some Truths About Red Meat
For some in the grilling community, the studies on the bad aspects of eating red meat are an attack on the taste buds. Red meat is part of our culture – from the classic American cheeseburger to the NY Strip Steak. It’s hard to think about giving it up anywhere, but particularly when it comes to the grill.
Asking the average American family to cut out red meat completely just isn’t practical – it’s too much a part of our regional diet and culture. Still, you want to be healthy and not adversely affect your family’s health with artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. So how bad is red meat for you and is there any way where it’s good?
In truth, red meat can be good; but like all good things, it’s better in moderation. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), “Red meat is an excellent source of protein plus several vitamins and minerals.” In addition, more than half of the fatty acids are actually monounsaturated – the same fatty acids in olive oils that are now being touted for their heart-healthy properties. In this sense, red meat in moderation can actually be good for you and good for a balanced diet.
The bad part of red meat comes in the LDL cholesterol levels found in saturated fat of the protein. WebMD indicates that LDL cholesterol, which falls on the bad side of the cholesterol spectrum, is directly linked to heart disease. Studies also indicate there are links to certain types of cancer, but opponents argue many of these are inconclusive and biased to making red meat look bad because they only dealt with overconsumption of red meat, instead of moderate intake. However, inconclusive or not, there is some link and it’s far better to be on the safe side of things when it comes to your health.
So is there any way to have you steak and eat it, too?
Absolutely! In fact, the ADA certainly allows for red meat in a balanced diet, assuming that you “Choose lean cuts and limit intake to no more than 18 ounces (cooked weight) of red meat like beef, pork, lamb per week.” Even the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) advises that the cancer risks are only specifically proven to be linked with red meat intakes over 18 ounces; within 18 ounces per week is acceptable and, “does not raise cancer risk.”
The key is to pay close attention to the fat content and serving sizes you’re setting on the dinner table. Choose lean beef or – even better – buy specialty red meats like buffalo or venison if they’re available in your area (both known for being leaner than their beefy counterparts). Always trim your steaks before you put them on the grill and weigh them to make sure you have a good portion (hint – 18 ounces of cooked red meat equals approximately 24 ounces uncooked). When buying ground meat for burgers, check the fat percentage, since that’s now required to be printed on the package.
For serving size, a 5 – 6 ounce serving (uncooked weight) is acceptable for a meal. Conveniently, all serving sizes provided in the Use & Care manual for your George Foreman grill will fall between these values. If you’re following this portion, then you can eat red meat 3 to 4 days out of 7 – not bad for diehard meat lovers that still want to be healthier in their diet. On the days where you’re not getting your red meat fix, have healthier proteins like fish, poultry or veggies.