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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Parking's improved — so don't tinker with it ... Haves, have-nots in Jackson County further apart than ever ... Restored B-17 Flying Fortress headed to Medford ... Our View: Parking's improved — so don't tinker with it ... Haves, have-nots in Jackson County further apart than ever ... Restored B-17 Flying Fortress headed to Medford ... Food for Thought: Meal-planning hacks to help you dine fast and healthy Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Dec. 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News TIP OF THE WEEK A fast pace and busy schedule may make you think that frequenting restaurants and fast food spots is faster than cooking at home. But it is possible to reduce the time you spend in the kitchen — and the money you spend from your wallet. Planning meals ahead of time, making one large grocery trip each week and taking a few hours on the weekend to prep your food for the upcoming week can help ensure that you have dinner on the table quickly, no matter how busy your weeknights get. To make meal-planning easy, keep keep low-cost, highly versatile ingredients on hand: Beans: Not only are they a great source of protein, but you can use them in a variety of dishes, including salads, soups and chili. Grains: Easy to buy in bulk for extra savings, grains such as quinoa, brown rice or barley store easily in an air-fresh container and can serve as a foundation to any meal. Frozen steam-in bag veggies: You'll need a side for that roast chicken. Frozen vegetables offer the same nutritional value as fresh ones with the convenience of microwave cooking in less than five minutes. What's more, you can use them to make a variety of meals from pasta dishes to casseroles. Diced tomatoes: The vine-ripened taste of diced tomatoes can easily combine with frozen veggies and beans for a soup. Saute them with onions, or quickly puree them for a homemade pasta sauce. — Brandpoint NUMBER TO KNOW $1K: According to Forbes, American adults spend nearly a thousand dollars every year eating out for lunch. The average working adult leaves the office twice a week to buy lunch, and men spend an average $21, while women spend around $14. Thinking ahead and prepping meals to take to work can be a nice source of savings. — More Content Now EASY RECIPE: Peppermint Mocha Cheesecake Ingredients: * 2 cups ground chocolate-mint sandwich cookies * 3 packages cream cheese * 1 cup powdered peppermint coffee creamer * 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided * 3 large eggs * 1 16-ounce container sour cream * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan. 2. Press cookie crumbs onto bottom of prepared pan. Place in freezer for 5 minutes. 3. Beat cream cheese, creamer and 1/4 cup sugar in bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Pour filling into crust. 4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until edges are set but center still moves slightly. 5. Combine sour cream, remaining sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Refrigerate for several hours. — Brandpoint FOOD QUIZ The characters on which classic TV program were big fans of cheesecake? A. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” B. “Laverne and Shirley” C. “The Golden Girls” D. “The Odd Couple” Answer at bottom of rail. WORD TO THE WISE Chinois: If you want to make sure your cheesecake, ice cream, pudding, quiche filling or pumpkin pie has a smooth, uniform texture, use a fine-meshed sieve or a fine chinois to strain the custard before cooking. Using a super-fine chinois will even remove the white, string-like chalaza from the mixture. — Cookthink THE DISH ON… ‘Happy Herbivore Holidays & Gatherings’ by Lindsay S. Nixon Best-selling vegan author Lindsay S. Nixon brings “healthy” and “holidays” together in her new book, filled with easy recipes that celebrate and define our favorite occasions throughout the year. From an elaborate, crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving, to a no-fuss, but dazzling New Year's Eve or cocktail party, to omnivore-approved potlucks such as Super Bowl Sunday, to summer fresh barbecues and picnics, and quick-fix casual dinner parties or lazy Sunday brunches with friends... — BenBella Books FOOD QUIZ ANSWER C. The cast of “The Golden Girls” is said to have eaten around 100 cheesecakes while filming the show. More Content Now MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 9, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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