Spring Sweets

 Spring surprisingly is a wonderful time to bake all sorts of treats.After all there are showers and graduation parties along with brunches and teas. Then there are the simple treats to be enjoyed with ice  tea or ice cream on a warm day.It's also a great time for year to enjoy the fruit - strawberry - of the season too,

Both regular contributor  Melissa Clark and new contributor Tanya Sichinsky, the NY  TImes Food editor and author of the email newsletter "The Veggie" have given recipes in today;s New York Times Wednesday Food section. Who can resist her Walker's inspired short bread rounds rolled in Demerara sugar? These are the quintessential butter cookie.made with just a cup of butter , flour and white rice flour, The dough is shaped into logs and then rolled in the brown ,crunchy Demerara sugar. Use very good butter for this (Kerry Go;d would be the best bet here) The cookies are baked in a low temp over around 325 degrees Farenheit for fifteen to twenty minutes.Ms. Clark suggests a true Highland treat of eating these with a sip of good whiskey but try the strawberry lassi drink from Ms. Sichinsky recipe slate. She has gathered a whole collection of strawberry based recipes to celebrate the fruit of the season.Lassi, the Inidan drink, which is sort of like a creamy ice cream less milkshake has fresh berries along with cardomom and whole milk yogurt . Maple syrup is added to counter any of the fruits tartness.

She took has garnered some great recipes that are perfect for all those pints and bushels.There is a strawberry spoon cake created by another Times contributor Jerelle Guy. This is a simple cake,  - no fancy ingredients - yet rich in butter ,brown sugar  and milk.  A cup of fresh strawberries is added and they pretty much dominate the cake. Ms.Sichinsky suggests serving the case with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. Ms. Guy has another recipe - strawberry drop biscuits.What's great about these is that there is no rolling out of dough and then cutting then into rounds.It's a simple mix in thee bowl and go.Heavy cream gives it richness and the berries can be carried. Try blueberries or raspberries. This recipe only uses four ripe strawberries cut into tiny pieces.They would be perfect with clotted cream or as a  breakfast  treat wit butter. Of course there are another Times Food section contributor Lidey Hueck strawberry rhubarb muffins. These two ingredients have always gone hand in hand. They do have to be macerated in sugar first before being added to the batter.The actual batter is a mix of flour and corn meal making for a golden looking crumb. Sour cream eggs and butter give the muffins a nice moistness and add to the fruit flavors.Make a batch for the first picnic of the season.

Spring is the season for sweet treats. Make shortbread and serve it with a glass of strawberry lassi. Us the berries sin a number of mouth watering recipes. Take advantage of what the Spring harvest have to offer.

A Quick Check On Quik Chek

Gas station food does get a bad rap. It's known for salmonella laced sushi and hot dogs of questionable  origins.Yer one stands out for good food and a variety of all sorts of snacks.It's Quik Chek.It has some really good hot food and fun drinks for a summer's day.

There is a Quik Chek  down the road from me >It's attached to a gas station and place where you can also get your car vacuumed and free air from your tires. I;ts a great snack shop along with a quick meal.

Their soups are pretty tasty.They have a wide variety from chicken noodle to cheddar broccoli. 

It was very thick and creamy , not unlike something you;d make in you kitchen. It was loaded with broccoli and piping hot. Of course   got my Quik Chek favorite - frozen Coke. Who can resist this? They've changed their menu to be healthier with veggie heroes and three filling and tasty looking Caesar and  Italian  chef salads.I kn ow I'll be buying these for my next trip there.

Qik Chek is good food  that puts other gas station shops to shame. They have a wide variety of  hot fresh offerings. perfect for on the go people. Stop in for a bite to and enjoy.

Super Salads

 One of the easiest Spring dishes is a good, healthy salad. To make it nutritious , fill it up with  anything you want  - protein  veggies , nits and seeds. Best of all be creative so that's it's not boring but delicious.

Everyone thinks that salads should be a variety of different greens and veggies. Not true !!! One of my favorites is broccoli salad.

It;s is tasty onit's own but I could add julienned ham to it along with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Both give it protein and the last calcium. You could also add peas to it for more color and flavor. The dressing is always simple. Oil, white wine vinegar ,sea salt and fresh ground pepper. A light sprinkle of garlic powder brings out the flavor.

Tomato salad is another favorite of mine I love the small grape multicolor ones. They have a high water content  so they 're a great side for those hot Spring days.

I bought the Sinset brand at Walmart and it was a good buy.All they had to do was be sliced into to three ,then dressed with a simple oil and white wine vinegar dressing. I added a good dusting of oregano for a kind of pizza flavoring. Keep in mind this would go well on a slice of Italian bread or even adding bread in t for a kind of panzanella salad. Keep in mind any salad can be loaded with low fat steak and chicken. Mozzarella would also be good with this salad .

Spring salads can be hearty and delicious. They don;t have to be a million ingredients. Stick wit one like broccoli or tomatoes and add to them.

InnoVAsian Chinese Food Your Way

 Chines take out is downright delicious Yet it  can be overly greasy and over priced. However you can have better quality and a lower price thanks to InnovAsion Chinese Food. This is like having the best Chinese restaurant right in your kitchen.

My local WalMart has some so I thought I would try them. The price is attractive Their lo min and chicken and broccoli were under five dollars - around $4.68. Mongolian beef was $6.78

Their dishes are really delicious and unlike the stuff you bring in not greasy.It was as if it had been freshly made. The low meaning was chock full of veggies like celery and carrots. The chicken and broccoli has gernous pieces of chicken along with more than enough broccoli florets.The sauce is sweet and spicy but without any oiliness. The spacing for both dishes is perfection

I am definitely trying their beef and broccoli along with their other chicken dishes like sesame chicken and the honey version. It's exciting to see that they also have Indian classics like butter chicken and Tikka masala. which I', also trying.They even have a teriyaki dish that will be on my dinner table soon enough.

InnovAsion Foods is like have a five sttar Asian restaurant in your kitchen.Try any of their dishes for a delciious ,fresh tasting meal. They;re perfect for your dinner and your budget.

Coffee Wars

 I'ts that time of year again when iced coffee reigns supreme. The question is who has the better brew? Starbucks or Dunkin? Or is it that cup from that Indy cafe in your town or neighborhood?

My choice will always be Dunkin I'm a big fan of both their  iced  and frozen coffees. Let's face it Getting a Dunking iced coffee is more like  sipping a sundae. There's that chocolate syrup added a long with that big puff of whipped cream. The coffee itself is smoother, without the grounds that Starbucks has (sorry Starbucks)

What is your favorite as the temps rise? Let us know here and enjoy your sip whether on the beach on in the backyard.

The Maserati Of Coffee Machines

 A good coffee machine can last decades if treated properly. This is the case with La Marzocco coffee maker. It produces good coffee year after year.It can elevate any coffee shop, from a chain one to a small Indy one. Even the older ones are in strong demand.

Regular Contributor Priya Krishna wrote about this gem in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. La Marzocco has been around since 1927, first being made in Florence,Italy. Fifty years ago  a Seattle cafe owner, Kent Bakke,  visiting the city was amazed by a coffee machine that had two separate boilers.One was for steaming milk while the other was for brewing coffee, allowing the Emily to stay hot while not scorching the brew. A decade later he signed a deal with the company , then sold several machines to a local coffee start up named Starbucks . Thanks to the machine, the coffee and the cafes became big hits.Today La Marzocco is now in fifteen per cent of coffee shops according to Andrew Daday, the managing director of La Marzocco US; The name may not be known to most of America but Americans are well familiar with the machines and their sturdy clean lines, stainless steel finishes and the company name affixed in angular lettering.

While new ones are wanted by cafes wanting to make excellent coffee ,it;s the second hand retro ones that are in demand. Like classic Itlalian cars the need for them is intense ,competitive and brisk,News of their availability is mostly spread by word of mouth. There is a problem though. Scams abound. The deals can be great. A used one can sell for half the price of a new one., though for rare ones the price can exceed a brand new machine;It is cool to own a previously owned one.Nathan Smith who first repaired one back in 20 12 when he was working for Blue Bottle Coffee in Oakland California. A few years later he opened his own coffee shop in Old Fort North Carolina, he heard from a coworker that the same machine was up for sale.By that point it had made the rounds at several cafes. He had to have to and bought it for $2500 , but the price wasn't;t the main selling point. He compares ot to a Seventies Honda Civic. It;s rebuilt with different parts and retro cool.Some coffee shop owners have bought ones from the Fifties starting at $75,00,

A good machine will produce good coffee, La Marzocco is one of those machines.They give give America a great  cup for great comfort

Eggcellent Scrambles

One of the simplest cooking joys is scrambled. eggs. They 're not only a treat to cook because of their easiness but they a treat to eat too. Scrambled eggs are the ultimate comfort food. Best of all they can be eaten any time too.

Regular contributor Ali Slagle gave recipes and tips o them in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Scrambled eggs are truly the ultimate feel good food. They;re good just plain or even with the addition of spices. Ms.Slagle gives some tips and ideas to make them even better.One is adding cornstarch (which diners may do to get that creamy consistency). A good creamy scramble first starts with a slurry that has corn, tapioca or potato starch.,Any of these keep the eggs' proteins from linking and tightening together under hrat.Even of they;re overcooked , they won;t have that rough, almost omelet look and feel. Another idea is to elevate their taste.Cook the butter (for a really rich flavor use Kerry Gold) until brown bits appear it gives the eggs themselves a slightly nutty taste. without affecting the texture. Spices also add a variation of flavor too. Earthy ones are cumin and coriander while smoked paprika gives them a smoky flavor,. For true bite  try crushed pepper or cayenne. She doesn't;t mention it but adding aux fine herbs elevates the taste making scrambled eggs a French bistro  vibe.

Another great tip is turn off the heat early left in a hot pan too long they can go from creamy to chalky and dry , especially if they;re left too long in the pan.The residual heat from it can overcook it.One key to keep the texture tender I to plate them even before they're done. Don;t  worry about ingesting raw parts.The eggs 's heat will gently cook them more.Ms. Slagle also recommends adding something acidic to balance their richness. This could be a squeeze of lemon or lime or even vinegar. Chopped fresh tomatoes are always good, (they'll b e more like that classic from Piedmonte uovi e pomodori. Just add a bit of garlic) ,Kimchi ,  and pickled onions also work nicely as does ,sharp and salty feta cheese.Keep in mind that scrambled eggs are not just for breakfast, although on toast they make a quick and great breakfast for dinner. Fold them into flour burritos and also add beans cheese and veggies and then freeze.These make for a quick dinner.There is also a recipe for migas,a Mexican scramble cock full  of shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese cumin  ,noon and jalapeno,Shredded tortillas are also added for more body.

Scrambled eggs are the perfect dish. Using these tips they can be turned into the perfect anytime meal. Crack a few eggs and create a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner,