Chili With A Twist

 Is there a way of making homemade chili any better? Yes Add some andouille sausage and it elevates this classic dish.It adds more heat and definitely more flavor.

I saw this recipe in my email _I get tomes fo recipes every day sent to me - and it looked interesting. The original recipe called for chorizo which I couldn't;t find in the vegan meat department. There was andouille,equally spicy and tasty so why not sub it in instead.

It was skinned and sliced into half inch pieces.

Even though these are spicy there was still the need for some spices.

I used CLover Valley''s garlic pepper mix along with chili powder and onion powder.These three together gave the chili the kick and extra flavor it needed. It just took a good sprinkling of all three and a good whisk in.

What about the rest of the chili.This is where I stuck to my Mom's original recipe.I used stewed tomatoes with chili spicing from Stop & Shop and diced tomatoes. The beans were chickpeas and red kidney beans for more protein. I added a good two to three tablespoons of olive oil too for a silky texture. The chili was simmered for about twenty minutes on a medium flame before serving with rice.

This was a hot tasty twist on a classic. I loved it and had three (!!!) servings. The vegan  andouille sausage was perfect with this as were the addition of the spices. It was even better reheated when the flavors got the chance to meld again.

This is the recipe to try if you want a twist on chili.It's perfect for cold November nights. It's the right amount of heat and flavor.

My Little Turkey Lurkey Girl

 I never really write about anything too personal yet today I want to celebrate and salute my little girl Clover who we lost today at the age of sixteen. She was a tough tuxedo  kittywith a passion for turkey and chicken.

She was an FIV baby  - an AIDs kitten probably who came to my door around fifteen years ago. She was a poser - a pretty princess who was so photogenic. Unfortunately we had to keep her isolated, along with Otto , a rather gregarious AIDS baby too. Otto was the star of the basement.Clover, named for what grew in  abundance in  our backyard - was happy to take a back seat.She still loved to pose and play and I spent many nights down there with her and Otto. She came into her own when she came upstairs and there was no threat to the other cats.It was then I discovered her love of anything chicken and anything turkey. She had a cry -there had to be some Siamese in her background to give her those cries. She was demanding, getting excited as I'd return from the Acme with a roast chicken or turkey breast. She loved when I would tear off a pile of breast meat for her and she'd gobble it up. 

I always made sure she got the best parts of the bird. I made sure the pieces were bite size for her and the most tenderest. It was a nice change from the usual tuna and salmon she received daily.She also loved sliced turkey and chicken deli meat too, also demanding a slice  - which she received right away. She also had a passion for kitty junk food. Friskies Seafood medley, a salty ,fishy snack just for felines. Clover would sneak some for herself even though they were mostly for our outdoor cats. She also had a thing for Popeyes. getting excited when I would bring a bag of pieces back.Again she got the breast,It was always the most tender and juiciest while I was allowed to gnaw on the legs and wings. She also like the chicken and turkey in pot pies too. She was a poultry connoisseur. Clover even knew what was really chicken and what was poultry based and was what plant based. I gave her a big of fake chicken cutlet  thinking it was the real thing and wondered why she didn't;t like it . She knew before I did that it was fake.

My little turkeu  lurkey girl is probably enjoying the best turkey and chicken on the other side. She 's with my other gourmet kitties that I've loved and lost. She will always have a large part of my heart.

The Great Eating Out Debate

 Food prices are throught the roof these days. That includes restaurants and fast food joints along with take out. The question is do you still eat out just for a fun meal or cook in?

It's hard  to give up eating out despite the high prices. Yet is eating in cheaper? Many people are grappling with that dilemma nowadays.It is fun even to eat at Panda Express, McDonald.s and Burger King to name a few.Many celebrate birthdays and good grades at the Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory. The thing is a meal or even night out worthy it?There is something about meeting friends at a restaurant instead of having an at home dinner. There;'s no food shopping or house cleaning. Everyone gets what they want when eating out. There's no snubbing greens or pushing rice around a plate. yet a meal out may cost four or five times a plate than making it at  home will.The Olive  Garden offers Chicken Alfredo at close to twenty-two dollars for one plate. If made at home, then its' only around six or seven dollars a plate.It's not a hard dish to make yet there is some work. Yet will everyone like it? A restaurant offers  choice.A home meal does not. Olive Garden is a part of a chain .What about a local Italian restaurant like Que Pasta in Saddle Brook,New Jersey. They have excellent pasta with your choice of pasta and sauce for under twenty dollars. Their servings are definite take homes where one meal can last several days. This is worth the price of going.

What about other foods. Burger King always offers a good and vegan variety,Right now they have their chicken nugget deal for $3.99 Stop and Shop has their in house made kin d for twenty for twelve dollars (this includes delivery charge too), Cooking nuggets at home can also come with more choices for sides too.Instead of fries there could be Tater Tots or sweet potato fries.Pizza is a bit trickier t replicate at home. It may be fun with kids with making the dough and adding the sauces ,however it's easier to just order out >Depending on where you are an average size seventeen inch pizza can go for eighteen dollars. A meat lover's one is usually ten dollars more. However some pizzerias will throw in extras like sodas or garlic knots. over if the order is over a certain price. Even just going out for coffee with friends can be just as  expensive as a meal out. Some coffees can be as high as seven dollars at Starbucks. Treating a group of four can cost close to thirty dollars. Adding treats like cake pops and Madeline's adds another ten to fifteen dollars to the order. A better bet is Dunkin Donuts. You can also get a decent lunch or breakfast there too. A doughnit is a little more than a dollar and avocado toast is around four dollars in New Jersey. You can have a decent get together for under twenty five dollars.

Eating out can be expensive but fun. Eating is a cheaper but a lot for work. If you can n afford it treat yourself to a meal out every now and then. If not there's always delicious home cooking to come to .

Easy Weekend Brunches

 The weekend is a time to gather with family and friends. Brunch is one of these times to catch up and enjoy an easy  to make, easy to eat meal. Try for nothing fancy . It's just a cozy gathering with casual plates.

A formal brunch requires fancy quiches in homemade crusts. An easy brunch can just be a scramble . This can be made with one ingredient or many. A typical scramble includes eggs beaten with sliced peppers, ham and peppers. You could create an all cheese one featuring Montery Jack, Parmesan and cheddar Cream cheese is also added for a silky texture. This also has chopped garlic in it. A heartier one is the meat lover's, chock full of bacon, ham steak bits and sausage. Cheddar is also added for color and more flavor.Eight to twelve eggs are needed for four people. You can also create a vegan scamble using Just Egg, a plant based egg substitute. Add Morningstar Farms vegan sausage and bacon along with Violife's  plant based cheddar. Any scramble is good on toast. Think thick slabs of toasted and buttered sourdough or dark breads like rye or ancient grains. These can be toasted as well to become sturdier to hold the scramble. You can also create pita scramble pockets or even wraps with it as well.

Eggs Benedict usually belong on more elegant brunch tables however they're right at home on a casual brunch table. Keep the original recipe and make it with bacon or ham slices instead of Canadian bacon.Use an instant Hollandaise sauce or make one. This is an easy mix. Whip together egg yolks, melted butter and lemon juice. You don;t have to have a layer  of meat.Spinach is also good for an Eggs Florentine. THose English muffins can also be used for a breakfast sandwich.  a good one has layers of any kind of egg, bacon or ham and cheddar. You can try Eggs Sunnyside up instead of the usual scramble. A great side to any of this casual brunch is a plate of hash browns. Shred two Russet potatoes and then rinsed until water is clear.Drain the shreds and squeeze dry.Mix in one half finely shredded onion along with  a quarter of a cup of flour and one large egg.Fry in a quarter inch of vegetable oil. Drop the batter into the oil like you would do pancakes. Brown one side and them flip to brown the other.You can season with salt and pepper and add a tiny pinch of hot pepper if you want  some zing.

A  casual brunch is a fun brunch. Make any of these dishes for a relaxed weekend get together. Nothing beats a late morning meals with good food and good talk.

Roast Chicken Revisited

What happens when traditional roasted chicken is married to sheet pan cooking? A delicious meal that combines old and new. It makes for the perfect weekend or weekday meal.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She was always a big fan of her moms roasted chicken ,cooked in a  deep roasting pan.The bird was placed on a layer of carrots, onions and celery.The chicken fat would drip down on these veggies rendering the carrots and onions soft and sweet (the celery was always a bit stringy  in Ms Clark's view). She changes it up with a sheet pan version. She embraced this technique that first came about in the early 2000's.It's an easy technique ,perfect for novice home chefs. It;s just layering everything on a sheet or jelly roll pan. Using parchment paper to line it is a plus because it's an easy clean up. The logic she uses behind this new dish is the same as her mother's The chicken skin renders, melting down on the veggies  giving them a rich flavor. Sheet pans, however, have lower sides than traditional roasting pans so less team is trapped. This means a more burnished and crispier skin.

The chicken parts she uses are bone in chicken legs. she seasons them with salt and then tossed them in a mix of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and sweet paprika. She arranges them on the pan surrounded by carrots and red onions along with smashed garlic and thyme sprigs. These last two add more savory notes to the dinner. What is different from Ms Clark's mother's recipe is that she drizzles hot honey and sprinkles on fennel and coriander seeds. it gives the chicken a spicy, fragrant kick.To finish she stirs the veggies in the pan, scraping up the crispy browned bits from the bottom. Lemon juice and  a handful of fresh herbs lend brightness and acidity. The herbs are a mix of fresh basil, mint cilantro and dill. These can be in any combination. The chicken should be extra crispy simply because it;s been cooked in a 425 degree Farenheit oven for twenty minutes. After that stir the onions and fennel seeds into the carrots. Drizzle on more olive oil and roast for another twenty minutes more. Top with lemon juice and herbs and serve.

This is a fun updated version of a classic chicken dinner.Even better it;s crispy chicken legs ,.It'sa wonderful weeknight or weekend  dinner

The Sysco System

 Two to one most people have eaten at a restaurant or fast food hoint had ate or used something distributed by the food industry giant Sysco. They have the monopoly on the American dining scene  yet that monopoly is too constricting? Is it affecting how America eats? Yes.

New contributor and freelance reporter Meghann McCarron wrote a bout this  giant in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Every American diner has been using Sysco in some way shape or form.Many restaurants, like Toast in Montclair ,New Jersey has been using their pre cut frozen fries alongside their famed homemade dishes of Eggs Benedict's and a variety of screamed egg dishes and omelets.It;s easier for the owner and chef Amy Russo. Unfortunately there is a problem According to Chef Russo Sysco delivers the fries around two and three in the afternoon when the restaurant is closed. This presents a 0problem.There are other glitches. The company also provides food for such chains as Wendy;s Olive garden and The Cheesecake Factory. Their food all tastes the same according to Los Angeles consultant Salar SHeik.The bacon is tasteless , being all oily and salty. The potatoes tasty elike they have some kind of preservative. There is also the difficult navigation of the company web site that many small restaurant owners have trouble using.

Now Sysco is growing bigger by their acquiring of Restaurant Depot. It supplies everything from hand soaps to  plastic wrap along with cleaning supplies and other essentials.Many member toggle back between the two companies looking to see which as the cheaper price. However Sysco's vice-president Greg Keller states that Sysco and Restaurant Depot occupy two separate of the industry .The customer overlap is very small although the second also sells everything from seafood and cold cuts to veggies and dairy much like the other. Sysco also sells ready made dinners to such institutions as schools, hospitals along to stadiums, amusement parks, prisons and thousands of  other restaurants Sysco's story is interesting. The founder John Baugh created it in 1969 when regional distributors came together. The founder had worked his way up through the grocery and frozen food business. He got to know his future partners while socializing at National Foods Association conventions. When he proposed merging as a national distributor those  relationships were invaluable. The company grew and ate up smaller distributors. It is now the chief distributor in the US.

Is Sysco a good thing or a bad? That depends on how an eatery is affected by it. Id it works for any restaurant, it is.

Talking Turkey

 With today being Election Day we expect the politicians to talk turkey - meaning talking seriously about important topics. Yet home chefs are also talking turkey  - literally.Thanksgiving is three weeks away and it's time to get serious about the big dinner ahead.

This is the time to start thinking about who;s coming and their likes ,dislikes and allergies. The number of people determines how big a bird you'll have to buy Even a small gathering of six people requires an eight to twelve pound turkey.What about a vegan holiday? Several stores have the Tofurkey bundle which includes a Tofurkey loaf and usually also has wild rice stuffing along with gravy and easier (and maybe tastier) cook is Gardein;s turkey cutlets .You get four in a pack along with gravy .Their;s tastes the most like turkey and is perfect because the cutlets only take around fifteen minutes to cook in the air fryer. If you do want the same taste but more traditional turk'y roast with wild rice ,cranberry and kale stuffing. There is also a generous packet of vegan gravy too. This is on my radar for the big dinner. As for gravy , you can think of making it yourself however  if you have a big crowd then think about extra jars of gravy . After all there are people who live to drench their stuffing and mashed potatoes  in gravy.

This brings up the next question - stuffing. Do you go for Stivetop or scratch baked in the oven.Even though I will have stuffing from my turk'y loaf .I still would like a homemade baked stuffing. I plan on putting a different spin on mine adding possibly croissants, pretzels and bagel chunks. This will give the filling a different, more flavorful bite. Sweet potatoes are another topic of discussion. Many love the candied version where they;re baked in a cassarole dish, smothered in marshmallows. That's fine for traditionalists however enjoy their sweet earthy flavor by just steaming them in the microwave. You an also roast them in the air fryer however the time period is long - around thirty to forty-five minutes. This length of time can be too much for the average air fryer and cause the machine to smoke.You could do a hybrid cook of steaming them first for ten minutes , then roasting in  the air fryer for ten to fifteen minutes.You get a fluffy interior and a crispy exterior.As for veggies, Brussell sprouts are always good, especially if they're swimming in a butter and Parnesian sauce. Green bean casseroles are usually served too. Add some almonds to make it a bit more interesting.

Yes, it is time to talk turkey. Get your menu in order for the big day ahead. A plan for Thanksgiving. is always good.