Foodie Food Poisoning

 I;'ts a night off whileI recoup. 

More on Monday.

That Fizzy Stuff

It's warm weather time and with it comes thirst.Nothing beats that old school classic, a bottle of frosty Coke.Or a tall glass full of ice and whatever fruity Fanta you love.

Here's the question of the week what is your favorite soda? Mine is diet Pepsis however bad that is for me.I just discovered Poppi a prebiotic good for you soda.I like their cherry lime flavor and want to try the others 

So what's your favorite fizz? Let us know here

Campus Sweeties

 Most universities and colleges are known for their educational programs and spotrts team.. Yet there is one school that is known for it;'s sweet treats and the students who bake them. It's a great place to unwind and enjoy a break from intense studies and exams.

New contributor and finance writer Ron Lieber wrote this article on Carleton Collge in yesterday's New York times Wednesday Food section. This is a small liberal arts college in Northfield ,Minnesota, forty miles south of Minneapolis. A college like this, which emphasizes the humanities and the arts in a small town setting somehow should have an on campus kitchen where students can come and bake.,It attracts students and local alike, most taking the variety of different chocolate chips cookies from the classic to the oatmeal to spiced double cowboy along with butter chocolate chips  and the loaded cowboy ones. Yet there are other treats that baked there. Seraphina Shott  has baked her great grandmother's shredded apple pie recipe along with the family recipe of buttermilk biscouits baked in a cast iron skillet.Bakers leave the extra flour and other ingredients behind so other campus bakers can also bake a fun snack. Another house rule is that any leftover baked goods have to remain in the house for other students to enjoy. 

This is not a new concept for Carleton College which began in 1877 . It started over a century ago in 1922 when Candace Kelley Moses, or Dace or Dacie moved in to the house that was eventually named for her. She first worked for the treasurer's office  and then for the library until 1969 when she retired in 1969 at the age of sixty-sixFor a while she had a kind of salon where she even  welcomed an  cappella group The Singing Knights who practiced there. She baked for them and in return named their 1967 album "Dace and KNights" She also served Sunday brunch to the "Carls' as they students call themselves. To reduce her workload students came to help her , They helped with chores along baking such treats as bran and beef muffins served with either coffee or juice.. when she died in 1901 she left her house to the college;s alumni association (her husband and son had already passed) Dace Moses House is also used as a guest house run by Carleton students Luis Olvedo and Sean Zheng along with bring supervised by  fellow student Holly Ketchner. All three live in the house with Holly upstairs and the men downstairs.They have their own spins.,Mr Olvedo makes his grandmother;s tortilla while Mr Zheng brings an Asian flair to their breakfasts.

Candace Kelley Moses would be proud of the tradition and legacy she created. There will always be fresh baked treats for students and visitors. Her house is a great house , full of sweetness and memories for future alumni.

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.