Hearty Recipes From Canada

 The two things Canadians know by heart is snow and frigid temps. That means a winter full of  hearty high in calroie and carbs dishes and dessert. They will not only keep you warm but stick to your ribs. There's nothing better than winter foods offering this.

One of the most famous is poutine. This can be considered a filling snack or a dinner and there are many versions that are served through out Canada and even the US (check out Cranford, New Jersey's  Cranford Hotel's duck poutine which has pulled duck soaked in a rosemary and shallot gravy)/ The dish is fairly recent , first being made in the late Fiftie s in  the Centre de Quebec. It's a mix of crispy fries and gravy with the addition of cheese curds. These are long Cheez Doodle looking curds that you can find at Target. You could add steak or chicken to this, Not surprisingly there are vegan versions as well and you can use a mushroom gravy instead of a meat based one. Poutine is an easy recipe  with the fries being cooked in an air fryer  while the curds and gravy be warmed in the microwave. The Atlantic kissed provence of Nova Scotia has a good hearty recipe to try.  Nova Scotia  donair actually has Greek origins and was created by a Hellenic chef. It's taking a mix of lamb and beef spiced with cayenne and chili for heat. A sweet garlic sauce is poured over rhe slices that also have tomatoes and onions on top.

One fo the most satisfying dishes is the tourtiere, a French -Canadian meat pie. The filling is a combo of beef pork and mashed potatoes , spiced with a heady mix of different spices, from cinnamon to sage and thyme th nutmeg. There's even a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat. You'll also need potato water from boiled potatoes to give it some starchiness. The crust  is made with  flour , cold butter and salt.  A mix of water and vinegar is also added. It's kneaded, rolled into a ball and then chilled. after this is the mix fo the spices. The fillign is sauteed , with the onion then the spice mix and meats being sauteed in butter.It's stirred for forty five minutes with the potatoes being added in the end. The dough is rolled out and the bottom is put into a pie tin. The filling is laddled in then the crust is put on it. Brush the top with an egg wash and bake in a preheated oven  for 40 minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. What to serve for dessert? The famed Canadian butter tarts. This is a mini tart filled with a rich and buttery custard. The crust is a simple one and the filling is reminscent of a pecan pie without the nuts.

The Canadians know how to do winter. They create filling and delicious meals ,perfect for a cold winte'rs night. You can als have this hearty goodness too.

Sunday Dinner Monday Leftovers

 One of the best aspects of a Sunday dinner is that it can stretch into Monday. Tose roasts and sides can d double duty on a busy first day back to the office. It's amazing what a little stretching can do.

Of course one of the easiest leftovers is a hot sandwich. This is great if you have turkey or roast beef. It's just slicing what's left  and serving it with gravy on any kind of bread. You could even get  fresh dinner or kaiser rolls and split them. This makes for a satisfying meal , especially on a cold night. The same is true if you have leftover stuffing.Keep in mind any meat chopped up , which includes leftover ham or chicken can go into a salad too. This is even easier and quicker  than  sandwich , but just as satisfying. Another idea is chopping  up the roast and serving it with pasta. Many make turkey tetrrazzini after Thanksgiving but it's also good on a Monday night. This is simply blending the leftover bird with mushrooms, cream cheese and chicken broth and already cooked spaghetti ( you could also try fettuccini or angel hair for different textures). It's then baking i the tettrazzini in a greased casserole dish for a good forty five minutes. Another idea is devilling ham or chicken It's shredding the meat in a food processor ro chopper and then  adding a tablespoon of  mayonnaise to get that creamy texture. For the ham you could add some celery salt for more flavor while the chicken gets a pinch of tarragon. Serve on toasted bread for sandwiches.

Sides can also get a make over and even turn into the main course itself. Salads can be revitalized with more veggies added or evne cheese rounds or croutons. Leftover Idaho potatoes can be sliced and turned into air fryer chips . Spike them with some lemon juice and oregano for Greek style fries . These would be perfect if you're having hamburgers.If there are a lot left over then mash them. It's just adding milk or cream along with butter and seasonings. Again these are good with any leftover gravy. As for mashed potatoes themselves. think colcannon.It's taking the mash and frying it up with any leftover spinach , scallions and leeks plus a mashed up clove of garlic if you want more flavor.  You could also make another traditional Irish dish -, boxtie or potato pancake. This time combine the mashed potatoes with flour , one egg and a tablespoon of milk. The pancakes are just seeasoned with salt and pepper but you could add chopped onions or scalllions to them for color and taste . The pancakes are then fried in olive oil or butter. These can be made large and served like a crepe with mushrooms or tomatoes inside and a mushroom gravy on top.

Yes you ca stretch that Sunday supper into Monday's dinner. It's a quick and economical way of repurposing delicious food. Try it and create an enirely new meal.

Forget The Make Up Eat

 You don;t need serums or highlighters, creams or concealers if you eat the and drink the right foods and liquids. These can help achieving that glowy dewy look. Add some healthy meats and veggies or tnat extra glass of water and you'll not only feel better but look better too.

Winter brings about a lot fo problems with skin and hair. They get dull fast thanks to the frigid temps and the constant heat blowing around the house. What can bring back that summery glow? Salmon and lots of it. This versatile fish is loaded with Omega 3's which is good in restoring skin's . bloomy look.It can also help to protect the skin from certain skin cancers too.Salmon can be versatile too. Try a pan seared version , spiiked with ginger and soy for a tasty dinner or a sheet pan one for an easy Sunday dinner. It can be not only be flavored with ginger and soy but garlic and lemon too or lime for a different flavor. A fun lunch would be salmon patties  bound  with breadcrumbs and eggs. Air fry these instead of deep frying for a healthier meal. These too can be serve with brown rice as with the  grilled or sheet pan versions. Another fish that's great for keeping skin young looking is tuna.It's a good source of selenium (which also is in mnay nuts)and that helps preserve the protein elastin. This keeps skin smooth and tight and also helps protect it from UV rays. Of course you should eat fresh tuna . You'll be able to find fresh tuna steaks in every grocery store. Try marinating it in fresh orange juice before grilling or even a just  a pan seared tuna with just salt and pepper.

Veggies have always been touted as being good for the skin and hair. Of course it's true. Sweet potatoes can chase away acne and any other break outs. They can cut  those sugar cravings which can exercerbate  your blood sugar and in turn ruin cause all sorts of skin problems.  If you want sweet and crunchy then julienne a couple and then air fry them. It's a healthier way to eat a fun snack food while helping your body. Try a garlicky aoili dip with it  using plain Greek yogurt with olive oil added for smoothness and chopped garlic along with salt and pepper for flavor. Roasted sweet potatoes are good too, especially with a thick pat of Melt plant based butter. Tomatoes in season are also a great food to eat for beauty.They're chock full of lycopene which helps boosts the skin's protection against the sun's rays. A tomato is a truly versatile fruit (yes that's what it is) Think of adding roasted ones to a salad or making a tasty bruschetta with rounds of toasted Italian bread. What to drink with this? water. It  doesn;t have to be boring. You cna aerate with fizzy bubbles with a Soda Stream. If you want some flavor then add in some crushed strawberries, cherries or blackberries for a tasty new soda. If it's too bitter or sour. just add a tiny drop of agave to balance out that tartness,

You don;t need that expensive serum or popular concealer for beautiful skin or hair. Eat and drink healthy. These are the best you can get for looking healthy and glowing.

A Master 's Legacy

 Thnaks to Eileen  Yin Fei Lo, American home chefs have learned the subtleties of Chinese cooking. She introduced an entire generation to both varied and healthy Chinese cooking. Thanks to her,people  discovered they could  make the dishes they craved isntead of relying on take out.

Sadly Chef Lo passed away at the age of eighty five back in November.She was born in Guangzhou China, the daughter of a government worker and a homemaker. She married American journalist Fred Ferretti in Hong Kong where her family fled after the Cultural Revolution. She lived in Monclair ,New Jersey . According to her son Stephen Ferretti , she was constantly critical of restaurant food. It was easier to cook at home. She and her husband shared a deep connection to food. They even wrote joint reviews for the New York Times where Mr. Feretti worked. Her love of cooking led to her writing cookbooks. Thanks to her home chefs learned how to create won tons, siu mai - a Cantonese version for wonton and char si bao, buns stuffed with barbecued pork.She became friendly with such famed chefs as David Burke and Charlie Palmer and taught them how to cook Chinese food in their establishments. Chef Burke even hired her in the mid-1990s to create a dim sum brunch at his Park Avenue Cafe restaurant.

Yet it is Chef Lo's cookbooks that will be her best legacy. They're still sold on Amazon and there is a wide variety to choose from. She even wrote The Chinese Way :Healthy Low Fat Cooking From CHinese Regions (Wiley Publishers 1987) which features Chinese vegetarian cooking along with healthy ways of cooking through steaming and stir frying. Her first cookbook The Dim Sum Cookbook published in 1981 allowed  home chefs to have the fun of creating all sorts of won tons for the first time. They didin;t have to travel to their city's Chinatowns or Chinese restaurants. Authentic dishes can be made at home. Her second book Eileen Yin-fei Lo's New Cantonese Cooking (Viking 1988)  followed by ten more and ending with  Mastering The Art of Chinese  Cooking(CHronicle Books LLC 2012).  New York Times food critic Florence Fabricant praised her New Cantonese Cooking in 1989 for its' departure from the Chinese food Americans knew. There was a growing interest in Cantonese food  and she introduced Americans  to its freshly delicate and highly seasoned cooking along with how to s on navigating through Chinese markets.

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo made a huge impact on modern American cuisine/ She brought authentic Chinese recipes to the American table. Gone were the days fo chop suey and in its' place authentic wontons and char si bao.

Kouign Aamann The Jewel Of Pastries

The crown jewel of any home or professional baker is the Kouign-Amann ,a lush and fairly complicated to make butter cake. It takes time and patience yet it has its rewards. It can even be a healing experience for some

Regular contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this magnificent cake in yesterday's New YorkTimes Food section.Making the Kouign-amman , the Breton words for butter cake is like a climber scaling Mt. Everest. Hard work to do , but there's a feeling of triumph when it's completed. For Ms. Komolafe creating this  cake was also a healing process as well. She had first tried the cake in Montreal  at a bakery that specializes in making them, weeks after her daughter had a serious and frightening Covid infection.  within twelve hours of testing positive her litle girl had a fever so high that she developed febrile seizures. She lost consciousness and had to be rushed to the hospital. Ten hours later the child awoke wanting life to go back to normal. For her mother normal wouldn't return for a while Ms. Komolafe experienced a kind fo pervasive grief that folloowed her everywhere, even on their trip. The kitchen was her only refuge,.As she put it grief occupied all her senses but it neither aided or meddle in her cooking. She found an escape in the Kouign-amann. The patisserie's owner and chef Nicholas Henry let her make one in his kirchen. It helped her as making them six times since then has helped to dispel the grief that followed her.

Her recipe is not the bakery's original. The recipe 's steps are simple yet straightforward. There are three reipes , one for the dough, another for the butter itself (!) and  the third is for the aromatic syrup that soaks it. It is a yeast based dough. It also has the optional toasted sesame oil in it too of you want a nuttier flavor.  The butter part is for lamination and it's a combination of one and three quarter cups get good butter like Kerry Gold) sugar and Morton's salt. The syrup is a mix of granulated sugar, orange zest cinnamom, ground  ginger and cinnamon along with cardomon pods and whole cloves, These last two have to be crushed so they can give more flavor.The dough is a standard one mixed together in a mixer with a dough hook. The most complicated steps belong to the butter.Its' ingredients have to be combined in a stand up mixer using a paddle attachment It then has to be spread into a round and chilled while the dough rises. After the syrup is cooked then itpoured and swirled in the bottom of a greased skillet which will be used to bake the Kouign -amann. Assembly is  basically wrapping the dough around the butter to form a sort of envelope. In a nutshell, it's more folding and then pouring the syrup over it, spreading it with your fingers.It's first baked at forty five minutes in a 350 degree Farenheir oven and then flipped over. There's a second bake, with the cake being done when th e butter bubbling at the edges for an extra twenty to twenty five minutes. More syrup is added at this time. It's cut into wedges and served warm. 

The Kouign -amann is the star of any professional or home kitchen. Try this recipe if you want to create a delicious and lush pastry. It may be difficult to create but well worth it.

A Salad On A Winter's Day

Making a salad in winter is kind of like make a pitcher of frosty iced tea during a snowstorm. Why do it?.Because surprisingly you can create tasty bowls of flavorful greens that are refreshing. It's just treating the veggies differently to create a fresh , summery taste.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about then in today's New York Times Food section. Farmer's' markets sell slim pickings right now.. Many  veggies like tomatoes are frozen unlike their supermarket counterparts that travel halfway around the globe. However some winter veggies are better  as their flavors sweeten during this cold time.Mid winter is the perfect time for turnips and parsnips.According to New Paltz ,New York Ray Bradley says that leaving them in the ground makes tem sweeter and imrpoves their flavor.Veggies like Jerusalem artichokes need to freeze  because they'll otherwise taste like sawdust. The sugars in them act like a natural antifreeze , helping plants stay alove in cold climates according to Professor Lane Selman  who teaches horticulture at Oregon State University. She is also the director of Culinary Breeding Network. This affects their taste which makes them perfect for all sorts of dishes.Even a lettuce like radicchio mellows during the winter, giving the leaves a milder flavor instead of the usual sharp taste.

Ms Clark includes some interesting recipes. These can be a side but also make for an interesting main meal. There is a roasted butternut  squash salad with a home made Green Goddess dressing. The squash is roasted with honey and black pepper. The dressing is a nice foil to that sweetnessIt's yogurt mixed with basil, parsley and scallions. Olive oil gives it body while mashed avocadoes gives it color and silkiness. Jalapeno is added for zing. The squash is mixed with crisp greens like baby Romaine and Little Gem lettuce. Another winter dalad is smoked roasted carrots. The carrots are first roasted, then smashed and  put under the broiler  for some nice  charring. The dressing is Asian influenced with soy sauce mixed with vinegar and sesame oil. Brown sugar, garlic and ginger is added to this. Add chopped peanuts and a drizzle fo chili oil to the dressed salad. Those who love Casesar salad will go mad for one made with Brussels sprouts. The sprouts are cut in half and then roasted as homemade croutons are also being baked . The dressing is classic Caesar with lemon garlic  oil and Parmesan cheese. Those who love the sweet taste fo fennel will appreciate the roasted fennel and farro one. Tis has a simple dressing zinged up with orange zest and juice.Its a spin on a Greek salad with the addtiion of dates, green olives feta cheese and almonds,. Scallions and herb like dill mint parsley and cilantro also amp up the flavor too.

There's nothing like a bright fresh salad to liven up a  winter's day. Try the veggies of the season roasted and then toassed with a flavorful dressing. It's a nice way to enjoy a taste of summer.

Chutni Punch Adding Fire To Winter Dishes

 This is the time for warm, fragrant dinners. Curries comes to mind. A spice spiked curry with a marriage of different spices comes to mind. It's even better with Chutni Punch , a new flavoring that brings the flavors of India to everyone's kitchen.

I recently discovered Chutni Punch and thought it would be perfect in my slapdash tomato curry. This is a take on a chicken curry turned vegan. It's full of warm spices that are perfect on a cold winter's day.

They come in three flavors, savory chana ,super sesame and spicy peanut.I used a heaping tablespoon  of savory chana in my curry.

Other spices are also added in such as garam masala, tumeric, and cumin along with garlic and onion powders.

The base is a mix of vegan soy yogurt, crushed tomatoes and coconut milk. The proteins were vegan chicken and chickpeas. The chickpeas were cooked first in just vegetable oil and then the tomato was added. Two cups of vegan soy yogurt was used along with 3/4 of a cup of coconut milk. This was cooked for about half an hour until all the flavors are melded together. I used about two tablespoons of ground ginger too, along with a good dash of the onion and garlic powders. A good dash of cumin, turmeric  and garam amsala were also added.

The end result was a warming curry that perfumed my kitchen with all sorts of good aromas. It was great over rice and just the thing on a cold January night.It wasn't as fiery as curries that I've had at Indian restaurants., It was a smooth texture thanks to the yogurt and hot but not super spicy .I'm looking forward to having it tomorrow as leftovers.

Chutni Punch is the perfect add in for a curry.It's also great in other dishes too, Yet happiness on a cold night is a hot dish that warms you inside and out.

Shopping In This New Reality

 Food shopping used to be easy. You just bought the basics if you wanted to cut back. Yet suppose the basics are just as expensive as the frill foods? What do you do? Be thoughtful and open to alternatives.

This is the biggest complaint with eggs nowadays. New York City groceries are offering a dozen for a whopping eleven dollars . You can get a cheaper version across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Some stores like Target are pricng eggs at four dollars for twelve.Still it will be like this for a while thanks to the avian flu  which is rampant amongst wild and domestic birds. As far as having scrambled eggs and omelets  there are substitutes. Just Egg is one..This deep yellow egg substitute is only $3.95 for twelve fluid ounces. You can get two omelets or scrambles out of it. Two bottles is cheaper than a dozen of eggs in some areas. As for baking. you can use aquafaba or chickpea water or brine.This is a great vegan sub in for egg whites , especially if you want to make meringues.remember that three tablespoons of it equals one large egg. Apple sauce and bananas also work as well. With eggs comes bacon and in some areas of the US it has reached $11 a package!!!! You could go for the in house brands which are much less expensive and frankly taste the same. Another option is buying  the meatless varieties like Morningstar Farms which is selling for five dollars a package.

There are other  options you can go with to cut costs.The easiest way is buying all inhouse brands. Acme and Stop and Shop sell a twelve can pack of soda for four dollars , five dollars less than what the national brands like Coke and Pepsi. You won;t have the many variations of Coke but it's still not bad. These packs are great for a party too. As for th e flavor they bascially taste the same as the national brands.The same goes for cereals. You;re better off with buying your favorite store's inhouse brands. Another idea is coupons. now you can download all these different apps to help you shop. Also take advantage of those two for one sales, especially if its' frozen foods where you can store them for months.Those frozen veggies can be versatile too. They're good hot with butter and cheese added on top or turned in cold salads. Take advantage of the sales on them. Should you cut back on the stuff you like? The answer is don't go wild. The fancier foodstuffs like roasts and seafood can be reserved for special occasions only. You can add more veggies in your menu. Ratatouille is an easy and meatless blend of eggplant, tomaotes and onions. Pasta and rice are also cheap simple to make too and make for less expensive meals than one featuring meats.

This is a tough time for food shopping. Yet you can navigate those high prices by smart and thoughtful shopping.It can result in still having filling meals that are nutritious and tasty.

The New Year Throughout Asia

 The Lunar New Year isn't just solely Chinese. Many other countries such as  Singapore,  Hong Kong  Thailand, and Japan to name a few celebrate it with traditional dishes. each country has delicious recipes , perfect for dinner with family and friends.

The Malaysian country of Singapore celebrates with a nod to both its' land and sea  heritage. One popular dish is Bak Kwa or barbecued pork jerky It's thin slices of pork that's been marinated in a mix of coriander,ground white pepper and cinnamon.It's first air dried and then barbecued  reflecting Singapore's Chinese roots from the Fujian province.Home chefs may make a raw fish salad which features raw salmon and pickled julienned veggies like carrots, cucumbers, white and green radishes along with ginger and onion slice.Pomelo, the grandmother of grapefrui,t is also added to the salad for more tartness and possubly to cook the fish much like ceviche. The former colony of Hong Kong celebrates with tong yoon or rice dumplings.The name is similar to the phrase tun yun which means reunion in Cantonese. It's traditionally filled with either black sesame paste or chopped peanuts but more updated versions have red bean paste, chocolate,smashed taro and even custard as fillings.

Thailand's New Year's celebrations start with a whole roasted chicken which symbolizes prosperity and unity.It's s tuffed with small shrimp, sea cucumbers and  crispy pickled squid. Also part of the stuffing are chestnuts which represent wealth and pork innards representing wealth. if that's not enough celery and bell peppers are also added along with, smoked duck breast, gingko and noodles. The filling is stir fried before it's added to the deboned chicken and the whole thing is fried until it's deep caramel brown and crispy. An abalone sauce is added.Japan's New Year's foods are not that elaborate yet still delicious in their simplicity. The meal  starts with ozoni or ozouni a clear broth soup, chock full of chicken and different vegetables such as daikon radishes, shiitake mushrooms and carrots. Sometimes tofu is added along with mochi, a short glutinous rice usually reseved for desserts. The Japanese also enjoy Osechi, an assortment of different foods.  They're served in a giant bento box . There are black beans that symbolize hard work , datemaki, a sweet egg rolled in a fish cake and rolled kelp. Shrimp and herring roe are also served in this box along with the burdock root which represents stability. The meal is finished with mikan a type of fruit ressembling a tangerine.

All of Asia is celebrating the Year of The Rabbit (or Cat in Viet Nam).It's a time of coming together for good foods and good cheer. Families gather as they enjoy traditional customs and recipes.

A Cozy New Year Dinner

 The Lunar New Year starts this Sunday. You can celebrate the Year Of The Rabbit in a fancy restaurant but a smaller homemade meal is perfect too. There are many easy dishes  that both Asian and non Asian home chefs can try. It's just a fun day to experiment,

You could try Genvieve's Ko's wontons if you're adventurous. Ms. KO gave the recipe for them and wonton soup in wednesday's New York Times Food section. She gave them the traditional Hong Kong filling of shrimp and pork. They can also be filled with crab or chicken too. Keep in mind that making the wontons are easy (it's a basic pasta recipe) but then cutting them and filling them is another story. They have to be filled and sealed assembly line style and that involves another set of hands.Chow mein is an easier cook and you can have fun adding the ingredients you want.It's usually made with rice but you can add crispy noodles for crunch.It's just frying them up in canola oil until they're golden and crispy. These are set aside after cooking. It's then adding mushrooms and bok choy  and cooking until the bok choy is wilted. Add a sauce comprised of oyster and soy sauces, spiked with ginger and sriracha sauce (you can omit the sriracha if it's too fiery). Everything is then mixed together and  served. 

A truly delcious meal and one that's a snap to create is the Szechuan ants climbing a tree or ma yi shang shu. This is cooked glass noodles (which resemble vermicelli) ar e first boiled and then cooked with any kind of meat. I usually use Gardeins crumbles mixed with chopped or sliced scallions and soy sauce for flavoring. These are cooked first until the crumbles are crispy . The noodles are then added .The original recipe calls for ground pork but you could add ground beef or chicken.It's first cooking minced ginger and oil and then adding a fermented bean paste for heat. The chicken or pork is  added and fried until done. There's also a  sauce of chicken stock, mixed with light and dark soy sauce. The scallions and noodles are added to this and it's mixed with the meat. I find this to be too saucy and a bit too fiery. The soy sauce works for me and it doesn't overpower the crumbles and scallions flavors. What to serve for dessert? The Chinese usually have a plate of oranges since the Chinese word for orange is the same for gold. You also could try an easy almond gelatin which is just gelatin cooked with almond flavoring and sugar.

Celebrate the Year of The Rabbit with a simple home cooked meal. It's a nice way to bring in the New Year with good food. These are meals easy to make  but complex with flavors.

The Nostalgia Of Wontons

 The Year of the Rabbit is upon us and with it comes traditional centuriess old recipes. One is wontons, They're delicous in soup, heavenly when fried. One of their best aspects is that they can be made at home - anytime.

Regular contributor and deputy editor Genvieve Ko wrote about this classic in yesterday's New YorkTimes Food section.The Lunar New Year starts ths Sunday and the perfect dish according to her is wontons. They're a comfort food that reminds immigrants of home and second generation Chinese Americans a tie to their heritage. Wontons have been eaten since ancient times according to Grace Young, an award winning cookbook author and food historian. They symbolize wealth because of their resemblance to gold ingots.It's the same reason dumplings are also served during the holiday. Keep in mind that wontons are dumplings but not all dumplings are wontons. They're also not exclusively Cantonese. There are thicker skinned ones in northern China and of course spicy ones from Szechuan in the southwest. The Hong Kong style that Ms KO grew up with has silky wrappers and is always stuffed with shrimp. There is also a dessert with this. Usually the Canonese serve oragnes becasue their Cantonese name is a homophone for gold. However Ms. Ko includes  a shortbread cookie recipe baked with the blackened sesame seeds found in such holiday candies and sweets like tang yuan,

Home chefs may be daunted making wontons.Making them is  really no different than making pasta. It's almost the same mix of flour, eggs and warm water along with salt. There is cornstarch for dusting.  It's the same well method  too, meaning a well is made in a mound of flour and the eggs are poured into it. The dough will be shaggy and it needs to be kneaded for eight to ten minutes until it's not sticky anymore. Divide the dough in two and then pat into a rectangle. Loosely wrap each section of dough in  Saran wrap and let each sit for an hour. Doing this will help the dough relax and easier to roll out. You can use a pasta roller or a rolling into create sheets. You'll need a ruler , a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the dough into twenty-eight to thirty three inch squares. The filling is a tasty blend of shrimp, pork and scallions.It's flavored with ginger, oyster  sauce , soy sauce and sesame oil. Sugar salt and pepper are mixed in for a contrast of salty and sweet and there's the addition of Shaoxing wine or dry sherry. The wontons' edges are sealed with water when they're deep fried or cooked insoup. The cookies are an easy shortbread ,sprinkled with white  sesame seeds. This is a perfect dessert served with oranges.

What better way to start the New Year with wonton and blackened sesame shortbread cookies. Enjoy both ushering in the Year of The Rabbit. They're a fun way to celebrate.

EAsy Sides With An Easy Main

 The main course is sometimes the easiest part of the meal to cook. There's nothing to air fried chicken tenders or pan fried steaks. You want the sides to be equally easy as well. Keep everything simple for a quick hassle free dinner.

Salad has always been every one's go to sides for centuries. You could go traditional with simple Bibb leaf lettuce and tomatoes. Just dress it with a simple viniagrette. Do something different if you want to have a fancier side. Add some almonds or walnuts along with shredded cheddar or mozzarella. You could also add microwaved bacon or bacon bits.If you're bored with the dressing then sub in lemon, lime or fresh squeezed orange juice instead of the vinegar. A quarter teaspoon  of honey or even maple syrup can give a dressing a totally different flavor. This may not be the season for tomatoes so try a one veggie salad. It's easy to whip up an simple broccoli or string bean one. It's just taking frozen broccoli or string beans and then steaming them.Use the mocrowave to save time. Dress them with a simple oil and vinegar one .Add a dash of garlic powder for extra flavor. What's great about this is that you can have trhe leftoivers with a sandwich then next day for lunch. 

Cooked easy sides can also work too. That steamed broccoli and stringbeans? They are just as good hot as they are cold. Add some butter like the plant based Melt, and garlic powder. Broccoli is also good topped with melted cheese. Heat  Kraft's cheddar in the microwave and pour over the florets. You could even toss in some bacon bits for more flavor. Tomatoes Provencale may sound elaborate and fancy but it's simply sliced tomoates sauted in garlic, butter and olive oil and topped with spoonfuls of breadcrumbs. They're the perfect side to any kind of steak or even burger. You can't go wrong with potatoes.Instant mashe d potatoes are always a crowd pleaser. They're simple to make and you cna vary the recipe  with the addition of cheese, bacon or even minced garlic cloves. Air fryer potatoes are another tasty side that everyone will like. It's just aking the smaller ones , cutting htem in half and htne coating them in a mix of olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.They're then air fried at 400 degrees Farenheit  for ten minutes. You could also serve microwaved baked Idaho or sweet potatoes.

If you have an easymain course then think about making easy sides. They're a snap to cook. even better they're a delicious snap to eat.

The Food Desert Problem

 Every American has the right to eat healthy and with abundance. Yet in this  day and age that's not necessarily so. Many are in the middle of vast food deserts, struggling to find fresh and nutritious ingredients and foods to stay healthy and alive.

It's important on this Martin Luther King Day to consider this. Dr. King wanted equality for African Americans. He could not have foreseen what has happened to many in both rural and urban areas who cannot get decent or affordable  foodstuffs. It is a major problem affecting milliions of people. The US is notorious for it however it's also a problem in the United Kingdom as well.Nashville leads the country as far as cities while MIssissippi is the worst state for providing its' citizens with food. Many groceries , especially the high end ones like Trader Joe's , seemingly refuse to go to various sections in various cities.Once in a while a store like Shop Rite will establish itself in urban area like Passaic New Jersey., Luckily Shop Rite does have a wide and good variety of produce along with more or less affordable meats, fish and poultry.In nearby Paterson there is is its' subsidiary Price Rite that also offers a vast range of products for those that are financially challenged.Some of the cities do have ethnic enclaves like Paterson's Arab section where shoppers can buy halal meats along with fresh fruits and veggies. These stores should be able to accept SNAP.

Yet there is still so much more that needs to be done.Newark leads this state's in food deserts. Surprisingly there is a Whole Foods in the northern section of the city. What is great about Whole Foods is that it accepts SNAP and its' electronic counterpart EBT and gives  a ten percent discount.(the EBT is not accepted however on the store'ss web site). This gives many home chefs the chance to cook with fresh veggies and offer their kids in season fruits instead of fattening and bad for your snack cakes and cookies. The company  should think about expanding to other challenged cities and possibly working a deal with food pantries and soup kitchens as well. Another idea that may be good for rural areas is have a supermarket on wheels, that is semis filled with choices of different fruits, veggies, meat, dairy and eggs. These can be driven  into rural areas and set up like farmers markets where  locals can come and buy their weekly food needs. Formula and diapers can also be included in this to help out new parents.There should also be pet supplies for those who parent dogs and cats as well.

We're in the third decade of the Twentieth First Century ,not back in the Nineteenth There should not be families starving or struggling to put decent food on their tables. There has to be solutions. All American deserve the right to a healthy diet.

An Easy Winter's Night Meal

 This should be the month for no fuss cooking.Recipes should be simple but filling. One way is to do this is using polenta.It's a great way to add to any meal, especially if it's paired with a simple saute.

I had this in mind (after being influenced by David' Tanis' recipes in Wednesday 's New York Times food section. A polenta log can be sliced and tastes the best fried on a griddle.

I fried them in Melt plant butter for flavor and crispness. You could make polenta the old fashioned way, in a big pot but this is constantly storring it. It could stick and even burn. Buying the logs is a better way of preparing it without all that fuss.. You can also slice and fry up the polenta the next day too.

As for the saute, I've had enough of the traditional tomato  sauce that usually goes with it. A nice spinach and mushrroom sauce would work with this. It had the added bonus of kale in the mix. I used about two to three cups of the combined greens , about  sixteen ounces and about four cups of already cut baby bella mushrooms.It was cooking the mushrooms in a mix of olive oil and Melt plant butter. Halfway through I added about a cup of veggie stock for a kind of gravy and generous lashings of garlic powder ,salt and pepper. After the Baby Bellas were cooked for about fifteen minutes the spinach and kale were added.

This  was cooked for about ten minutes until soft and  turned a deep emerald green.

The end result was an amazing dinner. full of good for you ingredients and flavor.

It rreally was the perfect meal , so easy to create and just right for a frosty evening. You can vary it with a pinch of red pepper or cayenne. Add vegan sausages or any kind of meat for a heartier dinner. Better yet it was great for a hot lunch the next day.

This is the month for simple cooking and eating. Try this tasty saute with polenta rounds for a filling and easy dinner.It's a delicious way to kick back in the kitchen.

Replacements Ltd The Place To Find Vintage

 What happens when a beloved plate or cup is smashed? Most of the time you can just run to department or big box store and pick up a replacement.Yet what happens when that vintage platter or serving dish gets accidnetally dropped.Luckily there's a company that stocks all vintage ware.Replacements Ltd. is an amaxing site wit some beautiful dinner, flat  and stem ware.

I discovered them when my vintage Corelle Butterfly Gold  patterned plates were accidentally smashed making Christmas Eve dinner. Yes I was crushed. Those plates are almost sixty years old, and a link to my Mom.It was heartbreaking to see those pieces.being swept into the garbage. I quickly Googled the pattern and Replacements LTd came up. I was able to replace the plates and received them in a few days, depsite it being the holiday week.

The replacememnt is exactly like the original, the Butterfly Gold which has always been there in my life.They were only $23. a plate and well worth it. There is even matching cereal bowls as well as bowls for serving veggies. I wouldn't mind buying these to complete the set.I may also consider getting a new set of cups with the pattern since I only have two left.

The site is amazing with all sorts of discontinued brands and items. They even have a jewelry section with Victorian earrings.This is the go to site for  hard to find Lennox and Waterford patterns. Keep in mind that these brands, as always are super expensive Pfaltzgraff another top brand is $300 for a forty piece set. A Waterford MIllenium water goblet  which has been discontinued is $300 (!) a goblet. There is a lovely forty  piece Oneidaware estate set that's a whopping $749.95 yet worth it. Having thany ofhtese pieces brings about a certain elegance to home entertaining and serve as perfect frames for beautiful recipes and wines.I'ts a great site to look for wedding and engagement gifts as well because heritage and legacy pieces never go out of style. Any couple would probably love to have Lennoxware or delciately cut wine and cocktail glasses. The shipping is not that much.

If you need to replace that special plate or flute then visit Replacments Ltd. They have a dazzling array of beauitful and discontinued dinner ,flat and stem ware. They can make any set compelte again.

Easy Winter Dishes

 The best thing about January is that it's a time to relax. Gone are the hectic holiday meals and harried work days leading itno parties. It's simply a month to just take it easy. That also applies to cooking.  A simple and easy meal and dessert is all you need.

Regular contributor David Tanis wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He believes on easing up on cooking and baking yet retaining flavor.It also doesn;t have to feel restrictive either and if you want to keep it festive then do so. he offers three dishes - carrot -leek soup with miso followed by baked fish with mushrooms and ginger. Dessert is  triple sesame tea cakes. Mr. Tabis uses Asian pantry staples like miso and ginger for the savory dn toasted sesame oil for the cookies.The influence gives all three recipes oomph and elevates them from just plain winter dishes to something special despite their easiness. The soup starts with a homemade vegetable broth made from the leeks and carrots. They're  first sauteed in butter  and then simmered in salted water to create a fragrant broth.Both sare preed to gether for a creamy mouth feel and then the miso is added,It can be yellow or white however the yellow is saltier . If you want to taste te veggies then use the white instead.

As for the dush Mr. Tanis recommends eihter halibut, bass or grouper. They;'re baked in just salt and pepper. while they're baking make the mushrooms. These are shiitake ones, without the stems cooked in soy sauce and ginger. This sauce is then spooned over the fishn and put back into the oven to be baked fo twenty minutes at or an  additional twenty to twenty-five minutes. You could sprinkle on scallions and cilantro springs for color and more flavor. Make sure to pou any gingery pan juicings over the fish. End the meal with simple triple sesame tea cookies.This is an easy cookie dough enhanced with the toasted seasame seed oil along with tahini or sesame paste.Te liquids are blended first with  a mix of  flour  and baking powder slowly added in later. It's then rolling the dough into walnut sized  balls followed by rolling them in sesame seeds. Bake them for twenty minutes at 350 degree Farenheit. A nice drink for this meal would be a hot  ginger or green tea ,

Janiary should be a simple time with easy meals. Make these recipes for that simplicity  but with flavor. They're a great meal that can be easy to make and delicious to eat.

A Legend Says Good Bye

 One of the most innovative restaurants in the last twenty  years is Noma in Copenhagen.Next year, 2024 is going is going to be it's last as a popular eatery.It will come back , with the same innovative food and original recipes. Yet it won't be the same.

The New York Times Food critic Pete Wells wrote about this legend of a restaurant in today's New York Times Food section. He was lucky to get reservations (although he had to piggy back his with a friend's) when he reviewed it in 2018.The top chef and owner Rene Redzepi took Nordic cooking and turned it on its' ear. It's a mix of new and old, with bringing in traditional ingredients and using them in different ways. He used the bright orange berries of the sea buckthorn and used them in all sorts fo recipes from jams to cocktails. Chef Redzepi and his assistants foraged wood sorrell and other plants , long used in Scandanavian cooking and made it a part of the new Nordic cooking manifesto. He used burning hay to perfume certain ingredients along with using parsnips instead of fruit in desserts(!) Noma made a big deal of serving  a variety of pickled foods as an appetizer. Even Chef Redzepi also renamed the appetizers, calling them snacks. 

Other restaurants like El Bulli in Spain and Chez Panisse have dozens of imitators and both eateries have given chefs inspiration with all sort of dishes. Yet it's Noma that all turn to for ideas. They can copy it's use of slates, rocks, seashells (!) longs and mismatched pieces of hand hewn pottery. There are influences from modern Scandanavian furtniture to not serving tomatoes in anything as Noma does. Yet as much as they copy  they cannot get it compeltely right. Mr. Werlls desctibes having a dish painted with edible paint in the shape of an iridescent starfish covered with the sparkling roe of Danish trout. Yet according to him its excellence may be inseparable from the culture of overkill. Maybe once Chef Redzepi gets rod of those "pesky diners" he can work on newer innovations and more original recipes that reflect the Nordic heritage. Or maybe he 'll be influenced by Asian cooking since Noma is now in Japan. He coud easily use sea weed in a new way or reinvent sushi or tempura,

Noma may only have a year but it will probably be a glorious one. Diners from all over th e world  still want to try its' innovative dishes. It still has spark and the ability to change the food world.

Home Chef Goals

It's a new year and with it come new goals for everything in life. Home chefs should take these to heart . Have something to look foward to doing and then stick to doing it. It can be anything from trying a new cuisine to mastering some culinary craft.

Tis is what I have planned for myself. Caribbean cooking and baking has always intrigued me and this will be the year (and hopefully soon) to try cooking callaloo and possibly attempting a tofu jerk.This is turning a traditionally meat dish into something vegan. Another Caribbean must try is Trinidadian sweet bread. I was curious about it when I first heard about this fruitcake like bread.It has frozen coconut along with currents  evaporated milk, raisins and candied cherries in it. I have had luck with sweet breads in the past so it shouldn't be that hard to make and bake.Another home chef or rather home baker goal for me is upping my cookie game. I've had two major Christmas cookie disasters recently, probably becaused I used vegan sub in for eggs and butter. I want to create a cookie that crisp and light while packing flavor. I don't ever want to deal with a crumbly , unmanagable dough  again. A smaller goal is possibly buying cute cookie cutters in different shape and sizes and working with colored chocolate for decorating.

All home chefs should set some kind fo goal. It doens;t have to be met right away. It could involve smokingbrisket  n the grill during the Spring and summer months. You can spend these colder months reading up; on recipes and which one to try. Many look through those new cookbooks they received for Christmas and Hannukah and pick out recipes they want to try, Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be a new cookbook. There may be a cookbook you haven't looked through in years. Check the recipes out. Try the ones you haven;t attempted for something different. Another fun goal is taking culinary classes.Enroll in a course  if you're fascinated by Middle Eastern cuisine or want to learn the intricacies of French pastry making. Again check on line for classes and if they're in your area.  Some bakeries offer classes for cake and cupcake decorating while many night schools offer affordable classes on various cuisines.Sign up now before all the spots are taken. There are also one on one classes however these can be pricy depending upon the instructor's availabilty. Research first before you sign up.

It's always fun and improtant to set goals for yourelf. Carry that into the kitchen. Try a new cuisine or promise yourself to experiment with a different technique. You'll be pleased with the results.

The Early American Cooking Channel

 Have you ever wondered how home chefs managed to create tasty and sustainable meals two centuries ago?  How did they cook without air fryers and microwaves? Well, there's this YouTube channel , Early American that explains everything. Imagine a cooking show form the Federalist period to 1830

I disocvered this channel only yesterday (and I;m late to the party on some of the videos). It was mind blowing and fascinating along with being weirdly calming. The main cook and baker is Justine who actually cooks in a log cabin. She is wearing period clothing - an Empire style  dress and a very long apron which serves as double duty to protect her clothes and carry scraps out to the chickens. (Yes, there is a small flock of chickens outside), There is no chirpy dialogue with these videos , no jazzy music or fun banter. You hear Justine cutting up veggies or her butter and milk sizzling over a fire There is the sound fo her whisking eggs with a straw(!) whisk. The implements are simple themselves. Liquids and batters are mixed in earthernware bowls. There is only one , rather lethal looking knife that does all the heavy kitchen duty. There are no ovens or  stoves. Everything is cooked over a fire or wirh hot coals. This is the most fascinating to me. Justine puts tins or literally  cups (for cupcakes) in a pot. A lid is put on it and then hot coals are expertly shoveled on top to create a kind of convection oven. The cakes and cupcakes come out OK.

The recipes or receipts as they were called are flashed across the screen at the end of each video. Most are from The Frugal Housewife and  The Cook's Oracle. Can thye be replicated in the modern kitchen? Yes, but keep in mind that they're made with very basic ingredients. This is the kind of food that a Young America ate . influenced prinarily by Britain. The spicings are very simple., mostly salt  and pepper for the savory foods with mustard being included in some recipes. The cupcakes seemed to be the most flavorful, with a kind of gingerbread vibe thanks to molasses, mace, cloves and a lot fo dried ginger being used. I was fascinated by her bacon rice curry that had a pinch of cayenne and a good tabelspoon of curry powder in it. I'm just wondering where they got cayenne pepper back then. Was it with trade from the Caribbean? The same with the curry. I imagine a general store in the early 1800's may have had it on occassion. Another questionable aspect is the meat. I saw her husband Ron shoot a deer for their Christmas dinner video (it wasn't witnessed. You just saw him loading up a musket and then hear it go off). Seeing him dump the body into a cart was disturbing, probably because I am animal rights. Then her chickens - where they used for the fried chicken recipe?  Vegans may be offended by these videos, Vegetarians will be more accepting.Some  recipes can work  for themlike the baked mac and cheese and the golden fried potato balls, 

It's always fun to think about time travel. Home chefs can, thansk to Justine and her huband Ron. Go back two hundred years with Early American. It's a tasty history lesson.

Papa Ganache A New Kind of Bakery

 Veganism is taking a strong hold on the American palate. It's no wonder that vegan bakeries are becoming more popular. They're becoming part of the hometown scene. One New Jersey mini chain Papa Ganache is this offering dairy and egg free treats.

I was lucky to visit the Cranford , New Jersey branch today. The owner , vegan baker and psychotherapist Lisa Siroti founded these good for you bakeries. There are no animal products used which means there's no cholesterol to fret over along with no transfat and  preservatives. It's a small batch bakery meaning the items are baked in smaller quantities than a regular bakery would.

Still there was a lot to choose from. I went in mid afternoon and there was still a good choice of cookies, brownies and baby cakes. (smaller two layer cakes)

They alos have cookie pops. I couldn't resist the cupocakes so I bought the creme brulee and the carrot ones.

I wanted to see if the frosting was as good as my homemade vegan one, I could taste the apple sauce in the creme brule one. I liked the torched raw sugar on top It did add that nice  crunch and burnt flavor that the real creme brule has. The icing was very solid in texture and then melted into creaminess .The carrot cupcakes tasted exactly like their non vegan counterparts. I love the burst of carroty flavor the cake had and the ultra creaminess of the icing. These could easily pass for the non vegan ones. I'm hoping to try their cookies and their big square Neopolitan ones that look like petit fours. Also their vegan bread sounds fascinating too. The pricing is expensive though. Each cupcake was five dollars while  giant cookies are $4.50 each. Smaller cakes start at $30 while a nine inch one is $50. 

Visit Papa Ganache if you're in the quaint and charming town of Cranford or visit their Marawan and Manasquan locations. It's a great place to  try delicious vegan treats.

Papa Ganache Cranford location 106 N>Union Ave.

Veggies Doing Double Duty

 It's not just spinach steamed with garlic and butter anymore. Or cauliflower florets ready to be dipped into a viniagrette. Veggies now are getting double duty in foods and recipe usually occupied by traditional and time honored ingredients. The end result is a tasty new way of getting produce.

On e of the unexpected to find veggies is pasta. Many companies like Ronzoni are incorporating everything from broccoli to tomatoes in their spaghetti and rotelli.Barilla, the most tradtional of pasta companies is taking a different turn with their zucchini and spinach ones along with their red lentil and chickpea pastas. Yet are they worth it to those who love their whole wheat and Durham wheat kinds. Veggie based pasta is less in fiber and much less proteins than the traditional types. They are perfect for those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivites and wheat allergies.Keep in mind that they're not completely vegetable based.A mix of semolina and Durham wheat is added for body. Ronzoni 's has  The most important question however is how does it taste. Veggie pastas don't have the robust and distinctive flavor their one hundred per cent wheat cousins have. It won't work with a delicate butter and garlic sauce. Try a hearty tomato or fiery arriabiata one instead. The same applies to turning them into salads. Use a flavorful dressing and strong flavors like beans and broccoli along with vine ripe tomatoes.

Rice is also getting a run for its' money. There is a trend right now for riced veggies.It's a much healthier alternative to the regular grains (although rice is lower in calories and is rich in carbohydrates,magnesium and protein).Riced veggies have more Vitamins K and C. You can easily buy it at your grocery store . There are several different brands to choose from like Acme's Signature brand to Bird's Eye and Green Giant. It comes plain ro with flavorings like regular rice. It's great on it's own but perfect for a healthy side with grilled chicken or even plant based meats. Riced veggies can be easily be made in your kitchen. One popular recipe is riced broccoli. This is just trimming the veggie's thick ends or woody looking stems. Cut the broccoli into equal sized florets and cut the stems into coins or thin slices. Place all of it in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pieces resembles rice grains. You can easily turn it into a side or a salad. even fellow vegetables like potatoes are getting a run for their money. Mashed cauliflower has a popular side since Michelle Obama introduced it at The White House.It's mashing the cooked florets with sour cream and butter, although you can also use almind milk for a healthier side.

Veggies are doing double duties taking over form rice , pasta and even their fellow veggies potatoes, They're a nice alternative to these, being healthier and more flavorful. Try them as pasta riced or mashed for a new taste in the New Year.

Food Waste And Us

What's the worst thing a home chef can make? Food waste. Throwing out leftovers or overbuying is killing our planet. Is there a way out? Yes and it involves being mindful about what to buy and cook.

Susan Shain wrote this interesting article about  our lethal eating habits in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms. Shain is part of the Headway Team at the newspaper, an initiative exploring the world's challenges through the lens of progess. Food waste is the number one environmental problem in the US right now. It's more destructive than even the methane emissions from the aviation industry which is claiming a lot. The idea of no waste needs attention.  We have a better shot of somewhat conquering  climate change if we're more frugal and mindful  of what we use. Americans have a tendency to take our abundance for granted. We just keep buying whether we need the food or not. Spinach gets pushed to the back of the fridge. Avocadoes and tomatoes are forgotten as other veggies are brought in. That leads to it being eventually being tossed into landfills. LUckily Ohio is keeping track of all this waste. The South Ohio waste Company or SWACO is actively measuring what people are throwing out . They  went to North Arlington, a wealthy suburb of Columbus. also another company GT environmental also tracked what residents were throwing out. They were divided into three catagories according to senior manager Dan Graeter and there was a lot fo food wasted.

How do we combat this? SWACO's former  executive director Ty Marsh feels it's in the pocketbook. The average Ohio family spens  a whopping $1,500 for unwanted food each year. That's also tewnty-two  millions(!!!) of gallons a gas used each year to drive to the grocery store. They've shared tips with how to create meal plans and freeze elftovers. some residents have even received offers of free Blueapple pods  which helps produce stay fresh longer along with bins and liners for easy composting. Yet it may be the next generation that will help get us out of the mess. sixth grader Riley Savage of Ohio has been ridign her mother Jennifer for her wasteful habits. It started  two years ago when Mrs.S avage was throwing out old stuffed pappers, Riley's favorite food. The waste of it all made the then fourth grader   cry. Her parents quickly amneded their ways. Mr. Savage was turning last night's leftovers into his work lunch while Mrs/ Savage was much more conscientious about what she cooked. Even schools are teaching the importnace of envirnmnetalism. Riley's school Horizon Elementary   has a  cafeteria  where first graders like Tobias are learning about composting, recycling and landfills. There is triumph in learning where each piece fo garbage goes. Leftover nuggets and cheese sticks are left  for other students to much on.

It' s not too late to reverse out bad habits. do it for your family and your wallet. Most of all do it for our planet.

A Century Of Good Food

 It's rare a restaurant hits the 100 year mark, yet Los Amgeles' El Cholo has managed to do just that. This beloved staple  has been feeding celebrities college stidents and families. What's their secret? Good food and good drink.

Deputy business editor Kevin McKenna takes a break from finance writing and wrote this informative piece  along with giving recipes for today's New York Times Food section. El Cholo is one of those unique  eateries that you would see more in Europe where families own restaurants through the centuries.It started in 1923 when Alejando and Rosa Borquez opened up the Sonora Cafe  named after their home state in Mexico. It was renamed EL Cholo a couple of years later  in 1925.and located near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Their daughter Aurelia took over with her husband George Salisbury , a regular she met while waitressing there. The current owner ,their son Ron was born in 1935. His earliest memories are of helping his mother count change  at their cash register . He also managed the place for his father when he was eighteen and also going to college. His youngest of seven Bennett, will be running the restaurant now. during its' one hundred years it attracted the burgeoning Hollywood community. regular customers were Clark Gable, Loretta Young and Nat King Cole. Jack Nicholson was also a regular and brought his girlfriend Michelle Philips to el Cholo. Her voice provides the outgoing message for the restaurant. Tom Seaver was a big fan and part time owner  during his college days. he later brought Nolan Ryan there. 

Have the recipes changed over the years? Yes. Mexican food was not really big with the Anglo community and the dishes were often bland witohut any of the usial spices. Over the decades American tastes changed and people were becoming more adventurous. Chimichangas were added in 1967 and crab meat enchiladas in 1971. It was the addition of nachos that  brought in more customers for  El Cholo.This was thanks to waitress Carmen Rocha who brought them in by stealth . Her knowledge of the dish followed her from Texas. she started to prepare them for diners who loved them. Yet it was the introduction of the margarita in 1960s'. The first ones were not that great according to Ron Salisbury  A fellow restaurant owner gave hima few tios, namely blending a variety of tequilas for the drink. Mr. McKenna offer ElCholo's signature dish Sonora style enchiladas. He also includes the green and red sauce recipes too. The filling is shredded cooked chicken sauteed with Mexican oregano, garlic polamo chilis and a tomato. Each are different. The red has guajillo and California chilis cooked with chili di arbol and a onion The green is made   from chicken stock , green bell peppers, spinach onion and poblano chiles. Both are used in assembling the enchiladas and then they 're stacked and served with a fried egg on top. cheese and black olives are sprinkled on top.

el Cholo represents a family's  century devotion and hard work. it has severed generations of Angelenos amdintroduced Mexican food to Hollywood. It is the king of restaurants.

The January Dilemma Fresh Frozen Or Canned

 Trying to eat healthy in January can be a hard deal. It;s not that we're surrounded by cakes and chips.It's that fresh fruit and veggies are slim picking this time of year. Yes you ca pick up eveyrhing but are they tasty enough? Would a canned or frozen version be better?

This is the problem for all home chefs in colder climes this time of year. Most produce are well past their harvest in the northern part of the US and Canada. Most of the veggies that were in full bloom during the summer are coming in from Mexico and Central America now. Tomatoes are one of these and though they're native to that area, the winter versions are not as red or as delicious as the ones coming from local area farms. It's tough to make a good salad with ones that are watery and bland tasting. You could buy sundried  tomatoes for a different taste but these can be too much after a while. That burst tomato sauce that usually tastes heavenly with the fresh grape variety but has a lesser flavor when the imported ones are used. The best bet is using canned like Muir Glen for any kind of sauce. As for broccoli it's growing in abundance in north central Florida. Luckily it's a veggie that's OK frozen. The frozen version is actually better for broccoli salads . Steaming it helps to improve the flavor . This also works for string beans too. Skip the canned versions and go straight for the frozen green beans.

Fruit is a bit harder.It's hard to find really good fruit now. There are apples which are coming in from Washington State right now. They're still harvested in the fall but put into a controlled setting to prevent rotting. That's why we still have such a variety to choose from. Grapes still are being harvested in southern California along with Mexico. The good thing about grapes is that they become raisins. If you're not happy with what your grocery has , then get a cannister of raisins. They're also rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals plus they're high in iron.  Citrus has always been the "go to winter fruit". Definitely have more of them in your life.They're also good freshly juiced which you can use for a delicious , fresh drink or perfect in both savory and sweet dishes. The same goes for tangerines as well. Have plenty of these around too. What about those fany little bowls of strawberries and melons  that are seen gracing grocery shelves. Both are probably coming from Mexico and they 're OK if you want a low calorie snack. You could buy frozen strawberries but these are actually better in smoothies and desserts. As for the melon look to winter melons like casaba for a fresher bite.

A New Year's resolution is to eat healthy. It hard to do when it's January. yet you can find your helping of fruit and veggies for better eating.

Tomato Chips Eat Healthy

 This is the time to make healthy eating resolutions. It's time to throw away those high in fat nacks and try something good for you.Think tomato chips intstead of the potato ones.Yes, tomato chips. Just Pure Foods has a new line of interesting snacks.

Instead of salty and fat laced potato based chips try these. They're  low temperature dried vine ripened tomatoes with only sixty calories in a bag of the barbecued flavor and fifty for the jalapeno and cheese flavored ones. They can actually be put into salads for a different kind of flavor as well. They sort of look like sundried ones without the pulp.Their drying methods are set to keep the tomatoes' enzymes and nutrients intact.

What about the taste? The cheese ones taste like pizza with a hint of garlic and are great if you're craving a slice . The barbecue flavored ones sort of taste like ketchup thanks to the addition of onions and garlic. Just Pure Food's jalapeno tomato chips are not for the faint hearted. These are ATOMIC!!!!You can east them on their own but they'd be better in tacos or even burritos. The flavor is fiery and intense despite the addition of chickpeas and onion to temper it.

It's the New Year!!! stick to those resolutions and eat healthy. Try Just Pure Food s tomato chips to start you on the right path to a better you and a better body.