Snow Day Snacks Good Healthy Both

 Everyone is probably in the middle of their snow day snacks right now. These last two days on the East Coast were perfect for stocking up and nibbling. How did it go during one of the worst blizzards in recent years>Was it healthy? Was it good and unhealthy?

To be honest I went both waysYou can't help but also grab these

I spent Saturday in my local Dollar Tree and Stop and Shop(sorry Lidl). I am a sucker for anything Swiss rolls and when I saw the box on  the discount store's shelve,syes,I had to have to have them. A few minutes later I was buying both unhealthy and healthy t my Stop and Shop.They had a sale on the chips so I thought why not. WHat's a snow day without sitting ,scrolling and scarfing down junk food, followed by diet soda.

I also saw some of the plumpest grapes at Stop and Shop and had to buy them. Likewise for the snack cup  of blueberries I found at Acme during a last minute run.

I'd recommend these for a good snack anytime anywhere. The grapes were sweet and , of  course better thank snack pastries, The blueberries the same thing. These bite sized gems are better than chocolate and obviously healthier than any cookie. Yes it;d fun to chow on a lot of salt fat and sugar. It's even better to  appreciate the true snacks of nature.

What did everyone snack n? Healthy? Good for you Unhealthy. You can have both .Just make sure that the healthy outweighs the unhealthy.

SNow Day Kitchen Day

 Yes, there's another blizzard coming to the EAst Coast.It's happening almost a month from the big January snowfall. What to do on the da off? Kitchen work. It'c would be baking, cooking or even cleaning. It's a great way to keep yourself busy.

A snowy day in is a nesting  day in. It is the perfect day for baking something warm and tasty. It's a good day to get out the flour and yeast and bake a tasty bread. Even a simple white bread is a fun way to pass the time. YOu could also make pizza dough which is always a crowd pleaser on a snowy day in. Make sure you have the pizza sauce and mozzarella along with everyone's favorite toppings. Homemade rolls are another good bake. yet can be used for sandwiches in the upcoming  days. Kids home mean one thing - baking cookies and usually chocolate chips. You should have one or two slice and bake logs ready or you can make the dough yourself. Vary the chips in different sizes or in the different kinds of chocolate. If baking won;t excite you then think cooking. It's the perfect time to create homemade sauce or chili ,using the crockpot. These are perfect for creating hearty meals that feel good after a day of hard shoveling. Another comforting dish is meat loaf with gravy. Add homemade mashed potatoes for more goodness.

A snowy day in means attending to those kitchen chores that you were too busy to do., It;s a good time to clean out the spice cabinet. check to see how long you've had your spices and toss them.Most of them lose their flavor after three to four years.  Ground spices lose their potency after only two or three years. Reassess what you have and toss. It;s also a good time to clean  out the fridge ,freezer and pantry. Get rid of all those old bottles of sauces along bottles of maple syrup. The last probably has a crusty sugary ring around the top. Some old foods can be given to the animals outside . Squirrels like crackers.Any wuldife will appreciate that chicken and its.bones After the bottom part of the refrigerator has been cleaned and scrubbed then it's time to tackle the freezer. Throw away all those old popsicles . They get oozy and gooey after six months .Ice cream only lasts a month in the fridge once its' opened. If yours has been there since the summer of 2025, it's a good thing to get rid of it. How long does frozen food last? A month or a year. Get rid of the older stuff. Cook the newer stuff to clear up the space for your next grocery trip.

A snowy day os a great way to reconnect with your kitchen . Bake, cook or clean. You'll feel better doing something productive on a lost day.

Friday Fish Dinners

 Now that we have Lenten Fridays , it;s time to start thinking of fish dinners. Any seafood is versatile and can be made into a variety of dishes. They can range from scampi to tacos, from the sophisticated to the fun.

A fish dinner can be both elegant and simple. Salmon fills the bill on both . Try oven baking it  after brushing garlic butter on it. You could add  pinches of oregano and rosemary too for a more herbal flavor or try a brown sugar -soy sauce glaze for an Asian vibe. It can be served with noodles, pasta or rice along with pan baked veggies.A quicker yet just as elegant meal is a salmon salad, This is flaking the cooked fish and adding it to a variety of greens along with grape tomatoes and sliced bell peppers. Dress with a simple vinaigrette made from a mix of white wine vinegar , olive oil and oregano. Another delicate flavored fish is tilapia, This has a sweet, almost no"fishy" flavor which makes it perfect for sauce like the French Meuniere. The sauce is only tree ingredients of browned butter, lemon  juice and parsley.It's also a good sauce for asparagus too.You could also make a Parmesan crusted tilapia too with the fish coated in a mix of the cheese and paprika , the last for color and bite.

Yes ,Friday demands fish and chips too. This British classic can easily be cooked up in an air fryer.For centuries the dis as been made with cod.It's the best to work with because of the firm flesh. The filets would come apart wen being breaded or fried. A traditional batter involves beer which gives it an extra crispy crunch;If you don;t like beer sub  in seltzer just to give it the batter that bubbly texture. Usually a cup is used a long with one and a quarter cups of flour and baking soda (for more lift) Two eggs bind it all together and you can add a dash of cayenne for some zing.The filets are cooked for about twelve minutes at around 400 degrees Farenheit. Chips or fries are a must too.How do you get them crispy and perfect with malt vinegar or ketchup? Dip them into a slurry of cornstarch and water.it's taking russet potatoes and cutting them lengthwise, first into planks and then into plants. After make  a of slurry of three quarters of a cup of water mixed with three tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook them in an oil sprayed air fryer for eight minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. FLip them over and cook for another six minutes more  or until golden brown.

Friday's are now reserved for fish. There are many recipes to choose from. ENjoy a delicate or a hearty one.

A Kiss Of Dumplings

 The Lunar New Year brings all sorts of good things, from celebrations to various foods. One is the simple dumpling. It's an easy make but full of complex flavors. A hot dish of them on a cold Frebruary night is such a treat. They are perfect, especially if they're homemade.

Regular contributor Genevieve KO amassed a good deal of dumpling recipes for the second annual Dumpling Week in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section. The recipes were created by longtime New York Times cooking contributors.The recipes are built upons classic foundations and fu=filled with all sorts of stuffings and spicing. Sue Li gives a more traditional recipe in her pork and garlic chive pot stickers. This is a pan fried dumpling based on the ones that she would buy at the base of the Elephant Mountains in Taipei.It's a simple ground pork, egg  and garlic while the dumplings themselves are a simple blend of all purpose flour and baking powder. Eric Kin gives an untraditional one with a Korean dumpling. The wrapper itself is layered mix of yeast flour and sugar. The beef filling has a kick of jalapeno and large stemmed shiitake mushrooms Gochugaru is added for more zing. The dipping sauce redolent with jalapeno and egg yolks is even spicier. A pinch of sugar tempers it all.

Hetty Liu Mckinnin gives  the dumplings a different spin by making them vegetarian These are eaten throughout  Turkey ,Armenia and Central Asia. These are filled with Herby mushrooms and dipped into both a sharp ,garlicky yogurt and a spiced tomato sauce.There are also onions, love and the eye watering Aleppo peppers added to this.  As for the mushrooms use cremini button or shiitake. These can be mixed together.The yogurt sauce is simply Greek yogurt mixed with two grated garlic cloves while the tomato is a canned crushed tomatoes blended with mint and Aleppo peppers.The Thai's are also known for their dumplings too.China and Thailand have been trading for centuries and recipes also are swapped too. Genevieve Ko gives her interpretation on this with Napa cabbage and shallots and a different filling - chicken  namely all dark meat for more flavor . Basil is a big part of Thai cooking and it;s used here along with Serrano chilies for bite .There is also fish salt and sugar for a savory sweet flavor. The sauce also has sugar mixed with bird's eye Chiles, distilled white vinegar and two garlic cloves.

This cold weather calls for festive and comforting food. Make any of these dumplings for that. They are tasty and perfect for the Lunar New Year.

Lenten Sacrifices It's Time

  Many Christians, and especially Catholics around the world are thinking about what to give up this Lent. Today is Ash Wednesday and many thought are going towards sacrificing food or drink. Yet here is something else you can give up  - time. Time is the most valuable commodity of all.  It can go for creating good.

One way of giving up your time is to give it to others. This might mean cooking a meal for an elderly neighbor or friend in need. Even thought it might seem like a sacrifice at first,  you'll get into the joy of cooking with others and the satisfaction of making sure a person is fed.Communal cooking , even, if it's just between two people can be a rewarding and even a learning experience. This is the time to ask the neighbor or friend about their ethnic background and the  dishes that were handed down and shaped them,.You'll hear about cooking methods you've probably only read about a long with hearing about ingredients that will surely pique your interest. You could even arrange a weekend cooking class with them as they show you how to make these dishes.If you're cooking for and with family then ask about any family recipes long forgotten by current generations. This helps strengthens the ties between your culinary past and present.

Sacrificing time means taking anyone to the store. Let's face it, those town buses are only good for short hops where there's very little shopping to do. Offer your time and your vehicle to them. That way they can stock up on not only food stuffs and beverages but also on much needed supplies like toilet paper, along with laundry and dish detergents.It's also a chance to check to see if they're eating right . Nudge them gently towards the produce section if you see they're spending too much time in the snack and baked good sales.This expedition can be extended to a lunch out beforehand or some coffee after (keep in mind that many Acmes have Starbucks while Shop Rites here in New Jersey offer Dunkin Donuts) A coffee and a chat is a great way of just giving your time and enjoying a hot or cold coffee or tea together.If you;re too busy for shopping then consider a simple  Sunday brunch somewhere.It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just bacon, eggs and a hot coffee along with toast will do the trick.Talk with then. Listen.

It's Lent , Yes, you can give up those cakes and martinis. Yet wouldn't time be a better sacrifice? Donate yours to doing good deeds for friends,neighbors and family.

Fire Horse Noodles

 Celebrating the Lunar New Year is always fun There are fireworks and bao or dumplings. There are homemade dishes to bring in the Year of the Fire Horse. There es one dish rich with fire and flavor that's perfect for this night.

I wanted to celebrate the holiday with a dish that's a riff on PF Chang's Mongolian beef and also on the Szechuan classic ants climbing a tree..It starts with Gardien's plant based beef crumbles

This , , a quarter cup of soy sauce (you can add more if you want more flavor) and a cup of sliced scallions are browned in olive oil. 

}Garlic is crucial in any Chinese dish and for the heat I used about five to six grinds of LIdl''s black pepper ground into the meat. You can use  whole Szechuan pink peppercorns for more fire and crunch.

Cook until the ground meat is brown and crispy. Add another cup of fresh scallions right before serving for more flavor.

This can be served with noodles or rice. I like it with noodles and even Pasta can work here. I used Ronzoni's spaghetti but you can also use angel hair or even bucatini.

Fill a bowl halfway with the pasta and spoon the beef over rit. You can add more soy sauce if you want.

I absolutely loved this and plan on making it again.I may add fresh or dried ginger for more zing but still it was one of my favorite creations. The flavors , from the beef to the scallions worked so well together and the noodles were a great buffer tempering the fire.

It's the Year of the Fire Horse. Make this spicy , tasty dish to celebrate and ring in the New Year. Its'a great dish of exciting flavor.

A Presidential Diet

 They run the country and in effect run the world.They are the American presidents. Some may see them as gods but they[re just ordinary men who took on an extraordinary job. They eat the same as us They drink the same as us. They even have favorite foods and drink, just like their voters.

Maybe President Trump isn;t the most gluttonous of all leaders.There were several before him. H;es just like any modern American with a love for fast food I and who doesn't;t love McDonald's burgers and Filet O'Fish along with a chocolate shake. He also goes mad for steak with ketchup for lunch with a side of blue cheese dressing drenched salad. Then there are those dozens of diet Cokes - which let's face it we're addicted to them as well. Former President Joe Biden had a thing for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches washed down with orange Gatorade. Other presidents of the last century fell for that Twentieth Century diet staple cottage cheese. Ronald Reagen carried his Hollywood diet with him and had a scoop of the stuff in half a cantaloupe . Richard Nixon doused his with ketchup white  his follower Gerald Ford zinged his cottage cheese with sliced red onions and A-! Sauce. he also had those Seventies lunch drinks for choice  two martinis.

Barack Obama had more sophisticated tastes, enjoying Vietnamese noodles in Hanoi with food great Anthony Bourdaun. he was following int he footstep of Thomas Jefferson.Jefferson brought ice cream back from France to a new nation, curious about the word's diet He also introduced Americans to souffles to the famed baked mack and cheese. He also believed in a more vegetarian diet, considering meat  to be "just a condiment"" Washington's diet was more British and Virginia influenced. He loved the English classic mutton but was fast forward in his love of mashed sweet potatoes, now a trendy dish in restaurants everywhere. he loved how cakes a type of pancake swimming in butter and honey. Abe Lincoln , the other great president honored today was a fan of typical Nineteenth Century dishes such as chicken fricassee. This is a comforting ,creamy stew ,redolent  with herbs and  made with fresh cream. He also liked apple pie and oyster stew along with corncakes and gingersnap cookies. He loved  a food from his rough and tumble childhood - Kentucky corn dodgers, a kind of hush puppy fried in bacon grease.

Presidents are like us. They have their favorite foods and drinks. It's what keeps them running the country.

A Day Full of Chocolate

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Happy Valentines Day. may it be filled with all good foods you love  including this

Lucky Foods

 Everyone has that one lucky dish they eat before a match or after a job interview to insure all things go right.It could even be a lucky first date meal with the eater chowing down on pasta or a hamburger to ensure a second date.

Here's the question - what's your lucky food? Lentils because they resemble gold coins. Or a bowl of buttery black eyed peas? Or leafy greens like kale because they represent money? Or simply that slice from your favorite pizzeria because it just meant a fun night ahead. I do like black eyed peas in melted butter. Yes, they're lucky but their taste is a sweet mellow nuttiness other beans don't have.

Let us know what you'll be eating this Friday the 13th. And good luck!

Beef Shanks Rethought

 Beef shanks are rarely in  any home chef's dinner rotation. They're too expensive and slow to cook. Not a great combination. Yet they're becoming interesting again  and why not. They do have an amazing flavor that works well with spices.

New contributor and food blogger Cathy Erway wrote about this almost forgotten cut of beef in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section beef shanks are a desirable cut to those who love them.Its part of a cow's leg which is already a hard working limb. They're strewed with sinew and tendon which become incredibly soft and gelatinous after a long slow braise.Dishes made with it are often memorable.It has an intense beefy flavor, rich and savory with an unami taste. Yet despite all this they're hard to find in any grocery store.Chinese chefs, that use the shanks on a regular  basis have to go to small buthder shops to acquire the cut. Richard Ho, chef and owner of Ho Foods, a Taiwanese beef noodle shop in Manhattan heads to small , family owned meat shops to get this cut. He finally settled on the Brooklyn based Ends Meat that specializes in selling all the parts of an animal.Northern Italian restaurants also use it in their famed dish osso buco.

Other cuts of meat get  a lot more attention because they're;e perfect for turning into steaks.European cuisine rarely uses them but Asian ones like Thai routinely cook with them. They're also more of an economical cut,perfect for restaurants looking to be more cost efficient. Then there''s slow cooking.Most cuts fall apart but the shanks can hold up to any amount of cooking time. This is due to the slippery wisps of collegen connecting the muscle meat in neat slices that present well. That collegen enriches and thickens any soup ro even curry. Popularity could drive up the price of this lowly cut first served to Taiwanese soldiers courtesy of the US Army. It was also popular with the Mogul Indians too. MS.Erway also include a recipe for them. She uses fragrant Asian spices and herbs such as lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon stick. Galengal , a cousin of ginger is used for heat. (although fresh ginger root can be used too)A sweet and savory  curry goes with it , made from massanman curry. The shanks are better bought at an Asian grocery store like H-Mart.

Beef shanks are having their day, They may be the cheapest of cuts but have the richest for flavors. Try them in a soup ro curry to enjoy their flavor.

Washington's Cherry Bounce

 There are a lot of myth's about George Washing whose upcoming birthday is the 22nd of this month. There's the wooden teeth one and there's that cherry tree one. He probably did cut down a tree accidentally probably for the fruit it yielded. The First President was a cherry fiend and enjoyed the fruit several different ways

New contributor Ramin Ganeshram, an award winning food writer and The Westport Museum's Director For History and Cuture wrote this fascinating piece for today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Cherries were a big part of his estate in Mount Vernon ,Virginia. Plant nurseries were selling cherries varieties named for him  during his Philadelphia presidency . His enslaved workers gew multiple varieties which were preserved and sugared. Cherries were a versatile fruit,then and now.In washington's day they could be dried and baked into fruit cakes and stirred into sauces.They were also incorporated into one of his favorite drinks   cherry bounce/.It's a mix of tart cherries,cinnamon and cloves steeped in brandy.cognac whiskey or rum.It came with the English who called and still call it cherry brandy. The name bounce itself came from old time usage of the word meaning to strike or slap (where people in the Caribbean still use the term) The name probably came from the kick it brought to the drinker.

There are still ounce lovers today.Two companies today Tamworth Distilling and its' sister company Quaker City Mercantile included a recipe based on Martha Washington's one. Chef Patrick O'Connell chef at the Inn at Little WAshington uses his own version with apple brandy from Lairds, a hard cider and apple brandy distributor that Washington might have gone to. (It was established in the mid 1700's not far from here the Battle of Monmouth was fought). It's an easy recipe with the mod.It's then let to sit for two days and ern version consisting of three cups tart cherry juice (use Michigan;s Cherry Republics tart cherry juice for this, They ,by far have the best) along with four cups Morello cherries , cloves sugar and a cinnamon stick two cups of a good Cognac or brandy is used for the bounce.It's basically cooking all the fruit and spices along with granulated sugar . The brandy or cognac is then stirred in and the mix is then simmered Its then left to sit for two days Strain the mixtire through a high grain cheese cloth. The bounce is good on the rocks or with a shot of seltzer  to give it an adult  fizzy cherry soda vibe.

Yes , Washington was known for cherries. Yet it was a popular drink made from his beloved Morellos that gave him joy. Try it for  a lively drink this President's day weekend.

Sugar For Your Sugar

 Valentin'es Day is right around the corner.If you haven't found anything worthwhile and you're creative then think of homemade sweets.EVen a cake or trifle can be a lovely gift for after dinner.

This is the chocolate day. As I've written in past Valentine's Day posts you can make chocolate treats.One recipe I have't mentioned is homemade fudge. The easiest is the three ingredient one that involves microwaving dark chocolate chips, condensed milk and vanilla extract. A better version is one that has butter. This gives the candy a richer flavor and creamier texture. What's going around now is Dubai chocolate. This is a dreamy mix of pistachio  , shredded phyllo  and sweet syrupmarried to chocolate created by a Dubai housewife. Shew as looking for a new kind of candy to satisfy her sweet tooth and came up with . Now there are fudge recipes galore with it.It;sMilk chocolate layered with pistachio cream and there is a crunch supplied by Kadayif pastry. You could also make Dubai truffles too for a tasty treat for after dinner. If you're sugar isn;t a coca addict there is the CHinese rtnghulu recipe which has all sorts of fruits dipped in molten sugar syrup. This s hardens to a clear crackly coating, sort of like a candy apple. Two to three strawberries are stacked on a skewer and then dipped into the hot syrup.They're then plunged into a bowl if ice filled water.

Cakes and trifles make for a sweet treat after a romantic meal. Tiramisu is perfect after a dinner for risotto This is a layering of rum soaked ladyfingers with marscapone cheese. There is also zabaglione or sabayon between the layers.This so a boozy custard made with sugar, Marsala wine and egg yolks. Marscapone is whipped with whipped cream for another layer and then it;s all assembled, not unlike an icebox cake. Dust with cocoa powder and even chocolate shavings fro a really decadent treat.Another layered choco treat is Death By Chocolate ,You can make individual cups of it .Cube any chocolate cake and layer it with chocolate pudding and whipped cream. Both the cake and the pudding can be made from scratch but if you don;t have time then a store bought cake and Jello pudding will do nicely, Cool Whip can be subbed in for the real thing.Layer it this way- cake pudding and cream. Add some strawberries or raspberries on top for a tasty variation. 

Give your sugar some sugar this Valentine's Day. It could be homemade candy or a decadent trifle. Enjoy these sweets together.

A Lux Galentine's Day

 Love can be true .Friendship is truer.That's why a great idea is turning this Valentine's Day into Galentine's Day is a perfect salute to those friends who mean the world to you. Serve them lux dishes and fun treats.

A gal's night I could be a charcuterie board filled with yummy ,rich cold cuts. Think slices of prosciutto and mortadella along with  the French saucisson sec or dry salami and cured ham slices. Have wedges of Brie and slices of Gtuyere. Crackers are a must as are sliced apples and grapes to offset the savoriness. Rich flavored jams like fig paste are also perfect on a charcuterie board. The theme can be carried into a sea-cuterie where shrimp lobster and crab can be served. You can set out little ramekins of melted butter  tartar and cocktail sauces.  Slices a few lemons too and serve them in a bowl.There could also be bowl of tuna with olive oil and anchovies in oil too. These are perfect on slices of pillowy Italian bread slices. As for extras , olives work as well as cornichons and gherkins.Can vegetarians enjoy a charcuterie board too? Yes! Have raw or roasted veggies with a series for dips and flavored oils. Try tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. Serve freshly made bruschetta with this as well along with vegan cheeses which you can get from Target under the chai brand.

A hot, luxurious meal also works. Groceries such as Lidl sell lobsters at an affordable price. You can also have a crab leg dinner , thanks to your local seafood shop r grocery. Individual Cornish hens have a certain glamour to them Create such tasty side dishes as a fruit laced stuffing ripe with Fuji apples and Craisins along with asparagus spears in a Hollandaise sauce.A hot seafood sauce based pasta is another lux way of celebrating with friends.A light crab linguine is a perfect meal, delicious with nuggets of rich crab meat in a cream sauce. Of course nothing beats a good steak dinner.Try the French bistro classic Steak Diane. It;s an easy cook, surprisingly that starts with a pan fried steak with a sauce made from the beef drippings from the steak cooked with more butter, shallots and garlic. Carefully deglaze the pan with either cognac or brandy and then add mustard, Worcester sauce and beef broth.Cream us then added at the end to give the sauce a silky mouth feel. What to serve with this? Pomme frites, thin, julieenned French fries that can easily be cooked in an air fryer. 

Celebrate your friends this Galentine's Day with a lux meal Ther'es no better way to tell them you treasure them, Have a delicious dinner with those you love.

A Good LIdl Dupe

 Every Lidl lover knows that the store has some pretty good dupes for the national brands.Thie creme filled sandwich cookies taste better than Oreos. Their honey loops are much more delicious than Honey Nut Cheerios. For those Hamburger Helper fans, it's time to try their take on this classic skillet dish.

I bought two boxes along with ImpossibleMeat to make a really quick week night dinner. I knew it was going to taste good and also love the simplicity of it.

This is what you get . A packet of bowtie pasta and a separate sauce one.

You do need some kind of meat so I knew the Impossible Beef was the best

The whole package went in , first having been microwaved to thaw out for three minutes. It was then sauteed with a combination of butter and olive oil. Two cups of water and the sauce packets were added.

Then the milk and d pasta. This was a quick cook and it only took about fifteen minutes son a medium flame to cook up.

It really was a tasty and rich dupe for Hamburger Helper. I plan on buying their Beef Stroganoff flavor next. 

Lidl' has some excellent dupes of national brands. Their Hamburger Helper one is very good and perfect for a quick week night meal. Try it for a tasty supper.

Your Favorite Superbowl Snack

Sunday  is the biggest party day  since New Year's Eve.Its the Super Bowl (along with the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games). There will be all sorts of amazing foods  from crunchies to chili being served on Sunday night.

The question is what is your favorite? Are you excited about the fiery wings? The sliders full of fried onions and cheddar? Or is the sweeter side? The goal post brownies? Cupcakes in team colors? Mine has to be Acme's football cake. This is a vanilla one baked in that classic football oblong and of course decorated with chocolate icing. For some reason this signifies the game to me more than anything.

Let us know what  appetizers and treats you'll be cheering for when the Seahawks play the New England Patriots.

All Day Cafe All Day Joy

Can a cafe extend it's day? Yes. These staples of late breakfasts, brunches and lunches  are now extending to dinners. They can serve the same food or switch to a totally different cuisinesIt means more hours to enjoy a favorite place along with bringing in more money for the owners/

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this not so unusual practice in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Diners have been practicing this for decades , offering a wide range of meals , from early morning breakfast to late night burgers and fries. Now cafes have Ben jumping on the bandwagon. Having long hours or closing in the early afternoon and reopening later not only means appealing to loyal customers but bringing in more revenue.  Breakfasts are great ways of also bringing in loyal dinner customers and vice versa. According to Vivian Ku,owner of Pine and Crate DTLA, an all day Taiwanese cafe in Los Angeles, it;s a good  way to know customers and cater to their needs whatever the meal is. Then there are the bakery-restaurants that take their cue from casual eateries in Western and Northern Europe. There people can nosh whenever they feel like it and enjoy a lunch  followed by a sweet then come back for dinner and a coffee.

Keeping an all day cafe is a great way of expanding a chef's repertoire. There is Kelsey Britio who opened up the Dutchess in Ojai California. The early meals consist of breakfast plates full of eggs and bacon along with granola while the dinner menu is Burmese dishes like beef stay and Boek House Muttin masala. This varies customers ' tastes too. While they may enjoy a traditional lunch or brunch , dinner can be exotic and palate expanding.There is the similar Cafe Mochiko in Cincinnati , run  by Erik and Elaine Uykimpang-Bentz. During the day it's an Asia bakery that closes for the afternoon and reopens as a Japanese restaurant inspired by yoshuku or Japanese fusion food. There are croissants filled with purple yam and Thai tea snickerdoodle to start the day along with Earl Grey chocolate chunk scone. Dinner is Japanese curry rice and a salute to Cincinnati style chili in an unusual ramen dish.Maybe more restaurants and cafes will follow suit for an unusual all day dining experience.

All day cafes will become more popular as the demand for them increases. It's a fun challenge for chefs. It's a plus for loyal customers.

The Winning Super Bowl Get Together

 A Super Bowl party can either  be a winner or loser ,like everyone's favorite teams. A successful one starts with a plan and good foods. These are the backbone of  memorable and tasty get together ( along with a great half time show and successful team).

New contributor Ben Mims,a James Beard nominated cookbook author gave some excellent tips in today's New York Times Wednesday Foods section. His recommendation, as with any party buffet is pread it out throughout the evening. After all its going to be a long night. Guests will go through waves of hunger. One good idea is cook fully ahead of time.Every hot dish should be cooked ahead of time and reheated when need be. Take chicken wings for example. Cook them earlier in the day  and then blast them in a hot oven ten minutes before guests start to arrive. As they reheat take the time to prepare or heat up sauces. then transfer them to a large bowls. It's here when the wings are tossed in and them coated with the sauces ,ready to eat. (although the wings can be served "naked"and allow guests to do their own saucing and dipping). Making that Super Bowl classic chili is always done ahead of time.It only gets better as it sits, especially the crockpot kind. Ribs can be cooked long before the big do, even on Saturday. As with the wings add the glazes the day of and reheat.

What about burgers? Ubdercok them slightly at first. That way when they're popped back into the oven, they're  perfectly ready to go to sheet pan to bun. Reheat with a slice of cheddar on top. Make all your own dips. Homemade is always better. Cold dips do require a day to more or less marinate and get more flavor. Store them in their serving vessels  and., cover with Saran wrap. This way they'll be good to go when the party gets rolling. A very good tip from  Mr Mims is stagger the roll out. Don;t overwhelm guests with a plethora of food. Have the cold snacks like popcorn, chips and pretzels along with the cold dips. this will keep guests fed d out for the kitchen asking when the wings will be ready. During the second quarter, serve the hot stuff.Bring out the appetizer like foods. They could be potato skins or brick layer nachos or just nachos with hot cheese sauce.  Just before half time heat up those heavy hitters. These are the ribs wings, chili  and burgers to be eaten during the third quarter. The fourth quarter is dessert (if they're still hungry). Get out the brownies and cookies . (All grocery stores are featuring football cakes and cupcakes for the big game).

Don't fumble this Sunday's party. Its an easy spread with easy food. ENjoy it and root for  your favorite team.

Hot Sauces For A Cold Sundae

 It seems strange to want ice cream when there's a foot of snow on the ground, yet when you have a craving you have a craving. Ironically ice cream and gelati can be warmed up. It just takes a good hot sauce that elevates the treat's flavor and takes away that icy edge/

Hot fudge sauce is the most popular and easiest to create. It can be made in five minutes prior to creating a sundae.To get the best flavor use grade A chocolate like Ghiradelli chopped semi sweet baking bar. Baker 's chocolate tends to work better than a regular bar or a bag of chocolate chips.Granualted wote sugar is used to make the chocolate flavor shine through. To prevent this from crystallizing a light corn syrup is added to give the sauce a glossy texture and sheen. Butter and heavy cream are added for that fudge- flavor and vanilla is also added t enhance all the flavors. The chocolate chips or shards are melted first in a saucepan, then the mix of  butter cream  and vanilla are whisked in.Should you add salt? Only if the butter used is sweet butter instead of salted.You could add a pinch of hot pepper for a Mexican type one or a tiny drop of min extract for a minty twist. Keep in mind that his is also good on waffles and French toast.Just store in the fridge when you;re done with it.

Caramel sauce is another sundae classic. How is caramel made? With butter, cream and sugar. Granulated white sugar produces the best consistency however brown  sugar makes the sauce darker and richer.Use unsalted butter in the recipe. (you can add a teeny pinch of salt at the end of the cooking. what gives caramel it's creaminess is either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.It's high fat content help balance the sugar's sweetness and also the butter for a glossier, silkier sauce.  There are two methods to making caramel, wet and dry. The wet method involves using water to dissolve the sugar faster. There is a drawback however, It can create sugar crystals on the side=Des of pan which make for a laborious cleaning up afterwards. It;'s just melting everything and stirring until a glossy sauce arises.Another yummy sauce for ice cream is cherries jublilee. You can use frozen cherries for this right now.Conrstarch and white sugar give it body. You'll also need orange zest and a quarter of a cup orange juice. You can add brandy to make it adult friendly or just omit it.It's first combining the sugar and cornstarch and adding in the water  and orange juice. Then the cherries and the zest go in, Tis is good over both chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

Yes, you can eat ice cream on a cold day in February. Just put a hot gooey sauce over it. It'll make for a blissfully warm yet frosty treat.

A Tasty Addition Homemade Croutons

 What's a good addition to a hot steamy soup or cool and creamy salad? Croutons! Yes you can buy them but homemade are so much better. They're buttery, zingy and flavorful and have that fun familiar crunch.

I thought they would be a good addition to Lidl's pea soup. The soup is 

a tough  can be a tough one to make hence the canned version.Yet it did need something homemade to elevate it. Homemade air fryer croutons would do the trick. It starts with three slices of sourdough bread.

This was Lidl's brand and I cut it into cubes. Slicing three slices at once does  the trick.However once sliced  it's then cubed.

Its then melting two heaping tablespoons of I Cna;t Believe It's Not Butter in the microwave for a minute(you can use any plant or dairy based butter,Just have enough to soak the bred cubes)

You can leave this plain but I like flavor so I added freshly ground pepper and garlic powder. You can add oregano flakes or onion powder too.

Let the bread soak two or three minutes, stick the cubes around in the bowl to absorb all the melted butter.

As for the cooking.air fry for seven minutes for extra crunch at 400 degrees Farenheit.

These are the crisped version

Then there's them and the soup.

They are so much better than the sore bought ones and easy to make. I plan on making them for my next salad too. It may be a vegan Caesar which scream for croutons. The garlic flavor added a nice extra oomph to them too.

Don't buy already made croutons. Homemade ones are tastiers and crisper. They're a snap to make and fun to add to soups and salads

Changing Up The Recipe

 The same old recipes can be boring. Luckily you can ease some for the mid winter blues by changing up your recipes. Add new ingredients. Switch up the spicing. Create something that s equally delicious and different.

One of the most intriguing switch ups is a fusion of Indian and Italian  - curried pasta. This is taking curry powder and cream instead of the usual tomatoes and tomato paste and coming up with a totally disparate take on traditional spaghetti or penne. There is still onion, garlic and olive oil for the sauce's body but curry powder and heavy cream give it a bright yellow color and creaminess. You could also add turmeric for more color brightness along for a boost of flavor.Curried meatballs is another switch up made with either ground turkey or chicken. This is served ina rich curry sauce as well,  redolent with tomatoes , onions garlic and ginger.Instead of pasta serve it with fragrant steaming basmati rice. Another idea for a different kind of pasta sauce is combining mushrooms and spinach in a hot oil sauce Add garlic and hot pepper flakes for some zing,Keep in mind this also would be great over chicken breasts or steak too. Berbere spice is usually reserved for Ethiopian dishes . Imagine using it in the most English of dishes  - shepherd's pie. You can easily spice up a beef or lamb filling with it and also do a light dusting of it over the mashed potato topping.

Stuffed veggies are always a good winter's dish whether on a week night or a week end. Most go for peppers stuffed with everything from ground beef and turkey to more veggies. Have you considered stuffing onions instead? This Piedmontese specialty varies from household to household in the frigid Alps northwest of Torino. Some add raisins to the mix of chopped meat and breadcrumbs. I usually made my own vegan version, using Impossible ground meat and a mix of oregano , salt pepper and just teeny pinches of both onion and garlic powders.Keep in mind that the onions should be parboiled first for a few minutes. This is just boiling the onions for a few minutes, letting them cool and then stuffing them. They're topped with breadcrumbs for a crispy finish and then placed into an air fryer for thirty minutes at four hundred degrees Farehneit.Can you do this with turnips? Yes! This winter root veggie is perfect for filling with the same tasty stuffing.It's the same method as with the onions with the eparboiling before stuffing. They do have to be peeled and hollowed out though. YOu can fill with with lamb too along with pomengranate molasses for a Middle Eastern flair.

Think outside the recipe with you cook. This provides a fun spin on classic dishes.It makes for a yummy new take and an exciting meal.

Fridge Foraging

 There is a time in most home chef's careers where they don;t want to go shopping and relay on fridge foraging. This is finding anything and turning it into a tasty meal or even snack. It can also apply to the pantry and fridge as well.

What sorts of food should you forage? It pays to have a bag of any frozen veggies around. These can be turned into a quick pasta sauce with the addition of olive oil and garlic or garlic powder. Add sliced Italian cold cuts such as salami or capicola. Even leftover London broil cut into small strips can be part of this .You can create a sort of Alfredo sauce using butter and flour too along with any kind of milk and Parmesan cheese. I usually add cut up and already cooked vegan bacon strips from Morningstar Farms to  veggie medleys from Acme or Lidl. The blend proved to be a tasty and filling hot meal on a cold night. Keep in mind these can also go into a stew or soup if you want to make a good minestrone. Raid the pantry for beans  and throw in whatever pasta is there. Keep in mind that pasta based soups don't have to have smaller pasta. Spaghetti or angel hair also work well in a minestrone or chicken broth.

Leftovers are a gold mine for fridge foragers.Any leftover  rotisserie chicken can be used for soups or even salads. Think about cutting up the chicken and mixing with mayo and tarragon for a yummy salute to a classic AU Bon Pain sandwich. This is good on a croissant but also works well on any toasted bread, sourdough or a baguette. You could create a mole by using cocoa powder, tomato paste. veggie stock and whatever Chile powder you have. There are also spice rack add ins of cinnamon , cumin and oregano.If you have garlic add it too. The entire dish is good over rice or polenta if you have that in your culinary arsenal.Leftover steaks can be added to sauces or even topping pizzas and paninis.Grind it to creak a luxe salad or the German Frikadellen which also uses milk eggs and breadcrumbs. This is a cross between a hamburger and meat loaf. A dash of mustard gives it zing. 

Foraging in the wild is tough. Foraging in your kitchen is easy. Go though what you have and create some different and delicious.

Turning Dishes Into Soup

 Can a favorite dish enjoyed as a snack or a summer favorite be turned into a hearty winter soup? Surprisingly yes. Hummus, bean salad and pasta pesto can be transformed form forkfuls to spoonfuls. It 's an easy change and perfect for the weather right now.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark created these dishes and wrote about them in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. All are great on their own. Hummus makes and excellent lunch or snack while the other two are usually summer barbecue favorites.Ms Clakrs inspiraration,. for using these were favorite dishes with big flavors. These are not usual soup ingredients(well, may be the pesto is) but have great potential to be made into them. Ms Clark takes the pesto which can be homemade or s tore bought has pasta and turkey in it,.There is also garlic in it for pungency. Like regular soups the base can either be vegetable or chicken stock. Orzo or macaroni CNA be used a long with five ounces of baby spinach. Ground turkey is used for heartiness. Lemon gives it brightness and a summery sunny taste while the addition of ricotta gives it a creaminess.

Three bean salad , the perfect summer dish is now a delicious soup for a frigid day. Yes there are beans.Ms. Clark uses white, chickpeas or kidney ones and green beans.It give a more veggie flavor thanks to an onion chopped up into it along with chopped celery , carrot  and tomato paste. Again the stock CNA be veggie or chicken (stick with veggie this time Coriander and ground pepper give it a spikiness that's perfect for a cold day soup. The hummus soup is a fun one, combining the same ingredients as the dip with three to four cups of veggie or chicken stock (for a truer hummus flavor go with the vegetable stock).Unlike the dip Ms Clark uses a teaspoon of whole cumin seeds along with cilantro or dill. A large pinch of crushed red pepper gives it the heat to make it perfect for a chilly mid winter day.  Home chefs can add pan fired chickpeas for crunch on top as well as extra tahini to drizzle in.Lemon is added for zing and the dish can be served with , hot toasted pita chips.

These dishes are perfect as for full of goodness. They're even better as a good spoonful or a frosty day. Try them for a different spin on winter soups.

A Chef With A DAsh Of Courage

 Cooking and baking are not easy despite what chefs and recipes say. Those with physical disabilities have a harder time with both. Yet one chef managed to conquer these and she's a brilliant writer for the Wednesday New York Times Food section. 

The writer is the great Nigerian born chef and author Yewande Komolafe who detailed her story in today's issue.It started with her sickle cell anemia that flared out of control. Sickle cell is a genetic blood disorder striking mostly those of African , Mediterranean ,Middle Eastern ,Indian and Caribbean ancestry. It's when the hemoglobin ,usually round compresses into a sickle or semi circle shape,It is a blood disorder that cause Ms. Lemonade to have severe pain.This lead to her being in a coma and being intubated for several months. It also led to her legs being amputated below the knee and both hands losing fingers. She had the good fortune f being able to eat her beloved Nigerian food thanks their mother and having Nikita Richardson, her editor and friend bring her treats from pastry shops all over the city. One was a brown butter cornmeal cake that was bought at Radio Bakery in Brooklyn. It became her favorite and Ms. Komolafe longed for the day when she could bake it,recreating its's crunch exterior and pillow soft crumb.

Maybe the cake was a hidden incentive to sally forth. Ms. Komolafe did get better . As of this date she is getting around on artificial legs and has prosthetic hands, She did returned to cooking and waiting for the paper.She has a small rotating army of assistants who help her .like Stasia de Tilly Together they go over recipes step by step. They''re in charge of prep, from slicing to chopping. They;re the ones who bring, Ms. Komolafe;es wonderful recipes come to life and flavorless. The creator herself is present during all steps. She listens ,she tastes she smells to see how the dish is coming along.It is frustrating though because its not her going through all the process. She gets impatient because the kitchen, like many chef;s is their domain and she feels possessive about it. She will also have to rely on how to reuse her prosthetics as she relearns how to whisk a bowl of cream from liquid to soft white peaks,.It will take time but she will get there.She has managed to recreate that brown butter cake (and she includes the recipe). taken from pastry chef Kelly Mencin. Ms. Komolafe's recipe varies a bit She adds dark cherries but keeps the other ingredients to give it crunch and flavor to create this buttery, fruity treat

There is triumph in getting over a tough physical problem. There is triumph in creating a good dish. Ms. Kamolafe has managed to do both with admirable grit and determination.

A Passion For Produce Produce Pete

 The culinary world lost a true gem yesterday when Pete Napolitano died. Although he lived a good life , he will still be missed- namely by foodies around the world,

It's amazing how a green grocer from Bergenfield, New Jersey received such claim and media attention. Yet everyone fell in love with the gravelly voiced expert . He was born in the thriving New Jersey town of Bergenfield New Jersey in February of 1945. His family more or less always had a green grocer or fruit and veg stand. It was his mother,however that fornly planted the roots of the business when she sold watermelons that her husband, Pete's father found for he on a gas station property.It became a success and Napolitano Farms was born.They sold seasonal things, like fir trees at CHristmas, lilies at Easter and pumpkins for Halloween. Of course there were veggies and fruit, perfect for new young families moving in from the cities  and looking for a taste of farm fresh  The Napolitanos provided them with all that. They grew and Pete Senior became so successful he bought summer and winter homes.

Yet it was the son who became famous, taking over the business in the 1970's. By then there were a few farms left in busy and rapidly growing Bergenc county but none were really in the center of a town. People had to drive towards Montvale and Upper Saddle River to get a taste of freshly grown anything.Not so for the people for Bergenfield and the neighboring towns of Teaneck, Dumont and New Milford,Pete could also be seen at the Hunts; Point Market in the Bronx where he was a regular feature for many years.Local new station NBC New York took notice of this man and gave him a weekly spot on their Saturday morning news show. His advice was priceless even when he was on the Italian American network too (check out his videos for them on You Tube. There is info and recipes every home chef should have). He acquired a fan base that included Tina Fey of Saturday night and Thirty Rock Fame. She loved his advice too as did everyone.

It is tough to lose a person as valuable and loved as Produce Pete. Yet his advice will live on with every recipe and visit to the store. He was one of a kind.

Snowed In With Tastiness

 This was one heck of a snow day.Hopefully people stayed in eating all sorts of hot food. It could have been from scratch.It could have been already made. What matters is a hot meal to bolster you up.

Mine was already made and an easy cook. I had Green Giants.Parmesan and Garlic smashed potatoes.

These were more like scalloped  potatoes without the cream. It only took a few minutes to cook inthe air fryer, about eleven to twelve minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit.

I paired these with Lidl's Prince Edward Medley veggie mix. This was a quick cook - eight minutes  - in the microwave.It;s a yummy mix of green beans and carrots, a perfect dose of daily nutrition.

I just added copious amounts of "County Corkc's plant butter to give ti a buttery sauce.

Together they made a really nice vegan meal. I would definitely make this together again or even with Impossible chicken strips . It was a filling and even hearty dinner,

This weather calls for good meals to get you through the cold. They can be from scratch or already made. Either way they are your best bet to combat these snowy days.

Yoor Blizzard Check List

 Tomorrow is going to a the Snowzilla of all snow storms. Are you prepared for the bad blizzard ahead? For some you still have until tomorrow morning to go out and food  shop.

Here's a checklist:
Bread __
Eggs__
Milk, plant and dairy based ___
Butter____

Fruits_____

Veggies____

Tea/Coffee________

The above are the basics where you can do a lot with them. Here' are the extras

Ingredients for any kind of chili_____
Beans__
Tomato sauce___
Pasta_______
Parmesan cheese______
American or Cheddar cheese slices _____
Mayo______

Bacon_______
Breakfast patties or sausages, vegan or meat____

Then there are the e fun foods

Hot cocoa mix or packets______

Frozen pizza_______

Soda /Flavored sparkling water______

Cookies_______
Snacks popcorn - potato chips - pretzels _____

Candy_______

Chips_____

Salsa______

Add whatever you want to the list. Print it out and bring it with you for any storm shopping. It'll come in handy during any snow storm.

YOur Fave Snow Day Foods

 A walloping great blizzard is going to hit the East Coast this Sunday night into Monday morning. That means one thing - (well besides shoveling) - a day in to eat favorite foods. will it be a gooey grilled cheese? Home baked chocolate chip cookies Or a pit of spicy crock pot chili.

To be honest I am going to be making a big pot of veggie strew in Sunday that will take us into the next day. There will be a warmed baguette to go with it, along with plenty of oil and COuntry Crock Plant butter.  This will be perfect on Monday too. I will be shopping at Lidl for treats such as their sandwich cookies and salty snacks to get us through the day There's also going to be Lidl's hot cocoa aplenty too.

So what is your snow day favorite food? Let us know. Stay warm and keep full.⛄⛄☃

Are Calories Important Anymore.

 Do Americans still need to count calories? Are they even vaguely important. No, according to  new study. This will definitely change the way American see food and eat.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this new phenomenon  in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section, Calroes have been a part of American life for the last century or so. However the calorie is older than that and was used to explain the energy  burned by early made steam engines. thanks to French scientist Nicolas Clement .It only became attached to food in the 1880;s. It was Wilbur Atwater, a Wesleyan chemistry professor who applied the theory to food to help poor families get the most nutritional foods. Some modern day food scientists still use a modern version of that era's essential equipment , the calorimeter. This is burning food to calculate their caloric worth,People embraced this new idea that food fuels bodies the same way as a new invention of the era - the automobile was fueled by gas.This caught in a long with box scores It helped in World War One telling diners what to eat that would be equivalent to the red meat, sugar and flour that were being sent to the troop sverseas..Dr Lulu Hunt Peters, a California pathologist ran with this , writing about calorie restriction and how healthy being thin was.

It didn't help that the Roaring Twenties brought in the wafer thin flapper look followed by decades of Hollywood starlets having almost zero waistlines. Fat , once considered a sign of wealth was now considered unhealthy(and rightly so). Diets like the cabbage soup, Pritikin Atkins and now the Paleo arose,It also didn't help that Oprah Winfrey also had  been on various diets, telling her fans, urging her fans to count calories back in the Eighties. They too joined  he rin low calorie high carb diets .Oprah outlines her struggles in a new book :"Enough. Your Health. Your Weight and What It's Like to be Free". Her co author is Dr. Ania Jastreboff. It redefines obesity not as a personal failure but as a Neuro metabolic disease made worse by umtraprocessed food,lack of sleep, little exercise and stress. She says that calories are just a piece of information. They are a way  in which to easure energy within a given nutrient, but they don;t tell people about the nutrient itself. Just follow the new guidelines. Stay away from the ultra processed and ea t more protein and dairy. Eat nutrient dense food that will satiate for hours.

Is the calorie dead? Not now. It will be as the science os reassed and hew guidelines come out. The best bet is eat more fruits and veggies. Live healthy. That's all that tmatters.

Can Chicken Soup Be Improved,

 Ir';s as classic as toast and a staple of sick households. Chicken soup has been around forever, giving comfort and nutrition. However can the basic recipe be improved on> Surprisingly yes,

Regular contributor and  chef Ali Slagle says yes in her article on it in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section. She gives  tips and tricks to make the soup even more tastier and more beloved.One of the most important is use broth  not water. Water tends to impart a bland flavor while broth contributes a richness and tastiness.Any store bought kind will do  some good brands are Lidl, Stop and Shop and Acme Signature lines).Ms. Slagle doesn't;t mention the low sodium kind but use it it there are dietary restrictions. Another important tip is use herbs and spices. Don't be afraid of them. Turmeric annatto seeds and paprika give it an earthy taste while dried oregano and rosemary along with red peppers give a more Italian or Green flavor.Switch up the veggies. Do use alliums  such as onion and garlic for a stronger, more robust taste, Dont; be afraid to add diced tomatoes and peppers along with lemongrass , radishes and squash . Bay leaf is an important addition,It gives a soft and much needed earthiness and greenness to the broth.

what about chicken?Cooking a whole chicken for soup (and even stock ) can take up precious hours simmering. Ms. Slagle recommends using store bought already cooked meat,Rotisserie chicken cooks up only three minutes in hot broth A pat of butter also helps too, bringing richness to the soup. Garnish with any kind of bright green herb you can find. She offers a variety of different chicken soup recipes  some subbing in store bought gnocchis for dumplings. There is also the Greek avologomo which has the tanginess of fresh lemons. 

This is chicken soup weather. Make a big pot of it during t his blizzard. Then enjoy it's rich goodness.

Frigid Night Hot Cheese

 Cheese is the ultimate comfort food and what better to have it  hot and bubbly on a cold winter's night Thrtr' something about the goodness  steamy and oozing onto bread veggies or meat.Fromage is the ultimate chill chaser and it's perfect for these days ahead.

The people who do hot cheese the best are the Swiss. Fondue is not only a fun winter party food , it's also hearty and rib sticking,. Do you need a fondue pot to make the edish? No, but it does help. Usually most have copper bottom which aid in melting the cheese  perfectly. Amazon ha a wide range of them so you can buy one for a relatively decent price.The cheeses are nothing fancy, reflecting the Swiss love of everything homey and hearty.The recipe is a combo of two cheeses not one,. It; mixing The mild and addicting Gruyere with Swiss and adding in dry white wine like Reisling or Sauvignon Blanc. You could use a good Swiss wine such as Chasseleas or Roussette de Savoie. Garlic is also added for flavor aking with a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Crusty ,w arm French bread chunk are dipped into it biut you can also have potatoes and even apples(they have the same consistency to hold up tot he hot mixture). A smiliarn dish is Welsh rarebit made with cheddar cheese stout or ale and butter Worcester sauce and mustard are added for zing and it's pureed over toast. However you can also use thick slice of sourdough bread too.

What about the American classic grilled cheese and its' Gallic cousins croque monsieur and croque madames? These ooey gooey cheese treats have been warming cold stomachs for ages. A good grilled cheese starts with a good cheese or Swiss , and sturdy  slices of white bread (although you can Alsop use wheat ro seven grained too for a nuttier flavor)Butter the inside of the  sandwich while slathering mayo on the outside this gives the exterior a golden brown crispiness.. You could go the diner route ad add a slice of tomato to a few slices of bacon for more deliciousness. For some zing think about subbing Montery Jack in for the cheddar. The sandwich's French cousin the croque monsieur us an excellent Sunday brunch sandwich or a hearty week day bite. Gruyere cheese is used for the filling as is thinly sliced ham.It's fried in butter and topped with a bechamel or white sauce and grated comte cheese. If you can't find Comte, use Parmesan or Beaufort cheese. A great brunch variation is the croque madame which has a runny egg on top. This is the perfect  breakfast for dinner weeknight sandwich and more filling than Eggs Benedict.

Happiness is anything hot and cheesy. Make a warm fromage dish to combat this winter chill.It's a nice and tasty way to combat the cold. 

Following The Dream

 Martin Luther King pushed for equality and that meant that all Americans are equal and should be treated equally.It isn;t happening these days and he would be disgusted at what is happening. Yet we can carry his own legacy. It can be easy from a culinary point of view.

There are very brave people in Minneapolis who are delivering much needed food and supplies to immigrants. Most of this last are innocent , with the only"crime" is wanting a good life for their families. This means better everything including food and clean water. If you can help these immigrant families with delivering the basics like milk and produce to them. (however if you feel its' becoming too dangerous. then talk with local authorities about what can be done.You may need an escort or a supporting group). Another - safer - option (although ICE will unfortunately show up anywhere they please) is your local soup kitchen. Soup kitchens and food pantries cannot turn away anyone in need. You can work there, where cooking, prepping serving or cleaning up. Donate food or money if you can. Also ask your local restaurants to help out too. They have leftover food that cost too much to throw out.

Of course there are people who have been in America for generations who also need help. If you know anyone who lives in a food dessert. These are areas where there are no grocery stores. Sometimes the nearest one is anywhere from five to ten or even further away. If you have time , then offer to drive then twice or three times a week. This also give you a chance to see if they 're eating healthy too. Gently suggest more fruits and veggies in their diets if they choose more meats and junk food. Cooking for them and inviting them to dinner a few times a months can also help. It makes them feel included as well as knowing they're loved .It may be way too early for Spring planting and even garden planning but you can start thinking about planting extra for those who need it. Add veggies you know will yield up a lot of bounty. Tomatoes, pepper and corn are good choices. As for fruit, strawberries and melons can profusely produce as well. If you have a fruit tree that beats fruit, make sure to save some for those who need it.

Martin Luther King believed that America can be a good country That only works if we all pitch in to make it better. We have to do it ,now more than ever.

A Warm And Cozy Dinner Party

A dinner party doesn't;t have to have elegant fancy food t be a success. You can also serve hearty, rib sticking food especially during these frigid nights. It just has to be good Everyone will appreciate a tasty meal that warming to the heart and the soul.

One of the easiest heart warming dinner dishes t serve is crockpot chili. Unlike fancier roasts this can be started in the morning and  slow cooked all  day. This gives any host enough time to get the house cleaned and other groceries bought. If you want to make it a bit more glamorous, then think about subbing in chopped filet mignon.Surprisingly enough there is a lobster chili made with the white version. This  has white beans , corn and squash along with white onions.It's a different take and sure to be a crowd pleaser at any party.Would a stew be dinner party appropriate? Yes, if' its the rich < French duck and pork one called cassoulet. This is a hearty spoonful of the two meats slow cooked with added meats such as pork and mutton along with white beans, garlic and herbs. It can be served with a simple salad and crusty , warn French bread.The simple yet delicious shepherd' pie could also make a dinner party main course.Thus hearty British dish can be made elegant by topping the savory meat, veggies and gravy  not with mashed potatoes but with sliced ones arranged  in a fancy pattern,

There are two fun and filling dinner party dishes to think about. They are the Piedmontese bagna calda and the Swiss fondue. Both require a fondue pot (which can be had from Amazon at $23 for the least expensive and $84 for a deluxe stainless steel one) > Bagna calda or hot bath starts out with a base of olive oil , butter and garlic simmered in a fondue pot. Anchovies are melted into this to create a savory, unami rich sauce ,. Usually Savoy cabbage, torn into bite sized pieces are dipped in by each diner and then cooked. however it can also be made Paterson NJ style with the addition of cubed m, par boiled London Broil. Doing it this way will give the sauce added oomph thanks to the red meat. It's hearty elegance at its' best. Fondue is another ribsticking and completely fun dinner party choice. It;s melting Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses with garlic ,white wine and a splash of kirsch. Usually chunks of a baguette is dipped into this but you can also use boiled and peeled potatoes and cabbage too.

A winter dinner party can also good , hearty food. The dishes don;t have to be elegant. They just have to be delicious and filling. It's a perfect way to celebrate on a cold January night.

Your Luxurious Comfort Food

 Eve though January 19th is a holiday and a day off it's also Blue Monday. The third Monday in January os notably the most depressing of the year .If that is  the case then it's time t indulge in something tasty and decadent.

Here's the question. What tasty and decadent treat would you have?Is it popcorn with truffle oil, washed down with champagne. A lobster salad? Or an old fashioned smother in hot fudge sundae complete with walnuts and a cherry on top.What would make your winter blues go away? Mine is pretty simple. It would be a bad of Lidl's Salt and Pepper kettle cooked potato chips. The extra seasoning makes them decadent.

So what will get you through this January 19th? Let us know and enjoy it.

The Frugal Gourmet Cut Up

 Any home chef of a certain age  will tell you about Jeff Smith , the famed "Frugal Gourme" who had his own PBS cooking show and cookbooks. Yet there is a new documentary that shows his dark side and allegations against him. Despite it all his recipes are still being made thirty years after the scandal.

Regular contributor and cookbook author as well, Julia Moskin, wrote about Jeff Smith in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. There is a new documentary series (as there is with all past crimes these days) 'i Bid You Peace', Chef Smith's signature sign off. will be available at the end of this month(platform to be announced) that delves into the sexual allegations that cost him his career. Several teenagers from Tacoma where his restaurants were. Gone was his popular series that drew in a whopping seven millions viewers at the time and his cookbook sales which are still more popular that the best selling In a Garten ones, tanked.Hos show was riveting , a Sunday afternoon gem that drew in all sorts of people interested in cooking and food. He was bubbly and avuncular .He traveled with his camera crews to Greece and China, encouraged viewers to cook from immigrant traditions and made food interesting and approachable. He was an ordained Methodist minister who became captivated by restaurants while preaching in New York City.He returned to his undergrad alma mater after getting his master's at New Jersey's Dew University .He taught interesting classes - Food as Sacrament and Celebration.He was popular.

His love of food expanded when he opened up Chaplain's Pantry in Tacoma. He introduced diners to sun dried tomatoes and Szechuan peppercorns. He quickly became a sought after caterer, creating canapes for the future Tacoma mayor Harold Moss .However he had a dark side, he drank, even showing up to his television show dead drink at times. Chef Smith got fifteen and sixteen year old boys working for him drink.There was inappropriate  touching" and "groping" as it was deemed back then. He was considered a monster, probably due to the heavy drinking. Bridget Charters, now a chef  worked with him when she was a teenager., and then became his assistant She remembers producers telling him to"cut out drinking gin at noon and switch to white wine." This became a rule.Yet there are still loyal fans who make his recipes and watch his shows on YouTube. What will they make of Chris Johnson's documentary? That remains to be seen. It will shed some light on what happened and why Chef Smith was accused. The chef died at the age of sixty five in 2005. 

Great chefs are always remembered. Most are remembered for their recipes and their impact on the culinary world. What will Chef Jeff Smith be remembered for? The good or the bad of his career?

 

Good Foods In The Kitchen

A healthy diet starts with a healthy kitchen. There should be more veggies and fruits instead of easy to grab snacks. Fresh should be the main objective, followed by healthy.This means a better diet.It may be hard to do a first, but once doneloaded with benefits and  maybe not surprisingly flavor .

Regular contributor and food critic Pete Wells writes about this in a keeper article in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.He follows the great David Bowie's advice when the rock singer wanted to be free from drugs - change the environment,He quotes Lisa R. Young, a New York University  adjunct professor of nutrition and a nutrition consultant saying that the success and failure of any diet is the kitchen, or more specifically what's in it. Willpower is overrated,People are going to eat what;s in front of them, no matter what it is.However hat's in the kitchen starts at the grocery store. Mr. Wells visits a food] co-op in his neighborhood that has nothing but fresh fruits and veggies, sort of like a Seventies commune. He buys wilted kale(at a lower price) along with discovering new grains like millet and amaranth . H e has focus as he stalks the co op's aisles for ginger tea and persimmons. An impulse for him is not candy or muffins anymore.It's a tempting looking squash that can be made a variety of different ways.

His suggestions are very good. For those who don;t have a food  co op or greengrocer in the area then stick to the perimeters of the big box grocery store Stay away from the middle aisles where all sorts of junky food will. be. Most groceries have a huge section on one side r the other that feature fresh produce a long with discounted day old fruits and veggies For grains such as the ones he buys, millet and amaranth along with brown rice are usually in some middle aisle . He suggests redoing shopping lists.Buy whole grains or products such bread that have them. Only buy brown and black rice along with fonio - a quinoa type of grain from Africa and farro- a nutty tasting wheat grain, usually found in Mediterranean dishes.Dried and canned beans are a must - for protein and versatility. Mackerel is a good protein to buy .The fish is high in Omega 3's and Vitamin Ds.Veggies are a must too. Get them for salads and snacks.Buy long lasting ones such as kohlrabi , winter squash and broccoli for cooked dishes. Fruits are also good for salads but make superb snacks.Other foods should be eggs, nut butter ,unsalted nuts and hummus for easy snacking. he gives a great Friuli based soup recipe for broccoli, barley and cannellini mixed together.

It's hard to change one's diet.It's easy to change one's kitchen. Do this for healthy eating and cooking. 

The Pyramid Flipped

 For decades the Food Pyramid told Americans how to eat healthy, It showed generations what was good for you and what was bad. Now it's being literally flipped and a whole new set of rules and suggestions are in place. Will they make us healthier? it's too early to tell.

The US Department of Agriculture and  RFK Junior have released a new set of dietary guidelines.It champions proteins and healthy grains while minimizing grains.Kennedy wants his fellow Americans to eat real food.Protein stars in the top of the triangle.They should be healthy such as lean meats like chicken and turkey.Fat, once a villain, is now a hero.However it should come from healthy fats sources such as avocados.It is declaring a war on sugar ,placing new found focus on avoiding it all together or ten milligrams per meal.(Kennedy is also pushing for SNAP benefits not to include soda and anything else sweet) Recommendations for alcohol consumption has radically changed too. There are no more numerical limits on how much grown women and men can drink.The department stresses no amount is really good and to minimize consumption.To be honest recommendations seem vague and it's really up to the consumer to decide what's good or adequate for them.

The last time the Pyramid was changed was back in 2005. Then grains and vegetables were the most required foods in the American. diet. Meat portions  were smaller. Ideology was even different when the Food Plate debuted in 2011 The pyramid was replaced with a dinner plate and the portions displayed in a pie chart or plate. Veggies were the largest followed by proteins, then grains and fruits however this was also based on individual needs.It was basically save six to eleven servings of grains and starches. These included bread ,rice ,cereal and pasta. Vegetables were three to five servings a day while fruit was two to four servings. Protein was categorized as dairy and meat.It included fish, beans eggs and nuts. Limit fats, oils and sweets,If this works for you then stay with it.The new diet is red meat rich  which only those with money can afford.Grains are also important so still have brown rice and whole wheat bread. As far as dairy stick to low fat milks or plant based ones. This also goes for creamers, cheese,whipped cream and especially ice cream. 

These are only temporary rules. A new administration will probably return to the original requirements. In the meantime, just say with what your doctor recommends and your body needs.

Fancy Sides

 Sides can actually make meals either special or blah. A plain roast chicken or London Broil is just that. Plain. Yet, add some elevated potatoes or fancily made carrots and the meals becomes a celebration. It's a fun way to  combat the winter blues with a tasty and elegant meal.

Carrrots may be bright and good for you but many feel that they're just another root veggie. Carrots are much more than that.They 're full of much needed beta carotene - good for your eyesight and have a sweet mellow flavor.To emphasize that dress them with a simple melted butter and garlic sauce.The butters gives them a creaminess while the garlic cuts back on the sugary flavor. Another elegant dish is honey soy glazed carrots which can be made in only ten minutes   Its a sweet and tangy glaze thanks to a blend of honey and soy sauce. Chili pepper flakes give it zing.Two tablespoons of butter are also added to give the texture smoothness.Another root vegetable that often gets overlooks is the turnip.this humble  root is ;loaded with Vitamin K which promotes good bone health as well as lowering blood pressure and cancer risk. Try the fancy and French tartifliette/It is enriched by pork lardons and creme fraiche. Reblochon cheese ,a kind of creamy Brie like fromage from France's Haute Savoie region is also put in for pure richness.This is a layered dish of butter fired onions larodns, turnips and cheese.This can easily be a main course too, serve with a simple green salad.

What about the ordinary and everyday veggies? String bean almondine work perfectly with either Cornish game hens or salmon.You will need haricort vert if you can find them. They 're a more refined version of green beans , thinner and longer in shape.(although you can use fresh or frozen green beans if you can;t find the other).It's balancing the green beans in boiling water for two minutes Quickly transfer  them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.Toasting the almond in a dry skillet is the next step. The French way would be sauteing them in butter which gives the dish more flavor.Saute cut shallots and the haricot verts in butter or light olive oil. Stir in garlic and lemon juice and serve.Potaotes are another common dish .They're usually served as the everyday mashed or fries. Liven them up by transforming them in creamy scalloped form.These are sliced potatoes that are layered with cream and onions. Some home chefs add thyme for color and herbiness but salt and pepper work just as well as seasoning. This is great with any kind of roast but paors beautifully with ham.

Sides can make a dinner sing. A fancy one will elevate a main course,, creating a special meal.Add any of these for a wonderful full course.

January Perks

 It's is January . It can be a blah post holiday month. Depressing weather. Slush and not the good kind with syrup drizzled on it.No more fun foods. Tons of bills from buying those holiday foods. It;'s times for January perks. They could be a bag of potato chips.A lush candy. A good cup, laced with chocolate and whipped cream from Dunkin.

FOr me it was Acme's Signature brand sea salt caramels.I was t my Acme, feeling down but in need of vinegar for a stopped up sinks.(yes sinks,I was in the candy aisle,buying my usual Starlight Mints and saw this.

These looked too good to pass up.I could have chosen the sea salt truffles from Signature but the caramels sang to me.These were the perk I needed and we all need a perk right now. 

This is the perfect treat. The salt on top does add zing but the caramelis both creamy and chewy. - a nice contrast.I love dark chocolate. To me that's always an indulgence. Get these for yourself.If not buy any candy you love. Yes its bad to have sugar but if that's what you need ,so be it.The same if you want something salty like:

There's nothing like a handful of Lidl's Snack extra cheddar penguins after the sweet. Get your favorite snacks and just chill out. Treat yourself  - not every  night or day - just one time when you feel the month becoming oppressive.

It's January.It's can be gray and nasty. Treat yourself - whether with favorite nibbles and bites or a meal at your favorite restaurant.It's a good way to beat the winter blahs.