Desserts for Still Hot Weather

We're still in summer .That means a hot kitchen. Yet many are craving desserts , sort of an upcoming nod to fall where home baking resumes. The best bet is go the easy route.Don;t heat up the kitchen too much,

Again Dave Tanis tapped into this in Wednesday;s New York Times Wednesday Food section.He create a blackberry napoleon iwt fresh blackberries and easy to defrost frozen puff pastry. The puff pastry is put into the oven while a lemon curd for the filling  is made on the stove top.This is an easy cook, similar to sabayon where eggs sugar and salt are remixed together with lemon zest.Once this is cooked this is blended with whipping cream and confectioner's  sugar.Its the layered on the cooled and split puff pastry along with the blackberries to create a sandwich.You can do the same with ice cream and any kind of sauce, Think chocolate ice cream with strawberries and a bit of chocolate sauce or vanilla ice cream with caramel and  air fried toasted almonds. The puff pastry can also be the base for a fancy strawberry shortcake,Just layer the berries with whipped cream(or even Cool Whip) if you don;t want to fuss.You can also create a quick chocolate mousse with Cool Whip and chocolate pudding mixed together. Layer this on puff pastry for an elegant quick dessert.

Ice cream pies ,cakes and cupcakes are all still great right now.They're the perfect send off party cake too, for kids heading off to college . Have a good silicone pan that's easy to take the cake out of. (Amazon has a good array of them)It starts with a good crust - name Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies These are crushed and mixed with melted butter or margarine. The crust can be layered two or three times throughout the cake.Then add whatever flavors the future college student's favorite flavors. Think a mocha latte  pie or cake.Start with the chocolate crust. Then add a layer of chocolate fudge and fill in the mold with softened coffee ice cream.Layer with more chocolate crumbs and then spread a layer of whipped cream or Cool whip on top. You can just add puffs of Reddi Whip too for a fancier cake or pie.This can  be done with ice cream cupcakes too. Use silicone cupcake molds (again you can get these on Amazon). Use the same technique that you would for the pies and cakes. You can also do a fun surprise layer of M&M's chocolate chips or even crushed toffee.Top with a swirl on Reddi Whip and top with sprinkles or cherries.

Desserts can still be made.Yet make them easy during these still hot days. It;s a simple way to enjoy having a sweet treat 

It's Still Hot Take It Easy

 No matter what the ads and stores say  it's still summer. That means there are still hot muggy days and nights. What does that mean - don't go wild with cooking  Take it easy with easy recipes that require zeo or little cooking,

This is what Dave Tanis write about in the Wednesday Food section of the New York Times.His recipes inclice deviled eggs ,shrimp cocktail and potato salads but there are many more recipes t make when the temps are still high.Mr. Tanis has his devilled egg recipe with serrano chilis and lime juice along with softened butter instead of mayo for the stuffing. You can easily make traditional ones, with just mayo egg yolk, and a bit of paprika. Some recipes call for pickled juice or pickle relish , but that's up to you. If you're hard boiling eggs then also make them for a simple egg salad. Most people think that egg salad  makes for a great lunch but you can also use it for dimmer. Stuff it between a croissant or brioche for an fancy meal . It can as be used for stuffing tomatoes . Egg salad is usually made with just chopped hard boiled eggs and mayo. You can add mustard and scallions for color and variety too. Sliced hard boiled eggs are great in salads ,especially salad Nicoise  where you can also put tuna, green beans grape tomatoes and anchovies. Omit the lettuce if you're leery about using it.

Mr Tanis also has a green shrimp salad. His is made with salsa Verde, His sauce has tomatillos , cilantro and a crushed jalapeno for color and flavor. There also red onion and red pepper to spike it. Yet cold shrimp is just good with a simple shrimp cocktail sauce. You can buy it or make it . The recipe calls for ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce and lemon juice blended together.A Japanese shrimps sauce is a different way of enjoying cold shrimp.Mix mayo with white sugar, melted butter  and rice vinegar with paprika and garlic powder.It'll be a light orange color (sort of resembles French dressing. A shrimp salad  sandwich is also an easy way of making a light yet delicious dinner. Again like the egg salad mayo binds it together. Add minced bell pepper, green onion and celery for crunch and flavor. Lemon juice gives it a bright tangy under flavor  You can also stuff tomatoes with it. Mr. Tanis also has potato salad.This is much more filling thanks to the addition of tomatoes The potato salad is made first then the cherry tomatoes are added. Cumin and nigella seeds are added for flavor. Keep in mind that avocados also work in  this kind of salad. They make a creamy counterpart to the potatoes.

It' s still summer. It;s still hot. Take it easy when you cook. 

Budget Shopping Budget Eating

Grocery shopping is hard these days. The prices are still soaring.People are going without. Sometimes a ,guide is needed and luckily there is one. Can it help? Possibly ,

New contributor and NBC food reporter Kevin Pang wrote about saving money in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section.He is a Chicago reporter living in the suburbs there with his wife and  their twn year old son. He and his wife Anne looked to the US Department of Agriculture for help.Their thrifty option, is the least expensive and is what SNAP benefits are based on.They also cut out their usually eating out twice a week, It was time for home cooking.There was also no impulse buying and cheaper options were taken.Their son Liam likes peanut butter and  jelly sandwiches. They had to switch out his favorite strawberry jam for the cheaper grape jelly.The $4.35 baba ghanoush for the $3.77 hummus. They did stick with their organic staples such as eggs cream milk and certain vegetables that are hard to wash.The Pangs chose wisely with the high price paid for meat was pork shoulder at $14.98.Dairy was a variety of different products but all were relatively inexpensive The same for bread and baked goods with a sourdough baguette for only $2.99.They sort of splurged on cheddar Sun Chips at $4.99 a bag..

Mr Pang and his wife also contributed recipes which are perfect for any kind of dinner. There are the tasty bacon cheeseburger meatballs It's a fun way to use chopped meat along with adding favorites like crispy bacon and shredded cheddar.The sauce is a blend of condiments and sounds like McDonald;s special sauce with its' mix of ketchup ,mayo mustard  Worcester sauce and relish. There is also chorizo amatriciana that has the zing of spicy sausage. The sauce also has onion crushed tomatoes olive oil and red pepper. Garlic also gives it flavor.Everything is finely diced and sauteed until the onion turns translucent. The sauce is added  a long with a pinch of sugar. Bucatini, that thick chunky pasta is used but try anything that was on sale.There were also dinners of fava beans with ricotta on a toasted baguette,There were also carnitas and  sesame soy chicken. One dinner was Japanese curry with a fried pork cutlet. Lunches were mostly leftovers from the night before while breakfasts were granola and yogurt or scrambled eggs.There was a breakfast tortillas which is always fun. There was enough variety that no one became bored with the menu.

Follow this guide for some ideas for low budget shopping and cooking. It won;t be limited.There is variety and fun recipes. It's a good way to save money and be creative.

A Great Cookbook Survives

 Many think that Julia Child brought French cooking to the American table.She did but it was a Frenchman who broke the recipes to make them easier to understand.The Frenchman was the great chef Jacques Pepin and his books La Methode and complete Techniques. is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in print.

Regular contributor and Times Food critic Pete Wells wrote about this great chef and the book in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.The books were unusual for the time,giving exact step by step instructions with pictures to show what to do in every stage. The books may not be for some who just want to cookComplete Techniques  has seven hundred pages but only one hundred and sixty recipes. There is a lot of attention to making butterflies out for carrots and swans out of apples.These were already on their way out of the culinary scene in 1976. Some of the pictures are horrorfically graphic.He de=fleeces a dead baby lamb and then severing its' knee joint and also packing its' shoulder joint with mushrooms, herbs and mushrooms. (it must have been awful for his then nine year old daughter Claudine who brought him  thecooler with the little lamb) The picture taking was also a bit gruesome for the photographers. They had to climb above Chef Pepin and photograph every step,

Th ebook was reflective of the times. Fifty years ago there was a DIY movement in publishing from Our Bodies Our selves  and The Whole Earth Catalogs. Therese were books with tons of drawings and how tos. Even Chef Pepin did this .,building his own kitchen , from the marble countertops to painting fish and radishes on the kitchen tiles to star in the many pictures through out the books.. Family and friends were roped in to help with the bare bones of cooking. There was a lot of chopping,slicing and cooking for the whole year the book was being written.The techniques were broken down into manageable blocks to read alongside the pictures.It proved to be a boon to a young chef like Tom Collicchio who had ADHD .Chef Pepin;ss tyle appealed t him and eh could easily read the recipes.The same for another chef Chris Cosentino who also had ADHD as well as dyslexia. Regular cookbooks were not for him. These were different and easy to follow. The recipes still hold up. Mr. Wells includes a banana flambe recipe.This is cooking roasted bananas in a brown sugar ,butter and rum sauce and igniting them, much like Crepes Suzetttes/ It's is an impressive dish for ending a meal.

Chef Pepin's books are still going strong after half a century. They are easy to follow.Modern chefs can learn a lot from them

Honoring A Great Down Home Chef

 Dolly Parton was incredibly unique.She was a talented songwriter and singer, penning two of the music era's great hits Jolene  and I Will Always Love You in one session.She was also an amazing philanthropist , donating books to children around the world. Yet she was true to her hillbilly roots and was a great cook and baker. She could create some of the best sweet and savory dishes.

In the last few years she created cakes mixes that were part store bought and mostly homemade. There had to be a stick of really butter added for that homemade buttery taste. There were homey flavors like strawberry and caramel, along with chocolate and coconut.There were buttery already made frostings to add too so there was no need to whip up a bowl. Her Tennessee roots shone through with her buttermilk biscuit and cornbread mixes. Try her banana nut muffin and cinnamon swirl crumb cake - perfect for late summer desserts. There is also a pancake mix with maple syrup in a guitar shaped bottle! There are frozen dessert cups too. She created dessert cups in such yummy combos as banana cream cookies and custard,vanilla shortbread in custard and chocolate mud pie cups.There is also an original whipped cheesecake with a bit of buttermilk added and a molasses graham cracker crust. There is also a decadent chocolate pie with a flaky crust and a dusting of confectioner;s sugar on top. Families will love her peach cobbler with its' brown sugar soaking the fruit,.Serve this for holiday desserts to remember this down home baker.

 Dolly also gave her savory recipes too.The single serve dinners are perfect for someone with a busy lifestyle but craves good old fashioned dinners.  You can buy her shrimp and grits along with her chicken fried steak.The first is a perfect blend of spicy seafood and creamy grits. The chicken fried steak is batter dipped and served with green beans and homestyle mashed potatoes. Many love her  fried chicken and baked Mac. This combo has a cheese sauce infused with buttermilk for a nice tang while the chicken is really tender nuggets.There is a following for her  beef pot roast that has equal amounts if beef and veggies in a tasty gravy.Of course you have her chicken and dumplings.This is creamy gravy covering chicken and homemade dumplings for a tasty hot lunch  or dinner. Her beloved DOllywood also featured some of her favorites too.The parks Front Porch Cafe features  breaded pork chops smothered din bacon and served with succotash and mashed potatoes. Aunt Granny's Cafe offers fried catfish and friedn okra along with black eyed peas and turnip greens.

Dolly Parton devoted her whole life to music.Yet she could have easily devoted her life to cooking and baking. Her recipes, like her songs will live forever.

Tasty Care Packages

 Kids are going off to college ,some of the for the first time. They may not like what the school cafeterias have to offer. What to do? Create a care package. This could be sweet or savory, depending on what the college kid likes/

As much as young adults love to snack and nosh.m keep in mind that they also need good hygienic products and nutrition. Pack a few tubes of their favorite toothpaste and bottles of mouthwash.(why a few? they like to share with their roomies)> Also have cough lozenges and medicine along with aspirin. Pack vitamins too.They re usually too busy with studying and sports to even think of adding a few nutrients to their diet. Dried fruit is another good choice.These are perfect for late night cramming and just noshing with friends. The healthiest types to eat are dates,aprocots raisins and figs.They have high levels of antioxidant,s potassium and fiber. Every grocery store sells them. Sun Maid has their new charcuterie package which has dried cranberries blueberries and apricots, The cranberries and blueberries are also chockful of antioxidants.Craisins, dried, cranberries are popular and tasty , They're also perfect in a bowl of corn flakes and Cheerios.Pack a few bags of them too,.

There's are also the fun add ins Homemade cookies are a must. They've been in college care package for decades. Classic chocolate chip is the cookies of choice. There are so many different ways to make them. You can go with the classic which has brown sugar and milk or bitter chocolate chips.  You could make the equally classic M&M cookies and have both little and big candies in the dough. Add walnuts or almonds for the nut lover. Totally mix  it up by using mint chips in a chocolate cookie dough ro even peanut butter  chips. Shortbreads are both easy to make and easy to send, The recipe is just mixing confectioner;s sugar, butter and flour together to form a stiff dough.To make them special, dip them in melted chocolate. You can pack the cookies in homemade popcorn. Keep the  popped kernels plain and add flavorings to flavor later. Also pack microwave popcorn or plain kernels with a whole host of sprinkle on flavorings. Kernel Seasons has some great flavors like movie theater and nacho cheddar. Pack in a few before shipping.

College care packages should be fun.Have them packed with good for you and good snacks. The dorm student will appreciate it.

Late August Harvests

 It''s still summer even though there are pumpkins and pumpkin spice everywhere. What that means is late August harvests and the tasty dishes that come with them. Take advantage of this, especially with your local farms and farmer's markets.

Even though there is nothing but Cylospora and salmonella your nearby farms offer picking for a price . There are also good  local farmers markets where the produce comes from smaller , more manageable farms where produce can be monitored. Tomatoes and bell peppers are thriving at this moment. Tomatoes mean sauce for fall and winter pasta dishes but use fresh ones for a silky tomatoes Provencale and ratatouille. For a cooling dish then tomatoes stuffed with tuna and mayo and the peppers with leftover rice and home grown herbs. Also think soups. Create a tasty minestrone with  them and the addition of white and green beans along with veggie broth, fresh garlic and parsley. Cook it in your crockpot if it;s too hot to use a stovetop. Onions are also in harvest right now. Tyr them stuffed with beef ,Piedmontese style or just have them sliced and battered for onion rings. Zucchini and squash are big right now. Make them stuffed with rice ,any kind of chopped meat and rice or sliced into coins and then sauteed in a mix of oil ,butter and garlic.

There are fruits that are ripe for picking in late August. This is peach season so go to the farms and start picking. It's a great activity for the whole family and many farms do offer family rates. What to do with peaches? Try a peach  jam.This only has the peaches  , some  lemon juice for preservation and sugar to create a lovely spread for croissants .Of course there is peach crumble . This is a tasty baked fruit dish topped with a mix of oats , brown  sugar ,cinnamon and lemon juice. Keep in mind that charred peaches are the perfect dessert with vanilla ice cream. Just split and it the fruits , brush with melted butter or oil and put on the grill for three to five minutes. Serve with scoops f ice cream or whipped cream for  more decadence.Blackberries are another late August fruit that's in abundance right now. A lot of the thickets are in the wild so you can easily go into  woods and pick them . Try blackberry crumble bars for a tasty sweet snack.Use old fashioned rolled oats and  whole wheat flour for a healthier version. Blackberries can also be made into a curd.It's pureeing the berries and  add ing whole eggs and butter>These are whisked together very a low flame and then placed into jars. Use it to slather on toast for a different breakfast treat. 

It's late August.There are still harvests to be used. Try what the month has to offer in tasty savory and sweet recipes.

That Other Non Meat Quorn

 With all this ado about Impossibemeats we sometimes forget the riginal non eat quorn.It's a surprisingly good sub in for chicken and has the same taste and flavor. It's perfect for all kind of chicken dishes.

I saw the quorn cutlets and thought why not.It's different and a change up from all those nuggets and burgers I cooked throughout the summer. Quorn started in the 1960's. decades before Impossible meat was even created. It's basically a microfungus( a kind of mushroom)  which can convert carbohydrates into micro protein.

What is exciting is that they're in the shape of chicken breasts. That means you can do anything with them//

I decided to go French and fancy with them .they're first cooked in olive oil. use about two tablespoons of a light oil (you don;t want a heavier oil with the sauce) This is Stop & Shop's..

As for the sauce I wanted a light lemony French influenced one. 

Add two tablespoons  of juice or freshly squeezed lemon juice.(I used Walmart's Great Value brand  which is very good)

The add a good heaping tablespoons of butter or plant based butter like Earth Balance or Melt.

Add two to three grinds of fresh pepper(I used Lidl's brand) for a bit of zing Cook for three minutes over a medium flame.

I paired the cutlets with the Little Potato Company s' potatoes. To me this looked and tasted more like a fancy restaurant meal than just a quick summer Friday dinner. I love this quorn cutlets. It has the taste and mouth feel  of real chicken .It was really a great dish and I loved the sauce with it.I plan on using the quorn cutlets in making chicken Parmigian in the future.

Consider quorn instead of the usual plant based meats. It tastes like the real thing and can be used in all sorts of dishes. It's the perfect vegan dish.

New Twists On Classics

After so many months of barbecues ,salads and ice cream,meals ca become a bit boring.Yet imagine taking classic summer  ingredients and  cooking method, using them in a totally different way.This makes for a refreshing uplift in summer cooking. It also means new flavors and new deliciousness.

Regular contributor Ali SLagle gave good ideas for changing up summer fare in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section. She gives great ideas to liven up any meal or dessert .It doesn't take fnc6y , imported ingredients , just the usual stuff done different. She takes barbecue sauce and turns it into a salad dressing. This is brilliant and elevate the sauce  from just something to cover chicken and ribs;Thin it out with some lime juice and serve it on hearty greens such as kale and romaine along with a great sauce for grilled veggies.Tinned fish like tuna and  anchovies are great with sliced tomatoes. They bring out the fruit's sweetness and makes for a good lunch (especially with crusty French bread) Another idea is adding whipped feta to watermelon and a salty cheese . Whipped feta is easy t o make.It;s blending feta with Greek yogurt until it's as fluffy as whipped cream. Mayo, that summer staple actually makes a great coating for chicken breasts. Adds herbs and Dijon mustard for more flavor before grilling.A new cooking technique can add oomph to veggies. Another new pairing is corn and rosemary, The herb brings out the corns ,nuttiness and warmth,

Ms Slagle recommends overcooking zucchini too This releases the water and caramelizing the veggies to a silky sweet treat. Another cooking idea is grilling hots dogs counterclockwise to get  more flavor and color.Rotate every so often to get the dogs evenly crisped. The hot dogs (and bratwurst) will have more exposure to the flames and heat and will only have gril makes on the side/ Can summer desserts get a change up? Yes! Surprisingly black pepper and strawberries are a perfect pairing Fresh ground pepper spikes the berry's sweetness ,giving them zing. Now for another wild pairing.Try peaches with  fish sauce..Peaches are very sweet while fish sauce is the opposite  - salty to the extreme degree.Pai them together to bring out the flavor in  both.Thi also can be done with sweet watermelon and mangoes too. Even classic ice cream can be elevated  and not with the typical fudge or caramel sauce.Add a thin drizzle of olive oil on plain vanilla, Ir adds sheen and silkiness the average sweet topping can ;t give it. Aim for a flavorful fruity one. This can also be dripped on coffee hazelnut or strawberry (for some reason it doesn't; work with chocolate). A sprinkle of crunchy sea salt also helps in bringing out the ice or gelato's flavor.

These are classic ingredients.Yet using them different or cooking them in a new way will make for tasty flavors.It's a fun way to add some oomph and zing to a summer meal.

A New Chapter On Mexican Cooking

 Mexican food is showing Americans that it's more than tacos and margaritas.There's a whole new generation of Mexican born chefs that are showing the varied and delicious foods of their provinces/ Itsa wide variety of different ingredients and flavors.

New contributor and winner of the James Beard award for culinary writing and regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this explosion of true Mexican cuisine in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Mexican food was always a limited menu. There was just tacos and burritos, that's it. In the last fifty years , however, in the past fifty year the exican population has expanded from eight and a half million to thirty-nine million.According to Pew research in 2024 one out of ten restaurants in the US is Mexican. Eighty-five per cent of all counties in the US have at least one Mexican restaurant. What this means is that there is also a vast array of different recipes from the country's thirty-two states. A big plus is that also eleven of them received Michelin stars including Californios in San Francisco, the only Mexican anywhere to win the acclaimed award three years in a row. Unfortunately now politics also plays a role in this phenomena. Mexicans and even Mexican-Americans have been deported or contained by ICE thanks to the Trump administration

Politics ,aside the Mexicnn states are being greatly represented here. There are birria tacos from Zacatecas , a favorite with Gustavo Arellano, are porter for the Los Angeles Times and author of  Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. He never really saw them here until the mid 20110s. These are barbeco or barbecue filling of Western Mexico, They;re usually made with goat or lamb  and flavored with vinegar,dried Chile and garlic along with herbs and spices. There are also plate sized palceros, big in New York, Manhattanites love these large tacos from central Mexico. The filling is anything from pork rinds , queso fresco, cactus flower salad and avocadies. Potatoes, eggs and rice are added for more oomph and the whole dish is topped with either fresh cilantro, diced onions or regional salsas.Even Oklahoma City birthplace of such American staples as Sonic and drive in eateries have birrio estila Aguascalientes slow roasted goat summered in guachillo ancho broth ,flavored with tomatoes and roasted cashews.Even places with small Hispanic communities like Door County ,Wisconsin have excellent Mexican restaurants.La Sirena's chef Emile Coulson Slagado uses Wagyu beef in making some of the best foods outside of Los Angeles and New York

Mexican food is becoming one of the top gourmet foods in the US<The food is top notch as is the quality.It is fast becoming a force on the American culinary scene.

An Old Fashioned Beet Salad

 One of the joys of summer eating was the old fashioned beet salad. There's something about the deep ruby slices dressed in a simple vinaigrette. It's a tart and tangy taste, reminiscent of a summer when  fresh veggies ruled the tables.

I had a craving for this after reading today's  article by Simon Bajaj in New York Times Tuesday Science Times section. Beets are muklttiaskers.They promote brain health while lowering blood pressure. The reason I wanted them was nothing scientific. I missed their sweet  earthy taste. I wish I could get fresh beets but then they lose their nutrients when boilingl. It was on to the canned sort.

They;re already cooked and sliced , marinating in their own juices. I bought Stop and Shops but any brand is good.

The dressing is so simple.A splash of olive oil and dash of white wine vinegar. Add some salt and freshly ground pepper to really bring out the natural sweetness. You could add chopped onions as my Mom did. These give a spiky sharpness.'

Mixed this is the perfect side(although I couldn't;t resist stealing forkfuls before dinner). This is the perfect change up from green bean and broccoli salad and it's perfect with any charcoal grilled steak, Chill it a few hours before making for the optimum flavor boost.

Beets are good for you. Try them in a classic salad. Enjoy the sweet taste with a tart vinaigrette. They are hard to resist,

School Ready

 School is going to start in the next few weeks or right now depending where you live. Are you ready with  school lunch?  while it's easy to get a fun container and bag  it's not so much fun to pack something that cylospora and salmonella free. Can school lunch ever be the same?

There are a few things that's= should cheer up any mom or student. Dollar Tree and Dollar General have some neat sandwich and Bento lunch box cases.Get the sandwich boxes that feature such a characters as Bluey, Stitch, Disney princesses and a baby Spderman. These hold a regular sandwich and keep it fresh.It's just so much fun to have too.  There are also checkered lid  food containers in pink sage and blue. (these are on my radar to get) Dollar Tree as Bento boxes that kids can use too. Other places to buy them is Amazon and Temu. Dollar General has food containers as well.Also look to Temu and Five Below for modern takes on lunchboxes. A more expensive version is the Stanley All Day Mini Lunch box for $33.75 on sale from Stanley. This looks like a designer purse and comes in a variety of different colors from deep burgundy to light aqua. You can get cheaper from Vera Bradley for $14.99 and has cute cat and dog prints along with a red quilt pattern. You could also just get sandwich bags and stas time in your kid's knapsack too.Stock up on sporks too for easy eating, whether for a cold pasta salad or pudding.

What to bring is a big trickier than what to bring it in. Cyclosporine makes it difficult to create salads and salmonella seems to be everywhere. Sometimes the best choice is the classic one. Peanut Butter and jelly should work if there are no peanut or nut allergies.A simple ham and cheese sandwich is also good . Also vary it with chicken and London Broil slices (Stop & Shop has this for a good price and it tastes like homemade)For both  big and little vegans there is plant based versions.One of the best is Tofukey's Peppered Tofurkey slices that have a nice black peppery bite and the texture of actual meat. This is one of my go to s and works well with vegan mayo on any kind of bread (rye really brings out the flavor).Try Tofurkey's turkey again good with mayo and the bologna. Have this last on white bread with a good dollop of sharp mustard.It would be tempting to add bite sized veggies like broccoli and carrots yet even these may be too risky.I would lean towards avocado , banana or orange slices . These have thick rounds that can protect the actual flesh. As for dessert get fresh apples and pears and peel the skin off . Also raisin oatlmeal cookies are great too and the occasional Hershey's kiss.

The school year is about to start. Be ready .Be smart about having a good lunch ready.

Ferragosto Feasts

 This is a big day in Cahtolic and Orthodox Europe.I'ts hug ein Italy where many celebrate and observe the feast of the Assumption of Mary.--when the Virgin ascends to Heaven. It is a day full of grilling and feasting on harvest.

You can easily celebrate the feast's foods here. Many American Catholics go to church today and then have a brunch or dinner out where ever they are. If you stay at home you can have the classic Italian grigliate - any grilled meats.A typical dinner would be a variety of sausages, pork ribs and chicken this can be made at home.Use a light marinade of lemon juice ,olive oil and a mix of dried herbs.This last could be oregano, dried basil and rosemary. You can add minced fresh garlic or garlic powder, depending on your tastes. This can be used for beef and chicken. What about the sausages? A fiery one, filled with not only beef and pork but also red paper flakes toasted  fennel and garlic.Keep in mind that fresh sausage or saucisse takes a good fifteen to twenty minutes to cook.Pre cooked sausage takes only ten to twelve minutes. You don't have to oil them.Just put them on the grill and cook evenly by rolling them every so often.  They can be eaten plain or on long rolls. 

The sides are mostly veggie .A note here.Cylospora is still prevalent here in the US. Wash every fruit and veggie in warm for twenty to thirty seconds. Don;t use bleach or soap to wash.You'll ruin the taste.Many Italians, have bell pepper recipes.They can be stuffed with arborio rice and herbs You can also grill zucchini or eggplant too. Both  can be marinated in just olive oil with salt and pepper and grill for about three to five minutes on each side. You can also make a tasty panzanella - that tasty bread salad with ripe tomatoes. Dried bread cubes can be used for crunch but a better variation is using torn up Italian or French bread. Soak the chunks and quartered tomatoes in olive oil, Onions can be added if you want a stronger taste but a milder flavor can be had by using a pinch of onion powder. Add plenty of basil and oregano too. Another idea is creating a tomato and mozzarella salad.Cold pasta salads can also be made. Just skip the mayo and just add olive oil. Desserts can be sliced fresh peaches in Prosecco or Asti. Tasty dessert is afogato - drowned ice cream.Usually made with ice cream and hot coffee, you can add cold coffee to vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a lovely late into the night dessert.

A Ferragosto meal can be had at any time. It's especially wonderful  on this Holy Day. Feast and enjoy the summer harvest.

A Classic For Summer

 it seems stranged to make soup in ninety degree weather yet a from scratch one is actually comforting.The trick is making a simple one.The Piedmontese pane pesto or pompeist is just this easy.

This is a three ingredient soup. It should comtain two large eggs but I wanted mine vegetarian.Just Egg filled in the need.

Of coutse you need broth and againI used veggie instead of chicken broth.As for the breadcrumbs I used up my panko.I ran out and I used the regular breadcrumbs I had.

Pompeist cooks up really thick and it was more of a potage.

Adding just a little bit of water, about quarter of a cup thins it out.

The taste is still eggy, bready and wonderful.It did become a bit custardy so more broth was added for next days lunch.

A simple soup is the perfect dinner for a hot day.It is soothing despite the heat.It's a nice comfort , different from tge usual cold summer deal.

New California Cuisine At Home

 California cuisine has had a reputation ever since Alice Waters created it fifty five years ago.It was made a certain way with certain ingredients.It was supposed to  - in a way-represent nouvelle American .Yetit coild be considered elitist..A new cuisine is emerging from the state and it's more representative of the people there.

Regular contributor and chef  Genevieve Ko wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. California cuisine started, again by the famed Alice Waters for her restaurant Chez Panisse in 1971. She championed using fresh  local produce, preparing it with a French sensibility.For five decades and more chefs up and down the state did the same, drawling largely from European recipes. Mostly the influence came from Italy.Yet a lot for people from all over moved to California in the half century following Cehz Panisse's opening. They brought their native food flavors .Meanwhile native Californians looked over their recipes and reinvented them. There was fusion, two cuisines fsed together to form one. diaspora - the immigrants recipes and third culture - that reflects a chef's history.I'ts less defined now. It's less Mediterranean and there are fewer mash ups It's freer and more curated as chefs take inspiration from around the globe, instead of one place.

The recipes Ms.KO give reflect this. The ingredients can be picked up at any farmer's market anywhere in the country. There is pluot tomato salad with suya pistachio crunch. Suya is a coating West Africans use to coat skewers of various meats like pork ,beef and chicken.The salad itself is an interesting mix of tomatoes and the apricot - plum hybrid.Rhe dressing is a rich pistachio cream made with shelled, insulated nuts blended with whole cream Greek yogurt and lemon juice and topped with pistachios spiced with cayenne,and ginger along with onion and garlic powders. Its a combo of California produce mixed with African and European flavors.There also is summer melon spoon salad.There's me long cucumbers and avocados with a simple dressing of lemon and olive oil, flavored with fresh basil and dill leaves. Since it;s corn season all over America ,there  is a charred corn and cheddar salad to celebrate that. Fresh corn is charred on an outdoor grill until it's charred brown in spots. An aoilis sauce is the dressing. This is classic aioli made with homemade mayo, with fresh egg yolks missed with Dijon mustard and lime juice use a neutral oil like grape seed to emulsify this. The cheese can be a sharp cheddar but crumbled queso Fresca, feta or Cotija can be used. Ground Aleppo peppers are also used for heat.

A new California cuisine can be made anywhere in the US.I;ts just a trip to the farmer's market to get the ingredients. Its then adding fresh flavor and taste to  dishes that fit in easily anywhere

Cool Ice Cream For A Not City.

 New York and it's boroughs have always been known for pizza and hot dog. Yet ice cream is also a city classic and must have during these hot days. Now there's a list of the best places for the coolest and coldest scoops. All a re deliciously creamy and flavorful

Restaurant  critic and new contributor Mahira Rivers compiled this list in todays New York Times Wednesday Food section.Not all the booughs are mentioned however . Staten Island and the Bronx are not (both areas have really good ice cream parlors and gelaterias)Gelati is always the cool choice for hip New Yorkers so try Pamina Dolce E Gelato.Try the summery flavors of peach and apricot along with the rich nocciola studded with Piedmontese hazelnuts.Not far from there is Unnecessary an ice cream parlor opened by - former bartenders. Another lower Manhattan offers Il Laboratorio Del Gelato which gives such interesting flavors as cheddar cheese and cactus. They also have chocolate and passion fruit sorbets for the less adventurous. The scoops have a cocktail twist to them.There is a vodka infused soft serve along with a minty grasshopper and the Garibaldi cocktail, a mix of orange juice and Campari.Chic Gramercy Park has Caffe Panna.They have the popular Red Flag, vanilla ice cream swirled with graham crumbles and strawberry jam. Midtown Manhattan may have great delis but it also has a good ice cream parlor.A La Moe Shoppe. They have the fun Partly Cloudy  - blue cotton candy ice cream dotted with mini marshmallows and Cooks  -a mix if chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a fudge swirl.Julia Jeans on the Lower East Side has good old fashioned flavors with a twist.The orange sherbet tastes like a Creamsicle while the butter pecan has a salted ice cream base.

Brooklyn and Queens has some fun places to visit too. Bedford Stuyvesant is the home of Brown Butter Creamery.They do classics right here with a fudgy dark chocolate and a Bourbon unfused vanilla flecked with vanilla beans.They also celebrate the Caribbeans with flavors like crema and spiced bissap -  aspciy clove cinnamon,ginger and honey drink.Forrest Hills has the old fashioned Eddie's Sweet Shop. Here ice cream is served in silver coups or cups and the flavors are classic too. There are chocolate coffee and rum raisin along with hot fudge ,whipped cream and cherry toppings. Greenpoint Brooklyn  along with the East Village and Moynihand Train Hall has Davey's  where al the ice cream is homemade There is fresh strawberry and coffee. scoops along with sundaes and milkshakes. Inwood Queens hosts Lost Borough Ice Cream.Patrick Cruz and Kawana Jefferson the owners do shoots out to Dominican vanilla and bizcocho,the vanilla cake features at birthdays and baby showers.Another Queens must go to is The Screen Door. The ice cream is old fashioned but go for the Ice Cream Nachos - waffle cone buts that can be dipped in vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Go to Soft side in Morningside heights for more soft creamy ice cream.

Happiness is ice cream. Go to New York to have the best. It s cool comfort.

A Simple Summer Curry

 Curry many not  be associated with summer yet a simple one is the perfect hot weather meal.. The good thing about curries is that they can be as simpler as complex s you want. meal Try a simple one for easy cooking.

This is what I did. I had plant based chicken strips that are sauteed to doneness in a saute pan.

the sauteed  starts with a good tablespoon of melt butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil.

A quarter of a white onion is added .You can add tomatoes and peas.

 Potatoes were microwaved and added later.

These were cooked for twelve minutes in the microwave.

Curries have to be creamy. Coconut milk is usually used but I opted for almond milk and also veggie broth for a thinner sauce.I used quarter of a cup for both.

Since this was a mild curry I only used curry powder and garam masala.I could have used turmeric and ginger but I felt these would be a bit too fiery. A god two tablespoons each worked.

the spices and liquids were a

added later.

This is the final cook before the potatoes were added.

With the chicken, potatoes and onions, this was a tasty change up from the ordinary. I may add tomatoes and peas in the future to vary it.Still it was great this was.

A simp;e summer curry is easy to make during these hot days. It;s a few ingredients mixed together to create a big flavor. Make this for a fun got weather dish.

Finally Steve's Burgers!

 Steve's Burger is not just a Jersey place or thing but it's becoming a national thing too. The small roadside eatery is known for its' juicy thick burgers ,large onion rings and crispy fries.It is the place to go any time for the week.

I had to go there and see what it's alabout.Friends have recommended dit fo rso long. So I went. It's a tiny place with three tables and a counter area to also eat. There's a full menu of burgers dogs, nuggets and even grilled cheese.It started as a small ice cream truck and expanded into the tiniest place you'll ever want to eat in.The place may be small.but the food is big.

The hot dog was fried and it was good on it's on(although I could have had a variety of toppings).Is it better than Rutt's Hutt> the other Jersey burger and dog place? Maybe they're on the same par.

The hamburgers, thought are unlike any other serve din New Jersey.They are big and juicy with all sorts of toppings The onions rings - pure heaven. These are large and golden fried the circumference of the burger itself/ 

The fries are Jersey boardwalk fries, They are thin and super crunchy.I love the tiny fried bits at the bottom the plate. To be honest I could have just made a meal with the fries and rings.

Steve's also has their own sodas made by Island Girl Sodas.There are a wide variety of flavors, from birch and root beers.to cherry orange and raspberry lime.

I had to have the birch beer.I've had stronger but it wasn't that bad. Next time I'll try the black cherry or maybe the grape They also have root bear floats and chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes.End dinner with one of these along with their deep fried Oreos.Prices are very good ,from the burgers to the sides.

Steve's Burger s is the road trip destination of the summer. Have a fun old fashioned burger and fries there. The food is a throwback to when eating out meant good food for only a few dollars.

Steve's Burgers is located at 506 Route 46 West in Garfield New Jersey.

Forget Fresh Fruit Go Frozen

 With all the fear about Fresh fruit and cylospora everyone is giving up fresh fruits and the desserts that are made for them. Yet there is frozen fruit that can fill in, You can make anything with them, from muffins to crepes. They can top ice cream or be eaten just with whipped cream. 

There are many different brands of frozen fruits from Wyman, national brand, to just in house ones like Acme and Stop & Shop along with Lidl , Target and Shop Rite. You can  buy from several different stores and taste test them. You can still make crumbles with frozen blueberries or peaches.You just need frozen pie crust, sugar ,shortbread cookies for the crumble on top and quick acting oats. The flavors are both fruity and buttery and you won;t know if you're eating fresh or frozen. Crumble can also be made into bars too. Use frozen ,sliced or peeled peaches in this fruit filled treat. Cinnamon and brown sugar help with the flavor. That most classic of summer desserts strawberry shortcake can also be made with frozen berries. Expect a softer texture and more liquid however.To avoid a soggy short cake , drain them or cook them into a quick sauce with a bit of sugar for sweetness and cornstarch for thickening. It helps to spread them out evenly on the surface of the cake.Piling them on top of each other will resort in a mushy layer.

Can you use frozen fruit in pie? Yes! Just remember there are a few simple rules though to using them.Let the fruit thaw and drain extra liquid first before using. You could use the extra juice sin a thick cooked slurry which can be used later.Also increase thickeners. Add an extra tablespoon or two of cornstarch or flour. You can also do the precook option. Simmer the fruit and its; juices on the stove til thickened and then pour into the pie crust. If you put the filling in frozen or  cold, add ten to fifteen minutes to the baking time so you donl;t have a cold middle.The best fruit to use in a pie are blueberries. These have a deeper  denser flavor that freshly picked ones. If you;re using peaches, drain all liquid from the peaches before mixing them with sugar,cornstarch lemon  juice. vanilla,salt and cinnamon.What about making homemade sorbets and ices? This is actually to your advantage.It 's just pulsing the fruit with lemon juice and honey  until it;a creamy and soft. Freeze until you;re ready to serve it.

Frget about fresh picked fruits this season. Opt for the frozen . You can still create sweet desserts and have the same fruity taste as a fresh from the orchard harvest.

Eating Safe Food

Home chefs are leery about what to buy and cook these days thanks to Cylospora.One wrong bite and the whole family can be sick for weeks.Yet there are foods that are free of the nasty little parasite. You can make a dozen recipes with them.

Unless you're growing your own lettuce  stay away from any leafy greens. You can wash them but a better bet is getting frozen greens like spinach, broccoli and green peas.This also applies for peas and carrots too. These veggies are great in all sorts of cold salads.Just steam and then dress with oil and vinegar. Add garlic or onion powder for more flavor. Make them into stir fries too. This can ber served over rice or noodles.Condiments are safe so you can give this a dousing with soy sauce. Canned veggies can also be used in salads and cooked dishes too. Although fresh potatoes are safe because they have to be cooked before eating, you can used canned for easy salads like potato. Any potato is considered OK to ingest because they';ll either be boiled , fried, air fried or even grilled.You can easily make French fries to go with those grilled burgers or try a fancy scalloped for a elegant al fresco dinner.

Meats, poultry and seafood are also safe to eat and you may want to increase your use of them. If you're worried about talking in too much beef , plant based ones like Impossible Burger and Gardien 's are safe to eat. Hamburgers can take safe extras like pickles and sliced onion. Just omit the lettuce and if you;re eating out then tomatoes too. Chicken is another good sub in and it can be made into a salad with canned veggies along with extras like croutons and almonds. Deviled chicken and deviled ham are great mixed with mayo and make perfect sandwich fillers. What about seafood? It's fine as long as it's cooked. You can easily make Greek shrimp kebabs.These are kebabs marinaded in olive oil, spiced with dried oregano, paprika, fennel and cumin. Serve over rice if you want a  dip then also think Greek. Blend plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice and add dill and fresh chives (both are safe to eat.) Canned tuna is a summer staple. Think of having a Porvencale inspired tuna salad with cannellini beans. Use tuna in oil, and add a splash of vinegar. Dried oragano and rosemary gives it some zing. Serve with crusty grilled and oiled.French bread .

You can survive this outbreak and not get sick. Just wisely choose your ingredients and cook them. You'll have safe delicious dishes.

it's tomato Time

 August brings about one delicious thing - ripe tomatoes.It;s' the season for them, whether grown on a farm or in the backyard.There are so many recipes for them,from tomatoes provencale to ratatouille.Which is the best? Here are some.

Regular contributor and chef Ali Salgle gave a few good recipes and tip in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.She offers seven recipes that highlight flavor that can range from super sweet to even bland and bitter.One tip is to consider their size .She says tomatoes that resemble gumballs  like cherry grape and Sungolds will consistently be sweeter because of their small sizeThere is less space from water to dilute their flavor.They also have a higher peal to flesh ratio.This actually applies to larger tomatoes when they're cut into chunky wedges.They wont; turn mushy. Another must is amplify the acidity with lemon.In other words skip the vinegar in the dressing add lemon juice instead.This enhances the brightness of the tomatoes without being too overpowering.Also pair it with its' fellow fruit(u=yes tomatoes are a fruit)< Think peaches, pomegranates and melons to bring out the fruit's sweetness.In return the tomatoes acidity gives their sweetness a zing.Dairy also enhances a tomato's flavor.Think burrata or mozzarella. Ricotta ,Paremsan anc Cheddar also work well with any kind.

Can tomatoes be spices up or won;t that interfere with their taste? No! Ms Slagle recommends using chili crisp.Its' fatty, crunchy and spicy natures is a perfect foil to the tomatoes acidity.Salt cut tomatoes, letting their juice spill out onto a bowl or platter. Add the chili crispy for an oily, spiky burst of heat.Another idea is to grate them to emphasize  their deilciousness  according to fellow chef and Times writer Tejal Rao.Slice a large beefsteak in half and grate against the larger holes of a box grater.Sip it and add sugar or lemon  to bring out the g=flavor. Serve over bruschetta,.yogurt pasta and whatever else is tasty. Tomatoes can be baked low and slow too. Get rid of the moisture to produce a silly and savory slice This caramelizes the sugars inside and they can even be sticky . Ms.Slagle gives fours recipes perfect for the season.There is tomato and peach salad with whipped goat cheese along with an old fashioned tomato salad. A tasty lunch would be tomato cheddar toasts while dinner could be her tomato butter pasta. It's a great dish for early fall too.

Tomatoes are in season right now. Use these tips and recipes to use them  to their best advantage.They will bring out the tomatoes sweet flavors and silky texture.

Anthony Bourdain The Movie

 Rarely does a chef merit a movie.Even the great Auguste Escoffier has never made it to film. Yet Anthony Bourdain is now the subject of a new , interesting biopic.  His  life is definitely worth telling about.

The NY Times restaurant critic and regular contributor Pete Wells wrote about the new movie in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section. The movie ,Tony comes out this Froday August 7th and starsDominc Cessa as the young and explosive chef to be. Antonio Banderas also stars as Chef, the one who teaches him about cooking The movie is set in Provincetown ,Massachusetts and it focuses squarely on his the kitchen rather than on the three summers that shaped his sensibility. This was mentioned din his own 2000 memoir. Before fame Bourdain;s  is still known in Provincetown according to Mr Wells. It wasn't;t hard for the young wild boy to fit into a  town on the very tip of Cape Cod. Save for the Portuguese speaking fisherman who emigrated from the Azores, the town was  known for it's art and gay culture scene.It was also a wild place similar to San Francisco's Haight-Asbury . It appealed to the young chef t o be who initially went with his girlfriend - later wife Nancy Pitkoksli. 

Spiritus Pizza was the hub of where he and his pals. hung out.It;still there serving pizza and hot and cold drinks.The owner,John Yingling's sister went to Vassar and she began bringing her circle of friends to Provincetown. Nancy worked at spirits ,brought Anthony along. He had the experiences only a teenager of the Seventies would have however he was quickly made a dishwasher. at a restaurant called The Flagship(it;s now a private home) he was happy here and the young writer found a purpose as he learned everything about the trade.His second hear there he applied at the restaurant for working at the broiler.He was awestruck by the chefs along with the new chef Ciriaco Cozi who also ran the town'smost popular restaurant Ciro's. The chefs disdained him which prompted him to study at the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America. Mr. Wells includes a recipe from that time  - a Portuguese kale soup rich with the spicy Portuguese sausage linguica - a cured spicy sausage.It also has  hamnocks beans and potatoes cooked in a beef broth. 

Will Tony be as interesting as any other biopic? It has the same rock and roll energy as Springsteen's and moodiness of Bob Dylan's . It ;s sure t be a delicious event.

And Cylospora Rages On

 It is not a good summer for veggie and fruit lovers. Thanks to Cylospora, that nasty little parasite , everyone's favorite produce is now off limits. What to do> What to avoid? f you eat carefully you can beat this.

Many people still don;t know what Cylospora is.They often confuse it with salmonella or food poisoning. As far as digestive track upset (and that's the  kindest that can be written about both) both can cause a lot of trouble. Yet Cylospora is a parasite - and it relies on only humans to thrive. Animals are free from it.On the surface of any herb,veggie or berry the parasites lie dormant in pods called oocytes.One hundred of them can fit comfortably on a pinhead .Once swallowed they trek through the esopha  gus, then  to the stomach and finally landing in the intestines. The pods respond to everything from gut signals to bile to digestive enzymes. The parasites go straight to the small intestine's lining where they take over the cells. They make copies of themselves; after awhile they form egg like and sperm like organisms which mess up the intestinal lining/ They reduce nutrient absorption which can cause massive diarrhea in foods and water. How people get the parasite is by ingesting water contaminated with them. Germany hands can also cause it which may explain the large contamination.Infected workers touch fresh;y picked produces and ;eave the tiny pods behind. 

What can you eat during this outbreak?Fresh salads are definitely off the table. Yet there are so many delicious veggie meals you can make.If you do want fresh lettuce get the heads as opposed to the bag mixes.Amy stores have pulled these, namely from Taylor Farms off their shelves. Get the heads and then scrub thoroughly in warn water for a few minutes. DO NOT use soap or bleach when washing.This will just  ruin the taste.Then pull off two to three out leaves (you can also go as high as four for extra safety).This also applies to cabbage too. Lettuce from our garden or even a neighbors'garden should be safe to eat whole.Saute ,grill or roast vegetables. Gazpacho should be put on hold this summer while tomatoes Provencale and ratatouille should be on dinner rotation. Used canned or frozen fruits and veggies for recipes Start foraging local fruit trees and forests for wild apples and strawberries. Buy thick skinned fruits like avocados, bananas and  anything citrus. The skins save the fruit from the Cylospora pods and these should be discarded right away.

How long will cylospora be with us? That's hard to say. Yet play  it safe. Cook safe and eat safe and you should be all right.

A Hot Spicy August

 The temps are going up this month. Why no turn up the heat on your summer cooking too? add some zesty spices to everything from barbecue to salads to even desserts.It''sa fun way to liven up sometimes bland sometimes boring griller fare.

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern must have.I'ts wonderful mixed with olive oil and drizzled on warm pita no matter what time of year.Yet you can easily put on it on chicken.First make a marinade with two tablespoons of the spice mix and three tablespoons of olive oil Make sure every part  of the chicken is coated for full flavor and then grill. It can also be used for steak too.Rub it on like a dry rub and then sear immediately on a hot grill.This would be good with pita to sop of the juices.Another use for it would b e in a tangy Middle Eastern salad dressing. Take a teaspoon of the mix and then blend it with a third of a cup of fresh lemon juice, and a third of a cup of olive oil. Fresh garlic or garlic powder can b e added. Vigorously whisk everything together. It can be served on fresh greens but also goes well on chilled broccoli, string beans or tomatoes.Keep in mind that this is great on grilled veggies too.Marinated all sorts soft veggie sin this and toss on a hot grill,Za atar is easy to make or you can buy a jar of it.

Berbere spice is another way to add heat and flavor to summer foods. What is berbere spice.Its the main flavoring in dishes from Ethiopia and Eritrea .It features chili peppers fenugreek and warm spice s like cinnamon , cloves all spice and nutmeg.It's a perfect flavor booster for both chicken and beef. For chicken add two tablespoons of the blend and a tablespoon of olive oil.A half teaspoon of black pepper can also be added for more fire. To make the meat incredibly moist add a tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt or lemon juice.Pat the chicken dry and then add the marinade.Let it sit on the meat for anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes.Grill for thirty-five to forty-five minutes until the meat is thoroughly cook.Steaks can also benefit from berbere spice. Mix with three tablespoons of olive oil o r ghee and rub on the meat. Ancho chilis are also perfect mixed with olive oil and rubbed on such griller favorites like pork,chicken and beef.Use it in desserts .Add ground chili powder t o a blend of chocolate and heavy cream.This fiery ganache is perfect on strawberries.Serve it on pound cake or on vanilla ice cream for a sweet heat ending to your summer dinner.

Turn the heat up in your cooking this August. Add any of these zingy spice mixes to your barbecue or desserts.It a great way to zest up he average barbecue.

An Updated Pea Salad

 Can a family classic recipes be updated? Yes! there are some recipes that can be adapted to vegan lifestyles or just have new ingredients added for more flavor. It;sa fun way to carry on tradition while adding a new spin.

I did this with my Mom's pea salad. She combined peas and rice , adding cube of ham for savoriness and oomph. I decided to updat eit a bit.

There are still peas . Get the canned sweet ones, U=I used the Stop & Shop brand which are always good.]

My Mom;s version called for white rice - a riff on the classic Russian salad Yet supposed elbow macaroni was subbed in insread?

It needs to be mixed. The original recipe called for just mayo. Yet suppose if there was a dash of flavor - namely ranch dressing added in.

I added about three tablespoons of each, equally mixed to the salad.

My Mom also had cubed han in her pea salad .I thought , why not give it a vegan twist.I used Morning star plant based based to crumble over it.

I used eight sliced microwaved for four minutes to get extra crispy. These were crumbled into the salad.

I liked this updated recipe. The bacon really adds  to it as does the ranch dressing. It;s a nice blend of sweetness from the peas and the bacon;s saltiness. You can add julienned hands trips if you want a long with changing up the pasta to rotini.This is a great salad for barbecues and picnics.

Should recipes be updated? Yes.As with this salad , an update made it fresh and tastier. It;'s the perfect summer salad.

Dunkin;s Summer Of Treats

 August is a hot month so it;s going to be a time to treat yourself. This is where Dunkin Donuts comes in.They have so many new treats and some fun ones on the near horizon. Go for a cool sweet treat.

One of the ones that intrigued me is their new ice cream cake doughnut. It is supposed to be like aCarvel ice cream cake.

This has the chocolate cookie crumbles that makes the middle of the cake. This is on top of a blob of marshmallow buttercream (which to be honest would be perfect for a s'mores doughnut) The inside is a chocolate buttercream surrounded by the typical flaky dough.It is super sweet  -a fun treat with a good iced black DUnkin coffee. Dunkin is also offering chocolate crumble doughnut holes in dark chocolate.  These look tastier and perhaps less sweet than this.

Another fun offer is the buckets of drinks coming out on August 7th.It's $12.99 for a forty-eight ounce bucket of either cherry lime Rickey refresher, pink pineapple sparkling refresher and iced coffee with peanut butter swirl. These are perfect if you;re having a small get together or barbecue. I would love to have a bucket just filled with their iced decaf cappuccino with a huge shot of mocha.   There's even a bucket holder so it fits in your car's cup holder.It's in the signature Dunkin pink.  You can refill the buckets with anything after that Buy bags of the Dunkin coffee or the pods and make your own creations for it. This is also great for a long road trip.

Dunkin Donuts has n-some fun treats planned for August. Enjoy the ice cream cake doughnut or the bucket of either coffee or a refresher. It's worth a trip to your local DD.

Fun Food Full of Crunch And Noise

 There's something satisfying about crunchy food. It's the sound.There's fun in noisy food. Imagine combining that with nutritious ingredients for a fun meal/

New contributor and deputy food editor at the  New York TimesEmily Fleischakers gave three recipes in yesterday's Wednesday Food section. why do people like crunchy foods.Take a bite into an apple and get the answer. A crisp sounding fruit means its;s still good. A soft one signals rotting. According to Megan Povey, a food physics professor at the University of Leeds crunchy foods were received as being fresh because the cells were intact. Also people are conditioned to think of crunchy as fresh.It was done in a Pringles study back in 2004. Another theory comes from Charles Spences, one of that study's author and head of a research lab at The University of Oxford.People are just aware of crunchier foods in their mouth s than with a more silent one. It could d be that eating crunchy foods is just fun.Ms. Fleischakers looks to her New York Times contributors for recipes.Hetty Lu Mckinnon gives a mouthwatering fresh corn and black bean salad with corn chips.  This is definitely party food.Avocados and cilantro are also added to this and are dressed with a lime garlic and cumin dressing.A pinch of sugar balances it out. Hit sauce can be added for more zest/

The other recipe is an interesting. I'ts fromJ-Jaye Shackleford Hurley who has made it for her tail gating parties at Ole Miss - the University of Mississippi.It's a crunchy ramen broccoli slaw. This has the unexpected ingredient of ramen noodles There are towards of broccoli cut into florets, along with the equally crunchy carrots and purple cabbage>There are also red onions and almonds.The ramens are stirred in uncooked.Discard the flavor packers or save for another soup.The dressing is an Asian influenced one with soy sauce and a bit of sugar mixed in with oil and vinegar.Jeme Claiborne has her crispy tofu nuggets.It;s as good as the store bought ones.Take a block of extra firm tofu and wrap it into paper towels. Lay something heavy on it so all the excess water comes out.Mix dill pickle brine with tamari, oil and sugar.Pour this over the torn tofu chunk and mix well. Then add flour garlic powder. smoked paprika and  freshly ground pepper.Toss again to coat. Cook in a375 degree air fryer for twenty minutes. Flip the nuggets over halfway through cooking. These can also  be baked in a 375 degree oven for forty minutes.

These recipes certainly provide the crunch factor. They;re a great party foods .They full of flavor and full of noise.

The Colonel Is For Sale

 Kentucky Fred Chicken has been a part of the American table for decades. Now it's up for sale. Is anyone up for buying that special secret recipe of eleven herbs and spices?Or any of the Colonel's items? There seems to be more interest in him than in his chicken,

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this in today;s New York Times Wednesday Food section. Kentucky Fried Chicken has been around since the late 1930s It  is more popular in Japan and China. The Japanese dress up figurines  of Harlan Sanders, the Colonel as Santa Claus and his meal is the must have Christmas dinner..In China, the home of most of the world's KFC restaurants he;s a respected elder.In the African countries of Nigeria and Kenya Colonel Sanders is the symbol of quality and cleanliness. In the  US he;s really not considered that important on the fast food scene. His home in Shelbyville Kentucky, a town in the middle of lush Kentucky  horse country is up for sale. The family that brought his property from him wants to move on. This week they'll auction off the house and his personal items and that includes his special recipe for the fried chicken batter. There is still the restaurant named for his second wife Claudia, but that's also closing the restaurant owners and the Sanders' good friends Tommy and his wife have kept open. Regulars will be upset not getting not only the chicken bu the country ham and rolls the size of muffins.

There will still be KFC. sanders sold it in 1962 for two  million dollars. He tremendously regretted that. , as still visited  franchises and berated managers on how they prepared the chicken.The chain was later  acquired by Pepsi in 1997 and then the company morphed into Yum brandsThey also have Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. They do still have the family meals first created not by the Colonel but by  his first franchisee Pete Harman. Harman already had a restaurant in Salt Lake City and came up with the meal plan of packing  several chicken pieces in a bucket with rolls and gravy. They coined the famed phrase "finger licking good and ) dubbed Sanders the "ColoneL" However there are also now chicken sandwiches and nuggets to compete with Popeye;s and Mc Donald's.There is also boneless chicken served with such sauces as chimichurri ranch and sticky chicky sweet and sour. The Colonel's image is also being rebranded. He's shown as a experimenting with exploding pressure cookers which cooked the original chicken and  also throwing pots of gravy on the floor. He;s am anti corporate finger licking machine who will dance on a boardroom table or climb a skyscraper to advertise a value  meal.

What will happen to all the Colonel's items and restaurant. Hopefully it will be bought by a foodie fan who can carry on the legacy. They will have the special recipe. They can run with it.

Jif And Ramen

 Is it true you can put peanut butter on anything?It seems that way. The classic peanut butter brand Jif has gone way out side theirwhell house and created a peanut butter ramen. It's a strange combination , probably taking after Chinese and Thai dishes that feature peanuts.Yet does it take like these recipes?

I had to find out when I saw the Jif Ramen in my local Acme's soup aisle. It looked intriguing but the peanut butter part was kind of off putting. Yet I  had to try it.

Unlike regular ramen which has an oil veggies and flavoring packets this just has a dried peanut powder.

It looks like red powder and that gave me hope.  Would it be spicy? Would it have ground chilis and hoisin sauce?

No. It was pure dried peanut butter. It cooked up the same way as ramen. Pour boiled water over the mix of flavoring and noodles. Let sit for about five to six minutes..

It wasn't;t bad but if I get this in the future I will add a few drops of hoisin sauce and a tiny pinch of ground hot pepper.It would add a lot to it. The peanut flavor was interesting and a change from the usually veggie or chicken flavored ramens. There is  a lot to eat , with the noodles.

Can peanut butter be mixed on anything? Nowadays, yes Jifs take on ramen is an interesting one. Try it if you love peanut butter.