Warming UP A Chilly Barbecue

 The weather never behaves.It might be Spring and temps could be like a roasting July heatwave or chilly October afternoon. right now the US is experiencing a cold snap right in time for Memorial Day.everyone has a barbecue planned. Yet what happened when there a nip in the air? Heat it up.

Luckily barbecue food is hot food. Flame grilled hot dogs and hamburgers are great for warming up. Go the extra mile and warm up the buns too.Grill the hamburger and hot dog buns the same times as the meats. They'll get that the same smoky flavor as the hot dogs and hamburgers. You can amp it up a bit by buttering the soft or interior sides. Some grillers add a dash of Tabasco sauce for added flavor. Grilled London Broil could call for hot gravy made inside on the stove. You can make your own or get the jarred version (this last would be easier ).serve on Texas toast or grilled sourdough bread. What about chicken? Think a side of hot waffles .Yes you can grill this breakfast treat. even frozen Eggos respond well to a grill. It;s just toasting them for two to three minutes on each side and then serving them with chicken and a dash of hot honey.This last is created by adding fresh or dried peppers to honey and then letting it sit for a few hours. 

A big problem with a chilly barbecue is the cold sides. No one want an icy macaroni or bean salad when it ''s a frosty sixty degrees in May. Instead of salads try grilled veggies instead They're tasty and delicious  along with being warming. Cut onions  bell peppers and squash into cubes and along with grape or cherry tomatoes put them on a skewer. You can also add button mushrooms and cut up corm ears too. A simple brush with olive oil works but you can also try a marinade too.use a tangy Greek yogurt based dressing or a verdant chimichurri or salsa vefde sauce made with tomatillo,s onion s garlic and chile peppers. You can serve with microwaved hot rice or quinoa. Another hot dish, perfect for a chilly Spring day is elote or Mexican street corm. This is grilling ears of buttered  corn and then covering them with a slathering of mayo and Mexican crema - a mix of buttermilk, whole cream a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.It's then rolled in cotija cheese and sprinkled with chili powder. If you can 't find cotija then used crumbled feta instead.

The weather doesn't always guarantee a warm ,sunny day or hot balmy night for grilling. Sometimes the weather can be downright frigid. Don;t cancel your barbecue if that's the case. Serve hot tasty foods to warm up your guests.!

Beef- It's Still What's for Dinner

Could the carnivore life be making a comeback? It seems that way.More and more Americans are wanting beef on the supper table as well as on the lunch one. What used to be a vilified ingredient is now a much loved one.

Regular contributor Kim Severson delved into this in yesterday's New York times Wednesday Food section. Red meat has always been a staple of the American table, more so after the Second World War. meat consumption went up and Sundays were spent roasting London Broils in the oven or out on the grill come summer. The pace took off in the 1970's when fast food joints sprang up everywhere and hamburger consumption rose tremendously.Meat;s popular, in the ensuing decades either rose or fell , depending on the economy, health advice or dining trends.This was fine until I've years ago when meat consumption hit a wall. Now home chefs and diners wanted the new plant based - and meat tasting - substitutes. even editors at the recipe website Epicurious announced in 2021 that beef would be banished from all future content. They cited its' contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.That same year Daniel Humm of Manhattan's  eleven Madison Park would rid its' expensive ($335!!!!) tasting menus of all animal products. Other restaurants followed suit, giving health and environmentally conscious diners more plant based dishes.

What brought back the change then? It could be the keto diet that emphasizes meat or the Republican "bro" culture where red meat is king. It also has to do with Robert F> Kennedy Jr's endorsement of it. He also endorses fast foods like French fries to be fried in beef tallow. He claims tallow is better for the body than seed based oils. People who follow his Make America Healthy Again philosophy also believe this as they eliminate and preach about the evils of processed foods.One restaurant Steak N Shake is doing just that and RFK Jr and the MAGA podcaster Joe Rogen haven tried the tallow fried fries.In fact Rogen is  nothing but  a carnivore touting a diet devoid of vegetables and grains. experts say this can increase the risk of heart attacks and other health problems yet both men insist that it may be a healthier way of eating. There is no processed food. even liberals with a green agenda are embracing beef eating thanks to the nose to tail movement. It's better for the environment to eat all parts of the cow, similar to what the Europeans do. Grass fed beef is being embraced by everyone, Nicolette Hahn Niman, author or the 2014 book "Defending Beef" fights against the pollution caused by animal waste. (she also worked under Mr. Kennedy when he was an environmental lawyer).

Does this mean everyone should embrace beef and meat eating in general again. That's up to the individual and their beliefs, whether they be health or environmental. Just be wary.Meat eating does come with a lot of caveats.

The Most Expensive Food

Prices are sky high these days. Roast beef is sixteen to seven teen dollars a pound Eggss are ten dollars a dozen. Its' not s supermarket anymore.It's a gourmet emporium. 

What have you seen that's so expensive.Let us know.Personally its the $17 dollars a pound London Broil at Stop & Shop that has rattled me. Although the $57.00 baby formula that really was the eye opener.

Hunt and Gather On A Budget

It isbecoming harder and harder to go grocery shopping these days. Despite all the campaign promises we still have sky high prices for everything. Forget eggs. Thanks to the avian flu and pricing , these are about as affordable as diamonds. What to do? As always  - shope wisely.

Doing all of one's shopping at one store may not be viable anymore. Home chefs may have to visit two or even three stores .The best ones with the best prices are Lidl, Aldi and Wal-Mart. Lidl' is probably your best bet. Not only do you receive decent prices , you also get really delicious food in the bargain. Some of their prices ave raised. Their olive oil has gone up by two dollars and their cookies have also gone up in price. Still they're the best buy.  Another plus about Lidl is ts that their wines and beers are also at a good budget friendly price. Aldi also has good prices . Frozen pizza is around five dollars. A bag of their chicken fries - always a fun meal is only $4.95, Roma tomatoes are nineteen cents a pound. A three pack  of green peppers is $3.85 . As for meat, again Lidl can't be beat. You can buy London Broil for $7.39 while Acme sells relatively the same cut for close to sixteen dollars. Lidl' also has Gulf shrimp for $7.99  This is a true bargain compared to Stop & Shop's version at $24.95

If course there is also Wal-Mart. One interesting aspect about their food section is that they sometimes acquire hard to get products like Dolly Parton;'s cake mixes and frostings when other stores didn't carry them. They also have a good array of holiday cake and cookie mixes  along with decorations.Another plus is that they have family sized boxes.. You can get good buys on everything from instant oatmeal to bread. This pays if you have a big family. Keep in mind that Wal-Mart probably has the best prices on kitchen appliances and gadgets too. Apps come in very handy too when you;re shopping on a budget. Keep track of all your digital coupons and use them when you can. Lidl' offers rewards when you spend over one hundred dollars and a special reward when you spend three indeed dollars. Be on the look out for BOGO sales, buy one get one either free or fifty per cent off. Most groceries like Acme have designated Tuesday as their senior discount day. People over the age of sixty receive ten per cent off their entire order. Shop on  these days for discounts.  Also Stop & Sop offers what;s known as reward gas points. They come in handy when you want to save at the pump.

For now it's hard to shop. Yet you can do it and save wisely, It just takes  shopping savvy to get discounted food.

Fall Roasts

 The temps are cooling and that means one thing - it's back to good old fashuioned roasts and sides. There are many you can make for these crisp , cool days and nights.

Keep in mind that roasting is changing. In out mothers" and grandmothers" day the oven was primarily used for cooking all sorts of meat. Now you can roast on your barbecue or more popularly your air fryer It makes roasting a bit more fun and interesting. If you are roasting on the grill, remember that the wood chips you use will flavor the meat. Most use hickory on beef and pork while poultry can be roasted over pecan, maple, hiickory or mesquite chips. Charcoal also works. For a traditonal flavor just rub what you;re cooking with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Try not to barbecue a fatty piece of meat because it will drip into the flames and cause a fiery flare up. The cut can rest for thirty minutes before serving. If you're going to roast chicken on the grill stick to the smaller birds like Cornish hen or poussin or a Spring chicken. The last is small young bird. with the average weight of only one pound. Remove the bag of giblets, heart and liver before cooking. These can be chopped up and used in the accompanying gravy. 

As for the air fryer, the cooking time is more or less the same as an oven. For roast beef it's usually fifteen minutes fo revery pound .  Afour pound London Broil will take about an hour. The same goes for chicken. It's thirty minutes at 350 degrees farenheit with a break after fifteeen minutes to turn the bird. Pork roast is also great , roasted in the air fryer. They skin gets extra crackly, which only elevates the flavor.It's also quicker to cook than a oven roasted one.It will probably take about fifty minutes for a two pound one. Keep seasoning simple so the flavor shines through. Of course you can go the traditional route and ove n roast your meat. Doing such allow you to collec tthe dripping to create a rich gravy. Another plus about oven roasting is that you can also roast some veggies when you're cooking that roast beef or chicken.  You could easily pop in a tray of seasoned potatoes for roasting. They make a great side for any kind of meat.Consider also Brussels sprouts , carrots and cubed sweet potatoes or yams to add to your roast.

It's time for heartier cooking. Return to roasts and sides for a good old fashioned meal. There's nothing like a satisfying dinner that's filling and delicious.

Hold On To Summer

 It's still summer despite  people guzzling those pumpkin spice lattes and rifling through their casserole recipes.  Hold on to the season with august harvests from the yard and farmer's markets. Don't put away the grill It's still barbecue season too.

You can still enjoy just picked tomatoes and peppers even though you're packing those school lunches. Use those late summer beefsteaks for  those same lunches. Everyone lives a good old fashioned tomato sandwich on toast and slathered with mayo. They're also good for Saturday lunch BLT's or for a Sunday beach picnic. A quick week day dinner involves those fresh ones along with freshly picked basil in a salsa cruda. This is an uncooked sauce made an hour or two before the pasta is cooked.It's left out to marinate in olive oil at room tempeature. It's a great sauce epsecially when served with chunky pasta like rotelli. Grilled veggies can be made outdoors until the first very cold snap (and beyond if you're hardy)Think sliced bell peppers and eggplant brushed with olive oil and dusted with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Farms are still offering ears of fresh corn. Get  them and create tasty Mexican street corn with them. The kernals are also good in a cold fiesta salad with diced red and green peppers. If you are in the mood for making soup then think of the summery gazpacho. This is perfect to make for the still steamy days ahead. It's combining tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers  and olive oil, water and garlic in a soup that is chilled for a few hours.

You may get the urge to ditch the barbecue and make an oven roast. Think again about this unless you have really good air conditioning. We will still have ninety degree days in  many parts of the US. London Broil is a winter meat that' graced many a Christmas and New Year's table but it's also a great grill meat. You could easily grill it after marinating it in a mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar and garlic. Slice it an d serve it on fremch or Italian bread for a delcious sandwich. Another fall roast favorite Cornish hens can also be grill roasted too. Rub with melted butter and lemon and add thyme to the insides for a flavorful bite. Usually both the beef and poulty are good with mashed potatoes but serve grilled baked potatoes instead. You will have to preheat the grill to 315 degrees Farenheit. ( most grills now have thermometers in them to let you know the temperature) and then rub  them in olive oil and salt and then wrape them in foil. Cook thirty to forty mimutes or until a skewer pierces them with no resistance. Cut in half and serve with butter and sour cream. As far as dessert, have s'mores . These are still fun to eat and if you do want a fall vibe. sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice before you put on the top graham cracker.

Hold on to summer cooking. Make a cooling soup like gazpacho. fire up the grill Have a tomato sandwich. It's still warm weather. Embrace it.

Pasta Thick And Thin

 There are so many different kinds of pasta out there. What do you choose from?A delicate  angel hair or a robust bucatini? What holds sauce better Strads or pasta or the chunky , twisty kind? There are so many to choose from - yet which is the right one?

Keep in mind that not all pastas work with sauces or even as sides.Long strands or twiny ones like spaghetti which means twine and angel hair are perfect for those sauces that don't have chunks of tomatoes in them. Creamy sauces such as  carbonara or an Alfredo sauce work well with these too. These also make the perfect side pasta , especially with chicken or seafood. Definitely use the thinner and flat shaped linguine for any of the clam sauces or to accompany lobster Fra Diavolo.As for salads  - no. There;s a reason you rarely see any of these "long" pastas with mayo at a backyard barbecue. You could use the spaghetti or angel hair if you do want to make Thai peanut salad but that's about it. What about these pastas in soups? There is a trend now to make spaghetti soup which is a kid pleaser. Normally , however smaller  chunkier pastas are used for different kinds of soups. Think smaller orrichete or orzo along with pastina and wagon wheels for this. These are easier to manage on a spoon than slippery strands of angel hair or fettuccine.

What are the thicker pastas? Fusilli is one and it can be short corkscrews or long resembling thick coily  hair. The first is good with a thick  sauce rich with tomato chunks and mushrooms. I also think this kind makes for the perfect salad too.Mayo, even the vegan kind sticks to it as does a vinaigrette. It also is a great foil for celery and tomatoes as well as torn broccoli and cauliflower bits. Rotelli  is one of those rare chunky pastas that also works well in soup too. It's perfect with a hearty beef based minestrone. A thick and fun pasta to make is bucatini. Meaning little mouth in Italian it's as thick as a drinking straw and is perfect with a Bolognese sauce. You can use a ground beef sauce like that or be a bit more creative and try it with leftover London Broil cubes added to the sauce.Thicker pastas would also be great with vodka sauces as well.This a a creamy blend of whole cream cooked with tomato paste and a splash of vodka. The sauce can also work with calamarata , which look like short dense tubes. Try this kind too with a sauce brimming with veggies like broccoli,  and whole tomatoes.

Nothing beats a good pasta dish. It can be made with thin stands like angel air or thick like bucatini. Serve it with the right sauce and enjoy a delicious dish.

Planning The Holiday

 July Fourth is less than a week away and it's time to start planning your party. Do you want a full out barbecue or something more subtle? Think and plan about what you should buy .

Most people will go for hot dogs and hamburgers. This is classic and the easiest barbecue fare. You can change it up a bit by creating your own hamburgers. This is a simple mix of chopped beef and onions. This gives the patties a McDonald's vibe. You could add a drop of Worcester sauce for a more unami flavor. Keep in mind that these homemade burgers can be as thick or thin as you want. Vegan is another way to go. Beyond Burgers offers a tasty variation to the real thing. These are great grilled and guests can  have fun piling all sorts of fixings on them. Plant based hot dogs like the ones Field offers are another fun addition. These taste even better than the real thing. They're just good with a splash of barbecue sauce on a toasted bun. If you're going the traditional July 4th route remember to have both potato and macaroni salads. An easy potato salad can be made with canned potatoes , mayo and chopped celery. Add capers for taste and saltiness.Macaroni salads can be made with either mayo or a vinaigrette dressing. The last isn't as intense or as gloppy as the first. Use a  simple olive oil and red wine vinegar mix to let the pasta and veggies shine through. Finish the meal with slices of icy cold watermelon or s'mores.

You could  also have a more sublime celebration. Think a summer picnic in the backyard. A cold roasted chicken is always a nice touch , especially if it's served with a simple salad. This last could be a mixed greens and cherry tomatoes or sliced beefsteaks and red onions. Extras can be a sliced baguette to make a sandwich with the chicken along with a bowl of green and black olives. A simple ice box cake would be the perfect dessert. Think a pound cake layered with blackberries and whipped cream served with iced coffee. Grilled London Broil is another idea that would work well.It cooks up well on the grill and is even good cold. The perfect side is tomato salad, with different kind of tomatoes dressed in a spicy oil and vinegar mix.  You could also serve a green bean salad with this along with a chickpea one. These two can also be blended together  for a tasty new combo.As for dessert think a chocolate wafer log. This is taking Nabisco's classic wafers and mortaring them with Cool Whip or if you're ambitious homemade whipped cream. Decorate with shaved dark chocolate.

It's your party . Decide what you want. It could be an exuberant celebration or a sublime gathering. Just make it tasty and fun.

Turning Sides Into Mains

 Imagine just having sides for dinner. You can. Turning side dishes into  dinner time stars is easy.It's also a fun way to change up the usual supper.

One of the sides that's has been turned into a main for a long time now is salad. It may be a trifle chilly to serve it completely from the fridge. What you can do is add some hot ingredients such as chicken, London Broil, shrimp or salmon. These can be taken from the oven or grill, sliced and put directly into a bed or field greens. Another way of serving a steamy bowl of greens is creating a hot dressing. Yes , salad dressing can be hot.One popular one is made with bacon.It's frying up the bacon, draining it and them crumbling the slices. A roux is made using cornstarch, sugar, water and vinegar. The bacon is added to this and it's cooked over a medium heat until it thickens. It would be great generously spooned over a spinach salad , rich with sliced hard boiled eggs and  of course more bacon. In the warmer months you can easily serve a chilled salad Nicoise. This Provencale favorite has everything in it, from anchovies to artichokes to green beans to capers. It even makes for a nice lunch , especially with some crusty French bread.

Baked potatoes have always accompanied steaks yet they too can be turned into a main meal. You can split them open and fill them up with a variety of stuffings. Many like chili on theirs  and this can be made either a meat lover's one with ground beef or a vegan ones with soy crumbles or just beans. Another tasty filling is sliced ham and broccoli with a topping of melted cheddar, A fun weekend meal is a pizza topped baked potato. This is first cooking onions and mushrooms in olive oil as the potatoes bake in a 425 degree Farenheit oven. Tomato sauce, pepperoni and oregano along with minced garlic is added. The potatoes are then slit open  and filled with this,. They'r topped with shredded mozzarella and returned to the broiler or oven for two minutes. You could also make stuffed baked potatoes too as a main dish.It's baking them first and then scooping out the insides. These are mashed and blended with melted butter. Sour cream, bacon or julienned ham slices and grated onion are added. The potatoes are then popped back into 350 degree oven for another fifteen minutes. You can do the same for Hasselback potatoes too. These are sliced potatoes that are brushed with butter and then baked. They're baked for thirty minutes first , then cheese slices are pit between the slits. and baked for another ten minutes. Top with crumbled bacon, sour cream and chives.

Forget the main dishes. Have sides for dinner.It;s a fun way to enjoy dinner and a change up from the ordinary. You won;t miss those roasts after eating these.

Flag Day - Start Of The Barbecue Season

 Today is Flag Day and it's really the start of the barbecue season. What will work this season of getting back together. Everything and anything goes.

Barbecue is coming back in a big way. We can now have family get togethers and pool parties again. You can go huge with bison burgers and rib eye steaks, For a smaller get together think of grilled lamb chops. These are over the top but affordable. Keep in mind to let them warm up to room temp before putting them on the barbecue.Another over the top meat to grill is lobster. The tail is the best for this so you can easily buy the tails at your local fish market. Preparing it is not as hard as some home chefs think.Use the same cooking shears you use for butterflying chicken to cut away the shell. It's then using a knife to split the tail meat. THis will curl up when cooking so put it on wood skewer to prevent this from happening. You could also use the skewers for shrimp kebobs too. Intersperse grape tomatoes and pepper chunks for more flavor.This works for scallops too along with London Broil.

 It's also time for fancy  summer drinks since we are celebrating again.Many would just prefer beer  but what  about some of the fancier IPA(or India pale ales). Get the best like the San Diego brewed Ballast Point Sculpin. This has a tropical fruit flavor, a great thirst quencher for a hot night. The company has gone out on a limb with such diverse flavors as habenero, grapefruit and coffee.Another IPA is the popular Dogfish Head Flesh and Blood. Try this with good old fashioned burgers and dogs.It's brewed with lemon flesh and blood orange juice. Lemon and orange peels are also added in to give this a grown up lemonade vibe. Another grown up lemonade is the actual stuff with a shot of vodka. Just make the lemonade fresh and add what you feel is a good and heady amount. Want something tamer? Try mocktails. You can create a refreshing one using pureed watermelon, lime juice and seltzer. Garnish with mint leaves.A non'alcoholic punch made up of cranberry and orange juices and spicy ginger beers. Float orange slices in it for a more festive look.

Flag Day begins the barbecue season. Celebrate with a good old fashioned barbecue and a fun drink. It's time to enjoy the grill again.

Happy Birthday ,Poppy.

Special Days Special Meals

 It is tough to celebrate anything these days. Restaurants have only limited capacity or offer dining in bubbles or tents which may or may not have heating. Your best bet is creating a birthday or anniversary lunch or dinner is at home. It can still be festive with special recipes and treats. Best of all you can control the menu for the small event.

The one thing about creating a special meal is deciding what you want. If you love grilled steak, then get the barbecue out and start grilling,. Make the cuts fancier with a round of garlic or herb butter melting on top. This is an easy mix of pressed garlic or milled herbs blended with butter and then the whole mix is shaped into a log and chilled until serving. It's then slicing the roll into half inch thick coins to be put onto the meat. You can also make these flavored butters for lobster or shrimp too as well as for salmon or tilapia. What to serve with the steak? Hasselback potatoes!! These glammed up spuds are the perfect accompaniment and can be easily made. You can use any potato for them, from Yukon Golds to Russets to Red Blisses. It's then  continually slicing each one twelve to fifteen times right before you hit the potato's bottom. Each slice should be about a quarter of an inch wide. Brush the entire spud with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake for thirty minutes and then brush them again with more melted (or flavored butter) to ensure crispy edges. Add a side dish of string beans almondine for added lushness. This classic French dish is the perfect marriage of slivered almonds and green beans with garlic and lemon zest. Finish with a rich devil's food cake with a ganache topping and whipped cream or a cinnamon laced apple or pear galette.

Of course a birthday or anniversary can be fun.One of the easiest fun dishes to make is bruschetta. This , in in its' simplest form, is chopped tomatoes mixed with basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This is spooned over oiled and toasted rounds of Italian and French bread. You could liven it up with a few hot pepper flakes or sweetened with chopped bell peppers. A variation involves cannellini beans and sun dried tomatoes or just the beans and grated lemon zest mixed with olive oil. Another idea is a charcuterie platter, perfect for a family of four or five. A board or large plate can hold a variety of different cold cuts. Think favorites such as salami and mortadella along with the fancier prosciutto. Have cheeses everyone likes, such as sharp cheddar and Brie. You could serve all of this with water crackers but they taste delicious with Italian or French . bread. Sparkling wine such as Prosecco works but you can also crack open whites wines and light bodied reds. Mexican food is a fun and tasty way to elevate any celebratory dinner. Think about shrimp or London broil stuffed fajitas or tacos instead of the usual ground beef or chicken. These two meats can also be incorporated into a big cheesy nacho dish too.End with spicy Mexican chocolate cupcakes and Kahkua spiked coffee.

You don;t need to eat out to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Fancy and fun dishes can be made at home . They're even better than any offering from your favorite eateries..

Holiday Dinners Light

Holidays meals, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas can be lavish and sumptuous affairs with enough food to feed an army. Yet what happens when there's only three or four for dinner? Or two? A lavish meal can seem wasteful. Then it's time for holiday meal light.

A whole turkey would be too much for three or four people. Even one as tiny as an eight pound one can be too much and can lead to a week of leftovers.  Think one half turkey breast which is three pounds and will satisfy diners nicely.  Cooking time is also cut in half - anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour as opposed to the two or three hours for the entire bird. For Christmas you could roast a half ham or even ham steaks if you have one or two people over. Many home chefs love a standing rib roast for a holiday meal yet it would be like a huge feast for just four people. A London broil would be better . You can still serve it with gravy  - and even better Yorkshire pudding to sop up the juices.It'll also be good the day after in sandwiches or on toast with hot gravy. Seafood lovers always want a briny buffet for their Christmas Day or New Year's Eve dinners. You can still have this even if it's just the two of you. Think the smallest one  such as a one pounder.It's an easy boil or cook and quite filling.  You'll only need one side really if you serve it. Open the meal with a small sized ring of shrimp cocktail that you can easily buy at your fish market or even grocery store.

One thing about having an intimate holiday dinner is that you don't have to go crazy with the sides. Mash potatoes can still be served. You'll only need about a pound and a half of Yukon Golds to create a small pot. Another idea is having baked ones which is a nice change up from mashed. Add small bowls of different toppings - such as melted butter, sour cream, shredded cheddar and bacon along with chive and different spices. You can also do the same with sweet potatoes. If you're mashing them , then use only two or two and a half. If it's individual ones , have little ramekins of melted butter along with cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on. Of course the holiday meal would be nothing without stuffing. You could go the easy route and use Stovetop Stuffing which is great for a dinner party of four. A regular stuffing could be made but be prepared for a lot of it to be left over (great if you're planning on creating take home parcels). As for green sides,  buy bags of Brussels sprouts and broccoli. These steam bags provide enough for three to four people. They're perfect - easy to cook and no cleanup along with no to little leftovers. They can also be served hot or cold as a fun non-traditional salad.

A small holiday dinner can still be lavish in taste.It's just buying and cooking smaller version of the main course and halving the sides. It just the right amount of food for the right amount of people.

New Life For Old Food

How do you feel about buying food sold a day before its' sell by date? Would you be leery  and pass it up? Or buy it if it was offered at a really deep discount? That's the new question at European food stores.

Today's Monday New York Times Business section featured the article written by David Segal. The idea intrigued me. The one store,  The S-Market in Valila, Finland has what it calls a "happy hour". It doesn't revolved around half priced drinks but half priced merchandise. The only catch is that the  food usually gets discounted only hours before its' expiration date. Items that would be considered unsellable here in the States goes on sale at the nine hundred S-Market stores throughout Finland.It does make sense to try to  move it and avoid waste. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations one third of the food produced and packaged for human consumption is tossed. what a waste, considering there are soup kitchens and families, especially struggling ones who would appreciate affordable foods.This waste costs a whopping 680 billion dollars along with filling landfills with rotting , methane producing overage.

Luckily this isn't the case in most supermarkets here in the States. Stop & Shop offers day old and two day old veggie packs that still can be used in everything from salads and sides. The store also packages up cold cuts sliced from what's left of hams and London Broils along with what's left over from chicken and turkey breasts. There's a similar policy regarding their baked goods too. Some supermarkets and fast food chains will let workers take home what's left over from the day, whether free or with a very deep discount.A lot of times, however food pantries will get the nearly expired foods. A new concept is salvage grocery stores which sells what's known as "lightly expired" foods. There are cheaper pastas and even dairy products such as ice cream and butter.Of course there are frozen foods. As we all know they can last for months and even a year if they're properly stored.The only product that may be questionable is frozen dough. It does get tough and crusty with age. Hopefully the salvage grocery store will come to Europe. Right now there are the S-Market in Finland and REMA 1000 in Denmark which has cut down on buy three for the price of two bulk selling.  The last is the baby of Selina Juul, a Russian born Dane who is a champion of zero food waste. There are also apps  such as Too Good To Go which gives users discounts to 25,000 restaurants in eleven country.

Salavaged food will be much more than a trend. It will be a way of life as we all help to combat overage and the damage it does. Don't be leery of day old or lightly or almost expired foods. Just buy them.

A Fancy Barbecue

Could a barbecue be  elegant? Can  lobster and London broil replace dogs and burgers?The answer is yes. It's just a matter of elevating the menu and adding a fancy spin on backyard dining.

First of all establish some sort of dress code for the guests. The best bet is looking to beach weddings for inspiration. A semi formal look would be fine. It's not overly formal, and comfortable enough to relax in. Think slacks and a button down shirts for men while any summer dress and sandals will do for women. As for the host's end, if you're doing the grilling , grill in old clothes, then change.If it's too much serve food that can be made in advance.What do you serve at this sort of gathering?Good food , but not the usual messy fare. The best way to decide on a menu is think of what you would have at an indoor party. One of the easiest paths to take is having a buffet.It's a no brainer to set up tables at your yard's parameters , leaving the space in between for tables and chairs. Have chilled bruschetta topping just warmed Italian and French bread slices.You can do a different spin on it , by putting swirls of basil or kale pesto on the slices.Polenta rounds  topped with sauteed cremini and shiitake mushrooms are another lovely opener.  Try cherry tomatoes stuffed with minced mozzarella - a perfect warm weather treat, especially when paired with champagne.

What about the main fare? Serve spiral ham and London broil along with roast turkey.  All can be grilled, the turkey  does need to be tented with aluminum foil when cooking outside. Another idea is barbecued shrimp which can be put on mini skewers for easy  no mess handling . Want to add another level of elegance? Then think of serving barbecued lobster tails. Surprisingly , they're easy to cook on the grill. Start with a lemony marinade of lemon juice, zest and olive oil - or canola oil for a lighter touch. Best of all the tails are a fast cook - only taking ten to twelve minutes . They can be cut into nuggets for easier, no fuss eating. Scallops are another elegant choice. Soak them in a lime marinade for something different. As far as sides, think classic yet simple.An avocado mousse, made with cream and spiked with chili peppers is a good choice,perfect with chicken or seafood. A Spring greens salad is also an ideal foil for any red meat main dish. As for ending the meal, place plates of petit fours and fancy homemade shortbreads on the table.Confectioner's sugar dusted cupcakes are another lovely way to end. Serve coffee and tea in fancy plastic cups that you can buy from Amazon. These come in silver or gold and provide a classy touch.

Yes, a barbecue can be classy and elegant. It starts with smartly dressed guests dining on fancy food on fancy plates. What a great way to start the summer grilling season.

Parties To Chase The Winter Away

January may be a month to detox and chill out after all of December's holiday parties but it can also be a bland month too. Amp up the weekends with fun get togethers to chase the chill away. It'll liven spirits during the cold nights.

One of the most obvious and most fun is a fondue party. This is great for those who were lucky to receive fondue pots for Christmas. Fondue itself is an easy recipe.Most do think it's just dipping stale bread in cheddar, It's more subtle than that. The fondue itself is a mix of Gruyere and Emmenthaler  along with dry white wine and even nutmeg.It's simmering the  wine first (and keep in mind you can serve this too) and then adding the cheeses and nutmeg.  Cut a baguette in rough edged chunks . You can also use boiled potato chunks too.Many Piedmontese from northwestern Italy will tell you the winter is a great time for bagna calda. This is a fun dish, that uses the fondue pot in a different way. Bagna cauda or hot bath is a phenomenal blend of anchovies cooked with a mix of olive oil, butter and garlic .Some recipes call for sardines, but it's more of a taste thing,Savoy cabbage, native to Piedmomte is always used although you can add rare cooked London broil pieces . This variation originated in Paterson, New Jersey with the Piedmontese silk weavers who ran the Paterson mills. Adding meat to the anchovy sauce is amazing. The juices blend perfectly with fish sauce. End it with everyone dipping hunks of Italian bread in the pot. You can also go the sweet route and have a chocolate fondue party. Use the best bittersweet chocolate you can and heavy cream. Then put out a buffet of all sorts of fun dip ins such as cake chunks, marshmallows and of course, fruit.

Fondue parties are more for smaller,, more intimate get togethers.If you want a bigger do, then think a buffet. A Caribbean themed one can be fun, full of spicy foods and rum spiked drinks.Jerk chicken is always a favorite and it's a combination of sweet , spicy and fiery thanks to the addition of Scotch Bonnet peppers. Make up platters of both legs and wings for easy eating. Another fun finger food is a pastelito, an empanada that can be stuffed with meat cheeses ,or veggies.Croquetas are also a tasty addition. These breaded beef and parsley croquettes are a nice change up from the usual appetizers and party bites.Fill a punch bowl full of rum punch, a mix of golden rum, pineapple, orange and lemon juices. Craving warmth and margarita? Then head south with a Saturday night taco party. Set up a taco bar with both soft and hard tacos and different fillings. Try a variety such as chicken , ground beef and a sauteed veggie mix of onions, broccoli and tomatoes.Make sure there's plenty of guac and sour cream along with fixings of shredded lettuce, cheddar and red and green peppers. Scatter around buckets full of Coronas and ice along with bringing out a slushie maker for margaritas. End the night with cups of cinnamon spiked cocoa and churros. The last can be cut up and dipped in caramel and chocolate sauce.

Chase the January blues away with a rousing party. It can be a few people or a houseful. Just have fun coming together with good food and great people.

Decadent and Diabetic Friendly

For decades anyone with diabetes had to be put on a special diet. It was basically a bland low calorie one that ensured no weight gain along with no taste. However that's changing, thanks to a new cookbook,It's a chance to enjoy yummy dishes packed with flavor.

Devin Alexander ,a cook and TV personality has written You Can Have It (published by the American Diabetes Association 2018.) a true treat of a recipe book.. This has been approved by the ADA , the American Diabetes Association yet the recipes can be made by anyone watching their weight along with their salt and sugar intake.Ms. Alexander is known for creating low calorie dishes and has made appearances on the NBC show  "The Biggest Loser." which has inspired her to write four books centering around the show's recipes.. The introduction is good for novice home chefs because it tells  them everything from how to wash and dry vegetables to making olive oil spray a large part of cooking. What's interesting is there's really no introduction.They have to go to her website to read it (where they can also see clips of her TV appearances and other recipes) The book doesn't have chapters, instead she has recipes grouped into lists. They're under such clever  headings as "Bet Your Going  To Love Breakfasts" and "Devinly Desserts And Sweet Sips." Ms. Alexander has even coined an adjective "Devinly" meaning she created it and it's heavenly.

The recipes are sinful in taste but puritanical in calories and fats.For a decadent breakfast try the scrambled egg with sauteed shrimp. It's a variation of Manhattan's Bryant Park Grill, sparked with pico di gallo and freshly minced garlic.Those who want a healthier start could try the bacon and egg
sweet potato breakfast sandwich where the sweet potato subs in for an English muffin.Home chefs will enjoy the London Broil, spiked with chili powder and cayenne. There is also a Japanese version that uses seaweed or nori along with sesame seeds and ginger.The childhood favorite potato chip crusted chicken has been update to have the chicken marinated overnight in buttermilk. They're also baked instead of fried  which makes them only 220 calories.Sides include a take on seasoned curly fries and homemade baked crinkle cut fries. Green are represented here too. Anyone would love the Dijon roasted Brussels sprouts made crunchy by roasting. There's also a delicious papaya slaw that adds papaya and orange juice to shredded cabbage. Desserts are here as well There's a dark chocolate pudding  made with the healthy cheese quark, zero calorie sweetener and dark cocoa powder.It's topped with Devinly whipped topping, a mix of egg whites, cream of tartar, xanthan gum, and agave nectar. A lovely dessert for company would be the Perfect Pumpkin Pie-lets,made with pre made filo shells and topped with  - what else - Devinly whipped topping.

You Can Have It  gives delicious recipes that are tasty without being bad for you. They are big on flavor and goodness., the perfect combination. They make it easy to enjoy these heavenly

dishes and treats.

Impromptu Cuisine

Inspiration is all around if you're a home chef. A bag of frozen veggies could turn into a salad. Leftovers can be elevated to a tasty meal.It just takes  creativity and the willingness to try to make a delicious meal.

This happened to me tonight.It was just going to be a simple cup of soup for a Friday night. However the leftover soy chicken strips from the other night looked too beckoning. I decided to crisp them up in margarine with a heady dash of Sylvia's lemon pepper seasoning.This is a great seasoning to have around.It elevates the real thing and the faux poule too with a rich ,lemony flavor and a hint of salt.The flavoring would be good on barbecued chicken too. What goes with lemon chicken?  Any kind of veggie.I opened my freezer to find Stop & Shop's frozen broccoli. I had been saving the package for a broccoli salad but saw it and thought why not make it now. These are steamed florets so they needed some oomph.All it took was a toss in olive oil flavored with minced garlic. It turned into the perfect hot salad, amped up by a good sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. What started out as a blah idea for a Friday supper turned into something much better and much tastier.I just looked into the fridge, assessed what was there and let creativity take over.. It's amazing how the fridge can act as a canvas.

Anyone can create a meal like this.Leftover London Broil can be chopped up and added to an already mixed salad to make it more substantial. Add a mushroom gravy to the slices and serve over rice for another hearty meal. Chicken can be repurposed into a yummy Mexican dish with the help of a home made mole sauce.I like the idea of frying it up into crispy pieces and flavored with spices.I could have used a mix of rosemary and garlic too for a Mediterranean vibe. Sliced grape tomatoes would have been added for color and kick.Tomatoes are another ingredient in creating an impromptu meal. Slice them and then saute them in a mix of butter, olive oil, and garlic.Cover with breadcrumbs and more minced garlic and you have the mouth watering tomatoes Provencale.They are also good in a lunchtime pain bagnat,, the Southern French sandwich.This could be an impromptu meal , because besides tomatoes, it also has hard boiled eggs, any veggies and tuna stuffed into an oiled loaf of French bread.If you don't have tuna, sub in anchovies.Serve with a good red wine for a truly Gallic feel and end the meal with grapes.

Impromptu cooking is a fun way of testing a home chef's creativity. It makes you assess what you have and  the possibilities. It just takes a spark of creativity to make a meal with what you already have in the kitchen and the fridge.

Your Fall Dinner Guide

One of the blessings of fall is that it's perfect weather for creating lavish dinners. It's time for roasting  and  creating good old fashioned sides that are filling. It's the season for the kitchen to be filled with mouth watering aromas and tastes.

Roasts are always a great fall dish. Not only are they satisfying, but they also provide the family with leftovers. A Sunday favorite is London Broil, a top round steak that is usually marinated. It doesn't have to be , it can just be liberally sprinkled with pepper and then put into an oven  or broiler. A simple marinade is using olive oil, garlic and maybe a splash of lemon. Roast beef is another great fall main course. It can be made on its own or with gravy.It's an easy cook, Just  dust with salt and pepper. Remember cooking time is one pound times twenty minutes, so a six pound roast can take two hours. Cooler weather also means tasty pork dishes. A pork roast can be cooked in a broiler, oven or slow cooker, however if you want a nice crust go for the oven method of cooking.It can be made Italian style with garlic cloves and rosemary or German with a side of cooked, spiced apples. Tired of the usual roasts? Then go for lamb. It can be with made exotic with the addition of  tarragon, paprika and cumin or simple with only lemon , garlic and rosemary. Want  lighter fare? Then go for chicken or Cornish hens. These are more delicate in flavor and calories, a different spin on the traditional roasts. Of course there is turkey which  should not be reserved for just the holidays. Roast a smaller one for a Sunday dinner.

Traditional roasts demand traditional sides. Mashed potatoes are always a crowd pleaser. Think of the age old recipe that's just a simple mix of Golden potatoes, butter and cream. You can sub in milk for the cream. Variations include add garlic, chives and even the skins themselves. Scalloped potatoes are a nice alternative and easy to make. It's just potato slices layered with a kind of Bechamel sauce, dots of butter  and then baking for an hour. Sweet potatoes are another great side that can compliment any roast. Nix the overly sweet casserole and go with baked kind. They can be roasted with your roast on a separate foil lined cookie sheet. Because of their intense flavor, just serve with butter and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Don't forget the greens. Steamed broccoli is  the perfect palate cleanser for all the other sides. Add  some lemon juice to bring out the fresh "Spring-y" flavor. Another great green is Brussels sprouts.. It's just boiling them and then giving them a topping of butter knobs and grated Parmesan cheese. It's then broiled so the sprouts are covered in buttery and cheesy goodness. For color throw some corn into the mix. Use canned since the corn season is well past. Try fiesta corn ,a marriage of the kernals cooked with chopped red and green peppers. Creamed corn is another nice alternative.

The temps are dropping That means it's the season for cooking hearty roasts and sides. It's a nice way to warm up against the nip in the air.

Hot Fall Days

Thanks to climate change , we tend to have summer well into fall. Gone are all those autumnal dreams of Sunday roasts and freshly picked apple treats. It's time to get back into that summer mode of easy cooking and easy eating.

Tomato season may be over in some parts of the country, yet there are some plants that are still producing. If you're sick of of tomato salad, then think about using them in a salsa crudo.  This is where tomatoes are chopped and then marinated in  fresh basil, olive oil, and chopped garlic. It's then left to stand for a half hour as any type of pasta is cooked. The heat of the pasta is what cooks the sauce. Serve it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toasted and oiled Italian bread. You could also use that bumper crop of tomatoes in a cooling pan bagnat, the Southern French sandwich also consisting of tuna, anchovies, and  hard boiled eggs .Olives, peppers, and cucumbers are also added along with Dijon mustard and olive oil. Use a large round loaf of Italian bread for this. It's the perfect sandwich for an early fall day at the beach. Served with chilled cider .If the temps are still too unbearable, then go back to that hot weather fall back - salads. Create hearty chef salad ones for those busy weekends filled with soccer games and chores. Keep the barbecue out for those roasts.London Broil can easily be adapted for grilling. Slice and butter baste for a tasty spin on a Sunday roast . You can even grill new potatoes too, in foil packets.

What about all those apples you picked, anticipating cooler temps for baking? Use them. They make a nice snack , especially when you're trying to wean yourself and the kids off candy and cookies. They can also be baked in the microwave.I'ts just coring them , filling them with butter and red wine or caramel and baking them for three to four minutes. Serve with whipped cream or for a more refreshing vibe, vanilla ice cream. Another idea is just slicing them into wedges and serving them with an already made caramel dipping sauce such as the one from Marzetti. If you still are hungering for some kind of apple dessert, then think about the super easy microwave apple crisp. This only takes ten to twelve minutes  and there's no need to heat up an already hot kitchen with a hot oven.It's just sliced apples with a crisp topping of flour,melted  butter,  brown sugar and a combo of allspice and cinnamon. Again serve with vanilla ice cream for a cool treat.Apples can also be used in a salad. too. They are great with chopped celery and walnuts or with romaine lettuce, pecans and raisins. This is the perfect side for any early fall barbecue or tailgate party.

Don't let those hot fall days faze you. Adapt a summer mode of cooking and enjoy these balmy times. You'll feel better and eat better too.

My Year To Fly

Every home chef needs to grow. I know I do and that will be one of my many New Year's resolutions . What will I do? What will I try?

Thanks to a new oven, I will be baking a lot. I've already baked Ghiradelli's Double Chocolate Brownies.They came out a little too gooey , so hopefully with more practice I'll be baking much more firmer ones. With baking comes decorating so I am definitely going to be honing my icing - hello again buttercream - along with practicing rose and leaf skills. Savory baking is also going to be high on my list. I want to experiment with strata, and rediscover the luscious leeks on toast ( double yum) and my Swabian zweibelkugen or onion pie (again double yum) a dense quiche like confection, rich with eggs, cream and onions. Homemade pizza will also be making quite a few appearances as well.

Another must is rediscovering roasts, hams, chickens, turkeys and London broils. It's going to be wonderful, with crunchy, crisp skins and slices of tender meat.There will also be sides  that will be cooked ( and all of these will be shown as Foodie Pantry how tos).I want to relearn how to make scalloped potatoes and baked Mac with bacon.As with cuisines, since French and Filipino are going to be big this upcoming year I want to expand into that, especially in creating the perfect crepe.

Every home chef and baker should resolve to expand their culinary arsenal.I know I will.I get to grow which makes for a better cook - or so I hope!