Chinese Food And Kitties

 It's funny how animals have certain human or people food they love.Cats are especially guilty of this. They will eat anything and everything that their pet parents have.

This was true for my little king Otto who passed early yesterday morning. He had his favorites, chicken skewers from our local Chinese restaurant, Popeye's and anything from Acme or Stop and Shop.He did have to stick to his urinary tract diet. a special food hey never really too to . He had been in an dout of the animal hospital with various UTI infections. The staff there knew him well and even then I went to they nearby Stew Leonards to get him fried chicken.I'd eat the crunch skin part while I'd cut up the meat for him to eat. Like anyone else, he hated hospital food. He loved stealing Nutri from the other cats and he adored his Friskies broths and shreds. It was human food though that Otto adored. He'd come out when one friend would visit us and we'd order.I;d always order chicken skewers for him and for Lucky .Otto would devour a whole skewer's worth of chicken. He loved those crispy  crunchy pieces.He also like East Wok's shrimp in lobster sauce but not as much as with chicken.

He also went wild for Popeye's I'd always get the three piece dinner, eating the leg and part of the wing there along with their crunch coating . Everything else would be for Otto and for Lucky too. Both loved the succulent juicy meat.I 'd make sure they received as many pieces as they could eat - which for cats were a lot.As with any cat Otto loved his ham so I would buy the containers of ham ends from my local Acme, They were solid chunks that had t be sliced into little pieces for easy eating. Otto would eat piles of these along with the chopped turkey Acme also sold. He also had a fondness for Country Crock plant based butter as did Lucky. Both loved receiving teaspoons of it after they had their meds. Otto also did  love frosting . He licked an entire tablespoon of buttercream that I had scraped off a cupcake. Cat parents however have to be careful with how they feed their kitties treats. It's fine once in a great while but not too often.I know I overindulged Otto but he was irresistible. I could not resist his kitty charms.

Cat parents should be diligent with feeding their babies the right food. It can result in  a lot of diseases such as heart and diabetes. A treat is good every once in a while.

For my beloved Otto, here's to all the chicken in heaven you're having.

Stress Eating Done Right

 Tonight is a night for stress eating. Anything and everything is being popped into our mouths as we await the election results here in the States. To be honest the whole year has been one series of stress snacking and drinking. The problem is we're stress eating all wrong.

What most people do in stressful situations , pre-pandemic was head out for something that appealed to our savory or sweet side. Eating unhealthy favorite foods was preferred over grabbing a  slice or a floret of fruit or veggie. Many will say that they left work after a stressful meeting to grab chicken at Popeye's or a chocolate sundae at Dairy Queen.It was a chance to get away while enjoying a treat. It was a bad habit but it didn't happen that often, Now with almost everyone working from home , snacks and junk food abound. we can sneak leftover Halloween candy during a Zoom meeting , balance grades and our kids' schooling while enjoying chips and a soda. We can even escape into the back yard with a bottle of wine just to get a buzz on. It's all fine and well, yet it's not the best direction for us or our bodies. All that sugar and transfat will eventually lead to the "pandemic pounds" - weight gained while in captivity. Can we break it? Yes, if we wean ourselves off the unhealthy stuff and reach for healthy and actually delicious snacks. The key is to having a "clean kitchen" free of any junk food temptations. If there's ever a time to clean your kitchen it's now before the holidays come.

Clean kitchen mean clean food too. You can still stress eat but do it with fruit and veggies.A fun and healthy snack is a bowl of apple slices dipped in cinnamon. Apples are good for losing weight as well as keeping diabetes at bay. They also promote good bacteria in the gut as well as preventing certain cancers.Cinnamon (and nix the sugar here) is loaded with antioxidants along with preventing cancer and heart disease. It's aroma and taste trigger many happy memories for some, so it's the ideal comfort food. Pears are another good snack for stress eating. There are so many different types and the flavors vary depending on the type. Of course veggies are the perfect nosh for stress eating. Try baby carrots to gnaw on tonight. You get that crunch factor , perfecting for relieving that tenseness in the jaw along with getting a good dose of the all important beta-carotene. Broccoli and cauliflower florets are also good for easing anxiety, especially when served with a tasty dip., Again make the dip healthy by adding herbs and spices to Greek yogurt. Nuts like almonds and pecans are good for snacking as those classics - pretzels. Nibble on a few pretzel sticks as you watch the election returns. Serve these with hot chamomile tea which can relax you for a restful sleep.

This is the night for stress eating - and drinking. Try to make it a healthy nibble. The better you eat, the less stress you put on your body.

The Amazing Stew Leonard's

There are supermarkets and then there are supermarkets. Stew Leonard's falls into the last. It's is a mind blowing combo of Disneyland and large grocery/deli. This is a shopping experience for any foodie.

I recently went for the first time at the one located at the Paramus Park Mall, in Paramus, New Jersey.I'm sort of reluctant to head into these super stores, because I've always felt  them to be over hyped. After all, you can easily walk into any averaged sized Acme or Stop & Shop and find what you're looking for. I was wrong about Stew Leonard's. Just walking into their huge liquor section was eye opening. I have never seen that many brands or types of wines and liqueurs. There were even different brands of Prosecco which were selling for a reasonable price of $7.45. Just when I was getting over the awe of that I went into the food section. There were animatronic singing milk cartons above the dairy section. Imagine the Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland turned dairy. It was wild!!!! Then there 's this duck that pops out of a giant soda can like container. Again, too wild!!!! It is a kid friendly store. Parents can throw their little ones a Stew Leonard birthday party and there are "cooking" classes for kids. They learn to prepare such dishes as mashed potatoes, chicken tenders, and broccoli and cheddar bites.

I had to try their fried chicken which again was mind blowing. As much as I love Popeye's, the Stew Leonard's version was much more flavorful, with potato chip crispy skin. That was the best part of an already delicious dinner. The legs were so huge that I honestly thought I was eating turkey drumsticks a few times.Again, they were downright delicious. I plan on going back for them again as well as trying out the intriguing chicken cordon bleu bites. These are balls of chicken meat stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese, then battered. I also want to try their cold buffet too. As for the products, it really is a home chef's paradise.I bought their vegetarian seven layer dip which was excellent. Again, I'm not one for those layered dips but theirs changed my mind. It was a tasty blend of cheddar, sour cream, guacamole, and different layers of tomatoes and beans. I really enjoyed it with breadsticks and potato chips. The store's produce department is a home chef's fantasy come to life. Stew Leonard's prides itself on buying fresh from local farms as well as family owned farms in Mexico (hence the avocados). There are a wide variety and again the choices are amazing. I plan on getting their giant onions for stuffing on my next trip (which will be very soon).

If you're in the Paramus ,New Jersey area, please stop in and visit Stew Leonard's. It's an amazing blend of entertainment and grocery shopping. You'll leave, not wanting to visit a regular grocery store ever again.

Summer Carry Alongs

One of the worst aspects of summer driving is the driving itself. There can be endless traffic jams, even on a weekend. It's sitting in a hot car, sometimes hungry, almost always thirsty. If that's the case then have some healthy snacks and drink on hand.

It's horrible when hunger pangs kick in on a drive to the shore or mountains. It's tempting to pull over into a Parkway or Turnpike rest stop as  we have here in New Jersey. There's a wide variety of fast foods - from Popeye's to Cinnabon to Starbuck's to choose from. Yet most of these quick bites are loaded with salt, fat and sugar. They're also not that filling. If you're still on the road in an hour's time, those hunger pangs will return and it's back to looking for a place to eat. Some of the Turnpike rest stops do offer a somewhat healthy choice in salads and wraps. Yet, there could be the risk of salmonella or just old ingredients that have seen better days. Depending on the length of' your trip, buy sandwiches from your local grocery or make your own. You know what's in them as well as customizing them to satisfy your family's tastes. Fill sandwich bags with salted grape tomatoes, cheese cubes and crackers,Pretzels never go amiss.You can buy a small box of  pretzel stick snack packs . These are light and low calorie and will hold you until your destination.

One of the absolute must haves during a summer ride is water.A  cold bottle of either spring or carbonated is necessary. It not only keeps you hydrated but alleviates any hunger. It also will not leave you with a dry throat like some colas will. It's easy to buy a twelve or twenty pack and cool three or four bottles at a time in the fridge.If just pure water won't do it, then consider buying flavored ones. Stop & Shop has an excellent array, ranging from lemon to watermelon. Perrier has something similar with peach and grapefruit flavors. These are a refreshing change. Another good bubbly water is Poland Spring that offer all sorts of fun fruit combos like blood orange hibiscus and pomegranate lemonade. To keep the water from heating up in a hot car., invest in an insulated travel cup. These can be bought anywhere, from your local grocery to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. If you still want a sweet cool drink, then think San Pellegrino. These are tart tasting but revitalizing sodas that go very well with sandwiches and even picnic foods like cold chicken and salad.

A summer ride should not be a torture trip. Stock up with healthy foods and drinks to make the drive more pleasant. There's no need for a rest stop then. Just keep driving on that open road.

A Hunk of Roast Beef

I normally don't write personal stories on this blog. Foodie Pantry has always been about recipes and dishes, trends and cuisines. Yet I feel this one story has to be told. It's about my 24 year old British shorthair , Shelby, who we lost yesterday to lung cancer She was an exceptional cat, a true gourmand, perfect for this foodie cat mom.

She was a rescue cat from our local shelter. The story started when our other house cat , a fiery calico, appropriately  named Sparkey sneaked out. My brother went to the local shelter, here in Bergen Country ,in the hopes of finding her (she was hiding in her old stomping grounds, a wild patch of land called The Gully behind my house). He had come back with the news , not of Sparkey, but of Shelby, a big friendly "male" who love to be petted. The he was a she , an older rescue, maybe ten, maybe eleven years  in age Another cat? No! We had way too many inside and out. Not another. Yet when I went for a second visit, fell in love with this chunky girl with the most expressive celadon colored eyes. Her eyes are what riveted you to her. They were wide discs that took in everything.  Her fur was a thick, slate gray, the color of dark rain clouds. She had huge round paws that were almost circular in shape. I knew she had to have some kind of  pedigree to her but what? Maybe Persian? I found out she was a British shorthair thanks to looking though a cat magazine that featured the breed., She became my little aristocrat.True to her English blood  she loved London broil and roast beef. She'd walk the length of her couch (everything in the living room was automatically declared hers) over her Froggie pillow to make sure she got a bite of my roast beef . I always had extra for her, She gobbled it down,

It wasn't just roast beef. From the start she loved pepperoni. I guess her original pet parent spoiled her with it. She loved nibbling on the slices, even the soy ones my brother ate. Chicken was another favorite along with ham and any Italian cold cuts. She loved the Wendy's burgers and Popeye's chicken I brought home. Shelby was a big cheese lover too. Any cheese, from the gooey mozzarella on my pizza to cream cheese to Brie was always- well - catnip to her. She loved cheddar, not settling for just a few small pieces. She wanted the whole slice  - to herself . Other favorites were butter and margarine. Every morning  we ate breakfast together, She had her food along with two little bites of margarine soaked whole wheat toast even up to her passing. Eggs were another passion. She went mad for the eggy custard flan that my brother's assistant would make us for the holidays. Shelby would give that unblinking celadon stare that said quite loudly "That's mine. Please give me it and I 'll let you have the leftovers". Of course she also loved soft boiled eggs, enthusiastically licking the yolk that I purposely left for her. Whipped cream was another favorite. I'd  dip my fingers in whatever sundae or fruit and cream and let her lick each one. Usually she'd be full after the ninth fingertip.To build her up in her later years I'd give her baby food which she shared with another of our rescue cats, a handsome but skittish rescue boy named Lucky. They'd share a jar of Gerber's ham  and be satisfied for the evening (or until her late night snack at around 11:30).

Shelby, I miss you . I miss my little foodie aristocrat who loved eating as much as her pet mama.I know you are up in heaven , nibbling the best cheddar and of  course, roast beef. One day we'll be together again, raiding the angels' refrigerator.