Two Veggies Plus Rice Equal Dinner

 There's always a quandary when it comes to creating a tasty dinner.What do you make that satisfying and good for you.Do the math.it it takes is two veggies and some rice. You could also add a protein too.

Today was one of those days for me. I had no idea what to make and got inspired on a Lidl haul. Lidl has the best baby bella mushrooms.  I added their  brand olive with a whopping two tablespoons of Country Crock

Flavor ing was just a simple sprinkle of garlic powder.

Lidl also has excellent Roma tomatoes and I added three sliced one to this. 

Mushrooms and tomatoes cook up quickly. It took about fifteen to twenty minutes for everything to cook up nicely.

  The rice I used was Lidl't precooked packages which only take about ninety seconds in the microwave.

Together all three made a tasty and quick meal. Both the mushrooms and tomatoes have flavor but also the first offers protein which the second offers lycophrehe. I liked this and can even see it over pasta.

All it takes is two veggies and rice  to make a tasty and quick meal. This is perfect for dinner or even a hot lunch. Try it for something fast and different.

YOur Very Chill Salad Bar

Sadly the pandemic closed a lot of those all ypu can eat buffets. One of the highlights was making your own salad, It was customizing a bowl of greens and creating something tasty and refreshing. You can easily replicate this at home.

Start with greens. I bought these mixed Spring greens from Target and really love the mix of textures and flavors.

It proved to be the perfect base for a salad that was rife with these tomatoes,also bought at Target. They're Roma which makes for a sweeter and fleshier slice.

I usually add olives but these artichokes hearts,another Target brand and chickpeas looked so good. I couldn't resist.

Once you have the tomatoes and lettuce base you can add anything. Try cold shrimp or leftover roasted chicken. Use that leftover grilled steak or London broil cut up into strips. Add some baby carrots and bean sprouts. Fruit is allowed. Try a handful of blueberries or grapes for some fun sweetness. Add crunch with almonds, and pecans mixed with croutons. 

What about dressings? Again get creative.

You can go with a simple olive oil and vinegar. If you want a traditional vinaigrette go with a red wine vinegar. Add traditional seasonings like oregano and garlic.  For a fruitier one sub in apple cider vinegar mixed with crushed strawberries. I like a good homemade French dressing.It starts with one of my faves, Hellman';s vegan mayo mixed with ketchup. Olive oil and a dash of apple cider vinegar is whirled in to create a creamy texture and tangy taste.
 

It's too hot to cook. Create a fun, creative salad, using the basics and imagination. You'll come up with one cool meal.

A Summer Dinner Al Fresco

 With everything happening it's just nice to have a quiet dinner home. Nothing can be better than having it outdoors in the backyard.It can be a simple put together of a few ingredients or a bit more elaborate. it's a chance to enjoy fresh air and good food.

Think fresh since it's summer. A simple meal could be burrata and sliced Roma tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar(you can sub in red wine vinegar if the other is too strong) Add fresh basil leaves and serve with a good red wine. Burrata can be had at any Italian deli or you can make it yourself.It's simply cream cooked with mozzarella curds and then put into a cooked and salted mozzarella skin. It's pricked with a fork when served and all that creamy goodness comes out to mingle with the oil and vinegar.  You could also create a simple charcuterie platter ,perfect for a warm evening. Have everyone's favorites like Genoa salami and ham along with mortadella and prosciutto. If it's just two people have a small  baguette. If it's a family or friends over then have a bigger loaf along with two or three different kinds of crackers. Add Brie or any other favorite cheese like Gruyere for a couple or more for a group. Include grapes, plums and pistachios to round it out.

If you're ambitious cook but make it simple.Pasta can be wonderful eaten out of doors. Think a quick sauce such as burst tomatoes.It s smashing cherry or grape tomatoes in a saute of butter oil and garlic. The tomatoes' juice mix with the oil and blend into this wonderful sweet and fresh taste. Serve it over any kind of pasta. You can even buy pre-cooked pasta and eliminate the need for boiling it. Another easy summery sauce is salsa cruda or raw sauce.Combine sliced cherry tomatoes with red onions and chiffonaded (cut into thin strips) basil. This is made about half an hour before the pasta is boiled and left to sit on the counter. It's the heat from the cooked pasta that cooks it. Serve this with large slices of Italian bread to mop up the sauce. Of course you can fire up the grill. Leave the burgers and dogs for the family barbecue. Think about grilling marinated chicken breasts or steak. Both can benefit from a lemon olive oil marinade. Add some veggies to grill with this for a lovely meal outdoors. You could also use the grill for cooking salon too, for a lighter supper.Create packet meals where you place the meats and vegetables in a foil packet to be cooked on the barbecue grate. Have iced white wine  with this.

Happiness is a meal eaten al fresco. Make it as simple or as elaborate as you want. Enjoy the evening breezes and setting sun with great food and drink.

The Thrill Of Pure Nachos

 Who doesn't love nachos, especially with hot gooey cheese on top? it's one of the best snacks out and definitely fun and delicious to make at home. There are so many variations to choose from  , all tasty.what's best is that the base, tortilla chips are easy to bake at home.

Famed Mexican cook and writer , Pati Jinich, star of the PBS show Pati's Mexican Table wrote a very informative article in today's New York Times Food section. Nachos are not an ancient Mexican dish going back centuries but rather a post World War II Mexico creation. The border city of Piedras Negras in the province of Coahuila, is their birthplace, across from a military base in Eagle Pass Texas. The wives from the base often went across the Rio Grande to shop and eat. They stopped for a drink and a bite at the Victory Club where the maitre' d'hotel , Ignacio Anaya was working. Unfortunately there was no one in the kitchen so Ignacio or as he was known Nacho (which is a nickname for Ignacio) created a quick appetizer with what was in the kitchen at the time. There were corn tortilla chips or totopos, government issued Colby cheese and jalapenos. The wives loved it so much they asked for seconds and it became a standard at the Victory Club. Fast forward to the Seventies where Frank Liberto, a Texas businessman took the dish to the masses thanks to an emulsified cheese sauce. It stayed liquidy without being heated up and an easy to assemble pump for dispensing. They were quickly sold at balls games and malls, Now there's even a Nacho Festival where the requirements are the basic ingredients.

Nachos are a fun dish that's easy to interpret. Ms. Jinich includes the recipe for homemade tortilla chips.It's a simple make whether baked or fried. You just need  about thirty fresh corn tortillas and sea salt to bring out the flavor. Each  tortilla has to be cut into six equal pieces and either deep fry or bake. Just use your air fryer for a much easier and less messier method. The original recipe calls for shredded Colby cheese which has the appropriate bite and pickled jalapenos.Ms. Jinich also includes the recipe for these too.They're sort of like a fiery giardineria with the inclusion of carrots and pearl onions. Brown sugar is added for some sweetness along with two kinds of vinegar to balance it. Then there is the bricklayer style nachos. This is almost like a casserole thanks to the different layers. .Ms. Jinich combines bacon with Mexican chorizo and layers this mouth watering mix with beef sirloin and Roma tomatoes.This is layered over the chips like mortar over bricks. A melty cheese like Moneterey Jack or Oaxaca is then crumbled on top. You can even use mozzarella too if these aren't available. It''s then baked in a 400 degree F oven for eight to ten minutes. You can add sliced avocado crumbled queso fresca and scallions. Black olives are also a good topping too.

Nachos are a fun, tasty dish that work as a snack or as a meal. Make the original or the bricklayer's version for a flavorful combination of tortillas, cheese and jalapenos. Then enjoy this well loved classic!

Weddings Now

October was usually the time for lovely fall weddings however that's all changed. The pandemic has forced us to look at how we gather and throw parties.It's not a question of what shall we serve but rather how can we do it without getting guests sick. There are ways of maneuvering  around the restrictions. 

In the old pre-pandemic days there used to be wedding receptions full of endless courses.There was the sushi bar followed by the pasta buffet. Everyone took from bountiful trays of hors d'ouevres and appetizers. a fun idea would be different food trucks set up along the street or in the wedding venue's parking lot. This is a plus because everyone likes what food trucks produce, The bride and groom can have their favorite foods served, whether it''s pizza or tacos. Several trucks can be set up because they're not that expensive per person. have hamburgers and corn dogs along with pizza and bulgogi, if you want a truly international affair. As for dessert, ice cream trucks are fun but just a bit messy. People will be wearing relatively fancy dress and the last thing anyone wants is a drippy cone or Popsicle. A better idea is a cupcake truck that doles out mini wedding cakes. These can be a variety of flavors too or the happy couple's favorite ones. You can also have already made meals that have been boxed in fancily decorated cardboard containers or plastic tubs. Fill them with  filet mignon sandwiches or lobster rolls. For a side think a small cup of grape tomatoes with a side of dressing. As for the cake, it can be cut in front of everyone and then instantly boxed to take home.

Can there be a relatively normal sit down dinner? Yes but keep it very small. Limit it to the immediate family and the  bridal party. This is reminiscent of weddings of the past where only a few were invited. The family can become involved , especially if the reception is held in the parents' backyard. You could bake a large ham or roast beef and serve it cold, if you 're involved in the wedding. leave it to rest for thirty minutes  - about the length of the ceremony. Slice it right away so that not too many people handle it or are around the meat. As for sides , think scoops of potato or macaroni salad in individual ramekins to cut down on contact.If you want some kind of salad, think hollowed out Roma tomatoes filled with cottage cheese. The cheese be glammed up with the addition of chopped red, yellow and green peppers along with oregano. Decorate with parsley sprigs. Should you have a traditional cake  with just a small group? Yes!!!! Bake a simple two layer with just butter cream frosting and flowers. If you feel it's not enough . then go for a southern tradition and bake a groom's cake. as well. This is usually the groom's favorite flavor, namely chocolate but it could be any flavor - except the wedding cake's. It can be decorated with the groom's favorite team colors or reflecting his hobbies.

Weddings and how we celebrate them will be different for the course of the pandemic. Make the best and most of the day with delicious foods. They can be from food trucks or from your kitchen. What matters is that they celebrate a day full of love and hope.

Happy 100th year wedding anniversary to my grandparents, Joe and Rina Helble.

Good Stress Eating

These are truly stress inducing times. Many of us feel eating helps to alleviate this non stop anxiety. The problem is we tend to eat the bad stuff - which can drive down our immunity. What to eat during these crazy days? Healthy!!!

Funny enough there are still snacks on store shelves. It's tempting to grab a few bags of chips and candy to get through these days. You can  - everyone does deserve a treat  now and then but limit what you eat. A better choice are tortilla chips and salsa. You can even make your own along with guacamole for a healthier choice. Homemade salsa requires sliced tomatoes , diced jalapenos, garlic and onions. If you like your dip mild, omit the jalapenos. Add finely diced pineapple and bell pepper for a different spin. Guacamole is another easy healthy dip. It's a blended mix of mashed avocado, Roma tomatoes (or any kind if you can't find them)along with cilantro and diced onions. You can sub in onion powder for the last if you find onions overpowering. Scallions are also milder but add a sweet onion flavor to the guacamole. Another healthy choice? Popcorn - of course and it will be welcomed for all these upcoming movie nights. If you can, get the Colonel Popper which is usually sold on Amazon. This lets you cook up a better bowl with olive oil and sea salt instead of the usual microwave packets laden with additives.

Anything sweet is especially alluring when you're stressed to the max. It's so easy to reach for those M&Ms and Junior Mints. Look, these are crazy , unprecedented times when all hell may break loose with the next day. Pop a small handful of these into your mouth to feel better and then focus on something a bit more nutritious. You still can have chocolate - but think about the darker kinds.These help boost your immune system thanks to the phenolic compounds which boost the effects of such Vitamin C and E along with the caretenoids. What is great about 80 o 90 percent cacao  is that the flavors can vary, with such interesting notes as raisin and coffee. Fresh fruit is a must during these times. Grapes are always a good nibble and kids love them. These tasty little  globes are full of resveratrol which helps fight inflammation. Keep in mind that wine also has this so knock back a glass or two to help you cope. Sliced apples and pears are also good sweet snacks. Dip apple slices in almond and peanut butters for a tasty savory-sweet treat. Strawberries are also good , especially dipped in dark chocolate however they're also great dipped in wildflower honey too.

These are the times for stress eating. Try to make those nibbles healthy with good for your snacks and sweets. These days are tough. You deserve a treat. Make it a healthy one.

The Great Indian Pickling Book

Pickling and Indian food are never really mentioned in the same sentence. Yet it's an important part of the cuisine, as Indians, both from the north and the south will tell you. There are so many different ones that complement the variety of dishes the country offers. What's great is that anyone from experienced to novice home chefs can make these tart and tasty sides.

Tejal Rao wrote about this in today's New York TImes Food section. Ms Rao, a regular contributor, also interviewed India's pickle queen Usha Prabakaran who wrote a cult classic cookbook Usha's Pickle Digest.It was on the cusp of being big, when a rare fungus lodged in the front of her brain. She needed surgery to remove it along with long periods of rest to recover. The book and the launch party had to be put on hold. This was in 1998 and through the two decades since the book has picked up a following.It was self published and then the pages were photocopied. It was celebrated in blogs and on podcasts. Ms. Prabakan, who originally studied to be a lawyer, answered inquiries with friendly PDFs which explains how her pickle books hopped the globe. Pickling is big in Indian cuisine. She learned how from her mother in law who preserved  new batches of seasonal pickles every week.The tart fruits and veggies were addictive. She apprenticed herself, learning to turn jars in the sun so the fruit dried evenly and taught herself to combine new and old tamerinds to balance out their acidity levels. Her creations were given to friends who begged for the  recipes. The book also reflects the need to preserve this tradition which is dying out thanks to pickle factories taking over.

 Indian home chefs use almost anything to create these tasty side dishes and condiments. Fruits such as plums and hog plums - a kind of smaller version of plum along with cherries and chokeberries - a berry similar to a blueberry are brined in either salt or a spiced oil. Sprouted fenugreek seeds, bamboo shoots, fat gooseberries and even hibiscus flowers (!) are also pickled. Most of them are brined in salt water but Indian home chefs also use vinegar, citrus juice , tamarind juice and yogurt. Pickled foods are served at every meal, including breakfast and with every kind of dish  including grilled cheese.Anyone can pickle. Ms. Rao gives two of Ms. Prabakaran's recipes. One's a simple carrot one that has a peeled and julienned  carrot brined in lime juice and kosher salt. Fresh , finely chopped ginger and a finely chopped serrano chile are added for heat and flavor. This would be a great side for any dinner.Another is a tomato and fennel seed pickle.It requires unripe or sour Roma tomatoes.It has a sweet and spicy vibe , thanks to tamarind juice and hot paprika. Asafoetida powder is also added. This gives a leek like flavor and is used in northern Indian cooking. This is a more involved cooking which involves cooking mustard seeds also used for more flavor, and then cooking the tomatoes in the spice mixture.It's then cooled and eaten with flat breads or yogurt.

Pickled foods are a great side to any main course. Try  Usha Prabakaran's recipes to give your meals a fun lift. They're relatively easy to  recreate and a nice jolt of heat on a cold winter's night.