Warm Weather Salads

 This is the time for year to eat lighter. That means relying on that classic duh salad. Yet it won;t be a simple one . It's time to liven those bowls up with different ingredients for the perfect Spring salad.

Of course its starts with a base.Yet instead of Cobb or Bibb look outside the garden Dandelion greens are a different and bright addition to any salad bowl. They're full of probiotics which make for a good gut health. They are also loaded with the antioxidants that aid in liver health. Some people may be  put off by eating a "common weed"/ yet the taste is earthy and pleasantly bitter. You could add sweet ingredients to them to balance off that sharpness. Another different green is the Japanese one mizuna lettuce. The is a mustard green. The flavor is peppery like arugula. You can find in in an Asian grocery store along with the basis of a good dressing - rice wine vinegar. For something really off the menu try nettles. Yes they are those scratchy annoying fronds that sting ankles and feet during a woodland hike but their leaves are another matter. They have a state like spinach = decidedly mild and easy to pair with other ingredients.

W

hat about the other ingredients and dressings? Seafood is always a tasty addition to a salad, especially a warmer weather one. Yes you could add the usual, shrimp crab or tuna. A different spin would be seared scallops. These are an easy cook.Sear in a very hot pan with a mix of oil and plant or dairy based butter. Their sweetness would pair well with dandelion greens and a simple citrus based dressing. Think orange , lemon or lime added to a light olive oil  along with a tiny drop of agave or maple syrup.If you want true luxury the think about chopped lobster tails with a mix of common and uncommon greens.To balance to out and add color add multicolored tomatoes that come in such bright hues as purple red and yellow. You could use a mayo based dressing on this, Think a creamy one with herbs to bring out the lobster's briny flavor . Another idea is a simple vinaigrette but made with a white wine vinegar base instead of a red wine one. If you;re craving poultry, then try leftover Cornish hen. Keep in mind to debone it carefully because unlike chicken or turkey , the bones are tiny and could easily wind up  amongst the greens. A nice orange based dressing would work with this.

It's salad season. Make a different kind using uncommon greens and ingredients.It'll make for a light tasty and invigorating bite.

From The Ocean To The Grill

 The grilling season usually starts out as a salute to anything from the turf. Yet what about the surf? The ocean  - streams and lakes give up some tasty morsels to be grilled.

Shrimp is always at the top of any griller's list.The best bet is buying large shrimp because they're the easiest to marinate skewer and place on the cooking grate. Smaller ones could fall through. They're an easy cook  - only five to seven minutes on each side and they're done. Should you use a marinade or a dry rub on them. Marinade is the better way to go. Many home chefs opt for a simple garlic butter one in which garlic  infused melted butter is brushed on the shrimp.You can also try an herbal butter one thats' rich with chives and oregano.  For a different spin , try a Vietnamese style marinade that combines fish sauce with soy sauce . lime juice and  a pinch of sugar. There's also paprika garlic and chili added to  sesame oil base. Another tasty grill is scallops.Like shrimp these can be marinated in a variety of different ingredients.Try them in a simple Italian style one that features lemon juice, olive oil and various spices such as oregano and rosemary. Lime juice and olive oil. Some enthusiasts want to try grilling a lobster. The best bet is grilling the tails in the shells as opposed to grilling the whole lobster. It takes five minutes grilling on the flesh side and one to two minutes on the shell side.

Many grillers  love to put salmon steaks on the coals. A good salmon steak is one that has been seared with a crispy skin and tender but bright orange pink inside. Salmon can be a bit bland tasting on it's own so its important to have a good marinade for it. Soy sauce is always a good marinade base. You can add fresh orange juice and ginger to it. Olive oil is another good marinade base. Add some lemon juice and freshly ground pepper for a lemon pepper taste. Another popular fish tuna is a great outdoor char. Make sure the tuna steaks are thick for proper grilling. A light lemon marinade works the best with iu.If you have fishermen in your circle then you've probably been the recipient of a few trout. This  fresh water fish is good on the grill too.They should be boneless and filleted. Some home chefs just bread them for a crunchy bite. Trout is usually cooked for five minutes on one side and then flipped and cooked for a minute or two more. You could also just brush the meat with olive oil and lemon to bring out the sweet fish flavor.Surprisingly cod is another fish that can be cooked on the grill. It should just be brushed with butter because of it's strong flavor. 

Try surf for your next barbecue.It's a nice chageoff from turf. There's a wide range of delicious fish and shellfish to place on those coals.

April Showers Bring Wedding Season

 It may be a day for jokes but April is a serious month. This is the time for those bridal showers that herald in May ,June and even July weddings. Get out the planners and start looking up recipes . A good shower requires a good menu.

The first step is considering the them of the wedding.If it's one that takes place on a farm or in a farm house then consider a farm house themed shower. you don;t have to go all farm to table but you can have dishes that reflect the land. Think of the crops that are grown on a traditional farm. One crop is beans. You can easily make a cannellini hummus  by using white cannellini beans instead of chickpeas It's the same as regular hummus with the addition of tahini and olive oil for a creamy smoothness. Best of all you can make large batches of it if you have a large number of guests. A fun dip is cowboy caviar which is always a crowd pleaser.It's mixing beans with corn. cubed avocados and tomatoes. Celery and parsley are also added for flavor.Onion and black eyed peas are also added for flavor. Veggie loaded quiches  make for a good main course for a farm themed luncheon.Try a variety of different ingredients from ham to broccoli. Another main dish is chicken pot pie galette. This is a savory take on the classic French dessert. Simple roasted Cornish hens are also a good mean meal too. As for dessert. just plain scratch cupcakes work . Think elegant simplicity with basic ingredients.

Many Spring and summer weddings are beach themed. This makes for a perfect reason to have a beach themed bridal shower. Of course seafood is on the menu. You can easily have shrimp in lettuce cups with a splash of shrimp sauce. Another idea, if you want to splurge is a lobster salad or lobster rolls. If you feel this may be too expensive, one you can check your local Lidl .The store is selling them for $14 a piece.Also check out deals at Wal-Mart and Sam's CLub where they range around $16 for one. A better substitute is crab which is versatile for a number of recipes.These are much cheaper being $8.99 for snow crab legs cluster. Salmon and scallops can also be used. Salmon is one of the most versatile fishes. You can easily make  large sheet pan dinners with it. Give it a Spring twist by cooking it with asparagus  and new potatoes. What about dessert at a beach themed shower? Think cupcakes with frosty blue icing decorated with colored shells and edible pearls. An ocean cake can also be made with the layers being tinted in blue and green. Carry the theme over to the frosting. and scatter candy shells on top for decoration.

It may be April Fools's Day but it's time to get serious about shower season. Start planning for yours.Pick a theme that works with the theme of the wedding.It's be a nice preview of what's to come.

An Oscar Party For One

 The Oscars are a big deal. The Oscar parties are not - really. It's is fun to sit with friends but it's even nicer to sit in your jammies and enjoy goodies alone in front of the TV set. Ther'es nothing like a good old fashioned party for one. Eat what you want .Drink what you want. It's all up to you .

Surprisignly you can indulge on a budget.If you;re craving lush food but don't have the budget , try Lidl. The store features frozen lobster tail for around $14.99. Add some butter and grill some asparagus and you have a Hollywood worthy meal.LIdl also has excellent deals on shrimp and scallops too if you want something a little less rich. You could also get wings and nuggets and just pop them into your air fryer. Serve with a variety of different sauces, from ranch to barbecue. You could also buy  a rotisserie chicken, eat what you want and save the leftovers for either Monday's lunch or dinner. Buy a side of macaromi salad giardniera , pickled veggies for a tasty late supper. A simple pizza for one can also work. You can easily whip one up using already made dough and sauce. Toppings can be anything from spinach and onions to pepperoni and salami. a smaller version is an English muffin pizza, easily baked in a toaster oven.  One can satisfy anyone with a small appetite. You could also whip up a mini hero too, using your favorite cold cuts and cheese along with  sliced tomatoes and lettuce.

Of course an Oscar party means indulging on snack food too. You could use the air fryer again to make your own potato chips. It just takes Russet  potatoes  - use these because they are the best for not maintaining moisture). olive oil  and seasonings.After the slices have been soaked and  drie coat them in olive oil and air fry for twenty minutes at 325 degrees Farenheit.  A simple onion dip is perfect here.It;s just emptying a packet of French onion soup into sour cream ro plain Greek yogurt and stirring.If you use the Greekl yogurt for dipm you don;t have to worry about extra calories.Loaded nachos are another fun Oscar night snack.It;s just ouring queso cheese on nachos and then topping them with sliced jalapenos, black olives and tomatoes Microwave for a minute or two for the cheese to get all melted. Add some kidney or black beans for protein. Open a Corona and enjoy. If these are too much, then stick with that movie classic - popcorn. It pays to have a microwave popper like Colonel Popper to give you a better type of kernel without all those additives. Melt butter to drizzle over and enjoy.

It;s your Oscar party. Make the foods you love , sit back and root for your favorites to win. Enjoy any of these treats while you sit on the couch .

That Meal Out

 It used to be a night out at a good restaurant was an affordable occassion. Now it's an expesnive trip out. why? Because a restaurant is a business like any other. They have expenses too and workers that have to be paid. It also costs to produce a steak dinner or a plate of pasta - just like any other business offering products.

Regular contributor Priya Krishna and Lia Syam explored this in today's New York Times Food section. There are many factors , the most importnt being food prices.They've skyrocketed , especially pork and beef. Restaurant owner Bruce Moffett used to charge twelve dollars for his Korean beef with crispy rice back in 2019. Three years later the dish now costs four dollars more. scallops are up 118 per cent, Keep in mind that sunflower oil comes from  war torn.Russia and the Ukraine. production is spotty hence the high price. On the Americna front, fuel and fertilizer have also gone up which factor into the wholesale cost. After food comes labor costs. Many eateries also give their employees health insurance and that can cost. Salaries have also risen. Even a Manhattan dishwasher can make close to a thousand dollars a week. Hiring a top chef can cost thousands a week. A no name executive chef can pull in $1200 a week. However being generous can affect the restaurant. Mr Moffatt has cut his days open to five instead of the usual six. That could mean thousands of dollars not being brought in.

Of course there are the extras. Liquor surprisngly is one of them. Yes a place can be a BYOB however if it has an extensive wine list anf good bartender then it elevates it. A 765 ml bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne is $38  when it was only $39 in 2019. Even wines have gone up.Sauvignons are now going for $50 as opposed to $45.Luckily bourbon and whiskey are not that expensive. The worst is the utiltiies. Again thanks to Russia invading the Ukraine has disrupted gas production, The natural gas that fuels water heaters and ovens has risen eighty-five per cent.The Good Food restaurant is upgrading its' water infrastructure and is passing the cost down to customers. Then there's new equipment and landscaping and the cost of that upkeep. Even though we don't think about it there;s the cost of dinner ware. Dishes and glasses, especially wine glasses ger broken all the times. Forks get lost in the laundry. It costs to replace them, epsecially wine glasses which can be sold for as high as $36  a glass. Takeout also is another rising cost.  To go boxes are about $120 a case. Then there's the utensils and straws (altough many places are forgoing the last).

Consider all this when you're eating out.Is it worth spending estra bucks for a good meal out? the answer is yes if you really feel you really deserve it. You can't put a price on a fun meal out.

A Special Home COoked Valentine's Day

 Yes, it will be a different Valentine's Day this year but it's bound to be a special one. Why? Because it will be a home cooked one, from appetizers to dessert. Nothing says "I  love you" more than something from the oven - or stove for that matter. Forget the candy and flowers. Time and effort are the true gifts here.

David Tanis knows this and he gave a full Valentine's Day menu in yesterday's New York Times Food section.  It's the type that can be served in one meal or the courses broken up with the appetizer served on Saturday and the main meal on Sunday. The first course is a mouth watering wild mushroom tart baked in a homemade buttery crust. You can use store bought puff pastry but this is an easy recipe. Just make ti the day or night before. The recipe leaves you with enough dough for two tarts so you can easily make another one midweek. He suggests using chanterelle mushrooms but you can also try a mix of sliced shiitake,  white button , oyster or king trumpet. Portobellos and cremini are also acceptable but would yield a darker , yet still delicious filling. The mushrooms are cooked with onions and garlic and them spread upon the crust which has been slathered with creme fraiche. Parmesan cheese is then sprinkled over the tart's top.It can be sliced into wedges or spices and served warm.

The main course is seared sea scallops with a spicy carrot coulis. This may sound lux but it's actually a simple cook. Mr. Tanis recommends getting what's known as day boat scallions and searing them in a pan or cast iron skillet. To offset the scallops sweetness there is a carrot coulis, a thin sauce made from young carrots cooked in chicken broth. Vinegar and sugar give it an interesting zing and flavor along with cilantro and serrano, Fresno or jalapeno chiles. The sauce is ladled into plates, and the scallops placed on top of it.Add lime wedges for color and flavor. Of course the piece de resistance is dessert. Mr. Tanis doesn't disappoint here. He offers a dark chocolate mousse with candied ginger. It's the classic French one with the egg whites whipped in for that frothiness the dessert is known for. He uses dark chocolate like the 80 to 90 per cent  Ghiradelli and Lindt bars (DO NOT use regular baker's chocolate for this) along with two table spoons orange liqueur such as Gran Marnier. The mousse is then  topped off with fresh made whipped cream and candied ginger, the last for some heat and bite.

Forget the flowers and box of drugstore candy,Make this delicious meal your gift to your sweetie. They will appreciate the time and effort not to mention memory of a fantastic home cooked dinner.

A Briny Barbecue

Summer barbecues are always tasty. Yet they can get boring , thanks to the same old menu.Change it up some with an all seafood barbecue. It's a different take on classic grilled with a splash of the ocean or lake added.

If you're new at barbecuing seafood, then go for the easiest  - shrimp. It's a quick cook on the grill and can be marinated with a wide variety of marinades.Do they have to be boiled or parboiled before being placed on a hot grill? No. They can go from the fridge or the freezer and onto the hot coals. Just remember that they cook up fairly quick - two minutes on each side.What's a good marinade? Go for something citrus-y with zing. Start with one third of a cup of olive or vegetable oil. Add to it a quarter of a cup fresh lemon juice and grated zest (use a microhasp for a finer zest). Dried basil and thyme leaves give it color and a small dose of dried hot pepper shakes. Another easy grill are scallops.They're first washed and then patted dry with a paper towel. Scallops can be put on skewers and can be barbecued with cherry tomatoes and pepper chunks. They too can bathe in a variety of different marinades. Most home chefs prefer a citrus one but a Asian influenced one is also delicious. Try soy blended with freshly grated ginger and minced scallions. Again a micro hasp works well with grating the ginger .

Larger pieces of fish can also be part of a barbecue. any catch can work. Just remember to buy a special kind of spatula that has a very wide end with narrow slots . Try fillets, particularly salmon. It's very flavorful and a crowd favorite. Remember to buy it with the skin still on and to get it in steak form.This keeps the meat together and doesn't stick to the grill. Place the steaks on an oiled grill. Cook the skin side first for a nice, crispy crust and then the skinless side. Keep the pieces evenly spaced so they all cook evenly.The salmon should be cooked for about ten minutes  before it's plated. Fresh water fish also work. Trout makes a lovely change of pace from the typical fare. If you're adventurous you can stuff it with a tart but fiery lemon filling. This is simply lemon slices mixed with a va riety of herbs such as thyme and rosemary  gives it more flavor while chili pepper flakes give it a hearty bite.Plain barbecue trout is also very good. Use a basket to roast it about five to seven minutes.

A fishy barbecue? Why not. There's nothing as delicious as grilled seafood or fish. It's the perfect change for the hot days ahead.

Spring Cleaning Your Diet

Now that Easter and Passover are over , it's time to Spring clean your diet. There are no more heavy calorie laden meals, desserts and treats. It's the season for lighter fare,not to mention lighter cooking and baking.

One of the best aspects of Spring is foraging. There is a wealth of healthy greens right outside your back door. Think about adding some of  your local woodland's best in a salad.One of the most traditional and most widely used is the dandelion. The slightly prickly leaves can be eaten on their own or with other greens. Dress with a tangy lemon -honey vinaigrette and serve with grilled chicken or scallops. Another woodland green to consider is the tongue tingling garlic mustard which can be made into a pesto or cooked with pasta similar to broccoli rabe.Mushrooms can also come from the parks and forests.Many home chefs are leery about foraging them and with good reason -half are poisonous.Buy a book on foraging (your best bet is Amazon) and read it cover to cover. Think about making your bounty in a light mushroom sauce spiked with garlic and onions. The mushrooms can also be pickled and served as a side to grilled chicken, steak or fish. Those dandelion greens can also be pickled and would be a light and interesting side.

With the weather growing warmer, it's time to get out the grill. This is chance to have delicious meats and veggies simply cooked. Don't stop at the proteins. Try a light meal of grilled asparagus with peppers and eggplants. Ramps from foraging can also be grilled . Spritz them with olive oil and cook on a grill pan until ready. A fun way to welcome in the warm weather is kabobs. Think cherry and grape tomatoes with scallops and shrimp. Or try marinated mushrooms skewers for something light and different. Climbing temps usually mean the taste for grilled burgers. These too can be lightened up. Portobello caps are a great sub in for beef patties.Marinate the caps in canola oil - which is lighter than even virgin olive oil - along with  chopped onions, balsamic vinegar and garlic.Instead of plopping it on a heavy bun, think an open faced sandwich on Italian and French bread. Gardein also has veggie burgers that taste like the real thing. Instead of the usual burgers and potato salad - just have the patties plain with grilled veggies .As for desserts, we're heading into blueberry and strawberry season. Finish the meal with a bowl of mixed berries, sweetened with dark honey and topped with Reddi-Whip's coconut or almond milk whipped creams.

It's Spring. Lighten up your diet. Go for fresh picked greens and kabobs. Get rid of the greasy burgers and try the ethereal portobellos or soy burgers. Invest in the fruits and veggies of the season. You'll feel better- and lighter. 

A Whiff Of Citrus

This is the time of year when pumpkin spice and maple reign supreme flavorwise. However we're all overdosing on them right now  as the two saturate everything from coffee to even butter!. A summery whiff of citrus would be good right now. Luckily we can still get lemons, limes, and oranges and create refreshing sweet and savory dishes.

The inspiration came from Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Her take on lemon cake has almonds plus a glaze. No mace or cinnamon or cup of maple syrup inn sight.What is truly interesting about this recipe is that the lemons are boiled not zested or juiced. However she missed the zest's light flavor so she added it.There is also a lemon glaze, made with more fresh lemon juice. She has made it with a combination of lemon and lime juice.A lime cake is another breezy choice.It's an easy mix of a regular scratch cake with the addition of fresh limes and fresh lime juice.Some lime cakes also have the addition of lime gelatin to enhance the flavor as well as the color. You can use these recipes however a more natural recipe is the one with just the fruit itself.Lime cookies utilize the fruit's juice and these are a refreshing change up from the usual fall cookie .Oranges are another citrus that add to any dessert. Make a refreshing mousse  with them , perfect after a heavy Sunday roast.Orange buttercream icing will liven up plain vanilla cake or cupcakes.An orange pound cake is a great fall bake, perfect to take as a holiday dessert.

Citrus can play a huge part in livening up savory dishes. Lemon chicken is one of the most famous savory dishes that is boosted by citrus.It only requires a tablespoon of lemon juice. Roasted chicken can also get jazzed up by stuffing a lemon inside the cavity and brushing a mix of lemon and garlic on the skin. Potatoes can also get zinged up with the fruit. Mix it with mustard for a fun shake up to a classic side. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice  makes broccoli and green beans sparkle with flavor and is a nice change up from the usual butter and cheese sauces. Lime is always associated with Mexican cooking.It livens up chicken and beef fajitas and can take guacamole to a whole new level. It's also great with seafood. Think grilled shrimp with chili and lime for an eye opening combo. For a low calorie , yet flavorful meal, grill salmon with a basting of lime ,cilantro and honey. If you want a sweeter flavor, think oranges. The most famous is orange chicken is the Chinese version, spiked with ginger, vodka and the Chinese wine Shaoxing, Of course the most famous is duck a l'orange which is a melange of flavors from fresh orange juice to coriander and cumin. Scallops are also good with an orange marinade. The bright citrus flavor enhances the fish's inherent sweetness.

Use any citrus fruit as the antidote to all that cinnamon and maple. A dash of lemon, a squeeze of lime, and a squirt of orange presents a refreshing change up to sweet and savory dishes. Try them today for a zestier , breezier taste.

Salads With Spin

If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, chances are you're sweltering and uncomfortably hot right now. It's definitely the season for salads.They're easy to make , easy to eat and easy to put you to sleep. It's time to take this summer staple and give it a new spin.

 Home chefs and foodies have been avoiding romaine lettuce since the whole salmonella scare back in April. That's over and it's time to rediscover this tasty leaf.Romaine leaves are used mostly in Caesar salads which is a fine salad. Liven it up with un-traditional- add ins like seared scallops or crumbled bacon.Steak - always good on its' own adds an unami flavor to the mix and makes it more filling. If there's any leftover put it on a hero roll and turn it into a sandwich for the beach or the park.  Wedge salads are making a big  comeback, especially with romaine and iceburg heads. It's a nice alternative to a traditional mixed salad and makes for a filling lunch or dinner. It's quartering the heads and then pouring on the dressing. You want to use a lot of dressing so that it dribbles down into the nooks and crannies , sort of like butter seeping into an English muffin.Top with anything crumbled like bacon or soy bacon , almonds or sunflower seeds. Should any other veggie share the plate with it? Think sliced cherry or grape tomatoes for color and flavor. Another spin is roasting the wedges. Rub oil on them , season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and place on the barbecue, roasting for thirty seconds on each side.

Another spin on salads is adding the fruits of the season. Cherries are in season right now. Those ruby red, rich in flavor gems would be perfect in a salad that features chicken or steak, To emphasize the flavor, you can also make a cherry infused  vinaigrette. Use Bing cherries , mix them with oil and apple cider vinegar and pinches of rosemary, garlic and allspice. Strawberries, good on their own, add a sweetness to a grilled chicken salad. Combine the two with red onions and almonds with torn romaine leaves as the base. You can try a peach version subbing in mixed spring greens  for the romaine. A fun variation is combining the peaches with cut nectarines.Blueberries are chock full of antioxidants and flavor. Imagine adding them to any salad. Combine them with a creamy feta cheese to balance the fruity flavor. Greens don't have total domain over salad. A refreshing one is a Neopolitan bread salad which pairs cubes of Italian bread with sliced vine ripe tomatoes.Bathe in olive oil infused with mashed garlic and basil leaves. For more bite toss in sliced red tomatoes.Broccoli and string beans make for excellent salad bases Sliced ham and shredded cheddar pair well with the first, although just a plain broccoli salad with garlic is a nice lunch. Add chopped onions to the string beans for a refreshing break from the usual mixed greens. Corn salad is both fun and tasty. It can be combined with all sorts of ingredients for a cool meal.

Liven up salads with meats and fruits for a refreshing new spin. They give a summer classic more zing and flavor. Try them for a tasty hot weather lunch or dinner.

Recipes For Your Toaster Oven

The toaster oven is one of the most used , yet least praised of all the kitchen appliances. Most home chefs usually relegate it to toasting garlic bread or reheating leftovers. Yet it can be used for so much more from cooking meals to baking cookies and cakes.A new cook book shines a light on this heavy hitter of home cooking.

Linda Stephens has created a comprehensive cookbook centered on the toaster oven. 150 Best Toaster Oven Recipes (Robert Rose Inc. 2018) is perfect for those home chefs, like myself, who enjoy using their toaster ovens, Chef Stephens, who had her own cooking school and also wrote cookbooks featuring convection ovens  is a big fan of this kitchen must have. The recipe book is a comprehensive one that includes reasons why a toaster oven  outshines traditional ovens. She does recommend a larger sized one that can do everything from reheating to defrosting along with buying a name brand, She also states that a toaster oven is also more energy efficient than a range and is perfect to use during the summer because it doesn't give off the large amount of heat  that a stove does. Another plus is that she explains the settings. There's also a section on what types of cookware to use along with vital safety tips. Chef Stephen also advocates buying a meat thermometer to check roasts internal temperatures. The book is divided into chapters starting with Basics for simple but delicious recipes. There is also a chapter on meatless main courses, perfect for vegetarians along with a chapter on breakfast and brunch dishes.

I love this book!! Toaster oven cooking is a lot easier and less stressful than oven cooking and I'd love to cook most of my meals in it. There is a delicious tuna melt zinged up with Greek yogurt and scallions. Nachos can also be made in a toaster oven which gives the chips a nice crunchiness. Seafood lovers will love Chef Stephen's chapter on fish. Her recipe for baked scallops is flavorful, They're dipped in herbed breadcrumbs and roasted to be served with an accompanying tartar sauce.Chicken and roast beef lovers will marvel at the many different ways their favorite meats can be prepared, Whole chickens aren't used, just chicken breasts which is good if you're only cooking for two .She recommends using small cuts of beef and pork for cooking.Another plus is that she also has a chapter featuring meatless recipes, perfect for my vegetarian household. I am going to try chickpeas in tomato sauce and an interesting zucchini and feta flan.Of course there are chapters on sweets and desserts. Fruit lovers will enjoy baking the peach cobbler  along with a sophisticated pears in honey and rosemary. There are cookie and muffin recipes, from shortbreads to banana oat muffins. You can even make a baked Alaska in a humble toaster oven!

150 Best Toaster Oven Recipes is the must have book for all toaster oven affectionados . It is a comprehensive book, full of delicious recipes for dinners, parties and brunchs. It is definitely a kitchen must have.!!!!

Summer Seafood

One of the joys of the summer season is the abundance of seafood. There's nothing like grilled scallops or a chowder made with clams and fresh vegetables. Take advantage of the sea's abundance.

Most home chefs  love working with shrimp and scallops. There's very little work, save for the shrimp deveining and they're versatile for both cooking on the grill and on the stovetop. David Tanis  had  a recipe for Thai curried shrimp in his A City Kitchen column in Wednesday's New York Times.They are marinated in a fiery rub of cumin and  coriander to spike it along with turmeric, garlic and grated ginger for ten minutes. The shrimp are then added to a sauce of coconut milk and curry leaves. That sound good but how amazing would they be if they were grilled and served on fire toasted naan? Cajun shrimp is another barbecue treat.Marinate them in a blend of olive oil, honey, paprika, sand soy sauce. Herbs such as thyme, oregano and parsley add to the complexity while cayenne pepper gives it a sharp bite. Scallops can also be grilled. Again, like shrimp , they're amenable to a variety of different spices and herbs.Unlike shrimp, they have a sweet,briny flavor that can be  enhanced with just a squeeze of lemon and lime. Think of brushing them with a lemon butter before tossing on the grill. You can even alternate them with shrimp on skewers too.

Clam, too,are big during the warmer months.Of  course there is both Manhattan and New England clam chowder. Nothing beat the Manhattan, especially if it's made with the harvests of the season. Fresh picked tomatoes are perfect for this thick soup. Celery , onions and potatoes give it its' heartiness. Make sure that it's rich with thyme, which give the chowder its' distinctive taste. You can also make the  denser New England style (although it's better during the wintry months).It's a creamy blend of clams  and potatoes, flavored with celery and onions. Whole cream is added for that thick potage mouth feel. Another summer  shellfish to enjoy  is  crab. This is the time to go crabbing in many states, especially New Jersey. It can be grilled  and served with melted butter. Just remember to pull off the tough , outer shell and clean out the insides. This will make for better tasting meat. If you have many of them , think about a crab roll sandwich which is a take on the classic lobster roll one. Mix the cooled crab meat with mayonnaise and chopped scallions. You can add a squeeze of lemon to cu the intense flavor if wanted. Pile on a hot dog bun and serve with a side. potato chips.

Summer is here and with it comes an abundance of seafood. Enjoy the ocean's harvest, whether grilled, or turned into soups and salads. They''ll make  warm weather eating that much more delicious. delicious.

A Spring Diet

Spring is the time for all things green - and that includes diets. It's time to shed those heavy winter dishes and think lighter and brighter. Embrace low calorie meals and a different way of eating during the warmer days.

The colder months leave us wanting heavy, gravy rich meals. This is fine. because we need more energy in shoveling snow and just dealing with frigid temps. However now that some areas are hitting sixty and  even seventy degrees , it's time to serve lower in calories foods. Luckily Spring ushers in asparagus season. One serving is only thirty calories. Asparagus is delicious when it's dressed with melted butter, sliced hard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese. However these amp up the calories and fat. What you can do is try a low calorie cheese and margarine. As for the eggs you can scoop out the yolks if you want and just chop up the egg whites.Artichokes are also big right now. It's tempting to stuff them with oil soaked bread crumbs and mozzarella however think lighter. Imagine dipping the leaves in a refreshing lime vinaigrette where fresh squeezed limes sub in for lemons. Add some oregano or  dried cilantro for some zing. This makes a nice appetizer for early season barbecues. Dandelion greens are also in season. These can easily be picked from your yard and turned into zippy salad. Remember to wash them very well because every creature in the neighborhood could have sniffed them or worse.

Spring is the time of foraging. One of the biggest woodland  harvests right now is fiddlehead ferns. These are a dieter's dream with only ten(!) calories a stalk. Many will balk, wondering what the flavor will taste like. Not to worry. Fiddleheads have a flavor that's that some compare to asparagus, broccoli or green beans. Try them sauteed in margarine and chopped garlic. They're the perfect foil to grilled chicken or salmon. Ramps are also growing right now and they're ready for the picking. They have an onoin-y taste and again, think of them as a great side to chicken or fish. The Spring season is the start , not just of the growing season but also the grilling season. It's tempting to throw a steak on the coals and just feat. Yet the average eight ounce steak has close to a whopping five hundred calories, more if you brush it with any kind of butter.Opt for salmon instead which is only about two hundred and thirty calories. Even better are scallops with only eleven (!) calories for each one. You could even afford to brush them with butter.Serve them with morels , a wild mushroom that can be foraged. These tasty forest nuggets are only ten calories a mushroom. It's an elegant dinner , full of substance , but light and airy.

Warmer weather means a change of diet. Think chicken and fish, along with the greens of the season. It makes for a wonderful, and healthier change of pace.

The Best Valentine's Day Gift Home Cooked

"If music be the food of love play on." Shakespeare wrote in his great play , Twelfth Night and it's true. Nothing is as satisfying as a sensuous meal followed by a sweet treat - meaning a decadent dessert. What better than a home cooked one, made with love for love. It's a simple gift  but with so much meaning.

If you're at a quandary about what to make your beloved tomorrow, then consult David Tanis'  A City Kitchen from this past Wednesday's New York Times Food section. He recommends starting out with a citrus salad, a tart refreshing start to any meal.It's mixing crunchy Belgian endive with zesty cara cara oranges and a blood orange.You could add grapefruit for a really tart punch but that's up to your beloved's taste. if the salad may seem too daunting tastewise, then stick with a simple tomato and mozzarella one but amp up the vinaigrette by adding champagne vinegar (this is not as exotic as it sounds, it can be bought at any super market and even Wal-Mart!).The main dish is one of Mr. Tanis's creation:seared sea scallops with ginger-lime butter. This is searing the scallops  with bok choy and sweet potatoes for a colorful and tasty dish.The ginger lime butter zinged with red pepper, is then drizzled over it.If your love isn't into seafood then think chicken . Feeding each other a whole roast chicken has a kind of Tom Jones, (the Henry Fielding book and 1963 Albert Finney movie)appeal but there is a more civilized dish in the form of chicken Alfredo over angel hair pasta It's blending chicken breasts with a creamy and buttery white sauce served over cappellini.

Of course the piece de resistance for any lovers' meal is dessert. Chocolate is the most desired but the question is in what form. Mr. Tanis gives us the ultra decadent chocolate bourbon balls. These are a marriage of every ones' favorites ; dark cocoa, bourbon and a choice of crushed pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts. I would go for the hazelnuts for a kicky nocciola flavor. The truffles are a ganache , made satiny with a mix of vanilla and bourbon and then chilled, A melon baller is used to make the bite sized treats and then after chilling they're rolled in the crushed nuts For a different spin add s tiny amount of chili pepper flakes and then roll in a mix of cocoa and cinnamon. Mint is another flavor that can be added into a truffle. A really sensuous end is chocolate fondue. It can be made with either milk or dark chocolate however the last is the better choice. It brings out the the fondue's morsels flavors and under notes. Strawberries are the obvious choice in nibbles. They're fun to feet to each other, but you can also try cherries if you can get them, or pineapples. Chunks of cake, whether be pound or angel food can be used but for real decadence  try brownies.

Treat your love to a homecooked meal, followed by a rich , yummy chocolate treat. It's the best gift out there that just trumpets your emotions. Get cooking  then if you want some loving.

Pumpkin Spice Deconstructed

This is pumpkin spice season for sure. Every food stuff , from  candy corn to lattes is now flavored with it. There are even pumpkin spice Oreos! Yet what exactly is pumpkin spice? Is one spice or an amalgam of a few? Another good question is how do we accept  it  after being oversaturated with it.

The spice is actually a blend of four spices, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Their combination is what gives that spicy, sometimes spiked taste. The dominant flavor notes are the cinnamon and ginger, while the allspice and nutmeg provide the more mellower ones. Everyone is so inundated by the combo, that they've sworn off the spice combo. Don't . On their own they are wonderful flavors that can be used in a variety of sweet and even savory dishes.Cinnamon is yummy  in  homemade rolls and coffee cakes. It adds a sweetness  to cereal and is perfect for dusting over cappuccinos. It can be used as a rub on any game fowl such as turkey and pheasant and is a perfect spice for bringing out lamb's flavor. We all know that ground ginger is the anchor flavor in gingerbread and snaps.It;s a strong , robust flavor that can  also be used in stuffing recipes for boost and color.Both spices have a lot of health benefits and you can also make restorative teas with both.

Allspice and nutmeg, "the quiet" spices are excellent on their own too. Their rich individual flavors are woodsy and intense. Allspice can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, Ground allspice  is always used in sweet potato recipes to give the dishes kick while the whole allspice fruits are used to flavor stews (whole ones are not meant to be eaten, they should be tossed after cooking). They can be used in making the traditional Jamaican jerk recipe too. Nutmeg is one of the loveliest fall spices. It   has a warm, sweet flavor, imagine a favorite fall sweater for your taste buds. It graces vanilla custards, adding color and flavor as well as  zinging up that autumn dessert Indian pudding.Nutmeg can also be used in savory dishes too.It's a must have for creamed spinach and vital in quiche Lorraine. Nutmeg is also the rare spice that can work well with seafood. Use it to sprinkle over scallops or in a creamy sauce to serve with them or shrimp,

Pumpkin spice should not be feared Deconstructed , It  yields four spices that are perfect additions to any sweet or savory meal. Try one,or try them all. They are the perfect spices for fall cooking.

A Toast Of Scallops

This is for you ,Eunice

A good friend of the family loved scallops. She ordered them at almost every restaurant we went to , and there were a lot of places we dined at . It was her signature dish. Scallops are a wonderful and varied dish that even novice home chefs can make. They can be dressed up for a holiday meal or served just with butter and a vegetable on the side. If you haven't discovered them , now is the time to do so.

The scallop itself is one of the more  complicated bivalves. However it is relatively simple dish to prepare.The  first step is selecting them. The most common kind of scallops is dry packed or diver caught. You can buy deep sea or bay scallops, the last is smaller and noticeably sweeter in taste. whatever kind you buy, look at the flesh. It should be a uniform pearly white, with firm slightly moist flesh, They shouldn't be completely dry or dripping with moisture. Avoid ones that look mangled or shredded. These have been manhandled and also indicate a lack of freshness.Never get frozen scallops. These are tasteless and way too chewy.Most home chefs buy about one and a half pounds for four people. If you're planning a party, divide the amount of guests by four and then times the 1.5 to get the exact amount for entertaining. Prepping them is a snap. Just rinse under cold water. Rip off the side muscle with your thumb and forefinger. It's no big deal if they can't come off. You can eat these little meat flaps  as well.

One of the best known scallop dishes is Coquilles Saint Jacques.This is a creamy custard like dish that features the seafood poached first  and is usually served in ramekins.It is an elegant dish to be served at candlelit . You can also pan sear them, which is popular in restaurants these days. Melt a little butter or olive oil in a frying pan. Sear on both sides just enough to give them a golden crust. To get an extra crispy crust  make sure they are completely dry (pat them several times with paper towels before cooking). Salt them at the very last moment. Grilling is the same method. Scallops can also be poached. Use a court bouillion which is a mix of a bouquet garni, or mix of herbs and a mirepoix of carrots, celery , onions and leeks..You can serve this with a side of rice or buttered pasta for a basic yet surprisingly classy dish.For a heartier dish , try them with corn in a thick chowder.It also has the tang of bacon too for a dash of smokiness.Serve them with pasta and peas and a sprinkling of bread crumbs.An Oriental spin would be scallops with orange and snow peas.

Our friend loved scallops so much, that they were a big part of her life. They are a treat to the palate, a true gift from the sea. discover them and how good they are.

Scallops- Elegant Seafood For Discriminating Foodies

A warm weather treat whether at a restaurant or barbecue are scallops. These tasty morsels add a touch of elegance to any meal. Lighter than crab ,more substantial than lobsters these fish are perfect for grilling or baking,. They’re also versatile with different preparations too.


Scallops are found throughout the world, and have been around for centuries, Scallop shells are often the most prettiest, in fact Botticelli’s famous Venus painting has the goddess rising out of a scallop shell. I t is also used to symbolize St. James and pilgrimages to San Diego de Campostello The shell is also the symbol of fertility as well. Scallops are composed of two parts. There is the adductor muscle which is white and meaty and the roe or the eggs which are coral colored. Most of the time the first is eaten. It is a favorite the world over, being mostly fried or cooked in a dry white wine. The French also bake it into custards or quiches while the Japanese use it as part of their sushi.

Scallops were originally served in a hot creamy sauce and even lend their name to it (hence scalloped potatoes). Most people like then pan seared, as our current President does, or grilled. Grilled scallops are easy to make requiring nothing more than a grill basket or skewers. You can marinate scallops in melted butter and parsley or with lemon juice. Grilling only takes four minutes. Another way is sautéing them with white wine or again with butter and garlic. Serve with an easy to make pilaf for a quick , elegant meal.

Scallops are a wonderful addition to any summer diet. They’re delicious served a variety of ways and quick to make. These morsels from the sea are perfect for the hot lazy days ahead.