Hearty Quick Meals For Dinner

 Everything is more or less back to normal. There are no more vacation days where everyone is home. Yet it's still cold. Everyone needs a hot dinner to come home to. This is where hearty and quick come in.

A hot dinner is a comforting relief when everyone comes home from a full day of school and work. Yet there's always not enough time to create a full  meal. This is where frozen food and shortcuts come in handy. Take advance of your frozen food section. Frozen lasagna comes in handy and it can be heated up quickly in the microwave. There are two types. the red with meat and the white ,usually with veggies. Lidl has both and both are great for an enjoyable hot supper. Stouffer's is the classic that everyone grew up on and it doesn't;t disappoint. ut;s still meaty and saucy. For a more authentic taste then buy Rao's which comes format eh restaurant of the same name. Have hot rolls and butter along with a simple tomato and lettuce salad as sides. Chili is another hearty and quick meal that just requires a few opened cans and a crockpot. This also can be made with it's to red, depending on taste. The white is usually made with turkey or chicken while the red is almost always made with beef pork or even plant based meat. Add a few beans such as kidney and red for a tasty spoonful. Tomato sauce is always needed for the red. You can add a can of fire roasted tomatoes too.

An easy hot stew can be rustled up in a few minutes thanks to a crockpot. Pick your meat. Toss in a few veggies along with broth and spicings and  in a few hours you have a great ,hot meal with leftovers that can be heated up for the next day. A beef one is especially rib sticking.Use  a good cut such as sirloin or brisket cut into cubes. Sliced Yukon potatoes are a great addition because they thicken the sauce. Carrots and peas add not only color but nutrition and flavor too.As for flavoring a dash of garlic powder does a lot but you can also add a chopped white onion, first sauteed in butter and oil. Again a simple salad is a great side and have warmed up slices of sourdough bread for dipping into your bowls. Chicken stew is an easy make .It's the same as the beef except you add some chicken stock.If you want a thicker stew then make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Add some homemade dumplings which is a simple mix of flour, baking powder, milk and butter.The dough is added to the top of the stew where it' bakes over the bubbling stew.The dumplings  are ready when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. This stew doesn't;t need bread or rolls but consider a salad on the side.

Hearty and quick are the requirements for January dinners. They provide nutrition and flavor while keeping stomachs filled and bodies warmed. They are perfect for these chilly nights ahead.

That In Between Season

 March can either be very cold and wintry one day and balmy and ready for Spring the next. As with what to wear , what to cook? It could be anything from a hot soup to a refreshing salad. Keep your pantry stocked for anything.

If you're still having cold weather , then think about creating homemade soups. These are alwasy good for a comforting dinner and makes for a great lunch the next day. Think of adding fresh vegetzables for a Spring'y verdant flavor. Try a creamy roasted carrot soup that not only has the roasted  roots but also coriander and cumin for flavor along wit garlic and onions.A  favorite of mine is homemade celery soup. Celery has such a bright summery flavor that you'll forget there's sleet outside. You could puree it for a creamier texture or leave it in  diced pieces. Of course stews and chilis follow this idea as well. Instead of heavier ones think to  a lighter one., One filled with mushrooms,lemtils and tomatoes makes for a hearty meal. Keep in mind that cold weather also means hearty casserole. A chicken one is a tasty treat on a day full fo snow and gusts. You cna add cheddar shreds for more flavor and top with breadcrumbs for crunch.If it's Friday then think a classic tuna casserole or even better a tuna melt for a warming Lenten meal.

This month  means you many have higher than average temps. Should you clean off trhe grill? If you want  but just remember that the next week could bring a ton fo snow. Use it, clean it and then cover it until the weather is more stable. If you can't find charcoal use twigs. These sould be dry enough to ignite and about six unches in height. Fom there you can easily grill up hamburgers and hot dogs along with steaks for a long awaited taste.You can carry on  with the summery vibe by serving slaws and macaroni salad too. March's warmer days can also mean lighter Sunday meals too. Think a roast chicken or capon with asparagus which is starting to be in season.  Fish , like salmon and tilapia are perfect early Spring dinners. These too can be grilled outdoors and served with a squeeze of lemon and light seasonings.A nice side  with grilled fish is is a Spring green salad, a welcome departure from those heavier ones, Create a lemon juice based vinaigrette, spiked with parsley and oregano. Another idea is quich.it's a quick mix of eggs, creama dn veggies, baked in a pre-made shell. It's filling but doesn't weight you down.

March is a tricky month.There could be snow one day, a summery one the next. Be prepared with tasty dishes for both hot and cold days.

Dishes For Fall Part One

 Autumn will be here in a week. The temperatures should be dropping and we should go from easy cooking to more complex recipes. Luckily the New York Times Food section online has some good ideas to kickstart the season. They'll be even great to make and bake well into the holidays.

The offerings are varied. There are main dishes and desserts, each interesting and flavorful. Tejal Rao gives us a really intriguing one - warm tofu and fresh soy beans cooked in salted French butter with a celery seed gastrique. This last is a savory caramel (!) sauce that's punched up with apple cider and chili flakes. This may be labor intensive because the soft tofu is made from homemade soy milk. A less intensive dish is Eric Kim's Ritzy cheddar chicken breasts.. This is mixing crumbled Ritz crackers with sharp cheddar shreds and garlic and onion powders coating sour cream marinated chicken breasts. This seems like a fun dish with homemade fries on a Friday or Saturday night. There's also a buttermilk brined chicken from chef Samin Nosrat that has  just three ingredients, the chicken, buttermilk and salt. It's the perfect Sunday dinner  complete with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies.It's not listed but yesterday's Food section featured an easy but filling pasta recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. This is a simple but filling blend of any kind of pasta mixed with white beans and pesto. Add anchovies for kick or pancetta for mellowness. You could also sub in kale or spinach for the basil.

Another simple but filling dish is a Dijon and cognac beef stew by Regina Schrambling.It was first published in The Times after 9/11. It was comforting then and is comforting now when being with family is important. Beef chuck is mixed with salt pork along with carrots and mushrooms. Two kinds of mustard are added, Dijon and Pommery mustard. The half cup of Cognac pulls everything together. Another comfort food is the pressure cooker chicken with dumplings. Melissa Clark created this yummy mix of drumsticks and thighs - dark meat and dumplings made from a mix of all purpose flour and cornmeal. Chives give them zing. They're cooked in the broth the chicken is cooking in. You can add peas for color and more flavor. Another comforting dish is a savory mushroom bread pudding. This is Susan Spungen's take that has buttery brioche torn and cooked up with porcini mushrooms along with such fresh ones as cremini or shiitake. There are also leeks added for more flavor and six eggs give it a custardy feel. This is a great holiday side but also the perfect vegetarian dish too.

Fall is fast approaching. It's time to delve into more complex recipes for heartier fare.Use these recipes to jump into autumn cooking.

The Perfect Stew

 January is a notoriously cold month. What better than to chase that chill than with a good, well made stew. There's something about the blend of veggies and meat with a good gravy. It's the perfect meal for these bone numbing days.

What makes a good stew? It starts with the meat if you're making a meaty one. Get cuts that are very tender and flavorful.If you can't, use a meat mallet to tenderize the beef. The end result is a tender forkful of melt in your mouth goodness. Chuck meat makes the best stew meat which comes from the cow's shoulder. You could use rump meat too even though it's not as tender. It is flavorful though which is a plus for any stew. Some home chefs prefer a good chicken stew during these frosty days. Use only thighs and breasts because they're the most meatiest. Fish stew is a bit different. Several different kinds of fish make for the most flavorful blend. Think a firm white fish like cod or halibut. if you can;t get these, then use tilapia or  red snapper. Steer clear of delicate fish such as sole and oily fish like tuna. You can also throw in some shrimp, clams and scallops for a brinier flavor.  All good stews need vegetables to round out the mix. Try different amounts of onion, chopped celery, carrots and waxy or boiling potatoes. Peas can be added for color and more nutrition. Herbs and spices can also bring out the flavors of veggies and meat. Oregano and bay leave are the most popular but you can also use parsley , basil and rosemary. It's up to you.

There are two ways to cook stew - with a reduction of  gravy  - sort of like au jus or thick like turkey or roast beef gravy, You can add red wine such as with the fancy beef bourguignon. A thin sauce starts with water and beef broth. A thicker one begins with a slurry made from a teaspoon of flour with a little cold water. How to cook the stew is another matter. The old fashioned way is on the stove top for about one and a half hours for beef and only half an hour for chicken. Fish stew is the quickest for only ten to twelve minutes and three to five for a really quick dish. Beef and chicken stews lend themselves to crockpots and Instapots and you can easily cook them in them as you can with another traditional stew  - lamb. What to serve with stew? A  simple green salad with a few grape tomatoes thrown is your best bet. It's a nice side and doesn't take away from the stew.A must is either a crusty bread like a baguette or sourdough. These are perfect for sopping up the gravies. Another idea is making dumplings to cook on top of the stew. These are a mix of flour baking, powder , sugar and butter or margarine. You can add herbs for a more flavorful one. They're cooked on top of the veggies, meat and gravy, producing a tender and fluffy bite.

This is the coldest time of the year. Warm it up with a good hearty stew. Enjoy the savory blend of meat , veggies and hebs.It will warm your heart as well as your stomach.

Your Best Beef Stew Ever

Beef stew is one of those recipes every home chef should know.Yet, how to make the perfect one is somewhat of a conundrum. Should wine be added? Or tomato sauce? Slow cooker or oven? Luckily there is a recipe that can lead to stew nirvana. One taste and it will be your go to recipe.

Of course it was the famed Julia Moskin who tackled this in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Ms. Moskin has made her fair share of the dish as well as its' French and Italian cousins. bouef bourguignon, daube and peposo. Am American beef stew doesn't have the sophistication of red wine. Onions and water first flavored our earliest versions, later it was beef broth and tomato sauce. These are good  and do give the meat and vegetables a certain flavor. however they don;t add any oomph.If you are making yours with a Pinot Noir or a Cote du Rhone, remember that it has to be cooked slowly.  The alcohol, acidity and fruitiness have to be tamed so they leave a tangy, syrupy taste that pairs well with the red meat. Remember too , red meat needs slow cooking too. It helps breaking down the collagen and, muscle fibrils. You could make stew in a slow cooker. The meat does have to be well browned before putting in in.A crockpot stew is a wonderful meal to come home to but the beef doesn't have  that caramelized , textured  quality an oven cooked stew would have. Ms. Moskin prefers an oven over a stove top any day. Bake it at 300 degrees Farenheit or even lower at 275 degrees. The meat softens while the liquids and aromatics blend into a rich complex sauce.

Funny enough Ms. Moskin doesn't write about what kind of meat to use in her article. It is mentioned in the recipe , though. Home chefs should use well marbled beef stew meat, namely chuck. No other cut will work. She also adds juniper berries is part of the traditional French recipe. Where to get them? Not surprisingly Target and Wal-mart sell the dried variety. You'll only need a dozen along with two bay leaves.As for the wine, a red non -sweet one (Ina Garten's bouef bourguignon calls for  Pinot Noir or a Cote du Rhone.),preferably from the Burgundy province but Chianti can also be used.Let the meat marinate in the wine , juniper berries and bay leaves for at least two hours  and less than a day. The vegetables used are also the ones used in the traditional recipe.It's a blend of carrots, onions and a large starchy potato, preferably an Idaho. More wine is also added, usually half a bottle along with three tablespoons of tomato paste and chicken broth.Many home chefs may be put off at the idea of adding bouquet garni but this is a simple mix of thyme, rosemary, more juniper berries and whole cloves. Orange peel is also in the mix to give the dish a fresh brightness. These are wrapped in a cheesecloth and dropped in. You can also toss in cubed panecetta or ventreche, a kind of French bacon.

This is the best stew recipe out there. It's also a relatively easy one that any home chef can make.Try it and enjoy the delicious meld of flavors form aromatics, to meat to a good Burgundy.

The Vegan Stew Dilemma

One of the highlights of any stew is the chunks of meat bobbing in it. They give it flavor and chewiness, along with much needed oomph. What happens when its' eliminated from the equation? There in lies the problem.

That is my dilemma, I 'm a meat eater in a vegan household.There was a recipe in Wednesday's New York Times Food section by regular Melissa Clark, It was a beef and onion stew , fortified with beer. It 's based on the Flemish carbonnade. It sounds wonderful and I can imagine the marriage of earthy beef with sweet onion,.Unfortunately the neat has to be erased from the picture. Do I make it anyway with just more onions? That would be eight onions!! It would turn into a side dish at that point  do I sub in firm tofu at that point?Or add faux beef crumbles to it. That works with Bolognese sauce and chili a stew itself,.The last is the kind that lets all the ingredients shine.A spoonful of it  and you have equal flavors of the protein, tomatoes and chiles. Yet one that solely or partially relies on the meat for taste is at a loss when the lesser stars such as carrots and potatoes have to carry the dish. Probably the best bet is getting the vegan beef chunks from Vegetarian Plus which is sold at Whole Foods. Theylook like lumpy meat balls. Hopefully the taste will compensate for that along with their ability to blend in.

Another idea is to look at vegan stew recipes that focus on the vegetables.Potatoes are pretty hearty and they could be considered the "meat" if there is none. One recipe that I could try is vegan Hungarian paprika stew.It's an intriguing blend of two kinds of paprika, sweet and smoked along with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes. A blob of yogurt tops it off , giving the fiery dish a refreshing dash of cool.Another potato based stew has leeks along with carrots,bell peppers and nutritional yeast.Cauliflower, cannellini beans  and kale can also be added to give it more body.Flax and chia seeds can also be added for more nutritional value. Chickpeas, the bean of the moment ,can also be the star of vegetarian stews. What I love about them is that they're so meaty and versatile. In a way they're like meat, flavoring the stew and acting as the backbone. Go exotic with a Lebanese style one, rich with za'atar and cumin. Tomato paste also are added for color and zing.It also has garlic but theis can be omitted if you want.

Yes, it would be nice to have an old fashioned beef or chicken stew.sadly, that;s a no go in my house. Luckily veggies and beans are great stand ins. They can give a rich, tasty stew, perfect on a cold day,

Food For A Queen

What did medieval people eat? You could read scores of  articles , especially on online and discover a whole trove of info. Or you could just go to your local Medieval Times, and participate in a ground breaking show.

Kim Severson did just that in her article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. This is an interesting place, part Disney, part dinner theater - all fun. The company, started in 1973 by Jose Mortener on the island of Mallorca.His estate was the first setting for the jousting and dining and then moved to where the musical festival was held, Benidorm in 1977. American investors got involved and the first American Medieval Times was opened in Orlando ,Florida in 1983. One opened near me in Lyndhurst, New Jersey in 1990. Yes, I went with family. I remember taking pictures with the king and queenalong with eating the food with the gusto of Henry VIII.  We feasted on roasted chicken and baked potatoes  tearing  all of it with our hands. The meal was followed by some kind of apple tart and cups of tea and coffee.. It was an expensive night out then, with a thirty dollar price tag followed by ten dollars a person for pics with the faux royals. Now it's a whopping sixty dollars with about the same amount of food and drink. The only addition is the  falconry  show, that happens between the jousts.

Medieval Times has made the news recently because their show now feature a queen as opposed to a king.Ms. Severson interviewed the one from Dallas, Monet Lerner. She shares the title with two other actresses, and all feel that's empowering  to little girls. However some may have a different view. It seems Medieval Times' meals are also stars, impressing visitors. The stubby ears of corn that go with the chicken have drawn raves from diners.Stacey Freeman of the Dallas domain raves about them. They are steamed with soy butter (!), sugar, paprika and a little cayenne pepper.This is more ground breaking than spotlighting the female performers. The kitchen uses soy instead of butter or margarine which is a huge breakthrough. What is also impressive is that they also offer vegan meals.of a three bean strew with fire  roasted tomatoes and brown rice. There's also hummus and warm pita bread along with carrot and celery sticks. Dessert is fresh fruit or Italian ices, unlike the regular meal that ends with a pastry (possibly an apple turnover like in the old days) The regular meal has a tomato bisque which is kind of like Campbell's/ They still sell soda as well as tankards of wine and beer.

Medieval Times may have made the news because the queens of their castles are now the stars. What is more gronbreaking is that they're pdating their meals to suit everyone's tastes/They're not stuck in the good old days anymore.

Pumpkin Season With The Pumpkin Queen

Imagine if your whole life revolved around pumpkins.Imagine growing different types from all over the world and turning them into all sorts of dishes. This is the life of Sarah Frey, the pumpkin queen who is steadily changing the way we think about pumpkins. They're not just for Halloween anymore but for fall dining.

Kim Severson interviewed this interesting pumpkin mogul for today's New York Times Food section. The squash has been good to her as she plants such diverse varieties as the rough skinned peanut and slate green Jarrahdales from Australia as well as the blue green Marina di Chioggas from Italy. Her jacks, industry shorthand for Jack'o lantern, the tradtional bright orange ones are sold at Lowe's and Walmart. Now she's after other big box stores such as Target and Trader Joe's to sell her line Pumpkins of the World for home chefs. She researched and also knew from her experience that only the most dedicated cook would crack open a twelve pounder so she looked into growing smaller ones that would good on the front porch while being tasty and versatile in the kitchen,There's only one problem. Americans can't seem to get beyond pumpkin pies and pumpkin breads. All over the world the gourd is used in a variety of dishes.It shows up in Indian curries. Mexicans make a mole out of it.It graces stews across Africa.It can go beyond pies as any Piedmontese chef will tell you. We've been turning it into a creamy milk and butter laced soup for generations.

Another problem is that some fresh pumpkins don't translate well into pie. The flesh comes out stringy and cloying, perhaps a bit too "squashy" tasting for some. Home chefs should stick with the heirloom variety. These are deep bright orange in color and resemble the quintessential Halloween decoration.Mostly it's best for savory dishes,something Ms. Frey is trying to impress on American home chefs.Professional chefs have also urged this too. Chef Dorie Greenspan, author of  "Around My French Table" has given an interesting spin on stuffed pumpkin. Hers is Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good and features a baked whole pumpkin filled with bread, cheese and bacon.It became popular with food bloggers and also on food shows but then went nowhere. Since then there hasn't been a breakout recipe featuring the many varieties from the Japanese kabocha to the Italian ans Australian ones Yet pumpkin is wonderful in ravioli with a sage butter sauce and it can even be turned into gnocchi.Ms Severson includes Ms. Frey's stuffed pumpkin recipe.It's a mix of scallions and Gruyere cheese heated with red pepper flakes Kale and scallions are added for color and flavor.The article's second recipe is chicken and dumplings with pumpkin from the cookbook, My Two Souths by Asha Gomez.It's a marriage of chicken with not only raw pumpkin but with celery and ginger too, Dumplings are added at the last for more body.


Ms. Frey is turning America into her pumpkin kingdom. It's time we get past those pies and breads and discover just how tasty the gourd is. One day we'll realize what Ms. Frey already knows, that they're versatile and easy to cook with.

Snow Day Cooking Fun

It's another blizzard in another January. Luckily a snow day in means a lot of cooking and a lot of time for fun treats. Frolicking in the white stuff is fun  but there's also a good time to be had in the kitchen.

Start by making a fun breakfast. Omelet cups are super easy and super fun to  make. Take a greased muffin tin Start with a layer of two to three pressed Tater Tots and bake for five minutes at 375 F. The second layer is beaten eggs with a variety of different additions, from chopped ham to broccoli florets/ Top with a hearty sprinkling of cheddar cheese and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes  again at the same temp. Breakfast sandwiches are another fun way to start the day. Vary it with either soft boiled or scrambled eggs along with sausage sliced lengthwise or bacon. Finish with a slice of cheddar. Pancakes are always in demand too. Make it fun by adding chocolate chips and bananas or layering them with peanut butter and Nutella. Consider yourself lucky if you have a waffle maker. Nothing is better than fresh ones with butter and syrup. If it's just grown ups at breakfast add a slug of bourbon to the syrup to make it fun and frisky. This can also be swirled into a bowl of hot oatmeal or farina to jazz it up a bit, French toast is another tasty treat. Give it some oomph by stuffing it. This s just making a sandwich using sweetened cream cheese as the filling. The whole sandwich is then dipped in an egg and milk wash and baked  for ten to fifteen minutes in a  350 degree F oven. Serve with maple syrup or a homemade fruit coulis.This syrup is made by just heating  up jam and a few teaspoons of water in a sauce pan to create a smooth sauce.


A day inside means cooking and baking too. Lunch or dinner can be a homemade pizza. (which is always better than the frozen kind) Pizza dough is easy to make, being an easy blend of flour, yeast and water.Top with pizza sauce and mozzarella for a traditional one. Add anything from bacon bits to sliced onion for a more exciting pie.Use this blizzard to stay indoors and play with all those gadgets you received  for Christmas. Try out that pasta machine by making spaghetti or better yet, ravioli. The new crockpot can be used to make a pot of  chili or stew with dumplings. Bored kids will love making and decorating homemade cookies.. A simple sugar recipe is the easiest and the most versatile.  They can even make sandwich ones too , stuffed with buttercream. By now moms across the area should have the ingredients to  make a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie. Nothing beats a  full plate  of them with milk after a romp in those flakes. Cake pops are another fun treat to try at home. Kids will love decorating them  as much as they'll love eating  them. Make sure there is plenty of  white, milk and dark chocolate chips to melt into  coatings along with different colored sugars, candy confetti along with silver dragees, shredded coconut and chopped nuts for decorating. You can also do this with cupcakes too. End the day with homemade cheese or kettle corn, again easy to make as it is to eat.

Don't worry about the cabin fever that accompanies a blizzard. Iit's a day to have fun in the kitchen. Be creative , whether it's making a meal or treat!

Stews With Veggie Boost

Chilly days call for stews. Yet many would forgo this perfect dish despite the fact that it is both warming and nutritious.Why? Because it's usually weighed down by over cooked ,well stewed meat .There is a solution.Let the veggies used shine.It creates a better and healthier version. Mark Bittman of The New York Times Dining section wrote about this in his Flexitarian column yesterday. Although not quite a vegetarian dish , the amount of meat used is greatly reduced. It makes for a better dinner with a fresher , less fattier flavor.Another plus is that semi meatless stews are also less expensive to make.You can also match the amount of meat with beans which are another good source of protein.Also to make up for the flavor think about adding more herbs and spices too.They'll add zing to another usually bland or sometimes tasteless stew.If you still want either a chicken or beefy flavor, then create the base with bouillon cubes and water. Mr. Bittman offers up three good and completely different recipes. There's a gingery chicken stew where the star is - is, what else, Ginger.He uses one chicken thigh per person, really enough for a dinner along with radishes, and golden winter squash for color.There is also lime and soy added,creating enough of a flavor burst that eclipses the lack of any more chicken.Ribollita is another vegetable heavy melange.Traditional ones require prosciutto and you can add it if you want, however try it with cannelloni beans along with kale for both vitamins and proteins.Mr.Bittman throws in a fish stew , but it's not a seafood heavy bouillabaisse.His requires only equal amounts of squid and shrimp with a few anchovy filets thrown in for brine.Yet these aren't the stars though.It's the chickpeas ,spinach and tomato that are the heavy hitters.Olives are also added for more body and flavor. Make a meat light stew for a new take on an old classic.It's a great way of livening up a usually blaNd dish.Let the veggies shine here , and so will the meal.

Stews For A Winter's Day

Chilly days call for hot stews.There's nothing like them to warm the body and the soul.They're also great to male and freeze for a later date too. they're also one of the easiest dishes to make too. Dave Tanis gives his own spin on this great cold weather dish in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Dining section.He uses winter vegetables, French cooking methods and Indian spices to create a warm, toasty and flavorful dish.He mixes squash and parsnips along with cauliflower and chickpeas with curry and turmeric for bounce and flavor.With these he layers the veggies in true Gallic fashion with the onions first as the base followed by potatoes, then after these are semi cooked, carrots and peas are the final level.It's a great way of melding and blending all the flavors. You don't have to make your stew that fiery.A French style stew is always welcomed.While Mr. Tanis omitted any kind of meat you can add beef, chicken or lamb.The classic , though is beef in a red sauce.A good red wine, onions and carrots also add taste and texture. Italian bacon , panecetta is used to give it more flavor and body (if you want, you can omit this)Garlic is also employed as is cremini mushrooms.A classic stew dish is a lamb oneBritish chef, Gordon Ramsay,t's it with muffins(but you can use dumplings) All you need is a good leg of lamb ,red wine onions and thyme.If you want ,you can add whatever veggies you want to it but add it towards the end of the cooking time, for a firmer texture and richer flavor. Stew is the perfect dinner for a cold winter's night.Make it spicy with an Indian twist or traditional with red wine and onions. Either way a plate of it is a great chill chaser.

A Big Bowl Of Hot

This is the weather for something hot and satisfying.Nothing beats a big bowl of anything steamy and tasty.It'll not only thaw you out but provides comfort for the soul.Best of all it's easy to create them,a boon after some heavy duty shoveling and sledding. You can start a cold winter's day off with a smoking bowl of hot cereal.Oatmeal is not only delicious but high in fiber.Add some cinnamon or maple syrup for flavor.Farina is another great start on a frigid January morning.You can have it with milk or even cream .The best bet for both is adding dried blueberries or cranberries for extra flavor and nutrition.For lunch think about a hearty soup. Minestrone is one of the easiest and creative to make.You could start with a rich beef broth and add tomatoes , onions and celery.For true heartiness ,think about adding beef or hamburger along with elbow macaroni.You can also sub in a variety of beans for the meat.Chowders are another sustainable choice.You can use canned corn to make a rich corn chowder.Like minestrone ,it's pretty easy to make up.With any homemade soup it pays to make big batches so you can freeze it and cook them when another storm comes. Luckily a snow day off means time in the kitchen.You can create some big bowls of chili and stews.Chili is one of the easiest dinners and even lunches to make.Just mix up beans tomato sauce along with onion and garlic to create some to definitely take the chill away.Chili powder is a must but you can make it as mild or as hot as you'd like.Crackers are a nice side but it definitely tastes better over polenta or rice.If you want something milder but still as good then think about making goulash.This is a classic Hungarian dish that has a mélange of beef chuck ,onions and tomato paste.Paprika is liberally sprinkled in to give it a sweet heat.It's usually served over egg noddles but some American goulash recipes have it over macaroni.For sheer simplicity try stew. It's an easy blend of carrots, and onions with either beef ,chicken or lamb.If you're feeling ambitious you can also make simple flour dumplings to absorb the gravy. A big bowl of hot is one of your best defenses during this bone chilling time.Start or end your day with one to feel toasty. It's better than any blanket or scarf!

Pheasant Uprising

Today is National Pheasant Day.If you're scratching your head  and wondering what a pheasant is it'ss a pretty tasty bird and a nice alternative to your average poultry .It's also a healthy meat that can be prepared a number of ways.  It's impressive to serve to both family and friends.

A pheasant is a typically native Asian bird but there are different versions throughout the world save for Africa., Namely thirty species exist, one , the ring necked ones being the state bird of South Dakota,It's a small bid sort of resembling a Cornish hen when cooked. Most pheasant meat is usually freshly shot and the cook gets to not only pluck it  but also pick out the gun shot that killed it. There is a website called Pheasant For Dinner which tells you where to buy it. Any Whole Foods Market sells it but you can also buy it on line at Pheasant For Dinner too.Pheasant tastes like a gamy chicken and a bit dryer .Cook it slowly,with butter or olive oil for moisture.


What can you do with phesant. Again the simplest is roasting or baking it like a chicken subtly salted and peppered.You could also make it curried or braised, with a stuffing alongside it.Of course the most famous pheasant dish is phesant under glass. This is a boozy, creamy mix of pheasant breast, a variety of mushrooms along with brandy and white wine. It is plated with a glass cover which is lifted in front of the diner so he or she in enveloped in the aroma. You can also make it in a pot pie such as with chicken or turkey along with salads,Pheasant can also be turned into a soup as well.There is even a pheasant stew too.

If you want to serve something different but not too exotic then try pheasant. You can have it the classic style, roasted with stuffing or the elegant way under glass.Either way it a new way to introduce yourself and your cooking skills to game,

Your Food Your Heritage

There's a sure way of connecting anyone to his or her heritage and culture: food. The dishes our grandparents , great grandparents and ancestors brought with them from other countries are visual reminders that our past is always with us. They are not only our comfort foods but part of us.

This was a subject of an article in today's new York Times Dining section, The piece written by newcomer,Rachel L. Swarns tells about how certain families, including hers , preserve their heritage with handed down recipes. She is from the Bahamas, a  country rich in natural food resources.. Like Marcel Proust and his Madeleine's , its' the taste that reminds her of that balmy paradise . It's the tang of limes or the sweetness's of coconuts candy , homemade  and fresh. To be honest we all have good memories of family recipes. There's also a certain thrill in making them, knowing this is a direct link and even some insight into our family's world.

Ms. Swarns reached out to several children and grandchildren of immigrants. There were a variety of nationalities and sometimes she was lucky to speak with three generations. Some people made their family recipes with an American twist, updating it for their children. This was the case of Nena Vukanic, the daughter of Serbian immigrants. Her children like some of the family recipes like the bean soup. They nixed the stuffed cabbage. Others families interviewed were three generations of Korean family. The six year old daughter , Minah, who is half American too, loved all the dishes her mom Jo Hee Sisco and her grandmother Sook Lee made.Sometimes the family dishes often wound up along side of American classics on the dinner plate.

Who we are means everything to us. That includes our culinary heritage. Our ancestors not only gave us interesting sets of DNA and RNA but also interesting recipes too.

Get Stewed

November’s chilly days call for a nice stew. It’s the perfect and the easiest meal to make for these cold days. You can add as much or a s little as you want. It can be chicken, beef, fish lamb or even vegetarian. Stew is a perfect dish to customize and make your own.

Stew has been around for millenniums. It was first mentioned in ancient Rome‘s by Apicius and or Taillevent wrote about ragouts in his Le Viander cookbook. The English a nd Irish have been making hearty lamb and mutton stews for centuries. These recipes were brought to America where colonists enjoyed Brunswick stew. This was a robust mix of squirrel, rabbit ,pork and beef along with corn, tomatoes and onions. Today the squirrel is omitted but okra and peas are added in for extra flavor.

Today’s stews are just as interesting to whip up. What’s even better is that you can make it in the morning and pop in into a slow cooker for your evening meal . By the time you come home from work, voila - a nice hot dinner! You can vary your stews with red wine for a more French taste or paprika for a Hungarian goulash vibe. Also you can top with a quick Bisquick crust or make dumplings to add to the stew’s richness. If you feel your stew is too ‘thin” then add some barley to thicken it.. Another good thing is that stew is reheatable and makes for good leftovers as well.

This is the perfect season to create a hearty stew. You can use tried and true recipes such as Brunswick or your own creation to come up with a rich and flavorful dinner. Either way a hearty , hot stew is the best way to chase away November’s chills and frosts.