Oscar Nibbles

 Tomorrow is Oscar night and that means parties. You can still have treats if it's just you and your TV set.Whether it's for a big party or a cozy sit on the couch ,bring on the bites.

Pizza in any form is always a fun nibble during this classic awards show. Make one with a different twist.Use Middle Eastern lavash bread  for a truly crispy crust. Two flat breads can fit n one large cookie pan.You can have one loaded with meat while the other can be pure veggie. If it's just yourself or another person, then think that kid classic English muffin pizzas. Again you can have fun with the toppings and put evertyhing on from anchovies to olives You can do the same with everything bagels too. For even crispier crusts and even quicker cooking use an air fryer. Both types can be baked in under a few minutes. You could also buy a bag of Totino's pizza rolls and air fry them for  a tasty hors d'ouevres.  Of course popcorn is de rigeur for this ultimate movie night. Your best bet is popping kernels in a Colonel Popper for a healthier pop. These can be popped in olive oil and then flavored with Kernel Season;s popcorn seasonings. This  brand is neat with all these different flavors. Try the movie corn one which os a blend of butter and salt along with their ranch.They also have caramel along with chocolate and sugar cookie for a sweet bite.

If you're having a party or just have a appetite, then think appetizers.PF Chang's has some interesting ones like their vegan egg rolls which come with a sweet duck suace and their Kung Pao cauliflower. These are perfect bites to watch as favorite movies and actors wins. If you want something a bit more sophisticated then then think spinach cups.These are puff pastry cups filled with a spinach -cream cheese and feta cheese mix, spiked up with sauteed onions, lemon zest and dill. Egg binds the filling together and gives it a custardy feel. These only take twenty -five minutes to bake up in muffin tins and the filling can be made well in advance.Serve these along air fryer crab cakes for a lovely sophisticated bite. Crabcakes are an easy make , using lump crab meat, egg for binding galric powder and chives Panko crumbs give them body and a golden hue when fried in an air fryer. Wash these down with a good champagne to celebrate. If you want something heartier, then think small French dip sandwiches with individual ramekins of gravy for guests. If it's just for you then, soak the sandwich  in a big bowl and enjoy.

Oscar night means Oscar nibbles. These can be  homey English muffin pizzas or sophisticated crab cakes.Make it a fun food night no matter what you serve.

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Breaking The Fast

 Yom Kippur is one of the holiest and somber of the Jewish holidays. It's broken with a fast. This could be meager or filling depending on how you want to go.

There are actually two meals associated with the holy day. One is the pre-fast meal known as seudah ha-mafesket - literall meal of separation or concluding meal. This is usually rice or kreplach or stuffed dumplings along with challah dipped in honey(this occurs ten day after Rosh Hashanah where Jews have to eat something sweet for a sweet New Year), chicken or fish. meals have to be made with a minimum of salt as this could cause dehydration while fasting.Plenty of water must be taken as well. The break-fast meal consists of hi-carb dairy meals , including some brunch recipes. Sweet kugel or noodle pudding is made as well as egg rich quiches and souffles. Some go the meager route with just bagels. Some go the lusher route by breaking the fast with homemade soup and brisket. The meal could end with a home baked cake. What is eaten depends on if the family has Sephardic or Mediterranean or Ashkenazi or Eastern European roots. The  Sephardim usually have a light bread or snack followed by a heavier meat meal.

Sephardic Jews have always been influenced by the places where they've lived. Many make baklava, usually associated with the Greeks and Turkish for their fast break. Turkish Jews break the fast with a teapsoon of quince jam and followed with a sip of water. They greet guests with pepitada or subiya, a milky drink made from the seeds of Persian, cantaloupe or honeydew melons. The seeds are dried toasted cracked open and then submerged in cold water for twenty-four hours..It's then chilled and served with a drop of sugar or rosewater. They also incorporate the famed Greek lemon and egg chicken soup, avgolemono. Ashkenazi Jews usually break the fast with more brunch dishes. There are quiches filled with much needed protein and can be filled with broccoli and mushrooms. There's also Brie with infused honey and crusty bread. It's a nice blend of sweet and savory. of course lox and bagels are the old stand by.Add a schmear of cream cheese if it's allowed by  dietary law. Bagles are  a great way of introducing food into the system.

Yom Kippur is the most holiest of all the Jewish holidays. The fast should be taken just as seriously. Fill up on good , nutritious foods that help  with introducing foods.

A Need For Comfort

It's a crazy world out there between what's happening in the world and in the weather.It's time for comfort foods and foods that we can de-stress with , whether it's for a meal or a snack. It can be decadent or something relaxing.

Of course one of the best things to have is a cup of herbal tea.Not surprisingly it can help protect the body from stress as well as flood it with antioxidants to also reduce inflammation caused from stress. Chamomile and peppermint are the most recommended and every brand has a version, usually blended with green tea for more flavor. Other herbal blends are made from flowers such as lavender and rose. Lavender is the best for promoting a good night's sleep. Have a hot soothing cup in the evening. What foods can create the same calming effect? Turkey which contains tryptophan which makes you sleepy.It's also right up there with comfort foods ,especially when you have it with your favorite stuffing and homemade gravy. Pair it with green leafy vegetables that also help with calming. These are kale, collard greens, broccoli rabe and mustard greens. They're rich in folates which help the body manufacture neurotransmitters like seratonin and dopamine to regulate moods. Kale is good , both , cooked, crisped or raw. Try it like a spinach salad with bacon and sliced hard boiled eggs.Swiss chard is delicious with a mix of egg and vinegar,  all sauteed in butter.

Of course there are the old reliable comfort foods such as meat loaf and mashed potatoes.Think about making a loaf with ground turkey instead of beef for something different and for all that dopamine. You can still have it with gravy - but turkey gravy along with mashed potatoes. You could serve it with another comfort food Tater Tots. These are also great on their own , especially if you've crisped them up in the air fryer. These only take seventeen to eighteen minutes to cook up but the result is a crunchy on the outside , creamy on the inside bite that works well with different dips.Pizza is another one of those foods that can make us feel happy. Enjoy a meat lover's one from one of the best , Blaze. They also have variations that include  a cauliflower crust and topping with squash and even maple syrup. Of course homemade pizza is a great comfort food too. Everyone's childhood favorite is English muffin pizzas with sauce and cheese bubbling away on the muffin slices. You can also do the same with bagels too. Use the everything ones for a fuller flavor.Another home made comfort are chocolate chip cookies. You can stick with original recipe or toss in walnuts or almonds or sub in the chips with M&M's Have these with a glass of milk,  and a favorite book to get away from the world.

These are times to de-stress and stay inside. Have  a cup of lavender tea to warm up and relax or enjoy a turkey meat loaf They're perfect for an hour or two away from the cold and craziness around us.

A Burger's Best Friend Burger Buddy

 Eating a hamburger can be a messy affair.Grease drips out , lettuce or tomato can slide onto a clean short or worse pants. Not only that fingers can become grimed with everything from special sauce to juices. Luckily burgers now have a best friend in Burger Daddy. This is a big innovation in hamburger history by the innovators at Burger Buddy, namely Ismael  and Mohammed, who were hamburger affectionadoes themselves. They wanted something cleaner than a napkin that was  also environmentally friendly and reusable. How could they  make the burger experience neater? the answer was the Burger Buddy.

This is a two silicon semi circles attached by an accordion like strip that stretches depending on the width of the burger.

It makes it perfect for holding a Big Mac or Whopper, holding everything in, from the veggies to the cheese and bacon - and of course the burger. Also it''s perfect for larger sized rolls like Kaiser rolls, expanding to fit larger sizes.What happens when you get to the bottom of the sandwich? Just gently tug the ends of the holder and the sandwich pops up, ready to be finished.

I loves these,because it made devouring a Gardein Burger that much less messier and also easier. The plastic absorbs the heat so fingers stay cool. There was no drippy melted spread dripping all over me too. Burger Daddy can also be used for breakfast sandwiches and even doughnuts! Another plus is that it's very easy to clean and wash too. Burger Buddies can also be put into ovens up to 450 degrees Farenheit.They're easily stackable and packable so you can bring them to your local hamburger joint and eat your favorite burgers safely and less sloppily in the car. One is $13.59 at Amazon and makes a great present for any hamburger lover.

Burger Buddies are the neatest way , both figuratively and literally to eat a burger , doughnut or bagel. Buy a few today and save yourself and your clothes the mess. Good bye stains. Good bye greasy fingers. Hello a nice clean way to enjoy your favorite foods.

Halloween Home Parties

 Halloween may be different this year but you can still have the same fun and foods. The parties will be smaller and there may only be family around. That doesn't mean a boring night. Make it fun. Make it delicious.

You can start with breakfast with some scary and tasty dishes. Think sausage links wrapped in dough to resemble mummies. Add some maple syrup in ramekins for dipping.Another idea is taking bacon and arranging it in a spiderweb shape.You could places this over an omelet for a delicious background. Cook the strips in the circular pattern and then gently lift onto a large plate or eggs. Eggs can also have a creepy vibe. Add a trickle of ketchup and a dash of hot sauce to simulate blood. Serve orange juice in jack o' lantern decorated scooped out oranges or make virgin Bloody Mary's kid style, with a glass of tomato juice complete with celery stalks. leave out the spicy Tabasco and Worcester sauces. You could even have a breakfast dessert with cinnamon raisin bagels  topped off with squeeze bottle cream cheese. Ice the bagels so they look like wrapped mummies and use blueberries for the eyes. As for lunch , make it fun too. English muffin pizzas can take a frightful look by cutting the mozzarella cheese in ghost shapes. Add olive bits for eyes. Coffin sandwiches (!) are another Halloween themed lunch , Get a dark bread such as pumpernickel and cut into coffin rectangles. Fill with favorite fillings and serve with potato chips.

Of course it's the evening when the festivities amp up. Imagine a spaghetti dinner with your meatballs staring up at you. These are meatballs with mozzarella rounds and olive slices put on them to resemble eyeballs.  Another bone rattling dinner or party idea is a spinach dip , made to resemble old moss studded with tombstones. This last is simply cutting tortillas into tombstones and baking for three to seven  minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Even more gruesome are handburgers. This is not a misspelling but patties formed in the shape of little hands. You can mold them yourself or use a hand cookie mold both Etsy and Amazon sell this). Cover in ketchup when served.What would go with these? Severed hot dog fingers. Cut out pieces of the tops to resemble nail beds and score the dogs at equal distances to resemble knuckles. Accompany these with cheese eyeballs. Use cream cheese mix with powdered ranch dressing, forming into one or two inch balls. Make them bloodshot with a sprinkle of paprika and top with sliced olives. How should the evening end? With a candy apple bar , of course. Have already coated and sticked  apples in front of bowls of M&Ms, cinnamon sugar , sprinkles and gummy worms. You can also use crushed or broken Halloween candy too for decoration. Bat brownies are another fun and sweet treat. Bake brownies and cut them into rounds. Halve chocolate wafer cookies for the wings and decorate with candy eyes and red icing for the fangs. 

Yes, Halloween will be different this year. Yet the parties and the gruesomely fun food will be the same. Go wild for breakfast, lunch and dinner and celebrate this fun holiday!!!!

The Modern Jewish Table - Comfort Cooking With Glam

Jewish cuisine has always been considered more comforting and homey than glam or lux. However that's changing thanks to a new cookbook. It shows the cuisine in a new light as well as giving timeless recipes sparkle and color. This is not your bubby or granny's cookbook, that's for sure.

The Modern Jewish Table (Skyhorse Publishing Inc 2017) was written by self  proclaimed  Jewish princesses, Tracy Fine and Georgie Tarn. They're also British which gives lends itself to some cheeky descriptions and a more open cookbook that features a variety of world recipes. There are nods to Vietnam and Italy as well as to the American South. Of course Jewish dishes also are mentioned. There's borscht and latkes along with matzoh ball soup. These have been updated or given a Sephardic spin (the Sephardic Jews or Ladinos are from the Iberian Peninsula).The book isn't just cooking , it's also about table decorating too. Chefs Fine and Tarn , who are also celebrities with having appeared in the English press and television offer ideas on creating glam "princess perfect" tables.This has to be the British influence, since the Brits are obsessed with the overall picture and not just the food alone. There's advice on how to create a rustic bagel brunch to elegant dining complete with velvet tablecloths. There's even a small chapter dedicated to what gadgets should be in the kitchen , from the Nutribullet (!!!) to kitchen mixers and which ones are the best.Since this is a Jewish cookbook, Yiddish phrases and their definitions ate sprinkled all over the book.

What I like about The Modern Jewish Table is that anybody can use the recipes. I'm fascinated by the Yemeni Meat soup, along with Cannellini Bean Tomato Soup. The two cooks have divided the book into sections, from small plates or appetizers to even a chapter just devoted to all recipes chocolate.Fish gets its' own chapter and there is even a recipe for fish blintzes which are like haddock stuffed crepes with a cheese sauce. Yes, there is gefilte or stuffed fish but Chefs Fine and Tarn turn it into a kind of homage to their beloved battered fish from the local chippy.Matzo meal is the main ingredient in the batter. Another British classic, Toad in the Hole is also included  , in their Meat The Main Event chapter.Instead of pork sausage however, the chicken kind is used instead. There are some Italian recipes such as the yummy homemade pizza that uses a polenta crust, along with Middle Eastern and Indian recipes. Dessert lovers will go mad for the eggy zabaglione with ladyfingers  and the apple pear and honey pudding , perfect for the upcoming holidays along with the delicately scented lavander shortbreads. These princesses love all things chocolate so there are the richly decadent  pots du chocolat to the naughty peanut chocolate fudge brownies .

The Modern Jewish Table  is not your typical Jewish cookbook. It's a fun romp through a variety of different cuisines and traditional recipes. Get it for the upcoming holidays and for everyday dinners and desserts.