AN Easy Cacio E Pepe

 What can you do with leftover pastina? Turn it into a tasty and quick cacio e pepe. This is an easy make and so delicious?It's a great way of using up any plain pasta and creating a hot meal.

Cacio e pepe does require cheese butter and freshly ground pepper. 

I sed Follow YOur Heart Parmesan, COutry Crock plant butter and Lidl's freshly ground black pepper.

How much should you put in?I used about three tablespoons of plant butter and a good sprinkle of the vegan Parmesan.I love a good peppery dish, full of black flecks.It took about four to five grinds.It was then four minutes in the micro

wave. it was a dish worth waiting for. I thought of this all day.It' was spiky , silky and wonderful after a long hard day. Cacio e pepe can be made with any kind of pasta. Pastina is a  nice alternative  and absorbs all these flavors.

Make cacio e pepe with any leftover pasta. It's a great meal on a cold night.It makes for a tasty lunch or dinner.

Those Fun Faux July Holidays

 It;'s JUly and that means celebrating holidays - yes holidays.Of course there the Fourth of July barbecues but there's also the fun Summerween barbecues and Christmas in July trays.It means interesting spins on classic holiday treats.

There's always been some sort of Christmas in July. Mostly people may set up a mini fake fir tree and decorate it with seashells and lights. As for Summerween this is brand new yet growing in popularity. There are some really fun ideas for a ghost and pumpkin themed barbecue. I think the pumpkin cheeseburger will be making an appearance at my upcoming outdoor party. This is taking a slice of cheddar and cur out a jack o' lantern face .It;s then laying the slice on the burger and eating it open faced. You can do the same thing with a slice of MUenster to create a ghost on a burger. Then there's the mini pizzas with the mozzarella ghosts which can be made on a grill.The piece de resistance is the watermelon carved like a pumpkin. It could filled with fruit as the centerpiece or lit with votive candles for light. The flesh itself can be turned into balls and added to fruit salad or pureed for tasty mocktails and cocktails. Try mixing it with lime juice and water and sweeten with agave syrup for a refreshing drink.End the night with bloody s'mores You can dip the marshmallows in red food coloring to get that sanguine look.Also serve black and red fruit like blackberries and cherries for a dessert treat.

What about Christmas in July? Look to Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Whiles it's winter up here ,it;s summer down there. Many have barbecues that feature chicken and London broil. You could serve this with Stovetop stuffing or Yorkshire pudding which surprisingly can be made on the grill. You will need some kind of pan to collect the drippings for the gravy. An easier plate would be a Christmas tree charcuterie board. This will have all the components of a regular board but the lines of food are arranged so it forms a giant triangle with a small trunk.. Make the trunk out of crackers or slices of French or Italian bread. Decorate with green olives and cherry tomatoes to represent balls. You also use strands of string cheese for tinsel. This idea can be carried out in veggies along with seafood too.Of course a picnic salad is de rigeur. Have a macaroni salad heavy with broccoli florets and sliced grape tomatoes. What would be the perfect dessert? It's too hot to make a slew of cookies but you could buy chocolate wafers and make the famed chocolate log . Dust some cocoa powder on it for a true Buches de Noel feel. Another idea is chocolate peppermint sundaes. Have chocolate ice cream with syrup and crushed Starlight mints for a fun ending. Top with  mounds of whipped cream and more crushed peppermint.

Yes the JUly 4th barbecue can be tasty and fun?Yet what could be better than Halloween and Christmas in a month that's also full of beach fun.Celebrate with gusto and tasty food.

Tasty Lavash Rolls

 What''s a quick and tasty lunch ? A lavash roll up. Atoria's Family Bakery has the perfect ones to create delicious alternatives to sandwiches.

Lavash is a flatbread baked in a tandoor or on a sajj ,a type fo grill in the South Caucasus, between the Black and Caspian Seas. It's a yeasty version of pita that can be baked into chips or turned into  roll ups. I love the idea of  roll up for lunch. They're satisfying and fun, along with filling them with good for you fillings

Avocadoes are perfect for this. I sliced mine into C's however you could just cube them too.

For crunch and color I used Stop & Shop's chopped slaw and added a lemon viniagrette. Using lemon instead of vinegar gives the slaw a lightness in flavor.

As for the protein I went vegan and used Lightlife's plant based turkey slices and the ever silky Chao's Creamy original soy cheese(Keep in mind this makes for a good grilled cheese too)

It was then a matter of layering and the tightly rolling

It's a nice mix of flavors and textures. The slaw gives it crunchy while the tukey provides a nice chew. The cheese and avocado gives it a creaminess.

Rolling does take some skill. It's rolling it away from you in a tight wrap

Cut on the diagonal to keep the filling from falling out. 
This was one of the tastiest wraps I 've had in a while. I plan on making more as we go into Spring and summer and fresh locally grown veggies become more available. I can see making a bruschetta and salame wrap.

Try Atoria's Lavash Breads for a yummy lunch roll up. There a great base for your favorite fillings and condiments. Get a package and create a light yet satisfying meal.

A Soothing Holiday Drink Nana Mint Teas

This is the start of the hectic holiday season and with that comes frazzled nerves and a hectic schedule. The best way to unwind is with a drink. No, not the kind that's ninety proof but with a soothing mint tea.There's a whole new line out there that is the perfect way to unwind. Wissotzky Teas have come out with a line of minty spearmint teas blended with other flavors. Brew a cup and just sit back.

Wissotzky Teas are quickly becoming a power house in the tea industry. They have several different lines, from their wide variety of chai teas to their fruit ones and green tea selection. Now they have a brand new line with different flavors blended with the mild base spearmint. What is great about Wissotzlky's teas is that they can be also be served cold for a refreshing break from all those hot cups.Another plus about the Nana mints is that they're perfect for digestion. Spearmint is good for digestion and it's the perfect end to any calorie heavy holiday dinner.Have a decorative  bowl filled with the teabags on the table when you serve dessert. The flavors are chamomile, great for calming upset stomachs, lemon to wake you up,  andcitrus and ginger which is a must for a mid day wake up. There are also just green and black teas, simply blended with the spearmint for a clean refreshing taste.

I love these teas.What is great about all of them is that the spearmint is not overpowering as it is in other brands. Sometimes those teas taste like Lifesavers or Altoids. Wissotzky subtly mixes in the spearmint leaves. They're also natural. The ginger and citrus has orange peels while the chamomile is made from Polish, Egyptian and German cultivated flowers. The lemon is a delicate blend of lemon peels and hibiscus.. Even the green and black teas are from the finest Chinese green leaves and the best Indonesian and Vietnamese black leaves. That' what's so phenomenal about the flavors. They stand out in a very delicate, non-obtrusive way. I can taste the mint but also them. All of the Nana mints are perfect for breakfast  which is how I start my day.I also like them after dinner , especially if I've had a full carbohydrate heavy meal. The teas ease that full stomach feeling that comes with eating too much.

This holiday season, brew yourself any of the flavors from Wissotzky Teas. The blended spearmint is perfect after a full meal or a crazy day. The flavors are not only delicious but soothing during these hectic days.

What Is Southern Cooking?

One of the most identifiable cuisines in the US is Southern. It's known for fried chicken and peach pie, biscuits and sweet iced tea. Yet what exactly is it? Soul food? An offshoot of African cuisine? Food of the rich? Food of the poor? Food of the whites? What should it really be called?

Julia Moskin tackled that question in an article in today's New York Times Food section. She visited Atlanta, heart of the cuisine to speak with two defining chefs, Todd Richards and Virginia Willis. Both ,like many other Southern chefs are chipping away at the stereotype of what the food  should be. More and more immigrants are pouring into the cities and coasts, fusing their recipes with these centuries old ones. There is Korean- Southern fried chicken, Vietnamese Cajun crawfish, and tacos stuffed with barbecue.Yet the question remains - just what exactly is Southern cooking?Many are reluctant to see it as a black-white divide however Chef Willis did wonder that aloud during their interview with Ms. Moskin.Many of the cooking traditions and techniques can directly be traced to Africa, invented by home chefs for both their own families and the families that either enslaved them or employed them.However Chef Richards has another take on it. It's necessarily about race but more about class and place he argues.Blacks and whites  may not have been eating together but they were eating the same dishes.

Yet soul food has come to mean black food while Southern and country refers to white cooking, even though both cuisines have exactly the same recipes.Both chefs have mirror backgrounds and food experiences.Their mothers washed collard greens and peanuts in the family washing machines (!), their recipes for potato salad are nearly identical with not too soft potatoes, hard boiled eggs, pickled relish, mayo, mustard and paprika. Ms. Moskin asked them to bring another Southern specialty  - pimento sandwiches, a filling composed of cream cheese, mayo, pimentos and shredded cheese. Both came up with their own variations.Ms Willis used it as a topping to a tomato pie,while Chef Richards added thick cut bacon and sauce from a can of Mexican chipotle chiles on toast and topped with juicy grilled peaches.Both chefs have written cookbooks, Chef Richards has Soul while Ms.Willis wrote Secrets Of The Southern Table: AFood Lover's Guide Of The Global South.Chef Richards approaches from the perspective of an African American while Chef Willis comes from a Southern white angle. Both are self taught although Willis also learned from her mother and grandmother. What they cook is Southern cuisine, just variations. It evolves constantly thanks to immigrants and new chefs with their own interpretations.

SOuthern cooking should just be known as  regional cooking.It is not black or white, rich or poor. It 's like any other cuisine, old cooking techniques being updated with new ingredients and keeping the old ones.

Q'Doba Grill Possibly The Best Mexican Food

Mexican food out can be a dicey affair . It could be too bland - or worse too spicy and hot. Then there's the cookie cutter factor, creating the same dishes for every customer..Luckily there is the refreshing Qdoba Grill that offers freshness and variety.


This is my favorite Mexican fast food - although should it be called such? There's nothing even remotely "fast" about it. There are fresh cut  vegetables and grilled meats. Even the tortilla chips are crisp and crunchy, not soggy with oil.Qdoba's Grill's tastes and cooking style is similar to home chefs' cooking the cuisine. Why is it not like its' closest competitor, Taco Bell? Maybe because it''s not  part of an international fast food corporation. The restaurant chain was started in the mid 1990s by Anthony Hauser  and Robert Miller in Denver ,Colorado. Another competietor, Chipotle was also created there two years earlier.It was called Zuma Fresh Mexican Grill and made a million and a half in revenues alone during the first year.Four years later the name was changed to Qdoba . The chain is known for their San Francisco or Mission style where the burritos are overstuffed with rice and double the amount of meat and veggies.It's also known for other freshly made customized dishes , unlike Taco Bell and reasonable prices - unlike Chipotle with its' expensive tacos , burritos and even guacamole.

Again , the reason I love it  there  is a homey freshness to it. I love having the tacos made my way, without beans and corn, just loaded with their spiced chicken and chopped tomatoes. The servers add just the right dollop of guacamole to top it off. Another reason to like Qdoba is that every dish can customized to suit both meat lovers and vegans. The menu is not varied. There are only six choices such as the classic taco, burrito and nachos along with  the burrito bowl, tortilla  soup, and taco salad. Of course, they have guac and chips, a creamy mashed avocado lightly spiced with what tastes like tabasco sauce. The queso or cheese sauce is laced with beer as is the featured drunken chicken this month. I enjoy their regular grilled chicken, again lightly spiced and not overpowering. The burrito bowls are also tasty, Bean lovers can go crazy with it, having both pinto and black beans and nothing else. There's also corn and peppers to add to everything too. Another plus? The soda machine that has a huge variety of different sodas. It' where I get my Dr. Pepper cherry vanilla fix and I can get as many refills as I want.Qdoba also sells wrapped chocolate chip cookies to battle any leftover fire and spiciness.


Qqdoba Grill offers the best and most reasonably priced Mexican fare out there. It's no wonder so my, like myself, can;t get enough of their delicious tacos and yummy guac. It's the best south of the border style food.

Microwaves Which One Is For You?

As much fun as cooking is, shopping for the  perfect microwave that facilitates it is not. There are different sizes and types to think about as well as availability.The best and easiest way to approach this is to be prepared. Go into the store with not just an idea but some knowledge too.

One of the first questions to ask when considering a new microwave is its' use.  Will it be used for reheating lasagnas and casseroles or its it just for making popcorn or heating up coffee?If it's the first then you'll need a bigger model.Aim for one that's over 1.2 cubic feet. If it's just you and you rarely use one then buy a smaller one,, about .5 cubic feet.Another choice to consider is conventional or convection.A conventional microwave oven emits waves that pass through glass and plastic containers to cook all different types of foods.and drinks.Convection microwaves step it up a notch by having a fan to circulate the warm air. This results in more thorough cooking  which translates to juicier pot roasts and crustier pizzas instead of greyish meat and soggy slices. Some convection microwaves have a quartz halogen bulb that emits an intense heat used for roasting  and grilling. This is perfect for those who want a more flavorful chop or crisped burgers and dogs.They also have more cooking modes than the average microwave so expect to pay more.One of the best is from Samsung that even has a slim fry which is an oil-less fryer (!) Cuisinart also has an excellent one that has an outstanding grill , perfect for getting that barbecued taste in the upcoming winter months.

The next aspect to consider is style. Most home chefs prefer the compact counter top ones. These are perfect for reheating or cooking frozen dinners. A typical size for this kind is 18 inches wide by 14 inches deep and 12 inches tall. These are one of the most affordable and can be taken from one home to another. The colors are usual, stainless steel, black, white or red. There are some that comes in aqua ,cream yellow and pink, A handy extra is a microwave cart if you don';t have one already. Target can't be beat for them. It has the most elegant and pared down styles that can also hold microwave accessories and even cookbooks Then there are built in microwaves.These would appeal to those who are planning or thinking about a complete kitchen makeover. They often feature oven style front facing doors. They have a variety of features that make them a luxury item. Look for those with a range hood which makes them better at venting.. Some microwaves have child locks which eliminates any worries and fears about the little ones experimenting.When looking into a microwave , think about how it ill look in your cabinets. Choose one that is stylish and will look good with the cabinet's style.If's it a sleek modern then go with the stainless steel or black , if it's a French Provincial cream, then go with the white. Think about a black one if your ideal kitchen is going to done in fruitwoods  or teak.

Microwaves make home cooking easy. Looking for one should be even easier. Just go in with the right info and a definite idea of what you want. It means fitting the right appliance in the right kitchen.

Organo Beverages: Tea with A Touch Of Mushroom

Can a mushroom add anything to a good cup of coffee, hot cocoa or tea? Most people would probably laugh and say no. Yet there is one company,Organo that adds Ganoderna lucidum, a mushroom used in Asian medicine to make their beverages super healthy. This fungus adds a  boost to that daily cup of tea or joe.


What is this mushroom? It is  a fantastic-looking mushroom, resembling something supernatural, or straight out of Alice in Wonderland. The Ganodermas  are unique in that they grow on wood, mostly out of large trees (living or dead) in forests in the more tropical regions of Asia. They're like your average everyday mushroom  however their coloring is unique. Their long woody stems are brown while their caps are a bright  orange.,They thrive in such heavily forested areas. The fungi were first discovered in 1888 by westerners however  they have been used in Eastern medicine for centuries. They can help in lowering blood pressure as well as protecting the liver. They are antibacterial and antiviral .It's also called reishi in Japanese where its ground up into a powder. Many add it to their foods as an additive however it can also be added to beauty products like soap and toothpaste. The founders at Organo,Bernardo Chua, and Shane Morand  realized rhis and started the company in 2008 .The company has expanded to include all sorts of products, from coffee and teas to hot cocoas and powdered spores.

 I would drink their teas and coffees even if there wasn't Ganodermas Lucidum in them. Their green tea is a great way to start the morning.It is crisp, an adjective not usually associated with green tea. It has a nice aftertaste and is good hot or cold.Their coffee is the same. It makes for a nice rich brew, perfect to balance a rich dessert or a hearty breakfast. What I also like about it is that it it comes in little sachets with the right amount of coffee. There's no second guessing.It comes out perfect every time. Organa also makes an instant latte that's just as good as what you'd get ant your favorite coffee shop along with a sinfully rich hot cocoa. There are also teas from the uber healthy red to black. For Kruepps lovers there are all sorts of cups, with  yummy flavors such as chocolate almond, toasted hazelnut and caramel vanilla>These come in twelve packs so there' good for a little over a week. Organo also sells the Ganoderma spores in easy to swallow capsules along with grapeseed oil.Organo also sells toothpaste and soap with the fungi blended in.

Coffee and tea have benefits  but Organo's has the extra boost of that amazing mushroom, Ganodermas LUcidum.This makes the beverages super healthy and the perfect drink for those aware of their health.Not only that they are delicious - something that normally doesn't go hand in hand for good for you.

Tea Redefined

Tea is one of those ordinary must haves that no one thinks about and is used daily. However there much more to it than just a morning drink or a soother after a hard day, There are different types and different ways to brew this bunch of exotic leaves.It's more than just a  cup, it's a work of nature's art. meant to be sipped , not guzzled.

Newcomer Susan Chira wrote about this ancient and fascinating drink in yesterday's New York Times Food section, For years the beverage took a back seat to coffee, especially since the growth of Starbucks. That's all changing thanks to the same company buying Tea-vana, a throwback to the tea emporiums of the 19th Century. Tea sales have reached 11 billion last years and sales will most likely increase/ thanks to more and more restaurants featuring  the drink.    Teas vary and with them taste as well.Just as with grapes for wine and champagne where teas leaves are grown influence how they'll taste. Everything   from  elevation to soil quality , origin to age are important on how the final product will taste. There are even comparisons of the leafhoppers in oolong leaves have comparisons to botrytis,the fungus that is attached to Bordeaux wines. Even the prices are hitting the same stratosphere as the wines, An aged pu-erth is a whopping $45,000 for one cake of compressed tea leaves.New Yorkers can experience less expensive but still delicious leaves at such hangouts as Fang. This tea house, run by a Taiwanese family has more than seventy teas to try and at a more reasonable price range of five to ten dollars.

Tea lovers can try gourmet teas at home. There is a how to with the article, on how to brew a proper pot.It starts with the water. If the water is too hot it can burn the leaves and ruin the flavor. The temp for white tea should be 180 degrees while green tea should be brewed with water that's been heated to between 175 and 180 degrees.The same heat should be applied to the Japanese match a tea.Oolong tea requires more heat, from 175 to 200 degrees because of the way it's prepared.They're partially oxidized and deliberately bruised to release oils and flavor, then heated to set the taste. They range from the green teas to more heavily roasted kinds. Black tea is the hardiest, and has to be brewed to a near boiling 200 degrees.This is because they're completely oxidized. This is done by taking oxidized leaves and allowing them to wilt, then are rolled. This exposes the oils to the air. if you're lucky to have the unusual puer-eh tea them cook it to a rolling boil of 212 degrees.Also avoid putting tea in balls or infusers since they're too small to allow the leaves to expand and release their full flavor.  For iced tea go the cold infusion way,Take one tablespoon of loose tea, put in a pitcher of cold water and  let   it steep overnight in the fridge.

Tea isn't just that cup that's sipped after a hard day or as a thirst quencher on a hot day. It's a complex beverage that's as layered as a fine wine. Try  an oolong or white or the puer-eh and discover this.

Truffles From Le Marche

Late summer is truffle time in Italy. It is a harbinger of fall and the rich ,hearty dishes that grace Northern Italian tables.This fungi , the diamonds of the culinary world, can be added to almost any dish.They impart a rich ,almost smokey flavor and glam up everything from eggs to pasta. They were the topic of an article in yesterday's New York Dining section.The author,Helene Cooper, was lucky enough to travel there and participate in a truffle hunt.However, she didn't visit the truffle capital,Piemonte but the Marche region on the Adriatic(just south of Venice). here Ms. Cooper found some of the best.Usually the mushroom is traditionally found throughout southern France and of course,northwestern Italy. TheMarche grows tartufo Nero or the black truffle.They're a little less expensive than the white ones.They were a favorite of some of Italy's most famous people.Lucrezia Borgia tried them when she passed through thevtown famous for them,Acqualagna.Pope Julius ii as well as the infamous IlDuce,Benito Mussolini were also affectionados of the black truffle. Tartuffo Nero can be made several different ways, both fancy and simple.Ms Cooper got to sample a frittata made. With them.Truffle sauce was added to the eggs and then were decorated with truffle shavings.There was also crostini tartuffo, ,slices of grilled bread spread with truffle sauce.There was also turkey scallopini with a truffle sauce as well. Truffles are a foodie's luxury. if you can visit the Marche region to enjoy them.They truly are the diamonds of the food world.

Pepper Is Hot!!!!!

A week ago I wrote about salt. Now it's time to write about its' companion: pepper. Don't discount this amazing spice as just another seasoning for your burgers or mashed potatoes. Like salt it has been elevated to gourmet level these days with stores and web site selling a variety of different ones. With these peppercorns you can turn the most boring food into something exotic and spicy.

Pepper has been around for thousands of years. Our black pepper comes from the tip of the Indian subcontinent and was considered currency during the early years of global exploration. Its' name derives from the Sanskrit pippali and the Latin piper. Back then pepper had been used to mask the taste of rotting meat. Now it's used to add zing to any dish.

For foodies there are stores and web sites specializing just in peppercorns. Before you buy, know that there are not just black peppercorns, but also pink, white, and green ones as well. Black and white peppercorns actually come from the same plant but the white are the more mature ones that have had their black husks removed. Green peppercorns have a slightly different taste. They're pistachio in color and have a fruity green flavor similar to -well those green peppers you stuff. Pink peppercorns look more like tiny cranberries and have a slightly sweet-peppery taste to them. They would be perfect for dressing duck or making a fiery vinaigrette. There are other peppers worth mentioning: the Szechuan and the French. The first is used in the cooking of the same name. They have a fiery fruity taste and a zing guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. The second is the French , blend of black and green peppercorns, excellent for seasonings and rubs. There is a great website where you can learn more and buy pepper in bulk. Go to www.bulkpeppercorns.com

If you're too busy to web shop ,then try your supermarket's local spice section.
McCormack, the giant and grand daddy of all spice companies has good cracked pepper. I tried it in my chicken tarragon salad for zip and the peppers really livened it up. I plan on using it again when I make a lemon pepper marinade for my tofu chicken strips. It has a wonderful fire and also adds a certain crunch to anything. Try it in your marinades or just as a good coating on grilled veggies and ribs.

Pepper is hot, in more ways than one. It's a great spice to rediscover and add to traditional dishes for more zest. Make it a part of your summer.

Tarragon-Pepper Chicken Salad

2 cans chicken chunks (deviled chicken)
5 t0 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dried tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons cracked pepper

Mix chicken and mayonnaise until well blended. Mix in tarragon and pepper. You can adjust the amounts to satisfy your tastes.
Serve on crackers or on kaiser rolls