Question Time Your Favorite Casserole

 With all this writing about casseroles  which is your favorite?

Baked mac your way or original

Lasagna  vegan or non vegan

Breakfast stratas - from cheesy to downright maple-y

Anything with tuma or chicken and a Campbell's soup added

Classic green bean

Let us know here. There may be a recipe and how to in the near future. In the mean time chew on this.

Creating A Charity Dinner

Fund raising dinners can be not only beneficial but fun too. They can be small, for a certain group or large elegant affairs helping an international relief fund. However you plan it, a charity dinner is great way to give back while enjoying delicious food.

Charity begins at home and that is true. Many dinners help  out schools and places of worship. These are usually pot luck dinners where everyone contributes. Usually a committee of four or five people plan and decide who brings what. The first thing to do is create lists, deciding on what volunteer brings what dish. You don't want five bowls of mashed potatoes and no meat.As far as dishes , have a variety but keep in mind ,allergies along with likes and dislikes. Vegans and vegetarians won't cotton to the idea of chicken and beef plates. Of  course there is going to be casseroles. Think crowd favorites such as  backed mac and cheese and lasagna. Manicotti is another great dish for a group, especially if there are kids. Tuna casserole is another tasty classic that is sure to please. Of course there should be salads too. Someone can make a simple lettuce and tomato one and have a choice of dressings. The last can be homemade for a real down home flavor.There should be some kind of bread or biscuit.Your parish bakers can contribute  cheddar or herbed biscuits to accompany the meal. Desserts can be bars or cookies along with sheet cakes and pies.Make sure there is also soda, water nand juice to drink along with coffee and tea for dessert.

For more elegant affairs, a hotel ballroom is usually preferred however other venues can be used as well I 've been to several casual charity balls, that take place at a posh beach club(mind you this was Clean Ocean Action or COA - a group here in New Jersey that's responsible for beach cleanups and lobbying for cleaner waters here).COA has also used the graceful Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park,New Jersey for other affairs. The food is simple: hors d' ouevres ranging from sushi to phyllo dough puffs with goat cheese. There were also mini sliders and bruschetta to satisfy appetites. The beach club do  offered The Flaky Tart's delicious chocolate chip cookies as dessert and also as favors. The Berkeley Hotel ended with cut fruit and cake pops.These are perfect for people to nibble on as they discuss important topics. If a hotel ballroom is just a tad too expensive for your cause then consider a local restaurant. Many, such as Que Pasta, in Saddle Brook, NJ, can host a charity night for forty dollars a person. Theirs is a combination buffet and auction to benefit local animal shelters.it will not only be a great night out but also a chance for them to try Que Pasta's excellent pastas and antepasti

A charity dinner is a great way to give back. It can be a just a gathering of home cooked dishes and desserts or an elegant affair with fancy hor douevre's and amuse bouches..The end result is a good deed and that's the most important thing.

Hurricane Readiness

Like it or not  September heralds in the hurricane season.It means power outages , frenzied trips to the grocery store and evacuating hearth and home.It also means feeding yourself and your family under the most dire of circumstances. Don't panic. Just be ready foodwise.

Blackouts are almost common as flooding and heavy winds during  a storm outage.  A closed fridge will stay cold for four hours while a freezer lasts up to two full days.Cook the perishables first. If you don't have the use of your oven or microwave, use the grill Surprisingly enough you can even grill meat loaf. Water can also be heated over coals but just be careful with this. Coffee can also be heated up on the grill along with milk (don't try this with baby formula. Try to find a microwave for this last). The hot water can also be used for washing too It does pay to have any kind of portable freezer just in case the electricity is knocked out. Put the meats , eggs ,egg  based foods like mayo and dairy in it first. Fruit and vegetables are fine without the cold Even juice and sold can be drunk warm - as vile as that sounds. Cook the meats first.Make it fun. Spiralize hot dogs which is easy to do, thanks to a skewer and a knife, and wrap in bacon. Hamburgers can get spiced up with any dry spice. You can even use pizza sauce to create a pizza burger. The sauce can be cooked separately on another part of the grill .Use a small pan to do so. Get rid of any chicken. Again use spices to create a tasty dry rub.

What happens in case of an evacuation? Take your food along with your animal companion's foods. The ideal situation is staying with family or friends. There , you'll know you receive hot meals in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Sometimes that's not always the case. If you have to stay at a motel or hotel, get one where the room has a mini fridge and see if you can bring in  a hot plate . The alternative is eating out . Bring cereal, and rolls along with butter and margarine to store in your temporary digs.   and the kids can have a cold breakfast and you can  save money by eating in. Bring in cold cuts cheese. and fruit too, if the mini fridge can hold them. You can have lunch or dinner in too, Some motels have  microwaves in their vending machine nook, You'll have to share but it's a small price to pay for a hot meal.It'll be great for heating up soups and sandwiches too . Don't be averse to taking care packages from relatives.It's comforting for the family to share a lasagna or casserole from grandma or a favorite aunt. Also have a cache of microwave plates and utensils from home. Bring a small bottle of dish soap too,because you can wash everything in the bathroom sink. Have water and food bowls too for your animal companions as well as their favorite snacks and treats.

Hurricane season doesn't have to be fear inducing to home chefs. Be practical and pragmatic.it'll make dealing with nature  that much more easier.

The Loving Kitchen,The Best Cookbook Ever!

Everyone should have at least one really good cookbook in their library.This should have a mix of comfort foods, fun dishes and culinary classics.If you don't have such a cookbook, there is one that has all of these components.TheLoving Kitchen (Nelson Books Publishers) is a great must have or must give. Leeann Rice has crafted this perfect cookbook.Every kind of dish is mentioned, Every meal is covered.What I like and that is so striking about it, is the the book is very homey.It's like a favorite relative or a best friend giving you both advice and recipes.Ms Rice's personality comes out strong ,a rarity in any cookbook.The end of the book is dedicated to creating memorable and fun family dinners along with ideas about reaching out to both neighbors and community, Ms. Rice a food blooger includes recipes that could easily be used in a church pot luck dinner or at a sophisticated summer party.This is a great book due to it's variety.Another plus is that she spells everything put.There may be many steps in a recipes but they are clearly written out so there will be no errors.Also there's no need torun down to some specialty food mar let to pick up an unusual spice or odd vegetable.Everything is readily available from the nearest grocery.To be honest you can have a whole day's worth of recipes from this cookbook.Start off with her eggs in a cradle, simple poached eggs cooked in dinner rolls, have one of her salads or soups for lunch and end the meal with either a casserole or meat dish ,followed by one of her many given desserts. Again the variety of The Loving Kitchen is just astounding.The breakfast dishes alone come in two categories and reflect her life in Nashville, TN?There is the must try sugared bacon that would go well with any egg dish along with the baked oatmeal.which is a kind of breakfast casserole.She laso has Sweidsh pancakes as well as the buttermilk kind too.Since she is a transplanted Southerner., Ms. Rice does have some good old fashioned casserole recipes.There is a chicken and rice one, great to make when there's dinner guests along with a hot chicken salad one.The Fiesta Noodle Bake is sure to be a family favorite.It is rich with simple spices like chile,cinnamon and red pepper.There are also very chic recipes too.Ms.Rice has penned down some excellent seafood ones such as pan seared scallops with orange butter sauce and lemon herb crusted fish filets.There are recipes on whole wheat pasta as well as on lasagna pinwheels.What is also unusual about this book is the special attention give to sides.To be honest, they could easily star as the main dish in a meal.She gives us the elegant green bean bundles, that are tied together with bacon and roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta.Serve these with Ms Rice's roasted chicken for a truly simple yet classy dinner for guests.Sandwiches are not forgotten either and she includes a great guide to making different types of panini.Finish with any of her desserts such as her Nickerdoodles, her take on the classic cookie, nake after her son,Nick or her oh so sweet strawberry cupcakes.There are also yummy crisps and cobblers too along with a dark chocolate strawberry shortcake and frozen margarita pie. TheLovingKitchen is the must buy must have book.It is a great cookbook, chock full

Holiday Bring Alongs

This is the time of year when most guests are required to bring some kind of dish to a party or pot luck dinner. The big question is what to bring - hot or cold - sweet or savory?What goes best at a tree trimming party or at a church supper? There are so many choices. It is easy to choose.

Most cooks and bakers  usually go with their strengths. This makes sense because they know exactly how it should be and can make or bake it practically blindfolded. If you're new to the game. then stick with something simple.A salad can make a nice bring along dish. Try something fun like an avocado and celery mix for something different. If you want try a chef salad with different cheeses and meats.Another easy cold dish is an antipasto platter . You can add everything from prosciutto wrapped around bread sticks to artichoke hearts. Bring along small bottles of a simple oregano or rosemary dressing to pour over the different foods.

for hot dishes ,nothing beats a casserole. These can be anything and everything from an elaborate three or tier lasagna, complete with sausage, hard boiled eggs and ham, Baked mac is another good casserole dish that can have layers of bacon added for extra flavor. Chili is another good bring along . It;s easy to make and can go with anything from rice to cornbread.It's also fun to eat. For sides think candied yams or the classic French green bean bake.Both are pretty simple to make and then reheat. If the hostess is serving a roast think about making stuffing as a nice treat.Remember to get an estimate of how many people will be there and adjust your recipes accordingly.You may have to make two or three dishes of the same recipe to fit the needs of the crowd.

Holiday bring alongs can be fun. They're a great way of showing off your talent as a cook, They're also a great way of trying new recipes and enjoying new dishes,