Party Salads ? Why Not?

 Party and salad may not go together. One tends to pair a festive gathering with more appropriate foods, such as charcuterie or roasts. Yet a salad , done right can make a gathering interesting and delicious. It's not just a bowl of greens mixed together with bottled dressing. It's something more.

Chef and regular contributor Hetty Liu McKinnon wrote about this and gave recipes from her newest book Linger: Salads, Sweets And Stories To Savor (Knopf 2025) in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She recommends thinking outside the bowl. Try smoky roasted veggies or pantry friendly legumes. Add comforting noodles along with homemade chunky dips and great homemade salad dressings. One way of having a phenomenal salad is choosing make ahead dishes that only get better over time. Her example for this is a take on the classic British Coronationsalad. Usually made with chicken and left to marinate , Chef Liu McKinnon subs in chickpeas. A day in the fridge makes the flavors bolder along with bolder and more exciting. Along with chickpeas, cauliflower adds more crunch especially when the two are roasted with a sprinkling of cumin on top. The dressing is a mix of Greek yogurt, apricots (as in the original recipe(, celery and red onion that';s been steeped in water to mellow out the onion-y flavor.

Chef Liu McKinnon also includes a great dip and a salad version of the classic Dan Dan dish. For the dip she takes sliced turnips and fries them in a combo of oil butter ,garlic and miso. The dip is a combination of feta and pistachios blended together with  garlic, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and a splash of water. Put this and salad leaves on a  large plate, then top with the turnips. Other veggies can also be used as well as crips pita or French bread. The second is a riff on the classic Dana Dan  dish, There is no meat in this one however. Ramen noodles combine with bock choi and canned corn. Toasted sesame seeds and cilantro give it more color and flavor. The dressing is a blend of pantry essentials. Chinese sesame paste or tahini is mixed with Chile oi or Chile crisp along with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.Two to three tablespoons of non dairy milk like almond, oat or soy is used for creaminess . For all of these everything can be made the day before and assembled the day of , considerably cutting prep time. Just let the salads sit for thirty minutes before serving.

Salads can be the stars of  any party. Make all three or save them for different gatherings. They're sure to be hits.

A Vegan Jersey Maque Choux

 Cajun food is a perfect chill chaser during this weather.One the famed masque choux  is one of those even if it's typically associated with summer barbecues. It a tasty melange of flavors and ingredients that work any time of year.

I decided to try the recipe after receiving the recipe in my email. It looked very tasty save for one ingredient - corn.With that I decided to sub in peas and chcikpeas since I  sadly can't digest corn.. I also used a base of Lidl's riced cauliflower stir fry which does have a little  corn and chopped green peppers

 

The recipe calls for real back on or ham but I used Morningstar Farms soy slices which gives more or less the same taste.

The true maque choux recipe calls for just butter but I used a mix of Country Crick plant butter and a bit of the Lid; olive oil.

It also calls for heavy cream,I used  a tablespoon of Violife's vegan sour cream and about quarter of a cup of Lidl's almond milk.

Chopped tomatoes are also added for more flavor as the original recipe. I used a generous dusting of onion powder and ground red pepper.

It's simmered over a medium flame for fifteen minutes.

I'd add the bacon later to keep it's crispness.As with any Cajun dish rice is a must so I used Lidl's Ninety minute kind

to stop up the sauce.

I arranged the bacon around the sides with rice 

This was deliciously flavorful with the hot pepper and cream sauce highlighting the vegetables and bacon. This is definitely going to be made a second and third time. It was very tasty and it can be made a variety of ways, whether the original or varied to suite individual  tastes.

Add Macque Choux to your winter table . It;s a fiery , creamy delight that's perfect for a cold night. Try it for a taste of New Orleans,

Deconstructing Carbone

 Carbone is a popular New York City restaurant. It has branches all over the world and their food has a reputation. Yet is the overly expensive restaurant worth all the hype and money? 

Regular contributor Priya Krishna answered the question in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. She toured all of them and discerned if they 're worth the good press.The chain is sort of like a Disneyland or another splashy New York eatery of long ago - Mama Leone's. Like MamaLeone's that closed in 1984, Carbone's attracts celebrities like Kim Kardashion and has the cache of expensive saucy dishes.Ms Krishna wanted to examine the mystique behind this chain. People either love it or hate it.s he wanted to know why and went on an American tour of the branches.The restaurant goes for fanfare, presenting diners with salami, bread, cauliflower salad and even a hunk of Parmesan cheese. Yet the food at the New York Carbone is just so so with some dishes, How was the MIami one. It seems only the desserts stood out, including the chilled rainbow cookies that every table receives/ The main meals were horrible / The shrimp was too rubbery and buttery tasting.The linguini vungole was  too oily to eat.

The Dallas Carbone had some bright spots. The crisp top on the lasagna Verde gave way to flavorful pesto and bechamel sauce. Their Negronis were well made Yet it stops there. The veal Parmigian crust, like its' Manhattan counterpart was tasteless. The broccoli was flaccid .The waiters were so schmaltzy that Ms Kirshna and her family has t  leave(after a waiter joked was her father on the cover of GQ) It did appeal to the rich tony types of the city but that was it. The Las Vegas one fared much better due in part to the owner Mario Carbone being in the kitchen. The shrimp cocktail had been upgraded to a lobster one.It was delicious. The sauces tasted homemade , as if they had been simmered on a stove all day .The vonglole was finally briny tasting. The best part it seems was the complimentary hunk of cheese. This Parmesan actually came from Parma and not Wisconsin. It seemed the Las Vegas Carbone was the best and miost authemticto Italian cooking.

Should you go to Carbone/s if one is nearby? If you want expensive so so Italain food ,yes. Keep in  mind that there are better restaurant to eat at in any of these cities.

Vegan Holiday Treats

 If you're a home chef, it's hard to create a tasty vegan meal that even carnivores will enjoy. Yet there are a few dishes that's sure to wow them this holiday season. They're fun takes on classic dishes.

Both Christina Morales and  grapesed oil along with sazon and onion powder Melissa Clark, regular and much loved contributors gave diffrent recipes in yesterday;s New York Times Food section. Ms Morals took the classic pernil popular in the Hispanic part of the Caribbean and turned the classic pork dish into a vegan main meal. She subbed in jackfruit, a cousin of breadfruit for this. It came from a recipe that many Hispanic vegans like Norma Perez have adapted. It has the same seasonings the the pork, There is adobo, lime juice and sazon. for more flavor and to make it taste more authentic. The jackfruit does have to be squeezed either by hand or with a potaot masher to get all the liquid out of it after its' been boiled and cooled It's then mixed with the spices and onion powder along with sazon and left to marinate in the fridge for at least six hours.It's roasted in a preheated 400 degrees Farenheit oven  on  alarge parchment paper covered sheet pan Roast it for thirty miutes stirring every ten. The jackfruit should be crispy and golden not charred.

Another great vegan party dish would be Melissa Clark'sake on stew wrapped in phyllo sheets in her wekly A Good Appetite Column, This is an interesting take and sure to b a crowd pleaser. She makes it like a tangine rich with sweet spices and minced  preserved lemon. Onions and peppers are first sauteen in a Dutch oven and then tomato paste and a variety of spices are added. She uses  a mix of turmric, pepper, ginger, cumin nutmeg and cinnamon, Cauliflower is added for color and some texture along with more veggies. This includes sweet potatoes and zucchini along with the preserved lemon,It's brought t a simmer for forty to forty-five minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the sauce is very thick, In the meantime heat the oven to 4oo degrees Farenheit and line a baking pan with melted mutter an then the phyllo sheets.. Ladle the stew on this and sprinkle with feta cheese if you want.Cover with the remaining phyllo dough.Pierce the top using a sharo knife to let the steam escape,Brush with more melted butter and bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes. Wait another fifteen before cutting and serving.

These dishes will be the hit of any vegan or non vegan holiday party. They a different take on classic pernil and stew. Everyone -  including the meat eaters will love them.

A Boozy Thanksgiving

 Alcohols seems to make everyting and everyone feel better. Imagine adding it to your Thanksgiving menu . A basting or a cup of bourbon, whiskey or whatever can add to the recipe. It can liven up dinner or dessert.

Bourbon is  perfect for any Thanksgiving dish. Thanks to its' sweet and spicy flavor it can be used in both main and dessert recipes. A bourbon maple glaze is a great addition to  a turkey and will make for a memorable bite.It's taking aquarter cup of the drink and mixing it with a quarter cup of maple syrup. The glaze is cooked with a stick of unsalted butter and ahalf cup of apple juice along with a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper. it'sten brished on the cooked turkey slices . You  can also sub in whiskey for the bourbon. Another idea is a cognac gravy This is combining veggies like leeks, onions and celery witflour and  four cups of chicken broth. A cup of cognac is added to this and the already cooked turkey parts are added to this.If you feel that a bourbon or whiskey glazed tur

key may be too much, then simply add the alcohol to the gravy.It 's mixing a cup of Sauvignon Blamc with a quarter cup of bourbon and then stirring it into heavy cream based roux .This will alsohave turkey giblets, neck and drippings. it whisked together to form a tasty gravy that would also be good over mashed potatoes.

What about those sides? Can they get boozed up too? Yes . Sweet potatoes are another great pairing with bourbon. Both have a sweetness that can bounce off each other. Think a sweet potato casserole made with warm fall spices like cinnamon, and clove. Vanilla and light brown sugar also compliment the yam's flavor.Eggs give it body and texture. It's topped with a sweety crunchy crumble of, raw pecans, brown sugar,c cinnamon and melted butter. You could also makea brown butter bourbon cauliflower side too. This is roasting cauliflower florets in olive oil. While this is roasting make the butter sauce.It's cooking the butter until it's brown. Two tablespoons of bourbon and one tablespoon of maple syrup are added to this along with half a cup of walnuts. Of course bourbon is a great addition to pecan pie.It's almost mandatory in this Southern classic. It's a simple recipe that also involves bot light and dark corn syrup mixed with three eggs and half a cup fo melted butter. One and three quarter cups of pecans gives the pie its' nuttiness and crunch.

Add some das to your holiday meal. A few tablespoons of bourbon, whiskey or cognac can elevate any dish. Try it for a fun , boozy Thanksgiving Day.

Veggies Doing Double Duty

 It's not just spinach steamed with garlic and butter anymore. Or cauliflower florets ready to be dipped into a viniagrette. Veggies now are getting double duty in foods and recipe usually occupied by traditional and time honored ingredients. The end result is a tasty new way of getting produce.

On e of the unexpected to find veggies is pasta. Many companies like Ronzoni are incorporating everything from broccoli to tomatoes in their spaghetti and rotelli.Barilla, the most tradtional of pasta companies is taking a different turn with their zucchini and spinach ones along with their red lentil and chickpea pastas. Yet are they worth it to those who love their whole wheat and Durham wheat kinds. Veggie based pasta is less in fiber and much less proteins than the traditional types. They are perfect for those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivites and wheat allergies.Keep in mind that they're not completely vegetable based.A mix of semolina and Durham wheat is added for body. Ronzoni 's has  The most important question however is how does it taste. Veggie pastas don't have the robust and distinctive flavor their one hundred per cent wheat cousins have. It won't work with a delicate butter and garlic sauce. Try a hearty tomato or fiery arriabiata one instead. The same applies to turning them into salads. Use a flavorful dressing and strong flavors like beans and broccoli along with vine ripe tomatoes.

Rice is also getting a run for its' money. There is a trend right now for riced veggies.It's a much healthier alternative to the regular grains (although rice is lower in calories and is rich in carbohydrates,magnesium and protein).Riced veggies have more Vitamins K and C. You can easily buy it at your grocery store . There are several different brands to choose from like Acme's Signature brand to Bird's Eye and Green Giant. It comes plain ro with flavorings like regular rice. It's great on it's own but perfect for a healthy side with grilled chicken or even plant based meats. Riced veggies can be easily be made in your kitchen. One popular recipe is riced broccoli. This is just trimming the veggie's thick ends or woody looking stems. Cut the broccoli into equal sized florets and cut the stems into coins or thin slices. Place all of it in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pieces resembles rice grains. You can easily turn it into a side or a salad. even fellow vegetables like potatoes are getting a run for their money. Mashed cauliflower has a popular side since Michelle Obama introduced it at The White House.It's mashing the cooked florets with sour cream and butter, although you can also use almind milk for a healthier side.

Veggies are doing double duties taking over form rice , pasta and even their fellow veggies potatoes, They're a nice alternative to these, being healthier and more flavorful. Try them as pasta riced or mashed for a new taste in the New Year.

Fall's Other Stars of The Harvest

 This may be the season of apples and pumpkins but there are other stars coming out ofthose autumn patches.There's broccoli , cauliflower,and pears to name a few. They're great as main, sides , and desserts. Try them as a nice change up form those Macintoshes and gourds.

Broccoli is a versatile veggie.It can be served hot or cold. A great side is steamed broccoli with melted butter and just a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Many like it Oriental style, steamed with ginger and  sesame oil. Of course it can also be cooked with chicken or beef , flavored with soy sauce. Serve this on a bed of rice for a hearty and delicious quick meal. One of the best recipes with broccoli is broccoli salad. You may think this is a summer dish but's it's a refreshing side all year long.It's steaming the veggie in the microwave first and then dressing it. Use just olive oil and red wine vinegar along with dashes of garlic powder, sealt salt and freshly ground pepper.  You can add chopped onion for more flavor. Cauliflower , like broccoli is also versatile. Both veggies can be made into tasty homemade soups. Cauliflower soup is the perfect chill chaser and can be frozen for future use. Breaded and air fried cauliflower is a real treat and the perfect game day nibble. It's good on its' own but also served with ranch dressing.

The season has always been all about apples yet there's another fruit that's just as sweet and high in nutrition. Pears!!!! Bartlett, Clap Favorite and Orca are the main autumn ones. Bartlett's are the most popular anf have a love mild candy like flavor. A great dessert is a harvest pear crisp. This is six cups of cored and sliced bartlett pears that have been tossed with lemon juice and coated with a mix of cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon .This is well coated and then covered with a dry dough made up of flour, ,butter and more cinnamon. A mix of chopped walnuts and oats  are then sprinkled on top as a kind of streusel.It's baked for forty minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. Serve with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.Orca pears which are a fall favorite in the Pacific Northwest are great for canning.They're cooked in a sugar solution and then canned. Of course you can make pear jams and even syrups with them. Clapp pears are good for baking and what better than a pear cake for a nice autumnal dessert.  You could even bake a layer cake and fill it with pear compote.

Don;t forget thare are other harvest gems that are perfect for any meal or dessert. Give broccoli, cauliflower and pears  a try this season. They're tasty and nutritious, the perfect fall produce.

An Air Fried Fall

 Air fryers were every home chef's best friend during the sweltering summer months. It can still be a vital kitchen appliance during the autumn too. It's great for cooking up tailgate and foot ball party nibbles along with creating great dishes with the season's harvest.

Air fryers are perfect for any tailgating party.You could buy a travel one.Amazon has them for as little as $ 37.99 for the Elite one quart one. Keep in mind you'll also need a portable generator for it since air fryers require a lot of power.9although this can be saved for when you want to bring your air fryer on Spring and summer camping trips) What tail gating treats can you make? Chicken wings and thighs are perfect for it. They fry up crisply and evenly without all that fat. Coat the wings with seasoning and then cornstarch to  ensure a nice crunch. If you;re looking for a low calorie alternative then look no further than cauliflower "wings," These are the florets rolled in a fiery mix of cayenne pepper, hot sauce and smoked paprika. Worcester sauce and apple cider vinegar give the florets more zing as onion and garlic powders give them more flavor. Another fun , crunchy bite are zucchini chips. Again this is simply cutting the squash into very thin coins and then seasoning them with sea salt. They're then brushe d with olive oil and fried for a few minutes.You can serve these with a homemade ranch dressing. 

Other squashes can be air  fried for the main course or a tasty side. Butternut squash is the most versatile.You can cube it or air fry it whole , cut into two sides. The cubed way will produce a nice crispy bite, especially if they're well coated in olive oil or melted butter. You can also toss them in garlic powder , sea salt and freshly ground pepper.Give them a sweeter bite by dredging the cubes in a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon. This would be a perfect side for turkey or capon.  You can air fry the whole squash ususlly for five minutes. Brush the sides with olive oil or melted butter or margarine and season with just sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Again, this makes a great side for any poultry. Kale is another fall veggie that is perfect for the air fryer. Kale chips are not only a fun side with burgers and hot dogs but they're also a great snack. Use fresh and try to get the curly leaf variety. remember to thoroughly dry the leaves too after washing them otherwise you'll just have soggy chips. Don't include the ribs or stems in this., They're too tough to eat, even when cooked. Tear them into bite size piece s and then toss in olive oil. Sesaon with what you want, Add hot pepper flakes of you want a fiery bite or sprinkle some vinegar on them and salt for a salt and vinegar flavor.

Make the air fryer the most important appliance this fall. It's great for cooking up tailgating faovrites and delicious sides. Try it with autumn's abundant harvest.

A Vegan Table For Two

 What do you cook for just two vegetarians? The easy answer would be a couple of Impossible Burgers on the grill. Yet there's a wide range of recipes out there that make for a tasty meal. For those wondering what sort of dishes  there's a new cookbook perfect for those fogoing meat. Vegan Cooking For Two 200+Recipes For Everything You Love To Eat.(American Test Kichen 2022) will guide anyone through all sorts of tasty vegan meals.

This is a great cookbook for hard core vegans and those just coming to it.Expect some good advice and cooking lessons since this comes from the PBS show America's Test Kitchen. For those plant based meat lovers there is a page devoted to it, along with recommnedations on what kinds to buy, namely Beyond Beef and Impossible Burgers. There are also recommnedations about what vegan butters to use, namely Earth Balance and Miyokos' vegan butter. They also recommnend using Just Egg egg subsritute and Hampton Creek vegan mayo (although Hellmann's Vegan mayo is just as good). There's also a dictiornary of what tools to use and how to use them as well as organizing your fridge, from the crisper to the freezer.Another plus is the section on basics. There are recipes for such vegan broths as a vegetable broth base made with a kind of mirepoix of clery, onion and onion with tomato paste. This si perfect for all sorts of soups and even stews.There are also recipes for the Arab spice mix harissa and quick pickled red onions along with tempeh crumbles and aquafaba mayonnaise. There's also recipes for vegan based ranch dressing and vegan cheeses like cashew ricotta and cashew Parmesan.These are made with cashews for a totally vegan take on cheese.

The recipes are divided into sections, from breakfast to sweets. You can start the day with classic cinnamon French toast made more or less the same way as the usual one but with the addition of conrstarch. There's also a hashbrown  omelet chock full of cripsy potatoes. Their soups are perfect for lunch or dinner and there are recipes that can take you from summer to winter. Try their chilled watermelon soup made with basil, pepper and watermelon, perfect for hot days. Ease into fall with okra pepper pot a take on the classic spicy potage.Salads abound here and they're perfect for lunch. Their beet and watrcress is a definite must make along with their warm escarole and cannellini bean salad, a perfect dish on a cool day.Orzo salad is another one.  I love their pastas There are so many recipes that have to be tried.The spaghetti with the broccoli and avocado pesto is on my radar and I'm looking foward to making campanelle with roasted cauliflower and garlic sauce, there are also tofu recipes like crispy baked tofu peperonata and grilled tofu with charred broccoli and  peanut sauce.  the cauliflower steak and grilled eggplant are perfect for week days and weekends.There are dessert recipes like  crispy chocolate chip cookies and roasted pears, perfect for fall. I am definitely making their grilled pineapple with coconut rum sauce and the individual apple galettes.

Vegan Cooking For Two 200+ Recipes For Everything You Love To Eat is a must have in any vegan kitchen. It's chock full of meatless recipes full of flavor. B

est of all they're meant for two, perfect for a cozy meal in.

Different Pizzas For The Weekend

 This is the time for baking and fun fall weekends. What better than to try the different pizzas out there to make , bake and eat.It's a great way to keep weekend cooking fresh and kids happy.

Crusts are what really make a pizza. You can easily go for a traditional crust but why? A sourdough one is a bit heartier than the original and it will hold the sauce and toppings better. You should start off with a sourdough starter, unbleached flour, warm water and of course, yeast, for lift. You will have to proof the dough in a greased container (use olive oil for the greasing) after kneading in a stand mixer. Then it's left to stand for two to four hours until it rises,.Do this in the late morning for a tangy crust. Keep in mind that a sourdough crust works differently with cheese. The mozzarella acts like a lid, allowing the crust to get soggy. Bake the pizza first with just the sauce and toppings and then add the cheese when the crust starts browning.As for this, add some Pecorino Romano cheese to the mozzarella for some strength in flavor. As for  the sauce, make it intense, with more garlic and basil. Skip the pepperoni and add some flavorful prosciutto instead.

Another different kind of pizza is a cauliflower crust ones. These are super flavorful and work well with any toppings. You can buy already made ones from Green Giant and add your own sauce and toppings. However you can also make the crust at home. You'll need a medium head cauliflower which will be pulsed or ground to a fine white powder.It's then steamed in the microwave for about six minutes. Wring out any moisture when it's cooled.Add one large egg and one cup of grated mozzarella and a quarter cup of grated Parmesan. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden for about ten to fifteen minutes in a 425 degree oven. The crust should be golden in color. Now it's time to add the sauce , toppings and cheese. Bake for another ten minutes until the cheese is melting and bubbly. For little chefs Pilsbury now has mini pizza crusts. These are the perfect weekend fun. Kids can make these tiny pies with a variety of fun toppings like olives and onions and can even do a different spin like Mexican or Hawaiian. They're also easy to bake which saves a lot of labor and time during a busy weekend.

It's the perfect time for a different kind of pizza. Try a sourdough or cauliflower crust or a mini pizza. They're great fun to bake and to eat.

Shredded

How to make an ingredient more interetring? Shred it like a guitarist with a song  or a gym rat with their abs. It's a great way of bringing out the flavor of meat, cheeses, veggies and fruit

Chicken is one of the easiest foods to shred.You can use store bought rotisserie chicken or  sauteed chicken breasts/ You can use your hands to do this however this can be messy. Try two forks or an electric mixer. You can even use a stand mixer. Once done, there's so many recipes to try. It works well in chicken salad or with barbecue sauce.It even makes a great pizza topping. Pulled pork is just as versatile but there's more work to it. You can season the meat with a rub that uses brown sugar or a marinade that has Coke or Pepsi in it. The soda tenderizes the beef proteins.Once cooked then it can be shredded using the two forks method. You can do the same with beef. Try cooking it to tenderness in a slow cooker. Shedding cheese is much easier> It's just grating any kind of cheese, whether cheddar or Parmesan into long shreds.

Veggies and fruits can also benefit from shredding>Most people are familiar with shredded carrots and cabbage> These have been standards for decades, gracing salads and slaws. Shredded cabbage can be turned into good for you sauerkraut. Cauliflower can be shredded into yummy and healthy rice. You can use a box grater or a food processor with a grater blade.It does need to be blotted with a paper towel to absorb the moisture and kept in a sealed container. It will emit a sulfuric odor that can mess with other foods in the fridge. Use it as you would regular rice. TRy it in stir fried dishes or herbed and buttered. `FRuit can be also shredded. Generations pf home chefs and bakers have used shredded coconut in main dishes and desserts. Be different and add it to salads for a different spin. Apples can also be shredded. These would be perfect in fritters or ontop of a coffee cake.  Mix them with caramel for a nice ice cream topping.

Shredded food highlights any recipe. It adds and puts a new spin on traditional dishes. try it  for a different texture.

Stress Eating Done Right

 Tonight is a night for stress eating. Anything and everything is being popped into our mouths as we await the election results here in the States. To be honest the whole year has been one series of stress snacking and drinking. The problem is we're stress eating all wrong.

What most people do in stressful situations , pre-pandemic was head out for something that appealed to our savory or sweet side. Eating unhealthy favorite foods was preferred over grabbing a  slice or a floret of fruit or veggie. Many will say that they left work after a stressful meeting to grab chicken at Popeye's or a chocolate sundae at Dairy Queen.It was a chance to get away while enjoying a treat. It was a bad habit but it didn't happen that often, Now with almost everyone working from home , snacks and junk food abound. we can sneak leftover Halloween candy during a Zoom meeting , balance grades and our kids' schooling while enjoying chips and a soda. We can even escape into the back yard with a bottle of wine just to get a buzz on. It's all fine and well, yet it's not the best direction for us or our bodies. All that sugar and transfat will eventually lead to the "pandemic pounds" - weight gained while in captivity. Can we break it? Yes, if we wean ourselves off the unhealthy stuff and reach for healthy and actually delicious snacks. The key is to having a "clean kitchen" free of any junk food temptations. If there's ever a time to clean your kitchen it's now before the holidays come.

Clean kitchen mean clean food too. You can still stress eat but do it with fruit and veggies.A fun and healthy snack is a bowl of apple slices dipped in cinnamon. Apples are good for losing weight as well as keeping diabetes at bay. They also promote good bacteria in the gut as well as preventing certain cancers.Cinnamon (and nix the sugar here) is loaded with antioxidants along with preventing cancer and heart disease. It's aroma and taste trigger many happy memories for some, so it's the ideal comfort food. Pears are another good snack for stress eating. There are so many different types and the flavors vary depending on the type. Of course veggies are the perfect nosh for stress eating. Try baby carrots to gnaw on tonight. You get that crunch factor , perfecting for relieving that tenseness in the jaw along with getting a good dose of the all important beta-carotene. Broccoli and cauliflower florets are also good for easing anxiety, especially when served with a tasty dip., Again make the dip healthy by adding herbs and spices to Greek yogurt. Nuts like almonds and pecans are good for snacking as those classics - pretzels. Nibble on a few pretzel sticks as you watch the election returns. Serve these with hot chamomile tea which can relax you for a restful sleep.

This is the night for stress eating - and drinking. Try to make it a healthy nibble. The better you eat, the less stress you put on your body.

Smaller Sundays

 Sundays used to be a big deal pre-pandemic. There were after church dinners with the extended family or brunches with friends. Now that's all changed . However we can still get together  - in smaller groups - with the same good food as before. We're just not going to go as crazy cooking and baking.

Most families celebrated the Sabbath with a good old fashioned roast. This could be roast beef or London Broil for beef lovers , turkey and chicken for fans of poultry and ham for cured meat aficionadoes. Some ethnic groups like the Germans had a good pork roast while the Greeks served a whole shoulder of lamb or the entire animal if celebrating a big event like a baptism or engagement. Now we have to think of less grandiose quantities for the immediate family. The best idea is to go small.Think eye round steaks which are perfect for individual portions or a 1.5 pound roast beef. You could go up to two pounds if you want leftovers for the week.As for turkey, try a six pound one which should give a small group ample servings and then some. Chicken can also be smaller in size or you can try Cornish hens. One Cornish hen comes in at one and a quarter pounds which can feed two adults. Two are perfect for a family of four.As for ham get a half one weighing in at five to ten pounds, enough for a table of five people. As for pork and lamb, consider chops. It's the same flavor but without all the extra meat. Chops are well loved and will go quickly. With these dinners come sides. Forget the big bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy along with three or four dishes of other  veggies. Serve baked potatoes with gravy instead and maybe have one green side like string beans almondine or tomatoes Provencale.

Brunches have always been big boozy affairs on Sunday. They were always a fun way of catching up and trying other's recipes if they were pot luck themed ones. Now brunches have been scaled down considerably with maybe three - four at the most gathering at someone's house. This means smaller dishes and maybe less variety. Quiche has always been a mainstay and at times the backbone of many a weekend brunch.  Downsize the recipe with individual ones in ramekins. You can also use your muffin pan to create mini quiches in different flavors, from the original quiche Lorraine to broccoli and onion flavored. Another idea is serving individual shrimp cocktails  with jumbo shrimp. Four each should satisfy hungry guests. Have them with a crisp green salad bursting with broccoli and cauliflower along with avocado slices. Already arranged charcuterie plates are another alternative idea. Instead of everyone grabbing from one platter, have various cold cuts, from prosciutto to mortadella and salami arranged on separate plates. Add cut slices of Italian or French bread and individual ramekins of the pickled Italian salad, giadineria for color and crunch. Dessert could be cups of freshly cut fruit or cupcakes, dusted with confectioners' sugar for a more sophisticated take. Of course have the mimosas and Bloody Mary's. It still is a brunch after all.

Sunday dinners and brunches are going to be smaller now. Yet that doesn't mean skimping on delicious dishes. You can still downsize and produce a meal that's a delicious way of celebrate friends and family.

New Traditional Pastas

New traditions are forming every day, especially in food.One of the most striking is in pasta. Gone are the days when spaghetti or penne were made with Durham wheat. Now there are all sorts of flours going into traditional dishes.

One of the most famous and popular is  Banta. I bought their spaghetti  made from chickpeas.

The company has several different different types, from this and angel hair  to lasagna strips to elbow macaroni. There's even kid pastas from wagon wheels to alphabet. It takes about the same amount of time as regular pasta and tastes almost the same too. There is a slight chickpea aftertaste.

The texture too is the same  and didn't clump the way wheat based spaghetti does. The only disconcerting aspect is that the water foams up while boiling. This can be easily skimmed off. More traditional companies such Ronzoni and Barilla are also jumping on the band wagon.They're using vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, spinach and tomatoes instead of beans. There's also their Super greens composed of spinach , zucchini, broccoli, parsley and kale. Barilla is also offering chickpea pasta too as well as red lentil. Red lentil spaghetti is a fun and healthy way to enjoy a traditional pasta.

Traditional wheat pasta is making way for a new type. It's much more healthier and even tastier. What's great is that you can make it as just as classic and delicious as the original ones.

Parties Separate But Apart

There are parties and gathering but they're different. We are celebrating but six feet apart. Does it work?  Sort of, for now anyway.

I recently went to a neighbor's twin granddaughters twelfth birthday party. An ice cream truck provided the treats and that was it. Everyone had the choice of whatever ice or ice cream along with going back for seconds. It was only one hundred dollars for their mom to rent plus the price of all the ice cream eaten. Neighbors were invited which was sweet and nice. There was a covered gazebo in the backyard where there was enough room for social distancing and eating. The girls had pizza earlier for their friends and saved the ice cream as the "cake. There was no Happy Birthday's sung, no games to win prizes. There were, however,  loosely clustered groups, all with masks and respecting social distancing. It seems this is common from what I heard from others.Many of their kids went to various ice cream or other food truck parties in the last months. Kids ate fun and tasty food while enjoying sorely missed company.  As for the twins' get together, neighbors caught up on gossip, masking up after they had their ice cream or ices. It worked. We all kept our distance and respected each other's new personal spaces.

Friends are also talking about socially distanced parties and get togethers. Of course, they'll be nothing grand. No one will be sharing salads and we definitely won't all be digging into one plate of dessert. We may just even bring our own prepared dishes , a kind of brown bag party. This wouldn't be a bad idea. Guests could bring their own sandwiches  and refreshments. After all it's the company not the food that matters.It's just a chance of being together and having some semblance of our former lives. If any host wants to supply food, then maybe brown bagging is the way to go. Subway and many grocery stores such as Acme have already made heroes, Serve these with individual bags of chips or sandwich bags of cherry tomatoes , broccoli and cauliflower florets and individual dip cups. Mini ice buckets filled with water and soda can be placed by chairs that are set six to seven feet apart. There should also be mini hand sanitizers and wipes too. As for dessert let people make their own s'mores. Have a little bag full of chocolate bars, graham crackers and marshmallows.

Parties are meant to be fun. In this new era, they still can be with guidelines and respect. There is still a time and a place for good food and good company,

The Fun Of Cooking For One

Single people usually get sympathetic looks when it comes to the subject of cooking. even they wonder if there's more to life than just microwave meals for one and endless take out orders. There is. Thanks to a new cookbook, cooking for one can be fun.

America's Test Kitchen  that informative PBS cooking show now has a new cookbook Cooking For One: Scaled Recipes,No-Waste Solutions and Time Saving Tips (America's Test Kitchen Publications 2020), perfect for those single home chefs. This is a brilliant book, chock full of delicious recipes that can easily be doubled for two. Cooking and even baking (yes there is baking for one!) can be exciting and fun. The book has the usual chapters on sandwiches and soups , salads and one pan dinners along with main meals. The chapter on sides shows how a side can go from a supporting player to the star with some additions.A few pages are even dedicated to fun cocktails, made with ingredients found in the fridge and pantry. What is great is, like all America's Test Kitchens books , is that its' introductory chapter  tells singular chefs what to stock up on and how much. Get a smaller skillet along with a small whisk and cutting board.There are also a couple of pages on microwave's usually a single's best friend. Listed are suggestions about using it to peel garlic(!) and how to dehydrate citrus zest. There are also recipes for fried shallots and kale chips. The book will show how to shop smarter, cutting down on items  likes meats and cheese that are usually sold in larger qualities.Leftovers are also written about along with menu plans to help reduce waste and save time.

I absolutely the recipes in this book. They are truly inspiring and fun and I plan on making many , if not all of them. I love the sides and the way they can be transformed into main dishes. There's cauliflower rice that can be easily made at home.Another plus is that every recipe has a kitchen improv section that offers suggestions about how to vary the recipe. The cauliflower rice suggests adding curry or Thai curry paste for more zing.Another yummy dish is the roasted butternut squash.I can see pairing it with the roasted carrots for a tasty healthy dinner. The main dishes are also delicious. There's skillet roasted chicken and potatoes that's reminiscent of Sunday dinners along with sheet pan sausages complete with sweet potatoes and broccoli rabe.It's served with a dollop of chive mustard butter. Sandwiches and salads are also wonderful, especially if you do have to go to the office.There is the ever popular avocado toast zinged up with red pepper flakes or feta cheese depending upon your tastes. Lamb pita sandwiches are perfect for weekend eating and easy to make. Salads include a tasty quinoa chock full of different spices and feta cheese and a warm spiced couscous salad. There are several pasta dishes that are sure to become instant favorites. The desserts are also amazing. You can make chocolate chip cookies for one - honest. However this recipe may call for several batches. There are also the tantalizing haystacks - chocolates mixed with pretzel sticks and nuts and chocolate peanut butters truffles too yummy. Of course there are mugs cakes and solo sundaes , perfect for an indulgent night in.

Cooking For One :Scaled Recipes,No-Waste Solutions And Time Saving Tips is the perfect book for those single chefs wanting good, tasty food. The recipes and advice are amazing, great for one or even two home chefs living on their own. This book means good bye to those sad microwave for one dinners and many cartons of take out.

Hurricane Hampers

Bad enough we still have a pandemic to deal with, we now have hurricanes. What makes it worse is that we can't really rely on friends, family and neighbors now for food or supplies. We have to build our own stores , with whatever we have around.

One of the worse things about any bad storm is that the electricity is usually cut off. That means all that frozen food you stocked up on may go bad. Keep in mind that those burgers can be grilled on your barbecue (which may be your only way of cooking for a few days).Frozen veggies can be thawed out and boiled for sides or then cooled for salads.Also have a hurricane hamper or cooler where you can put any of the frozen packages for a few days. Store your milk and dairy here as well as your eggs. Nearby streams can also be used for refrigeration. Just make sure the wildlife doesn't get to the food first. Eggs  should be used first, whether in dishes or as scrambled and omelets. Refrigerated eggs can easily turn bad and the yolks and whites become breeding ground for bacteria. The shell doesn't even have to be broken. Try also, to cook the leftovers first. They too can turn bad quickly. Repurpose them into different dishes with different spins. Again these can be reheated on your outdoor grill. Just put them into foil packets and roast for fifteen to twenty minutes.

As for your hurricane hamper. make sure you have enough for three meals. Think beef , chicken,pork or turkey jerky for lunch or dinner. They provides protein as well as something filling. There are several different brands such as Jack Links and Oberto's, the last features turkey.  Some cold cuts such as pepperoni will keep too and make great fillings for sandwiches.Cheeses will keep without refrigeration and, are again excellent sources of protein. The kids will love any kind of cheddar but adults will appreciate Gouda and Edam. Have crackers and bread for the slices and squares. Veggies will keep for a few days and should be added to the hurricane hamper.Salad dressings don't have to be refrigerated and you can buy a few to liven up the  produce. You can also make your own with using olive oil, any kind of vinegar and different herbs and spices. Try a garlic infused one with red wine vinegar or a honey one with apple cider vinegar.Veggies can be grilled too. Stock up on grillables like eggplant, tomatoes, cauliflower and onions These can be turned into tasty sheet pan meals or spins on ratatouille. Ice cream is off the table but you can satisfy sweet tooths with fresh fruit such as cherries, blueberries and peaches. These will keep. Another treats are cookies and for a healthier bite graham crackers. Get marshmallows and chocolate to make a special treat s'mores. These will be a welcome bite.

Hurricane hampers are a must during these strange days. Be prepared. Be stocked up and ready for whatever the weather brings you.

Leap Into Good Health

This is Leap Year Day - the perfect day to leap into good eating habits. One of the best defenses we have against the corona virus and anything else is solid nutrition. If we eat healthy we'll be healthy.

The first step is assessing what you eat. Too many processed foods - out. The last thing you need is a diet rich with high sodium and high fat along with over processing. Instant or microwave meals can be handy but they can also be deadly too. I know it's easy to pop something for five minutes and then gobble it down. You can still have microwave dishes but try steamed ones. There are many microwave steamers out there where you can cook an entire meal.Start looking into steaming salmon steaks with a wide variety of veggies. Of course we all know about those omega 3''s but few know about their ability to increase white blood cells, vital for fighting off foreign agents such as flus and viruses. They also produce antibodies , sort of like a natural vaccine. what pairs well with a nice piece of the fish? Lightly buttered green beans which are loaded with Vitamins C and K. Asparagus works too.A few stalks will provide you with chromium useful for transporting glucose through the body.  Another healthy meat is chicken but skip the fried, as delicious as it is. Stick to grilled and roasted.

Snacking on the wrong foods can also wreck your immunity.  Again, as with fast food it's so easy to grab the tasty and the quick. One of the best and most flavorful is a small tray of mixed veggies with spiced up Greek yogurt. Have a good mix of broccoli and cauliflower florets.Broccoli is rich in the essential vitamins along with choline, a nutrient essential to a healthy diet. Choline aids in creating a strong gastrointestinal barrier  which keeps bacteria safely confined to the gut.Cauliflower also has its' life saving pluses.The florets are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and also choline. Of course don't forget the carrots. These perfect crunchers (and teeth cleaners) are abundant in beta carotene and their nutrients help to support the body's mucus membrane which lines both the respiratory and intestinal tracts. This makes it hard for bacteria to enter the blood stream. If you want sweet then consider Greek yogurt drizzled with maple syrup or dark wildflower honey. Even these two sweeteners have antioxidant properties that help strengthen the immune system.

Leap into a diet that boosts your immune system. It will help you deal with whatever germs that are out there. You can protect yourself while still eating tasty foods.

Is Cauliflower The New Kale?

There will always be trends in food just as there are trends in everything else. One season a certain food is popular, the next it's not. Is this what's happening with cauliflower? Is this good for you veggie becoming the new kale?

Cauliflower has been around for centuries. The ancient Turks first cooked with it and then the Europeans . Americans have had it on their tables sometimes reluctantly since the early 1900's. Even though it's good for us, our relationship with it has always been iffy. Kids have always hated it, wanting their moms to drench it in melted cheddar cheese while American home chefs have either undercooked or overcooked the creamy white florets. Yet it's becoming super popular thanks to the different ways in which it can be prepared. Maybe it was the Obamas' White House chef, the great Sam Kass who got us on this cauliflower kick. He started with cauliflower steaks , a easy sheet pan dish that can be spiced up in any way possible. America went wild for these. Then there was his cauliflower pizza which took off like wildfire. This healthy crust pie was the best thing to happen to the Neopolitan classic since pepperoni was added. Now you can buy premade crusts made by Green Giant along with ones with toppings. The company also cauliflower gnocchi (! - and definitely a must try!!!) along with riced cauliflower. This is meant to be a side but it can easily be made into a main course. Green Giant mixes it with cheese , along with pairing it with other veggies like sweet potatoes.



 I tried the Green Giant  premade crust the other night and it was very good. This gluten free square has no wheat flour, being made with the veggie and rice flour. I  first brushed it olive oil then topped it with pizza sauce and vegan mozzarella .There was some of the strong brassicae taste, giving it a cauliflower flavor. Yet it worked. I have tried the riced cauliflower and again it's good and refreshingly not glutenous as real rice. Maybe that's why it's outshining kale at this point. It mixes so well with other flavors. It does have a distinct taste but not as overpowering as onions or Brussels sprouts. It blends in  - a plus for any ingredient. Maybe another reason is its' many benefits. Cauliflower heads are loaded with sulfurophanes - molecules that have wide ranging protective effects. One important benefit of them is that they lower estrogen and can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Another benefit is that cauliflower can help in detoxing the liver, thanks to its' phytonutrients. However its' closest cousins, Brussels sprouts and broccoli also have these attributes  and in Brussels sprouts even more so. Maybe they'll be the next big thing.

Is cauliflower having a moment? It sure is, shining bright in home kitchens across the US. Yet how could you not like it?It's wonderful to cook with and wonderful to eat, plus having a load of good for your health benefits.

A Spin On Sides

Right now there may be some nail biting about what sides to serve for the upcoming holidays. There also may be sighs about serving the same old stuff again this year. What do you do? Vary the recipe. There's nothing wrong with adding some zing to tradition.

One of the side dishes most made is a bowl of mashed potatoes. People do love them  and they are good for mopping up gravy. Yet it's the same old bland taste with a mealy texture. You could turn it into garlic mashed with the addition of five to six cloves along with some grated Parmesan. Another variation is herbed with thyme and chives. This type requires the tangy creme fraiche instead of the usual milk. For meat and cheese lovers try bacon and cheddar for a different kind of flavor. A healthier and more fun version is mashed cauliflower. Like the potatoes they need to be boiled or steamed and then mashed with vegan butter or the regular kind. Add herbs and garlic or chives for more flavor. Yams are another veggie than can be smashed as opposed to roasted or boiled. For sweetness add maple syrup but then zing it up with a tiny pinch of cayenne. A different variation is sweet potato fries , perfect made in an air fryer  and an unexpected treat for the kids.

Brussels sprouts have always been a holiday and even Sunday meal staple. Yet they can be a hard sell, with their cabbage-y tang. One of the best recipes is Piedmontese style. It's simply boiling the sprouts and then adding melted butter (or margarine) and a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. You could also make roasted ones which caramelizes the leaves, making for a sweeter taste. Garlic can be added but just sea salt and ground pepper are the best seasonings. If the younger ones and carnivores still won't eat them, then refashion them into crunchy chips. These have the crispness of potato chips but with good for you benefits.  They can be baked with the turkey or air fried. Another idea that involves all the veggies is a sheet pan of sides. Using a big sheet pan, place the yams , potatoes and any greens, whether they be Brussels sprouts or green beans, in designated quadrants. It makes for an easy way of cooking and a novel way of serving.  A take on this idea is having just plain sides and creating different sauces for them, from a honey butter to a warm bacon vinaigrette to pour on them. This works well with holiday and Sunday dinner buffets.

Sides always complement the main course. Yet compliment them with new spins that will make them memorable.Add some zing whether in flavor or in cooking them differently.