SuperBowl Super Fun

 Next week it's the Super Bowl!!!  This means fun foods that are tasty and filling. This is an event that doesn't have a set menu.Anything you make or bake is good.

Salads usually don;t figure greatly in any Super Bowl party yet suppose it has pepperoni in it. A pepperoni salad is a fun way to bring veggies into the party.  Use a Spring mix along with banana peppers and cherry tomatoes Add diced cucumbers and chopped mozzarella cheese for more oomph. What about the dressing? A simple vinaigrette works  here. Keep the extra pepperoni for a massive charcuterie board. Charcuterie works well at any Super Bowl party. Also have slices of ham, salame and mortadella. Cheese could be anything from Swiss to cheddar. Yes you should have bread, a good Italian or French bread. Salty nuts like cashews and peanuts round it out. Bowls of olives are also good on a charcuterie board. Have both green and black out. A sea-cuterie board is also delicious if you want to splurge. This could could be tins of anchovies and sardines along with salmon and tuna. You can also buy a shrimp cocktail ring from your local grocery too. A lobster or crab salad works better than having whole lobster and whole crab legs. These can get a bit costly, especially if you're hosting a large crowd.

Dips are a must. One of the most famous and favorite is  artichoke dip.It's not just the artichoke hearts that give it the flavor,There are a variety of cheeses also. Add Parmesan, Romano and mozzarella for flavor and creaminess. The dip has to have mayonnaise to give it that famed silkiness. Of course there's spinach for color and more flavor. Use frozen or fresh.It;s up to you. Basil and garlic are also added as well as sea salt and pepper. The dip is famously served in a hollowed out bread bowl but a regular bowl can do too.Serve with bread chunks or even pita chips. Guacamole is another must make dip for any Super Bowl party. This is a super easy dish of mashed avocados, lemon juice and tomatoes. A drizzle of olive oil can be added to give the dip silkiness. Make a lot.This is one of the most popular dips out there and people go crazy for it. Queso is another Mexican dip perfect for any party. It can even be drizzled over tacos and burritos for extra flavor.It;'s made from a mix for shredded cheddar, evaporated and regular milk along with garlic, a small chopped white onion and chopped green chiles. Cornstarch or corn flour is used to thicken it. Serve warm for maximum flavor.

Happiness is a Super Bowl Party with good food being served. Try a;; sorts of dishes from seafood to meat for a tasty variety. Your guests and you will appreciated it.

Inclusion All Year Round

 Today we remember those who were lost nineteen years ago. We came together as a country. There was a sense of unity and fidelity to our country and neighbors. We are apart now, thanks to beliefs , prejudices and Covid 19. Yet there are ways of coming together and standing as one. That involves one of our  most basic needs - cooking and nourishing each other,

We can still cook and bake for each other despite social distancing . Isolated neighbors will appreciate a loaf of homemade bread or a casserole. It's even easy to create a meal box , full of ingredients and instructions and leave it on a neighbor's doorstep. You could add fresh produce from your garden along with spices and extras. Keep it simple. A jar of homemade sauce and a box of any kind of pasta is simple enough to make and reheat but nutritious and filling for a lunch or dinner. You could also include the ingredients for a tasty hero, with cold cuts and cheeses along with a small container of dressing. Have a dessert of some fruit , whether an apple or pear. You could also include a baggie of grapes or cherries too. For fun, add a small jigsaw puzzle , puzzle books and magazines. If the person is celebrating a birthday, find out their favorite meal and make that. Include a small cake or cupcakes along with a small gift.

Inclusion also means bringing kids together despite the social distancing. There can still be get togethers but  on Zoom . Parents can get together and create the same dinner that everyone can share on this modern meeting medium. A truly inclusive idea is having Thursdays or one day of the weekend saved for different recipes from different groups. It could be a Nigerian beef and spaghetti stew or chicken with plantains. It's a great way of expanding family palates as well as the family cookbook. Cooking other classmates' family recipes brings new spices and flavors to the kitchen pantry. Parents can also write down their recipes in a class cookbook that can be published on Nook or Kindle. How to photographs  can be included too to show how a dish is made. Stories of everyone's ancestry and homeland can also accompany the recipes. Of course there could be virtual lunches too with everyone enjoying a shared peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a tomato soup in their individual houses. 

We need to be more inclusive despite our distancing. If we can honor the ones we lost, and our country, let's try to be more unified. It can easily be done through cooking and baking for each other.

Fridge Basics

No matter who you are you probably have some kind of food in your fridge. We all do .However do you have the right foods ?Some people just have the detritus of left over take out or cold cuts and store bought salads. In order to have a healthy lifestyle there are some basics you should have stock up on .

Every refrigerator should have basic  foodstuffs. This includes milk and eggs. These are the bases for many dishes plus you need them if you have kids.Another must have is either butter and/or margarine. These are used for every thing from cooking to spreads. Fresh produce is another fridge have to have. No matter what the season , always have some kind of tomatoes on hand. These  are great as a side with sandwiches for lunch or in a  side salad at dinner.You can include lettuce along with fresh crudites. This last can be used in everything , from stir fries or as a snack with a low cal dip.

What's next is up to the individual. Keep a small variety of cold cuts in the fridge for hot or cold  sandwiches if you want .Other extras include your choice of condiments  such as ketchup, mayo and mustard. Jams and jellies can also be stored  however don't cram up your shelves with a wide variety of these. Stick to just one or two flavors. If you want you can also store cheeses too . Sliced cheese is always good to keep around on hand. Pair it with bread to make quick grilled cheese sandwiches if you're pressed for time for a hot meal.

A well stocked fridge is one that has the basics. These everyday and simple food stuffs can be used in a variety of ways to make all sorts of dishes ,Make sure you have them handy. Your diet will benefit with having them at the ready.

Hurricane Cuisine Part Two

Yesterday I wrote about hurricane cuisine - what do do during a hurricane and shortly after. That was for people who are going to ride out this catastrophe and its' aftermath at home . However there are those who are also in shelters and may be not be allowed home for a few days. What to do then? Again , just improvise but use your brains. be smart about your choices and what to do when you return home.

The first thing if you can read this or yesterday's column good. You have some power and access to the Internet. You may be reading this off your phone or IPad.Hopefully it's not in a shelter however if it is , just stay calm. Your backpack should have your favorite crackers and cookies along with bottled water and energy drinks. These are the best to take with you - after all they're portable comfort foods and feel like home. If you haven't and you still have time to shop,get some juice boxes and Gatorade for the kids.Bananas and apples are the fruits to take with you. They're not going to spoil as fast as other fruits and they're less messy too. Jello and pudding cups are another good choice. They're full of vitamins plus they're easy and fun to eat, especially for the kids.

When you get home be prepared to scour your fridge. Hopefully it was emptied before you left however if not , then clean out. Food can last up to two or three days in a closed fridge or freezer. Throw out any fresh cuts of meats and milk that smell bad. Mayo will keep twenty four hours as do some creamy salad dressings Toss those if there's an unusual or sour odor.Most cheeses will keep as some veggies. This also applies to some frozen foods and dinners. If your fridge has completely gone without power for more than tow or three days and you're not there to cook the food, then toss it. Start fresh with whatever your stores will have.

In a few days things will more or less get back to normal. In the meantime, make the best of this foodwise. Be creative but above all be smart. Make the right choices when you're in the shelter and when you return home.

Foodie Gifts For The Foodie

Holiday shopping for foodies is one of the easiest things to do. we love food - good foods -trendy foods - new foods. We'll love not just the taste but the aroma, and the look of any gift. Luckily there are some great places out there for some good gifts, both sweet and savory. You can buy on line or at your favorite grocery store.

Starting with savory gifts there's a lot to choose from. You can create a really nice gift basket, with cheeses from stores like the A&P and Stop & Shop (if you're in the US). A favorite is buying several cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert and adding some Carr's water biscuits . You can also have themed ones such as pasta and sauces along with cold cuts for an Italian themed one, foie gras and croissants for a French themed one. Also snack baskets are always a treat. One of my favorite stores, Target has some interesting snacks such as Parmesan cheddar cheese straws. salt and pepper pretzels and Maui onion potato chips. It also has a huge selection of nuts. and popcorn too.

Sweet gifts are always popular. One of my favorites to give is panetone from Rocco;s in New York.It's now such a tradition that friends and family anticipate it. Another fun cake is the pan d'oro, the buttery sweet Italian bread that's the perfect gift for sweet toothed foodies.That classic - a box of chocolate s is always appreciated. Mostly everyone buys a loved one a box from Godiva at this time of year. However there's also Butler's to consider. Their chocolates are rich and creamy , coming in unique flavors such as Irish creme. For the grown up gourmet kid there's the website Lollyphile .com where you can buy such flavors as caffeinated cola, maple bacon and even the decadent absinthe flavored suckers.

Holiday shopping for foodies is the easiest thing to do. We lovefood gifts as long as they're good, trendy and tasty. Gift us with Brie or chocolates or even popcorn and we'll be happy. Nothing pleases us more than a well thought out gift basket full of delicious treats