Favorite Birthday Food

 Everyone always has to have a special meal on his or her birthday. It could be a juicy diner hamburger with a large size of fries and onion rings. It could be a bowl of spaghetti, graced with garlic bread. These are the foods that help make the day even more special.

What is your favorite birthday meal? Mine used to be risotto Milanese , the creamy saffron drenched rice dish from Milan. Now it's spaghetti with sauce although I wouldn't;t say no to shrimp cocktail and clam chowder.

What dish  makes your special day sing? Let us know.

Fun Fish Dishes

 Lenten fridays mean no meat. It does give home chefs a chance to experiment with seafood dishes. There are so many to choose from along with different kinds of fish. The recipes will make you forget steak and poultry for sure.

Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite columnin wednesday's New York Times Food section inspired me to think of other fish dishes. Her take on trout almondine was inspiring and easy to create. It's an easy cook with any white fish filet.The sauce is just a blend of lemon and butter with chives added in . serve ith wth smashed potatoes and white wine for a sophisticated intro to the weekend, The little ones may not like this so ther'es always fish and chips. You can easily buy already made filets along with Ore-Ida crinkle fries. However you  cna also make them in your air fryer. It's just creating a tasty batter out of breadcrumbs egg and flour. They could even help out in dredging the filets. . The fries cna be home made and air fried too. Use russet potatoes and give them an hout long cold water bath. This is to remove the starch and get them nice and crispy. They're then tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.The kids will love these with ketchup but the folks can have it with a garlicky aioli sauce.

Of course a hot brothy chowder is a great Friday  night dinner. Clam chowder comes in three variations., Manhattan, New England and Rhode Island. This is the red chowder , livened up with tomato paste. A Spanish onion is added as are chopped celery stalks. Yet ti's the melange of spices that give this soup its' distinctive flavor.There are seven cloves of galric , a pinch of red pepper and the all important thyme. This last is what imparts an earthy herby flavor to the chowder.Bay leaf can be added as well. The New England variety still has the minced clams but the chowder is It has onions too but potatoes are added (some Manhattan clam chowders also have these ) along with bacon for extra flavor ,there is also celery and butter added as well. It's usually also made with chicken broth but you can sub in vegetable broth for a truly meatless soup. The Rhode Island variety is not a blend of the Manhattan and New England but rather its' own rich mxiture of quahog clams , celery , onion and bacon cooked with a splash of Worcester sauce and white pepper for zing.

A friday night fish dinner cna be just as exciting as a weeknight meat dinner. Try any of these for a great way to bring in the weekend. They're tasty and flavorful for a great supper in,

The Movable Kitchen

 August is the month for getting away. That means packing up everything, from bathing suits to blankets to even blenders for a week or two away. Yet what do you bring? What stays at home? That's the question.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Ali Slagle created a guide for those cooking away from home in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Why shoould you cook in your rental as opposed to enjoying the local restaurants and treats? Because it's economical and soothing to enjoy familiar recipes. As with packing she advises, plan ahead and stay flexible. Start by listing everyone's allergies and what they're excited about eating. You will have to work with what's in the rental kitchen (unless you bring some of your own gear).Also keep lunch and dinner ideas simple. Choose dishes that use pantry staples that use basic tools.Please bing your knives because you're familiar with them.Ones you find in rental kitchens are usually dull and hard to handle if you're not used to them. It will also make chopping much easier.Of course take advatnage of local markets. There are usually some great nearby farms where you can not only get veggies and fruit in season, but fresh baked breads and treats along with honey and even freshly laid eggs.Seafood markets are a must if you heading to the shore. You can always pick up a a few good lobsters or at least and freshly made  clam chowder.

Again simplicity is the key here. Don;t bring four kinds of herbs when you can use the one that everyone in the family likes. Lean on ingredients you and the family like.Cook hamburgers if they're into them. If they want potato chips and dip for a nightly snack, then buy them. Also buy what looks good. Basics like bread, grains and eggs are essential and should be bought fresh They'll also perk up leftovers. Ms. Slagle also recommends not starting at zero. Chop veggies and fruits at home along with marinating proteins (these can be carried in a cooler) Make dressing ahead of time to bring down with you. Another point before you leave clean out your  rental's fridge  . Make kitchen sink salads where everything isused up or omelets using leftiovers meats and cheeses. Try tofu scrambles or  loaded. pizzas or flatbreads. It has to be as empty as it was when you arrived. The article also has two recipes , one for smashed zucchini with chickpeas and peanuts. and turkey burgers. The first is a fiery mix of beans, nuts and veggies, spiked with jalapeno and spices like  sumac and coriander. The turkey burgers are easy , with ground meat and onion for flavor. Have a fixings bar set up so everyone can put on them what they like.

It's the season to rent a nice water front or mountainside house.The living is easy and so should be the cooking. Plan ahead for a week of simple  and delicious cooking.

When The In Season is Out

Like any other businesses  restaurants have in and out seasons. Of course the busy times are a boon to eateries. It means more of a food turnover as well as more cash flow coming in. It's a great time?Or is it?

I experienced this yesterday when visiting my favorite shore restaurant ,  the Atlatnic Highlands Bahr's and its' offshoot, Moby's Lobster Deck.  I was in need of some serious eats.after a beach day of walking and splashing about. I figured it wouldn;t be that crowded.Was I wrong.It was beyond packed. Thanks to the holiday and the high temps this shore hang out was crammed with customers and cars. It was a headache. This is start of the in season for many shore eateries. That means making reservations or waiting and fighting for everything from parking spaces to tables. It also means long lines and shortages.What to do? Think about packing your own meals. This saves on both eating out and waiting a ridiculously long time for a cup of clam chowder and fries. Pack a lot.Have plenty of extras such as water and snacks. You don;t want to make an extra stops, especially if you're in a steady line of traffic. That  will delay more time at the beach. If you do want to eat afterwards, then head inland. There are some cute and often well rated cafes a mile or two from the sand and sea. Check them out on  line.You may even find one that will become a family favorite.

With warmer weather more people spend dinner time out and about. Again this means making reservations at places that you normally wouldn't. Another idea is eating at an earlier time. Many Yelp reviews list the most popular times. Follow this when you''re planning a night out and go for an early hour.  Another idea is take out dinners .It's really the best of both worlds. You eat your favorite dishes in the quiet of your backyard patio. Ask for dessert as well to complete the experience. You could also recreate then at home. It could be a fun challenge to  whip up a dish even better than your favorite chef could. What happens if the restaurant becomes too popular and crowded? Again, like with the beach front places , look to other ones. Take advantage of Groupon and Val-Pac which introduce the newest eateries to the local  population.. Newer restaurants do not have a following as the older, more established ones. They will not only be grateful for the business but also accommodating.

An in season place is going to usually be overcrowded and rife with shortages and sell outs. Go to it in the off season. Take this time to discover new eateries and quiet dinners on the back patio.