Treating Our Veterans

 NO matter how this country turns out , we'll always have veterans to thank for our freedom. On this special day we should not only remember them but honor them. In fact this shouldn't be just for one day but for the entire year.

One way is by helping out any elderly veterans in your neighborhood. You can include them in your shopping trips - even make a fun day out of it by going for lunch or coffee. It not only helps them out with one chore but also occupies what could have been a long day. Another thank you could be shopping for them if the weather becomes too rainy or snowy.A home cooked meal wouldn't;t go amiss either. If you;re making a shepherd's pie then think about making a second smaller one if he or she is living alone.If it'sa couple then make a larger one. You could also try any other pie or casserole like lasagna or a baked macaroni and cheese.Any meal together would be nice too. If they have nowhere to go on Thanksgiving then put your veteran on the top of your guest list. Make sure they have a dinner to take home too.Include turkey and all the trimmings plus a slice of their favorite pie.

Some veterans have problems with shopping. benefits may be cut and there's no money. Donate to food pantries in your area. Ask your grocery stores to do the same if they can. Burger your local and favorite restaurants to offer half price days for service people. They can designate a day that veterans and their families can eat half price or buy one meal and get the second at half price.For younger veterans just coming home , give them and their spouses gift certificates not just to Restaurants but also grocery stores. These days fifty dollars  -even twenty-five dollars can be quite helpful. It can buy a few basics like eggs and milk.Thjnk a gift certificate to Wal-Mart or Lidl will go a a long way. Both not only have lower priced foods there's also clothes and hygiene basics they can buy. Giving them a gift certificate now could also mean them having a great Thanksgiving. They can splurge on a turkey or  a couple of their favorite pies. They can also save the gift certificate for Christmas or Hannukah and splurge on treats and sweets.

It's is Veteran's Day. Not only should we only those who fought but treat them with the utmost respect. They deserve it.

A Homemade Mash

 One of the best comfort foods is a plate of home made mashed potatoes. There's something soothing about a plate of them with a side  puddle of butter or gravy. It's home cooking at its' best.

I decided to try the old school method of making mashed potatoes but with a few tweaks. It's starts off traditionally  - with Russet potatoes.I used a whopping five pound bag of them.

There's a method to my madness. Leftover mashed potatoes make excellent puffs  -a kind of home made Tater Tot  - with the addition of eggs and chopped onions, then fried.

I soaked them first because this ensures a fluffy texture.

They were then drained and put to cook into a pot of boiling salted water. They have to be cooked for about twenty - to  twenty-five minutes. 

I like Russets. They are delicious with an earthy flavor  however, they're hard to cook.

The next step was draining them and adding the mix of hot milk and butter. 

I made this vegan with two cups of almond milk and six tablespoons of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. You're supposed to heat it on the stove top but the microwave does a good job too.

This was added to the drained Russets and then it was mashed with an electric mixer. Doing this will ensure a light fluffy texture. Again it was hard because Russets are really dense in texture.

The end result was pretty good.

The mash also got a good sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. You could add parsley or garlic if you wanted to. 

Homemade mashed potatoes is the ultimate comfort food. They can be as easy cook, albeit labor intensive. Yet all that work is worth it for a side of creamy goodness.

Baking Book For Holiday Bakers

No matter how good a home baker you are you still need inspiration and guidance, especially for the holidays. There are some interesting new pastry books out there now that can help.  They'll turn your holiday dessert table into a table from The Great British Baking Show.

Melissa Clark, the creator of the New York Times Food section's weekly column, A Good Appetite, reviewed and rated these interesting books. Thanks to America's obsession with all shows baking  like the aforementioned  The Great British Baking Show and Nailed It. Home bakers are upping their game. There is no such thing as quick and easy. It has to be elaborate and different. Recipes do reflect the times. Ms. Clark has noticed how trends affect the recipes in all the books. She has counted at least ten call for matcha  powder which is even in pound cake and ancient grains such as teff. einkorn and rye in the book from Tartine's pastry chef.. The biggest change is the use of gluten free flours and how far those recipes have come. This is clearly evident in Elisabeth Pruett, Tartine's pastry chef and co author of  Tartine: A Classic Revisited that she wrote with Chad Robertson. Chef  Pruett is a celiac sufferer  herself, kept  it to herself as she created the restaurant's famed tarts and croissants. Now the gluten free recipes shine such as her chocolate cream pie with oat crust. It was a big hit in Ms. Clark's household with her daughter and the daughter's gluten allergic friend wanting seconds.

The other cookbooks shine too.Another restaurant pastry chef, Margarita Manke's Baking At Republique which feature mostly French pastries and one coconut tapioca soup recipe honoring her Filipino heritage. Another  pastry chef, Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery gives us Pastry Love:A Baker's Journal of Favorite Recipes.  The book has ethereal recipes such as Japanese cotton cheesecake and fun ones such as Super Bowl cupcakes and cinnamon bun popcorn. If you want to embrace Midwestern baking then look to Shauna Severn's Midwest  Made: Big Bold Baking From The Heartland whick features such family favorites as Swedish flop cake  and the light lemon angel pie. There is even a recipe for the buttery and much loved favorite Kringle. Pastry cookbook veteran and Food section contributor, Samantha Seneviratne's  The Joys Of Baking: Recipes for a Sweet Life  has classic recipes such as pain au chocolate zinged up with the addition of Earl Grey tea. For those home bakers who want just simple recipes  check out Odette Williams Simple Cake: All You Need to Keep Your Friends and Family In Cake. Her milk and honey cake, a buttery layered one is rich with dark honey and butter milk. A simple homemade whipped cream tops it and honey is drizzled on top for decoration.

These are the books that will help elevate any holiday dessert table. They go a step further than just the usual cookie recipes. It's time to step up the baking game with these sweet books.

Your Fall Pantry Guide

It's time to rethink and restock your pantry and fridge now that fall is just around the corner. What do you need for cooking and baking? What  veggies should you be buying right now

? There's a whole list of ingredients that you'll need as the temps drop.

Of course pumpkin spice is everywhere, from lattes to even dish washing soap. It's basically a mix of the spices used in pumpkin pie - ground ginger and cinnamon. Each on their own is vital to fall cooking. Ground ginger can be used to give zing to pork chops and roast chicken. It can be used as a rub or part of one for wings and drumsticks and even part of breading for cauliflower. Ground ginger can also be used in sweet recipes and elevates ordinary muffins , cakes and cookies. Cinnamon is the quintessential fall spice. This ground bark from the canella tree graces everything during the cooler months.It's a must for autumn baking and you should be buy a larger containers that hold 8.75 ounces (McCormick sells these in all the grocery stores). You'll definitely use it for at home baking but it will also probably be used to make cinnamon rolls and spices cookies for school bake sales. Another fall must have is the herb sage. It's used in homemade dressings along with flavoring for chicken. Combine it with browned butter for a sauce for pumpkin or squash ravioli.

As far as veggies, what should you stock up on? The aforementioned pumpkin and squash.It pays to have one or two cans of pumpkin puree(don't confuse it with pumpkin pie filling which has sugar an all those spices in it).Yes, it can be used for pies and even tartlets, but the mash has a savory side too. Combined with chicken or vegetable broth and sauteed onions, it's the Piedmontese zuppa di zucca. This is a great soup to make on a Saturday or Sunday night. Remember that pumpkin puree can be used for ravioli filling too if you're into making homemade pasta. You could buy fresh pumpkins too but there's a lot of work involved gutting them and making your own puree. Sub in those summer zucchinis now with acorn and butternut squashes. These are easy to make and one half of one makes for an excellent, filling side. Acorn squash can also be mashed similar to potatoes. Turn the leftovers into puffs or croquettes.Brussels sprouts are on the scene again. Home  and commercial chefs alike love them. They can be turned into crispy chips or served whole, parboiled, topped with melted butter and Parmesan cheese.

These are some of the more vital ingredients you'll need this fall. Stock your pantry and fridge with them. They're important in autumn cooking and baking.

New York Times Cooking App My New Love

After writing about the New York Times cooking app I can't keep my hands off it.It's everything a foodie and a food writer loves.There's recipes galore along with how tos about - well almost everything.There's one for creme fraiche, another for homemade barbecue sauce and even butter.This app site will probably change the way we think about recipes as well as rethinking the need for the old fashioned recipe book, full of pages. What is so great about the app is that you can customize it.There are vegan recipes for those who have eschewed meat.For fans of the Times Dining writers such as David Tanis and Julia Moskin, there are sections called recipe boxes of just their recipes.The site also has categories, with some good recipes about how to roast a Thanksgiving turkey and easy summer ones. chowder lovers will rejoice at the variety of chowder recipes from a buttery lobster one to the classic Manhattan clam.home chefs who love to experiment with regional cooking will also rejoice in the different American cuisines.There is everything from Tex Mex to a cornucopia of Southern fried chicken recipes.the holidays are covered .There are even recipes when you're home sick, from ginseng tea to a surprisingly spicy take on chicken soup. How is this different from the other cooking apps out there?Well, for one thing it is The New York Times, and the second is home chefs are receiving a kind of master class.Other cooking apps rely on everyday recipes along with people's home recipes.What may be tasty for one isn't always tasty for another.The pictures accompanying the dishes aren"t always the best either.(ok, most of the Times cooking app pics have been photographed by some of the best photogs in the business).The Times app also has a more concise grouping of dishes. There are problems with the apps as well.From the reviews I've read, most of the cooking apps crash and that's not good.Another problem is that some are just plain goofy.I mean the marijuana.cookbook app?????Really??The Times app does have a few shortcomings.It should have a section where home chefs can write a grocery list ,along a map to finding places in your area where you can find exotic ingredients.It could stand with a meal planning or party planning section but that's a minor complaint. If you haven't already go to The Times Cooking app or site.You'll get a slew of ideas for cooking and baking.They will inspire any home chef, from novice to the experienced to make a delicious top quality dish.

Classy Chefs On PBS

Long before the Food Channel, there was PBS's line up of cooking shows.It started in the early Sixties with the famed ,great Julia Child and continues to today.They maybe quieter than the brighter, more in your face shows on other channels but their low key style speaks volumes.Watching them is like spending time ,learning from a master chef. One of the most famous is Jacques Pepin.Chef Pepin is the child of French restauranteurs.His background is distinguished,being one of French President's Charles DeGaulle's chef.He also helped revamped Howard Johnson's menu back in the Sixties.His shows have always been very quiet, yet informative.Even when he and his daughter,Claudine cohosted a cooking program together, it was never loud or sweetly cloying as some family centered cooking shows are.He shows home chefs not to have any fear with dealing with sometimes foreign or unfamiliar ingredients.The way he makes gnocchis and eggs are poetic, quietly going through the steps, acting much like a thoughtful professor.Another great master chef is Lidia Bastianich.Chef Bastianich is known for her amazing restaurants,Del Posto of New York City and Lidia's of Kansas City and Lidia's of Pittsburgh.Watching her explain the different steps along with her hints is quietly informative.There's no gimmicks, no bells and whistles.She is very good at explaining everything, from why a certain ingredient is used to what knives to employ when cutting meat.Her other show, Lidia Celebrates America is a great culinary travelogue where she explores different ethnic groups, enjoying their customs and show viewers, not only different cuisines but the different traditions and cultures that they've come from. One of the best PBS cooking show is America's Test Kitchen.This is a fun half hour,chock full of advice, hints and recipes.The host, Christopher Kimball is like your favorite professor.He is goofy at times, funny but vastly knowledgeable.He is helped by Bridget Lancaster, and Julia Colin Davison.These chefs create the different dishes while Kimball asks pertinent questions and helps out.There is also the very informative Tasting Lab segment where the audience blind taste tests different foods.This is a great way of finding out what canned and boxed foods are the best tasting. Another informative segment is the Adam Reid who handles the Equipment Corner.This is where he shows different gadgets from blenders to cookie presses and rating from best to worst. The show also centers around weekly themes, from pizzas to roast chicken to crumb cakes.While American's Test Kitchen is primarily American cuisine, PBS has some very good ethnic ones.There's Daisy Cooks with host chef Daisy Martinez who brings Spanish and Latino cuisine to viewers.Scandanavian cooking is shown in New Scandanavian Cooking, a rarity, because there has never been an interest in this ancient and varied cuisines along with shows solely featuring Thai and Jewish cooking. PBS may not have flashy food shows with personality super stars,but it does have quality cooking shows with great master chefs. Home chefs will learn as much as if they took a cooking course.There a&e Re lessons to be learned and great recipes to try.

Vacation Cooking

Cooking when you're on vacation may seem like a chore but it's really more of an adventure.You're working. With a limited number of pots and pans along with gadgets.If you're lucky you'll Be in an area near local farms ,lakes and oceans.This creates a fresh locavore vibe that will give you great ideas and make you more culinary creative Cooking on holiday was the subject of anoretic in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.The piece written by regular Melissa Clark, ahow how to ,make the best of your vacation house kitchen.She recommends bringing a versatile Dutch oven along with tongs for handling both pasta and corn.Also pack a chef's knife and a paring knife and possibly a bread knife.Bring a small micro planer(although you can buy a hasp at a local hardware store)If Your rental doesn't have a grill ,then pick up a cheap portable one for grilling and toasting(you can even use it for toasting bread in the morning). as for foodstuffs, Ms. Clark recommends basics such as olive oil ,lemon and sea salt.You can also bring garlic , hot sauce, fresh herbs ,ice cream Parmesan cheese and honey or maple syrup.I would nix the ice cream from my list.Most vacation areas have stands that produce excellent home made ice cream.I would also bring oatmeal along with regular black pepper.She recommends cooking simple like grilled sausages with radicchio.This ISA simple yet filling meal, perfect after a day at the beach.There is also an easy recipe for grilled garlic bread with basil and Parmesan cheese.Think serving this with sliced prosciutto or ham fresh from local deli.You can also grill fresh picked fruit such as peaches and even strawberries to be served with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream. packing for a vacation house kitchen is relativelyeasyBring the basically and be open to trying local ingredients.It'll create an easy and fresh approach to holiday eating.

Too Many Cooks

It seems anyone can be cook nowadays.I recently caught both Trisha Yearwood an The Pioneer Woman on their own shows.Maybe we haveThe FoodNetwork to thank for this new wave of anyone can be a chef.The problem is that sometimes the wrong people are showing how to cook. Trisha Yearwood is probably a great singer.She has fans and she tops the country charts.I'm sure like all country gals she loves to cook but to have her own show.That's something beyond belief. even Paula Deene is another matter.She had her own recipe and is well versed in all aspects of the culinary world .She knows food. even Giada DeLaurentus with her Hollywood and Cine Citta connections (her grandfather is the great director Dino DeLaurentus) knows food and how to create it.HeWatching her and reading her books are true learning experiences.Ms.Yearwood,I don't know.I've seen one show and as both a foodie and a home cook was not impressed. Then there's the bloggers gone famous. I also saw an episode of Pioneer Woman cooking.I knew she was famous for her blog and I've even used it for reference for this one.Yet to give her her own show maybe it's pushing it a bit much.Although that said, there are plenty of bloggers out there who also use YouTube to not only show how to cook but also promote themselves themselves.I often wonder. What's happened to just plain writing about food similar to what every newspaper food writer does.Julia Moskin or Jeff Gordonier of the Times probably will never ha e their own show or following on YouTube.There's much to be said about good writing. Are we creating too many celebrity chefs these days? Yes.Maybe it's time to go back to the real chefs and our family recipes instead of all these star ones.

Welcome Sprouts!!!

The New York Times Dining section has a brand new and interesting column called Sprouts.It's all about teaching kids to not only eat healthy but cook healthy as well.The column now written by Elaine Louie will be a godsend to those parents who want to introduce their kids to the love of good food and good cooking. The first article is all about a subject dear to my heart - polenta.This is a tricky food to introduce to kids.Little ones through teens are not always happy with this corm mash because it's too mushy or served with meats and sauces that kids detest.This one is different. The recipe is by the chef of the famed Manhattan restaurant Toqueville,Marco Moreira and his ten year old daughter Francesca.It is an easy recipe that involves a yummy blend of polenta and butter along with Parmesan and topped with a simple pomodoro sauce. Anyone would love this as a dinner or even a simple Saturday lunch. In the upcoming months Sprouts will have interesting interviews with chefs and their children. The focus will not just be on young foodies but also good vegetarian eating with easy recipes.Also cookbook authors and restauranteurs along with their offspring will weigh in with all sorts of dishes and opinions. I like the accompanying recipes that come with Sprouts. They're very kid friendly with a strong emphasis on kitchen safety. Each step tells who should do what , the adult or the child.This is a great way of introducing kids to all aspects of cooking, from prep to the actual process. Sprouts is opening a new chapter in the Dining section history.Elaine Louie recognizes that children need to learn not only how to cook but how to eat healthy.It's a great way of turning the next generation into conscientious foodies.

Paula Deen And Her Controversy

Paula Deen is considered many things.To some she represents true American cooking . To others she vilifies the art. One thing she is  is honest. Recently this celebrity chef came out with her biggest secret .It will definitely affect her and her fans.

Ms.Deen's problem illness was the subject of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Dining regular Julia Moskin explores the controversy regarding Ms. Deene's revelation of her having Type 2 diabetes.This affects the way the chef  cooks which has always been too sugary and buttery. Her meals are rich , concentrating more on taste than nutrition.Even rival chef , Anthony Bourdain has called her "the worst, most dangerous person on the Food Network." However having this condition may surprisingly be a blessing.

The great chef will have to change her way of cooking and her food choices. Southern cooking , by definition , is always deep fried and dangerous. Vegetables are rarely used and if they are , they''ve been drowned in rich sauces or batter fired. meats are no different . Desserts tend to be overly sweet and just plain lush. Ms. Deen will have to incorporate more steaming in her cooking as well as incorporating less sugar and salt and more herbs and spices.She may have to recommend ending meals with fresh fruits  as opposed to pies and layer cakes. it may be a restricted way of eating but one that is certainly beneficial.

Will her fans buy the new Paula Deen? Yes, if they're loyal followers. They may see her as an example of turning an unhealthy lifestyle around to a healthier, better one.

True Cajun , True Cooking

Thanks to HBO's hit, that Southern vampire Gothic True Blood , Cajun cooking is sparking interest again. It's well worth it (and tastes better than the vamp's drink, also called True Blood). It's a melange of different spices and meats; cooking techniques and spices that make this cuisine delicious and unique. It borrows from the French , the Choctaws and has some African influence thrown in. It's one of the best style this country has to offer.

The Cajuns were exiled French Arcadian that moved down from Nova Scotia in 1755. The British expelled them because the Arcadians refused to pledge loyalty to the British crown. They settled in Louisiana which was now in Spain''s hands. From there they learned to live off the land and incorporate the ingredients into their recipes. They still make roux, a recipe passed down through the centuries. Theirs is a dark deep colored one made with bacon fat or olive oil,(there is an Italian influence in Louisiana to). Like their ancestors the Cajuns love a good sausage. The most famous is the andouille which has a spicy taste and course texture. It's not uncommon to find it mixed in with rice, another Cajun staple. Boudoin, or blood sausage is also in many dishes. It has savory ingredient like pork and onions along with garlic and cayenne.

Vegetables play an important part in this cuisine. Most dishes have what's known as the "holy trinity of Cajun cooking: celery , onions and bell peppers. These add to everything from jambalaya to gumbo. Okra is another popular vegetable , brought from Africa with the slave trade. Garlic is used heavily, a remnant of their French heritage. It's used in everything from stews to meat dishes to sides.

Yes, thanks to a hit series about bloodsuckers, Cajun food is hot again. However it's a spectacular cuisine that doesn't need any promoting. It's one of America's best home grown cooking style.