A Simple Summer Curry

 Curry many not  be associated with summer yet a simple one is the perfect hot weather meal.. The good thing about curries is that they can be as simpler as complex s you want. meal Try a simple one for easy cooking.

This is what I did. I had plant based chicken strips that are sauteed to doneness in a saute pan.

the sauteed  starts with a good tablespoon of melt butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil.

A quarter of a white onion is added .You can add tomatoes and peas.

 Potatoes were microwaved and added later.

These were cooked for twelve minutes in the microwave.

Curries have to be creamy. Coconut milk is usually used but I opted for almond milk and also veggie broth for a thinner sauce.I used quarter of a cup for both.

Since this was a mild curry I only used curry powder and garam masala.I could have used turmeric and ginger but I felt these would be a bit too fiery. A god two tablespoons each worked.

the spices and liquids were a

added later.

This is the final cook before the potatoes were added.

With the chicken, potatoes and onions, this was a tasty change up from the ordinary. I may add tomatoes and peas in the future to vary it.Still it was great this was.

A simp;e summer curry is easy to make during these hot days. It;s a few ingredients mixed together to create a big flavor. Make this for a fun got weather dish.

Easy Sophisticated Dishes

 Fall is the time for sophisticated cooking and baking. That may work on a lazy weekend but what about those hectic week nights?Or those crammed with activities weekends. Luckily there is a solution. Home chefs can make suave looking meals in  the least amount of time.

This was the topic of a keeper pull out section in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section, MAny contributors such as Hetty Lou McKinno n and alexa Weibel o name a few have given recipes that will definitely be in many a home chef;s rotation this fall and winter.The online counterpart of this has one hundred (!!!!) recipes while this has eight. Play around with variations to widen the range.The recipes are even kid friendly so there's no worry of little noses wrinkling in distaste either.  Think of these too for a  Saturday night dinner party with friends. Think of a small party graced with Yasmin's Fahr's chicken with tomatoes and scallions. This is basically a one pot meal with the main ingredients layered in on top of each other and then cooked all together. A truly posh dinner would be Fardeh Sardeghin's orange glazed baked salmon. This is a super easy cook that has a quicky orange glaze that's also used a dressing for the side greens and then baking the salmon in a 325 degree Farenheit oven. The glaze and orange slices is put on the fish twenty minutes before serving.In a similar vein there is Ali Slagle's lemon pepper tofu with snap beans. The only difference is the tofu is seared ina skillet not cooked in the oven.

There are heartiers dishes that are perfect for the chilly nights ahead.Think Hetty Liu McKinnon's buttery red pepper flakes and  mushroom scampi served over spaghetti use cremini or button mushrooms for this . double the amounts if you want something for the next day. Another rib sticking dish is Ali Slagle's skillet pork chops and apples with miso caramel. This is an unusual mix but sure to be a crowd pleaser. Kids will love Kristina Felix's easy chicken tacos. This is first coating chicken thighs in a mixture of any hot sauce, lime juice , chopped garlic cloves and onion powder.The base can be either olive or vegetable oil. The thighs are first cooked then cut up to crisp up more for the taco filling. The tacos are topped with everything form pico di gallo and sour cream. Alexa Webel also gives the creamy and hearty,spicy tomato beans and greens. This is a creamy , almost curry of tomato paste , heavy cream and cannellini or any other white beans.Its topped off with a toasted panko dusted salad. soup lovers will enjoy Dan Pelosis' creamy tortellini soup, rich with heavy cream and tomato paste. Italian sausage and packaged cheese tortellini give it oomph to make it a good main course.

Sophisticated meals can be easy to make. Try these recipes (and others on the site) for a tasty fall supper. everyone will love the flavors. Home chefs will love the easiness of making them.

Difficult Days Easy Meals

 Fall is one of the craziest seasons. After the lazy day of summer it;'s getting back into a whirlwind of school activities and at times increased office work. Add to that cooking along with other chores.At least there are recipes that make life easier.

Cheif editor Emily Weinstein gives some interesting and varied recipes for easy week night and even weekend cooking in today's New York Times Food section. Keep in mind that they could be doubled  and served two days of the week too. All the recipes are straightforward and can be made in thirty minutes or less. She created these recipes with kids in mind but they're perfect for adult families or just busy couples looking for a good and easy meal. One is the simplest. Kay CHun lent her recipe for meatballs which follows the classic Italian recipe.It's mixing ground beef and pork(or strictly beef if you prefer. ) and mixing it with egg and panko crumbs. Italian seasonings such as dried oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme or oregano can be added.Keep in mind you can do the same with Impossible Meat too for a vegan option. A vegetarian option is red curry lentils with sweet potatoes and spinach . This is a perfect dish for a cool autumn night because of th eheat from, serrano chiles, and red curry paste being added to a wonderful array of veggies. Another meatless dinner is chile fettucini with baby spinach. Chili crisp is what gives it it's zing.

There are meat and fishes dishes here too. Think crispy gnocchi with sausage and peas for an easy midweek supper. This is an easy mix of store bought sausage and gnocchi cooked with frozen peas. Another snap dinner is lemony shrimp and bean stew made with leeks and white or cannellini beans.  You could serve this over pasta or just dip Italian bread into it.Instread of take out make Grace Lee's kimchi fried rice which you can use leftover rice and Spam  along woth a vaoriety of spices and soy sauce. Chicken katsu  is another choice . This is like a Japanese schnitxel, with breaded chicken breasts  , first coated in eggs, flour and then bread crumbs and ten fried in oil. The sauce is tonkatsu a mix of kethcup, Worcester sauce sauce and molasses, Sugar, soy sauce and cloves are also added to this along with fresh ginger for bite. baked cod with Ritz cracker topping is another chocie and it's comfort food one. The Ritz crackers are mixed with melted butter, chive ,parsley, lemon zest and a mix of onion and garlic powders. The fish can be any white fish  from cod , haddock or halibut. The crackers are put on top of the roasted fish and baked for an extra ten to sixteen minutes. It's served with asqueeze of lemon.

Weekday meals don't have to be a hassle. Use any of these for worry free cooking. They can be the easiest thing to make during a hard and difficult week. 

A New Breed Of Texas Barbecue

 Reecipes evolve to fit the taste of a younger generation. Thisi is true of tradtional Texas barbecue which isnt that traditional anymore. There are new flavors and alternative dishes that are livening up this classic fare.

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about Texas barbecue in today's New YorkTimes Food section.The best of it comes from Lockhart,a town southwest of Austen.It's changing. No longer is is the domain of white male pitmasters or central European immigrants who brought a different form  -brisket - ot the States. The new Texas barbecue gives vouce to a population that have been diversified by other states and countries. There's also a cultural dialogue between urban and rural artesans as well. Much of it nods to American barbecue orgins in the live fire cooking of the Indigenous and enslaved Africans. yet it also derives from Texans  sharing their hom e cooking with the public at large. The foot print for the recipe comes from the state's ranching industry. The quantity and quality of the "trinity", sausage, ribs and especially brisket.

Barbecue is taking on new flavors .Pitmasters are incorporating such international flavors as lemongrass, gochujang,turmeric and fenugreek.There's also kimchi and slasa negra .Lamb chops and tuna collar have also made their way int o the barbecue menu as the spicy Ethiopian chicken stew doro wat. There is also brisket curry, enchiladas', shawarma ans ramen.Texans with a Mexican background have always made batbece their way with guacamole  and charro beansalong with pico di gallo. There was also barbecue made with goat, a Mexican staple.The whole idea of white men running barbecue joints is also being challenged. Barbs B-Q,a Lockhart favorite is run by women, an unusual feat in the industry. Alexis Tovlas Morales, HaleyConlin and Chuck Chanichart are changing the landscape but also follow the othodoxy of barbecue by cooking brisket, beef and pork. Then there are Phong and Hong Tran, representative of the  large Vietnamese community who gives the recipe a South Asian spin. It; served over rice with a drizzle of tomato based sauce.

Barbecue is the backbone of Texas cooking. However it;s catching up with the times and changing. There are new flavors coming in , changing this classic dish.

The Guide To Wilderness Cooking

Cooking in the wilderness can be daunting. Many wonder what will they cook on and what ingredients to use.Mostly it's how will the dish taste and if it's cooked enough. Now there's a new cookbook that shows how to cook safely and effectively in the wild.

Wilderness Chef :The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Outdoors  (Conway Publishing 2020) was written by outdoorsman Ray Mears. Mr. Mears is not really a chef but an adventurer who has camped around around the world from Venezuela to Wyoming. He's a television personality, with his series, Tracks, World Of Survival  and The Real Heroes of Telemark,along with Trips Money Can't Buy with Ewan  McGregor. The book is truly fascinating with large nuggets of information.There are section on the different kind of rations along with the most important aspect of outdoor cooking : hygiene. Cooking outdoors isn't cooking in the rough. It's the same as cooking in a home or restaurant kitchen. There's even a picture of an "Andy Handy" a simple gravity tap that comes with a spigot,. Antibacterial soap can also be rigged up to it to for cleaner washing. There are instructions for every type of outdoor cooking and even baking. Campers and hikers can learn how to cook using an outdoor griddle or frying pan for simple dishes or try their hand at building a dry oven in the ground or successfully using a cast iron oven. There's even a chapter on boiling all sorts of drinks , from hot tea to coffee to even hot cocoa. Mr. Mears also shows how to clean up grills and utensils up afterwards.

The recipes are very interesting too. There are sections on all sorts of frying and baking simple recipes like scrambled eggs and streak in embers, cooking a beef cut on glowing coals. Yet there are some truly sophisticated dishes too. There's Persian inspired rice spiked with such colorful jewels as sultanas, raisins or apricots along with cinnamon and turmeric.Pasta lovers will enjoy the venison bolognese. made rich with pancetta and red wine. For those who love game there are a few rabbit recipes too, one with the foraged burdock and wild water mint while the other is Spanish style with tomatoes and white beans.Of course there are fun recipes. Mr. Mears even includes s'mores (with an Englishman's disdain for them) and Nakkisoppa, Finnish hot dog soup. made with the dogs and different veggies like onions , parsnips and potatoes. There's also comfort food recipes such roast chicken , Yorkshire pudding and crispy fried  rosti potatoes in a pan. There are tasty curry, soup and fish recipes too.Yes, there is bread - all sorts of it.  Campers and outdoorsmen can make the famed bannocks, a kind of English muffin type of bread , and its' cousin, damper. Johnny cakes , made on many a Civil War campfire are here too.  There are even regular cakes and a pineapple upside down one too. Campers who like to forage wild fruit will have an apple pie and crumble recipes to try out.

Wilderness Chef : The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Outdoors is the perfect book for those who love the outdoors. It's full of good advice and good recipes. It's perfect for the great outdoors, whether the campground or backyard.

My Take On Keema

Yesterday I wrote about Tejal Rao's variety of Indian dishes she had published in The New York Times Food section. One stood out to me -keema, spiced meat. I had to try it but I added my own spin on it.

Ms. Rao's recipe called for a variety of spices including garam masala and chopped ginger. i modified it to just curry powder, cumin and chili powder.

As far as adding onions, they're really not liked in my house  so I subbed in chopped scallions.

These were cooked with olive oil and the spices. I used four Better Boy tomatoes instead of the called for Roma kind.

The recipe calls for pureeing these ingredients in the blender after cooking for a few minutes. I felt it would be too soupy so I just mashed everything with a potato masher which worked nicely.

I used only two cloves of garlic instead of the recommended five, finely mincing them.

Then it was adding 13 ounces of Gardein'

s meat crumbles and a cup of water. More curry, chili and cumin were added along with a good dash of salt and freshly ground pepper. Ms. Rao recommends

serving it with rolls or the Indian bread roti. I made brown rice which worked with it.

I would make this again , possibly using the Hyperabadi recipe that calls for peas along with adding the fresh ginger for heat. Maybe I'd also add potatoes and lentils too. You can also sub in ground beef, turkey, chicken or lamb for a more traditional taste.

Keema or spiced meat is a great way to introduce yourself and your family to Indian cooking. It's tasty and can be adapted to your tastes and likes. Try it today.

A Divine Dish For Diwali

  Since it's Diwali, the Indian festival of light, I decided to celebrate with a tasty cholay I first made for the blog on August 4, 2018, (check it out for the full recipe.) It's a mix of cooked potatoes, chickpeas and diced tomatoes sauteed in a mix of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and veggie oil.

 I made double the amount and shortened some steps, like subbing in onion powder for chopped onions. The recipe was doubled and since I didn't have curry , I used turmeric and curry powder instead along with a good dose of garlic salt.

This is the end result - a tasty tribute to the holiday of lights.

Pumpkin Time!!!

Pumpkins are everywhere as we edge into fall.They are one of the most versatile veggies, going from savory to sweet recipes with ease. It pays to have a few recipes  centering around them in your fall cooking arsenal.

I thought I had enough recipes regarding Cucurbita pepo, the Latin name for pumpkin. Obviously not.
I received this :

This is one of those mini cookbooks that every grocery check out has The publisher is Publications International Limited or PILThey have been producing specialized cookbooks for forty years.They're fun books to give as gifts like their kits and game brain series or buy if you're looking for more cookie or crock pot recipes. It seems my crew like my family's squash soup recipe so much that they want me to make more.  There is a wide variety for only forty-seven recipes. One of the pluses is that it's no nonsense. It's just recipes with a surprise section on maple syrup recipes as well. No cute or folksy tips or asides that usually riddle cookbooks. There should be a disclaimer however about the difference between pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree. The first is laden with sugar and pumpkin pie spices such as clove and cinnamon. It's only used in baking and puddings. The second is just pure pumpkin, perfect actually for sweet and savory recipes, although it's mostly used for the last.

There are a lot of interesting recipes that I didn't know about. One is a pumpkin polenta one  which is like a pumpkin soup thickened with the famed corn meal.It's spiced with smoky paprika and mace  and finished with the addition of fontina cheese.Of course there are soup recipes.One is a fiery blend of chipotle chili powder and black pepper. Three quarter cup of apple cider gives it sweetness. I definitely will make this , and serve with with tortilla chips. There is also a curried ginger pumpkin soup that's got a sweet heat vibe thanks to a dash of curry and a chopped Golden Delicious apple added in.The sweet recipes abound. A fun dessert would be the Maple Walnut Crescent Cobbler, made super easy with those frozen crescent rolls. Of course there are pumpkin pie recipes, one with maple the other with a pecan quinoa crust.Forget the Halloween candy. There is a pumpkin seed brittle I know I'll make. Those pumpkin cinnamon buns  on the cover look waaaayyyy too tempting. It's in their breakfast section. It's the same as a regular bun recipe but the dough has pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices . A less fattening alternative is Spiced Pumpkin Banana Smoothie.

There will be a lot of pumpkin and maple in my future thanks to the mini cookbook Pumpkin!  There are so many recipes I want to make and you'll see them in the upcoming weeks. It will be pumpkin fest!!!

Kitchen Cleanssers Go Natural Or Not

The kitchen is the one room in the house that always needs to be clean.The fridge has to sparkle, the microwave had to gleam and the floor has to shine. The question is do we achieve through the natural cleansers our grandmothers used or use powerful but sometimes damaging soaps and rinses.

Many home chefs swear by bleach.it does wonders in the bathroom, leaving surfaces sparkling and super clean. Yet is it safe to use in the kitchen, especially around food?. You can but use it sparingly .If it's used to clean out a messy refrigerator use only a tablespoon to a gallon of cold water. parts of the fridge should have already been washed in warm soapy water, namely a mild dish detergent like Dawn or Palmolive. Bleach has been used as cleanser for porcelain sinks.It gets rid of any of the yellowing hard water stains. It's usually poured into the sink, straight, not cut by water. Using a sponge, scrub the bottom and the sides then rinse.It should stay clean for a few days.  Another cleaning agent is hydrogen peroxide. This also works just as well however there is a caveat with working with it. It is strong. Inhaling it or accidentally getting it on the skin can be dangerous, causing burns.Use it blended with water .It can also be used also to clean cutting boards too, just use it sparingly.

Two of my favor cleansers are apple cider vinegar and baking soda. They're harmless if they get on the skin or in the eyes and yet clean just as well as bleach and hydrogen peroxide. Apple cider vinegar is great for cleaning the microwave. You can soak three or four paper towels with it and then place on the microwave's plate.it's then cooking it for five to six minutes and letting the vinegar steam the interior clean. Another must have is Angry Mama, a plastic container that does the same work as the soaked paper towels. This is a container that has parts water and vinegar mixed. in it.It's then placed in a microwave for seven  minutes and steams come out of the Angry Mama's head. The  left over vinegar water mix can be used to clean the stove too..The vinegar does an excellent job of getting rid of tough stains such as tomato soup and curry. The plate does have to be washed and that's usually done with Dawn. I also like using the vinegar to clean the fridge shelves and crisper. Baking soda is a good cleanser in a pinch too but it does take some elbow grease to clean a sink with it. It's also good for scrubbing away stubborn tea and coffee stains in mugs too.

A clean kitchen is a home chef's pride. It's up to you how you want to clean it. With chemicals or natural,it's your choice. Whatever works to get it sparkling, go with it.

Exotic Ad Easy - Mother's Day Meals

What do you give the woman who cooks for you all year round, including major holidays. A home cooked meal - and not a can of Spaghetti-o's heated in the microwave. Give your mom something out of the ordinary. Think easy and exotic. It'll be simple yet memorable - the perfect Mother's Day gift.

Many non chefs or novice home cooks look to ordinary for a lunch or dinner. It's usually a meat loaf or pasta with prepared sauce. Yet there are many dishes from around the world that are just as simple to execute. Think the Southern French or Provencale dish pain bagnat.It's a tuna sandwich amped up with tuna in oil (always a richer taste however if it's too much then stick with  tuna in water) There's also hard boiled eggs, anchovies and sliced bell peppers. Scallions and Dijon mustard are added for more flavor. Use a rustic bread like a hollowed out ciambatta or French bread. After constructing, soak in oil  and wrap in Saran wrap for twenty four hours. This allows all the flavors to meld into all these delicious tastes of briny and mellow, sweet and salty. If you want a cooked meal then think of Indian curried chicken. This is heating boneless breasts with onion in olive oil simmering in a large skillet.  One third of a cup of curry powder is then added and then the covered dish is cooked for forty five minutes over a medium low heat. Afterwards, remove the skillet's lid and cook for an additional fifteen minutes. Just be careful because curry burns easily. Cook up some basmati rice for real authenticity or serve with warmed naan bread.

Mexican food is always fun and super easy to whip up. Forget the tacos, unless they're mom's favorite. Think fajitas with either chicken, flank steak,or grilled shrimp. Of course its' the  chili powder and cumin mix gives it zing but it's also the addition of sliced bell peppers and onions that highlight this recipe too For vegan mothers, you can sub in any kind of mushroom from button to portobello. Make sure the lady of the day also gets a margarita Try a frozen watermelon one, made with Cointreu and tequila along with two and a half cups of cubed watermelon and one and a half cups of crushed ice.If mom likes sushi, surprise her with home made tuna or California rolls. It is a bit labor intensive ,but that's mostly comes from preparing the rice. Start with the glutenous white sort and rinse in a colander or sieve until the water pouring through is clear. It's then boiling it for twenty minutes.At the same time combine rice wine vinegar, sugar , vegetable oil and salt in a saucepan. Cook until the sugar dissolved and then stir into the rice  to create  that tangy layer. If you're unsure about using raw fish, then use cubed avocado and matchstick cut carrots,cucumbers ,green bell peppers and zucchini. Serve with a sake for a nice touch. Instead of sushi you can sub in the tasty , fried tempura. The batter is feather light, consisting of only egg whites, flour and water, beaten almost like a meringue . All sorts of meats and vegetables can be dipped in and then fried in vegetable. oil.

Treat mom to a easy and exotic  meal for her special day, Don't go for the ordinary. Travel the culinary globe for the right recipe that's fun and different.

Curry On A Cold Night

This is the time of the Indian festival Holi, the festival where brightly colored powders are gleefully chucked at friends and family. It's also a day of fasting and feasting. You don't have to be Inidan, though to enjoy curry and naan. Indian cooking is the perfect antidote for the blustery March night.

Many home chefs balk at trying the recipes of the Subcontitient. Yet, curry is an easy dish that once tasted will be a family favorite. Try a chicken one that just had chicken strips, diced onions and curry powder. The last can be bought at your local grocery, in the seasonings section. It's just heating the onion first in olive oil and then adding the meat and curry powder. It is a long process, taking about forty-five minutes to fully cook. Another caveat is keeping the burner on a low flame because curry powder burns easily. You can also create a vegan version by subbing the meat with traditional vegetables such as cauliflower and potatoes along with onions and carrots. Turmeric, that health booster is also added for more color and flavor. For a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes. If you like the dish and plan to make it often, then consider creating your own curry powder.It's dried chili blended with the seeds of coriander, fennel and cumin. Dried mace,  white pepper and turmeric round it out. Store in an airtight jar at room temperature. it can be made a week in advance.

Tikka masala is another tasty Indian dish.The chicken is usually roasted in a tandoor oven however a regular one will do. It's a little more involved than a simple curry. You first have to marinate chicken chunks in a mix of yogurt and lemon juice spiced with cinnamon,cumin, cayenne  ginger and black pepper. The chunks should be soaked for a good hour in order for the meat to be perfectly seasoned . They're then threaded on skewers and roasted on a stove top grill.As these are cooking the sauce is made.. Again, it's a blood warming mix of cream, butter and jalapenos blended with tomato sauce, garlic. Cumin and paprika are also added to intensify the color and flavor, A fun weekend meal is a plate of dosa pancakes,These are a blend of plain flour and bicarbonate of soda flavored with mustard seeds. Dosas are like crepes, meant to be filled with all sorts of delicious stuffings.One of the most popular is potato masala. Potatoes are combined with tomatoes and onions  and singed up with turmeric and curry leaves or powder if you can't get the leaves. Cauliflower and shredded cabbage is another tasty combo cooked with chaat masala, a dried spice that also has dried mango in it.

These blustery march nights can be bone chilling. Warm up with tasty Indian dishes that will warm you to your toes. They're tasty and flavorful along with being chock full of good for you spices and ingredients.

Your New Go To Sauce Lemon Curry Butter Sauce

Sauces add to any dish, whether it's chicken or broccoli. Unfortunately, what usually works for meat may not work for veggies and vice versa. Yet there is one sauce - and a simple one, too, that can go well with any kind of main or side dish.

Melissa Clark wrote about  and experimented with lemon curry butter in her A Good Appetite column in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It's a simple recipe consisting of butter, minced garlic, herbs, spices and a squirt of lemon. The herbs and spices are not scary.It's ground curry and grated ginger melded with minced thyme leaves.Four tablespoons of butter will do it. Too much more will make it too rich. The amount of garlic used is also up to the cook. Ms. Clark likes a lot which is obvious in the amount - four. This can be winnowed down to one or two if the taste is too intense. The same philosophy applies to the spices.It doesn't have to be curry.Anything from the spice cabinet will do. The curry does lend a smoky flavor but cumin, paprika and coriander would work just as well. The same goes for the thyme. Try dill or dried instead. The only ingredients that really can't be changed are the lemon zest and the butter.Margarine wouldn;t work, nor would olive oil. Get a good butter like Kerrygold or Plusgras unsalted butter.

What would the sauce go with? Ms. Clark recommends such fish as blackfish , or hake. These are very mild in flavor which works well with the sauce's robust taste. Hake is the cheaper of the two but
 it has a less refined texture. The meat is very flaky and it is delicious, however,  Ms. Clark warns not to overcook it. Home chefs could also try flounder too. The sauce isn't just for fish. It would be good with chicken breasts and egg noodles. Serve it over leftover chicken to jazz it up. Unlike sauces that only  work for poultry and seafood , this one can do wonders for any steak. Think about drizzling it over skirt steak before broiling it.Veggies, especially the root ones, benefit from this bold sauce. It works well with the milder tasting ones such as turnips and beets, although the sauce  would be excellent with carrots. It could even work with asparagus and red, fingerling potatoes.Just go light on the garlic and curry so that the veggies shine through,

Lemon curry butter is snap to make and is versatile for any kind of main and side dish. Try it with fish or serve it with carrots. Liven up chicken breasts or turnips. It's the perfect go to for any meal.

In A Stew

One of the nicest aspects of cold weather is hearty cooking and eating. There's  nothing more satisfying than a homemade stew, chock full of meat and veggies.Add dumplings and it's a full meal. It's the best comfort food on a chilly day, warming from head to toe.

What is the best stew? That's up to the home chef making it along with individual tastes.Chicken stew is the most classic and has a nice, light flavor. Because of this , any combo of veggies pairs well with it. You can even use fresh or frozen ones. Since this is autumn, think about adding butternut squash .It's taking chicken breasts and cooking them with four cups of squash. Diced tomatoes are also thrown in to give color and a boost of flavor.Fall spices such as sage and thyme are also included, along with garlic and onion. That leftover Halloween pumpkin can be cut up and added to a chicken stew as well.Cooked pumpkin has a lovely creamy texture  and a sweetness that  compliments the bird. For a fancier take on this humble dish, try a coq au vin inspired one. This is an easy one,laced with red wine , garlic and a variety if different herbs. The last is one found in Gallic cooking, oregano,thyme and bay leaves. Top it with herbed dumplings laced with more thyme, chives and parsley. Can turkey be made into a stew? Yes! In fact, many of those Thanksgiving birds will be repurposed into tasty stews. Turkey stew can even be made in a skillet. It's just taking the meat cooking it with whatever veggies you want. You can even use leftover potatoes and yams.along with those herbs you used for the stuffing.

Many home chefs enjoy  making a good beef or lamb stew. This is the most traditional recipe. Meat lovers enjoy a good traditional beef one, chock full of flavor and texture. Where the meat comes from is crucial to creating a good stew. Remember to get cuts from the front shoulder or rear end, A chuck shoulder or a rump roast is a good choice. This also applies to lamb too. You could also try top chuck or eye round roast too. An old-fashioned beef stew has everything from sugar (!) to Worcester sauce.Spices are crucial. Stick with the traditional one such as allspice, ground cloves, along with paprika for color. Vegetables are also traditional too. Use celery, along with carrots and celery.Pork can be turned into stew as well. Melissa Clark gave a good recipe in her column A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.She puts  the spicy garam masala along with cinnamon and cumin, spices not normally connected with the dish,Cayenne is also added for heat, again, unusual for a stew.Another ingredient, also out of the ordinary for this dish, coconut milk is used for tying the entire dish together, She also tosses in chick peas and green peas for some creamy texture. Tomatoes, that stew staple are included to give it color and some acidity.Instead of dumplings , try warm naan with it instead for sopping up the gravy.

This is stew weather. Try a homey chicken one, or a spicy pork, loaded with curries. Anyone is a rib sticking one, warming  a happy eater from head to toe.

Loafing Around

One of the best hot meals for fall is meatloaf. It's an easy cook and it offers creativity.Add this,subtract that, Anyone can master it, from novices to old pros. Best of all it is great left over as a sandwich.

Meat loaf has been around since ancient Roman times and was featured in French cooking in the 1600's. The Germans and Amish brought it to the states in the 1700's here it remains a staple. It has its' origins in scrapple a mixture of  corn meal  and ground pork. Almost every country has their take on it. The Italians call it polpettone and put ham, eggs and cheese in it while the Middle Easterners call it kefta and sub in lamb for the beef. The Vettnamese boil theirs and call it gio. South Africans spice up their  loaves or bobeti with curry, dried apricots  and almonds. They then cover it
with  a whipped egg and milk topping, sort of like a meringue.Americans fill ours with everything  from Saltines, cereal grains and bread, a hold over from the Great Depression when meat and money were scarce. Adding wheat products gave it consistency and made it filling. it's usually served with ketchup . There is a meat loaf sauce, surprisingly, made from ketchup and brown. sugar. Barbecue sauce can be added to the recipe or just served on the side to give it more tang. Some recipes call for hard boiled eggs and gherkins to be included to give the loaf color and flavor.

The recipe is an  easy one that even the most novice of home chefs can follow and create a successful dinner. Basic meat loaf takes a pound and a half o f good ground beef along with one egg for binding and a cup of milk for smoothness.There's also a cup of dried bread crumbs for consistency (without it , it would be too crumbly and fall apart) along with one chopped onion. This recipe can be varied. For fun , try a Tex-Mex style that has a combination of chopped chili peppers and chili powder. Grated cheddar cheese is sprinkled over the top for color and flavor. The slices can be served on a bed of tortilla chips along with some hot sauce for extra fire. For a more grown up version add  three quarters of a cup of dry red wine along with cremini mushrooms. This recipe also calls for thyme, rosemary and garlic. Try this type of meat loaf with wild rice or a simple tomato risotto. if you don;t want to use ground beef, then think ham loaf. This is a yummy mix of ground smoked ham and pork mixed with chopped celery and red pepper. There are still breadcrumbs used as a binder along with two eggs. The spicing is nutmeg and allspice for more verve.Serve with apple rings or applesaucef for a nice autumnal dinner.

Meat loaf may be considered basic but it's a delicious blend of complex  flavors and textures.It is one of the tastiest and easiest recipes to make. Keep to the recipe or add your own spin on it, the result is always a tasty slice.

Basil Season

Late August brings about many harvests, tomatoes, eggplants  and of course basil,It's one of the most prolific plants with each plant sprouting hundreds of leaves. What's great about it, is that basil is so easy and addictive to use.It can add punch and flavor to everything from pizzas to pastas.

Basil is one of the most ancient herbs, originating in India over 5,000 years ago.It was the Greeks, however to name it,,from basilius, the king and has been associated with the Feast of The Cross,in the Greek Orthodox religion.It refers to St Helena's Emperor Constantine's mother's pilgrimage to Jerusalem,According to some, it could have been used to perfume ancient royal oils and baths. Many chefs  consider the king of herbs.The plant is a staple in Italian cooking but also is popular in Southeastern Asian cuisine too,Italians use the sweet or Genovese kind while Thais, Laotians and Vietnamese cook with Thai basil.The last has a spicier taste, perfect for rounding out  red and green curries along with drunken noodles.The herb's benefits are bountiful.It's high in Vitamin K, essential for blood clotting, along with Vitamin A and beta carotene. The leaves are also loaded in such minerals as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese Vitamin C and potassium,It's volatile oils such as estagole and myrcene give it antibacterial qualities too, which are important in restricting the growth of harmful bacteria.It's best to use freshly picked leaves to take advantage of all it has to give.

Basil gives so much flavor to various dishes . One of the most famous is pesto sauce, originating in the Northern Italian seaport of Genoa. The basic recipe is two cups of fresh leaves pureed with Parmigiano or Romano cheese ,extra virgin olive oil, and pine nuts. Garlic cloves and fresh ground pepper are also added to round out the sauce. It works well with any kind of pasta, but it great served with ravioli or tortellini, It can also be used on toasted Italian bread as alternative to garlic bread or even as a green pizza. Basil does have a strong, herbal taste that may be too overwhelming at first.You may just want to use it sparingly at first. Try chiffonading the leaves. You can do it with one individual leaf  or a pile of stacked (I prefer individual). Tightly roll the leaves - think little cigars., and then using a sharp kitchen knife.slice the roll into four pieces . The result is pretty bright green ribbons that go well in a tomato salad or addg oomph to a Margherita style pizza. Basil gives a fresh "green" flavor to tomato sauces, whether salsa crudo or a mellowed one that's been on the stove for an hour.  Basil can be easily frozen too.It's just snipping off the stems , then washing and drying them before putting them in freezer bags.They can last up to a year, hile stile maintaining their distinctive flavor.

Take advantage of the basil harvest right now. The leaves are great to use in fresh or cooked dishes, adding color and flavor. Celebrate this royal plant in a number of ways.

Refrigerator Roulette

It's the weekend.It's too hot to go to the store to shop, yet you have to have some kind of lunch or supper for yourself and the family. What to do? Play roulette - refrigerator or pantry. There are ingredients there for something.- that's up to your creativity.

Every home chef should have pasta and rice in their arsenal. These are great as any base. Spaghetti and angel hair pasta can be turned into pasta con burro,  a light dish that is packed with flavor. Sub in garlic and olive oil for the butter  and make aglia e olio, another simple dinner that can be amped up with grilled chicken or salmon if you have them.Rice and beans are a staple in most kitchens. This is easy to make and  again, you can add to it. Try chicken or ground beef to give it more weight. Throw in a can of tomato paste and sauce  along with a dash of chili powder for a quickly made chili. Even without the spices it' still good. Rice can also be the base for a curry too.( remember that the spice rack is your friend here too ). An easy one can be made just by using the two ingredients. If you want throw in any veggies  found in the fridge or freezer , go ahead. Peas  and potatoes can also be tossed in too for more flavor.

Suppose the fridge holds only dribs or drabs or just cartons of leftovers?  Use them. Leftover cheese , flour, and a little milk can be melted down into a sauce Add some chicken or veggie broth and you have a soup.Sliced cheese, ham  and bread can be repurposed  into a yummy Croque Monsieur, that tasty French bistro sandwich.If you just have cold cuts, then think an Italian hero or better yet , a chef salad. Mix some mayo and ketchup together with oil and vinegar for a homemade French dressing. to pour over it. Tuna fish is another versatile player in refrigerator roulette. Mix it with mayo and chopped celery for a stuffing for tomatoes or make a lovely salad Nicoise with it.It can also be perfect  as a tuna melt with cheddar on top for a heartier lunch or supper.. Any leftover bread can be repurposed in both savory and sweet ways. You can make  savory bread pudding as well as a sweet one. There is a bread salad that consists of stale cubed Italian bread, tomatoes ad sliced onion. One of the classic bread recipes is French toast and it can be made for any meal. Besides it's one that you know the kids will love  and eat up instantly.

Refrigerator roulette can be a life saver,Look through the fridge or pantry for ingredients and then be creative. You can come up with a tasty meal with what ever is around.

Chili Chasers

This is the weather for hot food both temperature and taste wise. There's nothing  like a fiery  dish, full of exotic flavors to warm you from head to toe. It'll keep you toasty ,perfect for battling all these Arctic temps.

Chilis will give any dish fire and heat.Cooking with them is fun but it does come with a few caveats. The spiciness comes with the seeds where it's at its strongest. You may ant to handle the peppers wearing rubber gloves to avoid any major skin irritationsa. add them to a rich chili, full of different beans and tomatoes.The recipe is flexible. You can add beef for a hearty dish  while chicken and turkey give you a lighter one. Soy crumbles can be tossed in for a healthier vegan version.For a blood boiling heat add two tablespoons of fresh jalapenos along with two heaping tablespoons of chili powder. . To temper the fieriness serve it with mild side dishes like polenta, rice or even cornbread. You can also add a layer of just plain Saltines or tortilla chips. Chilis are not just relegated to the dish with the same name. Make a hot chili salsa for just chips or add a layer of sautéed and chopped jalapenos on hamburgers and hot dogs as a five alarm relish.

Indian curries can be both delicious and spicy.These are also perfect chill chasers and sunny bright pick me ups on bleak winter days .They're also loaded with health benefits, thanks to the addition of both turmeric and cumin, Like chili , curry recipes can be flexible. A chicken curry is always good but so is one with chickpeas and cauliflower. Most of the dishes are braises which  means that the ingredients are seared at a high hear first and then covered with liquid in a pot. It's an easy cook. For a real six alarm stunner try phall. This is a  super fiery dish that has twelve (yes twelve!) chilis added along with an ounce of fresh ginger and two tablespoons of chili powder. Garam masala is also added. This is a mix of lack and white peppercorns,  cloves, cinnamon and mace, with the addition of cardamom , bay leaf and caraway.If it's too not then cut back on the chilis and only use six.Another dish, vindaloo a popular dish from the eastern province of Goa, and is a dish of pork marinated in wines, vinegar and spices.It was originally from the Potuguese carne de vinha d'alhos. and can be also made with chicken or beef. marinated in cayenne and fresh ginger . Serve with basmati or jasmine rice to cool off.

The weather outside is frightful however a fiery chili or curry inside can be delightful. Make either to ward off those chills and freezing temps You'll feel all warm and sunny inside.

Hot Foods For A Cold Night

How do foodies ward off a wintery chill? By eating fire, figuratively and , depending on how you look at it, literally. There are a number of cuisines that are super spiced and super hot, perfect for heating up the body and soul. Best of all they're  from a variety of countries so any of the dishes will appeal to those with fussy tastes.

No one thinks of Italian food as being really fiery yet the pepper spiked arrabiata sauce is just that. Translated as the angry sauce, it is a mix of red pepper flakes, garlic and tomato sauce.It is mostly served with  the chunky penne style pasta but you can also use it on spaghetti, along with linguine.  Sugo Arrabiata can also be ladled on chicken Parmesan to give it some kick and it would not be out of place with meatballs.Thicken the sauce and it could go on focaccia or pizza.It's also a great sauce to make in advance and like chili, the level of heat depends on the home chef 's tastes. Speaking of  chili, here's another rib sticking hot dish that can be made with any level of fire. The three alarm kind is about the strongest anyone can handle. Again this is an easy dish to make and you can even use your leftover turkey as the meat in it . Beef or soy crumbles can also be added and you can throw in some corn, any kind of beans and onions. Three alarm does need about  three tablespoons of chili powder. If you want to give it more zing, add another tablespoon but be warned. This is not for the faint hearted, remember,. Add some slices of sweet cornbread to offset the heat if it's a bit too intense.

Asian food is notorious for deliciously spicy dishes. One of the best comes from China's Szechuan provence, hot and sour soup. eating this wonderful mix of white pepper, red chili paste and fresh ginger.It's usually made with barbecued pork but you can add chicken as well.The best part is that it increases its heat with every reheating. The Szechuan province also gives us Kung Pao chicken, chock full of not only chilies but also peanuts A handful of dried chili peppers give the dish its traditional fire.Eggplant gets all fired up as well with a good dollop of chili paste.Thailand also gives us not only exotic but also peppery . The Thais love Tom Yum soup whether it's the poultry or fish version.There is also a noodle dish guaranteed to chase the chill way as well, thanks to a heaping helping of red pepper flakes tempered with peanut butter. This dish can be made with any kind of meat too or vegan , by adding tofu.Indian food is another good way to warm up on a chilly night.Curry is a  great comfort food perfect with naan bread , after a day of dealing  with freezing temps.One easy dish is mixing curry powder, cumin and chickpeas for an easy dinner or fancy snack.

Warm up your body and soul with some spicy , pepper infused dishes. Their fire can help chase away the shivers while providing great taste. They get us hot and not at all bothered.

Discovering Malaysian Dishes

Fall is the time of year to discover and sample new flavors.One should be Malaysian cuisine, especially if you're tired of Chinese and Japanese. this is a different kind of Asian cooking, a mélange of East blending with West. Malaysia is located next to Thailand along with Singapore and near the Philipines.The main culinary influences are Filipino,Indian and Thai with lesser influences from the Britain,Portuguese and Dutch.The last was probably due to the sailors and missionaries who visited and settled the area.Two of the most used ingredients are chili peppers, in particular, bird's eye chili, an extremely hot variety.Another ingredient is a shrimp paste called belacan.It's pressed into a block and sun dried.It's an acquired smell and taste.Belmican can be ground and used with other spices such as garlic, shallots, Ginger and onions , to create rempah.It can also be blended with lime juice and shallots for a wet paste and condiments too.Coconuts are another key ingredient in Malaysian cooking. it's usually used as flakes or toasted and then ground into a powder called kerisik.Coconut fronds and sugar made from the coconut flower are also used in meal prep.All these ingredients make Malaysian cuisine a funky marriage of very sweet and very salty tastes.You can try an afternoon kuih, a meal of bite sized goodies.This is probably taken from the British high tea.Tidbits are a combo of small cakes and sweets.Imagine Alice In Wonderland's tea party with an Asian vibe.Fanciful cakes share plates with curry puffs, small pies filled with chicken / and or potatoes.Dishes of rice pudding are served along side of small rounds topped with shrimp paste. If you want something more substantial then think about trying Ayam goring ,a spicy fried chicken, zested with turmeric and other spices.Another dish, also involving fried chicken, a ram masak me rah,are braised in a spicy tomato and pea sauce.Curry is also big in Malaysian cooking. Gulai is a curried stew, that can be made from chicken but also beef or mutton.It can also be created with seafood and fish.Exotic veggies such as cassava are added with turmeric used for color and taste.The Chinese influence is strong as seen in its' ketupat.These are boiled rice dumplings cooked in palm frond pouches.Itis served for the Muslim holiday of Eid and is stuffed with curried beef.Many foodies are familiar with the Thai version of satay.It's a kind of kabob and cooked over an open grill it's super tasty and super fun to eat.It can be made from chicken or beef, first marinated and highly spiced.Desserts are heavily infused with coconut, both the flesh and the milk.Aikskrim potong is a kind of Popsicle made with coconut and condensed milk.Those two ingredients are also key in coconut candies, a kind of divinity fudge made for special occasions and holidays.Bean paste and curd are also used, sweetened and made in to puddings. Maylasian food is a different and exciting change of pace from the usual Asian fare.Try it to experience a new range of combined flavors and exotic dishes.It's a fun and fiery way to welcome in the fall.

Maya Angelou, Writer,Poet, Home Chef?

Maya Angelou was one of the seminal writers of both the 20th and 21st Centuries.She was also nominated for a Tony award and also appeared on one of the first TV. Miniseries, Roots.Yet she had another talent - cooking.Dr .Angelou was an accomplished hostess and a home chef.Her parties were as legendary as her words. There was a very lovely memorial and remembrance to her in yesterday"s New York Times Dining section.Jessica B. Harris,who knew the great poet and writer, gives us a different facet of her life.In a way, it's no wonder that Ms. Harris memory takes place in California's Sonoma wine country.This is a region where the soil is rich and both fruits and vegetables grow in abundance.Any foodie or adept home chef would live in an area such as this.She was also a True hostess, always having a well stocked pantry.She loved en tertaining any kind of party from the small and intimate to the loud and noisy.Cooking for both was a snap and a pleasure for her.One of the best memories Ms. Harris has is Dr.Angelou's New Year's Day feast.It was a true Southern, affair with hop pin' John,ham roast chicken ,greens and candied sweet potatoes.It was held at her North Carolina house, a home with undoubtedly an ample kitchen to cook and create.Her New York parties had the literati and stage ,from Jimmy Baldwin to the great Nina Simone. It should come as no surprise that Dr. Angelou also wrote a cookbook, first published in 2004 ,Hallelujah!The Welcome Table: A Lifetime Of Memories With Recipes is mixed with her recipes and recounts of her life. It was a best seller, even rivaling her prose and poetry in sales.Like many writers she traveled the world but unlike them she collected recipes.She was adept at recreating many different dishes like her 12 boy curry, so named because it required twelve servants to carry it. This colonial dish ,despite it's somewhat dubious history, was a favorite.She also wrote a humorous poem ,The Health Food Diner, almost Ogden Nashian in it's humor and meter , lightly ridiculed vegans with their righteous ways as well as listing a long and yummy list of all sorts of meats from corned beef to prime rib. Dr. Angelou was an amazing writer but she also was an amazing cook and cookbook writer.Yes, she was remembered for her fiction and poems but she should. Also be remembered for her legacy of good dishes.She was a star, not just of Literary circles but of the kitchen as well.