A favorite dish is a favorite dish no matter what the season. Yet what happens when those tummy warming meals are to be craved during these hot days? Adapt them to summer cooking. You can still have your delicious favorites yet prepare them in easy hot weather friendly ways. You not only enjoy them but also cook them in a way that’s comfortable during these sweltering times.
The microwave is the best way to make any quick version of a meal. You can still have a warm dinner but in half the time. A fun dish that can be adapted to the summer is baked mac and cheese. You can mix Velveeta along with already boiled macaroni and some milk. Add a quarter cup of flour for shortening and it’s an easy to do fave. If you want crunch, add some bacon croutons or a layer of bread crumbs on top for layering. Spaghetti is easy to. You can easily boil up some and for a fresh sauce just saute some basil garlic and sliced fresh tomatoes. It’s a different spin on a sauce, yet it still tastes the same but with a garden fresh tang.
You can even make a hot lunch during these sweltering days. A hot sandwich is a nice break from cold ones and wraps. You can buy already sliced cold cuts form your local deli or supermarket Put on sliced bread or roll and add some already made hot gravy. It’s not cooking but with a lot of flavor. Homemade soup is another noon favorite . You can make any stock on a stovetop. Then add whatever you want . if not just buy the already made ones. Then add fresh veggies for a nice garden vegetable or try making bisques using fresh seafood and meats.
Just because it’s summer it doesn’t mean you have to give up your winter favorites. Adopt recipes to fit these hot steamy days. It's surprisingly simple.
Showing posts with label decorating pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decorating pasta. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Old Ingredients, New Dishes
Ever look into your pantry or fridge and just sigh? You're faced with the same boring ingredients day after day , year after year? Do you feel like you're boxed into making the same dishes?Then revamp your cooking. Use the same old stuff but in a different dish? You'd be surprised at what you can come up with.
Rice and cornmeal can be pretty boring. They do make a great aides for dishes like gumbo and the latter for chicken cacciatore. However they are also wonderful at the bottom of a chili bowl. Their creamy blandness is the perfect foil for any chili's fieriness and chunky texture.Pasta too is great with traditional sauces but you can also use it to make a zesty low mein or even fried into Chinese birds nests to house creations like Szechuan beef or curried chicken. Veggies , usually reserved for salads and sides can make wonderful grilled kabobs . Try onion peppers and grape tomatoes for a fun and new hors d"oeuvre.
Sweets also can turn run of the mill. Those Lorna Doone and Social Tea cookies can be used instead of Nilla wafers for ice box puddings.Even the wafers, especially the new multicolored ones, are a neat for layering in a trifle or individual parfaits. Take a plain chocolate bar. Scrape it along a hasp and then add it to softened plain vanilla ice cream to create stratichella, Italian chocolate chip ice cream. You can also add it to puddings for some extra crunch. That ho hum fruit bowl can be made into a dozen different things to help you come up with fun snacks and desserts.
Boring ingredients don;t have to be boring. Think outside the cookbook for once and try your own hand at creating novel dishes. it;s a fun way to approach the ordinary!
Rice and cornmeal can be pretty boring. They do make a great aides for dishes like gumbo and the latter for chicken cacciatore. However they are also wonderful at the bottom of a chili bowl. Their creamy blandness is the perfect foil for any chili's fieriness and chunky texture.Pasta too is great with traditional sauces but you can also use it to make a zesty low mein or even fried into Chinese birds nests to house creations like Szechuan beef or curried chicken. Veggies , usually reserved for salads and sides can make wonderful grilled kabobs . Try onion peppers and grape tomatoes for a fun and new hors d"oeuvre.
Sweets also can turn run of the mill. Those Lorna Doone and Social Tea cookies can be used instead of Nilla wafers for ice box puddings.Even the wafers, especially the new multicolored ones, are a neat for layering in a trifle or individual parfaits. Take a plain chocolate bar. Scrape it along a hasp and then add it to softened plain vanilla ice cream to create stratichella, Italian chocolate chip ice cream. You can also add it to puddings for some extra crunch. That ho hum fruit bowl can be made into a dozen different things to help you come up with fun snacks and desserts.
Boring ingredients don;t have to be boring. Think outside the cookbook for once and try your own hand at creating novel dishes. it;s a fun way to approach the ordinary!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Diners Not Just Short Order Anymore
Live in New Jersey and you eat at a lot of diners. My state has the most of these eateries than any other state. Almost every town has at least one. Some even have three or four in the bigger cities and towns. What makes them so much fun is that they're diverse. Diners here serve everything from breakfast to cordon blu, from hearty stacks of pancakes to just cottage cheese filled melon halves.. That's what makes for varied eating here in t he Garden State.
One of my favorites is the Coach House in North Bergen The Coach House has been there seventy years and always has a busy crowd. I love spending my Sundays and even a few holidays here. (it's perfect for Christmas Mass service brunch).What I love about it is its' diversity of different dishes. One week I'll just have a filling appetizer , the next week , one of their tasty homemade soups and salad bar. Like other diners, it has a wide range of steaks, roasts and pastas. It's also known for its' Greek specialties too. Another plus about diners is that they can serve these dishes at any time. Order a dinner at 3 AM and or a brekfast at noon. A diner is there to cater to you!
Another great thing about Jersey diners is that most of their pastries are homemade. The Coach House is known for it's cupcakes, large muffins like creations topped with a dollop of butter cream frosting. Other diners throughout the state are well known for their melt in your mouth fruit topped cheesecakes as well as their seven layer cakes. Many of them even bake their own cookies and they're just as good as any bakery's . A little known fact - some diners can even make birthday and special occasion cakes for you if you ask. After all, a diner's bakery is located in the basement and it's responsible for all the rolls , buns and other baked items that are served.
New Jersey diners are not just onion rings and burgers along with an egg cream or a Coke. They can provide you with delicious homemade soups, top of the line sirloins and roasts and fresh baked sweets. They can cater to your every whim every day all day through rain and snow; any season, or holiday. That's what makes them great to visit.
One of my favorites is the Coach House in North Bergen The Coach House has been there seventy years and always has a busy crowd. I love spending my Sundays and even a few holidays here. (it's perfect for Christmas Mass service brunch).What I love about it is its' diversity of different dishes. One week I'll just have a filling appetizer , the next week , one of their tasty homemade soups and salad bar. Like other diners, it has a wide range of steaks, roasts and pastas. It's also known for its' Greek specialties too. Another plus about diners is that they can serve these dishes at any time. Order a dinner at 3 AM and or a brekfast at noon. A diner is there to cater to you!
Another great thing about Jersey diners is that most of their pastries are homemade. The Coach House is known for it's cupcakes, large muffins like creations topped with a dollop of butter cream frosting. Other diners throughout the state are well known for their melt in your mouth fruit topped cheesecakes as well as their seven layer cakes. Many of them even bake their own cookies and they're just as good as any bakery's . A little known fact - some diners can even make birthday and special occasion cakes for you if you ask. After all, a diner's bakery is located in the basement and it's responsible for all the rolls , buns and other baked items that are served.
New Jersey diners are not just onion rings and burgers along with an egg cream or a Coke. They can provide you with delicious homemade soups, top of the line sirloins and roasts and fresh baked sweets. They can cater to your every whim every day all day through rain and snow; any season, or holiday. That's what makes them great to visit.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Cold Comfort Baked Mac
Nothing beats out baked macaroni and cheese as the perfect cold weather comfort food. Who diesn;t love teder macaroni with gooey American ro cheddar cheese on it. It;s just a simple classic , oen anyone can create.
baked mac is as Amwerican as Apple pie , perhaps even ore so. It was Tom Jefferson who created it. Te Rnaissance man went over to france and borught bakc a pasta machine. there he made macaroni and then had his staff cook it with butter and cheddar alogn with slat and pepper. Pretty innovative. for the time. it was so tasty that it became a classic. it has been eaten on and off in American history an d probabyl was a great comfort to s omany cooks who were short on meat. Instant baked mac was invented in 1937 an d was an instant hit during the World War II> Today its' the most popular especially among kids and college kids.
Baked mac has a variety of different recipes.Some call for eggs and flour to be added to the cheese mix. Some called for a dash of cayenne pepper or bacon bits to be added. The best is just adding a really good sharp cheddar the way Jefferson did . I think this makes the dish memorable and also adds zing. Some foodies like adding goat's cheese for the creaminess it gives. However I think that regular cheddar also gives it that as well.
There's nothing like baked mac and cheese on a cold October evening. It;s one of the best comfort foods out there. it;s tasty and filling , best of all it warms you up likea hug.
baked mac is as Amwerican as Apple pie , perhaps even ore so. It was Tom Jefferson who created it. Te Rnaissance man went over to france and borught bakc a pasta machine. there he made macaroni and then had his staff cook it with butter and cheddar alogn with slat and pepper. Pretty innovative. for the time. it was so tasty that it became a classic. it has been eaten on and off in American history an d probabyl was a great comfort to s omany cooks who were short on meat. Instant baked mac was invented in 1937 an d was an instant hit during the World War II> Today its' the most popular especially among kids and college kids.
Baked mac has a variety of different recipes.Some call for eggs and flour to be added to the cheese mix. Some called for a dash of cayenne pepper or bacon bits to be added. The best is just adding a really good sharp cheddar the way Jefferson did . I think this makes the dish memorable and also adds zing. Some foodies like adding goat's cheese for the creaminess it gives. However I think that regular cheddar also gives it that as well.
There's nothing like baked mac and cheese on a cold October evening. It;s one of the best comfort foods out there. it;s tasty and filling , best of all it warms you up likea hug.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Easy Summer Stir Fries
There's nothing like an easy meal to prepare during these hot days. The dilemma is what hot meal is easy to prepare when it;s 90 degrees outside? Simple Stir fry.It's an easy and fun way to incorporate your favorite ingredients with simple stove top cooking. Another fun aspect is that a stir fry let's you be as creative as possible.
Every simple stir fry starts out with vegetables. Most include the traditional water chestnuts, onions and peppers. these are easy to prep and cook up in minutes. Although they're not used in traditional fries tomatoes can be used. for texture and color along with taste. I've recently discovered that grape tomatoes when cooked have the strongest flavor of all tomatoes and they are wonderful in any kind of stir fry. As for meats, they;re you;re decision,. Most people like chicken but you can add beef or pork strips or even shrimp. Another choice is spicing I like adding onion salt and a lot of fresh ground pepper to mine. You can again stick to tradition and add fresh sliced ginger along with garlic cloves.
The stir fry's base is also important You can add any kind or rice or thin pasta . I usually like just plain white rice. This absorbs all flavors and sops of the gravy. Brown rice is good too but be warned. it does posses a nutty flavor that will compete with the other ones. Plain spaghetti or vermicelli is good. This is closest to the Chinese noodle variation and is like what you would get in parts of China.
Stir fry is the best bet for a hot dish during these hot days. You get a full meal in one dish . better still it;s fun to make and delicious to eat.
Every simple stir fry starts out with vegetables. Most include the traditional water chestnuts, onions and peppers. these are easy to prep and cook up in minutes. Although they're not used in traditional fries tomatoes can be used. for texture and color along with taste. I've recently discovered that grape tomatoes when cooked have the strongest flavor of all tomatoes and they are wonderful in any kind of stir fry. As for meats, they;re you;re decision,. Most people like chicken but you can add beef or pork strips or even shrimp. Another choice is spicing I like adding onion salt and a lot of fresh ground pepper to mine. You can again stick to tradition and add fresh sliced ginger along with garlic cloves.
The stir fry's base is also important You can add any kind or rice or thin pasta . I usually like just plain white rice. This absorbs all flavors and sops of the gravy. Brown rice is good too but be warned. it does posses a nutty flavor that will compete with the other ones. Plain spaghetti or vermicelli is good. This is closest to the Chinese noodle variation and is like what you would get in parts of China.
Stir fry is the best bet for a hot dish during these hot days. You get a full meal in one dish . better still it;s fun to make and delicious to eat.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Take Home Homemade Goodness
I've noticed a phenomenon in recent months in my local supermarket. There seems to be a glut of plastic containers not unlike what your mom or any other relative gives you when you've had dinner over at their house. Except these have Marie Callender or Stouffer's labels on them. What they are are dinners or sides in a microwavable , reusable container,
I guess putting food in these containers give s them a homey feel .Yet in the end they're just like a TV dinner or even takeout.I'm sure they taste good but they still processed food. There is a big variety from steak tips and rice to meatloaf and gravy. There are even pasta selections that can be downright fancy. These are not badly priced and I can see a lot of single twenty and thirty somethings stocking up on these. After all these meals are probably the closest to homemade that they'll eat.
To be honest if you have the time you can make these dinners yourself on a Saturday or Sunday night.It's a no brainer to prepare a big pot of pasta or a meat loaf or anything else and freeze it into microwavable containers. This way, you're cutting on down on the amount of sodium added as well as nixing the preservatives. Your creationswill have a somewhat fresher taste than the store bought variety. A good thing is you can do this after large holidays meals and still enjoy the taste a month after.
Ready to eat meals are fine if you re in a hurry and don't have the time to make and freeze your own. They're quick and easy , along with being the closest to a fresh from the stove or oven taste.If you can't make your own, then go this route.
I guess putting food in these containers give s them a homey feel .Yet in the end they're just like a TV dinner or even takeout.I'm sure they taste good but they still processed food. There is a big variety from steak tips and rice to meatloaf and gravy. There are even pasta selections that can be downright fancy. These are not badly priced and I can see a lot of single twenty and thirty somethings stocking up on these. After all these meals are probably the closest to homemade that they'll eat.
To be honest if you have the time you can make these dinners yourself on a Saturday or Sunday night.It's a no brainer to prepare a big pot of pasta or a meat loaf or anything else and freeze it into microwavable containers. This way, you're cutting on down on the amount of sodium added as well as nixing the preservatives. Your creationswill have a somewhat fresher taste than the store bought variety. A good thing is you can do this after large holidays meals and still enjoy the taste a month after.
Ready to eat meals are fine if you re in a hurry and don't have the time to make and freeze your own. They're quick and easy , along with being the closest to a fresh from the stove or oven taste.If you can't make your own, then go this route.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Pasta And Cake Make For Good Reading
Yesterday's Times Dining section had two fun articles. One was an article with an Italian pasta historian and writer while the other had to deal with the blog Cake Wrecks which features badly decorated bakery cakes. Being a big fan of both pasta and cake I enjoyed them both, learning and laughing along the way. The Times certainly had a good buffet of articles featured yesterday.
The first article, written by Rachel Donadio is an interview with Bolognese writer Oretta Zanini de Vita. Signora' de Vita's latest book The Encyclopedia of Pasta has just been translated into English and is out in the bookstores now (this is a perfect Christmas gift. ) She also has debunked the e myth about Marco Polo bringing pasta to Italy from China. He didn't it has been around since the 800 AD. Some like ravioli came with Muslim invasions of Sicily. Another fascinating fact I didn't know is that my family's province of Piedmonte makes pasta that resembles newly minted coins. This was really interesting and interesting to see the models for them.
The other article is just s light hearted look at cakes done wrong. Written by David Hochman it tells of Jen Yates, the creator of the blog Cake wrecks and show some of the worst decorated bakery cakes on earth. This is a blog I have to visit just to see what other goofs and gaffes bakers have done to birthday and other sorts of celebratory cakes. The book is a great gift for any cake baker or lover.
Think of the Encyclopedia of Pasta and Cake Wrecks when you go Christmas shopping this year They are the perfect additions to any true blue foodie's library.One is an intelligent and fun look at pasta through the ages while one is just a fun look ats cake decorating gone amok.
The first article, written by Rachel Donadio is an interview with Bolognese writer Oretta Zanini de Vita. Signora' de Vita's latest book The Encyclopedia of Pasta has just been translated into English and is out in the bookstores now (this is a perfect Christmas gift. ) She also has debunked the e myth about Marco Polo bringing pasta to Italy from China. He didn't it has been around since the 800 AD. Some like ravioli came with Muslim invasions of Sicily. Another fascinating fact I didn't know is that my family's province of Piedmonte makes pasta that resembles newly minted coins. This was really interesting and interesting to see the models for them.
The other article is just s light hearted look at cakes done wrong. Written by David Hochman it tells of Jen Yates, the creator of the blog Cake wrecks and show some of the worst decorated bakery cakes on earth. This is a blog I have to visit just to see what other goofs and gaffes bakers have done to birthday and other sorts of celebratory cakes. The book is a great gift for any cake baker or lover.
Think of the Encyclopedia of Pasta and Cake Wrecks when you go Christmas shopping this year They are the perfect additions to any true blue foodie's library.One is an intelligent and fun look at pasta through the ages while one is just a fun look ats cake decorating gone amok.
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