Cold And Easy

 This is the time for a cold dessert or snack. Nothing beats soemthing that's a  snap to make  along with being eeasy to prepare. Look to some simple sweets that are frosty and delicious.

Many love homemade ice cream. Nothing beats the taste of a homemade chocolate or vanilla.Home chefs can create an eggless one using cocoa powder, whole milk, sugar and heavy cream . A dash of vanilla is thrown in to heighten the chocolate flavor. Everything is whisked together and the put in the fridge for thirty minutes before it s oured into an ice cream maker. You can add chocolate chips or even nuts for a Rocky Road flavor. Vanilla ice cream is also an easy make.I'ts just taking whole milk and combining it with heavy cream granulated sugar and vanilla. You can also make a vegan version using coocnut or plant based milk milk and cashew butter. It still uses vanilla as flavor. You could also try an ice cream that doesn;t require a machine.Melissa  Clark offers a  no churn caramel one in Wednesday's New York Times  Food section.It's an easy make of whipped cream,  blended with  a  can or jar of dukce de leche . A sprinkle of flaky sea salt cuts the sugariness. Serve ti in a cone of waffle bowl, with a spoonful of hot fudge for decadence.

That Italian classic granita is another cool treat that's super easy to make. A favorite is a coffee granita, a homemade ice that's served with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.Mix three cups of strong espresso with three fourths cup of sugar and teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir until everything is dissolved and pour into a nine by thirteen inch pan. Place the pan in the freezer for one hour until the mixture becomes slushy. Rake the crystals with a dinner fork to break up the crystals. Pop back into the freezer and then rake it every thirty minutes. Serve in parfait or martini glasses with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Granita can be made with fruit too. You just need four cups of any cubed fruit, a quarter cup of any flavorful liquid and a quarter cup of granulated sugar. A pinch of salt can be added to bring out the fruit's flavor. As for the flavorful liquid, try lemon or lime juice but even wine or kombucha can do. Puree all the ingredients and then freeze in a metal pan. Freeze anywhere between thirty and forty five minutes and start to flake it with a fork afterwards. Keep doing this every thirty minute two or three times. It't then frozen for four hours before serving.

A sweet cold treat is just as easy to make as it is to eat. Make a quick ice cream or granita to beat the heat.It's great way to beat the summer heat.

Can Fast Food Be Diet Food

We've been constantly told that fast food is bad food. Everyone from doctors to diet gurus warn of its' side affects. Yet some places do offer healthier , sometimes lower calories . Can these smart choices help in shedding pounds? Possibly.

Many of us love Wendy's . It's  fast food that tastes almost like home made. You can eat healthy here. Their famed baked potato is only 270 calories if there's nothing loaded on top. If you want something  to top it then go for the free sour cream and margarine. The bacon cheese potato is 480 calories.. Have it with their Honest iced tea which is thirst quenching and diet perfect at only five calories. Wendy's also offers salads. One of the most filling and good for anyone watching his or her weight is the Power Mediterranean Salad which is only 250 calories for a small portion. This is a mix of  quinoa, chicken feta and hummus.If you,re craving more meat then settle on their Buffalo ranch slider at 220 calories or their grilled chicken sandwich which has 270. Dieters can  even have their beef and eat it too.Wendy's has a junior double cheeseburger that's only 280 calories.Are the other famed fast food restaurants that calorie conscious? Chck-Fil-A and KFC do have food that can fit into a regimented meal plan.KFC has a combo of grilled chicken and mashed potatoes for 430 calories. Chick-fil-a has unbreaded chicken nuggets for only 240 calories for five pieces.

Other fast food places can also be advantageous too. One of the best for low calorie food with a lot of flavor is Sarku. Their miso soup is only fifty calories, a perfect lunch on a cold, rainy day. They also offer shrimp and sushi which are surprisingly hearty fare despite the lightness. Th shrimp comes with white or brown rice along with a good scoop of green vegetables. Their California roll sushi is only three hundred calories but packed with flavorful shards of crab meat and avocado. Panera Bread can also offer some low calorie  foods, despite the fact it primarily sells calorie rich breads,. muffins, and cookies. Yet their breads are between 120 and 160 calories a slice - however, it's hard to just stop at once slice. Their loaves are beyond delicious. Luckily the chain offers smaller versions of their soups and salads along with half sandwiches, Their  halved Mediterranean veggie sandwich on tomato basil bread is only 220 calories. Wash it down with ten calorie Spindrift raspberry lime seltzer. Finish it with a mouthful of their coconut macaroon at only 140 calories. Or have the last with a five calorie espresso for a quick afternoon pick me up. Panera's flavored coffees are only twenty calories a cup and you can probably get it iced as well as hot.

Fast food can also be a dieter's food. It's just choosing wisely with your mind - not your stomach. Then you can enjoy a meal out without any guilt

The Best Christmas Gifts

What does a foodie and home chef  want  for Christmas? Anything that deals with food and the kitchen. Well, I don't know about any of you out there but I got my wish in the form of a madeleine pan and n eight piece glass baking set. It has definitely set the juices flowing again.

As you can see I received the much-coveted madeleine pan. I love madeleines and have been dying to bake them for a long time. Now with a tin and working oven I am definitely going to try my hand at this. These cake-like cookies are a bit labor intensive. but worth it the work, The recipe requires melted butter to be gently folded in along with freshly grated lemon zest. Baked madeleines are then dusted with granulated sugar while still warm. There are recipes for lavender infused ones and chocolate. The first is made with lavender infused honey while the chocolate ones are more like miniature baked cakes.Once I master the original recipe I'd like to move on to the espresso ones with espresso  icing. There is even a  savory madeleine recipe that involves  Parmesan cheese and rosemary or chives. These would be perfect for a brunch or an afternoon snack, along with being a bread for salad Nicoise.

My second gift is an eight piece bake set from Anchor-Hocking. This is exciting too because there's a wide range of dishes and treats I can bake. The larger casserole dish has got me thinking and researching chili bakes, those yummy yummy combos of chili and cornbread. They're kind of like a Southwestern shepherd's pie.but with the extra zing of chili powder. There is a covered  smaller sized dish for smaller bakes , such as bread puddings or strata,I am looking forward to making pies and quiches with homemade crusts too,.I've just found an easy quiche crust recipe that calls for olive oil, flour and cold water. Another recipe I 'd love to tackle is deep dish pizza, layered with mozzarella and veggies.I could also make a childhood favorite, Crazy Crust Pizza using Bisquick. The set also comes with two ramekins for custard or possibly for melting butter or margarine in the microwave. There are all sorts of possibilities with this amazing set and I;'m looking forward to trying out  scores of great recipes.

I've got my Christmas dishes and am chomping at the bit to try them out. I can't wait to tackle the complicated but oh so delcious madeleine recipes and the other baking recipes with my new Anchor Hocking set. It's going to be a fun winter ahead, as I try all sorts of new dishes in my cozy kitchen.