A PSL Question

 Here's another question, appropriate for this season - are we overinundated with eveyrthing PSL ? Should there be another flavor that can easily symbolize fall?

Your thoughts?

Cool And Tasty Drinks

 This heat wave calls for cooling and fun drinks. They're frosty and fizzy - the perfect thirst quenchers  for these steamy days. They're easy to make and even easier to sip.

One of the most perfect temp lowing swigs is root beer. It's great just on it's own, served in a frosty mug. If you can, check out any of the remaining Stewart's in the New York metro area where you can buy a mug along with a tasty  hot dog, hamburger or side, . You can also buy a six pack of it at your local grocery store and bring it home for a frosty mug. How do you frost a mug? It's just the simple method of filling a mug or even a glass with ice cubes. Make sure they touch every part of the interior surface. Now add some cold water making sure it covers the entire inner portion(you can do this by tilting the mug or glass this way and that). Place the glass into the freezer for five to eight minutes,Fill with root beer and a straw. You can also do this with Stewart's grape or orange sodas too. Another root beer treat is the classic root bear float. What's the best brand and flavor for this? Many choose Breyer's for its' richness and creaminess . As for a vegan version, coconut milk based ice cream has the same creamy texture and flavor.It blends well with the root beer. To make it lux, add a shot of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry,

Another fizzy cold treat is the egg cream. This fountain and diner favorite originated in New York City in the 1880's and actually had raw egg in it!!!We drink the poorer version which has no eggs but still plenty of froth. What makes the perfect one? It starts with the syrup. Purists will insist on Fox's U-Bet syrup. What's the difference between it and the classic Hershey's one? Fox's U Bet has dried milk and real cocoa in their recipe. This results in a richer chocolate-y flavor than the other which is made up of cocoa, water and corn syrup. Hershey's works in a pinch.Any kind of milk, dairy and plant based works. The best seltzer to use comes from a syphon but the bottled kinds is also good. Even better is the flavored ones. Try a cherry or raspberry one for added oomph to the drink. It's like a liquid bonbon.  There is the vanilla variation which does take a little more work. The vanilla syrup is created by simmering water and sugar with a vanilla bean, The syrup is made first and then poured over the vanilla bean. The whole thing is steeped for a day before using. Since the syrup is thinner than the chocolate one, use half and half for a creamier , thicker drink.

It's blisteringly hot. Coo; down with a sweet fizzy drink, whether it's a mug of root beer ,a root beer float or an egg cream.Enjoy the iciness .

Make And Freeze

if there's ever a time to make and freeze it is now. It pays to create a few dishes ahead of time or ones that will generate a lot of leftovers. All you have to do is just pop these  into the microwave or toaster oven. Doing this will save up time for meetings and schooling.

One of the easiest make and freeze is lasagna. It can be made even easier with no boil lasagna noodles and canned sauce. You can create an easy tomato sauce using your crockpot or Instapot and adjust the seasonings to your family's tastes. As for the meats try sliced sausages or ground beef. Once the ingredients are layered and baked , then it's time for freezing. Wrap it tightly in Saran Wrap first then aluminum foil .It can be refrigerated for a day and frozen for up to a month. Remember to thaw out the lasagna in the fridge before reheating it.It tastes better reheated in the oven so bake it in a  400 degree F oven for an hour. Another easy make and freeze is spaghetti and meatballs. Since this is a popular  dish make double for dinner. Let the kids enjoy it now and have it as another dinner or even lunch a few days later. Again you can have homemade or store bought sauce. Meatballs freeze very well, which is a plus. Freeze in Ziploc bags or freezer friendly containers. Keep in mind to wait for the pasta to cool. Freezing hot or even still warm foods can cause other freezer foods to melt or thaw. Remember to put the date you froze them on the begs.

Another food to think of freezing is turkey. You may want to have it as your Easter dinner for a fancier dinner. It's great for leftovers because there's so much you can do with it. Just remember to make sure the turkey and sides are completely cooled before you put the leftovers in the freezer. The meat should first be wrapped in freezer paper or foil and then sealed in air tight plastic freezer bags. Be quick about this - all packages should be placed in the freezer right away. As for the sides like mashed potatoes and green beans put into airtight freezer containers or plastic freezer bags. One of the most versatile meals that can be frozen before and after cooking is meat loaf.In fact some home chefs believe that freezing a meat loaf before cooking increases its' flavor. For first freezing, form the loaf and then wrap it very well in Saran wrap, then place in an air tight freezer bag. It can keep up to six months in there so you may want to make a few for the weeks ahead. The loaf should be thawed out in the fridge the night before cooking. As for freezing the left over slices, put in freezer containers and store for later use.

 Making and freezing  is your best bet if you're busy with Zoom meetings and home schooling. It frees you up for the more important sides of home life these days. Create now, cook later for easier living.

Sweet For Voortman Sugar Free Cookies

If you're trying to watch your weight or you just want to cut back, then consider Voortman Cookies. These gems are sugar free yet taste just as delicious as a regular sugar filled cookie. Honest. These are a great boon to those on restricted diets. They satisfy both the sweet tooth and the need for crunch.

Being on a cirrhosis diet I had to give up regular cookies. Not that I'm a big Mallomar or Oreo fan but once in a while I do want a cookie or two as a dessert or a snack.I looked up and down on my local cookie aisle.I found Voortman's with a a big sugar free sign on them. I had to try them, dreading the taste. Turns out the shortbread I bought was just like regular shortbread.I had to try more.

I love oatmeal so I had to get the oatmeal which was amazing. They tasted liked my Mom's old fashioned oatmeal cookies, buttery ,oaty and crunchy,

Of course I had to try anything chocolate too.

I bought their fudge brownie chocolate chip which was a thousand times better than the regular sugar kind. The flavor was a rich, earthy cocoa with a satisfying number of chips.

Voortman is actually a Toronto bakery started in 1951 by two young brothers, William and Henry Voortman, fresh from Holland. They brought Dutch recipes with them and created such classic cookies as their almond windmills and Simply Social sugar cookies. Their array of cookies and wafers are as varied as any other cookie company. They have oatmeal stripes and fudge striped almondettes.They are known for their variety of wafers that include citrus flavors. Yet it's their sugar frees that shine. The flavor comes from maltilol, a sugar alcohol used in gum and mouthwash to sweeten them. I want to tr y their orange creme and lemon wafers along with their fudge stripes next. A bonus is that maltilol is actually O.K. for cirrhosis (however not OK for diabetics).

If you crave a cookie but can't have one because of dietary restrictions, think again. Reach for a Voortman's sugar free cookie. They're even better than the sugar kind,a truly tasty treat for any sweet tooth.

Scandanavian Dishes For Lent

Scandanavian, cuisine whether Icelandic  Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or Finnish has the perfect seafood dishes ready for Lent. The countries share a passion for all sorts of fish , from cod to salmon from herring to shrimp. The recipes are just right for these meatless days.

Salmon is a big dish in Scandinavian cooking, namely in the dish known as gravlax. It's basically curing the salmon for four to five days. It requires both salt and sugar to cure it along with dill and cognac for flavor.. It's an elegant main meal for pescatarians too as well as those who are temporarily off meat. A  humbler recipe is the fish pie, filled with whitefish  and potato, Unlike other fish pies that are usually loaded with onions, this one has the mild ,sweet taste of cucumber to counteract the sharpness of  radishes which also add color. There's also the Scandanavian must have dill in it too for a spark of green and flavor. It's a nice dish to make on a Friday night when the family is gathered. Another cozy recipe is fish soup made with the Norwegian standard - cod. The fish's mildness matches up well with the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms. Crushed tomatoes are also added to give it a vibe similar to the Portuguese soup, cioppino. It's served with warm crusty bread and butter.Norway also has a great flounder soup, from the seacoast town of  Bergen.Like the other it's a cream soup, but also has flour to thicken it. Julienned carrots give it color. Shrimp can be added to it as well.

Flounder is also used in many other Norwegian and Swedish dishes. Try it baked with shrimp for an elegant spin. It's a casserole, with fish filets layered with shrimp ,  tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese, then topped with pats of butter. Another flounder dish is fish cakes, made with flour and tarragon leaves. Cod and haddock can be used too instead of the flounder. Serve with crispy potatoes as a great Friday night dinner. Not surprisingly Scandinavians  also turn seafood into a pudding called fiskepudding. It's ground haddock mixed with milk and eggs to create a kind of custard. It's served with a shrimp and lobster sauce, heightened with a good  slug of sherry. Herring is a big deal in all the northernmost countries. One of the easiest is a salad made with salted fillets mixed with sour cream, chopped dill and the dill's bulb also chopped. Lemon juice is spritzed in for some tang. Serve on rye crackers or with a  dark bread such as kavring.

Scandinavian cooking is in perfect harmony with Lenten eating. The fish dishes are perfect for meatless Wednesdays and Fridays Try them in any way, from a savory pudding to .fishcakes for tasty dining.