Warming UP A Chilly Barbecue

 The weather never behaves.It might be Spring and temps could be like a roasting July heatwave or chilly October afternoon. right now the US is experiencing a cold snap right in time for Memorial Day.everyone has a barbecue planned. Yet what happened when there a nip in the air? Heat it up.

Luckily barbecue food is hot food. Flame grilled hot dogs and hamburgers are great for warming up. Go the extra mile and warm up the buns too.Grill the hamburger and hot dog buns the same times as the meats. They'll get that the same smoky flavor as the hot dogs and hamburgers. You can amp it up a bit by buttering the soft or interior sides. Some grillers add a dash of Tabasco sauce for added flavor. Grilled London Broil could call for hot gravy made inside on the stove. You can make your own or get the jarred version (this last would be easier ).serve on Texas toast or grilled sourdough bread. What about chicken? Think a side of hot waffles .Yes you can grill this breakfast treat. even frozen Eggos respond well to a grill. It;s just toasting them for two to three minutes on each side and then serving them with chicken and a dash of hot honey.This last is created by adding fresh or dried peppers to honey and then letting it sit for a few hours. 

A big problem with a chilly barbecue is the cold sides. No one want an icy macaroni or bean salad when it ''s a frosty sixty degrees in May. Instead of salads try grilled veggies instead They're tasty and delicious  along with being warming. Cut onions  bell peppers and squash into cubes and along with grape or cherry tomatoes put them on a skewer. You can also add button mushrooms and cut up corm ears too. A simple brush with olive oil works but you can also try a marinade too.use a tangy Greek yogurt based dressing or a verdant chimichurri or salsa vefde sauce made with tomatillo,s onion s garlic and chile peppers. You can serve with microwaved hot rice or quinoa. Another hot dish, perfect for a chilly Spring day is elote or Mexican street corm. This is grilling ears of buttered  corn and then covering them with a slathering of mayo and Mexican crema - a mix of buttermilk, whole cream a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.It's then rolled in cotija cheese and sprinkled with chili powder. If you can 't find cotija then used crumbled feta instead.

The weather doesn't always guarantee a warm ,sunny day or hot balmy night for grilling. Sometimes the weather can be downright frigid. Don;t cancel your barbecue if that's the case. Serve hot tasty foods to warm up your guests.!

Lidl's Potato Gratin's The Perfect Holiday Side

 What do you serve alongside a holiday turkey or ham> Scalloped potatoes are good bu they can be a pain to make. Ther'es mashed potatoes but they were probably served last month at Thanksgiving., What about something new and elegant? Think LIdl's Due de Couer's au gratin potato rounds.

I saw these during a recent Lidl trip and had to buy them. I loved Lidl's Duc de Couer's vegetable gratin and these had to be as good as those.

There's four in a package as as a main meal perfect. THus was a medium time cook in the air fryer. It was about seven minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit and then a second cook at ten minutes at 370 degrees Farenheit. The end result was a crispy crust and a creamy interior.

These were incredibly delicious with a smooth creamy inside , reminiscent of scalloped potatoes.

These are definitely going to be on my Christmas table, drenched in Lidl's turkey gravy. It's a potato dish but not overly so. I could taste the egginess and creaminess of eggs and dairy. The top has a satisfying crunch , not unlike potato chips. These would be perfect on any holiday table, whether with beef, chicken or ham. They're also good as a main meal with a  salad.

Lidl's Duc de Couer ' potato gratin rounds are a tasty addition to any holiday table. They are a blend of crisp and creamy. They elevate spuds to a whole new level.

Holiday Cleanout

 This is the time of year wen the kitchen will be loaded with food and ingredients.This can be great save for the fact you may have leftovers or old foodstuffs around the fridge and pantry. If that's the case , then it's time to clean out.

One item that most home chefs and espcially bakers  have is flour. Keep in mind that refrigerated flour can last up to a year. If' it's been stored in a pantry then it's shelf life is only three months. Keep in mind that flour cna be used in making various roux and thickening gravies. You could also use the extra to make bread or the start of your holiday cookies and cakes. What that other all important staple - sugar? Technically sugar never spoils so you can keep it indefinitely. Howeve it can lose some of its' sweetness after three months. It's up to you if you want to keep it or not. It will come in handy for baking and also for sweetening coffee and tea. Is its cousin confectioner's sugar ever lasting? Yes!!! However throw it out if you see any bugs, moist clumps or contamination. Untouched sugar should be fine to use in glazes , icings and buttercream frostings along wit using it to make fudge and other holiday treats.

What about all those cans of tomato sauce and beans you bought whe the store was having a mega sale on them. One word - chili. This is the perfect hot crockpot dinner . Mix everything in the morning and let it simmer all day for a tasty, hot and nourishing dinner.It's also the perfect dish to serve at a tree trimming party. Add already made conrbread or tortilla chips to make it more of a party dish. You cna also add any onions you have too (usually one wull do it). Tomato  sauce can be used in making homemade sauce too. Nothhing beats this when served over any kind of pasta. Beans can also be used in rice dishes as a nice side oir if you're craving a taste of summer, whip up a three bean salad. Those cans of chickpeas can also be turned into hummus, the perfect party dish. Cannellini beans can be added to give the dip a milder flavor. Blend together with minced garlic, olive oil and lemon. Serve with air fried pita chips. Canned veggies can easily be made into sides and salads, leaving more room for Christmas dinner ingredients.

It's time for a quick clean out of the pantry and fridge. Throw out the old stuff. use what you can for different dishes and holiday baking. The pantry and fridge will then be ready for all your Christmas dinner ingredients.

Twealing And Perking

 Sometimes even storebought foods need a perk or a tweak to make them more palable. If that sauce is not quite tasty enough - add something? Or the pie crust that needs a little something extra. Add to it. It makes for a tastuer bite.

One of the easiest items to zing up is sauce and gravy. Jarred tomato sauce is tasty but it can be made to taste almost like mom's. Add olive oil to give the sauce some body. This gives it a smoother texture to it which makes for  a silky bite . Sliced green or red peppers are always a good plus to any tomato sauce. Both kinds add sweetness and depth to the flavor. Mushrooms give a chewiness to the sauce as added in sausage. THis could be vegan or non vegan for a more heartier sauce.For a vodka sauce splash in a quarter cup of vodka and half a cup of heavy cream. Frozen pizza can also benefit from some tweaks and perks too. A good sprinkling of oregano helps improve the taste  along with a liberal drizzle of oil. Most frozen pizza have just the usua; topping but you cna perk up a plan 9one with artichi]oke hears, greena dn black olives alogn with vegan susage and even bacon. Scatter pineapple chunks on it as well if you want to . You can apply this idealogy to Thanksgiving foods too, You could add some steamed chestnut to that Stovetop Suffing or add a drop of cognac to jarred gravy.

Baked goods can also get some tweaks and zings. Croissants are good on their own but add some almond butter mixed with cinnamon to create a tasty breakfast or brunch treat.You could also split them, warm them and add apple butter as well.  Since this is pie season, premade pie crusts can always get a boost. Brush them with melted butter for a more homemade taste. You could also brush heavy cream on and then dust the edges with granulated sugar. Zing up that store bought pumpkin pie with some fin homemade toppings. You can make a pecan streusel. Use toasted pecan pieces, oats melted butter , brown sugar and salt. Pop into the oven fro ten minutes to get the streusel crunchy.You could also drizzle on homemade or store bought caramel sauce. As for that other Thanksgiving staple pecan pie. think of serving it with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream. This is combining heavy cream with confectioner's sugar and adding one tablespoon of bourbon along with a teaspoon of vanilla.  Bought shortbread cookies, a favorite winter treat can be elevated a notch when dipped in melted dark chocolate.

Turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Add some zing to every day ingredients or store bought foods. Giving them some oomph wikk make a difference.

Questionable Meat Lunch Meat Leftovers.

 There's always a bargain at Acme. There was one that was eye catching - and questioinable. Was it worth buying.

I saw this in my local Acme.It looked intriguing and approrpriately scary given the season.

it was lunch meat ends with fifty per cent off. I wasn;t going to buy ti at first yet I was too intrigued  ,I also couldnt resist a bargan either (this was around $1.50). It;s just chunks fo turkey meat 

There are several different recipes you can make with this. I instantly thought of a turkey Caesar salad but also placing the chunks iin already made jarred gravy. This can be served over toast for a tasty hot meal.

I just sprinkled tarragon on the chunks and  the leftover potatoes from Sunday's dinner for a hot quick dinner. This is good too.  Using tarragon gave me another recipe idea.Again I can also shred the turkey , add mayo and tarragon  to make a yummy salad. This is perfect on a sliced croissant or brioche.

This container of tuekey chunks mick look a trick  but it's really a treat.They can be used for a number of different recipes hot and cold. Get this for making great dishes.Acme , lunch meat, turkey, 

A Pinched Thanksgiving

 This is going to be a tough Thanksgiving with prices high and salaries stalled. What can home chefs do to have a good and tasty holiday? The answer is pinching. See where you can save money and see what you can cut back on.

The first question any home chef should ask themselves is is a big family Thanksgiving doable? Think before you commit. The cost of a twenty pound Butterball turkey at Acme is $32.78 (!!!!!!). Then add in various sides and you have a two hundred dollar meal (which not surprisingl is the average price of an individual four course holiday meal at any upscale Manhattan restaurant).If you still want family and friends , then split the cost. Ask guests to bring sides and desserts. Delegate who brings what so there's not any duplicates. Also check about allergies and preferences. Another idea is just having people over for dessert, instead of the whole meal. This means you can just have a small, intimate Thanksgiving and serve just turkey breast which is much cheaper than the whole bird. (Acme sells theirs for around $14.99 for three pounds while Stop & Shop for around $21.99 for seven pounds). Desserts can also be one big one like a pumpkin or pecan pie while encouraging homemade ones like cookies or cupcakes. Please emphasize that guests should not spend a lot of money on their desserts.

You can cut back a lot if it's just family. Again go for the turkey breast. You still can have the juicy meat and crisly skin but with out all the extra. As for the rest of the meal go for generic. Acme has some great  inhouse stuffing mixes along with flavorful gravies. Go to the cheaper makrets for your fresh veggies. These are like farmer's markets , usually found in strip malls like the Saddle Brook Farmer's Market. They have the best prices on everything from squashes to Italian breads. Many other towns and cities have markets like this. Take advantage of them. Another way of pinching Thanksgiving is eliminating the one dish no one really likes. If the family makes a face at jellied cranberries or Brussels sprouts then get rid of them. Why waste money on food you know won't be eaten.  Cut back on similar foods. Why serv e both sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes? This is too much to eat. The same thing with rolls and stuffing which is a kind fo savory bread pudding. Don't go wild with dessert. Pick one pie and stick with it. Some stores sell mini pies , You can easily buy these so everyone gets a bite fo their favorite.

This is going to be a tight Thanksgiving. Yet it still can be a tasty one if you carefully budget. Pinch a few pennies and you can still have an affordable holiday meal.

The Flexitarian Life

 Many people find transitioning from carnivore to herbivore daunting. They're grown up eating delicious BLTs and juicy steaks. They find it difficult eschewing butter and cheese. Yet these are the same people who want to help the planet and animals or protect their health.What to do? Become a flexitarian.

What are flexitarians? A person who is a vegetarian but occasionally eats meat or fish. It's the easiest way to convert from a meat eater to a vegetarian and then to a vegan, someone who does not ingest any animals or animal based products. In yesterday's New York Times Business section there was an interesting article about companies like Beyond Burgers and Impossible  Meat  catering to the large and growing sector of flexitarians. Now it's much easier to transition than years ago. Soy products of even twenty years ago were horrible, with a funky taste and aftertaste not to mention a rubbery texture.Veggie burgers were the worst . They were studded with peas and fell apart at first bite. Now  people can't tell the difference between the real thing and the plant based burger. Beyond Meat burgers grill up nicely with a crusty exterior and a juicy pink inside. These can easily be served two or three times a week or at a Sunday tailgating party. The company also had the plant based meat in loaf form which makes for a yummy meat loaf. Serve it with a mushroom gravy and a side of mashed potatoes for comfort food goodness.

Another company that can help you go meatless is Gardein. Their products have an authentic taste.  A favorite is their Ultimate Burger which can be subbed for beef patties. Their battered fish fillets are the best, tasting like North Atlantic cod. The batter coating is nice and crispy  and brings to mind those fish and chips platters at seafood restaurants like Bahr's in the Atlantic Highlands. This is one of my favorites, perfect with Ore-Ida fries. Their chicken nuggets are also good, great with any dipping sauce. What about milk , butter and cheese? These are staples in our everyday diets. For milk go with Almond Breeze from Blue Diamond.Their milk is very good especially in cereal. It comes in plain, vanilla and chocolate, The company also makes creamer and yogurt too in tasty flavors like caramel cream, for the creamer and strawberry and peach for the yogurt. Miyoko's Creamery is the best brand for your butter and cheese needs.Miyoko Schinner has created a butter that's exactly like the real thing.She has created a variety of different cheeses., from mozzarella to cheddar for pizzas and sandwiches.

It is easy to become a flexitarian.There are so many animal free products out there you won't miss the real thing. Try them all for the first step in healthy and compassionate eating.

Ease Into Fall Cooking

The temps may not be as hot as they once were. The days are starting to get shorter. Autumn is coming and it's time to ease into cooler weather cooking. What does that mean? Adding different ingredients and thinking about more complex cooking.

One thing to do is take advantage of the harvests out now. Tomatoes plants are still yielding an amazing amount.It's a great time to make sauce and freeze it. You can also use herbs from the garden, such as oregano and rosemary as well. Tomatoes can also be turned into salsas and chili too and these can be frozen for later.If you want to be more adventurous try making ketchup. Many are put off by the idea of making  a condiment in their kitchens but it's pretty easy. It can be done in a slow cooker and you could easily have a bowl of ketchup for dinner that same day. Also take advantage of other harvests such as eggplants and onions. Again late summer and early fall is the perfect time for ratatouille, the mix of those veggies plus tomatoes. It has a fresh summery taste yet warming on nippy nights when the temps drop. Have it with warmed, sliced French bread and olive oil. Eggplant is also good sliced , breaded and air fried . You could slice it into sticks for a different and fun lunch or dinner.

Cooler days mean more elaborate yet still fun meals. Think tacos with different fillings. You can still have barbecued beef but shred it and use it as the main filling. The same with barbecued chicken. You can also grill salmon or tilapia for a different variation.A vegetarian option would be mashed kidney beans topped with  shredded cabbage instead of lettuce or even broken cauliflower or broccoli florets. This is nice way of using up the first of the fall harvests.Hamburgers can still be made but why not turn them into Salisbury steaks with gravy? They can be served on toast or with a side of homemade mashed potatoes.Ground beef or even vegan beef crumbles can also be turned into the Szechuan classic Ants Climbing A Tree. This is an exciting combo of cellophane noodles cooked with beef and soy sauce, zinged up with scallions. Kids will love this variation of hamburger and a fresh take on takeout food. It's also a time to start those sheet pan dinners. You can follow recipes or make up some combo of meat and veggies or just veggies for dinner. Try chicken with potatoes and sliced Brussels sprouts or  salmon with bok choy and green beans.

Ease into fall cooking with fun dishes that are warming and delicious. You can use the last of the summer harvest for ingredient as well as the first of the autumn ones. It's time for some serious cooking!

A Very Vegan Christmas

Christmas is the time for good will towards all and that includes animals. For a more sympathetic and Franciscan holiday think about going vegan and vegetarian. It's surprisingly easy to do  -not to mention delicious with the right foods and treats.

What do herbivores eat for the holidays? I'm asked that all the time , as I cook and bake in a vegetarian household. (I'm not one myself and I will allow myself dairy , eggs and meat/seafood from time to time). For main meals  some kind of tofu pr plant based "meat" is the star. Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers have expanded the range of no meat recipes. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out my local Stop & Shop had all different kinds of plant based meats, including Beyond Burgers meat loaf and sausages. Even Stop & Shop itself has their own version of the faux meat which is exciting. The chopped "meat" can be made into a fancy loaf and decorated with grape tomatoes, olives and peppers. You could also make a meaty vegan lasagna, perfect for a crowd as a second course. Tofurkey has these little "hams" that have an amber ale glaze or just plain. There 's some fancy recipes regarding them, with one giving it the Hassleback treatment. This is slicing the ham and stuffing the slits with rosemary and tart apples. it's served on a variety of veggies like carrots and fingerling potatoes. Tofurky also gives us their famed tofu turkey loaf and feast package. There is a breadcrumb and rice stuffing in their loaves, while the feast comes with gravy and even a cheesecake.

Many feel that seafood is a luxury, perfect for a lush Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meal. Gardein which has excellent vegan meat like their turkey and gravy and chicken strips offers crab puffs. These mini balls are a perfect way of starting off a meal and have relatively the same ingredients as the real thing. Onions and peppers along with a hint of garlic give them that extra flavor, associated with crab cakes. Vegan Essentials, a great site for all things vegan has some good fish and seafood substitutes. I recently made their Match Meat brand  crab cakes. They were just as good as the real thing, especially with the seafood taste and crumbly texture. One large cake can satisfy one person and they're perfect with a salad and a light side. There's also a nice lemony aftertaste thanks to addition of lemon juice in the recipe. Vegan Essentials also sells "lobster chunks" by Loving Hut which I ordered for Christmas and am excitedly. anticipating their arrival.They're made with konjac root, an herb found in Asia. The lobster supposedly tastes like the real thing so I will have plenty of melted vegan butter on hand. For real luxury there is Caviart, a faux roe that's made with seaweed.

Vegans can eat well for the holidays. There's a wide array of faux meats and fish that can satisfy any taste. The best parts is that no animals were harmed in the making of the Christmas meal.

Can You Handle Vegan Cooking

Next week is Thanksgiving and with that the stress of catering to everyone's dietary needs. One of the most flummoxing  - at first - is cooking vegetarian or vegan for those herbivores in your life. It can be a bit of a shock - especially when you try to recreate meaty main courses.

To begin with know the difference between veganism and vegetarianism. Vegans eschew all meats and their dairy byproducts. That means all meats and fish are taboo but also cow's milk, butter any and all kinds of cheeses. That also means no eggs either which can ruin your making any holiday cake or custard along with sweet breads. Vegetarians are a bit more lenient.There are the lacto kind that do allow themselves milk, cheese and yogurt. Some also include butter too. The ovo-vegetarians will not reject any eggs or foods that have them.  The most common type are the lacto-vegetarians which allow both dairy and eggs - and that makes cooking and baking for them a bit easier. There's also the pescatarian whose diet only allows fish and the pollotarian who can eat any fowl. The flexitarian swings back and forth with his or her beliefs. They many only eat meat on special occasions such as holidays.These are not considered real vegetarians like the hard core ones. They also will not make Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's a headache for you. The others will, which means special care when shopping and cooking. Luckily you can find substitutes that will facilitate cooking and baking.

One of the most eye opening is the main course. Tofurky will not have the rich gamy taste of a real turkey and neither will the gravy have the same flavor as the its' real counterpart.. How do you make it palatable.?There is a recipe online that suggests marinating it in vegan beer (Budweiser can be used). Another - and maybe better idea is using the Gardein brand. It and its' accompanying gravy tastes the most like turkey and gravy. The only downside is that there are only four slices and two gravy packets per package. It's fine for two vegans but forget a group. Then there's cooking it which is extra work if you're also making a turkey. Best bet is get out the air fryer which nicely cooks and even crisps the slices. Another headache is cooking for pescatarians. What could work for them? Salmon or halibut with a sheet pan of  veggies. A hearty bouillabaisse with crusty baguettes could also be made. This is a very labor intensive. Not only does the stew have to be made but the accompanying rouille which is the sauce added to every bowl. One of the hardest aspects of vegan meals is baking. Imagine not adding milk, butter and eggs, essential for every cake and cookie recipe. Nut and soy milks do come in handy - as do vegan butters. You can sub in coconut oil for as well and it also works well in creating a faux buttercream. Applesauce also works too , just don't get the chunky kind. There are also egg substitutes as well as aquafaba for creating meringues and Pavlovas. Just bake tester ones first to see if everything gels. It's a lot of work but worth it. If not, just serve fruit.


Can you handle vegan cooking and baking? It's different and will put your tried a true recipes on their heads. Going meatless is noble. Cooking and baking without animal products is daunting. Be sure you're ready for it.

The Pet Parent Diet Challenge

Today's New York Times Science Times had an eye opening article. Regular contributor Jane Brody  wrote about the dark side of pet  treats. Like us ,with our cookies and chips , our fur babies crave them. Like our cookies and chips, they create a wide range of health problems if eaten too much.

What can we do? Join our furry babies on  diets towards better health. As Ms. Brody points out , our cats and dogs don't open the treat jar or bag themselves. We do it.We see it as an act of love and affection. Pet parents - including myself - don't think about the calories involved in giving a handful of snacks. We just want to make them happy. Dr. Deborah Linder, who head the Tufts Obesity clinic for Animals Nutrition Service suggests other ways of showing them how much they mean to us. (and this idea can also apply to friends and family too). Getting them to move and lavishing them with attention instead of with goodies is the best way to a weight healthy cat or dog. Cats love to play - so have plenty of toys  for them. Those lattice rolly balls -  keep them engaged for hours . I always have a lot for my lot since they wind up underfoot  - not unlike Legos - and get crushed. Straws are fun toys as are aluminum foil balls. Dogs also love play .Go outside , Both of you can get some fresh air as you play fetch or tug of war. Both pet parent and fur baby can lose the fat running around. Belly rubs and snuggles also are great sub ins for treats.

It's usually the overweight pet parents that have the overweight cats and dogs. Here's a challenge. Can both lose weight  by eating healthy and being active?We too need to get rid of those fat rich foods and pare down what we ingest. The unusually cold weather has made most of us cook calorie rich meals, roasts surrounded by gravy and potatoes along with icing rich cakes . We stay in , we have our hot chocolate with a shot of whipped cream as we read or play with our tablets. It's too frigid to go out - wait til the warmer weather. Yet that also means less activity  - less chance of burning off all those calories we've consumed.It can be hard. Sometimes humans, dogs and cats have the same eating habits. Dogs over eat.So do we. Cats graze all day. So do we. With dogs it's better to practice portion control. Feed at the lower end of feeding recommendations that are printed on every can and bag of dog food. It also helps to limit table scraps too. As for cats, they are grazers which means they eat whenever they feel like it. That means three or four bowls are left out for them to taste and eat.They can be fed with a timed feeder although most cat parents will tell you when a cat wants something, they will go to great lengths to get it. The best bet is ask your vet for a prescription for a low calorie food and limit the treats to once in a very great while. Divert them with snuggles and playtime also helps too.
Can you and your fur baby lose the weight? Let's see if you can. Write or better yet send pictures of you and yours before the weight loss and after.

Short Cut Or Real Deal

As we embark on this holiday cooking trek , the question we have to ask ourselves is do we take the short cut route or make the real deal? Which is easier for us? Something from a box or tube or a recipe made from scratch.

The thought of making an entire holiday meal can cause a major panic attack in a few home chefs.There's a fear of either giving the family food poisoning or screwing up a beloved passed down through the generations dish. If that's the case,then think about already made or easy to prepare recipes. Many cooks are flummoxed by stuffings. What bread to use? Do you add sausage? Or chestnuts? If it's that confusing then stick to that old culinary chestnut, Stove Top Stuffing.It's an easy make,using only butter and water and cooked on what else  -  a stove top. They have a traditional sage dressing along with a cornbread one that's sure to please the crowds. A  homemade stuffing is relatively easy to create but labor intensive.Think of it as a savory bread pudding but without the eggs to bind it. Experiment with a few recipes before the big day. Decide which works the best for you and go with it. Another nail biter is gravy. This is a temperamental dish, where it could come out satiny and smooth or chock full of lumps. It's a simple recipe of just pan drippings, giblets, water and flour .Rosemary is added for more flavor and complexity along with salt and pepper. It;s just a matter of keeping the lumps at bay with constant stirring. The easier route would be buying a couple of jars of Heinz turkey gravy and just heating it upon the stove  top or even in  the microwave.,

Cranberries are another bone of cooking contention. A side made with fresh cranberries is always welcomed. Yet preparing them for cooking can be exhausting. You have to first wash and clean them, and then remove any stem, leaves and soft berries. The actual cooking only takes ten minutes on the stove top. Of course there is the classic Ocean Spray cranberry sauce. Open the can and just plop it on a fancy dish and you're done. One of the most agonizing holiday food choices is scratch  cookies verses slice and bakes.Of course nothing taste better than a homemade sugar cookie. Keep in mind that you can do a lot with a scratch cookie, Cinnamon and nutmeg can be added. Vary the recipe to make it gluten free and safe to eat for everyone. Of course the slice and bakes are soooo easy to make. You just need a sharp knife and a cookie sheet.These can be decorated too, with either homemade or bought frosting. One of the best things about slice and bakes is that they make excellent sandwich cookies, thanks to their uniform shapes. What you could do is bake the store bought  dough and make the fillings with different flavorings  from chocolate to peppermint.

It's up to you - as the chief home chef  how easy or complicated you want to go with your holiday cooking and baking. Go one way or the other. Or do a combination that works best for you. It's your choice  and your choice only.

Mush Mouth

Having dental work and oral surgery is annoying along with being painful. The worst part is that you're on a really strict diet for a few days.Luckily you can make it work and more or less have the same foods you normally eat.

Unfortunately I had a back molar pulled today and was promptly told what to eat and not eat. No chewy meats like steak. No crunchy foods  like pretzels and chips. I can eat guacamole but not the corn chips that accompany them. Another  taboo - hot food which can dissolve the stitches in my mouth.Foods have to be tepid, room temperature or better yet cold foods. No crunchy Smarties (which got me into this mess in the first place). No popcorn - another culprit that could have damaged the tooth that needed to be pulled. Soft squishy tomatoes  are fine celery isn;t unless it's chopped up.Forget hot chocolate - way too hot and sugary. Very sugary drinks such as it and even icy sodas should be avoided for at least a day or two. They can irritate the raw extraction site. Warm coffee is fine  as is warm water . It 'll be another twenty-four hours before I can satisfy my Panera  and Starbucks cravings,

Of course my meals will be slightly altered. Thankfully I can have my daily breakfast of flavored oatmeal. My hot herbal tea will need a few ice cubes now. I can still have scrambled  or soft boiled eggs at home or at my favorite diner. Omelets are on the list too. I just can;t have a side of bacon and home fries.Corned beef hash is OK with it so I may try this new combo./ As for meals, clear soups such as vegetable broth is allowed along with pureed or mushy foods.Mashed potatoes are high on the list. They can be enhanced with a huge knob of butter or a few tablespoons of gravy. Polenta is also on the list. Cheesy polenta is even better.It's soft, creamy and chock full of protein.Baked mac and cheese is not just the comfort food that will get you through this but it's perfectly fine to eat. Another mushy pasta dish is pastina, those little stars  mixed with melted butter.It's also allowed. Yay! if you want something more nutritious  them have pureed beans and rice along with pureed yams.Finish with Hagen -Daz mini cups .


Extractions are a pain, both literally and figuratively, The restricted diet that goes with it is evne worse. Just - grin - and bear it  - and embrace the mushiness.

Just A Bowl Of

One of the easiest meals is one involving a bowl and a slew of good for you ingredients. It's not only an easy lunch or dinner to whip up but also a nutritious one.it can be made fresh or with ingredients. Another plus is that even novice chefs can create something delicious and complex.

Bowl meals are not new. Most of Asia have some form of this.One of the most famous and one that's gaining speed here in the States is bibimbap. It's a mix of fresh stir fried veggies and rice,topped with a fried egg. what is good with this is that it can be customized. Cabbage lovers can add both savoy and bok choy . Those who enjoy crunch can add some raw peppers and carrots. Meat lovers can tip it in their favor with extra chicken, beef, or pork, while veggie lovers can add extra greens such as kale and fiddlehead ferns,Bibimbop also gets some zing from Korean hot pepper paste or gochuchang. Rice is the base ,of this melding the flavors all together while being the grain requirement. For the dish, the veggies should be julienned however if you want to chop everything in bigger chunks you can. The same idea for the gochuchang. If it's too fiery then sub in soy sauce. It's still make the dish flavorful but won't have that mouth numbing bite. You can also get rid of the eggs as well and sub in rice noodles for the rice.

For a simpler bowl you can't get much simpler than polenta mixed with butter and Parmesan cheese. It's tasty, and filling, an easy hot meal for after a hard day's work. Again it can be varied. Sliced sausage can be added along with grape tomatoes and mushrooms.Shrimp goes surprisingly well with the grain and you can easily add it to cooked polenta. Chicken is another meat that can give the corn meal a boost.Even  left over polenta can be transformed into a tasty bowl , being reheated in the microwave with tomatoes, butter and/or cheese.An American spin on it is a grits bowl. This can even be made for breakfast with the addition of cheddar and butter. Like bibimbap, it can be topped with fried eggs for more protein.Breakfast sausage or bacon can also be tossed in. A grits bowl is also a good lunch or dinner bowl. Chicken and gravy could also work with it,. One of the simplest bowls to make is just taking plain white rice, topping it with beans and then build on it with meats, tofu and/or veggies. Black beans in sauce , topped with shredded cheese is  a tasty dinner. Stir fried steak and veggies , soaked in soy sauce would be a great topper for any wild rice variety.

A bowl meal is a filling one. It's also fun because favorite ingredients are added to create something unique. It's a chance to get creative with a simple container and just grains, proteins and veggies.

.

Creating The Perfect Pantry

What makes a perfect pantry? Is it canned goods like soup and beans? Dry goods such as flour and baking soda? Jars of this? Containers of that? Not surprisingly it is a manageable blend of  variety of different foods, Have the right amount and you'll never go through a shortage.

Canned goods are always important, especially now in the cold weather. Homemade soup is good but it pays to have several cans of prepared soup. They make a quick lunch or supper and can also be used in a variety of casseroles too. Always have everyone's favorite , from tomato to chicken and stars. Take advantage of sales at the local grocery too. If they have a twofer sale, then definitely get more of them, Packets of soup mixes are a pantry plus. They have the flavor of homemade soup without all the work.  Another pantry must are bouillion cubes. Get all three kinds, chicken, beef and vegetable, to make a variety of different soups and sauces.Sauce packets such as chili and Hollandaise are also worth having along with instant meat sauces for roasts. Jarred sauces can also be put into the pantry too.Canned veggies and fruits are a must too. The canned veggies come in handy if there's a blizzard and you can't get to the store. They can also be added to soups and soup mixes. The fruits are perfect for making pies and turnovers.

Tomato sauce and paste should be prominent on any pantry's shelf. These always come in handy for when you're making homemade sauce for pasta. The same goes for pasta, itself. Have a variety to suit all tastes. Spaghetti is the most popular and easiest to cook so have a few boxes of it at hand. Also on the shelves should be the versatile pastina and orzo style. These are excellent in both soup and sauces. Slip in a box of the drinking straw like bucatini and thicker fettucini. If you have kids or still hold on to those childhood faves, then have a few cans of Spaghetti-os too. The pantry should  have plant based oils . Olive and vegetable are the ones of choice, especially the last because it can be used for everything from cooking to salads to even baking. Cake mixes along with flour and baking powder should also be included as well as decorating items such as sanding sugar, food coloring and various types of sprinkles. Sweet sauces such as chocolate and caramel along with  jams and jellies need to  stored there in addition,.


A good pantry is a well stocked one, Make sure there are the basics to help you get through everyday eating. It'll make cooking and baking that much easier.it'll also cut down on how many times you go food shopping in a week.

The Annual Christmas Checklist

 Successful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners begin with well stocked kitchens. These meals are not ones to improvise with or sub in anything last minute.Everything  should be on the ready. There should not be any hiccups or snags. The meal , albeit  sometimes a difficult cook and roast,should go easily without any drama.

By now most home chefs should have the main dish, namely the roast. Make sure that it's enough for your guests. Two servings usually work per person .If you feel you'll come up short then get a second  roast. Also have make sure you have every ingredient for your sides. Have extra cans of faves such as green beans and corn. If you haven't shopped yet, then get larger versions of what you normally buy.After all you'll not only need that olive oil for salad but you 'll need it for sauteing vegetables as well. Not only will you need more olive oil but it also pays to have extra margarine and butter , both for cooking and the table. Keep enough chicken, beef or vegetable stock on hand too It's just as valuable as a stuffing ingredient as it is for gravies. Flour is the backbone of any dinner. It is used in making roues as well as the chief ingredient for baked goods. You may think that eggs are only good for that Christmas breakfast. You're partially right, however they're also needed for binding stuffing  as well along with being those yummy appetizers deviled eggs. Remember that hard boiled eggs are also  part of the stuffing in stuffed celery too and they  make a nice addition to any salad.


What else should you have ? The basic condiments. Salt and pepper are used in almost everything, and salt even more so because of baking. Brown and white sugar is also needed. Brown sugar is needed for  rubbing onto ham as well as for candied yams. It can even be added for color to roast beef gravy. Make sure you also have filled spice jars too. Chive and dried scallions go well  in homemade mashed potatoes along with being good sprinkled on green beans. Keep in ind that you have to have cinnamon too. It 's vital in any sweet potato dish as well as gracing dessert cappuccinos.If you run out of it, don't fret Nutmeg can sub in or it if you're in a pinch. Another inventory to double check is your beverage one. You should have a basement  full of different kinds of soda and flavored waters to suit everyones' tastes.Get the kids Simply Fruit Punch to drink with their holiday dinner.It's a nice alternative to sodas and has a refreshing mixed fruit flavor. Holiday desserts stretch out into two and three hours so have plenty of coffee and tea on hand for sipping. Make sure you have a few different flavors of teas so guest can have a choice. There should be equal amounts of decaf and caf as well as espresso shots for those who have a long drive home. A nice tough is having two or three flavored creamers on hand too.

A well stocked holiday kitchen is key to a successful dinner. Make sure you have everything and you don't run out. Christmas Eve and Christmas are not the times for culinary disasters. Enjoy the holiday and holiday cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers here and abroad. Be thankful for all your freedoms and liberties , including choosing anything you want to eat.Remember those less fortunate and even put a few leftovers out for the wildlife in your neighborhood.

Most of all, enjoy all the tastes and flavors of the day. Nothing beats turkey and gravy  followed by a slice of homemade pie. Enjoy!

Gravy Training

One of the most important parts of any holiday dinner is the gravy. It can be the thin au jus which lets thee meat shine or a thick, rich sauce that's perfect on slices of turkey and bread. The secret to any gravy is a good recipe and how you make it. It' not just luck. Technique and know how play important roles too.

What exactly is au jus?It's from the French and means with it's own juice.It's used primarily with beef dishes like prime rib or London Broil but it can be used with turkey too. To prepare  all home chefs have to do simply skim the fat off the meat after cooking and mixed with water .It is then heated  until bubbling an d then poured over the meat. A sandwich can be made,using the roast and typically French bread,  and it can be dunked in the gravy. This is called a French dip and is very popular in diners and some restaurant chains like Denny's and Friendly's. Soy sauce and Worcester sauce can be added to enhance the brown color along with brown sugar, garlic and onion , these last added to enhance the flavor. Turkey au jus is easy to make.It's just skimming the juices from the bottom of the pan. You can add dry white wine or butter to stretch it.You can also add a cup of chicken broth to stretch it out if you want. Au jus can be frozen for three month however be warned. Freezing and then reheating makes it lose its' flavor. It's better off eaten fresh with the meat.

Many people prefer the thicker kind of gravy. After all, it goes well with everything from slices of whte meat to mashed potatoes to stuffing.It's also good reheated, ,moistening a sandwich made with leftovers. This gravy is easy  to make. It starts with a roux, a mix of butter or fat with flour and water. Home chefs can omit the butter, because the drippings already have fat.Drain the drippings off the bird along with skimming off the fat. This last will be mixed with a 1/4 cup of flour and will be whisked into a smooth almost paste like gravy. Pour the dripping into this until thick and creamy. Constant stirring and whisking  is key here..Gravy can lump up which can ruin it. If there are any flour lumps, then break them up with a fork and then forcefully stir into the liquid.If you want a meatier version then add the giblets. These are the gizzards, neck, liver and heart of the bird and should be cooked for at least an hour or until they're tender before adding.They're then minced and added to the gravy.It's recommended to cook these before you start on the main part. Leftover gravy should be refrigerated right after using due to the fact that it's a bacteria magnet. It can be frozen for up to four months in an airtight container.

Gravy, whether it's the delicate au jus,or the hearty thick kind adds so much to  the Thanksgiving dinner. Make either one for a tasty plus that goes with both bird and stuffing . They'll not only enhance dinner but also make the leftovers special too.

Hearty And Soy

Do vegetarians and vegans eat enough to be healthy? Many think they're deprived because they've eschewed meat along with dairy and eggs. Surprisingly these soy lovers are well fed and have a variety of different dishes to choose from. from breakfast to snacks.They're not starving, thanks to to an ever expanding range of vegetarian products.

With the holidays coming up people wonder what their vegetarian friends and family will eat. After all the highlight of any Thanksgiving meal is a burnished turkey  with the trimmings while Christmas dinner features a pink, juicy ham.There is tofurkey after all and it's far from the joke people think it is.it has improved over the years and the taste and texture is similar to an actual Tom Turkey.The company Tofurky has an excellent array of "meats' and dishes. They even have a feast that includes all the holiday goodies, including brownies and even Tofurkey cards. The company has a roll with a stuffing interior and a gravy packet.The company also is known for their hot dogs which do taste like the real thing. They also have Jumbo dogs for those who like the big ballpark franks along with kielbasa and chorizo. Vegans can enjoy Bolognese sauce again thanks to their meat crumbles. Many other companies, like Morningstar Farms also has them as well and they are versatile. Home chefs can make chilis or Sloppy Joes with them, two hearty dishes for the chilly days ahead..

The other aforementioned company, Morningstar Farms is the giant in soy products. They are chock full of choices for hamburgers even recently adding spicy Indian flavor to their repertoire . They also have great fun foods, that are perfect for parties or a let loose Saturday supper.They have garden veggie  nuggets which would please anyone meat lover from age three to one hundred.There is also enchiladas which are a great quick lunch  or dinner. Both companies have a section just on recipes and these are separated by meals and appetizers. You could make bacon double cheeseburgers with patties along with soy cheese and soy bacon.. Try a homemade pepperoni pizza with soy slices  or a cheesy beef crumble..Create a meat free Eggs Benedict with soy ham and soy scramble.   Vegans and vegetarians can go to any tailgating party and come back stuffed, thanks to Tofurky's brats  and Morningstar Farms corn dogs.Bring a few burgers along to convert the most die hard meat lovers. It's easy to do. There's no turning back once you try soy.

Vegans and vegetarians are not starving.They have a wide variety of different products to choose from, for any meal or snack. They are not only getting  flavorful dishes but also nutritional and filling ones too. .

Bourbon The Fire Of Kentucky

Today is the annual Kentucky Derby and with it comes toasts  made with - what else- Kentucky bourbon.It is  a fiery drink that sworks in everything from cocktails, to mains dishes to desserts.Of course if's excellent straight up neat, that is if you can handle its' potent kick.

How the liquor was name is somewhat of a controversy.It could have been from the Kentucky county or from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It's not really associated with the French dynasty of the same name although the county and the street probably are. Its' orgiins are also shrouded in a bit of mystery.Bourbon's invention is attributed to Baptist minister and distiller Elijah Craig.That honor  could also go to James C Crow who came up with the sour mash fermentation, a process where each new fermentation is conditioned with spent mash (sort of like sourdough).The brew is a mixture of rye, and malted barley.The fermented mash has to be 51  per  cent  corn in order to be considered bourbon,It is then put through a continuous still which are two stills placed side by side. However this doens't always produce the best tasting spirits so one of the most traditional methods , the alembic or pot still,a giant copper bell shaped still,  that is heated to 172 degrees Farenheit. The resulting clear spirit is then placed in newly charred American oak barrels for aging. This give bourbon its' color and flavor from the carmelized sugars in the wood. After maturing, it is then withdrawn from the barrel and usually filtered and diluted with water.it is then bottled , ready for distribution.

Bourbon is famously known for being the key ingredient in a mint julep, the official drink of the Derby. This is not only perfect to sip while watching the race , it also makes a cool summer cocktail.It is bourbon  with fresh mint leaves  that have been muddled with sugar and water. Manhattans also have the spirit as the lead ingredient.along with sweet vermouth and bitters. Bourbon can also be used in maing whiskey sours,, a grown up version of lemonade  and Old Fashioneds, a mix of bourbon with bitters.Bourbon can also be used in both savory and sweet recipes. Try a ham with a sweet bourbon glaze or a pork tenderloin with a spirit infused gravy.  Bourbon adds zing and depth to any barbecue sauce and you can also use it to glaze chicken wings .Some affectionados will even add it to chili to give the dish another dimension. It's also used in many Southern dessert recipes.It cuts the overwhelming sweetness of pecan pie when it's added to the filling.Bread  pudding takes on a smokier, earthier flavor when the liquor is mixed into it. Then there is bourbon balls and bourbon fudge. These are easy to whip up and make great gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

Bourbon is definitely the fire and lifeblood of Kentucky. Have it neat as a bracing drink at a party or in a summery mint julep. Add it to barbecue sauce for a new twist on classic ribs and wings or make traditional Southern desserts with it. Discover this fascinating brew and get creative with it.