Tasty Baked Pasta

One of the best dishes for late winter is baked pasta. It';s cozy and comforting , perfect after a chilly day . It';s even better with a few extra ingredients thrown in to make it even more filling and more delicious.

Regular contributor and chef Ali Slagle wrote about this glorious dish in today's New York Times Wedensday Food section. Ant baked pasta , from lasagna to ziti is a comfort. A plate is soothingly hot and saucy along with being gooey and cheesy.  She gives three recipes plus tips for making each better.Meatballs are  almost every pasta's steadfast companion, Ms. Slagle uses chef  Colu Henry, a  food lifestyle influencer ;s idea of rolling sausage meat into balls and using them for meatballs,. The meat is already spiced so there;s no need for that(although you could use ready made beef or plant based ones too). Another add in is a cup or two of chopped greens Keep in mind to precook them to get rid of their water content.If not the entire pasta dish could turn to mush,Blanch hardier veggies like broccoli and kale in the elastic few minutes of the pasta boiling. She gives a pasta Alfredo recipe that just screams for baby  spinach or arugula. Another recommendation is crisp onions as a topping or breadcrumbs. To really elevated it add bacon or prosciutii which will get really crisp on top.

What about the other ingredients? For one thing the pasta should be under cooked otherwise fully cooked  will get too mushed up  in the oven.It will also become very thirsty and drink up all that sauce The easy  solution s just to undercook it by two minutes less than the package's Al dente suggestion. (probably around two minutes depending on the pasta). Cheese is a must  however have fun with different choices. Yes it could be the Trinity of mozzarella ,Parmesan and ricotta however there's also more ad a different frlaov from using Gruyere and Cheddar..These melt very well and add a different look too to the typical pasta bake creamy baked demand either cottage or goat cheese and if its'a briny taste them sub in Greek feta or Halloumi cheeses. As for mozzarella choose a low moisture one that will brown easily. As for baking, bake it at 450 degrees Farenheit for only ten to fifteen minutes. Any longer it will be mushy or too tough to eat. After cooking let it settle for ten minutes. This will give the insides time to cool down and gel a little. Serve too hot and the plate is covered with molten lava.Everything ,from the cheese to the sauce to the pasta will set nicely after a rest.

A pasta bake is a good dinner on a cold night. Make any of these three for a satisfying and filling meal. Choose favorite pastas sauces and cheeses and bake,

Hot Countries , Cool Food

 During a heat wave look to hot countries for recipes and food tips.These are the areas that know how to eat cool and satisfying dishes when the temps get to be too hot.  They're used to high temps. They know how to deal with blistering days and sweltering night.

Italy can be a heat dome in the summer especially around Rome and the southern part of the country. An easy dishes that requires little cooking is pasta con salsa cruda. You can use any pasta you want (and microwave it for an even easier cook) and create a room temperature sauce using ripe tomatoes, freshly cut basil leaves and olive oil. This is mixed with two to three tablespoons of olive oil and then set out while the pasta is cooking. The hot strands or pieces will heat up the sauce.It;sa great way to use up your tomato and basil harvest. Salsa cruda can be varied with a pinch of pepper flakes and even a teaspoon of red  or white wine vinegar tossed in,Salads are also big in an Italian summer table. Caprese salad is a yummy way to use those fresh vine ripened tomatoes and basil. Chunks of mozzarella are added for more flavor and it's drizzled with olive oil. Panzinella salad made with tomatoes and cubes of Italian bread is another tasty salad that can be made into a meal. It's drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with oregano.

Spain is another country that;s  suffers from violent heat waves. Spaniards take comfort in a cooling cup of gazpacho. This is a wonderful cold soup of peppers, tomatoes , onions and cucumbers. flavored with garlic . Olive oil is added for smoothness and then the whole mix is liquified into a chill creamy soup, perfect for blistering days. Serve with a crunchy bread dipped in oil. Greece is a beautiful country  loaded with tempting islands and turquoise waters. Yet it can get so hot that even making tasty kebabs can be a chore.The Greeks then head to their go to salads, - watermelon and feta and cooking cucumber with a Greek yogurt dressing. Try slices of bread in an easy made tzattziki dip.It combines the yogurt with strained cucumbers a long with lemon juice ,sea salt and olive oil. It goes well with leftover chicken too if you want to dres yesterday's rotisserie chicken. A fun dish from North America is Mexican guacamole. This is an easy make with mashing avocado slices and sliced tomatoes together. Add some garlic powder and minced onions along with a teaspoon of olive oil for smoothness. Serve with bought tortilla chips for a light lunch or supper.

Loo to these hot countries for cool recipe ideas. Their cuisine has withstood centuries of sweltering days and nights. Yet they survive and survive on good dishes.

Anything is Salad

 The temps are rising and that means one thing - salad. Lot's of it. The one good thing about it is you don;t need a recipe.Anything can be thrown into a bowl and dressed for a tasty lunch and dinner.

salads can be made at any time of the day -even for breakfast.It's just a matter of taste if you want it thoroughly or slightly chilled.The same goes for what you want in it. There are a number of greens that work well with any veggie combination.Iceberg is good for basic salads but if you want more taste then try arugula, mixed Spring greens or spinach. These work well with  heartier salads that include proteins and other veggies. Next is thinking about what combos you have.A salad containing two kinds of tomatoes like Caprese and cherry is a fun mix. Broccoli is also a great and healthy ingredient as is cauliflower. For colors carrots add brightness and crunch. What else can you put into it? Leftover meats are great.If there's steak left over from the barbecue, cut it into bite size pieces and add it in. The same goes for chicken and even tuna. This makes for a surprisingly hearty but light summer dinner. what about dressings? For steak think a robus dressing like soy and ginger. while chicken ca used a honey based vinaigrette Fish such as Tina and shrimp can go with a simple red wine or white wine based vinaigrette.

Along with meat, cheese is another fun toss in.Feta is always great especially with Greek based salads.It has a sharp saltiness that elevates the other ingredients, It can be crumbled in small pieces or left in big chunks. A true Greek salad is made with it along with chopped onions, black olives  and red onions. Add some  anchovies which brings a  briny saltiness>If you like them toss in as much as you want.Mozzarella also makes for a great add or eve a base for a salad.Caprese salad is a wonderful mix of this Italian staple and tomatoes. You can make it with a balsamic vinegar base or just an oil based dressing.I would go with an oil based one because the tomatoes have a good amount of acidity to them. If you want to make ti heartier then add strips of prosciutto or salame to it.  A summer favorite is panzinella - Tuscan bread salad. This is a delicious mix of tomatoes and chunks of fried or air fried Italian bread. It;s actually very good with freshly torn Italian bread or rolls. You could add mozzarella balls or pieces for a kind of pizza. A Middle Eastern salad is another great way to go. Add couscous to chopped parsley along with cucumbers to a bowl of cut tomatoes.Lemon juice gives it  bright flavor but only use a squeeze of it. Serve with toasted pita bread triangles for a more exotic lunch or. dinner.

Anything can be a salad. Get creative with this classic summer dish.Its fun to eat but even more fun to create.

Parent Dash

 Mothers and  fathers will always worry  - and cook for their young.It doesn't;t matter if your two or twenty-two, they'll be there if you need food.Yet what's good to make and to give? There are the classics and not so classic/

Most college kids appreciate and miss their mom's cooking. THis is when mothers - and even dads should think about make a double batch of sauce. A plus is that tomatoes from a late summer - early fall harvest cna be added for more flavor. If  the kids are vegan or vegetarian add in some plant based meat balls. Lidl has excellent ones from their Vendomo brand. Keep in mind if you do that the sauce then makes  for a great meatball sandwich too. Non meat meat balls can be frozen too , whether thye're in sauce or not. Add some ground beef , cumin and chili pepper to make a tasty chili. Throw in kidney and pinto beans for a heartier dish. This too can be frozen and stored in the freezer for months.Do you feel like your offspring needs a nudge when cooking? Then just send a care package or better yet - a gift certificate from their local grocery store. A care package could included canned soups , boxes of pasta and many a mini spice selection. YOu could also include a mini griddle and frying pan which can be found at any store.

Homemade treats have always been sent to kids away from home. Mothers  have a lways sent cakes and biscuits for their sons at the front and for those going to college. Now moms and dads are also experimenting with breads too. Since these go stale quickly try to make the bread the day before.It's Ok if it's a day old. It cna be turned into toast . Another idea is bringing the sourdough starter and baking with kids in their apartment or dorm (if it has a kitchenette) A good  idea is bringing pizza dough with you .This can be tuned into tasty [ies along with calzones for a hot filling meal.PIzza dough can be formed into balls and then frozen. They should be fine for transport Include pizza sauce and mozzarella too.Of course a ton of homemade cookies is always welcomed. Think one kind like chocolate chip or a variety that can include sugar , peanut butter and oatmeal. If you don't feel like baking then make cow patties , those non bake cookies that are a mix of peanut butter oatmeal and cocoa. These are fun and great to share.

Forget Door Dash.There's mom and dad who can cook and bake. Create tasty meals and desserts for your kids to have a taste of home.

Tattooed Chef's Vegan Two Cheese Pizza

 Trying to find a vegan pizza is hard. Most pizzerias don't offer it or you'd have to find one miles and miles away. Not to worry anymore. Tattooed Chef has a great vegan one that's loaded with non dairy cheese and the much desired thin crust.

I love Tattooed Chef's products.I'mm a big fan of their baked  mac and cauliflower .Now I've tried their two cheese pizza and it's a winner. Forget Blaze and my local pizzeria This is the pizza to get.

I just doctored it up a little bit with a good sprinkle of oregano  which I  love on pizza and a drizzle of olive oil.

It was just popping it into a 450 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes. The baked oie was a gooey , delicoius slice with a super crispy crust  - always a plus.Its' crispiness comes from the mix of cauliflower and rice flour and starch along with chia flour. The cheese is a mix of  soycheddar and soy mozzarella I am definitely going to try their vegetable and plant based pepperoni versions. It really is the perfect pie.

Forget going to the local pizzeria. Get the Tattooed Chef's pizza for a delicious vegan treat. It; has every pizza lover's requirements , ac heesey top and super crispy crust. That more could you ask for? It;'s just pure yummy.

Pastina Caci E Pepe

what do you do with leftover pastina?There's a lot you cna do but a tasty variation is caci e pepe.  This is usally made with spaghetti but it can be made with any kind of pasta, from the smallest to the largest.

I had leftover pastaina from lunch. Dinner was going to be a hurried affair . What to do? Add a good blob of Melt plant butter and a good sprinkling of black pepper.

It was then adding two vegan cheeses on top for flavor.I used Vitalife 's mozzarella shreds and Parma vegan cheese.The dish was then cooked for twelve minutes in the microwave.  The end result was a fiery cheesey buttery spoonful of goodness.I linws this although I would add more pepper the next time around. Keep in mind you can do this with any plain leftover pasta. 

Caci and pepe is a nice change up from the usual pasta. Try it with any kind , from pastina to linguine for a different kind of dinner. It's a great way of using leftover pastina too.

New Year New Treats

 How better than to start a New Year than with new and fun recipes. You don't have to look far. It's right at your fingertips .

Yesterday's New York Times Food section had some great ideas for parties and the morning after  for this weekend.One of the highlights and it should be the highlight of  any New Year's dessert table is the Paris Brest- Claire Saffitz a regular contributor and author of may a baking cookbook gave the recipe. This is a grand choux pastry filled with a complicated pudding like creme of hazelnuts  almond butter , vanilla, eggs milk and butter. The sweet was created in honor fo the famed Paris-Brest bike race back in 1910 by Louis Durand.It's a spectacular choux pastry cake which is both light and filling along with being an elegant end . Serve it after a dinner of lobster, oysters and filet mignon.It will require a lot of work which should begin on New Year's Eve. For something a little less intensive J Kenji Lopex-Alt goes the Nigella Lawson route  wiht a comforting  and simple chestnut risotto followed by gaily colored cream cheese pound cake.The rice is topped with cremini mushrooms and cut onions and celery.Arborio or carnaroli rice is cooked with chestnuts and white miso. Sour cream is surprisingly added as a topping. dessert is moist pound cake topped with raspberry preserves and whipped cream. Freeze dried raspberries give the bright pop of color.

There's even a dish for the day after. start 2023 with Melissa Clark's mushroom butternut squash strata. Squash seems like an unusual ingredient to add to a breakfast dish , usually laden with bacon toast, eggs and cheese. Yet it works. She also adds a mix of different muishrooms such as cremini, white shiitake and oyster cut into chunks along with one and three quarter pounds of butternut squash (this has a lovely sweet flavor.)There are also eight large eggs for richness as well as  three quarters of a cup of heavy cream or two and three quarters cups of  half and half . Shallots and sage give it a burst of green along with flavor.Yes there is a cheese. Ms Calrk adds in three quarters of a cup fo Parmesan and two cups of shreded mozzarella. There is no meat in this. You can add red pepper flakes for some bite.Stratas require bread and there is a  cubed French bagutte , added for testure and flavor. The mushrooms, and shallots are cooked first . The liquids are mixed together  with the veggies being added to it. The last is the bread cubes and the whole batter is poured into a prepared pan to be baked at 350 degrees Farenheit for an hour. It's then set under the broiler for a few minutes for a crispy top,

Start 2023 with new recipes. They could be for an elegant dinner , a cozy supper or a restorative brunch. All are perfect with their flavors.

A Quick Halloween meal

 Halloween can be a fun day but it can also be nightmare for parents trying to plan lunch or dinner. It's hard to eat let alone cook between answering the door and taking the kids trick or treating. what to do? Think simple.  A simple meal is a b ig help here.

Sandwiches are the way to go for lunch. Have cold cuts and bread or rolls on the ready. Use leftover chicken or roast beef from Sunday's lunch for a delicious lunch. Make yourself a hearty one if you're planning on heading house to house afterwards. Think a hero stuffed with not only your favorite slices of ham or salami but also with different cheeses like Provolone and mozzarella. Add tomatoes and pickles too. Extras like chips or pretzels can round it out. A hot lunch on a chilly day is a boon because you'll feel warm afterwards. If you're ambitious then spend tomorrow making a homemade soup that can easily be served on Monday. A good cauliflower or potoato one is not only filling but also delicious too. Round out the lunch with toasted cheese rounds using Italian ro French bread crisped up in an air fryer and a salad. Kids may just want to skip lunch and get to the trick or treating. Don't allow this to happen. Pack a favorite sandwich and a juice box if they refuse to eat at home. Take along napkins and wet wipes so there are no grubby or dirty little fingers begging for candy.

Another meal that will be affected by the holiday is dinner.Again you could also use Sunday's leftovers for Monday's supper. Cook extra pasta or sides to stretch the meal. That way you can concentrate on handing out treats. If the family still wants a hot dinner, consider take out. The addition of pizza , Chinese or burgers only adds to the excitment of the holiday. However if you feel the need to cook something fresh, then think easy. Pasta is a snap to boil and serve with a variety of sauces. Dont go homemade. There are plenty of good commercially made ones that can fill the bill. Acme and Stop & Shop have a wide range of tasty sauces,  Get a tomato basil or a four cheese one. Again make an easy garlic bread in the air fryer to sop up the sauce. A French dip sandwich is another tasty warm meal that's easy to make.Buy sliced London Broil or roast beef and long rolls. Use already made gravy and heat it up in the miicrowave. The result is a hot sandwich that will keep you filled long after the last trick or treater has gone home.

Don't let Halloween trick you into skipping lunch or dinner. Have a full meal before trick or treating or handing out goodies. It's a treat that will keep you going all day.

Hot Days Cool Salads

 These days are unbearable to live in  let alone cook in. yet there's still a need to make a decent and filling meal. What to do? Turn to salads. they're quick, easy and coolly delicious.

Cathy Lo, a recent addition to The New York Times Food section created an excellent salad guide for today's section. She enlisted fellow food writers, Melissa Clark , David Tanis,Eric Kim , Ali Slagle , Genevieve Ko and Yewande Komolafe to contribute tasty and blissfully cold recipes to combat this hellish time. The twenty  salads are categorized into leafy, sturdy, pasta grain and bean based along with sweet and savory fruit.Any  would be perfect as a main meal or as a side to either grilled or air fried main courses. Those who appreciate a good green salad should look into making Ali Slagle's arugula salad with just a squeeze of lemon and a shave of Parmesan cheese.ERic KIm gives his crunchy greens with carrot ginger dressing. Fresh ginger gives it bite as it's drizzled over Romaine lettuce.A heartier dish is Yewande Komolafe's chicken with herb salad and nuoc cham. Shredded roasted chicken is mixed with shredded cabbage , cucumber and bell pepper and dresed with a sweet savory lime based vinaigrette.If you want a sturdier salad then think a shrimp salad with chopped red onions and a lemony mayo,. You could also make Genevieve Ko's  tofu and green bean salad with peanut dressing. made with hoisin sauce and peanut butter.

Pasta beans and grains add depth and heft to any salad. A blistering day could end with Melissa Clark's  pasta salad that has the classic ingredients of mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes. Cucumber and salami ribbons are also added to make it heartier. Want a more Middle Eastern vibe? Then try Dave Tanis rice salad that laced with almonds, pistacchios and currents, The dressing is a mix of tahini and lemon juice and zest.Add classic Middle Eastern herbs like parsley and mint Of course there is three bean salad.  Celery is also added for crunch ad the dressing has the spiky taste of Dijon mustard.  There is also Yewande Komolafe's millet salad along with Erik Kim's  chickpea one, the last enhanced with seaweed and mayo. It's summer and that means a good fruit salad to be served anytime from breakfast to dessert. Ali Slagle's stone fruit Caprese fits into all these . Cut up any stone fruit , from nectarines to cherries and marinate in  a mix of lemon juice, flaky sea  salt and sugar Drizzle olive oil over this when it's time to serve and spike with freshly ground pepper. There's also mango slaw and the classic watermelon and feta mix. You could also try Eric Kim's tropical taste pleaser of bananas, pineapple and mango Just season with lemon and sea salt.

Beat this hellish heat with a good salad. Try any of these recipes for a cool meal, side or even dessert.  It's a nice way to abide these wildly high temps.

French Bread Pizza Your Way

 One of the best meals that's easy to make and easy to eat is french bread pizza.It's a quick fix that can be the perfect weekday dinner or weekend .Like pizza it can have many toppings, all good.

Dawn Perry, a cookbook author and food director at Real Simple gave her spin on this kitchen classic in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Pizza is a good meal, especially during these cold times yet to make  it from scratch is sometimes labor intensive. The dough is also finicky. An already baked baguette is perfect.There is one caveat about it. Lengths and widths will vary from fat squishy loaves to thin, crusty baguettes. Smaller loaves require less sauce and a thinner layer of cheese. Ms Perry recommends digging out some of the inside to make room for the sauce and the toppings. (I would just flatten it with a spoon or a fork). This extra can be pulsed into breadcrumbs in the food processor or torn into pieces, tossed with olive oil and salt and baked in a 350 degree Farenheit oven for some crusty breadcrumbs. You can also do the same with Italian bread too, but keep in mind that it's thicker and wider.

Ms. Perry gives three topping recipes , not unlike the giant of French bread pizza, Stouffer's. You can try her four cheese one with a Mornay sauce. This is an easy make involving flour, butter and milk (it can also be used for croque Monsiurs with the addition of grated Gruyere cheese). She uses mozzarella, pecorino and Parmesan. The sauce is spooned over the bread then topped with the cheeses. You can top it with red pepper flakes if you want or a sprinkle of oregano. There's also a pesto and mozzarella version with a pesto that can be made with the original herb basil but also with parsley. arugula and baby spinach leaves. Pine nuts are also needed but almonds can be added too.A fragrant garlic oil, made by cooking garlic in olive oil is brushed on the bread before putting on the pesto and mozzarella. Pizza lovers will enjoy the pepperoni and sauce one. It's a homemade sauce made with petite diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and oregano. It's mixed and spooned onto the bread. The pepperoni is tossed with mozzarella and Parmesan to coat it and it's then placed on top of the loaves. More cheese is placed on top for a cheesy bite.

A French bread pizza is the perfect meal on a cold night. It's easy to make and fun to eat. Try it with these tasty toppings.

Different Pizzas For The Weekend

 This is the time for baking and fun fall weekends. What better than to try the different pizzas out there to make , bake and eat.It's a great way to keep weekend cooking fresh and kids happy.

Crusts are what really make a pizza. You can easily go for a traditional crust but why? A sourdough one is a bit heartier than the original and it will hold the sauce and toppings better. You should start off with a sourdough starter, unbleached flour, warm water and of course, yeast, for lift. You will have to proof the dough in a greased container (use olive oil for the greasing) after kneading in a stand mixer. Then it's left to stand for two to four hours until it rises,.Do this in the late morning for a tangy crust. Keep in mind that a sourdough crust works differently with cheese. The mozzarella acts like a lid, allowing the crust to get soggy. Bake the pizza first with just the sauce and toppings and then add the cheese when the crust starts browning.As for this, add some Pecorino Romano cheese to the mozzarella for some strength in flavor. As for  the sauce, make it intense, with more garlic and basil. Skip the pepperoni and add some flavorful prosciutto instead.

Another different kind of pizza is a cauliflower crust ones. These are super flavorful and work well with any toppings. You can buy already made ones from Green Giant and add your own sauce and toppings. However you can also make the crust at home. You'll need a medium head cauliflower which will be pulsed or ground to a fine white powder.It's then steamed in the microwave for about six minutes. Wring out any moisture when it's cooled.Add one large egg and one cup of grated mozzarella and a quarter cup of grated Parmesan. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden for about ten to fifteen minutes in a 425 degree oven. The crust should be golden in color. Now it's time to add the sauce , toppings and cheese. Bake for another ten minutes until the cheese is melting and bubbly. For little chefs Pilsbury now has mini pizza crusts. These are the perfect weekend fun. Kids can make these tiny pies with a variety of fun toppings like olives and onions and can even do a different spin like Mexican or Hawaiian. They're also easy to bake which saves a lot of labor and time during a busy weekend.

It's the perfect time for a different kind of pizza. Try a sourdough or cauliflower crust or a mini pizza. They're great fun to bake and to eat.

Cherry Grove Farm - The Best of Lawrenceville NJ

 New Jersey has amazing farms which have a wide variety of fresh made and organic products. Cherry Grove Farm in the quaint town of Lawrenceville right outside of Princeton. The town itself is like an American version of a Jane Austen setting.

The farm is a dairy farm , rare in New Jersey and known for their homemade mozzarella and burrata. There are several animals for petting and just nuzzling.

                             Here is an adorable baby goat. It has the softest fur and sweetest disposition.

                   This is the sheep and goat. There's also a chicken coop and fields full of cattle.

                                      Here is the sheep, possibly a ewe, along with that adorable kid.

Cherry Grove is also known for their small country store. I couldn't get over the variety and array of fresh made products.It was hard to choose  what food to buy.

                                          They have a fig almond spread and a red pepper tapanade.

These are the preserves and jams.It was hard not to pass up the bread and butter pickles and pickled green beans.

Cherry Grove Farms also has a fantastic array of bee products from honey to pollen. I want to get the pollen on my next visit.

    I decided on the Weaver's Orchard's applesauce and Oak View Acres strawberry jam, these coming from the heart of Amish country near Reading ,PA.  not  all that far from Lawrenceville. I plan on serving the apple sauce with veggie pancakes and the jam slathered on croissants.

Cherry Grove Farms is the perfect fall outing. Take a ride there to see the animals and try their amazing array of different preserves, cheeses, jams, honey, and applesauce. Enjoy  a fall day in the country

Cherry Grove Farm is located at 3200, Lawrenceville Road , Lawrenceville ,NJ. It's right off the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 206

A Dinner Trip Italian Style

 Many of us are longing for a culinary trip to Italy or at least a good meal out  at our favorite Italian restaurant. However it's not happening soon enough and with that we have to look to our own kitchens for culinary travel. Any home chef can easily recreate a good Italian dinner from antipasto to dessert. It's having the right recipes with fresh ingredients.

David Tanis offered this in yesterday's New York Times Food section He has the perfect week night or Sunday meal, complete with home baked  Sicilian almond cookies. The meals starts with a mozzarella and charred radicchio. Salsa verde, the  classic Northern Italian sauce is drizzled on top for a sharp jolt of flavor. This is an easy antipasto which also can make for a light lunch too.Start with fior di latte or Italian mozzarella. You can use the American type if you can't find it. It's paired with charred radicchio, an easy cook. Cut it into wedges and grill under the broiler if you don''t have a cast iron pan to cook it in. The salsa verde is simple to create.Parsley, cilantro, chives  and capers are put into a small bowl with lemon zest,olive oil lemon juice and sumac. It's blended and then spooned over the mozzarella and radicchio. Another easy make are the Italian or Sicilian almond cookies. These are similar to macaroons , chewy on the inside and crunchy on the out. They made with egg whites (but you could use aqua faba here) along with granulated sugar and almond extract. They're finished with a dusting of confectioner's sugar and either a whole unblanched almond or Amarena cherry in the middle. These pretty cookies would be perfect for Easter too.

The star of this whole meal is the main course.It's rigatoni al forno with cauliflower and broccoli rabe. There's nothing like a baked pasta and add to that the healthy kick of cruciferous veggies. What makes this dish stand out is a creamy white bechamel sauce made with half and half and virgin olive oil along with nutmeg.Home made tomato sauce, is also added but at the table when it's being served. This is the classic recipe with tomatoes, onion garlic and basil cooked with olive oil and then blended down into a rich , thick sauce. The pasta and veggies are cooked in the same pot, with the rigatoni being boiled first then the cauliflower and broccoli rabe. These are mixed with the pasta and bechamel sauce along with garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. More olive oil is drizzled one. Pecorino and Provolone cheeses are added too and then all of this transferred to an oiled baking dish, It's baked in a 400 degree Farenheit oven for forty minutes until it's nicely browned and crisp on top. It's served in either bowls or plates, each serving should have a nice crispy top. The tomato sauce is spooned around the pasta and more cheese is sprinkled on top.

A trip to Italy is a long way off. Even visiting an Italian restaurant can be chancy. Yet we can recreate a three course meal with the flavors of both the North and South right in our kitchen. It's a fun culinary trip, that's easy to recreate.

Halloween Home Parties

 Halloween may be different this year but you can still have the same fun and foods. The parties will be smaller and there may only be family around. That doesn't mean a boring night. Make it fun. Make it delicious.

You can start with breakfast with some scary and tasty dishes. Think sausage links wrapped in dough to resemble mummies. Add some maple syrup in ramekins for dipping.Another idea is taking bacon and arranging it in a spiderweb shape.You could places this over an omelet for a delicious background. Cook the strips in the circular pattern and then gently lift onto a large plate or eggs. Eggs can also have a creepy vibe. Add a trickle of ketchup and a dash of hot sauce to simulate blood. Serve orange juice in jack o' lantern decorated scooped out oranges or make virgin Bloody Mary's kid style, with a glass of tomato juice complete with celery stalks. leave out the spicy Tabasco and Worcester sauces. You could even have a breakfast dessert with cinnamon raisin bagels  topped off with squeeze bottle cream cheese. Ice the bagels so they look like wrapped mummies and use blueberries for the eyes. As for lunch , make it fun too. English muffin pizzas can take a frightful look by cutting the mozzarella cheese in ghost shapes. Add olive bits for eyes. Coffin sandwiches (!) are another Halloween themed lunch , Get a dark bread such as pumpernickel and cut into coffin rectangles. Fill with favorite fillings and serve with potato chips.

Of course it's the evening when the festivities amp up. Imagine a spaghetti dinner with your meatballs staring up at you. These are meatballs with mozzarella rounds and olive slices put on them to resemble eyeballs.  Another bone rattling dinner or party idea is a spinach dip , made to resemble old moss studded with tombstones. This last is simply cutting tortillas into tombstones and baking for three to seven  minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Even more gruesome are handburgers. This is not a misspelling but patties formed in the shape of little hands. You can mold them yourself or use a hand cookie mold both Etsy and Amazon sell this). Cover in ketchup when served.What would go with these? Severed hot dog fingers. Cut out pieces of the tops to resemble nail beds and score the dogs at equal distances to resemble knuckles. Accompany these with cheese eyeballs. Use cream cheese mix with powdered ranch dressing, forming into one or two inch balls. Make them bloodshot with a sprinkle of paprika and top with sliced olives. How should the evening end? With a candy apple bar , of course. Have already coated and sticked  apples in front of bowls of M&Ms, cinnamon sugar , sprinkles and gummy worms. You can also use crushed or broken Halloween candy too for decoration. Bat brownies are another fun and sweet treat. Bake brownies and cut them into rounds. Halve chocolate wafer cookies for the wings and decorate with candy eyes and red icing for the fangs. 

Yes, Halloween will be different this year. Yet the parties and the gruesomely fun food will be the same. Go wild for breakfast, lunch and dinner and celebrate this fun holiday!!!!

Happiness Is A Pizza Farm

Eating  out at a farm may not be everyone's first choice for a dinner. Add pizza and then the idea becomes intriguing and definitely appealing. It's not a new concept but it's gaining a tremendous amount of popularity, especially during this time of social distancing. It's a fun concept and a healthy one too, with the ingredients grown right there.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin, wrote about them in today's New York Times Food section.Pizza farms are mostly a Midwestern concept.It started along the Wisconsin-Iowa border two decades ago. The  credit goes to  Ted Fisher and Robbi Bannen of the A  To Z Farm in Stockholm, Wisconsin who create the first pizza farm.(sadly they shut it down due to the pandemic) Other farms started to build wood fired ovens along with studying the basics of crust, sauce and cheese. Before long they were serving pizzas on summer nights.The pies are usually the only items on the menu. They don't offer garlic knots or calzones as other pizzerias do however there is a variety of season toppings. Spring brings baby onions and red peppers while August gives zucchini, fried eggplant and red pepper. Thanks to the other ingredients such as wheat and tomatoes, the farms are also a model of sustainability. This idea is spreading to other parts of the country too. The only problem is the season ends in September. Some farms could extend the season if the weather remains warm along with having enough stores for more flour and sauce.

There are farmers who are determined to do such. The pandemic has led to blockbuster bookings and many are not deterred by falling temps. Also the farmers are also expanding their culinary skills. Many are  raising cattle for cheese and pigs for meat toppings too The popular Iowa Margherita pie at Luna Valley Farm in Decoarah Iowa has farm made Italian sausage that the owners Tom and Maren Beard made themselves along with the homemade cheese and sauce. The basil also is grown there. The only imports are the alcohol and soda which come from local makers, Many pizza farmers see themselves as activists and teachers too. There are educational sites at Katchkie Farms the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley California and the Yale Farm at Yale University, New Haven Connecticut. They have taught not only about making pizza but also about diverse, local and sustainable agriculture. Other farms such as Amber Waves in Amangansett, New York, by the Hamptons, teaches kids the value of nutrition when they teach pie making. Kids make their dough balls and then wander out in the garden to look for fresh picked toppings. As one of the owners  , Katie Baldwin who owns the farm with Amanda Merrow, puts it "Once a cherry tomato is on a pizza it's no longer a vegetable but a topping."

Pizza farms are a great way of enjoying America's favorite food along in a fresh air environment. It's freshly picked and  hand made ingredients served in a beautiful setting. It's an idea that should catch on across the country.

Invite To A Big Lasagna Party

We all need a big get together and party right now.Luckily there is just that thanks, to regular New York Times Food contributor, Samin Nosrat, She is hosting a gathering this Sunday 7 PM Eastern standard TIme. on Instagram. Come one, come all.

Chef Nosrat is not new to dinner parties and gatherings. Since her college days she has thrown together meals that ranged from paellas cooked on a rusted fire pit in a yard to churning out gallons of ice cream in her apartment. She has thrown parties in abandoned airplane hangars and deserted beaches and sprawling farms. Then there were the  get togethers at Tartine, the famed San Francisco eatery, where their corner bakery was set up to feed the restaurant's bakers. The group enjoyed Chef Nosrat's shrimp boils, brisket and latkes. She baked twelve layer lasagnas and billowy  souffles they all enjoyed. Now
 Chef Nosrat is coming into our homes as we go into her Southern Californian one.Her dish of choosing? An old fashioned lasagna, perfect with a bottle of red wine. For some of you novice chefs out there freaking out right now, don't worry. You can make your own creation, whether it's spaghetti and meatballs or just a sandwich. Just so long as you're there. That's what matters.

Is Chef Nosrat's recipe an easy one? It's a classic one, familiar to those who have grown up with Southern Italian recipes and big Sunday pasta dinners. The filling is ricotta along with fresh or even frozen spinach. She suggests using string cheese - fun - if you don't have Provolone or mozzarella handy. There's also grated Parmesan Asiago or Grano Padano. You can use dried Italian seasoning or fresh basil along with fresh Italian parsley and chives. There is the Bechamel sauce, an easy mix that can also go over chicken or fish. Again it's just flour, butter, milk and nutmeg mixed together. The tomato sauce can be your favorite jarred one or the one from the NY Times Simple Tomato sauce located in NYT Cooking. If you're really ambitious make the sheets of lasagna noodles yourself (again the recipe is on the NYT Cooking site). There's more cheese added. from Grano Padano to string. Assembling it may be labor intensive however if your family is joining you, then employ them to help. As for the wine, Chef Nosrat suggests Chianti or a barbera from Piemonte. The kids can have a celebratory soda or chocolate milk.

Mark  this Sunday at seven as a dinner date. Make Chef Nosrat's lush and classic homemade lasagna or not. Just be there to enjoy good food and good talk.

Alpha Food's A Vegan's Fantasy Come True

The meatless revolution is real. There's another company, Alpha Foods that's adding to it. The company has a wide array of yummy prepared plant based  meals, strips and crumbles that  will make any vegan smile. It may also convert a few meat lovers to herbivores too.

I tried their Buffalo Chick'n pot pie tonight for supper. It's one of many flavors that I want to try.

This southern California company has a wide array of must taste dishes. The pot pies also come in beef and cheddar, feta and spinach, chick'n pesto, chick'n veggie and pizza. There's also tamales  - and burritos with such taste combos as pizza , chick'n fajita, Philly and Mexicali. The company also produces burgers, crumbles , sausage crumbles and chicken nuggets. I want to try all their products now that I've fallen for the pot pies.Another plus is that even their cheese, from the cheddar  in the pot pies and burritos. to the mozzarella on the pizzas  is plant based and not dairy. The products are perfect for the lactose intolerant along with those with milk allergies. They're relatively low in calories. One pot pie is 580 calories.

The pot pie is small - think doll size, but it still packs a flavor punch. What I really loved was the crust with a taste that reminded me of Pillsbury Grands biscuits. The spicing was a bit fiery but what do you expect from Buffalo chicken. It was still delicious and I can see serving it or the other flavors with a salad for a more satisfying meal. The next one on my must try list is the spinach and feta cheese that also has tomato and sausage crumbles. The pizza looks good too and that will be tried soon. 

Alpha Foods is helping us eat better and just be better. Their wide array of plant based meats and meat dishes are not only delicious but helpful in keeping our carbon footprints small. Give them a try for another alternative to plant based products.

Good Nutrition Start Early

Baby Boy Sussex will be a child of two cultures - or more accurately culinary cultures.Yes, he'll be spoiled by a grandfather who has a fondness for sweets and will no doubt sneak him a toffee or two when he's older. He'll also grow up with a mother and grandmother guided by SoCal love of fruits and vegetables.That's the regimen that he and other kids should have for healthy lifestyle and a long life. It can work, if you start early enough.

When can babies eat solid foods? As any parent will tell you anywhere from four to seven months.This is when puree is introduced into the little one's diet. You can always buy jars of puree such as Stage One Beechnut's Naturals or you can make it yourself. The first is convenient if you don't have the time however homemade allows you control over what you feed your baby.There's also another reason - even though the jars may say natural or organic, they're not. The company  may load up the stuff with additives and preservatives - the last things any parent wants in his or her kid.Unhealthy fats may be added as fillers too along with thickening agents and starches. This means refined corn, wheat or rice is also part of the recipe.It's not only more less nutritious but also more expensive too. It's more cost efficient too. As they get older you can introduce them to different meals that can be not only packed full of nutrients but packed full of fun. Think broccoli tots or easy baked zucchini fritters. Homemade hummus with pita chips or crackers are also a good lunch  and let's the kids feed themselves.

Unfortunately there will be outside influences once the kids get into the play date and pre-K age. Meghan and Harry will discover that their little one may not want those bean sprout sandwiches and turn his nose up at avocado toast. School friends and even his cousins may influence him to gobble up Cadbury's treats and go wild with fairy cakes - cupcakes - at birthdays and holiday parties.Again it's time to make eating fun whether for a young royal or your prince or princess. A fun playdate and even birthday party treat is banana stacks. It's layering banana slices and low fat cream cheese on mini rice cakes. Dark chocolate or carob chips can be sprinkled on. Veggies such as squash are so vital to anyone's diet. However it can  be boring - and green to kids. Liven it up by turning  squash into pizza boats, chock full of homemade tomato sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese. Instead of cake  pops try corn  flowers. It's cutting cooked corn cobs into one inch thick slices and inserting sticks into them. As for birthday parties and holidays, homemade vegan cupcakes and cookies can do the trick instead of ice cream and candy.

As the Duke and Duchess will eventually find out raising a kid to eat healthy will be a daunting task. Yet they can rely on fun ways to serve fruits and veggies to appease a royal appetite. He'll have the  best of good foods .

Mixer Time

It's amazing what a fridge,, freezer and pantry can yield up. A home chef can whip up anything , from meals to snacks to desserts.It's just being knowledgeable and creative along with being fearless.Let the spirit move you.

One of the best mix in's is cheese, especially Sargento's.Their bags of shredded cheddar, mozzarella and Mexican blends are perfect for adding creaminess and flavor to omelets and salads. For a fun and tasty brunch or lunch idea, combine chorizo with Sargento's Mexican shreds and beaten eggs.It makes for a delicious and spicy omelet which can even be turned into filler for a sandwich. One tasty idea is a "cold' pizza. Stir Sargento's mozzarella shreds with sun dried tomatoes and olive oil. Add a dash of oregano and spoon over slices of Italian bread. It's the perfect Friday or Saturday night supper on a hot August day. The dried tomatoes with olive oil is also great mixed with finely chopped yellow onion. Add cubes of Italian bread for a take on the classic Neopolitan bread salad.Any color of chopped pepper is a great mixer. Cook it up with sausage or even serve it cold with salami.Another versatile mixer is canned corn, either plain or fiesta style. It can be added to instant potato soup for more color or flavor or fried with onions and turmeric to create a tasty side dish or snack.

Sweet odds and ends can also be combined to form a treat.One of my favorites involves broken Nabisco chocolate wafers, strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.It's layering  the wafer bits with the fruit and topping with aerosol whipped cream for my take on Eton Mess (which I have made too with the wafers, my aquafaba meringue disaster and whipped cream) The same principle can apply to Nabisco's Nilla wafers and blueberries for a different blend of sweet and fruity. Clever home chefs can create their own personal trifles by filling a sundae dish or with layers of leftover pound cake and whatever ice cream is in the freezer.It's a great  way of getting rid of those last scoops.You can also do the same with Eggo waffles and ice cream.Blitz any M&M's or Juniors Mints in  a mini chopper and mix into the ice cream  for a true treat. Want something a bit more healthier? Then chop up strawberries and bananas and layer them with ice cream for a yummy parfait. Toss in some granola for  crunch and texture for an entirely different spin.

Mixing allows home chefs to test their creativity - along with getting rid of those edible odds and ends. It's amazing what a cup of this married to a teaspoon of that will yield. Try your own variations and have fun doing so,

Recipes From A Potato's Birthplace

We tend to think of potato recipes as being North American,cooked with a European influence.There's fries and scalloped style, mashed and latkes. yet there were recipes for them long before , in the tuber's birthplace - Peru. These have been around forever and are still an integral part of the area's cuisine.

It was a fascinating article along with recipes in today's New York Times Food section, Madhur Jaffrey, an award winning actress for her part in Shakespeare Wallah, and now a food writer wrote this after visiting Peru and observing the different potatoes grown there. They come in every color and texture, from reds, blues, and purples to yellows and pinks. What is really interesting is that the interior textures can change just by putting them out in the sun. This turns them softer and silkier. Their shapes vary, they're not those elongated , lumpy ovals. Some are shaped like a puma
's paw while other are in the form of an alpaca's nose or a cat's claw. There are new varieties being discovered all the time. There are even potato banks, that store seeds for 1,300 (!) varieties .Peruvian chefs are always on the hunt to find new strains , the more to experiment with along with new ,indigenous herbs and plants to cook them into. The potatoes are not the bland tasting ones we're used to. They even have their own aromas, smelling sometimes like funky bean curds or cheese.

Ms. Jaffrey got to try the potatoes in a variety of dishes. At the Sumaq Hotel in the quaint southern Peruvian town of Aguas Calientes where Machu Pichu is she samples a potato cake The  spuds are cut mandoline thin and layered with bacon and cheese. There is also Papa a la Huancaina, which many consider the country's national dish  Potatoes are boiled, sliced and put with sliced, hard boiled eggs on lettuce leaves . Olives spike up the dish and then dressed with a Huancaina sauce. This last has the native long pepper , aji amarillo. Huancaina sauce can easily be made here too, if you go to a South American grocery store. It contains the pepper along with garlic and onion blended with mozzarella and hard boiled eggs.. Ms. Jaffrey also includes a recipe for a Peruvian cheesy potato soup that has two kinds of potatoes, chufos , the dried variety and russets.if you can't find chufos, just add more of the other These's also celery , carrots and squash along with feta cheese.it's served with a dollop of uchucuta sauce which is a kind of salsa verde. Peanut butter and  more feta give it a smooth, creamy texture ,perfect for blending into individual bowls of soup.

Potatoes in their original dishes are not only a taste of history but a treat. Get away from the European influences and try them in a variety of Peruvian dishes. it's a great way to bring out their mild flavor and silky texture.