A Good Christmas Meal

 For all my readers around the world here's hoping your day was as delicious as mine. There's nothing like Lidl risotto with fresh ly sauteed baby Bella's.

It's a yummy mix of mushroom and truffle risotto 

Easily sauteed baby Bella's.Yum!

it was a tasty holiday marriage

Enjoy your Christmas plates of joy and tastiness!!!

A Taste Of Kindness

 November is the month where there should be kindnesses big and little committed,It could be feeding  those who need it or providing a flavor of one's home to them. Food will always be the tie that binds us together.

I wanted to provide a taste of home for my schools women's volleyba;; team. One  star player is near where my great-grandfahter, my bisnonno came from outside of Torino. Two other players come from the beautiful Veneto area of Northenr Italy where rice is king. I wanted to give these girls a taste of home, sort of like our comforting Thanksgiving food. Mushroom risotto is dish that provides that being loved from the Italian Alps to the Dolomite Mountains. It's an easy cook.It's just sauteing sliced baby Bella's in a mix of plant based butter and Lidl olive oil. I add the tiniest pinch of garlic powder to liven up the mushrooms' flavor

They do have to be rinsed first before cooking.

Each batch  - and there were four!!!! batches has to be sauteed for ten minutes. This draws the water out for the gills (any kind of mushroom acts as a kind of sponge for water).

The rice was from Lidl, a mix of mushroom and truffle flavors. This took three boxes.

It takes a roiling boil and then the arborio  and flavorings  is added to seven cups of water

It takes about twenty minutes to get the rice to be a tender al dente texture.

The end result is a mushroom rich dish that I'm sure the volleyball team will love. It's a warming taste of home, much needed during this point in the semester/

It's November and a time for kindnesses. This pot of risotto al funghi will remind homesick girls of homes. It's the perfect comfort food for this season.

Spring Pastas

 Everyone thinks that pasta is for the cooler seasons like fall and winter.Yet there's nothing like a good Spring pasta. There;s so many different types of veggies you can add to the sauce>It's a fresh taste for a fresh season,

Gnocchis really shouldn't be classified as pasta yet they are. I found a really good brand at Lidl .It 

They came with their own sauce  which was tomato, bell pepper and zucchini coins. The gnocchi's flavor was elevated thanks to the different veggies

Keep in mi nd gnocchi and any pasta would benefit from a pepper and squash sauce or better yet a spinach pesto. This last is on my radar to make. Basil can be oo strong. Spinach has the right amount of sweetness and earthiness to bring out any kind of pasta's flavor. 

I like using in any Spring pasta. My Easter lunch was bunny , chick and egg shaped pasta - so cute - with my signature mushroom and spinach sauce. This is my all time favorite , because the spianch and baby bellas are perfect together.  Each complement each other and the pasta.All it needs is a pinch of garlic powder and that;s it. Another tasty sauce is fresh mint and peas, perfect with angel hair..An asparagus,lemon  and butter sauce is also a tasty combination.,

Pack away the heavy sauces. It's Spring, Time for lighter fare and lighter sauces.

A German Classic in No Time

 This is the weather for spaetzle and gravy. There's nothing as comforting as this German classic main or side dish. Unfortunately it is labor intensive to make them.Luckily Aldi has instant ones complete with a yummy mushroom gravy.

Aldi (like Lidl) is a German company) so they're bound to have good German products like spaetzle and chocolates along with cans of red cabbage and sauerkraut.I found their mushroom flavored spaetxle from Deutssche Kuche.I bought two packets right away bcause I knew it would be delicious anf go fast.

It's an easy make. Just boild two and aquartr cups of water and add the packet,a mix of spaeztle and powdered gravy. 

It kind of looked soupy at first but then thickened up.

I just had to stir ti a few times during the course fo about twenty minutes(the packet  says it'll cook up  in twelve to fifteen minutes but it does take longer)

                               The entire pot was steaming and frgrant with cooked mushrooms.This was going to be a tasty and satisfying treat for lunch.

This was really delicious and I plan on buying it again.It makes for a perfect winter lunch or weekend supper.It was even good reheated later in the microwave for dinnr. I just added a tablespoon of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and it was just as tasty as when it was first cooked. You could easily serve this along side pork chops or pork roast as a filling and warming side.

Try Deutsche Kuche's spaetzle for a tasty main course or side dish. They're  perfect , hearty and filling on a winter's day. These delicious noodles will warm you through and through.

Tastes Like Homemade

 Sometimes it's hard to make meals from scratch.That's where packaged ,boxed and jarred foods come in handy. Yet there's always something lacking in their flavors. what to do? Add some home made touches and flourishes.

One of the easiest foods to amend is tomato sauce. Some are good and don't need any extras. Yet once in a while there is one that nneds a pinch of this or a dash of that. Adding a tablespoon of olive oil helps to create a smoother sauce.I did this with Shop Rite's Bowl an d Basket brand sauce. This is a little better than other in house brands because it's made in Italy.

A small can of mushrooms were also added for a more heartier taste. You could add oragano or pepper for more flavoring (don;t add salt, there's enough sodium in these processed foods)

It was served with this fusilli but it can be used for any kind of pastas from gnocchi to even ravioli. The same is true with certain baked mac packages too. You could easily add in some crumbled bacon or even minced ham to accentuate the cheese flavor. Any plain pizza can be upped a notch with a smattering of fresh veggies on top or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.Even ramen soup can be jazzed up Korean style with a fried egg or some chopped scallions. Add a packet of soy sauce  for more flavor. 

Yes, it's easier to use packaged foods but they need just a dash of something. Give them that homemade flavor by adding a dash of something. It'll make for a quick yet flavorful meal.

Turning Sides Into Mains

 Imagine just having sides for dinner. You can. Turning side dishes into  dinner time stars is easy.It's also a fun way to change up the usual supper.

One of the sides that's has been turned into a main for a long time now is salad. It may be a trifle chilly to serve it completely from the fridge. What you can do is add some hot ingredients such as chicken, London Broil, shrimp or salmon. These can be taken from the oven or grill, sliced and put directly into a bed or field greens. Another way of serving a steamy bowl of greens is creating a hot dressing. Yes , salad dressing can be hot.One popular one is made with bacon.It's frying up the bacon, draining it and them crumbling the slices. A roux is made using cornstarch, sugar, water and vinegar. The bacon is added to this and it's cooked over a medium heat until it thickens. It would be great generously spooned over a spinach salad , rich with sliced hard boiled eggs and  of course more bacon. In the warmer months you can easily serve a chilled salad Nicoise. This Provencale favorite has everything in it, from anchovies to artichokes to green beans to capers. It even makes for a nice lunch , especially with some crusty French bread.

Baked potatoes have always accompanied steaks yet they too can be turned into a main meal. You can split them open and fill them up with a variety of stuffings. Many like chili on theirs  and this can be made either a meat lover's one with ground beef or a vegan ones with soy crumbles or just beans. Another tasty filling is sliced ham and broccoli with a topping of melted cheddar, A fun weekend meal is a pizza topped baked potato. This is first cooking onions and mushrooms in olive oil as the potatoes bake in a 425 degree Farenheit oven. Tomato sauce, pepperoni and oregano along with minced garlic is added. The potatoes are then slit open  and filled with this,. They'r topped with shredded mozzarella and returned to the broiler or oven for two minutes. You could also make stuffed baked potatoes too as a main dish.It's baking them first and then scooping out the insides. These are mashed and blended with melted butter. Sour cream, bacon or julienned ham slices and grated onion are added. The potatoes are then popped back into 350 degree oven for another fifteen minutes. You can do the same for Hasselback potatoes too. These are sliced potatoes that are brushed with butter and then baked. They're baked for thirty minutes first , then cheese slices are pit between the slits. and baked for another ten minutes. Top with crumbled bacon, sour cream and chives.

Forget the main dishes. Have sides for dinner.It;s a fun way to enjoy dinner and a change up from the ordinary. You won;t miss those roasts after eating these.

What Will You Be Eating In 2022

 Predictions always come with the new year. What will be the latest trends? Who will be the latest stars?  What will we eat is so important. What spice will be the spice to use? Or what veggie or meat will be the darling of social media?

That the question that regular contributor Kim Severson posed today in New York Times Food section. There is a lot of uncertainty thanks to the Omnicron variant  which is adding to economic uncertainty. There are also social justice concerns along with pressure from a fast changing climate.Yet there are some fun and interesting trends out there.The environment is always on people's and restaurant owner's mind. Cups, plates and bowls along with utensils are going to be edible. That means no waste to wind up in landfills.Another trend that's good for the environment is faux meats. Consumers have literally gobbled up everything from Gardein to Moringstar Farms. Mushrooms which are the another good source of protein are going to be one of the top foods of the new year.There's an interest in psychedelics (!) along with ones that can stand in for scallops. They will also be used in packaging with their fibers filling in for cardboard.Seaweed is also going to be one of the biggest natural trends.It too is good for the environment as it reduces carbon dioxide.

Some of the more fun trends will be a return to those ultra boozy , ultra tasty drinks that defined the Eighties. See an uptick in orders for Long Island Ice Tea, Blue Lagoons and Tequila Sunsets. These will be different from the originals in the sense that there will be more fresh juices and a better sort of alcohol.Another drink that will be popular with be the Vietnamese coffee Robusta. It may be bitter tasting and heavily caffeinated but it's less expensive than Arabica and better to cultivate. Candy from China and Korea will also find its' way into American mouth, thanks to a show like Squid Games. Korea also brings us the fusion word swicy - a combination of sweet and spicy  along with swalty  - sweet and salty , This marries savory with sweet or spicy with sweet. Indian food is also going to be very popular, especially dishes from such regions as Kashmir and Kerala, along with from Tamil. Food history will make foodies dive into Wikipedia and old cookbooks. Rudeness will be out as patience takes over.. Other trends include high tea, olives , Taiwanese breakfast dishes and the strange potato milk!

The New Year is going to be an interesting one. We'll be exploring and clamoring for Asian foods along with good for us and good for the environment foods. We'll practice kinds as we revive old cocktails and explore new flavor fusions like swalty and swicy. Here's to the future!

Great Combos Part 1

 Some ingredients just are great together. They add to the recipe and their combined flavors knock the dish out of the park. what ingredients work together.?There are several great pairings.

Mushrooms and spinach are the perfect pair when wedded together. There's something about combining the two that just works well. It could be the mushrooms' earthy flavor that lets the bright springy  flavor of the spinach shine through. You could easily turn the two into a tasty salad. Just remember to cook the mushrooms first for the ultimate flavor.  You can eat them raw but they're tastier air fried. Add some bacon and a few sliced hard boiled eggs for a filling yet light lunch or dinner. One of my favorite pasta and polenta sauces is a sauteed mix of the leaves with sliced baby bellas. They're first sauteed in a mix of olive oil and I Can't Believe It;s Not Butter.. Sliced garlic is added along with a cup of vegan chicken broth. This is really the best marriage of the two. It's a great flavorful sauce and a nice departure from the traditional tomato ones.Another delicious mushroom spinach combo is Julia Child's famed tart. This has a beef Wellington crust encasing a blend of spinach , mushrooms and  bacon. It's a bit labor intensive but worth it

Potatoes and leeks are another good combo that produces an earthy but flavorsome taste. They work best in a creamy soup.Garlic and butter along with chicken or vegetable broth . These enhance the other two so much. Sub in heavy cream for the butter and then put the pot in an ice bath after cooking and you have the elegant potage vichyssoise. This is the perfect first course for an elegant summer dinner with friends. For a heartier fare think mashed potatoes with cooked leeks. It's a great side for roast chicken or turkey. The leftovers can be turned into puffs that can be air fried for a  side or snack. Potatoes and onions also work well together. A truly yummy side is the two roasted together. Add rosemary and garlic to bring out their flavors. This dish  is  perfect  with any roast ,whether London Broil or chicken. You can easily add onions , whether white or yellow to it to zing it up a bit. A tasty way to repurpose  any kind of potato is slice it and frying in in oil with sliced onions. It's an indulgent snack but oh so tasty.

Great combos always enhance any dish. They make for yummy, sides or snack along with main dishes. Try them  for a delicious marriage of flavors.

Away From The Sauce

 A homemade tomato sauce is many a home chef's go to. It's an easy make and cook. Yet it can be too much , especially if it's made often. I had to break away with a mushroom. sauce that works perfect with polenta or pasta. I decided to go with the polenta  - again because sometimes too much pasta is just that - too much.

I started out with sixteen ounces of spinach and two pounds of chopped baby bellas.

I added Morningstar Farms soy chicken strips for protein and flavor.

The sauce was going to be served  with grilled polenta slices.

The sauce was an easy make. The mushrooms and spinach were washed and put into a mix of simmering olive oil and tablespoons of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. 

Use about three glugs of olive oil and about three to four generous tablespoons of I Cant' Believe It's Not Butter. I also added a Not Chick'n bouillon cube and half a cup of water to make it more gravy like.

Try to get fat cloves of garlic I used two for optimum flavor. They're then chopped.

The chicken was cooked separately in the microwave for about three minutes

Then as all these components were cooking I sliced and fried the polenta.

They were fried in olive oil for a few minutes.

The finished product was a tasty light sauce that was chock full of flavor. The mushrooms and spinach  are a perfect marriage and adding the fake chicken broth was inspiring. I even dunked some Italian bread into the sauce.It was that good. I plan on making this with fettuccine the next time around.

If you're tired of tomato sauce, then try this tasty mushroom, spinach and chicken sauce. It's a nice departure from the usual tomato sauce. It's refreshing and light, perfect for pasta or polenta.s

The Popularity of Birria

A classic Mexican dish is once again being embraced by the US. Birria, a kind of stew is being embraced by  - well - everyone . This blend of meats , veggies and chilis is coming into its' own, in a variety of ways. There are birria pizzas and fries along with fries and even in pho and tortellinis. Yet, the original recipe is the best.

Tejal Rao wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section. Birria is a classic Mexican pot dinner first written about in 1945 by Josefina Velazquez de Leon  a cookbook writer who traveled through Mexico. It was recorded in a Mexican cookbook, Platillos Regionale de la Republoca Mexicana. Thar recipe called for a whole sheep to be rubbed with a paste of lightly roasted ancho peppers cascabel, a small round pepper and seasoned with cinnamon, cumin and oregano.It draws from Indigenous pre-Columbian cooking rituals.The sheep is put into a pot sealed with masa or corn meal, then tucked into a fire pit to cook slowly like barbecoa.It' was served in bowls with a dribble of tomato salsa and some of the cooking sauces . This included the rendered animal fat, and the pot liquor known as consome. The present day version splits off into variations. There's one made with oxtails , and one made vegetarian with the addition of mushrooms. You could also use goat or lamb too , along with beef shoulder as the accompanying recipe suggests.

The recipe is being a ht with younger generations. Before it was thought of as an older person's dish  according to chef Teddy Vazquez who almost turned down a cooking job in Tiajuana. It was considered either a hangover cure, something to eat with the parents and grandparents on Sunday after church. He updated , went back to Los Angeles and started to sell birria taco to factory workers. He recalibrated the spices and got excited by the consome and the crunch of the tortilla cooked up in the rendered fat. So did his customers. He went from one truck to fifty , selling combo plates of tacos,quesadillas , tostadas and mulitas, a kind of grilled cheese with meat and a cup of the consome.He's even thinking of making a ramen with the birria, He's thinking of serving it when the customers get tired of the regular which won't happen soon. Josef Centanao owner and chef of Los Angeles' Bar Ama has created a vegetarian version. He does cook other versions that include beef chicken , llamb and even tofu. His other meatless version has mushrooms which gives the stew an eartiher flavor. He adds ginger too for zing to spike up the taste . Other chefs add vinegar and different spices. It's a creative way  of claiming it as your own.

BIrria is being embraced by everyone. It's no wonder. It's a flavorful bowl of meat  or veggies and spices that is perfect on its' own or in tacos or quesdadillas.

The Truth About Fake Meat

Fake meat is now a big part of our lives. We're gobbling up the faux stuff more than the real. Yet there's so many out there. Which one is the best? Which one tastes like the real thing? It's time for a taste test.

Julia Moskin posed these questions and had a tasting table with fellow Food  section writers, Pete Wells and Melissa Clark, Also she employed her twelve year old vegetarian daughter and Ms Clark's burger loving one. Each burger was  seared with a teaspoon of canola oil and served on a potato bun. These  were eaten plain and then a second one with all the trimmings , from condiments to pickles and cheese. How did they rate? Impossible Burgers ranked number one with four and a half stars. Ms. Moskin's daughter thought it was real beef, slipped in to confuse the tasters.Ms. Clark though, thought the meat too dried out .It does contain a compound  - soy legheroglobin - created from plant hemoglobins - to create a bloody look. The second best Beyond Burger - which I've eaten and liked. This received four stars . It was deemed juicy with convincing texture with a lot of unami. This was from Melissa Clark. Her daughter however deemed them to have a smoky barbecue flavor , like those of barbecue potato chips. Even Pete Wells said it was a beefy experience.

What other faux burgers were good?Lightlife Burgers, out of Toronto , got four stars as well. It was considered firm and chewy thanks to it being made from a sturdy soy product called tempeh. The Uncut Burger was rated the meatiest of the whole bunch. It had a slightly chunky texture like good coarse= ground beef according to Ms. Moskin. Ms. Clark , on the other hand, felt the texture made the patty fall apart and similar to wet cardboard!. Mr. Wells deemed it bacony and smoke flavored. Then their is the artisanal Field Burger that claims "plant based artisanal meats". It has vegetal notes of onions, celery and three kinds of mushrooms, fresh , dried, and powdered. The crust had a likable crispness for Mr. Wells, but it does have a bready exterior thanks to the addition of gluten. The least favorite is Sweet Earth Veggie Burger with only two stars. It comes only in flavors so Ms. Moskin chose the Mediterranean style as the most neutral. Ms. Clark claimed it had a falafel flavor thanks to the abundance of chickpeas. It wasn't meaty tasting but nutty and grainy. It also has whiffs of cumin and ginger.

Which burger is the best? The one you like. Go with the faux burger that satisfies you with flavor and texture. That's what matters. Your tastes and preferences.

Deep Flavors - A Deep Love of Food

When a food lover writes about  cookbook, you know it's going to be full of goof advice and good recipes. That's the case with of Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes For Foodies In A Kosher Style (Inspire On Purpose Publishing 2019). it was written not by a chef, or a restaurant owner but by a lawyer! His passion for good food and cooking were the impetus for this  must have collection.

Kenneth M. Horwitz is a lawyer in Dallas, Texas. He has no formal culinary background however he did win the Texas State Fair Blue Ribbon for his spinach-mushroom lasagna.  Yet his love of fresh and natural ingredients plus learning how to cook from his mother and grandmother was all he needed to get into the kitchen with his wife, Bobbie. Her influence is strongly felt in the book too. I love this cookbook. It's not written in a lofty style.It's like your best friend, the foodie everyone goes to for help, is doling out all sorts of good advice. Every novice home chef should buy this book and read the first chapter entitled My Philosophy. It's how his ideas were formed about grocery shopping and cooking.Another aspect that I like is that there are some unusual chapters  such as Breads and Pickles. along with Dressings and Grains. Mr. Horwitz grew up in a kosher kitchen and keeps it on holidays so there is a chapter on traditional Jewish food from both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic branches . There is also a chapter on vegetarian non Jewish which features the award winning spinach-mushroom lasagna. Of course Mr. Horwitz includes chapters on the different meats and fish along with sides. Desserts are divided into sections on cakes, cookies and fruits/custards.

The recipes are amazing and I want to try every one of them. The one that stood out is the Savory French Toast, enhanced with dill. I can see making this and serving it with grilled tomatoes. Another stand out recipe is the matzo brie or fried matzo. Imagine making this and serving  with different veggies as a side. The aforementioned Ken's Blue Ribbon Mushroom -Spinach Lasagna is a tasty marriage of different mushrooms with fresh spinach , Marsala and ricotta. My vegetarian household would love this for a Thanksgiving meal . The mushroom mixture also figures in a pie with a homemade crust - his wife's Bobbie's creation. Even the sides could be vegan or vegetarian main dishes. The roasted cauliflower or cabbage  would be great solo or as a supporting dish for roast chicken. The same goes for the grilled veggies. The Indian style lentils is on my must cook short list. It's a spicy blend of the beans with the addition of Garam Masala and tikka masala. It would go well with warmed naan as a dinner on a cold night. There are meat dishes too, such as smoked brisket and a deconstructed turkey, the perfect Thanksgiving recipe for any holiday home chef. The desserts are all must makes. Pecan pie is one of my favorites and I am definitely baking Mr. Horwitz's for the upcoming holidays.Another one, perfect for holiday entertaining is the chocolate pinwheel cake, - a giant Swiss roll filled with creamy buttercream.Bobbie's Cold Chocolate Souffle is another dish  that can end a delicious meal with guests. The cookie recipes are drool worthy, especially the gingerbread one.

Deep Flavors : A Celebration For Foodies In A Kosher Style  is a must have for any kitchen library. It is full of good advice and good recipes. It will be your best  friend for cooking and baking help.

Discovering Aldi's Supermarket

One of the hottest trends in American food shopping today is Aldi's This German import is offering European brands at cost , as it helps to expand the Yankee palate.It's a great place to shop and sometimes has items that you wouldn't see in a traditional grocery store.

Aldis' was started by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in Germany  in 1946.it was a continuation of their mother's store which started in Essen, an industrial city in northwest Germany.Theo worked with their mother  while Karl apprenticed at a deli. It was Karl who took over another food store, known for it cheap prices and this was the basis for the future Aldi. The Second World War disrupted their business, but the brothers were back with a vengeance afterwards. They took over the family store and soon after, opened a second one. By 1950 they had opened thirteen stores in their native Ruhr Valley. Their philosophy was simple - remove merchandise that did not sell, along with cutting costs by not advertising or selling fresh produce. The brothers split in 1960 over a dispute of cigarettes and whether to sell them in the stores. By that point the Albrechts were the richest men in Germany, owning three hundred stores.It was at this time that the name Aldi - short for Albrecht Diskont came about. Karl  was the owner of Aldi-Sud while Theo and other investors were the owners of Aldi-Nord. By the 1970's they had expanded to Austria and the US with the first store opening up in Iowa. In 1979 they acquired Trader Joe's Now there are 8,000 stores worldwide.

Aldi's was a treat from its opening day. Yes, sometimes it has kind of out of the ordinary non food items (toilet seats?dumbbells?screwdrivers?ottomans?) but most of the products are perfect for those on a budget. There is also fresh produce as well as fresh meats and fish. too,  It's really no different from any other grocery except that most Aldi's are smaller in size. What I like is their in house brand's such as Clancy's which encompasses all the snack foods. Their microwave popcorn is the best I've ever tasted and now it's the only one I'll eat. Their Priano risottos and pastas are excellent too. The risotto comes in a variety of flavors, such as mushroom and asparagus and they take half the time to cook as traditional arborio rice. I am looking forward to trying  their cold cuts as well as their breads. They have European style cookies that you can't get in American grocery stores. A new
  favorite is. their Specially Selected brand's Lacey's Dark Chocolate Almond cookies, those mouthfuls of delicate goodness.Their Choceur chocolate covered almonds are also amazing - perfect to end an elegant meal or just as a sweet nosh.

Aldi's is becoming a strong presence on the American shopping scene. It's no wonder, with their interesting varieties of products and cheaper prices. Visit one today and fall in love.

A Gathered Thanksgiving Part Two

Yesterday's New York Times Food section was full of recipes from Americans all over the country. The beauty of it  was that it came , from all kinds of Americans, some here for generations , some newly arrived. What binds them - and us together is the love of one's heritage and pride in family dishes. Yet these recipes can easily be served at our tables creating a brand new holiday tradition.

The families that the Times wrote about and were covered yesterday here were from all over the world. The beauty of American cuisine is that it is constantly changing, adding new ingredients and flavors.Take the Ling family of Junction City, Wisconsin. They were from Hmong, Laos and always celebrated the harvest around this time. Thanksgiving feasting fits in perfectly and seamlessly with their celebrating. They raise and slaughter their own turkeys, preparing them with Southern  Asian herbs such as lemongrass and kafir lime leaves. The filling is a vermicelli egg roll filling , full of shredded carrots, cabbage and cilantro doused with  a salty fish sauce. In Nashville Tennessee , one would expect traditional Southern dishes like corn bread stuffing and green bean casserole. Not so with the Tayyar family who emigrated from Dohuk in Northern Iran. They will serve the Kurdish  eprax, a carefully layered casserole of grape leaves along with stuffed cabbage, tomatoes squash and potatoes.,nsted of turkey there will be a row of lamb chops down the center of the eprax.There will also be chicken and turnip greens too, as they eat the traditional feast on a rug spread out on the floor.

Jamaican food is not normally considered Thanksgiving food  yet Francine Turone uses the cuisine's spices for her turkey, The island born home chef brines the bird with a mix of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and juniper berries along with slipping clarified butter under the skin. She also serves a roast goat leg along with rice and peas in coconut oil. They celebrate her Milanese born husband Giacomo's culinary heritage. with tortellini in brodo or broth. Some recipes are handed down such as Debbie Himmler from the German influenced city of Cincinnati. Her oma's or grandmother' s rotkraut or homemade red cabbage is a family recipe from southwestern Germany.,a mix of shredded cabbage cooked with red wine and tart Granny Smith apples. Maren Waxenberg' s Scandinavian heritage shines through when she used to have gravlax and herring before the Thanksgiving meal.She continues on with blotcake for dessert. This is a sponge cake with whip cream and berries. Italians keep recipes through centuries and generations and the Conte family of  Wall, New Jersey is no different. They make a fluffy spinach -mushroom stuffing  instead of the usual bread stuffing. Their potatoes aren't mashed, rather roasted in olive oil and garlic They end not with pie but ith fennel and oranges dusted with salt and pepper.

America is a big kitchen ,full of recipes new and old. This was never more evident in yesterday's New York Times Food section. It is full of dishes, both sweet and savory that reflect our many different, cultures and backgrounds,nationalities and heritage.

The Ultimate Bacon Cookbook

Bacon lovers are a rare breed. Their lives revolve those mouthwatering cured strips and will do anything to incorporate it into their diets. Luckily, here is a great new cookbook out there with all sorts of savory and sweet recipes that feature bacon.

101 More Things To Do With Bacon (Gibbs-Smith Publishing} is a fun cookbook and a great Father's Day gift for those bacon loving paters. The book was written Eliza Cross, who has penned several of these little cookbooks featuring such diverse ingredients as pickles and beer.She is also a bacon lover and the founder of BENSA, the bacon enthusiast society. It is a slim cookbook (122 pages) but chock full of interesting recipes from breakfast to candy(!). She also includes two pages of helpful hints that help in cooking it. Home cooks will appreciate such facts as nitrate free bacon is sometimes saltier than regular bacon due to processing. She recommends adjusting the salt accordingly if using nitrate free slices. There is more advice regarding artisanal bacon, now a standard in some kitchens and being made by many adventurous home chefs.Also sweet flavored bacon, such as the ones flavored with apple cider, brown sugar or maple syrup may cook up faster than the regular kind and could burn quicker There are also tips on freezing  and microwaving it as well as what to do with bacon grease. She gives smart advice on disposing it - never pour the down the sink.It solidifies quick and creates clogs. Instead put in into a can and dispose of it through the garbage. Bacon fat  can also be reused in several recipes too and used to fry up hotcakes.

Bacon recipes are fun and these are no exception. The book is divided into different chapters, from breakfast - of course - to desserts. The breakfast ones are not what you would think, There are some truly original ones such as apple bacon strata, a layered breakfast casserole that features Granny Smith apples and pecans and the jalapeno bacon popper quiche, an egg pie loaded with heavy cream and cheese  along with the strips and peppers. The appetizers are also varied . There is slow cooker bacon cheeseburger dip that not only uses a pound (!) of it but also a pound of lean ground beef for a fun and flavorful dip.Bacon batons are a neat way to start a party. These are spiced and sugar bacon strips wrapped around the thin Torinese breadsticks, or grissini, Bacon is also a fine addition to  soups and Ms. Cross does add it to tomato bisque along to a wild rice and chicken chowder.. Bacon cheeseburger makes it way into soup with a dash of beer.There are also a chapter on salads, from macaroni to potato along with a chapter on sandwiches. Try the bacon cheese melts instead of the usual grilled cheese or the bacon cheese dogs.for a fun barbecue treat. The strips also make their way into such sides as bacon asparagus saute and bacon and mushroom dressing. Bacon is a wonderful addition to any main meal and compliments the flavor of other meats, poultry and seafood. There's even a BLT pasts with it and arugula gracing bowtie pasta. Bacon in dessert is also wonderful. There is the yummy man candy that also has dark beer as well as a bacon maple fudge. Try the bacon bread pudding with vanillas sauce.

101 More Things To Do With Bacon is a fun cookbook, perfect for any bacon lover. It is a fun mix of sweet and savory recipes.. Get it today to get more joy out of those cured strips of heaven.

,he books comes out in August but you can preorder it and others on Amazon.

101 Things to do With Beer

101 More Things To Do With Bacon

Pumpkin It Up!

How D'ya Like Them Apples?

Sides Taking Over

It's usually the side dishes that get all the applause. Guests may like stuffed mushrooms or the kids may like the the squash  instead of the roast. Is it possible to just make a meal of them then and forgo the main dish? Yes, if it's done right. A home chef can make a fun and nutritious meal by just using the second string.

Everyone loves stuffed mushrooms, They usually accompany a beef roast but can be made on their own. Use the portabella ones for a truly hearty meal. They can be stuffed with a variety of different ingredients. Try Italian sausage and mozzarella or crab meat and parsley, Vegetarians will love a spinach and eggplant one. You can also throw in some  white or brown rice too to round it out. The smaller white cap ones can be used  to make bite size versions. Another idea that involves mushrooms is mixing them with rice. Use the arborio  kind and you wind up with mushroom risotto. Rice itself is always the perfect side because it complements any meat poultry and fish.yet on its' own it can be a tasty and filling. Think about combining it with leftover chicken or ham along with some carrots broccoli and onions for a variation of fried rice.Rice patties are another idea. They're bound together with Parmesan  cheese and broccoli, then baked for fifteen minutes. The rounds can be made with brown rice too.Couscous is usually a side dish too but it can be stepped up to be a major player. Add some currents and chopped shallots and it turns into an exotic Moroccan dish.

Veggies have always been relegated to second string however they can shine on their own Squash can be stuffed with everything from beef to rice. It can also be filled with ground chestnuts or couscous too. Spaghetti squash is a great dinner .It's baked for forty-five minutes , scraped out and then served like any pasts. Try it with a rich marinara or a delicate burro or butter sauce. For true vegans  serve with a tomato sauce and chickpea meatballs.Zucchini is another side that can be stuffed and made into the star of the dinner table. Kids will love having zucchini boats for their meal instead of the usual garlic sauteed coins.They're an easy recipe starting with boiling or steaming the gourds and then slicing them in half. The pulp is scooped out then mixed with cheese, egg, beef, chicken or spinach  along with seasonings .It's then put into the squash shells and baked for twenty minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit. String beans, long the second banana to almost every dinner Yet serve it with pasta in an aglia e olio,, garlic and oil sauce and it's a fantastic dinner.Stir fry green beans with tofu and ginger for a yummy Asian influenced supper.

Sides can go from being a supporting player to the star of the dinner table. Any vegetable or grain can be revamped into a tasty and satisfying main dish.Don;t let them linger in the shadows any more.

Risotto Cakes A Spin On The Classic

Risotto is always a good dish to make. Arborio rice goes well with almost any ingredient from tomato to saffron.As versatile as it is ,it becomes even more so with twisting it into a new idea. Risotto cakes are a different way of serving this Northern Italian classic. They can be made into holiday hors d'ouevres or a light lunch or supper.

Dsvid Tanis wrote about these gems in his A CIty Kitchen column in Wednesday;s New York Times Dining section. He adds the earthy fall flavor of butternut squash for both taste and body. Cheeses such as the Northern Italian classic Fontina and Parmesan are also added for binding.It is then lightly fried in oil after a thin coating of just flour and egg. Mr. Tanis also suggests bread crumbs which give the cakes more of a crunch. For this , try ground up French or Italian bread for added flavor.

There are other risotto cake recipes out there as well.Sandra Lee gives a pretty simple one that would make for great Christmas party appetizers. Hers are a simple blend of  leftover rice, Parmesan cheese and roasted garlic.They're shaped into walnut sized balls  and then fried.Risotto cakes can also be stuffed.You can try a smoky mozzarella or even a minced portobello stuffing. For parties you can try a marinella sauce Ora saffron infused mayo based one.Another party trick is wrapped a thin piece of prosciutto around them to serve to guests. Risotto cakes are a great way of using left over arborio rice.They also make for a delicious light lunch or supper or a perfect party appetizer. Try them this way to appreciate risotto even more.

Magic Mushrooms

Is there such a thing as a superfood? Yes, and it comes in the form of the mushroom.This humble mushroom can help you conquer life threatening diseases along with improving your quality of life. Too good to be true? No adding mushrooms to your life is definitely beneficial and tasty too. These fungi are chock full of health benefits. the Japanese versions, such as the maita and shiitake contain tumor suppressors.Others , such as the oyster help alleviate HIV symptoms.A lot of mushrooms help with lowering diabetes and weight.There is a caveatbthoigh. because the flesh is absorbent, they tend to pick up minerals and pesticides.Try to buy the organic version at all times. Can you grow them at home? You can but they won't be as successful a crop as your regular garden veggies.Do not try foraging unless you're an export. Most wild varieties are highly poisonous. There are so many different types of mushrooms that finding yummy recipe won't be much of a problem.Mushroom risotto is easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. You can use any kind however porcini are the best. Portobellos are one of the most versatile and tastiest(and , it is true, they do take like steak) Try them stove grilled or oven baked.You can even julienne them and toss into a fresh spinach salad. If you want a more exotic dish try stir frying shiitake or maita mushrooms with water chestnuts, Ginger and bean sprouts.Want simple? then try the old fashioned bread crumb stuffed white caps, bursting with flavored crumbs, chopped mushroom stems and parsley. Improve your diet by adding the many varieties of mushroom. This super food is super tasty. try it in a creamy risotto or grilled like steak. Any way you serve it, it 's good for you.

Mushroom Caps A Summer Treat.

What can be the perfect main meal and the perfect side? Mushroom caps. These easy to make treats can served as both as the star or co star of any meal. They're easy to make and can be varied in a number of ways. Best of all they're a perfect summer dish as well as being a winter one too.

Mushroom caps or stuffed mushrooms can be made a number of different ways. You can use large portabellos or the regular white button kind depending on what you want. With all mushrooms make sure that you wash them thoroughly and even use a vegetable scrubber (a small bristly type of brush or a nail brush) to remove dirt and sand. Cut out the stems. and reserve them for later. these can be added to the stuffing to emphasize the mushroom flavor. Use a buttered baking dish to cook them, preferably a Pyrex or glass one. Stuffed mushrooms only take about twenty minutes to bake.

The fun part is choosing what to put in them. Crab meat is the most preferred but you can also use chopped ham and/or bacon. Southern Italians use a mix of breadcrumbs, chopped sausage and parsley. I've always made mine without the sausage , preferring the Piedmontese version of it with butter ,bread crumbs and garlic. For a vegetarian spin you try stuffing the caps with spinach and tomato as well.

Nothing beats stuffed mushrooms, where for the main part or as a side. You can vary the mushrooms, using either portobellos or button caps as well as the fillings. All in all it's just a wonderful mix of wholesome mushrooms with yummy stuffing

The Little Rice Book

My cousin and her husband recently gave me a neat little cookbook. It's all about rice and different recipes for it. The books contains every kind of recipe from savory to sweet. All different kinds of rices are also used, from basmati to arborio from long grain to short. For a rice fanatic like myself this book is a dream come true,


The books is simply called Rice and Risotto and was compiled by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen. The author herself has written numerous cookbooks from Jewish to French cuisine along with interesting books on Southern cooking and a slew of recipe books just on desserts. Her paean to rice is amazing. There are my favourites in here, the widely popular Risotto Milanese to the little known peas and arborio dish risi bisi. In between Wolf-Cohen also adds in easy risottos as well as pilafs and gumbos along with rice stuffing. There are Vietnamese dishes that call for rice flour wrappers and Mexican dishes that require rice mixed with broken pasta. Every corner of the globe is covered here with special emphasis on risotto dishes. There are so many of them here ranging from seafood to vegetarian wild mushroom to easy to classic.

Another aspect of the book that's appealed to me. is the variety of the dessert dishes. There are variations on the classic rice pudding, from a sinful dark chocolate one to a a creme brulee type with a glazed top. There's also a flan influenced Spanish style rice pudding that looks heavenly. Other sweet rice treats include rice pancakes, New Orleans fried rice cakes (a take on the famed beignet ) and shortbread made with a combo of rice and wheat flour.

Rice & Risotto is the book to get if you're a rice enthusiasts. There are so many different recipes you'll never get bored with them. They're tasty for any part of lunch or dinner.