Good Dressings For Good Salad

 What makes a salad? Most of the times it's the dressing. There's something special about a dressing that highlights all of a bowl's ingredients. Every flavor , from  the tang of the tomatoes to the mellowness of butter lettuce is taken to another level  simply by a mix of oil ,vinegar and other add INS,

One of my favorite salads is just a simple Spring green one with Campari tomatoes.This will be one of the highlights  for my barbecue tomorrow.I am a big fan of homemade dressing but sometimes I want a store bought one.

I;ve been discovering the bounty of both Dollar General and Dollar Tree. I was able to score Dollar General's Clover Valley Ranch.  and the famed Olive Garden Italian dressing. These are kind of hard to replicate and this is where bottled dressing comes in handy. You could even use both in other salads like broccoli, string bean and chickpea salads. They add a liveliness to these ordinary but good ingredients.

However if you want a homemade dressing that's flavorful try a honey vinaigrette. This is just simply apple cider vinegar, olive oil and a teaspoon of honey whiskey together. Some recipes call for Dijon mustard for tang but this can be omitted of the flavor is too strong for you. One of my favorite homemade dressing is the classic French. It's taking dollops of mayo and ketchup. and blending them with a drizzle  of olive oil and a splash of vinegar. I love this especially on cherry tomatoes as a nice side salad. Another dressing idea is adding fresh  lemon, lime orange and even grapefruit to the dressing instead of vinegar.This give this salad a bright sunny flavor and is perfect for a shredded chicken with almonds one. Don't use juice, unless it's the lemon or lime. Orange juice and grapefruit are presweetened and that can make for a sweeter than normal dressing. Use fresh squeezed fruit and save the peels for decoration.

A good salad starts with the dressing. It can be store bought or homemade. Just make sure it highlights the veggies and fruits used to create a stand out bowl.

Are You Christnas Ready?

 Christmas is coming faster than a snowflake in a blizzard. For all thosehome chefs out there worldwide, are you ready? Do you have the major ingredients? Do you have the minor ones? are you ready for both Christmas Eve and Christmas? Take a deep breath and think.

Of course you have the main course - whether it be ham, turkey or crown rib. Do you have all the extras that make these meats tasty? Brown sugar is used for baking but t's also the key ingredient in ham glaze. Usually one ham requires two cups of brown sugar. You have enough time (really until Thursday until four to six PM depending upon your local store's hours)If you find your self short on Christmas use more honey or even white granulated sugar for the glaze.You could also add a splash of orange or apple juice instead of the sugar for less sweetness and more flavor. As for the turkey is there enough butter to rub under the skin for a flavorful meat.This usually requires a stick of butter but you can use a scant half cup of olive oil. Luckily crown rib doesn't;t require any prep but you may need string to tie it twine would be a better choice because of its' sturdiness. however if you don;t have this then use double cords of strings to mold  the meat into the classic crown shape.

What about the sides and desserts? Do you have enough potatoes for mashed or scalloped.If you're going old school and making them from scratch make sure you also have plenty of milk and butter.If you;re low on both then use olive oil.It provides a lighter , dairy free kind of mash that's still perfect for gravy. Do you have enough sweet potatoes or yams? Keep in mind that one yam or sweet potato is adequate for one person. Little ones could probably split them with the other smaller guests.If you're inviting ten people then have ten yams. if there are four kids  also then just buy two extra sweet potatoes or yams.What about the greens Do you have enough sprouts or green beans.If you're making the famed green bean casserole do you have the other ingredients like the cream of mushroom soup and the crunchy onion rings for the topping? There's also milk in this  so make sure you have enough for it. As for the desserts, Yes,C Christmas is cookie time and by now you should have a few trays of different types. However Christmas dinner deserves a spectacular ending. Do you have all the ingredients for Death By Chocolate or tiramisu? what about enough brandy for a boozy trifle? Or ice cream and syrup for  a fabulous Christmas sundae for the kids?

Christmas is coming. Take a deep breath and embrace it. Make sure you and your kitchen are ready for it. Then enjoy the day and the flavors of the season.

Cookie Charts

 Now that it's December it's time to start planning those cookies. They're such a big part of the holiday and everyone expects them on the not only tasty but memorable. It;s important to make the best and make them the tastiest.

First thing is ask yourself what do you exactly want to make? Classic chocolate chip? Biscotti? Shortbread? Or do you want to try something different like pignoli or snickerdoodles. Some home bakers keep within one or two kinds. They try three or four different variations of biscotti , from almond to cranberry along with sugar cookies. These are ok yet there's no variety. A good cookie tray usually has three or four different kinds. Of course there has to be chocolate chip cookies. The question is what kind to you want to bake? The classic with just dark chocolate chips or do you want to add almonds.? There is also the kind with macadamia nuts, coconut and almonds too  for something different. There is there the reverse chocolate chip. Chocolate dough with peanut butter chips in them. These are great for those who love Reese';s peanut butter cups. You can also vary the dough and make chocolate chip shortbread rounds too.Biscotti can also be chock full of chips and for added decadence, drizzle dark chocolate over the cooled cookies

Shortbread are another cookie tray or basket must. Its; one of the easiest recipes to create. All you need is butter - a lot - sugar and flour. That's it. The best sugar to use for a smooth crumb is confectioners and not the granulated white kind. Shortbreads can be dipped in chocolate - preferably dark and then I holiday sprinkles for a festive look to a cookie tray.  For a different spin add lemon to give them a bright tartness.A cousin  of the shortbread, butter and spritz cookies are always on someone's holiday dessert table. A good recipe involves the usual, butter sugar and flour but there are also eggs and sometimes milk to thin out the dough for the cookie gun. Flavors can also be added such as almond , orange ro lemon instead of the classic vanilla. The dough can also be tinted in festive red (actually the reds bake up pink) and green. these can be finished off with sanding sugar in gold or silver for a glistening finish.These can also be shaped into little wreaths and have a maraschino cherry or a dollop of homemade chocolate fudge in the center. These cookies are also similar to what bakeries offer and they too can have one end dipped in dark chocolate and them doubled dipped in either ground nuts or sprinkles.

What will be on your cookie chart? Make sure it's a variety. Everyone love different cookies to nible and enjoy. Give guests and family memorable and tasty sweet treats.

Lidl' Dupes

 Everyone knows that Lidl can save home chefs and foodies tons of money. Yet many many not know that the store has so many dupes that are even better tasting than the original. Walk the aisles and you'll find all sorts of duplicates for the national and international brands.

I love LIDL for their wide array of international foods I can;t get anywhere else. However they have some pretty good dup's for everyday drinks and food stuffs too. I've just tried their take on Le Croix Sparkling Water.

They're thirty-two cents cheaper than LaCroix  at Wal-mart and the taste is much more refreshing and stronger. There are five flavors  such as the orange - so good  - along with lemon, lime passion fruit,cran raspberry and passion fruit. Have it during these lingering summer days in a tall ice filled glass.

ANother dup I love eis their takes on the Belgian classicLules Desptrooper's almond thins. These are buttery tuile cookies but they can be expensive. Then there;s/Lidl's Preferred Selection also made overseas. They taste exactly the same and are a dollar less than at other grocery stores.

Ritz crackers are good but Lidl's Sunny Day's version are better and two dollars cheaper too. I love these in soup and with vegan cream cheese. As you can see I also have Lidl's version version of the Parker aluminum tumbler. Mine was only three dollars over the summer and I use it at work and on trips to the shore. It;s also so cute with the oranges too.

Don;t bother with the real deal. Head to Lidl';s for better tasting dupes, You'll save money but gain flavor.

Plastic's Tight Grip

 Like it or not plastic has a tight grip on how America eats. Without it  our produce along with meats and fish could go bad. We can get sick.Yet our addiction to plastic is deadly. IS there a happy medium for the future?

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this very real problem in today's New York Times Food Wednesday Food section. The US alone [roduces the most with forty percent of it being plastic. The country also has a problem with food waste too. yet one cucumber rotting in a land fill is not as bad as plastic. Yet plasric helps in reducing food waste. Americans have a bad habit of buying too much and not eating or using what they buyThe average American family spends $1500 on produce yearly Not that much is eaten and it's thrown out.The Biden Administration is trying to reduce this. There is already a draft to create a strategy by 2030. Plastic has been protecting produce since th 1930's - for ninety years!It started with cellophane wrapping vegetables and fruits and keeping them fresh, to the plastic clamshells big in the 1980's and those popular bagged salads that arrived a decade later in the 1990's . The top trend now is converting the plastics to biogdegradable wrappings according Soren Bjorn chief executive officer at Driscolls' the company that produces all sorts of fruit.

Other countries are also tackling this, Spain has a plastic tax. France has a severely limited plastic wrapped produce. The Europan is also adding more restrictions to stop plastic consumption across Europe. Canada is trying to hammer out a plan that could eliminate plastic packaging of produce by ninety-five per cent by 2028. Here , companies and scientists are experimenting with new ways of combatting the overuse of plastic wraps. There are some possible alternatives. One is bags from trees. An Austrian company is employing birch and beechwood trees to create celllulose for paper bags.Other companies are creatng netting from trees that can decompose in a few weeks. Then there are the films from surprisingly orange and shrimp shells.Most fruits and veggies now have an edible coating made from plant based fatty acids. This is sprayed on cucumbers, avocados, and other produce. Clamshells are now being tackled with the classic plastic being replaced by cardboard. This will be good for the more fragile fruits and vegetables.

How can plastic wrap consumption be  lessened. It will takes laws and innovative ideas to do such.It can help in a small way of protecting the environment.,

Cool Ades

 Nothing beats a cool glass of some kind of ade.These are refreshing on a hot day and perfect for any barbecue or lazy day at the beach. You can easily buy these but they're more fun to make at home.

One of the easiest is lemonade. This anceint drink  ist still popular as it was in ancient India, China and Myanmar.The best homemade one requires  simple syrup which can be used in other drinks and even cocktails and mocktails.It's boiling one cup of sugar in one cup of water. Combine this with one cup of  fresh or concentrated lemon juice. Two to three cups of warer along with ice cubes are added. A popular variation is adding mango to it. Use two large mango chop into big chunks and add with water to a blender. This will make a kind fo mango puree that will be diluted when it's added to the lemonade. Others go wild for  large frosty glass of raspberry lemonade. It'st the same basic recipe but with the addition of a strained raspberry puree added. One of my favorites and I've been drinking this a lot is an Arnold Palmer. This is a hybrid half and half of lemonade and iced tea. I usually make it  on a tall glass with any fruit tea and a splash of lemon juice. I add a small packet of Stevia In The Raw to sweeten it,  and a  good splash (about half a cup) of cold water to dilute it's strength. The last step is  adding four or five ice cubes for a cold sip.

Another ade you can easily make is limeade. This can be made with granulated sugar as well as a simple syrup.It's using the juice of two or three limes along with the zest for more flavor. Some home chefs will recommend using simple syrup which gives the entire drink a lovely sweet flavor. Add the juice and two to three cups of water along with ice. You could add a sprig of mint to it to make it a mocktail mojito. Watermelon is  popular right now but instead of cubing or slcing it , turn it into a refreshing ade. This is taking four cups of cubed watermelon  and pureeing it.I;'s then strained and blended with simple syrup, three cups of cold water and a half cup of lemon juice (this can be freshly squeezed or bottled) Mix well and then add ice. You could add the raspeberry puree to it and copy Dunkin Donuts new drink it's raspberry watermelon cooler. Raspberry juice and orage juice also makes a yummy blended ade.

A cooling ade is what you need during this hot weather. Create a homemade one , sit back and enjoy.It's refreshing and soothing

Bright Season, Bright Flavors

 It's time to retire those wintry flavors now that Spring is here. Lock up those cinnamon and nutmegs. Welcome citrussy zings and fresh herbal notes.It's time to bring a refreshing flavor to classic recipes.

Of course citrus always gives any savory or sweet recipe a lightness. Start with salads. These are a great way to introduce more greens into a warmer weather diet. A lemon vinaigrette has a lovely flavor, and it's not as overpowering as one made with vinegar. Keep in mind that other citrus juices make for tasty dressings as well. You can interchange lemon with orange, lime or grapefruit. Fish, especially salmon and chicken will benefit from a citrus marinade. Mix with honey or brown sugar and add in some chopped shallots and garlic  for a flavorful baste. Veggies such as the Spring favorite asparagus also is great with a lemon  sauce. You can even be extra fancy and make a homemade Hollandaise sauce. This is an easy blend of egg yolks, lemon juice  and Dijon mustard.A sprinkle of paprika finishes it off. This is also good for those Easter brunches where you have Eggs Benedict smothered in the sauce. Any citrus juiceis also a welcome addition to Spring baking. A lemon cake with lemon icing is the perfect Easter cake.You can even bake an egg shaped or lamb cake and decorate them with an orange, lime or grapefruit buttercream,

Sprign herbs are another way to bring a fresh taste to cooking. Basil is one and it's a no brainer when it comes to it and Italian food.Use it on a flatbread pizza or in a Caprese sandwich which tomatoes and mozzarella slices layered with lettuce and olive oil on Italian bread.  Another refreshing idea is making it into a pesto sauce and drizzling it on grilled steaks. Pesto is one of rhe easiest sauces to make.It's taking the leaves and pulverizing them with olive oil in a food processor. You could add pine nuts but keep in mind these shorten the sauce's shelf life. Mint is another Spring herb that's worth incorporating into your recipes. A nice Easter side dish are petit pois avec menthe. The peas are  cooked with spring onions and olive oil , then the mint is added. Lamb with mint is a definite springtime roast but you can also use the leaves in a garlic mint sauce for lamb chops. Mint can also be used in desserts too along with both mocktails and cocktails for a Sunday brunch. Another spring herb that's a must use is dill. Think a grilled salmon with dill. This is a wonderfully light warm weather dinner. Also add i to any salad.

It's Spring. Open the season with light flavors that emphasize the brightness of the season. Use them them for a more refreshing taste.

Your Easter Treat Selection

 Easter is only less than two weeks away and it's time to start thinking about treats. and dessert. What would be fun for an Easter Egg hunt? What would be the perfect ending to a ham dinner. There are so many choices.

One of the most traditional id the lamb cake or the Osterlamm in German. The American version can be made with any kind of cake mix while the German has a simple vanilla cake recipe. You will need a special mold such as this one.

This was my Mom's that I inherited.it's over forty years old and from Wilton. You can get something similar from Amazon for around twenty three dollars. There is also an Osterlamm mold for $37.98.  You will need to use Dream Whip because this gives the cake body.I've the cake in vanilla and chocolate .each had different icings , from traditional butter cream to chocolate to coffee for the chocolate. Decorating was fun, with colored vanilla buttercream for the outline of the ears and eyes  and the ribbon around the lamb's neck. You can also bake a bunny ro Easter egg Again these are fun to decorate. For a more sophisticated dessert, think a lemon or orange Bundt cake with a lemon or orange glaze. This is perfect with coffee and tea after a big meal.

Smaller Easter egg cakes are a cute handout at Easter egg hunts. You can add M&Ms and jelly beans to the decorations. A fun idea is having the kids decorate them at a trimmings bar and them give a prize out for the best looking one. Easter cookies are also a fun treat any any Easter gathering.Again egg shapes iced and decorated with colored icing, sugars and candies are a highlight to any gathering. Bunny cookies are another sweet treat. You could do a dusting of bright colored sanding sugar to resemble Bunny Peeps.Peeps can also be featured in cookies. Think about wrapping cookie dough around them for a gooey kind of treat.  You can also top plain sugar ones with them as well.Rice Krispy treats can be molded into fun shapes like carrots and chicks. You can also make the traditional squares and then decorate them with melted pastel chocolate, sprinkles and M&Ms. 

There are so many different kinds of goodies to make for Easter. Pick something cute or something sophisticated.Either choice will be a holiday hit.

When Salad Makes A Statement

 Rarely does a food writer  change the world. Yet one  did just that with her newsletter  as she tweets against ageism. Emily Nunn's newsletter shed light on this while giving readers and fans some great salad recipes.

Regular contributor,Kim Severson, wrote about Ms. Nunn in today's New York Times Food section.Ms. NUnn already had an illustrious career as a food writer. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker  and she created their famed column 'Tables For Two" along with reporting for The Chicago Tribune, creating a blog , contributing to the website Food 52  and publishing a book The Comfort Food Diaries in 2017. She started her Department Of Salad newsletter due in part because she couldn't find a writing gig. A fellow food writer suggested on Twitter that she start a newsletter.It was her own tweets, sometimes cranky ,always funny and political kept her in the public eye. They focused on ageism, something she still experiences at the age of sixty-one. She was also good at creating salads, thanks to her living in North Carolina. Southern summers are lush and hot, perfect for yielding tomatoes and cucumber. The actor J.Smith-Cameron of the HBO hit "Succession"  tweeted that she would read a newsletter that featured Ms Nunn's sharpness and culinary creativity. By October 2020 she had created one.It does come with a price of $50 a year or $5.50 a month. Soledad O'Brian is already a fan as is British food writer Diana Henry.

Her salads are interesting and she also collects interesting recipes from other writers and chefs. Her newsletters are a cornucopia of advice, recipes and an interview with someone with a point of view about salads. Ms. Severson includes two of Ms. Nunn's recipes. One is an herby rice salad with peas and prosciutto. This can be a side or a main meal with more meat added. It's combining cooked long grained white rice with peas, a sliced onion and slices of prosciutto. Lemon and a host of herbs such as chives, basil, mint and parsley flavor it while red pepper flakes give it zing. You could also add a dollop of ricotta to it too.The second salad recipe is a nod to the past with a combo of oranges and radishes. This is taking a mix of Cara Cara and navel oranges that have been peeled , de-pithed and cut into rounds. They also have to be deseeded and chilled too. The radishes also have to be chilled after they've been cut into thin matchstick pieces. The dressing is simply lemon juice, sugar and salt, shaken in a jar until the salt and sugar dissolve (although I would add a scant amount of olive oil) and then chilled. The orange slices are arranged first and then the matchsticks are scattered on top followed by the dressing and orange zest.

Emily Nunn is changing the world with her wit, candidness and salads. All are needed today, especially the salads. It can definitely brighten a meal and a day.

Refreshing Ades

The temps are up. The humidity is crushing. It's time to make refreshing thirst quenching ades that cool you down. They're easy to recreate and wonderful to sip, especially on a hot night.

One of the most refreshing and popular is agua fresca. This can be made with any fresh fruit and even veggies such as cucumber. It goes back to Aztec times when it was made to appease the gods' thirst. Now it can satisfy ours.It's simply fresh chopped fruit, water, and sugar. They can be made in a blender or using an immersion blender. A fun one is the watermelon  flavored, made with about four cups of watermelon chunks  , muddled with three cups of water, two tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lime. It's a quick blitz and then serve over ice. Another fun and tropical twist is using pineapple. You may not need as much sugar for this one. For a truly refreshing agua fresca, think cucumbers.  You will need more sugar - about half a cup for two cucumbers and one half cup of lime juice.Mint leaves can be added for more refreshment.Another great cooler from Mexico is horchata. Again, this is another easy mix. It's taking long grained white rice that's been cooked, along with almonds and cinnamon sticks and blitzing them in a blender or with an immersion blender.It;'s then adding water and vanilla. Milk is added when it's ready to be chilled for a few hours.

Ades are an old fashioned way to quench your thirst when the temps go high. One of the most popular is lemonade. Keep in mind that the recipe starts with simple syrup and not sugar tossed in. Sugar will sink to the pitcher's bottom and you'll be left with a sour drink. Simple syrup is just that, a cooked syrup made with only a cup of sugar and  a cup of water boiled together. It;s then stirring them together over a low flame until a syrup is created.  You can add fresh lemon juice if you want a more lemony flavor. It's then adding one cup of fresh or bottled lemon juice and two to three cups of ice cold water. Mix and chill. You can add a few to a 1/3 cup crushed fresh mint leaves if you want.Limeade is another refreshing summer cooler. It takes seven large limes and five cups of water. Add simple syrup to sweeten it and served, iced with sliced limes. You can also do the same with oranges for a refreshing hot afternoon treat.  You'll need seven to eight medium sized oranges along with  a third of a cup of lemon juice to balance the flavor. Again use about a  half cup of the simple syrup to sweeten the drink.

This is the time of year for thirst quenching drinks. Make up an icy pitcher of any of them to cool off.They're the perfect sip for a hot , steamy day.

A Soothing Holiday Drink Nana Mint Teas

This is the start of the hectic holiday season and with that comes frazzled nerves and a hectic schedule. The best way to unwind is with a drink. No, not the kind that's ninety proof but with a soothing mint tea.There's a whole new line out there that is the perfect way to unwind. Wissotzky Teas have come out with a line of minty spearmint teas blended with other flavors. Brew a cup and just sit back.

Wissotzky Teas are quickly becoming a power house in the tea industry. They have several different lines, from their wide variety of chai teas to their fruit ones and green tea selection. Now they have a brand new line with different flavors blended with the mild base spearmint. What is great about Wissotzlky's teas is that they can be also be served cold for a refreshing break from all those hot cups.Another plus about the Nana mints is that they're perfect for digestion. Spearmint is good for digestion and it's the perfect end to any calorie heavy holiday dinner.Have a decorative  bowl filled with the teabags on the table when you serve dessert. The flavors are chamomile, great for calming upset stomachs, lemon to wake you up,  andcitrus and ginger which is a must for a mid day wake up. There are also just green and black teas, simply blended with the spearmint for a clean refreshing taste.

I love these teas.What is great about all of them is that the spearmint is not overpowering as it is in other brands. Sometimes those teas taste like Lifesavers or Altoids. Wissotzky subtly mixes in the spearmint leaves. They're also natural. The ginger and citrus has orange peels while the chamomile is made from Polish, Egyptian and German cultivated flowers. The lemon is a delicate blend of lemon peels and hibiscus.. Even the green and black teas are from the finest Chinese green leaves and the best Indonesian and Vietnamese black leaves. That' what's so phenomenal about the flavors. They stand out in a very delicate, non-obtrusive way. I can taste the mint but also them. All of the Nana mints are perfect for breakfast  which is how I start my day.I also like them after dinner , especially if I've had a full carbohydrate heavy meal. The teas ease that full stomach feeling that comes with eating too much.

This holiday season, brew yourself any of the flavors from Wissotzky Teas. The blended spearmint is perfect after a full meal or a crazy day. The flavors are not only delicious but soothing during these hectic days.

Your Summer Bar

Summer is the time for entertaining. There are barbecues and pool parties, Sunday morning brunches and Saturday night gatherings. A backyard bar is necessary. Guests want a cooling drink and it's up to you to provide some fun and fruity libations.

What should a summer or backyard bar have? A good mix of alcohol and non alcoholic beverages. Champagne should be on hand.It's an exciting twist to a Saturday night get together and is needed for Sunday brunch mimosas and Bellinis,If it's too expensive , then try sparkling wines such as Prosecco and Asti Spumanti. Lighter wines are also a must.Pinot noir is a good choice on a hot night.It's a red that will go with bold steaks and juicy hamburgers.A German Reisling white can be good with grilled chicken along with any kind of fish or seafood. Try it when you serve grilled lobster tails or scallops. If you want to vary it, then choose a Chardonnay to go with barbecued meats and seafood.It's also good with any kind of ham or toasted food such as almonds or baked goods - think mini quiches.Of course there should be beer. Everyone's favorite is Corona - with a slice of lime . What does it go with besides Mexican dishes? Gazpacho shooters which are easy to make along with grilled chicken wraps. As for the usual fare try pale ales with the burgers and dogs.Other kinds  of alcohol to have are vodka and rum, along with bourbon and tequilas for cocktails and shots.

A summer bar should have extras for mixers and non-drinkers. Plain and flavored seltzers are a must.One of the best and most flavorful is Bubly. The brand has a myriad of flavors from an intense cherry to a zingy grapefruit. Buy a number of flavors for your guests' many tastes. Of course there should be soda. Stick with the classics Coke and Pepsi which you can add rum to for a fun rum and Coke.What about fruit juices?Lemon and lime juice should always be on hand. You can buy bottled juices or have the fruit  ready to be cut and squeezed. Include oranges too. A bottle of the pulp free is needed for tequila sunrises, screwdrivers and mimosas. Pineapple juice ,reminiscent of luaus and exotic climes , can add spark to any summer cocktail. Imagine grilled ham steaks served with pina coladas or mojitos. Sub in grapefruit juice for a real change. Just remember these two won't get used as much as other juices. Buy small bottles if you're planning on using them.You can't go wrong with a bottle of cranberry juice.It's good on it's own or mixed with vodka.If you're planning on a brunch , then buy a bottle of tomato juice for Bloody Mary's.

A well stocked summer bar is the key to a good warm weather get together. Have the appropriate wines and hard liquor on hand as well as the extras. Your  thirsty guests will appreciate the variety.

A Whiff Of Citrus

This is the time of year when pumpkin spice and maple reign supreme flavorwise. However we're all overdosing on them right now  as the two saturate everything from coffee to even butter!. A summery whiff of citrus would be good right now. Luckily we can still get lemons, limes, and oranges and create refreshing sweet and savory dishes.

The inspiration came from Melissa Clark's A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Her take on lemon cake has almonds plus a glaze. No mace or cinnamon or cup of maple syrup inn sight.What is truly interesting about this recipe is that the lemons are boiled not zested or juiced. However she missed the zest's light flavor so she added it.There is also a lemon glaze, made with more fresh lemon juice. She has made it with a combination of lemon and lime juice.A lime cake is another breezy choice.It's an easy mix of a regular scratch cake with the addition of fresh limes and fresh lime juice.Some lime cakes also have the addition of lime gelatin to enhance the flavor as well as the color. You can use these recipes however a more natural recipe is the one with just the fruit itself.Lime cookies utilize the fruit's juice and these are a refreshing change up from the usual fall cookie .Oranges are another citrus that add to any dessert. Make a refreshing mousse  with them , perfect after a heavy Sunday roast.Orange buttercream icing will liven up plain vanilla cake or cupcakes.An orange pound cake is a great fall bake, perfect to take as a holiday dessert.

Citrus can play a huge part in livening up savory dishes. Lemon chicken is one of the most famous savory dishes that is boosted by citrus.It only requires a tablespoon of lemon juice. Roasted chicken can also get jazzed up by stuffing a lemon inside the cavity and brushing a mix of lemon and garlic on the skin. Potatoes can also get zinged up with the fruit. Mix it with mustard for a fun shake up to a classic side. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice  makes broccoli and green beans sparkle with flavor and is a nice change up from the usual butter and cheese sauces. Lime is always associated with Mexican cooking.It livens up chicken and beef fajitas and can take guacamole to a whole new level. It's also great with seafood. Think grilled shrimp with chili and lime for an eye opening combo. For a low calorie , yet flavorful meal, grill salmon with a basting of lime ,cilantro and honey. If you want a sweeter flavor, think oranges. The most famous is orange chicken is the Chinese version, spiked with ginger, vodka and the Chinese wine Shaoxing, Of course the most famous is duck a l'orange which is a melange of flavors from fresh orange juice to coriander and cumin. Scallops are also good with an orange marinade. The bright citrus flavor enhances the fish's inherent sweetness.

Use any citrus fruit as the antidote to all that cinnamon and maple. A dash of lemon, a squeeze of lime, and a squirt of orange presents a refreshing change up to sweet and savory dishes. Try them today for a zestier , breezier taste.

Your Perfect Gingerbread House

One of the staples of the holiday is a gingerbread house. It is as ubiquitous as Santa, and cookies. It is also the dream of every home baker to create the perfect one. Unfortunately, it's one of the hardest baking projects any baker can tackle . However, there's a guide to help build that perfect house.

Luckily Julia Moskin becomes our Property Brothers in today's holiday issue of the New York Times Food section. She has got the former White House pastry chef, Bill Yosses, to give some tips as well as a cut out pattern to create the perfect house. (Keep in mind that the recipe is printed on the pattern for the house's front and back while the decorating tips are printed on the pattern that will make up both the house's sides and roof). Guests and especially the baker will want to nibble on the creation so the gingerbread itself has to be tasty. Chef Yosses suggests adding orange and lemon zest to cut the spiciness. Also a pound of butter also helps,giving it more of a butter cookie vibe. The spices are there - in heaping teaspoons, mostly ginger and cinnamon  which ,along, with molasses , give the cookie its' rich deep tan color.The pieces are baked in batches. The dough has to be refrigerated overnight before baking and it needs three days to a week to dry out for construction.. The walls will have to be rebaked for fifteen minutes when the candy windows are added.This is done by cutting out a circle and placing crushed hard candy in the middle. Again the suggestion is using one color for the window although you can use two ot three colors for a festive stained glass look.

The hardest part is the decorating and assembling. The icing will also act as the glue that holds the whole thing together. It is royal icing, made with a pound (!) of confectioner's sugar , two egg whites and one teaspoon of lemon juice. The egg whites will give the icing the stiffness it needs to hold everything together. The lemon juice gives it that crisp whiteness that makes lovely snowflakes and and snow dusted tiles. Putting it together will be the hardest part. Have help at the ready. Chef Yosses recommends using thick sealable one gallon plastic bags for the icing instead of the traditional pastry bags..Luckily you won't need any special tips, Just snip off a corner and use your dominant hand to guide the lines. Two bags are needed for construction and decoration. For constructing snip a hole measuring 3/8 ths of an inch while the decorating bag get's a 1/8 th of an inch opening. rest the bag in your palm and manipulate the opening with your thumb and forefinger. Decorating can be done in the traditional manner or with brightly colored candy like Gumballs and gum drops.. Assembling will be the hardest part . It starts with a steady wooden board or even an inexpensive cutting board. You can also go to an art store for a canvas painting panel. Use a can, mug or jar to prop this up. Make sure that the front wall sits inside the side walls. When the four walls are in place, then carefully (what else?) place one roof slab. This may slip so  add more icing and prop it up with a  ramekin or small glass. Wait until the icing dries before placing the other side.

A gingerbread house is a real thing of beauty not   home chef's unicorn. Do it properly and it will be the highlight of your holiday and baking career/It is easier than you think so go bake that house!.

The Sweet Side Of Polenta

Polenta has long been a savory meal. For years it's been drenched in everything from tomato sauce to eggs, be fried or grilled. Yet it can be used in sweet dishes as well,It's ot just for dinner anymore. It's for dessert and most surprisingly breakfast.

What is polenta? It's a dish of boiled cornmeal that's then baked, grilled or fried. It's derived from earlier pulses, hence the name, from spelt, faro and chestnut. The introduction of corn in the Columbian exchange changed the dish forever. Remember, there are two kinds, usually referred to as grinds. The coarser one makes for a firmer consistency , able to hold its' shape while the finer produces a creamy , soft texture. Use the coarser grinds for the breakfast polentas. One interesting dish is the corn made with cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg.Cook the polenta first and then add the sugar and spices, It's then pouring it out on a sheet tray and letting it chill for thirty minutes. Cut into squares and then fry, Serve with maple syrup and butter for a tasty breakfast.It can also be turned into a breakfast pudding.it's adding the meal to a boiled mixture of  milk vanilla bean and salt. A cup of sugar is then stirred in and it's served with Greek yogurt , honey and preserves such as apricot or marmalade.Try it with coconut milk , topped with strawberries and almonds.

Once you've tried sweet polenta, there's no stopping. It makes for an interesting dessert., because of the texture. A very trendy recipe in many Italian restaurants right now is chocolate polenta. This is an easy take on a classic chocolate pudding. Use the finer ground one for an extra creamy texture. It's cooking it for three minutes as it's whisked into a thin steady stream. Three tablespoons of sugar are added as is one teaspoon of vanilla extract and eight ounces of good dark  finely chopped chocolate.Stir until smooth and melted and served. Add a dollop of whipped cream or creme frache. Polenta can be cooked with butternut squash, coconut milk, and vanilla paste along with such spices as ground ginger and cinnamon for a healthy take on  it. Polenta is also an excellent base for cake too. Try it in a cake loaded with orange and coriander for a tasty and citrus-y dessert. Polenta can even take the popular form of the cupcake.It's mixed with regular flour to create a nice crumb. A cup of chopped strawberries and lemon zest are added for a nice fruity flavor and then they're iced with a strawberry lemon glaze.The Italians have been making polenta cookies for centuries. Try their buttery lemon infused swirls or simple tea cookies, perfect with espresso. The last can be dipped in melted dark or milk chocolate for a fancier party treat.

There is a sweet side to polenta. This classic Northern Italian dish can be made into a delicious breakfast pudding or a tasty orange infused cake. Use it to make fun cupcakes and buttery cookies. It's a great ingredient to any breakfast or dessert dish.

Epiphany Treats

Yesterday, January 6th was Epiphany, the day the Three Wisemen visited the Christ Child with gifts. The day and the treats that go with it can be extended for more celebrating. There are a variety of different dishes that celebrate this joyous day.

Different sects of Christianity celebrate the day with unique and diverse customs. Roman Catholics and Episcopalians celebrate with a King cake. This also makes appearance at Mardi Gras too, it's more of a cinnamon bread rich with cinnamon , nutmeg and butter. Raisins are also added too for color and added sweetness. There is usually a charm or even just a simple bean added  and the person who finds it is crowned king or queen. The Episcopalians have their version of this, namely any kind of cake but a light colored cake enables eaters to see the trinkets. Tiny plastic babies, representing Baby Jesus are added as well as dimes, symbolizing money, toy rings that symbolize the church's blessing, thimbles for increased industry, buttons for increased spiritual knowledge, shoes for waking in Jesus' path and fruit to reap the fruit of Christian living.One or all can be added. Germany and Mexico also serve similar cakes. Again the German version is more of a lemon and orange infused sweet bread with an almond hidden inside. Mexicans put candied fruit such as figs , raisins and citron in theirs.

Italy has the tradition of La Befana, the witch who visits with gifts.Mostly these are sweets being put into a stocking (sound familiar?) and the occassional lump of charcoal (again - sound familair) There is a savory dish made, namely a rich lasagna made with seafood and Cognac, whiskey and white wine. The seafood is shrimp and clams  enrobed in a rich bechamel sauce. The Greeks too have put their spin on this time honored and ancient holiday. Young men  dive into whatever body of water is nearby to retrieve a cross their priest has thrown in. Afterwards, they eat a dish made with wheat and peas called fotokoliva to ensure good health and fortune in their homes. They also fed their livestock this too, for  a prosperous and fertile year, The Northern Greeks make a giant bean and onion casserole that consists of fava or cannellini beans and baby onions. Fresh and canned crushed tomatoes are added for more flavor and color along with paprika and sugar. Bay leaves give the stew a nice earthy kick. The Greeks also serve several sweet breads such as Saint Basil's bread, all with a hidden coin tucked inside for luck.


This is a weekend to continue with holiday feasting and gift giving. Celebrate Epiphany with different dishes and sweet, along with lsitening to the story of the Magi.It's a nice extension of Christmas and New Year's.

Fun And Scary Treats

Halloween is definitely the time for creative baking and decorating., All it takes is cake mix , icing and candies to create creepy treats , sure to bring smiles to big and little monsters. Have some fun making these ghoulish goodies that taste devilishly fun.

There's a big push for confetti cake,  a cake with a good cup of sprinkles added in. You can start off with a white or butter cake and add  black, orange and purple sprinkles. A more Halloween centric cake is a  rich , fudgy devil's food  speckled with just orange sprinkles. The icing is usually a buttercream or chocolate frosting coated completely in  - what else - more sprinkles. Cupcakes can also be done this way too.If you're wondering on where to get sprinkles or jimmies in holiday colors, look no further than your local grocery. Its' bakery department always bakes holiday themed cakes and cupcakes ,using  specifically colored sprinkles. The extra ones are then put on sale for home bakers to buy. Other sweet All Hallow's treats are themed cakes.It's all about the frosting and decorating. A simple idea is  just orange icing, drizzled with chocolate. Scatter traditional or the new salted chocolate candy corn over or arrange in a fun mosaic.  Jack o'lantern cakes are always a crowd pleaser. There are cake molds, usually Bundt pans to give you a perfect sphere. It's then decorating with orange butter cream and making the features and pumpkin stem out of black and green dyed fondant.

Cupcakes are another tasty treat, everyone likes. Home bakers can go wild with creating fun toppings , sure to please the fussiest little trick or treater. A fun idea is the ultimate Halloween symbol, the black cat. Frost cupcakes with bought or homemade chocolate frosting. Add two blobs of green frosting for the eyes. Put a small dot of black frosting in the middle of these. The nose can be a pink Tictac flanked by black licorice strings. The kitty's pointy ears can be chocolate morsels.. Take away the nose and ears , put more licorice strings and you have scary spiders.Tombstone cakes are another ghoulishly great idea. Take Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies , break in half  , then coat with a pale brown or pale grey icing. Use a toothpick to write  BOO! in chocolate on them.For the cupcake frost with green icing and then stick the "gravestones' in them.Party guests can also ice their own if you set up a frosting bar. Have prizes for the scariest and the cutest decorated.Cookies are another fun Halloween delight . Make chocolate cat or bat cookies. They can even be turned into sandwich cookies. Fill with a tasty orange flavored creme  that' can be either made with cream cheese, butter or margarine along with confectioners sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest.

All Hallow's is a time for sweet treats and scary fun. Celebrate it with yummy cakes and toothsome cupcakes and cookies. Have a sweet Halloween and enjoy!

The Chlie Pepper Bible - The Perfect Pepper Book

Peppers, both hot and sweet, are wonderful to put into any dish. They liven up everything , from simple salads to tame drinks. Now there's a new cookbook celebrating them and their long history.It's a great addition to any home chef's library.

Judith Finlayson wrote The Chile Pepper Bible (Robert Rose Press) that' has both savory and sweet (!) recipes featuring all sorts of peppers. She is the author of many cookbooks that center around slow cooking, dips and salsa along with vegetarian cooking and appetizers.This latest is a dazzling amount of recipes that range from salsas to ice cream. Many home chefs refuse to cook with any kind of peppers, fearing the heat may be too much. This book alleviates all fears. Ms. Finlayson opens up the book with a detailed picture guide on every pepper grown on earth. She also gives us the Scoville scale which measures the levels of heat or fieriness..It was created in 1912 by William Scoville , a chemist who determined how much sugar water it takes to neutralize the heat. It takes 5,000 drops to neutralize a jalapeno pepper  so it would be classified as 5,000 SHU or Scoville Heat Unit. This is what I love about the book,It has so many nuggets of information and history. She writes of how peppers became a staple of various regions, from India to England, and from America to China. There is an interesting history of Tabasco Sauce along with the chemical breakdown of capiscums.  The last surprisingly links them to the vanilla plant.

 There are many international recipes since peppers are universally used in all aspects of cooking, The recipes are divided into sections , from appetizers all the way to dessert. Each has a good amount of recipes to try The appetizer section has such diversity as the Southern classic deviled eggs with cayenne and pickled bird type peppers to  the Korean kimchi patties with a chili paste dip.Soups are also represented in the book and there is a variety to choose from. Home chefs will love making Bermudan Fish Chowder along with the famed Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, redolent with red finger chiles and sliced onions and scallions.Meat lovers will enjoy the recipes for Brazilian feijoada, Turkish style stuffed peppers and Catalan meatballs.There is also Ms. Finlayson's version of Kung Pao Chicken given a kick with the addition of cayenne peppers.If a whole meal made with heat is too daunting, there are plenty of side recipes.Try her recipe for the Indian based Spinach and Tomato Dal, a flavorful chickpea paste livened up with Kashmiri ground chile pepper.Her paprika laced Home Style Hash  Browns will liven up any weekend brunch, The most surprising are the dessert and drink recipes.Pecan pie along with spicy orange coconut ice cream gets a jolt of fire along with tomato drinks.

The Chile Pepper Bible is a great cookbook for those who to add heat and spice to their cooking and baking. Home chefs can experiment with recipes from all over the world and create spicy and interesting dishes and even desserts. It's an exciting and interesting must have for any kitchen,

Ribs, Ribs And More

This is the height of the barbecue season. One of the staples of outdoor cooking is ribs, whether beef or pork. They are one of the tastiest cuts to grill outdoors and enjoyed a number of ways. There are so many of them to ,from good old fashioned  Southern style to spicy  Szechuan.

Is there a difference between beef and pork ribs?There are some. Beef ribs come in only two cuts, back and short. The back version is what is left over from where the boneless ribeye loins and boneless ribeye steaks are cut. They don't have as much meat as the short ribs. These are from what's known as the "plate" or lower side of the cow.Cooked right they can be very juicy and flavorful which translate into higher pricing at the butcher's or grocery store.Beef ribs are more for steak lovers because that's what they taste like. Pork ribs taste like pork chops. Pork ribs come in three types, back, spare, and St. Louis.The back ribs come from the pig's loin section. They're what's left when the loin meat is cut away to create the loin roast, tenderloin or pork chops. The spare ribs come from the belly section which are the longer ones from the bottom part of the rib rack. St. Louis is when the spare ribs are trimmed to be a rectangle instead of a triangle. Either way, both beef and pork ribs are delicious, especially if they've been marinated or rubbed with a variety of different sauces and spices. Remember to trim the fat away before prepping so that each bite is meatier instead of greasier.

Beef ribs can stand up to acidic marinades. These can have a base of lemon,orange and even Coca Cola along with strong flavors such soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Try a Chinese influenced one with soy, garlic and scallions. Add a good sprinkle of Szechuan peppers for some eye opening bite.The balsamic vinegar can be used in a Mediterranean style marinade, along with rosemary and oregano.Pork ribs demand a sweeter marinade. Try a molasses based one that's also redolent with  chili powder or fresh ground pepper for fire and spice. Cherries can also be used in a sauce along with cloves,and Worcester sauce. A butter sauted onion is added for more richness and flavor.A homemade dry rib rub can elevate this simple dish into something special. A rub is usually a mix of herbs such as oregano and rosemary along with other dry ingredients such as salt and spices. Cayenne or fresh ground pepper usually brings the heat while cumin and paprika  give the meat that nice rosy color. Beef ribs need a more savory kind of rub while pork can stand up to a  brown sugar one.Onion and garlic powder can be added to cut a rub's sweetness. Make sure there's sauce though for dipping at the picnic table. Wet naps are optional but always welcomed.

Ribs always make a barbecue much more special. They add fun and flavor whether they are beef or rib. Make them for a memorable grill outside.

Know Your Marinades

It's the beginning of grilling  season and that means marinated meats and veggies. The question is what kind of marinades work well with them? Will a simple oil and spice  one work for all or just one particular kind of meat? What about barbecue sauce? Or rubs -are they considered  a kind of marinade.Beginner grillers will have all sorts of questions regarding this.

A marinade in simplest terms is oil, an acid and some kind of flavoring - sort of like a vinaigrette dressing.The marinade acts as both a tenderizer and flavoring.The tough fibers that make up the meat are broken down thanks to the acid in the vinegar, creating a tender melt in your mouth cut. Since beef is a bit tougher than chicken , it pays to have a strong acid in marinade such as wine vinegar or red wine itself.This kind of bath is perfect for a brisket, a thick cut that is often grilled. A great marinade for it is one that has both wine and  red wine vinegar. Lemon juice can also be added for more tenderizing. As for flavoring, try robust spices such as cayenne pepper and dried mustard. Steak , another barbecue favorite also gets a hearty marinade in the form of red wine vinegar mixed with Worcestershire sauce tempered with olive oil.Oregano and thyme are the herbs used for flavor. Barbecue sauce can also be used for red meat too.It's sweeter, but still has the same effect thanks to the addition of apple cider vinegar which also acts as a tenderizer.A rub isn't considered a marinade because it's not liquid .It can be added to a barbecue sauce however as an ingredient to a marinade.

Remember that what works for a steak and brisket may not work for chicken. Those robust baths of wine and red wine vinegar may turn poultry into mush. Stick with lighter acids such as lemon, lime or even orange juice. Rosemary can be used as the flavoring along with oregano. Many people love the flavor of lemon pepper chicken and it can be replicated in a marinade. Use freshly cracked peppercorns along with a third of a cup of lemon  juice. Since this produces a delicate flavor use a delicate herb such as dill to round it out. Fowl can work well with any fruit so think about a pineapple marinade that also includes honey and soy salt for a kick of savory. Orange juice based marinades can  also liven up  a barbecued chicken. Use freshly squeezed mixed with olive oil and hot sauce for a real kicky marinade. It can work with fish and pork too. What about veggies? Should they be marinated? Absolutely!Even veggies such as mushrooms can be tenderized for delicious chewiness.Start with balsamic vinegar mixed with olive oil and then throw in fresh ground pepper and basil for flavor.It's usually a three to four hour soak before grilling You can also
 sub in fresh rosemary or parsley for the basil for an entirely different taste.

A good marinade makes for a good barbecue. Just remember that the heartier ones are more for red meat while the lighter ones will suit poultry just fine. It'll make for a delicious grilling season , full of tender, delicious cuts.