To matoes Provencale A New Spin

 One of the best summer dishes is tomatoes Priovencale. This southern French dish is rich with tomatoes and herbs along with crunchy breadcrumbs.  It s a great side but also perfect on its' own. Yet it is time to update e the recipe bit.

My local farmer's market has the best tomatoes.They're beefsteaks , and as large as softballs.The slices are huge and perfect for this dish.

These are cooked in a mix of olive oil and Melt plant butter. They;re arranged in a circular pattern in the skillet.

Add a dab of more butter before scattering on the breadcrumbs. This produces a lively juicy sauce. as the tomatoes cook.

Instead of traditional breadcrumbs I used Stop & Shops Panko Itlaian style kind, Panko crumbs really absorb the mix of butter , oil and tomato juice , which give the wholedish more flavor. Half a cup will do it.

Also a good dose of oregano give it a nice , herbal flavor too that goes well with the tomatoes.

Salt and pepper are also added in with liberal sprinklings. You can add garlic powder too if you want.

Cook with a lid on for ten to  fifteen minutes or until the skins are coming off the tomatoes and the breadcrumbs are moist and brown.

These are the tomatoes fully cooked. . They are done to perfection.

They taste like perfection too. The panko crumbs are perfect for absorbing the juices and the meld of flavors is heavenly. I plan on using panko again for this great recipe.

Tomatoes Provencale is the dish to make for summer. Use panko breadcrumbs for regular ones for a tasty spin on a French classic. They add flavor and crunch to this delicious dish.Tomatoess Provencale, panko crumbs. oregano, simmer, mel

A Kind Of Paella

 There's an alchemy between veggies spices and rice. They all work together to form a wonderful dish. The SPaniush have been making this for centuries  -.Paella, This is a wonderful meld of those three ingredients.

I wanted this dish  yet didnt want all the work with it. It starts with a melange of different cut veggies, tomatoes , boiled  potatoes, bell  peppers squash and Japanese eggplant.It's not exactly a traditional paella base but it is delicious.

These were first cooked down in a  generous mix of butter and olive oil.All this takes a while to cook down.Paella requires spicing namely oregano.

I used abiut a good two tablespoons of it. and sprinkled it all over the veggies. 

I also added a good an=mount about a tablespoon of onion and garlic powders along wit more olive oil. Two cups if water are also added to create a kind of sauce.

Cooking them down does tale time - about twenty to thirty  minutes to get all the veggies tender.

At the same time I made Goya Yellow Rice.It's not saffron rice that would traditionally

This takes longer to cook than traditional white rice but it is tasty. It was a good twenty -fie minute boil under the rice was thoroughly cooked and absorbed the oil and water.

It was a good mix of veggies and rice. I can also have the veggies as a kind of ratatouille with French bread too,.

The Goya Yellow Rice was the perfect foil to this . It was kind of like a veggie based paella ,I would make it again, but with vegan chicken and chorizo for a more authentic taste.

There's a definite alchemy between veggies, spices and rice This kind of paella is proff of that. Try it to enjoy the produce of the season

Friday Fish Dinners

 Now that we have Lenten Fridays , it;s time to start thinking of fish dinners. Any seafood is versatile and can be made into a variety of dishes. They can range from scampi to tacos, from the sophisticated to the fun.

A fish dinner can be both elegant and simple. Salmon fills the bill on both . Try oven baking it  after brushing garlic butter on it. You could add  pinches of oregano and rosemary too for a more herbal flavor or try a brown sugar -soy sauce glaze for an Asian vibe. It can be served with noodles, pasta or rice along with pan baked veggies.A quicker yet just as elegant meal is a salmon salad, This is flaking the cooked fish and adding it to a variety of greens along with grape tomatoes and sliced bell peppers. Dress with a simple vinaigrette made from a mix of white wine vinegar , olive oil and oregano. Another delicate flavored fish is tilapia, This has a sweet, almost no"fishy" flavor which makes it perfect for sauce like the French Meuniere. The sauce is only tree ingredients of browned butter, lemon  juice and parsley.It's also a good sauce for asparagus too.You could also make a Parmesan crusted tilapia too with the fish coated in a mix of the cheese and paprika , the last for color and bite.

Yes ,Friday demands fish and chips too. This British classic can easily be cooked up in an air fryer.For centuries the dis as been made with cod.It's the best to work with because of the firm flesh. The filets would come apart wen being breaded or fried. A traditional batter involves beer which gives it an extra crispy crunch;If you don;t like beer sub  in seltzer just to give it the batter that bubbly texture. Usually a cup is used a long with one and a quarter cups of flour and baking soda (for more lift) Two eggs bind it all together and you can add a dash of cayenne for some zing.The filets are cooked for about twelve minutes at around 400 degrees Farenheit. Chips or fries are a must too.How do you get them crispy and perfect with malt vinegar or ketchup? Dip them into a slurry of cornstarch and water.it's taking russet potatoes and cutting them lengthwise, first into planks and then into plants. After make  a of slurry of three quarters of a cup of water mixed with three tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook them in an oil sprayed air fryer for eight minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. FLip them over and cook for another six minutes more  or until golden brown.

Friday's are now reserved for fish. There are many recipes to choose from. ENjoy a delicate or a hearty one.

An Easy Cannellini Bean Dish

 It's summer and that means two things - easy cooking and easy eating. A hearty bean dip is one of these. Yet this has an Italian spin to it and is a lighter one in way . Cannellini beans, olive oil  basil, and oregano. make it a different kind of dip or hummus. 

This cannellini dip came in my email .It looked like the perfect dosh for a different Fourth of July.

It just too two regular cans of cannellini beans (everything was bought during a Lidl shopping trip) .

I used a good three tablespoons of olive oil to create a smoothness. 

it was then adding dashes of oregano and garlic powder along with salt and freshly ground pepper. These can be adjusted to taste. I like a garlicky .slightly peppery flavor so I add more garlic powder and pepper./Basil can be added as well for a fresh ,green taste too but go easy with it.

I used my trusty immersion blender but I used it sparingly. Too much blending and it becomes soupy. Too little and you still have bean chunks. It should look like a slightly knobby paste. The dark green is the  fresh basil I added.

What went with this? I bought a fresh loaf (It was steaming hot in the store!!!) of Lidly' rosemary walnut bread. 

This was a great supper for the Fourth. A big hunk of delicious bread drizzled with olive oil and then dipped 

in the bean dip. You can also use pits chips along with potato chips and Italian bread.

Cannellini bean dip is one of those easy summer recipes.It's easy to make.It's easy to eat. Make a bowl of it for a summer time treat.

Cherry Tomato Sauce New Product for A New Year

 There are a lot of products home chefs want to try in the new year.They can be an experiment to be used maybe once to try or if liked, incorporated into much loved sihes. ONe such is cherry tomato sauce. Who knew those little gems could be turned into something so rich and flavorful.

I saw Lidl's Italiamo  brand cherry tomato sauce and had to try it.It was too tempting to pass up.

This I could have fun with  was my first thought. Imagine what I could make with it.It would be a perfect addition to the Lidl sauces I already use. It's not only cherry tomatoes. There's carrots for sweetness, along with onions and basil to enhance the tomatoes flavor. Olive oil makes it smooth. I added a bit to last night's sauce

This was a wild thrown in into a pot .It was last night spaghetti with the sauce. The cherry tomato sauce was also great in making a cheese less French bread pizza for lunch.

I loved this., It was just slathering the sauce along with drenching a hearty slice of baguette with olive oil and oregano.Two minutes in the microwave produced a crunchy , saucy bite that was very satisfying and flavorful. You could also use this sauce for English muffin pizzas and regular ones too.

The new year is full of fun and products to try .Lidl's Italiamo Cherry Tomato sauce is one of them. Give ti a go for a nice variation on sauces and recipes.

A Late Summer Barbecue

 The weather's still warm. The grill is still viable. Why not celebrate the season with a late summer -early fall barbecue. Enjoy the taste of favorite summer treats while you can. They can even have a more fallish spin to them.

It's still warm enough to have hamburgers. You can easily go with beef , plant based or turkey. Yet if you want something different along with a nod to autumn then think pork based ones.Add sage to ground pork for more flavor along with bacon ground with garlic. Remember to make a two inch indentation with your thumb in each patty before placing over the flame to prevent bulging. grill them for five to six minutes on each side. What can go with this?Try an apple chutney from the season's first harvests. This is a kind of relish made with Granny Smitth apples, onions, and raisins. This are chopped and cooked in a mix of cider vinegar andd freshly squeezed orange juice. Spices such as hot pepper flakes and ginger are added for heat while brown sugar is added for sweetness. You could also put mustard seeds in if for flavor and color. Another idea is baked potatoes instead of  the ususal potato salad. pre cook them in the microwave for ten minutes before you put them on the grill. This ensured that they'll be fully cooked when you're ready to eat them.

What other dishes would compliment a late summer barbecue? Some gardens are still producing tomatoes. You can still whip up a salad with them with a nice creamy burata. Grilled toamtoes are also tasty side for any late summer barbecue. You can even give them a sprinkle of breadcrumbs for a take on tomatoes Provencale. They are just good rubbed in olive oil and garlic and then served on grill toasted Italian bread.Some gardens are still producing zucchini. These are wonderful too after being cooked on the coals. Slice them lengthwise instead of in coins and give them a light brushing of olive oil and a sprinkle of rosemary and oregano. What to drink with this? Try a French cider that's not as dense or heavy as  the regular cider that's just coming out now. The Duche du Longeville, a fizzy tasty quaff is too perfect with those late summer burgers. It'll chill nicely. If the night becomes nippy then bring out a thermos of flavored coffe or herbal tea. have these with grilled apples cooked in a foil pcket with brown sugar and butter and spiked with ginger and cinnamom.

Yes, you can still have a good barbecue depsite what the calendar says. Enjoy a late summer cookout with good food and good drink. There's still time.

YOur Very Chill Salad Bar

Sadly the pandemic closed a lot of those all ypu can eat buffets. One of the highlights was making your own salad, It was customizing a bowl of greens and creating something tasty and refreshing. You can easily replicate this at home.

Start with greens. I bought these mixed Spring greens from Target and really love the mix of textures and flavors.

It proved to be the perfect base for a salad that was rife with these tomatoes,also bought at Target. They're Roma which makes for a sweeter and fleshier slice.

I usually add olives but these artichokes hearts,another Target brand and chickpeas looked so good. I couldn't resist.

Once you have the tomatoes and lettuce base you can add anything. Try cold shrimp or leftover roasted chicken. Use that leftover grilled steak or London broil cut up into strips. Add some baby carrots and bean sprouts. Fruit is allowed. Try a handful of blueberries or grapes for some fun sweetness. Add crunch with almonds, and pecans mixed with croutons. 

What about dressings? Again get creative.

You can go with a simple olive oil and vinegar. If you want a traditional vinaigrette go with a red wine vinegar. Add traditional seasonings like oregano and garlic.  For a fruitier one sub in apple cider vinegar mixed with crushed strawberries. I like a good homemade French dressing.It starts with one of my faves, Hellman';s vegan mayo mixed with ketchup. Olive oil and a dash of apple cider vinegar is whirled in to create a creamy texture and tangy taste.
 

It's too hot to cook. Create a fun, creative salad, using the basics and imagination. You'll come up with one cool meal.

Good Fourth of July Recipes

 What makes a good holiday? Its' recipes. For the Fourth of July,  its' ones that reflect the American culinary landscape that's ever changing. It's combining them with the produce of the season to create tasty summer dishes.

Regular contributor  and senior editor Genevieve Ko  gave an excellent array of good recipes in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.what is great about this is that it reflects the rich multi ethnicity of this country. You could easily start with the Puerto Rican churrasco. This one from Von Diaz requires skirt steaks first marinated in a mix of garlic clove, oregano, white vinegar and olive oil.Adobo seasoning is added to this for more flavor. The meat can settle in this from ten minutes to overnight.  The marinade is then shaken off right before grilling fro two to three minutes.  Since it is a thicker cut it will need to be flipped a few times for even cooking.The sauce also called wasakaka is a mix of fresh parsley, cilantro and oregano leaves ground into a thin paste. Adobo seasoning and garlic is also added to this .You can use a mortar and pestle or a food processor for this. what can go with this ? A double tomato salad (which I will be making tomorrow) is the perfect foil. It's a cool mix of fresh and sun dried toamatoes. Since' it's a barbecue side there is pasta added., preferably long and twirly ones. Torn mint, basil or arugula  are also added along with  raw pine nuts, hazelnuts walnuts or almonds for crunch.

What would be the best Fourth of July dessert? Ms Ko recommends Kim Severson's decade old peach cobbler recipe. Years ago Ms. Severson , another Food section contributor took well regarded cookbook author, Edna Lewis.s one . The crust has two(!) sticks of butter in it mixed with three cups of sifted all purpose flour. There is still lard or vegetable shortening added but only a tablespoon. It should be frozen first and then cut into small pieces.There's also sugar added too. The filling has eight cups of peaches mixed with, four tablespoons of it along with freshly grated nutmeg, sugar and salt.  This is placed between the rolled out dough, cut into discs.  Four tablespoons of butter is cur up and placed on the filling before the top is slid on.Seal the edges to create a crust and slice in a few slits to let the steam out. Bake for fifteen minutes at 425 degrees Farenheit. You could gild the lily by serving it with . whipped cream or vanilla ice cream .It's still good on it's own.

The Fourth of July should reflect all of the US. Start with the Puerto Rican churrasco and Italian influenced tomato salad. Finish with the all American peach cobbler for a true American holiday.

Those I Don't Want To Cook Days

 Even the most diligent and food loving home chefs have them. Those I don't want to cook days.It' looking in your kitchen and thinking what can I throw together to make a meal? Surprisingly there are some good combos that make for memorable meals.

An easy way out is take out , yet why bother?It takes time and nowadays  money to have a full meal delivered. A quick dinner can easily be prepared in the time it takes to run out and grab a Happy Meal or have a pizza or Chinese delivered. Pasta and sauce are one of the easiest put togethers.I just discovered Rao's sauce, from the famed Manhattan eatery. This was a quick three minutes in the microwave while I boiled DeCecco's penne.Any prepared sauce will do and you can easily doctor it to fit your family's tastes. Add a glug or two of olive oil or a sprinkle of oregano for more flavor. For a more homemade taste, add a cup or two of pasta water to thicken the sauce and give the flavor some oomph. Keep in mind that pasta also is very good with a simple melted butter sauce or one made with just oil and garlic - aglia e olio. Serve it with a ready made salad and you have a filling and satisfying meal. Pasta salad is the perfect warm weather I don;t want to cook meal. Add some julienned mortadella and ham to it along with a chopped assortment of veggies.

An air fryer can greatly assist in those days when you jut are too tired to make an elaborate or labor intensive meal. Use it regularly. You can easily cook up real and plant protein based chicken nuggets and tenders in it. These make for a tasty meal that the kids will love. You can also fry up steaks in it as well. The end result is a strip with a crispy exterior and a tender , melt in your mouth inside. You can brush the meat with garlic or melted butter and then sprinkled with herbs or just sea salt and freshly ground pepper. If you;re really having a bad or lazy day think air fried Tater Tots. This is a quick cook that only takes about fifteen minutes or less to crisp up. serve it with bacon bits and melted cheese. One of the easiest full meals is breakfast for dinner. You can easily scramble up a few eggs or make an omelet. Vegans and vegetarians can rely on Just Egg,a mung bean based egg substitute. Add some sliced peppers, tomatoes and spinach to make it more filling or some mushrooms for protein.Microwave either pork, turkey or soy bacon for a tasty side.This is also the time to toast some Eggo waffles and serve them with butter and maple syrup.

Every home chef has those "I don't want to cook days". Don;t worry. There are plenty of easy recipes that can give you a no fuss, no trouble meal.

It's Still Barbecue Time

It is still summer and we will still have warm weather well into the fall. That means cooking out and still enjoying barbecue favorites. You could add an autumnal touch with different spices. too.

This is the season for tailgating too and you can easily make those game day treats in the comfort of your backyard.Hot dogs are big with the football crowd. Think piling them with either sauerkraut or chili sauce. A novel idea for the season is an apple relish or chutney. This involves peeling and cooking any red apple along with a a green Granny Smith one.Ginger, onions and apple cider vinegar is mixed in along with raisins to create a sweet and tart topping for both hot dogs and bratwursts. This would also be good with barbecued pork chops too for a hearty outdoor meal. Hamburgers are another great barbecue dish. Add a layer of sharp Vermont cheddar and applewood smoked bacon for a substantial lunch or dinner, You could turn this into a vegan treat by using Beyond Burgers topped with soy cheddar and Morningstar Farms soy bacon.You can also take a fall classic turkey.Home chefs can grill a turkey breast on the barbecue.Use a sweet rub made with brown sugar or one with herbs. Have ii with gravy and barbecued butternut squash brush with herbed butter.

Of course steaks are always on the barbecue menu.Elevate them to the next level with a red wine sauce. This is made with a Cores di Rhone red, mixed with garlic, unsalted butter and freshly ground black pepper.You could also serve the steaks with a fresh chimichurri sauce. It's an easy make of just red wine vinegar and garlic and a blend of oregano, parsley and cilantro. Sometimes simplicity is the best route to take. Marinate it in olive oil and lemon with a sprinkling of oregano. This can be squash strips and carrots for a simple side.Parsnips and turnips can also be roasted and served with a sage infused butter. in a week or two there will be the first batch of pumpkins, and these, too, can be added to a late season barbecue.Keep in mind that you need to buy the kind used for pumpkin pies and not the ones used for decoration.It has to be sliced and then the seeds and pulp have to be taken out.After that you can add butter or olive oil along with such spices as cardamon or nutmeg.

It's still barbecue season. Keep grilling delicious meats and veggies during these late summer days. Add a touch of fall seasoning like nutmeg , pumpkin or apple to make it interesting.

The Joy Of Cooking Again

 Today was a big day >I got to cook again after a hiatus of three months.It felt good to prep and season. What was on the menu? Air fried  portabella mushrooms!!!!!

Granted these are easy to make. IT's just washing the mushrooms  brushing caps and gills with olive oil and seasoning the gill side. The seasoning is just a sprinkle of onion and garlic powders mixed with oregano , sea salt and freshly ground peppet.

The caps need to be cooked at 370 degrees for eight minutes on each side.

You could scoop out the gills and fill the caps with flavored bread crumbs but you'll miss the flavor of the portabellas. This is an easy cook with just flipping them over half way through,

They were served with a spinach salad( my brother's ) with tomato and vegan bacon bits

It was a great meal on so many levels. It signals that I'm back to cooking  and tasty air fryer meals. It's also the perfect Saturday dinner, filling but light, and full of flavor.

Yes, it's a return to the kitchen, I'm looking forward to not only air frying but grilling and roasting again. THere's a lot of lost cooking time to make up.

A Vegan Greek Easter

 Orthodox Easter is this Sunday , May 2nd and with it comes a wide variety of different dishes. The highlight is lamb, whether a whole roasted one or a leg. Yet what about Greek Orthodox vegans or vegetarians? Can they have a satisfying , holiday meal? The answer is yes.

Baby lamb on a spit is has been one of the traditions in the centuries old meal. Yet this is abhorrent to vegans , vegetarians and any animal lover.A better main dish is spinach pie or spanokopita baked in a phyllo crust. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser, especially with a flavorful crust and filling. It uses one of the staples of Greek cooking - spinach.Mint, parsley and dill enhance the leaves fresh Spring flavor. Leeks onions and nutritional yeast are also added. This pie can be baked in an oblong pan pan and cut into the traditional squares. Another idea is baked tofu marinated in lemon and olive oil,along with a good sprinkle of Greek seasoning. You can buy this last or make it yourself. It's an easy mix of oregano, garlic and dill.parsley marjoram and thyme is also blended in along with cinnamon and nutmeg. This mix works well added to another Hellenic dish gone meatless - moussaka. This is lasagna using with sliced eggplant instead of pasta., Lentils and tomatoes are another tasty and vitamin rich layer, highlighted with onion and garlic. There is a bechamel sauce added , but you can make a non dairy one using soaked and unsalted cashews.

Since it is a holiday dinner, also offer one or two sides. You could just make a simple Greek salad using vegan feta. This can be store bought like Violife that you can find at whole Foods or online at Vegan Essentials. The non-dairy kind can be homemade.It's taking a block of firm tofu and blended with a mix of apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast and miso paste. Lemon  juice, coconut oil and onion powder are also mixed in to give it that unique briny, salty taste. Rice filled dolmades or stuffed grape leaves will pair well with the spanokopita or moussaka These are grape leaves filled with rice , lemon juice , Spring onions and garlic. It's a quick steam in a pot of hot water mixed with olive oil. The last is added to prevent the rolls from breaking or the leaves from tearing. Beet salad is another great side. Dress boiled and sliced beets with just a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. Spanokorizo is the perfect side to Greek marinated tofu. This is a simple mixture of rice and spinach with tomatoes or tomato paste. Mint and chopped dill are added for more flavor.

It is possible to have a vegan or vegetarian Greek Orthodox Easter. Make the delicious spanokopita or moussaka as the main dish. Try the Greek marinated tofu if you want more protein. Serve with tasty Hellenic inspired sides for the ultimate holiday feast.

Potato Croquettes - Celebrating Mardi Gras

 Today is Mardi Gras, a different one from years past. We can still celebrate  - at home with fun foods. For me it's potato puffs or  croquettes. I used last week's homemade mash potatoes to make a family favorite.

My recipe is a hybrid of two , one from Airfry Guide and the other from Fork To Spoon. Fork To Spoon suggests first rolling the croquettes in flour then egg and breadcrumbs. I nixed the first and just had the vegan egg mix Vegg and regular breadcrumbs. I used about two tablespoons of the egg mix and a cup of water to get it to the desired yolk thickness.  The recipe calls for a cup of breadcrumbs. As for the potatoes , use anywhere from two to three cups (I used the last because the croquettes are popular in my house)

It was a quick dunk, then roll in these.   They look like cauliflower florets.

 They were fried for five minutes at 400 degrees F in the air fryer. 

They were then taken out  flipped and air fried for five minutes more at 400 degrees F.

  These were a tasty bite, with a crunchy exterior and a tender interior. I added some parsley and salt to the breadcrumbs for more flavor.

                                   The whole batch was around sixteen croquettes but they were quickly gobbled up. That's how good they are. You can vary the recipe by adding ham or cheese in the middle. Add a dash of garlic or onion powder to the bread crumbs along with oregano.

This is a fun Mardi gras dish. It's a lots of messy work but worth it. Celebrate any event with homemade potato croquettes.

The Perfect Stew

 January is a notoriously cold month. What better than to chase that chill than with a good, well made stew. There's something about the blend of veggies and meat with a good gravy. It's the perfect meal for these bone numbing days.

What makes a good stew? It starts with the meat if you're making a meaty one. Get cuts that are very tender and flavorful.If you can't, use a meat mallet to tenderize the beef. The end result is a tender forkful of melt in your mouth goodness. Chuck meat makes the best stew meat which comes from the cow's shoulder. You could use rump meat too even though it's not as tender. It is flavorful though which is a plus for any stew. Some home chefs prefer a good chicken stew during these frosty days. Use only thighs and breasts because they're the most meatiest. Fish stew is a bit different. Several different kinds of fish make for the most flavorful blend. Think a firm white fish like cod or halibut. if you can;t get these, then use tilapia or  red snapper. Steer clear of delicate fish such as sole and oily fish like tuna. You can also throw in some shrimp, clams and scallops for a brinier flavor.  All good stews need vegetables to round out the mix. Try different amounts of onion, chopped celery, carrots and waxy or boiling potatoes. Peas can be added for color and more nutrition. Herbs and spices can also bring out the flavors of veggies and meat. Oregano and bay leave are the most popular but you can also use parsley , basil and rosemary. It's up to you.

There are two ways to cook stew - with a reduction of  gravy  - sort of like au jus or thick like turkey or roast beef gravy, You can add red wine such as with the fancy beef bourguignon. A thin sauce starts with water and beef broth. A thicker one begins with a slurry made from a teaspoon of flour with a little cold water. How to cook the stew is another matter. The old fashioned way is on the stove top for about one and a half hours for beef and only half an hour for chicken. Fish stew is the quickest for only ten to twelve minutes and three to five for a really quick dish. Beef and chicken stews lend themselves to crockpots and Instapots and you can easily cook them in them as you can with another traditional stew  - lamb. What to serve with stew? A  simple green salad with a few grape tomatoes thrown is your best bet. It's a nice side and doesn't take away from the stew.A must is either a crusty bread like a baguette or sourdough. These are perfect for sopping up the gravies. Another idea is making dumplings to cook on top of the stew. These are a mix of flour baking, powder , sugar and butter or margarine. You can add herbs for a more flavorful one. They're cooked on top of the veggies, meat and gravy, producing a tender and fluffy bite.

This is the coldest time of the year. Warm it up with a good hearty stew. Enjoy the savory blend of meat , veggies and hebs.It will warm your heart as well as your stomach.

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

 A fun lunch side is always a plate of homemade chips. Amp it up with sweet potatoes. These are a different spin and are even healthier, especially when fried in the air fryer.

The hardest part is slicing the potatoes. Sweet potatoes are just as solid and woody as their tuber cousins.

I should have used my mandolin to get thin slices but I wanted something a bit more meatier. One sweet potato is enough. it yielded about ten slices which is perfect for two people for lunch. The slices were uneven but cooked up pretty much all the same.

It's then tossing the slices in a mix of olive oil, oregano , salt and pepper.

  You can use any herb such as rosemary or dill but I felt oregano had more oomph than any of these.

The slices were well coated and then put into the air fryer for eight minutes at 400 degrees F.  I then turned them over to make sure they were evenly cooked.

Again the sweet potato is woody so it required more cooking. I put them in for another eight minutes , again at 400 degrees F.

The end result a crispy tasty chip, flavored with oregano.Next time I think I'll add a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan . You can also add some garlic powder for a savory taste or brown sugar for a sweet one. You can make a quick aioli dip for them using mayo, lemon juice and garlic.

For a tasty lunch treat air fry  some sweet potato slices. They're a great healthy side , perfect accompanying anything from sandwiches to soup. You can even eat them on their own, that's how delicious they are!

Bowls Of Comfort

What's round and soothing, good tasting and good for you? A comfort bowl. It's the perfect lunch , dinner and even snack You can get creative or nostalgic, depending on what you have in the house.

The perfect comfort bowl should start with some kind of grain. Pasta is the preferred because it's so versatile but you can also use brown or white rice along with cubed bread.Some even use polenta, because like the others it's versatile and relatively easy to cook up. How much can fill up a bowl? That depends on what how big your bowl is. It's usually a cup of pasta for two cups of water and  one cup of rice  to once cup of water.  To make the dish. more flavorful , cook the pasta or rice in any kind of broth, beef, chicken or vegetable. Many home chefs keep it simple. They add just a knob of butter or margarine and some shredded cheese. This works perfectly but if you want to zing it up a bit think about a sprinkle of ground herbs. Basil works as does rosemary or oregano. A small dose of garlic salt also does something to elevate a bowl.Spices, too, can make any bowl a bit more special. Think curry or garam masala for an Indian vibe or chili powder and red pepper flakes for a Mexican feel. 

A more substantial bowl can have all sorts of ingredients. Also a comfort bowl can take leftovers. They're a good way of using up that rotisserie chicken or steak tips from the previous night. Leftover hamburgers can be quartered and added. Canned vegetables can be used for color, texture and more flavor. A mix of carrots and peas are good both with small pasta such as rotelli or penne along with string beans and broccoli. Peas work well with rice for a spin on risi bisi. This last is usually made with arborio rice but you can use long grain white instead. Bok choy, tofu and cabbage work with long pasta such as spaghetti or angel hair for a Chinese influenced comfort bowl. Douse with soy or tamari sauce. Another idea is a bowl of savory bread pudding. This can have all sorts of ingredients from sausage to chicken to bacon. Veggies can be a range of different mushrooms from shiitake to cremini as well as different colored ones. Chop up any stray pepper or tomato you have and add them in with some chopped onions and garlic.

There's nothing like a comforting bowl of something hot and delicious . They're easy to make and fun to eat. Try one if you want something simple but substantial.

Fried Eggplant A Summer Favorite Redone

One of summer's favorites is fried eggplant. There's nothing like eating "poor man's oysters" as it was once called. I decided to update and veganize it a bit.

First it's slicing and salting or debittering it. This takes out the bitter flavor and sometimes itchy feeling after eating it.

This is just slicing it and sprinkling the slices with salt (I used sea salt). Brown liquid will come out after half an hour. This is just the moisture and that bitterness coming out. Also doing this gets rid of that sponginess sliced eggplant has. (I watched Chef Tony on You Tube for all this info. He's a great chef with must watch videos).

Usually breading it involves egg, flour and breadcrumbs. I went vegan with Vegg , the faux yolk mix. I used two teaspoons mixed with  half a cup of water. 

This was microwaved for two minutes and whisked.

The eggplant was dipped in it. with both sides completely soaked.

The slices were then breaded on both sides. I kept the skins on which I may not do the next time. 

I used Stop & Shop's plain breadcrumbs but you can use ones with Italian flavoring. You can also add vegan Parmesan cheese, oregano, parsley and garlic salt if you want a more flavorful breading.

I piled these  because my air fryer only takes two at a time. It's spraying the basket with cooking spray and cook both sides at 400 degrees F for six minutes each side.

This is the end result.

The slices were crunchy and tasty. They were a bit salty and I think I should have added some oregano and garlic salt to the breading. I will definitely make these again though. It was served with a simple tomato salad.

This is the recipe for those wanting a new twist on fried eggplant. The slices taste the same  - maybe even  better - than the original recipe. Try it and see how good this summer classic is updated with Vegg and fried in the air fryer.