Your Mom's Day Checklist

 it is Mother's Day tomorrow - a time when ads and kids test out their culinary skills. Yet is there enough bread for a family brunch of French toast?Or enough chicken for her favorite barbecue? is there even enough Dawn for the dishes?

One thing the dads or older kids - like the tweens and teens is making sure that there are the right ingredients in the kitchen. French toast is just milk soda bread fried in butter. The mixture is a custard made with whole eggs milk, cinnamon and vanilla  extract.This is what gives the bread  that custardy coating and unique flavor. Is there enough butter or plant butter to fry the slices along with saving some to put on top with maple syrup. Also the same goes for the milk. it goes fast in a house full of kids and there should also be enough for French toast. Make sure there is enough maple syrup too. As for pancakes do you have enough flour and baking powder to make fluffy stacks of them? Eggs are another all important ingredient. They;re part of a pancake mix but they can be turned into delicious Eggs Benedict for mom's breakfast in bed. Keep in mind that everyone may also want their own Eggs Benedict too. A dozen eggs will suffice and there should be some left over. Scrambled eggs for a  small group is usually four to five eggs. The same goes for Sunnyside up ones too.

What about Mom's barbecue. have her favorite wings and drumsticks been marinated yet?Id not get to it. Most marinades take overnight to really kick in.Do you have enough olive oil or soy sauce for the base? What about the extras  - such as orange, lime or lemon juice? Are there scallions cut or ginger grated? The next question is what about her favorite sides? Aluminum foil is all important in grilling.Is there enough. Another must check is the grill itself. Has the grates been cleaned and the ash tray emptied? Is it ready for the first barbecue of the season? has the charcoal been bought or the twigs and branches gathered?Do you have the macaroni and mayo for a favorite salad? Is there enough celery for it? Do you want to try a fun variation of one of classic recipes.(although it pays to tell her in advance. Subbing in one ingredient for another may be too much of a surprise).make sure that outdoor eating has outdoor utensils too. Check to see if you have enough forks and knives along with paper plates and plastic bowls. if not you still have time tonight or tomorrow morning to buy them.

A good Mother's Day begins with well planned prep. Make sure you have everything you need. It's Mothers Day tomorrow. Make sure her day is ready without any last minute mistakes.

It's Still Winter, Eat Hearty

March usually brings about all things spring, from ads for lawn furniture and shorts  to the first delicate blooms. Yet it's still winter and that means warming food and drinks.Don't get the grill out yet - unless you want to cook in the middle of an ice storm.

What is great about the cold blustery winds of this month is that it brings on hankerings for comfort food. You can still make rib sticking stews and casseroles.If you're tired of what you've been eating for the past three months change up the recipes. Now is a great time to try that French classic cassoulet.This is a lush, flavorful blend of duck confit cooked with cannellini beans, onions and pork.Crushed tomatoes give it color and zing. Make it one cold Saturday night,and have plenty of toasted French bread to sop it up.If cassoulet is too much then stick with what you know and then vary it. Baked macaroni and cheese can be spiced up with everything from a sprinkle of paprika between layers to adding a layer of crumbled chorizo. Try adding julienned ham slices or bacon slices. Experiment with different kind of cheeses such as a sharp New England or smoked Gouda . Change up the pasta Sub in gemelli or rotelli instead of the usual elbow macaroni. Spaghetti, too, another great meal for a snowy day can get some variety too. Add kale to the sauce for some color and nutrition. Try a vodka - arrabiata hybrid sauce instead of the usual tomato one.

Cold March days are good for baking too. Since the month is associated with everything Irish, think about baking Irish soda bread.It's only four ingredients : flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. It's also an easy bake that requires very little kneading and no  proofing. You can add raisins to vary the flavor. Another Saint Patrick's Day treat is a batch of stout cupcakes. These are a fun activity on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. It's basically a chocolate cupcake with a kick. Make a stout -fudge frosting to really liven them up.Stout can also be baked into brownies as a way to make the recipe exciting.March also brings about Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.Mardi Gras has the King Cake, a sweet and spiced  bread that's topped with a rich tri color icing and a plastic baby inside. Make it without the icing and baby for a breakfast or brunch bread. Shrove Tuesday is the same day as Mardi Gras. , March 5th. A hearty stack of breakfast for dinner pancakes would be appreciated and enjoyed by the whole family.Try your hand at thick ,hearty whole wheat or buckwheat ones.Try them as savory, stuffed with ricotta and ham or sweet with Nutella.

It's still winter. It's still time to make hearty dishes and desserts that will keep you well fed and warm. Try some cold weather classics while there's still a chill in the air.

Hi Mountain Bacon Seasoning Making Bacon Better

Can bacon be improved? Are we not happy with the salty , smokey flavor? Surprisingly it seems we're not. That's where Hi Mountain Seasonings comes in with their latest creation  - flavor sprinkles for those strips in three exciting flavors.

Hi Mountain Seasonings is devoted to improving meat. They're more known for beef jerkies - which are amazing  - and marinades. Carnivores can also buy  the company's curing and smoking equipment such as aromatic cans to have highly flavored cuts. They came out with burger seasonings and it made sense that they should create one for bacon.I decided to try it, to amp up the flavor  of vegan soy bacon.

As you can see vegan bacon does leave a lot to be desired. The plus side is that's it not super soaked in its' own fat and  it is healthy for you. There are three flavors are Black Pepper & Brown Sugar, Sticky Bun and Pineapple Sriracha.

It's just liberally sprinkling on the flavorings and microwaving for two minutes.

The Sticky Bun flavor was sweet and full of vanilla. I can see it topping a French toast strata. As for the brown sugar and pepper, it would be great if you were serving pancakes or griddle cakes, with the strips on top. As for the pineapple blended with sriracha , think appetizers where the flavored bacon is wrapped around pineapple or mango chunks.If you're into snacking a bowl of bacon - as decadent as that sounds - then sprinkle the flavorings over it - or mix it with popcorn - for real movie time treat.

Can bacon be improved? Yes!Dash some Hi Mountain Bacon Seasonings on it for a new spin on a classic favorite.

Whole Grain Pancakes Tasty And Fun

Even though it's summer , you still can make a hot breakfast.One of the most popular and easiest is a plate of pancakes. On their own or paired with bacon and eggs, they make a great start to a beach  day or a jaunt in the woods. Add . whole grains and they're even better.

Melissa Clark wrote about them  in her column, A Good Appetite, in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She reminisces when her mother made them - for them a rare occasion.The elder added cottage cheese(!) to give the pancakes a tang . The texture was airy thanks to the eggs being separated and the whites being beaten into a frothy meringue.Ms. Clark's are the opposite  - dense and buttery, hearty and rich in flavor. This comes from combining whole grains such as whole wheat flour, cornmeal and and oat. Regular white flour anchors the whole recipe. Like any other pancake recipe, add ins are welcome. Use the fruits of the season, blueberries and strawberries. Chocolate chips can also be added in.Ms Clark recommends waiting until the cakes are semi cooked before to toss in the extras, as opposed to putting them in the batter.Wait until tiny bubbles appear on the surface and then drop the fruit or chips on to cakes before flipping. They'll set without running.It also allows the home chef  to create neat smiley faces on them without any smears.

The recipe is the basic pancake one. The batter is adaptable. Home chefs can adjust the ratios of flours being used. You can also sub in rye or buckwheat flour for the whole wheat. The liquid is buttermilk or plain yogurt (Ms Clark advises against using the Greek kind). It can be made with coconut milk and oil for vegetarians and the lactose intolerant. Three large eggs give it body and fullness.They don't have to be separated. What really makes it rich is the quarter cup of melted butter.along with the tablespoon of honey (for an earthier flavor use the dark variety.Also try sage , orange blossom, or wildflower honey to infuse their flavor). Use a griddle or cast iron pan for cooking them - although a regular one will do just fine. Cook the cakes in butter, flipping them when bubbles appear on the surface and start to burst. Flip and then cook for three more minutes, util the surface is golden brown. Go old school with a stack graced by a large pat of melting and a puddle of maple syrup.

A hot breakfast is still a desirable one despite the temps. Nothing beats a stack of buttery , whole grain pancakes. They're the perfect way to start a summer's day.

Your Pancake Guide

One of the best cold weather breakfasts is a plate of pancakes. They make for a hearty starter or even a Sunday  supper too..Best of all the recipe can be varied to suit different tastes and needs.

Pancakes are one of the oldest dishes in the world, first being made by the ancient Greeks. They were call tagenites and made sort of similar to today's recipe.The first recipe involved wheat flour mixed with olive oil, honey, and curdled milk and served for breakfast.They were topped with honey, cheese and sesame, possibly a form of tahini The ancient Romans made something similar. .It was Middle English that gave us the word pancake.Almost every country has some variation of the cakes.Most Americans and Canadians are familiar with flapjacks or griddlecakes. The US also invented the smaller pancake, the silver dollar, ever popular in pancake houses across the country. The French variation , the crepe, was a trend in the Seventies when a chain creperie , The Magic Pan hit the malls. Italians have a similarly textured one called the crespelle.Now we can experience the Indian varieties which, like crepes, are both savory and sweet.The Chinese have been offering savory ones for years in the shape of their tasty scallion pancakes.

Pancakes are one of the easiest breakfasts to make. Most home chefs turns to that classic , Bisquick to make hearty and sometimes heavy ones.There's also Aunt Jemima, the country's oldest mix , first being made in 1889 by Chris and Charles Underwood. Store's such as Stop & Shop and Trader Joe's also have their own brands. These are great if you're in a hurry and want to whip up a quick batter. The best,though are the scratch ones. Try the All Recipes one which has all purpose flour and baking powder for lift. Also eggs and milk are added to give the finished product a cakey texture.For richer pancakes sub in heavy cream for milk.Recipes like these also increase the butter amount too. Usually there are two tablespoons added but you can go up to a quarter of a cup. Pancakes are versatile. You can add nuts such as chopped almonds and walnuts or go the fruit route with blueberries, strawberries or coconut. Once you've mastered the basic pancake, then try the gem of the breakfast world - the Dutch baby. This is a German style one, similar to Yorkshire pudding. You do need a cast iron skillet for it because the skillet has to sit in a 450 degree Farenheit oven before the batter is poured in.It a richer version of the basic pancake recipe using more milk and eggs.It puffs up and is served with everything form lemon and powdered sugar to maple syrup.

Pancakes are the best defense on a cold January morning. This ancient recipe is still on trend thanks to being hearty and rib sticking. Make them your first meal , complete with butter and drenched in maple syrup.

Mardi Gras And Shrove Tuesday

Today is Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, the last day of celebration before Lent. It's a time of revelry and enjoying egg and butter rich foods before forty days of fasting. This is a time for pancakes too, thanks to the tradition of Shrove Tuesday. It's a celebration whatever is made today.

For some Mardi Gras means gumbo. This is an easy cook, a fun stew made with shrimp and andouille sausage along with the holy trinity of Cajun cooking - celery, onions and bell peppers.Okra which gives the dish its' African name is added along with tomatoes and tomato paste. It's a great meal for a dinner party too because of its' ease of serving. The dish is ladled over rice and served. Etouffee is a Cajun dish eaten throughout New Orleans at this time. It has another Cajun and Creole staple - seafood. Crawfish is usually used but shrimp can subbed in along with crab. It's called a smothered dish because it's ladled over rice which helps balance  the dish's fieriness. Again it's an easy make, using the usual ingredients found in the cuisine along with cayenne and hot sauce. A sweeter Mardi Gras treat is King Cake, a brioche type ring cake decorated with Mardi Gras colors and containing a trinket. They can be bought on line, if you're far from Lousiana or you can make it at home. It's basically a cinnamon coffee bread rich with butter and eggs., then topped with a confectioner's sugar icing. Purple, green and gold, Mardi Gras colors are sprinkled on top

Another name for the day is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day. Big in Britain and in Slavic countries like Poland housewives are supposed to use up all the butter and fat along with milk and eggs before Lent starts. Pancakes also symbolize the pillars of Christianity, eggs for creation, flour for the mainstay of human life,  salt for wholesomeness and milk for purity.There are races in Britian , with
the tradition starting in 1445.A housewife cooking pancakes heard her local church calling all to
church and ran to Mass, still flipping pancakes to prevent them from burning. All of the UK participate in this annual event, including William and Kate. Pancakes are one of the easiest dishes to make This simple dish can be jazzed up for the holiday with the addition of walnuts and pecans along with a fat pat of bourbon butter, Bourbon can also be added to maple syrup too. For a more sophisticated take,try crepes for Shrove Tuesday or even for meatless Lenten Fridays.The recipe is sort of like the pancake but the butter is melted first.It also helps to chill the batter for an hour before cooking for a crisper crepes It only takes two minutes to cook it on both sides.


Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday  is a day of fun eating before the fasting of Lent. Enjoy it with either a bowl of gumbo ,a slice of King Cale or a stack of pancakes or crepes.. Celebrate with good food.

Breakfast Of Love

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and .although, it's on a Tuesday, you still can create a romantic breakfast for too. It's a nice way to start the day and to chase away a chill winter morning. Just add love.

Eggs are always a good way to go. It's a plus if you have a heart shape egg mold to make a romantic  looking sunny side up egg. It can be served with buttered toast, but think lusher with an English muffin, croissant or even a sliced brioche. The last two would be wonderful to soak up that rich yolk. Another perfect egg dish for your valentine is Eggs Benedict. You can make the original with Canadian bacon but if you want some variety, try chopped chorizo or maple infused pork sausage. Vegetarians would enjoy the florentine version , made with spinach.If you feel the Hollandaise sauce may be too much - especially on a work day, skip it. You could sub in cheese for a breakfast sandwich. Omelets are another sweet way of celebrating the day. Try the original French style that has a  crepe-like texture and shape.It's more the execution than what's in it. It's taking one tablespoon of butter and melting it into an omelet pan or skillet. It's then mixing the eggs in the pan and folding the solidifying mass into the shape of a business envelope. Fill it with either savory or sweet. The best is with fine herbs, a mix of tarragon, chives, parsley, dill and tarragon.

Of course,Valentine's Day is always about the sweet -and sometimes naughty. What better way to say  "I love you" or "You're special" than a homemade waffle. This is an easy recipe. It's basically a cup and a half of flour mixed with baking powder , eggs and a cup and a half of milk.Fresh waffles are great but if you don;t have the time, there are always Eggos. These can be jazzed up with a bourbon or brandy laced maple syrup or a maple butter. This last is super easy to whip up. It's just mixing unsalted butter with maple syrup, brown sugar ,and pumpkin pie spices. Make it half an hour before you  toast  or make the waffles . It can also go on another sweet breakfast treat  - French toast. This too is simple to make, yet sinfully good. It's just dipping sliced bread into a mixture of eggs,  milk and some spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. The best French toast comes from baguettes or Italian bread. These loaves yield nicely chewy and dense toast, perfect for syrup and butter. Heart shaped pancakes are another perfect dish to wake up to. Serve with sliced strawberries and strawberry syrup. You could even spell out your initials in chopped strawberries.

Start the day of love off with a breakfast your sweetheart will surely love. It can be Eggs Benedict or waffles , drenched with bourbon maple syrup. Anything served will end in sweet romance.

A Fun Snowy Day In The Kitchen

A snowy day means a lot of fun to kids. It's a day out sledding down hills and making snow angels.It also can be a fun day inside, teaching the kids how to make everything from haute cuisine to fast food favorites.

Before you do anything, make sure you have all the ingredients. It's no fun running out of milk or flour and either braving the weather to go to the store or heading over to the neighbors with an empty measuring cup.If you're making any kind of dough, then have a five-pound sack of flour. Also have other essentials on hand too. Get extra eggs, cheese and tomatoes. Make sure the pantry is stocked with pizza and tomato sauces along with packets of easy to make sauces such as Hollandaise. Also, make sure you have enough milk. You'll need it for both cooking and making hot chocolate. The cooking fun can start with breakfast. French toast is an easy cook and can be made with any kind of bread, from challah  for a rich , chewy slice or whole wheat for a somewhat healthy start the day nosh. Older kids can even make it themselves. Younger home chefs can learn how to make maple butter - an easy mix of maple syrup and butter. You can add pumpkin pie spice for a zippier flavor. Kids can have fun with making omelets, adding favorites such as pepperoni and cheese for added taste.Breakfast sandwiches are also fun and kids can have a ball creating their own combos.

For the more sophisticated little gourmands, introduce them to Eggs Benedict This can be made not only for breakfast but also for lunch and even dinner.Again it's an easy cook that even six year olds can do. Depending upon their skill level, they can toast the Engish muffins or poach the eggs. Packaged Hollandaise sauce is a cinch to make.It's just adding melted butter and then stirring until well mixed. Those English muffins can also make neat pizzas too. Who doesn't love a personalized pizza dripping with tangy sauce and gooey ,mozzarella cheese. Load on your favorite toppings, from black olives to mushrooms to even salami. Stock up on several packages of English muffins because no one can stop at just one mini pie. For a more of a challenge, try tacos Kids not only love eating these , they also love making these as well. Again they can learn safe chopping techniques as they cut up the tomatoes and lettuce to cooking the meat fillings. Other fun Mexican  style treats are guacamole and salsa which again any baby novice chef can whip up. A snowy day also calls for spaghetti and meatballs. They're easy to make, especially the meatballs. It's the perfect time to introduce them to family recipes along with the enjoyment of making a satisfying meal.

A snowy day means fun , especially in the kitchen, Show the kids how to make favorite recipes to while away the hours. They'll enjoy not only cooking but making delicious dishes too.

It Starts With Starter

The best tasting bread starts with a bubbly piece of bacteria. Sourdough is nothing without starter yet it's hard to come by. Home bakers  have to inherited it from a family or friend - or so it was thought. The truth is anyone can make their own sourdough starter. The surprise  - is isn't just for the bread either.Almost any baked good can have it as a vital ingredient.

Sam Sifton explored and experimented with this wonderful  bunch of fermentation in today's New York Times Food section. The idea of using a starter is not new. It's how all home bakers baked bread even as late as a century ago . Many think it's the bread itself, but sourdough actually refers to the process.Most people usually "inherit"it , either from a friend or relative who inherited it from one of their friends or relatives.Some starters go back to the late Forties. However now it can be bought , from farmer's markets to etsy.,the online flea market where people can buy anything homemade. What home bakers do need to know is that a starter is a living being and it should be treated as such As Mr. Sifton suggests think of it as a pet turtle, It needs to be tended to regularly .It needs to be fed , sometimes every  two to three hours,if it;s to be used frequently. If it's in the fridge and not being used. then it needs to be tended to every week. Starter also has to be taken out too when fed, usually for one to two hours .An equal mix of water and flour is what keeps the starter alive.

For those home bakers who want to get started with starter, the best bet is acquiring it from someone..  Besides etsy and farmer's markets , it can be bought from Cultures For Health and King Arthur's Flour websites. However starter can be made at home too.It can be as simple as flour and water mixed together , then  letting it sit in a covered bowl at room temperature until it bubbles and blooms. The process can be sped up with the addition of grapes as baker Nancy Silverson advised years ago on Julia  Child show or with a few ounces of unsweetened  pineapple juice according to Peter Reinhart, author of "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." It then has to be fed.. Many obsessive bakers feed theirs daily and even use them daily (along with naming them, William Butler Yeast, Roxanne, and Sky pilot to name a few. Mr. Sifton doesn't believe in naming his livestock as he puts it).The good part about starter is that it can be used for other baked goods. Use it before feeding to make an overnight sponge to be used for pancakes nd waffles.It's also good for pizza crust, giving it depth as pizzeria owner , Anthony Falco's of Roberta's in Brooklyn can attest.It can also be used for rye bread too.

If home baker's are up to the challenge of "owning " starter then they should. It does need tender loving care but it does pay off.There's not only crusty, tasty bread but waffles , pancakes and even sourdough pizza!

Africa's Culinary's Contribution

February is Black History  Month,and African Americans have contributed a multitude of inventions, years of service and ideas to the American landscape. They have also contributed a wide variety of food and techniques to our culinary landscape as well. It is am impressive list, with a lasting impact.

Ask most Euro- Americans what African Americans have given to us food wise and they'll all say "Soul Food." That's correct however that's only one facet . They were responsible for much of our agriculture.One of the most important staples the enslaved have given us is rice cultivation. The first seeds came to the North American from Madagascar in 1685. By the 1750's it was one of the biggest staple of the Southern colonies. Senegalese "workers" taught colonists how to plant and cultivate the crop. They also brought cattle raising as well thanks to  the Fulani or Fula people from Semegambia . They were expert cattlemen , and showed white masters the African husbandry patterns of open grazing and artificial insemination.. Our modern term cowboy comes form them. Those that worked with the steer were called such. The Fulani people  also introduced the idea of drinking milk  for sustenance, a food concept so deeply ingrained in our culture , that's it;'s a given that we give kids milk.Food contributions are legendary, from okra to black eyed peas to yams. These have all added to our diets as well as expanding our palates' worlds.Peanuts were their most famous gift, It did start off in Brazil but Portuguese sailors brought it to Africa where it was embraced by locals.

African American cooks and chefs have also contributed a multitude of delicious dishes to the American cookbook. Cornbread is one of their biggest contributions., first having been made as a mush from corn meal. This pone was also similar to a dish called Eba where we get the modern day grits. Fufu is the grandfather of our modern day hoecakes and pancakes, first having been made with palm oil and flour. The ultimate Southern dish, fried chicken comes from plantation kitchens, with the enslaved bringing the traditional deep fried cooking technique to the colonies. Deep frying is actually a preservation technique, similar to heavy salting to preserve not only fowl but also beef.Soul food , of course is another big contribution but it has sad origins. It came from the refuse that plantation owners let their enslaved workers have for sustenance. They were also given a small plot of land to grow vegetables. too. Dinners were usually hamhocks with turnip greens or collards, staples that are eaten today by all Americans.It was washed down with coffee, another African import , from Ethopia's Kaffa region hence the name. Watermelon also came over with the enslaved as did Kola nuts which gives the base for the greatest American invention of all time Coca-Cola.

Without all these contributions American cuisine would not be as tasty or as varied. The African Americans gave us a good portion of our culinary history. They should be lauded for this along with their sacrifices for America.

The Nocciolata Nonna Made

A nonna's recipes are always treasured - and tasty. This is true with Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata, a creamy , delicious spread, redolent of chocolate and hazelnuts.It is the perfect spread for anything from strawberries to croissants.A small scoop adds a big impact of flavor.

The company that makes it . Rigoni di Asiago is known for its' variety of different homemade spreads, from its'  organic honey to various organic jams to the delicious chocolate spread.The nocciolata is one hundred percent organic, artesanally made and GMO free. The hazelnuts have been selected by the Rigoni family and they use top quality cocoa and cocoa butter. The other ingredients are low fat powdered milk, cold pressed sunflower oil and natural vanilla extract.Organic cane sugar is blended in to give it the right amount of sweetness  That  other hazelnut spread isn't even this pure , thanks to added artificial flavoring. Moms can feel safe and secure when they serve Nocciolata There are no extra preservatives or chemicals. It does have 190 calories and 100 fat calories a serving so  serve it  as a special dessert  or breakfast if you are worried about the sugar intake.However   is a better alternative to any candy bar or even chocolate syrup if you or the kids are craving a chocolate-y snack..

I should love the other spread. After all it was created in the same province, Piedmonte where my great grandparents came from however Nocciolata has captured my heart. It is a smooth, creamy blend of  cocoa and hazelnut.each flavor perfectly married to the other. It is yummy on sliced strawberries, tasty on sliced bananas. Since I'm on a microwave bread pudding kick right now I a going to  add a couple of dollops to the recipe or drizzle it over the finished dish. Nocciolata is also good on pancakes  and waffles and makes a great addition to any brunch. A perfect breakfast , though is a well made croissant split and thickly  slathered with it.Rigoni Asiago recommends making a cake roll with it or a mug cake (another recipe on my must bake list)it would also make a  yummy filling for homemade shortbread or orange shortbread sandwich cookies too.

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata is the perfect spread.It  adds to anything, from fruits to croissants. Try it and taste the perfect blend of hazelnuts married to chocolate. It truly is a harmonious blend of flavors.

Garden Fresh Dishes

Gardens all over are starting to yield the first harvests of the season.This is a boon for home chefs.The ingredients are not only organic and fresh but versatile.They can be made into a plethora of different dishes, from sauces to sides. Both David Tanis of A City Kitchen and Melissa Clark of A Good Appetite know this and wrote about using fresh garden veggies.Mr Tanis has an excellent recipe for using smaller tomatoes such as cherry and grape in a easy to make sauce.This is a neat take on primavera style.The tomatoes are cooked in olive oil until they burst.This gives the edges a nice caramelization along with a rich browning.Red pepper flakes are added in to give the sauce an arrabiata vibe but you can nix them if you feel he sauce will be too spicy.Mr.Tanis also add the salty pancetta bacon for another flavor burst and again this this optional He uses fusilli but again you can use any kind of pasta you want.Add this to the sauce and then add three tablespoons of butter for richness and more flavor.The pasta with sauce is then spooned into individual bowls and topped with a dollop of ricotta and a mix of scallion and mont.If this is too much just have a light sprinkling of Parmesan on top of the finished dish. Melissa Clark also discovered how good fresh vegetables ,are ,especially in a soufflé.Zucchini and squash are in season as well.The first is incredibly versatile.It can be fried,steamed sautéed or as Ms.Clark did, fold it into a soufflé.She also incorporates squash blossoms, again another versatile part of the squash.These are excellent made Piedmontese style ,dipped in batter and fried or stuffed.Ms.Clark also incorporates them in her souffles. The souffles themselves are rich , having béchamel sauce along with half and half and four s Large eggs.This is a labor intensive recipe with separating the eggs and prepping all the other ingredients.If you still hankering for squash? Ms. Clark recommends an easy steamed recipe that just calls for the squash with butter salt, and water.Other easy recipes are are zucchini coins, breaded slices fried crisply along with zucchini pancake.Both are nice easy ways of enjoying the squash's verdant, refreshing flavor. Serve with a tangy remoulade sauce for a summery appetizer. Take advantage of the great harvests that summer brings. tomatoes can be made into delicious sauces while squash can be turned into regal souffles or tasty coins.Go to your garden or farmer's market and pick up a basket of either today to enjoy fresh flavor.

Grain Range

One of the best ways to cook healthy is to cook with grains.There are a wealth to choose from and each can be made in a variety of ways.Grains aren't just used in baking.They can make excellent sides and even be the base of some Salads.Once you know what they are and can offer , you can create good for you and good tasting meals. One of the most widely used and ever popular grains is barley.Most know it from soups,It' can not only add flavor but also thicken them so they can resemble pot ages. Barley is good on it's own and can be used instead of arborio rice for making risotto.Remember to buy the pearl kind.It takes less time and water to cook. You can use hulled barley but it will take about an hour to cook and will require more water.Another much eaten grain is buckwheat.It's technically not a grain but a gluten free fruit seed related to the rhubarb.It has a deep nutty flavor and goes well with mushrooms or caramelized carrots and onions.Of course everyone knows it as a chief ingredient in pancakes but you could also use it in a bacon and egg scramble.For a more interesting spin use it as a filler for stuffed cabbage instead of rice. Some grains are only being introduced to the American palate.There is freekah, a Middle Eastern grain popular in Egyptian cuisine.It's cousin to wheat and is best toasted.The reason being is that a crop burned thousands of years ago after a village was attacked and what was left was roasted chaff.The villagers loved the smokey roasted flavor.It can be served as a side with butter amid herbs or as a salad ,namely with fruit such as apples and pears.Teff is another ancient grain from Africa.The grains are very tiny, sort of like poppy seeds, and have both a bitter and sweet taste.It is gluten free and very high in Vitamin C and calcium.The flavor is both bitter and sweet like chocolate.It is versatile,being an excellent breakfast with maple syrup or for lunch and dinner ,stirred into stew. Amaranth is another grain with an exotic, yet pretty name.It is high in protein and lysine.Use it in pancake batter or as a salad.It can even sub in for farina during chilly mornings. Grains are a wonderful to expand your menu as well as bringing more nutrients int the family diet.Try any one to start the day or end a busy day. Any one is a great addition to meal time.

The Mystery of Mung Beans

Most Americans don't have a clue as to what mung beans are. Yet they make up an important part of Asian cooking.They are easy to integrate into American cooking and become a part of everyday dining.Not only  that  they're a fun way of itroducing the family to cook food.

Mung or moong beans orginally came from Siberia and went as far south as India.This was 3,500 hundred years ago and the beans also hit the Thai penisula,It is also known as green or golden gran and made into several dishes mostly in the Indian subcontinent,.You can find them in southern United States and dry regions of Southern Europe as well.Mostly they''re used in Indian cuisiine where they're eaten with every meal from breakfast to dinner,In China, they're used more as a dessert and ice cream. as in Indonesia.Mung beans are usually eaten as pancakes with ginger in Indian cooking where these can be served all day long.

Mung beans can also find their way onto American tables as well.Most are used in healthy soup and rice recipes.They're a good source of dietery fiber and can be made a variety of ways.Many cooks use them as extra beans in bean soup.There is also a stew recipe which includes potatoes along with onions.The mung beans serve as the protein instead of meat You can make the Indian style pancakes however it's a long process that involves three to four hours freezing time.It's bascially as easy as making cookie dough and then rolling it out to fry it.

Mung beans are a different and exotic ingredient that can be added to any meal. Try them in a traditional pancake. or better yet in soup and stews.They're healthy and good for you along with being tasty.

A New Flip On Pancakes

Pancakes are supposed to be the bland foils for butter and maple syrup. They should take a back step and let the other two flavors shine. However in one recipe this breakfast staple becomes the star.It even is moved to the dessert tray thanks to a punch of taste.

The flavorful flapjacks was the subjects of yesterday's A Good Appetite column in the New York Times Dining section. Melissa Clark, the author, experimented with her usual pancake recipe. Her quest for something different actually started with her having a jar of rhubarb compote. She had paired it with the everyday recipe, yet it just didn't make the fruit's flavor pop. She then tried adding other ingredients which helped it immensely.

The extra oomph came from Greek yogurt and honey along with lemon zest and extra butter. This created a cake like quality to the texture along with a rich flavor. She then added poppy seeds for crunch and a hint of extra flavor too. Before serving she smeared more Greek yogurt and the rhubarb compote on them.It worked. These pancakes also would make an elegant dessert for dinner , almost like a thick crepe Suzette. In fact omit the poppy seeds and you could sub these in for that famed French sweet. Another variation  is adding lemon curd and layering the pancakes for a different kind of tea sandwich too.

Pancakes needn't be so boring. Add some Greek yogurt as well as melted butter to enrich the batter. It will give a new kind of flapjack, perfect for breakfast, even better as a new kind of dessert.

It's Mardi Gras Time!

Today is Shrove Tuesday or as it's known in New Orleans Mardi Gras. It's also Carnevale in the rest of the world. It's also the last "fun" day before Lent. You can go as wild as you want with yummy foods or stay traditional with the Shrove Tuesday pancakes.



Mardi Gras cooks have elevated this day to a high art. The most famous is the Kign cake a brioche like bread cake that is decorated with the official Mardi Gras colors of purple green and yellow. A plastic or china baby representing the Christ Child is added to the cake after it's been cooled and decorated. Bakers have also added a dried bean orgold coin.Finding any of these means good luck, but the luck is really in the butter sweet taste of the cake itself. Other favorites include a shrimp gumbo. the f med red beans ad rice(what New Orleans dish wouldn't be complete without it) and anything with made with crawfish.


Carnevale food is also just as good and as tempting . There are the Fasnacht doughnuts , yummy home made jelly doughnuts from Germany. The fillings can be raspberry red current or apricot. Italy has it's own variety of fritters , from the saffron laced Sardenian ones to cenci , powder sugar strips of fried pastry. there are also meaty pizzas made with sausage and pancetta. of course the English have Shrove Tuesday pancakes. These are made more like the French crepes, light and crispy with just lemon and sugar as opposed to th e thick doughy American pancakes

Whatever you call it, be it Shrive Tuesday , Mardi Gras, Fasnacht or Carnevale, it's a time for good eating before the fasting. Enjoy all the treats and sweets while you can. Then you can repent !

Buckwheat A Cold Weather Must Have

This is the season to eat hearty and healthy. Buckwheat , thankfully falls under these two categories along with being tasty and extremely versatile. You can make vitamin loaded meals with this amazing herb . You can also add some flavor to a bland January diet as well. Buckwheat is great in almost everything from pancakes to pasta.

Buckwheat is surprisingly part of the herb family(Fagopyrum sagittatum Gilib) and not a cereal or a grain. it was first cultivated in Manchuria and central China and then moved west to the Arab countries. the seeds were then sown in northern Italy, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia where it grew in more or less hardy terrains. The Dutch brought it to the Hudson Valley in the mid 1600's where it was a staple of early colonial cuisine. Buckwheat is also known as kasha or groats . It is one of the best things to eat. Buckwheat is high in fiber along with being chock full of Vitamins B1 and B2. The flour lowers cholesterol and helps reduce high blood pressure . It is an excellent source of fiber and is helpful in preventing such cancers ans colon and breast. The only drawback is that it can cause rash in allergy sensitive people. if eaten too much.

Most people only eat buckwheat for breakfast. the most common is kasha cereal however it is good in griddle cakes as well. Recently I've eaten buckwheat pasta which is a dense chewy kind and buckwheat dumplings again chewy but with a nutty flavor. I actually like these buckwheat products better than their whole wheat cousins. I would love to experiment with making a buckwheat pizza or ravioli sometime,long with a buckwheat waffle. I also like the fact that the flour makes for a more robust version anything This makes for a better but much more healthier meal choice during these frigid days.

Buckwheat is definitely the food product to consider , especially during these chilly days. there's nothing like starting the day off with a stack of buckwheat pancakes or ending it with a soothing buckwheat pasta. It's a great way if dealing with winter.

Dessert Bacon and Eggs????

There's a new trend right now with restaurant owners and chefs. It's taking breakfast ingredients and serving them up for dessert. The New York Times dedicated an entire article to it in their food section yesterday. There were even recipes .

I don't know about you but having a cup cake iced with frosting made from bacon fat is not my cup of tea. Yet there was a recipe for it , in Wednesday's Times. Bacon is good with eggs, (naturally) and on spinach salad. It's the right accompaniment for a cheeseburger or even criss crossing the top of a meatloaf. It just wasn't meant for dessert. I can understand dipping it in maple syrup with pancakes if you're into the whole sweet salty thing. There's also the comeback of the sweet omelet. Jam omelets are nothing new. I used to make them as a young cook but they weren't really popular in my house. Chef's take the leftover egg batter from French toast and cook it up. French toast itself can be an excellent dessert if served with fresh fruit and maybe a light syrup. That's about it.

Not to be left out cereals too are being mashed and crunched to be made into little cakes or the crust for pies. One recipe calls for the left over milk from a cereal bowl . Somehow I think I'll just stick with a Rice Krispies treat and a cup of tea for after dinner.

OK< foodies, let's hear your opinions. What do you think of this trend? Do you want a bacon and strawberry souffle to top off your meals. Or a chocolate chip omelet served over oatmeal toast?

Sound off here.

Cereal Killers

I hate to put the buzz kill on these last few summer days but school is just around the corner. Now moms across the US should be thinking of what to feed their young first thing in the morning. For a smarter kid, think about nixing the quickie cupcake and soda along with the heavily sweetened cereals.

What makes good breakfast? Something that's going to stick to your kids' ribs and keep them alert for most of the day. Try oatmeal with dried fruit such as blueberries or cranberries. Also oatmeal and fresh cut apples are another good day starter. Cereal is fine so long as it's not the ones that are like ninety per cent sugar. Give Junior Cheerios or Rice Krispies to start off with. If you have the time to cook in the morning, then whip up some pancakes or eggs or both. having a hearty breakfast with these along with any breakfast meat (like Canadian bacon, bacon or sausages)a cup of tea and a glass of juice is going to make everyone feel more alive and awake, ready to do battle with whatever comes that day. Also think about bagels or English muffins or even making these into breakfast sandwiches. At least you know your family won't be eating the grease laden kind from the local fast food joint.


Unfortunately I was never and still am not a big breakfast person. My first meal comes at lunch. I wish it could be different but it's hard for me to eat anything before the prime meridian. Horrible but true.

Just think I might have been a great food writer if I only had my breakfasts before 10 AM.

Nature's Cure All - The Blueberry

Ever notice that all the good tasting stuff is usally bad for you?

Surprisingly there is one treat that's not only low in calorie but chock full of antioxidants and vitamins. Yup it's the simple blueberry. This staple of summer is the perfect snack for anyone watching their weight plus it full of the necessary nutrients we all need.

Blueberries are native only to North America but have been grown for commerical use in Australia, New Zealand and South America. The best time for them is between May and September.The Latin name is vaccinium because English settlers, in particular the explorer James Cook ,first saw cows (Latin vacca) eat them. Blueberries also go by the names bilberries, whortleberries and hertleberries. They were used by the indigenous peoples for medicinal as well as for dying cloth. The berries were also combined with meat to provide a jerky.American have been loving them for centuries and it's the official state berry of Maine It was there in 1822 a blueberry rake was invented by Abijah Tabbutt.

Health wise blueberries are the greatest snack ever. They're low in calories ( only 81 a cupful) and are perfect for when you're craving some kind of sweet treat. Always have a little cup of them on your desk when you're working or even have a small bowl of them on the TV table. Not only that but they're super packed with antioxidant phytonutrients. These help protect against cancer and heart disease. Blueberries also lower the risk of glaucoma, peptic ulcers and, yes, even hemorrhoids. They're are good for your vision ,deterring macular degeneration because the fruits' bioflavenoids strengthen the rods in the eyes along with helping the eyes adjust to darkness and glare. During World War II British RAF night flyers always consumed bilberries before their missions . This gave them more acuity during their raids.


It shouldn't be to hard to get your family to eat blueberries on a daily basis. They have a lingering, pleasant aftertaste and they are just fun to pop into your mouth. However you can vary with how you eat them. Add them to salads for something different. There's nothing like blueberry pancakes or muffins to start off a Sunday brunch.They're also good served with sliced strawberries and bananas on top of French toast. Serve piled on top of vanilla ice cream or just plain Cool Whip for a low cal but yummy dessert.


Now is the season to head to your local farm for a quart of these amazing berries. Not only are they delicious snack but a great way to improve your health Start popping them now.