A Side of Exciting

 Many home chefs dread Thanksgiving because they wind up making the same recipes year after year. It's the same with Sunday dinners. However there are sides that can liven up any dish. They're tasty and fun,

Potatoes are always a big thing in any holiday menu.TRy air fryer smashed. ones This is an easy make..It;s first boiling either the smaller red and yellow potatoes for fifteen to twnety minutes. Let them cool and then smash with a glass's bottom. These are then tossed in oil and various seasonings and out into the air fryer until they're crispy as French fries, Air fried smashed are a crunchy alternatives to mashed and they're not only perfect with turkey but also with London Broil and chicken. A more elegant side arescalloped potatoes , especially if they're made with creme fraiche.It added a richness and a tang. Sweet potatoes are another Thanksgiving side. Yet imagine turning them into fries or chips to be fried to a tasty crisp in the air fryer.It;s a nice change up from having them covered on brown sugar and marashmallow.Any  roto vegetable, including parsnips and carrots can also be sheet pan cook. Roasting brings out the sweetness and earthiness in all of them. Just sprinkle them with olive oil and then sea salt and freshly ground pepper for taste.

Greens can also shine and be turned into exciting sides. A fun citrus and kale salad is a bright extra to any meal. This is a mix of the good for you green  with tangerine or orange wedges and a honey lemon vinaigrette. You can also sauteed it and liven it up with a squeeze of lemon and hot pepper. It;'s just sauteing the leaves (get rid of the stems because they're too chewy) in olive oil with a bit of butter or plant butter. Add a small clove of minced garlic and then the pepper and lemon. Brussells sprouts are a holiday must have but many don;t like them because of their smell and taste. A good idea is serving them Piedmontese style drenched in melted butter and covered with Parmesan cheese. This is a wonderful way to serve them. Another is slicing them in half and then air frying them  after an olive oil bath. This turns the leaves into crispy edges that are perfect with any kind of poultry. Green beans are good too, Think of them with an Asian twist,Stir fry with soy sauce  and ginger for a true holiday change up. You can easily do this in a frying pan if you don;t have a wok. Cook with olive or sesame oil and then add a good tablespoon or two of the soy sauce and a teaspoon of grated ginger. 

Sides do not have to be boring. They can be exciting and fun. Liven up your holiday table with them. It's a delicious change up from  ordinary sides.

Leeks Tweaked

 A favorite family dish is leeks on toast. This Piedmontese recipe has been in my family for almost a century, garnered when my great aunt married a boy from Biella , Italy. It is a great dish that brings out the garlicky ,earthy flavor of leeks. I thought I'd give  a few tweaks.

I had leftover leeks form yesterday's celery soup. In fact I'm planting the roots in my backyard for my allium garden along with my garlic and onion sprouts.

The leeks do have to be cut and soaked in salted water to remove dirt. This just takes ten minutes.

The slices are then rinsed in cold water to get rid of the dirty salted water.Usually the leeks are boiled in hot water over a burner but I decided to steam them for five minutes in the microwave. Doing this retains more of their flavor and nutrients.

As for the bread I decided to switch it up and use this artisan bread from Shop -Rite. It's a French peasant loaf from the Heidelburg Bread Company.

They don't need to be toasted. The slices are crusty enough.

The leeks were put on top. They were super soft thanks to being steamed in the microwave.

Then it's adding a good dollop of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and a sprinkle of Follow Your Heart vegan Parmesan  soy cheese. 

The slices are then baked in a preheated 325 degree Farenheit oven for ten minutes.

Ten minutes later they were ready - the perfect marriage of crusty and melty .. The vegan cheese is just the same as the real Parmesan and it even browned

As for the taste, it was phenomenal. I love the French bread underneath which went well with the leeks. It sopped up the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and was still toasty and crispy.

The updated version is worth making. It's a nice spin on the original, with an earthier , more intense flavor thanks to steaming the leeks. It's a great weeknight or week day dish, easy to make, easier to eat.

And Then There's Plan B

Most of the times the best of holiday plans get messed up. That's kind of what happened to me when I just didn't have the time to bake, frost and decorate my Winterscape Cake. What happens when the best of menu plans go awry? Quickly leap to Plan B.

Every home chef should have an alternative plan ready to be deployed. I did, with this

Aldi's dessert saving panettone trio which has three minis : Classic, Tiramisu and Cranberry.  These can easily be toasted and served with marscapone or butter. If I didn't have these I might have tried Nigella Lawson's no churn salted caramel ice cream. This is just mixing dulce de leche with whole cream and flavoring with bourbon and flaky sea salt (think Malden's).I could also whip up a quick chocolate mousse using Cool Whip and Instant chocolate pudding. It's an easy dinner - penne with crockpot sauce so the meal in itself is flavorful. Dessert would only be gilding the lily. Just remember that whatever sweet you have  around can be made into some kind of dessert. Trifle is the easiest. You probably have most of the ingredients. Just add a good slug of brandy and it's a boozy fun end to a Christmas meal.

The same philosophy goes for the main meal. There are ways to fix a holiday cooking mistake. Those hams or beef roasts sometimes get burned. Cut away the burned part , cut up the roast into pieces and continue cooking. If the entire thing is completely charred then first put the pot into a larger pan than it. Fill this with ice cold water  to cool it and after a while taste the meat. If it's still bad, then emphasize the sides as the main meal. Rummage through the freezer quick or ask a guests (Namely family and friends who will help out in a pinch) what they have. You may have to cobble together frozen burgers and nuggets but at least it's something. If you still want to serve the main dish, then cut away as much as the burnt  roast as possible then stir fry it with veggies such as tomatoes from the salad or the Brussels sprouts. Add a dash of some flavorful spice like turmeric or cumin to minimize the burn taste. If your holiday turkey  is too dry then boil up some chicken bouillon with butter and pour over the bird to moisten up the meat. If the gravy is horrible add chicken broth to give it more flavor. Sides nor up to par? Sprinkle with Parmesan to make  them more palatable. Another idea just serve more salad with the along with plenty of bread.

There always has to be a Plan B when it comes to holiday baking and cooking. Just be prepared for whatever your kitchen and fate throws you. You can get through it and still have a pretty tasty holiday dinner.

A Spring Diet

Spring is the time for all things green - and that includes diets. It's time to shed those heavy winter dishes and think lighter and brighter. Embrace low calorie meals and a different way of eating during the warmer days.

The colder months leave us wanting heavy, gravy rich meals. This is fine. because we need more energy in shoveling snow and just dealing with frigid temps. However now that some areas are hitting sixty and  even seventy degrees , it's time to serve lower in calories foods. Luckily Spring ushers in asparagus season. One serving is only thirty calories. Asparagus is delicious when it's dressed with melted butter, sliced hard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese. However these amp up the calories and fat. What you can do is try a low calorie cheese and margarine. As for the eggs you can scoop out the yolks if you want and just chop up the egg whites.Artichokes are also big right now. It's tempting to stuff them with oil soaked bread crumbs and mozzarella however think lighter. Imagine dipping the leaves in a refreshing lime vinaigrette where fresh squeezed limes sub in for lemons. Add some oregano or  dried cilantro for some zing. This makes a nice appetizer for early season barbecues. Dandelion greens are also in season. These can easily be picked from your yard and turned into zippy salad. Remember to wash them very well because every creature in the neighborhood could have sniffed them or worse.

Spring is the time of foraging. One of the biggest woodland  harvests right now is fiddlehead ferns. These are a dieter's dream with only ten(!) calories a stalk. Many will balk, wondering what the flavor will taste like. Not to worry. Fiddleheads have a flavor that's that some compare to asparagus, broccoli or green beans. Try them sauteed in margarine and chopped garlic. They're the perfect foil to grilled chicken or salmon. Ramps are also growing right now and they're ready for the picking. They have an onoin-y taste and again, think of them as a great side to chicken or fish. The Spring season is the start , not just of the growing season but also the grilling season. It's tempting to throw a steak on the coals and just feat. Yet the average eight ounce steak has close to a whopping five hundred calories, more if you brush it with any kind of butter.Opt for salmon instead which is only about two hundred and thirty calories. Even better are scallops with only eleven (!) calories for each one. You could even afford to brush them with butter.Serve them with morels , a wild mushroom that can be foraged. These tasty forest nuggets are only ten calories a mushroom. It's an elegant dinner , full of substance , but light and airy.

Warmer weather means a change of diet. Think chicken and fish, along with the greens of the season. It makes for a wonderful, and healthier change of pace.

The Perfect Pot Of Rice Guide

Rice is one of the easiest dishes to make. Or is it? For many of us home chefs, it's nearly impossible to produce a pot of perfectly cooked, perfectly fluffy pot of grains.It's either sticky or overcooked. Or worse - under cooked and jarringly crunchy. Luckily there's help for us.

Tejal Rao, famed chef, and regular columnist for The New York Times Food section wrote about it today in an extensive article.Everybody cooks rice , whether for a side or for a dessert of rice pudding. Rice should be fluffy and slightly chewy , the perfect foils for gravies and sauces.One of the first crucial steps in creating perfect rice is rinsing before cooking. This gets rid of any extra starch on the rice. It means a looser, fluffier texture The technique is super simple. Just use your fingers, a bowl and cold water. The process needs to be repeated anywhere from two to six times., until the water you're pouring out is almost clear. Once it's cooked , it needs to rest.This allows the starches to cool down slightly which means the grains are firming up. DON"T stir the grains when they're hot and wet. The result is a mushy bowl of rice fragments.Wait anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes and fluff the still hot rice with a rubber spatula. (I've always used a metal fork with the same results) This is also the time to season it. Ms. Rao suggests a light salting. keep the cover on the pot until it's ready to be eaten.

What happens when the rice doesn't come out right? Ms/ Rao explores the many problems that can happen and how to solve them.If the grains are too squishy or clumpy then  there may be excess water in the pot.It could also mean that you've skipped two crucial steps rinsing and resting. Clumpy rice means that there's still starch attached to the grains or the rice was fluffed too soon.Sometimes rice can be too wet,This is probably due to it being recently harvested. The answer is just reduce the amount of water used or cook with the lid off so the water can evaporate. There is also the problem of having scorched at the bottom rice. This is due to two factors. One,the heat is too high so turn it down to the lowest setting possible. The second reason is that the pot's bottom may be too thin. Ms. Rao suggests switching to a heavier pot. What went wrong when the rice turns out stuck and starchy as she puts it.if you have rinsed it but it's still gluey, then use some muscle and a wooden spoon or spatula  to stir when the rice first comes to a boil. Doing this will release the grains at the bottom. Once you've mastered the perfect pot, you can toss in some add ins like roasted cherry tomatoes  and Parmesan cheese or basil leaves with a drizzle of good vinegar.You can even chop in green olives and blood oranges for a colorful side.

The perfect pot of rice shouldn't be an easy cook.Follow the guide and it'll come out just right. Rice is a simple dish.Cooking it should be just as simple.

The Oven It's Not Just For Cakes And Cookies

Most home chefs just use the oven for making sweet treats such as chocolate chip cookies or red velvet cake.. Yet the oven can produce  such savory masterpieces as crown roasts  and baked sandwiches. Using this way is a nice departure from stove top cooking.

Of course one of the best savory oven meals is the pizza. It's a nice departure from the pizzeria and frozen kinds. Some purists get a pizza stone, a round disc made out of soapstone or marble. These help to create a crispier crust, however, a round baking sheet or even an oblong one . The crust won't be as crispy as one baked on a stone but it will still be delicious. A homemade pie can be customized to fit everyone's needs, wit extra sauce or more cheese. Then there's the toppings which can feature the traditional pepperoni and olives or the unusual like buffalo chicken and pineapple chunks. Another Southern  Italian treat that's oven baked is the calzone. It's a pizza turned inside out. Calzone translates into big sock and it is just that. It's filled with everything from ricotta and mozzarella to spinach, ham and, chopped pork sausage. Baking time is a quick fifteen to seventeen minutes. Sandwiches such as grilled cheese actually taste better oven baked than they do fried, They're also a very quick bake too. It's only five minutes in a 450 degree F. oven.. Another plus is that you can make six to eight sandwiches at a time. This is great if you have a hungry crowd to feed and there's no time to wait.

Baked sandwiches are wonderful lunches or Sunday suppers. Grilled cheese in the oven has so many variations. Try sharp Vermont cheddar on white bread. Jazz it up with some bacon slices and sliced tomatoes for a diner special  The Happy Waitress. One of my favorites is a Piedmontese dish from my Nonna's side. Leeks on toast is a tasty and filling combo of cooked leeks on buttered toast. More butter is added on top of the leeks along with a heavy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, The average sandwich can also be baked. Think baked club sandwiches for a hot Saturday lunch or a baked ham and cheese for a Sunday supper. One of the biggest oven trends right now is sheet  pan meals This is an easy way to cook the main dish and sides all together. There are so many variations from vegan to hearty meat lovers, Many home chefs combine chicken with different vegetables.Small red potatoes are the veggie of choice along with broccoli and peppers to create a tasty and filling meals.Cut sausage makes a wonderful main ingredient in a sheet pan meal, Try it with peppers and potatoes cut into cubes..Pork chops are also wonderful in a sheet pan dinner. Pair with string beans and sweet potatoes for a real rib sticking meal.

Ovens are not just for baking sweet treats such as cakes and cookies You can create delicious, savory meals that are baked to perfection. Try them and get hooked on this ingenious way of cooking lunches and dinners.

The Best Christmas Gifts

What does a foodie and home chef  want  for Christmas? Anything that deals with food and the kitchen. Well, I don't know about any of you out there but I got my wish in the form of a madeleine pan and n eight piece glass baking set. It has definitely set the juices flowing again.

As you can see I received the much-coveted madeleine pan. I love madeleines and have been dying to bake them for a long time. Now with a tin and working oven I am definitely going to try my hand at this. These cake-like cookies are a bit labor intensive. but worth it the work, The recipe requires melted butter to be gently folded in along with freshly grated lemon zest. Baked madeleines are then dusted with granulated sugar while still warm. There are recipes for lavender infused ones and chocolate. The first is made with lavender infused honey while the chocolate ones are more like miniature baked cakes.Once I master the original recipe I'd like to move on to the espresso ones with espresso  icing. There is even a  savory madeleine recipe that involves  Parmesan cheese and rosemary or chives. These would be perfect for a brunch or an afternoon snack, along with being a bread for salad Nicoise.

My second gift is an eight piece bake set from Anchor-Hocking. This is exciting too because there's a wide range of dishes and treats I can bake. The larger casserole dish has got me thinking and researching chili bakes, those yummy yummy combos of chili and cornbread. They're kind of like a Southwestern shepherd's pie.but with the extra zing of chili powder. There is a covered  smaller sized dish for smaller bakes , such as bread puddings or strata,I am looking forward to making pies and quiches with homemade crusts too,.I've just found an easy quiche crust recipe that calls for olive oil, flour and cold water. Another recipe I 'd love to tackle is deep dish pizza, layered with mozzarella and veggies.I could also make a childhood favorite, Crazy Crust Pizza using Bisquick. The set also comes with two ramekins for custard or possibly for melting butter or margarine in the microwave. There are all sorts of possibilities with this amazing set and I;'m looking forward to trying out  scores of great recipes.

I've got my Christmas dishes and am chomping at the bit to try them out. I can't wait to tackle the complicated but oh so delcious madeleine recipes and the other baking recipes with my new Anchor Hocking set. It's going to be a fun winter ahead, as I try all sorts of new dishes in my cozy kitchen.

Mini Pasta Maximum Fun!

Mention pasta and everyone's minds turns to spaghetti, maybe linguine or angel hair if they're
 a bit more sophisticated. Yet there's a whole selection of mini pastas that pack great flavor. Use these with traditional sauce for a tasty hot dish or in salads for a cool side at a barbecue or tailgate party.

Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes. The smaller sized varieties can be turned into any dish. A favorite is acine de pepe, translated  grains of pepper in Italian. .These are basically spaghetti minced into small pieces. It's a wonderful alternative to the star shaped pastina and cooks up into fat little kernels.It's great in any broth such as vegetable, beef or chicken, Put more than a cup in and it makes a filling dinner. To turn it into it more substantial serve it with any sauce that would go with spaghetti or ravioli. It makes a nice meal for one, especially served in a butter sauce with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve it with marinara and meatballs for a fun kid's meal.Acine de pepe can also be used in soups and is a staple in the classic Italian wedding soup. It can also grace  minestrone too and be a nice  change of pace in a chicken noodle soup. The little pasta  bits can be used in a salad for a spin. Try it with sliced grape tomatoes and parsley for a nice side with burgers or grilled steak. Mix it with tuna, chopped celery and onions for a twist on the classic tuna salad.Acine de pepe can also be used in fruit salads with pineapple chunks and orange wedges.

Orzo is another mini pasta that can be served hot or cold.It comes from the Latin hordeum or barley and can be the base of many dishes.It can be a main dish or a side.Many home chefs use it instead of rice as the Greeks do, and it's usually the base of many pilafs. Try it with Parmesan and basil for a quick and tasty dinner.It's made similar to the way risotto is cooked. Saute the raw pasta in butter until lightly browned  and then add the chicken broth.It can also be turned into a variation of risotto Milanese with the addition of saffron.Orzo is perfect paired with chicken and blends well with any green veggie such as spinach and broccoli. The orzo grains are also a fun change in any soup that calls for noodles. Even add it to tomato soup for a nice surprise.Like acine de pepe, it can also make for a great cold salad. Try it Greek style with sliced cucumbers,kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese.Artichoke hearts, parsley, and lemon juice are also added  to make for a lively flavor.For a colorful side make a checkerboard orzo salad with goat cheese and cubed tomatoes.A truly filling orzo salad is one made Nicoise style with tuna in oil, artichoke hearts and arugula. Red onions and bell peppers are also tossed into the mix for color and bite.

Mini pastas such as acine de pepe and orzo are little pastas that guarantee big flavors. They are fun and versatile,perfect for any main meal or side. Try them and see what a big impact they'll make.

Zoodle-licious!

Cooking vegetables is not always easy. Try as all we home chefs might , it's hard to make the most mundane exciting. Not anymore. I just got  a spiralizer and it's a whole new and fun world out there.

Mostly influenced by a cookbook about spiralized vegetables that I just reviewed for this blog, I decided to get a spiralizer in the hope of making dishes with new twists to them. I bought Veggetti from Kohls on line.

As you can see it 's an hourglass shaped grater that has two sets of grates located on  opposite ends of the device. They're marked thick or thin for the width.

. I opted for the last which I felt would be good for what I was making. As you can see I used smallish zucchini to make the zoodles or zucchini noodles.It's an easy to do, and in a way much safer than using the scarier looking mandolin. The squash goes in the wide cone  shaped ends and all you do is twist. What comes  out is long pasta like strands of squash.There is a gripper that you insert in the squash's end  as it whittles down to a cone. The cone which is basically a nub can be sliced and added to the noodles. The spiralizer's interior produced these curly fry looking spirals that can also be cooking with the zoodles.

How did I make the zoodles and spirals? 

In a simple saute with olive oil, margarine and garlic

What you'll need:

4 smallish green zucchini, washed and dried,

2 cloves minced garlic,

A good slug of extra light olive oil

(Bertolli brand is the best for this)

margarine or butter

salt 

pepper

Spiralize the squash and put to the side..Mince two cloves of garlic  and set aside.Pour a good slug (figure three to four tablespoons ) of olive oil in a skillet and set over a medium flame. Added about a tablespoon of margarine or butter. Stir the margarine or butter around in the oil until melted. Add the garlic and then carefully pour in the  zoodles. You will have a lot but they will cook  down . Constantly stir until all the zoodles have been coated. Ten minutes into cooking you can put a glass lid over the skillet.If you want, add another tablespoon of margarine or butter for more flavor. You can also season right now with salt and pepper (I used  sea salt and fresh ground pepper for it).Cook until the strands are a pale translucent color.(uncooked squash strands will have an opaque white color.)

If you want, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over them. I like my zoodles just as they  are!

Caesar Revamped

Caesar salad is everyone's go to, whether at home or in a restaurant. It's more livelier than the usual iceberg one and can be turned into a dinner with just the addition of any protein. Is there room for change? Surprisingly yes.As with any dish, there's room for improvement .

Julia Moskin experimented and wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section, Her Food Lab column\gives not only new spins, namely the addition of the ever popular kale,  on this American classic but its' origins as well.It did have Romaine leaves but that was not the only recommended green thanks to its' creator, Italian American restaurateur, Caesar Cardini. She cites a 1947  report from the Times Los Angeles desk about the dish' growing popularity in southern California. The bureau chief of the Times then, Gladwin Hill wrote to the New York's branch's food editor Jane Nickerson about the basic ingredients. yes, there should be romaine but also endive and escarole. The salad needs hardy greens that can stand up to the rich, dense dressing. Don't sub in any of the more tender leafed ones such as Bibb or mesclun. They will absorb too much ad become soggy at best.Kale is your best bet but it should be mixed with other greens. Some leaves have a very bitter taste so it's best t mix them with romaine or the aforementioned escarole. Ms. Moskin also recommends using other types of kale such as dinosaur  or Tuscan kale along with the curly variety.

Preparing the salad may be a more labor intensive than the usual  every day salads.Chef Brian Loicano ,of Manhattan's  Noho's Acme Restaurant suggests washing them the night before using a ice water bath . He then lays each leaf on a towel line tray the night before. However this is easy if you have a restaurant's mammoth size fridges so Ms. Moskin tells readers to dry the leaves on tea towels, sandwiching them between two bags of ice. As  for the dressing The dressing  recipe is more or less the same as the original - garlic, Parmesan, lemon and Worcester sauce. Ms Moskin throws in black pepper and mustard for more flavor and emulsification. The proportions can be adjusted to suit the home chef's tastes.keep in mind how it should taste. There should be layers of heat, starting with the Dijon mustard , then the raw  garlic and finally with the freshly ground pepper.It should meld well with the creamier ingredients  Everything together gives the finished dish that unami, the fifth flavor thanks to the Parmesan and Worcester. As with guacamole and steak tartare, it should be made fresh table side for more of an impact, although it can be made before hand and served up two hours after making. It's up to the home chef to go modern and add any kind of meat poultry or seafood.

Caesar salad is a classic  but it can be modernized. Try it with kale for a different taste and texture. It'll liven up lunch or dinner with a new unique taste.

All Steamed Up

Vegetables are an important part of any meal but especially dinner time. The problem with that is that they have to be made after a busy day when most home chefs are too tired to do anything. Cleaning, coring, paring - they're all too  much. What to do? Get steamed! Steamed veggies are the way to go for a  quick yet healthy dinner.

Many companies from Stop & Shop to the mainstream Bird's Eye are now offering steamer bags full of veggies. They can be put into  the microwave for a few minutes or the vegetables can be removed and simmered for five minutes in boiling water.The first method is the easiest. It works like a bag of popcorn with the bag puffing up after a few minutes in the microwave to signal that the veggies have been thoroughly steamed. The second method, the old fashioned way is for those who don't like the idea of nuked foods.It's a tad more labor intensive with salting and boiling the water ,then adding the vegetables and draining them. One of the best things, besides the cooking time,is the variety.I am in love with the Stop & Shop vegetable varieties, from the peas which are oh so sweet to the Brussels sprouts. They even have mixed veggie bags as does their national rival Bird's Eye.Of course, Bird's Eye has always been the king of frozen veggies and they have the widest choice of steamed vegetables.. They include rice and veggie bags, with combinations such as multigrain blend with tomato, spinach and onions along with brown rice with peas, carrots and corn.

There are many pluses to having a bag of steamed vegetables on the menu.They are a low calorie alternative to calorie dense sides such as baked mac or French fries.The Brussels sprouts are only forty-five calories with zero fat while string beans are around thirty-eight. Any home chef will marvel at the packs' versatility too. One of my favorites is string bean salad, made with the cooled beans . After they've been steamed  they're put into a bowl and then cooled for ten to fifteen minutes.After that, it's adding a finely chopped onion or even a good dash of onion powder, olive oil and red wine vinegar . Then it's back into the fridge to chill some more until dinner.It's a taste of summer in winter, and perfect with grilled chicken. Thanks to the easiness of cooking the Brussels sprouts,I can make a family recipe more often.It's a delicious  side that starts off with a very small sprinkle of Parmesan cheese  on the sprouts followed by a scant  tablespoon of melted margarine (it used to be butter but that stopped ,thanks to my new diet). The veggies can be mixed with instant rice, whether brown or white for simple and filling rice bowls Just add some Kikoman and they're good to go.

Get steamed when you think about steamed veggies. They're an easy and nutritious side to any main meal. Buy a few bags for quick cooking and good eating.

Your Choice Of Holiday Sides

One of the treats of the holiday table is the vast array of sides. From jewel toned cranberry jelly to home bowls of stuffing, holiday feasters can enjoy a wide range of flavors and textures,Best of all most holiday roasts can go with a wide variety of sides.These could be healthy or decadent, yet all delicious.

Sweet sides work well with poultry and pork. Cranberry jelly or chutney goes well with both turkey and capons. For more adventurous home chefs. you can make your own cranberry jelly.This is an easy mix of fresh cranberries cranberry juice, lemon and maple syrup (!) first cooked over a high heat and then a lower one for only ten minutes  or until the mixtures thickens into a jelly. Chutneys also work with fowl and they can be ladled over the meat too for added flavor. Try an apple mango one with a melange of cubed Gala apples and mangoes ,blended with dried apricots  and spiced up with mustard, cloves and black pepper. Pork and hams always benefit with the addition of sweet sides. Grilled , unadorned pineapple rings work with both these meats. You can add a very small sprinkling of sea salt to give it a boost of savory. Apples are another excellent accompaniment. You can try homemade applesauce  to go with a pork loin roast or better yet , a warm apple and onion salad with the addition of freshly fried bacon and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Apples can be sliced into a stir fry, cooked with kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Add some apple cider vinegar for tartness and walnuts or pine nuts for crunch. Sweet potatoes are the ultimate sweet side. Instead of layering them with marshmallows, turn them into tasty fries for the kids or a creamy , buttery mash with a drizzle of maple syrup on top.

There are many savory sides to try as well. Stuffing is always in demand, especially if you have turkey. Make it interesting by using nothing but pretzels for a tastier side. Eggs  and sour cream bind together three cups of pretzel sticks that have been soaked soft in hot water. Onion powder is then added to the mix for more flavor. You can also make it in the traditional stuffing way, with sage and onion being first cooked with celery and then adding in the pretzels. Mind , this has to be cooked on it's own and not in the bird. Another fun side is Yorkshire pudding, perfect with any roast beef or London Broil. It's an easy recipe.It's four eggs, and equal amounts of milk and flour. What makes these tasty popovers sing are the meat drippings. mixed into the batter. They're wonderful, loaded with roast beef slices and gravy. For something a bit more healthier, try the classic string beans almondine.You can use fresh if you can find them or frozen green beans along with almonds browned in butter or margarine. Brussels sprouts are another emerald gem, perfect for the holiday table. Simmer in hot salted water until tender but firm. Drain and then dress with melted butter and a liberal sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Of course no meal would be complete without potatoes. You could have them in a mash but enrich it by adding sour cream and chives or the skins for added nutrients. Scalloped ones are a supremely elegant addition to any dinner or holiday lunch.its just taking sliced potatoes and baking them in a creamy roux.

Sweet and savory sides will add oomph to any holiday meal. They're good ,complementing the main roast or just wonderful on their own. Make one or make them all for a special treat.

Eat Your Winter Veggies

Even though there's snow on the ground, and nip in the air you still can enjoy fresh veggies. There are plenty of healthy greens to munch on despite that it's winter .This is the time to enjoy all those greens and roots. January is the time for cabbages.Both the regular kind and the rarer Savoy are out in full force right now. make tasty stuffed cabbage rolls using shredded turkey or chicken. You can also try rice too as well as sautéed onions. Savoy cabbage is used in Piedmontese dishes from Northwestern Italy. One favorite is pescoi, a cabbage leaf stuffed with butter and uncooked polenta. after frying till done the rolls are tightly packed in a vinegar water marinade inside a casserole dish. these can be served as a side however they're mostly used as a main dish. Leeks and turnips are also big right now. leeks are versatile. They're great in soups or as sides. Again they are a staple in Piedmontese winter dishes. there's nothing like leeks on toast , a popular dish from Torino 's suburbs. Place a scoop of cooked leeks on buttered toast Sprinkle liberal amounts of Parmesan cheese and bake in a toaster oven. This is a great way of introducing the kids to them.Turnips are another winter classic.They can be mashed With carrots or stuffed into Cornish pasties. they are also good in root veggie bakes which make a satisfying side to any Sunday roast. Even though it's winter you still can get quality veggies. what's out there is so versatile.Enjoy them now

A Spin On Sauce

There's nothing like a good sauce over any kind of pasta. However some home chefs get into the same rut and pour the usual over their spaghetti and ravioli. Tomato sauce is fine but variety adds more spice to the same old dishes. Tomatoes can  be used along with other veggies and ingredients. Sometimes all it takes it a new sauce to liven up a boring dish.

Tomatoes are fine for any pasta, whether it's for a baked dish like lasagna or freshly boiled like spaghetti or linguine. However think about adding other veggies such as porcini mushrooms , broccoli  and cauliflower, Instead of a thick sauce just have the olive oil and garlic that the veggies  were sauteed in. Another variation is having just one veggie. There's the famed cavatelli and broccoli . Both flavors play well off each other, with the broccoli's strong taste working  with the pasta's blandness. Another alternative is pesto. This Genoa based basil sauce can accentuate any pasta from meat ravioli to simple fettuccine or tagliatelle.It's a strong , acquired taste, however and usually made with fresh basil leaves.

Cream sauces are also good. The two most famous are carbonara and Alfredo, Both require cream or milk. The first was made by Italian charcoal workers hence the name, is a rich , hearty, almost decadent blend of peas ,bacon and eggs. It is an excellent sauce for winter dishes, Alfredo is somewhat similar however it has more cream and instead of eggs and meat, more Parmesan cheese in i,t Vodka, another lush sauce,  is a combo of cream and tomato with a cup of vodka and chopped prosciutto thrown in for flavor . Most cooks serve it over penne, however it's good over any meat ravioli or even tortellini.

Just as there are many types of pasta , there are just as many different sauces .Some require the traditional tomatoes. Some do not Make your pastas exciting by trying them instead of the tried and true. They'll put a different spin on favored dishes.

Salad Kits- Really?

Do you really need a salad kit to make a good salad? I mean it's the simplest thing in the world to make., All it takes is a good head of good lettuce, tomatoes and oil and vinegar. If you want some variation then add some rosemary or thyme. For more sophisticated salads then add tunas or a variety of meals, grilled or cold cuts along with hard boiled eggs, artichoke hearts and broccoli.
However I saw a salad kit at the A&P today and thought , well why not. It had everything I needed to make a good Casesar . I couldn't wait to try it.

The company who made the kit was called Et Tu, a humorous reference to Caesar 's murder at the forum. However there was nothing that funny about it. The dressing was a little bit too thick.It came out like toothpaste , too thick to even be poured. I even had to mist in some oil to make it a little more smoother.I then added the bacon bits and croutons and topped it off with the added packet of Parmesan cheese. These last three were fine and they added a lot to simple romaine. I don't know if I'll try this brand again however. I think in the future I'll make my own.

I'll take salad kits with a big grain of salt in the future. I thought it would be a fun and easier way to make a simple dinner. I realize that a great bowl of greens , doesn't start with a kit.It starts with an imaginative cook.