College Food Banks

 Universities and food banks usually don't go together but they do. There are hundreds of students and their families that are food insecure. They need fresh produce as well as nutritious basics to thrive in a school situation of intense classes and coursework.LUckily this is where their schools fi  in offering all sorts of  necessities for a healthy collegiate life.

What's in a college food bank ro pantry? The same that's in a regular food pantry. At Fairleigh Dickinson's Teaneck -Hackensack campus the food pantry is the size of a small convenience store. It's called the Knight's (after the school mascot) Pantry, located n  topfo the cafeteria and next to the campus bookstore.It offered easy meals  like Ramen and Hot pockets to make at the Student Union Building (r any dorm with a small microwave) There are also containers of Mac and cheese as well as canned soups.There are important foods such as cereal,granola bars and crackers. Sometimes there are apples and bananas a,especially in the fall when the students go back. This is open for both dor students and commuter ones. Commuter students can bring home some basics for their families too. The school's Madison New Jersey campus has their own pantry The Devils Care. Both have an Amazon wish list   which includes kitchen items like oven mitts and spaulas, ,OTC medications and such basics as hot cocoa mix, instant soups and boxes of pasta.

Other schools have this too. Rutgers has a similarly named Knights Pantry along with a mobile pantry. They too have the basics. Unlike FDU RUtgers offers such dairy products as milk and yogurt along with meats and produce They also offer baby products like wipes and diapers for those students who have little ones. They take both monetary donations as well as actual ones. F you are an alumna of any of these schools then donate There are so many students coming from finance challenged households  (Rutgers ,Newark campus has one in four students who  face food insecurity) Kids simply cant afford decent meals . These help them combat hunger .A well fed student is one that doesn't have concentration problems and can focus better without hunger gnawing at them. Donating to a school's library or garden is nice Donating to their students' food pantry is infinitely better. Campuses themselves can also chip in. Many have enough land to create gardens such as Montclair College in Montclair ,New Jersey where one thousand square feet is dedicated to growing veggies and fruit. The harvests are then donated to the school's food pantry, Red Hawk Pantry.

If you want to do good by your alma mater, then donated to your school's food pantry. The next generation of students will appreciate this. Give to the school that gave you your education

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Spring Food Essentials

 This is the time for picnics and easy eating. The New York Time s had a lost of easy recipes to get through the Spring season and into summer. What you do need is a list of staples togt you through the season.

What should you have?
Cans of tuna and salmon these are great with may and chopped celery for quick salads or chunked into salad Nicoises.

Veggie chunks. 

Think peppers, grape tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower florets. You can use these in kabobs along with salads.They're also great steamed with rice or with pasta in  alight sauce,

Buy a rotisserie chicken every now and then.

The parts will come in handy for all sorts of dishes from moles to salads.  You can also buy containers of the shredded meat at grocery stores like Acme.

Olive oil

This goes without saying. Use it in all sorts of cooking and salad making

Boxes of rice and containers of pasta

Uses these for hot and cold dishes. Leftover rice and pasta can be repurposed with chicken, fish and veggies for a tasty salad.

Fruits of the season

Strawberries and blueberries are in abundance right now. They're great with any kind of whipped cream as a relatively low  calorie dessert.They also work well added to a vinaigrette and salad.

Keep your Spring kitchen stocked with these for easy cooking and easy eating. It's also a healthier spin on what to make, especially with all the in season fresh produce. This is a list to keep.

A New Form Of Food Chain

 It's is beyond tough  to maintain a pantry nowadays. More and more do our family and friends need help in getting proper foods  alongwht proper nutrition.It's time to create a new kind fo food chain, one where we cna help family and friends and they us when we need help.

One  way to create a food chain is to have everyone with a garden to gather up their extra produce. It;'s still summer. There are still tomatoes peppers, squash and eggplant along with lettuce and herbs. to be gathered. everyone should bring these to one designated backyard. Then everyone picks out what they need. If you can have extras like bread crumbs and small bottles of olive oil ol for cooking these. Inexpensive varieties of  the oil  and breadcrumbs can  be found at Lidl , Aldo or Walmart. Fruit tree owners should bring any early harvest too.Another idea is  have a group go apple or pear picking. Split the cost of a bushel or basket  and let those who need it ,take more fruit than the others.An extra link in this chain is everyone getting involved in a baking fest where pies and tarts can be made and baked. Everyone can take home a pie and tarts or mini pies for the kids.Apple and pear cakes can also be made with everyone going home with a homemade dessert.

The food chain can alo be expanded by buying extra. Give the second to family and friends who need it. This can also apply to neighbors who are financially struggling too.Many groceries have buy one get one free or half priced. Take advantage of these.. That extra salad or box of cereal can go a long way for many families. A free package of cheese or bread will be able to fill a few lunchboxes.If you think this can be too embarrassing then get the family a gift certificate for the food store. It  does make for the perfect anniversary , birthday or holiday gift. They can even splurge on extras like certain seafood or beef for a special meal.Pot luck dimmers also make for an excellent way to add to the food chain. make foods that can be brought home for a second and even third meal.What wo9rks for this? A big pot of chili with homemade cornbread. pasta with meatballs and garlic bread,  a meat or veggie lasagna. One person who can afford it  can also make a turkey or a ham. These can be sliced down into left over dinners . This works well with the ham. SLabs can be taken home and turned into everything from sandwiches to  a hot meal.

We have to create a new form of food chain to help each other.These are tough times. we're all struggling. yet we can help each other with extra food and love.

The Perfect Pasta Salad

 Pasta salad is everyone's go to dish in hot weather. No matter how a home chef;s make it it can be soggy and somethings mushy. It can also be boring if it's on constant dinner rotation. what to do ? Create one that exciting and memorable.

Regular Ali Slagles does just that in her article in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday FOod section. Every  home chef has their version of a pasta salad. It's probably a tried and true one that needs some punching up. This is easy to do. Swap out the pasta usually used with gnocchi(!) or tortallini. Sear them in a well oiled skillet until the outsides are golden and crispy for a crunchy bite.Another idea is boiling ravioli or cheese filled tortallini for a bust of creaminess.Orzo and ditalini make for a different kind of pasta salad. For the maximum amount of flavor double or even triple the vegetables used. A big part of  pasta salad is how it balances the pasta';s tenderness switch the fresh greenness of various produce. Add bite sized pieces of quickly cooked veggies like asparagus, green beans and snap peas. quickly boil these with the pasta  for last two or three minutes  . Another idea is fold in some newly sliced veggies like celery ,radishes and red onions for crunch. Also add some mint ,dill basil and parsley for more taste. These can also be added to the dressing for a truly green state. Tomatoes are a vital part of any salad, and that includes pasta. However don;t throw them in immediately after chopping .Let them sit in salt  for fifteen minutes to half an hour.If they're bitter , then add a pinch of sugar too.

How does a pasta salad go from a side to a main course? By adding all sorts of protein. Ms. Slagle recommends adding a milky cheese like mozzarella or ricotta. Add bite size bits of the cheese or an oozing puddle of burrata for a fun surprise. Only add cheese to vinaigrette based salads. Mayo based ones already have given the salad a plushness. Another must to make a pasta salad heartier is adding a can of tuna or beans.Just remember to put these in after the pasta has been tossed with the dressing.If not the tuna will be flaked to a million pieces while the beans turn to mush.Taste and tweak flavors. Don't' serve the salads right out of the fridge. The cold mutes the flavor and everything will taste the same. let the bowl sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Now do a taste test. If it's too bland add a bit of vinegar for brightness.Add a bit more mint or basil or just simple salt and pepper. Ms Slagles gives four salad recipes. One is rich with tuna and tomatoes, another has corn and miso while the third is redolent with extra green pasta salad. The fourth is a simple but flavorful pasta salad with summer tomatoes basil and olive oil.This last can have anchovy filets for brininess and zip.

Create a fun pasta salad with these tips. Make it tasty. Make it fun. Make it the perfect dish for a hot August day.

Oil Or Mayo

This is the season for all sorts of salads. They're made with all sorts of ingredients but what binds them together is oil, mayo or a combo of both. Some salads such as egg and potato benefit from the rich creaminess of a good or even homemade mayonnaise.Other green based ones are perfect with a light oil based vinaigrette. 

Here is the question - which type of salad do you prefer? For myself a light vinaigrette works best for me. I even prefer macaroni salads made with it because the flavors of the pastas and spices along with the veggies shines through better.

Which do you prefer?A mayo based one or an old based one? Let us know ..

A Winter Spring Fusion

 Even though it is Spring the temps have a wintry chill to them. You  still need something warm and rib sticking. Yet you can have something satisfying but with hints of spring to it.

One of the best winter Spring fusion dishes is a cream based pasta primavera. This combines veggies with whole cream and milk.You can use the  fresh veggies that your grocery is offering right now or use frozen. TRy it with peas, broccoli and cauliflower. Saute the vegetables in butter or plant based butter and garlic . t Add the cream or plant based milk . You can use chicken , or vegetable broth to thicken the sauce along with cornstarch. A chunky pasta is the best with this, Think penne or bow ties. Another fusion dish would be a homemade veggie soup.Again you can use frozen or fresh vegetables for this. It can easily be turned into pasta e fagiole.Beabs and small pasta like macaroni or ditalini can be added. The base can be beef, chicken or vegetable broth . You can also make pea soup but add mint for a bright, fresh flavor. This is not like a traditional one with ham as a base.This has onion for more flavor along with a clove of garlic.One cup of fresh mint leaves (your grocery can  produce you with these) are the main flavor point here.

Roasts figure into this time as well however there not the heavy ones served on snowy cold days, Think a lighter meat sich as chicken or Cornish hen.The flavor is not as heavy and pares well with such early Spring vegetables as asparagus, Cornish hens can be glazed with orange marmalade for a crispy, salty and sweet skin. You can do the same with chicken too. Lamb has always been associated with the coming of the new season. You could roast a whole leg of lamb if you want, just to do a dress rehearsal for your Easter dinner. Lamb chops are an easier way to go.They can be grilled or roasted with lemon juice and herbs for a fresh flavor.What do you serve with any of these roasts? Nix gravies and stuffing. You can still have mashed potatoes but make try a garlic mash or potato croquettes or gratins (which you can buy at Lidl). Roasted carrots are always good too. They can be glazed or just brushed with butter and then roasted. Asparagus is ccming into its' own . Create a dish of steamed stalks drenched in butter and then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, You could add sliced hard boiled eggs too.

This is the time of year when there's still a lingering nip in the air.Create Spring forward dishes that are rib sticking yet fresh. It's a nice way to keep warm but have a Spring greenness to it.

Hearty And Healthy

 Can a dish be both hearty and healthy? Yes! Many dishes can be both rib sticking and good for you.It's just getting a good mix of veggies and protein to create a dish thar's perfect for these frosty days. It doesn't have to be loaded with fat and grease to keep you satisfied.

Pasta is always a good filling meal. Many would go with a rich Alfredo sauce , rich with cream, butter and Parmesan cheese. Opt for a just as flavorful portobella mushrooms. and spinach. This blends is sauteed ina mix of olive oil and plant based butter. Minced or grated garlic is added for flavor. This is good with any kind of pasta.It's also up to you on how to create it.Mushroom lovers can put three or four chopped Bella's and just half a cup of spinach while spinach lovers can add two cups (it cooks down quickly) and two chopped Bella's or half a cup of sliced baby Bella's.Another idea is a simple chicken cacciatore which has chicken breasts or plant based chicken strips in a simple tomato sauce enhanced with red wine and a bit if anchovy for unami. The flavors are rich and also perfect with the lean cuts of chicken.A lemon sauce, usually made with olive oil and garlic as well also is a tangy and satisfying. Add chicken strips ,or seared salmon to make it heartier.

Stuffed veggies can be both hearty and healthy too.Everyone loves a warming dish of stuffed peppers. Two can make for a hearty healthy week day or Saturday night dinner. You can fill them with lean ground beef or turkey along with rice , chopped onions and tomatoes. Plant based beef crumbles are also a good healthy filling too. If you want some crunch, just add a light sprinkling of bread crumbs on top. Skip the cheese.Stuffed onions, popular in Italy, Greece, Bulgaria and France are another hearty yet healthy stuffed veggie.every home chef in Piedmonte has their own recipe for this. A simple yet healthy stuffy is the onion's middle minced with lean ground beef or turkey. A bit of garlic and oregano round out the flavor along with tomato paste.  Stuffed squashes are always a tasty treat and perfect for a dinner. Try the fun named carnival squash and stuff with rice and chopped pecans or walnuts along with minced bell peppers and onions. Quinoa also works well as a stuffing and it can be used don't only in squash but also in peppers and onions too.

A hearty dish doesn't have to be loaded with rich ingredients and calories. You can make a hearty and healthy meal that'[s rib sticking and tasty. It's just subbing in the bad ingredients with good ones.

The Best Gift Homemade Food Baskets

 What do you gift foodies and gourmands for the holiday season? Try a homemade food basket. These are not only fun to give but fun to make. Even better is that they can be tailored to the person's likes.

The first thing to do is figure out how many you;re going to make and what each recipient's tastes are.ONce these are established then head to your local dollar or craft sote and pick up wicker baskets. Buy ribbon to wrap around the baskets and if you want buy some fake holly and berries or put a candy cane or two in front for a more restive look. As for wrapping the entire basket, consider buying holiday Saran wrap that comes in red and green tints.(if you can;t find itat your local grocery store, Amazon has the rolls for fifteen dollars). Now it's time to think about what to put in. Pizza lovers would probably like a bag of bread flour, olive oil , pizza sauce and a pizza cutter. You can add a pack of pepperoni along with a tin of olives or even anchovies. Include a shaker jar of red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese if they like their pizzas extra cheesy. pasta lovers would appreciate a similar basket, but with different kinds of pasta to try a long with a couple of jars of different flavored sauces. Include a pasta measurer and pasta tongs (again Amazon and Target sell these). Add a jar of Parmesan too along with bottles of thyme and oregano for flavoring. A garlic press would be a great addition too.

Barbecuers would love a basket filled with different hot sauces . Get then in varying degrees of heat so the griller can experiment. A pack of homemade or purchased dry rubs would be appreciated. A good dry rub recipe has a blend of brown sugar, mustard powder, ground pepper and onion powder. You can put this in  a mason jar and tied a festive bow around it.Add barbecue mitt too which can be bought at either Home Depot or Sur la Table. Ice cream fanatics would love a basket filled of  extras to make the perfect cone or sundae. Include a package of waffle cone bowls and cones along with both hot fudge and salted caramel syrups. Wet walnuts and a container of maraschino cherries complete it along with a variety of colored sprinkled. Add a bottle of hard magic shell sauce for those perfect Dairy Queen dipped cones.You can  also put in a set of sundae spoons and metal straws for those who loved ice cream sodas. Bakers would love a basket full of different flours along with dry yeast, cinnamon and other spices like nutmeg and cardamon,Add festive cookie cutters along with powdered sugar, food coloring gels and different decorations like dragees and sprinkles. Target has cute Christmas tree spatulas that would go well in this kind of basket.

Creating a holiday food basket is fun. It could be for the barbecuer or the baker in your life. It could be a treat for a pasta and pizza lover or an ice cream fan. Whatever you make will be most appreciated by any food lover.

A Halloween Fun DInner

 Dinner is important even on a fun day like Halloween.The little ones have to eat a good dinner before trick or treating. The best bet here is make the dinner  fun. They'll want seconds and even thirds.

Hamburgers are always a good meal. They're hot and filling along with being tasty. Make them fun by turning them into jack o'lanterns. This is an easy fix.  Cut out eyes and a grin on cheese slices . Put aside as you grill the burgers.WHen the burgers are almost done layer the cheese on them .The meat's heat will slightly melt the cheese leaving to to cling on the hamburger.This will give it a round pumpkin shape. You could add a small piece of green pepper at the top for the stem.  Another idea is giving the sandwich eyes. Stick two olive "eyes" on the top of the bun. You could have a piece of red pepper sticking out of the middle for the tongue.  Mummy dogs are easy and fun to make.It's taking crescent roll dough and tearing it into strips. Wrap around any kind of hot dog, whether beef or vegan and then wrap the strips around them. You could add cheese or brush the dogs with mustard before wrapping. Bake in a375 Farenheit degree oven for about thirteen to seventeen minutes. After you can add two dots of mustard for eyes. Have different kinds of mustard for dipping.

It's amazing that even pasta can be turned into something scary. You can make spaghetti with meatball "eyes".This is taking meatballs baking them. Add  mozzarella ovals then press olives into the melty cheese. Place on the spaghetti (or whatever the  kids like). Pasta can also take a dark turn with the addition of   mushrooms cut into the shape of skulls. Use button mushrooms for this  and then gouge out two little holes for the eyes. Do two little slits under neat the eyes for the nostrils. The stem can be the teeth,. Carve little lines in them to simulate the skull's mouth. Use a  wooden skewers or small paring knife to do this. For an even spookier look serve  these over black pasta made with squid ink. (although any regular pasta works with this as does any sauce.Pasta can be turned into a brain .It's first cooking spaghetti and then baking it in a rounded pan. A mix of mozzarella and eggs is poured over to as a binder. Leave an end to end well in the middle of the"brain" then cover with breadcrumbs. Bake for thirty to forty minutes in a 450 degree Farenheit oven for half an hour. Pour  marinara sauce in the well for a lovely bloody brains look. You could serve with meat ball eyes if you want.

Make sure the kids eat well before they spend the night trick or treating.It could be jack o lantern burgers r  mummy dogs. It could be a plate of scary pasta. They'll feel better and won;t gobble all their candy if they're well fed.

New York - A Guide For Vegans

 You would think that Manhattan with it's many restaurants would be a paradise for vegetarians and vegans. Surprisingly the answer is no. It's not easy ordering  meat free in the Big Apple. Yet herbivores can survive with a few tips.

Regular Priya Krishna wrote about it on today's New York Times Food section.The city does have a lively and diverse restaurant scene. New Yorkers  can shop for plant based meats and some  eateries offer Impossible Burgers on their menus. It's not enough though.Many restaurants shrank their menus during the pandemic four and a half years ago.Plant based meats are not on the smaller or shrunken versions. Charlotte Brooks, a professor at Baruch College in Brooklyn has found that some places only have two options.Lawyer Tracie Lyons who lives on the restaurant rich Upper West Side has problems with finding one that suits her veganism. Choices are few and far between and looking for a suitable eatery is a chore.Ms Krishna heard this and decided to go out on her own to see the options. even the Times lsit of city restaurants have places that will not tweak their menus to suit non meat eaters What's a vegan or eve vegetarian to do?

One of the answers is go to pasta.This works except for vegans because with pasta come dairy based cheese and butter.Ms. Krishna recommends Ci Siamo which does have cheese and butter in their dishes. A better choice is just ordering pasta or gnocchi with marinara sauce. Diners could order a dish without meat or fish yet the dish like endive with anchovy at Estella is just endive. sometimes the vegan option does work as it does at Jeju Noodle Bar where their mushroom scallion pancakes are popular.Some eateries go ad hoc and will create a dish in seconds featuring no meat. Just ask nicely as she did at the Viernamese place Mam on the Lower East Side.The fancy eatery eleven Madison Park has gone vegan with its' tasting menus. Vegans and vegetarians love this .Le Bernardin also did this too. Of course if you want truly vegetarian, then head to Dirt Candy, Superiority Burger and Buddha Budai. These are truly meat and dairy free and have great menus.

Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy the Manhattan restaurant scene. One know where to go. Two enjoy the dishes whatever is in front of you. It'll make for a good dinner.

Rustic Fall Recipes

 Just because the weather is cooler doesn't;t mean that you have to cook fancy. The season is known for down to earth comfort foods .Think country cooking with warming spices and flavorful bites.This is perfect for a homey dinner with family.

What is rustic cooking? It's simpl;e dishes without bells and whistles.It focuses on high quality ingredients  prepped and cooked in a such a way as to let the flavors shine. One of the best cuisines that exemplifies this is Italian cooking.Think homemade pastas and ravioli, easy to make fritters and pizzas. The cooler weather almost begs for scratch pasta. You will need a pasta machine which is simply a roller to create fla sheets.It also has a serrated roller to make tagliatelle and spaghetti.Any pasta starts with  all purpose flour, olive oil and an egg.That's it. Once you have this recipe then you can make simple dishes using what's left of the summer bounty. Think simple sauce with bases of butter, tomato  and butter. Another simple rustic recipe is potato fritters from the Trento Aldige region of northeastern Italy. This is a simple mix of grated potatoes and flours fried in olive oil. They're great on their own but also good with cured meats and a sprinkle of  Parmesan cheese. Germany also has rustic  but they're mostly breads.It's easy to make a homemade rye and have it for soups and sandwiches.

France is also a country that exemplifies rustic cooking and baking. The French are usually known for having their mats swimming in rich ,buttery sauces yet one of the best chicken dishes from FRance is a plain one.The meat is juicy and moist with a crispy , crackly skin. It;s flavored with herbes de Provence and pimento de'ville a simple pimento based pepper.It's then roasting the bird on both sides for first forty minutes then twenty. You can serve it with simply small or baby potatoes or a string beans with a lemon butter sauce. America has its' own rustic cuisine.It;s sometimes called farmhouse and features the sort of foods people are a century ago, Think fried chicken with an easy flour based crust or a meat loaf that simply ground beef mixed with milk, eggs ketchup,onions and Saltines(other crackers like Ritz and Cheeze its can also be used). This is perfect with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and a simple homemade gravy. What's the best rustic dessert. Think an apple scratch cake or  plum galette. These are perfect endings and easy to make. They also highlight the fruits of the season too.

Fall calls for rustic cooking. This simple cuisine is perfect for any chilly fall day. Create a one with French or Italian main dish, a German bread and an American dessert.

Cooking Holidays

 Foodie sand gourmands have one thing on their mindc- creating the perfect dish. Even their vacations revolve around the perfect dish.Luckily there are vacations for those who love food > They 're everywhere from Tuscany to Cambodia.

How do you find  cooking holidays? The obvious answer is online. There are many to choose from so pick one that sings to you.The top countries foodies want to go to is France and Italy. THere are packages that feature four days in Normandy for $4000. This is i a crash course where you learn everything. from balancing to more elaborate cooking methods.All three meals are included as well.Some cooking schools are located in farmhouses so there students can pick their ingredients along with retrieving fresh eggs for dishes and desserts. There is also a Normandy pastry vacation where students can learn all the intricacies of French pastry making , form mille feulles to croissants.Of course Italy is another desired location  and there foodies and gourmands can be shown the intricacies of making a good homemade pasta along with the various sauces.Th Italian trip also features talking with local artesans , from wine makers to cheese makers and discerning how to buy the best.

More exotic locales can also be found too. Cambodia offered culinary trips. There foodies and home chefs learn about Khmer cuisine. These also include trips to local markets to become familiar with and shop for important ingredients. A Cambodian cooking vacation is actually cheaper than a European one. A few days is $2700 , as opposed to an Italian one of $5000. There is also a twelve day culinary tour of Vietnam which features seeing Hanoi with a well known food blogger and trying everything from pho to egg coffee.It['s mot just Southeast Asia that features culinary vacations. India offers a few interesting trips throughout the country. There is a three day culinary tour at Agra which also highlights a trip to the Taj Mahal. Four dishes will be featured along with breakfast, lunch and dinner included.Another Indian culinary trip features food walks in such famed cities as Dehli, Jaipur and Agra. A plus on this tour is an introduction to Indian spices which is important when the students return home and recreate the dishes.

A vacation is fun. A cooking vacation is just special. Think about taking one sometime this summer for a fun and tasty trip.

Celebrating America's Ethnic Roots

 THis Fourth of July celebrate the many centuries of immigrants that contributed to America's culinary table. Try different and new dishes and spices for a truly memorable American feast. The recipes are varied but all are delicious.

Yes you could have the German based hamburger and hot dogs. These are always fun but how about celebrating Middle Eastern immigrants culinary contribution - the kebab. These are easy to make on the grill.  It's just taking cut up chicken breasts and alternating them with grape or,cherry tomatoes, onions and peppers. You can marinate the meat in lemon for more flavor. Shrimp can also be used for an even tastier variation.Kabobs can easily made vegan with just having the veggies and omitting the meat. Tofu can also be part of the kabob. Marinate in Middle Easter spices like turmeric and sumac.Look to our Caribbean community for another barbecue must cook. Jerk chicken is a great addition to any outdoor party,It''s marinating or rubbing legs and wings with a combination of soy sauce, nutmeg, allspice and Chinese five spice powder. All of these symbolize the various ethnicities that make up the Caribbean.Marinate the meat overnight in this. You can also create jerk pork and lamb along with beef. Even shrimp can have that spicy , smoky flavor.

What about sides? Here look to the people who originally fed America -the indigenous tribes.Corn is an important part of any Fourth of July cookout.If you want moist, juicy kernels then soak int ears in their husks in water from half an hour to six to seven hours overnight. You can turn them into Mexican street corn by adding a sauce made of mayo, Mexican sour cream(or the america one if you can;t find the Mexican one) garlic ,lime zest and cilantro. Another indigenous staple was beans, A bean salad is always a welcome side when you eat out doors. Try a three bean type but add different spices. You could give it an Asian vibe by adding some soy sauce to the vinaigrette along with some freshly shredded ginger. Oregano  garlic and red wine vinegar will give it an Italian spin. Italy does give us pasta and it can be fun to create a pasta salad but think more Italian. A panzanella or bread salad from Naples is perfect .Mix ripe thinly sliced  San Marzano tomatoes with chunks of Italian bread and olive oil.YOu could add chopped red onion of you want more flavor along with garlic. Olives and mozzarella chunks can also be added for more weight. This is also good as a leftover for the next day.

America is a marriage of the indigenous and foreign. The same can be true of our cuisine. Try some of the recipes for this  truly American holiday.

Asparagus Three Ways

 It is still asparagus season which means they can be turned into lovely sides to accompany any man meal.Most home chefs opt for just simple steaming yet there are a number of ways to prepare these verdant stalks.

Regular contributor Melissa CLark wrote about these ways in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. All of these methods bring out the veggie's  sweet, earthy flavor. Ms. Clark has fallen for roasting them. Doing such actually brings out their flavor even more. Roasting caramelizes and sweetens the stalks while the tips get crisp.It's just simply roasting them anywhere between 375 to 450 degrees Farenheit, Use a good olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt before throwing a pan of them into the oven.She adds a drizzle of yogurt or more olive oil. A sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper wouldn't;t go amiss here either. Chopped herbs or scallions can add more flavor along with a sprinkling of lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice. Another method she recommends is broiling This is similar to roasting however roasting surrounds the stalk with a gentle and even hear. Broiling full on blasts them until they are blackened on the outside, with a tender sweet interior. Since it has an intense flavor, she pairs the stalks with a pungent sauce, This is a simple miso glaze flavored with sake, mirin and sesame oil.

Pan searing is  is another suggested method. here Ms. Clark cut the spears into bite sized pieces . She also pan toasted cashews, coconut flakes and sunflower seeds until they were fragrant.Bore adding the asparagus garlic is sauteed in a moisture of coconut and sesame oils.the asparagus bites are cooked for six to seven minutes. Soy sauce and lime juice are then added red pepper flakes. She suggests serving this over rice which would work the best or with a fried egg on top. It would also work well with air fried tofu cubes glazed in the same sauce as the asparagus. The third method is sauteing.She used butter for this to mellow out its grassiness and bring out the plant's sweetness. I would top this with sliced hard boiled egg and Parmesan cheese Piedmontese style but Ms. Clark mixes it with peas, mint Parmesan cheese and cream for a pasta primavera style dinner,Red pepper flakes can be added for zing and color too.

This is asparagus season. These are the different ways you can cook those amazing stalks. Try any of them for a fresh Springtime tate

Polenta, Pasta or Risotto What's Your Choice

 What is a nice accompaniment to a tomato sauce or grilled chicken ro steak? Do you go for a side or base of  polenta, pasta or risotto? or do you eat these on their own? What works best with various sauces and sides?

Out of all three polenta is the most versatile. The ground corn meal can be perfect on its' own, as a base or gracing a plate as a side.It can be labor intensive if you want to cook it.It does require a lot of stirring after a basic mixing of finely ground cornmeal, water and salt.It can also be lumpy however the best way to beat this is to pulverize the meal before cooking.An easier method  would be buying the already made polenta logs and grilling them until they're crispy and golden yellow. A simple cacciatore sauce with chicken is the best main dish with it. The thin tomato sauce works well with the polenta. Another good sauce is a simple mushroom and spinach one. This is an easy make with simply sauteing spinach with baby bellas in a mix of garlic olive oil and butter. Can you serve polenta with grilled or roasted meats. Only if there's a sauce. On it's own , without any sauce ro even butter and cheese polenta can be somewhat dry. There should be some kind of sauce there.

If you want to serve a good side with steaks or chicken then think either pasta or polenta. Pasta can accompany  achicken in the form of noodles. Again with any kind of sauce it's a great side. You can even cut up a rotisserie chicken or a flank steak and add it to a tomato or spinach  sauce to make a heartier dish.Any kind of pasta is good on its' own. Just add butter or to make it more flavorful cook it in the broth of your choice. Unlike polenta there are so many different types that work well with any type of ingredient.  Penn can work with a chunky tomato sauce while linguine is perfect  as a base for clams or chicken cutlets. Risotto is a diffrent matter.Risotto is a phenomenal , especially the saffron infused risotto Milanese. This is perfect as a main course or as a side with any protein form lamb chops to shrimp. A plus about this addition is, like pasta, anything can be added to it while cooking. The miost popular add ins are mushrooms and asaparagus. You can also mix in chopped tomatoes too along with a variety of cheeses.

What's the most versatile and best? Use polenta for sauces. Try pasta as a side and use risotto as a main dish. 

Barcelona's A True Classic Revisited

 Very few restaurants make it to their ninetieth birthday but Barcelona' sin Garfield, New Jersey  has. This is a throwback to eateries from decades ago. friends and family gather around tables or the bar for good old fashioned Italian and American dishes. You can get everythign form a thin crust pizza to a hamburger.

You can pass by it if you're driving quickly. It;s in a working class neighborhood in a town that was a suburb of Passaic.The atmosphere alone is worth the visit. Friends and family gather there, especially on a Friday nioght to share a communal bowl of salad and drink martinis as they play along with "Jeopardy". The food though is phenomenal and there's so much to choose from. There are the Southern Italian classics , from pizza to spaghetti to just meatball  dishes.Ravioli and lasagna lovers will go wild for the vast array of sauce  choices You can order hot or cold subs along with a variety of soups. There's also American food too. Their open steak sandwich is served with fries and a salad along with a hamburger and mushroom.

 I ordered the small onion pizza with a side of anchovies. (My dinner mates didn not want an anchovy pie). Every inch of the pie was covered with think strings of onion. Add the anchovies and I was in heaven. The crust is crispy and thin, The cheese and sauce were not overpowering as with some pies.

We  also ordered classic spaghetti with a grapefruit sized meatball on top. This is what pasta lovers dream of . The sauce was a tasty blend of tomato and tomato paste, rich with garlic and oregano. Their spaghetti with mushrooms  sounds just as tasty and will be tried on thei next trip. The prices are pretty good with $9 for a small plain pizza  while the spaghetti was $8.50. All meat  dishes are under fifteen dollars. There is even a dessert menu of Italian and American favorites.

If you're in Garfield for either lunch ro dinner come to Barcelona's It's good old fashioned food at good, old fashioned prices. It's like going to a family dinner.

Barcelona's is located at 38 Harrison Ave ,Garfield New Jersey, a block south of the Garfield Walmart. Go to www.Barcelonasnj.com for more info

Veggies Doing Double Duty

 It's not just spinach steamed with garlic and butter anymore. Or cauliflower florets ready to be dipped into a viniagrette. Veggies now are getting double duty in foods and recipe usually occupied by traditional and time honored ingredients. The end result is a tasty new way of getting produce.

On e of the unexpected to find veggies is pasta. Many companies like Ronzoni are incorporating everything from broccoli to tomatoes in their spaghetti and rotelli.Barilla, the most tradtional of pasta companies is taking a different turn with their zucchini and spinach ones along with their red lentil and chickpea pastas. Yet are they worth it to those who love their whole wheat and Durham wheat kinds. Veggie based pasta is less in fiber and much less proteins than the traditional types. They are perfect for those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivites and wheat allergies.Keep in mind that they're not completely vegetable based.A mix of semolina and Durham wheat is added for body. Ronzoni 's has  The most important question however is how does it taste. Veggie pastas don't have the robust and distinctive flavor their one hundred per cent wheat cousins have. It won't work with a delicate butter and garlic sauce. Try a hearty tomato or fiery arriabiata one instead. The same applies to turning them into salads. Use a flavorful dressing and strong flavors like beans and broccoli along with vine ripe tomatoes.

Rice is also getting a run for its' money. There is a trend right now for riced veggies.It's a much healthier alternative to the regular grains (although rice is lower in calories and is rich in carbohydrates,magnesium and protein).Riced veggies have more Vitamins K and C. You can easily buy it at your grocery store . There are several different brands to choose from like Acme's Signature brand to Bird's Eye and Green Giant. It comes plain ro with flavorings like regular rice. It's great on it's own but perfect for a healthy side with grilled chicken or even plant based meats. Riced veggies can be easily be made in your kitchen. One popular recipe is riced broccoli. This is just trimming the veggie's thick ends or woody looking stems. Cut the broccoli into equal sized florets and cut the stems into coins or thin slices. Place all of it in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pieces resembles rice grains. You can easily turn it into a side or a salad. even fellow vegetables like potatoes are getting a run for their money. Mashed cauliflower has a popular side since Michelle Obama introduced it at The White House.It's mashing the cooked florets with sour cream and butter, although you can also use almind milk for a healthier side.

Veggies are doing double duties taking over form rice , pasta and even their fellow veggies potatoes, They're a nice alternative to these, being healthier and more flavorful. Try them as pasta riced or mashed for a new taste in the New Year.

A New Jersey Gem Terhune's Orchards

Princeton  is known for education and being a haven for great mind s like Albert Einstein and John Nash. What it's not known for is it' country side ,stretching form the busting core of the town to farmland. It should be known one farm, Terhune Orchards. This is a must see Jersey gem, only an hour and a half south of Manhattan.

I had heard a lot about this farm which is actually a large complex of fields orchards, trails and stores. It was amazing to see. Kids can go to the small petting zoo and feed the goats and a Shetland pony. There is a bunny to pet and the general store has a sweet kitty  who's oblvious to the people around him or her.The Mount family have owned this property since 1973 and Gary Mount grew up on an apple farm nearby. You can also pick apples or enjoy the beautiful woods on their many trails.

There is a large tent seling home baked goods such as pies and different fruit breads . Inside the General Store there are more prodicts from pasta to a variety of breads and jams. I was tempted to get the cider slushie.It looked so good on an unseasonably warm November day. Terhune's also has a winery with such unusual wines as peach and apple. There are even wine tastings where you can sample those wines and others such as Jersey  made chardonnays and  Cold Soil white,a traminette .

                                              One productI could not resist was apple butter.

This was pure heaven!!!!!! It was a creamy , cinnamon rich applesauce with the consistency of a thick pudding. I loved it so much I had it just by the spoonful but it is excellent on bread , especially croissants. I plan on buying it again during my next trip. It can be used in strudels or glazing pork but just slathering it on a buttery croissant is sheer perfection.

If you're in the Princeton area, stop by Terhune Orchards. There is so much there  to do and see. Try the winery. Play with the animals. sample their amazing products like their apple butter.

Terhune Orchards

330 Cold Soil Road,

Princeton ,New Jersey 08540

A Quick Halloween meal

 Halloween can be a fun day but it can also be nightmare for parents trying to plan lunch or dinner. It's hard to eat let alone cook between answering the door and taking the kids trick or treating. what to do? Think simple.  A simple meal is a b ig help here.

Sandwiches are the way to go for lunch. Have cold cuts and bread or rolls on the ready. Use leftover chicken or roast beef from Sunday's lunch for a delicious lunch. Make yourself a hearty one if you're planning on heading house to house afterwards. Think a hero stuffed with not only your favorite slices of ham or salami but also with different cheeses like Provolone and mozzarella. Add tomatoes and pickles too. Extras like chips or pretzels can round it out. A hot lunch on a chilly day is a boon because you'll feel warm afterwards. If you're ambitious then spend tomorrow making a homemade soup that can easily be served on Monday. A good cauliflower or potoato one is not only filling but also delicious too. Round out the lunch with toasted cheese rounds using Italian ro French bread crisped up in an air fryer and a salad. Kids may just want to skip lunch and get to the trick or treating. Don't allow this to happen. Pack a favorite sandwich and a juice box if they refuse to eat at home. Take along napkins and wet wipes so there are no grubby or dirty little fingers begging for candy.

Another meal that will be affected by the holiday is dinner.Again you could also use Sunday's leftovers for Monday's supper. Cook extra pasta or sides to stretch the meal. That way you can concentrate on handing out treats. If the family still wants a hot dinner, consider take out. The addition of pizza , Chinese or burgers only adds to the excitment of the holiday. However if you feel the need to cook something fresh, then think easy. Pasta is a snap to boil and serve with a variety of sauces. Dont go homemade. There are plenty of good commercially made ones that can fill the bill. Acme and Stop & Shop have a wide range of tasty sauces,  Get a tomato basil or a four cheese one. Again make an easy garlic bread in the air fryer to sop up the sauce. A French dip sandwich is another tasty warm meal that's easy to make.Buy sliced London Broil or roast beef and long rolls. Use already made gravy and heat it up in the miicrowave. The result is a hot sandwich that will keep you filled long after the last trick or treater has gone home.

Don't let Halloween trick you into skipping lunch or dinner. Have a full meal before trick or treating or handing out goodies. It's a treat that will keep you going all day.

Still Producing Late Summer Harvests

   Backyard gardens and farmer's markets are still going strong even as summer's waning. Home chefs can still pick a few good tomatoes or find a cucumber or two. It's the second raspberry season too, which means plenty of fun desserts too. There's an ongoing abundance of fresh picked abundance despite  the seasom.

 Regular contributor David Tanis knowss this and put in three delicious recipes in Wednesday's New York Times Food section,.Home chefs can use their own backyard bounty - and those without head to the Farmer's Markets.These will still be going until mid October to early November. They have plenty of bounty from summer harvests. There are still golden ears of corn, ripe, juicy tomaotes and bright peppers. Fruit also abounds and not just apples. You can still buy stone fruit as well as raspberries. Some carry fresh herbs , perfect for adding more flavor to any recipe. Take advantage of what's there. Mr. Tanis suggests three recipes bell pepper salad with capers and olives, followed by the unusual combination of shrimp with pasta and corn.  Dessert is a boozy Prosecco slush, topped with raspberries and spiked with Meyer lemons. It's the perfect late summer weekend meal. You could also get creative and vary the recipe too. 

The bell pepper salad is made with an anchovy dressing, reminiscent of a Piedmonrese favorite, pepe e acciughe, except this version doesn't roast the peppers. It's combining them with  cherry tomatoes and Castelvetrano or Morroccan olives.Anchovies come in the dressing.They're first pulverized with a mortar and pestle and then redwine vinegar, olive oil and red wine vinegar are whisked in. The main course is shrimp with linguine or spaghetti. The shrimp is cooked in a mix of olive oil garlic and scallions. The shrimp is cooked first then the corn is added (you could actually use canned corn for this as opposed to cutting the kernals off the cob). red pepper flakes gives the dish zing, but you can omit them if you find it too spicy. A boozy Prosecco slushie      -  which can be made for just on its own  finishes off the meal. Use a cup of the Italian sparkling wine with a cup of Meyer lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest. freeze for fifteen minutes and then scrape with a fork like granita. Freeze and repeat. Serve with a topping of raspberries and mint leaves if you have them.

There's still a good bounty out there. Take advatange of it and enjoy the taste of fresh fruit and veggies. Go to your farmer's market or  garden  for the best.