It's Pi Day!

Today is 3-14  Pi day here in the States. everyone is going crazy over the different pies out there from pizza to the dessert kind. It's also , fittingly Einstein;s birthday as well.

Here;s the question what kind of pie excites you? Is it pizza , loaded with all sorts of topping and extra cheese?Is it a dessert one with a side of fluffy whipped cream or scoops of vanilla ice cream? My favorite pizza is anchovy (what can I say , it's the Piedmontese blood) with extra sauce, sop extra that's its drippy. My favorite sweet pie  - pecan(again why can I say, it's my Southern and Midwestern roots) . either one makes me want to celebrate. Let's see what your faves and why. 

Easy As Pie Bars

 There's nothing like an end of season pie to highliught late summer harvests. Yet apie at a picnic can be messy, especially eaten out doors. Try a pie bar instead. You cn bake and bring it anywhere, the back yard or the beach ,

Melissa Clark wrote about pie bars in her A Good Appetite Column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. These bars take the fruits and crusty flavors to a new level witohut the mess. Traditional pies can be messy. Their insides drip out. Crust crumble into a million  pieces. it hard to eat a piece of pie while ballancing a paper plate on your lap. Pie bars allow home bakers to bake them days ahead , cut them and  put them on plate.Guests and family can just grab one and nibble as they mingle. There's no gooey mess to deal with afterwards. Ms. Clark compares it this way, a pie bar isto a  pie as a hamburger is to a steak.It's totable and easy to eat . The crust should be sturdy and Ms Clark recommends prebaking both the given sortbread and grahan crackers, She likes the first for it's flavor and sturdiness. The shortbread should be a dark brown.It'll be harder to gauge the grahahn cracker one because of its' color. The color will deepend ever so slightly so keep an eye on it.

As for the filling Ms. Clark gives three. There is a raspberry crunch one with a a combo of five (!) cups of  fresh raspberries and half a cup of raspberry jam. There's a crunch topping of rolled oats, almonds , brown sugar and butter.Everything is flattened down to create three layers of fruity, sweet buttery goodness. Coconut lovers will go wild for the recipe that has a cocoonut pie filling laced with dark chocolate.It's rich with eggs and butter along with unsweetened coconut milk.  These two hav e the base of shortbread which adds to the flavor.Enjoy peach season with creamy peach pie bars. This starts with a graham cracker crust made ven more crunchier with pecans. The filling has a rich mix of cream cheese and heavy cream along with one whole egg. You will need three cups of peaches, preferably fresh. These can be peeled or unpeeled (go with the unpeeled - less work). The peaches are simmered in a sugary sauce and then placed on top of the already pired heavy cream and cream cheese mix.

Try a pie bar this Labor Day weekend. They're a fun and tasty way to enjoy the season's harvest.  They're better than pie .

Fortify Yourself This Holiday Season

 Thanksgiving ushers in the season of eating - badly. We glut ourselves on rich main courses and party foods, finishing off with richer desserts. Yet , eating badly can make us sick and even vulnerable , especially during this holiday season. We have to eat better. We have to eat with our health in mind and not our taste buds.

After a spectacularly lousy year we feel that we want to treat ourselves with all sorts of goodies. Who wouldn't? However Covid-19 is roaring back with the speed of a bullet and the ferocity of a wild beast. It's time to fortify ourselves with the right foods and beverages. First of all  we should limit the amount of salt in our diets. Cut back on those chips and dips. You can still have a fun plate of crunchies and dip for movie night or your Zoom holiday parties. Just make them  unsalted or homemade tortilla chips and a fresh made salsa. Chop up some tomatoes and onions and add  equal dashes of cumin and chili powder for a more authentic flavor and bite. Guacamole also can be made healthier (although it is to begin with ). Mash avocados with minced red onions and jalapeno for a zingy and delicious dip. Another salt free party snack is herb popcorn. This is mixing the classic with rosemary, and thyme. Using it will make the herbs stick better to the kernels. Also cut down on such salty sauces as soy and packaged and jarred gravies. As yourself if your dish really needs them. You could switch to a low sodium version or just skip it completely. Adding water or olive oil can moisten a dish.

Sugar is another bad ingredient, yet it's really the star of the season. How do you not serve pie this Thursday or bake a ton of cookies for Christmas? Surprisingly enough you can bake a healthy pumpkin pie. It's just replacing sugar with maple syrup ,a  natural sweetener. Also use coconut sugar instead of brown and almond milk instead of whole dairy. Is there a healthy pie crust? Yes, if you use whole wheat flour instead of refined white and coconut oil instead of lard. You may want to skip the sugary sweet pecan and opt for a healthier apple one. There are some good apple pie recipes that require spelt flour for the crust and way less sugar. That all important cookie season is just around the corner. How do you make a sugar cookie without the chief ingredient? Add fruit which has natural sugars. You could sub in bananas for sweetening along with natural apple sauce.There are other sugar free versions of classic holiday cookies such as gingerbread and rolled cookie cutter cookies. If you're wondering about icing the cookies, then think of all natural Swerve, made from stevia. You can also use it for cake and cupcake icing too. If you're making the last , go easy on the sweet decorations. Use shaved dark chocolate instead for a fancy look.

We need to eat healthy this holiday season. We just have to cut down or cut out the bad stuff and sub it in for good.It'll be your best protection in being just a bit more healthier and resilient during this holiday season

Pie Variations

 It's pie season and many home bakers will turn to the traditional for their Thanksgiving desserts. Yet it's the same boring kinds, apple  pumpkin and the occasional pecan. What can be done to make them more exciting? Vary the recipes

Apple pie almost cries out to be something different.You could start out with the crust, adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or cinnamon and nutmeg combined. Another idea is sprinkling brown sugar on the crimped edges for a crunchy and sweeter pie. A really decadent idea is using cinnamon bun dough for the crust. This also includes using the icing too. To balance out this sugariness, use tart Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.Caramel and the fruit go perfectly together. Salted caramel works well because of the underlying current of savoriness in it. Do you go with a store bought sauce or make it yourself? A homemade caramel sauce is nothing more than granulated sugar , butter and heavy cream cooked together. It produces a nice  thin sauce that you can use  later on cakes and even pancakes and waffles.A chewier version would be adding nuts, namely walnuts. These can be whole or halved. They can also go on top as part of a streusel topping. Streusel is an easy make, combining dark and white sugar with flour and various spices like cinnamon and ginger. Butter is added for more flavor and to bind the other ingredients. It's then scattered op top of the pie and baked with it.

There's not much you can do with pumpkin pie. A different way of making it is in a galette This is a free form pie that baked on a cookie sheet. It makes for a lighter slice with less filling.Some home bakers add a layer of sweetened cream cheese to give it some zing.You could also make just the filling in mousse form. This is an airy version made with eggs for binding and the same spices. It's the perfect dessert without the soggy crust. Another idea that's completely fun are pumpkin pie shots. This is layering the filling over cinnamon and crushed graham crackers in shot glasses. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Some home bakers are combining this pie with another Thanksgiving classic - pecan. Yes, they can be combined, although pecan is better on its' own.It's layering the two fillings with the pecans being placed on top. You could easily make a traditional pecan pie however it may be too sweet. Think about adding dark chocolate to counterbalance it. Ditch the corn syrup which can be tooth achingly sweet and sub in maple syrup instead. Use four ounces of eighty-five to ninety per cent dark cacao. Bourbon pecan pie is a Southern specialty. Two tablespoons of bourbon will do it, giving the super sweet filling some strong zing.

Pies do rule for Thanksgiving. Yet the same ones , apple, pumpkin and pecan can be ho hum. Liven them uo with different variations for a unique holiday dessert.

A Comforting Cookbook The Pinewood Kitchen

These are the times for comfort food , that's both soothing and comforting. A new cookbook, My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure (Health Communications 2020) may be the small antidote we need right now. There are some tasty dishes that can help us cope.

Mee MCCormick wrote this fascinating book which offers all sorts of recipes that can help with boosting the immune system. She herself has had an interesting life full of highs and lows. In th e meanwhile she wound up with such debilitating conditions as Hashimoto's disease , celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Her recipes for Pinewood Kitchens, part of a farm, started by Samuel Graham, a free thinking farmer in the 1830. He created a kind of utopia where all men and women were equal in rural Tennessee. Chef McCormack brings her health background into her cooking and into the book. There are sections on the importance of adding berries and nuts into the diet and how they can help the body . another section, which many cooks and chefs ignore, is devoted to seaweed. She also emphasizes the importance of probiotic foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut and how they're very important in a diet. The many recipes reflect this.Chef McCormick also weighs in on sugar and what you can use in it's place - namely honey or coconut sugar , the last contains such nutrients as  zinc, iron , and calcium. She also recommends  monk fruit sugar It 's an all natural sugar first made by Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia and has no calories or carbs.

I like this cookbook a lot. There are sections from breakfasts (which comes later in the book) along ones on soups, main courses, sides and dips. The vegetarian ones are great for those cooking in a meat free home kitchen. The tempeh bacon is especially appealing , because it can also be made into a crunchy snack. It'll would also work well with Chef McCormick's falafel burger recipe. Since this is a Southern cookbook, there is a recipe for fried chicken. It's a healthier version sans the flour, being dipped in cornstarch for the crispiness. Cayenne and paprika give it color and bite. There are also collard greens along with black eyed pea croquettes, a different spin on the Southern classic. Okra is also here in fritter, roasted and pickled forms. She celebrates her Italian heritage with a tomato free (!) sauce for pasta. Miso or tamari along with kuzo root and umbeboshi vinegar give it that rich taste. Chef Mc Cormick does like tomatoes and she has an excellent tomato soup recipe, a perfect balm for these times. The breakfast recipes are interesting too, especially the breakfast tacos, made with scallions and zucchini along with bacon and eggs. Her breakfast smoothies  are rich with fruits and berries along with mushroom powder used to boost the immune system. I like the gluten free desserts, which are her family's pignoli  or pine nut cookies to a spin on the Southern classic pecan pie. She also had a healthier version of pumpkin pie too.

We need  healthy comfort food during these troubling and crazy times. Mee McCormick's My Pinewood Kitchen : A Southern Culinary Cure is just that. She provides us with great recipes that are good for our bodies and souls.

Host Gifts Make Or Buy

The holidays are fast upon us and that means invitations to a variety of dinners and lunches. It is obligatory to bring something - but what? Do you go all out and create a homemade or buy something at a specialty shop or wine store? Each have a huge variety to choose from.

Thanksgiving is the time for such invitations. Many guests feel obligated to bring a home baked pie. You can do this. Everyone loves a slice of something whipped up in the kitchen. Just keep in mind that all pies do require certain levels of work. Another thought is do you bring the most popular flavor and risk it be the second or third pumpkin or apple pie given.You could try that Southern classic - pecan pie. Unlike the other two this can be varied to include bourbon or dark chocolate in the recipe. It's a nice change up from the traditional recipe. Homemade candy is not only fun to give but fun to make too. The most popular given for the holidays is fudge. This is a simple make, with semisweet chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter. You can add any kind of nuts or marshmallows along with toasted coconuts and dried sour cherries for some tasty varieties. savory gifts are also a nice thank you. Think a jar of homemade salsa with a variety of different tomatoes and peppers for color. Another fun thank you gift is a basket full of popcorn spices. This is just mixing different dried spices into appealing sweet and savory mixes that can be sprinkled on popped corn. The  hand blended spices can also be used in baking and flavoring main and side dishes too.

If all this is too much for you then go the store or internet route. Most go for a good wine. Appropriate ones for Turkey Day are the red, fruity pinot noir, and a white Reisling whose sweetness is the perfect foil for a savory bird and gravy. Champagne is another fun bring, with it starting or ending a meal. This is also perfect if the family is celebrating an important event like a raise, new job or engagement. A more sophisticated present would be an aged brandy, excellent for afters. Another idea is bringing dessert.  Yes, you could go with pies but what about platters  of mini cupcakes or brownie cups which can be fun mini bites after a big meal. A nice tray of bakery made butter cookies will not go amiss either. Make sure there are plenty of chocolate dipped ones for chocoholics and kids. Any host would appreciate liqueur filled chocolates.  A box of brandy beans is a nice end to any meal, especially served with espresso. You could also gift hosts with the festive triangular container of the always popular Ferraro Roche. Want to go savory? Then think of flavored oils and vinegars. Williams-Sonoma have a wide array. Some of the oils are infused with basil or roasted garlic while the vinegars are a wide array of different balsamics and lemon.

You do have to bring a gift for your hosts. it could be home made or store bought. If you have time then put your talents to work. If not, no one will turn away a well made food gift. It's your decision.It's your choice.

Into The Mix

Cake and cookie mixes can be time saving yet they really don't let home bakers get all too creative. However there's nothing wrong with adding to the mixes, spiking them up with flavor or color. It makes for fun baking and eating.

One of the easiest mixes to doctor are brownie ones.Yes, they're good on their own but they can be amped up. I recently did this with Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate Brownie mix. The mix does produce a delicious treat but I wanted something extra. Walnuts are the perfect nut for brownies, they go hand in hand.I added a small package of broken pieces or chips and they gave so much to the recipe.  You could add pecans or peanuts too if you wanted to. The Duncan Hines site has recipes for amaretto brownies along with ones spiked with ground red pepper. If you're adding this, experiment with various pinches of pepper. What you may think is not hot may be a four alarm fire for someone else. Cake mixes can also have an add in or two. Coffee granules can elevate any dark chocolate cake. A small dash of liquor  or even soaking a cake mix cake in rum. The last is the ultimate holiday cake, especially with a homemade hard sauce. Sprinkle cakes are still the cake of the moment. Just remember to add ONLY  quarter of a cup.  I used a full cup once and ended up with  two layers of unbaked disaster. Keep in mind that the sprinkles don't always have to be multicolored. Have all pink or all blue for reveal cakes. Use red and green for Christmas and orange ones in a chocolate cake for Halloween.

Cookie mixes can also be zinged up with all sorts of add ins. Over the years I've added mini chocolate chips to the Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix and red and green sprinkles to their sugar cookie mix. Any of these are fun add ins  - especially for a holiday tray or bake sale. M &M's are another great add in, whether they're the regular size or  the mini ones.One of the best additions is Hershey's Kisses to make Blossom cookies. They can be the traditional peanut butter ones or use a sugar cookie mix. Dust with cocoa powder after they're baked for an extra layer of flavor.If you're craving something healthier then think about tossing in some Raisins or Craisins - dried cranberries. They both add an old fashioned sweetness and color to any cookie, especially the spice and oatmeal ones. Nuts can also be a nice add in.  Put the nuts in a chopper first for a finer texture.Think pecans or walnuts to add more of a buttery flavor. Another fun idea is turning the cookies into sandwich ones.The filling is an easy mix of confectioner's sugar, vegetable shortening, butter and a few drops of vanilla extract. You could sub in cocoa powder for vanilla for a fudge-y kind of frosting.

Don't be afraid to add to any cake or cookie mix. Put your own spin on these. A half cup of sprinkles or raisins, a shot of brandy or red pepper will make these average ingredients your signature mark

Those Uh Oh Moments

Cooking and baking are not perfect sciences. Stuffing happens and usually on the holiday.Don't panic. There's a solution to every problem and some can even be happy accidents. Never let a glitch shake you. Fix it and carry on to present a fine dinner.

Every home chef will tell you the worst thing that can happen is a still frozen turkey. It takes a day to thaw out four pounds of bird. If you had forgotten about it  in the freezer then use the microwave or cold water.(this is the best method). Depending on the microwave strength's it usually takes six minutes for each pound for thawing. A ten pound bird will take an hour, a twenty pounder will be two hours. A better way is thawing in your sink , using a cold water bath. It will take thirty minutes for  pound of turkey to defrost so again a   sixteen pounder will take eight hours.Another kitchen headache is lumpy gravy. You can go two ways with this. The first is tackling those lumps. Whisking it will work, but an immersion blender will definitely insure a satiny texture and absolutely no lumps of flour. The second method is have one or two jars of gravy on hand.You can just serve these or  mix with your gravy .What happens when a meat eater turns vegan?Or when someone invites their veggie chomping sweetheart? One, try to avoid conflict by not having table talk turn to farm cruelty and two, create a plate that is vegan or vegetarian Beans are chock of protein so think about making up a plate with a side of Boston baked (providing they weren't cooked with bacon) along with Brussels sprouts , and yams. Keep a jar or packet of mushroom gravy on hand to make. This will go well with the stuffing.

Vegetables dishes can also go awry. Those crunchy green beans can turn to limp noodles while the cauliflower can turn to a puddle of white. Add some herbs such as oregano or thyme to spark the flavor. You can also melt some cheese and pour it over the veggies to hide their texture.The kids will love the cheesiness of it. Salt is usually a home chef's friend. However too much can be accidentally sprinkled into any recipe. .If that's the case then add both a quarter teaspoon of both vinegar and sugar or honey.If it's soup or sauce you can add a potato. The starch from it can absorb the salt. Peel one and slip it into the gravy or soup if you're serving it.Everyone loves a springy stuffing with a crispy top.Yet stuffing is made of bread which can turn to mush.Save it by adding a bit of chicken or turkey broth and bake it a few minutes more. Remember it's nothing more than a savory bread pudding so treat it as such. Dessert , usually a sweet end , can take a very sour turn. If your pumpkin or pecan pie burns , then get rid of the crust and concoct a pie parfait.Layer the pie filling, crushed cookies or graham crackers and whipped cream in fancy parfait glasses. You may have created a new tradition  with it.

Any dinner will have its' uh oh moments. Be prepared. It's easy to  fix the mistakes that may arise and still have a wonderful holiday meal!

Hot Fall Days

Thanks to climate change , we tend to have summer well into fall. Gone are all those autumnal dreams of Sunday roasts and freshly picked apple treats. It's time to get back into that summer mode of easy cooking and easy eating.

Tomato season may be over in some parts of the country, yet there are some plants that are still producing. If you're sick of of tomato salad, then think about using them in a salsa crudo.  This is where tomatoes are chopped and then marinated in  fresh basil, olive oil, and chopped garlic. It's then left to stand for a half hour as any type of pasta is cooked. The heat of the pasta is what cooks the sauce. Serve it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toasted and oiled Italian bread. You could also use that bumper crop of tomatoes in a cooling pan bagnat, the Southern French sandwich also consisting of tuna, anchovies, and  hard boiled eggs .Olives, peppers, and cucumbers are also added along with Dijon mustard and olive oil. Use a large round loaf of Italian bread for this. It's the perfect sandwich for an early fall day at the beach. Served with chilled cider .If the temps are still too unbearable, then go back to that hot weather fall back - salads. Create hearty chef salad ones for those busy weekends filled with soccer games and chores. Keep the barbecue out for those roasts.London Broil can easily be adapted for grilling. Slice and butter baste for a tasty spin on a Sunday roast . You can even grill new potatoes too, in foil packets.

What about all those apples you picked, anticipating cooler temps for baking? Use them. They make a nice snack , especially when you're trying to wean yourself and the kids off candy and cookies. They can also be baked in the microwave.I'ts just coring them , filling them with butter and red wine or caramel and baking them for three to four minutes. Serve with whipped cream or for a more refreshing vibe, vanilla ice cream. Another idea is just slicing them into wedges and serving them with an already made caramel dipping sauce such as the one from Marzetti. If you still are hungering for some kind of apple dessert, then think about the super easy microwave apple crisp. This only takes ten to twelve minutes  and there's no need to heat up an already hot kitchen with a hot oven.It's just sliced apples with a crisp topping of flour,melted  butter,  brown sugar and a combo of allspice and cinnamon. Again serve with vanilla ice cream for a cool treat.Apples can also be used in a salad. too. They are great with chopped celery and walnuts or with romaine lettuce, pecans and raisins. This is the perfect side for any early fall barbecue or tailgate party.

Don't let those hot fall days faze you. Adapt a summer mode of cooking and enjoy these balmy times. You'll feel better and eat better too.

Thanksgiving Eve Prep Time

The night before Thanksgiving is always a fraught time for home chefs.Not only is tomorrow a time for tears and triumphs, the night before can be crazy too. However, the insanity can be lessened just by being orderly and doing some of tomorrow's prep tonight.

This is the time to assess all your ingredients and make sure you have enough and then some. If not, make that trip to the grocery for anything extra, whether it's a couple of bottles of soda or more salad. Also, ask family and guests if they're bringing any last minute plus ones. An extra plate at the table could mean shortages. It's better to have overage than be short and now is the time to go out and get enough for tomorrow. It's the night to make pies too. If you're too tired, always get help. You could make a night of it with friends and family turning the night into a baking party.(just be careful with the libations - no one wants a pumpkin pecan mash up pie). Also prebaked crust or pre made pie dough is a huge help.The same goes for any dessert, from pumpkin mousse to sweet potato pudding. It's also a good time to whip cream and put the butter onto the fancier butter dish. The less smaller chores can be done tonight. If the kids aren't too engaged with their devices they can also help out with polishing the silverware and setting out the plates and utensils. They can also help with decorating the table too along with any last minute dusting and cleaning.

Many home chefs wonder if they can start prepping the night before to save time in the morning.The answer is yes.Veggies can be cut tonight for use tomorrow. Keep them in a bowl of ice water until they're ready to use. This also works perfectly for iceberg and romaine lettuce  too. Any lettuce can also be kept fresh by wrapping a cold damp paper towel around the leaves.It's also a good time to make the vinaigrette or any homemade dressing too, storing it in a cruet  in the fridge. Another must is tearing up the bread for stuffing and then storing it in airtight plastic bags.This will cut down on the time spent making the stuffing and let home chefs move quicker onto the next dish. Pots and pans should all be out tonight too. That way it's easier just to grab them instead of spending minutes searching for them .Breakfast is another meal to think about tomorrow.Unless there are guests staying over, keep it simple.  A bowl of cereal or oatmeal is always a good way of starting .If the whole family is together then just have a bagel brunch where there's a minimum of fuss and bother Let the family cook and clean up after themselves if they want something more involved like scrambled eggs and bacon or French toast.

Don't turn Thanksgiving Eve into a night of panic and craziness. Keep it cool and calm by doing prep time tonight.It makes for an easier holiday tomorrow.

Another Thanksgiving Issue

The New York Times Food section  has put out a second Thanksgiving issue. It's different in the than the first, rethinking time-tested recipes and putting new spins on them. There  are traditional veggies done differently along with a new way to cook that bird. It's a refreshing rethink of how to cook and bake for the big day.

All the big guns of the Food section have weighed in and written informative articles.One of the most interesting is Melissa Clark's. Her A Good Appetite  features splaying and searing the turkey as opposed to the traditional roasting. She decided to try the technique she uses on chicken on a much larger bird. Both are similar with the same amount of white and dark meat so the splaying technique that works with the smaller can help the larger. Is it easier than roasting? Yes, and it creates an evenly roasted turkey with silky and juicy white meat and perfectly cooked dark meat.Unlike spatchcocking , which requires intricate deboning, splaying is cutting the skin and then pulling on the thighs until you hear them pop out of their sockets. It's then laying them flat. Ms. Clark also pours wine on  the turkey for braising, although she suggests using any liquid , from cider to beer, diced tomatoes to  even water. What completes this? A platter of vibrant, green Brussels sprouts. Newcomer Alison Roman, a contributor to Bon Appetit magazine gives us them cooked in three tasty recipes. One is sauted with sausage and pickled red onions along ith one for honey roasted ones made exotic by the addition of harissa and lemon relish. More traditional home chefs may like the Brussels sprouts gratin bathed in a lush heavy cream and Gruyere cheese.

 Of course, there is a stuffing recipe. Kim Severson writes about a traditional cornbread one. It's a controversial one, with professional chefs  polarized about what kind of cornmeal - white or yellow - to use. There is a debate - which is sweeter?  She settles on the yellow for color and intense flavor. The recipe also includes  sugar along with buttermilk and butter to give it richness. The stuffing isn't entirely cornbread. There is also white bread used too along with the usual stuffing ingredients like onions,,sage and eggs. She bakes the stuffing separately and gives it extra flavor by pouring the  turkey drippings on it about thirty minutes into the baking time. For extra crunch and taste, there is also the addition of toasted pecans for real Southern flavor. Pecans also figure in David Tanis' A City Kitchen. He makes pecan rolls that have the extra sweetness of golden raisins.Instead of the usually gooey cream cheese frosting, he just dusts them with a mix of sugar and cinnamon. Make these the night before for a Thanksgiving breakfast treat. His other pecan recipes offer savory (!) cookies laden with cheese and sage and a dessert bar . The first is a great side to the first course of soup or a salad. The second is a yummy mix of pecans, dates, spices and rum on top of a buttery shortbread base.These are a nice stand in to the gooier, ultra sweet pecan pie.

Thanksgiving is all about tradition and traditional dishes. Yet , it pays to think outside the box and try new cooking techniques and recipes. It makes for a  more delicious and more memorable holiday meal.

Stretching The Holiday

Here in America we tend to celebrate the holidays all mushed into one day. It's a ridiculous way of feasting and festing , not to mention nerve wracking on the home chef. A full course meal has to be made on Thanksgiving from appetizers to dessert. Why not do what other countries do. Celebrate the meal during various days. There's no written law that states we have to have all the trimmings on just one day. Stretch it out. It makes sense both to the cook and the diet.

Of course , the turkey should be served on Thanksgiving.It is its' day after all, however you can make sides throughout the month  as opposed to make a slew of them . Let the bird shine. Creamed corn is always a good side  but never gets its' due on Thanksgiving Day due to the plethora of other veggies..Make ir with  Sunday's London broil.It may even taste better with beef than with fowl. Brussels Sprouts, delicious on their own ,can be the costar of a midweek supper. If your family loves both regular potatoes  and yams, then  save the spuds for the big day while the other can be made in the days leading up to it. Stretching out the dishes is also better for the stomach too. You don't want to feel too loggy or bloated for that whole weekend.We have a tendency to over eat in this country which results in  intense stomach problems from indigestion to heart burn.

Desserts too  can be savored and sampled over the next few weeks. Save your favorite pie for the Thanksgiving dessert. Most people feel it's un American not to have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.The  problem is that the other stars, apple and pecan pies are the preferred favorites. The solution is easy, Make or buy the pies for the days before. Apple pie is a great end for a weekend get together with friends. Pecan pie is a nice finish to a tail gate party, especially if the theme is Southern. It actually goes better with fried chicken and ribs than turkey.The same is true for sweet potato pies .Wouldn.t  it be better to serve it on a day when there are mashed sweet potatoes on the menu?Other sweets like themed cupcakes and cookies would be better for an after school treat. Kids never really are ones for holiday meals, preferring to eat the dessert  instead of the meal. The same is true for th e fruits and nuts, usually the final act in the Thanksgiving dinner.Have them any time.There's no rule again.

The Thanksgiving dinner can be spread out. doing such makes it easier on the home chef. It also makes the holiday more enjoyable with minor  dishes getting their own days to shine.

Sweet Spring Desserts

The Kentucky Derby signifies  that Spring is here. However the season is also signified by light and airy desserts, perfect for picnics and gatherings. There are some lovely  desserts that fit right in with the balmy breezes and warm, sunny days.

Of course most people celebrating the Derby will be having the traditional chocolate chip pecan pie. This is a heady mix of nuts and chocolate chips, with the added luxury of a cup of melted butter. It is rich but perfect not just to celebrate The Run For The Roses, but also at graduation parties and bridal showers.(especially if you;re throwing a Southern themed one).Another rich Southern dessert that's perfect for now is strawberry shortcake. In some areas the strawberries are getting their first blush of color so they're literally ripe for the picking and a flavorful filling. They are perfect stuffing homemade  biscuits topped with a hand whipped cream. You can also sub in fresh made vanilla ice cream instead of the cream.

Spring also means cakes that use the first of the garden's ingredients. This may be a light lemon or orange cake with just a dusting of powdered sugar. Another feather weight  dessert is angel food cake.  This airy bit of fluff is made with just egg whites. This can also be used to create a strawberry shortcake but also is good with sliced peaches when they arrive later in the season along with blueberries.Macarons are another apt dessert for the season. Granted they are trendy right now but still perfect as the perfect end to a Spring meal. Like the angel food cake, it's made solely with sugar and whipped egg whites with almonds to give it flavor and crunch.

The Kentucky Derby means Spring is officially here. Celebrate it with the desserts of the season as well, whether they be the richly decadent chocolate chip pecan pie or the light as a cloud angel food cake. Either one would be a lovely dessert on a warm May evening.

Indulgent Truffles

This is the time of year for rich foods and wonderful treats. Truffles, those aromatic mushrooms definitely fall into that category. If you;re lucky to live in or near a big city such as New York  you can easily buy them. They are a lush addition to any dish.

The fungi were the subject of an extensive article in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece was written by newcomer Eugenia Bone.Truffles re usually found in the Piedmont region of Northwestern Italy how lucky are my relatives who live there!).However they can also be found in the Pacific Northwest in such places as Oregon and also , surprisingly enough the Southern US where the Pecan truffle proliferates.They are still expensive, no matter where they 're grown, Truffles are hard to  raise, hence the exorbitant prices. They can go up to $350 an ounce.

Most good groceries and gourmet stores sell truffles, including the Piedmontese ones. However the smell and taste dissipate after a few days. This is due to  the mushroom being past its; prime.Also most buyers also have the trouble of buying the wrong ones. What they wanted for a particular dish  is mostly the wrong oneThere are about six different varieties of the plant.The Perigord and the Burgundy truffles are probably the most desired because of their respected flavors.Sometimes the truffles are packed with salt rice and flour, with the intention of their aroma getting absorbed by these mediums.It doesm;t work, The consumer winds up with an flavorless fungi surrounded by just rice ,salt, and flour.


Truffles are a decadent holiday treat. If you have extra cash buy yourself an ounce or two. Enjoy them anyway you can.

Putting Chocolate In Thanksgiving

Chocolate is not your usual Thanksgiving ingredient, unless you count those foil wrapped chocolate turkeys kids receive. However it adds punch to some very sedate traditional desserts.The pies and cakes are no longer boring. They're fun.

The dash of chocolate was Melissa Clark's subject to yesterday's A Good Appetite  in yesterday's Dining section of The New York Times. She decides to create some fun desserts that are part Thanksgiving, part celebration. What is so different is that she takes traditional pies like pecan and adds  chocolate and coconut, It makes this decadent dish even more decadent, with a taste like a candy bar. She also adds bourbon which is standard in Southern pecan pie recipes and rich Dutch chocolate along plus the flaked coconut for chew.

There are other ideas too. Ms. Clark creates a rich custard using rum and bitter dark chocolate .To tie it in to the day she adds rum soaked dried cranberries.For a more G rated version add orange juice or zest so the kids can appreciate it as well.She adds a chocolate souffle cake to the menu as well. She jazzes it up with creme fraiche and for a really big surprise candied cinnamon scented butternut squash.If that's a bit too wild add some salted pecans or walnuts to offset the sweetness.

Chocolate on Thanksgiving? Yes, it does work. The sweet adds richness and fun to traditional yet staid desserts. It livens up a turkey day like nothing else