Thanksgiving Words

 There is all sorts of advice for tomororow's big feast. Should home chefs and host take them seriously? Yes and no.Advice is I just that - advice.Take what makes sense and use it.

That was the main article of  today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.New contributor Tanya Sichynsky . the paper's food and cooking sections editor gathered all sorts of gems and nuggets/Should they be followed?Maybe.Maybe not. There are sixty-one points to argue or agree with.  There is the Guest List. One , from Becky Hughes of Where To Eat suggests inviting someone you don;t like that ex or old high school bully. That's not going to work for a huge amount of people. A better suggestion regarding guests is everyone ,including family, should wear name tags. This is a good idea from Luke Fortney , also of What To Eat. There is also Vibes Management - with the best advice - from fashion designer Rachel Antonoff,. Don;t wear anything with a waistband. Everyone ets too much.Loose  comfy clothes, casual or Friday casual should be allowed and worn.Also please accept help.This is from Kia  Damon, recipe developer and chef. If someone wants to clear the table and wash dishes, let them.Chefs should have a moment of relaxation after a heavy day of cooking and prep.

Then there is the bird. Surprisingly a few have suggested other fowl.Melissa Clark suggests duck. She doesn't give a reason why but maybe it;s because the skin can cook up crispier and more burnished than turkey.If turkey isn't liked, then there is chicken. Another Foo section writer, Ali Slagle suggests having two of them. They're easier to store in the fridge.The meat is also juicier which means no dry areas like with turkey. There's also no spatchcocking.This from Katherine Lewn , the owner of BigNight.This method has been done to death.Yes, the meat is well cooked but it's a flat bird. Who wants a flat bird? The sides are also up for discussion too. Challah makes the best stuffing according to the author of this compilation, Tanya Sichynsky.It should be homemade too.Of course there is the marshmallow on yams debate. No, as per StacyMe Yan Fong, author of Fifty Pies and baker. Speaking of sweets what about those ubiquitous pies?There are two camps on this. Pro pie is Eddie Huang, chef , writer and director. Then there is the anti pie crowd.Vaughn Vreeland, who hosts Bake Times nixes it. Panna Cotta can be made according to Paola Velez, pastry chef and owner of Bar Provencia.

So what makes a good Thanksgiving. Everything a home chef wants it to be. A dinner shines when a chef shines. Only he and she can make it sparkle and memorable.

Quick Bakes For Thursday

 Even though most home chefs are already exhausted, they still want to bake for the Thanksgiving dinner. There is something about homemade rolls and desserts straight from the oven. Yet what could a tired home baker create?Something easy and quick.

One of the easiest is a batch of dinner rolls. These can be made without yeast for simple making and baking. Baking powder gives this traditional recipe rise . The rest is classic, with the addition of milk, flour butter or oil. They're made, they're rolled on to a cookie sheet and then baked for twenty five minutes. These can be made tomorrow night or Thursday morning. For an even tastier roll try baking garlic  butter no yeast dinner rolls. These have the addition of Greek yogurt for a very tender crumb. If home bakers want to tackled something a bit bigger, then consider baking a quick loaf of bread.There is a recipe that only calls for five ingredients and the best part it makes for a perfect sandwich bread for all those turkey ones on Friday.It has flour, baking powder,oil , milk and sugar.Use a greased loaf pan to bake it in because the dough will be quite thick.It only takes fifty minutes in a 430 degree Farenheit oven. A plus is that it will bake with a golden crusty top.

There are also the sweet bakes. Everyone loves a good pie after a Thanksgiving meal. the easiest choice would be getting one of those premade ones. You can fill it with a combination of puddings and Cool Whip for something different. A fun one that everyone will like is a cool mint grasshopper pie.Use an Oreo pie crust and fill with a mix of cream cheese and Cool Whip.Mint extract is used for flavor. This is really a no bake. You can try a simple apple pie with an already made pastry crust. (Pillsbury and Betty Crocker makes these). Cut six cups of apples  into thin slices and let sit in a bowl of sugar mixed with cinnamon. Layer these in the premade pie crust and dot with butter. Seal with a top crust and bake first for ten minutes for ten minutes for 450 degrees Farenheit. Reduce the heat after those ten minutes to 350 degrees Farenheit and bake for thirty minutes. A premade pie crust can also work for a pumpkin pie. The filling is  quick mix of pureed pumpkin, eggs, condensed milk, spices and salt. It's blending the filling and then filling the crust with it. Like the apple pie, its first baked at 450 degrees Farenheit then the heat is reduced to 350 after ten minutes. It's baked at this temperature for another forty minutes.

You can easily have freshly baked goods at your Thanksgiving table. Try rolls or bread. Make a quick pie. Everyone will love these at their dinner feast.

The Thanksgiving Issue The Sweeter Side

 Dessert is as big a part of the Thanksgiving meal as the main and side courses,It ends the meal but also bring the beginning of sweet delights. What's great is that there are so many recipes that can be made. Home bakers can have a field day.

This was evident in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. The whole issue was devoted to all sorts of savory and sweet recipes. Yesterday was chock full of so many tasty main and side variations of Thanksgiving classic recipes. There was not enough room to feature all the pie and cake recipes that chefs had contributed.Of course there are pies but there are some interesting  Sue Li has amassed a variety of different ones that will make Thanksgiving Day unique. There is a Delicata Squash pie , a creamy filling made of different spices such as cinnamon , nutmeg and cloves. Thin slices of the squash are cooked in a sugar syrup and then placed on top of it, Cranberry crd seems to be popular this year and there is a galette filled with it. A honey cream tops it.Another recipe out of the six offered is the unusual banana in a phyllo dough crust.This is a really rich filling made with sour and fresh cream along with two medium ripe bananas.For a real jolt of flavor try making the chocolate espresso pie.These are two layers of coffee and cocoa flavored pudding topped off with luscious creamThere's also an apple cream pie and one m.ade with green tea powder in a cheesecake pie.

Tirami su may seem like an unlikely Thanksgiving Day dessert but combined with Thanksgiving flavors. it works.There are three versions of it.New contributor and cookbook author Carolina Gelen gives three different spins.Its actually the perfect ending to a heavy meal. There are layers of soft cream and soaked lady fingers that don;t have the heaviness of pie.Another bonus is that it can feed a crowd and als be made in advanced, perfect for preparing a big feast.These tiramisu don't require espresso, The cranberry one needs cranberry juice to soak it along with the customary marscapone cheese and lady fingers. The cranberries for the filling are cooked down with lemon juice , sugar and vanilla. The  caramel apple one has tart Granny Smooth apples along with butter , sugar and heavy cream to create the caramel. The liquid is apple cider and heavy cream.Pecans top t for some crunch. There is pumpkin and it's combined with dates. The last is used for the soak and the filling is pumpkin date butter made with pumpkin puree and a pumpkin spice mix.

Happiness is a good dessert.A Thanksgiving dessert is extra special.Make these desserts to add to the feast for an outstanding meal

A Big Scoop Of Homemade Goodness

Nothing says the summer than a big scoop of ice cream. It;sa cool, creamy reminder that life is good right now. Imagine, though if that scoop could become better? How? Make it yourself. Homemade ice cream is a wonderful treat, plain or drenched in chocolate, and fruit.

New contributor and director of the New York Times director for cooking videos Scott Loittsch wrote about this homemade treat in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Mr. Loittsch has a good background in making the treat. He used to love making it with his mom and that love led to a professional ice cream course at Penn State's Department of Science. Half the fun, as any home ice cream maker knows is creating your own flavors - ones that you can;t find at the local ice cream shops and groceries.He gives excellent advice for making the perfect scoop. He recommends starting with an unusual and secret ingredient - cream cheese. It has stabilizers in it ,just llke commercially made ice cream/It makes the texture softer  and creamier. This also makes for a more malleable texture, easy to scoop.It does add a slight tang but this will only improve the flavor. Use about four ounces of it when making the base.Keep in mind to add it as the very last ingredient.After the milk has been warmed  pour it over room temperature cream cheese to prevent lumps or curdling. Mr. Loittsch recommends using a fine mesh sieve to break up any lumps if there are any.

Another must is that the ice cream should be well chilled. Set it in an ice bath before chilling will give it a head start .I has to be kept in the fridge for four hours at the very least and at the very most two days. THis allows for th e flavor develop and deepen. A well chilled ice cream also makes for smoother churning .It needs to be stored in a metal loaf pan. Its benefits are twofold By freezing the pan before making the base it insures the just turned mix lands in an ice cold container. This helps minimize how much of the base melts between churning and freezing and as a result how many ice crystals form.Two, the loaf pan makes it easier to add layers and mix ins. Mix ins can be graham crackers and strawberry jam along with more cream cheese for Mr. LOittsch's strawberry cheese cake ice cream. He also gives a basic recipe that can have such as steeped ingredients like mint or crushed coffee beans. Try his peanut butter pie ice cream that has two tablespoons of creamy peanut butter added in a long with bittersweet chocolate and chocolate sandwich ro wafer cookies. 

Happiness is ice cream on  a hot August day. Create your own .Its' a fun delicious  way to keep cool.

Treating Our Veterans

 NO matter how this country turns out , we'll always have veterans to thank for our freedom. On this special day we should not only remember them but honor them. In fact this shouldn't be just for one day but for the entire year.

One way is by helping out any elderly veterans in your neighborhood. You can include them in your shopping trips - even make a fun day out of it by going for lunch or coffee. It not only helps them out with one chore but also occupies what could have been a long day. Another thank you could be shopping for them if the weather becomes too rainy or snowy.A home cooked meal wouldn't;t go amiss either. If you;re making a shepherd's pie then think about making a second smaller one if he or she is living alone.If it'sa couple then make a larger one. You could also try any other pie or casserole like lasagna or a baked macaroni and cheese.Any meal together would be nice too. If they have nowhere to go on Thanksgiving then put your veteran on the top of your guest list. Make sure they have a dinner to take home too.Include turkey and all the trimmings plus a slice of their favorite pie.

Some veterans have problems with shopping. benefits may be cut and there's no money. Donate to food pantries in your area. Ask your grocery stores to do the same if they can. Burger your local and favorite restaurants to offer half price days for service people. They can designate a day that veterans and their families can eat half price or buy one meal and get the second at half price.For younger veterans just coming home , give them and their spouses gift certificates not just to Restaurants but also grocery stores. These days fifty dollars  -even twenty-five dollars can be quite helpful. It can buy a few basics like eggs and milk.Thjnk a gift certificate to Wal-Mart or Lidl will go a a long way. Both not only have lower priced foods there's also clothes and hygiene basics they can buy. Giving them a gift certificate now could also mean them having a great Thanksgiving. They can splurge on a turkey or  a couple of their favorite pies. They can also save the gift certificate for Christmas or Hannukah and splurge on treats and sweets.

It's is Veteran's Day. Not only should we only those who fought but treat them with the utmost respect. They deserve it.

Thanksgiving Subs Ins

 You're in the middle of creating that perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Everything seems to be going well  except you've either run out of or forgot a crucial ingredient? The stores are closed? What do you do? Sub it. Try to find substitutes that can fill in for the real thing.

The worst thing  is being out of flour . We do tend to use a lot it before Thanksgiving , especially for our pie crusts. Yet' it's also a crucial ingredient in gravy. If your gravy needs it and you've run out of it not to worry. Cornstarch can do the trick. You can also use arrowroot and tapioca powders too. however be aware that those can cause a gravy to become stringy. Another idea is roast veggies like carrots, onions,carrots, whole onions or red peppers. Puree them and use the mash to thicken the gravy (your best bet here is the onion because it will add the most to the sauce). What happens when you didn't buy enough potatoes to maked mashed? Add about a cup of potato flakes to it to stretch it. If not try adding spinach or kale to make that Irish favorite colcannon. You make be creating a new holiday tradition with this dish. Another idea is using those sweet potatoes in the recipe. It's an interesting and tasty way to make sure that everyone get a scoop of mashed.If you;ve run out of butter then sub in olive oil. It gives a silky texture to gravies and mashed potatoes.

What happens when that salad isn't going to be enough for the Thanksgiving meal? How do you stretch a bowl of greens and tomatoes? Add anything. Nuts like almonds and walnuts work. You can easily make croutons by air frying any bread. Just cube the slices , coat in olive oil and season with either garlic or onion powder. Air fry for about five minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit. Also if you have any jarred veggies, add them. Any salad can benefit from peppers , olives or artichoke hearts. Another troubling thought is running out of whipped cream at dessert time. Many love a big blob of it on their pies. Yet what happens when everyone wants a lot and it runs out? Not to worry. You can use ice cream as a side or if you want a fresher take. try Greek yogurt if you have it.It;s just whipping cream with the addition of vanilla and sugar.Use a hand mixer  and whip the yogurt and vanilla until soft peaks start to form. Gradually blend in the sugar. Continue to whip until the peaks are very stiff.

Don;t worry if you run out of something on Thanksgiving. There's always a substitute to fill. You'll still have a great holiday meal.

Valentine's Day All Year Round

 It may be Valentine's  Day today but there's no reason that the feeling can't be carried throughout the year. A favorite dish can be cooked, A surprise of homemade candy can end a meal ot start the day. Food means love so bring on the delicious recipes made from the heart.

Yes, tonight is the night of candlelight suppers and dinners. However it can be spread throughout the twelve months. In fact it gets better as we approach Spring and summer.Think a dinner out by the fire pit.Have a bottle of wine or even champagne in a nearby bucket and pretty flutes to toast.Fire up the grill for delicious steaks . To make those cuts even more special serve them with a fileto Piemontese, This is a creamy sauce made from anchovy filets cooked with Marsala or sherry and cream. The steaks, usually filet mignons are placed on quickly pan fried buttered bread and them the sauce is poured over them. Filet mignon burgers are another tasty and lush way of showing your love. Omaha Steaks sell them and you can easily grill them the way you do regular burgers. Another lush romantic dinner is shrimp cocktail. Already cooked and deveined shrimp can be bought at your local grovery. Serve these on crushed ice whether at a candlelit dinihg room table our outdoors in a romantically lit grotto. Think romantic picnics as the temps rise. Some parks and beaches will let you stay until the stars come out. It's then easy to plan a starry date night nibbling on pate and toast , njoying fresh air and a full moon.

This is also a day for sweets. Nothing says love than baking your beloved' favorite cake, pie or cookie. It doesn;t even have to be a special day to whip up an old fashioned scratch cake complete with butter cream frosting. The same goes for cupcakes too. You can even write sweet messages in the icing too, just to show your affection. As we approach fruit season, then think of pies and crumbles. These make for a lovely way of expressing yourself to even family members and friends. Everyone appreciates a good fresh from the oven peach or strawberry pie. Serve it with vanilla ice cream for an even more sweet way of saying "I Love You". Making candy together  is always fun and romantic . Surprisingly enough those rich tasting truffles are simple enough to whip up in a home kitchen. There are only four ingredients - dark chocolate chips, heavy cream , butter and vanilla extract. The chips are chopped and placed into a bowl where gently warmed cream is poured over them. The butter is then added as is the vanilla extract. Stir until the chocolate has compeltely melted and then have it set in the fridge for two hours. Roll the ganache into balls then roll a second time in choped nuts, sprinkles ro mini chocolate chips.

Carry this romantic day though the year. Enjoy a romantic night in midsummer. Make candy for a fun fall weekned. Let it be Valentine's Day all year long.

Your Main Baking Ingredient Ice Cream

 It is too hot to bake a cake or pie.What do you do though to celebrate birthdays or just finish a nice family barbecue? You can still have these treats just think cold. Using ice cream as the base for any treat is the perfect way to have your cake or pie and eat it too.

One of the most popular summertime cakes in the US is the Dairy Queen Ice cream cake. Yes, you can buy it at any Dairy Queen however you can make it with your favorite flavors. If you're making the original start with the chocolate layer first. Spread the ice cream into an either eight by three or nine inch cake pan. A springform pan would be your best bet because it will hold the shape more. After filling pop into the freezer for half an hour. The gooey middle section is actually a ganache with corn syrup added. Adding this prevents it form freezing and gives it that classic oozy texture. Freeze for then minutes.Then there is that layer of chocolate crunchies. This can be ground up Oreos or better yet Nabisco Chocolate Wafers. These last  work the best because it's a cleaner layer without the white filling clumping it up.After layering this on, frreze for another half hour. The vanilla layer is added on last and then the whole cake is frozen until firm. Real whipped cream is added on. Add confectioner's sugar to prevent the cream from wilting. Keep in mind you can add any kind of ice cream. Try mint and chocolate or coffee and vanilla for a different flavor. You can also do this with ice cream cupcakes too.

Ice cream pies are an easier make.You can create your own Graham cracker or chocolate wafer crust. This is just griniding up the cracker or wafers and adding four to six tablespoons of melted butter or plant based butter. Press into a pie plate and then put in any ice cream you want. Try a classic vanilla in a Graham cracker crust and topped with sea salt caramel and nuts. You can also use the chocolate wafer crust too. Peach ice cream would also work well in a Graham cracker crust too. Add fresh cut peach slices for extra deliciousness.For a mocchaccino vibe think filling a chocolate crust with coffee ice cream. Serve with a dolllop of hot fudge sauce and a puff of whipped cream. This also works for chocolate chip mint  and strawberry ice cream too. Of course it's sheer heaven with chocolate ice cream too.Add sprinkles, whipped cream or chocolate chips. Crushed toffee on both vanilla and chocolate pies is also a great topping. Keep in mind that that you can also make ice cream tarts too this way.

It's easy to make a cake or pie even though the temps are high. Just use your favorite ice cream as the base. Create a yummy dessert that's a cool, sweet treat.

Warming Up A Cool Derby Day

 Even though the temps say winter it's Spring and it's the first Saturday in May. That means it's the Kentucky Derby during a season that's unseasonably chilly. How to celebrate? With hot tasty Derby dishes.

Louisville right now is 62 degrees It's not exactly freezing there but it's not exactly warm. Most  of the country is unseasonably cold right now. It's the perfect time for a Hot Brown, the classic Louisville dish. This is a turkey bacon and cheese sandwich bathed in a piping hot cheese sauce. This is the perfect dish for a cold day. The sauce is a mix of cheddar and Parmesan but to give it more fire sub in pepperjack for that fiery kick. There's a pinch of nutmeg for more flavor but this can be hot pepper can be used to give a little more heat.Burgoo is another Kentucky recipe. This is a variation of Brunswick stew or boeuf Bourgignon and has a mix of pork beef and chicken in ir. These are cooked with okra,celery , bell peppers ,corm and onions. Smoky barbecue sauce is added along with a dash of hot sauce and garlic. You could add red pepper flakes for more bite. The same can be said of barbecue. This is pulled pork slow cooked in a mix of vinegar ,barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Add some hot pepper in there for warming heat.

The Derby is known for it's famed mint juleps. These are fine on a warm May day but you need something warming when that May day turns frosty. Think a cozy bourbon toddy. This is  mixing bourbon with hot water and honey.It's the perfect cure for a winter cold but it's also great to warm up too. Hot buttered bourbon is another toe warming drink. It's taking the Kentucky brew and mixing it with butter and apple cider. Warming spices such as cloves , cinnamon and ginger give it more fire as a dash of honey balances everything out. You could also give out cups of Kentucky coffee. This is the perfect marriage of coffee and bourbon.Like it's cousin,Irish coffee, it can be topped with a thick head of whipped cream. Sugar is added to sweeten it. Have it with slices of Kentucky transparent pie. This classic Bluegrass State dessert is sort of like chess pie except it doesn't have the cornmeal added.It is a blend of eggs mixed with white and brown sugar,heavy cream, melted butter and vanilla.

It's a chilly Derby day. Yet you can warm up with hot dishes and even hotter drinks to make you feel toasty inside and out.It'll make the day feel like a seasonable warm May day.

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

Winnowing Down Thanksgiving

 Yes, this will be a different Thanksgiving this year. The holiday table will be only three or four people at the most,thanks to the virus flaring up again. Luckily the traditional dinner can be whittled down . There can still be delicious dishes and traditional flavors but done a bit differently.

Melissa Clark wrote about this in today's New York Times Food section.it's what's been written about before here. Some of her suggestions are similar to what was written here a week or two ago. You can have a smaller bird, but you can also opt for either serving all dark or all white meat. She chose thighs which are a lot easier to deal with than breasts. However Ms. Clark suggests that if you like white meat more along with having leftovers then go for the breasts. Her recipe has the meat paired with quick pickled onions and cranberries for a different spin. Of course there's stuffing,The amount just have to be halved or quartered , depending upon how many will be at your table. You do want to fill the stuffing up to the top of the pan so you have that famed crusty top She gives a recipe that has not too crusty white or whole wheat bread baked with turkey, chicken or vegetable broth and a variety of fresh, soft herbs such as parsley, chive tarragon, mint basil or cilantro. Choose three You can also go for sage which is the standard herb for stuffing. Scallions are also added. Gravy has to be served too.Just remember to halve or quarter the measurements (unless you want a lot for leftovers).

What about the classics? Do serve mashed potatoes, Just halve or quarter the recipe. They do have one flaw - getting cold very quickly. Make them before you sit down or pop them into the microwave to keep them warm. Should there be a casserole on the table too? Yes, according to Ms. Clark. There's a choice of green bean, sweet potato, spoonbread or mac and cheese.Just whittle down the amounts again and keep in mind the depth of the pan used is less important. You'll still have a crunchy top with a soft middle. You can serve vegetable sides too. Ms. Clark gives the recipe for a zingy maple roasted squash with sage and lime. Cayenne cooked with maple syrup livens up ordinary squash during baking in a 425 degree F oven for fifteen to twenty minutes. As far as pie, Ms Clark is a fan of baking an entire one, enthusing about having the leftovers for the upcoming days after. Yet for those who feel that a pie many be too much, she gives the recipe for pumpkin sticky toffee puddings. These are a spin on the classic British Christmas classic, complete with chopped dates and brown sugar. The spin comes from adding pumpkin puree (and not filling which is already spiced). They're topped with the traditional brandy and bourbon , again with pumpkin puree , heavy cream and butter. You can add whipped cream and sea salt for more flavor.

Thanksgiving will be a very small affair this year. Yet you can still have the same delicious flavors, just cut down on the amount. It will still be big on flavor but little on servings.

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served. My admiration always.

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.

Your Pie Guide

Fall is definitely the time for pies. Yet pie isn't just pie anymore. It's crostatas, tarts and tarltets too, Anything fruit or custard filled goes these days and what you make of them is up to you.  Pies could be for the week, save the fancier stuff for the weekend. They're all good.

Pie is more or less the most basic. You can bake a crust and fill it with anything or have the crust cook with the filling which is the better choice.  Basic pie dough  hasn't really changed since the 1500's when royal pie lover , Elizabeth I made cherry and apple pie popular. It's a mix of flour, ice water salt and shortening. This last is always the subject of controversy. Should you use straight out lard or vegetable shortening? Some home bakers insist on butter. Go with Crisco, which is basically solidified soy bean oil. It has produced flaky crusts for generations. You can go with coconut or even vegetable oil but you will not have a tender, melt in your mouth crust. Another option is bought pie crusts which simply can be popped in the freezer when you need them. Can you use pie crust for crostata? I suppose you could but keep in mind that actual recipe does have sugar and butter in it. You may have to decrease the amount of sugar used in the pie filling. Now can the pie crust do triple duty for tarts and tartlets? No. Tarts and their little ones have a crust that requires egg yolks, sugar and vanilla along with butter.  As for handheld pies, the best option is a simple pie crust. This is the sturdiest and won't open, causing a filling spill out.

Since this is the time for apples, then make an apple pie.  What are the best for filling? A good bet is Granny Smith. These bright green, tart tasting gems make the best filling and are not overly sweet.it also has a firm flesh which holds up well in baking. It also won't get mushy either. Another sturdy pome is the Winesap.It's a tart and spicy taste with  solid white flesh.  Can you use the same apples in crostatas? Not really. These open faced pastries require smaller sized apples like Galas but you could use the bigger ones if you're in a pinch. As for tarts, use the same as for the pies. Tarts are another intense bake so a good sturdy fleshed fruit is required. As for the extras, yes use the cinnamon but also have freshly ground nutmeg too. It adds more oomph to the pie. There's also brown sugar and lemon juice , the last added as a preservative. The crostata has a slightly different recipe. Some call for the addition of flour, usually a quarter of a cup. Also orange zest is used to give it some zing. As for the tarts, you can use the same filling recipe for the pie.

It's apple pie, crostata, tart and tartlet season. Make whichever appeals to you.Any one is great on a cool fall day, whether to make or to eat.

Pumpkin Time!!!

Pumpkins are everywhere as we edge into fall.They are one of the most versatile veggies, going from savory to sweet recipes with ease. It pays to have a few recipes  centering around them in your fall cooking arsenal.

I thought I had enough recipes regarding Cucurbita pepo, the Latin name for pumpkin. Obviously not.
I received this :

This is one of those mini cookbooks that every grocery check out has The publisher is Publications International Limited or PILThey have been producing specialized cookbooks for forty years.They're fun books to give as gifts like their kits and game brain series or buy if you're looking for more cookie or crock pot recipes. It seems my crew like my family's squash soup recipe so much that they want me to make more.  There is a wide variety for only forty-seven recipes. One of the pluses is that it's no nonsense. It's just recipes with a surprise section on maple syrup recipes as well. No cute or folksy tips or asides that usually riddle cookbooks. There should be a disclaimer however about the difference between pumpkin pie filling and pumpkin puree. The first is laden with sugar and pumpkin pie spices such as clove and cinnamon. It's only used in baking and puddings. The second is just pure pumpkin, perfect actually for sweet and savory recipes, although it's mostly used for the last.

There are a lot of interesting recipes that I didn't know about. One is a pumpkin polenta one  which is like a pumpkin soup thickened with the famed corn meal.It's spiced with smoky paprika and mace  and finished with the addition of fontina cheese.Of course there are soup recipes.One is a fiery blend of chipotle chili powder and black pepper. Three quarter cup of apple cider gives it sweetness. I definitely will make this , and serve with with tortilla chips. There is also a curried ginger pumpkin soup that's got a sweet heat vibe thanks to a dash of curry and a chopped Golden Delicious apple added in.The sweet recipes abound. A fun dessert would be the Maple Walnut Crescent Cobbler, made super easy with those frozen crescent rolls. Of course there are pumpkin pie recipes, one with maple the other with a pecan quinoa crust.Forget the Halloween candy. There is a pumpkin seed brittle I know I'll make. Those pumpkin cinnamon buns  on the cover look waaaayyyy too tempting. It's in their breakfast section. It's the same as a regular bun recipe but the dough has pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices . A less fattening alternative is Spiced Pumpkin Banana Smoothie.

There will be a lot of pumpkin and maple in my future thanks to the mini cookbook Pumpkin!  There are so many recipes I want to make and you'll see them in the upcoming weeks. It will be pumpkin fest!!!

Sweet Cold Desserts

There's something about ending a summer meal with a cold dessert. A slice of ice cream cake or pie tops off a supper or late lunch of spicy ribs or chicken. It's a cool way to finish, especially on a hot , humid day.

One of the coolest treats is the simple icebox cakes. These came about in the 1930s' when iceboxes became a fixture in American kitchens. Often these are a mix of cookies , pudding, sometimes fruit and whipped cream. One of the easiest is the famed Nabisco chocolate wafer log. This is also known as the zebra cake for the fun black and white stripes. It's just lining up chocolate wafers and mortaring them together with Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream. This forms a log which can be left alone or dressed up for birthdays and parties. A simple decoration of shaved chocolate is fine  but you can also sub in colored sprinkles for a more festive cake. A more elegant decoration is a scattering of strawberries and blueberries on the plate. The cake can also be made Magnolia Bakery style. New York's most famed bakery creates a cake shaped one with four layers of the chocolate wafers sandwiched between whipped cream. Nilla wafer cake is another icy treat that's easy to make. Layer the cookies in any kind of pan - glass or foil - and then layer with vanilla pudding, peaches, strawberries or blueberries and a layer of whipped cream.

Ice cream cakes are another frosty way to end a summer meal. They're easy to make at home, thanks to silicon cake and bread pans. I bought a silicon loaf pan which works perfectly in creating a two layer cake. I also have a smaller one that makes a cute mini cake. Again the Nabisco chocolate wafers are the perfect cake layer. DO NOT sandwich cookies. The creme filling will make for an over sugary , lumpy layer. Pulse the wafers in a food chopper and mix with melted butter or margarine to create a cake like layer. The first layer can be this or Hershey's hard shell which gives the top a nice crunchy, ganache look. Before you add the ice cream and crumbs ,brush a thick layer of it first onto the bottom of the mold. Then layer with your favorite ice creams. Add a second layer alone or with caramel  or the seasonal fruit. I recently made a vanilla and sea salt caramel loaf, using Soy Delicious vanilla coconut ice cream and Smucker's Salted Caramel. Keep in mind that the caramel does get the texture of salt water taffy when frozen. You can sub in pureed or chopped strawberries or raspberries for the caramel. Ice cream pie is another cool ,sweet dessert . Get a pre made pie shell and then fill it with whatever you want. Decorate it with puffs of whipped cream, hard shell or even candy. It's a nice alternative to a birthday cake for something different.

A summer meal deserves a sweet, cold ending A  slice of ice box cake or ice  cream cake or pie is the perfect dessert. It cools you off while you enjoy the end of a delicious warm weather, lunch , supper or dinner.

Warm Green Dishes

This is the time of year for hearty plates,steaming with delicious ridicule.Some may argue that it's the perfect season for venison stew or roast chicken with stuffing.Hold those thoughts.A meatless winter dish, rife with veggies is just as good - and filling.It's just how that's re cooked that makes the difference.

Both Melissa Clark and David Tanks contributed completely plant based recipes in their respective New York Times Food section columns yesterday.Ms.Clark had written about grain bowls which are an easy make.What is great about them is that you can even use leftovers to create them.Last night's rice can be mixed with onions from two days ago ,freshened up with just sliced tomatoes and ground herbs.Ms.Clark starts with farro, an ancient grain that can be cooked like pasta.The next lingredient is egg.This provides the protein.The recipe also calls for broccoli.Turnips and freshly cut radishes add crunch, A lemony tahini  sauce tops it.Hot sauce is added for more bite and heat.What:s good about grain bowls, is that you can get creative as possible with them.Sub in rice or orzo for the farro .Tofu chicken strips or ground soy crumbles can be the protein.Green beans or Brussels sprouts cam be the Green and for texture,almonds or pecans.Try a hot sauce or an aquafaba Hollandaise.

For a definitely more heartier and more filling dish, think about David bank's garden pie recipe.His City Kitchen column features a meatless version of the English classic.The original dish is made with minced lamb and vegetables ,topped with a baked mash potato crust.If it was made with beef, it was called a cottage pie.There are even variations made with fish.Mr, Tanis ' version draws attention to mushrooms and leeks. He uses two kinds of mushrooms ,shiitake caps and brown or white mushrooms. Leeks give it a nice onion flavor too.Garlic,thyme and parsley add zing to the recipe and if you want add two tablespoons of white miso for the unami  flavor.There are two cups of whole milk added.If you want to go truly vegan, then sub in almond milk which tastes the closest to the real thing.Cornstarch is also added for thickening. It's topped with a homemade mash and breadcrumbs which gives it a lovely golden crust.If both are too much to make, use instant mashed and store bought crumbs.

There's no need to rely on heavy meat dishes this winter.Try a hearty and healthy veggie laden dish.A grain bowl or garden pie is just as delicious and filling.

Boxing Day Repurposing

Today is Boxing Day - usually referred to as Christmas' sad sibling. It's the day when leftovers from Christmas rule and that means cold turkey, ham, or prime rib sandwiches . However those leftovers can be repurposed into tasty and hot dishes  that are so delicious , they'll overshadow yesterday's meal. It's just getting creative with what's in the fridge.

One of the best renditions of leftovers comes from the Great British Baking show judge, Paul Hollywood.His is a take on Chelsea Buns a kind of cinnamon bun. This one is both sweet and savory thanks to the addition of leftover shredded turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. The dough is a surprisingly sweet  which actually works well with the other ingredients .It's rolling the yeast  dough out into a square,letting it proof. and then spoon and spread out the cranberry sauce first. It's then sprinkling on the shredded turkey and crumbled stuffing.The dough is later rolled like a jelly sponge and cut into pieces. Place the rolls, swirly, side up in a deep roasting pan or baking tray. Let it go through a second rise for an hour before baking it at 400 degrees Farenheit. You probably can do the same with shredded ham too but instead of cranberry sauce, try a layer of mustard for some kick.Another of Mr. Hollywood's recipe is a Boxing Day pie made with the same ingredients as the buns, turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, done in layers. The crust is a hot water crust.I don't see why this can't be done with leftover ham and possibly scalloped potatoes.

Another way of getting rid of that holiday turkey or ham is turning it into a tasty salad. For the turkey mix it with mayo, celery and tarragon. Serve it on warmed croissants for a lovely lunch. The same can be done with the ham,  Ham salad can be served on pretzel rolls for a hearty lunch or even dinner.Ham can also be repurposed in homemade pea soup. Definitely save the bone for this. Prime rib is an elegant meal the first time its' served. It becomes a hearty ingredient as it transforms into leftovers.Try making a hash with it. Add any leftover baked potatoes,preferably Idahos along with a chopped white onion and celery .You can also use leftover mashed potatoes too. Rosemary and parsley are added for more flavor.  First the onion and celery are sauteed in butter, then the meat and potatoes are added along with Tabasco and ketchup.everything is cooked in an eight inch saute pan for only a couple of minutes. The pan is then transferred to a 450 degree Farenheit oven for ten to fifteen minutes. Serve with fried or sunny side up eggs. You could also turn the leftover prime rib into a soup.Combine with cubed potatoes and fresh sliced mushrooms with two cups of beef stock.Serve with crusty , buttered rolls for a hearty soup on a cold day,

Boxing Day doesn't have to mean cold leftovers. Turn yesterday's feast into hearty tasty dishes. They'll be tastier the second time around.

Any Time Is Pie Time

Everyone thinks pies should be baked and eaten in the fall. After all it's a perfect time to use up the apple and pumpkin harvests. They go well with the heavy feasts. Then they disappear after Christmas. That should not be.Pie should be made all year round.

For those who don't want a labor intensive kind, think a premade crust and instant pudding. Both Keebler and Nabisco sell a graham cracker and Oreo crumb premade ones. You can even buy a box of crumbs. enables home chefs to make their own crusts. Then fill with any pudding. One of the best is the Jello brands. Chocolate cream pie can be jazzed up with a few drops of mint extract for a cool chocolate mint flavor. Top  a chocolate cream pie with mini marshmallows and put under the broiler for a s'more's pie. A vanilla cream pie is another sweet treat that 's easy to make for a dinner party or a Sunday dinner.  Experiment with different   pudding flavors such as butterscotch and pistachio.  These can even be made into tartlets too. If there's more time , then make a homemade graham cracker crust.You can use any flavor, from plain to cinnamon to chocolate. It takes about twenty-four squares ,a quarter cup of granulated sugar and one-third melted butter or margarine. You can crush extra crackers more crumbs to sprinkle on top of the pie.

Homemade custards are the next step. Lemon meringue and Key Lime pies are sunny treats for a gloomy winter's day. If the lemon meringue is too daunting, then just try a  lemon pie. It's basically a custard, thanks to the addition of four egg yolks. Flour and cornstarch act as thickening agentson. There is a  good dose of lemon zest and lemon juice in it. It's not topped with meringue but whipped cream.The classic lemon meringue is not as lemony, only employing just two. It's the topping that makes it so special. It's a classic meringue with just egg whites and sugar and baked for only ten minutes. Key Lime is sort of similar. and easier to execute. It's not as citrusy, with only having a little more than half a cup of lime juice. There's no zest added and condensed milk is the binder here. The topping is simply whipped cream while the crust is graham crackers. A really elegant pie is one  with a mousse filling It's not as complex as it sounds.It's simply a mix of any pudding with Cool Whip or if you want a more homemade one ,use cream and gelatin along with chocolate chips or cocoa powder.


Pies shouldn't just be a fall treat. Think a mousse one for an elegant dinner party or a Key Lime for a SuperBowl party. Make a chocolate creme decorated with whipped cream and strawberries for Valntine's Day. They can be enjoyed now in the heart of winter.

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.

Pumpkin Season With The Pumpkin Queen

Imagine if your whole life revolved around pumpkins.Imagine growing different types from all over the world and turning them into all sorts of dishes. This is the life of Sarah Frey, the pumpkin queen who is steadily changing the way we think about pumpkins. They're not just for Halloween anymore but for fall dining.

Kim Severson interviewed this interesting pumpkin mogul for today's New York Times Food section. The squash has been good to her as she plants such diverse varieties as the rough skinned peanut and slate green Jarrahdales from Australia as well as the blue green Marina di Chioggas from Italy. Her jacks, industry shorthand for Jack'o lantern, the tradtional bright orange ones are sold at Lowe's and Walmart. Now she's after other big box stores such as Target and Trader Joe's to sell her line Pumpkins of the World for home chefs. She researched and also knew from her experience that only the most dedicated cook would crack open a twelve pounder so she looked into growing smaller ones that would good on the front porch while being tasty and versatile in the kitchen,There's only one problem. Americans can't seem to get beyond pumpkin pies and pumpkin breads. All over the world the gourd is used in a variety of dishes.It shows up in Indian curries. Mexicans make a mole out of it.It graces stews across Africa.It can go beyond pies as any Piedmontese chef will tell you. We've been turning it into a creamy milk and butter laced soup for generations.

Another problem is that some fresh pumpkins don't translate well into pie. The flesh comes out stringy and cloying, perhaps a bit too "squashy" tasting for some. Home chefs should stick with the heirloom variety. These are deep bright orange in color and resemble the quintessential Halloween decoration.Mostly it's best for savory dishes,something Ms. Frey is trying to impress on American home chefs.Professional chefs have also urged this too. Chef Dorie Greenspan, author of  "Around My French Table" has given an interesting spin on stuffed pumpkin. Hers is Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good and features a baked whole pumpkin filled with bread, cheese and bacon.It became popular with food bloggers and also on food shows but then went nowhere. Since then there hasn't been a breakout recipe featuring the many varieties from the Japanese kabocha to the Italian ans Australian ones Yet pumpkin is wonderful in ravioli with a sage butter sauce and it can even be turned into gnocchi.Ms Severson includes Ms. Frey's stuffed pumpkin recipe.It's a mix of scallions and Gruyere cheese heated with red pepper flakes Kale and scallions are added for color and flavor.The article's second recipe is chicken and dumplings with pumpkin from the cookbook, My Two Souths by Asha Gomez.It's a marriage of chicken with not only raw pumpkin but with celery and ginger too, Dumplings are added at the last for more body.


Ms. Frey is turning America into her pumpkin kingdom. It's time we get past those pies and breads and discover just how tasty the gourd is. One day we'll realize what Ms. Frey already knows, that they're versatile and easy to cook with.