Pies Of Perfection

 Thanksgiving is only a week away and many home bakers are freaking out. WHat do they serve after the turkey?Or what's the tastiest pie to end the dinner. Don't . The New York \Times Wednesday Food section has another must save section. There are many recipes that can make Thanksgiving a dream.

 Every pie recipe is a keeper. Regular contributor , Melissa Clark, gave us an in depth and extensive article about these great desserts along with good tips that will stay a lifetime.Pies can be tricky to make and making the perfect one takes skill.Ms. Clark gives recipes for three of the most traditional : pumpkin,apple and pecan. There is the recipe for the perfect crust.It is super buttery but perfect for the fillings offered.It has ten tablespoons of unsalted butter, preferably a high fat European one like Plugra for the best tasting crust. The rest is flour fine seas salt and ice cold water.It does need to be refrigerated for at least two hours before using. The best bet is making itTuesdsy night and keeping it overnight in the fridge before baking. You can use a food processor to pulse the dough but Ms. Clark likes using your hand to mix'The butter is cut into cubes and flattened into the flour until they look like cornflakes. If it's made in the food processor, pulse the butter with the flour and sea salt until the butter cubes resemble lima beans.

You can make all three fillings or just one. Her pumpkin pie is actually made with butternut squash. Prepping  pumpkin can be labor intensive and surprisingly it doesn't impart the right taste. Butternut squash does.The company Libby's which as been supplying Thanksgiving bakers pureed pumpkin for decades uses it to create a creamy , mild tasting filling. She also adds ground ginger and cloves to give  it a spicier flavor. Her apple pie is not one of those with a soggy middle and damp top. She recommends cooking the apples beforehand to because cooked apples have already released their liquid. the juice steams and pools, making tt harder to get that perfectly crisp crust. Cook the apples in butter and light brown sugaralong with a variety of spices. Ms. Clark uses cinnamon, ginger nutmeg and brown cloves. There's also cornstarch added for a crispier slice. There is also that Southern classic pecan pie made less cloying by eliminating the corn syrup. Ms Clark suggests using a mix of maple syrup and honey which gives the pie a complex earthy flavor with floral notes. Also simmer the maple syrup before to concentrate it's flavor. Melted butter is also added but Ms. Clark cooks it more for a nutty browned butter. The nuts don't have to be toasted beforehand . You can do it if you want.

These pies will definitely be the perfect ending to the Thanksgiving meal. Make one or all three. They will definitely stand out and shine.

Oh Gooseberries!

 These golden orbs stood out yellow and shiny on Easter morning. They were nestled between the strawberries and blueberries at Stop and Shop. What are they? Gooseberries or Cape gooseberries.

They truly intrigued me. I've heard about them as many other people have, yet I thought they were just wild growing somewhere. It turns out they're from originally from England but also thrive in Peru , Columbia and even Hawaii. That may explain why they're mentioned in  some Nineteenth Century  British novels and stories. Their Latin name is Physalis Peruviana and the fruit grows inside a  calyx, or petals, producing a small tomato like fruit. They have a sticky exterior, Imagine a grape tomato covered in honey or maple syrup. You have to wash your hands after eating them. Their flavor is a strange mix of sweet and tart. Think pineapple married to peach while the texture is like that of a tomato. The skin is thick with a pulpy , seeded inside. They  have Vitamin K - good for blood clotting and beta carotine.

The question is what do you with them? The Brits turn them into pies and crumbles along with soaking them in gin and turning them into jam. You could put them into a cake. The recipe that I think would highlight them best is the classic English fool. This  was found on the Good Food section of the BBC. Fool is usually made with freshly whipped cream but this one has Greek  yogurt added. You could just make it with the heavy cream and confectioners sugar, along with vanilla extract. You do have to smash them  until they become pulpy. I'm also thinking salads. They're like tomatoes and would be an interesting change up from orange or apple slices. They'd be great in a grilled chicken one dressed with a light vinaigrette. You could also add some slices to fruit salad to for some tang and color.

Those golden robs have a lot of potential. Buy them if you see them at your local grocery. Gooseberries are an interesting fruit, a neat snack and addition to desserts and salads.

Gearing Up For Thursday

 Thanksgiving is really the Super Bowl of home cooking. It's a lot of prepping and planning along with praying that the dinner will be a success. For many cooking this year may be a first or a return after many years away. The best bet is have a game plan.  Be prepped and be ready.

The first thing home chefs should do is check out their pots and pans and decide which will work well for the turkey and sides. Do you have a large enough one or a just right size for your smaller bird? if not , then run to the grocery store and get a suitably sized one. Another check has to be for all your appliances. Is the stove working properly? What about the air fryer or immersion blender? Make sure everything is in working order. Another must check is if there's enough wax paper, aluminum foil and Saran wrap. These are also vital for cooking and storing leftovers.First time home chefs and those trying new recipes should have the recipes and their steps down pat. This is not a time for forgetting one step or needing to look over the instructions or ingredients as you're mixing or chopping. Study the steps. Memorize the ingredients. Have you bought everything on your list? Has anything been forgotten? Tomorrow may be your last chance to head to the store and get what you need.Also , decide what dishes you're going to go it on your own or who's going to help you. Kids and partners can easily whip potatoes and cut bread along with ladle sides into bowls.  You can work on the turkey and gravy. Most importantly - defrost the turkey NOW. It takes a whole day just to defrost a mere four pounds of bird. You should have the turkey in your kitchen sink right now.

As for the dishes, tomorrow should be the day to bake all the pies and make all the desserts.Again ask for help. Someone can core and slice the apples along with peel them as you make the crust. Also have assistance if you're making rolls or bread.  (although this can be fun for kids of all ages) Just remember if it doesn't come out right , whipped cream can cover  the pie and butter or gravy can easily disguise any misshapen or burnt crusts or dry crumbs. Keep in mind Wednesday is also a good day to chop veggies for stuffings or even salads. Take a break first from the kitchen, with a quick drive through coffee or sitting in the back yard with a good hot cup of tea. Then go back to food prep. Start with washing and chopping the celery, onion and carrots Slice the Brussels sprouts for roasting.  Afterwards store  the veggies in either aluminum foil which is great for keeping veggies fresh or air tight containers to maintain crispness. If you're making devilled eggs, boil the eggs tomorrow night . It's one less chore to deal with on Thursday. You can also set the table tomorrow so there's less worry about it and more concern put on the kitchen.

Thanksgiving will be a success and run smoothly if there's planning and prep beforehand. Be ready tonight and tomorrow. It'll ensure you creating a better holiday dinner on Thursday afternoon.

Pics Of Hot Birds

They beckon from the cover of top magazines. Their skin is burnished and shimmery, their thighs and breasts plumped seductively. Some even are lying on a bed of roasted vegetables. No it;s not Gigi Haddid or any Kardashian. It's those magazie covers of Thanksgiving turkeys. For home chefs' it's what a Thanksgiving dinner should be. For food magazine editors, it's the jewel in the crown, the raison d'etre for any periodical dedicated to cooking.

Tejal Rao got the fun assignment of heading to various food magazines  for the New York Times food section today. She interviewed several editors from various food magazines and they all agreed that the November issue is a big deal thanks to competing with the turkeys shown on Instagram and Facebook.It's like the September and March issues of fashion magazines.It's the biggest, most ad packed and competitive issue of the year.Editors are attuned to the smallest changes in bird presentation, from sizes and props to angles and colors. The overall picture shapes the issue's tone and more importantly  the reader's reaction. Switch it up and it could cause an uproar.Maile Carpenter, editor in chief at Food Network Magazine once had a carved turkey on the magazine's cover which was a pretty wild thing to do.

Does this make for a hot selling magazine? Maybe . According to another editor in chief,Adam Rapaport of Bon Appetit, feels that an entire bird looks like an emoji. A sliced one conveys how delicious it is, , showing us perfectly cooked flesh. The editors were even more daring in 2014, when the November issue had a split cover.One side featured the classic golden roast while the other had a big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes.It was daring, They didn't track reader response or amount of sales but it probably had a reaction. Analytics have shown that a cover with turkey slices and sides on a plate perform better than one with a whole bird. Covers with pies  have mixed results while cakes consistently under perform. Shooting  a cover bird is not an easy task. Laura Ionotti of Rachel Ray Everyday hired out a team who could handle the shoot with objective eyes.. They fix and arrange every prop so that the entire scene looks perfect but not so perfect that it's off putting.

The November issue of any food magazine is the crucial issue.It's all because of the glam bird on the cover.It's delicious.

Creating The Perfect Pantry

What makes a perfect pantry? Is it canned goods like soup and beans? Dry goods such as flour and baking soda? Jars of this? Containers of that? Not surprisingly it is a manageable blend of  variety of different foods, Have the right amount and you'll never go through a shortage.

Canned goods are always important, especially now in the cold weather. Homemade soup is good but it pays to have several cans of prepared soup. They make a quick lunch or supper and can also be used in a variety of casseroles too. Always have everyone's favorite , from tomato to chicken and stars. Take advantage of sales at the local grocery too. If they have a twofer sale, then definitely get more of them, Packets of soup mixes are a pantry plus. They have the flavor of homemade soup without all the work.  Another pantry must are bouillion cubes. Get all three kinds, chicken, beef and vegetable, to make a variety of different soups and sauces.Sauce packets such as chili and Hollandaise are also worth having along with instant meat sauces for roasts. Jarred sauces can also be put into the pantry too.Canned veggies and fruits are a must too. The canned veggies come in handy if there's a blizzard and you can't get to the store. They can also be added to soups and soup mixes. The fruits are perfect for making pies and turnovers.

Tomato sauce and paste should be prominent on any pantry's shelf. These always come in handy for when you're making homemade sauce for pasta. The same goes for pasta, itself. Have a variety to suit all tastes. Spaghetti is the most popular and easiest to cook so have a few boxes of it at hand. Also on the shelves should be the versatile pastina and orzo style. These are excellent in both soup and sauces. Slip in a box of the drinking straw like bucatini and thicker fettucini. If you have kids or still hold on to those childhood faves, then have a few cans of Spaghetti-os too. The pantry should  have plant based oils . Olive and vegetable are the ones of choice, especially the last because it can be used for everything from cooking to salads to even baking. Cake mixes along with flour and baking powder should also be included as well as decorating items such as sanding sugar, food coloring and various types of sprinkles. Sweet sauces such as chocolate and caramel along with  jams and jellies need to  stored there in addition,.


A good pantry is a well stocked one, Make sure there are the basics to help you get through everyday eating. It'll make cooking and baking that much easier.it'll also cut down on how many times you go food shopping in a week.

Pecan The Perfect Holiday Nut

Pecans are tasty.Their rich buttery flavor makes them  the perfect add in for both savory and sweet recipes.Use them in everything from snacks to hors d' oeuvres , from stuffings to pies. They are versatile  - the perfect ingredient for upcoming holidays.

Pecans have been around since pre-Columbian days, the name coming from the Algonquin language. The indigenous Americans foraged them and the nuts were an excellent source of energy. They could sustain tribes five times more than wild fowl and there was no preparation.The Spanish were the first Europeans to try them and brought the nuts and seeds back to Europe.In America, Georgia and Texas have the best , with the two states being rivals in producing the best tasting ones. Pecans are an excellent source of both manganese and folic acid as well as magnesium and phosphorous. Be careful though with them, Ten pieces are around one hundred calories and are very high in fat.Pecans can last two to four weeks in a pantry and nine months in the fridge. They're excellent for freezing , lasting up to two years in the freezer. Should you get the shelled or unshelled ones? That's up to you. Of course just shelled ones taste better but there's some work in cracking open the shells and then discarding them. If you opt for this kind, just be careful. The last thing you need is friends and family cracking a tooth or cutting their gums on an errant shell fragment . The nuts should be carefully sifted through before using them in any recipe.

Pecans are a great way to open any holiday dinner or party. Salted ones are super easy to make.It's tossing the nuts with melted butter and sea salt and then baking them on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes in a 325 F. oven. Add cayenne for color and heat or even turmeric for savory spiciness.  Chopped pecans can be added to cream cheese for a nutty spread on crackers or slices of toasted baguette.Combine roasted ones with blue cheese to create a topping that will go well with grapes.Pecans are a buttery and crunchy addition to traditional stuffing recipes. Try them and cranberries in filling for a savory and sweet mix or with apples for a crunchy textured one.They're also great rounding out side dishes. Pair them with roasted beets for a sweet textured salad, perfect not just with turkey but also ith  roast beef and chicken. Butternut squash benefits from them and onions, in a yummy saute.Of course, the best way to have pecans for dessert is in a tasty ooey gooey pie. Nothing beats a slice of pecan pie with a big puff of whipped cream. They can also star in cookies too. A holiday treat is a butter pecan cookie or a chocolate chip one studded with pecan bits. Pecan bars are another holiday sweet along with pecan clusters. This last is super easy to make. Just melt chocolate  in the microwave, then mix in pecan bits and chill on a greased cookie sheet.

Pecans are the most versatile holiday ingredient. Try them to open a party or to finish a meal. Try them in savory or sweet recipes. They are a treat both in taste and use.

Pumpkin Goodness

It may be too early in the year to even mention pumpkins but there is a fun new cookbook that celebrates the gourd. After all, pumpkin is not just a fall October thing.It can be eaten all year round in a variety of yummy savory and sweet recipes

Pumpkin It Up (Gibbs Smith Press)written by Eliza Cross, a well known cookbook writer, is a cookbook that celebrates all things. pumpkin. (Keep in mind that this time of year is the perfect time to plant pumpkin seeds if you want homegrown organic pumpkins in the fall).She breaks the myth of cooking the gourd in the autumn months. The dishes can be made now for any summer feasting.The chapters include basic recipes,beverages and sweets along with muffin and breads.There are also savory recipes as seen in the chapters devoted to soups and stews, sides dishes and dinners. There is even one featuring pumpkin breakfast recipes. Of course there is a chapter on dessert along with one on cookies and bars. Ms. Cross also has two pages on hints as well. They are good, especially the ones advising  when it comes to picking ones from the patch . She writes that it's best to pick out the smaller ones for making pie because they're sweeter and have a smoother texture than the ones used for carving jack-o-lanterns.Also use an ice cream scoop, a serrated grapefruit knife or a melon baller .when scooping out the flesh. One important hint is discerning between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. The last already has spices in it and could ruin a savory dish if used.Another good fact to know is that the puree freezes well and can last up to nine months in the freezer .

The recipes are varied with a mix of the familiar and the fun. Starbucks lovers will go made for pumpkin spice latte, true to the name thanks to the addition of a cup of pumpkin puree.A perfect beverage for even cool summer nights is the pumpkin spiced cider.Imagine have the healthy gourd for breakfast. You can, thanks to recipes like pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin waffles along with a Dutch  baby, that big pancake from Holland, made delicious with pumpkin and walnut. The savory recipes include the trendy but easy to make pumpkin ravioli along with pumpkin risotto, a mix of Arborio rice, sugar pumpkins and button mushrooms. Due to the squash's mildness it is excellent paired with different meats.It can be paired with turkey for an enchiladas or with chicken and apples for a spin on chicken Kiev.Pumpkins can be used as a side as for fries or baked with Brussells sprouts.It puts a different twist on the traditional fave baked mac and cheese..Of course pumpkin shines in pie and the book has three recipes: the traditional holiday one, but also a chiffon one and a pumpkin cream pie. Then there are the non traditional  ones like the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin tiramisu. Try the pumpkin holes or monkey bread, both livened up by pureed pumpkin. There are the tasty crispies a kind of sweet pumpkin fritter. Candy lovers will lose their gourd over the pumpkin fudge and a spin on Reese's peanut butter cups - with creamy pumpkin filling poured into chocolate cups.

Pumpkin It Up is a great cookbook for pumpkin lovers and for those wanting more nutrition in their lives. It shows that pumpkin is not just for lattes and pies but can be made into tasty pastas and rices along with candy .The cookbook is a true salute to a humble gourd.

The  book comes out in August but you can preorder on Amazon now,

101 Things to do With Beer

101 More Things To Do With Bacon

Pumpkin It Up!

How D'ya Like Them Apples?

Any Weekend Party

Fall brings about weekend get togethers and gatherings. They could be the college student  bringing home their dorm mate for the first time, gatherings of any team or a tween sleepover with  new friends. It could also be a time to catch up with friends after a summer away.The other day Melissa Clark, a weekly contributor to the New York Times gave us easy recipes with the generic title of any. Make this true of your gathering.Any party with any party food will work.

One of the easiest any party foods that work for all of the above gatherings are hamburgers,Everyone loves a good beef, turkey or veggie burger. Take advantage of the warm weather to grill outdoors over a wood fire. Have simple or any fixings such as lettuce , sliced tomatoes and onions. Squeeze bottles of ketchup and mayo should be on the ready . Make any mayo based salad or slaw . Try a macaroni one zested up with minced red green and yellow peppers along with minced celery. Vary it with some hot dogs or veggie dogs and finish with toasted marshmallows or s'mores. For the new roommate or even new boy or girlfriend, think any roast with potatoes  and a green veggie. It could be London broil sharing a plate with mashed potatoes and broccoli salad, It could be a roast capon with scalloped ones  along with a bright mix of peas and carrots. Have a crisp salad on the side and crusty rolls too. This easy combo makes for a lovely dinner party with friends also. Add  candles and wine and you're set for an elegant fuss free dinner..

Any dessert works too. An old fashioned layer cake with a buttercream frosting is perfect and is always a crowd pleaser. Use a mix if you're pressed for time or scratch recipe if you're not. If you want something a little fancier, then put small truffles or raspberries (which are in season right now) on the cake's top. Any pound cake is also good and is simple to make at home. Since apples are in season right now, you could finish off with a homemade pie, with a side of cheddar or vanilla ice cream. If you're hosting a team party or sleepover then have any home made cookie.Chocolate chip is a big fave and they can be made from slice and bakes or by scratch. A fun cookie for a tween pajama party?  Sugar cookies! Leave them plain for the kids to decorate at a decoration bar with colored icings , M&M's, raisins and dragees.Dinner parties can end with any ice cream drizzled with liquor. Pair coffee with Kahlua, chocolate with peppermint Schnappes and vanilla with rum.For the kids set up a sundae bar with any sundae toppings from syrups to nuts to whipped cream to fruits.


Any party food can work for a weekend party . Pick out any recipe that fits your plans and go with it. It's a simple no fuss approach to fall entertaining.

The Perfect Pie Book

Spring brings all sorts of occasions to bake. There are graduations, showers, family get togethers and the first of barbecues. All of these deserve some good old fashioned fresh form the oven treats. Luckily there is a great new pie book to inspire . This gem has homey old fashioned pies to sophisticated frozen ones. There are also a few bonus muffins and cookie recipes thrown in as well as a salute to Scandinavian sweets.

The amazing book is called The Norske Nook of Pies And Other Recipes( University of Wisconsin Press) and it was written by Jerry Bechard and Cindee Borton-Parker.. Mr Bechard is the owner of this Midwest landmark while Ms Borton-Parker is the regional manager for the chain of Norske Nooks that dot the area. The restaurant on its' own is internationally famous with fans from all over the world visiting the Norske Nooks  for their homestyle meals  and homemade pies. Mr. Bechard bought the restaurant from Helen Meyhe,      a hardworking farm house wife who was talented and dedicated in giving locals delicious meals and desserts. Mr. Bechard bought the Norske Nook from her, keeping all of her recipes, especially the famed pie ones. from there it was an explosion of more Norske Nooks, so named to reflect   the area's heavy Scandinavian heritage.The first was and still in Osseo, Wisconsin, in the western part of the state.it was here that Mrs. Meyhre and later Mr. Bechard created a dazzling array  of  pies. There are traditional fruit ones  to decadent ice cream pies to creamy custard ones. The cookbooks also has a section on the restaurant's cookies,tortes and muffins along with mouth watering Norwegian and Swedish sweets.

This is really is the best pie cookbook out there. Novice home bakers will appreciate the chapter on crusts, from the very basic Crisco one to the more sophisticated nut torte crust (actually very easy to make)There's also  chapters on homemade puddings and toppings like lingonberry and praline. There are recipes for single crust and double crust pies, as well as for incredibly luscious meringue topped ones..These are not just reserved for lemon, there is coconut meringue and rhubarb cream along with sour cream raisin. The frozen pie recipes are drool worthy, like the cookies and cream one and the Northwoods Root Beer Float Pie. This last is made with root beer syrup and  vanilla pudding, perfect for ending a barbecue. Mr. Bechard and Ms. Borton-Parker also include a chapter on tortes,These are thin crusted pie variations with fillings from chocolate to rhubarb and elegant    for bridal   and baby showers.The Norske Nook is also known for cookies and muffins and they're included   here as well.One section that is novel and worth mentioning is the salute to Scandinavian treats. The area was heavily populated by Norwegian and Swedish immigrants in the mid 1800's and the influence is still strong there today, Home bakers can try the impossibly delicate Swedish rosettes which are fried rather than baked.The book's only savory dish , lefses or potato pancakes is also mentioned.along with oatmeal bread . Home chefs can also try the homey,spiced Rommegrot Norwegian pudding or the crispy   kumkakas and Scandiavian Sankakkals.

Buy The Norske Nook Book of Pies and Other Recipes to make delicious desserts for the many Spring gatherings.Any recipe is perfect for a graduation party  or bridal shower or even a family barbecue.. Try them along with the many other recipes for cookies, muffins and Scandinavian treats . Then enjoy what Norske Nook lovers have enjoyed for years!

The Great British Bake Off : Rule Britannia Sweets

Competitions are usually thought of as a solely American idea. After all we compete with each other on everything, from survival to dress design. However the British  are just as blood thirsty - yet in a very polite genteel way.Watch The Great British Bake Off on PBS and you'll see  that in action.

I loved the American version shown here during the summer of 2013. That was hosted by the funny and folksy Jeff Foxworthy, with the great British baker and judge Paul Hollywood and Mexican chef Marcella Valladolid. The British version, where the American  one stems from has Mr. Hollywood and Mary Berry, a very genteel lady who's kind of like the Margaret Thatcher of judging. Rounding out this are an English comedy duo.Mel Guidroyc and Sue Perkins. The last  two have a sharper repartee with the contestants than Foxworthy and at times it seems they're almost mocking the contestants.. The bakers  come from all over the UK which means a variety of different accents. Some are easy to understand, some you just scratch your head and ask :what did he or she just say ?"Like their American counterparts , they are passionate about baking, being experts in a variety of different categories.Thankfully the losers are gently let go despite the sometimes brutal and acerbic critiques. One truly refreshing aspect of this are the contestants' attitudes towards each other. Instead of being rivals, they are more like a caring and supportive team. That could just be the genteel British nature.

What I love about the show is the different English sweet and savory bakes. I thought that they and the American recipes were similar but no. Both Yankee and Brit versions of the show  are divided into three sections.There is the signature challenge, a bake using a tried and tested recipe that the amateurs bakers make for their friends and families. Then there is the technical bake which is one using the same ingredients and recipe provided by Hollywood and Ms Berry. This is perhaps the most grueling because the finished product has to be exact, a sometimes difficult trick, The last is the  showstopper a bake designed to impress the judges with both looks and taste. The recipes are completely different from what was on the CBS show.. There are lavish meat pies, filled with everything from haggis to prunes and pork to the quintessential meringues. There are also sponge cakes as well as baked puff pastry wrapped pears, unusual here in the States. I'd love to seefuture contestants conquer true American recipes like chocolate chip cookies, pecan pie and cornbread.Most of the English recipes are French influenced as well  and not as hearty, or as as rustic as ours. They look elegant in a Jane Austen tea party kind of way  and have definitely sparked my urge to make them at home.

The Great British Bake Off is on every Sunday at 4PM.EST.If you have time or are tired of football or ice skating watch this. It's interesting on so many levels,a truly well baked show

Easy As Pie Baking

Nothing is as fun as baking.It's satisfying to whip, mix and pour having the end result as a lush dessert or tasty snack.Yet some people are put off by it ,thinking it cam be complicated or that any methods requires years of experience.Not true.There are some really yummy treats that are simple as pie itself to make. Pies can be daunting.There's always the worry that the crusts won't brown or that they will be too tough.There's fretting that the merengue might fall or that the filling might still be raw.There is a solution.Cream pies.These are a snap to make and a delight to eat.Buy a pre made crust and fill it with pudding.Now both Nabisco and Keebler have excellent pie crusts to use as bases.There are some really good puddings out there to use as the filling.If you want something both elegant and tasty, try making one with Hershey's chocolate pudding poured into an Oreo crumb crust.Serve it with a side of Reddi Whip and either bananas,strawberries or cherries.Jello has come out with an instant cheesecake.It's super easy and oven free where you have everything ,crust filling and topping in labeled pouches.It takes all of ten minutes to create a tasty and pretty enough for company dessert, A plate of fresh baked cookies is another sweet treat.Most people are usually put off by baking them,either because they're too complicated to make or too labor intensive.Luckily there are that fast baking stand by,slice and bakes.These logs are wonderful, especially if you have to entertain bored kids.Pillsbury has a few varieties.Of course,nothing beats their chocolate chip, especially when they comes hot from the oven.The sugar cookies are just plain fun because kids can channel their inner artist by decorating with everything from icing to raisins to chocolate chips.You can also use the cookies to make homemade sandwich treats or as the base for ice cream sandwiches.Another fun idea is sticking lollipop sticks in them and turn them into cookie pops.There are also cookie rolls with designs already stamped on them.Make a platter of heart ones for Valentine's Day as a gift for family and friends. You can make luscious desserts and fun snacks with these easy as pie solutions.They are just great for ending a meal, impressing company or making kids happy. Nothing beats a home baked treat, even if it's no bake or has very little baking.

Rochelle Park Diner Hometown Goodness

New jErsey has it's fair share of diners.Almost every town has signature one, usually big and flashy bathed in neon and serving fancy platters of all sorts f foods.the Rochelle Park Diner is it's town signature eatery but it's really the antithesis of one.It is small with a limited menu yet the food is four star quality good. The one thing that stands out is it's size.Unlike other diners that seem to have wings, the Rochelle Park is cozy L shaped place with an old fashioned counter.The decor is just plain charming with cute utensil printed wall paper and old-fashioned tile mosaics everywhere. Again, unlike it's fellow diners across the state,it has a small menu.There are no exotic burgers offered or a huge array of elaborate appetizers.It serves two soups daily ,a mouth watering Manhattan clam chowder and the soup of the day.There's not a lot of choice which is good.It's how diners used to be and sadly aren't anymore. The Rochelle Park diner does have some gems.There is the Eggs Benedict amongst the omelets along with pastrami and eggs.The omelets themlseves are straightforward. With just one extra added. There are some simple salads, that can any addition from steak to salmon added or they can be eaten just plain. sandwiches range from the classic such as The Happy Waitress to the trendy like the Athenian panini.The diner serves excellent pastas.Their linguine is exactly like homemade with a rich marinara sauce while their eggplant parmesan is nicely breaded and fried to a chewy crisp.They offer desserts such as brownies and puddings to finish off the meal. New jersey has some good diners however if you want a cute,quiet place then try the one in Rochelle Park.It has excellent food served in a cozy setting.It 's a great getaway fora summer meal .

Slow Cooked Sweetness

Usually slow cookers are reserved for stews or even Swedish meatballs.However that's all changing thanks to a recipe book dedicated to slow cooked desserts.You can make all ousts of gooey goodies with it,from puddings to bars to even shortbread. The author , Jonnie Downing has written an interesting book regarding after dinner treats and a slow cooker.There are sorts of recipes in this latest offering from Ulysses Press.Anybody can make these neat desserts.There are creamy flans and fruit filled compotes along with easy box cakes and homemade puddings.The instructions are eassy and there are dozens of recipes to go through.The author,Jonnie Dowing and her daughter Elizabeth are the authors of Crockpotninja.com a website devoted to everything crock pot. The book offers great hints too if you're planning on crock pot desserts.Also you can use other containers inside the slow cooker to make baking easier.Ms.Downing recommends ramekins,spring form pans, trivets, and pans.These are great for puddings , flans and souffles along with the last for breads.She also offers tips and hints to create a better dish,especially when it comes to using freshly grated spices and fresh fruits. If you're big into crackpot cooking, then this is the book for you.It has every kind of dessert from compotes to cakes,along with pies and puddings. It's perfect for those who don't have the time for baking yet want to have a fancy home cooked sweet.

Olallieberries New Fruit To Try

Just when you think there's nothing new to try, something unusual pops up. That for me is the olallieberry. It's a fruit that's been around since the Thirties yet I've just discovered it. This cross between a loganberry and a blackberry can be used in various dessert dishes or just as a snack.

Olallieberries are a hybrid between a logan and a blackberry. First crossbred in 1935 by botanist,S.J. Harvey and the US Department of Agriculture the fruit was named after the Chinook word for berry. They were first tested in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California and grew like crazy in Oregon.It is sometimes called the marionberry or just marion. The nutritional value is the same as the blackberry which means they are high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. Like the other they are harvested in early  June to mid July. The plant is a bramble plant , meaning it has spiny thorns protecting the fruit.The taste is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry.

Oregonians have a field day  with the fruits during harvest time. There are olallieberry jams and preserves as well as baked goods.Since they're almost like blackberries they can be made into crisps,crumbles and pies. Some chefs and home cooks use them for a sauce. They're also good just plain with ice cream or whipped cream. Right now though you can only  buy the olallieberry in jam or syrup form on line. It would be good topping fresh baked biscuits or scones or on top of an English muffin.The syrup would be a welcome change from maple , topping everything from pancakes to French toast.

Make this the year to experiment with new foods. The olallieberry is one that you have to try. Get in preserve form now or wait til the harvest season to experience this truly interesting fruit.

Pie Charts

Just when I thought macaroons were the new thing, pie comes along and tops it. Yes, pie, that lovely homespun treat that our moms and grannies perfected.Nowadays people can't get enough of this traditional dessert. Pie shops are popping up everywhere. Let's face who can't resist this down to earth simple and simply delicious sweet.

Pie was one of the first foods mankind ate. Ancient Egyptians invented them then the Romans adored them and spread the recipe throughout the Empire. The English and French perfected the dish , first calling it boxes or tartes. Early Americans celebrated both sweet and savory kinds, varying the dish from the traditional British shepherd's pie thus creating delicious meat pies. Americans were also fond of fruit pies thanks to the abundance of wild fruit trees. Soon apple pie became a Colonial favorite and standard, served at almost every holiday and family event.

Today the dish comes so many variations . You can make a really nice custard filled one using any instant pudding and a ready made shell. There are also the traditional fruit ones such as strawberry rhubarb, and blueberry along with peach. Make these with the traditional flaky homemade crust. for a real treat. Sometimes the two fillings are combined as in a banana cream pie . Another favorite is pecan pie that combines chewy pecans in a gooey caramel like pudding. This has a variation in the walnut pies where one kind of nut is substituted for another.

Pie is suddenly making a comeback. it's a reminder of all foods homey and earthy. It's not pretentious or trendy. It's just down to earth.

An Early Thanksgiving Greeting

For all my readers wherever you are,


This is an early Thanksgiving greeting. I'm not botheringtowrite a column today. I know for the most part Amertica will be elbow deep in pie making and brining today. There will be no time to read this (and if you are - stop , there's gotta be some potatoes that need peeling r dinnerware that needs polishing)

Remember not just to enjoy your feast wherever you are - be it under the tree lined streets of the American Midwest or the dry deserts of Afghan and Iraq. Be thankful for what you have. hard won freedom as an American, the right to vote whomever you please into office, and the choice to enjoy wither dark or white meat, scalloped or mashed potatoes. be thankful for family , that drives you crazy and friends who need you for the rough times. be thankful for the things that make you happy,

Above all be thankful for a good holiday meal. There are so many people worldwide that don't have food. Think of them this day and remember them in your holiday donations.


It's a day for food and fort the celebration of it. Just remind yourselves to give thanks that you're lucky enough to have it.

High Time For Pie

This is the season for pie baking. Between harvests and Thanksgiving everyone should be rolling out crusts and preparing filling It s’ a great dessert with a long history. People have been celebrating with this simple dessert for millenniums. It’s no wonder that we moderns include it into our holiday rituals.

We have the ancient Egyptians to thank for pie making. They were the first to put a mixture of nuts honey and fruit s into uncooked pastry and bake it. They haeven had two names for covered and open pies. The covered ones were called coffins because of their closed in shape while the ones without were called traps. The Greeks who ruled Egypt in the late Fourth Century were so enamored that they brought the recipes back to Greece. They surrendered the recipe to the Romans who fell madly in love with them. They were even offered to the gods in the temples. From then it spread through out Europe with variations leading to tarts and tartlets. Pie hit England and made their way over to America with the early colonists. Early pie crusts were solid and not at all flaky like their modern day cousins The crusts acted as containers to hold in the juices and fillings. Pie crusts got so thick at times that anything could be put into them , including jugglers and orchestras.

Luckily you don’t have to put Cold Play in your Thanksgiving pie to impress guests. You can go with apple or pecan, both easy pies to make. Another fun and quick choice is the pudding pie - taking an already made pie crust and filling with the pudding of your choice. It’s then easily topped off with Cool Whip, or Reddi Whip and garnished. There’s a lot of variations here but th e most popular flavor s are chocolate and butterscotch.

Pies are a wonderful and fun addition to any holiday dessert table. They’re easy to make , especially if the whole family pitches in. Make two or three in one flavor or vary it. Either way you’ll have a good time both baking and eating these treats.

Bake Sale Season

September ushers in a ton of things to do. There's school, soccer, dance , not to mention church socials and garage sales. Every one of these has one thing in common - bake sale. They're alo held to benefit some school or sports group. Teas sometimes have bakes sales as well as do yard sales. The question is what to bake and what would sell the best? What dough will bring in a lot of dough and garner huge sales?


The safest way is to bake your specialties or simple cakes and cookies. Also people are not going to go wild over anything too elaborate or too messy. Cookies are good. Even if you have to cheat and use the slice and bake logs, they still have a home baked taste and will be crowd pleasers. Molasses drop cookies are another bake sale favorite. Cupcakes are trendy right now, especially those made with homemade butter cream icing. They 're easy to whip up and decorate. All it takes is a couple of boxes of cake mix an easy butter cream recipe and some sprinkles.

Should you make the more elaborate cakes pies and tarts? Yes if one you're planning on selling individual pieces of cake and two, if you're thinking of selling the goods in their entirety. Remember that a homemade sweet is a nice gift for those invited to a Saturday night dinner or a Sunday brunch at someone's home. You don't have to go wild. A simple vanilla or chocolate Bundt cake is easy especially if it has an easy to create glaze on it. With pies you can already buy premade dough and cans of filling. You can also use any sort of pudding as a filling and top with Cool Whip. tarts can be made with the same kind of packaged dough but you can add fresh fruit like the current season of apples and raspberries.

Don't despair if you tapped to bake for a bake sales. There's a number of ways in which you can produce a money making tasty treat. It's just simply using dough to make dough.

Cool Treat Cool Whip

It's occurred to me that I've never written entirely about that American dessert staple Cool Whip. This is a must for almost any treat or dessert.At my house its; used constantly , especially with pies and fruit. It's a great way of adding that something extra to sweet endings without any sweet calories.

Cool Whip was invented in 1966 0r 67 by William A Mitchell a chemist for General Foods. It is a more or less non dairy products made from is made of water, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup with hydrogenated coconut and palm kernel oils and vanilla extract Even though it is non dairy it does have a milk derivative in it known as sodium caseinate. Seasonal Cool Whips are strawberry (being sold right now in the warmer weather) and chocolate. The aerosol was introduced last year in 2008 to compete with Reddi Whip. I like my Cool Whip from the aerosol can, It's fun to spritz in different fruits or to add flourish to pies and cakes.


Cool Whip is great because you can use it as an icing or as whipped cream sub. It's a phenomenal topping for any cream or overly sweet pie such as pecan (the topping balances the fillings gooey sugariness). A fun dessert is an instant chocolate mousse made with just an equal mix of chocolate pudding and Cool Whip. This is a great quick ender that will impress guests. My favorite way to have Cool Whip? Over sliced bananas and chocolate syrup. This is my go to at home dessert and snack. It's kind of like a banana split but without the ice cream.The aerosol version is also good on strawberries. Don't worry. Cool Whip is zero calories so you can eat as much as you like.


Cool Whip is a fun addition to any dessert or sweet snack. It makes just sliced bananas or strawberries extra special. It adds to any plain slice of cake. It's just a cool treat.

The Goodness of Pie

There's nothing that can beat pie in the holiday dessert department. There's something about a warm flaky crust, en robing the warm blend of apples and cinnamon or offsetting a super sweet pecan pie. A cake is nice, but it connotes fancy celebrations and parties. A pie is like a comforting sweater or blanket. It means a good down to earth dessert at the end of a homey meal.

Pies are relatively easy to bake. You just need a simple crust and a good filling. It doesn't have to come out looking pretty like any other dessert. It just has to be made well and taste good. The best crusts are made with shortening, lard and flour. You can use butter instead of fat for a richer, taste but these are more for tartes such as a delicate pear or apricot. For a really easy one there's nothing like graham crackers ground up , mixed with melted butter and sugar and baked.You can also use chocolate, cinnamon or honey flavored ones too.

As for fillings, nothing beats fruit. You can vary a basic one like apples. adding caramel and walnuts for a caramel apple pie. (this is the best spin on the traditional apple). You can also add raisins or dried cranberries. Nothing beats a peach pie which is more of a summer dessert. However this is the season for pumpkin, and pear. For pumpkin the best bet is a can of processed cooking pumpkin (what you probably still have on your porch is a carving one). Pears are plentiful right now and can be baked into an open kind of tart.

Cream pies are an easy option for those who have little or no time to bake. You can create some interesting layers with puddings and whipped toppings. You can even add a layer of fruit or nuts on top. There's also the very easy to make ice cream pies which just require a baked crust and your favorite flavor. These are the pies that everyone from adults to kids will like.

Enjoy a slice of pie this Thanksgiving or Christmas. There's nothing like the homey goodness of one to warm your soul.