An Empty Nester Eats

Many parents are now living in an empty nest. The kids are tucked away at college or in their new apartments,, What used to be a house full of noise and fun is now quiet. It's even worse in the kitchen when it's back to cooking and eating for two or even possibly one.

What happens when you;re one of those empty nesters?Firstly embrace this . Don;t just give up the want or passion to cook.  You're still there. You deserve hot healthy meals and fun treats. It's tempting to give in to eating take out every other day. Maybe save the Burger King or Chinese for a Saturday or Sunday night.It's also time to look at your cooking space and adapting it for this new phase. This si also a great time to reconnect for friends, You can still cook big meals for a fun Saturday night cocktail and dinner party or a boozy(or not so boozy) brunch, These are the times to think back to when your were single or just married. Did  you have friends over? Wasn;t it fun to have those parties and wouldn;t it be nice to have them again? Start looking at your good dishes and champagne glasses again. Start planning fun recipes  to make like duck l'orange or beef Wellington. Entertain friends and office mates with the dishes your kids turned their noses at like escargot and calamari. 

 However for daily life  store those big pots and pans away. Save them for those dinner parties or  holidays when you know you'll be cooking for a full house. Buy smaller amounts of the foods you usually cook.Instead of a dozen eggs settle for six. Try hamburger patties in packages of four instead of eight. Buy smaller containers of milk and juice.  This is the time to splurge on more expensive ingredients too.  Get those sticks of Kerry Gold butter if you want. They're going to last longer with one or two people in the house.Treat yourselves or self to a T-bone steak or filet mignon now. Break up the mid week doldrums with scallops or lobster tails. Another idea is cooking for two days. You probably did this when you had a full house but on a larger scale. Make a pasta for two that can be a great Sunday dinner and then turn into Monday supper leftovers.A small meat loaf is perfect for a weekend and then cut it up for  work day sandwiches.  You can still bake too. Just cut down on the amount. Try baking in micro batches .

Empty nesting is hard. Yet it can be a great time for all sorts of fun and lush foods too.. Embrace this time with tasty meals and fun treats.

Pomelos - The Best Citrus Fruit Ever

January is the time for citrus. Grapefruits, tangerines,clementines and oranges reign supreme  in the produce section yet there a new royal on the scene - the pomelo or the Chinese grapefruit.This beauty is not only super healthy but super tasty. It's the perfect sunny snack on a cold winter's day.

The pomelo resembles a grapefruit on steroids.Imagine if a bowling ball and a grapefruit had a child together.It would be this.:

Its" Latin name is citrus maxima or citrus grandis It goes by a variety of different names such as pamplemousse , pummelo or  pommelo. The Hawaiians call it the jabong while the British call it shaddock as they have for the last three centuries. It was named for a Captain Shaddock who introduced it to Barbados and Jamaica.. One theory about  pomelo's comes from Tamil, a dialect found on the Indian subcontinent, another is that it is a combination of pome - apple and melon. It is one of the original four citrus fruits that others derive from.It is a native of South Asia where it is eaten with salt.It's also sliced and put into salads whille its' juice is used in drinks. There is a warning however. Pomelos are famously known to lower blood pressure. Check with your doctor first if you can eat it if you're taking any blood pressure medications.It is good in cold weather because it has a larger dose of vitamin C than the other citrus fruits

I love this fruit. It's got a mild orange like flavor and it's far from being sour.  The only problem is peeling it. I was surprised to learn that the peel can be candied or dipped in chocolate. The rind is similar to an orange's, only a tad thinner.The correct way to peel it is making four to five slits in the skin  and start peeling. I usually just make one long slit and work at getting the skin off.  The problem with the pomelo is that it has a thick pink underlayer that kind of resembles compressed cotton candy or asbestos. This too has to be peeled away.in order to get the pulp.The slices are large. One person can't eat an entire one at once. Split it and put it in the fridge for the next day It can be juiced for a refreshingly light citrus drink. It can also be turned into a granita or Slushie too. Pomelo pulp can be used in salads too, giving an orange-y sweetness to a spinach or field green ones.The juice can be used in shrimp and scallop dishes as well.

The pomelo is a huge drop of sunshine on a cold January day. Buy one and enjoy it's light and refreshing  taste. It's the perfect antidote for all this snow and ice.