Snowed In With Tastiness

 This was one heck of a snow day.Hopefully people stayed in eating all sorts of hot food. It could have been from scratch.It could have been already made. What matters is a hot meal to bolster you up.

Mine was already made and an easy cook. I had Green Giants.Parmesan and Garlic smashed potatoes.

These were more like scalloped  potatoes without the cream. It only took a few minutes to cook inthe air fryer, about eleven to twelve minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit.

I paired these with Lidl's Prince Edward Medley veggie mix. This was a quick cook - eight minutes  - in the microwave.It;s a yummy mix of green beans and carrots, a perfect dose of daily nutrition.

I just added copious amounts of "County Corkc's plant butter to give ti a buttery sauce.

Together they made a really nice vegan meal. I would definitely make this together again or even with Impossible chicken strips . It was a filling and even hearty dinner,

This weather calls for good meals to get you through the cold. They can be from scratch or already made. Either way they are your best bet to combat these snowy days.

Sides That Stand Out

 Meals can become a little more elaborate and heartier now that the cool weather is here. It starts with tasty sides that pop and make the main dish sing. There's a lot to try , form the simple to the elaborate.

Rice is one of the best sides. It's an easy cook that goes with any kind of meat, from beef to poultry to fish. You can just boil it in water but try cooking it in either beef, chicken or vegetable broth to amp it up flavor wise. Veggies can be added for more pizzazz. Think scallions or onions if you want a stronger taste. Carrots and peas make for a more delicate one. An easy side is cooking brown rice in chicken broth and adding chopped scallions. Finish with three or four tablespoons of soy sauce. This is a wonderful accompaniment to orange or lemon chicken or ginger glazed pork. Rice with almonds and mushrooms is another stand out side that's perfect with turkey or Cornish game hens. Noodles have always been a home chef's side go to. Egg noodles with just melted butter are perfect for every kind of comfort dish from meat loaf to stew. Zing them up a bit with some freshly milled parsley or ground pepper. Spaetzles, those delicious Swabian noodles , are also a perfect foil for pork dishes. Mix them with sauerkraut for a tart , eye opening spoonful or combine with green beans and butter for something milder yet just as flavorful. This last is perfect with roasted chicken while the first is perfect with any German sausage from bratwurst to curry wurst.

Veggies have long played second fiddle to main dishes. Yet they can be just as tasty and can even outshine them. Potatoes are the perfect side. They can be made into a variety of different dishes.Of course, many choose the mashed version and why not? The fluffy mounds can hold puddles of gravy or melted butter. Yet the plain version can be a tad bland at times.Give them some oomph with mashed garlic or ginger thrown in. Keep the skins on or sub in whole cream for milk when mashing. Scalloped potatoes are an elegant side , sure to impress the family. It's mandolined potatoes baked with cream and onions along with garlic, baked for forty five minutes in usually a nine by thirteen casserole dish. Brussels sprouts have always had a bad wrap yet are a lovely and sophisticated side. The best way is steamed and then drizzled with melted butter or margarine and sprinkled with Parmesan. Yet roasted ones are also good. They can be sheet pan roasted with the main meal, drizzled with only olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Brussels sprouts  can also be sauteed too. Carrots are a bright addition to any plate. Many feel that carrots have to be glazed with honey or maple syrup to accentuate their sweetness. Go the opposite way and flavor them with garlic and olive oil. Try them with a butter basil sauce for a different spin.

Make sides stand out. They can be a simple veggie infused rice dish or an elaborate potato one.  Just make them as tasty and outstanding as the main dish.

Helping The Hurricane Victims

There have been three devastating hurricanes in the last month . Homes have  been demolished and with them the heart of any house - the kitchen. It's ,time to step up in our kitchens to generate money and items that are crucial to starting over. Charity does begin at home, but with our ovens and pantries.

One of the easiest fund raisers to organize is a bake sale. Nothing beats homemade cookies and cupcakes. These are simple to make and fun to vary. Bake giant chocolate chip cookies instead of the usual smaller ones. (Try the recipe from Wednesday's New York Times Food section.) It's a good idea economically because you can charge more - think three dollars a cookie  instead of two dollars for six. They can also be made in sugar and peanut butter flavors too.  Since it's fall, think about a fun batch of caramel apple cupcakes. Bake them in muffin tins for a rounded apple look and then ice with caramel when cooled. Finish by sticking popsicle sticks in them to look like the real thing. Again, these can be priced at four  dollars a piece to bring in more money. To honor those hit by Hurricane Maria on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, bake  Pueto Rican cakes. These are a delicate mix of an egg and butter rich cake soaked in a homemade rum syrup.They're then decorated with a  syrup soaked meringue. Another cake to celebrate the island is a yummy pineapple rum cake which is sure to be a best seller. It's a pineapple upside down cake spiked with the Caribbean spirit. Squares of it would sell well.

A second way of helping is going through your pantry and donating any duplicates.It's easier to donate cans and foodstuffs to the Houston and Florida victims.It's not so much for those on Puerto Rico.  If anything donate water and diapers to those hit by Hurricane Maria.  When donating, try to aim for canned items that are versatile. Tomato sauce and  can be used in making a great pasta dinner but it can also be used for making chili as well as soup. Canned green beans can be used both in salads and as a side. Canned potatoes are another must donate. They are great in thickening up soup but the sliced ones can used in scalloped potatoes.Corn is another versatile canned veggie because it can be added to salads or served on its' own. Canned chili, although not as good as homemade - yet makes for a  satisfying meal They're not as donated as much as other canned goods but canned fruits are always welcome. Kids. love canned peaches and these make for a change up from the usual processed snack cakes for dessert. Just remember to get the ones that are low in syrup and sugar. Try canned grapefruit which is loaded with Vitamin C along with canned mandarin oranges also packed with Vitamin C and fiber. Fruit salad is also good. It can even be eaten for breakfast and canned cherries make for a nice snack.

We have to open not only our hearts, but our Kitchens and pantries too. Organize bake sales. Start a can drive . Bring those hurt by these wicked hurricanes closer to returning to their own kitchens and pantries.

Steak And Potatoes Please

Sometimes the best meals are the simplest. The most famed and desired is  the simple steak and potatoes. It's an easy meal to make and thanks to the different cuts of meat and variety of potato recipes can be served a variety of ways. One day it can reflect the gaucho cuisine of Argentina the next , an homage to French bistro dining.

What steak makes for a good dinner./you have a choie.Most people go for the filet mignon .as we all know it's top of the line There are several reasons for this.It's not as marbled with fat as other cuts and extremely tender,It's best served cooked rare to medium. The best cooking method for it is searing or grilling. If searing , then you can  added a medallion of herbed butter for more flavor.A less expensive cut is the flank steak or London Broil. This is a triangular piece that has a robust beefy flavor and is good hot or cold. They are tougher in texture so marinating is in order.Try a simple oil and vinegar one, with some rosemary sprigs added. You can also try a soy and ginger one too. or for something exciting cook it gaucho style with a yummy chimichurri sauce. It's a spin on salsa Verdi with cilantro,tequila and lime juice.This  Sometimes you just want a plain hamburger. Use chop meat instead of the usual premade patties. Add some minced onion for a truly flavorful ones or insert a small blob of butter or an ice cube for tender moist ones.


As for the potatoes, there's a dozen recipes you can choose from. A plain baked potato is always the best It doesn't interfere with the meat's great flavor and you can use it to sop up the juices. Just bake in foil and add some butter or sour cream afterwards. You could also try pomme frites, the French way of making fries. These are then fried twice , the second time with garlic butter infused with parsley. You can serve aioli with both them and the choice of meat. Scalloped style is a great way to go, especially if you have filet mignon.These are thinly sliced  potatoes (use a mandolin for this) and baked with a cheddar  cheese sauce,layered in a casserole dish.You can sprinkled paprika or breadcrumbs on top for color and crunch.. Red potatoes also compliment any meat, even chicken and turkey. They're also easy to make. First coat in oil, sea salt and rosemary before being set in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. One of the best recipes is mashed. Homemade mashed is excellent gracing a steak . Pour th e extra juice over the spuds and it is a classic meat and potatoes meal.

Nothing beats a good steak served with potatoes. It's simple yet filling., the perfect comfort dish for a cold night. Make it a variety of different ways. They're all good, they're all tasty.