Party For A Week

 Parties and barbecues always have good things. There's music good food and s great drinks. However the stars of any gathering are the leftovers.whatever hasn't;t been eaten can be served for a few days afterwards/

It was this way in my kitchen this past weekend. A barbecue needed plates and large bowls of meats and salads. Much was left over however I won;t despair. I have enough for two or three lunches and dinners.The hamburgers cna be cooked in the air fryer

Yet they can be broken up for soups or burger tacos. They don;t have to be inside a bun however if they do, they can be picked with avocado slices and onions. 

Then there is the giant bowl of potato salad.

This is our family's traditional recipe, rich with hard boiled eggs. It;'s actually tastes better the day after .I could have it with a sandwich for lunch or with the burgers for dinner. I've also eaten it on it's own for lunch.

The cucumber salad pickled thanks to the abundance of white wine vinegar in the dressing. These became pickle chips which are perfect for snacking (it;shard not to pass the bowl without pitching two or three every time.)There is vegan sour cream to mix in if I want to turn them from snack to side salad. The grape tomatoes are lightly salted.These also make for a tasty snack but I can  use then in everything from salads to salsa cruda  with freshly cooked pasta.

The best part of any barbecue are the leftovers. You can serve them as is or get creative. They extend the fun and flavor for days to come.

Kitchen Wants And Needs

Every home chef wants the perfect kitchen. It has to be perfect for cooking and baking, outfitted with the best equipment and appliances. Yet is all of it worth it?Or will it just be a room full of unused junk? What makes a kitchen want and kitchen need?

Writing about food makes one want every gadget and appliance under the sun. That's what happened to me. I read and saw what professional and home chefs have and instantly craved their gadgets and gewgaws. I still have a madeleine pan from four or five years ago. I really wanted to make them but never got around to making them. The recipe is very labor intensive, involving melting butter and high speed beating. Now I recently bought two doughnut pans, one for plain baked ones and the other for fancier ones. Will I use them? Hopefully.  Should home bakers have all these fancy pans? Yes, if you're really into baking. The pans and the molds are not that expensive and if you have the room go for them. What home bakers really need is two cookie sheets, especially around the holidays and for bake sales.Also a roll or two of parchment paper will always be needed, especially if you make a lot of meringues or meringue based desserts such as pavlovas and Eton mess.Do you need icing and cookie guns? Again if you do a lot of baking. Cookie guns are great for making those buttery bakery style cookies and they can create a variety of pretty shapes. Sturdy , long lasting loaf and cake pans are a must. One loaf pan will suffice while two or three simple cake pans are all you need.

What about those gadgets that are more or less like appliances? All home chefs should have a crock pot. That's a given.It's wonderful in making homemade tomato sauce and slow cooked chili.It's also good for making homemade soups and chowders like minestrone and corn chowder. Many have embraced the all encompassing Insta-Pot which is like a crock pot on steroids. Using it a lot will pay off the price which can range anywhere from $59.00 to $99.00, depending on the make and the store selling it. They can cook everything from pasta to pot roast. Some can even be used for baking  - a boon for those who have participate in bake sales and cookie exchanges. Assess your needs before springing for one. If you feel you need something that can do a lot freeing you from the kitchen , then buy one. However if it's just one or two people or you need slow cooking once or twice a month then opt for the crock pot. Air fryers are another popular kitchen must have. I'm a big fan of them , using mine at least three or four times a week. Air frying is a lot easier than oven roasting and stove top frying. My favorite part is the beeping timer , letting you know  when the food is done. Another plus is that air fryers cook in half the time of a regular oven.Get one. You won't regret adding it to your arsenal of gadgets. Now there are smaller versions of these pods , and they 're selling for only $29.99 at Target.

It's up to you to decide what you want and need for your kitchen. As with any purchase think about if it's a need or a want. If you can use it buy it. Make that your rule for future kitchen buys.

A Few Simple Tweaks

Vegetables are good . They are  chock full of nutrition and low in calories, yet many people avoid them. They complain that the flavor is too bland or they're not prepared in an appetizing way. The solution? Add a few tweaks here and there.

That's basically what Dave Tanis did and wrote about in today's New York Times Food section. His A City Kitchen Column is devoted to making those tough to swallow veggies zesty and fun.Think dirt candy. He targets cauliflower and broccoli, Cauliflower is a versatile veggie. The hot trend right now is ricing it, which makes it exciting to eat.It's also delicious as a soup and heavenly  breaded and fried. Mr. Tanis has many suggestions,  a few of the celebrating Sicily' love of it. The Sicilians bake it  under a topping of soft sheep's milk cheese and olives.Mr. Tanis perks it up with a dash of anchovy, garlic and hot pepper. Mozzarella and pecorino cheese  stands in for the original choice. He also subs in romanesco broccoli, a bright chartreuse spiky kind of cauliflower, but the recipe can be used for any kind of cauliflower. He also gives a pan roasted recipe that has the florets roasted with such herbs as parsley and rosemary, zested up with garlic and red pepper flakes. It's easy to create and would be great accompanying any roast. Mr. Tanis suggest serving it  with a lemon wedge.

Broccoli also gets some spiking up too.It is good on it's own or with a squirt of lemon or melted butter or margarine.As he states, the fresher it is, the better the taste.He also recommends getting the organic kind, right now coming in from California.Look for the smaller and multi-stemmed ones. The
way the stalks are cut can also influence the taste. Don't chop large,puffy florets. These will end up overcooked. Aim for longer, thinner spears. Mr. Tanis usually butter steams  which is essentially simmering them in a butter water bath. This will yield firm but tender stalks. .It is a great way to cook them because the broccoli soaks up all that savory cooking liquid in just five minutes.It can be jazzed up even more with a hearty sprinkling of toasted bread crumbs that have been spiked with red pepper
flakes. . It's topped off with shaved Parmesan cheese. Mr Tanis suggests interchanging these recipes between the broccoli, cauliflower and its' fancier cousin the romanesco broccoli.

Cauliflower and broccoli are good on their own but sometimes need some spiking up. Try them these ways, jazzed up with bread crumbs or oven roasted for a new spin. This will liven up the ordinary, turning them into something extraordinary.

Make The Ordinary Extraordinary

With the holidays coming up many home chefs feel too tired to cook this week, many home chefs are taking it easy this week. Meals will be simple, with home chefs saving the more elaborate fare for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Yet those simple meals can be made with an easy flourish. It's not even labor intensive. It's just simple food with a few extras.

One of the easiest meals to make is soup. Canned soup is nice.It's easy to heat up and serve. What makes it even better is serving hot rolls with it along with a salad. Some stores such as Acme have in store baked biscuits. These can be turned into, hot just from the oven ones simply by covering them with a wet paper towel and popping them into the microwave for thirty seconds.. This gives them a tender moist crumb along with being perfect for a pat of butter.They go great with any kind of soup from tomato to any cream. A soup that 's quick to make but has a true homemade taste is Bear Creek.It's just adding water to a powdered mix and stirring for fifteen minutes. They have great flavors like potato and cheddar beef along with an instant chili.If you;re still craving true homemade think frittata. This is the omelet's Italian cousin and can be made into a delicate crepelike concoction. Home chefs can add fancy extras such as pancetta or even truffles. Serve with a light Reisling for even more luxury.

Even the simplest of desserts can be turned into something extraordinary too. By no everyone is sick of all those holiday cookies.Try a store-bought angel food cake, such as the loaf ones from Stop & Shop. Pair it with sliced strawberries which can be bought fresh and whipped cream. Sliced peaches can also be used too..It's a nice, refreshing break from all those heavy holiday fruitcakes and desserts, almost like a return to summer.Another simple extravagance is sherbert in citrus. This is te time for oranges. Why not scoop them out and replace with layers of  unseeded orange slices and orange sherbert. The same can be done with lemons and limes too.Just remember to remove the seeds before preparing. Even though it is chilly out, a simple dish of vanilla ice cream can be a treat. Top it with one of Smucker's rich fudge or salted caramel toppings. These can be warmed in the microwave for a warm gooey treat.An even more luxurious treat is drizzling a good brandy over the scoops.It's a nice way to unwind after a hectic day of shopping or work.

Make the simple luxurious just by adding little extras to your meals and desserts. It makes for easy but lush eating. Perfect for this time of year.

Just A Simple Bowl Of Soup

The week between Christmas and New Year's is always full of rich  treats and party foods. This can be fun for the palate but havoc on the stomach. It's best to take a break from all this and go for a simple bowl of soup - or even better broth.Have a day or two of just eating simple foods - nothing fancy . Think a hot bowl or mug with crackers- nothing else.

One of the  most detoxifying meals is a simple, clear broth. Nothing beats either a homemade or a bouillon cubed one. If you have leftover turkey you can easily make a broth out of it. The carcass does need to be cut up and cooked with celery , carrots and onion, typical stock ingredients. Home chefs can also do this with leftover chicken too. Serve as a light supper with Saltines or oyster crackers. You can make a light soup too, using whatever meat is still on the bone, more carrots, onions and celery.  Add rice or noodles for more substance. More oomph can be added with a cup of barley or orzo.Another good plain soup is pasta fagioli, . This is a bean soup, originating in Naples, Italy .It is chicken broth with the addition of tomatoes and sauce. Spinach is added for nutrients and flavor along with celery and onions. The recipe calls for red pepper flakes but if you want a tamer soup, then nix them. White cannellini beans are also added for protein and more flavor.This is a great recipe to make for New Year's Day, after a night of rich feasting.

A simple soup can be hearty as well.Chowders are always a welcome change .Most are vegetable or seafood, usually thickened up with cream or for a more basic fare, milk. One of the most famous is Manhattan clam which is a light meal in itself. It starts off with a tomato based broth  along with the addition of clams and their broth. You can get fresh clams right now but canned ones will also do.Add in potatoes and carrots along with garlic and more tomatoes. Spicing is everything with the Manhattan version so make sure you have plenty of thyme, clove and celery seed. You can also make the original New England version which is truer to the original chowder recipe of the  late 1700's and early 1800s. This requires bacon, milk or cream (preferably milk) along with bottled clam juice and chopped razor clams. You can add Worcester sauce  for some zing. A milder version is corn chowder which subs in kernels for clams. This is filling without being heavy and it's a perfect supper for these between holiday meals.

Treat your palate and stomach to a light supper of soup. A bowl is a nice change from the usual wild and heavy holiday fare. Have some for a  tasty yet soothing respite .

Nanoosh Exotic Healthiness

Mention Mediterranean cuisines  and people think of spaghetti or moussaka or even tapas. However the Eastern Mediterranean has produced healthy foods for two thousand or more years.- One of the stars is  hummus. Now this delicious and ancient dish is being the prominent player in Nanoosh restaurant  - a mini chain that's sweeping the New York City area.

I 'm lucky that the restaurant has a branch in my local mall. I had wanted to try it and today I had the rare chance to do such. To be honest I'm not a big hummus fan however this changed my view of it. I ordered the unusual chicken hummus which is a deep bowl filled with grilled chicken chunks over creamy fresh made chickpea mash. The hummus is made Israeli style without the usual garlic. It was still delicious and wonderful with the whole wheat pita bread served with it. There is olive oil along with other additions that can be added.I am planning on going back this weekend and would like to try the other variations. There is a mushroom and onions as well as sun dried tomatoes and a  red and green pepper mix. Another sort is made, again with meat, this time ground beef with onions, tahini and onions.

 Since the emphasis  is on healthy eating, Nanoosh also  has fresh made organic  salads and wraps, The soups are tomato, lentil and butternut squash.These are all natural without any preservatives - rare for restaurants that usually have to rely on prepackaged , overly salted mixes. Salads  are varied as well , using  everything from  the South American quinoa to the Mediterranean tuna and Greek salads. There are also wraps and these feature hummus along with extras, such as beef , chicken and eggs (!). Nanooshserves desserts too  These are  a yummy sounding organic yogurt loaf chocolate cake and rice pudding made with arborio rice.

Whether you're in Northern New Jersey or Manhattan  try Nanoosh for lunch for dinner. There are fresh made dishes made with good for you ingredients. It's a healthy spin on exotic Eastern
Mediterranean fare.


Nanoosh's locations are The Garden State Plaza Mall , Paranus New Jersey, and in New York City, 2012 Broadway at 68th and 69th Sts, Union Square, 111 University Place , between 12th and 13th Sts and Murray Hill, 173 Madison Ave, between 33rd and 34th Sts.

Go to Nanoosh.com for more info and to order online.

Homemade Or Bought Foodie Controversy

Store bought or home made?

Here's the controversy of foodies around the world. Is it better to make the product or simply buy it? What do we value more,? Good taste ? Made with love? Or just simple convenience? For some foodstuffs , yes , homemade is the better choice. For others, nothing beats factory produced, surprisingly and even sadly enough. In the end it's up to the individual foodie.

What food does taste better if it's home cooked? Pasta with homemade sauce is at the top of my list. As much as I love eating Italian food out, nothing compares with a well made, stove top sauce. The tomatoes are fresh ,and the basil is just picked from my garden. As for fresh made pasta, this is a labor intensive . Creating it is fun though and can be done quicker if you have help. Hamburgers are better at home than they are out. You can add to the chopped meat, something a chain restaurant can 't do. Let's face it. Wendy's or Burger King are not going to toss in chopped onions or mix in ground pork to their patties. You can. Plank fries are better if you cut and fry them yourself. Soups are another food that taste better made from scratch than out of a can. They also don't have the whopping amount of sodium that their canned cousins have.

What foods should be store bought? Breads for one. They are fun to make if you have a bread maker and some spare time . Yet, so many grocery stores these days have excellent in house bakeries where you can buy a wide range of breads. The same philosophy goes for cakes, cup cakes and cookies. Roast chicken and ribs are also good if they're already cooked. This saves time s especially if you're coming home late from work. Some sides like baked potatoes and vegetables can go either way. You can make up sides on the weekend and freeze them or you can just snap them up from your store's frozen food department.

There will always be this controversy of fresh versus pre made. The choice depends on you. If you feel better serving yourself and your family fresh than do it. However if you don't have the time, then reach for the quick easy to make items. It's your decision. Whatever works for you and your family as well as your dietary needs.

Healthy Gardening Means Healthy Eating

We all know that planting a garden means one more step to better eating habits. Thanks to it, we'll get organic veggies and fruits , free of pesticides and salmonella risks. It also means we'll be picking up more vitamins and minerals as well as teaching ourselves and our kids the importance of an organic plant based diet.

You can't go wrong with any fruit or vegetable selection. After all they're all good for you. If you decide to grown melons along with apples and plums, you'll be weaning yourself and the family away from harmful sweets such as cakes and candies. Try to get your kids addicted to these freshly picked treats. They'll reach for a slice of watermelon more readily than for an ice cream soda or a cookie. A neat summer dessert is peaches or plums grilled on an outdoor barbecue and sprinkled with some freshly grated ginger or mint Also get the offspring involved in harvesting. This gets them out of the house and exercising. Veggies are even more fun and there are so many choices when it comes to planting and eating. Steer yourself towards tomatoes and broccoli. These have the most health benefits for you. Other good choices are beets and cauliflowers as well as Lima beans and summer corn. Peppers are a versatile vegetable as well. They can be used in salads or kabobs . Fresh picked veggies are also good in home made soups. Your recipes for potages and chowders are free of the sodium overdose that happens when you eat regular store bought soups.

Growing an herb garden is also good. Cultivate such standards as oregano and rosemary. This way you can use them instead of salt. They will make for much healthier eating and also leave a fresher flavor to marinades, salads and sauces. Also try growing garlic and chives along with scallions.These not only improve the flavor of dishes but also have several health benefits as well.

Healthy gardening leads to healthy eating. This means lowering weight as well as eliminating carbs, salt and processed sugars from your and your family's diets. By investing time and effort into your garden, you'll be ensuring a better lifestyle for your family.