Your Super Bowl Shopping List

With  the Super Bowl less than a week away ,it's time to plan your game day shopping list. Will you go the appetizers only route or plan a winter barbecue with ribs and burgers? It now the time to decide.

One of the first items you should write down are sturdy paper plates. Chinet has the best and sturdiest paper plates that can stand up to the sauciest chili or ribs. If you're planning on a lot of different dishes, then get the plates with three compartments. Another must? Sturdy plastic utensils. Buy extra packs because a few knives and forks  will surely wind up in the trash or recycling bin. Napkins and wet wipes should also be right up there.You don't want to bring out the good stemware so have plastic glasses and cups for beer and if the party wants it - coffee and tea afterwards. If you want glasses that can last well after the Super Bowl, then go to Target. They have an excellent selection of tumblers from regular plastic to clear plastic tumblers that look like cut glass.Each glass is between 79 cents (!) and two dollars for the clear plastic.Parties produce trash so make sure you have plenty of hefty trashbags to handle the mess.Another should buy is plastic containers for any leftovers or take homes. Buy these in different sizes to accommodate however many leftovers there might be.

As for foods, ask yourself what do you and your guests want? Is it just going to be chili  and chips or something mor?. Even a dish like chili requires planning.Do you make one of the alarm ones or a mild one that people can add pepper flakes and hot sauce?Will it be ground beef, turkey or soy? Do you serve it over rice, polenta or tortilla chips?. If you're going for a more heartier spread, then there's the choice of meats. Do you go for the fun and sloppy  fare such as wings and ribs - or more contained foods like hamburgers and grilled steaks. If it's the last make sure you have enough charcoal or gathered twigs (which you can get on a walk through your local woods. Then there are the sides. Do guests bring them or do you provide all of them? What about the nibbles. Remember to include two or three flavors of chips,  and different kinds of tortillas, and pretzels. You can also write down popcorn, both plain and kettle flavors too. Always have soda on hand and seltzer too for those watching their weight or who just want a clean crisp, drink.as for dessert, ask yourself if you want to bake or just buy cake, If you bake, then get the mix and the ingredients for the icing along with the decorations.

Planning any party , including a Super Bowl one can be daunting. It helps to have a game plan to get you through the shopping. Then it's onto the store for the kick off of shopping.

Cabbage Steak Night

Cabbage steaks are a trend too big to ignore.They are everywhere, from Martina McBride"s new cookbook to Pinterest.Of course I had to give them a try.

It starts with a large cabbage head.

Too large.

It was then sliced into  1/4 inch slices.

Placed on my largest cookie sheet.They are then brushed on both sides with olive oil, and seasoned with a good sprinkling of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

It was a large cabbage so I had overage.

This too was oiled, seasoned and roasted.Here are the results.

The crispy parts were delicious but on the whole the steaks were kind of bland.

Sooooooo

I turned it into a deconstructed pescoi - Piedmontese pickled cabbage sans polenta.

The leftovers, crispy bits and all are marinating in a garlic infused apple cider vinegar marinade.

Will I make cabbage steaks again?The recipe does have to be tweaked, so maybe.

In Tune With Tuna

Lenten Fridays usually mean no meat to those who follow Catholicism Unfortunately that could mean Friday nights full of pizza and pasta. They;'re good but can get tiring, especially week after week. Home chefs can fall back on the basic their grandmothers and moms used : tuna. Seriously, there are some good recipes out there, featuring this versatile fish.

Before buying any tuna, be aware that there are many different kinds. Even the canned variety comes in either water or oil. The last is my favorite, especially when making salad Nicoise , that Provencale delight. Again this is also my favorite salad too.It's an easy make, Add it and sliced hard boiled eggs along with quartered vine ripe tomatoes and green beans to Romaine lettuce. For a true Nicoise, anchovies are added , but they can be omitted if you feel the taste may be too intense. Capers,onions and of course, olives are tossed in for more flavor. It's usually dressed with a lemon vinaigrette but a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar vinaigrette is just as good.Grilled tuna in a salad is also a nice addition too.  Water canned tuna can be used in that classic:  tuna casserole. Use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken in accordance with Lent. To make it a fun Friday meal, top with crushed potato chips for extra crunch and flavor. You could also sub in Monterey Jack cheese for the traditional cheddar. Croquettes are another way to employ canned tuna. They're usually made with leftover mashed potatoes along with green and red peppers. They 're then coated in cracker crumbs and can be fried or baked. Serve with baked French fries.

Tuna steaks are also a great way of eating meatless. This is not the season for them, which is from the late Spring to early fall, however, you can buy  frozen steaks. To get the optimum flavor, thaw in the refrigerator Friday morning and then cook that night., The steaks can be grilled, baked, or sauteed.One of the best ways is searing in a skillet. This caramelizes the surface  and locks in the moisture. Use a heavy skillet to cook, Add two to three tablespoons of olive oil and then cook the steaks for six to ten minutes or until the meat flakes off when tested with a fork. The interior should be a rosy pink.You could also bake them but keep in mind that the oven has to be very hot  - at about 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tuna steaks on a greased baking sheet . Don't stack them. Brush with melted butter or olive oil. Bake four to six minutes per 1/2 inch thickness of fish.As with skillet cooked tuna, use a fork to test for flakiness and  look for  pinkness in the center. The steaks can be marinaded for extra flavor. You can try lemon and garlic zinged up with oregano or for a more exotic flavor, think soy and ginger slices mixed with lime and sesame oil.


Any tuna dish is a nice way to end a Lenten Friday. Treat yourself and family to a tasty salad Nicoise or soy marinated tuna steaks. Enjoy  croquettes or casserole with the kids. Tuna's just a great way to oberve Lenten dieting.

The ABC's Of Snacking

Schools of all sorts start this week and kids from kindergartners to college seniors will indulge in that after school past time snacking. Make sure they eat sensibly. It's the key to healthy living and a healthy  student.

Those much hated veggies can be turned into a fun snack thanks to  some Greek yogurt and spices. Slice up bell peppers along with broccoli and cauliflower. Mix the lower in calorie plain Greek yogurt with different herbs and spices such as cumin for a tasty dip. Do a taste test with the kids regarding the spices.It's one way to expand their palate along with finding out what flavors appeal to them. The same can be done with cut fruits too. Have a wide variety of bite sized pieces such as grapes and strawberries along with sliced kiwis, apples , peaches and nectarines. Use vanilla flavored yogurt, again, preferably Greek as the dip. You could also start off with the plain Greek and then stir in such add ins as dark honey, cinnamon or dark chocolate chips.Another tasty dip idea is salsa with tortilla chips.Salsa is one of the easiest to make. Start with chopped tomatoes and onions along with cilantro. Have a mildly spiced one for the little guys while older kids may enjoy the heat of chopped jalapeno. Salsa can be made and packed into your dorm student's boxes for a nice reminder of home.It can also be used for topping hamburgers or accompanying grilled chicken or steak. It can also be made with such diverse fruits as watermelon and pineapple too along with mangoes, plums and kiwis.

What about that after school classic  - cookies and milk? Many parents do give in and let the kids eat the most caloric. It's' fine every once in a while but not every day.Surprisingly the national brands such as Chips Ahoy actually have less calories than the  so called healthier cookies.Homemade cookies, although labor intensive, are a better choice. Even classics like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin can be made healthier. Sub in white flour and refined sugar with oat flour and brown sugar. Instead of butter use the lower calorie but just as silky coconut oil.Make your cookie monsters a really healthy bite like, the detox cookie. This recipe taken from A Clean Bake blog, has only three ingredients. There's creamy peanut butter (use the all natural kind for this)or for even more healthier cookies , almond butter along with cocoa powder and mashed , ripe bananas.it's only ten minutes in the oven and that's it. There's no flour or sugar to  bring on the allergies.It's also an easy enough recipe that your college kid or high schooler can bake. You can even bake healthy (!) Oreos. Use spelt flour instead of the usual white and sweeten with maple syrup instead of cane sugar. The filling is made with ground brown sugar that takes on the consistency of powdered sugar and coconut butter. Serve any of these cookies with low fat milk.

School starts with it after school snacking. Give your big and little scholars healthy but fun snacks. They'll enjoy a flavorful veggie dip or a good for you chocolate treat. They're good for everyone.