Your Own Ice Cream Shop

 One of the most trips in summer is heading to the local ice cream shop. Yet these are becoming few and far between. Then there is the price. An average sundae can cost as much as six dollars just for two scoops with chocolate syrup. A better idea is making everything yourself .Besides it's more fun to create some sweet treats on your own.

The base of any ice cream shop is the ice cream itself. You can easily buy or make it depending on your schedule. Start with the basics  - vanilla and chocolate These work with any kind of ice cream dish. Vanilla and chocolate ice cream is easy to make.An easy vanilla recipe just calls for two cups heavy whipping cream, condensed milk and one tablespoon of vanilla extract.It's whipping the cream into soft peaks and then adding the remaining ingredients. There's no churning or even ice cream maker needed. Just place in a container and freeze for at least six hours or until firm. This also is the recipe for easy chocolate ice cream except there is also the addition of half a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, whether regular or Dutch processed.If you want something a bit more adventurous then try a coffee which is great with chocolate syrup or a berry  - the perfect way to use up fresh strawberries or blueberries. For the coffee add  a chilled half cup of coffee . Sub in whole milk for condensed. As for an quick berry ice cream.mash berries and cook with a bit of water and sugar in a sauce pan. Let cool and add to the vanilla mix..

Can you make cones too? Yes! ice cream cones do require egg whites to give it to that stuff texture that holds up to melting ice cream scoops. You'll also need super fine sugar , whole milk, whole flour and vanilla extract.It's then cooking them in an oiled skillet not unlike a pancake. Once baked into little cakes they're then shaped with a cone roller (where you can find on Amazon).  Waffle cones are a bit more cakier thanks to the addition of one whole egg along with the white of another for a good stiff texture. .A quarter of a stick of melted butter is also added for richness.  You can't use a regular waffle maker for this You'll need a waffle cone maker to give you a thinner ,crispier cone.  what about waffle bones that hols more ice cream along with sauce and toppings. You can use a regular waffle maker for this  along with an  everyday waffle recipe. It;s then putting the hot waffles into a bowl to shape them. Any ice cream treat needs a good sauce for fun and flavor. CHocolate sauce just requires water sugar  , vanilla extract and sugar to create a thin syrup  that's also perfect in egg creams. A decadent hot fudge sauce requires     butter, corn syrup for texture along with heavy cream,vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Caramel sauce  is another yummy topping. For a truly rich one use six tablespoons of butter mixed with  half a cup of heavy cream granulated sugar and water along with a small pinch of  flaky sea salt for contrast.

Imagine having your own ice cream parlor with Tim's of homemade yummy treat, You can. It's easy to make your own ice cream and sauces, sugar  and waffle cones and bowls to create perfection.

Condiment Care

 t's that time of year when everyone uses ketchup, mustard, mayo and hot sauce almost on a daily basis. Yet do werefrigerate them 9or leave them out on the counter as we do in winter? Summer  - and any hot temperature is really not a friend to all those extras from peanut butter to jam included. How does a home chef take care of these vital side ingredients? LUckily there's a guide for them,

New contributor Kristin Miglore, creative director at  Food52.com gave a comprehensive guide in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. There are guidelines for everything which comes in handy during these warm and soon to be steamy days. The most important condiment in the summer is mayonnaise.It is a vital ingredient in so many summer side salads as well as being what gives sandwiches their flavor and moistness. The big surprise is that it can last outside the fridge for up to three months. However it's wise to  keep it chilled (it is egg based after all)Mayo can get too warm and emulsify.This means it can break down,separate and wind up with an unpleasant taste.Don;t put it in the back of the fridge either. It can freeze and ice crystals can form inside it ruining the texture. All mayo jars should be relegated to the fridge door shelves Homemade mayo, always made with raw eggs should be refrigerated promptly after making to reduce salmonella risk. WHat about the second most used summer condiment - mustard? it is pantry safe and can be left out thanks to nature of the mustard seed along with the added vinegar and salt. Still it can lose it's bright yellow color and even separate. The taste can go off too. It's best to keep it next to the mayo. The same goes for ketchup thanks to tomatoes' acidity. A bottle can be left out (diners do it) but it's best refrigerated for a better taste.

One of the most important ingredients any time of year is butter. Again like mayo it is surprisingly safe at room temperature. Of course salted will taste fresher longer than unsalted thanks to the salt preserving it. However whipped and plant based butters are more delicate and should be refrigerated at all times. Ghee is another matter.It's been simmered in water until that's evaporated.Ghee can keep up to six months. Honey is another, albeit lesser summer ingredient is honey.It's always perfect over fresh fruit or in mocktails as well as in homemade ice cream.Honey is sugar which means it can last indefinitely. well preserved honey has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back 3,000 years. However do not let moisture in.A wet spoon or a loose lid in ninety percent humidity . This can cause yeast to ferment and leave the syrup with a bad taste and odor. Keep the lid on tight and do not keep in the fridge.Ice crystals can form and cause the syrup to become thick and grainy.Many will bring bringing another sweetener from Vermont or Canada this summer - maple syrup.This most definitely has to be refrigerated. Keeping it out at room temps will cause it to ferment. You could have a bottle of maple wine or vinegar  along with a mold riddled syrup.Toss it if there is mold. Maple syrup can be stored in the freezer. It will not be affected by the extreme cold.

These are just some of the suggestions for the summer's most popular condiments. The guide is more thorough, covering capers, Kim chef and even peanut butter. It is a keeper to follow all year round.

Your Fall Spice Cabinet

 The summer may have been spent cleaning out the spice rack or cabinet .Now it's time to refill with all those warming fall spices. What do get? Think richly aromatic and tasting ones,perfect for savory and sweet dishes.

Cinnamon is a must  for any autumn spice rack. It's a sweet earthy spice that can be bought in both ground and stick forms. What should you buy? Cinnamon sticks are a better choice. They're more flavorful and don't have to be refrigerated if you want to place it in the fridge. However  the powdered from is just easier to use in recipes and drinks. To be honest go for both. You can use the sticks for mulled wine and chair tea while the powdered is perfect for apple pies and streusel cakes along with sprinkling on top of foamy cappuccinos. Keep in mind that the spice can be used for savory as well as for sweet recipes.It can work well in a Bavarian pot roast adding depth and color to the meat along with adding flavor to Moroccan chicken.Nutmeg is another spice every fall spices cabinet ought to have.Like cinnamon it's sometimes better to have the nutmeg nut instead of the powdered version.The question is where do you buy the whole nuts? Some groceries will carry them. If not there is Amazon.Again it's good in both savory and sweet dishes. It;s even sprinkled onto layers of lasagna for more depth.It  is needed in the classic egg custard dish which makes for a perfect cool weather dessert.

What about pumpkin pie spice mix? Will you need it. Namely yes, especially around Thanksgiving when you bake those pies. The spice mix  can also be used for pumpkin tart and pumpkin souffle as well.Of course you can't forget pumpkin spice lattes which can easily be made hot or cold. Should you buy it already mixed or do you want to mix it at home? If you;re too buy them buy a small bottle of McCormick's if you;re too busy to mix and blend. If not it's just taking ground ginger, cinnamon ,allspice nutmeg cloves and , yes black pepper for a fiery and  yet subtle blend. Do you add sugar? You can if you want to ,Jut make sure it's the granulated kind. A homemade pumpkin pie spice blend is always a nice gift for someone with a fall birthday. You can also use the individual spices too. Allspice is a must .Its a great warming spice for such Caribbeans dishes as chicken jerk.It;s also  a must in Palestinian dishes such as braised green beans and chickpea stew. Yes it's perfect in spice cookies and gingerbread , desserts perfect on a cold October or November day. Ground ginger is another spice necessary in the fall spices cabinet.It's great in all sorts of Asian dishes and a must if you're thinking about making gingerbread cookies or cake.

Fall is fast upon us. It's the perfect time to create highly spice savory and sweet dishes. Make sure your cabinet is ready for these.

Fire For The Barbecue

 Barbecue food can be somewhat routine. It's the same old burgers and dogs or ribs and chicken. The salad are blah as are those ears of corn. What do do ? Add some spice and fire to your grilling.

Fiery marinades are nothing new. They've been in Asian cooking foe centuries, livening uup all sorts of meats and veggies.One such ingredient chili crisp is becoming flavor of the summer with many home chefs adding it to their menus.It's actually an easy make and can be used in not just grilled food but to liven up omelets and even spaghetti and pizza sauces.It starts with frying shallots and garlic in peanut oil. Since it;s the crisp part that makes it so special, you can also add some peanuts or sliced ginger. Add to tat sugar soy sauce and the appropriate heat.Gochugaru, or Korean chili flakes is highly recommended but if you can;t find it a mix of cayenne and paprika will do the trick..Also add a cinnamon stick and star anise which brings some sweetness as does the sugar to the chili crisp. The peppery mix is added to the shallots and garlic after they've been removed from the oil.This allows them to  crisp up and give the mix that nice crunchiness. They're added back into the oil while the cinnamon stick and star anise pods are taken out. The entire oil is them left to refrigerate , usually overnight. Use a few tablespoons of this on burgers or even slather ribs in it before grilling.

Of course sriracha also works well in spicing things up. Add a few drops of it to ketchup to liven up sliders and any sausages. Sriracha mustard is another great condiment that can be drizzled on dogs or added to any potato salad. It's an easy make by combining a cup of yellow mustard with a quarter cup of the hot sauce, two tablespoons honey and a teaspoon of lime juice. Mix and serve how you like. Simple salads such as macaroni can easily get a lift from diced pepperoni. Spiced ham can also be added to this to make it more substantial. A teaspoon of pepperoncini flakes can also bring up the heat and make any salad  - even three bean much more interesting.Even grilled seafood can get a lift from some tasty fire. Whip up some bang bang shrimp sauce that's a signature Bonefish Grill dish.It's combining  half a cup of mayonnaise with two tablespoons Thai chili sauce (this can be found in your grocery's international aisle) with one tablespoon Sriracha sauce . A teaspoon of rice vinegar is added to thin it out. This is also good on grilled crab legs too.

Liven up your Memorial Day barbecue by adding some heat.  There's nothing like  some zing with the hamburgers or hot dogs, ribs chicken or shrimp. It's makes for a more exciting grill.

Holiday Cleanout

 This is the time of year wen the kitchen will be loaded with food and ingredients.This can be great save for the fact you may have leftovers or old foodstuffs around the fridge and pantry. If that's the case , then it's time to clean out.

One item that most home chefs and espcially bakers  have is flour. Keep in mind that refrigerated flour can last up to a year. If' it's been stored in a pantry then it's shelf life is only three months. Keep in mind that flour cna be used in making various roux and thickening gravies. You could also use the extra to make bread or the start of your holiday cookies and cakes. What that other all important staple - sugar? Technically sugar never spoils so you can keep it indefinitely. Howeve it can lose some of its' sweetness after three months. It's up to you if you want to keep it or not. It will come in handy for baking and also for sweetening coffee and tea. Is its cousin confectioner's sugar ever lasting? Yes!!! However throw it out if you see any bugs, moist clumps or contamination. Untouched sugar should be fine to use in glazes , icings and buttercream frostings along wit using it to make fudge and other holiday treats.

What about all those cans of tomato sauce and beans you bought whe the store was having a mega sale on them. One word - chili. This is the perfect hot crockpot dinner . Mix everything in the morning and let it simmer all day for a tasty, hot and nourishing dinner.It's also the perfect dish to serve at a tree trimming party. Add already made conrbread or tortilla chips to make it more of a party dish. You cna also add any onions you have too (usually one wull do it). Tomato  sauce can be used in making homemade sauce too. Nothhing beats this when served over any kind of pasta. Beans can also be used in rice dishes as a nice side oir if you're craving a taste of summer, whip up a three bean salad. Those cans of chickpeas can also be turned into hummus, the perfect party dish. Cannellini beans can be added to give the dip a milder flavor. Blend together with minced garlic, olive oil and lemon. Serve with air fried pita chips. Canned veggies can easily be made into sides and salads, leaving more room for Christmas dinner ingredients.

It's time for a quick clean out of the pantry and fridge. Throw out the old stuff. use what you can for different dishes and holiday baking. The pantry and fridge will then be ready for all your Christmas dinner ingredients.

Getting Your Pantry Holiday Ready

 It's that time of year again when pantries should be stocked for the holidays. It could be cans of green beans for cassarole.It could be flour for baking. Just make sure your'e ready and well stocked for the busy weeks ahead.

Pantries should be ready for the flurry of baking ahead.Many groceries like Lidl and Acme have two for one price sales for flour. Take advantage of these. Flour can also be used for breads and pizza too. Also make sure you have plenty of sugar, white and the browns , light and dark. Keep in mind you'll need the white sugar for holiday fudge too. Confectioners sugar is a must, especially if you're planning on making a lot of cupcakes. (this is also an ingredients in some fudges too)Candy decorations such as sprinkles and nonpreils should also be bought. These store well in cool dry places. If you're thinking of making pies, vegetable shortening can also be placed in the pantry as well.  Should you store nuts there as well? Yes, but only for a couple of days otherwise they can go bad. If you're thinking of baking a pecan pie or walnut brownies soon, then place the nuts needed on  a shelf.If not then freeze the pecans and walnuts until you're ready to use them.

Most of your holiday dinner can be stored in the pantry. Potatoes for latkes or mashed will benefit from being in a cool, dry place. Yams can also share a shelf with the spuds too.Pasta too can be stored. It's a great place for lasagna sheets if you're thinking of making a large one for a fun Christmas tree trimming party.Can you store the cheese for it there? Definitely not the ricotta that's placed between the pasta sheets. You can store the hard Parmesan that's grated on top of it. Any kind of rice can be stored too. This is great if you're having friends over for risotto Milanese whether for a pre -Christmas dinner or  a New Year's Eve feast. Powdered soups like Knorr's can also be stored in a pantry. These are great for the first course of any Christmas dinner and they 're much easier to make than homemade soups. What about that Christmas ham or salame for the holiday charcuterie board? Absolutely NOT!!!!! Meat , even if it's cured and salted has to be stored in the fridge. Canned meats like Vienna sausages, tuna, and slamon can be stored as can a tin of chicken ala king.Remember it this way.If it;s surrounded by metal , yes it;s pantry ready, if not then fridge it.

Get the pantry holiday ready. Start buying non perishables now for the busy cooking and baking season ahead.It's a good way of being ahead of the holidays.

Sales Gathering

 Should you start buiying now for the holidays? If it's presents , the answer is yes. Take advantage of sales. Yet what about food? Should you buy ahead if the prices are good?

This is the question home chefs are facing nowadays.Many local groceries like Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Acme and Wal-mart are all having good sales right now. If you want to save then look at what'be ing offered at lower prices. Canned goods are a must. They will keep for years practically. If you're planning on making a green bean casserole, then take advantage  of the sales. The same is true with yams and pumpkin pie filling. Buy now while the prices have been dropped.You could also apply this to baking too. Sugar and flour also will keep . These are definite must buys along with corn syrup for making pecan pie. As for chocolate and nuts - don't buy weeks before the holidays  - no matter what the price.  Chocolate can get stale and even change color. Nuts can go rancid which can destory an entire recipe. 

For every day items  buy. I couldn;t resist two big boxes of Cheerios from my local Shop-Rite.

These will last for weeks and were only eight dollars for two. Another good buy was Bachmans' Halloween bag of Jax cheese curls

This was another food Shop-Rite buy with eightteen bags going for eight dollara a bag. They're around $2.25 a bag . Think of what a large bag of Halloween candy costs at anywhere from twelve dollars to almost fifty bucks for a super sized bag. Another plus about this si that this becomes my snack if there are very few trick or treaters coming around. Shop Rite also has other holiday bargains which I'll take advatnage of as the season advances.

As any thrifty home chef will tell you , take advantage of any sales. Food is expensive. Grab any chance you can for a discount.

Not Your Granny's Meringues Black Sheep CBD Meringues

 Meringues have gotten a stodgy image. Mention them and people think of them gracing staid afternoon teas or being shown on The Great British Baking Show as a challenge. That's about the change thanks to Black Sheep. They've added CBD to the basic recipe and punched them up.

I love anything meringue so these caught my eye.Black Sheep meringues made by Sannte Foods an Oak Ridge Texas Company also knoiwn for their sweet Tidbit snacks.

CBD is added to the classic meringue recipe of mostly egg whites and sugar (hopefully they'll come out with an aqua faba one). This added ingredient helps in lowering inflammation and decreasing anxiety. They're the perfect snack after a hard day of for those with joint pains.

These are tiny one bite puffs which come in a wide variety of flavors. There is caramel, cappuccino ,birthday cake., cookies and cream and cotton candy as well as the classic chocolate , chocolate mint strawberry and vaniila. Be warned however. There is a slightly bitter aftertaste unlike regular meringues which have a continous sweet flavor.

The packages come in two sizes - five count which is $12.99 while the ten pack is $18.99. The smaller packs  would make fun stocking stuffers while the larger ones are perfect in fun birthday surprise baskets.

Black Sheep CBD Meringues are not your granny's meringues. They 're perfect for just kicking back and relaxing with a sweet snacl. Try them for a different take on a bakery favorite.

In Praise of The Cone

 It's almost summer and that means one thing - ice creamed scooped and piled into all sorts of cones. Yet where would the icy treat without its' sturdy base? The cone is just as important as the treat itself as the Joy Baking Company knows

Regular contributor,cookbook writer and chef, Priya Krishna wrote about this amazing company in today's New York Times Food section.Joy Cones have been around since 1918 when two Lebanese immigrants,Albert George and his brother-in-law Thomas J. Thomas, started the company in Brookfield, Ohio.It nearly went bankrupt in 1943 thanks to a fire breaking out in the factory.. Joe George, father of the current owner,David  took over that year and focused on building proprietary or commercial ovens to bake thousands of cones. Within five years the company became profitable. Now Joy handles all the big companies from Dairy Queen to Mister Softee. Even local, privately owned ice cream shops use Joy. The company sells three types, cake , sugar and the ever popular waffle. The recipes for all three are simple. The cake cone is made from batter of water flour and sugar. Tapioca flour is added to give the cone it's sturdiness and absorbent like quality. The sugar and waffle ones have brown sugar added for the rich tan color.

Is there competition? There is from Keebler  but they mostly distribute to stores. Most home chefs use them to create cones. There are some ice cream shop owners like Kristine Tonlonow of the Konery in Brooklyn who have different ideas. When she started her business in 2014  she looked at the cones and their blandness along with their uniformity. She felt that there should be different flavors to match or compliment the creamery's variety of flavors. The cones should be as exciting as the ice cream itself. Her cones come in bright colors and even brighter flavors like orange Creamsicle and salted blue corn along with gingerbread and peppermint.. They do cost three to four times more than Joy's. However stores like Whole Foods and theme parks are buying them along with independent shops like Malai Ice cream in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. Some ice cream shop owners such as  Washington D.C.s Susan Soorenko feels the flavored ones can be a distraction. Customers have enough choices and may not like their eventual option. She'll stick with the classic Joy ones instead which let the flavors shine.

Joy's cones are one of the joys of summer. They're a part of the whole ice cream on a hot day experience. They make those sugar , cake and waffle cones for warm weather memories.

The Most Perfect Caramel Candy Apple

 This is the season for candy apples. They are not only fun to eat, they're festive to look at. They can be easily made and made to perfection.It just takes some skill and patience.

Before you start get yourself a good candy thermometer. A perfect coat is what makes a candy apple great. If; the coating is too soft, it may slide off or becoms too hard. OXO has an excellent brand that also works for a deep fryer along with Polder which also works for cooking jellies and jams too as well as deep frying.The recipe is easy.It's three cups of sugar and half a cup of corn syrup mixed with one cup of water. Red food coloring is added when the mix hits 300 degree Farenheit or the hard crack stage. You can test this by dropping a drop of the syrup into a glass of cold water. It should form into a hard droplet not unlike hard candy. The apples are placed on lollipop or popsicle sticks and one by one swirled into the red goo. Place on  waxed paper or a butter greased cookie sheet(  doing it this way gives extra flavor).What apples should you use? I'd prefer  small Granny Smith simply because their tartness is a nice foil to the sweetness. Fuji, Jazz and Gala, all reds, also make for good candied apples. Keep in mind that some apples come with a waxy coating which will make the coating slide off. To remove it , boil six cups of water with one tablespoon white vinegar. quickly dip the apples in this for five seconds and thoroughly dry.

Caramel apples are another yummy treat right now. The question is to use Kraft caramels or take it an extra step to heaven with home made caramel. The Kraft way has always been the easiest. It's just cutting up the caramel, putting them in a microwavable bowl with two tablespoons of water. The apples are then dipped into the caramel , then swirled and finally placed on parchment paper. They can be hardened in the fridge for one hour or until firm. Homemade caramel is much more labor intensive but worth it. It's more chewy and buttery, think a rich taffy that won't pool at the bottom. You will need heavy cream or heavy whipping cream which is the backbone. You cannot use milk or milk substitutes. Corn syrup is also required because that's what makes the caramel stick to the apple. Brown sugar is used instead of white.It's softer and better tasting than the granulated for this. Butter gives caramel that creaminess and extra flavor as does vanilla extract. All the ingredients except the vanilla are cooked until the caramel reaches the soft ball stage about 235 degrees Farenheit. The vanilla extract is added a few minutes later. Let it cool before dipping the apples in. Keep in mind that caramel burns the sides of the pan so use a wet pastry brush to clean it. You can dip both kinds of apples in coconut flakes or chopped peanuts for added flavor.

Happiness right now is a candy or caramel apple. Make these homemade candy and caramel ones for a perfect fall treat. They're fun, festive and delicious!!

Lucky Day For Fruit

 Even though it's Friday the 13th it's a lucky day for fruit. You can have it in a variety of different ways.Think frozen to cool off or fresh baked to end a hot dinner.

Puree strawberries and cantaloupes and then freeze into colorful ice cubes> These are perfect in lemonade or seltzer. They"re also great for homemade ice pops. Keep in mind that those berries are good in an easy to make crisp or cobbler. It's just an easy mix of flour sugar and butter . Fruit is dropped over this and then baked for an hour.If a hot oven is too much on these steamy days you can microwave it for only two to three minutes.

Take advantage of all the fruit out there right now. IT's a nice addition to these sweltering days. It's good eating and that's a lucky thing,

A Basket Of Brownies

 One of the best baked goods to come out of any kitchen is a pan of brownies. Who doesn't love a square of chocolate decadence/ Yet can you make them lusher and richer? Yes! You can!

Melissa Clark knows this and gave us three variations on the treat in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Her recipes are true to her tastes - and they reflect ours as well. She has salted pretzel ones that brings in savory and crunch and ones that are an homage to the classic Mounds bar. Those have a well of coconut in the middle. Then there are her pecan pie brownies rife with the flavorful nut and the sweet filling that goes with it.  The salted pretzel brownies have the added surprise of a graham cracker and crushed pretzel crust underneath to also give them a cookie vibe. There's also the richness of one stick of butter added to this , giving the treat a nice buttery flavor too. The rest of the recipe is the classic brownie one, with processed Dutch cocoa and chocolate chips. A whole pretzel is placed  on top so each square gets a whole pretzel. You could sub in one of those buttery checkerboard ones for a fancier look or even sticks for a more rustic appeal.

The coconut macaroon ones have the added creaminess of condensed milk and egg white to create a homemade macaroon. These would be good on their own but they'll take the simple but delicious brownie to the next level. Ms. Clark makes the brownie batter first and then the coconut. A tablespoon of the last is put in what would be the middle of each square or four by four rows. Flaky sea salt such as Malden's is sprinkled on top and then the batter is baked for half an hour. The pecan pie brownie is another decadent treat. The top is true pecan pie filling with dark sugar and the nuts. Usually the filling has corn syrup added but Ms. Clark subs in a quarter cup honey and omits the egg. It is still rich with a stick of butter and two tablespoons of heavy cream. The topping then poured on top of the brownie batter and spread in an even layer. Again sea salt is scattered over it to give it a jolt of savory. It's then cut into squares. You could sub in walnuts which has always been a brownie add in. Another idea is grating eighty-five percent chocolate over all three to cut the sweetness and add to the decadence. All three would be a great dessert with a scoop of chocolate gelato or an afternoon snack with a big glass of milk.

Brownies are a treat unto themselves. However make them extra special with either a pretzel crust, a mound of coconut macaroon or a layer of pecan pie. It's taking them to the next layer of goodness.

Holistic Eating In The New Year

 Now that Christmas is over and a better year (hopefully awaits) it's time to start thinking about eating better. Holistic eating is a start in the right direction. You can lose weight  but without the strident rules of other diets.

Some may dismiss holistic eating as being too New Age. However it's the best thing that can happen to you and your body. You can finally break up with the diet culture and trust your own instincts about what's good for you. Another important aspect is seeing it as fuel, something to drive you. It's not filler. It's also honoring your body and the signals its' giving you. Doing such will give you satisfaction and a new self respect. Start off with a temporary food journal - nothing long term or you'll make yourself crazy. Do it for the first couple of months. Record how hungry you were when you sat down as well as the mood you were in. Did you eat everything or left some on the plate? How satisfied were you with the food and what did you eat. Other questions deal with experiencing emotions and did you feel any gastrointestinal problems? Note flavors. You may notice patterns arising during your meal times. You may feel hangry or a mix of hungry and angry when you eat lunch. There may be stress at breakfast or tiredness at dinner. are you gravitating towards more processed than fresh foods? Do you drink soda and tea with your meals or just water? Look at all the bad habits you have and try to amend them.

What should you eat on a holistic diet? Load up on fruits and veggies. Try to get as much organic as possible. Hit the farmer;s market when they eventually come back (this may take a while thanks to Covid and the communities welcome back to open air markets). Try to eat as much raw as possible however don't feel guilty if you have steamed broccoli or pan roasted carrots. One of the most important steps in  creating a holistic diet is ditching all those white flour and processed products. Go for whole grain and gluten free. If you're into baking then go for King Arthur and  Bob's Red Mill gluten free barley, oat and buckwheat flours. There is even a  holistic cookie recipe that calls for white beans. Beans and legumes are a must. Think chickpeas, black beans , lentils and peas. They are full of protein, Vitamin B and dietary fiber. They  also help build the much needed healthy gut bacteria.Just don;t eat them raw. Cook them if they're not already cooked before canning. You will need healthy fats. Eat more avocados, nuts and olive oil. All three are very versatile and can be used in a number of dishes. What do you get rid of? Sugar!!!!!! Ditch the white stuff and switch to honey and/or maple sugar. That means nixing all those sodas and drinking water or flavored seltzer.

The New Year is fast approaching. Treat yourself and your body with a holistic eating. It's a way of getting in shape not just with your body but also your mind and life.

Autumn in France

 One of the most desirable countries  in the world is France. Even better is when cooler weather descends on this country of sophisticated cities and seaports and rustic mountains and valleys. Traveling there with the lockdown is virtually impossible. There is one way to have a delicious French meal.Cooking it from your kitchen,it's a way of getting a taste of Gallic cuisine

David Tanis provided an amazing slew of recipes in yesterday's New York Times Food section. This is a hearty fare, perfect to make for the chilly days ahead.He starts out with a salad he once had in Normandy. He had it was when he was working in Paris, and taking weekends to this  historic northern country side on the English Channel. He combines beets and tomatoes with scallions, dill and watercress. Two kinds of beets are used, golden and ruby red. The tomatoes used can be yellow or red. It's dressed with a simple Dijon mustard infused  red wine vinaigrette. The beets have to be cooked separately (and no, Mr Tanis doesn't recommend using the canned ones - no flavor) in baking dishes in a 400 degree F oven.They can be cooked up to two days in advance to make it easier timewise. They can be served first or with the main dish pan roasted duck with wild mushrooms. Mr. Tanis suggests using magret or the large breasts of the Muscovy duck.Each is twelve ounces which translate into two portions each.as in typical Gallic style with a sauce flavored with red wine and trumpet mushrooms.It is a labor intensive dish with washing the mushrooms and prepping and scoring the duck breasts. The sauce and meat are made separately.More mushrooms are sauteed in the extra duck fat that's been trimmed off the breasts and then served with the meat and parsley.

The piece de resistance of any French dinner is the dessert. Mr. Tanis doesn't disappoint here.He offers up the classic Gallic lemon tart with a buttery cookie like crust. This recipe is beautifully balanced.It's neither too sweet or too puckery. There's a hint of more color thanks to the addition of freshly grated lime zest. The tart starts out with a crust made with  half a stick of butter and one egg. There's white flour and sugar too in it . Like a good cookie dough, it's refrigerated for an hour in the fridge so  it's not too soft when handled. You can even make it two days in advance. It's chilled again after it's been put in the pie pan and until the filling is added. The filling is a mix of lemon and lime juices and zests along with four large eggs and four large egg yolks.Granulated sugar is added to counterbalance the tartness. This is a type of lemon curd and like it , butter is added to make it creamy.This is made in a saucepan over a medium heat and try not to curdle it. Everything is then whisked together and then poured  through a sieve into the crust where it's baked in a 350 degree F oven for only ten minutes. Dust with confectioner's sugar for a nice touch.

There's nothing like France in the fall. This dinner will make you feel like you're there, with rich flavors and textures. It's the perfect culinary visit , right from your kitchen.

Friday Night Fun

 Kids are feeling pretty down these days with most sports and after school activities being cancelled. Yet there's one thing that can't be exed out and that's Friday night. It 's meant for fun dinners and activities to welcome in the weekend There are plenty of neat dinner ideas and snacks to keep everyone full and fun. 

Pizza has always been a Friday night standard. It's easy to make at home with the dough consisting of just flour water,  yeast, olive oil, salt , and yes, a teaspoon of sugar. What makes it special is what you put on top. A fun idea is creating individual ones and let the kids put what they want on top. Vary the toppings. Have chopped bell peppers along with  chopped and diced broccoli and cauliflower. Kids love pepperoni so you can always make that one of the toppings too along with extra cheese. A spin on pizza is a calzone. The name means big sock however you can make them little sock size for your little ones. Another way of looking at it is as inside out pizza. Usually the toppings and sauce go on the inside and then the whole thing is baked in a 375 degree F oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes. Omit the pizza sauce and save that for later dipping. Like pizzas , calzones can vary . Kids can stuff them with sausage and bacon along with Canadian bacon and sausage. They can also be stuffed with the traditional ham and ricotta cheese but different veggies can be subbed in for the ham. You can also season or not season them too. Kids love barbecue and if the weather is still warn in your area then think about a cook out with their favorite burgers and hot dogs. Since it's Friday serve up a bowl of potato chips or tortilla chips with nachos too.

The end of the week usually means movie or game night. The fun food that comes to mind with both of these activities is popcorn. A tasty version is subbing in olive oil for a richer flavor. You could also make a variety of different flavored corn. Add a heady sprinkle of cheddar cheese powder or finely grated Parmesan.Caramel corn is another sweet treat perfect for munching during a marathon or Scrabble game. The caramel is a mix of butter,vanilla and the two sugars brown and white cooked over a stove top. The already cooked corn is then tossed into the mix and coolers. There's a great recipe in the Two Sisters Food blog (where I get all my frosting recipes). Another fun Friday night treat is a bowl of potato chips. However the store bought kind can be greasy, especially when eaten at night. This is when the air fryer comes into play. Air fryer chips are crispy and just as tasty as any of the commercial brands. You just need Russet potatoes sliced thin with a mandoline.It's then soaking them in cold water for thirty minutes. Before frying coat both sides of the slices with cooking spray and then cook for sixteen minutes at 300 degrees F and then the last few minutes at 400 degrees F. Remember to salt them too.

Nothing will take away Friday night fun. Bake that pizza , pop some corn. Have fun foods and fun treats for the best night of the week.

Refreshing Ades

The temps are up. The humidity is crushing. It's time to make refreshing thirst quenching ades that cool you down. They're easy to recreate and wonderful to sip, especially on a hot night.

One of the most refreshing and popular is agua fresca. This can be made with any fresh fruit and even veggies such as cucumber. It goes back to Aztec times when it was made to appease the gods' thirst. Now it can satisfy ours.It's simply fresh chopped fruit, water, and sugar. They can be made in a blender or using an immersion blender. A fun one is the watermelon  flavored, made with about four cups of watermelon chunks  , muddled with three cups of water, two tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lime. It's a quick blitz and then serve over ice. Another fun and tropical twist is using pineapple. You may not need as much sugar for this one. For a truly refreshing agua fresca, think cucumbers.  You will need more sugar - about half a cup for two cucumbers and one half cup of lime juice.Mint leaves can be added for more refreshment.Another great cooler from Mexico is horchata. Again, this is another easy mix. It's taking long grained white rice that's been cooked, along with almonds and cinnamon sticks and blitzing them in a blender or with an immersion blender.It;'s then adding water and vanilla. Milk is added when it's ready to be chilled for a few hours.

Ades are an old fashioned way to quench your thirst when the temps go high. One of the most popular is lemonade. Keep in mind that the recipe starts with simple syrup and not sugar tossed in. Sugar will sink to the pitcher's bottom and you'll be left with a sour drink. Simple syrup is just that, a cooked syrup made with only a cup of sugar and  a cup of water boiled together. It;s then stirring them together over a low flame until a syrup is created.  You can add fresh lemon juice if you want a more lemony flavor. It's then adding one cup of fresh or bottled lemon juice and two to three cups of ice cold water. Mix and chill. You can add a few to a 1/3 cup crushed fresh mint leaves if you want.Limeade is another refreshing summer cooler. It takes seven large limes and five cups of water. Add simple syrup to sweeten it and served, iced with sliced limes. You can also do the same with oranges for a refreshing hot afternoon treat.  You'll need seven to eight medium sized oranges along with  a third of a cup of lemon juice to balance the flavor. Again use about a  half cup of the simple syrup to sweeten the drink.

This is the time of year for thirst quenching drinks. Make up an icy pitcher of any of them to cool off.They're the perfect sip for a hot , steamy day.

Missing Your Restaurant Favorites

Everyone is missing their favorite fast foods and restaurants right now. It is tough because we're all sheltered in place . Yet we can make the most of a situation by recreating some of our favorite take outs at home.

One of the most missed is a hamburger. If you can get patties (try shopping early in the morning when the stores first open and supplies are in) then turn them into Whoppers and Big Macs. Add double the amount of meat along with lettuce and tomatoes along with pickles and sliced onions. As for the special sauce, it;s just a mix of mayo , ketchup , horseradish and mustard. Take a half cup of mayo and blend with a third of a cup of ketchup. It's then adding one fourth cup horseradish, and one fourth cup mustard. Also mix in one tablespoon white sugar or honey and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Keep in mind you can use this sauce for leftover cold meat loaf too. As for the fries, many stores have already sold out but you can make your own fries. Try to get Russet potatoes because they're the best and the meatiest. It's first cutting them into one quarter inch discs and then into one quarter inch sticks. Fry them in canola or vegetable oil. If you're using  an air fryer , then soak the uncooked fries in water for a whole hour. Dry them toss them in oil and salt and then put them in a 400 degree F air fryer for twenty minutes.

Of course everyone is missing their tacos and burritos right now. It's so easy to recreate a Taco Bell burrito. The filling is an easy mix of beans, tomato paste and chopped onions cooked together. What gives the filling its' zing is a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar. Chopped cheddar cheese is added to the mix along with cumin and chili powder. Tacos are an easy make and you can fill them with a variety of different add ins. Use beans or chicken or any leftover meat or fish. Cook these fillings up with some sliced jalapenos and chili powder, top with homemade guacamole or sour cream along with sliced cherry tomatoes and shredded lettuce. You can even make a healthy one with such veggies as broccoli and cauliflower mixed with sliced carrots and green beans. Many love teriyaki and the sauce is easy to make. The base is soy sauce with a variety of different ingredients blended in. There's water , honey and brown sugar beaten into the soy sauce along with rice vinegar , sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Cornstarch is also added for thickening. Keep in mind any meat or veggie can be cooked with this flavorful sauce. Try tofu one night and salmon on another. serve with scallion rice which is an easy mix of chopped scallions cooked with rice boiled in either chicken or vegetable broth.

Everyone is missing their favorite restaurant and take out dishes right now. Try to recreate them with tasty replicas from your kitchen. You may just make them as regular dishes in the future.

Still Celebrating St Patrick's Day

Even though we're all shuttered in right now, we can still celebrate St Patrick's Day. It's just having some ingenuity and imagination. A party is what we need right now so go to it.

It may be a little late for some foods but you can try tomorrow. There is corned beef and cabbage, an Irish-American dish that's easy to make. If you're busy with the kids, think a crockpot one ,flavored with beer. You can also make this for weekends for a festive change up from the usual. You can also grill it if you have your barbecue ready, Use a dry rub of cinnamon, mustard seed, ginger and cloves along with ginger and dill. You can also brine it in dark beer for a marinade. This is sweetened and spiced with brown sugar, pickling spices and onions along with garlic and cold water. If you've already had your corned beef and cabbage, then start tomorrow with corned beef hash. The kids will like this, especially with scrambled eggs. Just chop the meat and saute it with some onions and potatoes .  Create some nests in the hash for making eggs sunnyside up. As for the cabbage, try the traditional bubble and squeak which is frying up the greens with potatoes in butter. Serve with crispy bacon or even eggs for a different kind of brunch and lunch.

Irish soda bread is another must have for the day. Since everyone is inside , baking is easy and a great past time.It's a simple make, thanks to the recipe not using yeast,It's baking soda that gives the loaf its' rise. The recipe also uses buttermilk and egg too and is sweetened with raisins or currents. Think about turning  any leftovers into a tasty bread pudding. This is  a rich decadent bake, complete with heavy cream and eight eggs. You can also add cinnamon and cardamon for more flavor along with  freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. More raisins or other fruit such as blueberries can be mixed in. Any good bread pudding deserves a topping and you can top this one with a store bought or homemade caramel topping.. Once you've mastered the bread you can move on to Irish soda bread muffins and scones. The muffin recipe has some slight modification. Baking powder is added in this recipe to give the muffins some rise along with the addition of carraway seeds. Sugar is dusted on top for sweetness.  You can also make the scone version and serve them warm from the oven. There are even Irish soda bread cookies .It's the same recipe save with only using one egg. They sort of look like flat little scones and I guess you could put some butter on them.

We may be quarantined. Yet we deserve a party with good  food. Create a St Paddy's one with traditional tasty foods.

Are You Christmas Ready????

Christmas is a week away. Are you all set for another holiday meal? Do you have enough for your baking extravaganza? Are you Christmas ready?

The most important question is do you have your main meal planned out?  By now you should have your ham if you're planning on serving it. With it should come a good supply of cloves and pineapple. You can always buy the ginger ale for it the day before or use the brown sugar left over from baking for a sweet rub. As for the turkey, you have a few days leeway time. It can be bought as late as the 22nd or 23rd.  Yams can also be bought on the weekend too along with potatoes and onions. Once you have the dinner sorted out , it's time to reevaluate the linens. Are they OK after Thanksgiving? Are there any stains that need to be washed out again. Then use baking soda on them and a good wash and rinse through the washing machine. This also applies to those linen napkins too, Be careful , though, when you're dealing with hand embroidered or heirloom dinner linens. These will have to be presoaked in the tub and then gently wash in either the tub or sink. Try to use something gentle such as  The Laundress' The Baby Detergent,It's meant for baby clothes but it also can be used on delicate vintage fabrics too. Another must is checking the silver and glassware. Make sure everything is polished along with being tarnish and crack free. If you're wine glasses or tumblers aren't up to par, then head to your local store like Target or Macy 's for a new replacement set.

The second big kitchen to-do is the whole holiday baking. Since we're now so close to the holiday, you can buy the ingredients right now when the stores have them on sale. Take advantage of this, especially if you have a lot of baking to do. Buy up the cookie mixes if you don't have the time or experience to create scratch ones. Betty Crocker has some good flavors, like peanut butter and oatmeal.Also  stores like Stop & Shop has sales on cake and brownie mixes, perfect if you want to make more substantial treats like cupcakes and brownies. If you are making scratch cookies and cakes, make sure you're stocked with a variety of flours such as plain flour and gluten free for those with allergies. Flavorings are used a lot during this time. Keep an eye on your vanilla, almond and peppermint extracts. If they're looking a little low , then it's time to bring in new bottles. The same goes for the sprinkles and nuts too. You should also be well stocked when it comes to all the sugars. Not only does granulated sugar go fast during this time, but also confectioner's , light and dark brown sugars. Buy your eggs and butter close to the day you start baking. The fresher they are, the better they'll perform. This is also a good time to assess your cookie sheets, cookie cutters, and cake pans. Make sure you also have parchment paper for some butter cookies and meringues. Do you have enough tins to hold them? If not , buy a few festive holiday ones and even platters to serve them on.

Christmas is a week away, Be ready. Be prepared.  That way it'll make holiday cooking and baking easier - and better.

Holiday Dinners Light

Holidays meals, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas can be lavish and sumptuous affairs with enough food to feed an army. Yet what happens when there's only three or four for dinner? Or two? A lavish meal can seem wasteful. Then it's time for holiday meal light.

A whole turkey would be too much for three or four people. Even one as tiny as an eight pound one can be too much and can lead to a week of leftovers.  Think one half turkey breast which is three pounds and will satisfy diners nicely.  Cooking time is also cut in half - anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour as opposed to the two or three hours for the entire bird. For Christmas you could roast a half ham or even ham steaks if you have one or two people over. Many home chefs love a standing rib roast for a holiday meal yet it would be like a huge feast for just four people. A London broil would be better . You can still serve it with gravy  - and even better Yorkshire pudding to sop up the juices.It'll also be good the day after in sandwiches or on toast with hot gravy. Seafood lovers always want a briny buffet for their Christmas Day or New Year's Eve dinners. You can still have this even if it's just the two of you. Think the smallest one  such as a one pounder.It's an easy boil or cook and quite filling.  You'll only need one side really if you serve it. Open the meal with a small sized ring of shrimp cocktail that you can easily buy at your fish market or even grocery store.

One thing about having an intimate holiday dinner is that you don't have to go crazy with the sides. Mash potatoes can still be served. You'll only need about a pound and a half of Yukon Golds to create a small pot. Another idea is having baked ones which is a nice change up from mashed. Add small bowls of different toppings - such as melted butter, sour cream, shredded cheddar and bacon along with chive and different spices. You can also do the same with sweet potatoes. If you're mashing them , then use only two or two and a half. If it's individual ones , have little ramekins of melted butter along with cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on. Of course the holiday meal would be nothing without stuffing. You could go the easy route and use Stovetop Stuffing which is great for a dinner party of four. A regular stuffing could be made but be prepared for a lot of it to be left over (great if you're planning on creating take home parcels). As for green sides,  buy bags of Brussels sprouts and broccoli. These steam bags provide enough for three to four people. They're perfect - easy to cook and no cleanup along with no to little leftovers. They can also be served hot or cold as a fun non-traditional salad.

A small holiday dinner can still be lavish in taste.It's just buying and cooking smaller version of the main course and halving the sides. It just the right amount of food for the right amount of people.