Changing Up The Recipe

 The same old recipes can be boring. Luckily you can ease some for the mid winter blues by changing up your recipes. Add new ingredients. Switch up the spicing. Create something that s equally delicious and different.

One of the most intriguing switch ups is a fusion of Indian and Italian  - curried pasta. This is taking curry powder and cream instead of the usual tomatoes and tomato paste and coming up with a totally disparate take on traditional spaghetti or penne. There is still onion, garlic and olive oil for the sauce's body but curry powder and heavy cream give it a bright yellow color and creaminess. You could also add turmeric for more color brightness along for a boost of flavor.Curried meatballs is another switch up made with either ground turkey or chicken. This is served ina rich curry sauce as well,  redolent with tomatoes , onions garlic and ginger.Instead of pasta serve it with fragrant steaming basmati rice. Another idea for a different kind of pasta sauce is combining mushrooms and spinach in a hot oil sauce Add garlic and hot pepper flakes for some zing,Keep in mind this also would be great over chicken breasts or steak too. Berbere spice is usually reserved for Ethiopian dishes . Imagine using it in the most English of dishes  - shepherd's pie. You can easily spice up a beef or lamb filling with it and also do a light dusting of it over the mashed potato topping.

Stuffed veggies are always a good winter's dish whether on a week night or a week end. Most go for peppers stuffed with everything from ground beef and turkey to more veggies. Have you considered stuffing onions instead? This Piedmontese specialty varies from household to household in the frigid Alps northwest of Torino. Some add raisins to the mix of chopped meat and breadcrumbs. I usually made my own vegan version, using Impossible ground meat and a mix of oregano , salt pepper and just teeny pinches of both onion and garlic powders.Keep in mind that the onions should be parboiled first for a few minutes. This is just boiling the onions for a few minutes, letting them cool and then stuffing them. They're topped with breadcrumbs for a crispy finish and then placed into an air fryer for thirty minutes at four hundred degrees Farehneit.Can you do this with turnips? Yes! This winter root veggie is perfect for filling with the same tasty stuffing.It's the same method as with the onions with the eparboiling before stuffing. They do have to be peeled and hollowed out though. YOu can fill with with lamb too along with pomengranate molasses for a Middle Eastern flair.

Think outside the recipe with you cook. This provides a fun spin on classic dishes.It makes for a yummy new take and an exciting meal.

Grocery Shopping Gone Wild

By now we're all a little antsy between staying home and going shopping. we're also getting bored with what we're eating. Let's face it , two months of beans and pasta can make any home chef crazy. It's time to go a bit wild at the grocery shopping.

The produce section has some interesting veggies and fruits that are versatile and different. many have jicama which is popular in Mexican cooking. It;'s basically a Mexican turnip but like turnips can be turned into fries and mash. It's a good addition to any diet because of the large amount of potassium it has. and it's low in calories. Try jicama fries the next time you make hamburgers. Depending on where you live you may be able to get nopales or cactus paddles. After being boiled, they can be made in either hot or cold dishes. Since warm weather is coming up, think about a Mexican salad, with them along with green onions, tomatoes and cilantro.Make a zasty lime vinaigrette with it and serve with queso. If you can't find that, then use crumbled feta. Ginger is a wonderful addition to both savory and sweet dishes.Ginger root tea is a wonder antidote for stomach aches or even just for relieving stress. Fresh ginger can be grated and used in everything from stir fries to homemade barbecue sauces.

You can also change up your desserts and snacking. Blackberries are coming into season right now. These are tart and delicious, packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C. Tumble some berries over ice cream or bake them into a rustic tart with blueberries.They're also good just with whipped cream as a decadent treat. Raspberries are another out of the ordinary fruit not many think about. Yet they, too are chock full of antioxidants. Think about having them with dark chocolate syrup for a decadent treat. You can also put a few in brandy for a raspberry toddy.Another idea is a raspberry parfait layered with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and whipped cream.The ice cream can be varied too. Try such variations as soy, cashew, almond or oat milk. These are actually creamier and tastier than  the cow milk ice cream. Soy Delicious has some excellent flavors from mint chip made from coconut milk to chocolate velvet with the base ingredient of soy milk, You can make excellent ice cream cakes with any of these. They work well be mashed into molds and hold the shape. As for the non dairy milks, try these for healthier alternatives in such fun drinks as smoothies and egg creams.

Treat yourself and your family to something different and fun on your next shopping trip. It';s a way t liven up cooking in confinement. Be bold. Be adventurous with your food shopping.

Stretching Thanksgiving

American holidays are awfully short. They're usually one day and then they're over with. This definitely applies to Thanksgiving. We can't wait to zip through the holiday and concentrate on today - Black Friday. Well, you can stretch the holiday out thanks to leftovers and extending some dishes. It;s just a quick trip to the grocery store for some extras to recreate a smaller version of yesterday's feast.

The first things to usually go are the turkey, stuffing and gravy. These are parcelled out to less fortunate relatives who had to go home to empty fridges. Not to worry if you're hankering for more. Just head over to store's deli section for some fresh sliced turkey breast. Then bounce over a few aisles to pick up some tinned gravy and Stove top stuffing. OK, these are not as good as the fresh homemade kinds but at least they're still something. As for veggies, there's always microwavable squash and turnip dishes along with creamed spinach. These are easy to make sides that just require little effort and prep time.

Desserts are another hot ticket item. If you find yourself mooning over an empty pie plate then again head back to the grocery where you can still buy leftover pies. An even better choice are the half and quarter pies that some supermarkets sell. Also consider getting soem fresh fruits. You're probably in need of something fresh and wholesome after all that high calorie gorging. A nice dessert is cut orange s sprinkled with dried cranberries.

Even though Thanksgiving is officially over , you can still celebrate it. Justextend your leftovers with some additions for a second round of holiday eating. It's a nice way of hanging onto another day of good cooking.