Summer Salads

 One best thing about a barbecue is the array of sides salads than can be made. Any green veggie, protein and extra can be added to compliment burger or barbecued chicken. You can stick to the traditional r vary the recipe. That's the fin of salads.

One classic side salad is potato. I've had several variations over the years from the herbal Sicilian to a true German one. One of my favorite is a family recipe, one that my Mom actually picked up from a Swiss co worker when she first started teaching sewing. It's almost ninety years old but the flavor is just as impressive as it was in the late Thirties. It involves boiling Yukon potatoes letting them cool and then slicing them. Chopped celery and sliced hard boiled eggs are added in while the dressing is a blend of oil and mayonnaise.A tablespoon of vinegar gives it a nice tart jolt while capers and green olives provide the saltiness. Another one is my brother''s version that has one or two cubed apples. It gives a bit for sweetness especially if the amount of capers and olives are decreased. Sicilian style are my cousins' forte (thanks to their mother).Capers tomatoes and olives are added to boiled and sliced Yukons along with a zingy dressing made with olive oil, vinegar vinegar and r and equal parts of oregano and basil. Serve this with grilled steak for a truly tasty meal.

Bean salads are another barbecue classic that everyone loves. The classic one holds string beans, chickpeas and kidney beans. Chopped onions can be added for more flavor and bite.It's the dressing, though ,that;s so memorable. Its; a simple oil and vinegar mix with the addition of sugar.To go with the sugar use only apple cider vinegar . Red wine would be too overpowering in this. Of course just a plain chickpea salad is a treat. Add some parsley or mint for a Middle Eastern vibe and a simple vinaigrette. This is perfect if you're making beef or chicken shawarma on the grill. A kidney bean salad is also good.Give it a chili vibe by adding some chili powder to a robust red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. Jalapenos and chopped bell peppers and tomatoes can added. Of course that left over barbecue can be repurposed as an add in to any salad later on. Think that plain salad with shredded chicken meat or cut up steak in that Campari tomato salad.These are nice ways to end an evening.

It's summer/ Almost. Celebrate with a good old fashioned barbecue side salad. Stick to tradition or make your own. The end result is always delicious.

New Year New Trends

 Every January First there are so many predictions about what's going to be hot and what's not. the same applies to food and drink. What's going to be the number one taste treat? What's emerging? The year rwill tell.

Regulr contributor Kim Severson compiled predictions and trends in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. One trend which can be called nonna-stalgia or grandmacore is the return to comfort foods.People will be craving and eating dried apples, homemade sourdough bread and sauerkraut. Newer generations will be embracing canned veggies, another trend will be regarding texture. Crunchy and chewy are the new buzz words. Thanks to Crunchtok Tiktok trend shattered pastries like croissants and freeze dried candies that burst when teeth touch them are going to be super popular. Andrew Freeman, the president of AF and Company ,a San Francisco consulting firm. states that this is the generation of fluffy, smooth ,crunchy and melty. Chewy will be the next trend since everyone likes a gummy texture.Another trend is using what's in the backyard.Yaupon tea, brewed from the leaves of the holy tree and found in the southeast US is being touted as the only tariff free caffeine drink in the country.There are sodas and margaritas that feature the pawpaw that has a tropical fruit taste of coconut mixed with mango, banana and coconut.

Kitchens will also star in 2026's trend scene.Beauitfully crafted olive oil bottles or a collection of sardine tins can now be used as decor .Whole Foods Market is calling it "kitchen couture<"According to Alan Chen , the chief executive at Taste wise what foods comes in can define the home chefs themselves.There is an ingredient of the year and even vegetable of the year. The first is vinegar, The quality and styles of the condiment will continue to expand. Chefs already spritz thyme vinegar on warm cookies and combine the red wine type with Kombu jelly for raw veggies. It's a staple in Filipino cooking which is taking hold here. The veggie of the year is cabbage!!!! Braised conical cabbage and kimchi were the popular ones in 2024 but now America is deepening its crush on this versatile veggie.Neurodivergent diners will find that there will be more sensitivity. More places will pay attention to light , texture and sound and how they affect diners. There will also be trips to gather ingredients like fresh mushrooms and even help in preparing their food.Value and smaller batch restaurants will also figure large in the upcoming year. Dinners want good quality and being pamperedin a smaller setting where the focus is on them and not on the crowd.

2026 will be an interesting year for both food and eaters. THere will be old recipes and new tastes. It's going to be a fun twelve months for both chefs and diners.

The Best Salads

 These are indeed days meant for cooling and easy to make salads.What's great about them s that they can be classic or innovative. Add whatever's in the fridge for a tasty lunch or dinner. A home chef can never go wrong with any combination.

Today's Wednesday's New York Times Wednesday Food section gives some very good recipes.Various Food section writers give their recipes for not only a bowl for great greens but also for dressings. An interesting note - salads have been around for 2,000 years having been first made by the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians . They were the first to dress various greens with oil and vinegar. Now it's' put in what;'s tasty and make it simple too. Any salad is the perfect meal during a heat wave or even a busy cooler day,.One of the most classics is Alexa Weibel's feta -ranch wedge salad. Wedge salad is taking an iceberg lettuce and cutting it into quarters. It;'s an American classic , being first created in the Forties. Ms. Weibel  also add refreshing cucumbers to this while the dressing is a classic ranch with the addition of briny feta. Layered salads are a perfect summer dinner option. Lidey Heucks' has a seven layer salad that features  everything from lettuce and tomatoes to frozen peas, hard boiled eggs and Cheddar. Then there is Hetty Lui McKinnon's gado-gado or Indonesian salad that has fried tofu mixed with hard boiled eggs ,cucumbers new potatoes ,Napa cabbage and bean. sprouts. It';s dressed in a sweet and tangy peanut satay sauce.

For heartier fare there is pork Laab from Sherry Rujikarn.,This is a hearty Laotian dish made with chopped pork and toasted rice powder. It's served with cabbage wedges and cucumbers, their coolness offsetting the zing of added chili peppers.There is also one of the best summer salads panzanella - bread salad with watermelon dressing.The dressing is unusual, a mix of the fruit and whole grain mustard along with red pepper flakes and garlic. The salad has day old ciambatta chunks but Italian bread also works well here too. There is also Greek salad again contributed by LIdey Heuck. This is classic Greek salad complete with feta cheese and the eye opening salty Kalamara olives. The feta is cut thick, all the better to absorb the simple red wine vinaigrette. There is no lettuce here,just tomatoes bell peppers, capers and a yellow or red onion cut into rings. Add anchovies  to make it a into a heartier meal and serve with pita wedges.It wouldn't;t be summer without a fruit salad and ALi Slagle gives one that is redolent with a mix of watermelon, pineapples , any Berry ,kiwi stome fruits, pomegranates and grapes. Like juice gives it a refreshing flavor along with  two tablespoons of sugar. It's a perfect palate cleanser or a nice dessert.

It;s summer .It's salad season. It's time to enjoy all the harvests, dressed deliciously, ready to eat on a scorching day,

Oil Or Mayo

This is the season for all sorts of salads. They're made with all sorts of ingredients but what binds them together is oil, mayo or a combo of both. Some salads such as egg and potato benefit from the rich creaminess of a good or even homemade mayonnaise.Other green based ones are perfect with a light oil based vinaigrette. 

Here is the question - which type of salad do you prefer? For myself a light vinaigrette works best for me. I even prefer macaroni salads made with it because the flavors of the pastas and spices along with the veggies shines through better.

Which do you prefer?A mayo based one or an old based one? Let us know ..

Anything is Salad

 The temps are rising and that means one thing - salad. Lot's of it. The one good thing about it is you don;t need a recipe.Anything can be thrown into a bowl and dressed for a tasty lunch and dinner.

salads can be made at any time of the day -even for breakfast.It's just a matter of taste if you want it thoroughly or slightly chilled.The same goes for what you want in it. There are a number of greens that work well with any veggie combination.Iceberg is good for basic salads but if you want more taste then try arugula, mixed Spring greens or spinach. These work well with  heartier salads that include proteins and other veggies. Next is thinking about what combos you have.A salad containing two kinds of tomatoes like Caprese and cherry is a fun mix. Broccoli is also a great and healthy ingredient as is cauliflower. For colors carrots add brightness and crunch. What else can you put into it? Leftover meats are great.If there's steak left over from the barbecue, cut it into bite size pieces and add it in. The same goes for chicken and even tuna. This makes for a surprisingly hearty but light summer dinner. what about dressings? For steak think a robus dressing like soy and ginger. while chicken ca used a honey based vinaigrette Fish such as Tina and shrimp can go with a simple red wine or white wine based vinaigrette.

Along with meat, cheese is another fun toss in.Feta is always great especially with Greek based salads.It has a sharp saltiness that elevates the other ingredients, It can be crumbled in small pieces or left in big chunks. A true Greek salad is made with it along with chopped onions, black olives  and red onions. Add some  anchovies which brings a  briny saltiness>If you like them toss in as much as you want.Mozzarella also makes for a great add or eve a base for a salad.Caprese salad is a wonderful mix of this Italian staple and tomatoes. You can make it with a balsamic vinegar base or just an oil based dressing.I would go with an oil based one because the tomatoes have a good amount of acidity to them. If you want to make ti heartier then add strips of prosciutto or salame to it.  A summer favorite is panzinella - Tuscan bread salad. This is a delicious mix of tomatoes and chunks of fried or air fried Italian bread. It;s actually very good with freshly torn Italian bread or rolls. You could add mozzarella balls or pieces for a kind of pizza. A Middle Eastern salad is another great way to go. Add couscous to chopped parsley along with cucumbers to a bowl of cut tomatoes.Lemon juice gives it  bright flavor but only use a squeeze of it. Serve with toasted pita bread triangles for a more exotic lunch or. dinner.

Anything can be a salad. Get creative with this classic summer dish.Its fun to eat but even more fun to create.

Korean Comfort Food

 every country has it;s comfort food.It's eaten in childhood that brings joy til the adult year. Koreans have theirs in the form of noodles called jjangmyeon,These are black beans noodles that are not only flavorful but a jot to eat.

Regular contributor and chef, Eric KIm wrote about his childhood favorite in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Jjangmyeon  came from the Chinese zha Jiang mien wen Chinese immigrants to Korea made the dish in the early Twentieth Century.Over time the flavors has become sweeter and richer matching Korean tastes.It's hard to actually describe the flavor according to Chef Kim. It's both sweet and salty and there are variations that alter the ratio. He visited another Korean chef Keechang Kim of Dong Bo Sung in Fort Lee who slow cooks onions until they're caramelized and rendering pork fat into a cooking oil.It exudes a savory sweetness exemplified by the jet black fermented soybean paste chunjang. that'sfried in the fat , then thinned into a gravy for the noodles. CHunjan has long stood in the shadows of its' more popular cousins, gochujang and doengchang, both much used ingredients in Korean cuisine. It's different than them, resembling the taste of tiammian sauce, which is more sweet than hot.

Like other comfort foods.jjangmyeon has variations, albeit slight ones. For cookbook author Sarah Ahn, author of Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family recipes that means a splash of vinegar for acidity and a shake of gochugaru for heat, shaking up the dish's mellowness.It was a tip from her mother, Nam Soon, that surprised many Koreans  when she shared the recipe on social media. Vinegar really sin;t added to any Korean cuisine.Chef Kin's mother also has her own variation in the form of grated potato instead of the usual slurry of powdered starch and water to thicken the sauce without gloopiness.The potato's earthiness also adds to the dish's vegetal flavors.There is also charred cabbage along with the onion for flavor and substance.It also pays to get the right noodles namely the elastic and freshly made jiajang wheat noodles. Home chefs can buy these at any Asian grocery store.Regular pasta won;t work here. They;re first boiled and then rinsed off in cold water. to remove the clingy starch. They're then returned to the arm to warm up.

This is Korean comfort food.It's an easy make.It's also rich in flavor and satisfyingly good.

Tastes Of Spring

 Spring brings with it a freshness.It happens in fashion, weather and cooking.Cooking and baking brings a plethora of natural ,refreshing tastes that liven up any meal.

Mint is a lovely addition to any meal. It can be grown in the back yard and bloom sometime in May if you live in the Northeast.Another Spring ingredient lamb is perfect with this herb.Add garlic to a lamb chop sauce rich with mint and soy sauce.  The English have perfected English sauce creating one that also has apple cider vinegar boiling water and just a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt. It's just cooking all of this to two cups of fresh mint(which you can also buy at your local grocery store),It's a ten minutes cook and pureeing when the sauce cools. You can also use this brightly flavored sauce on leg of lamb too.Surprisingly enough chicken and mint pair well together. The sweet herbiness can bring out the bird's earthiness and take it up a level.MInt pairs wonderfully with peas. Add two tablespoons of mint sauce  to mushy peas if you;re making this side dish with fish and chips. Mint tea is also a perfect drink for warmer spring days. Use a mint infused simple syrup for this. It's easy to make and store. It;s boiling a half a cup of sugar with a cup of water and half a cup of mint leaves. Strain to remove mint leaves and cool.

One of the most Springtime flavors is fresh asparagus. It's abundant as we head into April. It;s delicious Piedmontese style steamed and dressed with melted butter,sliced hard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese. However you can make  a vegan version by using plant based butter and cheese and omitting the eggs. The taste is still the same with the asparagus' earthy greenness shining through.The grills will be getting fired up once warmer weather arrives and it's a good time to try grilled asparagus. This is an easy cook.It 's coated in olive oil and then simply seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on a preheated grill, lightly turning the spears.They will be done in anywhere from three to five minutes. Keep in mind you can add them to a salad too for more flavor.Peas are also a tasty Spring veggie and make for a perfect side to any main course. Sauteed petit pois in butter sauce make a good accompaniment to Cornish hens. A pea salad is a great early barbecue dish. You can just dress cooked and cooled with  a simple vinaigrette or the traditional pea salad dressing. This is am mix of mayonnaise, , bacon ranch dressing and red onion. This is the perfect dish for a Spring barbecue.

Spring is here and with it comes fresh flavors. Use these for a taste of brightness.Like Spring flowers hey'll liven up any table.

Trends Past Trends Future

 This was an interesting year food wise. There was hot honey and sleepy girl mocktails. Fast foods combat each other with cheaper prices. These were some fo the trends in the year past. What will 2025 bring in?

Hot honey was everywhere, from iced tea to a dip for anything chicken.It's an easy make.Take regular honey, preferably a wildflower kind, add crushed hot pepper flakes and just a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar to cut all that sweetness. You can simmer it on a stovetop or just hear it int he microwave for a few minutes. Add it to everything. it kick;s up a bland buttercream and makes for an exciting rib sauce. As for the sleepy girl mocktail.Use tart cherry juice which facilitates sleep,magnesium and some seltzer.Mix and drink. This is perfect for those sleepiness nights and can help in destressing. Fast food giants like Wendy'd and McDonalds's lowered their prices in competition with each other. This will continue until the summer. Taco Bell joined the nugget competition with their chicken nuggets and covered them with tortilla chips. They're bigger than McDonald's and according to some Tiktokker's tastier.

What's ahead in 2025? it will be a year of sauces.Chipotle's viral vinaigrette will be gracing salads. This is a mix of red wine vinegar ,honey oregano and garlic along with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. This is the perfect lift for any salad. Ranch dressing will still be number one but there will be variations.There will be pickle flavorings along with chimichurri. Fruits will have new flavors.It all started with cotton candy grapes. Strawberries will surprisingly have more flavors. Your next bite into one may be one filled with pineapple, peach or passion fruit mixed with the juicy berry flavor. These will also be higher in nutrients and vitamins too, given that they'll be grown on more organic soil.Hospitality will also be big in the new year with  friendship oozing out of hotels and restaurants. There will be shorter menus and comfortable menus. Value and deliciousness will be important as more and more places offer workers a more reasonable work/life balance.

It's time to ring out the old trends and ring in the mew. 2025 will be interesting and flavorful. Every bite and sip will be intriguing.

Emergency Eating

 Sadly more and more people are suffering severe weather thanks to climate change. it affects every aspect of life, especially how we cook and eat. Yet many don;t know what to do when a hurricane ,flood or fire hits. Luckily there is a how to to get through those tough times.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Kristen Migliore gave this handy and important guide in yesterday's New York Times Food section. First of all how much food and water should be kept? For water there should be a minimum of one gallon per person. There should be at least twelve gallons for a family of four. This will keep them hydrated for three to four days if you have space go bigger. Try to have enough water for two weeks. WHat about an emergency go bag? Store both together in a cool, dark place in your house. You may wind up in a place that will supply you with the basics. The more important is what foods should be stocked up - nut butters like almond and peanut along with rimmed fish - salmon and tuna.Tinned veggies and fruit long with beans can go a long way Canned potatoes are perfect because they can be drained and pan roasted with olive oil and salt for a tasty quick comfort food. Also get boil in bag Indian curries and Japanese just add water miso and ramen soups. pasta and rice are also musts because they last for a long time and make for filling meals wien cooked.

Hot drinks are a must. They can soothe and comfort. Store instant coffee and coffee drinks, tea bags and packets of hot cocoa. It's not mentioned but Gator Ade can also be good especially for kids if they need energy. Another must is some kind of cooking apparatus like a backyard grill, camp stove or chafing dish.what's the best way to make canned and tinned foods taste better? Also have shelf stable  flavorings to make that cooked food better.Like any powdered drink, spices like cinnamon , garlic and onion powder stay dry . Soy sauce and sesame oil are also stable and won't go bad. Sesame oil can last for up to two years once opened.Japanese furikake seasoning which is ground sesame, mixed with sugar,noei salt and sugar helps tinned veggies and tuna become tastier. Also try any kind of vinegar which can almost last forever and smoked paprika which can elevate food to another level are also good.Keep in mind all these foodstuffs have experitation dates. If you haven't used them already  then cook them before they expire.

These days are sadly filled with all sorts of disasters. Be ready .Be food prepared so your family can eat well. A hot comforting one goes a long way.

The Salvation Of Salad Kits

 One of the best things about summer is its salads. One of the worst things is getting the right veggies and then chopping them. Then there's the dressing and the extras to be put on top to give the greens some zing. What to do? Get a salad kit.

These have helped me tremendously thorugh the year, but more so during the summery heat waves we've been having. The best part is that salad kits come in all sorts of flavors from Caesar to Greek to Thai inspired and Mexican. 

Fresh Express is one of my go to salad kits.Acme's Signature's brand also has some very tasty mixes. Tonight was Thai and Cashews which went perfectly with the main course  - plant based chicken patties . 

This was a fun and yummy mix of sliced carrots, Romaine lettuce, red cabbage and green onions. The crunchy part came from Thai seasoned wonton strips. toasted coconut flakes and cashews. It was topped with a thick and creamy Thai dressing. I just added some olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegat to stretch the dressing.  Their Mexican Style chopped salad, complete with cotija cheese , cheddar tortilla chips and roasted pumpkin seeds is on my radar to try next.Keeo in mind that extras like shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced London broil or shrimp can be added to these salad kits to make them into whole dinners.

There will be more hear waves this summer. Make dinner easier by buying a salad kit. It's an easy side to create  cool and tasty.

Barbecue Sauce Your Way

 Barbecue sauce is a summer must. It's the perfect condiment for not only ribs but dribbled over burgers and dogs.even better is an easy  homemade sauce that can be used over a variety of meats in different ways. Many home chefs balk at the idea of making their own sauce but it's very  easy,

Regular contributor and grill master etraordinaire Steven Raichlen gave  three tasty recipes in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He gives easy recipes that only take minutes to make.These are not the syrupy sweet tomato based ones that most home chefs create.There is South Carolina's regional mustard sauce  along with an Alabama white one and North Carolina vinegar sauce.Barbecue fanatics in the South know the importance of the effect this sauce has on pork. The spice enahnces the meat's sweetness while the acidity cuts through the fat. How did mustard get into a barbecue sauce? It may have come with the German immigrants who settled in South Carolina in the Eighteenth Century.It is still revered in the state such as Bessingers in Charleston, Sweathamn's in Holy Hill and Hite's in West Columbia. It's a marriage of mouth puckering tartness and sweetness, thanks to the addition of brown sugar. Use half a cup of apple cider vinegar which will pair well with  a half a cup. brown sugar. Try to use a grainy or Dijon style mustard for texture. Again use half a cup of it. This is good over chicken, pork and even salmon. You could even use it for a dipping sauce for barbecued pork meatballs.

The other two sauces are easy snaps to make. The Alabama white sauce has a base of mayo in it along with jarred horse radish and a cup of apple cider vinegar. Put all of these in a deep bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.Brush on barbecued chicken or pork towards the end of cooking, then spoon it over the meat once it's cooked. White barbecue sauce also tastes awesome over smoked chicken pulled pork and roast beef. North Carolina also gives  us a barbecue sauce. This is one where ketchup is optonal but you can incorporate it in sauce if you want.It;;s combining two cups of it with two cups of apple cider vinegar and one to two tablespoons of red pepper flakes for bite.Also add  a  teaspoon of freshly ground pepper plus more if you want it really full of fire.Mix and serve over pulled pork or shredded barbecued chicken or lamb. All sauce must be refrigerated  and can be kept for two weeks (although you'll probably need to make a new batch by next week)

These sauces are perfect over any kind of meat and fish. They're easy to whip up which is a big plus during these sweltering days. Try them on your favorite cuts for a satisfying taste.

The Crispiest Crackliest Pizza Ever

 What makes a good pizza? Surprisingly its' not the toppings. Or the sauce  or even the cheese.It's the crust that pizza lovers rhapsodize about ,Now there'sa recipe influneced by a famed pizza town to try that gives you the best crust ever.

Regular contributor and chef J Kenji-Lpez Alt wrote about this perfect pie in today's New York Times Food section.He gives tips and tricks on how home chefs can create the perfect Chicago thin crust pizza. THis is the one Chicagoans adore, not that deep dish one that's more like a pizza rustica.It's not like the beloved New York ones with puffy handlebar crusts. There is not crust really. The sauce and cheese literally stretch to the end of the dough with the cheese dripping over in crunchy burnt pieces.Most notable the true Chicago style is cut not in triangles but in bite sized squares that would be perfect as a cocktail party nibble.It was intentional. These bites would make people thirsty . The custom s tarted in the 1940's at such family taverns as Vito and Nick's in the South Side.It was also always free and loaded with sausage thnaks to the slaughter houses in the vincinity.Cracker crust pizza became so pouplar it was the pizza that became number one throughout the Midewest.

Any home chef can recreate this American classic. Chef LopezAlt give the recipe for both the crust and a homemade pizza sauce along with Chicago style sausage..The crust should have less water and more oil for a nice crackly texture.Another Must that he discovered quite by accident is leaving it out on the counter for too long. This produces overfermentation which severely weakens the gluten structure which leads to dough that refuses to rise when it's baked. This is bad for a loaf but perfect for a pizza.It can also be cured, a process developed by Billy and Cecily Federighi. It's leaving the dough out overnight so it dries out. This also produces a crackly crust. Then there'sthe sauce. Homebakers could get a bottle or jar of it but his sauce recipe is worth trying.It's a quick blend of whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste plus the usual seasonings. The surprise lies in the adddtion of a  tablesppon of granualted sugar and two teaspoons of  red wine vinegar. You could also make the pizza with just the sausage/ This is a taking ground pork shoulder and mixing it with fennel seeds and garlic cloves along with various herbs like oregano and marjoram. You could easily make a CHicago style pizza.

Happiness is a good crispy pizza. Make this true Chicago style one to enjoy that crackle and crunch.it will be a memorable one for sure.

Yee Haw It's Cowboy Caviar

 There's a fun summer dish in town and it's Cowoby Caviar. It's a zippy mix of black beans - hence the name and different veggies. It's one of the easiest and tastiest dishes ro make during August.

This has been on my radar for some time. It was finally time to make it and it was a fun make.It was the perfect lunch and dinner during a steamy 100 degree day.

The original recipe first made in Rexas during the 1940's calls for an avocado , a bell pepper , cherry tomaotes, black eyed peas and sweet corn. I changed up the orginal recipe by omitting the black eyed peas and olives - maybe next time,.

I used two chopped avocados simply bhecause I love avocados.

These were cut into long strips, You can chop them into smaller pieces as per the original Cowboy Caviar recipe.

                                     

 Then the tomatoes. I love a summer dish with a lot of tomatoes so I added three chopped ones.I added their juiice too which adds to the vinaigrette.

Thne the green pepper. I used green instead of red because it added color. This was sliced and chopped into small pieces. As for the corn, I'm not a fan of it so I let others add their own. 

You should use a red onion but that can be too intense in flavor. I opted for a sprinkle of onion powder along with a dusting of garlic powder. Since this was is a Texan dish, I switched the lime for a teaspoon of chili powder for a real cowboy Tex-Mex flavor. It gave the vinaigrette a zingy flavor,

A quarter of a cup of olive oil and red wine vinegar is all it needs for the vinaigrette. Add seasalt and freshkly ground pepper for more flavoring.

                                                           Here it looks like a tomato salad.

                                                         I added these. Stop & Shop's Blue corn chips which have a deeper,        mellower taste than their yellow corn counterparts

It made them much better. This was one of the best salads I've had. It was delicious , thanks to the different veggies and the kick of chili powder. I plan on making this again - soon. It's the perfect weekend dish and even for a party.

Coeboy Caviar is the dish of the summer. It's the perfect cool and easy dish for a steamy day. Make it and enjoy its' tasty mix of veggies and chili powder.

Reducing Your Kitchen's Footprint

A new year starts with resolutions. Many are going to do their best to reduce their carbon footprint. This could mean adding solar panels to their homes, shorter showers or subbing in public transportation for driving their cars to work. You can make a small difference , just by making your kitchen eco friendly.

First of all think about all the wasted food in your kitchen during the holidays.This happened to me when I discovered a half can of opened peaches covered in mold. I used half the peaches a few weeks ago to test out a peach melba recipe for CHristmas. Yet I didn;t use the rest of the can. The peaches went moldy and I had to throw them out.It was a waste. I  should have bought a smaller amount. or smaller can. I also realized that peach Melba is best made during the peach season which is the summer months. Use only fruit in season. That way you only have to buy one or two pieces if you're experimenting with a recipe.The same is true with veggies. Some veggies can give you a pass. You can easily turn any into part of a salad or full salad as well as part of of an omelet.Use every part of your chicken or turkey. The meat can be turned into sandwiches and hash while the bones can be used for soup.Stale bread can be ground into breadcrumbs. stale Cookies can be ground into crumbs for topping ice cream and parfaits.

What about with cleaning the kitchen? One of the best eco friendly cleaning devices is Casabella Infuse All Purpose cleaner. Target sells all the Infuse cleaners and tools. The mop is the best with a mop pad that can be used over and over again.It just has to be put into the washing machine every so often to clean it. The soap which again is all natural and non toxic is put into a tube in the handle. Then it's just squirt and mop. There are several green dish soaps that work well.One of the most popular is Mrs. Meyers, that's also sold at Target. It comes in nine different scents like Sea Salt Neroli and Lavender Cedar Leaf.What about those tough hard to get rid of grease stains and burnt parts that stick like glue onto pots and pans. Try the age old solution of apple cider and baking soda. It gets rid of any cooking debris and dirt. This combo also makes an excellent oven and range cleaner. Distilled vinegar is also a good cleaner , especially for the fridge and windows. You can also use it for cleaning out the microwave too.

This year resolve to make your kitchen an eco friendly one one. Think about what you're buying and if you;re going to waste it. Clean with all natural products.You'll be shrinking your kitchen and your house's carbon footprint for a greener ,cleaner planet

New Year New Foods

 It;s a brand new year and that means rethinking the way we eat. It was fun indulging over the holidays but it's now time to look to the healthier -healthy foods - healthy cooking habits - even healthy treats evey now and then.

For me it's more apple based products.These have helped tremendously in the past with my gall bladder issues/

I bought Acme's brand of unfiltered apple juice which is the best kind for softening gall stones. I just mix it with a shot of water to soften the taste a bit.Then there's the store's apple cider vinegar which I can take with warm water to also soften the stones and alleviate the pains. It;s also great in salad dressings. I definitely plan to mane more salads using beneficial greens this year.

 Any form of salmon will be included in my diet since I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol. Omega 3 in the fish lowers it without the aid of statins.I'm not a big fan of this fish preferring tuna more. Yet it can be a  blank canvas, and I'm going to experiment with adding spices and herbs to it.

This is the wild caught kind from Chicken of the Sea. Go with the wild caught version if you are switching to a  full or semi pescatarian diet. The salmon caught in the wild has less contaminants than the farmed fish. I'm trying a packet first before going over to the cans. Keep in mind that this along with sardines and mackerel are high in much needed omega 3s too. You may want to vary your diet with these and chicken this year.

It's a new year and that's incentive to eat healthy,Start with small changes and then work your way up. Every little bit helps and will add up to a better lifestyle.

Freezer Restocking

 Once again the freezer is important , thanks to possible snowstorms and lockdowns. It's time to look into it and see what needs to be thrown out and what needs to be added.

Before stocking your freezer check to see what you have in there. Frozen foods will last forever but there's a caveat - freezer burn.If any food is left in the freezer for more than three months, it will lose its; flavor and shape even, Upon reheating or heating you'll have tasteless, mushy food. Some brands can withstand this but its'a a matter of freezer roulette. It's basically try and taste. Ice cream is much more delicate. It can only last two to three months in an unopened container or tub while an opened one is only good for one or two months. Sherbet is a little more hardier. It can survive three to fours months if left unopened, while an opened two to three months after being opened. Once you've cleaned out , then think about defrosting and cleaning too. Wash out those ice cube trays and soak the shelves in warm soapy water. Set aside to dry. As far as the freezer itself, a mild, natural cleaner will work the best. Use a spray of one part apple cider or white vinegar and one part of water . Spray liberally inside and then wipe down with a sponge. Dry it with a clean dish rag and then replace the shelves.

As for restocking it, you can easily make meals for the week ahead of time.Cook up family favorites that you know will go quickly. Think lasagna or baked mac. These are hearty and filling , perfect for a cold snowy night in. You can also make crock pot chili along with stews. These can be thawed out quickly and cooked for both lunch and dinner. As far as with frozen foods, pizza is always good. Get a few plain ones so the family can add some toppings and make it their own. Family style frozen dinners is another must stock.Stoueffer's is your best bet here. They have everything from chicken enchiladas to cheese manicotti. There's also chicken Alfredo for those night when you don't want to make a pasta dinner from scratch. Also stock up on hot lunches. Here you can always rely on Marie Callender. The company has tasty and filling chicken and turkey pot pies along with pasta and rice bowls. The company also has turkey and stuffing family meals along with meat loaf and Salisbury steak ones. Remember to also restock such sides as frozen veggies and French fries.  These are great for accompanying chicken or steak.

It's time to clean out the freezer and restock it for those days ahead. Fill it with tasty foods that are easy to thaw and easy to cook. They're perfect for time indoors.

Tooth Healthy Foods

Our teeth are probably ready to fall out  after six months of devouring cookies, and ice cream, Add to that sugary drinks , from soda to coffees to even alcohol, and you have a recipe for mass cavities and rot. Yet you can help your teeth. A good  calcium and protein diet can help in reversing the effect of too many Oreos and mocha lattes.

What should you eat if you want to preserve your teeth? Cheese and yogurt are very good choices. If you're not averse to dairy , then think about incorporating it into your diet more. An excellent choice would be a spinach salad with grated Gruyere or a Cobb salad with cheddar cubes instead of croutons. Incorporate more cheese in your charcuterie platters. Try slices of Provolone or  Gouda along with blue and Brie. Yogurt is another must eat. Greek yogurt is better for you because it has double the amount of protein than regular yogurt. A healthy treat is a parfait of Greek yogurt, mixed berries and honey. This is a plus because honey , itself is good for teeth , preventing all kinds of gum disease and tooth decay. The compound prevents dextran, a polysacceride created from bacteria from forming on the tooth enamel. You can also create delicious dips with it, using spices and even onion powder to create a tasty veggie dip. Use it in cooking too, especially in marinating chicken.

Leafy greens are another important ingredient for healthy teeth.Spinach is an excellent choice, because it's not only healthy but versatile. A tasty dish is choley , an Indian stew made with fresh spinach leaves , curry and turmeric  along with onions and chickpeas.  Another idea is spinach filled crepes. This can be served with cheddar cheese sauce for a fun change from the ordinary. A spinach salad chock full of other veggies is another tasty good for your teeth plate. Other leafy greens are kale and collard greens which both can be incorporated in a variety of different dishes. The two are interchangeable in recipes. Both can be made into tasty vegan stews along with peppers and tomatoes, spiked with garlic and red peppers. Another leafy green is cabbage, good both cooked and raw.  It makes for a great salad, especially Oriental style with soy sauce and ginger or cooked and pickled in savory and vinegar. For a good snack try celery chunks or almonds. Celery acts like nature's toothbrush, scraping bacteria and food particles from the tooth's surface. Almonds are high in calcium and protein which make for the perfect snack. 

Eat for your teeth as well as for your body. It'll make for fewer dentist visits and less cavities. It'll also make for stronger teeth and better digestion.

Host Gifts Make Or Buy

The holidays are fast upon us and that means invitations to a variety of dinners and lunches. It is obligatory to bring something - but what? Do you go all out and create a homemade or buy something at a specialty shop or wine store? Each have a huge variety to choose from.

Thanksgiving is the time for such invitations. Many guests feel obligated to bring a home baked pie. You can do this. Everyone loves a slice of something whipped up in the kitchen. Just keep in mind that all pies do require certain levels of work. Another thought is do you bring the most popular flavor and risk it be the second or third pumpkin or apple pie given.You could try that Southern classic - pecan pie. Unlike the other two this can be varied to include bourbon or dark chocolate in the recipe. It's a nice change up from the traditional recipe. Homemade candy is not only fun to give but fun to make too. The most popular given for the holidays is fudge. This is a simple make, with semisweet chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter. You can add any kind of nuts or marshmallows along with toasted coconuts and dried sour cherries for some tasty varieties. savory gifts are also a nice thank you. Think a jar of homemade salsa with a variety of different tomatoes and peppers for color. Another fun thank you gift is a basket full of popcorn spices. This is just mixing different dried spices into appealing sweet and savory mixes that can be sprinkled on popped corn. The  hand blended spices can also be used in baking and flavoring main and side dishes too.

If all this is too much for you then go the store or internet route. Most go for a good wine. Appropriate ones for Turkey Day are the red, fruity pinot noir, and a white Reisling whose sweetness is the perfect foil for a savory bird and gravy. Champagne is another fun bring, with it starting or ending a meal. This is also perfect if the family is celebrating an important event like a raise, new job or engagement. A more sophisticated present would be an aged brandy, excellent for afters. Another idea is bringing dessert.  Yes, you could go with pies but what about platters  of mini cupcakes or brownie cups which can be fun mini bites after a big meal. A nice tray of bakery made butter cookies will not go amiss either. Make sure there are plenty of chocolate dipped ones for chocoholics and kids. Any host would appreciate liqueur filled chocolates.  A box of brandy beans is a nice end to any meal, especially served with espresso. You could also gift hosts with the festive triangular container of the always popular Ferraro Roche. Want to go savory? Then think of flavored oils and vinegars. Williams-Sonoma have a wide array. Some of the oils are infused with basil or roasted garlic while the vinegars are a wide array of different balsamics and lemon.

You do have to bring a gift for your hosts. it could be home made or store bought. If you have time then put your talents to work. If not, no one will turn away a well made food gift. It's your decision.It's your choice.

Clean Up Time

                                          When you have a fridge like this:

As you can see it's a mess. Thanks to the plethora of ants, everything, from crackers to honey , from candy to even fruit has to be put inside the fridge. This creates a total mess. The door and the ledge in front of the crisper were so sticky that the door stuck to the ledge . Thankfully there is hydrogen peroxide.

This is the magic elixir that friends recommended.  Hydrogen peroxide is the best bet in cleaning the goo off of fridges and  kitchen sinks .It also disinfects wood cutting boards along with plastic and marble ones too. Should you clean the stove with it? I will say no. Even though the hydrogen peroxide from your drug store is a whopping 97 percent water, it still is hydrogen peroxide. Use  heavily diluted apple cider or white vinegar to get rid of stubborn stains on the burners. Dish soap works well too.

I still have more cleaning to do. There's a floor that has to be scrubbed twice. Plastic bags that have to get sent to a bin at the grocery store. Cooking in a kitchen is hard. Keeping it clean and sparkling is even harder.

Delicious Dump Dinners

A dump dinner may not sound too tasty but it's actually a flavorful melange of meats, veggies and spices. It's an easy way to create lunch or dinner without so much fuss. Best of all, it requires very little prep time.

What is a dump dinner exactly? It's basically where you dump everything in a crockpot or Insta Pot and cook for a few hours. There's no elaborate cooking where you have to use everything from a bain Marie to a skillet. Prep time is a snap too,.It just cutting the ingredients into chunks, sometimes adding liquids and always adding spices. Another plus is that even tweens and teens can make dinner , freeing up their parents to do other household chores or errands.Another plus is that dump dinner ingredients can be bought in bulk, saving money along with being perfect for freezing. Many dump dinner affectionados make soup.It's an easy cook and an easy freeze. Try chicken soup, filled with the old fashioned goodness of  chicken, broth and carrots.You can turn it into a minestrone by adding tomatoes and chickpeas , along with some kind of small pasta and spinach. A comforting potage, especially during these blustery days is a dump potato soup.it's taking Yukon Gold potatoes and cooking them with chicken broth, onions and garlic.  After cooking it can be topped with crumbled bacon and sour cream. Best of it it can be frozen to be eaten on those days when cooking is impossible.

There are also dump dinners (which can be turned into dump lunches too.). Stews are the easiest to make because it's just chopping and tossing. A beef stew is always a good choice. Give it an Italian spin by adding diced tomatoes and a variety of other veggies such as zucchini bell peppers , celery and potatoes. Tomato paste and  red wine vinegar are also added. Make it even more heartier by adding some pasta such as gemelli or rotelli to the mix. The beef and beef broth can be cooked and vegetable broth subbed in to create a hearty vegan soup. Use chickpeas for protein.A sure fire pleaser is turkey breast. It can be flavored with lemon garlic or a  turned into a spicy one with dried mince garlic and paprika. Italian seasoning also spikes it up some. Serve with rice instead of stuffing for a different kind of turkey dinner. Another idea is pulled pork.It's just pork roast, apple cider vinegar and barbecue sauce slow cooked for six to eight hours. Then shred and serve on hamburger buns. You could also do the same with other meats too for variation.

Dump dinners are an easy and tasty meals  It's just dump everything in your crock pot or Instapot and leave. The result is a delicious and flavorful slow cooked dish.