A Nice Bowl of Soup

It's getting to be the time of year where a hot bowl or mug of soup is appreciated. Luckily there's so many different kinds fo soup to make and each one can be filling.Another good point about soup is that it can be frozen for future use.

What's the most popular soup? That's undoubtedly debatable. Persinal favorites of mine are minestrone and pompesit. the family's breadcrumb soup from Piedmont in Northwestern italy. I also love Manhattan clam chowder as well and consider it a treat when I do get it.

What do you readers like? What kind of soup or bisque floats your spoon? This is going to be an open column with anyone writing in.

Hot Drinks - The Adult's Security Blanket

During these times of financial unrest it's nice to know there''s a place we can go to for comfort. the first thought would be under the covers but the actual answer is our local coffee shops. Nothing soothes a troubled mind and soul than a good cup of something hot.

It's tough to give up those three and four dollar lattes when our pockets are empty. Yet, we need these whipped creamed , spiced or mocha-ed javas to get us through one rough day after the other. Let's face it. There's nothing like a quick run to the local Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts when the chips are down or when we need some kind of hug. Hot coffee or even a chai tea warms us and gives us a mini vacation from our everyday lives. We forget about the report that had to be written yesterday or the client from hell. The liquid, so sweet , so smooth , so seductive just slides down our throat into an empty heart. Yup, that's what it is. No wonder we crave it so much.

I think the same could be said for hot cocoa. This is a trip back to childhood innocence. it's the liquid equivalent of cotton candy or a corn dog or a candy apple. It takes us back to a time, when our moms had a cup of steaming Ovaltine after an afternoon of sledding or ice skating. The sweetness and the pure chocolate taste comforts us. You almost want to curl up for a nap with your favorite stuffed animal after you drink a cup.

There will be a lot we will have to give up. The expensive highlights, the fancy car , the weekend jaunts to exotic places. We'll be forced to stay at home - not having enough money to even see a movie. Yet there will always be time for a hot drink.

After School Snacking

That time between coming home and dinner always proves to be a problem for kids. They're starving from a long afternoon? A part time job or sport has left them drained and hungry. Dinner wo;'t be ready til six thirty or even seven. What to do?

Snack sensibly.

The kids don't have to go wild with Hostess cupcakes or with a bag of chips. Have food that will give them a boost, fill their tummies and keep the weight off. Veggies are always a good choice. have a container of cut up broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and grape tomatoes ready for dipping. As for dipping sauces a really heart healthy one is olive oil liberally laced with hot pepper flakes. If your kids are into spicy they could some cracked pepper too. Plain yogurt mixed with curry or cumin is another good dip.

Sweets are almost always the preferred snack of choice. However cookies and candy may not be the best choice. if your young'uns do want sugary then slice up an apple and pear and serve with a caramel sauce (Marzetti's brand is good)A hot sweet snack is a microwaved baked apple with cinnamon and apple juice. They can be served with a side of zero calorie Cool Whip. Frozen grapes are another fun snack. Freeze them that morning and then have the kids eat them at four or five PM/. Fruit smoothies are filling and tasty. They're easy to make and the older kids will appreciate them.
Also have some healthy granola bars to stave off any hunger.

After school snacking doesn't have to be unhealthy and fattening. Your kids will love a heart healthy , tasty snack to get them through to dinner time.

Let's Make Some Bread

Now that the cooler weather is here it's time to get back into baking! There's nothing like a loaf of fresh homemade bread to make any autumn meal special. You could start with a simple loaf for move on to more complicated ones.

A good loaf bread is easy to make and delicious to eat. Quick loaves are the easiest way to go. They're good otasted for breakfast or as a quick dessert with butter or cream cheese. Banana bread is the easiest because you can mak e it in minutes and only takes less than an hour to bake up.You can try the old standard date and nut bread. Another good one is a cranberry bread made with cranberries and walnuts.Simple nut spreads like walnut or almond are always good and a slice of one is a great way to start the day.

This falll get back to baking fun and tasty loaf breads.They're simple to make and fun to enjoy

Hearty Fall Dishes

Now that it's fall it's time to think about heartier fare. Gone are the literal salad days of summer. Now you can enjoy creating a full meal without a hot kitchen to bother you.

If you're not much of a cook but still would like to make something hearty then think about stews. These are easy to make and don't require a lot of effort.For something different consider adding spices to it like cloves or even cumin to give it a more exotic taste.For a more complicated dish the try making the French cassoulet. This is a melange of beans, pork and duck . Another variation involves chicken and bacon.

Any pasta dish will be rib sticking and something the whole family will love. If you want add steak bits or cut up chicken breasts to the sauce to make it more substantial. You can also keep the traditional chopped meat but substitute lamb, veal or pork for beef. Cannelloni, a crepe type of pasta is another good fall entree. You can make the meat or the spinach version for your hungry crew.

This is the season to get back into the kitchen and cook!Prepare a meal that is not onyl hearty but that will get your family through this cool season!

Saturday Night Snacking

There's nothing like spending a Saturday night at home. it's a good time to rent a movie or catch up on the shows that you missed during the previous week. The problem is that with this comes hunger. What do you do? Snack.Well more appropriately snack healthy. Try putting some vitamins and minerals in that indulgence.

Popcorn is always the snack of choice. It's good for you and full of fiber. You can jazz it up with some seasonings like cracked pepper, curry powder or cinnamon for a different snacking experience. Another fun and good for you snack are pretzels. Have a big bowl of them (whether they be stick or the traditional shape) along with mustard. have smaller bowls of the honey or white mustard along with the traditional yellow kind. They're not only low cal but tasty and fun.If you're bored with these then try pita chips with hummus. Tortilla chips with heart healthy guacamole is also good. Guacamole is easy to make and it tastes so yummy!

If you must have ice cream limit yourself to one scoop and plenty of fresh fruit toppings. You can still buy strawberries and even peaches. Slice these and put on top of your scoops. A better sweet treat is an ice creamless banana split or sundae.Pour any kind of syrup over fresh fruit and serve with zero calorie Cool Whip.

Tonight park yourself in front of your TV. Have your favorite snacks present and enjoy your movie and shows. It's a great way to relax and indulge.

Dutch Cooking

Holland is known for a lot of things: The Hague, Anne Frank's attic, and don't forget legalization of prostitution and marijuana. It is not known for its' culinary cotributions (well , except for cookies). yet it is hardy fare,s trong like the Dutch people themselves.

Mostly The Netherlands is known for its' cheeses. We all are familiar with the creamy Edam and nutty flavored Gouda. Spiced cheeses are also popular. The Dutch are big on their version of sauerkraut as well.

Like their German neighbors, the Dutch have a sweet tooth. They make several different kinds of cakes and fritters for the holidays as well as having chocolates and fondants.

Dutch cooking reflects its' people. It is hardy.