Chocolate Dipped Love

If you want to impress your love dip something in chocolate.(even yourself but that‘s another entry on a whole other blog) You can have fun presenting an entire array fo goodies dipped in different chocolates. Besides it’s more fun that just baking a cake or cupcakes. Homemade sweets are also cheaper than going to a candy store and plunking down thirty bucks for a few bonbons.

The big question is what to dip. If your love is into the whole sweet savory you can try chips pretzels and yes, even bacon. I’d stick with the first two for a more traditional gift. Bacon could work if its’ crisp enough and it’s given that day. Another choice are cookies. Yes, you can buy chocolate dipped ones at your local bakery and there are even chocolate dipped Oreos however if his (or her) favorite isn’t chocolate then do it. Lorna Doones are wonderful for dipping as are Pepperidge Farms’ Chessmen. You can also try fruit. Strawberries are the best bet and easy to handle but you can also use bananas cherries , and pineapple.

The next question is what chocolate. Do you want a dark bitter to compliment the taste or a creamy milk or white? Bitter chocolate works well with fruit and cookies. It heightens the others taste. For the savories such as pretzels and chips then go with the milk chocolate. If you’re intent on dipping bacon then go with a very dark, bitter chocolate like Valrhona.

This Valentine’s Day give your love hand dipped goodness. Take his or her favorite treats and wrap them in a layer of chocolate and affection. They’ll appreciate it and so will you!

Super Bowl Check List

Tomorrow is the biggest party day of all. This is where it’s crucial that you don’t run out of ingredients alcohol sodas and snacks. True, you can always run to the store. However you’ll either miss important plays or the halftime show . Worse you could go all the way to your grocery and find out that they’ re out of what you need.

What you should have already:
Beans for dip and chili
Rolls and bread (although you can buy these tomorrow morning if you haven’t already)
Lighter fluid if you re planning a cookout
Beer, soda, wine and cocktail mixers.
Crackers
Barbecue sauce or marinade
Disposable plates, cups,utensils, napkins and wetnaps

What you should buy today:
Avocados, tomatoes and onions for guacamole
Chicken wings. ribs, burgers, chopped meat and cold cuts
Sour cream or plain yogurt for dips.
Specialty cake or cupcakes
Pretzels, potato chips, tortilla chips and, mixed nuts for snacking
Cheese for quesadillas or tacos
Cheese for cheese and crackers

Print this out , let this be your checklist for these next two days. Then make your favorite dishes without any worry. It’s no fun running ou to the story and missing all the action.

Super Bowl Suds

'I’m sure everyone know what they’ll be eating Sunday but what will they be drinking? Beer is the obvious choice but what kind? There are so many on the market that it’s kind of hard to choose. Of course diehard fans will always have their Coors or Bud. Some may even choose an ale if they’re adventurous.

If you’re just having pizza whether delivery or homemade any lager will do. Rule of thumb is pizza is served with wine but even true Italians have it with pilsener nowadays. The same with chicken wings. It’s a go with for any kind of the bottled stuff. Everyone has their favorites and will either insist or bring over a six pack. (and probably not to share either). Of course for chili and quesadillas only go for Corona and have plenty of lime slices in a nearby handy bowl for your guests.

For the more adventurous there is ale. This subset of beer has been served since medieval times but still as modern as any drink. You can try Sam Adams or Bass for another variations.If you get the chance try it with the German Weiss beer. This is a sweeter, fruitier beer that‘s classified as an ale but packs a punch. It can go with anything from meatball subs to hot wings.

This Super Bowl Sunday eat, drink and root for your favorite team. Just make sure you and your guests have the suds at hand to get your through everything from half times to touchdowns. There's nothing like a great game accompanied by a great beer.

Crackling Good

Yesterday’s New York Times Dining section had an interesting article on a much loved but much less publicized snack - pork cracklings. These are those pork rinds that most of us avoid in the snack aisle. However when made fresh they’re a different animal so to speak, - crackly salty and meaty. They’re also easy to make on your own and can be varied in flavor.

The piece, written by Kim Severson describes the different kinds of cracklings or scratchings. She mentions the tart vinegar soaked lechon served at Filipino weddings, the Chinese pork belly called siu yuk and the Cuban style crackling bits. There are also recipes for the Italian version called porchetta which requires sage, thyme and rosemary along with dry white or red wine There is also a Cajun recipe that features sashes of spicy cayenne and paprika peppers . This give the meat and fat a zing as well as a fiery yet flavorful taste.

If you are thinking about making crackling. then buy either boneless pork belly or shoulder. The best crackling does come out the best in what’s know as a combi oven This is an oven that first blasts moist heat and dry to thoroughly cook the crackling. Unfortunately the average cook can’t afford one. The best bet is roasting for two hours in a low heat oven (about 250 degrees Fahrenheit), Crackling can be fried but I think it may just be too greasy to eat afterwards.

Pork rinds are not as low brow as food snobs think they are. If made right, they can be wonderful - and highly addictive. iI’s just a matter of how to prepare and season them for the perfect treat.

Crackling Good

Yesterday’s New York Times Dining section had an interesting article on a much loved but much less publicized snack - pork cracklings. These are those pork rinds that most of us avoid in the snack aisle. However when made fresh they’re a different animal so to speak, - crackly salty and meaty. They’re also easy to make on your own and can be varied in flavor.

The piece, written by Kim Severson, describes the different kinds of cracklings or scratchings. She mentions the tart vinegar soaked lechon served at Filipino weddings, the Chinese pork belly called siu yuk and the Cuban style crackling bits. There are also recipes for the Italian version called porchetta which requires sage, thyme and rosemary along with dry white or red wine There is also a Cajun recipe that features sashes of spicy cayenne and paprika peppers . This give the meat and fat a zing as well as a fiery yet flavorful taste.

If you are thinking about making crackling. then buy either boneless pork belly or shoulder. The best crackling does come out the best in what’s know as a combi oven This is an oven that first blasts moist heat and dry to thoroughly cook the crackling. Unfortunately the average cook can’t afford one. The best bet is roasting for two hours in a low heart oven (9about 250 degrees Fahrenheit), Crackling can be fried but I think it may just be too greasy then.

Pork rinds are not as low brow as food snobs think they are. If made right, they can be wonderful - and highly addictive. iI’s just a matter of how to prepare and season them for the perfect treat.

Game Night Goodies

Now that it’s winter, mostly all our activities are indoors and that includes the hallowed game night. This is usually a Saturday night when people invite friends and family over for spirited rounds of Scrabble or Pictionary. Sometimes there are even five or six tables set up for cards. It’s also a night to make fun treats and enjoy some time knoshing.
Pizza is usually the best dish to serve. Its easy to make and there are a variety of topping to load on it. You can make an all meat one or a healthy veggie one. Dough can be hand made or purchased and either big or individual pizzas can be served. Another fun munchie is a platter of quesadillas. These are easy to create and assemble and people can have fun building their own, using peppers tomatoes , pepper jack cheese along with chicken or beef. A really simple dish is chili. It’s can be made to suit meat lovers or vegans. It can be served over simple rice or polenta or spooned over broken up cornbread slices.
Of course game night is nothing without snacks,. A healthy choice would be small platters of veggies with a simple yogurt dip. You can make several small bowls of the last and then arrange broccoli florets, baby carrots, pepper strips and tomato slices around the dip bowls. Add some tortillas for crunch as well. Popcorn won’t go amiss either and you can set up small deep bowls of different flavors ranging from a simple butter to parmesan cheese or chili. You may also want to add the regular party classics of pretzel sticks and potato chips.
Game night is fun but it does build up an appetite. . Satisfy your guests with fun and filling munchies that’ll give them energy for the next round. There’s nothing like playing Scrabble or Pictionary on a full stomach!

Turn Over For Turn Overs!

There's nothing like an apple turnover. This is the ultimate comfort food dessert, a homey blend of apple, cinnamon and crust. It's less filling than pie but heartier than a crisp. You can eat it plain or dress it down. It's a dessert than can go fancy or simple depending on your tastes at the moment.

Apple turnovers probably came about as an offshoot of Cornish pasties. For centuries the cooks in Britain's' southwestern shire of Cornwall were already putting varieties of meats into dough and baking them. It seems natural that apples or any fruit could be made as such as well. the earliest recipe for them goes back to 1874 in Cassell's Dictionary of Cookery with Numerous Illustrations in London. There have been several other recipes dating from that era and it seems it was a popular dessert of the time.Turnovers are still enjoyed today with a bit more whistles and bells than their earlier counterparts. Cinnamon is added for more flavor as are chopped walnuts and raisins. Sometimes the hot turnover is drizzled with caramel and then topped off with huge dollop of whipped cream.

Are they easy to make? Yes, it's just a simple apple filling put into a folded puff pastry or pate brisee dough and baked for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It's best to use granny Smith apples because any other may become mushy. As for extras , that's up to you. Chopped walnuts are always good. as well as a good dose of cinnamon,and vanilla. Some recipes call for applesauce for a more pie like filling, Again that's up to you. Crimp the edges as you would do with ravioli or pie and then bake. Skip the lame white icing that commercial bakeries put on their turnovers. This takes away from the buttery dough and the fruity goodness inside.

Apple turnovers are a e treat to bake and eat. They are the ultimate comfort food after a hearty winter stew or roast.They're always a favorite whether plain or with a cream and caramel.
Enjoy them during these chilly winter nights.