Pudding That Pops

Fall is here and it's time to bring out the comfort foods. The bes t is pudding. It;s sweet and creamy without the chill of ice cream. It's comforting after a hard day. Best of all it brings back childhood memories of a simpler time. Whether it;s instant or made from scratch, pudding is the best. It rules.

The sweet as we know it only came into existence around 1840 thanks to English chemist, Alfred Byrd. He developed a way to add processed cornstarch to milk and sugar . Earlier puddings were first invented by the Romans buy they were more custard like in taste and appearance, than to the Roman;s love of eggs. The English were the first to make the savory puddings, mostly with meat and cheese. They do make sweet ones, usually In flour and then boiled in a kind of bain marie. Christmas plum pudding is a good example of this.

Pudding is good a variety of ways. You can use instant like Jello to My-T-Fine or by scratch. Scratch puddings also call for egg, milk and butter. They have a richer taste than the store bought mixes, (of course) and are more or less relatively easy to make, Also pudding is versatile. Add Cool Whip and you have an elegant mousse. Pout it into a prebaked pie crust and it;s a quick and tasty dessert. You can even freeze it to make rich pops.

Pudding is great, especially in these cool days. It's the perfect comfort food no matter how you have it. It's a great sweet whether for a snack or after dinner.

So Many Pears So Many Recipes

The apple is usually the star fruit of the fall season. However its' costar, the pear can also shine in a variety of recipes. It can be made into a variety of things, from butter to pies sliced in salads or used in sweet relishes. better yet there are so many different kinds of pear the possibilities are endless.

Surprisingly enough pears are wonderful in any kind of salad. They lend flavor and texture as well as color. Plus there's a dose of unexpected sweetness. The fruit goes well with any kind of lettuce is doe swell with ones featuring chicken. A great lunch or brunch salad is pear with chicken and almonds. this is a light. yet tasty concoction made with a yogurt mayo dressing and also has crunchy celery and green peppers. You can also make pear bread which is similar in texture to banana and zucchini breads. Again slices of pear bread with butter make great holiday gifts and nice hostess gifts for thanksgiving. You can use any kind of pear as long as they're peeled and shredded.

Pears also make wonderful desserts. I'm partial to poached pears myself. You can poach them in red wine for a full flavor. use th e mircrowave for this. It's the easiest and also the less messiest too. Pear tarts are wonderful and easy to make. Most recipes call for a simple pie crust and sliced pears. You can glaze the fruit with apricot jam before baking and later serve with an almond cream. An even delicate pear based dessert is pear sorbet usually made with a touch of white wine. This the perfect end to a chicken or duck dinner.

This is the season for pears and there are so many to be harvested right now. Use this versatile fruit in any dish from brunch to dessert. Their flavor is wonderful, crisp and light like a sunny fall day. They really are the stars that shine during this season.

Pumpkin Goodness

This is the high season for pumpkins. People are gleefully picking them in pumpkin patches around the US, gathering up big ones and little ones, perfectly round one and lumpy bumpy ones. Yet the pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins and beta carotene as well. It;s also a versatile gourd that can be use din everything from savory to sweet.



For savory dishes the gourd is versatile . One of my favorite recipes (as fans already know) is pumpkin soup. The recipe is my great grandmother's and is a staple of the Val Susa in western Piedmonte (on the French border)It is a rich creamy bisque like soup; redolent with pumpkin

onion and chicken broth. Another pumpkin savory dish is curry fritters. these are a fiery spicy dish , perfect fo r your Halloween party or even as a Thanksgiving appetizer.You can also use pumpkin as a filling for ravioli and lasagna. However if you do this go easy on the tomato sauce. I prefer pumpkin filled ravioli with a light sage and butter sauce.



Of course pumpkin is phenomenal in sweet dishes. Nothing beats a fresh made pumpkin bread, or muffins. These are staples of fall brunches and go well when topped with cream cheese. Pumpkin mousse is another yummy treat and it's a spin on the famous pie It;s made like pie filling yet without a heavy crust.It's usually served with whip cream and maybe a splash of brandy on top. Are there pumpkin cookies? Yes!!!! I found two recipes, one like gingerbread and th e other with an oatmeal base.



Go wild in the pumpkin patch. Don't just buy the gourds for decoration. Buy a few extra for some savory and sweet dishes. They are the perfect source of vitamins as well as being one of the most versatile fall vegetables!

What's For Dinner Seriously???

Planning meals are always a pain. I usually enjoy doing such, buying the vegetables, selecting the pasta, looking at recipes, the whole nine yards. However,lately I'm finding it a real chore. It's getting troublesome about what to make and what to buy.

With my busy schedule I'm partial to anything in a can.I recently rediscovered Swanson;s Chicken A la King. This is a yummy throwback to Fifties cooking . It hot comfort food, perfect for a chill autumn evening,. It;s also easy to prepare and make. Heat up serve on toast or crusty rolls and voila - a hot dinner. I just bought Marie Callender's Home Style Creations and Healthy Choices Fresh Mixers These are quick dinners that just have to be steamed in the microwave.Then pour the accompanying sauce and instant meal.

I wish I had the time to actually cook. There are some great stove top dishes that are easy to make. Chicken breasts over buttered spaghetti is a great dinner choice . You can make the chicken in a skillet while the pasta is cooking. Make a garlic butter sauce in the microwave for more facility. Another ideal meal is grilled steaks with baked potatoes. Again grill over the stove,heat the spuds in the microwave. Easy as nuking a pot pie - another good and hearty quick dinner choice.

Trying to find a good and easy to make dinner is hard these days. There are way s to make the
choices better. It just takes some creativity and a lot of help from canned goods

A Healthier Pasta

Can pasta get any better for you?

Yes! If it;s made with whole grains. It;s been upgraded from that horrible tasting cardboard to something more artisanal and delicious. Yesterday's Dining section in The Times had a very interesting article written by Dining regular Melissa Clark. She takes what used to be a health food into one of the fall;s hottest trends.

Whole grain pasta is made with ancient grains such as farro and spelt. Farro is grains of a certain wheat. It has to be soaked overnight to be palatable.It's usually put into salads and soups however can be made into pasta and bread. Spelt is hexaploid variety of wheat and has been used in great regularity from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The flavor is different from regular spaghetti.It's a nuttier and more robust. That means the sauces have to be toned down. Forget tomato . Think butter.

I may try this natural pasta .it;s sold in Eataly, the Bastianich;s Italian food emporium New York City. What will I do with it. There's a good recipe for the pasta made with a carmelized onion Swiss chard and garlicky bread crumbs. I also like a simple pesto made with walnuts and spinach . This is the perfect winter dish. There's also one with tomato but there's also rosemary and olives to counter balance the tomatoes.

Pasta is good for you. A whole grain pasta even better.It's the perfect and tasty addition to any healthy diet!

Acorns The Surprise Fall Fruit

Normally you wouldn't put acorns in the same categories as other fall fruits. One they're typically squirrel food , and two, they are highly poisonous if not properly prepared. Yet acorns can be a vital part of an autumn diet. The nuts are another alternative to another fall favorite, chestnut.

There is a big article about them in today's Dining Section of the New York Times. Margaret Lee wrote the article and used her own background for it. Koreans are big fans of acorns and make a dish called dotorimuk or acorn jelly. It seems like it;s served as a side and has a fiery red pepper dressing, similar to the cabbage dish kimchi. it has a silky custardy consistency , probably like that of chestnut pudding.Other acorn lovers are the Germans who turn the nut into coffee (news to me) and the Native Americans who used the flour in baking.

You have to know what you;re doing when cooking acorns. The tannins have to be completely leached or they could be completely toxic. The acorns should be completely and repeatedly rinsed. The water will turn brown with t he tannins after three hours and then a fresh rinse is required Also the type of oak is important,A white oak acorn is less astringent than a red oak and probably has less poisons.

Acorns are an unusual alternative to chestnuts and a unique fall dish. It's something for the brave to try as well as for a foodie with a lot of free time. If you want try them for a different fall treat

Chicken Wars

There seems to be trouble brewing in the fast food industry. It has to do with chicken and what's being made and sold out there. Now everything is healthy as opposed to over fried and over flavored. However these last two are also popular. What a junk food affectionado to do? Good question.

It seems the Big Three, Wendy's McDonalds' and KFC are all heading towards the no transfat, eat uber healthy chicken. Wendy's has reintroduced its' salad menu with some new combos and all include fresh hot roasted chicken breast. This is a good move, especially for salad lovers. Not to be outdone Mickey D's is also serving both crispy chicken ad grilled chicken in its' wraps and sandwiches. These have much more choices than Wendy's however the best bet is sticking with Wnedy's. KFC has jumped on their bandwagon since last Spring when it introduced grilled, skinless chicken. It's a better alternative to the fried coated variety.

However there are always places like the Wing Zone and Pollo Tropicale to give you deep fried, or heavily spiced fowl.. I love the Wing Zone because it' so defiant. Nothing is just grilled . Its' fried wings are dripping in pure grease. Theirs is one of the most flavorful and tender chicken I've tasted . I also like the much healthier for you Pollo Tropicale. Unlike the other fast foods ' grilled chicken it comes highly spiced and just yummy. It's good for you but doesn't taste like it.

Who will win in the chicken wars? It depends on what the nation wants. We;re on the road to good health so I'm going to say Wendy's Mc Donald';s and KFC will win this one. That is until other fast food chains come up with an even healthier way to prepare chicken.