Fridge Hoarding

We're all guilty of it - fridge hoarding. We have cartons of unknown this and conainters of heaven only knows what. We mean to throw it out, but we never do. As much as we hate to admit it , we have become food hoarders and that's not healthy.

A lot of those containers come from restaurants . Let's face it  we're a country of diners who love to nosh at any eatery , from chains to family owned places. Unfortunately all those restaurants give us oversized portions and we bring them home. A week later it's an unidentified mass of glop that could have mold spots on it. Try  to eat leftovers a day or two after you;ve eaten out or better yet, split them with your friends or family(A better solution is ordering children's portions). If you've brought home steak or chicken wheat you can do is turn it into a sandwich the next day , or chop them up and serve with fresh pasta  or rice.If you;ve had food for more than a week , then it's time to introduce it to the garbage (Or use it as compost)

Sometimes we just buy too much on our trips to the grocery store , Let's face it eveyrthing looks good and it's so easy to toss stuff into our carts. Luckily veggies can either be turned into salads or cooked . The problem is that certain veggies can rot faster than others which creates some interesting odors. This in turns smells up the entire refrigerator.The same is true for fruit too Most should be kept for two weeks at best. Surprisingly bananas are are their best when their skin is black. Yet if it smells , then toss it. Another rule is if the rind is dried out as with citrus, then use it as mulch as  you can  do with bad veggies.

Hoarding isn;t just keeping all those ol birthday cards and soda bottles. It sometimes can mean hoarding food too . If you;ve had it for more than a week or two, then get rid of it. Nothing beats a clean fridge.

The Versatile Mashed Potato

Nothing is as staple as the mashed potato. It is a great plate filler, helping to absorb gravy as well introduce picky eaters to veggies. It;s also one of the easiest sides to make . You can make it by using real spuds or flakes. Either way they're versatile.

Plain mashed is great . Of course they taste the best with any kind of roast beef, turkey or chicken gravy. This is one of the richest way of eating it .You can mix in  some  low calorie sour cream along with herbs as a nice extra to grilled chicken or even fish. Adding roasting garlic is another plus and goes well with steak or pork.Even left over mashed potatoes can be tasty . Form balls, then dip them in beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Fry up the potato ball  in oil or butter and serve with ketchup as a fun alternative to French  fries.


Mashed potatoes are also a great ingredient in leftovers.Cooks from Paula Deene to locals make excellent pancakes with leftover mash .Add flour, and  eggs to day old potatoes and fry in bacon grease as well s adding bacon as decoaration. These go great with eggs sunnyside up and some ham slices.The English add cabbage to make the famed bubble and squeak which is a crispy kind of skillet cake while others add Parmesan cheese.You can also add mashed spuds to crab and fish cakes along to chicken croquettes to give them body.Regular dessert cakes also benefit from a cup of mashed potatoes.They give them a wonderful consistency that plain flour doesn't .


Mashed potatoes aren't boring as most people think. in fact they're versatile and fun to cook with . Use them in everything from skillet cakes to desserts for something delicious.

Appetizer Only Please

Sometimes a full restaurant dinner can be too much. There's so much to slog thourgh that you either waste it or have to take it home. This can leave you feeling too stuffed , more ready for bed than a night out. The best bet is getting appetizers. There's always a wide variety and always more than a few tasty choices.

Most restaurants, big  and small have large lists of appetizers. Some offere everything  from soup to mini versions of their more popular entrees. This is great if you just want to  sample or just prefer something simple before a movie or club. Appetizer lists though have great foods that are just plain fun. Chinese restaurants have beef and chicken on sticks which are fun along with dumplings , either boiled or fried. Italian restaurants  feature garlic knots, pizza dough twisted into knobs that run from marble to plum size These are served with a bowl of hot pizza sauce and do the trick as well as any slice of pizza.

Many chain restaurants along with diners thrive on appetizers. Their offerings cater to large groups of people and different taste. Some places like The Outback have the Bloomin' Onion which can serve anywhere from one to four people. Ohters like TGIF offer the tantazlizing trio of babyback ribs , chicken and shrimp along with chips with different kinds of dips. Diners also also great appetizers from the shareable nachos  to the fried platter. This last consists of fried mozzarealla sticks, chicken wings and shrooms, stuffed and fried mushroom caps.Sliders, those mini burgers are also on many a menu now and make more sense to eat than a huge burger. Instead of a whole meal think about appetizers. They're more fun to eat than the regular meal and easier to finish. Go small the next time in a favorite eating place.

January Is Kitchen Sale Times

January has always been the month for white sales. Sheets, pillowcases and towels were marked down to unbelievable prices. The same is now true with appliances and gadgets.If you feel like you need new gear or just over worked your blenders and toaster ovens over the holidays, then treat yourself to new ones this month.

Many stores from Targets to Kohl's are having major sales right now, especially on pots and pans sets. This is the time to buy them, especially with the great discounts happening. Some of the better brands such as LeCreuset can be bought with tremendous sales pricing right now. Kitchen Aid , always a chef's must have is also being offered at good pricing. A crock pot can be had at only twenty bucks and this is a steal at Target  , especially if you're big into slow cooking. Other must haves to pick up are electric griddles, rotisseries and grills. Any of these also make great shower or housewarming gifts too so stock up if you're going to have a few of these to attend.

Frill appliances are also going on sale right now too.If you wanted that cool Soda Stream, the aerator that carbonates regular water , scoop it up. Their  flavors are also being offered at discounts too at againlike stroes at Target and Kohl's.Those mini cake pop ovens  along with donut makers are also being sold at lower pricing too. Buy them now for some fun Valentine's Day baking later on. Keurig Coffee makers are being offered at lower pricing right now at some stores . Definitely take advantage of this if you're a big coffee maker,

January is a big sales month. Take advantage of these discounts if you need any appliance or just want a fun gadget. Pinching pennies is always good, better yet when thy're being saved on kitchen appliances.

The Perfect Cup

There's nothing like a good cup of coffee, especially espresso.The problem is not many know how to make it at home. Most have to rely on their local barrista to give them the perfect cup. Yet with the right guidance that heavenly brew can be created.

It was the main article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Matt Raichtel, a Dining newcomer had the fun task of not 0only tasting but being shown how to make the right cup of espresso.There are classes called Camp Pull A  Shot that last for four days  for making every kind of cup from creamy lattes to adreleine boosting espresso. Students, who range from barristas to the average joe(pun intended) learn the basics. They sample different beans  along with understanding the mechanics of La Marzocco Liena t a variety of espresso machines, Then they get to try their hand at it. Mr Raichtel did pretty well with it.He did have help though thanks to top barrista, Tristan Walach or as he's also known as Ant.

What makes a good cup? Both the beans and the steamed milk help however knowing how to run the coffee machine properly helps the most. Without the right stream of water ,espresso can turn out to be watery. Even the best tasting beans can have their flavor destroyed.With practice, however anyone can make a good cup. Properly steamed milk also helps too,The sugars in the milk have to cook and that usually happens at 135 degrees F.It makes for a sweeter taste. More or less it all boils down to grinding the beans properly and running water through it for 25 seconds.

A good cup of espresso is always a treat.If you can make it at home, it' even better .It just takes some work to make a tasty treat.

Trends for The New Year

Every new year brings trends.Fashion, electronics and even animals become the latest must haves during a year. It's no different for foods. Certain dishes and items become the have to eats for all the latest hip foodies.Some have been around for ages. Some are new ideas or inventions.

2013 food trends are the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section.Julia Moskin, a Dining regular contributor and a hip foodie writes about what's going to be in our mouths and on our plates.Cuisines that are hot right now are at opposite ends of Europe. Foodies are re embracing Scandinavian, particularly Norse food with a passion that hasn;t been felt since the Sixties. Spanish modernism is hot right now Another trend is long aged meat.This is cured meat that has been drying for eight months.Smoked foods are also making a comeback too, but this time with veggies. You'll see a lot of smoke cauliflower on menus in 2013. Fermentation also comes back as does fried pig ears, popular in Spanish cultures

Sunflowers, usually reserved for festive Spring centerpieces are going to be a huge part of the American palate. Sunflower seeds will be mashed and pureed into pastes,The root of the flower or the choke is making appearances in everything from salads to desserts.Winter veggies such as kale ,radishes, turnips and fennel are also popular, this time though raw to get more out of them. Artesanal soft serve ice creams will be finishing those meals of raw veggies and chokes.There will even be trucks going around hipster neighborhoods selling salted pistachio caramel and guava horchata.

2013 will be like any year, full of fascinating trends. That includes some of the foods mentioned. They;re worth trying . Some may eve be so good they'll stay around until the next hew year

My Food List 2013

Everybody should take some culinary leaps  every now and then, That's going to be my resolution in the New Year.There's so much to sample and taste . Being a food writer, I feel that I should be broadening my horizons which I haven't been doing. There is a wide, wild world out there to taste and try .

Since writing about whelks a few weeks ago, I have been hankering to taste these briny sea snails. I would probably try  then in garlic butter, similar to escargot. Rediscovering scallops is another must eat. I love their chewy texture but also their silken taste. Why I haven't gone back to them is a good question. Another seafood treat (and I sense a theme here) is lobster ravioli from Savioli Ravioli in my neighboring town along with their  crab and shrimp ones. I'm also dying to try a whole wheat pizza  which is much better healthwise.

As for cuisines, Malaysia has always fascinated me and this is the year to try it. I like the fact that it's Asian but not the usual fare I go for. Another cuisine that I don;t have or cook enough of is Indian. It's one of the healthiest, especially with its' abundance of turmeric and lentils. Also there's nothing like a fresh made curry that's both delicious and warming on a winter's night. French cooking is one cuisine  that I'd like to try, especially with the wonderful sauces and delicate prepping techniques.

The New Year is full of food and promise. I plan on taking advantage of both as a cook and foodie. It's a new world  a pantry just waiting to be opened and  tasted