Little Cupcakes Big Flavor

Just when you thought the cupcake craze was over Baked By Melissa comes in and gives us a new spin on these cakes. She has created quarter sized (!) bites that would be perfect for a doll's tea party.They're fun , tasty and best of all a sweet treat without the guilt.

The idea was started by Melissa (no last name provided ) in 2008 when this amateur baker got fired from her advertising job. She gave the newly found cupcake fad a different spin. Instead of making imitations of the  famed Magnolia Bakery or trying to duplicate Hostess, she took it a step further. Mini cupcakes can be eaten without  guilt .Her cakes ar e no bigger than a man's thumbnail, yet they are just as delicious as a regular sized one.They have the same rich ingredients  as their bigger counterparts .The minis are  great for just satisfying  that need for sweet after a meal/.The cost is a bit pricey though, a dollar for one(although the cost goes down when you buy six or more)

I love Baked By Melissa,. I get to try all my favorites without feeling guilty . There's a dollop of cake and a dollop of icing. Their tie dyed is the best. This is a multi colored little cake with a vanilla icing. Their chocolate ones are also good, as moist as any Hostess or Little Debbie. Baked By Melissa also has chocolate mint,red velvet and peanut butter. Some are filled while others have a teeny squirt of filling. They can even be chocolate coated if you want more indulgence. Baked By Melissa also can customized to suit anyone's tastes.

The cupcake craze may be waning however Baked By Melissa is bringing it back. These mini treats are a  great way of getting a treat without the guilt. Try one, try five, They're just as tasty as their bigger counterpart

Steak And Salsa A Good Pairing

Nothing beats a good barbecued steak. Done the right way it can be heaven. Nothing also beats a good side, however but  by now we're all tired of  the usual slaws and sides.Why not a salsa, one with a fruit base as something different  and fresh.

Melissa Clark of The New York Times Dining section tackled this just yesterday in her A Good Appetite column. She takes a flank steak, which is a great piece to grill and gives it an unusual rub. Hers is one of orange juice mixed with chili powder and oregano. This gives the meat a charred  spicy exterior and a sweet juiciness on the inside. It should be marinated a full 24 hours so it can fully soak up the chili powder. Ms. Clark recommends using a New Mexico kind,It has a deep fruity undertone that will work well with the juice.

The salsa that is served with it also has fruit. Pineapple chunks are mixed with  the red hot jalapenos along with tomatillos.Onions are also added for another layer of sweetness. Each is individually grilled and then mixed together. The fruit caramelizes and this sweetness is a perfect foil for the state. You can also serve sliced avocados or a simple corn or even a potato salad as well. If you want to vary the fruit then try mango cut into chunks.

This is the season for throwing  a few steaks on the grill.Try a fiery fruity rub to bring out that meaty flavor. Pair it with the same kind of salsa and you have a dream meal. There's nothing like a good cut , graced with a heaping of heat and sweet.

The Peak Of The Season

Mid August is the time for the bounty of the summer season. This is when everything is ripe and tasty, perfect for a meal and dessert. Take advantage of this at your local farm or farmer's market. You can create some healthy and delicious dishes, full of fresh flavor.

Dave Tanis certainly did in this week;s A City Kitchen column in the Wednesday New York Times' Dining section. he has come up with some really interesting recipes that utilize the best of summer from tomatoes to berries. I like his one for eggplant. Usually most cooks either make it Chinese or Italian style which can drown out its sweet flavor. Mr. Tanis opts for a soup. He chars the eggplant first and adds the Middle Eastern spice mix za'atar for a whiff of the exotic. It's then  blend smooth  . Another recipe is for a corn blini made rich with the kernels stewed in butter with the
addition of creme fraiche.

Mr. Tanis also provides readers with a tomato salad, Sure, these are common this time of year but he gives his a Provencale twist. They are drizzled with a garlicky olive vinaigrette. He also adds the other ingredients  native to the cuisine. capers and anchovies. Peppers are also mentioned and they are stuffed with Frnch bread crotons and creamy feta cheese along with a melange of herbs. For dessert Mr. Tanis takes the berries of the season and teams them with a coconut milk panna cotta to round off the meal.

August provides us with one of the biggest vegetable and fruit bounties of the year. Stock up on these gems and create dishes that play up their fresh taste.Use this amazing harvest for some of the best of summer dining.

Giving Grace

Before every meal we should be thanking the forces that be and grateful for our full tables.Saying grace though  is hard. What to say . especially at a multireligious holiday table can cause problems. However there's a new book out this month that solves that dilemma. Thanks to Bless This Food,  every group, from Muslim to Orthodox, from Christian to Wiccan can offer prayers of thanksgiving.

I normally wouldn't review a book like this but I was so impressed with it , that I felt it has to be given its' due. This surprisingly slim book was written and compiled by Adrian Butash and  published by New World Library  out of Novato, California.Mr Btash has even gotten two Pulitzer Prize winners to contribute.Every section of this book is interesting. I like the different ways of saying grace in all languages including American Sign Language. The introduction shows us how the world's religions say thanks for a bountiful table along with the customs involved.

One would think a book about saying grace would be solely religious. Mr. Butash includes William Shakespeare and Robert Burns along with the indigenous chief Tecumsah Gandhi is also quoted as  is St Francis .Everyone is given an equal amount of credit. The prayers are not only to thank our respective Gods but also to be grateful for breaking bread with friends as well as  for the bountiful crops that supply us. Even the non religious or nature worshippers are mentioned in Wiccan  prayers and indigenous  blessings from North American and Mexican tribes.

Bless This Food is the perfect gift for any foodie, regardless of their beliefs. It is a thoughtful and interesting compilation of different graces.It should be within reach of any table anywhere in the world.

K S S Keep Salads Simple

This is the season for salads. It's a great time to take advantage of all the bountiful harvests out there. The best part of any summer salad is its' easiness . Don't overthink them. Keep them simple and tasty.It means less time in the kitchen and more time at the patio table.

Sometimes just one ingredient can make an entire salad.Take tomatoes or celery for example. A great accompaniment to any barbecued meat is a tomato salad. All you need are three or four vine ripes , sliced and mixed with a simple olive oil and lemon dressing. Mince up a garlic clove and add some oregano along with salt and pepper for flavoring..A chilled tomato salad is  even good spooned on slice s of Italian or French bread. Celery salad is one of the easiest to make as well. Chop up seven or eight stalks,  and again, just mix with  a dressing of only olive oil , lemon, salt and pepper.

Even a classic garden salad is a breeze to whip up.Use  iceberg lettuce and any kind of tomato along with a homemade French dressing.This last is just taking half a cup of mayo with three to four tablespoons of ketchup.Stir tiogether until well blended and then pour over salad. If you want something with a more exotic flavor add some tuna in olive oil along with some pitted black olives  to your salad. This makes a nice simple salad Nicoise without all the other ingredients. You can also try adding in canned salmon, chicken, or turkey to any kind of greens from arugula to baby spinach  to a field mix.

Now is the time for simple dishes that are tasty and cool. An easily made salad with one or two ingredients is all you need . It's a great way to eat both delicious and healthy during these steamy days.

Cold, Frosty Drinks

Right now we're in the midge dais of August.It is hot and sticky.We're hot and sticky.The best relief comes from a cool slushy drink.There's nothing like some cold. And sweet to male our temps drop. A home made version of a Slushie or Slurpee is always a good way to go.There are slush cups you can buy and then fill with the include plastic ice cubs to create frosty drink.This works well with soda usually and some fruit juices? Another way is to use ice cubes and a blender.This is actually the more preferred way and you can have a refreshing frozen treat in no time.Think about turning a home made lemon ade into a looser version of Italian ice by combining it with the ice.You can also make a tasty grape or cranberry one too or a combo of flavors.For purists juice your own ,and have a totally healthy ice. With organic strawberries and blueberries.Sweeten with dark honey ad some mint. of course you can give these icy treats a naught side as well.Try making a pin a co Ada.Add some rum to pineapple juice along with cream of coconut or coconut milk.Pour into a blender with ten ors ice cubes and blend .You can also try a banana daiquiri or any frozen Magarita (this last would be perfect. With home made guar and chips out on the ppatio)Whiskey and bourbon, believe it or not,also make tasty and heady drinks .These can be frozen on the fridge instead of having been blended with ice.Bourbon that warm weather must have of the South can also be incorporated into a frosty slush.Add equal parts lemon and orange juice to it, along with strong black tea to temper it. Yes ,the days are unbearably hot.Cool off with a homemade frozen slushie.You'll feel cooler and ready to deal with the dogs days of August.

The Exotic Side Of Atlantic City

Atlantic City has always been known for it's 'gambling and Jersey shore foods.After all it was the birthplace of the famed pork roll sandwich and salt water taffy.Now it's also being recognized as a sort of capital of Vietnamese cooking.There are now a growing group of Vietnamese restaurants that are becoming visitor favorites. It was an article in Wednesday's New York Times ODining section and was written by Robert Sietsema.The piece features one of Southeast Asia's tastiest dishes ,a soup called pho.THis is a broth with a melange of meats and spices?The broth is beef and star anise are the main overtones.There's also chicken along with scallions and garlic.This is served with noodles and is the perfect alternative to all that boardwalk fare.Some restaurants feature the foods from the Mekong Delta , the southern part of the country and one is hu tie ,a pork broth that also has seafood in it. Atlantic City does have a large Vietnamese population due to the gambling industry.They've hired many immigrants in their casinos so there is a need for this kind of restaurant.Like all Asian owned eateries they are big on family and many cater to those who love home cooking.No overly fancy or rich casino meals here. The stars are some home cooked mealsThere is Tom ram man ,a juicy shrimp grilled in a caramel sauce and cooked in a traditional clay pot along with boa xao luc lac ,This is cubes of beefsteak coated with black pepper and served wrapped radicchio and lettuce.People new to the cuisine could try Bo hue ,a spicy beef soup along with rice noodles. If you're going to Atlantic City fpr a vacation do stop and try any of the Vietnamese restaurants that dot the city.They are refreshing departure from the usual fried clams and pork rolls.Enjoy simple home cooked els after a night of too glamgambling