A Crispy Take O Cornbread

No matter how you make it, cornbread is just downright tasty. It's a great side  for chili ,fried chicken or just on it's own with butter, jam or even a dash of hot sauce. Surprisingly it's not the corn that makes it but the other ingredients such as the browned butter added to it. This is what gives the bread its homy yet deep flavor.

Melissa Clark realized this and wrote about in in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section (Yes, it's gone back to the original name that Craig Claiborne gave the section in 1957. Thank current editor Sam, Sifton for that). She discovered that browning butter gives more of a flavor boost than using just plain or raw butter.Also a copious amount of butter keeps the batter and then the finished product moist. The last thing any home chef wants is a dry corn bread.It will be too crumbly as well as somewhat tasteless.  Be warned. Browned butter can be tricky to make. Ms. Clark recommends using your nose when doing this. The aroma should be nutty however when it starts smelling like chestnuts roasting on a open fire , shut off the gas.Another must is baking the bread in a skillet .A 12 inch one is recommended , especially if you are making it for a big crowd. If you want a smaller amount use a nine inch skillet.Baking it on the stovetop is much more in the way of how it was originally made.

Ms Clark's recipe is a minimalist one It has the butter ,but also maple syrup for sweetness. (you can add sugar if you want instead of this. Whole wheat flour can also be subbed in instead of white for a healthier version. The recipe can go either sweet or savory. Chocolate chips can be added for a different kind of treat ,making it a more of a breakfast bread. For more of a dinner bread, you can add cheese , whether the fiery pepper jack or the biting cheddar to the batter. Herbed corn bread is also another way to go.Toss in thyme, parsley and rosemary together or separately. Corn kernels are also good. They emphasize the flavor  as well as add texture . Hot sauce is usually drizzled on the finished product however if you want zing., then mix in a drop or two into the batter. Stir well, or you'll wind up with bands of fire instead of a uniform flavor. Whatever you do , just remember to use browned butter. This is what makes the corn bread moist and nutty.

Nothing beats a well made corn bread The secret is not in the corn itself but the butter itself. Browned butter gives it  the moistness and flavor needed to be classic.

Holiday Cooking without The Hassle

The Super Bowl of cooking is only a scant two weeks away. It's a day when even the most experienced of home chefs freak out . However there's no need to worry. There's a way of being chilled to almost Zen levels in the midst of a hot kitchen.


New York Times Food regular Kim Severson writes about this in the new revamped Wednesday  section.(the section went back to the original name that Craig Claiborne gave it  in 1957). She got to spend time with chef Regina Charboneau who knows a thing about throwing big Thanksgiving dinners. During her time in San Franscisco , being chef at the famed Biscuits And Blues  and Regina's she fed fellow San Fransciscan Robin Williams, along with Shirley Maclaine, Tim Curry , the Rolling Stones and Lily Tomlin. She now reigns over her own table in Natchez Mississippi. She shares my philosophy of convenience over convention. Chef Charboneau buys prepared pie crusts/ There are also store bought hot dog buns subbing in for brioche in her famed brioche and mushroom stuffing.Her brother helps in smoking the turkeys. However it helps to have a plan which is why Chef Charboneau has started almost a month ago. She has already saving drippings to make gravy. She also has her freezer stuffed with sides that will only have to be thawed and reheated Thanksgiving Day.

Ms. Severson also has some tips for home chefs wanting to avoid last minute problems . Do all your shopping within the week of cooking the feast. Salads and greens should be bought a day before, simply because of the freshness.Set out all your serving platters and bowls the week before too.Decide what dishes will hold what sides. Mark with a sticky note.As for centerpieces think fuss free mums, gourds or little pumpkins. Fooling with ,a  big floral display will only take away your time from the kitchen, Start saving the drippings from roasts ad chickens. These can be frozen and thawed the day of.Figure how much you will need per person, figure a pound of turkey per person, half a pound for kids under twelve. Prep the mashed ahead of time. Don't use the morning to watch the parade. Peel and dice th e night before and submerge in a huge pot of water. As soon as you get up, salt the water and start cooking the spuds. Add melted butter and milk as you mash. Keep this warm throughout the day. Serve store bought rolls and desserts on your prettiest plates to distract guests from realizing you didn't bake them yourself.Also don't appear flustered. Cut corners to save a little time for yourself.

Thanksgiving should be spent with family , enjoying a tasty feast as you count your blessings. Try  to minimize your time and anxiety by prepping before. You'll be thankful that you did.

A Good Meal For Our Heroes

Today is our Veteran's Day ,a day when we honor our veterans from all the wars.However we should honor them year round, ?The best way to show gratitude is through kind acts.For foodie's that would be a well cooked meal or a homemade special dish. One of the best ways to show how much our service men and women mean to us is the care package.Many churches and women's groups throughout the country are sending packages full of favorite snacks and home made treats.According to Veterans United the best stuff to pack are the Taco Bell hot sauce packets. Another must pack are those little bottles of syrup you add to water bottles.Most of our troops are still in the Middle East so the areas can be alternately hot and dry .They come in all flavors so send a variety of them.Tinned goods like tuna fish and deviled ham are welcomed as is canned chicken.Soldiers also like to receive beef jerky and sunflower seeds, snacks that are packed full of protein and taste.As much as you want to bake cookies and cakes along with making fudge, don't Baked goods and soft candies do not travel well.If you do want to put forth your baking skills, then go to the veteran's home with your creations.Hard candies are fine travel well and won't get gooey.If you're also sending toiletries such as liquid soap or cologne, pack these separately from the food. Nothing is worse than if all that breaks and spills all over the foodstuffs.If you do so, pack everything in a lot of bubble wrap as protection. Veterans young and old appreciate not only a good meal but good conversation.Even treating your neighborhood vet to a donut and coffee can be a fun time, especially if you ask about his or her life.Dinners are also welcome as well.Many chain restaurants will offer our service people a free meal.Privately owned restaurant owners should follow suit and extend the same offer . It means so much to veterans to have their favorite places and chefs honor them.Another idea is having a homecoming block party to honor any neighbors serving.The rest of the neighborhood can help in making the returning vet 's favorite foods with plenty left over for a second meal. Another thankful gesture is inviting them and their families over for a Saturday night game night or Sunday brunch.If you're very close with them, offer to cook a romantic dinner along with taking the kids for the night.If it's an elderly veteran, offer both cooking and food shopping or at least take them shopping. you can help them choose nutrituous fruits and vegetables. You can also help them stock up on staples as well. Honoring veterans shouldn't just be relegated to one day a year. They should be honored every day .They served for us. Now it's our turn to save them. .

Retasting Stouffer's

Sometimes a microwave meal is actually good. It s that way with Stouffer's, This is a company that actually  cares about what goes into  its. dishes and strives for a homemade taste. Another plus is that the company makes dishes just for one as well as for a crowd. Any home chef can make a meal for one for lunch and then one of the bakes for the family later on.

One of the Stouffer's meals best qualities is the flavor. The meals do actually  taste like homemade.I recently ate their stufferd peppers and it was exactly like something  I would have made.The stuffing, chopped beef and rice, was perfectly tender and tasty.I love the fact that the pepper had a good bath of tomato sauce. The last was plentiful, easily sopped up with bread. The stuffed peppers also come in the crowd size as well. My meal was part of the Just Me line, where you can get single servings. The line also has also Swedish meatballs which has four meatballs and  a small side of egg noodles and cream sauce.There is ,of course, their signature dish, French bread pizza. which not only makes a quick tasty meal but also a quick tasty snack too.The company has also cashed in on the baked mac and cheese craze creating individual cups filled with elbow macaroni and cheddar. These are great fast meals and can even be complimented with a salad for a  more substantial lunch or dinner. Even breakfast lovers can enjoy a meal for one with bacon and eggs , sausage and eggs and Southwestern scramble..

Another plus is that  the company also has dishes that the other brands don't.They have a Welsh rarebit which is a great weekend dish when you want something fun and hearty.Try  their cinnamon apples either for dessert or if you have a pork roast.One of the best aspects of Stouffers is that they have party sized dishes. This is a boon , especially for the upcoming party season. They have a large lasagna, perfect for an indoor tailgating party. Serve it with Stouffer's chicken enchiladas.It's eight corn enchiladas stuffed with meat and served on a bed of rice.These can be customized , such as a sprinkling if Parmesan over the lasagna or a side of tangy salsa with the Mexican dinner.Another idea is taking two of the family pack meals and also using them. Have a bake fest with the girls . Before doing the  dirty work of pie baking and cookie cutting, treat them to a hot meal of Salsbury steak or chicken breasts. Treat your   pajama party to the spaghetti and meatballs.

Stouffer's is the perfect  brand for those who want good food quick. Heat up anything from their breakfast for one to their party dishes. It's like you whipped up a tasty dish , but without all the stress and mess.

Your Own Spin

It's always fun to come up with a new recipe. Yet to create a dish from scratch can be time consuming It.can  be done,   just by   takin g a  boxed or canned food and putting your own personal touches on them. It's a way of jazzing up plain food as well as adding spark to a meal or dessert.

This is a not a new concept. Chefs Sandra Lee and Jamie Oliver have recommended using boxed, canned or bottled foods for easy cooking for the past fifteen years. Chef Lee has had much success with this, as she creates cakes using Duncan Hines or Pilsbury mixes. She even frosts the finished products with canned icing. It's nothing to be ashamed of; home chefs have been doing this for over a century with earlier generations embracing tomato soup, flaked coconut and tinned pineapple .Desserts are the most generous. A plain chocolate cake mix can be turned into a Rocky Road treat just by adding any kind of nuts  chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. That same cake can also be turned into a coolly elegant dessert simply by adding a few drops of mint flavoring . Ice cream can get personalized by adding a cup of peanut butter or  pureed berries  Just make sure that the ice cream is soft when mixing. It can be returned to the freezer afterwards. Those no bake pie kits are blank canvasses. A cheese cake can be turned into something special with a tinned fruit topping like raspberry or strawberry.

Savory  foods can also be zinged up with some additions. One of my favorites, Stovetop Stuffing can be customized any way.Sage  can be added for more flavor, orr sweetness toss in a scant tablespoon of  dried cranberries. A favorite quick meal. is store bought fresh sliced  turkey with jarred gravy. I then make the stuffing and later assemble as a kind of open faced hot sandwich.It beats a wimpy slice of bread and is more substantial. Another easy dish is beans and rice. Try the Uncle Ben's rice cups. Use any of Goya's beans and mix You can add cilantro sliced onion and garlic. Bean salad is also a fun and easy side even now during the cold weather.The plain hot dog is another versatile food that can jazzed up.Before grilling split them down the middle . After    they are  done add anything from sharp cheddar to chili . Even better  a a sriracha sauce to liven them up.

It's OK to used mixes and prepared foods. All it takes is one personal spin to make it your own. Add a dash of that or a pinch of this and you;ve got a dish with your signature on it.

A Toast Of Scallops

This is for you ,Eunice

A good friend of the family loved scallops. She ordered them at almost every restaurant we went to , and there were a lot of places we dined at . It was her signature dish. Scallops are a wonderful and varied dish that even novice home chefs can make. They can be dressed up for a holiday meal or served just with butter and a vegetable on the side. If you haven't discovered them , now is the time to do so.

The scallop itself is one of the more  complicated bivalves. However it is relatively simple dish to prepare.The  first step is selecting them. The most common kind of scallops is dry packed or diver caught. You can buy deep sea or bay scallops, the last is smaller and noticeably sweeter in taste. whatever kind you buy, look at the flesh. It should be a uniform pearly white, with firm slightly moist flesh, They shouldn't be completely dry or dripping with moisture. Avoid ones that look mangled or shredded. These have been manhandled and also indicate a lack of freshness.Never get frozen scallops. These are tasteless and way too chewy.Most home chefs buy about one and a half pounds for four people. If you're planning a party, divide the amount of guests by four and then times the 1.5 to get the exact amount for entertaining. Prepping them is a snap. Just rinse under cold water. Rip off the side muscle with your thumb and forefinger. It's no big deal if they can't come off. You can eat these little meat flaps  as well.

One of the best known scallop dishes is Coquilles Saint Jacques.This is a creamy custard like dish that features the seafood poached first  and is usually served in ramekins.It is an elegant dish to be served at candlelit . You can also pan sear them, which is popular in restaurants these days. Melt a little butter or olive oil in a frying pan. Sear on both sides just enough to give them a golden crust. To get an extra crispy crust  make sure they are completely dry (pat them several times with paper towels before cooking). Salt them at the very last moment. Grilling is the same method. Scallops can also be poached. Use a court bouillion which is a mix of a bouquet garni, or mix of herbs and a mirepoix of carrots, celery , onions and leeks..You can serve this with a side of rice or buttered pasta for a basic yet surprisingly classy dish.For a heartier dish , try them with corn in a thick chowder.It also has the tang of bacon too for a dash of smokiness.Serve them with pasta and peas and a sprinkling of bread crumbs.An Oriental spin would be scallops with orange and snow peas.

Our friend loved scallops so much, that they were a big part of her life. They are a treat to the palate, a true gift from the sea. discover them and how good they are.

Gourmet Cooking Made Practical

Usually if a well known chef writes a cookbook, it is written in terms that only other chefs know. Home chefs are left woefully in the dark, looking at on line dictionary or asking around as to what the methods mean or where to acquire rare and expensive ingredients. Not so with the newest cookbook from Chef Gabrielle Hamilton. Anyone can read these recipes, even the greenest of novice home chefs.

 She was featured in the new Cookbook section in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Dining regular Julia Moskin contributed this piece which is an interview ,review and recipe all rolled into one article. Chef Hamilton's new cookbook Prune, named after her East Village restaurant and it reflects her refreshing rule breaking attitude towards cooking and fancy food. She is a rebel of sorts, serving canned sardines on Triscuits  on her first menu at her East Village bistro.This is not your typical, food snooty kind of cook. The recipes are easily replicable.She doesn;t talk down to those who don't have a culinary education or are new to the cooking scene. The steps are easy to follow even if they are broken down to almost simplicity . Cooking and baking this way ensures the perfect dish. There are also recommendations about using already prepared food like Thomas' English muffins,,Grape Nuts and  -gasp - PAM Cooking Spray (although this is not a new approach. Chefs Sandra Lee and Jamie Oliver have been suggesting this for a decade and a half)

Another first is that Chef Hamilton is opiniated , putting her  edicts and opinions in the book. There is one trope about  never using balsamic vinegar ,or why candied lemons should be served ice cold with chilled peppermint patties.. Those mysteries orders, aside, the recipes are tasty and perfect for any home chef to try. Ms. Moskin includes a recipe  which is salt packed cold roast beef with bread crumb salsa. This is a roasted piece of beef tenderloin caked in regular Kosher salt. The description is just as delicious as the dish itself. Chef Hamilton suggests piling on the salt so it looks like a cast on a broken leg. As for the breadcrumb salsa, drain them in coffee filters. Really???!!!Also parsleys aren't just added, they're roughed up. I love the way she describes the oil in the pan , beautiful, veinous, and streaking. Her recipes are really a joy to read ,possessing a brio that even the most flamboyant chefs in the business do not have.

Chef Hamilton is a breath of fresh air in the cooking world. Her recipes are simple yet delicious. Her words are just as tasty and filling as the dishes from the new book honoring Prune, her restaurant.