Supporting The Smaller Markets And DIners

 This pandemic is still hitting the smaller markets and eateries. It's tough for any place to come back . Even the bigger establishments have troubles , struggling to make a profit.It;'s worse for the mom and op places.

Visit the smaller fruit and veggie stores or farmer's markets if you can. They usually sell produce for a fraction of the cost the chain groceries do. You can easily pick up a bag of plums for two to three dollars cheaper or score two heads of lettuce for only a dollar. Many of these smaller greengrocers also offer other products like breads, pasta and cookies. Some even have a small deli section like The Farmer's Market in my town, Saddle Brook, It's a great place to pick up a quick lunch or get the ingredients for a spaghetti dinner or stir fry. A few of these markets offer ethnic specialties too , such as tortillas or halvah, depending on the neighborhood.

Diners ,, such as The Bendix in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey also rely on loyal customers as well as take out orders,These places are wonderful if you're too tired or it's too hot to cook. They have a wide variety of different dishes, sure to please everyone's tastes. Diner burgers are actually better than the ones served than what the fast food joints have. The French fries are definitely better, since they're usually hand cut and fried up with each order as opposed to just sitting there in old oil. Many places also offer alternatives like sweet potato fries or a side of veggie and dip. You can also get French toast or eggs there at any time of day. Again McDonald's and Wendy's usually cut off the breakfast menu at noon.  Also diners customize lunch orders and throw in extras like cookies or rolls for loyal customers.

The smaller groceries and diners need our business. Help them out with regular visits.They'll greatly appreciate it> Not only that you'll receive good food at good prices.

The Joy Of Cooking Again

 Today was a big day >I got to cook again after a hiatus of three months.It felt good to prep and season. What was on the menu? Air fried  portabella mushrooms!!!!!

Granted these are easy to make. IT's just washing the mushrooms  brushing caps and gills with olive oil and seasoning the gill side. The seasoning is just a sprinkle of onion and garlic powders mixed with oregano , sea salt and freshly ground peppet.

The caps need to be cooked at 370 degrees for eight minutes on each side.

You could scoop out the gills and fill the caps with flavored bread crumbs but you'll miss the flavor of the portabellas. This is an easy cook with just flipping them over half way through,

They were served with a spinach salad( my brother's ) with tomato and vegan bacon bits

It was a great meal on so many levels. It signals that I'm back to cooking  and tasty air fryer meals. It's also the perfect Saturday dinner, filling but light, and full of flavor.

Yes, it's a return to the kitchen, I'm looking forward to not only air frying but grilling and roasting again. THere's a lot of lost cooking time to make up.

A Dagwood For All

Sometimes all you need is a big sandwich A Dagwood covers this >It's an easy make on a too hot summer's night and the perfect beach or picnic bring along.

The sandwich is named for the famed cartoon character Dagwood Bumstead  who has a penchant fot multilayered sandwiches. His were several layers high resembling a sky scraper. A better and more realistic version is the club sandwich or BLT. What os good about this is you can get creative. You can spread a layer of egg,m tuna or chicken salad on one layer. Top with sliced gherkins for some sweetness.The next layer could be any kind of cold cut and cheese that works with the salads. Spinach and tomato slices are anther great top layer, These give you nutrition as wells as color and crunch. You can also make a vegan Dagwood with soy pastrami, bologna and bacon along with one featuring nothing but healthy greens Remember to use heart healthy vegan mayonnaise too. This is made with soy protein instead of eggs. Also sub in brown bread bread too.

A Dagwood sandwich is a fun change up from the usual sandwich fare.Get creative to make a combo worthy of Dagwood Bumstead himself. It's a fun and yummy treat,

Pizza On The Grill

 We always use the grill for barbecuing, but you cn also use itr for pizza. This is a nice change up from all those hot dogs and burgers.It's perfect on a hot Weekend evening. topped with veggies from the garden

Thr great chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote about it along with giving a recipe for it in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Chef Lopez-Alt has had some experience in making these delicious pies.He created them for Cambridge 1 up in  Cambridge Massachusetts. Grilled pizza is made a little differently than oven fired. THe  store bought dough is rolled into a ball and then dipped in a bowl of olive oi for an hour or so of proofing. It's then  dusted with flour , rolled out an carefully draped over the grill. Both sides must be baked first before putting on the sauce and cheese on.As  for the sauce Chef Alt-Lopez recommends a pureed plum tomato mix which has bits of tomato in it.The mozzarella should be a low moisture one or shredded Once topped, the pizza is returned to the gill to melt. If you're adding meat or seafood toppings make sure they're cooked, Finish with a drizzle of olive oil ad a good sprinkling of chopped basil or scallions.

Pizza fresh off the grill is a nice change off from all those burgers and dog. It 's the perfect meal for a summer Saturday or Sunday night. Have it with a salad and a cold drink for  the best outdoor meal ever.

A Classic Closes

 Many restaurants are closing these days, Blame the next generation wanting something new. It's happened now to Lusco's in Greenwood Mississippi.

Brett Anderson wrote about this century old eatery located in the heart of the state. LIke many Southern establishments it does have a dark history of racism>Its' heyday was during the JIm Crow South and was even documented in 1966 on CBS with waiter Booker Wright telling is story. There was a revival in the town thanks to the Viking Range Company.It was founded in the town in 1987. Funny how the pandemic actually helped to extend the restaurant's life. There are booths and private rooms where diners can enjoy Lusco's famed steak and shrimp dinners in a kind of seclusion.Curtains protect them so it's relatively safe  to eat out.There are other restaurants like Fan and Johnny's.

Lusco's may have had a checkered history but it also has a beloved one in Greenwood<Regulars and fans will miss their amazing family cooking.It is a trip through the area's past

No Meat Allowed Barbecue

 It's easier than ever to have a vegan barbecue these days. Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat make it possible along with some Morningstar Farm products.These are a healthy alternative to the real thing.

Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat have patties that taste just as beefy as any animal based hamburger. If you want to jazz them up a bit then dusr both sides with onion powder before grilling.This brings to mind our mothers and grandmothers; recipes that combined  ground beef with minced onions.  You could also try a dusting of chili powder to give them heat.For those dog lovers , try Morningstar Farms hot dogs. Brush with olive oil or melted I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for a crisper skin. Also think about adding Miyoko's vegan Shredded Cheddar along with chili sauce for an over the hot dog. Use the cheese on the burgers too for a tasty good for you cheeseburger.

Nowadays it's easy to have a meat free barbecue. There are so many plant based products to make this happen. Try them for a healthier grilling experience.

Grown Up Floats

 There's something about an ice cream float on  a hot summer's day. Amp it up by making it an affogato, vanilla ice cream swimming in a pool of espresso.It's a yummy treat on an August day.

The Sunday New York Times Magazine had ErikKim's recipe yesterday and it's a definite must make. It's a scoop or two of vanilla or chocolate ice cream drowned in a heady shot of esspresso. Mr. Kim recommends gelato , something without eggs, but any type of non dairy ice cream can work too. I'm planning mine with an extra shot of chocolate syrup for a mocchiato vibe. A puff of whipped cream wouldn"t go amiss here either.

This is the perfect dream dessert for these humid days, Try it for a tasty take on this Italian classic,It's a blast of icy goodness during these dog days.