Corona Plaza A Weekend Treat

If you're looking for something different to do thos Spring then think about  the Corona Plaza Market in Queens new York. This is the place to go for a taste of the familiar and exotic It's worth the car bus or subway trip out.

Rrgular contributor Priya Krishna wrote about it in today's New York Times Food section. It'sworth the trip out You can try prok skin crackles over warmed potatoes or a tprtilla filled with sliced beef and onions.Blame the pandemic on this area. Many vendors lost their jobs and couldn't go back to their old jobs. They created new food and drink oriented ones.

It paid off. This area is popular with all sorts fo people, from hipsters looking for a new flavor to Latinos searching for a taste of home.The in gredients are fresh and seasonal. Freoilan and ZChristina Garcia not only make fresh tacos and totillas but also agua fressca, the refreshing water based drink. They use market boiught cucumbers and lime for it. Their corn flour based drinks have fresh peanuts and walnuts. Not allof it its rosy however. There have been raids where ,local cops take their gear and they have to retrieve it. This can be costly.

Still if you want to try Corona Plaza Market do so,It's a fun and tasty getaway It's a day trip worth taking.

Vitamin Plus

 Should it just be kids who take viamins. If your answer is yes, think again.Adults need them much more than kids and taking them is a good habit to get into.

I got into takin multivitamins thanks to the results of a blood tesr, My doctors recommended them after my panels showed I had a slightly lower white blood cell count. This is alarming because a low amount ,means a tougher time of fighting off infections. I went with Walgreen's multivitamin gummies, due mostly to their addition of  folate and B-12. This brings up the white blood cell or wbc count.Two a day does it and they are fun to eat, The flavors are pretty good, peach, orange and a combo of the berries.

Can you get this many vitamins with a healthy diet. Yes, but that means eating a lot of veggies and fruots. This is a good habit but sometimes you don't have the time or even the money to get fresh produce and meats. Let's face it too, a healthy diet can be a boring one too. Sometimes you want empty calories and junk food. 

Take those vitamins. Pick out what works for you. Gel cap, pill or gummy. You'll feel better and be better with a daily dose.

Slightly Ajar

 This blog is back - sort of  .I'll be writing shortened versions of it every day. 

Yesterday the New York Times put out their one hundred greatest Manhattan and borough restaurants guide. There are some good ones listed, ones that I'd like to visit and write about.It just bings to mind how important restaurants are , especially when you can't cook. i;ve relied on them in the last couple of weeks. 

Don't get me wrong. I miss cooking. I miss my spices and olive oil. I love tweaking a recipe I've just discovered. However even chain eateries like Blaze and Taco Bell have come in mighty handy lately. Celebrate your local places and if you can;t cook, then eat out. There's something fun about ordering your faves or eating the leftovers a day later.

Until The End Of Asparagus Season

 Foodie pantry will be taking a short break - probably until the end ofasparagus season - or maybe this week.

I am having , yet and yet again - surgery this time  yet again on my arm. COoking will be hard for now. Baking is out of the question. This is my last night to really cook so it's asparagus again  -yum - and plant based fish sticks from Good Catch.

I plan on writing about Good Catch as soon as I can. This is an intriguing company and I'm looking forward to try their products.

See you soon. Iwill be returning with some new recipes and products to try.

A Picnic Of Leftovers

 With Easter comes leftovers. Everyone right now is inundated with ham and hardboiled eggs , not to mention Spring potatoes and soem kind fo veggie side. What to do? Use them on an Easter week picnic. Everything cna be repurposed in a tasty outdoors dish.

Of course there is ham and with it comes all sort of leftover ideas. The best for a picnic is slices on a good sourdough or baguette. You can layer it with slices of Gruyere along with either mustard or mayo.A ham salad is also a smart repurpose. This is a mix of cubed ham, mayo and chopped celery. Some add a  tablespoon of chopped dill o sweet pickle for tang and bite. That's up to you as is the addition of mustard. The best seasoning for this is simply  freshly ground pepper (skip the salt because th e ham has it). You could add celery seed which gives it a fresh green undertaste.Devilled ham is another picnic food you can easily make wth the leftover meat.Blend chopped ham with any oil or mayo. You could add celery for color or carraway seeds for a more robust flavor. Some add Worcester sauce to get that unique  Underwood Devlled ham flavor.Again it's up to you tastewise. Devilled ham is great on Hawaiian rolls but would also be good on thin slices of Italian bread too.

All those Easter eggs can  be repurposed too. A plain one with some salt is a nice simple appetizer in any picnic basket. You could also turn them into devilled eggs by peeling them and then cutting thm in half. Mash the yolk with some mayo and ketchup (or mustard ) and then refill the whites . Add a dash of paprika for some color. How to transport? You can use a silicon muffin tray or even an ice cube tray . Make sure they're at the top fo the cooler or have some kind of solid lid so they're not squashed. What's a picnic without egg salad sandwiches? This is a simple make with just the hard boiled eggs and mayo. As with ham salad you can add other ingredients like chopped green onions or mustard if you want. You can make the sandwiches at home or bring a container and rolls and wait until you hit the park or the beach. Those left ove veggies can also be turned into yummy salads too.Add a vinaigrette to those green beans or broccoli florets , mix and pop into a carry all container Slice leftover Spring or new potatoes, add some mayo and chopped celery and you have another tasty picnic dish.

It's the week for sunny picnic and good food. REpurpose those Easter leftovers into a tasty out door lunch. It's a fun way to njoy that ham and Easter eggs a second time.

Holy Saturday Traditions Breaking

 Usually Holy Saturday is the day I frost my lamb cakes. This year I am taking a break.

I have a lot coming up and that includes cooking tomorrow's Easter dinner. I relied on the excellent bakers at my local Acme to provide ne with a Easter dessert  - mixed chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with gobs of brightly colored icing on top along with plastic symbols and toys ( a rabbit ring!) on top.

Have a blessed and joyous Easter full fo treats , and sweets. Count your blessings for family and a good life.

Good Friday Traditions

 This Good Friday ,remember  the traditions that make this day holy and somber .Many give up meat ,.A few even forgo dairy and eggs. It's up to you on how you want to observe.

I relied on a family recipes noodles with eggs,  from my Swabian German American grandfather's family.It was always made on Good Friday and was a filling dinner after visiting the church.I made it vegan by using Just Egg and then took a traditional route by subbing in spaetzle. It's served with peaches , as many German dishes are served with fruit instead of vegetables.

Today is a day full of somberness and prayer. Pray for those around the world that they can have an Eastrr weekend full of traditional foods and rites wherever they are.