Mightlycious Cookies Mighty Good

 What happens when you're craving a really delicious cookie and you can't have one thanks to gluten allergies? You go to  the Mighylicious Cookies site and go wild with the wide array of gluten free cookies there.

I discovered these when I wanted something a little more healthier and better for my stomach. Finding them was like finding a treasure chest of flavorful gems. I ordered some fo my faves that I can have as a dessert or a fun beach snack.The brand's story started out of necessity when the creator Carolyn Haeler was diagnosed with celiac disease. This fellow cookie fiend tried finding gluten free cookie brands. After finding one and having it crumble on her she realized there was a need for a better gluten freen cookie. She came up with the Mightylicious and not only included flavors she liked but flavors that are always on the top of everyone else's lists

There are so many flavors to try. The oatmeal raisin and Double Dutch chocolate are my favorites. .Te Double Dutch is so rich and chocolate-ly it's like pudding.

I also liked the salted peanut butter - how novel - and the chocolate chip.

The oatmeal coconut became a fast favorite of mine and I really enjoyed the brown butter chocolate chip.Both were very flavorful.

Another plus is that the cookies come two to a packet so they're perfect with slipping into a lunch bag or bringin on vacatrion

                                           They're definitely beach or trip ready. Another plus is that they're very moist so they won't crumble so fast and won't leave a mess on a beac blanket or in the car.. What is surprising is that they're made with grape juice and apple cider vinegar but you can't taste either.

Want a mighty delicious cookie that won't upset your allergies? Then order some Mightylicious Cookies. They're flavorful treats that you're sure to enjoy.

The Four Days Only Dining

 The four day work week took hold duriong the pandemic. It's not a bad way to work with more time devoted to home and family. Yet would this concept work for restaurants. That's what many are asking.

New contributor Regan Stephens ,  who alsow rites for Conde Nast and Food and Wine magazine wrote this intriguing piece for yesterday's New York Times Food section. It's a question many restauranteurs are asking themselves. Can they run their places on a four day work week? While many other businesses are getting back to the five day work week some chefs feel it's better to just work four days. Ir does create for a better work-life balance. For New Jersey chef Dominic Piperno it does work. He closed his famed Collingswood New Jersey eatery Hearthside  for a four day work week during the pandemic in 2020.He has kept it three years later. It means that employees receive a more sustainable schedule while drawing wary veteran workers back into the workforce.The change had an immediate impact on its' pastry chef, Kelly Bradley who got to spend more time with her twelve year old daughter Makenzie, They get to do more things like roller skating together.The days may be longer , eleven hours as opposed to eight but the benefits are great.

Yes, it can be difficult. There should be a plan in place to fit schedules and delivery times. According to Hudson Riehle, the senior vicepresident of research at the National Restaurant Association.if an operator wants to close for a four day week  they've put very specific thought into the need to do so and create a business plans that works.A four day work week has alway be been floated around the US but never actually put into use. Some workers want , almost demand, a five or seven day work week. There are headaches too. Patricia Howard and Ed Szymanski have faced their share of difficulties with both their Manhattan restaurants, Dame and Lord's. They wake up to texts  about broken equipment , ingredients that didn't arrive and employees calling in sick. Yet if a shortened work week  makes most of the workers happy so be it.Leina Horii one of the owners of the Nashville  based Japanese cafe Kisser has noticed nothing but plusses instead minuses. They only open on weekdays for lunch. The shortened working hours have provided them with amazing employee retention while allowing her anbd her husband Brian Lea to be people outside the restaurant industry.

Will four day restaurants be a standard or just a fad? If the trend means happier workers and better food then let the eateries have their shortened work weeks. It can only be good for both the staff and the customers.

The Power of The Cooking Video

 People around th eworld have been transfixed by cooking videos for the last sixty some odd years. Now a new generation of home chefs are not only warching but creating their own series thanks to You Tube and especially TikTok. Are they as popular as their predescessors? Absolutely!

Regular contributor Priya Krisna and Tiktok contributor Umi Saim wrote this interesting guide in today's New Yorkm TImes wednesday Food section. There have always been some form of cooking show, first starting in the early 1950's/ These were usually relegated to local news shows that occassioanlly showed a ten or fifteen minute cooking or baking how to. Julia Child suhered inthe first of cooking shows with her "PBS "French Cehf " series. There was also JOyce Chen. Most cooking programs were relagated to  public broadcasting howeve that all dramtically changed in the Nineties. The Food Channel was born and with  ti a whole new era of celebruty chef. This was the era that birthed Emeril Lagasse along with Good Eats  and a host of other fascinating shows.A decade later You Tube was born in 2005.It was a platform for all sorts of chefs , from Paula Deene to home chefs.It's still popular with people drooling over the pastas and other home cooked recipes of The Nonnas.

Yet it was YOuTube first created in 2015 and then arriving a year later in 2016 to the States. The videos were extrememly cheap to make. All you need is lighting and a camera. The pandemic three years ago accelerated this as people stuck at home discovered the joys of home cooking and baking. It was also a boon to home chefs eager to share favorite and family recipes.Unlike other cooking demos fo decades and years past TikTok allows viewers to stitch and duet, adding their input to the original video. There are three different ways to cook on Tiktok if you;re thinking of brining your brand and style to the platform. There's the turbocharged MC like Hetal Vasavada. Their's is an in your face with food video.It's composed mostly of quick shots. Then there is the gentle storyteller Althea Brown. She seems to have the  most traditional video, brining stories to the screem much like JUlia Child or Graham Kerr.If you want wild then go to for the mad scientist approach. There's usually a twist to a traditional recipe that a surprise.

Will TikTOk replace the traditional cookign show? Not really. There will always be home chefs who want a good half hour show to enjoy. Like any platform. Tik Tok enhance the medium. but doesn;t overpower it.

Air Fryer Sheet Pan Dinner

 Sheet pan dinners are always fun to create. It's mixing your favorite veggies with your favorite proteins and then roasting in the oven. Yet suppose it's too hot for a working oven. What to do? Call in the air fryer.

I deicded to experiment with this. Could aubbing in an air fryer for an oven  be done? Yes   but on a much smaller scale. Keep in mind hteres mo roon to spread the veggies and meat. They have to be layered on top of each other and then carefully mixed halfway through the air frying.I used these smaller potatoes

These aew Yukon Gold. They were tossed with olive oil and then combined with sliced onions.

As for the protein I used already fried and crumbled vegan sausage. These provides the salt and spice  - what the dish needs.There is only one problem with the ingredients . The potatoes have to be cooked a good half hour before they're tender. This can lead to some of the sausage bits drying out and the onions slices getting seriously burning. The next time I make this I'm going to par boil the potatoes first and then smash them for a quicker fry.

The end result was pretty tasty .I combined the air fried sheet pan mix with sauteed zucchini coins. It was a good combination. epsecially when I added the sauce. This was a highly spiced peppery sauce that worked well with the potatoes. It 's going to make an excellent lunch tomorrow too.

Can you do a sheet pan dinner in an air fryer? Yes it cna be done. You'll still get the same great flavor from favorite veggies and proteins.

Dinners Done Easy

 Sometimes you just want an easy supper. It could be a quick bowl of ramen or a corn dog in an air fryer. Both are good after a bosuy day.

I've felt like this lately, thanks to renovating my home. Cooking  in this case is just not doable. Maruchan Ramen soup is a must

                                       It's just adding the flavor packets and water to the  bowl.

                   Pop it in the microwave for three minutes and it's a full, satsifying meal.

                                           Then there are the Morningstar Farms corn dogs

            This was a quick fry in the air fryer. It just took about ten minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit.

                                   Air frying made the dogs crispy and golden brown. There's really no need to deep fry them.

                                The inside was a tender dog with a very crunchy exterior. It was a quick dinner  and a fun alternative to traditional hot dogs.

There are many ways to have a fast, hot dinner. Get a bowl of ramen soup. Fry up some corn dogs in the air fryer. They're great for eating dinner when you don;t want to cook.

Classic Summer Recipes

This is the time of year when classic summer recipes come in handy. They make good use of the produce of the season, from zucchini to corn, from fresh fruit to fresh herbs. These are what make summer eating memorable.

Farms and farmer's markets are selling corn right now. Og course there is classic corn on the cob (made easier with an air fryer) but there's also the deliciou corn chowder which can be made now and then frozen for the colder weather. This is a creamy soup made with crispy bacon  which gives the fat to saute the onion. Potatoes and chicken broth are added to this along with flour mixed with milk and heavy cream. Three cups  of fresh corn along with a pound of Russet potatoes are added. A cup of white Cheddar cheese is added for more richness along with salt and pepper. It's a perfect soup to make on one of those rare cool summer days. Another classic using the ears is corn salad. This is made with fresh tomatoes from the garden, sliced cucumber and chopped red onion. Dress with a simple oil and red wine vinaigrette. Another summer staple is zucchini. Sliced zuccnini coils sauteed in a mix of butter and oil  infused with chopped garlic. This is a perfect side for any grilled meat. Also consider subbing in the squash for eggplant when you make ratatouille too.

Fresh herbs are in bloom right now. It's definitely time to create pesto, the basil sauce from Genoa. This is taking two cups of fresh basil and blending them with half a cup of  olive oil. You could add pine nuts or walnuts if you want but this may cause the sauce to become rancid quickly. Add some Parmesan before you serve it. What's pesto good on? Try it on any kind of pasta from spaghetti to ravioli.It's also good on gnocchi too but even better on grilled chicken and pork chops. MInt is in abundance right now. It can be used in everything from salads to cocktails and mocktails. A refreshing picnic side dish are peas with mint. You could also add a sqwueeze of lemon to this. Try a simple syrup infused with mint. THis is just cooking water and granulated sugar together. A cup of freshly picked leaves is added to this and then strained out. Of course fruit is being harvested right now. It's the time for crisps and crumbles with all sorts of buttery , sweet toppings over cooked blueberries and blackberries,. However  bake classic fruit  muffins chock full of these gems that also include peaches. These are a great breakfast treat, especially slathered with butter.

This is the season that begs for classic recipes from summers past. Use the bounty of the season to create memorable dishes. It's time to make culinary memories.

A Shot Of Fresh Fruit

 What gives a summer cocktail or mocktail sassiness and freshness.? A shot of fresh fruit. There's something about adding summer's bounty to a fruity and relaxing iced drink.

I recently discovered this at Moby's down in the Atlantic Highlands. Moby's is  known for its' seafood but also for tasty  drinks that go well with oysters and lobsters. The bartender was making a mango daquairi which gives the traditional cocktail a different tastier spin. Fresh mango slices were pulverized in a blender and then the rum and dark sugar or demerrara syrup.Blueberries and strawberries can also be used in this as well. For the blueberry cocktail use about one cup of washed berries and for the strawberry the same. Keep in mind you can make virgin daiquiris' too. Just sub in Ronsin a non alcoholic rum or use pinenpple or cherry juice. The pineapple gives the mocktail a tropical flavor while the cherry imparts a tart flavor , perfect for counterbalancing all that sweetness.Another fun blueberry drink is one where blueberries are blended with vodka.They're smashed first with mint , homey or simple syrup and a squeeze of lime juice. Add half  a cup of good vodka (like Skye or Stoli) and shake well in a cocktail shaker. Pour into mason jars. Add more mint and a straw for sipping.

Think silky Bellinis since it's peach season too. This wonderful mix of Prosecco is just as easy to make as it is to drink. Keep in mind that the original recipe does call for white peaches however if you can;t find any then use the golden ones. The peach puree is easy to make (and cna be used to make fresh peach ice cream too).It peeling or boiling off the skins and then cutting four ripe pitted  ones into chunks. They're then put into blender  and pureed You can also use an immersion blender for this too.  Add a quarter cup of th e puree into champagne flutes and the top off with Prosecco or Asti Spumante. You can make an easy Bellini mocktail too with ginger ale or spakling apple cider. These may be too sweet so try a plain or peach flavored seltzer for this.Nectarines are also in season right now and the fruit lends itself to some tasty cocktails. Again peel and then puree. You could add it to Prosecco but also try the nectarine in whiskey sour  which is a combo of simple syrup, whiskey and egg white mixed with the puree. The egg white is added to give the drink it's signature foamy head. As for a nectarine mocktail, think seltzer and puree with an infusion of a mint flavored simple syrup.

Fresh fruit takes cocktails and mocktails to a whole new level. Add some of the summer's bounty to your next drink.It's a refreshing and fruity respite on a hot day.