Warm Sips

 This is the time of year for a good warm sip of something soothing. it could be a cup of soup or a cup of hot cocoa. We all need something warm to keep us toasty from our heads to our toes. These could be had anytime, from breakfast to late night.

A cold morning deserves a hot drink. Thanks to Dunkin Donuts , Starbucks and Panera anyone can have a good strong cup of espresso to start the day. However it's a cup of foamy cappuccino that 's  also a lift. Morning sips deserve simplicity. Save all the candy bits and whipped cream for later in the day. A good cup of Earl Grey also is the perfect heater for a frosty December morning. You could always make it at home and pour it into a Stanley Thermos Cup. This cup are perfect for hot homemade drinks.Fiil your travel mug or thermos with any of Celestial Seasonings. They now have a Black Enrgy Black Tea that will wake you up, helping you power through a busy morning. They also offer a Green Energy Green tea along with a Fast Lane Caffeinated Tea. These are also perfect for those weekend mornings when you have a lot of to do , from house cleaning to holiday shopping.The same thing can be said for coffee. Try some of the stronger brews like Cafe Bustelo or Chock Full O Nuts Uptown Express. Another good hot sip is Lidl's Bellarom brand.It's tasty with or without  a creamer.

As for a hot sip during lunch time. nothing can beat ramen, whether you;re at home or at work. Nowadays there are so many different flavors from spicy shrimp to chicken. Maruchan has the most flavors.They have everything from creamy chicken to lime chili shrimp. Surprisingly enough  you can make homemade ramen.  It's an egg noodle recipe and any broth can be used. Add fresh veggies bits  like chopped carrots and cabbage.Add a teaspoon of frozen peas and corn to make it more authentic Fresh ginger can zing it up. One of the best warm sips is hot chocolate. Yes there are so many different kinds , from Swiss Miss with its' packets full of marshmallows to Lidl's  Holiday Peppermint and Hazelnut varieties.Then there are the in house brands, from Acme, Shop Rite and Stop & Shop. These in house brands are just as good as the national ones. Instant hot cocoa packs are great for a quick hot sip, especially after dinner when you want something sweet and warming but not too heavy. Add a puff of Reddi-Whip and you can settle in with a good drink and a good book to read.

Hot sips are wonderful during these frosty days.Savory or sweet , they are perfect for warding off winter chills. Have a cup today and enjoy the heat seeping through  you.

Are You Cookie Ready

 Yes it's that time of year when home bakers get nervous.It's cookie baking season  and that can cause more than a few shivers. Are you ready? Don't worry if you're not. Just take a deep breath and make a list.

The first list should be the list of cookies you want to bake. if' you;re super busy then think about logs or pull apart frozen cookie dough. Both Pilsbury and Lidl have these and these are the easiest to bake No fuss , no muss  -and no mess to clean up.The first has everything from sugar  to  peanut butter flavors while Lidl offers pull apart cookout]ie dough sheets in chocolate chip. Another quick bake is the Betty Crocker cookie mixes which come in such beloved flavors as snickerdoodle and double chocolate chunk . Of course some home bakers  want to make scratch  dough. Then make lists of what flours you'll need,.The all purpose kind is not only perfect for creating cookies but also for making rolls and loaves. If you're making as something as elaborate as macarons, then you'll need to write down almond flour. You may need gluten free too if there are family and friends with celiac disease. Also check your cabinets to see if you cocoa powder or bitter chocolate for both cookies and icing. Look over your  flavoring and icings. You may want  to add another bottle of almond or vanilla extract. Parchment paper is a must as well. This prevents cookies from sticking.

Another list you may want to make is tradition and new. Of course family will clamor for their favorites that have been around for years. These are usually peanut butter cookies chocolate chips and sugar cookies. There may be spritz cookies on the list. Some cookies look good like macarons and Lindzer tarts or cookies but these can be elaborate. Make a tester batch first one , to acclimate yourself with the steps and two to test out on the family. Family, especially kids may wrinkle their noses at the macarons and their too almond-y taste and the Lindzer cookies with their jam filled middles. For the last if they don;t like the jam but adore the cookie, then fill them with chocolate ganache. Icing is also an important factor. Kids usually love to do this. The question is do you make your own cookie icing or rely on food coloring gels for color. Cookie icing is a mix if confectioner;s sugar, water, a bit of corn syrup and vanilla extract. A touch of salt is added to bring out the flavor. Keep the colors simple, Use just red and green along with keeping a bowl of uncolored which will be a snowy white. Have little bottles of nonpareils and sprinkles handy as well.

Yes , it's cookie season. It's going to be labor intensive but also it's going to be fun. Breathe ,relax and create a list of what's going to be baked and what you'll need. 

Warm Bowls Of Comfort

 The winds are blowing colder. There's stress from work,school and the upcoming holidays. yet'a frosty evening is the perfect time to hunker down with  hot bowl  of favorite foods. Change into somethign cozu, grab a spoon and snuggle in to enjoy a hot tasty mel.

Everyone thinks that pasta should be made for a crowd or at least two ir three people. yet even a bowl of penne and rotelle cacio e pepe style can work. You can just bowl up a handful of pasta to just suit your needs. A quick cacio and pepper is adding butter, freshly ground pecorino Romano cheese(Parmesan will do in a pinch) and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. You can adjust the ingredients to how you want then, whether buttery ,cheesy or peppery. This can also be done with leftover pastina too. This is also good reheated with butter and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese You could also make a quick salsa cruda using a few chopped Roma tomatoes mixed with minced garlic olive oil and oregano. If you have leftover French or Italian, bread and any kind of broth you can create the Piedmontese and Valdostano zuppa de montagna. Add grated Fontina cheese on bread soaked in broth  and the microwave for a couple of minutes or until the cheese melts. This is a great and comforting bowl , full of flavor and warming right down to your toes.

Ramen soup may not be considered a comforting dish but a bowl drop in an egg and that completely changes it. The egg not only adds protein to elevate it to a meal but also adds more flavor and color. The egg  can be poached or cracked onto the hot noodles. The heat will cook them right up. You can also swirl the white and the yolk around ,letting the broth cook then. up. Use the same method for a bowl of hot buttered noodle with an egg mixed in. Add a spoonful of Parmesan cheese and some parsley if you want more color and flavor.Any bowl of rice can be turned into a hot bowlful. This also applies for the small Italian pasta orzo. Drizzle some olive oil, oregano and any grated Italian cheese for a tasty hot meal or even snack. For some color, slice up grape or cherry tomatoes to add to it. If you want to give it some zing and warm your veins add a dash of hot pepper flakes for an arriabiata style bowl. Keep in mind you can do this with polenta too. The corn meal is a great base with butter and cheese or with tomatoes and oil. It's up to you how you want to make it,

A hot bowl of pasta,  polenta, rice or ramen is the perfect way to kick back and enjoy a hot bowl. Create something that;s soothes your mind and fills your stomach. This is the perfect comfort food.

Are You Stuffed Yet?

 Yesterday all of America gorged itself on a Thnaksgiving feaast.Here's the question - what do you eat the most of?

For me it was Lidl's cornbread stuffing. This was the best stuffing I ever had , Herby . Fluffy, .Moist. It tasted like my Mom's and our family recipe. It was the first food gone today Leftovers Friday. 

So what did you gobble up? Too many slices of pumpkin pie? Slices of moist bird covered in gravy? Yams? Let us know and how are you doing with the effects today.

Full of Thyme And Butter

 Thanksgiving means a lot of things to many people. We need to be grateful for having a day that we can reflect and be grateful for what we have - good food and warm shelters.

As a home chef I am grateful to many things..Today it's thyme and COuntry Crock plant butter. They're what made the Tofurkey (above , looking like a mini monster )  taste so delicious.The duo were also added to accompanying gravy too. As American home chefs we should be thankful for all the ingredients we have readily at our fingertips. That truly is a miracle.

This Thanksgiving and every day be grateful for what you can cook and bake,. Be grateful for the easy of buying ingredients and favorite foods. These truly should be thanked.

The Perfectly Set Table

 Everyone thinks the turkey and trimmings is the star of the Thanksgiving Day table. That's no t really true. It's the table itself.A perfectly decorated one with elegant plates and slverware is what guests will be talking about for weeks after. It's teh table that makes the bird not the other way around.

Regular contributor and chef Tejal Rao wrote about the tablescaping craze in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section, Setting a beautiful table has been around for centuries. Table scaping as it's called was first coined by British designer David Hicks in the Sixties, There are even contests revolving around this. At Los Angeles County State Fair  There are table scaping contests.These are not only over the top but also have been extremely popular since the 1930'sIt;s not just LA that offers this kind of contest. State fairs around the US have included them their many contests.The tables maybe have evolved but th discipline of selection have remained the same.Tables can be holiday themes or whimsical with papier mache aliens emerging from space crafts. The plates and utensils must be spotless.Each setting should anticipate its' respective menu.Judges dock points for the obvious flaws like spotted or soiled forks and glasses. Even a wrinkled tablecloth could means points off. Every aspect of table setting has to be perfect.

 Themes vary. One seemed to have a memorial dinner complete with an urn for an imaginary 's cat;s ashes One couple Branden Boyer-WHite and Shannon Waters devised one to fit the opening credits of Masterpiece Theater's Mystery series.It was a salute to the illustrator Edward Gorey, with characters that danced across a cross stitched table cloth made to look like inked wood grain. Chef Rao also includes tips for tomorrow;s table. She recommends a color theme of anywhere from two to four colors, Try fallish one s like golden hues, browns and deep oranges. Use handmade items whenever possible. Think of a bundle of twigs wrapped with  ribbons or perhaps pretty construction paper place holders with guests names written in calligraphy.. Start with straight place settings.Use cloth napkins. NO paper ones,NO big centerpieces. People need to see each other and talk.When you finish setting it sit a different angles and see how the whole table looks.If everything looks perfect then sit back and relax for a few minutes before the big task of cooking.

A perfectly set table is what guests will talk about. Make sure it is lovely and charming like those in the LA County Fair. Table scaping is just as important as cooking.

Thanksgiving Advice Just Breathe

 The next two days will resemble a baking contest and the popular comedy"The Bear" . The best advice is to just breathe. Home chefs, you got this. Just take time to give yourself some culinary me tine.

List making helps. f you haven't;t bought anything, tomorrow is the day to do it. Try to find shortcuts to ease the cooking, especially if you're busy at work. Get a simple turkey breast  if  there's just two . It saves on having a ton of left overs. Besides the breast meat is the most tender anyway. Get jarred gravy and stove top stuffing too. This saves on a lot of work. As for mashed potatoes, instant is your best bet. Frozen Brussels sprouts or green beans can be your side. Most big supermarkets like Acme and Lidl sell in store baked pies and rolls. Buy these. If you're planning a bigger meal, then ask for help. Guests love to come early and help out in the kitchen. It's a great way to catch up and chat instead of trying to talk during the whirlwind of putting food on the table and the cacaphony of other guests.The same goes for pie baking. It's a fun way to gossip and share a coffee while rolling out dough and coring apples.You and your fellow bakers can also go in on the costs too if they're also part of the Thanksgiving guest list.

As for yourself - relax. It's so popular  (and traditional) to order a pizza the night before the big day. Consider it tomorrow. Hot slices are always a big hit with the kids too. Chinese food won;t go amiss either. Save your energy for the next day. Take a relaxing bath or drink and herbal tea to ensure a good night''s sleep. No one can function or a limited amount of shut eye. As for Thanksgiving morning, don;t go crazy and create a hearty breakfast or brunch. Keep it simple.There's cereal and instant oatmeal to tide the family over. If you have to cook something hot, stick to any kind of eggs and bacon, whether real or plant based. Check your lists as to what needs to be done first.  Is the bread torn for stuffing along with the celery being washed and cut for it? Again when it's time to start prep, ask for as much help as you can,  Are the pots and pan ready to go ? It's time to take the turkey out of the fridge and getting it ready for the oven. Keep in mind that holidays today are not the formal affairs of the past yet if you want to pamper yourself with  make up and fancy dress, then do so.It's a fun  break from kitchen duty. Grab a glass of wine but don;t go overboard. No one needs a tipsy cook.

It may be Thanksgiving with non stop cooking and breaking but it's also a time to enjoy family, friends and food. Take it easy. Take care of yourself. It'll ensure a less crazy ,less hectic cooking day.