YOur Fave Snow Day Foods

 A walloping great blizzard is going to hit the East Coast this Sunday night into Monday morning. That means one thing - (well besides shoveling) - a day in to eat favorite foods. will it be a gooey grilled cheese? Home baked chocolate chip cookies Or a pit of spicy crock pot chili.

To be honest I am going to be making a big pot of veggie strew in Sunday that will take us into the next day. There will be a warmed baguette to go with it, along with plenty of oil and COuntry Crock Plant butter.  This will be perfect on Monday too. I will be shopping at Lidl for treats such as their sandwich cookies and salty snacks to get us through the day There's also going to be Lidl's hot cocoa aplenty too.

So what is your snow day favorite food? Let us know. Stay warm and keep full.⛄⛄☃

Are Calories Important Anymore.

 Do Americans still need to count calories? Are they even vaguely important. No, according to  new study. This will definitely change the way American see food and eat.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this new phenomenon  in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday section, Calroes have been a part of American life for the last century or so. However the calorie is older than that and was used to explain the energy  burned by early made steam engines. thanks to French scientist Nicolas Clement .It only became attached to food in the 1880;s. It was Wilbur Atwater, a Wesleyan chemistry professor who applied the theory to food to help poor families get the most nutritional foods. Some modern day food scientists still use a modern version of that era's essential equipment , the calorimeter. This is burning food to calculate their caloric worth,People embraced this new idea that food fuels bodies the same way as a new invention of the era - the automobile was fueled by gas.This caught in a long with box scores It helped in World War One telling diners what to eat that would be equivalent to the red meat, sugar and flour that were being sent to the troop sverseas..Dr Lulu Hunt Peters, a California pathologist ran with this , writing about calorie restriction and how healthy being thin was.

It didn't help that the Roaring Twenties brought in the wafer thin flapper look followed by decades of Hollywood starlets having almost zero waistlines. Fat , once considered a sign of wealth was now considered unhealthy(and rightly so). Diets like the cabbage soup, Pritikin Atkins and now the Paleo arose,It also didn't help that Oprah Winfrey also had  been on various diets, telling her fans, urging her fans to count calories back in the Eighties. They too joined  he rin low calorie high carb diets .Oprah outlines her struggles in a new book :"Enough. Your Health. Your Weight and What It's Like to be Free". Her co author is Dr. Ania Jastreboff. It redefines obesity not as a personal failure but as a Neuro metabolic disease made worse by umtraprocessed food,lack of sleep, little exercise and stress. She says that calories are just a piece of information. They are a way  in which to easure energy within a given nutrient, but they don;t tell people about the nutrient itself. Just follow the new guidelines. Stay away from the ultra processed and ea t more protein and dairy. Eat nutrient dense food that will satiate for hours.

Is the calorie dead? Not now. It will be as the science os reassed and hew guidelines come out. The best bet is eat more fruits and veggies. Live healthy. That's all that tmatters.

Can Chicken Soup Be Improved,

 Ir';s as classic as toast and a staple of sick households. Chicken soup has been around forever, giving comfort and nutrition. However can the basic recipe be improved on> Surprisingly yes,

Regular contributor and  chef Ali Slagle says yes in her article on it in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section. She gives  tips and tricks to make the soup even more tastier and more beloved.One of the most important is use broth  not water. Water tends to impart a bland flavor while broth contributes a richness and tastiness.Any store bought kind will do  some good brands are Lidl, Stop and Shop and Acme Signature lines).Ms. Slagle doesn't;t mention the low sodium kind but use it it there are dietary restrictions. Another important tip is use herbs and spices. Don't be afraid of them. Turmeric annatto seeds and paprika give it an earthy taste while dried oregano and rosemary along with red peppers give a more Italian or Green flavor.Switch up the veggies. Do use alliums  such as onion and garlic for a stronger, more robust taste, Dont; be afraid to add diced tomatoes and peppers along with lemongrass , radishes and squash . Bay leaf is an important addition,It gives a soft and much needed earthiness and greenness to the broth.

what about chicken?Cooking a whole chicken for soup (and even stock ) can take up precious hours simmering. Ms. Slagle recommends using store bought already cooked meat,Rotisserie chicken cooks up only three minutes in hot broth A pat of butter also helps too, bringing richness to the soup. Garnish with any kind of bright green herb you can find. She offers a variety of different chicken soup recipes  some subbing in store bought gnocchis for dumplings. There is also the Greek avologomo which has the tanginess of fresh lemons. 

This is chicken soup weather. Make a big pot of it during t his blizzard. Then enjoy it's rich goodness.

Frigid Night Hot Cheese

 Cheese is the ultimate comfort food and what better to have it  hot and bubbly on a cold winter's night Thrtr' something about the goodness  steamy and oozing onto bread veggies or meat.Fromage is the ultimate chill chaser and it's perfect for these days ahead.

The people who do hot cheese the best are the Swiss. Fondue is not only a fun winter party food , it's also hearty and rib sticking,. Do you need a fondue pot to make the edish? No, but it does help. Usually most have copper bottom which aid in melting the cheese  perfectly. Amazon ha a wide range of them so you can buy one for a relatively decent price.The cheeses are nothing fancy, reflecting the Swiss love of everything homey and hearty.The recipe is a combo of two cheeses not one,. It; mixing The mild and addicting Gruyere with Swiss and adding in dry white wine like Reisling or Sauvignon Blanc. You could use a good Swiss wine such as Chasseleas or Roussette de Savoie. Garlic is also added for flavor aking with a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Crusty ,w arm French bread chunk are dipped into it biut you can also have potatoes and even apples(they have the same consistency to hold up tot he hot mixture). A smiliarn dish is Welsh rarebit made with cheddar cheese stout or ale and butter Worcester sauce and mustard are added for zing and it's pureed over toast. However you can also use thick slice of sourdough bread too.

What about the American classic grilled cheese and its' Gallic cousins croque monsieur and croque madames? These ooey gooey cheese treats have been warming cold stomachs for ages. A good grilled cheese starts with a good cheese or Swiss , and sturdy  slices of white bread (although you can Alsop use wheat ro seven grained too for a nuttier flavor)Butter the inside of the  sandwich while slathering mayo on the outside this gives the exterior a golden brown crispiness.. You could go the diner route ad add a slice of tomato to a few slices of bacon for more deliciousness. For some zing think about subbing Montery Jack in for the cheddar. The sandwich's French cousin the croque monsieur us an excellent Sunday brunch sandwich or a hearty week day bite. Gruyere cheese is used for the filling as is thinly sliced ham.It's fried in butter and topped with a bechamel or white sauce and grated comte cheese. If you can't find Comte, use Parmesan or Beaufort cheese. A great brunch variation is the croque madame which has a runny egg on top. This is the perfect  breakfast for dinner weeknight sandwich and more filling than Eggs Benedict.

Happiness is anything hot and cheesy. Make a warm fromage dish to combat this winter chill.It's a nice and tasty way to combat the cold. 

Following The Dream

 Martin Luther King pushed for equality and that meant that all Americans are equal and should be treated equally.It isn;t happening these days and he would be disgusted at what is happening. Yet we can carry his own legacy. It can be easy from a culinary point of view.

There are very brave people in Minneapolis who are delivering much needed food and supplies to immigrants. Most of this last are innocent , with the only"crime" is wanting a good life for their families. This means better everything including food and clean water. If you can help these immigrant families with delivering the basics like milk and produce to them. (however if you feel its' becoming too dangerous. then talk with local authorities about what can be done.You may need an escort or a supporting group). Another - safer - option (although ICE will unfortunately show up anywhere they please) is your local soup kitchen. Soup kitchens and food pantries cannot turn away anyone in need. You can work there, where cooking, prepping serving or cleaning up. Donate food or money if you can. Also ask your local restaurants to help out too. They have leftover food that cost too much to throw out.

Of course there are people who have been in America for generations who also need help. If you know anyone who lives in a food dessert. These are areas where there are no grocery stores. Sometimes the nearest one is anywhere from five to ten or even further away. If you have time , then offer to drive then twice or three times a week. This also give you a chance to see if they 're eating healthy too. Gently suggest more fruits and veggies in their diets if they choose more meats and junk food. Cooking for them and inviting them to dinner a few times a months can also help. It makes them feel included as well as knowing they're loved .It may be way too early for Spring planting and even garden planning but you can start thinking about planting extra for those who need it. Add veggies you know will yield up a lot of bounty. Tomatoes, pepper and corn are good choices. As for fruit, strawberries and melons can profusely produce as well. If you have a fruit tree that beats fruit, make sure to save some for those who need it.

Martin Luther King believed that America can be a good country That only works if we all pitch in to make it better. We have to do it ,now more than ever.

A Warm And Cozy Dinner Party

A dinner party doesn't;t have to have elegant fancy food t be a success. You can also serve hearty, rib sticking food especially during these frigid nights. It just has to be good Everyone will appreciate a tasty meal that warming to the heart and the soul.

One of the easiest heart warming dinner dishes t serve is crockpot chili. Unlike fancier roasts this can be started in the morning and  slow cooked all  day. This gives any host enough time to get the house cleaned and other groceries bought. If you want to make it a bit more glamorous, then think about subbing in chopped filet mignon.Surprisingly enough there is a lobster chili made with the white version. This  has white beans , corn and squash along with white onions.It's a different take and sure to be a crowd pleaser at any party.Would a stew be dinner party appropriate? Yes, if' its the rich < French duck and pork one called cassoulet. This is a hearty spoonful of the two meats slow cooked with added meats such as pork and mutton along with white beans, garlic and herbs. It can be served with a simple salad and crusty , warn French bread.The simple yet delicious shepherd' pie could also make a dinner party main course.Thus hearty British dish can be made elegant by topping the savory meat, veggies and gravy  not with mashed potatoes but with sliced ones arranged  in a fancy pattern,

There are two fun and filling dinner party dishes to think about. They are the Piedmontese bagna calda and the Swiss fondue. Both require a fondue pot (which can be had from Amazon at $23 for the least expensive and $84 for a deluxe stainless steel one) > Bagna calda or hot bath starts out with a base of olive oil , butter and garlic simmered in a fondue pot. Anchovies are melted into this to create a savory, unami rich sauce ,. Usually Savoy cabbage, torn into bite sized pieces are dipped in by each diner and then cooked. however it can also be made Paterson NJ style with the addition of cubed m, par boiled London Broil. Doing it this way will give the sauce added oomph thanks to the red meat. It's hearty elegance at its' best. Fondue is another ribsticking and completely fun dinner party choice. It;s melting Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses with garlic ,white wine and a splash of kirsch. Usually chunks of a baguette is dipped into this but you can also use boiled and peeled potatoes and cabbage too.

A winter dinner party can also good , hearty food. The dishes don;t have to be elegant. They just have to be delicious and filling. It's a perfect way to celebrate on a cold January night.

Your Luxurious Comfort Food

 Eve though January 19th is a holiday and a day off it's also Blue Monday. The third Monday in January os notably the most depressing of the year .If that is  the case then it's time t indulge in something tasty and decadent.

Here's the question. What tasty and decadent treat would you have?Is it popcorn with truffle oil, washed down with champagne. A lobster salad? Or an old fashioned smother in hot fudge sundae complete with walnuts and a cherry on top.What would make your winter blues go away? Mine is pretty simple. It would be a bad of Lidl's Salt and Pepper kettle cooked potato chips. The extra seasoning makes them decadent.

So what will get you through this January 19th? Let us know and enjoy it.