Your Fall Harvest Cornucopia

This is one of the most productive times of the years.Farms all over  the Northern Hemisphere (and even the Southern thanks to it being summer there). are bursting with delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables. Take advantage of this to create tasty and heart healthy meals and desserts.

Fall is the time of good desserts with fresh picked fruits. All varieties of apples are ripe for the picking right now. You can make a tasty pie using the Granny Smith kind or a microwaved baked apple using a Macintosh. This is also the time to try new recipes and new techniques. Think about making apple butter  or dried apples for eating later on. You could just go basic with just  a simple apple or one dipped in caramel for dessert. Pears are also in full force now too. Nothing says elegant than a pear tartin or baked pears . Both fruits are also excellent in salads. They give crunch and sweetness, making an ordinary mixed bowl of greens into something special.

Besides fruits. fall veggies are also sharing the spotlight,. Cabbages are starting to come into their own and you can create both hot and cold dishes with them. Make stuffed cabbage rolls, with wild rice , ground beef and tomato sauce. For a pure vegetarian dinner nix the meat and add either beans or crumbled soy.Pumpkin is in abundance too.. Yes they make nice decorations however they're just as good in a soup as is their cousin, the squash. Both are high in nutrients and flavor. Kale is another popular autumn green, It is one of the most versatile, going from salad to soup to chips. It's also easy to store too.Simply put in your fridge's crisper and use it whenever you're ready.

Head to your local farms for some good healthy produce. This is the season for a true cornocopia of fruits and vegetables. Incorporate  them in your diet now for both good eating and healthy eating!

Get Stuffed!

As any foodie will tell you there's nothing like sinking one's teeth into something gooey and feeling that savory or sweet filling squish out.It's kind of like a surprise ,with a spurt of texture and flavor added.Luckily there's variety of foods,from salty to sugary to satisfy that stuffed food craving. There are plenty of savory foods to choose from,from calzones to grilled cheeses. calzones, that Sicilian classic is literally translated from the Italian words big sock.That's what it is big sock of pizza dough stuffed with a combo of creamy ricotta and mozzarella.Sometimes ham or sausage is added.Bite into a fresh from the oven one and it's this explosion of pure flavor oozing into your mouth.A Monte Cristo sandwich is kind of like this.It's a batter dipped super sandwich stuffed with turkey ham and Swiss cheese.It's then dipped in a batter and deep fried.You can do variations of this with stuffing and just turkey along with a layer of cranberry sauce.Of course for healthier fare there are stuffed peppers along with stuffed cabbage and tomatoes.These can be stuffed. With healthy brown rice and quinoa or more decadently with sauteed hamburger meat and bread crumbs. There are some sweet stuffed treats out there as well. Turnovers are always a fun dessert or snack.These are easy to make at home thanks to pre made phyllo dough.Fillings can be anything from apple to cherry to blueberry.You can also have a creamy dark chocolate filling which is just pure decadence. Cream puffs ,that long forgotten but again easy to make dessert are another stuffed treat.They can have a simple vanilla pudding inside or a variety of creams.Try the easy Chantilly style which is just whipped cream with the addition of vanilla extract.You can also stuff them with a rich chocolate ganache.Fritters, are another fun surprise filled treat.Try them with apples or bananas and a dusting of powdered sugar. Everyone loves a surprise.There's nothing like a stuffed treat ,savory or sweet to embody that notion.Try a calzone or a cream puff for a fun burst of oozy gooey flavor!

From Seed To Table

There is already a farm to table movement happening in restaurants across the country.Imagine it going a step further with chefs taking a vested interest as well as having a say about the seeds sown.It may sound a bit extreme but it's taking hold.Doing such though can add totime honored recipes . Yet , will the seed to table movement catch on?

The idea was debated and discussed in Wednesday's New York Times Dining section. Dining regular Jeff Gordonier explored it, writing about how it will change the way chefs will cook and create. What this means is that not only will fruits and vegetables be better tasting but so will grains. Chefs may ask growers to experiment, creating not only strawberries that may taste better or even veggie hybrids but also richer, more flavorful grains..It also means more nutrients will be added to these , creating super foods. A  simple salad won't be simple.It will be chock full of  vitamins. Even that complimentary basket of bread won't be just an appetite whetter, it will be chock full of all sorts of good for your nutrients.

Are all chefs behind this? The answer is yes. Even chefs Sam Kass and Bill Yosses from the White House are for this movement. International chefs from Spain(always a forefront in anything culinary) to France to even South America approve of the seed to table idea. New York cooks, including the famed baker  David Bouley, is behind it. For him it would be a bonus, Imagine what his famed breads would taste like if they had been made with tastier flour. For all chefs it would create not only more healthful dishes from appetizers to desserts but also more flavorful ones.New hybrids would allow chefs too to create new dishes or spins on classic ones.

It may be in its' infancy but the seed to table movement will be picking up steam.It will add a different dimension to old and well used recipes.It will definitely usher in a new age of restaurant cooking.

Redoing The Classics

Both ratatouille and cutlets are standard, almost classic home recipes. They've been made the same way since their invention. However both New York Times Dining culinary writers, Melissa Clark and David Tanis have put new spins on these recipes. They're a tastier and somewhat better alternative to the traditional ways of making them.

Melissa Clark totally remakes the French Provencale classic,ratatouille. Usually the melange of eggplant, tomatoes and onions are first sauteed and then  cooked  stew like in a garlicky olive oil until they're soft and tender.This is time consuming . Another quicker, and somewhat zippier method is roasting the veggies on  a medium fire  until they were well charred and tender.Italian or French bread is them sliced and also grilled until it's lightly charred and toasted.After the eggplants, peppers and tomatoes are cut into bite sized pieces and then put into a bowl. Olive oil , basil , thyme and lemon juice is poured over them and then mixed.Goat cheese is spread on the bread and piled high with this new version of ratatouille.

In his City Kitchen David Tanis, tries a more traditional, yet still innovative way of making cutlets.He tries it out with pork, but you can make them with turkey, chicken or the more used veal.Instead of using ready made breadcrumbs which can be dryer in texture, he takes day old French bread and makes crumbs from it. It creates a better texture and a better flavor as well.He suggests using olive oil for frying but you can also use butter and even a good lard . The trick to a flavorful cutlet is seasoning before and after frying and serve hot .

Ratatouille and cutlets alone or even together are great meal choices. Improve them with these new methods. of cooking. It[s a neat spin on traditional techniques.

Jersey's Best Dogs

Everything tastes better in New Jersey. That applies to our hot dogs as well. In New York , they;re just plain boiled  , sometimes served with a small blob of sauerkraut and that's it. Go across the Hudson and it's an entirely different affair. They;re plumper,t astier and best of all served with everything under the sun.'

Robert Seistsma got to experience an entire variety of Jersey style dogs at different stands throughout northern and central parts of the state (including a quick run across the Delaware to Pennsylvania) Most Jersey dogs are deep-fried ,giving that extra crunch and extra flavor.To be honest they taste better fried than boiled and it does bring out the flavor more.The Garden State dogs are a mix of both pork and beef too.There are different names for them as well such as The Ripper which is slit hot dog with a sweet mustard relish and The Texas Weiner, a hot dog with cumin free chili loaded on top.There is also the Italian Hot Dog which is really three dogs in hollowed out pizza bread.These are layered with potatoes, peppers and onions. Mr.Seistsma discovered a variety of dogs .All are tasty .At one stop in the westernmost Jersey town,Buttzville, he ate a deep fried ball park frank,lovingly garnished with mustard ,chopped raw onions and spear pickles.This would be usual in itself ,but diners had the choice of either birch beer or buttermilk to go with it. The jersey Shore ,known for its'quick food bites is also represented here too.Max's Famous HotDogs of Long Branch was also visited.Their hot dogs are huge and fat ,split down the middle.These can be eaten with bacon , or filled with cheese or chili, true meaty chili. The famed WindMill is also mentioned ,and they are know for their crisp tasty foot longs.The Wind Mill also has a deck where you can enjoy the dogs with an ocean view.Not known for any view however Newark is known for creating the Italian hot dog.This is not for the faint hearted It,s a sausage stuffed inside a loaf of Sicilian pizza bread.Elizabeth's Tommy 's Italian Sausage. and Dogs has an even more decadent one, stuffed with three deep fried dogs ,along with fried potatoes ,onions and peppers. If you want super dogs then come to Jersey.The Garden State has the plumpest and tastiest franks loaded with all sorts of great toppings.Stop at any of these stands mentioned here or any others and enjoy e dog of a lifetime!

Fall's Fruity Desserts

This is one of the best times of the year for baking .The weather is  blissfully cooler and perfect for making  all sorts of desserts.It's also the time for a variety of fruits such as apples and pears. Combine the two and you have a yummy array of delicious treats. There are enough recipes where you can create a different sweets every day.

Apples are the most popular fall fruit and they 're also the most used in desserts. The most commonly baked apple dish is pie of course, Everyone loves a home baked one but you can also vary it by making a pomme tartin, a French version of the American recipe.This is a layer of  sliced apples on a decadent buttery crust. You can also make it with pears or with another fall fruit, the fig as well. Baked apples are a tasty and quick treat. These can go adult with a sauce of red wine and butter or kid  with the apples being stuffed with caramel and nuts.This is also the season for an old fashioned apple cake.It can be baked as a regular old fashioned scratch cake or a crumb topped coffee cake.

Pears, figs, cranberries and grapes are other fall fruits that are great in desserts. Like the apple,the pear is the most versatile. It can be poached in wine for an elegant dessert or baked in a tartin for a more rustic one,You can also make pear strudel or have it oozing out of turnovers. Figs are another nice variation. These can be poached in honey or made into a cake with ground almonds. Grapes surprisingly can be made into a cake as well. Another fall standard, the cranberry  can be just as versatile. It can grace cheesecakes as well adding zing to oatmeal cookies You can also make a fluffy yet tangy mousse with cranberries too.

This is th eseason to get out the pots and pans and start using the fruits of the season. There are all sorts of delicious recipes to make with apples and pears figs and cranberries along with grapes. Try  a new on eof a family recipe to create a sweet treat for these crisp autumn days.

Hearty Fall Breakfasts

There's a nip in the mornings now.Gone is that balmy tropical air and he high temps.It's time to put away the summery breakfasts of just fruit or maybe a roll.It's time to bring back the heartier breakfasts.There 's nothing like a good ribsticking meal to start off a chilly autumn day. One of the best breakfasts is a traditional one.You can have bacon and eggs which is decadent and tasty.You can vary it by making a breakfast sandwich.Just add either scrambled egg or even a cheese omelet on an English muffin. finish it off with a couple of slices of pork roll or breakfast ham.If you're worried about the high levels of cholesterol, then swap the whole eggs for Egg Beaters and switch thereat to either turkey bacon or soy sausage.Even. The English muffin can be switched to a whole wheat kind.Another breakfast to warm you up is eggs with hash.The last you can make your own or buy the canned variety.For a fancier weekend brunch make the always elegant Eggs Benedict ,complete with a rich Hollandaise sauce. of course nothing beats a stack of pancakes for a hearty first meal.You can either go decadent or healthy.For decadent , think about adding chocolate chips and serve with whipped cream.For healthy go with any fruit, whether it be apples or bananas.IYou can also add flax seeds as well or almonds.Pancakes and waffles can be made with whole wheat flour too to make it healthier.You can also nix the maple syrup and try a dark honey.French toasts always Makes any breakfast special.Again you can make it heart healthy by topping ith with fruit.You can also "stuff" it with cream cheese or marscapone cheese along with adding any flavor jam or jelly. Now that it's fall ,start thinking of starting the day with hearty breakfasts.It's a great way to meet a chilly day .It's also a good way to start the work or school day too.