Your Easter Meal Checklist

By now you should be ready for cooking your Easter meal.However with all the to do leading up to the holiday, it's hard to keep track of everything,and that includes ingredients.Remember that you can always run out or sub in something last minute.No recipe is set in stone The most important item is the main course.The ham is probably taking up a good portion of the fridge right now.Check your spice rack however.The most important part of the roast is actually there.Make sure you have enough cloves or cinnamon for the ham's rind. If you want a more savory one use mustard but make sure you have enough for an all over rub.It pays to have a back up jar, not only for the ham but if people want a dab or mustard at dinner.It also will come in handy if people stay for supper and want ham sandwiches.If you're serving asparagus to a large crowd a lasagna tin will work better than a Corningware one for cooking. You'll be able to spread them out and they'll evenly steam during a hot oven bath.Your baked beans should be soaking now too.Make sure they're soaking in just plain water and not salted.Also make sure you have extra brown sugar and spices too(although you can improvise here.Try a dash of cumin or nut Meg of there' little of the other spice) If you"re using tonight to make Easter treats,again, make sure that you have all your ingredients and supplies at hand.There should be enough confectioner's sugar for frosting and icing.Food coloring is in high demand in most households right now thanks to dying eggs.Keep an eye on these little vials, just in case your egg Picassos go crazy with them. .If you are missing certain colors,you can use beet juice for creating pinks and blueberries for blue and violet dyes. If you are out of colored sugar ,you can make your own using regular granulated sugar and food coloring.You can dry it in a low temperature toaster oven for a few minutes.If you're low on butter or margarine to grease cookie sheets, then just use vegetable oil.If you're making Rice Krispy eggs to decorate tomorrow, make sure you have enough cereal and marshmallow.Also keep track of the amount of icing and candies for decorating..If there are kids attending your Easter meal, have all the treat bags filled with favorites such as Peeps, chocolate eggs and jelly beans. The most important idea is to enjoy the holiday and your guests.If your checklist has worked out then you've prepared the dinner just fine.You've planned it perfectly and it will show through in your main meal and desserts.

Good Friday Lessons

today is Good Friday, one of the most solemn days of the Christian calendar.While it is a day of observance, it's also a day of reflection.Those who will have a happy food and treat filled Easter should think of others less fortunate.We may be heading into warmer weather but there are still families who need to use food banks and soup kitchens.Volunteer instead of a day at the park or beach.Donate what you can from your garden.Fresh fruit and vegetables are always needed and appreciated. This weekend, remember those who still don"t have.Keep them in your thoughts and prayers but also in your plans to help others.

Healing Recipes

Can a cookbook cure a person?Surprisingly yes.In the case of one centenarian New Yorker classic and beloved French recipes did the trick in healing her.The cure starts with devotion and ends with a potluck feast. The New Yorker is Ruth Levy ,a tough Bronx native who once decoded Nazi intercepts during the Second World War.Her story was the subject of an article written by John Willoughby in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.Ms Levy wound up with an almost lethal case of pneumonia and as she healed, had all sorts of books read to her by a distant cousin, David Vos.All sorts of books were read to her as she made it from the hospital to rehab to finally back home.One book was the classic cookbook,Clementine In The Kitchen.It's about an American family living in France and blissfully enjoying French cuisine prepared by their cook Clementine.When the rumblings of a War are heard the family including Clementine head back to Massachusetts where she introduces the locals to the joys of French cooking.The book was written by Samuel Chamberlain. As a carrot for Ms . Levy to get completely better Mr. Vos promised a feast from the cookbook.It was a potluck salute to the book and it certainly did the trick making Ms.Levy feel better. The recipes were tweaked to her liking.Red wine, was used in coq au vin as opposed to white, no capers in the deviled eggs and heavy cream instead of egg whites in a sinful chocolate mousse. One recipe that wasn't in there yet celebrated the book was a flour less cake made with Clementine orange made by pastry chef and family friend Dawn Datso.Ms. Datso made this Passover appropriate cake is kind of reminiscent of the top half of a Boston creme pie.It is redolent of the clementines with it and almond flour are the two main ingredients of the cake.A decadent chocolate glaze is then poured over it and allowed to set before putting candied slices of the fruit on top as decoration. Food is one of the best medicines out there.Ms. Levy was lucky to have good French food waiting for her so to speak at the beginning of her recovery. What a great way of celebrating with good food and good friends.

Fresh Spring Sides

Everything green comes up in the Spring and that includes delicious and nutritious sides.Some have been classics for generations, some are new thanks to the foraging movement.They can be made in a variety of ways,from salads to appetizers, from soups to sides.They bring the brightness of the season to the table. One of the most common and absolutely most delicious is asparagus.They are low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals.Look for stalks that are bright green,un blemished and stiff.One of the best ways to make them is Piedmontese style.Boil until soft,drain and place on a serving dish.Pour on about quarter of a cup of melted butter or margarine ,then cover with sliced ard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese.You can also grill them hoverer seems to change their delicate flavor.Artichokes are also big on the Spring side scene.Theses can be served with individual ramekins filled with dressing.Dip the leaves in these.Stuffed artichokes are another nice side.Stuff with breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.Fried artichokes are a Passover treat inRome.These are easy to make and delicious with any meal.They are cut to the heart and double fried for ultimate crispness. Spring means foraging and the forests are full of edible goodies .However if you're feeling a bit wary about picking your own , then try to find them at your local market.Nettles are in season and can be used in a number of dishes.Be warned though about them though.They have sharp thorny stickers that can do damage to fingers and palms.Wear gloves when picking and handling.Once cooked then can be made into soup or even a pesto.Most Y used by Italians and Greeks they find their way into ravioli, sauces and spanokopita.You can male a lively nettlecsalad with the steamed greens and walnuts. Morels are another woodland treat that's a Spring favorite.This is a spongy looking mushroom with an earthier taste than regular mushroos.Morels can be breaded and then fired or cut up in a pasta sauce.As with their button cousins, they're also an excellent ingredient in a mushroom salad with red and green peppers, or just cooked with butter.Another idea is to create a wine sauce and overcchicken and rice. Spring is here and with come a variety of fresh vegetables.You can try the usual or the unusual.Both kinds add freshness and flavor toany warm weather meal!

Your Spring Holiday Meats

With the start of Passover and Easter just a few days away, now is the time to decide what to serve.For an Easter dinner it's ham or lamb while Passover choices are brisket, turkey or chicken.If you pick a top quality main dish ,it will be a memorable holiday for sure.Choose the best for the meal's centerpiece . Many people have a hard time picking a Passover meat.Brisket is traditional however many are opting for chicken or turkey.Brisket is from the chest of the cow and is usually the toughest piece of beef.However it is one of the most flavorful too.You should always buy the best grade .Go for the packer cut kinds because they have the points missing .You can buy the other kind and perhaps the best place to get it is an old fashioned butcher,He can cut off the fatty parts and offer advice too.Turkey isn't as in demand right now as it is during the fall and winter.You can still buy it and it will probably be cheaper. It is labor intensive however. An easier version is just getting the breast.If you want another kind of poultry ,then think baked Cornish hens. This kind is also acceptable .Cook as you would the chicken.You can pay more at a butcher or market but you can also get them at any kosher supermarket. Easter brings about a choice, ham or lamb.Ham can be either city or countryMost Easter ones are city hams, that are one brine cured ,smoked and fully cooked.Country hams are fresh,and cured directly by being rubbed with salt or sugar.Your best bet is getting a cut with the highest grade.It has a delicate pork flavor and has a lean texture resembling a chop.It should also have a small amount of water too.Lamb is also another traditional meat served for both Easter and Passover.You can try the New Zealand/Australian breed or the American.There is a marked texture and taste difference.The New Zealand, or Aussie kinds are low in fat making them slightly more difficult to cook.The are a bit tougher and gamy.American raised lambs are much more tender and tend to have a sweeter flavor.They are more expensive however .The next choice is boned or boneless.A boned leg of lamb is heavier to lift out of the oven.A lack of it though means that it's harder to cook and it's harder to cook to the right temperature. Spring holiday meats should be the highlight of the celebration.Choose what is right for you ,your traditions and your level of skill.The result will be a tasty and memorable main meal cooked well and deliciously.

The Ever Versatile Bulgar

Bulgar may sound exotic but it's more homey than foreign.You can do anything with it,from creating a nutritious breakfast to an exciting side.It's also a great way to expand your dish repertoire with all the different recipes. Bulgar has been around for millennia It was a staple of the Great Ottoman Empire and still used in MIddle Eastern as well as in Lebanese and Syrian cuisine.It's basically the groats primarily from Durham wheat .The supermarket sells it already parboiled and dried.The U.S.D.A. Recognizes it as a whole grain and it can be labeled as such.it is rich in potassium and high in protein, making it a more nutritious side than rice.The best and easiest way to cook it is to steam it in a covered pot for twenty minutes and then fluff with a fork.You can microwave bulgar.Just use three tablespoons of water to three quarters of a cup of bulgar.This makes fro a quick breakfast if you add maple syrup and butter afterwards.Sub in herbs, minced garlic and Parmesan for the syrup if you want a quick meal. The grain can be made a variety of ways.The most traditional is tabbouleh, which is a salad of it mixed with cucumbers and tomatoes.Onions,parsley and mint are also thrown in for bounce as is lemon juice for more flavor.This is a perfect barbecue side, more refreshing than mayo laden macaroni and potato salads.Another idea is making it into a kind of dal, cooked with lentils .Carmelized onions along with such spices such as coriander and cumin along with cinnamon are added.Serve hot with toasted pita bread.It can also serve as a bed for chicken ,beef or lamb kabobs.Mix it with some olive oil and a variety of Middle Eastern spices to compliment the meat.Bulgar can also be used like barley to thicken soups and stews, along with stretching them too to last a few days.O Bulgar may be from the Middle East and have an exotic. Cachet, yet it is a homey grain, full of goodness.Start the day with it or have it liven up your evening meal.Any way you serve it is good.

Grain Range

One of the best ways to cook healthy is to cook with grains.There are a wealth to choose from and each can be made in a variety of ways.Grains aren't just used in baking.They can make excellent sides and even be the base of some Salads.Once you know what they are and can offer , you can create good for you and good tasting meals. One of the most widely used and ever popular grains is barley.Most know it from soups,It' can not only add flavor but also thicken them so they can resemble pot ages. Barley is good on it's own and can be used instead of arborio rice for making risotto.Remember to buy the pearl kind.It takes less time and water to cook. You can use hulled barley but it will take about an hour to cook and will require more water.Another much eaten grain is buckwheat.It's technically not a grain but a gluten free fruit seed related to the rhubarb.It has a deep nutty flavor and goes well with mushrooms or caramelized carrots and onions.Of course everyone knows it as a chief ingredient in pancakes but you could also use it in a bacon and egg scramble.For a more interesting spin use it as a filler for stuffed cabbage instead of rice. Some grains are only being introduced to the American palate.There is freekah, a Middle Eastern grain popular in Egyptian cuisine.It's cousin to wheat and is best toasted.The reason being is that a crop burned thousands of years ago after a village was attacked and what was left was roasted chaff.The villagers loved the smokey roasted flavor.It can be served as a side with butter amid herbs or as a salad ,namely with fruit such as apples and pears.Teff is another ancient grain from Africa.The grains are very tiny, sort of like poppy seeds, and have both a bitter and sweet taste.It is gluten free and very high in Vitamin C and calcium.The flavor is both bitter and sweet like chocolate.It is versatile,being an excellent breakfast with maple syrup or for lunch and dinner ,stirred into stew. Amaranth is another grain with an exotic, yet pretty name.It is high in protein and lysine.Use it in pancake batter or as a salad.It can even sub in for farina during chilly mornings. Grains are a wonderful to expand your menu as well as bringing more nutrients int the family diet.Try any one to start the day or end a busy day. Any one is a great addition to meal time.