Advent Foods

Advent started on Saturday and it's a preclude to Christmas.With it comes the start of the holiday food season and all the goodies and treats that come with it. There are some interesting dishes as well, with religious origins, , reminding us of the holiness of the season.

One of the most fun items associated with the period is the advent calendar This is a fn way of also counting down the days until Christmas. every day is marked with a small chocolate candy , usually molded in holiday shapes like a wreath , elf or some times toys like a train or a doll.It is also celebrated with a variety of sweets and sweet breads as seen in Germany Austria and German Switzerland.Both Germans and Austrians bake a tasty buttery cookie called a vanillekipferin.This is also an excellent Christmas cookie to make for cookie swaps and tree trimming parties.What makes it's unusual is the ground hazelnuts however you can also use ground almonds or peanuts. Nusseken, mini nut cakes , a delicious blend of hazelnuts , and chocolate on a cake, made with apricot jam. It is usually washed down with a variation of eggnog that has the added kick of vodka

In many of the Orthodox  countries such as Greece, Advent is a fasting period starting from November 16 to Christmas Eve. All red meat , poultry and dairy are forbidden. Some areas also forbid eating fish even. It then becomes a period of purification where Greeks eat vegetables and vegetable broths as well as plain breads.Indian Christians also observe Advent. Their culinary traditions reflect their heritage with rice and fruit dishes.They make a cake called vattayappams.Rice powder is mixed with jaggery, a sugary  mix of date, cane sugar and palm sap>Raisins are added for decoration.

Advent can be a time of both joy and somberness. The foods and traditions reflectthese. It is a preclude to Christmas and reflects all the festivity and holiness of the season.

Snacks For Dinner

Let's face it, sometimes you need a fun dinner to end a lousy day . what better than some snack food Nothing is more fun than pizza or nachos and chicken wings certainly can add excitement to a late fall night.Best of all you can make it as healthy -recommended - as you want .It is supposed to be fun, and snacky after all.

One of the easiest snack dinners to make is pizza.You could cheat and order from your favorite pizzeria or pop a frozen one into the oven. Try an English muffin or pita bread based one instead. The sauce could be a jarred premade pizza one or take some fresh sliced plum tomatoes for a kind of margherita. Choose a low salt mozzarella or try a sprinkle of Parmesan. Toppings can be decadent  such as traditional pepperoni or load it up with bacon and ham. Veggies such as broccoli and onions are great scattered on top but you can also have a good dollop of anchovies for a real salty treat. Nachos, that late night go to can be made dinner ready by adding pulled chicken or chili beef. Whip up an easy guacamole along having sour cream  or if you want it a tad healthier , use plain Greek yogurt. Tacos or taquitos are another fun snacky dinner. You can make them with a variety of different meats, from pork to cod. Also the kids can stuff them silly with guacamole and sour cream.

Kids love sliders as do their folks. Instead of making boring hamburgers, shrink them down and make mini ones. Use ground beef and add chopped onion or even chili powder for some added zing. Use the smaller and squarer Hawaiian rolls  because they make for the perfect slider. Pile them up with tomatoes, pickles , gherkins and different kinds of lettuce. Pile on bacon and cheese for a tiny cheeseburger or add some ham and pepperoni for a meat lover's burger. You can also use the Hawaiian rolls for pulled chicken or pulled pork sliders too,Baked mac is always a treat but you can also used the leftovers for fried mac bites. Divide the back mac into bite size pieces and then first dip in flour. The second bath will be in bated egg and the third and final will be bread crumbs or even you want more crunch, Japanese  panko crumbs . You can use  deep fryer or a skillet to fry them up. Serve plain or with a spicy  mustard for added zest.

The days are long and hectic. Put some fun into your evening meals by serving snack food for dinner. It'll bring a smile to everyone's face when they sit down to enjoy supper.

Holiday Stressbusters

Tis the season for stress.It's everywhere, from over crowded shopping malls to never ending family dramas and issues to work end of year deadlines. Luckily there are certain foods that can melt that away. Eat your way to relaxation  and a world of peacefulness.

One of the best is while grain pastas and breadsThey contain tryptophn, yep that snoozer chemical found in turkey , which is a calming neurotransmitter. Nothing beats a bowl of spaghetti, already a comfort food, with homemade sauce . Have it with a big slice of whole grain Italian bread and some salad after a hard day of multitasking . Another idea is making whole grain pizza at home with the family. Kneading the raw dough is another stress buster and it's fun to put on different toppings.Even a slce of whole grain toast with butter is a nice way to end the day, especially if you have it with a cup of herbal tea. You can add a drop o honey to this for some sweetness.
Stay away from jams and jellies though which have processed sugar. The last can make you hyper which just brings on more stress.

Stress busitng snacks are always good to  have , whether at home or at the office.These include almonds, blueberries and dark chocolate, no surprise on the last one.Almonds are loaded with zinc which help to balance moods plus they are full of healthy fats and iron which are needed for combatting brain fatigue , a contributor to stress. Blueberries are not just a tasty low fat snack they are asup erfood and contain vital and important antioxidants. The more antioxidants in a body, the less the stress.dark chocolate, reduces the hormones that causes all these problems, cortisol. Stay away from milk chocolate  which has the problematic dairy and refined sugar. For a yummy combination of the dark chocolate and blueberries buy a bag of Brookside chocolates. The company also sells another stress buster acai dipped in dark chocolate.Acai is the exotic cousin of the blueberry and it too is a super food that relieves stress.

Tis the season to be merry not stressed out. Have a dinner of whole grain pasta followed by a tasty dessert of chocolate dipped blueberries. You'll not only feel cam but happy with these wonderful flavors.

Times Food Gift Guide

Buying the right gift for the foodie or home chef is always a tough deal.You're in a quandary about what to get pots, pans, gadgets foods? Or would they like embroidered linens to create a pretty table?Thank heavens for the New York Times Food section gift guide.There are some really interesting choices made by the sections staff of writers.

One of the things I love about the Times is that there is a variety of truly unique items.Personally I. Would love to wake up to a stocking full of Kikerland Lollipops.These are unique lollipops with  a whole orange ,kiwi, lemon or pineapple slice encased in a crystalline lozenge.The company also has herb and fruit flavor s like rosemary and lavender along with dried strawberries.For more of the child in your favorite foodie or for the child foodie in your life there is the book entitled .Julia Child. It was written by Kyo McClear and illustrated by Julie Mortstad, with the story being about Julia Child's friendship with Simone Beck aka Simca.It's a whimsical take on America's greatest chef in child form zipping around on roller skates making cheese soufflé and peach compote. Another neat kid foodie gift is the Kukkia Crepe Shop Kit which has a chalkboard crepe griddle and  a wooden trowel for spreading batter.There are also fabric crepes to be filled with fabric fruit and pretty ribbon  for tying.

Of course there are suggestions for adult home chefs. Any woman would appreciate a whimsical whisk charm on a gold or sterling silver chain. It's a great conversation started and attention getter. for serious home chefs there is the handground and made Cut Brooklyn knife from the artesenal cutlery company, Cut Brooklyn.They are beautifully crafted and long lasting, truly a gift that will become an heirloom. a colorful spatula by  is another   good gift These come in a rainbow of colors, from black and white to orange and purple and are made of durable and sturdy silicon.Also recommended is the Le Creuset Braiser, perfect for braising and also browning, Linens make memorable Christmas and Chanukah gifts, Sam Sifton recommends a tasseled and richly embroidered table runner from Anthropologie while Melissa Clark suggests cute sackcloth tea towels from Etsy.

Consider some of these  gifts when shopping for the foodies and home chefs in your life. They make interesting holiday gifts. They're different , and a fun deviation from the standard kitchen and food presents.

Christmas Cookie wars

The one, almost nasty, byproduct of the holiday baking scene are the cookie wars. Most home bakers have gone through them , vying with friends, coworkers siblings and even their own moms. It always boils down to who makes the best or the prettiest. It seems it was even that way at America's most prestigious newspaper The New York Times. Two well known food writers went after each other, well armed with spatulas, sugar and butter.

Kim Severson and Julia Moskin went oven to oven in this cookie stand off..Ms Severson contributed her family recipes such as the delicate flavored and textured pizzelle.Despite Ms Moskin writing smack about them {playfully calling them dry wafers with no taste save for a hint of unpopular anise} however  these are actually the perfect respite from all those over flavored bars, crisps and snaps. Ms Severson also has contributed a fun and jewel like  variation of the Linzer torte, Linzer trees. These are sandwich cookies with a tart ruby filling of raspberry jam peeking through the cut outs. With Linzer trees  the top cookie has tiny little circles cut out so the jam underneath acts as Christmas balls. The finished products then are dusted with powdered sugar to give them an elegant frosted look. She also baked the gooey and decadent chocolate snow caps.These  has the added crunch of pecans as well as a sugar crust made from crushed sugar lumps.

The other side, Ms Moskin is no slouch when it comes to cookies. She makes the strangely paired yet amazingly delicious bacon fat ginger snaps , taken from the classic New York Times recipe for Swedish ginger cookies.These have the usual spices such as cloves, ginger and cinnamon but also has the richness of fat to give the cookies some density.There are also the sinfully silky peanut butter snaps that is another combination of salty and sweet, crunchy and smooth married perfectly together. Make a batch of these for a tree trimming party or family get together. Ms. Moskin also celebrates her Jewish faith with a fried cookie, using an all butter puff pastry and stuffing it with citrus and dried fruit, giving it a mince pie kind of feel. Ms. Severson though accused her of cheating as she also accused her of ripping off the Girl Scouts with her yummy and truly decadent chocolate mint thins topped with  a candy cane crunch topping.

Cookie wars can get ugly despite the beautiful results. All in all these bake off just means more cookies to sample and enjoy. Every one is the best. Every one is the most tastiest.

Toasty Party Drinks

Somehow imbibing in a cold party cocktail doesn't sound so hot , especially if you or your guests have slogged through sleet and snow. Bring some cheer and warmth into the picture by mixing up some hot ciders and punches.These Victorian drinks have lasted through many a Christmas season and you can bring them back.the best part, they're far from being Victorian.They have spice and sass along with a good kick.In other words they are the perfect holiday libation. One of the best hot drinks is mulled cider.This is simply taking regular Apple cider and mixing it with all spice berries along with clove cinnamon and some nutmeg.For a more fresh from the tree flavor, add an apple studded with cloves.A cup of dark rum gives it the much needed kick.You can float orange slices on top for some color..If you want a pulpier cider, add some fresh apple juice straight from your juicer.Another variation is adding amontidillo sherry as well as honey , again preferably dark to temper the taste. Cider can include the hard alcoholic variety or applejack and it too, can be heated.It does have to have the soft cider as a base however you can add more of the hard stuff and less of the soft version for a boozier version.Spices are still required as well.If you're having a more intimate party of six or eight you can think about serving applejack toddies.It's boiling regular cider with with cloves and cinnamon.The applejack is then added and the mug is then garnished with cinnamon stick. Hot punches are a nice way of warming up a crowd ,both figuratively and literally..One of the best is Charles Dickens, version.,Although everyone knows this great English author as the creator of that holiday classic "A Christmas Carol" he is also the originator of tasty punch, worthy of old Fezziwig himself.It is a heady blend of both rum and brandy along with brown sugar and lemon?It does come with a warning.The punch has to be lit with a match after it has simmer for a few minutes over a low flame.Also there is the added step of chilling it overnight and then rewarming it for your guests..There is also the Smoking Bishop punch mention in A Christmas Carol, and it had been around for at least one hundred years before Dickens even mentioned it in the story.Coleridge even called it a drink divine..This ruby port mixed with lemons and oranges along with a variety of spices.There is the usual. Clove and cinnamon but Ginger is added for zing as is mace.Red wine is used as temperer of sorts and also there is sugar thrown in.This is a more involved recipe because the fruit has to studded with cloves and then roasted.Two pots are needed to cook up both the red wine and spices.There is a 24 hour cooling time before it's reheated and served. An easier drink is the Jamaican tea punch.Basically it's brewed tea with Jamaican rum added. Fresh squeezed lemon or orange juice is added along with some sugar for flavoring. Nothing beats a cup of mulled cider or hot punch. On a blustery snowy night.These bring heat to any party ,perfect fr thawing out frozen guests.They reflect tradition. But also the liveliness that comes with that. .

Your Healthy Holiday Food Guide

It's December and that means only one thing - a month of party food. Yes it's that time of year when pigs in blankets are considered nutritious  and sugar cookies are known as a healthy snack. Eating junk  is not good for you, especially if it's consumed for a straight month. The best antidote is having healthy food and retaining  a normal diet. By Christmas you'll not only feel better but look better too.

One of the best ways keep your normal routine is eating three meals a day. This is the season for rushing, rushing to the mall, rushing to the office party , rushing to the family tree trimming party. Unfortunately that means skipping a meal or speed eating. Take it slow. Take time to consider what you want to eat. A bowl of hot oatmeal followed by an orange or a banana is a better dessert than those food courts McBreakfast sandwich. Those bear claws or cronuts may be tasty and quick, but they're overdosed with sugar and fat along with grease. If you have to eat breakfast on the go, then think about a piece of fruit or a slice of home toasted whole wheat or whole grain bread. If you have to have a hot drink, nix those creamy sugary lattes and mocchacinos. Stick with herbal tea or regular coffee with skim milk,

Lunch and dinner can be dicey affairs too ,especially if you plan on going shopping too. Aim for the salads and plain sandwiches . Stay away from the salty , oily stuff. A simple and cheap solution is make your own. You can create a healthy sandwich with just slices of  chicken , turkey or even roast beef on either a baguette or plain bread . Add an oil and vinegar mix or  mustard for more flavor . If you want a bought sandwich, stick with Subway or Blimpie , They can custom make heroes to fit your tastes and health needs.Another lunch must is a good mixed salad. Luckily this is the main stay of many supermarkets and you can create a healthy mix of veggies, greens and proteins. Buy a small bottle  of light Italian dressing  and keep it at your desk for those  busy end of year days when lunch time is whittled down to fifteen minutes or half an hour. As for dinners , buying from your supermarket's deli is a time saver letting you have extra minutes for shopping instead of cooking. Get a couple of instant sides such as kale salad or creamed spinach A roast chicken is a good idea because , on eit can be your family's dinner one night and leftovers for sandwiches and salads the next. 

Yes it's the holiday season, but that doesn't mean you should have a holiday diet . Continue eating healthy during these next few weeks. You'll feel better  munching on pure nutrition instead of pure party junk food.