Enjoy this day free from work but also remember the people who make it possible for you to eat. Think of the farmers and their workers, those who have to toil in the hot sun so you can have fresh salad or juice.Keep in keen consideration every worker at your grocery store. It is boring and tedious to stock shelves and taking inventories. Think of those who stand on the on their feet all day baking those yummy cakes or slicing those drool worthy cold cuts that you love so much.
Remember those who serve you at restaurants, diners and fast food joints. They have the hardest jobs, taking your orders , cooking dozens of dishes and broiling tons of hamburgers. They do the work of ten people and get paid very little for it . Not only tip them generously but generously praise them as well. They more than deserve it.
Enjoy this day , relaxing on the beach or at the barbecue, but also remember those who in the food industry that make your life easier.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Getting Ready For Tailgate Season
It's the start of the football season here in the States and with it the start of the tailgate season!Whether it's your first or your fiftieth , it's a good time to get some gear to make parking lot cuisine easier to make and tastier to eat. There are so many different gadgets and cook stoves to choose from along with mini coolers and plates ,Start the season with the right stuff.
One of the most important items to have is the cook stove or grill.For true luxury there is the Go Galley Portable Kitchen. This is the Rolls Royce of carry along kitchens.It comes complete with four gas burners along with a sunken side burner and a gas smoker.It's an investment at $1700 however you can go in with four or five people and cut the costs. This kitchen will be able to fry a whole turkey as well as cook up three dozen burgers and a slew of ribs. You may want to think of a smaller one, namely the Party King Grills Swing N Smoke MVP. it can also double your patio grill as well. A better , and easier to haul one is the Weber Portable Charcoal Grill.It's only twelve inches and can fit in any trunk. it's perfect for dogs and burgers and smaller racks of ribs. Hibachis are another great tail gating cooker.Try the cast iron Sportsman Grill Hibachi by Lodge Manufacturing. It's only one hundred bucks and a good investment.There are also various smokers you can buy too as well as Brazilian grills that allow you to evenly roast skewers of beef and chicken.
Another important item is the cooler. A wheeled cooler is about the best . It can be toted anywhere and then discreetly pushed to the side when you're done with it. It needs to be able to store all the raw ingredients like the meats and condiments as well as drinks. The best size for this is the one that can hold eighty quarts. Coleman makes this and it is also sturdy enough to last for a few tailgate seasons. Another idea is a mini fridge that can be plugged into your car's cigarette lighter for activation. Some even come with a pocket to hold favorite CDs. One of the cheapest is the trash can coolers which is a foldable barrel. You can store meats in them but not for a long time, since the ice will melt. They are perfect for keeping beer and soda chilled. You could go with a cool radio cooler with Ipod port but this is just and only for drinks . Another one is a cross between a scooter with a fridge for a seat.It's a grand but it's great if you have to deliver food and beer to friends across the parking lot. As for how to eat your grub, go get the GOPlate. This is a plastic disc that has four large compartments that hold hot and cold food. There is a hole in the middle for bottles and cups too in the middle.they're only 9.99 for a set of ten and definitely worth it.
Get geared up for tailgating season with the right cooking and storing gear.It'll make for an easy, trouble free cookout as you cheer for your favorite team. It'll make for a fun season of burgers and beer.
One of the most important items to have is the cook stove or grill.For true luxury there is the Go Galley Portable Kitchen. This is the Rolls Royce of carry along kitchens.It comes complete with four gas burners along with a sunken side burner and a gas smoker.It's an investment at $1700 however you can go in with four or five people and cut the costs. This kitchen will be able to fry a whole turkey as well as cook up three dozen burgers and a slew of ribs. You may want to think of a smaller one, namely the Party King Grills Swing N Smoke MVP. it can also double your patio grill as well. A better , and easier to haul one is the Weber Portable Charcoal Grill.It's only twelve inches and can fit in any trunk. it's perfect for dogs and burgers and smaller racks of ribs. Hibachis are another great tail gating cooker.Try the cast iron Sportsman Grill Hibachi by Lodge Manufacturing. It's only one hundred bucks and a good investment.There are also various smokers you can buy too as well as Brazilian grills that allow you to evenly roast skewers of beef and chicken.
Another important item is the cooler. A wheeled cooler is about the best . It can be toted anywhere and then discreetly pushed to the side when you're done with it. It needs to be able to store all the raw ingredients like the meats and condiments as well as drinks. The best size for this is the one that can hold eighty quarts. Coleman makes this and it is also sturdy enough to last for a few tailgate seasons. Another idea is a mini fridge that can be plugged into your car's cigarette lighter for activation. Some even come with a pocket to hold favorite CDs. One of the cheapest is the trash can coolers which is a foldable barrel. You can store meats in them but not for a long time, since the ice will melt. They are perfect for keeping beer and soda chilled. You could go with a cool radio cooler with Ipod port but this is just and only for drinks . Another one is a cross between a scooter with a fridge for a seat.It's a grand but it's great if you have to deliver food and beer to friends across the parking lot. As for how to eat your grub, go get the GOPlate. This is a plastic disc that has four large compartments that hold hot and cold food. There is a hole in the middle for bottles and cups too in the middle.they're only 9.99 for a set of ten and definitely worth it.
Get geared up for tailgating season with the right cooking and storing gear.It'll make for an easy, trouble free cookout as you cheer for your favorite team. It'll make for a fun season of burgers and beer.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Real Southern Cooking
Southern cooking is one of the greatest gifts thanks to amazing chefs and time honored recipes.Famed chef Dora Charles is one of the first and has created a cookbook A Real Southern Cook In Her Savannah Cooking (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt),celebrating the flavorful dishes of Georgian cooking.. It is a must have, honoring generations of the ingenuity and talent that went in creating this uniquely American cuisine.
Kim Severson interviewed Chef Charles for Wednesday's New York Times Food section and came away with some interesting recipes such as Cheater's Pickles and Next Day Fried Greens , complete wit her special seasoning which can be used on other dishes as well. Chef Charles is also known for being the second in charge to the controversial Paula Deen. Unfortunately it was not an equal relationship as it always seems to be .It reflected the uneasy relationship African Americans have with white employers, that was a carry over from the country's enslavement period. Not only did she witness racism, she was paid only ten dollars an hour despite her large contributions to Ms. Deen's Savannah restaurant the Lady and Sons. Luckily she had the support of another former Deen employee ,Lisa T. Jackson who went out on her own to become general manager of Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House. Ms. Jackson's lawyer helped chef Charles with her own settlement as well as her book contract. There are stories of Ms. Deen, and they are both warm and painful, making up only six pages in a large cookbook.(in all fairness Chef Charles does acknowledge the other's contribution)Readers should skim over this , and focus instead on Chef Charles' family and black life in Georgia' Low country.
Home chefs should also hone in on the rich variety of traditional recipes. This is true American cooking at its' best. There is also advice with two pages devoted to teaching how to properly fry as well as how to sooth burns with yellow mustard. Black Southern cooks always make their own special seasoning mix to add to their dishes, chef Charles is an easy one to replicate.It's a blend of Lawry's special seasoning, granulated or powdered garlic , black pepper and table salt.This mix is dusted over ribs and pork chops along with baked spaghetti. She stresses how important it is to choose good raw ingredients and urges building flavor at every step. Some recipes rely on Southern pantry staples like margarine and Miracle Whip, Her biscuits are made with classic ingredients like buttermilk and Bisquick but sweetened with Sprite(!). The book is co-written with cookbook writer, Fran McCullough, who introduced her to the famed Kerrygold butter and paprika which both found their way into some recipes. There are also contributions from Chef Charles . eight three year old aunt Laura Daniels as well . readers will enjoy Gone To Glory Potato Salad and Savannah Red Rice.
Chef Charles is giving us a legacy of the best of Southern cuisine in A Real Southern Cook In Her Savannah Kitchen. It reflects a cooking tradition born out of tears and hard labor, but also of joy and family.It is a true gem.
Kim Severson interviewed Chef Charles for Wednesday's New York Times Food section and came away with some interesting recipes such as Cheater's Pickles and Next Day Fried Greens , complete wit her special seasoning which can be used on other dishes as well. Chef Charles is also known for being the second in charge to the controversial Paula Deen. Unfortunately it was not an equal relationship as it always seems to be .It reflected the uneasy relationship African Americans have with white employers, that was a carry over from the country's enslavement period. Not only did she witness racism, she was paid only ten dollars an hour despite her large contributions to Ms. Deen's Savannah restaurant the Lady and Sons. Luckily she had the support of another former Deen employee ,Lisa T. Jackson who went out on her own to become general manager of Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House. Ms. Jackson's lawyer helped chef Charles with her own settlement as well as her book contract. There are stories of Ms. Deen, and they are both warm and painful, making up only six pages in a large cookbook.(in all fairness Chef Charles does acknowledge the other's contribution)Readers should skim over this , and focus instead on Chef Charles' family and black life in Georgia' Low country.
Home chefs should also hone in on the rich variety of traditional recipes. This is true American cooking at its' best. There is also advice with two pages devoted to teaching how to properly fry as well as how to sooth burns with yellow mustard. Black Southern cooks always make their own special seasoning mix to add to their dishes, chef Charles is an easy one to replicate.It's a blend of Lawry's special seasoning, granulated or powdered garlic , black pepper and table salt.This mix is dusted over ribs and pork chops along with baked spaghetti. She stresses how important it is to choose good raw ingredients and urges building flavor at every step. Some recipes rely on Southern pantry staples like margarine and Miracle Whip, Her biscuits are made with classic ingredients like buttermilk and Bisquick but sweetened with Sprite(!). The book is co-written with cookbook writer, Fran McCullough, who introduced her to the famed Kerrygold butter and paprika which both found their way into some recipes. There are also contributions from Chef Charles . eight three year old aunt Laura Daniels as well . readers will enjoy Gone To Glory Potato Salad and Savannah Red Rice.
Chef Charles is giving us a legacy of the best of Southern cuisine in A Real Southern Cook In Her Savannah Kitchen. It reflects a cooking tradition born out of tears and hard labor, but also of joy and family.It is a true gem.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
The Summery Harvests Of September
Even though it's September there is still tomatoes and greens to be harvested. With them come delicious recipes that utilize the produce of this still summery season. Have them now while the weather is still balmy and the gardens are still lush. Enjoy these tastes of late summer.
Melissa Clark and David Tanis realized this and made the early September harvests the subject of their individual columns in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms Clark's A Good Appetite featured the perennial star of the season, tomatoes. She creates a mash up of three great tomato sandwiches. She deftly blends a BLT with teas sandwiches and throws in a heavy dose of the famed Catalan sandwich pan con tomate.The sandwich's base comes from the last. She takes rustic country bread. toasts it and then rubs it with raw garlic and the tomato's pulpy inside.Drizzle olive oil and lightly sprinkle sea salt on it.The tea sandwich part is when strands of tangy white onion is added. Layers of bacon and mayo are added , this is the BLT part of it.It's a messy , yummy sandwich that's literally finger licking good , according to Ms. Clark.Variations abound with subbing the onions with cucumber and giving it a more Iberian spin by using thinly sliced Serrano ham instead of the bacon.
David Tanis devoted his a City Kitchen Column to that flavorful French vegetable soup, pistou..This is a Genovese influenced soup from the French Provencale town of Nice. A kind of pesto is made, called pistou and it's exactly the same as its' Northern Italian cousin. Basil ,garlic and Parmigiano cheese is ground and the olive oil is added to it. since this is a bean soup, there should be a good mix of them, Use shelling bean from the vibrantly colored cranberry to the large , meaty cannellini These should be cooked independently from the soup base. The base itself is a kind of potato stock that also has sautéed onions and more beans, this time romano and yellow wax beans You can add squash and zucchini too, but you can also vary this with adding a quartered ripe tomato or two.along with cubes f pumpkin of you have any in early bloom. Rice or pasta can be added but it's not necessarily.Afrter cooking the soup is ladled into bowls and then a spoonful of pistou is added. Serve with toasted baguette slices dipped in oil, or if you want the pistou itself.
The summer is still giving us bounteous harvests. Take advantage of them by making a delicious tomato sandwich mashup or a bright green Provencale. soup. Both are perfect to eat during these still balmy days.
Melissa Clark and David Tanis realized this and made the early September harvests the subject of their individual columns in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms Clark's A Good Appetite featured the perennial star of the season, tomatoes. She creates a mash up of three great tomato sandwiches. She deftly blends a BLT with teas sandwiches and throws in a heavy dose of the famed Catalan sandwich pan con tomate.The sandwich's base comes from the last. She takes rustic country bread. toasts it and then rubs it with raw garlic and the tomato's pulpy inside.Drizzle olive oil and lightly sprinkle sea salt on it.The tea sandwich part is when strands of tangy white onion is added. Layers of bacon and mayo are added , this is the BLT part of it.It's a messy , yummy sandwich that's literally finger licking good , according to Ms. Clark.Variations abound with subbing the onions with cucumber and giving it a more Iberian spin by using thinly sliced Serrano ham instead of the bacon.
David Tanis devoted his a City Kitchen Column to that flavorful French vegetable soup, pistou..This is a Genovese influenced soup from the French Provencale town of Nice. A kind of pesto is made, called pistou and it's exactly the same as its' Northern Italian cousin. Basil ,garlic and Parmigiano cheese is ground and the olive oil is added to it. since this is a bean soup, there should be a good mix of them, Use shelling bean from the vibrantly colored cranberry to the large , meaty cannellini These should be cooked independently from the soup base. The base itself is a kind of potato stock that also has sautéed onions and more beans, this time romano and yellow wax beans You can add squash and zucchini too, but you can also vary this with adding a quartered ripe tomato or two.along with cubes f pumpkin of you have any in early bloom. Rice or pasta can be added but it's not necessarily.Afrter cooking the soup is ladled into bowls and then a spoonful of pistou is added. Serve with toasted baguette slices dipped in oil, or if you want the pistou itself.
The summer is still giving us bounteous harvests. Take advantage of them by making a delicious tomato sandwich mashup or a bright green Provencale. soup. Both are perfect to eat during these still balmy days.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Gardens Of Knowledge
Now with schools starting across the country it's time for communities to think about another subject - gardening.Schools across the nation should think about adding it to their curriculum. It not only teaches kids about nature and sustainability but also about giving.The produce can be easily given to those families and fellow students who need it.
Schoolyard gardens are here and there in several major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Kindergarteners through high schoolers learn about how veggies and fruit is grown and produced. They learn about composting and the importance of bugs such as worms for soil aeration. There's also the satisfaction of seeing produce ripening and harvesting it . Having a school garden can also be inspiring. Kids will want to have a small home garden themselves and influence siblings and cousins to do the same. Another plus is that it will make them. want to think about possible futures in biology, cooking or even farming. It will even show them how to be more generous and more aware of the less fortunate around them when the produce is donated to food pantries.
Gardening will also teach kids about nutrition. This was the case at the Martin Luther King Jr Middle School in Berkeley California, It happened to be near where famed chef Alice Waters lived. She came in and helped start the Edible schoolyard plan.It helped inner city kids learn all about the science of growing along with the importance of fresh ingredients in cooking.The program helped them make important choices when it comes to eating and snacking. There are even cooking classes where students solve math problems by reconfiguring recipes. The program them went to New Orleans and then Los Angeles. It is now employed in almost every big American city.and is helping a second generation of students learn how to cook and eat better.
If your school district doesn't include gardening as part of its' curriculum, then protest It's important that students know the value of fresh food and how it can impact their lives. Fight to have a garden of knowledge in your town.
Schoolyard gardens are here and there in several major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Kindergarteners through high schoolers learn about how veggies and fruit is grown and produced. They learn about composting and the importance of bugs such as worms for soil aeration. There's also the satisfaction of seeing produce ripening and harvesting it . Having a school garden can also be inspiring. Kids will want to have a small home garden themselves and influence siblings and cousins to do the same. Another plus is that it will make them. want to think about possible futures in biology, cooking or even farming. It will even show them how to be more generous and more aware of the less fortunate around them when the produce is donated to food pantries.
Gardening will also teach kids about nutrition. This was the case at the Martin Luther King Jr Middle School in Berkeley California, It happened to be near where famed chef Alice Waters lived. She came in and helped start the Edible schoolyard plan.It helped inner city kids learn all about the science of growing along with the importance of fresh ingredients in cooking.The program helped them make important choices when it comes to eating and snacking. There are even cooking classes where students solve math problems by reconfiguring recipes. The program them went to New Orleans and then Los Angeles. It is now employed in almost every big American city.and is helping a second generation of students learn how to cook and eat better.
If your school district doesn't include gardening as part of its' curriculum, then protest It's important that students know the value of fresh food and how it can impact their lives. Fight to have a garden of knowledge in your town.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Healthy Nibbles
With school starting up soon kids are going to be noshing and nibbling like crazy.The problem is eating right.What 's the perfect one? The healthiest choice, of course!
Any kid of any age loves finger foods.Yes, they may reach for the pizza rolls and head to McDonald's for nuggets.
These are great maybe once in a while for fun however the best bet is go homemade. Instead of the store bought pizzas use whole wheat English muffins with fresh tomato and low fat mozzarella.Drizzle with olive oil and bake in an oven or toaster oven for fifteen minutes at 325 F. Sprinkle fresh picked basil on for more flavor. As for those chicken nuggets, think soy which are lower in calories but big on flavor.Morningstar Farms has them and they taste like the real thing.Create a home made honey mustard by mixing antioxidant rich honey with mustard. You can also make a homemade salsa to go with it.This can also go well with whole wheat tortilla chips too. Julienned peppers and carrots are great nibbles too when paired with spiced Greek yogurt. Add a dash of cumin or curry powder for zip.
Kids are hard wired for sweets.Its easy to reach for sodas and candies to boost up flagging energies.Try flavored waters like Hint that really do have a hint of flavor or the BAI juices and sodas. Both are only five calories each and come in a varieties of flavors like dark cherry and dragon fruit. Try all natural cookies like Back To Nature.They have a wide variety of types to choose from such as Oreo like sandwich cookies along with mint and peanut butter ones. This is still summer so have plenty of plum's, peaches and nectarines on hand too.These make excellent snacks and are easy to carry to activities. As the season progresses add in apples and pears too. Apple slices dipped in cinnamon are a great snack . Keep snack cakes, cookies and even sugar drenched energy bars out of reach.If there are protests explain that sugar is no good and will make them too hyper.Steer them towards more natural sweeteners like dark honey, stevia or agave nectar.
Snacking can be both fun and healthy.Make sure good for you nibbles are on hand. Your students will thank you for it .
Any kid of any age loves finger foods.Yes, they may reach for the pizza rolls and head to McDonald's for nuggets.
These are great maybe once in a while for fun however the best bet is go homemade. Instead of the store bought pizzas use whole wheat English muffins with fresh tomato and low fat mozzarella.Drizzle with olive oil and bake in an oven or toaster oven for fifteen minutes at 325 F. Sprinkle fresh picked basil on for more flavor. As for those chicken nuggets, think soy which are lower in calories but big on flavor.Morningstar Farms has them and they taste like the real thing.Create a home made honey mustard by mixing antioxidant rich honey with mustard. You can also make a homemade salsa to go with it.This can also go well with whole wheat tortilla chips too. Julienned peppers and carrots are great nibbles too when paired with spiced Greek yogurt. Add a dash of cumin or curry powder for zip.
Kids are hard wired for sweets.Its easy to reach for sodas and candies to boost up flagging energies.Try flavored waters like Hint that really do have a hint of flavor or the BAI juices and sodas. Both are only five calories each and come in a varieties of flavors like dark cherry and dragon fruit. Try all natural cookies like Back To Nature.They have a wide variety of types to choose from such as Oreo like sandwich cookies along with mint and peanut butter ones. This is still summer so have plenty of plum's, peaches and nectarines on hand too.These make excellent snacks and are easy to carry to activities. As the season progresses add in apples and pears too. Apple slices dipped in cinnamon are a great snack . Keep snack cakes, cookies and even sugar drenched energy bars out of reach.If there are protests explain that sugar is no good and will make them too hyper.Steer them towards more natural sweeteners like dark honey, stevia or agave nectar.
Snacking can be both fun and healthy.Make sure good for you nibbles are on hand. Your students will thank you for it .
Monday, August 31, 2015
A School Ready Kitchen
Many schools are starting this week (bummer, right?) and that means revamping the fridge and pantry to fit students needs.Those scholars will need fun and nutritious foods to help them through the day and those all important study hours.Feed them right and they'll do better at school - hopefully,
Kicking off the school day can be a pain, especially if the little and not so little ones have spent the summer starting off with junk cereals.It's time to go back to eating healthier breakfast foods. One of the best cereals to eat is Mom's Best Cereals. The company creates good for you spins on Cheerios,Coco Puffs and Lucky Charms. They are made with without any high fructose corn syrup along with no partially hydrogenated oil and best of all no artificial flavors or preservatives. The cereals also taste better than the national brands and don't have their residual cloying sweetness. The boxes also are fun, having interesting and fun facts on ecology and animals. Pancakes and waffles are always in demand- however make them with whole wheat or buckwheat flour.That classic oatmeal is always good , even in hot weather. It's a warm fulfilling bowl that can be supplemented with the fruits of the season.What about eggs? Should kids eat them or not? The answer is yes, but only if they don't eat too much cholesterol on a weekly basis. A poached egg or an egg sunny side up served with bacon can be saved for a birthday or holiday breakfast and not a school day one.
Lunches can be made both fun and healthy. One good investment is a bento box. This Japanese classic is perfect for storing sandwiches and snacks. The compartments let eaters have the right amount of the main dish and sides or snacks.These are easy to be had and can be found everywhere from Target to Amazon.com This allows you to make a nutritious main such as a mini salad or sandwich along with tasty veggie and fruit sides.For sandwiches , always have whole wheat or seven grain slices instead of white and think beyond the usual baloney and mustard. Make a guacamole spread for sandwiches instead of mayo and think tomato slices or broccoli florets.If you do have to serve protein then think leftover steak or chicken which don't have the preservatives or nitrates. Salads can be made fun and colorful too. Add carrots along with diced red and green peppers.Extras can be whole wheat croutons or sunflower seeds.Look for dressings that are low in fat but high in natural ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Have the student make the salad to suit their likings.
Get your kitchen ready for the new semester. Have healthy ingredients for nutritious breakfasts and lunches. It'll make for a better student and better grades.
Kicking off the school day can be a pain, especially if the little and not so little ones have spent the summer starting off with junk cereals.It's time to go back to eating healthier breakfast foods. One of the best cereals to eat is Mom's Best Cereals. The company creates good for you spins on Cheerios,Coco Puffs and Lucky Charms. They are made with without any high fructose corn syrup along with no partially hydrogenated oil and best of all no artificial flavors or preservatives. The cereals also taste better than the national brands and don't have their residual cloying sweetness. The boxes also are fun, having interesting and fun facts on ecology and animals. Pancakes and waffles are always in demand- however make them with whole wheat or buckwheat flour.That classic oatmeal is always good , even in hot weather. It's a warm fulfilling bowl that can be supplemented with the fruits of the season.What about eggs? Should kids eat them or not? The answer is yes, but only if they don't eat too much cholesterol on a weekly basis. A poached egg or an egg sunny side up served with bacon can be saved for a birthday or holiday breakfast and not a school day one.
Lunches can be made both fun and healthy. One good investment is a bento box. This Japanese classic is perfect for storing sandwiches and snacks. The compartments let eaters have the right amount of the main dish and sides or snacks.These are easy to be had and can be found everywhere from Target to Amazon.com This allows you to make a nutritious main such as a mini salad or sandwich along with tasty veggie and fruit sides.For sandwiches , always have whole wheat or seven grain slices instead of white and think beyond the usual baloney and mustard. Make a guacamole spread for sandwiches instead of mayo and think tomato slices or broccoli florets.If you do have to serve protein then think leftover steak or chicken which don't have the preservatives or nitrates. Salads can be made fun and colorful too. Add carrots along with diced red and green peppers.Extras can be whole wheat croutons or sunflower seeds.Look for dressings that are low in fat but high in natural ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Have the student make the salad to suit their likings.
Get your kitchen ready for the new semester. Have healthy ingredients for nutritious breakfasts and lunches. It'll make for a better student and better grades.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
