The temps should be frosty with Jack Frost nipping at our noses and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.Thanks to global warming however, we can still grill two weeks before Christmas. Take advantage of these warm days and make use of the grill. T'is the season - to get the dogs and burgers out and roast them on an open fire.
Before you star grilling, take time to get everything ready. Utensils and charcoal may be have been put away around Labor Day or at the very last early October. Make sure you have enough briquettes for cooking, because it's the rare grocery store that sells them now, If you don't have any, don;t despair. Use twigs,preferably from fruit woods such as apple, cherry or plum. You can also use oak or chestnut twigs too. Avoid silver maple and birch, because the twigs flame up in a second and become too hot too fast.Even though it's probably been only two months since you last used your grill, check all lines and tanks. Make sure everything is working properly or you could wind up with a disaster on your hands. Thoroughly scrub the grill to make sure the last of the summer meats is gone. Also make sure you you have all your utensils, from roasting prongs to tongs ready. Word of warning, if it's too windy, think about holding off barbecuing, The gusts could cause an up draft that will spell danger (and possibly singed eyebrows to say the least) You can grill on a slightly breezy day, Just keep a safe distance from the house.
Winter meats can work on any grill. Think about roasting duck sausage for cassoulet.It'll give it a nice woodsy smoky flavor that will add to the stew..You can also cook other sausages too, such as beef and pork, These would be a nice side dish with spaghetti or angel hair pasta, giving the dish an earthier taste.Chicken is usually considered a summer dish but you can still grill one, using the spatchcock method for thorough roasting. Turkey, the bird of the moment , can be grilled, even without using the butterfly or spatchcock method. It's just letting the bird sit for an hour to thaw out and then tie the cavity closed , evenly spread out the coals before roasting. It'll make for even cooking. Use a roasting pan and center it on the grate. Remember to keep adding briquettes as the bord cooks. Have a meat thermometer at the ready. The bird's temperature should be cooked at 165 degrees Farenheit.. The entire process should take two to three hours or each pound takes ten minutes for cooking. Try the winter meats - pork and beef. Take advantage of this warm weather, to roast up a pork loin.It's an easy prep . Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and then placed on a lightly oiled grill. Cook over indirect heat for only thirty minutes. The internal temperature should read 145 degrees Farenheit. This is also the perfect time to grill a London Broil.It's is a quick grill with the meat cooking up only seven to ten minutes on each side.
Take advantage of the warm weather and grill.It's a nice way of cooking summer faves and satisfying those cravings. Roast up your favorite meat and enjoy!
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Friday, December 11, 2015
Holiday Breads
One of the best treats of the holiday is a home baked bread or a tray of rolls.There are so many to choose from, from panettones to cinnamon rolls. They're a bit more work than the average bread or Christmas bake but so worth the work. They provide a tasty breakfast when opening presents or a nice snack before bedtime,
Panettone is one of Northern Italy's greatest holiday gifts. It is a yeast bread that will take forty-five minutes to completely bake,The traditional ones have a healthy mix of raisins and citron but you can also add cut dried apricots , pineapple and cranberries. Some home bakers add dark chocolate chips too for more flavor.Another favorite is the Veronese bread pan d'oro or golden bread.. It's egg and butter rich , and like it's fancier cousin they need starters. This is similar to sourdough stater and can be either liquid or powder. Pan d'oro requires three different kinds of dough along with cocoa butter to give the crumb airiness.It's a very eggy one, requiring five large eggs to give it that rich, golden color.it also requires overnight proofing and special molds to give it that "tall star" look. An easier recipe is pan dolce. It's a simpler version of panettone but there's also a dash of Sherry added along with anise and orange flower water., Like fruit breads, raisins and currents are added , but also pistachios and pine nuts for added savoriness and crunch,Across the Alps comes stollen, the German holiday bread.It's a yeast bread that uses honey instead of sugar. Raisins and citron are added after they're soaked in rum..Almonds and mace spice the dough while the filling has more spice in the form of cinnamon, sugar and butter.Again it's a dough that has to be proofed but only for a scant thirty minutes this time.
Holiday rolls and buns are always fun. Nothing beats waking up to a batch of hot, gooey cinnamon rolls. Many home bakers balk at the idea of making them from scratch but they're not as labor intensive as many think they are,It's still a yeast recipe that requires proofing. Butter and egg are added to a simple yeast dough for richness. The filling is cinnamon (I'd recommend buying Cinnabon's Makara cinnamon for this) .The icing too is easy/ Its a simple milk and powdered sugar one that can have the addition of butter or even coffee to vary the flavor.The Swedes welcome in the holidays with Saint Lucy 's Day and flavorful saffron buns.Despite the savory spice the buns are sweet, thanks to the addition of currents or raisins.. They're known as lussebulle, and are baked in the traditional S shape. This is a bit of a labor intensive recipe for novice bakers but it still can be done to produce yummy tea rolls. The milk and saffron have to be cooked together first and then the yeast is added to it.Cardimon seeds are also used for more spice. The dough may be a bit dense thanks to the addition of sour cream or quark.(a Northern European version of cottage cheese). A simpler bun recipe is the British Chelsea bun, made similar to a cinnamon bun but with a filling of currents , raisins or apricots . They're sort of like the Pennsylvania Dutch sticky bun, much beloved in South Jersey (strange , I know but the recipe is popular in Atlantic and Cape May Counties)The Chelsea bun dough only takes an hour to rise and then it's kneaded again and then baked. A simple glaze is then poured over the buns.
Holiday breads and rolls are not only fun to eat but a fun challenge to bake. The result is a yeasty, sweet treat, perfect for the holidays. Slather on a big gob of butter and enjoy.
Panettone is one of Northern Italy's greatest holiday gifts. It is a yeast bread that will take forty-five minutes to completely bake,The traditional ones have a healthy mix of raisins and citron but you can also add cut dried apricots , pineapple and cranberries. Some home bakers add dark chocolate chips too for more flavor.Another favorite is the Veronese bread pan d'oro or golden bread.. It's egg and butter rich , and like it's fancier cousin they need starters. This is similar to sourdough stater and can be either liquid or powder. Pan d'oro requires three different kinds of dough along with cocoa butter to give the crumb airiness.It's a very eggy one, requiring five large eggs to give it that rich, golden color.it also requires overnight proofing and special molds to give it that "tall star" look. An easier recipe is pan dolce. It's a simpler version of panettone but there's also a dash of Sherry added along with anise and orange flower water., Like fruit breads, raisins and currents are added , but also pistachios and pine nuts for added savoriness and crunch,Across the Alps comes stollen, the German holiday bread.It's a yeast bread that uses honey instead of sugar. Raisins and citron are added after they're soaked in rum..Almonds and mace spice the dough while the filling has more spice in the form of cinnamon, sugar and butter.Again it's a dough that has to be proofed but only for a scant thirty minutes this time.
Holiday rolls and buns are always fun. Nothing beats waking up to a batch of hot, gooey cinnamon rolls. Many home bakers balk at the idea of making them from scratch but they're not as labor intensive as many think they are,It's still a yeast recipe that requires proofing. Butter and egg are added to a simple yeast dough for richness. The filling is cinnamon (I'd recommend buying Cinnabon's Makara cinnamon for this) .The icing too is easy/ Its a simple milk and powdered sugar one that can have the addition of butter or even coffee to vary the flavor.The Swedes welcome in the holidays with Saint Lucy 's Day and flavorful saffron buns.Despite the savory spice the buns are sweet, thanks to the addition of currents or raisins.. They're known as lussebulle, and are baked in the traditional S shape. This is a bit of a labor intensive recipe for novice bakers but it still can be done to produce yummy tea rolls. The milk and saffron have to be cooked together first and then the yeast is added to it.Cardimon seeds are also used for more spice. The dough may be a bit dense thanks to the addition of sour cream or quark.(a Northern European version of cottage cheese). A simpler bun recipe is the British Chelsea bun, made similar to a cinnamon bun but with a filling of currents , raisins or apricots . They're sort of like the Pennsylvania Dutch sticky bun, much beloved in South Jersey (strange , I know but the recipe is popular in Atlantic and Cape May Counties)The Chelsea bun dough only takes an hour to rise and then it's kneaded again and then baked. A simple glaze is then poured over the buns.
Holiday breads and rolls are not only fun to eat but a fun challenge to bake. The result is a yeasty, sweet treat, perfect for the holidays. Slather on a big gob of butter and enjoy.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Chowder And Rice Fritters
Despite the warm weather, it's a great time to make chowder and finish up with fried sweet rice balls. Yesterday's New York Times Food section had two recipes that would be great for the mid December lull and the end of Hanukkah, One is a spicy soup from David Tanis in City Kitchen while Melissa Clark gives us a recipe beloved by Italian Jews in her Good Eats column.
On to the chowder first. David Tanis gives us a spicy meat and potato kind that could work now or on a cool Spring or Summer day,It starts with fish. Mr Tanis used smoked sablefish, a milder tasting fish for the base. Home chefs can use it but can also try any smoked fish such as whitefish, sturgeon, haddock or even eel or mussels.He sweats the onions first, then chorizo and cubed yellow fleshed potatoes (namely Yukon Gold). Leeks are also used to intensify the onion flavor and then the fish is added. Cut it into cubes and add with piquillo peppers. The last is fiery capiscum that adds heat and color to the broth , elevating it from just another seafood chowder to something special. Chopped cilantro is added to the finished product. for more color,giving it that holiday green and red contrast. This could be served at a tree trimming party along with an olive salad . Crusty Spanish bread, pan de horno, drizzled with olive oil would also be a perfect mate to this soup. You could even float toasted slices of it on top of the chowder.. Mr. Tanis recommends an Iberian sherry or even a hearty Madeira to serve with it.
Melissa Clark gives us a variation of latkes that works for both Hanukkah and Christmas parties.They're rice fritters, a kind of arancini riff on the Sicilian savory classic rice ball.The recipe comes from Edda Servi Machlan''s 1992 cookbook "The Classic Cuisine Of Italian Jews" and features the chewier arborio rice than the regular minute kind.. The fritters also have pine nuts and raisins in it as well as a cheese center, similar to arancini. Ms. Clark punches up the raisins by soaking them in a warm brandy bath for twenty minutes.However these also have a hint of savoriness with the addition of thyme leaves and Parmesan cheese.. These rice patties do require more work than the average potato pancake,. A slurry of water and flour has to be made as a paste to hold the rice around the cheese and raisin the after . panko bread crumbs are the coating to give it the rice that nice crunchy crispness. The fritters are then fried in grapeseed oil.followed by a light sprinkle of sea salt. You can eat them straight from the fryer or even nibble on them an hour later.
If you want to liven up the December lull along with the last nights of Hanukkah, then make this chowder and rice fritters. They're an exciting departure from the usual. Try them for some fun eating.
On to the chowder first. David Tanis gives us a spicy meat and potato kind that could work now or on a cool Spring or Summer day,It starts with fish. Mr Tanis used smoked sablefish, a milder tasting fish for the base. Home chefs can use it but can also try any smoked fish such as whitefish, sturgeon, haddock or even eel or mussels.He sweats the onions first, then chorizo and cubed yellow fleshed potatoes (namely Yukon Gold). Leeks are also used to intensify the onion flavor and then the fish is added. Cut it into cubes and add with piquillo peppers. The last is fiery capiscum that adds heat and color to the broth , elevating it from just another seafood chowder to something special. Chopped cilantro is added to the finished product. for more color,giving it that holiday green and red contrast. This could be served at a tree trimming party along with an olive salad . Crusty Spanish bread, pan de horno, drizzled with olive oil would also be a perfect mate to this soup. You could even float toasted slices of it on top of the chowder.. Mr. Tanis recommends an Iberian sherry or even a hearty Madeira to serve with it.
Melissa Clark gives us a variation of latkes that works for both Hanukkah and Christmas parties.They're rice fritters, a kind of arancini riff on the Sicilian savory classic rice ball.The recipe comes from Edda Servi Machlan''s 1992 cookbook "The Classic Cuisine Of Italian Jews" and features the chewier arborio rice than the regular minute kind.. The fritters also have pine nuts and raisins in it as well as a cheese center, similar to arancini. Ms. Clark punches up the raisins by soaking them in a warm brandy bath for twenty minutes.However these also have a hint of savoriness with the addition of thyme leaves and Parmesan cheese.. These rice patties do require more work than the average potato pancake,. A slurry of water and flour has to be made as a paste to hold the rice around the cheese and raisin the after . panko bread crumbs are the coating to give it the rice that nice crunchy crispness. The fritters are then fried in grapeseed oil.followed by a light sprinkle of sea salt. You can eat them straight from the fryer or even nibble on them an hour later.
If you want to liven up the December lull along with the last nights of Hanukkah, then make this chowder and rice fritters. They're an exciting departure from the usual. Try them for some fun eating.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Memories From Jacques Pepin
Jacques Pepin is one of the world's greatest chefs. He has contributed so much to the culinary world., giving us classic French recipes along with classic sound advice. As he turns eighty, he reflects on that in a special article in today's Food section of the New York Times, It's insightful and interesting, much like the chef himself
As with his fellow Frenchman, Marcel Proust, Chef Pepin, recounts his food memories, through taste and smell. He even calls to mind that moment when Proust's beloved madeleines bring the author back to his boyhood summers at his aunt's house in Normandy. The combined flavor of them mingled with the tea that they're dipped in, bring to mind, the heat of those summers, the family cook , the garden and finally the entire seaside town of Combray. Such is the sensual power of food. Chef Pepin has the same moments, many of them, in fact as he calls up his earliest culinary memories.He is, after all, a child of a restauranteur, He knows the power of a flavor or aroma. However his first strong memory was not in his mother's eatery but at farm where he stayed during a school vacation. realizing he missed his mere, the farmer let him milk a cow,. The taste of warm, foamy , fresh milk seared into his memory, and forever shaped the way he looked at food.From there he waxes lyrically about his family's dishes, as he writes, our family recipes are what shape us as people. They mold our tastes and define how we cook.It's obvious with Chef Pepin. He recalls his mother's treatment of fresh picked fingerling potatoes(skins that were simply rubbed off by gentle caressing and then sauteed in butter until crisp) and his Aunt Helene's chicken in cream sauce.
His life in America has also shaped his palate as well as his cooking style. Chef Pepin lives in Connecticut but has worked in some of the best kitchens in New York City. His recipes are linked to his local markets, in his town of Madison and the nearby town of Guilford. Eggs from a vibrant Jamaican named Nathalia also are part of the mix..He also credits a farm in Hammonnasset for fresh peas and the Lobster Landing in nearby Clinton CT for lobster. The markets of his native southern France figure large in their influence, especially the ones from Provence such as Arles, Avignon and st. Remy. Seasons are another influence as well. He lovingly recalls the sensations and food that make up the year. Summer is walking in cool grass , picking up mushrooms or along the shore , gathering up tiny fish to be fried.It's picnics with a Gallic twist, lobster, corn, and fried chicken along with lukewarm tomatoes and cooled white wine , celebrated on the Hammonnasset River, Fall is the aroma of baking apple tarts, making cider, and the flavor of Concord grapes and his favorite holiday's Thanksgiving turkey.Winter brings him back to 1959 when he first arrived in New York City and smelled that Manhattan street classic roasted chestnuts.It's also the comforting aromas of bean stews and homemade split pea soup made with ham, along with cheese fondue. There is also fond remembrances of the holidays with oysters and foie gras, chocolate truffles and homemade caramel candies.
Chef Pepin could be considered the Proust of our age. He has such beautiful memories of the foods , flavors and aromas that have shaped his life. Every one should have those fond and warm remembrances.
As with his fellow Frenchman, Marcel Proust, Chef Pepin, recounts his food memories, through taste and smell. He even calls to mind that moment when Proust's beloved madeleines bring the author back to his boyhood summers at his aunt's house in Normandy. The combined flavor of them mingled with the tea that they're dipped in, bring to mind, the heat of those summers, the family cook , the garden and finally the entire seaside town of Combray. Such is the sensual power of food. Chef Pepin has the same moments, many of them, in fact as he calls up his earliest culinary memories.He is, after all, a child of a restauranteur, He knows the power of a flavor or aroma. However his first strong memory was not in his mother's eatery but at farm where he stayed during a school vacation. realizing he missed his mere, the farmer let him milk a cow,. The taste of warm, foamy , fresh milk seared into his memory, and forever shaped the way he looked at food.From there he waxes lyrically about his family's dishes, as he writes, our family recipes are what shape us as people. They mold our tastes and define how we cook.It's obvious with Chef Pepin. He recalls his mother's treatment of fresh picked fingerling potatoes(skins that were simply rubbed off by gentle caressing and then sauteed in butter until crisp) and his Aunt Helene's chicken in cream sauce.
His life in America has also shaped his palate as well as his cooking style. Chef Pepin lives in Connecticut but has worked in some of the best kitchens in New York City. His recipes are linked to his local markets, in his town of Madison and the nearby town of Guilford. Eggs from a vibrant Jamaican named Nathalia also are part of the mix..He also credits a farm in Hammonnasset for fresh peas and the Lobster Landing in nearby Clinton CT for lobster. The markets of his native southern France figure large in their influence, especially the ones from Provence such as Arles, Avignon and st. Remy. Seasons are another influence as well. He lovingly recalls the sensations and food that make up the year. Summer is walking in cool grass , picking up mushrooms or along the shore , gathering up tiny fish to be fried.It's picnics with a Gallic twist, lobster, corn, and fried chicken along with lukewarm tomatoes and cooled white wine , celebrated on the Hammonnasset River, Fall is the aroma of baking apple tarts, making cider, and the flavor of Concord grapes and his favorite holiday's Thanksgiving turkey.Winter brings him back to 1959 when he first arrived in New York City and smelled that Manhattan street classic roasted chestnuts.It's also the comforting aromas of bean stews and homemade split pea soup made with ham, along with cheese fondue. There is also fond remembrances of the holidays with oysters and foie gras, chocolate truffles and homemade caramel candies.
Chef Pepin could be considered the Proust of our age. He has such beautiful memories of the foods , flavors and aromas that have shaped his life. Every one should have those fond and warm remembrances.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Books For Your Home Chefs
Cookbooks are always at the top of every foodie's and home chef's gift list. It's always great to get any type of cookbook. .They can expand horizons and introduce chefs to new skills and dishes. There are so many out there , that it's easy to make a choice .Give one that celebrates Mexican cuisine or one that celebrates SoCal cooking.
This past Sunday's New York Times Book section, Holiday Books issue suggests many good books to give (and also treat yourself to a couple); There are several ones that reflect certain cuisines . If your foodie loves the exotic eastern Mediterranean foods then gift them with Zahav:A World Of Israeli Cooking(Rux Martin/Howard Mifflin ) written by chef Michael Solomonov with Stephen Cook. Zahav is one of Philadelphia's hottest restaurants, featuring delicious Israeli food and the cookbook is a reflection of that. Recipes include tahini sauce and harissa, that flavorful blend of spices.If your home chef has a thing for all things Scandinavian , then The Nordic Cookbook
(Phaidon Publishing, $49.95) is for him or her. Author Magnus Nilsson offers traditional and modern recipes from such diverse areas as Finland and Greenland = although your home chef may want to think twice about cooking a cute puffin stuffed with cake recipe. Mexican food buffs will surely enjoy Lesley Teller's Eat Mexico:Recipes From Mexico's City Streets Markets and Fondas (Kyle Publishing $24.95).It has steak flautas along with the recipe for the ultra decadent Mexican hot chocolate, champurrado.
Home chefs who appreciate simple cooking and the chemistry behind it will love unwrapping The Food Lab:Better Home Cooking Through Science (Norton $49.95). It explains everything from temperature to food safety to labeling.The science of browning, rising , emulsifying and marinating is also parsed out There is also The Laws of Cooking And How To Break Them (Flatiron $35) by Justin Warner, a fun books that has laws like law of peanut butter and jelly where fat complements sweet and the law of coffee, cream and sugar - bitter compliments sweet The book also has how to repurpose used marinade into a tasty gravy by boiling it,Mark Bittman fans should appreciate his Mark BIttman's Kitchen Matrix (Pam Kraus/Crown $35) He celebrates chicken done a variety of ways namely using the paillard method of cooking. Women Chefs Of New York (Absolute/Bloomsbury $35) which features the recipes of such chefs as April Bloomfield, Missy Robbins, Sasha Miranda and Sawako Okochi along with Gabriel Hamilton. Her recipe for sardines cornichons and Dijon mustard on Triscuits could work for any holiday party or a snowy night in..California cuisine lovers may appreciate Travis Lett's GJelena Cooking From Venice California (Chronicle $35). Recipes include grilled kabocha squash with mint pomegranate pesto and rye rags(!??) with sausage , mushroom fennel along with rustic corn grits served with mushroom sugo and poached eggs.
A cookbook is a wonderful holiday gift.Home chefs and foodies alike will enjoy the surprise of receiving a book that will educate them as well as expanding their culinary horizons It's a present that keeps on giving,
Monday, December 7, 2015
Hanukkah Party Time
Today ii the second day of Hanukkah, the festival of lights. It's a time to celebrate , and of course eat fun treats.As with any other holiday., it's celebrated differently throughout the world. There are some yummy treats that work well at any Hanukkah party.
The holiday is known for homemade latkes or potato pancakes.These symbolize the miracle of the festival when the last jar of oil not touched by the Greeks lasted for eight days - hence the reasoning whythe holiday lasts for that long. Latkes are usually made with grated potatoes mixed with onions.This is the traditional way however you can also make them with mashed potatoes..This creates a creamy middle yet it still has a nice crispy, crunchy crust. You can add shallots and parsley for more flavor and color. another way of adding color is making latkes with root vegetables.Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory") has an excellent recipe for this in her cookbook, Mayim's Vegan Table (Lifelong Books Publishers). Carrots ,zucchini and red pepper make the batter festively colorful while matzoh meal and egg are the binders. You can use a real egg instead of the egg substitute. Sweet potatoes can also be turned into latkes They're basically made the same way as the regular ones with one more egg added.These can be served with yogurt and sour cream or plain yogurt.
Another Hanukkah favorite is sufganiyot , another treat deep fried in oil. It's a kind of yeast jelly doughnut. that actually originated in North Africa. The recipe is a hybrid from the Ashkenazi Jews who resettled in Israel who combined the recipe with their ponchke one, a type of Berliner. The original recipe called for two pieces of dough sandwiching a blob of jam and then deep frying it. A better way is making the dough and frying it first and then filling it with a syringe. The filling is usually strawberry or raspberry jam. Dust with powdered or granulated sugar.You can fill them with salted caramel or dulce de leche.If you're having a party you make want to think about baking dreidl cookies. These are just a basic sugar cookie dough rolled out to look like the four sided top. Ice it with the familiar symbols of nes, gadol,haya and shan. If you want a more substantial dinner then make the traditional brisket with carrots and potatoes.You can also serve with meat with latkes.Noodle kugel is another nice dish that could go sweet or savory. It can be served as a meal or as a dessert, depending on the ingredients.
Hanukkah is a time of good food and good eating. Fry up a batch of latkes for a fun crunchy treat or a jam filled sufganiyot for a bite between games. Enjoy this festive time with festive sweets and savories.
The holiday is known for homemade latkes or potato pancakes.These symbolize the miracle of the festival when the last jar of oil not touched by the Greeks lasted for eight days - hence the reasoning whythe holiday lasts for that long. Latkes are usually made with grated potatoes mixed with onions.This is the traditional way however you can also make them with mashed potatoes..This creates a creamy middle yet it still has a nice crispy, crunchy crust. You can add shallots and parsley for more flavor and color. another way of adding color is making latkes with root vegetables.Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory") has an excellent recipe for this in her cookbook, Mayim's Vegan Table (Lifelong Books Publishers). Carrots ,zucchini and red pepper make the batter festively colorful while matzoh meal and egg are the binders. You can use a real egg instead of the egg substitute. Sweet potatoes can also be turned into latkes They're basically made the same way as the regular ones with one more egg added.These can be served with yogurt and sour cream or plain yogurt.
Another Hanukkah favorite is sufganiyot , another treat deep fried in oil. It's a kind of yeast jelly doughnut. that actually originated in North Africa. The recipe is a hybrid from the Ashkenazi Jews who resettled in Israel who combined the recipe with their ponchke one, a type of Berliner. The original recipe called for two pieces of dough sandwiching a blob of jam and then deep frying it. A better way is making the dough and frying it first and then filling it with a syringe. The filling is usually strawberry or raspberry jam. Dust with powdered or granulated sugar.You can fill them with salted caramel or dulce de leche.If you're having a party you make want to think about baking dreidl cookies. These are just a basic sugar cookie dough rolled out to look like the four sided top. Ice it with the familiar symbols of nes, gadol,haya and shan. If you want a more substantial dinner then make the traditional brisket with carrots and potatoes.You can also serve with meat with latkes.Noodle kugel is another nice dish that could go sweet or savory. It can be served as a meal or as a dessert, depending on the ingredients.
Hanukkah is a time of good food and good eating. Fry up a batch of latkes for a fun crunchy treat or a jam filled sufganiyot for a bite between games. Enjoy this festive time with festive sweets and savories.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Pre-Party Ready
Now that the holiday party season has officially kicked off , party goers need to know one thing.Don;t go to any soiree or tree trimming party hungry. It pays to have a mini meal before hand. You'll feel better along with not getting drunk so quickly on an empty stomach.
One of my pre party rituals is always having a cup of simple vegetable broth and a few crackers before hand. This satisfies me until I actually eat again which is usually late .A cup of hot , steamy broth is also fortifying.I'm satisfied along with knowing I won;t wolf down all sorts of rich party foods later on . Nothing is more uncomfortable than the after effects of gorging on an empty stomach . Most nutritionists also recommend eating other low calories snacks such as raw carrots and celery sticks, Having a snack of these three or four hours before the actual feast will help you keep sated.If you want more protein spread a dab of peanut butter on the celery . It can also go on crackers too. Cheese and crackers are another good go to pre festivity snack as are grapes.If you know you;re eating very late - anywhere from nine PM to midnight, then think about heating up a light soup for yourself. Any vegetable soup is good or even a ramen noodle soup. They;'re light and filling, able to stave your appetite until the later hours.
Another plus about eating early is that it helps with not getting drunk. If you have a boozy night ahead then plan on carbo loading before hand. Again , a cup of Ramen noodles is probably your best bet. It's mild but filling. You can even add a beaten egg to it for more protein.Pizza surprisingly is a pre partier's best friend, but this may be too much before a big do. Try a simple grilled cheese or better yet a sandwich filled with one or two slices of any kind of cold cut. instead Also just a toasted muffin, bagel or English muffin will help in you absorbing that run punch or champagne cocktail. Surprisingly a baked potato is another good mini meal before all that holiday punch.Potatoes are pure starch which can easily absorb the alcohol.Just make a simple one, butter on top with salt and pepper, Leave the cheese and chili for another day. Ddespite what the old wives tales say, drinking milk before boozing is not a good idea. The alcohol will curdle it on your stomach leaving you nauseous and ready to hurl. Keep away from it and ice cream.
Eating before a big holiday party is a must. Have a small sandwich or a cup of broth You'll feel better and won't arrive hungry, ready to gobble down anything.
One of my pre party rituals is always having a cup of simple vegetable broth and a few crackers before hand. This satisfies me until I actually eat again which is usually late .A cup of hot , steamy broth is also fortifying.I'm satisfied along with knowing I won;t wolf down all sorts of rich party foods later on . Nothing is more uncomfortable than the after effects of gorging on an empty stomach . Most nutritionists also recommend eating other low calories snacks such as raw carrots and celery sticks, Having a snack of these three or four hours before the actual feast will help you keep sated.If you want more protein spread a dab of peanut butter on the celery . It can also go on crackers too. Cheese and crackers are another good go to pre festivity snack as are grapes.If you know you;re eating very late - anywhere from nine PM to midnight, then think about heating up a light soup for yourself. Any vegetable soup is good or even a ramen noodle soup. They;'re light and filling, able to stave your appetite until the later hours.
Another plus about eating early is that it helps with not getting drunk. If you have a boozy night ahead then plan on carbo loading before hand. Again , a cup of Ramen noodles is probably your best bet. It's mild but filling. You can even add a beaten egg to it for more protein.Pizza surprisingly is a pre partier's best friend, but this may be too much before a big do. Try a simple grilled cheese or better yet a sandwich filled with one or two slices of any kind of cold cut. instead Also just a toasted muffin, bagel or English muffin will help in you absorbing that run punch or champagne cocktail. Surprisingly a baked potato is another good mini meal before all that holiday punch.Potatoes are pure starch which can easily absorb the alcohol.Just make a simple one, butter on top with salt and pepper, Leave the cheese and chili for another day. Ddespite what the old wives tales say, drinking milk before boozing is not a good idea. The alcohol will curdle it on your stomach leaving you nauseous and ready to hurl. Keep away from it and ice cream.
Eating before a big holiday party is a must. Have a small sandwich or a cup of broth You'll feel better and won't arrive hungry, ready to gobble down anything.
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