Oscar Party - A Glam Night In

Nothing beats an Oscar party. There's fun and excitement along with a chance to celebrate the winners and favorites. It's also a chance to have lush food,  and eat your beloved stars and directors. Get out the champagne bottles and party rich !!!.

Of course you could have foods that tie into the nominated movies. The Darkest Hour could be celebrated with fish and chips. It's a great choice but choose something a bit more decadent. Think clotted cream with strawberries or smoked Scottish salmon on Melba toast.You could also do Yorkshire pudding cups filled with roast beef  and gravy. The Shape Of Water takes place in Baltimore and you could serve crab cake sliders with cole slaw but try the more elegant.crab legs in butter.Crab legs can be bought at any seafood market or grocery store. If these are a bit out of your budget then think shrimp instead. Serve it with the easy to make champagne beurre blanc sauce. This is just sauteing champagne vinegar, and brut champagne with shallots and thyme and then adding one cup of chilled and diced butter.Chopped button mushrooms are also thrown in  for texture and flavor. Call Me By Your Name takes place in Northern Italy.  A truly posh dish is risotto with truffle oil. If this is just a bit too expensive, then just think about a Parmesan risotto laced with cremini mushrooms. Finish with a truly decadent sabayon, the Madeira laced eggy custard of Northern Italy.

Another idea is eating like the stars. Caviar can be spooned on crackers. Pair it with a dry water cracker so that the taste isn't overshadowed. The roe can be mixed with crab and put on a roasted potato slice. Many after Oscar parties will feature filet mignon. This tender cut can be turned into a tasty hors d'ouvre by putting them on crostini.Another idea is turning them into kebobs with the addition of grape tomatoes and green peppers. The meat can also be turned into mini Beef Wellingtons.They're relaltively easy to make, thanks to using store bought puff pastry.Mushrooms, shallots and onions are  finely chopped up to create duxelles which are also included in the puff. Prosciutto can be added as well, wrapped around the filet mignon before it's enrobed in dough.What to drink with all of this? Champagne , of course! You could splurge on Dom Perignon at $150 a bottle  or Cristal at a whopping $199 a bottle. For a more affordable yet still rich sip, try Moet & Chandon for $60. End with  cupcakes dusted with gold sanding sugar and the lush coffee Kopi Iwuak,which is made from a Asian palm civet's poo. Yup civet mess.,It may be gross but it's supposed to be the best in the world. If this is too gross then settle on Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon blend at $24 a pound.It has a black cherry and butter flavor, perfect with Godiva truffles .

Oscar night is a time of celebrating and eating well. Toast your faves with a glass of champagne and lush, rich nibbles and treats. There's nothing like a glam night of fun!!!

Decadent and Diabetic Friendly

For decades anyone with diabetes had to be put on a special diet. It was basically a bland low calorie one that ensured no weight gain along with no taste. However that's changing, thanks to a new cookbook,It's a chance to enjoy yummy dishes packed with flavor.

Devin Alexander ,a cook and TV personality has written You Can Have It (published by the American Diabetes Association 2018.) a true treat of a recipe book.. This has been approved by the ADA , the American Diabetes Association yet the recipes can be made by anyone watching their weight along with their salt and sugar intake.Ms. Alexander is known for creating low calorie dishes and has made appearances on the NBC show  "The Biggest Loser." which has inspired her to write four books centering around the show's recipes.. The introduction is good for novice home chefs because it tells  them everything from how to wash and dry vegetables to making olive oil spray a large part of cooking. What's interesting is there's really no introduction.They have to go to her website to read it (where they can also see clips of her TV appearances and other recipes) The book doesn't have chapters, instead she has recipes grouped into lists. They're under such clever  headings as "Bet Your Going  To Love Breakfasts" and "Devinly Desserts And Sweet Sips." Ms. Alexander has even coined an adjective "Devinly" meaning she created it and it's heavenly.

The recipes are sinful in taste but puritanical in calories and fats.For a decadent breakfast try the scrambled egg with sauteed shrimp. It's a variation of Manhattan's Bryant Park Grill, sparked with pico di gallo and freshly minced garlic.Those who want a healthier start could try the bacon and egg
sweet potato breakfast sandwich where the sweet potato subs in for an English muffin.Home chefs will enjoy the London Broil, spiked with chili powder and cayenne. There is also a Japanese version that uses seaweed or nori along with sesame seeds and ginger.The childhood favorite potato chip crusted chicken has been update to have the chicken marinated overnight in buttermilk. They're also baked instead of fried  which makes them only 220 calories.Sides include a take on seasoned curly fries and homemade baked crinkle cut fries. Green are represented here too. Anyone would love the Dijon roasted Brussels sprouts made crunchy by roasting. There's also a delicious papaya slaw that adds papaya and orange juice to shredded cabbage. Desserts are here as well There's a dark chocolate pudding  made with the healthy cheese quark, zero calorie sweetener and dark cocoa powder.It's topped with Devinly whipped topping, a mix of egg whites, cream of tartar, xanthan gum, and agave nectar. A lovely dessert for company would be the Perfect Pumpkin Pie-lets,made with pre made filo shells and topped with  - what else - Devinly whipped topping.

You Can Have It  gives delicious recipes that are tasty without being bad for you. They are big on flavor and goodness., the perfect combination. They make it easy to enjoy these heavenly

dishes and treats.

New Zealand's Secret Ingredients Sea Salt And Honey

New Zealand is primarily known for amazing landscapes, beautiful beaches and lovable people. What may surprise home chefs is that this country down under is also famed for their sea salt and honey. The company PRI - Pacific Resources International is shedding a bright light on these natural ingredients, making them now known in the States.

This very Kiwi company was actually started by an American transplant in this wondrous land. David Noll, left four decades ago , just with his guitar and surfboard. It was going to be a short stay but he fell for Linda, married her and stayed. He founded Pacific Resources International in 1987. Four years later he introduced Manuka honey to the US. Manuka honey originates from the manuka bush which has healing properties, including antibacterial properties.It also lowers cholesterol as well as treating diabetes and curing sinus, ear and eye infections. .PRI is also known for their sea salt, harvested from the purer waters of the South Pacific.It's different from other salts because after it's been harvested, it washed in brine before it's stacked in large, snowy drifts. They're something of a landmark seen from the Blenheim-Christchurch highway. The company also manufactures all natural potato and sweet potato chips in such delicious flavors as paprika and rosemary and thyme, There is also one flavored with Marlborough sea salt too.

I love this brand! Sea salt is one of my favorite ingredients and what draws me is the texture along with the taste.PRI's flaky sea salt is so light and fluffy, It is heaven on tomatoes, giving the flesh a gentle crunch and a lighter saltiness than other sea salts.It is really the perfect salt to sprinkle on scrambled eggs or a salad and it would definitely be the perfect topping on brownies and on top of fudge frosting. Another favorite is the Mesquite BBQ salt , a perfect marriage of mesquite and the sea salt.I can see this dusting a grilled steak or even chicken.I also love their chipotle BBQ salt. This is a mixture of pure fire with salt and a whiff of sweetness.This is definitely getting added to my chili and sprinkled over chicken patties.  PRI's sweets have also captured my heart. Their Manuka honey caramels are the best caramels ever! They have a dusting of sea salt on them which makes a perfect foil to the honey caramel's creamy sweetness.Their dark chocolate mint and ginger discs are also wonderful snacks, .Flavored honey is enrobed in 99 per cent dark chocolate discs.They'd make the perfect Easter candy , having the extra bonus of the healing honey.

If you're looking for a fantastic sea salt and honey, look no further than PRI. They produce great salts and honey as well as potato chips that are not only good tasting but good for you. They have so many benefits as well as being a bonus addition to any kitchen.

The New Must Have - The Quarter Sheet Pan

Sheet pans are now  must have items.They're used for cooking whole dinners which unfortunately means overcooked meat or sides. However a smaller version is out , the quarter pan, and it's making waves in the home cooking society.

Melissa Clark wrote about them along with giving some good recipes in today's New York Times Food section.A sheet pan is ubiquitous kitchen necessity these days. Many home chefs swear by it , loving the fact they can cook any meat and veggies together. There's a problem with that. The meat , especially if it's a roast can take longer. Veggies then burn or dry out which ruins the meal. An easier solution would be having two separate pans in which the foods can cook at their different rates. Two different sheet pans means also taking one out when it's done and turning up the oven temp for the other , without worrying about over cooking. Also meat fat won't run onto the vegetables, making them safe for vegans and vegetariansThey're basically a thin but sturdy tray about 9 by 12 inches as opposed to the full sheet pan's 13 by 18 inches. Four can fit comfortable in any oven as well as the dishwasher. Another plus is they're only ten dollars so buy a couple and if you're worried about them not fitting, they're stackable. Again, they'll come in handy for the holidays when they're doing double duty as cookie sheets.

Ms. Clark gives two very tasty recipes. One is cumin roasted pork chops and Brussels sprouts. The chops are smeared/rubbed with a fiery sweet mix of cumin,brown sugar , black pepper and red pepper flakes. It should then sit for at least twenty minutes and then refrigerated up until overnight. The Brussels sprouts only have to be tossed with sage along with extra virgin olive oil with just salt and pepper. The other recipe is sausage with broccoli accompanied by homemade tomato sauce and ricotta. This is a little more labor intensive because you have to make the sauce on the stovetop. The meat and broccoli are cooked in a 450 degree Farenheit oven. The sausage should be laid out on the pan after its' been pricked with a fork (use the sweet or hot Italian kind). The broccoli is tossed with red pepper flakes for heat and bite along with olive oil. Flip the sausages and remove the broccoli after fifteen minutes of cooking. The broccoli is then tossed with sliced garlic. Return them to the oven for five minutes until the sausages and broccoli are browned and the second is tender. Serve with ricotta and tomato sauce. Ms. Clark recommends serving with a crusty Italian bread to sop up the sauces.

Sheet pan dinners are the recipe of choice nowadays. Make it easier by using two quarter sheet pans. It gives  a tasty full cooked meal with two perfectly cooks dishes.

Your Sauce Guide

Pasta with sauce is one if the simplest and possibly the most delicious dishes to make. What create a memorable bowl is the sauce itself. Whether it's the springy basil or a rich marinara , what goes on your spaghetti or lasagna  is the the ingredient that makes it.Yet don't get stuck in a rut. There are so many different kinds out there. You can have one type of pasta three different ways and each time it will be unique.

If you're a novice home chef, you may want to stick to the easiest.which is burro or butter. This is simply melted butter , either warmed in the microwave or in a saucepan over a low flame. Some add fresh parsley and/or onions but that's up to you. Just plain butter is good, especially if it's Kerrygold, Pasta con burro is a late night treat, especially at all night trattorias where young Italians go after the movies. Another no fuss sauce is aglia olio.This is a little more involved but worth it. It's thinly  slicing six (!) garlic cloves and sauteing them in half a cup of olive oil. (I  actually use a little more than half a cup). Peperincino  or red pepper flakes are added for heat and bite. Again using these are a matter of taste.If they're too fiery just sub in a grind of fresh black pepper. The pasta and the sauce must be cooked at the same time. If not the garlic will burn and will taste bitter.A cup or more of the pasta water also has to be added , mostly to thin out the sauce and add some salinity to it. This sauce should be served with spaghetti, but it also works with rigatoni and penne too.

Tomato sauces are any pastas best friend. You can make them over a stove pot or in a crockpot.I prefer the last because the slow cooking lets all the flavors meld together and gives it a richer, deeper flavor.The basic sauce calls for first sauteing sliced garlic  then adding tomato sauce and paste. Chopped onion give it that unique, fresh flavor while dark honey gives the entire sauce a certain mellowness.The last is up for debate. Many home and professional chefs will either add refined white sugar - no - or grated carrot - acceptable. I've added sugar to mine when I didn't have honey and it just gave the sauce a kind of candy like taste. Dark honey is is the best. It has more flavor - and more nutrients than light or golden honey. Bolognese sauce is the same but ground beef is cooked first with the garlic. Some Neopolitan chefs throw in ground pork. For a leaner sauce, try ground turkey. One of the hardest and most complex is pesto. Some think this is just  ground basil but it's so much more.. It ground basil leaves blended with walnuts and pignoli or pine nuts.. Only the best olive oil is used (Bertoli is recommended) and all the ingredients are put through a food processor or blender. Parmesan cheese is then added later. It's the only sauce that isn't cooked.It's not only good with pasta but also excellent with chicken and grilled steak.

There's a whole range of pasta sauces to try. Vary it with a traditional Bolognese or a simple aglia olio. It's a great way to expand your palate and sauce knowledge.

The Perfect Diabetes Cookbook

It is hard to plans meals.It's even harder when you have a condition like diabetes. Luckily there's a new cookbook out there to help plan meals . This is a boon for those who have to search for meal ideas or are frustrated by the usual recipes. These are light in calories and rich in taste.

Linda Gassenheimer and The American Diabetes Association wrote this fascinating  The 12 Week Diabetes Cookbook.Ms. Gassenheimer has a website , Dinner in Minutes along with the cookbook No Fuss Diabetic Desserts. along with several other cookbooks.that center around one pot dishes, chicken and smoothies. Her book is  down to earth and it feels like a friend giving kitchen advice. The introductory chapters are howtos on how t shop, along with weekly budgets and the ingredients and gadgets you need. There is a shopping list with the must haves such as meats and seafood, bakery, condiments, produce, and staples. The book isn't divided into chapters but into weeks. What I like about it is how the cost is also included in the recipe. The most a meal can cost is around  $9.23, most are the cost of a fast food meal. Every week starts off with a shopping list for the week. This is perfect for those who want to do their food shopping in one fell swoop.The recipes also have a helpful hints section and a countdown of what to do. I would have liked to have seen dessert recipes too, because this is as just as important as the main meal.

Ms. Gassenheimer has a wide range of recipes and is big on repurposing the meat. Pork tenderloin is made Monday night and remade as pulled pork on Wednesday. All meats and seafood figure largely in the weekly meals. There is a tasty lemon pepper salmon and linguine with Italian salad. Red meat lovers will enjoy the spicy coffee rubbed steak along with Mediterranean steak with minted couscous.
Italian, Mexican, and Chinese food are also represented. Home chefs can prepare healthier versions of shrimp and mushroom pizza and the vegetarian Mexican Fiesta Bowl,chock full of avocadoes, black beans, corn  and tomato. Stay home and cook Mu Shu pork wrap with stir fried bok choy. Filipino and Indian cuisines are also in here to vary up the cooking.There are plenty of homey recipes too, perfect for a chilly night in. Try turkey pot pie or meat loaf with orange flavored barley. Another great aspect is that there's no fancy ingredients or spices. Everything is affordable and familiar and easily found in any supermarket.

The 12 Week Diabetes Cookbook is a great cookbook for chefs, following a specific diet. It is varied but not extravagant. This is the perfect book for those watching their diets and budgets.

Kitchen Clean

One of the most annoying aspects of a kitchen is it's forever dirty and messy. Stoves get used every day as do plates . However thanks to old fashioned cleaning methods and new fangled gadgets, the most used room in the house can always be sparkling and bright.

Everybody has to do dishes - whether by hand or by dishwasher.  It helps if you have a dish detergent that gets rid of grease and sauces along with leaving a gleaming finish. For dishwashers many opt for Cascade ,  while others are looking into more natural types such as Seventh Generation.The last has no dyes or fragrances, perfect for those who have allergies. For those who aren't as lucky to have a dishwasher, there's Dawn dish soap. This is a favorite of mine (and yes, I still wash  dishes by hand.I have the old fashioned notion that hand washed dishes and pans are somewhat cleaner) I like the way it thoroughly rids surfaces from chocolate to  tomato sauce.It's also gentle on skin which is important during these raw winter days.It cuts down on chapped skin, Dawn is so mild that it's been used to clean birds that have been unfortunately victims of oil spills Another plus is that it comes in a wide variety of scents, from lavender to a refreshing waterfall scent.For those who do their own manicures, wash hands in Dawn before putting on  nail  polish. It gets rid of any  body oils and makes the color stay on longer.

Vinegar is a time honored classic , used for more than one hundred years. It's is wonderful on windows, cutting through soot and dirt.White distilled vinegar can get rid of any stain  - no matter how greasy or grungy. The insanely fun gadget Angry Mama below) uses it to clean the interior of

 the microwave. I bought her at What On Earth, a neat catalog company that specializes in the fun and the fantastic. Vinegar and water are poured into her body. and then heated for seven minutes in the microwave. This produces a potent steam that comes out of the holes in her head.From there the moisture is wiped away, along with grease or food particles with a paper towel. The vinegar also deodorizes the microwave, taking away any lingering odors. Let the liquid cool and it becomes an excellent cleaner for the stove top.

It pays to have a clean kitchen. There's nothing more disgusting than a grungy one,. Luckily there are so many soap, cleanserss and gadgets that can help.