The weather's getting warmer and that means a stuffy, hot kitchen. Cooking whole meals like we did a couple of months ago is no longer appealing. Yet , there's still the need for hot meal. What to do? Turn to our trusty microwaves.
After weeks of using the oven, crock pot oven and air fryer on a constant rotation, it's nice to use an appliance that can give us a hot meal in seconds. It''s also a fun treat because we tend to buy what we like. There are some great brands out there. I've recently discovered Annie Chun's , surprisingly sold at CVS. This company has many Asian influenced meals that can be cooked for a quick lunch or dinner. I tried their Soy Garlic Noodle Bowl and was pleasantly surprised by just how good it was. I was also leery because the noodles come precooked which can sometimes mean salmonella. However they came out perfect and I loved that it had dried veggies that plump out when water is added. There was also a sauce that's mixed in afterwards. This is the perfect lunch or dinner, especially on a weekend. The company also has pad Thai and teriyaki flavors that I'd like to try too. Amy's Kitchen also has very good microwave meals. Their's is a little more natural along with offering vegan and gluten free alternatives.I enjoy their organic pasta,broccoli and potatoes bowl. This is a filling dish, full of baked tofu, red bell peppers and roasted potatoes and topped off with an English cheddar cheese.
Another aspect of microwave cooking is creating our own dishes. One is taking garlic knots made from frozen prepared dough and dipping them in warmed pizza sauce. Getting the dough is easy. You can select Pillsbury or in store brands along with frozen dough. The simpler method is use your air fryer. Baking them in a hot oven on a hot day is really not fun. They'll bake up in just four minutes flat. Then it's taking sauce and just heating it until it's hot and bubble. Grilled cheese is usually the domain of ovens and toaster ovens however it can be made in a microwave too. Don't use white bread because it will become soggy . Try heartier slices of rye or sourdough bread. Also pick a cheese that melts easily These would be any kind of cheddar. You can blend it with Parmesan for a different, tangier flavor. Add ham for a croque monsieur vibe or sliced tomatoes and already cooked bacon.Another easy microwave is a baked potato. This can be fun because you can add a variety of different toppings from chili to just plain butter and sour cream. You just microwave the potato first for about four minutes, then scoop out the middle. Mix this with shredded ham or bacon along with sour cream, butter, and onion powder, and then put back into the hollowed out potato. Microwave for another two to three minutes.
After months of oven and stove top cooking,it's time to take a break. Try microwave cooking, whether with prepared or make your own meals. It's an easy way to have a hot , filling meal.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Monday, May 25, 2020
A True Memorial Day
This is a different kind of Memorial Day . We can't have friends and family over for the usual burgers and dogs.We can't head to the beach or park of if we can - not that quickly or that casually.
What we can do is remember those brave essential workers. We can still treat doctors and nurses to pizzas and coffees. We can still offer free gift certificates to those delivery people and grocery workers,as we help restaurants get back on their feet. We can also help out service families and veterans, whether by buying them food or delivering them groceries and hot meals.
This Memorial Day , it is all about remembrance. We need to remember those that have bravely died of the Corona virus and those who have died in our previous wars. We need to remember those essential workers too.
Run free , little Bitty into fields filled with catnip,, chicken, ham and roast beef
What we can do is remember those brave essential workers. We can still treat doctors and nurses to pizzas and coffees. We can still offer free gift certificates to those delivery people and grocery workers,as we help restaurants get back on their feet. We can also help out service families and veterans, whether by buying them food or delivering them groceries and hot meals.
This Memorial Day , it is all about remembrance. We need to remember those that have bravely died of the Corona virus and those who have died in our previous wars. We need to remember those essential workers too.
Run free , little Bitty into fields filled with catnip,, chicken, ham and roast beef
Saturday, May 23, 2020
A Fun Book About Bourbon
We need fun and promise right now. Along with parties that feature alcohol and good food. There is a book out there. Which Fork Do I Use With My Bourbon :Setting The Table For Tastings, Food Pairings, Dinner and Cocktail Parties, Forward by Fred Minnick (South Limestone Publishing 2020). It's a fizzy book that chock full of fun facts, interesting history and delicious recipes.
Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler wrote this fascinating melange of facts and fun. Ms. Stevens has a background with bourbon, being founder of the Bourbon Women Association and the first female master bourbon taster in the world. Susan Reigler is a former restaurant critic for the Louisville-Courier Journal and a current correspondent for Bourbon + and American Whiskey magazines. She also has written other books on the subject. There's a lot of ideas and suggestions for bourbon parties but these can be adapted for other parties too. A plus is that the authors offer suggestions for gatherings for all year round and of course the big Kentucky event - the Kentucky Derby. Ms. Stevens and Ms. Reigler give suggestions for both formal and informal gatherings. Bourbon enthusiasts will love this book because it shows how to set up a bourbon bar. There is even a floor plan, perfect if you have enough room or a big yard.Since this is the South , there are also suggestions about sending out the perfect invitation which is crucial to any Antebellum do.I love the coffee table book photographs of classic glassware and silverware along with the decorations - which Ms. Stevens and Ms. Reigler offer where to buy them.
As for the recipes they give some that I'm familiar with such as burgoo, a Kentucky classic. I'm surprised and just a little disappointed that there were no recipes for that Louisville classic, the Hot Brown. Many have bourbon as part of the ingredients as Granny Hunter's Bourbon Tenderloin or Chicken and Country Ham Crepes with a Bourbon Sauce. Since the drink itself is a mash of fermented corn , there is a slight sweetness there that makes it an ideal ingredient. It gives kick to the acorn squash recipe, that flavored up with brown sugar and butter. This would be the perfect Thanksgiving side to a turkey. There's also the intriguing asparagus with bourbon Hollandaise. A tablespoon of the drink is added to tradition Hollandaise sauce along with chopped tomatoes!!! Desserts also get a touch of it. There is a bourbon pineapple pound cake that requires just a store or bakery bought pound cake with a sauce of bourbon, brown sugar and grilled pineapple. Of course there are the bourbon cocktails which all sound so interesting. There is the traditional Bold Old, a bourbon mix spiked with bitters along with a Baked Apple Pie Old Fashioned that combines apple brandy and cinnamon whiskey with bourbon and maple syrup.
Which Fork Do I Use With My BOurbon : Setting The Table FOr Tastings , Food Pairings, Dinners and Cocktail Parties is the book we need for right now. It give us the thrilling expectation that we can throw parties again. It's also perfect for those bourbon lovers looking to plan a summer of good drinks and good eats.
Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler wrote this fascinating melange of facts and fun. Ms. Stevens has a background with bourbon, being founder of the Bourbon Women Association and the first female master bourbon taster in the world. Susan Reigler is a former restaurant critic for the Louisville-Courier Journal and a current correspondent for Bourbon + and American Whiskey magazines. She also has written other books on the subject. There's a lot of ideas and suggestions for bourbon parties but these can be adapted for other parties too. A plus is that the authors offer suggestions for gatherings for all year round and of course the big Kentucky event - the Kentucky Derby. Ms. Stevens and Ms. Reigler give suggestions for both formal and informal gatherings. Bourbon enthusiasts will love this book because it shows how to set up a bourbon bar. There is even a floor plan, perfect if you have enough room or a big yard.Since this is the South , there are also suggestions about sending out the perfect invitation which is crucial to any Antebellum do.I love the coffee table book photographs of classic glassware and silverware along with the decorations - which Ms. Stevens and Ms. Reigler offer where to buy them.
As for the recipes they give some that I'm familiar with such as burgoo, a Kentucky classic. I'm surprised and just a little disappointed that there were no recipes for that Louisville classic, the Hot Brown. Many have bourbon as part of the ingredients as Granny Hunter's Bourbon Tenderloin or Chicken and Country Ham Crepes with a Bourbon Sauce. Since the drink itself is a mash of fermented corn , there is a slight sweetness there that makes it an ideal ingredient. It gives kick to the acorn squash recipe, that flavored up with brown sugar and butter. This would be the perfect Thanksgiving side to a turkey. There's also the intriguing asparagus with bourbon Hollandaise. A tablespoon of the drink is added to tradition Hollandaise sauce along with chopped tomatoes!!! Desserts also get a touch of it. There is a bourbon pineapple pound cake that requires just a store or bakery bought pound cake with a sauce of bourbon, brown sugar and grilled pineapple. Of course there are the bourbon cocktails which all sound so interesting. There is the traditional Bold Old, a bourbon mix spiked with bitters along with a Baked Apple Pie Old Fashioned that combines apple brandy and cinnamon whiskey with bourbon and maple syrup.
Which Fork Do I Use With My BOurbon : Setting The Table FOr Tastings , Food Pairings, Dinners and Cocktail Parties is the book we need for right now. It give us the thrilling expectation that we can throw parties again. It's also perfect for those bourbon lovers looking to plan a summer of good drinks and good eats.
Friday, May 22, 2020
Protein Bars With A Flavor Kick
Protein bars can either taste too crunchy granola or like twigs. Not so with Unite, a new company out of Yorba Linda, California, They've come up with three flavors that's sure to make everyone happy. There's PB &Jelly, Churros and Mexican Hot Chocolate. They are unusual too, in the sense that they're the world's first globally inspired flavors. Another unusual aspect? The main ingredients are dates, hemp seeds , nut butters and probiotic fibers, great for your gut.
How are the flavors? The best is the Mexican Hot Chocolate which has a layer of dark chocolate on the bottom.It has cinnamon too and the unexpected kick of hot chili. The Churro flavor has almonds and sweet vanilla with a dusting of cinnamon on top, exactly like the fried doughy treats.
The peanut butter has creamy peanut butter and little gobs of strawberry jam. All three are interesting, a bit intense for my taste but kids should love them. They're also moister than the average granola bar, and very chewy. thanks to the main ingredient being dates. The bars can be the perfect snack for backyard picnics and soccer games.The Churro and Mexican Hot Chocolate are only 190 calories a bar while the PB & Jelly is just 180 calories. There's no trans fat or cholesterol, so they're even good for adults watching their weight or trying to lose weight from being cooped up;
A different spin would be cutting them up in small chunks and mixing them with either vanilla, chocolate or strawberry ice cream.
Try Unite's globally inspired protein bars. Have the PB & Jelly for a snack and Churro or Mexican Hot Chocolate for a different kind of dessert. They're a nice change up from the usual protein bars.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
The New Face Of Waiting
Slowly but surely we will be able to return to our favorite restaurants. We all know how they'll be different. Will the dining out experience be the same?
Regular contributor Kim Severson posed this question in her article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. As imagined she was ecstatic to eat at Chops, a steakhouse in the Buckhouse section of her native Atlanta. It was a night out, where she got her wedge salad, followed by a rib-eye steak and asparagus. She was a little put off by her waiter, Roberto Velasco wearing a mask. Yet this is the new normal and in a way maybe it's better. Not just for the virus but for the protection from the usual colds and flus.There's also hand sanitizer prominently displayed. Diners were nine feet away from Ms Severson, which again is good. There's something about being crammed into a restaurant like sardines that can be off putting. You listen to their private conversations. They listen to yours. it kind of diminishes the whole dining out experience with friends. Other Atlanta restaurants are doing the same. Goldbergs, a famed Atlanta eatery that features New York favorites, also takes temperatures of both staff and diners.Another eatery has the servers change their gloves for every table.
Some restaurants are taking it one step further. Patrick O'Connell owner and chef of The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia has his restaurant filled to half capacity. The other half? Mannequins dressed in 1940's garb. It doesn't give the quaint restaurant an empty look, but still - will mannequins give it a creepy vibe? Especially dressed in fashions from the Second World War? Maybe the whimsy of it matches the menu, which is mostly fun regular and vegetarian amuse-bouches. The restaurant is also decorated in period piece wallpaper with fringed lamps overhead so the mannequins do kind of work. Some eateries are letting diners decide whether their servers should wear masks or not. Is this feasable? The Hillstone Restaurant Group thinks it is for its' Texas servers only. It also has restaurants in forty-five other states, including New York City, so it does honor what state requirements are. Towns on Long Island, like Oyster Bay will have more outdoor dining , thanks to streets being closed for this.
The new normal for eating out may be the best normal. There will be no germy waiters leaning over you. There will be no overcrowding. Maybe we needed this all along, distanced dining with protected servers and cooks.
Regular contributor Kim Severson posed this question in her article in yesterday's New York Times Food section. As imagined she was ecstatic to eat at Chops, a steakhouse in the Buckhouse section of her native Atlanta. It was a night out, where she got her wedge salad, followed by a rib-eye steak and asparagus. She was a little put off by her waiter, Roberto Velasco wearing a mask. Yet this is the new normal and in a way maybe it's better. Not just for the virus but for the protection from the usual colds and flus.There's also hand sanitizer prominently displayed. Diners were nine feet away from Ms Severson, which again is good. There's something about being crammed into a restaurant like sardines that can be off putting. You listen to their private conversations. They listen to yours. it kind of diminishes the whole dining out experience with friends. Other Atlanta restaurants are doing the same. Goldbergs, a famed Atlanta eatery that features New York favorites, also takes temperatures of both staff and diners.Another eatery has the servers change their gloves for every table.
Some restaurants are taking it one step further. Patrick O'Connell owner and chef of The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia has his restaurant filled to half capacity. The other half? Mannequins dressed in 1940's garb. It doesn't give the quaint restaurant an empty look, but still - will mannequins give it a creepy vibe? Especially dressed in fashions from the Second World War? Maybe the whimsy of it matches the menu, which is mostly fun regular and vegetarian amuse-bouches. The restaurant is also decorated in period piece wallpaper with fringed lamps overhead so the mannequins do kind of work. Some eateries are letting diners decide whether their servers should wear masks or not. Is this feasable? The Hillstone Restaurant Group thinks it is for its' Texas servers only. It also has restaurants in forty-five other states, including New York City, so it does honor what state requirements are. Towns on Long Island, like Oyster Bay will have more outdoor dining , thanks to streets being closed for this.
The new normal for eating out may be the best normal. There will be no germy waiters leaning over you. There will be no overcrowding. Maybe we needed this all along, distanced dining with protected servers and cooks.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Glorious Grilled Chicken
Memorial Day is coming up and that means one thing grilled food!!! There's something about the smoky flavor and the crunchy texture. Despite being home, there's something special about a cookout featuring chicken pieces. Another good aspect? Anyone from novice chef to master griller can create a tasty backyard chicken dinner.
Clare de Boer, the famed British chef and co-owner of the Italian restaurant, King wrote about this summer must eat for today's New York Times Food section. She also offers tips about creating an evenly cooked piece. Grilling chicken is a tough tightwalk. It's entirely different in an oven or a stove top. Add some butter or spices along with some lemon juice. It renders the meat tender and juicy which equals delicious. A grill is not as forgiving. You can't just add a little more heat and liquid to change dry meat into something mouthwatering tender. There is no temperature control when you cook over coals. Home chefs have to be more agile and attentive. Keep in mind that it starts with basic butchery as Chef de Boer states.Even out the bird's thickness with something as simple as a rolling pin. Boneless breasts are best when leveled with it . For whole chickens with breast and bone then spatchcock, flatten and slash. Slashing provides peepholes that allows you to see if the piece is completely cooked.
Seasoning in advance is also a good thing. Chef de Boer gives a spatchcocked chicken recipe that's zinged up with oregano and Calabrian chili flakes. You could also just salt them but only with bigger cuts. Smaller ones will turn into chicken jerky. Also temper the meat before cooking. In other words keep it out so it becomes rooms temperature. A room temperature one will cook faster than a cold one.Match the cut of the bird to the grill's temperature. This is the most important bit of info. Thin cuts like breasts prefer it hot which they can char quickly, while thicker cuts prefer it low and slow, meaning there should be a cool spot on the griil. Also don't fiddle with it. Wait until there's a crust then you can flip to your heart's content. How do you know when it's done? Chef de Boer recommends poking (!) it . It should feel like a ripe peach. Then it's just resting the chicken on a plate to cool the interior temp and save the juices. If it doesn't work out , then use barbecue sauces. Try some Greek yogurt out of the fridge, mixed with olive oil along with citrus and sauce as Chef de Boer does.
Go wild with grilling this weekend. Buy that chicken and grill it to crunchy, charred perfection. It's definitely a treat worth cooking and eating.
Clare de Boer, the famed British chef and co-owner of the Italian restaurant, King wrote about this summer must eat for today's New York Times Food section. She also offers tips about creating an evenly cooked piece. Grilling chicken is a tough tightwalk. It's entirely different in an oven or a stove top. Add some butter or spices along with some lemon juice. It renders the meat tender and juicy which equals delicious. A grill is not as forgiving. You can't just add a little more heat and liquid to change dry meat into something mouthwatering tender. There is no temperature control when you cook over coals. Home chefs have to be more agile and attentive. Keep in mind that it starts with basic butchery as Chef de Boer states.Even out the bird's thickness with something as simple as a rolling pin. Boneless breasts are best when leveled with it . For whole chickens with breast and bone then spatchcock, flatten and slash. Slashing provides peepholes that allows you to see if the piece is completely cooked.
Seasoning in advance is also a good thing. Chef de Boer gives a spatchcocked chicken recipe that's zinged up with oregano and Calabrian chili flakes. You could also just salt them but only with bigger cuts. Smaller ones will turn into chicken jerky. Also temper the meat before cooking. In other words keep it out so it becomes rooms temperature. A room temperature one will cook faster than a cold one.Match the cut of the bird to the grill's temperature. This is the most important bit of info. Thin cuts like breasts prefer it hot which they can char quickly, while thicker cuts prefer it low and slow, meaning there should be a cool spot on the griil. Also don't fiddle with it. Wait until there's a crust then you can flip to your heart's content. How do you know when it's done? Chef de Boer recommends poking (!) it . It should feel like a ripe peach. Then it's just resting the chicken on a plate to cool the interior temp and save the juices. If it doesn't work out , then use barbecue sauces. Try some Greek yogurt out of the fridge, mixed with olive oil along with citrus and sauce as Chef de Boer does.
Go wild with grilling this weekend. Buy that chicken and grill it to crunchy, charred perfection. It's definitely a treat worth cooking and eating.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Treat Yourself To A Fun Dinner
By now we're all sick of all those lunches and suppers that feature beans. It's time to liven up meal time with fun and new recipes. That also includes dessert. we need to give ourselves a fun treat now and then.
Since it's getting close to Memorial Day, think hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone love burgers with all the fixings. Go double and have two patties like your favorite fast food joints. Add sliced onions or better yet caramelized ones. Caramelizing is an easy process.It's just slowly cooking them in olive oil until the pieces turn a golden brown or tan. You could add butter and even balsamic vinegar for more flavor. Avocado slices or homemade guacamole can be layered on too. The bun should be buttered and then toasted on the grill for about three seconds. Hot dogs can also get the special treatment. Slices them and stuff with shredded cheddar. To make sure the dogs don't split either spear them with toothpicks or wrapped slices of bacon around them. You can do something similar with veggie burgers and dogs. There's vegan cheddar and also mozzarella. As for sides there's potato chips for a fun side or you can air fry them. Air fried chips starts with mandolining potatoes and then spritzing them with olive oil cooking spray. You can add some rosemary sprigs for more flavor.
Fruit is good for you but it can also be fun. Think banana non dairy ice cream. Dr. Oz featured this on his show a few years back and it was a big hit. It's slicing banana slices and putting them in a freezer bag. It;'s then freezing them overnight and then blitzing them in a food chopper. The result is a creamy, low calorie dish that can be jazzed up with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. You can sub in non dairy whipped almond or coconut milk. Add M&M's or nuts if you want. Caramel apples are always fun. For a different take, air fry them with some cinnamon or plain and then dunk the crunchy slices into caramel. Of course strawberries are big right now, There's nothing as decadent as strawberries dunked in any kind of chocolate, whether in syrup form or melted chips. You can do the same with blueberries and raspberries too. Of course you can also use fruit in tasty mocktails and cocktails.Think screwdrivers either using seltzers or vodka. Try Bellinis and mimosas with the addition of champagne , peach nectar or fresh squeezed orange juice.
It's time for a fun treat. Liven up lunch, dinner or even dessert. You deserve it.
Since it's getting close to Memorial Day, think hamburgers and hot dogs. Everyone love burgers with all the fixings. Go double and have two patties like your favorite fast food joints. Add sliced onions or better yet caramelized ones. Caramelizing is an easy process.It's just slowly cooking them in olive oil until the pieces turn a golden brown or tan. You could add butter and even balsamic vinegar for more flavor. Avocado slices or homemade guacamole can be layered on too. The bun should be buttered and then toasted on the grill for about three seconds. Hot dogs can also get the special treatment. Slices them and stuff with shredded cheddar. To make sure the dogs don't split either spear them with toothpicks or wrapped slices of bacon around them. You can do something similar with veggie burgers and dogs. There's vegan cheddar and also mozzarella. As for sides there's potato chips for a fun side or you can air fry them. Air fried chips starts with mandolining potatoes and then spritzing them with olive oil cooking spray. You can add some rosemary sprigs for more flavor.
Fruit is good for you but it can also be fun. Think banana non dairy ice cream. Dr. Oz featured this on his show a few years back and it was a big hit. It's slicing banana slices and putting them in a freezer bag. It;'s then freezing them overnight and then blitzing them in a food chopper. The result is a creamy, low calorie dish that can be jazzed up with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. You can sub in non dairy whipped almond or coconut milk. Add M&M's or nuts if you want. Caramel apples are always fun. For a different take, air fry them with some cinnamon or plain and then dunk the crunchy slices into caramel. Of course strawberries are big right now, There's nothing as decadent as strawberries dunked in any kind of chocolate, whether in syrup form or melted chips. You can do the same with blueberries and raspberries too. Of course you can also use fruit in tasty mocktails and cocktails.Think screwdrivers either using seltzers or vodka. Try Bellinis and mimosas with the addition of champagne , peach nectar or fresh squeezed orange juice.
It's time for a fun treat. Liven up lunch, dinner or even dessert. You deserve it.
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