Getting IntoThe School Lunch Groove

 It's been almost a year and a half away from school. There are going to be a lot of catching up and remembering what to do. That also applies to school lunches too. What to do? Take a crash course in mid day meals.

Some kids are pretty steadfast in their culinary likes and dislikes. If they were into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches then. they;ll still be into them now. Maybe change it up a bit by putting the age old combo on a bagel or croissant. Kids may also want the traditional bologna or ham sandwich.This is good save for the cold cuts, Try putting them on healthier whole grain or brown breads. Use vegan mayo or mustard for healthier condiments.Stick in some slice.Add some sliced bell peppers or grape tomatoes instead of potato chips. A few pretzels would also be appreciated too. What about what to drink? Tropicana has Farmstead Tropical Green orange juice that's a refreshing sip. There's also Ocean Spray's No Sugar Added  cranberry juice. The classic brand WElch's has a superberry one, sure to be a fast favorite,

What about those young food snobs? They've got to eat too. Think about a healthy and fun kale salad mixed with shredded rotisserie chicken and extras like almonds and walnuts. If all they want is pizza compromise. TRy a plum tomatoes and mozzarella on Italian bread. Drizzle with olive oil and dust on some oregano.The taste is more or less the same but much easier to carry. If they're super snobs, then think croissants with Brie and some grapes for dessert,.Toss in some baby carrots and broccoli florets. Let them pick out or create their own dressings.If they've gone vegan, then shop with them to pick out soy cold cuts. Don't scoff at their choices. Encourage them.What if they bemoan those babyish juice boxes and want to bring soda ? Again compromise with cans of flavored seltzer and eco friendly straws.

It's easy to get back into the school lunch groove. Pick what you kids like and will eat. Ask them their preferences too. It makes for a meal eaten and a tasty midday break. 

Uh Oh Hurricane Season Is Here

 The end of August brings about that last minute summer vacation, school shopping and hurricane season. The last means everything from flooding and no power. It also means getting ready food wise,

Some are lucky to have generators to keep the electricity continuing. Some don't. If that's the case , the first thing is to empty the fridge and freezer, Cook what you can on the stove or the grill. All those veggies can be made and even be turned into a vegan dinner. Surprisingly you can even cook Tater Tots on the grill. Just use a vegetable basket or aluminum foil folded into into a packet to cook them.Frozen pasta can also be cooked on the barbecue if you have metal containers. As for the ice cream. think ice cream sodas which is a nice diversion, along with keeping  the soda cold.You can also make ice cream sandwiches using any kind of wafer cookie and whatever you have. Melting popsicles can be used to flavor seltzer along with chilling it. As for the dairy in the fridge, milk, butter and even yogurt can be whisked with flour and cheese to create yummy sauces for meats , veggies and pasta.

IF you're prepping for a hurricane ,then stock up on canned goods. Tuna and salmon are good and storable sources of protein as are deviled ham and chicken.THese can be used in salads or sandwiches,. They're also good on crackers which is another must buy. Another good source of proteins are beans. Buy a variety so you can make bean salads, always a good  side with grilled foods. Buy fruits and veggies you know will last. They also provide an adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients much needed during a stressful time.What you also need is coolers and ice packs. Cold water can also do the trick. Buy enough bottled water because you may also wind up using it for brushing teeth and washing. Dry cereal is another must >The kinds can eat it dry if you can't get milk. IT also makes for a good snack too. Protein and energy bars are also needed. They can be used for breakfast or be toted around for easy snacking,

Hurricane season is here. Get ready for it. Buy the right foods  to get you through this wet and wild times.

It's Too Hot To Cook

 Pumpkin spice and sweaters may be showing up but it's still summer. It's still hot  = too hot to actually cook. Forget about firing up the oven. It's time to eat cool.

Ali Slagle , a freelance food editor wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Foo section. AS we all know it's still too dang hot to cook and even grill. This is why we have to rely on our grocery stores  and deli counters.There should be four groups. Always have raw veggies and even fruit like melon and citrus.Have prepared proteins like rotisserie chicken or charcuterie. Keep in mind that canned tuna and salmon go along way too. Other proteins include beans, hummus and tofu. Starches are a must too. Try a nice loaf of Italian or French bread. Crackers and even rice cakes make nice bases too.Seasonings and condiments are also important.Have an everything bagel spice mix as well as that summer staple olive oil, This last is great not just for salads but to drizzle on prosciutto and mortadella as they're stacked on slices of ITalian bread.

The recipe Ms Slagle gives are good.There are ricotta toasts topped with melon, corn and salami.Almonds and sherry vinegar give it crunch and zing.You could sub in marinated peppers for the melon. Another chill recipe is the everything bagel dip with raw veggies,This is a fun pool party dish, carrying nutritional weight thanks to the addition of mashed trout or salmon fillets. Greek yogurt provides the base , giving the dip a lightness. Salad lovers will enjoy the easiness of adding a shredded already cooked chicken to chopped  nectarines and salad greens such as mature spinach leaves . The dressing is an easy buttermilk goat cheese and shallots. Other ideas include hearty dips made from beans or fish. Charcuterie boards offer a variety of different meats and cheeses for sandwiches. Any kindof salad is good , especially Nicoise packed with veggies and tuna. YOu could also pile it ob crispy and oiled French bread too.

It's still too hot. Don't cook. Stay cool with easy no cook meals.

The Scallop Boom

 Scallops are having a culinary moment right now.The're in demand with home chefs  cooking them in a variery of ways. They are versatile hence the appeal

Melissa Clark wrote about these sweet and briny little gems in today's New York Times Food section.There are only a handful of scallop farms in American and Canadian waters right now. Even a First Nations TRibe has asmall farm of the Vancouver coast. You can get wild ones too. THeir flavor is not that different from the farmed ones,The best ones come from the Maine coast where the cold deep waters affect the seafood's flavor.It gives them a rich deep saline taste.Yes, you can eat them raw from the shell, which includes the bright orange roe and chewy muscle, the abductor (this can be dried and eaten on it's own) Scallops taste better when the're cooked and ,like lobster, served with melted butter. They become meaty and firm this way.

Ms. Clark does include two recipes.One is with butter, lemon and herbs while the other has them pan roasted with fresh tomatoes. Both are good for a hot weather meal. The first recipe has the scallops pan roasted with butter garlic and thyme are then added for more flavor. Fresh herbs scattered on top finish them. This would be a great dish with slices of crusty French bread to sop up the butter. You could put those freshly picked tomatoes to good use with pan fried scallops in the second recipe.A creamy Vermouth sauce spiked with Worcester sauce is made> Shallots or celery seeds are also added for more zing. Again a crackly loaf of French or even Italian bread wouldn't go amiss here. 

Try scallops if you're looking for something different. Cook them in a plain butter or a fancy Vermouth one. They are a treat no matter how you serve them.

It All Tastes The Same , Right

Dr Oz had a program on yesterday that begs the question do all rotisserie chickens taste the same? The answer should be yes.Yet all stores have their own spin on not only chicken but other in store items too.

Who does have the best tasting rotisserie chicken? That depends on where you're located. Texan grocery stores  roast theirs over mesquite for a smoky flavorful taste. Southern grocery marts probably have their version of Cajun or Creole spiced chicken.  A West Coast supermarket may have barbecued chickens roasted in bulgoki or soy sauces Here in the New York area there's a variety of different places to get a plethora of both roasted and barbecued chicken.Some shoppers may swear by Wal-mart's roast chicken. The skins isn't as crisp as it is at Stop & Shop or Acme but it's not bad.A juicier choice is at those two stores where the  chickens are roasted in such a way they maintain their moisture which makes for a nice side dish of gravy. Seasonings also vary. Most stores offer up such flavors as lemon pepper, honey roasted and barbecue along with plain. Surprisingly fried chicken is also differs from store to store ,The amount of herbs and spices also depend on the individual store's recipe.

This also applies to side dishes, salads and even cold cuts. There are major flavor variation in Stop & Shop's and Acme;s roast beef and turkey, The Acme's is good but somehow Stop and Shop''s has  a just carved taste. It's perfect with gravy or just on a sandwich. Mashed potatoes also vary from supermarket to supermarket . They may put in cheese , bacon or chives to make them tastier. Melted butter is added for more flavor and to make the the texture creamier.Veggies also get different treatments at the grocery stores. A Greek salad at one place may gave more dolmades or stuffed grape leaves while another showers it with feta chunks.Evan a tomato salad which is basically sliced beefsteaks with a simple vinaigrette may be changed up. One place may throw in croutons, turning it into a Neopolitan bread salad while another tosses in mozzarella balls. It's not a secret that cake and cookie recipes vary too. Acme is famed for its' delicious and prized baked goods , rivaling some of the best bakeries. Even though Wal-mart and Shop also offer tasty treats theirs don't have the oomph Acme's breads and tarts  do.

Flavor and taste is subjective. Yet it also applies to how supermarkets prepare and season their foods. LUckily  there is something for everyone. 

Supporting The Smaller Markets And DIners

 This pandemic is still hitting the smaller markets and eateries. It's tough for any place to come back . Even the bigger establishments have troubles , struggling to make a profit.It;'s worse for the mom and op places.

Visit the smaller fruit and veggie stores or farmer's markets if you can. They usually sell produce for a fraction of the cost the chain groceries do. You can easily pick up a bag of plums for two to three dollars cheaper or score two heads of lettuce for only a dollar. Many of these smaller greengrocers also offer other products like breads, pasta and cookies. Some even have a small deli section like The Farmer's Market in my town, Saddle Brook, It's a great place to pick up a quick lunch or get the ingredients for a spaghetti dinner or stir fry. A few of these markets offer ethnic specialties too , such as tortillas or halvah, depending on the neighborhood.

Diners ,, such as The Bendix in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey also rely on loyal customers as well as take out orders,These places are wonderful if you're too tired or it's too hot to cook. They have a wide variety of different dishes, sure to please everyone's tastes. Diner burgers are actually better than the ones served than what the fast food joints have. The French fries are definitely better, since they're usually hand cut and fried up with each order as opposed to just sitting there in old oil. Many places also offer alternatives like sweet potato fries or a side of veggie and dip. You can also get French toast or eggs there at any time of day. Again McDonald's and Wendy's usually cut off the breakfast menu at noon.  Also diners customize lunch orders and throw in extras like cookies or rolls for loyal customers.

The smaller groceries and diners need our business. Help them out with regular visits.They'll greatly appreciate it> Not only that you'll receive good food at good prices.

The Joy Of Cooking Again

 Today was a big day >I got to cook again after a hiatus of three months.It felt good to prep and season. What was on the menu? Air fried  portabella mushrooms!!!!!

Granted these are easy to make. IT's just washing the mushrooms  brushing caps and gills with olive oil and seasoning the gill side. The seasoning is just a sprinkle of onion and garlic powders mixed with oregano , sea salt and freshly ground peppet.

The caps need to be cooked at 370 degrees for eight minutes on each side.

You could scoop out the gills and fill the caps with flavored bread crumbs but you'll miss the flavor of the portabellas. This is an easy cook with just flipping them over half way through,

They were served with a spinach salad( my brother's ) with tomato and vegan bacon bits

It was a great meal on so many levels. It signals that I'm back to cooking  and tasty air fryer meals. It's also the perfect Saturday dinner, filling but light, and full of flavor.

Yes, it's a return to the kitchen, I'm looking forward to not only air frying but grilling and roasting again. THere's a lot of lost cooking time to make up.