Those I Don't Want To Cook Days

 Even the most diligent and food loving home chefs have them. Those I don't want to cook days.It' looking in your kitchen and thinking what can I throw together to make a meal? Surprisingly there are some good combos that make for memorable meals.

An easy way out is take out , yet why bother?It takes time and nowadays  money to have a full meal delivered. A quick dinner can easily be prepared in the time it takes to run out and grab a Happy Meal or have a pizza or Chinese delivered. Pasta and sauce are one of the easiest put togethers.I just discovered Rao's sauce, from the famed Manhattan eatery. This was a quick three minutes in the microwave while I boiled DeCecco's penne.Any prepared sauce will do and you can easily doctor it to fit your family's tastes. Add a glug or two of olive oil or a sprinkle of oregano for more flavor. For a more homemade taste, add a cup or two of pasta water to thicken the sauce and give the flavor some oomph. Keep in mind that pasta also is very good with a simple melted butter sauce or one made with just oil and garlic - aglia e olio. Serve it with a ready made salad and you have a filling and satisfying meal. Pasta salad is the perfect warm weather I don;t want to cook meal. Add some julienned mortadella and ham to it along with a chopped assortment of veggies.

An air fryer can greatly assist in those days when you jut are too tired to make an elaborate or labor intensive meal. Use it regularly. You can easily cook up real and plant protein based chicken nuggets and tenders in it. These make for a tasty meal that the kids will love. You can also fry up steaks in it as well. The end result is a strip with a crispy exterior and a tender , melt in your mouth inside. You can brush the meat with garlic or melted butter and then sprinkled with herbs or just sea salt and freshly ground pepper. If you;re really having a bad or lazy day think air fried Tater Tots. This is a quick cook that only takes about fifteen minutes or less to crisp up. serve it with bacon bits and melted cheese. One of the easiest full meals is breakfast for dinner. You can easily scramble up a few eggs or make an omelet. Vegans and vegetarians can rely on Just Egg,a mung bean based egg substitute. Add some sliced peppers, tomatoes and spinach to make it more filling or some mushrooms for protein.Microwave either pork, turkey or soy bacon for a tasty side.This is also the time to toast some Eggo waffles and serve them with butter and maple syrup.

Every home chef has those "I don't want to cook days". Don;t worry. There are plenty of easy recipes that can give you a no fuss, no trouble meal.

Different Takes On Tollhouse Cookies

 who doesn't love a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie? Well there are some who do and some who want a little more variety. Not surprisingly the recipe has some interesting turns over the years.

Chocolate chip or Tollhouse cookie us a Twentieth Century invention created by Ruth Wakefield in 1939. She added broken chocolate pieces to a brown sugar cookie recipe, thinking the chocolate would melt. They didn't, much to the delight of her diners at her famed Tollhouse restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts. However that's a myth , She deliberately created something new on her dessert menu to give her other cookie recipe, a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream. It appeared in her Tollhouse cookbook too, spreading the recipe through the Boston area. It was World War Two however that make her "chocolate crunch"cookie super popular. They were packed into the care packages that families sent their sons overseas and in turn the boys shared it with fellow troopmates. Soon these GIs were writing home, begging their moms and sweethearts to bake and send this new kind of cookie. The recipe is a basic one (that can be made without the chips for a buttery brown sugar snap) that combines brown and white sugars with shortening , flour , hot water and baking soda.Vanilla and salt are added for flavor and to bring out the other ingredients flavors.

Eighty years later the recipe is still going strong but with many variations. One of the earliest - )and my and child hood favorite) is where M&M's are subbed in for the chips. These came out almost as soon as the original chocolate chip cookie did. M&M's were created in 1942 for our troops. They were modeled on the British Smartie, with a soft, melty milk chocolate center and hard candy shell. These are a fun variation, especially when biting into those crisp shells. The holiday M&M's make them perfect for Christmas, Valentines' Day, Easter and Halloween cookie trays, You can also sub in M&M Peanut variety or even Reeses Pieces too. Toss in some walnuts or almonds too if you want more flavor. The basic recipe stays the same. The basic recipe can also change, The original one calls for using Crisco, but using dairy or plant based butters give the cookie a richer flavor.What about whole wheat flour? Many home chefs wonder if this will change the cookie's original taste.It won't.It may give it a denser texture however thanks to the entire wheat kernel being used. You can also use almond and rice flour too.As for the brown sugar you can use both light and dark, omitting the white. This results in a cookie with very crispy edge. 

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the best cookies out there. However there are variations to try. The result? An even better version of this American favorite.

The Meat Crunch

 It's no secret that our groceries have gone up in price. The worst is the price of meat. A simple pack of coldcuts is close to ten dollars. Lamb chops are almost twenty dollars for a pack of four in New York City.Is it the time to embrace plant based meats? 

The answer is yes. They're somewhat cheaper than the real thing and way more healthier for you and the planet. These days there are many choices and recipes so you and your family don''t have to miss any animal protein, I recently discovered Rebellyous Foods that specifically deals with plant based chicken.

I air fried these tonight and to be honest they taste almost like chicken. The nuggets were even juicy  with a moist inside and a crunchy exterior. I'm looking forward to trying their tenders and patties.They;re mostly soy as the Morningstar Farms ones. If you want more variety with faux poultry then go to Gardein. They have great tasting chicken strips and wings, complete with sauces. They also have turkey cutlets which come with gravy and taste exactly like the actual bird. Both Rebellyous and Morningstar Farms can be bought for under five dollars at Walmart.

It is a hard time for beef eaters and even plant beef ones too. Right now Beyond Beef is on the same price par as beef however there are less expensive alternatives.Try Quorn which is one of the rare non meat products no derived from soy, It;s made from a fungus, Fusarium venenatum. A pack of four patties is only $5.79 for four (about a $1.45 a burger - much cheaper than any fast food offering). there is also the long standing favorite Morningstar Farms which has a pack of four for $4.59. Their bacon is a dollar more but two or three dollars cheaper than pork bacon. Another plus about Morningstar Farms bacon is that it crisps up perfectly, providing the right amount of salt and crunch. It's perfect in BLTs and accompanying a tomato and mayo sandwich. As for fish, Gardein is your best bet. Again go to Walmart for their fish filets that cost less than four dollars for a package of four.

It is tough times for everyone. Meat lovers have it the worst. Yet they can switch over to non meat products and save a few dollars. That's a good thing these dsys,

Your Oscar Party Lush Or Simple

 The Oscars are this Sunday, March 27th and it's time to celebrate. Will you have a lavish Hollywood type of do or one that without all the drama? Will  it be a party for many or for one and two? either way , you can have a fun night ,full of delicious foods.

Even though prices have gone up, you can still have create a lush spread. Just cut down on the variety. You can have shrimp or lobster but not both. Pick the one you know your guests will enjoy more. Another fun bite are steak sliders.This is just cutting up grilled steak and  placing the cutlets on toasted brioches.What about sides. Stuffed artichokes would be a nice idea or asparagus drizzled with lemon butter.A fun idea for a cold dinner is the classic charcuterie platter.Have boule, those crusty rounds of bread instead of the usual baguettes.Also have a variety of crackers or savory shortbread.This is an easy bake with omitting the sugar in the recipe.Cheese and herbs are added in instead.As for the meat, think prosciutto, thinly sliced ham and dried salame.,You can also include black and green olives along with cornichons. Cheeses can be a richy runny Brie or a tasty Gruyere. Cheddar slices also work here as well.Have wine and champagne for drinks along with mock tails for those who don't drink.

What about when it's just you and another film buff? Think small but tasty.Homemade French bread pizzas are always a fun treat.It is also an easy make.Just split a baguette, hollow out the loaf and add olive oil, sauce and mozzarella cheese.Top with whatever you want. Try veggies like broccoli and peppers or meats like pepperoni, ham or even bacon. You can even do this with bagels or English muffins too.Homemade chili over cornbread is another fun dinner and best of all you can have the leftovers through the week.Another idea is air fryer chicken wings or nuggets. Serve these with ramekins of different sauces like honey mustard and barbecue.Keep in mind that you can also do this with batter dipped cauliflower too.Use your air fryer or toaster oven for making kale chips too.Of course popcorn would also be good too. Think about one popped in olive oil and sprinkled with dried rosemary.Cheddar corn is a tasty treat too. Finely grate a good ,solid cheddar over the cooked popcorn. Add bacon for a kind of a loaded snack. What to drink?Go with what you want. Beer, cider or even an ice cream soda woeks.

Celebrate lavishly or comfortablIty.It s the Oscars . Enjoy them with a good bite.

A,

Conchas A Mexican Treat

 The French may have the croissant but the Mexican have the concha. This delightful roll is m every bakery and a treat to eat. It's also an easy bake to make for a weekend brunch.

Pati Jinich a regular contributor , cookbook author and the host of the PBS series Pati's Mexican Table wrote about this classic in yesterday's new York Times Food section,. A concha is simply a bun with a crisp tender top, many peaked like that of a seashell, hence the name. They're sold in Mexican bakeries or panderias and they're an integral part of everyday life and celebrations. They're so beloved that there are even pillows and slippers in their shape.Like croissants or rolls, they can be eaten for breakfast with  milk, coffee or hot chocolate and turned into a sandwich for lunch or even dinner. However most of  them have a stale bread base and tasteless toppings. Yet many still want them. In Mexico City they are immensely popular, Bakers strive for affordable prices at a cost.Butter is reduced in the recipe and cheaper vegetable shortening is added. Water is subbed in for milk and sometimes eggs are entirely skipped.It makes  for a spongy concha that needs to be dunked in hot coffee according to Francisco Migoya , a Mexican chef and author of Modernist Bread.

Conchas can be easily baked at home You will need a concha mold which you can buy a silicone mold or cutter on Amazon though to create that seashell shape..Keep in mind there should be a right amount of fat, whether it be lard, butter or shortening. Lard is used  in traditional kitchens however the conchas will stay flat and be dense. Butter is your best bet because it doesn;t weigh down the rise  and gives the buns a pillowy puff and delicate taste.The dough needs to be needed a lot. It will seen wet at first but then gets stickier with each push and pull. Follow Chef Migoya's stretch and fold way for a tender texture. The topping is just as important as the body. Make sure there are ridges . These hold the concha together during the first bite (a flat one would shatter to pieces)Ms. Jinich's recipe is forty percent topping as opposed to just ten per cent.There are cocoa, dulce de leche and vanilla. These are made sort of like icing  with a certain thickness to them. You will also have to dip the mold in flour before using them. Once made they do have to be proofed for  anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours.Its then baking them for  twenty minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit.

Conchas are the perfect bite whether for breakfast or a snack. Homemade ones are the absolute treat. Bake them and taste this traditional Mexican treat.

When Salad Makes A Statement

 Rarely does a food writer  change the world. Yet one  did just that with her newsletter  as she tweets against ageism. Emily Nunn's newsletter shed light on this while giving readers and fans some great salad recipes.

Regular contributor,Kim Severson, wrote about Ms. Nunn in today's New York Times Food section.Ms. NUnn already had an illustrious career as a food writer. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker  and she created their famed column 'Tables For Two" along with reporting for The Chicago Tribune, creating a blog , contributing to the website Food 52  and publishing a book The Comfort Food Diaries in 2017. She started her Department Of Salad newsletter due in part because she couldn't find a writing gig. A fellow food writer suggested on Twitter that she start a newsletter.It was her own tweets, sometimes cranky ,always funny and political kept her in the public eye. They focused on ageism, something she still experiences at the age of sixty-one. She was also good at creating salads, thanks to her living in North Carolina. Southern summers are lush and hot, perfect for yielding tomatoes and cucumber. The actor J.Smith-Cameron of the HBO hit "Succession"  tweeted that she would read a newsletter that featured Ms Nunn's sharpness and culinary creativity. By October 2020 she had created one.It does come with a price of $50 a year or $5.50 a month. Soledad O'Brian is already a fan as is British food writer Diana Henry.

Her salads are interesting and she also collects interesting recipes from other writers and chefs. Her newsletters are a cornucopia of advice, recipes and an interview with someone with a point of view about salads. Ms. Severson includes two of Ms. Nunn's recipes. One is an herby rice salad with peas and prosciutto. This can be a side or a main meal with more meat added. It's combining cooked long grained white rice with peas, a sliced onion and slices of prosciutto. Lemon and a host of herbs such as chives, basil, mint and parsley flavor it while red pepper flakes give it zing. You could also add a dollop of ricotta to it too.The second salad recipe is a nod to the past with a combo of oranges and radishes. This is taking a mix of Cara Cara and navel oranges that have been peeled , de-pithed and cut into rounds. They also have to be deseeded and chilled too. The radishes also have to be chilled after they've been cut into thin matchstick pieces. The dressing is simply lemon juice, sugar and salt, shaken in a jar until the salt and sugar dissolve (although I would add a scant amount of olive oil) and then chilled. The orange slices are arranged first and then the matchsticks are scattered on top followed by the dressing and orange zest.

Emily Nunn is changing the world with her wit, candidness and salads. All are needed today, especially the salads. It can definitely brighten a meal and a day.

A Simple Spring Salad

 Spring comes and our thoughts turn to all things fresh and green. There's nothing that exemplifies this more than a new kind of salad bursting with flavor. It's a chickpea , scallion and celery mix  that's good as a main dish or as the perfect side.

I found this recipe in one of the emails from one of the many food sites follow. I made it completely vegan by switching out the recommended sour cream and using Hellman's Vegan mayo as part of the dressing.

I cut the scallions into bit size pieces , getting rid of the tips which can be tough to chew.

As for the chickpeas, i used Goya 's for a change . Only drain half the  brine. The remaining half will be part of the dressing.

Then it was cutting up the celery . Use about five to six stalks, including the heart.

                                                         This is without the dressing

The dressing was five tablespoons of the vegan mayo mixed with about two tablespoons of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. A tiny dash of salt  and a grind of fresh black pepper rounded it out.

This is a chunky salad to mix so I'd recommend using a wooden spoon to completely coat the pieces. You can add salt and a little freshly ground pepper for bite. I like this salad a lot. The flavor mix is a combination of bite from the scallions and mild from the chickpeas and celery. I know it's going to be made a lot this summer as a perfect side to burgers and dogs. You could add green olives for more flavor and color but don't go overboard with them. 

This is  different kind of salad but it's sure to be a classic. Make it for any Spring meal or party. It is fresh and green, bursting with flavor.