Good Deeds For Memorial Day

 Our US military forces should always be remembered. Today we do remember the sacrifices made from the Revolutionary War to the recent Afghan ones. However we should also remember out living vets as well.

For the older vets , a nice lunch out or even inviting them over for some sandwiches and iced tea would be appreciated. Spend the afternoon together chatting about all sorts of things. You could even treat him or her for a n ice cream in the park or a cold coffee , sipped at an outdoors cafe. Bring the kids along so they can hear the stories and appreciate what these service people have done to protect the country.

For newer, younger vets, offer to baby sit their kids so the couple can have a romantic date night out. Give them a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant and possibly tickets to a local concert or movie. Invite them over for a good meal and talk. Bake them a plate of cookies or a tray of cupcakes. Think nothing of making a few extra jars of homemade sauce. It's a small thank you for their sacrifices.

Our vets have given up and sacrificed so much for the good of the nation Let's remember them with big and small gestures not just for today , but for the entire year. It's time to honor their service.

The Everything Sauce

 Pasta saucw doesn;t have to be the traditional tomato one. You can easily use other veggies and ingredients to a saucepan and create a tasty topping.

This is what i did.. Keep in mind that I'm still experimenting about what I can eat or can't eat. I decided to go with my basic portabella and mushroom sauce. Yet this wasn't really hearty enough . Fieldcrest soy sausages,redolent with fennel and hot pepper.

I also added one chopped tomato  to this mix of two cups of spinach, one cupof chopped baby bellas and two sliced sausages. The base was two tablespoons of Melt cooked with Target's own brand of olive oil from the Good and Gather line (who knew)

Everything was cooked down for a few minutes until the spinach was wilted and the sauce bubbly. I also add onion and garlic powders along with salt to add flavor.

THis recipe can have a lot of add ins and subs. Try chopped scallions instead of the onion powder. Oregano and rosemary, fresh or dried can also be used. Instead of sausage try chicken or even shrimp for something different,

I served the sauce over pasta spirals. I am a big fan of my portabella and spinach. sauce but the  addition of the sausage and tomato was welcomed. I may try it with chicken the next time.

Anything in your frudge or garden can make for a wonderful quick sauce. Try it , experiment. YOu may come up with a recipe of your own.

Yes, We're Open

 Consider it a grand reopening . The Pantry is open again and with it some new insights. It was a strange ride to say the least.

Bad enough you have to go through one of the worst surgeries( I feel), then there's the first few days of wondering and worrying what to eat. Luckily orzo cooks up well in veggie broth and it's also very safe on the newly reconstructed bile ducts. (the ducts are cut after the gall bladder is removed, and I 'm guessing from my cuts, through my tummy or navel). Heavy foods are literally off the tables. They can irritate the liver which produces bile. This means that the bile is dumped into the upper intestine. A lot of bile is like a laxative.It  can create diarrhea and gas. Luckily those without a gallbladder can take Imodium to prevent both as they navigate this new world. Ginger ale is the recommended drink and it was a big help during those days as was fruit and herbal teas. You're not supposed to have any colas once the gall bladder is out but I have had several diet Pepsis and"m fine. I've also graduated to orzo and Melt butter and I'm quickly introducing favorites like my air fryer portobellos and tomato salad into my diet.

It feels good to cook again and cook my favorites. The portobellos have always been one of my most loved dishes and it was wonderful to eat one again. I have to admit I was a little leery about the tomato salad but that too was perfectly digested. I am  looking forward to making my spinach and mushroom sauce tomorrow with pasta.I'm also looking forward to Beyond Beef hamburgers and anything from Gardein.I've already eaten two of the their soups, Italian Wedding and Beef and Vegetables. So far so good. It would be nice to try their turkey and gravy along with stuffing. I have read on  line that I shouldn't be eating heavy meals, and I wonder if this one , turkey and stuffing would be considered such. There's also this ban so to speak against spicy foods . What will happen the next time I eat Indian or Mexican, two cuisines that I love?Their dishes are easy to replicate at home and I can easily make favorites like curry with a teaspoon less garam masala and burritos without the chili powder. What I will miss are the French fries, but again, maybe my system may tolerate them.

This is a strange new world>However it will soon be familiar , filled with the foods and flavors that I love. Things will be different but they will also be the same too.

A Brave New World

 As much as we need our gall bladders , we actually don't need them. Humans , surprisingly can live without them.There will changes to diet but life can continue on without thus tiny organ.

I'm about to find out how much I can live without this yellowish green little pear on Wednesday when I have it removed. A lot has changed since my grandfather's day when he had his (just two months before I was born). Gallbladder removal  usually required a week long hospital stay after a five inch incision was made in the upper right abdomen. Not anymore. The operation is now known as a "procedure" and treated much the same way as a tooth extraction (this is where I shake my head)It's laparoscopic and will only take an hour and a half.. A small video camera is in placed  in one of the four incisions in the upper right quadrant .Special, small surgical instruments are also inserted to sever the bile ducts. These are reattached to one leading into the upper intestine. You usually (and I'm hoping to go home) leave after four or five hours in the recovery unit unless something happens such as an infection. Then it's four days of hospital food.I'm hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. I'll be off for a week or two .

When I come back it's discovering and writing about a whole new world. Digestion is tricky at best without a gall bladder.I will have to eat smaller meals more often. Think grazing.This I don't mind.because I do this anyway.  My body won't  be able to process Fried foods such as potato chips and fries are definitely off the table. fried meats like chicken are also a lifelong ban (although I could sneak in a drumstick every now and then).Foods should be baked, steamed or broiled. There should be more fruits and veggies on my plate which is a plus. One,'I'm a big believer of using fresh fruits and veggies whenever the season and, two I do love them. I will have to put a kabosh on cookies and snack cakes (although like the chicken leg,I could sneak in one or two every now and then),Caffeine, whether in soda, coffee or tea is also not allowed. Caffeine increases the amount of stomach acid which in turn makes the stomach empty faster. There could be more gas, sharp pains and bloating. The same is said of chocolate which will be limited to once in a blue moon. My diet will be different but healthier.

This little pear has caused me trouble over the years but I will miss her. This new world is going to be scary and frustrating. As with any new venture.I will do the best I can.

Customizing Rubs And Sauces

We're in the full swing of barbecue season> That means delicious meats and veggies on the grill, sizzling with all sorts of flavor. How do they get to be so tasty ? Rubs and sauces but not just any rubs and sauce . Ones you make yourself.

Many novice grillers will ask what's the difference between a rub and a marinade. Rubs can be wet or dry an marinade is always composed of liquid materials. Rubs are usually just added just before grilling. Meats and veggie are usually marinated for a few hours before cooking. What makes a good rub?  A combination of sugar ,salt , herbs and spices. As for the sweet, brown sugar is always used.It gives the rub and meats a mellowed, earthy flavor. As for the salt. a good sea salt always works. The spices can be what you want. Many use paprika for kick and color . Cayenne can also be used, mainly for fire. You can add a lot or a little of this, depending on how you like heat. Cumin, a spice used mostly in Mexican and Indian cooking, can also be thrown in . Dried garlic and onions powders give a rub more flavor but use these sparingly. The flavors can be overwhelming in generous quantities. Are rubs different from meat to meat? Not really. What makes a good wet rub? Any liquid from an oil like avocado or olive to juices such as lemon or lime. This is combined with the other ingredients to make a paste to rub onto the meat. With these you can add minced garlic or freshly chopped onions.

A marinade is no different than a rub because it , too, flavors meat or vegetables.They're different, however in that not one marinade is for all meats and veggies.  A good steak one has Worcester sauce in it mixed with lemon juice and olive oil. It's spiced with dry parsley flakes, garlic powder and dried basil. You could add some hot sauce for kick if you want. As for chicken think sweet.  Soda such as Pepsi, Dr, Pepper or Coke can be used for this as it offers the perfect balance for  balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.Lime or lemon juice can be added for some zing . Crushed garlic and cumin give it more flavor and more of an unami taste. Orange juice is a must for  marinating chicken. You can use fresh squeezed or already juiced. Try it in a combo of olive oil and soy sauce. Chop in garlic if you want or onion for more flavor and sprinkle in rosemary and oregano. if it's a little to tart, then add a drop or two of wildflower honey to balance it out. Veggies can also benefit from a good marinade. Start off with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add a quarter teaspoon of maple syrup or honey . These caramelize the veggies giving them a nice glossy finish. Garlic and onion powder can be added. Stir in a few hot pepper flakes for some zing.

Grilled meats and veggie always can benefit from a little more flavor and zest. Any good rub or marinade can do this. Try one or the other for a truly delicious barbecue.

Add Veggies Make Sauce

 You don't have to spend time to make sauce for pasta.Nor do you need just tomatoes. You can use anything to create a great sauce for any kind of pasta.It just takes some creativity and whatever in the vegetable crisper.

Tomatoes have always been the basis of Southern Italian sauces. This wasn't always the case until the Sixteenth Century when the Spanish introduced these Mexican beauties into the Italian diet. They taught the Italians how to fry them in a pan along with onions, squash and eggplant , a sort of prototype of ratatouille. The ingredient caught on because it could flavor other foods without having to use spices which were  costly and rare at the time. Tomato sauce can be good, especially homemade but it does take time to make. You can make a crockpot version if you want. I feel this is fine during the fall and winter when you need a heavier sauce for spaghetti and even gnocchi, The Spring and summer call for a different , much lighter sauce. I am a big fan of Sam Sifton's burst tomato sauce. This is a fresh take and I've add a twist to it. Fresh spinach leaves not only give it color and flavor but also much needed iron and folate. The recipe is super easy.It's just sauteing grape  or cherry tomatoes in a mix olive oil and butter (I use Melt) Add some chopped and washed spinach leaves. About ten minutes in start bursting or popping the tomatoes. The juices will mix with the oil and butter and create a wonderful tasting sauce.There's a light ness and freshness.

You don;t have to have tomatoes  to create a great sauce. One of my favorites involves baby bellas and spinach. This sauce is a nice change up from the traditional tomato sauce. Again this starts with sauteing washed and chopped spinach leaves in an oil and butter mix. Baby bellas are added and cooked until there's a crispness to them. Add about half a cup of either chicken or veggie stock to give it that saucy quality. You could add chicken breasts if you want to give it more heft. You could also go the arriabiata route and give it a dash of red pepper. A Spring primavera sauce is always a nice change up. This has a whole slew of fresh veggies that can compliment any kind of pasta. The basic sauce is a mix of red onions, carrots,  broccoli, bell peppers, squash and zucchini. Tomatoes and garlic are also added but you can omit the tomatoes if you want. The veggies are sauteed in olive oil (but add a knob of butter for more flavor) and mixed into the cooked pasta. Another fresh idea is asparagus and peas. Both are sauteed in olive oil with shallots and garlic. The sauce is ready when the asparagus turns a bright green.

All you need is veggies, garlic and olive oil to create the perfect pasta sauce. See what's in the fridge and run with it.Be creative. You'll wind up with a tasty, fun sauce for any type of pasta.

 

Take Out In The Wilderness

 Everyone craves a good take out. Yet what happens when you're far away from any restaurant and delivery. You have a plane come in and deliver it. Delicious, albeit cold food of all sorts are delivered to remote villages. 

Regular contributor and Alaska journalist Victoria Peterson wrote about this , specifically in the Alaskan bush in yesterday;'s New York Times Food section. Many villages such as Fort Yukon, located  way in the upper northeast corner of the state are far from any fast food jiont. The villages have no pizzerias or Chinese restaurants. Families have to order through Door Dash to get any kind of"fun: food. Natalia Navarro had to wait until pilot Robert Golike deliver their order. He uses his Cessna to take food to them and other isolated families craving a taste of the city.,Ms Navarro's order consisted of steak tacos and churros from Pedro's Mexican grill in Anchorage and classics such as lo mein, beef broccoli and General Tso's chicken from Famous Wok, a Chinese food chain. Her family relished  every bite. The trip is to their house is a long one.It's a long air journey over the silty waters of Cook Inlet and over the craggy snow covered peaks of the Alaska range.and the many laked terrain In Nikolai where he would land.MS Navarro only orders twice a month because of the expense. 

The idea has caught on.Alaska Air Transit is one of the dozens of small regional airlines flying people and cargo to hundreds of remote communities across Alaska. There are Netflix DVDS along with the needed outdoor gear and groceries.Yet it's receiving something like pizza that's the most exciting.Most order from Pizza Hut whose food keep the best on the journey.For some families it was that along with CHinese that was only delivered. Now the spectrum has widened thanks to DoorDash. Families can get any kind of cuisine they're craving or want to try for the first time. To deal with the influx of orders coming to their office, Alaska Air Transit owner, Josie Owen has set up a giant tent in the parking lot where drivers can  label the order with the person's name and  village before leaving it before the staff. The need is growing. Twins Caiti and Shari O'Connor have started their own business , expediting orders during their school year in Anchorage. They pick up pets at the airport to take them to the vet,  along with storing vehicles. Their most lucrative order is food. They dropped off three hundred dollars of food from Panda Express  for an employee appreciation on St Paul Island.

Anyone anywhere nowadays can appreciate a pizza or lo mein. They can enjoy tacos or a good burger thanks to pilots who fly to where they are. it's a new form of food delivery but a much needed one.