Picnic For One

 If you want to have something indulgent this summer try a picnic for one. This can be your favorite foods in your favorite outdoor setting wither the park , the beach or the backyard. It's time to treat yourself to some good food and good rest.

An easy picnic would be getting a hero from any grocery store or Jersye MIkes. The last can customize the sandwich to what you want, whether you go for a vegan or an Italian one full of prosciutto and ham.With these you can easily grab an ice tea or soda and bag of chips. Take it to your favorite green or sandy spot with a blanket  and Kindle (or go old school with a book). Bring a sleeve of your favorite cookies too and maybe a thermos of iced coffee. Keep the mess both for yourself and for the environment down to a minimim.It's a sandwich so there's no need for plastic utensils. Throw all wrappings and empty bags along with cans and cups away too. Should you bring your favorite hamburger or chicken nuggets to the park?Or what about a salad?It's up to you but it can be messy. It helps if there are picnic tables nearby where you can sit and have a proper meal. If not, stick to the simplest and relax.

Of course you can indulge yourself in a backyard picnic. You can mess up as much as you want because your kitchen and garbage cans are near by. A mini version of a salad NIcoise is a great treat Make a small salad and add a half a can of tuna in oil (you could add the whole can if you really love the fish)along with one sliced hard boiled egg.Add tomatoes ,  an artichoke heart or two along with olives . Serve with a crust piece of french bread and olive oil and a chilled glass of white wine. Another indulgent salad for one is a panzinella or Italian bread salad. Take two vine ripened tomatoes and cut into slices. Add them to olive oil A small minced onion and a minced garlic clove will also add some flavor. Through in two torn pieces of Italian bread and stir. You can also  chill it for a more refreshing bite too.  A shrimp cocktail is the perfect meal outside . Cooked shrimp is an easy buy at your local grocery store.  Sit back under a tree, in your favorite lounger and enjoy. A shredded lobster or crab salad is another summer meal perfect for an indulgent meal  for one outdoors.

A picnic for one can be a relaxing meal time. You;re with your favorite foods in the fresh air.Try it and enjoy.

This Steak's Secret - Butter

 What makes for a good , well cooked and well flavored steak? Butter.It's been a long used ingredient in cooking up any meat .Not only that it adds such sweet flavor, melding well with the juices and the taste of the meat.

Regular contributor and chef Eric Kim wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food Wednesday section.He was inspired by Twelve, a waterfront restaurant in Portland Maine.everyone sits by the plancha station where the New York strips are prepared and cooked. The meat is first seasoned with salt and then the fat cap(Or fatty area on top) is seared holding it up with tongs perpendicular to the plancha.The fat bastes both sides of the meat before it's put in the oven.Butter  - usually two tablespoons of it (and here Kerry Gold is recommended) can give the same effect. Herbs such as thyme are used  a long with avocado or canola oil (again this is a personal choice olive oil also is good). The French have long used this method, calling it arroser or to baste. why use butter to cook a steak? Chef Kin states there are a lot of pluses.Butter basting helps the steak maintain an even rosy interior along with a mouth watering juiciness.Not doing this will create a distinctive red line in the middle along with undesirable hot and cold spots in the strip's interior. Another plus is that' it makes for a good sauce mixed with the juices for the asparagus Mr. KIm recommends  as a side.

What steak will work. Try to get a good boneless one pound New York strip steak with a fat cap or strip of fat along the top.The butter itself should;d be hot and foaming.If's its too watery, according to Twelve's chef de cuisine Hannah Rider, It needs to elevate the temperature within the steak. Another tip Chef Kim strongly recommends is hiding all the home's fire detectors You'll need a high heat to cook the meat and as Chef rider puts it "anything can set off." As for the thyme leaves you can add garlic which will be a good foil for the meat's flavor . Ginger also works here.Ginger leeches out the meats sugars giving the exterior a nice crusty edge, making the pan sauce shiny and sticky. You could also add a splash of soy sauce too. Reserve the pan sauce to cook the asparagus in. For the plancha effect , heat up a skillet and using tongs hold the cooked steak over the skillet's bottom. Carefully lay t down and search one side without moving. A nice golden crust should appear. Flip and brown for two to four minutes. Serve with the asparagus or better yet on long slices of crusty baguette.

A steak cooked in butter  is the best kind of meal. Baste and search for a perfect cut  inside and out. It;s worth the time.

Vanderpump Rules Food

Any show that mentions housewives and reality rules these days.The Vanderpump family, a spin off faction from The real Housewives of Beverly Hills is no exception. two cast members have opened a sandwich shop.Is it real good? Maybe reality good would be a better term.

Regular contributor and chef herself Tejal Rao wrote about this in today's New York times Food section.The shop Something About Her  was created by two ;lesser stars of the show,.Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix. Fans of the show might know Ms Madix from the Scandoval episodes  in which her boyfriend Tom Sandoval was cheating on her with another cast member, Rachel Leviss. THeir loyalty for the jilted Ms. madix played into their visiting the shop and becoming customers.Some, such as KIm MYkitta drove two hours from her home in HUntington Beach to eat at the shop. She is a diehard fan who also runs Bravo Breaking News on Instagram.Her and other fans devotion are making Something About Her successful despite a dismal year for Los Angeles eateries. The LA Times even called the previous year, 2023 "as the year that killed restaurants." Dozens of them have closed, including the famed jeans -Georges of Beverly Hills and three of entrepreneur Nancy Silverman's places.

Perhaps it;s just the fan loyalty along with the chance to be seen in a reality show that's drawing the long lines.She's All Thar snakes around the block and the wait time for a table is long. Is the food that good though? The sandwiches and shops are named for actresses such as Reese ,Meg, Viola, Diane and Cameron to name a few.Are the bites out for the ordinary. The menu is basically the same as any upscale Manhattan sandwich shop, maybe with a few less choices.The Drew, named for Drew BArrymore has whipped chive infused goat cheese along with a mango jam. Prosciutto is extra which would be almost mandatory in a Soho or Greenwich Village eatery. The Reese is a chicken salad sandwich with mustard and gem lettuce.The Meg  is a Greek salad with tzatziki sauce and tomatoes but nothing else. There should also be feta and anchovies in it to give it some body.As for extras there's only potato chips and they're probably the packaged kind. The only hot meal is a grilled cheese .Unlike other sandwich shops there is a choice of beer wine ciders and even hard teas. That's perfect for a Sunday lunch but not for an everyday one.It seems Ms Rao is Ok with the sandwiches, their taste and presentation. A place like this is perfect in Hollywood.

She's All That is a Hollywood story and a Hollywood eatery,. That's about it. It can give good drama and seemingly good food.

Cold Comfort

 The heat is here and that means being cool whether by eating or drinking. Having chilled food and beverages is a great way of lowering your body temp and dealing with sweltering days. Just chill - literally.

I've found that cool drinks are a must during these steamy late Spring (and yes it is Spring until the twenty-second of the month).I've been at McDonald's almost  everyday buying their extra large frozen Coke. THis is perfect if you just crave sweet and frosty. There are several drinks other drinks.A warm Sunday can end with a decaf cappuccino from Dunkin Donuts. of course cold water is a must too and you should always have a fresh bottle in the car to hydrate. 

A homemade cool milkshake made in this would be most welcome on a steamy afternoon.I bought this malted cup on Amazon for only $7.99 i'ts just adding milk ice cream and malt powder.Mix and serve. YOu could edge the malted glass in chocolate and sprinkles if you want to be fancy.

Cold food is important in this weather too. A favorite go to of mine is the Spanish classic gazpacho.This is a simple blend of tomatoes onions cucumber and green peppers along with olive oil and vinegar in a creamy ,blended chilled soup. It's the perfect dinner for a hot June evening.Of course salads are a must . Try another Mediterranean classic- salad Nicoise from the French Riviera. It does call for hard boiled eggs, although you can microwave them instead of dropping them in boiling water. You could also sub in chilled shrimp from  your local grocery instead of the traditional tuna.It can also be made vegan with the addition of chickpeas to instead of the meat. A cold rice salad is always welcome too. Add peas to make it like the Italian hot dish rising bis and then mix in julienned slices of ham or mortadella.Pasta salads can go from side to main dish with the addition of  leftover or precooked steak or chicken.

It's hot. Chill out. Have a cold drink or dinner meal to lower your temperature.Keep coo. Eat cool.

Colcannon For A Hot Day

 No one feels like cooking when it's hot outside. Yet the idea of take out or sandwiches  is not that appealing. A better alternative would be quick meals that can be cooked up without any fuss.The Irish classic colcannon works well for this

Colcannon is one of my favorite dishes to make and to eat .It's  is a quick mix of mashed potatoes and spinach or cabbage with scallions and garlic for flavoring.

It;s taking any leftover potatoes frying them with a mix of butter or olive oil (or cream if you want the authentic Gaelic version) . I added fresh baby spinach leaves  but you can add steamed frozen spinach of you want. Shredded cabbage can be added too. Bacon or ham bits are always a tasty extra if you want to give it more oomph. As for garlic the powdered form works just as well.

I may try to make it with vegan bacon the next time.Still it's a simple dish. It can be made any time of the year and can go well with ham or corned beef. Again it's a great way of using up leftover mashed potatoes too.ANother plus is that it cooks up quickly and that's means less time in front of a hot stove ,especially on a hot day.

If you want an easy hot meal on a hot day then try colcannon.It's also a great way of repurposing leftover mashed potatoes and adding spinach or other greens to the meal. Try it for a tasty yet simple dish.

A Tasty Alternative Protein Powder.

 Sometimes you need a boost.It comes from the purely vegan protein powder Vega.THis is perfect for those on the go and only want to be powered by plant protein.Making a strawberry "malt" is an easy fix.

It takes about six to seven strawberries and an immersion blender.

Unfortunately my accompanying mixing  cup so I had to use a big plastic glass.

Pureed strawberries have a kind of jammy look but without the jam's sweetness.

        A scoop of Vega protein gives the drink a malty thickness This was bought at Walgreen's but you can buy it on line and in different flavors like caramel , mocha and chocolate too.

I added half a cup of Lidl's Unsweettened Almond milk. This is a rich creamy milk that gives the drink a smooth ness that usually comes from dairy milk.

Blended together, it came off a rich strawberry malted. I did order a malted cup from Amazon to make a better version. I plan on using other fruits of the season like peaches and blueberries to create all sorts of protein shakes.

Using Vega vegan protein powder is a great alternative to a meal.Pack it with fresh fruit for flavor and fiber.It'll be a tasty sip that will last you through the day.

Your Favorite Barbecue Food

 It is the beginning of the grilling season  and everyone is rushing to out their favorites over  hot coals or in a cool salad. Here's the question  - what is your favorite barbecue or picnic food?

The New York Times reported today that Americans love shrimp. while it's my favorite food t eat at Moby's down in the Atlantic Highlands. I don't really cotton to it on my grill. I;m more of a hot dog kind of girl .It has to be a good beef one on a potato bun - nothing added.As far as salads - I like three bean or my brother's invention potato salad with a chopped apple added for crunch and sweetness. The dogs and the salad are the perfect barbecue fare - although I usually eat mine inside. 

What is your faves? Are you a grilled burger kind of eater.Do you like to have a fixings bar as part of your outdoor set up.Do you like your dogs vegan with a vegan chili sauce. Do wings and turkey legs sign to you or do you prefer good old fashioned steaks grilled to pink perfection or a rack of chewy , tangy barbecued ribs. Many people love corn on the cob.Is that your side go to> Do you have it drizzled with melted butter or plant based butter or slathered in cotijillo and spices for Mexican street corn.what about Italian grilled veggies like egg plant and tomatoes? Or are you a sweets lover ? Is your perfect barbecue food pineapple rings brushed in melted butter and brown sugar and grilled to golden perfection? Or do you go with the more traditional s'mores? And do you like the adult ones of chocolate graham crackers and ninety percent dark chocolate? Or the kids one made with Hershey bars and traditional graham crackers?

Let us know here. What you;'re favorite outdoor fare? Rib's or s'mores ?Bean salad or chicken wings. Let's here what America and the world  has to say (and include recipes!!!)