An Easy Pesto Sauce

 Years ago pesto sauce had to be handmade. It was picking fresh basil from the garden pulverizing it in a blender and then adding a slow stream of olive oil. Sometimes cheese or walnuts were added for more flavor.It was all so labor intensive. Not anymore. Any home chef can now have pesto at their fingertips.

I found this really great jar of already prepared pesto at Lidl

It;s from their Preferred Selection.

ction and for $2.19 a jar it is well worth it. This is a delicious blend of pesto, oil, Parmegian and walnuts. It's itnese on it;s own so I added some Country Crock Plant Butter.

=I mixed the two together to pour over these -leftover gnocchi also from Lidl.(

Now, all together, this may look unappetizing but once melted,it has a verdant, butterfly flavor that's just light and wonderful

This took only six minutes in the microwave.

It just requires a quick stir to evenly distribute the pesto sauce.

The flavor is simply heavenly. The pesto and butter create the perfect marriage of taste and texture.I think this is definitely my new favorite sauce. I plan on using this on angel hair and spaghetti in the future.

Pesto sauce is now so easy to whip up. Once made it's a great addition to any pasta ,risotto or gnocchi,. dish.Try it today for a nice change up from traditional sauces.

Wedding In Brooklyn

 New York City has become the destination place for weddings. One borough Brooklyn has become ultra popular.

This is where I am now.Tasting some traditional food at a DUMBO wedding venue.I think that  no matter where a reception is  held, food is food.The setting may be interesting  but the food will always be the. same Appetizers, soup , dinner , cake.It doesn't vary, although I wish it had.

Maybe the most memorable thing at any wedding reception is the love of the couple newly married.

Food is food.Love is love. It should unite at a wedding .It should.

Halloween Sweet Or Savory?

 Here's the Halloween question of the day - do you like sweet or savory Halloween treats?

I gave out both this Halloween

I am a big savory snack person myself and this collection from Lidl had everything from Funyuns to Cheeto Puffs an Twists to two types of Lays potato chips, sour cream and onion and cheddar and sour cream.There's also Frito;'s flavor treats in honey BBQ.

There is also the sweet side.I had Skittles and Snickers for my students. There was so much left over I brought them home.

Whats my favorite??

Savory!!!!!There's nothing like a bag of Funyuns to munch on during Halloween night.

What's your favorite Halloween treat? Let us know.

The MAHA Battle With Whole Foods

 Is Whole Foods as healthy as people want it to be? SOme say yes. Some vehemently say no. This is the real question right now. Is this totally  blue health food grocery store ready to embrace deep red MAHA beliefs? It's up for debate.

New contributor and food writer Ben Ryder Howe wrote about this debate in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Whole Foods has always been known for good  gluten free foods and fresh from the vine and tree produce.It had a reputation of selling freshly prepared food that was not only healthy but also delicious.It advocated lower sugar in its' products along with no chemicals or artificial coloring. Yet there was some problems, namely the prices.It was jokingly referred to as "Whole Payvheck" because it was so expensive to shop at any of the branches.Now the headache comes from MAHA or Make America Healthy Again.The company's founder and owner, John Mackey is a capitalist and also a libertarian. Like other MAHA  he is a zealot for eating well. Errol Schweizer,a  former vice-president for the grocery edition declares that whole Foods is a straight up dialectical contradiction,. Whole Foods can appeal to both sides of the aisle.

Yet  the store is reluctant to embrace total MAHA ideology.Corby Kummer, executive director of Food and Society,at the Aspen Institute  a non profit think tanks feels that the store has always had a get out of my face and don't tell me what to do attitude.It's been anti-government and anti-corporation. Whole Foods has always been for pele who have rejected the mainstream.One critic of this is Alex Clark, host of the podcast, "Culture Apothocary With Alex Clark," part of the Turning Point USA Network founded by Charlie Kirk.She has embraced healthy living during an aha moment when she was eating too much Chick FIket .Now the fervent MAHA only gets her foods at Whole Food .She can;t figure out why this grocery store who has been one of the first and biggest promoters of healthy eating won;t jump on the MAHA bandwagon, she has accused the company of shying away from typical MAHA causes such as opposition to seed oils and betraying its. mission to improve American health. Yet the store shies away from being too red or too blue. It could also be afraid of losing it's liberal coastal base of loyal customers too.

Should Whole Foods be a part of a political debate? No.It's just a grocery store serving people who want to eat well. That's not political. Tha't s just good common sense.

A Good Treat - Scratch Cake And Frosting

This is definitely the time of year  for sweet treats and one of those is a slice of cake drenched in frosting. What's even infinitely better is cake made from scratch and frosting that's not from a can. YThere is nothing  like an old school cake with an airy mound of sweetness on top.It just takes some savvy to create both perfectly.

Regular contributor and top baker Genevieve Ko knows this and contributes both advice and recipes in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.After several years of create the perfect slice she offers her knowledge to both expert and novice bakers alike.Ome of the most important gadgets a home baker should have is a good scale. Don't use a liquid measuring cup for measuring dry ingredients like flour or baking powder. Get a cheap digital kitchen scale; then use a spoon or scraper to push the dry ingredients into a cup. Using a measuring cup for liquids could throw off a recipe. Too much cocoa in a recipe such as her chocolate peanut butter ones will make for a crumbly crumb and a surprisingly bitter flavor. Another must is mix the batter differently Ms. Ko follows Rose Levy Beranbaum ,a uthor of the famed "The Cake Bible"in which reverse creaming is used ,This is when room temperature butter is mixed with the dry ingredients. This gives the butter's fat the chance to coat some of the flours proteins and as a result stop tough gluten from forming.After the flour is coated and the butter is evenly dispersed then add the liquid ingredients. This results in a much more tender crumb.(It also makes for easier slicing too).

One of the most important aspect s for home bakers is knowing their ovens Ms. Ko recommends thinking about your oven's capacity How long does it take to preheat? Thirty minutes instead of the usual fifteen.Does it run hot or cold?Is there a significant temperature drop when the door is opened? Is it smaller than average like an apartment oveN? These tend to brown baked goods quicker than larger ovens.Ovens may have to be set twenty-five degrees higher or lower.One way to find out is to set white bread slices in different spots and see how they brown. Make a note of the results Another must do is use bake times as guidelines. Set the timer for a little before the lowest time marker and take a look without opening the oven.Test for doneness before it's too far gone. The perfect bake is a cake that has a light golden brown color. Before baking  understand a cake's anatomy along with having the right pans. As for the cakes themselves.Ms.Kp give three yummy recipes, the classic confetti cake with cream cheese frosting. chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and yellow sheet cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Tint the frosting orange for a Halloween party . Save these recipes for Christmas dessert too instead of cookies.

Nothing beats the perfect scratch cake with a scratch frosting. The result is a deliciously light bite full of flavor. This is the perfect Halloween treat.

Your Fall Grape Guide

 Fall may be the time for apples and pears but it's also the time for grapes. There are all sorts from the richly colored Concord to the pale blushed color Traminette. There's nothing like a dish with them or just eating them as a snack.

One of the most popular and famous is the darkly purple Concord. These are the richest flavored grape, Most people know them from being in grape juice and jelly. Yet on their own. they're delicious.They have the eclasspic grape flavor always associated with the fruit. They add bright color to any charcuterie board. Pair them with a bold flavored cheese such as Bleu cheese and a sharp Vermont cheddar. However soft, creamy cheese like Brie and goat also work well with them . They are excellent for your own version of Welch's Classic grape jelly along with being perfect for pies and cobblers.Carawba grapes are also thriving right now. These are a muted berry red color and have a delightfully sweet taste. They're perfect for making homemade juice and wine. These, too, would be perfect for any charcuterie board. Try them with a very creamy cheese like Fontina, Brie and Camenbert. You could also pair it with goat and cheddar. You can make jelly with them and even more surprising ketchup. The grapes are boiled and then mixed with a variety of spices such as cloves cinnamon , allspice and black pepper. Vinegar gives it that classic ketchup tang while sugar balances out all the flavors.

Another fall grape is the blush colored Traminette..They have a floral and spicy taste .better suited for wines. However this Indiana born fruit is derived from the German varietal Gewurtztraminer. They make a good appetizer paired with feta . You could also try the silvery pale Vidal blanc. This is a grape you can use to make preserves instead of jelly along with making homemade juice. Are preserves harder to make than jelly or jam? Yes. They involve cooking whole pieces of fruit which requires a delicate balance to prevent the flesh from breaking down too much. Jelly, on the other hand , is created from strained fruit juice. Autumn crisp grapes are also being harvested right now. every supermarket. They are large and juiy, perfect for snacking with a  citrus, peach flavor.  It also has notes of muscat and rose too.One big plus about them is that they are seedless, making them easy to eat. You don;t have to worry about crunching down on seeds or swallowing them.These definitely belong on a charcuterie table. They pair well with everything from cured meats  to nuts to cheeses.

Fall is more than just apples and pears. Try grapes this season for a good snack or dessert. They're sweet and perfect . a good fruit for the autumn.

Scary Good CHocolates

 Halloween is a time for all sorts of candy, Yes, those Twix and Smarties are fun but there's nothing like homemade treats to enjoy at home. What's even more fun is that you can be creative. A fun treat can be handed with just some cocoa , sugar and ingenuity.

Coconut haystacks are always a treat. These are easy to make , using dark, milk or white chocolate It's melting butter with solid chocolate and then mixing in toasted or untoasted plain shredded coconut. You could sub in coconut oil  for the butter but I feel that it gives the candy a richer flavor. To make it spooky for Halloween add broken pretzel twists for legs and candy eyes on top. SLivered almonds can another f be added to the recipe for more crunch and taste. Chocolate bark is a tasty snack Again any kind of the chocolate can be used. It's just melting a bowl of chocolate chips for twenty seconds each bowl. The melted chocolate is then spread on wither a greased cookie sheet or onto parchment paper. This is the time to add the candy corn , orange and black sprinkles as well as candy eyes,Let set in either the fridge or a cool place  such as a front porch. Break into pieces and serve. Keep in mind this recipe can be made for All Saint'; day using leftover Halloween candy such as Reese's peanut butter cups, Twix  bars and Rolos caramels.

Homemade fudge is usually thought of as a Christmas sweet yet it can also be made for Halloween too,.A simple fudge recipe is combining condensed milk chocolate chips and a drop of vanilla extract  However you can a teaspoon of butter or plant butter for a much richer taste. A simple decoration would be a dash of orange and black sprinkles on top but you can press in candy corn or candy pumpkins too. SInce it is the season expand to making pumpkin fudge. This is using white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and two tablespoons of pumpkin puree (use Libby 's brand which is  very smooth and creamy. The flavoring is typical pumpkin spice  - a mix of a teaspoon of cinnamon,  along with a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg and an eight of a teaspoon of cloves. Melt the white chocolate and condensed milk together in the microwave. This only takes a minute  and then afterwards microwave at thirty seconds intervals , The mixture will be very thick. Add the spices now , GIve it a good stir and put into a greased or aluminum foil line pan. It should be refrigerated for at least four hours before cutting and serving. You can press candy corn into it for decoations

Halloween is all about sweet treats. Homemade ones are the best. Make them for a fun way to celebrate the holiday.