Room For One More Picnic

Even though it's the last week of August, there's still plenty of time for picnics. Actually in some parts of the country you can virtually eat outside til late November. The only difference is that you may want to include heartier fare in your picnic basket.

Now that apple and raspberry season are coming up , there's always orchards that will let you pick and eat. Farms such as New Jersey's Delicious Orchards of Colts Neck, located in Monmouth County's horse country, have set up picnic tables for those who want to eat first and then get to the business of fruit harvesting. Delicious also has a varied indoor store that not only sells produce but beverages, meats , cheese and fresh baked goods. You can easily create a gourmet picnic from their many products and then sit out under the trees. You can also pack sandwiches from your house such as ham or roast beef along with some juices and boxed milk. If the weather gets a bit nippy then have a thermos of hot cocoa, tea or coffee.

Fall picnic anywhere are fun. This is the time you can slip in a good wedge of sharp cheddar to be sliced over whole grain bread.A cooler weather picnic deserves something hot and that would be a thermos of hot vegetable or beef barley soup. Also think about bringing non alcoholic cider or fresh made doughnuts to round out the meal. Remember that September and October are beautiful picnic months. Take advantage of the brisk weather to enjoy deserted beaches or mountain paths.

It may be the end of August but that does't mean it's the end of picnic season. You have two more months to pack a really glorious meal and enjoy the sun , water and air.

End OF Summer Food Blues

Sometimes all that grilling and chilling can get to you. All that smoky barbecue taste, that once was so appealing is now nauseating. If you feel that way it's time to get back into the fall way of cooking.

Even though some parts of the country can be as toasty as an oven you can still cook a simple hot meal for yourself. Boil up any pasta and serve with a simple sauce. You can even make it easier on yourself by just creating a pasta burro which is just melted butter over spaghetti or linguini. Another quick hot and easy meal is take sliced roast beef or turkey , layer it on an open roll and pour canned gravy over this. Even though the notion of canned gravy can be scary there are some good ones out there that taste like the real thing.

For quicker meals think instant soup or a grilled cheese. You can create an easy vegetable soup by using bouillon cubes and tossing in any produce you picked up form your local farms. Serve with warmed rolls or crusty Italian or French bread. Grilled cheese is a fun meal that's warm, gooey and satisfying. Add some sliced tomato or bacon to make it special.

If you're tired fo summer foods , it's easy to move on to autumn ones. Pick out simple dishes that are not only hot but easy to create. Then you can clean your grill and put that away.

Freezing For Fall -Storage For Your Garden

Now is the time to start harvesting whatever is left in your garden. You can simply free dry or turn fruits and veggies into jams and aspics. It's up to you.

If you have a lot of herbs you can easily pick and dry them . oregano, basil and rosemary all travel well from plant to jar and are great over any kind of roast. For basil remember to wash in cold water and then pat dry with a paper towel. basil can also be blended into a pesto sauce to be served with pasta or gnocchi later on in the season.

Now is also a good time to use these for your sauces. If you;re lucky to have an over abundance of tomatoes, then turn them into sauce. There's nothing the like home made kind warming you up on a cold rainy October or November day. Also think about cooking and freezing your squashes and zucchini. These can easily be thawed out after and served as a quick side.

The second raspberry season is just around the corner. If you're lucky to go late summer picking , then think about making your own jam. This can be tricky if you're not careful. One wrong move in canning and you can kill off your whole family. make sure equipment and jars are properly sterilized before you do anything. Also have help when preserving because it is a long and involved process (albeit a fun one). Raspberries can also be frozen for later use in desserts and cakes.

This is the season to harvest and prepare for the fall and winter ahead. Do what you have to do to to make your fruits and veggies last.

Your Write To Foodie Pantry

Ok readers (well all three of you) let's hear your summer time of 2008 stories. Are there any recipes you'd like to share? Any comments? A review of your favorite summer eatery?

Let me know This blog is open for discussion.

Liz

Cereal Killers

I hate to put the buzz kill on these last few summer days but school is just around the corner. Now moms across the US should be thinking of what to feed their young first thing in the morning. For a smarter kid, think about nixing the quickie cupcake and soda along with the heavily sweetened cereals.

What makes good breakfast? Something that's going to stick to your kids' ribs and keep them alert for most of the day. Try oatmeal with dried fruit such as blueberries or cranberries. Also oatmeal and fresh cut apples are another good day starter. Cereal is fine so long as it's not the ones that are like ninety per cent sugar. Give Junior Cheerios or Rice Krispies to start off with. If you have the time to cook in the morning, then whip up some pancakes or eggs or both. having a hearty breakfast with these along with any breakfast meat (like Canadian bacon, bacon or sausages)a cup of tea and a glass of juice is going to make everyone feel more alive and awake, ready to do battle with whatever comes that day. Also think about bagels or English muffins or even making these into breakfast sandwiches. At least you know your family won't be eating the grease laden kind from the local fast food joint.


Unfortunately I was never and still am not a big breakfast person. My first meal comes at lunch. I wish it could be different but it's hard for me to eat anything before the prime meridian. Horrible but true.

Just think I might have been a great food writer if I only had my breakfasts before 10 AM.

Last Of The Summer Harvest

It's sad to think that the summer is practically over. At least we still have our harvest from farms and gardens. Even if we're preparing for fall, whether it be for school or work ,we can still enjoy the taste of sun ripened fruits and veggies.

Tomatoes are still growing during this warm season so take advantage of them. Luckily they're versatile to cook up in a variety of ways. You can make enough sauce for your winter meals and store in a freezer or make some very good tomato sandwiches. Squash and zucchini are growing in abundance in some gardens right now. Take advantage of these by cooking them in butter and garlic or as part of a ratatouille. Basil growth is also in overdrive around this time. Use your leaves to make into pesto sauce and freezefor later dishes in the fall. You can also cut and dry chives, rosemary and oregano for dishes either being made right now or for later.

As far as fruit, the berry season are winding down but you can still get and grow peaches and plums. These are perfect for snacking or just for a light healthy dessert. If you're still craving fresh fruit, remember that apple and raspberry season usually start in mid September.

Even though this season is ending you can still get a taste of it. Enjoy what the farms stands still have to offer. Harvest what you can from your own gardens. Make the summer last with the fruits and veggies of summer.

Good Luck With Casino Dining

The one thing about Atlantic City is that you can never go hungry. Every casino has a variety of different restaurants from high end gourmet to fast and fun deli. My favorite place Harrah's recently expanded its' list of restaurants.

For high end dining the hotel /casino has the famous McCormick and Schmick' s Seafood which specializes in all sorts of seafood as well as chicken and steaks. Harrah's has also revamped its' Italian restaurant. The casino also has a great steakhouse, featuring various New York cuts and filets. Of course every casino has an all you can eat buffet. Harrah's is no exception with its almost sumptuous restaurant filled with everything from soups ot desserts. Unfortunately the lines ar long and sometimes diner's don't sit down til 9 PM to eat

My favorite is Harrahs' new food court. This small strip of fast food stops is located by the new indoor pool and spa. Here you can get paper thin crust pizza at Walt's along calzones and Sicilian style pie. Ben and Jerry's is also there along with a small candy section selling fudge. At the end of this is Sack O Subs where you can get Philly cheese steaks along with quick burgers and fries. The cafe Reflections is also over that way. It's less expensive than the other restaurants yet serves up gourmet and hearty American dishes.

Craving something heartier. Then head over to Harrah's Deli, which is on the path to the jitney stop. Here you can get all sorts of deli favorites. My favorite is the hearty and vegetarian mushroom barley soup. This is a whole bowl , of rich soothing goodness, perfect after a day of fun. The Deli also has a good sampling of deli sodas like Dr Brown's.

If you're at Harrah's then go for good fortune in their many restaurants. There's always something whether you've just won or lost a bundle.