Winter parties can be just as fun as summer ones. In fact they're even better thanks to hearty and rib sticking dishes. You can make a variety of them that brings your guests closer over the table. Even better, there's really little prep time,unlike summer barbecues.It's just throw everything into a pot, cook up and serve.
Chili is one of the best dishes to make for a crowd.It's a simple mix of tomato sauce , onions, beans and ground beef , chicken or turkey if you want to add meat.You can make it as hot or as mild as your guests want.The dish only takes an hour to make and again there's really very little prep time.You can also make polenta the creamy Northern Italian cornmeal dish as a base or have broken cornbread squares instead. To make y our chili a little more fancier put out bowls of sour cream and shredded cheese alogn with corn chips for for customizing.
Fondue is another fun winter party dish. Again it is a cinch to make and you can tailor it to fit your guests' tastes.A basic fondue involves Emmenthaler or Gruyere cheese along with white wine , flour , garlic and lemon. What's extra fun is that you make it right in front of your guests. There should be plenty of cut up chunks of baguettes or French bread for guests to dip. A variation is the English Welsh rarebit which subs in strong English cheddar and Guinness stout for the Emmenthal and white wine. It's usually served with toast but you can try a loaf of whole grain or pumpernickel instread. Cut it into chunks and let your guests go wild with dipping.
Winter parties are full of good communal food and friendly conversations. To chase the mid winter blues away throw one with a pot of something yummy as the centerpiece. Your guests will appreciate a warm bowl amongst friends
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Catches Of The Day
Homemade seafood dishes are always tricky to make. They can come out too oily or too dry. The meat is sometimes too tender and can turn to mush thanks to the wrong recipe. Luckily yesterday's New York Times Dining section helps with this situation. The two sections, City Kitchen and A Good Appetite tackle a crab salad and roasted fish. Thanks to these two gems, seafood novices can create perfect and delicious dishes.
Dave Tanis conquers crab salad in his City Kitchen column. Crab salad, is one of those throwbacks to Mid Century American cooking where it was made with huge dollops of mayo and lemon.It was then served on a bland leaf of iceberg lettuce with either a tomato or lemon wedge as decoration. Mr. Tanis updates it for the 21st Century. He first starts with Dungeness crab, perfect because it is the season for them on their native California coast. Instead of the traditional mayonnaise he starts with a double boiled dressing ,made with cream , egg yolks and lemon juice. He then adds olive oil and Dijon mustard for more flavor. This goes over a salad of fresh lump crab along with the nontraditional Belgian endive, chicory , radicchio and arugula. The salad is a perfect Sunday brunch dish or a Saturday luncheon with the girls one.
The next is from Melissa Clark, In her A Good Appetite column, she tackles roasted sea bass. She adds a spicy and fiery twist with lime salsa verde. Ms. Clark does offer very good advice on picking a good fish.Look it in the eye .If the eyes are cloudy and sunken, don't buy it .If they're clear and bright, it means the fish is a fresh catch and perfect for cooking. Also, although this sounds clicheish, the smell, is another important factor in purchasing it. Newly caught does not have an odor.There should be some kind of one however it should be clean and saline smelling and not fishy. Another good tip she offers is having the fishmonger lop off the head if you or your guests are squeamish about dinner staring up at you. Each fish should weigh up to one and a half pounds as well. A fish such as a sea bass should be roasted at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes tops.don;t over cook, because it'll result in a platter of dried. splintered meat.
Fish dishes are not difficult. In fact , they are easy to prepare and cook. Don't be afraid to try them and miss out on some truly delicious dining.
Dave Tanis conquers crab salad in his City Kitchen column. Crab salad, is one of those throwbacks to Mid Century American cooking where it was made with huge dollops of mayo and lemon.It was then served on a bland leaf of iceberg lettuce with either a tomato or lemon wedge as decoration. Mr. Tanis updates it for the 21st Century. He first starts with Dungeness crab, perfect because it is the season for them on their native California coast. Instead of the traditional mayonnaise he starts with a double boiled dressing ,made with cream , egg yolks and lemon juice. He then adds olive oil and Dijon mustard for more flavor. This goes over a salad of fresh lump crab along with the nontraditional Belgian endive, chicory , radicchio and arugula. The salad is a perfect Sunday brunch dish or a Saturday luncheon with the girls one.
The next is from Melissa Clark, In her A Good Appetite column, she tackles roasted sea bass. She adds a spicy and fiery twist with lime salsa verde. Ms. Clark does offer very good advice on picking a good fish.Look it in the eye .If the eyes are cloudy and sunken, don't buy it .If they're clear and bright, it means the fish is a fresh catch and perfect for cooking. Also, although this sounds clicheish, the smell, is another important factor in purchasing it. Newly caught does not have an odor.There should be some kind of one however it should be clean and saline smelling and not fishy. Another good tip she offers is having the fishmonger lop off the head if you or your guests are squeamish about dinner staring up at you. Each fish should weigh up to one and a half pounds as well. A fish such as a sea bass should be roasted at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes tops.don;t over cook, because it'll result in a platter of dried. splintered meat.
Fish dishes are not difficult. In fact , they are easy to prepare and cook. Don't be afraid to try them and miss out on some truly delicious dining.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mormon Cooking
Thanks to Mitt Romney, the HBO show "Big Love" and the Broadway smash "The Book of Mormon" everyone kind of knows what Mormonism is about. Despite the fact that it was started only 170 years ago, it has a long and rich tradition of food. Church dinners go hand in hand with religious gatherings and practices.In fact Mormons may be lost without their Sunday suppers.
This was a fascinating article in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece, written, by regular Julia Moskin, explores a different side of the usual church supper casserole. Cooking is an integral part of the Mormon religion. In fact, its' founder , Joseph Smith, strongly encouraged healthy living (hence no caffeine or alcohol) and wanted church women to serve nutritious meals to their large families. It was little meat and much grain,Of course this reflected the area where they settled, Utah, which gave them plenty of wheat but few heads of cattle. This leads to both good cooking and comfort food. Mormon women are whizzes are creating hearty and tasty favorites, beloved by all.
One is sad sounding Funeral Potatoes, made for funeral repasts along with Christmas dinners.It's kind of a take on scalloped potatoes and is laden with baking potatoes and sour cream.Modern Mormon cooks also add fancier ingredients like cheddar and Gruyere cheese. The result tastes like one of those twice baked potatoes, creamy and cheesy, perfect for a winter day. Another LDS special is Green Jello which is lime Jello cubed and mixed with whipped cream and pineapple. It's another Sunday night staple. Mormons , young and old love this treat.
We'll be hearing a lot about Mormonism if the GOP picks Mitt Romney and he does get into the White House. We'll probably be curious about all aspects of the religion. Their Sunday suppers are a big part of it and a possible trend of Mormon cooking.
This was a fascinating article in today's New York Times Dining section. The piece, written, by regular Julia Moskin, explores a different side of the usual church supper casserole. Cooking is an integral part of the Mormon religion. In fact, its' founder , Joseph Smith, strongly encouraged healthy living (hence no caffeine or alcohol) and wanted church women to serve nutritious meals to their large families. It was little meat and much grain,Of course this reflected the area where they settled, Utah, which gave them plenty of wheat but few heads of cattle. This leads to both good cooking and comfort food. Mormon women are whizzes are creating hearty and tasty favorites, beloved by all.
One is sad sounding Funeral Potatoes, made for funeral repasts along with Christmas dinners.It's kind of a take on scalloped potatoes and is laden with baking potatoes and sour cream.Modern Mormon cooks also add fancier ingredients like cheddar and Gruyere cheese. The result tastes like one of those twice baked potatoes, creamy and cheesy, perfect for a winter day. Another LDS special is Green Jello which is lime Jello cubed and mixed with whipped cream and pineapple. It's another Sunday night staple. Mormons , young and old love this treat.
We'll be hearing a lot about Mormonism if the GOP picks Mitt Romney and he does get into the White House. We'll probably be curious about all aspects of the religion. Their Sunday suppers are a big part of it and a possible trend of Mormon cooking.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Nanoosh Exotic Healthiness
Mention Mediterranean cuisines and people think of spaghetti or moussaka or even tapas. However the Eastern Mediterranean has produced healthy foods for two thousand or more years.- One of the stars is hummus. Now this delicious and ancient dish is being the prominent player in Nanoosh restaurant - a mini chain that's sweeping the New York City area.
I 'm lucky that the restaurant has a branch in my local mall. I had wanted to try it and today I had the rare chance to do such. To be honest I'm not a big hummus fan however this changed my view of it. I ordered the unusual chicken hummus which is a deep bowl filled with grilled chicken chunks over creamy fresh made chickpea mash. The hummus is made Israeli style without the usual garlic. It was still delicious and wonderful with the whole wheat pita bread served with it. There is olive oil along with other additions that can be added.I am planning on going back this weekend and would like to try the other variations. There is a mushroom and onions as well as sun dried tomatoes and a red and green pepper mix. Another sort is made, again with meat, this time ground beef with onions, tahini and onions.
Since the emphasis is on healthy eating, Nanoosh also has fresh made organic salads and wraps, The soups are tomato, lentil and butternut squash.These are all natural without any preservatives - rare for restaurants that usually have to rely on prepackaged , overly salted mixes. Salads are varied as well , using everything from the South American quinoa to the Mediterranean tuna and Greek salads. There are also wraps and these feature hummus along with extras, such as beef , chicken and eggs (!). Nanooshserves desserts too These are a yummy sounding organic yogurt loaf chocolate cake and rice pudding made with arborio rice.
Whether you're in Northern New Jersey or Manhattan try Nanoosh for lunch for dinner. There are fresh made dishes made with good for you ingredients. It's a healthy spin on exotic Eastern
Mediterranean fare.
Nanoosh's locations are The Garden State Plaza Mall , Paranus New Jersey, and in New York City, 2012 Broadway at 68th and 69th Sts, Union Square, 111 University Place , between 12th and 13th Sts and Murray Hill, 173 Madison Ave, between 33rd and 34th Sts.
Go to Nanoosh.com for more info and to order online.
I 'm lucky that the restaurant has a branch in my local mall. I had wanted to try it and today I had the rare chance to do such. To be honest I'm not a big hummus fan however this changed my view of it. I ordered the unusual chicken hummus which is a deep bowl filled with grilled chicken chunks over creamy fresh made chickpea mash. The hummus is made Israeli style without the usual garlic. It was still delicious and wonderful with the whole wheat pita bread served with it. There is olive oil along with other additions that can be added.I am planning on going back this weekend and would like to try the other variations. There is a mushroom and onions as well as sun dried tomatoes and a red and green pepper mix. Another sort is made, again with meat, this time ground beef with onions, tahini and onions.
Since the emphasis is on healthy eating, Nanoosh also has fresh made organic salads and wraps, The soups are tomato, lentil and butternut squash.These are all natural without any preservatives - rare for restaurants that usually have to rely on prepackaged , overly salted mixes. Salads are varied as well , using everything from the South American quinoa to the Mediterranean tuna and Greek salads. There are also wraps and these feature hummus along with extras, such as beef , chicken and eggs (!). Nanooshserves desserts too These are a yummy sounding organic yogurt loaf chocolate cake and rice pudding made with arborio rice.
Whether you're in Northern New Jersey or Manhattan try Nanoosh for lunch for dinner. There are fresh made dishes made with good for you ingredients. It's a healthy spin on exotic Eastern
Mediterranean fare.
Nanoosh's locations are The Garden State Plaza Mall , Paranus New Jersey, and in New York City, 2012 Broadway at 68th and 69th Sts, Union Square, 111 University Place , between 12th and 13th Sts and Murray Hill, 173 Madison Ave, between 33rd and 34th Sts.
Go to Nanoosh.com for more info and to order online.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Impulse Shopping
Impulse shopping can be dangerous. That's how some wind up with luxury cars in their driveway or a luxe tennis bracelet in the jewelry box. Impulse shopping also applies to going to your local store. All those varieties and aromas get to us and we're hooked.We wind up buying food that will end in the garbage. The best bet is not to cave.Stay true to your shopping list.
To be honest it's hard not impulse buy when you go to the grocery. I recentlydiscovered this while cleaning out my old fridge. It looked like a salute to pudding cups , some forgotten since the summer and long past their expiration date. I also realized I have a thing for jams too. Almost every flavor from raspberry to grape was there, Most of the jars only has a few scoops taken out of them. Cookies are another impulse buy that I have to curb. My baked goods drawer has three variations of Mallowmars. What can I say?. I was lured in by the packaging and the fact that a couple of these are tasty. I then moved on to other treats, abandoning them .
How to curb impulse shopping? One, don't shop when 're hungry. You'll wind up buying everything that smells or looks good - which usually involves fattening foods. Two, don't cave to samples. Those free eats manufacturers set up are fun however don't feel obligated to buy the bags or packets. Thirdly, stick to your grocery list. Try not to veer off it, not matter how tempting those chips or ice cream sandwiches look; You may just eat one or two and then forget them within the week. If you do want to spring for a treat, think about getting a singular product like the Hostess or Entemann's treats. Also some groceries will elt you buy one donut or croissant from their bakery department.
Impulse shopping is bad. It's worse when it happens in your local grocery store. Try not to bend with it. Your stomach, health and wallet will be better off for it.
To be honest it's hard not impulse buy when you go to the grocery. I recentlydiscovered this while cleaning out my old fridge. It looked like a salute to pudding cups , some forgotten since the summer and long past their expiration date. I also realized I have a thing for jams too. Almost every flavor from raspberry to grape was there, Most of the jars only has a few scoops taken out of them. Cookies are another impulse buy that I have to curb. My baked goods drawer has three variations of Mallowmars. What can I say?. I was lured in by the packaging and the fact that a couple of these are tasty. I then moved on to other treats, abandoning them .
How to curb impulse shopping? One, don't shop when 're hungry. You'll wind up buying everything that smells or looks good - which usually involves fattening foods. Two, don't cave to samples. Those free eats manufacturers set up are fun however don't feel obligated to buy the bags or packets. Thirdly, stick to your grocery list. Try not to veer off it, not matter how tempting those chips or ice cream sandwiches look; You may just eat one or two and then forget them within the week. If you do want to spring for a treat, think about getting a singular product like the Hostess or Entemann's treats. Also some groceries will elt you buy one donut or croissant from their bakery department.
Impulse shopping is bad. It's worse when it happens in your local grocery store. Try not to bend with it. Your stomach, health and wallet will be better off for it.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Snow Food
This is the season for snow. The white stuff means days of staying in along with time outside, shoveling and playing. This is not the time for light fare.Snowy days and chilly temps mean hearty meals that will warm you down to your toes. For those on a diet, not to worry .There are plenty of healthy , rib sticking dishes too.
Breakfast is one of the most important meals during a snowy day. Everyone functions better with a heartier start. You can create taste scrambled eggs(or egg whites) along with omelets. Add some spinach and mushrooms or just cheese for more flavor. Two nice sides are sausage patties and bacon.If you want healthier fare sub in soy or turkey versions of these. You can even create a satisfying breakfast sandwich .French toast is another good and hearty choice. It's easy to make and kids would love an extra treat on their day off. You can also have oatmeal or farina too. Serve your choices with endless cups of hot coffee or tea or better yet, homemade hot cocoa,. Lunch can be comfort food - and you'll need it to thaw out. healthy fare could include a vegetable or minestrone soup with a toasted sandwich. Better yet a happy waitress - a more sumptuous version of a grilled cheese with the addition of tomatoes and bacon.
Dinner is going to be a family affair with everyone being home. Think about a communal dish such as spaghetti or stew with dumplings.. If you have corn meal , then use it for polenta. This Northern Italain fave is a great cold weather dinner choice , wonderful with steak or chicken strips. Serve it with either a tomato sauce or brown gravy for the beef. You can also make homemade pizza which again is a treat for the kids. for dessert try homemade brownies or cookies. A snow day is perfect for baking and it keeps the kids occupied. Have them make the night's dessert which can be perfect snacks later on.
A snow day is a good food day. Make healthy rib sticking meals that will keep everyone well fueled for shoveling or playing in the snow. They'll both appreicate and enjoy it.
Breakfast is one of the most important meals during a snowy day. Everyone functions better with a heartier start. You can create taste scrambled eggs(or egg whites) along with omelets. Add some spinach and mushrooms or just cheese for more flavor. Two nice sides are sausage patties and bacon.If you want healthier fare sub in soy or turkey versions of these. You can even create a satisfying breakfast sandwich .French toast is another good and hearty choice. It's easy to make and kids would love an extra treat on their day off. You can also have oatmeal or farina too. Serve your choices with endless cups of hot coffee or tea or better yet, homemade hot cocoa,. Lunch can be comfort food - and you'll need it to thaw out. healthy fare could include a vegetable or minestrone soup with a toasted sandwich. Better yet a happy waitress - a more sumptuous version of a grilled cheese with the addition of tomatoes and bacon.
Dinner is going to be a family affair with everyone being home. Think about a communal dish such as spaghetti or stew with dumplings.. If you have corn meal , then use it for polenta. This Northern Italain fave is a great cold weather dinner choice , wonderful with steak or chicken strips. Serve it with either a tomato sauce or brown gravy for the beef. You can also make homemade pizza which again is a treat for the kids. for dessert try homemade brownies or cookies. A snow day is perfect for baking and it keeps the kids occupied. Have them make the night's dessert which can be perfect snacks later on.
A snow day is a good food day. Make healthy rib sticking meals that will keep everyone well fueled for shoveling or playing in the snow. They'll both appreicate and enjoy it.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Downton Dining
The PBS smash "Downton Abbey " has fans and foodies desiring true English fare. Anglophiles and those who just love a good soap opera are even creating Sunday night parties revolving around British country fare and high teas. Fine china along with toad in the hole, clotted cream and scones are being nibbled as the second season of this fascinating drama unfolds.
The manor is divided into two sections ,upstairs and down. If you identitfy with Lord and Lady Grantham, the manor's owners then you may want to think about a lovely tea . Even though the show is sown at 9 PM in most areas you can still serve an elegant tea (which is usually served at 4 PM). Small finger sandiwches are a must. These can have a variety of fillings such as the traditional cucumber and watercress to chicken salad. You can also make pastes using devilled chicken or ham mixed with mayonnaise . Scones are another tea favorite. If you can't buy them, then make your own. They are easy to whip up and bake and you can make different flavors to suit your guests' tastes. Remember that since this is an English tea have good strong British kinds. Early Grey and Lady Grey are strong and flavorful.Typhoo tea is another favorite. This is a British import and can be hard to come by.
The downstairs group ate pretty well too. The story takes place in Yorkshire where there is plenty of beef and cheese. Yorkshire pudding is the county's most famous dish and it's easy to make.It is basically a buttery popover that is eaten with roast beef and gravy.The batter is a mix of milk, eggs and flour along with the addition of the roast's drippings to give it flavor.Rhubarb is also popular there and is found in several desserts. Since it's really not the season you can serve thich oat bread toast or Parkin laden with butter and rhubarb strawberry preserves. There are also pikelets, a flat crumpets that are split open and then toasted. They can be served with another Yorkshire specialty, Wensleydale cheese. This last is a variation of blue cheese .If you have neither, then think English muffins seved warm with crunbled blue cheese on top.
Downton Abbey has captured America's hearts and palates. Whoever you like best, the complicated aristocracy or the loveswept staff, enjoy their foods. Have tea or somehting heartier for more of a taste of England!
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