Ah, Those Holiday Leftovers

They're lurking in our fridges,hiding between our fresh produce and mayo.They being our holiday leftovers.It could be a chunk of New Year's ham,grilled veggies or even those extra cookies and fruitcake.Throwing them out would be a shame.Luckily they can repurposed into tasty new dishes. If you still have any ham left over from New Years, then rejoice.It's one of the most versatile meats out there.It can be diced into bits for Western omelets or minced into a new kind of deviled spread.The bone itself can be used to flavor homemade pea soup.Turkey can also be refashioned into a salad or as stuffing for a crepe.What about those left over veggies?Mashed potatoes can be gummed into fried puffs.Make balls with the cold potatoes,dip in eggs and them bread crumbs,Fry in olive oil or butter and then serve with a side of ketchup.Root vegetables can also be refashioned as a healthier base for Eggs Benedict or into a veggie lasagna.You can also add them to a plain tomato sauce for a new spin on primavera sauce. Sweets needn't be thrown out either.You can refashion that panettone a number of ways.The Italian fruit cake can be soaked with rum and then lit for an exciting spin on baba au rhum. It can also be turned into a French toast that just requires the lightest dusting of powdered sugar.Leftover cookies can be turned into sandwiches either with butter ream or vanilla ice cream.Shortbread can be turned into a buttery crumb pie crust with the addition of butter.Holiday cakes cam be made into trifles with the addition of pudding and any liquer.You can also used plain cake for chocolate fondue as well Don't despair if you have a fridge full of leftovers.They can be turned into delicious new dishes.You'll empty your fridge and create new classics too!

A Big Bowl Of Hot

This is the weather for something hot and satisfying.Nothing beats a big bowl of anything steamy and tasty.It'll not only thaw you out but provides comfort for the soul.Best of all it's easy to create them,a boon after some heavy duty shoveling and sledding. You can start a cold winter's day off with a smoking bowl of hot cereal.Oatmeal is not only delicious but high in fiber.Add some cinnamon or maple syrup for flavor.Farina is another great start on a frigid January morning.You can have it with milk or even cream .The best bet for both is adding dried blueberries or cranberries for extra flavor and nutrition.For lunch think about a hearty soup. Minestrone is one of the easiest and creative to make.You could start with a rich beef broth and add tomatoes , onions and celery.For true heartiness ,think about adding beef or hamburger along with elbow macaroni.You can also sub in a variety of beans for the meat.Chowders are another sustainable choice.You can use canned corn to make a rich corn chowder.Like minestrone ,it's pretty easy to make up.With any homemade soup it pays to make big batches so you can freeze it and cook them when another storm comes. Luckily a snow day off means time in the kitchen.You can create some big bowls of chili and stews.Chili is one of the easiest dinners and even lunches to make.Just mix up beans tomato sauce along with onion and garlic to create some to definitely take the chill away.Chili powder is a must but you can make it as mild or as hot as you'd like.Crackers are a nice side but it definitely tastes better over polenta or rice.If you want something milder but still as good then think about making goulash.This is a classic Hungarian dish that has a mélange of beef chuck ,onions and tomato paste.Paprika is liberally sprinkled in to give it a sweet heat.It's usually served over egg noddles but some American goulash recipes have it over macaroni.For sheer simplicity try stew. It's an easy blend of carrots, and onions with either beef ,chicken or lamb.If you're feeling ambitious you can also make simple flour dumplings to absorb the gravy. A big bowl of hot is one of your best defenses during this bone chilling time.Start or end your day with one to feel toasty. It's better than any blanket or scarf!

Onion Soup The Real Deal

With the temps plummeting down to almost arctic degrees and the threat of snow looming ,it's nice to enjoy the perfect bowl of soup.Nothing says this than bowl of fresh made onion soup.Add crusty French bread andGruyere cheese and you'll feel like you're spending a winter's day in a cozy Parisian bistro. David Tanis wrote and created this classic Gallic dish in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.It has long been a dish for French families during hard times.All it takes is just onions, salt and pepper along with a few other simple ingredients.The most important part is how the onions are first made.Mr. tanis is taking the great chef's Jacques Pepin's recipe and uses red onions however you can use yellow ones as well.They should be chopped into small,manageable pieces and then sautéed in olive oil.Afterwards the onions are added to a stockpot.Water is then poured into the skillet ,deglazing the pan's bottom .This liquid will be the base of the soup.This is the true French fashion and not beef broth (this is an American invention).A splash of red wine is reccomended but you could add cognac too for a real Gallic flavor. What gives the soup it's true bounce are the extras.Garlic is also added along with thyme and bay leaves.Both impart an earthy taste that's important to the flavor.Also cooking the onions until They're a dark, ruddy brown also helps(this gives both the onions and the broth that rich deep brown color thAt many assume is beef broth).Finishing the soup in just the right way is also vital.Most restaurants in the New York area top their onion soups off with mozzarella which is just incredibly inappropriate.Onion soup is usually decorated with a single , toasted slice of French bread topped with shredded Gruyere cheese.Mr.Tanis adds thyme and dried sage to this mixture.It's then toasted until the cheese is brown and bubbly.Don't make the mistakes so many restaurants and diners do ,cover the whole crock with a gooey cheese, unfortunately choosing mozzarella.The cheese toast is good on it's own so make extras for those hungry nibblers. We're smack dab in the middle of snow season.Make an earthy ,filling soup like French onion to warm up.It'll make you feel like you're spending January in a cozy Parisian bistro on a winter holiday. .

An Interesting Resolution List

Yes this is January 1st.Yes, this is the time for resolutions (as I pointed out in yesterday's entry) and yes you should resolve to eat right.The problem with trying to break bad habits is that all of us attempt a Herculean feat when baby steps do the trick better. Try little tricks to eat healthy instead of going cold turkey . Mark Bittman gave his spin on resolutions in the very first issue of The New York Times Dining section.His ideas make very good sense.One is buy half as much meat but make it a better quality.With it comes a recipe for a tasty Thai beef salad using grilled flank steak with a dressing part fish sauce and part jalapeño.Another good idea is cooking big batches of grains and beans.This lightens the daily cooking load because both are easy to make.It's also a healthy switch to pastas and bean dishes.Again the recipe he includes with this is a tasty white bean one with kale and sausage, a perfect dish for a snowy day.Mr Bittman does not recommend getting out of season fresh fruit and vegetAbles because they don't taste as good as when they're in season.He believes that the frozen kind can do the trick as well.His best resolution is splurge when you can but on good stuff such as dark chocolate.That way it really is a treat. Some of his recommendations seem a little off the wall.Not many people would cotton to his eat veggies for breakfast philosophy.His reasoning is that we eat fruit ,so what's the difference?Also he cites other countries such as Isreal that make salads as a day starter.Stick with fruit and oatmeal if you want better eating.He also suggests cooking plants as you would meat.With this he gives recipes for breaded eggplant ,which is always a crowd pleaser.Some veggies such as the root ones do taste good roasted.The better way is steaming them for optimum nutrition and adding spices , lemon juice or even soft tub margarine later on.Since Mr. Bittman is a gourmand, one of his ideas is cooking out of one's comfort zone.This will work for the adventurous home chef but may be daunting for the more timid ones.A better idea would be stick with what you know and then vary it when you become bored with it ortheway it's prepared. Resolutions regarding food are always hard ones.The best advice is to not only eat wisely but shop wisely too.Take from what experts ,like Mr.Bittman,say and make it your own. Decide what works for you and go with it.

Our Foodie Resolutions

Most New Year's resolution revolve around quitting vices and improving our lives.One of the best is modifying our diets.The benefits are legion and unlike smoking or drinking. Is surprisingly easy to do.It does take a will.Yet it also takes a way too and that way is just being a smirk eater and shopper. One of the easiest ways of amending your diet is just reading labels.Be aware of what is put into your food.Check not only how much calories and fat but also the percentages of vitamins and minerals that are in it.Also be familiar with natural and man made ingredients.The more the company uses whole grains and less preservatives ,the better the product.Another way to healthier living is buying organic.Most super markets now have extensive organically grown fruits and veggies .Start buying these and freely incorporate them into your daily diet.Choose whole grains breads and even flour.Seven grain breads actually taste better than just plain old white bread.Switch to these for sandwiches and morning toast.The same for rice.Nix the white kind and start giving your family brown wild rice.Again it's more flavorful and you and your family will actually like the switch. One of the biggest New Year's resolutions is forgoing snacks,both sweet and salty.Unfortunately this is broken by mid January.You don't have to give up snacking if you eat healthy.You can still have nibbles ,not just rich ones.Instead of potato chips ,try whole grain pretzels.Another idea is baked potato chips ,made without all that grease and oil.For dips sub in plain Greek yogurt and onion flakes for a healthy dip.Hummus is another great snack.It's high in protein and Vitamin B.Serve it with crudités or fresh made pita chips.Sweets are always on the must give up list.Instead of candy ,then re discover fruit.Enjoy oranges and tangerines right now and berries when summer comes.This is the year to discover the monk fruit which creates a natural sugar.You can buy it at any grocery and use it to sweeten teas and coffees.As for that bane of any diet, soda, get rid of it and sub in flavored seltzers. You have the bubble and taste but without all that sugary badness. Resolve to eat better in the new year.It's easier than you think , especially when you rediscover all the good basics like fruit and veggies.You'll not only rejoice but your body will too!

Your Healthiest Party Ever

new Year's Eve parties are rarely known for their healthy and low calorie foods and drinks.Yet you can be a concerned host and actually serve nibbles and shots that are good for your guests.These are not only beneficial for the waistline but also for the psyche too.None will wake unfeeling either bloated or even hung over. As I've always stated a party is defined by its' foods.Party foods should be fun and full of flavor.They don't have to have empty calories and fat.One of the easiest dips to make is salsa.It's also chockfull of vitamins and minerals.Start with tomatoes and onions.You can add corn or scallions for some thing different.Some add mangoes too.Serve with whole wheat tortilla chips.Dips can also be healthier by subbing in plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.Kabobs ,always a party fave can be made with grilled chicken or shrimp. Add peppers and eggplant for variety. Asian style appetizers are always a good choice.Start with shredded chicken and fill with carrots,Ginger and carrots. Use regular lettuce for the exteriors .This can be served hot because it just takes five minutes to cook and create.A variation of lettuce cups which is just putting scoops of the chicken mix into whole lettuce leaves.Mini pizzas are also good.Try whole wheat pita as a base and fresh tomatoes instead of sauce. Drinking and toasting are a New Year's tradition.Yet too much can cause tremendous damage.What you can do is sub in the non alcoholic ciders and champagnes(yes they do exist). if not think about spritzers.This is taking any wine and combining it with seltzer. Red wine on it's own is chock full of antioxidants. You can make it less alcoholic by loading it with ice and letting the ice melt.Another idea is drink liquor.It's low in calories.Surprisingly most martinis are also low in calories as are gin and tonics.For safety ,add just a hint of gin and go heavy on the tonic.For beer drinkers have lite beers handy.However the healthiest and sanest drink for the New Year's is a flute of flavored seltzer with a twist of lemon. Also have black coffee ready for those driving home in the early hours. A New Year's party should have special food and special drink.Start it off right with healthy food and drink.It'll be a great way of starting the new year right.

A Holiday Trip To Greece

Holiday fare is always special.There are always traditional foods and drinks to sample and savor.One of the oldest inEurope, and perhaps the world is Greece.It is millennia old and full of interesting ingredients as well as stories.Both Christmas and New Year's are no different. Christmas in the Greek Orthodoxy comes after a forty day fasting period.The dishes are well thought out and celebratory.Since eggs and dairy were forbidden during the fast Christmas Eve dishes are loaded with eggs and dairy.One is Sesame Baklava ,redolent with honey and sesame seeds.Meat include pork and the ever present lamb.The last has been used in feasts and dinners since antiquity.With it comes Christ's bread or Christopsomo.It's sort of like fruitcake with the added boost of red wine and brandy.Spice cookies or melomakarona share the spotlight too.This is an orange cinnamon cookies that are soaked in a honey based syrup after baking.The Northern Greeks have contributed stuffed cabbage to the dinner table as well. Christmas is surprisingly a minor holiday in the Greek calendar.New Year's Dayr or the Feast of St Basil is the star.Here young men dive into icy waters in his name to retrieve a gold crucifix that Orthodox priests have previously tossed into either bay ,ocean or river.There is the traditional cake with his name.A coin is baked into it and it brings good luck to the one who finds it.Greek shortbreads or kourapiedes are made too.Nuts and fresh fruit are also put out on the table too, symbolizing hope for a prosperous new year.Pork is also served ,usually roasted for the meal of the day. Greece is a country long on holiday traditions as well as foods.They celebrate with gusto as they create time honored dishes.They make both Christmas and New Year's memorable with aromas and flavors.