Hunkering Down Cuisine

Now that the entire eastern coast of the US is being blitzed with the worst blizzard ever (thank you, global warming) it's time to hunker down  and eat. Being indoors during a white out means sitting out the storm and chowing down . A lot.It also means cooking  and baking a lot too. Basically a blizzard is a  a free pass to make your favorite foods and eat as much as you want of them.

Pasta is always at the top of the list for snowy days foods to cook. One of my favorites is a family recipe - one pot pasta.

As you can see I've made it with farfalle -butterfly or bowtie pasta. It's any easy enough dish to cook, using only one pot instead of the usual two. It's mixing chicken, beef or vegetable broth - in my case - vegetable thanks to having a vegan family.with plain tomato sauce.This creates a soup that will then cook up the pasta. The last should be a chunky kind. I usually use a kitty one, (it has pasta in the shape of paw prints and cat faces) but went for the bowties for a change.It cooks up in twenty minutes  and then is served in soup bowls. I also sauteed vegan Italian sausages with a blend of forest mushrooms to round it out.This was a nice side, good on its' own with sliced Italian bread . Many others probably made scratch lasagna or spaghetti.These are loaded with good carbs, the ones we need to tackle snow shoveling or digging out our cars from ten feet of snow.If the usual pasta dishes sound boring. then fry ravioli.It's a simple process of taking already made ravioli, dipping them first in buttermilk and then dredging them in bread or panko crumbs. Fry until crisp and golden in olive oil and serve with cooked pizza sauce.

Grilled cheese is both an American and snowy day classic.I'm sure a few thousand kids got to  chow down on it , accompanied by Campbell's tomato soup sometime today.Grilled cheese is an easy cook in the oven or toaster oven. What makes it so much fun is that the recipe can be tweaked and tinkered with to make a better sandwich. My way is turning it into a croque monsieur, I love this recipe .It's buttering two slices of bread, then adding sliced Gruyere and ham. The whole thing is then fried in butter.Yes, it's everything wrong but the taste is so right. There is also the somewhat healthier diner style grilled cheese that has cheddar on toast , baked in a toaster oven for ten minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Add sliced tomatoes and bacon for a Happy Waitress. Hunkering down cuisine also means using the crockpot to make yummy chilis and stews. These are also staples for cold blustery weather eating. Some home chefs add hot sauce to turn up the heat a notch for the first while gourmands add a generous slug of good red wine to the last to amp it up.Either ways, these are good dinners to eat from a bowl as you're watching yet another round of  weather updates.Any snowy day meal ends with a hot chocolate followed by about five more cups of it to get through a night of Netflix binging.

The weather outside is frightful, the food inside delightful. Settle in with a hearty plate of pasta, grilled cheese or chili and watch that snow pile up. It's the perfect night for hunkering down with favorite foods.

Snow Day Cooking Fun

It's another blizzard in another January. Luckily a snow day in means a lot of cooking and a lot of time for fun treats. Frolicking in the white stuff is fun  but there's also a good time to be had in the kitchen.

Start by making a fun breakfast. Omelet cups are super easy and super fun to  make. Take a greased muffin tin Start with a layer of two to three pressed Tater Tots and bake for five minutes at 375 F. The second layer is beaten eggs with a variety of different additions, from chopped ham to broccoli florets/ Top with a hearty sprinkling of cheddar cheese and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes  again at the same temp. Breakfast sandwiches are another fun way to start the day. Vary it with either soft boiled or scrambled eggs along with sausage sliced lengthwise or bacon. Finish with a slice of cheddar. Pancakes are always in demand too. Make it fun by adding chocolate chips and bananas or layering them with peanut butter and Nutella. Consider yourself lucky if you have a waffle maker. Nothing is better than fresh ones with butter and syrup. If it's just grown ups at breakfast add a slug of bourbon to the syrup to make it fun and frisky. This can also be swirled into a bowl of hot oatmeal or farina to jazz it up a bit, French toast is another tasty treat. Give it some oomph by stuffing it. This s just making a sandwich using sweetened cream cheese as the filling. The whole sandwich is then dipped in an egg and milk wash and baked  for ten to fifteen minutes in a  350 degree F oven. Serve with maple syrup or a homemade fruit coulis.This syrup is made by just heating  up jam and a few teaspoons of water in a sauce pan to create a smooth sauce.


A day inside means cooking and baking too. Lunch or dinner can be a homemade pizza. (which is always better than the frozen kind) Pizza dough is easy to make, being an easy blend of flour, yeast and water.Top with pizza sauce and mozzarella for a traditional one. Add anything from bacon bits to sliced onion for a more exciting pie.Use this blizzard to stay indoors and play with all those gadgets you received  for Christmas. Try out that pasta machine by making spaghetti or better yet, ravioli. The new crockpot can be used to make a pot of  chili or stew with dumplings. Bored kids will love making and decorating homemade cookies.. A simple sugar recipe is the easiest and the most versatile.  They can even make sandwich ones too , stuffed with buttercream. By now moms across the area should have the ingredients to  make a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie. Nothing beats a  full plate  of them with milk after a romp in those flakes. Cake pops are another fun treat to try at home. Kids will love decorating them  as much as they'll love eating  them. Make sure there is plenty of  white, milk and dark chocolate chips to melt into  coatings along with different colored sugars, candy confetti along with silver dragees, shredded coconut and chopped nuts for decorating. You can also do this with cupcakes too. End the day with homemade cheese or kettle corn, again easy to make as it is to eat.

Don't worry about the cabin fever that accompanies a blizzard. Iit's a day to have fun in the kitchen. Be creative , whether it's making a meal or treat!

A Summery Treat In January

As we anticipate the Blizzard of 16  we long for those summery meals , full of of fresh veggies and fresh flavor. We can have that, not surprisingly  with  a California style pizza. Make it ,  have a cooling drink and think  of sun soaked days on a hot beach .

David Tanis thought of this in his A City Kitchen column in yesterday's New York Times Food section. He gives us  the recipe for a California pizza, one topped with fresh vegetables than sauce. The main star is the dough, Mr. Tanis gives instructions on how to make one that will result in a light delicate crust with crispy edges. According to him the best pizza dough is a relatively soft one.Resist the temptation  to add extra flour or the result will be a heavy crust - not the end result you want.Don;t heavily flour where you'll be kneading it. Go for lightly dusting the area. It
is is a great exercise for novice home bakers. It is an exercise in using yeast as well as kneading, discovering exactly what the phrase smooth and elastic means. You can make double the amount . Pizza dough can be stored  for three to four days in the freezer. it makes for excellent calzones and garlic knots, the last the perfect mate for a wintry minestrone soup.

As for the California topping(this type of pie is sometimes called pizza primavera or Spring pizza), Mr Tanis uses sliced bell or sweet peppers. He also throws in a jalapeno one for excitement and heat. All of these should be thinly sliced because they need to thoroughly cook up during their short time in the oven ( the pizza only takes a mere five to seven minutes to cook up )He also adds sliced red onions along with fennel rich Italian sausage,This should be crumbled all over the top so every
 piece has an equal amount. For cheese lovers, don't worry. You can either opt for mozzarella or Fontina with another helping of extra mozzarella for the cheesy topping.It is a layered pie with the grated cheese going on first, then the peppers. The sausage is then sprinkled on , and the pizza is finished off with a mozzarella covering.Fresh marjoram is then dusted over this, although if you want a more traditional taste go with oregano.Vegetarians can sub in soy sausage and soy cheese as regular meat eaters can use chicken or turkey sausage instead.

Bake this California style pizza when the snow is piling up outside.It 's a sunny taste of the garden that will melt away those winter blues. Have a slice, along with a cooling drink, and pretend you're on your favorite beach.

Turkish Treats

Turkish cuisine is usually full of savory exotic dishes, laden with spices and nuts. There is also the sweet side of it,, influenced by the variety of different people who lived there from the Greeks to the Turkic tribes. The end result is an array of delicious desserts that can be recreated in home kitchens.

Melissa Clark not only wrote about Turkish delights for today's New York Times Food section she went to Istanbul to sample the many different treats.Their pastries are just as sublime and complex as any French pastry yet are little known here in the US. Their origins, in part, come from the Muslims ban on alcohol. Syrupy fruit juices called sherbets along with other confections subbed in for wine used in various ceremonies. There is the actual Turkish delight, a citrussy gelatin square that's dusted with powdered sugar. Baklava ,  a favorite throughout the Eastern Mediterranean area is much more delicate than the traditional Greek one.Instead of using honey , bakers pour a simple syrup over the layers of pistachio and baklava. This highlights the nuttiness . another difference is the pastry too. Turkish baklava is made with yufka, a hybrid of strudel dough and phyllo. The layers are brushed with ewe's milk butter instead of cow's milk butter to give it a richer, fuller taste.Ms. Clark gives the recipe but it's more like the Greek with using regular butter and phyllo dough.

The Turks are also known for their fruit desserts that are loaded with poached or candied apricots, pears,cherries mulberries, quince and melon.Pumpkin is also candied, made with calcium hydroxide or slaked lime.One of the most popular in Turkey and worldwide is helweh or halwah. These range from the sesame seed variety to buttery flour and semolina homemade kinds.One of the oldest of the desserts is milk puddings. , A variation is ,tavuk, gogsu, actually has shredded chicken breast in it. The meat, usually from a fresh killed capon, is ground into a fine powder and mixed with milk, sugar and cracked rice.There is also a burned kind, kazandibi, that Ms. Clark makes. The flavor is similar to  a burnt marshmallow with a crusty smoky caramelized shell surrounding a mellow, creamy middle Cooking it involves using mastic, a tree resin used in  Middle Eastern and Greek cooking and baking. The recipe is tricky but easily learned. Bakers must put a metal 9 by 13 pan directly over an open flame  to burn the bottom of the pudding. The blackened side is then flipped over when it is served.

Turkey has an interesting array of sweets. The recipes are ancient and exotic, yer fit right in with modern Turkish cuisine. They are delicate and subtle, a perfect ending for dishes  rich with spice and flavor.

A Hot Cup Of Healthy

The temps are dropping . The knees are knocking. That means one thing - time for a hot  drink to warm the body and spirit. The problem is what's the best drink?Is it a hot toddy or a hot herbal tea?  The answer  -the last. Keep it healthy, while keeping it hot.

Many people reach for a hot brandy when they feel chilly. That may work in a cartoon or sitcom when a convenient Saint Bernard comes bounding through the snow with a keg of brandy around his or her neck. In actuality , it actually causes our body temps to drop. Blood vessels dilate allowing it to come closer to skin.  This dilation makes the blood flow faster so to speak, allowing us to feel that warm rush. . However this is a temporary feeling, You could mix brandy or whiskey even with steaming hot. coffee or tea.Hot cocoa is another cold weather must drink. The best kind is from scratch. Start with  powdered dark cocoa like the Dutch company Droste' or an organic cocoa powder such as Rapunzels' Sweeten it with dark organic honey instead of granulated sugar. Many will protest this, saying those marshmallow packed  packets are easier to make. That may be true but you;re also getting you a mouth full of preservatives and corn syrup. Stick with the all natural kind, especially if you're having it after dinner. Too much of any sugary drink will keep you up at night,

What about coffee and teas? Again go for healthy. Nowadays people love their coffees extra sweet ,loaded with syrups and blobs of whipped cream. That's great if you're into liquid cake. A better choice is just hot and black.or if you must skimmed milk with a sweetener such as honey(!) or agave nectar. The last can be found in the health food aisle in your local grocery store.Teas are another great way to get rid of that frosty feeling. There are some tasty herbal ones out there. Try Twinings's Nightly Calm ,a soothing spearmint and lemongrass blend. This is the perfect tea to  sip on a cold night, when you're bundled up in flannel jammies and robe. Their lemon ginger tea is a good one also , bright and citrussy to  thaw out to when the temps hit the single digits.. Add a dollop of honey to bring out the lemony flavor. Twinings also has pomegranate and raspberry ,an all natural blend , guaranteed to both warm and wake you up.  If you want a cozy night time drink, again go for the natural instead of the alcohol. A hot buttered rum may sound nice but a better choice is warmed milk with a teaspoon of honey added. This is the best way to relax and keep warm on a cold winter's night,

The temps are dropping. The knees are knocking. Conquer the chill with a hot  and healthy cup of something natural. It's good for your body on all levels.

King's Example

Today we celebrate Matrin Luther King's birthday , man who wanted to unite the country and make segregation an archaic idea. Unfortunately we still have the great divide, even more so with the poor of all colors and creeds. Thankfully there are a few small actions we can do to have some easement.

I cannot express the importance of helping out in food pantries across the U.S.. Assisting is not only good way of getting in touch with all of your community but also seeing what needs to be fixed. Sometimes it just takes this to push oneself into politics and community service. Bring the kids along too. The earlier they learn about helping others, the better. Too may kids feel entitlement  and they need to be shown not to take anything for granted Another idea is also bringing a festive air (if that's possible) to a soup kitchen by having a decorative cake or baking cookies to go with after meal tea or coffee. One idea to consider is a pantry garden. This is taking a little more of your yard to grow  bumper crops fruits and vegetables during the spring and summer months. The overage can be donated to your local food pantry or soup kitchen Of course it's too early to plant but it;s not too early to draw up plans or look into planting veggies you haven;t grown before.

For those living in urban areas, it time to protest for more urban farms. The concept is in full bloom in Newark , New Jersey where a variety of benefactors such as Goldman Sachs are contributing. It's refurbishing old warehouses and factories into indoor vertical farms. All sorts of vegetables and greens are grown inside , tended by locals. This creates not only ingredients for nutritional dishes but also jobs for the immediate community.Every city throughout the US should have at least two or three. It's up to the townspeople to help bring these vertical farms to their towns. Teachers in these urban area schools should also urge for nutrition or better nutrition classes too. Another idea to push is pay or help restaurants. If patrons don't have money, then they can help out , whether clearing tables or aiding around the kitchen.The concept was first instituted by rocker Jon Bon Jovi in his Red Bank, New Jersey restaurant JBJ Soul Kitchen. They also need volunteers to help out as well if you live in the area.Again this is an excellent restaurant idea in big cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

Reverend King may have been impressed with the progress we have made, however it would have dismayed him to see the great divide between this nation's upper and lower classes. We can come together foodwise  It only takes a helping hand to start a change .

Feasting With Meaning

Feasting usually means a meal full of lush food and drink, with all sorts of revelry to follow. Yet there  is also a religious aspect to it, a facet that gets pushed aside.Old Testament readers will know  about these, along with their meanings and place in yearly celebrations.For those who don't there's a brand new book to aid in deciphering each feast.

Sonya A. Mozingo is the author of that book, A Year Of Feasting:Manual On The Seven Feasts Of God, Seen From a Christian Messanic  Jewish Perspective(2016 Archway Publishing). This is not the usual cookbook that has recipes for Passover or Succot. It's an explanation of the different feasts  occurring throughout the calendar. The author had many years of troubles before she turned to religion to help reunite her family and give her purpose in life. Feasting and celebrating has helped her understand basically why we are on this earth and what is our purpose in the eternal scheme of things.Ms. Mozinga explains foods' symbolism and their connection to a particular dinner. For those looking into a deeper historical meaning, with Old Testament references, this is not the book for you. The preparations and rituals are explained in simple terms. This is a great book for churches and youth groups who want to have interfaith celebrations. It can be used as a template when conducting services as well.

So, are there even any recipes in this book on feasting? Yes, but not in the traditional cookbook sense. Ms. Mozinga gives broad ones. For example,  the Feast of Pentecost or Shavout , there are the traditional loaves of wheat bread mentioned along with the individual cups of mixed herbs  blended with oil and vinegar.Tables also have trays of barley, olives figs, pomegranate and and grapes. Then there's a mention of cheesecake from Sam's Club. It would have been nice to have a home made  cheesecake recipe, perhaps one flavored with pomegranate juice or figs. Rosh Hashanah has the traditional apples dipped in honey along with a loaf of challah bread and a tray  of sweet potato muffins. There are also carrot, dishes integral to the ceremony, Again, it would have been nice if Ms. Mozingo had included a challah recipe or a salad one for the carrots., The Passover feast is pretty exact. Celebrants must have unleavened bread or matzoh, along with maror or bitter herbs. There is also matzoh ball soup but she recommends getting packets at Harris Teeter, a local Southern grocery chain, I would have liked to have seen at least one matzoh ball soup recipe and some variations on it.

A Year of  Feasting :Manual On The seven Feasts of God is an excellent book fr those wishing to recreate the different Jewish feasts .This book shows how Judaism  has always influenced Christianity and how the two are interwoven. Buy this book,, its' more food for the soul and spirit than it is for the body.