Zoodle-licious!

Cooking vegetables is not always easy. Try as all we home chefs might , it's hard to make the most mundane exciting. Not anymore. I just got  a spiralizer and it's a whole new and fun world out there.

Mostly influenced by a cookbook about spiralized vegetables that I just reviewed for this blog, I decided to get a spiralizer in the hope of making dishes with new twists to them. I bought Veggetti from Kohls on line.

As you can see it 's an hourglass shaped grater that has two sets of grates located on  opposite ends of the device. They're marked thick or thin for the width.

. I opted for the last which I felt would be good for what I was making. As you can see I used smallish zucchini to make the zoodles or zucchini noodles.It's an easy to do, and in a way much safer than using the scarier looking mandolin. The squash goes in the wide cone  shaped ends and all you do is twist. What comes  out is long pasta like strands of squash.There is a gripper that you insert in the squash's end  as it whittles down to a cone. The cone which is basically a nub can be sliced and added to the noodles. The spiralizer's interior produced these curly fry looking spirals that can also be cooking with the zoodles.

How did I make the zoodles and spirals? 

In a simple saute with olive oil, margarine and garlic

What you'll need:

4 smallish green zucchini, washed and dried,

2 cloves minced garlic,

A good slug of extra light olive oil

(Bertolli brand is the best for this)

margarine or butter

salt 

pepper

Spiralize the squash and put to the side..Mince two cloves of garlic  and set aside.Pour a good slug (figure three to four tablespoons ) of olive oil in a skillet and set over a medium flame. Added about a tablespoon of margarine or butter. Stir the margarine or butter around in the oil until melted. Add the garlic and then carefully pour in the  zoodles. You will have a lot but they will cook  down . Constantly stir until all the zoodles have been coated. Ten minutes into cooking you can put a glass lid over the skillet.If you want, add another tablespoon of margarine or butter for more flavor. You can also season right now with salt and pepper (I used  sea salt and fresh ground pepper for it).Cook until the strands are a pale translucent color.(uncooked squash strands will have an opaque white color.)

If you want, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over them. I like my zoodles just as they  are!

Celebrating Our Service People

Today is Memorial Day, the day when we remember those who gave their lives for America. It's also important that we remember our living servicemen and women too.If they're in line with you at your favorite coffee shop or fast food joint, treat them to a free coffee or a free meal. Show them your appreciation for what they do.Deployment is not easy, They have to leave their spouses and children and go off into a hostile unknown, all to protect lives damaged and savaged by wars. The least we can do is treat them to a cup of joe or a hamburger.

Our elderly veterans also would appreciate from a dinner or an afternoon of coffee and war stories. They have so much to give us historically as they enlighten  and inspire our millennials with their experiences. Bake a cake or a pie, whip up a batch of brownies or cookies and bring them over to them.Organize a cookout to celebrate their victories. You may not  only have a fun time but gain a few new friends as well.

Never let our veterans be forgotten. Cherish them. Feed them not only with food and drink, but with reverence and gratitude, respect and love.

A Barbecue With Sauce

It's the start of the barbecue season and that means the usual fare - burgers- dogs  and salads. The problem is that they can be boring. It's time to liven up the Q and change up those traditional recipes. Replace the ho-hum with something exciting.

Hamburgers are standard grill fare. Most home chefs usually buy the premade patties then slap them on the grill to cook up. Instead a more interesting option is buying ground beef and adding to it. Try the classic hamburger recipe that mixes ground chuck with beaten egg, breadcrumbs and Worcester sauce. This not only makes for a more flavorful bite  but a thicker burger. Bacon  makes anything taste better so think about creating a burger with a bacon center (get the already cooked bacon for this or make your own). It's the same with cheese. You can make cheddar burgers with the surprise of the sharp Vermont kind or pizza burgers with a mozzarella center. Serve the last with tomato sauce. Jalapeno burgers are always a crowd pleaser too. Add four chopped and seeded peppers to a pound of ground meat. Homemade burgers usually made with chickpeas can get an exotic spicing up with everything from cumin to turmeric. Hot dogs are a little more difficult to change up yet they can be amped up with cheese or any kind of filling. Before cooking ,slit the hot dogs lengthwise so they'll cook up with a gash. Fill the gash with melted cheddar or better yet pulled pork.Vegetarians can have their soy dogs filled with ratatouille or a hot onion chutney.

One of the most predictable barbecue dishes is salad, namely macaroni. It's usually the elbow kind mixed with Hellman's, Sometimes celery is added for color but that's it. Try tricolore rotelli instead of the traditional.and for a healthier spin olive oil instead of the mayo. Sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts round it out. For a real eye opener make a spaghetti salad.It will create both memories and smiles. Add some chopped salami and ham, along with peppers and tomatoes in an Italian dressing to a bowl of cold pasta. Make a veggie salad fun by using a spiralizer. These are great gadgets that turn veggies into long strands or "noodles". Think of making a cucumber noodle salad with sour cream and fresh dill. Sub in Greek yogurt for a healthier dish. Chickpeas and their liquid can have double use at a cookout. Use the first along with parsley and chopped onions in a Mediterranean style salad with za'atar dressing. Za'atar is a mix of sumac , oregano, marjoram along with toasted sesame seeds and thyme. Sea salt rounds this easy to make spice. The accompanying liquid has the same composition as egg whites and can be transformed into a vegan mayonnaise, along with adding lemon juice, Worcester sauce, dry mustard and a pinch of sugar. This can also be used as a condiment too.

Don;t have a boring barbecue. Liven it up with unique homemade burgers and fancily filled dogs along with some wild salads. It'll be not only tasty but fun - exactly what a cook out should be.

Without Grain, Without Problems

Gluten is everywhere from the obvious baked goods to the not so obvious in salad dressings.Imagine, though a life totally free of it, and free from troubles and ills that come with it.Celiac sufferers can , thanks to a new cookbook, chock full of recipes and advice.

Hayley Barisa Rycezek has written an interesting and informative cookbook entitled Without Grain: 100 Delicious Recipes for Eating a Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free Diet (Fair Winds Press). This is a must buy for anyone or their family suffering from gluten allergies. Ms. Rycezek explains what it a gluten allergy and what it can do. What is interesting is the  extra list of non edible items such as stamps and shampoos certain medications and makeup that are also chock full of gluten .There are detailed explanations about the differences between good fat and bad fat along with which ones to avoid. One of the drawbacks to healthy eating is that it does cost more but not to worry. There are good tips too, to save money. For example  Ms. Rycezek recommends slow cooking a whole chicken and also using the drippings and bones along with buying in bulk. The book also tells readers what "flours" to  stock up on, namely almond flour, and arrowroot starch, She also issues a ninety day challenge for readers to get off grains. The book makes it easy thanks to the tasty array of recipes that are divided into chapters. There are the usual ones , breakfast, main meals, soups and desserts but there is also one featuring grain free basics and  kid approved ones. The last is appropriate since so many children suffer from celiac disease and miss out on all the fun stuff.

Taking Ms. Rycezek's challenge would be an easy one.  The recipes are fun and some are copies of store bought foods. The grain free basics cover everything from breading mix to pie crust to gravy made with potato and arrowroot starches.Breakfasts can consist of cinnamon square cereal made with almond flour and tapioca starch or cinnamon rolls with  that ooey gooey cream cheese frosting.Party givers will appreciate the chapter on appetizers which run the gamut from spinach and artichoke dip to meat filled egg rolls.There are also recipes for grain free Cheezits and crackers that will rival the store  bought versions.The chapter on soups and stews is an extensive one with such favorites as Italian wedding soup.and a hearty Hungarian goulash.The Main meals have such classics as stuffed peppers with cauliflower rice as opposed to the real thing.Cauliflower rice is an easy sub in for rice, with the veggie being pulsed into small rice like pieces in a food processor. Kids will love the kids approved recipes like  the no corn corn dog made with uncured hot dogs and almond flour They will go mad for the Parmesan crusted chicken tenders and the ham and cheese hot pockets. Desserts are amazing. Those missing sweets will love the Key Lime pie, chocolate chip cookies,and the grain free Oreos made a combo of various starches and potato flour. A birthday cake recipe is thrown in , complete with a butter cream icing.

Without Grain: 100 Delicious Recipes for Eating a Grain-Free,Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free Diet is the must have book for celiac sufferers and those wanting to improve their lives through eating. The advice is priceless. The recipes are out of the world. Going grainless is the way to go, especially with this cookbook as your guide.

Braai Barbecue South African Style

Barbecue is universal.  All it takes is good weather a grill,  and excellent cuts of meats. South Africans practically celebrate it with braai or grill in the Afrikaans language. It is an involved affair that features time honored recipes and good food.

Julia Moskin wrote about it as well as getting to try the recipes in yesterday's New York Times Food section. The issue featured everything fire grilled and barbecued . Braai fits right into this as it's beyond a national pastime , it's part of South African heritage, uniting everyone in this once segregated country. it is even celebrated as a recognized holiday on September 24th,or Heritage Day. Braai is an ancient technique, first being named shisa nyama, Zulu for burnt meat, and is done in every neighborhood, from shanty towns to villas.barbecuing has grown in popularity thanks to more supermarkets selling more affordable cuts and shows featuring it such as "Ultimate Braai masters" and  Siba's Table.It can be the everyday chicken or toasties, grilled cheese sandwiches to more elaborate steaks and sausages.Lamb ,beef and pork are among the most popular to be grilled.T-bone steaks Some even sell ostrich meat along with bok or antelope and wildebeest. Supermarkets even sell braai packs, although there are still many butcher shops here that sell customized cuts. where customers  can also buy  already cooked barbecue, red hot from the grill. There are even restaurants that feature braii and the side dishes that accompany it.

What makes a braai so delicious?It's the influences of different cultures on the cooking. Spices play a big role in the flavoring thanks to the influence of the area's Cape Malay population. These were the people transported to Africa's tip from Indonesia in the 17th and 18th Centuries.Many worked as cooks and their recipes and spices are still used today. They brought sweet chutney, fiery ketchups and grilled skewers along with different curries. Sosataties, a descendant of satays are also big on the braai menu. These are lamb chunks marinated in a tangy sweet jam and perfumed with fresh citrus or curry leaves. Peri-peri,a type of chili pepper that came with the Portuguese settlers from nearby Mozambique is a braai must have.. The South Africans also serve the highly spiced with coriander and cumin sausages called boerewors and use a salt rub called braii sout  seasoned with those same spices along with clove cinnamon and cumin.Brais aren't just about meats. Home barbecuers also throw corn on the grill, but it's not the mild ears that we serve. Theirs are full of heat and kick thanks to being rubbed with butter zested up with fresh , hot chiles, garlic and hot sauce. There is also umxhaxha, a mix of corn and squash simmered with salt sugar and cinnamon stew like dishes, umngqusho and chakalaka, made with  various veggies and more spices.

Braai just isn't a barbecue. It's South Africa itself, uniting a still fractured country with grilled meats and sides. Delicious , yes, but much more than that.

It's The Barbecue Issue!!! Part One

Every one's thoughts turn to the outdoors when Memorial Day rolls around on the calendar. it's not the clear blue sky and balmy temps that 's the lure but the grill. It's barbecue season, with all the fun  and good food that come with it.It's time to leave a hot kitchen for a cool  grill.

The New York Times Food section covered all things related to it in today's issue. It's a keeper . especially for those planning on a big barbecue this weekend. One of the best articles is by regular contributor, Sam Sifton. He explains the basic, starting with the most basic - the fire.He parses the difference between direct heat (perfect for hamburgers) and indirect heat( good for slower cooking meats). There is also a how too about creating both on the same grill, whether it's a gas or charcoal fueled one. He then explains how meats from chicken to seafood to pork, beef and lamb, should be prepared and cooked. Mr Sifton recommends novice  grillers to go with the easiest - chicken. There are also tips on  on grilling all the meats along with how to prepare different types such as chicken breasts, shrimp and hamburgers. Melissa Clark gives a how to on how to roast an entire chicken outside.It's actually done in a skillet placed on the grill.One of the best things about cooking this way is that the drippings get saved as opposed to being dissipated . They can be used to saute sides. Ms. Clark uses it to saute spinach spiked with garlic and anchovies. Home chefs can vary the greens with ramps or chard.

Of course veggies are an important part of the cookout . John Willoughby and Chris Scheslinger wrote about the side side of barbecuing. Vegetables are surprisingly good for grilling. They grow tender without losing their flavor and can retain it days afterwards in the fridge.Both Mr. Willoughby and Mr. Scheslinger recommend bell peppers,eggplants and tomatoes. Even lemon and lime slices can be grilled, their juices lending some smokiness to dipping sauces.There is a smoky chimichurri sauce recipe that would be great with any grilled steak. Home chefs have to try the  recipe for red onion chutney that takes the grilled alliums to another level,thanks to brown sugar and a melange of spices that include chili and cumin. Chefs around the country are also on this grill anything bandwagon too.Another Food regular, Jeff Gordonier traveled around the country to see what professional cooks are throwing over the coals.There are glazed grilled carrots that are cooked first and then tossed into a dressing.Onions can be charcoal cooked  so their middles become creamy, savory puddings  while hunks of olive oil soaked bread can be tossed on the grill to  become toasty and smoky.Oranges can be cut and place don skewers to be toasted into chips.Anything can be used in a barbecue, a great idea for chefs who may be running low on food and ingredients.

Today's New York Times Food section will help any home chef  deal with grilling . There is some great advice that will work for  this year and for seasons to come. Save the section. It's truly invaluable

Oodles of Good Noodles

Noodles are a fun dish, brightening up every meal but did you know they can also be packed with nutrition? Or made from favorite veggies and fruits? They can and thanks to a new cookbook they can be turned into a variety of delicious dishes, starting with breakfast and ending with dessert.

Chris Anca, creator of the blog, Tales of a Kitchen wrote this intriguing cookbook Nourishing Noodles (Race Point Publishing) about homemade noodles. These are not the typical egg noodles that most home chefs use. Instead they  are created from a variety of produce thanks to  a spiralizer, a gadget that can cut almost any vegetable or fruit into thin noodle like strips. The strips are called zoodles, ribbons and spirals.and are a refreshing departure from the usual flour kind. The book starts off with a list of the gadgets to use, including a dehydrator as well as a detailed list on how to spiralize various fruits and vegetables. Spiralizers are a great addition to any kitchen , and can be bought for as low as $19.99 at Target and Kohl's. Her advice is excellent for novices just getting the hang of the gadget and technique and how to use it on the various ingredients for the best results. The book  is divided into different sections from breakfast, lunch and dinner to snacks and appetizers,soups, and desserts. There's an extra chapter on condiments  and toppings, from coconut "bacon" dried coconut chips that have been coated in liquid smoke to nice cream, an ice cream stand in made from mushed, frozen, overripe bananas.

The recipes are fun and original. Even the most finicky of eaters would melt at them and leave the plate clean. Breakfast offers a blueberry smoothie bowl, made colorful with beet and carrot spirals and made healthy with homemade nut milk,.Kids will get a kick out of the carrot granola breakfast to go, with its' fun carrot noodles and kick of spices.Hosts will love making the pear, date and cheese canapes, decorated with ribbons of Asian pear and and dates. There are even sushi recipes that involve Fiji apples and yellow squash mixed with avocado and wrapped up in nori. Of course there are "pasta" recipes. most notably zucchini noodles with kale pesto. This is a take on the Genovese  sauce , usually made with basil but it's where the similarity ends.The sauce is left to marinate for five days before serving with the "zoodles". A tasty hot noodle dish is potato pasta aglia e olio that combines both regular  potatoes and white sweet potatoes in a garlic and oil sauce made interesting with currents, paprika and turmeric. Dessert recipes feature the whimsical carrot cake noodles, that have a cream cheese sauce. and the taste good, good for you brownies that are gluten free and nutrition dense,

Nourishing Noodles is the book to

have for noodle loves wanting something different along with those home chefs who  love to spiralize their fruits and veggies. The dishes are fun and creative , healthy and nutritious all in one, It's a great cookbook ,with oodles of good dishes and oodles of tasty noodles.