Macedonian cuisine is an interesting blend of flavors and ingredients, celebrating the country's long and varied history.It has tongue searing peppers, tasty kabobs and citrus spiked pastries. It's a mix of of Slavic and Turkish, celebrating the country's resources.
I visited the St Nikola's Macedonian Orthodox Church in Totowa, New Jersey for their annual feast. I was very curious about the food, wondering if it was similar to Greek (both countries are part of the Balkans) or was it similar to Slavic. It's sort of like both and not - being unique in its' own way. There's a lot of Mediterranean influences and, thanks to five hundred years under the Ottoman empire Turkish. Middle Eastern influences are obvious as well. Red peppers figure hugely in it and the festival featured them.. They were roasted and pleasantly slick with oil. The taste was mild at first them the heat hit -a fire that highlighted the pepper's natural sweetness.They also had stuffed peppers, both filled with beef and rice. There was also tavche gravche or baked beans.This is not the sweet Boston version, rife with brown sugar. Garlic and hot peppers - the mouth searing vezeni - spike up the legume's bland flavor. The Turkish influence is strongly seen in their kabobs, There were pork and chicken .I tried the chicken.The meat was flavored with vegeta, a Macedonian spice mix of turmeric, garlic powder and dehydrated carrots. I suspect they also put this on their Macedonian burgers too.
The pastries strongly showed their Ottoman heritage. There was baklava, which was not as gooey as the Greek and Palestinian versions. The phyllo dough was crisp, even though it had been drenched in a honey syrup. It was filled with a light tasting ground walnut paste.I also sampled their walnut cake which has the delicate taste of orange. They looked dense, with a packed crumb but were not as heavy as they looked. The church bakers also had a kind of jelly doughnut, popular at street fairs and in homes along with ravanija. This is a dense, eggy cake ,sometimes made with semolina and coconut , but theirs had a thick vein of chocolate going through it. Homemade tolumba -a kind of churro, was also on sale. These are ridged tubes, made with flour, eggs, butter, and sugar and deep fried, like the Southern Italian zeppoli and soaked in sherbet, a honey syrup. The feast also sold mastica, the kicky liqueur made from the mastic tree and rakia - Macedonian moonshine, made with all sorts of fruits, from grapes to plums to peaches.
If you're in Totowa, stop in and visit St.Nikolo's annual feast.. The food is different, both fiery and delicate, savory with spices and sweet with honey. It's definitely worth trying.
St Nikola's Macedonian Orthodox Church,
55 Wentick Street,
Totowa, NJ ( right off Rte 80 - exit is the Union Boulevard exit)
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Friday, September 14, 2018
Nourishing Help
Hurricane Florence has practically decimated the Carolinas. If you are there, know that everyone from around the country is praying and hoping for your best. If you're near the the area, and want to help.then donate food. It will be greatly appreciated.If you live far away, then consider bake sales to raise funds to help.
One of the biggest ways to help is donating money. Consider Harvest Hope Food Bank which is a regional organization that supplies food to the towns of Lexington, Columbia, Greenville and Florence , South Carolina. Their website allows you to donate meals affected by the crisis. To do so just select disaster relief when you fill out their online form. A mere ten dollars can feed fifty(!) people. Donate $100 and you;'ve fed a fraction of a town. (Remember to print out your receipt and keep it with your tax data. It is a considered a tax deduction)Also remember to donate to the American Humane Society as well. They give out food and water to those displaced animals , staying with their owners in shelters.Animal shelters taking in the lost and abandoned cats and dogs also need bags and cans of food. Stores like Pet Smart have set up tables where you donate money or pet food. If you are buying food, keep in mind to also donate puppy and kitten chow as well as specifically designed for for senior cats and dogs.
Even if you're several states away, you can help. It's still summer and you can easily help the kids set up a lemonade stand. Another money making idea is the classic bake sale. This can include several of their friends or classmates to offer a variety of different sweets and treats. Also instead of one day, think of a two day sale - again to garner more funds.Try to get local news to cover it, to bring awareness of those affected by the hurricane as well as bringing in more customers. Bigger groups such as houses of worship and civic groups can throw a sit down barbecue where guests can pay for an all you can eat hot dogs and hamburgers along with salads and other sides.Restaurant owners and chefs can also get involved in hurricane relief as they did with Hurricane Maria, last year. Some of New York's best chefs flew down to Puerto Rico and fed residents and volunteers for weeks on end,. Southern chefs with Carolingian roots can also come together and cook such Lowcountry classics as gumbo, Charleston Red Rice and Hoppin John,
Florence is a devastating superstorm. There are so many people and animals that need our help and food. Donate any way you can. Help them now.
One of the biggest ways to help is donating money. Consider Harvest Hope Food Bank which is a regional organization that supplies food to the towns of Lexington, Columbia, Greenville and Florence , South Carolina. Their website allows you to donate meals affected by the crisis. To do so just select disaster relief when you fill out their online form. A mere ten dollars can feed fifty(!) people. Donate $100 and you;'ve fed a fraction of a town. (Remember to print out your receipt and keep it with your tax data. It is a considered a tax deduction)Also remember to donate to the American Humane Society as well. They give out food and water to those displaced animals , staying with their owners in shelters.Animal shelters taking in the lost and abandoned cats and dogs also need bags and cans of food. Stores like Pet Smart have set up tables where you donate money or pet food. If you are buying food, keep in mind to also donate puppy and kitten chow as well as specifically designed for for senior cats and dogs.
Even if you're several states away, you can help. It's still summer and you can easily help the kids set up a lemonade stand. Another money making idea is the classic bake sale. This can include several of their friends or classmates to offer a variety of different sweets and treats. Also instead of one day, think of a two day sale - again to garner more funds.Try to get local news to cover it, to bring awareness of those affected by the hurricane as well as bringing in more customers. Bigger groups such as houses of worship and civic groups can throw a sit down barbecue where guests can pay for an all you can eat hot dogs and hamburgers along with salads and other sides.Restaurant owners and chefs can also get involved in hurricane relief as they did with Hurricane Maria, last year. Some of New York's best chefs flew down to Puerto Rico and fed residents and volunteers for weeks on end,. Southern chefs with Carolingian roots can also come together and cook such Lowcountry classics as gumbo, Charleston Red Rice and Hoppin John,
Florence is a devastating superstorm. There are so many people and animals that need our help and food. Donate any way you can. Help them now.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
A New Spin On Spinach
Spinach as been the main or secondary main ingredient in a lot of dishes. It adds color and flavor to omelets, spark to quiches and sparkles as the star of spinach pie. Now imagine it as a condiment. Cooked down to its' essence, it becomes a must have for meat and fish dishes.
Great chef and baker, Yotam Ottolenghi wrote about pkaila (or sometimes known as bkeila).It is a cooked down condiment that Tunisian Jews make.It's a variation of cholent,the cooked down beef stew eaten by Ashkenazi Jews.It can be cooked with the leaves or Swiss chard. It's basically frying down spinach leaves in a generous quantity of olive oil. It cooks down to a greasy black paste, basically the essence of the plant.The paste is packed with flavor, a rich blend of spinach and olive oil. There are two methods of creating this. One is chopping fresh leaves and cooking them in a Dutch oven over a medium heat in a Dutch oven. Use a wooden spoon to stir it about. Start adding oil when the spinach is almost done and releasing steam. Continue to stir and add oil at regular intervals. Do this for about one hour or one hour and fifteen minutes. The spinach should be blackened but not burned. The quicker way is taking two pounds of drained frozen spinach and microwaving it with olive or even vegetable oil Use five spoonfuls and do this for three times after microwaving the leaves for fifteen minutes each time.Once completed , puree the spinach mixture in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. Store in jars , adding more olive oil before sealing.
Chef Ottolenghi pairs pkaila with halibut.It won't over whelm the fish but will definitely shine, Most Tunisian home chefs use the condiment to make tfina pkaila,a stew made with oxtails, and butter beans.The fish is cooked with chickpeas and the two are marinated in a spicy blend of cumin.cloves and coriander. Chef Ottolenghi also uses a mainstay of Middle Eastern cooking powdered Persian lime. You can buy it at any Middle Eastern grocery store or on Amazon. You can also make it by taking the dried fruit and roughly crush it with a side of a knife. It's then grinding the lime in a spice grinder. The fish filets and chickpeas are fried separately. They re then placed on the pkaila which has been zinged up with more dried Persian lime powder and cinnamon for sweetness and, cumin, cloves and Anaheim green peppers for zest. A lemon peel salsa is sprinkled over the finished dish for more tang. There is also another recipe,with fresh cooked spinach and cooling yogurt, along with the chickpeas and the spices and powdered Persian lime that Chef Ottolenghi loves.
Try pkaila as a new way of having spinach. It is a great way to experience the leaves in a new and different way. It's an exciting and exotic spin on a classic ingredient.
Great chef and baker, Yotam Ottolenghi wrote about pkaila (or sometimes known as bkeila).It is a cooked down condiment that Tunisian Jews make.It's a variation of cholent,the cooked down beef stew eaten by Ashkenazi Jews.It can be cooked with the leaves or Swiss chard. It's basically frying down spinach leaves in a generous quantity of olive oil. It cooks down to a greasy black paste, basically the essence of the plant.The paste is packed with flavor, a rich blend of spinach and olive oil. There are two methods of creating this. One is chopping fresh leaves and cooking them in a Dutch oven over a medium heat in a Dutch oven. Use a wooden spoon to stir it about. Start adding oil when the spinach is almost done and releasing steam. Continue to stir and add oil at regular intervals. Do this for about one hour or one hour and fifteen minutes. The spinach should be blackened but not burned. The quicker way is taking two pounds of drained frozen spinach and microwaving it with olive or even vegetable oil Use five spoonfuls and do this for three times after microwaving the leaves for fifteen minutes each time.Once completed , puree the spinach mixture in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. Store in jars , adding more olive oil before sealing.
Chef Ottolenghi pairs pkaila with halibut.It won't over whelm the fish but will definitely shine, Most Tunisian home chefs use the condiment to make tfina pkaila,a stew made with oxtails, and butter beans.The fish is cooked with chickpeas and the two are marinated in a spicy blend of cumin.cloves and coriander. Chef Ottolenghi also uses a mainstay of Middle Eastern cooking powdered Persian lime. You can buy it at any Middle Eastern grocery store or on Amazon. You can also make it by taking the dried fruit and roughly crush it with a side of a knife. It's then grinding the lime in a spice grinder. The fish filets and chickpeas are fried separately. They re then placed on the pkaila which has been zinged up with more dried Persian lime powder and cinnamon for sweetness and, cumin, cloves and Anaheim green peppers for zest. A lemon peel salsa is sprinkled over the finished dish for more tang. There is also another recipe,with fresh cooked spinach and cooling yogurt, along with the chickpeas and the spices and powdered Persian lime that Chef Ottolenghi loves.
Try pkaila as a new way of having spinach. It is a great way to experience the leaves in a new and different way. It's an exciting and exotic spin on a classic ingredient.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Andrew Zimmern Culinary Supernova
The food world has many stars - namely chefs who became celebrities or became their own brands. Then there is Andrew Zimmern - the star of The Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods". He is a rock star , garnering fans as he goes on some wild foodie road trips. Yet he's as approachable as the guy next door.
Kin Severson,a regular contributor to The New York Times Food section interviewed along with followed this supernova of a true foodie and chef. For those who are not familiar with him, Chef Zimmern has an interesting hour long food show "Bizarre Foods" on The Travel Channel. He is an affable guy, think of your neighbor or office buddy trotting around the world and eating the strangest and ickiest morsels. His everyman demeanor has made him beyond popular.He shouldn't be, according to Ms. Severson.He has tee shirts that say "Food woody "along with making a big deal about eating coconut grubs and raw pig testicles.! Social media has shredded him along with getting battered and bruised with low ratings. Yet he persists. He is a confessor and a guide, according to his friend,Jordana Rothman, the restaurant editor at Food and Wine Magazine.Chef Zimmern has a measure of grace and honesty, apparent in his reporting that many don't have. He is a people's favorite, still covering the Minnesota state fair like the local reporter he once was.He's also opening a chain of Chinese restaurants Lucky Cricket, sort of like PF Chang's with restaurant scion, Michael McDermott whose father created Fuddruckers and Chi-Chi's
You would think he came from a Midwestern family of cooks, who shared recipes dishes but that's furthest from the truth. He is a New Yorker, educated at the tony Dalton School. His father was an ex-Navy man who traveled the world , eventually settling down to be an adman on Madison Ave. His mother struggled with the after effects of brain damage , the result from a botched surgery to remove an appendix scar. She slipped into a coma when he was away at camp and when he returned his father did not want to talk about her. Chef Zimmern started to drink heavily, despite his young age. He also became a drug dealer. Between arrests he wound up with alcohol poisoning.He took summer jobs cooking and discovered he was good at it. He worked in European restaurant kitchens during his college breaks. By the late Eighties he was working with such culinary luminaries as Anne Rosenzweig and Thomas Keller, founder of the famed French Laundry, Yet drugs and alcohol still fuled his life. Luckily he called a childhood friend who got him into a rehab center. It worked and he turned himself around. He now also lectures to inmates at San Quentin Prison, giving them hope and promise. He is the everyman who has hit bottom and rose up , helping others along the way.
There's a reason that Andrew Zimmern is the supernova he is. He is relatable in an industry where celebrity foodies and chefs aren't/ He is the everyman who loves strange foods and earthy conversations.
Kin Severson,a regular contributor to The New York Times Food section interviewed along with followed this supernova of a true foodie and chef. For those who are not familiar with him, Chef Zimmern has an interesting hour long food show "Bizarre Foods" on The Travel Channel. He is an affable guy, think of your neighbor or office buddy trotting around the world and eating the strangest and ickiest morsels. His everyman demeanor has made him beyond popular.He shouldn't be, according to Ms. Severson.He has tee shirts that say "Food woody "along with making a big deal about eating coconut grubs and raw pig testicles.! Social media has shredded him along with getting battered and bruised with low ratings. Yet he persists. He is a confessor and a guide, according to his friend,Jordana Rothman, the restaurant editor at Food and Wine Magazine.Chef Zimmern has a measure of grace and honesty, apparent in his reporting that many don't have. He is a people's favorite, still covering the Minnesota state fair like the local reporter he once was.He's also opening a chain of Chinese restaurants Lucky Cricket, sort of like PF Chang's with restaurant scion, Michael McDermott whose father created Fuddruckers and Chi-Chi's
You would think he came from a Midwestern family of cooks, who shared recipes dishes but that's furthest from the truth. He is a New Yorker, educated at the tony Dalton School. His father was an ex-Navy man who traveled the world , eventually settling down to be an adman on Madison Ave. His mother struggled with the after effects of brain damage , the result from a botched surgery to remove an appendix scar. She slipped into a coma when he was away at camp and when he returned his father did not want to talk about her. Chef Zimmern started to drink heavily, despite his young age. He also became a drug dealer. Between arrests he wound up with alcohol poisoning.He took summer jobs cooking and discovered he was good at it. He worked in European restaurant kitchens during his college breaks. By the late Eighties he was working with such culinary luminaries as Anne Rosenzweig and Thomas Keller, founder of the famed French Laundry, Yet drugs and alcohol still fuled his life. Luckily he called a childhood friend who got him into a rehab center. It worked and he turned himself around. He now also lectures to inmates at San Quentin Prison, giving them hope and promise. He is the everyman who has hit bottom and rose up , helping others along the way.
There's a reason that Andrew Zimmern is the supernova he is. He is relatable in an industry where celebrity foodies and chefs aren't/ He is the everyman who loves strange foods and earthy conversations.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Meals Of Inclusion
Today is a day we should think of others , other nationalities, other religions ,and other beliefs The best way to do this is to have inclusion brunches , lunches or dinners. They can be held at your house or at the school or house of worship. It's not only a great learning experience but a great dining experience too,.
Planning an inclusion meal can be just with neighbors and even welcoming new ones onto your block. First think of where you want it; If you have a big enough house, you can hold it indoors.If the weather is still warm and sunny, then think about having it outside (and if there's a chance of rain, then clear out the garage and set up tables). Since the kids probably have mingled already at school, set up a table for them.Have the adults at another so everyone can meet and greet.As far as food, keep in mind people dietary restrictions. One idea is cooking the main meal such as grilled chicken and have everyone bring a dish from their family's recipe box. These can be set family style in the middle of the table , where everyone can reach and pass or buffet style on extra tables set in a row.. A fun getting to know you idea is having blank recipe cards and pens on every plate . That way people can exchange the recipes for the dishes they've brought. Also food is a safe topic and it opens up a discussion than can include everyone no matter what their background is.
If you belong to your local PTA , float this idea to board members. A great idea of inclusion is having a food fair. or an international fair. There can be booths set up that can featuring different finger foods like samosas and satays, Have one or two tables that feature sweets and baked goods too. This is also a good teachable event so set up workshops where adults and kids can talk about everything from racism to bullying.There can also be games with prizes for the younger kids.If you're planning this, first decide where to have it. It could be the school gym, but if it's a beautiful fall day, spread it out to the playground. It's then writing down volunteers' names and the dishes that they'll make. Make sure it's an evenly balanced menu.You don't want to have all savory or all sweet. Another point to consider is people's strengths. Have them make what they're good at. That way there are very few disasters and mistakes. Also have the kids create a poster about the recipe and what it means to them and their families. Churches can do this too, at their Sunday lunches.Houses of worship can unite to create an inclusion lunch or dinner.It's a great way of having parishioners learn about other religions from those who practice as opposed to learning about them from fanatics or politicians.
This day is a day of deep remembrance. It's also a day to think and plan an inclusion meal where we can learn about others and tolerance. It starts with a plate of good food and good conversations.
Planning an inclusion meal can be just with neighbors and even welcoming new ones onto your block. First think of where you want it; If you have a big enough house, you can hold it indoors.If the weather is still warm and sunny, then think about having it outside (and if there's a chance of rain, then clear out the garage and set up tables). Since the kids probably have mingled already at school, set up a table for them.Have the adults at another so everyone can meet and greet.As far as food, keep in mind people dietary restrictions. One idea is cooking the main meal such as grilled chicken and have everyone bring a dish from their family's recipe box. These can be set family style in the middle of the table , where everyone can reach and pass or buffet style on extra tables set in a row.. A fun getting to know you idea is having blank recipe cards and pens on every plate . That way people can exchange the recipes for the dishes they've brought. Also food is a safe topic and it opens up a discussion than can include everyone no matter what their background is.
If you belong to your local PTA , float this idea to board members. A great idea of inclusion is having a food fair. or an international fair. There can be booths set up that can featuring different finger foods like samosas and satays, Have one or two tables that feature sweets and baked goods too. This is also a good teachable event so set up workshops where adults and kids can talk about everything from racism to bullying.There can also be games with prizes for the younger kids.If you're planning this, first decide where to have it. It could be the school gym, but if it's a beautiful fall day, spread it out to the playground. It's then writing down volunteers' names and the dishes that they'll make. Make sure it's an evenly balanced menu.You don't want to have all savory or all sweet. Another point to consider is people's strengths. Have them make what they're good at. That way there are very few disasters and mistakes. Also have the kids create a poster about the recipe and what it means to them and their families. Churches can do this too, at their Sunday lunches.Houses of worship can unite to create an inclusion lunch or dinner.It's a great way of having parishioners learn about other religions from those who practice as opposed to learning about them from fanatics or politicians.
This day is a day of deep remembrance. It's also a day to think and plan an inclusion meal where we can learn about others and tolerance. It starts with a plate of good food and good conversations.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Hurricane Hoarding
September means hurricanes. The worst weather is about to be unleashed on us, even though some may not be affected that badly. Unfortunately people panic and run amok in their local grocery stores.Before doing this take a deep breath and a step back before you hurricane hoard.
The first thing to do upon hearing that a hurricane is coming is take stock of what you have already. Check to see what kind of canned goods you have and what they can be used for.Also check dates. You may have some expired ones stashed among your current collection of tins.Keep in mind that this assessing can spawn ideas on what to cook.If you have a lot of beans, they can be used in a variety of different ways.They can be used in soups or meat dishes or the main meal itself.. Mashed together you can create bean burgers or bean loaf. The same goes for canned veggies. Canned tomatoes are great in an impromptu sauce. They can also be part of a cacciatore sauce for chicken.Tinned string beans can be used in a salad along with being a hot side dish. Any veggie can be used to round out a minestrone. If you have them, figure you'll have enough ingredients for three or four days.Use them or they will go bad.
As much as you want to, be careful about hoarding dairy.It's tempting to pick up a few gallons of milk and hoard it. Yet milk needs a cool place or it could sour. What is a better idea is buying condensed or powdered milk and adding water to it. Water too gets hoarded as well. Before going out and buying several twelve or twenty-four packs, check again to see what you have. You may have a few bottles left over from summer road trips or beach days that still are potable.If they're past their sell by date, use them for washing and get new bottles.Eggs and bread are other items that seem to be scooped up at the first bad weather report.Keep in mind that eggs are very fragile when left out at room temperature. Bacteria grows rapidly inside the shell, which can easily lead to salmonella.Unless you have guaranteed refrigeration, let them go for now. Beans can provide your family with the protein needed. As for bread, the freshly baked loaves from your grocery's cake department will turn moldy before the loaves of mass produced bread. Get the double wrapped name brands like Arnold and Pepperidge Farms. These will keep for a couple of weeks if they're properly sealed.
Stocking up for a hurricane is good. Hoarding isn't. Before you go out on a grocery run, assess what you have. You don;t want to overstock or over buy, You may already have the food and drink you'll need.
The first thing to do upon hearing that a hurricane is coming is take stock of what you have already. Check to see what kind of canned goods you have and what they can be used for.Also check dates. You may have some expired ones stashed among your current collection of tins.Keep in mind that this assessing can spawn ideas on what to cook.If you have a lot of beans, they can be used in a variety of different ways.They can be used in soups or meat dishes or the main meal itself.. Mashed together you can create bean burgers or bean loaf. The same goes for canned veggies. Canned tomatoes are great in an impromptu sauce. They can also be part of a cacciatore sauce for chicken.Tinned string beans can be used in a salad along with being a hot side dish. Any veggie can be used to round out a minestrone. If you have them, figure you'll have enough ingredients for three or four days.Use them or they will go bad.
As much as you want to, be careful about hoarding dairy.It's tempting to pick up a few gallons of milk and hoard it. Yet milk needs a cool place or it could sour. What is a better idea is buying condensed or powdered milk and adding water to it. Water too gets hoarded as well. Before going out and buying several twelve or twenty-four packs, check again to see what you have. You may have a few bottles left over from summer road trips or beach days that still are potable.If they're past their sell by date, use them for washing and get new bottles.Eggs and bread are other items that seem to be scooped up at the first bad weather report.Keep in mind that eggs are very fragile when left out at room temperature. Bacteria grows rapidly inside the shell, which can easily lead to salmonella.Unless you have guaranteed refrigeration, let them go for now. Beans can provide your family with the protein needed. As for bread, the freshly baked loaves from your grocery's cake department will turn moldy before the loaves of mass produced bread. Get the double wrapped name brands like Arnold and Pepperidge Farms. These will keep for a couple of weeks if they're properly sealed.
Stocking up for a hurricane is good. Hoarding isn't. Before you go out on a grocery run, assess what you have. You don;t want to overstock or over buy, You may already have the food and drink you'll need.
Saturday, September 8, 2018
Kitchen Cleaning For A New Year
Rosh Hashanah is upon us and that means a new year, along with sweeping out the old. For other this transitional time, it means evaluating the summer foods and ingredients. Get rid of the old, and prep the pantry and fridge for fall ingredients.
Summer is all about the barbecue sauce. If it's still warm where you are,keep on grilling. The stuff can last anywhere between six to twelve months, depending upon its' composition. However it can also be used instead of ketchup for burgers and fries.Yet it can be added in meat loaf ,meat balls and hamburgers. It gives the meat a sweet tang and a spicy bite, which takes ground beef out of the ordinary .Another idea of what to do with barbecue sauce is adding it to shredded pork for pulled pork or leftover roast chicken for a take on the first.This makes a great Saturday lunch, perfect with potato chips or a scoop of potato salad.Barbecue sauce also can be a key ingredient in homemade baked beans.If you bought jerk sauce for spicier outdoor fare, you can still use it in a variety of dishes.Like barbecue sauce it has a shelf life of anywhere from six months to a year. Add to a chicken stew for some bite and excitement or even to tomato sauce to create a Caribbean version of arrabiata sauce.
If you have a garden, then you know about end of the season overage.Luckily tomatoes can be turned into sauce that can easily be stored in freezer.It can also be turned into salsa and even jam.What is great about tomato jam or jelly is that it also uses green tomatoes,This is perfect if you're cleaning out the garden and have a few stragglers.Summer's herbs, especially basil can still be used or ground into pesto.If you've made several containers of the sauce, remember that it can be added to tomato sauce and even mayo.Try a pesto flavored potato salad or hummus for a different take. Make an Italian BLT with pesto mayonnaise and subbing in pancetta for the bacon.Pesto also highlights seafood and fish, Consider serving mussels with the sauce or add it to a tuna and white bean pasta sauce. That sweet summer treat, ice cream, is probably sitting in the freezer.It has one of the shortest shelf life of any summer food - two to three months only.If eating it on a chilly day gives you the shivers ,consider serving it with a hot fudge or hot caramel sauce. Smuckers has some great toppings that can easily be warmed in the microwave. Another way to get rid of it, is adding a blob of it to hot coffee for a different take on a latte.Or put it between Nilla or chocolate wafers for mini ice cream sandwiches (for a bigger bite, use the monster cookies from your local bakery)
It's a new year and a new season. Get rid of the old summer ingredients and make way for the fall..There will be more room for what's ahead.
Summer is all about the barbecue sauce. If it's still warm where you are,keep on grilling. The stuff can last anywhere between six to twelve months, depending upon its' composition. However it can also be used instead of ketchup for burgers and fries.Yet it can be added in meat loaf ,meat balls and hamburgers. It gives the meat a sweet tang and a spicy bite, which takes ground beef out of the ordinary .Another idea of what to do with barbecue sauce is adding it to shredded pork for pulled pork or leftover roast chicken for a take on the first.This makes a great Saturday lunch, perfect with potato chips or a scoop of potato salad.Barbecue sauce also can be a key ingredient in homemade baked beans.If you bought jerk sauce for spicier outdoor fare, you can still use it in a variety of dishes.Like barbecue sauce it has a shelf life of anywhere from six months to a year. Add to a chicken stew for some bite and excitement or even to tomato sauce to create a Caribbean version of arrabiata sauce.
If you have a garden, then you know about end of the season overage.Luckily tomatoes can be turned into sauce that can easily be stored in freezer.It can also be turned into salsa and even jam.What is great about tomato jam or jelly is that it also uses green tomatoes,This is perfect if you're cleaning out the garden and have a few stragglers.Summer's herbs, especially basil can still be used or ground into pesto.If you've made several containers of the sauce, remember that it can be added to tomato sauce and even mayo.Try a pesto flavored potato salad or hummus for a different take. Make an Italian BLT with pesto mayonnaise and subbing in pancetta for the bacon.Pesto also highlights seafood and fish, Consider serving mussels with the sauce or add it to a tuna and white bean pasta sauce. That sweet summer treat, ice cream, is probably sitting in the freezer.It has one of the shortest shelf life of any summer food - two to three months only.If eating it on a chilly day gives you the shivers ,consider serving it with a hot fudge or hot caramel sauce. Smuckers has some great toppings that can easily be warmed in the microwave. Another way to get rid of it, is adding a blob of it to hot coffee for a different take on a latte.Or put it between Nilla or chocolate wafers for mini ice cream sandwiches (for a bigger bite, use the monster cookies from your local bakery)
It's a new year and a new season. Get rid of the old summer ingredients and make way for the fall..There will be more room for what's ahead.
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