A Giving Good Friday

 It's Good Friday and all Christians are observing this holy day of observation. We think of Christ and His sacrifices but we should also think of His generosity. Planting a Spring garden for not just yourself but for others exemplifies this .

Think of others as you plant. Aim for overage where you can donate your harvest or give to neighbors or family in need. It's a good thing because everyone loves fresh fruit and veggies. It's also good for kids to show them that there's a world beyond processed food and sweets. They can even help in picking tomatoes and strawberries. If you're turning that bounty into pickling and jams , remember to make a few jars extra too. They make nice gifts for any essential workers you may know.

This is a day for reflection and sacrifice. It's also a day of planning and how you can help your community. Think about this when you start planning your Spring garden.

Easter Givings

 Today is Holy Thursday and it starts the beginning of the four day Easter holy days. It's a time of celebration but also reflection too. Think about those who don't have what you have and those who don't have your bounty. 

We are getting vaccinated at astonishing rates yet there is still so much to do for a safe recovery. Try to help those in need. Share your Easter dinner with  them or treat them to groceries so they can have a sumptuous meal too. Bake extra cupcakes or cookies and bring them over along with candy for the kids. If everyone has been vaccinated , then think about a socially distanced barbecue. Throw in an Easter egg and candy hunt too.

We may not be able to go to church to celebrate but we can celebrate each other. Start with generosity. It will go a long way and brighten up Easter for everyone.

A Food Star Trims Down

 Action Bronson is a renaissance man of sorts. He's a chef, TV host and rapper. He was also vastly overweight which was posing a problem for him. However he took it upon himself to become healthy - with the same gusto he reserved for eating. Now Action has become an action hero, thanks to exercise and dieting.

Jon Caramanca, who usually write for the entertainment section of The New York Times write about Chef Bronson in today's New York Times Food section. Action Bronson is a kind of Anthony Bourdain for Gen Xers and Millenials. Before he lost 130 pounds Chef Bronson looked like ZZ Top's version of Henry VIII. He was obese with a long, frizzy red beard, creating all sorts of dishes (and swearing like a rapper). This thirty seven year old, born Ariyan Arslani in Flushing Queens was the host of F$%* This Is Delicious along with being a trained chef. Yes, he ate on his show,(which is not for the faint of heart). He also brought that home, getting take out indiscriminately and not paying attention to his health.It also infiltrated his home life where his fiancee, Valeria, a licensed master social worker criticized him . He got so big he was denied health insurance. His clothes, a very big 3XL and 4XL were becoming tight. He had trouble breathing at night along with problems in the bathroom.

Something had to be done. The ultra rich sandwiches he is known for making had to be gone. Bacchanal eating had to be a thing of the past. Luckily  he had become fascinated with body building as a teen ager. He went to gyms. Now it was time to go back to them. Chef Bronson drinks smoothies or branched chain amino acid supplements. During lock down, when everyone else indulged, he ate extra lean meals. There was grilled chicken and sweet potato along with green juices and protein shakes. He has slackened up a bit, which was good for his fiancee. She was worried that he was being too strident  and too conscious of what he was eating. For a recent taping of Delicious Chef Bronson took a  sip of liquid chocolate mousse, then headed to the his car where he retrieved a gorilla faced kettle bell and starts swinging it in the street. In another episode he did three hundred squats in between tasting focaccia and lahmucan,a kind of Turkish ground beef pizza He also owns a line of olive oils with Grove & Vine, the perfect ingredient for healthy eating.

Action Bronson is taking action in creating a healthier lifestyle for himself. He has become a good role model for his fans that maybe have over indulged themselves. He has learned to eat well and eat healthy.

Spring Reawakenings

 If it's Spring it means cleaning time. That means getting into those dusty and cob webbed corners. It's amazing what could be found there. It's usually a long forgotten treasure that can be reused or repurposed.

That's what happened to me today when I decided to clean in the crevices by my stove. I stored a slew of pans there, from cupcake to pizza. I also found some interesting things, I've forgotten about.

One is the broiler plate. form my Mom's original stove that we replaced four years ago,

I don't think this can fit into my new oven but I do have another use for it. It can be used to grill veggies , especially corn and even meats on the outdoor grill. Veggies like asparagus and eggplant slices usually fall through the grill plate's wide opening.This makes cooking them impossible. Using this will make grilling any kind of veggie  a snap.

Another treasure I unearthed is my madeleine pan.

I have never made them and now am looking into a vegan recipe.The recipe usually requires two large eggs, which I can use Vegg baking substitute for this and a whole stick of butter. I may just experiment and try I Can't Believe It's Not Butter which gives a nice buttery flavor. The other flavors come from the addition of vanilla and lemon zest.Madeleines are a labor intensive with halving the dry ingredients and adding them to the wet ingredients after careful stirring. Then there's chilling the batter for an hour before baking. The result is worth it howevermm

You never know what you'll unearth during Spring cleaning. Some items may be useful, some may be repurposed.  They 're all treasures and should be tried out. Some good stuff may come out of it.

The Plank Pizza Company Beer Parlor

 Sometimes the best restaurants are  right in your backyard. This was the case with The Plank Company Beer Parlor in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Who knew a place this good  - and hip existed in the suburbs?

I decided to give this place a shot after hearing so much about it. Yes it is a beer parlor, done in the hip unfinished style seen in Hoboken's or Manhattan's West Village beer parlors or gardens however it also offers it's signature plank pizza served on a plank.

This was a tasty , super cheesy bite with a very thin crust. The sauce was excellent and there was a lot of it. as opposed to the sometimes skimpy dollops some pizzerias put on their pies.The pizza  is a long oval and cut into easy to handle slices.  There are all sorts of toppings from what I had The Red, which is a traditional pizza to The Chopped Salad which is pick any of The Plank Pizza Company or PPC's different salads. on a sour dough crust. There is even one called the Sunday Dinner which is meat loaf and mashed potatoes with gravy and mozzarella cheese. I do want to try the Click Click Bangkok which is spicy marinated chicken with peanut and Sriracha sauces . The dough is also topped with cucumbers, scallions bean sprouts and chopped peanuts.

There are also appetizers like the avocado egg rolls and tacos like carne asada ones which has tender bits of steak , guacamole and diced onions. This is a must order for steak and taco lovers. PPC also has soups, and even desserts. Yet this is a beer company and with that there are several different kinds, local sourced from nearby microbreweries ( Hackensack Beer anyone???) along with ales from all over the country.

You first taste the brew and then if you want it , the waiter brings a growler or jug of it. You can take this home and bring it back to be refilled with any beer or even  cider of choice. Stout and IPA lovers will appreciate the beer parlor's wide array of various brews.

If you're in Saddle Brook then stop at The Plank Pizza Company Beer Parlor. It's a great place for food and drink. Come for pizza  stay for the beer along with the appetizers , soups salads and desserts.

The Plank Pizza Company Beer Parlor is located at 383 Market Street, Building D, Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663. They're right behind the BP Gas Station.PPC also does delivery and take out. Their number is 201-843-2426  and are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Taco Bell Chili

 Surprisingly enough Taco Bell doesn't make chili. It makes everything else Mexican, from chalupas  to burritos to tacos. For some reason chili has always been off the menu. This is odd because they probably could come up with a delicious one. However the average home chef can, using their sauce packets and the usual ingredients and come up with a tasty variation.

This was something I wanted to try. I have tons of Taco Bell sauce packets in my house , thanks to a tendre for their burritos. I used my Mom's chili recipe, and tweaked it. 

I used ten  packets of the mild hot sauce packets along with kidney beans and tomato sauce.

These actually gives the chili a spicy flavor but not overwhelming Ten packets work, You could try less or more. You can also try their extra hot or Diablo strength if you want a two or three alarm chili.

Then there was the usual Morningstar Farm soy beef crumbles

Water, olive oil and a tiny drop of maple syrup were added. I usually use honey but found that maple syrup also works if added in a tiny  amount (think one drop).

Cumin, onion and garlic powders are the spices used. A good dash of each  flavors the chili.

I decided that the kidney beans and crumbles weren't enough so I also added some red beans for more protein and to fill it out.

Everything was cooked in the crockpot on high for two hours. The end result was a flavorful chili, one of the best I've made.I am definitely making all future chilis with the  hot sauce packets from Taco Bell. 

Taco Bell could probably make a great chili but they don't  - and should. we can using their sauce packets to create a tasty variation that's rich in flavor. Use those leftover sauce packets and make it today for a yummy version on this Mexican classic!!!

Ham Off The Table

 Ham is always the traditional Easter main course yet ir doesn't have to be. There are a variety of different main courses that can work just as well.  They can be poultry or seafood - just something different to change up the holiday.

Capon or turkey can easily work for a holiday dinner. Both go well with that Spring staple asparagus. Capon is slightly different than chicken.It's actually a castrated male that's been fed a diet usually of milk and porridge. The meat are full breasted and tender with a richer taste than either turkey or chicken. Treat it the same as  a turkey, with rubbing the skin with a mix of butter, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.You could also add garlic and lemon too for more flavor. Turkey is also good if you want a traditional meal , complete with stuffing. Keep in mind that this is not Thanksgiving so keep the sides light. Again, think about asparagus and green beans instead of yams and mashed potatoes. The gravy could be an au jus one  with being made with turkey necks and wings , onions carrots and celery,. Garlic flavors it but it can be omitted so you taste more  of the turkey . Cornstarch is added just to thicken it a little. If you want to cook something smaller consider Cornish hens. They are delicious and easy to make, having very tender meat. They can be rubbed with just olive oil and herbs for crisp skin and roasted in a 450 degree Farenheit oven for an hour.

Can you have seafood for your Easter dinner? Yes! If the weather is warm, then think about grilled shrimp over a fluffy pilaf. For something entirely different try a Brazilian moqueca that the New York Times featured in their Wednesday Food section. This is a fish stew rife with shrimp and cod. Tomatoes and bell peppers give it more color and flavor as does coconut milk and chili peppers like the ultra fiery Scotch Bonnet. This Brazilian gem does require dende oil which can be bought at any West African or Caribbean market. For a truly lush dish, think lobster tails. This is a great Spring dish , especially served with a  champagne vinaigrette salad full with grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts , cauliflower and broccoli. You could also serve lobster claws with them too,although they can be messy to eat. Salmon is another great choice for a light Easter dinner. Think of serving it with garlic butter to enhance its's delicate flavor. You can serve it with  crispy roasted potatoes and asparagus , flavored with more garlic butter sauce.

Ham doens;t have to be served every Easter. Mix it up this year with poultry or seafood.  It's a fun way to celebrate the holiday.