LIttle Bits Of Pasta

Pasta goes well in soup.It gives any from tomato to minestrone texture and taste. The only problem is it'

s too big. That's where the smaller sort comes in handy.It's easy to cook and easy to eat.

For those who like spaghetti or thinner noodles in their soup try Barilla fideo cut spaghetti. The known pasta company has created spaghetti strands or bits, that are perfect in any soup or even broth. Add it to chicken , beef or vegetable broth for those sick day lunches or dinner. It gives the broth more nutrients  which is better for the patient.It would also be good in a thick homemade tomato and basil soup too.The cut spaghetti would also be a fun change up in a classic minestrone where shells are used.There is also orzo which you probably used all summer in salads.It is also great in plain broths, perfect for a sick day meal. However it works just as well in minestrones and Italian wedding soups. Keep in mind that orzo is good served with just butter and cheese.It makes for a good Saturday night or Sunday supper where you just don't want to cook something fancy or elaborate.

Most people , especially those who grew up in Italian households know about pastina. These were a standard ingredient in chicken soups.Again, like orzo it's good on it's own cooked in broth and topped with butter and Parmesan. Ditalini or little fingers are bead like pieces of pasta. Many home chefs use it in a variety of different soups.It sometimes is the backbone for minestrone, meshing nicely with chopped tomatoes and onions along with kidney and cannelini beans.It add texture and more nutrients to a simple vegetable soup, rich with zucchini, cabbage , carrots and celery.Ditalini is also perfect for a simple cheese sauce. Just cook cheddar and whole cream into a sauce and pour over the pasta for a quick, satisfying bite. Other pastas that are good in soups and broth are the tiny wagon wheels called ruote and trofie , short twisted spaghetti like strands. Can you combine potatoes and pasta in the same soup. You can but go easy on the potatoes.There's enough starch from both. Besides the kids would probably prefer more pasta over the spuds anyway. 

Smaller sized pasta is a great addition to any soup or broth. It adds texture and taste, elevating the bowl to another level. Try it in your favorite.

Fall Picnics

 The weather is glorious right now. The summer heat has gone away and that makes it wonderful to take hikes or spend a cook day at the beach. It's the perfect time for a picnic basket.

Of course every picnic has to have sandwiches. Think heartier ones with a variety of meats and cheeses. You can even use leftovers from a week day roast for them. Autumn is the time for cheddar. A roast beef and cheddar sandwich on crusty sour dough bread.If you have leftover chicken or turkey shred the meat and layer it on think on a hero roll. You can add cheese , what's left over from your tomato harvest and kale or spinach. You could also make an ultra sophisticated  one with Brie spread on split croissants. What to have for sides? Since it's apple season try a slaw loaded with the Gala kind along with dried cranberries and shredded cabbage. To give it some color and crunch , add in scallions, matchstick carrots and almond slivers. You can sub in walnuts for the almonds for a different spin on flavor.Pears are also in season right now. A pear salad is unusual, easy to carry, and tasty. Think of one with arugula and goat cheese. Keep the dressing simple with a vinaigrette made with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Should you bring soup on a picnic? You could if it's two or three people or just yourself. Get yourself a large mouthed thermos which makes pouring easy. A great one is the classic tomato soup , a perfect companion for a cheddar cheese sandwich. You could also bring chicken soup or a potato soup. Pack a packet of oyster crackers along too. What to drink? If it's a bit chilly then think a hot tea or coffee , again brought in a thermos.If the weather is warmer , you could go for cider. It's always a great drink that works with any type of food. If not sparkling water is great as is cold brewed iced tea which can be brewed on the ride over. Picnics should end with some kind of sweet treat. Homemade shortbread is perfect. It travels well and won't get sticky or melty in the afternoon sun. Oatmeal raisin is another great bring. You could bake a double batch, one for the picnic and one for school and office lunch bags. A simple apple cake , easily cut into manageable squares is a good picnic cake. You could also make a spiced or nut snack cake too. Skip the frosting  though because it can get messy if wrapped in Saran wrap.

The weather calls for a picnic. Pack a lunch grab a blanket and set out to enjoy the beautiful season and sunny blue skies. Then enjoy a tasty meal in the cool fresh air,.

A Heimgemacht Oktoberfest

 October means one thing- Octoberfest. It;'s a big deal in the major cities like New York and Chicago. Some smaller towns and restaurants have their own version. However what do you do when there's not one celebration in your area? Make your own  heimgemacht as the Germans would say.

German food is heavy and it does vary from region to region. However there's one thing they can agree on and that's beer and wurst.  The most popular is Pilsner, a hoppy smelling brew popular all over the German republic. Your local liquor store should sell such top quality ones as Bohemia and Hacker PSchorr Weisse.As for wursts, the Schaller and Weber brand is the best Try to pick up a variety of them. Bratwurst is about the best because of its;' flavor and the way it grills up nicely. Hot dogs or frankfurters for the kids can also work.If you want more fancier fare then think rouladen which is beef rolls stuffed with spinach. Some add bacon and pickles to it but the spinach inside is very tasty and doesn't need anything else. Schnitzel and spaetzel is also very good.  Schnitzel is  any pounded piece of meat that's then dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Most Germans opt for pork because of the intense flavor and because it is traditional. Spaetzels can be bought or homemade. The ingredients are simple - flour eggs and water. You will need a spaetzel board which looks like a giant cheese grater to cut them into bite size drops. From the grater, they're plopped into the water and boiled like pasta.

One of the biggest dishes in Deutchland is sauerkraut. Yes , you can buy a big jar or can of it at your grocery store. However nothing beats the homemade kind. Keep in mind that it does have to be fermented for one to four weeks.You will need a large head of cabbage and salt. The cabbage has to be shredded, then salted and then massaged. Keep kneading it as it's poured into a very clean glass jar. (any impurities can cause bacteria to grow).Tightly screw on a plastic lid and let it ferment at room temperature. After the fermentation process you can then store it in the fridge. Oktoberfests are known for their pretzels too. These are the large soft, chewy kind that can also be used for bread or dipped in mustard or melted cheddar. They can be home made , with a yeast based dough. They do have to be boiled in either a baking soda or lye. Lye is the better bet here because its' the reason pretzels are golden brown and crisp on the outside. Plus it gives them that unique flavor too. after a quick lye bath, brush them with beaten egg and sprinkle on coarse salt. They're baked for  ten to fifteen minutes.

A heimgemacht Oktoberfest is the best thing in the world You can celebrate with wurst and homemade sauerkraut or schnitzel mit spaetzels.. Try a pretzel with mustard or have a plate of rouladen. Enjoy this month with good food from the heart.

Your Own Hot Doughnuts

 One of the best fall treats is a doughnut. It's the perfect snack or even breakfast on a chilly day. Homemade ones are even better.The bite is fresh and deliciously chewy,

Any good home baker can create a doughnut.You can make it with yeast for one with  a chewy bread like crumb or a cakey one that's more like your favorite slice. A basic recipe for the yeast variety has milk and two packets of yeas t mixed with two eggs and a stick of melted butter. You will need flour , usually the all purpose kind,More flour will be needed to roll out the dough into rolls. Keep in mind you will need a deep fryer for this and two quarts of a neutral oil like grapeseed or vegetable oil. Can you air fry doughnuts? You can. Just generously spray the basket with a neutral spray in either vegetable or butter flavor. This may be a bit tedious to do. Only two doughnuts at a time can be fried and  they have to be flipped midway through the baking process. The plus side is that they won't leave a greasy after taste and the texture is crisper on the outside, tender on the inside. Another plus is that you can also air fry cake batter doughnuts too, They come out just as good as their yeast cousins, The air fryer also works for doughnut holes too. The yeast ones take forty five minutes to rise and six to eight minutes to bake at 375 degrees Farenheit.

Cake doughnuts are another treat. The recipes are more varied than the yeast recipe as are the textures. Cake doughnuts can be as dense in crumb as a muffin or as light and fluffy as a birthday cake. You can create more flavors with cake doughnuts. A good cake doughnut recipe is made with flour, and baking powder which gives them lift. Usually one egg is used along with milk. You can fry them but look for an evenness in color and texture. Baked doughnuts are another way to go. Get a doughnut tin which has different shapes, from fluted edges to a regular circle. If you don't have one simply use a muffin or cupcake tin with foil in the middle to create the hole. Apple cider doughnuts are big right now and it's just adding concentrated apple cider. DO NOT add cider straight from the jug. You'll need to reduce it to a thick and potent syrup. This is done by boiling it down for twenty minutes.It's then added to the batter. You can also add an apple pie spice blend of nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamon. After they've been baked brush with melted butter and dredge in a mix of white sugar and cinnamon.

This is the season for doughnuts. Make them at home for a fresh, sweet treat. You can fry , air fry or bake the yeast or cake variety for a tasty bite full of satisfying sweetness.

Sharing Cuisines And Backgrounds

 What we eat tells other who we are. It's a glimpse into our histories and traditions. A plate of rice or yams can explain our pasts and who are ancestors were. Our recipes are a mirror of us, passed down for generations in some cases.

Regular  contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She tells of her own roots in Lagos, Nigeria in her new monthly column. Like Marcel Proust  with his madeleines, ,  Chef Komolafe reminisces about the aromas and taste of her past, She tells how diasporas shape and will always shape the American cuisine. The broader region of West Africa has also been responsible for the way America eats.Our barbecues and gumbos, fried fish and rice dishes are all part of the gifts the enslaved brought to America. They brought over fried foods along with okra and yams to add to the North American diet. Her own recipes made for guests, explains who she ; her background and her ideas on food. WE all do this , letting friends and colleagues into a slice of our lives and our histories. These dishes connect us to our our pasts and to those ancestors where we inherited those recipes.

Chef Komolafe also offers up a side dish - roasted carrots with yaji spice relish. Yaji is an essential pantry spice that should be in every kitchen. It's a homemade and simple blend of toasted peanuts, ground ginger, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders combined with fine sea salt. All of this is then pulsed in a spice grinder but you can also use a mortar and pestle to create it.Chef Komolafe roasts the carrots on a sheet pan at 400 degrees Farenheit after coating them in a neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed.The relish , made with yaji , grated lemon, grated ginger and chopped scallions. Parsley and more oil is added.The carrots are then tossed with the relish in a large bowl. Toasted peanuts are scattered over the carrots. This would be a good side with roasted chicken for a Sunday meal or a a small Saturday get together. It could even be used for grilled vegetables too such as broccoli and cauliflower.

How we cook instantly telegraphs whop we are and where we come from. This is evident in CHef Komolafe's cooking and the ingredients she uses. They reflect her and her family's past while letting her guest know who she is ,

From Cookies To Needles And Pins

 One of the joys of any holiday season was receiving a tin of Royal Dansk cookies. These were the perfect butter cookies baked in different shapes and decorated with big crystals of sugar. Yet the real treat came later when all the cookies were eaten and there was a big empty tin. Crayons were put in them or in most households - sewing items. What else could you do with them.

That was the question regular contributor Priya Krishna asked in her article about them in today's New York Times Food section. They hold a wealth of memories for everyone. If you lived in a sewing household these tins were perfect for storing colorful spools of thread. pin cushions, stuck full of pins, needles  of all sizes and coiled tape measures.That's what f ilm critic carlo Aguilar 's mother did. He even thought it was just a LAtin thing when everyone reused the tins for sewing The round, dark blue tins , full of sewing tools broke Twitter in August. It was placed next to one full of luscious looking cookies neatly separated by their traditional frilly white wrappers. Written underneath the untouched Royal Dansk tin was MY Fall Plans  while the sewing tin one proclaimed The Delta Variant. The Royal Dansk tin also gave way for nostalgia  for another multi used container, the COuntry Crock tub. This was made of sturdy plastic and could handle several dishwasher washings and storing everything from holiday leftovers to Play-Doh. Used Cool Whip tubs were also used for all sorts of leftovers and doodads like nails and screws.

These tins and tubs are growing in fascination and nostalgia.Yet , like Country Crock they're still used. Their Instagram page shows what you can do with the tubs. They make for cute bird houses and popcorn holders for home movie nights'They're also great for storing leftovers, especially small amounts< Some chefs like eric Rivera , owner of the Seattle restaurant Addo remembers his mother storing her sofrito, a mix of red bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Nescafe's glass jars also held a place of esteem in some households. Megha Desai's family used them for storing chai masala. Her mother got Vlasic pickled jars from their local Italian restaurant to store lentils. Those Royal Dansk tins were not only used for storing pins and needles but for wood ear mushrooms  to keep them fresh in Huffington Post reporter Marina Fang's family kitchen., Chef Rivera uses them at Addo as part of dessert in a tasting menu. They come to the table  bearing a surprise - a sugar cookie flavored vanilla ice cream. He's bought several on E Bay just for this. Keep in mind that these tins and the Country Crock tubs do not make for good recyclables. They and their fellow often recycled Cool Whip tubs do not break down easily and will stay for hundreds of years. They're best used for second and third lives instead of land fills.

These tins and tubs have long lives. Once the cookies,spread, whipped cream, and instant coffee are used, these takes on new second and third lives. Use them as you will, whether for sewing gear, bird houses or leftovers.

Fall Sides

 It's officially autumn now. It's time to forgo those salads and slaws and think heavier sides to go with those roasts and stews. Luckily there's a whole array of  side dishes you can make. They can be simple or complex but all will have great flavor.

One of the best fall and winter sides is stuffing. It goes not only well with turkey but also chicken and pork. Use Stovetop Stuffing if you want to go the easy route. This is super simple to make and lets you concentrate more on the main dish. You can try a classic stuffing made with stale French bread ,sage, chopped celery and chicken broth. You can add eggs if you want for a more custardy mouth feel,You can also change up the bread and sub in challah or sourdough. If you're serving a pork roast, think about adding chopped Granny Smith apples to it to compliment the meat. A novel way of serving it is bake the stuffing in a muffin tin so you can have cups to fill with meat and gravy. Another fall side is squash. Any meat benefits from its' mild flavor so it doesn't steal the spotlight. Butternut, a rich orange squash is the best to serve right now. You can bake or even microwave it. Fill the hollowed out section with butter or cinnamon. Brown sugar also works, You can also go savory by adding garlic to the butter.

Fall is when many cruciferous veggies come into harvest.Cabbage  was a staple in the summer as many turned it into slaw to accompany hoi dogs and hamburgers. You can try frying it in butter and add some minced garlic for a truly flavorful side. Cabbage leaves can also be sauteed in oil. You can add bacon and onions for more flavor along with a scant cup of vegetable broth. Kale is also popular right now. Think about sauteing it in olive oil with lemon and garlic for a nutritious side with chicken or steak. Remember to not dry the leaves after initially washing it. This makes them less chewy and more tender.Brussels sprout are the perennial autumn favorite. You see them everywhere now., from groceries to farmer's markets. One delicious way to make them is steam  either on the stovetop or microwave, then dress them with melted butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.They and kale can be turned into crispy chips  after a few minutes in an air fryer.These would be a great side for burgers or chicken nuggets.

Fall is here and with a wide variety of different side dish. You can go the traditional route with stuffing, squash or cabbage or try something new like kale or Brussels sprouts chips.  No matter which way you'll go you have a perfect complement to your main course.