Turning Sides Into Mains

 Imagine just having sides for dinner. You can. Turning side dishes into  dinner time stars is easy.It's also a fun way to change up the usual supper.

One of the sides that's has been turned into a main for a long time now is salad. It may be a trifle chilly to serve it completely from the fridge. What you can do is add some hot ingredients such as chicken, London Broil, shrimp or salmon. These can be taken from the oven or grill, sliced and put directly into a bed or field greens. Another way of serving a steamy bowl of greens is creating a hot dressing. Yes , salad dressing can be hot.One popular one is made with bacon.It's frying up the bacon, draining it and them crumbling the slices. A roux is made using cornstarch, sugar, water and vinegar. The bacon is added to this and it's cooked over a medium heat until it thickens. It would be great generously spooned over a spinach salad , rich with sliced hard boiled eggs and  of course more bacon. In the warmer months you can easily serve a chilled salad Nicoise. This Provencale favorite has everything in it, from anchovies to artichokes to green beans to capers. It even makes for a nice lunch , especially with some crusty French bread.

Baked potatoes have always accompanied steaks yet they too can be turned into a main meal. You can split them open and fill them up with a variety of stuffings. Many like chili on theirs  and this can be made either a meat lover's one with ground beef or a vegan ones with soy crumbles or just beans. Another tasty filling is sliced ham and broccoli with a topping of melted cheddar, A fun weekend meal is a pizza topped baked potato. This is first cooking onions and mushrooms in olive oil as the potatoes bake in a 425 degree Farenheit oven. Tomato sauce, pepperoni and oregano along with minced garlic is added. The potatoes are then slit open  and filled with this,. They'r topped with shredded mozzarella and returned to the broiler or oven for two minutes. You could also make stuffed baked potatoes too as a main dish.It's baking them first and then scooping out the insides. These are mashed and blended with melted butter. Sour cream, bacon or julienned ham slices and grated onion are added. The potatoes are then popped back into 350 degree oven for another fifteen minutes. You can do the same for Hasselback potatoes too. These are sliced potatoes that are brushed with butter and then baked. They're baked for thirty minutes first , then cheese slices are pit between the slits. and baked for another ten minutes. Top with crumbled bacon, sour cream and chives.

Forget the main dishes. Have sides for dinner.It;s a fun way to enjoy dinner and a change up from the ordinary. You won;t miss those roasts after eating these.

In The Spirit Of MLK

  Today is Martin Luther King Day and we do celebrate Dr. King as a great and once in generation civil rights leader. Civic duty is something we all should aspire to one day, especially now. These are tough times. We need to step up to help each other and our planet.

Again contributing to your local food pantry or food bank is an absolute must. Yes,there are shortages some might be feeling the pinch themselves yet  try to help. Many drive through food banks still need help in bundling the foods and handing them out. If you don't have the time for this then take it down to a smaller scale.Shop for  elderly neighbors and family members that are afraid to go themselves, fearing they'll get the Omnicron variant. If you can

 treat them to something from the store's bakery department, whether it be a fresh made baguette or square of cake. Add some veggies and fruit if you feel their diet is lacking (although check with them first. some diets may have certain fruits and veggies cut out). If you're going for a drive through coffee , buy an extra cup of it or tea for them. The same goes for military families and those who are feeling a financial pinch. Treat them to a gift certificate at their favorite restaurant. This also gives business to local eateries too.

Dr. King's widow, Coretta and his son Dexter were and are committed vegetarians. Mrs King came to it late in life and Dexter was influenced by the controversial activist. Dick Gregory. Hurting and eating other animals is often connected to rights for all. Other political trail blazers like Mahatma Gandhi and Susan B. Anthony also eschewed meat. You can also do this, along with rethinking your shopping and eating habits. It is hard to  just go vegan or vegetarian cold right away. Yet you can ease into it, thanks to the wide array of plant based proteins. Try Beyond Meat once or twice a week. Beans are a wonderful source of protein and there's a lot o recipes with them you can try. A warming bean soup or two alarm chili would be perfect right now to chase away the January chill. Field Roast has hot dogs and sausages that taste like the real thing and they make for the perfect lunch or dinner. The more you rely on plant based foods, the more you'll help the planet.

Dr. King left a rich legacy that can only inspire. Do what you can to make the world a better and cleaner place. Help not harm others, whether they're our species or another.

A Scary Supermarket Trip

 Going to the market these days is like sitting through the latest Scream movie. every corner holds some kind of horror, whether shortages or exceptionally high prices. how can home chefs navigate through these tough times.

I wondered this as I shopped at my local Stop & Shop today. There were certain shortages, not as bad as what's in other stores but still sobering.Many groceries  such as those in Pennsylvania have reported empty shelves in the cat food section, frozen food and drinks and meat department. People may gave to wait a long time to get such basic staples as orange juice an ground beef. Luckily store CEOs predict that these shortages will be taken care of by early February -  a little over two weeks from now. These current problems are caused by losing workers to the Omiron variant  along with weather snarls. Heavy snows have screwed up truck routes from vital ports to stores across the country.It's not as bad as last year's where even Lunchables and Ben and Jerry's ice cream were at short order. The other bad part are the prices. Stop & Shop is selling a large twenty-four pack of Bounty Paper towels for a whopping $21. It's good if you can stretch them out for two to three months however these last much less in messy households. In this sense it pays to shop around for them if you have the time. It's worse in the cities where lamb chops can go for almost as high as fifty dollars and tea for ten dollars a box.

What to do? Plan and plot.It's actually not too early to plan out your veggie and berry garden. There may be shortages this summer thanks to the unpredictability of both the Covid virus and the supply chain.You won't have to worry if you have most of  your ingredients in the backyard. start researching what works best in your area of the county and also what kind of soil is in your yard. If it's sandy then think about growing asparagus, strawberries and lettuce. A hardier soil can yield potatoes and turnips along with melons, kohlrabi and turnips. Fruit trees are a bit trickier because the harvest comes a few years after planting. You could forage , especially for wild apples, plums peaches and blackberries. What about meats? Go for the cheapest but also look into where you can get bargains. Aldi and its' sister store Lidl where even the pricey grass fed beef is a few dollars less than what other grocery stores offer. Even their seafood is  not above twenty dollars. Also think about going meatless, using beans  or pasta to sub for meat based dinners.

It is a scary time to shop. However smart planning can help ease the horror of grocery shopping right now. It's just knowing how to get the best deals and shopping around until you get them.

A Just Because Party

 January is that dry month - save for New Year's at the very beginning. It's not like it has fun food centered holidays like Christmas , the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day.It doesn't help that we're also in isolation and some of our favorite restaurants are closed. What to do? Have a Just Because party.

You can celebrate everything and anything. First snow day of the new year. Acing a test . Getting a phenomenal hair cut. Honoring a favorite book, movie or  TV show. It could be a virtual girls night out or a family party night.Just run with it. You can have it themed or unthemed. Keep in mind that there will be some shortages of favorite foods and ingredients. Be prepared to improvise or revise your menu. Still it can be fun and a great way to enjoy a weekend or week night. Kids love pizza parties. You can easily throw a Saturday night one that features a toppings bar. Let the kids go  crazy with a variety of different shredded cheeses that can even include Colby, Monterey Jack and cheddar. They can go wild with vegan and regular pepperoni, bacon and shredded chicken. Give the bar a dash of healthy with bowls of different veggies. The same concept can also be applied to burgers and hot dogs. You can even fire up the grill again and cook outside if the weather is warm. Everyone will get a kick out of a winter barbecue with a fixings bar. There can even be s'mores afterwards.

Even adults can have a fun party. Just make sure every one is vaccinated and boosted before planning a small do. a\A\

 tea is always a  lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.have a variety of different tea from Ear and Lady Grey to peppermint and chais.Think two or three trays of finger sandwiches filled with sliced chicken, ham or roast beef.  You can also have toasted white bread cut into quarters with a spread of egg salad or watercress and butter. scones are a tea must. You can either bake full sized or mini ones. You can turn this into a Devon tea and order clotted cream. It's not necessary and a good unsalted butter can also work.  Football lovers  can have a Super Bowl practice party. There are play off games that a small gathering can watch. Since it will be a little group, reduce the amount of food. Have one six foot hero as opposed to two or three. A small crockpot of chili will be better than a larger one. You could still have an outdoor barbecue but go easy on the amount of ribs and chicken you'll use. Having a smaller party means you also don't have to have a large supply of beer and soda. One or two cases should do it.

Throw a Just because Party whether it's for pizza or football, an English tea or winter barbecue.It's a fun way to celebrate anything this month. Have fun. Have a party.

A Glass Of The Fake Thing

 A good glass of bourbon on a January 's day is a comforting thing. It warms the soul and settles into chilled bones. Yet that shot may not be as genuine as you think. Surprisingly quality alcohol is the latest victims of fakery.

Clay Risem who write obituaries for the Times (!!!!) shared his knowledge of bourbon with his article on expensive fakes in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Mr Risen isn't stretching out here. He is the author of Bourbon: The Story of Kentucky Whiskey (Ten Speed Press 2021).He is also a whiskey expert who is following the trend for pricey bourbons. It seems that both bourbon lover and neophyte are wanting the extremely expensive brands,It's an international problem  where sellers can find gullible customers on social media. A Swiss luxury hotel duped a Chinese tourist out of a grand for a bottle of fake bourbon.Luxury bourbon is in such high demand right now after years of being ignored. domestic sales of super premium american whiskey , selling for more than fifty dollars - nearly doubled between the years 2016- 2020. Four millions cases were sold.at the higher end  of the price range bottles selling for $500 or more are in such high demand that they've created long lines at liquor stores. A robust secondary market has now been created with secret trading through private social media groups. This is illegal but it still goes on, as with any counterfeit industry.It's big in Britain where counterfeiting is rampant 

How can you tell if you've bought a fake bottle?It could come without the required shrink wrap that encircles the cap. Yet  these too can be copied too, making it hard to tell what's real and what's not. Also bottles may look used. One brand, Pappy Van winkle seems to have a surefire way to discourage copying. Each of their bottles comes with a unique identification code. One aficionado, Los Angeles resident and producer of the American Pie franchise Adam Herz who is also an expert in spotting counterfeit bottles was able to read the number of an empty bottle that he found on EBay. He then visited on of the many  countless bourbon fan pages on Facebook. He  then saw the once empty bottle refilled and resealed selling for thousands of dollars.It bothered him that empty whiskey bottles were selling briskly on line. This also comes in handy when sellers are offering aged bourbon from the 1800's. Have the bottle checked to see if the glass is modern. Also check the corks too.. Another caveat  - don't trust any pushy sellers you meet on line.It  means they want the money and to get rid of their stock.

Yes it's luxurious to buy a thousand dollar bottle of good bourbon. Just make sure it's also the real thing. There are too many fakes out there. Don't waste good money on something that proves to be false.

Miami's Rich Bakery Scene

 Miami  and its' surrounding area is known for many things,  Warm, balmy days. Azure waters. It also has a rich array of bakeries that only add to the city culinary charm.

 Food writers Brett Anderson and Christina Morales two regular contributors to the New York Times Food section wrote about this region's varied and multiethnic baking scene. They had the fun assignment of trying out different ones along with photographing the bakeries best of the best.This is a must have if you live in the city or are traveling there. Many are influenced by the large Cuban population there. some are traditional ones.One must see is Coral Gables Bachour,  run by pastry chef Antonio Bachour. he and his executive pastry chef Samira Saade combine french pastries with tropical fruits evoking his youth in Puerto Rico The Miami suburb of Doral has Caracas bakery where both empenadas and croissants along with the decadent koign-amann and french influenced batards. Those looking for fancy cakes should visit Lucila's Cakes, a popular Miami stop.  Edda Martinez and Lucila Venet Jimenez are famed for their amazing decorations and  variety of flavors from bread pudding to chocolate chip cookies.

The Everglades may be known for gators but they're also known for Knaus Berry Farm.It's owned by Blecher family farm and having been baking homemade rolls and cinnamon buns since the 1960's They also have guava and other fruit pies too.If you;re craving Mexican treats look no further than La Migaja Mexican bakery in Miami's Little Havana. Here they bake and sell sweet breads that owner Jaime Reynoso Perez and his wife Jocelyn Mendozo San Vicente,Madruga  Bakery, owned by Naomi Harris could easily be located in Manhattan. Ms Harris hand mills grains for flour and uses wild yeasts. Her lemon polenta cake is one of the bakery's most popular. Taste Rite Bakery  in another suburb Miami Gardens turns out yummy Jamaican patties made by owner Lyndon Gardner and his wife Jennifer.  The flavors combine Jamaican cooking like callaloo and ackee, an island veggie and american like beef and cheese. There is also the kosher bakery  Zak The Baker owned  by Zak Stern/ which offers bagels and chocolate babkas amid lush murals and clever graffiti.

Miami and its' surrounding suburbs have some of the best bakeries. They are varied from Jewish to american to caribbean. Mexican and Cuban influences have also been added. It's a real buffet of delicious treats.

A Healthier Way To Bake Part Two

 There are healthier ways to bake mouth watering treats. You can easily switch out refined flour and sugar for better for you nut and rice flours along with all natural sugars like maple syrup and agave. Yet there are other ingredient  conundrums that can more or less be solved.

Vegan or vegetarian baking holds the answers. Many  home bakers want to omit eggs for something healthier or won''t trigger egg allergies. There is Just Egg, an egg yolk substitute that can make everything from omelets to cookies. It's made from mung beans and has the same eggy flavor as the real thing. Three tablespoons equal one egg, yolk and white included.I've baked with it and it did produce  a crisper cookie. There is also Vegg, a powdered egg sub in that's also plant based. They use peas to create the mix, You do have to buy  the Vegg Uncaged version and then add a teaspoon of coconut sugar along with a scant amount of water to get the liquid. again I'v e made brownies with it and they came out chewy and dense. You can reduce the amount of sweetener if you use Vegg's one. Dairy is always another area of concern. For milk the best replacement is soy. It has the same amount of protein as cow's milk and it helps baked goods to brown nicely. This is perfect  for pond cakes and biscuits, recipes that don't require icing. almond milk is the second best bet. as for butter. Melt plant based butter is a good alternative. and it is a good leavening agent. It works perfectly in cookies and creates a lovely brownness to them. Miyoko's also works well as does avocados and applesauce. Nut butters and pumpkin puree can also make for a smooth batter or dough.

The big question is the frosting. Most American buttercreams have at least two to two and a half cups of confectioners sugar in them.  This is way too sweet no matter how tasty they are. Yet what's a cupcake without a big blob of colorful icing on it? There is a way to have healthy and decadent.. One is making your own  sort using  ground coconut sugar and tapioca flour.  If  you can't  get the tapioca flour then just use cornstarch or arrowroot powder.You do need a high powered blender like a Vitamix to grind it into that powdery consistency. It just takes only thirty to sixty minutes and storing it in an airtight container. This is also perfect for making glaze and icing for cakes and cookies too. another frosting idea is taking maple syrup and vegan cream cheese. You will need to use Greek yogurt but only a quarter cup of it along with a dash of vanilla extract. another recipe for a healthy but still creamy topping is a mix of unsweetened apple sauce and coconut oil. Palm oil and tapioca or arrowroot flour round it out to give it both that creamy mouth feel and taste. You could also use cocoa powder for a chocolate frosting. 

Healthy baking can be done. You can even have cupcakes with a big swirl of frosting on top. It's just subbing in the good ingredients for the bad ones>It's just that easy.