Star Bite

A tip of the cap to Oscar

2009-02-19T11:16:00.003-06:00

Mini Mushroom Quiche Caps

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com

Yield: 18

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

8 ounces mushrooms
Non-stick cooking spray
1/4 cup finely diced green onion
Bacon, 3 strips, cooked
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black or white pepper
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325º. Spray mini muffin pans with non-stick spray. Slice 3 mushrooms for garnish. Heat a 10” non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add a single layer of mushrooms, and cook, without stirring, for about five minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side. Turn and cook about five minutes or until other side is same color. Set mushrooms aside.

Chop remaining mushrooms and add with onions, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes, until onions are soft and all moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half and mustard. Stir in mushroom mixture and cheese.

Divide egg/mushroom mixture among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Top each cup with one slice of mushroom and lightly spray with non-stick spray. Bake about 20-25 minutes until puffed and set. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes. Using a teaspoon, gently run the spoon around the edge of each cup and scoop each quiche to remove. Place a sautéed mushroom slice on top of each quiche and serve.

Apparently her husband was famous

2009-02-19T10:39:00.004-06:00

Charles Darwin’s name is recognized around the globe and his discoveries have shaped our understanding of the natural world. While the scientist pursued research and theory, his wife Emma Wedgwood Darwin, like many women of her time, kept a notebook filled with recipes, culinary instructions and personal anecdotes about everyday life in the Darwin household.

Authors Dusha Bateson and Weslie Janeway have recreated and tested every one of Mrs. Darwin’s 55 recipes and put them in a new cookbook, Mrs. Charles Darwin’s Recipe Book: Revived and Illustrated. This unique cookbook offers a rare glimpse behind the dining room doors of one of the Victorian era’s most eminent families.

More than a cookbook, Mrs. Charles Darwin’s Recipe Book illuminates a lifestyle at the top of English society. This treasure trove of fifty-five delicious recipes reflects Emma Darwin’s social position and responsibility for feeding her family, entertaining guests, and maintaining the household. Reading her recipes and notes today offers remarkable insight into Victorian life and includes dishes popular in her day such as:

· Baked Cheese Custard
· Scotch Woodcock
· Beef Collops
· Chicken and Macaroni
· Veal Cake
· Turnips Cresselly
· Baked Apple Pudding
· Potato Rissoles
· Arrowroot Pudding
· Compote of Apples

And of course, all her ingredients were free-range and organic.

These wonderful recipes have been adapted for today’s modern kitchen and are easy to prepare and create unique dinner menus for family get-togethers, holiday parties, or weeknight dinners.

From a historical perspective, the authors provide a unique look at Victorian life through their Introduction chapter, discussing details and practices of the Darwin household. And, the historian in anyone will be delighted to see many reprinted pages from Mrs. Darwin’s actual diaries.

“While researching our book we found that cooking and eating a dish enjoyed by Charles Darwin and his family brought us closer to the great man,” say authors Dusha Bateson and Weslie Janeway. “And our impression of Emma at the end of our culinary journey? We felt a growing admiration and warmth. From her letters she emerges as a truly interesting and extraordinary woman. “

Feb. 12 was Darwin Day, the bi-centennial anniversary of Darwin’s birth and an international celebration of the discoveries and life of this extraordinary man. Mrs. Charles Darwin’s Recipe Book is the perfect complement to the celebration of the life of Charles Darwin through authentic dishes from the Darwin household, and opening a window into the life and accomplishments of Emma Darwin, who gracefully supported her husband along his path of scientific inquiry. Cookery, history, Victoriana, and botany buffs alike will be sure to devour this rich culinary exploration.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

DUSHA BATESON studied history at England’s Cambridge University. She may have inherited her interests in investigating archival materials and writing from her father, a BBC foreign correspondent to the Balkans and author of several books. Born and raised in the UK, Dusha has worked as a journalist and as a librarian. In 1988, her husband, Sir Patrick Bateson, became Provost of King’s College where the Batesons entertained many guests, from Queen Elizabeth II to the Dalai Lama. The Batesons live in East Suffolk, England.

WESLIE JANEWAY studied history and politics at Barnard College and Brown University. She has worked as a political analyst in banking, investment banking and continued to work in investment (at Sontag Advisory, a boutique investment firm) until 2006, when she and her semi-retired husband moved to Cambridge, England. She lives with her husband and son variously between Cambridge, England, New York City, and the coast of Maine.

Mrs. Charles Darwin’s Recipe Book
Revived and Illustrated
by Dusha Bateson and Weslie Janeway
Glitterati Inc.
November 2008
$35.00/hardcover

We're baaaack!!!

2009-02-19T10:39:00.001-06:00

Had a hiatus from the blog -- much non-food ado -- but now we're back running again.

A glorious find. Must be seen. Must be tried.

2009-01-28T14:01:00.000-06:00

Ridiculous.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html

Crawfish etouffe... smother some goodness

2009-01-28T09:24:00.003-06:00

Mardi Gras is Feb. 24 this year, and the chefs at The Culinary Institute of America suggest you celebrate it Cajun-style by serving Crawfish Étouffée. (Note: It'll work with shrimp, and I've even substituted chunks of catfish fillets for this dish).

According to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, the humble crawfish (known more widely as crayfish) owes its stardom to the Cajuns and is plentiful in the freshwaters of Louisiana's bayous and lakes. Crawfish finds its way into many dishes, but the little crustacean is mostly identified with étouffée, a Cajun translation of "smothered," derived from the French étouffer.

"Étouffée is the name given to dishes like this one that are gently cooked in a covered pot," explains CIA Chef Kathy Polenz. "Crawfish, or crayfish, are sold live or as cooked meat. If you buy crawfish meat, look for the words fat-on. Crawfish fat is an integral part of a good étouffée."

So, let the chefs of the CIA show you how to "laissez les bon temps rouler!" ("let the good times roll!"), by cooking up a pot of Crawfish Étouffée for Mardi Gras this year.The following recipe can be found in The Culinary Institute of America's One Dish Meals (2006, Lebhar-Friedman) cookbook, which is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide.

Crawfish Étouffée

5 servings

3 tablespoons bacon fat or canola oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
1 cup minced celery
3/4 cup minced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon mild paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or as needed
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
Salt as needed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fish or chicken broth or as needed
1 1/4 pound crawfish tail meat with fat
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green portions
1/4 cup basil chiffonade (cut into fine threads)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat the bacon fat or oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add the onion and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cover the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika, white and black pepper, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and pasty, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and stir well to work out any lumps. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the crawfish tails and their fat. Cover the pot and cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until the crawfish is cooked through and very hot, 8 to 10 minutes. Add a little more broth as needed throughout the cooking time if the étouffée is getting too thick. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Add the butter, scallions, basil, and parsley and stir to combine. Serve the étouffée in heated bowls.

Nutrition analysis, étouffée without rice per an 11-ounce serving: 340 calories, 27g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 18g fat, 370mg sodium, 95mg cholesterol, 2g fiber.

Needing some sunshine?

2009-01-28T09:21:00.002-06:00

Today's Your Table section of The Star takes a first glance at ordering seeds and such for the upcoming (really, it is) planting season.

Herbs such as parsley, chervil, cilantro and dill grow wonderfully from seed. Last year, we made a homemade cold frame and started the seeds outside weeks before traditional frost-free days.

Success.

Actually, there's still some flat-leaf parsley soldiering on through the winter.

American Classics, revisited

2009-01-21T08:03:00.002-06:00

From the Your Table section of today's Anniston Star, a humble offering of old school American recipes that have never gone out of style. Cheers!

American classics
New era reminds us of the old favorites in our nation’s pantry
By Laura Tutor
ltutor@annistonstar. com

After their inauguration Tuesday, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and about 200 guests sat down for lunch in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill.

Another president, Abraham Lincoln, is Obama’s hero. So it’s appropriate that the first meal Obama ate as president was inspired by the Lincoln White House. On the menu for his inaugural lunch: seafood stew of lobster, shrimp and black cod topped with a puff pastry dome; duo of pheasant and duck served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes; and apple cinnamon sponge cake with sweet cream glace.

Not sure Lincoln would have had glace, but we won’t quibble.

The lunch, organized by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, included members of the Supreme Court, Cabinet designees and the congressional leadership. Chefs spent months researching the food and cooking style of the 1860s. Wild game, especially duck, appeared on many White House menus of the day. Apples were widely available.

“Stews were very popular. It wasn’t rare to have stew for breakfast,” says account executive Rickie Niceta of the decision to serve seafood stew. “But we were also thinking about who will be attending. They’ll be cold, and they’ll be starving. We wanted to start with something hot and substantial.”

January in D.C. calls for hot and substantial, but it also brings to mind some famous recipes that have been handed down through the years. The restaurant in the Senate section of the Capitol serves bean soup every day – and has for more than a century. And while some pages will insist it’s served the same soup every day for more than a century, the recipe is actually a pretty good bean soup for a cold day on the Hill.

Not to be outdone from the heartland, The Truman Library in Independence, Mo., has dozens of recipes that Bess Truman whipped up regularly for her family and friends: American classics like meatloaf and mac-and-cheese.

Finish your presidential meal off with something sweet, such as Mamie Eisenhower’s fudge, which still makes the rounds at Christmas, or the tart cranberry pudding served at Mount Vernon.

Thanks to our friends at The Washington Post for doing the legwork on the menu particulars.

Senate Bean Soup
According to one story, the Senate’s bean soup tradition began early in the 20th century at the request of Sen. Fred Dubois of Idaho. Another story attributes the request to Sen. Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903.

The recipe attributed to Dubois includes mashed potatoes and makes a 5-gallon batch. Well, he was from Idaho, so what do we expect? This is the original recipe, which included mashed potatoes – the ultimate thickening agent of its day. Oh, and this makes five gallons, so prepare to freeze some.

3 pounds dried navy beans
2 pounds of ham and a ham bone
1 quart mashed potatoes
5 onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
four cloves garlic, chopped
half a bunch of parsley, chopped
Clean the beans, then cook them dry in a large (really large) pot for a few minutes to heat them. Add ham, bone and water and bring to a boil. Cook until begins just get soft, but still have some texture. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour before serving.

Mrs. Truman’s Meat Loaf
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound pork (get all the meat ground and mixed at store)
1 cup bread crumbs (or oatmeal)
3/ 4 cup of milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
chopped onions
Mix and form into a loaf. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Several slices of bacon add to flavor if put on top at baking time.

Mrs. Truman’s Mac and Cheese
8 ounces macaroni, cooked and drained
1/ 2 pound grated cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1 egg
1/ 4 cup margarine (she said “oleo” on her recipe card. That’s so retro.)
In a baking dish, place layer of macaroni, then add a layer of cheese. Repeat your layers to use everything up. Combine milk and eggs; pour over macaroni and cheese. Dot the top with butter. This can be made up to this point and refrigerated for a day – just take it from the ’fridge and let it warm up some while your oven is preheating to 350. Then bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.

Cranberry Pudding from Mount Vernon
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch salt
1/ 2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/ 3 cup boiling water
1 1/ 2 cups sifted flour
1 1/ 2 cups cranberries, cut in half
Combine eggs, sugar, salt and molasses. In a separate container, put 2 teaspoons of soda in 1/3 cup boiling water. Add to egg mixture. Stir in flour and cranberries. Steam in a buttered rice steamer for 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm with the sauce.
Sauce
2 sticks butter
1 cup half and half
2 cups sugar
Melt butter. Add sugar and half and half and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Mamie’s Million Dollar Fudge
4 1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tall can evaporated milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bits
12 ounces German-sweet chocolate
1 pint marshmallow cream
2 cups nuts
Boil the sugar, salt, butter, evaporated milk together for six minutes.
Put chocolate bits and German chocolate, marshmallow cream and nutmeats in a bowl. Pour the boiling syrup over the ingredients. Beat until chocolate is all melted, then pour in pan. Let stand a few hours before cutting.
Remember, it is better the second day. Store in tin box.

More American classics
Source: The American Woman’s Cook Book (1950 edition my grandma gave me.)

Boston Baked Beans
2 cups dried navy beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 /8 pound salt pork or bacon
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1/ 2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons molasses

Soak beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse. In a slow-cooker, add all ingredients and 2 cups water. Turn to low and cook for 10 hours. Stovetop/oven: In a Dutch oven, put the rinsed beans and all ingredients. Simmer on the stove about 1-2 hours, partially covered, until the beans soften. Then pour into a baking dish and bake at 350 for another hour.

New England Clam Chowder
1/ 4 pound salt pork or bacon, cubed
2 small onions, minced
1 rib celery, diced
2 tablespoons flour
1 quart clams (with juice from can or jar)
6 small potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken broth
salt to taste
1/ 2 stick of butter
1/ 2 teaspoon pepper
3 1/ 2 cups half-n-half
Brown pork in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add onion and celery and cook about 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and cook about 1 minute more, stirring to coat the vegetables with the flour. Add the potatoes and chicken broth, then cook over low-medium heat until the potatoes soften, stirring frequently so the vegetables don’t stick. Don’t worry if some of the potatoes start to break apart – that will help thicken your chowder. Add remaining ingredients, then cook, covered, over low heat for about 15 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Food glitterati coming to Atlanta

2009-01-21T07:47:00.010-06:00

See Food Network stars at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show

Celebrate the creativity, diversity and just good fun of southern food at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show. The show will be April 18-19 in Atlanta. (There's also one in West Palm Beach, but who can afford to go?)

Both the Atlanta and the WPB event will feature the regions’ hottest local chefs in live cooking demonstrations and Tasting and Entertaining experts from around the nation will teach you how to make any event special with just a little creativity. Each event will also feature more than 150 exhibitors showcasing gourmet foods, specialty beverages, unique kitchen gadgets, floral, linens.

Last, but certainly not least, if you are a Food Network fan, see your favorite TV chef share their personal stories and recipes at the show. You can even get a special 10% discount on Celebrity theater tickets.

(Note: Tickets to the Celebrity Theater include General Admission, so you won’t have to buy both). Just enter the code SOFAB into the promo code box upon check out to receive the discount. This special promotion will only last until midnight on FRIDAY, so buy your tickets today!

Paula Deen

March 28-29 West Palm Beach

April 18-19 Atlanta

Bobby Flay

March 28-29 West Palm Beach

Giada De Laurentiis

April 18-19 Atlanta

Guy Fieri

April 18-19 Atlanta

The Neelys

March 28-29 West Palm Beach

April 18-19 Atlanta

Sirius radio for serious cooks

2009-01-16T10:53:00.000-06:00

MARTHA STEWART “AT MARTHA’S TABLE”
ON SIRIUS XM RADIO

The three culinary experts talk live on Martha Stewart Living Radio about food, life, travels and more

Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert will take listener calls from around the country

WHO: Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert

WHAT: Martha will interview Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert during a live broadcast of At Martha’s Table, an exclusive SIRIUS XM series.

Martha will discuss their accomplished careers and achievements, including Anthony’s bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential, and his series, No Reservations, now in its fifth season on the Travel Channel, as well as Eric’s experience as chef and co-owner of the world-renowned and award-winning Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City.

Martha, Anthony and Eric will also share their own tips, personal recipes and kitchen secrets with SIRIUS XM listeners who are encouraged to call in and ask questions during the live broadcast at 866-675-6675.

WHERE: Martha Stewart Living Radio SIRIUS channel 112 and XM channel 157, as part of
“The Best of SIRIUS” package.

WHEN: Live broadcast on Thursday, February 5, 2009 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET

MORE: At Martha’s Table is a live interview series that airs exclusively on
SIRIUS XM’s Martha Stewart Living Radio. The series features Martha Stewart’s intimate conversations with today’s most influential tastemakers. Recent guests include internationally-acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse, Tom Colicchio and Jamie Oliver.

Anthony Bourdain is a renowned American chef and author who won critical acclaim for his bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential, as well as his culinary and cultural adventure series, No Reservations, on the Travel Channel. He has written eight other books including A Cook’s Tour, Nasty Bits and No Reservations.

Internationally-recognized chef of Le Bernardin in New York City, Eric Ripert is one of America’s top chefs. Eric and Le Bernardin have been awarded the following accolades: four-star rating from the New York Times since three months after it opened in 1986; three-stars from the Michelin Guide; GQ magazine’s “Best Restaurant in America; ” New York magazine’s “#1 Restaurant in New York City;” The Zagat Guide’s “Best Food” award; and The James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Restaurant of the Year” and the “Top Chef in New York City.” Eric is also the author of three cookbooks, including this year’s On the Line, a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a four-star restaurant.

On Martha Stewart Living Radio SIRIUS channel 112 and XM Radio 157, Martha Stewart and her team of lifestyle experts teach, advise and inspire around-the-clock with shows about entertaining, cooking, pet care, gardening, weddings and much more.

Speaking of stew....

2009-01-16T10:04:00.002-06:00

This glorious weather (not being sarcastic. I love cold weather) puts me in the mind of soups and stews. I've been on a soup tangent for some time now. I've tried not to inflict it on too many people, but today just SCREAMS soup.

The beutiful thing about soup is that it rarely tastes the same any time you make it. They are among the most forgiving of all dishes -- a little variation in a recipe generally adds character and is rarely a deal-breakers. They don't have the pouty nature of baked goods. They won't crash and burn and dry like chicken or beef, if you get careless.

Soup rules.

Pistou

This Italian vegetable soup is ready in an hour. For four servings:

3 3/4 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound green beans, trimmed and chopped
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
14-ounce can of peeled tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 minced garlic cloves
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespons olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to serve

Pour all ingredients (except pasta, cheese and olive oil) into a large saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the spaghetti and cook about 12 minutes more or until the pasta is tender.

Serve in bowls topped with some cheese.

Vegetable Soup
If Italian vegetable soup won't work, try this one from Quebec. It's not red or tomato-based, like most vegetable soups, which makes it ideal for folks who can't stomach tomatoes. A few Octobers ago, I had it at a restaurant in Quebec City. Super easy and, agian, four servings ready in less than an hour.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
5 cups chicken broth or stock
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery rib, trimmed and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. yes, nutmeg
4 egg yolks (hang with me)
1 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for about a minute. Add the vegetables and stir. It'll be chunky and pasty. Stir in your cold or room-temperature broth/stock. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and the cream. Take ladle and put some (1/2 cup) of the hot soup and stir quickly into the cream-egg mixture to 'temper' the egg yolks (you don't want scrambled eggs). Then, just as quickly, whisk the egg-cream-soup mixture back into the full batch of soup. Stir briskly and cook for about 4 minutes until it's heated through.

Top with croutons.

Obama's Inaugural stew

2009-01-16T10:01:00.001-06:00

Recipe for President Obama's Inaugural Luncheon

This recipe was provided to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies by the luncheon's cater, Design Cuisine of Arlington, Va.

SEAFOOD STEW

6 (1-pound) Maine lobsters
20 medium-size sea scallops
36 large shrimp, peeled, cleaned and tail removed, about 2 pound.
10 (1-ounce) pieces of black cod
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced leek
1/2 cup finely diced peeled Idaho potato
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 quart heavy cream
1 cup dry vermouth (optional)
10 (5-inch) puff-pastry rounds
10 (3 1/2-inch) terrines or ramekins, or serving dish of your choice

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil; poach lobsters, then shrimp, then black cod and last scallops. After seafood is cooked, remove from water; reserve water and bring to boil.

Cook all vegetables in liquid that was used for the seafood; remove vegetables when tender. Allow the liquid to continue to boil until only 1 quart of liquid remains. This will be the base for the sauce.

Bring seafood liquid back to a boil and add the vermouth and heavy cream and reduce by half, season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. You have reached your desired thickness when the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.

Cut lobster, shrimp and scallops into bite-sized pieces.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.6. Fold seafood and vegetables into cool sauce, being careful not to mix too much as this will break up the seafood. Scoop mixture into terrines or ovenproof baking dish of your choice.

Cover terrines with puff-pastry rounds, brush them with egg wash and bake them until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. You can cook this 2-3 hours ahead of time and keep warm at 150 degrees. Makes 10 servings.

Food Network Classes in Atlanta

2009-01-15T11:56:00.001-06:00

New Food Network Cooking Classes At The Art Institute of Atlanta Start Jan. 24

Love gourmet meals but need to watch that budget? Sign up for Food Network Cooking Classes at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta and you'll find exiting ways to turn your home into a gourmet dining room!

Cooking at home brings families together, gives you new ways to be creative in entertaining friends and neighbors, and offers a cost-saving option you can actually control. Whether you're unsure how to boil water or already have some fundamental cooking skills, you'll find a class to suit you.

Winter offerings include fall favorites such as "How to Boil Water I," "Classic Steakhouse Favorites," "A Night in Tuscany," and "Cupcake Extravaganza." New classes for winter include "Gourmet Meals on a Budget," "Healthy Choices, Big Flavors," "Romantic Dinners," and "Entertaining at Home."

Classes begin Jan. 24 and are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Eastern time) on Saturdays in The International Culinary School kitchens at The Art Institute of Atlanta.

Food Network Cooking Classes are hands-on workshops geared toward cooks of all experience levels, offering tips and techniques from Food Network's behind-the-scenes team of experts, the Food Network Kitchens. Participants have an opportunity to learn what the pros know and how to cook in a fun, approachable way.

The fee, which includes all ingredients and use of equipment, is $119 per class per person. To help you control your budget, you may want to take advantage of this special offer - purchase three classes and get a fourth class free! For more information or reserve your space, go to www.foodnetworkclasses.com or call The Art Institute of Atlanta at 770.689.4764 or 1.800.275.4242, ext. 4764.

White House Chef

2009-01-15T11:52:00.001-06:00

President-Elect Barack Obama Selects White House Chef

After much speculation regarding the next White House Chef, Michelle Obama announced Friday that Chef Cristeta Comerford will remain in her current position as White House Chef. Named to the position in 1995 by the Bushes, Comerford is the first female and the first minority to hold the position. Many people thought that a new White House Chef would be appointed because the Obamas have markedly different eating habits than the Bushes.

According to the Huffington Post, "The President who notoriously wouldn't eat anything 'green' or 'wet' is being replaced by one who loves his meals straight from the garden.

While George W. Bush spent his two terms scarfing down BLTs, white-bread grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers (and there's nothing wrong with that, mind you), President-elect Barack Obama will usher in just as big a culinary makeover as a partisan one." (Huffington Post, Nov. 10, 2008)

However, to reduce Comerford's abilities to BLTs and burgers seems a bit narrow.

In addition to the dinners she has put on during her time as White House Chef, Comerford has also trained in hotels in the U.S. and has worked in Vienna, Austria. It seems that in addition to the many formal White House dinners she has organized (and BLTs), she will be quite able to handle vegetables and a low-carbohydrate diet.

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum currently has Cristeta Comerford's chef whites on display in the White House Exhibit.

Mmmm. Strawberries.

2009-01-15T11:48:00.001-06:00

Tips for Dipping Strawberries
Save loads of cash by dipping strawberries yourself. It's easy and elegant.

Leave stems and green caps on berries.

To ensure chocolate adheres to berries, make sure strawberries are free of outside moisture. Rinse, drain and carefully pat strawberries with a paper towel until dry.

Be careful. Just one drop of moisture in melted chocolate will cause chocolate to seize (clump and harden).

Chocolate-dipped strawberries are perfect for a romantic evening in, with candlelight and a bottle of wine.

Add multi-colored sprinkles or roll in coconut or chopped nuts to make chocolate-dipped strawberries even more special and delicious.

Winter Strawberry Dessert Pizza
You won't find pepperoni anywhere near this specialty dessert! A cream cheese filling is spread over a sweet crust and topped with glazed strawberries.

Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup margarine, softened
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup brown sugar

Topping:
1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin
½ cup sugar
Dash salt
1 cup water (divided use)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ pounds Florida strawberries

Filling: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened ¾ cup powdered sugar 1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping

For crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 12 or 14-inch pizza pan with a small amount of butter or cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, margarine, pecans and brown sugar. Mix well with fork or pastry blender. Spread mixture in pizza pan by gently pressing and spreading dough evenly with palm of hand and fingertips to form a thin crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

For filling, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold in whipped topping until thoroughly blended. Spread over cooled crust.
For topping, combine gelatin, sugar, salt and ½ cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining water. Stir into gelatin mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Allow topping to cool to room temperature.

Remove caps from strawberries, wash, drain and slice in half lengthwise. Add strawberries to gelatin mixture and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Spread topping on top of cream cheese layer and chill in a refrigerator for an hour before serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

Short-Cut Method: Crust: Purchase one (18-ounce) tube refrigerated slice-and-bake sugar cookie dough. Bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove ends of package with a sharp knife and cut open along seam. Remove cookie dough from wrapper and place directly onto a 14 or 16-inch pizza pan. Form a crust directly in pizza pan by gently pressing and spreading dough evenly with palm of hand and fingertips. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Filling: 1 container (24.3 ounces) ready-to-eat cheesecake filling (brought to room temperature)
When cookie dough crust is thoroughly cooled, top with cheesecake filling mixture as you would a pizza. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chilled.

Note: If a lighter texture is desired, place prepared cheesecake filling in a large mixing bowl and fold in 1 container (8-ounces) whipped topping (thawed). There may be some mixture remaining. Don’t worry. Any leftovers will be a welcomed surprise.

Topping: Prepare topping as noted above. Return to refrigerator to chill an additional hour before serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

Cookoff finalists -- that's Kosher

2009-01-15T11:44:00.000-06:00

The Manischewitz Company announces the six (6) finalists chosen to compete in the Third Annual Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off on February 13th at the New York Marriott Marquis. The six finalists were selected from among thousands of entries nationwide to compete LIVE for the chance to win the $25,000 grand prize package including GE Profile Kitchen appliances, cash and more. Mayor Bloomberg has proclaimed Feb. 13 as “Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off Day” in New York City.

Out of the thousands of entries received, the top recipes were selected, tested and chosen by an expert panel of judges which included Sarah Lasry, cookbook author and restaurant owner. Ms. Lasry has written The Dairy Gourmet and owns and operates Tastebuds Café in Howell, NJ. The finalists’ recipes were judged on the following criteria: taste, 50%; ease of preparation, 25%; creativity and originality, 25%.

*The six finalists are:

Erin Eugustou from Brooklyn, NY with her recipe Ruby Red Risotto with Pistachio-Basil Pesto, Garlic-Herb Goat Cheese
Myra Smolev from New York, NY with her recipe Sloppy Moses
Shana Schuman from Chicago, IL with her recipe Meaty Manischtroni
Deborah Leebove from Denver, CO with her recipe Mani Meatloaves
Elise Lalor from Issaquah, WA with her recipe Laced Lamb with Figs
Amy Siegel from Clifton, NJ with her recipe Marvelous Mediterranean Falafel Sliders

The Grand Prize Winner will be selected on site by a panel of prestigious food experts including Todd Coleman, Food Editor, Saveur magazine; Emily Kaiser, Food Associate Editor, Food & Wine magazine; Michael Park, Epicurious.com; Armando Monterroso, Executive Chef, Marriott Marquis; and Joy Devor of Rockaway, NY the winner of the 2008 Simply Manischewitz Cook-off.

Cooking with Kosher products and making ethnic creations based on Jewish Heritage is fast becoming one of today’s hottest food trends. According the foremost authority on Kosher Foods, Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, “The Kosher consumer base is getting younger and stronger and now crosses all ethnic backgrounds.” Finalists selected for the Simply Manischewitz Cook-off include both Kosher and non-Kosher consumers.

“We are extremely excited to announce the six finalists in the Third Annual Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off,” said David Rossi, Vice President of Marketing for the Manischewitz Company. “With the wide range of Manischewitz products and our rich 120 year history, the Manischewitz brands are quickly becoming more of a staple among both mainstream and Kosher consumers. We are finding that many people choose Manischewitz products because of their superior quality, convenience, diversity and taste.”

All ingredients in the competition must be certified kosher and the competition will be overseen by Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz. Rabbi Horowitz represents the OU as Rabbi in charge of Rabbinic supervision for all Manischewitz Company brands.

Roux the day... in a jar

2009-01-15T11:40:00.003-06:00

So last night I was watching Alton Brown make gumbo on "Good Eats." He went through his way to make a roux. I've never had that much difficulty, but it brought to mind something I saw in Winn-Dixie the other day: roux in a jar.

I've heard of it, but I've never tried it. The purist in me wants to be against it, but....

Need a shot of warmth? Love this.

2009-01-15T11:34:00.002-06:00

Our balmy friends to the south have sent some seafood recipes to share with your honey on Valentine's Day. But they'd be pretty good tonight, too:

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, our thoughts turn to bouquets of red roses, those rich, creamy chocolates in red heart-shaped boxes and romantic dinners. The flowers and candy are easy to decide on but what about that special Valentine’s Day dinner? This year why not plan a romantic dinner around delicious Florida seafood.

Seafood is the perfect choice. It is quick and easy to prepare, flavorful and rich but light enough to allow for a late night of dancing. As an added benefit, seafood is a heart-healthy choice for you and your sweetheart with its high protein and low fat content and Omega-3 benefits. Omega-3 is the fatty-acid that has been linked to lowering the risk of heart attack, breast cancer, prostate cancer and stroke. So enjoy a “guilt free” evening knowing that you are doing something good for your special someone…except for those decadent, rich chocolates, that is.

Keeping with the red color scheme of the day, you can choose a succulent Florida red snapper entree, lobster medallions in a creamy sauce or a wild pink shrimp pasta dish to make the evening memorable.

Pan-seared Florida Snapper with Roasted Red Pepper Chili

4 6-ounce Florida snapper fillets
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
sea salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons Canola oil

Sprinkle fillets with seasonings then dredge in flour. Melt butter and oil in shallow skillet over medium-high heat; add fillets and cook 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove fillets from skillet and serve with Roasted Red Pepper Chili.
Yield: 4 Servings

Roasted Red Pepper Chili

1 8-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, chopped
1 tablespoon diced Florida shallots
3 cloves Florida garlic, crushed
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Florida honey
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Cook all the ingredients in a large sauté pan for 20 minutes and puree in blender until smooth. Strain for a more refined sauce. Adjust the seasonings and serve hot.

Alfredo Florida Shrimp

1 10-ounce container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 teaspoon pepper, coarse ground
3 cups cooked fettuccine pasta
1 1/2 pounds medium Florida pink shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Combine Alfredo sauce, half & half, Parmesan cheese and pepper in large saucepan. Over low heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta and shrimp; gently stir to combine. To serve, twist fettuccine around fork to make a tight roll and center on plate; top with shrimp and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Yield: 4 servings

Creamy Lobster Medallions with Wild Rice

1 1/2 cups wild rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green onion, chopped
1 10 1/2-ounce can cream of shrimp soup
1/2 cup sherry
1/4 cup butter
hot pepper sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds Florida lobster meat, cooked and sliced

Prepare wild rice per package instructions. While rice is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan and sauté the carrots, celery and green onion for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir sautéed vegetables into cooked wild rice. Set aside. Combine soup, sherry, butter, and seasonings in a double boiler and heat thoroughly. If sauce gets too thick, add more sherry. Add lobster meat and stir until heated through. On individual plates, arrange lobster slices on wild rice and spoon sauce over. Serve remaining sauce separately.
Yield: 4 servings

To find more Florida seafood recipes and information, visit www.FL-Seafood.com.

Coming to Your Table on Wednesday

2009-01-06T15:33:00.003-06:00

Gray weather has me in a mellow kind of mood. That means soups, stews, chowders and roasted vegetables.

Ergo, a slew of hearty recipes comes your way in Your Table for Wednesday's Anniston Star. If you need something sweet, then Prudence Hilburn is cooking up some lovely praline-inspired desserts. We've also got some perky salads and fine recipes for pork chops.

Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

Beef is for dinner this weekend

2009-01-06T15:01:00.002-06:00

This brings back memories of my days in 4-H ....

State Beef Cook-Off to be Held this Saturday

The Alabama Senior/Junior High State Beef Cook-Off will be this Saturday at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association building in downtown Montgomery with the judging process starting at 10 a.m. and winners to be announced just after noon.

“I am excited about the overwhelming entries in the junior division and I am looking forward to seeing what this age-group brings to the table,” says Alabama Cattlewomen’s Association President Nancy Dickerson.

Forty-one students from 26 counties across the state will compete for cash prizes. A large capacity microwave oven and $100 will be awarded to the “Best in Beef” winner’s Family & Consumer Sciences classroom for instructional purposes.

The State Beef Cook-Off not only educates students about the nutritional value of beef, but also familiarizes them with various cooking methods and emphasizes safe food handling.

And from the spice fairy....

2009-01-05T14:57:00.004-06:00

An earlier post alluded to some of the hot flavor trends expected for 2009. The year, according to spice purveyor McCormick, is going to continue getting more exotic. Whether this is an attempt to lure weak-willed spice junkies like me -- or whether they think Agave nectar will truly go mainstream -- remains to be seen. But their recipe suggestions this year continue to call for more ethnic ingredients. I don't know that polenta's gone mainstream in the South yet (although my grandma used to fix cornmeal mush), but they're trying to nudge us toward bold flavors.

I've used toasted sesame seeds several times in the past few weeks. This recipe was super easy and oh, so hearty. Highly recommended.

Sesame Root Beer Braised Short Ribs with Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 1/4 hours

3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into serving-size pieces

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons oil, divided

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 ribs celery, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

2 medium onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)2 medium parsnips, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 bottle (12 ounces) micro-brewed root beer

1/2 cup water

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Bay Leaves

3 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Sesame Seed, Toasted OR McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Sesame Seed , toasted, divided1 teaspoon

McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Sicilian Sea Salt

1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat short ribs with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in 5-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof saucepot on medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the short ribs; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove from Dutch oven. Repeat with remaining short ribs.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven on medium heat. Add garlic, celery, onions and parsnips; cook and stir 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add root beer, water, bouillon cubes, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of the sesame seed, sea salt and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring to loosen browned bits in bottom of Dutch oven. Return short ribs to Dutch oven, stirring to partially cover short ribs in liquid. Cover.

Braise in oven 2 hours. Add sweet potatoes; cover and braise 1 hour longer or until short ribs and sweet potatoes are tender. Skim fat from liquid. Divide short ribs and vegetables among serving bowls. Top each with sauce. Sprinkle short ribs evenly with remaining 1 teaspoon sesame seed.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories: 652

Sodium: 492 mg
Fat: 48 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Cholesterol: 105 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 27 g

I'm also a fan of brie. Here's a non-traditional way to look at a feisty cheese:

Warm Rosemary Brie Cake with Peach Preserves

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

1 1/4 cups flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Rosemary, Crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar, divided

4 eggs, at room temperature, separated

1/4 cup milk

1 round (8 to 10 ounces) Brie cheese

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection™ Cream of Tartar

2/3 cup peach or apricot preserves, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix flour, baking powder, rosemary and salt in small bowl. Butter and flour 9-inch springform pan. Slice brie evenly into 3 horizontal layers. Place 1 layer, skin-side down, in center of bottom of prepared pan. Cut remaining 2 layers in half. Place, skin-side down, around brie in pan so that most of the bottom of the pan is covered with brie, leaving about 1/2-inch uncovered around edge of inside of pan. Set aside.

Beat butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add egg yolks, beat on high speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in 1/2 of the flour mixture, milk then remaining flour mixture on low speed until well blended, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Beat egg whites in clean large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar in small bowl. Gradually beat into egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture until well blended. Gently stir or fold in remaining egg white mixture. Pour and spread batter over brie to create an even cake layer.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Cool about 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove rim of pan. Spread top of cake evenly with preserves. Serve warm. Refrigerate any leftover cake.

To Make Ahead: Prepare and bake cake as directed above. Cool completely. Cover tightly. Refrigerate. Several hours before serving, remove cake from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Remove rim of pan. Place cake on baking sheet. Spread top of cake evenly with preserves. Heat in preheated 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories: 290

Sodium: 284 mg
Fat: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 34 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 7 g

A radicc-al salad option

2009-01-05T14:53:00.003-06:00

Experts extol the virtues of the colorful fruits and vegetables. The folks at Royal Rose Radicchio have a snappy salad idea.

Radicchio, Spinach & Pear Salad

Makes 8 servings 1/2 head radicchio, cored and chopped

1 10-oz. bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped

3 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and sliced

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

6 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola (or other creamy blue cheese)

1/2 cup caramelized pecans* (or chopped pecans)

Combine chopped radicchio, spinach leaves, sliced Bartlett pear and red onion in a bowl. In small saucepan, heat vinegar and oil gently over medium heat until hot; immediately pour dressing over salad and toss until evenly dressed. Season with salt and pepper, top with crumbled Gorgonzola and caramelized pecans and serve at once.

Caramelized Pecans:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted

Lightly grease a rimmed cookie sheet. Set aside. In a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil. Increase heat to medium-high and cook syrup without stirring until mixture turns golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans, and then spread pecans in a single layer on prepared sheet. Let stand until cool, then break into small pieces. Makes 1 cup. Store covered at room temperature.

*To toast nuts, place on a shallow baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes, until fragrant.

Cornbread cooks, wield your skillet

2009-01-05T14:49:00.001-06:00

A cast iron skillet, your favorite Martha White Cornbread Mix, and a dash of creativity could bring you the $5,000 First Prize in the 2009 National Cornbread Cook-Off. Entries for original main dish cornbread recipes are now being accepted until Feb. 28, 2009, by The National Cornbread Festival for its 13th Annual Cook-Off, sponsored by Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron.
Ten finalists will compete during the National Cornbread Festival and create their original cornbread specialties under the Big Cook-Off Tent on April 25 in South Pittsburg, Tenn. One lucky winner will be chosen as the reigning cornbread champion and receive $5,000 and a 30-inch stainless steel gas range (a $2,500 value) from Five Star Professional Cooking Equipment, a division of Brown Stove Works, Inc.
“Every year I am amazed at the creativity of the cornbread recipes that are submitted from all regions of the country,” said Linda Carman, Martha White baking expert. “We’ve gotten recipes inspired by ethnic cuisines from all over the world, and some of the most popular have been the recipes with a Mexican, TexMex, or Southwestern flair to them. The flavorful ingredients typical of TexMex cooking, paired with cornbread, have always been favorites with entrants and judges.”
In 2003, the trend began to heat up with the winning White Chicken Chili with Cheddar Hush Puppy Crust recipe. In 2005, South-of-the Border Chicken Fiesta took second place. And, in 2007, it was Southwest-inspired Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges with Ranchero Cilantro Drizzle (find recipe at www.marthawhite.com) that came out on top.
To qualify for the National Cornbread Cook-Off this year, an entry must be an original main dish recipe and prepared with at least one package of Martha White® Cornbread Mix using Lodge® Cast Iron cookware. Entries must also include contestant’s name, address, daytime phone number, date of birth, and name of grocery retailer.
To enter online, go to the “Promotion and News” section at www.marthawhite.com, and submit your original recipe along with complete contact information.
To enter by e-mail, send your original recipe along with your complete contact information to cornbread@dvl.com. Online and e-mail entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on Feb. 28, 2009.
To enter by mail, send your original recipe and complete contact information on an 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper to: National Cornbread Cook-Off 2009, 209 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by Feb. 28 and received by March 6.
Ten finalists will be chosen from all entries.
For past winning recipes and complete contest rules, visit www.marthawhite.com or www.lodgemfg.com.

Cash and Prizes
The Cook-Off grand champion will win a $5,000 cash prize and a 30-inch stainless steel gas range (a $2,500 value) from Five Star® Professional Cooking Equipment, a division of Brown Stove Works, Inc., and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge® Cast Iron.
The second prize winner will walk away with $1,000, the third prize winner with $600. The remaining seven finalists will each be awarded $100. All finalists will receive $500 travel reimbursement and gifts courtesy of Martha White and Lodge® Cast Iron.
Sponsored by Martha White Foods, Inc., Lodge Manufacturing Company, and Brown Stove Works, Inc. Open to legal residents of the United States and D.C., 18 years or older, except food professionals, such as chefs, food writers, or food home economists who create recipes for pay. Void outside the 50 United States and D.C. and where prohibited.

White Chicken Chili with Cheddar Hushpuppy Crust

Filling
1 tablespoon Crisco Pure Olive Oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 (19 oz.) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (4.5 oz.) can mild green chilies, drained

Crust
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1(6 oz.) pkg. Martha White Cotton Country Cornbread Mix
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil over medium heat in a 10 1/2 - inch Lodge cast iron skillet. Add 1 cup onion, garlic, green pepper, cumin and chili powder; sauté about 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add remaining filling ingredients; simmer about 10 minutes.

Beat egg in medium bowl. Add milk, butter and cornbread mix; mix well. Stir in 1/4 cup onion and cheese. Pour over chicken chili in skillet.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown. Top with sour cream, salsa, and/or cilantro, if desired.

6 servings

South of the Border Chicken Fiesta

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (6 oz.) pkgs. Southwestern seasoned fully cooked chicken strips
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can nacho cheese condensed soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, divided
1 (7 oz.) pkg. Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread Mix
3/4 cup Mexican style shredded cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream style corn
1 large egg

Shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, Mexican style shredded cheese to garnish.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a 10 1/2 - inch Lodge® cast iron skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.

Wipe skillet with paper towel. Combine chicken, soup, sour cream, beans and 4 tablespoons of the chilies in skillet; stir until blended.

Add cornbread mix, cheese, milk, corn, egg and remaining chilies to bowl with cooked onions and garlic; stir until blended. Spread cornbread mixture over chicken filling.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cornbread topping is golden brown. (Place foil or pan on lower rack, in case filling bubbles over.) Cut into wedges; garnish each slice with shredded lettuce, sour cream salsa and cheese.

8 servings

When snacks go pop

2009-01-05T13:39:00.004-06:00

My 6-year-old doesn't usually eat much. She'll eat anything, mind you, but she's a bit on the wee side and therefore doesn't require a whole lot to fill her up.

The exception: popcorn. The child will eat popcorn until it comes out her ears and her midsection resembles a thermometer that has been stuffed with a beach ball. I'm always on the lookout for things to enliven popcorn. It's never been my favorite, but the little ones devour it.

Among some suggestions from The Popcorn Board:

Cinnamon Chocolate Popcorn

3 quarts popped popcorn

Butter-flavored cooking spray

9 T. powdered cocoa mix (cocoa sweetened with sugar or sugar substitute)

3 tsp. cinnamon

Put popcorn in a large bowl and lightly spray with cooking spray.
Sprinkle cocoa mix and cinnamon on popcorn. Toss to coat evenly.
Spray and toss again until mixture is well coated. Serve immediately.

Ahh, roasted

2009-01-05T11:22:00.004-06:00

Maybe it's the gray day, but something roasted sounds fabulous for dinner tonight.

Roasting is simply the act of cooking something by surrounding it with dry heat (oven, in this case), uncovered. The heat penetrates, slow and steady, the surface of the meat and then finishes off the cooking process by browning or caramelizing the surface. You can bake something in the oven, covered, but the trapped moisture will steam-bake your food -- not give it a good roast, which needs that dry air swirling about.

Roasting works great on beef and poultry. We had a fabulous rib roast for our Christmas dinner, and roasted chicken is always a hit. The folks at the National Chicken Council have a few suggestions to pass along for roasting the bird:

To roast meat or vegetables means to cook them dry, at a high heat. With no added liquid in the dish, the natural sugars in the meat or vegetables caramelize, forming the crunchy crust that seals in moisture. Roasted meats like chicken are no-fail on doneness when cooked to temperature; a meat thermometer should read 180 degrees when inserted near the thigh bone, or 170 degrees when inserted into breast meat. (Make sure you don't touch a bone, though, or you'll get a false reading.)

When roasting meats like chicken, the natural moistures are forced to the center by the high heat. To redistribute those juices throughout, let the chicken “rest,” or sit at room temperature, for a few minutes before serving. (All those folks who carve into a turkey or rib roast just out of the oven are rewarded with a geyser of juice on the platter.... and dry meat on their plates.)

From the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, here are two new recipes that feature roast chicken. One uses a pre-cooked, rotisserie chicken to make a delicious salad; the other is a new way to roast at home.

Cuban-style Gingered Chicken is made with the easiest-to-cook, and perhaps most impressive-looking, piece of chicken available: the whole bird. Marinate a four to six pound chicken in a Cuban-influenced blend of ginger, garlic, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, brown sugar, chicken broth, lime juice, orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Place in hot oven and roast, cooking to the 180 degree temperature in the deepest part of the thigh. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving. This chicken dish works well with a side serving of rice and a green vegetable.

Cuban-Style Gingered Chicken

Serves 4

1 whole chicken, 4 – 6 pounds

Marinade:
2 TBLS finely minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsps ground cumin
2 TBLS brown sugar
¼ cup chicken broth
2 TBLS lime juice
½ cup orange juice
1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps hot sauce
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tsps salt
1 tsp black pepper

In small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients.

Place chicken in large plastic bag, such as an oven roasting bag. Pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag and place in refrigerator 8 hours to overnight, turning occasionally to ensure even distribution of marinade.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove chicken from marinade and place, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Dispose of leftover marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in hot oven and roast 20 minutes per pound, or approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes for a four pound chicken. When done, internal temperature of the chicken at the thickest part of the thigh will read 180 F. Remove chicken from oven and rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve sprinkled with minced cilantro.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
670 calories; 37 g fat; 10 g saturated fat; 4 g carbohydrate; 75 g protein

A tasty entrée salad, Roast Chicken and Beet Salad is light in flavor and beautiful in color. Start by roasting beets in a hot oven; when cooled, slice to a half-inch thickness. While the beets are cooking, assemble the rest of the salad by slicing pieces of white and dark meat from a pre-cooked, rotisserie chicken, and tossing together slices of fennel, Belgian endive, shallot, parsley and segments of canned mandarin oranges. Make a vinaigrette dressing by combining lemon juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, anchovy paste, capers, salt, pepper and olive oil. For presentation, layer the salad by placing the beets on a plate or serving platter, top with the greens tossed with vinaigrette, and placing chicken slices on over all.

Roast Chicken and Beet Salad

Serves 4

2 cups roasted chicken (pre-cooked rotisserie), sliced

Beets:
1 TBLS olive oil
1 pound beets, washed and trimmed

Salad:
1 fennel bulb, cut into thin slices
2 Belgian endive, cut into thin rings
1 shallot, cut into thin rings
1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
1 ½ cups parsley leaves

Dressing:
3 TBLS fresh lemon juice
1 TBLS red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp anchovy paste
1 TBLS capers, drained
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
6 tsps olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Place beets on piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap up in the foil. Place on baking sheet and roast in hot oven for 1 hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and cool. Slice beets thinly.

While beets are roasting, combine all ingredients for dressing, except olive oil, in small bowl and set aside. In large serving bowl, combine all ingredients for salad.

When ready to serve, whisk olive oil into dressing and combine well. Toss two-thirds of vinaigrette with salad ingredients. Place beets on top of salad. Top with slices of chicken. Drizzle remaining salad dressing over chicken slices.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
420 calories; 16 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 47 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein

New flavors for a new year

2009-01-05T08:50:00.002-06:00

By now it might be clear to some Star Bite readers that I'm a spice junky. Well, the spice fairy came from McCormick last week and had some cool stuff in it: garam masala, which was rubbed into some pork chops, and a three-peppercorn medley that was beautiful to look at and sniff.

One thing I've discovered as I've become more adventurous (and I realize my 'adventurous' would probably kill some people of the "chicken fingers only" mentality) is that I've sharply reduced the amount of salt I put in food. You know how the nutrition/health gurus say that using herbs and spices can eliminate some of the need for salt infusion? Turns out, they were right. I like to think that by playing with other spices, I've taken salt use back to its intent: a seasoning that enhances the flavors of foods but one that does not provide a prominent note in a dish.

Herb treasures found in the garden this past week included some flat-leaf parsley that's still chugging along and sorrel that's going into soup this weekend.

Recipes for your holiday spread

2008-12-23T12:48:00.011-06:00

The folks from French's and Frank's Red Hot have passed along some simple but elegant ideas for holiday spread. Enjoy, and these keep in mind the busy times in which we live.

EDAMAME-AVOCADO DIP
Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 3 min.

1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame or frozen peas
1 medium Haas avocado, peeled and pitted
1/3 cup light sour cream
3 tbsp. FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
2 medium green onions, chopped
3 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. prepared salsa
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt

1. COOK edamame according to package directions; drain and cool. Transfer to food processor.
2. CHOP edamame in processor. Add avocado, sour cream, mustard, green onion, lime juice, salsa, garlic and salt. Process until smooth.
3. SERVE with baked tortilla chips or veggies.

Makes 8 servings (2 cups)
Nutritional Analysis Per 1/4 cup Serving: 98 Calories, 6 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 Trans Fat, 3 mg Cholesterol, 5 g Protein, 7 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Fiber, 200 mg Sodium.

INDIAN CHICK PEA DIP
Prep Time: 8 min. Cook Time:

1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium chick peas, rinsed and drained
½ cup light sour cream
¼ cup chutney or apricot jam, chopped
¼ cup FRENCH'S® Classic Yellow® Mustard
2 tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1. BLEND beans, sour cream, jam, mustard, curry powder and salt in food processor until smooth.
2. STIR in cilantro. Spoon into serving bowl.
3. SERVE with crackers or cut-up vegetables.

Makes 8 servings (2 cups)
Nutritional Analysis Per 1/4 cup Serving: 109 Calories, 3 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 Trans Fat, 5 mg Cholesterol, 4 g Protein, 18 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 168 mg Sodium.
High-resolution image available courtesy of Frank’s RedHot

FRANK’S® REDHOT® BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
This robust creamy dip tastes like Buffalo Chicken Wings but without the mess! Serve hot with celery sticks or veggies.
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time: 20 min.

1 (8 oz.) package Cream cheese, softened
½ cup Blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
½ cup any flavor FRANK’S® REDHOT® Sauce
½ cup Crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2. MIX in salad dressing, Frank’s RedHot sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3. BAKE 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.
Makes 3 1/2 cups dip

Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed avoce. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 ½ hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Stir.
Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

MEDITERRANEAN TUNA SALAD
This light-style tuna salad makes a good first course served over toast rounds.
Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time:

½ cup reduced-sodium tomato-vegetable juice
4 Tbsp. FRENCH'S® Horseradish Mustard or FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
2 (6 oz.) cans tuna, packed in water, well drained
2/3 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
½ cup chopped celery
4 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped pitted Kalamata olives (about 5)
1. MIX juice and mustard in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat well. Cover and chill.
2. SERVE tuna salad over lettuce, on whole wheat rolls or on toast rounds.
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 136 Calories, 4 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 30 mg Cholesterol, 18 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 392 mg Sodium.

High Resolution Image Courtesy of French’s French Fried Onions

CRISPY ONION VEGGIES

Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 10 min.

1 1/3 cups FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions or FRENCH'S® Cheddar French Fried Onions
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 to 2 medium zucchini cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
1 egg, beaten

1. CRUSH French Fried Onions in plastic bag using hands or rolling pin.
2. PLACE flour into separate bag. Toss zucchini in flour; shake off excess.
3. DIP zucchini pieces into beaten egg; then toss in crushed onions, a few pieces at a
time.
4. ARRANGE zucchini on greased rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400°F
for 10 min. or until tender.
Makes 6 servings
Crispy Onion Mushrooms: Substitute one 10 oz. pkg. whole button mushrooms. Proceed as
above.
Crunchy Double Onion Rings: Crush 2 cups French Fried Onions in plastic bag and toss with
2 Tbsp. flour; set aside. Slice 2 large onions into 1/2 inch thick rings. Coat onion rings in 1/4 cup flour. Dip into 2 beaten egg whites, then into crushed French Fried Onion mixture. Bake according to recipe
above.

SAVORY GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 20 min. Marinate Time:1 hour

1 large navel orange
1/3 cup FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. salt free grill seasoning blend
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4lbs. pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
1/3cup light sour cream
1/8 tsp. salt

1. GRATE rind and juice orange; reserve juice. Combine mustard, vinegar, seasoning blend, oil and orange rind in small bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp. mixture. Pour remainder into food storage bag.
2. ADD pork; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours. Discard marinade.
3. GRILL pork over medium-high heat about 20 min. or until no longer pink in center (155°F internal temperature). Let rest 10 min. before slicing.
4. MIX reserved 2 tbsp. mustard mixture, sour cream, salt and reserved juice. Serve with pork.
Makes 4 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 207 Calories, 7 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat, 83 mg Cholesterol, 30 g Protein, 3 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Dietary Fiber, 324 mg Sodium.

SKILLET CHICKEN IN SESAME GINGER SAUCE
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time: 14 min.

4 (5 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. FRENCH'S® Spicy Brown Mustard
2 Ttbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1. HEAT large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 12 min. until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, turning once.
2. STIR in jam, water, mustard, soy sauce and ginger. Simmer 2 min., stirring occasionally.
3. STIR in sesame oil. Heat through. Serve with cooked brown rice, if desired.

Makes, 4 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 246 Calories, 5 g Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 78 mg Cholesterol, 30 g Protein, 19 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Dietary Fiber, 549 mg Sodium.

Emeril's New Year's lineup

2008-12-23T12:29:00.008-06:00

Gratuitous program plug coming:

I'm a huge fan of Emeril's show, Emeril Green, on the Planet Green network. If you haven't seen it, the show features Emeril helping a viewer out, one-on-one, with some pretty specific food requests and cooking needs. The show features Emeril at his best -- interacting with people. He's not one of those hosts who is better by himself and just a camera. The chemistry between him and people is key to watching him. End gratuitous plug.

That said, I find the food Emeril prepares on Emeril Green a lot more user-friendly than some of the elaborate things he'll fix on Emeril Live. The recipes are for normal folks to make on an everyday basis.

Here are some suggestions from Emeril Green for a New Year's party. All the ingredients are available locally, and the preparation seems simple. All the recipes and pics are courtesy of Emeril's production company, Food of Love.

Emeril's Framboise Bellini with Prosecco

Yield: 1 drink

One-half ounce framboise

3 ounces prosecco or other sparkling wine

Raspberries, Blackberries or sliced Peaches, for garnish

Put the framboise in champagne flute; fill the glass with the Prosecco. Garnish with fresh fruit.

Emeril's Antipasto Platter

Small Whole Salami

Sliced Prosciutto

Marinated Artichokes

Roasted Red Peppers

Marinated Bocconcini (recipe follows)

Variety of Olives

Foccacia

Cheese Straws

Tuscan Loaf

Marinated Bocconcini

12 bocconcini (small mozzarella balls, about 2 inches in diameter)

3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil

2 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

1 sprig fresh thyme finely chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 whole clove garlic, finely minced

Crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Let stand for 30 minutes and up to two weeks.

For Antipasto Platter: You can buy prepared items at the store and then embellish to make it your own.Cover platter with Endive leaves, kale or other decorative greenery.Lightly roll up the Prosciutto into little bundles. Place in mound on platter.Make small groupings of individual tastes. Vary by color, texture and taste.Have small bowls available for olive pits.

Yield: 6 Servings

Emeril's Cheese Crisps

3/4 cup shredded hard cheese (paremesan will work fine, but make sure you freshly grate/shred it; don't use the canned stuff)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.Line a baking sheet with a Silpat, wax paper or parchment paper.

Measure 1 tablespoon of cheese per crisp and place the cheese on the Silpat.

Space the crisps about 1 to 2 inches apart.Place in the oven and cook until the cheese melts and turns golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Use as a garnish for soups and salads.

Yield: about 12 cheese crisps

Emeril's White Bean Dip for Veggies
Yield: 6 Servings

2 small shallots

1/4 cup parsley

1 can white beans

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Veggies for Dipping

Pulse all ingredients in food processor and blend until a smooth paste forms and transfer to a bowl. Serve with cut veggies such a carrots, red pepper strips, celery and mushrooms.

Smoked Salmon Salad in Endive Boats
1 pound cured salmon, small dice

1/2 cup red onions small dice

1/4 cup fresh dill leaves (

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and Black Pepper

3 Heads Belgian Endive

In a mixing bowl, toss the salmon with the red onions and chervil, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice and salt and black pepper. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into endive leaf.

Emeril's Herbed Spice Nuts

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 cup pecan halves
In a bowl whisk together oil, thyme, salt, sugar and cayenne. Add nuts and toss to coat well.Transfer nuts to a cold skillet. Heat to medium high heat, tossing nuts until lightly brown and aromatic, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Nuts may be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container. Serve nuts warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

Emeril's Figs With Blue Cheese, Honey And Lavender
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

Yield: 4 servings

2 ounces creamy blue cheese such as Valdeon or Gorgonzola

1 cup mascarpone

1 tablespoon honey

8 ounces fresh firm-ripe mission figs, halved

1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers (McCormick makes them now)

In a small bowl combine the blue cheese with the mascarpone and honey. Stir until almost smooth. It is ok if it is slightly chunky.
To serve, arrange fig halves on a plate and top with the blue cheese mixture. Garnish with lavender flowers.

Virtual cookie exchange

2008-12-10T12:20:00.000-06:00

The Food Channel is hosting a Virtual Cookie Exchange in celebration of the holiday season.
“Our Virtual Cookie Exchange works much like an actual exchange, allowing users to swap and share their favorite cookies online rather than on plates or baking sheets,” said Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel . “It’s our way of acknowledging the busy lifestyle of our site users, and it gives them the chance to connect without leaving home.”
The guidelines include preparing a cookie recipe, photographing the finished product and sending the recipe and image via e-mail to recipes@foodchannel.com. Stories may also be included—select stories will be placed on The Food Channel Web site.
“It’s been particularly popular with our Twitter followers who enjoy the interaction and the chance to have a recipe featured on The Food Channel,” Logsdon said.
Recipes will be accepted through December 19 and will be featured at www.foodchannel.com.

Best party recipes needed. Win loot.

2008-12-09T12:04:00.003-06:00

MarxFoods.com is hosting a party food recipe contest and awarding the best party food idea, presentation tip or recipe with a $400 credit to the online retailer—so the winner can throw a delicious holiday party! Two runners-up will each receive $50 gift certificates.

To enter, simply leave a comment on the MarxFoods blog with an original recipe, story, or idea by Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time. Finalists will be selected and put to vote on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Ho, Ho, Ho from Three-0

2008-12-09T08:22:00.003-06:00

We're gearing up for the party season, which runs through New Year's. In tomorrow's Your Table, we've got easy, classy party foods. Next week, we'll have the beverages to kick up your end-of-the-year festivities.

Here's a taste to whet the appetite:

Berry Merry Cosmo
3 oz. Three-O Berry Vodka
½ oz. triple sec
1 oz. cranberry juice
Splash fresh lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with raspberries.

Pomegranate Ho-Ho-Hojito
2 oz. Three-O Pomegranate Vodka
10 Fresh Mint Leaves
1/2 of a Lime
2 tablespoons simple syrup
Club Soda

Muddle mint leaves and lime in a tall cocktail glass. Pour in simple syrup and fill glass with ice, add vodka and soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime.

White Christmas
1 oz. Three-O Triple Shot Espresso Vodka
1 oz. white chocolate liqueur
1 oz. half and half

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three espresso beans.

Three-O Jingle Bomb

2 oz Three-O Vodka (any flavor, depending on preference)4 oz energy drink
Mix in a glass with ice and garnish with a cherry

Three-O Chocolate Snowflake

3 oz. Three-O Chocolate Vodka
1 oz. Coconut Rum

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle coconut on top.

Something for the nog-gin

2008-12-09T07:48:00.003-06:00

My dad is an eggnog conoisseur. This will be coming to our house, compliments of Arnaud's, the fabulous restaurant in NOLA's French Quarter:

A Spanish Twist on Traditional Holiday Eggnog
From Chris Hannah, French 75 Bar at Arnaud's in New Orleans

The origin of the classic holiday eggnog dates back to old England, when well-to-do hostesses served a concoction of milk mixed with sherry called a "sack posset," a posset being a drink made from milk, egg, sugar and wine, with a number of variations to this combination. Sack was the Shakespearean term for sherry at the time.

Eggnog became a popular drink in the American colonies for social functions. Rum, which was plentiful in the New World at that time, became the dominant base spirit. President George Washington reportedly created his own eggnog recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry.

Some say the origins of the word eggnog came from the word "noggin" which was a drinking vessel in English taverns. An "egg in a noggin" or "egg and grog" was a rich drink to toast one's health. Today, eggnog endures as a quintessential holiday beverage enjoyed around the world.

There are many recipes for a traditional "sack posset." The easiest is: one fresh beaten egg, one tablespoon Dry Sack sherry and eight ounces of fresh whole milk. Combine ingredients in a shaker or blender. Pour over ice. Top with sprinkles of ground nutmeg.

Mixologist Chris Hannah from the legendary French 75 Bar at Arnaud's restaurant in New Orleans shares two contemporary versions of traditional eggnog recipes using both sherry and, with a twist, Spanish brandy. Here, he uses Gran Duque de Alba Solera Gran Reserva, one of the world's leading Brandy de Jerez, which presents a delicate flavor of toasted nuts, caramel and figs. The sherry is Dry Sack, a popular medium dry amontillado with a smooth, nutty aroma and taste. Both are available nationwide through wine retailers.

"The recipes are foolproof; they never cease to be crowd pleasers," says Hannah.

Spanish Nog
(single serving)

¾ ounce Gran Duque de Alba
¾ ounce Dry Sack
1 whole fresh egg, beatn
¼ ounce simple syrup
1 ounce Half and Half
1 ounce heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice
Strain over ice in an old fashioned glass
Top with ground nutmeg

Velvet Egg Nog
(single serving)

¾ ounce Gran Duque de Alba
1 ounce Peppermint Schnapps
1 ounce Frangelico
1 whole fresh egg, beaten
¼ ounce simple syrup
1 ounce Half and Half
1 ounce heavy whipping cream
Dash of nutmeg

Combine ingredients over ice in a rocks glass
Top with ground nutmeg

Quick and easy: If you don't want to make your own egg nog, substitute four ounces of good quality store bought egg nog. Add one ounce Peppermint Schnapps, one ounce of Frangelico and three-fourths ounce Gran Duque de Alba. Combine, pour over ice and top with sprinkles of nutmeg.

About the spirits:

Gran Duque de Alba Solera Gran Reserva is the world's top grand reserva Spanish Brandy de Jerez. A super rich premium brandy, Gran Duque de Alba is made from a blend of Palomino and Airén grape varietals. It is aged for 12 years in oaks casks that previous held oloroso sherry and blended under Spain's time-honored solera system of fractional blending. Suggested retail price (750ml) is $49.99. Gran Duque de Alba is a 2008 winner of the Gold Medal from the San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

Dry Sack is a medium dry sherry made from a blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximénez grapes. It is aged for six years in oak casks under Spain's traditional solera system. The result is a smooth, nutty sherry with a delicate flavor, a balance of dry and lightly sweet. Suggested retail price (750 ml) is $15.99. Dry Sack is a popular aperitif, enjoyed chilled or on the rocks.

Both Gran Duque de Alba and Dry Sack are produced in Jerez, Spain, by the venerable Williams & Humbert, Europe's largest winery.

Need cookies, no baking time?

2008-12-09T07:44:00.003-06:00

Great American Cookie Co. has its holiday lineup in order. If you need something sweet, but don't have the time, energy, skill or oven space, here are some suggestions for that office party centerpiece:

Great American Cookies seasonal Original Chocolate Chip cookie cakes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and icing-decor, including: wreath, snowmen, Santa Claus, and many other festive designs. Cookie cakes also can be personalized with any message desired. Shoppers seeking individual-sized cookies can pick up a seasonal cookie tin filled with up to 16 of their favorite cookie flavors

Cookie Cakes - Suggested Retail Price: Small (8 x 6 inch): $10.99 - $11.99;
Medium (16 inch): $20.99 - $27.00; Large (30-40 inch): $29.99 - $40.00

Cookie Tins - Suggested Retail Price: $16.99/12 cookies; $18.99/16 cookies
Original Chocolate Chip
Original Chocolate Chip with M&M'S® Chocolate Candies
Peanut Butter with M&M'S Chocolate Candies
Peanut Butter Supreme
Sugar
Snickerdoodle
White Chunk Macadamia
Chewy Chocolate Supreme
Chewy Pecan Supreme
Domino
Double Fudge
Oatmeal Walnut Raisin
Pecan Supreme

Bright copper kettles....

2008-12-09T07:39:00.005-06:00

New a few favorite things for the culinary guru on your list? From the Lisa Ekus group, these suggestions:

Along with bright copper kettles, crisp apple streudels, and schnitzel with noodles, these are a two of our favorite holiday gift ideas for food lovers:

For starters, spice up the holidays with the perfect gift for the food enthusiast in your life with Crowning Cuisine, the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) 2009 Calendar and Recipe Collection! More than just a calendar, it features 23 women chefs, restaurateurs and sommeliers, along with an exclusive collection of more than two dozen of their favorite recipes and preparation tips.

The collection of signature recipes features favorites including: scallop margaritas with tequila ice, watermelon gazpacho with lime and mint, parsnip vanilla crème brûlée, strawberry lemon napoleons, caramelized onion and goat cheese tart, and more.

With recipes from, and whimsical food-crowned photographs of chefs such as Bonnie Moore of L’Academie de Cuisine, Nora Pouillon or Restaurant Nora, and Odessa Piper, the calendar is an ideal holiday gift for any chef or home cook. It can be purchased online for $12 (plus $4 shipping & handling). Proceeds from the calendar support WCR’s scholarship and internship programs for women in every stage of their culinary arts career.

And then, tour the world though salt, from the Celtic saline estuaries of France to the deep pure seas off Japan, from the ancient mines of Pakistan to the warm mineral springs of Peru.

The Meadow’s Around the World Collector Salt Set includes 50 salts from around the world, each chosen as the finest example of salt making from its region and culinary tradition.

The set comes with our starter set guide to accompany you in your exploration of the powerful and intriguing ways finishing salts behaves on food to evoke new depths of flavor. Fifty salts will be hand-chosen from our collection of gourmet salts, ranging from daily-use salts from every continent to super-rare and exotic salts. Every effort is made to assure that the Around the World Collector Set of 50 Salts includes some of the most distinctive, interesting, and delicious salt in the world.

The Meadow’s World Salt Tour : $298. Also, look for owners Mark and Jennifer Bitterman’s book, Salt to Taste, to be published fall 2010 by Running Press.

Taking the restaurant home

2008-12-04T14:13:00.003-06:00

The Scotto family is one of those names that jumps to the fore of the American food scene. Italian Comfort Food, one of their earlier titles, is jammed with authentic, often rustic, food that would be found on an Italian kitchen table.

They've teamed up with Pepperidge farm and Prego to produce a new selection of restaurant-quality recipe ideas that can be bought at the grocery:

Featured are Marion, Elaina, Anthony Jr. and John Scotto, owners of Fresco by Scotto, NYC and frequent guests on NBC’s Today show, brings together the brands' core values of family, authenticity and tradition, in this exciting relationship.

The Scottos have created some delicious, yet simple, meal ideas using Prego Italian sauce and Pepperidge Farm frozen garlic bread.

“These are delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes; it’s like eating the meals we serve at the restaurant, only in the comfort of your home,” said Marion Scotto, owner of Fresco by Scotto Restaurant. “The recipe creation was simple, especially when we began with the flavorful varieties of hearty Prego Italian sauce and authentic, hot and crusty Pepperidge Farm garlic bread.

The Scottos have turned supper into a celebration by including garden vegetables, fresh herbs, savory sauces, plus the most essential ingredient: family. Armed with a collection of 15 recipes, the Scottos have created a plethora of new classics including, Prego Penne alla Fresco with Pepperidge Farm Texas Toast, Scottos Sunday Sauce with Meatballs; and Prego Chicken Italiano with Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread, just to name a few.

“The Scottos have been great partners. Their passion for food is truly inspiring and we are so pleased with the incredible recipes they have developed," said Jeff Davis, Brand Manager, Prego. Theresa Choh-Lee, Business Director, Pepperidge Farm added, "With growing economic concerns, families are ‘dining in’ more often to save money. The Scotto family's exclusive recipes deliver authentic, high-quality convenience to consumers without breaking the bank. We're thrilled to offer families a unique and affordable way to enjoy restaurant-quality meals at home."

In addition to the recipes created, the Scotto family shares restaurant secrets to enhance the home dining experience on myitaliantable.com. Tips include warming plates in the microwave before serving and when cooking with fresh herbs, add them at the last possible moment for optimal flavor. Also, one should tear, rather than cut, delicate herbs like basil.

Myitaliantable.com also offers a printable recipe booklet so consumers can reference them in their kitchens every day. The site features an interactive dining utility, a products section, and allows consumers a peek into the life of the Scotto family. Site visitors can also download and print a coupon for their next shopping trip.

Sophisticated flavors call for butter

2008-12-03T14:44:00.003-06:00

The magic of real butter with Blue cheese and rosemary.Now here’s something different. A buttery shortbread-like cookie infused with Blue cheese and fresh rosemary leaves. Serve with a full-bodied red wine and these savory cookies will have people talking through the new year.

Rosemary Blue Cheese Ice Box Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. Blue cheese,* softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, leaves only
White or natural sanding (coarse) sugar

*Domestic Blue cheese gives cookies a clean flavor, color and texture. Use less flour with a Stilton-style cheese and more flour with a French-style Roquefort.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl; set aside. Cream together Blue cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and cheese mixture; beat to combine. Add cranberries and mix on low just until evenly dispersed.
Divide the dough into two pieces and use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch diameter round or square logs. Set out two fresh pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over both. Roll the logs of dough in nuts until covered. Tightly wrap and seal the logs; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours). Preheat oven to 325°F. Working with one log at a time, unwrap and slice logs into 1/4-inch discs. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press about 3 small rosemary leaves on each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with sanding sugar.
Bake on a middle rack until bottoms begin to brown and tops just begin to turn from pale to golden; 12 to 18 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Why have coffee with dessert when you can have coffee in your dessert? A buttery chocolate layer forms the foundation of this rich cheesecake-like bar. It’s a decadent pick-me-up, perfect for any time of day.

Espresso Chocolate Squares
Makes 2 dozen bars

Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Filling
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 eggs
Glaze
6 Tbsp. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil; butter bottom of foil.
Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together in medium bowl; add 1/2 cup butter. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until butter is the size of small peas. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips; press into bottom of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean; cool slightly.
Meanwhile, stir 1/4 cup cream and 1 tablespoon instant espresso together until coffee is dissolved. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter together. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and allspice; beat until blended. Slowly beat in cream and coffee mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour batter over crust.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are slightly puffed and center is set; set pan on a cooling rack.

Glaze
Melt 6 tablespoons chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon cream, 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle over bars and refrigerate until set. Cover and store bars in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Butter makes this simple drop cookie soft and rich while pistachios give it an unexpected crunch. Lemon rind and fennel seeds round out the cookie with a citrusy-anise flavor.

Fennel Pistachio Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. amaretto or almond extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add egg; beat well. Add amaretto, lemon zest and fennel seeds; mix to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture; beat well. Stir in pistachio nuts (dough will be stiff).
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. If desired, flatten balls slightly and sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets; remove to cooling racks and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Recipes courtesy of America's Dairy Farmers (of which my parents used to be)

The simple beauty of biscuits

2008-12-03T12:38:00.002-06:00

Frequently the early-morning conversation here is pretty minimal. Two of us are in at 7:30 (or so), and there's a few minutes to chat about the really important things in life: food.

Today, the talk turned to biscuits, the finest bread product ever created. Differing opinions are welcome, of course, but you're wrong.

Debbie and I were discussing the simplicity of the homemade biscuit. Mine is a recipe that hasn't changed much over the years, but I have discovered that (here come the letters) I get more consistent results when I use skim milk than when I use .... buttermilk.

(GASP is heard in the background from any Southern baker.)

Don't get me wrong. I love, love, love a fine buttermilk biscuit. There's nothing lighter, nothing that has that bite of flavor.

But, buttermilk can be picky. It has character -- which makes it a great cooking ingredient but that can, indeed, play havoc with your baking. It changes as it sits in the 'fridge. Skim milk, albeit flavored white water, basically, yields a soft, light biscuit, and I find it's not as prone to pouting as buttermilk, that frothy diva.

I also think people go wrong when they overcook their biscuits. They look for a nice, deep golden brown on top; the only way that comes (without getting a hockey puck) is to brush your biscuits with butter or a little oil before you bake them. Baked without any lubrication, they'll be a pale, creamy shade somewhere between ecru and tan, or, as my husband would say, light beige and dark beige.

I don't brush mine. I cook them about 11 minutes -- maybe 12 -- then pop them on a towel that's in a wicker basket. I fold the towel over and let them steam a bit to finish off.

Good stuff, and so easy to make.

Basic Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspooons baking POWDER
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup skim milk

Preheat the oven to 475. Sift your flower, baking powder and salt in a bowl. I use a pastry cutter to cut in my shortening pretty darned thoroughly. I pour in the milk, stir it just a time or two to combine. It's a pretty wet dough, mind you.

I lay a sheet of aluminum foil or waxed paper (for easy cleanup) on my counter and dust with a pretty good coating of flour. I dump out the dough, dust the top with a little more flour so it won't stick to my hands, then I gently pat it out. No rolling pin, no kneading. Just a pat flat to about 3/4- an inch thick. I cut with a biscuit cutter, then put them on one of those air-bake cookie sheets with the sides barely touching.

11 minutes at 475.

For the bagel lovers among us

2008-12-03T09:05:00.004-06:00

For the bagel lovers among us, here are some twists on the brunchtime classic bagel, and pickles, compliments of Lender's Bagels.

Although, I'm really, really skeptical of the dill pickle soup. That one may have to be tasted to be believed....

Lender’s Lox and Cheese
Makes 2 Servings
2 Lender’s plain bagels, split, toasted
4 tablespoons Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
4 slices tomatoes
6 slices cucumber
4 ounces smoked salmon
4 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
4 teaspoons capers

Spread bagel halves evenly with cream cheese. Top each half evenly with cucumbers, tomatoes and smoked salmon. Sprinkle Gorgonzola cheese, and top with capers.

Put a contemporary spin on classic bruschetta with this original recipe from “Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off” Grand Prize Winner Joy Devor:

Lender’s Bagel Bruschetta
Makes 6 Servings
1 bag (6) Lender’s bagels
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp salt
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, diced
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
*Optional: ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400˚. Scoop out insides of bagels and cube the scooped out middle. Spread cubed pieces onto baking sheet and drizzle olive oil, garlic and salt evenly. Bake for 10 minutes or until toasted and light brown. In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, salt, pepper and vinegar. Toast outside of bagels lightly. Right before serving, combine the croutons (cubed bagel pieces) with the tomato mixture and pour into bagel shells.
*Optional: sprinkle cheese over bagels on baking sheet and place in oven for 5 minutes until cheese melts.

Louisiana-Style Potato Salad
Makes 8 servings

2 lbs of Potatoes (sliced ¼ inch thick)
5 slices of bacon - cut up
¾ cup of sour cream and dill salad dressing
1-2 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 medium green pepper - diced
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup Vlasic Sweet relish

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender –cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Combine salad dressing, hot sauce, black pepper and bacon drippings. Combine the potatoes, green pepper, onion and relish. Add the dressing mixture. Toss and coat – refrigerate (4 hours)

For all fried food fanatics, use this crunchy creation to get the party started:
Fried Pickles
Vegetable oil for deep fat frying
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup beer
1 jar (24 ounces) Vlasic Zesty or Kosher Dill Wholes – cut into chunks – drained

Heat oil (Dutch oven) to 375°F. Batter, stir in ¾ cup flour and peppers – stir in beer. Place remaining ½ cup of flour in small bowl. Coat the pickle chunks in flour – then dip into beer batter. Fry snack chunks for a few minutes in the hot oil (a few at a time) until golden brown. Place on paper towel to drain.

Dill-icious Pickle Soup

Makes 6 Servings
3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup white w ine

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

5 cups water

1 large Vlasic Whole Dill Pickle, cut julienne

1 1/2 cups Vlasic Whole Dill Pickle juice

2 teaspoons dried dill weed, crushed

1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

Salt/pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft. Add white wine and continue cooking until liquid has almost evaporated. Reduce heat to low and stir in flour. Add water and pickle juice, whisking or stirring into shallot mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until soup slightly thickens. Add dill weed. Stir in heavy cream or milk; season with salt and white pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Serve in individual soup bowls and garnish with julienne pickle.

How much is that per shot?

2008-12-02T16:30:00.003-06:00

I love Scotch and, in the few times I've been exposed to it, have a short-lived love affair with Laphroaig, that elixir of Islay. However, I'm not sure I could scrape up enough scratch to take advantage of this offer.

However, I'd love to taste it, if anyone wants to, um, send a shot my way. I only hope my novice palate would appreciate it...

The Macallan Introduces Fine & Rare Vintage 1947 for the Holidays

Rested in Spanish Oak casks for 15 years, The Macallan Fine & Rare 1947 Single Malt Scotch Whisky is now available for the first time in highly-limited quantities. This 15 year old whisky was purchased by The Macallan from a noted single malt collector, which allows the expression to take its rightful place in the Fine & Rare collection.

With only five available bottles in the United States, this newest addition to The Macallan Fine & Rare collection is a coveted item for any Scotch aficionado’s personal collection.

The Macallan Fine & Rare 1947 is unique not only for its rarity but also for its attributes:

Color: Natural rich beech color drawing from sherry casks, including second fill.

Nose: Peat balanced by citrus fruit, chocolate orange with vanilla, and oak notes in the background.

Palate: Light fruits, bitter chocolate and wood spice, with a touch of peat.

Finish: Lingering fruits and peat smoke.

HERE'S THE KICKER:

Price: Available upon request. Bottles in The Macallan Fine & Rare collection range between $1,000 and $60,000.

This exceptional single malt scotch is an investment in holiday celebrations to come.

... my true love gave to me: One Texas Tamale

2008-12-02T16:20:00.002-06:00

A few years ago, there was a lady living in Oxford in one of the Hispanic neighborhoods. She was from northern Mexico, and she made the best tamales in the world. I do believe this to be true. I've never had the patience to make tamales, but, man, they are fabulous.

From the Texas tourism folks comes this about the lore of holiday tamales:

During the holiday season, Texas families of Hispanic heritage often celebrate by gathering to make tamales. The custom of making tamales originated with the Native American people who lived in Texas and Mexico and interacted with Spanish explorers, sharing their cuisines. Making tamales for the Christmas holidays is a tradition that has been passed down for decades by Texans and continues today. In fact, many Texans believe this old Christmas tradition is as much a sign of the holidays as turkey and cranberries.

Tamales are made in all sizes and styles: sweet or savory, spicy or not, with pork, beef, chicken, bean or any number of other fillings.

Even a century ago, tamale-making was such a time-intensive process that tamales were considered a special occasion dish, made only for celebrations.

Back in the day, Mexican-American families ritually gathered for tamaladas. This meant enlisting the whole clan for an assembly line and making dozens upon dozens of tamales for all to take home.

They also tell us that you can order authentic Texas tamales on line or by phone:

· Delia’s Tamales (Rio Grande Valley); 1-888-DELIAST
· La Hacienda de Los Barrios (San Antonio) ; 210-497-8000 and Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant (San Antonio); 210-732-6017
· Texas Tamale Warehouse (Fort Worth) ; 817-825-4113
· Texas Tamale (Houston) ; 713-795-5500
· La Popular Tamale House (Dallas) 214-824-7617

Coming Wednesday to Your Table

2008-12-02T16:17:00.002-06:00

Our holiday food section extravaganza (OK, we don't get to use that word often, so bear with us) continues this week with our salute to the humble cookie. Or, as my 1963 Betty Crocker Cook Book calls it, a "cooky." We've got a great list of recipes for a cookie swap, as well as an ode to my all-time favorite cooking ingredient .... butter.

Ben Cunningham's Pitcher This column talks about cooking with beer, and Pat Kettles introduces us to some rare California vino. Naturally, Prudence Hilburn is lending the Gourmet Touch to a series of simple soups that a newbie to the kitchen can put together.

Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

Just remember, you read it here first

2008-12-02T15:55:00.001-06:00

D’Acqua Ristorante Offers Look at 2009 Food Trend Predictions

Each year, an array of food trends tend to emerge. This New Year will be no different; food experts are already making their predictions about what will take center stage as the food trends of 2009. There’s no doubt that the current economic conditions in this country will help to shape those trends, as will the growing concern over environmental problems.

“What is taking place in the country is always an influencing factor when it comes to the way people tend to eat throughout the year,” explains Enzo Febbraro, the co-owner and executive chef of D’Acqua Ristorante. “Right now, times are tight, people are watching their money, and food choices will be based partly upon these conditions.”

Chef Enzo predicts the following food trends for the 2009 year:
· Environmental Eating: As more people learn about the environmental waste associated with plastic water bottles, they will begin to opt more and more for re-usable bottles and for filtering their own water. In addition to saving money, they’ll help the planet, as well.
· Locally Grown: Eating locally grown ingredients is a trend that is on the rise and will continue in 2009. Locally grown ingredients tend to be fresher, support people close to the consumer, and are better for the environment because there is no transporting of the products over long distances.
· Market Deals: Farmer’s markets have steadily been gaining in popularity and will continue to do so. Not only do people get many locally grown items, but they also find fresher and cheaper items.
· Seasonal Sensations: Keeping in line with choosing food that is locally grown and from farmer’s markets, consumers will opt for more seasonal items.
· Gluten-Free: Products that are made gluten- or wheat-free are continuing as a trend, as more people become aware of allergies.
· Natural Nosh: Another trend for the New Year is food that comes from natural ingredients. Many people are skipping things like high fructose corn syrup and opting for natural products.
· Tea Time: Tea has been proven as a drink many people are turning to for its antioxidant benefits. Trends in tea consumption will likely continue.
· Selective Dining: Consumers love to eat out, and 2009 will be no different. However, because of budget concerns, they are likely to be more selective about where they spend those dining dollars, opting for good-tasting food that also offers an atmosphere, so it’s more like a night out than just a quick meal.

“It will be interesting to see what happens in 2009, in terms of food,” adds Chef Enzo. “However, it seems likely that people will continue to turn to the more environmentally friendly, locally produced, and natural food options. When it comes to dining out, consumer will likely reduce the frequency, but make quality choices when they do go out.”

A grain of salt, for a finish

2008-12-01T14:26:00.002-06:00

MarxFoods.com is giving away a Collection of Ritrovo Premium Finishing Salts. All you have to do is visit the blog this week, through Dec. 5, and simply leave a comment telling them which one of their flight of seven salts will go the quickest in your household. A winner will be chosen by random and announced Dec. 8.

“These salt collections are a cutting edge condiment,” said Justin Marx, CEO of MarxFoods.com. “It’s incredible how literally a pinch of fine salt, sprinkled over dishes ranging from wild salmon to chocolate mousse, can add complexity and balance to the flavor profile of a dish.”

A set of seven Ritrovo Fine Finishing Salts was just added to MarxFoods.com. Marx went on to say, “We’re really excited about these exquisite Italian products, the combinations are literally the most exciting “salts” we’ve ever tasted and the range of applications and flavor profiles would get any chef excited.”

What does one do with seven types of salt and how do you know which one would be devoured the quickest at your house?

Truffle & Salt: A blend of dried Italian black truffle and sea salt, this flavor combination will enhance any dish with the aroma and flavor of Italian truffles including popcorn, mashed potatoes, pasta dishes, scrambled eggs and roasted meats.

Fiori & Salt: An aromatic and beautiful blend of Italian sea salt and flowers including chamomile, poppy, mallow, marigold, lime, hawthorn, yarrow, wild orange peel, flower pollen, heather and lavender. This combination is a wonderful way to infuse olive oils, sprinkle over fresh mozzarella, finish cream soups and risotto or bake into breads.

Fennel & Salt: A combination of sea salt, fennel seed and orange peel this blend pairs well with sweet and savory dishes including wild salmon, goat cheese, chocolate truffles or caramel.

Sweet & Salt: A sweet and savory blend of Italian sea salt, dried & ground fruit, sweet spices, vanilla, chocolate and grape must, this combination pairs well with both aromatic and dessert dishes. Sweet & salt can be used as a rub for duck or pork, sprinkled on roasted squash, pumpkin soup, or buttery shortbread cookies.

Saffron & Salt: Red strands of saffron are blended with sea salt resulting in a flavor profile that is perfect for finishing paella, cioppino, pasta or fresh ricotta.

Sea & Salt: A combination of high-quality Sicilian bottarga, citrus, sun-dried tomato, and cardamom, this blend is ideal with pasta, steamed vegetables or used to cure seafood and enhance salad dressings.

Limited Edition Salt: From Cervia salt pans, this Italian moist fleur de sel is the crème de la crème of sea salts. With a light texture and rich flavor this salt can be used to finish meat, poultry and fruit dishes as well as sweets including white chocolate chip cookies and caramel chocolate combinations.

After mulling over the descriptions and serving suggestions, visit the MarxFoods.com blog and enter to win the collection.

The applications are endless. Here’s a recipe for incorporating Truffle & Salt in spinach salad.

Fresh Cheese Truffled Spinach Salad with Truffle Butter Crostini

One cup fresh mozzarella di bufala
6 cups fresh spinach
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp. Truffle & Salt
1 tsp. of your favorite vinegar

Chop cheese into a small dice and place in a bowl with oil, vinegar, and truffle salt. Allow the cheese to sit for about half an hour, permitting the flavors to blend. Wash and dry spinach. Place the cheese-vinaigrette mixture in a bowl and toss with greens.

Serve immediately with:

Truffle Salt Butter Crostini

Mix softened sweet butter with truffle salt.

Toast or grill one-inch slices of rustic bread and spread with the truffled butter.

Changing gears for Turkey Day

2008-11-26T08:53:00.002-06:00

After much lobbying by the 9-year-old, and with even more nagging from the 6-year-old sous chef, there will be a stuffed turkey at Chez Tutor tomorrow. I've never stuffed the turkey, being raised in the tradition that dressing baked in its own goodness was the proper way to do things.

However, a recent episode of The Barefoot Contessa featured a stuffed, trussed and roasted bird, and the two main turkey eaters in the house decided that's what we needed.

I'll still be putting the bird in to brine this afternoon. I'm going to use the savory stuffing recipe we ran in last Wendesday's Your Table for the filling. With any luck, the moisture from the brine and some oven love will turn out a fabulous holiday centerpiece.

Other things that the younguns decided we'll have: homemade cranberry sauce, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, gravy and cornbread.

I won't have to cook for a week.

Smucker's for more than jelly

2008-11-25T11:48:00.000-06:00

While holiday temperatures can reach into the seventies or eighties as they do in Texas, you can still whip up a cool holiday treat without having to turn on the oven! Try one of The J.M. Smucker Company’s two limited edition ice cream toppings flavors – Smucker’s Pumpkin Spice and Smucker’s Magic Shell Cherry toppings. Whether poured over ice cream or as a topping for your favorite no-bake cheesecake, these limited flavors are sure to be crowd pleasers this holiday season.

Try the Pumpkin Spice or Magic Shell Cherry toppings over this easy no-bake cheesecake made with Sweetened Condensed Milk.

No-bake cheesecake
1 (8-ounce) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle BrandSweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8- or 9-inch) prepared graham cracker or baked pie crust
1 container Smucker’s Pumpkin Spice or Smucker’s Magic Shell® Cherry toppings

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
Pour into crust; chill 4 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of Smucker’s Pumpkin Spice and Smucker’s Magic Shell Cherry toppings.
Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

If you happen upon some serrano ham....

2008-11-25T11:43:00.003-06:00

I haven't seen serrano ham locally, but it's truly one of the culinary jewels of the porcine world. From the Consorcio de Jamon Serrano Espanol, here are some quick recipes for the holiday season.

Because of their richer and fuller flavor, these all natural air-dried cured ham prepared with centuries old artisan traditions and techniques require less to deliver more delicious flavor. Making a holiday party a sensation couldn't be easier with tasty tapas made with Serrano ham. It's no wonder the Serrano trend is rising, with more and more restaurants and home cooks serving them.

Here are three simple tapas recipes made with Serrano hams from Spain that can be made in less than 5 to 20 minutes each.

Serrano Stuffed Mushrooms

Preparation time: 20 minutes (Serves 4)

8 large mushrooms
2 Spanish onions
2 thick slices of Serrano ham (Jamón Serrano del Consorcio)
Virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

Remove the stem from the mushrooms, clean them and set aside.
In a frying pan with a bit of olive oil, lightly saute the Welsh onions and mushroom stems previously sliced. Once browned,
add small chunks of Jamón Serrano del Consorcio and stir in the pan.
Use this mixture to stuff the mushroom heads and place them in a baking dish. Add salt and pepper and pour olive oil over them. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes at 170º C.

Chef's Suggestions:
Other vegetables can be substituted, such as green or red peppers, zucchini, asparagus, etc.

Serrano and Cream Cheese Wraps

Preparation time: 15 minutes (Serves 4)

8 slices of Serrano ham (Jamón Consorcio-Serrano)
Chives
5 1/2 oz. of cream cheese
2 oz. of pine nuts

Smash the pine nuts and brown them in a frying pan.
Clean and cut the chives. Mix it all with the fresh cheese.
Spread the mixture on the ham slices and roll up.
.
Chef's Suggestions:
For a more intense flavour, it can be browned in the oven for 2 minutes.

The Consorcio's Serrano, Zucchini & Pepper "Tapa"

Preparation time: 5 minutes (Serves 4)

4 slices of rustic style bread
4 piquillo peppers
1 zucchini
4 slices of Consorcio Serrano ham (Jamón Serrano del Consorcio)
Olive oil and salt

Mash the piquillo peppers with a bit of oil and salt.
Clean and cut the zucchini in slices. Grill them.
Arrange the dish: Spread the piquillo pepper cream on the bread, then add the zucchini and a slice of Jamón Consorcio-Serrano.

Chef's Suggestions:
The tapas can be seasoned with a dressing of olive oil and diced black olives. For creams, Eggplant caviar, artichoke cream, tapenade (olive relish), tomato, etc.

Picky Preschoolers? Here's help.

2008-11-25T11:34:00.002-06:00

I confess this isn't an area of expertise for me. My children are food freaks and will pretty much give anything a go.

However.... I realize that, well, they're freaks and some children aren't as easy to please. The USDA has come out with some tips for getting children to open up to more than chicken fingers and fish sticks:

Audrey and her sister Valerie, both preschoolers, have drawn a line in the sand -- Audrey doesn’t eat vegetables and Valerie only eats foods that are white. However, with Thanksgiving and the holiday season just around the corner, Audrey and Valerie will be introduced to many new foods that will challenge their taste buds (and their parents’ patience) -- turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing, candied yams, spiced crabapples, acorn squash, and pumpkin pie. So the question is, will they eat it? And, what can parents do to introduce their picky eaters to new foods and tastes to avoid a meltdown at the Thanksgiving table?

The Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) has come to the rescue with its new website MyPyramid for Preschoolers designed specifically for parents and caregivers. This new, interactive website, found at MyPyramid.gov, provides unique, individualized nutrition guidance to meet the needs of preschoolers 2 to 5 years of age.

CNPP Executive Director Brian Wansink said, “Since we launched MyPyramid for Preschoolers less than a month ago, we have had a tremendously positive response to it from both the public and nutrition professionals. This a great tool for all parents of preschoolers but particularly those of finicky eaters. It’s loaded with great ideas and suggestions for families so they can help their kids eat a more varied and nutritious diet. What I find most useful is how to talk with kids about what to eat and tips on how to have fun with food around the dinner table.”

Common Sense Tips to Help the Finicky Eater:
· Set reasonable limits for the start and end of a meal. When you see that your child is no longer interested in the meal, excuse him or her from the table.
· Encourage your child to try new foods. But, don’t lecture or force your child to eat.
· Talk about fun and happy things. Try to make meal-time a stress-free time.
· Cook together. Encourage your preschooler to help you prepare meals and snacks

Other key topic areas of MyPyramid for Preschoolers include:

· MyPyramid Plan where users can create a customized eating plan.
· Growth During the Preschool Years answers the question -- Is my child growing the way he or she should be?
· Developing Healthy Eating Habits provides parents and caregivers with what they can do to help children develop healthy eating habits.
· Physical Activity provides answers to questions about physical activity for preschoolers and provides tips to help them be more active.
· Food Safety provides information on keeping foods safe to eat.
· Sample Meal and Snack Patterns help translate the “MyPyramid Plan” into individual meals and snacks.

Research shows that parents and caregivers want to know more about nutrition for their preschool children. In addition to the broad spectrum of topic areas covered on this site, are the interactive components including a customized “MyPyramid Plan” that can be printed and posted on the refrigerator door. Wansink concluded, “We are offering a variety of unique, cutting edge, online tools to help the American public make more healthful food choices.”

Developed by CNPP in collaboration with Team Nutrition of the Food and Nutrition Service, this new website provides nutrition guidance consistent with current scientific research and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The subject areas and content were identified and developed with assistance from a wide array of experts from the USDA, Health and Human Services, academia and related research fields.

The interactive components can be found in the MyPyramid Plan and Growth sections of the website. They include a customized MyPyramid Plan, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Height-for-Age charts. The personalized MyPyramid Plan provides a general guide for what and how much to offer daily from each of the food groups. The BMI and Height-for-Age results are calculated and displayed on a printable, user-friendly graph.

A strata you oughta try

2008-11-25T11:31:00.002-06:00

The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook is a trove of practical everyday recipes. They're good this time of year for their hearty simplicity.

Strata
This dish can be made with crumbled bacon or shrimp, sautéed mushrooms or leeks, and just about any kind of bread, including raisin or a mixture of white and whole wheat or rye. Prepare it a night ahead. To feed a crowd, double this recipe and prepare it in a large baking dish.

14 slices bread, crusts removed
1 cup of diced cooked ham
2 cups shredded Swiss or cheddar cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
6 large eggs
3-1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the bread into cubes. Generously grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. Make a layer with half of the bread cubes, arranging them so that they cover the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with ham, cheese, shallots and basil over the bread. Cover with the remaining bread cubes. Beat the eggs and milk together in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour the mixture over the top bread layer, saturating it evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight; the bread will soak up the liquid as the mixture stands.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Uncover the strata and bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and lightly browned. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Soups from Symon

2008-11-25T11:20:00.004-06:00

Michael Symon is probably my favorite Iron Chef to watch, which is why it irritates me that he gets to compete so infrequently. I think his personality is a hoot, and he just looks as though he's having such fun out there.

Here are some hearty winter soups that hopped across my radar this a.m. from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board . Chef Symon's creations are always sophisticated twists on old favorites, and this collection is no different.

According to Mintel Menu Insights, sales of soup in the U.S. will reach an estimated $5.4 billion in 2008, a 26 percent increase since 2002.

CURRIED CARROT AND MASCARPONE SOUP

Number of Servings: 4

2 shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt

12 ounces (about 5) carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste*

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tub (8 ounces) Wisconsin Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature*

Place shallots and garlic in olive oil in deep sauce pan, and lightly salt. Cover and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes, covered, until limp but now brown. Add carrots and continue to cook, covered, for 10 minutes over medium low heat. Add curry paste and chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Remove soup from heat and pour into blender beaker or food processor bowl; blend until smooth. Return to heat and bring to simmer. Whisk in Mascarpone cheese. Serve immediately in soup bowls.

VIDALIA ONION AND LEEK SOUP WITH WISCONSIN PEPATO CHEESE

Number of Servings: 4

1/2 pound leeks

4 Vidalia onions, peeled, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter, lightly salted

1 1/2 cups Amber Beer (Ale)

5 cups chicken stock

8 slices sourdough bread, dried, crispy thin, cut into crouton shape

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Wisconsin Pepato cheese, shaved

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Trim the leeks and cut off the leaves and save. Slice the leek bulbs and add to the sliced onions.In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the butter and wait until the butter foams and begins to turn nutty brown. Add the sliced onions and leeks. Cook over a high heat to brown the onions nicely. Add the beer and reduce by half. Add the stock and simmer 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Ladle half the soup, a little at a time, into blender and puree. Combine the pureed soup with the simmered soup.Cut the wild leek leaves into thin chiffonade and stir into the soup. Ladle into bowls, top with sour dough croutons and generously lay the shaved Pepato over the soup.

DOUBLE CHEESE SOUP BOWL

Number of Servings: 4

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup celery, washed, diced

4 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk, warm

1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Gouda cheese, shredded

White pepper, ground, to taste

5 drops hot sauce

1/2 cup ham, diced

1 tablespoon chives, minced

Over medium heat, in a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat butter until melted. Stir in onion and celery, cover. Cook 3 minutes or until translucent. Stir often to prevent browning. Stir in flour to thicken. Cook until it bubbles. Slowly stir in warm milk, mixing until thickened and smooth. Bring to a simmer (do not boil) and continue stirring. Reduce to very low heat and add Wisconsin Cheddar and Wisconsin Gouda cheeses, white pepper and hot sauce. Stir until well blended. Add ham and chives. Substitutions: Beer or non-alcoholic beer could be used instead of milk.

An exploration of chili

2008-11-24T09:06:00.004-06:00

It's gray out there today, people. Forget the runup to Thanksgiving. I need chili.

Many of you are familiar with our food fixation here at The Star. Over the years, I've kept a list of our chili recipes that have been deemed a hit. I've also squirreled away an ode or to to chili, that great chameleon of the culinary world. Although I've never had it with chameleon.....

This was originally published in 2007 as one of my food columns:

The door slides shut on the van, trapping the scent of seasonings wafting from the hot pot tucked away to the rear. By the time we reach the end of the drive, the smell is stronger. Its unmistakable warmth slips to the front and wraps around and under the seats. "Oh," he says, sniffing. "That's Nana's chili."

A deep breath. "We having that for dinner?"

This particular pot of chili is bound for the office, but its recognition to my boy carried the imprint of my childhood home. It reminds us of the classic flavors of our childhood that stay with us, always.

Take my son, for instance. He's spent almost all of his eight years eating the tomatoey, spicy, peppery chili of the South. Its smell is generic to him, and it resembles chili made in most parts of the United States. Good stuff, and I know when he's older, the "chili" trigger of his olfactory senses will likely default to tomatoes and cayenne.

Give him 10 seconds in a car, though, and his mind flips to winters past and cold nights bundled under a blanket on his grandmother's couch. The "chili" label is refined to "Nana's Chili," an elixir of cinnamon and cloves, nutmeg and ginger usually found only in the lee of the Ohio River Valley.
For me, it triggers memories of PTA chili suppers, tobacco festivals and a cramped concessions stand at the football game on Friday nights. He reacts to it the same way his sister can detect bread pudding or slow-baked sweet potatoes.

It's home, and home should smell good.

Scientists have known for years that the memory of smell is a powerful thing. We build up a storehouse of memories from an early age and pull from them the rest of our days. Some scents are utilitarian - bacon, coffee, coconut. Others, like Nana's chili, are specific to one place, one person, one point in time.

The past few years have brought an emphasis on foods cooked at home. This section each Wednesday is devoted to the art and craft of home cooking.

I'm not pushing the Rockwellian example of the family table as savior to all of society's ills. Indeed, most family dinner times reveal themselves as more Keystone Cops goofiness than Leave it to Beaver Americana. However, I know it costs less to eat at home. I know that when I make something, I have a pretty good idea of what's in it. When my husband makes something (usually a mean bowl of oatmeal), our children learn that cooks come in all shapes and sizes and sounds.

Most important, they make connections that, some day, will be precious. I've trolled some families' recipe files to find those scents that stay with us. Clip'em. Save 'em. And add them to the list of things to pass on to others.

Cincinnati Chili
This is a great recipe to clear out the spice rack. It cooks a long time, so the flavor changes, and that's also why it takes dried spices and herbs. Adjust any seasonings and spices about an hour before serving.
2 slices of bacon
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion (at least 1 1/2 cups when finely chopped)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can kidney beans, undrained
2 (about 24 ounces each) large cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chili powder (not smoked, not flavored; plain chili powder)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (not dill seed)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon summer savory
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
about 2 teaspoons salt
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 pound dried spaghetti
In a large skillet, cook the bacon and the chopped onion and bell pepper until the onion is clear, about 5 minutes. Put the onion and pepper into a 7-quart Crock-pot; save the bacon and drippings in the skillet. Break up the ground beef and put it in the skillet with the bacon. Brown it; drain it. Toss the bacon in the trash (or snack on it), then add the ground beef and remaining ingredients (except the spaghetti) to the Crock-pot, along with one tomato can full of water.
Put the lid on, turn it on low for about 8-10 hours. An hour before serving, turn the Crock-pot to high and taste the chili to see what it needs. Break the spaghetti in half and stir, without breaking, the noodles into the chili. Leave it on high, and they'll cook in time to serve. Stir gently to make sure the noodles don't stick together.
(Note: People who make this a lot mix all the herbs and spices together to make their own bulk chili blend and keep it in a pint jar. Then they just add at will when it's time to cook a batch. Make sure you shake well, however, because some of the spices might settle to the bottom of the jar.)

Reading that column brought to mind all the other chili variations we’ve had here at The Star over the years. Among our hit list of oft-repeated offerings:

Plain Ol’ Beef Chili
3-4 quarts beef broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 minced, fresh green chili peppers
2 minced fresh red chili peppers
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 can black beans, pureed
1 12-ounce can of regular beer
1 14-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup masa flour
Put everything except the masa flour and tomato paste into a slow-cooker and turn to high; cook for 3 hours, then reduce to low and cook overnight. (This can cook on low anywhere from 12-14 hours.)
Just before you get ready to go to work, or about four hours before serving, turn your cooker to high. Allow heat to build for at least 30-40 minutes, then take the masa flour and mix with COLD water to make a paste that has the thickness of molasses. Whisk the paste quickly, directly into the hot chili; stir well. Add the tomato paste and mix well.
When you get to work, turn the pot on low for a bit, give it a stir, and wait for lunch.

Andy's Lazyman's Adobe Chili
Two pounds of ground beef
1 vegetable bullion cube
1 bag of rice
1 can (14 ounce) Bush's Chili Beans
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
1 can (14 ounce) black beans
1 can (14 ounce) great northern beans
1 can (14 ounce) tomato sauce
Onion powder
Chili powder
Hot sauce
Brown ground beef and drain grease.
Pour beef, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili beans and bullion cube into slow cooker.
Drain black beans and great northern beans. Pour all of black beans and half of northern beans into cooker. Pour about 6-10 drops of hot sauce into mixture. Stir.
Season with spice powders to taste.
Allow to cook on low for about six to eight hours, stirring periodically. About one hour prior to serving, boil rice and mix two-thirds of the rice into the cooker.
Serve with cheese and crackers.

Chocolate Chili Con Carne
3 pounds beef chuck
Freshly ground black pepper
Gray salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus 2 teaspoons
2 tablespoons chili powder, plus 2 tablespoons
Masa harina (Mexican corn flour)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lard
4 red onions, peeled and minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapeno peppers, sliced thin with seeds, stems removed
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 to 3 bottles (12 ounce) beer
1 can (12 ounce) diced tomato in juices
1 quart chicken stock
3 cans (12 ounce) black beans
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into large chunks
Cut the chuck into 3/4-inch pieces, or, to save time, have your butcher do this for you. Place the chuck in a large bowl. Season liberally with pepper (about 20 turns of the pepper grinder) and grey salt to taste- remember half of this will come off in the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of the cumin and 2 tablespoons of the chili powder. Mix this well and coat the meat with the masa harina (this is a ground hominy flour common to Mexican cuisine and easily found in the Mexican food sections of many grocery stores). The flour will thicken the sauce and give it a specific, Mexican taste.
Preheat a cast iron Dutch oven on the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and then the coated meat, spreading it evenly so it covers the bottom of the Dutch oven in 1 layer. Leave it alone, without turning it, so the meat will brown and caramelize. Meanwhile, add the lard. The meat has a lot of moisture in it, so a good amount of steam will come from the pan before it is caramelized. As it browns, slowly turn each piece with tongs. Once all sides are caramelized, remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a cookie sheet to cool, leaving juices in the Dutch oven to saute vegetables. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat until they start to caramelize and get soft. Add the jalapenos and allow to cook for 2 more minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste. Some of the same spices as were used on the meat will be used in the sauce. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the cumin, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the oregano, and 2 heaping tablespoons of the chili powder. Add beer. Stir to incorporate everything. Add diced tomatoes, and stir. Then add the reserved meat. Add chicken stock. Simmer for 11/2 hours until meat is wonderfully tender. Strain juice from the black beans, add the beans to the chili pot and bring up to simmer. Then add chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Stir until it melts. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Ben's Chili con Carne
1 pound sirloin tips or stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons red chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)
Dash of Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Heat the oil over medium heat in large saucepan. Brown the meat in the oil, then drain excess oil. Return meat to saucepan over medium heat and add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Place meat and vegetables in large slow cooker pot and add remaining ingredients, stirring well. Cook over low heat for 8-10 hours, or high heat for 4-5 hours. Serves about four people. Recommend double batch for large gatherings.

White Chicken Chili
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon ground cumin (or to taste)
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cans (15 ounces each) northern beans
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth with roasted garlic
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups grated pepperjack cheese
In large soup pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until tender but not browned. Add chilies, cumin, and oregano. Continue cooking over low heat for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add beans, chicken broth, chicken and cheese. Cook over medium-low heat until cheese melts.

Three-Step Chili
2 pounds ground beef
1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
salt, to taste
2 tablespoons dry minced onions
8 to 10 bay leaves
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Brown the ground beef and drain well. Add remaining ingredients except cornstarch. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off excess grease; remove bay leaves. Add enough water to cornstarch to make paste that will pour. Add to chili; allow to thicken.

Work on raising your glass

2008-11-21T14:38:00.002-06:00

Here's some advice for having a good Thanksgiving toast, if you're from a family of toasters:

According to Chris Witt, an executive speech coach with more than 25 years of experience, the first thing to remember is the intent of a toast onThanksgiving, which is something like the intent of the meal itself - to bring everyone together in a spirit of gratitude.

"A toast is meant to be warm, welcoming and gracious," said Witt, author of the newly released book, Real Leaders Don't Do Powerpoint. He recommendsthe following tips so your readers don't come off sounding like a turkey:

1) Get everyone's attention
2) Make sure people's glasses are full
3) Make a general statement that sums up the group's experience of the past year
4) Make a toast, which is something like a wish or a (secular) prayer
5) Raise your glass

"The basic things to avoid when making a holiday toast are these: Don't go too long, don't try to be humorous and don't make anyone feel excluded."

A frugal cookbook from The Almanac

2008-11-21T14:36:00.000-06:00

Tough economic times and cold winter weather sparks a desire for traditional, easy-to-prepare comfort food for many American families. Created by the food editors of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Everyday Cookbook is packed with delicious recipes that are all family favorites for generations. This collection contains 425 recipes that call for a short list of inexpensive ingredients.

The Everyday Cookbook is a hardbound edition, with more than 350 pages of recipes in 15 big sections, and 180 time- and money-saving tips! Here are a few samples for your readers:

Comforting Gingerbread
Serve this warm with applesauce or whipped cream, or dusted with confectioners' sugar.

1/2 cup corn oil
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 teaspoons ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease an 8-or 9-inch square baking pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and brown sugar. In another bowl, sift the flours together, then add to the brown sugar mixture and stir until well blended. Add the milk, eggs, and molasses and stir to blend. Fold in the ginger. Pour into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a tooth-pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 9 servings.

A Hungry Man's Quiche
Recipe for leftover holiday ham:

1 unbaked (9 1/2-inch) deep-dish pie shell
3 small potatoes, mashed
1/4 cup cubed cooked ham
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
5 large eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork in several places and prebake for 15 minutes; remove from the oven, then increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Layer the potatoes, ham and then cheese into the shell. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and milk together, and pour the mixture into the shell. Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Cookbook is available for $24.95 in retail outlets and the food section of bookstores, and at Shop.Almanac.com.

In case you didn't get enough in The Star....

2008-11-19T09:17:00.003-06:00

More Thanksgiving sides, this time with a touch of smoke:

Rick Browne, internationally known BBQ chef; author of The Best Barbecue on Earth and half a dozen other cookbooks; restaurant critic; and host of public television's Barbecue America has the recipe for some great Thanksgiving sides- each with a unique international twist.

Cheesy Grilled Vegetables--from Argentina
Serves 4 to 6
(Recipe adapted from The Best Barbecue on Earth, pg 14)
6 firm plum tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
1 large onion, quartered lengthwise
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded sardo or Gruyere cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect grilling (it is not necessary to use a drip pan with this recipe). Preheat to 350 degrees F. Make sure the grill rack is clean and oil it thoroughly with a nonstick cooking spray. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray and set aside.
Lightly brush the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and zucchini with olive oil. Place the vegetable on the grill rack and cook over direct heat, turning several times, until vegetables start to brown on the edges but are still firm. Keep vegetables separate on the grill as the zucchini will be finished first, then the tomatoes, then the bell peppers, then the onions. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and peppers, and cut all the vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Drain the tomatoes on paper towels.

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the basil, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, stir in the sardo cheese, and add the mixture to the vegetables, stirring to combine. Pour into the prepared skillet. Sprinkle the top evenly with bread crumbs and the Parmesan.
Transfer the skillet to the barbecue and cook over indirect heat until the edges of the mixture are browned and the center is set, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, cut into wedges, and serve.

Sweet Potato-Tofu Rice--from Korea
Serves 4 to 6
(Recipe adapted from The Best Barbecue on Earth, pg 122)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sweetened rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 yellow onions, cut into 1/2-inch think rounds
3 cups water
salt
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 cups hot cooked rice
freshly ground black pepper

Soak 12 - 16 bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes.

In a large shallow dish, combine the soy sauce, ginger, rice, vinegar, and oil, and set aside.
Transfer the sweet potato slices to a small saucepan and add the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the slices are just starting to become tender. Remove and pat dry.

Add the onion, potato, and tofu slices to the soy sauce mixture, carefully tossing to coat. Let stand for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the vegetables and reserve the marinade.
Run 2 soaked skewers, 1 inch apart, through each slice of onion to hold the onion together on the grill. Set aside.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to 375 degrees F. Make sure the grill rack is clean and oil if thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

Transfer the onion, potato, and tofu to the prepared grill rack and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, generously basting with the reserved marinade, until they are grill-marked and beginning to brown.

Transfer the tofu and vegetables to a serving plate, removing the skewers from the onions. Serve over the steamed rice and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Get off your can

2008-11-19T09:15:00.001-06:00

When Peter Durand patented the first metal can for the British Navy in 1810, he overlooked one important point - how to get the can open once it was sealed.

"The first cans were made of solid iron and they were heavier than the food inside the can," explains Elizabeth Pearce, senior curator, Southern Food and Beverage Museum. "To get the food out, one literally had to use a hammer and chisel."

Pearce says that it was only when thinner cans were created in the 1860s - nearly 50 years later - that a can opener could be invented.

"The first can opener was created by Ezra Warner of Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1858," she says. "It looked somewhat like a bent bayonet and you had to jam it into the can and then forcibly rotate around the edge of the can. It was difficult."

This wasn't the only problem. "People did not have this type of can opener in their homes," says Pearce. "It was only in stores, so the cans were opened by clerks in the store before the customer left."

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum faces a similar situation as the British Navy - it has thousands of cans but no can openers.

"We have an exhibition titled 'Canstruction,'" says Pearce. "Every year, architecture firms throughout the country participate in a competition in which they create sculptures out of canned goods. The sculptures are disassembled and donated to a local food bank. We have a can sculpture on exhibit in the museum. We are creating a companion exhibition of historic can openers to compliment the can exhibition. We are seeking vintage can openers to put into the display and into our collection."

The museum is looking for can openers that are both historic and commonplace examples of the past.
· Old can openers that are wall mounted.
· Openers that consist of one piece or of multiple pieces.
· Openers that feature the classic wheel design.
· Openers that have unique features and advertising slogans.
· Examples of old electrical can openers - the first electrical version was created in 1931 though it reached mass market in 1957.
· Old cans, such as the original heavy examples made of iron.

"The use of can openers didn't really become widespread until roughly 1930," says Pearce. "But there are older versions that deserve to be placed into a museum collection. For example, during the Civil War, Union troops received Warner's can opener along with their rations of canned food. In 1866, a man named J. Osterhoudt patented the tin can with a key opener that we see with sardine cans."

Pearce says that can openers are important artifacts that document the culinary history of man.

"At the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, we get excited about things like can openers," laughs Pearce. "They are valuable in that they provide a picture of where we have been and where we are going."

Those who make donations will be recognized in Southern Food and Beverage Museum publications and on its website/email newsletters. In some cases, donations as well as shipping costs may be eligible for tax deductions when donors get the appropriate appraisals from independent sources.

The pre-Thanksgiving blowout on Your Table

2008-11-18T13:29:00.003-06:00

If this was a 1980s sitcom, the Wednesday edition of The Star's food section would be billed as A Very Special Your Table.

To put it mildly, we're bringin' it for the Super Bowl of Cooking next week, Thanksgiving.

Our theme is The Simple Feast. We've got a wide selection of recipes -- from bird to bread and all ports in between -- that will make Wednesday's food section the only thing you'll need to get an easy repast. (Really. Some of y'all have hassled me when I've called stuff "easy" and apparently it wasn't; this time I mean it.) We've got a budget party for folks who don't want a big spread, but we've also got a checklist for people who are having all manner of kith and kin to the table and need to organize entertainment, seating .... and whatnot.

How simple is some of this stuff? Our own staff members brought some of their favorites to the office Friday for a taste test, and, as the columnists would say, "A good time was had by all." Prudence Hilburn kicks in a few of her classics, and Pat Kettles and Ben Cunningham tell you what to drink to make all of these flavors of fall come alive.

Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

Cake rules, and other peachy things

2008-11-18T13:27:00.002-06:00

We're fortunate enough to be plugged in to the Old Farmer's Almanac and their trove of cool recipes that really bring homemade goodness to the table. Here's a sweet treat.

Peachy Almond Cake
CAKE:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

FILLING:
1 cup (7-ounce package) almond paste
2 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 cup peach preserves, softened in microwave oven or stirred, divided

FROSTING:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
caramel sauce (optional)
peach slices (optional)
mint sprigs (optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

For Cake:In a large bowl and with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each and then until the mixture is as light as whipped cream. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
In a small bowl, blend the milk and extracts. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, stirring to blend after each. Spread the batter equally in the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool them on wire racks.

For Filling:Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Divide the almond paste in half and roll each portion into a 9-inch round (roll the paste between two layers of waxed paper or plastic wrap). Place one sheet of almond paste over the first cake layer. In a small bowl, mix the peach slices with 3/4 cup of the peach preserves and spread over the almond paste. Add the second cake layer and brush with the remaining 1/4 cup of peach preserves. Top with the second round of almond paste.

For Frosting:Whip the cream until stiff, then add the sugar and extracts to taste, stirring to blend. Frost the cake with the whipped cream and refrigerate until serving time. If desired, drizzle a little caramel sauce on the dessert plates before putting the cake on them and garnish each serving with a few peach slices and a sprig of fresh mint. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Velveeta and casseroles. Bring it on.

2008-11-14T13:52:00.002-06:00

The makers of velveeta are inviting America to rediscover the casserole – the delicious and versatile one-dish wonder that won’t break the bank. In the South, casseroles have NEVER gone out of style, and no church supper or potluck would be complete without a slew of them.

Five top bloggers are taking the VELVEETA Casserole Challenge – creating an original casserole recipe using VELVEETA that can serve four for under $10 with second helpings for the following day. Visi VelveetaCasseroleChallenge.com by Nov. 23 to vote and to see a contest that offers great prizes for consumers’ best tips to deliver delicious dinners to the family on a budget.

Twenty first-prize winners will receive VELVEETA Casserole Kits and the creator of the top tip will be awarded a set of stainless steel cookware.

"We know families are looking for ways to bring dinner to the table on a budget. The VELVEETA Casserole Challenge is a fun way to highlight easy, affordable meals, and remind families how much they love these cheesy, all-in-one dishes,” says VELVEETA brand manager Sherina Smith.
Casseroles are an ideal way to stretch your dollar and feed the family for a reasonable price – taking the guesswork out of dinnertime. Plus, with simple variations in spices and ingredients, one recipe can become a whole recipe box full of meals. Log on to VELVEETA.com for new recipes and variations of current favorites using VELVEETA pasteurized prepared cheese product.

Holiday cooking contest, Kosher style

2008-11-13T12:26:00.003-06:00

The Manischewitz Company announces the launch of the Third Annual Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off, a cooking contest designed to encourage home cooks to prepare a simple, yet delicious kosher entrée using any of the many wonderful Manischewitz products.

The Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off invites U.S. residents 18 or older to submit an original, easy-to-make entrée. All recipes must be original, must be kosher and must include at least one Manischewitz product, have no more than a total of eight ingredients and be prepared and cooked in one hour or less. For official contest details and to register, log onto http://www.manischewitz.com/ and complete the official entry form online and submit a recipe or enter by mail: Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off, c/o BHGPR, 546 Valley Road Upper Montclair, NJ 07043. Recipes entered online must be received by December 31, 2008. Mailed entries must be received by December 31, 2008.

All of the contest submissions are selected by a judging panel which includes chefs and culinary experts. Judging is based on the following criteria:

taste, 50%
ease of preparation, 20%
appearance, 15%
originality, 15%.

Six finalists will be selected from among all entries to compete live in New York City on February 13, 2009 at the Marriott Marquis hotel. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected on site by a panel of prestigious panel of food experts.

The judging panel includes: Todd Coleman, Food Editor Saveur magazine; Melissa Roberts, Food Editor Gourmet magazine, Emily Kaiser, Food Associate Editor, Food & Wine magazine; Michael Park, Epicurious.com and Achilles Poliviou, executive chef at the Marriott Marquis.

“Over the past two years we have had more than 10,000 entries from people across the country that spanned all ethnic backgrounds," said David Rossi, VP, Marketing, The Manischewitz Company. “As the leader in the kosher market, we pride ourselves on our wide range of specialty products that inspire cooks of all types to create exciting recipes.”

“I was so honored to be the grand prize winner last year,” said Joy Devor of Far Rockaway, New York. “I simply love to cook for my family and thanks to The Manischewitz Company I was able to update my kitchen which makes it so much easier to cook for my six children. Additionally the endless supply of Manischewitz products has enabled me to continue to be creative with recipes.” The first Cook-Off winner, Candace McMenamin from Lexington, SC says, “This event gave me the chance to show off my cooking skills in a kosher cooking competition and even though I don’t keep kosher, I’ve been exposed to a whole new category of recipes.”

And to inspire you, try this original creation by Grand Prize Winner - Candace McMenamin:

Sweet Potato Encrusted Chicken

Ingredients:
1 item Manischewitz Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1 box (6oz) Manischewitz Sweet Potato Pancakes
1 tsp Manischewitz Poultry Seasoning
6 piece Boneless, skinless chicken breast
1.5 cup Manischewitz apricot preserves
3 tbsp Manischewitz Premium Niagara White Grape Juice
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 item Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare a 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine sweet potato pancake mix and poultry seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken breasts through mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Place in prepared baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature is 175 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apricot preserves, grape juice, garlic, and pepper. Cook over low heat until mixture is heated through. To serve: Place chicken breasts on serving platter. Drizzle ¼ cup sauce over breasts and serve remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

Chef cooks up a good cause

2008-11-13T08:53:00.002-06:00

The few occasions I've had to interview her, Virginia Willis has come across as a charming, practical soul with a rich understanding of Southern food heritage. It's fun to note that she's got a cause cooking in Atlanta, and Emory's sustainability project will be worth watching:

Emory University is proud of its mission to serve sustainable, delicious food to its diners; acclaimed chef and author Virginia Willis prides herself on cooking with only the finest, local ingredients.

The coupling of Emory’s mission and Virginia’s expertise is exemplified in the Heritage Harvest Feast — a Thanksgiving menu comprised of recipes from Virginia Willis’s best-selling cookbook Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking (Ten Speed Press, May 2008, $32.50) which will be served throughout all of Emory University’s dining facilities today. To celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and in the spirit of friendship, family, and fellowship, Virginia Willis and Emory’s talented culinary team will cook soul-satisfying Southern favorites, using local produce and heritage turkeys.

The daughter and granddaughter of consummate Southern cooks, Virginia Willis inherited their love of fresh, home-cooked food and unconditional hospitality before going on to become a classically trained French chef. These divergent influences inform Bon Appétit, Y’all, Virginia’s passionate homage to her culinary roots. Brimming with recipes meant for the family home kitchen, displaced Southerners yearning for a taste of home, aspiring cooks, and anyone who appreciates good food, and enhanced with stories, photos, tips, and techniques, Bon Appétit, Y’all seamlessly blends Virginia’s Southern and French roots into a memorable and thoroughly modern cookbook.

Emory University's sustainability vision sets an ambitious goal of 75 percent local or sustainably grown food in the hospitals and cafeterias by 2015. A Sustainable Food Committee was named by the President in the spring of 2007 to lead Emory’s Sustainable Food Initiative. The group includes a dozen members — faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students — from all across the University and has accomplished a number of projects including establishing food purchasing guidelines and defining “sustainable” and “local” food.

Kids and food. Make it an adventure.

2008-11-13T08:40:00.002-06:00

I'm not the biggest fan of Rachael Ray, but she had an excellent commentary on a recent show. She was talking about preparing fast family meals and addressed a lament many parents have: Their children will eat only one or two things. As in chicken and corn. Or chicken and french fries.

Her point: The children weren't born that way, so how'd their tastes get so narrow and dictatorial? Look in the mirror, mom and dad. Children eat what they do because it's what we serve them from their earliest meals. Period. It's that simple. Tell yourselves otherwise, and you're kidding yourself.

Ms. Ray recalled when she was doing a cooking demonstration at a grocery and how parents would come by, see what she was cooking and answer a child's request with, 'No, you won't like that.' And these would be the same parents who'd complain that their children eat only chicken fingers. They say that if they held the line and broadened a child's menu offerings, they'd starve.

Trust me. They won't starve. Once they see you're serious at taking their boilerplate dinner and adding to it, they'll get with the program. Hold the line.

Sure, there are some flavors and foods people don't like. I cannot stand flaked coconut; hate the taste, hate the texture even more. I've got a friend who hates curry. There is a difference in having a few personal preferences (coconut, curry, raw tomatoes?) and being a wholesale nullifier of anything that isn't a boneless piece of chicken breast breaded and fried.

Anyway, Rachael Ray's advice on how to get children to eat more than two things was an interesting discussion in how and what we eat. It's a discussion worth having, and it's truly a case of putting your money where your mouth is.

Vegan Thanksgiving sides... it can be done

2008-11-12T12:17:00.002-06:00

For this Thanksgiving, Kopali Organics’ has created a couple vegan stuffing recipes incorporating Goldenberries to add a healthy flavorful spin on classic holiday faves. Regular stuffing can be 800 calories or more, and, speaking as a carnivore, we're thankful for every calorie.

However, folks who'll be hosting vegetarians or vegans for the holiday need to spread around some culinary love. The Goldenberries are available at Whole Foods or online. Yes, that means you have to go to Mountain Brook and shop at Whole Foods, but, trust me, if you're hosting a vegan Thanksgiving blowout, you're going to end up there anyway.

Wild Rice Stuffing

2 quarts vegetable stock
3 cups wild rice, rinsed
Pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large shallots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup Kopali Golden Berries
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 quarts vegetable stock
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage

Bring the stock to a boil. Add the rice and salt to the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35-45 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices.
Add the soy or tamari, thyme, and pepper. Continue to cook until the liquid evaporates. Transfer to a bowl with the rice. Add the golden berries, parsley and sage and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more pepper, if necessary.

Kopali Organics Goldenberry Vegan Thanksgiving Stuffing
5 cups whole grain bread, toasted & crumbled
4-1.8 oz packages Kopali Organics organic dried Goldenberries
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 bunches of scallions, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and/or sage (to taste)
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup peeled, diced, cored apple
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 stick vegan margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste (approx 1 tsp/ea)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, sautee the onion, scallions, celery, mushrooms, and vegan margarine. When browned, add the apple, parsley/sage, and salt/pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine the contents of the skillet with all remaining ingredients, stirring well.Bake for approx 25 minutes, stirring once, until crust is browned but still moist. Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

News from NOLA

2008-11-12T12:10:00.001-06:00

From the Southern Food & Beverage Museum Newsletter:

When visitors come to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum , they often leave a food memory on our memory wall. Some are funny and some are sad, but all of them reflect the enormous emotional effect food has on us from the time we are young. It seems appropriate, during a season that celebrates community around the table, to share some of these memories that have been left on our wall.

When all of the communing around the dinner table is over, join us for a special after-Thanksgiving program at SoFAB, our first ever comedy show. Nationally known comics Mark Normand and Dan Faucheux will perform food-oriented stand-up comedy, complete with beer (cash only) provided by The Store, and New Orleans traditional Turkey Gumbo (gratis). I

If you would like to reserve a seat, please email stephanie@southernfood.org.It is a great time to support the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. We are offering special discounts during until the end of the year on gift memberships to the museum.

We would also like to announce our GREAT COOKBOOK SWEEPSTAKES. Each time you donate $10 online to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, you will be entered into our weekly drawing for 2 cookbooks. We will draw weekly and the winners will be announced in this newsletter. Your donation is tax-deductible. You may enter as many times as you like. The contest ends at the end of the year.

2008-11-12T12:02:00.002-06:00

Green & Black’s is excited to introduce a new flavor to its family of organic chocolate bars. Toffee, now available to confection lovers in the U.S. , is a delectable blend of 34% milk chocolate with crisp, crunchy pieces of organic toffee.

Made with the very best organically-grown cocoa beans, specifically Criollo and Trinitario varieties, Green & Black’s Toffee is crafted with masterful precision, with every step from bean to bar given equal importance. The result, an intense flavor the brand is known for and toffee pieces, prepared at just the right temperature so they please the palate without sticking. Green & Black’s Toffee shares the deep, fruity and full flavor found in all Green & Black’s chocolate while proving that the best things in the world can actually be good for it too.

Green & Black’s Toffee joins the popular collection of organic chocolate flavors already available in 3.5 oz bars: Almond, Caramel, Cherry, Dark 70%, Dark 85%, Espresso, Ginger, Hazelnut & Currant, Maya Gold, Milk, Mint, and White.

In addition, Green & Black’s has recently introduced special bags featuring 23 individually wrapped bite-size pieces of delicious organic chocolate. The bags are available in the popular Milk and Dark 70% flavors and are available at retailers such as CVS, Target and Rite Aid across the country. For more information, log on to http://www.greenandblacks.com/.

Now, what to do else to do with chocolate? How about

Iced Mocha
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
"Marinating" time for cheeries: 8 hours minimum, or up to 1 week
Chilling time: 2 hours
Makes: 6 tall glasses

7 ounces (about 1 cup) fresh cherries
1 ¼ cups brandy or port
4 cups strong, freshly ground, brewed coffee
½ cup good-quality hot chocolate powder
6 tablespoons demerara (raw) sugar
2 ¼ cups dark chocolate ice cream
2 ¼ cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup heavy cream
Cocoa powder or dark chocolate for sprinkling

Marinate the cherries in the brandy or port overnight, or preferably for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator.
Make the coffee and while it is still hot stir in the hot chocolate and the sugar to taste. Remember not to make the mocha too sweet as the ice cream will be an additional sweetener.
Chill the mocha in the refrigerator until very cold. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let soften for 10 minutes. Pour the mocha into 6 glasses, only three-quarters full, to allow enough room for 2 balls of ice cream.

Drop 3 or 4 marinated cherries into each glass and then, using an ice cream scoop, carefully drop 1 ball of vanilla ice cream into the mocha, then 1 ball of chocolate ice cream on top. Try not to disturb the ice cream too much as it will cloud the lovely dark mocha coffee. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream over the top of the ice cream and then sprinkle some cocoa or dark chocolate flakes over it. Serve immediately.

Recipe and photo: greenandblacks.com

Grilling year-round? Oh, yeah.

2008-11-11T16:34:00.001-06:00

With an increasing number of Americans firing up their barbecue grills year round, outdoor grill usage is currently at an all-time high – nearly double what it was 20 years ago, according to NPD’s 22nd annual "Eating Patterns in America" report. “At-home grillmasters” now have the opportunity to put their skills to the test and win a $5,000 backyard makeover.

The Crisco Sprays Grilling Hall of Fame contest is inviting grillmasters to share their favorite recipe for a chance to be one of the first inductees into the new Hall of Fame and win a backyard makeover. Recipes can be submitted until Dec. 15, 2008, at www.GrillingHallofFame.com.

Share an original grilling recipe that incorporates a Crisco Cooking Spray (Original, Butter or Olive Oil)

Take a picture and send it in.

Include a brief essay, 250 words or less, explaining why you created the recipe and why it should be inducted into the Crisco Grilling Hall of Fame

And this from the fans of olive oil

2008-11-11T16:32:00.000-06:00

The Ins and Outs of Olive Oil

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), olive oil is beneficial to the heart. It contains monounsaturated fat, which can help lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that consuming just two tablespoons of olive oil per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. With all the health benefits to using olive oil, there’s just one thing left for consumers to figure out – which one to use.

“When you stand there in the store, looking at the rows of olive oil, people are not sure what to buy and what to expect,” explains Enzo Febbraro, co-owner and executive chef of Washington D.C.-based D’Acqua Ristorante. “Olive oil is a wonderful ingredient to use when cooking and baking, but different flavors will alter the tastes.”

While olive oil comes in a variety of types, the most popular are light and extra virgin. All of them have the same fat content but, depending on the type, the acid level varies, and that changes the flavor. Here’s what to expect from the two most popular types of olive oil, and where they are best used:

· Light. This is ideal for baking and cooking when you don’t want a strong flavor but still want all the health benefits. Light olive oil has undergone a filtration process that leaves it with a lighter appearance and flavor, although the calorie count remains the same.

· Extra virgin. If you only plan to have one olive oil on hand to use as an all-purpose type, this would be the one. It’s low in acid and has a fruity flavor and aroma. It provides a lot of flavor, even when only using a minimum amount. This type of oil works well for sauces, frying, marinades, meat, fish, pasta, vegetables, and baking. It’s also the variety most commonly used when consumed cold, with salads or for dipping bread.

When it comes to storing olive oil, it’s best to keep it either in the refrigerator or in a cool, dry place. If it’s being stored in the refrigerator, it may thicken and it will need to sit out for a few minutes before being used, so that it can liquefy again. Olive oil is sensitive to heat and light; exposure to them can speed up the process of turning it rancid, so it’s important to store it in a dark area that is temperature-controlled.

Shelf life once it is opened varies, but most manufacturers recommend three to six months. Olive oil can be used as a substitute in most recipes that call for vegetable oil, shortening, or butter.

“When choosing an olive oil, the main thing to keep in mind is flavor. Some have a more pronounced flavor, and you have to determine whether you want that in your dish,” adds Febbraro. “The best olive oils come from Italy. Using a good one will go a long way toward adding flavor to what you cook, as well as providing many health benefits.”

Take with a grain of salt ... and apparently cayenne

2008-11-11T16:29:00.002-06:00

In preparation for the annual holiday eating spree, which kicks off pretty darned soon, the folks from Metabolife have passed on some dietary tips that they say help keeps your metabolism stoked:

Nutrition experts have long suggested that a combination of the right foods with exercise keep the metabolism high. Obesity expert and researcher on the Metabolife Break Through clinical trials, Dr. Soren Toubro, suggests the following tips for keeping metabolism high during the holidays:

· Eat 4-5 small meals during the day.
· Choose spicy foods.
· Eat whole foods, over processed ones.
· Avoid simple sugars and processed flour.
· Nosh on a nutritious and filling small meal before you leave for a holiday party.
· Drink at least 12 ounces of pure, fresh water before each meal (your stomach won’t know the difference between fullness created from water or food!).
· Scan the buffet table first before making food choices.
· Choose the high protein foods first, things like fish and meats. Eat that plate first, then return for carbohydrate foods such as potatoes and stuffing.
· Skip the bread.

Coming toYour Table

2008-11-11T16:07:00.004-06:00

We've got a pumpkin explosion going on in Wednesday's Anniston Star. We're rescuing pumpkins from the prison that has become the Halloween-Jack-o-lantern-Thanksgiving centerpiece triangle. We're actually turning them into real -- REAL -- food.

I often rant about under-appreciated vegetables, and pumpkins are up there. They're loaded with vitamins and minerals, and they're super simple to prepare. Our recipes are a little more elaborate, but Monday night, I pureed some pumpkin with a little butter, a pinch of salt, a good dusting of pumpkin pie spice and whipped it with my hand blender. No finer sauce could have accompanied the fried pork chops I served.

Here's a taste of what's in Wednesday's paper, along with Prudence Hilburn's Gourmet Touch and Pat Kettles's wine picks of the week. Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

BAKED PUMPKIN BRULEE FRENCH TOAST
Makes 8 servings
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
4 large eggs
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt (or more for taste)
1 (2-pound loaf) egg bread, cut into 3/4-inch slices (about 20 slices)
1/4 cup brown sugar
Whipped cream and raw sugar or confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Butter a 10-inch springform pan and wrap the outside with aluminum foil.
Combine the milk, cream and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until warm but do not boil; remove from the heat and let mixture sit about 20 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and pour mixture into a large bowl. With a knife, carefully slit open the bean and scrape in the seeds. (Save the pod for future use. Barden pats it dry and puts it in superfine granulated sugar and uses that to flavor coffee.)
In a separate mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs and yolks until light and frothy. Add the granulated sugar and whisk eggs until pale and fluffy. Slowly stir a small amount of egg mixture into the cooled milk mixture; do not rush the process or the eggs will curdle. Whisk in the pumpkin, ginger and salt.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dunk each slice of bread into the egg custard and then, slice by slice, arrange slices in the springform pan, overlapping the layers. Slowly pour the remainder of the mixture into pan. You should have at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the egg mixture left. Let sit30 minutes.
Place the springform pan inside a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot tap water until it reaches about halfway up pan sides. Bake about 90 minutes until the center is firm but not hard. During the last 10 or 15 minutes, sprinkle about 1/4 cup of brown sugar on the top and raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. The finished product should have a consistency similar to a quiche. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Allow the French toast to cool about 20 minutes before sliding a knife around the edge of the pan to unmold. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of raw sugar or dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH SAGE BUTTER
Makes 18 large ravioli
3 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 (15-ounce) container whole ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Brown sugar to taste
20 small wonton wrappers, at room temperature
Sage butter:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
16 small fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock or reduced salt broth
Salt and pepper to taste
For the ravioli: In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, sage, nutmeg, salt, garlic powder, white pepper and brown sugar and mix well. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling between two wonton wrappers, dampen edges by moistening fingers with water and running along the edges and seal well. Drop ravioli into salted, simmering water; remove when ravioli floats to top, about 3 minutes.
For the sage butter: Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and minced garlic; saute for about 30 seconds. Slowly add chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle sage butter over ravioli and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan.

CHICKEN LEG AND PUMPKIN TAGINE
Makes 6 servings
12 chicken legs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 to 3 cups chicken stock or reduced salt broth
1/2 cup honey
2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree
24 pitted dates
4 large beets, peeled and quartered
6 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
6 cups prepared couscous
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, salt and pepper together and rub chicken legs with spice mixture.
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat until oil starts to shimmer, then sear chicken in two or three batches about 10 minutes on each side or until the skins are well browned. Remove chicken and place in an oiled, 8-quart covered casserole dish. Add the garlic and onion to the pan used for cooking chicken and saute until soft. Add the chicken stock, honey, pumpkin, dates, beets, parsnips and bay leaves to pan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, pour over the chicken legs. Cover the dish and braise in the oven 45 minutes or until chicken and root vegetables are tender. Season to taste and serve over the couscous.

PUMPKIN ROLL
Makes 10 to 12 servings
For the cake:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
Filling:
1 (6-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan and line with wax paper. Grease and flour the paper and set pan aside.
For the cake: In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs on high speed with a hand mixer 5 minutes. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until batter is thick and lemon-colored. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.
In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Gently fold dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Spread batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with walnuts. Bake 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately turn sponge cake out onto linen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off wax paper and roll cake up in a clean kitchen towel, starting at the short end; allow to cool.
For the filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, butter and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy. When cake is cooled, carefully unroll cake and spread filling to within 1 inch of the edges. Roll up again. Cover and chill until serving. Slice and dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve.

By Steve Petusevsky
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Pumpkins should be our national fruit. After all, they were served at our first communal dinner enjoyed by the American Indians and Pilgrims. Or maybe it was the second; history is a bit unclear.
There is something about pumpkins that is distinctly American. After all, Indians were eating pumpkins in a variety of ways years before the Pilgrims landed.
The original pumpkin pie was created by colonists when they cut the top off, removed the seeds for other purposes, and filled the pumpkin shell with honey, milk and spices before roasting it over an open fire. This, by the way, sounds fabulous and someday I will try it.

ROAST PUMPKIN AND APPLE MASH
Chef Steve’s tip: You can use pumpkin, butternut squash or any favorite hard squash for this recipe. If you like a richer flavor, add a pat of butter while mashing.
6 cups pumpkin or hard squash, peeled and cut into chunks
2 granny smith, fuji or gala apples, peeled, cored and quartered
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 / 4 cup water
1 / 2 cup 2 percent milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 / 2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 / 2 cup maple syrup
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the squash, apples and olive oil in a large mixing bowl; toss to coat. Place in a baking dish. Add water, cover with foil and bake 45 minutes until tender.
In the meantime, combine the milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup in a saucepan. Heat over low and bring to a simmer; set aside.
Transfer the baked squash and apples to a mixing bowl. Slowly add the warm milk mixture as you mash with a potato masher or a fork. Mash until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

By Linda Cicero
McClatchy Newspapers
PUMPKIN BLONDIES
Dress these up if you wish with vanilla or cream cheese frosting or serve with whipped cream or ice cream. This recipe produces a cake-like texture. If you prefer a chewier bar, reduce eggs to 2.
2 cups (or a 15-ounce can) pumpkin puree
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.
Beat the pumpkin, eggs, oil, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture, stirring just enough to combine evenly. Fold in the raisins and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool. Makes 32 squares.
———
PUMPKIN RISOTTO
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups Arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups pumpkin puree
About 1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Nutmeg, sage or adobo (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a 2-quart or larger saucepan with a lid, saute onion in butter until just golden. Add rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring to keep it from sticking. Stir in 1 cup of the stock.
Stir in the pumpkin puree and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, simmering and stirring, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the half and half (the consistency should be creamy but not soupy) and season to taste with salt and pepper and any optional seasonings. Just before serving, stir in the chives and Parmesan. Makes 8 servings.

In a stew? Find a bird near you.

2008-11-07T09:59:00.004-06:00

While beef is considered the King of Stews, chicken-based stews come together fast and offer a nice change of pace.

A method of cooking by which meat and vegetable combinations are barely covered with liquid, stewing produces deep flavors because the foods simmer slowly in a tightly covered pot. Stewing tenderizes meat and allows the flavors of the individual ingredients to meld deliciously.

From the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, here are two chicken stew recipes to add to your winter meal list, during the holidays or anytime for casual family dining.

Spicy Chicken and Chickpea Stew combines rich chicken thigh meat with carrots, scallions, tomatoes and chickpeas. Chicken stock and orange juice provide the juices for the stew, with additional flavor layers provided by garlic, coriander and paprika. To make this tasty, easy dish, start by slicing chicken thigh meat into bite-sized chunks. Brown the chicken on the stovetop, and then boil chicken stock and orange juice together in the same pan. Add the vegetables and cook until crisp-tender. Put the chicken back into the pan and let the stew simmer to meld the flavors. A dollop of herbed yogurt is cooling, tasty finish to this dish. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.

Spicy Chicken and Chickpea Stew

Serves 6

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces

Herbed Yogurt:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 TBLS chopped basil
1 TBLS chopped mint
1 TBLS chopped parsley
1 TBLS lemon zest
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Stew:
¼ cup flour
4 TBLS olive oil
1 bunch scallions, cut into ¼ inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsps ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
½ cup orange juice
2 ½ cups chicken stock
2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes and juices

In small bowl, combine all ingredients for Herbed Yogurt. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend. Place flour in plastic bag with zipper top. Add chicken; toss to coat. In large pan with lid, warm oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned, about 5 – 7 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.

In same pan, pour orange juice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add scallions, carrots, garlic, coriander, paprika and salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp tender, about 10 – 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken, return to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes longer.

Remove from heat. To serve, spoon into bowls and top with dollop of Herbed Yogurt.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
650 calories; 29 g fat; 7 g saturated fat; 44 g carbohydrate; 53 g protein

Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew is an easy one-dish meal, perfect for a busy night. Slice chicken cutlets into bite-size pieces and cook on top of the stove with diced onion. Add thyme, oregano, basil and a bay leaf for flavoring, along with chopped butternut squash, canned diced tomatoes, small elbow pasta and bagged spinach leaves. Cook into a stew with red wine and orange juice. Serve in soup bowls topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew

Serves 6

2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 TBLS olive oil
1 onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 ½ TBLS flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
1 TBLS tomato paste
½ cup red wine
1 pound butternut squash, cut into chunks
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups uncooked elbow or other small pasta
1 bag (1 pound) spinach leaves
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

In large frypan with lid or stockpot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. While onion is cooking, place chicken pieces in colander over sink, sprinkle with flour and toss to coat.

Add chicken to the pan and brown, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf and tomato paste; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Raise heat to high, add wine and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cooking another minute. Add squash, tomatoes, orange juice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until squash is beginning to soften, about 7 – 9 minutes. Add pasta, stir, cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Add spinach a handful at a time and continue to simmer another 3 – 4 minutes, until greens are beginning to wilt and stew is cooked through thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.

To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
450 calories; 13 g fat; 3.5 g saturated fat; 40 g carbohydrate; 41 g protein

Healthier holiday recipes

2008-11-06T10:53:00.002-06:00

The folks from Smart Balance are helping us whittle some fat from Thanksgiving favorites:

New-Fashioned Mashed Potatoes & Onions
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup Smart Balance Fat-Free Milk*
1/2 cup Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 quarts hot tap water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and onions, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover tightly and simmer 14 minutes or until potatoes and onions are tender.

Drain well in colander. Add the potato mixture, plus the other ingredients to the saucepan and use a potato masher or electric mixer to mash until smooth.
Makes 6 cups total
Serves 8; 3/4 cup per serving
Per serving: 140 calories, 3 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 2 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.4 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 390 mg. sodium, 3 grams fiber

Asparagus with Lemon-Butter Crumb Topping
1 medium lemon
2 tablespoons Smart Balance Butter Blend Stick
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs*
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed (12 ounces total after trimming)
1/2 cup water
Grate 2 teaspoons rind from the lemon, cut the lemon into wedges.

Melt Smart Balance Butter Blend Stick over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the breadcrumbs and cook 2-3 minutes, or until just golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add lemon zest and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir gently, using the back of a spoon, incorporate lemon zest into the breadcrumb mixture, set aside on separate plate.

To the skillet, add the water and asparagus, bring to a boil over medium high heat, cover and boil 2 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain well.

Place asparagus on serving platter. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and top with the breadcrumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes about 16-20 spears plus about 1/2 cup crumbs total
Serves 4; 4-5 spears plus 2 tablespoons crumbs per serving (recipe may easily be doubled)
Per serving: 162 calories, 5.1 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fat, 2.9 grams saturated fat, 1.7 grams monounsaturated fat, 0.7 gram polyunsaturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 8 mg. cholesterol, 62 mg. sodium, 3.8 grams fiber
* Panko bread crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs found in the ethnic section of most major supermarkets. May substitute with 1 1/2 ounces multigrain bread torn in small pieces, placed in blender and pulsed to a fine crumb texture.

Festive Cranberry Nut Bars
First Layer
3 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Smart Balance Butter Blend Stick Regular with Omega-32 eggs, beaten (or egg substitute)2 teaspoons vanilla
Second Layer
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
Third Layer
1/2 cup Smart Balance Butter Blend Stick Unsalted with Omega-3
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts)

First Layer: Stir together dry ingredients. With pastry blender, cut in Smart Balance® Butter Blend Stick until pieces are size of peas. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Press dough onto bottom and sides of ungreased 10 ½ x 15 ½-inch jelly roll pan.Second Layer: Bring water and sugar to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Mixture will thicken as it cools.

Spread over first layer. Bake 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool.Third Layer: Melt Smart Balance Butter Blend Stick and cool. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk to make it spreadable. Spread on cooled cookie layers and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.Makes 40 squaresServes 40; 1 cookie per serving

Cooking, with care

2008-11-05T12:35:00.001-06:00

Taste of Home is one of my favorite sources for practical, family-friendly recipes. They've got a project going next week that's worth looking at:

At Taste of Home, getting into the holiday spirit begins in the kitchen and continues in the community with acts of kindness. Against the backdrop of our country’s tough economic conditions, the editors at Taste of Home are declaring the second week in November National Cooks Who Care Week -- to celebrate the generosity of those who are giving back through food-related efforts.

“We know many will be struggling this season, and through National Cooks Who Care Week, we can show that it doesn’t take much to make a difference in someone else’s life,” said Taste of Home’s Editor-in-Chief Catherine Cassidy. “By focusing our attention on heartwarming charitable efforts our readers have shared with us, we hope to motivate others to bake cookies, donate canned goods or prepare and serve food to those in need.”

The 1st Annual National Cooks Who Care Week will be marked through a variety of Taste of Home avenues from Nov. 10 – 16. Tasteofhome.com will serve as the hub for the weeklong celebration, highlighting stories of people giving back and offering ideas and tips on how to get involved in a food-based volunteer effort.

Taste of Home Cooking Schools throughout the country will host canned goods drives benefiting area food banks. Taste of Home staff and field editors will engage in multiple community efforts such as serving hot meals to needy families, organizing bake sales to raise money for charities and donating to food banks.

Cooks Who Care is a pro-social effort created by Taste of Home to celebrate acts of caring by home cooks and communities across the country. Introduced as a magazine feature in October 2006, Cooks Who Care unites compassionate real people across the country, who give back through food, and shares their stories of kindness in print and on-line

By establishing the 1st Annual National Cooks Who Care Week, Taste of Home is reaching out beyond its reader base and inviting others to join in this unique outreach opportunity.

Puttin' the stuff in da Puff

2008-11-04T10:50:00.002-06:00

Puff pastry can save the day -- and turn simple recipes into five-star fare:

Berries & Cream Cornucopias
•6 sugar ice cream cones
•½ of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
•Nonstick cooking spray
•2 tablespoons granulated sugar
•1 can ready-whipped cream (e.g., Redi-Wip, original or chocolate)
•2 cups mixed berries (or assorted diced fruit)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Tightly wrap sugar cones in squares of foil,
covering completely, tucking excess up into the cone cavity. Unfold
pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut along the fold lines to form
three rectangles. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 4 equal strips (12
strips total).
Press the ends of two strips together and, starting at the top of one
cone, wind around, overlapping the pastry (it will not reach bottom of
cone). Lightly spray with nonstick spray and sprinkle with sugar. Lay
seam side down on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cones and
pastry.
Bake 16-18 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool
completely on tray. Carefully remove cones from pastry. Pipe the
whipped cream into cooled cones and place on plates. Spoon fruit
near opening. Makes 6 desserts.
Note to test kitchen:
The filling and fruit can be varied in multiple ways; I chose the ready-
whipped cream because it is so simple. However, a mousse or
flavored whipped cream could also be used. This could also be taken
in a savory direction.

Wrapped Pears with Vanilla Bean Sauce

Prep: 30 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Chill: 1 hour
Thaw: 40 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
•3 cups water
•¾ cup sugar
•½ vanilla bean, split
•4 Bartlett orBosc pears, cored and peeled*
•½ cup heavy cream
•½ package (17.5 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
•Cold water
•Granulated sugar
•Fresh raspberries

Heat the water, sugar, and vanilla bean in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring
occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the pears and cook for 10 minutes or until the pears are tender, turning occasionally.
Remove the pears from the sugar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the pears
are cold.
Stir the cream into the sugar mixture. Cook and stir for 20 minutes or until the mixture boils and is
reduced to about 3/4 cup. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sauce.
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it’s easy to handle. Heat the oven to
400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry sheet crosswise into 8 (3/4-inch wide)
strips. Brush the strips with the water and sprinkle with the sugar. For each pear, join 2 pastry strips by
pressing the ends together. Wind 1 strip of pastry around eachpear, tucking the end under the
bottom of the pear. Place the wrapped pears onto the baking sheet. Loosely cover the wrapped
pears with aluminum foil
Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastries are golden. Spoon thevanilla sauce onto 4 plates. Top each
with 1 pear and garnish with raspberries.
*Use a melon baler to core the pears from the bottom and remove the seeds. Peel the pears, leaving
the stem intact. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pear so that it will stand upright.

Apple Turnovers with Gingered Cranberry-Caramel Sauce

Prep: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Bake: 20 minutes
•2 tablespoons sugar
•1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
•1 package (12.5 ounces) Pepperidge Farm®

Apple Turnovers
•2 tablespoons butter, melted
•1 cup prepared caramel sauce
•¼ cup finely chopped crystallized (candied) ginger
•¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
•Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Stir the sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Brush the
turnovers with the butter and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Bake
and cool the turnovers according to the package directions
Heat the caramel sauce, ginger and cranberries in a 1-quart
saucepan over low heat until the mixture is hot. Serve the
turnovers with the sauce. Top with the whipped cream, if desired.

Truffle Cups

Prep: 35 minutes Makes: 24 pieces
Bake: 1 minute
•1 package (9.5 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Mini Puff Pastry Shells
•12 small (1-inch) assorted chocolate truffle candies, cut in half
•1 cup thawed frozen whipped topping

Bake, cool and remove the "top" of the shells according to the
package directions. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Place 1 piece candy into each shell. Place the filled shells on a
baking sheet.
Bake for 1 minute or until the candy melts.
Divide the topping among the shells. Serve immediately.

Petite Pain au Chocolat

Thaw: 40 minutes Makes: 8 pieces
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
•1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
•1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
•1 egg, beaten
•2 tablespoons butter
•1 cup confectioners' sugar
•2 tablespoons hot water

Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature for 40 minutes or until they're easy
to handle. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-
inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Repeat with the
remaining pastry sheet.
Place 2 tablespoons chocolate chips in the center of each pastrysquare. Brush
the edges of the pastry squares with the egg. Fold each pastry in half over the
chocolate chips and press the edges to seal. Place the filled pastries onto the
baking sheets. Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden. Let cool on the baking
sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the pastries to a wire rack and letcool.
Place the remaining chocolate chips and the butter into a small microwave-
safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is starting
to melt. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Stir in theconfectioners' sugar.
Stir in the water, adding additional water, if necessary, until the icing is the
desired consistency. Drizzle the icing over the pastries.

Loving lasanga... and other Farmer's tips

2008-11-04T10:47:00.000-06:00

Got a bunch of favorite recipes from family and friends bulging out of a box or drawer in your kitchen? Clear out that clutter—all of those and more can be found in The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook,, in a neat and organized fashion, with more than 180 time-saving tips to boot! One of these recipes, Mild and Meaty Lasagna, is shown below.

Mild and Meaty Lasagna
A favorite on Christmas Eve and at family gatherings, this can be made the day before, refrigerated, and brought to room temperature before baking.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
12 to 15 lasagna noodles, cooked with 1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound shredded fresh mozzarella, divided
10 ounces shredded fresh Parmesan, divided
1 pound ricotta cheese (do not substitute cottage cheese)
5 cups tomato sauce (see recipe in cookbook or use prepared)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large frying pan, sauté the beef and pork with the onion, garlic, spices, and garlic salt. Use a fork to crumble the meats as they brown. Drain and set aside. Rinse the lasagna noodles and put them into a pan of cold water. Reserve one-quarter of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

In the bottom of a lasagna pan or large baking pan, place three lasagna noodles side by side. Begin the assembly: Over the noodles, spread one-third of the meat mixture; on top of that, spread one-third of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan and one-third of the ricotta; and on top of that, spread one-third of the sauce. Repeat two times, ending with sauce to cover completely.

Sprinkle the reserved mozzarella and Parmesan on top. Place a loose foil tent over the lasagna and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil tent and continue baking until the cheese on top is slightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Talking turkey, already

2008-10-31T13:31:00.004-05:00

Creating a delicious centerpiece for the holiday festivities should not be a monumental task that takes away time spent with friends and family. “Great food is simple to prepare,” says cookbook author and New York Times “The Minimalist” columnist Mark Bittman.

“Plan your holiday so you can enjoy it—keep it simple to keep it fun. Delicious can be easy.”

Bittman and ChefsChoice team up this holiday season to share basic turkey preparation and carving tips and a simple rub recipe for a tasty turkey worthy of holiday fanfare:

Bittman’s Jerk Seasoning Turkey Rub

(Makes ¼ cup for 10-12 lb. turkey)
1 tbsp. all spice berries or powder
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. fresh ginger or 2 tsp. ground ginger

If using fresh allspice berries, nutmeg pieces, peppercorns and thyme, blend in spice or coffee grinder then add the rest of ingredients. Otherwise mix all and rub evenly over bird and under skin of breast.

Make sure the turkey is thoroughly defrosted before starting. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bird in large roasting pan on a V-shaped or flat rack. Brush the turkey with tablespoon of butter or olive oil. “The key to a great tasting turkey is to add fat, it will look and taste better,” says Bittman. Before adding rub, lift the breast skin up and rub oil or butter directly on meat, then rub entire bird with your fat of choice. Repeat process with Bittman’s rub. Pour in one cup of stock or water in roasting pan.

Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil (remove foil after about one hour of roasting time remains). Roast, basting with additional butter or oil every 30 minutes and add stock or water as needed to keep bird moist. When there is one hour of cooking time to go (internal temperature of turkey will be about 125ºF), remove foil and turn oven heat up to 400 ºF for the remaining cooking time.

When the bird is done—an instant-read thermometer should read at least 165 ºF when inserted in mid-thigh. Remove the bird to a platter and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Carving Steps: “Carving the bird properly is an important step to your holiday centerpiece.” says Bittman. Two common mistakes people make after carving their turkey are not waiting long enough for the bird to rest after it comes out of the oven (if you slice too soon, most of the juices will run out and meat will dry) and improperly carving by using a dull knife or the wrong technique. Try these steps to serve up a tasty and elegantly carved turkey:

Step 1: Be sure to use a good, sharp knife. Sharp knives are not only safer, they will help you smoothly cut thin, even slices without shredding the meat.

Step 2: After the turkey is cooked (meat thermometer should read 165-180oF when inserted in the thickest part of the turkey) cool the bird for 15 minutes. Cooling makes the meat firmer and easier to slice. Remove and set aside the turkey legs and the last joint of each wing. Make a long, deep (to the bone) horizontal “base cut” into the breast just above the wing.

Step 3: Slice down vertically through the breast until you meet the original base cut. This will release perfect, even slices.

Now you’re ready to serve your delicious and properly carved turkey. Happy holidays and feasting!

Did someone say 'Thanksgiving?'

2008-10-31T10:18:00.002-05:00

The arrival of November surely hearkens the arrival of Turkey season. McCormick passes along these tips to get us in the mood for the season:

Based on the most requested and top ranked recipes by home cooks, McCormick has identified the five most cherished holiday recipes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Ginger, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup dried cranberries
6 tablespoons butter, cut up, divided
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon
each of the cinnamon and ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat
well. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries. Dot with 2
tablespoons of the butter. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix flour, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon each of the
cinnamon and ginger in medium bowl. Cut in remaining 4 tablespoons butter with a fork until
coarse crumbs form. Stir in pecans. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and stir gently.
Sprinkle evenly with pecan topping.

3. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes longer or until sweet potatoes are tender and topping is
lightly browned.

Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional Information:
Per one serving: 439 Calories, Sodium 257mg, Fat 19g, Carbohydrates 63 g, Cholesterol 23mg, Fiber 6g, Protein 4g

Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) Red Food Color
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Sift flour, cocoa
powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5
minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color
and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not
overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10
minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.

4. For the Frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light
and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fill and frost cooled cake with
frosting.

Test Kitchen Tip: Substitute a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan for the 9-inch cake
pans. Bake about 50 minutes. Or, substitute a greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan; bake
about 40 minutes.

Makes 16 servings.
Nutritional Information:
Per One Serving: 520 Calories, Sodium 334mg, Fat 24g, Carbohydrates 70g, Cholesterol 117mg, Fiber 1g, Protein 6g

Pecan Cookie Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes per batch

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until
light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; beat until well blended. Stir
in flour and pecans.

2. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets. Immediately roll hot cookies in remaining 2
cups sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks to cool. When cool, roll again in sugar.

Makes 4 dozen servings.

Nutritional Information:
Per One Serving: 214 Calories, Sodium 95mg, Fat 15g, Carbohydrates 20g, Cholesterol 22mg,
Fiber 1g, Protein 2g

Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Icing

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
3 tablespoons water
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil. Spray foil with no stick cooking
spray. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well mixed. Stir in molasses
and water just until blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

3. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup
sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the icing; refrigerate remaining
icing. Spoon dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) of the reserved icing over batter in pan. With
knife or spatula, swirl icing through batter to marbleize.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
Lift out of pan using foil. Cool completely on wire rack. Invert and peel off foil. Spread
refrigerated icing over bars. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 27 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Per One Serving: 131 Calories, Sodium 117mg, Fat 7g, Carbohydrates 16g, Cholesterol 28mg,
Fiber 0g, Protein 1g

They represent America’s love of classic holiday dishes that have a modern flavor twist. These recipes and many more are part of the holiday highlights available at the newly redesigned http://www.mccormick.com/.

Close to 70 percent of holiday cooks stick to the tried and true when planning celebration menus (McCormick Holiday Survey, Market Facts). “The holidays are really a time for family favorites and traditions. So, we have gathered our most popular recipes to help make this year’s holiday meals memorable,” said Laurie Harrsen, Director of Consumer Communications at McCormick. “We also know home cooks are looking for new ideas – they just want to add something special to those classics by giving them a little flavor twist.”

From the Thanksgiving family feast to cookie exchange parties, holiday cooks can feel good about serving flavorful favorites from the McCormick kitchens. For a variation on the typical sweet potato side dish, try Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch, which has an added touch of ginger. Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Frosting makes a beautiful centerpiece for any holiday dessert table.

Star-Spangled Chicken

2008-10-28T11:59:00.003-05:00

None of the candidates channeled Herbert Hoover's "a car in every garage and two chickens in every pot" slogan, but we've decided to call out all the stops in these uncertain economic times.

The sages of American literature and popular journalism, The Old Farmer's Almanac, have tossed along their take on chicken with gusto.

The recipe for this delectable dish is featured below and in The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook, along with 400 other mouthwatering recipes.

Grilled Star-Spangled Chicken With Fireworks Salsa

SALSA:
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, well drained
1-1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile purée or powder, to taste
1 small red onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon melted jalapeño jelly, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh cilantro leaves

For salsa: Halve the peppers and remove the stems, seeds, and large ribs. Set aside half of each color. Dice the remaining pepper halves and place them in a nonreactive bowl with the remaining salsa ingredients. Stir well. Allow the salsa to meld at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.

Cut the remaining pepper halves into julienne strips and small star shapes for garnish; dice the trimmings and add to the salsa.

CHICKEN:
6 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons apricot jam
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

For chicken: Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make a marinade and pour it over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat the grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pour the marinade into a small bowl. Coat the grill rack with vegetable cooking spray and place it 4 to 6 inches from medium-hot coals or flame. Arrange the chicken on the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, basting with the marinade and turning occasionally. The chicken is cooked through when the juices are no longer pink and the internal temperature reads 180 degrees F on a meat thermometer.

Place a dollop of salsa on each serving plate and put a chicken beast half in the center. Garnish with the pepper stars and stripes. Makes 6 servings.

Grape Expectations, again

2008-10-28T11:42:00.003-05:00

One of the most innovative sources for recipes continues to be the California Table Grape Commission. Several years ago, they sent a recipe that combined grapes and salmon .... Oy, it is to weep for such lush perfection.

They've struck gold again with their fall and holiday recommendations:

Three recipes with authentic culinary pedigrees featuring grapes can make fall and holiday entertaining fun and easy. One is a terrific aperitif for a cocktail party, an intimate dinner or a gathering of the book club. Two is an easy entrée with a delicate treatment of sole. Three is a James Beard original.

One: California Grape Cocktail – Taste is what matters in the 21st century revival of the cocktail and the cocktail party. Many modern mixologists use fresh juices of all kinds to create multi-layered drinks that can rival any Jazz-age 20th century predecessors. In this sugar-rimmed aperitif, that cocktail workhorse vodka infuses the fresh grape and lemon juice base with a measure of zip, while the champagne top-off gives the drink a bubbly finish.

Two: Sole Véronique – Here's an entrée to send cooks back to their food history books with pleasure. None other than the famous chef Auguste Escoffier created this time-honored soul-mating of poached sole and green grapes in a classic velouté sauce. It's a simple preparation that still has the power to "wow."

Three: Grapes with Brown Sugar and Sour Cream – The legacy of the famed James Beard is featured in this simple dessert. One of his favorites, Beard often served this lovely finale when other more complicated dishes preceded.

These recipes showcase the trend towards reviving the elegant and sophisticated menus of the past, while still maintaining our insistence on the best, freshest ingredients. That grapes – a fruit always associated with sumptuous dining -- are components in each one should be no surprise.

California Grape Cocktail

2 cups green, red, or black seedless California grapes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
2 to 4 ounces vodka
2 ounces champagne
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
Blend all but one grape with the lemon juice. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Measure 2 parts juice to 1 part vodka into a small pitcher or measuring cup. Divide the juice and vodka mixture evenly between the glasses and top off with a splash of champagne. Serve immediately.
Optional Sugar-Rimmed Glass: Spread the sugar onto a small plate. Slice the reserved grape in half and use it to moisten the rims of two martini glasses. Dip the rims in the sugar and shake off any excess. Fill glass with drink mixture and enjoy.
Makes 2 drinks.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 333; Protein 1 g; Carbohydrate 56 g; Fat <>

Grapes Suzette

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup green, red, and black seedless California grapes, sliced
8 sweet crepes (recipe follows)
1/4 cup Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Cognac (optional)
Melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan. Stir in the sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and sliced grapes. Cook on medium-high until bubbly. Reduce the heat to low. Working quickly, place a crepe into the sauce and fold into a fan shape. Lift the crepe from the pan and arrange on a warm serving dish or platter. Repeat with the remaining crepes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the Cointreau, being careful to avoid lighting the liquor on fire unless that is a desired effect. Stir to blend and spoon the warm grape sauce over the prepared crepes. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Sweet Crepes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon brandy or cognac
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, yolk, milk, and brandy. Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes.
When you are ready to cook the crepes, the batter will have thickened slightly from resting. Add water to the batter 1 tablespoon at a time until it has thinned to the consistency of heavy whipping cream.
Heat a nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with the oil and swirl in a scant ¼ cup of the crepe batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, or until the very edges of the crepe are lightly brown. Flip with a flexible spatula and brown the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. Use crepes immediately or cover and keep chilled for up to 24 hours.
Makes 8 to 10 crepes.
Nutritional analysis per serving (without optional liqueur): Calories 483; Protein 9.7 g; Carbohydrate 63 g; Fat 21 g; 39% Calories from Fat; Cholesterol 199 mg; Sodium 139 mg; Potassium 301 mg; Fiber 1.4 g.

Sole Véronique
6 large or 12 small fresh sole fillets (about 11/2 pounds)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small onion slice
2 to 3 slices fresh lemon
Sprig of thyme
5 to 6 peppercorns
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup green seedless California grapes
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a glass or ceramic ovenproof baking dish.
Fold the fillets in half, skin side in. Place the fillets in the prepared dish with the wine, onion, lemon slices, thyme, and peppercorns. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 10 to 12 minutes for small fillets and 16 to 18 minutes larger fillets, or until the fish is just cooked through. Carefully lift the fish from the pan and place on a warm serving dish. Strain any cooking liquids and reserve. Discard the solids. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until the roux is bubbly and golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the strained cooking liquids. Stir well. Return the pan to the heat, add the half-and-half, and simmer the sauce for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with the salt and white pepper. Add the grapes and lemon zest. Spoon sauce over the sole and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 188; Protein 22.5 g; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fat 5.5 g; 27% Calories from Fat; Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 298 mg; Potassium 516 mg; Fiber .5 g.

Grapes with Brown Sugar and Sour Cream

4 1/2 cups green, red or black seedless California grapes, halved
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups sour cream

Divide and arrange 3/4 cup of halved grapes in each of six dessert dishes. Sprinkle each with brown sugar and top with 1/3 cup sour cream. Chill until ready to serve.
Makes 6 servings.

Note: A slightly fancier version of this is sometimes called Grapes Romanov. Arrange halved grapes in individual heatproof serving dishes, but top first with sour cream and then brown sugar. Chill for at least 1 hour so that the brown sugar melts into the sour cream, then caramelize or “brûlée” the sugar with a small torch or by placing the dishes under a preheated broiler until the sugar is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 301; Protein 3 g; Carbohydrate 38 g; Fat 17 g; 48% Calories from Fat; Cholesterol 34 mg; Sodium 49 mg; Potassium 380 mg; Fiber 1.2 g.

Blues, Barbecue and Decatur

2008-10-09T10:41:00.001-05:00

From the northern end of Alabama, Decatur sends an invite for blues, barbecue and whatnot:

Decatur's Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Artspresents a special event BLUES & BBQ starring Michelle Malone on Thursday,Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in celebration of its 25th Anniversary Season.

The event features the music of Michelle Malone with opening act Blue MotherTupelo and a Pre-Party ticketed-event of barbeque, a beer tasting and a redzinfandel wine tasting in the Princess Theatre Deco Lounge from 6 p.m.until 7 p.m. Michelle Malone has earned critical acclaim as a bluesartist and is currently a resident of Decatur, Alabama. Proceeds from theconcert and party benefit the annual operations of the Princess Theatre.The program is made possible by Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association,Townhouse Galleries, Trish Land Floral Creations & Event Design, ValleyBudweiser, and bb perrins SPORTS GRILLE. Michelle Malone, nicknamed "Moanin' Malone" by blues guitarist Albert King,channels the greats of Blues and Americana.

Mix Bonnie Raitt's best vocalsand slide licks with the catchy pop appeal of Sheryl Crow and you'll getclose to Michelle's sound. The Atlanta native is popular on the live musicscene there and across the southeast. Thesinger/songwriter/rock'n'roller/folk'n'blues/guitarist recently toured withthe Indigo Girls and often shares the stage with them, leading some to callher "the third Indigo Girl." Besides a recent appearance on the Grammy ballot, Michelle's many awardsinclude four-time best album (Atlanta magazine), two-time best acousticguitarist (Creative Loafing, IAC), and five-time female vocalist of the year(Creative Loafing). She's written, recorded and toured with Kristen Hall(Sugarland), Indigo Girls, John Mayer and Shawn Mullins, and performed witha range of top names - including Marsha Ball, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne,Shawn Colvin, Little Feat, Albert King, Chris Whitley, Johnny Winter and ZZTop. Michelle's recent albums include the acclaimed Sugarfoot, Stompin'Ground and Hello Out There. ROLLING STONE calls Michelle Malone "...raucousand jubilant...somewhere between Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne comesMichelle Malone alternating between soulful ballads and rowdy, riffyblasters."

Blue Mother Tupelo, the husband-and-wife team of Micol and Ricky Davis,blends N'Awlins-style blues with Appalachian acoustic grit, Southern rockand rootsy rock.

The Blues & BBQ Pre-Party offers an hour of great southern barbecue from bbperrins SPORTS GRILLE paired with a beer tasting of the newest beers fromValley Budweiser and some Red Zin wines perfectly paired for barbeque.Advance reservations are required for the Party and the cost is $35 perperson for both the Party and concert. Reserved tickets for both the concert ($15) and the party/concert package($35) are available at the Princess Theatre box office or online atprincesstheatre.org. For more information, call 256-340-1778 or visit theWeb sites at: <http://www.princesstheatre.org/> www.princesstheatre.orgmichellemalone.com bluemothertupelo.com

And this, from Chik fil A

2008-10-09T10:24:00.000-05:00

Chick-fil-A, the nation’s second largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain, today announced it has eliminated artificial trans fat from its entire menu. Chick-fil-A is among the first national quick-service restaurant chains to offer a complete menu – from entrées down to condiments – with zero grams of trans fat.

Chick-fil-A’s core menu items have been free of trans fat since their respective introductions, dating as far back as the chain’s first restaurant opening 41 years ago. The chain’s signature entrees, Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A Nuggets and Chick-fil-A Chick‑n-Strips, are pressure cooked in 100-percent refined peanut oil (naturally trans fat free). However, Chick-fil-A has spent the last two years working to remove trans fat from the few remaining products, including its popular Waffle Potato Fries, dessert items and, most recently, its breakfast biscuits. The chain is depleting its current biscuit recipe supply and anticipates its restaurants nationwide will be serving the trans fat-free recipe by the end of October.

“Our customers trust us to provide them with products that are created using only the freshest ingredients and most nutritious cooking methods possible, and we take that seriously,” said Chick-fil-A Dietitian Jodie Worrell. “While most of our menu was already free of trans fat, we have been working hard to eliminate trans fat from our fries, breakfast and dessert offerings. We were diligent in working with our supply partners to develop trans fat-free products that mirrored the taste of the original products.”

Worrell has led the efforts in transforming the chain’s remaining products to have zero grams of trans fat. The company also has been diligent to ensure that all of its sauces and condiments are free of trans fat. The only item left on the menu to have a small amount of trans fat is the Chick-fil-A Cheesecake, which has only 0.5 grams of naturally occurring trans fat (and zero grams of artificial trans fat).

According to Dr. Lisa Hark, family nutrition expert, television host, best-selling author of “Nutrition for Life” and mother, “Removing trans fats from all Chick-fil-A menu items is a huge step which can save lives and help reduce health care costs.”

“While we are proud that we successfully removed trans fat from our lunch and dinner menus, we are especially proud of our accomplishments within our breakfast lineup,” said Woody Faulk, vice president of brand development and director of Chick-fil-A’s menu strategy. “Breakfast has proven to be an extremely competitive daypart for the quick-service industry in recent years, and we are confident the diversity of our menu and the fact we have removed trans fat from our breakfast items without sacrificing taste will continue to help position Chick‑fil-A as a leader in the breakfast category.”

“We are also honored that others in the industry have taken note of our efforts to offer customers a broader menu with healthier choices, especially within our Kid’s Meal offerings,” Faulk added, noting Men’s Health magazine editors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding recently recognized Chick-fil-A in their new book, “Eat This, Not That for Kids,” as being ‘America’s Healthiest Restaurant for Kids.’ “We have been intentional about offering a variety of healthier options for children over the past several years. We now offer a fruit cup as side option as part of our Kid’s Meals, and children also have a variety of beverage choices, including milk, apple juice, or freshly squeezed lemonade. Offering a menu with zero grams of trans fat is a strong complement to our nutritional efforts for children.”

Super fast salsa

2008-10-09T08:07:00.003-05:00

Del Monte passes along this tailgater's delight:

Black Bean Salsa

1 tomato diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

1 (1 lb, 13 oz.) can black beans, well drained

1 (11oz) can of whole kernel corn, drained

¼ cup of cilantro, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 tsp salt, add more to taste

ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine the black beans, corn, cilantro, green pepper, onion and tomato. Mix together. Add vegetable oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well so that everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate and let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. For best flavor, let sit over night.
Serve with scoop-style tortilla chips.

Grapefruit recipe contest: $5,000 prize

2008-10-09T08:05:00.000-05:00

Home cooks, caterers, chefs, dietitians and others are invited to compete for cash in the first-ever Rio Star Grapefruit Recipe Challenge www.riostarchallenge.com sponsored by grapefruit producers from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Taste of the South magazine www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com is the exclusive media partner for the contest.

“The goal of the challenge is to increase awareness of a very special variety of grapefruit, the Rio Star, available in supermarkets from mid-October through May. We are challenging inventive cooks in the U.S. and Canada to submit nutritious, delicious and original Rio Star grapefruit recipe creations,” said Eleisha Ensign, executive director of TexaSweet Citrus Marketing, Inc. based in Mission, Texas.

Contest entry forms, rules and frequently asked questions may be found online at www.riostarchallenge.com. The contest begins October 15 and ends February 15, 2009. Winners will be notified no later than April 1, 2009.

There are three recipe categories in the contest – salad, main course and dessert – and two divisions – home cooks and professionals. Cash prizes of $500 each will be awarded for the best recipe in each category and division. A grand-prize winner from each division will be awarded an additional $1,000. Total prize money of $5,000 is allocated for the contest.

Texas grown citrus is recognized worldwide and is extensively distributed in holiday gift baskets and sold in retail outlets during the fall, winter, and early spring each year. Rio Star grapefruit is recognized for its deep red colored flesh and sweet taste. Information about Texas citrus is available at www.texasweet.com or info@texasweet.com.

Recipe entry forms and rules may be requested by writing to Texas Rio Star Grapefruit Challenge, 901 Business Park Drive, Ste. 100, Mission, Texas 78572. Please include a self-addressed-stamped envelope.

Crow-ing over a partnership at Whole Foods

2008-10-09T08:03:00.002-05:00

From the press room today:

Whole Foods Market, the world's leading retailer in natural and organic foods, has teamed up with pop music icon and environmental activist Sheryl Crow to create a special edition of Whole Foods Market’s signature reusable shopping bag, A Better Bag. Launching in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide on Oct. 15, this exclusive design was created in support of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Simple Steps program to encourage shoppers to embrace simple steps in their everyday lives to reduce consumption and consider the environment.

“I am a big believer in doing what you can, even if it’s something as small as reducing the amount of plastic we each use daily that ends up in landfills, whether it is plastic bags, water bottles or product packaging. I’m so happy to be working with Whole Foods Market on this project,” said Sheryl Crow.

The design of the new A Better Bag, which will be out in plenty of time for the holiday season, features a charcoal sketch of a tree with words written by Crow specifically for this project woven into the artwork.

This limited edition bag, which features a collection of beautiful earth tones, is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and will be available from Oct. 15 through the holiday season. Each bag represents approximately four 20-ounce plastic bottles. The Company is offering two sizes for the first time: large (14 x 15.5 x 8) and small (9.5 x 12 x 7.5) which retail for an unbeatable 99 cents and 79 cents, respectively.

“On their own, our A Better Bags have been tremendously popular with shoppers,” said Whole Foods Market’s Nona Evans. “Working alongside someone as talented and passionate as Sheryl Crow to create this special edition not only sends a strong message about the environment to the world, but it’s also sure to make it easy to make a difference this holiday season. It’s also a powerful way to give a gift that gives back as the bags make great holiday gift bags.”

As part of the Company’s continued efforts to consider the environment and keep shoppers informed on environmental issues, Whole Foods Market and Sheryl Crow are using this campaign to help raise awareness for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and its Simple Steps program. Whole Foods Market has made a donation to the NRDC in support of their initiative and each bag carries the SimpleSteps.org website encouraging shoppers to learn more about how they can get involved.

In braise of the chicken

2008-10-02T13:37:00.004-05:00

Yes, it seems chicken ideas come in waves (or should that be flocks?) , but here are some that use a cooking method many Americans don't employ as much as the old days, when every kitchen had a cast iron Dutch oven.

I speak of the braise.

A long, slow cooking method that tenderizes meats by gently breaking down their fibers, braising is the perfect preparation for fall dishes. (Heat that kitchen up. You might as well make the heating bill and cooking bill join forces.)

Dark chicken meat like drumsticks, thighs and leg quarters (which are super-cheap compared to the boneless breast craze) braise particularly well, as their extra fat allows for the development of rich flavors.

Braising is an easy technique to learn, as it involves simply browning the meat on the top of the stove, and then simmering it over low heat while tightly covered. A small amount of liquid like wine, chicken stock or orange juice is added to the pan to provide the needed moisture.

From the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, here are two new braised chicken recipes that make delicious autumn meals. The finished dishes are so succulent that the meats practically melt in the mouth. Serve over rice or pasta or with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful juices.

Orange and Green Olive Braised Chicken infuses chicken drumsticks with the flavors of orange juice and tangy green olives. Start by coating the chicken in a flour mixture and browning on top of the stove. When ready to braise in the oven, add strips of orange peel, garlic cloves, chicken stock, orange juice, bay leaves, saffron and sliced olives. Cook, covered, over low heat for about an hour and serve.

Orange and Green Olive Braised Chicken

Serves 4

8 chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds)
½ cup flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 TBLS olive oil
1 orange
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup orange juice
3 cups chicken stock
3 dried bay leaves
¼ cup pitted green olives
½ tsp saffron
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In gallon size plastic bag with zipper top, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs, seal bag, and toss to completely coat with flour mixture.

In large, oven-proof sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium high heat. Remove chicken from bag, shake off excess flour and place in pan, skin side down. Cook chicken over medium high heat until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.

While chicken is cooking, peel long strips of zest from the orange with vegetable peeler. When chicken is browned, add whole peeled garlic cloves to pan, placing around chicken. Reduce heat to medium and cook one minute. Add orange juice and bring to a boil; cook for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, again bring to a boil and cook another 3 minutes. Add bay leaves, olives, saffron and orange zest peel to the pan. Cover and place pan in oven.

Cook chicken until fork can be easily inserted into chicken, about 50 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and place on serving platter. Place pan back on stove and bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes more. Remove bay leaves and remaining garlic pieces; spoon sauce over chicken, top with parsley and serve.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
640 calories; 40 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 24 g carbohydrate; 44 g protein

Chicken Braised with Pumpkin, White Beans and Spinach is a tasty recipe that focuses on some of the favorite foods of fall. Start by cooking bacon strips in the pan to be used to braise the chicken, and then brown the thighs and drumsticks in the remaining drippings. Add garlic, shallots and wine to the pan, and boil. Add chicken stock, pumpkin puree, white beans and sage, and braise in the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan, boil the remaining sauce to thicken, add the spinach and serve.

Chicken Braised with Pumpkin, White Beans and Spinach

Serves 4

4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds of chicken, total)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 slices bacon
2 TBLS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 shallots, sliced thin
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
2 TBLS chopped fresh sage
1 can white beans (15.5 ounce size)
8 cups spinach

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. In large sauté pan with tight-fitting lid, sauté bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside. Add olive oil to pan and warm. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook chicken, turning, until skin is nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side. Add garlic and shallots to pan and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, until fragrant.

Pour wine in pan and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Boil for 2 minutes until wine is slightly reduced. Add chicken stock, pumpkin puree and sage; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 40 minutes.

Add beans to pan, cover and simmer an additional 15 minutes.

Remove chicken to a plate and reserve. Bring sauce to a boil and cook until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Add spinach to sauce and stir. Return chicken to pot, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes until heated through. Spinach should be wilted but still bright green. Stir in bacon pieces and serve.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
600 calories; 31 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 22 g carbohydrate; 51 g protein

Coming to Your Table

2008-09-30T13:37:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow's food section of The Anniston Star, Your Table, is all about quick and practical. I review a new cookbook for weeknight recipes that are so easy, my 6-year-old daughter can (and did) make them. Salmon, chicken drumsticks and a crowd-pleaser of a tortilla pie.

We've got Prudence Hilburn making English muffins and a slew of recipes for Ye Ole Pot of the Crock.

Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

Wok -- or bwawwk -- this way

2008-09-30T13:26:00.003-05:00

Chicken and wok combine in a few new recipes that came our way today from the National Chicken Council. Both call for chicken tenders, which isn't my favorite cut of chicken because of the expense and the tendency to dry out if it's overcooked (a chance that is greatly reduced because of the short-but-intense period of wok cooking).

A standard in Asian cooking, woks are also common in many American kitchens, as they provide a fast, easy and healthful method of preparing foods. And while stir-frying may be the cooking method most associated with woks, they can also be used to braise, stew, steam or even deep-fry things like chicken. Stove-top woks, suitable for either gas or electric ranges, or electric woks with a non-stick finish, all work equally well. Their round-bottom shape provides uniform heat distribution, ensuring a quick cooking time.

From the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, here are two new chicken recipes to try in a wok. Both can also be prepared in a large frying pan, cooked over medium high heat.

Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Curry is a spicy delicious dish that features boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced to a two-inch size. Start by making a curry sauce: sauté onion, curry powder, chili powder, diced jalapeno pepper and ginger in a saucepan, and add canned tomatoes and coconut milk. Cook the chicken pieces in the wok, along with whole sugar snap peas. Combine the chicken and peas with the curry sauce and serve over a favorite rice, like basmati. Add steamed carrots or zucchini, or grilled eggplant to complete the meal.

Chipotle Chicken, Sweet Onion and Cabbage Tacos is another fast and easy meal that is full of Southwest flavors. Cook diced onion in the wok, along with hot pepper sauce, cumin and sliced chicken tenders. When finished cooking, add lime juice for a cooling tang. Serve the chicken mixture on warmed tortillas, along with bagged coleslaw mix, cilantro, diced avocado and bottled salsa. Black beans and rice would be a perfect complement to this dish.

Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Curry

Serves 4

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced thinly
2 TBLS canola oil
1 TBLS ground coriander
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas

Sauce:
1 TBLS canola oil
1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 TBLS curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk
2 tsps salt
¼ tsp black pepper

In medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add onion, curry powder, chili powder, jalapeno pepper and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add drained tomatoes, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high and bring mixture to a boil; lower heat to simmer and cook until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons canola oil to a wok and place over high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken slices and coriander, stirring constantly. Cook chicken until almost done (about 5 – 7 minutes) and add sugar snap peas. Continue to cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Combine chicken and curry sauce mixture; simmer 3 – 5 minutes to blend flavors.

Serve over rice.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
410 calories; 22 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 17 g carbohydrate; 37 g protein

Chipotle Chicken, Sweet Onion and Cabbage Tacos

Makes 6

1 pound chicken tenders, halved

Stir Fry:
1 large onion, halved and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 TBLS canola oil
½ tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 TBLS lime juice (from half of lime)

Tacos:
2 cups packaged coleslaw mix
½ cups cilantro leaves
1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
½ cup fresh salsa
12 eight-inch soft flour tortillas, warmed according to package directions
½ cup sour cream

In wok, heat oil over high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring and tossing, for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add hot pepper sauce, cumin, salt, pepper and chicken. Continue stir-frying for 5 to 7 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Add lime juice and remove from heat.

To serve, place a small amount of the chicken and onion mixture in the middle of a warm tortilla. Top with coleslaw mix, cilantro, avocado and salsa. Add dollop of sour cream; fold both sides of tortilla over the ingredients.

Nutrition Information, Per Serving:
550 calories; 23 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 60 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein

Lentil bit of dinner success

2008-09-30T13:19:00.002-05:00

The pressure cooker that I bought several weeks ago continues to come in handy. It's a 6-quart Presto model, and it whipped up a super-duper cheap dinner in 20 minutes Monday night.

I took a whole, 1 pound bag of green lentils (79 cents), rinsed them in a colander, then popped them in the pressure cooker pan. I added a tablespoon of olive oil (that's to keep them from frothing) and added enough water to cover them by two inches. I added a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves and a pinch of dried, ground mustard. I sealed the cooker, raised the heat to high.

After the regulator/weight started to do its little dance, I reduced the heat and let them cook for 3 minutes. I then cut the heat, set the cooker off the stove and let the pressure come down in several minutes' time.

The result: a nice, thick lentil "stew" that, seriously, tasted as though they'd cooked all day in the crock-pot. Very hearty. Very filling and super tasty. Dinner for four (and lunch the next day for three) for 79 cents TOTAL.

What's with agave nectar?

2008-09-26T12:19:00.002-05:00

An unorganized rant on ingredients coming across my radar:

No less than six recipes this week calling for 'agave nectar' instead of sugar. I'm as freewheeling as the next foodie, but that's a bit much even for me.

Lots of recipes call for polenta these days. I love polenta, but making it from scratch (Your mama would have called it cornmeal mush, by the way) takes time. Never fear. Spotted at Winn-Dixie in Golden Springs Thursday night: a pack of ready-to-serve polenta on the shelf in the Italian food section.

Also on tap at the WD: pearl barley, which is big in some Mediterranean cuisines and is a super, super cheap way to stretch soup and stew recipes to feed a few more people.

It's raining cookbooks

2008-09-24T12:54:00.002-05:00

Fall is a fabulous time of year -- not just because the weather is beginning to tone down, but because It's Cookbook Season.

A handful of new books have come under the door this week. They look great and promise to add to the pile of food lore coming your way.

Another treat: It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas. The first wave in the Annual Christmas Cookie tidal pool came in the mail today. Land o' Lakes came across with a quintet of cookie selections. Good stuff. We'll make 'em, eat 'em and let you know how they turn out.

Coming to Your Table

2008-09-23T14:19:00.002-05:00

Wednesday's food section for The Star, Your Table, features Anniston resident Frances Garland and her Dagwood sandwich, which was named one of the best in the country by the folks at Mezzetta (the pepper kings.)

In addition to Garland's zingy sandwich, we explore new ways to cook bratwurst, a super-fast fish dish and try to venture out into the vegetable kingdom with fennel in a nice, crisp salad.

Prudence Hilburn leads a tour of cakeland.... and that's balanced nicely with the nutritionist from The Biggest Loser talking diet secrets of the formerly fat.

Enjoy. Life's too short to eat bad food.

Hungry for a good story?

2008-09-23T08:44:00.004-05:00

The folks at Cheerios have added a prize worth digging out of a cereal box: children's books.

(Yeah, I know adults eat tons of Cheerios, too, but the cereal is a classic for younguns.)

Anyway, the Spoonfuls of Stories campaign puts small, paperback books inside 5 million boxes of Cheerios. The program kicks off next month, and you can see the book that's in the box through a see-through cover on the box front. That will make sure you don't get 20 copies of Duck for President, which is one of the selections.

Other titles available include:
Diego's Wolf Pup Rescue, Monkey and Me, Romeo and Lou Blast Off and When Dinosaurs Came with Everything.

The point of the campaign is to find a way to get books into the hands of children who might not be able to afford them otherwise. As of this year, about 20 percent of children under age 3 live in poverty. (Bringing to light another factoid many people either ignore or don't know: Most people listed as impoverished and "on welfare" are children. Kind of gives a different spin on the argument that "anyone on welfare can get a job," eh?)

Mugging for your breakfast

2008-09-22T13:56:00.002-05:00

We've run this before, but a reader requested it again. Enjoy.

Mushroom Scramble Mug

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Serves: 1
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 slice fat-free American cheese, torn in strips
1 tomato or red pepper, diced (optional)
Whole wheat English muffin (optional)

Lightly spray the inside of a microwaveable mug with non-stick cooking spray, place mushrooms in mug and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and microwave for 1 minute. Let rest 30 seconds and drain any excess liquid.
Add whole egg and egg white to mug and mix well with a fork. Add cheese and tomato or red pepper (if desired) and microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Let rest 30 seconds to allow eggs to finish cooking. Enjoy in the mug or on a toasted whole wheat English muffin.

Looking for some Kosher cooks

2008-09-22T13:46:00.002-05:00

Holiday feasting, Jewish style

Rosh Hashanah is Sept. 30 and Oct. 1
Yom Kippur is Thursday, Oct. 9

To inspire you, try one of these great recipes by Susie Fishbein, author of Kosher by Design and Kosher by Design and Entertaining; she that makes cooking fun and easy for everyone. Try Susie’s Falafel Crusted Chicken; it is sure to be a family favorite:

Falafel Crusted Chicken
Serves: 6
Ingredients:

1 1/2 (6.4 ounce) boxes falafel mix
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded very thin
all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 plum tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled
Prepared hummus

In a large bowl, prepare the 3 bags of falafel mix according to the package directions. Add in 3-4 tablespoons of water to make the batter a spreadable consistency. Set the batter aside.

Coat each chicken breast with flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip one side of each chicken breast into the prepared falafel mix. Pat it on to form a crust. Add to the hot oil, falafel side down, allowing the crust to form before flipping to cook on the other side, about 4-5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into medium dices.

Serve the falafel chicken with the diced tomatoes and cucumbers, and a dollop of hummus.

Sarah Lasry, professional chef, Manischewitz resident recipe expert and author of the acclaimed cookbook, The Dairy Gourmet, recommends her delicious, savory crepes.

Over-stuffed Spanich Rice, Meat & Mushroom Crepe

For the Crepe Batter:
4 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
cooking spray

Preparation:
Wrap crepes around the completed filling.

For Filling:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 1/2 - 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
2 cups button mushrooms, diced
1 can Kosher tomato sauce
1 box Spanish Rice Pilaf, cooked
Kosher salt to taste

Food lovers nationwide are invited to enter the 3rd Annual Manischewitz Cook-Off Competition:

Entries must be received by Dec. 31. Enter your recipe online or mail to the address below. The website also provides simple kosher guidelines.

Top submissions will be selected by a judging panel including chefs, food writers, and executives. Those recipes will be prepared under the direction of a professional chef and tested by the panel.

Six finalists will be selected to compete live in the New York City finals in February 2009 and one Grand Prize Winner will be selected at the final cook-off event. A panel of food experts will judge the recipes on site based on the following criteria: taste, 50%; ease of preparation, 20%; appearance, 15%; and originality, 15%.

The six finalists will be selected to compete for the Grand Prize in New York City in February 2009. All finalists will win a $2,000 (ARV) prize package including a trip to New York City to compete for the grand prize. The Grand Prize winner receives a $25,000 (ARV) prize package including: state-of-the-art GE Profile Kitchen appliances, a $5,000 check from Manischewitz; inclusion in a future Manischewitz or web cookbook; Manischewitz product and more!

With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur around the corner this competition encourages everyone to submit their favorite kosher recipe, especially since great Jewish food and kosher dishes are among the ethnic cuisines on the rise. Almost any favorite dish you, a friend or family member enjoys can be adapted to meet kosher guidelines and standards!

It's never too soon to talk turkey. Really.

2008-09-18T13:41:00.002-05:00

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, $3.86 billion in turkey sales was forecast for 2007.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner (trust us, it will be here before you know it), many people are already in the planning stages for this year’s holiday meal. With the current economic issues that many families are facing, they are looking for ways to save money, this year.

According to Chef Paul Magnant, dean of culinary and hospitality at Stratford University, the turkey is the first place to look for cutting costs.

“Typically, we spend about 70 percent of our food dollar on the protein or ‘center’ of the plate,” says Chef Magnant. “So, logically, it makes sense to try to save money in the largest expense area, which is the turkey.”

To do this, he suggests that consumers consider buying bone-in turkey breast. This is because, although whole turkeys tend to be the most popular option, they only provide 40 percent of the weight-yield after cooking. Therefore, that typical $.99 per pound really amounts to over double what was paid at the register, when you consider what is edible after cooking.

“Consumers end up getting less than they think they do. To save money, it’s usually best to go with the bone-in turkey breast,” suggests Chef Magnant. “You get more for your money, they take less time to cook, and they are easy to roast.”
(more)

“Another tip is to use Pepperidge Farm stuffing found in the bag at the supermarket, affirms Chef Magnant. The spices and herbs will make a great addition to the meal. They are the only company that I know of that incorporates the herbs and spices into the bread dough before baking,” he says.

Other money-saving tips for this holiday season include:
· using all leftovers to prepare additional meals
· scouring store advertisements to find bargains
· comparing cost of like-items by brand
· having a potluck holiday gathering where everyone brings a dish
· planning the meal in advance so there is no impulse buying
· writing a grocery list and sticking to it while shopping

“Holiday meals can get pricey,” adds Chef Magnant. “But it doesn’t have to be like that. As long as someone puts forth the effort, they can save money and still have a great gathering.”

Stratford University’s culinary arts program offers several degrees, including concentrations in baking and pastry, as well as advanced culinary arts. The school also offers non-degree public one-day culinary courses covering such topics as beginner baking, knife skills, vegetarian cooking and cake decorating, as well as parent-and-child cooking.

Creole vs. Cajun

2008-09-17T08:33:00.001-05:00

From today's Your Table section in The Anniston Star, we tackle an age-old debate:

If you want to find out if Creole and Cajun are interchangeable, all you need to do is go to good ole' south Louisiana and mention that you believe there's no difference.

Let's begin with the Creoles — they are the city dwellers. Originally the term Creole was not reserved for residents of New Orleans, but today the best way to describe a "true Creole" is a New Orleans native whose heritage includes the Native Americans, French, Spanish, African, Italians, and others that settled the city. This melting pot is best illustrated through the food that developed when all these collided. As you may know, bouillabaisse is a soup/stew that came from France. The Africans brought okra from their home soil, and the Native Americans introducing new ingredients like file powder and bay leaves.

At this intersection of cultures there was a three-car wreck, and gumbo came stumbling out.
Creole is a cuisine that developed by drawing from all these ethnic backgrounds with particular influence from the African Americans who were not only the cooks at home, but also the cooks in professional kitchens.

Now Cajun came from the French-speaking Acadians — folks originally banished from France who then fled to Nova Scotia. They were kicked out of Nova Scotia in the early 1700s and settled in rural southwest Louisiana. While the Creoles were cosmopolitan, the Cajuns throughout their history were fairly isolated. They were great farmers, fisherman, and hunters and truly lived off the land.

Creole food was served in restaurants from its earliest days, but Cajuns served country food, often one-dish meals, not found on public menus until midway through the last century.

Cajun cuisine is spicier and incorporates a lot more hot peppers than Creole. In Creole seasoning, you will find more herbs and more subtle flavors, whereas in Cajun dishes you will find their "holy trinity": cayenne pepper, white pepper and black pepper.

Creole Seasoning
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 2 teaspoons ground bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon chili powder

Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons of paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon sage

For each recipe, combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.

... and, just the best sandwich

2008-09-16T13:02:00.002-05:00

Mezzetta Specialty Foods Crowns Winner of

An Anniston woman has taken a top prize in the America's Best Sandwich contest, sponsored by Mezzetta.

Francis Garland of Anniston won the Hero Sandwich category, naming her creation The New Dagwood with a Jalapeño Twist

America's top producer of specialty olives, peppers and other gourmet ingredients announced today that Edwina Gadsby of Great Falls, Mon., won the Grand Prize is $25,000 and a trip for two to Napa Valley.

This is the first year Mezzetta, a family-owned food company founded in 1935, has sponsored a national recipe contest.

“We had over two thousand entries and each of the finalist recipes was phenomenal. But I am pleased that this sandwich won the top prize,” said Jeff Mezzetta, owner and President. “Grilled cheese sandwiches are a classic, and we loved the Spanish flavors and the way Edwina incorporated Mezzetta red bell peppers and sun-dried tomatoes in her recipe.”

Gadsby, no stranger to the world of recipe contests, was nonetheless stunned when she found out she had won Grand Prize. She had been intrigued been the idea of creating a prize-winning sandwich, and spent hours in the kitchen testing her ideas.

“Gourmet sandwiches are comfort food at its best. Unlike so many other “gourmet” meals there is no intimidation factor when it comes to sandwiches. The only limit to the combinations you can come up with is your imagination.” Gadsby observed.

The Make That Sandwich contest accepts entries in four categories: Hot, Cold, Vegetarian and Hero. Gadsby entered her sandwich in the Hot sandwich category. Finalists in the other three categories each received $1,000.

They are:
Brenda Cole
Reisterstown, Maryland
Cold SandwichSalmon & Arugula Tailgater

Erin Evenson
Brooklyn, New York
Vegetarian Sandwich
La Maison de Mezzetta Moroccan Melts with Minted Harissa Mayonnaise

Mezzetta plans to bring back the contest next year. Entries for Make That Sandwich 2009 will be accepted beginning Memorial Day through Labor Day 2009. For complete winning recipes, interviews with the winners and more information on the world of sandwiches, visit www.makethatsandwich.com

The BEST peanut butter samich

2008-09-16T11:12:00.002-05:00

The Seventh Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest is accepting entries from now until Nov. 14. Encouraging kids ages 6-12 to invent new creative peanut butter sandwich recipes is a great way for parents to foster creativity in their children and spend quality time together while having fun in the kitchen.

The grand prize is a $25,000 scholarship fund! Four runner-ups will each receive a $2,500 scholarship fund. Last year’s winner was Samuel Sosa, 11, of Riverside, CA. He created the “Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich.”

Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich

Ingredients:
4 slices of wheat bread

Sandwich Mix:
3 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon finely diced celery
1 tablespoon finely diced apple

Chinese Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in small saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring with a wire wisk. When the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, remove from heat and let cool.

While the dipping sauce is cooling, roll flat with a rolling pin the four slices of bread. Use a large circle shaped cookie cutter to cut out each slice of bread into a circle. Mix the 3 sandwich mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Place a tablespoon full of mix into the center of each circle shaped piece of bread. Fold the bread in half so the sandwich is now a half circle. Crimp the edges of the sandwich together with your fingers so the mix will not come out. Then, while holding the center of the sandwich, pull the sides of the sandwich down so the edges touch each other, forming a fortune cookie shape.

Cut extra apple and celery slices to eat with the Chinese dipping sauce.

To make fortunes for your fortune cookies, use a clean plastic lid from a tub of butter, yogurt, or sour cream. Cut small plastic strips, then write your fortune on them with a permanent marker. Tuck the edge of the fortune into the edge of your cookies to make them real fortune cookie sandwiches.

Once the dipping sauce is cool, serve the crunchy Chinese cookie sandwiches with their fortunes, and apple and celery slices on a plate with a cup of dipping sauce. Dip the sandwiches and the apple and celery slices into the sauce, and you have a great after school snack that was fun to make and eat!

MOM CONTEST
The Jif Moms Voice Their Choice Contest gives moms (or those inspired by one) a chance to share their stories about the choices they make for their families. The writer of the winning essay will win:
A 4-day, 3-night trip to New York City with a companion.
A seat at the judges’ table at the Seventh Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest final event.

Chinese import alert.... going away

2008-09-16T11:09:00.002-05:00

The folks at The Catfish Institute want you to know:

The FDA is reportedly considering quietly dropping the "import alerts" for five species of Chinese seafood imports, including catfish and shrimp, that were put in place during the summer of 2007. As a refresher, that was the "bad summer" for Chinese imports -- of lethal toothpaste, pet food, lead-painted toys, and contaminated seafood.

The import alerts require chemical testing for entry into the U.S. Unfortunately, the private lab testing system, as described below, is rife with abuse and deception. Not surprisingly, after a year of this the FDA is declaring victory over contaminated Chinese seafood, since they are not hearing too much any more about contaminated shipments, and are considering dropping the testing requirement.

While the testing requirement as currently constructed is little more than a "fig leaf" for a dysfunctional system, it at least forces importers to go through the motions.
Given the Chinese track record on consumer safety issues, and the FDA's inability to monitor and police imports, the last thing the Administration should do would be to remove even this minimal level of protection.

More importantly, dropping the import alerts for these items would cause the December (2007) trade agreement with China to kick in. Under this agreement, the U.S. would essentially outsource its seafood inspections to the Chinese Government and its designated producers. As discussed below, the Chinese food safety agencies are very much a work in progress, are in considerable turmoil, and have a very poor performance record. Is this really the system to which we want to entrust our seafood inspections?

The events of this past summer again underscore the need for a workable U.S. inspection system -- repeated outbreaks of illness both at home and abroad that were exacerbated by under-funded, inadequate, and overwhelmed inspection systems.

In the waning days of the current Administration, behind the thick fog of the elections and the rhetoric, the FDA could well cave in to the demands of Chinese importers and their free-trader corporate allies to eliminate any meaningful examination of incoming containers. They will claim that the "problem has been solved" and that the action will produce "greater efficiency," "less regulation," and "less bureaucracy." We disagree.

-- The Catfish Institute

Family Meal Day served up

2008-09-11T14:08:00.000-05:00

The J.M Smucker Company is partnering with The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University to celebrate Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children, which will be celebrated on Sept. 22 this year.

To help consumers prepare for Family Day, Smucker is offering a free, online chat with The Surprising Power of Family Meals author Miriam Weinstein on September 16, 2008. Readers can visit www.poweroffamilymeals.com between 8 – 10pm EST to chat with Weinstein, who will provide insight into the importance of family meals, tips on how to make it a part of your routine every day, and creative ways to make these occasions special.

“Although some may see meal time solely as a time to eat, it is much more than that,” said Weinstein. “It is also a place for emotional and behavioral nourishment. Meal time sets the stage for family interaction. Parents are so important in their kids’ lives and the kitchen table is such an obvious place for kids to get regular access to them.”

Family Day is a national movement that reminds parents that dinner makes a difference and encourages parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and be involved in their children’s lives. CASA’s research consistently finds that the more often kids eat dinner with their families; the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. Family Day helps remind busy families of the invaluable role that parental involvement plays in steering children and teens away from negative influences.

“The J.M. Smucker Company and its family of brands are proud to partner with CASA as we strive to promote the importance that family meals can play in peoples’ lives and in preserving family mealtime legacies,” said Maribeth Badertscher, Director, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. “We are honored to be invited to these family meals and to play a small, but valuable, role in bringing families together.”

For more information about Miriam Weinstein, the live chat and Family Day, visit www.poweroffamilymeals.com

Apples, galore. This time with fire.

2008-09-11T13:30:00.002-05:00

Following our ode to the apple in a recent Your Table, here's a ditty from the CIA (the fun CIA, not the spooky one) on how to enjoy these fruits of fall:

Apple season is upon us, and the chefs of The Culinary Institute of America suggest that you take advantage of this opportunity to select a variety of apples.

Such a versatile ingredient as the apple can be prepared in numerous ways; whether baked, grilled, or roasted, each particular variety has characteristics that make it unique. With apples in such abundance, now is an excellent time to take them home and experiment to determine which apple variety is your favorite.

"In New York's Hudson Valley we have no shortage of apple varieties. Early September apples such as Paula or Ida Red, cousins of the McIntosh, will work well for this recipe if they are not over-baked," explains Carol Hawran of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. "Rome Beauty, Empire, or Golden Delicious apples are always reliable standbys as they have enough body to hold their shape well."

Baked apples are ideal for a warm day and can be made right on your grill. Put them on just as you take off your dinner, and by the time you've eaten and brewed coffee, the apples are ready to eat.

Apple Crisp, with a sweet crumbly topping made with oats, will warm up any cool evening. Top it with a wedge of cheddar cheese or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream for a dessert that is sure to please.

These and other recipes can be found in The Culinary Institute of America's cookbook, Grilling (2006, Lebhar-Friedman), available for purchase at bookstores nationwide.

Here's a video demonstration featuring how to prepare Baked Apples filled with Walnuts and Cream.

Baked Apples filled with Walnuts and Cream
Makes 8 servings
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
8 prunes, pitted and diced small
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
8 McIntosh apples, cored
2 tablespoons Calvados
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat a gas grill to medium. If you are using a charcoal grill, build a fire and let it burn down until the coals are glowing red with a moderate coating of white ash. Spread the coals in an even bed. Clean the cooking grate.

Combine the walnuts, brown sugar, butter, prunes, and lemon zest, and mix until evenly blended. Pack the mixture into the cored apples.

Cut 8 large rectangles of foil and fold each in half to make squares. Set 1 filled apple in the center of each square. Drizzle each apple with some of the Calvados (less than 1 teaspoon per apple) and a little of the maple syrup (less than 1 teaspoon per apple). Pull up the sides of the foil around the apple to make a vented pouch.

Grill the apples over direct heat until soft and the juices that collect in the bottom of the pouch are a rich brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Turn the pouches occasionally as the apples cook.
Whip the heavy cream just until lightly thickened and still somewhat runny. Whisk in the remaining maple syrup.

To serve, place a baked apple on each serving dish. Pour the accumulated juices from the foil pouches over the grilled apples, and then spoon some of the whipped cream over them.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition analysis per 7.5-ounce serving: 270 calories, 1g protein, 46g carbohydrate, 10g fat, 30mg sodium, 30mg cholesterol, 6g fiber.