Posts from the ‘Tips & Tricks’ Category

Dec 2

NUTS-THE GIFT SOLUTION

All the demands of the winter holidays make it difficult to find time to choose pleasing presents for those on your personal list. It’s downright stressful to cope with the extra gifts the ‘season of giving’ involves, gifts for business associates, social contacts, to say “greetings” to old friends and ‘Thank You” for regular assistance. These gifts must be impersonal, yet convey your thoughtfulness, be acceptable, usually to the recipient’s family as well, and their cost indiscernible, ranging from casual to pricy, depending on your presentations. That’s a tall order.

Don’t worry! There’s an inexpensive food which, with minimal skill, effort, time and expense transforms into a product surpassing in taste, freshness and appeal its expensive, gourmet commercial counterparts. Furthermore, depending on the packaging, this item can be elegant enough to impress a client or employer, charming enough to amply say Thank You, and personalized enough to please that special someone. It’s nuts!

Specifically, it’s the nuts featured in boutique gifts, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, filberts (or hazelnuts) and macadamias. I’m excluding ‘ground’ nuts because peanuts and Brazil nuts are major allergens. Personally, I’m too sensitive to Brazils to sample a standard party mix, eat commercially baked cookies which might contain their oil or any fruit cake or bread but my own. (Although allergies to the other seven nuts are rare, you can play safe and inquire about the recipient before gifting.)

For this ‘magic’ transformation to work, the nuts have to be raw, shelled, but otherwise unprocessed. Raw nuts are available in most full supermarkets, some specialty food stores and even chain pharmacies but the most dependable way to always find them in quantity and quality is Amazon. They are sold in one pound units, costing, roughly, from $7.00 to $15.00, depending on the type of nut. The same unit, simply roasted and salted, purchased as a gourmet gift can cost from $35.00 to $55.00 +.

Buying the nuts raw and roasting them yourself is the key to the ‘fresh’ attractive appearance and greatly improved taste. Most commercially prepared nuts are seasoned, and preserved, by soaking them in a brine rather than hand salting them. As a result they often appear to have a gray filmy coating rather than a shiny golden color high-lighted by glistening grains of salt which distinguishes the high-end gourmet products.(See ‘Pistachios’ below for more on brining.)

Packaging is also a huge influence on achieving the desired effect. Gourmet products are usually sold in boxes or tins, both of which are easily found in great variety from dollar stores on up the price range. Of course, a special gift might need a more pricy presentation and these particular contents are elegant enough to do justice to any container.

The point is, that with little outlay, learning to process nuts, opens a wide window of gifting possibilities which goes a long way in solving any problems on your holiday list. Actually, I’ve found this useful for other occasions during the year, especially hosting and anniversaries. The best thing is that you can tailor each gift in perceived value to its recipient, without worrisome searching for ‘just the right thing.’

When buying, look for whole, raw, shelled nuts. The shelling is tedious and, if not expertly done, can result in a lot of breakage and consequently loss of money and time. Pistachios are the exception. Their shells pop open on the trees when they ripen, giving options in preparation and presentation explained below.

Macadamias also need a bit of special roasting. Not only do they contain the highest percentage of fat, but they’re air dried before being sold commercially, hence they tend to burn quickly.

Filberts (hazelnuts) and almonds must be skinned . With filberts, it’s done by placing the warm nuts in a dish towel, allowing them to sit for 5-10 min. then rubbing them vigorously in the towel. The skins peel right off. They can then be salted or, if for appearance they should be more golden, return them to the oven for 2-3 min. and then salt them.

Almonds need to be blanched or boiled. Cover them with about 2 inches of water to spare in a pot and bring to boiling for about 3 min. turn off the heat and leave for 3 min. more. Drain the nuts, cool under cold water enough to handle, squeeze and the nut will slide out of the skin, ready for roasting. Allow about 30 min. for this process per pound of nuts.

Pistachios are roasted both in shell and out and can be bought raw both ways. The actual roasting is the same, so the choice is optional, usually determined by the intended presentation. Generally, in shell they are served solo* and shelled, in a mix. There is, however, a difference in preparation. Out-of-shell they’re salted after roasting like other nuts but in shell they’re soaked in a brine before roasting so the seasoning is on the nut, not the shell.

To brine: soak the nuts per pound, in 1 cup water, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. citrus juice for 24 hr. Air dry for 24 hr. before roasting according to chart below.
*The dyed pistachios, once imported from Iran, are again available. The bright red shells cupping the green nuts are very decorative and especially festive at this season.

The actual roasting process is straightforward but requires attention because it can be tricky toward the end. You will need a sheet pan with sides, also called a jelly roll pan, large enough to hold a pound of nuts.(at least 11’x15’) If it isn’t non-stick, cover the bottom with foil. Add 1 tsp. butter* and melt it while the oven is preheating to the desired temperature, according to the chart below. Gently roll the nuts in the butter with a wooden spoon, arranging them in one layer. Repeat this action frequently while the nuts are baking so they brown evenly on both sides. They won’t change color at first, but once they begin to brown, they burn fast. It’s imperative to stay alert and remove the nuts from the oven the instant they reach desired doneness.

*The addition of a bit of fat acts like sun-tan oil. It insures that the browning is even from the start and provides a bit of protection until the nuts’ oil begins to come out. Some instructions call for vegetable or canola oil, but I prefer butter because it browns better and adds a bit of flavor.

Once roasted, turn the nuts out on a flat surface covered in paper towels, to absorb any excess oil, and sprinkle them liberally with salt, gently turning them to insure the salt reaches both sides. Allow them to cool totally, which will crisp them. Then be sure to store them in air-tight containers.

Raw nuts last for months in their original, commercial packaging, and I found that once opened, refrigeration maintains that shelf life. Roasted and salted, in air-tight containers, stored in a cool, dark, dry place they will keep 4-6 weeks. Moisture ruins the crispness, so don’t refrigerate the roasted ones and be aware, depending on the storage conditions, nuts go rancid quickly. So check them often.

Nuts must be roasted separately according to time and temperature for each type and it’s preferable to store them separately too. They tend to meld tastes and the difference in shapes rubs the salt off. Therefore, to maintain freshness and appearance, it’s best not to combine nuts into a mix until a few days before gifting or serving .

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It sounds like a tedious amount of caution, but it’s not. The different batches of nuts are stored as finished and the mixes can be compiled to suit the recipient or guest. Also, this way, one type can be offered alone or used for another purpose.

So if you want an elegant, personalized, tasteful and tasty gift, especially for those on your list who are hard to shop for, or are searching for a gift that is always appropriate, or perhaps need one that is impressive without costing a fortune, here’s the solution to your problem. What’s more, if you have a source, or use Amazon, you can buy it, make it and have it ready to present or serve in 3 days. In addition, it’s been my experience you can gain yourself a bit of ‘star status’ because these are well received and become frequent requests.

RECIPES

Roasted, Salted Nuts:

Follow the directions given above, using the times and temperatures listed on the chart below for each type of nut.
Hazelnuts—250-275deg.—20 min.
Macadamias –225-250 deg.—10-15min.
Pecans 325 deg. -15min
Pistachios 350 deg. 8min.
Walnuts 350deg. -15min.
Cashews 350deg. -15min.
Almonds 350 deg. 20 min.

Mixed Pesto Nuts:

Yield 4 cups
1 ½ cups pecan halves
1 ½ cups blanched almonds
1 cup walnut halves
3 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. shelled pistachios or pine nuts
2 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. salt
Make pesto by processing last 5 ingredients until well blended, slowly add oil until smooth. Preheat oven to 350 deg. and spread nuts out in a 15X 10 x ½ inch pan. Spread pesto over the nuts and bake13-15 min. stirring every 5 min., until toasted. Cool completely on paper towels and package as above.
NOTE: I see no reason why commercially made pesto can’t be used for this recipe.

Candied Nuts:

For 2 ½ cups whole nuts or unbroken halves of walnuts or pecans.
Sugared Pecans or Walnuts:

2 cups shelled pecan or walnut halves
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 deg. Stir all ingredients together and spread on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 min. stirring often. Cool on sheet and break apart with a fork. Package as directed above.

Coffee Candied Nuts

½ cup very strong coffee
1 ½ cups sugar
1 Tbs. corn syrup
Cook above ingredients to soft-ball stage = 240 deg. F. Remove from heat, add nuts and gently stir until creamy. Spread on a greased cookie sheet and separate with a fork . Cool and package as directed above.

Orange Candied Nuts:

Substitute ¼ cup orange juice for coffee in the above recipe and add ¼ tsp. cinnamon. Proceed as above.

Glaceed Nuts:

Can coat 1 lb. or more of nuts, but excess coating can’t be saved for re-use.

2 cups sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/8 tsp. Cream of Tartar
Heat ingredients in the top pan of a double-boiler on low, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then allow to boil unstirred until syrup reached hard-boil stage= 300 deg. F. Place pan over one of warm water to prevent hardening and quickly dip nuts. Remove them with a fork or slotted spoon to dry on waxed paper. Allow to dry and harden before moving for packaging.

Sep 23

WHY I LOVE MERINGUES?

First, I want to remind everyone that October is the month to find the best prices on many items needed for the holidays, especially baking supplies, including decorative sugars, seasonings, nuts, candied fruits, spices and butter. I know this sounds premature but by November the ‘specials’ begin to disappear and by Thanksgiving most of these products are sold out and not restocked for the holidays. I learned this several years ago when I waited until December to buy for Christmas dishes including the cookies and other desserts, frozen vegetables, even poultry seasoning. Things were either higher priced than weeks before or simply not there. The following years proved this to be a marketing pattern. So start paying attention now.

The subject of preparing dishes ahead to avoid stress later brings me to why I love meringues, they’re easy to make, fun to work with and have a long shelf life. This last asset is why I chose them for this week’s topic. If kept airtight, they can be made weeks in advance of an event and save a ton of work.

Once very popular, meringues lost favor partly because they don’t freeze and are too fragile to ship, both detriments in today’s world, but mainly because of Salmonella. Most people associated the name with the uncooked version used to top cream pies. Let me be clear. The following recipes are all cooked and perfectly safe. Actually meringue topping can be quite safe too if baked until the top is golden. Each year, I make a pumpkin meringue pie, but I place it in a 500 deg. oven for 5 min.to brown the top and cook the eggs, then let it cool to set.

Winton’s Meringue Powder, mainly sold in craft stores like A .C. Moore, is an alternative to using raw eggs and can be eaten in an uncooked topping. However, I prefer made-from-scratch meringue. It’s lighter in texture and appearance, easier to prep, and since recipes, other than topping, require cooking, no more time-consuming.

Meringues are baked in a low, 250 deg. oven for a couple of hours, until a hard shell forms. It’s the shell that allows meringues to hold a shape and makes them so versatile. Piped into rosettes, shaped into swans, simply spooned onto a baking sheet, they are wonderful small treats. Shaped into pie shells, cake layers, parfait cups and even bird’s nests, meringues can turn other ingredients into elegant dessert presentations.

Better yet, meringues are fat- free, so they’re low in cholesterol as well as in calories and gluten free. With fruit they’re the perfect healthy dessert and by replacing batter or dough, remove some of the guilt from ice cream and custard fillings. Best of all, they are truly simple to make needing only a bowl and a beater. Once in the oven they demand to be left alone until done. That sounds more like a modern approach to cooking than an antiquated item to me.

Meringues are perfect all year long. They appear frosty giving them a seasonal appeal in cold weather and a have cooling icy appeal when it’s warm. I’ve modified these recipes to adapt them to the coming fall and winter holidays to start you thinking ahead and save you work.

RECIPES

Basic French Meringues: Yield about 25 small or 12 large–recipe doubles or triples easily
IMPORTANT The only thing to beware of is that egg whites will not beat if there is even a trace of any other substance, including water but especially egg yolk, on the beaters or in the bowl.
TIP: egg whites beat better at room temperature.
Cookie Sheet and Waxed Paper:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
2 drops cider vinegar
½ tsp. flavoring**
Cover the cookie sheet with the waxed paper . Carefully separate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, dry bowl. It might be wise to break them separately, over another bowl, then transfer each white into the beating bowl. That way, if there’s a bit of yoke in the last white, you don’t have to start over. With clean, dry beaters, beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, @ 1 ½ – 2 min. Still beating, add the vinegar, gradually pour in the sugar, and continue beating until glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. Add the flavoring, beat to mix.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Drop the meringue batter on the covered cookie sheet by the teaspoon or soupspoon depending on desired size, forming little mounds about 2 inches apart; cook 1 hour. While still slightly warm, remove the meringues from the paper, and allow to cool on a rack.
** Vanilla is usual if used with other ingredients. I like Maple to serve as individual treats. It’s also great in autumn to give a seasonal presentation and taste.

VARIATIONS

Milano Style Cookies

Place the batter on the paper lined sheet with teaspoons or tablespoons maintaining the egg shape of the spoon. Bake as directed in the master recipe. When cool, spread jam or icing of choice on the flat side of half the meringues and cover with the remaining halves.

Fruit Parfaits

Mound the meringue in high piles on the cookie sheet and make deep wells in the center of each with the back of a spoon. Bake as directed in the master recipe and before serving fill the wells with fresh fruit, pie filling and/or custard. For extra stability try the recipe below for nests.

Meringue Rounds:

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Use plates to draw templates on waxed paper. The rounds can be layered like cake separated by different fillings. Cook as for meringues in the recipe above.

Angel Nests:

Add 1 Tbs. flour and 1 Tbs. cornstarch to just 3 egg whites per cup of sugar. Shape them on a template, using the back of a fork to raise the sides into nests. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a dry place until ready to use, up to a week. Fill centers with fresh fruit and serve with whipped cream, or topping, on the side. These can also be made in individual portions, and are most attractive. Judging by the timing to cook basic meringues, I don’t think there would be much adjustment to the directions either. Something you might want to try.

Meringue Pie Shells

Follow the directions for the Angel Nests above. Line 3 pie tins with waxed paper and bake as directed. Reducing the recipe by 1/3 if only one shell is needed. Fill with custard, fruit or mousse. If made ahead and stored, best to return cooled meringue to the pan to prevent breaking.

Meringue topping

Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form; add a drop of cider vinegar and continue beating gradually adding ¼ cup sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form. Casually spread the meringue over the top of the cooled pie and place in a 300 deg. oven for 20 min. until the top browns slightly.

SEASONAL FILLINGS for Fall and Winter Events
1.For Nest, Tortes, Pies and Shells
Pumpkin custard, Pistachio pudding, raw strawberries, Peeled and cored pear halves or apple slices or cubes, microwaved 3-5 min. until crisp tender with a bit of water, cinnamon and sugar, homemade cranberry sauce recipes with reduced liquid amounts. The fruit filings can benefit from the addition of raisins and/or nuts.
NOTE: For a delicious filling for all fall and winter holidays, see the Cranberry-Pear Compote recipe by clicking on this link November 29, 2018.
2. For Milano Cookies
Substitute melted butterscotch chips for the chocolate centers OR add a pinch of cinnamon to the chocolate

DECORATING and FLAVORING TIPS-To be added while mixing or before baking

1.Maple flavoring is always good with pumpkin, apple and pear.
2. Peppermint flavoring can be used with the plain or Milano type-chocolate cookies. Melted butterscotch chips are a good alternative filling.
3. Food coloring can give special effects, but be sparing. This batter is like a white page. A drop on a knife swirled through the batter gives a pretty marble effect.
4. Colored decorating sugar is probably the most effective decoration, Cinnamon is good for Thanksgiving.
5. Finely chopped nuts, and flavor chips add flavor, texture and interest. For chocolate or butterscotch chips add ½ cup mini chips. For nuts add ¼ cup. Generally, for dried fruits the recipe and baking directions change, so it’s best to Google your specific choice.

The Following are seasonal renditions of traditional desserts. For the original recipes see the post for May16, 2019.

Fruit Melba: Per portion
1 large scoop ice cream-vanilla is customary but utter pecan is an option with apples.
2 meringues-see recipe above*
1 pear half or apple half microwave prepared as instructed above.
3 Tb. warmed whole berry cranberry sauce and/or ‘Wet Nuts’ jarred sundae topping
Place the fruit in the bottom of a dessert dish, top with ice cream. Press a meringue into each side of the ice cream scoop and pour the sauce over

Fruit Gateau: Serves 6
3 ½ cups mixed berries or diced, skinned soft fruit-if using large strawberries chop to size—omit if using my ice cream recipe below.
3 cups ice cream- flavor optional–Suggestion-My Cranberry, Orange Walnut Ice Cream-Recipe below*
2 Tbs. powdered sugar—also omit if using my ice cream recipe
4 oz. meringues = 1 per cup of other ingredients or 6 here
Dampen a 2 lb. loaf pan and line it with waxed paper. Put the fruit in a bowl with the sugar and toss until it begins to break up but don’t let it get mushy. Put the ice cream in another bowl and break it up with a fork. Add the broken meringues and the fruit. Fold the ingredients together until lightly marbled. Pack the mixture into the prepared pan and press down lightly to level. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, invert on a plate, remove wrap and slice.
* Cranberry Orange Walnut Ice Cream: Serves 6- quick and easy to make.
2 cups cranberries
¾ cup sugar
1 orange –quartered, seeds removed
½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream- softened
Coarsely chop berries and orange, with rind. Stir in sugar and blend fruit mix, making sure the orange rind is pulverized, add walnuts and stir into softened ice cream. Pour into a mold and freeze until firm. Unmold and serve garnished with cranberries and walnuts. Or a couple of hours before serving fill a decorative freezer-proof bowl with individual scoops of ice cream and spoon them into dessert dishes at table
*This ice cream recipe is packed with fruit. I love it this way but some people, especially children, may prefer it if the quantity of vanilla ice cream is doubled in proportion to the fruit.
NOTE: Keeps as long as commercial ice cream in the freezer.

**NOTE: This dessert is delicious with an interesting texture. However, it’s difficult to slice. I think I’ll make it in individual molds from now on, perhaps even use muffin cups

Fruit Torte: Serves 6
(3) 9 inch meringue rounds-see directions above
2 lbs. apples or pears peeled, cored, sliced and microwaved as described above
4 Tbs. raisins or craisins-microwaved with the fruit
(1) 8oz. tub whipped topping
(1) 8 oz. brick cream cheese
½ tsp. cinnamon for apples
¼ tsp. ginger for pears
Maple flavoring –to taste
1 Tbs. toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts –for garnish
Beat the topping and cheese together, with maple flavoring if using, until smooth. Reserve 3 Tbs. and spread the rest equally across the tops of 2 rounds. Combine fruit(s) of choice and arrange half evenly on one cheese covered round. Place the other cheese covered round, cheese side up on top, and arrange the rest of the fruit over. Smear the reserved cheese in a circle on one side of the 3^rd. round and place on the other 2-cheese side up. Garnish with nuts scattered over the smeared cheese.

Sep 16

FUN FAMILY DINNERS

I believe cooking is a great tool for bonding, especially with children and have written books on the subject: The Lilly Likes to Cook series and Can I help? However it’s also a wonderful way to bring a family together for the same reasons. It provides a shared project, with quick and enjoyable rewards.

Moreover, cooking together can be valuable experience in other ways for both children and adults. Familiarity with the kitchen, cooking procedures and awareness of one’s abilities is a safety measure. It also provides a basic knowledge for young people to build on when they go out on their own, prepares adults to pinch-hit should the need arise, and, hopefully, inspires others to offer to help on a regular basis.

However, anticipation is your drawing card. To get support, you have to start with a fun meal, a meal everyone likes and can look forward to eating. I’ve given 7 recipes below from my book Dinners With Joy. All are casual, fun type meals for 4 servings, but with ingredient amounts easily adjusted to your requirements. One or more should appeal to your family and hopefully start a new family tradition.

RECIPES

Spaghetti: This is a Tuscan recipe, simpler, quicker and healthier than most. Sauce freezes very well, so make extra to have on hand-reheat in microwave
1 lb. ground sausage-or a ½ lb. sausage mixed with
½ lb. ground beef or ground turkey
(1) 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 Tbs. oil

2 small carrots peeled and sliced thin (1/8 to 1/16 inch)*

½ cup raisins

2 tsp garlic powder – or to taste

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tsp. dried basil

1 tsp pepper and salt to taste
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste-optional

1 lb. spaghetti or angel hair pasta.

Grated Parmesan

In a large stockpot, over medium heat, brown the meat, when all pink in gone, drain fat if necessary and add all the other ingredients, but the pasta, Simmer about 40 min. until the sauce reduces a bit and the carrots are very tender. Cook the pasta in a separate pot just to al dente. Drain and put in the pot with the sauce, toss briefly, THEN turn the contents out into a serving bowl. Pass the Parmesan.

Suggested sides; The traditional of course! A tossed or plain green salad, with a vinaigrette dressing, and a loaf of bread – plain, buttered or garlic.
*NOTE: Use a mandolin or grater if concerned about knife skills

Party Taco Pie: This recipe is for 8 servings, just as it was given to me, as a dish to be served at casual buffets. It can be halved, but it became such a favorite for second helpings and leftovers that I never modified it.
1 lb. ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 envelope Taco seasoning mix

Salt and pepper to taste

(1) 4 oz. can green chilies drained

2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 cup self-rising flour—Bisquick or Jiffy

¼ tsp. baking powder

2 tomatoes peeled and sliced

1 cup Sharp cheese shredded

Sour cream

Chopped lettuce

Chopped onion

Cooking spray

Spray skillet, and sauté beef and onions until brown and soft. Stir in seasonings, and spread on the bottom of a greased 9 inch, deep casserole. Top with chilies. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat together milk and eggs in a bowl. Still beating, add flour and baking powder, and continue until smooth. Pour over contents of the casserole, and bake for 25 min .Spread tomatoes, then cheese over the top, and bake for 8-10 min more, until cheese bubbles. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving to set. Cut into wedges and top with sour cream, lettuce, and onion.
No other sides are needed.

Classic Fajitas:
2 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 12 oz. beef for stir fry (see chart) cut in

2 inch strips

1 red bell pepper julienne

1 green bell pepper julienne

2 medium onions halved and sliced thin

3 Tbs. cooking oil

1tsp coriander

1tsp cumin

Salt and pepper

(8) 8” flour tortillas

(1) 8 oz. jar salsa

(1) 8 oz. container guacamole

1 cup sour cream

(1) 8 oz. pkg. “Mexican 4 Cheese Blend” – or shredded “Monterey Jack”

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions peppers and spices, and chicken if using raw. Cook about 8 min. until the vegetables are crisp tender. If using beef, cook vegetables about 4 min and add beef the last 4 min, so that it browns but stays tender. If using cooked chicken add last 2 min.to heat.

Meanwhile, cover tortillas with a dish towel, place on a plate and warm in the microwave on high at least 1min—test to make sure they’re warmed through.
Place the toppings – salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cheese on the dining table. Add the warm tortillas, and bring the sizzling meat mixture to the table in the skillet—making sure that it’s on a board or trivet—and let everyone dig in.

To eat a fajita—Lay a tortilla flat on your plate, and spoon the meat mixture in a line across the center of the tortilla parallel to you, leaving a 2inch margin on each end. The julienne cuts make this easy. Put on the toppings of your choice—I like them all—and fold those short sides over the filling squaring them off. Then roll the first long side, the one near you, over the filling, then roll the whole thing over on the other side to make a compact bundle—–and enjoy ! ! !
Sides aren’t necessary tonight, but a salad of greens is nice.

Tortilla Strata Burger: A healthy, fun burger for the family to share but if serving 4 for dinner, the recipe should be doubled; however, the 1 jar of Salsa will suffice. Remember in choosing it that cooking intensifies peppers’ heat.

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8 oz. hamburger

¼ tsp ground cumin

(1) 16 oz. jar garden style salsa – level of spiciness optional – you’ll use a little over half

(6) 6 inch whole wheat tortillas

½ cup sour cream

(1) 15 ½ oz. can black beans rinsed and well drained

(1) 4oz can green chilies

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

8oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Non stick cooking spray

Brown the beef in a skillet coated with non-stick spray, allow to cool, and mix with the cumin. Spread 2 Tbs. of the salsa in the bottom of the casserole. Top with a tortilla then begin the layering with 2 Tbs. of salsa, 1/6^th of the sour cream, then 1/6^th each of the beans, beef, peppers, cilantro and cheese. Top with a tortilla and repeat the layering again starting with the salsa and ending with the cheese until all the ingredients are used, pressing down gently on each tortilla to keep the stack level. End with a tortilla.** Can be made a day ahead at this point, cover and refrigerate, then allow to warn a bit before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 min., until cheese melts and salsa bubbles. Creamy coleslaw from the Deli goes well with this

*This dish is more attractive if it can be seen through a clear container

** This does tend to lean a bit. One way to keep it straight is to put a bamboo skewer down through the center before baking. I make the skewer into a decoration by putting a cherry tomato on it before serving.
Sides aren’t necessary but a salad is welcome

Cheese Fondue: A family recipe of Swiss friends which is truly amazing in how quickly dinner is ready with little fuss. It’s easy, foolproof and tasty. If you have to use a stove, lift the saucepan regularly to prevent clumping and a candle to keep the food warm at table.
2 lbs. grated Swiss cheese – or very thinly sliced and cut in small pieces – rind removed

6 Tbs. flour

1 garlic clove cut in half

4 cups dry white wine

6 Tbs. brandy

Dash salt

Ground nutmeg

Ground black pepper

Toss cheese and flour to coat well. Rub the inside of the pot with the garlic. Over low heat, cook the wine until bubbles rise to the surface. Add the cheese, a few spoonfuls at a time, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted, the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble. Add the brandy, nutmeg and pepper. Reduce heat until there is just enough to keep the fondue hot, without burning the bottom. It sounds far more difficult than it is, and made at the table, everyone can watch.

Serve with a variety of dippers – – Pieces of crusty bread,( just be sure the bread has the density to hold up to the sauce, otherwise it will be soggy, or break off and stay on the pot) or cubes of cooked meat –chicken, ham, cooked hot dogs, or vegetables – cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower flowerets, baby carrots, pieces of bell pepper, scallions, celery even fruits – or fruits, apple, pear, fresh pineapple or grapes and on and on and on.
Again a salad can be added, but unnecessary if vegetables are included in the dippers.

MONTE CARLO SANDWICHES
½ lb. cooked ham – sliced

½ lb. cooked White meat turkey – sliced

½ lb. Swiss cheese- sliced

1 loaf (preferably bakery) unsliced whole wheat or 7 grain sandwich bread

Mayonnaise

Dijon or spicy Brown mustard

3 eggs

1 cup – possibly more – milk

4 Tbs. butter – at least

Get the ham, turkey and cheese from the Deli, and request the slices be no less than 1/16 inch thick. Use artisan bread, French or Italian rather than a commercial packaged loaf. They have more flavor and a coarser, more country texture that works well here because it stands up better in the preparation.

Divide the cheese and meats into 4 piles each. Mix the eggs and milk. Cut 8 slices of bread. This is one recipe where I like the bread sliced rather thick at least ½ an inch. Lightly toast the bread and spread one side of 4 slices with mayonnaise, and one side of the other 4 with mustard. Divide the cheese for each sandwich into 3 piles. Put 1/3 on the mustard covered bread slice, top with ham, then 1/3 cheese, then the turkey, then the last 1/3 cheese, and top with the mayonnaise spread bread slice. The reasoning here is that the cheese in melts and holds the sandwich together. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a skillet, if you have one that holds 2 sandwiches good, melt 2 Tbs. of butter. Dip both sides of a sandwich in the egg mixture and gently fry in the butter, first one side and then the other, until both are brown and crispy, and the cheese has melted. Repeat with the rest of the sandwiches. Serve hot.

*I like Italian Tomato soup with this. Per servings; mix 8oz canned tomato sauce, 1 tsp olive oil, ½ cup water, ½ envelope. beef bouillon granules, pinches of dried oregano, basil and powdered garlic. Serve very hot in mugs or bowls.

Frittata: The perfect solution for all those who find omelet’s a challenge, and the fun part is that it needn’t ever be the same twice, because its flavor depends on the ingredients and/or toppings and/or herbs, and they are whatever one wants, has at hand, fresh or leftover, meat and/or vegetable. Frittatas are also forgiving. If one sticks and won’t slide onto a plate, slice it in wedges and serve it in the
4 large eggs

2 Tbs. oil

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp paprika

Ground pepper to taste

2 cups vegetables – cut to ½ inch size or thin slice *

½ tsp garlic powder optional

Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or tomato sauce.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium. Pre-heat the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and pass the sauce, warmed, at table. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.
*If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination should be sliced thin and sautéed in 1 Tsp. additional oil first, then, proceed with the frittata directions.

Suggested sides: 1)Core and cut in large pieces enough fresh tomatoes to allow a cup per portion. Allow them to marinate at least 30 min. in 2 Tbs. Olive oil, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbs. dried basil and salt to taste.

2)Bread, rolls or a package of muffin mix, made as directed, with perhaps ¼ cup raisins or other dried fruit incorporated. Pour the batter into a greased 9×3 inch pan, or one of equal capacity, top with 1 Tbs. sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Bake as directed, usually 15 to 18 min.

Jun 24

BOOK SERIES LILLY LIKES TO COOK (Ages 8-14) FIGHT SUMMER BLAAS (GET THE FIRST FREE AND SEE)

The Lilly Likes to Cook books trace their roots back to when my daughters were young. Each reflects a specific experience in cooking with children but combining them in a series was inspired by the realization that kids start anticipating summer before the buds open and zoom into activity the second the school doors close. However, things change as programs end or become routine, then boredom sets in.

One year, when my younger daughter was in grade school, our swim club teams’ regional meets ended in July and empty Saturdays loomed ahead. The first one, I was baking a cake and found I had an audience, four boys and two girls begging to help. During the week, I was casually asked if I’d be baking again on Saturday, and ‘my crew’ showed up as if summoned that morning. So began, always seemingly impromptu, ‘Cake Saturdays’ . Flavor was never discussed but the pan options were vital, bunt, sheet, tube or layers and the choice of shape was a major topic in judging the finished product, which disappeared magically after the verdict.

The experience sowed the seeds for the Lilly Likes to Cook series because it taught me a lot about dealing with bored children. The casual and spontaneous plan is often better than the elaborate and expensive one. A distraction works best when it involves creating or perfecting something within a short time-frame, with a welcome reward at the end. Above all avoid repetition. Even if just baking cakes, make each a bit different to keep interest alive.

I also learned these tactics fostered bonding and enhanced friendships. The action and then the memory of having worked together to create something which gave a sense of mutual satisfaction to be shared and enjoyed, was incredibly unifying and enduring. And these ploys aren’t limited to the young. They work with people of all ages anywhere, anytime, even on vacations.

The ‘Cake Saturday’ diversion for boredom was a god-send and the increased bonding a bonus outcome, but over the years, I’ve had a lot more experience cooking with children and I‘ve come to understand that cooking is a natural project for both these purposes. It only requires equipment found in most homes. The time-frame is dictated by the choice of recipe, usually only a couple hours at most. The rewards are immediate, known, eagerly anticipated and easily shared–no arguments over custody of the finished product. Plus learning some kitchen skills always comes in handy.

A few years ago, actually two years in a row, a neighbor’s children asked my help with their Mother’s Day plans. I’ve detailed the episodes in No Stress Recipes for Mother’s Day and Can I help?. Working with those children reminded me of how fun and rewarding it is to watch kids interest and confidence grow as they realize there were tasks they can do and more difficult ones they could master. Seeing their pride and pleasure at the prepared dish is priceless. That’s when I started writing the Lilly Likes to Cook series.

Although there’s room for assistance in most recipes, choosing one to share with a child narrows the field and depends, above all, on the age and abilities of the child in question. It should be something liked, difficult enough to be interesting, but simple enough to fit in a limited time-frame. Desserts are popular choices because they fit these requirements, but also because they’re not pivotal to a menu. If the dish is a flop, it can be remade or replaced but, most importantly, desserts can be easily shared, giving a child the opportunity to show off a bit and receive praise.

However, children aren’t long satisfied with only making desserts, especially if it’s an ongoing partnership. They will want to move on to more important menu items and adult pleasing dishes, which fit the requirements, don’t always leap to mind.

My motives in writing the Lilly Likes to Cook series of books were first, my desire to help those coping with kids suffering from ‘the bored blaas’ due to weather, minor illnesses, or empty schedules. Second, I wanted to share what I have found to be an excellent method of getting children to bond both with each other and with adults. Third, I hoped to ease things by offering a selection of tested recipes suitable for the purpose.

I’ve put the recipes into loosely woven story lines which give the books continuity as well as illustrating possible presentations or functions for the finished dishes, so the selection of recipe can fit the situation. They also break down the preparation tasks giving detailed directions, according to age and experience, without being too obvious. The books are digital, available on Kindle and this web site for far less than a cup of coffee. (Book 1 is free onsite-Prices are slightly higher on Kindle)

Lilly is a girl of 8, living in a suburban town with her parents, sister 13 and brother 10, but she could be in a city, on a farm, anywhere. I choose age 8 because 3rd grade is a break-out time. Schools introduce changing classrooms per subject and seasonal sports with regular teams. Social organizations like Scouts and 4-H are encouraged and hobbies are explored to discover special interests or talents.

I usually include Lilly’s sister in her undertakings which widens the age appeal. Her brother, though disinterested himself, has a best friend who is, which introduces a unisex attraction, so most bases are covered. I allow Lilly to develop cooking onto a hobby for the sake of creating a series and because that’s where my experience lies but the books are sold separately and the recipes can be selected according to specific need. They’re also sold in groups of 3, for kids who show an interest or adults who may need them more often.

Lilly first becomes interested in cooking watching her mother transform a cake disaster into a different, beautiful dessert. The creativity and the appearance intrigue her and she wants to make other pretty, tasty things. Then, gradually, she learns the dishes she cooks can serve other uses than filling her spare time. The things she makes can be used for gifts, rewards, fund raisers and more and the process can be shared with others forming friendships, helping out and simply brightening someone’s day. In short, a creative activity, whether it’s a time- filler or becomes a hobby, can teach a lot of life’s lessons.

Resume of the Lilly Likes to Cook books, recipes and utensils needed:

All quantities are in easily divided or multiplied amounts, including the meatball and sauce recipes which are stated as needed for a large event.

Book 1) Making a Cake for Molly:

Lilly’s sister helps her make a cake for her doll’s birthday but it’s a disaster. Mother transforms the flop into a dessert which becomes a family ‘company’ favorite a molded ice cream cake–Spoons only. Recipe free on site.

Book 2) Cookies for an Uncle Overseas:

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Lilly makes cookies as a treat for an uncle in the military. Chocolate-Coconut Macaroons— Spoons, can opener, brief microwaving and baking $1.99

Book 3) Lilly Makes Meringues:

Lilly helps her sister make meringues from their mother’s recipe as an assignment for geography. Spoons, beaters, baking $1.99

Book 4) The Meatball Booth:

Mother is in charge of the booth at the School Fair and needs all the help she can get to prepare the meatballs. To Lilly’s surprise friend of her brother’s offers to help. Knives, spoons, processer and baking $1.99

Book 5) The Luncheon:

Lilly’s mother is busy at work, so Lilly offers to have luncheon ready, with her sister’s help, when their grandmother arrives. Tuscan Tuna-Bean Salad–Can opener and spoons $1.99

Book 6) Dinner for Two:

Lilly’s sister wants permission to begin babysitting. The girls are thrilled when their parents agree to allow them to make dinner and stay alone for an evening. Hot Dog Potato-Vegetable Hot Pot–Spoons, optional knife, baking $1.99

Book 7) Kabobs Are Fun and Easy:

Lilly’s parents are throwing a big cook-out for visiting relatives and everyone pitches in to help prepare Shrimp and Beef Vegetable Kabobs for the grill. Knives, skewers $2.99

Book 8) Girl Scouts Get a Zebra Cake:

Lilly makes a cake ahead, as a reward for her troop members after a day working on crafts to sell at the Town Fair for Charity. Craft directions included. Cake-butter knives; Craft-scissors, pins, rulers and chalk $3.99

Book 9)* Brian’s Birthday:

Lilly helps prepare her brother’s birthday dinner for Brian and his soccer team mates. Slow cooker pulled pork heroes plus a variation on the recipe in Book 1.-Spoons, forks, knife,
* To be available soon

May 20

HERBS-A GLOSSARY

Herbs have a history with man nearly as old as that of fire. It’s believed that soon after man learned to cook meat, he discovered that encasing it in fresh soft greens prevented it from burning and being covered in ashes from the coals. Greens=flavoring=better taste and the rest is, well, history. The fact that most herbs have or are reputed to have medicinal value may have been realized as a result.

But what exactly is an herb? Well, by definition: 1) a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season. 2) a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities.

In common terminology: Herbs are plants with fragrant or aromatic properties, used to flavor food, included in fragrances, and even a part of natural medicines. The herb is the green or leafy part of the plant. In the case of basil, the leaves can be quite large, whereas rosemary leaves are more like spines of an evergreen plant and dill has fern-like fronds.

The essential difference between herbs and spices depends on which part of the plant they originate. An herb is a leaf or other green part of the plant. All other elements of the plant are considered to be spice—including dried bark, roots, berries, seeds, twigs, or other plant matter used to season or flavor food. Some plants, like dill and cilantro provide both. Also spices are always in dried form while herbs can be used either fresh or dried.

The fact that herbs are, by definition, a fresh green, tied growing them to geographic and climatic locations and hence, their connections with specific cuisines. For centuries, drying herbs allowed them to travel globally as people migrated. However, now, rapid food transport and modern cultivation facilities makes fresh herbs globally available all year opening the door to embracing different cuisines and even creating new ‘fusion’ or combined ones.

The culinary world divides herbs into two groups Fine and Robust. Fine herbs mix well with others and become milder and/or bitter when cooked, so are often added at the end of cooking. They are excellent eaten raw or in salads-examples are basil, chervil, thyme and rosemary. Robust herbs like mint, dill, savory and sage are full bodied, rich in flavor and are often used alone. They stand up in dishes that are cooked, chilled and/or stored. Generally though, herbs are best when fine and robust are blended to give counterbalance to the flavor of the dish.

When cooking with herbs, there is a general rule of thumb to keep in mind regarding the ratio of fresh to dry: Because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less. That means the correct ratio is one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs.

Herbs are easy to grow and wonderful to have fresh on hand, so if you decide to grow your own, as I do, or find a windfall in your produce department and want to preserve some, I suggest you go to :

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/herbs/how-to-preserve-your-garden-herbs 3 There are air dryers and microwave methods to do this but the 3 tried and true ways to preserve herbs are by hanging, oven drying and freezing. This article covers all three clearly.

HERBS

BASIL
Widely gown, basil is traditionally used on tomatoes, both cooked and raw and is a staple of Italian cuisine. The leaves and tender green stems give a sweet and mildly pungent flavor to many foods, salads, lamb chops, cheese dishes and vegetables, especially peas and green beans.

CHERVIL
Globally grown, chervil has a mild parsley-like flavor. It’s most generally used sprinkled on top of cream soups, salads, egg dishes and fish. However, with fish, it’s best finely chopped and added just before cooking is finished.

CHIVES
Related to onions but with a more delicate taste, chives are a favorite garnish on many dishes. Mixed with melted butter and lemon juice, they’re a finish for boiled or steamed vegetables, especially potatoes. Chopped and mixed with cheese, they become a spread and are a welcome addition to many salads and most particularly dishes with cottage cheese.

CILANTRO
Cilantro is a versatile, uniquely flavored herb from the fresh leaves of the coriander plant, a member of the parsley family, which is essential in many Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian recipes. It is almost always used fresh because it doesn’t dry well. The leaves look much like flat-leaf parsley, growing on long, tender stems. The seeds of the plant are used as a spice called coriander, which has a completely different flavor from cilantro.

DILL
Best known as a flavoring for pickles, dill is also good sprinkled on potatoes, in Cole slaw and cheese dishes like macaroni. It makes a fine flavoring for sauces on many fish, specially halibut, mackerel and salmon. T leaves are used as an herb, while the seeds are considered a spice with a faint caraway tang.

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LAVENDAR
French lavender is frequently included in the herb blend ‘herbes de provence’, giving it a subtle floral flavor. As a rule, lavender can be used similarly to fresh rosemary, in recipes like meat marinades and baked breads. Lavender flowers also make a beautiful garnish for salads, desserts, and more.

LEMON BALM
Lemon balm is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint. The herb is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, but it’s grown around the world. The leaves are great for cooking. Use lemon balm in place of lemon peel in recipes and to flavor soups, sauces, vinegars and seafood. Or add it to your favorite sugar cookie dough for a delicious lemony tea cookie.

MARJORAM
A very versatile herb, marjoram is a member of the mint family. It’s aromatic and a slightly bitter flavor is a favorite of European cuisines. It’s excellent on lamb, in cheese dishes, poultry stuffings, beef stews and/or mushroom casseroles, soups and vegetables.

MINT
Originally from Europe and Asia, mint is a staple with lamb in sauces and jelly. It also provides a bright flavor spark in Indian dishes, salads and cold vegetable mixtures. It’s sweet, strong, tangy and cool taste had earned it an unusual place for an herb, in sweets, candy, ice cream, the liqueur crème de minthe and drinks such as the Mint Julep.

OREGANO
Closely related to marjoram, oregano has a similar flavor, strong, aromatic, pleasantly bitter. It’s a staple ingredient in Italian cuisine, especially in sauces, in omelets, other egg dishes and salads. Gourmets use it with pork and Mexican cuisine pairs it with chicken.

PARSLEY
Parsley is one of the most versatile herbs used in Middle Eastern and Continental cuisines. Commonly used as a garnish, but more popularly used as a spice, there are two main varieties of parsley: curly leaf and flat leaf. Curly leaf is often used as a garnish but both varieties are widely used in cooking. Because of its light scent and fresh taste, parsley can be used in anything from soups to sauces to salads. As a garnish, parsley can be chopped and sprinkled in soups, vegetable dishes, or mixed with ground meat, such as lamb, beef and poultry.

ROSEMARY
Rosemary is the leaf of an evergreen shrub shaped like a curved pine needle. It has a fresh, sweet flavor which is better fresh than dried.I’s a favorite with roast beef, but is excellent with all meat dishes, amb, poultry, pork and fish.

SAVORY
A member of the mint family, savory has tiny leaves which, dried, have a warm, aromatic flavor and make an excellent sauce for vegetables, especially green beans. It can be used alone or mixed with other herbs to flavor meats and meat stuffings, chicken, eggs, salads and sauces.

SAGE

A popular herb in the U.S., sage is fragrant and a little bitter, it’s commonly used in poultry stuffings, especially recipes using giblets. Excellent with duck, sage is also good with pork, baked fish and in sauces.

TARRAGON
With a faintly anise-like flavor, tarragon is best known for flavoring vinegar for which both the dried leaves and the flowers can be used. It’s excellent on seafood, especially lobster and shrimp and good sprinkled on broiled chicken as it finishes. Fresh leaves are featured in several Italian entrees.

THYME
Thyme is aromatic, pungent and goes well with poultry sauces and stuffings, tomatoes and sauced beef dishes. It’s excellent with fish and shellfish soups and stews like chowders and gumbos and is good sprinkled in the cooking water for boiled lobster.

TWO VEGETABLES USED AS HERBS

FENNEL
Fennel is a member of the carrot family, though it’s not a root vegetable. The base of its long stalks weave together to form a thick, crisp bulb that grows above ground. Above the bulb, at the tip of the stalks, it has light, feathery leaves that resemble dill. When it goes to seed, fennel also produces small yellow flowers among the leaves. Every part of it is edible, from the bulb to the flowers, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. Though the stalks and leaves are edible, fennel recipes most often call for the bulb. When raw, it has a crisp texture similar to celery and a fresh licorice flavor. It caramelizes as it cooks, taking on a sweeter flavor and tender, melt-in-your mouth texture.

GARLIC
Garlic is most often used as a flavoring agent in all cuisines but can also be eaten as a vegetable. It is used to flavor many foods, such as salad dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, vegetables, meats, soups, and stews. It is often used to make garlic butter and garlic toast.

Jan 14

EASILY CONTROL FOOD SPENDING

To paraphrase an old saying, if you can’t beat it, find a way to deal with it. That’s what How to Control Food Bills offers, a way to manage food costs. When I first opened my personal chef service Suddenly Supper, I realized I had to be able to offer unlimited recipes, quote reasonable prices, guarantee quality, buy retail and still meet my bottom line-not easy ! I needed an efficient system to reach my goals and after trial and error I devised a plan that worked for the business and proved to be equally efficient for my personal needs. I call my plan The Diet for the Food Dollar and to test it, I shared it with friends who’ve had equal success for several years now. It will work for you through the years ahead.

How to Control Food Bills is NOT about tweaking, clipping coupons, chasing sales or finding discount markets. This is a system, based on organized planning and informed shopping, which teaches how to cope with consistently rising food costs. The estimated price hike for the foreseeable future, is at least the 5%-7% annually as it has been for the last decade plus.

Translated, that means that in 10 yrs. your food expenses will be 50%-70% more. This is a significantly large chunk out of household income, making controlling spending increasingly important because without oversight your menu standards and nutritional wellbeing can suffer. And be assured, the cost of food is going to continue to go up.

The reason for this expected price hike is that over the past thirty years, the U.S. Government has ceded control of the nation’s food supply to ‘private interests’, actually international conglomerates. Whereas a government has to consider the welfare of its citizens, corporations are interested in profit. The international aspect means that the fluctuations of one nation’s economy won’t affect the overall pricing. A product can always be sold elsewhere. You may remember food prices went up in 2008. Anyone wondering how this situation came about, see below.*

The plan is quite easy; just 3 steps of behavioral management which experts claim can become habit in three weeks. For me it took less. With all the shopping I had to do, it proved to be a welcome time-saver. I’m including a summary of each step below. Of course the full versions are detailed, with advice, tips, incentives, and ways to personalize them to your specific needs but these ’Cliff Notes’ convey the general principles.

The book also has over 100 pages of charts, diagrams and graphs full of great information– not just pan sizes, times and temperatures with conversions, but a lot more. There’s buying information on all meats, poultry and seafood, locations of the different cuts and how to choose and use them, carving directions, descriptions of cheeses, oils and herbs a complete listing of ingredient substitutions and much, much more. These pages are a valuable kitchen tool in themselves.

It’s important today but going to be increasingly more so, to know where your food money is going and catch any ‘leaks’ or excesses. Organization is the best way to solve that problem. It’s also important, and more convenient to be an informed food shopper. Know what to buy, where to get it, how much and, here’s an often overlooked factor, when to buy an item. Stockpiling is expensive and wasteful but being able to gauge the market is a huge asset. The 3 steps of the plan, summarized below, teach how to control food expenses and deal with prices through organization and knowledge.

Veterans of the plan report that it repaid its $8.99 price well before the 3-week habit-forming deadline and really works long-term for them, as it will for you. So eliminate the stress, avoid register shock and make meal planning and food shopping permanently a walk in the park….

DIET FOR THE FOOD DOLLAR BASIC STEPS

1) Be Decisive:

Don’t hesitate, press “Go” As with any diet, the first step is to set a realistic, obtainable, initial goal. Once there, you may want to continue, but start by calculating how much your food budget can be slimmed down and still remain nutritious. Whether you do this by percentage, fraction or dollars and cents doesn’t matter, just get a firm concept. I prefer to figure by month because it provides an overview. A week may represent specialized buying, whereas a month probably represents purchases from every department in the supermarket, all of which usually fall into the “Grocery Shopping” category.

Then, do as you would with any diet; decide which areas are the target ones. The quick answer is snacks and desserts, and though they may contribute, and cutting down on them could help the food budget and have great side effects; they are not the whole answer . Take a look in your pantry, cabinets and refrigerator. Examine expiration dates. What sits on the shelf? What do you most frequently have to throw out? What was bought and never used? What is duplicated? What name brands can be automatically be replaced by generics?

The answers will show you the initial steps to changing your shopping habits. I had a neighbor who always complained about her “food” bills. It turned out she couldn’t resist sales on cleaning products. She could have sterilized a huge hotel with what she’d stockpiled! For me, it was a weakness for flavored seltzer water. The point is, as soon as I began to buy just what was needed and switched to the generic brand, my register total was less, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. It encouraged me.

2) Be Determined:

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Once you have a goal in mind, and an idea of how to carve the path to get there, it’s going to take resolve to turn that path into a paved highway. There will be pitfalls along the way and to help you stay on the road, some “tools” may come in handy. One is reminding yourself of the above mentioned sense of satisfaction from realizing you got everything you need and spent less than you contemplated.

Another is cultivating a warning voice (my “Just say no!”) that stops you before you buy impulsively, and becomes as habitual as telling you to look both ways before crossing the street. Behaviorists say that a habit is formed in three weeks, and becomes ingrained in six months .So it isn’t that hard to do! Also, I find when I am tempted to buy something not on my list; it helps to continue my shopping. If that item is still on my mind when I’m ready to leave, I go back and look again. If I can fit it into my meal planning before its expiration date, or in the next two weeks, and its cost won’t make me feel guilty when I get home, I may buy it. If it’s a non-perishable, I make a note to find a use for it soon, and buy then. All this pondering alone is often enough to discourage the sale.

Which brings me to the best tool of all: The List. I always compile meticulous, detailed lists when planning and shopping for others, but my own approach to meal planning was whimsical. I headed for the market with the most alluring ads that week and let my senses take over. I operated on impulse, drawn to attractive produce, a special piece of meat, a new product, an ingredient I’d wanted to try. I outlined the week’s menus as I went and filled in the details with visits to other markets the following days. I over bought, under used and by the week’s end was suffering severe register shock. So I began to apply my professional approach to shopping to my personal life and started to menu plan.

More on the mechanics of doing this later, but once a weekly menu is set, it’s easy to list the ingredients, simplest done by categories—meat, dairy etc.–check them against your current supplies; eliminate the ones you have and Voilà! Your list is done. The extra time it takes to compile a list is equal to the reduced time spent in the market, but don’t allow yourself to linger there . Get in –Get out!

3) Be Disciplined:

In any diet this is the hardest step to follow because it requires ongoing effort, but the best paved road won’t get you into town if you keep taking scenic detours. You are decisive and determined; all that’s needed is willpower. Above all, stick to the list! It’s hard, and takes practice, to grow virtual blinders to temptation. A big incentive is to remind yourself of why you started the diet, and how satisfying it will be to reach your goal.

In addition to using the tools mentioned above, I find putting things in perspective helps. Unless it’s a special event, ask yourself if you’re going to remember what you ate on a day, or even in that week, two weeks later. (The answer to that question may turn you off menu planning altogether! It’s a big “No”.) I realized my impulsive buys to perk up a night’s meal made a bigger impression on the budget than the memory .BUT if I selected just one of those WOW buys, or maybe even two, if I could combine them, and they fit the budget, and prepared them in such a way as to create a special seeming dinner, my family appreciated it and I felt great! If living alone, it’s a way to treat yourself, or to entertain a friend.

Diversification and innovation also help, especially if the budget isn’t ‘splurge friendly’. When you feel the urge to tweak a week’s menus, explore new cuisines, or different ways to cook, using seasonings, or making sauces from ingredients you already have, or ones that you can inexpensively add that will serve you well in the future. Concentrating on a recipe stops the gaze from wandering over the market shelves too.

I’ve heard it said that anything can be accomplished with the right plan. Well, if you want to have control over food expenses, avoid stress and eliminate register shock forever, The Diet for the Food Dollar Plan is for you! Find it here on this site’s books/products page or on Kindle.

*The story is simple . When a very efficient exfoliant was developed during the Vietnam era, its commercial value was apparent but crops had to be created which were impervious. Prior to that time agricultural experimentation in the U.S. had been done in colleges and universities under federal grants, which made any results government property. However, private labs became involved in this project, with greater funding and developed a ‘super’ soy bean seed.

In the early ‘80s history was made when the first U.S. patent for a living organism was issued, not for the seed, but for the process which created it. After that, the process could be freely applied to other plants, corn, wheat etc. Naturally, the holder of the patent controlled the seed and consequently controlled the price of the crop.

Now this process, in some form, has been applied to the seeds of most produce plants making them GMOs. Included is fodder for our livestock which takes the axiom from above one step further. The one who controls the feed crops controls the husbandry industry and the prices on meat and dairy.

If you have any doubts about the global scope of the situation, the next time you’re in a supermarket, take note of the origins especially of the produce and seafood items, fresh, frozen and canned. You’ll understand why it can‘t or won’t be altered for many years, if ever.

Jan 7

MUSHROOMS-THE DIETER’S FRIEND

Last week I mentioned that this year, my New Year’s resolution to lose weight has to cover more than the added holiday pounds. It has to include clearing out the sluggish, stuffed feeling I’ve acquired over the past months of less activity and more snacking. In other words, I’m starting a ‘cleanse’, rather than a ‘diet’. Nothing official or fancy, I’m simply going to stick to simple recipes, direct cooking methods and focus on the natural taste of a food or combination of foods.

Sometimes this is referred to as ‘plain cooking’ but there doesn’t have to be anything plain about the taste. Herbs, spices and lots of foods like onions, celery and peppers, add flavor without calories. I think my favorite is mushrooms because they can also elevate the presentation of dish.

Actually mushrooms have a split personality. On one hand they’re traditionally considered gourmet items, famous for their mild, subtle flavor, decorative presentations and elevation if any dish in which they’re an ingredient. They work magic with recipes. Add them to a dish with gravy or cream sauce, plus optionally a bit of wine, and it becomes worthy of a name. Stuff the caps with something as simple as the chopped stems, breadcrumbs, an herb and/or cheese and it’s a party canapé and they elevate a plain stuffing to ‘special’ status

On the other hand they’re always readily available, fresh or canned, all year, reasonably priced and easy to work with. They have a long shelf life and fresh, keep chilled well, need little prep and cook quickly. Any other vegetable with those qualities would be treated as a workhorse rather than a ‘frill’.

Moreover, they might just be the most undervalued tool in a dieter’s box. Sturdier than, but with the same nutritional values as zucchini, more than celery or cucumbers, mushrooms can replace starchier carbs in adding body in a casserole, and even to the bedding for a dish. They work magic with almost any recipe. Slice them raw into a mix of greens and fruit, with vinaigrette and perhaps a garnish of cheese and/or nuts and it becomes a light entrée. Here’s an item which can make leftovers ‘special’, and with little effort or cost can provide elegant hors d’ouvres, a light entrée or side dish, without any ‘guilt’ calories, definitely an asset to have on hand.

Here is a list of the types of mushrooms regularly found in markets.
Button– Cultivated, white or cream color, mild taste, served raw or cooked

Prime-Largest of the button mushrooms
Porcini- Wild, brown to tan, umbrella shaped caps, smoky flavor, meaty, grill, sauté, broil – also called Baby Bello’s

Portobellos-Wild and tame, tan to brown, large flat caps, meaty, mild flavor, grill, broil, roast

Chanterelle- Wild, trumpet shaped, bright yellow to orange, good with fowl, veal, eggs and sauces

Enoki– Wild and tame, tiny white caps with long stems, fruity and tangy, good raw in salads and sandwiches, sauté, stir-fry

Morel– Wild, tan to brown, cone shaped, meaty, nutty flavor, good in creamy dishes

Shiitake– Wild and tame, large ivory umbrella shaped caps, meaty, smoky flavor, good with fowl and game.

Normally three types are used for all-purpose work; the common white Button, the Portabella and the Porcini, also called correctly, Baby Bellos. Buttons are uniformly tender and the first choice to use raw. Portabellas, even’ Babys’, develop a nutty, meaty taste when cooked which brings out the best in them.

Buttons and Porcini cooked or raw, marinate well and are the proper size to stuff for appetizers. Large Portabellas are great grilled or broiled as additions to entrees or filled and baked as a main course. Not only do they exceed ‘bite size’, but like many vegetables allowed to fully mature, they’re less tender, but quite sturdy.

The only prepping fresh mushrooms need is a wipe with a damp cloth. Stubborn soil can be removed by gently swishing them in a bowl of cool water but be sure to dry them on towels. To remove the stem, hold the cap and twist. It will pop off. A thin slice removes a dried tip, if needed. Often recipes suggest using a spoon to scrape off the gills, but I find they add flavor, preserve structure and allow a bit of space to leaven stuffing.

The best way to present the recipes this week is in the sequence in which they would appear on a menu. Since there are more than enough mushroom recipes to fill a cookbook, I’m going to try to give a wide selection here. To see more check out my post for Dec. 21, 2017. Also, remember, as stated in the opening paragraphs, mushrooms can be added to, as well as substitute for many ingredients in casseroles, stews, soups, salads and sides . Feel free to use your initiative to change he carb and calorie count of dishes. I will be doing just that and I won’t even banish creamy sauces. I make them with skim milk, cornstarch instead of cream and flour reducing the calories.

RECIPES

The majority of recipes can be made using raw mushrooms as well as commercially packaged or fresh ones that have been processed at home. Processing them at home preserves them, lengthening their shelf which allows advance preparation. Below are the main ways to do that.

Pickled: Tiny mushrooms, even canned or jarred ones can be pickled by boiling for 2 min. in a solution of 1/3 vinegar of choice and water to cover,1 clove garlic and 1 bay leaf, then marinating for 1-2 days. Serve them, drained, in a bowl with toothpicks.

Marinated: For 1 lb. mushrooms, stems removed first: Mix ` cup white wine vinegar, 2 tsp. oil, 1 clove chopped garlic, 1 tsp. Sage, 2 tsp. parsley, in a bowl. Add mushrooms and let stand 12-48 hrs. stirring occasionally. Serve drained with toothpicks or stuff.

Cooked: Mushrooms cook quickly and become wrinkled and tough when overdone. They can be steamed for about 15 min. in a double boiler with a bit of butter, but the more flavorful ways are to sauté them in butter or oil, or on a buttered cookie sheet, bake for about 8 min, at 375 deg. or broil them for about 5 min. turning once just until they release their juices. Toss them to mix and cool.

Mushroom Soup: Serves 2 from 501 Recipes for a Low Carb Life by Gregg R. Gillespie & Mary B. Johnson
1 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. butter
6 oz. chopped mushrooms + a few slices for garnish
2 tsp. flour
1 ¼ cups broth
½ cup half and half or milk
! Tbs. heavy or sour cream for garnish-optional

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Dried herbs for garnish-optional
Salt and pepper

Sauté the mushrooms in the oil and butter with salt and pepper until softened, about 4 min. Quickly stir in the flour until blended, then add the broth all at once and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, constantly stirring, until thickened, about 3-5 min. Puree soup, stir in the half and half or milk and heat through. Serve with the cream garnish swirled on top.

Mushroom Salad Dressing: Yield 1 cup- from 501 Recipes for a Low Carb Life by Gregg R. Gillespie & Mary B. Johnson
¼ oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup broth or water
½ cup virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Soak mushrooms in liquid until soft, about 15 min. Then bring to a boil and simmer until liquid reduces to ¼ cup. Strain through cheesecloth into a blender, reserve mushrooms. Add the vinegar to the blender and with the motor running add the oil in a steady stream and blend until mixture emulsifies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a plate of fresh greens with other vegetables. Toss with the mushrooms or save hem for another use.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS: This is such a frequent presentation that it deserves a section of its own. Recipe quantities may vary because of difference in mushroom sizes. Additionally, several recipes can be used for raw, processed or cooked. Mushrooms shrink when cooked or pickled. If preparing ahead for guests, remember raw has a shorter shelf life, a few hours at most when stuffed.

Cheese Stuffing: Serves 30- From the Everything Low Carb Cookbook by Patricia M . Brutus
30 medium mushroom caps—steamed or pickled
2/3 cup small curd cottage cheese
3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
1 lemon pepper to taste
½ tsp. olive oil
1 Tbs. dried dill weed + more to garnish
Mix ingredients 1-5 and stuff mushroom caps. Garnish and serve chilled.

My Stuffed Mushrooms: Serves about 24
24 medium-small marinated mushroom caps
4-5 oz. liver pate-I like Sell’s by Underwood Co.*
½ small onion grated
Dijon mustard to taste
Dash lemon pepper
! Tbs. mayonnaise-only enough to smooth
Dash hot sauce or pinch cayenne –optional
Dried parsley to garnish
Mix the liver with the next 5 ingredients, stuff mushrooms and garnish, Serve chilled or at room. temperature.
* ¼ lb. Deli liverwurst may be an acceptable substitute, but test for taste when adding the other ingredients

SIDES
Sautéed Portobellos with Herbs de Provence: Serves 4- from Gourmet Cooking -5 Ingredients by Deborah Anderson

12 oz. Portobello caps-stems and gills removed

2 Tbs. virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves-peeled and chopped

2 tsp. dried herbs de Provence*

1 ½ Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Gently scrub the mushrooms and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into large bite-sized pieces. Sauté in 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat, shaking often until mushrooms brown. Add the garlic, herbs and cook 2-3 min. more. Add vinegar and cook 1 min. Serve at once, warm, tossed with the reserved oil.

*Herbs de Provence-Combined dried rosemary, thyme, lavender, basil, fennel seed, marjoram and savory.

Library Mushrooms: Serves 4-6
1 lb. medium mushrooms-stems off, large caps sliced in half
2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. soy sauce
Sautee mushrooms in butter until beginning to brown, Add soy sauce and toss to mix.* Cover and cook on low 5 min. Serve hot with meat.
*Mushrooms and sauce can be sealed in a foil packet, leaving a steam vent, at this point and heated with the entrée at a later time.

LIGHT ENTREES

Mushrooms Au Gratin: *Serves 4-From the Everything Low Carb Cookbook by Patricia M. Butkus
1 lb. small button mushrooms-stems on and trimmed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs. brandy
¼ cup oil
1 small shallot chopped
2 Tbs. EACH sour cream, tomato paste, honey and Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. bread crumbs
2 Tbs. Gruyere cheese or Monterey Jack
Marinate the mushrooms in the lemon juice and brandy for 10 min. Sauté the shallot in the oil for1 min without browning, add the marinade and reduce for 2 min. add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 min . Remove the mushrooms to a shallow casserole. Add the cream, tomato paste, honey, salt, pepper and cayenne to the skillet and boil stirring for 2 min.; add the mustard but do not allow to boil. Pour this sauce over the mushrooms and top with bread crumbs and cheese. Run the dish under a preheated low broiler until golden. Serve hot on toast rounds.
* This can also be served as a side

My Mushrooms in Wine Sauce: Serves 2
12 or 16 large button mushroom caps- stems off and roughly chopped
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup white wine—Vermouth works wells
Salt and pepper
4 thin slices rye bread –toasted—preferable Jewish Rye with seeds
2 Tbs. fresh parsley- chopped R 1 Tbs. dried
Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter and sauté the caps until golden. Remove to a warm oven. Melt the rest of the butter and sauté the stems adding salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine and the rest of the butter and boil a few minute to reduce slightly. Place 2 slices of toast on each plate, divide the mushroom caps equally between the toast slices and pour the sauce over them. Garnish with parsley and serve hot

Italian Stuffed Portobellos: Serves 4
4 large portabella caps-4 ½ > 5 inches across -wiped clean, stems removed, rinsed and patted dry
3 Tbs. oil
1 cup minced onion
2/3 cup minced bell peppers
3 garlic cloves –minced
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
3 Tbs. whole wheat breadcrumbs
Sauté the onions in 2 Tbs. oil, until beginning to soften, about 5 min., add the peppers and garlic and sauté 5 min. more. Mix the next 6 ingredients in a bowl and stir in the vegetables. Brush the mushrooms with the remaining oil and place gill side up in a lightly oiled baking dish. Mound the cheese mixture equally in each cap and bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven, 20-25 min. until the mushrooms release their juices and the cheese melts. Serve hot. VARIATION:
Substitute thyme or marjoram for the basil
Halve the amount of onions
Substitute ground or minced ham for the ricotta and half the mozzarella measure.
Omit the sage and parsley
Follow the above directions, but don’t mix the cheeses into the ham and vegetable stuffing. Sprinkle them over tops before cooking, first the mozzarella then the Parmesan.

Mushrooms with Scallops: Serves 4- From Rozanne Gold’s Recipes 1-2-3-Menu Cookbook
This can be either a canapé or entree depending on sizes
20 small> medium mushroom caps or (20) 1 ½ + inch large mushroom caps- buttons or baby Bellas for the canapés and portabellas for the entrees.
20 scallops depending on size of mushrooms-calicos or bays for canapés or sea scallops for entrees
Salt and pepper
½-3/4 cup pesto
Sprinkle the inside of the caps with salt and pepper . Fit a scallop snugly into each mushroom cap and place in a baking pan with several tablespoons of water. Top with 1 tsp. to 1 ½ tsp. pesto sauce and bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven for about 8 min. until scallops are opaque. Serve hot.

ENTREES

Portabellas with Seafood Stuffing: Serves 2
4 large portabella mushroom caps
1 cup crabmeat, scallops or cooked, diced fish or shrimp*
¾ cup white sauce**
¼ cup + Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
1tsp. dried herb of choice- tarragon, dill, bay
1 Tbs. Dry sherry- optional
Grated Parmesan
1Tbs. dried parsley
Mix the seafood, sauce, seasonings and herbs with just enough bread crumbs to bind. Divide the filling among the mushrooms, top with the cheese and garnish with the parsley. Place on a buttered surface, pan or cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven until puffed and golden. Serve at once.
* Equal portions of chopped chicken, turkey or ham can be substituted. Change herbs and liquor accordingly.
** A bottled white sauce such as Alfredo can be substituted. To make ¾ cup white sauce: Bring 1 ½ Tbs. butter to foaming. Remove from heat and stir in 1 ½ Tbs. flour to make a smooth paste or Roux. Quickly add ¾ cup milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened about 3 min. Do not allow to boil.

Fish with Mushrooms and Artichoke: Serves 4-from The Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook
4 fillets of firm white fish, tilapia, scrod, haddock
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 cups sliced artichoke hearts
4 tsp. drained capers
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
4 tsp, Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped fresh thyme-or 4 tsp. dried
Salt and pepper to taste
4 sprigs fresh sage-optional
¼ cup chopped parsley-optional
(4) 12×24 inch sheets of foil
Fold foil in half to make (4) 12 inch squares. Layer onions and mushrooms equally on each square, Place a fish fillet on each pile, top with artichokes. Combine next 6 ingredients in a bowl and pour over the fish. Top with sage, if using, Fold foil to close packages and crimp edges to seal. Bake in a preheated 450 deg. oven for 20 min. on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Open packages carefully to avoid steam, discard sage and garnish with parsley.

Ham with Mushrooms and Marsala: Serves 6
(6) ¼ lb. slices cooked ham
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
10 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms cut in thick slices
¼ cup beef stock
¼ cup Marsala wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour for dusting –optional
Melt oil and butter over medium heat, sauté mushrooms until tender, about 5 min. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Optionally lightly dusting the ham with flour, sauté it in the pan to brown both sides, about 5 min. Add the stock, cover and simmer 5 min. add the Marsala, cover and simmer 5 min. more, add the mushrooms and heat through about 3 min. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Dec 24

DINNERS WITH JOY-A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COOKBOOK

This Menu-Cookbook is truly unique, which makes it a great, welcome gift for a wide range of people. Most cookbooks have a limited range of recipients, an avid cook, a fan of the celebrity chef, a devotee of the cuisine or diet featured. This book is intended as a tool, perfect for busy people who like good food but have limited time to shop and cook which nowadays is just about everyone.

The book provides a ready answer for that nagging question at the end of a long day; “What’s for dinner?” and teaches by example how to avoid that stressful dilemma permanently. Nutritional, restaurant quality recipes have been modified, including easily divisible and multiplied quantities, for easy, even advanced prep and quick cooking. Moreover, the introduction contains information on fats, carbohydrates, choosing and using poultry, meats and seafood as well as making gravies and sauces and their various uses from dips to desserts. This information facilitates future planning and shopping.

However, the basic difference with this cookbook is that it’s based on a professional chef’s approach to menu planning. Twelve weeks of healthy, balanced entrées, with side recipe suggestions, are arranged in three monthly groups. Each weekly menu listing is accompanied by cooking tips covering everything from specific directions to general information like freezing raw and cooked foods, a dessert recipe, and most importantly a detailed shopping list complete with pantry check. Learning how to compile a weekly shopping list is the key to relieving the stress of meal planning.

One can simply pull up a week’s list, optionally cross off ingredients of a recipe they don’t want or substitute those of one they do, and head to, or call it in to the store or virtual shopper. Having a ready list is a major time saver. It is important, though, to keep the food categories intact, especially if altering a list. Maintaining the list order is needed to make the menu planning process easy but it’s even more important to keep food shopping organized whether doing it directly, recording it for later, or particularly if using virtual shopping .

Used as learning tools the lists in the book illustrate how to effortless it can be to provision a week’s meals. It’s very relaxing to know that in one trip you have the whole week covered—completely—no quick trips to pick up something!

The weekly entrees themselves are varied; a poultry, a pork, a beef, a seafood, an ethnic dish, a casserole and a fun meal. They are presented in the same sequence only to simplify editing. They can be switched or replaced as desired. Again, the important fact is that all ingredients required for the week are on the list, entered in the proper category for shopping ease or easy to delete if a recipe is rejected.

For the busy person’s convenience, several recipes can be prepared ahead for the night there will be no time to cook, or made in excess for anticipated guests and frozen. Those recipes are noted and freezing, plus re-heating instructions are included. Also included are suitable suggestions for restricted diets where indicated, mainly for the pork, ham and shellfish recipes. As an example the recipe for Pork Tangier, with notation is included below.

Does the book work? Well a friend had a printed copy on her desk recently, when an associate known for his lack of cooking skills was intrigued by a recipe. He was amazed when he was able to successfully make it and bought the book. He’s not on Master Chef, but he is now interested in trying dishes at home and has even entertained. The recipe that started him off, Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce is below, as is a sample of that week’s menu with its shopping list. I’m using it as an example in this posting. Any special notations or references were covered in the week’s tips section, which is not included here.

Dinners With Joy is available on this site’s Books/Products section, on Amazon in paperback and Kindle in digital form as well as our Etsy shop, Dinner With Joy, at its current price of $14.99. It truly makes a great gift! No wrapping needed—no shipping costs-instant delivery!

Chicken in Lemon-Wine Sauce

A classic dish, with recipes found in various forms, but always a good choice.

Sauté-Skillet
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
2 Tbs. cooking oil – -canola
2 Tbs. butter
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic sliced
1 lemon – zested and juiced
1/3 cup white wine – – recommend dry vermouth
¾ cup water
1/2 envelope chicken bouillon granules
½ cup chopped fresh parsley – – or 2 Tbs. dried
2 tsp. garlic powder

Pound chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, to an even thickness, and dredge in flour. Place 1 Tbs. oil in a skillet over medium heat and begin to cook chicken, add 2 Tbs. butter, and brown chicken in both sides – @ 6 min. total. Remove chicken to a plate. Add 1Tbs. oil to pan and sauté onion until soft @ 2 min.; add sliced garlic and sauté 1 min, more. Add wine, and deglaze pan by scraping all the browned bits from the surface with a wooden spoon. Add water, bouillon powder, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, and return chicken to pan. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, over medium- low about 8-10 min. until chicken is done and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, make what the Italians call “Gremolata” by mixing the parsley, garlic powder and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Plate the chicken pieces individually with sauce. Top each with a small portion of gremolata, and pass the rest.

Suggested sides: 1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas or (1) 10 oz. . box frozen. Blanch in boiling water @ 2 min. Drain and toss with 1Tbs. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper.

4 sweet potatoes, washed, dried and lightly rubbed with butter. Pierce Xs with a fork in the tops, and microwave, on a paper towel, as oven directs @ 6-9 min. Split tops and fill with butter or sour cream. For an added taste boost, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

(PORK TANGIER
This looks complicated, and sounds exotic, but it’s really very simple to make with few steps, the taste is fun, and a refreshing change from the everyday ho-hum, usually a favorite with kids. Turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.*
Skillet and Large Saucepan

1 ½ lbs. lean pork in 1 ½ inch cubes (suggest sliced loin or boneless chops)*

3 Tbs. flour

1 large onion in 1” dice

1 rib celery in 1” pieces cut on an angle

1 small or ½ cup baby carrot(s) cut on an angle (see. optional sides for the Salmon recipe-#4 this week- and adjust shopping list)

4 cloves garlic diced

1 ½ tsp. paprika

1tsp. coriander

2 tsp. curry powder

1tsp. grated fresh ginger root or ½ tsp. powdered

2 envelopes chicken bouillon granules – -divided

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11/3 cup water

Juice of 1 orange and zest

¼ cup raisons

3 Tbs. cooking oil

1 apple – peeled cored in 1” dice

1 box couscous – – preferably with pine nuts

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup chopped nuts- – cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds, even peanuts for optional garnish
In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. oil and sauté onion, carrot and celery until onion softens, add garlic for 1 min Add 2 Tbs. oil, then pork and paprika, coriander, curry and ginger. .Brown pork 4 -5 min, adding up to 1/3 cup of water if mixture begins to stick. Add orange juice, remainder of water, 1 bouillon packet, raisons and apple. Cook, covered, about 10 min., stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked and sauce thickens. .

Meanwhile, cook couscous according to directions, adding garlic powder and 1 envelope chicken bouillon as removed from heat.

Serve couscous topped with pork and garnished with orange zest and optional chopped nuts.

Optional Side: (1) 12 oz. bag of baby spinach, half an onion sliced thin, and a drained can of mandarin oranges tossed with a citrus, or raspberry vinaigrette.)
——————————————————————————————————————————————

Weekly Menu Sample

Month 1, Week 1
1.Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sugar Snap Peas

2. Pork Tangier
Spinach Orange Salad

3. Steak in Red Wine
Broccoli Crowns
Broiled Irish Potatoes

4. Salmon in Lemon-Caper Sauce
Zucchini Medley
Roasted Baby Carrots

5. Glamorous Ham Casserole
Caesar Salad

6. Double-Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups
Italian Green Beans
Bread Sticks

7. Classic Fajitas

8. Apple Rustica

SAMPLE SHOPPING LIST
1) This is a complete list of all the ingredients needed to make 4 servings of every entree and side on this week’s menu. The quantities are in even amounts for easy multiplication or division to fit your household requirements.
2) If you want to delete a recipe and/or substitute another, simply remove the ingredients for that recipe and add the new ones-in proper quantity. The list is still your tool.
3) The Pantry Check items are considered basic kitchen supplies, kept in amounts intended for multiple uses. The quantities needed each week are given in the recipes. Make note of them when checking the pantry to learn if an item needs to be restocked.
4) This list is a valuable time and money saving tool. Learn to use it and it will reward you well.

MONTH 01 / WEEK 01
Cooking Tips
A word before I begin this, our first list. As I stated in the introduction, I’ll try not to request too many pantry items at once or be exotic in the things I use, but I do want to help you build a basic pantry, so that very soon you’ll automatically know you have most of the things on each week’s list and shorten your shopping time. For example, every week, I will mention flour, salt and pepper. They are basic, as are sugar and some herbs and spices. I will also be listing other items that you may want to consider in the “staples” category to make your life easier, fresh onions, rice, eggs, butter, cooking and salad oils, bread crumbs and wines are in this group. So buy with an eye to the future. I like to use bouillon powder. It can add a lot of taste, with minimum effort, but brands vary greatly in sodium content. Boxed packets seem to contain less than the bottled granules, offer a low-sodium option, stay fresh longer, and the pre-measured amounts are easier to control . So I prefer them, but if you want to adjust the recipe amount higher according to taste, you can, just restrict the salt. Never use cubes. They don’t dissolve well, nor do they impart the flavor.

PANTRY CHECK
White wine – – suggestion dry vermouth
Dry red wine
Cream sherry
Flour – all-purpose*
Beef and chicken bouillon granule packets, NOT cubes
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder-not garlic salt
Paprika
Dried parsley
Curry powder
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Ginger powder
Nutmeg- grated
Dried Oregano
Dried basil
Dried thyme
Cooking oil
Salad oil
Bread crumbs- flavored or regular
Worcestershire sauce
Dijon or Spicy brown mustard
Cinnamon

MARKET
GROCERIES
(1) 2oz jar of capers
1 box lasagna noodles
(1)4 oz. can mushrooms-stems& pieces
½ cup raisins
1 box couscous—garlic or pine nuts
(8) 8 inch flour tortillas
(2) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
(1) 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups packaged pre-cooked white rice
(1) pkg. Crisco quarters
Parchment paper

MEATS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
11/2 lb. boneless lean pork for cubing
(4) 5oz beef tenderloin steaks
(4) 5oz salmon fillets
(3) ¼ lb. slices cooked ham
1 lb. ground turkey
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
OR 12 oz. beef steak

PRODUCE
3 lb. bag of onions
1 lb. bag peeled baby carrots
1 bunch celery
1 bulb garlic or 1 jar chopped
2 lemons
8 oz. sliced button mushrooms
2 plum tomatoes
2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 orange
Fresh ginger root – small piece
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 ½ lbs. apples + 1 apple

DAIRY
24 oz. sour cream
4 oz. wedge parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 quart milk
1 cup light cream or ½ & ½
½ lb. butter
Dozen eggs- 2 this week rest next
8 oz. guacamole
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

OPTIONAL SIDES
(2) 14oz cans small whole white potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
(1) 12 oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1 lb. fresh or (1) 10 oz. box frozen sweet pea pods
2 large crowns of fresh broccoli
(1) 12 oz. bag baby greens
(1) 12 oz. bag romaine lettuce – or 1lb head
1 lbs. fresh zucchini
1 10 oz. package frozen Italian green beans
1 box bread sticks- – look for the thin ones called grissini
Choices of salad dressings- – if needed

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