'Tis the season...for fake cream cheese?

I'm lactose intolerant, a fact that my mind chooses to ignore most of the time. My body, on the other hand, will only take so much before it reminds me. So sometimes I try alternatives to milk, like yogurt in my cereal because the cultures take care of the lactose, or non-dairy alternatives.

I love cream cheese, perhaps beyond reason. To me, a bagel is an excuse for cream cheese. I have sometimes eaten it by spoonfuls. Of course, this isn't such a good idea for me.

Recently, I was at The Living Earth, my local natural foods store, and saw two varieties of vegan cream cheese alternative. Despite being $4 per 8 ounce tub, I decided to pick up one tub of each and do an informal taste test.

First, I tried Tofutti's "Better Than Cream Cheese", which contains no hydrogenated oils, and is certified as Kosher Pareve. (Tofutti was founded by a Kosher restaurateur who invented a soy-based ice cream alternative, and it's expanded from there.) None of the listed ingredients were organic.
It tasted like real cream cheese, but not quite. It was bland, but would have been better with a little seasoning. If I were to get it again, I'd probably add some parsley.

The label on Vegan Gourmet's "Cream Cheese Alternative" proclaims many things. "Gluten Free", "No Trans Fat", "No Hydrogenated Fat", "No Preservatives or GMOs", "Made with solar power", "76% Organic", and it's Kosher Pareve. So, apparently, it's good for the environment, your body, and (if you're Jewish) your soul.
Despite its expiration date being nearly two months away, it tasted like it had "turned". If real cream cheese tasted like that, it would be time to throw it out. Although I won't be buying it again, I'll probably finish up the tub, because I hate wasting food. Additional toppings can cover the less pleasant aspects of the faux cream cheese's flavor. (Which is why I put clover sprouts on my Christmas Eve morning banana bread. It was strange, but awesome.)

Merry Christmas!

Pasta with Arugula and Tuna and Cannelini Beans

One of the easiest dishes to make in my little blue four-ingredient cookbook is linguine with arugula. Not much to do: just boil pasta, toss it up with some olive oil, arugula, and freshly grated parmesan.
A few nights ago, I decided to turn this simple dish into a well-rounded satisfying meal, with the addition of cannelini beans and canned tuna.

Ingredients:
12 ounces pasta (I used whole wheat penne because I had it in my pantry.)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 ounces baby arugula
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (not the powdery stuff in a canister)
1 15-ounce can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
1 or 2 5-ounce cans of tuna
(You could make this with just tuna or just the beans.)

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, drain thoroughly.
2. Heat about 4TBSP of the olive oil in the pan, add the pasta and the arugula. Toss over medium heat for one or two minutes, until arugula is just wilted then remove from heat.
3. Stir in the olive oil, parmesan, and tuna and beans, along with salt and pepper to taste.

Frozen Kosher, Part II

After having been disappointed with how the cherry blintzes came out when cooked in the oven, I decided to cook the apple blintzes (same brand, Golden) in the skillet to see how that would come out. I fried them in a few tablespoons of soft margarine, and they came out much, much better, golden brown on the outside. The only trouble I had was getting the filling uniformly hot, and some of the blintzes had cold spots. The skillet directions do not indicate how long to cook the blintzes; even an approximate figure would probably have helped.

We were pleased with the latkes from Kineret (U-in-a-circle Kosher parve), "Heimishe style" (roughly, "homestyle"), which were pretty much hash brown patties by another name. These are definitely not health food: more than half the calories come from fat. However, when I cooked them in the oven, these latkes crisped up nicely, and didn't seem soggy or greasy, because so much of the fat dripped out onto the pan.

We also tried a soup from the frozen Kosher section, Tabatchnick Chicken Broth with Noodles and Dumplings ( K} Meat Glatt kosher). What struck me, compared to other chicken noodle soups, was the lack of meat chunks. It was, exactly as it says, chicken broth with noodles and dumplings. Although the word "matzo" never appears on the box, the dumplings were matzo balls.
I cooked it in the microwave. The box didn't say what wattage microwave they used when determining the cook time of 4 1/2 minutes. My 950 watt microwave took 6 1/2 minutes to cook the soup, which is longer than it takes to cook most TV dinners.
Compared to other chicken noodle soups I have had, like Campbell's and Progresso, it had about the same amount of sodium, but there was less soup in the package than a can of Progresso. Since I don't keep kosher--I am, after all, a gentile--I probably wouldn't buy it again. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't impressive enough for me to get that instead of the canned brands. Also, on sale it was 2/$5, and I usually wouldn't spend that much on that size package of soup, which I usually spend no more than $1.50 on.

Frozen Kosher, Part I

Since it's Hannukah, and the supermarkets all had traditional Kosher foods on sale, I decided to try some of them.

Latkes are a potato pancake popular at Hannukah.
Last night, Chris and I tried Golden brand Sweet Potato Pancakes and Vegetable Pancakes, made by Old Fashioned Kitchen in Lakewood, NJ. These latkes are U-in-a-circle Kosher Pareve (which means they contain neither dairy nor meat). What struck me when I read the ingredients was the complete lack of chemical additives. The ingredients list reads like a normal recipe you would make at home. That is a VERY good thing.

We cooked them in the oven (there were also skillet cooking directions). The aroma filled us with anticipation.

The sweet potato pancakes had pineapple in them, which introduced a nice tangy note to complement the sweetness. These latkes were my favorite.

Besides potatoes, the vegetable pancakes also contained string beans, onions, corn, carrots, red peppers, and green peppers. Chris said he liked these better than the others, though both of us enjoyed both kinds of latke.

Latkes are usually served with either applesauce or sour cream to dip them in. I tried both flavors of latke with plain yogurt, and that definitely enhanced the experience.

Blintzes are stuffed crepes. They can be filled with fruit or cheese or vegetables.
For dessert tonight, I tried Cherry Blintzes, also Golden brand. These are also pareve. I cooked them in the oven, but next time I will cook them in a skillet.
The frozen blintzes looked like they could be burritos or spring rolls; they were wrapped the same way. Some of the blintzes cracked open while cooking and oozed filling. The filling was just like canned cherry pie filling. Maybe this was a problem with the cooking method I chose, but the crepe tasted like it wasn't done, even though I did cook it as directed. It tasted like raw pie crust dough. (Which, of course, I was picking in last week.) I wanted to like them more. I do have other flavors of Golden blintzes in the freezer to try, and maybe frying them will make them better.

Scallop Scampi

My church has a lot of programming on Monday nights, so volunteers prepare a nice dinner, and people enjoy each other's company. The last Monday of the month is a potluck.

Last week, Shaw's had frozen fish portions, including bay scallops, on sale, so I stocked up. I was definitely in the mood for seafood when I looked for recipes to make for the potluck.

I found this awesome user-submitted recipe for Scallop Scampi on Allrecipes.com. The rave reviews on the web page gave me the confidence to present this dish to the people at church, where it received even more praise.
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/scallop-scampi/Detail.aspx

I changed the recipe just a little from this.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 pound bay scallops
• 1 pound linguine pasta--For the potluck, I used gemelli instead so it would be easy to serve.
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large skillet, melt margarine over medium heat and saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add wine, salt, ground black pepper and 1/4 cup cheese.
2. Add chicken broth and scallops; increase heat and boil rapidly for 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. (I would say that you could even slightly undercook it. When you pour the scallop mixture on it, and let it sit a few minutes, the pasta will retain some of the liquid from the sauce.)
   
4. Reduce heat for scallop mixture and add parsley; place sauce on top of linguine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; serve.

Flavored Oil

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Cook’s Encylopedia of Four Ingredient Cooking by Joanna Farrow, which is a British cookbook that was reprinted in 2002 by Barnes and Noble for their bargain books section.

Sometimes the recipes sort of “cheat” on the four-ingredient count. For example, water, salt, and pepper don’t count toward the four ingredients, and sometimes it will call for “garlic-flavored olive oil” instead of garlic and olive oil. In the front of the book are directions for making these compound ingredients, such as stocks and basic sauces, including the flavored oils.

Here’s the recipe for Garlic and Rosemary Oil:

Put a handful of rosemary sprigs in a a pan with 3 sliced garlic cloves and ½ cup olive oil. Heat gently until bubbling, then pour into a heatproof bowl, cover, and leave in a cool place overnight. Strain the garlic and rosemary oil into a clean 1 1/4 –1 2/3 bottle and top up with more oil.

Oil should be left in a cool place for up to a week to let the flavors steep. The oils should be strained before storing. The flavoring ingredients should not be stored in the oil, because they can grow mold.

PIE!

Today I am baking my pies for Thanksgiving.

I got started on Friday night, when my church's women's group made pie fillings (apple, pumpkin, and pecan) in massive batches. They had bought pie shells in bulk, and we assembled the apple pies there but took the pecan and pumpkin fillings home in plastic tubs to finish our pies at home.

The good news is that pumpkin pie filling freezes and thaws well. (I didn't like the idea of raw eggs spending 5 days in the refrigerator, so I froze the pumpkin filling when I got home, and started thawing it on Monday.) The bad news is that the uncooked apple pies didn't freeze very well, and when they thawed, turned mushy and oozed. I baked those pies on some cookie sheets that I got at the dollar store at the Auburn Mall. The cookie sheets are sturdy enough to support the foil pie pans, and to re-use. But, because they were only a dollar apiece, when they get very dirty, or caked with burned-on sugar, I can just dispose of them.

Today, at home, I made a no-sugar-added apple pie. I came up with this pie so that there's a healthier alternative to the sugary desserts, but also one that doesn't use artificial sweeteners (which don't agree with me).
I use pre-fab pie crusts, but if you have a crust recipe you like, you can use it. The gooey-ness of apple pie is usually from sugar, but in this pie, margarine or butter makes up for that. Brushing the top crust with milk makes for a nice golden brown finish.

NO SUGAR ADDED APPLE PIE

Pie crusts for top and bottom
5-6 apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2-3 Tablespoons margarine or butter (I use soft margarine), cut up into small pieces if solid.
Milk to brush top with, approximately 1/4 cup

Heat oven to 400F.
Mix the spices in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Cut apples into small chunks. (I leave the skins on, because it's faster and fiber is good for you.) Toss together spices, apples, and margarine/butter until well mixed.
Fill the bottom crust. Add the top crust, cutting slits or designs into it.
Brush the top crust with milk.
Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Sustainability In The Kitchen

I love the environment. I learned a lot about environmental issues when I was in college, working at a small research library. I was just supposed to photocopy and file the articles, but I read them. I often learned about things that wouldn't be on the general public's radar for a few more years, for instance, BPA, why not to microwave plastic wrap, and endocrine disruptors. That being said, you don't need to spend hours in a research library to learn about the environment, and you can make a difference with the cumulative effect of small deeds done mindfully. In other words, small tweaks add up.

I'd like to introduce you to this website I learned about today, which offers very do-able ways to reduce our impact on the planet.
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com
So what does this have to do with the theme of this blog, ie. food and the kitchen? Plenty.

For example, here is some of the advice they offer to conserve water in the kitchen.

1. Fill the dishwasher.
   Never run the dishwasher when it's less than full. Doing so wastes more than water; it wastes power and your own energy as well.
2. Don't rinse with running water.
   Whether pre-rinsing for the dishwasher or after handwashing, fill the sink or a bowl with an inch of water to rinse the dishes. If you're using a bowl, that water can go into your compost or garden.
3. Do you even need to rinse?
   If you have a newer dishwasher or enzyme-based detergent, it may be capable of cleaning dishes without rinsing first. Check with your manual or the manufacturer, scrape excess food into the trash or compost pail and let the machine do the dirty work.
4. Use one cup a day.
   Designate one glass a day for your beverages and do fewer dishes every night.
5. Reuse your dishes.
   Many times dishes don't need a full wash to be reused. Examples would be a measuring cup used for water, a plate with only a few sandwich crumbs. Use things as many times as is sanitary before washing for more water conservation.
6. Soak, don't scrub.
   Scrubbing hard-to-clean dishes under running water is a waste. Soak them right after use for easy and waste-free cleanup.
7. Wash dishes once a day.
   If you're hand-washing, save up your dishes for one wash and use a third the water. You can rinse them throughout the day with warm-up water to make your evening job easier. All rinse water can go in the garden or compost.
8. Try an instant hot-water tap.
   It uses less energy to heat small amounts of water near the tap in an instant hot water dispenser than in a conventional hot water heater. And no water waste while waiting for it to warm up!
9. Cover your pans.
   Hot water will evaporate faster, so all pans should be covered. It also helps the water to boil faster, thus using less energy to make your pasta.
10. Scrub your hands with the water off.
    Similar to the military shower described above, this "soap and save" technique turns the water off while you suds up. You could save a quart or more per handwashing by only turning the water on to rinse. Compare it yourself with a plugged drain to see the amount of greywater washed away.
11. Tighten the faucet.
    Not turning the water off completely is an easy mistake and can waste several gallons before you realize it's still dripping.
12. Keep a bowl in the sink.
    Just in case the faucet doesn't get turned off, no dripping water will be wasted.
13. Wash fruits and veggies in a bowl.
    Running water uses up to four times as much and is lost down the drain. Use a bowl instead and the water can be used in your garden when you're done.
14. Thaw frozen food without water.
    Use the fridge to thaw your food to conserve water and decrease contamination.
15. Store drinking water in the fridge.
    You'll use less water waiting for the tap to cool down and less ice is needed to keep it cool.
16. Reuse boiling water.
    Water used to make veggies, potatoes or paste can be used in soups and stews for added nutrients and water conservation. Or...
17. Dump boiling water on ant hills.
    It's better than dumping it down the drain and can often take care of problem ants without chemicals.
18. Skip the garbage disposal.
    Scrape food into the trash and use a metal drain strain to catch food waste before it goes down the drain.

I actually do more than half of these things already. (I don't mean to be smug, but rather, this is pretty do-able stuff.) Someday I may have to try the boiling water on ant hills tip. Nice to know.

How about saving energy in the kitchen? Here's what they have to say about that.

First of all, there's your fridge and freezer:

1. Energy-efficient appliances.
   If your appliance is more than 10 years old, upgrading to a newer more efficient model can save hundreds on your power bill each year. Look for the Energy-Star rating and read the FTC Energy Rating tag when choosing your next appliance.
2. Close the fridge!
   Turns out Dad was right. Fridges and freezers are responsible for approximately 1/3 of your electric bill and leaving the door open too long accounts for increased cooling up to 25%. Make Dad happy by deciding what you want before you open the door.
3. Check the seal on your fridge and freezer.
   A broken seal will cause your unit to run unnecessarily. Place a sheet of paper between the fridge and the door as you close it. Once closed, if it pulls out easily, it's time to replace the seal.
4. Opt for a box freezer.
   Cold air is heavier and falls to the bottom. With a box freezer (with a door on top) keeps cold air in better when opened and reduces the amount of time the unit runs.
5. Get a freezer-on-bottom fridge.
   For the same reasons as the box freezer, refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are much more efficient.
6. Vacuum fridge and freezer coils.
   This should be done twice a year to ensure your unit is running easily.
7. Fill the fridge and freezer space.
   Dead space takes more energy to cool. Fill a partially empty fridge or freezer with jugs of cool water instead.
8. Do not place hot foods in a fridge.
   Allowing your foods to cool to room temperature ensures your unit will not have to work as hard to keep the inside air cold.
9. Thaw in the fridge.
   Frozen items will throw off their cold air into the fridge, thus assisting it in keeping things cool.
10. Keep the fridge cool.
    Place it away from direct sunlight, the stove or oven and the dishwasher to reduce its energy consumption.
11. Reset the thermostat
    Experiment with higher settings on your fridge's temperature setting by adjusting it to slightly warmer than its recommended setting.
12. Make your own ice.
    Automatic ice makers use unnecessary energy and are prone to breakdown. Likewise, cold air can be lost through in-door dispensers with poor seals.

Then there's the dishwasher:

1. Rinse in cold water.
   Whether pre-rinsing dishes for the dishwasher or rinsing handwashed dishes, do so with cold water.
2. Skip the dry cycle.
   Open the dishwasher's door and allow the dishes to air dry.
3. Select a shorter cycle.
   Pre-rinsing (using water conservation tips) can enable you to use shorter wash cycles and save energy.
4. Only wash full loads.
   Run the dishwasher less often by filling it completely.
5. Consider handwashing.
   If your dishwasher is old and you can't yet replace it with a more efficient model, consider handwashing to save energy and possibly water.
6. Maintain your machine.
   Keeping your machine in good working order and free of buildup will help extend the lifespan and save you money on major repairs that become necessary as a result of neglect.

And, of course, the biggies, stove and oven:

1. Avoid preheating when possible.
   Often we preheat for longer than necessary. Unless the recipe is more precise, turn the oven on when you place food inside and take advantage of all the heat.
2. Group baking.
   Baking several things at once (your bread with your casserole), or make double batches for easy-to-reheat leftovers.
3. Consider a slow cooker.
   Depending on the length of cooking required, a slow cooker or crock pot may be more efficient and cost-effective than using the oven.
4. Check the oven's seal.
   A poorly sealed oven will waste half your energy trying to stay at the accurate temperature.
5. Use the oven light.
   Instead of opening the door to check on foods, switch on the oven light to see inside without losing heat.
6. Turn the oven off early.
   The captured heat will finish the last few minutes of cooking without the added energy.
7. Utilize the oven heat.
   While the oven is baking, use the vented heat to thaw foods, melt butter or keep dishes warm.
8. Warm the kitchen.
   After baking in the winter, leave the oven door open to allow the warm air to heat up your home a bit more.
   
9. Use a kitchen vent in the summer.
   Heat from the stove or the oven should be removed from the kitchen as quickly as possible with an oven fan/vent to prevent your AC from working overtime. (For more energy saving tips on your AC, check out the energy-efficient cooling page.)
10. Use lids on pots and pans.
    You'll capture the heat and enable yourself to use a lower setting.
11. Use the correct sized burner.
    Larger burners used for smaller pots or pans will throw off as much heat as it uses.
12. Don't "over-boil" water.
    When making pastas or boiling eggs, bring the water to a rolling boil, add the food, cover the pot or pan and shut the heat off. The hot water will continue to cook the food without using any additional energy. Also, it takes less energy to keep liquid at a boil than it does to bring it to a boil, so even if you can't turn the burner off, you can still turn it down.
13. Invest in a solar oven.
    Whether homemade or professional grade, sun ovens are efficient and can reach temps up to 400 degrees in full sun.
14. Cut food into small pieces.
    Smaller pieces of potato or veggies cook faster and will use less energy.
15. Don't use too much water.
    When boiling water or pasta, use only the amount of water necessary to cover the food and allow for expansion. Heating less water is more efficient and will cut down on time.
16. Use an electric kettle.
    Electric kettles boil water faster and more efficiently - they can be used for making tea or boiling water for small meals.
17. Invest in a convection or toaster oven.
    Convection and toaster ovens use less energy than heating in an oven or microwave (and it's much healthier than nuking your food).
18. Plan your meals and defrost ahead of time.
    You'll save energy when you avoid defrosting in the oven, stovetop or microwave. As mentioned above, defrost overnight in the fridge to utilize the cold air released to keep the fridge cooler.
19. Invest in a multi-use pot.
    Some stock pots have a small strainer that sits above the water level, allowing you to cook pasta in the pot and steam vegetables at the same time.
20. Make one-pan/pot meals.
    One skillet meals are easy, use less energy and take less time to clean-up.
21. Cook on the top rack of the oven.
    Keep your food closer to the heating element and cut your cooking time by up to 20%.

Since it is such a nice day out, I'm going outside to enjoy the environment.
If this wasn't such a beautiful day outside, I would spend all afternoon on this site, as I am fascinated. http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com

Roman Garlic Bread

One of our favorite places to dine when we lived in Western MA was the Tavern Restaurant in Westfield. Although all the food there is excellent, this appetizer was probably our favorite thing on the menu.

Roman Garlic Bread
A large loaf of fresh Vienna Bread with a topping of Garlic, Olive Oil, Prosciutto Ham and Provolone Cheese.

I also started making a version of it at home, with mozzarella cheese to suit Chris' tastes.

Here's how it goes:

Take 1 loaf Italian bread, cut lengthwise into top&bottom halves
If it's already spread with the garlic bread stuff, that will save you a step. If not, mix some crushed garlic in olive oil and apply generously to the cut side of the bread.

Then, layer on:
1/2 pound sliced provolone or 8oz. package of shredded mozzarella
about 1/4 lb prosciutto (I recently made it with capicola, and that was good too.)

Bake 400 for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and the meat gets slightly crisped.

What's In Maggie's Fridge?

So I was eating some ham, and it reminded me that I wanted to post about stuff I like, for instance, the aforementioned ham.

Hormel Natural Choice deli meats. I have to avoid certain additives because of health conditions, so this is the only sandwich meat I still buy. No Nitrates, Nitrites, or MSG, and all the ingredients are recognizable. Unfortunately, this is expensive, so I only get it on sale, when it’s $3 for an 8 ounce package, and always use coupons. But it is delicious. Nutritionally, it’s good too: the Honey Deli Ham is only 70 calories per 4-slice/2 ounce serving, only 15 of those calories come from fat, and the sodium content (520 mg/22% of RDV) is pretty good for ham.

I love cucumbers fresh from the farm stand or farmers' market. Crunchy cucumber slices served with or without dressing are one of my favorite summer vegetables. Because they aren't waxed, I don't need to peel them, and on hot lazy summer days, less work is better. Also, Paco the guinea pig likes his cukes with the skins on for extra fiber.

Naturally Delicious salad dressings, made by Cain’s, appeal to me partly because they have no high fructose corn syrup, but mostly because the flavors are so delicious. Naturally Delicious Asian Sesame Vinaigrette Salad Dressing even won “Dressing of the Year” from The Association for Dressings and Sauces (yes, that’s a thing) in 2008. However I wish there was a “lite” version of the chipotle ranch flavor, my favorite, because that has too many calories—150 in two tablespoons. (It also warrants an “avoid” rating on foodfact.net for its sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content.)

Lindt truffles, particularly the 60% extra dark ones. Maybe the fridge isn't the best place for chocolate (the cocoa and cocoa butter can separate), but since it's been in the 80s and 90s here and I don't have air conditioning, it beats the messy alternative. I love my Lindt truffles. :)

Dinner at 86 Winter, located at 85 Water Street

On Thursday night, we dined at 86 Winter, which despite the name, is actually located at 85 Water Street in Worcester. (It started at 86 Winter Street, then moved.) It's in the lower level (you could call it a basement with large windows) of one of the many former mill buildings in the Canal District (formerly known as Green Island). The decor manages to be simple and eccelctic simultaneously. The tables are dark wood without table cloths, but and there are several large paintings and some sculptures on the walls.

Chris started with a Caesar salad, and I started with these bacon wrapped scallops. In the words of the menu, these are "sea scallops, bourbon maple dipped then cornflake crusted, wrapped in bacon & served over field greens." They were superb.
Next, I had a cup the soup du jour, orange basil chicken soup. It was much like a normal chicken soup, with chicken chunks, celery, onion, and carrots, but the broth was sweet and tangy, with a very distinct orange flavor. It was excellent. If it is the soup du jour next time I'm there, I think I'll get a bowl of it.

Isn't this pretty, with the edible flower on top? The presentation was gorgeous.
Unfortunately, this stir fry, described on the menu as "seasonal vegetables stir-fried & tossed in a sweet & spicy teriyaki with rice", was a disappointment. The vegetables were obviously fresh and crisp, but the sauce didn't live up to my expectations. It wasn't particularly sweet or spicy, but bland and runny, and it flooded the bottom of my bowl with excess liquid. I've made better stir-fry dishes at home. Of course, Chris had the chicken parmagiana, his favorite. The portion was generous, the sauce was zesty, and next time I might order that instead.
We didn't have room for dessert, which was too bad, because the dessert list looked great.

In Which Maggie Goes To The Meat Market

I went to Fairway Beef on Grafton Street yesterday. I just had to check out the little red-and-white striped building that I keep passing by on the bus. It looks a little dodgy from the outside, with hand-written (scrawled?) poster boards advertising the specials stapled to the exterior. But was undeterred, in fact, I was encouraged by the sign for chicken leg quarters at 69 cents a pound. (I am a big fan of dark meat chicken.)

Inside, I found out why Fairway Beef has been around for 65 years. First off, the meat is beautiful. It is visibly fresher than what I usually find in regular grocery stores. Secondly, the prices are great, regular prices are like supermarkets' sale prices. Third, they carry meats that aren't often found in regular grocery stores, like rabbit and tripe, so they can cater to diverse tastes. (Though they don't sell camel meat. Don't laugh. There are at least two Halal butchers in Worcester who do.)
They also carry vegetables, fruit, milk, and some some frozen foods, as well as a full-service deli.

The most unusual aspect of the store is that it is a refrigerator. The whole store. You are shopping in a meat cooler. They are not kidding when they say to bring a jacket, though I was fine with a sweatshirt.
The center of the store is an island where they have the deli, and on the other side, do the custom orders of meat. It's very old school. Most of the meats, you have to go up to the counter and order. My chicken leg quarters, however, were already packaged in a plastic bag to be selected from a case. The chicken was very fresh, looked and smelled nice, but the bag had a leak in it, just my luck. Fortunately, they have produce bags to double-bag with, and with the plastic bag from checkout, it was well-secured. However, I really regretted not having any hand sanitizer with me to deal with the juices I got on my hands, so I'll have to remember to bring some next time just in case.

I am looking forward to going back there again, and I think I'll order a meat package to get the most for my money. (I finally have a large enough freezer to hold 2o pounds of meat. Yay.)

Lobsterrama!

Yesterday was the big clambake. Insane amounts of food were served, and everybody had an awesome time.
I made cupcakes to match the theme.LOTS of cupcakes.


Impressive, but actually pretty easy to make. The cupcakes were made from a mix, and the frosting was ready-made Pillsbury Funfetti. (I delegated the task of frosting and sprinkling to Chris, who has an ample attention span and does a better job than I would.) I picked out red muffin papers at the craft store to match the red gummy lobsters which I picked up at Christmas Tree Shops. (My wish for America is that some day, Christmas Tree Shops will be nation-wide chain. It started in New England, and since being acquired by Bed Bath and Beyond, it has been spreading gradually.)

Perhaps more adorable than my cupcakes were the signs my brother Joe made.



(Obviously where the party is.)

P.S.
Here's my post about last year's clambake, and how a traditional New England clambake is done.

If it wasn't the steak, how did the Salisburys get so rich?

I live in Worcester, MA, the second largest city in New England, a nice city loaded with history and heritage. The first "national woman's rights convention" was held in Worcester in 1850. Native son Robert Goddard made the space age possible with his invention of the first liquid fueled rocket. The Smiley face was born here. There's a lot of history in this city, but a lot I still don't know.
Lately, I've thinking about the Salisbury family , a prominent wealthy "first family" of Worcester whose name endures on a street (in the posh side of town, of course), several businesses, mostly in that area, and a choral group (Salisbury Singers). Of all the things named "Salisbury", what about "Salisbury Steak"?
The answer is: it's named after a Salisbury, but not a member of this family. Dr. James H. Salisbury (1823-1905), who held beliefs about diet that sound rather like Atkins, invented it as an ultimate health food (like Sylvester Graham's crackers), to be eaten for three meals a day with plenty of hot water to rinse out the digestive system. (Serving it with gravy came later.) Looks like Dr. Salisbury made it to be 82, so he might have been on to something.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_steak
http://www.foodreference.com/html/artsalisburystk.html

P.S. I found out that the Worcester Salisburys were merchants. Maybe they sold steak?

Iced Tea

I drink a lot of water, at least a gallon a day, more if it’s hot out. I like plain, cool, refreshing water, but even I sometimes want variety. I am trying to lose some weight, so I avoid sugary drinks. I don’t like diet sodas because artificial sweeteners are not healthy—aspartame, the most common artificial sweetener, is an excitotoxin (heads up: you probably shouldn’t look that up right before bedtime--or eating, for that matter), and it actually gives me headaches and upsets my stomach.

Fortunately, there’s a healthy no-calorie alternative beverage that is easy to make and cheap: iced tea. Even if the box of 20 herbal or fancy teabags cost $5, it would make about 5 quarts at $1/quart. I don’t spent that much on tea. I usually buy my favorite flavors on sale, often with coupons, but I just found Celestial Seasonings at Target, selling for a little more than $2, regular price. So when I make iced tea, it usually costs 50 cents per quart, or $2 per gallon.

My favorite herbal teas to make into iced tea are “Country Peach Passion” and “True Blueberry” by Celestial Seasonings. (No, they're not paying me—but if they want to start, I would absolutely welcome it.) I also use Bigelow “Constant Comment” black tea, which also comes decaffeinated. I tried “Lemon Zinger” by Celestial Seasonings, but when it was brewed strong for iced tea, it became harsh, and even adding sugar didn’t redeem it.

Here are the directions provided by Celestial Seasonings, printed on the box.

“ICED TEA BY THE PITCHER”

Pour 2 cups boiling water over four tea bags in a heat-resistant container. Steep 4 to 6 minutes and remove tea bags. If desired, add sweetener while tea is hot. Add 2 cups cold water and chill.

Yes, it is that easy. But it’s hot out. Nobody wants to turn on the stove when it’s 90 degrees out and the humidity is suffocating. So I make it using the microwave.

I have a 900 watt microwave, so adjust the time up or down for whatever kind you have.

If I am making a quart of iced tea, I use the recipe above, but I boil the water in the microwave, about 2 1/2 minutes, in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup. For 2 quarts (half gallon), I follow the same procedure, with 4 cups of water boiling for about 4 or 5 minutes in the microwave. Sometimes, when making this double batch, I will use only 6 or 7 tea bags, and let the tea steep longer, like 10 minutes or whenever I remember that I was making tea and get off Facebook.

Since I use fruity herbal teas, we don’t sweeten our ice tea, and don’t miss the sugar. When Chris comes home from a long day at the office and a long crazy commute, seeing a freshly-brewed pitcher of iced tea in the fridge really makes his day. It’s like a liquid “I love you", and it only took a few minutes in the microwave to make.

Hey Onions! Whatcha doin' in the freezer? Just Chillin'.

OK, that was a lame joke, but I do store onions in my freezer.

To freeze onions, all you have to do is put them in the freezer, as they come, skins on, no preparation necessary. I buy the 2 pound bag of plain old yellow onions when they go on sale (often for cheaper than a pound of loose onions), and plunk the whole mesh bag into the freezer.

When it comes time to use them, don't thaw them. Run them under warm water just long enough to make the skins easy to peel off. (30 seconds to a minute or so.) Cut them while still frozen, because as they thaw, they will get mushy and more difficult to work with. I have found that freezing onions makes them a little sweeter, and cutting into a frozen onion has never caused me any tears.

Frozen onions really need to be served cooked (as opposed to raw on a sandwich or salad), because the texture after thawing is mushy, instead of crisp. I don't freeze my sweet onions (like Vidalia), because I tend use them up faster than the plain yellow kind , and often use them raw.

Very Hungry Caterpillar, redux

Remember the children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle?

In 2009, The Very Hungry Caterpillar celebrated its 40th anniversary. This caterpillar roll sushi was designed by Eric Carle, and served up at Moshi Moshi, a sushi restaurant in Northampton, Massachusetts.

This photo is by Paul Shoul. I scanned this picture from a copy of the January 2009 issue of Preview Massachusetts. (Which I found while going through my stuff, getting ready for The Big Move.)

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is in nearby Amherst, on the grounds of Hampshire College. Maybe you could build a day trip around the theme of Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Revised Chicken Adobo...even better.

When the chicken leg quarters or drumsticks go on sale for $1 or less per pound, I stock up, and put some away in the freezer. I break up the big packs into gallon size freezer bags with about six drumsticks or 3 leg quarters in each.

Sometimes, though, I don't freeze them right when I get home from the store, but a couple days later, refrigerating it in the meantime. You know how when chicken gets close to the "sell by" date, it gets smelly. It isn't spoiled, but it has a distinct smell. Yeah, I don't like it either. When I freeze chicken at this point, the smell comes back as it thaws. This revised version of Philipine Style Chicken Adobo is a good way to prepare that chicken, and conquer the smelliness with a zesty marinade.

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use a low-sodium variety.)
• 1 tablespoon minced/crushed garlic (I've been using dried garlic flakes lately, a smaller amount than fresh.)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole chicken legs (2 1/2 lb), cut into drumsticks and thighs (or I'll do all drumsticks)

Assuming that the chicken is still frozen, and in gallon-size freezer bags:

• Pour vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into the plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out air. Shake to mix ingredients. Turn to coat thoroughly, then put bag in a baking pan and marinate chicken, chilled, turning occasionally.
• Usually I do this before I go to bed on the night before making this for dinner. It takes about that long to thaw the chicken anyhow. For example the chicken marinates while it thaws, from about 11 on Tuesday night, then I'll cook it at about 6 or 7 for dinner Wednesday night.
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• 
  
• Arrange chicken, skin sides up, in 1 layer in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan lined with foil, or a disposable foil pan with a cookie sheet underneath, and pour marinade over it. Bake in middle of oven until cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
• 
  
• Preheat broiler.
• 
  
• Broil chicken about 4 inches from heat until skin is golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.

(The original recipe separates the marinade from the chicken, boiling it to make a sauce while the chicken broils. I realized after making the original recipe a couple times that we don't even touch the sauce, so it wasn't worth going through those steps and dirtying another pan.)

Guacamole on Ice

Good news: Guacamole freezes well.

I bought about a dozen avocados when they were on sale for less than a dollar apiece. I forgot to "stagger" the degrees of ripeness, and within a couple days, they all had to be used or otherwise be wasted. As much as I love avocados, even I couldn't eat that much of them in such a short time.

So, I mashed all the avocados in a large mixing bowl, with my circular chopper and a fork. I don't use a recipe for guacamole, I just improvise with the following ingredients, adding to taste.

Lime juice (a whole small lime in this large batch, though I sometimes use proportionately even more)

Goya Adobo with cumin (a seasoned salt blend)

Black pepper

Then I divided the batch of guacamole between two cottage cheese tubs, and froze them.

When I thawed out the guacamole (in the fridge, overnight), I stirred it to improve the consistency, but otherwise, it weathered a month in the freezer very well.

Changes

I made a vow to myself that I would write an absolute bare minimum of two blog posts each month, and notice how my posts have been at the ends of the months lately?

First off, my internet connection is crap. Sometimes I can't log on to Blogger because the wussy little ISP gets overwhelmed by anything more data heavy than Pong, and gives me error messages. I can't wait to get something better than dial-up. Then I can actually load pictures onto this blog without it taking hours. (Not exaggerating.)

Second, I'll be moving soon. Knowing that June 28th is the day we close on our new home in Worcester is what's keeping me going.

Third, the kitchen in my new home has about three times the cabinet and countertop space of this hobbit-hole I am living in now. When I toured this house, I didn't want to leave the kitchen. I wanted to start cooking, immediately.

Fourth, Edy's Limited Edition Summer Peach Pie ice cream is awesome. It even has little chunks of pie crust in it! (There, something about food.)

The Soup Recipe From The Foil On The Yogurt Container

I finally got around to trying this recipe a few days ago, and now I'm finally getting around to blogging about it.

This is the recipe as it was given on the foil on top of the yogurt container.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. canola oil


1 large sweet onion, sliced


2 tsp. ground cumin


3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed


1-1/2 qt. chicken broth


1-3/4 cup Dannon® Plain Yogurt


2 Tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro 


1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

1. In a soup pot heat oil. Add onions and cumin and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup 20-25 minutes.


2. Puree soup with 1-1/2 cups Dannon® Plain Yogurt and parsley or cilantro. Serve each portion of soup with a dollop of remaining yogurt and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Yields: Yields: 12 Servings (8 oz. per serving)

http://www.dannon.com/recipes/recipe/default.aspx?recipeId=999

I did modify the recipe a little, since I had some things on hand and not others.

I used olive oil. I almost always use olive oil.

Instead of sweet potatoes, I had extra large yams, at least half a pound each, so I only needed 2 for this recipe.

Instead of the chicken broth, I used Pacific Natural Foods Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth, which comes in quart size aseptic packages (like giant juice boxes), then added 2 cups water to make the amount of liquid needed. The broth is very strong and flavorful, and could stand to be diluted that much.

Instead of pumpkin seeds, I had raw sunflower seeds in my pantry, so I used those for the topping.

Unfortunately, I don't have an electric mixer. (I got an immersion blender for Christmas, but left it at Mom's until we move out of this hobbit hole that lacks adequate cabinets.) I let the soup boil for longer, then simmer for longer than the given times, to soften the yams up more, then I coarsely mashed it with a hand chopper. It was sort of funny looking, and I wouldn't serve it to guests like that, but it was still extremely delicious, and all for me.

SpongeBob made me do it!

Stop&Shop is giving out colorful activity sheets featuring Nickelodeon characters to promote fruits and vegetables. Each sheet highlights a vegetable or fruit, and includes a "great recipe for parents and children to make together" and "parent tips" on how to prepare the produce and ways to serve it. It's sort of like a culinary public service announcement. The question is: are the recipes any good?

I made the "Tropical Sunrise Parfait" from the sheet featuring Pineapple, and, appropriately, SpongeBob Squarepants, who loves pineapples enough to live in one.

I'll definitely make it again.

This recipe makes 4 servings, but I made it as 2 generous servings, as a small meal.

Buying almonds that are already toasted would make the preparation time even shorter than the 15 minutes the recipe states.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups pineapple chunks or tibits, canned in juice, drained

(This is a whole 20-ounce can of pineapple. I mix the juice with some seltzer and call it a spritzer.)

1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 medium banana, sliced

1/2 cup dates, chopped, or raisins (I used raisins.)

1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted and chopped

Instructions:

Heat oven to 300F. Put almonds on non-stick baking pan. Place in oven 5-6 minutes, shake pan several times during toasting. Remove from oven, cool, and coarsely chop. While the almonds are toasting, layber the pineapple, raspberries, yogurt, banana, and dates in parfait glasses. (I used tall drinking glasses.) Sprinkle the almonds on top and serve.

I used frozen raspberries, so I made the parfaits a couple hours ahead of time and put them in the fridge so the berries would thaw out before serving.

This is how the parfaits came out. Sadly, the best light in my kitchen is in the fridge. (Though it's nice that I have good healthy food in there, a fridge to be proud of, worth photographing, even.)

The Odd Ball

What a busy month I've had! There was Easter, a trip to Poughkeepsie to see the Flaming Lips in concert, more house hunting, and right now I'm making excuses for not posting to this blog for such a long time.

On April 10, I went to Real Art Ways in Hartford for their costume ball fundraiser, the Odd Ball.

It was a wild time, but let's focus on the food here, the "Twisted Buffet" provided by Ascot Catering. Not only was everything creatively presented, it was all delicious. Here's the run down of the goodies.

Salmon Lollipops: smoked salmon and cream cheese on lavash wraps, rolled into pinwheels, on skewers.

Antipasto on a Stick: Mushroom, tomato, black olive, and a pinwheel of cheese and fatty Italian ham, on a stick, of course.

Gazpacho Shots: Cold tomato-based vegetable soup served in test tubes. Reminded me of a virgin bloody mary.

Ciao Mein: spaghetti and meatballs (absolutely scrumptious, tender meatballs) served in Chinese takeout containers, chopsticks optional.

Mac and Cheese Cakes: Imagine macaroni and cheese casserole, the kind with crumbs on top, but instead of baking it in a big pan, packing it into mini muffin cups to bake. (I'm not sure if this is how they really were made. I ought to try it, though.)

Guacamole or Mashed Potatoes in a Cone: Ice cream cones the size of my pinky finger, filled with either guacamole or mashed potatoes, with cheddar, sour cream, and bacon bits with which to garnish them.

"Sushi": the rolls had rice and nori on the outside, but the insides were unusual. There was "Bbquishi" made with barbeque chicken, "Portasushi" with portabello mushroom and roasted red pepper, and another roll filled with provolone cheese, tomato, and basil.

Pig in a Tunnel: I couldn't figure out exactly what was in this, but it looked like a cannoli shell, with bacon wrapped like a ribbon around the middle, filled with guacamole, dots of mayonnaise, and something else, I think. Whatever it was made of, it was good.

Sausage Sliders: a breakfast sausage patty sandwiched between two hashbrown patties. Awesome.

There were also the big jars of candy: jelly beans, Red Vines, chocolate, chewy balls that tasted like coconut rum, miscellaneous penny candy.

Of course, I have to show you our costumes. I was a tree. Chris was Big Bird.

Easter Bread, which is really a pie.

When I was little, my Mom, Grammy, and Auntie Patti were at-home moms, and they'd get together on Good Friday to make our family's traditional Easter Bread (we're Italians, but the exact origin of the recipe is lost in the blur of the past). School was closed for Good Friday, so my siblings and I would hang around while the ladies made Easter Bread. It being Good Friday, we had to struggle against the temptation to pick in the ham. We always got the extra dough to play with, to keep us busy, and this recipe makes enough to spare.

In recent years, no one has had the time to keep the tradition going. (I would, but I have jack squat for workspace in my kitchen, so not while I'm living here.) Also, it's by no stretch of the imagination health food. The best you can do to cut the fat and calories is to use part-skim riccotta and lean ham. It's delicious, but it's also heavy, so thin slices (1" or so at widest) are good.

makes *3* 2-crust pies

CRUST
5 cups flour
9 raw eggs
1 TBSP baking powder
½ cup shortening
salt&pepper

FILLING
18 boiled eggs (sliced/diced)
32 oz. tub ricotta
½ lb. Mozzarella
½ lb. provolone
4 cups cubed ham
grated cheese (parmesan? romano?)

Bake 350 F until done, about 1 hour-ish

[Note: I found this recipe in Mom's drawer, the ink faded, the paper tattered. The bake temperature wasn't even noted, but Mom said 350, because it's sort of a default unless-otherwise-noted baking temperature.]

The Lenten Index.

Christians are well into the season of Lent. (Or as my Jewish ex-boyfriend called it, "Lint".) Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, but will eat seafood. The Eastern Orthodox (whose Lent and Easter are on a different schedule) go without meat, fish, dairy, and eggs for the duration of Lent. Although I belong to a Congregational church, because I am in a mixed marriage, I follow the Catholic Lenten Friday rules.

So, what to eat? Here are some highlights of Lent-friendly food.

To open links in new windows, please do the right click thing.

VEGAN (NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS)

Barley and Black Bean Salad

Maple wheat rolls

VEGETARIAN (WITH DAIRY AND/OR EGGS)

Spanakopita (traditional and Bisquick)

Simple Bagel Sandwich

Strawberry and Feta Salad

Grilled Pepper Jack Cheese with Avocado

Macaroni Salad

SEAFOOD

Poached Salmon

Fish Casserole

Shrimp with Carrot Ribbons and Coconut

Best-Ever Glazed Salmon

Chesapeake Spiced Salmon Cakes

Pizza with Mom

I spent Thursday night at my parent's house because I had a job interview in their area the next day. Mom works late on Thursday, so I offered to make dinner, and she proposed pizza.

I used a Bob's Red Mill gluten-free pizza crust mix that reminded me a little too much of Play-Doh as I worked with it. The taste was OK, but "off" compared to normal pizza doughs. I really don't dig the gluten-free stuff; I just used it because Dad is going wheat-free. (Here are dough recipes I would normally use, whole wheat and basic.) The crust had to be par-baked for 7 to 9 minutes before applying the toppings and baking for another 15-18 minutes.

I surprised myself when I turned a little can of tomato paste into enough sauce to spread on two 12-inch pizzas. I added about a teaspoon each of basil, oregano, garlic powder, and a couple dashes of pepper, then a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese. I stirred it thoroughly with a fork and spread it onto the crusts with a spatula.

After the crusts were covered with sauce, we added a layer of thin-sliced mozzarella, which Mom had brought home from the deli.

One pizza was topped with fresh roma (plum) tomatoes (sliced into circles), basil, and some grated romano cheese.

The other pizza was topped with broccoli (cut into bite-size pieces and steamed in the microwave for about 3 minutes to soften it up), diced sweet red peppers, and diced chicken breast. (I cooked the chicken from raw, about 1o minutes in the microwave, flipping and checking repeatedly.) On top of all that, I spread an 8 ounce bag of pizza-blend shredded cheese (in this case, the mix was mozzarella with cheddar).

To review, the layers were as follows: Crust-->Sauce-->sliced mozzarella-->meat and veggie toppings-->shredded/grated cheese.

Then we baked the pizza for 15 more minutes. Both pizzas came out gorgeous and tasted delicious!

The Easiest Pulled Pork Ever.

I bought a whole pork loin, because it was on sale for $1.49/lb. at Price Rite. It was an 8 pound boneless log of meat, but I knew just what to do with it. I cut it into three chunks, about the same size (a little over 2 1/2 pounds each), threw one into the crockpot, and put the others into gallon size zipper bags and froze them.

This is how I cooked the portion in the crockpot, and will do another tomorrow.

1. Put the entire chunk of pork in the crockpot.

2. Pour a bottle of barbeque sauce (about 20 ounces) on top. Splurge a little on a high-quality sauce. Add sliced onions if you'd like. Chris doesn't like them, so I skip them.

3. Set the crockpot on HIGH. Let cook for about 5 or 6 hours for a 2 1/2 pound chunk of pork.

I did flip the meat a couple times early on, but it's best just to keep the lid on and the heat in.

Last time, I used an orange barbeque sauce, which went well with the brown rice and stir-fry of Asian vegetables I made for side dishes. Tomorrow I think I'll make cornbread and salad.

P.S. A while ago, I posted about making a similar dish with chicken in the slow cooker. In that post, I included a recipe for a great homemade barbeque sauce.

Gimme back that Filet-o-Fish! Give me that fish! Ooh!

I may be the only person in America who really likes that McDonald's jingle. I was actually psyched when it returned to the airwaves last week.

I was also psyched to find this article on Slashfood about the Filet-o-Fish, the alternative burger that quietly exists year-round but claims the glorious spotlight (or is it just the heat lamp?) this time of year.

"Interestingly enough, meatless Fridays are what prompted Lou Groen to create the Filet-o-Fish in 1962, after losing business on Lenten Fridays at his McDonald's franchise in heavily Roman Catholic Cincinnati.

"The sandwich not only saved his restaurant but ultimately led to the sale of 300 million Filet-o-Fish sandwiches annually at McDonald's around the world. Of those 300 million, 25 percent of those sales come from the 40-day period before Easter Sunday."

Pretty nifty.

Quickie: Singular Soup

When I was in college, there was a nice, homey Vietnamese restaurant down the street. To begin the meal, they served a simple soup that was just clear broth with slices of green onion floating on the surface.

This soup is inspired by that basic Vietnamese soup, as well as Chinese egg drop soup.

2 cups water

2 small or 1 large beef bouillion cube(s)

1/3 cup scallions, cut into small pieces

1 egg

Cook the first three ingredients in the microwave for 2 minutes. Break egg into the soup, stir briskly with a fork, then cook for 2 more minutes.

*Note: I have a 1100 Watt microwave, so if yours is less powerful, you may need to adjust the times.

This is what it looked like, in the warm glow of my kitchen.

Quickie: Simple Bagel Sandwich

Step 1: Toast an "Everything" bagel (or onion bagel or other flavor you desire)

Step 2: Spread each side with cream cheese.

Step 3: Add a slice of tomato

Step 4: Put together and voila.

Soft Little Ginger Cookies

I made these cookies for Christmas with the extended family. They went over very well.

I got the recipe from a fellow Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, the Quirky Kitchen.

And yes, it really does call for black pepper, which you won't taste itself, but perfects the flavor of the other spices.

Bite Sized Molasses Ginger Cookies

1/3 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses (an "oops I accidentally spilled a bit extra into the batter" measurement)

2 cups whole wheat flour (alternately all-purpose would work)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

pinch black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degree F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

Add the brown sugar, beat until combined.

Beat in egg and molasses. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Combine the granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet and squash slightly with your fingers.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until set and tops are cracked.

Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen

Strategies to make life without a dishwasher suck less, without resorting to paper plates

I hate living without a dishwasher. Chris probably hates it worse because doing dishes is his job. (Cooking, laundry, and grocery shopping are mine.) We are both looking forward to someday (hopefully very soon) owning a house, and having a dishwasher.

In the meantime, I try to avoid dirtying more dishes than necessary. Given the water it takes to wash and rinse a dish by hand, it's also an eco-friendly gesture.

Unfortunately, I have yet to live in a municipality that recycles foam. However, since I can't really recycle it, I can feel good about reusing it. Ground turkey, which comes pre-packed in deep foam trays, goes on sale frequently, so I use it often. If I'm mixing up the meat with spices for burgers or bread crumbs and egg for meatballs or meatloaf, I do it in the foam tray. I cut around three sides of the plastic sheet on top, leaving it attached on one side. Then, I lift the meat, take out the paper or plastic absorbent pads from the bottom, and discard them. After mixing the meat, I pull the plastic sheet over it and press the sheet down so it sticks to and covers the meat. I let the meat sit in the fridge for a couple hours to let it absorb the spices, then mix it again before shaping it. When I'm done with the tray, I can just toss it. Convenience.

Another way I spare Chris from washing an extra pan is to cook a whole meal in one pan. I will cut root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips, yams, etc.) into chunks and lay chicken pieces over it in a rectangular glass pan. As the chicken cooks, the juices moisten the vegetables. (It takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour on 375.) This is great when the chicken is being cooked with a glaze, sauce, or marinade.

When I do pasta and sauce (from a jar, I used to make from scratch, but with Chris' tastes, it's not worth it), I use the same pot. I boil the pasta first, then drain it in the colander. I then use the still-warm pan to heat up the sauce on the burner on medium-low heat for a few minutes. I toss in the pasta while it's still steaming, so the finished dish is hot, but not too hot.

I drink lots of water. I have my designated water cup for the day, so I only use that one, and don't generate several dirty cups. It doesn't go into the sink until the day is done.

Not having a dishwasher still isn't as nice as having one. With some simple strategies, though, it's not all drudgery.