Food for thought--All for fall-harvest recipes

I love fall! Vivid leaves falling, hiking, visiting orchards, hayrides, bonfires and Hallowe'en. Autumn celebrates the harvest and changes. I especially love autumnal food and celebrating the bounty. Enjoy these recipes! Also, click on the "Food for thought" title or here for a yummy seasonal salmon recipe.
Menu
Farfalle with Roasted Butternut Cream Sauce
Roasted Beet Salad, Sauteed Beet Tops and Bleu cheese with Orange Dressing
Brown Butter Chicken with Parsley and Garlic
Jewish Apple Cake

Wine: 2005 Riesling (next time, Pinot Grigio or Sancerre to cut the richness)

Farfalle with Roasted Butternut Cream Sauce
Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds farfalle, or bow-tie pasta. Cook according to package directions.

2 small or one large winter squash (used butternut), seeded and halved
1/2 stick butter
10 leaves fresh sage, chopped
5 stems parsley, minced
Dash nutmeg, optional
1/2 small onion or 1 shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp flour
1 bouillon cube or 1/2 tsp. salt
1 pint half-and-half
1/3 cup pecans
1/4 C grated parmesan

Roast seeded and halved squash, face down on cookie sheet or glass pans, in 400 oven for 40 minutes, until tender and "scoopable" from their skins. Allow to cool, then scoop into bowl. Mash if necessary until smooth. You will need at least 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.

In a skillet over med-high heat, melt butter. When bubbly, add fresh sage and parsley. When the leaves have darkened, add onion and optional nutmeg. Cook and stir until onion starts becoming translucent and glossy. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add flour, and stir often until flour turns a very light brown. Reduce heat to medium. Add salt or bouillon.

Over medium heat, add milk slowly, stirring often, until you have used about half. Add squash and stir and smush to even out texture. Add the rest of cream while stirring. Add pecans. Turn off heat. Then add cheese, stirring until combined. The sauce will be quite thick and will sit on top of pasta. I prefer to toss the sauce and pasta together, with a little extra sauce on top.


Roasted Beet Salad, Sauteed Beet Tops and Bleu cheese with Orange Dressing
Serves 8-10
Roast 5 or 6 peeled beets wrapped in foil, with squash or by themselves--400 for 40 minutes in the oven should be enough.
Slice in disks or in small wedges.

Reserve beet tops. Rinse well 2 times under running water. Discard red stems; save the leaves. Sautee with a dash butter or olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper until wilted. Remove from pan and put in serving bowl. If you don't have the beet tops, use kale, spinach or mustard greens.

Throw in a few apple pieces and pecans from the other recipes into the bowl. Thinly slice some leftover onion from the squash into the bowl-about 20 small pieces.

Dressing- Mix 1/2 C orange juice, 1/4 c olive oil, dash vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, parsley and remaining onion in food processor. Mix until smooth. Pour over salad. Top or toss in crumbled bleu cheese, maybe 3 oz total.

Poulet a la grenouille-Chicken, frog-leg style
Don't get freaked out--it's just chicken sauteed in butter with parsley and garlic. I saw this on Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way a few years back. I think I made it that same day!

Really simple!
Chop skinless chicken breasts into cubes. Or, leave them whole or in large strips for a more formal presentation.

Coat them with flour and pepper, but do not add salt yet.

Sauté in melted butter. Or, you can mix butter and olive oil about 50/50. After they’ve lightly browned, add salt, garlic and chopped parsley to taste. Cook about 2 minutes longer.

If you are using rather large pieces, finish them off in the oven, so as not to have a burnt crust and an undercooked inside.


Jewish apple cake

named for its place on the table during Rosh Hashanah.I just made this on Sat. and have included my modifications. This is not a very sweet cake, as written. It tastes like the Apple Cake at Whole Foods, albeit with a better butter flavor! Feel free to use sweeter apples and/or increase the sugar by 1/4 to 1/3 cup for a more pronounced sugary taste, and to mirror the original recipe.

5 apples, peeled and diced (used Granny Smith)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, plus another 1/4 tsp. reserved
1/3 c sugar
----------

3 C unbleached flour
2 C sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter, melted and cooled--the original recipe calls for 1 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C chunky applesauce (I added this)
4 eggs
1/4 C orange juice concentrate--(original recipe calls for 7 Tbsp OJ)
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Prepare apples. Add cinnamon and sugar. Toss & set aside.

Set oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or one bundt pan-- will take a longer baking time.

Add dry ingredients. Remember to add the extra 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. When well combined, gently fold in the apples.

Pour into pans or pan. Using shallow pans will take about 50 minutes while the bundt pan will take 1 hr. 45 minutes. I used 2 cake pans. You may have to switch cake between racks for even baking if cake is not in center of oven. Cake will be done when top is a deep golden brown and the buttery smell drives you near the point of insanity.

Allow to cool--warm to the touch is fine--before cutting.

It's great by itself. It also goes well with fruit compote, ice cream and creme fraiche.

Try it with Riesling, dessert wine or sparkling apple cider...or even some apple brandy.


THANKSGIVING PREVIEW~
Here's a recipe for the best turkey I ever made: Turkey with Sage Butter. It was just a few of us at a get-together, so I just used a 2- or 3-pound breast. I cut and rolled them into individual cutlets, like Chicken Kiev, but I didn't bread it. Turkey and butter may sound like they'd make strange bedfellows, yet it turned out very well and was not too hard. Brine the turkey. This means soaking it in a salt-seasoning-water solution for a few hours or, even better, overnight. Then let the meat dry a little on the surface. Prepare as usual. The original recipe calls for bacon. I didn't use any bacon, and it was still great.

Food for thought: No Love Lost--Noshing in Nashville

Dear food diary,

I and 2800 others recently went to Nashville for Blacks in Government. I ate my way through that town. There were so many finds, and all the meals were good. I should admit to two things: I wasn't by myself, and we did some reconnaissance before we arrived. We also had a rental car at our disposal, the better to taste Nashville's far-flung delights.

Loveless Cafe on Highway 100 is a country girl's hog heaven. Literally, as their Ham's 'n' Jams store revealed. We were just two, and hongry as I don't know what. So naturally, we wanted the all-you-can-eat family-style dinner, with two meats and three sides for under $14 apiece. Trouble is, you need four people to be a "family." Guess you don't have to know each other. 'Cause when the hostess wouldn't seat just the two of us for the family-style meal, we plucked Erin and Willie from the waiting area to share our table. I said all that to say the food is so good, absolute strangers will break bread with you if it means they can stuff their faces with some good country cooking.

Although we'd never met the other half, the four of us reached quick consensus on fried chicken-thin coated and fried in peanut oil; the best pulled pork (and hoe cakes) I've ever tasted; creamy macaroni & cheese; fried okra; and hash brown casserole, by far one of the best sides offered at a restaurant. Ever.

The biscuits were hot and tasty, accompanied with all the strawberry, blackberry and coveted peach preserves you can eat. If that alone didn't make us swoon, they had drinks included. Not just any old drinks, mind you. We're talking Dr. Pepper, sweet tea, and lemonade. We switched our drink orders so much, the waitress double-checked that she wasn't losing her mind on the refills. It was all just so good. Soooo goood.

So, we came back three days later with more friends--friends we knew beforehand, that is. We ordered pork chops with candied sweet potatoes and more mac 'n' cheese; smoked turkeytopped with cranberry bbq sauce sided with amazing creamed corn; and eggs, country ham and pancakes-Yep, breakfast and dinner all day long, folks. Such sweet memories had to be preserved. What better souvenir than peach preserves and biscuits? For all the low country gourmands out there, try your darndest to make it to Loveless Cafe next time you're in Nashville.

We also had a pretty good experience, albeit more highbrow, at Sunset Grill. The highlight, for me, anyway, of Sunset Grill was the desserts. Challah french toast (holla!), carrot cake with cream cheese frosting ice cream--you read it right the first time--, and an amazing bread pudding with habanero pepper, caramel sauce and strawberries closed out our delicious meal. A note about that bread pudding: it was sweet, rich and hot, as in pepper-hot. It was brilliant, since you just tasted the heat of the pepper, but not the earthy pepper flavor. I would love to see the recipe for that one.

We also stopped by Caney Fork's Fish House. I wasn't crazy about their food, but their corn fritters were like a corn bread and funnel cake love child, dusted with powdered sugar. The bomb! Plus, they came to the table in a replenished bread basket. I practically jettisoned my hush puppies off the table, so as not to crowd out these precious fritters. I can imagine them with cream-and-sugared coffee for breakfast. Dang. It's not breakfast.

What else? Oh, I tried fried pickles for the first time. They were so boldly wrong on so many levels that I quite respected them. We ate these at BB King's bar, along with some great cocktails. I recommend the Lucille.

I won't even get into Gaylord Opryland's myriad restaurants and foodways. Suffice it to say that the long, long walks to my hotel rooms mitigated my gelato, burger, and panini splurges.

Past Perfect off Third St. had great bison burgers, part of its eclectic, healthful and tasty menu. Plus, the Sunday Karaoke was so much fun. It was American Idol up in there. Gotta love $2.50 Blue Moon draft.

Pictures coming soon...There are some glorious food porn pictures, mostly of our meals at Loveless Cafe.

Some Loveless Cafe recipes:

Hash Brown Casserole

• 4 pounds shredded hash brown potatoes
• 8 ounces diced onion
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces shredded American cheese
• 1 20-ounce can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup
• 16 ounces sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir together well. Spoon into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serves 8 to 10.

Southern Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups pecans
• 1 10-inch unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs slightly to combine yolks and whites. Add corn syrup and sugars. Melt butter and add to the egg and sugar mixture. Stir in vanilla and pecans until well blended. Carefully pour into pie crust, being careful not to overfill. Bake for 50 minutes or until set. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too early, cover the edges with aluminum foil. Cool before serving.

Food for thought: Do it yourself--Cake walk & other goodies

Some may think I never use a recipe. Actually, they are quite useful, but memorizing ratios works better for me long-term. I also alter them so much that they don't look like a recipe anymore!

Here's my standard cake ratio/recipe:

Cake=
Wet stuff:

• 3/4 -1C. liquid & reduce when using moist fruit
  
• 3+ eggs,
  
• 1-1.5 cups oil,
  
• 1 -2 tsp. flavoring, such as extract
  

+
Dry stuff:

• 1-2 cups sugar,
  
• 3-3 1/2 cups flour,
  
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder (or use 1 tsp. baking soda),
  
• 1 tsp. salt.
  

Mix wet, then dry, then wet into dry. Bake at 350 for 45+minutes (for Bundt pan)

Hummingbird cake and cupcakes
This is the recipe my auntie used, rest her soul. Ingredients found in a Tropical blizzard from Dairy Queen--bananas, pineapple and pecans--must have been the inspiration for this amazing and simple cake with cream cheese frosting. Try adding a teaspoon of molasses in the frosting to add a caramel flavor.

Variation: Banana cake with chocolate chips and pecans

Substitute crushed pineapple for 2/3 bag chocolate chips.

Butternut squash lasagne. This is SOO good! I used chopped fresh sage and substituted pecans for hazelnuts. I think you could use pumpkin or most other starchy, winter squashes in a pinch.

Gingersnap cheesecake sandwiches
I made up this recipe while roaming Trader Joe's. Get the highest-quality gingersnaps you can find. I like TJ's Organic Gingersnap Cookies. They definitely have a "snap" and contain butter.

For 50 little sandwiches. In my experience, this fed only about 15! Make the night before, so cookies will soften. Keeps for 2 days.

4 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
4 oz. mango chunks, fresh or thawed from frozen, diced in food processor
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla for fruit
1 tsp. vanilla for cream cheese
2 packs TJ's Organic Gingersnap Cookies (yellow & blue label) for 100 cookies total
2 packages 8 oz. cream cheese blocks

Make a chutney with fruit and sugar in a small saucepan for 15 minutes. It should thicken and the fruit should taste sweet, but less sweet than jelly. Remove from stove to cool down to room temperature. Add vanilla before cooling.

Beat cream cheese in a food processor to soften it. Add cooled fruit and vanilla. Scrape side to get an even mixture, and pulse just enough to incorporate ingredients.

On a tray or a large plastic storage container, line up gingersnaps. Spread cream cheese thickly on a gingersnap, then cover it with another gingersnap. You may have to quickly turn it like you're separating an Oreo to get uniform cream cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Gingersnaps will soften over time from the moisture from the cream cheese. Promptly give as many away as possible, lest you eat 100 gingersnaps and 1 pound of cream cheese in 1 or 2 sittings.


Larb gai salad, adapted from Typhoon Restaurant, Portland, Oregon-- recipe found on Epicurious.com

2/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup fish sauce (nam pla*) Note: I used 2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar Note: omitted. See below
2 teaspoons Thai roasted chili paste* in oil or chili-garlic sauce* Note: I used 2 tbsp.sweet chili sauce

3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth Used 1 bouillon cube + 3/4 C water
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken Note: used same amount of ground turkey
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass*
1 tablespoon thinly sliced Thai chilies* or Serrano chilies Note: omitted
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves Note: substituted parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves Note: used 1/2 cup torn leaves

2 small heads Boston lettuce, separated into leaves Note: used about 2 oz. spinach and 1lb. bag cole slaw mix

Note: added fried vermicelli and roasted almond slivers for crunch.

*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets nationwide.

Preparation:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend; reserve sauce.

Bring broth to simmer in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken. Simmer until cooked through, breaking up meat with spoon, about 8 minutes. Add green onions and next 3 ingredients. Stir until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sauce, cilantro and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon into lettuce leaves; serve.

More recipes coming! Bonne cuisine!

Food for thought: Gourmet alchemy 101: Costco shortcuts

GOURMET ALCHEMY
So, I've finally joined the ranks and got a Costco membership. Cheap grape tomatoes! Whole cows for $20! An orchard of berries for $6! Then, a funny thing happened: I started identifying all sorts of food I'd had at parties that came straight from the shelves of Costco.

I thought about minor changes and improvements to make food less commonplace.

Ingredient(s) from Costco:

Can be assembled earlier in the day:
Olive tapenade
deli meats such as salami, turkey ham, roasted turkey
mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese, sliced
croissants or loaf bread, sliced

New creation: Mufuletta Sandwich for lunch or informal dinner
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes


Can be assembled the night before (don't want the scallops to go bad!)
5 lbs (or whatever ridiculous amount is being sold) bacon
Bay scallops

Extra ingredient: black pepper or garam masala for the adventuresome

New creation: Bacon-wrapped scallops hors d'oeuvre

Sprinkle black pepper or masala on scallops in a bowl, then wrap in bacon that has been cut in 3 pieces. Secure with a toothpick. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until bacon is crispy, but still flexible & not breaking. There should be plenty of drippings in the pan. Transfer to plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm.



Ingredients:
Whipping cream
Half-and-half
Honey
Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar

Extra ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt; 1 oz. water

New creation: Premium honey-vanilla ice cream

Mix 1/4 honey with salt and water until honey and salt are dissolved. Mixture should be warm, not hot, and should take less than 4 minutes. Cool mixture until room temperature, then cool in fridge or freezer.

Mix 1 cup whipping cream and 1 1/4 cups half-and half with honey mixture. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Blend in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Chill 3 hours.

Ingredients from Costco:
Chocolate chips
Whipping cream
Honey
Madeleines (little tea cakes) or brownie bites
Fresh berries

Ingredients from home:
2 oz. liqueur, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla or orange or almond extract, optional

New creation: Chocolate fondue station

In a glass bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power for a couple minutes (depends on amount of chips and wattage of microwave), until chocolate chips are gooey and glistening. Slowly add cream, stir well, and return to microwave. Microwave 1 more minute at 70% power. Stir vigorously until all chips are melted and sauce is a thick liquid. Add spice, liqueur or extract; stir again until flavorings are blended.

Serve in bowl on a platter arranged with fruit and cakes. Or, arrange fruit and cakes on a tiered stand and serve fondue in a bowl beside stand.


Ingredients from Costco:
Grape tomatoes, washed
Marinated fresh mozzarella balls, drained of most of oil (but try and retain seasonings)

Optional ingredients:
Fresh basil
Fresh or dried oregano
Sea salt
Finely minced red onion or shallot or scallions

New creation: Insalata caprese in 5 minutes!

In a large bowl, mix drained mozzarella and grape tomatoes. Add optional ingredients to taste. Serves 8-10

Variation: Caprese "panini"
Load tomatoes and mozzarella with a little oil and salt* in French bread. Press down hard, then quickly wrap in foil. Bake in 400-degree oven for 12 minutes, until cheese is melted.
*Add cooked chicken, sardines, and/or a sliced hard-boiled egg if you want something more substantial.

Scratch and sniff beneath the surface: Get ready for Spring! Look good-smell good-feel good!

Spring is here! Celebrate the warmer weather with something new.


Look good!
From the grocer:
Use the follwing as moisturizers:

Honey-Mix with many items for a great oil-free mask. Try pure aloe vera gel after being out in the sun.

Avocado--after scooping the flesh out, use what's left by rubbing anything left on knees elbows the face, etc. by turning the skin inside out and rubbing directly on skin. Can't beat those great oils coupled with exfoliating action.

Ripe banana-thought you were going to make banana bread but changed your mind? Don't like them in smoothies? Try them, well-pureed, on your hair. I put it on before I shampoo. Amazing!

Shea butter-a great oil. Don't like the smell? Melt in a sauce pan; cook for 10 minutes once melted over low heat with some cut limes. Use quickly, as the moisture from the limes reduces its shelf life.

Oats-soak up excess oil with oats soaked in a little water. A litle goes a long way.

Ground flax seed-great oils and a natural exfoliant make for a good scrubbing mask or all over scrub

Pineapple skin-If you cut your own fresh pineapple, save the skin! The fruit acid bromelain is a great exfoliant. Take it in the shower or bathtub and give your skin a good rub before you wash. You can also boil the skin with sorrel or ginger for a great flavor in your drinks or on its own with fresh lemon juice added to make a tropical lemonade (but I digress.)

Fresh or dried herbs-make a steam facial with herbs that may be getting old. Not sure if it's peppermint or nettle? Use it in baths (use a pouch of fabric to prevent a mess.) Of course, make sure you're using something non-irritating.

Aspirin- I have yet to try this, but I hear that aspirin contains a lot of salycylic acid--my favorite acid for exfoliation. My plan is to buy some aspirin and crush it into hot water for a foot bath. I may also crush it and mix with avocado on my face.

Smell good!

We had several weeks' lapse in our Internet service, so I didn't get the scent guide out. My hubby, a neighbor and I descended upon Sephora and tried on several scents. So, here are some scents to consider, if you're in the mood for change:

For Men:
Versace Dreamer-A neighbor kindly tested this. We all really liked it. It smelled rich, sweet and masculine. I'd suggest his for those who like le Male from Jean Paul Gautier or Joop Homme. (Too many people are wearing J P G right now. By summer, it will be an epidemic.)

Unforgivable by Sean John-This smelled nice, but not special. The scent notes contain all kinds of weird notes like tobacco and Lemon Heads--OK, no Lemon Heads!--but it smells like a nice, classic warm with a touch of citrus blend.

L'Eau Bleue d'Issey

This smelled nice, but not remarkable.

We tried on more, but I have to find my notes...


For Women:

Hermes Un Air de Mediterranee-It was "ugh" at first smell for me once it was on my skin. My husband went crazy over it for a good 20 minutes, then said he didn't like it anymore. It had these herbal twists and turns that did me wrong. I have a feeling that it would smell good on someone with a Mediterranean diet. Better as a room spray (but not at that price!)
Hermes has a whole line evoking smells of nice places--Provence, for example. I wonder if the fragrances were made with the intent to change with skin/heat. Save your $ on this one.

Un Instant de Guerlain--Ooooh. This smells nice. If I had more disposable cash and less half-empty perfume bottles, I'd buy it. tout de suite. It has a light, floral smell, with warm and fruity undertones. It smells better on the skin after time goes by.

Something new by Jean Paul Gaultier(or was it Classique? Notes?!) -It smells like a sexy tootsie roll. In fact, I'd made an oil with orange blossom, chocolate, patchouli and bergamot last winter/spring that smelled just like this. Great for nights and cozy weekends.

What do you do when everyone starts wearing YOUR scent, and you want to smell unique? Try out something new next time you go shopping.

Ladies, if you like ...

• Opium, Aromatics or Cinnabar, try Cristobal by Balenciaga, Kenzo Jungle or Prada(spice is nice)
• Tresor, try Flower by Kenzo; Magnetism by Escada or Sensi bu Armani (powdery notes)
• L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, try Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana (classic, soft, long-lasting)
• Champagne/Yvresse by YSL or Knowing, try Gucci Rush or EnJOY by Jean Patou
• Paris-YSL or Ombre Rose, try Stella by Stella McCartney (mellow rose-inspired scents)
• Obsession by Calvin Klein, try Trouble by Boucheron
  

Guys, if you like...

• Le Male by Jean Paul Gautier, try Rochas Man, Armani Code or Versace Dreamer
• Old Spice, try M7 by Yves St. Laurent
• Cool Water, try Romance for Men by Ralph Lauren or Polo Blue
• Drakkar Noir, try Unforgivable, Paco Rabanne or Egoiste Platinum by Chanel
• Brut, try Dolce & Gabbana Homme or Kouros by Yves St. Laurent

Food for thought: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Can you feel the love in the air? Along with the love, I also sense some doubt, mild bouts of panic and an eagerness to please. Because, get this: Valentine's Day is not all about love. There is an element of showing you care, wanting to "take things to another level", and creating a perfect cocoon of romance. All those things take planning, and they often involve food. So here are some ideas for nice and naughty things for Valentine's Day, especially for those wanting to seal the deal...

Preview for a newish sweetie:
Before Valentine's Day, make a super dinner. This will take some pressure off you and will show off your skills but make them seem like an everyday feat. Italian food might be nice. People often suggest avoiding garlic and strong spices/seasonings for a super-romantic time, but this time, you can make some solid comfort food. I'd avoid soup, as boiling liquid and constant stirring often make it look like the work is too hard.

Pasta with Bolognese sauce Tip: try fettucine to catch more of the sauce, if you want the "Fox and the Hound" effect of slooping up pasta and staring into each other's eyes
Pappardelle with Vegetable Bolognese vegan before you top with grated parmesan

Salad? Try this versatile recipe-- Seasonal Country Salad with Spiced Walnuts. The walnuts can be prepared ahead of time. There are various options based on what's in season

Wine? Serve your Bolognese sauce with Beringer Sangiovese

For dessert, make a tiramisu sundae: half a slice of plain cheesecake (no fruit) with coffee ice cream. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top. If you want to take it up a notch, try the following: buy a whole plain cheesecake, but not too big. Trader Joe's has some nice small ones. Allow a pint of premium coffee ice cream to get a little soft. Use a spatula or large knife to spread ice cream over cheesecake. Sprinkle with cocoa powder--Nesquik will do in a pinch. Freeze for 3 hours, or until firm.


Valentine's Day

The rules for a romantic meal usually are:

• eat light (you can nibble on grapes throughout the night) to keep you spry
• if you opt for rich food, serve in smaller portions
• keep garlic & onions to a minimum
• keep it simple, so you can avoid stress
• make some things you can keep at room temperature
• make some things you can eat with your hands
• impress with little touches like a roaring fire, candles, flowers, good music

Most tasks can be prepped beforehand, so relax!!!

Make a salad of cucumber ribbons and a light vinaigrette. It's something you can make ahead of time.
I like the looks of this cucumber salad with jalapenos and minced peanuts. Only make this salad if you know your sweetie likes it hot and doesn't have a nut allergy! Also, use seedless cucumbers to save time and make ribbons (use a peeler and peel along the length of the cucumber).

A raita, a cucumber salad with yogurt (with sliced/ribboned instead of grated cucumbers), could work as well.

For a simple Italian salad, combine 1 pint grape tomatoes, 1 handful kalamata olives with brine/oil and 1 8-oz container baby mozzarella balls--usually in water--, drained into a medium-sized glass bowl. It can all fit in a small mixing bowl. Use 4 fresh basil leaves and tear them into bits over the other ingredients. Add some black pepper, salt and olive oil to taste & look like you exerted some effort. Great food you can eat with your hands, if you really want.

Main Course
A petit filet mignon hits the spot for me. Salmon, tuna, or chicken also work. If you like finger food, try shrimp. Just remember, you may not want to linger in the kitchen, and small, quick-cooking items may need your attention.

Vegan or vegetarian? Try a rich lasagna, as it fills a plate but won't fill you up too much. Plus, you can leave it in the oven a while.

Vegetable
I love green beans amandine, baby carrots, and mixed lettuce salads. Grilled zucchini, too. I avoid mushy medleys and pungent smells, liked cooked cabbage.

Dessert
Why not go with fancy chocolates, a nice, warm dessert, or fresh fruit and liqueur?I love Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur. Try it straight in beautiful little goblets, on the rocks, over ice cream, or try soaking cantaloupe in some and chilling while preparing the meal. Or put it in coffee or hot chocolate. Other substitutes include Godiva liqueur, Chambord--great wi, and Kahlua (but not with cantaloupe!). I love Chambord, Frangelico and half-and-half or milk over ice. It's a version of a drink called nuts & berries. So good!

Other menu sources:

Gourmet's Valentine's Day Dinner for Two

Bon Appetit's "Cook it Together" menu for Valentine's Day


After all that effort, make sure you smell good!
Next week, I head to Sephora and sniff out the best perfumes to give, get and wear.

Food for thought: Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah--Are you ready???

Season's greetings! I love the holidays. At least, now I do, since I don't buy too many gifts. But more about that later.

Did you send out invites for a nice, cozy gathering, only to realize that you have no idea what you're going to serve? On the hook for Christmas dinner? New Year's Eve cocktails? Get some ideas here, and use the time (and money!) you save getting something nice for yourself...


Appetizers

Cream cheese will be your best friend. You can do so many things with it!

Ever heard of cheese logs or cheese balls? Well, why not make pear shapes? Or even a cone-shape for a tree?

Also, use cream cheese as the base for a mousse.

Salmon mousse (serves 25 hungry or 40 nibblers)
8 oz. smoked salmon pieces. Buy the pieces cheap, as in $6 or less at Trader Joe's and Harris Teeter.
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 sprigs fresh dill, stems removed
Pepper, to taste
Pulse cream cheese in food processor, then add salmon, and dill.

Voila! You have a ton of mousse! Use on top of seedless cucumbers, or peel & seed a regular cucumber, cut in half, then put mousse in the middle. Cut in 1/2-inch slices, and you have cute watermelon-like hors d'oeuvres. Stand them up, or slice them thin on mini toasts, melba rounds or bagel chips. To pipe out the mousse, store in a large Ziploc bag. Just before serving, cut a small slit with scissors at one corner. Start small; you can make the slit bigger, but not smaller! Also works well for frosting.

Salsa mousse
Use 8 oz. cream cheese, softened. Pulse in a food processor.

Add 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes softened in hot water, 4 slices pickled jalepeno, 1 sprig fresh or dash dried cilantro and 1 clove fresh garlic. Puree until almost smooth. Experiment with firm silken tofu if you're vegan or are entertaining vegan guests; you may need to add salt.

Use with tortilla chips, grape tomatoes. Serve in a seeded green or red pepper. Extra festive!


Brie with dried cranberries and pistachios
8 oz. brie cheese
8 small sandwich-size pitas
1 large handful dried cranberries
1 handful shelled, salted pistachios- will be bright green & powdery

Cut edges of pita in order to separate sides. Overlap thin circles on a large dinner plate. Put 2 wedges or small wheel of brie on top of bread. Heat in microwave for 1 minute to 1 1/2 minutes, until brie starts to melt in the middle. Sprinkle cranberries and pistachios on melted cheese. Cut remaining pitas into thick triangle wedges. Serve while hot (and reheat if it gets cold).

All of these appetizers would be great for Hanukkah if you're keeping Kosher-no meat.

Vegetables
I used to do complicated stuff for parties. No more hot veggies! People want company, not scurrying and worrying. A few things I like that are not your typical salads... I love marinated veggies. I use pre-prepared items from the grocery store, like matchstick or sliced carrots; frozen bell peppers cut lengthwise; frozen peas (thawed, but not cooked); or broccoli slaw. Use dressings with extra zing. If using mayonnaise, add it just before serving.

Also, I like chopped fresh mustard greens (wash really well!) tossed with Annie's Goddess dressing. They'll taste very peppery, so make sure you like mustard greens. If using an Asian theme, I've sprinkled crumbled seaweed sheets (only one per small bowl of greens) and toasted sesame seeds on top. Make a lot, as greens shrink and wilt. So good, and something different.


Meats

Meat is tricky. I love meat, but I still have a lot to learn about it.

Poultry
I have a tendency to overcook. If that describes you, too, one thing has helped keep chicken breasts moist: start from frozen. That way, I don't have to change my habits!
My favorite marinade for roasted chicken, hands down, is Goya brand Adobo. I has orange & lemon, juices, cumin, salt and pepper. Work some magic on store-bought rotisserie chicken!

Versatile sauce for meats
Sweet and sour sauce for lamb, turkey, duck and ham:

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
bay leaf
Heat all ingredients, simmering for 20 minutes, or until thickened. For extra flavor, add 4 whole cloves for ham sauce; 1 thyme sprig for lamb; 1/4 cup orange juice for turkey and duck.

Beef
I'm still learning how to cook steaks and other cuts of meat. I do know what enhances the flavor: herbed butter. Use 1 stick unsalted butter; 1 bouillon cube (avoid those with MSG or anything with glutamate in the ingredients list); 4 sprigs parsley and 1 or 2 small cloves garlic. Blend in food processor. It will be bright green. It's so good on beef, chicken, and even garlic bread.

Fish
The only way I've served fish at a big party is fish croquettes. I'm giving away my secrets...Oh well. I use 2 pounds of catfish nuggets for every pound of frozen french fries. Yep, that's my secret! Puree with 1 chopped small onion, salt and lemon pepper in food processor until it's a paste with some chunks in it. I used a deep fryer, but you can use a deep pot 1/3 full with oil. Make sure oil is hot but not smoking. I prefer corn oil. Drop by big teaspoonfuls into oil. Fry until deep golden brown. So good, and a great alternative the normal party food. Make your own tartar sauce-just use pickles, mayo, a little onion or onion powder and cajun seasoning. Chop pickles separately and add into mayo, so you can gauge how much you want in your sauce.

I also like making fried smelt. This is fish for the "down home" crowd. They are small silver fish from Northeast U.S. that are quite inexpensive. One can buy them at the store, frozen and "dressed"-heads, bones and goop removed. I think they come in a 1-pound bags for 5 bucks. Run smelt under cool water to remove ice chips. Then dry them as much as possible with good-quality paper towel. Squeeze out excess water repeatedly. Coat them in flour and salt, and let them rest for a minute. Coat with more flour if smelt look soggy. Use a wok or other large metal skillet that can go into the oven. Fry them with 1/2 cup oil for 8 minutes, shifting pan to make sure oil coats all fish. Then transfer them to the oven for 25 minutes at 325 degrees. They will get insanely crunchy and will turn dark gold. Serve with a mixture of hot salsa and oil or hot sauce mixed with minced garlic and ranch dressing.

Seafood
I only use shrimp, since it's so versatile. Besides, I'm allergic to seafood and can never try what I'm preparing! Try premade flavor enhancers--jerk seasoning, pesto, curry paste and satay sauce to perk up your shrimp. Add some broth to these pastes, and you have a meal to serve with rice,potatoes and pasta.

Vegans
We can't forget the vegans! Making food vegan is so easy. Also, vegan dishes take a lot of juggling meat and dairy out of the picture for Hanukkah.

For an appetizer, alternate grape tomatoes and green olives on skewers cut in half. If preparing for Kwanzaa, add some Kalamata olives.

You could make a bean salad with chopped fresh kale, white beans or chick peas in a can, sundried tomatoes, olives and artichokes. Add olive oil if none of the other ingredients, like artichokes or olives, have oil marinades. Marinate a few hours, if you can. It's red & green, and tasty for vegans or carnivores. To use Kwanzaa colors, switch all or some of the white beans for black beans.

You could also grill veggies and marinate in lemon juice, oregano and olive oil. I actually use a nonstick pan, lightly coat with oil, such as olive oil spray from Trader Joe's, and heat until black marks form on the veggies. So good and easy! You could also use canola oil and use a curry paste (omit oregano) for curried vegetables. Heat some sweet potato fries in the oven, and add to "grilled" curry veggies or rosemary fries to add to oregano-lemon veggies.

Try a caponata, pictured above. It's a Sicilian appetizer/salad made with eggplant, capers, olives, pine nuts and raisins. I just saw one done with diced butternut squash instead of eggplant. Mmm.

By the way, if you're not used to cooking with tofu, don't start now! Stick to pasta salads, hearty bean salads, tabouleh, falafel, cous cous, and curries--whatever you already cook. Your vegan friends will thank you!

Breads
I don't even worry about bread. I use garlic bread--homemade, since store-bought usually has trans fats, corn bread mixes (I've had bad luck with Glory brand--I like Jiffy better) and Bisquick--low fat!-- for bisuits and quick breads. I've had a lot of success with refrigerated biscuits. The ingredients are scary, though. If you're rushed, just serve fresh bread with olive oil. Add herbs you're already using for cooking, and you're done.

Desserts
I used to be obsessed with desserts, until I went to Mali and dessert was an orange, or ice cream if we were dining out. If you're already running mad from all the other courses, relax and make something simple. I find cakes to be much easier than cookies. I also like making cookie bars, as it takes a lot less time than individually-formed cookies.

If you want to bake, here are two recipes I made at Thanksgiving, a ginger pumpkin tart, and a ginger cheesecake. I used the gingersnap crust pressed into a springform pan from the cheesecake recipe for both desserts. A great timesaver! I also added a LOT of diced candied ginger in both recipes. Oh, and I doubled the filling for the pumkin tart.

I love chocolate fondue at parties. I use semisweet chocolate chips (1 12-oz. bag), whipping cream (8 oz.), honey (1/4 cup) and cinnamon. Oh, and vanilla. Only the real thing, no "real imitation vanilla." You can also add liqueur, I'd say 2 oz. or less. Serve with fruit, cake, and/or ice cream. Keep warm in a crock pot. By the way, this makes a heavenly cake glaze, and when it's refrigerated and solid, you can roll small balls in cocoa powder for homemade truffles.

A few years ago, I made apple skewers sprinkled with lemon juice and cinamon sugar & dipped in caramel sauce. I used red & golden/green varieties for the Christmas theme. They were a big hit. (I think I saw a friend just eating the sauce by itself!) I can't find the recipe I used on the Net, so try the following:
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
Combine ingredients in nonstick pan. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until brown, glossy bubbles form. You'll also smell a very aromatic buttery smell. It will take a while (15+ minutes, depending on how much you make & size of pan). Thin with water, if desired.
Drinks
Last, but not least. Have some fun, and embrace the traditional drinks of winter.

Glogg-it's a Scandanavian spiced red wine. You can use the same spices as for spiced apple cider and make it the same way. Some stores, like Glut Food Co-op, sell apple cider spices in bulk. But, if you want to avoid lush-ious glogg-related behavior, use equal parts red wine and a cranberry juice blend! This would be a great way to use leftover wine from a large dinner for some friends coming round the day after (like the day after Christmas).

Cider- You can just throw a cinnamon stick in some cider, and you have a treat. Mulling spices include orange peel, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, ginger and allspice. I also like cardamom sometimes. Also, try topping cider with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Egg nog-Ever looked at the ingredients of store-bought? Yikes! Use dried egg whites whipped with hot water to thicken milk, whipping cream, sugar, nutmeg and...whatever y'all crazy kids put in your egg nog.

Hot chocolate-Mmm. I use Ghiradelli mix with milk, but if you're making a lot, save some money and make it yourself. Use milk, sugar, unsweetened cocoa and vanilla. Marshmallows are fun. I prefer a dollop of marshmallow cream over whipped cream with hot cocoa. Try ricemellow creme-vegan marshmallow fluff--and vanilla soy milk for an animal-free hot cocoa. Or, save a step and use chocolate soy milk. For the adventurous, try Abuelita--Mexican chocolate squares with cinnamon flavoring. For the gourmet, top whipped cream or marshmallow cream with a mixture of dark chocolate shavings, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. For the traditional, use some broken candy canes while heating cocoa. Yummy!

Use frozen juice and lemonades to make a killer punch. Use brightly-colored fruit and water/juice to freeze in a bundt pan and make an ice ring.

So, after all this, you probably want to know: am I having a party? Nope! But if you invite me, I'll bring something good!