GrubBuzz

I will just say it right now, I am NOT a fan of the sugar cookie.

Never have been, but hopefully will be some day. Actually, I have taken it

on as a challenge. Today, I baked a standard sugar cookie. I baked it on

stoneware, stoneware with parchment, an aluminum cookie pan, you name it,

I tried it. Much to my dismay, it didn’t really matter, I still was not the biggest fan. I even played

around with thickness, which I did tend to like a thinner variety. When they are thick, they taste kind

of raw and have a bad texture. So, I decided to play with icing.

I will tell you another secret, I am NOT a big fan of icing either…..especially that of which is usually on

a sugar cookie. And today, I made the typical sugar cookie icing, with confectioners sugar, milk, vanilla and corn syrup. I was not impressed. It was way to sugary, and tasted kind of like what liquid chalk might taste like.

That being said, I guess my search is still on. I guess I should also mention that the sugar cookies in the store, yes, those really thick ones with the awful colored frosting and of course with sprinkles, well, I hate those too. Yes, I know I know, most people think they are sinfully delicious, but to me, they are just a dose of sugar that usually leaves me feeling bleh. I would much rather have a chocolate chip cookie, or even a molasses cookie. Call me crazy, call me weird, but, I promise, I am still up to the challenge.

One of the latest trends in cooking is cast iron utensils.  There are many brands out there featuring

enameled cast iron pots, dutch ovens, pans and others.  My favorite new thing in my kitchen is my

cast iron grill pan.  It is such a great tool, especially in the winter when it is too cold to grill outside.

I use my cast iron grill pan to grill meats, fish, veggies, and my favorite, panini sandwiches.  To make

great paninis, I recommend purchasing a panini press.  Some grill pans come with one, and some come

separate.

If you find the name brand enamaled cast iron too expensive, just go for the non name brand, or non

enameled cast iron.  A lot of farm supply stores have a variety of cast iron products.

Cast iron cooking is just a nice step back in time.  Your cast iron will last your whole life.

Ok, so I know there are a lot of us out there who have to cut back on spending somewhere.

Some of us do this at the grocery store, some of us cut back on say cigarettes, drinking,

eating out and various other places.

I have to say, the other day I made a carrot cake for my dad’s birthday. I thought it was

pretty good, and then the next day my dad left me a message saying it was the best cake

he thinks he has ever had. I do admit, I relish in compliments. But then I got to thinking

what I put into that carrot cake. I used organic carrots, eggs, and flour and I used quality pecans

and spices. I truley believe that quality ingredients make quality food.

A friend of mine makes rice crispy treats for her daughter often. A sale at the store encouraged

her to buy name brand crisp rice cereal and quality marshmallows. She was so surprised that the

outcome of such ingredients made a better treat.

There are good and bad ways to cut back at the store. Often you will find bulk sections in your store.

Check these for your ingredients first. You will often find a same quality or better product for a much

cheaper price. Great things to buy in bulk are rice, beans, lentils, flours, nuts, honey, syrups, oils and

many many more.

The moral of the story is that it is very important to go for quality rather than price. You will be happier

with your product, and so will those around you.

Is your fruit on the verge of rotting?  Or do you have so much fruit that you know you can’t eat it all?

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Set aside in shallow dishes toppings such as nuts, coconut flakes,

sunflower seeds etc.  Dip your fruit in the chocolate, then in the topping, set on parchment and stick in the

freezer.  Great for a sweet and semi-healthy dessert all week long.

Ok, so we are all busy, but sacrificing homemade food is no alternative. If you are smart about it, you can have easy, fast, healthy and delicious meals every day of the week. What I like to do is pick a day of the week to do all my shopping and prepping. Before I go, I do menu planning, sometimes having items such as a roast that can serve as two meals. Also be flexible to accommodate sales at the store. On this day, do your shopping for the week. Now this doesn’t mean you have to do all your shopping only on this day. I like to have additions throughout the week such as the farmers market veggies, or the butchers freshest cut of meats.

Once you have all your groceries for the week, you can start prepping. First, wash all your veggies and process your herbs. You can even cut them now and keep them in plastic bags so they are ready to use. If a recipe calls for meat already cooked, this is a great day to do it.

For example, arm roast was on sale at the grocery store today, so I bought a 3 pound roast. I have a small family and will need to use this several times. Today, I plan to cook the roast in my dutch oven, so that I end up with shredded roast. I can use this in several meals. Tonight I will eat it with my stuffed poblano peppers on rice. I can use it as taco, burrito, or enchilada fillings. I can also throw it in to soups for a quick and satisfying meal, and almost all the hard work is done.

Remember, everyone is busy! Use a few hours of your weekend to make your weekday less stressful. It doesn’t have to be stressful, turn on the music and open a bottle of wine, cook with your spouse or roommate, and make it a social event.  And remember………….BE CREATIVE!

Well, now is a time that gardens everywhere are thriving with an abundance of delicious fresh produce.  If you are like me, you have tomatoes, squash, zucchinis, herbs, peppers and many other veggies coming out of your ears.  This morning, I harvested all my ripe tomatoes.  I brought them in the kitchen, thinking “what will I do with my tomatoes this time?”.  Since I have very many different varieties, sometimes I like to do different things with them.  Roma tomatoes I love, but they are not very enjoyable to eat raw, but are delicious cooked.  I decided to make a very traditional tomato sauce with all my romas.  Don’t be overwhelmed!  A task like this is easy.  All you have to do to make a great sauce is seed them over a bowl, (you can also peel them if you wish), then chop them.  Add them to browning onions, garlic, and veggies (i.e.  carrots, celery, peppers or whatever you like).  I use an abundance of chopped herbs, such as basil, thyme, sage and lots of fresh parsley.  Just let them simmer for 20 minutes or so.

This can be a very satisfying start to a great italian meal.  Your friends and family will also be impressed that the sauce is made from tomatoes out of your garden!   And it wasn’t even a difficult or time consuming task.

So remember, do not be overwhelmed with all those delicious veggies in your garden.  There is a recipe for every veggie, and most can be stored away in your freezer for a quick meal later.

Today, I got thinking about farmer’s markets. As summer is approaching an end, I know I will greatly miss all the great fresh, local and organic goods. One thing I like to do is extend it into fall and winter by freezing some of the goods. Peppers, corn and other veggies are a nice thing to have on hand in your freezer. Simply chop them up and put them in baggies in your freezer. Another great idea is making chipotle for freezing. Simply throw your jalepenos on the grill and let them char. Then allow them to cool and peel off their skins and throw them in a baggie.

There are other ways to extend your freshness of products year round. When in the grocery store, remember to buy things in season. This means do not buy strawberries in the winter. Instead go for those nice in season citrus fruits, and adjust your eating to the seasons.

And remember, the best way to go to the farmer’s market is with your own bags, small bills, and some creative thinking.  The farmers will greatly appreciate it.

Today, it seems easy to pre order whatever food item you will need for a party or potluck. Even standard grocery stores are stocking convenient containers filled with goodies to take to your event. But remember, these are mediocre at best. This message is to remind you how easy it can be to make your own dish. It is also nice to hear all the compliments about it. This is what is so great about food; it becomes a very easy conversation piece. Food is essential to life, and therefore something to aspire to make great.

Now, assuming my brother doesn’t read this today, we are throwing him a surprise 30th birthday party. Thinking back on our childhood, I decided to think of something he has always loved, and turn it into a cake. He has always had an obsession with mint, so what goes better with mint than chocolate? I remember when I was a kid, I always dreamed of ice cream cakes for my birthday, especially on those hot summer days. They are so simple to make. I am making him a basic chocolate cake, two layers, with mint chip ice cream in the center. To top it off, I am making a white chocolate ganache with mint extract, and a basic chocolate ganache to decorate. How yummy does that sound? So remember, although it takes a little time, it is worth the homeade taste and all the love you will recieve. Check out The Food Network’s Website for basic cake recipes, and get creative with them.

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